I just got back from our Paschal Vigil. It's a new service for us, our second year. We don't do the whole whistles and bells - the tradition it comes from starts late in the evening and lasts until after midnight, so the service spans the story of our faith from creation to resurrection and includes reaffirmation of baptism and a celebration of communion.
Since we start ours at about 6pm and will be finished long before midnight, we do the service up through the reaffirmation of baptism ... and we wait, leaving the darkened, black-draped sanctuary in silence. Christ is not yet risen in the context of Holy Week, so we honor the waiting of the disciples in despair at the loss of their beloved Lord.
My first Paschal Vigil was at the seminary before I began to attend. It was a powerful experience and spoke deeply to my soul. Westminster is the first congregation I've been in willing to step out on a limb and venture its own vigil. Last year was learning curve.
This year ........ powerful and healing.
We used last year's service in its entirety: lighting of new fire, following the Christ candle into the sanctuary, hearing our 'family story' in the words of the Old Testament intermingled with silent meditation, a verse of Were You There, and prayer, reaffirmation of baptism.
As each scripture was read, I couldn't help but notice how they spoke to the past six months. The creation story reminded me that God created and declared all of creation good. The Exodus story brought me safely through the storm - an assurance that God is with me through the difficult times, including my current wilderness wandering and journey toward a promised land of restored home. The Ezekiel 'dry bones' story spoke to my despair and sense that life is 'dry' by affirming that God can breathe life into what seems lifeless (even if it occurs in life beyond life). And good old Zephaniah carries a promise of restoration. Hope and healing.
It's always awesome when I can actually worship myself while leading a special worship service. For it to speak to me so deeply, is a miracle. So ..... now we wait .................
Saturday, April 15, 2006
HUH?!!?
There's a full-page ad in the Chronicle's Religion section today which has the word "HE" and scripture reference after scripture reference, noting who said it, when it was said, and (for Old Testament references) when it was fulfilled in Jesus. The last scripture reference is from John 10:35 - "The Scripture cannot be broken" (NJKV, probably). At the bottom is the group's url.
OK - They succeeded. They got me to look, but only because of a professional interest in the topic. I thoroughly despise proof-texting! Occasionally guilty of it myself, but it's more of a counter-proof-texting than anything. I still try vigorously to avoid it.
As you might guess, it's that quoted reference which blew my gasket - completely taken out of context and only a fragment of the scripture at best. At this point in John, Jesus is telling off the temple Jews who were planning to stone him right there on Solomon's Porch. Here's what Jesus says: "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'? If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came--and the Scripture cannot be broken-- what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? " (John 10:35-37, NKJV)
The Bible wasn't written in King James' English!! Nor any form of English, for that matter, so stuff, nuances, literal interpretations, get lost in the translation. We do our bumbling best at interpreting what words with multiple definitions might mean in their particular context and culture at the time they were written.
When I have a few extra minutes, I enjoy digging around in what we have of the original languages (even the Greek and Hebrew texts didn't come down to us perfectly - in spite of what some people think. There were humans involved in the process, after all, and we ain't perfect!). I don't really have a few extra minutes today, but took them anyway.
First stop - other English translations. Lo! and behold! There are all sorts of other possibilities. "The scripture cannot be annulled"(NRSV) is one of them.
Second stop - the handy-dandy KJV with Strong's lexicon (tells you which Greek word was being used at that particular point - it can make a difference). The Greek word which shows up as 'broken' above is actually closest to the English word 'loose' - as in to untie or set free something.
Puts a whole different twist on it, once you get the entire context of the scripture. To me, Jesus is saying something like, "OK. In your own texts (not the Torah, btw, but your Wisdom literature, the Psalms), God is calling you gods, and you can't change what's written, so why are you so bent out of shape over me claiming essentially the same thing?"
Another twist is that Jesus calls it "your Law", not God's law. Just seems to me that Jesus was attempting a healthy debate with the biblical literalists, and trying to open closed ears. It certainly doesn't seem to me to be warrant for biblical inerrancy for whatever translation you happen to be using and whatever texts you choose to pluck out of the whole. *sigh*
Shoot! Even the "original" Hebrew texts may not be quite what we think they are! The Hebrew text was initially transmitted by word of mouth. How many times have you played "Gossip", only to discover that the original sentence was nowhere near what came out at the other end? And in its first written forms, Hebrew didn't even use vowels. The consonants were there to ensure the text didn't degrade further. They only went back and added vowel points when someone noticed that Person A wasn't quoting the text quite the same as Person B (maybe the Southern accent clashed with the New England twang?), and in Hebrew an 'a' or an' e' can make a whole lot of differece in the meaning of the word. To me, the miracle is that the words have traveled so well over the years. Have you ever seen vowel points? It wouldn't take much to add an extra dot or smear a line and change one vowel to another!
Anyway ... guess that rant's run down for today. I know I won't change those who buy into the theology of the group that ran the ad. I also don't see them changing me anytime soon. What I believe, however, is that God, through Christ, is big enough for all of us and loves us dearly in spite of all our human foibles. And that's a message worth preaching!
OK - They succeeded. They got me to look, but only because of a professional interest in the topic. I thoroughly despise proof-texting! Occasionally guilty of it myself, but it's more of a counter-proof-texting than anything. I still try vigorously to avoid it.
As you might guess, it's that quoted reference which blew my gasket - completely taken out of context and only a fragment of the scripture at best. At this point in John, Jesus is telling off the temple Jews who were planning to stone him right there on Solomon's Porch. Here's what Jesus says: "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'? If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came--and the Scripture cannot be broken-- what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? " (John 10:35-37, NKJV)
The Bible wasn't written in King James' English!! Nor any form of English, for that matter, so stuff, nuances, literal interpretations, get lost in the translation. We do our bumbling best at interpreting what words with multiple definitions might mean in their particular context and culture at the time they were written.
When I have a few extra minutes, I enjoy digging around in what we have of the original languages (even the Greek and Hebrew texts didn't come down to us perfectly - in spite of what some people think. There were humans involved in the process, after all, and we ain't perfect!). I don't really have a few extra minutes today, but took them anyway.
First stop - other English translations. Lo! and behold! There are all sorts of other possibilities. "The scripture cannot be annulled"(NRSV) is one of them.
Second stop - the handy-dandy KJV with Strong's lexicon (tells you which Greek word was being used at that particular point - it can make a difference). The Greek word which shows up as 'broken' above is actually closest to the English word 'loose' - as in to untie or set free something.
Puts a whole different twist on it, once you get the entire context of the scripture. To me, Jesus is saying something like, "OK. In your own texts (not the Torah, btw, but your Wisdom literature, the Psalms), God is calling you gods, and you can't change what's written, so why are you so bent out of shape over me claiming essentially the same thing?"
Another twist is that Jesus calls it "your Law", not God's law. Just seems to me that Jesus was attempting a healthy debate with the biblical literalists, and trying to open closed ears. It certainly doesn't seem to me to be warrant for biblical inerrancy for whatever translation you happen to be using and whatever texts you choose to pluck out of the whole. *sigh*
Shoot! Even the "original" Hebrew texts may not be quite what we think they are! The Hebrew text was initially transmitted by word of mouth. How many times have you played "Gossip", only to discover that the original sentence was nowhere near what came out at the other end? And in its first written forms, Hebrew didn't even use vowels. The consonants were there to ensure the text didn't degrade further. They only went back and added vowel points when someone noticed that Person A wasn't quoting the text quite the same as Person B (maybe the Southern accent clashed with the New England twang?), and in Hebrew an 'a' or an' e' can make a whole lot of differece in the meaning of the word. To me, the miracle is that the words have traveled so well over the years. Have you ever seen vowel points? It wouldn't take much to add an extra dot or smear a line and change one vowel to another!
Anyway ... guess that rant's run down for today. I know I won't change those who buy into the theology of the group that ran the ad. I also don't see them changing me anytime soon. What I believe, however, is that God, through Christ, is big enough for all of us and loves us dearly in spite of all our human foibles. And that's a message worth preaching!
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Stained Glass and Smilies
I wasn't sure we'd ever get this far, but our big stained glass window should be fixed in time for Easter! Won't that be glorious? It's the one I get to look at during worship each Sunday - Jesus Knocks. (Well, I can see all three, but this is the one which 'stares me in the face') Even bowed, it's a beautiful window, but it doesn't catch the light the way it did. So I can't wait (even though I know I must) to see it back in place this Sunday.
Our repair guy has a sense of humor. We started off with plastic taped over the gaping hole the window came out of, but the tape didn't stick. Visions of birds fluttering around in the sanctuary (and the resulting splats) led to a semi-frantic phone call and additional tape. When that wasn't a successful solution, a large piece of plywood was used to cover the hole. Yesterday, he must have started the painting portion of the job, for our plywood now boasts a huge smiley face on it in primer!
I'm going to try to put the picture up here. However, I have a huge dash of 'computer idiot' in my dna, so this may not work at all! I took the picture on my cellphone, and have accidentally sent it to the service provider's online site instead of my email. So I'm off to a good start! *chuckle* Now all I've gotta do is figure out how to post it here! Wish me luck!!
Our repair guy has a sense of humor. We started off with plastic taped over the gaping hole the window came out of, but the tape didn't stick. Visions of birds fluttering around in the sanctuary (and the resulting splats) led to a semi-frantic phone call and additional tape. When that wasn't a successful solution, a large piece of plywood was used to cover the hole. Yesterday, he must have started the painting portion of the job, for our plywood now boasts a huge smiley face on it in primer!
I'm going to try to put the picture up here. However, I have a huge dash of 'computer idiot' in my dna, so this may not work at all! I took the picture on my cellphone, and have accidentally sent it to the service provider's online site instead of my email. So I'm off to a good start! *chuckle* Now all I've gotta do is figure out how to post it here! Wish me luck!!
Friday, April 07, 2006
I Am
Felt like posting something, but no topic came to mind. Then this pre-seminary poem came up and tugged at my sleeve. So here it is--
I’m a woman, a mother, a poet, a dreamer;
A song and a hope and a prayer.
