Again.
Somehow I missed the memo that we were supposed to get another 4-8 inches today.
I'm also beginning to think I missed the memo about the White Witch re-taking control of Narnia. . .
Tonight's football game just gets more and more interesting. At least 4-8 inches of snow ought to cushion the Vikings' falls onto the hard tundra that is currently TCF Bank field.
I have also decided that everybody's annoying and dangerous driving habits are at least 10 times more annoying and 100 times more dangerous when there is snow on the road. I've got news for you, people: four wheel drive does not make you immune to the laws of physics nor does it exempt you from the idiot tax.
So to everybody who talks on their cell phone while they drive, or follows too close, or drives in snow without headlights on, or weaves in and out of traffic, or goes too fast for the conditions, or changes lanes without use of a blinker, or cuts across multiple lanes of traffic upon entering a roadway, or runs a red light, or can't be bothered to clear all the snow off their car before they start driving around: knock it off!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
My Big Fat Italian Christmas
Ciccone Christmas this afternoon. First time I've been able to make it in five years, I'm pretty stoked.
I've decided to go old school and bring Nana's rum cake. I'm still getting used to baking in this oven, so it looks a little overdone, but I think it will still taste good.
People used to tease Nana and say they could only have one piece, otherwise they might get drunk from the cake. She'd get embarrassed and say "all the alcohol bakes out, it's just the flavor that stays."
For the record: the rum you put in the batter may bake out in the oven, but I'm pretty sure the rum you add to the sauce right before you pour it all over the cake doesn't evaporate that quickly. ;)
I've decided to go old school and bring Nana's rum cake. I'm still getting used to baking in this oven, so it looks a little overdone, but I think it will still taste good.
People used to tease Nana and say they could only have one piece, otherwise they might get drunk from the cake. She'd get embarrassed and say "all the alcohol bakes out, it's just the flavor that stays."
For the record: the rum you put in the batter may bake out in the oven, but I'm pretty sure the rum you add to the sauce right before you pour it all over the cake doesn't evaporate that quickly. ;)
Friday, December 17, 2010
Jesus the Liberal Democrat
Spot. On.
Many quotable lines in this, but here's my favorite:
"If this is gonna be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we've got to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that he commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it."
Many quotable lines in this, but here's my favorite:
"If this is gonna be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we've got to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that he commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it."
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Jesus Is a Liberal Democrat | ||||
| ||||
Monday, December 13, 2010
A Thought for Christmas
Danke schon to Nick, who posted this as a note on his facebook page:
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
there were no rootless Christmas trees
hung with candycanes and breakable stars
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
there were no gilded Christmas trees
and no tinsel Christmas trees
and no tinfoil Christmas trees
and no pink plastic Christmas trees
and no gold Christmas trees
and no black Christmas trees
and no powderblue Christmas trees
hung with electric candles
and encircled by tin electric trains
and clever cornball relatives
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
no intrepid Bible salesmen
covered the territory
in two-tone cadillacs
and where no Sears Roebuck creches
complete with plastic babe in manger
arrived by parcel post
the babe by special delivery
and where no televised Wise Men
praised the Lord Calvert Whiskey
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
no fat handshaking stranger
in a red flannel suit
and a fake white beard
went around passing himself off
as some sort of North Pole saint
crossing the desert to Bethlehem
Pennsylvania
in a Volkswagon sled
drawn by rollicking Adirondack reindeer
with German names
and bearing sacks of Humble Gifts
from Saks Fifth Avenue
for everybody's imagined Christ child
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
no Bing Crosby carolers
groaned of a tight Christmas
and where no Radio City angels
iceskated wingless
thru a winter wonderland
into a jinglebell heaven
daily at 8:30
with Midnight Mass matinees
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and softly stole away into
some anonymous Mary's womb again
where in the darkest night
of everybody's anonymous soul
He awaits again
an unimaginable
and impossibly
Immaculate Reconception
the very craziest
of Second Comings
by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
there were no rootless Christmas trees
hung with candycanes and breakable stars
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
there were no gilded Christmas trees
and no tinsel Christmas trees
and no tinfoil Christmas trees
and no pink plastic Christmas trees
and no gold Christmas trees
and no black Christmas trees
and no powderblue Christmas trees
hung with electric candles
and encircled by tin electric trains
and clever cornball relatives
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
no intrepid Bible salesmen
covered the territory
in two-tone cadillacs
and where no Sears Roebuck creches
complete with plastic babe in manger
arrived by parcel post
the babe by special delivery
and where no televised Wise Men
praised the Lord Calvert Whiskey
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
no fat handshaking stranger
in a red flannel suit
and a fake white beard
went around passing himself off
as some sort of North Pole saint
crossing the desert to Bethlehem
Pennsylvania
in a Volkswagon sled
drawn by rollicking Adirondack reindeer
with German names
and bearing sacks of Humble Gifts
from Saks Fifth Avenue
for everybody's imagined Christ child
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
no Bing Crosby carolers
groaned of a tight Christmas
and where no Radio City angels
iceskated wingless
thru a winter wonderland
into a jinglebell heaven
daily at 8:30
with Midnight Mass matinees
Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and softly stole away into
some anonymous Mary's womb again
where in the darkest night
of everybody's anonymous soul
He awaits again
an unimaginable
and impossibly
Immaculate Reconception
the very craziest
of Second Comings
by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Saturday, December 11, 2010
This is Equal Parts Amusing and Disturbing
So I was thinking about enhancing my last post with a picture of a rebel victory on Hoth, and my internet search turned up this:
Apparently, it began as an April Fools joke on ThinkGeek but is now a real product, due to consumer demand.
It's cute and clever and all but. . .considering I still have to look away whenever Han cuts open the Tauntaun, I just don't think I could ever actually sleep in something like this.
Is it terribly obvious I'm avoiding the two papers I should be working on? ;)
Apparently, it began as an April Fools joke on ThinkGeek but is now a real product, due to consumer demand.
It's cute and clever and all but. . .considering I still have to look away whenever Han cuts open the Tauntaun, I just don't think I could ever actually sleep in something like this.
Is it terribly obvious I'm avoiding the two papers I should be working on? ;)
The Great Blizzard of '10 Part Deux
Thankfully I don't have to worry about moving Hermes until this thing ends and plow guy comes back.
But some neighbors were parked on a snow emergency route. They needed to move their car ASAP lest the city impound it.
Fool that I am, I was walking around outside trying to get some pictures of the storm when I came across them.
So I ran home to get my shovel and came back to help.
Every car we successfully got off the emergency route and onto a side street felt like a Rebel victory on Hoth!
Who needs a gym membership when you live in Minnesota? :)
But some neighbors were parked on a snow emergency route. They needed to move their car ASAP lest the city impound it.
Fool that I am, I was walking around outside trying to get some pictures of the storm when I came across them.
So I ran home to get my shovel and came back to help.
Every car we successfully got off the emergency route and onto a side street felt like a Rebel victory on Hoth!
Who needs a gym membership when you live in Minnesota? :)
The Great Blizzard of '10
Best line so far in this morning's blizzard coverage comes from Jason Derusha at WCCO. A sedan was trying to turn a corner just outside their downtown studio and got stuck in a ridge of snow in the intersection, thus blocking part of the road and making it even harder for other traffic to negotiate the intersection. Jason's comment went something like this:
Be realistic, people. If you see a ridge of snow on the street and you're driving an Escort, it's not gonna happen. Basically it comes down to, if you're out driving around in this stuff, don't be an idiot.
The next best line comes from the traffic guy, who has made a running joke of throwing shots from the Lowry tunnel into the mix of traffic cam views, as he says "Hey look, I found a place it's not snowing!"
Apparently one gets a little punchy in the 4th straight hour of covering a blizzard. :)
Choral Girl, I know I talked a good game yesterday about blizzards not being able to stop InVocation, but I'm starting to reconsider that position. . .
Be realistic, people. If you see a ridge of snow on the street and you're driving an Escort, it's not gonna happen. Basically it comes down to, if you're out driving around in this stuff, don't be an idiot.
The next best line comes from the traffic guy, who has made a running joke of throwing shots from the Lowry tunnel into the mix of traffic cam views, as he says "Hey look, I found a place it's not snowing!"
Apparently one gets a little punchy in the 4th straight hour of covering a blizzard. :)
Choral Girl, I know I talked a good game yesterday about blizzards not being able to stop InVocation, but I'm starting to reconsider that position. . .
Thursday, December 9, 2010
It Gets Better, Love Pixar
Hat tip to Mary, through whose blog I discovered this video. I share it here for two reasons:
1) Much as I love Bishop Hanson, he is a straight aging white man in a relatively privileged and powerful position. While I am proud he is one of the many who have stood up to say "It Gets Better," I think the message probably rings more authentically true when it comes from those who have lived through the same kind of discrimination and self-deprecation and can honestly say their lives on the other side of that hurt are more fulfilling than they could have imagined as they were going through that hurt. So, I share this because it is a more authentic witness to things getting better.
2) I think one of the great fears in the larger society when it comes to homosexuality is that gay people are out to corrupt children and convert them to the "gay lifestyle." I know in the conversations we had around human sexuality when I was in the parish, there were certainly folks who named this fear. I think this fear stems, not from actual experience, but from lack of known experience of or exposure to actual gay people. To that end, I think this video can help debunk this myth. For if this fear had any basis in reality, then working for Pixar must be the employment pinnacle for gay people, right? I mean, Pixar's target audience is children, and they reach millions of them worldwide every year. If this fear had any basis in reality, given the number of openly gay Pixar employees in this video, I would expect Pixar movies to be loaded with overt and covert recruitment to the "gay lifestyle" . . . and yet, somehow I can't think of any concrete example of this in a Pixar film. So, I also share this video in the hope it will challenge these prejudices and allay these fears.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Learning the Hard Way
Apparently, I misunderstood the snow removal policy where I live.
In my defense, up to this point plow guy's behavior has not been consistent with the policy as it was explained to me, thus contributing to my confusion about when, exactly, plow guy comes to clear things out (and when, consequently, our vehicles need to be out of his way).
Long story short: this past weekend, Hermes the Honda was still sitting in its parking space when plow guy came to clear out the parking stalls. This irritated plow guy to the point that he conducted an experiment in behavior modification, using what psychologists would refer to as "negative reinforcement."
In other words, the bugger plowed me in. The three sides of Hermes he had access to were piled with knee-deep snow (as high as the wheel wells, which to Hermes is the equivalent of hip-deep snow). The thickest pile was blocking the only direction I could possibly go to get out of the parking stall.
It took an hour and a half of non-stop shoveling to dig Hermes out. It had to be non-stop because InVocation had a 5 pm call time in Hastings, and I was due to meet fellow singers for a carpool to Hastings at 4. I discovered plow guy's experiment at 2.
Believe me when I say that by the time I was done, my parking stall was as clear (if not more clear) as if plow guy had plowed it himself.
Believe me when I say that the lesson has been learned, the behavior has been modified, Hermes will never be in plow guy's way again!
In my defense, up to this point plow guy's behavior has not been consistent with the policy as it was explained to me, thus contributing to my confusion about when, exactly, plow guy comes to clear things out (and when, consequently, our vehicles need to be out of his way).
Long story short: this past weekend, Hermes the Honda was still sitting in its parking space when plow guy came to clear out the parking stalls. This irritated plow guy to the point that he conducted an experiment in behavior modification, using what psychologists would refer to as "negative reinforcement."
In other words, the bugger plowed me in. The three sides of Hermes he had access to were piled with knee-deep snow (as high as the wheel wells, which to Hermes is the equivalent of hip-deep snow). The thickest pile was blocking the only direction I could possibly go to get out of the parking stall.
It took an hour and a half of non-stop shoveling to dig Hermes out. It had to be non-stop because InVocation had a 5 pm call time in Hastings, and I was due to meet fellow singers for a carpool to Hastings at 4. I discovered plow guy's experiment at 2.
Believe me when I say that by the time I was done, my parking stall was as clear (if not more clear) as if plow guy had plowed it himself.
Believe me when I say that the lesson has been learned, the behavior has been modified, Hermes will never be in plow guy's way again!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Beginning of an SNL Renaissance?
I was just thinking a couple of weeks ago, SNL hasn't sucked as much this year. It's still a far cry from the days Tina Fey was head writer, but it's improving over its most recent iterations.
Then I got my little e-newsletter from Olaf, and found out they've got an Ole in the writing room.
Coincidence? I think not. :)
Now, if they would only let Cookie Monster host. . .
