Inspiration from a friend's Mom

A friend up in Wisconsin sent me this email that her mom sent to her family and friends about the election. In it, she calls for us all to think and rethink how we go about sharing our faith and how that faith may sound in the next four years. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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Dear Ones,

Yes, the elections were a total bummer. Yes, I feel somewhat depressed and defeated. BUT (as always I have my Pollyanna "but"), it is now on Bush's plate - everything. I remind myself constantly of the fact that Kerry would have had such an awful time dealing with all Bush had done. Now Bush is totally responsible, and may the 2006 elections come tomorrow, because there is Iraq, there is the deficit, there is the country's split, there is healthcare, there is the
economy and social security, there is outsourcing, there is the environment, etc. etc. Bush is holding the bag now; let's let him hold it and be accountable. I truly in my good heart hopes he can deal with it. In my nasty heart I hope he has to stew in his own mismanaged soup.

But I do believe we must start taking back the moral high road. If that means taking back God and Love and Justice, let's start talking about it unashamably and forcefully. We must talk about Jesus' justice for the poor, the sick, the elderly, the widows, the disabled, the least among us, and show how that extends to the diverse, the minorities, the unemployed, the single moms, the inner city kids, those not like ourselves but always God's children, etc. Let's start talking, all of us, not just Jeanny (or our liberal ministers), how spirituality informs our lives, and go on to
encourage our embarrassed and reluctant friends to do the same. We need not be embarrassed. The Democractic party need not be embarrassed about talking about Love and Justice, Mercy and Freedom. Freedom, a la Bush, by itself means nothing. Just Anarchy. Freedom with Justice, Freedom with Mercy, Freedom with Love needs to be front and center in our conversations.

Democrats are reluctantly verbal about their spiritual committments. We need to become less reluctant and more verbal. Not so private and more forthcoming. Doing so seems to violate something in our private core, but we no longer have the luxury of tending to our privateness.
We need to frame our talk not in liberal Christian terms or New Age terms that appeal to the already convinced. We need to frame it terms of the cultural right, the Born-Agains, the fundamentalists. We need to show them we care about many of the same things they do, yet,
unlike many of their professed stands, we truly believe in the New Testament, ie the Love of God, the mercy of God, the forgiveness of God, the Joy of God. And we must start to say outloud and vociferously that we take Jesus at his word to go heal the sick, tend to the poor, raise the dead. We need to join our right wing compatriots in a new celebration of Life for everyone. Not just fetuses (because who knows when someone is ensouled), but those who survive birth with no suppport, babies with no families to care for them, youngsters with no insurance with desperate diseases, old people who cannot afford prescription drugs that would save their
lives, helping people with disastrous problems with science through research (like stem cell research. Ask them what are they going to do with those frozen embryos), death row inmates, the people of Iraq who are dying by the tens of thousands, the people of Darfur that we
totally neglect because they have nothing to offer us materially, the people in Haiti whom we have abandoned, the poor all over the country and world with no voice, the disenfranchised around the world, the girls and women sold into slavery, the plight of those living on minimum wage trying to raise a family. I could go on and on, but you know all the neglected peoples in the world and in this country. It's a horrendous situation and problem. To ignore it is totally
unChristian, inhumane, isolationist and selfish.

We must call attention to Greed. It is not Christian; it is not part of our spirituality; it's not part of our cultural beginnings, because we believe in sharing our gifts, be it time or money. We must
point out that Greed is a sin, or a dreadful mistake, and one that is consuming America. Greed is not Biblical. It is not spiritual. It's not in the Quantum Universe wherein something like greed devours emerging systems. It will absolutely be the downfall of this country. Charity, faith based iniatives, etc. will not overcome it. If Greed is our national doctrine, we will sink into the swamp of the Hell we deserve. We must speak this out loud and clear. And we must somehow equate this with the dreadful tax breaks for people like me.

And we must talk about the spiritual need, the God given command to include all peoples in our dialogue, all peoples in our community, even those most unlike ourselves. We must rejoice in the fact and declare it from the roof tops that we want all peoples to fall under the tent of our Constitution. We must state that we are not a white "Christian" America, but a fabulously diverse, multicultural, wonderfully constituted bunch of families of all kinds, that we honor
real love wherever we find it, including the love of David and Jonathan that was Biblically honored.

I urge you to rethink how you talk, how you present your positions, how you ask others to do the same to see if you cannot come up with more inclusive, more compelling dialogue that will reach across divisions, that will translate your vision to those who hold what seems a different vision.

I have always felt translation was the key to communication and now I think we need to translate, translate, more than ever. I think it the most important need in all those of us who wish to see a different America. We can no longer talk in the same old way, assume the same
old symbols or metaphors will work. We must come up with a new way of speaking, of framing the discourse in new terms, languages, dreams, and then learn to manage our new language publically and privately. Please learn to restate, think in different language, different words, so that we can reach across the horrible divide this country is experiencing. Step out of your normal language whether it be Christian, New Age, Coaching, Quantum this and that, or Secular Humanist, and find new ways to express yourself that will touch those who appear to be on some other side.

We can take the high road if we are creative and able to translate our values in to language that communicates, and therefore bring more of us together. God, or a supreme Power, Joy, Love, Caring, Mercy, Justice, Inclusiveness, Truth, Spirit, Freedom, Mind, Life, Principle, Soul, are all there to be imagined and put into language others can identify with. They are real words that identify real values. They are not abstract. They are the fabric of our being. They constitute
our humaness.

I now believe it is imperative for us to find a way to put these word, these symbols, these values into language that is translatable to all.

Go for it!
Love, Mom/Margo

Dealing with the Frustration

The tragedy that befell us on Wednesday, when Kerry conceded the election to President Bush, has caused me to feel both ill and angry. Wrestling with the emotion that we're in for another 4 years of greed, self-righteousness, and hostility, I've been thinking a lot about how my faith can speak to such a time as this. And then God spoke to me through a friend.

On Wednesday afternoon, I was speaking with a friend while we were commenting on the results of the Presidential election. Trying to keep an optimistic eye on our future, yet worried that our country may experience greater challenges, my friend said that regardless of what happens, his and my hope are not on the citizenship we have in America; rather, our confidence rests on our citizenship with God in the life everlasting. What an inspiring and hopeful way this Christian responded to the despondency many of us felt early on Wednesday morning!

Called as Christians to be a beacon of hope to our world is the responsibility we all share. Whether in times of joy or long-suffering, the words that we use to encourage our brothers and sisters, strangers and friends can provide significant comfort and support. As Philippians 4:5 encourages us, “Let your forbearing spirit be known to all.” In this way, my friend echoed the Apostle Paul in that our words of comfort will show others a patient and controlled restraint as well as hope in perilous times. By honoring the faith and joy of hope we have in Christ, may we find the peace we need to sustain us and those that surround our life.

And yes, our faith confirms that it is still possible to find peace even in a world where George Bush is President.

When lots get done

Whew! I've had a pretty busy week. Mondays are generally my days off from church work, so I have taken advantage of the day by doing next to nothing..all day! I finally remembered that I had a weblog and am now updating it with whats been going on as well as posting a bit from my sermon from yesterday.

I've been spending much of my free time these last few weeks developing a new sermon preparation guide to help me bring some variety to the sermons I preach. I have had great help by rereading Thomas G. Long's The Witness of Preaching. It has been a wonderful aid to help me select particular forms within the sermon to preach the focus and function of the particular Scripture pericope that I am working on. Yesterday's sermon was the first one I've preached using my new prep guide. From what the church folk said it was not only one of my best sermons but it was also seamless (which is exactly what I've been trying to work on these last few months). Sorry for sounding all technical with the sermon thing, if you're used to only hearing a sermon, my kind of sermon prep-talk may sound a bit unspiritual to you. But you know, a lot goes into a sermon and it takes a lot of time preparing (or at least, I think it should).

On another completely different matter, I forgot to set my clock back one hour yesterday. I was supposed to go visit a friend's installation at her new church yesterday morning. Another friend was supposed to have called earlier than he did to let me know the train he was going to be riding (we were going to take a cab together from the train station, and since I didn't know exactly where the church was, I needed to go with him). However, when he did call (I might have been able to make it to the train station) I thought it was an hour later and was thinking, "This guy's nuts, he's going to be very late!" Since I would rather not go as opposed to being really late, I declined his invitation to join him on the train platform for the trip. Later in the early afternoon, I was talking with my brother and when he mentioned the time change, I slapped my forehead and exclaimed, "Holy Shit, I completely forgot about that!!" (Ministers can say, 'Holy Shit'-- it's a perk of the job.)

So that's been my week, well, that and a whole lot of meetings and parties. I've been coming home from late every night and going right to bed to only get up mighty early and going to work. I've enjoyed this lazy day and plan to spend the rest of it finishing the book, The Magic Circle. Sadly though, I don't have any fun book to replace it yet. I oughta go to the bookstore tomorrow and find something new and fun to read. I'll let you know what I find.

When Religion Goes Bad

This is a snippet of what I preached on yesterday. You can read the rest of the sermon by visiting my church's website at www.bwayucc.org/Sermons.html

Today our national leaders are standing behind their Christian faith to articulate an economic message that neglects the responsibility to those who were given much in order to care for those with less. When we cut educational programs for the poorest of children, or cut funding to medical hospitals who care for the aged, or we support a government that guts AIDS funding for the very sick in the name of God, we become like the Judeans who used their faith as a justification for their interpretation of divine economic entitlement.

