Friday Five: Love the One You're With

Kathryn writes...This Friday Five will post while I'm at the beach which for me is more than a vacation destination, it is a trip home. I have found it quite easy to wax nostalgic about the places I used to live (well, except for one) and have begun to wonder what it is I like about the place I'm living now? For instance I sure do love the beach, but this picture was taken about 30 minutes away from my house - not too shabby!
And so I ask you to please name five things you like about where you are living now... and as your bonus - 1 thing you don't like.

I have been living in the Toledo, Ohio area for 25 years next month. What do I love about it?

1. Although the metropolitan area population tops 300,000, there are many distinctive ethnic neighborhoods who invite the whole region to celebrate their food and culture.

2. We have an AMAZING art museum, symphony orchestra, and one of the best zoos in the nation.

3. You can be on Lake Erie or the Maumee River in 30 minutes or less, on a boat or at a waterside restaurant.

4. We're the home town of Corporal Klinger and the Mud Hens! Jamie Farr is here a lot, and hosts an outstanding LPGA golf tourney that has raised millions of dollars for local charities.

5. The Metropark system and other area parks are like emeralds encircling our fair city.

And the dislike: Many, many who have lived most or all of their lives here are really "down" on this city and region. They refuse to believe that anything good can come from Toledo. Hmmm...where have I heard that before?!?

Friday Five: Decisions, Decisions

RevSongbird writes:

Since I've been in the midst of a discernment process, I've done a lot of reflecting on how we make decisions. But don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to reveal a dark story about a poor decision, or a self-flagellating story about an embarrassing one. Let's keep it simple and go with five word pairs. Tell us which word in the pair appeals to you most, and after you've done all five, give us the reason why for one of them.

Here they are:

1) Cake or Pie
2) Train or Airplane
3) Mac or PC
4) Univocal or Equivocal
5) Peter or Paul

Well, it's been awhile, but I think I remember how this works...

1. Cake

2. Train

3. PC

4. Equivocal

5. Peter

For me, the cake - pie choice is the hardest, because I really eat very little of either any more. I am going to lean toward cake today, because I am more likely to find dark, rich chocolate in a cake, than in a pie. However, my favorite desserts are fresh fruit and, if I want to be indulgent, creme brulee.

Cross posted here from my stint as the Book Discussion host at RevGalBlogPals

Everyday Justice: The Global Impact of Our Daily Choices

by Julie Clawson

First off, a word of thanks to Songbird, who, when I noticed this book in her vast collection, said, "Here, it's yours. Would you be willing to lead a review of it at the RevGals blog in January?"

It seemed like a great idea in October, and today, while it's still early enough in the new year to consider some new ways of thinking and doing, I am very glad that I read this book. So, thank you, Songbird!

Everyday Justice is Julie Clawson's first book, but she also writes at her blog www.julieclawson.com and at www.everydayjustice.net. You may also recognize her name from the Emerging Women or Emerging Parents blogs. She has been a church planter, pastored parishes in Illinois, and now lives with her husband and children in Austin, TX.

Julie opens her text with the words "Warning! Read Before Proceeding. Don't panic." In this pre-introduction section, she gives the reader the opportunity to take a deep breath as we look a at the vastness of the challenge of living more justly. She notes on page 15, "To change the world, we must start somewhere." Julie's goal is to help her readers discover that a total life makeover isn't the only way to step into a more just way of living. "All of us can discern where God is leading us to alter our lives - to change one thing at a time, taking the time to really understand and get behind our actions." (p. 15)

In the introduction, Clawson grounds her text theologically in Jesus' memorable first public sermon as recorded in Luke 4:18-21, which is incidentally the Gospel text of which some among us may have preached yesterday. Jesus proclaimed and demonstrated a way of justice and a call to his followers to live justly.

She proceeds to define justice as "the practical outworking of loving God and others." (p. 21) She follows this with one of my favorite Dr. Cornel West quotes: "Justice is what love looks like in public." She also draws an important, thoughtful distinction between justice as punishment and justice as restoration. On page 23, she writes:

"Justice then becomes much more than simply a punishment for wrongdoing.

Instead of only punishing wrongdoers in the hope that they will live rightly,

biblical justice involves healing the brokenness that marred our relationships

with each other in the first place."