Then I got my little e-newsletter from Olaf, and found out they've got an Ole in the writing room.
Coincidence? I think not. :)
Now, if they would only let Cookie Monster host. . .
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Happy Hannukah!
Because that's what every good Jew wants for their Hannukah dinner, a big fat slice of ham. Ah Wal-Mart, thanks for your corporate sensitivity and your enlightenment of the American public. . . not. Epic fail.
Now here are some dudes who know what they're talking about. Hat tip to Mary for bringing it to my attention. Happy Hannukah to my Jewish brothers and sisters!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Educational Paradigm Shift
Hat tip to the Ed 1 class for pointing me to this youtube video on educational paradigm shifts. Don't want to lose track of it, so posting it here.
Friday, November 19, 2010
The God of Cake
This made me laugh. It also made me think of the Garden of Eden story - a modern retelling via a toddler's obsession with cake? :)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
A Vaughan Williams State of Mind
When in grief, I go to music. I've had Vaughan Williams running through my head and playing on my stereo all day, back and forth between "The Lark Ascending" and "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis."
The former because Karen shared on the CaringBridge page that, as Rich was in and out of lucidity in his final days, when she asked him to recite a Sonnet, he went to Shakespeare's 29th:
When, in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
The latter because the St. Olaf Orchestra performed it the first Christmas Festival of my years at Olaf, and because the poetry associated with it, at least in the Lutheran Book of Worship, is
I heard the voice of Jesus say
"Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down
Your head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
So weary, worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting place
And he has made me glad.
Unfortunately, the piece is too long for one youtube video, so this gets broken up, but here is "The Lark Ascending" (apologies for the British commentator at the beginning and end)
The quality of the video on this one could be better, but the sound isn't too bad and it puts the whole Fantasia on one video
The former because Karen shared on the CaringBridge page that, as Rich was in and out of lucidity in his final days, when she asked him to recite a Sonnet, he went to Shakespeare's 29th:
When, in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
The latter because the St. Olaf Orchestra performed it the first Christmas Festival of my years at Olaf, and because the poetry associated with it, at least in the Lutheran Book of Worship, is
I heard the voice of Jesus say
"Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down
Your head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
So weary, worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting place
And he has made me glad.
Unfortunately, the piece is too long for one youtube video, so this gets broken up, but here is "The Lark Ascending" (apologies for the British commentator at the beginning and end)
The quality of the video on this one could be better, but the sound isn't too bad and it puts the whole Fantasia on one video
The Challenge and Promise of a Post-Christendom World
Thoughtful insights from Pete Steinke over on the Alban blog.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Nunc Dimittis
I find myself feeling sick at this news. Rich was my college advisor, one of my Great Con professors, and an incredible guy all the way around. A beautiful life cut far too short, and another heartrending loss in a family that has born more than its fair share of heartache. Pastor Benson's letter to the St. Olaf community said, "He was vintage Rich right to the end, with a head full of poetry, a heart full of love, and a spirit full of contentment and faith, not fear." Of the many things I will always remember and celebrate about Rich DuRocher, the strength and grace of his faith is foremost on the list.
A small glimpse of who the world has lost, from an April 22 entry in his CaringBridge page:
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace. . .may he rest in the wholeness of your eternal embrace, and may you comfort Karen, Mary Clare, and the whole DuRocher family as they grieve this tremendous loss.
A small glimpse of who the world has lost, from an April 22 entry in his CaringBridge page:
Spring thoughts. Watering my garden this morning and pulling a few weeds is about all I can manage today. Maybe that's all right. If we can only do a little, let that little go to feed new life, eliminate a few bad habits of ours, maybe encourage someone who needs our help. In the coffee shop and commons room for interfaith services at Cornell University, a saying of Daniel and Philip Berrigan was painted in big, 60s style fashion: "Be a little more careful about living things than about anything else." Thirty years after seing that sign, maybe I'm beginning to get it. Seize the day.
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace. . .may he rest in the wholeness of your eternal embrace, and may you comfort Karen, Mary Clare, and the whole DuRocher family as they grieve this tremendous loss.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Deep Thoughts
from the Missional Church Consultation at Luther Seminary this weekend:
The Bible does a lot of jobs. It serves best if we let it do all of them and let people find their place in the story.
(Allen Hilton)
Communal prayer as participation in God's descent, as Holy Spirit inserting us into God's mission whose boundaries we cannot define; always contemplation and struggle, deeply rooted in solidarity with the world. (Dirk Lange)
Church of the Apostles (Seattle) a church of "downward mobility," bores deep into tradition and takes it with radical seriousness, e.g. what would it look like if baptismal promises were actually true? (Karen Ward)
"Just to be a community is an apologetic for God in the world." (Karen Ward)
Find more great thoughts and quotes on Twitter: @LutherCML, #missional, or facebook: Center for Missional Leadership.
The Bible does a lot of jobs. It serves best if we let it do all of them and let people find their place in the story.
(Allen Hilton)
Communal prayer as participation in God's descent, as Holy Spirit inserting us into God's mission whose boundaries we cannot define; always contemplation and struggle, deeply rooted in solidarity with the world. (Dirk Lange)
Church of the Apostles (Seattle) a church of "downward mobility," bores deep into tradition and takes it with radical seriousness, e.g. what would it look like if baptismal promises were actually true? (Karen Ward)
"Just to be a community is an apologetic for God in the world." (Karen Ward)
Find more great thoughts and quotes on Twitter: @LutherCML, #missional, or facebook: Center for Missional Leadership.
Monday, November 8, 2010
He Can't Stay Silent Anymore
In the wee hours of Friday morning, a bullied teen from western Snyder County, PA, left his home, walked over 10 miles in the dark to Hwy 11/15, waited by the side of the road for the next tractor-trailer to drive by, then jumped in front of it.
Andy is a pastor in western Snyder County. His sermon on Sunday was a response to this tragedy. He put the following comment up with his initial posting of the video to facebook:
OK here it is. It's hard to be an outspoken voice of moderation. This is a sermon to my congregations, with reference to our community tragedy this Friday. It should not be considered such a risky thing to do to proclaim God's love for gay teenagers, but I didn't have the guts until today.
He put additional comments up as he posted this to youtube:
In the wake of another teen suicide in our nation, this time in our community, it was time to finally say publicly what I have said privately many times: "God loves gay people too." This should not be so radical, but it is still eliciting resistance and hate. Due to the nature of many immature and anonymous youtube users, comments will be disabled. This video is on facebook already, but I hope that by using youtube, it may make its way to those who need to hear it. The voices of hate cannot be allowed to be the only voice heard, even and especially those who use the name of our Lord to justify it.
I have always been proud to call Andy my friend, but am especially proud of him for this particular witness to the Gospel. Preach it, brother.
Andy is a pastor in western Snyder County. His sermon on Sunday was a response to this tragedy. He put the following comment up with his initial posting of the video to facebook:
OK here it is. It's hard to be an outspoken voice of moderation. This is a sermon to my congregations, with reference to our community tragedy this Friday. It should not be considered such a risky thing to do to proclaim God's love for gay teenagers, but I didn't have the guts until today.
He put additional comments up as he posted this to youtube:
In the wake of another teen suicide in our nation, this time in our community, it was time to finally say publicly what I have said privately many times: "God loves gay people too." This should not be so radical, but it is still eliciting resistance and hate. Due to the nature of many immature and anonymous youtube users, comments will be disabled. This video is on facebook already, but I hope that by using youtube, it may make its way to those who need to hear it. The voices of hate cannot be allowed to be the only voice heard, even and especially those who use the name of our Lord to justify it.
I have always been proud to call Andy my friend, but am especially proud of him for this particular witness to the Gospel. Preach it, brother.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
WTF Has Obama Done So Far?
Find out here.
Click on the embedded link to find out more about the statement that comes up. Refresh the page or click on the sarcastic comment to move to the next accomplishment. Share on twitter or like on facebook via the icons in the lower left corner of the page.
Click on the embedded link to find out more about the statement that comes up. Refresh the page or click on the sarcastic comment to move to the next accomplishment. Share on twitter or like on facebook via the icons in the lower left corner of the page.
Map of Gadamer
I have to do a presentation on Hans-Georg Gadamer for class tomorrow, and am trying to figure out how to get this map into my power point. I'm thinking maybe if I embed it in the blog, then I can copy it as a "picture." If anybody else has any great ideas, please let me know!
View Gadamer's Germany in a larger map
View Gadamer's Germany in a larger map
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Support Your Local Musicians
If you will be in the Twin Cities this Sunday, you should come to Tonya Anderson's Harp Recital. She rocks da harp. Added bonus: you'll get to hear a preview of the upcoming InVocation Christmas series. We rock da vocal chords.
What more could you want in late October?
Seriously, you should come.
That's this Sunday, October 24, at 3:00 PM
Eagan Hills Church
700 Diffley Road
Eagan, MN 55123
See you there,
C.
What more could you want in late October?
Seriously, you should come.
That's this Sunday, October 24, at 3:00 PM
Eagan Hills Church
700 Diffley Road
Eagan, MN 55123
See you there,
C.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Da*n Yankees
Since I completely failed to be all Midwestern Zen about these playoffs, now that we're done, in only 3 games, AGAIN, I'm trying to be all Midwestern Stoic about it.
Like, I really should be studying instead watching hours and hours of baseball over the next few weeks. It's better for my own personal schedule that we're out of the running.
And, at least I was in MN this time when we lost. Because I can tell you from personal experience where a Twins fan does not want to be when the Twins lose to the Yankees in the post-season: TGI Friday's in Penn Station.
And, it wouldn't have been right to get to the World Series without Morneau. Though they did really well with him on the DL through the second half of the season, he's a huge piece of backbone for the team, and he should be part of it all when they finally make it.
And, though it would have been poetic to get to or even win the World Series the last year in the Dome or the first year in Target Field, it will be even more poetic to make it (and win!) on the 20th anniversary of their last win (which was 1991).
And, if we peaked too late last year and were just too exhausted after battling our way into the playoffs, and we peaked too early this year and lost all our mojo heading into the postseason, then according to the general law of 3s, next year we are due to hit it all just right: to peak at the right time and have just the right energy and mojo to carry us into and through to the championship.
2011, here we come. . .
Damn Yankees.
Like, I really should be studying instead watching hours and hours of baseball over the next few weeks. It's better for my own personal schedule that we're out of the running.
And, at least I was in MN this time when we lost. Because I can tell you from personal experience where a Twins fan does not want to be when the Twins lose to the Yankees in the post-season: TGI Friday's in Penn Station.
And, it wouldn't have been right to get to the World Series without Morneau. Though they did really well with him on the DL through the second half of the season, he's a huge piece of backbone for the team, and he should be part of it all when they finally make it.
And, though it would have been poetic to get to or even win the World Series the last year in the Dome or the first year in Target Field, it will be even more poetic to make it (and win!) on the 20th anniversary of their last win (which was 1991).
And, if we peaked too late last year and were just too exhausted after battling our way into the playoffs, and we peaked too early this year and lost all our mojo heading into the postseason, then according to the general law of 3s, next year we are due to hit it all just right: to peak at the right time and have just the right energy and mojo to carry us into and through to the championship.
2011, here we come. . .
Damn Yankees.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Fram Fram Free?
I'm disturbed and annoyed.
Today I got my yearly notice about tickets for the Christmas Festival. For the first time ever (to my knowledge) they are charging for tickets to the Christmas Festival. $30 per ticket, plus a $7 processing fee.
I am disturbed because the Christmas Festival is considered an act of worship (or at least, it always has been up until this point). In past years the tickets were envelopes, and it was sort of encouraged/expected that one would make an offering, though this was not required. What does this say that they are now charging for entrance to a worship service?
I am annoyed because the majority of Christmas Festival attendees are parents of current students or alumni who already give (or have given) copious amounts of money to the college in the form of tuition, room and board, lesson fees, alumni donations, etc. Charging for Christmas Festival on top of this seems tacky.
I am disturbed because St. Olaf tends to produce a lot of people who go on to make mega-bucks as doctors, lawyers, scientists, captains of industry, etc, AND a lot of people who live comfortably but make relatively little by comparison because they have gone into lives of service, through the church, non-profit agencies, volunteer corps, etc. Whereas before alumni or families of current students who are on the lower end of the economic scale could come enjoy the Festival and make a donation within their means, this year the charge for the tickets might be beyond their means - functionally this could alienate people and cut them off from the experience purely based on economic class.
