idolatry

Although we will be out of town and miss the event, our parish is preparing to experience the Seder, the annual remembrance celebrated by Jews all over the world to commemorate their deliverance and freedom from slavery in Egypt. This is not the first year that we have held a Seder, but the institutional memory is weak, people have come and gone, and, well, it needs some work.

Last night I was searching online for a text for a Seder that we could use, and this morning as I was listening to the news I recalled a portion of it.

Why was the lamb chosen for sacrifice? Because this is the animal that the Egyptians worshiped. The shank-bone on our Seder plate symbolizes our rejection of idolatry. Idolatry has taken a different form in every age. In our own time, we have witnessed the results of idolatry when people place complete, unquestioning faith in someone or something other than God. This occurred in Germany, where eleven million souls, including six million of our own people, were tragically and cruelly lost. The presence of the shank-bone on our Seder plate reminds us of our obligation to combat idolatry whenever and wherever we encounter it, in order to insure the spiritual freedom of all.

Idolatry. Apparently at risk in this potential government shutdown is pay to our soldiers. Does that not slap you in the face? The "principle" of  reducing the size of government has become an idol to certain members of our elected leadership. It is more important to them to hold fast to their principles than to pass a budget that is far from perfect. A budget that will take the edge off of the pain of communities that are cutting back on the expense of school buses, where teachers are demoralized, and city transportation is getting the ax and people can't get to their jobs. This is a budget in peril because corporations aren't paying their share of taxes, and some aren't paying any. This is a budget in peril because tax-free living has become an idol to people who believe they are entitled to live freely while bearing no responsibility for the cost of that freedom.

We must all bear the burden of the life we inherited from those who came before us and paved the way for public education, job training, family leave, and discrimination-busting bravery and acts. To name but a few things. All. Of. Us. Our military and their families are already making the kind of sacrifices that some of us already understand and others of us don't want to entertain in our imaginations. It is beyond unacceptable to take more from them. And because they put it on the line for you, and me, and the millions they have never met and will never know, we are in their debt.

The idolatrous members of congress need to read the Gospel as many times as it takes to internalize the message that what we do to the least of any among us we do to what is divine and holy. There but for the grace of God, remember?

Honor God, therefore. Honor those who have given all. Honor those who love them. Honor the rest of us who are grateful. Don't make me get out of my chair.

creating

Does anyone remember the Dewar's Profiles? Eons ago when I subscribed to The New Yorker the ads would often grace the back cover of the magazine. They featured a well-known person and shared some "profile" information, which always included the person's drink of choice (which was Dewar's, of course).

Over the weekend one of my friends (who doubles as a scrapper, among so many other attributes) posted on facebook a scrapbook layout she made. She referred to a scrapbook web site that provides "challenges" to scrappers to offer people like me some parameters for designing layouts. I love challenges--it narrows the field of decision-making to a manageable degree, and I can actually accomplish something, rather than be paralyzed by too many options. There are standard challenge categories each month (color, predetermined template, fashion finds, trends, etc.). Many of the challenges displayed on the web site triggered ideas, so I decided I would do my best to attempt those that caught my imagination. They number, oh, about 17? This would be for the month of April.

Yesterday my creative juices were flowing, so I decided to tackle one of them in the afternoon instead of deferring to the usual nap. After playing around with a multitude of choices (I mean, I had to choose which challenge to do!), a picture stored in Picasa suddenly clicked as one I could use for the "ad challenge." The idea is to take inspiration for a layout from an advertisement.

The above layout is the finished result, a Dewar's inspired layout (click on the image to read the profile portion). It isn't exactly "scrapped," but the heavy lifting is most certainly done, I have only to print and apply to a backing/mat. It's also got me thinking that it would be fun to do similar profiles for others who love Melrose. Jimmy and Barbara, you may be next!

sunday notebook

Outside my window … 

sunny and breezy. perfect.

I am thinking … 

that I need to get back to the gym this week.

I am thankful for …

a good crowd at church this morning. Not to mention that a couple of them are new attender/members!

I am hoping …

to stay awake this afternoon and do some scrapbooking!

On my mind …

that the kingdom Jesus proclaimed has more to do with justice than we acknowledge or model sufficiently

Noticing that …

McKinlee could stand to lose a few pounds

A few plans for the week …

cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning... putting the Christmas boxes back into the attic... making some pastoral and PC calls

From the kitchen …

salmon tonight! 

Around the house …

did I mention cleaning?

One of my favorite things … 

dairy queen's peanut buster parfait. haven't had one in a long time and won't enjoy one for a long time yet, but it's a pleasure to think about savoring one, just the same.

