Well, another year is reaching completion. Another New Year's Eve spent quietly at home, "protecting" the dog from the local unauthorized fireworks display. Another December 31st figuring out which 'midnight' show to watch. And, you know what? I like spending New Year's Eve this way!
I've never really enjoyed the madhouse nature of New Year's Eve celebrations. Just to be clear, I enjoy parties, enjoy dancing. However, there's something about the parties at New Year's that seems to hinge on seeing how far over the edge one can go. At least, that has been my experience in the past. I'm not ruling out entirely the possibility that things have changed since the last New Year's Eve celebration I attended.
This particular shift from one year to the next has had it's unusual components to it. I had hoped to be back in my own house by this point, but I'm not there yet. It's possible I'll at least be able to live there while finishing up the non-essentials by the end of next month. No guarantees, though.
On Friday, my mom had a heart-weirdness attack and ended up spending Friday night and Saturday in the hospital. She's feeling fine now, and they've let her come home. Of course, her timing is impeccable. She already had an appointment with the cardiologist who implanted her defibrillator on Wednesday. So she's going to that appointment, then the doctors are going to put their heads together and figure out where to go from here. I'm glad she's home, doing well, and was permitted an escape from hospital food.
Because I wasn't sure what was happening with Mom, I was considering a trip to visit her today. Part of the reason I didn't go was that the Penster would have had to go with me and my sister-in-law and niece, who were staying with Mom, are allergic to dogs. It's a good thing I ended up staying home. A couple of hours ago, my son arrived! HOORAY!! The timing of his arrival was uncertain, but I'm glad he's here.
He's all a dynamo, planning to do what he can to get my house put back together. *smile* It's going to be a good new year. There's something bright and uplifting about his energy and enthusiasm. It's been a bit of a difficult year, so something good happening at this, the transition between one year and the next, is encouraging.
It's a bit early, not quite at midnight yet. However, here's wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year, and that it be filled with abundant and rich blessings!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Woolgathering
Just got home from Christmas at Mom's. Kind of a quiet way to spend Christmas. Since my son isn't making it to southeast Texas before next weekend, I decided that I didn't want to spend another Christmas in a home not my own. So I drove over Sunday evening after our candlelight service, watched the end of Miracle on 34th Street, then went to bed.
Christmas day was slow and lazy, with favorite foods for eats and the dog playing with her Christmas toy for fun. The cat. Well, the cat was still in hiding. She's not too impressed with having a dog around (even though they lived in the same house for over five years). The boy called, so at least he survived this far!
And now I'm back in town. The dog and I have left the cat to her solitude, probably really chewing Mom out for letting that crazy dog wreck her serene existence. I have it on good authority that the cat has just discovered herself in Mom's new patio door - to the detriment of her poor head. The twit has charged the glass at least 2-3 times without learning her lesson. *chuckle*
While driving home, I found myself noticing the hawks along the way. When I did my internship in rural Oklahoma, it was always interesting to drive from one little town to the next. I started noticing that each field had its hawk. They'd sit on one of the fenceposts until they noticed something worthy of swooping on. It got to where it was odd to see a field without its hawk! Now, I'm not a birdwatcher. But I've gotten quite interested in looking for hawks, and feel at peace whenever I see them. There's something cool about those good sized birds just watching over things.
The Old and Lost Rivers are really low! I think it's the lowest I've ever seen them, and I drove back and forth over them for 10 years in the mid 70's/early 80's and for the last 3 years. Just seems odd to see areas of dirt in the middle of the span. Wonder what's causing it.
An old Christmas memory popped to the surface today. One of the very first Christmas songs that I remember learning to sing in church was C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S. As you might guess, it was an acrostic with each letter having a meaning ascribed to it. C is for the Christ child, born upon this day ... H for herald angels in the night.... and so on. The children's choir even had 'sign language' for each of the letters. It certainly wasn't ASL, but the spelling stuck and I still remember it. I'm not sure whether I remember the song because I like it (which I do), or if it was for the total embarrassment I experienced when we sang it. I was the kid on one of the ends and couldn't remember which end I was supposed to be on. (Directionally-challenged even at that young age!) After swapping ends about 3-4 times, the director told me to just pick one and stay there. *blush* It's still embarrassing after all these years!
Here's hoping that next year I'll be able to spend Christmas in my own home, with my decorations and my own traditions. One never can tell whether kinfolk will be around, but I feel blessed to have 'family' around in a variety of guises, and know that the family part of Christmas will always be a part of the season. However, I feel kind of rootless at the moment and hope my exile comes to an end shortly. *fingers crossed*
Christmas day was slow and lazy, with favorite foods for eats and the dog playing with her Christmas toy for fun. The cat. Well, the cat was still in hiding. She's not too impressed with having a dog around (even though they lived in the same house for over five years). The boy called, so at least he survived this far!
And now I'm back in town. The dog and I have left the cat to her solitude, probably really chewing Mom out for letting that crazy dog wreck her serene existence. I have it on good authority that the cat has just discovered herself in Mom's new patio door - to the detriment of her poor head. The twit has charged the glass at least 2-3 times without learning her lesson. *chuckle*
While driving home, I found myself noticing the hawks along the way. When I did my internship in rural Oklahoma, it was always interesting to drive from one little town to the next. I started noticing that each field had its hawk. They'd sit on one of the fenceposts until they noticed something worthy of swooping on. It got to where it was odd to see a field without its hawk! Now, I'm not a birdwatcher. But I've gotten quite interested in looking for hawks, and feel at peace whenever I see them. There's something cool about those good sized birds just watching over things.
The Old and Lost Rivers are really low! I think it's the lowest I've ever seen them, and I drove back and forth over them for 10 years in the mid 70's/early 80's and for the last 3 years. Just seems odd to see areas of dirt in the middle of the span. Wonder what's causing it.
An old Christmas memory popped to the surface today. One of the very first Christmas songs that I remember learning to sing in church was C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S. As you might guess, it was an acrostic with each letter having a meaning ascribed to it. C is for the Christ child, born upon this day ... H for herald angels in the night.... and so on. The children's choir even had 'sign language' for each of the letters. It certainly wasn't ASL, but the spelling stuck and I still remember it. I'm not sure whether I remember the song because I like it (which I do), or if it was for the total embarrassment I experienced when we sang it. I was the kid on one of the ends and couldn't remember which end I was supposed to be on. (Directionally-challenged even at that young age!) After swapping ends about 3-4 times, the director told me to just pick one and stay there. *blush* It's still embarrassing after all these years!
Here's hoping that next year I'll be able to spend Christmas in my own home, with my decorations and my own traditions. One never can tell whether kinfolk will be around, but I feel blessed to have 'family' around in a variety of guises, and know that the family part of Christmas will always be a part of the season. However, I feel kind of rootless at the moment and hope my exile comes to an end shortly. *fingers crossed*
Thursday, December 21, 2006
The Nativity Story
Well, I finally broke down and saw The Nativity Story yesterday. I'd been kinda avoiding it because all too often movies like this foul things up just enough to irritate me. This one was no exception. I'm glad I only paid matinee prices for it.
Up front - a few positives:
While I personally detest the story, I appreciated the movie not avoiding the slaughter of the innocents. It began and ended with this horror 'tale' that occurs in conjunction with the birth of Jesus, and is one that the lectionary occasionally skips and pastors often tend to avoid. I've preached on it a few times, but don't go out of my way to do so.
I also believe the movie gave a somewhat reasonable, if truncated, picture of what things might have been like for both Mary and Joseph once it was obvious that Mary was 'with child' and it wasn't Joseph's. Even though I'm acutely aware that Mary was a poor, unwed mother, I tend to gloss over the social implications of the day, and the bible doesn't make much mention of it either. It was helpful to see some of the cultural expectations played out as a reminder that Mary's lot wasn't an easy one, yet it was one she accepted without any more hesitation than a "How?" question.
And it did answer for me the question of how a single, teenage girl could travel from Nazareth to her cousin Elizabeth's. While I'd figured she'd found someone to travel with on those dangerous roads, it was nice to see that played out, in both directions.
Now to my grouses:
According to the movie's timeline, a span of one year occurred from the time that Zechariah came out of the Temple mute to the point where Herod's soldiers began their reign of terror in Bethlehem and its surrounds. As I read my bible, the biological math doesn't quite work out. Either that, or Jesus was extremely premature - and they didn't have neonatal units in the local hospital in those days!
Here's the biblical timeline: the angel announces to Mary that she's gonna have Jesus, and as proof that this is possible, says that even now Elizabeth is six month's pregnant. Even if Mary becomes pregnant right that second, that puts her at only month six when Jesus is born and the slaughter occurs, according to the movie. Don't you just love interpretive license?
Then there's Herod. In the movie, he's pretty prophetically astute, even to the point of obsession. If you take a gander at scripture, he's not even aware of the possibility of a messiah in his time until the magi come on the scene. And even then, he has to sic his local religious experts on it to determine where this 'ersatz' king might be born. In the movie, about the only thing he gets wrong is that he should be looking for a baby, not an adult. There's no way he had enough info before the fact to set his soldiers out to target eligible males headed to Bethlehem in response to the census decree.
Then there are the poor magi. They've been set up as the 'comic relief', which is totally unfair! "What about my food?" "Bring it!" GAH!! These guys set out on one of the greatest faith journeys of all time, not knowing where they were going or how long it was going to take to get there. They packed their camels and took off after a star! Mind you, it was a singular star, not some anticipated convergence of three stars that would at the right moment. This little anachronism is one that slipped into the telling of the story.
I also wasn't impressed by the idea that the magi 'logic'-ed their way into avoiding Herod on the return trip. What would have been so wrong with having the warning arrive in a dream? God has been in the midst of this entire journey. Why abandon them at this very important juncture? Now, I'm not saying they couldn't have figured it out for themselves, but if you're planning to tell the biblical story, shouldn't you at least use the Bible to tell it?
Another grouse is a casting grouse. Zechariah and Elizabeth were supposed to be way past child-bearing years. The actor chosen for Zechariah ... well, maybe. However, I wouldn't have doubted the actress chosen to be Elizabeth having a baby for even a second. Perhaps if they'd gotten my grandma, I'd have believed the scenario. *shrug*
I realize the screenwriters were attempting to infuse some tension and excitement (?) into a story already fairly well known by most who'd see it. However, having Herod's soldiers come in the front door, so to speak, as Joseph and all fled out the back was a bit unrealistic. Herod was a crafty sort, but I'm still reasonably sure that it took him more than a few hours to realize that the magi had given him the slip and headed home via a different route. It most likely would have taken him a few weeks, if not months, to become aware of their 'treachery' (from his point of view, from theirs - he wasn't their ruler) and set his response in motion.
There were other things which were just touches which set sideways with me; however, the biggies ran rough-shod over the positives. And just from an aesthetic point of view, my local theater was having some sound difficulties which kinda set one's teeth on edge!
I will end with a positive, though. I did appreciate the time spent showing the difficulty of the trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It's not a handy one day's distance between them, and it was hazardous travel, even in groups. I have a quibble about how much of the trip they spent journeying alone. While I'm reasonably sure most people tended to live near the homes of their ancestors, a significant number of Hebrews had been relocated through various exiles and diasporas. The number of those headed to Bethlehem was probably greater than the dribble shown, especially since scripture tells us there wasn't any room at the inn, and family would have gone to ancestral homes, which were probably filled to the rafters. Gee, that didn't sound like a positive comment at all! Yet the journey was a rather difficult one, and the movie gave more than a nod of acknowledgment to the fact.
As one of my young members said, "I think I'll read the book."
Up front - a few positives:
While I personally detest the story, I appreciated the movie not avoiding the slaughter of the innocents. It began and ended with this horror 'tale' that occurs in conjunction with the birth of Jesus, and is one that the lectionary occasionally skips and pastors often tend to avoid. I've preached on it a few times, but don't go out of my way to do so.
I also believe the movie gave a somewhat reasonable, if truncated, picture of what things might have been like for both Mary and Joseph once it was obvious that Mary was 'with child' and it wasn't Joseph's. Even though I'm acutely aware that Mary was a poor, unwed mother, I tend to gloss over the social implications of the day, and the bible doesn't make much mention of it either. It was helpful to see some of the cultural expectations played out as a reminder that Mary's lot wasn't an easy one, yet it was one she accepted without any more hesitation than a "How?" question.
And it did answer for me the question of how a single, teenage girl could travel from Nazareth to her cousin Elizabeth's. While I'd figured she'd found someone to travel with on those dangerous roads, it was nice to see that played out, in both directions.
Now to my grouses:
According to the movie's timeline, a span of one year occurred from the time that Zechariah came out of the Temple mute to the point where Herod's soldiers began their reign of terror in Bethlehem and its surrounds. As I read my bible, the biological math doesn't quite work out. Either that, or Jesus was extremely premature - and they didn't have neonatal units in the local hospital in those days!
Here's the biblical timeline: the angel announces to Mary that she's gonna have Jesus, and as proof that this is possible, says that even now Elizabeth is six month's pregnant. Even if Mary becomes pregnant right that second, that puts her at only month six when Jesus is born and the slaughter occurs, according to the movie. Don't you just love interpretive license?
Then there's Herod. In the movie, he's pretty prophetically astute, even to the point of obsession. If you take a gander at scripture, he's not even aware of the possibility of a messiah in his time until the magi come on the scene. And even then, he has to sic his local religious experts on it to determine where this 'ersatz' king might be born. In the movie, about the only thing he gets wrong is that he should be looking for a baby, not an adult. There's no way he had enough info before the fact to set his soldiers out to target eligible males headed to Bethlehem in response to the census decree.
Then there are the poor magi. They've been set up as the 'comic relief', which is totally unfair! "What about my food?" "Bring it!" GAH!! These guys set out on one of the greatest faith journeys of all time, not knowing where they were going or how long it was going to take to get there. They packed their camels and took off after a star! Mind you, it was a singular star, not some anticipated convergence of three stars that would at the right moment. This little anachronism is one that slipped into the telling of the story.
I also wasn't impressed by the idea that the magi 'logic'-ed their way into avoiding Herod on the return trip. What would have been so wrong with having the warning arrive in a dream? God has been in the midst of this entire journey. Why abandon them at this very important juncture? Now, I'm not saying they couldn't have figured it out for themselves, but if you're planning to tell the biblical story, shouldn't you at least use the Bible to tell it?
Another grouse is a casting grouse. Zechariah and Elizabeth were supposed to be way past child-bearing years. The actor chosen for Zechariah ... well, maybe. However, I wouldn't have doubted the actress chosen to be Elizabeth having a baby for even a second. Perhaps if they'd gotten my grandma, I'd have believed the scenario. *shrug*
I realize the screenwriters were attempting to infuse some tension and excitement (?) into a story already fairly well known by most who'd see it. However, having Herod's soldiers come in the front door, so to speak, as Joseph and all fled out the back was a bit unrealistic. Herod was a crafty sort, but I'm still reasonably sure that it took him more than a few hours to realize that the magi had given him the slip and headed home via a different route. It most likely would have taken him a few weeks, if not months, to become aware of their 'treachery' (from his point of view, from theirs - he wasn't their ruler) and set his response in motion.
