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Sally writes:
Holy Week is almost upon us, I suspect that ordained or not, other revgal/pals calendars look a bit like mine, FULL, FULL, FULL........
Jesus was great at teaching us to take time out, even in that last week, right up to Maundy Thursday he withdrew, John's gospel tells us he hid! He hid not because he was afraid, but because he knew that he needed physical, mental and spiritual strength to get through...
So faced with a busy week:
1. What restores you physically? Sleep - I need sleep. And sleep has been elusive on some nights. I love the Eagle, but his night music is rather dramatic. Between noise and lights and too much going on in my head, I was up again past 1:30. Sleep has always been a discipline for me - to go to that place - to lose myself - sometimes seems like letting go.
Exercise would help, but that's a goal that has fallen this Lent as I've been honest with myself, and trying not to demand too much. I sing the song of being active in my everyday life - and the more of that I accomplish, the better I'll sleep.
2. What strengthens you emotionally/ mentally? This Lent has been interesting because my discipline was to be gentle with myself, and I feel more at peace because I haven't pushed myself too hard. I am spending time understanding the role of self-differentiation in healthy functioning - I do it as I deal with the son, but it helps at work as well. Some problems are not my problems.
3. What encourages you spiritually? This year it has not been worship, sad to say. I have found my daily Bible portion helpful, thinking through posts for the blog has been an exercise in forming my thoughts and assessing what should be shared or not, and that is a spiritual process as I turn concerns over to God. This year the story itself - the life of Jesus, the passion of Jesus, the death of Jesus - has been of great interest. I see it in new ways as we learn it again in Lent.
4. Share a favourite poem or piece of music from the coming week. I was given 'Beautiful, Scandalous Night' as one of the suggestions for worship - it's been running through my head.
5.There may be many services for you to attend/ lead over the next week, which one are you most looking forward to and why? If there aren't do you have a favourite day in Holy week if so which one is it? I'd be looking forward the most to Easter - although Good Friday will be very beautiful this year. Our 'family' service is a recreation of the stations of the cross, very well done with high school actors and readings. Easter will use some of those same actors acting our Wagnerin's Ragman.
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Showing posts with label friday five. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friday five. Show all posts
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Mid-Lent Check in
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Our Crosses
Our crosses are many
We may not know
The salty taste of tears until they come without bidding
And sign a growing shadow
Cross-shaped, on our hearts
Our crosses are solitary
I will not speak
Not of my guilt, or of my shame, or of my pain
But know this is my cross – all mine
No one shares
Our crosses are ancient
My mother’s and my father’s burden
Taken up with all the panic of country, pride and riches
And clung to because it is my legacy
Even as I long for freedom
Our crosses are random
Attack comes here, now
We ask why here, why now, why us
And the truth is always the cross we bear
For the answer is empty of comfort
Our crosses are His cross
Only one, all for us, ever new and reborn
His the first, His the birth, His the pain
His the grief, His the burden
His the life in the cross
His the end of all our crosses. (NAK, Lent 2009)
Sophia on RevGal writes: The pastor of my grad school parish once gave a fascinating reflection, at about this mid-point in the season, called "How to Survive the Mid-Lent Crisis"! As I recall, his main point was that by halfway through the season we have often found it very challenging to live up to our original plans....But, he suggested--on the analogy of the healing and reframing of our life plans that can happen during a mid-*life* crisis--that that can be even more fruitful. So here's an invitation to check in on the state of your spirit midway through "this joyful season where we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery with mind and heart renewed" (Roman Missal). Hopefully there's a good deal of grace, and not too much crisis, in your mid-Lenten experience!
1. Did you give up, or take on, anything special for Lent this year? I have not taken up anything different, or given anything up in renunciation this year. But I have given up some negative attitudes and habits - I have resolved not to worry about my weight, while eating healthly. I have resolved to drink less alcohol, while not berating myself for an occasional glass of wine. I have detached from some concerns at work, knowing that others have things in hand. I have tried to honor my days off and my nights off. I am feeling more at peace this season.
2. Have you been able to stay with your original plans, or has life gotten in the way? Things have slowed down in terms of the 'have to do think NOW' items, and that is a relief. Because my expectations were low, I am finding all sorts of things pleasant surprises - sunny days, my hours with the cat, a slow morning.
3. Has God had any surprising blessings for you during this Lent? A big surprise and an ironic one. I discovered a name for what afflicts my son - although he hasn't been diagnosed - and may never be, due to the nature of the problem - all at once his difficult behavior makes sense. We are re-affirmed in our limit-setting and current treatment of him. It's been an eye-opener and a relief to discover an on-line support group for parents with similar stories.