I am annoyed because the music department is the college's pride and joy, it will never be underfunded. And they already bring in plenty of extra outside money by charging for admission to concerts on the choir, band, and orchestra's national tours (and I have no problem with that). So, it just feels kind of greedy, or opportunistic, and a straying from St. Olaf's mission, to start charging for the Christmas Festival. . .not unlike how it felt when they sold WCAL.
But, I realize there may be a fuller story behind this decision (as there was a fuller story behind the WCAL decision), so - I am open to hearing it. World, fellow Oles, if you've got any info or opinion, feel free to share it. Make your case, convince me this is a step forward for the college and not a step away from its underlying values.
Peace,
C
Today I got my yearly notice about tickets for the Christmas Festival. For the first time ever (to my knowledge) they are charging for tickets to the Christmas Festival. $30 per ticket, plus a $7 processing fee.
I am disturbed because the Christmas Festival is considered an act of worship (or at least, it always has been up until this point). In past years the tickets were envelopes, and it was sort of encouraged/expected that one would make an offering, though this was not required. What does this say that they are now charging for entrance to a worship service?
I am annoyed because the majority of Christmas Festival attendees are parents of current students or alumni who already give (or have given) copious amounts of money to the college in the form of tuition, room and board, lesson fees, alumni donations, etc. Charging for Christmas Festival on top of this seems tacky.
I am disturbed because St. Olaf tends to produce a lot of people who go on to make mega-bucks as doctors, lawyers, scientists, captains of industry, etc, AND a lot of people who live comfortably but make relatively little by comparison because they have gone into lives of service, through the church, non-profit agencies, volunteer corps, etc. Whereas before alumni or families of current students who are on the lower end of the economic scale could come enjoy the Festival and make a donation within their means, this year the charge for the tickets might be beyond their means - functionally this could alienate people and cut them off from the experience purely based on economic class.
I am annoyed because the music department is the college's pride and joy, it will never be underfunded. And they already bring in plenty of extra outside money by charging for admission to concerts on the choir, band, and orchestra's national tours (and I have no problem with that). So, it just feels kind of greedy, or opportunistic, and a straying from St. Olaf's mission, to start charging for the Christmas Festival. . .not unlike how it felt when they sold WCAL.
But, I realize there may be a fuller story behind this decision (as there was a fuller story behind the WCAL decision), so - I am open to hearing it. World, fellow Oles, if you've got any info or opinion, feel free to share it. Make your case, convince me this is a step forward for the college and not a step away from its underlying values.
Peace,
C
Friday, August 27, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Seeking Tech Support
Ok blogosphere, I need your help. Google groups does not like me. I don't know what I did to offend it, but it has given me troubles in relation to two completely different groups this past week. I got one of them sorted out, but the other is a real doozy.
So, in order to facilitate and encourage participants in the Learning Pastoral Imagination Project staying in touch with each other and the project, they were put into private google groups. The original project assistant created and managed these groups. In the process of transitioning her out of this job and me into it, she added me to the groups and made me a manager. Somehow in that process, google groups also accidentally swapped my email in for hers, so I was allegedly in the group twice, as myself, and as Sally (both of us listed under my same email address). I could get into the group then, which we thought was me getting in as myself, but turns out, it must have been letting me in thinking I was Sally.
So Sally went back in and changed her email address back to what it should be, and then removed herself from the group, so now she can no longer get into it. The problem is, now neither can I. I can log in to google groups with this email, but I'm not part of the group, I can't even find the group, because it's a private one.
I have tried logging in with the password that worked when it thought I was Sally. That didn't work. I have tried changing my password to something different, thinking maybe it's still thinking I'm Sally, who's now removed from the group. That didn't work. I tried acting like I forgot my password, hoping it would try to reset for the me that's in the group. That didn't work. I tried digging out the emails telling me I'd been added to the group and clicking directly on the link to see the group - that didn't work, it tells me I have to petition the manager to be admitted. So I did that, and the email came to me! To the email address that supposedly isn't part of the group!
We've sent an email to Google, but they're not exactly quick on the tech support end of things. I'm not sure what else to do, outside of me reforming new groups with myself as the manager, and one of the professors in charge of the project (who still have access to the group but are not managers) going in to the existing groups to archive whatever info is already in there they don't want to lose.
Thoughts? Opinions?
Thanks,
C
So, in order to facilitate and encourage participants in the Learning Pastoral Imagination Project staying in touch with each other and the project, they were put into private google groups. The original project assistant created and managed these groups. In the process of transitioning her out of this job and me into it, she added me to the groups and made me a manager. Somehow in that process, google groups also accidentally swapped my email in for hers, so I was allegedly in the group twice, as myself, and as Sally (both of us listed under my same email address). I could get into the group then, which we thought was me getting in as myself, but turns out, it must have been letting me in thinking I was Sally.
So Sally went back in and changed her email address back to what it should be, and then removed herself from the group, so now she can no longer get into it. The problem is, now neither can I. I can log in to google groups with this email, but I'm not part of the group, I can't even find the group, because it's a private one.
I have tried logging in with the password that worked when it thought I was Sally. That didn't work. I have tried changing my password to something different, thinking maybe it's still thinking I'm Sally, who's now removed from the group. That didn't work. I tried acting like I forgot my password, hoping it would try to reset for the me that's in the group. That didn't work. I tried digging out the emails telling me I'd been added to the group and clicking directly on the link to see the group - that didn't work, it tells me I have to petition the manager to be admitted. So I did that, and the email came to me! To the email address that supposedly isn't part of the group!
We've sent an email to Google, but they're not exactly quick on the tech support end of things. I'm not sure what else to do, outside of me reforming new groups with myself as the manager, and one of the professors in charge of the project (who still have access to the group but are not managers) going in to the existing groups to archive whatever info is already in there they don't want to lose.
Thoughts? Opinions?
Thanks,
C
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Another Dialectic
One other thought that was different enough to deserve its own post.
So, next week begin entrance exams for the PhD students. Even though we have already been accepted to the program, we have to take these exams. I think, ultimately, it's about gauging what we know, and also about putting us back into an academic frame of mind over the summer so we can hit the ground running in September.
I have been freaking out about these exams. In part, this is because I am a perfectionist - I have to keep talking myself down, reminding myself that I don't have to ace them, just do respectably on them, and I don't have to have PhD level knowledge of this stuff yet, just an "MDiv proficiency."
I think part of my freaking out is also because the exam questions are worded in the language of the academy. And it's been six years since I've thought or spoken in that way.
I had a kind of "aha" moment (and moment of huge relief) today while studying - it's not that I don't know this stuff, because I do (well, maybe not all of it, but a pretty good chunk of it). I know it, it's just that I've spent the better part of the last five years trying to explain and translate it to people who don't have the benefit of advanced theological training, who live in a culture that is generally suspicious of the overly educated. I think over time I got to be fairly decent at that, but it was just a different way of thinking and talking about the same stuff. And now I have to switch gears and go back to thinking and talking about this stuff the way the academy wants me to.
Which, ok, fine - but part of me really wants to resist that. Because I don't want to lose what ability I do have, and in fact, I'd like to continue to develop the ability, to take what could otherwise be pretty dense, heady, mind-blowing theology and have it make sense and be relevant to the average person in the pew. And part of the whole point of this trip to PhD-land is because I feel called to help other pastors learn how to do this, and do it well. So, I'm a little afraid of getting sucked too deeply back into academia, and a little bit ponderous as to why academia thinks it needs to always talk and think like it does, anyway. It sort of reminds me of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, really, when he's like "That's great you can speak in tongues and all [or: have a huge vocabulary and all], but if nobody else can understand what the heck you're talking about, what's the point? How is that serving God or your neighbor in love?" (obviously, this is my own rough paraphrase, but you see what I'm saying?)
So, I've got a feeling that this will be an ongoing tension for me the next few years - finding the right balance between academicese and the koine English of the body of Christ. . .
So, next week begin entrance exams for the PhD students. Even though we have already been accepted to the program, we have to take these exams. I think, ultimately, it's about gauging what we know, and also about putting us back into an academic frame of mind over the summer so we can hit the ground running in September.
I have been freaking out about these exams. In part, this is because I am a perfectionist - I have to keep talking myself down, reminding myself that I don't have to ace them, just do respectably on them, and I don't have to have PhD level knowledge of this stuff yet, just an "MDiv proficiency."
I think part of my freaking out is also because the exam questions are worded in the language of the academy. And it's been six years since I've thought or spoken in that way.
I had a kind of "aha" moment (and moment of huge relief) today while studying - it's not that I don't know this stuff, because I do (well, maybe not all of it, but a pretty good chunk of it). I know it, it's just that I've spent the better part of the last five years trying to explain and translate it to people who don't have the benefit of advanced theological training, who live in a culture that is generally suspicious of the overly educated. I think over time I got to be fairly decent at that, but it was just a different way of thinking and talking about the same stuff. And now I have to switch gears and go back to thinking and talking about this stuff the way the academy wants me to.
Which, ok, fine - but part of me really wants to resist that. Because I don't want to lose what ability I do have, and in fact, I'd like to continue to develop the ability, to take what could otherwise be pretty dense, heady, mind-blowing theology and have it make sense and be relevant to the average person in the pew. And part of the whole point of this trip to PhD-land is because I feel called to help other pastors learn how to do this, and do it well. So, I'm a little afraid of getting sucked too deeply back into academia, and a little bit ponderous as to why academia thinks it needs to always talk and think like it does, anyway. It sort of reminds me of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, really, when he's like "That's great you can speak in tongues and all [or: have a huge vocabulary and all], but if nobody else can understand what the heck you're talking about, what's the point? How is that serving God or your neighbor in love?" (obviously, this is my own rough paraphrase, but you see what I'm saying?)
So, I've got a feeling that this will be an ongoing tension for me the next few years - finding the right balance between academicese and the koine English of the body of Christ. . .
The News, Officially
I came at this indirectly back in May, but here it is, officially: I am an incoming PhD candidate at Luther Seminary, in the Congregational Mission and Leadership program. To do this, I resigned my call in PA and moved back to MN. The blog has been pretty silent the past few months, both due to lack of time during the chaos of this transition, and due to a lack of desire - or sense of appropriateness - to process this transition in such a public way.
The blog will probably stay fairly silent the next month or so as well, again due to lack of time (trying to unpack, settle in, start a new job as a research assistant for the Learning Pastoral Imagination Project, and, oh yeah, study for entrance exams!), and pondering what function I want this to serve in this next chapter of my life and calling.
But for now, a few thoughts, mostly related to the swirliness of these days:
I am living in Minneapolis this time around. It is good, but it is weird to be a St. Paul girl living in Minneapolis.
For once, moving on to the next Big Thing did not involve moving to a place where I had to start completely over. I moved to a place I already knew and loved well, among many people I already know and love and am loved by in return. It is good - very good - to move back into a system of support that is already established, instead of having to build a new one. But it is also weird, in part because some of the folks here haven't necessarily been my primary support the past five years, but now will play a larger role in that way; and in part it's weird because others who have been more of my primary support have been so at a distance, and now are to be so up close and personal. That's a good thing, as I said - it just - it reminds me of something I learned in a pastoral care class long ago - that all systems (family, friends, church, etc) are kind of like a mobile. A mobile will always eventually find its sense of balance, but every time you add to or take away from it, it will be bouncing around and balance-less for a while, until it sorts itself out. I guess the weirdness I'm feeling is that bouncing around stage playing out.
Also weird: to have moved from a small town, where I was known as "Pastor Catrina" even by people I didn't particularly know or serve, to the relative anonymity of the big city, and back to the people who know me as just "Catrina." This is neither good or bad, it just is, and it's just a different way of being and moving in community than I've been used to for the past five years.
That's all on that for now.
Peace,
C
The blog will probably stay fairly silent the next month or so as well, again due to lack of time (trying to unpack, settle in, start a new job as a research assistant for the Learning Pastoral Imagination Project, and, oh yeah, study for entrance exams!), and pondering what function I want this to serve in this next chapter of my life and calling.
But for now, a few thoughts, mostly related to the swirliness of these days:
I am living in Minneapolis this time around. It is good, but it is weird to be a St. Paul girl living in Minneapolis.