There were other things which were just touches which set sideways with me; however, the biggies ran rough-shod over the positives. And just from an aesthetic point of view, my local theater was having some sound difficulties which kinda set one's teeth on edge!
I will end with a positive, though. I did appreciate the time spent showing the difficulty of the trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It's not a handy one day's distance between them, and it was hazardous travel, even in groups. I have a quibble about how much of the trip they spent journeying alone. While I'm reasonably sure most people tended to live near the homes of their ancestors, a significant number of Hebrews had been relocated through various exiles and diasporas. The number of those headed to Bethlehem was probably greater than the dribble shown, especially since scripture tells us there wasn't any room at the inn, and family would have gone to ancestral homes, which were probably filled to the rafters. Gee, that didn't sound like a positive comment at all! Yet the journey was a rather difficult one, and the movie gave more than a nod of acknowledgment to the fact.
As one of my young members said, "I think I'll read the book."
Saturday, December 16, 2006
When All Else Fails ...
Punt!
In November, our choir director/accompanist resigned. While this was not ideal, it was sooooo much better than having it happen the week before our annual cantata. However, anytime approaching the start of Advent is a lousy time to find a new choir director. Accompanists are easier to come by, but someone who can do both take time to find. The problem is that by November most choirs are already working on their cantata music and choir directors aren't going to leave until after the performance, unless there are extenuating circumstances (and then they wouldn't be available to take up new responsibilities anyway).
So, what do you do when you have a congregation with a tradition of a cantata?
Get creative! While it's a total pain in the rear and I would have done almost anything (well, not really, but you get my drift) to avoid the situation, I love the challenge of a problem like this. How do you honor the tradition when you simply don't have the resources to pull one off?
Strolling through one of the listserves I'm on, someone commented on something they did one year for an alternative children's pageant. Instead of the usual "everyone dress up and do the nativity scene" pageant, they had the participants share their family traditions at various times throughout the worship service. Hmmmmmmmmm......
Some of my best thinking is done in my sleep. The next morning I awoke with an AHA!
What is a cantata but a series of related pieces of music tied together by some scripting or scripture? What if we turned our cantata upside-down: share a series of related stories and join them with music and scriptures? Tomorrow we're celebrating our Upside Down Cantata!
My original plan was to have 5-6 people share something of their family Christmas traditions and what they mean to them. In between, we'd sing a verse or two from various Christmas carols or hear a scripture read. I've got nine people who are willing to share their traditions!! All ages. One of our young instrumentalists is going to play for us after two of our 'pieces'. We're singing a verse of three different carols, and hearing three scriptures read. I'm so looking forward to seeing how this turns out!
It's always amazing to me to see how this group deals with adversity. They are absolutely awesome! I feel so richly blessed.
In November, our choir director/accompanist resigned. While this was not ideal, it was sooooo much better than having it happen the week before our annual cantata. However, anytime approaching the start of Advent is a lousy time to find a new choir director. Accompanists are easier to come by, but someone who can do both take time to find. The problem is that by November most choirs are already working on their cantata music and choir directors aren't going to leave until after the performance, unless there are extenuating circumstances (and then they wouldn't be available to take up new responsibilities anyway).
So, what do you do when you have a congregation with a tradition of a cantata?
Get creative! While it's a total pain in the rear and I would have done almost anything (well, not really, but you get my drift) to avoid the situation, I love the challenge of a problem like this. How do you honor the tradition when you simply don't have the resources to pull one off?
Strolling through one of the listserves I'm on, someone commented on something they did one year for an alternative children's pageant. Instead of the usual "everyone dress up and do the nativity scene" pageant, they had the participants share their family traditions at various times throughout the worship service. Hmmmmmmmmm......
Some of my best thinking is done in my sleep. The next morning I awoke with an AHA!
What is a cantata but a series of related pieces of music tied together by some scripting or scripture? What if we turned our cantata upside-down: share a series of related stories and join them with music and scriptures? Tomorrow we're celebrating our Upside Down Cantata!
My original plan was to have 5-6 people share something of their family Christmas traditions and what they mean to them. In between, we'd sing a verse or two from various Christmas carols or hear a scripture read. I've got nine people who are willing to share their traditions!! All ages. One of our young instrumentalists is going to play for us after two of our 'pieces'. We're singing a verse of three different carols, and hearing three scriptures read. I'm so looking forward to seeing how this turns out!
It's always amazing to me to see how this group deals with adversity. They are absolutely awesome! I feel so richly blessed.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Why Is it?
Why is it that if there're two appointments, one at a specific time and the other between time x and time y, AND you've told Company Two that the only time you aren't available is during Company One's time block, Company Two arrives at the precise time you aren't available? For the most part, this wouldn't be a problem. This time, however, Company One was scheduled for the house where I'm staying and Company Two was blowing insulation into my attic (which is a very good and important thing!).
I get the call from Company Two that they'll be over in about 25 minutes, which puts them at my house about 15 minutes before Company One arrives here. I think - "Ok, this may be doable."
Wrong! Why is it that if scheduling is tight, of course that's the day you're driving a rental car and you've left your own car keys with the house key attached in the pocket of the jacket you wore yesterday? Fortunately, Company Two is willing to wait 10 minutes for me to run back and get the key to let them in.
I arrive at the house, hoping that Company One will be there a bit early so I can introduce the pupster to them and then leave to let Company Two into my house. Wrong! However, Company One was driving in as I was driving out (and they're a company I trust), so I gave him the key, warned him about LeDog, and told him I'd be back after letting Company Two into my house. Whew!
Run back to my house. Why is it that whenever time's tight every single car on the road decides they have to pass in front of you while you're waiting to make a left turn? And, why is it that in similar situations every light is red on the long cycle? I did manage to make it before Company Two needed to drive off. Let them in, then quick turnaround and back to where I'm staying (after receiving a stern admonition that Company Two will only be about 20 minutes).
Arrive at house as the Company One guy has finished with the outside stuff and he's entering the front door. Praised the pupster for being a good dog and not biting the nice man. *sigh* Chatted for 1-2 minutes, signed the appropriate papers, gave lockup instructions, jumped back in the car and drove like a bat out of hell back to my house in time for Company Two to finish up their job and pay them.
Why is it that when there's no hurry at all and the rush is over, every light is green when you get to the intersection and all traffic seems to have gone into hiding?
Go figure!
I get the call from Company Two that they'll be over in about 25 minutes, which puts them at my house about 15 minutes before Company One arrives here. I think - "Ok, this may be doable."
Wrong! Why is it that if scheduling is tight, of course that's the day you're driving a rental car and you've left your own car keys with the house key attached in the pocket of the jacket you wore yesterday? Fortunately, Company Two is willing to wait 10 minutes for me to run back and get the key to let them in.
I arrive at the house, hoping that Company One will be there a bit early so I can introduce the pupster to them and then leave to let Company Two into my house. Wrong! However, Company One was driving in as I was driving out (and they're a company I trust), so I gave him the key, warned him about LeDog, and told him I'd be back after letting Company Two into my house. Whew!
Run back to my house. Why is it that whenever time's tight every single car on the road decides they have to pass in front of you while you're waiting to make a left turn? And, why is it that in similar situations every light is red on the long cycle? I did manage to make it before Company Two needed to drive off. Let them in, then quick turnaround and back to where I'm staying (after receiving a stern admonition that Company Two will only be about 20 minutes).
Arrive at house as the Company One guy has finished with the outside stuff and he's entering the front door. Praised the pupster for being a good dog and not biting the nice man. *sigh* Chatted for 1-2 minutes, signed the appropriate papers, gave lockup instructions, jumped back in the car and drove like a bat out of hell back to my house in time for Company Two to finish up their job and pay them.
Why is it that when there's no hurry at all and the rush is over, every light is green when you get to the intersection and all traffic seems to have gone into hiding?
Go figure!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
One of THOSE Mornings
It was one of those mornings. You know, the kind where nothing seems to quite go right. I arrive at church, head to the sanctuary, to discover that the door's still locked. Now this is unusual because we have a staff person whose job it is to arrive early, open doors, turn on lights, make coffee, and make sure the buildings are ready for the morning. *slap forehead* She told me last week she'd be out of town this weekend on a cruise (envy! envy!).
Get my key out and go into the sanctuary. brrrrrrrrr! It's cold ..... or is it just me? Get things set up and head over to the fellowship hall for our Second Sunday Breakfast. At least that's going well. When it's after 10am, I notice that our accompanist hasn't arrived yet, and she's usually at the church around 10. Walk back into the sanctuary and, yep!, it's cold! Something's happened to the heater and it's not doing its job.
Mild panic! But we've dealt with this type of thing before. Standard operating procedure is to dither for about ten minutes while one or more of our mechanically apt individuals kick the machinery to see if it'll start. Well, it finally started, but there was no way the sanctuary would have been warm enough for our oldsters and toddlers. So, having spent the requisite amount of time dithering, we pulled up stakes (and Advent wreath, collection plates, hymnals, bulletins, and bibles) and headed to the significantly more comfortable parlor. Everyone kicked into high gear and the furniture was rearranged in a timely fashion.
The accompanist arrives in plenty of time for worship and, once the furniture and people are in place, worship begins. I kind of like worshipping in the parlor from time to time. It's cozier, and people have to sit closer. It's a "live" room and sound carries well. So we wend our way through the order of worship.
Of course, the floor is harder for "Time with Young Disciples", but that's not a big problem. One of my members and I do a duet with our accompanist. A loss this particular Advent season is that we currently have no choir director, and so no choir or special music. We've been improvising occasionally, though.
Then comes time for me to read the scripture I'm using for the sermon. "In the sixth month..." That's what the scripture said. It's not what came out of my mouth. It didn't help any that the scripture was the one where the angel Gabriel tells Mary that God's gonna make her pregnant.
I almost made it. Went back. Got to 'sixth' (and actually said it correctly), when from the front came a tiny *snerk*. Should have never made eye contact! I started laughing. *snerk snort* She started laughing. And we were off and running. The whole congregation lost it! Someone suggested it was a good thing we weren't on tv.
Slowly, we regained our composure, I started the scripture again, and we made it through the rest of the worship service. I promise, from this day forward, I'll never say 'sexth' again! *chuckle .... snerk .... snort...* Oh, to heck with it! HA! HA HA HA! HA HA! (everyone needs a good belly laugh from time to time, right?)
Get my key out and go into the sanctuary. brrrrrrrrr! It's cold ..... or is it just me? Get things set up and head over to the fellowship hall for our Second Sunday Breakfast. At least that's going well. When it's after 10am, I notice that our accompanist hasn't arrived yet, and she's usually at the church around 10. Walk back into the sanctuary and, yep!, it's cold! Something's happened to the heater and it's not doing its job.
Mild panic! But we've dealt with this type of thing before. Standard operating procedure is to dither for about ten minutes while one or more of our mechanically apt individuals kick the machinery to see if it'll start. Well, it finally started, but there was no way the sanctuary would have been warm enough for our oldsters and toddlers. So, having spent the requisite amount of time dithering, we pulled up stakes (and Advent wreath, collection plates, hymnals, bulletins, and bibles) and headed to the significantly more comfortable parlor. Everyone kicked into high gear and the furniture was rearranged in a timely fashion.
The accompanist arrives in plenty of time for worship and, once the furniture and people are in place, worship begins. I kind of like worshipping in the parlor from time to time. It's cozier, and people have to sit closer. It's a "live" room and sound carries well. So we wend our way through the order of worship.
Of course, the floor is harder for "Time with Young Disciples", but that's not a big problem. One of my members and I do a duet with our accompanist. A loss this particular Advent season is that we currently have no choir director, and so no choir or special music. We've been improvising occasionally, though.
Then comes time for me to read the scripture I'm using for the sermon. "In the sixth month..." That's what the scripture said. It's not what came out of my mouth. It didn't help any that the scripture was the one where the angel Gabriel tells Mary that God's gonna make her pregnant.
I almost made it. Went back. Got to 'sixth' (and actually said it correctly), when from the front came a tiny *snerk*. Should have never made eye contact! I started laughing. *snerk snort* She started laughing. And we were off and running. The whole congregation lost it! Someone suggested it was a good thing we weren't on tv.
Slowly, we regained our composure, I started the scripture again, and we made it through the rest of the worship service. I promise, from this day forward, I'll never say 'sexth' again! *chuckle .... snerk .... snort...* Oh, to heck with it! HA! HA HA HA! HA HA! (everyone needs a good belly laugh from time to time, right?)
Thursday, December 07, 2006
A Different Fundraising Idea
Wandering through one of the online forums I participate in today, there was this post:
"I just got an e-mail from a friend with a telephone number that I had to call. So I dial the number, and am informed that the call will cost me 90 cents. Ok...
Suddenly, I hear heavy breathing, nay panting. Then a bark. Then more panting. Then a "schlurp" noise. Then a voice comes on to thank you for calling the "heavy breathing line" of the Amsterdam Animal Shelter, and telling you that all proceeds from the call will be going to rebuilding the shelter. The animals thank you. :)
I called twice."
Apparently, the shelter placed an ad in the 'Erotic' section of the local paper. Ummm..... can't find that section in our local classifieds. Well, the shelter is in Holland, after all! *chuckle*
"I just got an e-mail from a friend with a telephone number that I had to call. So I dial the number, and am informed that the call will cost me 90 cents. Ok...
Suddenly, I hear heavy breathing, nay panting. Then a bark. Then more panting. Then a "schlurp" noise. Then a voice comes on to thank you for calling the "heavy breathing line" of the Amsterdam Animal Shelter, and telling you that all proceeds from the call will be going to rebuilding the shelter. The animals thank you. :)
I called twice."
Apparently, the shelter placed an ad in the 'Erotic' section of the local paper. Ummm..... can't find that section in our local classifieds. Well, the shelter is in Holland, after all! *chuckle*
Monday, December 04, 2006
Memory Lane
Today is my day off. It's cold outside, so to keep warm, I decided to troll the internet just to see what I might find. When I was a teenager, our family roller skated competitively. (No - not roller derby! Don't go there!!) We went to local and regional competitions and, because Mom and Dad skated in a division with few competitors, usually went to nationals. I competed for six years, taught for five, and for years judged competitions and profiency tests and helped to take the judges' scores and tabulate the results (pre-computer, you had to do it by hand!). The sport was kind of a focal point in our family's life. The family who skates together, stays together? *shrug*
Anyway, I thought I'd see if any of the old familiar names might pop up on the internet and happened to come across a website dedicated to artistic roller skating in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Browsing through the guestbook, it was interesting to see notes from household names (well, at least in our household), people I hadn't thought of for years! It was sad, though, to learn that one of the big names had died recently and unexpectedly. He was several years younger than me. But that's part of traveling Memory Lane.