Noting that "every decision has a price tag" and "that price is often paid by the people whose lives are affected by our actions" (p. 25), Clawson then offers "a resource and a guide to acting justly" (p. 29) in regard to the purchase of coffee, chocolate, food, and clothing. She explores how one might live justly in their consumption of oil, disposal of waste, and management of money.

Through all of it, she offers information, insight, and specific suggestions for action without becoming preachy or sounding judgmental.

As I think about my own life, I need and want to move more seriously in the direction of restoration. This text has offered me so much help in thinking through the daily choices I make and the price that others and I pay for those choices.

Questions for discussion:

1. How is Everyday Justice alike or different than other books you have read on the topic of living justly?

2. If you have read the book, is there one area of concern over which you feel particularly led to '"tweak" your actions and choices?

3. How do you imagine Everyday Justice would be received in a parish setting, especially your context? Do you plan to use it in some way?

4. Finally, what did you like best or least about Clawson's text?

I look forward to your insights, and will be around throughout the day to read your comments and share conversation with you.

Looking ahead, Songbird will be discussing Salvation on the Small Screen by Nadia Bolz-Weber on February 22nd.

May you live in God's amazing grace+

revhoney

Friday Five - Do Nothing Edition

Over at RevGalBlogPals, Sally writes...

I am reading a wonderful little book for Advent it's title: "Do nothing Christmas is Coming!"

So this weeks Friday Five is simple.

List five things you won't be doing to prepare for Christmas.

1. I will not be buying presents for as many people this year; we have decided mutually to reduce gift buying and instead give goats and chickens, and a micro-loan or two.

2. I will not be responsible for all of the Advent and Christmas services in our congregation this year; we are blessed with a full staff again! This is a big issue since we have 4 services on Christmas Eve at 5, 7, 9, and 11 PM.

3. I will not be hosting anyone at our house on Christmas Day. Dear friends have invited us to their home for the afternoon!

4. I will not be driving further than 10 miles to celebrate Christmas Day. We will drive to my parents' home for Christmas celebrating on Saturday, December 26th.

5. I will not be sending Christmas cards, but will send an Epiphany letter to family and friends in early January.

Bonus: I really enjoy Marty Haugen's hymns of the season; for Advent, my favorite would be Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn. Unfortunately, I cannot find a video of it.

Thankful

I borrowed this Thanksgiving-themed Random Dozen Meme from "Lidna" at 2nd Cup of Coffee. If you want to participate just go to Linda's site to link up.

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous? We’re going to my Mom and Dad’s for thanksgiving & it will be traditional. We are bringing the wine, salad and pumpkin pies. Mom always has enough food for an army - & there is always room at the table for friends as well as family. Because my brother and his family are not going to be able to be there on Thursday, we will do it all over again on a somewhat smaller scale with them at lunch on Friday.

2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.") I'm thankful for our boys and how thoughtful and engaged they are with us.

3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for. For faith, hope, and love - all gifts of our gracious God.

4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory. That would be the Thanksgiving when Matt - just a year old - would not fall asleep. Craig and I knew the answer - to take him for a ride in the car. It was snowing lightly, but the roads were not in bad shape. My mom was very opposed to our intention - it was pretty ugly for an hour or so. But peace was made, and family boundaries more clearly defined - a good thing!

5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year?
We will eat, drink, and play cards!

6. Do your pets get any left-overs?
This year Maverick the younger managed to get his mouch into one of the four pumpkin pies! But other than that, no, they probably won't.

7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying?
Yes, we are seated, we join hands and one of the two of us who are ordained ministers offers a spontaneous prayer.

8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing?
It will be on, but I really won't be watching it.


9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing? NO WAY!

10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving? Yes I do – just got a refresher from some blog recently… hmmm… who was it? Oh yeah – Mark Roberts. www.markdroberts.com

11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying? It's got to be pumpkin!

12. Do you feel for the turkey??
Yes, I do - if I have any hand in preparing meat or poultry, my mind usually goes at least once to twice to thoughts of when this flesh moved and breathed.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Bye Bye Birdie Meme

Revsongbird writes

"I caught up on a Fresh Air podcast from last week and heard the exciting news. The Roundabout Theatre Company is staging the first ever Broadway Revival of Bye Bye Birdie!!!

If you're anywhere close to my age, you've seen it and maybe even been *in* it, so please chime in via the comments and tell us:

1) When you first saw Bye Bye Birdie and where;

Although our school system had outstanding music and speech departments, we did not have a drama program. As as result, I did not see a live production of Bye Bye Birdie until our sons' high school performed it last Spring.