I’m a quiet, a calmness,
A silence surrounding;
A whisper that’s almost not there.
I’m a smile and a laugh
And a soul freely winging,
A glance and a secret that’s shared.
I’m a touch, a caress,
And a lullaby singing;
A friend when there’s no one else there.
I’m a tear and a sigh
And a wave of goodbye.
I’m a ghost of a sorrow once known.
I’m a question, an answer;
A searching, a finding;
A puzzle, a probing, a plan.
I’m a faith in a love of my Father Above.
A promise.
Alleluia!
Amen.
(Yes, it's copyrighted. An interesting dilemma, though, if I put the copyright info at the bottom of this, you've got my full name and I'm not quite sure I'm ready for that kind of online visibility. Vulnerable and safe take on different dimensions in this context. hmmmmmmmm)
I Am
I’m a woman, a mother, a poet, a dreamer;
A song and a hope and a prayer.
I’m a quiet, a calmness,
A silence surrounding;
A whisper that’s almost not there.
I’m a smile and a laugh
And a soul freely winging,
A glance and a secret that’s shared.
I’m a touch, a caress,
And a lullaby singing;
A friend when there’s no one else there.
I’m a tear and a sigh
And a wave of goodbye.
I’m a ghost of a sorrow once known.
I’m a question, an answer;
A searching, a finding;
A puzzle, a probing, a plan.
I’m a faith in a love of my Father Above.
A promise.
Alleluia!
Amen.
(Yes, it's copyrighted. An interesting dilemma, though, if I put the copyright info at the bottom of this, you've got my full name and I'm not quite sure I'm ready for that kind of online visibility. Vulnerable and safe take on different dimensions in this context. hmmmmmmmm)
Monday, April 03, 2006
Displaced Person
After Katrina blew through the Gulf Coast, there was a big ruckus over the correct term to use for those who had fled the storm. While refugee makes sense to me (as in seeking 'refuge from the storm'), it didn't go down well with those who had indeed sought refuge from the storm. And it seems that the dictionary backs them up. In contemporary usage, at least, the word generally applies to those who are fleeing persecution, and that wasn't the case here.
So - we move on to evacuee. Ok ... accurate description for many. They evacuated their homes and hometowns, or were evacuated from their communities in the aftermath. Since that is their chosen term to describe themselves, I can't quibble with it. For them it fits.
But it doesn't work for me. Oddly enough, I didn't evacuate. I was already out of town when the storm-which-shall-not-be named sent people scrambling. I haven't been kept from living in my community due to the devastation. Yet I am not home.
I am a displaced person.
I am currently living in a house about two miles from the place I called home before the storm. It is not my home, and will not be my home. I am blessed with a place to stay, to housesit, while my own house is being repaired. But it is not my furniture that I sit and sleep on, nor my pictures on the walls. My clothes, for the most part, still reside in suitcases. It is not home.
And I cannot call my house my home, either. It is an alien and unwelcoming place right now. I literally cannot tolerate spending more than a few minutes within its walls. Even my belongings within the house are displaced. Yes, there are some things which are where they belong - it's really hard to displace a waterbed! But there is so much which has been moved to garage and floors of other rooms that what one experiences is chaos and jumble. Then there's the barrenness of the rooms which have been stripped of everything in anticipation of restoration to wholeness.
My head says that I'm much better off than so many others. And it's true. However, my heart experiences the emptiness of not being home. Even my family is displaced. My son is at college (well, this would have been true storm or not). My dog is living with me. She would have pined too much to be separated for so long. My cat is staying at my mom's in Houston. You just don't move cats around willy-nilly, and she's already a bit of a psychokat as it is.
My longing is for 'home', that place where one is surrounded by the familiar and memories and belonging (even if it's not the place where one has lived throughout a lifetime), that corner of the world which is suffused with one's identity. But at the moment I have none.
So - we move on to evacuee. Ok ... accurate description for many. They evacuated their homes and hometowns, or were evacuated from their communities in the aftermath. Since that is their chosen term to describe themselves, I can't quibble with it. For them it fits.
But it doesn't work for me. Oddly enough, I didn't evacuate. I was already out of town when the storm-which-shall-not-be named sent people scrambling. I haven't been kept from living in my community due to the devastation. Yet I am not home.
I am a displaced person.
I am currently living in a house about two miles from the place I called home before the storm. It is not my home, and will not be my home. I am blessed with a place to stay, to housesit, while my own house is being repaired. But it is not my furniture that I sit and sleep on, nor my pictures on the walls. My clothes, for the most part, still reside in suitcases. It is not home.
And I cannot call my house my home, either. It is an alien and unwelcoming place right now. I literally cannot tolerate spending more than a few minutes within its walls. Even my belongings within the house are displaced. Yes, there are some things which are where they belong - it's really hard to displace a waterbed! But there is so much which has been moved to garage and floors of other rooms that what one experiences is chaos and jumble. Then there's the barrenness of the rooms which have been stripped of everything in anticipation of restoration to wholeness.
My head says that I'm much better off than so many others. And it's true. However, my heart experiences the emptiness of not being home. Even my family is displaced. My son is at college (well, this would have been true storm or not). My dog is living with me. She would have pined too much to be separated for so long. My cat is staying at my mom's in Houston. You just don't move cats around willy-nilly, and she's already a bit of a psychokat as it is.
My longing is for 'home', that place where one is surrounded by the familiar and memories and belonging (even if it's not the place where one has lived throughout a lifetime), that corner of the world which is suffused with one's identity. But at the moment I have none.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Awesome Rose!
What an awesome young lady! Rose on Black. White., that is. There are six people living in that house and I think she's the only one who's truly beginning to 'get it'.
On last night's show, she sat talking with her mom and basically (because I can't remember verbatim) said, "I can put on the makeup and experience the stares and the slights, but I cannot truly be black because I was not raised in that culture. I am not black. I do not carry within me the centuries of oppression and slavery which is a part of their culture. And they cannot put on makeup and truly become white because they were not raised white." She recognizes that there may be a barrier there that cannot be overcome ... and truly respects and is awed by what she has learned, and manages to hear, truly hear, when her stereotypes are challenged, so that her understanding is broadened.
One of the African-American teens pointed out to Rose that some of her cultural expectations regarding an innate family-ship among those of African descent were built on expecting all blacks, regardless of background, to feel that same kinship and rootedness in the African culture. She told Rose that she grew up in this country and her family came from slave roots, but that she was completely disconnected from the African aspect of her background. Rose is beginning to understand that it isn't just skin color which determines one's cultural understanding. Watching Rose grow has been the most truly fascinating part of this six-week show.
I'm not sure if it's the way the producers have cut the rest of the footage, but I've gotten frustrated with the rest of the people in the show. Well, I probably oughta give Carmen a bit of a break - she is at least recognizing that life in the other culture does have strictures that she wasn't truly aware of earlier. There has been a subtle shift in the focus of the Spark family. Now it is not so much about how they experience being white, but on how Nick is not culturally aware of his blackness and on teaching the others in the show what being African-American is about.
The interesting thing is that I think Nick may be struggling with his identity, regardless of culture, and simply trying to find a place where he fits in. It's only after he reveals that he's really black, not white, that he encourages the rest of his etiquette class to use the N-word. And truly doesn't seem to understand one of the girl's discomfort and objection to its usage, even though she's white and even though she's been given permission by an African-American to use the word. My guess is that Nick slipped back into some subconscious cultural expectations - whites expect blacks to use the N-word and feel comfortable about it - and put on the role when he was faced with the experience.
I guess I'm just going to slog on through until the end, if only to see if Rose has any impact on the rest of the participants.
On last night's show, she sat talking with her mom and basically (because I can't remember verbatim) said, "I can put on the makeup and experience the stares and the slights, but I cannot truly be black because I was not raised in that culture. I am not black. I do not carry within me the centuries of oppression and slavery which is a part of their culture. And they cannot put on makeup and truly become white because they were not raised white." She recognizes that there may be a barrier there that cannot be overcome ... and truly respects and is awed by what she has learned, and manages to hear, truly hear, when her stereotypes are challenged, so that her understanding is broadened.
One of the African-American teens pointed out to Rose that some of her cultural expectations regarding an innate family-ship among those of African descent were built on expecting all blacks, regardless of background, to feel that same kinship and rootedness in the African culture. She told Rose that she grew up in this country and her family came from slave roots, but that she was completely disconnected from the African aspect of her background. Rose is beginning to understand that it isn't just skin color which determines one's cultural understanding. Watching Rose grow has been the most truly fascinating part of this six-week show.
I'm not sure if it's the way the producers have cut the rest of the footage, but I've gotten frustrated with the rest of the people in the show. Well, I probably oughta give Carmen a bit of a break - she is at least recognizing that life in the other culture does have strictures that she wasn't truly aware of earlier. There has been a subtle shift in the focus of the Spark family. Now it is not so much about how they experience being white, but on how Nick is not culturally aware of his blackness and on teaching the others in the show what being African-American is about.
The interesting thing is that I think Nick may be struggling with his identity, regardless of culture, and simply trying to find a place where he fits in. It's only after he reveals that he's really black, not white, that he encourages the rest of his etiquette class to use the N-word. And truly doesn't seem to understand one of the girl's discomfort and objection to its usage, even though she's white and even though she's been given permission by an African-American to use the word. My guess is that Nick slipped back into some subconscious cultural expectations - whites expect blacks to use the N-word and feel comfortable about it - and put on the role when he was faced with the experience.
I guess I'm just going to slog on through until the end, if only to see if Rose has any impact on the rest of the participants.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Hurricane Recovery 101
I wonder if anyone's ever thought of writing a "Hurricane Recovery for Dummies" or "Idiot's Guide to Hurricane Recovery" book. It seems the longer recovery is happening, the more I learn I need to know. The book could have more than just the usual 'how to find a reputable contractor' section that you find in the newspapers after catastrophe strikes. Here're some of the others that mine would have:
Speaking in Tongues - It seems that all of the sudden I'm supposed to be proficient in the language of insurance, mortgage, contractor, and FEMAese. I'm an intelligent person and am having a difficult time speaking just plain English! These arcane tongues require experts!
