Monthly Archives: June 2014

This Past Weekend

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We’re in the process of packing to move right now so I’m going to be relatively scarce this week as I’ve been the past few weeks. I did, however, want to talk about my weekend.

Last week, I received the news from Margaret (my former church choir director in San Jose) that one of the choir members had passed away. Winnie stood next to me in choir for a year and a half until I left for college and then on any Sunday I happened to be home. She and her husband Jack adopted me as their surrogate daughter when I was 17 and they were at my wedding 12 years ago, the last time I had been in the sanctuary at ECA. The funeral was on Saturday and my parents were delighted to watch Daniel so I could go.

It was sad to be back at ECA for the first time in 11 years and to know that Winnie wouldn’t be there. I got big hugs from her husband Jack and I got to see people again that I hadn’t seen for years. One of them was Andy the folk choir director (the folk choir provided the music for the liturgy) and he invited me to come and sing with them on Sunday. I didn’t have any amazing plans for Pentecost so I decided to take him up on the offer. It was the first time I had been in the choir loft in years and I was also pretty amazed (as I had been the day before) that Andy’s musical setting for the liturgy was still present in the recesses of my brain and that I could recall it.

As I was standing in the choir loft on Sunday morning, I realized that the reason I know Rite II of the BCP so well is that I had Winnie praying it in my ear for so long. While I’ve been gone from the Episcopal Church for a long time now, the Book of Common Prayer still remains one of the sources for the words I use to express myself spiritually (the other being the Lutheran Book of Worship) and it all started in that tiny second floor sanctuary in San Jose.

I offer all this to demonstrate that you don’t have to say brilliant things, offer advice at every turn (in fact, don’t — I mean it), or be the perfect Proverbs 31/Titus 2 woman to bring someone to Christ. In fact, all you really have to do is love them and show them the faith that sustains you daily. I’m grateful that Jack and Winnie and really the entire choir at ECA adopted me back then — they are a large part of why I am a Christian today.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Winnie. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

Five Favorites: How I Pray

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Five Favorites

It’s Tuesday morning at 2:45 a.m. and my brain is refusing to shut off so I’m going to do my Five Favorites now and see if I can purge some of what is on my mind.

One

Compline. Compline is referred to as “Night Prayer” by some of my Catholic friends. I use the version in the Book of Common Prayer. The liturgy and readings center me and the prayers give me words when I am severely lacking them at the end of the day.

Two

Devotional reading. I’ve been using Our Daily Bread on and off for about 20 years. The boy sitting next to me in my sociology class during my first semester of high school was reading it and I told him it looked interesting. He told me to keep it and thus started my relationship with RBC Ministries. While it existed, I also read Campus Journal (which is now defunct) which was a devotional geared toward students. It gives me a passage of Scripture to read, a meditation on it, and a short prayer. I find that even if I don’t really get to pray when I’m reading it (usually because I have a loud 5 year old), things from it pop into my mind during the day and I pray extemporaneously about those things.

Three

Music. A large way God speaks to me is through music. I have Air 1 and KLOVE on in the car frequently and sometimes something in a song will hook me and give me something to think about/pray about. I also love to sing and choral music is great for this, especially early, Renaissance, and Baroque sacred music which can move me to tears.

Four

Quiet church. During Lent, Beth Anne assigned me the Lenten penance of finding a church to pray in once or twice a week. Being able to sit in quiet and focus on the Cross is incredibly helpful to me, especially when my brain is spinning and I need it to silence itself.

Five

Scripture. God’s Word speaks to me in interesting ways and it’s where I look when I don’t have the words to pray. The Gospels remind me of who Jesus is and the Psalms remind me that God is chill with me having emotions.

Go love up Hallie and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: What I Wore on Sunday Edition

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY June 1, 2014

Outside my window… warmish. Probably in the 80’s today.

I am thinking… about everything that has to get done in the next two weeks.

I am thankful… for the two men who stopped and helped me change a flat tire yesterday even though I totally had it under control on my own.

In the kitchen… grilled cheese sandwich made with pesto gouda and sourdough bread from Trader Joe’s.

I am wearing… navy blue shirt from Old Navy and black capri sweats from Target.

I am praying for… someone to be able to adopt 3 of my 4 kitties.

I am going… to be spending tomorrow morning at Les Schwab getting my tire replaced. Thank God for the spare in my trunk.

I am wondering… about a lot of the things in my life right now.

I am reading… At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon. I need some light reading and her books do the deal.

I am hoping… I can get boxes sourced this week.

I am looking forward to… Daniel going to sleep. He’s been in rare form today.

I am hearing Leverage on TV.

Around the house… things to pack.

A favorite quote for today… “The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of. Our attention would have been on God.” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… iced chai tea latté from $tarbux.

A few plans for the rest of the week: packing, ABA therapy for Daniel in the afternoons, packing, Daniel’s preschool graduation, packing, Ladies’ Night Out on Wednesday, packing, a meeting on Friday, packing, and possibly a funeral on Saturday.

A peek into my day… Edda and I before church. Everything I was wearing (black polo shirt and denim skirt) was inherited from my sister-in-law except for my flip-flops (Old Navy ), my Celtic cross (Fellowship Foundry, procured at Tapestry and Talent 19 years ago), and my house panther.

Edda and I before church.

What I Wore on Sunday

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook and Fine Linen and Purple. Go see the lovely ladies at Fine Linen and Purple when you’re done here.