4. What is on your inner and/or outer agenda for the remainder of Lent and Holy Week? Stay calm and focused. Draw nearer into the biblical story. Love the people. Offer creative and thoughtful worship. Spend time at home.
5. Where do you most long to see resurrection, in your life and/or in the world, this Easter? I long for my son to speak to us, for his insight. I long for our churches to feel the Spirit. I long for our staff to recognize and embrace their ministry and their boundaries as mutual calls. (To know yes - this is my vocation, and no - this isn't something I have to do!) For the world, my thoughts are like so many others - ending to the stupid wars all over the world, freedom and justice for the oppressed, food for the hungry.
p.s. the picture was taken by a parishioner and friend and we're using it as the key image for our Lenten series on Our Crosses, His Victory. The poem is mine.
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Friday, January 23, 2009
A friday 5
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Singing Owl writes:
1. Dress in bright colors - I favor turquoise, pink, red - all these with black, ivory and white.
2. Love up your pet. Ours is a cat - he's in winter mode and will occupy any available lap. We accelerate cabin fever by giving him catnip toys. You dog lovers will have similar activities.
3. Read books about warm places. You know some - beach books, summer romances, books about India, Alexander McCall Smith's #1 Ladies Detective Agency books set in Botswana - where it is never winter. (If you haven't read these - start at the beginning - they are exquisite and delightful. I love Lisette Lecat's audible book versions.
4. Try new foods. This is the winter for learning how to make the perfect risotto.
5. Stay in touch. I just discovered facebook - it's fun, free and a great time waster!
6. Bonus: start a new bible study - I was pleased that folks said January was a good time to begin something new - it fit their resolutions.
The best answer is one not everyone can do. For the first time in my life - a winter vacation (not a mission trip and not just a conference) to a warm place.
Take off to Florida is only 60 hours away!
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Singing Owl writes:
Here in snow country we are settled in to what is a very long stretch of potentially boring days. The holidays are over. It is a very long time till we will get outside on a regular basis. The snow that seemed so beautiful at first is now dirty and the snow banks are piling up. Our vehicles are all the same shade of brownish grey, but if we go to the car wash our doors will freeze shut. People get grumpy. Of course, not everyone lives in a cold climate, but even in warmer places the days till springtime can get long. Help! Please give us five suggestions for combating cabin fever and staying cheerful in our monochromatic world?
1. Dress in bright colors - I favor turquoise, pink, red - all these with black, ivory and white.
2. Love up your pet. Ours is a cat - he's in winter mode and will occupy any available lap. We accelerate cabin fever by giving him catnip toys. You dog lovers will have similar activities.
3. Read books about warm places. You know some - beach books, summer romances, books about India, Alexander McCall Smith's #1 Ladies Detective Agency books set in Botswana - where it is never winter. (If you haven't read these - start at the beginning - they are exquisite and delightful. I love Lisette Lecat's audible book versions.
4. Try new foods. This is the winter for learning how to make the perfect risotto.
5. Stay in touch. I just discovered facebook - it's fun, free and a great time waster!
6. Bonus: start a new bible study - I was pleased that folks said January was a good time to begin something new - it fit their resolutions.
The best answer is one not everyone can do. For the first time in my life - a winter vacation (not a mission trip and not just a conference) to a warm place.
Take off to Florida is only 60 hours away!
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Friday, January 2, 2009
Friday Five
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From RevGalsBlog
As we look back we may come to understand how God has worked in and through us in joy and sadness. how we have grown against what may seem impossible odds. As we look forward we may do so with expectation, and we may do so with fear and trembling. As we look back and forward in New Years liminality I offer you this simple yet I hope profound Friday Fivein two parts:
First list five things that you remember/ treasure from 2008
Then list five things that you are looking forward to in 2009
2008 Five to remember
1. A good vacation to Kentucky. After so many years (6, 7, 10?) of being too stretched financially, or too pushed calendar-wise, or having commitments to the DS that meant finances or calendar were otherwise occupied, each vacation (one a year for 3 years now) is treasured. I want to be with this guy for the rest of my life - it's good to practice that.
2. For one-half day, having a picture perfect house. The hassle of getting ready for realtors and open houses was that everything was in place. Of course, not for long. But it was nice to look like magazine. Very serene. I satisfied my need for order, and I realized that need is a secondary one.
3. Knitting fun things. I learned color work, and finished the andean hat, and got into a more accomplished mode. The concentration was mediative. I also became brave enough to take my knitting to work.
