John Wesley is Blogging!

Yes, John Wesley is blogging from coastal Georgia -- specifically from Savannah as he starts his ministry there. There does seem to be a type of time warp, as his (almost) daily postings seem to be accelerated, sometimes a day covers several weeks. Today it is in the middle of March 1736 for him.

He's been all over the Methoblogosphere, leaving comments and asking for discussion on his blog. So far, there has been only one taker.

Make John's day -- go leave a comment.

John Wesley's Journal

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Here's the chancel area at New Hope. The interior is based on a blue and gold (or yellow) color scheme. The chancel is actually painted a very light blue, the carpet is medium blue. The stained glass windows are blue and gold. I like it.

The Dalai Lama, Salman Rushdie and Jimmy Carter

were all in a bar...

No, this is not the start of a very bad joke. It is going to be the state of the University come October. Specifically October 21 or so. Emory is host to Jimmy Carter, Salman Rushdie and, as of today, the Dalai Lama.

I'm wondering if we will get spontaneous combustion or something.

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I had teaching parish again today. I've almost reached capacity. Marathon classes at Erskine, long driving, service, writing a sermon, class today, writing paper, class tomorrow, charge conference tomorrow. I need a day off...

Here is the scene from the front steps of Trinity UMC in Covington. If you will remember, Covington was the little town where "In the Heat of the Night" was shot. Here's what is left of the Sparta name on the water tower.

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Chaos was jealous that I posted the Ear of Entropy -- so here we Gaze Into the Eye of Chaos.

I think I'm onto the titles of some really awful sci-fi movies.

Gaze Into the Eye of Chaos!! Will you live?? Will you mutate into a slime based lifeform?? Watch the movie to find out!!

Lord Have Mercy.

I'm busy. Busy, Busy, Busy.

But it's now 92 days to graduation....

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The guest house at Erskine Seminary. Private room, extremely large, nice full bath, living room, full kitchen. I guess I'm just suffering for the Lord. (sarcasm, y'all, sarcasm.)

I'm off to Erskine Seminary

I'm off to Erskine Seminary for a all day class (9 to 5) today and half a day tomorrow. Three sessions and it's over with. I need traveling mercies today... it looks like it could snow. I've never ever driven in snow (that shows how much a southern girl I really am...)

I've also got a new hobby -- editing Wikipedia. Boy, that's addictive. I promise not to edit any Wikipedia until ... Monday. I'm also almost finished with Lenten Devotional ... I'm going to put the information on how to order here as soon as I get the dummy proof and it checks out OK.

There certain is something about me that likes busy. I'm going to have to think about that for a while.

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Chaos and Entropy with their Naruto headbands. Aren't they cute?

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Our favorite place to eat is a local Japanese steakhouse, just up the road a bit. It's a little expensive, so we go on nights where there is a two for one special. The kids really love it because the owner is a real comedian. He does all sorts of magic tricks and plays Japanese music on the accordion (it's really very interesting). He loves to take pictures of the kids and put Engrish captions on them... very interesting Engrish, too. This is a picture of those pictures.

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A New Game -- Where's the Kitty??



Here she is!

Morning Prayer -- Augustin, From Confessions 13, 9

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

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Fire. Heh heh. Heh heh. Heh heh.
My candle obsession.

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Kitty's Stone

Sacred to the Memory of Kitty Andrew Shell

Kitty was a slave girl bequeathed to Bishop James O. Andrews by a Mrs. Powers of August, Georgia, in her will when Kitty was 12 years old with the stipulation that when she was 19 years of age, she was to be given her freedom and sent to Liberia.

When she reached the age of 19, Bishop Andrews had Dr. A. B. Longstreet, who was then President of Emory College and Professor George W. Lane to interview Kitty. They did. Kitty declined to go to Liberia, saying that she preferred to remain with Mrs. Andrews at Oxford, Georgia.

Under the laws of Georgia at that time, Bishop Andrews could not free Kitty unless she would agree to leave the state, so he built for her a cottage in his back yard and told her “You are as free as I am.”

