Late-Night Musings

So I'm suffering from a bit of insomnia brought on by the fact that I feel like crud, and if I lay down, I feel even worse. It sucks. So I've been doing some computer-based crafting - mostly for Christmas presents, but also some Christmas greeting cards that will most likely be posted to the Etsy site.

Speaking of the Etsy site... there's a facebook page that more people should like: http://www.facebook.com/ShepherdStringsScrapbookThing

It's my facebook page dedicated to my Etsy store, and I wish more people liked it and would place special orders. I seriously need to make some $... partly to pay off student loans, and partly to pay the tuition for my CPE. I've had a couple of special order items lately... Grandma Doreen had me make her a bunch of crochet-top kitchen towels, and my nail tech's daughter ordered a diaper cake for her cousin's baby shower. And, my nail tech has been ordering jewelry from me, but that's a trade in kind - I make her jewelry, and she does my nails - yay for old school bartering!

Other than all of that crafting business... I've got Ord exams coming up in a little under 2 weeks. The weekend after my birthday. I probably could have studied more, but how much can you -really- study for those exams? I mean, you either know the stuff or you don't. All the cramming in the world is not going to get you any closer to ordination than just winging it. Word choice has a lot to do with whether or not you pass the Ords, and I know that I just need to watch my tone and my word choice when I'm writing these exams this time around.

One last things... so far this summer, I have read 2 novels: "Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart" and "The Time Traveler's Wife." Both were really good, and it was nice to be able to read for the fun of it. I remember when I used to read the entire Little House series and the entire Anne of Green Gables series in a summer. I'd lay on the glider/swing on the front porch and read all day long. Ah, those were the days. Life was so much easier back then!

I think I'm gonna try to get some sleep now. I still feel pretty cruddy, but I'm also feeling pretty tired now, so here's hoping I can get some shut-eye. Take care, everyone!

Lenten Things

So I'm totally procrastinating on finishing my sermon for tomorrow... and I realized that I haven't written here in a really long time. Here are a couple of small "snapshots" from recently that have to do with Lent.

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I'm thankful that I am interning at a church that has a pastor who is quite an artist when it comes to his finger and ashes, and can actually make the cross look like a cross.

I went to the grocery store on my way home from church this evening, with my cross of ashes on my forehead. As I was walking down the soup aisle, I passed a little boy and his mom. As I picked up a can of tomato soup, I heard the little boy ask his mother, "Mommy, why does she have a black cross on her forehead?"

His mother responded, "Probably to remind her of what Jesus did for her."

The little boy then said, "Well, why hasn't she washed them off yet?"

And his mother replied, "So she can remind you."

God bless us all as we journey through Lent together.

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I've decided that I'm going to try for a few different Lenten disciplines. Here goes...

1) I want to make it a habit to write in my prayer journal every day. I don't do well going through the Morning Prayer service in the BCW Daily Prayer book when I'm by myself, so journalling my prayers might be a better way to learn and achieve the habit of daily prayer.

2) I want to make it a habit to translate at least one passage (5 verses or more) per week. I need to be better at this, and I think it's a good way to get back into reading the Bible on my own.

3) I want to finish the baby blanket before Easter. Crafting is one of my greatest, most favorite Sabbath practices, and I want to make sure I have this baby blanket done by Easter as a way of practicing a discipline.

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Speaking of Lenten practices, if you're looking for a community thing to do for Lent, I have a suggestion. Wednesday evenings in Lent, there will be a Soup Supper followed by Spirituality Practices at Redwoods Presbyterian Church. Supper is at 6:30, Spirituality Practices following. It should be a lot of fun!

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I think that's all for now. Off to go try to finish this sermon!

Spring Break, Round 3

I've been over at Aunt Karen's since after class on Tuesday because Johnathan is in town.

Yesterday (Wednesday), we went up to Sacramento, and then went to the Jelly Belly factory. Yay!

Today, we went to the A's game against the Mariners and watched the A's win... and then we high-tailed it to San Jose and took Johnathan to the Winchester Mystery House... last tour of the day, only 9 people + the tour guide named Erin... good times. Got Chinese take-out and came home to watch movies.

Tomorrow, we're showing Johnathan San Francisco... going over the Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate, going up and down the hills (including down the switchbacks on Lombard St.), riding the trolley, and hanging out on the Wharf. After that, it's out to Stockton for a hockey game.

And then, he leaves for Michigan on Saturday. His flight is at noon. Hopefully, he'll let me take him to the airport, because I can take him on my way back to school... cuz really, I need to go back to school to get my work done and I want to go to church on Sunday to set up some time to talk to Joanne about an internship.

I've loved all of my trips (Ventura Co with Charles and the gang, Los Angeles to see Kyle and the folks at church, San Ramon to visit with Johnathan) these last three weeks, but I'm kinda sorta ready to have my life back and get back into my swing of things... I miss just being around campus, hanging out with my friends, and getting all of my work done ahead of time.

And shit... I just realized I have a paper due on Saturday at 1pm. Fuck my life, there just aren't enough hours. sigh... and sabbath doesn't end for another hour and 15 minutes!! :(

Good Friday 2010

FilCom and ERPC host a community-wide, ecumenical Good Friday "Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ" service each year. There are seven different preachers, and seven different musical groups - one for each word.

