So, we thought that perhaps after the lanlords met us they would relax a little bit, but no - they haven't. Our last exchange with them (who we now think is actually just with the wife) will "scream" in her emails to us, perhaps she doen't realize that large bold font (and most times all caps) is poor email etiquette...but, saddly we think she does.
You would think that if a cable box is already attached to the house, and the cable company just needs a letter on file saying it's alright for them to provide service to the tenant- that this would be a no brainer question. No, instead she screams at us about not being allowed to put holes in her house and to stay out of her garden among other things. But, you see there's no garden, and we have no intention of anyone putting holes in house; we just wanted to turn on internet cable. Half of what she writes is just nuts. It's going to be a long year and we will be moving again; Whether or not I find out about seminary in time.
So, I've asked God to help us with this, with them, to keep us safe from them. To help me not react to the insanity...to just let it be, and well, we (the wife and I) need to be less open and friendly I guess. Which is so not who we are, but maybe it's a lesson about establishing protective walls against insane people. And I'm not one to put myself on intercessory prayer lists; I'm the one who prays for others, but I added me and my family because I just don't know what else to do.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Re:Post from Inch at a Time
It seems that as General Convention approaches the swords have begun to be drawn. If you're in the DofWTX your Bishop has been outed.
http://inchatatime.blogspot.com/2009/04/integrity-on-communion-partners.html
In particular the link: http://www.allsaints-pas.org/site/DocServer/Errant_Emails.pdf?docID=6761
Oh, this gets the teeth to grinding.
http://inchatatime.blogspot.com/2009/04/integrity-on-communion-partners.html
In particular the link: http://www.allsaints-pas.org/site/DocServer/Errant_Emails.pdf?docID=6761
Oh, this gets the teeth to grinding.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Brings Me Such Sadness and Such Hope
In my reading to get my head and heart wrapped around a possible ministry project that can help me grow and further my discernment of call, I've been doing alot of reading. I just started "Unbinding the Gospel" and I'm on page 17, and I just need to share:
There is so much I hope for, for my family, myself, my friends, my communities...so much I want to be able to share. Learning and getting over my fear of that sharing leaves me with hopeful knots, maybe the knots are the beginnings of Celtic love knots, God knots.
I asked my 'old' pastor for his thoughts on hospitality and I've been sitting with his thoughts. Thinking that his words are an affirmation towards where I'd like to go to and grow more into. So I'll leave you with his words ad libbed: The fruits of our stories, the ripe and the bruised are what change people.
"But I'll tell you, there is one thing that was really hard for
me to adjust to. I couldn't believe-I STILL can't believe -how the liberal
church that knows so much about God's grace doesn't understand the power of what
it has to share. And they don't share it!"
I asked my 'old' pastor for his thoughts on hospitality and I've been sitting with his thoughts. Thinking that his words are an affirmation towards where I'd like to go to and grow more into. So I'll leave you with his words ad libbed: The fruits of our stories, the ripe and the bruised are what change people.
Friday, April 17, 2009
What Im Up To
I haven't been up to keeping up with everybody's blog, barely keeping up with Facebook. Partly because I seem to be quite busy, the dealing with the landlord is amazingly draining and tension filled, but also I think because I've felt like I've been at a loss for words.
And with that...What has writing this (working on "assingment 2") been like?
Freeing and energy intensive...each piece of this requires that I go deep within myself, stay there long enough to hear what pieces are speaking to me and why, and only come back from that space just enough to be able to articulate what I had found within myself. Perhaps this is a muscle that is not used enough and tires easily, and once I get used to being in this in between space the breath I find I release once the writing stops is long and deep. I wonder if this is what sermon writing is like...but, then I think maybe it's a combination of this and an out flowing, out pouring that just comes easily and quickly.
I keep realizing how humbling this journey is, and I wonder at or if any transformation is happening. What part of this journey has strengthened me, what parts weakened - in what measure. But, that's an anwser that comes at the end.
At EFM this Wednesday, we were doing our Thelogical Reflection and it required a story from one of us, and since I really like the method we were going to use I got volunteered for providing the story which would ultimately lead us to a metaphor, which would lead us to at the very end, our Position statements of: I believe, I will, I have learned. In the end, at the end...what moved people the most was in the sharing of a story (albiet the story from myself as a 1st grader) that was about feeling exposed, humiliated, ashamed, embaressed. It started as a story about a child and a nun and chicken pox, which led to 10 other stories, which led to the end. That our stories have the power to transform ourselves and others (no matter how old these stories).
It is our stories which transform and bind, but which we are often too afraid to share, especially the ones in which we are vulnerable.
And with that...What has writing this (working on "assingment 2") been like?
Freeing and energy intensive...each piece of this requires that I go deep within myself, stay there long enough to hear what pieces are speaking to me and why, and only come back from that space just enough to be able to articulate what I had found within myself. Perhaps this is a muscle that is not used enough and tires easily, and once I get used to being in this in between space the breath I find I release once the writing stops is long and deep. I wonder if this is what sermon writing is like...but, then I think maybe it's a combination of this and an out flowing, out pouring that just comes easily and quickly.
I keep realizing how humbling this journey is, and I wonder at or if any transformation is happening. What part of this journey has strengthened me, what parts weakened - in what measure. But, that's an anwser that comes at the end.