Kitty lived in that cottage – a free woman – until she married a man named Nathan Shell, and went to her own home.

The ownership of this slave was the cause of the division of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1844.

For a full history see:
“The Life and Letters of James O. Andres by Rev. George W. Smith, D.D.

and so on….

I go through Oxford, Georgia a few times a year -- this morning I had teaching parish in Covington, which is about a mile south of Oxford. It is an official United Methodist Shrine -- there's a plaque that says so near Town Hall. I've posted some pictures of "Old Church" last July and told a little bit of the story. Today I decided to stop at the old cemetery and look for some dead Bishops. I also ran across this "headstone" that is supposedly placed on Kitty's grave. It is said (by mostly white people) that Kitty is the only person of color in the cemetery. I wonder if that's really true: first if she's the only one and second if she really was "of color."

I understand that this story has a large component of myth. The stone actually corrects part of the myth - Kitty was not left to Bishop Andrews by his first wife Amelia, but by a Mrs. Powers of Augusta, Georgia on or around 1834. Researchers have found a will probated by a Mrs. Lovely Powers in the right time period, but there is no mention of a slave girl. Census data around this time was confusing as well, but finding evidence of Kitty is difficult to say the least.

This story/myth tucks in loose ends so very nicely and neatly -- it makes me wonder if we have really prettified a messy history. It's a story that makes us white people feel warm and fuzzy -- the Nice Bishop tried to obey the law, but the awful civil law came in horrible conflict with canon law and he was tormented. He was just trying to do the Right Thing. Nice nice, pretty pretty.

There is another scenario available to us: older empowered white man with children (? not so sure about children) receives/inherits nubile young black woman. He holds the power over this disenfranchised young girl -- the law and the society are not going to see her in a favorable light; she's just a slave girl. Who knows how educated she is or is not? The white man's wife is sick -- she dies within a year. He puts the slave girl in a nice little cottage, just in the back yard. Kitty starts having babies. He gets remarried. Kitty has more babies. Everyone is happy(!). Kitty gets married and moves off; Kitty dies. The End. Not such a nice nice pretty pretty story.

I don't know what really happened -- but we don't need to make history any prettier. We need to tell truth.

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The cat. She tried a new position today -- the one leg extended position. I wonder if the strain of trying something new will be too much for her.

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I've unpacked my books for this semester (this is the short stack -- there are more). I still need to get a half dozen books for the class I'm auditing. I sure have a lot of reading to do.

I will admit I have a "method" for getting through the secondary readings -- I read the first chapter, the last chapter, the first and last paragraph for the remaining chapters... it's not perfect, but I can go back and read it later if I have time...

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OK, strictly speaking, I did not take this photo -- it was taken for me on Monday by a friend (http://www.topshot.us/) as he was doing aerial photo work for someone else. If you want aerials, just give him a holler!

Anyway, I was going to show pictures of my candle obsession but the battery on the camera is dead.

This is a picture of my new church -- I'm officially the music minister and associate. It's an old church -- notice that the graveyard is bigger than the parking lot... It's a lot bigger plant than it looks from the street. There is a nice fellowship hall that was built at the end of the 1980's that houses the pre-school, the fellowship hall, kitchen, restrooms and the church offices. I can't find evidence of restrooms anywhere else, except some that were removed from an addition built in 1955 or so. I suppose that means for the first 100 years of the church, there were only outhouses...

You can also see the parsonage and the church van. The parsonage was built in 1975 and is currently not occupied by the parson. It will make good space for other things -- Sunday School and Youth purposes come to mind. There is also some space under the addition at the back of the sanctuary in the basement that is currently being renovated that would be great space for stuff.

The only problem with this picture is that there are no cars in the parking lot... oh well!

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Organizational update: More stuff sorted. I'm still going through the drawers, but two are completely empty. I'll put the stuff on the desk in the drawers when I'm finished. It makes a nice break from reading (in about a week) EVERYTHING Bonhoeffer ever wrote (or so it seems.)

