And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. - Sylvia Plath
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007,7:10 PM
Halloween 2007
So I'm sure the Halloween parties are still continuing somewhere, but our celebrations are over. The Clawson family, at Emma's insistence, dressed up as pirates this year. I honestly don't know if she got the pirate theme from Veggie Tales ("The Pirates who don't do anything" which has been stuck in my head this entire week) or from the Dora Pirate Adventure. But we all had to be pirates (Daddy Pirate, Mommy Pirate, and Emma Pirate as she called us). Last night our church threw a Halloween Party for the people we rent space from on Sunday morning. During the week the space is a community center for mentally handicapped adults. They are a fantastic group who are so transparent in their love for each other and their caregivers. There is a lot we can learn about true community from them. But we wanted to say thanks for letting us rent the space and so threw a big party. It was a great time full of games, crafts, and tons of junk food.
Tonight Mike took Emma around Trick or Treating and I stayed home to pass out candy and hot Spiced Apple Cider. It was really strange having it be warm enough (barely) to sit out on the porch the whole evening and for it to stay light so late on Halloween (I like this Daylight Savings change). The Superhero costumes were way down this year while the scary masks and gender bender costumes were way up. The number of boys I saw dressed as princesses, cheerleaders, and even one French maid was amusing. I saw just one Hermione and one High King Peter (from Narnia) who was really happy because I actually knew what his costume was (I apparently was the only one all evening). My favorite though was the little boy in a Darth Vader costume with instead of the mask a rainbow colored plastic mohawk. I thought it was funny. We all ate way too much candy and have tons leftover. In all another fun Halloween.
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Sunday, October 28, 2007,7:22 PM
Pumpkin Time
So last weekend we took Emma out to a local farm to pick some pumpkins. She got to ride in a wagon out to the patches to help pick out the ones we wanted. Then Mike got to pull the wagon with her and three big pumpkins back to the front :)Tonight we carved the pumpkin. Emma really got into pulling out the pumpkin gunk and just started eating the raw pumpkin. I made roasted pumpkin seeds while Mike carved. Emma thought it was the coolest thing ever to put a candle in it and go outside in the dark. Let's just see it if last the few days until Halloween!
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Wednesday, July 04, 2007,10:28 AM
July 4
So its Empire Worship Day here in the USA. Now I really don't have an issue with the idea of a national holiday (Holy Day???) and I generally enjoy the bbqs, ice cream socials, and fireworks. But generally this day is a day of idolatry. Even in our churches pledges are said to a foreign god, hymn are sung to a temporal entity, and our citizenship to this country is promoted far above our citizenship to the Kingdom of God. (this article is a must read each year at this time). So this year it was refreshing for the first time in recent memory not to have to engage in idolatry just because I wanted to attend church around July 4. I will not be attending the local fireworks fest where last year the Rebel flag seemed as prominent as the US flag. I will not be twisting the truth and thanking the troops for my freedom to not have to wear a burka. I will continue to be offended by the "If you can read this in English thank a Vet" and the "Does my American Flag Offend You? Call 1-800- LEAVE THE USA" bumper stickers I've seen recently. I will try to avoid the worst displays of civil religion and propaganda. Sure I'll watch the fireworks (not like my neighbors haven't been setting some off every night for the last two weeks...), maybe even cook some slab of meat out on the grill but I won't check my mind, my beliefs, and my values at the door in patriotic fervor.
But I will take the historical perspective and reflect on the Declaration of Independence. It's interesting to read the full thing (not just the first part) where all the grievances against King George are listed. It's hard to tell which George they are being leveled against and not so hard to understand why our presence isn't welcome in Iraq (ht- Benjamin Ady). Included in the list as to why the USA engaged in violent revolution against this tyrant are -
Happy Fourth of July.
But I will take the historical perspective and reflect on the Declaration of Independence. It's interesting to read the full thing (not just the first part) where all the grievances against King George are listed. It's hard to tell which George they are being leveled against and not so hard to understand why our presence isn't welcome in Iraq (ht- Benjamin Ady). Included in the list as to why the USA engaged in violent revolution against this tyrant are -
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Happy Fourth of July.
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Sunday, May 13, 2007,3:45 PM
Mother's Day
So I preached the Mother's Day sermon this morning (perfect way to honor moms - let them lead and don't make them cook). Thinking back over the Mother’s Day sermons I have heard at various points in my life - at best they were pathetic attempts to tell moms that they really are contributing something worthwhile to society and at worst were excuses to tell women why God doesn’t want them to work outside the home.
Obviously I wasn't interested in rubberstamping gender roles today. I didn't preach on what women have to be like or should be 'allowed' to be like. I just told stories. Stories of women, of mothers, who worked to make this world a better place. Stories that highlighted that often it is the women who are the only ones who can be heard and make a difference in certain situations.