I'm not planning to pull out my skates anytime in the near future. It's been a bit too long since I last had them on. However, I do from time to time wonder what it would be like to get back to competitive skating again. Things have changed a lot over the years. Now those who turned professional (like me) can compete again. I'd have to travel to Houston to pull that off, though. The rink here in town (where I used to teach) doesn't have a competitive club anymore. Nope! Don't think I'm going to do the 3-hour round trip just for a couple of hours of lessons and practice. I'm not that dedicated. *chuckle*
And the type of skating I'd like to do requires a partner. *snort* Couldn't find a partner when I was actually competing. There weren't that many guys who wanted to dance skate, then, and I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be that many around here now. My specialty ended up being the compulsory figures that everyone used to hate in the ice skating olympics. I could chase that line with the best of them! Well, sort of. I'm not particularly interested in taking that back up again either.
So, I guess I'll just enjoy an occasional trek down Memory Lane. Catch ya later!
Anyway, I thought I'd see if any of the old familiar names might pop up on the internet and happened to come across a website dedicated to artistic roller skating in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Browsing through the guestbook, it was interesting to see notes from household names (well, at least in our household), people I hadn't thought of for years! It was sad, though, to learn that one of the big names had died recently and unexpectedly. He was several years younger than me. But that's part of traveling Memory Lane.
I'm not planning to pull out my skates anytime in the near future. It's been a bit too long since I last had them on. However, I do from time to time wonder what it would be like to get back to competitive skating again. Things have changed a lot over the years. Now those who turned professional (like me) can compete again. I'd have to travel to Houston to pull that off, though. The rink here in town (where I used to teach) doesn't have a competitive club anymore. Nope! Don't think I'm going to do the 3-hour round trip just for a couple of hours of lessons and practice. I'm not that dedicated. *chuckle*
And the type of skating I'd like to do requires a partner. *snort* Couldn't find a partner when I was actually competing. There weren't that many guys who wanted to dance skate, then, and I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be that many around here now. My specialty ended up being the compulsory figures that everyone used to hate in the ice skating olympics. I could chase that line with the best of them! Well, sort of. I'm not particularly interested in taking that back up again either.
So, I guess I'll just enjoy an occasional trek down Memory Lane. Catch ya later!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Floating Chips
When I was in seminary, "Introduction to Greek" was a six-week intensive summer course. We Greek-ed for four hours every morning, five days a week. At about the four-week mark, the daily test scores began plummeting. The teacher asked if any of us remembered the Lays Potato Chip commercial where the lady opens the bag and the chips began to float away. Well, I did. Stupid commercial! Who wants to chase their chips around in order to eat them? Guess you use up the calories you'd take in eating them.
Oops! Got sidetracked! Anyway - she went on to comment that at about this point in the course everything we'd learned would begin to float away, just like those stupid chips. Told us not to worry about it too much. In a few days the language would begin to click back into place and things would get better. How reassuring to know that I wasn't losing my mind!
So - what brought this image back to mind?
My potato chips are floating away again! Or my sanity, I'm not sure which. And it's not just me. I've begun to notice over the past 2-3 weeks that things which ordinarily happen with clockwork precision have fallen off the map, if that makes any sense. Meetings scheduled either don't have a quorum or the moderator forgets to come. Stuff that was ordered and, apparently, arrived is nowhere to be found. Events that usually bring at least 10-15 people for planning and preparation have only 5-6 show up. We've talked about finishing up the hurricane repairs, but nothing has been done to actually finish up the repairs (and that's at the church, not my house. We know what's going on there!). I'll remember that something needs to be done, and then forget to do it.
There have been some staff changes at church and a couple of positions aren't filled, so that's part of the discombobulation, but not all of it. I truly HATE to impose this on Her Horribleness recovery, yet that may be the case. It's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility that this kind of stuff will pop up over a year later. Anything I've read keeps reminding me of that. *sigh* I just want things to be 'normal' again (whatever that is!).
Part of the reason the floating potato chip image came to mind is that I'm feeling a real disconnect, and am seeing the same thing in others. For example, those meetings. Everyone seems scattered in 100 different directions at once, so bringing them together appears almost impossible. And, when we do get together, there's almost an impatience to scatter and get on to the next thing, even if we happen to be enjoying and getting a lot out of the activity we're involved in at the moment.
Maybe in the grand recovery scheme we're at the two-thirds mark. Maybe that's why it feels as though everything has become scattershot and disconnected, like the potato chips have gone free-floating out of reach. Perhaps this feeling is actually a good sign. I don't know. I just hope it goes away soon!
Oops! Got sidetracked! Anyway - she went on to comment that at about this point in the course everything we'd learned would begin to float away, just like those stupid chips. Told us not to worry about it too much. In a few days the language would begin to click back into place and things would get better. How reassuring to know that I wasn't losing my mind!
So - what brought this image back to mind?
My potato chips are floating away again! Or my sanity, I'm not sure which. And it's not just me. I've begun to notice over the past 2-3 weeks that things which ordinarily happen with clockwork precision have fallen off the map, if that makes any sense. Meetings scheduled either don't have a quorum or the moderator forgets to come. Stuff that was ordered and, apparently, arrived is nowhere to be found. Events that usually bring at least 10-15 people for planning and preparation have only 5-6 show up. We've talked about finishing up the hurricane repairs, but nothing has been done to actually finish up the repairs (and that's at the church, not my house. We know what's going on there!). I'll remember that something needs to be done, and then forget to do it.
There have been some staff changes at church and a couple of positions aren't filled, so that's part of the discombobulation, but not all of it. I truly HATE to impose this on Her Horribleness recovery, yet that may be the case. It's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility that this kind of stuff will pop up over a year later. Anything I've read keeps reminding me of that. *sigh* I just want things to be 'normal' again (whatever that is!).
Part of the reason the floating potato chip image came to mind is that I'm feeling a real disconnect, and am seeing the same thing in others. For example, those meetings. Everyone seems scattered in 100 different directions at once, so bringing them together appears almost impossible. And, when we do get together, there's almost an impatience to scatter and get on to the next thing, even if we happen to be enjoying and getting a lot out of the activity we're involved in at the moment.
Maybe in the grand recovery scheme we're at the two-thirds mark. Maybe that's why it feels as though everything has become scattershot and disconnected, like the potato chips have gone free-floating out of reach. Perhaps this feeling is actually a good sign. I don't know. I just hope it goes away soon!
Saturday, December 02, 2006
X-Ray Vision
Interested in x-rays anyone? Then, coming soon to an airport near you, just take a short or long flight and you'll get your fill. The latest in invasive anti-terrorism technology, backscatter, is apparently headed to our airports for screening purposes. The equipment is capable of taking, ahem!, rather graphic x-rays of the human body.
According to this AP article in today's Enterprise, there's a plan in place to blur the appropriate anatomical areas, and the x-ray will only be seen by one person off-site, and any x-ray will be deleted as soon as the person walks away from the screening site. I'm just skeptical enough (paranoid, maybe) to wonder if that will really happen. Of course, I'm also not sure what use keeping such pictures would be to anyone, unless there actually happened to be contraband or weapons viewed on aforesaid x-rays.
What I do know is that our government has gone one step further into invading our privacy, and I don't like it! Privacy issue aside, however, if this technology goes into everyday usage and someone is a frequent flyer, what are the health implications of such ubiquitous use of x-rays? Not a word in the entire article about the health aspects of such exposure to x-rays on a regular basis! To me, that's downright scary!!
In it's initial usage, the TSA is looking at the technology as "secondary screening", so not everyone would pass under its rays. And they are planning to give people the option of the traditional 'pat-down' instead. However, my guess is that, unless someone puts the kibosh on it, it might not be too long before this equipment shifts to the primary screening.
I think I'm going to just start driving everywhere! Oh, wait! Rats! Four days travel for a 2 1/2 day meeting? Plus the ecological, economical, and sheer exhaustion effect of such driving for one person's travel? *sigh* Looks like I'm not giving up flying anytime soon. But I'm definitely NOT going to be happy about it.
According to this AP article in today's Enterprise, there's a plan in place to blur the appropriate anatomical areas, and the x-ray will only be seen by one person off-site, and any x-ray will be deleted as soon as the person walks away from the screening site. I'm just skeptical enough (paranoid, maybe) to wonder if that will really happen. Of course, I'm also not sure what use keeping such pictures would be to anyone, unless there actually happened to be contraband or weapons viewed on aforesaid x-rays.
What I do know is that our government has gone one step further into invading our privacy, and I don't like it! Privacy issue aside, however, if this technology goes into everyday usage and someone is a frequent flyer, what are the health implications of such ubiquitous use of x-rays? Not a word in the entire article about the health aspects of such exposure to x-rays on a regular basis! To me, that's downright scary!!
In it's initial usage, the TSA is looking at the technology as "secondary screening", so not everyone would pass under its rays. And they are planning to give people the option of the traditional 'pat-down' instead. However, my guess is that, unless someone puts the kibosh on it, it might not be too long before this equipment shifts to the primary screening.
I think I'm going to just start driving everywhere! Oh, wait! Rats! Four days travel for a 2 1/2 day meeting? Plus the ecological, economical, and sheer exhaustion effect of such driving for one person's travel? *sigh* Looks like I'm not giving up flying anytime soon. But I'm definitely NOT going to be happy about it.
Friday, December 01, 2006
"Convicted Felon?"
"What part of prison do you miss? Put down the gun."
This huge billboard greets me each day when I exit the freeway on the way to church. The US Attorney General's office sponsors it.
Now, there's nothing particularly unreasonable about reminding convicted felons to stay away from guns. It's part of their conditions for continued freedom. However, something's been bugging me about this sign since I first saw it. It just took me a while to figure out what it was: the implication that someone who's a convicted felon would automatically continue on a criminal path.
The way the billboard is worded sounds to me as if a police officer is telling a criminal during the commission of a crime to "put down the weapon". And, I guess, technically, a convicted felon (as opposed to an unconvicted felon?) in posession of a gun is committing a crime. Yet the image that popped into my head as I read the billboard is of some character brandishing a revolver while robbing a convenience store. Robbing the store would, of course, put the felon back in prison anyway, but not every convicted felon returns to society to turn around and commit another crime.
Those who are released from prison after completing their sentence have a difficult enough time returning to productive and legal integration to society without having everyone and their uncles and aunts be reminded of their status every time they drive past that sign. Recidivism can be a real possibility because of the difficulty in acquiring and keeping employment, overcoming the suspicion that someone once convicted will again commit crimes, finding a place to live, continuing to rehabilitate one's life while 'on the outside', avoiding getting tangled up with the people and lifestyle that contributed to the original criminal activity, etc.
I guess there's a part of me that's wondering why the US Attorney General's office decided it was necessary to spend money on putting up the billboard. Are there really that many convicted felons running around with guns? Well, it IS Texas, after all, so maybe there are, what with our 'concealed carry' laws. Perhaps they think they can get away with it. *sigh* But do you really think that a billboard is going to change that behavior?
Obviously, I've noticed the sign and it's provoked me enough to post this. But in general billboards don't have much impact on my behavior. I don't buy something because I see it advertised on a billboard. Occasionally I'll learn about an event I want to attend on a billboard; although, I usually learn that information through the newspaper or perhaps actually listening to the tv. I wonder how many of the signs we've paid for throughout the country, and was there any particular reason that Beaumont was chosen for one?
Oh, well! Just a momentary peccadillo. Maybe now I've gotten it out of my system and I can go back to ignoring billboards again! *chuckle*
This huge billboard greets me each day when I exit the freeway on the way to church. The US Attorney General's office sponsors it.
Now, there's nothing particularly unreasonable about reminding convicted felons to stay away from guns. It's part of their conditions for continued freedom. However, something's been bugging me about this sign since I first saw it. It just took me a while to figure out what it was: the implication that someone who's a convicted felon would automatically continue on a criminal path.
The way the billboard is worded sounds to me as if a police officer is telling a criminal during the commission of a crime to "put down the weapon". And, I guess, technically, a convicted felon (as opposed to an unconvicted felon?) in posession of a gun is committing a crime. Yet the image that popped into my head as I read the billboard is of some character brandishing a revolver while robbing a convenience store. Robbing the store would, of course, put the felon back in prison anyway, but not every convicted felon returns to society to turn around and commit another crime.
Those who are released from prison after completing their sentence have a difficult enough time returning to productive and legal integration to society without having everyone and their uncles and aunts be reminded of their status every time they drive past that sign. Recidivism can be a real possibility because of the difficulty in acquiring and keeping employment, overcoming the suspicion that someone once convicted will again commit crimes, finding a place to live, continuing to rehabilitate one's life while 'on the outside', avoiding getting tangled up with the people and lifestyle that contributed to the original criminal activity, etc.
I guess there's a part of me that's wondering why the US Attorney General's office decided it was necessary to spend money on putting up the billboard. Are there really that many convicted felons running around with guns? Well, it IS Texas, after all, so maybe there are, what with our 'concealed carry' laws. Perhaps they think they can get away with it. *sigh* But do you really think that a billboard is going to change that behavior?
Obviously, I've noticed the sign and it's provoked me enough to post this. But in general billboards don't have much impact on my behavior. I don't buy something because I see it advertised on a billboard. Occasionally I'll learn about an event I want to attend on a billboard; although, I usually learn that information through the newspaper or perhaps actually listening to the tv. I wonder how many of the signs we've paid for throughout the country, and was there any particular reason that Beaumont was chosen for one?
Oh, well! Just a momentary peccadillo. Maybe now I've gotten it out of my system and I can go back to ignoring billboards again! *chuckle*
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Outrageous!
The state of Texas has gone over the edge! The Ethics panel has decreed that public officials can accept cash, check, or money order and all they have to do is declare, "I've received a check" or I've received currency". No amount is necessary. Bah!
The state has a law that says if a public official receives any gift valued more than $250, a description of the gift must be given. Apparently, all one has to do to meet the law's requirements is give a description of the gift - retangular piece of paper with mountain scenes and lines for date, payee, amount, and signature, but the actual amount written on the check or cash donated doesn't have to be disclosed. Could be $250 or $250,000,000.
If you don't think the amount of that check makes a difference, you're quite naive. Human nature being what it is, unfortunately, someone accepting the big bucks might easily be swayed to try to return the favor by helping the donor on some issue of importance to them. That is, unless the official happens to be someone of exceptionally honest character. I'd say that's probably a rarity, and, if the donee is up-front and honest about not letting financial considerations affect policy-making, the donor will probably not make such a substantial donation.
So here we are, just endorsing bribery. *sigh* To their credit, the Ethics panel said that if the language of the law was different, they'd change their ruling. The problem is that their rationale is just that - a rationalization. It makes perfect sense to me that a 'description' also be required to include the amount. It also appears to me that the Ethics panel had the authority to say "Ahem, public officials, yes, you've got to tell the public how much the check or wheelbarrow full of money was. It's important information and may affect how you choose to vote. We'll do everything we can to help the voting public make informed decision." But they wimped out.