For once, moving on to the next Big Thing did not involve moving to a place where I had to start completely over. I moved to a place I already knew and loved well, among many people I already know and love and am loved by in return. It is good - very good - to move back into a system of support that is already established, instead of having to build a new one. But it is also weird, in part because some of the folks here haven't necessarily been my primary support the past five years, but now will play a larger role in that way; and in part it's weird because others who have been more of my primary support have been so at a distance, and now are to be so up close and personal. That's a good thing, as I said - it just - it reminds me of something I learned in a pastoral care class long ago - that all systems (family, friends, church, etc) are kind of like a mobile. A mobile will always eventually find its sense of balance, but every time you add to or take away from it, it will be bouncing around and balance-less for a while, until it sorts itself out. I guess the weirdness I'm feeling is that bouncing around stage playing out.
Also weird: to have moved from a small town, where I was known as "Pastor Catrina" even by people I didn't particularly know or serve, to the relative anonymity of the big city, and back to the people who know me as just "Catrina." This is neither good or bad, it just is, and it's just a different way of being and moving in community than I've been used to for the past five years.
That's all on that for now.
Peace,
C
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Magic Shush
If baby shushing were an Olympic sport, I think I could maybe medal in it.
I'm learning a LOT about babies since the bambino was born. One of the things I've learned: babies like white noise. They find it soothing and vaguely reminiscent of the various sounds they heard in the womb (mother's heart beating, lungs breathing, food digesting, blood coursing through veins, etc).
If you want to calm a cranky baby down, get up by their ear and "shhhhhhhhhhh" as loud and long as possible.
You see this in the video at the hospital, and you think "It can't possibly be that easy." But it works. Surprisingly quickly.
So the bambino's been having a rough couple of days and has been really cranky as a result. Other engagements kept me from this fun yesterday, but I spent most of today down visiting and making a batch of Ciccone sauce for dinner.
I was able to shush bambino down not once, but twice, while I was there. And I've apparently already mastered the art of making shush-like noise while I'm taking in a deep breath for the next shush.
That's right: I'm a circular-breathing baby whisperer.
I think I ought to add this mad new skill to my resume. ;)
Breen would be happy if I just made a recording of it before I move!
I'm learning a LOT about babies since the bambino was born. One of the things I've learned: babies like white noise. They find it soothing and vaguely reminiscent of the various sounds they heard in the womb (mother's heart beating, lungs breathing, food digesting, blood coursing through veins, etc).
If you want to calm a cranky baby down, get up by their ear and "shhhhhhhhhhh" as loud and long as possible.
You see this in the video at the hospital, and you think "It can't possibly be that easy." But it works. Surprisingly quickly.
So the bambino's been having a rough couple of days and has been really cranky as a result. Other engagements kept me from this fun yesterday, but I spent most of today down visiting and making a batch of Ciccone sauce for dinner.
I was able to shush bambino down not once, but twice, while I was there. And I've apparently already mastered the art of making shush-like noise while I'm taking in a deep breath for the next shush.
That's right: I'm a circular-breathing baby whisperer.
I think I ought to add this mad new skill to my resume. ;)
Breen would be happy if I just made a recording of it before I move!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
To Quote the Incomparable Cole Porter
It's too darn hot.
Seriously, this is getting a mite ridiculous.
Jake has been camped out in front of the air conditioner like this for days.
What else is a poor katze to do?
In other local news, Dutch Days was a huge success for the Lutherans this year. Andy's church float (complete with rainbow-colored balloon hands of God holding a balloon globe, and adorable children singing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" live) took first place, and Patrick's church float (the pirate theme with the "candypault") took second. According to reports, the Mennonites were jealous. :)
And, I baptized the most beautiful baby in the world today, and couldn't feel more honored for the privilege.
Welcome to the Lord's family, Ruona Elizabeth! We are so glad you are here!
Seriously, this is getting a mite ridiculous.
Jake has been camped out in front of the air conditioner like this for days.
What else is a poor katze to do?
In other local news, Dutch Days was a huge success for the Lutherans this year. Andy's church float (complete with rainbow-colored balloon hands of God holding a balloon globe, and adorable children singing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" live) took first place, and Patrick's church float (the pirate theme with the "candypault") took second. According to reports, the Mennonites were jealous. :)
And, I baptized the most beautiful baby in the world today, and couldn't feel more honored for the privilege.
Welcome to the Lord's family, Ruona Elizabeth! We are so glad you are here!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Fetchez la vache!
So Patrick's church is entering a float in this year's Dutch Days parade. Since their Vacation Bible School theme was "High Seas Adventure" - kind of a pirate-flavored schtick - they are making their float look like a pirate ship, bringing back a bunch of their decorations, and Patrick built a low-velocity catapult with which to toss candy into the crowd of parade-goers from said ship.
"How big is this candy catapult?" asked I, "Like, big enough to fling a cow?"
Oh, it is.
Not a real cow, mind you. Just a stuffed one.
But oh, once I get a cow in my possession, it is so on!
Pictures may be coming soon. . .
In the meantime, enjoy Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Legovision. :)
"How big is this candy catapult?" asked I, "Like, big enough to fling a cow?"
Oh, it is.
Not a real cow, mind you. Just a stuffed one.
But oh, once I get a cow in my possession, it is so on!
Pictures may be coming soon. . .
In the meantime, enjoy Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Legovision. :)
Saturday, June 26, 2010
It's a Small World After All
So here's a weird case of truth being stranger than fiction:
Thanks to the wonders of facebook, this past week I got back in touch with an old high school friend who was a fellow original orator.
That got me to thinking about the last time I saw said friend, which was over a decade ago, when we were in college, our coaches had us all over to their house for a little O.O. reunion dinner - a really fun night, still a fond memory.
That got me to thinking about our coaches and wondering how life has been treating them, whether they are still coaching, etc.
Then tonight, a different friend's picture popped up in the rotation in the "friends" box. This friend, Susan, was also in speech back in high school (though she was from a different town/school, and I don't think she was in O.O., so we didn't compete against each other directly), and she is also a fellow Ole. But I think it's fair to say that we were at best passing acquaintances in high school, and we knew of each other, moved in a number of similar circles, at Olaf, but we really became friends at Luther Seminary.
I thought to myself, "I haven't talked to Susan in a while, I'll look at her wall, see what she's up to."
And I notice her husband's name is the same as the son of my old O.O. coaches.
In the part of the world I currently live in, his name would be quite uncommon (it's pretty Scandihoovian). In MN, however, it would be much more common. His last name in MN is incredibly common, but, because his first name (Trygve) is not as popular as, say, Lars or Leif, his name overall is still somewhat unique.
So then I'm debating with myself: "Nah, it can't be. I've known her husband's name. I've looked at the wedding pictures she has posted. I would have picked up on this then, right?"
So I looked at the wedding pictures again, and sure enough: my friend Susan's in-laws are my old speech coaches!
I feel dumb for not putting that together sooner. And I think it's funny how the timing of everything came together this week, that I was just wondering this afternoon how they were doing, and basically got sort of an answer tonight - all thanks to facebook!
And I think it's kind of crazy, when you stop and pay attention - we really are all far more interconnected than we realize. . .
Peace out,
C
Thanks to the wonders of facebook, this past week I got back in touch with an old high school friend who was a fellow original orator.
That got me to thinking about the last time I saw said friend, which was over a decade ago, when we were in college, our coaches had us all over to their house for a little O.O. reunion dinner - a really fun night, still a fond memory.
That got me to thinking about our coaches and wondering how life has been treating them, whether they are still coaching, etc.
Then tonight, a different friend's picture popped up in the rotation in the "friends" box. This friend, Susan, was also in speech back in high school (though she was from a different town/school, and I don't think she was in O.O., so we didn't compete against each other directly), and she is also a fellow Ole. But I think it's fair to say that we were at best passing acquaintances in high school, and we knew of each other, moved in a number of similar circles, at Olaf, but we really became friends at Luther Seminary.
I thought to myself, "I haven't talked to Susan in a while, I'll look at her wall, see what she's up to."
And I notice her husband's name is the same as the son of my old O.O. coaches.
In the part of the world I currently live in, his name would be quite uncommon (it's pretty Scandihoovian). In MN, however, it would be much more common. His last name in MN is incredibly common, but, because his first name (Trygve) is not as popular as, say, Lars or Leif, his name overall is still somewhat unique.
So then I'm debating with myself: "Nah, it can't be. I've known her husband's name. I've looked at the wedding pictures she has posted. I would have picked up on this then, right?"
So I looked at the wedding pictures again, and sure enough: my friend Susan's in-laws are my old speech coaches!
I feel dumb for not putting that together sooner. And I think it's funny how the timing of everything came together this week, that I was just wondering this afternoon how they were doing, and basically got sort of an answer tonight - all thanks to facebook!
And I think it's kind of crazy, when you stop and pay attention - we really are all far more interconnected than we realize. . .
Peace out,
C
Sunday, May 23, 2010
A Little Light at the End of the Tunnel
Uff da.
Last Sunday feels like it was a year ago. I am both physically and emotionally exhausted, and the events that have brought me to this state include but are not limited to:
- the hospital's annual memorial service for families who have lost children
- the death of a beloved matriarch of my congregation
- my own far-away grandma undergoing surgery to remove cancer
- finding out a far-away friend battling cancer is having a terrible time with the chemo
- the death of my friend Meg's father
and
- announcing my resignation to the congregation (I am starting a PhD this fall, back at Luther)
Meg's father's funeral was today, and though I didn't really know him, I went to support Meg, Andy, and the kids. Breen, Patrick, and I kept Olivia and Jack occupied during the visitation so their parents could talk to all the people who came to share their sympathy. Regular readers of this blog know these are incredibly imaginative kiddos, so you won't be surprised to hear that I spent part of the afternoon playing "paper, rock, scissors" with a stuffed bunny. It was Olivia's bunny, and since it had no digits at the end of its paws with which to form a paper, a rock, or a scissor, she would have to tell me what item the bunny had "chosen."
Man, who knew that stuffed bunnies were so wicked smart? Hers managed to beat me 90% of the time. :) We also played several hands of imaginary "Go Fish" (imaginary because we didn't have any cards on hand). . .both Olivia and the bunny beat me 90% of the time at that, too.
But I didn't mind. Losing imaginary card games to stuffed animals is actually not such a bad way to end a very long and difficult week. . .
Last Sunday feels like it was a year ago. I am both physically and emotionally exhausted, and the events that have brought me to this state include but are not limited to:
- the hospital's annual memorial service for families who have lost children
- the death of a beloved matriarch of my congregation
- my own far-away grandma undergoing surgery to remove cancer
- finding out a far-away friend battling cancer is having a terrible time with the chemo
- the death of my friend Meg's father
and
- announcing my resignation to the congregation (I am starting a PhD this fall, back at Luther)
Meg's father's funeral was today, and though I didn't really know him, I went to support Meg, Andy, and the kids. Breen, Patrick, and I kept Olivia and Jack occupied during the visitation so their parents could talk to all the people who came to share their sympathy. Regular readers of this blog know these are incredibly imaginative kiddos, so you won't be surprised to hear that I spent part of the afternoon playing "paper, rock, scissors" with a stuffed bunny. It was Olivia's bunny, and since it had no digits at the end of its paws with which to form a paper, a rock, or a scissor, she would have to tell me what item the bunny had "chosen."
Man, who knew that stuffed bunnies were so wicked smart? Hers managed to beat me 90% of the time. :) We also played several hands of imaginary "Go Fish" (imaginary because we didn't have any cards on hand). . .both Olivia and the bunny beat me 90% of the time at that, too.
But I didn't mind. Losing imaginary card games to stuffed animals is actually not such a bad way to end a very long and difficult week. . .
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Photography by Jack
We had a baby shower for Breen and Patrick on Sunday. My buddy Jack (3.5) kept asking if he could use my camera to take some pictures. I think I'm gonna start calling him Jack Pollock, because as you can see, he's in a very abstract period in his work these days. . .
Finally, a portrait of the artist as a young man:
Finally, a portrait of the artist as a young man:
Monday, May 3, 2010
Mythbusting
Yesterday a friend's congregation voted to leave the ELCA over the sexuality issue. This friend is staying with the ELCA, which means their job and call is now over. Thankfully this friend already has another (at least temporary) call lined up for now, so they are not absolutely unemployed.
In a discussion of this on their facebook page, a classmate of theirs from seminary (someone I vaguely remember from my seminary days as well - this friend was a couple classes behind me) made a sort of snarky sounding comment about this being what happens when Church leadership pushes something forward, damn the consequences, and then criticizes people who are angry about it.
There was a lot I could say in response to this comment, but my biggest concern was to go after this myth that "liberal-agenda Church Leadership" was responsible for this, so I posted the following. I'm re-posting it here because in order to truly help take down the myth, this probably needs to be seen by more than just my friend's friends on facebook.
