Friday Five: The B-I-B-L-E

Posted at RevGalBlogPals by Mother Laura who says:
I have been working on an expansive language version of the Psalms and the Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office/Breviary. (For you non-liturgical gals and pals, that's a set of prayers for morning, noon, evening, etc., mostly consisting of Psalms and other biblical texts). So I have been thinking a lot about the Bible recently, and how we encounter it as God's Word--or don't--in our lives, prayer, and ministry. (Great minds think somewhat alike this week, as yesterday's Ask The Matriarch post dealt with ways to help as many people in a community as possible engage with a scriptural text in preparation for Sunday worship). So, in that spirit, I offer my first Friday Five. I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's experience and reflection on these B-I-B-L-E questions:

1. What is your earliest memory of encountering a biblical text?
My memory isn't always the best, but for some reason Noah's ark keeps coming into my head. I know I was a total animal lover as a kid, so this would really have appealed.

2. What is your favorite biblical translation, and why? (You might have a few for different purposes).
I like the NRSV for it's dedication to accuracy and even trying to use more inclusive language. I also like the New Jerusalem, it tends to have a more lyrical/poetic quality in some places. It gives a different perspective without being too archaic.

3. What is your favorite book of the Bible? Your favorite verse/passage?
Now see, my CPM tried to ask me this too. They seem to think I ought to have a favorite, or if not, I must not read the Bible enough. (issues here?!) Well, I'm here to declare it! I don't have a favorite anything., not book, not chapter, not verse. I love different books and verses at different times, for different reasons. It depends on what I'm dealing with, what mood I'm in, what the situation calls for. That being said, I do like Paul's writings and Isaiah.

4. Which book of the Bible do you consider, in Luther's famous words about James, to be "an epistle of straw?" Which verse(s) make you want to scream?
I'm not a big fan of Timothy and a few of the other not-really-written-by-Paul letters, the patriarchal language is infuriating to me.

5. Inclusive language in biblical translation and liturgical proclamation: for, against, or neutral?
Absolutely for. Somehow we've forgotten (intentionally?) that we're all, male and female, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, made in the image of God. I don't think, though, that it should swing so heavily back the other direction that God becomes almost exclusively female.

Bonus: Back to the Psalms--which one best speaks the prayer of your heart?
I really like Psalm 121. It's a good reminder that God indeed will care for us and keep us safe.

Four Things

I haven't done the "four things" yet, and I'm such a dork that no one has tagged me and I still want to do it.
So here 'tis.

Four Jobs I've Held:
camp counselor
understudy librarian (work study)
childcare provider
church office admin

Four Films I Could Watch Over and Over:
Chocolat
Serenity
Heist
Mary Poppins

Four TV Shows I Watch:
Eureka
Battlestar Gallactica
House
Myth Busters

Four Places I've Lived:
teeny tiny 2 room seminary married student housing (2000-2003)
wonderful apartment (2003-2004)
really crappy apartment (2004, 2005)
rental house (2005-present)

Four Favorite Foods:
mayan choc. ice cream
portobello ravioli
crab cakes
grilled pizza with fresh mozzarella, fresh tomato, olive oil and fresh basil

Four Websites I Visit Daily (or at least 5 times a week):
Google
Paperback swap (ok, almost daily)
RevGals
Knitty (again, almost daily)

Four Favorite Colors:
sapphire blue
L's honey/caramel blonde
cranberry red
silver

Four Places I Would Love to be Right Now:
Lake house in Canada
beach house on Corolla
mountin cabin w/ P
moved into our new house (even though we haven't picked it out yet)

Four Names You Love, But Could/Would Not Use for Your Children:
Elizabeth (name of psycho, and I mean really psycho, ex-gf of hubby many years ago)
Molly (sounds silly/cutsie with our last name)
Lucy (same as above)
hubby's name, jr. (I just don't like that idea for some reason)

Thanks be to God!

The congregational vote at the Church-Much-Nearer-to-the-Inlaws was today. You could have knocked me over with a feather when they told me the vote to call me was unanimous. I think that speaks most highly of the enthusiasm of the PNC and of the introduction by the chair, a man I have quickly come to value as a friend and colleage. I'm sure it does help some that CMNI has been searching for a pastor for nearly two years now, but by intervention of the Spirit, they managed to hold out for me.
I was flattered to hear, too, that I was the first candidate that the PNC had voted unanimously to extend a call to. (yes, there had been at least 2 or 3 others before me... like I said, intervention of the Spirit.)
That's two of the three hurdles now. Just the presbytery meeting now. This is the one that has me sweating, only for the fact that there's always that wildcard that could be sitting on the floor waiting to pounce on a young female candidate with a killer question. Kinda just to get their jollies, ya know.
Well, not to borrow trouble, I guess.
TTFN.

Another Hurdle Jumped

I meant to get to this earlier, but it's been busy around here since we're gearing up for a move and new jobs, etc.
I did have a good meeting with the COM sub-committee. They were gracious and asked good and tough questions, though not in a malicious sort of way. They asked the "usual" questions that all PCUSA candidates can probably expect these days, but they were done in a gracious, even almost off-hand, "you know we gotta ask" sort of way. The committee chair even made a point of telling me that he thought I handled myself well.
So, now I just have to make it through the presbytery meeting at the end of this month. I have to give a sermon (using an old one, so I've already got it covered) and 'the Four Questions.' Which I hear I'm supposed to get in advance so I can have some time to mull them over. That's good. I'm not so good at thinking on my feet. I get all flustered and babble and repeat myself a lot. Makes me look pretty flaky, which, really, I'm not... usually.
Now the biggest thing in front of us is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. We're first-time buyers! Yikes. The PNC has already given us the name of a realtor they trust to help us out, so that's something we don't have to worry about. We're pretty excited. It's such a great area and has lots of opportunities for all of us. P was the one I worried aboutmost, but he seems to be the most excited. Though, I think that's partly the army brat in him; he gets restless in one place too long.
I'm hoping my start date will be the first Sunday in Advent. New church year, new job, new town, it's all rather symbolic. We'll be in town long enough before that that I can get settled, find child care for L, get a few things unpacked, and be in the office for a week before I start preaching.
It seems crazy that so much change will happen before the end of the year.

No Cheatsheets

This weekend we are all travelling up to the town of Church Much Nearer to the In-laws to let P and L meet some of the PNC folk and give P a chance to tour the area a little. I will be in a meeting with the presbytery's Committee on Ministry (COM) for an examination for approval. This is one exam with no cheatsheet. I have no idea what they will want to know. I've already sent them a bio and statement of faith. I'm hoping the Spirit will be there and grace will abound. I have been in plenty of committee meetings where that wasn't the case, especially at the presbytery level. As long as they don't get too political, and keep to theology and faith and such, we'll be golden.
On the other hand, I know P is really excited to see where we'll soon be living and working. It's a beautiful area, less than an hour from the shore, lots of great cultural attractions. And it's a mini-vacation for us because every time I visit, they put me (us) up in a swanky, brand new Hilton right on the river. (Ok, so it wouldn't be my choice to line Paris's pockets, but they're making the reservations and I'm not paying for it.)

Frida Five: Meetings, Meetings

Posted over at RGBP by reverendmother.
In honor of a couple of marathon meetings I attended this week:

1. What's your view of meetings? Choose one or more, or make up your own:
a) When they're good, they're good. I love the feeling of people working well together on a common goal.
b) I don't seek them out, but I recognize them as a necessary part of life.
c) The only good meeting is a canceled meeting.

Hmm, a little of each, I think. Most meetings (especially church meetings) are useless pushing of agendas and personality conflicts in action (see b). But if you get the right combo of people, great ideas and inspiration can abound (see a). On the other hand, there's almost always something else I'd rather be doing than sitting on my butt in an uncomfy chair for hours at a time (see c).

2. Do you like some amount of community building or conversation, or are you all business?

I think there's always room for a little fellowship, it helps people feel more comfortable and perhaps puts them in a better frame of mind for getting things done "decently and in order." As long as it's got a time limit, of course!

3. How do you feel about leading meetings? Share any particular strengths or weaknesses you have in this area.

Personally, I'd much rather lead a meeting than just sit and let things get off topic and drag on. While no one would ever call me a type-A, I can't stand it when moderators let people go on and on, repeating their stale argument, or straying from the agenda. Meetings are about business and getting it done.

4. Have you ever participated in a virtual meeting? (conference call, IM, chat, etc.) What do you think of this format?

Sure, I've done a number of conference calls. I certainly appreciate them. It's kept me from having to travel from deep south to midwest any number of times for CPM meetings. I've done a number of phone interviews that way lately too. While I usually like to be able to see the people I'm speaking with, it's a great way to talk to people far away. Even though you can't see their faces, it's still better than email to guage emotion and reaction.

