Get it Out

I am cranky today, and someone suggested that I post all the things that are making me cranky so I can get over it. (He had a vested interest in making me less cranky). And you, lucky readers, get to partake.
Facts that Raise My Crankiness Level
- Its Memorial Day, but the seminary was open and I still had class
- Its the last week of classes, so I have a paper and two presentations due in the next two days
- My internet was down for a good portion of the day, so I couldn't work on some of my projects due tomorrow
- This week is graduation- and a huge number of my friends are leaving
- The weather can't make up its mind between pouring rain and sunshine
- Jane and I had planned on cheese fries all day... but the cheese fry place was closed for the holiday
- Did I mention that lots of my friends are graduating and moving away?

Of course, being the optimist, I can't just leave a list like that alone. Ready for list two?
Facts that Lower My Crankiness Level
- Luke and I became godparents this weekend. Our godson's name is Christian, and he is beautiful, happy and wonderful- all twenty pounds of him at five months!!
- I love my home parish. I miss it while I"m here, and it was great to be there yesterday
- Some of said friends (see first list) got together for lunch today. Mmmm stirfry.
- We sang "The Day Thou Gavest" at Evensong tonight, which I love
- I did finish two papers this morning
- Best of all, I have friends who know my crankiness so well they can make me laugh even when I don't want to

I guess life is pretty good after all! Back to work now.

Thou My True Word

Jane and Tripp have already told you that the Festival of Homiletics was amazing, and was it ever! We enjoyed a week of preaching (the long kind, not the five-minute Seabury kind!), music, worship, fun. I absolutley understand all those folks who attended week long revivals- it was exhausting and exhilarating, inspired and inspiring in all senses of the word. For fun, I decided to collect some quotes from the week to share with you all, so you can get just a glimpse of the week we shared together:
"You know, if I wasn't driving 75 in a 45 mile an hour zone, it might be less frightening" - Micah, on driving through PA mountains, construction, and mysterious fog at 1 am

"Be nice to the complainers- they're only praising you in a different way." Rev. Hartness, chaplain at the National Cathedral, giving advice to the five eager seminarians

"I hate squirrels. They're all reincarnated sex offenders." Judy. Need more be said?

"Religion is a defense against repentence" - Thomas Long, on why preaching repentence in Advent

"You know who Tripp reminds me of? That guy in high school. You know the one... your dad told you to be home at 1, but he's sitting in the car saying, "Why do you wanna listen to your dad? You don't really have to go home..." Lemwood, having known Tripp for a total of 30 minutes

"Theres a Hershey Kiss in every silence" Judy. Still, nothing more to say!

"We have gotten into preaching hoop-skirt sermons. You know, the kind that cover everything and touch nothing." - Dr. James Forbes

"Be thou my wisdom and thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me Lord
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O Ruler of All" - Be Thou My Vision, my favorite hymn, sung or played five times at our conference

I have been asked by my Rector back home to talk about encountering the Holy Spirit, for Pentecost next week. After this week of hearing God speak through preachers, singers, and good friends, I will have no trouble. Alleluia, Christ is risen!

Confessions? or De Doctrina?

"God will not suffer man to have the knowledge of things to come; for if he had prescience of his prosperity he would be careless; and understanding of his adversity he would be senseless."

You are Augustine! You love to study tough issues and don't mind it if you lose sleep over them. Everyone loves you and wants to talk to you and hear your views, you even get things like "nice debating with you." Yep, you are super smart, even if you are still trying to figure it all out. You're also very honest, something people admire, even when you do stupid things.

What theologian are you?

A creation of Henderson

Thats a quiz for seminarians if I ever saw one! Thanks to Salty Vicar for the link...

Ready, Set, Read!

It is reading week here at Seabury, so I am taking a break from studying to update my blog. First, I've added some folks to the blog roll! Everyone say hi to Frog, Mitch, Robyn, our Mississippi friend and the CYSI Online crew. To celebrate, here is a bloggame I found over at Frog's page:

10 bands you have been listening to a lot lately:
Indigo Girls (duh, no shock there!); Lauryn Hill; Jennifer Knapp;
Liz Phair;
Great Big Sea;
Dar Williams;
John Denver;
Secret Garden Soundtrack (yeah, I know, its not a band so much...);
Paul Simon;
Indigo Girls (they get to count twice, cuz I listen to them THAT much!)

9 things you look forward to:
Festival of Homiletics in DC!;
my date on Saturday;
summer weather;
having kids (someday);
Taste of Chicago festival;
Pentecost- our godson will be Baptized then;
Thursday Lunches;
going to weddings this summer;
being ordained (someday... hopefully a sooner "someday" than the kids though)

8 things you like to wear:
tank tops;
my jeans with the ripped hems;
my purple striped cardigan;
sandals;
my strawberry shortcake tshirt;
overalls;
nail polish;
bare feet

7 things that annoy you:
people who hum/sing while i'm talking to them;
when the internet doesn't work;
telemarketers;
talking during movies;
running out of milk;
people who don't read stuff, and then complain they're out of the loop;
bob dylan impersonations;

6 things you say most days:
what do you want for dinner?;
I should be studying...;
And also with you;
i love you!;
Dude! So, what's up with...;
let's get ice cream

5 things you do every day:
drink a sugary beverage;
put on make-up;
think about cleaning up the house;
sing - usually in Chapel;
pet Sydney


4 people you want to spend more time with:
Luke;
Dave;
Josy;
All the people who are graduating and moving away!

3 movies you could watch over and over again:
Moulin Rouge;
Princess Bride;
Newsies

2 of your favorite songs at the moment:
"All That We Let In" - Indigo Girls;
"Martyrs and Theieves" - Jennifer Knapp

1 person you could spend the rest of your life with:
Luke! Thats why I married him!

A Quick Laugh

One of my projects as Worship Chair at Seabury was to organize a training on the use of incense. Luckily for me, our gracious friend the Sacristan had agreed to lead said training. So, as a dutiful organizer, I sent an email out to the community announcing the date and time. A witty student replied to me email, saying "Sorry I can't be there, though I would like to get some scents of how things are done." I love incense jokes.

Music and Mystery

I spent most of last night and most of this morning attending a fantastic workshop on Lift Every Voice and Sing II, one of ECUSA's five hymnals. A great blend of singing, stories, history and humor. It was a blast - and in honor of that, stop over at Jane's page and put in your favorite hymn.
Upon returning from said workshop, some nice soul had put flowers in a paper basket on my door! I have no idea who they are from (Luke is out of town, so the obvious suspect is ruled out) but it was just lovely. To tie up the day, here are some more Indigo Girls lyrics for y'all.

There must be a 1000 things you would die for
I can hardly think of two
But not everything is better spoken aloud
Not when I’m talking to you

Oh the pirate gets the ship and the girl tonight
Breaks a bottle to christen her
Basking in the exploits of her thief
She’s a very good listener
Maybe that’s all that we need
Is to meet in the middle of impossibility
We’re standing at opposite poles
Equal partners in a mystery
- Mystery, Indigo Girls