What I find so ironic about this is that the folks who are so angry about Churchwide Assembly decisions tend to fall on the literalist end of the spectrum when it comes to Biblical interpretation. And yet when it comes to the actual historical record of how this decision was made, they chuck facts out the window in favor of myths and conspiracy theories. I'm sure part of where they are getting that from is the Word Alone "Network News," which reads more like a Lutheran National Enquirer these days, but they send it to everybody whether you want it or not, and if people willingly read salacious trash, what can you do to stop them?
In any case, what I wrote is below. Names have been changed to protect the innocent. For non-Lutherans reading this, Higgins Road is where the ELCA's churchwide offices are located in Chicago - those who dislike the national church often use it as derogatory shorthand to refer to anyone or anything in the churchwide offices.
I am responding to Jasper's comment, and I apologize in advance if I come across tersely, but I am tired of hearing Churchwide Assembly decisions being blamed on "Church leadership so bent on making a change."
First of all, "Church leadership" did not make this decision, "the gay agenda" did not make this decision either - the regular old Lutherans (pastors and laity and bishops) who were sent to the Churchwide Assembly (CWA) on behalf of their synod are the ones who voted in favor of this change. And they didn't do it abruptly, they didn't do it in a vacuum, they did it after YEARS of of deliberate study and discussion of all aspects of the issue across the entire ELCA, they did it after DAYS of deliberate discussion and discernment (in both small and large group formats) within the CWA itself, and they did it in the context of prayerful discernment, as all decisions in the Assembly are handled.
Second, as a "consequence" of these decisions, no one is being asked to change their interpretation of Scripture or their understanding of homosexuality. No one is being asked to call a gay pastor, be they single or in a publicly accountable, monogamous, etc, partnership. What everyone IS being asked, and not by nameless, faceless, agenda-driven bureaucrats on Higgins Road, but by regular old Lutherans in congregations just like yours and mine, what we ARE being asked by these brothers and sisters in Christ, is to allow them to care pastorally for their own members in the manner they best see fit (regardless of their parishioners' orientations), and to allow them to call the pastor they believe the Holy Spirit is sending to them, regardless of that pastor's sexual orientation.
I'm not asking you to agree with CWA, I'm not asking you to agree with me. I'm not asking anyone to stay in the ELCA if their conscience binds them to leave over this issue. But stay or go, agree or disagree, I AM asking you to get the story straight (pun intended) when you talk about it with other people, especially those in your parish.
Peace,
C
In a discussion of this on their facebook page, a classmate of theirs from seminary (someone I vaguely remember from my seminary days as well - this friend was a couple classes behind me) made a sort of snarky sounding comment about this being what happens when Church leadership pushes something forward, damn the consequences, and then criticizes people who are angry about it.
There was a lot I could say in response to this comment, but my biggest concern was to go after this myth that "liberal-agenda Church Leadership" was responsible for this, so I posted the following. I'm re-posting it here because in order to truly help take down the myth, this probably needs to be seen by more than just my friend's friends on facebook.
What I find so ironic about this is that the folks who are so angry about Churchwide Assembly decisions tend to fall on the literalist end of the spectrum when it comes to Biblical interpretation. And yet when it comes to the actual historical record of how this decision was made, they chuck facts out the window in favor of myths and conspiracy theories. I'm sure part of where they are getting that from is the Word Alone "Network News," which reads more like a Lutheran National Enquirer these days, but they send it to everybody whether you want it or not, and if people willingly read salacious trash, what can you do to stop them?
In any case, what I wrote is below. Names have been changed to protect the innocent. For non-Lutherans reading this, Higgins Road is where the ELCA's churchwide offices are located in Chicago - those who dislike the national church often use it as derogatory shorthand to refer to anyone or anything in the churchwide offices.
I am responding to Jasper's comment, and I apologize in advance if I come across tersely, but I am tired of hearing Churchwide Assembly decisions being blamed on "Church leadership so bent on making a change."
First of all, "Church leadership" did not make this decision, "the gay agenda" did not make this decision either - the regular old Lutherans (pastors and laity and bishops) who were sent to the Churchwide Assembly (CWA) on behalf of their synod are the ones who voted in favor of this change. And they didn't do it abruptly, they didn't do it in a vacuum, they did it after YEARS of of deliberate study and discussion of all aspects of the issue across the entire ELCA, they did it after DAYS of deliberate discussion and discernment (in both small and large group formats) within the CWA itself, and they did it in the context of prayerful discernment, as all decisions in the Assembly are handled.
Second, as a "consequence" of these decisions, no one is being asked to change their interpretation of Scripture or their understanding of homosexuality. No one is being asked to call a gay pastor, be they single or in a publicly accountable, monogamous, etc, partnership. What everyone IS being asked, and not by nameless, faceless, agenda-driven bureaucrats on Higgins Road, but by regular old Lutherans in congregations just like yours and mine, what we ARE being asked by these brothers and sisters in Christ, is to allow them to care pastorally for their own members in the manner they best see fit (regardless of their parishioners' orientations), and to allow them to call the pastor they believe the Holy Spirit is sending to them, regardless of that pastor's sexual orientation.
I'm not asking you to agree with CWA, I'm not asking you to agree with me. I'm not asking anyone to stay in the ELCA if their conscience binds them to leave over this issue. But stay or go, agree or disagree, I AM asking you to get the story straight (pun intended) when you talk about it with other people, especially those in your parish.
Peace,
C
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Dude Abides
. . .and now he's Clooney?
Before I left for MN, I finally saw Up in the Air.
Was it just me, or did anybody else find it significant that Sam Elliot was cast as the pilot who hands Ryan the card and has the serious meaning of life type conversation with him on the plane toward the end of the movie?
Follow my train: Sam Elliot played the omniscient narrator/God figure in The Big Lebowski, who also encounters the main character in a significant, somewhat mysterious, conversational way at the end. In that movie, he has a line about some folks being the encapsulating embodiment of their time, and for his day and age, the Dude was such a one. Up in the Air is about corporate downsizing in the late Aughts in America, and as such, Ryan Bingham is a representative figure of our time (our era's Dude, if you will). And Sam Elliot shows up toward the end of the movie, again playing a psuedo-God role, awarding Ryan with what he thought he wanted.
Subtle (or perhaps not-so-subtle) nod to the Coen brothers?
I'm just sayin. . .
Before I left for MN, I finally saw Up in the Air.
Was it just me, or did anybody else find it significant that Sam Elliot was cast as the pilot who hands Ryan the card and has the serious meaning of life type conversation with him on the plane toward the end of the movie?
Follow my train: Sam Elliot played the omniscient narrator/God figure in The Big Lebowski, who also encounters the main character in a significant, somewhat mysterious, conversational way at the end. In that movie, he has a line about some folks being the encapsulating embodiment of their time, and for his day and age, the Dude was such a one. Up in the Air is about corporate downsizing in the late Aughts in America, and as such, Ryan Bingham is a representative figure of our time (our era's Dude, if you will). And Sam Elliot shows up toward the end of the movie, again playing a psuedo-God role, awarding Ryan with what he thought he wanted.
Subtle (or perhaps not-so-subtle) nod to the Coen brothers?
I'm just sayin. . .
Random Thoughts On Meaning and Truth
Some half-baked thoughts and vignettes sort of inspired by or related to David Lose's Making Sense of Scripture, which I've been reading of late. Just want to get them down before I lose track of what I was thinking.
First, something I learned, an answer to a pondering I had a while back, about why the Chronicler sanitized the Isrealite history: the Chronicler was from the southern kingdom of Judah - David was a homeboy, and the sordid exploits of he and his house were embarrassing, so they tried to clean it up a bit. Those who wrote the Samuels and Kings were from the northern kingdom of Israel, so it was no skin off their nose to emphasize the dysfunction of David's house.
Second, another thing I probably knew once but had forgotten and was reminded of: the Jewish scriptural canon was still being formed in the days of Jesus, and the prophets were among the scrolls that were not yet definitively settled upon as to whether or not they were scripture. To me, this makes Jesus' choice of Isaiah as the text for his inaugural sermon (as recorded in the Gospel of Luke) all the more interesting - to go, not to what was commonly agreed upon as the Word of God, but to something that was known but edgy and rather marginal in its status - kind of a bold move, adds another layer of meaning as to what Jesus' ministry would be about (and I think it's equally interesting, and still holds true, if you want to just credit Luke with the selection, instead of Jesus, since not every Gospel witnesses to this sermon).
Third, I was in MN this past week for some continuing education, and was pleasantly surprised to find a special exhibit on the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Science Museum, so this also became part of my week's plans. It looked like an exhibit that's been touring the country, but the MN installment was altered because of a local scholar who disagrees with the conclusions as originally presented in the exhibit. The jist of the debate: many scholars believe the Dead Sea Scrolls are the product of the Essene community at nearby Qumran. However, other scholars believe it would be impossible for the Qumran community to produce such a vast number of scrolls, instead they contend that when it became evident that Israel would be sacked by the Romans in 70 CE, priests, scribes, and scholars in Jerusalem collected all the scrolls they could find and hid them safely away in the desert.
In any case, because of this local scholar's vociferous opposition to the exhibit's original presentation, this particular installment presents both sides - which I think makes the exhibit overall even stronger. Especially in these days when so many people of all persuasions want to put a lock on Truth, I think it's healthy for the public to go to an exhibit - at a science museum, no less (where things are normally presented with such factual certainty) and be met with two different interpretations, both thoroughly argued based on the "factual" evidence at hand, and be asked to consider the matter for themselves instead of being told what to think. I love that in the middle of the exhibit they have a "read more about it" area with a bunch of books on the subject and comfy chairs in which to sit and read them (and the day I was there, a number of people were doing exactly that). I think it's fantastic that the whole exhibit begins with a clay pot in a glass case that asks "What is the meaning of this?" and goes on to explain that on it's own, it doesn't mean much of anything, it requires a context to achieve meaning, and while science can tell us more about that context and what the thing itself is (when it was made, what it was made of, etc), faith and culture are ultimately what infuse the thing with meaning for us today. Just struck a lot of resonant chords with what Dr. Lose contends, that the Bible on its own, on a shelf, doesn't mean much at all, but it's the context (both original and modern) and what it does in our lives that gives it meaning and authority.
Before I move on to 4, just a couple of logistical notes in case anyone reading this is considering going to the exhibit: you should absolutely go (for the exhibit itself AND because the last part of the exhibit - perhaps also a special Minnesota addendum? - are gorgeous pages from the St. John's Illuminated Bible), but be aware it will take you a while to get through it. I read pretty much everything and listened to and watched almost everything and it took me 2.25 hours to get through it all. Other friends who went had spent 2.5 hours before they had to leave for their Omnitheater tickets, and they hadn't quite seen everything. And, other word to the wise - it's a little pricey because you have to pay for admission to both the special exhibit and the museum as a whole (Omnitheater is optional, though that's not immediately evident - if you don't want to see the film, which is not on the scrolls but on Arabia in general, be sure to tell them that, or the price will be even higher). So, since you've paid for the privilege, and as long as you're right there, don't forget to run up and down the musical steps a few times! They are the best part of the whole museum! :)
Ok, finally, fourth: today flying back to PA, I wasn't seated next to the raging extrovert, but there were two seated behind me, and of course, I couldn't help but overhear parts of their conversation. At one point they were discussing books and movies, and this guy started describing the movie Seven Pounds, which happens to be a favorite of mine. The thing was - he was butchering the plot. At first he was just adding inaccurate details (like Will Smith's character being a doctor, when he's an aeronautics engineer; or that he and his wife had children, which they did not), but I thought maybe he just has a bad memory for details like that. But then as I heard him describe further, I realized he completely misunderstood significant parts of the movie. I was tempted to turn around and correct him, but I didn't want to be the annoying know-it-all stranger interrupting their conversation. So instead I just made a note of it on the back of my boarding pass and decided to blog about it here. :)
Now, I will admit Seven Pounds is a bit confusing, especially in the beginning - it's kind of cryptic and poetically rendered, not unlike the Gospel of John. But based on his description, this guy seriously didn't get a good chunk of what was going on, even after watching the whole thing. And that just got me thinking even more about meaning-making and interpretation and truth/Truth, and I felt like it kind of resonated with Dr. Lose's discussion in chapter 3 about event, significance, and medium. As in, watching the movie was the event, and now on the plane he was using the medium of speech to relay the significance. But to my mind, he had the significance all messed up because he hadn't fully understood the event. Which begs a number of questions, including: how fully did the Gospel writers, say, understand the event of Christ? And how fully do we understand the event of God/Christ/the Bible in our lives? And how can anybody, any institution, any ideology, try to put a lock on Truth given that we may have misunderstood the event of Christ (in his own day and/or in ours) as thoroughly as this guy misunderstood the plot of Seven Pounds? All of which is not to say that we should never make any truth claims because we can never be absolutely certain of their truth. Instead, I think we just need to realize that any truth claims we do make are a matter of confession.