2) If you performed in it, who you played; and

I didn't ever get to perform in it, but our son Music Man snagged and nailed the lead role of Albert Peterson! The Captain and I sat in the darkened theater with tears in our eyes as we watched him singing and dancing. "Is this really our son?!? WOW!"

3) What's your favorite song?

It's got to be "Put On a Happy Face."

Friday Five - It's All About the Look

Sally from RevGals writes: In readiness for my move in 6 weeks time I spent almost all of yesterday morning sorting through my wardrobe ( closet, I am so British :-) marvelling at how I had accumulated so much stuff! The result is three large sacks full of clothes to be given away. Some came into the category of " what was I thinking", some too big now ( at last), and others I will never shrink into again. Some are going simply because I want to streamline my wardrobe. So how about you: 1. Are you a hoarder, or are you good at sorting and clearing?

I am a hoarder. I am a sucker for sales. And because of some issues with weight gain and loss, I have three different sizes of clothing in my closet. I have recently discovered that I have hypothyroidism, and with treatment, it should be possible for me to reverse this weight gain. So maybe I can get the contents of my closet down to two different sizes ?!?

Right now, with the closet doors removed for painting, I am TOTALLY EMBARRASSED by what is going on in my closet. We have a rummage sale coming up at our church soon, and lots of clothing will be going there.

2. What is the oddest garment you possess and why?
It would be a silk kimono, given to me when I was an exchange student in Japan.

3. Do you have a favourite look/ colour?
Favorite look depends on the occasion, but I tend toward darker pants and skirts punctuated with shades of teal and turquoise, lilac and lavender, lime and lemon, and red.


4. Thrift/ Charity shops, love them or hate them?
I gladly and regularly donate to them, but don't often shop at them.

5. Money is no object, what one item would you buy?
Wow...I'm trying not to buy, so this one is hard! Maybe a long stylish sweater? But I could be gravitating toward that because it's still cloudy and cold here somewhere north of somewhere!

The Best-Laid Plans

Well, I had planned to worship with a local congregation today. I had made up my mind where I would go, and then...we lost power at about 1:30 am during a series of storms. In the cottage, that means no lights, which isn't a deal-killer. But it also means no water, because we depend on a pump for it.

So, unable to get cleaned up, I worshiped by singing Morning Prayer quietly alongside the lapping waves of the lake's shore at about 7:30 am. It was peaceful, yet truly invigorating. I prayed and meditated with joy, and knew a deep and satisfying communion with God this morning.

I recently read a post by the lead pastor from Granger Community Church in Indiana, that noted that we pastors place a lot of guilt on our people about worshiping weekly as a spiritual discipline. He noted that people today find many different ways of experiencing God's presence, and that we pastors need to discover ways to help people grow in faith that aren't dependent on having their butts in the pew each week.

I love corporate worship, but after this morning's experience, I'm giving his post more thought.

What I Am Reading/Doing on Vacation

When I go on vacation up north, I take lots of books...mindless as well as meaningful...
I've finished Abide With Me, by Elizabeth Strout, and Miracle, by Danielle Steele.
I have Olive Kitteridge, by Strout, Starting Over by Robin Pilcher, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, a Dorothea Benton Frank Low Country novel, and lots of other stuff.

Have some mags too...and a pair of socks I will finish on rainy days. Seems only right to do so, as I learned to knit here...

I baked a fresh peach pie today, and made some caprese salad this afternoon. Blogger is not being good about uploading pix, so I'll just leave it to your imagination

Oh, and as I was leaving for vacation came the news that the call that we at "Suburban Church near the Stateline" extended to an assistant pastor has been accepted!!! I will have a co-worker in the Gospel beginning August 1st.

Feeling quite creative and contented, thanks be to God.

RevGals Friday Five - Talkin 'Bout Pop Music

Mary Beth over at RevGalBlogPals, writes…The sad news of Michael Jackson's untimely death has me thinking about music and its effects on us - individually, as cultures, as generations. Let's think about the soundtracks of our lives...

1) What sort of music did you listen to as a child - this would likely have been determined or influenced by your parents? Or perhaps your family wasn't musical...was the news the background? the radio? Singing around the piano?