Yet, that mentality is exactly what Isaiah is confronting. A religion that neglects to do good and seek justice for those who have received injustice is a sham. This sort of religious expression infuriates God. Those who use their religion as a justification for their inhospitability, their message is the complete antithesis of what God stands for. When such a mentality exists, when religion not only overlooks the poor but even more so, justifies doing so, then religion has gone bad and it is better for that religion to end than for it to continue. When religion neglects those to whom it is responsible, it is an alcoholic who doesn’t know its an addict.

And God Created Pets

A newly discovered chapter in the Book of Genesis has provided the answer to "Where do pets come from?"

Adam and Eve said, "Lord, when we were in the garden, you walked with us every day. Now we do not see you any more We are lonesome here, and it is difficult for us to remember how much you love us."

And God said, "No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourselves."

And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam and Eve. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and Eve and he wagged his tail.

And Adam said, "Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal." And God said, "No problem. Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG."

And Dog lived with Adam and Eve and was a companion to them and loved them. And they were comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail.

After a while, it came to pass that an angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam and Eve have become filled with pride. They strut and preen like peacocks and they believe they are worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught them that they are loved, but perhaps too well."

And God said, "No problem! I will create for them a companion who will be with them forever and who will see them as they are. The companion will remind them of their limitations, so they will know that they are not always worthy of adoration." And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam and Eve.

And Cat would not obey them. And when Adam and Eve gazed into Cat's eyes, they were reminded that they were not the supreme beings. And Adam and Eve learned humility.

And they were greatly improved.
And God was pleased.
And Dog was happy.
And Cat didn't give a shit one way or the other.

Cherry Salad

When I was home in Oklahoma City, my mom made this tasty salad that could also serve as a dessert. It's easy to make and especially good for those last minute potluck dinners where we promised to bring a salad but completely forgot about it until the night before. Here is what you'll need:

1 can of cherry pie filling
1 can of crushed pineapple (drained)
1 can of Milnot (evaporated milk)
1 tub of Cool Whip
1 cup of shredded coconut (optional)
1/2 cup of nuts (optional)

Combine all the ingrediants into a bowl and put in the icebox for at least 4 hours (to firm up). And that's it!!

This is sooooooooooooooo amazingly good.

William Sloane Coffin has said,

I am trying to hone up on my preaching skills and came across the quote from a book by Thomas Long entitled, The Witness of Preaching. Using this quote to make a point about when to use quotes from famous people, I found myself intrigued about the point this quote is making and wanted to share it with you. What do you think of it?

"It is a mistake to sharpen our minds by narrowing them. It is a mistake to look to the Bible to close a discussion; the Bible seeks to open one...The Bible is no oracle to be consulted for specific advice on specific problems; rather, it is a wellspring of wisdom about the ambiguity, inevitability, and insolubility of the human situation...The Bible makes us comfortable with struggle but uneasy in success...[T]he Bible is a signpost, not a hitching post."

quoted from William Sloane Coffin, The Courage to Love (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1982, pp.7-8)

Catholic Church: Vote Republican, or else!!

NYTimes.com
OP-ED COLUMNIST
Vote and Be Damned
By MAUREEN DOWD
Published: October 17, 2004

First Dick Cheney said that supporting John Kerry could lead to another terrorist attack.

Then Dennis Hastert said Al Qaeda would be more successful under a Kerry presidency than under President Bush.

Now the Catholic bishops have upped the ante, indicating that voting for a candidate with Mr. Kerry's policies could lead to eternal damnation. Conservative bishops and conservative Republicans are working hard to spread the gospel that anyone who supports the Catholic candidate and onetime Boston altar boy who carries a rosary and a Bible with him on the trail is aligned with the forces of evil.

In an interview with The Times's David Kirkpatrick, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver said a knowing vote for a candidate like Mr. Kerry who supports abortion rights or embryonic stem cell research would be a sin that would have to be confessed before receiving communion. "If you vote this way, are you cooperating in evil?" the archbishop asked. "Now, if you know you are cooperating in evil, should you go to confession? The answer is yes."

As Mr. Kirkpatrick and Laurie Goodstein wrote, Catholics make up about a quarter of the electorate, many concentrated in swing states. These bishops and like-minded Catholic groups are organizing voter registration and blanketing churches with voter guides that often ignore
traditional Catholic concerns about the death penalty and war - the pope opposed the invasion of Iraq - while calling abortion, gay marriage and the stem cell debate "nonnegotiable."

"Never before have so many bishops so explicitly warned Catholics so close to an election that to vote a certain way was to commit a sin," the Times article said. Once upon a time, with Al Smith and John Kennedy, the church was proud to see Catholics run for president. The church was as unobtrusive in 1960, trying to help J.F.K., as it is obtrusive now, trying to hurt J.F.K. II.

The conservative bishops, salivating to overturn Roe v. Wade, prefer an evangelical anti-abortion president to one of their own who said in Wednesday's debate: "What is an article of faith for me is not something that I can legislate on somebody who doesn't share that article of faith. I believe that choice ... is between a woman, God and her doctor."

Like Mr. Bush, these patriarchal bishops want to turn back the clock to the 50's. They don't want separation of church and state - except in Iraq. Some of the bishops - the shepherds of a church whose hierarchy bungled the molestation and rape of so many young boys by tolerating it,
covering it up, enabling it, excusing it and paying hush money - are still debating whether John Kerry should be allowed to receive communion.

These bishops are embryo-centric; they are not as concerned with the 1,080 kids killed in a war that the Bush administration launched with lies, or about the lives that could be lost thanks to the president's letting the assault weapons ban lapse, or about all the lives that could be saved and improved with stem cell research.

Mr. Bush derives his immutability from his faith. "I believe that God wants everybody to be free," he said in the last debate, adding that this was "part of my foreign policy."

In today's Times Magazine, Ron Suskind writes that Mr. Bush has created a "faith-based presidency" that has riven the Republican Party. Bruce Bartlett, a domestic policy adviser to Ronald Reagan and a Treasury official for the first President Bush, told Mr. Suskind that
some people now look at Mr. Bush and see "this instinct he's always talking about is this sort of weird, Messianic idea of what he thinks God has told him to do." He continued: "This is why George W. Bush is so clear-eyed about Al Qaeda and the Islamic fundamentalist enemy. He
believes you have to kill them all. They can't be persuaded, that they're extremists, driven by a dark vision. He understands them, because he's just like them."

The president's certitude - the idea that he can see into people's souls and that God tells him what is right, then W. tells us if he feels like it - is disturbing. It equates disagreeing with him to disagreeing with Him.

The conservative bishops' certitude - the idea that you can't be a good Catholic if you diverge from certain church-decreed mandates or if you want to keep your religion and politics separate - is also disturbing. America is awash in selective piety, situational moralists and cherry-picking absolutists.

Back in NYC

Well, I am back in NYC after an exciting and all-too-short weekend. Here is a brief recap:

I actually made it to the airport on Friday morning. I found the money I needed by going to a check-cashing place and cashing my paycheck there. They charged me $15, which seems high but I did get my money.

The following morning I got up and took a cab to Newark airport. Once there, I was given bogus information as to exactly where my gate was located. After running back and forth between two terminals, I reached my gate just in time to board. Flying directly to Okla City, I slept, read, and listened to some music on my new mp3 player.

Arriving in Okla City, mom made my favorite dinner, meatloaf and bean stew. My mom, grandmother, and I had a great time talking and getting caught up with all the new local gossip. Later in the evening, a friend and I went out for coffee. Being the good old friend that he is, we had a fun time talking and deconstructing our Christian faith tradition. (heh heh). In a fun and inspiring way, we came up with an idea. We discussed creating a story examining the Beatitudes and finding comparible teachings in other faith's religious writings. It should be a fab time. I'll keep you posted as that develops.

On the following day, I drove up to Tulsa to perform a wedding (which was my reason for the trip). Prior to going to the wedding, I stopped off to visit a friend who lives nearby. We had a great time talking and getting caught up with our lives. He and his wife just purchased a new house and they are doing all the rearranging and redecorating to make it their new castle.

Following my time with my friend, I drove to the wedding which was only about 20 minutes away. The wedding was not performed in a church but rather in a friend of the groom's house. It is the largest house I've ever been in. Huge. And beautiful. The wedding went by without a hitch. The food afterwards was wonderful and the wine ever in abundance. There were about 75 in attendance and the couple getting married were wonderful.

Following the service, I drove back to Oklahoma City where I immediately went to bed. The next morning, I went my friend and his fiance for coffee in a fab coffee house. After talking and eating no-bake cookies and expensive coffee, they went to church and I went shopping. Afterwards, I came home and packed for my return flight. It was a long day because of my connection in Houston, but the flight was smooth. Returning to Newark, I cabbed it home and discovered to my wonderful surprise, Roy was waiting to see me. After a nice meal, we called it a night and went to sleep.

This morning, we woke up lazily and after getting cleaned up, Roy made pancakes. I've had a pretty nice weekend. I am presently in the church office checking my email and getting caught up with my upcoming week's plans and details. I'll write more later, as stuff happens.

Oh What a Mess!