That's enough for tonight. Thanks for anybody who's still with me - can't say I didn't warn you these were half-baked. :)
First, something I learned, an answer to a pondering I had a while back, about why the Chronicler sanitized the Isrealite history: the Chronicler was from the southern kingdom of Judah - David was a homeboy, and the sordid exploits of he and his house were embarrassing, so they tried to clean it up a bit. Those who wrote the Samuels and Kings were from the northern kingdom of Israel, so it was no skin off their nose to emphasize the dysfunction of David's house.
Second, another thing I probably knew once but had forgotten and was reminded of: the Jewish scriptural canon was still being formed in the days of Jesus, and the prophets were among the scrolls that were not yet definitively settled upon as to whether or not they were scripture. To me, this makes Jesus' choice of Isaiah as the text for his inaugural sermon (as recorded in the Gospel of Luke) all the more interesting - to go, not to what was commonly agreed upon as the Word of God, but to something that was known but edgy and rather marginal in its status - kind of a bold move, adds another layer of meaning as to what Jesus' ministry would be about (and I think it's equally interesting, and still holds true, if you want to just credit Luke with the selection, instead of Jesus, since not every Gospel witnesses to this sermon).
Third, I was in MN this past week for some continuing education, and was pleasantly surprised to find a special exhibit on the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Science Museum, so this also became part of my week's plans. It looked like an exhibit that's been touring the country, but the MN installment was altered because of a local scholar who disagrees with the conclusions as originally presented in the exhibit. The jist of the debate: many scholars believe the Dead Sea Scrolls are the product of the Essene community at nearby Qumran. However, other scholars believe it would be impossible for the Qumran community to produce such a vast number of scrolls, instead they contend that when it became evident that Israel would be sacked by the Romans in 70 CE, priests, scribes, and scholars in Jerusalem collected all the scrolls they could find and hid them safely away in the desert.
In any case, because of this local scholar's vociferous opposition to the exhibit's original presentation, this particular installment presents both sides - which I think makes the exhibit overall even stronger. Especially in these days when so many people of all persuasions want to put a lock on Truth, I think it's healthy for the public to go to an exhibit - at a science museum, no less (where things are normally presented with such factual certainty) and be met with two different interpretations, both thoroughly argued based on the "factual" evidence at hand, and be asked to consider the matter for themselves instead of being told what to think. I love that in the middle of the exhibit they have a "read more about it" area with a bunch of books on the subject and comfy chairs in which to sit and read them (and the day I was there, a number of people were doing exactly that). I think it's fantastic that the whole exhibit begins with a clay pot in a glass case that asks "What is the meaning of this?" and goes on to explain that on it's own, it doesn't mean much of anything, it requires a context to achieve meaning, and while science can tell us more about that context and what the thing itself is (when it was made, what it was made of, etc), faith and culture are ultimately what infuse the thing with meaning for us today. Just struck a lot of resonant chords with what Dr. Lose contends, that the Bible on its own, on a shelf, doesn't mean much at all, but it's the context (both original and modern) and what it does in our lives that gives it meaning and authority.
Before I move on to 4, just a couple of logistical notes in case anyone reading this is considering going to the exhibit: you should absolutely go (for the exhibit itself AND because the last part of the exhibit - perhaps also a special Minnesota addendum? - are gorgeous pages from the St. John's Illuminated Bible), but be aware it will take you a while to get through it. I read pretty much everything and listened to and watched almost everything and it took me 2.25 hours to get through it all. Other friends who went had spent 2.5 hours before they had to leave for their Omnitheater tickets, and they hadn't quite seen everything. And, other word to the wise - it's a little pricey because you have to pay for admission to both the special exhibit and the museum as a whole (Omnitheater is optional, though that's not immediately evident - if you don't want to see the film, which is not on the scrolls but on Arabia in general, be sure to tell them that, or the price will be even higher). So, since you've paid for the privilege, and as long as you're right there, don't forget to run up and down the musical steps a few times! They are the best part of the whole museum! :)
Ok, finally, fourth: today flying back to PA, I wasn't seated next to the raging extrovert, but there were two seated behind me, and of course, I couldn't help but overhear parts of their conversation. At one point they were discussing books and movies, and this guy started describing the movie Seven Pounds, which happens to be a favorite of mine. The thing was - he was butchering the plot. At first he was just adding inaccurate details (like Will Smith's character being a doctor, when he's an aeronautics engineer; or that he and his wife had children, which they did not), but I thought maybe he just has a bad memory for details like that. But then as I heard him describe further, I realized he completely misunderstood significant parts of the movie. I was tempted to turn around and correct him, but I didn't want to be the annoying know-it-all stranger interrupting their conversation. So instead I just made a note of it on the back of my boarding pass and decided to blog about it here. :)
Now, I will admit Seven Pounds is a bit confusing, especially in the beginning - it's kind of cryptic and poetically rendered, not unlike the Gospel of John. But based on his description, this guy seriously didn't get a good chunk of what was going on, even after watching the whole thing. And that just got me thinking even more about meaning-making and interpretation and truth/Truth, and I felt like it kind of resonated with Dr. Lose's discussion in chapter 3 about event, significance, and medium. As in, watching the movie was the event, and now on the plane he was using the medium of speech to relay the significance. But to my mind, he had the significance all messed up because he hadn't fully understood the event. Which begs a number of questions, including: how fully did the Gospel writers, say, understand the event of Christ? And how fully do we understand the event of God/Christ/the Bible in our lives? And how can anybody, any institution, any ideology, try to put a lock on Truth given that we may have misunderstood the event of Christ (in his own day and/or in ours) as thoroughly as this guy misunderstood the plot of Seven Pounds? All of which is not to say that we should never make any truth claims because we can never be absolutely certain of their truth. Instead, I think we just need to realize that any truth claims we do make are a matter of confession.
That's enough for tonight. Thanks for anybody who's still with me - can't say I didn't warn you these were half-baked. :)
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Catrina's Best of the Midwest Tour Part 3
I kept intending, but never finished narrating Adri a Burki's great American adventure, so this post is long, and LONG overdue. But to wrap it up:
Let's see, we left off in Chicago. After a full day of touring the Windy City, we departed the next morning heading north. We passed through Milwaukee, where we toured the Pabst Mansion (the mansion was cool; our tour guide was awful) and ate at this amazing Polish restaurant called Polonez. This place would be worth a trip to Milwaukee in itself. I recommend the Special Polish Plate and dare you to find room for it all!
After lunch and a brief search for a decent photo-op of the skyline, we continued north to Door County, where we checked in to the Bay Shore Inn, which was a really nice place to stay - it was like having our own little apartment. I think normally you can't rent units there for only 1 night, but either because it was end of season, or maybe because they were having a low volume summer, they were willing to take our business, brief as our stay would be.
We spent the next day exploring Door County, in particular, Peninsula State Park, which was awesome. We rented bicycles and did the 10 mile touring loop
then drove back in to cover other parts of the park we hadn't reached by bike.
After much exploring, we began the long drive across Wisconsin, arriving back in Flaketown late that evening.
The next day we ventured forth with my mom, and met Linda and Dave at the happiest place on earth, the Minnesota State Fair!
We spent a very full day looking at exhibits and eating plenty of food on a stick, and then Adri and Burkhard went home with Linda and Dave, to explore southwestern MN for the weekend. I wasn't with them for this part, but in addition to much puttering around the lake on the pontoon, they also toured the Schell Brewery (I hear generous, buzz-inducing samples are available at the end of the tour) and visited New Ulm, "the most German town in Minnesota" (A and B's conclusion: not really echt Deutsch). While they were away, I went to a movie and dinner with some seminary friends, and went to see my cousin Liz's new place in Osceola.
Monday we all met back up for day two at the happiest place on earth. :) Burkhard was a real trooper, I don't think the State Fair was really his thing at all, but he was very gracious and patient with those of us who are Fair fanatics!
Incidentally, kudos to the young adults group from the St. Paul Cathedral for their brilliant "Theology on a Stick" programming, t-shirts and posters that we kept seeing all over the place.
Tuesday was a Twin Cities day - spent part of it at the Science Museum, a late lunch at D'Amico's, a little walk around Lake Harriet, a visit with some old friends from St. Mark, and a night-time stop at the Stone Arch Bridge, which was not as pretty as we were hoping (the bridge lights need to be bright for the pedestrian traffic, but then they were too bright for a decent picture).
Wednesday we drove north to Duluth, with the requisite stop at Tobies on the way. We toured the S.S. William A. Irvin, which I hadn't been on since an elementary school field trip in the late 80s. I think I got more out of the tour this time than I did when I was 10! :) Then it was further up the North Shore to Split Rock Lighthouse, one of my favorite places on the planet.
Incidentally, the movie about the history of the lighthouse: really cheesy. A, B, and I all agreed, that's 30 minutes of our lives we're never gonna get back - just spend more time exploring the place itself.
After the lighthouse, we went further up the shore to Gooseberry Falls State Park, another favorite that I hadn't been to in several years. Adri's foot was hurting her, so she stayed low-key around the lower falls, but Burkhard and I made a nice little hike out to the Fifth Falls.
Soon it was time to head home. We stopped and had dinner at Grandma's, a Duluth institution and sponsor of the city's annual springtime marathon (sooo much food - my entree could have easily served 3 people), then drove back to Flake and crashed after a very full day.
Thursday we took it easy, slept in, then went to the MOA for some shopping, and out for dinner at a Mexican place.
And that was pretty much it. Friday I had to head back to PA, so Adri, Burki, and Maminka brought me to the airport. Then I think they did a little more shopping, driving around, and packing, before departing for Germany on Saturday. Their visit was full, rich, and too short, as always. But, next time they come, I think we might try a road trip out West!
Let's see, we left off in Chicago. After a full day of touring the Windy City, we departed the next morning heading north. We passed through Milwaukee, where we toured the Pabst Mansion (the mansion was cool; our tour guide was awful) and ate at this amazing Polish restaurant called Polonez. This place would be worth a trip to Milwaukee in itself. I recommend the Special Polish Plate and dare you to find room for it all!
After lunch and a brief search for a decent photo-op of the skyline, we continued north to Door County, where we checked in to the Bay Shore Inn, which was a really nice place to stay - it was like having our own little apartment. I think normally you can't rent units there for only 1 night, but either because it was end of season, or maybe because they were having a low volume summer, they were willing to take our business, brief as our stay would be.
We spent the next day exploring Door County, in particular, Peninsula State Park, which was awesome. We rented bicycles and did the 10 mile touring loop
then drove back in to cover other parts of the park we hadn't reached by bike.
After much exploring, we began the long drive across Wisconsin, arriving back in Flaketown late that evening.
The next day we ventured forth with my mom, and met Linda and Dave at the happiest place on earth, the Minnesota State Fair!
We spent a very full day looking at exhibits and eating plenty of food on a stick, and then Adri and Burkhard went home with Linda and Dave, to explore southwestern MN for the weekend. I wasn't with them for this part, but in addition to much puttering around the lake on the pontoon, they also toured the Schell Brewery (I hear generous, buzz-inducing samples are available at the end of the tour) and visited New Ulm, "the most German town in Minnesota" (A and B's conclusion: not really echt Deutsch). While they were away, I went to a movie and dinner with some seminary friends, and went to see my cousin Liz's new place in Osceola.
Monday we all met back up for day two at the happiest place on earth. :) Burkhard was a real trooper, I don't think the State Fair was really his thing at all, but he was very gracious and patient with those of us who are Fair fanatics!
Incidentally, kudos to the young adults group from the St. Paul Cathedral for their brilliant "Theology on a Stick" programming, t-shirts and posters that we kept seeing all over the place.
Tuesday was a Twin Cities day - spent part of it at the Science Museum, a late lunch at D'Amico's, a little walk around Lake Harriet, a visit with some old friends from St. Mark, and a night-time stop at the Stone Arch Bridge, which was not as pretty as we were hoping (the bridge lights need to be bright for the pedestrian traffic, but then they were too bright for a decent picture).