5. Share a story of a memorable meeting you attended.

Ah, well, the CPM is always a good place to start. I remember one of my earliest meetings with them. I'd shown up like a good little seminary student with all my paperwork in order, my Bible in hand. I had this particular Bible marked with Post-it flags for my favorite and most used verses. Probably about two dozen or more sticking out the top of my Bible. At some point in the meeting, the committee asks me what my favorite Bible verse is. Well, I say, I don't have a single favorite. I like different ones for different reasons or situations. (I flip the tops of the flags pointedly here.) I was trying to be honest, because I don't have just one verse that is a favorite. There are way too many good ones to pick a single favorite. My mistake.
Anyway, apparently they conclude that this means I don't read the Bible enough (yeah, a seminary student who doesn't read the Bible!) and I get a lecture and a mandate to read this awful year with the Bible book that's done with a terrible translation complete with sexist language. Supposedly, my liason would check in and work with me on this. That never happened. And I never made it through Genesis. I also learned it was better to stick to the status quo than be honest with that group of folks. Sad lesson, good experience, I think.

Friday Five: Seasons Change...

It's been a while since I've had a chance to do a Friday Five, so here's my comeback.

It's Labor Day weekend here in the United States, also known as Summer's Last Hurrah. So let's say goodbye to summer and hello to the autumn. (People in other climes, feel free to adapt as needed.)

1. Share a highlight from this summer. (If you please, don't just say "our vacation to the Canadian Rockies." Give us a little detail or image. Help us live vicariously through you!)
Of course the trip to Canada that I wrote about several times. We saw loons! There's something about that lake that is so soothing. It's a very rocky lake (it's called Stoney Lake, actually) and has many islands and there are always sailboats out and so much wildlife. Our place is on the mainland in a small cove that is off a slightly larger cove. So we get mink (or maybe they're muskrats, I'm not sure) and beavers, ducks and loons, great blue herons hunting for frogs, turtles, and lots of those huge, creepy black squirrels. The sounds of the bullfrogs, the loons, the water, it's so lovely. There are pictures a few posts back if you're interested.

2. Are you glad to see this summer end? Why or why not?
Mostly yes. Yes, b/c it's been in the hundreds for most of August here. Yes, b/c it's been a hard summer of call searching. I'll miss the trips to the county water park with L. I won't miss mowing the lawn. I'll miss the hot colors of my wildflower garden that brought in all the hummingbirds and butterflies. I won't miss the way P smells when he gets home after working outside in the 100+ degree heat all day. (nose wrinkle here)

3. Name one or two things you're looking forward to this fall.
Mostly I'm looking forward to starting my call. It's finally happened, and though I know it will be at least a couple of months for all the formalities to go through, I hope to get in by Advent. Moving is a big thing too. I think it will be really good for our family, too. Lots of things to look forward to.

4. Do you have any special preparations or activities to mark the transition from one season to another? (Cleaning of house, putting away summer clothes, one last trip to the beach)
Not really. The transition here is so slow that I never put the summer clothes totally away until around Thankgiving. Otherwise, sometimes we take a trip up to the northern part of the state to see the leaves changes in the mountains.

5. I'll know that fall is really here when __________________________________.
...I don't break a sweat just walking to the mailbox. (Yeah, it's been that hot.)

I hate bureaucracy

Yes, I had to spellcheck 'bureaucracy.' Anyway, I got an unofficial-as-of-yet call from the Church Much Nearer to the In-Laws recently. That's the good, no, great, news. I got a relative time table from them today of how they hope meetings and such will go for me to be examined and approved. If you've ever been part of 'the process,' especially in my denomination, you understand. Basically, nothing will even start until early Oct. and probably won't be finished until late Oct. We can't even think about big things like moving until the final approval of the presbytery at the end of Oct. Which means I probably won't be able to actually start working until mid- to late November. This is freaking out P. He's a very type A and likes things to move quickly and efficiently. Bureaucracy does neither, I'm afraid.
So, while I'm incredibly excited, I'm also very stressed and nervous about all the big changes. Buying a house, I need a new car, getting L into a good preschool, etc. Wow! Writing it out like that really makes it seem even more daunting.
Well, I'm sure the excitement has just begun with much more to come.
If you have a few prayers to spare, we'd love 'em over this way.

Interview, part 1

Well, today went really well. I'm here in lovely Coastal Atlantic State, visiting with Church Much Closer to the In-Laws this weekend. After my plane from home was delayed for two hours and then sitting on the tarmac in World's Busiest Airport waiting for our turn to take off, all said and done, I got into my hotel at... wait for it... 1:30a.m. And of course, I am not one of those people who sleep well in a new place the first night. They graciously turned our breakfast meeting into an early lunch (the PNC chair was the one who picked me up at the airport, so we were agreed on that) and then we drove around ('we' is me and three committee members) so I could see the area. I was worried about being in a car with three strangers for that length of time, but never once was I ill at ease, they were great. Then I did get to take a nap before dinner and they had a potluck with the committee and a tour of the church itself and then, of course, the questions. That went really well. I learned about the ghosts of pastors past, lots of the history, what sort of work they've done with presbytery, etc. I think we were all really comfortable with each other, and able to be honest about expectations.
I just hope that all goes well tomorrow. The sermon, not so worried about, children's sermon, whole other story. As a rule, I don't like them. Most of them are done poorly, that almost certainly includes mine. Plus, these aren't really children in the sense that most children's sermons are directed at the elementary crowd, these are 5-8th graders. Yikes! Not the age I'm most comfortable with, or at least not one I've dealt with much. I don't want to talk down to them, but I want to get the message across in an understandable way. Cross your fingers for me. Oh yeah, and some of those prayer things would be nice, too.

A Posting First

Well, here's the first sermon I'll have ever poster here. Like I mentioned in the last post, it's the first one I've written in a long time. I'm not sure yet how I feel about it. But here it is anyway.

Exodus 32:7-14; Luke 15:1-10

"Losing It"

If anybody knew about being lost, it was the Hebrews. Theyd been wandering for close to 40 years, better than the average life expectancy in those days. They'd lost their homes, their jobs, their security, and probably most of their sanity too. Some wanted to go back into slavery,
they were so unhappy. They were so lost and turned around that they forgot who their God was. God, who had shown them mercy upon mercy, was getting fed up. Only after Moses begs,
does God relent and agree not to smite them into dust.

The Hebrews were wandering, somewhat aimlessly, with only the vague notion of a promised land in the future. They were worried about food and water, even though God had come through on both accounts. They were tired and dusty, scared and uncomfortable.

They were probably pretty crazy. They'd had it comparably good in Egypt. Food, housing, security. Sure, they were slaves, but this desert wandering was much worse. I'd be losing my mind too. It must have seemed so sensible at the time, to make that golden calf. Aaron, Moses' brother and spokesperson, was the one who suggested it. These people, who were already used to being led around like a herd of sheep, were merely following the leader once again. Perhaps the heat was getting to them all. Perhaps they just needed something tangible to latch on to. They had no land, few belongings. It's almost understandable. Almost.

Even though we can only imagine how tired God must have been of the Hebrews' sniveling and whining, and constant screwing up. God gives in to Moses' pleas for mercy. But only after Moses has reminded God of the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

This is not the first or last time that God will want to rain down wrath on these idiots, nor the first or last time that Moses will intercede on their behalf. In fact, at the end of this chapter of Exodus, God sends a plague down on the people for making and worshipping that calf.
It doesn�t destroy them, but it lets them know God's serious.

Time after time, the Hebrews would fall back to the easy ways of worshipping idols and breaking commandments. And they're always really sorry about it, especially after they get yelled at and sometimes even punished, at least, they're sorry right up until the next time.

Let's face it, our God is not an easy God to follow. And indeed, worldly concerns often obscure the view of the path laid for us. It's easy to get distracted by flashy gods, promises of a better this or that, and instant gratification. No matter if that god is a golden calf or a silver dollar,
the draw is unmistakable. It's easy to get lost when there are so many detours and exits along the route.

I doubt that, in the end, God have truly wiped out those screw-ups, the Hebrews, even if Moses hadn't intervened. Not after all the work it took to get them where they were. Not after the promises God had already made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. I think it's more like a parent wanting nothing more than to smack the living daylights out of a smart-mouthed kid,
but knowing deep down it would serve no purpose toward changing the attitude of the child.
God had put a lot into these people and would search for them each time they became lost,
each and every exasperating time.

In the parables that we heard out of Luke today, its not people who are lost, it's a sheep and a coin. Even so, they are a stand-in for the people of God who have wandered off or fallen in the cracks. You may think to yourself in the next few minutes that there is quite a difference
between people and sheep or coins, and you would be right, but it's not the sheep or the coin
that Jesus is most interested in having people understand. It's the one searching for them.
Keep that in mind.

The intention of parables is to be able for the listeners to relate to the characters and situations.
Most of the people around Jesus would have immediately resonated with these parables. The people attracted to his teachings were usually common folk. Folk who herded sheep, farmed, and made subsistence livings.

Jesus thrust his listeners right into the middle of the parable when he asks them, "Which of you, having a hundred sheep... ?" He brings them into the story, makes them sympathetic to the characters of the shepherd and the woman, people who were generally less than desirable people to hang around with, but the very people who Jesus would invite to eat with him.
Jesus knows this. He's using these people specifically because of that, and to demonstrate to the scribes and Pharisees just who God is really most concerned about. That's right, Jesus is likening God to a lowly shepherd and a mere woman. The religious authorities must have been appalled.