We set the stage with the story of Naboth's vineyard from 1 Kings 21. As story of taking a stand against injustice.
We then noticed the striking parallels of that Biblical account with the modern day struggle of the women of the Niger Delta in their struggle against Chevron/Texaco.
But why stories of justice on Mother's Day? For that we told the story of the origins of Mother's Day in America which are rooted in mothers coming together to work for peace, justice, and equality. Women who see their identity as women and mothers (as human beings) as being more important than battle lines and nationality. As Julia Ward Howe wrote as she called for the first Mother's Day for Peace -
To explore those themes we told a couple more stories of women who changed their world. First we looked at the Mothers of the Disappeared who stood up to the evil military regime in Argentina. Then we turned to the Congo and watched a short film about women who are making better lives for their families through literacy and community banking programs like WORTH (a global women's empowerment program).
I like telling stories. I like claiming the strength of these women to inspire.
Happy Mother's Day
Obviously I wasn't interested in rubberstamping gender roles today. I didn't preach on what women have to be like or should be 'allowed' to be like. I just told stories. Stories of women, of mothers, who worked to make this world a better place. Stories that highlighted that often it is the women who are the only ones who can be heard and make a difference in certain situations.
We set the stage with the story of Naboth's vineyard from 1 Kings 21. As story of taking a stand against injustice.
We then noticed the striking parallels of that Biblical account with the modern day struggle of the women of the Niger Delta in their struggle against Chevron/Texaco.
But why stories of justice on Mother's Day? For that we told the story of the origins of Mother's Day in America which are rooted in mothers coming together to work for peace, justice, and equality. Women who see their identity as women and mothers (as human beings) as being more important than battle lines and nationality. As Julia Ward Howe wrote as she called for the first Mother's Day for Peace -
Mother's Day Proclamation - 1870
by Julia Ward Howe
Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."
From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe our dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.
To explore those themes we told a couple more stories of women who changed their world. First we looked at the Mothers of the Disappeared who stood up to the evil military regime in Argentina. Then we turned to the Congo and watched a short film about women who are making better lives for their families through literacy and community banking programs like WORTH (a global women's empowerment program).
I like telling stories. I like claiming the strength of these women to inspire.
Happy Mother's Day
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Labels: Gender Issues, Holidays, Social Justice
Sunday, April 08, 2007,12:31 AM
[Grid::Blog::Via Crucis 2007] - Easter Morning
John 20
The Empty Tomb
1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"
3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
I am not one to get up early. If I had my way I would sleep late everyday. I like sleep. I try to sleep as much as I can. But then there are those nights when the world just seems so wrong, so off, so empty that sleep seems far away. How can one sleep when everything has gone wrong? When all of one's hopes, dreams, and plans have come to an abrupt end? Why sleep when you have to wake up to that slow sad realization that everything has changed - your life has fallen apart?
It was nights like those that came to mind as I read the Resurrection passage here. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb.. I picture her unable to sleep since the crucifixion - unwilling to accept the horror and get on with life by subcumming to such an everyday habit of life as sleep. So while it is still dark she goes to the tomb.
The experience of the past few days cannot be processed. How could she ever come to terms with what happened? He had promised a new Kingdom and a new and more glorious way of life. He had challenged what was wrong with the world and offered hope to the suffering. He had encouraged her as a woman to follow him. How could he let this happen? How could it all just be over?
I picture Mary going to the tomb because there was no where else she felt she could possibly be. Annointing spices were a good reason, but like so many others across time, she had to return to that which she had lost. The life, the promises, the man. Life cannot go forward, she can't get back what had been lost. The grieving process has hardly begun and so all she can think to do is go to the tomb. Be as close as she can to that which was lost.
To find that the stone had been moved.
Anger, rage, confusion, fear. How does one handle the torrent of emotions? How does one respond to this new affront? At this point how can there be any hope of a happy ending?
Easter for us is a time of joy. It is the symbol of hope and of life. The first day of the week is a time of celebration, time to express our joy. But I wonder what extremities of emotion those who discovered the empty tomb experienced before the truth was fully revealed.
I pray for a blessed Easter for all who read this. And I pray that the joy and celebration will not just be a veneer on the realities of life. I pray that the trappings and the traditions will not just be perfunctory elements this year, but instead be personal and transformative. May the message of Jesus and the hope of the Resurrection permeate your life and meet you in the midst of whatever you are dealing with. May Christ be celebrated for conquering death, setting captives free, and healing the brokenhearted.
He is Risen.
May we be able to answer with all that we are - He is Risen Indeed!
