Sophia posted today's Friday Five after her husband got Lasik surgery. Here are my answers and thoughts related to those windows to the soul - eyes.
1. What color are your beautiful eyes? Did you inherit them from or pass them on to anyone in your family?
My eyes are brown, but have a bit of green and gold to them (depending on my mood, lighting, etc.). They're kind of a mix of my parents' eyes (mom's are hazel, dad's were very dark brown). I don't have (and won't have) any biological offspring so they won't get passed on to anyone. Not sure how I feel about that.
2. What color eyes would you choose if you could change them?
I wish the green and gold showed up more often, so I guess I'd like to have hazel eyes. There are also times I wish they were a really dark brown like my dad and brother's eyes. It looks more Italian. :)
3. Do you wear glasses or contacts? What kind? Like 'em or hate 'em?
I didn't used to but when I worked 911 for almost 5 years, the computer screens glaring at me all night required glasses. I continued needing them for all the reading I did in seminary and know I'm at another job with lots of computer time. I don't wear them at home very often though. I love glasses on other people - almost everyone I've ever dated wore glasses - and don't mind them for myself. I love that they limit the headaches, hate that they get dirty pretty easily.
4. Ever had, or contemplated, laser surgery? Happy with the results?
Never had it and haven't contemplated it. Can't imagine my eyes will get bad enough that it will be worth the cost and risk of surgery but you never know... Trouble has contemplated it but probably won't ever do it.
5. Do you like to look people in the eye, or are you more eye-shy?
Depends on the situation but in general I'm not eye-shy and like looking people in the eye. I think eye contact is an important part of interpersonal communication - it lets people know that you're being honest, intentional, listening, etc. I've been on a couple of interviews where my eye contact was commented on and helped give me that "little something" to get a call back. In this world of Facebook, blogs, texting, etc. I wonder if we're losing numbers of people who do well in person because they don't know how or are just uncomfortable making eye contact. Do we truly believe that eyes are still the windows to the soul? Are we afraid of baring our own souls to others or afraid of seeing others' souls?
Bonus question: Share a poem, song, or prayer that relates to eyes and seeing.
I can think of several songs that relate to eyes and seeing, but I would have to say that my favorites would be "Brown Eyed Girl" (which has been mentioned by many of my RevGal colleagues), "Bette Davis Eyes" (an 80's classic) and "Eye of the Tiger" (another 80's classic and one of the favorites on our karaoke game).
Showing posts with label friday five. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friday five. Show all posts
Friday, December 12, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Friday Five on Remembrance
Sophia writes:This week's Friday Five invites reflection on the theme of remembrance, which is also present in the feasts of All Saints, celebrated in many liturgical churches on November 1, and All Souls--known in Latin@ cultures as the Day of the Dead--celebrated in some the following day.
1. Did your church have any special celebrations for All Saints/All Soul's Day? I believe they did an All Soul's Day service, but I was not there for it. My favorite All Soul's Day service I ever had was in the Catholic church where I did most of my "growing up" back in NJ. They had a large size, beautiful book of blank paper that they set out in the atrium for about a month before the service and invited people to write or draw the names, a story, or something about whoever they wanted to remember. My grandfather and grandmother (not from the same set of grandparents) had died within a few months of each other that year and I loved that I had a sacred place to express what was important to me about them. Some people got very creative in their presentations of their loved ones, doing things like collages and beautiful pictures.
2. How about Veterans' Day? No, we didn't do anything for Veterans Day - that was actually our Reconciling Sunday, where we celebrate our congregations' choice to claim the title of "Reconciling Congregation" (which in the United Methodist Church means that we explicitly welcome all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity).
3. Did you and your family have a holiday for Veterans' Day/Remembrance Day? If so, how did you take advantage of the break? No, my workplace (Habitat for Humanity Kansas City) is closed on Sunday and Monday, so we were already off for Veterans' Day. I used the day to clean the house, do some laundry, sleep in, and run some errands. Trouble, my partner, had to work at Children's Mercy hospital, but was sure to wear her "Veterans for Peace" arm band with her uniform.
4. Is there a veteran in your life, living or dead, whose dedication you remember and celebrate? Or perhaps a loved one presently serving in the armed forces? There are several veterans in my life and I can't think of how I would celebrate one's service more than another one's; they are all people I would hold up for their dedication, sacrifice, and service. That being said, I know the most and have personally been involved with Trouble's service more than that of my uncle, grandfathers, or anyone else's service. Trouble gave me a whole new insight into the life of a military service person and that of their family members (which isn't held up near often enough - they often sacrifice just as much as the service person does).
5. Do you have any personal rituals which help you remember and connect with loved ones who have passed on? Nothing in particular to remember each and every one, but there are certain things that remind me of each of the people in my life that I've lost. Music is something that has always connected with me on a deep and often spiritual level and there are songs that for whatever reason remind me of loved ones that are no longer with me.