So, Jesus tells them, when the shepherd realizes that he is one sheep shy, he leaves the other 99 sheep all alone and goes looking for the one that is lost. Surely the crowd Jesus is talking to
all look at each other about now with wide eyes, thinking, is this shepherd crazy? Is he nuts?
He must be losing it! Leaving all those other sheep perhaps to the mercy of wolves, just to find that one?!

But the shepherd is diligent in his search. He knows that the other 99 are safe in their fold,
but this one is gone, lost, perhaps hurt and hungry. He imagines all sorts of terrors as he searches. Is it caught in some brambles and can't get free? Could it have tripped in a hole and broken its leg? Could it have been attacked and eaten by a wolf? Each scenario is worse than the last. But finally, finally he hears her bleats. He can't see her at first; it seems she has slipped into a steep gulley and can't climb out. Finally, he catches sight of her wooly ears over the top of the ravine. It's not deep, just difficult. He leans over the edge and gently pulls her to safety with his crook. He is so happy to see her, he even gives her a hug. He knows she is probably tired from her ordeal and so her drapes her over his broad, strong shoulders and carries her home to the waiting 99, who are, of course, oblivious at best. But then, then the party begins. All for one sheep. And it was just an ordinary sheep, not a particularly special sheep, not really his favorite.
It wasn't as if this guy had won the sheep lottery. He had 99 others just like it, so he wasn't hurting for sheep. This guy had definitely lost his mind.

If theres one thing I've learned, it's that God just keeps on doing crazy things like that. Jesus made it quite clear throughout his ministry that the people who were considered the very least, the very lowest, were the ones who were sought out, the ones who were invited to his table first. This absolutely outraged the scribes and Pharisees who, first of all, would never even consider being near people of lower status, much less share food with them, and second, just couldn't wrap their minds around the idea that these people were first in the eyes of God, ahead of themselves. They saw this as absolute proof that Jesus was a phony. No son of God would sit with the unclean and dishonor the Sabbath. But these men, they knew the law down to the letter. They knew it inside and out. They never strayed, never wavered, never got lost.
Why then, were they not to be first in the sight of God?

While Jesus speaks his parables for all to learn from, he is aiming these particularly at the scribes and Pharisees who have been hounding him recently. When he makes the statement that "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance," he's taking a little jab at those self-righteous religious authorities. They make it a point to follow the law down to the letter, and to make sure that others know it. But the spirit of the law was, well, lost on them.

To drive it home, Jesus repeats the theme in the parable of the woman who loses a coin in her home. She lights a lamp, using precious oil, and sweeps the whole house looking for that coin.
When she finds it, she has a celebration with all her neighbors in attendance. After burning the oil and offering hospitality to her guests, it probably ended up costing her almost as much as that coin was worth in the first place. She, too, had clearly lost her senses! Why on earth would you hold a party for a lost coin?

Maybe it would help to see things a little differently: Suppose one of you took a hundred junior high kids to King's Dominion--and one of them gets lost. What would you do? You would leave the other 99 alone on the water slide and go looking for the one who was lost--even if this was the same kid who wandered off at McDonald's when you stopped for lunch, even if this was the same kid who got your bus pulled over by the state police because she'd been throwing paper airplanes out the window at passing motorists. You go looking for this child until you find her--alone and scared--and you are so happy that you both start to cry. You swoop her up and you carry her on your shoulders back to the waterslide. Then you call everybody together and say, "I'm so happy I found the one who was lost! Let's celebrate! Let's all go get ice cream, my treat!"

That's pretty much the message Jesus was trying to convey to the Pharisees: Of course you go and search for the lost one! Except instead of kids, for whom everybody has a soft spot, especially when they're lost and afraid, Jesus talked about sheep and coins, and the ones who searched for them weren't "good people." It was a toothless shepherd looking for the lamb and it was a woman looking for the coin and everybody knew that women and shepherds were only a step or two above animals anyway. And when you think about it, what fool would leave ninety-nine healthy sheep alone to fend for themselves on the hillside (where wolves might be hiding) while he goes looking for only one?

Well, call God a fool, but there you have it. Jesus makes it pretty clear from his ending words,
that God is the shepherd figure seeking the lost sheep and the woman who is looking for her coin. When we are the lost ones that sounds like pretty good news. But when we're among the 99--which is probably where you and I spend most of our time grazing--well, then, it may not sound like such good news. How do we feel when God leaves us alone to go off in search of and to bring back one who was lost, one of whom we may not readily approve? How do we feel when God has left us sitting at the church house and has gone down to the projects? Could we then share heaven's joy when a lost one is found?

Sure, it's certainly harder when we're the ones waiting while God is out searching. But the nice thing about parables is that there is hardly ever just one way to look at them. We can easily slip into the role of the shepherd or the woman. We become the seekers, the ones searching for the lost.

Sure, it's a little different when people are lost, as opposed to sheep and coins. Sheep and coins aren't really all that good at finding their own ways home again. Of course, we aren't always
so good at that either, come to think of it. That's why we come here each week, to remind ourselves that God is with us, searching for us when we are lost,celebrating when we are found.

Everyone gets lost from time to time. We wander away, distracted by some new interest, some fleeting fancy. There's a word for that; we call it sin. And as Presbyterians, we believe that folks sin fairly often. That's why we insist on having confession as part of our worship. Isn't it nice to know that each time you are lost and find your way back home, back to this sanctuary, back with the flock, so to speak, that there is a celestial shindig going on just for you?! It's really rather awe inspiring to me. And while God is having that heavenly bash, we get to see just a glimpse of it each week, here, together. When we worship, we witness God's amazing mercy
in the songs we sing, in the words we hear and speak. It is a celebration of coming together as a community, as a complete body.

I also think it really ticks off some of the people who are very cautious to not get off the beaten path. The ones who spend their days carefully following the map and checking the compass so they don't stray off course. They might even have an alternate route planned out in case of road construction. That would have been the scribes and Pharisees to a 'T.' You might even know a few of those people yourself. Some might call them self-righteous. They are often the ones heard muttering to themselves, "Look at those wastrels; what were they thinking wandering off like that? It's their own fault they were lost. Why waste time and energy searching for them? And now look, there's going to be a party in their honor! What nonsense! They should never have gone off in the first place!" The truly good news is that God is not like that! God will search for us every time we wander off and celebrate just as heartily at every return.

We tend to forget that we should be celebrating too. But all too often we hear, and perhaps think to ourselves, "Why should I help so-and-so? He got himself into that mess. He can get himself out." The problem with that, I think, is that when someone is lost, they usually don't know which way to go to get un-lost. That is why God is searching so diligently for them. We have to remind ourselves, and perhaps also each other that God has searched and celebrated for us all,
many times over. Rather than being envious of the one whose turn it is for a party, why not join in, throw some confetti, have some cake.

Getting lost, I think, is truly a part of our journey. If we never got lost, how could God hold a party when we were found? And I'm pretty sure God likes a good party. We can even learn things from being lost, like not to take that same path a second time, or how scary it can be
to be separated from our familiar surroundings, and how wonderful it is to return home to a God who celebrates our arrival. Being lost can be awful. It can drive you crazy enough to lose your mind, but grace is even crazier. Because no matter how careful we are to follow the directions,
even the most careful of Christians will step off the path, whether it's to smell the roses,
or avoid the mud puddle. It will happen. But next time you're losing it, remember that God is always looking for us, seeking us out, waiting with the balloons and streamers for our return.
Amen.

It's been a long time...

... since I've written a sermon, that is. Much longer than I would have liked. Well, since I could pretty much pick any scripture I wanted, I used a very scientific method of selection-I picked the lectionary for my birthday. :) I guess it's a good thing it's on a Sunday this year, huh? I'll let you know how it goes next weekend.

In other news, L took to her big girl bed like a fish to water. She loves to bounce, and the cat thinks we put it in there just for him to take naps. I thought it would make her small room seem crowded, but because it isn't as tall as the crib, it actually makes it feel a little bigger.

We're gonna take her to the pool this afternoon. It's been in the hundreds the last week and doesn't look to cool off anytime soon. Our county happens to have a fabulous water park/pool and it just happens to be about a mile from our house. Since it's only about $5 a person to get in, it sure beats the Way-Overpriced-National-Chain-Waterpark. Plus, it's way closer. It's supposed to stay a little overcast today, so it'll be "cooler," only in the mid-90's.

Time for a quick catch up

Well, we had a wonderful trip to Canada. The weather was really nice, warm during the day and cool at night. Even the day we had rain was nice. The rain was lovely to hear pattering on the water and in the leaves. I got to hear the loons call, probably my favorite lake sound. We went out in the boat and took some wonderful pictures.

Here are a few more of the lake and the "cottage" we stay in (all boats have to go under the bridge to get from the cottage out onto the lake):

On a different note, I have a face-to-face interview with The Church Much Nearer to the In-laws in the middle of August. I'm already nervous about that. Last time I had one of those, they picked the other candidate, so I'm already psyching myself out about my chances. Prayers please.