Our family listened to many different types of music, but one I remember with great fondness is Harry Belafonte’s Live album. The Captain and I picked up the cd a few years ago, and our teens enjoy it with us sometimes.

We sang a lot too. My mom sang with a Sweet Adelaines Chorus for awhile. My dad has a wonderful baritone voice. One of my most precious childhood memories is listening to him sing “O Holy Night” as we drove home from Christmas Eve services on a snowy night. The wind was blowing white around our little black VW bug and the car was just filled with his soulful singing.

2) Going ahead to teenage years, is there a song that says "high school" (or whatever it might've been called where you lived) to you?

Paradise by the Dashboard Light, by Meatloaf

3) What is your favorite music for a lift on a down day? (hint: go to www.pandora.com and type in a performer/composer...see what you come up with!)

We have a compilation of island music that perks me up and gets me moving. It’s titled Thongs in the Key of Life 2

Another "pick me up" is Mr. Blue Sky by ELO

4) Who is your favorite performer of all time?

Wow, can’t pick just one! Harry Chapin, Dan Fogelberg, Jimmy Buffett

5) What is your favorite style of music for worship?

I enjoy the ancient hymns as well as new music. I can worship God with all of it. I do get particular about too many “me and Jesus” songs. I like worshipful singing that is expressive of the Body of Christ.

Bonus if you include a video of any of the above!

Harry Belafonte singing Matilda!

Friday Five - Trader Joe's Edition

RevGal Sophia is pumped! There's a new Trader Joe's gourmet grocery opening right across the street from her home. So in honor of the new Trader Joe's, this week's Friday Five is all about food shopping.

1. Grocery shopping--love it or hate it?
I like grocery shopping as a rule; I only find it annoying when I have to rush through it.

2. Who is the primary food shopper in your household?
That would be me.

3. Do you have a beloved store like TJ's which is unique to your location or family?
I enjoy shopping at our relatively new Costco, and at a couple of regional grocery stores. We also have a terrific meat shop that we frequent, especially during grilling season. We have to drive about an hour north to find a Whole Food or TJ's, and that doesn't happen very often. I was so happy to find a TJ's across from Peachtree UMC while at the Festival of Homies last month! I was a very happy camper with peanut-butter stuffed pretzel bits and greek yogurt.

4. How about a farmer's market, or CSA share, as we move into summer? Or do you grow your own fruits/veggies/herbs?
We do have many farmers' markets in our area, but only a couple of CSA's. I wanted to contract with a CSA this year, but the closest site available was too far away to justify the drive.

I grow tomatoes and basil for caprese salad, as well as rosemary, cilantro, and thyme.

5. What's the favorite thing you buy at the grocery store?
Hmmm...pasta and cheese for Italian cooking.

Friday Five - The Big To-Do

Kathryn from Revgals writes:
Greetings from the land of the Big To-Do!

It seems like every year I enter into the summer with a growing list of HUGE projects/events/trips that seem to have a permanent place on the 'to do' list.
This year I have a huge move pending so that takes up an entire list all on its own, but it doesn't take a big event like that for me to make plans bigger than my summer can hold!
How about you?

Is this the third summer in a row you have made a pledge involving your garage and actually getting a car into it?
Did you once again miss the registration deadline for the continuing education event of your dreams ?
Are you starting to think you couldn't even find the tents, let alone get it together to pull off a camping trip?

Here is your chance to get it out into the open and OWN your Big To-Do! Who knows? Maybe making the list will help you move the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-Da!

1) What home fix-it project is on your Big To-Do?
Well, considering that we are hosting Music Man's graduation party in exactly 22 days, the project is spruce up, clean-up the house, the deck and the yard.

2) What event (fun or work) is on your Big To-Do?
Calling a second pastor to our staff is a momentous to-do on the work front. I have been soloing it with the help of a one-day-a-week visitation pastor and some preaching back-up since August. It's time, Lord....it's time!

3) What trip is on your Big To-Do?
Our every-summer trip Up North, which is actually coming a whole month early this year for several reasons. 4 weeks from today - YEAH!

4) What do you wish was on someone ELSE's (partner, family member, celebrity, etc...) Big To-Do?
Oh...I think that would be Music Man and Game-boy getting the upstairs rooms they occupy cleaned-up and de-cluttered.

5) Getting inspired? What may end this summer having moved from the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-da?
The remodeling of both upstairs bathrooms really needs to be a Big Ta-da by the end of the summer, or someone's gonna be in some deep doo doo here.