4. The Jason Gray concert at church. After all the fuss, and the not knowing what was going on - it was such a Spirit-blessed event. I really enjoyed it. You can meet Jason here. His music is worth listening to. (Click on jukebox and hear the Beatitudes in a new way.)
5. Finding a place for retreats and spiritual direction. Thanks to the farm! My frustration is that I can't get there more often.
Which leads to the next 5: looking forward to in 2009.
1. Taking control of the schedule and marking out that 24 hours each month to be on retreat. To see the change of the seasons from the bottom of the silo. To be pushed to remember my own participation in holiness.
2. Reconnecting - with all sorts of people. One thing I realized last summer was that I had chosen to disconnect. Getting back together requires asking for forgiveness, which is hard. So far, being on FB has been easy. It's a step.
3. Working in harness. Sharing the ministry is a great blessing. I'm so God-thankful that I do not do it alone.
4. Downsizing our personal space. This depends upon so much outside our control - the market, the budget, buyers, but to be in new surroundings always gives me a boost.
5. The cycle of the church. The church year - learning in Epiphany, confessing in Lent (look for Lenten alternative worship this year), celebrating in Easter, resting in summer, learning in fall, stewardship, Advent, Christmas. The life cycle - baptizing, teaching, VBS, confirmation, marriage, birth, illness, death, celebration of the resurrection. Those are the two cycles of my work, they come to me and I play my priestly or pastoral or prophetic or listening part. May this be my prayer - God, show your love through me.
What surprises me is how little these lists reflects my ministry. There were moments - preaching moments, particular services, some counseling - that were satisfying, but they were not at the top. And my hopes for 2009 are about balance, seeking for that balance that had eluded me.
That's my New Years reflection.
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First list five things that you remember/ treasure from 2008
Then list five things that you are looking forward to in 2009
2008 Five to remember
1. A good vacation to Kentucky. After so many years (6, 7, 10?) of being too stretched financially, or too pushed calendar-wise, or having commitments to the DS that meant finances or calendar were otherwise occupied, each vacation (one a year for 3 years now) is treasured. I want to be with this guy for the rest of my life - it's good to practice that.
2. For one-half day, having a picture perfect house. The hassle of getting ready for realtors and open houses was that everything was in place. Of course, not for long. But it was nice to look like magazine. Very serene. I satisfied my need for order, and I realized that need is a secondary one.
3. Knitting fun things. I learned color work, and finished the andean hat, and got into a more accomplished mode. The concentration was mediative. I also became brave enough to take my knitting to work.
4. The Jason Gray concert at church. After all the fuss, and the not knowing what was going on - it was such a Spirit-blessed event. I really enjoyed it. You can meet Jason here. His music is worth listening to. (Click on jukebox and hear the Beatitudes in a new way.)
5. Finding a place for retreats and spiritual direction. Thanks to the farm! My frustration is that I can't get there more often.
Which leads to the next 5: looking forward to in 2009.
1. Taking control of the schedule and marking out that 24 hours each month to be on retreat. To see the change of the seasons from the bottom of the silo. To be pushed to remember my own participation in holiness.
2. Reconnecting - with all sorts of people. One thing I realized last summer was that I had chosen to disconnect. Getting back together requires asking for forgiveness, which is hard. So far, being on FB has been easy. It's a step.
3. Working in harness. Sharing the ministry is a great blessing. I'm so God-thankful that I do not do it alone.
4. Downsizing our personal space. This depends upon so much outside our control - the market, the budget, buyers, but to be in new surroundings always gives me a boost.
5. The cycle of the church. The church year - learning in Epiphany, confessing in Lent (look for Lenten alternative worship this year), celebrating in Easter, resting in summer, learning in fall, stewardship, Advent, Christmas. The life cycle - baptizing, teaching, VBS, confirmation, marriage, birth, illness, death, celebration of the resurrection. Those are the two cycles of my work, they come to me and I play my priestly or pastoral or prophetic or listening part. May this be my prayer - God, show your love through me.
What surprises me is how little these lists reflects my ministry. There were moments - preaching moments, particular services, some counseling - that were satisfying, but they were not at the top. And my hopes for 2009 are about balance, seeking for that balance that had eluded me.
That's my New Years reflection.
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Friday, December 12, 2008
more on vision
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Wow! A lot of comments about my Friday Five!
Real vision and metaphorical vision questions seem to be in the air.
Re: real vision - a plug for good eye care. My keratoconus went undiagnosed and untreated for 20 years because I skimped on good eye care. I went to the place that was cheap, or the chain that was covered by the 'add-on' vision policy. It was not until I became so frustrated with my contacts that I went to a real eye clinic that I got the complete exam that set me to getting proper correction.