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Labels: Easter, Holidays, Via Crucis Gridbllog
Tuesday, December 26, 2006,4:24 PM
Christmas 2006
So we had a wonderful extended Christmas. My parents came to visit the week before and Mike's parents and sister were here the weekend before Christmas. So we had a fun and drawn out celebration. Emma really loves all the trappings of Christmas - the music, the trees, the decorations, the cookies, the presents, and having family around. I'm not sure how she will react when it all goes away.
We had a wonderful Fondue Christmas dinner on the 23rd. We were of course too full to even think about doing the dessert fondue that night, so we had waffles and fruit with chocolate amaretto fondue for breakfast on Christmas Eve - a tradition I highly recommend. Then of course I had to have tamales, guacamole, and shrimp cocktail on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas Day we did lots of appetizers, and today I'm cooking an after Christmas sale turkey. So needless to say, we've eaten some seriously yummy food in the last few days. January's for dieting, right?
We had our Via Christus Christmas Eve service here. It was a smaller group, but still a special time. We sang my favorite Christmas carols (one of the perks of being in on service planning...), shared Christmas memories, and celebrated the advent of Jesus together. All the kids were part of the service, and my vote for the moment of the season was when Corwin and Emma decided to kiss each other on the lips in front of everyone - I could hardly stop laughing.We opened gifts with Mike's family on Christmas Eve. Emma seemed to have more fun taking gifts to people than opening them herself. She does seem to really enjoy the Little People Castle and Toy House she got from her two sets of grandparents. She's really beginning to get into pretend play so those are just perfect for her right now. Everyone got me books this year which is fantastic so I now have a huge stack of books to read. Some carolers from the neighborhood came by that evening as well - it was really a fun night.
Mike's family left early on Christmas, so we spent the day relaxing and "playing" with our new toys. We watched movies, played games, and just had fun together as a family. Read more about it at Mike's blog. After the busyness leading up to Christmas (although it was all really really fun), it was great to just relax. We still have New Year's to go - a church service and all night party at a local camp which should be really fun. But as always I find this time of year weird. I want to get back to a more normal life, but I don't want the holidays to end. I like the decorations and lights and focus of the season and returning to ordinary life can be deflating. It's just an awkward time of year - and stranger still this year because we didn't travel and so the holidays are over early for us. But catching up on real life beckons...
So that was our Christmas. It was fun, and crazy, and relaxing. I hope your holiday was just as special.
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Sunday, December 24, 2006,1:24 PM
Fourth Sunday of Advent - Reflections
”And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. – Luke 2:8-12
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” – Luke 4:14-21
Good tidings of great joy. Born this day. Today this scripture is fulfilled.
As we light the Advent candle today we celebrate joy. Joy in the promises of a Messiah, joy in the waiting and longing, joy in the hope, and peace, and love. Good tiding of great joy. Joy is our response to Advent. To the hope that a better world is possible. To the promise of peace on earth. To the love we give and receive.
And this joy is a joy we can celebrate now. Christ is born. The promises of scripture have been fulfilled. The Kingdom is here and now. There is hope for the poor, there is freedom for the oppressed, there is sight for the blind. We can take joy that Christ has come and is at work in the world.
The past week I came upon a blog where the author was demanding that “Joy to the World” not be sung as Christmas. His reasoning was that it is not a song about Christ’s first advent (his birth), but a song about the second coming of Christ. He believes that none of the things celebrated in the song have happened or can happen until Christ returns, so there is no reason to ever sing the words “joy to the world.”
But we have the words of the Angels and Christ himself that we can have joy today. Christ has come – love dwelled among us, hope was born in a manger. And we who choose to follow in the way of Christ can proclaim that joy and work for that joy. We are called to share that joy. To be the ones giving hope. The ones bringing freedom from oppression. The ones making sure the words “joy to the world” are a reality. The ones making sure sins and sorrows do not grow. The ones working the wonders of his love.
So this Advent, this Christmas – let us not just “repeat the sounding joy,” but let us be the harbingers of that Joy.
For Joy to the world the Lord is come.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
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Labels: Holidays, Reflections
Friday, December 22, 2006,10:32 AM
The Light Returns
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
Today we celebrate the return of the light. The longest night is passed and the light returns to our land. I never paid much attention to the Solstice until I moved up north. But the return of the light, so rich in symbolic annd religious meaning, is a symbol and reality of hope. Even amidst the cold and the darkness the despair cannot win. The light shines forth, better days are ahead, life and light dwell upon the earth. Blessings and Joie this Solstice.
"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
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Sunday, December 17, 2006,12:08 AM
Third Sunday of Advent - Reflections
“Hallelujah. Holy shit. Where's the Tylenol?” – Clark Griswold, Christmas Vacation
Earlier this month in South Carolina a mother had her 12 year old son arrested for finding and playing with a Christmas present early. The trappings and habits of Christmas were apparently more important that this child’s criminal record for life.