I'm posting today's early because of the ice that is supposed to be coming this way... I hope that we don't lose power, but if we do, just think of all the Bonhoeffer I can read!! (Sarcasm, there, btw.)

OK, confession time

I suppose I'm making life more complicated than it has to be because I'm auditing an additional class (so that makes like 17 semester hours). It's the ONE class I really wanted to take -- it's Dr. Salier's last class at Candler (Theology of the Liturgy) -- a seminar class and I am just going to sit in and listen (no papers or whatnot, just reading what I can on top of all the other and listening).

And I am reminded of the true nature of a University Degree. It's all about the passion for a topic and the desire for learning. Originally, the Degree was just a piece of paper saying you had mastery over the topic. Our grading systems and writing of papers was unheard of, really.

I will use the time wisely, though and absorb what I can for use in other classes. I think of it as cross-pollination. It will segue nicely into the "Theology of Sacraments" class that I am taking. Dr. Salier's in more into the Meta-theology, the grammer and language that Theology lends us to speak of these things -- the Theology of the Sacraments will be much more nitty-gritty (and probably mucho easier.) I think my problem with the second class is that I will OVER think everything.

So I'm taking a class for recreational purposes. This is PROOF that I am a nerd.

It's 102 days to Graduation

And I am tired from yesterday -- Tuesdays are a very class heavy day. I'm a smidge behind in my readings, but OK (just a smidge). It's a blah time of year, virus abound and the Loving Husband is sick. It's just a time to put your nose to the grindstone.... I will surely be glad when it's all over and I sure will be glad when we get more sunshine everyday.

I'm building structure to reduce stress -- but still am working on it. 102 days. 3 months plus a week and a couple of days. It's like a Marathon...

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My efforts to become more organized are moving right along. I need to work on under the desk and clearing the very small working surface off. What I really need is some sort of long desk for in front of the windows and bookshelves to put all my nicely labeled boxes on...

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I've noted before that I'm raising a lawyer -- I asked her to empty the dishwasher. That she did; but she didn't put any away in the cabinets. when I asked her about it, she told me "You didn't tell me to put them up; just to unload it."

I told her that it was implied.

Sigh.

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Goody! My books came yesterday! It's like Christmas all over again, but different. Very different, because I'm already behind in my reading.

Goody.

******
I've caught up and so now it's just one picture a day for the rest of the year. How many pictures of the cat do you think I'll get?

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I did a "joke" in the kitchen with the labels. If you will notice, one shelf is the "Tomato Soup" section -- the other shelf is "All Other Foods." The family hasn't notice OR they don't see anything humorous about it.

Oh well -- I tried.

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I've developed this "thing" about Tomato Soup. I've been eating tomato soup basically every day or every other day for lunch. Sometimes (like here) with a handful of cheese, sometimes cheese with pepperoni, sometimes croûtons, sometimes salsa and sour cream, sometimes with salsa and cheese, etc...
I've actually started losing weight by substituting a salad and tomato soup for whatever I was eating for lunch.

And I just crave it....

The Loving Husband

The Loving Husband's Soapbox for straight key night. (He's AA4LR.) I think he should start a ham radio blog.

I like new Blogger

It's been a pain to move stuff over and catagorize postings, but I like it. It's been more cooperative than old blogger.

Funny, though. I didn't go for a new template -- I took pains to make it look just like the old one. I guess when I like something, I like it. It took me a while to figure out the widgets -- and I'm still playing with them. But I just have grown so accustomed to the old look, that I kept it (actually it took me a while to make them look the same...)

I wonder what that says about me? Hmmm....

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More of the obsessive compulsive behavior. I am sorting photographs, as well and updating the "School Bus" photoframes. The temptation is not to keep too much, but to throw too much away. I get in the "throw it away" mood and I start flinging stuff in the trash can.... Then a couple of months later, I regret it. So I am not going to throw away more than I keep. I really am going to try.

