ALT's link to quiz

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I suppose now I should go watch the movie.

Kid Rock: Rock N Roll Jesus

Kid Rock has grown on me, especially once his music shifted out of (well mostly) prepubescent boy audience lyrics.

I haven't gotten through the whole CD yet (got it late last night) but I do like it. And true to the title, at least thus far.

I don't often get home sick but there's another piece to Kid Rock that brings back parts of home. Kid Rock and I are from the same part of Michigan, his accent sounds like mine, and he reminds me of my brother. The same brownish hair, similiar facial structure, and mostly it's the similiarity in how they carry themselves.

My friend ALT has that effect sometimes, though it's memories of my Grandmother - it's the shape of her eyes that look like mine that look like my Grandmother's.

Quiz: What Breed of Liberal Are You?

You are an Eco-Avenger, also known as an environmentalist or tree hugger. You believe in saving the planet from the clutches of air-fouling, oil-drilling, earth-raping conservative fossil fools.

Take the quiz at www.FightConservatives.com

Find the Man in the Beans

I friend sent this to me, and I founf it fun, so I pass it on to you:

Doctors have concluded that if you find the man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds, your right half of your brain is better developed than most people. If you find the man between 3 seconds and 1 minute, your right half of the brain is developed normally. If you find the man between 1 minute and 3 minutes, then the right half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to eat more protein. If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the advice is to look for more of this type of exercise to make that part of the brain stronger.
And, yes, the man is really there!!!


What's interesting is that once you find the man you can't unfind him, if you know what I mean.

Be Grateful for Every Experience part ii

Be Grateful for Every Experience part ii

It’s hard to know what to say about my Cursillo experience, as I’ve only just gotten back and there’s still much to process. I went to Cursillo for two main reasons: (1) People who had gone kept saying I should go, and (2) the people who have gone I have immense respect for. I understand now why fellow Cursillitos get vague about Cursillo, it truly is something that must be experienced firsthand, and to say too much will take away from the experience if you’ve not been. I can say that your experience of Cursillo will be as unique as you are. If you want to live more fully into Christ you should go, if you’re trying to discern your role in your church and the world you should go, if you want to see Christ in others you should go. If you go, plan to eat a lot, cry a lot, sleep a little, and stack the mattresses if your Cursillo is at Camp Capers.

The word devistating from the "part i" post sticks out, and in some ways it was a devistating experience in both senses that the word can be used. I just worry that that particular word will be misconstrued...it was not my whole experience...but it I believe it is that devistation that will bring the most feeling...and for now there will be no more on that...

Be Grateful for Every Experience

I left for my Cursillo Thursday evening, and this was the Weekly Guidance awaiting me on my return from Cursillo, Sunday night:

Eileen’s Weekly Guidance 9.11.07 Be Grateful for every experience‏

Be Grateful for every experience

Be Grateful for every experience in life which draws you ever closer to Me, no matter how devastating that experience may appear to be at the time. I keep telling you that good comes out of everything for those who truly love Me and put Me first in everything. Why not open your eyes and see this come about? Look for the best and see the best come out of every situation. Put your whole faith and trust in Me.

I think right now that’s the best I can do to describe my Cursillo experience. Would I recommend Cursillo to someone else…Yes. Only time will tell if what I think I got out of Cursillo will hold true. So, until then, I need to process the experience, and see what transformation comes, if any, I think I went a butterfly already – but there was nectar there, so I look forward to seeing how that fed me.

De Colores

Sold and Clarification

Yea, the house now has new owners - they got the keys yesterday. What a relief.

I'd like to clarify my "Been on my mind" post: This post was something I needed to express and put "out there" but I already knew the answer. You cannot not be you and still make a good priest.

Even though I can't discern in my community, they validate me all the time in big and little ways. Too many people I respect validate that they can see me "in minstry," or "as a priest." And those are truly wonderful gems. But the ones that truly sparkle are the shared words that come from moments of being together.

So, what I'm saying is that "you" saw a glimpse of my insecurities and fears - that I am not good enough.

And well...phooowwwiieee on that.

Been on my mind too

I think I've been confusing what I see with what I was percieving as being wanted of me. And in the end that just isn't me. So I'm going to leave it be, and just be me. And if there's a place for me at the priestly table great.

Been on my mind

I’ve been struggling lately with can I be me and still be a priest? Of the priests I’ve seen there’s a genuine concern for others, but there’s also this distance. Is it just them? Is it protective to self? And I can’t help but think that isn’t me. That that is not what so many people need. They need someone to walk with them in their very personal pain/love/grief/life. To not be afraid to embrace them and hold them. And that image keeps calling to me. But it feels so conflicted with what I see.

The almost wasn't closing

Well, my wife and I signed the closing paperwork; first we thought we would get to close today, then we where told we couldn't; then we got the call asking if we could. But the realitor still needs to drop off the certified survey tomorrow morning, and the buyers can't close until tomorrow around 5pm since for some reason the Title Company person wasn't able to stay past 5pm today. So, we're not quite done yet...and here's to praying that we won't have to resign anything which is apparently a slight possibility.

My neighbor saw the new couple at the house yesterday, and she said they were taking pictures of the house and them in front of the house with big smiles. I'm really glad they're excited about the house. It's been a good house to us and well loved.

I just can't wait for the call that says the loan was funded.

Right Brain - Left Brain

Here's a fun right brained or left brained link:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/11/03/are-you-a-right-brainer-or-a-left-brainer-take-this-quick-test-to-find-out.aspx.

