War Has Been Officially Declared:
Had a good Lenten breakfast this morning with about 30 between the Methodist church and ours. This has been the third breakfast out of six. Half had to be cancelled because of the weather. The last one will be next week. Fortunately, I'll be doing a longer piece on "Living in Grace" tomorrow evening at LH's church for their once a month Mugs N Muffins Young Adult Bible Study. I pray it will go well.
Because of having to cancel worship on Sunday, I am actually going into Holy Week better prepared and rested than usual. Neither LH or I have been sick! A major church season without sickness, has to be the first in a long time.
We've heard the call the red-winged blackbird last Thursday before the major snow, on Sunday towards evening and again the other morning. Robins are around all year and it is the blackbird that is a true sign of spring. Now, if we could just melt the snow away and warm up some!!!
This morning while looking out the kitchen window, I saw a sparrow in the bluebird box. The hole in the box was plugged up all winter. It was plugged up yesterday. I don't know what the sparrows did with the rag plugging up the hole. I didn't see it lying on the ground, course it and the snow are both white. Perhaps they shoved it into the box. The drifts back there are still deeper than I want to walk through but I am livid. War is now declared on the sparrows. They are persistent little buggers!!!!
So, in a way, spring must be right on the way, if the War on Sparrows has begun!!!

Living La Vida Arctic:

And so it snowed and snowed and snowed with a fairly good wind. Late Sat. afternoon, I let the dogs out and let them in and the sliding glass door to the backyard wouldn't, couldn't be shut all the way. Snow was blowing into the house where the 2 doors bypass each other, just blew in like it was outside and not inside a house. The 1 1/2 inch gap where the door couldn't quite reach the frame wasn't snowing in hardly at all. It was so weird. LH helped get towels to stick in between the doors. I ran down for plastic sheeting and duct tape and could only find plastic packing tape. (Why is it, in an emergency, I simply can't find what I need?)
By the time we had the 2 ends of the door stopped with towels, covered in plastic and tape that didn't want to stick to wet glass, I had removed over 5 sherbet container tubs of snow! The wind was wicked and just blew in with a vengence.
Of course, now that the door was frozen open and unuseable, we had to harness the greys and coax them down the garage steps and out the overhead garage door, since the snowdrifts at the side door were the height of greyhounds. The were discombobulated as to why it was ok to do their business on the driveway (which was snow covered even after being snowthrowed clean). So everytime they had to go out, it was put on boots, heavy coat, scarf, hat and mittens and leash the dogs, and trek outside. The worst is always first thing in the morning, when you're still half asleep and throw on your sweats and take them out. Ugghhh...
Fortunately, it was sunny on Sunday and between the radiant heat from the afternoon sun and the heat of my hair blowdryer, we managed to get the door unstuck and mop the melted ice that collected quicker than the blink of an eye. How glorious
to be able to use the door again. The dogs could just run out, they could freely roam and frollick in the snow, and I could be warm and dry in the kitchen without boots, hats and scarves!!!
I am so looking forward to spring! I've lived La Vita Arctic. Enough!!!

SNOW UPON SNOW UPON SNOW...

We are presently being buried under vast quantities of snow. The wind is blowing and drifting the snow as well. It does not look good for holding worship tomorrow morning. I'm still pondering how I will traverse the state route to get to church, or which state route to try. Many of our folks are older and won't attempte to go out, which is wise. Several churches in NE OH are already cancelling their worship services. So far in my 4 years at Country Church we have had to cancel Sunday worship nearly 1 Sunday every winter due to adverse weather. Looks like tomorrow will be our Sunday to cancel. This, of course, on the Sunday when clocks are ahead one hour as well.
The weather forecast says that it will be near fifty degrees by the end of the week!
Yup, that's NE OH for you!
Even the greyhounds, with their long spindly legs are having to plow through the snow in the backyard. Good thing we don't have a Yorkie!!!
It's back to work on the Maundy Thursday service.
It's disappointing about worship tomorrow. I was planning to bring in a beef shank bone which the dogs have completely chewed cleaned and which have been washed and dried and are really bleached-out looking for the children's sermon. Sigh. Guess I'll save it all for 3 years from now!!!!
May all your services go well and be a blessing to you, leaders, and to all who will join together in worship tomorrow. I and our faithful will worship with you in spirit in our homes.

TWO-FER-ONE!

(I'm making up for lost time by posting twice today!)

I am beginning to feel like Jonah. I have tried to squirm my way out of Jury Duty with only limited results!
The Judge in County we live in had my number last year. I tried to excuse myself claimly (rightly) that I am a solo pastor. He didn't accept that as an excuse. So, every evening I had to call in and see if I was to report. He never seated a jury all that week. I was relieved after such a week of being on tenterhooks. I should be safe for years.
Nope. The Judge has called my number again and I was scheduled for next week. Yah, right before Holy Week, extra services and two late evenings that week. So, I pleaded again that as a Solo pastor and right before Holy Week was a hardship. Maybe the Judge does go to church. I was excused! Yipee!!!
Read the next paragraph of his letter and I'm rescheduled for the week of May 5th. Dum, Dum, Da-dum...
The Judge will not rest until I serve on his jury. He will not let me go. He will continue to hound me, to seek me out, to call my number and demand my presence in his courtroom. I know what Jonah feels like. I can run, but will be found and caught. There is no escape, until I serve as I have been called to serve. Sigh.
I'm thinking maybe I should give the Judge LH's number. There's a fish that's never been caught!!!!
I served Jury Duty in Chicago while in Seminary, scared that I would have to serve on a trial and miss classes and have to take a semester over. Mercifully, my number wasn't called that day and I was done.
Then I got called up to Jury Duty while in the City on the North Coast. Fortunately, they accepted my excuse as being a solo pastor and I was excused.
LH has yet to ever be called up.
I am Jonah...

IT'S MARCH!

Yikes!!! It's already March and I've been busy.
LH and I spent the better part of Leap Day, driving up to the Big City on the Northcoast to meet with our tax preparer. It snowed slushy snow all the way there and took a bit longer. Afterwards, we went to the Great Market and found some Arctic Char and Great Lakes Whitefish! Yipee! We scored! I found a bone for Jett. There was only one acceptable bone. Poor Ben. He got a couple extra Milkbones. Pounced on some fresh asparagus and garlic.
When we got home, I still had to run to the grocery store for other incidentals.
Saturday, I worked on the Maundy Thursday service and Sunday's service.
Sunday was another Soup Supper at a neighboring church just 8 miles from home and 15 minutes one way.
I may have a very sick parishioner on my hands next week, depending on the diagnosis. The pre-diagnosis is pretty awful.
Our Wed. Lenten breakfast was cancelled due to ice. There's a beautiful icy coating on the trees, bushes, and yes, even the grass. Yesterday, for a brief moment
a beam of sunshine broke through the overcast skies and just sparkled up the birch tree and grass in our backyard around suppertime. It was most amazingly gorgeous.
So, that's where I've been and how February slide into March before I could write!

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.

BLUSTERY ARCTIC MORNING

The winds blew in last night and we've had gusts of 50-60 mph.
Of course, we had the windy rainstorm followed by a huge drop off in temperature, on garbage night.
Little Town has automated garbage pickup. The city assigns you a cart with a number and it's yours to care for. For nearly 5 years, we've had nary a problem with our green cart, until this morning.
No green cart as far as the eye can see. I assumed it blew somewhere, but not even within sight?
So, I spent 20 minutes driving through the sub-division looking for our cart, down every cul-de-sac. One fellow had three carts on his lawn, alas none were ours. I drove (mind you with that bitter cold whipping I wouldn't have lasted 5 yards) down the the major intersection where there were 2 carts lying on the corner. It was a long shot that ours would have travelled that far, but hey, stranger things have happened. I got out to check the numbers. Another van pulls up, another woman gets out with a little scrap of paper in her hand - also checking numbers. We exchange how we're looking for our lost litter containers. She checks the one and then says, "I guess I'll just take one." And she loaded up one garbage cart that wasn't hers. I wouldn't take a cart that wasn't mine, knowing someone must be looking for it.
Now I wonder who might've taken ours. I'm hoping one of my next-door neighbors brought it into their garage for safe keeping and will give us our garbage cart back this evening. Unless someone, actually took ours by mistake, but then where is theirs?
The Sanitation Dept. in Little Town got flooded with 1400 calls about missing garbage carts. Sure hope they turn up.
As humble as they are, garbage carts are a necessity and one thing I wouldn't want to do without - except I really only miss it, once a week, when we fill it and set it out to be relieved of its burden and ours. I wonder how we will cart away all our weekly debris and where our garbage cart now resides. I kinda miss it, even if it did just stand mutely in the garage as a sentinel to greet me whenever I pull into the garage. It was our garbage cart, spanking and sparkling new along with our house (except for the construction dust and grime)and the mail box. It all was new together and part of our life in Little Town.
Oh, Little Town will give us another one, but it just won't be the same. I know its number and I'll be looking for it.