Now that you have my answers, feel free to share your own, either in a comment here or posted on your own blog (and let us know in a comment so we can check it out).
I also wanted to take this chance to say thank you to all of the people around the world who give up part of their lives to serve the greater good. I think it's interesting that in this country we have several holidays rooted in military service/events, but there's not a holiday for police officers, fire fighters (although September 11th may be becoming more of something like that), teachers, missionaries, refugee aid workers, Peace Corps and AmeriCorps members, and all the other people who give up a signifcant piece of their lives to serve others sometimes making the greatest sacrifice of all. What does that say about what is valued in our culture? Is it accurate?
1. Did your church have any special celebrations for All Saints/All Soul's Day? I believe they did an All Soul's Day service, but I was not there for it. My favorite All Soul's Day service I ever had was in the Catholic church where I did most of my "growing up" back in NJ. They had a large size, beautiful book of blank paper that they set out in the atrium for about a month before the service and invited people to write or draw the names, a story, or something about whoever they wanted to remember. My grandfather and grandmother (not from the same set of grandparents) had died within a few months of each other that year and I loved that I had a sacred place to express what was important to me about them. Some people got very creative in their presentations of their loved ones, doing things like collages and beautiful pictures.
2. How about Veterans' Day? No, we didn't do anything for Veterans Day - that was actually our Reconciling Sunday, where we celebrate our congregations' choice to claim the title of "Reconciling Congregation" (which in the United Methodist Church means that we explicitly welcome all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity).
3. Did you and your family have a holiday for Veterans' Day/Remembrance Day? If so, how did you take advantage of the break? No, my workplace (Habitat for Humanity Kansas City) is closed on Sunday and Monday, so we were already off for Veterans' Day. I used the day to clean the house, do some laundry, sleep in, and run some errands. Trouble, my partner, had to work at Children's Mercy hospital, but was sure to wear her "Veterans for Peace" arm band with her uniform.
4. Is there a veteran in your life, living or dead, whose dedication you remember and celebrate? Or perhaps a loved one presently serving in the armed forces? There are several veterans in my life and I can't think of how I would celebrate one's service more than another one's; they are all people I would hold up for their dedication, sacrifice, and service. That being said, I know the most and have personally been involved with Trouble's service more than that of my uncle, grandfathers, or anyone else's service. Trouble gave me a whole new insight into the life of a military service person and that of their family members (which isn't held up near often enough - they often sacrifice just as much as the service person does).
5. Do you have any personal rituals which help you remember and connect with loved ones who have passed on? Nothing in particular to remember each and every one, but there are certain things that remind me of each of the people in my life that I've lost. Music is something that has always connected with me on a deep and often spiritual level and there are songs that for whatever reason remind me of loved ones that are no longer with me.
Now that you have my answers, feel free to share your own, either in a comment here or posted on your own blog (and let us know in a comment so we can check it out).
I also wanted to take this chance to say thank you to all of the people around the world who give up part of their lives to serve the greater good. I think it's interesting that in this country we have several holidays rooted in military service/events, but there's not a holiday for police officers, fire fighters (although September 11th may be becoming more of something like that), teachers, missionaries, refugee aid workers, Peace Corps and AmeriCorps members, and all the other people who give up a signifcant piece of their lives to serve others sometimes making the greatest sacrifice of all. What does that say about what is valued in our culture? Is it accurate?
Friday, November 07, 2008
Friday Five: Funnies Edition
After an exhausting election here in the states it's time for some spirit lifting! Join me with a nice cup of tea or coffee or cocoa and let's sit back and read the Funny Papers!
1. What was your favorite comic strip as a child?
I don't know if I really had a favorite - I liked all of them! It just made me feel like a grown up to be reading the paper next to my dad after church. I guess if I had to pick, my childhood faves were probably Garfield and Peanuts.
2. Which comic strip today most consistently tickles your funny bone? Isn't it interesting to see how tastes change as we get older? My favorites now tend to be Get Fuzzy, Pearls Before Swine and sometimes Brevity. I guess I grew into quirky humor.
3. Which Peanuts character is closest to being you? UGH! Much as I hate to admit it, I'm a Lucy. The doctor is usually in...
4. Some say that comic strips have replaced philosophy as a paying job, so to speak. Does this ring true with you? I don't know - was philosophy ever really a paying job? HA HA HA! I think comics are one way of dealing with our culture and current events - they're the comic relief of society. Philosophy doesn't tend to make me laugh like the comics do, but I do admit that comic strips are often philosophical.
5. What do you think the appeal is for the really long running comic strips like Blondie, Family Circus, Dennis the Menace as some examples? Like any classic movie, they deal with themes that everyone can relate to - particularly the way children see the world so differently from adults and often shed light on some things we as adults just do without thinking about it. For the record, Dennis the Menace and Blondie tend to grate on my nerves. Blondie, like Cathy, tends to play a little too much on traditional gender stereotypes for me.