The first time I took it, I first saw counter clockwise, and then it suddenly switched. But now she spins clockwise and no shift.

The apartment is 90% unpacked, and that's a major relief. I've gotten my internet up and running again. It seems the cat ate through my ethernet cable - ugh. Happily a replacement cable was inexpensive.

I've got two chapters of EFM to get done by Tuesday as well as prepare a worship for this Tuesday's class...here's to speed reading. But, I'm torn between relaxing and watching a couple episodes of The L Word (season 3) and being studious.

I need to pack Wednesday for Cursillo. I'm excited about going, but I really dislike leaving my family for more than a day. I need to remember to give my ride directions to my new apartment. Maybe I should do that nect and soon.

I was EM/Chalice Bearer for the first time today; and it felt really right and comfortable. Prior to service I was pretty nervous but all went well.

Well, I'm off to call my ride.

Halloween Randomness

Ain't love a paltry affair
So blue so incandescent
In the end it burned out his eyes

The mornings are cool here in SA land, the afternoons flush with warmth, the evenings hint at the chill to come.

Halloween today...my kiddos quite excited Tinker Bell and Scream, punk rock Mimi, zoot scootin' mama. The dogs and cat cast as themselves. Mounds of joy ready to plunder my waist and thighs, unless of course self-control over the little pearls of sugary glooy sweetness is maintained.

Have a safe and Spookaliuos Night mi amigos.

A Prayer

This prayer was given to me by my Spiritual Director...I don't know the source of the prayer, but I want to share it, especially for Lee.

Lord,
it is night.

The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.

It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been dome has not been done;
let it be.

The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives
rest in you.

The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us,
and all who have no peace.

The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day,
new joys,
new possibilities.

In your name we pray.
Amen.

Closing Date and Moving

Well, things are still looking good for the closing on our house - yea! We weren't able to find a rental house - boo. But I suppose apartment living won't be so bad when it's only for 8 months. And it really is a very nice apartment complex.

I just want November 5th to hurry up and get here so that I can honestly let go of the stress. I keep giving it to God and taking it back...I really wish She'd quit obliging me.

I've been reading Borg's book about meeting Jesus for the first time. And one of the chapters talks about the femininity of God/Jesus. And that's been really good for me, as well as the interesting thoughts about Sophia a.k.a. Wisdom was a lady.

So we've got tons of little things to do and tons of big things to do and many phone calls to make - moving is a major pain in the butt. And I'm ready to get started. I'm ready for the big move - but I need the transitional move I guess - I know my children do. We're working through having to let go. I am so excited about Vermont, and very sad to leave a place where the potential for some awesome growth is being given room to incubate and then possibly blosom but I suppose where and how the blosom goes depends on the congregation.

Type B Love

I read ALT's "Type A Love" and this I let go - nowhere near as good as hers but fun none-the-less.

Type B Love

If only I had some,
You see everything's a mess
Boxes scattered and stacked,
Some even half open unable to close.

If only I could make my orderly list
But there's a conspiracy of this must flow first,
then you may plan
But my fingers itch and my heart palpitates.

The uneasiness of just let it be
What if something gets forgotten
Or is left undone,
the consequences of not getting it just right.

Jazz

Went to a jazz concert with my wife this Saturday. We saw, Brandford Marsalis and his quintet. Now, I'm not much of a jazz fan - so I went to this out of love, and it wasn't bad. My problem with jazz is that my ears and brain translate the music as noise. What I liked about this jazz was that it sounded smooth even if nearly everything sounded the same to me. I asked my wife if she could hear the difference and she said yes. Then I said that I liked classical music alot more then jazz, and she said it was the opposite for her.

Watching the drummer was fascinating - seeing his hands fly across the drums and cymbols, feet bouncing. The bassist with his odd head shoulder body movements.

But 2 hours had me at my limits even when the jazz was good. What's odd to me, is that I enjoy music that doesn't have "words" per say, but not jazz. And I guess it bothers me that I don't like jazz, cause I keep thinking I should, but I don't.

Riffing

Riff-Raff Tag-about

Original: Vineyard, Root, Rescue, Perseverance, Divided

Vineyard: Matthew 20 - So the first will be last and the last shall be first

Root: of it all, casual effect, sand blasted fever dried, pummeling the ground for the gord

Rescue: run-away, only you and God can work it out

Perserverance: a fancy word for it was hard as hell and I really didn't want to do it (or maybe I did), and the whole time it sucked but I was bull-headed enough not to quit

Divided: split among many, fragmented, incapable of making a decision

Ben and Jerry's Pics Just for Murat

Apparently pictures of Vermont are not complete without mentioning Ben & Jerry's, so the next time I go to the grocery store, I'll have to pick up a pint of VT goodness.

Pictures of Vermont

My friend Lee has been sending me pictures of Vermont, and with each image I find myself catching my breath, and my heart feels weird, and my tummy tightens - but not with anxiety, but with a longing towards and for something that I know is awaiting me.


So here's some of the picture's Lee has sent me from various websites:

So It's Been Awhile

Well, let's see...I've been really sick, though I'm beginning to recover - I just can't seem to get rid of the stuffy congestion (ugh).

My wife and I have sold our house, but we're both nervous until we get past the option date. So, we've started looking for rental places within our children's school boundary. We've made our list of call all these people to change address, turn this off, turn this on, oh my. We'll start packing this weekend.

I've gotten elected to my church's vestry; that's really exciting. We've started having celebrations blessed so that all couples can go to the altar rail to have their particular celebration blessed.

And that's me in a nutshell.