Hoosier Musings on the Road to Emmaus

RevGals

2012-02-03T23:45:00.001-07:00

Another reason for coming back to blogging? An online circle which began a few years back, when a small group of clergy women (or women who were to become clergy -- I was in seminary at the time) found one another's blogs. We got to know one another on the Interwebs, and eventually, sometimes, In Real Life. These women (and a few men) eventually became a community: the RevGalBlogPals. We wrote a couple of books together which raised money for relief after Hurricane Katrina, and helped one another weather some personal storms along the way as well.

Today we/they maintain a series of community blogs-- in addition to the main blog there are also BookPals and PrayerPals-- and sponsor an annual continuing education Big Event. This year's incarnation, BE 5.0, is the first I've been able to attend. It will not be the last.

One of my great privileges is that I had a wee part in the birth of this community. Although others have contributed in greater measure, you might say that I am, by grace, one of the Founding Mothers. To paraphrase Paul: a few planted, more watered, and God has given the growth. Insert doxology here.

I have no desire to leave that behind. So here I am.

Beginning again... again

2012-02-03T23:33:00.002-07:00

Well now... This may work.

My grandiose plans to start blogging again ran into a technological stumbling block of my own making-- the switch of my daily connecting tool. Giving up the old laptop was a necessity; it belonged to my previous church, so naturally it stayed behind when I moved. My new escort became an iPad-- smaller, lighter weight, and (after an extended and aggravating learning curve with the little beastie) able to do the stuff I needed to do on the go.

Except for blogging. It turns out that iPads do not play well with Blogger (or maybe the other way around). Either way, it wasn't working, and the app or two I tried to use to make it work were not successful. Of course, all I needed was to sit down at the computer sometime; but that inevitably got postponed in favor of Real Life.

However, time marches on. I've gradually adjusted to The Beastie, more or less; and the new and improved app seems to be functioning closer to the way I want it to.

So, let's try this again, shall we?

Dear Congress: Grow Up

2011-07-22T19:03:00.003-06:00

After listening to this bit of news, the following went out to my (Republican) congressman:

************
Dear Representative,

I am writing in regard to what should be among the U.S. Congress' highest priorities at the moment: addressing the federal budget, the annual deficit and the national debt. Like most Americans, I have read and listened to a dizzying amount coverage of this issue recently. Radio, television, newspapers and online sources have been consumed with the subject, high levels of hyperbole and posturing obscuring reality. In my efforts to weed though the rhetoric, I have determined the following:

The federal debt stands at a staggering $15.476 trillion. This level is projected to exceed our GDP for the first time in decades. Reducing the deficit will not put a dent in this; indeed, at best it will only slow growth. It doesn't take sophisticated bookkeeping to figure out that any spending which exceeds income will still add to the debt.

Our economic recovery from the recent downturn is spotty at best, with unemployment levels, housing starts and other economic indicators still at uncomfortably poor levels in many areas of the country. Even those areas with better numbers are still fragile in their recovery. And every one of those numbers represent our neighbors.

At the same time, large corporations are showing record profits and individuals with higher incomes are taxed at some of the lowest rates since the Great Depression. These also represent our neighbors.

In the end, there are really only two ways to deal with a budget that is out of balance: decrease spending and/or increase revenue.

I agree with the necessity of cutting federal spending. I do. It's hard, but it's necessary. However, given the state of our economy and the level of debt that is simply not enough.

Now, the deal on the table today (when the last round of negotiations broke down) involved more than 3 trillion dollars in cuts-- cuts that would be acutely felt by those who are already suffering in our society. And by all reports the revenue increases asked by our president were roughly $1.2 trillion-- 1/3 of the previous figure, most of which was found by simply closing loopholes that never should have been open in the first place. Not accepting this as a viable compromise seems to me to be simply ridiculous posturing and thoughtless intransigence.

So I expect-- no, as one of your constituents, I require-- that you speak to your colleagues about finding a point at which you can compromise, and that you find a way to agree upon tax increases for the wealthier citizens and corporations in this country. It is not unreasonable to expect those who most benefit from our society to bear more responsibility for its upkeep.

"From those to whom much is given, much will be required." This teaching applies clearly, not only to the tax argument on the table but also to the role of leadership you hold. You are in a position of great privilege, sir. With that privilege comes great responsibility. In other words, someone has to act like the grownup. Please do so.

Desperate Blogscape

2011-07-12T14:41:00.004-06:00

Have you ever seen the show Desperate Landscapes? It's one of those home improvement shows that are so very popular these days. Each episode features a neglected yard in dire need of some attention. Overgrown weeds, patchy grass, dying shrubs... places that sometimes look suited to Halloween haunting, inhabited by overwhelmed owners who know they need help, but simply don't know where to begin.

However, by the end of the show the yard is a showplace-- abundant plants, trees and flowers, and often patios, water features, and other improvements. And it happens so quickly! Through the frenzied application of money and manpower, an elaborate design that would normally take several days or weeks happens in the space of one day. It's almost magical to watch.

Here in the blogiverse, I have some sympathy with those homeowners. After more than a year, this blog was a desperate landscape: a template with an outdated header and a blogroll full of links that were either equally neglected or simply no longer functional and a background that honestly seems boring. I hardly knew where to start, and I didn't really want to, knowing how time-consuming the effort would be.

But it seems there's no one interested in stepping in to take over the clean up of my untidy mess. No video crew standing by to record either the knowledgeable instructions of savvy html specialists or the well-intentioned efforts of clueless assistants. There's only me, dagnabbit.

So I have been spending my allotted blogging time chipping away at the mess. And finally it's beginning to clear up. The header is not precisely how I want it, but at least it's not inaccurate. The blogroll is generally functional, with links that work to sites I favor or at least care about. I've changed the name back to what I used when I started blogging, lo these many years ago. I don't know that I'll keep it, but it's as good a place holder as any while I mull over possibilities.

And the background? Well, that is an abundance of code work which will simply have to wait for another day(s).

Suggestions for continued improvements welcome.

Taming the Beastie.

2011-07-04T12:40:00.001-06:00

Beginning in seminary I had a laptop that, like Mary's little lamb, followed me everywhere. I was a "weekend commuter," at school during the week and home with my family on weekends. The laptop made school work and connectivity possible and portable. My first call was at a church roughly 45 minutes from my house, so transportablility was a continued blessing. Then I moved to Montana and took up the challenge of serving four widely dispersed mission churches. My office became my car, and "blessing" became "utter necessity."

All this meant that I always had a fully functional computer with me. It was easy to post to my blog and keep track of dozens of others with the click of a mouse and an rss reader.

Then we moved last summer. The laptop I was using at that point had been purchased as part of a diocesan grant, so it stayed behind. I needed something to replace it, but we also needed a computer for the house, upon which The Boy could do homework and upload music to his iPod (not necessarily in that order).

The cost of two new computers was beyond our means. But Apple thoughtfully came up with a new option: the iPad. Portable, less expensive, and seemed at first blush to let me do everything I needed: email, web browsing, calendar and address book, etc. So we bought a desktop iMac for the house and an iPad for me to cart around.

I think I'm generally comfortable with new technologies, but I've had a frustrating learning curve with this little beastie. It's a clever toy, and wonderfully lightweight to cart around; but operates very differently. It's rather like dealing with an idiot savant: it does some amazing things in elegant ways, but others are functionally clunky. And some things it just plain refuses to consider. Stubborn Beastie.

One of the trouble spots for me was blogging. I couldn't use my old rss reader, and the app versions I've tried so far are decidedly unsatisfactory. With my own blog, functionality was bad for posting and I couldn't work on my template at all.

But time marches on, and new apps appear. I'm posting this with one such: a test run of sorts.

I'm still looking forward to a new laptop one day. Don't tell the Beastie.

Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more

2011-06-29T10:58:00.007-06:00

My, it's dusty in here...

It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since I've posted. And even longer since it was a regular discipline. There are a whole lot of reasons for that, very few of which am I eager to share on the global stage. Suffice to say that my focus and energy were necessarily elsewhere.

But I've missed it. I've missed the discipline of writing this way, and the resulting conversations and the connections that drew me into the blogiverse in the first place. Oh, some of that is now available in other venues that simply did not exist when I began blogging several years ago. I'm not entirely sold on tweeting, probably because I do not own a SmartPhone of any sort; but the Face, used with care, is a happy tool.

That said, there's something meaty about the nature of a blog. Something substantive. A full meal instead of a snack.

And so I'm taking it up again. I don't know as anyone else will notice; many of the friends I originally found here have moved on. And I don't blame them a bit. After all, there's no point in stopping by if no one ever answers the door! But some of those relationships have lasted, thanks be to God, albeit in other venues. Others may show up if I make the place look a little more lived in. But whether they do or not, I find that I need to be here, to have a place for writing and listening and working things out.

So I've gotten out the dustpan and tidied up a bit. Washed a window or two and swept the front walk. God willing, more of that will happen in the days ahead. And we'll see how it goes.

It's good to be back.

RevGal Friday Five: Decisions

2010-07-22T22:22:00.002-06:00

Like Songbird, I've been in the midst of a discernment process. And getting that all figured out means I'm thrust into a whole different realm of deciding: new house, moving company, schools... I'm glad to have nothing more complicated than this to decide at the moment.

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
No contest-- pie!

2) Train or Airplane
This one's harder. Train for comfort, plane for speed (since there is very little comfortable about air travel anymore).

3) Mac or PC
Mac, all the way. I've used both extensively, and I wouldn't own anything else, for a lot of reasons.

4) Univocal or Equivocal
Equivocal (it's always "more complicated than that.")

5) Peter or Paul
Paul gets it right more often, but I do love Peter-- he's so honestly earnest in his fumbling, which makes him endearingly real. Hmm... when in doubt, see #4.

"The way, the truth and the life..."

2010-07-02T18:11:00.005-06:00

Someone asked me That Question the other day. Clergy peeps, you know the one. Christians all get it at one time or another, and priests and pastors with a certain regularity.

"What happens to Them after death?"

("Them" can include Jews, Muslims, other sorts of non-Christians, or even *low whisper* non-believers, agnostics and atheists.)

Now, I realize that some of my esteemed brothers and sisters in Christ believe they have an easy answer to this one. They quote a favorite verse, John 14:6, as Jesus' definitive answer to that question:

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

And they assume that settles the issue. Christian believers will be welcomed into Heaven, while all others get a ticket on the fast train to Elsewhere.

The thing is, the Bible has this pesky foible: there's more in there than just one verse. There are actually lots of verses, and they say lots of things about Jesus, God, faith, life, and so forth. Which means, as my favorite NT professor often notes, it's more complicated than that.

Even after learning a little in seminary about a couple thousand years of discussion and debate, the short answer is, I don't believe we really know. No one does for sure, except God. But I can tell you what I believe...

First, yes: I believe that Jesus matters. Knowing the Messiah makes a difference. I do believe that. It's why I'm Christian, and a priest.

However, we hear a few other things as well.

1a. We know that for thousands of years before Jesus, God had a covenant with the Hebrew people-- a connection, a relationship, affirmed and reaffirmed, repeatedly. Jesus did not erase that-- as he said, he did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it (Matt 5:17).

1b. Throughout scripture, over and over, we see that ours is a God of second chances. Adam & Eve, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Rahab... all the way forward through Samaritans and sinful women and even wayward apostles in the Gospels, God is always giving people another shot, another chance, another opportunity. I could quote verses all day-- it's a consistent theme, from Genesis to Revelation.

So why wouldn't it be true that the people beloved enough to be the ones with whom God's first covenant was made, not have the same sort of second chance option offered them yet again?

2. I believe this is also true for many sorts of non-Christians, especially when you consider what a lousy witness to Jesus we his followers have often been. Never mind history; think about the Christians that make the press in our own day with mean-spirited announcements and/or bad ("UnChristian") behavior: pedophile clergy, money-grubbing televangelists, Ted Haggard, Pat Robertson, Fred Phelps, Donald Wildmon, etc. Let alone the far-less-than-perfect rest of us! With this sort of witness to go by, I can see why it would be very hard for a non-believer, looking at the Body of Christ, to accept Jesus as a Savior worth following.

