My mind was so occupied this weekend that I forgot that Meditatio’s 3rd birthday was on Saturday. Before she finally settled on Meditatio, she was “Agape”, a Livejournal, and “My World As It Is Sung”.
Peacefulwaters.Org turned 3 years old on July 3rd.
I should like so have made a cake graphic or something…
**UPDATE** I just uploaded a bunch of my archives from February-March 2001 and February-April 2002.
We got a call yesterday afternoon from a member who was supposed to be helping in worship today with his wife. His wife had fallen off a ladder and bruised herself pretty well, so they weren’t going to be able to make it today. When I reported it to Bill, he looked at me and said, “Well… we can find replacements… unless you want to take over their duties.” I graciously offered to give up my 8:00 service nap to help.
The Recounting of Events
Well… if there was ever a morning I needed that nap, it was this one. I had a little too much caffeine yesterday and didn’t get to sleep until probably 2 or 2:30 this morning. To get to church in time for Jon to robe up and get prepped, we have to be out of the house by 7:30 which means that little Jen has to haul tail out of bed by 6:30 — yeah… I was really enthusiastic to do that this morning. I tossed some coffee in my Carnation Instant Breakfast and went over the readings when I got to church. I saw F at the 8:00 service, which is good — we are very much in favor of her being able to attend church without breaking down in tears. (She’s also getting back to work at the LCCVI, which is *VERY* good.) Reading went well as did being the communion assistant.
I had no kids during Sunday School, so I swallowed my pride and sat in on the Sunday School class taught by one of my Small Group leaders. (For the reason I don’t usually attend adult Sunday School, click here. If you want to reply to me on the subject, reply at Meditatio and not the Livejournal entry.) I was glad I did because C (my Small Group leader) was aware of how tired and spacey I was and let me sit and stare into space. The lesson was on Nehemiah and it was nice to work with some Old Testament things for a change.
During the 10:00 service, the youth assigned to read didn’t show up, so the announcements ended along the lines of “our reader doesn’t seem to be here… so why doesn’t Jen read since she read the passage at 8:00 this morning?” Bill’s sermon was good considering he had a really weird passage. I have no idea why the RCL people did this; but it was the passage surrounding the feeding of the 5000 and it was on shepherds and stuff.
The Religious/Theological Stuff
The Communion hymn today was He Leadeth Me which strikes me as one of those comfort hymns from the turn of the 20th century. (OK… it’s a Civil War era hymn — I was close.) The words are:
He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav??nly comfort fraught!
Whate??er I do, where??er I be
Still ??tis God??s hand that leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden??s bowers bloom,
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still ??tis His hand that leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ??tis my God that leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace_ the vict??ry??s won,
E??en death??s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
Bill seems to like to pick these kinds of hymns for Communion hymns perhaps because so many people know them in the church. (The parish is ultra-traditional in liturgical style and the kids *LOVE* it. When we were planning the outdoor service for last weekend, the youth we had helping us was suggesting all these really old-time hymns, which I found very cool.) A lot of us actually walk up to Communion singing them and the congregation can lead themselves instead of having to rely on a cantor or choir. Anyway, this hymn was a really nice one considering all the panicking I’ve done this week — it’s a reminder that I need to be a faithful follower and that He is leading me, not the other way around. Many times, I want to be the one calling the shots and that isn’t what life with Christ is about at all. I need to echo the 3rd verse and be “content, whatever lot I see, since t’is my God that leadeth me.” I need to be content that the repairs on Sable might cost us an arm and a leg; but the Lord has given us transportation this weekend (for $100+ less than we could be paying if we had to have a rental car). I need to be content that the Lord has a plan for my future and I shouldn’t be worrying about money or jobs or anything (though one of the people in my parish did give me some good info on substitute teaching). I need to be content that everything will be OK and I shouldn’t be panicking about every little thing.
I think some prayer time now would do me good…
I was looking at this book on Amazon.Com and I was amazed at how cool it is. It is now at the top of my wishlist. (HINT)
Part of the Amazon.Com review:
The Complete Idiot’s Guide series that has taught us how to do everything from making beer, playing bridge, and fishing to gambling, and living with a cat now ventures into the arena of prayer. Although this may seem like a crass and commercial undertaking, it is certainly true that many people feel unworthy or inadequate when trying to give voice to a prayer. As a primer on Christian prayer, this could be the boost that helps a beginner or a doubter take the leap of faith and start a dialogue with God.
**UPDATE** I broke down and ordered the book.
Overheard on Prairie Home Companion:
“Democrats don’t get angry — we get bumper stickers.”
“Compassionate conservatives would put a child on death row but would grant them a wish before the executed them.”
Oh what the heck… click here to listen to the whole thing.