Well, today just might be one of my most frustrating times in ages. I learned this morning that I am now a new victim in the identity theft arena. Somehow vandals got ahold of my debit card and recreated it, and sold it to someone who has been draining my bank account. My bank discovered some conflicting purchases and notified me post-haste. Fortunately, I have fraud protection on my card (get this if you don't already have it) and I will be reimbursed for the fraud charges. As a result of this fraud, my debit card was cancelled and a new one has been reissued, which should arrive in my mailbox Fedexed, my Tuesday.

So, I was supposed to go to the bank and write a check to withdrawl money for my trip to Oklahoma, only I got busy at work and forgot to go. By the time I remembered, the banks were closed. I have $2 in my wallet and have to get to the airport in the morning. I have no idea how I am going to do this- I've called a couple of friends to loan me the cash but no one answered their phones.

The cab ride will be $60 + tolls + tip (which will run about $75 in all) and they don't take credit cards. The cab ride from the airport in OKC to my home is $20 + tip. I am almost beginning to panic.

I am thinking I may have to go to one of those check-cashing places which, honestly, scares me to death. I worry I'll get mugged either in the store or coming out (assuming one is still open).

Whoever is reading this, please pray for me- I am running out of ideas.

I'll let you know if I make it to OKC or not.

Going to Oklahoma

I am going to Oklahoma City tomorrow, Friday, to perform a wedding. The wedding is for a friend of my eldest brother and will take place in Tulsa. I am going to be traveling quite a bit and will need to return by late Sunday night. It looks like I'll be 'going this way and that' throughout the weekend. Fortunately I'll get to drive my mom's car. She has this really amazing and comfortable car and I can actually fit into. I guess this is a bonus for me-- I do love driving seeing how I seldom get to do that anymore living in New York City.

Unfortunately my visit will be too brief. I love going home, its usually always relaxing and inspiring. However, this time, I'll only be there for about 3 days- that isn't long enough to visit with my family and get some needed R&R. However little my time off, I'll take what I can get.

Next month, Roy and I are going to Montreal for a 4-day getaway. It's amazing the travel deals you can get to Montreal in their winter time. I am thinking it's gonna be cold as heck there- but we're staying in a bed and breakfast as well as being located in the heart of the fabulous area of Montreal. So, that'll be my true R&R time--

Get your Life Energized

Lately I've been watching the Today show with some regularity. Amused and informed by many of the stories, I found myself going to their website to glean more information. Earlier this week, I discovered a plan to get my life energized. Printing out the list of recommendations to do so, I've been incorporating that list into my weekly schedule and I am here to tell you, it really works!

For starters, the list recommends I take a brisk walk every morning (something I am about to do right quick this morning). Other suggestions is to drink more water, spend time doing some breathing exercises, and to have a healthier breakfast. You can read the suggestions for yourself by going to the Today Show's website about this energy plan. The link will take you to a .pdf file you can open up, print out, or save to your computer.

My New MP3 Player

Well I finally went out and done it, I bought me an mp3 player.. finally. It seems most of my friends have one, it just took me awhile to find exactly what I was looking for. After doing much research, I decided to purchase the Rio Carbon player. It isn't as big as some of the other players, yet it is more versatile, in my opinion, that the others. And, its rated by several companies and reviewers as one of the best on the market.

What I like about it is its ease of use. I also like the fact that its supported by just about every mp3 music library. And, as an additional bonus, it has a built in mircrophone that allows me to digitally record my sermons and post them on the church website. The only drawback is its size, it is only 5gig in size. However, looking over my library, I realize I don't have that much music. And, if I get more music, I can always delete and add to the player, so that isn't such a big deal (I don't think).

I was thinking about getting the new iPods. And I almost got one- sure, it wasn't that much more than my Rio player, yet for the life of me, I couldn't find the 20gig version. Also, I'd've had to purchase some additional accessories such as a cradle and microphone. I saw the 40gig iPod but they start at $399 not including the accessories.

Since this weekend, I have uploaded half my music library as well as recorded my sermon from Sunday and posted it on the church website. I do like it, it seems to sound and run very well. Now, I can be like other New Yorkers and zone out while on the subway listening to my favorite tunes. :)

And, if anything goofy happens to it, I'll come back here and let you know about it.

Loving the Ungrateful

Lectionary Readings: 2 Kings 5:1-20; Luke 17:11-19

In our Gospel reading tonight, we read about a miracle in which Jesus heals ten lepers he met as he was entering a village bordering Galilee and Samaria... The lectionary readings today also point us to another story, found in 2 Kings because of its similarity with the Gospel account. In this passage, Naaman seeks out Elisha to be healed of his leprosy.

In both stories, the person or persons being healed were done so in an unusual way. In both cases, they were healed from a distance. The lepers in Luke were healed by Jesus as he entered the village. Standing at a distance from Jesus, they asked to be healed and Jesus called out, “Go show yourselves to the priests,” while on their way they were healed.

Naaman was healed when Elisha sent a messenger to him saying, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then you will be healed.” Angry that Elisha wouldn’t meet him face to face and wave his hand so that the leprosy would disappear, Naaman was upset that Elisha wasn’t being personal. ...In both cases, the healing occurred not in the way we sometimes look at kindness. In this instance, Jesus and Elisha weren’t up-close and personal—and yet, they both provided healing nonetheless.

To read more of this sermon, please visit the Sermons section of my church website: www.bwayucc.org/Sermons.html (note the capital "S" in the URL)

One heck of a great casserole

I made this tastey dinner last night and wowsers! was it great. It is called Company Casserole and it was submitted to my Down Home Cookin' Cookbook by Claire Powell.

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
2 8oz cans of tomato sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 lb. of noodles (I used spaghetti, broken in half once)
1 lb. cottage cheese
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup of onion, chopped
1 tablespoon of green pepper, chopped

Directions
Brown ground beef, add tomato sauce and salt. Remove from heat. Boil noodles 10 minutes in salted water. Drain and blanch with cold water. Combine cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, onion and green pepper in separate bowl.

Then, place in layers in 9"x13" baking dish or pan. Noodles first, then cheese mixture, then noodles and ending with meat sauce. Place in oven uncovered at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Serves 8.

Modern-day Prophet

I am usually not convinced that anyone today is actually a prophet, mostly because this term is so often applied to someone calling themselves such. There is one man though, who doesn't call himself it (as far as I know) yet whose words touch me so deeply that I cannot find any other words other than, "Man of God" and "prophet". His name is William Sloan Coffin, former college chaplain and senior minister at The Riverside Church.

PBS' Religion and Ethics did a profile piece on him recently. You can read the transcript and watch the video. I'd recommend watching the video first, and then reading the transcript. And then, determine for yourself, what you think of him.

The Lover Speaks

The Lover Speaks is one album (cd) that is a must in anyone's music library (if you can find it). It was released in 1986 and has been out of production for years and years. You may have heard a few of the titles re-recorded by Annie Lennox.

Mondays at home

It is just after 8am on a Monday morning and I am listening to George Thoroughgood's Bad to the Bone playing on New York's only classic rock radio station. Normally I'd be online checking my church email and planning my day but today, and for the rest of my Mondays until an Interim Pastor is selected, I am not allowed in at the office on Mondays.

It turns out that I tend to work alot. I enjoy church work and value my time off, for sure. However, since my senior pastor left for another congregation, I have been left at the helm. As a result, I've been working a whole lot making sure life at Broadway Church isn't interupted too much. So, I've been going in practically every day.

The Board of Stewards (similar to Trustees in other parishes) sat me down 2 weeks ago and said, "Pick a day off and whatever day you choose, you have to stay away." The church board is comprised of some really compassionate and great men and women. Several of my friends in other parishes work like a dog without anyone caring less. I feel very fortunate and blessed by the generosity and warmth where I serve.

So I picked Mondays. And here I sit. I was up around 6:30am, started the coffee, wrote down a new church program idea, and then signed online. For some reason, I am already bored and the day hasn't even started yet. I think I'll get ready and go out today.. surely I can find something in New York City to keep me occupied. I'll let you know.

Easy Casserole

I found the fastest and great tasting tuna casserole. Here it is.

1 large package of potato chips
1 can of tuna
1 can of mushroom soup
1/2 can of milk

Put a layer of potato chips in the bottom of a casserole dish; then a layer of tuna, and then the rest of the chips. Mix the soup and milk together and pur on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

It is yummy for sure!

Sermon from this Sunday

In the lectionary reading from Luke 17:5-10, the disciples ask Jesus a question, “We need more faith; tell us how to get it.” And, in true Jesus fashion, he answers their question with a teaching lesson that comes from left field.

The disciples’ request for more faith is predicated with what they heard about in verses 1-4; there they are reminded of the importance of being a good example leading no one astray in both word and deed. Jesus issued a clear warning not to harm or lead astray Jesus’ preferred clientele, the lowly and the poor. He also instructs them that they must continually be forgiving of others, even if those they forgive keep on sinning and repenting, time and again. The sternness of Jesus' warning and the challenge of continually be forgiving may have frightened the disciples; their question may have been in response to their emotion. So they ask Jesus and he responds by saying,

Even IF you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree (which has very deep roots), ‘May God uproot you and throw you into the sea,” and it would obey you!” (Luke 17:6, The New Living Translation)

Jesus’ response to the disciple’s question actually bothers me. First, he explains that they indeed do not have faith, because if they really had it, they could move that mulberry tree. Obviously though, they must have had some faith or they wouldn't have left their lives and followed after him. Jesus' response seems to have, in my opinion, belittled the disciples a bit. And then, with his exaggeration of the use of faith, it sounds like something more fit for Aladdin rather than the disciples.