So, if you have astigmatism that is hard to correct, if you see halos or distorted shapes around lights, if you have a lot of trouble with glare, if you look at your Christmas tree without correction and the little glow around the bulbs is not round, but oval or squashed, if your toric contacts always flip upside down (that happened to me) - go up to a complete clinic with all the diagnostic tools. Ask if they have them - computerized topography, automatic refraction assessment are two.
And if you are diagnosed with KC, then ask/look for an OD who has specialized training in fitting the KC lenses. This is not something that most docs do - there are special courses/training through the manufacturers for the lenses. My OD limits her practice to this condition - she has it herself.
And make sure the clinic fights with the insurance company for coverage for your exams - they may not cover contact fittings - although they should - or the contacts themselves, but the exams need to be regular (between 6 weeks and 6 months, depending on where you are on the disease spectrum) and are medically necessary. The exams check for rapid changes, edema (swelling) and associated problems.
And vision as metaphor. It's funny that vision is the topic because vision is the buzz word around work right now. "What's our vision?" "We need a vision for this worship service." "We have a vision statement, we just don't use it." "You - pastors - should be leading our vision."
During one conversation I said something like: "let's restate that idea as 'we want to be inviting people into community.'" And later I realized that common-sense and practical statement was a better 'vision' statement than the abstract and careful official ones of my congregations.
We can use that statement to judge ourselves right now - do we have a community to invite people to? How does it function? Are we being inviting or not? Unlike 'living out the Body of Christ' - there isn't a lot of theology to explain. And the verb isn't as abstract - it's right out there - invite.
There's a lot to be said for just saying it straight.
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Wow! A lot of comments about my Friday Five!
Real vision and metaphorical vision questions seem to be in the air.
Re: real vision - a plug for good eye care. My keratoconus went undiagnosed and untreated for 20 years because I skimped on good eye care. I went to the place that was cheap, or the chain that was covered by the 'add-on' vision policy. It was not until I became so frustrated with my contacts that I went to a real eye clinic that I got the complete exam that set me to getting proper correction.
So, if you have astigmatism that is hard to correct, if you see halos or distorted shapes around lights, if you have a lot of trouble with glare, if you look at your Christmas tree without correction and the little glow around the bulbs is not round, but oval or squashed, if your toric contacts always flip upside down (that happened to me) - go up to a complete clinic with all the diagnostic tools. Ask if they have them - computerized topography, automatic refraction assessment are two.
And if you are diagnosed with KC, then ask/look for an OD who has specialized training in fitting the KC lenses. This is not something that most docs do - there are special courses/training through the manufacturers for the lenses. My OD limits her practice to this condition - she has it herself.
And make sure the clinic fights with the insurance company for coverage for your exams - they may not cover contact fittings - although they should - or the contacts themselves, but the exams need to be regular (between 6 weeks and 6 months, depending on where you are on the disease spectrum) and are medically necessary. The exams check for rapid changes, edema (swelling) and associated problems.
And vision as metaphor. It's funny that vision is the topic because vision is the buzz word around work right now. "What's our vision?" "We need a vision for this worship service." "We have a vision statement, we just don't use it." "You - pastors - should be leading our vision."
During one conversation I said something like: "let's restate that idea as 'we want to be inviting people into community.'" And later I realized that common-sense and practical statement was a better 'vision' statement than the abstract and careful official ones of my congregations.
We can use that statement to judge ourselves right now - do we have a community to invite people to? How does it function? Are we being inviting or not? Unlike 'living out the Body of Christ' - there isn't a lot of theology to explain. And the verb isn't as abstract - it's right out there - invite.
There's a lot to be said for just saying it straight.
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Thursday, December 11, 2008
Friday Five
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From RevGalBlogpals - This week's Friday Five.
1. What color are your beautiful eyes? Did you inherit them from or pass them on to anyone in your family?
My eyes are brown - cinnamon brown. Mom's were brown and Dad's were very dark. One sis has hazel, everyone else has brown eyes. It's interesting, when you look at the eyes of the next generation - you can see the resemblance. The cousins still look related, even though some have Greek heritage, some Irish, etc. Even the adopted kids - sort of. My son is one of the adopted ones - his eyes are a changeable sort of green brown.