We'll be celebrating L's third birthday this coming weekend. My family is trekking down from N'ville to be with us and bring her her new big girl bed. She's been needing it for a while, but we could just never coordinate schedules and U-hauls to get it down here. I think she'll be excited. She got to pick out the comforter and sheets a while back and she loves to pull them out and "nest" in them. I can't believe she's almost 3! More on that later...

Second one down

I wanted to make this a separate post since it's a totally separate matter. But I did have my other phone interview with the Church Much Closer to the In-Laws. They really seemed interested in me. We talked for close to an hour, and it was a good hour, not the kind that seems to never end. By the close of the conversation, they were already asking me when I could come up for a neutral pulpit. So pretty soon after returning from Canada, it looks like I'll be off on another trip of a much different nature. I'm hoping they'll feel like flying me up there, I don't think I really want to drive for 9-10 hours before preaching and then turning around and doing it again to come home. Especially if I have to do it alone, which it looks like I may have to since P will be negative on vacation after we get back from Canada.
This church did exactly what I hoped and asked good questions. It was clear they'd read my PIF and drawn questions from it and they'd been well led by their interim as to who they are and what they need from a pastor. I was pretty impressed. And I think they were too, which is a very good thing for me.
On the other hand, I have no idea what this area will be like to live in, other than it seems to be rather expensive, at least the housing market is. But then again, this church is also offering a whole lot (and I mean a whole lot) more to a first time pastor than anywhere else I've looked. Of course, it's also fairly close to a very popular east coast beach area, and though I don't go beach crazy like some folks, I do enjoy it on occassion, but even better is that it's also right on a reservoir that is a great recreational lake area. I need to do a little research on the area. But it is well-populated enough to be a likely area for P to find a job too. That's my main concern on the family front.
Well, I do need to get going on all that post-vacation-no.-1 laundry. I'll let you know how things are going. I hope to hear back from Church Much Nearer to My Family soon about whether or not they want to do a face-to-face or let me go. That'll be big news. Until then.

The In-Between

Well, we had a wonderful time with the in-laws this past week. We got home in the evening on Saturday. The animals were happy and healthy. (we decided to go with a house sitter rather than board them and I know that really helped them-and us-feel better.) I got to rest and let the grandparents take care of L. As I suspected might happen, L finally decided that the potty wasn't so bad and just about overnight she's potty trained. (I'm doin' the happy mama dance over here!) She only had one accident at the in-laws, and thank goodness it was on the hardwood kitchen floor, not on their carpet.
The weather up there was really pretty good. It was much cooler than down here and we went to the Baltimore Zoo on Tues. It was surprisingly good. We saw polar bears, giraffes, elephants, penguins, and a lot of other cool animals, but those were the favorites.
Here is where I pause to thank the stars that I have wonderful in-laws and we all get along well. MIL really helped out and we took turns taking L to the potty about every 10 minutes (or at least it seemed that way). L took a real shine to her Uncle M, daddy's younger bro by about 3 years.
Now that we're home I have to unpack, wash and repack for our trip to Canada. I really can't wait! I know the driving will be long and tiring, but I really can't wait to canoe and boat and watch loons and muscrats and herons on the lake. I'll try to post some pics when we get back since I've talked about it so much lately.
Well, I need to start my lists of things to do and find before we leave again on Friday.

Friday Five: Gifts and Talents

Posted at RevGalBlogPals by Sally

Our Circuit (Methodist) is having a "Gifts and talents day" tomorrow- we have a minister visiting from another circuit who has modified the Myers Briggs personality test and added a few things of his own to run a day where we get to look at ourselves in the light of giftings and of the whole church. The idea is to encourage everyone with the news that there is room for you in the ministry of the church- and perhaps to discover where that ministry might be.....
It should be an interesting day, and one where I hope people will leave feeling encouraged and challenged...
So with gifts and talents in mind here is todays Friday 5;

1. Personality tests; love them or hate them?

I think they're fun, as long as they don't get too bogged down. I don't take them particularly seriously though. I also think most of them are a little too easy to manipulate.

2. Would you describe yourself as practical, creative, intellectual or a mixture ?

Definitely a mixture. Very creative, certainly intellectual in the sense that I love learning. I could easily become a perpetual student. And a little bit practical-mostly because I'm the one who has to take care of the household: bills, child, animals, meals, shopping, etc. If I didn't have all that, I'd certainly be less so, wanting to take off and be impulsive, doing things like eating out all the time, buying lots of gadgets and shoes I don't need, being a lot more selfish.

3. It is said that everyone has their 15 minutes of fame; have you had yours yet? If so what was it? If not, dream away; what would you like it to be?

I'm not sure. I did get my face up on the big screens at a General Assembly way back when I was about 17. I did have a few strangers recognize me afterwards. But really, I'd like to publish some day. I'm not sure in what genre though. I always wanted to write and illustrate my own children's book. There are so few good children's religious books that aren't just retelling Bible stories. (If you are looking for some though, Jewish Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso has written several that are wonderful!)

4. If you were given a 2 year sabatical ( oh the dream of it) to create something, would it be music, literature, art.....something completely different...share your dream with us...

Oh! It would be art. I have just picked up my sketching and watercolors again. I just finished a pencil sketch of a photo of P and L taking a nap together. I would love to travel and sketch and paint all the places I go. I'd love to take some lessons to learn more and maybe pick up another medium-I'd love to learn to throw pottery!

5. Describe a talent you would like to develop, but that seems completely beyond you.

I would love to be a really great photographer. I take good pictures now, but I just don't have the "eye" for great photos. I also get really confused with all of the shutter speed and aperature settings and the little things that make for really great pictures. Not to metion, I don't have the $$$ to get a good camera and lenses right now. (I'd love one of those relatively new Nikon D40 DSLRs.)

Bonus question: Back to the church- what does every member ministry mean to you? Is it truly possible to encourage/ implement?

I totally think it's possible. I absolutely believe in "the priesthood of all believers." I think one of the biggest parts of my job as a minster is to facilitate congregation members in discovering and using their particular gifts and talents to better serve Christ and the world. When people learn where their talents lie and how to best put them to use, they often are infused with that passion that makes them actually want to serve.

Vacation=Relaxing??!!

Ah, this weekend begins the marathon vaction spree. We leave early, and I mean early, on Saturday to drive all the way to MD to see the in-laws. My darling P is what I like to call a "trip Nazi." There is a schedule, it must be adhered to at most, if not all, costs. Grumpiness and surliness ensue if this does not occur. I believe he intends to make the 14+ hour trip in one day. Did I mention our daughter is in the midst of potty training? I have a feeling this is going to be a rather tense trip. We will return, also in one day, one week later. Six days after we return, P working a full work week, we will begin our trek to my parents' place where we will all rent a minivan and begin our 2-day trip to Canada. We will spend those 5 days trying to recover from said trip, which usually takes till day 3 or 4, and then we will actually be relaxed for one or two days, and then make the trip back again. All with a potty-training almost-three-year-old. Thank God there will be family around to help! Am I looking forward to it? Sure, most of it anyway. I am very lucky to have wonderful relationships with both my own family and my in-laws. Will MIL hover and ask me a hundred times a day if I'm all right or if I'm sure of whatever decision I've recently made? Sure! But she means well and just wants everyone to be happy and she likes me and doesn't mind that I've married her son. And for that, I'm very grateful.
Well, I need to start preparing, at least mentally, for the trip. Ciao for now!

Friday Five: Hot Town, Summer in the City...

...or town, or suburb, or hamlet, or burg, or unincorporated zone, or rural area of your choice---pretty much anywhere but the southern hemisphere, it's summer. (Australians and others, consider this an invitation to take a break from winter for a while.)

1. Favorite summer food(s) and beverage(s)

Mmmmm, sweet corn, strawberries and tomatoes, all fresh picked. Also freezer pops, you know, the ones in the skinny plastic tubes in all kinds of colors. Home-made ice cream. Sangria and a frozen drink that my granddad was famous for called a peach pousee (sp?) made with frozen peaches, frozen o.j. concentrate and vodka (I switch that for rum, personal preference).

2. Song that "says" summer to you. (Need not be about summer explicitly.)

For some reason, the Top Gun soundtrack comes to mind.

3. A childhood summer memory

When I was a kid, my mom wasn't working and we would go spend pretty much the entire summer at her parents' home in Dallas. We'd take swimming lessons in the morning at the Y and swim in their pool all afternoon. Poppy would take us to the local library. There were usually grown-up parties once or twice in the summer and we'd get to stay up late and "attend" thinking how grown-up we were.

I also remember picking wild blueberries up in Canada and my great-aunt Helen gamely making blueberry pancakes with the 1/2 c. we'd manage to find. And my great-uncle Joe fileting the tiny little sun perch we'd catch off the dock and Marm making bite-sized fish nuggets with them.

4. An adult summer memory

Playing with L in the sprinkler and her little porch pool. Also, during one of our (almost) annual trips to Canada, watching the Leonid metor shower from the boat during a blackout from a recent storm; the sky was amazing!!