But of course, that is not the fullness of Christ, not by a long shot.

Given all that, I have to believe that God, who so loved the world that he came in the flesh to live with and die for ALL of us, would provide an opportunity at some point to see clearly what Jesus was/is all about-- if not in this life, then perhaps in the next. I do not know how it happens, nor can any of us on this side of eternity; but that's what I believe.

What are you looking for in a church?

2010-06-11T07:56:00.007-06:00

"What are you looking for in a church?"

This question is not so often asked of clergy. As it happens, it was asked of me because I'm in the process of searching for a new call. The reasons for this are myriad. Some are surface reality-- financial issues, and small, isolated communities, and differences in approach to mission. Others are unbloggable, as issues of ministry often are (and I tend to err on the side of caution in this regard-- one reason for the long stretches of silence recently). In this day and age of almost daily salacious news reports about priests and pastors, I will say that it is in no way due to any sort of misconduct, thank you.

But the end result is the same: I have dusted off my Church Deployment Office (CDO) profile and started looking around.

"What are you looking for in a church?"

The ideal will never be there, of course. No such thing as a perfect parish-- and if there were, they certainly wouldn't call me!

That said... what sort of congregation might I aspire to serve?

One who attempts to be the church as the Body of Christ, and not simply as a form of respectable civic religion. By this I mean folks who participate in the life and work of the congregation in a way that moves beyond showing up on a Sunday morning because "that's what one does," and who do not resent the suggestion that church membership, let alone outreach or social justice, might be about more than good citizenship.

Corollary: one who sees the spiritual life as integral to our work together, and not simply a veneer that I'm hired to apply.

One with an eagerness for offering the best we have in worship. I don't necessarily mean fancy vestments or expensive appointments, but more that we bring all that we are and offer it to God. Sing and respond and pray and listen and move like our collective efforts matter. Because they do.

One that cares for the church property as more than afterthought or repository for second-hand items that aren't good enough for one's house anymore.

One with a certain willingness to risk. I know this is asking a lot of Episcopalians! I'm not talking about flinging aside the Prayer Book, honest. But in a thriving church, as with any living organism, changes inevitably occur, and new things will occasionally be tried-- in worship, in outreach, in study, whatever. This prospect does not need to be met with fear and anger and the constant digging in of heels.

One that expects its leadership to spend time in intentional reading and study, the better to preach and teach the Gospel effectively. Of course, this presumes a congregation interested in solid, Christ-centered preaching and teaching. Most say they are, but that's kind of like a church saying it wants to grow-- some mean that differently than others.

One that exhibits a charitable approach to relationships. No, there won't always be unanimity; no two people agree all the time, let alone a larger group like a church. But God is honored and the church remains healthy, even in conflict, if we can try to listen and speak with charity toward one another. Even situations of necessary correction or dealing with wrongdoing can be handled with compassion and goodwill.

So... What are you looking for in a church?

"Lack of compassion"

2010-05-05T07:33:00.004-06:00

A friend of mine just got one of those emails. I suppose clergy all get them at one time or another. I'll admit that it gets under my skin in a way that one sent to me would not. It's harder to see it happen to friends. But this one is a pip.

The email accused the priest of "a lack of compassion," because said priest had the temerity to express disappointment with the vestry's recent decisions-- actions that mean the end of the parish being able to support any full-time clergy person. Did I mention the vestry also lay the blame for their decision at their priest's feet? Of course, they are not responsible for choosing as they have done; it's all the fault of the cleric. They have every right to be angry, it seems-- angry enough to ignore years of faithful, committed service and to disregard any notion of civility, let alone Christian charity.

So, let me get this straight: clergy are supposed to offer the sacraments of the church, plan and lead worship, provide for ongoing Christian education, visit the sick and shut in, take midnight phone calls, bury the dead, and otherwise provide for all the spiritual needs of the parish at any hour of the day or night...
...AND assemble and print the bulletins, shovel the walks, water the lawn, wield the weedeater, sweep up dead flies, run the vacuum, wash dishes and clean bathrooms...
...AND hold their parishioners' hands and tell them everything will be all right, that their precious pile of stone and mortar is the most important thing in the world, and the survival of the church as a thriving part of the Body of Christ is a secondary concern at best...
...AND put up with petty sniping, take all the blame for anything that goes wrong, and accept in silence any rudeness and cheap shots toward oneself or one's family...
...all for compensation (when and if paid on time) only slightly higher (considering hours worked) than one could make slinging burgers at a fast food joint.

Because anything less would indicate a lack of compassion.

Only in Montana...

2010-04-07T11:52:00.002-06:00

Easter

2010-04-04T11:41:00.002-06:00

Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels,
and let your trumpets shout Salvation
for the victory of our mighty King.

Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth,
bright with a glorious splendour,
for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King.

Rejoice and be glad now, Mother Church,
and let your holy courts, in radiant light,
resound with the praises of your people.

Holy Saturday

2010-04-03T07:34:00.003-06:00

O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Good Friday

2010-04-02T09:35:00.003-06:00

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, we pray you to set your passion, cross, and death between your judgment and our souls, now and in the hour of our death. Give mercy and grace to the living; pardon and rest to the dead; to your holy Church peace and concord; and to us sinners everlasting life and glory; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

RevGal Friday Five: Winter Olympics

2010-02-26T08:07:00.002-07:00

Songbird offers a timely Olympic set of questions:

1) Which of the Winter Olympic sports is your favorite to watch?
I have a hard time picking one favorite; I enjoy most of them for one reason or another. Perhaps it's because I'm so seriously unathletically talented, but I admire all the things they do. Even the ice dancers that catch so much disdain: that is serious skill that I will never have.

2) Some of the uniforms have attracted attention this year, such as the US Snowboarders' pseudo-flannel shirts... and the Norwegian Curling team's -- ahem -- pants. Who do you think had the best-looking uniforms?
The ice skaters were far and away the fanciest, of course; but I also liked the hockey uniforms-- especially the way the goalies' helmets were customized. Really fun!

3) And Curling. Really? What's up with that?
I loved the curling! LOVED. IT. The precision in the competition was fascinating. It does not require the high level of physical training that the other sports do, but the strategy, coordination and teamwork required is huge, and I think really exhibits the best of the Olympic ideal.

4) Define Nordic Combined. Don't look it up. Take a guess if you must. (There will be a prize for the best answer, but be aware, this is a judged sport.)
Cross-country skiing and... something else I can't remember. I've seen the skiiers but not the other half, so it's not coming to mind.

5) If you could be a Winter Olympics Champion just by wishing for it, which sport would you choose for winning your Gold Medal?
Well, I'd love to try the sport I'm purportedly going to win; to have the sense of what it feels like to really be *that* good. So if my wish included the skill, perhaps ski jumping. The feeling of almost flying, coasting in the air for a hundred meters or more looks as though it would be awesome.
On the other hand... curling still looks like great fun, and it would be nice to have playmates. :-)

"...in all Christian love..."

2010-01-31T20:59:00.002-07:00

So, which is worse: Being attacked? Or being left undefended?

Either way, it sucks.

Pencils and scorecards ready?

2010-01-18T20:37:00.005-07:00

I am, among other things, a lifelong Cubs fan. I mean REALLY lifelong-- I was almost born at home because when my mother went into labor, she refused to leave for the hospital until the game on TV was over. It's in my DNA. The official harbinger of spring has nothing to do with a timid rodent. Rather, it is when those fateful words are uttered: "Pitchers and Catchers Report." This is the world as it should be.

One of my buddies does not see it this way. For reasons unknown and unfathomable, Rev. Ref+ is a rabid football fan. Well, nice for him. Don't get me wrong-- football is okay, I guess. At least it serves to fill the gap between the World Series and Spring Training.

As you might imagine, the Ref and I have this ongoing ~~argument~~ discussion about the virtues of our favorite sports. For example, the Ref seems to find the untimed nature of baseball unsettling. He complains that it's too slow, that you spend three hours playing a game that only has 15-20 minutes of actual playing time. I have maintained that he has no room to talk, that football is just as bad-- actually worse, because that silly clock they pretend to use, lies.

And now I have proof:

According to a Wall Street Journal study of four recent broadcasts, and similar estimates by researchers, the average amount of time the ball is in play on the field during an NFL game is about 11 minutes.

Want some more good news? Spring is less than a month away!

We are all family

2010-01-13T19:44:00.004-07:00

By now, most of you have likely heard of the incredible devastation that resulted from yesterday's earthquake in Haiti. Whole city blocks destroyed, and estimates that as many as half a million people are dead and/or missing. The wreckage is so pervasive that there is no way to know for sure. There may never be.

Connections...

As it happens, Haiti is demographically the largest diocese in the Episcopal Church. We have very real and ongoing relationships-- through bishops, clergy, missionaries, aid workers, sister churches, etc.-- with these our brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you are in the habit of reading a daily devotional called "Forward Day by Day," you may note that the writer for January is a missionary priest, formerly stationed in the Sudan, currently serving in Haiti. Another "friend from back when" recently married a fine man from Haiti, which means they are now searching for members of her new family. Two aid workers from the Diocese of Chicago are, as of this writing, also among the missing.

Of course, none of this makes any difference as to whether or not we should care; but connections and relationships make the awareness of desperate need more acute... more real. Relationships remind us of what matters.

Here are some ways to help, in Jesus' name:

Episcopal Relief and Development

Catholic Relief Services

Lutheran Disaster Response

UCC Disaster Relief Fund

PC(USA) Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

United Methodist Committee on Relief

or if you prefer a nonsectarian effort, already on the ground, I'd suggest:

Doctors Without Borders

In any case... please say a prayer for the people of Haiti-- and then make your care tangible.

Christmas Blessings

2009-12-25T08:27:00.002-07:00

...and she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger...

...and he shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Update... sort of

2009-12-23T14:26:00.008-07:00

I've never been good at blogging merrily away when the important things in my life have been unbloggable-- and such is the case in the moment.

It is hard to tread the line between confidence and confidentiality, largely because of the nature of what blogging has meant to me. This little corner of cyberspace has made my world so much a better place. It has enriched my faith, challenged my thinking, and brought into my life some incredibly wonderful people who have become precious to me in ways I never would have dreamed when I started. Simply stated, I miss you when I'm not here.

But this is still a wholly public forum-- accessible not only to those who are already my friends, and to those who might be someday, but also those who will never be; not only those who care lovingly, but also those who would gossip viciously, as well as those who couldn't care less. So I need to exercise more caution than I would if it were "just you and me and the fence post," sitting down with a bottle of wine and some good chocolate-- or a double order of cheese fries and root beer.

In the last few weeks it has become obvious that our family will not be having our normal Christmas. Indeed, our world has not been "normal" for a while now. However, the reasons for this are, for good and sufficient cause, entirely private.

I will tell you that we are not dealing with anything that is too awful or shameful to speak of. That's not it. It is simply that (shocking though this may be in some quarters) some of our family's news (across the spectrum from joy to sorrow) is not universally for public viewing. As my mother used to remind her children, "You don't need to tell everything you know." This is especially true of business that is primarily not my own, which is the case here. It is not entirely my story to tell, and so I will not be sharing it here. Maybe others will choose to tell their parts of the story, in their own times and ways; but that is their choice, and it is not mine to decide what that will look like.

And so... I will ask for your continued prayers, while I give thanks to God for many things. For our family, immediate and extended, and the blessings we share. We are all loved, we are all safe. We all have shelter, and none of us are hungry. We have friends who pray and play with us in generous measure beyond our deserving. We are privileged to be acquainted with good folks who go out of their way to love the "lost and least," whatever belief system grounds their doing. I am trying to be thankful even for the challenges, knowing that things could be much worse than they are. After all, we believe in resurrection-- and after a dark night, won't the coming of the light be that much more glorious?

Adventures

2009-12-08T20:55:00.004-07:00

Lots and lots of unbloggables, on several fronts. One issue at a time? Surely you jest.

