reverend mommy's random thoughts

Morning Prayer - Mark 1, Psalm 111

2012-01-28T11:24:00.000-05:00

Mark 1:21-28 from The Message

Then they entered Capernaum. When the Sabbath arrived, Jesus lost no time in getting to the meeting place. He spent the day there teaching. They were surprised at his teaching—so forthright, so confident—not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars.

Suddenly, while still in the meeting place, he was interrupted by a man who was deeply disturbed and yelling out, "What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you're up to! You're the Holy One of God, and you've come to destroy us!"

Jesus shut him up: "Quiet! Get out of him!" The afflicting spirit threw the man into spasms, protesting loudly—and got out.

Everyone there was incredulous, buzzing with curiosity. "What's going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and sends them packing!" News of this traveled fast and was soon all over Galilee.

Leader: Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

People: Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.

Leader: The Lord has gained renown by his wonderful deeds. He is gracious and merciful.

People: He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.

Leader: He sent redemption to his people. He has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name.

People: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. All those who practice it have a good understanding.

God over all, You have filled our world with wondrous things. You have given us a church family and friends that give us some understanding of the glories of heaven with You and all Your people. We thank You as well for being our Father in heaven, a Father who gives us daily guidance and protection. Help us to honor and glorify You as we follow the example of Your Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray: “Our Father. . .”

from http://psalmsandprayers.com/psalm111.htm

Morning Prayer: Make My Life a Prayer to You

2012-01-26T08:14:00.002-05:00

Make my life a prayer to You
I wanna do what You want me to
No empty words and no white lies
No token prayers no compromise

I wanna shine the light You gave
Thru Your Son You sent to save us
From ourselves and our despair
It comforts me to know You're really there

Chorus:
Well I wanna thank You now
For being patient with me
Oh it's so hard to see
When my eyes are on me
I guess I'll have to trust
And just believe what You say
Oh you're coming again
Coming to take me away

I wanna die and let You give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope You gave me
The love that set me free

I wanna tell the world out there
You're not some fable or fairy tale
That I've made up inside my head
You're God the Son and You've risen from the dead

Chorus

I wanna die and let You give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope You gave me
The love that set me free

Morning Prayer - St. Augustine from Confessions 13, 9

2012-01-24T08:39:00.001-05:00

Give Thyself unto me, O my God, restore Thyself unto me: behold I love, and if it be too little, I would love more strongly...

In Thy Gift we rest; there we enjoy Thee. Our rest is our place. Love lifts us up thither, and Thy good Spirit lifts up our lowliness from the gates of death. In Thy good pleasure is our peace.

The body by its own weight strives towards its own place. Weight makes not downward only, but to his own place. Fire tends upward, a stone downward. They are urged by their own weight, they seek their own places. Oil poured below water, is raised above the water; water poured upon oil, sinks below the oil. They are urged by their own weights to seek their own places. When out of their order, they are restless; restored to order, they are at rest.

My weight, is my love; thereby am I borne, whithersoever I am borne. We are inflamed, by Thy Gift we are kindled; and are carried upwards; we glow inwardly, and go forwards. We ascend Thy ways that be in our heart, and sing a song of degrees; we glow inwardly with Thy fire, with Thy good fire, and we go; because we go upwards to the peace of Jerusalem: for gladdened was I in those who said unto me, We will go up to the house of the Lord. There hath Thy good pleasure placed us, that we may desire nothing else, but to abide there for ever.

-- Augustine

Morning Prayer - Psalm 80 and "Teach me the measure of my Days"

2012-01-19T08:32:00.002-05:00

Teach me the measure of my days,
Thou Maker of my frame;
I would survey life’s narrow space,
And learn how frail I am.

A span is all that we can boast,
An inch or two of time;
Man is but vanity and dust
In all his flower and prime.

See the vain race of mortals move
Like shadows o’er the plain;
They rage and strive, desire and love,
But all the noise is vain.
Words: Isaac Watts, The Psalms of David, 1719.

Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven;
behold and tend this vine;
preserve what your right hand has planted.
Let your hand be upon the person of your right hand,
and son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
And so will we never turn away from you;
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
Restore us, O LORD God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
From Psalm 80

Dearest Lord, I am always worrying about things beyond my control. Make me not to anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly. Life is ephemeral and even now, while I am placed among things which are passing away, help me to discern that which is really important -- my faith, my family, my friends -- and help me to hold fast to those that shall endure. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer - John 1

2012-01-17T10:54:00.000-05:00

Hear us, O God, in your dear love,
Let our prayers rise to you above,
And help us, this and every day,
To live as truly as we pray.

Words: John Keble, (19thC) adapted
Music: Elisheva Barsabe (21stC)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Lord, I thank you for the faithfulness of your servants. I thank you for their committment and the grace and love that come from you through them. I thank you for that great cloud of witnesses that surround us -- the saints who are dwelling with us and those who have gone on before us. Thank you for friends, for those I know in real life and those I have met via the internet who minister to myself and each other, mostly unaware. I pray for those today who are sick and ill and suffering -- in spirit and in the body.

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
Govern and uphold them, now and always.
Day by day we bless you;
We praise your name for ever.
Lord, keep us from all sin today;
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope;
And we shall never hope in vain.

Morning Prayer -- Psalm 142, Micah 3:9-4:5, Featuring John Wesley

2012-01-13T11:00:00.003-05:00

Psalm 142
1
I cry to the LORD with my voice; *
to the LORD I make loud supplication.
2
I pour out my complaint before him *
and tell him all my trouble.
3
When my spirit languishes within me, you know my path; *
in the way wherein I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
4
I look to my right hand and find no one who knows me; *
I have no place to flee to, and no one cares for me.
5
I cry out to you, O LORD; *
I say, "You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living."
6
Listen to my cry for help, for I have been brought very low; *
save me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
7
Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your Name; *
when you have dealt bountifully with me,
the righteous will gather around me.

Micah 3:9-4:5 (NRSV)
9Hear this, you rulers of the house of Jacob and chiefs of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and pervert all equity, 10who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with wrong! 11Its rulers give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for a price, its prophets give oracles for money; yet they lean upon the LORD and say, "Surely the LORD is with us! No harm shall come upon us." 12Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. Peoples shall stream to it, 2and many nations shall come and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; 4but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. 5For all the peoples walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior.

O Lord my God, I bless thy holy name for this mercy, which I have now received from thy bounty and goodness. Feed now my soul with thy grace, that I may make it my meat and drink to do thy gracious will, through Jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen.

- John Wesley

2012-01-12T17:26:00.000-05:00

NatureMill Automatic Composter.

I love this idea! If I had the money, I so would get one of these.

Morning Prayer - Thoughts in Solitude By Thomas Merton

2012-01-10T08:49:00.000-05:00

MY LORD GOD,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think
that I am following your will
does not mean that
I am actually doing so.

But I believe that
the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have
that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything
apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this
you will lead me
by the right road
though I may know nothing
about it.

Therefore I will trust you
always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear,
for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

-- Thoughts in Solitude By Thomas Merton

Morning Prayer - Precious is the Heart of Love

2012-01-09T08:31:00.001-05:00

Precious is the heart of love;
may, at length, such hearts be ours;
God, please send down from above
your love and truth divine.
And may they cleanse our willing souls
of earthly ills and make them whole;
for Christ did come to share our toil
and will not spurn our prayers.

Thankful for the Morning Light

Words: James Reed (adapted)
Music: James Reed

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. Help us to discern your will -- help us to find our way in this broken and hurting world.

Lord Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd of the sheep, you gather the lambs in your arms and carry them in your bosom: We commend to your loving care the children and adults who died this week in automobile accidents. Heavenly Father, send your Holy Spirit into the hearts of the relatives and into our hearts, to direct and rule us according to your will, to comfort us in all our afflictions, to defend us from all error, and to lead us into all truth.

Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Morning Prayer - Good King Wenceslas

2012-01-08T09:01:00.000-05:00

Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen,

When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.

Brightly shown the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,

When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.

Hither, page, and stand by me. If thou know it telling:

Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?

Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain,

Right against the forest fence by Saint Agnes fountain.

Bring me flesh, and bring me wine. Bring me pine logs hither.

Thou and I will see him dine when we bear them thither

Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together

Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.

Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger.

Fails my heart, I know not how. I can go no longer.

Mark my footsteps my good page, tread thou in them boldly:

Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly.

In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dented.

Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.

Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,

Ye who now will bless the poor shall yourselves find blessing

Morning Prayer - Bonhoeffer's Christmas Day Prayer 1943

2012-01-06T12:18:00.001-05:00

O Heavenly Father,
I praise and thank you
For the peace of the night;
I praise and thank you for this new day;
I praise and thank you for all your goodness and
faithfulness throughout my life.
You have granted me many blessings;
Now let me also accept what is hard
from your hand.
You will lay on me no more
than I can bear.
You make all things work together for good
for your children ....

Morning Prayer - Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Christmas in Prison

2012-01-04T12:37:00.002-05:00

MORNING PRAYER

Christmas, 1943

God, to you I call early in the morning.
Help me pray
And gather my thoughts to yourself
I cannot do it alone.
In me it is dark,
But with you is the light;
I am lonely, but you forsake me not;
I am faint-hearted, but with you is help;
I am restless, but with you is peace;
In me is bitterness, but with you is patience;
I do not understand my way, but
You know the way for me.
Father in Heaven,
Praise and thanks
Be yours for the night’s rest.
Praise and thanks be your for the new day.
Praise and thanks be yours for all your kindness
And faithfulness in my past life.
You have shown me much good,
Let me now receive from your hand
What is hard.
You will not lay upon me
More than I can bear.
For your children you let all things
Serve for the best.
Lord Jesus Christ,
You were poor
And miserable, captive and forsaken as I am.
You know every need of humans,
You remain with me
When no man stands by me,
You forget me not and seek me,
You will that I recognize you
And turn to you.
Lord, I hear your call and follow,
Help me!
Holy Spirit,
Give me the faith that rescues me from
Despair, addictions, and vice,
Give me the love for God and humans,
That destroys all hate and bitterness,
Give me the hope that frees me from
Fear and despondency.
Holy, merciful God,
My Creator and my Savior,
My Judge and my Deliverer,
You know me and everything I do.
You hate and punish evil in this world
And in the next with no respect of persons;
You forgive sins for the one
Who asks sincerely;
You love good and reward it on this
Earth with a good conscience
And in the world to come
With the crown of righteousness.
Before you I think of all my loved ones,
And of my fellow prisoners, and of all those
Who do their hard service in this house.
Lord, have mercy!
Grant me freedom again,
And let me so live in the present
That I can live responsibly
Before humans.
Lord, whatever else this day brings—
May your name be praised!
Amen.