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I've not finished putting up all the Christmas decorations. I've been obsessive/compulsive, no doubt, because I purchased plastic boxes and have been sorting them out into piles of "keep, donate and throw away." Then I've sorted the remaining ornaments into "angels," "handmade," "sentimental" and so on. I just feel this overwhelming urge to get all of my life in order before I graduate. Some of the tasks are realistic and some are not, I realize, but I can try!

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A peacock feather. A good friend sent me a bouquet of peacock tail feathers about a year ago and I just dearly love them.

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Silly Kitty. Entropy gave me this black sort of circular cat pillow that has a removable do-ma-hicky that you can microwave and get all nice and toasty warm. The intent is to place it around your neck to soothe sore muscles. Well, I heated up the pillow and went back into the kitchen to get my coffee. When I returned, Little Kitty had taken up residence... Silly Kitty (rather, really smart kitty!)

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From a letter to John Wesley by Susanna Wesley

... I cannot yet dismiss this subject, as self-will is the root of all sin and misery, so whatever cherishes this in children, insures their after-wretchedness and irreligion: Whatever checks and mortifies it, promotes their future happiness and piety. This is still more evident, if we farther consider, that religion is nothing else than the doing the will of God, and not our own: That the one grand impediment to our temporal and eternal happiness being this self-will, no indulgences of it can be trivial, no denial unprofitable. Heaven or hell depends on this alone. So that the parent who studies to subdue it in his child, works together with God in the renewing and saving a soul. The parent who indulges it does the devil's work, makes religion impractible, salvation unattainable; and does all that in him lies to damn his child, soul and body for ever.

Compare this news story.

Hmm.....

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Sweet Gum balls -- the only thing left on the trees and a flash of blue sky. It's been grey and gloomy for the most part, overcast and cold.

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The paper chase starts with lots and lots of books. My books for this semester ran about $400. Goody. Here are the ones that I have not put up yet from earlier in the year.

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The Ear of Entropy.

(I just think it's a really cute ear, but then again, I'm the mommy.)

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Painting outside of the Dean's office in Bishop's Hall at Candler depicting John Wesley, "a brand plucked from the burning" from the Parsonage fire of 1709. Dr. Matthews referred to it today in his lecture, stating that the fire could have been arson.

UMNS would be all over that like a duck on a Junebug. After all, they released a story (again) about the SMU/ Bush Library thing this morning.

Ticker

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The cross on top of Cannon Chapel at Candler. Did I mention it was T-minus 112 days to Graduation? Did I?

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School Dayz -- the Winter Edition. This is the eagle out in front of Candler's Pitt's library (or out the back, depending on how you look at it. It's back to school for the Rev Mommy and I am getting all my bits and pieces in order. I have 5 folders -- one for each class, for handouts (not notes -- who takes notes with pen and paper anymore!), in appropriate colors (known only to me: Green for BioMedical Ethics, Light Green for Ethics, Red for Wesleyan Theology, Purple for Theology of the Sacraments and yellow for Teaching Parish.) I've received all the syllabi, entered them into a Wiki (using VooDoo Pad), created my readings spreadsheet (to keep track of what I need to read and when), created a spreadsheet for keeping track of all the 25 books I have ordered, created a spreadsheet for the family to know where to go, when, and with whom. I've started three papers already and I want to stay ahead of the power curve this semester.

School! The place I either hate to love or love to hate.

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Another picture from my living room. A picture of a picture. This is a painting that a family friend of my g'grandmother's brought back from a Presbyterian mission in the Belgian Congo. It seems (so the story goes) that the missionary's wife taught a few of the people to paint using oil paints and then would take the paintings and sell them in the states and other places for an income stream into the village. The man who painted this picture did it from memory -- it was a scene from his childhood. I would love to know more about it, but I think the rest of the story is lost in time.

What stories will I tell of my life? What stories will my children remember?