Interpreting Insurance Adjuster Estimates - Part of it goes back to Speaking in Tongues, but trying to piece together one's damaged home while looking at one of those estimates is enough to give the uninformed a headache. For example, one part of my estimate says 'apply microbial agent'. Now I'm sort of sure the guy doesn't mean Kilz, because he mentions that by name later in the estimate. So just what the heck is he talking about, where do I get it, or who do I get to apply it? Mysteries!
The Art of the Mediator - suggestions on how to get the insurance company to actually speak directly to the contractor who's doing the work and insists that it costs a whole heck of a lot more than the insurance company says they're now willing to pay. The insurance company says they can't be involved in disputes with contractors, even though it's the insuracne company who approves how much gets paid and is (with replacement cost insurance) footing the whole shebang! It takes delicate work (and the willingness to look like an absolute idiot) to actually get both parties in the same room to talk.
Locating Collateral Damage for the Untrained Eye - It's amazing to me that I've now had two! (count them - 1 .... 2) insurance adjusters in my home for the sole purpose of locating damage which occurred as a result of a tree crashing through my roof during a hurricane and neither one found what I happened to notice this weekend. While standing in one of the rooms next to where the tree came in, I happened to look near the ceiling and noticed that the nails which hold the sheetrock to the studs are protruding about 1/8th to 1/4 of an inch from the wall. Is this significant structural damage which must be repaired before I go further? Or can I just tap those suckers back in and have someone do some cosmetic surgery where the now visible nails are? I don't know! And there are other things I've found as time has gone by. It would be helpful to know what to look for and where to look for it, rather than counting on happenstance to notice that the ornamental ironwork at the opposite end of the house from the tree incursion has shifted about 1/2 inch and, lo! and behold!, at least one of the bricks on the house is now loose.
Creating Debris Sculptures and Other Recycling Ideas - Some handy-dandy suggestions for what to do with some of the mountain of stuff which is now sitting in your living room floor or on your bed. Who knew that so much could come out of such a contained space? There have got to be some creative ideas for it beyond putting it in the landfill for archeologists to drool over in centuries to come.
The Plants Are Dying. Is This Normal? - Actually, this one is for people who are more plant oriented than I am. I have the proverbial black thumb, but thought there might be some things that gardener types would find useful.
NO! You Aren't Just Imagining Things - Well, there probably could be a better name for this one, but I can't think of it at the moment. In fact, that's one of the normal things which seem to happen in the aftermath of a traumatic event - not being able to think quite as well as usual. An all-purpose Hurricane Recovery book would have to include a section on the personal process of grieving and recovering after the storm. So many people don't know that some of the mental, physicial, and spiritual weirdnesses which are happening to them may be (and probably are at least for a period of time) normal parts of recovering from such a traumatic event. I still find myself caught in the cycle of grieving, especially since I'm not back in my home yet. If it's difficult for me (and I do have a home I can return to eventually, and resources to help me get there), imagine how difficult it is for those who can't return home or don't have resources.
Of course, there need to be chapters on dealing with landlords who raise rents or won't do repairs, how to find ........ whatever (advocacy resources, assistance resources when you can't do it yourself or don't have insurance, etc.), AND celebrating when something resembling a normal life finally gets put back together!
I'd try to tackle it, but I'm in the middle of this right now and don't have time to research all the angles! Maybe you'll take a bite at this apple?
Speaking in Tongues - It seems that all of the sudden I'm supposed to be proficient in the language of insurance, mortgage, contractor, and FEMAese. I'm an intelligent person and am having a difficult time speaking just plain English! These arcane tongues require experts!
Interpreting Insurance Adjuster Estimates - Part of it goes back to Speaking in Tongues, but trying to piece together one's damaged home while looking at one of those estimates is enough to give the uninformed a headache. For example, one part of my estimate says 'apply microbial agent'. Now I'm sort of sure the guy doesn't mean Kilz, because he mentions that by name later in the estimate. So just what the heck is he talking about, where do I get it, or who do I get to apply it? Mysteries!
The Art of the Mediator - suggestions on how to get the insurance company to actually speak directly to the contractor who's doing the work and insists that it costs a whole heck of a lot more than the insurance company says they're now willing to pay. The insurance company says they can't be involved in disputes with contractors, even though it's the insuracne company who approves how much gets paid and is (with replacement cost insurance) footing the whole shebang! It takes delicate work (and the willingness to look like an absolute idiot) to actually get both parties in the same room to talk.
Locating Collateral Damage for the Untrained Eye - It's amazing to me that I've now had two! (count them - 1 .... 2) insurance adjusters in my home for the sole purpose of locating damage which occurred as a result of a tree crashing through my roof during a hurricane and neither one found what I happened to notice this weekend. While standing in one of the rooms next to where the tree came in, I happened to look near the ceiling and noticed that the nails which hold the sheetrock to the studs are protruding about 1/8th to 1/4 of an inch from the wall. Is this significant structural damage which must be repaired before I go further? Or can I just tap those suckers back in and have someone do some cosmetic surgery where the now visible nails are? I don't know! And there are other things I've found as time has gone by. It would be helpful to know what to look for and where to look for it, rather than counting on happenstance to notice that the ornamental ironwork at the opposite end of the house from the tree incursion has shifted about 1/2 inch and, lo! and behold!, at least one of the bricks on the house is now loose.
Creating Debris Sculptures and Other Recycling Ideas - Some handy-dandy suggestions for what to do with some of the mountain of stuff which is now sitting in your living room floor or on your bed. Who knew that so much could come out of such a contained space? There have got to be some creative ideas for it beyond putting it in the landfill for archeologists to drool over in centuries to come.
The Plants Are Dying. Is This Normal? - Actually, this one is for people who are more plant oriented than I am. I have the proverbial black thumb, but thought there might be some things that gardener types would find useful.
NO! You Aren't Just Imagining Things - Well, there probably could be a better name for this one, but I can't think of it at the moment. In fact, that's one of the normal things which seem to happen in the aftermath of a traumatic event - not being able to think quite as well as usual. An all-purpose Hurricane Recovery book would have to include a section on the personal process of grieving and recovering after the storm. So many people don't know that some of the mental, physicial, and spiritual weirdnesses which are happening to them may be (and probably are at least for a period of time) normal parts of recovering from such a traumatic event. I still find myself caught in the cycle of grieving, especially since I'm not back in my home yet. If it's difficult for me (and I do have a home I can return to eventually, and resources to help me get there), imagine how difficult it is for those who can't return home or don't have resources.
Of course, there need to be chapters on dealing with landlords who raise rents or won't do repairs, how to find ........ whatever (advocacy resources, assistance resources when you can't do it yourself or don't have insurance, etc.), AND celebrating when something resembling a normal life finally gets put back together!
I'd try to tackle it, but I'm in the middle of this right now and don't have time to research all the angles! Maybe you'll take a bite at this apple?
Monday, March 27, 2006
Monday Monday
Looks like it's going to be longer before I get back home. The church group that was going to finish my interior work now that my roof's fixed isn't going to be able to do it. I was afraid that might happen after my roof repair put things on hold. Talk about a depressing turn of events! Absolutely ruined my Monday. (I know. I know. Mondays are supposed to be lousy. But Mondays are my day off, so they're usually not bad.)
Now I've gotta find someone to do the interior work (walls, ceilings, painting ... well, I can do some of that, but a crew would be helpful ... baseboards, wallpapering ... that I'm absolutely no good at! *chuckle* ...). Haven't quite figured out when I'm going to add that task to the already full plate I have. Things crank up big time between now and my son's graduation. I think I'll be meeting myself coming and going - and it looks like that won't be happening at my home anytime soon. *very big sigh*
I'm definitely in morose-mode today. You know, good stuff actually has been happening recently. My son came down and visited this weekend. It was really good to see him! He didn't even get lost on the way down, which is quite an accomplishment for him! (He unfortunately inherited my directional disability.) He's become quite an awesome young man. Wish he could have stayed a couple of days longer, but classes were calling.
We had a really good turnout for the launch of the Coalition for Mutual Respect here in the Golden Triangle. Building interfaith relationships is something our congregation wants to be involved in, and I think that's really cool! It was wonderful to be a part of selecting the leadership for our denomination's General Assembly this June. I learned a lot and hope that I was helpful in the process. Our church has a new choir director/accompanist, who's a really good musician. He started last Sunday and everyone was thrilled. It'll be wonderful to have the organ played by someone who's specialty is organ performance each week. Easter oughta be awesome!
Now if I can just hang onto the up part of this!
Now I've gotta find someone to do the interior work (walls, ceilings, painting ... well, I can do some of that, but a crew would be helpful ... baseboards, wallpapering ... that I'm absolutely no good at! *chuckle* ...). Haven't quite figured out when I'm going to add that task to the already full plate I have. Things crank up big time between now and my son's graduation. I think I'll be meeting myself coming and going - and it looks like that won't be happening at my home anytime soon. *very big sigh*
I'm definitely in morose-mode today. You know, good stuff actually has been happening recently. My son came down and visited this weekend. It was really good to see him! He didn't even get lost on the way down, which is quite an accomplishment for him! (He unfortunately inherited my directional disability.) He's become quite an awesome young man. Wish he could have stayed a couple of days longer, but classes were calling.
We had a really good turnout for the launch of the Coalition for Mutual Respect here in the Golden Triangle. Building interfaith relationships is something our congregation wants to be involved in, and I think that's really cool! It was wonderful to be a part of selecting the leadership for our denomination's General Assembly this June. I learned a lot and hope that I was helpful in the process. Our church has a new choir director/accompanist, who's a really good musician. He started last Sunday and everyone was thrilled. It'll be wonderful to have the organ played by someone who's specialty is organ performance each week. Easter oughta be awesome!