Friday Five - Celebrating the Seasons of Life

Sally writes:

It is the first of May, or as I have been concentrating on dialogue with folk interested in the new spirituality movement this last week, it is Beltane, a time to celebrate the beginning of summer. The BBC web-site tells us that:

Beltane is a Celtic word which means 'fires of Bel' (Bel was a Celtic deity). It is a fire festival that celebrates of the coming of summer and the fertility of the coming year.

Celtic festivals often tied in with the needs of the community. In spring time, at the beginning of the farming calendar, everybody would be hoping for a fruitful year for their families and fields.
Beltane rituals would often include courting: for example, young men and women collecting blossoms in the woods and lighting fires in the evening. These rituals would often lead to matches and marriages, either immediately in the coming summer or autumn.

Another advert for a TV programme that has caught my eye on the UK's Channel 4 this weekend is called Love, Life and leaving; and is a look at the importance of celebrating the seasons of life through ritual and in the public eye, hence marriages, baptisms and funerals.

I believe that we live in a ritually impoverished culture, where we have few reasons for real celebration, and marking the passages of life;

So

1. Are ritual markings of birth, marriage, and death important to you?
Yes, I believe that ritual serves to connect us to the larger community and, in Christian tradition, to the promises of God that offer consolation, hope, and purpose.

2. Share a favourite liturgy/ practice.
We have our own liturgy/rite connected to the baptismal journey for those who are graduating from high school. It is not a baccalaureate so much; more of a celebration of this milestone. As we affirm our baptism, we also have the seniors and their parents gather at the communion rail for prayer. Firs, the students kneel, with the parents placing their hands on their son or daughter's shoulders. The presider offers a prayer tries to express the parents' feelings at this moment: awe at the years that have passed, hope for the future, gratitude for the privilege of being entrusted with this young person's life, confession for the times they've fallen short. Then the parents kneel, the students place their hands on their parents' shoulders, and a prayer from the students' perspective is spoken. We share the Eucharist, and then we have a dinner together and present gifts to the students.

This year, I need to find someone to help lead this liturgy...because our older son Music Man and we will be among those participating.

3. If you could invent ( or have invented) a ritual what is it for?
I will have to think about this one...

4. What do you think of making connections with neo-pagan / ancient festivals? Have you done this and how?
I think the closest connection we sometimes make around our neck of the woods is with the neo-pagan celebration of Super Bowl Sunday (tongue firmly implanted in cheek.) Here in the US, at least where I live, there isn't a great deal of awareness or interest in the ancients. But sometimes the nationalistic overtones present a challenge for us.

5. Celebrating is important; what and where would your ideal celebration be?
Word and Sacrament, followed by a great meal, music, and dancing. It could be anywhere, but I am especially fond of anything that happens near the water.

Friday Five - Bucket List Edition

Singing Owl writes: ... do you have a "Bucket List"? In other words, from the movie of the same name, five things you want to see, do, accomplish, etc. before you kick the bucket?

Sure, don't we all? Here's mine:

1. I want to live in Northern Lower Michigan for at least a few years.




2. I am beginning to think in a more focused way about pursuing an advanced degree - discerning this now and would cherish your prayers.

3. I want to go back to Japan once more - was there for a year as an exchange student, and will not feel as though that chapter has ended without another visit there.



4. I want the Captain and I to live aboard our beloved "Retreat" and cruise at least part of the ICW (intercoastal waterway).



5. And before I hit the big "5-0" next Spring, I want to be a Parrot-head at a live Jimmy Buffet concert! I think the Captain is clear on this - I hope he is working on it!

Friday Five- time out edition

Our sister 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?
I am restored by time outdoors...walking, riding my bike, etc. Yesterday I played my first round of golf in 2009 with a good friend. It was exactly what I needed to provide some balance to a week filled with worship planning and pastoral care.

2. What strengthens you emotionally/ mentally?
Adequate sleep and exercise.


3. What encourages you spiritually?
Praying the hours and time in the Word...beautiful, meaningful liturgies. Lately I have been quite grateful for Unfailin Lighta liturgy written for evening communion by Susan Briehl and Marty Haugen. We used this for our Lenten midweek services.

