Friday, February 23, 2007

Happy Happy Joy Joy

Timing is everything! Just last week I was feeling pretty down because the stuff with the house is taking forever. At least it seems that way. I've not slept in my own bed in about a year and a half. Truth is - that part's happened before, especially between churches. What's so blinking frustrating is that the bed is only about a mile and a half away and is ready and waiting for me to return. (May have to add a bit of water to the mattress, but that's not a biggie.) I realize I can't even begin to understand what it's like for those who lost everything in the hurricanes that happened in 2005; however, I am able to identify with those who have been displaced and are uncertain when they will be in their correct environment again. To be so close and so far away at the same time, to be living in limbo, can just plain sap the git-up-n-go out of a body. That's where I was last week.

Today? Today I bought paint! Gallons and gallons of paint! HAPPY! HAPPY! JOY! JOY!

You know what that means? One step closer to home. WOOHOO!!

Tomorrow I have friends coming over to my house to help me put those gallons of paint on the walls. Except for my bedroom, everything used to be white. Dull, boring white. Show every little smudge white. Couldn't hide the outline where they had a huge knick-knack shelf on the wall white. Miserable to clean white. (notice a trend here?)

Not anymore. Today I picked up colors like Warm Terra Cotta and Vintage Merlot and Glorious Gold and Autumn Maple and Angelic White and Soft Feather and Polar Bear. Just the names are pick-me-ups. And it all gets me one step closer to moving back home.

I didn't realize how much Her Horribleness had become a part of my identity until I was at those two meetings last week. Somehow, it rarely took me long to mention that I am still displaced. I'm looking forward to the day when that's no longer true. hmmmmm.....Wonder who I'll be then.

In the meantime ....... don't mind me! I'll just be doing my happy dance over here in the corner. *hums quietly with occasional outbursts of "happy happy joy joy" and a big smile*

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Dateline: Albuquerque, NM

I just realized it's been over a week since I've posted here. Things have been kind of busy. Right now I'm relaxing in the motel room after two meetings here, plus meeting some new "old" friends for dinner.

I like Albuquerque. At least, what I've seen of it. Getting here was somewhat exciting, since we arrived on a snowy day. They held the plane just as we got to the Houston runway because there was ice under the snow in Albuquerque. Guess they didn't want us to slide off the other end! I'm glad about that. We ended up arriving about two hours late, so that wasn't too bad. Some people ended up wrestling with snow at both ends of the trip, so didn't make it at all.

The snow was beautiful! First snow I've seen in about 4 years. I kept trying to get a snowball fight started, but no one wanted to join me. *pout* I'll have to admit that the stuff looked too pretty lying there on the grass and bushes, so I wasn't extremely disappointed when we didn't destroy the pristine view. And it's all about melted now.

My hotel room is on the side where you can look out and see mountains. *sigh* I wish I could take the view with me tomorrow. (and, of course, my camera broke before I left, so no pictures)

This afternoon I had the opportunity to meet a couple of online friends in real life. We wandered through Old Town a bit. Didn't buy anything, but there were some interesting items to see - some intriguing and beautiful windchimes, jewelry, art, and the like. Enjoyed the architecture too. Good meal. Good conversation.

Relaxing. Guess it's the first time I've had to just plain relax without anything that needed to be done right away, or really soon, in a while. Nice feeling. I think I'll see if there's anything to watch on tv. Nah. Maybe a long soak in the tub. Yeah! That's what I'll do! ahhhhhhhhh! Peace.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Love Is in the Air

Love is in the air! Valentine's Day is approaching and the ads are everywhere. Hallmark cards to mark "Hallmark moments". Chocolate. Jewelry. Special this and that. Has anyone else noticed that it's almost always HIM buying for HER? Materialism and one-way giving do not constitute Love.

What's interesting about the month of February this year is that we start off with a veritable orgy of how we're supposed to show our love for those closest to us and end with the beginning of a season that reminds us of what love really means.

Up until the 14th, it's almost impossible to avoid the message that the love we're supposed to show has to do with consumerism, and only for those closest to us. Do any of the Valentine's Day ads suggest that we help the needy, or do something to better the lives of the oppressed, or take a step to remove the prejudices and hatreds that exist? Believe it or not, you might even be able to spend some money to help bring these worthy goals, these acts of love, into existence. And isn't that the purpose of advertising? To get you to buy something? (Well, usually. There are some public service announcements out there to get you to change your behavior, but the ones that pay big bucks to media are about buying things.)

In this part of the country, after February 14th you'll continue to see ads for Mardi Gras parades, celebrations, and events. When I lived in Oklahoma, you got a little bit of spill from Louisiana, but not as much. Even then, the underlying purpose of Mardi Gras isn't particularly visible. It's the party that counts, not the fact that the next day is the "reason for the season".

Then comes Ash Wednesday. Does anyone recall ever seeing an ad for Ash Wednesday consumerism? Nope. That's because Ash Wednesday isn't about consumerism. It's about love. A very special love. A love that gave of itself entirely FOR US! Not the kind of love that we bandy about so casually around Valentine's Day, or seek so desperately, if we believe we don't have it. This is a love which looks at the worst humanity has ever done and is still willing to stand as mediator between us and God. In many ways, it's a kind of love that I'm not sure I really understand.