That's all... other than to say that if you have a spare prayer or two, they would be appreciated. Things are... fragile, around here.

God twitters Creation

2009-10-30T20:05:00.005-06:00

Most of my family has been abed with the plague (aka "flu-like symptoms"), so there's not much news here. However, I found this in my fevered perusing today, and it amused me no end. Too good not to share.

God Twitters Creation

God: Gosh its dark in here.
7 days ago

God: There thats better.
7 days ago

God: Hey guys im finally on twitter! Whats up?
7 days ago

God: guys?
7 days ago

God: oh right. i’m the only thing in existence, haha.
7 days ago

God: shut up i wasnt talking 2 you RT @Satan I TOO EXIST
7 days ago

God: BOOORREEDD with endless void gonna make some stuff
7 days ago

*********

Read the rest here. What a hoot!

EpiscoNinjas!

2009-10-20T21:32:00.001-06:00

Sick

2009-10-19T08:06:00.004-06:00

I am a Christian.

This means that I believe in God in all those complicated, messy, Triune forms. All that Nicene Creed stuff? Yes, all of it-- without crossing my fingers even once. I try to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. I fall way short of perfection, but I'm glad to keep plugging away.

I know-- you've already figured that out, yes? This is not shocking news.

But this is:

Churches involved in torture, murder of thousands of African children denounced as witches

The idea of witchcraft is hardly new, but it has taken on new life recently partly because of a rapid growth in evangelical Christianity. Campaigners against the practice say around 15,000 children have been accused in two of Nigeria's 36 states over the past decade and around 1,000 have been murdered. In the past month alone, three Nigerian children accused of witchcraft were killed and another three were set on fire...

I am angered and ashamed beyond words of the evil done by purported Christians-- those "brothers" and "sisters" enmeshed in a warped, manipulative "discipleship" that has nothing to do with following the Prince of Peace.

There's a scar above Jane's shy smile: her mother tried to saw off the top of her skull after a pastor denounced her and repeated exorcisms costing a total of $60 didn't cure her of witchcraft. Mary, 15, is just beginning to think about boys and how they will look at the scar tissue on her face caused when her mother doused her in caustic soda. Twelve-year-old Rachel dreamed of being a banker but instead was chained up by her pastor, starved and beaten with sticks repeatedly; her uncle paid him $60 for the exorcism.

Israel's cousin tried to bury him alive, Nwaekwa's father drove a nail through her head, and sweet-tempered Jerry — all knees, elbows and toothy grin — was beaten by his pastor, starved, made to eat cement and then set on fire by his father as his pastor's wife cheered it on.

The children at the home run by Itauma's organization have been mutilated as casually as the praying mantises they play with.

So, all you eager schismatics-- tell me again how "Global South" Christianity is somehow more faithful, more vibrant, more aligned with the Gospel than what we practice in mainline America.

Go ahead-- just try.

Evensong...

2009-10-18T21:54:00.003-06:00

And another of Susan Werner's songs, from the same album. Good stuff, this.

I Will Have My Portion

And some would say
That time has passed me by
And some would say
That the wells have all run dry
Some would say
That's how its meant to be
So some would say
But I beg to disagree

Cause I know good fortune waits for me somewhere
I will have my portion I will have my share
I'll keep my feet in motion til they carry me there
I will have my portion I will have my share

Cause I do believe
There's a harvest in the field
I do believe
There's truth to be revealed
I do believe
There's treasure to be found
And I do believe
There's enough to go around

I know good fortune waits for me somewhere
I will have my portion I will have my share
I'll keep my feet in motion til they carry me there
I will have my portion I will have my share

Cause somewhere there's a blessing and it bears my name
and soon or late, it's coming to me just the same
Can't wait to see
What's set aside for me
With every new sunrise
I'm gonna keep my eyes wide open

Song of the day

2009-10-18T07:53:00.003-06:00

Forgiveness – Susan Werner

How do you love those who never will love you,
Who are happy to shove you out in front of the train?
How do you not hate those who would leave you lie bleeding
While they hold their prayer meeting?

How do you love those who never will love you,
Who are so frightened of you they are calling for war?
How do you not hate those who have loaded their Bibles
And armed their disciples? 'cuz I don't know anymore.

And I can't find forgiveness for them anywhere in this
And with God as my witness I really have tried.
How do you love those who never will love you?
I think only God knows and he is not taking sides.
I hope one day he shows us how we can love those
Who never will love us but who still we must love.
How do you love those?

Creating God in one's own image

2009-09-29T21:02:00.009-06:00

Of all the misguided idiocy...

It seems that the grand tradition of trying to edit out the uncomfortable bits of Scripture continues. The Conservative Bible Project proposes to "eliminate liberal bias" by offering a "fully conservative translation of the Bible" which satisfies the following ten guidelines:

Framework against Liberal Bias: providing a strong framework that enables a thought-for-thought translation without corruption by liberal bias.
Not Emasculated: avoiding unisex, "gender inclusive" language, and other modern emasculation of Christianity.
Not Dumbed Down: not dumbing down the reading level, or diluting the intellectual force and logic of Christianity; the NIV is written at only the 7th grade level.
Utilize Powerful Conservative Terms: using powerful new conservative terms as they develop; defective translations use the word "comrade" three times as often as "volunteer"; similarly, updating words which have a change in meaning, such as "word", "peace", and "miracle."
Combat Harmful Addiction: combating addiction by using modern terms for it, such as "gamble" rather than "cast lots;" using modern political terms, such as "register" rather than "enroll" for the census.
Accept the Logic of Hell: applying logic with its full force and effect, as in not denying or downplaying the very real existence of Hell or the Devil.
Express Free Market Parables; explaining the numerous economic parables with their full free-market meaning.
Exclude Later-Inserted Liberal Passages: excluding the later-inserted liberal passages that are not authentic, such as the adulteress story (cf John 7:53-8:11).
Credit Open-Mindedness of Disciples: crediting open-mindedness often found in youngsters like the eyewitnesses Mark and John, the authors of two of the Gospels.
Prefer Conciseness over Liberal Wordiness: preferring conciseness to the liberal style of high word-to-substance ratio; avoid compound negatives and unnecessary ambiguities.

So, what's next? Apparently Unmasking Liberal Falsehoods, like Jesus' plea (Luke 23:34) to forgive his executioners "for they know not what they do:"

Is this a liberal corruption of the original? This does not appear in any other Gospel, and the simple fact is that some of the persecutors of Jesus did know what they were doing. This quotation is a favorite of liberals but should not appear in a conservative Bible.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many ways my heresy meter is jangling just now. The teachings of Jesus are often unpalatable; but isn't that the point? How can they do this and still claim to be Christian?

Take me out to the ball game...

2009-09-22T21:43:00.003-06:00

Now, this is the kind of Middle East Invasion I can support.

BAGHDAD — Smiles broke out earlier this week as members of the Iraqi national baseball team tore into boxes filled with brand-new uniforms, courtesy of a Seattle-based company that donated the gear after a profile of the fledgling team by McClatchy and a national appeal by MSNBC.

Six of the team members examined every detail of their new Ebbets Field Flannels duds Tuesday: blue caps printed with Iraqi flags, custom-made jerseys with "Iraq" on the backs, gray pants and old-school stirrup socks.
"I never dreamed we'd have something like this," said Bashar al Salah, the team's captain. "Now we're a real baseball team

Props to The Lead for sharing this.

Military Transient Care

2009-09-12T12:54:00.002-06:00

My buddy Mark is now a full-time Air Force chaplain, currently serving at a major military hub in "Southwest Asia" -- a staging area for many servicemen and women as they move to and from duty stations throughout what the rest of us call the Middle East. The chaplains there try to maintain a supply of travel-size toiletries (shampoo, toothbrush & paste, deodorant, etc.) and other useful items for these service members, many of whom are “in transition” for days with little or no access to their own personal belongings.

This is where you come in. Think about all those little unused bottles you bring home from business trips and vacations... here's a way to put them to work. Of course, if you are able, you might also buy a few extra things to contribute as well; they are available at most grocery or department stores.

Especially helpful items include (but are not limited to)...

Tooth paste
Toothbrush
Toothbrush holders
Dental floss
Shampoo/conditioner
Styling gel/mousse
Deodorant
Disposable razors
Contact lens solution
Skin cream/lotion
Shaving cream
Lip balm
Hand gel/sanitizer
Cards/note paper
Envelopes
Pens
White tube socks
Foot powder
Coffee (ground, not whole bean)
Gum

If this sounds a lot like a list of necessities at a homeless shelter, you're not too far off. I'm told the living conditions for transients there are not too awfully different. Except a whole lot hotter.

*****************

Top 10 Shipping Suggestions

1.Use “Priority Mail Flat Rate” boxes, available at the Post Office. The large size (12”x 12” x 5 1/2”) will be given a discounted shipping rate when sent to APO/FPO addresses (this is true whether or not it is pre-marked as a special APO/FPO box. What matters is the destination address).
2.Collect liquid items together in Ziploc bags (1-2 extra-large bags for all of them will usually do) to prevent spillage during shipment.
3.Add packing material as needed to ensure all items fit snugly and do not rattle around.
4.Put a note inside, to let the chaplains know who you are and where the box came from.
5. Seal the box with packing tape.
6.Say a prayer for those who will receive it, and for those whom they serve in turn.
7.Address the box as follows. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER DESIGNATION. Noting the country or using any other information confuses the Customs people, and the box may be delayed or not delivered at all.

Jack’s Place Transient Ministry
379 AEW/HC
APO AE 09309

8. Complete a US Customs form to accompany each box (the people at the post office can help with this, if it is confusing).
9. Take box and Customs form to the Post Office and send it on its way.
10.Take an empty box back with you, and begin again!

Baptism by Football

2009-09-12T11:41:00.003-06:00

When I saw this article, I immediately thought of Rev. Ref+, of course. Faith and football are integral with that boy. That said, I'm purely certain he would not be party to this sort of conscription. We don't play the game that way.

The parents of a 16-year-old Kentucky football player who was baptized along with some teammates during a trip organized by their coach said Tuesday they believe their son may have felt some pressure to go through with the ceremony.

Parents said the voluntary trip was organized by Breckinridge County High School football coach Scott Mooney, who is a member of the Baptist church where the revival was held Aug. 26.

Dannie Ammons told The Associated Press he had no idea his son, Robert Coffey, was being taken to a church in another county on a school bus. The teen told them he was going to see a motivational speaker. Eight or nine other players were baptized at Franklin Crossroads Baptist Church, he said.

(Props to the GetReligionistas)

First World Decadence

2009-08-31T10:51:00.010-06:00

We bought our last refrigerator when we moved into our last house, something like 15 years ago. It has generally held up well over that time, but it's begun to falter. Since we've been here, we've had the repair dude over twice, and replaced the gaskets on both fridge and freezer doors. We've nursed along the icemaker, jiggling the lever when it got balky. We've learned NOT to put items in the back on the bottom shelf that can't take being overchilled. In other words, we've become increasingly aware that The End Is Near.

With this in mind, we've been shopping-- hoping to find a replacement before some major component stopped working and left us wholly unrefrigerated. But appliances are pricey, and family-sized refrigerators are at the top of the "Ain't Cheap" list. So we've been biding our time.

However, we refinanced the mortgage last week at a significantly better rate, which means lower mortgage payments (and no payment at all next month!). And a local Appliance Mecca was having a serious sale. And the sales manager was willing to dicker a bit, even beyond that.

This happy combination of circumstances meant that this was delivered to our house this morning:

Ours looks just like this, except that a boatload of magnets and family pictures quickly went back up all over the front. The features that make me happiest are a) very low energy usage; b) the ice/water dispenser in the door (a feature we've never had before. It means we'll open the door less, so it's more energy efficient); and c) the bottom freezer opens like a drawer-- very easy access.

All this feels like the height of luxury to me-- and even though part of me feels a bit profligate, I am still unreasonably delighted with it.

This is way cool.

Random catchin' up

2009-08-29T07:53:00.004-06:00

School started last week. My "baby" is now in high school, a fact that continues to amaze me. More amazing still-- he actually seems to be enjoying his classes (something that was in rare supply last year). Don't know how long that will last, but I'll take it for the time being.

I went to the parents' open house a couple days ago, and liked what I saw. I continue to be profoundly grateful that we moved out here, away from the GINORMOUS school district we left behind. That continues to be one of my parental regrets with our eldest. I would never put another child through such a system.

The new sports complex at the high school is not complete, but it's close enough that the football team was able to play there last night. We walked over to the game, and I will admit to being impressed. The facility, when complete, will be first class: football field (complete with very fancy scoreboard), a gorgeous track, lots of bleacher space, good concession stand and bathroom facilities... and usable by community residents (for walking/jogging, etc.) in between events as well.

Now if only the local voters would approve funding for the fire department (in truly desperate need of new facilities) with the same alacrity.

Our eldest, after being laid off several months ago in the economic downturn, has a new job. This is not the career she hopes for, simply gainful employment; still, a step in the right direction.

Churches continue to be churches, with joys and struggles, faults and virtues.

I had a weeks' vacation-- "staycation," actually-- where we worked on the house, got some financials in order, and played a bit. The Art Museum in Billings is a nice place, and the new movie theatre's seats are very comfy.

One week was not enough.

Spending some time thinking through my life and ministry here. What works, what could improve... what's possible, what's probable... digging at logs, to better address the motes.

None of this is bedazzling, I know; but life often is not.

I've missed my blog. I've missed you.

15 books

2009-07-21T20:18:00.005-06:00

This was a list I was tagged to make over in the alternate reality that is FBook; I thought I'd share here, too.

Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.
In no particular order...

1. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
(This book was the first time I discovered "classic literature" could also be a really good read.)

2. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
(I loved Shakespeare's use of the language, even when I was little; this was the first of the plays I ever studied though. Wow.)

3. The Shattered Chain, Marion Zimmer Bradley
(The first of her Darkover books I read; later I devoured them all.)

4. The Naked Sun, Isaac Asimov
(My initial foray into the world of science fiction, courtesy of my father.)

5. The Lord of the Rings (the whole trilogy), J. R. R. Tolkien
(I read these annually; they are such "spring" sorts of books.)

6. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
(My grandmother handed me a copy of this when I was very small.)

7. Faith Seeking Understanding, Daniel L. Migliore
(Assigned reading in one of my early theology classes; after some of the "denser" works, it was a breath of fresh air.)

8. Opening the Prayer Book, Jeffery Lee
(I taught adult ed at church years ago, and read this in preparation for the class. My first exposure to the history of the BCP.)

9. De Doctrina Christiana, St. Augustine
(AKMA introduced this in Early Church History class; marvelous!)

10. Theories of Culture, Kathryn Tanner
(I still have no idea what this book is supposed to say, other than intimidating newbie seminarians. Okay-- so no one said they all had to "stick with me" in a good way.)

11. The Bible, God only knows
(I mean the whole thing, even the boring/inscrutable/ugly bits. It all still kind of amazes me when I think about it.)

12. The Book of Common Prayer, Thomas Cranmer, et. al.
(I am so steeped in this it's sometimes hard to tell where the book leaves off and my own prayers begin.)

13. Amazing Grace: a Vocabulary of Faith, Kathleen Norris
(A sanity saver once, when I was away from home and still struggling with my mother's death.)

14. Great Lion of God, Taylor Caldwell
(A fictional biography of the apostle Paul.)

15. Gown of Glory, Agnes Sligh Turnbull
(A simple small town love story, but also my introduction to classic poetry.)

What are your 15?

Parting the seas... or not.

2009-07-17T11:22:00.007-06:00

Yesterday's lesson at camp was about Moses, who followed God's command to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. According to the account in Exodus, Moses raised his staff over the waters of the Red Sea, the waters parted, and he led them all across on dry land.

Sounds like a nifty idea, yes? So we figured if Moses can have faith enough to do it, so could we-- that we'd part Flathead Lake so we could walk over to Wild Horse Island.

We learned that having faith in ourselves is a fine thing, but not quite the same as faith in God. And that commanding miracles doesn't work so well when it's not God's idea in the first place-- even if you do have vestments and a really cool Moses-like staff.

"...God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe."

(1 Cor 1:21)

Camp Marshall 2009

2009-07-15T21:53:00.013-06:00

No, I've not dropped off the earth; it merely feels like an alternate reality. I'm at our diocesan campground this week, serving as chaplain for several dozen kids, counselors and staff. The seasonal theme is "Equipping the Saints," which this week means we are spending some time in what Jesus knew as scripture-- the Old Testament.

As the collect states, we are trying to "read, mark, learn and inwardly digest" the stories of our faith.One of the ways we do that, of course, is in worship. This is a shot of folks gathering for morning chapel.

But there is more than one way to encourage. This was dessert Monday night.

In addition to the Christian Ed program going on, we've had a lot of activities. Once the weather allowed, we've been hiking, swimming, kayaking, and running all over everywhere.

Even some arts and crafts get done outdoors. Today some of the kids had a lesson in watercolor painting.

If you look carefully, you can see the young artist above is doing a marvelous job capturing her chosen subject:

Long days, and cool nights, and a wonderful part of God's creation in which to work. Hard for a gig to get better than this.

Honoring ALL our heroes

2009-07-04T20:13:00.018-06:00

Decades After WWII, Female Pilots Finally Honored

These were the first women to fly military aircraft. During World War II, they volunteered for noncombat duty, as test pilots and trainers. They freed up their male counterparts to go to Europe and fight in the war.

But even though they wore uniforms and worked on bases, they were never considered members of the military. Their contribution to the war effort was so controversial, in fact, that all records pertaining to their service were sealed and deemed classified in 1944. That pretty much consigned the WASP to the dustbin of history for decades.

Please, listen to the whole interview here.

As test pilots and trainers, the Women Airforce Service Pilots flew the same aircraft-- fighters and bombers-- and flew them as well as or better than their male counterparts going into combat.

Although they did not fly in combat themselves, their jobs were not without risk. Of the more than 1,100 WASP who enlisted, 38 died in the line of duty during WWII. However, remains were not shipped home to their families until a collection was taken up to pay for it, nor were caskets covered in the flag of the country they served, nor were their grieving families permitted a gold service star. Survivors were never recognized as veterans, nor entitled to benefits.

I'm glad they're trying to make it right now; but I honestly wish I could understand what it is about women's capabilities in different roles that makes some men feel so very threatened.

Independence Day

2009-07-04T07:34:00.006-06:00

A song has been running through my head the last few days... especially the verse below. Sorry I couldn't find a video or soundtrack of it. Something to remember, as we celebrate the birth of our country and honor the sacrifices so many have made for its ideals in the last 233 years.

So what do you call justice,
And what is freedom for?
Don’t let the town crier decide if we go to war.
'cause this ain’t about your medals,
The choice is of the soul;
And hate is never brave
While mercy’s always, always bold.

Adrienne Young, "Blinded by Stars"

Big Manly Knives and Swords Sunday!

2009-06-26T13:52:00.006-06:00

The New York Times had an article this morning about the pastor in Kentucky designating an "open carry Sunday." He has invited his congregation to bring their openly displayed handguns to church. If you don't want to register with the folks at NYT, you can also read about it here.

One of my local colleagues also took note of the event; Gary sent out the following suggestion, reprinted here with his permission:

Let's have our own Big Manly Knives and Some Swords Sunday. Just think of the cool PR. Guys could wear big hunting knives, fishing gutting knives, Bowie knives... and we could have a sword or two (probably old Knights of Columbus Stuff from RC grandfathers - maybe the Masons have some cool old swords).

This is actually cooler than guns because Big Manly Knives and Some Swords are in the Bible! We could use lectionary readings from Genesis where Abraham almost sacrifices Isaac with a Big Manly Knife! We could have a reading about Solomon getting ready to slice the baby in two with Some Sword! We could have a workshop afterward on matching the color of your knife sheath and scabbard to the liturgical colors of the season. Just think how that Big Manly Knife would look on Christmas with a white sheath and gold stitching and tassels!

We are not a sexist church so women need equal time. Of course not all women have Big Manly Knives let alone Some Swords. Rather than emphasize Judith and Holoferenes (clearly a Big Manly Knife was involved in his beheading) we could emphasize Jael and Sisera in which the latter was dispatched by the former with a Very Womanly Tent Peg. We could give away cute little tent peg necklaces and the like. Maybe we could have tent peg self defense classes!

Never a dull moment out here in Big Sky Country.

A Girl's Best Friend...

2009-06-25T14:12:00.001-06:00

...just in time for General Convention!

Props to Bosco Peters.

Neighbors

2009-06-22T08:23:00.002-06:00

From a ranch near Nye, MT:

It's also the third Sunday after Pentecost...

2009-06-21T07:43:00.009-06:00

I'm fortunate that way.

Love you back, Daddy. Happy Father's Day.

Blasphemy

2009-06-17T07:59:00.002-06:00

From today's New York Times:

Mr. León and his wife made the two-hour trip by train and subway to Corona to meet with one of the two pastors, Gregorio Gonzalez. He told them that all they had to do was to fill out a form and provide $8,000 each in cash and some personal identification documents, Mr. León recalled. The green cards would be ready in a month.
It seemed too good to be true. And it was, according to prosecutors in the Queens district attorney’s office.
Mr. León and his wife are among at least 120 illegal immigrants in the New York region, most of them Ecuadoreans, who the authorities say were defrauded out of a total of nearly $1 million by Mr. Gonzalez, 56, and two accomplices who were arrested in March and April. The authorities say it was one of the region’s largest cases of immigration fraud in recent years.

You can read the rest here (registration required).

To deliberately use the guise of Christ to abuse, defraud or harm others... I think this may be as close as it comes to the one thing scripture calls unforgivable: sin against the Holy Spirit.

Oh, the places you'll go!

2009-06-05T10:55:00.003-06:00

My list today:

Bank: Deposits and withdrawals, the usual.
Library: Return regular and audio books.
Ubiquitous Package Shipper: Send off the wedding present that has been sitting here waiting patiently for 2 weeks now.
St. Alban's Chapel: Set up for the lovely and talented Fr. Jerry, who will be officiating in my absence this Sunday.
Airport: Whisk back to Chicagoland for two Significant Occasions: my nephew's high school graduation and the Wedding of the Century.

Off we go, into the wild blue yonder!

Straight outta Compline

2009-06-04T19:09:00.004-06:00

Pentecost

2009-05-31T07:35:00.002-06:00

"In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

Shoe angst

2009-05-30T10:30:00.008-06:00

(Disclaimer: yes, I do realize the following is a silly-@$$ first world issue.)

My name is Jane Ellen, and I loathe shopping.

Okay-- strictly speaking, that is not wholly accurate. I can enjoy browsing, when "aimlessly wandering without any real intent or need to pick out something specific" is the agenda. It's kind of like sightseeing that way, and can be fun.

But when it comes to procuring actual items that need to be purchased, I don't like it. I do not want to have to search hither and yon among crowds of other shoppers, spending fruitless hours picking out Just The Right Thing. It's frustrating and exhausting, and leaves me cranky and irritable.

Here's the thing: sometimes Shopping With Intent to Buy is unavoidable. I get that. When that happens I prefer to be a Woman on a Mission. Plan the work, work the plan-- get it over with and move on. Kind of like Caesar: Veni, Vidi, Vici (preferably on sale).

This is especially true if I need clothing, or God help us all, shoes. I detest shoe shopping. Current fashions don't usually suit what I'm looking for, and with my high arches nothing ever fits properly, and they're expensive, and things that are great on other folks end up looking strange on me, and how do you tell if they're going to be comfortable for the long haul since new shoes always feel weird anyway?

But the time does come when I have little choice in the matter. I'm going home for a wedding and a graduation next week, and the shoes I had that would have gone with the outfits for those occasions literally fell apart last fall.