Wednesday we drove north to Duluth, with the requisite stop at Tobies on the way. We toured the S.S. William A. Irvin, which I hadn't been on since an elementary school field trip in the late 80s. I think I got more out of the tour this time than I did when I was 10! :) Then it was further up the North Shore to Split Rock Lighthouse, one of my favorite places on the planet.
Incidentally, the movie about the history of the lighthouse: really cheesy. A, B, and I all agreed, that's 30 minutes of our lives we're never gonna get back - just spend more time exploring the place itself.
After the lighthouse, we went further up the shore to Gooseberry Falls State Park, another favorite that I hadn't been to in several years. Adri's foot was hurting her, so she stayed low-key around the lower falls, but Burkhard and I made a nice little hike out to the Fifth Falls.
Soon it was time to head home. We stopped and had dinner at Grandma's, a Duluth institution and sponsor of the city's annual springtime marathon (sooo much food - my entree could have easily served 3 people), then drove back to Flake and crashed after a very full day.
Thursday we took it easy, slept in, then went to the MOA for some shopping, and out for dinner at a Mexican place.
And that was pretty much it. Friday I had to head back to PA, so Adri, Burki, and Maminka brought me to the airport. Then I think they did a little more shopping, driving around, and packing, before departing for Germany on Saturday. Their visit was full, rich, and too short, as always. But, next time they come, I think we might try a road trip out West!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sports News
First, WGN America, why do you torment me so? The Twins were playing the White Sox all weekend, and the only game you broadcast was today's, when I had other obligations and couldn't be home to watch.
Second, I have a new personal trainer. His name is Bryce. He is three and a half. His regimen is functional, if rather unorthodox.
He works your lower body by:
1. Jumping off of Pap and Grammie's front porch. This is a lot harder than it sounds - the porch is pretty high and the lawn slopes downhill - it's a big jump even for somebody my height. I only stuck the landing, like, once. My trainer did a lot of tuck and rolling.
2. Hopping from stone to stone on the edge of the garden.
3. Sprinting races across the back yard (this is also good cardio).
He works your upper body by:
1. The Flip, in which he grabs your hands, walks up your torso, and does a backflip.
2. The Running Catch, where he runs at you then jumps in the air, at which point you are to catch him and lift him further into the air (this works except for when he tries to add a long jump and lands two feet in front of you!).
3. The Spin. This can be done in three forms: the hold 'em by the hands full body extension, the grab 'em under the arms half body extension, and the throw 'em over the shoulder like a sack of potatoes reverse extension (this move also works on your balance).
Finally, he works your mind with:
1. Horseshoes
2. Hide and Seek
He's got great motivation skills. He gets you to do a zillion reps before you even notice it, all without yelling, bribing, begging, or cajoling you to keep going. You finish one activity in his workout plan, and he simply smiles sweetly and enthusiastically asks, "Can we do that again?" How can you say no to that?
Though, I do hope his Aunt Kristie works some back and shoulder stretches into the yoga session tomorrow night. . .I've got a feeling I'm going to need them. . . :)
'night,
C.
Second, I have a new personal trainer. His name is Bryce. He is three and a half. His regimen is functional, if rather unorthodox.
He works your lower body by:
1. Jumping off of Pap and Grammie's front porch. This is a lot harder than it sounds - the porch is pretty high and the lawn slopes downhill - it's a big jump even for somebody my height. I only stuck the landing, like, once. My trainer did a lot of tuck and rolling.
2. Hopping from stone to stone on the edge of the garden.
3. Sprinting races across the back yard (this is also good cardio).
He works your upper body by:
1. The Flip, in which he grabs your hands, walks up your torso, and does a backflip.
2. The Running Catch, where he runs at you then jumps in the air, at which point you are to catch him and lift him further into the air (this works except for when he tries to add a long jump and lands two feet in front of you!).
3. The Spin. This can be done in three forms: the hold 'em by the hands full body extension, the grab 'em under the arms half body extension, and the throw 'em over the shoulder like a sack of potatoes reverse extension (this move also works on your balance).
Finally, he works your mind with:
1. Horseshoes
2. Hide and Seek
He's got great motivation skills. He gets you to do a zillion reps before you even notice it, all without yelling, bribing, begging, or cajoling you to keep going. You finish one activity in his workout plan, and he simply smiles sweetly and enthusiastically asks, "Can we do that again?" How can you say no to that?
Though, I do hope his Aunt Kristie works some back and shoulder stretches into the yoga session tomorrow night. . .I've got a feeling I'm going to need them. . . :)
'night,
C.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Nunc Dimittis
Oh, I just feel sick at this news. Darlene was a couple years behind me at Luther but we sang in Schola Cantorum together and she shared my interests in nonviolence and progressive politics, we always had fantastic conversations. The church and the world have lost an incredible human being. May she find in Christ the peace that eluded her in this life.
. . .April 9. . .
Just an addendum to add the official ELCA press release on Darlene, and the lyrics to this coming Youth Sunday's prelude, which has taken on radically new meaning for me in light of this week's shocking events:
Am I at the point of no improvement?
What of the death I still dwell in?
I try to excel, but I feel no movement.
Can I be free of this unreleasable sin?
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
I throw up my hands, oh the impossibilities
Frustrated and tired, where do I go from here?
Now I'm searching for the confidence I've lost so willingly
Overcoming these obstacles is overcoming my fear
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
I think I can't
I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
I think I can't
I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
Gather all my insufficiencies
And place them in your hands
place them in your hands
place them in your hands
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
He will be strong
-Reliant K
. . .April 9. . .
Just an addendum to add the official ELCA press release on Darlene, and the lyrics to this coming Youth Sunday's prelude, which has taken on radically new meaning for me in light of this week's shocking events:
Am I at the point of no improvement?
What of the death I still dwell in?
I try to excel, but I feel no movement.
Can I be free of this unreleasable sin?
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
I throw up my hands, oh the impossibilities
Frustrated and tired, where do I go from here?
Now I'm searching for the confidence I've lost so willingly
Overcoming these obstacles is overcoming my fear
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
I think I can't
I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
I think I can't
I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
Gather all my insufficiencies
And place them in your hands
place them in your hands
place them in your hands
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
He will be strong
-Reliant K
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Most Peepular Time of the Year
Every year the Seattle Times challenges readers to use Peeps as a medium for artistic expression, then they run pictures of the best entries in the paper. Though there were many laudable creations, I think the curling peeps are my favorite this year!
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Easter is Coming
This is inspired and ingenious, in the fullest sense of both words. Hat tip to Mary for the link. Hat tip to Dr. Lose and company for their brilliance.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Beneath Thy Cross
Am I a stone, and not a sheep,
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy Blood's slow loss,
And yet not weep?
Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;
Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon -
I, only I.
Yet give not o'er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.
-Christina Rossetti
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy Blood's slow loss,
And yet not weep?
Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;
Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon -
I, only I.
Yet give not o'er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.
-Christina Rossetti
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Facebook as Public Forum
So an old seminary friend wrote me on facebook the other day, asking my opinion on the health care bill. This led to a respectful and engaging discussion, not only of health care, but also of abortion (her concern was whether the bill had done enough to ensure the government is not funding abortions). This friend and I share many similar convictions, but we also differ strongly in some things, especially on the issue of abortion (she is passionately pro-life, and while I am not pro-abortion, I believe we can't legislate personal morality, so I am passionately pro-choice, and even more passionately pro what Jim Wallis calls a "consistent ethic of life" - I'm not so interested in condemning straw women as I am in constructing a better world, a world in which women - especially those in a tough spot - would find plenty of reason and support to bear any child they've conceived).
But I digress. . .my point in writing was how facebook can be a tool for public discourse. I know it doesn't always function that way. I know there is a danger in starting discussions like this on fb because most folks have a wide spectrum of friends, and the friends don't necessarily know each other and so don't have much background on where comments are coming from, nor much incentive to disagree in a way that maintains relationship. I've seen political comments on fb blow up on people in unintended ways, certainly, and that can get ugly.
But when it's done well, and respectfully, as I feel this friend and I have been doing over the last couple of days, then I think it can become an excellent model for healthy public discourse, as all your friends can "listen in," can see it going on before their eyes, can even contribute if they want. And in a media culture dominated by soundbites, sensationalism, and snarkiness resonating in the echo chamber of a 24/7 news cycle, in a society where daily life is increasingly spent among self-selecting groups of like-minded people, I think we need all the constructive models of public discourse that we can find.
That's all I've got for tonight. I have no idea how to encourage facebook's use as a public forum. Just think it'd be a tremendous tool toward that end.
But I digress. . .my point in writing was how facebook can be a tool for public discourse. I know it doesn't always function that way. I know there is a danger in starting discussions like this on fb because most folks have a wide spectrum of friends, and the friends don't necessarily know each other and so don't have much background on where comments are coming from, nor much incentive to disagree in a way that maintains relationship. I've seen political comments on fb blow up on people in unintended ways, certainly, and that can get ugly.
But when it's done well, and respectfully, as I feel this friend and I have been doing over the last couple of days, then I think it can become an excellent model for healthy public discourse, as all your friends can "listen in," can see it going on before their eyes, can even contribute if they want. And in a media culture dominated by soundbites, sensationalism, and snarkiness resonating in the echo chamber of a 24/7 news cycle, in a society where daily life is increasingly spent among self-selecting groups of like-minded people, I think we need all the constructive models of public discourse that we can find.
That's all I've got for tonight. I have no idea how to encourage facebook's use as a public forum. Just think it'd be a tremendous tool toward that end.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
And Catrina Saw That It Was Good
Spent most of the day today helping Breen and Patrick get the garden beds ready, and we also actually planted onions and garlic. The weather could not have been more perfect - not too cold, not too hot, just right humidity, bright and sunny with a nice gentle breeze. An absolutely gorgeous day to be out and about in a big beautiful world in the company of wonderful people. Adding to my bliss was a delicious breakfast to start us off right, and an even more delicious lunch (because Patrick grills the best hamburgers in the world), and during breaktime inside, I had fun playing with the cats, who are endlessly adorable and entertaining.
It's at the end of a day like this that I totally get what God is talking about, sitting down after a busy, full day of creating and sighing, "This is good."
It's also a day that puts me in mind of a famous G. K. Chesterton quote:
If he's right, then I'd like to hold with God's eternal appetite of infancy, especially after a day like today, I say: Do it again!
It's at the end of a day like this that I totally get what God is talking about, sitting down after a busy, full day of creating and sighing, "This is good."
It's also a day that puts me in mind of a famous G. K. Chesterton quote:
Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. The repetition in Nature may not be mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical encore. (From Orthodoxy)
If he's right, then I'd like to hold with God's eternal appetite of infancy, especially after a day like today, I say: Do it again!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The Madman Returneth
Remember the guy who hijacked our Sunday school class that one time, to tell us exactly why and how we're all going to hell? It has been almost two years since we've seen or heard anything from him, so I was hoping he'd forgotten we were out there on the hill, minding our own business as good little Lutherans do.
Alas, no. He has not forgotten. He stopped by today for another round of harassment. Thankfully I was out of the office and didn't have to deal with him face-to-face, but he left me a letter. I found it on my desk when I came in for tonight's soup supper. Once I realized what it was, I went out to the kitchen to ask the women who had been at the church all day making soup about who brought it and how they acted. Sure enough, it was "some guy with a big beard" but he thankfully didn't cause any problems or try to pick a fight with them, he just dropped the letter off for me. It wasn't addressed to me personally, just in an envelope labeled "for the pastor," so I'm sure it's a form letter he's inflicting upon all of us in the Valley this Lenten season, full of ramblings about the paganism of the Julian calendar and how we're all going to hell because of how we observe Easter.
Take a deep breath and do it with me now:
S I G H
Man it's crap like this that makes me pray, "Jesus, I love you, but please save me from your followers."
In stark contrast, the bishop's presentation was awesome tonight, as he beautifully explained the Lutheran understanding of the Word.
[At this point I was going to be all cool and link to the ELCA page where it talks about the three-fold nature of the Word, but I can't seem to find the page that says it. You'd think it'd be under the "what we believe" section, but I can't find it there; I know it's in the constitution but I can't find a way to link to the constitution, my computer keeps trying to download it instead. . .so, in case there are any curious non-Lutherans out there reading this, essentially we believe the Word is first and foremost Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh who was with God and was God from the very beginning; but the Word is also the proclaimed word, the spoken word, often heard in worship but able to be heard just about anywhere: in a hospital, at a deathbed, on a baseball bench, while riding a subway - anywhere the Word slays the old sinner and raises him or her up to new life as a saint, that's the proclaimed word; and finally, the holy scriptures, which are the words about the Word, and which, like the manger, cradle the Christ, the living Word. The bishop explained it all much more eloquently than this, and with aid of cool graphics, but now you know the jist of what he said.]