In Chappaqua, New York, a merchant put up blue-and white snowflake flags with the word "Welcome" printed on them. Apparently some in the town felt the flags were too reminiscent of traditional Hanukkah colors, were shaped like dreidels, and had Hebrew-style lettering, so they complained--vocally--to the woman who had purchased them. So much for her attempt to spiff up the shopping street.
A new poll out by Zogby International reported recently that 32 percent of Americans say they are offended when a store clerk wishes them "Happy Holidays" instead of “Merry Christmas." Because being offended really helps spread the love and joy of Christmas.
This is the world we are celebrating Christmas in this year. A world where our personal rights and preferences are more important than the command to love our neighbor. A world where creating the perfect Martha Stewart Christmas is more important than spending time with our families. A world where trivia about Christmas becomes more important than the implications of incarnation.
This week, the third Sunday of Advent, we light the candle representing love (and yes, I know, in some traditions this week’s theme is joy, but traditions change – do you see anyone focusing on the traditional themes of death, judgment, heaven, and hell during advent?). This advent season we have focused on hope and peace – that we can have hope in God’s kingdom working in this world and that we can work for peace. But honestly, it is almost easier to have hope and be a peacemaker in the big things. We can care about stopping AIDS and violence, but are we really ready to love?
Are we ready to love those who are hurting? Those who are sick? Those who come from a different culture than us? Are we ready to love the person who just took our parking space at the mall? Our child who just broke another Christmas ornament? The secularist who is trying to get the Christmas Carols out of the public schools? The gay couple down the street? The illegal worker who picked the produce in our fridge? The boss who paid that worker far less than minimum wage to pick that produce? Are we ready to love not just children dying of AIDS in Africa, but the prostitute dying of AIDS in our community? Are we ready to love not just in a perfunctory Christiany “of course I love them” sort of way, but a way that actually lets them see that God loves them too?
Are we ready to be Christ’s hands and feet? Are we ready to really be the body of Christ? Are we ready to be the incarnation?
Christmas is the celebration of the incarnation. The indwelling of love on earth. Our hope in a better world and our longing for peace find their answer in this embodiment of love. “For God so loved the world that he sent his only son.” As the carol penned by Christina Rossetti proclaims –
Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.
And as the church, as the body of Christ, we now are the manifestation of that love. Love is our token – love for God and love for man. We talk about how we are blessed to be a blessing – and we are called to be that blessing (to love others) not just in Haiti, or Africa, or at the food pantry – but in our day to day lives. In our families, in our communities, and in our service encounters. It’s a lot easier to be selfish and petty and talk about love abstractly (like I’m doing now), but we are called to be living, breathing incarnations of love – even at Christmastime. Are we ready (and willing) to do that?
I want to close with a reading of a paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13 written especially for Christmas.
The Advent of Love
Set your feet on higher ground this year and I will show you the way to Bethlehem.
If I speak with the earthy language of Luke and also sing with the heavenly hosts, but share the Christmas story again without making it a love story, it becomes a noisy song and a tinseled symbol.
And if I have powers of imagination and pretend to understand the mystery of incarnation and know my theology cold; and if I have faith that's been to the mountain, but let that theology remain outside the stable; and if I take a wiseman's journey without love, I stay in the darkness.
If I offer rare and precious gifts in this season, and if I expend all my energy in pageants and parties, but make these offerings in order that others may love me, I gain nothing of the spirit of Christmas.
Love in this season is patient with those who think Christmas will never get here, and love keeps words kind in spite of the frantic pace which overtakes us. Love in our celebration rules out gift exchanges that are self-serving; questions valuing persons by the price of their gifts; avoids rudeness in the shopping place.
Love in December days is not irritated by the trite and the trivial nor resentful of demands others make of us. It does not dwell on the wrongs in the world, but finds joy in the truth of God's gift.
Love in Advent bears the burden of history unfolding; believes in the reality of the Word made flesh; hopes for good will and enduring peace among all. …
From Love’s Letters: A Poetic Book of Confessions by George Gunn
(Library Lane Press / Copyright 2001)
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Monday, December 11, 2006,3:12 PM
A Child's Christmas
So Emma is beginning to be fasinated with all things Christmas. She knows who Santa Claus is - and actually sat on his lap this year (as opposed to the screaming in terror from last year). She points out every "mis-mas" tree she sees and has to start singing "winkle winkle witwil tar" every time she sees a star. (just like the ABC song gets sung whenever she sees letters - which means all the time). It's really cute. She likes the Christmas tree and tries to pull off all the ornaments - especially the Star Wars figures ones. I don't know if I should be scared or flattered that she calls the Princess Leia from ROTJ in the metal bikini "mommy." She also likes to play with her "baby Jesus, mommy, baa-baa, and woof-woof" set. We have the Fisher-Price Little People Nativity which is great for her to play with although I'm pretty sure there were no Border Collies at the manger and that the Holy Family weren't all white with blond hair while the manual laboring shepherds were all hispanics... Not that Emma knows what any of this means, she's just fasinated with it all. And we are having fun watching her discover. So tis the season for cute family stuff, so be prepared for this blog to be heavy on the Emma stuff this month!