THINGS NEVER MENTIONED IN SEMINARY:

Sunday was our annual congregational meeting following worship in our Fellowship Hall. Nominating & Building & Grounds committees (small committees though they are)were to host the coffee hour. One white-haired saint of the church made a point to mention a week ago Sunday, that she hoped there would be something more than just donuts, if you expect people to stay.
Well, now she had a point. When the Deacons met on Wednesday (1 is on Nominating committee, 1 is wife of Nominating committee member), the annual meeting was mentioned and someone mentioned donuts. I simply commented that perhaps we could use something a bit more since it would be lunch time. One offered some Trail Bologna (good Amish country cold sausage) and cheese and crackers. Great.
I began to think of the kids and knew you have to feed the crowd to make it more enjoyable and way of gathering. What good is the meeting when everyone's stomach is growling and all they're thinking is: how much longer 'til this is over and we can get lunch?
So, I made three salads - egg, salmon and chicken on Saturday.
On Sunday morning, I went through 3 loaves of bread (2 white, 1 wheat)and made an assembly line smearing salad on slices of bread and topping them with another slice, then cutting the slice diagonally into triangles and cutting the triangles diagonally into smaller triangles. After, I filled a serving plate, I went on and made American cheese sandwiches, cutting them in the same way. Next the PB & J with the same process. I put the cheese and PB & J onto a serving plate and the salmon salad sandwiches on their own seperate plate.
(The day before I made folded over index cards and a multi-colored pencil to write the name of the different sandwiches so people knew if it was chicken or tuna or what the salmon was!)
In a half hour I had all the sandwiches made, having gone through three loaves of bread and wondered if there was enough. I bagged up the left over salads, thinking they could be smeared on crackers.
Right after worship, I had to go to the office and run something off the computer which took some time. By the time I got upstairs, most of the sandwiches were gone. I got a triangle of American cheese. The trail bologna had vanished. There was some Swiss cheese, crackers, veges and dip and cookies still left.
Had I not made the salads and sandwiches, there would've been many hungry people. The kids gobbled up the cheese and PB & J sandwiches.
I sent one woman whose daughter is disabled and whose grandson lives with her, home with some egg and chicken salads.
There was still some left for LH and I to have a sandwich when we arrived back home.
I don't recall it ever mentioned in Seminary, that sometimes you have to literally feed your people, with homemade sandwiches!!! Even then, the meeting lasted less than 1/2 an hour! (which I suppose is OK that there weren't any major issues or concerns weighing heavily on people's hearts - outside the big gloomy ones of aging membership, no new members, tight finances, but we have 5 young people in the confirmation process, kids involved in Tone Chimes, choir and a small youth group and younger members who stepped in and have taken over some of the activities the older women and folks could no longer do without so much as a complaint! So there are signs of hope along the way!)
It's just one of those things that never got mentioned in Seminary...
I'm sure there are many more! Care to share what never was mentioned in Seminary that you ended up doing?

MY TRUE NATURE REVEALED -

You Would Be a Pet Dog

You're friendly, loyal, and an all around good sport. People love to be near you. You are very open with your feelings, and you're quite vocal in expressing them. You are sincere and kind. You love many people - without any sort of agenda. Why you would make a great pet: You're content to chill out with your friends Why you would make a bad pet: You always find yourself getting into trouble What you would love about being a dog: Running around and playing What you would hate about being a dog: Being left home alone while everyone else is out having fun

What Kind of Pet Would You Be?

Thanks to Skewed View!!!!
Guess all the time lazing about with my greys has worn off on me!!!

SO FAR THIS YEAR...(Book Challenge)

I have read Praying in Color by Sybil Macbeth. I am still working on A Year of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs, and also in process is The Disciple-Making Church by Glenn MacDonald.
I ended up last year with Pontoon by Garrison Keillor, and Desperate Preacher's Wives by (I can't remember and passed the book on).
I have a couple others in process and hope I will actually finish them. Anne Lamott's is right up there (third in Traveling Mercies series).
I am flooded with Lenten projects and am at the overwhelmed stage although ideas are fairly solid and taking good form. Now, I have sit and type them into existence.
What I most want right now is a nap!!!!!! (and this at 10:55 am). Gonna be a long day working on my sermon.

RGBP'S FRIDAY FIVE - LAS MANNANITAS

The Birthday Friday five:

1. When is your birthday? Does anyone else (famous and/or in your own life) share
it?
February 18th. John Travolta

2. Do you prefer a big party or an intimate celebration for a chosen few?
Haven't really celebrated my birthday much in many years. Pretty quiet affairs with LH and a dinner out.

3. Describe your most memorable birthday(s) - good, bad or both.
There's been a few: When I turned 7, we moved on my birthday into a new house just 2 blocks up the same street. I didn't get party that year.
A few years ago, LH and I drove to Princeton Seminary on my birthday for a continuing ed seminar and spent the whole day in the car. Had dinner at a nice restaurant in Princeton and had a Hostess cupcake with a candle in it for my Birthday cake.
When I turned 41, my Dad was dying of lymphoma. I was in Chicago at my sister's where Dad was staying. My niece came in from college for a long weekend to be with the family. We three girls managed a to go for a nice luncheon at a tea place. I bought my sister a mug and she bought me one - same style, different design on it. To this day, I use that mug every Saturday morning! It was a sad birthday but also special that we three girls were together. It was hard to really celebrate when our hearts ached so about losing our beloved Dad. He died about 2 weeks later.

4. What is your favorite cake and ice cream? (Bonus points if you share teh cake recipe) Or would you rather have a different treat altogether?
That would be chocolate layer cake of some kind - Pepperidge Farm used to
have a frozen one that was quite good. And, of course, Chocolate Moose Tracks ice cream to go with it!!!

5. Surprise parties: love 'em or hate 'em?
Never had a surprise party. Gave some though. I guess it would be kinda fun to have a surprise party.

BONUS: Describe your ideal birthday - the sky's the limit?
I would enjoy champagne brunch with my whole family (LH, sister, BIL, niece and nephew).
On a more realistic note, just a day to sleep in, putter around, read, play with the camera, write, and just laze about. Then to have a nice dinner out with LH.

That Annoying Feeling of Inertia...

Don't know what is nor can I put my finger on it exactly, it's just annoying feeling of inertia I've had lately. So much that needs to be done, planned for Lent, Easter, etc. Confirmation class to prepare for, Annual Report due, Newsletter article coming up, another week and another sermon, Presbytery meeting on Saturday, Session meeting Sunday after worship with Presbytery liasons for Triennial visit, ughhh...and I just can't seem to move and get going. To top it all off, I can't find things: my confirmation books (they seemed to have just vanished into thin air), a folder from Presbytery gathering on Small, Strong churches, my retreat folder on grace, etc....
I just wanted to sleep yesterday, so tired. I did doze on the couch from 10:00 ish pm until nearly 11 pm and woke in time for the news!
Now that I finished my annual report, spoke with a neighboring pastor about our county Pres churchs' Lenten Soup Suppers and have an idea and ordered the book, I'm starting to feel more energy, only slowly.
I think that the Presbytery meeting is already draining me of energy - too much time sitting and hearing ones who like to talk talk. The shine has long worn off going to Presbytery meetings, it's more an obligation, chore and duty than it is a joy. If they could be just 9 am to noon, that would be great, but it ends up being all day plus travel time.
Will continue to pray and work at shaking off this inertia of heavy tiredness and acedia.

TO START THE NEW YEAR:

One of the first things I did in this New Year was to sew 2 fabric panels for our chancel area for Lent. Did you know there are only 3 Sundays in Ordinary time, 1 Transfiguration Sunday and it's Lent?!!!? This is a extremely short season.
Anyhow, the fabric panels are done and ready to be hung at the proper time. I also happened to find a pastel tie-dye print for the Easter season. It looks like the paper towel used to wipe the egg dipper after dipping/turning eggs in different colored dyes. The colors just bleed into each other in a beautiful pastel rainbow.
So, that will be the next big sewing project (actually the big part of it is the measuring, marking and pinning! The sewing is the easy part!)
Today, I will be making mini-cheddar meat loaves for 18-20 (actually the recipe makes 24) for the Rotary Dinner at the church tonight. The Confirmation class will be serving and cleaning up the dinner which each parent making one dish for the dinner. Yours truly, of course, felt compelled to do the meat entree. (With only 5 confirmands and 2 from the same family - it just didn't seem fair to ask them to do the main meat dish). So, there you go. What a fun way to spend the first Monday of the New Year - making 24 little meat loaves and obsessing over the dinner. This is from someone who usually only cooks for 2, sometimes for 4-5 and never more than 8.
My prayer is that all will be well and dinner will be served on time. I've lost sleep over this already.
Perhaps, I should merely focus on the opportunity to provide hospitality, food in the eating place and drink in the drinking place and let God take my worry about the rest.
I had this winter theme all selected for the table decorations: blue votive candles holders with snowflakes and winter snow sparkles on them, fake snow, glass
ice cubes and frosty snowflakes. The placemats are white with blue napkins that have a snowflake on them. Only problem is that it's over 60 degrees here today!!!!
Oh well...winter theme it will remain!
Happy first Monday of the New Year to you!