Let's just hope the legislature follows through with the ethics bills that have been submitted and enact something with language that has some force to it. The cynic in me says it won't happen. Do you think they'll prove me wrong?
The state has a law that says if a public official receives any gift valued more than $250, a description of the gift must be given. Apparently, all one has to do to meet the law's requirements is give a description of the gift - retangular piece of paper with mountain scenes and lines for date, payee, amount, and signature, but the actual amount written on the check or cash donated doesn't have to be disclosed. Could be $250 or $250,000,000.
If you don't think the amount of that check makes a difference, you're quite naive. Human nature being what it is, unfortunately, someone accepting the big bucks might easily be swayed to try to return the favor by helping the donor on some issue of importance to them. That is, unless the official happens to be someone of exceptionally honest character. I'd say that's probably a rarity, and, if the donee is up-front and honest about not letting financial considerations affect policy-making, the donor will probably not make such a substantial donation.
So here we are, just endorsing bribery. *sigh* To their credit, the Ethics panel said that if the language of the law was different, they'd change their ruling. The problem is that their rationale is just that - a rationalization. It makes perfect sense to me that a 'description' also be required to include the amount. It also appears to me that the Ethics panel had the authority to say "Ahem, public officials, yes, you've got to tell the public how much the check or wheelbarrow full of money was. It's important information and may affect how you choose to vote. We'll do everything we can to help the voting public make informed decision." But they wimped out.
Let's just hope the legislature follows through with the ethics bills that have been submitted and enact something with language that has some force to it. The cynic in me says it won't happen. Do you think they'll prove me wrong?
Monday, November 27, 2006
Let the Advent-ure Begin
Next Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent, a season of the church that I truly enjoy. Now I've always enjoyed Christmas, but I've not always been aware of Advent, that season of four weeks prior to Christmas Day. But then again, the Presbyterian Church didn't reclaim the tradition until probably about 25 or so years ago, so it's no wonder my early years aren't filled with such memories.
Of course, in seminary I learned more about Advent. Even when I first became aware of Advent, it was only as a time of preparation for Christmas. Yet Advent means even more than that - it's a reminder that Christians are also awaiting Christ's return. That's something most people tend to ignore. We look to that incredible baby in a manger and not the return of the Divine.
So, I'm driving along just casually thinking that Advent is approaching when a truly random thought fired in my brain: Advent and Adventure start the same! And I began to wonder how they might be related (other than the obvious, of course).
They seem to share the same Latin root, since the dictionary.com etymology invites one to "see advent". Yet somehow the more or less uninteresting meaning of "to arrive" for Advent took a detour into risk and danger for Adventure. Hard to believe those three little letters could add so much.
Adventure: 1. an exciting or very unusual experience. 2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure. 3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome. 4. a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture. 5. Obsolete. a. peril; danger; risk. b. chance; fortune; luck. –verb (used with object) 6. to risk or hazard. 7. to take the chance of; dare. 8. to venture to say or utter: to adventure an opinion. –verb (used without object) 9. to take the risk involved. 10. to venture; hazard. (from dictionary.com)
Hmmmmmmmmm..... you know, if you think back to that very first Advent (long before it was ever called Advent), Adventure describes it quite nicely. Here you have an unwed mother in a society that didn't particularly support women in general, much less one who became pregnant out of wedlock. It doesn't matter that the woman involved claimed divine intervention in the conception. She could have easily been tossed out on her ear by her soon to be husband, abandoned to whatever fate awaited.
Then they make that perilous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census-taking. If you've never been pregnant, those final months are not particularly conducive to travel even with modern conveyances to ease the way. Our cherished Christmas narratives always include Mary riding on a donkey as she and Joseph wend their way to the City of David. I'm sure that became part of the tradition because it seemed cruel to make a pregnant woman walk all that way. (total aside - I'm not sure riding on a donkey would have been that much more comfortable for a pregnant woman, but then, that's just me!) Yet there's no mention of four-footed transportation in the Bible. Joseph and Mary were not wealthy, so how could they have afforded a donkey? Either walking or with donkey, the journey would not have been easy or without peril.
When they get to Bethlehem, there is the uncertainty of housing, the birthing of a baby in the even more than usual hazards of a manger instead of a house and apparently without a midwife. In time, they get the warning that King Herod's out to get the baby Jesus, so they flee to Egypt. Yep! Adventure describes this quite nicely.
Adventure even describes the anticipated Second Coming, when, as Christians understand it, the status quo will be turned topsy-turvy. Not my favorite Advent images, but the lectionary texts include that famous "wars and rumors of wars" and other dark and dangerous images of what is to come before Christ arrives (Advent). Personally, I'd prefer to jump right past the perilous and into the time when "the lion will lie down with the lamb" - nice and quiet and peaceful is what I'd like.
Most of us seem to have forgotten the risk, the excitement, the unusual, the dare which comes with Advent. That is, if you don't count those whose vision of the season includes venturing into the wilds of seasonal commerce to score the latest whatever-happens-to-be-the-find-of-the-season item, which some misguided folks would risk life, limb and fortune for.
There are different risks involved in being open to Christ's call "to come" (Advent). We each have the opportunity to explore "actions of uncertain outcome" in our own lives, even if the main risk involved is changing who we are into what we are called to be. Believe me, taking such risks can turn one's life topsy-turvy in many ways!
However, there's adventure in taking such a risk. It has been quite an adventure for me over the years. If you'd known me 'then', it would be difficult to even imagine me as I am today. You probably would have rolled on the floor laughing to even think of me speaking to a group of people, or stubbornly standing up and holding my ground over something I believe to be important, or even being willing to take on such a potentially conflict-ridden call as that of pastor. The adventure has been worth it!
So.............................................
Let's reclaim that very special risk, excitement, even dare! that the arrival of the infant Jesus, the coming of the Christ entails! Let the Advent-ure begin!!
Of course, in seminary I learned more about Advent. Even when I first became aware of Advent, it was only as a time of preparation for Christmas. Yet Advent means even more than that - it's a reminder that Christians are also awaiting Christ's return. That's something most people tend to ignore. We look to that incredible baby in a manger and not the return of the Divine.
So, I'm driving along just casually thinking that Advent is approaching when a truly random thought fired in my brain: Advent and Adventure start the same! And I began to wonder how they might be related (other than the obvious, of course).
They seem to share the same Latin root, since the dictionary.com etymology invites one to "see advent". Yet somehow the more or less uninteresting meaning of "to arrive" for Advent took a detour into risk and danger for Adventure. Hard to believe those three little letters could add so much.
Adventure: 1. an exciting or very unusual experience. 2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure. 3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome. 4. a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture. 5. Obsolete. a. peril; danger; risk. b. chance; fortune; luck. –verb (used with object) 6. to risk or hazard. 7. to take the chance of; dare. 8. to venture to say or utter: to adventure an opinion. –verb (used without object) 9. to take the risk involved. 10. to venture; hazard. (from dictionary.com)
Hmmmmmmmmm..... you know, if you think back to that very first Advent (long before it was ever called Advent), Adventure describes it quite nicely. Here you have an unwed mother in a society that didn't particularly support women in general, much less one who became pregnant out of wedlock. It doesn't matter that the woman involved claimed divine intervention in the conception. She could have easily been tossed out on her ear by her soon to be husband, abandoned to whatever fate awaited.
Then they make that perilous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census-taking. If you've never been pregnant, those final months are not particularly conducive to travel even with modern conveyances to ease the way. Our cherished Christmas narratives always include Mary riding on a donkey as she and Joseph wend their way to the City of David. I'm sure that became part of the tradition because it seemed cruel to make a pregnant woman walk all that way. (total aside - I'm not sure riding on a donkey would have been that much more comfortable for a pregnant woman, but then, that's just me!) Yet there's no mention of four-footed transportation in the Bible. Joseph and Mary were not wealthy, so how could they have afforded a donkey? Either walking or with donkey, the journey would not have been easy or without peril.
When they get to Bethlehem, there is the uncertainty of housing, the birthing of a baby in the even more than usual hazards of a manger instead of a house and apparently without a midwife. In time, they get the warning that King Herod's out to get the baby Jesus, so they flee to Egypt. Yep! Adventure describes this quite nicely.
Adventure even describes the anticipated Second Coming, when, as Christians understand it, the status quo will be turned topsy-turvy. Not my favorite Advent images, but the lectionary texts include that famous "wars and rumors of wars" and other dark and dangerous images of what is to come before Christ arrives (Advent). Personally, I'd prefer to jump right past the perilous and into the time when "the lion will lie down with the lamb" - nice and quiet and peaceful is what I'd like.
Most of us seem to have forgotten the risk, the excitement, the unusual, the dare which comes with Advent. That is, if you don't count those whose vision of the season includes venturing into the wilds of seasonal commerce to score the latest whatever-happens-to-be-the-find-of-the-season item, which some misguided folks would risk life, limb and fortune for.
There are different risks involved in being open to Christ's call "to come" (Advent). We each have the opportunity to explore "actions of uncertain outcome" in our own lives, even if the main risk involved is changing who we are into what we are called to be. Believe me, taking such risks can turn one's life topsy-turvy in many ways!
However, there's adventure in taking such a risk. It has been quite an adventure for me over the years. If you'd known me 'then', it would be difficult to even imagine me as I am today. You probably would have rolled on the floor laughing to even think of me speaking to a group of people, or stubbornly standing up and holding my ground over something I believe to be important, or even being willing to take on such a potentially conflict-ridden call as that of pastor. The adventure has been worth it!
So.............................................
Let's reclaim that very special risk, excitement, even dare! that the arrival of the infant Jesus, the coming of the Christ entails! Let the Advent-ure begin!!
Friday, November 24, 2006
Home Again
Sorta home again, at any rate. For Thanksgiving, the pup and I wandered over to Houston to celebrate with Mom, and we went to all the trouble of *chuckle* getting dressed and driving to Cracker Barrel to stand in line with a whole bunch of others for turkey and dressing.
It was a glorious day and, while we waited, I had a blast wandering through the store part looking at the candies we used to buy at the Wag-a-Bag and the games that have been around for generations, like Tiddly Winks. Those pleasant memories are good anchors when one seems to be wandering in exile.
No, we didn't prepare our own turkey and dressing or all of the other parts of a 'traditional' Thanksgiving dinner; however, it's not the meal or even where it's eaten that's important. It's who you're eating with, the sharing around the table, the memories, the roots, and the connections of futures to come that provide the meal's richness. And, of course, we both ended up stuffed and had to take our pecan pie home! (That didn't stop me from eating a second meal later in the evening when a friend of mine who came over to visit needed a bite to eat and we ended up at Cracker Barrel!)
Connections - rootedness - I'm thankful for these. Doesn't mean I end up staying in the same place, doing the same old things. Even when temporarily uprooted, as I am right now, there are people and places where I draw strength and comfort. Over the years, my Thanksgivings have been spent with family, with friends, with church members, at home, and at home. Hard to put that last 'at home' into words, but it's more than the place which has made it home. Some of what made it home yesterday was having my son call and hearing that he's feeling positive about his music again, making plans for turning that dream into a reality, and that he'll be in this neck of the woods for Christmas. *very big grin*
I still wish I were all the way home. It's been over a year since I slept in my own bed! I'm hoping things may be livable again before Christmas. All of the work won't be finished by then, but not everything has to be done before I can move back in. Things are progressing. It's possible to enter my house and not see studs or rafters!! I am so thankful for the progress that's been made!! Texture and paint and insulation and carpet, then I'll head back home.
I am incredibly thankful for the place I've had to stay in while putting the pieces of my house and my life back together. What an awesome blessing! This congregation has uplifted my soul since I've been here, and have been so supportive in all that has happened, especially since Her Horribleness blew through.
They aren't the first awesome congregation I've encountered. With very few exceptions, the churches I've been a part of as an adult have helped me through some difficult times and have encouraged me to grow in many ways. My congregation here has helped me to heal from an encounter with one of the exceptions. Even with the exceptions, I've always come away with lasting friendships that have enriched my life and experiences that have given me wisdom (I hope) and the assurance that I don't go through life alone.
And then there's PsychoKat and Penny! (to completely change course in mid-stream) I've received the comforting chewing outs that I so richly deserved for bringing that dog to my mom's house. The two finally held a tentative encounter today (three days after we got there!) without the cat freaking out and heading for the proverbial hills (or under the bed, to be more precise). It will be a real hoot on the day when we all return home, PsychoKat included, and Mom will be thrilled to be able to make her bed in peace once again!
It was a glorious day and, while we waited, I had a blast wandering through the store part looking at the candies we used to buy at the Wag-a-Bag and the games that have been around for generations, like Tiddly Winks. Those pleasant memories are good anchors when one seems to be wandering in exile.
No, we didn't prepare our own turkey and dressing or all of the other parts of a 'traditional' Thanksgiving dinner; however, it's not the meal or even where it's eaten that's important. It's who you're eating with, the sharing around the table, the memories, the roots, and the connections of futures to come that provide the meal's richness. And, of course, we both ended up stuffed and had to take our pecan pie home! (That didn't stop me from eating a second meal later in the evening when a friend of mine who came over to visit needed a bite to eat and we ended up at Cracker Barrel!)
Connections - rootedness - I'm thankful for these. Doesn't mean I end up staying in the same place, doing the same old things. Even when temporarily uprooted, as I am right now, there are people and places where I draw strength and comfort. Over the years, my Thanksgivings have been spent with family, with friends, with church members, at home, and at home. Hard to put that last 'at home' into words, but it's more than the place which has made it home. Some of what made it home yesterday was having my son call and hearing that he's feeling positive about his music again, making plans for turning that dream into a reality, and that he'll be in this neck of the woods for Christmas. *very big grin*
I still wish I were all the way home. It's been over a year since I slept in my own bed! I'm hoping things may be livable again before Christmas. All of the work won't be finished by then, but not everything has to be done before I can move back in. Things are progressing. It's possible to enter my house and not see studs or rafters!! I am so thankful for the progress that's been made!! Texture and paint and insulation and carpet, then I'll head back home.
I am incredibly thankful for the place I've had to stay in while putting the pieces of my house and my life back together. What an awesome blessing! This congregation has uplifted my soul since I've been here, and have been so supportive in all that has happened, especially since Her Horribleness blew through.
They aren't the first awesome congregation I've encountered. With very few exceptions, the churches I've been a part of as an adult have helped me through some difficult times and have encouraged me to grow in many ways. My congregation here has helped me to heal from an encounter with one of the exceptions. Even with the exceptions, I've always come away with lasting friendships that have enriched my life and experiences that have given me wisdom (I hope) and the assurance that I don't go through life alone.