Is true faith that sort of faith that moves inanimate objects in that late-night sci-fi kind of way? If we all had true faith, could we float to work instead of taking the subway? It makes me wonder what Jesus’ deliberate use of hyperbole is meant to convey. Was he trying to point out something the disciples (or anyone else, for that matter) would be able to achieve? Or, was he simply redirecting their question as he often did?

You can finish reading the sermon by going to http://www.bwayucc.org/Sermons.html

Really Good Poetry

I have been a fan of W.H. Auden for a long time. His poetry, ballads, and other verse seems to speak to me in a variety of ways. Perhaps it is because Auden was a man of faith who looked for God in and around his life. Perhaps it is because Auden was also a gay man. Perhaps it is because of his struggle to reconcile his faith and sexuality- and to do it honestly, or as honest as he could have given the era he lived in.

I have added his book, As I Walked Out One Evening, to my list of recommended books. I am thinking, regardless of your sexual orientation or spiritual pursuit, reading Auden will still be a delight. He takes great care in his poetry to ensure that words and sounds, gutterals and vowels, have a way of weaving themselves into the stanzas in an interesting and sometimes, in a quirky way. If you decide to buy this book, be sure to spend some time reading aloud his poetry- you'll hear what I mean.

Eh, so so isn't so bad

My sermon last Sunday went pretty well. It wasn't a great super-duper sermon but most of the folks enjoyed it; it gave them something to think about. I preached on Luke 16 where Jesus encourages us to be shrewd Christians.

I used a particular evangelical book about the management of personal finances using the impetus of being shrewd Christians. The author, a former leader in Young Life, who now runs his own consulting firm, talked about the inner spiritual discipline of financial management and later, gave some fun and practical insights. The book is called, The Shrewd Christian: You Can't Have It All but You Can Have More than Enough, and it is written by Neil Atkinson. I would most definately recommend the book.

You can read my sermon about it by going to my church's website at http://www.bwayucc.org. Nativate to the Sermons section where you'll find the particular sermon titled, "The Shrewd will Inherit Their Reward."

Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

Okay, so last Sunday was my birthday. I am now 39 years old. I told a friend I was 39 and he remarked, "Is this the first time or the second time?" I sort of expected that comment- it makes me wonder if anyone actually believes I am 39.

Despite being almost 40- I feel pretty good. I have my health and I still look decent enough. Today, after a denominational meeting in Brooklyn, a few ministerial friends and I went to a pizzaria down near the Fulton piers. Excusing myself after our meal, I went to the bathroom. (Now, don't get all grossed out, this isn't one of those kinds of stories).

In the bathroom, I was confronted with mirrors on all the walls. And, since their were more walls than just the normal four, it was cool being able to see all sides of me, front, side, back, angled, and the like. Being the good homosexual that I am, I stood there looking at myself- and how I might look to others. I noticed that the gray on the back of my head is definately noticeable. I noticed that I need a haircut. And, I noticed, that hey, I don't look that bad. Tucking in my shirt, I started posing and looking all goofy (being alone in front of mirrors can be cool, as long as no one sees you).

When I left the bathroom, I returned to my table and told my friends about the many mirrors in the bathroom. One friend said, "Well, I gotta go see how good I look from behind!" She is so funny (although I didn't admit to her that I too, found that to be a very curious thing).

Turning 39 really isn't such a bad thing, I've concluded. As long as I don't get all flabby and old looking, then 39 is just like being 38. However, being 38 is nothing like being 35- and so, I now will be turning my attention to turning 40, my next big hurdle. I am sure 40 will look just like 39- as long as I keep going to the gym and don't eat at the pizzarias as often. ;)

Being Shrewd

This coming Sunday's lectionary reading is based on Luke 16:1-15. It is a very interesting story where Jesus tells about a shrewd manager of his boss' estate. In the story, Jesus explains how the shrewd manager defrauded his boss; when the boss finds out, he calls for an audit and fires the manager. Right before the manager leaves, he calls in some of the clients he was managing in order to trade favors with them. He tells the clients that he'll reduce what they owe his boss if they'll take care of him later (probably by providing networking contacts and the like).

Jesus, whom you'd think would chastise the shrewd manager, instead offers him as an example to the godly. Jesus said, "I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven." (NLT).

As I am trying to piece together a sermon for Sunday, my eyes are drawn to the Pharisees who respond to Jesus in v.15 by scoffing at him. Jesus, as I am thinking, may have included these Pharisees when he was telling his story. For after the story is complete and the Pharisees begin ridiculing him; then Jesus turns to them and says that God knows their evil hearts because what they honor is an abomination to God. It makes me think that perhaps, in this story, Jesus was patronizing the Pharisees by praising the shrewd man at one point, and then, chastizing him at another. This trick, if it indeed was a trick, must have threw the Pharisees off at first and this angered them.

I looked up the greek word for ridicule and learned it was the word, ekmukterizo, which means to show contempt. In my mind, ridicule has a playground mentality where kids tease other kids. But to show contempt is worse because it has anger in it. This makes me think that the Pharisees were ticked off that Jesus was patronizing them. Why is this important?

I wonder if Jesus is saying that the godly folks need to be less "nice" and more intentional when they go about living in the world. Being more intentional means we realize our responsibilities to our families and ourselves. It also means that we react and live accordingly--not allowing others to walk over us. We are to wisely manage our affairs and know we are responsible for them rather than throwing our coins in the air and saying, "God you can manage my money, I will simply sit back and let you do it."

Jesus has reminded us elsewhere to be shrewd as serpents and yet, innocent as doves (Matt 10:16, NAS); the NLT translation renders this passage, "Be as wary as snakes and harmless as doves." In either way, shrewdness is called for, just in a way that is honorable to God. Whether we are innocent or harmless, we are to be compassionate, kind, and honest in our dealings.

I am still twirling the idea of being effectively shrewd. I am not nearly as shrewd as I am frugal- and there is a huge difference, I know. However, I do think frugal is in the family of the shrewd. My boyfriend buys $300 jeans and $80 t-shirts from Diesel (he's got a whole lot more moolah than I). I buy a package of 6 t-shirts for $14.99 from K-Mart. He buys enough t-shirts that the stores often give him huge discounts; K-Mart doesn't treat me like that. He can barter with a travel agency and save hundreds of dollars on his trips (he travels alot); I buy my airline tickets through CheapTickets.com; sometimes I save but I don't get any frills. My boyfriend is shrewd; and I am trying to be, only when I try such tactics, I am only being frugal.

What does it mean to be shrewd as a serpent? I looked up on the internet about being shrewd and found this book, The Shrewd Christian, by Neil Atkinson. I am curious about it and will hop over to Barnes and Nobles to see if they have it. Perhaps it'll be helpful while compiling and organizing the sermon. Or, perhaps I just need more snakes in my wallet. I dunno.

This is Roy-
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I took this pic last winter on Christopher Street. It was during one of many snowstorms we experienced here.
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During the anniversary of 9/11, these lights came on lighting up the sky in remembrance.
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Apple Cake Recipe

This recipe comes from Vicki Standridge of Lucile, Oklahoma and compiled by the Friendly Mound Extension Homemakers Club (organized in 1929,) in the rural area south of Tuttle, Oklahoma.

Cake
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of flour (remember to sift it)
3 eggs
1 cup of oil
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (I always double the vanilla ingredient)
1 cut of nuts (optional, I don't use nuts because Roy doesn't like them)
4 chopped, peeled raw apples

I used my food processor to mince the apples, it was a lot quicker and a whole lot easier than cutting them up with a knife. Besides, I just received some new knives. I was afraid, with all of the chopping required that I'd end up chopping off a finger (or two).

Anyways, mix all the ingredients and bake in a greased and floured 9x13 pan for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. While waiting, make your frosting.

Frosting
1- 8 oz package of cream cheese
4 tablespoons of butter
2 cups of powdered (confectioners) sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Soften cream and butter (30 seconds in the microwave). Mix all ingredients together and spread on warm cake.

This cake tastes so good, especially after I added an extra tablespoon of butter and 2 more ounces of cream cheese to the ingredients in the frosting. I have had a piece of it already and it is sooooooooooooooooooo good. I am giving the cake to Roy's parents tomorrow, so we'll see how it passes the Ecuadorian taste tests.

Cookies in a Cookie Jar

You should've seen me today. I was one happy camper. Remember my troubles with the bathroom ceiling and the cascading water fall that occurred at improper times while I was pondering on the porcelin? Well, the Super came over today and not only fixed the water leak but also fixed the ceiling that became damaged with the water. And, since I took the day off from work, I was home without having to schedule the time to be home, which made everything even more cool.

So, while the Super and his fix-it guys were fixing the bathroom, I decided to bake a cake. I made an incredible Apple Cake with a cream cheese frosting. (The recipe is up top.) MMmmm!! I do love to bake. While I was baking, I noticed something kind of odd. Normally while I bake, I have a dip of tobacco in (to prevent me from eating and tasting too much). However, this day I didn't have it in. As I was cooking, I began to grab a cookie from the cookie jar every once in awhile.

As the afternoon drew on, I noticed I was only taking out one or two cookies at a time while I told myself, I'll just have one or two and nothing more. The trouble is, I did that about 9 times. On my last trip, with 5 cookies left in the jar, I said to myself, "Who are you kidding, you sugar binging fat cookie eater you, just take them all, you're going to eat them eventually anyway." So, I actually listened to myself and poured a glass of cold milk and sat down and ate the rest of the cookies.