YOU KNOW THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS OVER WHEN...

1. The tree is slowly denuded of tinsel, ornaments and lights.
2. The naked tree is on the tree lawn.
3. The decorations are put away
4. The evergreen wreath on the front door changes to one with crystal ice sparkles
5. Most of the Christmas chocolate is eaten
6. The lime (for gin & tonics) has been cut down to a tiny knob of green
7. You take your glassware to the recycling bins and you count 5 wine bottles,
2 bottles of champagne and 1 spaghetti sauce bottle
8. The Christmas CD's go back in the holder
9. You're finishing the last of the Christmas paper towels and napkins
10. You sit among yards of purple fabric already focusing on Lent!

The Recipe For stinuksuk

3 parts Daring 2 parts Creativity 1 part Passion Splash of Vigor Finish off with a squeeze of lime juice

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

Thank you, Inner Dorothy, for some fun to begin the New Year!

BLESSINGS OF CHRISTMAS

The whole day was a Sabbath day.
Resting
Snoozing
Phone calls to family
Gifts unwrapped
Being with the Boys all day
Baking gingerbread cookies for LH
Quiet time, holy time
lighted Christmas tree
wonderful dinner
being ever so thankful
feeling blessed beyond belief

BECOMING GODBEARERS

"In the fullness of time, God sent the Son." (Galatians 4:4)

"What good is it to me if the eternal birth of the divine Son
takes place unceasingly but does not take place within myself?
And what good is it to me if Mary is full of grace
if I am not also full of grace?
What good is it for the Creator to give birth to his Son
if I do not also give birth to him in my time and my culture?
This then is the fullness of time:
when the Son of God is begotten in us."
Meister Eckhart - 14th century

May Christ be born within you this Christmas.
And may you bear God to a world in need of Christ's light,love, life, peace, hope and joy.

FAVORITE THINGS MEME

Just happened by Cheesehead's place and yup, read her favorite things meme, and now I've been tagged. So we'll give it a whirl:

Swiss chocolate
my greyhounds - Ben & Jett
my sister
my husband
artwork
Vivaldi
Henri Nouwen
bookstores
black ink
hard back journals
spaetzli
rainbows
pools
my corner of the sofa
inspired ideas
retreats
chocolate chip cookies
good wine
water
the music of cowbells on an alp
moose
Taize worship
the way the lights on the Christmas tree color the ceiling
colored Easter eggs
Zopf - Swiss bread
boiled wool slippers
comfortable shoes
my van
my pillow
duvets
freshly fallen snow on trees and bushes
bluebirds
the hushed quiet when it snows
Christmas Eve
70-75 degree days
time to just be
warm towels out of the dryer
fresh herbs & tomatoes from my garden
sunsets

Have to end somewhere...may as well be with sunsets. Consider yourself tagged!

ADVENT PREPARATION UPDATE:

So far, I've completed three Advent services.
Attended an Advent Event
a youth group Christmas party
did the service at the Retirement home
made plenty hospital/nursing home visits
working on home visits
sorted and gift bagged all LH's staff gifts
sorted and gift bagged all my staff gifts
wrapped, packed and sent 4 Christmas boxes full of gifts
sent 22 German Christmas letters
sent 25 Christmas cards and letters
handed out 9 gift cards to needy families (and bought went to the store and bought the gift cards for the church)
working on Christmas Eve very short reflection
and finishing all the parts of the liturgy for the lay people on Dec. 30th:
offering invitation, prayer of dedication, benediction, prayers of the people
the Christmas tree is up au natur! No lights, no decorations, no nothing!!! Hoping the lights will go up to tonight. I will hang ornaments and tinsel the next couple of nights.
Still have family gifts to wrap up.
I am very, very tired!!!
I could...just...sleep....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

MACHO-MARTYR MINISTER JUST DOESN'T WORK!

YIPPEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My computer came back today! All clean and fresh-faced from having it's clock cleaned!!!
Now, perhaps I can settle into Advent and get all my services together.
Between all the folks in the hospital and no computer, it's been...well...better not say!
Last Tuesday the heat went out in the offices and I froze since it was such a bitterly cold day. Heating folks can't make it out til Wed. morning.
Had Christmas Lunch with the Women's Association at a restaurant. I was glad for the drive so I could crank up the heat in the van. Was still cold at the restaurant and had a cup of coffee just to warm up. It worked!!!
On Wednesday, still no heat and cold and snowy. Arrived at the church to see footprints up the stairs to the door by the kitchen. Door was unlocked, boots and jacket on the floor and beautiful sounds from the sanctuary piano. School was cancelled due to the snowy morning and gifted HS student was practicing piano - all morning!!!
Shoveled the 2 sets of stairs and sidewalk out front. (Our custodian has a near full-time job with Friday and weekends off. He has to be at work very early in am so we have no one here to shovel during the week!) Went to spread salt, the bucket was next to empty with barely a handful. The shovel I used was old and beat up.
A trip to the local Hardware store was immanent. The Red Cross Bloodmobile was that day at 1 pm and they arrive at 11 am to set up.
By now I have held off going to the Hardware store still waiting for the heating company to arrive. Just as I told piano student what to tell the furnace guy and walked out the door and down the steps who should arrive? Yup, furnace guy. Tell him the offices have no heat and I have to get to the Hardware store.
Trip to Hardware store to get new shovel and 50 lbs of ice melt. They load it in my car. The ice melt bag is not nearly as big as a 40 bag of dog food or a big bag of fertilizer. I think I can handle it! I'm showing off, that a woman pastor can do what a male pastor can do. (Sinner that I am and stupid as I am!!) I actually get the bag up the steps and to the door. Can't open the door with the bag. Set bag down, open door, use big butt to hold door open, lift, twist and plop bag over threshold. Cut bag open, dump into bucket. Now go sprinkle ice melt at all doorways and down steps.
As soon as I had the bag over the threshold who tromps up the inside steps? The furnace guy!! Where was he 10 seconds ago, when he could've helped me? Igniter is burnt out, will check his van for a new part. Of course, doesn't have the right part, returns to company and will be back.
Red Cross arrives. I take off for my monthly clergy lunch. I am so ready for lunch and to get away from a very crazy morning. Lunch is good.
Drive in the clear opposite direction to make a hospital visit. Good visit.
Decide to return an extra book from the Mainline Christian bookstore in this town. I had already tried to return it once before, on a Saturday, with holiday shopping traffic in this shopping mecca of this part of OH, and there was an accident on the street of the bookstore. No traffic was moving for 20 minutes. (I gave up, turned around and went home by another way!!)This time I made it and instead of having credit in my account, found two other books and bought them.
Went home and called it a day!!!
Some days just make you wonder why you're a minister?
The weird thing that happened ocurred after dinner, when my knee (the one I had torn the quad muscle off two years ago) began to hurt, pull and feel tight like it did 2 years ago. I took some medication and had to be careful with it for three days. It hasn't ever hurt like that for 2 years. I surmise it was trying to be a macho martyr of a pastor and tried hauling that 50 lbs. of ice melt.
Lesson learned - it doesn't pay to show off, or brag or try to be a macho martyr pastor. Ask for help next time! Believe me, I will!!!!!
Hope this week will find me infinitely more productive and less stupid and sinful!
Hope springs up from within and without, especially in Advent!

RGBP'S FRIDAY FIVE ON TUESDAY! - LEAST HOLIDAY FAVORITE:

Please tell us your least favorite/most annoying seasonal:

1. dessert/cookie/family food
Has to be fruitcake, the candied fruit makes me shudder

2. beverage (seasonal beer, eggnog with way too much egg and not enough nogg, etc...)
eggnog, I'm just not a fan of it

3. tradition (church, family, other)
getting together with in-laws, not that thrilling

4. decoration
plastic Santas and Snowmen, etc. How tacky!

5. gift (received or given)
Outrageous socks with bizaare colors and circle mirror sequins on it that
I received from a friend. Totally tasteless and so not me! (Maybe it was a
regift!!!)

Bonus: Song/CD that makes you want to tell the elves where to stick it
Barking Jingle Bells - how obnoxious is that?!!? And I'm a dog lover!!