Project Order from Chaos, Take 2, Day 3.

2012-01-03T20:23:00.000-05:00

The desk today. This is all photographs and I think it's going to take a while to sort. I'm throwing away packaging after I get the date clues off of it and all overexposed/underexposed/foggy/horrible pictures. I'm also putting on the back of the photo the who, what, when and where (if I know it.) The stuff I keep will be placed in acid safe boxes or in an album. I hope to reduce the bulk by 8 tenths.

As I cleaned out two boxes, I found multiple copies of the DeLay coat of arms. Some 8 by 10, some 11 by 17. I have no idea what to do with them.

Captain Kirk is contemplating becoming a denser form of matter.

Found in the second box I cleaned out - a caricature of my father done in 1955 or so. It really captures who he was.

Give away stuff for today. 4 mini plaques, two BB loaders, two boxes of cards, a luggage take, a 4 by 4 mini canvas, a suncatcher, a box of dollar store jewlery, 4 bookmarks, a stick of sidewalk chalk in the wrapper and a velvet bag. 18 items today - bringing the total for the year to 26.

Morning Prayer - Psalm 34

2012-01-03T08:17:00.001-05:00

Awake, awake to love and work!
The lark is in the sky
the fields are wet with diamond dew
The worlds awake to cry
their praises to the Fount of Life
Christ Jesus passes by.

Come, let your voice be one with theirs
shout with the shout of praise
See how the giant sun soars up
God's gift for all your days!
So let the love of Jesus come
and set your soul ablaze.

To give and give, and give again,
as God's own grace is free
To spend yourself nor count the cost
To serve most gloriously
the God who gave all worlds that are
and all that are to be.

Music: Morning Song Kentucky Harmony (19thC)
Words: Geoffrey Studdert-Kennedy (20thC)
Psalm 34
1 I will always give thanks unto the Lord *
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord *
the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 O praise the Lord with me *
and let us magnify his Name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me *
yea, he delivered me out of all my fear.
5 They had an eye unto him, and were lightened *
and their faces were not ashamed.
6 Lo, the poor crieth, and the Lord heareth him *
yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him *
and delivereth them.
8 O taste, and see, how gracious the Lord is *
blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9 O fear the Lord, ye that are his saints *
for they that fear him lack nothing.

Pro 24:13
My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

Psa 119:103
How sweet are thy words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Exd 16:31
Now the house of Israel called its name manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

Thank you for the taste of the Kingdom you have given me Lord.
The flakes of manna that have fallen into my life.
Thank you for the honey of the Word
That sweetens all that I do or say.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe,
who brings forth the sweetness from the earth.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe,
who made creation.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe,
who has kept us alive
and preserved us and enabled us to reach this season.

In the Newness of this Year
Form me into what You will --
Shape me into a servant, a mother, a disicple.
Amen.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 2.

2012-01-02T18:27:00.000-05:00

Day 2. This is the desk that is being sorted through at the moment,

One drawer at a time.

The only thing found in the drawer that went back in. It was my grandfather's and I kept it only after some internal debate.

Minnie P makes sure the bed is used.

Old maps from the desk. I sorted through them and kept about half - placed them in a box to be used as crafts or memory books pages.

The process. The pile on the left is trash. The pile on the right is to keep.

Written Three Years Ago

2012-01-02T14:05:00.000-05:00

On December 30, 2008

The central thesis for my "Theology of Space" is indeed this -- Unless the exterior life reflects the interior and the interior live reflects the exterior, you live in a cognitive dissonance; you are living in conflict. I have absolutely no problem spending an hour or two a day in contemplation and prayer, attending to my interior life. However, I don't spend that time working on the total exterior life; my physical shape, my grooming habits, my living spaces and my creative nature. So that will be my goal this year -- either to become a complete intellectual, spiritual and emotional slob or to get my exterior life in line with my interior.

How well am I doing? Much the same as I did last year, I have made progress, but I'm still in progress - I'm not finished yet. And I am more convinced that it's like painting the Golden Gate Bridge - a continual process and by the time you reach "the end" it's time to go back to the beginning and start all over.

As I preached yesterday - I did pretty well on "Project Order from Chaos" for quite a while. I gave away dozens and dozens of items. I am sure by the end of the year, it was way over the 1460 items I had hoped for however I lost track by the time we moved in June.

This year, I resolve to do much the same: to take better care of my physical being and my exterior life so that it is in line with my inner life. So Project Order from Chaos begins again - transformed to "do" 4 random things a day that create order from chaos: cleaning, sorting, repurposing, recycling, disposing of , throwing away, burning or giving away 4 things a day. With God's help, I will attempt to make Order from Chaos!

Morning Prayer - Wesley Covenant Prayer

2012-01-02T09:15:00.001-05:00

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

See also this complete Facsimile of Wesley's "Our Covenant With God."

New Year's Day Casserole

2012-01-01T14:07:00.000-05:00

OK, a recipe from Lenore.
Take some ham and chop it up. Maybe 2 cups, maybe 3.
Small onion, chopped.
Small red pepper, chopped.
A pound and a half of frozen collard or turnip greens.
One or two (or three) cans of black eyed peas (depending on how you feel at the time)
Jiffy Cornbread mix all mixed and ready to go according to package instructions.

Saute ham, onion and peppers in some oil until onions are transparent. Maybe some fatback or bacon grease or even olive oil if you have it. Thaw and squeeze out the collards (or turnip greens). Mix them into the ham and onions. Add the peas, drained. Moisten it all with chicken or ham broth until it looks good. Place in a rectangular baking dish and top with the cornbread batter. Bake in a 350 to 425 degree oven for 30 minutes or until it looks done. All your New Year's Day foods in one dish! And it's delicious, too.

From Brian Wren, 1978

2012-01-01T13:07:00.000-05:00

This is a day of new beginnings,
time to remember and move on,
time to believe what love is bringing,
laying to rest the pain that's gone.

For by the life and death of Jesus,
love's mighty Spirit, now as then,
can make for us a world of difference
as faith and hope are born again.

Then let us, with the Spirit's daring,
step from the past, and leave behind
our disappointment, guilt and grieving,
seeking new paths, and sure to find.

Christ is alive, and goes before us
to show and share what love can do.
This is a day of new beginnings;
our God is making all things new.

Reblogging - Grillards

2011-12-23T13:06:00.003-05:00

There are certain foods that I cook by the TLAR (That Looks About Right) method. Grits, cornbread, greens, gumbo, grillards, vegetable soup, chili. I just cook them. So here is a TLAR kinda recipe.

Marinate about 1 to 1 and a half pounds of round roast/steak in red wine, Lea & Perrins, pepper and onion salt for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Cut the meat into 2 inch cubes and pound the meat until it's about a quarter inch thick. Pound using a rolling pin or smooth rubber mallet -- don't use one of those meat tenderizers, because they cut the fibers instead of loosening them up. Brown the meat off in a hot pan with olive oil -- searing the flesh, not cooking. Put the meat in the crock-pot. Saute now 1 large or 2 small onions, some celery and a bell pepper (The Trinity). Right before it's done, add in your garlic to taste (one clove to 5 cloves, crushed). Don't add too soon or the garlic will be bitter. Add this into the crock put when a little more than transparent. Since you are doing this right after breakfast, and since you either made bacon or sausage, add the drippings in the pan. Add a stick of butter or so until you have, uh, enough. Probably about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup. Add flour in equal amounts -- from 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup. Cook this mixture until it is dark brown, stirring constantly. (This is called a brick roux.)

Add a can of tomatoes, diced. Then fill the can with wine and pour it in. Stir this mixture -- it will be very thick. Put it in the crock pot with the meat and aromatics. Cook in the crock pot on high for 3 or 4 hours, then on low for 3 to 4 more hours. IF it seems too thin, after 3 hours, make another roux and add it to the pot. It tends to thin as it cooks. It's done when it is a uniform brown color and the meat is falling apart.

Cook some cheese grits -- start with 4 cups water to 1 cup quick grits -- then put in a dash more grits. Fresh stone ground is best. Make sure you have a dash of salt in the grits. Cook covered, stirring frequently until it gets to the volcanic bubble stage. Cut the heat and add about 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream. Add a half a stick of butter. Stir until they are done, then add 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

Ladle out grits into a bowl until half full. Let them set up for just a little while. Then ladle up some of the grillards -- a more or less equal amount onto the grits. It should look like a pool of brown gravy on with a thin rim of grits around. Ummm....

Hot sauce on the side with salt and pepper -- a fresh green vegetable like snap beans or asparagus. Iced tea. Red wine. Fresh yeast rolls. Umm, umm. Yes.

Morning Prayer - John 1

2011-12-20T09:56:00.001-05:00

Hear us, O God, in your dear love,
Let our prayers rise to you above,
And help us, this and every day,
To live as truly as we pray.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Lord, I thank you for the faithfulness of your servants. I thank you for their committment and the grace and love that come from you through them. I thank you for that great cloud of witnesses that surround us -- the saints who are dwelling with us and those who have gone on before us. Thank you for friends, for those I know in real life and those I have met via the internet who minister to myself and each other, mostly unaware. I pray for those today who are sick and ill and suffering -- in spirit and in the body.

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
Govern and uphold them, now and always.
Day by day we bless you;
We praise your name for ever.
Lord, keep us from all sin today;
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope;
And we shall never hope in vain.

Morning Prayer - Magnificat

2011-12-17T11:41:00.001-05:00

Luke 1:26-38

²⁶In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”³⁵The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. ³⁶And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Morning Prayer - Psalm 139

2011-12-16T08:40:00.000-05:00

Psalm 139
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

Morning Prayer - Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

2011-12-15T10:56:00.000-05:00

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

O Wisdom,
O Holy Word of God,
You govern all creation with your strong, yet tender care.
Come, and show your people the way to salvation.
(The great "O" antiphons.)

Morning Prayer - Philippians 4

2011-12-14T08:43:00.001-05:00

Philippians 4:4-9 -- The Message

4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6-7 Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come
among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver
us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and
the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
BCP - preface for Advent 3.

Morning Prayer - Lo! He Comes, With Clouds Decending

2011-12-13T07:01:00.002-05:00

Lo! he comes, with clouds descending,
once for our salvation slain;
thousand thousand saints attending
swell the triumph of his train:
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
Christ the Lord returns to reign.

Every eye shall now behold him,
robed in dreadful majesty;
those who set at nought and sold him,
pierced, and nailed him to the tree,
deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
shall the true Messiah see.

