For a change this week, I thought I’d do my Quick Takes as an audio file. Click on the “Continue reading ->” to see the text of them.
Oh yes… comments regarding Quick Take #2 can be left here. Anything about it (other than unfettered praise) left on this entry will be either edited or deleted.
I posted a lot of these (like 5 of them) during Lent and I think this is a series that I’d like to continue.
Our selection this time is “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” that is used as a processional hymn/gathering hymn/opening hymn in a number of Protestant denominations, mainstream and conservative alike. The tune is Unser Herrscher by Joachim Neander (composed in 1680 — my taste in hymns settings is “the older the better”) and the lyrics are:
Open now thy gates of beauty,
Zion, let me enter there,
Where my soul in joyful duty
Waits for Him Who answers prayer.
Oh, how blessèd is this place,
Filled with solace, light and grace!Lord, my God, I come before Thee,
Come Thou also unto me;
Where we find Thee and adore Thee,
There a heav??n on earth must be.
To my heart, oh, enter Thou,
Let it be Thy temple now!Here Thy praise is gladly chanted,
Here Thy seed is duly sown;
Let my soul, where it is planted,
Bring forth precious sheaves alone,
So that all I hear may be
Fruitful unto life in me.Thou my faith increase and quicken,
Let me keep Thy gift divine,
Howsoe??er temptations thicken;
May Thy Word still o??er me shine
As my guiding star through life,
As my comfort in my strife.Speak, O God, and I will hear Thee,
Let Thy will be done indeed;
May I undisturbed draw near Thee
While Thou dost Thy people feed.
Here of life the fountain flows,
Here is balm for all our woes.
(HT: Net Hymnal)
I love it. because it totally describes the way we should be as we head into Mass/worship/prayer: open to hearing God’s voice with the realization that God is present.
I’m amazed that I found this on YouTube but there *is* a video. Woo. It’s from the installation of a bishop in the ELCA so they have the phatty organ and handbells with a sweet choir. You’ll see women processing in wearing their stoles — the ELCA ordains women as pastors. The last man in the procession who is tall/thin/bearded is Bishop Mark Hanson, the presiding bishop of the ELCA. I actually *like* this particular YouTube video because it shows us Lutherans doing church music well. The congregation is singing in addition to the choir and handbells, which is how I think hymns should be done.
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OK… WordPress apparently hates me tonight so click here to see it.
FOR TODAY May 14, 2012
Outside my window… sunny and hot though there’s a breeze.
I am thinking… that my neck pain has worn out its welcome.
I am thankful… for lots of rest today.
In the kitchen… banana bread at some point this week to take pictures for the blogathon I’m planning on Brett’s behalf.
I am wearing… black t-shirt and green plaid boxers.
I am creating… this entry and a list of topics for Brett’s blogathon.
I am going… to curl up in the recliner and ice my neck once I’m done with this.
I am wondering… why Daniel is so grumpy right now.
I am reading… still on Style, Sex, and Substance ed. by Hallie Lord. The problem is that I kept forgetting to charge my NOOK which is the format in which I have the book.I did read a quickie murder mystery this weekend though — Southern Ghost by Carolyn Hart which was pretty good.
I am hoping… my neck stops misbehaving soon. It’s been almost 2 weeks of pain.
I am looking forward to… my birthday on Saturday.
Around the house… Jon did all the dishes as a Mother’s Day present to me.
A favorite quote for today… how about a song? I’m fond of the alternate title of this one — “Like A Lion”!
One of my favorite things… Daniel snuggling with me yesterday and playing clapping games.
A few plans for the rest of the week: WIC either tomorrow or Wednesday, Strawberry Festival and my birthday on Saturday.
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Oh. Em. Gee. CSI season finale!!! I so do NOT approve of it being a cliffhanger! I will be grumping about this until September. What oh what will I do on Wednesday nights?!?!?!?!?!? (Answer: He-Man reruns and Netflix probably.) It was good to find out what had happened between Finn and Russell and to find out that it was something innocuous and not that they had been involved romantically in an adulterous fashion.
Hart of Dixie was good this week. This show is my guilty pleasure. (I usually watch forensic shows or stuff like The Big Bang Theory.) I loved the scene where Lemon gets her head stuck in the bed frame. It was an interesting message this week in that we see that Zoe’s presence in Bluebell does make a difference. I think it’s applicable to us in that what we do has repercussions and we have the blessing/curse of impacting other peoples’ lives.
I totally loved Abby’s outfit on NCIS this week. I really wish I’d known what had been planned for the bachelor party by Abby because that so did NOT end up happening! I also wonder if there’s anyone else who finds Dr. Samantha Ryan (Jamie Lee Curtis) to have undertones of naughtiness. She evokes a feeling kind of like a few of the characters in an Austin Powers movie.
The wedding on The Big Bang Theory was awesome. I love that all the members of the group of friends were ordained so they all performed the marriage ceremony. I wonder if anything will happen with Penny and Leonard next season…
It has been in the 90’s for the past few days here in Gold Country. Have I mentioned that I hate heat? It’s awful regardless of whether or not it’s a dry heat. Additionally, it’s allergy season so all of us in the house are miserable and I’ve had to find something to work for Daniel. The only good thing is that the heat has tired him out and he’s usually gone down for a decent nap. He only got a 20 minute nap today because he fell asleep while we were running errands and I couldn’t get him back down. Enter in wailing and gnashing teeth on Daniel’s part. We just got him back down. I’m hoping that he was just overtired and that he doesn’t have an ear infection — it would be really hard to diagnose and I’m not sure when I could get him into the doctor tomorrow as we have his IEP in the afternoon.