As I sit here and ponder the moral relevance to my cookie-induced indulgence, I am trying to shake off the accompanying guilt that so often follows such radical and unplanned lapses in judgment, hence my morally laced blog entry. How could I be so susceptible to those dang cookies? Me, the guy who weighs himself in the morning AND the evening to keep up the motivation to stay below my 230 weight maximum. Me, the guy who'll pass on his favorite ice creams and second portions of his favorite meatloaf concoctions. Me, the guy who has realized he's dropped 5 pant sizes due to his diligence.

I have discovered that one of the best ways for me to avoid temptation is to simply not have what is tempting around me. Normally I don't have those little nick-nacks around my apartment. The cakes and treats I bake, I usually give away within a day or two. So, why did I have the cookies in my apartment to begin with? They were on sale at the .99 cent store. And, they are amazingly good. I told myself, "I'll just eat a couple every now and then.. I can resist the temptation to scarf down the whole container."

The problem with me and temptation is that I forget very easily. I forget all about the trials and temptations that lead me to binging on my favorite snack of choice. I forget about the guilt. I forget about the weight gain.

On the positive side of the experience, I work out every day. If I gain a pound today, I can work it off tomorrow. And I do. So maybe eating an entire package of vanilla and chocolate cookies with creme filling isn't a bad thing (if I can just limit these binges to every once in awhile). See.. can you hear me rationalizing already>??! Dannnng, even when I am trying to moralize and provide a good example to resisting temptation, I am already rationalizing my way out of it.

I guess I should study this matter more. If I pick up another package of cookies and place them into my cookie jar, perhaps I'll be able to better analyze (& moralize) my cookie binging better. I'll let you know how it goes. I am off to the .99 cent store before it closes.

My First Funeral Service

Last Friday I performed my first in-church funeral service. I had done a couple of graveside services when I was much younger; but this was my first funeral service performed as a memorial/thanksgiving thing.

I did not know the guy who died; he was a friend of several of the parishoners of the church. Receiving the call last week, I met with the surviving girlfriend (not legally married but together for years and years), the sister of the deceased, and a friend who was a member of the church. Referring to the UCC's Book of Worship, we planned the service together. Prior to our meeting, I had met with a retired Lutheran minister to get some ideas on what to ask the family and how to plan the service. Oh, and I didn't tell the deceased family that this was my first service. I remained calm throughout the planning.

The service, which happened last Thursday, was great. It wasn't too long, the order of service went smooth, and everyone who spoke about the deceased, all pretty much said how great a guy he was. The Eulogy (that I combined with the sermon, at the suggestion of the Lutheran minister) was warmly received too.

Following the service, several of the visitors remarked how the funeral was, bar none, the best funeral they've ever attended. The girlfriend of the deceased loved it too. It sure made me feel good to honor the memory of the deceased in such a way as to allow everyone else to do the same, and to feel comfortable with it all.

Thinking back over this past weekend, I was wondering how odd it is that this is my first funeral. And, I was thinking about how whenever I do something new that I've never done before, God always has this way of making sure I do whatever it is I need to do, very well. I am so convinced that God is not only with me in ministry, but is actively working alongside of me- in situations like this funeral, it becomes so evident afterwards.

God is just soooooooooooooo wonderful and amazing.

I am losing my mind, yet again..

So I brought my gym locker lock home with me, I've had it at the office since I cancelled my gym membership across the street from the church. However, I had forgotton to bring home the lock combination, so I have been unable to use my lock at my new gym (near my apartment).

Figuring I had twirled the lock dial enough times, I had been trying to "remember" my combination for about a week now. For some reason, I just couldn't remember the combination. I must've tried about 50 times with no avail. Fortunately, I had written the combination of my lock on a post-it note at work and filed it away (for just such a time as this). Last Friday at work, I emailed the combination to myself (for when I would access the email from home).

This morning, I opened that email and after a few spins, whallah! I opened my lock. Figuring I had better write down the lock combination, I grabbed a notecard (I keep a stack next to my computer), I wrote down the lock combination and set in next to my computer. Trying again to make sure I would remember 'to remember' the combination, I opened my lock. Setting my lock down, I noticed some tape sticking up from behind it. Turning the lock over, I discovered I had written and taped the lock combination to the back of the lock; I had done this last week when I brought my lock home with me.

You'd think I'd've remembered to turn the lock over and see the combination without the week long angst of trying to remember my combination. But alas, I did not. Now, if I can just remember to take off the taped combination from the back of the lock before I use the darn thing at the gym.

Shhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeshh!

It's raining harder than a...

..cow peeing on a flat rock. New York City is flooding. From reports on the radio, there are parts of the FDR expressway that are 4ft underwater. The NYC police department has deployed BOATS! to rescue stranded commuters stuck in places throughout the city. It's nuts. I don't think I've ever seen it rain this hard for this long since I've been here (9 years).

The subways aren't running either, the subway tunnels are flooded.

Craaaaaaazy.

But then.. I get to stay home!! Yayyy!

The Jane Pauley Show

I caught the new Jane Pauley show today after Ellen's show. It was pretty cool and was really about a topic that I often ponder over myself. The show was about cleaning your house (or apartment) and the psychology behind being overtly neat or a complete slob.

The show also gave some interesting insights on how to get our tough stains and fix old scratches. One of the recommendations for getting stickers off your wall was to put Reynold's wrap over the sticker and then apply a hot iron on top of the Reynold's wrap. Heating the sticker, you're able to peel off the sticker as it becomes sort of gooey like.

Another idea in tackling scratches to your hardwood floor was to break a pecan or walnut (depending on the color of your floor) and rub the scratch with the nut. These nuts contain both coloring and natural oils that blend into the scratches. Simply wipe off the excess and the scratches are masked. I thought that was really cool. You can find more with the lady who taught everyone all these nifty ideas by going to Hints from Heloise.

Being inspired after the show, I went into my bathroom and began to tackle the mildew that has grown on my shower curtain. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad and I was able to eradicate it all. Now I feel all better.

An Evangelical Liberalism

Come October, I will have been ordained for 3 years (seems like only yesterday when it happened actually). At my three year mark, I am now qualified to pursue my doctoral studies in ministry. This is something I have been giving much thought to and am presently investigating different seminaries as I hope to make my decision by the end of the year.

Doing my doctorate also requires me to think about an area of study I want to concentrate on. For several months I've been thinking about pursuing an evangelical liberalism. While those two words may sound like an oxymoron, that only depends on how a person might define the two. I believe they are not mutually exclusive and am working out how those two words might help motivate and drive the United Church of Christ, the denomination in which I am called to serve in.

So- after much more thought, I have been beginning my pilgrimage into developing an evangelical liberalism that I feel comfortable with and one that speaks to my faith. In seminary, I developed a working model for a new gay theology that spoke to my faith journey- this time, my development won't be all that new, only it'll speak to how and why a liberal Christian can and should go about sharing their faith.

In my coming sermon this Sunday morning, I am preaching from the lectionary text found in Luke 14:25 where Jesus says those mighty tough words, "Unless a person hates his mom and dad, he cannot follow me." Here is a snip-it of my sermon:

If we tell Jesus that we want to take up our cross and follow Him as His disciple, then He wants us to know exactly what we are getting into. He wants no false expectancy, no illusions, no bargains. He wants to use us as stones for building His church, soldiers for battling His enemies, and salt for bettering His world; and He is looking for quality.

After all, He was on His way to Jerusalem when He spoke these words, and look what happened to Him there! He does not ask us to do anything for Him that He has not already done for us.

You can read the sermon in its entirety by going to my church's website at www.bwayucc.org and selecting the Sermons webpage. While you might think the sermon is exclusive in my faith tradition, it really isn't- it's not about telling others what they must believe, but rather, telling them that if they want to pursue a deeper relationship with God, then they will have to make (and can expect to make) some pretty serious adjustments in their lives.

It just takes fiddling with something long enough

You're not going to believe it but I fixed my computer problem by creating a new way to do what I was doing before I goofed up my Windows Registry. I found it rather my happenstance but it works like a charm. Now, when I double-click a folder, it opens to show the contents of my folder rather than performing a search of the folder's contents. I am a happy camper once again.

And, this is yet another, "Aha!" moment when, after my time counseling with a friend, that coming back to my old problem, the solution was more easily found. This really isn't a new Aha! experience, I've always known that it exists- its just nice to have it happen.

Now I feel all better. With my challenges today and yesterday, all have been fixed and addressed appropriately enough. My goofing up with a congregant, my trite response to a friend's blog, some interoffice snafus, my computer problem.. they've all been addressed and remedied. And, here is the really cool part- most of the remedies were resolved when those I goofed up with helped me see things more clearly, and in a spirit of peace and understanding. I tell you, if all my solutions were up to me to remedy, very few would ever get accomplished in a really good way. I am so blessed to have great congregants, great friends, and awesome coworkers.

So, the day turned out pretty good after all. :)

Eh- Some days are just so so

My day has been quite interesting- if not a bit off-kilter for me. While my last evening and morning were fabulous, my day hasn't been as good.

Last night, Roy and I stayed up way late watching Further Tales of the City, Vol. 1 on DVD. We had no idea it was going to be a 3-hour movie! Daaaang. Anyways, we went to sleep might late and woke up mighty late. This morning Roy fixed breakfast burritos for us and we puttered around until we both had to leave. We both had a nice break- and, it helped that I was staying home out of the advice of dear friends.