Bonus question: Which discontinued comic strip would you like to see back in print? I can't think of one that I really miss that much.
1. What was your favorite comic strip as a child?
I don't know if I really had a favorite - I liked all of them! It just made me feel like a grown up to be reading the paper next to my dad after church. I guess if I had to pick, my childhood faves were probably Garfield and Peanuts.
2. Which comic strip today most consistently tickles your funny bone? Isn't it interesting to see how tastes change as we get older? My favorites now tend to be Get Fuzzy, Pearls Before Swine and sometimes Brevity. I guess I grew into quirky humor.
3. Which Peanuts character is closest to being you? UGH! Much as I hate to admit it, I'm a Lucy. The doctor is usually in...
4. Some say that comic strips have replaced philosophy as a paying job, so to speak. Does this ring true with you? I don't know - was philosophy ever really a paying job? HA HA HA! I think comics are one way of dealing with our culture and current events - they're the comic relief of society. Philosophy doesn't tend to make me laugh like the comics do, but I do admit that comic strips are often philosophical.
5. What do you think the appeal is for the really long running comic strips like Blondie, Family Circus, Dennis the Menace as some examples? Like any classic movie, they deal with themes that everyone can relate to - particularly the way children see the world so differently from adults and often shed light on some things we as adults just do without thinking about it. For the record, Dennis the Menace and Blondie tend to grate on my nerves. Blondie, like Cathy, tends to play a little too much on traditional gender stereotypes for me.
Bonus question: Which discontinued comic strip would you like to see back in print? I can't think of one that I really miss that much.
So what about you and your answers? I'd love to hear your thoughts and perhaps learn about some new strips I'm not familiar with. If you have links, please share!
Friday, February 08, 2008
Lenten Friday Five
I've been out of the loop on Friday Five's lately, but thought I'd jump in on this one since it's a pretty slow morning here at Habitat Kansas City.
Mother Laura asks:
1. Did you celebrate Mardi Gras and/or Ash Wednesday this week? How?
Not really, no. I totally forgot that Lent was starting so soon and, like most of the media, got caught up in the election stuff instead. I guess you could say I celebrated Mardi Gras by voting on Super Tuesday
2. What was your most memorable Mardi Gras/Ash Wednesday/Lent?
I don't know if memorable is the term I'd put to it, but the year I gave up chocolate was very hard for me. It was one of the years I was in college and it seemed like there was chocolate everywhere! A former Catholic, my Protestant friends kept informing me that Sundays don't count in the 40 days of Lent, so it was okay to indulge that one day a week, but that seemed to defeat the purpose so I didn't give in. It did make Easter that much more of a big deal when I got to make myself sick on chocolate bunnies.
3. Did you/your church/your family celebrate Lent as a child? If not, when and how did you discover it? Yes, my family always did the Lent thing. We were Catholic, although not too terribly hard core. My parents fasted for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (but were told that wasn't appropriate for us kids) and we always had meatless Fridays for Lent. Even my school always served pizza on Fridays and during Lent there would always be a cheese only option (although many people ate pepperoni without thinking about it) - and this was PUBLIC school.
4. Are you more in the give-up camp, or the take-on camp, or somewhere in between? I guess I'd have to say the give-up camp - force of habit. I have taken things on a few years to try something different, and one year it went REALLY well. I wrote a note to a member of my family or a close friend each day to tell them why they were important to me. Several people called me when they received theirs and thanked me for bringing joy to their day.
5. How do you plan to keep Lent this year? Well, like I said before, I was sucked in to the political stuff this week and totally forgot it was coming. Then it snowed on Ash Wednesday cancelling the morning church service I was going to attend so it's really all out the window. I've been staying away from my church lately (for a variety of reasons), so I don't really know what to do with it this year. Maybe I'm giving up Lent this year.
Mother Laura asks:
1. Did you celebrate Mardi Gras and/or Ash Wednesday this week? How?
Not really, no. I totally forgot that Lent was starting so soon and, like most of the media, got caught up in the election stuff instead. I guess you could say I celebrated Mardi Gras by voting on Super Tuesday
2. What was your most memorable Mardi Gras/Ash Wednesday/Lent?
I don't know if memorable is the term I'd put to it, but the year I gave up chocolate was very hard for me. It was one of the years I was in college and it seemed like there was chocolate everywhere! A former Catholic, my Protestant friends kept informing me that Sundays don't count in the 40 days of Lent, so it was okay to indulge that one day a week, but that seemed to defeat the purpose so I didn't give in. It did make Easter that much more of a big deal when I got to make myself sick on chocolate bunnies.
3. Did you/your church/your family celebrate Lent as a child? If not, when and how did you discover it? Yes, my family always did the Lent thing. We were Catholic, although not too terribly hard core. My parents fasted for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (but were told that wasn't appropriate for us kids) and we always had meatless Fridays for Lent. Even my school always served pizza on Fridays and during Lent there would always be a cheese only option (although many people ate pepperoni without thinking about it) - and this was PUBLIC school.