Those dear tokens of his passion
still his dazzling body bears,
cause of endless exultation
to his ransomed worshipers;
with what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture
gaze we on those glorious scars!

Now redemption, long expected,
see in solemn pomp appear;
all his saints, by man rejected,
now shall meet him in the air:
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
See the day of God appear!

Yea, amen! let all adore thee,
high on thine eternal throne;
Savior, take the power and glory;
claim the kingdom for thine own:
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
Thou shalt reign, and thou alone.

Words: John Cennick (1718-1755), 1752;
as altered by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), 1758;
and then altered by Martin Madan (1726-1790), 1760

Morning Prayer - from the Book of Common Prayer

2011-12-12T09:34:00.000-05:00

Watch, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning, lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. -- Mark 13:35, 36

Psalm 41
1
Happy are they who consider the poor and needy!*
the LORD will deliver them in the time of trouble.
2
The LORD preserves them and keeps them alive,
so that they may be happy in the land;*
he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.
3
The LORD sustains them on their sickbed*
and ministers to them in their illness.
4
I said, "LORD, be merciful to me;*
heal me, for I have sinned against you."
5
My enemies are saying wicked things about me:*
"When will he die, and his name perish?"
6
Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words;*
their heart collects false rumors;
they go outside and spread them.
7
All my enemies whisper together about me*
and devise evil against me.
8
"A deadly thing," they say, "has fastened on him;*
he has taken to his bed and will never get up again."
9
Even my best friend, whom I trusted,
who broke bread with me,*
has lifted up his heel and turned against me.
10
But you, O LORD, be merciful to me and raise me up,*
and I shall repay them.
11
By this I know you are pleased with me,*
that my enemy does not triumph over me.
12
In my integrity you hold me fast,*
and shall set me before your face for ever.
13
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel,*
from age to age. Amen. Amen.

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Morning Prayer - Psalm 145

2011-12-10T07:25:00.000-05:00

Psalm 145

Refrain: Great is the Lord and highly to be praised.

1 I will exalt you, O God my King, •
and bless your name for ever and ever.

2 Every day will I bless you •
and praise your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; •
his greatness is beyond all searching out. R

4 One generation shall praise your works to another •
and declare your mighty acts.

5 They shall speak of the majesty of your glory, •
and I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

6 They shall speak of the might of your marvellous acts, •
and I will also tell of your greatness.

7 They shall pour forth the story of your abundant kindness •
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, •
long-suffering and of great goodness. R

9 The Lord is loving to everyone •
and his mercy is over all his creatures.

10 All your works praise you, O Lord, •
and your faithful servants bless you.

11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom •
and speak of your mighty power,

12 To make known to all peoples your mighty acts •
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; •
your dominion endures throughout all ages. R

14 The Lord is sure in all his words •
and faithful in all his deeds.

15 The Lord upholds all those who fall •
and lifts up all those who are bowed down.

16 The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, •
and you give them their food in due season.

17 You open wide your hand •
and fill all things living with plenty. R

18 The Lord is righteous in all his ways •
and loving in all his works.

19 The Lord is near to those who call upon him, •
to all who call upon him faithfully.

20 He fulfils the desire of those who fear him; •
he hears their cry and saves them.

21 The Lord watches over those who love him, •
but all the wicked shall he destroy.

22 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, •
and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Refrain: Great is the Lord and highly to be praised.

King of the universe,
you show the bright glory of your reign
in acts of mercy and enduring love;
raise the spirits of the downcast
and restore those who have fallen away,
that we may sing for ever of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayers for Charlotte, Anita, Margaret, Bill, Peggy, Lynn, Dale, Amy, Kay, Allison. Glad thanks for answered prayer this morning!

Morning Prayer - Psalm 86

2011-12-09T08:18:00.000-05:00

Psalm 86

Refrain: All nations you have made shall come and worship
you, O Lord.

1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, •
for I am poor and in misery.
2 Preserve my soul, for I am faithful; •
save your servant, for I put my trust in you.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for you are my God; •
I call upon you all the day long.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant, •
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. R
5 For you, Lord, are good and forgiving, •
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer •
and listen to the voice of my supplication.
7 In the day of my distress I will call upon you, •
for you will answer me. R
8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord, •
nor any works like yours.
9 All nations you have made shall come and worship you, O Lord, •
and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wonderful things; •
you alone are God. R
11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; •
knit my heart to you, that I may fear your name.
12 I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, •
and glorify your name for evermore;
13 For great is your steadfast love towards me, •
for you have delivered my soul from the depths of the grave. R
14 O God, the proud rise up against me
and a ruthless horde seek after my life; •
they have not set you before their eyes.
15 But you, Lord, are gracious and full of compassion, •
slow to anger and full of kindness and truth.
16 Turn to me and have mercy upon me; •
give your strength to your servant
and save the child of your handmaid.
17 Show me a token of your favour,
that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; •
because you, O Lord, have helped and comforted me.
Refrain: All nations you have made shall come and worship
you, O Lord.

God of mercy,
who in your great love
drew your Son from the depths of the Pit,
bring your people from death to life,
that we may rejoice in your compassion
and praise you now and for ever.

Now it is time to awake out of sleep,
for the night is far spent and the day is at hand.
Now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed,
for the night is far spent.
Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness
and put on the armour of light,
for the day is at hand.
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ
and make no provision for the flesh,
for the night is far spent and the day is at hand.

Morning Prayer - adapted from the Book of Common Prayer

2011-11-03T07:28:00.000-04:00

O God, who wonderfully created,
And yet more wonderfully
Aestored, the dignity of human nature:
Help me remember that daily.
At Walmart or the filling station,
At work or at play,
At school or at church --
Help me remember that
Each and every one of us is made in Your image -
Each of us contain a spark of that Diving force within us.
Grant that I may
Share that divine love and life
Of him who humbled himself to share our humanity,
Your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Morning Prayer -- A New Covenant

2011-11-02T08:23:00.001-04:00

God, you said you would make a new covenant.
My heart lies waiting.
Waiting.
And time passes.
Where is this new covenant?
You pulled us out of oppression,
But why? Nothing changed except
We have become the oppressors.

You said that you had taken my Father and Mother by the hand
And led them out of their bondage –
But God, they were in bondage again before they left the room.

You said you would be our lover, our husband, our closest kinsman –
Where are you?
Your mountain is lost to me --
What obscures my vision?
I cannot remember your face.
It is lost in the mist.

My eyes cannot remember your face,
My flesh cannot remember the last time I felt your embrace.
My spirit cannot remember the caress of your love,
My ears cannot remember the sound of your voice.

You said that you would incise your law on my heart with a diamond stylus.
My heart lies waiting.
Waiting.
And time passes.
I would welcome the pain of your brand on my flesh, if I then would know that
You are there.

You said you would forgive my iniquity and remember my sin no more.
Have you forgotten me as well?
Valleys of dead bodies await your command or condemnation.
We lay here and rot.
How long do we have to wait, longing for something to live for?
When will you gather the dry bones together and breath life into the gaping skulls?
When will you take my bruised heart and write upon it your love?
My heart lies waiting.
Waiting.
And time passes.
--Theresa Coleman

Morning Prayer - Celtic Prayer V

2011-11-01T07:20:00.000-04:00

May you know that absence is full of tender presence and
that nothing is ever lost or forgotten.
May the absences in your life be full of eternal echo.
May you sense around you the secret Elsewhere which
holds the presence that have left your life.
May you be generous in your embrace of loss.
May the sore well of grief turn into a well of seamless presence.
May your compassion reach out to the ones we never hear
from and may you have the courage to speak out for the excluded ones.
May you become the gracious and passionate
subject of your own life.
May you not disrespect your mystery through brittle words
or false belonging.
May you be embraced by God in whom dawn and twilight
are one, and may your belonging inhabit its deepest
dreams within the shelter of the Great Belonging.

John O’Donohue’s book, Eternal Echoes.

Morning Prayer - Celtic Prayer IV

2011-10-31T08:17:00.003-04:00

May you be blessed in the Holy Names of those who carry
our pain up the mountain of transfiguration.
May you know tender shelther and healing blessing when
you are called to stand in the place of pain.
May the places of darkness within you be turned towards the light.
May you be granted the wisdom to avoid false resistance
and when suffering knocks on the door of your life,
may you be able to glimpse its hidden gift.
May you be able to see the fruits of suffering.
May memory bless and shelter you with the hard-earned
light of past travail, may this give you confidence and trust.
May a window of light always surprise you.
May the grace of transfiguration heal your wounds.
May you know that even though the storm might rage yet
not a hair of your head will be harmed.

John O’Donohue’s book, Eternal Echoes.

Morning Prayer - Celtic Prayer III

2011-10-30T09:15:00.000-04:00

May you listen to your longing to be free.
May the frames of your belonging be large enough
for the dreams of your soul.
May you arise each day with a voice of blessing
whispering in your heart that something good is going to happen to you.
May you find a harmony between your soul and your life.
May the mansion of your soul never become a haunted place.
May you know the eternal longing which lives at the heart of time.
May there be kindness in your gaze when you look within.
May you never place walls between the light and yourself.
May your angel free you from the prisons of guilt,
fear, disappointment, and despair.
May you allow the wild beauty of the invisible world to
gather you, mind you, and embrace you in belonging…

John O’Donohue’s book, Eternal Echoes.

Morning Prayer - Celtic Prayer II

2011-10-29T12:15:00.003-04:00

Blessed be the longing that brought you here and that
quickens your soul with wonder.
May you have the courage to befriend your eternal longing.
May you enjoy the critical and creative companionship of
the question “Who am I?” and may it brighten your longing.
May a secret Providence guide your thought and shelter your feeling.
May your mind inhabit your life with the same sureness
with which your body belongs to the world.
May the sense of something absent enlarge your life.
May your soul be as free as the ever-new waves of the sea.
May you succumb to the danger of growth.
May you live in the neighbourhood of wonder.
May you belong to love with the wildness of Dance.
May you know that you are ever embraced in the kind circle of God.

From John O’Donohue’s book, Eternal Echoes.

Morning Prayer - Celtic Prayer I

2011-10-27T12:09:00.004-04:00

May you awaken to the mystery of being here and enter
the quiet immensity of your own presence.
May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
May you receive great encouragement when new frontiers beckon.
May you respond to the call of your gifts and find the
courage to follow its path.
May the flame of anger free you from falsity.
May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame and may
anxiety never linger about you.
May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul.
May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles
that seek no attention.
May you be consoled in the secret sympathy of your soul.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven
around the heart of wonder.

From John O’Donohue’s book, Eternal Echoes.

