IT'S SNOWING, SNOWING, SNOWING...

I got a snow day today, since it's been snowing up a storm today.
Since I live a county north of where I serve, we had oodles of snow and they had snow and freezing rain which turned back into snow.
The state route (2 lane) is a winding, curvy, hilly road which often isn't plowed first thing since the highways come first. I wasn't even going to attempt it this morning, too much snow.
Spent the morning working on the Maundy Thursday service.
I should have slept in!
Looks like LH will have to start up the snowthrower later on.
It's kinda nice to have a snowday, like the kids at school. I've gotten quite a bit down on Maundy Thurs. and have my laundry going as well. Made several phone calls to parishioners and now its a cozy, quiet day.
Our Lenten Soup Supper went very well. The families of our youth made 13 different kinds of soup with grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese and oyster crackers to put in your soup. Several Presby churches in our county are involved in these Sunday evening Soup Suppers.
I did a spiel on Prayer, presented 5 different types of prayer and invited them to try one of them out for about 10-12 minutes. They then could make a symbol out of white pipe cleaners which they brought forward and placed on the altar which had a purple tablecloth with white rope light oval on it. We sang a closing hymn: Take Time to be Holy and had a closing prayer. At each place setting, there was a card with a quote from Teilhard de Chardin and a small wood cross that they could take home. I also prepared a handout on each of the five prayers for them to take home and to try them at home. It went wonderfully well.
My prayer is that God's Spirit would open them to a new way of praying that would spark their prayer life and deepen their relationship with God. All I can do is present and invite...the rest is in God's hands.
So, having today as a snow day has been a wonderful gift.
I hope, of course, to be able to go in tomorrow. I think there's about 4-5 inches already. What a blessed grace in the middle of Lent to be given a quiet day to be with God, to enjoy the snow that washes over everything making it clean, fresh and bright, and to savour the breathing space this day brings with it. Ahhhhhh....

Too Tired for Words~

I woke up after 61/2 hours of sleep, just knowing, it was not enough, just wanting to stay in bed a couple more hours.
I think that I will take a bit of time this afternoon and give in to my tiredness.
I am not much good in this state.
Oh, bed, couch...how I long for thee.

HAAPY BIRTHDAY! (Happy - I really do know how to spell!)

Today's my birthday and I've got a 12 hour day with Worship Committee and Session meeting tonight. Oh Joy! I did bake brownies for the Session meeting complete with frosting and confetti sprinkles.
This is the last year in my 40th decade.
*I've noticed that my hair is grayer and doesn't take on color as well nor retain it as long. (sigh)
*The skin around my neck is not as firm as it used to be. (Yikes!)
*12 hour days really do me in - hope I can survive VBS week with 3 back-to-back 12 hour days.
*I don't remember things as well any more. (Big sigh!)
*It takes me longer to do less.
*Some aches and pains are mostly just annoying rather than anything really painful.
*I've fallen asleep on the couch waiting for the news to come on. (I thought only old people did that!)
*There are some clothes I just won't wear - really deep V'd dresses, sweaters, tops, etc. I really don't want to look slutty and I have so much padding already, who needs to wear a cami underneath, and I don't like the look of an inset in the V. Would clothing manufacturer's get over it already and bring the V up a little? I'm not too much of a frump - just modest.
*My skin sometimes seems drier. So, it's slap on the moisturizer!
*Have to pumice my feet and heels more often.
*My birthday wish - that I could wear cute shoes and not have my feet and bunions hurt!!!!
I hope to celebrate many more birthdays and all the changes they bring!

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!
By The Psalmist at The Psaltery for this book Meme.

Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more.
(no cheating!)
Small Surrenders: A Lenten Journey
by: Emilie Griffin
Paraclete Press, 2007
Find page 123.
Find the first 5 sentences.
Post the next 3 sentences.
"Such intertwining of death and life, sorrow and rejoicing,
is always part of the Christian message. Ours is a religion of
heartbreak and of celebration, a message of God's deep love for
his wounded world. Richard Rohr says that our religion helps us
to dance between attachment and detachment, gain and loss."