2. What color eyes would you choose if you could change them?
I wouldn't change them. Not the color. They are impressive, I guess - they were described in college as 'flashing'- by a professor! He did not want my 'flashing eyes' snapping at him! I would change them to be healthy. I have extreme myopia, floaters, some vitreal damage and keratoconus (a condition which results in thinning, 'cone-shaped' corneas and oddly disturbed vision. http://www.nkcf.org/
3. Do you wear glasses or contacts? What kind? Like 'em or hate 'em?
I wear two contacts in each eye - one soft, for comfort, and one custom made hard lens for accurate vision. And I wear reading glasses over those. I also have a pair of regular glasses for times when I can't wear the contacts - they are quite thick, even though they are made with the 'lighter' lens material. My next pair will be outside of the parameters for thinner lenses - they will be true coke-bottle glasses.
I have to love them - I have no choice if I want good vision. And because of that I am grateful for the technology that allows for this clarity of vision.
4. Ever had, or contemplated, laser surgery? Happy with the results?
The only possible surgery would be corneal transplant, which make me philosophical, and extremely grateful to those who consider organ donation. My condition has stabilized, and transplant is not likely, unless I have an episode of edema or a lesion develops, both of which are possible. Years of handling contacts has resulted in infection with ocular herpes. My eye doctor has remarked that I have the best results with the worst collection of problems! I am fairly close to my eye doctor, since we see each other 4 times a year.
5. Do you like to look people in the eye, or are you more eye-shy?
This is an interesting question, because ever since my internship year, I have been told I do not look people in the eye, and this habit has been identified as a negative, a strong problem for many people. My response was surprisingly emotional - it was like a fist in the stomach. I've worked on this pattern - trying to be conscious of my eye-contact being appropriate. (These types of comments have been used as manipulation as well - but I am speaking now of the sincere comments)
Just a few years ago my nephew was identified as autistic. I now wonder if a little bit of that heritage - along with the geekiness, and social awkwardness that is seen in me and my siblings - is part of the eye-contact complaint. I know that I tend to look away when I'm thinking of something - and when I'm not trusting of the person I'm speaking to. It has been a problem when preaching.
Still working on it - in my fifties!
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From RevGalBlogpals - This week's Friday Five.
1. What color are your beautiful eyes? Did you inherit them from or pass them on to anyone in your family?
My eyes are brown - cinnamon brown. Mom's were brown and Dad's were very dark. One sis has hazel, everyone else has brown eyes. It's interesting, when you look at the eyes of the next generation - you can see the resemblance. The cousins still look related, even though some have Greek heritage, some Irish, etc. Even the adopted kids - sort of. My son is one of the adopted ones - his eyes are a changeable sort of green brown.
2. What color eyes would you choose if you could change them?
I wouldn't change them. Not the color. They are impressive, I guess - they were described in college as 'flashing'- by a professor! He did not want my 'flashing eyes' snapping at him! I would change them to be healthy. I have extreme myopia, floaters, some vitreal damage and keratoconus (a condition which results in thinning, 'cone-shaped' corneas and oddly disturbed vision. http://www.nkcf.org/
3. Do you wear glasses or contacts? What kind? Like 'em or hate 'em?
I wear two contacts in each eye - one soft, for comfort, and one custom made hard lens for accurate vision. And I wear reading glasses over those. I also have a pair of regular glasses for times when I can't wear the contacts - they are quite thick, even though they are made with the 'lighter' lens material. My next pair will be outside of the parameters for thinner lenses - they will be true coke-bottle glasses.
I have to love them - I have no choice if I want good vision. And because of that I am grateful for the technology that allows for this clarity of vision.
4. Ever had, or contemplated, laser surgery? Happy with the results?
The only possible surgery would be corneal transplant, which make me philosophical, and extremely grateful to those who consider organ donation. My condition has stabilized, and transplant is not likely, unless I have an episode of edema or a lesion develops, both of which are possible. Years of handling contacts has resulted in infection with ocular herpes. My eye doctor has remarked that I have the best results with the worst collection of problems! I am fairly close to my eye doctor, since we see each other 4 times a year.
5. Do you like to look people in the eye, or are you more eye-shy?
This is an interesting question, because ever since my internship year, I have been told I do not look people in the eye, and this habit has been identified as a negative, a strong problem for many people. My response was surprisingly emotional - it was like a fist in the stomach. I've worked on this pattern - trying to be conscious of my eye-contact being appropriate. (These types of comments have been used as manipulation as well - but I am speaking now of the sincere comments)
Just a few years ago my nephew was identified as autistic. I now wonder if a little bit of that heritage - along with the geekiness, and social awkwardness that is seen in me and my siblings - is part of the eye-contact complaint. I know that I tend to look away when I'm thinking of something - and when I'm not trusting of the person I'm speaking to. It has been a problem when preaching.
Still working on it - in my fifties!
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