A picture I am sharing …

 a view in the neighborhood

friday five: quick picks

At RevGals Kathryn writes: We're in the midst of 'it' and I'm hoping that it is not just me who is starting to get a bit overwhelmed. So for today I am asking for five quick picks of things that are good in your life. And as a bonus, 1 pick for a thing you could do without. 

 

1)  I'm using Borg's and Crossan's The Last Week (sound familiar?) to lead a discussion of that topic in our Lenten program. We've had some great conversation, and two of the attendees have gotten copies of the book from the library and are reading along. Their reading is generating lots of questions, so we're having a really good time in our Lenten program. Well, I say "we,"  and that seems to be the case, but I know that I'm having a good time!

2) I started Dr. Oz's one-day diet this week (one-day as in one day at a time), and it's going well! It's an easy diet, lots of tasty meal choices, and good, healthy food. Last night I fit easily into a pair of pants that had previously been a bit snug, so this girl is happy!

3) In two weeks we'll see our kids and grandkids! We haven't seen our son and daughter-in-law in almost a year, or our daughter and her family since August.

4) The spring blooms are and have been beautiful!

5) I'm about to wrap up my third cross stitch project since resuming this craft just after Christmas. It is so gratifying, and an easy thing to do while my husband and I watch TV. Even the dogs don't mess it up (except when they decide to get into my stash of thread). This has been a life-saver.

 

Bonus: There's some unbloggable stuff going on that I could really do without. I'm looking at it as enforced cocoonment, which means that a butterfly is in my future. Alas, the process of transformation is dicey, but I'm trying to keep my eye on the spreading-my-wings part.

out of the mouths of...

Rick Santorum made a trip to New Hampshire recently. In response to a question about Social Security, Rick said that "the system has design flaws, but the reason it is in big trouble is that there aren't enough workers to support retirees. He blamed that on what he called the nation's abortion culture. He says that culture, coupled with policies that do not support families, deny America what it needs -- more people."

And these people get elected. In droves!

a picture is worth...

Thanks to my friend Pace, who sent an email that included this photo with the caption,

"this is what a helping hand looks like."

This is a visual thank you to those who have offered their helping hand in recent days. Love you all!

monday notebook

Outside my window …

gray skies, and robins in search of goodies.

I am thinking …

about my future.

I am thankful for … 

morning coffee and time to reflect; evening cross-stitch time.

I am hoping … 

to continue to see the glass half full

On my mind … 

making lemonade (if you get my drift)

Noticing that … 

the lampshades in this house need some time with the vacuum hose

A few plans for the week … 

vacuuming and dusting, ruthless purging of the clutter, work my PC business, trying to barter for boarding the dogs on those occasions that we need to be away

From the kitchen … 

starting Dr. Oz's one-day diet (i.e. one day at a time): lots of whole grains and fish!

Around the house … 

dust, dust, and more dust!

One of my favorite things … 

imagining possibilities

A picture I am sharing … 

On Saturday we went to the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival. Alas, the blossoms were past peak, and the vendors--eh.  It was very cold and very gray. 

BUT! 

We also went to the Nashville Farmer's Market, and were warmed by the great finds there. 

AND!

It was the best possible time of year to be there with the fruit trees and red bud in bloom at the Bicentennial Mall next door to the market. The gray skies make a wreck of the photos, but you can still see the glory of the blooms.

remembering geraldine

I was in the seventh grade when Joe Duffy, a friend of my parents, decided to run for the U.S. Senate. It was, as I read a review of the race that fall, a pivotal year for Connecticut politics that highlighted the role of primary politics. Joe faced off in the primary against Thomas Dodd, father of now retiring senator Chris Dodd, and beat him. Although Dodd entered the race as an independent, he tipped the conservative end of the spectrum and Joe the liberal end, leaving lots of comfortable room in the middle for the likes of republican Lowell Weicker, who won the senate seat in November.  It would be a stretch to say that I cut my political teeth that year, but it was my first taste of campaigning, which my brothers and I did on occasion in the company of our parents. (Maybe just Mom? I can't recall).

Nearly a lifetime later, I found myself in the political fray again, this time mobilized to action by the inclusion of Geraldine Ferraro on the democratic ticket as vice-presidential candidate to Walter Mondale. It was a tough and disappointing race, but a fun time and a good experience. Memories of that campaign are romping through my mind this weekend after hearing the news that Geraldine has left the confines of this world following a battle with blood cancer. I am remembering her commitment and dedication to the campaign and the democratic party, her graciousness with volunteers, her feisty personality on the campaign trail and, years later when she spoke at a gathering in St. Louis, her seasoned perspective and wisdom on the nuances of politics and the role of women within it. She was a woman of courage and conviction, and not a bad role model for women then, and now, who function in an historically male-dominated arena.