Morning Prayer -- St. John of the Cross and Mother Teresa

2011-10-20T07:35:00.000-04:00

O blessed Jesus,
give me stillness of soul in You.
Let Your mighty calmness reign in me.
Rule me, O King of Gentleness,
King of Peace.

When asked what she says when she prays to God she said,
Mother Teresa is often quoted: "I don't say anything; I listen."

Trying right now to listen rather than talk.

Morning Prayer -- Robert Louis Stevenson

2011-10-19T07:34:00.000-04:00

Lord, behold our family here assembled.
We thank Thee for this place in which we dwell;
for the love that unites us;
for the peace accorded us this day;
for the hope with which we expect the morrow;
for the health, the work, the food, and the
bright skies that make our lives delightful;
for our friends in all parts of the earth, and our friendly helpers in this foreign isle [Samoa]...
Give us courage, gaiety, and the quiet mind.
Spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies.

Bless us,
if it may be, in all our innocent endeavors.
If it may not be,
give us the strength to encounter that which is to come,
that we be brave in peril,
constant in tribulation,
temperate in wrath,
and in all changes of fortune and down to the gates of death,
loyal and loving to one another.

... Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)

Morning Prayer -- Frederick Buechner, Theology of Space

2011-10-18T07:33:00.001-04:00

“Pay mind to your own life, your own health, and wholeness. A bleeding heart is of no help to anyone if it bleeds to death.”

"Holistic medicine is not a new concept. Socrates knew that it was important to treat the body as a whole when he wrote, “For the part can never be well unless the whole is well.” An old Indian saying states that the body is like a house with four rooms: a physical, a mental, an emotional, and a spiritual room. To be a whole person, one must spend at least a little bit of time in each of these four rooms every day. For example, food and rest satisfy our physical needs; learning about the world and using what we learn enriches our minds; and validating and coping with our feelings meets our emotional needs. Our spiritual needs must also be addressed."
From here.

Morning Prayer -- Frederick Buechner -- The Odd Silence

2011-10-17T07:32:00.000-04:00

Everybody prays whether he thinks of it as praying or not. The odd silence you fall into when something very beautiful is happening or something very good or very bad. The ah-h-h-h! that sometimes floats up out of you as out of a Fourth of July crowd when the sky-rocket bursts over the water. The stammer of pain at somebody else’s pain. The stammer of joy at somebody else’s joy. Whatever words or sounds you use for sighing with over your own life. These are all prayers in their way. These are all spoken not just to yourself but to something even more familiar than yourself and even more strange than the world.

Morning Prayer -- Frederick Buechner -- When you remember me

2011-10-16T07:31:00.000-04:00

“When you remember me, it means that you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me. It means that even after I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.
For as long as you remember me, I am never entirely lost. When I'm feeling most ghost-like, it is your remembering me that helps remind me that I actually exist. When I'm feeling sad, it's my consolation. When I'm feeling happy, it's part of why I feel that way.

If you forget me, one of the ways I remember who I am will be gone. If you forget, part of who I am will be gone. "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." the good thief said from his cross (Luke 23:42). There are perhaps no more human words in all of Scripture, no prayer we can pray so well. ”

Morning Prayer -- From Augustine

2011-10-15T08:01:00.000-04:00

I have learned to love You late,
Beauty at once so ancient and so new.
I have learned to love You late.
You were with me/ within me,
and I was in the world

outside myself.

I searched for You outside myself and,
disfigured as I was,
I fell upon the lovely things of Your creation.

You were with me but ...

I was not with You.

The beautiful things of this world
kept me from You and yet,
if they had not been in You,
they would have no being at all.

You called me;
You cried aloud to me;
You broke the barrier of my deafness.
I tasted You and now
I hunger and thirst for You.

You touched me and I am inflamed,
inflamed with love of Your peace.

Augustine, Confessions X, 27

Morning Prayer -- St. Clement

2011-10-14T08:59:00.000-04:00

May Almighty God,
who sees all things,
and who is the Ruler of all spirits
and who is the Lord of all flesh

who chose our Lord Jesus Christ
and us through Him to be
a peculiar people -

grant to every soul that
calls upon His glorious and holy Name,

faith,
fear,
peace,
patience,
long-suffering,
self-control,
purity,
and sobriety,

to the pleasure of His Name,
through our High Priest and Protector, Jesus Christ,
by whom be to Him glory, and majesty, and power, and honor,
both now and forevermore.
Amen.

From the end of Clement's letter to the Corinthians, adapted.

Morning Prayer

2011-10-13T13:58:00.002-04:00

The sun that bids us rest is waking
our family members far away
Who, while we sleep are gladly taking
their turn to worship you and pray.

So be it, God, your reign shall never
like earth's proud empires, fade and fall.
Your reign endures, and grows forever
till all your creatures heed your call.

Most merciful God, I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myselves. I am truly sorry and humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance;
you refreshed the land when it was weary.
Your people found their home in it;
in your goodness, O God, you have made provision for the poor.
The Lord gave the word;
great was the company of women who bore the tidings:
"Kings with their armies are fleeing away;
the women at home are dividing the spoils."
Though you lingered among the sheepfolds,
you shall be like a dove whose wings are covered with silver,
whose feathers are like green gold.
-- Psalm 68:9-13

O God,
Your glory is your mercy:
Your mercy is glorious.
We wander away -- and your mercy follows.

Draw my heart to you.
Guide my mind so that I might guide,
fill my imagination so completely that I cannot imagine,
control my will so that I will be yours,
make me utterly dedicated to you;
Then and only then use me,
as you will,
use me to your glory
use me to the welfare of your people.
I have found my home in you.
Help me return and rest in you,
Help me be still and know that
You alone are God.
Amen.

Talk Like a Pirate Day - the Text for the Week

2011-09-19T13:53:00.000-04:00

When he be enterin' th' temple, th' chief priests 'n th' elders 'o th' people came to him as he was teachin', 'n said, "By what authority be ye doin' these thin's, 'n who gave ye 'tis authority?" Jesus said to them, "I gunna also ask ye one inquiry; if ye be tellin' me th' answer, then I gunna also be tellin' ye by what authority I do these thin's.

Did th' baptism 'o Johny-boy come from heaven, or was it 'o human origin?" 'n they argued wit' one another, "If we shout, 'From heaven,' he gunna shout to us, 'Why then did ye not believe him?' But if we shout, ''o human origin,' we be a-feared 'o th' crowd; fer all regard Johny-boy as a prophet."

So they answered Jesus, "We do not be knowin'." 'n he said to them, "Neither gunna I be tellin' ye by what authority I be doin' these thin's.

"What do ye think? A scurvy dog had a pair sons; he went to th' first 'n said, 'Son, be off 'n set the sails in th' vineyard this day.' He answered, 'I gunna not'; but later he changed his mind 'n went. Th' salty sea-dog 'o a father went to th' second 'n said th' same; 'n he answered, 'I be off, matey'; but he did not be off.

Which 'o th' a pair did th' gunna 'o his salty sea-dog 'o a father?" They said, "th' first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I be tellin' ye, th' tax collectors 'n th' prostitutes be goin' into th' kin'dom 'o God ahead 'o ye. fer Johny-boy came to ye in th' way 'o righteousness 'n ye did not believe him, but th' tax collectors 'n th' prostitutes believed him; 'n even after ye saw it, ye did not change ye minds 'n believe him.

Project Order from Chaos, Reflections for a Tuesday

2011-09-13T12:22:00.002-04:00

I've long wondered what the purpose of all this downsizing really is - what the drive to do it consist of - where the drive comes from.

Part is sheerly reactionary. The amount of stuff to keep up with is overwhelming. Bill and I have inheirted way too much stuff. We have accumulated tons of furniture, clothing and knick-knacks just by passive accumulation. Literal tons. Tractor trailers full of it. At a certain rate, we could keep up with the dissolution of the material goods. But like Lucy in the Chocolate factory, eventually we could *not* keep up and we started shoving it anywhere it would fit. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uztA6JCKB4s). You can't keep that up indefinitely and it began to spill out into everyday living areas. At a certain point, you have to go through it, making decision all the time.

In fact, that's the key to all this - making decisions all the time to keep, trash, donate or sell. Every single item that comes into a house needs to either have a place made for it, or you have to make a decision as it's eventual disposal.

Right now, I'm fussing with books. I have made a decision: I cannot think of purchasing a book - theology, fiction, coffee-table, whatever - without deciding either 1) which other book gets the boot or 2) how will I dispose of this book when I'm finished? I'm purchasing more books on iBooks or Kindle just for this reason, although I do believe there is nothing that will replace the feel of a book in your hands.

I did go through a phase of active accumulation, especially when we first married. The house seemed so empty and what was not new was what I called "Salvation Army Reject" or "Early Married Impoverished." Most of those furnishings have gone away, but I definitely spent a phase in my early marriage of accumulation. I was trying to fill myself up with something - I guess I was mourning a bit the fact that I was no longer an independent adult, that I now had another person to think of. I also was mourning the single life. No one warned me about that! And no one warned me about the loss of "self" that comes with having children and the fact that you are never alone again - no, not even to use the restroom! I mourned the fact that I had to put my desires on the back burner for the greater good of the family. It's really not as selfish as it sounds; most new mothers go through it. But again, I began to purchase and accumulate to deal with these feelings.

I started accumulating again passively as my parents and grandparents died. However, I didn't mind because the items reminded me of them - they were physical relics, memories. Again, the stuff filled a void.

However -- stuff can't fill these voids. Stuff can't replace that sense of self identity or self worth or dead loved ones. Those voids have to mend on their own; and of course it can be filled by God. Interesting that this society has made "stuff" equal to God, is it not?

Enough of this -- time to sort more books. Of course, we purchased 6 yesterday so at least 6 must go out today!

Question of the Week

2011-09-09T11:49:00.000-04:00

(These are from John Wesley's questions that he developed to help people in his circle of influence come closer to Christ as they went over these questions and held each other accountable.)
Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

Follow the conversation on Facebook.

Project Order from Chaos?

2011-09-08T11:50:00.000-04:00

Project Order from Chaos either went away or went light speed. In January, I had decided to give away 4 items a day for a year. I did well in this for quite a while, documenting all of it by taking pictures –well at least for the first couple of months. I pressed on until June when God, the Bishop, the DS and the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church moved us.

Now, Project Order from Chaos has hit light speed. There is no contemplation about items, no playfulness in arranging little pictures, no joking around and making puns. We are big time serious about this thing at the moment.

I didn't realize I was just playing around with downsizing, simplifying and streamlining until I was thrown into this thing called "moving." Now my task is to take the material that filled up one 1100 square foot parsonage, one 2400 square foot house, a storage unit and a few other odds and ends and make it fit into a 1400 (or so) square foot parsonage. Big news here: it won't all fit.