And then there's PsychoKat and Penny! (to completely change course in mid-stream) I've received the comforting chewing outs that I so richly deserved for bringing that dog to my mom's house. The two finally held a tentative encounter today (three days after we got there!) without the cat freaking out and heading for the proverbial hills (or under the bed, to be more precise). It will be a real hoot on the day when we all return home, PsychoKat included, and Mom will be thrilled to be able to make her bed in peace once again!
Monday, November 20, 2006
Let All Things Now Living ...
... a song of thanksgiving to God our Creator triumphantly raise! ...
One of my absolute favorite Thanksgiving hymns, btw. It gets stuck in my head every year about this time. I'm not quite sure how it became so familiar to me, since it's not in the 'familiar' hymnal of my growing up years - The Hymnbook (or the red hymnal, as it's more commonly called). I learned it somewhere, though, and it's been tagged in my mind as Thanksgiving ever since.
I could sit here and detail all that I have to be thankful for, starting at the letter A and heading through the alphabet to Z (not quite sure what I'd put for X or Z, but I'm sure I could come up with something!). However, I'm not going to do that.
Instead, I'm going to take a moment to enjoy this hymn, and sing along with it, meditating on the blessings which are dear to my heart, and praying that the end of this hymn come into being soon.
... We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing with glad adoration, a song let us raise: Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving, to God in the highest, hosanna and praise.
One of my absolute favorite Thanksgiving hymns, btw. It gets stuck in my head every year about this time. I'm not quite sure how it became so familiar to me, since it's not in the 'familiar' hymnal of my growing up years - The Hymnbook (or the red hymnal, as it's more commonly called). I learned it somewhere, though, and it's been tagged in my mind as Thanksgiving ever since.
I could sit here and detail all that I have to be thankful for, starting at the letter A and heading through the alphabet to Z (not quite sure what I'd put for X or Z, but I'm sure I could come up with something!). However, I'm not going to do that.
Instead, I'm going to take a moment to enjoy this hymn, and sing along with it, meditating on the blessings which are dear to my heart, and praying that the end of this hymn come into being soon.
... We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing with glad adoration, a song let us raise: Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving, to God in the highest, hosanna and praise.
Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all!
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Getting Some Gumption?
Finally getting around to reading the paper today, I noticed that Bush's disapproval rating over his handling of the war in Iraq has reached it's lowest point yet. Isn't it interesting that now that there's been a shift in political power people are more willing to acknowledge that they don't support the president's policy?
I think it says a lot about the state our confidence in the president and his administration that many seemed to rubber-stamp his positions. The 'if you're not for us, you're against us - and a traitor to what it means to be an American to boot' tenor of this administration appears to have led to a tendency to not publicly admit to one's true feelings about the war and other policies.
Scary stuff! Reminiscent of McCarthy era politics and the way people either kept their traps shut or (worse) gave up others to the hysteria in order to save their own reputations and incomes. Some of it is human nature to protect oneself and one's family. It takes a special kind of bravery to stand against the crowd, especially when it might mean the loss of liberty or life.
With the shift in power, I wonder if there's a perception that permission has been given to go back to engaging in our First Amendment rights again. Is this a cyclical thing where every so often we back ourselves into a corner to remind ourselves of our responsibility to maintain the right to express our dissent? to call our leadership to account? to voice concerns and seek truths? to be willing to be on the 'wrong' side (from a public opinion perspective) of the important issues of our day in order to point to a greater truth?
The rampant partisan politics which control the way our government governs generally irritates the heck out of me. True statespersons operate in such a way that their goal is the betterment of all whose lives and livelihoods are under their authority, not just those of whichever political party they happen to belong to. There aren't many of that ilk in our government at the moment. However, if our two dominant political parties were cooperating in such a manner right now, I think I'd truly fear for our future.
As it stands, by virtue of the shift in legislative power between the branches, the balance has been more or less restored and the potential for rubber-stamp politics has diminished. I'm not naive enough to think that suddenly politics will lose its penchant for ethical breaches nor that both sides will be goaded into becoming statespersons. However, one can hope that more light will shine on the process and that true bipartisanship might occur (at least temporarily) in order to address the major issues of our political life in a responsible manner.
And maybe, just maybe, we'll all realize that we almost lost something truly precious, and begin to do everything in our power to make sure it cannot be taken away from us in any way, shape, or form. (Ok - being the optimist here but it could be that by finally expressing our true concerns, we've empowered the generations to take action and not let things get so close to the edge in our lifetimes!)
I think it says a lot about the state our confidence in the president and his administration that many seemed to rubber-stamp his positions. The 'if you're not for us, you're against us - and a traitor to what it means to be an American to boot' tenor of this administration appears to have led to a tendency to not publicly admit to one's true feelings about the war and other policies.
Scary stuff! Reminiscent of McCarthy era politics and the way people either kept their traps shut or (worse) gave up others to the hysteria in order to save their own reputations and incomes. Some of it is human nature to protect oneself and one's family. It takes a special kind of bravery to stand against the crowd, especially when it might mean the loss of liberty or life.
With the shift in power, I wonder if there's a perception that permission has been given to go back to engaging in our First Amendment rights again. Is this a cyclical thing where every so often we back ourselves into a corner to remind ourselves of our responsibility to maintain the right to express our dissent? to call our leadership to account? to voice concerns and seek truths? to be willing to be on the 'wrong' side (from a public opinion perspective) of the important issues of our day in order to point to a greater truth?
The rampant partisan politics which control the way our government governs generally irritates the heck out of me. True statespersons operate in such a way that their goal is the betterment of all whose lives and livelihoods are under their authority, not just those of whichever political party they happen to belong to. There aren't many of that ilk in our government at the moment. However, if our two dominant political parties were cooperating in such a manner right now, I think I'd truly fear for our future.
As it stands, by virtue of the shift in legislative power between the branches, the balance has been more or less restored and the potential for rubber-stamp politics has diminished. I'm not naive enough to think that suddenly politics will lose its penchant for ethical breaches nor that both sides will be goaded into becoming statespersons. However, one can hope that more light will shine on the process and that true bipartisanship might occur (at least temporarily) in order to address the major issues of our political life in a responsible manner.
And maybe, just maybe, we'll all realize that we almost lost something truly precious, and begin to do everything in our power to make sure it cannot be taken away from us in any way, shape, or form. (Ok - being the optimist here but it could be that by finally expressing our true concerns, we've empowered the generations to take action and not let things get so close to the edge in our lifetimes!)
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Consumerism
OK - is it just me or has insanity struck? The new PlayStation 3 makes its American debut on Friday. An article in the local paper says that the company has designated approximately 400,000 units for sale in the US. The machines retail for approximately $700, which seems like a ridiculous price to me. So why are people lining up outside the local stores carrying them, holding their place until they can get those first 'precious' units on Friday?
I might understand it (slightly) if there was some kind of special promotion where the first "x" number of customers got some kind of discount, or if it was an endurance contest and whoever lasted and was the first in line got a free one. But aren't there more important things that one could wait in line for?
When I was in Houston before the opening of the latest IKEA store, people lined up for days in advance for the chance to choose $10,000 worth of merchandise. The catch was they had to be the first in line on the morning the store first opened. The ultimate winner, I think, used the prize for furniture for her daughter who was going off to school, as well as for her own home that had undergone some significant repairs. The whole scenario had its sense of the ridiculous to it; however, it did have some positive as well.
I just don't understand this thing for the PlayStation, this waiting to spend $700 on a game unit (not the games, mind you, just the player). Think of the hungry, the homeless, the down and out and what they could do with $700 worth of resources.
To be honest, though, I have indulged my fair share of consumer "needs", including the computer that I am typing on right now. Perhaps it's a rationalization, but I see computers as a tool for communication, research, contact with others and other ideas, and, yes, entertainment. And I confess that I'm not particularly willing to just give up these things. *sigh* I'm also not planning to wait in line for a game unit, nor spend $700 for one (or anything like it).
I still don't understand why anyone would wait in capricious, potentially cold and nasty, weather for a game. Guess it will remain a mystery. Wonder if those who wait will ever notice how ridiculous their waiting truly is.
I might understand it (slightly) if there was some kind of special promotion where the first "x" number of customers got some kind of discount, or if it was an endurance contest and whoever lasted and was the first in line got a free one. But aren't there more important things that one could wait in line for?
When I was in Houston before the opening of the latest IKEA store, people lined up for days in advance for the chance to choose $10,000 worth of merchandise. The catch was they had to be the first in line on the morning the store first opened. The ultimate winner, I think, used the prize for furniture for her daughter who was going off to school, as well as for her own home that had undergone some significant repairs. The whole scenario had its sense of the ridiculous to it; however, it did have some positive as well.
I just don't understand this thing for the PlayStation, this waiting to spend $700 on a game unit (not the games, mind you, just the player). Think of the hungry, the homeless, the down and out and what they could do with $700 worth of resources.
To be honest, though, I have indulged my fair share of consumer "needs", including the computer that I am typing on right now. Perhaps it's a rationalization, but I see computers as a tool for communication, research, contact with others and other ideas, and, yes, entertainment. And I confess that I'm not particularly willing to just give up these things. *sigh* I'm also not planning to wait in line for a game unit, nor spend $700 for one (or anything like it).
I still don't understand why anyone would wait in capricious, potentially cold and nasty, weather for a game. Guess it will remain a mystery. Wonder if those who wait will ever notice how ridiculous their waiting truly is.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
The Gospel of Jesus
While driving to Houston for the first leg of my vacation, I passed a church sign that caught my eye:
As you may know, I detest proof-texting, taking a scripture and twisting it to your personal interpretation. It's especially heinous when a church does this. I'm not going to name the denomination, but it's one of the more literalist ones that's likely to interpret scripture in the most exclusive ways possible. My guess is that they were more focused on the 'be a Christian [according to our interpretation] or Jesus is gonna rain burning coals upon your head' aspect of this one.
Here's the full scripture:
7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, KJV)
7 and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, NSRV)
So, here's this church essentially proclaiming to the world (or, that is, anyone who happens to drive past their sign and read it), if you aren't with us, God's gonna smite you. (I realize that's my own bias interpreting this sign.)
Then it struck me - I wonder how they understand "the gospel of Jesus".
As I understand "the gospel of Jesus", it's not particularly about being part of the Establishment. Oops! To obey the gospel of Jesus, one must "love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength AND your neighbor as yourself". It doesn't stop there. Jesus also commands us to "love your enemies". To obey the gospel of Jesus one must align oneself with the hated and the outcast, lepers and those despicable quislings who collaborated with the government - tax collectors! Sinners were welcome in Jesus' presence and GASP! at his table. He even talked with women and set up children as examples of those inheriting God's kin-dom.
If we follow the teachings of Jesus, we are called to help widows, prisoners, outcasts, and the oppressed, to do kindness, love justice, and walk humbly with our God. I don't see how we can do that if we take the position that only those who meet specific criteria (such as the right sexual history and orientation, correct positions on certain 'values issues', those more or less like us, etc) are worthy of our time, attention, welcome, AND LOVE.
I wonder how this particular congregation would react if one Sunday a whole congregation of society's lepers arrived on their doorstep. To be honest, though, I'd have to wonder how my own congregation would react, as well. There are those who would welcome them with open arms, and others who would cringe.
If we get beyond our comfortable interpretations, obeying the gospel of Jesus is quite an incredible mission to undertake, one which should challenge each and every Christian down to their core. Loving God, neighbors, enemies, and self means opening ourselves to the impossible. I'm reasonably sure none of us will ever do it perfectly, but it is the task Jesus set before us, and one that we are called to at least make a credible stab at.
Makes me thankful that I believe Jesus is full of grace, not vengeance!!
obey the gospel of Jesus or receive his vengeance 2Thess 1:8
As you may know, I detest proof-texting, taking a scripture and twisting it to your personal interpretation. It's especially heinous when a church does this. I'm not going to name the denomination, but it's one of the more literalist ones that's likely to interpret scripture in the most exclusive ways possible. My guess is that they were more focused on the 'be a Christian [according to our interpretation] or Jesus is gonna rain burning coals upon your head' aspect of this one.
Here's the full scripture:
7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, KJV)
7 and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, NSRV)
So, here's this church essentially proclaiming to the world (or, that is, anyone who happens to drive past their sign and read it), if you aren't with us, God's gonna smite you. (I realize that's my own bias interpreting this sign.)
Then it struck me - I wonder how they understand "the gospel of Jesus".
As I understand "the gospel of Jesus", it's not particularly about being part of the Establishment. Oops! To obey the gospel of Jesus, one must "love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength AND your neighbor as yourself". It doesn't stop there. Jesus also commands us to "love your enemies". To obey the gospel of Jesus one must align oneself with the hated and the outcast, lepers and those despicable quislings who collaborated with the government - tax collectors! Sinners were welcome in Jesus' presence and GASP! at his table. He even talked with women and set up children as examples of those inheriting God's kin-dom.
If we follow the teachings of Jesus, we are called to help widows, prisoners, outcasts, and the oppressed, to do kindness, love justice, and walk humbly with our God. I don't see how we can do that if we take the position that only those who meet specific criteria (such as the right sexual history and orientation, correct positions on certain 'values issues', those more or less like us, etc) are worthy of our time, attention, welcome, AND LOVE.
I wonder how this particular congregation would react if one Sunday a whole congregation of society's lepers arrived on their doorstep. To be honest, though, I'd have to wonder how my own congregation would react, as well. There are those who would welcome them with open arms, and others who would cringe.
If we get beyond our comfortable interpretations, obeying the gospel of Jesus is quite an incredible mission to undertake, one which should challenge each and every Christian down to their core. Loving God, neighbors, enemies, and self means opening ourselves to the impossible. I'm reasonably sure none of us will ever do it perfectly, but it is the task Jesus set before us, and one that we are called to at least make a credible stab at.
Makes me thankful that I believe Jesus is full of grace, not vengeance!!
Fall Fandango
I now have a color scheme for my redecorating after the hurricane - fall colors. I'd already figured out some of it - a rich olive green for my furniture with a dark olivy/forest green for the carpet. However, the thought of white walls made me gag. And more green on the walls would have been waaaaaaaaaay too much! I wanted something to 'warm' the rooms up, as well as keep them 'cool' in the summer.
This is where traveling to Oklahoma came in handy. It's fall there! Really, truly fall. The trees are wrapped in all their glorious splendor - deep rich reds, bright golds, resplendent purples, orange/greens, yellow/reds, and trees that never change their colors all blended together in a riotous show of joy. While driving back to Texas on a cool Friday morning, it felt as though our car was wrapped in the warmth of the flames of the brightly colored trees - a sweater of fall colors.
If things had been different, I would have detoured through the Ouachita Mountains on the Talimena Scenic Drive. It's an awesome trip when the fall leaves are at their peak. We weren't that far away, but it would have been about a 5-6 hour detour, and I'm not sure Mom could have handled that. If I'd been alone ....................