This year, I was the preacher for the Third Word, which is "Woman, behold your son... behold your mother." Kyle told us that we had 3-5 minutes to preach (and supposedly, I took about 8). I thought you might like to read my sermon, so I am posting it here.

FilCom Presbyterian Church
Good Friday – April 2, 2010
John 19:26-27

Imagine

Imagine that you are Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Your son, you gift from God, is nailed. to. a. cross.

He’s done nothing worth this kind of torture and punishment. As you look up at his dying body, all of your memories come flooding back, and you can see him… playing with wood shavings from his father’s carpentry shop, working on his studies while sitting in the sun-filled doorway, spending time talking with the animals. You remember the time when you thought you’d lost him, when really, he was teaching in the temple. You look at the face of your beloved child and you feel every bit of pain and agony that he feels in this moment. You would move heaven and earth to spare him this torture.

You are beside yourself.

You look up at your beloved son’s face, and you see him looking down at you, looking right into your eyes.

He says, “Mom, look at my friend standing there next to you. He is your son now. He’ll take care of you.”




Imagine that you are the beloved disciple.

You met Jesus one day, and when he said “follow me,” you dropped everything and followed. You were with Jesus through his miracles, ministry, and travels. You’ve become very close to your dear friend – like family – and while you may not have understood everything he said and taught, you were still there… listening, learning, experiencing.

You were there yesterday when He told you and the others that he would be betrayed. You were there to share his last meal with him, knowing that it is significant, but not really sure just how significant. You were there when he was arrested, even though you’re not entirely sure what he did that was so wrong it warranted death on a cross.

You are standing next to his mother, looking up at your friend, dying on the cross, and you see that he is looking right at you.

He says, “My friend, look at my mom. I want you to take care of her. Help support her and care for her when I am gone.”




Imagine that you are Jesus.

You’ve been through a lot lately. At the beginning of this week, you rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. People came out, shouting your name, yelling “HOSANNA,” waving palm branches, laying down their cloaks in front of you.

Yesterday, you celebrated the Passover with your friends in a borrowed room. You shared with them that this would happen, and you taught them how they were to remember you through the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the cup. You’ve been through your arrest, trial, scourging, and now this. You’re nailed to a cross; you can see the people below you.

And there in the crowd, two faces stand out from the rest. One has been with you throughout your ministry years, and one who has been with you through every part of your life and memory.

Your heart goes out to your mother as you look down at her and see the tears streaming down her face. You know that she will need someone to care for her once you are gone. Standing next to her is your dearest friend.

You look down at them, and you say: “Look, Mom. My dearest friend will be your son. Look my dear friend. Take care of my mom as if she were your own. I love you both.”

Happy St. Pat's!

So I'm sitting down at HG, sipping a Bailey's/Kahlua/Milk Trinity (I'm on #3 btw) and I'm watching one group of folk play M:TG and one group watching "Dumb and Dumber."



It's been my Sabbath for 5 minutes... when I wake up in the morning, I'm gonna do laundry, and pack, and then maybe see who wants to go to Muir Woods... and if no one wants to go, then I'll go by myself.



I went for a drive today. It's been a long time (like, not since my Alma days) since I've had to go for a drive to get rid of a disheartened, sad, out-of-it mood. It was such a pretty drive... I want to go back out there soon, and maybe take a couple of friends so they can see it, too.



I'm looking forward to break... I'm going to SoCal with Charles on Saturday and staying the whole week... we're driving back to NorCal on Sunday 3/28, and then I turn around and fly back to SoCal on Tuesday 3/30, and then I'm driving back to NorCal with Aunt Karen and Johnathan on Sunday 4/4. Woo! What a whirlwind!



Anyway... here's the map of the drive I took today... I'm gonna go do something somewhat fun!


View Larger Map

My Most Sincere Love and Thanks

I devote today's blog post to giving thanks to my many friends and loved ones who have helped me celebrate and honor this angel-versary.

You have my utmost love, gratitude, and admiration, and I don't know what I'd do without the love, support, grace, and care that you all show me every day.

I promise to be there, to be present, for you, anytime you need me.

Lots of love to you, always!

Sore but Happy :-)

Yesterday was, for lack of a better word, AMAZING.

It started out early... Ryan, Charles, Heather, Ryan D-B, and I piled into Van A and headed for Pt Reyes National Seashore. And we went hiking! We did lots of hiking! Like, 13 miles worth of hiking! And there was some rock climbing to get down to and back up from the beach! And I hurt! But it was SOOOO worth it! Pictures are here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026513&id=69500121&l=5dfea95f2c

After we got back to San Anselmo, we changed clothes, piled in my car, and headed out to Mi Pueblo for dinner... which was loads of fun (really, because I love their taco salad!!). Then we came back to campus, vegged for a little bit, then piled back into my and Heather's cars and went out to The Broken Drum, which is a bar/restaurant in San Rafael. It's a fun place to go, and I'd love to go back out there when it's not so loud a person can't hear themselves think.

And then it was alcohol, Holy Grounds, good music, great friends, and staying up until 5:30am.

Now to do some crocheting and figuring out what all needs to be done for this next week.

I am SO glad break starts on Thursday for me... you have no idea.