I’d still love to hear from any parents of special needs kids on their experiences getting services for their kids as well as adventures in raising them. I’m the Guardian Angel for an adorable little boy through Reece’s Rainbow and I’m doing a series on this on my blog dedicated to getting Brett adopted. Please let me know if you’re interested.
The Promise Walk was awesome. I erroneously thought it was Saturday and showed up at Lake Vasona to find nobody there. Go me. I went back on Sunday (without Jon who had to head back up to Gold Country to lead worship) and had a great time. My parents participated too and Mom and I did the three mile walk with Daniel. (My dad bailed out at some unknown distance so we don’t know how far he walked — only that he cheated. :p) It wasn’t as many people as last year but it was still fun. Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital was one of the sponsors and when I told them that I had been in their NICU about 32 years ago (when it was just Stanford Children’s Hospital), they took pictures. I’m guessing they don’t see many of their alumni that often? 🙂 I personally raised about $600 (will have the exact number this weekend) so I’m pretty jazzed.
For more Quick Takes, visit Hallie at BettyBeguiles.Com who is hosting this week while Jen takes some time off. Please keep Jen in your prayers — she witnessed a horrific motorcycle accident and is trying to process all the emotions and images in her brain.
FOR TODAY May 9, 2012
Outside my window… it’s in the 90’s… which is, like, 10-15 degrees hotter than it should be. I hate heat. *grumps*
I am thinking… that people who don’t vote have no business complaining about the way things are.
I am thankful… that Daniel gets tired enough at school to nap.
In the kitchen… looking through the cupboard for my dinner. If I can’t find anything, I’ll do quesadillas.
I am wearing… blue maternity shirt and plaid boxer shorts.
I am creating… this entry among other things.
I am going… to mail in my absentee ballot tomorrow. (We got them today.)
I am wondering… how some of the people on the ballot think they’re going to win.
I am reading… still Style, Sex, and Substance ed. by Hallie Lord. I did read two murder mysteries over the weekend — The Gingerbread Bump-Off by Livia J. Washburn and Marriage is Murder by Nancy Pickard.
I am hoping… my neck stops spasming and the pain goes away. (My neck is the main reason why this entry is two days late.)
Around the house… still relatively clean but there are serious dishes needing to be done.
One of my favorite things… air conditioning. Enough said.
A few plans for the rest of the week: possibly Bible study tomorrow morning and possibly a vet appointment or two for my cats.
A peek into my day… Daniel helping with laundry two weeks ago. He’s so helpful.
Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook
More than a few takes on TV this week because we’re headed into Sweeps Week and season finales.
The previews of next week’s “Hart of Dixie” have me pretty nervous. Does Rose live? Do things get repaired between her and Zoe? Does Zoe go back to New York permanently? I have a feeling that she doesn’t but it was still a cliffhanger on Monday night! I’m also totally irritated that Lemon and George got back together — I was hoping that they were over but I think the wedding is necessary for the show’s plot.
The “Hawaii 5-0″/”NCIS: Los Angeles” crossover was awesome. I don’t know that it will make me watch “Hawaii 5-0” on Monday nights (it conflicts with “Hart of Dixie” where I am) but it gives me another option if there are crappy re-runs on Monday nights for “Hart of Dixie”. (I watched Monday’s episode online.) Anyway, it was excellent as a series of episodes and there were some interesting spiritual takeaways that I may have to expound on at a later time.
Speaking of cliffhangers, the regular NCIS is headed into at least two more related episodes. It was an intense episode on Tuesday night and there promises to be two more like it. I’d love to know why Harper Dearing has become a terrorist though I’m sure we’ll find out next week. It’s also weird seeing Abby outside the lab and next to Ducky in the final scene — I think it was seeing those two together that made me realize how strange and out of place she looks in her black clothes and chains.
I’m starting to love “The Mentalist”. I didn’t think I’d ever get into the show but I’m loving the episodes I’ve seen. I don’t really need another show to follow but this one is fun to watch. It’s kind of interesting to watch because it takes place in northern California and references Sacramento.
“The Big Bang Theory” was pretty forgettable this week. Last week was fun with Howard’s bachelor party and this one had potential with Amy and Sheldon but it kind of fizzled. Having said all that, the next week or two should be interesting. All the sites who care about these things have talked about how the gang is going to be trying to get Howard married off despite the launch.
I need a favor from any parents with special needs kids. I’m doing a series over at Blogging for Brett called “Raising Special Needs Kids” with the purpose of maybe convincing people that raising a special needs kid like Brett is totally possible. If you’re interested, email me. I’m jen at grace-filled dot net.
The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia is on Saturday. Please sponsor me and help make a difference in the lives of pregnant mommies everywhere.
For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.
FOR TODAY April 30, 2012
Outside my window… sunny and warm — probably in the 80’s. I hate heat so I’m inside.
I am thinking… that I’d really do better in the Pacific Northwest climate-wise.
I am thankful… that Daniel is taking a nap right now and that he has adjusted to school.
In the kitchen… ummm… it’s clean?
I am wearing… grey maternity shirt and navy blue running shorts.
I am creating… this entry and plans for a personal blogathon to raise money for my Reece’s Rainbow kid.
I am going… to have to shave my legs before too long — it’s shorts weather.
I am wondering… why I have a headache other than the fact that I was up waaaaaay past my bedtime last night.
I am reading… Style, Sex, and Substance ed. by Hallie Lord.
I am hoping… things cool down around here. It seems wrong that it’s in the 80’s at the end of April in Sacramento.
I am looking forward to… Ladies’ Night Out on Wednesday.
Around the house… it’s clean thanks to my parents coming up and the need to clean for them.
One of my favorite things… quiet.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Ladies’ Night Out, heading to San Jose on Friday, and the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia on Saturday.
Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook