Friday Five~~Fave Verses

I'm an Episcopalian, and we're not known for being as "biblical" as some denominations (although I would argue that point; while we don't emphasis memorization of scripture, we don't do "sword drills" and such, and we don't tend to read the bible literally, we do hear 4 pieces of scripture in every Sunday service, and our liturgy is FULL of scripture). I grew up hearing bible stories, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I really learned anything about the bible. It was transformational for me when I realized that it really did have something to do with how I lived my life. So following Songbird, who once served on a search committee that asked candidates about their favorite bible verses, here are (some of) mine (in no particular order):


1. Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God (in Christ Jesus our Lord.) 

Not too much I can say about that. I have this embroidered on my white stole. I believe it. And the parentheses? Well, I tend to be a universalist when it comes to the love of God. I know it through Jesus, but others know it other ways.

2. Micah 6:8

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? 

If you get an email from my realname address, you will find this as part of my "signature." Another one that just kind of says it all for me.


3. Matthew 25:44-45

Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”

This is why I give money to street people. This is why I believe in universal health care (and other things that earn me the label 'bleeding heart liberal' and 'socialist'.) And it sort of goes along with the caution about "entertaining angels unawares." Maybe it appeals to me because I grew up in the "war on poverty" era, believing that we are called to care for one another. Or maybe I believe that because this is in my 'collective conscious' (to be Jungian about it.)

4. Matthew 5:38-48

‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you

‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Like the passage above, when I first read and heard this seriously as an adult, it seemed to give validation and purpose to things I already (sort of, mostly) believed. Maybe that's bass ackwards, but that's how it is.

5. Matthew 6:34

 ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

My New Testament prof used to quote this all the time during our first year of seminary, and it was always very comforting to hear it--still is. Something I try to remember.

Wow, in writing this post I realize that I have a LOT more favorites than I realized, because I have only touched the tip of the iceberg here. Now if only I lived them out as well as I should...a work in progress. 

Biblical verses from Oremus Bible Browser  Because I don't know them all by chapter and verse!

Friday Five~~Holiday Redux

As I just posted below,  November and December kicked my butt workwise. But Christmas itself I really enjoyed. And so it seems appropriate to reflect on what was:

1) What food item was one of your favorites this year - a definite keeper?

Baked pineapple and cheese for Christmas dinner (usually with ham) has become a family tradition and is a keeper for sure.

2) Was there a meal or party or a gathering that stands out in your mind from this most recent holiday season?

I really enjoyed having my family--kids and grandkids--gathered here for Christmas. Because of our varied and hectic work schedules that doesn't happen every year, so it was extra special. One of my favorite moments was one of the days after Christmas. Because of the snow we were housebound, and we were gathered in the living room around the fire. The Kid picked up his guitar and started playing and pretty soon, everyone in the room had one of the instruments from Baby M's rhythm band set and we were all singing along. It was great.

3) Were you involved in a jaw-dropper gift? Were you the giver or recipient or an on-looker?

Not sure we really had any jaw-droppers, but I think the person who was most excited about his gift was Mr. LS who received the P90X videos from me, and was ridiculously happy about it.

4) Was there at least one moment where you experienced true worship?

At the 5:00 service on Christmas Eve in the parish we joined in with there was a Christmas pageant. I love Christmas pageants, but usually they are stressful because I am worrying about some detail or other. Because I had no responsibility, I could just enjoy it. I was sitting on a side pew up front, and Baby M wandered up and sat on my lap, and for a bit I was able to just be in the magic of Christmas.

5) What is at least one thing you want to make sure you do next year?

I let the stocking gifts fall through the cracks this year, and if WW hadn't been so prepared, there would have been none, so I need to do better on that!

I really loved my tree this year and felt less stressed out about it than usual.  Next year I'd like to replicate that and maybe even buy it a little earlier than usual.

I haven't baked Christmas cookies in years and I meant to this year, but with all the craziness at work, it just didn't happen. I got a new stand mixer for Christmas, and I really want to bake next year for sure.

BONUS: What is something you absolutely must remember to do differently... or not at all!

NO BUILDING DRAMA at church next year...please.

January, thank God!

November and December kicked my butt, workwise. 

I went off to CREDO the second week of November and because I took a couple of extra days to visit my mom, I was gone for 11 days. Right before I left my parish secretary left to take a new position, but a volunteer stepped in, and I left fairly confident, assuming that things were in place so that when I got home we'd ready for Thanksgiving and Advent.