Now if I can just hang onto the up part of this!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Of Washers and Racism
I finally found the trick to making the washer where I'm staying run through the entire cycle! Minor accomplishment, but you don't know how good that makes me feel this morning. *chuckle* Up until this morning, the machine's stopped after agitating for a while and then I've had to run the dial around, popping it in and out at various spots, to get it to rinse and then get it it spin. Frustrating! So.... what do you have to do to keep it working through the cycle? Why take your fist and whop it on the lid twice! *sigh* And to think it was so completely simple.
Well, the day is off to a good start, so now all I have to do is climb a couple of mountains of stuff to get done, write my article for the newsletter, pay bills (yuck!), attend a meeting, and go to the grocery store (to put it mildly my cupboard has gone bare!). Mundane stuff, I know, but it's part of life.
I'm still watching Black. White. I'll admit it. I think I'm hooked on this one. About the time I decide it's a waste of time, someone does or says something which intrigues me. We finally got to see a bit more of the son this week. In some ways, he plays to the stereotype of the teen African-American (and I realize that this isn't only a black phenomenon) - there's a bit of the gang wannabe about him; rap music; if he wants something and has the money, he buys it, even if it wipes him out financially; he's been expelled from school and doesn't see any reason for working on his GED or trying to go to college or get a job (which is interesting because both of his parents are college educated and work).
I am intrigued by the fact that he truly doesn't see any racism directed toward him, or others, for that matter. He isn't hyper-vigilant for behavior that singles him out because of his race. The fact that he doesn'tsee it really bothers his dad a lot! In fact, his father feels he's failed as a father for not teaching his son these things. Which raises some questions for me - Does one have to be hyper-vigilant in order to root out racism? Or do we eliminate racism by becoming color-blind? Or does being color-blind simply ignore the problem and 'hope it goes away'? In some respects, he's like Bruno (the white adult) who believes that racism doesn't truly exist, but it's a matter of treating each other with respect. (Nothing wrong about that last part, unfortunately, I don't think we've gotten past the racism yet.) The next question becomes "how do we get everyone to treat each other with respect?"
When I was in Idabel, the community went through a planning process to develop some goals to help both the schools and community grow. One of the things which seemed to irritate the youth was that the adults seemed focused on racial issues, while they were focused on issues related more to equality in terms of economics. For them, it didn't matter what color your skin was (and this community has some interesting history related to African-Americans being brought to the area as Native American slaves). It mattered more that there were people who were hungry, living in families where alcoholism and domestic violence were everyday experiences, who didn't have much to hope for in terms of opportuniies for improvement (at least as seen from their perspectives).
Maybe they're right. Maybe it's time for us to look beyond the old patterns of discrimination and realize that the economic divide is a greater gap, and one that's probably a bit harder to leap if you're on the lower end of the payscale. Not impossible, mind you, but definitely filled with more hurdles to jump. I applaud those youth who were (and are) concerned that each of their peers be treated as equals! Isn't this a reminder that 'a little child shall lead them'? They don't have to be so little to teach us a thing or two, do they?
Well, the day is off to a good start, so now all I have to do is climb a couple of mountains of stuff to get done, write my article for the newsletter, pay bills (yuck!), attend a meeting, and go to the grocery store (to put it mildly my cupboard has gone bare!). Mundane stuff, I know, but it's part of life.
I'm still watching Black. White. I'll admit it. I think I'm hooked on this one. About the time I decide it's a waste of time, someone does or says something which intrigues me. We finally got to see a bit more of the son this week. In some ways, he plays to the stereotype of the teen African-American (and I realize that this isn't only a black phenomenon) - there's a bit of the gang wannabe about him; rap music; if he wants something and has the money, he buys it, even if it wipes him out financially; he's been expelled from school and doesn't see any reason for working on his GED or trying to go to college or get a job (which is interesting because both of his parents are college educated and work).
I am intrigued by the fact that he truly doesn't see any racism directed toward him, or others, for that matter. He isn't hyper-vigilant for behavior that singles him out because of his race. The fact that he doesn'tsee it really bothers his dad a lot! In fact, his father feels he's failed as a father for not teaching his son these things. Which raises some questions for me - Does one have to be hyper-vigilant in order to root out racism? Or do we eliminate racism by becoming color-blind? Or does being color-blind simply ignore the problem and 'hope it goes away'? In some respects, he's like Bruno (the white adult) who believes that racism doesn't truly exist, but it's a matter of treating each other with respect. (Nothing wrong about that last part, unfortunately, I don't think we've gotten past the racism yet.) The next question becomes "how do we get everyone to treat each other with respect?"
When I was in Idabel, the community went through a planning process to develop some goals to help both the schools and community grow. One of the things which seemed to irritate the youth was that the adults seemed focused on racial issues, while they were focused on issues related more to equality in terms of economics. For them, it didn't matter what color your skin was (and this community has some interesting history related to African-Americans being brought to the area as Native American slaves). It mattered more that there were people who were hungry, living in families where alcoholism and domestic violence were everyday experiences, who didn't have much to hope for in terms of opportuniies for improvement (at least as seen from their perspectives).
Maybe they're right. Maybe it's time for us to look beyond the old patterns of discrimination and realize that the economic divide is a greater gap, and one that's probably a bit harder to leap if you're on the lower end of the payscale. Not impossible, mind you, but definitely filled with more hurdles to jump. I applaud those youth who were (and are) concerned that each of their peers be treated as equals! Isn't this a reminder that 'a little child shall lead them'? They don't have to be so little to teach us a thing or two, do they?
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Discombobulated
Indicative of my state of mind at the moment, I've started this about six times and deleted it each time. The ideas and topics have changed each time. There currently is no focus in my life, except getting through the day more or less intact. I've had times when I've been discombobulated before, but I don't think it's ever been quite like this. Really strange!
For one thing, I'm still dislocated. My home is getting closer to moving back into, but it's still going to be a while. I would never have believed how disorienting such a situation is. The rational (no, not rational, because I'm not irrational. Let's say instead 'the empathetic') part of me thinks, "If you're feeling dislocated, think how those who have no homes to go back to feel!" Yet, I am in the here and now in my life, so feeling somewhat like a ship without an anchor is not unreasonable. It's frustrating to want something which you know is in just-and-such a place in your home, but your home is 2-3 miles away from where you are living. And everything where you are living is in just a temporary location. Most of my clothes are still in suitcases! There's my stuff here, but nothing seems to have a home (if you get my drift).
Much is going on at the church. It's Lent, so getting things ready for Holy Week and Easter are enough to keep anyone busy. We're also in transition on our Choir Director/Accompanist position. Our interim's last Sunday is tomorrow. Our new one starts on Wednesday. Good things happening in the long run, but the transition time itself makes for shaky feelings and experiences.
Tomorrow afternoon I head out to see the national church at work, and participate in it! On Monday, we're selecting the moderators and vice moderators of the GA committees for our June meeting. I've never been a part of this before, so it'll be interesting to see how this works. When I graduated from seminary, I would have never believed I'd be doing things at the national level! *chuckle* Guess I've done a bit of growing since then!
Let's see. What else has happened this week? My son was supposed to come in during spring break, but had car trouble and had to bail. He's going to try to get in next week. I was really hoping to see him, though, so that's been a disappointment. I've wrangled with the postal service and won! I found out that the water leak(s) happen to be above ground, so we don't have to break into the foundation to fix them. Whew! Have a volunteer group coming in on 4/1, so I've gotta make some decisions about paint colors and wallpaper before then. My computer crashed and I've had all sorts of trouble with reformatting the hard drive and getting things up and running. I think it's about time for a new computer. *sigh*
I watched Black. White. and still feel ambivalent about that show. I'm having difficulty sorting out what behavior is resulting from the interracial interaction and what is just plain the personalities of the people involved. Truth is, I think the teens are probably getting the most out of the experience, and I wish they'd focus on the son for a while. In the two episodes I've watched, he's only had a bit part. I'm curious as to what's going through his mind. The parents seem to be involved in a tug-of-war as to who is getting the whole thing right, and I'm not sure there isn't some social sabotage happening there as well. The kids are being honest about their experiences, though, and I think that's of value.
When I look back over the past week, and what's to come ahead, I think I'm just drained and need some time to recharge - head off to the middle of nowhere for 2-3 days and just soak in some 'me time'. Wonder if Mo-Ranch has a room where I can vegetate and wander the hill country for a few days? Of course, when I'm going to manage to carve that out is a mystery to me at the moment. *very deep sigh* guess what! Pastors are human after all! *chuckle*
For one thing, I'm still dislocated. My home is getting closer to moving back into, but it's still going to be a while. I would never have believed how disorienting such a situation is. The rational (no, not rational, because I'm not irrational. Let's say instead 'the empathetic') part of me thinks, "If you're feeling dislocated, think how those who have no homes to go back to feel!" Yet, I am in the here and now in my life, so feeling somewhat like a ship without an anchor is not unreasonable. It's frustrating to want something which you know is in just-and-such a place in your home, but your home is 2-3 miles away from where you are living. And everything where you are living is in just a temporary location. Most of my clothes are still in suitcases! There's my stuff here, but nothing seems to have a home (if you get my drift).
Much is going on at the church. It's Lent, so getting things ready for Holy Week and Easter are enough to keep anyone busy. We're also in transition on our Choir Director/Accompanist position. Our interim's last Sunday is tomorrow. Our new one starts on Wednesday. Good things happening in the long run, but the transition time itself makes for shaky feelings and experiences.
Tomorrow afternoon I head out to see the national church at work, and participate in it! On Monday, we're selecting the moderators and vice moderators of the GA committees for our June meeting. I've never been a part of this before, so it'll be interesting to see how this works. When I graduated from seminary, I would have never believed I'd be doing things at the national level! *chuckle* Guess I've done a bit of growing since then!