So yesterday I bit the bullet, and went off (by myself-- it's better that way for all concerned) to look for shoes. And, after a minimum of tiresome searching I did find some. They were pricey, but a sale brought them down to merely mildly exhorbitant (I consoled my bank account by reminding it that we didn't pay retail, thereby upholding the Eleventh Commandment-- and at least I won't outgrow them in 3 months, like similarly priced sneakers for The Boy!).

And miracle of miracles, they actually fit! With arches and cushy insoles, and straps that don't rub in the wrong places... they make my feet content to be among them.

Almost worth the effort.

Books that followed me home from preaching camp

2009-05-25T10:55:00.003-06:00

Preaching & Reading the Lectionary: A Three-Dimensional Approach to the Liturgical Year by O. Wesley Allen Jr.

Seasons of Faith and Conscience: Explorations in Liturgical Direct Action by Bill Wylie Kellermann.

Preaching Mark's Unsettling Messiah edited by David Fleer and Dave Bland.

Who Will Be Saved? William H. Willimon

Festival of Homiletics - random reviews

2009-05-25T08:19:00.008-06:00

When the rental car company says "Special- Van" on their reservation, it doesn't just mean a discount price. In this case, it meant a cargo carrier roughly the size of Delaware.

Parking was a challenge; finding the vehicle in the parking lot later was not.

Emory University (my residence for the week) needs some serious help with their wifi/connectivity. Not only glitchy, but the instructions they supply are seriously outdated.

On the other hand, Emory employees were uniformly pleasant, eager to be helpful where they could, and generally delightful to deal with.

Desmond Tutu is a joy-filled elf. Amazing that such a small body can contain such a giant soul.

The concept of "church campus" (which descriptor applied to all three host congregations) leaves me bemused. I've visited smaller convention centers.

The Methodist organ is what other organs want to be when they grow up. Phenomenal!

The Baptists won the prize for most comfortable pews. Is this a happy side effect of expecting lengthy sermons?

Some worship leaders try too hard. Worship has meaning by its nature; overdone voice inflections do not add to the experience.

Blogger friends are even better in person.

The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, Episcopal bishop of North Carolina, is a homiletical hero. The man can preach.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hansen is a direct and linear preacher-- easy to follow. He is also a gracious man.

Anna Carter Florence's lecture was one of the better sermons of the week.

Walter Brueggemann: Curmudgeon for Christ.

Good music, secular as well as sacred, and sometimes the borders blurred.

"Trying to drink from a fire hose." Yep-- an apt description of the week. And SO worth it!

Festival of Homies!

2009-05-18T08:35:00.002-06:00

It's been a busy few weeks On top of the regular round of sermons, bulletins and pastoral this and that we've had a regional board meeting, diocesan clergy conference, an unexpected funeral, and a congregational rummage sale. Sorry about the recent radio silence-- but corporeal life takes precedence.

And now... I'm off again! I'm currently sitting in the Denver airport, sopping up their free wifi. Headed in a couple hours to the Festival of Homiletics. In addition to the big names (Desmond Tutu, Barbara Brown Taylor, Fred Craddock, Anna Carter Florence, and did I mention Desmond Tutu?), I get to be in the presence of some really great folks--Rev. Ref+, Cheesehead in Paradise, St. Casserole, and more! I don't know which is more thrilling, and the combination is almost more than I can stand.

Look out, Atlanta-- here we come!

Why am I Episcopalian?

2009-04-29T17:22:00.003-06:00

This is an article I just finished writing for our monthly regional newsletter. I thought I'd share.

Our national church website is running a new feature these days. Entitled “I am Episcopalian,” it is an ever-increasing series of short (90 seconds or less) videos of people from all walks of life sharing their reasons for being members of the church. Anyone can post a video, and anyone can watch the videos posted.

It’s actually a good question to consider. Why am I a member of this church? In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells a parable about wheat and weeds growing together, and it surely seems weedy in our church these days! With all the accusations of heresy or schism, shouting and lawsuits and mean-spirited behavior that makes newspaper headlines, the church sometimes seems less an oasis of Christian discipleship and witness and more an angry sea of argument and dissension.

It’s not only on a national level; if we’re honest, we must admit that even local churches are not immune from conflict that is not always handled well. Why continue to wade into that? Why be part of a group that seems to be the focus of so much controversy? Why not move to a less challenging, less weedy field?

I believe there are two parts to the answer to this question. First, of course, is that old truism about the grass seeming greener on the other side of the fence. It’s not hard to look healthy, cohesive and even holy from the outside; but any group made up of actual people will inevitably reflect the faults of those people, as well as their virtues. Of course, this includes the church-- ANY church. I believe that “all things are being brought to perfection” through Jesus Christ, as the old prayer states; but Jesus obviously isn’t done yet!

We Episcopalians may be making the news this week; but every group of believers has their issues and imperfections, sins and struggles that are often not apparent until one really gets to know them-- when relationships begin to develop and people “let their hair down.” If I refuse to stay in any group that turns out to be less than perfect, then I will be disobedient to the God who calls us into relationship with one another-- and I will be an awfully lonely soul.

The other part of the answer, of course, is that it is not all weeds! I can look around, and see so many vibrant gifts in our midst... I cannot begin to name them all, even in our own region.

I see prayerful, Christ-centered worship: in our Book of Common Prayer and the Anglican tradition; but also in Glenda, Cindy, Jeannie, Mary, Jim and so many others who serve at altar, lectern, and sacristy, working to make our liturgy each Sunday a thing of beauty and grace to offer our Lord.

I hear people “making a joyful noise” in song, as well as those who provide accompaniment as we pray: Jo, who has gently and faithfully held down the organ bench at Our Saviour’s for nearly seven decades; Linda, who graces Calvary with her talent; Nancy and Rosemary, who fill in at Calvary, stepping out in faith as they learn their gifts are joyfully welcomed.

I see practical hands who serve in often unseen and unanticipated ways: John and Ray, who see that lawns get mowed and buildings are kept in good repair; Kris, Cliff and Bruce, who spent hours fussing with a new water heater; Joan and Mike, who have turned their hands to any number of projects; Carol, who turns up each week or two with fresh linens. No one asks; these folks (and any number of others!) just pitch in and do what needs to be done.

I see hearts for God’s work in our world: Doris at the food pantry; Chuck at the Boy’s and Girls’ Club; Mitzi with Domestic and Sexual Violence Services; Ruth driving shut-ins to appointments and shopping; Marilyn setting up a fund for an uninsured neighbor.

In other words, I see the Holy Spirit at work. I see wheat.

Of course, you might find that elsewhere, too. However, it is here in the Episcopal Church where I have seen and known it best. This is where I have learned to look for the image and likeness of God in everyone I meet. This is where I have learned to be a better human being than I would otherwise be. This is where I have seen Jesus.

This is why I am Episcopalian.

Episcopal consents, "orthodoxy" and praxis

2009-04-14T07:13:00.012-06:00

The election of Fr. Thew Forrester as bishop of Northern Michigan is causing a stir. Now, I imagine that outside the august circles of the Episcopal Church, this has not (yet) been more than a blip on the radar; however, it has become noteworthy inside the Episcopal corner of the Kingdom for several reasons. The unusual (some would say irregular) process used in his election, his extensive use of Buddhist meditation as a spiritual discipline, his use and promotion of liturgical prayers that deviate significantly from the forms and uses of the Book of Common Prayer and alternatives approved by General Convention, not to mention the theology expressed by his sermons and writings, have all resulted in a buzz of reaction.

The reaction hinges on a facet of our ecclesiology: a bishop, while elected by a local diocese, is not only a bishop of that diocese. One is ordained as a bishop of and for the whole church, and recognized as such-- indeed, throughout the whole Anglican Communion (except for those Provinces Not Playing Well With Others; but that is a discussion for another day). Because of this, a bishop's election must be approved by the other dioceses in the Episcopal Church-- a majority of our diocesan bishops and Standing Committees must formally consent to the election before said bishop may be ordained.

Because of concerns about the above list, there are an increasing number of bishops & SCs who are declining to give consent. Among those is my ordaining bishop, +Ed Little, from Northern Indiana. He posted a lengthy and gracious explanation for his decision to withhold consent; you can find it here. Whether or not one agrees, one cannot help but appreciate the manner in which he addresses the issue. "Respecting the dignity of every human being" and "seeking and serving Christ in all persons" are things that Ed does very, very well, and part of why I am proud and grateful to consider him both mentor and friend.

I noticed this morning that some folks on T19 have reacted with their usual sarcastic aplomb. Even a bishop who acts in what they believe is the "proper" manner by withholding consent, is not immune from snarky criticism if his explanation is not sufficiently condemnatory.

Fr. Richard Kew observed that too often "...for those who claim orthodoxy there is little place for generosity or grace. Orthodoxy is not just about believing rightly, it is about doing rightly as a consequence of that belief, but it seems that for some this excludes grace, generosity, or merely civility."

The lack that Fr. Kew notes is the reason I usually do not read comments over there (and will not visit some other so-called "conservative" blogs at all). It is also why comment moderation is enabled on my blog-- and further, why I will not use the "O" word in reference to spewers of the venomous, self-righteous proclamations that often spring forth when discussing anything or anyone they think less than pure by their stringent standards. Orthodox is as orthodox does-- not out some sort of works righteousness, but as the fruit of "a true and lively faith"-- and the doing is not limited to acts of charity, but ideally encompasses all of one's actions and interactions. One can disagree without being disagreeable, and offer faithful opinion without denigration, insult or ad hominem attack.

********
Added later: Thankfully, Fr. Kew's comment seems to have been a reality check for the commenters on that particular post. Let those who have ears, continue to hear.

Χριστός Ανέστη!

2009-04-12T07:32:00.001-06:00

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you." So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

2009-04-07T10:15:00.007-06:00

Okay, so perhaps Houston didn't think so. But the view from here was a lovely thing.

Season opener a team win for Cubs

Two home runs (including Soriano going yard to start the game!) and a tally mark in the W column does stir up the summer in me.

Hope Springs Eternal by Jeff MacNeely

Priorities

2009-04-02T21:04:00.001-06:00

At our Lenten Soup & Study this evening, the conversation at dinner turned to fine dining. One man brought up a very elegant restaurant that he and his wife had once tried. He said it was very nice, but she had been too disturbed by the cost of the meal to really enjoy it.

"I mean really," she said. "We could worm all the horses for that!"

Tali agrees

2009-04-01T10:44:00.004-06:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Cabin Fever Retreat 2009

2009-03-29T20:24:00.023-06:00

I'm home, after a marathon drive in a blizzard that made the normal 7-hour trip an adventurous two hours longer. But the weekend was wonderful. Prayers and meditations, walks and wonderful food and conversation interspersed the crafting of quilts that will be given to the kids who attend Grace Camp-- a week-long camp program for children with incarcerated parents.

I pieced two quilt tops. The first contains remnants of our old jeans made new again. If none of the kids chooses it, there are several interested takers waiting in the wings.

The second has pretty squares donated from the sample supply at a local quilt shop; I just did the assembly.

Most of the weekend's two dozen participants at breakfast under the fruits of their labors. We hung them on the rafters as they completed various stages; this only shows about half the room.

After the closing Eucharist, we placed all the quilts on the altar for blessing.

It was a very Benedictine sort of weekend-- conversation and silence, prayer and work in balanced proportions. Nothing better for putting life into perspective-- especially when you get the chance to do all of it in the middle of some of God's best handiwork.

If you'd like to see more pictures, you can click on the view from our cabin doorway (as seen yesterday, before the weather changed).

Tired today

2009-03-24T16:41:00.003-06:00

Thoroughly, completely tired. Worn, inside and out.

...hurting souls.
...winter weather.
...getting behind the wheel.
...short-sighted cluelessness.
...long evenings away from home.
...hours at the desk/computer/copier.
...lots of admin, and no admin assistance.
...those who undermine in the guise of support.
...two steps forward, anywhere between one and three steps back.

God is merciful; I leave for four days' retreat on Thursday. It can't come soon enough.