4. Are you more in the give-up camp, or the take-on camp, or somewhere in between? I guess I'd have to say the give-up camp - force of habit. I have taken things on a few years to try something different, and one year it went REALLY well. I wrote a note to a member of my family or a close friend each day to tell them why they were important to me. Several people called me when they received theirs and thanked me for bringing joy to their day.
5. How do you plan to keep Lent this year? Well, like I said before, I was sucked in to the political stuff this week and totally forgot it was coming. Then it snowed on Ash Wednesday cancelling the morning church service I was going to attend so it's really all out the window. I've been staying away from my church lately (for a variety of reasons), so I don't really know what to do with it this year. Maybe I'm giving up Lent this year.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Halloween Friday Five
Singing Owl posted her first Friday Five last night (way to go!) recalling the fond memories of Halloween while growing up. THese are her questions and my reponses, but I'd love for everyone to feel like thay can play along in the comments if they'd like. :)
1. How did you celebrate this time of year when you were a child?
Halloween was always a big deal when I was a kid. My mom loved decorating for it, so we were always "the scary house" in the neighborhood. We had ghosts and cobwebs, of course, but also sound effects (wired to cleverly disguised speakers around the porch) and my mom always answered the door in her Bear Monster costume - an old ratty wig, scary mask, and a tattered fur coat that has been in the family forever. The big bonus though, was that if you could get over being scared to go to the door (and stand there when the Bear monster answered) my mom also only gave out full sized chocolate candy bars! She was always very creative with our costumes as well, and my family often chose costumes by theme so that my brother and dad and I all went together as we were walking around the neighborhood. Several years we won prizes (like the Wizard of Oz year where I was Tin Man or the Christmas year where I was Rudolph complete with light up nose).
2A. Do you and/or your family “celebrate” Halloween? Why or why not? And if you do, has it changed from what you used to do? Yes, we do. I think it's a great exercise of imagination that doesn't necessarily get encouraged many other ways. I have also been taught that it's a fun holiday (see previous questions) and don't see what the big deal is. However, since coming to the midwest (I grew up in the Northeast) and experience Bible Belt culture, it's intriguing to me that so many people feel otherwise. I will say, however, that I think it's important to teach kids that it's not all about the costumes, candy and haunted houses - that there's a background to this holiday that is grounded in spirituality. I think we should let kids dress up and have fun, but also teach them about All Saints' Day and the meaning behind what they do.
2B. Candy apples: Do you prefer red cinnamon or caramel covered? Or something else? I am not, and never have been, a fan of candy coated apples of any kind. I find that they are sweet enough already and hard enough to eat without making them sticky and gooey. If I had to choose one or the other, I'd go caramel without nuts.
3. Pumpkins: Do you make Jack O’ Lanterns? Any ideas of what else to do with them? This is interesting because I usually get pumpkins every year and we put them out on the porch just as decoration until we get around to carving them. However, we've discovered that squirrels love to snack on them! We just bought our first house and moved in about a month ago, and both pumpkins that we bought have little teeth marks and flesh scraped off around the tops. We had a similar incident at our previous home, but growing up I never had a problem! I guess we won't be making jack o' lanterns this year, although we may still scrape out the seeds and toast them - yummy!
4. Do you decorate your home for fall or Halloween? If so, what do you do? Bonus points for pictures. Since we're still settling into the new house, we haven't really taken the time to decorate much this year. We have our pumpkins out on the porch and one lawn decoration that was easy to put out without too much planning or time. Eventually, I want to go all out like my mom used to do and I'm excited that I have a house where I can do that finally!! It means there's going to be shopping in the near future (after the actual day when they put everything on sale, I'll stock up for next year).
5. Do you like pretending to be something different? Does a costume bring our an alternate personality? I don't think I actually pretend to be someone different, but I like to dress up and it makes me feel different. For example, a couple of time in the last few years I've dressed up as a nun (which goes over great in seminary!). It somehow makes me feel connected to my Catholic roots and is fun to be in a costume, but I don't really change my behavior. I've never been a very good actress (lots of people from high school can attest to that) but always love the costumes!
Bonus: Share your favorite recipe for an autumn food, particularly apple or pumpkin ones. I'll have to post this later when I get home, but my recipe will be for Apple Pudding. It's not like a tapioca, milk based kind of pudding, and it's not really like a bread pudding, but something in between. It's basically apples, flour, sugar and butter with a little bit of spices. It's super easy and a BIG favorite in our little family. One year I made it often enough that Trouble's uniform didn't fit after she had the holidays off from work. Moderation is the key! I haven't even thought of making it yet this year, but the weather is definitely telling me that it's time - yummy!