4. Share a favorite poem or piece of music from the coming week.
What Wondrous Love is This

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 favorite day in Holy week if so which one is it?
By far, it would be Vigil of Easter. This year our Director of Spiritual Formation is working with several members to creatively share the narrative of salvation history. I can't wait...but I will!

Friday Five - Five Signs of Hope

Songbird writes...
My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Song of Solomon 2:10-13

In the late, late winter, as the snow begins to recede here in Maine, we begin to look almost desperately for signs of spring, signs of hope that the weather has turned and a new day is on the horizon. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, Easter and Spring twine inextricably, the crocuses and daffodils peeking through the Earth as we await the risen Christ.

Share with us five signs of hope that you can see today or have experienced in the past.

1. The lengthening of the days is a sign of hope for me. Sunlight is a sign of hope for me. I can easily wake and make my way around in morning darkness, but evenings that bid farewell to sunlight even before we eat dinner are draining for me. We had a sign of hope this week as we could walk the dogs and watch the sunset well past 7:30 pm.

2. The pink buds forming on the branches of our dogwood trees and and the green tips of crocuses pushing through the soil are a delightful sign of hope for me.

3. Personally, fitting into a smaller size pant this week was a very hopeful sign for me!

4. Visiting with a member whose husband of 59 years died a week ago, I was gifted with a sign of hope through the healing tears we shed and the comfort she found as we prayed the Lord's Prayer together.

5. And perhaps the most beautiful sign of hope these past few weeks has been the children whom we now welcome to the Lord's Supper at whatever age their parents feel they are ready. The sight of preschoolers reaching for the bread and being guided by their parents to the cup gives me hope for the faith journey of this new generation of God's sons and daughters!

Slow Cooking Thursday March 5th Edition

What has happened this week so far: Many pastoral care issues, sandwiched between sermons (Sunday and midweek) and parish classes; 2 funerals in 10 days, another pending.

What's up for the weekend:
I'll be working at the Band Contest hosted by our high school Friday afternoon and evening and hearing Peter Cetera in concert with our local symphony Saturday evening. Guest preacher Saturday evening -Thanks Eric! Teen Choir Musical Sunday.

Song In My Head:
"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" by Billy Joel

Progeny Story of the Week
Music Man landed the lead in local high school spring musical "Bye, Bye Birdie!"

I am procrastinating about:
the taxes STILL!

Scripture I am trying to wrap my head (and heart) around:
^{Mark 5:36} Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

Favorite TV minute this week:
2 Hours of 24 Monday night

Unfavorite moment: didn't really watch enough TV to have one of these

What I am serving for dinner tonight (that I never got around to last week):

Chicken and White Bean Stew

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 10-oz. pkgs. refrigerated light Alfredo sauce
• 1 15-oz. can Great Northern or white kidney beans (cannellini beans), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion (1 medium)
• 1 4-oz. can diced green chile peppers
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (1 ounce) (optional)
• Fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle chicken with cumin and pepper. In a large skillet, cook chicken, half at a time, in hot oil over medium heat until brown. Place chicken in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in alfredo sauce, beans, broth, onion, chile peppers, and garlic.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. If desired, sprinkle each serving with cheese and parsley. Makes 8 servings.

Friday Five - The Fork in the Road

Singing Owl writes: I am at a life-changing juncture. I do not know which way I will go, but I have been thinking about the times, people and events that changed my life (for good or ill) in significant ways. For today's Friday Five, share with us five "fork-in-the-road" events, or persons, or choices. And how did life change after these forks in the road?

1. The first significant fork in the road in my life was born out of tragedy. As a child of 8, I was molested by a 16 year-old neighbor boy in the woods behind our house. After raping me, he told me that if I told my parents, they would blame me, and I believed him. So I buried the clothing that bore signs of the attack in the ashes of our burn barrel and tried to bury my pain there as well. But as many of you know, it is not that easy. Looking back, my relationship with my parents began to became tenuous from that point on, and my trust in people, especially male people was nil. Our family moved to another community later that summer and I was relieved to not have to look at the place of my attack or the home of my attacker on a daily basis anymore. But it was not until I sought counseling in college, that I truly began to heal from this experience.

2. The second fork in the road was the choice I made to be an exchange student and spend my junior year of high school overseas. It was a year of wonder and amazing growth for me. It bolstered my increasing sense of independence and served to deepen my sense of God's presence with me apart from a community of faith, since there was no Christian faith community with which I could connect meaningfully in the area where I lived.