We talked to our mechanic and they can’t seem to figure out what’s up with Sable. Their diagnostic guy works on Volvos and thinks it’s the fuel pump under the gas tank, so they’re going to drop the fuel tank and see if they can replace it. Bottom line: we’ll probably have Sable back on Monday and repairs are going to be an arm and a leg. I miss driving and I miss Sable, so it’s worth the cost.
My friend Jill called to thank me for proofing her sermon for her and I told her about our predicament. So… she came and got us in Newark and drove us to Columbus and taught Jon how to drive her spare car (Toyota Corolla with a manual transmission). Her car runs well — Jon is just having to get used to driving a stick shift. It was really scary yesterday when she stalled on 270 while getting on 70 to go home. Then… we stalled on the onramp getting on 37 to get home and kept going backward down the ramp. We finally got up the hill and into the turn but Jon isn’t sure how he did it. One of the nice things about Ohio being relatively flat: very few major hills. I don’t think Jon could be doing this if we lived in San Francisco.
So… we have wheels this weekend — and for $70-200 less than it would be otherwise.
It’s 0100 here at Casa K-M and I can’t sleep. Therefore, I’m blogging some things out to clear my mind.
Operation Change Pat Robertson
This was inspired by Rick. Basically, I think that Pat Robertson’s 21-day prayer offensive against the Supreme Court is a bit on the LAME side, so I think we should have “Operation Change Pat Robertson”, which would be a 21-day prayer offensive to change Pat Robertson and make him a compassionate human being instead of someone who needs to be cured of “foot-in-mouth” disease. I’ll make the site if anyone wants to make me a pretty graphic or two.
Unexpected Thank You Note
I got a thank you note in the mail today from the people whose car I dented two weeks ago. Apparently, they were very touched by the fact that I left a note with my contact information so that if there was damage, it could be easily fixed. They praise my “[having] a conscience” and being “mature and responsible”. Ummm thanks… but really I was just covering my butt legally because if I hadn’t left a note, it would be hit and run. Still… I was very surprised to get the note and I am thankful that the people whose car I dented were so gracious. (They actually ended up with a better car than they started with — the body shop even fixed some stuff that dated before me hitting them.)
Car Problems
Sable (our Volvo) has been in the shop for the last few days. They haven’t had a chance to look at her until tonight and the consensus is that it’s probably a bad fuel pump. Please lift some prayer/good karma/pleasant thoughts our way because we’d really like to have her back. I miss driving and it’s also cut into our mobility and freedom a bit. If we can’t have her back by Monday, we’ll have to rent a car because Jon is on call for 3 pastors next week and *needs* wheels.
I am currently being rebuked by my killer attack lemur, so heigh ho heigh ho it’s off to bed I go! *whistles the rest*
If you’ve been following various secular and Christian media outlets, you’ve probably seen the news that Pat Robertson is launching Operation Supreme Court Freedom, which is a 21-day prayer offensive to make 3 justices of the Supreme Court retire so that conservative ones can be appointed in their place. Ummm… isn’t this just a little presumptious? I mean… he’s presuming that he is a.) correct in all of this and b.) that the Lord Almighty didn’t place these judges in power. I mean… they were put on the bench legally. That’s more than we can say for our President. (Sorry… I really couldn’t resist that. Really. I couldn’t.)
Let’s look at Pat’s little manifesto. And for those who want to accuse me of prooftexting it and quoting out of context, you can go to the linked portions and read them yourself. Oh yes… and send any and all hatemail here. (Remove the NOSPAM from the address.) For those who want to fisk me thoroughly, do so in your own journals and leave the link in my comments. Having covered all the hate mail and comment procedures, let’s start…
Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, wrote:
“You seem to think that the Supreme Court is the ultimate arbiter of constitutional interpretation, a very dangerous doctrine indeed and one that would place us under the tyranny of an oligarchy.”
How wise Jefferson was. Yet even Jefferson could not have foreseen what the Supreme Court has done to the Constitution of the United States since 1962. Just think what five unelected judges have done to our nations moral framework.
Yes Pat, let’s quote a deist president who insisted on including the 1st Amendment to the Bill of Rights so that people could have the freedom to worship as they please. Even better, let’s quote someone whose choice of Bible version was one that edited out all the stuff about Jesus. Yeah Pat… you’re real credible there.
So let’s look at the supposed mayhem wreaked by the Supreme Court:
-In 1962, they ruled prayer out of the public schools.
Actually, prayer still exists in school — it just cannot be compulsory. When I was going to school in California (which most in this country view as a state of tofu and avocado eating hippie freaks who worship trees), we were never told not to pray before tests. I had teachers who even gave us a moment of silence before we began to use for prayer or to focus. We were never told we couldn’t pray over lunch — I did all through high school and Christian clubs were allowed in every public school — as long as membership wasn’t compulsory.