Ok, it's time for sleep. G'night.
Alas, no. He has not forgotten. He stopped by today for another round of harassment. Thankfully I was out of the office and didn't have to deal with him face-to-face, but he left me a letter. I found it on my desk when I came in for tonight's soup supper. Once I realized what it was, I went out to the kitchen to ask the women who had been at the church all day making soup about who brought it and how they acted. Sure enough, it was "some guy with a big beard" but he thankfully didn't cause any problems or try to pick a fight with them, he just dropped the letter off for me. It wasn't addressed to me personally, just in an envelope labeled "for the pastor," so I'm sure it's a form letter he's inflicting upon all of us in the Valley this Lenten season, full of ramblings about the paganism of the Julian calendar and how we're all going to hell because of how we observe Easter.
Take a deep breath and do it with me now:
S I G H
Man it's crap like this that makes me pray, "Jesus, I love you, but please save me from your followers."
In stark contrast, the bishop's presentation was awesome tonight, as he beautifully explained the Lutheran understanding of the Word.
[At this point I was going to be all cool and link to the ELCA page where it talks about the three-fold nature of the Word, but I can't seem to find the page that says it. You'd think it'd be under the "what we believe" section, but I can't find it there; I know it's in the constitution but I can't find a way to link to the constitution, my computer keeps trying to download it instead. . .so, in case there are any curious non-Lutherans out there reading this, essentially we believe the Word is first and foremost Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh who was with God and was God from the very beginning; but the Word is also the proclaimed word, the spoken word, often heard in worship but able to be heard just about anywhere: in a hospital, at a deathbed, on a baseball bench, while riding a subway - anywhere the Word slays the old sinner and raises him or her up to new life as a saint, that's the proclaimed word; and finally, the holy scriptures, which are the words about the Word, and which, like the manger, cradle the Christ, the living Word. The bishop explained it all much more eloquently than this, and with aid of cool graphics, but now you know the jist of what he said.]
Ok, it's time for sleep. G'night.
Friday, March 12, 2010
It's Not the Metropolitan HD, THANK GOD, It's Live Opera!
Some quotes from this week's SVC rehearsals. The first two you kind of had to be there to hear the inflection of the voice and see the accompanying facial expression in order to fully appreciate their humor and quotability.
Rehearsing the "Witches Chorus" from Verdi's Macbeth:
Conductor Bill - "Altos, you're singing too pretty. Make it sound more witchy! Ok, let's run it again."
(After our first entrance, significantly witchified) "Oh dear. . ."
After the first run-through of "Il se fait tard" from Gounod's Faust:
Soloist Jill (pointing at Bill's score) - "Don't slow down, I'm not breathing there!"
No matter what we're singing, Bill has a habit of yelling "Opera chorus!" when he wants a really full, rich, core kind of sound and we're not producing it. This concert it's just kind of funny when he says it, because everything we're singing is an opera chorus!
Tonight we must have started too weak and wimpy on the "Voyagers Chorus" from from Mozart's Idomeneo, because pretty soon Bill was calling out "opera chorus!" After we finished:
Soloist Zak - "Your sound suddenly became so beautiful after he said 'opera chorus!' I don't know what that means, but keep doing it!"
While listening to soloist Jill rehearse "Quando m'en vo" from Puccini's La Boheme:
Fellow alto - "You know, TB was a very useful plot device."
Catrina - "It's making a comeback. In a few years opera can use it again."
As soon as we finish rehearsing our finale, the "Easter Hymn" from Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana:
Soloist Jill - "That was it."
Conductor Bill - nods
Jill - "No. That was it. (fanning herself) I'm getting all emotional here. . .friggin' Italians."
The title of this post also comes from Jill, it was her parting thought at the end of rehearsal, and came in response to Bill telling us what a treat it is to get to conduct this kind of music for the first time in his life. And she's totally right - how often do you get to hear live opera in central Pennsylvania? If you live around here, you should come to the concert!
Rehearsing the "Witches Chorus" from Verdi's Macbeth:
Conductor Bill - "Altos, you're singing too pretty. Make it sound more witchy! Ok, let's run it again."
(After our first entrance, significantly witchified) "Oh dear. . ."
After the first run-through of "Il se fait tard" from Gounod's Faust:
Soloist Jill (pointing at Bill's score) - "Don't slow down, I'm not breathing there!"
No matter what we're singing, Bill has a habit of yelling "Opera chorus!" when he wants a really full, rich, core kind of sound and we're not producing it. This concert it's just kind of funny when he says it, because everything we're singing is an opera chorus!
Tonight we must have started too weak and wimpy on the "Voyagers Chorus" from from Mozart's Idomeneo, because pretty soon Bill was calling out "opera chorus!" After we finished:
Soloist Zak - "Your sound suddenly became so beautiful after he said 'opera chorus!' I don't know what that means, but keep doing it!"
While listening to soloist Jill rehearse "Quando m'en vo" from Puccini's La Boheme:
Fellow alto - "You know, TB was a very useful plot device."
Catrina - "It's making a comeback. In a few years opera can use it again."
As soon as we finish rehearsing our finale, the "Easter Hymn" from Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana:
Soloist Jill - "That was it."
Conductor Bill - nods
Jill - "No. That was it. (fanning herself) I'm getting all emotional here. . .friggin' Italians."
The title of this post also comes from Jill, it was her parting thought at the end of rehearsal, and came in response to Bill telling us what a treat it is to get to conduct this kind of music for the first time in his life. And she's totally right - how often do you get to hear live opera in central Pennsylvania? If you live around here, you should come to the concert!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
It Ain't Over 'Til the Fat Lady Sings
For all you opera buffs in the Valley, SVC concerts this weekend, featuring a program of famous opera choruses and arias.
The Deadly. . .er. . .Daily Item did a nice write-up about it in today's paper (and they got most of the factual information correct for once!).
In the group picture, notice who is the only one actually watching the conductor. ;)
The Deadly. . .er. . .Daily Item did a nice write-up about it in today's paper (and they got most of the factual information correct for once!).
In the group picture, notice who is the only one actually watching the conductor. ;)
Saturday, March 6, 2010
525,600 Minutes
It has been a year since that heartbreaking day last March when Lily Kathryn both came into and left this world.
In the course of this past year, I have been continually amazed to find how powerfully present she has been in the midst of her profound absence, in awe of the way she has touched the lives of people she will never know.
How do you measure the life of a person who never had the chance to live? How do you measure the year that was supposed to be her first year on earth?
I think Jonathan Larson had it right - whether for saints below or saints above.
Measure in love.
In the course of this past year, I have been continually amazed to find how powerfully present she has been in the midst of her profound absence, in awe of the way she has touched the lives of people she will never know.
How do you measure the life of a person who never had the chance to live? How do you measure the year that was supposed to be her first year on earth?
I think Jonathan Larson had it right - whether for saints below or saints above.
Measure in love.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Mountains and Glaciers and Lakes, Oh My!
Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park
I spent last week in northwestern Montana, and not to go skiing.
In fact, I don't know how to downhill ski. The only time I've attempted it was the annual 6th grade field trip to Trollhaugen many, many years ago. After an ominous (but sort of impressive) wipeout on my first run down a "simple" hill, I spent the rest of the day snowplowing very slowly down each successive trail, and failed to see how alpine was superior to nordic skiing, which I already knew how to do and knew I enjoyed.
But I digress. . .some folks may wonder what kind of fool goes to western MT in the middle of winter with no intention of skiing the Rockies. But I had more important plans - my friend Deb has been pastoring out there three years now, and I had yet to go visit, though I'd been promising/threatening to help this beach-loving California girl learn to appreciate winter since the day she moved to the frigid north. So, I was finally making good on my promise, visiting Deb, and also getting to meet her new hubby Brad and dog-wonder, Kodi. But there was not much winter appreciation to be had - I landed in the midst of their February thaw! It felt like spring, but that was nice too - and meant I got to enjoy gorgeous views of the mountains for most of the week.
These pictures do not do the scenery justice, but at least give a glimpse.
Flathead Lake
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Ash Wednesday Blues
Normally, I love Lent. Normally, Lent and Advent are my two favorite seasons of the church year. And I was all about Advent this year, had my planning done early, did some cool creative stuff that I was totally stoked about.
But I have been dreading Lent. For weeks. No energy, no creativity, no interest in planning for it whatsoever. I have done the bare minimum to prepare for it, and have become noticeably anxious and agitated over it the past couple weeks as it's drawn ever closer.
And yesterday I finally figured out why: it's because last year's Lent was so awful. Not in terms of worship and planning and all that, but in terms of what was happening to my people, all the dustiness that was afflicting them. Two days after Ash Wednesday, Peg had a major stroke, a few days after that, Lily died, and on and on it went - in sum, I think I spent 30 of the 40 days visiting someone at one hospital or another.
And as another Lent rapidly approached, it brought with it the memories of all the awfulness we lived through in this season last year, brought with it some terrors that this Ash Wednesday, too, would kick off another cycle of pain and misery.
And the thing is - the actual anniversary of these events is still a couple weeks away. Lent started earlier this year, but in my mind these horrible happenings are so closely tied to Ash Wednesday that I'm already reliving the grief now.
That is the one problem with these movable feasts - because they are not tied to a solid date on the calendar, they can draw out grief and anxiety at weird times, in weird ways. Like, Grandpa Ed died solidly in Lent. Even though Lent moves around, there is no way that the anniversary of his death will ever fall outside of Lent, so my grief for him doesn't take me by surprise or come in multiple waves, because it always happens "when it's supposed to." But in the year that Nana Ciccone died, she died 10 days after Easter, we buried her 2 days before my 30th birthday, and I came back to PA just in time for the bishop's retreat. The following year, my birthday and the actual day of her death stayed the same, obviously, but Easter was several weeks earlier, and bishop's retreat was also moved, and because I associated her death with all these events, the grief hit me anew with each one, and basically meant I was sad and irritable for about two months straight.
And so now too with Lily - even though we are still a couple weeks away from the anniversary of her death, because I associate it so strongly with Ash Wednesday, grief is already messing with me.
At this rate, it's going to be a long Lent, no matter what happens this year. . .
Peace,
C.
But I have been dreading Lent. For weeks. No energy, no creativity, no interest in planning for it whatsoever. I have done the bare minimum to prepare for it, and have become noticeably anxious and agitated over it the past couple weeks as it's drawn ever closer.
And yesterday I finally figured out why: it's because last year's Lent was so awful. Not in terms of worship and planning and all that, but in terms of what was happening to my people, all the dustiness that was afflicting them. Two days after Ash Wednesday, Peg had a major stroke, a few days after that, Lily died, and on and on it went - in sum, I think I spent 30 of the 40 days visiting someone at one hospital or another.
And as another Lent rapidly approached, it brought with it the memories of all the awfulness we lived through in this season last year, brought with it some terrors that this Ash Wednesday, too, would kick off another cycle of pain and misery.
And the thing is - the actual anniversary of these events is still a couple weeks away. Lent started earlier this year, but in my mind these horrible happenings are so closely tied to Ash Wednesday that I'm already reliving the grief now.
That is the one problem with these movable feasts - because they are not tied to a solid date on the calendar, they can draw out grief and anxiety at weird times, in weird ways. Like, Grandpa Ed died solidly in Lent. Even though Lent moves around, there is no way that the anniversary of his death will ever fall outside of Lent, so my grief for him doesn't take me by surprise or come in multiple waves, because it always happens "when it's supposed to." But in the year that Nana Ciccone died, she died 10 days after Easter, we buried her 2 days before my 30th birthday, and I came back to PA just in time for the bishop's retreat. The following year, my birthday and the actual day of her death stayed the same, obviously, but Easter was several weeks earlier, and bishop's retreat was also moved, and because I associated her death with all these events, the grief hit me anew with each one, and basically meant I was sad and irritable for about two months straight.
And so now too with Lily - even though we are still a couple weeks away from the anniversary of her death, because I associate it so strongly with Ash Wednesday, grief is already messing with me.
At this rate, it's going to be a long Lent, no matter what happens this year. . .
Peace,
C.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)