Anyways, upon getting to work, I learned that I had misunderstood a parishioner's request for something and thereby my response was skewed. It sorely upset my friend and parishioner, however, in response, we came to an amiable solution (but the stress of goofing on a friend irritates me). Then, while trying to do something cool to my computer, I went into the Window's Registry and caused a huge irritation whereby whenever I now double click on a file folder, my computer goes into search mode, instead of showing the contents of the folder. Grrrrrrrr...! I have no idea (yet) how to correct this problem but I am thinking the solution will bring me back into my Registry (which is one place that scares me to go).

But then, our church's sandwich distribution went amazingly well- and amazingly fast. Nearing 4:00pm, we had a line stretched down the block. Sadly, there aren't enough sandwiches for everyone (there rarely is nowadays). There are just so many people standing in line. While the joy of helping others is wonderful, lately it has been followed by a touch of sadness knowing we never have enough for everyone.

In a little while, I am about to talk with a fella who is considering going to seminary. He has been visiting several schools in the last two months (including Union Seminary, the Pacific School of Religion at Berkeley, and Harvard Divinity School). We are going to talk about what he found and help begin the discernment process. He is a great guy- wherever he goes, the school will be blessed to have him. Helping someone in their challenging times of discernment is always a blessing for me. I love to see folks take those great risks- which necessitates using their faith in God in profound ways.

So, yeah, today has had some great experiences and one or two I'd rather forget about. But all in all, it's balancing itself out. I am glad my relationship with God isn't measured and determined by how many good things I do in contrast to how often I screw up. God loves me just the way I am and in spite of my goofups and missteps. This is what is so amazing about grace (sorry to borrow that book title in making my point): God loves me in spite of my weaknesses and strengths. Which is a good thing, especially if you tend to screw up a lot, like I sometimes do. ;)

Just when you think it couldn't get any worse..

I live in a dominican neighborhood at the northernmost top of Manhattan in an area known as Inwood. It is pretty much a nice place to live. The rent is cheap (I pay $925 for a fiarly large 1BR), the local cuisine is fairly low priced (I can get an amazing breakfast deal for $3.25 and a decent dinner meal for under $10), and there are a plethora of amazingly cool .99 Cent stores that sell everything from tools, to cookware, to burritos.

What I do not like about my neighborhood is the merange music. At first, I thougth I could get used to it. When you hear it, it sounds very happy and does make a person feel good. The trouble is, I don't actually hear it "directly". I hear it as it passes through my walls from apartments all over my building and the buildings surrounding my apartment. I get the deep bass (as its turned up to ear-splitting decibels) that shakes my walls, paintings, floors, and teeth. AND.. (this is the annoying part).. AND, all the songs have the same bass beat.

The music in my neighborhood pretty much blares at all times of the day and night. Sometimes, there is a lull in the music and I can get some peace and quiet. At other times, say, at 3am in the morning, it gets turned up, my teeth begin to chanel the bass music, and fury begins to froth deep within my loins.

But then.. just when I thought the music was more than I can tolerate, something else happened that topped even the loud music. Every night, about 10pm, we now have an ice cream truck that begins its evening by parking in front, or near, the apartments on my block. The music from the truck, turned up to drown out the loud merange music (so you can imagine how loud it is), is this chorus of sound that plays over and over and over.. and it begins with, "Hello!!.. (music, music, music).." Arghhh!! The ice cream truck plays, in one place (usually right outside my window), for about 4 hours (usually ending about 2am in the morning). The only establishments that are up later that the ice cream truck are the many barber shops dotting each corner. They don't open until around 8pm and they close about 4 am. Is that nuts? However, I must digress because that is for another post.

I heard from some neighbors that they think the ice cream truck is really a vehicle that delivers the various drugs in the neighborhood. That actually makes sense- if you are ever wanting to get high without actually smoking pot, you can just walk up my block and the smell of exhaled pot will surely do the trick.

Do I live in a schwanky 'hood or what? My friends all say, "Bo, you get what you pay for," meaning because my rent is so cheap, I shouldn't be surprised that I live amidst the craziness of Inwood. However, the thought of paying $1800/mo for a 1BR apartment the size of my living room with a tiny closet in the bathroom is nuts (there are many apartments like this; heck, a friend of mine lives in one where his shower is located in his kitchen and the toilet in a hallway water closet). Living like that just isn't appealing to me.

Sure, my apartment has a few downsides (like the ceiling in my bathroom that leaks water several times a day so bad that Roy now keeps an umbrella near the toilet for those moments when he's caught beneath a cascade of water while sitting on the pot); and yet, I live far enough away from the city that I sometimes feel like I live in another country (it doesn't hurt that few restaraunts or businesses speak any English whatsoever). New York City is such an amazing place for sure. (By the way, the super has promised the water will stop falling, while its taken him 3 months to actually do it, I've noticed that my bathroom ceiling hasn't leaked all day now- I sure hope that's a good sign).

No matter how ill I speak of my neighborhood though, there are still some amazing things to like about it. I have a couple of the city's most beautiful parks nearby, I am about 4 blocks from the Hudson River and the Harlem River. There is, surprising as it may sound, no crime. The food is cheap and the subways are just around the corner. I guess my big learned lesson in all of this is that a person can put up with a whole lot more than one realizes... one just has to get to the point where that becomes more applicable to one's life situation.

Appreciating my life lesson reminds me of a saying I heard when I was young, "I once complained about having no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." That saying sort of puts things in perspective for me (not that I am NOT planning on moving, mind you, but that I really shouldn't complain. It really could be worse...knocking on wood, "thump, thump, thump").

The Witch of Endor

Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved the television show Bewitched, not just because most of the characters in it were gay in real life (Darrin, Endora, Doctor Bombay, Uncle Arthur, and Samantha's dad, played by Ceasar Romero, I can't remember his onscreen name), I've just enjoyed the fun of the humor, popping in and out of places, and the crazed responses of Darrin and Samantha's neighbors.

So, coming upon the story in the Old Testament about the Witch of Endor was funny because now I understood where Samantha's mom's name came from, her name in the show was Endora. Reading the story found in 1 Samuel 28, it is interesting to read and wonder if it really is possible to speak with the dead, as is seen in the current television show, Crossing over with Jonathan Edwards. I found a great article commenting on the funky story, you can find that by going here to the article on beliefnet.com. If my link doesn't work, just type in Endor in the search engine and go to the article entitled The Bible's Witch of Endor. I worry that my link won't work because the site may require you to sign up to access the article (it's free, by the way).

Personally, the story is about as believable as the angels who married the daughters of the earth to produce really tall and valiant men as described in Genesis 6:1-4. I think its cool to think about it though, in a Lord of the Rings kind of way, where the Nephilim were, "the heroes that were of old, warriors of renown." Reading the story of the witch of Endor though, the author in the article explains the craftiness of the witch once she learned that it is Saul who asked her to conjure up Samuel. It's interesting that Samuel actually appears though- and for a guy raised to discount those fortune tellers and palm readers I see in every town, it gives me pause to go, "hmmm..." I haven't ever been to a palm reader but I have been even more curious since moving to New York where a person sees them on practically every corner.

But I do tend to think about the Bible's very explicit warning against participating in such activities. Not because I think I'll go to hell or anything, but because I believe there really are spirits of all sorts, and I have enough of a time handling the ones that I presently contend with. I am such a wuss I guess. ;)

Stymied

I got a stye in my eye. Ouch! It crept up this week and has been getting bigger, burning more, and I think is about to come to a head. I hope this doesn't gross you out.

Roy, my boyfriend, recommended (and later, just went ahead and did it when I expressed my hesitation) to apply that inner layer found inside an eggshell on my eyelid. He said to apply it before bedtime and sleep with it until the next morning when I take it off. We've been doing that for about 2 nights, and tonight, I'll do it before I go to bed. It is supposed to "ripen" the stye so it'll be ready to pop sooner. So, as I've applied it, I've noticed that when I awake in the mornings, my eye is crusted over with the dryed puss. (I am getting grossed out typing this).

Worried about the puss, I called Mom to ask her opinion. She'd never heard of the eggshell thing but recommended I put a hot and salty compress on my eye for 20 minutes a night until the stye pops. The thought of salt coming near my eye has made me a bit skittish. When I expressed my concern, she recommended that I could just go to my doctor so he can lance it. She cautioned against that though saying it'll hurt like a dickens and I'll have to pay my doctor for the experience.

So, after hearing both Roy's and Mom's advice, I went and spoke with a pharmacist at a nearby all-night pharmacy. The pharmacist recommended I do nothing and let it come to a head on its own. She recommended I purchase (how thoughtful) a gel called Stye that'll help my eye not itch, burn, or hurt anymore. Thinking she was more of an expert than the old wives tales of my bf and my mom, I bought the gel. And you know what? It hurts and burns and itches now more than it has all week long.

So, I am going to wash off the gel and apply the eggshell remedy here pretty soon before I go to bed. I am thinking there is something more to the old wives tales (even if they come through my bf).

When sex sells.. everyone gets screwed

Reading over at salon.com, I found this very interesting article about Brittany Spears and her downward spiral from glamour to trailer-trash (not that there is anything wrong with trailer life). The author brilliantly reveals the lies and deceptions of those who've marketed (and made money off of) Brittany and how that manipulation is what has caused Brittany to, well.. decend to her present place among the halter-top and Daisy Duke folks.