Rest in peace, Geraldine. I raise my glass to you and remember you with gratitude and gladness. Women owe you a debt for your part in fracturing the ceiling that holds us down, and for leading the way that others have since followed. It was my pleasure to serve you.

thankful thursday

In spite of my week kicking off with a big ol' gut kick, it's actually not been too bad. Why?

Because love poured forth with support and affirmation that kept my feet far from the edge of anything dark.
Because my daughter-in-law called me out of the blue.
Because today is our fifth anniversary.
Because McKinlee is behaving better.
Because the red bud is in its glory, and the dogwood is on the verge of blooming.
Because my current cross stitch project is coming along very nicely, thank-you-very-much!
Because I have the best Mom in the world, whose birthday is also on today.
Because hope is full of possibility, and possibility is right up my Meyers-Briggs alley.
Because tomorrow is a new day, and I plan to rejoice and be glad in it.

when the going gets tough

The tough eat ice cream! At least that's what a banner that hung for a time in the dining hall of my college proclaimed. I'm not sure I'll follow that counsel at my age and stage of life, but there's some wisdom in the advice.

When the going gets tough...

do something for fun. Eat ice cream, take a walk through delightful scenery, go to a movie, play ping pong, make a play date with a three year-old, shoot hoops, bang on a drum, let a puppy lick your face.

When the going gets tough...

dig in and take cover from the assaults of the enemy, whoever and whatever that enemy might be. I sometimes refer to this as donning foul-weather gear.

When the going gets tough...

breathe, pray, then breathe some more. This will nudge you toward your center.

When the going gets tough...

give and receive love: hugs to everyone you encounter, smiles to strangers, pay it forward, a phone call to someone to say thanks, be treated to lunch, take and squeeze the hand of a friend.

When the going gets tough...

dance! Earth, Wind and Fire are a good place to start.

When the going gets tough...

consider all your options. They may appear huddled in a pack, but one will emerge and take the lead.

When the going gets tough...

Recall your strength, stand up straight, tip your head back to receive the fullness of God's light as it shines upon you.

When the going gets tough...

rest, but don't give up

When the going gets tough...

get a massage

When the going gets tough...

Know that you are loved. Abundantly. Ferociously. Steadfastly.

I feel better already. What do you do when the going gets tough?

There's some unbloggable stuff going on. Sort of feels like running in quicksand. But there's good news. I know that when times get tough I can reach out to people who care about me, and I have done so. The love and support I have received back has been a Godsend. I feel empowered and held aloft by angels, and it makes all the difference. Today, that is enough.

gifts and shadows

Something I read on another blog recently has me thinking about giving. As in giving of ourselves through what we create. I'm choosing not to direct you to the blog because I don't want my comments here to appear as any kind of indictment of what is written there. The blog post catalyzed my thinking, evoked memories and feelings, and my train of thought since then is my own. But I know what it feels like to have someone refer to a post you've written and gotten feelings hurt unintentionally.

One of the ways I give of myself is to make things for other people. Like the cross stitch I am doing for my grandsons. Like sweaters I have knit, quilts I have made, clothes and Halloween costumes I have sewn, scrapbook albums I have created, and so on. Let there be no mistake, I find joy in the creating, a sort of incarnational expression of love for the recipient. One hopes, of course, that the recipient will be pleased with and appreciate what is created and given, but how something is received is not tied to the desire to create and give. The heart wants to give and share a part of itself, and so we find a way to express what is in our hearts through what we create.

Over the years I have created and given a number and variety of things to the people in my life. If memory serves, such gifts have been acknowledged with gladness and love, and generally, with enthusiasm.

There have been other times when I have invested myself in creating an experience for others that isn't about relationship, but is about offering a part of myself. For example, a number of years ago I picked up some odds and ends for a kind of grab bag at a vestry retreat. No one knew that they would be receiving any sort of gift. The grab bag event took place toward the end of the retreat. It was fun, involved laughter and the kind of kibbitzing that bore witness to the bonding that had taken place during our time together. To a person, no one acknowledged the thought behind it or referred to the grab bag ever again. That was disappointing.

I have done other grab bags, or things like that, and none have received a word of thanks or even recognition. I don't create to give with strings attached. I do claim that it is disappointing not to have the effort acknowledged or appreciated. I ask myself sometimes why I bother, but it never stops me from doing it again. I give of myself because it is what I want to do.

All of us face disappointment when what we give of ourselves goes unnoticed or unacknowledged. Whether it's something we've created, a skill we bring to a project or the workplace, or an expression of compassion, we share who we are. How are you affected by and how do you process such disappointment?

sunday notebook

(True confessions: I stole this from someone's blog that I visited earlier in the week, but I can't remember who it was. I'll try to work on that to give proper attribution)

Outside my window …Bradford Pears are in bloom across the street, daffodils are preening in the yards of my neighbors, and the grass is greening up everywhere!