I'm no longer having to make decisions about the *excess* of material, but having to make decisions on things I didn't think were excess. For instance, I own two very complete set of dishes: (1) the dishes that I grew up with, whose very pattern brings me comfort and eases my anxiety (Berkeley by Syracuse, just in case anyone is interested) and (2) the set that Bill and I selected as wedding presents, registering at every conceivable department store and shopping for on our honeymoon (Folk Art by Pfaltzgraff). There is no room in this house for both. Which do I use? Actually, there isn't room for all the Folk Art, just bits and pieces, as we own LOTS of it. Right now and because it was in the Monroe parsonage, we are using the older set that I grew up with. I love these dishes, but there is discussion in the family about swapping them out. I am having to choose between the pattern I love and reminds me of my childhood and the pattern that I love and reminds me of this family. I don't want to have to make this choice! I'm always a both/and rather than an either/or.

Of course, I could resort to some conspicuous consumption, donate/pitch/sell both sets and buy more, but is that really really and option? (NO) Today, I'm sticking with convenience - I'd rather have the Pfaltzgraff (maybe) but the Berkeley is in the cabinets here already (and they match the kitchen (and you know that coordination of color in home decor is more important than functionality.))

So I’m a little stuck. I’m going to play like Scarlett and think about it tomorrow.

Likewise, if we store all the stuff in the Loganville house and rent/sell it, I will have to do something with the piano. I love my piano. I miss my piano. There are seasons in my life where I play it for hours. I’ve named it Isaac. It’s a real antique originally owned by my grandmother. So if we rent/sell the Loganville house, I am going to have to move it to this house. (NO! NO storage for piano. It needs climate controlled love and care.) However, the only place to put it is where I’ve placed my mother’s cedar chest. The cedar chest is one of the few pieces I have of my mother’s in the parsonage. It meant a lot to her – it was her first furniture piece that she purchased with her own money after going to work Southern Bell at age 18 and saving up for 3 years. And it’s full of things that I don’t want to go away: Hairy the fur coat, the coverlet that my g’g’g’grandmother made, my fur muff from 1st grade, some of my children’s clothing from when they were babies. So which goes away to sell or to storage? I don’t know.

It’s not the excess clothing that bothering me, or the unnecessary books or boxes of pens and pencils. I easily can go through and dispose properly of all that – it’s the things that one might consider heirlooms that I’m struggling with.

Now what?

Working too Long

2011-09-06T11:51:00.001-04:00

OK, I've been working too long. Just read "Monogamy in the Age of Dan Savage" as "Mammography in the Age of Dan Savage." I know I must keep abreast of current topics, but I think it's time that I stop now.

Evening Prayer

2011-08-12T21:30:00.002-04:00

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness;
in your great compassion blot out my offenses.
Wash me through and through from my wickedness
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you only have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight.
And so you are justified when you speak
and upright in your judgment.
Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth,
a sinner from my mother's womb.
For behold, you look for truth deep within me,
and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure;
wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.

Dearest God,
Your Son took on the form of a human and became humble
for our sake. He became a servant
for our sake. He humbled Himself even unto death
for our sake. He went not onto joy, but first suffered pain
for our sake. He walked the way of the cross
for our sake. He bears the dreadful curse
for our sake. He took on death just
for our sake.

God help me walk the way of the cross
Help me be a witness to the light
Help me speak of Your glory
Help me serve Your people
Help me live as you would have me to live.

Purge me of sin. Wash me and make me clean as snow.
For You. Amen.

Death and Taxes in Carlton, GA

2011-08-12T11:59:00.000-04:00

Fiona kicked open the kitchen door and flung the grocery bags onto the kitchen counter. Dripping with sweat, she wiped her hot sticky hair out of her face with the crook of her elbow, closed the door and sat with an audible “hff” in her desk chair. Her open computer jeered at her. The letter she had to write … well, she wasn’t looking forward to it.

Dear Steve,

Let me follow up the phone calls this afternoon with a note.

And tell you my side of the story, she thought.

I don’t think that anything is going to appear on the nightly news and the newspaper lady lost interest when she was able to call it “domestic unrest.” As I was not arrested for assault, I think all will be well.

It started with a phone call this morning from Teena Davey when she called to tell me her grandmother had been shot in the hip with a waffle iron.

Pictures of a Chaotic Life!

2011-05-27T13:47:00.000-04:00

The shredded red chair is now blue!

The horrible ottoman is now a nice brown swirly.

Brass bells I rescued from the garage and my grandmother's nut bowl.

Half the garage, straighted.

Easter Sunday dinner at the parsonage.

Watching TV and Sorting My Life: Project Order from Chaos

2011-05-27T13:42:00.002-04:00

I've been watching four different shows on my computer: "How Clean Is Your House?" from BBC, "Clean House" from Style, "Hoarders" from A&E and "Hoarding: Buried Alive" from TLC. I began watching them about a year ago, as I was thinking about my "Theology of Space" and how what dwells within is outwardly expressed. Since then, I've been deliberately cleaning up my space. Oddly enough, as I clean up the chaos that surrounds me, I have lost more weight. The "heaviness" of my possessions was (and is) being played out in my physical being.

There are certain things that strike me. First, my private areas are not necessairly the most cluttered areas. My bedroom remains pretty orderly (except for the overstuffed closets). I have no problem with too many shoes; I own a half dozen pair. I probably don't own enough shoes as I don't have enough fancy dress shoes. I just don't find them comfortable, so I don't have any. I don't own excessive amounts of makeup or clothing. And I will soon own less; I am paring down what is in my closet. I have excessive amounts of costume (and real) jewlery. I've been thinking about this; I believe I own it merely because I inheirted it from people that meant something to me. It's not taking up a horrible amount of space, so it's sorting and removal has not yet hit the "A" priority list.

The parsonage remains pretty tidy, as well. I believe everything in the parsonage remains tidy because each and everything in the parsonage was hand selected for it's purpose. Everything is in place and everything stays in place because everything in there just makes sense. It's not overcrowded, nothing there is "wasted" material. Everything is used.

The girls' rooms remain pretty tidy (in both houses) for the same reasons: everything is used, there is no space is wasted. They have been very good at eliminating excess - maybe too good. They have probably disposed of things that I may have kept, but it is their space and it is their decision to dispose of unnecessary items.

The public areas in the Loganville house remain moderately messy. I think it's an indication of things moving in and then moving out. The dining room and kitchen areas especially show this. Waves of material comes in, is sorted, cleaned, mended, discarded and then flow out to their designated places. These rooms never look the same from day to day.

The largest areas that remain unsorted, cluttered and just chaotic are 1) the sewing room, 2) the garage and 3) the basement. The sewing room contains all the stuff I have left over from my embroidery business. I have not been successful in getting rid of all it of because there is this lingering feeling that by disposing of it, I have admitted defeat - that my business endeavor was a failure. Objectively, this might or might not be true; that is how it feels. Also, there is years of accumulation from a series of sewing projects: cases of fabric, thread, old jeans to cut up, half done quilts and the assorted paraphernalia that goes with sewing. I have been collecting fabric probably for the large majority of my life. It needs to be culled down. There is also in the sewing room a large amount of paper that needs to be sorted and either filed or disposed of.

The garage also contains a lot of paper: financial records of people long dead, my mother’s genealogy work, and box after box of photographs and letters. This stash is what I have been tackling most currently. There is a lot of “grief work” that I have been doing with all this. I miss most of these people more than I can even express. I mourn them and at the same time I resent them for leaving it all for me to sort. Grief and anger; anger then grief again.

The basement contains some of the furniture that was in my parent’s house. The ottoman I recently had recovered is from the basement. The sectional sofa from my grandparent’s house (Heywood Wakefield) is in the basement as well. I purchased more material from OCHO (OHCO??) at $.75 a pound to have it recovered. As soon as we have the money, I will have the reupholsters come pick it up. I want to place it in my “new” sewing room – Kate’s room. I have a plan and I really want to stick to it. I will have to dispose of the majority of the stuff in the sewing room and mentally and emotionally, I am ready.

There are also some of my dad’s tools in the basement. These also will take time to look at, feel, sort and dispose of. I have my big desk in the basement; I haven’t had a place to put it since I was married. It is huge 6 foot by 6 foot square; the desktop alone is 36 square feet. Maybe I can put it in the garage when the garage is cleaned out. My glass working tools are in the basement, along with my glass – it has not been touched in 17 years. I want to do glass again. Perhaps there will be room for it again soon.

However the majority of the stuff in the basement is Bill’s responsibility. Things from his grandfather’s estate (mostly papers) that must be sorted and disposed of correctly. Other items that need to be evaluated and distributed between the three brothers. I know how stuck I have felt with my parent’s estate; I have tremendous empathy for him. This is not an easy journey. The emotional baggage can be so overwhelming.

I am planning on making sure my kids don’t have to do this. I know some has to remain, but I don’t have to burden them with tons of material. It’s going to take time, but I am going to pare down again and again until there is very little left.

This year, I have called my efforts “Project Order from Chaos.” May it be indeed so.

Termites and Old Letters

2011-04-22T23:42:00.000-04:00

Since the discovery of termites has necessitated the removal of all the stuff from the right garage wall, we’ve been shuffling boxes around -- before I have had the opportunity to sort them. Bill dumped several in the Dining Room. They were mostly photographs, old tax returns, checks and registers, files from my Fernbank days and clothing.

Bill helped me move the shredder into the Dining Room and I have been happily shredding. I shredded all the unused checkbooks from four different accounts that have been closed for at least a decade, as well as all my parent’s tax records and returns from 1983 to 1990. I did find out that my sister had at least 5 jobs in those years. Del Taco, a travel agency, a gourmet food distributor, Rich’s (now Macy’s) and National Fundraisers. I had one -- the one at Fernbank Science Center. My “multiple job” stage was about 5 years before Amy had hers.

The next box contained all sorts of useful education material, however most (if not all) was woefully out of date. I removed all the paper from the file folders and made stacks of empty folders to use later.

The third box was much harder. I thought it contained photographs and there were a few there, but there was mostly correspondence from many years ago. I found my mother’s college diploma with her tassel. She had packed the folder full of all sorts of cards and the program from the graduation ceremony. It was dated May 28, 1961. She died exactly 40 years later on May 28, 2001. Soon she will have been gone for 10 years. The girls want me to take them to her grave on that date. We miss her horribly. My grandmother died in 2000 and so my mother never knew the pain of raising children without having access to abundant motherly advice. And my sister and I always had a Grandmama to go visit and to love on us. My children don’t know what it is like to have a grandmother. This makes me very sad.