It is a kind of love we are called as Christians to seek to emulate 365 days a year, even if there is no way we'll ever be able to live up to it completely. On Ash Wednesday, over the centuries, Christians have gathered and received ashes on their foreheads to remind them that we've a long way to go to live in a manner which loves our neighbors as ourselves, AND recalls that Jesus didn't let us off the hook when it comes to those WE don't consider neighbors - those who are not near us, who are not like us, and are even our enemies.

Love IS in the air! I wonder how we'll choose to show it this year, and the years to come.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

A Smile or Two

Back a few years ago, there was a young lady and her even younger boy-friend. For several years, as the young lady would spend hours at the younger friend's house getting her hair dyed in hope of even being noticed in roller skating competitions (you had to be a California blonde or the judges apparently weren't able to see you), the two would play. The young friend and young lady would build towers of blocks and knock them over, or play tag, or all the pretend games that were so much fun. The young friend asked, "Would you marry me?" The young lady said, "Maybe when you're older."

One day, the young lady met a young man and decided to get married. The young friend was really, really miffed. The young lady asked him to be the ringbearer at her wedding and, while he wasn't particularly happy that he wouldn't be the one getting married, he agreed and gleefully waved at the congregation as the young lady and young man were wed.

What neither of them knew was how prescient the young friend was. The young lady had no inkling that she would one day become a minister. Marriage, family, and perhaps a mundane job were all she was thinking of. HA! God, being the inscrutable joker God is, had a different plan. While I don't particularly believe that the wheels coming off of the marriage wagon were part of that plan, I do believe that God used the situation to steer me in the direction of seminary.

So here it is about 30 years later. The other day, the now older lady receives a phone call from her now older young friend. "Would you marry me?" is the question. However, this time he's asking me to perform his wedding to his lovely fiancee. *chuckle* "Of course," I said. But I didn't remind him that he'd already asked the question 30 years ago. Don't you just love God's sense of humor?

And Smile Two - I'm planning a Paint Party!! Even have a date!! The last Saturday in February should see splashes of color on walls and ceilings, and probably people! (If I'm painting, it's definitive that there will be paint on people - ME!) Minor snag in the moving back process, though, is that I have to replace the tile in my shower, some plumbing in the other bathroom, and my garbage disposal. Not insurmountable! And at least I'll get them done before moving in.

Keeping my fingers crossed, but it looks like I may be home for Easter! (not definite, but a light at the end of the tunnel) HOORAY!!

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Is It Just Me?

I recognize that this is truly trivial in the grand scheme of things; however, am I the only one who's miffed by the national fast food chain (I refuse to advertise for them by mentioning their name) that uses the Helen Reddy tune "I Am Woman" to denigrate women?

The scene: man eating at an apparently high-end restaurant with someone who is presumably his girlfriend. The miniscule serving arrives and he jumps up, declaring he's fed up with "chick food", and brazenly dances through the restaurant, gathering other men along the way, as he heads for this super-food. If I were his girlfriend, ..... well, I'm not a violent person, but I'm reasonably sure that would have been the end of the relationship. When he agreed to eat at the restaurant, he knew what he was getting into, and if he didn't have the guts to say "no" before entering, then producing an embarrassing scene was inexcusible. Enough on him.

What really irks me about this commercial is the use of this song as a sort of 'reverse empowerment(? )' theme. My guess is that there aren't too many women (over 40 certainly, possibly under) who aren't substituting Helen Reddy's words for the commercial's. For me, this particular use of a song which still speaks to the inequity that exists in many areas trivializes not only the accomplishments of women during the intervening years, but also trivializes equality in relationships. The commercial hints that women have gotten too powerful and must be brought down a peg by shaming things which may be of significance to that particular woman in that particular relationship. The implication is that unless a meal is "man-sized" there is no value in the shared experience. The focus is on the man in the relationship getting what he wants at the expense of the humiliation of the woman.

So........in the interest of making a statement, I am hereby boycotting this particular fast food chain, and letting said chain know why, and encouraging other women to join me.

Now, just to be clear - I believe that relationships involve treating each other with respect and honoring each other's gastronomical preferences, no one person in a relationship should always decide where and what to eat. However, once the decision has been made, it is incumbent on both parties to honor it and not take action which will publicly embarrass either individual.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

What Were They Thinking?

The federal government, that is.

While reading the Houston Chronicle today, I ran across an article about Medicaid changing it's funding from an HMO program to a "traditional" program, thus eliminating payment for inpatient mental health treatment at stand-alone hospitals. Sheer idiocy!!

There are too few mental health beds available in Texas as it is, so what do you do? Cut out the funding for some of the few programs that do accept low income mental health patients? *shakes head* So where are they supposed to go now for assistance? Our already crowded emergency rooms? That's not a solution. Even if they did, where will the hospitals treat these poor unfortunates? They don't have the available beds that are needed.

The state applied for a waiver, so those already under care could continue to be funded. The Medicaid people, in their infinite wisdom, said no. So, if the hospitals aren't able to help, what happens? Does this mean that people who truly qualify for mental health care will now be taken to our local jails because there are no mental health beds available? For a fair number of these people, living outside of a controlled setting may lead to harm to self or others.

At what point will mental health issues be treated the same as other health issues? The devastation of mental health illnesses is no less than that of other catastrophic health issues. Are those who are afflicted with these illnesses to be set aside, ignored, treated as though they are less than human?

Why do we so often pull the safety net out from under those who are least able to either protest or do anything about it? Oh! I see! That's why. It's wrong, so very wrong!