1. How did you celebrate this time of year when you were a child?
Halloween was always a big deal when I was a kid. My mom loved decorating for it, so we were always "the scary house" in the neighborhood. We had ghosts and cobwebs, of course, but also sound effects (wired to cleverly disguised speakers around the porch) and my mom always answered the door in her Bear Monster costume - an old ratty wig, scary mask, and a tattered fur coat that has been in the family forever. The big bonus though, was that if you could get over being scared to go to the door (and stand there when the Bear monster answered) my mom also only gave out full sized chocolate candy bars! She was always very creative with our costumes as well, and my family often chose costumes by theme so that my brother and dad and I all went together as we were walking around the neighborhood. Several years we won prizes (like the Wizard of Oz year where I was Tin Man or the Christmas year where I was Rudolph complete with light up nose).
2A. Do you and/or your family “celebrate” Halloween? Why or why not? And if you do, has it changed from what you used to do? Yes, we do. I think it's a great exercise of imagination that doesn't necessarily get encouraged many other ways. I have also been taught that it's a fun holiday (see previous questions) and don't see what the big deal is. However, since coming to the midwest (I grew up in the Northeast) and experience Bible Belt culture, it's intriguing to me that so many people feel otherwise. I will say, however, that I think it's important to teach kids that it's not all about the costumes, candy and haunted houses - that there's a background to this holiday that is grounded in spirituality. I think we should let kids dress up and have fun, but also teach them about All Saints' Day and the meaning behind what they do.
2B. Candy apples: Do you prefer red cinnamon or caramel covered? Or something else? I am not, and never have been, a fan of candy coated apples of any kind. I find that they are sweet enough already and hard enough to eat without making them sticky and gooey. If I had to choose one or the other, I'd go caramel without nuts.
3. Pumpkins: Do you make Jack O’ Lanterns? Any ideas of what else to do with them? This is interesting because I usually get pumpkins every year and we put them out on the porch just as decoration until we get around to carving them. However, we've discovered that squirrels love to snack on them! We just bought our first house and moved in about a month ago, and both pumpkins that we bought have little teeth marks and flesh scraped off around the tops. We had a similar incident at our previous home, but growing up I never had a problem! I guess we won't be making jack o' lanterns this year, although we may still scrape out the seeds and toast them - yummy!
4. Do you decorate your home for fall or Halloween? If so, what do you do? Bonus points for pictures. Since we're still settling into the new house, we haven't really taken the time to decorate much this year. We have our pumpkins out on the porch and one lawn decoration that was easy to put out without too much planning or time. Eventually, I want to go all out like my mom used to do and I'm excited that I have a house where I can do that finally!! It means there's going to be shopping in the near future (after the actual day when they put everything on sale, I'll stock up for next year).
5. Do you like pretending to be something different? Does a costume bring our an alternate personality? I don't think I actually pretend to be someone different, but I like to dress up and it makes me feel different. For example, a couple of time in the last few years I've dressed up as a nun (which goes over great in seminary!). It somehow makes me feel connected to my Catholic roots and is fun to be in a costume, but I don't really change my behavior. I've never been a very good actress (lots of people from high school can attest to that) but always love the costumes!
Bonus: Share your favorite recipe for an autumn food, particularly apple or pumpkin ones. I'll have to post this later when I get home, but my recipe will be for Apple Pudding. It's not like a tapioca, milk based kind of pudding, and it's not really like a bread pudding, but something in between. It's basically apples, flour, sugar and butter with a little bit of spices. It's super easy and a BIG favorite in our little family. One year I made it often enough that Trouble's uniform didn't fit after she had the holidays off from work. Moderation is the key! I haven't even thought of making it yet this year, but the weather is definitely telling me that it's time - yummy!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Friday Five Homage to the Top Chef!
RevHRod talked about how her family is addicted to Top Chef (on Bravo) for their assorted reasons and then asked us to think about the following:
1. If you were a food, what would you be?
This is really hard for me - there are a lot of things I can think of! Chocolate (sweet, and flexible enough to go with about anything) or coffee (hot or cold, sweet and creamy or strong and dark). Lasagna is one of my favorite things to eat and make and I think it probably fits the best. There are layers (sometimes A LOT of layers), a variety of textures, and you can spice it up or mix in veggies but ultimately it's Italian, warm and filling comfort food.
2.What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where?
This question really gets me thinking about the link between food and emotions (not always a good thing). I have a lot of great memories and significant events that involve food! I guess for the sake of this question at this moment, I'll mention my wedding dinner. My wedding wasn't the most elborate of occasions, and my parents were less than thrilled about the whole thing and swore they wouldn't take part in it. A few weeks before the big day they called me to tell me they changed their minds and would be coming (to Oklahoma City from New Jersey). Since we had already planned everything, their addition to the wedding was to take our closest friends and family out to dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse after the cake and punch reception. It wasn't that the food was so outstanding, but it was the happiest day of my life, I had my favorite people around and was especially glad to have my family there.