The next layer down, I found a few pictures from very early in the 20th century. Only one was marked -- it was my grandmother Ruth Hilburn as a 7 year old child playing with a baby. I don’t know who that baby was; all the other pictures are just as mysterious.

Digging deeper in the box, I found correspondence of my Dad’s from the late 1940’s to 1950. He was out of the army by 1946 and had begun attending the University of Arizona in Tuscon. I found a letter to my Dad from his mother which I found amusing. She scolded him for spending money and encouraged him to find cheaper ways to travel from Tuscon to Atlanta. I also found papers from where he went back into the Army in 1950 (at age 31) to train ambulance crews for the Korean conflict. While he was teaching in California, he contracted San Joaquin Valley Fever. Most people suffer some flu like symptoms, but he was one of the few that had a severe case. He didn’t get any better.

After a few weeks, the Army doctors made the decision to operate and remove the infected lung. Daddy used to tell me that it was one of the first Thoracic surgeries attempted of this type. The doctors did not expect him to get better. He was shipped off to Atlanta to either to heal up or to die. I found dozens of cards that my Dad received the 9 months he was at Lawson Veteran’s Hospital in Chamblee. But what was heartbreaking was a paper bag and a large white envelope that he had scratched out some notes on. He was keeping a log of how he felt; how much pain he was in and what the doctors were doing. The pencil is fading and my father’s handwriting waxed and waned with his pain. I wondered why he kept the notes and if it was because he was lonely.

My father died in 1995 from complications of San Joaquin Valley Fever. He developed pneumonia and just didn’t have anything to fight the infection with. The doctors had expected him to die of the infection; I don’t think they expected it to take 45 years.

After I found his notes, I had to stop for a while. I get blue in the Spring of the year anyhow and this is not making things better. There is a part of me that wants to push on and finish what I have started; to get out the scanner and scan some of the pictures in, to design some scrapbook pages and preserve all this stuff. And there is a part of me that just wants to ignore it all (like I’ve been doing for about 10 years now.) I know what’s next is a box that contains all my Dad’s letters from WWII. I find myself simultaneously fascinated and reluctant.

So I’m shuffling boxes around. I have wanted to do this for years now. I suppose I should thank the termites for getting me started.

Lawson Veteran's Hospital in Chamblee, GA around 1945

Chickens

2011-04-15T13:12:00.002-04:00

I think I have five friends raising chickens this year. Not for show, but for the eggs and the chickens to eat. Most of these friends are living in very suburban areas and most are also raising vegetables in raised gardens. I’m all into fresh vegetables; but because of various and sundry reasons, I’m not growing a garden this year (mostly because I can’t get rid of the deer who eat my tasty little vegetable plants!) I am participating in a CSA box again, and we’ve been eating tender and delicious lettuce this month.

All this “back to Mother Nature” reminds me so very vividly of my mother. When she was a little girl, from age 4 up, she was responsible for the family’s chickens. She would tend to the chickens every day. My grandfather had a coop in the backyard of their very urban house in West End Atlanta. In fact, a lot of the people in the 1930’s in Atlanta had both chickens and what would later be called (during WWII) a ‘Victory Garden’ in their backyards.

They did it because food was expensive and labor was cheap. Food was hard to come by. My grandmother was a woman who never turned away anyone hungry. She prided herself on her cooking and on the bounty of her table. We had a running joke in the family about “eat aplenty!” because of cousins who would come and eat with my grandmother’s family and the dad would say “eat aplenty!” to his children. The unsaid part was “because we don’t know when we are eating next.”

When my great grandfather died in 1936, my great-grandmother moved in with my grandparents in a tiny little house off of Elizabeth Street. My grandmother was the oldest child of 9. Well, actually Gilbert was the oldest, but he died during WWI from Spanish Influenza. My grandmother Gladys and next oldest boy GT were the only ones who were married and independent. The house had 3 bedrooms, a dining room and a living room. My great grandmother slept with my mother and her younger sister. My mother’s three unmarried aunts slept in the second bedroom, my grandparents in the third and my three uncles slept in the living room. I don’t think the house had more than 1000 square feet. It had one bathroom but it was on a huge corner lot, so there was enough room for a large garden and the chickens.

One day an older and indigent black woman came to the house asking for food. She was all alone in the world, with no children and no family left. My grandmother fed her, gave her clothing and when she found out Vassie had no place to go, she made up the daybed in the Dining Room. Vassie lived with my family from 1938 until 1959. When my aunts and uncles married or joined the army and the house emptied out, Vassie got the third bedroom and my grandfather remodeled the bathrooms so that Vassie could have her own. I understand that my great-grand mother and Vassie were “as thick as thieves” and would sit elbow to elbow shucking corn or shelling peas. Vassie help keep the house, but as she grew older and her arthritis grew worse, she became my great-grandmother’s companion. Vassie died before my great-grandmother Belva and when she died, I think it broke Belva’s heart. Belva died less than a year later.

My grandfather worked for Southern Bell. He was a line-man and he help manage crews all over Georgia. There were times that my grandparents would leave the larger family in that house off of Elizabeth Street and travel to other parts of Georgia for a few months at a time. Exotic places like Moutrie and Macon. My grandfather would install long lines, test them and then come home. At one point, the line crews were going to be forced to lay men off. When the economy slowed down, there just wasn’t enough money. Men like my grandfather decided to take one furlough day a week to keep the 20 percent of their workforce who were targeted to be laid off working. That meant of course a 20 percent decrease in pay for everyone. It was a huge hit for my family. This was the reason for the vegetable garden and the chicken coop.

At one point, my grandfather chased a job all the way to the Sopchoppy river – to Apalachicola in Florida. There were some relative down there that they stayed with for a while, but when other jobs became available my cousins moved leaving my grandparents and my mother and aunt with no place to stay. My grandfather was sending home more money than he really could afford. They ended up living out of the Model T on the beach with no food, until my grandfather could be paid again. They lived on the beach for about a month. My mother would dig for periwinkles, my grandmother would search for cat-tails and daylilies. They caught hermit crabs and fiddler crabs. They survived until that paycheck. When there was money, they feasted and filled the Model T with gas and came home to Atlanta.

My mother never had a birthday party. There just wasn’t money. She never had birthday presents, new clothing or new shoes. She never could join Girl Scouts because there just wasn’t the money for the uniform or dues. She kept chickens and studied. When she was in High School at West Fulton High, she was not allowed to graduate with an academic diploma, but a “technical diploma.” She learned shorthand, accounting and typing. She had a piano she would play around on, but there was not money for lessons. When she graduated at age 18, she got her first job at Southern Bell. It was 1948. After a year of working as the secretary for the Engineering Department at Southern Bell, she applied at Georgia State College (now Georgia State University). It was known colloquially as “Lucky Street University” because it was located off of Lucky Street, not too far from where Martin Luther King Jr. was born.

Southern Bell was very forward thinking. They provided money for her to go to school. It took her 13 years to get her diploma, taking one class at a time at night. She graduated May 28, 1961. In 1964, my grandparents built their dream home in Marietta, Georgia on the land that had been in my grandmother’s family for generations. It had originally been deeded to Archibald McGarity as a part of the land taken from the Cherokee in the 1830’s. When I was a child, you could still see the remains of the log cabin that had been built by a Cherokee family and added onto by my family. My grandfather retired in 1964. He planted a huge garden for my grandmother, but they didn’t raise any chickens. He did raise some hogs and gave my dog Bear a good home. He died of a heart attack in December of 1968, as Apollo 8 was on its way to the moon.

I think of these things as I go through box after box of detritus from my grandparent’s house and my parent’s house. I found a box of cancelled checks from 1947 and I find myself unable to shred them. I don’t think I should keep them, but I can’t shred them. I have no idea what to do with them. I found checks where they paid on the mortgage for that house on Elizabeth Street. I found checks where my grandmother got cash to pay Vassie. I found checks where my grandparents tithed to their church – a real tithe of 10 percent of the gross. Even though they were not financially stable, they never stopped giving to the church. I found checks where they gave money to some of their brothers and sisters. Somehow shredding those checks seems like erasing all of them from my memory. I don’t want to forget their love and their generosity. I don't’ want to forget their struggle to survive in a world that looks much like the world looks today.

I think of the song “Big Rock Candy Mountain” and I think of the Great Depression. And I think I want to raise chickens.

Maundy Thursday Service

2011-04-11T09:52:00.000-04:00

Full script with Director's notes here.

Invocation
John 1:1-18
“Once upon a Tree” by Pepper Chopin -- Choir

John 12:1-4
“My Jesus I Love Thee” UMH 172 – Ist verse woman’s solo joined by choir rest of verses and congregation

John 12:4-8
Luke 22:7-14
“What Wonderous Love is This” UMH 292

John 13:2-17
Invitation to Footwashing
“Jesu, Jesu” UMH 432
“O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee” UMH 430

John 13:21-35
“Gift of love” UMH 408
Luke 22:15-20

Words of Invitation to Table and Consecration
Solo- “Remember Me” by Mark Schultz
“Be Thou My Vision” UMH 451

Matthew 26:30-44
Solo – “Into the Woods” lyrics by Sidney Lanier
Words of Dismissal
“A Wind Blew Over Calvary” by Greg Sewell – Choir

Random Things That I Usually Don't Bother To Blog

2011-04-01T11:41:00.000-04:00

Interesting that CPR continues to evolve over the years.

And HERE is a posting where my husband explains what "Worked All States" really means.

Prayer of St. Teresa

2011-04-01T11:22:00.001-04:00

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.... May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.

Afternoon Prayer

2011-03-22T18:58:00.000-04:00

We are too well pleased with ourselves,
 When our dreams have come true
 Because we have dreamed too little,
 When we arrived safely 
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess 
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life; 
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
 And in our efforts to build a new earth, 
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas 
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land, 
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back 
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future 
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
(Prayer of Sir Francis Drake)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-16T22:26:00.001-04:00

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;*
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

I have discovered Scrap-booking

2011-03-07T17:56:00.000-05:00

and I am having fun with it! Digital scrap-booking is probably going to be my norm, however, I am also dealing with the boxes and bags full of photographs that I have floating around the house -- as well as the "non-archival" photo albums that I stopped building about 10 years ago. I am going to redo most of those photo-albums, as I get time. I'm in a "working backwards" sort of mood; I'm starting with the youngest pictures in iPhoto and trying to do one year at a time. I've purchased four 12 by 12 inch scrapbooks and will add the two 8.5 by 11 scrapbooks I purchased today to the collection.