Lord, have mercy

2009-03-22T20:24:00.005-06:00

I got home from my third service this evening a bit ago and, after changing and putting the kettle on, settled down to read accumulated email.

The first thing I read was this:

FAA: 17 killed in Montana plane crash
(CNN) -- A single-engine airplane crashed in Butte, Montana on Sunday, killing at least 17 people, including children, authorities said.

You can also read more about it here.

Gracious God, grant to them eternal rest. Let light perpetual shine upon them.
May these and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

In space no one can hear you scream

2009-03-20T11:39:00.010-06:00

Last week our fearless Canon for Administration forwarded an email request to all the clergy in the diocese. Someone in the bowels of the national church offices is doing a survey on policies and procedures that churches follow in dealing with children. Yesterday I took five minutes to fill it out... sort of.

The "sort of" is because it is very obvious that whoever assembled the survey has a specific church model in mind, and it is not mine. Come to think of it, it's not most of the churches I know out here. Just a few examples:

"Your congregation": The survey repeatedly asks questions as though one priest/one parish were the only possibility. Hello-- almost half the congregations here are part of a yoked or cluster ministry, and Montana is not the only place where that is true. Should I complete it 4 times? But then what about the joint efforts my churches occasionally sponsor?
Attendance: Total number? Number of boys? Number of girls? Number of minority children? All the same answer: "less than 10," which tells them nothing. I'd love to have more than 10 children attending any of my churches in this region, EVER!! Heck, sometimes that describes the TOTAL Sunday morning attendance at a couple of my churches. Which brings me to...
Percentages: The presence of one African-American child among 3 children in one congregation is going to give an awfully skewed representation of racial diversity that just plain does not exist in Montana the same way it does in New York City.
Identity Verification Policy: (to make sure that kids don't leave with the wrong adults). No, we don't have one. Shocking, how lax we are! But really-- for the children in our ecumenical Wednesday-after-school club in Absarokee? We know them, and they know us. It's not hard in a community of 1000 people, when there are 12-15 kids from the 4 mainline churches in that town supporting the program.

I wrote an email to one of the nice survey people, suggesting it might be helpful to remember that we are not all program-sized parishes out here-- indeed, most of us operate much smaller than that-- and some of us are trying to serve in ways that do not fit traditional expectations. Mind you, this is something I've pointed out to folks at the hallowed halls in NYC before. I could have copied and pasted similar comments from correspondence to the offices of Small Church Ministry, Ecumenism, Evangelism, Congregational Development... and I can't be the only one out here sounding the drum of Envisioning Life Beyond Trinity Wall Street. This should not be a news flash.

It was. Awe and amazement! "It never entered our minds to put in any instructions for those serving more than one congregation." Then the poor dear hoped I'd talk with the people overseeing the survey project, because "the information you have about the realities of your congregations and community is absolutely essential to their designing programs effectively."

*ahem*

Would those be more seminars back east that I cannot afford to attend? Or more complex programs that I do not have the time or ability to implement without support that is not forthcoming?

Sweet Cherry Wine

2009-03-17T21:08:00.005-06:00

Turns out that one of the folks who's coming to our Lenten Soup & Study program has a hobby: he makes his own wine. We got to talking about it last week, over supper-- how he got into winemaking, where he gets his ideas for various fruits and mixes, what's worked for him, or hasn't... interesting stuff.

This week he walked in the door with a bag. "Here-- this is yours."

Actually, there are three bottles: two cherry, one plum. I'm looking forward to trying them. Care to stop by and join us some evening?

RevGal Friday Five: Mid-Lent check-in

2009-03-13T19:46:00.004-06:00

... a RevGals invitation (from Sophia) 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)."

1. Did you give up, or take on, anything special for Lent this year?

I'm entirely too good at taking things on, and with four churches I don't need to add to the list. So I gave something up: I made a commitment to regular breathing space. My aim is to have some time, every day, for quiet contemplation-- and time behind the wheel doesn't count.

2. Have you been able to stay with your original plans, or has life gotten in the way?

I've had days that have stretched far too long; sometimes it's part of the job. But keeping the intention in mind has helped me to give myself permission for comp time without feeling as though I'm slacking. That's the hard part.

3. Has God had any surprising blessings for you during this Lent?

I've actually had encouragement in this-- a few parishioners who are supportive and have said so. Suffice to say this is not something I take for granted.

4. What is on your inner and/or outer agenda for the remainder of Lent and Holy Week?

Simply to keep moving... and breathing. To get it all done-- Lenten programs and bulletins and newsletters and worship and pastoral care and Holy Week and Easter-- and still have some of me left to rejoice.

5. Where do you most long to see resurrection, in your life and/or in the world, this Easter?

In the world, I long for a spirit of generosity to overcome the effects of self-centeredness and greed which have been so prevalent in recent months. Personally, I want to be... inspired by godly joy. Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Bonus: Share a favorite scripture, prayer, poem, artwork, or musical selection that speaks Lenten spring to your heart.

This was contributed to our most recent newsletter: “In A Country Church” by Welsh poet and priest R.S. Thomas (1913-2000)

To one kneeling down no word came,
Only the wind's song, saddening the lips
Of the grave saints, rigid in glass;
Or the dry whisper of unseen wings,
Bats not angels, in the high roof.

Was he balked by silence? he kneeled long
And saw love in a dark crown
Of thorns blazing, and a winter tree
Golden with fruit of a man's body.

Target practice for the Lord?

2009-03-12T13:17:00.004-06:00

On the way home from our diocesan offices in Helena on Tuesday, I went through Townsend, where I learned of a whole new sort of Christian ministry:

You know, when my Baptist buddies talk about "Jesus shooters," I don't think this is what they have in mind...

Liturgical Geek Moment

2009-03-07T20:29:00.004-07:00

Caution: OCD Episcopal liturgical jots and tittles to follow. Proceed at your own risk.

I had occasion today to look up some history about the liturgical use of the Creeds in the Episcopal Church. A commenter on this post over at Mark Harris' Preludium asked when they are used (or not) in worship. This was my reply:

Nestled in the Eucharistic rubrics is the following instruction for the Nicene Creed: On Sundays and other Major Feasts there follows, all standing (BCP pp. 326 and 358).

I take this to mean that when one is celebrating the Eucharist on a day other than Sunday or a Major Feast (these are listed in the BCP, p. 15), one may omit the Creed.

Since use of the "Rite III" Outline form on p. 400 and following is specifically intended for a particular occasion apart from Sunday or regular weekly celebration, it would not be out of line to use an alternative profession of faith (such as is found in the New Zealand Prayer Book), or to skip the profession entirely.

The omission you note pertains to use of the daily offices, where one is permitted to skip the Creed if one has already said Morning Prayer. This was also a caveat allowed in the 1928 BCP.

(Interestingly enough, the 1928 not only allows a choice between the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, but permits changing the words of the Apostles' Creed to avoid mention of hell--see p. 15. But I digress.)

Saying the Creed is clearly intended to be a regular habit, but it is true that provision is made for its omission now and again.

I find myself bemused by that 1928 rubric:

¶ Then shall be said the Apostles’ Creed by the Minister and the People, standing. And any Churches may, instead of the words, He descended into hell, use the words, He went into the place of departed spirits, which are considered as words of the same meaning in the Creed.

Let's recap: this is not a "new innovation," or something suggested by a modern-day "reappraiser;" this is a rubric contained in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer-- still the preference of a small but vocal and decidedly liturgically conservative group. I can only imagine the hue and cry that would arise if such an option were proposed at our General Convention this summer...

Hello? Is this thing still on?

2009-03-05T21:37:00.003-07:00

Almost a month is a long time for radio silence, I know, and I'm sorry. I've missed my little corner of the blogiverse.

My absence has been due to a combination of factors. First, a fair number of things going on in my life really have not been bloggable; and when I'm trying not to talk about something significant, I find it's generally best not to talk at all.

Secondly, things have just been stupid busy here, so even when I have had things to share with you, I've not had time. My assistant took a 6-month medical leave of absence beginning February 1, so I'm flying solo in the region, clergy-wise. Even though Randy is normally only very part time, there is a very great difference between "a little bit of help" and "you're on your own, kiddo."

Adjusting to the new rhythm is a challenge. The parishioners are, for the most part, being very understanding, and I am learning where and how to set limits so they don't find me curled under my desk in the fetal position before he comes back. Plans and boundaries don't always work, of course-- the week before last was a 65-hour, 750-mile week even with a day off-- but it's much better this week. I'm working on developing a new pattern (well, as much a pattern as one can ever have in this gig), and getting quite stubborn about carving out breathing space. A trite saying, but 'tis true, and I've learned it the hard way: if I don't allow time to rest and recreate and all that, then I'm not much use to those I serve, or who depend on me. Stress-related migraines do not qualify as vacation days.

So that's my Lenten discipline this year: down-time as God-time. I am trying to make appointments with myself-- not as an afterthought, or to be squeezed in when other commitments allow (which they do not, willingly), but high on the agenda, as a priority line item. It hasn't happened every day, but I'm trying... and the world is a better place for it.

Speaking of which... it's bedtime.

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen.

"...for Christians vengeance is no virtue."

2009-02-08T20:39:00.002-07:00

The following letter was sent to our state legislature last week as deliberations continue about Senate Bill 236, which, if passed, will abolish capital punishment in Montana. The Episcopal Church has long been on record as standing in opposition to the death penalty in this country; General Convention archives contain resolutions to that effect dating back to 1958.

***********

January 23, 2009
To: The Honorable Members of the Montana Legislature
From: The Right Reverend C. Franklin Brookhart, Bishop of Montana
Re: Abolition of the Death Penalty in Montana

As the official spokesperson for The Episcopal Church in this state, allow me to say that my church has on a number of occasions and at the highest level of decision-making affirmed its opposition to the death penalty and called for a moratorium on all executions.

In a more personal tone, three questions come to my mind as I think about this moral, ethical, and legal issue. First, is the death penalty a matter of justice or vengeance? In my conversations over the years with a variety of people, I have heard mostly the language of vengeance and violence. And for Christians vengeance is no virtue.

Second, can our legal system be fair and accurate in administering the death penalty? I am concerned about the large number of reversals in the capital punishment sentences in recent years in light of newly emerging forensic science. It also disturbs me that this penalty is given to so many minority people, that is, people who are without the financial or educational resources to deal with our cumbersome legal system.

Third, does the death penalty serve the common good? I have seen no research that indicates that it acts as a deterrent to violent crime. I cannot see how it makes us a better nation, that is, a more compassionate and fair society. And it clearly does not set a good example for individual conduct or moral maturity.

For these reasons I urge you to abolish the death penalty in this state.

Yours,

C. Franklin Brookhart
9th Bishop of Montana

Inaugural Pray-ers

2009-01-21T11:23:00.005-07:00

It's hard to miss the dustup about Pastor Rick Warren's inaugural invocation. There is much critiquing going on in blogs and listservs across the land; most of it coming from folks who were disturbed by the lack of "inclusivity," especially when he concluded by leading into the Lord's prayer.

To be honest, I don't see what the fuss is about.

I would not be offended if a Muslim cleric prayed as a Muslim; I would expect nothing less than a spiritual leader being true to the tenets of his/her faith. If one invites somebody to pray, one probably ought to expect that person to speak to God the way s/he knows best. Why then be offended if a Christian prays as a Christian?

(If the organizers were trying to be visibly "inclusive," they might have invited pray-ers from different traditions. But I digress.)

Yes, I was startled by Warren's lead into the Lord's prayer. I had not expected it. But then I thought about it-- really thought about the words and their meanings, what it says as well as what it represents. Truthfully, it is a specifically Christian prayer only because it is contained (in slightly different versions in Matthew and Luke) in the New Testament. We as Christians believe that Jesus first taught it, so most Christians know it (though we have our variations as well). But the words, taken at face value... I hear nothing that would be off-putting to anyone coming from most faith traditions-- the monotheistic ones, at least. Perhaps, in teaching his (Jewish) disciples to pray, that's why Jesus started there?