I am thinking …that military intervention in Libya is madness. 

I am thankful for … the inspiration I find in the lives and work and creations of people I know in real life, and in cyberland.

I am hoping … to stay awake this afternoon and get on the phone to make some Pampered Chef calls.  And get Christmas boxes up to the attic.

On my mind … the people of Japan, Haiti, Libya, and other places who live in ruins, face danger, and are otherwise oppressed.

Noticing that … my pants fit just a bit better today!

A few plans for the week … getting the aforementioned Christmas boxes put away, continuing to clean in my office, church newsletter, the next cross stitch project.

From the kitchen … soup, of some description.

Around the house … deodorizing the evidence of a certain dog.

One of my favorite things … the blooms of spring. I LOVE this time of year!

A picture I am sharing … facebook friends have already seen this, but here is the pre-framed finished birth record for Cross:

I'll post pictures of both birth records in their frames when this one comes back from the framer. 

My wish for you today... a pleasant surprise that plants a big ole smile on your face. Your visit here puts a smile on my face.

yesterday's views

While waiting for Ken to complete an appointment at the eye doctor I grabbed my camera and snapped some shots of blooms around town. I LOVE the brilliance of forsythia. Wish we had some in our yard (some day...). And the tulip magnolias are so showy, like a sweet young thing showing off her new spring frock. Doncha think?

Enjoy the views, and have a blooming weekend!

friday five: springing forward

 

picture taken by my Mom

At RevGals Jan writes: Whether we liked it or not, we all "sprang forward" with the change to daylight savings time in the USA this past Sunday. There is lightness and brightness slipping in as spring approaches, so let us consider what is springing forth in our lives right now.
Name 5 things that are springing forth, possibly including :

1) What I hope for

There are lots of things around our modest homestead that need attention. We need to fence the yard for the dogs; replace the living room and hall carpet (with hardwood); repair the riding mower (ca-ching!); get a second car... None of these things fall under the usual type of discretionary spending, and our budget is stretched thin over bare bones. I have the means to generate the income necessary (over time) to fund the above through Pampered Chef. My problem: procrastination and phone phobia. The good news is that I used to have a Serious Case of phone phobia. Now it's a modest case. What I hope for is to build and sustain the momentum necessary to build my business. I keep saying this, I know. I'm stuck on a sandbar of my own making, and need to float myself free. What I hope for is the epiphany that will free me for good, and not for a season.

2) What I dread

The heat of summer. And the humidity.

3) What I observe

I need to address aspects of my leadership style. I have good skills in leadership, and I am discovering that those skills need to be complemented by other gifts. This is a good thing, and it will require some serious discernment, prayer and practice to bring to fruition.

4) What is concrete

The perpetual challenge to influence attitudes for the good.

5) What is intangible

Hope that attitudes can be changed for the good.

inching toward understanding

Last night we were very fortunate to attend a presentation by friend and expert on Islam, Ron Messier. He outlined the basics of Islam--including its five pillars--jihad and shariah, and offered some insight and perspective for the roomful of those in attendance who were essentially not very well informed.  I think it's safe to say that we all came away from that time feeling better grounded in a sense of what Islam is about, with any unfounded fears eased, if not erased. You might say Ron talked a few people down off the fear ledge. Becoming informed is essential for Tennesseans these days, as one of our fear-mongering state representatives has introduced a bill in our legislature to criminalize the practice of shariah. Even a sheriff's deputy, on hand in the event of any disturbance (the local tea party is rabidly anti-Muslim), professed gratitude for being there, and he noted how much he learned.

Of particular interest to me is something Ron shared with us that he, in turned, learned from a Muslim student. Islam is cited as sharing with Judaism and Christianity the claim of being an Abrahamic faith. Universally these three are separated as distinctive faiths, and ordered in a sort of hierarchical way according to their historical founding. It is understood by Muslims, however, that Islam is the culmination of one faith, incorporating the wisdom of the Jewish prophets and the teachings of Jesus, then concluding in the revelations to Muhammad as Allah's last prophet. That "take" on Islam helped me understand in a huge way its attractiveness to so many people.

This morning I am appreciating the wideness not only in God's mercy, but the many and varied ways that he/she is made manifest to creation and embodied in the faithfulness of many peoples. At the heart of so many religions is that the glory belongs to God, to Allah, to the Great One. May we each live in ways that reflect that glory in the fullness of our humanity, and as one in heart. To God the glory. Allahu Akbar.