HOLY WEEK

Yes, it's Holy Week once again and no matter how I prepare for it and with 6 weeks of Lent, it still, all of a sudden, is here!
   This weekend, I snuck the "Alleulia" out of the box in front of the altar, and colored it in with multi-colored crayons. I snuck it back in Sunday morning all rolled up and tied with it's purple grosgrain ribbon and bow. As though it hadn't been touched! I knew I had to do it this weekend,
because with everything going on this week and all the things to get ready and remember, I might have forgotten, and it would have been a disappointing "Alleluia" without the transformation of
color!!!
   As if there isn't enough going on, I have a funeral service on Wednesday for the M church. Actually, it was a relief and release for this faithful saint who has been unresponsive in the nursing
home for the whole time I've visited her since last July - although much longer than that. My visitation list is dwindling quickly and I may soon be out of position!!! So, there is now preparation for that service - mostly the sermon.
   I remembered to take down the altar display in the social hall - we did symbols of the cross - yet forgot to bring the canvas bag to put everything in. Yikes, it's starting already!!! At least, the altar is ready to be decorated for Easter - if they have a coffee hour. And I will have to remember to bring the bag on Maundy Thursday and take everything home.
   I still have to get a dozen eggs to color on Friday. Bread will be baked on Saturday and thanks be to God, no Sunday School class for 2 weeks!!!
   It's only Monday, and I feel tired. God grant us all strength and endurance to face and do all that lies before us in this most Holy and yet hectic week.

RGBP'S FIRDAY FIVE:WATCHA READING?

This Friday Five comes a little late, but it’s a pretty universal one.
What are you reading these days? Any genre, give us novels, magazines, websites, newsletters….
you need not limit it to five if you don’t want to!!!!!

    Although with it being Holy Week or just about and all the preparations, my reading time has been cut. I hope to have more time after Easter!

1. Small Victories by Anne Lamott

2. Faith and You  Vol. 2 by Terry Pluto

3. The Reader's Digest

4. The Joyful Noiseletter

5. The newspaper: ABJ and our free local paper

6. The Lutheran & Presbyterians Today - I read both!

RGBP'S FRIDAY FIVE: SPRING!

For today’s Friday Five, write about five signs of spring that you look for each year and most especially this year.

1. The arrival of the red-wing blackbirds, that's the very first sign of spring in this part of the
    country. Robins can be here all year round. (We first heard them March 10th)

2. Rolled up tulip leaves and daffodil leaves poking up from the ground.

3. The first crocuses blooming! (and they are right now)

4. First person washing their car in the driveway! (Some guy down the street)

5. Grilling something for dinner outside. (That was Irish Bangers a week ago) Now
    it got too cold again to grill. Maybe later this week of next week as long as its not
    Maundy Thurs., or Good Friday.

LENTEN GRACES

Still trying to be more grounded this Lent, but alas, more keeps cropping up. My star word for the year is "Peace". I could use some right about now!
  While putting Maundy Thurs. bulletin together, the church always reads Psalm 22 while the altar is stripped. Well and because we had a little passive-aggressive tiff last year, the old bulletin folder was removed from the new computer and hasn't reappeared. I did find last year's hard copy of the bulletin and shared the sad news that the bulletin preparing folks would have retype the entire Psalm with every other verse bolded.
   Then as I was going through some flash drives with sermons, liturgies, newsletter articles, etc. on them, I stumble upon a flash drive with Psalm 22 on it and every other verse bolded! Glory be!
I almost said the "A" word, but, of course, we buried it for Lent. But rejoice did cross my lips that God provided this wonderful thing that I had no idea was on that flash drive!!! What a grace!
  We had a visitor in church on Sunday, and a card will be sent to her.
  I have finished Holy Week liturgies and services. Just have to write the sermons.
  I have wisely decided to take Thursday off from the M church to work on aforementioned sermons.
  The sun is shining and the temps are warmer.
   Daffodil, hyacinth, crocus and tulips leaves are popping up from the ground.
   There are two praying manthis egg sacks on my potentilla bush and looks like they survived the snow and cold, hopefully.
   The redwing blackbird has been in our birch tree.
   And I am going on a hunt to find gold foil stars to give to everyone this Sunday to go along with Ann Weem's poem, "Stars of Righteousness", which is worked into my sermon.
  For all these Lenten graces, I give thanks to God.
  May you notice and give thanks to the graces in your Lenten days!

IF IT'S MARCH, IT MUST BE LENT

  Going at full tilt and ever tired! The mid-week Lenten potlucks and services are going quite well. The food has been quite good and a variety. Each week I've presented a symbol of sacrifice and Good Friday service is all done. Still working on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and I have an Easter sermon. Still have to work on Joy Sunday the Sunday following Easter.
   LH stayed home from the Old Folks' Home on Tuesday as his vehicle was in the repair shop - rack and pinion was leaking which he had replaced last summer. Thankfully it cost nothing as it was under warranty! That means he only worked two days this week and had the luxury of getting his Holy Week services together, plus do grocery shopping and his laundry.
   Me. my clothes hamper is calling out to be laundered, I haven't time to go grocery shopping and simply don't have time to sit, and think and reflect in order to write my sermons. (not a good thing, mind you.) Sigh. I'll be taking next Thursday off to work on those very sermons. I will lose a day's pay. But it needs to be.
   This Friday, I have to clean house, put gas in my van tank, and do some laundry. Sat. am I have a meeting with Visitation Lay people. Our visitation list has shrunk a bit and now we have more folks
interested and gifted in doing visitation. Go figure! I'm glad, of course. But there have been a couple days when visits didn't work out or the person didn't want to be seen and I had a short day.
I also have to prepare for Sunday on Saturday. And glue gun some thorns to the wood twig crown for
Wed. service. Over the years the thorns have fallen off and need to be reattached.
   Sunday, hopefully will be a regular Sunday. No confirmation class this week That will be the following week.
   In the midst of this Lenten busyness, the thaw has arrived (thanks be to God!) and LH noted he
heard the trill of the red-winged blackbird on March 10th. I heard it this morning. So, that is a sure harbinger of spring.
   I just would like to slow things down a bit, catch my breath, and be more grounded. I will work on that but believe it will only happen after Easter!
   In the meanwhile, I will appreciate blue skies and sunshine and warmer temps for the gift and grace they are.