Interestingly, the author of the article explains the weird hypocrisy of one particular early Brittany presentation. She said, "[Brittany] was playing a devilishly destructive role, talking about her virginity at a register audible only to the kids who idolized her. Sex is dirty, sex is wrong unless you are married, she was telling girls who might have had a shot at guilt-free sexual liberation. Meanwhile, she was winking at their fathers, suggesting, in horrible ways, that she was dancing for them." Brittany turned sex into something confusing, dirty, and just plain weird to the audiences that she influenced.

Sex doesn't have to be this sleazy- nor does it have to be this manipulatory. God created us to be loving and joyful partakers of life. And, God created our desire and pursuit of sex to bring us great joy in the process of loving our spouses, partners and significant others. When used in the right spirit, it becomes a joy that is full of amazement and soulful passion.

However, when we abuse joyful sex, it turns around and abuses us instead. That's the funny thing about sex. In a way, sex is somewhat like alcohol. It may transform itself into whatever emotion it was first encountered with. With alcohol, if we are happy when we take our first sip, it can make us happier. If we are angry, then it usually makes us angrier. With sex, if we are loving when we have sex, then it can make our relationships happier. If we are deceitful when we engage it, it often becomes a dirty secret that we have to hide and thereby miss the fruits of joy that ought to be experienced long afterward. If we are sleazy when we engage in it, then it may only hieghten the sleaze into something we'll later regret (ie, cause great shame). Too bad for Brittany that she is learning about sex the hard way (no pun intended).

Regardless of what you think, I am still me

I found this great post written by someone who likened her ontological existence to a tree. Written with a simple analogy, she talks about folks who argue whether or not, she is justified in being a gay woman. After reading the article, let me know what you think.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Songbird, Eva Cassidy
Celebrate! Music of the 60's, Turtle Creek Chorale
Frisco Jazz Band, Turk Murphy
My Best, John Denver
On the Rocks- Lounge Compilation
Lifted, Songs of the Spirit, Starbucks compilation CD
O Brother, Where Art Thou Soundtrack
Capitol Collections Series, Kay Starr
16 Most Requested Songs, Doris Day
Self-titled, Rufus Wainwright
Come Away with Me, Norah Jones

Okay, I realize some of these cd titles might embarrass you just reading them. But hey, its my music and I like them (and yes, John Denver really isn't that bad). It's wild how a fella can get attached to his music.

This summer, I was invited to spend a week of rest and relaxation with a bunch of friends at the Pines section out on Fire Island. Fire Island is an island with several communities and fancy homes on a strip of land on the southeast shore of Long Island. On the island, there are no streets (and cars aren't allowed on it), only miles and miles of boardwalks. And, the island is only accessible via a ferry boat. It's a schwanky vacation destination for those who are a) rich enough to own a summer beach house on the island, b) almost rich enough yet not yet and choose instead to buy a "summer share" out there, or c) have generous friends who enjoy your company. I am in the "C" category.

Anyways, when I was there, I overslept on the day I was to leave and almost missed my boat back to the mainland. Rushing frantically, I grabbed my duffle bag and left running for the boat. Making it at the last moment, I remember that I forgot my cds. Pulling out my cell phone, I called a couple of my friends who stayed behind at the house to say, "Could someone grab my cds and we'll meet up in the city later."

Well, later bacame one heck of a long time. As it happened, I finally got my cds back last night. And I am one happy fella. It's funny how you get used to familiar tunes- and I have been humming several of the songs I've been sorely missing. The one cd that I have missed the most is the 60's collection from the Turtle Creek Chorale. It is a fun assortment of some great folk music and happy music.

As a result of my temporary loss of music, I am contemplating the purchase of an iPod. I doubt I'd rush to a boat if I left it behind (I'd just take the next one in the harbor) and it seems like a great idea. But daaaaaaaaang, them iPods aren't cheap. Maybe I ought just buy a leash for my cd case and tie it around my neck. Sure, I'll look goofy but at least I won't forget my cds. And, if I am going to carry John Denver and Doris Day with me anyway, what does it really matter how goofy I am going to look?

Midtown New York City View

I went to a friend's birthday party yesterday and this is a view from his balcony overlooking midtown New York City. You can see the Empire State Building in the background on the left.
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Irrevocable Calling

Lately I've been talking with several guys who have been struggling ever so greatly with what they believe God would have them do--and more importantly, the fact that they haven't been doing what they think they should be doing in the first place.

I spoke with one of these guys a few Sundays ago and listened as he talked about what he always believed as God's call to ministry. Knodding in agreement with this man's struggle of discernment, I relayed the passage from Romans 11:29 that says, "The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable."

Sometimes it seems that God calls many of us to service and yet, so few respond right away. Perhaps the temptation to live beyond a meager salary is the cause. Perhaps the qualifications and lengthy education is another. Or, perhaps it is the negative social stigma attached to the clergy. And yet, there is another possibility that I relate to personally.

Sometimes a person can confuse God's call with a church's expectation. If that expectation is challenged, a person may then think that he or she misunderstood God's call to begin with. While I am a fervent supporter of the United Church of Christ and all its ministry--God called me to pastor first, it was only the church that confirmed that calling as well recognizing that my gifts for ministry is compatible with the United Church of Christ.

Discerning the inspiration of God is a challenging task that involves much prayer, wisdom, and faith. Often the faith that is required is also one that involves risk--jumping out when few believe you should. When I was rejected as a Southern Baptist minister for my fabulous sexual orientation, I thought my ministry was over--after all, wasn't the church's responsibility to confirm and discern what they believed God's call was for my life? Well, yes and no. Certainly the church confirms my gifts for ministry but it is up to me to discern God's call.

It took me a couple of years to feel confident that God's call upon me was irrevocable-- and it took me finding the United Church of Christ to realize a place in which I can serve. And yet, it was God who showed me the way all along. Answering God's call to service is the first step in understanding God's call, if only to say in prayer, "Okay God, I realize you want me to do something, now just show me what I should do and where I oughta go."

Once we answer the call, God directs our way into the ministry we oughta go. Perhaps you're in the wrong place to serve now? Well, if that is so, don't be surprised if you're pulled out of it-- especially if you say to God, "Show me where I oughta go."

As I talk with those struggling with their calling, a part of me remembers the joy (and struggle) about the faith that is needed in making such a drastic change. The faith they will need to respond to their call is huge because each one of these persons is not only over 40 years old but each one is also gay. In both cases, their willingness to revisit their calling and the faith they are employing is inspirational and exciting- at least, it is to me anyways.

All this just goes to show that what God begins, God completes in us.. even if and albeit long after we thought it was possible. I wonder if this belated acceptance to God's call is something akin to how Abraham and Sarah understood God's promise that they would have a child so late in life. I guess the moral to Abraham and Sarah, and those that I am talking with is that it's never too late in life to go about doing what God would have us do.

Can a fella actually read 'too much'?

I remember talking with a friend a few years ago shortly after he graduated from seminary. I had asked him what books he was currently reading and he responded matter-of-factly, "I don't read anymore. I read so much in seminary that if I look at one more book that is full of esoteric theology or some diatribe against Christian modernity, I am going to puke my guts out." Anyone who has survived seminary can attest to the insane amount of reading one has to endure- books written about books written critiquing the books about books.

While I sympathize with my friend, I am still a voracious reader. I enjoy reading books about so many different subjects- even at the same time. As you will notice, I have begun two new books. One is a light-hearted read recommended by my boyfriend (he loved it) and the other recommended by a very good friend. The two couldn't be more unlike the other.

I pretty much chunked the feng shui book I wrote about earlier. It was too silly to continue reading. I felt like Harry Potter having to sit through Sibyll Trelawney's Divination class at Hogwarts. Just as he felt she was off her rocker, so do I feel about all things feng shui.

I'll let you know how both books turn out. I've been reading them for about a day now. The book, The Men from the Boys, is turning out to be quite good. The story of the book is set in Provincetown and explains the life of three best friends, Lloyd, Jeff, and Javitz. I am at the point in the story where Jeff meets young Eduardo while Jeff's lover, Lloyd is away for the summer. It is funny and charming- and since my boyfriend is a bit like Eduardo, I can see why he recommended it to me (although I don't have a lover like Jeff has). Anyways, its a charming read so far.

The Cotton Patch book is a collection of sermons preached by Clarence Jordon. Jordon is the founder of Koinonia, a Christian commune near Americus, Georgia. Began in 1942, the commune is rather amazing in itself in that it is run like a farm but provides opportunities in which it helps create and build discipleship schools, builds houses and them sells them to poor families, and providing jobs for poor and rural families on the farm, in food processing, sewing, and craft industries.

Jordon, while running the farm was also an astute theologian and greek scholar. The book is a retelling of Jesus' parables in a modern context (or as modern as Jordon was, he died in the 1969). An African-American, he extrapolated the social justice and the plight of the disenfranchized from Jesus' parables and retells them in a very inspiring way. Even though the book is relatively short, I find myself reading only a chapter at a time- as I need time to assimilate his points and meditate on his wisdom. I'll let you know how this book turns out too.

You know, I just can't imagine thinking to myself that I have read enough books. There are so many out there- and so many from different genres that I doubt I'll have enough time in my paltry life to even stratch the literary surface. But heck, I am sure gonna try!

from my feng shui book...