That's one thing I miss, the fall foliage. I enjoy seeing the trees getting all gussied up for a year-end spectacular before letting go and taking a much deserved rest during the winter. Getting to see them with mountains makes me want to dance with joy! I think I may reserve a week of vacation for about this time of year next year. My soul could use a mountain break. For now, I'll just have to import the colors into my den, living room, and entrance foyer. Maybe that'll help!
This is where traveling to Oklahoma came in handy. It's fall there! Really, truly fall. The trees are wrapped in all their glorious splendor - deep rich reds, bright golds, resplendent purples, orange/greens, yellow/reds, and trees that never change their colors all blended together in a riotous show of joy. While driving back to Texas on a cool Friday morning, it felt as though our car was wrapped in the warmth of the flames of the brightly colored trees - a sweater of fall colors.
If things had been different, I would have detoured through the Ouachita Mountains on the Talimena Scenic Drive. It's an awesome trip when the fall leaves are at their peak. We weren't that far away, but it would have been about a 5-6 hour detour, and I'm not sure Mom could have handled that. If I'd been alone ....................
That's one thing I miss, the fall foliage. I enjoy seeing the trees getting all gussied up for a year-end spectacular before letting go and taking a much deserved rest during the winter. Getting to see them with mountains makes me want to dance with joy! I think I may reserve a week of vacation for about this time of year next year. My soul could use a mountain break. For now, I'll just have to import the colors into my den, living room, and entrance foyer. Maybe that'll help!
Trippin'
As promised, something about my trip to dear, dull, boring Ada, Oklahoma. In fact, the only not boring thing in Ada is my son! *chuckle*
Mom and I headed out from Houston on our 8-hour (including a lunch break) trek by car, since there's no other reasonable way to get there from here. [aside - by plane, it's a 2 hour wait at the airport, 2 hour flight, assuming no extraordinary delays, 1 hour to deal with the rental car, then about 2 hours to Ada, assuming I don't manage to get lost] I now have several earworms from listening to Mom's collection of Dad's favorites for 14 hours. Not grousing too much, but That's Amore, Chirichiribim (I think that's its name), Racing with the Moon, and others along the same line almost put me to sleep. Not a good thing when in the driver's seat!
Once we got to Ada and connected up with the son, we had an opportunity for some interesting chatter. This is his last semester of undergraduate work, in a major that he detests! The political science class he's taking is a 'hands on' kind of class appropriate to the current political season - it's a group project where they were assigned a local race and are documenting it. Andrew chose his preferred candidate in the race by the fact that the guy gave him a t-shirt (or that's what he said ... knowing him, it went a bit deeper than that). Turns out the guy won by 2 votes. Good thing my son went to the polls!
The purpose of this marathon car ride was to hear my son's senior trombone recital. He was so nervous! For various reasons, this was the first time in a year that he's performed solo before an audience. He did a fine job and the profs were pleased with his performance, but it wasn't perfect, so he's a bit down on himself right now. The problem with these recitals is that they are focused around technique (not a bad thing in and of itself), so the music chosen tends to be along certain lines- obscure classical. Once he got the really stuffy stuff out of the way, Andrew finally got comfortable with the last two pieces and was more himself.
My son is actually more of a performer than a technician, and he got caught up in the expectation that he be a technician. *sigh* What schools will sometimes do to a performer in order to impose standards! ARGH!! When I hear him play, I can imagine him joining in a Chicago extravaganza or one of the retro-Big Band era groups, or even in a jazz combo (although it's not my favorite). He'll get there one day. From Ada it's on to a master's degree in performance, most likely. He's not figured out where yet, but he may end up down here for a while. Maybe not - I think the possibility of residing with me, even if it's for just a while until he makes friends and finds another place, is a bit binding on him. Believe me! I can understand that! (especially after living with my mom for over a year while seeking a call - tough stuff for an adult who was in her 40's and had mostly managed on her own, much less a very independent 20-something son! *chuckle*)
I enjoyed visiting with my son and getting to spend some time with him. It was a good way to spend part of my vacation!
Mom and I headed out from Houston on our 8-hour (including a lunch break) trek by car, since there's no other reasonable way to get there from here. [aside - by plane, it's a 2 hour wait at the airport, 2 hour flight, assuming no extraordinary delays, 1 hour to deal with the rental car, then about 2 hours to Ada, assuming I don't manage to get lost] I now have several earworms from listening to Mom's collection of Dad's favorites for 14 hours. Not grousing too much, but That's Amore, Chirichiribim (I think that's its name), Racing with the Moon, and others along the same line almost put me to sleep. Not a good thing when in the driver's seat!
Once we got to Ada and connected up with the son, we had an opportunity for some interesting chatter. This is his last semester of undergraduate work, in a major that he detests! The political science class he's taking is a 'hands on' kind of class appropriate to the current political season - it's a group project where they were assigned a local race and are documenting it. Andrew chose his preferred candidate in the race by the fact that the guy gave him a t-shirt (or that's what he said ... knowing him, it went a bit deeper than that). Turns out the guy won by 2 votes. Good thing my son went to the polls!
The purpose of this marathon car ride was to hear my son's senior trombone recital. He was so nervous! For various reasons, this was the first time in a year that he's performed solo before an audience. He did a fine job and the profs were pleased with his performance, but it wasn't perfect, so he's a bit down on himself right now. The problem with these recitals is that they are focused around technique (not a bad thing in and of itself), so the music chosen tends to be along certain lines- obscure classical. Once he got the really stuffy stuff out of the way, Andrew finally got comfortable with the last two pieces and was more himself.
My son is actually more of a performer than a technician, and he got caught up in the expectation that he be a technician. *sigh* What schools will sometimes do to a performer in order to impose standards! ARGH!! When I hear him play, I can imagine him joining in a Chicago extravaganza or one of the retro-Big Band era groups, or even in a jazz combo (although it's not my favorite). He'll get there one day. From Ada it's on to a master's degree in performance, most likely. He's not figured out where yet, but he may end up down here for a while. Maybe not - I think the possibility of residing with me, even if it's for just a while until he makes friends and finds another place, is a bit binding on him. Believe me! I can understand that! (especially after living with my mom for over a year while seeking a call - tough stuff for an adult who was in her 40's and had mostly managed on her own, much less a very independent 20-something son! *chuckle*)
I enjoyed visiting with my son and getting to spend some time with him. It was a good way to spend part of my vacation!
Friday, November 10, 2006
Vacation Daze
Ok - next time I manage to take a week off, would someone please remind me that reinstalling my mom's hard drive (with updates via dial-up, no less) is not what one might consider a vacation?! Well, we did make an up and back trip to Oklahoma to hear my son's senior recital (more on that later). I think I'm going to take a break from anything related to computers for a few days. See ya next week! *flees from the computer room, screaming*
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Voter Apathy
Could it be? It might. An Associated Press article in today's Enterprise seems to point in that direction. As I interpret what the article says, those attack ads that everyone despises work, but not quite in the way one might assume. "Mostly researchers found that negative ads tend to polarize and make it less likely that supporters of an attacked candidate will vote." (italics added) Most interesting.
So here's what I'm wondering - do the attack ads that candidates run against each other lead to the voter apathy which exhibits itself in such abysmal voter turnouts?
It seems that the negative ads trigger brain responses which show up on functional MRI's. Here's what the researchers found: "When the test subjects saw a picture of the candidate they supported, the medial orbital frontal cortex of the brain - the area behind the eyeballs associated with empathy- lit up. When they were shown a picture or TV ad for the candidate they opposed, the island-shaped insula in the middle of the brain lit up along with other areas 'associated with distaste', Iacoboni (the researcher and UCLA professor) said, Then, other parts of the brain activated, as if the participants were 'using their rational brain areas to get upset at the other guy; they were using it to find a reason ' to dislike the candidate."
Here's the intriguing thing, if each candidate in a race is running attack ads against their opponents, do they ultimately encourage each other's potential voters to stay home? Maybe that's why everyone pulls out the negative advertising, so neither candidate ends up with an advantage. Lousy reason for running them, especially if it reduces potential voters. (or maybe not, depending on your perspective - if you'd prefer a low turnout, that is)
One other bit of tantalizing information - if you're an independent voter, you tend to be neutral in your reaction to the ads. I wonder what it would take to develop a nation of independent voters who aren't committed to either of the political parties.
One of the oddball things which stuck in my mind from high school government was George Washington's farewell address, and a part of that address was a concern that America end up enamored by the party system of politics. Maybe it's time for us to take Washington's advice to heart and send each of the parties to the showers. I wonder what would happen if all candidates were independents, and no one beholden to any particular party structure.
A woman can dream, can't she?
So here's what I'm wondering - do the attack ads that candidates run against each other lead to the voter apathy which exhibits itself in such abysmal voter turnouts?
It seems that the negative ads trigger brain responses which show up on functional MRI's. Here's what the researchers found: "When the test subjects saw a picture of the candidate they supported, the medial orbital frontal cortex of the brain - the area behind the eyeballs associated with empathy- lit up. When they were shown a picture or TV ad for the candidate they opposed, the island-shaped insula in the middle of the brain lit up along with other areas 'associated with distaste', Iacoboni (the researcher and UCLA professor) said, Then, other parts of the brain activated, as if the participants were 'using their rational brain areas to get upset at the other guy; they were using it to find a reason ' to dislike the candidate."
Here's the intriguing thing, if each candidate in a race is running attack ads against their opponents, do they ultimately encourage each other's potential voters to stay home? Maybe that's why everyone pulls out the negative advertising, so neither candidate ends up with an advantage. Lousy reason for running them, especially if it reduces potential voters. (or maybe not, depending on your perspective - if you'd prefer a low turnout, that is)
One other bit of tantalizing information - if you're an independent voter, you tend to be neutral in your reaction to the ads. I wonder what it would take to develop a nation of independent voters who aren't committed to either of the political parties.
One of the oddball things which stuck in my mind from high school government was George Washington's farewell address, and a part of that address was a concern that America end up enamored by the party system of politics. Maybe it's time for us to take Washington's advice to heart and send each of the parties to the showers. I wonder what would happen if all candidates were independents, and no one beholden to any particular party structure.
A woman can dream, can't she?
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Walls
Walls! I have walls ......... and ceilings!! It's absolutely incredible. A group of volunteers came in and installed the drywall and now it's being 'mudded' and then textured. By Friday, I should have the work completed on that part. It's so exciting to actually have something happen toward getting back into my home. *gleefully dances around the room*
Next up, painting! Now I've gotta figure out what colors I want. Painting itself may not happen until week after next. I'm heading up to see my son's senior recital, so won't be available to do the painting next week.
And, no, I haven't forgotten that the attic needs to be insulated. That phone call's happening tomorrow!
I'm not predicting move-in dates, but things are looking up! *can't sit still any longer ... starts dancing again!*
Next up, painting! Now I've gotta figure out what colors I want. Painting itself may not happen until week after next. I'm heading up to see my son's senior recital, so won't be available to do the painting next week.
And, no, I haven't forgotten that the attic needs to be insulated. That phone call's happening tomorrow!
I'm not predicting move-in dates, but things are looking up! *can't sit still any longer ... starts dancing again!*
Monday, October 30, 2006
Halloween Eve
Ok - by definition, Halloween is the 'eve' for All Saints Day, which makes it a bit odd to have a Halloween Eve, but we did. The Westminster Children's Center celebrated its 20th anniversary operating a quality day care center in downtown Beaumont. We had a fall festival this evening, inviting current and past families and staff to come out for fun and games and hotdogs, chips, and drinks.
Children in non-scary costumes wandered through the building, getting their faces painted, "fishing" for candy and what turned out to be real fish, bowling for toys, making brightly colored masks, walking in circles for cakes and cookies, popping ballons by sitting on them, and other games.
The biggest draw was the hayride. Putt-putting along behind a four-wheeler, the kids and their parents went on a ride in the parking lots around the church. But it's not a real Halloween hayride if you don't have at least one scary moment, right? So a couple of the adults took turns stepping out from behind the trees and saying "Boo!" *smile* The requisite screeches were a hoot!
I remember my first haunted house was in the basement of the manse next to the church we belonged to in Ft. Worth. The members prepared a mildly scary spook house with all the traditional elements - "eyeballs" and "brains" and some guy who came up out of a coffin loaned by a local funeral home. You entered the basement through a window and came screeching out the door at the other side. Afterward was a feast of hotdogs and marshmallows roasted on an open fire. (ummmmmmmm.....no, I didn't put the marshmallows ON the hotdog. *chuckle*) The temperature was a bit cooler than it is here in Beaumont right now, so that fire was a real blessing!
I have never truly understood those who have a problem with Halloween. I have a much more difficult time with churches setting up "Hell Houses" to "scare the Hell out of" those who come through. There's not only sloppy theology involved, but the premise strikes me as being emotionally violent. Halloween and it's generally tame visiting of homes and stores to shout "Trick or Treat" and say "thank you" when receiving candy from those places is a much more benign event. I'll admit it's changed mightily since I was a child, but you'll have a hard time convincing me that dressing up in a costume (even if it does wander over into witches and ghouls) for one day out of the year will imperil one's soul. God's much bigger than that, and certainly filled with a grace and love which transcends our annual attack of silliness and camoflauge.
Trick or Treat!
Children in non-scary costumes wandered through the building, getting their faces painted, "fishing" for candy and what turned out to be real fish, bowling for toys, making brightly colored masks, walking in circles for cakes and cookies, popping ballons by sitting on them, and other games.
The biggest draw was the hayride. Putt-putting along behind a four-wheeler, the kids and their parents went on a ride in the parking lots around the church. But it's not a real Halloween hayride if you don't have at least one scary moment, right? So a couple of the adults took turns stepping out from behind the trees and saying "Boo!" *smile* The requisite screeches were a hoot!
I remember my first haunted house was in the basement of the manse next to the church we belonged to in Ft. Worth. The members prepared a mildly scary spook house with all the traditional elements - "eyeballs" and "brains" and some guy who came up out of a coffin loaned by a local funeral home. You entered the basement through a window and came screeching out the door at the other side. Afterward was a feast of hotdogs and marshmallows roasted on an open fire. (ummmmmmmm.....no, I didn't put the marshmallows ON the hotdog. *chuckle*) The temperature was a bit cooler than it is here in Beaumont right now, so that fire was a real blessing!
I have never truly understood those who have a problem with Halloween. I have a much more difficult time with churches setting up "Hell Houses" to "scare the Hell out of" those who come through. There's not only sloppy theology involved, but the premise strikes me as being emotionally violent. Halloween and it's generally tame visiting of homes and stores to shout "Trick or Treat" and say "thank you" when receiving candy from those places is a much more benign event. I'll admit it's changed mightily since I was a child, but you'll have a hard time convincing me that dressing up in a costume (even if it does wander over into witches and ghouls) for one day out of the year will imperil one's soul. God's much bigger than that, and certainly filled with a grace and love which transcends our annual attack of silliness and camoflauge.
Trick or Treat!
Ready for Syndication
Well, not really. I just happened to notice that this is my 100th post. WOOHOO!!