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A red wreath made of feathers on my front door. The house looks a little empty without the Christmas decorations. I wanted something different and I put back up the read feather wreath. I'm going to make a Magnolia wreath for the outside, as well. It's hard to decide what would be timeless and appropriate for this time of year. It's not time for spring flowers -- and the fall foliage wreath either. It's just a sort of "in between" time. I've often wanted different green paraments for the church, other than the green we use during the summer. This ordinary time feels different to me.

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Here's another picture from Simpsonwood: it's a small wooden outbuilding just outside the field chapel. It looks like it was a little tool shed or corn crib. I love the aged wood and the geometric shapes.

I have nothing theologically significant to say today. I did my prayer time, but spent more time listening rather than being in a structured prayer. I'm just not into words today.

I've cleaned somethings, picked up some things and just done some concentrated nothing. School starts bright and early on Monday morning and I have a report due (that I really haven't written out.) Tuesday I start classes at Emory -- I'm only taking two on TTh officially on the Candler campus, Teaching Parish is in Covington on alternate Mondays for a few weeks and then I do two Friday/Saturdays a month out of town: one in Greenville for 4 Saturdays and one in Due West at Erskine for 3 Friday/Saturdays. Complicated schedule, but I like doing a class for 8 solid hours -- and only 4 sessions. Sort of the 'get it over with' thing. If all goes well, graduation is in May -- then a year of CPE and preparing ordination papers, then who knows? PhD programs? Parish? More CPE? I really like CPE; in fact I would love to be in a CPE program at this very minute.

More decisions.

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On a path at Simpsonwood: gravel, a rock and a crook in the sidewalk. For some reason, this picture makes me think of decisions. A crook in the sidewalk, a bend in the road. I don't know what lies beyond, but I can see it coming. There are hard rocks in the way -- I can trip and fall, but I know the journey is worth it.

Just for John the Methodist, Bunny and Zombie Lover

This one's for you John!

Mr. Deity

Nice series.

Patches the Horse

I think I want some cheeseburgers.

Morning Prayer -- Through the Night Your Angels Kept; Eph 6:7-8

Through the night your angels kept
Watch beside us while we slept;
Now the dark- has passed away,
Thank you, God, for this new day.

North and south and east and west
May your holy Name be blessed;
Everywhere- beneath the sun,
As in heav'n, your will- be done.

Give us food that we may live;
Every thoughtlessness please forgive;
Keep all evil things away
From your people here- today.
-- W. Canton (19thC)

7 Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, 8 knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free.
-- Eph 6:7-8

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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My district had a meeting at Simpsonwood last week. I really like Simpsonwood. It's embedded in a residential area right on the Chattahoochee river. It's a little further north than here and higher slightly in elevation. This combined with with coolness off the river makes for a slightly different ecology. They grow Mountain Laurel and ferns there.

This is the "door-knob" at the main lodge at Simpsonwood. To enter the building and open the door, you have to take the hand of Jesus.

That's all that needs to be said.

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The Flowering Quince in the backyard has bloomed. It seems really early this year, especially seeing that it's one of the coldest weeks we have had all winter and are looking at more cold weather. They are related to the rose family, I think. This small and spiny shrub becomes a slash of color in a landscape of greys, muted greens and tan. It seems to be blooming out of season -- either really early or really late, but it blooms as and when it was meant to bloom.

There are days that I think that I am blooming late: after all, I am becoming that which has been my calling later in life than some. Yet I am blooming when I was supposed: I am blooming and bearing fruit as God would have me.

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I'm still putting away Christmas decorations. This is an angel I made for our tree many years ago out of a clothespin, a crocheted doily, some sliver ribbon, chenille yarn and a wooden bead.

I’m taking my time putting away the decorations, sorting them into new plastic shoeboxes and setting a large quantity aside to give away. I’ve accumulated quite a number, but so few of them really carry sentimental meaning. Real value is not necessarily monetary but is imbued by relationship: the cat ornament that my friend Cindy gave me the first year Bill and I were married, the silver snowflake that was on my Grandmother’s tree, and of course, all the ornaments with the girls' pictures on it.