3.What is your favorite comfort food from childhood?
Well, "Beat Up Chicken" was always a favorite (as was lasagna, but I already used that answer). My mom would take chicken breasts and put them between two sheets of wax paper and then pound them thin with an iron skillet (hence, "beating them up"). She'd then take a piece of cheddar cheese and roll it up inside each chicken breast, then dip it egg wash and Italian seasoned bread crumbs and put it in a baking dish. While it was baking, she'd make Stove Top stuffing. She'd pull the chicken out, add the stuffing and pour chicken gravy over the whole pan before returning it to the oven to fininsh baking. YUMMY!!
4.When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to be a hit?
I didn't grow up with the tradition of church potlucks, so I don't have any sure fire potluck hits, but I do think my chicken tortilla casserole is a pretty good option. It's always a challenge to have something with protein and nutritional value to feed a lot of people without breaking the bank, and I refuse to serve hot dogs or any other "tube meat."
5. What’s the strangest thing you ever willingly ate?
So many of you have already heard this story, but I would definitly have to say ANTS. I took a trip to Brazil and spent a couple of days along the Amazon River (INCREDIBLE!). We spent one night with a native tribe and they prepared one of their delicacies for us - fresh ants. The poor woman who prepared them had bites all over her hand from harvesting them and then drowing them in water to be served - there was no way we were going to refuse! Oddly enough, they tasted pretty good - strong mint and citrus flavors - but you had to be careful of the legs. They easily get stuck in your teeth or throat (where they tickle a lot), but if you hold the legs like a cherry stem and bite off the body, they're quite tasty!
Bonus question: What’s your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great meal?
I'm not much of a drinker - don't like beer or wine and not a huge fan of soda - so I'd probably just order water. Occasionally when I'm celebrating or just feel like kicking back I'll order a WoodChuck Amber Cider or a White Russian, but it's not to enhance the taste of the food at all - just to enjoy the drink for what it is.
1. If you were a food, what would you be?
This is really hard for me - there are a lot of things I can think of! Chocolate (sweet, and flexible enough to go with about anything) or coffee (hot or cold, sweet and creamy or strong and dark). Lasagna is one of my favorite things to eat and make and I think it probably fits the best. There are layers (sometimes A LOT of layers), a variety of textures, and you can spice it up or mix in veggies but ultimately it's Italian, warm and filling comfort food.
2.What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where?
This question really gets me thinking about the link between food and emotions (not always a good thing). I have a lot of great memories and significant events that involve food! I guess for the sake of this question at this moment, I'll mention my wedding dinner. My wedding wasn't the most elborate of occasions, and my parents were less than thrilled about the whole thing and swore they wouldn't take part in it. A few weeks before the big day they called me to tell me they changed their minds and would be coming (to Oklahoma City from New Jersey). Since we had already planned everything, their addition to the wedding was to take our closest friends and family out to dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse after the cake and punch reception. It wasn't that the food was so outstanding, but it was the happiest day of my life, I had my favorite people around and was especially glad to have my family there.
3.What is your favorite comfort food from childhood?
Well, "Beat Up Chicken" was always a favorite (as was lasagna, but I already used that answer). My mom would take chicken breasts and put them between two sheets of wax paper and then pound them thin with an iron skillet (hence, "beating them up"). She'd then take a piece of cheddar cheese and roll it up inside each chicken breast, then dip it egg wash and Italian seasoned bread crumbs and put it in a baking dish. While it was baking, she'd make Stove Top stuffing. She'd pull the chicken out, add the stuffing and pour chicken gravy over the whole pan before returning it to the oven to fininsh baking. YUMMY!!
4.When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to be a hit?
I didn't grow up with the tradition of church potlucks, so I don't have any sure fire potluck hits, but I do think my chicken tortilla casserole is a pretty good option. It's always a challenge to have something with protein and nutritional value to feed a lot of people without breaking the bank, and I refuse to serve hot dogs or any other "tube meat."
5. What’s the strangest thing you ever willingly ate?
So many of you have already heard this story, but I would definitly have to say ANTS. I took a trip to Brazil and spent a couple of days along the Amazon River (INCREDIBLE!). We spent one night with a native tribe and they prepared one of their delicacies for us - fresh ants. The poor woman who prepared them had bites all over her hand from harvesting them and then drowing them in water to be served - there was no way we were going to refuse! Oddly enough, they tasted pretty good - strong mint and citrus flavors - but you had to be careful of the legs. They easily get stuck in your teeth or throat (where they tickle a lot), but if you hold the legs like a cherry stem and bite off the body, they're quite tasty!
Bonus question: What’s your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great meal?