"...if there is a big shower drain [in the wrong corner of your house], it may be undermining the support you need to prosper. To resolve this problem, tie a red ribbon or red tape around the outgoing pipe (see figure 29). If it is a shower or floor drain, either use a decorative drain stopper, or get red under the existing stopper (enamel paint sprayed in drain), or keep the drain closed when not in use... These little cures can make a big difference in the flow of ch'i in your home." -("Move your Stuff, Change your Life" by Karen Carter)

You just can't make up this stuff any better. Okay, so the feng shui book was a bad idea. Mostly, it breaks up your house into quadrants where you are to ensure that what you have in one quadrant compliments what you have in another one. All this, not meant as a decorative guide to your house, is like some sort of fortune telling way to help you achieve, health, wealth, and happiness.

The Bible says that there is a way which seems right to us but its end is the path of destruction. I doubt that feng shui is a path towards destruction- it does help a person think about ways in which to do something about their situation in life, and that is a good thing. The sad part is that it tells you to do things that don't really affect how life operates. A mirror in the corner of my apartment isn't going to affect how my friends treat me.. really!

It is similar to the popular notion of 'scapegoating'. When we blame others for our situation in life, we misplace what we really need to change. When we blame others for our own condition, we miss the opportunity to direct our energies toward the real solution. Of course, some people don't scapegoat on purpose, they really believe that allowing two women to marry in a county in upstate Washington really will cause them to stop loving their spouses and the spirituality of a nation will become bankrupt and God will allow America to be punished and terrorists will bomb our cities. But then, those people are probably the same ones who'd be inspired to read Move your Stuff, Change your Life: How to Use Feng Shui to get Love, Money, Respect, and Happiness. Both are misplaced. Both will never find the solution they're looking for. And both may create more problems than if they just sat down, prayed for discernment, and asked themselves, "What am I doing that is causing my life to be such a mess in the first place."

As for me, I am going to read a book I picked up in a sale rack awhile back, its called You'll Never Pay Full Price Again When You Learn How To...Shop Like A Coupon Queen by Michele Easter.

The Healing Touch of Christ

** Disclaimer: Religous joke ahead**


Three guys were fishing on a lake one day, when Jesus walked across the water and joined them in the boat.

When the three astonished men had settled down enough to speak, the first guy asked humbly, "Jesus, I've suffered from back pain ever since I took shrapnel inthe Viet Nam war. Could you help me?"

"Of course my son," Jesus said. When Jesus touched the man's back, the man felt relief for the first time in years.

The second man, who wore very thick glasses and had ahard time reading and driving, asked if Jesus could do anything about his eyesight. Jesus smiled, removed the man's glasses and tossed them in the lake. When the glasses hit the water, the man's eyes cleared and he could see everything distinctly.

When Jesus turned to heal the third man, the guy put his hands up and cried defensively, "Don't touch me! I'm on long-term disability!"

Neurotically persistent

Okay, so I know I can be neurotically persistent. I know this because I have had a few jobs in my life where I developed this trait to the highest level. I have worked in those tedious data-entry jobs where you are to type entries cataloging auction results, been a bookkeeper where tedious number entries and balancing took lots of time and patience, and typed out manuscripts based on taped conversations that take hours upon hours to complete.

I say this to point out my blogging woes this morning. From my home internet connection, I was unable to upload my blog entry about the Sermon on the Mount. I kept getting this, "failure to load" message. So, do you know what I did? I kept trying to load it. And load it. And load it. Each time, I got the same message. So, I continued. And continued. Finally, I stopped only because I needed to go into work.

So, I get to work and, having emailed the text of what I wanted to put in my blog, went to upload it from church. I get here, copy and paste the text and upload it to my blog. Checking my blog to make sure it was okay, I noticed 15 entries of the same entry (it seems I was successful uploading it at home after all). In any event, I had to go and delete all my entries and had the epiphany that I am still neurotically persistent, even as I approach my 39th birthday.

Some things never change I guess.. my only worry is that I'll become even worse. I can see myself as an old man, who, unable to open my can of "mush spam", slush prune juice, or super concentrated Metamucil, I'll stay up all night with a knife and hacksaw trying to open the can when I could've just used the new-fangled lazer can opener I mis-placed on the counter top.

[[shuddering at the thought of it all]]

A Wonderful Way to Look at Jesus

I found this interesting quote from Jordon Cooper, who is a pastor up in Canada. He was explaining how the Sermon on the Mount might be understood from a different perspective.

What if all of this [Christ's teaching in the Sermon] is not new and more stringent rules for us to observe but rather a picture of the way God is? Of course, we are forever getting confused into thinking the scripture is mainly about what we are supposed to dorather than a picture of who God is. If Jesus had put forth behavior like turning the other cheek when someone strikes you as a useful tactic for bringing out the best in other people, then Jesus could be justly accused of ethical naivete. But the basis for the ethics of Sermon on the Mount is not what works but rather the way God is. Cheek-turning, is not advocated as what works (itusually does not), but advocated because this is the way God is--God is kind tothe ungrateful and the selfish. This is not a stratagem for getting what we want but the only manner of life available, now that, in Jesus, we have seen what God wants. We seek reconciliation with the neighbor, not because we will feel so much better afterward, but because reconciliation is what God is doing in the world in the Christ.

Thinking about the impact of God's mercy is astounding to me. It is the mercy of God that continues to affect how God relates to you and I. In God's mercy, we find that God continually forgives, atones, makes right, pour out the Spirit- for each of us. Regardless if we're able to live up to the standard or not, God loves us anyway. And the Sermon on the Mount points us to other ways in which God relates to us- in the way Jesus tells us we ought to live.

Another way in which we can look into the mind and behavior of God is to look at the life of Jesus. Look at how he related to his friends, the strangers surrounding him, or in response to his critics, Jesus' always had a word of compassion or an insight into the mind of his oppressor (sometimes with a funny zinger included). Both Jesus' life and the words he spoke give us direct access into the mind and motivation of God. Is that special or what?

Figurines on my Desk

This is the Buddy Christ, from the movie Dogma. My brother, who knows how much I love the movie, gave me this figurine as a gift. I keep it on my desk at the church- just about everyone asks me, "What the heck is that all about?!"

This should come as no surprise...

You'll notice a couple of new books on my recommended reading list (on the right side of the screen). One of those books is about appreciating grace- a book I've read once but am reading again. It is amazing. The other book is about something so very different- it is about using feng shui to better organize my way of life. I have a couple of friends who are very big into feng shui. Part of me thinks its all a bunch of crap- but then, I am quite the clutter-dog, so maybe I oughta look more into it.

So, by looking into it, I went to a bookstore and bought the book with the coolest looking book cover. I'd've chosen something else but there were so many selections and choices. Admittedly, choosing the book by its bookcover goes against all preconceived logic (remember the addage, "Never judge a book by its cover")- and yet, how the heck am I supposed to make a decision when Barnes and Nobles has 852 other books about it? Okay, so shallowness aside, I got the book I now have. It is officially called, Move your Stuff, Change your Life: How to Use Feng Shui to get Love, Money, Respect, and Happiness by Karen Rauch Carter. Another reason I chose this book is that not only does it promise my room will be less cluttered but that I might also get some money in the process. How cool is that?! I'll let you know if the book is crappy or helpful.

It's been a busy week

I love being productive- its something I was ingrained with as a boy. However, part of that ingraining process included some interesting twists. For instance, my mother used to say (about my bedroom), "a cluttered bedroom is a cluttered mind." Given how my brain has always seemed to be cluttered with something, I reasoned that I couldn't ever do anything productive unless my bedroom was clean. Now, in my adulthood, I can't seem to do anything unless my whole apartment is tidy and clean.

So.. you'd think my apartment was extra clean- the thing is, it isn't. It's tidy for sure but not super-duper clean. So, whenever I have projects to do for church or sermons to write, I have to stop periodically and clean. So, I clean a little, and write a little. And this goes on all night. Part of me is thinking, if I got a maid, then I'd get more work done. But then, how would I know if my mind is cluttered if someone else does the cleaning in my apartment? Hmmm...

Anyways, I have had a busy week. I preached yesterday morning up at my former church in Scarsdale, NY. It was a great time and I loved seeing all my old friends there. Following the service, I came home, changed clothes (can you believe the church is Scarsdale doesn't have air conditioning?- my shirt and suit was drenched in sweat). I went back to my church (our services are at 5pm) and preached the same sermon I preached at Scarsdale (with only minor situational changes). Several people commented that they enjoyed how I interpreted the text based on the lectionary reading; they appreciated how I gave them something to really 'chew on'. Other folks enjoyed the references to the Broadway musical Rent that I used in the sermon. Click here to read the sermon. Following the service, we had communion (which is my favorite church liturgical experience). And, get this: we had a ton of visitors. And, we even had a few who came back! I love it when that happens.

On Saturday, I took folks from church up to our cabin at Lake Herriman State Park for a day of R & R. It was a nice trip and I had fun rowing across the lake as well as sleeping and catching up on a book I'd been reading.

This week will be somewhat busy but not as hectic as last week. I am sure I'll get all caught up in no time.

Oh, and I finally finished the book Dry, by Augusten Burroughs. Wow!! It was a great read. The book is a sequel to Burrough's Running with Scizzors. It is about his life as an adult and details his struggle with alcoholism. The book is funny and poignant. I'd definately recommend it- but first, read Running with Scizzors. That way, you'll understand the chronology better.

I'll write more this week- sorry for the absence of stuff last week.