3. The third fork was surely the choice I made of where I would go to college. My experiences at my alma mater, including the faith community there, clarified the direction of my life journey. I gained friends that I still count among my dearest, and I heard and answered the call to the ministry of Word and Sacrament there, though I did not fully understand that at the time.

4. The next fork in the road came when I was in the call process for the first time, and the prospect of a call to a team and a solo position loomed before me. Although our bishop had his own opinion of the choice that would best suit me, it was not until I leaned toward the solo position and discussed this with him that he confirmed that as his recommendation as well. It was not easy, and the crucible of this inwardly focused congregation nearly pushed me away from pastoral ministry. But in the end, I know that I would have had a far more difficult time discerning my own pastoral identity if I had accepted the call to team ministry at that point in my life.

5. Although there are many more I could reference, the choice to explore the possibility of a relationship with a recently-divorced man from the congregation I served was a very difficult, but clearly God-ordained choice. In him, God granted me a man with whom I could truly trust everything about myself. In time, we joined our lives as one and he has been and continues to be a precious gift of God to me. It is a joy and a blessing to walk the road of life with him, forks and all.

Slow Cooking Thursday February 26th Edition

What has happened this week so far: Lots of time with people in the congregation; not enough time with family at home

What's up for the weekend:

Music Man has his second round of auditions; euchre with friends; maybe a visit from a college friend

Song In My Head:
"Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire

Progeny Story of the Week
a GREAT pre-contest concert tonight for both sons!

I am procrastinating about:
sorting out my closet

Scripture I am trying to wrap my head (and heart) around:
^{Mark 5:36} Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

Favorite TV minute this week:
Seeing the Tribe on TV again...baseball season is here!

Unfavorite moment: didn't really watch enough TV to have one of these

What I intended to served for dinner tonight (but got too far behind this week to lay the ingredients in for): Chicken and White Bean Stew

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 10-oz. pkgs. refrigerated light Alfredo sauce
• 1 15-oz. can Great Northern or white kidney beans (cannellini beans), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion (1 medium)
• 1 4-oz. can diced green chile peppers
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (1 ounce) (optional)
• Fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle chicken with cumin and pepper. In a large skillet, cook chicken, half at a time, in hot oil over medium heat until brown. Place chicken in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in alfredo sauce, beans, broth, onion, chile peppers, and garlic.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. If desired, sprinkle each serving with cheese and parsley. Makes 8 servings.

Slow Cooking Thursday

Molly over at Waiting for the Moment has begun a new weekly post called Slow Cooking Thursday. I've asked if I might adopt the theme too, as a blogging prompt.



So here is my first Slow Cooking Thursday (on Friday).

What has happened this week so far:
Music Man had his auditions at the Alma Mater Monday; now we wait. Got to catch up with college friends while there - so good to see them again! Congregation Council elected officers - new leadership team for the year. Local high school's student-written and produced musical opened last night. Got to see Music Man sing and play a knight in tights!

What's up for the weekend:
Friday is dinner with friends, and maybe some live music somewhere. Saturday will be boat show and Ikea. Visitation Pastor is preaching this weekend. I teach catechism Sunday afternoon - Hallowed Be Your Name - and then there is a funeral to conduct.

Song In My Head:
Coldplay's "Viva la Vida"

Progeny Story of the Week
Would have to be GameBoy's tremendous performance at his (and my) Taekwon-Do Black Belt Test last Saturday.

I am procrastinating about:
Doing our taxes.

Scripture I am trying to wrap my head (and heart) around:
Mark 1:12-13

¹³And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

Favorite TV minute this week:
See Dr. John Carter return to the ER

Unfavorite moment: Seeing Dr. John Carter receiving a chemo treatment

Dinner for tonight (didn't think early enough to put something in the crock pot today) :
Ham Casserole

8 oz. pasta (bite-size), cooked and drained
2 C cubed ham
1 oz can mushrooms, drained
3 T butter
4 T flour
1 C chicken broth
1 C milk
dash of hot sauce
pepper and salt to taste
1 C shredded cheddar or swiss

Place pasta, ham, and mushrooms in greased casserole dish. Melt butter, whisk in flour until smooth. Slowly add broth and milk, stirring over medium low heat until thick and smooth. Add seasonings. Pour over ham and pasta mixture. Add cheese and stir together. Top with crushed saltines, if desired. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes.