Wednesday, April 28, 2004

How Sweet It Is!


Yesterday, Tripp reported on Free Scoop Day at Ben & Jerry's. It was well attended by Seabury folk :) In case there is no Ben & Jerry's near you (Mark), or you just missed Free Scoop Day, you have another chance. Today is Free Scoop Day at BaskinRobbins! I love free ice cream.

PS- Today's links brought to you by a fun little program Mark made... much less typing = more time for ice cream!

Monday, April 26, 2004

Hindsight is 20/20??


I have been thinking about adoption lately. Not as in “Gee, let’s adopt a baby right now” but as a potential option, down the road. I do not know much about the subject, and I am glad when I can learn more about how it all works. With that said…. This 20/20 story is ridiculous! Adoption is NOT a competition, with a baby as a prize. Adoption is hard on the biological mother. It is (from what I’ve heard) a long and difficult process for those wishing to bring a child into their families. I appreciate the effort to illuminate the adoption process… but I just can’t believe that this is the way to do it. Children are people who need love and care and support. Children are not something we compete over, or a prize to win with the best marketing strategy. I am glad that there is a family who really wants this child. Really, I am. And I hope that the other families who want so much to have a child are able to find a child in need of a loving home. Adoption is a wonderful thing. A child being raised by parents who will love and care for him is a beautiful thing. It does not need a “competition” to make it any more exciting.

If you also think this is a bad idea, here is a link to email the 20/20 people.

Sunday, April 25, 2004

Too Much Fun, Up Too Late


I found this on a friend's blog- online bubble wrap! It even comes in more than one form. Thanks for the distraction, frog... quick, easy and fun. What more could you want at midnight?

chicks, guitars, wisdom


You see the crosses on the sdie of the road
or tied with ribbons in the median
They make me gratful I can go this mile
Lay me down at night and wake me up again

Kat writes a poem and sticks it on my truck
We Don't Believe in War and We Don't Believe in Luck
The birds were calling to her, what were they saying
as the gate blew open and the tops of the trees were swaying

I pass the cemetery, walk my dog down there
I read the names in stone and I say a silent prayer
When I get home you're cooking supper on the stove
And the greatest gift of life is still our love

And I don't know where it all began
And I don't know where it all will end
We're better off for all that we let in
- Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls), "All That We Let In"

Friday, April 23, 2004

Something Fishy


I am having a tuna melt for lunch today. In my experience, people have a very strong reaction to tuna for some reason or another. For me, I just get the Bumble Bee Tuna song stuck in my head. If you want it stuck in your head too, go here!

Monday, April 19, 2004

Cultivating Boldness


I preached at a Seabury Eucharist for the first time today, on the feast of Alphege.

Did you hear it in the Gospel today? Do no be afraid. The first graders in my Sunday school class up in Kennilworth could tell you that that is what an angel always says. I always thought this greeting of choice had to do with the fact that suddenly seeing an angel would be a frightening experience. But I think what is really frightening is the earth-shaking, life-shattering news the angels always seem to bring- Unto to you is born this day… Why do you look for the living among the dead?…
Jesus news for us today is also life shattering: We have nothing to fear except our God, and that God is one who knows us so intimately that the hairs on our head are counted. I don’t know about you, but that is better than I know myself. We are not even to fear death itself. Now, most of us do not likely live with the fear that our Christianity will get us killed. Persecution and death are simply not high on my list of fears. Yet, I am afraid. When we are out and meeting new people, I have been known to dodge the question about what I do. You know this conversation: So, what do you do? Oh, I’m in school. Really, what do you study? Well…
What am I afraid of? It varies. With my conservative sister-in-law’s family, I didn’t want to be condemned by them, or even start a fight at a nice dinner. At the symphony with our artsy friends, I want to avoid that awkward moment, when people stop talking to you because they don’t know what to say to a priest. I don’t want to say the wrong thing, or be the wrong person and somehow give Christianity a bad name or accidentally turn someone from the Church. Do any of these fears sound familiar? Yet, I want to be the kind of Christian who – when brought in front of tribunals and magistrates- will be solid in my faith. Martyrs are not made at the moment of their death. That kind of bold faith is only built over time. Boldness cannot wait until we are faced with a dramatic choice – we must cultivate it daily. We are here in training for leadership in the church. We will be a community that encourages boldness in proclamation? In some ways, we already are. Some of us have put great strain on friendships and family relations by following the call to serve God in this way. In this place we have begun very difficult work in our efforts against racism. We strengthen our faith and our relationship with God each time we take a risk to support a classmate, to resolve conflict rather than hold a grudge, or seek to include a voice that is not being heard. And we weaken our faith each time we fail in taking risks to spread the Good News, when we allow negativity to become our entire outlook, when we fail to welcome visitors or our fellow community members because we are afraid of what the alternatives might look like. Do not be afraid- our God knows us well enough to count the hairs on our head- certainly that means knowing us well enough to know that we will miss opportunities, that we will fall short in our proclamation. There will always be room for improvement as we cultivate boldness among us. But what better Easter message than “Do Not Be Afraid”? Because, when we do stand up for grace and for love, we will encounter the loving, surprising God and we will be able to say Alleluia, Christ is Risen!

Sunday, April 11, 2004

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!



Alleluia, Alleluia, Give thanks to the Risen Lord!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Give praise to his Name!

Hail Thee Festival Day! Blest Day that art hallowed for ever...

May your Easter Day be filled with blessings and your heart be filled with the hope and love of the risen Lord, today and always!

Friday, April 09, 2004

Readings


This is a fun thing, from Tripp's friend Jane, via Tripp:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.

So, here goes...
"Thanks for your advice," she said.
Real Boys, by William Pollack
Funny. Its really a provocative book, but you wouldn't know it from that little piece!

Good Friday Taize


Per crucem et passionem tuam, liberanos Domine, Liberanos Domine, Liberanos Domine, Domine

Through your cross and passion, give us freedom, Lord


Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom
Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom

Wednesday, April 07, 2004

The Quiz a.k.a. "Brownie Points with AKMA"


Grammar God!
You are a GRAMMAR GOD!


If your mission in life is not already to
preserve the English tongue, it should be.
Congratulations and thank you!


How grammatically sound are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Friday, April 02, 2004

Office Space


I am hanging out at North Shore Baptist today, temping for the lovely Ms. Trish. Its fairly quiet, but not too much so. I was a church secretary at a Presby church in college for a couple years. I wanted to be a secretary when I was kid. Then, in high school, we took these career aptitude tests, and one of the top choices for me was a secretary! Really, its all about destiny. Or Meyers-Briggs. Or something.
For those of you who wanted to be radio DJs (thats you Micah & Tripp!), here is a new radio station. (Warning- serious liberal bent ahead) Al Franken and some of his like-minded funny friends have launched Air America. Even if you don't agree with him, Al Franken is just darn funny. And us lucky Chicagoans can get the channel on our very own radios- AM 950. Happy listening!