5. Describe a wonderful summer day you'd like to have in the near future. (weather, location, activities)

We're taking our trip to Canada soon, and I'd really love to see the Northern lights. That would be such a treat! But as for a whole day, it'd would start with waking up early and visiting with mom since we're the only early risers, having someone else care for L and not having to change diapers. Canoeing with P, maybe boating over to the swimming hole at great aunt Helen's and catching frogs with L. There'd be great food, maybe burgers and sweet corn and tomatoes for dinner and for sure, butter tarts!

Optional: Does your place of worship do anything differently in the summer? (Fewer services, casual dress, etc.)

We used to bump the service back half an hour and cancel SS for the season. But a few years ago they kept the worship time a half hour earlier year round, so now some of the classes, especially the children's and teens', don't meet for the summer.

one down...

Well, I had phone interview one of two. This was the one with Church Much Nearer to My Family and I think it went well. I'm never sure about how I come across since I know I tend to ramble a little when I'm nervous. I did wonder how they would feel if they knew I was sipping a gin-n-tonic while I was talking to them. Just to calm the nerves. Probably bad form, but it did help. I felt like I asked good questions (some serious thanks go to previous RevGals "Ask the Matriarch" posts), but I actually wish they'd asked better ones. I got the oh-so-typical, where do you see yourself in 5-10 years, what are your strenghs/weaknesses, etc. I do so wish they'd get a little more creative. I think for the next one I'll write down some responses to these typical questions since, as I said, I tend to babble when I'm nervous. If I have something to look at, I can keep myself on track better, I hope.
But on the other hand, it seemed to go well, and I hope to hear from them again. They are a relatively young congregation, about 30 years old, I think, and seem to be pretty forward thinking and open-minded. I think we'd do well together. Plus, I think it'd be a great place for our family (yeah, I know, I've said that before).
The next one I'm actually having to do while I'm on vacation. Oh well, it's better to interupt 30 minutes of vacation than risk not having a job. At least there'll be lots of in-laws to help care for L while I'm on the phone. That call will be in the next couple weeks and I'll let you know how it goes.

Finally Some Good News

I finally heard back from Church Much Nearer to My Family. You know, the one that asked for that infernal video? Well, they want a phone interview- a very positive step. And of course, out of the blue, I get contacted by another church in Mid-Atlantic East Coast state who found me through the CLC website. (That's Church Leadership Connection for all you non-presbys.) And I've still got a few out there in limbo. But it's nice to finally have someone want to speak with me, and not just one someone either. I try not to get too excited, but it's certainly much better than nothing at all which is what I've been hearing a lot of lately. So I'm having a little mini-celebration over here if any of you want to join me. No cake or anything, but maybe a bloody mary later in the day.

Friday Five: Getaway Island Edition

Posted by Cathy at RGBP:
We snitched a bit of time on a quiet island nearby this week. It was a last minute plan, escaping with a minimal amount of preparation. One must have essentials that make it a relaxing time. Perhaps you have had this opportunity to escape, or maybe it's only been a thought to get away. However, suppose you were told to pack some essentials for a trip to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Describe your location, in general or specific terms and....

Generally, it has to be next to water. My two favorite places I've vacationed were the Outer Banks, and the family 'cottage' in Canada (see previous posts). One is lake, one is ocean, so I'm not picky. Both have their different benefits. Quiet is a must. I love hearing the loons at the lake and the waves at the beach. Family and friends are a bonus. I don't much like being alone, even on vacation. What fun is fun if you can't share it? (That's just me.) But specifically, we are going to the 'cottage' in July so that is what I'll be referring to.

1) What book(s) will you bring?

Probably a couple of mysteries and, ok, maybe a 'trashy' romance (I'll be ordering an Amanda Quick from Paperback Swap soon). Oh, and word puzzle books! Especially since mom and sis will be there.

2) What music accompanies you?

Well, since we've got an IPod, lots. Favorites? Gaelic Storm and Matchobox 20 (for me), Indigo Girls and various classic rock (for P), Backyardigans (for L). We also have XM radio, so we'll listen to lots of other various stuff on the way. We have very wide and ecclectic tastes.

3) What essentials of everyday living must you take (as in the health and beauty aids aisle variety)?

The necessities are shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, razor, body wash (you know, hygene stuff). The rest (as in, could probably live without but why would I want to): Sunscreen, SPF 30 face moisturizer, bug spray, maybe a hair dryer, but that depends on how much room I have left in the suitcase. Make-up? Well, ok, probably my concealer, mascara and some blush, just in case we go out to dinner one night.

4) What technological gadgets if any, will you take with you or do you leave it all behind?

P has to have the IPod, especially in the car. I will leave the laptop, but I doubt P will be able to leave his behind. (He's just sure his office can't function without his input. Not good with work/family boundaries, is P.) We'll take the cell phones, but mostly just for on-the-road safety. XM radio for in the car.
I mostly read and knit on vacation. Nothing digital there.

5) What culinary delights will you partake in while there?

Well, we usually go to the local farmer's stands and see what's fresh. It depends on what's in season; In July it's usually strawberries and early corn. We also usually go to the little fish and chips restaurant in a neighboring town. It's called "Just for the Hallibut." Get it? :)

As a bonus question, what makes for a perfect day on vacation for you?

Having someone else change dirty diapers. 'Nuf said.

Adventures in Knitting

For those of you who are just sure that there could not possibly be anything adventurous about knitting, well, you're probably right, but it has its interesting moments at least.
So the adventure part is, I've been teaching P to knit, hoping that he can use it to tame his stress monster. Though at this stage I just hear him cursing at it a lot-not very stress taming it would seem. Hopefully he'll keep practicing and get better. I got him a great book, Knitting With Balls: A Hands-On Guide to Knitting for the Modern Man. Lots of fun stuff that men might actually wear or use. At this point though, he's still working on the practice square.
Me, I'm knitting hats and gloves for the friends moving from AZ to MI. I'm pretty certain that no one in their family has ever lived north of the Mason-Dixon line. And while I've done the majority of my living in the south, I did spend 8 years in northern IN, so I have a pretty good idea of how cold it's gonna get up there. They're going to have to get very familiar with down and wool. Hopefully no one's allergic!
I've never knit gloves before. That's my other adventure. Socks are one thing, but the half-fingers on the glove are going to be a challenge. The ones I'm knitting are those convertible fingerless glove/mitten things. I'm also about three iches away from finishing P's socks. Hopefully I'll get those done today or tomorrow. Then I can post a new picture of the next project!

Friday Five: Hopes, Visions, and Dreams

Wow this is my first ever Friday 5.....and I hope you'll like it...

My house has been full of young people all week, young people who have just left school, young people with an eye on the future. Their laughter energy, and hope are infectious, so with that in mind- this Friday 5 is about hopes, visions and dreams; by Sally at RGBP

1. Think back to the time you left High School, what were your hopes visions and dreams for your life/ for the world?

I don't really remember what I was dreaming when I left high school, but my oldest and fondest childhood dream was to be a great ballet dancer. Shoulda realized that that was gonna be out when I had to special order my shoes 'cuz my feet were too big. Oh, and I have all the grace of a charging rhino.

2. Have those hopes visions and dreams changed a lot, or are some of them still alive and kicking? (share one if you can)

Hmm, I think that dreams change as circumstances change, and certainly things have changed since high school. I don't really remember having anything but childish dreams (cute boyfriend, new car, better wardrobe, etc.) Now I'm happy to be a mom, drive a car with enough room for kid and kid stuff, clothes that don't wrinkle or stain easily, and having the AC work this summer.
3. Hebrews 11:1 " Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. " Comforting, challenging or frustrating?

Some of each. I have felt each of those at times with this idea. Course, I don't think the author of Hebrews was thinking of the kind of hopes that most high schoolers are hoping- like no zits on prom day and that mom and dad won't find out about that night you snuck out. That doesn't seem to have much to do with faith.

4. If resources were unlimited, and you had free reign to pursue a vision what would it be?

I desperately want some art training. Painting and pottery are my top two picks. I have dabbled in watercolor, oils and some slab pottery. At this point I just don't have room, time, or money to really work on any projects.

5. Finally with summer upon us- and not to make this too heavy- share your dream holiday....where, when and who with...

We're going up to Canada for a week with my family. My grandmother, Marm, as we call her, has a lake 'cottage' (cottage is in quotes because it's a 6 bedroom, two story, 4-season home that only gets used in summer) that we will all descend upon in mid-July. We'll canoe, hear loons call, catch frogs, go visit Marm's sister on the other side of the lake in their 'cottage,' and generally be lazy. It's on a beautiful lake in Ontario full of little rocky outcroppings and islands, smartly named Stoney Lake. Our family has been vacationing there since my dad was a kid. I took sailing lessons there... sorry, I'm reminiscing here. Lots and lots of fond memories. I love it there, so it's a dream come true for sure.
I would also love to take my mom and sister to Italy, where I spent three weeks during a spring term course in college and show them the places there I fell in love with. Also, I miss our trips to the Outer Banks that we did with P's family and some family friends a couple of times.