Well, you know what they say about assuming...

 I hit the ground running when I got home--I had a meeting of the nominating committee that very evening, just a few hours after I got off the train. I prepped the Thanksgiving bulletin, I pulled out the Advent plans...

Except I could never get any momentum going. Because everywhere I looked there was a crisis of some sort, a fire to put out, a pastoral issue that needed my attention, a problem with the building, a ruffled feather here and a hurt feeling there. It was as if that Mayhem character from the Allstate commercials had been running amok through the parish.

It was awful.

Of course we kept on ...Advent wasn't bad, really, although I was too rushed to really feel it. But all sorts of things fell through the cracks and/or were done hurriedly--newsletters, getting the results of our pledge campaign really put together, finding candidates for vestry. Some hard conversations were had.  Some grim facts were faced. In the midst of a very sad death and a very large funeral there were moments of grace.  We hired a wonderful new parish administrator. And then came Christmas.

As I've already written, the boilers that heat the church and parish hall both failed in the days leading up to Christmas, and a large steam pipe that runs through our downstairs space sprang a devastating leak. Suddenly all the other crises dimmed in comparison as we scrambled to see how bad the situation really was, and when we found out, how fast we could get the repairs done. And of course, what do to about Christmas.

The decision not to have Christmas in our own building was hard. And it didn't please everyone. But it did bring its own moments of grace. Worshiping in a new and different setting with a congregation that was largely unknown to me gave me a different perspective. As much as I love old beautiful churches, I realized in a new way that we are far too married to our buildings. As much as I appreciate the deep roots people have in congregations where their families have worshiped for generations, maybe it is time for us to think about how we build new communities and develop new ways of being church.

I took most of the week after Christmas off.  After my family left (and it was really wonderful having them here) I just vegged out. Went to the movies twice. Exchanged some gifts. Because I didn't have to preach Sunday (because we had a service of Lessons and Carols postponed from the previous week), I spent all of Saturday doing what much of the world does on Saturday: cleaning and cooking and baking. I think I really needed that time.

Monday morning the whirlwind started up again. Not all of the drama has subsided. I need to really catch up on all the things that fell into or through the cracks in December. We don't have enough candidates for vestry. Our budget deficit is bigger than ever before. We have a third boiler (circa 1975) that could fail--or it could be good for another 10 years; who knows? I need new volunteers for almost everything that happens at church, and I'm not sure where they are coming from. I could be overwhelmed if I let myself.  But I guess that is the nature of parish ministry.

Random bits of blogging the New Year

~In just about four minutes 2010 will be over and 2011 will commence.  I guess it's tradition now for me to blog in the New Year; maybe it's a testament to how dull and boring my life can be that I am sitting here with my laptop every New Year's Eve at midnight.

~For a few years I did the 'year in review' meme in which I posted the first sentence of of each month's first post, but I haven't blogged every month in 2010, so that meme won't be happening here. I've been thinking all day about this past year; in many ways it's been fairly uneventful. If 2009 was the year of change for me, 2010 is the year I had to live into that change.

~Well. it's midnight now--Happy New Year!! I hear fire works going off outside but I have no idea where they are coming from. 

~One of the big parts of living into the changes has been learning to live all by myself. In some ways I don't mind it. I'm an introvert and after work sometimes all I want is some quiet time. But I've discovered that I really miss having kids at home with me. I was never a helicopter parent, never one to call my kids alot when they were away, and never expected to suffer from any sort of "empty nest" thing, but now that they are all out of the house, I really miss them.

~I have never lived near family--we left my father's home town when I was 8, and I've never lived closer than three hours to family since then.  So I'm not used to frequent family gatherings like some people have; it was just never possible. But if I could, I'd move closer to my daughters--I'd really love to be able to see J and M more often and be actively involved in their lives. And I'd like it if the Kid were close by, too. I talk to him pretty often now that he's in the city, and it's nice to stay connected that way.

~The other change I've lived in to is being "in charge." They did tell us in seminary that being rector meant worrying about buildings and money as much  as (or more than) anything else, and it's true. This year has been full of those issues: we lost five out of nine air conditioning units, and two out of three boilers in the last five months. Our budget deficit is so big it's sort of like thinking about the national debt (proportionately). Negativity is rampant. Of course there is much to love about what I do, and I'm glad to be here. But sometimes it is hard not to get sucked into that black hole of despair about how in the world things are going to work out.

~ And now it's time for bed. Happy New Year, everyone. May 2011 be a year filled with blessings!