TV shows celebrate their 100th episode because it makes the possibility of a syndication run more lucrative. I thought I celebrate my 100th post simply because I managed to make it this far!
This is actually quite an accomplishment for me. The whole blog thing was an experiment, one which I didn't expect to last more than a month or two at the most. In some respects, this is like journaling, and most of my journaling experiences tend to last a week, maybe two, before wandering off into oblivion. Of course, most of my journaling has been totally for private consumption. Since I already know what I wrote, why go back and look at it again? *shrug* BO-RING!
Blogging has a different flavor. True, it's still mostly for my own benefit. Putting things down "in print" has a discipline to it which journaling doesn't. If the potential exists for someone else to read this, then I should strive for some sort of coherence and logic. I'm not always successful. I'm notorious for skipping over the one bit of information which makes the significance of a bit of rambling make sense.
All in all, though, I've had fun. Hope you've had fun, too, or gleaned a tidbit of information here and there. So.......... celebrate .... celebrate .... dance to the music!
TV shows celebrate their 100th episode because it makes the possibility of a syndication run more lucrative. I thought I celebrate my 100th post simply because I managed to make it this far!
This is actually quite an accomplishment for me. The whole blog thing was an experiment, one which I didn't expect to last more than a month or two at the most. In some respects, this is like journaling, and most of my journaling experiences tend to last a week, maybe two, before wandering off into oblivion. Of course, most of my journaling has been totally for private consumption. Since I already know what I wrote, why go back and look at it again? *shrug* BO-RING!
Blogging has a different flavor. True, it's still mostly for my own benefit. Putting things down "in print" has a discipline to it which journaling doesn't. If the potential exists for someone else to read this, then I should strive for some sort of coherence and logic. I'm not always successful. I'm notorious for skipping over the one bit of information which makes the significance of a bit of rambling make sense.
All in all, though, I've had fun. Hope you've had fun, too, or gleaned a tidbit of information here and there. So.......... celebrate .... celebrate .... dance to the music!
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Absurdity and Politics
Gotcha! Bet you thought I was going to point out some of the absurdities that exist in politics. Instead, just a couple of thoughts to share today, not really related, as one might think from the title.
1. Absurdity - I was driving along Dowlen Rd yesterday when I saw a "For Sale By Owner" sign. Now there's nothing unusual about that. I've seen those signs in front of houses, on cars and boats, by rather large things for sale for years. Yesterday I began to wonder, do you really think a thief would post a sign saying "For Sale By Thief" or "For Sale By Scam Artist"? Aren't you actually supposed to own the item before you can sell it? By definition, isn't any sale which occurs, whether using an agent or doing it yourself, "by owner"? Aren't those signs just plain absurd, then?
2. Politics - Last night I watched 90% of the county judge debate between Ron Walker and Billy Job (my stupid internet connection slipped into oblivion for about 10% of the debate). While watching the debate online, you could also make/read live comments from others watching the debate. The two juxtaposed gave the experience a twist. There was one person online who is an adamant Walker supporter. She kept "score" throughout the debate and continually noted how "Walker won that one" or commented on how he was really winning the debate and, in my mind, seemed to be at odds with what I was witnessing on the screen.
The Enterprise online poll/commentary about the debate comes in at a draw: 5 in favor of Walker, 5 in favor of Job. For those who commented on Walker's behalf, many (but not all) knew at least something about him and were supporting him more on the basis of that information (things like "isn't a puppet" and "has experience"), which wasn't evident from the actual interaction of the debate. For those who commented on Job's behalf, the choice was based on what was actually said during the debate.
I know neither of these men, nor did I have any opinion prior to the debate. Walker blew it completely for me when, instead of asking Job a hard-ball question about positions or governing during his opportunity to ask any question of his opponent, he asked how Job's family was doing. Not a bad question to ask; however, it's timing was waaaaaaaaay off. More appropriate for after the debate. Job's answers to questions had a fairly good grasp of what would be expected of the position and that he'd thought through some of the potential difficulties.
When watching a debate, appearances do have an affect on how one interprets and rates responses. Walker appeared exhausted and, to me, had difficulty putting his thoughts in order. I have to admit, not everyone does well in such a public forum, but that's what we're asking county judges to do: be part of a public forum on a daily basis. His demeanor appeared to express a sense of uncertainty and a part of me thought he was actually hoping to lose. Not a good impression for a candidate who wants to win. Perhaps that's one of the hazards of a long campaign, since Walker noted more than once that the past 22 months had been difficult. He had a primary election as well as the general election to work through, while Job ran unopposed in the primary.
In the interest of fairness, I'm not going to base my vote entirely on last night's debate. However, if the candidates appear to be almost equal in abilities and commitment to the position, Mr. Job has my vote.
1. Absurdity - I was driving along Dowlen Rd yesterday when I saw a "For Sale By Owner" sign. Now there's nothing unusual about that. I've seen those signs in front of houses, on cars and boats, by rather large things for sale for years. Yesterday I began to wonder, do you really think a thief would post a sign saying "For Sale By Thief" or "For Sale By Scam Artist"? Aren't you actually supposed to own the item before you can sell it? By definition, isn't any sale which occurs, whether using an agent or doing it yourself, "by owner"? Aren't those signs just plain absurd, then?
2. Politics - Last night I watched 90% of the county judge debate between Ron Walker and Billy Job (my stupid internet connection slipped into oblivion for about 10% of the debate). While watching the debate online, you could also make/read live comments from others watching the debate. The two juxtaposed gave the experience a twist. There was one person online who is an adamant Walker supporter. She kept "score" throughout the debate and continually noted how "Walker won that one" or commented on how he was really winning the debate and, in my mind, seemed to be at odds with what I was witnessing on the screen.
The Enterprise online poll/commentary about the debate comes in at a draw: 5 in favor of Walker, 5 in favor of Job. For those who commented on Walker's behalf, many (but not all) knew at least something about him and were supporting him more on the basis of that information (things like "isn't a puppet" and "has experience"), which wasn't evident from the actual interaction of the debate. For those who commented on Job's behalf, the choice was based on what was actually said during the debate.
I know neither of these men, nor did I have any opinion prior to the debate. Walker blew it completely for me when, instead of asking Job a hard-ball question about positions or governing during his opportunity to ask any question of his opponent, he asked how Job's family was doing. Not a bad question to ask; however, it's timing was waaaaaaaaay off. More appropriate for after the debate. Job's answers to questions had a fairly good grasp of what would be expected of the position and that he'd thought through some of the potential difficulties.
When watching a debate, appearances do have an affect on how one interprets and rates responses. Walker appeared exhausted and, to me, had difficulty putting his thoughts in order. I have to admit, not everyone does well in such a public forum, but that's what we're asking county judges to do: be part of a public forum on a daily basis. His demeanor appeared to express a sense of uncertainty and a part of me thought he was actually hoping to lose. Not a good impression for a candidate who wants to win. Perhaps that's one of the hazards of a long campaign, since Walker noted more than once that the past 22 months had been difficult. He had a primary election as well as the general election to work through, while Job ran unopposed in the primary.
In the interest of fairness, I'm not going to base my vote entirely on last night's debate. However, if the candidates appear to be almost equal in abilities and commitment to the position, Mr. Job has my vote.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Progress
I can't believe it! There's drywall sitting on the floor in my house waiting to be installed. WOOHOO!! I'm not precisely sure when the crew is planning to do the actual installation. Assuming the weather holds, it'll be sometime this week.
I do have one part that's going to have to have some more research done before this is all finished. The huge crack in the storage room isn't the result of a problem with the foundation. (whew!!) The question now is, "OK, what caused it?" Someone suggested the framing might be cracked/crushed nearby. It's at the far end of the house from where the tree came in, so I don't understand how that could have happened ... unless when the limbs that came down from my other tree and blocked the gate area, it caused some internal damage. Hmmmmm.... sounds like a case for ER!
Just the vision of covered walls and hidden rafters was enough to inspire me to do some shopping for the furniture I need to replace. Fortunately, I only have two pieces to replace, but the color scheme on the sofa/love seat were essential to have in place before I select the paint and carpet. One interesting criterion: dark enough so the dog/cat hair won't be too obvious! *chuckle* Do you know how hard that was? Especially since I'm also not particularly fond of leather furniture. Another factor is that I'm replacing a sofabed. They don't make un-ugly sofabeds anymore, at least, not un-ugly by my definition. (If you've bought a sofabed recently, I'm quite sure it's absolutely beautiful!)
I've yet to figure it out. When I need to make a significant purchase, like a car or furniture, I'll start the process of shopping (research, warranties, materials, preliminary scan of potential candidates, "test driving") only semi-focused on what I'm looking for, just general broad-brush ideas for what it'll be like. Next I see a style or color that seems to fit that nebulous image, but it may not be on the showroom floor. Then, out of the blue, there it will be - generally a model or color that's just been discontinued, or the last one available at the store, and I'll find it at a hugely discounted price.
It happened today! Found the perfect sofa/love seat ... the sofa was the last one in the store and the love seat wasn't even listed on the store's computers, but there they were! Plain as day on the showroom floor, and not sold or promised to anyone!! So, now I have furniture for my den. WOOHOO!!
All in all, it's been a good day. Now, let's see ... guess I'd better go haunt the paint chip aisles! Later!
I do have one part that's going to have to have some more research done before this is all finished. The huge crack in the storage room isn't the result of a problem with the foundation. (whew!!) The question now is, "OK, what caused it?" Someone suggested the framing might be cracked/crushed nearby. It's at the far end of the house from where the tree came in, so I don't understand how that could have happened ... unless when the limbs that came down from my other tree and blocked the gate area, it caused some internal damage. Hmmmmm.... sounds like a case for ER!
Just the vision of covered walls and hidden rafters was enough to inspire me to do some shopping for the furniture I need to replace. Fortunately, I only have two pieces to replace, but the color scheme on the sofa/love seat were essential to have in place before I select the paint and carpet. One interesting criterion: dark enough so the dog/cat hair won't be too obvious! *chuckle* Do you know how hard that was? Especially since I'm also not particularly fond of leather furniture. Another factor is that I'm replacing a sofabed. They don't make un-ugly sofabeds anymore, at least, not un-ugly by my definition. (If you've bought a sofabed recently, I'm quite sure it's absolutely beautiful!)
I've yet to figure it out. When I need to make a significant purchase, like a car or furniture, I'll start the process of shopping (research, warranties, materials, preliminary scan of potential candidates, "test driving") only semi-focused on what I'm looking for, just general broad-brush ideas for what it'll be like. Next I see a style or color that seems to fit that nebulous image, but it may not be on the showroom floor. Then, out of the blue, there it will be - generally a model or color that's just been discontinued, or the last one available at the store, and I'll find it at a hugely discounted price.
It happened today! Found the perfect sofa/love seat ... the sofa was the last one in the store and the love seat wasn't even listed on the store's computers, but there they were! Plain as day on the showroom floor, and not sold or promised to anyone!! So, now I have furniture for my den. WOOHOO!!
All in all, it's been a good day. Now, let's see ... guess I'd better go haunt the paint chip aisles! Later!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Slip-Sliding Away
Just realized I haven't posted in a week! Not that I have anything of significance to write about. Traveling to meetings in Louisville kind of knocks the usual ebb and flow of things awry. Not a bad meeting Not a spectacular one either. We did have a dinner cruise on the Ohio River which was nice. A couple of nice conversations, and an evening spent in the hotel's spa wasn't bad either. The only major negative was that it got down to about freezing. Had to take my long johns! *chuckle* I wasn't quite ready for that yet.
Looks like I've got some more nastiness at my home to be repaired. The storage room that's part of the garage seems to be slip-sliding away from the rest of the house. I've got a huge-mongous crack growing in the drywall there. *sigh* I don't know that I'm ever going to get back on my house. Quite frustrating. And the insurance company is so helpful - "find out what the problem is, get an expert to look at it, and then we'll send out an adjuster". I don't know what the problem is, and haven't the foggiest of what expert to get to come and look at it. I suspect it may be foundational, but the house was leveled before I bought it 3 years ago and all the cosmetic stuff was fixed then. So it's probably related to Her Horribleness. BLECH!!
Maybe it'll all just float away and I can start all over again. (Nah - don't want that to happen. Just feeling a bit gloomy at the moment. Maybe a good night's sleep is in order.) Ah, well! I'm calling it quits for the night, and maybe something truly intriguing will catch my eye later this week.
Looks like I've got some more nastiness at my home to be repaired. The storage room that's part of the garage seems to be slip-sliding away from the rest of the house. I've got a huge-mongous crack growing in the drywall there. *sigh* I don't know that I'm ever going to get back on my house. Quite frustrating. And the insurance company is so helpful - "find out what the problem is, get an expert to look at it, and then we'll send out an adjuster". I don't know what the problem is, and haven't the foggiest of what expert to get to come and look at it. I suspect it may be foundational, but the house was leveled before I bought it 3 years ago and all the cosmetic stuff was fixed then. So it's probably related to Her Horribleness. BLECH!!
Maybe it'll all just float away and I can start all over again. (Nah - don't want that to happen. Just feeling a bit gloomy at the moment. Maybe a good night's sleep is in order.) Ah, well! I'm calling it quits for the night, and maybe something truly intriguing will catch my eye later this week.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Ok, Unions!
Let me state up front that I have a fairly strong anti-union bias. It was bred through years of watching unions go on strike for what seemed to be trivial amounts, reports of corruption and crime in union leadership, and other seeming misuse of the collective bargaining power that could be wielded.
It was etched pretty solidly in stone after a local refinery strike. It was a long and bitter strike over issues that I don't remember. What I do remember was that one worker became desperate to keep food on his family's table and a roof over their heads, so he crossed the picket line. One of the picketers shot (with a slingshot, I think) and seriously injured the man. The whole incident was caught on the company's security tapes. The company fired the picketer. The union remained on strike until the picketer was rehired without loss of seniority. OUTRAGE!
Let me also state that I believe unions, when used according to their original purpose, can be a powerful force for good. As I recall, the original goal of unions was to provide safe work environments for employees while ensuring that they were paid a fair wage for the work provided. I do believe it was a time of excesses where employers were reaping huge and lavish benefits while employees subsisted in poverty or almost poverty - with little to look forward to in hopes of relief. Does any of that look even remotely familiar?
Paul Krugman's editorial in yesterday's Enterprise, "War against wages is successfully being waged", outlines what Wal-Mart is doing internally to keep employees from advancing financially if they remain loyal to the company. Over and over you see in the news where a company is approaching bankruptcy. Employees are forced to take huge cuts in pay/benefits or a combination, simply to keep from losing their jobs completely if the company folds. Yet, even on a sinking ship, executives reap millions in salary, benefits and perks, totalling several hundred times what the average employee makes. Health care and promised retirement benefits are being summarily and deeply slashed. (Ok - I'll admit the healthcare system is broken in a variety of ways, and as long as it's tied to employment, it will remain broken. But that's another rant altogether.) When things begin to look rough at a company, reductions-in-force slash through the ranks while expecting the same or a higher level of total production from those left, generally without a corresponding deep cut at the upper management levels. It's unconscionable!