WHAT I DID LAST NIGHT -

I came home around 5:30 pm. Changed clothes. Began cooking dinner. Fed the greys.
Made the salad. Stirred the sauce. Heated the tortellini. Served dinner. Ate dinner.
Cleaned up. Made a pan of brownies. Put them in the oven. Washed a bunch of dishes.
Went through my mail. Removed the brownies from the oven. Mixed a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough. Filled 3 cookie sheets. Popped them in the oven one by one. Did the dishes again. At 9:40 pm, I finally got a moment to sit on the couch. How many pastors bring dessert to their informal Hanging of the Greens time at church?
I guess that's what quaint about small churches and women pastors.
Remember this is the church that has potato chips as a side dish to pizza?!!!?
I should've made veges and dip - had I known that the one to do so wasn't coming tonight!! It probably would've taken a lot less time!!!!!!!!
I would have like to did other things last night!!!

C'est le vie!

Your Inner European is French!

Smart and sophisticated. You have the best of everything - at least, *you* think so.

Who's Your Inner European?

Ooo-la-la!!! My Swiss roots are soaking in white wine and cream sauce!!! Of course, the Swiss have the best of the French, Italian and German worlds. I think I just confused the quizzers!!! Thanks to Lutheranchik for the invite to the quiz!

7 Mugs Meme as seen at St. Casserole's:

Just 7? I've a cupboard full of mugs and enjoy collecting them:

1. Mug with a picture of my Dad when he was about 2 years old on one side
and the other with a picture just a couple years before his 70th
birthday.

2. Pottery mug from Moorefield Pottery (local potter) - beige and green and white
with a distinctive design.

3. Ceramic mug from Africa Cafe in Cape Town, SA - just couldn't resist it's
narrow shape and the animal print and colors on it.

4. Pottery mug - rusty red clay with primitive black images of animal, human,
snake, water from the Southwest. I like the color and the
primitive design and the handle is way cool. From a Southwest
store that is no longer in Cedarburg, WI

5. Pottery mug - beige, blue and green glaze from a 10,000 Villages store way
back when.

6. Tartan & Thistle mug - small mug of muted blue, purple burgandy with a water
color thistle on a watercolored tartan background from
Scotland which National Trust for Historic Places puts
out.

7. Pottery mug - white with purple pink rim and handle with fireweed painted
on it in the same color with green leaves. The handle is
a rounded tube/snake shape and can't be stored upside down.
It is from (Black)Raven Pottery, in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Guess that's the 7 for today. Thanks, St. Casserole. It was fun going into the cupboard and picking out the 7 mugs!!! Now I'll be using some Christmas/winter ones for Advent and beyond.
What kind of mugs are in your cupboard? Nosey people want to know!!!!!!!

A SERENDIPITIOUS MONDAY: An Advent Lesson

Thankfully the Turkey day marathon of cooking, cleaning, decluttering, and clean up are all behind me. It is a lot of work!
Still missing my computer at the office and it sure is crazy without one! Have to use the secretary's. Now her black ink has run out and I will run out to replace the cartridge so desperately needed.
I printed the letter to be sent to 11 local families about the gift cards we will be giving them to get their children some warm clothing or shoes for Christmas. We've done this every year for many years. In the last two years, the Methodist church has joined in and given us some money to help with the project. We work with the wonderful school counselor who knows the children and family situations all too well.
So, when I spoke with the counselor, she mentioned that there were 11 families with 27 children, this year: 2 families that had 5 children each. The 2 large families would get 2 $100.00 gift cards. All the others would get $100.00 gift cards.
Only problem was that our mission committee allotted $1,000.00 for the project and the Methodist gave us $200.00. Which means, if you do the math, a total $1200.00:
$400.00 to 2 families, leaving 9 families with only $800.00!!! We were short by $100.00!!!! As my brain began to whir, and my prayers went up to God, my secretary called out and asked if I received the phone message from Sunday afternoon. No, I had not. Then the good news, the secretary said, the Methodist have an extra check for $100.00 for us for the kids!!!!!!!
Wow! Sometimes God is at work long before we even know what we need. And sometimes God performs miracles in an instant. Usually, though, God works quietly and slowly.
But today, today! God had everything in hand even before I began to unravel and all was neatly tied up with an admonition, "Hush, my child. Do not be anxious for anything! Just wait on the Lord. For I will provide what is sufficient and will supply your need. Trust me. Look to me. Wait on me." Truly, a lesson this Advent season. God already knows what we need and is already at work to provide for us, whatever is sufficient. May your Advent, be a time of patient, but expectant waiting, trusting in God, and not being anxious over anything. God is already preparing all that we need.

FRIDAY FIVE ON MONDAY: POST-THANKSGIVING


1. Did you go elsewhere for the day, or did you have visitors at your place instead? How was it?
LH and I hosted as we do each year - his Dad and 2 sisters. It all ran far more smoothly than ever.

2. Main course: If it was the turkey, the whole turkey, and nothing but the turkey, was it prepared in an unusual way? Or did you throw tradition to the winds and do something different?
It was the whole turkey and nothing bu the turkey, seasoned (with herbs from my garden: sage, rosemary, thyme) stuffed, and roasted to perfection!

3. Other than the meal, do you have any Thanksgiving customs that you observe every year?
The table is set with our china, crystal and silver. Everyone gets a favor and 2 Ferro Rocher - the gold one with the whole hazelnut, surrounded by chocolate/hazelnut cream encased in chocolate wafer, covered by chocolate with bits of hazelnuts. We use our gurgling cod to serve ice water and our brown Swiss cow to dispense milk or cream for coffee.

4. The day after Thanksgiving is considered a major Christmas shopping day by most US retailers. Do you go out bargain hunting and shop ‘till you drop, or do you stay indoors with the blinds closed? Or something in between?
It is my tradition to be done with Christmas shopping by the bdginning of November.
So on Friday, I do some grocery shopping for the week, and head back home to work on my Christmas letter and the German Christmas letter. That pretty much takes the rest of the day far from the irritable crowds and long lines.

5. Let the HOLIDAY SEASON commence! When will your Christmas decorations go up?
Not 'til Advent begins!!! This coming Friday, we will put a wreath on our front door and LH will put the candles in all the windows. We will buy a real tree sometime later and get it up the week before Christmas. Usually, we are too busy with planning services, writing Christmas cards, wrapping and sending all our Christmas gifts to decorate too much. Keep it simple and enjoy!

WHERE I'VE BEEN!

Mostly at the church and at home. I'm ok. The church computer is not! It is very sick and has been taken away by the computer ambulance to have its slate wiped clean and so that it can begin again.
Thus, I did not have access to my computer.
At home, I usually am doing a whole host of other things and very rarely get on the computer except once or twice a week to check my home e-mail and to work on my sermon. LH is on the computer most evenings when he gets home from church meetings. I will not compete with him for computer time.
Felt pretty lost, lonely, and greatly frustrated without a working computer. Thanks be to God, that I was able to print out my liturgy for Sunday's worship and also the following Sunday. Wheeh, that would've been awful to start all over again.
I did manage to print out the Advent Candlelighting liturgies this morning.
So, the most important was saved! Now my naughty computer will go to confession, be cleared and wiped clean! And can start anew and afresh all scrubbed clean, glowing, and ready to begin again. Would that we might take our forgiveness and pardon in such a way, that we do feel scrubbed clean and washed, and wiped clear of all our sins and ready and truly believing we are indeed forgiven to begin anew.
We tend to hold one to one thing or another or doubt that we can ever be fully forgiven for everything. But what grace, what freedom there is in knowing and believing, trusting and accepting that forgiveness is ours, is mine!!! Totally and completely!!! Thanks be to God!!!!!!! I am forgiven. The hard drive of my life is erased and wiped clean and I can begin again and anew. How glorious is that?!!?
May the grace of our being forgiven be a blessing for which you can always and ever give thanks.

HIP UPDATE:

Spent most of Sunday, either lying or sitting or reclining on the couch! Felt so "good for nothing"! Didn't get a stitch done, although there is always something to be done; laundry, ironing, putting clutter away, throwing out the tons of catalogs, among others.
Woke up yesterday morning, took a shower and let the warm water massage the hip and ate breakfast, let the Boys out and made them breakfast. And my hip felt almost normal. No pain, no real ache. Had a good morning and the Bible study went well. Worked on my liturgy for Sunday and made a couple visits. Noticed a growing soreness. Got home, changed, rest a few on the couch, made dinner, did dishes, stripped the bedlinens and washed and dried them and remade the bed with a different set of linens. Sat on the couch for the rest of the evening.
Felt pretty ok this morning, but not as good as Monday. I mean really. I can't spend the rest of my life sitting, reclining and lying on the couch! My plan is to make time to rest inbetween my doing and see if that helps. Haven't had to take any pain pills which is good. I just want to be my normal self again. (Sigh)

THINK GOD'S TRYING TO TELL ME SOMETHING?