Let's see. What else has happened this week? My son was supposed to come in during spring break, but had car trouble and had to bail. He's going to try to get in next week. I was really hoping to see him, though, so that's been a disappointment. I've wrangled with the postal service and won! I found out that the water leak(s) happen to be above ground, so we don't have to break into the foundation to fix them. Whew! Have a volunteer group coming in on 4/1, so I've gotta make some decisions about paint colors and wallpaper before then. My computer crashed and I've had all sorts of trouble with reformatting the hard drive and getting things up and running. I think it's about time for a new computer. *sigh*
I watched Black. White. and still feel ambivalent about that show. I'm having difficulty sorting out what behavior is resulting from the interracial interaction and what is just plain the personalities of the people involved. Truth is, I think the teens are probably getting the most out of the experience, and I wish they'd focus on the son for a while. In the two episodes I've watched, he's only had a bit part. I'm curious as to what's going through his mind. The parents seem to be involved in a tug-of-war as to who is getting the whole thing right, and I'm not sure there isn't some social sabotage happening there as well. The kids are being honest about their experiences, though, and I think that's of value.
When I look back over the past week, and what's to come ahead, I think I'm just drained and need some time to recharge - head off to the middle of nowhere for 2-3 days and just soak in some 'me time'. Wonder if Mo-Ranch has a room where I can vegetate and wander the hill country for a few days? Of course, when I'm going to manage to carve that out is a mystery to me at the moment. *very deep sigh* guess what! Pastors are human after all! *chuckle*
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Jury's Still Out
On Black. White. that is. I wonder what would have happened if Bruno and Carmen had been dropped into Beaumont society in their black personas. Bruno's certainly not "getting it" when it comes to his observations of how the African-American community often gets treated by the majority culture. His goal seems to be to show his counterparts the 'better way' to deal with the racism they've experienced throughout their lifetimes. He's just waiting for someone to use the n-word, so he can be a role-model. How condescending?! !!! (You can tell I'm not impressed by Bruno?) Carmen also seemed to be stuck in expecting certain stereotypical behavior. To me, both ended up looking like fools.
I was intrigued by the observation Brian made that whites are more curious than blacks. At some level, that too is probably a stereotype; however, several of the staff at the children's center seemed to affirm that observation. We had what is now an amusing experience at the church. We have long suspected that someone has found a place to live inside our huge 3-story building, and those suspicions seemed to be confirmed by some apparent door-slamming noises on the 2nd floor.
My secretary and one of the child care workers were upstairs at the time. Both vacated the premises fairly quickly. My secretary, who is white, wanted to find out what was going on. The child care worker, who is black, didn't care about the why, she just wanted to be safe. (Not a bad desire, btw) Ironically, the show Black. White. and this observation came up in the discussion of this incident. The varying reactions to the mysterious encounter were lifted up as culturally typical. So I wonder what led to the lack of curiosity (although I can probably guess) and how it ultimately affects the black culture in its continuing endeavor to break down the barriers to advancement.
The other two things which stick out in my mind about the first episode were: Brian buying shoes at the golf course in his 'white' persona and being astonished that the salesman actually took his shoe off his foot and put the new one on for him with a shoehorn. Intellectually, unfortunately, the fact that no shoe salesman had ever done that for him in his lifetime was not a surprise to me. What saddened me is that, even in California (which is supposed to be a racially progressive state - talk about stereotypes!), such petty slights still exist between the races.
The second thing which stands out was how sensitive the teenage daughter Rose was to the situation. You could tell she has great respect for her counterparts and the experiences they've had, and doesn't want to betray them in any way. I think she was really wrestling with the moral issue of being white while passing herself off as black. Kudos to Rose!
Guess I'm gonna have to watch next week and see where it goes from here!
P.S. The 'mysterious visitor' happened to be a door which had come loose in the mechanical room and was randomly banging because of pressure shifts in the a/c system and the wild winds we were having that day. No ghosts! Nobody seeking a safe place to stay! Just a door. *chuckle*
I was intrigued by the observation Brian made that whites are more curious than blacks. At some level, that too is probably a stereotype; however, several of the staff at the children's center seemed to affirm that observation. We had what is now an amusing experience at the church. We have long suspected that someone has found a place to live inside our huge 3-story building, and those suspicions seemed to be confirmed by some apparent door-slamming noises on the 2nd floor.
My secretary and one of the child care workers were upstairs at the time. Both vacated the premises fairly quickly. My secretary, who is white, wanted to find out what was going on. The child care worker, who is black, didn't care about the why, she just wanted to be safe. (Not a bad desire, btw) Ironically, the show Black. White. and this observation came up in the discussion of this incident. The varying reactions to the mysterious encounter were lifted up as culturally typical. So I wonder what led to the lack of curiosity (although I can probably guess) and how it ultimately affects the black culture in its continuing endeavor to break down the barriers to advancement.
The other two things which stick out in my mind about the first episode were: Brian buying shoes at the golf course in his 'white' persona and being astonished that the salesman actually took his shoe off his foot and put the new one on for him with a shoehorn. Intellectually, unfortunately, the fact that no shoe salesman had ever done that for him in his lifetime was not a surprise to me. What saddened me is that, even in California (which is supposed to be a racially progressive state - talk about stereotypes!), such petty slights still exist between the races.
The second thing which stands out was how sensitive the teenage daughter Rose was to the situation. You could tell she has great respect for her counterparts and the experiences they've had, and doesn't want to betray them in any way. I think she was really wrestling with the moral issue of being white while passing herself off as black. Kudos to Rose!
Guess I'm gonna have to watch next week and see where it goes from here!
P.S. The 'mysterious visitor' happened to be a door which had come loose in the mechanical room and was randomly banging because of pressure shifts in the a/c system and the wild winds we were having that day. No ghosts! Nobody seeking a safe place to stay! Just a door. *chuckle*
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Black. White.
Ok - just to make things clear from the beginning - I don't like reality shows! Now that that prejudice has been stated, let me go on to say that I have found redeeming value in Amish in the City and Beauty and the Geek, and just plain guilty pleasure in Project Runway. So here I sit on the edge of what's being called a documentary/reality show - Black. White. And I can't decide whether to plunge in and watch or not.
I watched Amish in the City initially to (truthfully) satisfy my own curiosity about whether the Amish youth in the show were treated with respect for their faith ... and found that it was the non-Amish on the show who subjected themselves to ridicule. In many respects this was a documentary where each learned something about the culture of the other, if they were willing to put aside some of their own prejudices. More of a documentary than a reality-show competition, I think much learning was done on both sides of the equation.
Beauty and the Geek was the opportunity to learn that there was more to beauty and more to geekiness than meets the eye. I suspect that each went away with more self-respect than they arrived with. My main problem with the show was the elimination of contestants aspect to it.
Project Runway - well, I got hooked on an evening when there wasn't anything else I wanted to watch on tv, and I was intrigued by the challenge of designing a party outfit just from what one could find at a supermarket. I could have done without the varying antics, but the creativity involved in the show kept me watching until the end (and I still wouldn't have chosen the guy who won!).
Now I'm faced with the ambivalence of Black. White. I believe we learn much when we walk in the shoes of another (if that's truly possible in a situation like this). I also believe racism is still a major stumbling block today. So - is it truly possible to put on the skin of someone from another racial/ethnic background for six weeks and get to what it really means to be black or white? How could I, as a white woman, completely carry the weight of a lifetime's black experience, knowing that the timeframe for the experiment is only six weeks? Would anyone truly be able to put aside one's personal history and experience in such a setting? No matter how liberal I believe myself to be, I'm not sure I could let go of the preconceptions I carry enough to let the experience truly sink in.
So, should I give in to what may be a superficial experience of another's culture and history and watch? I probably will, at least for one episode. It's a grand experiment, and maybe something of value may be learned from it. We'll just have to wait and see.
I watched Amish in the City initially to (truthfully) satisfy my own curiosity about whether the Amish youth in the show were treated with respect for their faith ... and found that it was the non-Amish on the show who subjected themselves to ridicule. In many respects this was a documentary where each learned something about the culture of the other, if they were willing to put aside some of their own prejudices. More of a documentary than a reality-show competition, I think much learning was done on both sides of the equation.
Beauty and the Geek was the opportunity to learn that there was more to beauty and more to geekiness than meets the eye. I suspect that each went away with more self-respect than they arrived with. My main problem with the show was the elimination of contestants aspect to it.
Project Runway - well, I got hooked on an evening when there wasn't anything else I wanted to watch on tv, and I was intrigued by the challenge of designing a party outfit just from what one could find at a supermarket. I could have done without the varying antics, but the creativity involved in the show kept me watching until the end (and I still wouldn't have chosen the guy who won!).
Now I'm faced with the ambivalence of Black. White. I believe we learn much when we walk in the shoes of another (if that's truly possible in a situation like this). I also believe racism is still a major stumbling block today. So - is it truly possible to put on the skin of someone from another racial/ethnic background for six weeks and get to what it really means to be black or white? How could I, as a white woman, completely carry the weight of a lifetime's black experience, knowing that the timeframe for the experiment is only six weeks? Would anyone truly be able to put aside one's personal history and experience in such a setting? No matter how liberal I believe myself to be, I'm not sure I could let go of the preconceptions I carry enough to let the experience truly sink in.
So, should I give in to what may be a superficial experience of another's culture and history and watch? I probably will, at least for one episode. It's a grand experiment, and maybe something of value may be learned from it. We'll just have to wait and see.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Us vs.Them?
"There's nothing wrong with the Olympics. It becomes more and more important (to U.S. audiences) how the Americans do at the Olympics and how they carry themselves. It's more important now than ever before because there is no more natural 'us' against 'them'." Dick Ebersol, NBC Sports and Olympics chair
OK - why does it have to be 'us' vs 'them? Is he so sure that that's why Americans watch the Olympics? He may be right in some respects, but based on the fact that people tended to tune in for their particular premier sports and tune out for those they weren't interested in (or already knew the outcome of), I'd say that's not the whole picture.
That's certainly not what my understanding of the Olympics is. For me, if I had decided to watch this year, it would have been to see competitors from around the globe gathering to give their best to their sport and watching the best athletes win. I don't care if the Americans or Armenians were the ones to bring home umpty-gazillion medals. The 'us vs them' mentality is part of what causes so much trouble in so many other venues, adding 'us against the world' in sports is ultimately a defeatist position. As I understand the Olympics, it was intended to be a time when we put aside our nationalistic differences and just plain enjoyed competing and watching for the glory of atheletic achievement. To live up to the Olympic ideals, which each of the competitors attest to, would be to have each athlete give his/her best and let the sport itself decide who's worthy of standing on the winner's podium.