I'm not much of a drinker - don't like beer or wine and not a huge fan of soda - so I'd probably just order water. Occasionally when I'm celebrating or just feel like kicking back I'll order a WoodChuck Amber Cider or a White Russian, but it's not to enhance the taste of the food at all - just to enjoy the drink for what it is.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Friday Five Stress Busting Edition
Sally writes: I am off to spend a few days at the beach chilling out after a hectic few weeks and before I head off for Summer School...So with that in mind this weeks questions are looking at how you deal with the stress monster!!!???
1. First, and before we start busting stress, what causes you the most stress, is it big things or the small stuff ? right now it's definitely the big stuff - graduation from seminary, family health issues, friends moving away, counseling for myself and other things I'm not willing to mention here... admittedly, when things pile up though, even the little things can become bigger than they need to be
2. Exercise or chocolate for stress busting ( or maybe something else) ? I wish it was exercise, but it's usually chocolate, particularly in the brownie or ice cream form... sadly this is one of the reasons that I am so overweight which only adds to the stress in the form of physical problems (I have degenerative disc disease in my lower back and my weight exacerbates the condition making it painful to sit/stand/walk for very long). One of the reasons I'm currently in counseling is to try to get to the heart of my emotional eating. One day I hope to bust my stress by going for a jog, or at least a long walk!
3.What is your favourite music to chill out to? Enya is always a favorite for relaxing, but it could be lots of differen things depending on my mood and the particular song. I've made several cd's of "chill out" music that include things by Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls, KT Tunstall, Depeche Mode (one of my high school faves), Alanis Morisette, etc. I also enjoy just turning on the classical music station on the radio to just listen without focusing on words.
4. Where do you go to chill? A lot of different places - sometimes it's just vegging in front of the tv (which isn't so much relaxing as it's diverting), others it's hiking in the woods, walking around the duck pond and beautiful grounds at a local park or people watching somewhere like a mall. I think what works better is determined by the cause of the stress in the first place.
5. Extrovert or introvert, do you relax at a party, or do you prefer a solitary walk? I'm definitely more of an extrovert but still have those times when I just need to be alone. I generally find parties energizing rather than relaxing, but like to take time alone to journal, listen to music, or meditate to relax and rejuvenate myself.
Bonus- share your favourite stress busting tip! I don't know if it's really a tip, but in general I find that perspective is everything - so when you're stressed out about something it helps to talk about it with someone you trust and get their perspective on it. Sometimes it's not as big a deal as it first seemed after sharing it with someone else, or perhaps they can offer some advice that makes it easier to deal with. Community and caring for each other always helps!
1. First, and before we start busting stress, what causes you the most stress, is it big things or the small stuff ? right now it's definitely the big stuff - graduation from seminary, family health issues, friends moving away, counseling for myself and other things I'm not willing to mention here... admittedly, when things pile up though, even the little things can become bigger than they need to be
2. Exercise or chocolate for stress busting ( or maybe something else) ? I wish it was exercise, but it's usually chocolate, particularly in the brownie or ice cream form... sadly this is one of the reasons that I am so overweight which only adds to the stress in the form of physical problems (I have degenerative disc disease in my lower back and my weight exacerbates the condition making it painful to sit/stand/walk for very long). One of the reasons I'm currently in counseling is to try to get to the heart of my emotional eating. One day I hope to bust my stress by going for a jog, or at least a long walk!
3.What is your favourite music to chill out to? Enya is always a favorite for relaxing, but it could be lots of differen things depending on my mood and the particular song. I've made several cd's of "chill out" music that include things by Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls, KT Tunstall, Depeche Mode (one of my high school faves), Alanis Morisette, etc. I also enjoy just turning on the classical music station on the radio to just listen without focusing on words.
4. Where do you go to chill? A lot of different places - sometimes it's just vegging in front of the tv (which isn't so much relaxing as it's diverting), others it's hiking in the woods, walking around the duck pond and beautiful grounds at a local park or people watching somewhere like a mall. I think what works better is determined by the cause of the stress in the first place.
5. Extrovert or introvert, do you relax at a party, or do you prefer a solitary walk? I'm definitely more of an extrovert but still have those times when I just need to be alone. I generally find parties energizing rather than relaxing, but like to take time alone to journal, listen to music, or meditate to relax and rejuvenate myself.
Bonus- share your favourite stress busting tip! I don't know if it's really a tip, but in general I find that perspective is everything - so when you're stressed out about something it helps to talk about it with someone you trust and get their perspective on it. Sometimes it's not as big a deal as it first seemed after sharing it with someone else, or perhaps they can offer some advice that makes it easier to deal with. Community and caring for each other always helps!
Friday, August 03, 2007
Friday Five: Pilgrimage
I've been out of the Friday Five habit lately, so here's an attempt to get back in the groove...