In the past week, beside all this hip pain, I have been approached by two folks looking for Spiritual Direction. Spiritual Direction has not been all that sought after here in Amish Country. So, I haven't done much in direction in the past 4 four years and am feeling rather rusty.
Now, out of the blue, these two folks have appeared seeking spiritual direction. I understand it as God's way of telling me to get myself in gear, and to offer what I have been trained to do, to dust off those skills which have been languishing and re-engage them. Perhaps, I need direction as much as those coming to me do. I mean, that the benefits I receive from offering direction and the holy offerings of directees touch me deeply as well. So, God is giving me a wake-up call, "Awake, O Sleeper, Awake!"
Now, comes more time spent in prayer, that God would provide me with the wisdom and gifts needed to offer direction again. And to trust in the Mysterious and Holy Presence who is ever present and at work. May I be made worthy and able by God's own Spirit.
Wake-up! I've been asleep too long!

A ROYAL PAIN...IN THE HIP

And that's putting it mildly! A week ago, I stirred mincemeat for 3 hours almost nonstop in the church kitchen for the church's Fall Bazaar and Pancake Breakfast.
My hip was sore last Thurs. night. I proceeded to do my grocery shopping, leaning on the cart helped and sitting in the car driving from store to store helped ease the pain. I didn't sleep well. On Saturday, I got up early and drove to church to help with the pancake breakfast. Yes, I had pain. I served and bussed tables for a while. The pain got worse and radiated to the left groin. Visions of hernia and even kidney stones burst in my mind.
LH took me to the ER Sat. afternoon where I stayed until nearly 7 pm. Some blood work, a small pain shot and CATscan later, I was waiting for LH to pick up and take me home in the same amount of pain as when I went in. No, hernia or kidney stones.
I took some pain meds (which didn't help much) and barely made it through Sunday morning service. I sat during the hymns and for the children's chat. I was miserable.
Went to the Doctor on Mon. morning and we think the muscle from the back to the hip joint is totally inflamed with a hint of arthritis. Stronger pain meds needed and given! Anti-inflamatory welcomed. If this doesn't help, which it doesn't appear to be doing much good, I'll be getting a cortisone shot. The pain meds (have to take 2) keep me relatively pain free for 5 hours at a stretch, but when they wear off, it's awful. I've been sleeping on the couch for the past three nights so as not to disturb LH with any moaning.
As much as I don't want the shot, it's beginning to look more and more enticing, especially if it well really relieve the pain.
And all this, just a couple weeks before Thanksgiving when I will be cooking and standing in kitchen followed by Advent and Christmas.
It's rather uncomfortable to lay, to sit or to stand or walk for any length of time without the pain meds. I've been tired all week and have had it with the excruciating pain. Enough all ready! Looks like the shot is in my future. What a royal pain in the behind!

Happy Halloween!!

It's a gorgeous fall day here in Gateway to Amish Country. The sun is shining. The sky is azure blue. The trees are modeling their fabulous colors. And it will be near 70 degrees! What's not to love?
Later, after the the visits are made and a quick dinner is eaten, later, after the gloaming begins the little ones arrayed in Halloween finery will show up on our front porch and utter those 3 words they've waited a year to say again, "Trick or treat?" I answer with treats to keep the tricksters at bay. The jack o'lantern glows brighter as the darkness deepness and kids and parents are on the prowl to get the most or best candy in the neighborhood. I marvel at the faces all painted and the expectation of something special treat in their bags, buckets and the optimistic ones toting pillowcases!!!
Later, after the little ones are tuckered out and done sampling the sugary confections they received, I snuff the lights and call it a night, say good-bye to the spirits that may be, and set my sights on honoring the saints.

How I Spent My Saturday -

Got up.
Let the Boys out and fed them
Ate breakfast and read paper - only 2 sections
Drove 20 minutes to civilization to return a shirt and get thread at JoAnn's.
Drove home.
Fertilized the front and back lawns
Made lunch.
Worked on drawing cathedral on banner paper, complete with wood doors and stained
glass windows. Used the yardstick and several crayons. Turned out pretty well for
one who can't draw. This was for the Fall Festival Potluck Sunday evening where
the kids stuck a numbered post-it on the "Wittenburg Door", actually church door.
A Reformation variation of Pin the Tail on the Donkey!
Worked on children's sermon, prayers, etc.
Shortened four pairs of pants.
Made dinner
Fed dogs
Did dishes while and after phone call from niece in CA. She really needed to talk!
Went over sermon, prayers, etc.
Reviewed Confirmation class material
Watched the news
Went to bed - exhausted!
Realized too late, I forgot to do the RGBP's Trivia Game. Oh well...
Still didn't get to the weed pulling in the flower beds and garden and putting down the cow manure! Hopefully this coming weekend.

IT'S PUMPKIN/APPLE FRIDAY FIVE:

In anutshell the RGBP's are wondering:

1. How did you celebrate this time of year when you were a child?
We hung silly cardboard decorations in the front windows and front door, carved
pumpkins, tried roasting the pumpkins seeds every year, Mom sewed our
costumes, we went trick or treating, threw out most of the candy but ate the
chocolate ones, often collected for UNICEF with the orange boxes, picked out
out pumpkins at Naples farm market in Chicago suburb and went to the Haunted
House at the Flower and Landscape Store.

2. Do you and/or your family "celebrate" Halloween? Why or Why not? And if you do,
has it changed from what you used to do?
Not really. I think it's all too over the top and just don't have time.
I hand out candy (chocolate kind) and like to see the kids all dressed up!

3. Candy Apples: Do you prefer red cinnamon or caramel covered? Or something else?
Pumpkins: Do you make Jack O'Lanterns? Any ideas of what else to do with them?
Definitely the caramel covered in nuts!
Since the youth group has a pumpkin carving night, I carve one as well.

4. Do you decorate your home for fall or Halloween? If so what do you do?
Bonus points for pictures.
I decorate for fall with Indian corn framed by real oak leaves on the
front door and an uncarved pumpkin on either side of the front door. A
lighted pumpkin glows nightly (just 5 days before Halloween) from the
upstairs front bathroom window. The mantle sports two gargoyles, and two
white metal bell ghosts that hang from our stocking hooks. In the dining
room there are orange chinese lanterns and gourds on the serving table.
I do set a nice Thanksgiving table with floating leaves candles, leaves,
and whatever favors I've purchased that year.
On the kitchen shelf is a small flat wood pumpkin - a small wood or glass
object reflective of the seasons sits on the one shelf.
That's about it.

5. Do you like pretending to be something different? Does a costume bring out an
alternative personality?
Yes, sometimes it just plain fun and refreshing!

BONUS: Share your favorite recipe for an autumn food - apple of pumpkin ones.

IMAGES OF SOUTH AFRICA

Deep red/orange earth
wild, untamed both the bush and Jo'burg
pain, and heartwrenching poverty
joyful worship full of song and hope
friends just like you imagined and knew they would be
penguins huddling in the shade of shrubs seeking relief from the heat
waters emerald green and deep, deep blue crashing onto shore, lifting spray in praise
2 oceans meeting where the cape juts out in a craggy mountain towering over the waters
Table Mountain with its incredible views and flat top that by afternoon wears a white vaporous tablecloth of clouds
The amazing beauty of God's creation and creatures - the far reaching roar of lions
interrupting sleep, the dainty grace of impalas, the sweet eyelashed face of giraffes,the crunching munching of white rhino, double rainbows arching over the African veld-
how hard can it be to see an elephant? Pretty darn hard, when they're amongst the trees.
Camouflaged waterbuck and kudos who blend into their surroundings until they simply just disappear from sight.
Cape Buffalo who know you are there among them long before you even see one.
Bee eaters, ibis, spoonbills, lorries, black eagles and guinea fowl fly, soar, sprint away and rest in trees
The beauty of the bush full of millipedes crossing the road and chameleons hanging on trees. Flowers blooming and the flat top acacia trees, purple jacaranda and birds of paradise blooming prolific like petunias.
The red/orange sun rising to greet the day and the warm yellow orange glow as the sun kisses the day goodnight.
Cool breezes that refresh and heat that burns in the midday when the lions lay around deceptively tame as house cats.
Food that explodes with flavor and becomes a symphony in your mouth.
Music with steady rhythms and drum beats that resonnate in the soul.
Hawkers plying their wares on the street and in lanes of moving traffic.
Houses surrounded by concrete wallls topped with coiled barbed wire, electric driveways gates and spiked fencing that discourages even the most determined to break in. Barred windows and doors and these are the middle-class living in a wideopen prison of everyday Johannesburg.
Tightly knit Soweto that stretches far and wide not merely a neighborhood, but a large town. Squatter boxes of corrugated metal, cardboard and plastic - room enough to sleep, to be somewhat sheltered from the rain. Cooking happens outside, and the clothes dry on lines strung at the back of the shack, if you can even call it that.
Refugees from all over Africa find their way here, to make a new life, escape from bloody wars only to fight poverty, to fight for a job and food for their children.
Grapevines standing in rows upon rows of the many vineyards and wine estates, green, lush and hilly.
European architecture and church bells that peal and ring.
A land of great and many contrasts - beautiful and wild.