So take some time out re-visit you hope and visions...

Oddly Accurate...

Your Dominant Intelligence is Interpersonal Intelligence

You shine in your ability to realate to and understand others. Good at seeing others' points of view, you get how people think and feel. You have an uncanny ability to sense true feelings, intentions, and motivations. A natural born leader, you are great at teaching and mediating conflict. You would make a good counselor, salesperson, politician, or business person.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Friday Five: Hard Habit to Break

"As many of you know, I have been experimenting with some severely curtailed Internet usage. I realized that I had gotten into some bad habits, which got me thinking about habits in general. I understand that a habits/random facts meme has already been going around. In the hopes that it hasn't hit too many of us yet, be as lighthearted or as serious as you'd like with the following:" -reverendmother

1. Have you ever successfully quit a bad habit, or gotten a good habit established? Tell us about how you did it.

I have a terrible time with keeping habits, good or bad. I get tired of "sameness," so I don't often do the same thing over and over. We faithfully recycle; does that count?

2. "If only there were a 12-step program for _________________!"

Chocolate! It ruins my good weight loss intentions about once a month.

3. Share one of your healthy "obsessions" with us.

Hmm, I think books might be an obsession in this house. We have shelves and shelves of them and I can't bear to part with them. Sure, I trade a few with family and even a few on Paperback Swap, but mostly, we just collect and let them gather dust.

4. Share the habit of a spouse, friend or loved one that drives you C-R-A-Z-Y.

Most of P's bathroom habits drive me nuts. Magazines everywhere, globs of toothpaste in the sink, tinkles all over the toilet seat, and trash all over the counter (even though there's a trash can right under the sink). Having separate bathrooms has saved this marriage without a doubt.

5. "I'd love to get into the habit of ___________________."

Exercise! I've tried and tried and, well, like I said, I'm not good at routine or habits, so I usually quit after a few days. No time, no energy, achy knees, lots of things get in the way (mostly excuses, though). So I'd really like to be able to drag my "not even remotely a morning person" carcass out of bed earlier and exercise before L gets up, but so far I'm not doing so good with that.
I also really want to try to walk more often.

Bonus: What is one small action you might take immediately to make #5 a reality?

I just got a bellydance DVD and it's low impact so I think that will at least keep the achy knees at bay, plus I got a gorgeous coin scarf to wear while I was at our local RenFest, so that's a fun motivation to do it. It jingles so prettily!

Bonus 2: Try it, and let us know how it goes in a future post!

Will do! I hope it's lots of fun.

Old Friends and New Additions

I got a phone call, just out of the blue today, from the woman who is probably my closest and dearest friend from seminary. It was so good to hear from her. She took her first call way out in the Wild West Wilderness and it's been hard to keep in touch. She has a daughter about 5 months younger than L, so that keeps her busy too. But we talked for probably and hour and a half today. It was so nice to hear from her, though it made me acutely aware of how much I miss her. I was very emotional when I hung up the phone. It turns out she's taking another call, though it's really not any closer to us, just a different far away place.
On the other hand, it inspired me to call another dear seminary couple only to find out that they've recently had a baby girl-their first child. You can find out about more about her at Concrete Wilderness. I had to teasingly berate them for not letting us know about this momentous occasion. I couldn't believe we hadn't talked in over 9 months to know about that!!
It was so nice to catch up. None of us are very good at keeping in touch. This was just what I needed in the midst of the frustration of call searching. Praise God for such wonderful friends!

Friday Five: Big Event Edition

Did you know that the major purpose for forming a non-profit, RevGalBlogPals, Inc., was to be able to attract grant support for a large scale RevGalBlogPal meetup? My dream from the beginning has been attracting financial support that would allow as many of our bloggers to be together as possible.
RGBP, Inc. now has a planning committee, and we are in the early stages of planning the RevGalBlogPal Big Event. What, When, Where and Who are all on the table at the moment. In that spirit, I bring you the Big Event Friday Five.
1. What would the meeting be like? (Continuing Ed? Retreat? Outside Speakers? Interest Groups? Workshops? Hot Stone Massages? Pedicures? Glorified Slumber Party?)

I'm thinking sort of a combo of the above. Kind of a girlfriends get together, informal time to talk about what we do and how we do it, bring in a speaker and have a few groups or workshops. I think that having ample unstructured time would be good so people who know each other can catch up and people who don't can meet and find out about God's work through other's lives.

2. When in 2008 might you be able to attend? January? Shortly after Easter? Summer? Fall? Some other time?

Can't say at this point. Though I vote in warmer weather (refer below), maybe in May sometime.

3. Where would your dream meeting location be? (Urban Hotel? Rural Retreat Center? New England Camp? Southwestern Fantasy Hotel? Far away from civilization? Nearby Outlets or Really Great Thrift Stores?)

Oh, I so vote for a beach area! Outer Banks are my personal fave!

4. Who would make a great keynote speaker? (That's if #1 leads us in that direction.)

I kinda think it might be fun to invite PeaceBang to speak or at least do a workshop. I know lots of us read her Beauty Tips for Ministers site and she seems like someone I'd love to meet!

5. Did I leave out something you want to suggest?

Chocolate needs to be incorporated somehow. Maybe a knitting group, for people to share their tips and for anyone who wants to learn.

Hard to hear

When we were first married, P and I discussed the future. We thought we'd like to have a couple of kids: me, two girls (like me and my sister), him, one of each. I said I could live with that as long as the first one was a girl. I have no idea how to parent a boy, I told him. Well, many years later, we have a wonderful little girl; she'll be three this summer. So, it took me a while to feel ready, but I'm finally feeling the urge to have another bundle of joy soon. A sibling, someone L can play with and help be responsible for. I bring this up to P. I figured he'd say that we should wait until I find a call. I agree, at least to a point. (That is, I agree unless it looks like it'll take another year to find one.) But no, he says he doesn't think he wants another one. At all. Probably not ever. That knocked the breath out of me. I still have trouble breathing just thinking about it. I can't imagine my life without another child. I feel like I'd be cheating L out of the joy of having a sibling. I feel like our family would be incomplete. I also worry that if they're too far apart in age, they won't have a chance to be close to each other. (I'm not a child pschologist, so I don't actually know if that's true or not. But I still worry about it. It just seems like it'd be more like having two only children, rather than siblings.) So, I'm feeling rather heart broken these days. It's not a totally closed case, but it's still hard for me to imagine life with just one child; that's not how I ever envisioned my family. I really don't know what will happen if he decides that it's a final decision. Prayers for us all, please.

J. F. and God

So is anyone else really curious about what kind of conversation God and Jerry Falwell are having about now? I sure am! Prayers for those who will mourn him.

Friday Five: Potato, Po-tah-to

There are two types of people in the world, morning people and night owls. Or Red Sox fans and Yankees fans. Or boxers and briefs. Or people who divide the world into two types of people and those who don't. Let your preferences be known here. And if you're feeling verbose, defend your choices!
1. Mac? (woo-hoo!) or PC? (boo!)Why yes, the Friday Five author reserves the right to editorialize!
PC, though more specifically, HP. I love my HP. It's much better than the other PC laptops I've owned and BTW, there's no way I'm trying Vista.

2. Pizza: Chicago style luscious hearty goodness, or New York floppy and flaccid?
None of the above. Give me a thin and crispy Margharita Neopolitana. Yeah, I've been to Italy, so there.

3. Brownies/fudge containing nuts:a) Good. I like the variation in texture.b) An abomination unto the Lord. The nuts take up valuable chocolate space.
Oh, 'b' for sure. Nuts are just that, nuts. Why in the world would you waste valuable chocolate space on them? I'd make an exception for caramel perhaps, but never nuts.

4. Do you hang your toilet paper so that the "tail" hangs flush with the wall, or over the top of the roll like normal people do?
I guess I'm normal (at least in that respect). I don't think it's as easy to get a hold of the TP if it's up against the wall.

5. Toothpaste: Do you squeeze the tube wantonly in the middle, or squeeze from the bottom and flatten as you go just like the tube instructs?
hmm, I like the use of the word 'wantonly' here, because I am certainly a middle squeezer, so maybe that's a latent wanton tendency trying to come out in a polite and non-threatening way.

Bonus: Coffee or tea? Ok, well, since it's my bonus, I get to say both. In the a.m., it's coffee, fully leaded, often with some ff flavored creamer involved. In the p.m., I stick to tea, usually herbal, unless it's an afternoon tea party with biscotti or scones involved. Then I go for the real deal.

Another day, another...

...church to send a PIF to. Well, since I'm still waiting around to hear from the other two, might as well hedge my bets. This one sounds up my alley theologically, it's in a city that P can almost certainly find a job in, so might as well test the waters and see if they're interested. I was surprised to hear Dad say that when he was looking for churches back in the day, most pastors and churches only looked at one church/candidate at a time. All I can say is, I don't have that kind of patience. Besides, I like to have options. :) What do some of you RGBP's think about that? I'm sure different denominations have different regulations, too.
On a completely different note, all you moms who might be reading this, got any ideas on what to do with frozen bananas? I have 10 or 12 in the freezer now that L's favorite thing to do is beg and plead for a banana, take one bite and be done. I try to convince her that she really doesn't want it, but she insists and it IS fruit and healthy and I don't want to discourage her eating good things, but... anyway, any ideas? We can only eat so much banana bread.