Of course, this has all been a result of my "Project Order from Chaos" that I started at the beginning of the year. I've not posted any lists or photos since the end of January; I may do that in a few minutes, but that does not mean that I am not going ahead with the project. In a way, I realized that the documentation of the journey is important, but I have been concentrating on the DOING and the BEING of it rather than the recording of it.

I have been in this process for quite a while. I wrote about it back in 2004. It's been more than 6 years since I started this reforming/transforming/reshaping of self. I've lost the ability to use words about the whole thing; I find myself steeped in a sort of silence.

The scrap-booking is another form of self-therapy; it helps me form tangible items to represent memory. The further back I go, the deeper I go, the more unveiled the purpose seems to be. One day maybe I'll have words for all this.

Thoughts for a Monday; Project Order from Chaos.

2011-02-07T10:51:00.002-05:00

Items not used - clothing still with tags, gifts given and never opened, junk mail, stacks of paper on desks, unused kitchen gadget, tchotchkes, gewgaws, knickknacks, and trinkets - all add to our mental clutter . Not only do they weigh us down, they drain our energy by overwhelming us with feelings of shame and dread. We are beloved Children of God made to love. Why love things that can't love us back?

Here's a thought -- Donald Winnicott theorized that we need transitional objects to move from one phase to another. Most of the time it's a kid's lovey: a teddy bear, a blanket. Do adults need these transitional objects as well to move from one point in their lives to another? Is that one of the reasons we clutter up our lives?

Also from Winnicott -- according to Wikipedia -- "When the person has to comply with external rules, such as being polite or following social codes, then a False self is used. The False self is a mask of the false persona that constantly seeks to anticipate demands of others in order to maintain the relationship." Do we use our 'stuff' and excess of possessions to create that false self? What would happen if we stripped away all that was unnecessary in our lives? Could we then be our true self that God intended us to be?

Kitty Midnight Madness!

2011-02-04T23:36:00.002-05:00

2011-02-04T23:35:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday, Bill! (One candle for each decade. Seemed easier and less likely to cause a massive house fire -- or at least set off the fire alarm.)

Project Order from Chaos, Day 35.

2011-02-04T23:34:00.002-05:00

Organized the office supply cabinet. It still looks a little messy, but it's much better than it was! I took out a stack of old, yellowed or crumpled paper to use a scratch paper for homeschooling. I also weeded out some binders and thermofax paper and made labels for the shelves. I'm slowing down. I need something for a shot in the arm, as this is beginning to get old...

Project Order from Chaos, Day 34.

2011-02-03T15:31:00.001-05:00

This is the reason I made Cumin Coffee the other day rather than Cinnamon Coffee. The cinnamon is on the left and the cumin is on the right. Easy mistake to make.

Items given away --
(135) skirt

(136) 3 skirts
(137) one blouse
(138) one knit top
(139) sweater
(140) green pant

(141) skirt
(142) two green sweaters

(143) 3 skirts

(144) one green very small terrycloth robe, new with tags

2011-02-02T22:31:00.000-05:00

Items given away

(134) Two organizer thingys I don't need.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 33.

2011-02-02T17:56:00.000-05:00

Items given away
(129) White Girl's Shirt
(130) Green Corduroy Jacket
(131) Brown Party Dress

(132) Sparkly sweater

(133) 11 pairs of kid's jeans.

My first digital scrapbook page.

2011-01-31T16:19:00.004-05:00

This is fun. That is all.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 31.

2011-01-31T16:17:00.000-05:00

I received back all my developed photographs from 35 rolls of film; approximately 1000 photos.
(127) Throw away one stack
(128) Give away one stack
Keep one stack. The negatives and packaging will be thrown away after the albums appear online and all photos will be placed in a photo album or scrapbook or be culled out.
Onward we go!

Quote

2011-01-28T12:29:00.001-05:00

"You must let go of a thing for a new one to come to you.” Attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson

Project Order from Chaos, Day 28. Thought of the Day.

2011-01-28T11:31:00.001-05:00

A lexicon to use to describe people who accumulate too many things. (Found here.)

HOARDERS – Can be referred to as hunter/gatherers
PACK RATS – Stockpile haphazardly and seldom use the things that are stored
CLUTTERERS – An out of control need to accumulate things
COLLECTORS – Orderly, systematic organization of things, often on display

To this list, I would add:

PASSIVE ACCUMULATORS - People who inherit things from others and want to do the "right thing" by it and those who don't throw away the broken item when it is replaced.

Bill and I are a bit of several of these. I would say we are more than 50 percent "Passive Accumulators" with a bit of a "Pack Rat" mentality and a lot of a "Collector" mentality.

Much of what we own we inherited. I would say that we have absorbed several households -- perhaps as many as 4 (My Papa's, my grandmother's, my parents and part of Bill's grandfather's). We have duplicates of lots of things -- furniture and household items. Many of the items are better quality than Bill and I originally owned. Many of the items have sentimental value. A lot of the items have monetary value (if you can find the market for them.) What we have lacked is TIME and SPACE.

The things that are obviously trash are easy to dispose of -- just throw it away. Other things are easy to give away -- especially if I don't have any emotional connection. But others we are keeping in our lives because it hurts somehow to dispose of it.

An Example: We have two decorative baskets that were in our downstairs bath and our master bath. They aren't very robust; I don't think they were made to last all that long. I've repaired the one in the downstairs bathroom. Here's a picture of it that I posted earlier this week with other items I had marked "give away."

Bill's gut reaction to this pile of "give away" was so very visceral, "But my Mommy made that." And that she did. She made it several years ago with her own hands and gave it to us to use and enjoy. When I heard he say what he said, my heart broke a little. How well I understand that! She's no long with us to shower us with her love and affection -- she's no longer with us to make us any more gifts. After a brief discussion, we agreed to give it away and keep the other that is in better condition and try to repair it.

Dr. Ted Hackett told a story to our sacrament class long ago about a man and a tube of lipstick. He had that tube of lipstick in his pocket for a long time and when he laid dying, he refused to allow that tube of lipstick out of his possession. People wondered why -- but to those who knew the rest of the story understood. This was his wife's tube of lipstick; while she lay dying, he would carefully outline her lips with it and apply it gently. It was his last and lasting service of love to his wife. It had become a ritual item, a holy relic to him.

We have a hard time giving up small meaningless items so very often because they have become relics. Of course, we still have the memory of the person, but these items become our physical prompt. And for some of us, this is the main reason we become a "clutterer" or a "hoarder." God bless us all.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 27.

2011-01-27T23:03:00.000-05:00

Items to give away:
(121) cornucopia basket
(122) six soup bowls with handles

(123) Playhut
(124) 100 ballpit balls, still in box

125) Twilight series
(126) Gospel CD, still in wrapping

4 and a half days ahead of schedule -- I've run out of things to donate in kitchen right now, I think I'll turn to the garage to sort.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 27. Thought of the day.

2011-01-27T11:03:00.002-05:00

Out of Clutter, Find Simplicity.
From Discord, Find Harmony.
In the Middle of Difficulty Lies Opportunity.
--Albert Einstein (Three Rules of Work)

Project Order from Chaos, Day 26. Dwelling in Chaos, Have Been I.

2011-01-26T10:06:00.001-05:00

I have been contemplating this "Project Order from Chaos" for quite a while. I wrote more than two years ago this:

The central thesis for my "Theology of Space" is indeed this -- Unless the exterior life reflects the interior and the interior live reflects the exterior, you live in a cognitive dissonance; you are living in conflict. I have absolutely no problem spending an hour or two a day in contemplation and prayer, attending to my interior life. However, I don't spend that time working on the total exterior life; my physical shape, my grooming habits, my living spaces and my creative nature. So that will be my goal this year -- either to become a complete intellectual, spiritual and emotional slob or to get my exterior life in line with my interior.

How well have did I do with these goals? I re-read the entire posting: I did indeed get rid of all the books in the garage. We have worked on both estates that need to be finished. I have continued to push to get the entire house "done." We live in less chaos that we did BUT ... I'm not finished. Or maybe I should say we're not finished. Since I wrote those words, I have started homeschooling and accumulated more stuff; different stuff. The garage has gone from a clutter level 5 to a clutter level 3. I have pared down the amount of items in the kitchen cabinets, in the laundry room. Our bed room and the girls' rooms have been painted and decorated. I have organized my closet more than once. I have made myself a place in the bedroom for study. I have organized and moved furniture into a parsonage.

Did I accomplish my goals? No. But I am letting go of the "shoulda, woulda, coulda" and the guilt of it all; that's all just mental clutter. And I will strive on to perfection. One day, it will all be done. The more space I make in my life, the more I can live.

Enough for now.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 25. Thought of the day.

2011-01-25T21:54:00.000-05:00

The more we own, the more we have responsibility over. The more we have the responsibility over, the more time we must use for its upkeep; the less time we have to inhabit the spaces God is to be found. Get rid of excess; make room for God.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 25.

2011-01-25T16:03:00.000-05:00

Items to give away:
(117) stack of pots and pans
(118) twirly-ma-jiggy
(119) lampshade (replacement on order)
(120) basket from bathroom

Kitchen cabinet, after.
Still sorta grubby -- need to scrub and paint, as necessary.

Kitchen cabinet, before.
Can't find anything and grubby.

2011-01-24T15:48:00.000-05:00

Casting bread upon the waters... or as The Message phrases it:

Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns.
Don't hoard your goods; spread them around.
Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night. (Ecc 11:1-2)

I received notecards from #MercyPercolator -Thanks! and a beautiful teapot from a friend after I noted Lauren's love of tea. Be generous! Blessings will come back to you!

Project Order from Chaos, Day 24.

2011-01-24T13:55:00.000-05:00

A clutter scale from the Boston Globe to describe clutter levels in a person's home.

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/gallery/hoarding_040207?pg=3

On this scale, anything past about a level 3 is considered "visual noise" (IMHO). Most people would not be able to get anything useful done. Past level 4 on this scale, clutterers would qualify for a mental health evaluation.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 24.

Items given away

(111) pile of clothing

(112) big pink robe

(113) stack of 12 hats

(114) bag of random socks

(115) plastic chain with clothespins cabled tied to it.

Items given away:

(110) pile of hair bows

Items given away

(116) CD player

Thought for the day, Day 22.

2011-01-24T10:08:00.002-05:00

Thinking today of clutter as "visual noise." (saw it on a website somewhere). Just as a noisy environment can interfere with useful conversations and ruin communications, visual noise can disrupt useful activity and ruin motivation. Here's to clearing out my visual noise.
* http://www.get-organized.com/noise.html, reference for "visual noise."

Project Order from Chaos, Day 22.