Every Time I Fly...

What is it that everytime I fly the TSA opens up at least one of my suitcases and ignores LH's? I always find the slip in my suitcase.
Then, this time, Greek Letter Airline broke my favorite tapestry suitcase - the wheel frame damaged and the wheel torn from the fabric. It would've taken too long to go through the claims process, so it got left behind in South Africa to be tossed away. I did purchase a new suitcase - a wee smaller than the tapestry, but almost a bit deeper - at a flea market in Jo'burg. And it just cost $43.00!!!!!!! I know I paid $80.00 for the tapestry.
When we got home and I went to unpack, the TSA approved lock was missing from the suitcase. Obviously, the opened up the suitcase, checked it, closed it back up and forgot to put the lock back on.
So, this weekend I had to buy a new TSA approved lock.
LH comes home with nary a slip in his suitcase, nothing broken, and his lock still securely attached.
I just don't get it!!!!!
Maybe "they" know I'm the one who packs all the gifts and stuff in my suitcases. Fortunately, nobody wanted the Amarula bottle, wrapped in bubble wrap, in a tin, and stuck in my dirty underwear bag!!!!
I think I'll stay home for the rest of the year!

Thanks to QG!!!
Guess I like that my understanding (limited as it is) of the Eucharist incorporates a breadth to it.

Eucharistic theology created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Calvin You are John Calvin. You seek to be faithful to Scripture, and to harmonize difficult sayings. You believe that in the Lord's Supper those who have faith are united to Christ, who is present spiritually, yet in a real way. Calvin 88% Orthodox 75% Zwingli 56% Luther 44% Catholic 19% Unitarian 0%

RGBP'S FRIDAY FIVE - HOMAGE TO THE TOP CHEF:

1. If you were a food, what would you be?
Probably a ham - a little full of it, willing to be a bit of a fool,
kinda portly and rotound like a ham.

2. What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where?
Ahhh, there's been many. Probably one of the tastiest was after a picture
postcard day in Zermatt, Switzerland on our way back to the chalet. We stopped
in Sion, french area of Switzerland and ate the most delicious dinner of wild
boar. The waiter couldn't speak much German and his english was worse!!! He
pantomined the menu offering we pointed to and we guessed correctly - wild boar!
It had been marinated for week and was ever so tasty.
There was the arctic char in the Yukon and the muskox, carribou stew, and
reindeer sausage. Just recently was the Kingclip in South Africa - a most
excellant fish. The smoked herbed salmon from Ewig Brothers in Port Washington,
WI is also scrumptious. Maybe I should stop now, I'm getting hungry!!!!
3. What is your favorite comfort food from childhood?
Hmmm...that would be cabbage pie or quiche just like my grandma made with
onions, garlic, bacon and boiled cabbage cooked in bacon grease and put in
a pie shell. Then 2 eggs are beaten with some 1/2 and 1/2 or cream, and nutmeg
salt and pepper, with 1 cup of shredded emmantal and grueyer cheese. Yummy!

4. When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to
be a hit?
That would be the Green Bean Casserole with 2 cans of healthy request cream
of mushroom soup, cooked french cut green beans,soy sauce, salt, pepper,
savory, diced ham and cooked spaetzli, and the french fried onions mixed in and
at the last 5 minutes of cooking - adding the rest of the french fried onions.
One dish - all the food groups. Also rather tasty.

5. What is the strangest thing you ever willingly ate?
Beef tongue - but not necessarily willingly. When I was old enough, I got to
make a hot dog instead. Tripe - but it was awful, although grandma made a sauce
to die for with it.
Sweetbreads - throat glands found only in calves (veal). There are quite a bit
of work, but very delectable.

Bonus Question: What's your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great
meal?
Boring as it is, a gin and tonic.
But I do enjoy wine with meals - good merlot, chardonnay, pino
grigio, beaujolis, cabernet, etc.

BACK FROM SOUTH AFRICA

Just returned yesterday from the longest night in my life. We left Jo'burg at 6:45 pm, flew over 8 hours to Dakkar, Senegal where it was 1-2 am in the morning. After over an hour to refuel, security check, food restock, and take on new passengers, off we went for almost 9 hours to Atlanta. It was just getting light when we arrived in Atlanta. So we had a 16-17 hour night!!! Got home even after our flight to the City on the North Coast got cancelled and we flew into Cincinnati had an hour layover and then to City on the North Coast. We arrived home about 2 hours later than originally scheduled. But, safe, sound, very smelly (up 2 days in hot weather) and sore!!!! More about the trip later....

Just Thursday

I should be working on my sermon. I will be shortly.
Just thinking as I checked in on some of the RGBPs'sites, how long the 16 days will be without posting, or checking in and seeing what's being pondered and shared, and not playing the Trivia game. Ahhh, it will be fast from the computer. As much as I will miss this web community, their is the call to experience something new and entirely different. Can I be open to that if I drag what I've left behind with me?
No, it will be an immersion and I will fast while on vacation.
God bless all of you and know I will miss you. I do look forward to catching up when I return after Oct. 20th. Be well. Take care. Pray for one another as I will pray for you all. Pray for LH and I as we travel halfway and more around the world to South Africa and into another culture. May we be gracious guests and receive the hospitality of others even as we have extended hospitality in our little corner of the world.

THE LESSONS OF THE LUGGAGE

So to get ahead of our trip, I have been doing laundry and making piles of clothes. I think I have more shirts than days we'll be gone. I do it every time. (Course, us gals with shelves, sometimes, end up wearing our lunch or dinner on our shirts).
This means I will have whittle things down and hope I make the right choices.
I also have 4 books to take with (unfortunately 3 are hardback) and all the other stuff (shampoo, lotion, etc. and then there's the meds, prescription and non.) Not to mention, shoes. Do I bring one pair or two pair sandals? white Tennis and beige ones (for the bush and more rugged treks). Shoes? Don't get me started. It's not easy fitting an 11 W, with bunions. I have sandals that are too tight and too loose (those are the ones that used to fit great and over time and being worn are now too loose). Which ones won't give me blisters or hurt my bunions? It's always a challenge. How many shoes have I bought only to later discover they hurt more than they did when trying them on?
Well...the lesson of packing for me is taking only what I need, what is comfortable, what can be worn more than once and combined with other things. I always have an extra something, just in case. When all is said and done, I know I'll still have more than necessary. Some people can pack real light - even through life. Others are dragging steamer trunks of stuff. I think I fall somewhere in to the right of center, but not too off.
The challenge for me is what can I leave behind and not miss or regret not bringing with? Does it really need to come with me?
I ask those same questions when I leave a position as well. It has been helpful for me.
When you are stuffing the suitcase (s) of your life, ask those two questions and you might be surprised at what you are thankful to leave behind, what you will miss, and the discerning of what you really need to take with you; will it lighten your load or weigh you down?
Packing is always a challenge for me. You simply can't take everything with you and some things aren't necessary for where I am going or the time of year (the season of my life) I am going. Maybe, some day I will learn to travel with less but thankfully, I can handle 2 suitcases and let it go at that!
Thus endth the Lessons of the Luggage!

A BIRTHDAY

LH's birthday is today! Last year we celebrated his half-century mark on the Isle of Iona. Today, it will be 87 F in the middle of rural OH. No cool sea spray, brisk winds, rainy drizzle, or the holy sense of being that is Iona.
In the hustle and bustle of readying for our big trip, the start up of Sunday School and Confirmation class, planning the two worship services during my absence and the one for when I return, plus Session, motivating the Nominating Committee, I feel drained and exhausted. I can't believe that one week from today we will begin our journey to South Africa. For me, it has been a dream and I long to meet my friend with whom I have been in contact since sophomore year in HS. Her Dad and mine worked together for five years in Ghana in the late 1940's. It warms me to think that perhaps her Dad and mine will be smiling upon us from heaven seeing their offspring meet for the first time on African soil.
In a way, this is a bit of a pilgrimage, to meet my friend and to be on the African continent where my Dad was (although not literally in the same area of Africa). I long to smell the smells, drink in the landscape and the people, to hear and taste this unique place. I want to look up at the starry night sky and see different constellations of stars. To see the different trees and blooming flowers and vines and bushes. To walk on the red, dusty earth that is Africa. To be inspired by the faithful and yes, even to experience the want, need, and poverty. To see the animals in their native environment. Aye, long have I waited and yearned to be in Africa. The time is drawing close, anticipation mounts, and there is still much to do until then.
As long as I remember to pick up something like a birthday cake for two, I won't let LH's birthday get lost in the preparations and busyness of these swiftly moving days.

