Used this during our offering time in worship this morning
June 29, 2008
June 27, 2008
FF: summer books
1) Do you think of summer as a particularly good season for reading? Why or why not?
In some ways, I think curled up with a cup of hot cocoa or tea by a fireplace is a better time to read a book. But I also do like to read outside... when I have the time. Time is the hard thing about summer reading - there is always something else to do
2) Have you ever fallen asleep reading on the beach?
Yes! And got a little sunburnt because of it!!!
3) Can you recall a favorite childhood book read in the summertime?
I read a whole bunch of books in the Trixie Belden series one summer. They were some of my mom's favorites and then became my own
4) Do you have a favorite genre for light or relaxing reading?
I don't yet. I haven't really been in the habit of reading for pleasure for a while. I am desperate to get back into the swing of it. When I was young, I would read book after book after book. Some of my favorite novels today are ones about the simple complexities of life: Gilead, The Cloister Life, I like reading about how other people are getting through the normal crap we deal with in our lives.
5) What is the next book on your reading list?
Right now I've started one called "A Blade of Grass." But I haven't gotten very far into it and its already overdue.... see, I'm having a hard time getting into this reading thing.
June 26, 2008
budget hero
I found this site which allows you to make your own governmental budget priorites. Evidently, I did pretty good - well, at least with my own values. My three priorities were "health and wellness", "green", and "government efficiency" I not only extended the budget bust from 2035 to 2070+, but I limited the size of government and reduced the debt from 37.7% of the GDP to 7.3%!
June 22, 2008
Theologically Worrisome
I'm procrastinating on my sermom fine-tuning by posting here, but it is something that has been troubling me. If people in my congregation are having thoughts that I feel are theologically worrisome, do I let them continue in them, or just keep telling them my own over and over?
Specifically, this is about interpreting the string of natural disasters that have hit our world as warnings from God. There is a strong sense that we are getting ever closer to the end times and these tragic events are reminders to straighten up and fly right. And everything within my cries "no." In the local UM pastors meeting, we talked about not judgment, not warning, but about God leading us throught the stormy waters, about the promise that the waters would not overcome, about Christ being the rock we cling to in these times...
it's really a question of theodicy and God's soverign power. Is God behind natural disasters, or not? Can God stop them? And if God can and doesn't, what does it mean? I reside much more in the mysteriousness of God's power and the reminder of God's promises... whereas, my congregation holds fast to God's power over all and unending desire to get us to obey... so we come out in different places. I'm gently urging them not to consider another person's disaster as an intentional means of God speaking to the world... especially when so much life has been destroyed - to me, that seems so counter to the God I know and love and follow. But I still struggle.
Specifically, this is about interpreting the string of natural disasters that have hit our world as warnings from God. There is a strong sense that we are getting ever closer to the end times and these tragic events are reminders to straighten up and fly right. And everything within my cries "no." In the local UM pastors meeting, we talked about not judgment, not warning, but about God leading us throught the stormy waters, about the promise that the waters would not overcome, about Christ being the rock we cling to in these times...
it's really a question of theodicy and God's soverign power. Is God behind natural disasters, or not? Can God stop them? And if God can and doesn't, what does it mean? I reside much more in the mysteriousness of God's power and the reminder of God's promises... whereas, my congregation holds fast to God's power over all and unending desire to get us to obey... so we come out in different places. I'm gently urging them not to consider another person's disaster as an intentional means of God speaking to the world... especially when so much life has been destroyed - to me, that seems so counter to the God I know and love and follow. But I still struggle.
June 20, 2008
Friday Five
So, i've been hanging out a lot at RevGalBlogPals.blogspot.com when I work on my sermons and prepare for worship and what not. and they have this thing called friday five where there are five things to blog about... so i'm going to start doing it.
This week: Free word association with the following words
for some reason, I am thinking of my kindergarten christmas music program and doing a little song and dance to "up on the rooftop, reindeer paws, out jumps good old santa claus"
there is sand everywhere. gritty gritty sand. and much of it is because of the flooding we have been experiencing. i helped fill sandbags twice and it was good, hard, fun work. so that part was good. but then, having to see all the awful, stinky, sopping wet mucky sandbags left behind after the flood waters on wednesday - didn't seem so fun anymore.