2011-01-22T10:19:00.000-05:00

This is a stained glass panel I made for my grandmother more than 20 years ago (there was a matching lapquilt, too). It had separated from the frame; Bill soldered it for me, as I can't find my stained glass tools. Cleaned, it's ready to hang!

Thanks to @Matt Fox, I'm going to try this stuff on my buffet and kitchen table and try to stretch out their useful life. I'll let you know how it goes!

Item to give away:
(109) Big area-hog boom box.

Stripes is helping by adding cat freshness to the laundry.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 22.

2011-01-22T10:09:00.000-05:00

Let us pray to God concerning those things
which hold onto us
and those things we hold onto –
the habits of our life -
the loyalties which guide our actions -
the standards which we do not question...
Let us pray that we might love God more than we love these things... Lord hear our prayer...
(a prayer found on Kir Shaolm)

Project Order from Chaos, Day 21. Thought of the Day:

2011-01-21T19:46:00.000-05:00

Life is not defined by what you HAVE.

Speaking to the people, he [Jesus] went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."

Luke 12:15 The Message

Project Order from Chaos, Day 20

2011-01-20T16:45:00.000-05:00

The Laundry Room. It's not horrible, just untidy. If an item does not fit into the purpose of the room, it's out of there. So today I am determining the purpose of this room and removing all things that don't support its purpose.

The Landry Sink. Yes, it is a sink. I removed a case of V8, a rug, a blackbelt karate uniform, a trashcan, a sorting bin, 3 fly swatters, a large bag of charcoal brickettes, clothing and three pairs of shoes. Among other things. Logic would tell me that a sink is for washing things, not for storage.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 20. Thought of the day:

2011-01-20T14:22:00.002-05:00

Live, really live, live exuberantly.

And I command you today: Love God, your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his commandments, regulations, and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by God, your God, in the land you are about to enter and possess.
Deut 30:16, The Message

Project Order from Chaos, Day 19. Thought of the day:

2011-01-19T11:05:00.003-05:00

Having Nothing, and yet Possessing Everything.

"sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."
2 Cor 5:10

Project Order from Chaos, Day 18. Thought of the day:

2011-01-18T11:06:00.001-05:00

The phrase "feng shui" is based on the Chinese words for wind and water. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese philosophy that claims our physical world can be arranged so as to improve the flow of life or chi (qi.) Interesting that both wind and water can sweep away or clean.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 17

2011-01-17T18:30:00.000-05:00

I've eliminated 108 (plus) items (really more since I considered 33 shirts or 12 puzzles as one item). I've been reorganizing things this weekend. It seems to be a breathe in, breath out process; there is a natural ebb and flow. As soon as I get rid of things and make space, I need to order the space logically. Contemplating this today. And reorganizing a kitchen cabinet.

Empty cabinet. Eventual home to the small kitchen appliances.

Disposed of a slew of name tags I had dangling from the plate and hung some crosses I had collected.

Clear counter space. Recycling basket is full -- and I am working my way around the counter.

Declutter

2011-01-16T18:26:00.000-05:00

From Clutter's Anonymous

"Clutter is anything we don't need, want, or use that takes our time, energy or space, and destroys our serenity. It can be outgrown clothes, obsolete papers, broken toys, disliked gifts, meaningless activity, ancient resentments, or unsatisfying relationships...

Decluttering is not merely eliminating, but gradually transforming our space so that we surround ourselves only with things that express our purpose. It means turning something useless into something useful; creating more leisure and space; being more honest in our relationships; eliminating distractions and simplifying our lives in order to find our spiritual roots."

I feel deeply that my push to declutter my life is not just a physical one; it is a deep spiritual discipline.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 13

2011-01-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

To be donated/given away
(101) Two Ball Jar
(102) 4 lbs of Melt and Pour soap
(103) soap mold
(104) lollipop mold
(105) rose soap mold
(106) Two popcorn holders
(107) three plastic cups

(108) stack of 12 puzzles (gone already! Marta took them for her grandkids)
I did keep 9 puzzles, so I gave more than half away.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 12

2011-01-12T19:38:00.000-05:00

I took a break yesterday. Here's today's efforts.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 12.
Items to give away or recycle
(65) a few dozen tealight candles, burned for like 5 minutes.
(66) 25 unopened wallpaper boarders, 3 different patterns.
(67) pottery crock and loaf pans
(68) can opener
(69) handpainted butterfly trivet
(70) 8 Christmas napkin rings
(71) Odd cork thing
(72) fabric covered box
(73) kid's leaf necklace
(74) red bulletin board letters and numbers
(75) three partially used rolls of wall paper
(76) unopened kid's paper birthday tablecloth
(77) matching papergoods for wedding shower -- 36 cups, 48 napkins, 36 plates -- all in a bag.

(78) pile of telephone books to recycle.
(80) stack of plastic cups to be recycled.

(81) cups with lids
(82) random bag of craft stuff
(83) spool of ribbon

(84) bucket of plaster of paris, half used.
(85) Easter Bunny Basket
(86) Flower cookie cutters, unopened
(87) bucket of unused candle wax
(88) WalMart bag of used Easter Eggs
(89) Red Rabbit Fur Collar
(90) Random Bag of Craft stuff (good stuff, too)
(91) Button thing
(92) Bucket of foam shapes
(93) Leather book cover

(94) bag of unused balloons
(95) bag silk flowers
(96) bag of birthday noisemakers and stuff
(97) bag of craft things
(98) Bunny necklace kits
(99) Spool of ribbon
(100) plastic butter tub of clear plastic beads

And the kitchen is a total mess.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 10

2011-01-10T11:57:00.001-05:00

A "before" picture. The kitchen buffet looking unusually unruly.

The kitchen before. Again, all messed up because it takes messing up to clean up.

Items to give/throw away:

(57) Barbie Camera
(58) Old glasses and case
(59) Elephant made of seashells
(60) 4 tacky coasters
(61) Furniture "glide" thingy.
(62) Old Birthday Candles (worthy of throwing away)
(63) old sunglasses
(64) Kid necklace

Idea board for lighting in Kitchen.

Kitchen Idea Board.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 9

2011-01-09T11:57:00.000-05:00

(48) 33 Denim shirts (NWT) -- tried to sell at least 3 times/ no joy.

I probably could have sold them on eBay, but at great time and hassle. FISH will put them to good use. Should I count this as 33 items?

(49) Old Fax machine
(50) Old scanner

(51) 3 ill made "House" teapots
(52) Santa plate and mug
(53) cosmetic box from Este Lauder
(54) Avon powder box
(55) Foam sticky things for kids
(56) Glass Christmas Tree Candy Jar

Project Order from Chaos, Day 9

2011-01-09T11:56:00.002-05:00

Design board for Master Bathroom. Inspiration room on the bottom. Plan: paper the bottom half of the room with beadboard paintable wallpaper. Trim with chair rail and board to make "shelf." Paper the central portion of the cabinet doors with beadboard. Paint soft sage green. Paint all hardware/towel racks oil-rubbed bronze. Purchase faucets in bronze. Magnolia print, flowers in coke bottles.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 8

2011-01-08T11:50:00.008-05:00

Sewing room design. It will include my mid-century sofa (basement) covered with this fabric, soft blue on the walls, a mid-century record cabinet (basement), a bench (storage unit). Big Lots has this floor lamp for $30. The shelving is from ULine or Sams. The work table is stainless from a restaurant supply company. The task: to dispose of all excess sewing things that don't fit on the shelves or in the closet.

(38) 2 dozen socks
(39) a pair of skates
(40) a Nikon camera
(41) a Coca Cola camera
(42) two cheapo watches
(43) Art set
(44) pile of 3 tee shirts
(45) tacky hat
(46) bag of alphabet stamps
(47) bag of assorted kid type paper craft junk

(37) Removed huge bag o' film from laundry room, packaged up 38 rolls of film or disposable cameras into mailers, labeling each and every one with a return address sticker. Should this count as one item or 38 items?
(Note: film developers are getting harder to find. I opted to go with an online service that will do it for $1.99 a roll with an album posted on line and one set of 4 by 6 prints. This great price was ONLY if you pre-paid for 50 rolls and I don't think it will include shipping. I found 11 rolls of film that need to be used. I think I'll give the girls photography lessons -- that brings the total of film cans to be developed to 49...)

Scraping Wallpaper. Easier in some ways than anticipated; harder in others.

Paint chips for Kate's move into current sewing room, Kate's old room as the new sewing room, the girl's bathroom and the kitchen. We now have a stark white wall in kitchen.

Project Order from Chaos, Day 7

2011-01-07T13:16:00.000-05:00

Items donated:

(31,32) picture frames
(33) pile of plastic beads
(34) Baby's sleeping plaque
(35) mismatched gloves
(36) Barbie and stand

Project Order from Chaos, Day 6

2011-01-06T15:15:00.000-05:00

Items donated:
(24) blue box
(25) egg snow globe
(26-28) hand painted figurines
(29) Tasco bag
(30) Bunny thing

Project Order from Chaos, Day 5

2011-01-05T13:11:00.000-05:00

Cleared off top of Kitchen China Cabinet

Removed all pictures from fireplace wall in prep for wallpaper scraping

Items to give away
(19) Broken spout Teapot
(20) Cracked Teapot
(21) Clay pot with tissue paper flower.
(22) Two cookie tins
(23) Bag of craft stuff from Girl Scouts

Morning Prayer -- 12th Day after Christmas

2011-01-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

"Love sought is good, but giv'n unsought is better."
- (Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act III, Scene I)

Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, love divine;
love was born at Christmas:
star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
love incarnate, love divine;
worship we our Jesus,
but wherewith the sacred sign?

Love shall be our token;
love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
love for plea and gift and sign.
-- Christina Rossetti

Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
-- Psalm 1

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Evening Prayer

2011-01-04T18:55:00.000-05:00

Again, as evening's shadow falls,
We gather in these hallowed walls;
And vesper hymn and vesper prayer
Rise mingling on the holy air.
-- Samuel Longfellow, Vespers, 1859

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
   with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
   your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
   I have sworn to my servant David:
‘I will establish your descendants forever,
   and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah
Let the heavens praise your wonders,
   O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
   Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
a God feared in the council of the holy ones,
   great and awesome above all that are around him?
-- Psalm 89 NRSV

Almighty God,

the light of a new star in heaven heralded your saving love.

Let the light of your salvation dawn in our hearts

and keep them always open to your life-giving grace.

[We make our prayer] through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

Amen.

*Note: Evening Prayer is gathered from many sources; I draw from Oremus.org, Mission St. Clare and http://www.universalis.com/. To them I own thanks.