FROST ADVISORY:

Taking the weekend frost advisory to heart,
I pulled the basil out of the garden Saturday night. If it frosted, I saw no sign of it in our backyard. Although one town over on the golf course it did.
I knew if I left the basil in, we'd have a frost and I'd lose it. I knew if I pulled the basil, it would not frost and no more fresh basil.
I'd rather have dried basil than no basil.
I have lost too many basil plants to frost.
The other herbs are fine, although their days are numbered. I will pull them the end of this week and dry them. The garden will look very empty. Tadmore the Toad will burrow into the ground to stay warm instead of rollicking in the forest of herbs, parsley bush and arched over chives. There is a sadness to the letting go of another growing season. For I know what yet lies ahead; the cold, bleak, grey dreariness of winter. I rejoice over all that has borne fruit (8 tomato vines that are heavy with tomatoes in various stages of ripening, and several herbs), yet the sadness still remains.
The flowers are spent and will die off or snuggle underground until the longer, warmer days of Spring when they will reappear and delight my winter weary soul.
There is a spiritual lesson in letting go and surrendering. Each autumn I learn the lesson all over again.

PEEVED

I bought 5 red plastic portfolio folders (the kind with the pockets) for the Confirmation Class. Don't ya know it, there's a big label slapped across the front!
Removing the label in one piece has proven a futile endeavor. I am scrapping the label off bit by bit with my fingernail. I have 4 more folders to go. I am ready to string up the idiots of the company that makes these folders!!! I'd like them to peel off the labels on their folders in their board room. This is the 21st century, by gum, surely there are adhesives that come off more easily!!!
I am greatly peeved!

God be present in, with and through all the remembrances of this day, 9/11.

ANY IDEAS?

Our Friday afternoon jaunt into Amish country was short and the accident took the joy of the outing away. LH was just unsettled the rest of the day. To top it off, I didn't find what I was after: a set of 4 tasteful quilted placemats to give as a "Thank you for your hospitality" gift to my friend in South Africa. Apparently, it was the end of the summer tourist season and not yet the beginning of the fall/winter season and the quilt shops were depleted of anything more than 1 or 2 of a kind.
Any ideas on what I could bring that would be uniquely American and not made in China? It must fit in a suitcase, be somewhat lightweight and preferrably non-breakable. I'm open to ideas!

MY PENANCE IS COMPLETED!

My penance is over and joy, o, joy, I have my van back and it looks like new and drives well. After over a month without the van it's taking some time to adjust to it again. This morning I reached to roll down the window!!!
Which just proves a point - any new behavior can be learned in a month.
I was able to pick up my van late Thursday afternoon. On Friday, LH and I decided to head to Amish country. He drives his car. No sooner to we pull into the Old Fashioned Hardware Store parking lot with inches to spare between the parked vehicles and outcroping, then an SUV begins backing up right into me. I just knew we'd be hit and fortunately, the SUV driver pulled out slowly and we were nearly at a standstill so the damage was minimal and I was not hurt! It did put a damper on the rest of the afternoon and LH was very upset. It all could've been a lot worse.
Can you imagine the Body Shop when LH brings in his car. "Didn't we just fix and return your wife's van?!!?"

SECRET OF THE GINGKO

I now know a secret of the Gingko tree. The Gingko is one of the oldest trees in the world and which graces our planet. It has lovely fan-shaped leaves and grows very, very slowly. It has a lovely yellow color in fall.
It was on the list of things I wanted to do before I left this earth, to plant a Gingko tree.
So, when we moved 4 years ago into small, rural town 1/2hour from anywhere, I had the opportunity to plant some trees, and a lawn! And it was pure providence, that on a cold, wet, spring day, when no one (in the right mind) would go to a garden center (which is now closed and has become a subdivision), that I decided to go and look and price a birch tree. And as I walked in the yard of that center, my eyes beheld the most glorious sight in that dreary, soggy, gray day - a little Gingko tree in a black plastic container. Be still my beating heart!!! I quickly inquired about it and decided that as long as the price wasn't too outrageous, I was taking that baby home! I bought a river clump birch and that wee gingko (well, wee in comparision to a full grown Gingko - it had a 1 inch trunk). I have taken care of it. Fertilized it in the fall and watered it during the dry spells.
A year ago last spring, we had a very late frost in May. the Gingko's buds grew brown and died. I was heartbroken. Before long, with the warm weather, the gingko sprouted new buds which became green leaves. The only tell-tale sign of great stress was that all the leaves had a split down the middle. There were no beautiful whole fan shaped leaves that year.
This spring, the gingko was fuller than ever. It hadn't grown much in height, but as I said, they are really, really slow growers. It was full of leaves and beautiful. Then came the drought and our vacation.
When we returned home from vacation, the leaves weren't looking too perky and I watered the tree. Only it was not enough and a bit late. Green leaves just dropped off. I was worried that perhaps, this drought was it for the gingko.
But the Gingko is not one of the oldest trees in the world for no good reason. It is a miraculous, resurrection tree!!! It heals itself.
For lo and behold, after we received a week of gentle rain, it rebudded and you could see the new, fresh, light green peeking through the split in the bud. And then warm days, and a bit more rain and the leaves popped out and they've been growing.
Granted it's not as full as it was this spring. But it is as if the tree knew it had to sprout more leaves to stay alive and well, to soak up the rays of the life-giving sun.
The Gingko is a miracle tree of new life. And I am privileged, nay, astounded, to witness to the glory that is the Gingko.

IT'S TRUE!

Saw this at Hazelnut Reflections and just had to try it!

You Are a Green Crayon

Your world is colored in harmonious, peaceful, natural colors. While some may associate green with money, you are one of the least materialistic people around. Comfort is important to you. You like to feel as relaxed as possible - and you try to make others feel at ease. You're very happy with who you are, and it certainly shows! Your color wheel opposite is red. Every time you feel grounded, a red person does their best to shake you.

What Color Crayon Are You?

PENANCE CONTINUES

I am still doing penance for wrecking my van.
It's been 26 days, 4 hours and 40 minutes.
I miss my van very, very, much.
Roll down windows and manuel locks seem ancient.
Must always check the locks, especially when putting and
extracting things from the back seat.
I promise to respect the road.
Can I have my van back soon, please!

RGBP'S CULTURAL FRIDAY FIVE ON SUNDAY:

Name a

Book - Praying our Goodbyes by Joyce Rupp, during a time of profound grief and a
shattering of my personhood. Although, she didn't say anything really
different about grief, it was the way she said it, the scripture and the
prayers and the prayer exercises that reached down deep and helped with my
healing process.

Piece of music - Taize music brings me into God's presence and centers me
work of art - Monet has always spoken to my spirit. I enjoy so many different
artists and various pieces, also photograpers, it's hard to say
just one.
film - Fiddler On the Roof - Tevye had such a personal relationship with God and
that helped me deepen my relationship with God and helped me toss out the
"thee's and thine's" and made me more real, genuine and authentic with God.

unusual engagement with popular culture - this blogging thing. I don't even know how
to all this stuff and never imagined I'd
ever do it. But it has opened me to a
larger faith community with clergywomen.
Alas, I still haven't figured out the digital
camera, yet.



that have helped/challenged you on your spiritual journey.

Bonus: is engagement essential to your Christian faith, how and why?
Of course, Jesus didn't just sit on the mountainside all the time!
Faith without works is dead and works without faith is shallow and
feeds one's ego. Where are we without one another living
out our faith and building up God's realm? (I can't even
(imagine!) I am called to offer that cup of water wherever
to whomever as God empowers me.

BECAUSE OTHERS ARE DOING IT!

Thought I'd give it whirl and see if anything has changed. Nope, guess I'm true to form!
And of course, I experienced a technical glitch, typical me!!
Saw the Meyers/Briggs Personality Type at Quotidian Grace and checked it out.
Tried to copy my badge and it wouldn't take my URL.
INFJ - The Confidant
89 % Introverted
79 % Intuitive
63 % Feeling
68 % Judging
INFJ's make up 1% of the population. We are rare birds aren't we!!!

So, I am ever the INFJ! You can see the badge at http://stinuksuk.mypersonality.info
Just in case you were curious!!!