Sunday, December 10, 2006,8:49 AM
Second Sunday of Advent - Reflections
Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Peace seems to be popular this time of year. It’s safe to talk about peace during advent. Bring it up during the rest of the year and you get labeled (dismissed) as a liberal hippie who hates America, but as Christmas nears peace becomes respectable again. We hear it in Linus telling us the real meaning of Christmas straight from the KJV. We see it embroidered on pillows, illuminated with lights and glitter, and flashed on the television screen. It is part of the warm fuzzies of Christmas – Peace on Earth.
But what do our words really mean? To quote the prophet Bono –
“You hear it every Christmastime
When hope and history won't rhyme
So what's it worth?
This peace on Earth”
What are our words worth. What are we asking for? What is it we are caring about?
This Sunday, the second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of Peace. Last week we talked about hope – hope that the light does shine in the darkness – that there is good in this world and it’s worth fighting for. It is hard to believe that another world is possible without that hope, but what is hope without action – what is faith without works?
If we do not work for peace then truly what are our words worth? It is ours to raise awareness, ours to sound the alarms, ours to push for change, ours to care for individual lives, ours to follow the way of Christ. Peace on earth requires action and awareness.
This weekend has been set aside as a Weekend of Prayer for Darfur. The violence continues to escalate there, women especially are targeted with violence and rape, and now aid workers are being killed. This is a genocide that is being likened to Rwanda and the Holocaust. If our words “peace on earth” mean anything we will care about peace in Darfur. We will care and take action.
During Advent we look to the incarnation of Christ Jesus. We long for his coming and rejoice in the new word, the new kingdom we ushers in. A Kingdom in which Hope and Peace are possible. Where the darkness does overcome the light and we are the ones working to dispel that darkness through peace. We sing at Advent -
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
To remind us that Peace is not just a cute Christmas phrase, I want to share two prayers. The first is the prayer of a Darfuri woman. The second is the prayer of St. Francis, recalling to us that peace begins with our actions.
Prayer from a Darfuri Woman
“I want to join my prayers to many other voices. Every few months we are driven away from one refugee camp to the other, so far in the desert where nothing, nothing at all exists. This is no way for a human being to live. No way to live in such a shocking place – uncultivated, waterless, treeless and barren region...! Everything is burning, Lord, around me, around us ... in me, in us ... Everything is barren, hell, hell...! Yet, Lord, we believe you are there, beside us. We pray for all the Africans living now our same condition. Bring back peace and tranquility to our beloved country. Peace which is desired by everybody, the old and young, rich and poor, women and men. Amen...amen...Let it be so.”
— © Gloria Silvano, Sudan / CAFOD
The Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred ... let me sow love
Where there is injury ... pardon
Where there is doubt ... faith
Where there is despair ... hope
Where there is darkness ... light
Where there is sadness ... joy
Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled ... as to console
To be understood ... as to understand,
To be loved ... as to love
For it is in giving ... that we receive,
It is in pardoning ... that we are pardoned,
It is in dying ... that we are born to eternal life
Amen
If you want a reminder of what we need to work for, watch this.
U2 – Peace on Earth
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Tuesday, December 05, 2006,10:26 PM
Trimming the Tree
So we decorated the tree tonight. This was our first year ever to have a real tree (after our duct taped fake tree collapsed on Emma a couple of times last year, we decided to try the real thing). While Emma was a bit scared at the tree farm and clung to my pants the whole time, she hasn't really seemed to notice that there is a tree in the house yet (granted we put her to bed before we actually started decorating it...).
We used colored lights this year. I have no clue where those lights even came from. I like the white lights, but behold we had half a dozen new boxes of colored lights in with the Christmas stuff. Mike pulled the "Emma would like the colored lights better" tricks and out voted me (plus he called me a tree light racist since I don't like colored lights). So we have colored lights...
With Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick Jr., and Enya singing the sounds of the season in the background and fortified with spiced wine, we decorated the tree. Now some people have pretty trees - all decorative and coordinated. We have a memory tree. I have (almost) 29 years of ornaments (often multiple per year) as does Mike. So on the tree are "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments from 1977, 1978, and 2005. I have at least 4 Texas shaped ornaments (Merry Christmas Y'all), Hallmark series from the 80's and 90's, and ornaments we picked up from our honeymoon in Europe. Then there is my Cathedrals of the World set - I can only put up the ones I've actually visted (7 out of 12 isn't bad). And pop culture is fully represented as well. From our childhoods we have Snoopy, Strawberry Shortcake, the Muppets, and the Smurfs (that would be Mike's given that the Smurfs were banned as New Age in my family). Of course the whole Hallmark Star Wars and Lord of the Rings series are there as well as a few Harry Potter, Winnie-the-Pooh, and Veggie Tales ornaments. And Emma got an Elmo one this year. So it is a memory tree - a tree that is about us, our stories, our lives.
So for a cultural tradition, we go all the way. The tree, the ornaments, the music, the TV shows (the Sesame Street Gift of the Magi with Bert, Ernie, and Mr. Hooper was on today - I had the record of that - fun memories) ... Are we a product of our culture, sure. Do I think it cheapen or takes the meaning out of Christmas? Not at all. I embrace Christmas with all its cultural, pagan, and religious roots. It just adds to the richness of the celebration. To celebrate the return of the light, to give gifts, to tell cultural folk tales, to get to decorate with my favorite colors, to listen to happy music, to see family, to remember the birth of Jesus - it is all meaningful in its own way.
So Merry Christmas all. Have fun decorating your trees.
Labels: Holidays, Personal, Reflections
Sunday, December 03, 2006,3:58 PM
Reflections - First Sunday of Advent
"It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stay with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something."
"...What are we holding onto, Sam?" said Frodo
"...That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo...and it's worth fighting for."
- Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The world is full of darkness. We see the hate, the fear, and the violence all around us. Just this past week we saw the setting aside of two days to acknowledge – and therefore help fight – violence against women and the AIDS pandemic. In light of such evil, pain, and suffering it often seems like the dark is winning. The problems are getting worse and that there is nothing we can do to make a difference.
But even at this time of year as the days get shorter and it seems like darkness is taking over, we are called to remember the light. To set aside a season and through the physical action of lighting candles remember that there is hope. We pray for God’s Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven and during this season of advent we remember to live in that kingdom. To live in the light – to be the glimpses of hope shining in the darkness.
For the incarnation was the advent of a new kingdom – an upside-down kingdom that shatters the darkness and proclaims good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and help for the oppressed. A kingdom of hope, of peace, of justice. A kingdom where the hungry are fed, the sick are healed, and the abused comforted. Where children aren’t sold as sex slaves, where women don’t fear their husbands, where medicines are available to all, where children don’t starve to death every day. A kingdom where darkness is overcome by light.
This advent let us remember that hope, let us live in that hope, let us be that hope. We are the ones who choose to follow the way of Christ and bring about his kingdom. Let us remember and let us proclaim that there is hope. The world isn’t all bad, the light of the kingdom is breaking through, Aslan is on the move, there is good in this world and it’s worth fighting for.
Prayer for Advent: Hope in a Dark Time
In this time of darkness,
We choose to look toward the Light.
In this time when so many are suffering,
We choose faith, not despair,
We choose the work of compassionate justice.
As we move together,
Hungry for transformation, for hope,
Our steps themselves
Transform us, nourish us.
We are on constant pilgrimage,
Moving to the heart of things,
Reaching beyond what any one of us
Can accomplish ourselves.
The brightness of the Incarnation
Guides us as we continue,
With the promise of the Prince of Peace
As the bright star in these dark nights.
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Sunday, November 26, 2006,11:34 PM
Thanksgiving
We spent Thanksgiving this year in Michigan. It was a fun gathering of family at Mike’s parent’s house. Emma wasn’t too sure what to think of so many new people all at once, but she grew used to the attention. She also was fasinated with the cats and spent lots of time chasing them all around the house. I’m sure the cats were happy to see her leave, they tried to avoid her as much as possible while she was there.
It was good for her to get to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa – although we are still trying to get her to say Grandma’s name. I’m sure she had fun on Friday with Grandpa while the rest of us went out to brave Black Friday. Apparently Grandpa let her have just juice and pumpkin pie all day – she still hasn’t stopped asking for “pum-in pie.” Shopping wasn’t all that bad. We had a fun day out, but it was weird being without Emma for so long. We even got to go see the new James Bond movie. I really liked it – and besides the Mario Brothers meets Fear Factor opening action sequence it was the best Bond movie yet.
We of course had to dress Emma in her Texas outfit the day of the UT vs A&M game which meant her Michigan relatives had to search for UofM gear to balance things out.