Tag 5 people!
Since I don't know how to link (I know, Duh!).
Here are the five I tagged:
Holy Grounds
Hazlenut Reflections
Faith Stones
Inner Dorothy
Micah Girl

RGBP'S FRIDAY FIVE ON MONDAY: What Are You Doing for Lent?


1. Did you celebrate Mardi Gras and/or Ash Wednesday this week? How?
Attended pancake dinner at LH's church on Shrove Tues.
Held a joint Ash Wednesday service with our Methodist neighbors
at their church.

2. What was your most memorable Mardi Gras/Ash Wednesday/Lent?
Memorable? I suppose 2005 when I had surgery on Shrove Tuesday to
repair the quad muscle I tore off my knee when I spilled down
icy steps. Spent Ash Wednesday in the most pain I ever had in
my life in the hospital.

3. Did you/your church/your family celebrate Lent as a child? If not, when and how did you discover it?
There was not as much emphasis on Lent when growing up, at least not in
the Presby church, although I was surrounded by Roman Catholics. Mom
made Fasnachtchuechli every year (dough stretched paper thin over the knees,
deep fried, drained and then sprinkled with powered sugar.
Maundy Thursday we attended church and had communion.
Discovered Lent in Seminary and as I served as prison chaplain.
4. Are you more in the give-up camp, or the take-on camp, or somewhere in between?
Usually the take-on camp.
5. How do you plan to keep Lent this year?
By dwelling with a Lenten word a day in prayer and contemplation.
And also, holding my tongue with LH and being less critical. That's
the plan at any rate. So far so good!

NAMES MEME - as seen over at Presbyterian Gal, thanks, dear. This was fun!
Give it a whirl and see for yourself!

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Rex Sebring (used husband's car, since "caravan" doesn't have the same cachet!)
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe):
Chocolate Moose Tracks Sneakers
3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Green Greyhound
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Ann Melrose Park
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first three letters of your last name, first two of your first name): Barba (sounds barbarian)
6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Blue H2O (Help to Others!!)
7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): Sam Rudy (used short forms which maybe sounds better?)
8. STRIPPER NAME ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy):
Opium Chocolate (sounds addictive)
9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your fifth grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Zak Zurich
10. SPY NAME (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Autumn Larkspur
11. CARTOON NAME (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Peach Sweater
12. HIPPIE NAME (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Bagel Gingko

My 160th Post -

On this grey and rainy Ash Wednesday, on this day of repentance, of rending our hearts and not our clothes before God, of remembering my mortality and my sin which is ever before me - GRACE!
A beautiful colorful rainbow to speak of God's grace, love and hope. Take heart. My love is with you and all around you. Your sins are forgiven. With Me there is life and new life forever and always.

ASH WEDNESDAY

A grey day reflecting the grey grittiness of the ashes.
A humbling day remembering my mortality, my sinfulness.
A day of returning to God, kneeling before God, in contriteness,
in repentance, seeking forgiveness, grace, hope, and a love that
accepts, welcomes and makes new.
O God,
I turn to you, so sorry, for my headstrong willfulness, need to control, and busyness that gets in the way. In your mercy, forgive me and renew a right spirit within me. Make this time of Lent, a true time with you. Amen.

FEELING OVERWHELMED-
It's the start of Lent anxiety preparing for Ash Wednesday and First Sunday in Lent, as well as the last 3 Lenten breakfasts (in March) at our church, a Lenten Soup Supper hosting Presby churches in our county, Communion this Sunday, Baked Potato Lunch for Mission, and the Ordination/Installation of Elders and Deacons next Sunday, and the Boy Scouts Blue and Gold Dinner the night before our Soup Supper.
For a short month, even with an extra day, February promises to be a whirlwind of activity and I will need to be even more intentional in carving out time to simply be with God. I am already exhausted just thinking about it all.
Best to ease through it one day at time, walking one step at time with my Lord.