Outside the Bounds

Well, trying to get the two-minutes-or-less video out the door today. Finished production last night. Typing without sentence subjects due to having only had a couple sips of coffee so far. (...shlirk...) Ahh, that's better.
Anyway, it was a stretch of my technological capabilities. I learned how to narrate a PowerPoint and also turn it into a Flash video so that someone can view it on Windows Media Player or whatever their choice of video viewer may be. Now I'm trying this website called YouSendIt. A friend recommended it for sending large files. You basically upload a large file, it sends the recipient an email saying it's on their server, and they go download it. Voila! No email backup waiting for a huge file to download, or wondering if it ever made it through SPAMblocker.
Speaking of trying new things, has anyone else tried OpenOffice? It's a completely free, no-strings-attached office suite. It's compatible with all Microsoft Office programs, but it's NOT Microsoft. It has all the good stuff, like a PowerPoint producer (that's what I actually did the beginnings of the video on,) and Excel, Word, a spreadsheet, and I think Publisher, plus a couple other things. I really recommend checking it out here. I just got it recently so I haven't even tried out most of it, but I really like what I've seen so far.
Well, I can see the bottom of my coffee cup. Time for a refill.

Great News!!

Well, if you've kept up with my dilema, you know I recently had only one church that had contacted me so far about pursuing a call. Well, no longer!! I got contacted today by Church Much Nearer to My Family, and it's in a city where P can almost certainly find a job and not have a monster commute. I believe his company actually has an office in this city, so he could just transfer. This is so good, because the longer I have to think about it, the more I'm thinking my childhood issues with poor, small towns could be a big problem if I tried to work in an even smaller and poorer town than the ones I grew up in. I'm still open to a face-to-face interview, but, well, this new opportunity is really the kind I was hoping for all along, good for the entire family, I think.
If any of you have had an experience where you've had to choose between a job that is more certain, and waiting for a call that is less so, I'd love to hear about it and the outcome.

RGBP Friday Five: What Are You...

1. Wearing
Ok, ok. It's after noon and I'm still in PJ's. More descriptively, the PJ's consist of a navy blue Old Navy tank (or cami as they're called these days) and P's cotton flannel red/navy plaid drawstring pants.

2. Pondering
What to do with Little One today so she doesn't veg in front of TV all day. Also, how to prepare a 2 minute or less intro to me for Church Much Nearer to My Family that contacted me today!!! (see above for more info)

3. Reading
Well, I'm still working on Cahill as shown to right. I'm also reading Murder on Capital Hill, by Margaret Truman. I've been reading Green Eggs and Ham a lot to LO lately, her current fave. I also just finished Passionate Marriage by David Schnarck (great name, huh?) I really, really recommend this for anyone in a committed relationship or for pastors who do couples counseling, even just premarital.

4. Dreaming
That I'll get the call to Church Much Nearer to My Family (and in a city where P could get a job without a monster commute!)

5. Eating
Just finished a cup of coffee with Chocolate Caramel creamer (treat while P was out of town, but there's a lot left.) It's time for lunch though, so I'm thinking a half a wrap (LO gets other half) and a bowl of soup.

Guilt Trip

I let myself be guilted into playing my flute in worship this week at the church that I don't really even attend any more. I still go to handbell rehearsals and I go to the young adult group meetings, but I'm ever so not fond of the relatively new pastor, so I don't go to worship there. And the thing is, I'm not really all that good a flautist. I never practice unless someone asks me to play for worship, so my lips are really out of shape. But, I'm also free! This is my main draw. And they're in between music directors and the interim is out of town so they're having the applicants sub as guest organists, too. Good idea, really, but I felt bad for the guy since he was so excited to have a flute player when he's trying to impress the personell committee to hire him, so I agreed to play, which sucks because I forgot that this weekend is Li'l Sis's birthday (not a milestone, thank goodness) and though I hadn't planned on going to visit, she invited me about 20 minutes after I'd agreed to play on Sunday. Oh well, it's really better I don't go, so I don't have to pack up dog and toddler and cram them into small Saturn since big Jeep is broken. And for some reason, the dog always pees on my mom's carpet when we're there. Even if she's just been outside. Bad Dog! I'm sure she's just saying she doesn't like being away from home, but really, does she think it's better to be in a kennel at the vet's?!
I'm also feeling guilty that the house is not as clean as I'd like it to be for P to come home to, so I suppose I'll do a little more work before bed. However, I am very proud that not once did I let the dishes pile up in the last 11 days. So, I guess I'll get to work on the clutter... Really, I'm going... right now...

The Brighter Side

I had a conference call with my CPM on Tues. It's funny, I've been offering for the last 3 years to do the conference call thing, but this is the first time they've gotten around to it. Actually, it's the first time they've gotten around to any contact beyond the mass emails to ask if people are coming to the annual retreat for inquirers and candidates. I so don't feel like a candidate any more. I feel like now that I'm certified ready to receive a call, I don't really need someone looking over my shoulder. Well, that's just me. Anyway, I kinda got lost in the shuffle and they've pretty much left me alone for the past 3 or 4 years. It's been nice. I didn't really have the best relationship with the CPM when I was first an inquirer. There was an unusually disproportionate number of lay people on the committee. Their ideas of how to guide a pastor were to make sure s/he had read the entire Bible cover to cover (in order, like it was a novel), had memorized Robert's rules, and would disavow ordination of homosexuals. So, I really didn't get along with them so much. A couple of the pastors on the committee knew my father (yeah, I'm a PK) and didn't like his views on some things as well, so I got it hard from them too. Here's an example of a question I got at an annual review. "What's your favorite Bible verse?" Umm, I have to pick just one? There's a whole bunch to choose from and I'm not too good with decisions. The funny thing is, I had my study bible right in front of me. In it, I use yellow sticky notes to mark verses I like or that I think I would use frequently as prayers, calls, benedictions, whatever. There were dozens of them sticking out the top! And they wanted to know my favorite. That and I have never been one to memorize chapter and verse. It's just not my thing. Hence, the sticky notes. I know a few key verses (John 3:16, anyone?), but relatively few compared to the Bible-thumping evangelicals I know who have a verse for any occasion.
Anyway, this call was actually pleasant since only two of the committee members showed up for the meeting. Lucky me! They were nice and pleasant to speak with and seemed genuinely glad for me to have some possibilities for employment. Of course, somebody fell down on the job and forgot to mention (4 years ago) that they needed a final transcript from Seminary of the South. I know I forget things, but I'm pretty sure I'd have remembered if they told me that they were gonna need that to release me for a job. And especially since I did actually have a couple of possibilities that fell through right after graduation. They coulda told me then. Now I have to call up SS and get them to ready a transcript. I also need to find out where the committee wants me to mail the darn thing. (Presbytery office, committee chair's house or office, corresponding sec's home or office?) If they'd told me they needed it four years ago, I coulda just walked across the quad to the registrar's office. So much easier.
Ah, getting to that brighter side I mentioned in the title... P comes home tomorrow after an 11 day absence in the name of work. Now, I'm not complaining about the big, fat overtime check we'll get, especially since my Jeep needs a new transmission. However, 11 days straight is a dern long time to be away from home, especially for a little one who misses her Daddy's night-night kisses. Actually, I kinda miss them too. He was s'posed to be home tonight, but they were short-handed and made him stay the extra day. And he's also going away this weekend to go hiking with a college buddy who's having his first kid in June so this is kinda his last fling as a non-dad. It will be nice to have things back into a somewhat normal routine around here next week.

The Blessings of Family

I keep getting emails from people whose names I heard all growing up but can never quite put faces with. Turns out Dad is contacting everyone he knows in the PC(USA) to tell them his little girl is looking for a call. It's really nice to know I have that many people looking out for me. Kinda flattering really, though I know it's really more for love of him than me. Still, I have even gotten a couple of good leads that way.
My MIL was here over the weekend. She was so much help just entertaining L, that I actually got some time to myself. We all went to the opening weekend of the Renaissance Festival which was a great time. It was nice to go do something together as a family that we all actually enjoy doing. L is just old enough now to like the little petting zoo they have and some of the brightly colored costumes and the music. We'll go back at least once, probably on Highlands weekend so P can wear his kilt. MIL bought me a beautiful blown glass vase from a man who we've seen do demonstrations on several occasions. I'm excited to actually have a piece of his work.
On a totally different note, L read her first word today. "Zoo." She didn't actually sound out the letters, but she recognized it after reading it over and over and over and.... well, if you've ever read to a two year old, you know. That was pretty exciting and I had to tell all the grandparents. They were all suitably impressed and very proud. Me too.
P is gone all this week and part of next to Albany, GA, on a job. I really hate these long trips, especially when they encompass a weekend. He hasn't had one in a long time, so I guess I won't complain too much. At least not yet; I'll save that for closer to the weekend.

Beautiful Words

...they're just not mine. I read the blogs of friends and colleagues and people I don't even know, but respect through their wise words, beautifully written. I yearn to write words that flow like that, not quite poetry, but still with a rhythm and beauty that I just can't seem to manage. Sure, I can use nice words once in a while, but not the way some of you do. I can't quite manage the lyric quality that some of you posses. And I *want* to, I really do.
Only mostly off topic: So, I sent some sermon recordings to the PNC of the church that asked for them. They did get back to me for a phone interview. They say, "So, we were wondering if you were an English major. Your pronunciation is so good!" Argg! My pronunciation?! Ok, I wasn't an English major, in case you were wondering. I majored in Theology. That's right, not religion, Theology. Anyway, I was, however, on my high school's speech team for four years. But that was a looong time ago. We didn't do debate, we did monologues, dialogues, impromptu, there were all kinds of events. My AP English teacher believed that good diction was really important for those of us interested in higher education. He actually had the entire class practicing good pronunciation. It was kind of like the Professor and Eliza Dolittle in "My Fair Lady." Kinda funny now that I'm recalling it. Anyway, in the mid-west, where I was for h.s., they had several funny ways of saying things incorrectly. People often left out verbs. "It needs doin'," was one of my favorites. That thing with sirens to take sick people to the hospital? "Amblance" Doing the dishes? They're "warshed and rinched." (That's "washed and rinsed.")
Anyway, I'm going through all of this to say, yeah, I speak more clearly and confidently than a lot of people, but- they complimented my speaking, not my sermons!! Eesh! DH did help some when he told me that speaking clearly was actually something really important for PNCs since so many pastors don't. (He was on the PNC for the church we most recently attended.) And, as he put it, the best sermon in the world doesn't do anybody any good if no one can understand it.
Ok, but still... Eesh. Even pastors are allowed to have a little ego crisis, right? :)

So many projects, so little time.

I know most of my RGBP friends are working on Holy Week, pulling things together for Maundy Thurs, Good Fri, and maybe even an Easter Vigil before the big day of resurrection. While I don't envy them, I do miss preparing services and letting my creativity be used for God's purposes.
So, instead, I let my creativity be used for knitting purposes. I finished Sheldon last night and now I need to get back to the socks I was knitting for P that were interupted when DOF had her baby. Of course, that's not the only project I have going. Oh, no, not hardly. What else, you ask? Well, I'm also working on a lovely wool sweater for P-I shrank a store-bought one of his a while ago when he neglected to tell me he'd thrown it in with the regular laundry. Lesson learned: always re-sort hubby's laundry, even if he says he already has. I also have another pair of socks, okay, actually only one of a pair that needs a mate. Those are for me. I can't remember the last time I knit something for me. I wonder if that second sock will even get done. Someday, maybe. My sister asked for a pair of socks, but I don't even have the yarn for that yet. But it's always nice to know I have a project waiting. I also have a baby blanket that is perpetually in progress. I'm also working on a project to felt (shrink) that will become a needle case for all of my loose knitting needles. I'll have to start another Sheldon again here in a couple of months for a friend due towards the end of June. But until then, the socks are probably the way to go since it's getting quite warm down here in GA and an all wool sweater might be a bit uncomfy to sit under. And at some point, I really want to knit an adorable little wrap dress I saw for my Little One. So... let's get knitting!

Friday Five: Whatcha Doin'?

Name five things you plan to do today.

Well, I too, am not working today. So here is what I might, or might not, get done.

1. Make pizza dough. Homemade is P's fave. I want to have some to freeze for busy nights.

2. Take a walk with Little One. This will depend entirely on the cooperation of the weather. I'm not too hopeful at this point.

3. I also want to get a big jump on my knitting. I'm pretty sure that my dear high school friend has had that baby girl of hers by now. (She went in Monday night for an induction.) So I need to hurry up and finish Sheldon!

4. Look over some old sermons and see about transferring them to digital media.

5. Catch up on whatever I didn't get done M-Th. That might be a little ambitious. But I can at least get a jump on the laundry.

On the way...

P sent out the sermon CDs today. Getting them to .wav file wasn't nearly as hard as I'd thought it would be. But by now, FedEx has them en route. Kinda scary. 'Cuz here's the thing. This is the only church as yet that's gotten as far as asking for sermon recordings. But see, it's a church in a state that I don't particularly think I want to move to. Now, I know, I know, maybe God has other plans for me than I do. I don't discount that at all. It's still really hard though. I keep hoping another church somewhere else will step in and save me from having to move to this other place.
The other hard part is trying to find a church that's near enough to a good sized city so that P could also find a job. Oh, did I mention that I'm called to small church ministry? Yeah, that complicates things a little.
But I'm still waiting and I keep checking for more opportunities. Nothing's set in stone until I sign the papers, right? Prayers are welcome... no, coveted.

the digital age

So today my plan is to record old (some are very old) sermon tapes into a digital format so I have an easily accessible way to make CD's to send to churches who might, or might not, think it impressive that I did not send them cassette tapes to listen to. Videos are out since not a single church I've preached in has a camcorder, nor do I myself. ...Well, my digital camera takes about 60 seconds of video at a time, but that obviously won't do.
I have this fancy setup so I can either 1) record the cassettes from the stereo onto my hard drive, or 2) re-record from a microphone onto the harddrive. I gave myself option #2 because I don't know how good the quality of some of those older cassettes is going to be. I think it's pretty cool, but then, I'm easily impressed by technology. P has offered to take L out for the afternoon in case I need the quiet to re-record any of them. (Is that cheating since I'm not preaching in front of a congregation? Somehow it seems strange to send out a sermon I preached to my reflection. On the other hand, I did preach it at least once to a congregation. Maybe that's what counts.)
Either way, I think it's really cool that I'll have voice recordings of my sermons on my computer.

My first Friday five... A Matter of Taste

I need a quick break, and this seemed like a good things to do while I sip a cup of tea and then get back after it.

1. Seafood: especially shellfish- crab, lobster, scallops, etc. I love them all. P, well, I've seen him literally gag on a scallop I cadjoled him into trying one time.

2. Mushrooms: I love mushrooms. Sauteed in butter, sliced in a salad, in a marsala sauce, you name it. P feels the same way about mushrooms that he does about shellfish. He says it's a texture thing...

3. A softer matress: P likes it hard as a rock. I would love a nice fluffy pillow top... someday.

4. Herbal Tea: The people I work with think the world moves on caffeine and can't understand why I drink the stuff. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my morning coffee too, but I love to unwind with herbal tea when I don't want the caffeine. I've been asked numerous times, "What's the point?" I think it would be useless to try and explain it to a non-tea drinker.

5. Warmed Leftovers: That's right, I like to reheat last night's casserole before I eat if for lunch. I like to zap leftover spagghetti in the microwave before I enjoy it again. P just doesn't understand why I bother. I think he's passing this on to L, too. I saw them sharing cold spagghetti-o's the other day. Ick!

Chocolate and...

I'm curious to know what your favorite addition to chocolate is. Or if you're a purist, whether it's to milk or dark.
Personally, I think dark chocolate covered marzipan is the best combo, otherwise, plain dark is the way to go. I like chocolate and cherry, too, though, and orange, oh, and that Hagen Daaz (sp?) Mayan chocolate with the cinnamon, mmmm!!!! OK, so really chocolate isn't bad with much of anything. If you have an opinion, weigh in (and just blame it on water weight, not the chocolate.)

Knitting therapy and Jesus bones(?!)

Well, at the moment I am, let's say, between jobs. I am seeking a call at the moment, and even have some irons in the fire, but the staying at home full time in the meanwhile is a bit much on the nerves. So, I knit... a lot. (I still maintain that it's a weight loss tool.) While Little One and I are having lots of fun together, I do look forward to handing her over to Daddy when he gets home. She's still at the age where she needs constant attention--though I'm not sure there's ever an age that doesn't, maybe once she moves out?
At the moment, I have 3 knitting projects going. A pair of socks for DH, a sweater for DH, and I'm trying my hand at felting, or fulling, as some people prefer to call it. It's cool. I did a swatch- you actually shrink things on purpose. I have a hard time with this, as the sweater I'm currently working on is to replace one that I shrunk accidentally. So I bravely knit on, knowing it will soon be 3/4 (or less!) it's original size.

Did anyone else watch the "Tomb of Jesus" docu-drama on Discovery last night? I thought it was well done. Maybe not scientifically iron-clad, but it put forth a lot of good questions. My DH, a good scientist and pretty good Presbyterian himself, has been talking about it alot and asking such good, heretical questions, as "So what? If the idea is that Jesus died for our sins, it's the dying that's important right? And if there are bones, there must have been death." Ooo, we had to have a discussion about the resurrection after that, but I'm not sure he's convinced. I'm also not convinced even a little that what they had on the film was the tomb of Jesus-though it was fun to talk about all the questions it raised. I love a good theological discussion late at night!