The long drive is getting harder since Emma doesn’t sleep in the car much anymore. We had to make stops for her to get out of her seat. At this stop she decided she had to drive and push all the buttons.
Saturday, November 25, 2006,6:27 PM
The Real Christmas?
So the Christmas season is officially upon us now that Thanksgiving is over and done with (not that stores haven’t been pushing it since July…). I did give in and listened to Christmas music last week, but just once, really. Well I was driving today and had the radio on one of those “we play anything” stations. I had stopped on it because they were playing Enya’s Silent Night – a beautiful, ethereal, gaelic version. It was very peaceful. Then this song come on immediately following -
At first I was annoyed. That’s the kind of thing that spoils Christmas, I thought. Cheap, cheesy crap that has nothing to do with joy and peace and all that. That is the real war on Christmas. But then I thought that no, this song represents the real Christmas for most Americans. An odd family gathering that is awfully real and mundane but is special because it is meant to be special. It’s not about the tinsel and the tree or whether or not the greeters at Walmart say “happy holidays” or “merry Christmas” (or even this year’s silly “be bright”) – what does any of that matter next to real people, real families, real hurts, real needs, real life?
Merry Christmas From the Family by Keen Robert Earl
Mom got drunk and Dad got drunk at our Christmas party
We were drinking champagne punch and homemade eggnog
Little sister brought her new boyfriend
He was a Mexican
We didn't know what to think of him until he sang
Felis Navidad, Felis Navidad
Brother Ken brought his kids with him
The three from his first wife Lynn
And the two identical twins from his second wife Mary Nell
Of course he brought his new wife Kay
Who talks all about AA
Chain smoking while the stereo plays Noel, Noel
The First Noel
Carve the Turkey
Turn the ball game on
Mix margaritas when the eggnog's gone
Send somebody to the Quickpak Store
We need some ice and an extension chord
A can of bean dip and some Diet Rites
A box of tampons, Marlboro Lights
Haleluja everybody say Cheese
Merry Christmas from the family
Fred and Rita drove from Harlingen
I can't remember how I'm kin to them
But when they tried to plug their motor home in
They blew our Christmas lights
Cousin David knew just what went wrong
So we all waited out on our front lawn
He threw a breaker and the lights came on
And we sang Silent Night, Oh Silent Night, Oh Holy Night
Carve the turkey turn the ball game on
Make Bloody Mary's
Cause We All Want One!
Send somebody to the Stop 'N Go
We need some celery and a can of fake snow
A bag of lemons and some Diet Sprites
A box of tampons, some Salem Lights
Haleluja, everybody say cheese
Merry Christmas from the Family
At first I was annoyed. That’s the kind of thing that spoils Christmas, I thought. Cheap, cheesy crap that has nothing to do with joy and peace and all that. That is the real war on Christmas. But then I thought that no, this song represents the real Christmas for most Americans. An odd family gathering that is awfully real and mundane but is special because it is meant to be special. It’s not about the tinsel and the tree or whether or not the greeters at Walmart say “happy holidays” or “merry Christmas” (or even this year’s silly “be bright”) – what does any of that matter next to real people, real families, real hurts, real needs, real life?
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Wednesday, November 01, 2006,2:29 PM
Halloween
So Halloween was a hit around here. I wasn't too sure how Emma would respond and so we hadn't even planned to take her trick-or-treating. But we got caught up in the excitment and eded up having a great time. We dressed Emma in her Supergirl costume and in honor of The Ooze Mike and I dressed up as Gandalf and Mara Jade. 
. It's Chicago, so it was of course cold, but not as bad as it has been in previous years. So we layered Emma up and she and Mike went out while I passed out candy. Apparently it took her awhile to catch onto the whole trick-or-treat thing and her friend May had to show her how to do it. And after Mike gave her some candy corns, she was then was quite happy to go door to door to get yum-yums. In fact she so enjoyed it that this morning she insisted on putting her costume back on, picking up her pumpkin, and pointed at the front door and said "yum-yums?". I gave in on the costume part and ran all my errand today with a little supergirl in tow. Oh, and she is enthralled with the toy lightsaber. She even know how to make the spiffy lightsaber hum sound. A kid after our own hearts! 
. She did also get to go to a really fun Halloween party on Monday. She played games (kinda), ate jello for the first time, and bobbed for apples. Well actually she splashed in the water and then grabbed an apple, but the thoughts still there...
. She also got a goodie bag at the party and soon discovered that it held a child sized pair of fake sunglasses with the big nose attached and some bubbles. Well she has decided that the universe is not right unless mommy puts on the too small glasses and blows her bubbles. It was cute for awhile, but mommy does have other things to do. Sometimes. Anyway Halloween was a huge hit, now I just need to convey to her that its a once a year event...