The rest I am packing in nice shoeboxes to store in the garage until August or so – Goodwill and Salvation Army don’t want them until then. I’ll set them aside so that another can use it. Hoarding things is a sin – pure and simple. There was someone who wrote in a book (now isn’t that specific!) that all we need is enough and that one dollar over enough makes us wealthy – and that we need to share that wealth with those who have to live without enough.

Where else in my life do I have enough? And I how can I share that bounty that I have been given that is over enough?

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Karate is a real portion of our lives. The kids have been training for four years now. Both of them are black belts; Entropy has her black belt ceremony next month. I've been sitting in chairs and paying the bill for four years.

There is a natural ebb and flow in our lives; times of activity, periods of rest. Schedule and predictiblity set structure. Discipline is important for our growth and health. Our society tends to overschedule which causes stress -- too little structure and schedule leads to anxiety, too much structure and schedule leads to stress. It's all in the balance.

Where do I become anxious? When am I stressed? Perhaps a real spiritual discipline would be to examine my schedule and strive for moderation and balance.

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I love my Advent wreath. I made the candle holders out of glasses I bought one Thanksgiving and some flattened marbles. I keep meaning to grout between the marbles, but I've grown used to the way they look. A lot of the glass factories in WVa will send the flawed and broken pieces of whatever they are making and the cullet to marble companies and they, in turn, will turn the broken bits into marbles. Well, even some of the marbles don't make it -- these are those marbles. Twice recycled, now repurposed into candle holders that I use as we wait for the birth of the one who redeems.

Redemption. Beautiful. I think I'll keep using the Advent wreath for a while -- I'm still in that Christmas mood.

*note: I did remove the greenery -- it was getting really crispy and I was afraid of a fire. I'm not ready for Pentecost yet.

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This is a lighting fixture at the hotel in Myrtle Beach. What struck me was how pretty it was. All pretty shiny pots and twinkling lights on a beautiful oval pot rack. Then the second thing that struck me was how totally useless the pots were now. You may or may not be able to see in the picture, but the pots cannot be removed -- they are bolted in.

How many things in our lives do we make beautiful but totally useless? Can there be true beauty without utility? I think I'll keep my pot rack -- it's pretty too, but my pots have a beautiful patina that can only come from use. Wear and patina can only add to the beauty of a copper pot. How about with a person?

New Tee-Shirt Design

I was inspired today by St. Casserole's new tee, that I needed to design a shirt for myself and Chaos. What do you think?

Now to add it to my CafePress store....

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Another picture from the Congress on Evanglism -- a little cognative dissonance here for some, but it causes me to wonder. Where would Jesus really be found in today's world? We really put God in a box -- one with a steeple and pews and don't see God where God is.

There was a saying we used to use in CPE: Remember when you get to a room, you are not bringing God into the room -- God's already there. Can God be here, too?

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RevGals (and BlogPals) at the Congress on Evangelism. This is Gavo, JNorm and Beth Quick. I cannot tell you how much fun we had. I think the bloggers had more fun than anyone else at the convention. Even though it was the first time most of us met F2F, it was like we had known each other for a long long time. There just was a sweet Spirit in the place. We can have a lot of ideological differences, but in person a lot of the differences seemed to disappear.

Maybe that's the mystery of the Incarnation in a nutshell. A Spirit of love and real relationship.

Morning Prayer -- Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread; St. Ephraim the Syrian

Be known to us in breaking bread,
But do not then depart;
Savior, abide with us, and spread
Thy table in our heart.

There eat with us in love divine;
Thy body and Thy blood,
That living bread, that heavenly wine,
Be our immortal food.
-- John Montgomery, 1825

As for me, I will live with integrity; *
redeem me, O LORD, and have pity on me.
My foot stands on level ground; *
in the full assembly I will bless the LORD.
-- Psalm 26:11-12

22You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another.
-- Eph 4: 22-25

Dearest Lord,
I look for you in prayer, for in you all things are known.
May I be enriched in you, for you are more than the riches in this world; riches that do not stand the test of time.