THINGS YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU'D SEE YOUR PASTOR DO: Tale One


So there I am, calling on a mostly home-bound parishioner, elderly and frail, who uses a walker and a wheelchair.
SCENE: Living room of ranch house - full of stuff, furniture, plants, knicknacks, etc.
CHARACTERS: Female parishioner ensconced in her comfy, padded recliner
20 something female - Mennonite neighbor
2 year old son - active, into everything
40 something female pastor
Birdcage with two birds

Neighbor gathers up her son to go home shortly after my arrival. He has a small house figure in his hand and mouth. She puts it back on the table, he grabs it again, while she turns her back and sets a colorful glass vase back on the coffee table. She had set it high on a chest because she knows her son gets into everything and glassware around small children is never a good combination. She notices the house and puts it back on the table still a bit slobbery. They leave.
Pastoral visit commences with update on health and general conversation.
As the conversation progesses, parishioner says, "Oh my!" and glances down. My eyes catch a glimpse of something white, small and furry. I exclaim, "Oh My!" and ungraciously set my feet up on the edge of the coffee table. Upon a closer look, I realize it is not a mouse, but a wee hamster. An albino hamster with red eyes.
(Parishioner's granddaughter and family also live at the house - they own a pet shop)
Being a pastor, one part of me is concerned for the safety of the hamster, one part knows the parishioner can't help, and one part of me really doesn't like rodents of any kind. I find the hamster condo, which is a good-sized plastic cage with a roundish disk that rolls on half a sphere and there is a tube-thingy to connect the roundish disk to the rest of the hamster condo. It becomes apparent that a little toddler spies the colorful plastic things, moves the disk around and knocks the sphere off the tube. The tube is now open to the big, wide world beyond and out crawls the hamster. Mother never realized that her son knocked something apart.
I herd the hamster around the coffee table and back towards the condo. I make several grabs, but the hamster slips through and it runs around the condo twice and then heads toward the kitchen. The kitchen is full of stuff and nooks and crannies; not good. I head him off at the pass, make another grab and he's back towards the condo. Then he heads for a door. Whether the door leads to a closet or downstairs, I don't know, but I do know, a wee hamster in a closet full of stuff might never be found until too late. I chase him away. Twice more around the condo and then....got him! Put him squirming in the condo, close the gate. (I already had connected the the sphere thingy back onto the tube.)
Hamster Round-Up completed! Prayers answered - both that I could catch the thing and that no harm would come to it. The parishioner had a hamster/pastor tale to tell to the amusement of her greatgrandchildren and family. And I had a far from ordinary pastoral visit. You just never know what awaits you at any home visit!!!! Or what you may be called upon to deal with. That's the nature of being a pastor. And sometimes, you just have to suck it up and deal with things. (Ughhh...I will never own a rodent!!)And somehow, God's grace is ever present in the most mundane, most extraordinary, and even the silliest of moments. In ministry, there is always a first, somewhere along the line.
When I left, the wee hamster was nestled in a bed of cedar shavings totally worn out and exhausted.
I was thankful, that one of God's creatures was safely tucked where he belonged, and that the parishioner would regale her family with descriptive scenes of the Hamster Round-Up and Things You Never Thought You'd See Your Pastor Do!!!
Not the profoundest of home visits, but at least one of the most entertaining!!!!!
And that is worth its weight in gold to the one stuck at home in the winter of her life. Joy and humor are truly a gift to be enjoyed at any age and at any time of our lives and a grace beyond measure.
What has been your most amusing, interesting, unique pastoral visit?

You Might Be A Presbyterian If...

~the only Latin you know is "Gloria Patri" and the phrase, "Ecclesia reformata,
semper reformanda"
~BOO is not a Halloween expression, but the Book of Order
~jell-o salads are a potluck staple
~Calvin klein is not a designer but the little bit you know about John Calvin
~you arrive on Sunday mornings just in time for worship yet early enough to
get a back pew
~you check your watch every 30 seconds if worship lasts more than an hour
~you serve on the Nominating Committee so that you won't be asked to serve
as an Elder or Deacon
~Session is not a period of time spent with your therapist, but the local
church's governing board
~covered dishes (preferrably filled with something yummy) are what you bring
to a potluck
~Presbytery is not "they" and "them" but really "us"
~Synod is that unknown, mysterious body between Presbytery and GA
~GA is pronounced G-A and not "ga"
~you know the acronyms for all the interest groups and ministries of
the denomination
~you do everything decently and in order
~you always get asked to explain Predestination
~the ushers and elders always walk in step and in formation during worship
~you can point out all the symbols within the Presbyterian symbol
~you use "debts" and "debtors" in the Lord's Prayer
~you church name has a number: First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth or Sixth;
once it gets past 6 there's been one too many church splits
~you've done all the Kerygma Bible studies
~you can recite "The Great Ends of the Church" and know they are not the ample
bottoms of fellow parishioners
~you know the answer to "What is the chief end of man?"
~next to the Bible on your nightstand is the BOO and BOC (Book of Order and
Book of Confessions)
~you actually know how to spell "Presbyterian"
~you know that TULIP is not just a flower, but a theological summation of
Calvinism
~you know Robert's Rules of Order inside and out
~the term "elders" doesn't refer to the older members of the congregation, but
those elected and ordained to serve on Session
~an Overture, is neither a flirtatious comment or a musical piece, but an
issue brought to GA by a Presbytery for action/vote regarding a particular
concern or amendment to the BOO
~you sit more than stand during the worship service
~communion is normally served to you in the pew
~you pay your per capita on time and in full to the church every year
~you are tempted to withhold your per capita every time you don't agree with
the denomination's stance on an issue
~you remember a church split during your membership as a Presbyterian:
local or denominational
~you check the PC(USA).org website daily or weekly
~you know that VBS isn't a sexually transmitted disease
~"Good Morning" is considered a liturigal greeting in the worship service
~you know the name of the present Moderator
~The Outlook is not a stock market forecast but a denominational publication
~You subscribe to "Presbyterians Today"
~you own Welch's grape juice stock knowing communion is served nearly once
a month
~Ghost Ranch is not a haunted place, but a retreat center
~going to Louisville, KY is considered a pilgrimage

Just reflecting, tongue in cheek, on being Presbyterian!!! Any that you would like to add? Put them in "Comments"!
This is my 111th post, not the Barry Bonds homerun breaker record, but it is a trinity of 1's. Somehow, I missed the 100th post!

In Need of Some Comfort Food

Still reflecting on the van accident last week and decided I needed some comfort.
Looks like I'm my favorite cookie!!!!!!!!
Find out what kinda cookie you are!

You Are a Chocolate Chip Cookie

Traditional and conservative, most people find you comforting. You're friendly and easy to get to know. This makes you very popular - without even trying!

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

ALIVE AND GRATEFUL

It was this past Wednesday as I was driving to the church on the state highway, that I caught the edge of the nearly non-existant berm, struggled mightily to get the van back on the road and landed sideways in a deep ditch. I remember trying to steer left and then just the green of tall grasses. I was very shaken and a couple folks stopped, one called 911, the other two men tipped the van the passenger side so that I could crawl out. I did have the presence of mind to turn off the car, unlock the doors, grab my purse and switch on the cell phone. My hands were too shaky to dial.
Still not sure exactly what happened. I know I was thinking of the things I was to do that day. The morning was clear and bright, hot, muggy with blue skies. It was totally unexpected, as these things are. There are telephone lines along the road and I was not near one, thanks be to God.
It took all morning to have the van towed and fill out reports. LH came and took me to the body shop where I waited for my rental. My penance is now to drive a little chevy Cobalt with manual everything. I have to unlock the back door by reaching in from the front door and then I have to remember to lock it before I shut the door. I am grateful that it has air conditioning and gets me where I need to go.
I haven't felt much like driving anywhere. When I got the rental home, I realized I left the garage door opener in the van. It took me a half hour to get myself into the car and drive the 3 minutes back to the body shop. It took much prayer for me to drive to the church on Thursday morning. I have had a couple accidents in the past, but this is the first time where I have had to build up my courage to drive again.
I suppose it is post-traumatic stress.
The left side of my left knee sports a colorful bruise and I ached in my left leg, right arm and neck some the last couple days. But I walked away from over $6,000.00 damage to the van with not a scratch. How blessed can someone be?
I'm sorry to say that I was not talking on a cell phone (it wasn't even on in my purse), I was not fiddling with radio channels, I did not swerve to avoid some animal on the road, I wasn't passing anyone. I can't even explain how it happened, except that I was coming out of a curve.
I am alive! And not one day has gone by that I haven't thanked God that I am still alive and here. I will have deal with all the insurance stuff and extra days of car rental, but I'm alive and ever thankful, to watch the bumblebees bury their faces in blossoms, to be held in LH arms, to hug my beautiful greys - Ben and Jett, to talk to my sister on the phone, to preach on Sunday, to iron my clothes and mop the kitchen floor, to write this today.
You are alive! Notice what you are doing today and be thankful, be grateful that you are alive and able to do all that you do this day.