Thursday, December 08, 2005,11:09 PM
chocolate crap
So for the last day or so I have been attempting to make holiday goodies with chocolate and have had mixed results. Recipes that I've never had issues with before went seriously wrong and (sin of sins) I have ruined a decent amount of chocolate. For example - I made three batches of fudge with differing results (none of which were the outcome I was looking for). One batch is a smooth truffle like candy - yummy, but not really fudge like. Another batch is very soft with toffee like consistency. Then the final batch is brick hard. Then I was melting chocolate to dip things in (like nilla wafers and pretzels) and one batch burnt. It makes no sense given that I did everything exactly the same for every batch! Anyway, so we had this mass of burnt chocolate with peppermint undertones and I was getting quite upset about how I kept ruining the chocolate. So we started playing with the chocolate and since it looked pretty much like a giant turd, Mike took it outside and dumped it in the snow (see picture below). So there is a very large turd-like piece of burnt peppermint chocolate in our yard which was really silly at the moment but yeah.... anyway the point is I need to stop making crap and actually get some edible stuff made sometime soon!
Sunday, December 04, 2005,3:37 PM
tis the season...
So its finally December and therefore one can celebrate Christmas without the "shouldn't we at least wait until Thanksgiving is over" guilt trip. So far its snowed each day this month but I think there is still only about an inch of snow on the ground (even so I still got made fun of by complete strangers for wearing my birks out in the cold and the snow...). But it makes things pretty.
This past week has been crazy. Emma decided not to take naps - which made her less than happy most of the time. I think we also scared her for life with the whole taking a christmas picture thing. First - I took her to the mall to get her picture taken at The Picture People. Well they tried to have her stand up next to a chair and she managed to fall down pulling the chair down on top of her. She was okay, just really frightened and needless to say we didn't get the pictures taken that day. Then we tried to do the whole family picture thing in front of the chistmas tree and the whole tree fell down on top of me and her. We are both okay - but the tree has issues and is currently being held together by superglue and duct tape... its okay as long as you don't touch it or breath anywhere near it.
So that has been December so far. we have half of our christmas lights up and those look great (just a bit lopsided until the rest go up...). anyway... thats my life.
This past week has been crazy. Emma decided not to take naps - which made her less than happy most of the time. I think we also scared her for life with the whole taking a christmas picture thing. First - I took her to the mall to get her picture taken at The Picture People. Well they tried to have her stand up next to a chair and she managed to fall down pulling the chair down on top of her. She was okay, just really frightened and needless to say we didn't get the pictures taken that day. Then we tried to do the whole family picture thing in front of the chistmas tree and the whole tree fell down on top of me and her. We are both okay - but the tree has issues and is currently being held together by superglue and duct tape... its okay as long as you don't touch it or breath anywhere near it.
So that has been December so far. we have half of our christmas lights up and those look great (just a bit lopsided until the rest go up...). anyway... thats my life.
Monday, July 04, 2005,4:59 PM
July 4th
So its the fourth of July. Its raining here - which is something we really need, but annoying since its the 4th and all that. That hasn't stopped our neighbors from setting off firecrackers all day. They must have hundreds. I really can't see the appeal of basically lighting your money on fire.
But anyway. We spent most of the day at a commissioning service for a friend of Mike's from England. It was cool, but it was at this church that had all the scary aspects of the 4th of July/patriotism stuff. Flags, handouts, signs and meetings all based around American civil religion. Some of the proclaimed evangelistic stuff was actually all about trying to convert people to believing that America is a Christian nation. Its crazy - it just totally misses the point and sets up major roadblocks to the faith. In a way its just basic idolatry - people worshiping a false god (America) and calling it true religion. I like my country and really appreciate freedom, but America is not God and does not deserve my reverence like that. I'll celebrate its birthday, but will not tie it to my faith. I like the way Tony Campolo refers to it - "America may be the best Babylon around, but it is still Babylon." I will have no other gods before God.
But anyway. We spent most of the day at a commissioning service for a friend of Mike's from England. It was cool, but it was at this church that had all the scary aspects of the 4th of July/patriotism stuff. Flags, handouts, signs and meetings all based around American civil religion. Some of the proclaimed evangelistic stuff was actually all about trying to convert people to believing that America is a Christian nation. Its crazy - it just totally misses the point and sets up major roadblocks to the faith. In a way its just basic idolatry - people worshiping a false god (America) and calling it true religion. I like my country and really appreciate freedom, but America is not God and does not deserve my reverence like that. I'll celebrate its birthday, but will not tie it to my faith. I like the way Tony Campolo refers to it - "America may be the best Babylon around, but it is still Babylon." I will have no other gods before God.
Labels: Holidays, Reflections