It'll never happen, but just once I'd like to see an Olympics where the winners stand up to accept their medals and the only music played would be whatever the Olympic theme happens to be for that year. No national flags dramatically and slowly raised to the playing of national anthems. Just the Olympic 5-ring flag soaring overhead. If we ever reach that point, I think we would finally have attained something of great value in the Olympics.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Glorious Day!!
Much good stuff happening today! I got the official word that my roof is functional and not about to collapse on me. I was beginning to think that day would only come with much prayer, fasting, and tearing out of hair! Having at least some sense of how to go about getting the contractor to do the work correctly was helpful. I still feel sorry for those who don't know how to work the system to get things done.
Now I've gotta get the HVAC checked out (and some minor work done) and I'll have reached the point where my volunteer crews can come in and do the interior work and painting that needs to happen. It's nice to be adopted by a couple of churches to get things done. I feel very blessed!
And This morning we started our Sister Church relationship w/First, Conroe. A whole crew of them came down and provided worship for us, followed by lunch - provided by them! It was such a nurturing service! It was the first Sunday in almost 5 months that I've not been stressed out. I had things to do, but no real pressure in any of it. And the congregation was thrilled! They had a wonderful time - new people to tell their 'tree stories' to, and new relationships started. Good stuff!
What a wonderful end to the weekend!
Now I've gotta get the HVAC checked out (and some minor work done) and I'll have reached the point where my volunteer crews can come in and do the interior work and painting that needs to happen. It's nice to be adopted by a couple of churches to get things done. I feel very blessed!
And This morning we started our Sister Church relationship w/First, Conroe. A whole crew of them came down and provided worship for us, followed by lunch - provided by them! It was such a nurturing service! It was the first Sunday in almost 5 months that I've not been stressed out. I had things to do, but no real pressure in any of it. And the congregation was thrilled! They had a wonderful time - new people to tell their 'tree stories' to, and new relationships started. Good stuff!
What a wonderful end to the weekend!
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Dark Ages A-Coming?
Well, I knew it was coming as soon as Alito was confirmed. The South Dakota legislature has passed a law banning all abortions, except if the life of the mother is in danger, and doctors performing them will be prosecuted ... and the governor's thinking of signing it! What is it about this issue? Do these people really want to go back to the days when abortions were done on the sly and more lives were lost and ruined as a result of the backroom procedures? *very big sigh* I just don't get it.
While I recognize that it will take time before the decision makes it to the Supreme Court, and a lot could happen along the way, it's just plain frustrating that we keep coming back to this. The decision to have an abortion is much more complex than "Oh, I don't want this baby, so I'll get an abortion." In an ideal world, it is a decision which should not be made alone, but the inability to have one if the woman determines it is necessary should not be made by legislative fiat ... and for many who have no transportation or limited income, that's what will happen in South Dakota.
In 2002, I was a Commissioner to the General Assembly where the PC(USA) revisited this issue, and served on the committee which gave the recommendation on the final report. Even within a denomination which is fairly liberal on many issues, this one generated intense discussion and had many who spoke against the grace-full language of the policy text. The final discussion on the floor of GA had a well-coordinated effort to vote down the grace-full language and insert language which was harsh, non-supportive, and declared abortion a sin. ACK!
I hate speaking in front of large groups (and there were over 1,000 people there - and, if I'd know there was also streaming video, I might have fled the room!) and there's just something slightly intimidating about speaking for the national governing body, but the issue was important enough to make me get up and speak. My fairly unique perspective was based on the experience of a skating friend of mine.
About 35 years ago, she and her husband had a severely disabled son, a child not expected to survive more than six months. He beat all of the odds and is now a 35 year old infant. They have cared for him in their home all this time, and love him dearly. Their one fear is that he will outlive them and have to go into an institution, for they don't want his younger brother to have to take over the day to day responsibility of his care. His mother said that if they'd been able to know what type of disability they might be dealing with before he was born, they would have chosen an abortion.
Of course, the Presbyterian Layman (the ultra-conservative voice of the church) chose to interpret my comments, which were written up in the GA daily news report, as advocating abortion for financial reasons, rather than the multi-layered compassionate reasons I intended.
The wisdom of the GA was that the harsh language was voted down, with about 2/3rds in favor of the grace-full language. The anti-abortion faction did not give up. The next GA the issue arose again, in mostly the same form, and again 2/3rds of the GA chose the grace-full language. Hooray, Presbyterians! The Holy Spirit seems to be consistently at work within the body of the GA ... and the majority seem to be heeding our understanding of our role as Commissioners - to listen for the guiding of the Spirit through the discussions held and then vote based on what they've discerned, not according to their preconceived opinions before the topic is addressed.
So - now we have to deal with the issue from the legislative and court perspective. I sincerely hope we don't return to the Dark Ages, but the way things are going, I'm not overly optimistic. There just seem to be too many people in positions of authority who seem determined to take us back there. *another very big sigh* ...... Let us pray!
While I recognize that it will take time before the decision makes it to the Supreme Court, and a lot could happen along the way, it's just plain frustrating that we keep coming back to this. The decision to have an abortion is much more complex than "Oh, I don't want this baby, so I'll get an abortion." In an ideal world, it is a decision which should not be made alone, but the inability to have one if the woman determines it is necessary should not be made by legislative fiat ... and for many who have no transportation or limited income, that's what will happen in South Dakota.
In 2002, I was a Commissioner to the General Assembly where the PC(USA) revisited this issue, and served on the committee which gave the recommendation on the final report. Even within a denomination which is fairly liberal on many issues, this one generated intense discussion and had many who spoke against the grace-full language of the policy text. The final discussion on the floor of GA had a well-coordinated effort to vote down the grace-full language and insert language which was harsh, non-supportive, and declared abortion a sin. ACK!
I hate speaking in front of large groups (and there were over 1,000 people there - and, if I'd know there was also streaming video, I might have fled the room!) and there's just something slightly intimidating about speaking for the national governing body, but the issue was important enough to make me get up and speak. My fairly unique perspective was based on the experience of a skating friend of mine.
About 35 years ago, she and her husband had a severely disabled son, a child not expected to survive more than six months. He beat all of the odds and is now a 35 year old infant. They have cared for him in their home all this time, and love him dearly. Their one fear is that he will outlive them and have to go into an institution, for they don't want his younger brother to have to take over the day to day responsibility of his care. His mother said that if they'd been able to know what type of disability they might be dealing with before he was born, they would have chosen an abortion.
Of course, the Presbyterian Layman (the ultra-conservative voice of the church) chose to interpret my comments, which were written up in the GA daily news report, as advocating abortion for financial reasons, rather than the multi-layered compassionate reasons I intended.
The wisdom of the GA was that the harsh language was voted down, with about 2/3rds in favor of the grace-full language. The anti-abortion faction did not give up. The next GA the issue arose again, in mostly the same form, and again 2/3rds of the GA chose the grace-full language. Hooray, Presbyterians! The Holy Spirit seems to be consistently at work within the body of the GA ... and the majority seem to be heeding our understanding of our role as Commissioners - to listen for the guiding of the Spirit through the discussions held and then vote based on what they've discerned, not according to their preconceived opinions before the topic is addressed.
So - now we have to deal with the issue from the legislative and court perspective. I sincerely hope we don't return to the Dark Ages, but the way things are going, I'm not overly optimistic. There just seem to be too many people in positions of authority who seem determined to take us back there. *another very big sigh* ...... Let us pray!
Monday, February 20, 2006
It Shoulda Been in B!
I still don't understand why the Houston Chronicle puts Leonard Pitts, Jr's editorial column in the 'Star' section. Hard news and 'real' op-ed pieces go in Section B along with the other political pundits, don't they? HARUMPH!! Leonard Pitts belongs in Section B!!!!!
I just read his column in today's Chronicle and it's powerful, eye-opening stuff. That is, if you've been wearing blinders and need to take the darned things off. I've said all along that if we give in to the fear being generated about 9/11, then Al-Qaeda's won. The more freedom the average American is willing to give up, the more like Al-Qaeda we become. (I may get clobbered for saying that by some, but my fear is that unless more people stand up and say 'You, the government, have no right to ....', then that's where we're headed.) Their victory comes when we choose to let others make decisions for us and poke into our lives and tell us what we can and cannot do. It vindicates their own values when it comes to freedom to make decisions. If the Great Satan turns around and controls the thoughts and actions of its own citizens, then, of course, it was the right thing for the religious fundamentalists to do all along.
There is so much that technology can do in this day and age. When used in its most benign intentions, this is a good thing. Got lost? GPS assistance programs can help you find your way. (a really good thing for one directionally challenged like me!) Yet I refuse to get such a system because it can be so easily misused. I actually hated giving up my old, but less reliable, cellphone because of the locator components that are required to be installed in newer phones. The potential for abuse is too great. Not that I'm particularly likely to be targeted, but the whole Big Brother concept makes me quite uneasy. And there are so many other potential intrusions, if we do not take a stand and point out where our freedom is being so rapidly eroded.
That's why Pitts' column should have been on the op-ed page today, rather than buried in section E. It's scary stuff when, under the guise of 'Homeland Security', two officials can attempt to dictate what can and cannot be read in a public library. I'm not against putting library computers with access to internet porn in a place where children cannot have access, but, as distasteful and disgusting as I find porn to be, I cannot expect my own freedoms to be honored if I do not honor the rights of others. When it comes to porn, the place where it steps over the line is when adults and children are coerced (either economically or through force) and abused and harmed in the making of it. If adults voluntarily participate in its production, then that is the decision of consenting adults. I can choose whether to watch or not, and so can others.