At EFM this Wednesday, we were doing our Thelogical Reflection and it required a story from one of us, and since I really like the method we were going to use I got volunteered for providing the story which would ultimately lead us to a metaphor, which would lead us to at the very end, our Position statements of: I believe, I will, I have learned. In the end, at the end...what moved people the most was in the sharing of a story (albiet the story from myself as a 1st grader) that was about feeling exposed, humiliated, ashamed, embaressed. It started as a story about a child and a nun and chicken pox, which led to 10 other stories, which led to the end. That our stories have the power to transform ourselves and others (no matter how old these stories).
It is our stories which transform and bind, but which we are often too afraid to share, especially the ones in which we are vulnerable.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Easter
Thursday - water, feet, food
Friday - candles, passion, death
Saturday - remembering stories, baptisms and confirmations
Sunday - alleluias
Monday - transformation?
Friday - candles, passion, death
Saturday - remembering stories, baptisms and confirmations
Sunday - alleluias
Monday - transformation?
Thursday, April 09, 2009
A Game of Tag
The latest game of tag by way of Murat11 from the lands of a few other turtles. Answer all the questions, except one that you don’t like. Replace the unloved question with a new one of your own. Then, add a new question.
What is your obsession at the moment?
Radical Hospitality - how to embody it, live it, share it.
What are you not wearing at the moment?
A coat of many colors.
Do you nap regularly?
Not really intentionally. Sometimes while reading my head starts bobbing.
What do you want to change?
My new landlords...they suck.
What are you going to have for dinner?
Chicken Stir-fry
Your last purchase?
Raincoat for the daughter.
What are you listening to at the moment?
Nothing, well maybe the heater.
Favorite weather?
Hot and sunny, big blue skies.
Your goals?
Surviving Vermont, going to seminary.
Say something to the person who tagged you:
I haven't checked murat's blog yet, so I'll assume the tag. Of course I'll share my friend, but it's a few months coming.
Favorite vacation location?
California.
Films you can watch over and over again:
Imagine You & Me, Bound, The Matrix.
What movie(s) will you never see again?
Late Bloomers.
Favorite tea?
Iced green tea with fruit flavoring.
Book you are currently reading?
"Rising from the Ashes" and "Radical Welcome"
What do you want to do one day?
Be a Rector in a place my children can grow and call home.
Which quality would you like to have?
Patience
Name one of your qualities:
Compassionate
What are you waiting for?
And she just laughs and laughs and laughs.
Which old-fashioned trend do you hope will soon return?
Ethics.
One song you're embarrassed to admit to liking:
And you think I know it's name ;-)
Milkshake or crème brulee?
Milkshake
The Journey or The Destination?
The journey.
What is your obsession at the moment?
Radical Hospitality - how to embody it, live it, share it.
What are you not wearing at the moment?
A coat of many colors.
Do you nap regularly?
Not really intentionally. Sometimes while reading my head starts bobbing.
What do you want to change?
My new landlords...they suck.
What are you going to have for dinner?
Chicken Stir-fry
Your last purchase?
Raincoat for the daughter.
What are you listening to at the moment?
Nothing, well maybe the heater.
Favorite weather?
Hot and sunny, big blue skies.
Your goals?
Surviving Vermont, going to seminary.
Say something to the person who tagged you:
I haven't checked murat's blog yet, so I'll assume the tag. Of course I'll share my friend, but it's a few months coming.
Favorite vacation location?
California.
Films you can watch over and over again:
Imagine You & Me, Bound, The Matrix.
What movie(s) will you never see again?
Late Bloomers.
Favorite tea?
Iced green tea with fruit flavoring.
Book you are currently reading?
"Rising from the Ashes" and "Radical Welcome"
What do you want to do one day?
Be a Rector in a place my children can grow and call home.
Which quality would you like to have?
Patience
Name one of your qualities:
Compassionate
What are you waiting for?
And she just laughs and laughs and laughs.
Which old-fashioned trend do you hope will soon return?
Ethics.
One song you're embarrassed to admit to liking:
And you think I know it's name ;-)
Milkshake or crème brulee?
Milkshake
The Journey or The Destination?
The journey.
Friday, April 03, 2009
An Amazing Compliment
I saw my priest today. We talked about this and that, which was all very good. We're becoming comfortable with each other. Then I read my articulation of call, and after I finished he said it was amazing. A bit later he said that it was really wonderful, concise, clearly he could see the priestly aspects of call in it. WOW. Amazingly reaffirming on a number of levels. He talked about when we put the parish committee together, and perhaps after our next meeting start to focus on my Spiritual Autobiography - all very exciting.
My next steps are to provide examples of how I find, experience, and embody my articulation of call. Ah, now I have to get super serious about carving out time for quiet reflection. Not one of my strengths - carving out time for myself. I used the example today that the top of the well is the quick energy that's usually always there in certain intractions, but eventually it depletes if I don't have solitude. The solitude is that point in the well you never get too close to or below; otherwise, the well can go bad.
My next steps are to provide examples of how I find, experience, and embody my articulation of call. Ah, now I have to get super serious about carving out time for quiet reflection. Not one of my strengths - carving out time for myself. I used the example today that the top of the well is the quick energy that's usually always there in certain intractions, but eventually it depletes if I don't have solitude. The solitude is that point in the well you never get too close to or below; otherwise, the well can go bad.
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