thinking again of children's songs - and climbing volcanos! my family has made several trips to hawaii - oahu more specifically - and always make a trek up Diamond Head. there is a great trail leading up the inside of the crater and into the military bunker. we always take the kids and sometimes they need a little bit extra push to make it all the way up. so we sing camp songs the whole way. one of which is about the great chicago fire "it's gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight.. FIRE FIRE FIRE"
I just read "the curious incident of the dog in the night-time" it was such a great book! it is written from the perspective of a young boy with autism and it was just so engaging... it really had the ability to get me out of my own state of mind and point of view and into his world - i felt very connected to what he was going through, what he was afraid of, and when i finished, really wanted to know more about autism and programs to help children find their voice. it really felt like i walked a mile in his shoes... i highly recommend it!
wow - i haven't been dancing for a long time. Probably since my brother's wedding last September, and then my own in August. Either I need a girls night out, or i'm just going to have to hold out until the next slew of weddings comes along this August. I have three weddings back to back! eep!
This week: Free word association with the following words
1. rooftop
for some reason, I am thinking of my kindergarten christmas music program and doing a little song and dance to "up on the rooftop, reindeer paws, out jumps good old santa claus"
2. gritty
there is sand everywhere. gritty gritty sand. and much of it is because of the flooding we have been experiencing. i helped fill sandbags twice and it was good, hard, fun work. so that part was good. but then, having to see all the awful, stinky, sopping wet mucky sandbags left behind after the flood waters on wednesday - didn't seem so fun anymore.
3. hot town (yeah, I know, it's two words)
thinking again of children's songs - and climbing volcanos! my family has made several trips to hawaii - oahu more specifically - and always make a trek up Diamond Head. there is a great trail leading up the inside of the crater and into the military bunker. we always take the kids and sometimes they need a little bit extra push to make it all the way up. so we sing camp songs the whole way. one of which is about the great chicago fire "it's gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight.. FIRE FIRE FIRE"
4. night
I just read "the curious incident of the dog in the night-time" it was such a great book! it is written from the perspective of a young boy with autism and it was just so engaging... it really had the ability to get me out of my own state of mind and point of view and into his world - i felt very connected to what he was going through, what he was afraid of, and when i finished, really wanted to know more about autism and programs to help children find their voice. it really felt like i walked a mile in his shoes... i highly recommend it!
5. dance
wow - i haven't been dancing for a long time. Probably since my brother's wedding last September, and then my own in August. Either I need a girls night out, or i'm just going to have to hold out until the next slew of weddings comes along this August. I have three weddings back to back! eep!
June 12, 2008
water...
right now, our state is experiencing the worst floods EVER recorded here.
The town that I am serving is so far semi-okay... the levee is holding, but the water is only .7' below the levee - and all day long, storms have been springing up. Last night, the river was only at 20.1 and now it is at 21.35 - levee at 22'
Because of flash flooding, and because all of my family was in Cedar Rapids (about 30 miles away) I headed up to be with them. My husband was helping his family out there.
Cedar Falls and Waterloo yesterday and now Cedar Rapids today are experiencing horrific and unimaginable flooding. Coralville and Iowa City are next. We have already had water past the bounds of the 500-year flood plain.
I just sit here and am absolutely amazed. at this point, there is nothing we can really do in this area. it's just coming.
Some of the most awe-some images I have seen have been of the National Czech and Slovak Musuem which is surrounded by floodwaters - at least 4 feet deep. And so many houses are underwater. The water keeps rising in downtown and we have no idea when a crest will be expected. The water is supposed to raise at least another foot and a half in CR.
Please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers. My family is all safe and sound - and right now that's all that I can even begin to think about.
The town that I am serving is so far semi-okay... the levee is holding, but the water is only .7' below the levee - and all day long, storms have been springing up. Last night, the river was only at 20.1 and now it is at 21.35 - levee at 22'
Because of flash flooding, and because all of my family was in Cedar Rapids (about 30 miles away) I headed up to be with them. My husband was helping his family out there.
Cedar Falls and Waterloo yesterday and now Cedar Rapids today are experiencing horrific and unimaginable flooding. Coralville and Iowa City are next. We have already had water past the bounds of the 500-year flood plain.
I just sit here and am absolutely amazed. at this point, there is nothing we can really do in this area. it's just coming.
Some of the most awe-some images I have seen have been of the National Czech and Slovak Musuem which is surrounded by floodwaters - at least 4 feet deep. And so many houses are underwater. The water keeps rising in downtown and we have no idea when a crest will be expected. The water is supposed to raise at least another foot and a half in CR.
Please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers. My family is all safe and sound - and right now that's all that I can even begin to think about.
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