It's also scary stuff when a newspaper relegates editorial commentary to the 'fluff' section. I'll admit that the comics have some powerful commentary on today's society, on both sides of the political equation. But it is often the case that people expect the real, hard-hitting commentary to be found in section B, and don't go looking for it elsewhere. Shame on you, Houston Chronicle! And hoorah!! Leonard Pitts, Jr for a well-written and powerful editorial!!!!!
I just read his column in today's Chronicle and it's powerful, eye-opening stuff. That is, if you've been wearing blinders and need to take the darned things off. I've said all along that if we give in to the fear being generated about 9/11, then Al-Qaeda's won. The more freedom the average American is willing to give up, the more like Al-Qaeda we become. (I may get clobbered for saying that by some, but my fear is that unless more people stand up and say 'You, the government, have no right to ....', then that's where we're headed.) Their victory comes when we choose to let others make decisions for us and poke into our lives and tell us what we can and cannot do. It vindicates their own values when it comes to freedom to make decisions. If the Great Satan turns around and controls the thoughts and actions of its own citizens, then, of course, it was the right thing for the religious fundamentalists to do all along.
There is so much that technology can do in this day and age. When used in its most benign intentions, this is a good thing. Got lost? GPS assistance programs can help you find your way. (a really good thing for one directionally challenged like me!) Yet I refuse to get such a system because it can be so easily misused. I actually hated giving up my old, but less reliable, cellphone because of the locator components that are required to be installed in newer phones. The potential for abuse is too great. Not that I'm particularly likely to be targeted, but the whole Big Brother concept makes me quite uneasy. And there are so many other potential intrusions, if we do not take a stand and point out where our freedom is being so rapidly eroded.
That's why Pitts' column should have been on the op-ed page today, rather than buried in section E. It's scary stuff when, under the guise of 'Homeland Security', two officials can attempt to dictate what can and cannot be read in a public library. I'm not against putting library computers with access to internet porn in a place where children cannot have access, but, as distasteful and disgusting as I find porn to be, I cannot expect my own freedoms to be honored if I do not honor the rights of others. When it comes to porn, the place where it steps over the line is when adults and children are coerced (either economically or through force) and abused and harmed in the making of it. If adults voluntarily participate in its production, then that is the decision of consenting adults. I can choose whether to watch or not, and so can others.
It's also scary stuff when a newspaper relegates editorial commentary to the 'fluff' section. I'll admit that the comics have some powerful commentary on today's society, on both sides of the political equation. But it is often the case that people expect the real, hard-hitting commentary to be found in section B, and don't go looking for it elsewhere. Shame on you, Houston Chronicle! And hoorah!! Leonard Pitts, Jr for a well-written and powerful editorial!!!!!
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Confession
Confession being good for the soul and all that - I have a confession to make: I'm not watching the Winter Olympics this year. Actually, this is kind of unusual for me. I generally watch at least the ice skating, but I just can't get into even that this year.
I think I'm hyped-out. I get so tired of the rah-rah, "we're the best ever", super-expectations for the competitors. While the super-patriotism which seems to rear its head about this time bugs me, I think I'm more irritated at the ultra-cockiness of the competitors, regardless of country. (Now this isn't true of all the competitors, of course, but there certainly are a significant number of them who are.) And, while a fitting comeuppance isn't necessarily a bad thing, I just have no desire to watch as competitors who are at the top of their game do stupid little 'watch me' stunts and then knock themselves right out of the competition.
I'm not sure I would have watched even if Michelle Kwan had been able to compete. I've known skaters like her for years. When I roller skated competitively, there was an absolutely awesome skater named April Allen. Let her step out onto the floor and the whole room was filled with excitement and energy! She brought grace, beauty, and athleticism to a sport which generally slipped over into the power jumping and spinning mode. At nationals, the arena would absolutely fill to the brim whenever she skated ... and empty almost as fast once she was done. That is, until the tv cameras showed up! When it was absolutely the right time for the world to see such an awesome skater, the charisma left the building.
The same is kind of true of Michelle Kwan when it comes to Olympic competition. Something seems to grab hold of her and the little mouse which sometimes hides within pops out. There is a caution in even the way she takes the ice. And I just decided that this year I'm not going to watch the magic leeched out of a sport I usually enjoy.
The incredible pressure we place on competitors is more than I can handle this year. It's been creeping up on me from Olympics to Olympics ever since they began to allow professionals to compete. (OK - I know that there were countries whose 'amateur' competitors were actually professional, but at least our competitors were in it for the true love of the sport, not the money.) We seem to expect more from those with the imprimatur of 'professional' after their name, or those who are accepting endorsements for this and that under the auspices of the Olympic competition. I'm not quite sure why, but that seems to take the magic out of the event for me.
So................don't ask me about the Olympics this year. I'm not watching!
I think I'm hyped-out. I get so tired of the rah-rah, "we're the best ever", super-expectations for the competitors. While the super-patriotism which seems to rear its head about this time bugs me, I think I'm more irritated at the ultra-cockiness of the competitors, regardless of country. (Now this isn't true of all the competitors, of course, but there certainly are a significant number of them who are.) And, while a fitting comeuppance isn't necessarily a bad thing, I just have no desire to watch as competitors who are at the top of their game do stupid little 'watch me' stunts and then knock themselves right out of the competition.
I'm not sure I would have watched even if Michelle Kwan had been able to compete. I've known skaters like her for years. When I roller skated competitively, there was an absolutely awesome skater named April Allen. Let her step out onto the floor and the whole room was filled with excitement and energy! She brought grace, beauty, and athleticism to a sport which generally slipped over into the power jumping and spinning mode. At nationals, the arena would absolutely fill to the brim whenever she skated ... and empty almost as fast once she was done. That is, until the tv cameras showed up! When it was absolutely the right time for the world to see such an awesome skater, the charisma left the building.
The same is kind of true of Michelle Kwan when it comes to Olympic competition. Something seems to grab hold of her and the little mouse which sometimes hides within pops out. There is a caution in even the way she takes the ice. And I just decided that this year I'm not going to watch the magic leeched out of a sport I usually enjoy.
The incredible pressure we place on competitors is more than I can handle this year. It's been creeping up on me from Olympics to Olympics ever since they began to allow professionals to compete. (OK - I know that there were countries whose 'amateur' competitors were actually professional, but at least our competitors were in it for the true love of the sport, not the money.) We seem to expect more from those with the imprimatur of 'professional' after their name, or those who are accepting endorsements for this and that under the auspices of the Olympic competition. I'm not quite sure why, but that seems to take the magic out of the event for me.
So................don't ask me about the Olympics this year. I'm not watching!
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Critters 'R Us
Gonna have fun this Saturday! We're doing a Blessing of the Animals and I'm so looking forward to it! I just love getting to do something new and creative for us. Of course, we aren't doing it at the 'traditional' time of year, but I didn't think we should wait that long.
It started when I noticed that my dog Penny was acting weirder than her usual run-of-the-mill weird. (My own run-of-the-mill weird isn't back to usual, so that's not completely unexpected.) When you get right down to it, she's in a strange place, since we're not living in our home, and her buddy the cat is still at my mom's in Houston, and everything else is topsy-turvy. We don't have a mail slot at our house, but she watches the one where we're staying very carefully day after day (even Sundays!). Over the last 2-3 weeks, she's begun biting the mail as it comes through the slot. It's encouraging to know that, if anyone ever decides to attack me through the mail slot, I'll be safe. *chuckle*
Then, I started hearing others talking about their pets (friends, companions, best buds - more than just an animal around the house), how many were dealing with various illnesses, how they had endured the evacuation along with their families or been left at home because no one expected things to get as bad as they did or were kenneled and cared for but conditions were not good, and how others were mourning the loss of pets after the storm. I got to thinking about the two firemen's dogs who stayed at the church after the storm, so they could be close to their family, safe and cared for.
It dawned on me that the animals who hold a special spot in our lives and their families might benefit from a special service recognizing what we have all been through together and what is still going on during our recovery. So, we're having a Blessing of the Animals on Saturday. People will be bringing their pets, or pictures if the travel would be too much for them or if their human companion wants to celebrate a beloved friend who's died. Haven't quite decided what all we'll do yet - but it'll be fairly short.
I did have to promise that I wouldn't bring the animals into the sanctuary (don't tell anyone, but Penny's been through on more than one occasion, but then she was the only dog present!). I haven't quite figured out what I'll do if someone brings a 'slither critter' on Saturday (that old Genesis thing about enmity may just kick in when you least? most? expect it!). Whatever the outcome, I'm planning on having a wonderful time!
It started when I noticed that my dog Penny was acting weirder than her usual run-of-the-mill weird. (My own run-of-the-mill weird isn't back to usual, so that's not completely unexpected.) When you get right down to it, she's in a strange place, since we're not living in our home, and her buddy the cat is still at my mom's in Houston, and everything else is topsy-turvy. We don't have a mail slot at our house, but she watches the one where we're staying very carefully day after day (even Sundays!). Over the last 2-3 weeks, she's begun biting the mail as it comes through the slot. It's encouraging to know that, if anyone ever decides to attack me through the mail slot, I'll be safe. *chuckle*
Then, I started hearing others talking about their pets (friends, companions, best buds - more than just an animal around the house), how many were dealing with various illnesses, how they had endured the evacuation along with their families or been left at home because no one expected things to get as bad as they did or were kenneled and cared for but conditions were not good, and how others were mourning the loss of pets after the storm. I got to thinking about the two firemen's dogs who stayed at the church after the storm, so they could be close to their family, safe and cared for.
It dawned on me that the animals who hold a special spot in our lives and their families might benefit from a special service recognizing what we have all been through together and what is still going on during our recovery. So, we're having a Blessing of the Animals on Saturday. People will be bringing their pets, or pictures if the travel would be too much for them or if their human companion wants to celebrate a beloved friend who's died. Haven't quite decided what all we'll do yet - but it'll be fairly short.
I did have to promise that I wouldn't bring the animals into the sanctuary (don't tell anyone, but Penny's been through on more than one occasion, but then she was the only dog present!). I haven't quite figured out what I'll do if someone brings a 'slither critter' on Saturday (that old Genesis thing about enmity may just kick in when you least? most? expect it!). Whatever the outcome, I'm planning on having a wonderful time!