Rick Warren is not my pastor, nor do he and I agree on some significant issues. However, given his theological bent, I thought his prayer authentic, gently reaching out to God and in God's name the best way he knows how. Seems to me that we who do not share the same doctrinal leanings might take a deep breath and back up.

If I am to live in the light of the universal (as in, offered to all) invitation of the Gospel that I say I believe, then, as the saying goes, I need to put up or shut up. Goodness-- if Melissa Etheridge can work to find common ground with him, how can I as a fellow disciple do less?

Yes, we can. Pray that we will!

2009-01-20T12:10:00.009-07:00

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Care and feeding of a teenage boy

2009-01-17T14:32:00.004-07:00

I was on the phone with my husband this afternoon as he and the boy-- just the two of them, mind you, over in Billings running errands-- drove up to place an order at a local Burger Doodle. I hear:

"I'd like five Whopper Jrs, two orders of fries-- one regular, one king size-- and two drinks, please."

Lord, have mercy

2009-01-15T14:18:00.006-07:00

Of all the news coming out of the middle east at the moment, the most heartbreaking is this:

At least 300 children are among the more than 1,000 Palestinians who have died since Israel began to bombard the Gaza Strip on December 27.

Julian of Norwich noted that "Our high God, the sovereign wisdom of all, arrayed himself in this low place and made himself entirely ready in our poor flesh in order to do the service and the office of motherhood himself in all things." I cannot imagine anything but a mother's heart breaking, as God's beloved children slaughter children in the name of protecting children. Hamas is wrong. Israel is wrong. How can anyone call this horror in any way justifiable?

Let's be clear about this

2009-01-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

When I shop for "Feasting on the Word," I am specifically considering a subscription to a well-regarded preaching reference by David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor.

I am NOT registering for a set of overpriced dinnerware. Not even if it comes with a set of Dead Sea Scroll Steak Knives.

RevGal Friday Five: New Year's Reflections

2009-01-02T10:23:00.004-07:00

First list five things that you remember/ treasure from 2008:

Beloved family and friends who support, encourage, challenge and inspire me. The list is far longer than I could ever reasonably expect or deserve.

Related to the above: gatherings of extended, scattered family. Once in July, at my brother's place in Minnesota, and then again this week in Indiana. We also saw several of Bruce's siblings this trip as well.

The progress of our children: a daughter who is, as she puts it, "getting a life," and a son who is, step by step, learning to handle challenge and difference. Their roads are not without curves and potholes, but they keep traveling, and I'm proud of them.

My first stint as a chaplain at our diocesan summer camp. I've done camp for years, but not at Camp Marshall; so in many ways I was very much the rookie. I'm still learning, but it was great fun!

Speaking of learning-- the Hooks & Needles crew and their practical help with my very own homemade socks!

Then list five things that you are looking forward to in 2009.

Adding plants and happy growing things to the new beds around the house.

Attending a wedding in June.

Camp Chaplain II: the sequel

This isn't confirmed, but it's a hope. I'd like to take a vacation west of here-- Oregon, or maybe Washington. I've never spent time in either state, and I'd love to see some of what's over there.

More socks... and perhaps the next step: a sweater!

2009

2009-01-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

... to EVERYONE!

Fourth Day of Christmas: family

2008-12-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

Lovely Christmas Eve here, with candles and carols and joyful worship.

24 hours later, we were getting off the plane and driving to Indiana; vacation (my first in months) had begun! We first spent a couple days up in the northwest corner (aka "The Region" for former Hoosiers), staying with my sister and her family. My brother and his family came down from MN, and Dad flew in from Arizona; so we had the whole tribe together for a nice visit.

This morning we worshiped at our old church (the parish that sponsored me for ordination). It was a traditional Lessons & Carols service. Well, quasi-traditional-- some of the music was very contemporary, and while (unlike some of my esteemed colleagues) I do not object to that, I found the selected pieces difficult to sing. Oh, well. We did have a nice visit with the folks there afterward.

Then this afternoon we got in the rental car and drove south to Indianapolis. A nice day for a drive, except for two things: the road was in lousy shape (are you listening, State Infrastructure People?) and we listened to the Bears game on the radio all the way down. Not a good day for the Monsters of the Midway.

Bruce has one sister who lives in Indy, and another drove up from southern part of the state for some good visiting time. Several of the younger cousins latched onto Kyle immediately; 10 minutes later they were all clambering up the huge pine tree by the driveway.

I will be content to get back next week; but it's good to spend the time, to renew relationships.

Feast of the Nativity

2008-12-24T22:04:00.001-07:00

A blessed Christmas...

Football as Christian Witness

2008-12-23T18:08:00.002-07:00

Reciting the Lord's Prayer before a football game does not make one a Christian-- not even in Texas. It takes more than a brief ritual to be a disciple of Jesus. Among other things, the business of loving God and one's neighbor takes acting as though each person we meet is "just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

Something like this is a start.

"Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free."

"Hope."

(Props to Kendall Harmon at T19.)

"Bear Weather"

2008-12-22T21:33:00.004-07:00

That's what Chicago football fans call conditions like they've got tonight-- bitter cold, with the wind coming off the lake to make it colder. Local lore says bad weather is good luck. It's typical for the last game of the calendar year, traditionally when they play the Green Bay Packers.

It is a truism in Chicago that a bad season isn't as awful if the Bears beat the Packers; and even a great season is lessened if the Packers happen to win.

Tonight's final score? 20-17, in overtime!

Go Bears!

RevGal Friday Five: Countdown to Christmas

2008-12-19T08:29:00.005-07:00

List five things you need to accomplish before Christmas Eve.

The good news is that our Christmas shopping, and all of the wrapping and shipping and distributing of gifts that go out beyond the walls of Chez Hoosier, is Done. Done. Done! But there are other "To-Dos" still on the list...

Baking: I am the family Christmas cookie maven, and this weekend is Bake & Ship time. Butterballs, sugar cookies, kolachkis, toffee... I love this part of the tour.

Preaching: I still need a sermon for Christmas Eve. 'nough said.

Posting: Fold, address and mail church Christmas letters (yes, I know today is normally my day off; you'll have that), as well as cards and notes to our personal list. That didn't happen until later last year (we called them Epiphany cards); but I hope to get at least some of them out before we leave.

Packing: We are headed back to the midwest for several days' vacation, and very much looking forward to the trip (woohoo!). Of course, this means laundry, sorting, etc.

Praying: Daily devotional time each morning, despite my inclination to get all the work done first. "All the work done" never happens, and time spent intentionally in the presence of God... needs to.

How about you? What does your list look like?

Legal!

2008-12-18T07:41:00.004-07:00

Our eldest has renewed her driver's license... because the format changes when one is a legal adult.

That photo feels more like mom's reaction to the idea of her baby turning 21! More actual pictures later, I promise.

I have too little time to blog, and way too many things to say about the beautiful young woman she is, and is becoming. So I'll just share the instructions that we've been giving ever since she was old enough to go out of the house without one of us:

Mind your manners.
Don't be stupid.
Remember we love you.

Happy birthday, sweetheart!

Porpoise-Driven Life

2008-12-15T21:00:00.002-07:00

Are you anxiously waiting for the next Christian fad before everyone gets Left Behind?

(Props to Benedict Seraphim for this one.)

Brrr!

2008-12-14T20:11:00.009-07:00

December in Big Sky Country means snow and chilly temps. I get that. Not much different than life back in HoosierLand, really. I like the snow, and I don't really mind the chill... to a point.

However, today we crossed the line between chilly and just plain cold. The temperature when I left the house this morning was -17°F (-27°C), and made it up to a high of about -6°F (-21°C) as I made my appointed rounds. Wind chill factors lowered those numbers another 10-15 degrees. What did this mean for the "wandering minstrel" priest?

My utterly reliable car (aka "the VicarMobile") was not happy about starting. It did, each and every time; but it seemed to grumble whenever I turned the key in the ignition.

Attendance was very sparse; a few of our most faithful parishioners don't budge (for health and safety reasons) when the weather gets cold, and others decided to follow their example.

In the 90 minutes I was at St. Alban's, the water bottle I habitually carry in the car with me froze.

The the blower on St. Paul's furnace (which roars like an airplane engine preparing for takeoff) did not shut off at any point during the service. We could have turned it off manually, but I did not want the few hardy souls there to turn into parishioner-cicles. Preaching and presiding required what my father calls STEEL MILL LUNGS.

We celebrated the Eucharist in the parish hall at Our Saviour's because the church building would not warm up-- even the liquid wax in their new Advent candles froze solid.

The list of "Things They Never Covered in Seminary" added a new chapter today.

Life goes on

2008-12-12T21:03:00.004-07:00

So... yesterday's stings still linger; but the world continues to turn. And I don't want to sound as though life is all miserable. In fact, today has been good at Chez Hoosier.

First, our daughter learned she'd done very well on her semester finals-- even Anatomy & Physiology, her big challenge. Way to go, CJ!

Next, my Christmas gifts arrived! Newlyweds everywhere would no doubt be groaning; but I am delighted to have a new washer and dryer. We've been nursing the old ones along and saving our pennies, hoping that we could replace them before they forced the issue by completely giving up. With Christmas as the excuse, we have done so-- with spiffy new front-loading models. They are water-saving, energy-efficient, quiet, and wondrous.

Then this evening we had our annual Christmas Shopping Date-- a tradition we started when our oldest was still in diapers. First, we enjoy a child-free dining experience at a restaurant with waitstaff that brings real food on real dinnerware. Then we finish up the holiday shopping, picking up whatever gifts are left on the list. Not much, this year-- the wonders of internet shopping have made getting done earlier very easy. No need to procrastinate because of crowds or traffic.

Then we came home in time to watch the last quarter of the Montana/JMU football game... and the Griz won! Very exciting.

All in all, a lovely day. Now all I need is a Sunday sermon...

It's been a day.

2008-12-10T18:51:00.005-07:00

The most significant events today are not really bloggable; but they have left me frustrated and angry and sad. I am left to contemplate:

the damage done by inconsistent and unarticulated expectations;
spontaneous, short-sighted decisions which demonstrate control and power, more than any true concern for "the best interest of the child;"
the impact of economic climate on individual circumstances... and when it becomes the latest and most convenient excuse to avoid charitable giving;
how "perfect love casts out fear," and when the reverse can also be true.

I have also had a headache since roughly 5:00 this morning, and this is not helping. I'm going to bed.

Radio silence

2008-12-08T07:50:00.003-07:00

Yes, I'm still here; as my father would say, alive and well and taking nourishment. Today's nourishment thus far consists of a lovely chai grande at a local Overpriced Hot Beverage Emporium. I do not treat myself this way often; but today I am taking advantage of their wifi connection, so I think of it as an especially tasty toll.

Lots going on here, inside and out, and some of it even bloggable; but corporeal life takes precedence.

Heads down and to work, and I hope to be back later with something more substantial. Take care, friends; I do miss you!

Conspiracy theories can be a good thing

2008-11-22T09:04:00.002-07:00

Like this one:

Join the Advent Conspiracy!

The threat is real

2008-11-15T08:30:00.002-07:00

Old Fat Naked Women for Peace:
"Don't make us come over there."

Bishop's Visitation II

2008-11-12T20:03:00.007-07:00

Last weekend was our regional board meeting, followed by the bishop's annual visitation. He came and chatted with the board-- what all is going on in the diocese, and some about the wider church as well.

We also remembered his last visit, and the infamous crozier incident. Out of their great concern, and with a wish to protect what is apparently a delicate bit of ecclesiastical equippage, we did some research-- and then one of my parishioners made him a gift:

The bishop will no doubt be the envy of everyone at the next House of Bishop's meeting. I bet there's not another soul in the Anglican Communion with his own custom-made Crozier Cozy.

This brief, shining moment

2008-11-04T22:33:00.013-07:00

With all the good and the bad and the ugly that this campaign has been;
With all the mistakes that Obama (being human) will undoubtedly make;
With all the ways I will likely disagree with policies and decisions over the next four years;
And notwithstanding all the reasons I chose to vote the way I did;
When I heard McCain's concession speech, and Obama's acceptance, I could only think of one thing:

My son can look at the president-elect of the United States of America, and see... himself.

