Happy Thanksgiving

So to all a good night...oh, oh, hmmm...yes.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

I thought perhaps to list all the things I'm thankful for, but alas no - my mood is just too snarky.

Break a leg - I mean wishbone for me.

Responding to a Tag

The tag goes like this: Explain why the books are essential reads, in 30 words or less. (For maximum fun, try for 30 words exactly).

(a) Fiction book
(b) Autobiography
(c) Non-fiction book
(d) A fourth book of your choice, from any genre

Fiction: The Death of Ivan Ilyich. Is this perhaps where the deathbed question of knowing whether you’ve lived a life filled with regret stems from? And the price one sometimes pays when they lose their voice.

Autobiography: Does thinly veiled fiction count? Anis Nin’s Incest – a reminder about narcissism. Jack Kerouac's On the Road – hmm, more about narcissism.

Non-Fiction: Why We Can’t Wait. He’s one of my heroes. When I daydream about writing sermons, he’s one person I want to emulate.

Fourth: Bible. While reading the whole book, there where all these moments oh whoa that phrase comes from here and here and wow who needs a self-help book when you’ve got the Bible.

snow

There was a light blanket of snow this morning...our daughter as she wakes us to words of “you went to bed and it snowed. Look see [she opens the blinds wide].” And there it is snow. The wife says snow is different then what she imagined (remember she’s a born Texan)…it’s cleaner then she thought.

Got some work done on the adult ed reflection piece I'm to teach. Looking forward to our daughter's first have a friend sleep over. Even looking forward to the cold ass walk to the library. Then coming home to hot chocolate with fruit flavored marshmellows (daughter's pick based on color), and then later nachos or maybe tacos if we decide to make homemade tortillas.

I need to do some EM prep, but my heart's not there for that task - most likely will find any excuse not to do this.

Would like to crochet today as well.

And she's down for the count

So - sometimes God just sucks. My family and I were finally getting into a groove, and then the landlord calls to say that they're thinking of possibly selling the house we're renting. The wife and I so don't want to move again...only to maybe be moving again. My perserverance well has finally gone dry. I am just bone tired. I had an email conversation with a friend who works where I used to work...and quite frankly I'm ready to throw the towel in...I give up. It really doesn't and didn't need to be this hard. If this is a test - I flunk. If this was a lesson for me to learn - I refuse. I am done. I am done. I am done. I don't even want to think about reasons why I should change my mind...but, I'll try. We'll see what a couple of weeks of soul searching will bring.

I feel like a bloodied boxer who only has one more round to go, and is down on the mat...hearing, slap - 1, slap - 2, slap - 3, slap - 4...do I really want to get back up? Can I really emulate Moses? Can I push through yet one more wall? And I just don't know.

This place has changed me, aged me, wearied me...the things that nurtured me just aren't here. How much more sacrificing?

Plan B is looking so good right now.

Presbyterians - A Call to Knit their Way to the Passage of Amendment 08-B

The wife and I are currently knitting and crocheting scarves for his effort. Here's some information from the website:

There are many reasons why the 218th General Assembly took such wonderful steps toward ending discrimination in the church against our LGBT sisters and brothers. All agree that one of them was the wonderful witness of the hand knitted rainbow scarves, which you created, which were seen everywhere at General Assembly!

Now we are asking you to once again get out your knitting needles and yarn to help approve Amendment 08-B in the presbyteries!

A Call to Knit and Pray Our Way to Passage of Amendment 08-B.

G-6.0106b in the Book of Order has discriminated against people who are LGBT in the church since it was approved in 1997. The 218th GA in San Jose this year approved the "Boston Overture" which replaces G-6.0106b with language that better reflects our Presbyterian tradition and removes language that was used to discriminate against people who are LGBT. The Boston Overture is now called Amendment 08-B and it needs to be approved by a majority of Presbyteries in order to be adopted into the Book of Order.

That's where you come in. We're asking people who support LGBT equality to once again knit rainbow scarves to send a message of LGBT equality to minister and elder commissioners in the Presbyteries. As we've seen, knitting can be a powerful force for justice in this church.

More information and instructions for creating the scarves go here: http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=knittinginthepresbyteries

Spiritual Direction with Supertramp

San to answer a question from a comment I posted on your blog...my SD asked me to visualize what my journey looked like at that point in time. So, I used crayons (or colors if your from Texas) and I drew a circle, within the circle I drew a flowly/flowing figure holding a shepherd's staff walking through the desert.

Prop 8 and Keith Olbermann

Change but Not Everything Does

I'm very excited by the possibilities - it's been a long time since the U.S. has truly had an inspiring President, and then there's the down side...Prop 8 passes in California, Arkansas bans gay adoption. Palin is greeted in Alaska to the chants of Palin in 2012 - I really hope she's not the direction the Republican Party wants to continue to go.

I wish that religion could be "used" in a radically healing and uniting way instead of creating the great divides of hostility.

I wish that religion and politics could begin to be used for universal good.

Maybe My Brian is Like Processed Cheese

Hmm...perhaps my title says it all :-) Mind you I like processed cheese...I miss cheese. It's one of the foods my body can't handle well anymore. But, my most favoritist way to eat Craft American Singles with 2% Milk is melted, melted cheese sandwiches with the cheese oozing out the sides with each bite...or perhaps dipped gently into tomato soup with rice...ahhh, does the heart good ;-)

As a kid food was more a necessity of life. We ate the same meal every week based on the day of the week, and often there was only enough for one serving. It wasn't until the I joined the militray were food suddenly wasn't in short supply. Generous portions and variety...it was for me a taste explosion. Then creating my own recipes with dishes full of color, full of vegetables. I still prefer more veggies to meat, which balances well for my wife and kids who prefer more meat to veggies.

My daughter has become quite a lousy eater, at least when it comes to dinner, and I see the look of horror in my sons eyes when the meal is leaning decidedly vegetarian. I try to explain/share with my children what it was like not to have variety nor enough to eat. But, well, you can't really. They relate better when we're able to tie it to exerpiences they've particiapted in.

The wife wanted to volunteer with our church at Salvation Army dinner. But, could only do so if the kids could come and particiapte as well. And they were able to, and it was a good experience for them to see and to give of themselves to others.

So food is a comfort for me now. And it is one of the ways I like to share best of my time with my friends, around a shared meal. Good food, good friends, good conversations, and maybe a popped button or two.