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Enliven a Dinosaur?
They (whoever 'they' is) say that laws and sausage are two things one should never see being made. I think I'd add a third - church politics. That's not a blanket condemnation of the work we do together to figure out what God is calling us to be and do, but we do tend to get pretty messy about it at times.
I spent most of last week as an observer/liaison to the General Assembly Council meeting, which is in itself an oddball position to be in. Much organizational change is on the horizon and it will affect the way Presbyterians go about their ministry in the future. On the one hand, I see much potential good in the change. It seems to me that the GA Council should be somewhat like the board of a non-profit: policy-making and visioning, not micromanaging, as it apparently has been. If the Council, in conjunction with the General Assembly itself, determines the direction, and the staff doesn't implement it, then we've got something to grouse about and can take corrective action.
On the other hand, I see us slipping back into the status quo of making changes which only the retired and/or wealthy can participate in (or pastors with very understanding congregations!). The most significant change is in the makeup of the Council itself - reducing the number of members (diluting its national representation?) and, initially, not even mentioning including those with disabilities (a group which is still too marginalized in almost any venue)! There was provision made that there be three representatives under the age of 35 (mind you - 18 to 35 is considered Youth and Young Adult). However, the meeting structure is going to remain the same: 3-4 weeklong meetings during the year.
Don't know about you, but I wouldn't have been able (or, quite frankly, willing) to give up all of my vacation time (and then some until I was past my mid-30's) to go to a bunch of cerebral meetings!!! My then-spouse wouldn't have been too happy about such an arrangement, either, since it would have meant losing out on our recreation time together AND at least two-weeks worth of lost income (that is, if I didn't lose my job entirely!). Yet the current decision-makers aren't willing or able to hear such a criticism of their 'great plan' from a woman who's obviously not in her 20's-30's; nor do they seem to be willing to look at changing the way they bring people together to make policy. BAH HUMBUG!!
I realize we're humans involved in the process here and that humans have a tendency to protect turf and pet projects. HOWEVER, we're supposed to be the capital C Church, where 'the last shall be first and the first shall be last'. harumph! That ain't a-happening here! At the moment, the last are being pushed aside and marginalized again. I get so tired of being told 'well, we can't find people of thus-n-such category to serve.' A base canard! There are those who are willing to serve!! I've sent scads of names to the Nominating Committee! Yet, none have been contacted, and little changes.
There are people who grouse that the PC(USA) doesn't have certain percentages of youth/young adults or disabled members (or several other possible categories as well), and that our leadership should reflect the percentages of membership. Yet, maybe if our denomination was open to allowing those groups who have long been denied a place at the leadership table even more representation, perhaps two things would happen: (1) the winds of the Spirit would change the way we interact with the world and make us more user-friendly and (2) more might be drawn to worship and commit to a denomination that was willing to welcome them and their ideas with open arms. Now wouldn't that be a cool way to enliven a mainline 'dinosaur'?!
I spent most of last week as an observer/liaison to the General Assembly Council meeting, which is in itself an oddball position to be in. Much organizational change is on the horizon and it will affect the way Presbyterians go about their ministry in the future. On the one hand, I see much potential good in the change. It seems to me that the GA Council should be somewhat like the board of a non-profit: policy-making and visioning, not micromanaging, as it apparently has been. If the Council, in conjunction with the General Assembly itself, determines the direction, and the staff doesn't implement it, then we've got something to grouse about and can take corrective action.
On the other hand, I see us slipping back into the status quo of making changes which only the retired and/or wealthy can participate in (or pastors with very understanding congregations!). The most significant change is in the makeup of the Council itself - reducing the number of members (diluting its national representation?) and, initially, not even mentioning including those with disabilities (a group which is still too marginalized in almost any venue)! There was provision made that there be three representatives under the age of 35 (mind you - 18 to 35 is considered Youth and Young Adult). However, the meeting structure is going to remain the same: 3-4 weeklong meetings during the year.
Don't know about you, but I wouldn't have been able (or, quite frankly, willing) to give up all of my vacation time (and then some until I was past my mid-30's) to go to a bunch of cerebral meetings!!! My then-spouse wouldn't have been too happy about such an arrangement, either, since it would have meant losing out on our recreation time together AND at least two-weeks worth of lost income (that is, if I didn't lose my job entirely!). Yet the current decision-makers aren't willing or able to hear such a criticism of their 'great plan' from a woman who's obviously not in her 20's-30's; nor do they seem to be willing to look at changing the way they bring people together to make policy. BAH HUMBUG!!
I realize we're humans involved in the process here and that humans have a tendency to protect turf and pet projects. HOWEVER, we're supposed to be the capital C Church, where 'the last shall be first and the first shall be last'. harumph! That ain't a-happening here! At the moment, the last are being pushed aside and marginalized again. I get so tired of being told 'well, we can't find people of thus-n-such category to serve.' A base canard! There are those who are willing to serve!! I've sent scads of names to the Nominating Committee! Yet, none have been contacted, and little changes.
There are people who grouse that the PC(USA) doesn't have certain percentages of youth/young adults or disabled members (or several other possible categories as well), and that our leadership should reflect the percentages of membership. Yet, maybe if our denomination was open to allowing those groups who have long been denied a place at the leadership table even more representation, perhaps two things would happen: (1) the winds of the Spirit would change the way we interact with the world and make us more user-friendly and (2) more might be drawn to worship and commit to a denomination that was willing to welcome them and their ideas with open arms. Now wouldn't that be a cool way to enliven a mainline 'dinosaur'?!
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Love!
Ahhhhhhhhh....February! Love is in the air! In fact, almost anywhere you turn there are cupids and hearts and red and pink. Commercials imply that unless you spend bucks on this candy or that jewelry or some special trip or restaurant or flowers, then you've missed the boat in showing that special someone you love them. And there's the annual ritual of sharing cards and gifts with family members and, occasionally, friends. Actually, there's nothing wrong in showing one's love in that way. However, I wonder what Jesus would say about our annual one-day celebration of love.
"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31) "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them." (Luke 6:32) "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13)
Even Paul makes a point of saying, "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor. 13:13) Perhaps the closest we get to this ideal with any regularity is the expectation that all elementary school students bring a Valentine's card to every member of their class, whether friend or foe. It kind of makes one wonder if we've gotten the emphasis all wrong. Instead of a one-day celebration of love annually, perhaps we should be having a year-long celebration of love, and not with cards, candy, jewelry, or gifts.
If we were to truly embrace loving God and neighbor and enemy and self in our day to day living, what effect might Christians have on the whole of society? In general, we don't seem to have a lot of experience sustaining such love for great lengths of time. Only half tongue-in-cheek, since there are usually four weeks in any month, what if we spent one week per month focusing on loving God, one week on loving self, one week on loving neighbor, and one week on loving enemy? That would give us some experience before reaching that most difficult task of loving one's enemies!
As I write this, it's amazing how difficult such an endeavor suddenly seems. It reshapes the way I think about encounters with those who come to the office seeking food, shelter, gas, utilities assistance, etc. I begin to wonder just what IS the most loving thing to do in any situation. Could the way I respond determine whether that person finally experiences the love of God in their life? Or could the most loving thing be to encourage that person to seek assistance through resources that address the cause rather than the symptom of their difficulties, instead of providing for their specific request? It reshapes the way I look at strangers and those who look at the issues we wrestle with in ways different from mine and those who believe in a faith different from mine. It even reshapes the way I look at myself; for if I think of myself as better than others or as less than others, I am reminded that Jesus has placed us as equals. We are to love neighbors AS ourselves, not better or worse than ourselves.
Yet tackling the task of living out love of God, neighbor, enemy, self on a day-to-day basis is what I believe we are called to do. Of course, we won't be perfect at it. We're human afterall. But we can make a commitment to attempt this challenging task. And there are plenty of opportunities in our path - if we're willing to open our hearts to the possibilities.
[All Scripture references are from the New Revised Standard Version.]
"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31) "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them." (Luke 6:32) "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13)
Even Paul makes a point of saying, "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor. 13:13) Perhaps the closest we get to this ideal with any regularity is the expectation that all elementary school students bring a Valentine's card to every member of their class, whether friend or foe. It kind of makes one wonder if we've gotten the emphasis all wrong. Instead of a one-day celebration of love annually, perhaps we should be having a year-long celebration of love, and not with cards, candy, jewelry, or gifts.
If we were to truly embrace loving God and neighbor and enemy and self in our day to day living, what effect might Christians have on the whole of society? In general, we don't seem to have a lot of experience sustaining such love for great lengths of time. Only half tongue-in-cheek, since there are usually four weeks in any month, what if we spent one week per month focusing on loving God, one week on loving self, one week on loving neighbor, and one week on loving enemy? That would give us some experience before reaching that most difficult task of loving one's enemies!
As I write this, it's amazing how difficult such an endeavor suddenly seems. It reshapes the way I think about encounters with those who come to the office seeking food, shelter, gas, utilities assistance, etc. I begin to wonder just what IS the most loving thing to do in any situation. Could the way I respond determine whether that person finally experiences the love of God in their life? Or could the most loving thing be to encourage that person to seek assistance through resources that address the cause rather than the symptom of their difficulties, instead of providing for their specific request? It reshapes the way I look at strangers and those who look at the issues we wrestle with in ways different from mine and those who believe in a faith different from mine. It even reshapes the way I look at myself; for if I think of myself as better than others or as less than others, I am reminded that Jesus has placed us as equals. We are to love neighbors AS ourselves, not better or worse than ourselves.
Yet tackling the task of living out love of God, neighbor, enemy, self on a day-to-day basis is what I believe we are called to do. Of course, we won't be perfect at it. We're human afterall. But we can make a commitment to attempt this challenging task. And there are plenty of opportunities in our path - if we're willing to open our hearts to the possibilities.
[All Scripture references are from the New Revised Standard Version.]
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