(Props to Padre Mickey.)

Election Day

2008-11-04T07:40:00.004-07:00

Hear those discordant tones, how they blend almost in spite of themselves? Shape note harmony works, in a way that reverberates down to the core.

At its best, voting works that way too.

As my mother would say-- It's time. Even if there's not something or someone you want to vote for, there's surely something there to vote against.

Me, I'll be doing a little of both. Go thou and do likewise.

The Feast of All Saints

2008-11-02T20:00:00.003-07:00

I sing a song of the saints of God
Patient and brave and true,
Who toiled and fought and lived and died
For the Lord they loved and knew.
And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,
And one was a shepherdess on the green:
They were all of them saints of God -- and I mean,
God helping, to be one too.

They loved their Lord so dear, so dear,
And his love made them strong;
And they followed the right, for Jesus's sake,
The whole of their good lives long.
And one was a soldier, and one was a priest,
And one was slain by a fierce wild beast:
And there's not any reason -- no, not the least--
Why I shouldn't be one too.

They lived not only in ages past,
There are hundreds of thousands still
The world is bright with the joyous saints
Who love to do Jesus' will
You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea,
In church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea,
For the saints of God are just folk like me,
And I mean to be one too.

Isn't that special?

2008-10-30T21:48:00.005-06:00

We have, at long last, figured out what's up with the cat. An ear infection-- but not just any old ear infection. Nooooo, that would not have been enough for our kitty. The fancy, expensive, "send it out to the lab" testing showed not one, not two, but three sorts of bacteria, AND a yeast infection, battling for supremacy in there.

So now we have two sorts of pills to give her, plus an ointment to apply after cleaning out the ear, every day for the next month.

Needless to say, she's thrilled.

An existential alternative to Surreality

2008-10-29T18:19:00.003-06:00

Had enough of the sinking level of political rhetoric?

(props to Real Live Preacher.)

Surreality

2008-10-28T20:33:00.003-06:00

First there was a large white manilla envelope, from an Organization Which Shall Not Be Named. Upon said envelope was emblazoned, in big blue letters:

Same-Sex Unions and Child Sacrifice

The contents informed me, carefully and in graphic detail, of the perils of electing Sen. Obama, and my dereliction as a pastor if I did not warm my flock. They even included DVD's to show the congregation, as well as sermon notes to help me preach "with boldness and clarity, before it's too late." They promise in their next mailing to deal with "The Free Exercise of Islamic Violence."

I put it down and washed my hands. Twice.

Then I turned to the next item in today's mail: a postcard praising a local candidate, a veterinarian, for state rep in our district. Said rousing endorsement came from the governor's dog. Complete with the "Official Paw Print of Approval."

This election season really is in an alternate universe, isn't it? Lord, have mercy.

Good advice

2008-10-26T13:50:00.007-06:00

At the closing Eucharist after yesterday's council meeting, we celebrated the Feast of St. James (transferred). The first reading was Acts 15:12-22-- a discussion among the apostles concerning requirements for Gentile converts. The nervous lector solemnly informed us that James told those present "...that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idiots..."

Ups and downs

2008-10-19T20:44:00.006-06:00

Friday

Up: We took some time off this weekend to wander west of here, for what we called "Clergy Night at the Game." The rest of the world knew it as the Dillon/Anaconda football game.
Down: There were supposed to be more of us there, but several had changes of plans at the last minute.
Up: the folks who did come were great company! The Dillon priest (another Jane!) and her husband, Fr. John, Rev. Ref. (who really was the ref that night!) and his Lovely Wife, along with his sister and her family.
Down: The football game was a rout: Dillon was up 46-0 at the half, and finished the game 46-8 even with their JV squad playing the whole second half. I can't help but feel badly for the other team when that happens.

Saturday

Up: Spent the night at Chez Ref, and had a dandy pancake breakfast with the extended family before we hit the road home.
Up: A two hour nap, uninterrupted, followed by a fun movie.
Down: As much as I wanted to, I wasn't able to make it back east for the ordination today of a beloved friend.
Up: Prayers of thanksgiving as she was made a priest of the church anyhow. Blessings, Beth!

Sunday

Up: A wonderful service at St. Alban's this morning, with 22 people present-- including several visitors!
Down: the new Advent candles we ordered don't fit the wreath, and need to be sent back and exchanged.
Up: still plenty of time before Advent to do that.
Down: Low attendance at St. Paul's, and a broken water heater (in addition to the rotted out front door that needs to be replaced). We do NOT need those bills just now.
Up: A parishioner who offered to take us out hunting when deer season starts. I don't know if we'll actually go; but it was a kindly offer from some wonderful people, and any additions to our freezer would help to offset the lack of a raise again this year...

Overall, more ups than downs. This evening that will have to be enough-- and as my grandmother would say, "enough is as good as a feast."

We've got spirit, yes we do...

2008-10-14T20:53:00.006-06:00

There are some things in this world I will never understand.

Like, even if Columbine had never happened... what sort of misguided idiocy approves mimicking a gangland execution at a pep rally as conducive to school spirit?

Apparently the principal of Nacogdoches (TX) High School, who termed it "simple, innocent satire" and "a little country, cowboy-type skit." He was in fact so supportive that he edited student criticism of the event in the school paper to remove any disapproval of his decision.

Thankfully, not everyone in the administration agreed.

This is why I don't watch FOX

2008-10-13T08:26:00.008-06:00

It seems a primary source (if not the primary source) for the ongoing accusations about Sen. Barak Obama being a terrorist-linked Muslim planning to overthrow the government is a man named Andy Martin. Fox News used him as an authority last week in their reporting about Obama's purported terrorist ties. And a major news outlet would be sure to use nothing but reliable sources, yes?

Apparently that rule does not apply to Fox News. And no, that is not "liberal" bashing of "conservative" reporting.

The Chicago Tribune is also an historically "conservative" media outlet, one which has never in its long history endorsed anything but Republicans for president. From their online Washington Bureau, aka "The Swamp," comes this report about Mr. Martin:

In 1973, the Illinois Supreme Court refused to allow Martin admission to the bar. The court's decision noted that Martin, a University of Illinois law school graduate who was previously known by the name Anthony R. Martin-Trigona, had a Selective Service record that showed he had a "moderately-severe character defect manifested by well documented ideation with a paranoid flavor and a grandiose character."

Still, the court noted that "issues raised as to [Martin's] mental stability" did not need to be considered in light of other matters it cited in deciding that Martin lacked the qualities of "responsibility, candor, fairness, self-restraint, objectivity and respect for the judicial system" required for the administration of justice.

Among issues the high court cited in denying his law license were Martin's criticism of members of a bar review panel as "emotionally ill" and "scum," his filing of a petition asking that a parking violation be lifted because it was "entered by an insane judge" and his description of an attorney as "shaking and tottering and drooling like an idiot," according to court records.

And further...

Martin also has expressed anti-Semitic attitudes in the past. When he ran for Congress in Connecticut in 1986, the name of his congressional campaign committee included the phrase "to exterminate Jew power in America," Federal Election Commission records show.

In a 1983 personal bankruptcy case, he referred to a federal bankruptcy judge as a "crooked, slimy Jew, who has a history of lying and thieving common to members of his race."

In a related court filing in the case, he also expressed sympathy to the perpetrators of the Holocaust.

"I am able to understand how the Holocaust took place, and with every passing day feel less and less sorry that it did, when Jew survivors are operating as a wolf pack to steal my property," Martin wrote in an April 21, 1983, personal bankruptcy proceeding.

There's more... read it for yourself. It's important to consider the kind of "reliable sources" to which one turns for "news."

What 14 looks like

2008-10-12T13:39:00.003-06:00

He hates to pose for pictures anymore, so I took this one while he was playing with one of his gifts-- a 5x5 Rubik's Cube. He's mastered the smaller versions, so this is a new challenge.

Happy birthday, Kyle!

Snow Day II

2008-10-12T10:29:00.005-06:00

The snow is still falling. I woke up this morning and came out to the kitchen to see this:

Even after scraping off the driveway before I went to bed last night, there was also another foot on the pavement to be shoveled. That brings the total accumulation up well over two feet.

My assistant lives in Red Lodge; he reports waist-high snow at his house.

After chatting with my senior wardens (heads of parish councils, for the non-Episcopalians out there), I agreed to cancel services today in Absarokee and Joliet. Part of me feels guilty, like I'm slacking. I mean, they wouldn't be fun commutes, but I could probably get to those towns safely... maybe. But really, it would not be wise; as I said yesterday, road clearing is kind of an optional thing here. In addition, I have parishioners in both places who would feel obligated to try to get out if I "came all that way," and who do not belong on the roads in these conditions. Better that we all stay home this Sunday-- and, as my Joliet SW said, "We'll just pray twice as hard next week."

I did walk over to lead worship at the church in Laurel; but no one else stuck their nose outdoors (apparently my congregants are smarter than I am!). I read Morning Prayer, put away the vestments and vessels, and came home.

Perhaps we'll make a snowman later, when the Birthday Boy wakes up.

Updated: at 5:00 PM, almost 72 hours after it started, the snow has finally stopped. And the sun is out-- glorious!

Snow Day!

2008-10-11T11:24:00.007-06:00

This morning was supposed to be our regional board meeting-- a combined confab held quarterly with the vestries of all 4 churches. We have a full agenda, and lots of stuff to cover.

But the weather decided otherwise. The snow started to fall early yesterday morning and began accumulating in earnest last night. I woke this morning to 6" of heavy, wet, soggy snow in our driveway. The report from my wardens in other towns is that's a minimum-- they are measuring their snowfall in feet. And it's still falling.

The roads are NOT safe-- even going slowly with 4-wheel-drive, I slipped and slid more than once. The approach to snow removal in this part of the world is perhaps most accurately summed up by a statement I heard from our governor, the first year we lived here: "I don't worry about it much. I figure the guy who put it there will clean it up."

And so I canceled the meeting (we'll reschedule later), turned around and came home. I shoveled off the driveway and sidewalks (did I mention this stuff is heavy?) and came in the house. I'm now parked next to the fireplace, cat on my lap and hot chocolate in my mug, watching the snow continue to fall.

Life is good in Montana.

Integrity

2008-10-10T14:28:00.008-06:00

Note: political post ahead.

I was, thanks be to God, raised to be an independent voter-- most especially by my mother. She was a brilliant, feisty woman who lived as a registered Republican in the monochromatic sea of Democrats that was Lake County, Indiana (there were a lot of years when she did not vote in a primary because there was no contest-- and sometimes no candidate!). Her way of dealing with my questions about politics as I got old enough to care was to ask more questions of her own-- and to push me to find out for myself. She'd say things like, "Of course there's corruption. But don't let that stop you. If you don't vote, you can't make a difference." or "Take a good look first for integrity, and then for a stand on ALL the issues that concern you. You probably won't find someone you agree with on every issue, but you'll come closer if you pay attention." or "If you can't wholeheartedly vote FOR somebody, there's sure to be someone to vote AGAINST."

Which probably explains two things about me: First, I can count on one hand the number of elections in nearly 30 years where I've missed voting. And secondly, my record is all over the map, party-wise: Since the 1980 presidential election (where I favored Independent John Anderson), I've voted for Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, and even the occasional "None of the Above" candidate.

Back in 2000, I was not a huge fan of President Clinton-- in spite of what I will now say were some solid political achievements, Mom's "integrity first" rule echoed in my head. That colored the way I looked at my choices. After looking over the host of possibilities in all the primaries, I elected to pick up a Republican ballot and cast a vote for John McCain. His sort of independent grit impressed me. Obviously he didn't win the nomination; but I retained a positive view of him, overall.

I wish I could say that was still true. But I've not been impressed in the last several months. And now, watching as he does nothing while his running mate and his supporters deliberately and falsely fuel fires of racist, ethnocentric hatred toward his opponent...

Senator McCain, please stop. You're better than that. At least, you used to be.