Let your chesed come to my assistance -- and may your grace defend me.
From your bounty pour your Spirit of restoration on my wounded soul.

I look for you before anything else and look for nothing but you,
knowing that all we seek will find.

In you we find all we need; bounty for the poor in spirit, joy for those who mourn,
healing for the wounded, consolation for all who grieve.

Accept the sacrifice fo my prayer, O our Lord, and grant to me your Love.
May I live in you, may I possess you instead of all else, for then all is mine.

Accept these prayers from me, O my God, Who hast descended to your children.

Accept the tears of this sinner and show mercy to the guilty.

Establish peace in my soul. Amen.

modeled after a prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian

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LIttle Kitty is now 18 years old and slowing down. She sleeps all the time -- or so it seems. She loves the back of the sofa and the top of the chair in the living room. I love this little cat. I've loved all my cats, but some tug at different places in my heart. This little one has always been very small and very smart. The word "fiesty" comes to mind frequently. But I know she's an old lady cat. I don't even try to guess at cat years anymore.

And I don't want to lose her. I know that she is not going to live forever; maybe another year or two, but she's getting slower in her movements and her fur is getting that "old cat" feel to it. I cried at an Aricept commercial today; I would do almost anything to have my grandmother or mother puttering around in the kitchen.

So I'm dreading the loss. It's like pressing on a bruise to see if it still hurts.

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The aftermath. Presents still to deliver; fluff on the floor. Christmas for us lasts until January 6th -- until the Magi come. Yet I don't even get into Christmas until way after Christmas Day. I suppose it's because for years Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are only second to Holy Week and Easter in stress levels. So for the next few days, I'll be in that spirit -- and I won't want to take anything down.

What else do I hang onto and why do I wait so long to engage into things? Questions to think on and ponder.

A Picture a Day

There's something floating around called Project 365 where some post word-pictures and some post photographs -- I have really enjoyed the blogs -- so I think I'll do the same, but here, on my main blog. After all, there enough blogs in this world already. So I'll just label them with the number. So the next posting will be my first picture -- I may have to do two pictures a day to catch up.

Star Trek -- 2008 -- Yes!

White & Nerdy -- It's so ME. (Sorta)

"Weird Al" Yankovic's music video from his new album "Straight Outta Lynwood" (in stores Sept. 26)

Morning Prayer -- Heavenly Sunlight, Eph 4

Heavenly sunlight, heavenly sunlight,
Flooding our souls with glory ablaze:
Hallelujah, we are rejoicing,
Thankful for blessing, singing our praise.

Shadows around us, shadows above us,
Never conceal our Savior and Guide;
Christ is the Light, in Christ is no darkness;
Always we're walking close to Christ's side.

Heavenly sunlight, heavenly sunlight,
Flooding our souls with glory ablaze:
Hallelujah, we are rejoicing,
Thankful for blessing, singing our praise.
-- Henry J. Zelley, William Kirkpatrick , Henry Gilmour (19thC) adapted

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. 7But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift.

8 Therefore it is said, 'When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.' 9( When it says, 'He ascended,' what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14 We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15 But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

-- Eph 4: 1-16

God, the creator and preserver of all,
we humbly beseech you for all sorts and conditions of people;
that you would be pleased to make your ways known unto them,
your saving health unto all nations.
More especially we pray for your holy Church universal;
that it may be so guided and governed by your good Spirit,
that all who profess and call themselves Christians
may be led into the way of truth,
and hold the faith in unity of spirit,
in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.

Finally, we commend to your fatherly goodness
all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed,
in mind, body, or estate;
that it may please you to comfort
and relieve them according to their several necessities,
giving them patience under their sufferings,
and a happy issue
out of all their afflictions.

And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

The Original Cuppy Cuppy Cake Video

Because she's just so cute. And it's Sunday and I wanna.