My suspicion is that what is happening is part of a perpetually moving societal pendulum. We are heading out to the far end of the "pro-employer" limits of the pendulum and it's time for the "pro-employee" limit of the swing to shift the momentum in the other direction. The rope of the pendulum is only so long and our society as a whole will crumble if the rope breaks while at either end. I don't see that happening soon, though.
However, I do believe it is now time for the unions to find ways to influence the shift in momentum in the opposite direction. Perhaps it isn't simply a union task to accomplish, but it does seem that they should have a major role if they hope to maintain any relevance in the workforce. I certainly think it's an appropriate time for them to reclaim the noble purpose for which they were founded. Ok, unions! What's next?
It was etched pretty solidly in stone after a local refinery strike. It was a long and bitter strike over issues that I don't remember. What I do remember was that one worker became desperate to keep food on his family's table and a roof over their heads, so he crossed the picket line. One of the picketers shot (with a slingshot, I think) and seriously injured the man. The whole incident was caught on the company's security tapes. The company fired the picketer. The union remained on strike until the picketer was rehired without loss of seniority. OUTRAGE!
Let me also state that I believe unions, when used according to their original purpose, can be a powerful force for good. As I recall, the original goal of unions was to provide safe work environments for employees while ensuring that they were paid a fair wage for the work provided. I do believe it was a time of excesses where employers were reaping huge and lavish benefits while employees subsisted in poverty or almost poverty - with little to look forward to in hopes of relief. Does any of that look even remotely familiar?
Paul Krugman's editorial in yesterday's Enterprise, "War against wages is successfully being waged", outlines what Wal-Mart is doing internally to keep employees from advancing financially if they remain loyal to the company. Over and over you see in the news where a company is approaching bankruptcy. Employees are forced to take huge cuts in pay/benefits or a combination, simply to keep from losing their jobs completely if the company folds. Yet, even on a sinking ship, executives reap millions in salary, benefits and perks, totalling several hundred times what the average employee makes. Health care and promised retirement benefits are being summarily and deeply slashed. (Ok - I'll admit the healthcare system is broken in a variety of ways, and as long as it's tied to employment, it will remain broken. But that's another rant altogether.) When things begin to look rough at a company, reductions-in-force slash through the ranks while expecting the same or a higher level of total production from those left, generally without a corresponding deep cut at the upper management levels. It's unconscionable!
My suspicion is that what is happening is part of a perpetually moving societal pendulum. We are heading out to the far end of the "pro-employer" limits of the pendulum and it's time for the "pro-employee" limit of the swing to shift the momentum in the other direction. The rope of the pendulum is only so long and our society as a whole will crumble if the rope breaks while at either end. I don't see that happening soon, though.
However, I do believe it is now time for the unions to find ways to influence the shift in momentum in the opposite direction. Perhaps it isn't simply a union task to accomplish, but it does seem that they should have a major role if they hope to maintain any relevance in the workforce. I certainly think it's an appropriate time for them to reclaim the noble purpose for which they were founded. Ok, unions! What's next?
Monday, October 09, 2006
Winds of Change
It's too soon!! I'm not ready to drag out my winter clothes yet! NOOOOOOOOO!
Why the wailing and gnashing of teeth, you might ask? Certainly things haven't gotten cold enough for winter clothes here in good ol' Beaumont, and the weathermeister on tv alluded to it being cooler, but nowhere near the freezing point over the next several days.
But alas! I'm traveling this week, so, of course, I'm headed to a place where temperatures will be a bit brisker than I like. What's making me moan and groan even more is that this particular trip at this particular time of year is usually made to Daytona Beach, Florida. Three days in a wonderful resort hotel right on the beach. *sigh* And I had to miss last year's meeting because of ..... well, you probably guessed it ... Her Horribleness!
Now instead of warm temperatures and time during the day for barefoot strolls along the beach, and watching the pelicans soar along the coast, one direction in the morning, another in the evening, we'll be meeting where the highs will be around 50 and the lows near 35.
Don't get me wrong. I like Louisville, KY, even have a souvenier bat from the Louisville Slugger museum. (*scratches head* well, I did, but at the moment am not completely sure where it is in my disheveled house.) They've got a really cool theater for the performing arts and I really enjoy wandering along the river (when it isn't near freezing, that is).
Under normal circumstances, I'm not sure I'd even be upset by the cooler temperatures in Louisville. I just realized today, however, that I'm not ready for winter clothes. It's not time for it to be cool enough ANYWHERE for me to drag out the sweaters and long-sleeved shirts. OK - the calendar says October, and it's not outrageous for it to be cooler. The intellect recognizes that.
There's something about the time-sense of my soul that is rebelling loudly against wearing a jacket. Somehow I'm still in a time-warp where it's still ... hmmmmmm end of July? first of August? ... not anywhere near October. I desperately miss my barefoot walks in that awesome soft sand of Daytona Beach. I miss the special sunrises that come up out of the ocean. The rhythm of this past year (and a bit more) has simply not fallen back into its usual pattern, and my heart's not happy about it.
*sigh* The winds of change. I really could have done without that stupid hurricane last year! (I know - we all feel the same way about that one.) I just for this moment wish the winds would blow back the opposite direction and send us down to a warmer clime.
Ah, well! Next year is definitely a Daytona Beach year! I'm so looking forward to it. *wanders off, shaking head and looking for where I put that sack with my sweaters in it*
Why the wailing and gnashing of teeth, you might ask? Certainly things haven't gotten cold enough for winter clothes here in good ol' Beaumont, and the weathermeister on tv alluded to it being cooler, but nowhere near the freezing point over the next several days.
But alas! I'm traveling this week, so, of course, I'm headed to a place where temperatures will be a bit brisker than I like. What's making me moan and groan even more is that this particular trip at this particular time of year is usually made to Daytona Beach, Florida. Three days in a wonderful resort hotel right on the beach. *sigh* And I had to miss last year's meeting because of ..... well, you probably guessed it ... Her Horribleness!
Now instead of warm temperatures and time during the day for barefoot strolls along the beach, and watching the pelicans soar along the coast, one direction in the morning, another in the evening, we'll be meeting where the highs will be around 50 and the lows near 35.
Don't get me wrong. I like Louisville, KY, even have a souvenier bat from the Louisville Slugger museum. (*scratches head* well, I did, but at the moment am not completely sure where it is in my disheveled house.) They've got a really cool theater for the performing arts and I really enjoy wandering along the river (when it isn't near freezing, that is).
Under normal circumstances, I'm not sure I'd even be upset by the cooler temperatures in Louisville. I just realized today, however, that I'm not ready for winter clothes. It's not time for it to be cool enough ANYWHERE for me to drag out the sweaters and long-sleeved shirts. OK - the calendar says October, and it's not outrageous for it to be cooler. The intellect recognizes that.
There's something about the time-sense of my soul that is rebelling loudly against wearing a jacket. Somehow I'm still in a time-warp where it's still ... hmmmmmm end of July? first of August? ... not anywhere near October. I desperately miss my barefoot walks in that awesome soft sand of Daytona Beach. I miss the special sunrises that come up out of the ocean. The rhythm of this past year (and a bit more) has simply not fallen back into its usual pattern, and my heart's not happy about it.
*sigh* The winds of change. I really could have done without that stupid hurricane last year! (I know - we all feel the same way about that one.) I just for this moment wish the winds would blow back the opposite direction and send us down to a warmer clime.
Ah, well! Next year is definitely a Daytona Beach year! I'm so looking forward to it. *wanders off, shaking head and looking for where I put that sack with my sweaters in it*
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Ambivalence
As I write this morning, I'm wrestling with how I feel about the media coverage of a faux-Christian hate group which is coming to Beaumont to protest at the funeral of a fallen soldier. This young man whose life was taken so early, whose family is already hurting so deeply, was not gay. (Not that what this snake-in-the-grass group plans to do would be appropriate if he were.) Staff Sgt. Edward Reynolds was simply a soldier fulfilling his duty when his life was cut tragically short.
Now his funeral has become a platform for a group who has the skewed belief that God has chosen this young man, and other men and women like him, to punish for our country's democratic inclusiveness. GACK! PTOOEY! BLEAH! BLEAH! Even writing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Phelps and those like him have wandered to the dark side. Here's where my ambivalence creeps in. What is the best way to neutralize such sliminess?
There is a part of me which advocates ignoring them as the gnats they are and keeping them from having the platform to reach others like them. This part of the state, unfortunately, has many generations of KKK-minded individuals living here. Vidor being a most notorious location at one point. I believe this area has come a very long way from where it was when I lived here in the 70's-80's. While prejudice still exists, it is not as rampant, nor virulent as it was back then. Good grief! We even managed to hold an interfaith worship service with Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist leaders without anyone taking a potshot at us!
Could it be that Phelps and his brood of vipers have chosen Beaumont as a recruitment place, where they might find like-minded individuals lurking in the shadows? If so, then by airing their intent to be present and protest, are we not aiding their cause? Would not ignoring them take the steam out what seems to me to be a publicity stunt? Of course, they would still do it most likely.
At the same time, visibility to the community at large has two advantages: (1) the hurt being inflicted on the family is being answered by an outpouring of love and concern by the community at large, and (2) it gives the opportunity for those who believe differently to live out their faith and counteract the false message that God hates.
Amazing to me that anyone who professes to be a Christian could even begin to embrace the idea that God hates .... anyone! "God so loved the world ..." The world! Not just this person, and that person, and the one over there. Not just Christians .... there weren't Christians when God through Jesus performed his act of restoration. God is not a god of exclusion!
So visibility gives us the opportunity to be inclusive. (Some part of me can't believe I'm saying this.) Even inclusive of such hateful people. God IS Love! What I pray is that my heart may be opened to be loving to mine enemies that their hearts may be opened to God's true love. Not quite sure how to do it, nor to be it. Not quite sure how to even express such a message to people who seem to be closed off in so many ways.
I guess I'm just going to have to live in ambivalence.
Now his funeral has become a platform for a group who has the skewed belief that God has chosen this young man, and other men and women like him, to punish for our country's democratic inclusiveness. GACK! PTOOEY! BLEAH! BLEAH! Even writing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Phelps and those like him have wandered to the dark side. Here's where my ambivalence creeps in. What is the best way to neutralize such sliminess?
There is a part of me which advocates ignoring them as the gnats they are and keeping them from having the platform to reach others like them. This part of the state, unfortunately, has many generations of KKK-minded individuals living here. Vidor being a most notorious location at one point. I believe this area has come a very long way from where it was when I lived here in the 70's-80's. While prejudice still exists, it is not as rampant, nor virulent as it was back then. Good grief! We even managed to hold an interfaith worship service with Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist leaders without anyone taking a potshot at us!
Could it be that Phelps and his brood of vipers have chosen Beaumont as a recruitment place, where they might find like-minded individuals lurking in the shadows? If so, then by airing their intent to be present and protest, are we not aiding their cause? Would not ignoring them take the steam out what seems to me to be a publicity stunt? Of course, they would still do it most likely.
At the same time, visibility to the community at large has two advantages: (1) the hurt being inflicted on the family is being answered by an outpouring of love and concern by the community at large, and (2) it gives the opportunity for those who believe differently to live out their faith and counteract the false message that God hates.
Amazing to me that anyone who professes to be a Christian could even begin to embrace the idea that God hates .... anyone! "God so loved the world ..." The world! Not just this person, and that person, and the one over there. Not just Christians .... there weren't Christians when God through Jesus performed his act of restoration. God is not a god of exclusion!
So visibility gives us the opportunity to be inclusive. (Some part of me can't believe I'm saying this.) Even inclusive of such hateful people. God IS Love! What I pray is that my heart may be opened to be loving to mine enemies that their hearts may be opened to God's true love. Not quite sure how to do it, nor to be it. Not quite sure how to even express such a message to people who seem to be closed off in so many ways.
I guess I'm just going to have to live in ambivalence.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Stupid Hurricane
Does anyone remember me pontificating about anniversary dates not too long ago? Yep! I'm so aware of what's going on that I flat out got blind-sided when I realized that I've been muddling around in a fog for the last couple of weeks (at least).
Along about Friday, I began to realize that I was feeling this really weird distance from everyone - friends, co-workers, members of my congregation, even 'honorable enemies' (who disagree vehemently on most things but we interact respectfully). Ability to concentrate? HAH! If it was longer than a short paragraph, I couldn't read it, which really makes reading the newspaper difficult, much less the research I have to do each week to come up with a sermon. If I did manage to read it, it didn't make any sense. Makes holding coherent conversations a challenge too.
The hardest thing was this sense that there was an invisible wall between me and others. Now the reality is that I do sometimes isolate myself. Being an introvert, 'alone time' is essential to recharging the emotional batteries. However, I occasionally pull into my shell and don't make much contact with others. Not good. And that darned invisible wall was setting me up for some real isolation!
The good news is that I did finally realize what was happening. Stupid hurricane!! At some level, it was much like the way I felt in the week after the storm - stunned, lost, bewildered, in shock, uncertain of where people were or how to find them. I'm not going to let some stupid hurricane get the better of me, though.
Since Friday, I've been working slowly to reconnect with society, and I've managed to regain some of the concentration that went AWOL. It's a process and I'm aware of that. In the meantime, if you catch me wandering around muttering to myself, just say "Hello!" and remind me that this too shall pass. .... *drifts away from the keyboard with 'stupid hurricane' comments wafting along behind* ....
Along about Friday, I began to realize that I was feeling this really weird distance from everyone - friends, co-workers, members of my congregation, even 'honorable enemies' (who disagree vehemently on most things but we interact respectfully). Ability to concentrate? HAH! If it was longer than a short paragraph, I couldn't read it, which really makes reading the newspaper difficult, much less the research I have to do each week to come up with a sermon. If I did manage to read it, it didn't make any sense. Makes holding coherent conversations a challenge too.
The hardest thing was this sense that there was an invisible wall between me and others. Now the reality is that I do sometimes isolate myself. Being an introvert, 'alone time' is essential to recharging the emotional batteries. However, I occasionally pull into my shell and don't make much contact with others. Not good. And that darned invisible wall was setting me up for some real isolation!
The good news is that I did finally realize what was happening. Stupid hurricane!! At some level, it was much like the way I felt in the week after the storm - stunned, lost, bewildered, in shock, uncertain of where people were or how to find them. I'm not going to let some stupid hurricane get the better of me, though.
Since Friday, I've been working slowly to reconnect with society, and I've managed to regain some of the concentration that went AWOL. It's a process and I'm aware of that. In the meantime, if you catch me wandering around muttering to myself, just say "Hello!" and remind me that this too shall pass. .... *drifts away from the keyboard with 'stupid hurricane' comments wafting along behind* ....
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