ReverendMother writes: Hello friends, I am just back from a lovely time of pilgrimage in the isle of Iona, "cradle of Scottish Christianity." It has provided much food for thought, to say the least, and so, to keep the pilgrim mojo going:
1. Have you ever been on a pilgrimage? (however you choose to define the term) Share a bit about it. If not, what's your reaction to the idea of pilgrimage? I don't know that I thought of it as a pilgrimage at the time, but my trip to Brazil was powerful in ways I never could have anticipated. I saw the Milky Way with my naked eyes while sitting on the banks of the Amazon River in a native village, I saw the mountains and beaches of Rio, hiked in rainforests, watched parrots, tucans & pink dolphins (among other wildlife), ate new foods including ants, and met so many different people. It was a number of experiences that touched my heart and soul and showed me more of God than I had ever noticed before.
2. Share a place you've always wanted to visit on pilgrimage. I'm sure this is an obvious answer, but I would love to go to Egypt and Jerusalem and those places where biblical history played out. But it's not so much for love of the Bible, as it is a sense of connection to place - there's something about being in places that are old and have seen so many events and people that is deeply stirring. I felt this way when I was at Stonehenge and Roman ruins in England as well.
3. What would you make sure to pack in your suitcase or backpack to make the pilgrimage more meaningful? Or does "stuff" just distract from the experience? I think stuff can be distracting, but I would take my camera (which never conveys the experience well but does help me remember what I felt while I was there) and my journal to help me reflect and process the experience.
4. If you could make a pilgrimage with someone (living, dead or fictional) as your guide, who would it be? (I'm about this close to saying "Besides Jesus." Yes, we all know he was indispensable to those chaps heading to Emmaus, but it's too easy an answer) Well, this may be another cop-out answer, but I would say Buddha (or Siddhartha Gautama). I have always been fascinated by other religions and Buddhism in particular really speaks to me and I would love to hear his insights on the modern world, reconciling the differences in our religions, and his perspective on life in general. I'm not sure where out pilgrimage would be - perhaps my biblical lands trip or going around Asia to Buddhist sites - either one would be great with me!
5. Eventually the pilgrim must return home, but can you suggest any strategies for keeping that deep "mountaintop" perspective in the midst of everyday life? (don't mind me, I'll be over here taking notes) Well, if I had the answer to this, the possibilities.... I can only say that I attempt to keep in touch with the memories of those experiences I have had through pictures and rereading my journal. Reading entries about my dad's death still stirs up those feelings and insights I had when it happened, and photos of views over Guatemala still stir feelings of awe and wonder (not because the photos are great, but because it reminds me of being there. There just isn't a substitute for the experience and it's inevitable that those feelings fade. We can't live all our lives in a heightened state - it wouldn't mean anything, but we can take the time to make sure that we continue to have those experiences that put the rest of life into perspective - this is the purpose of sabbatical (and why it's so important, especially to those in ministry and serving others).
ReverendMother writes: Hello friends, I am just back from a lovely time of pilgrimage in the isle of Iona, "cradle of Scottish Christianity." It has provided much food for thought, to say the least, and so, to keep the pilgrim mojo going:
1. Have you ever been on a pilgrimage? (however you choose to define the term) Share a bit about it. If not, what's your reaction to the idea of pilgrimage? I don't know that I thought of it as a pilgrimage at the time, but my trip to Brazil was powerful in ways I never could have anticipated. I saw the Milky Way with my naked eyes while sitting on the banks of the Amazon River in a native village, I saw the mountains and beaches of Rio, hiked in rainforests, watched parrots, tucans & pink dolphins (among other wildlife), ate new foods including ants, and met so many different people. It was a number of experiences that touched my heart and soul and showed me more of God than I had ever noticed before.
2. Share a place you've always wanted to visit on pilgrimage. I'm sure this is an obvious answer, but I would love to go to Egypt and Jerusalem and those places where biblical history played out. But it's not so much for love of the Bible, as it is a sense of connection to place - there's something about being in places that are old and have seen so many events and people that is deeply stirring. I felt this way when I was at Stonehenge and Roman ruins in England as well.
3. What would you make sure to pack in your suitcase or backpack to make the pilgrimage more meaningful? Or does "stuff" just distract from the experience? I think stuff can be distracting, but I would take my camera (which never conveys the experience well but does help me remember what I felt while I was there) and my journal to help me reflect and process the experience.
4. If you could make a pilgrimage with someone (living, dead or fictional) as your guide, who would it be? (I'm about this close to saying "Besides Jesus." Yes, we all know he was indispensable to those chaps heading to Emmaus, but it's too easy an answer) Well, this may be another cop-out answer, but I would say Buddha (or Siddhartha Gautama). I have always been fascinated by other religions and Buddhism in particular really speaks to me and I would love to hear his insights on the modern world, reconciling the differences in our religions, and his perspective on life in general. I'm not sure where out pilgrimage would be - perhaps my biblical lands trip or going around Asia to Buddhist sites - either one would be great with me!
5. Eventually the pilgrim must return home, but can you suggest any strategies for keeping that deep "mountaintop" perspective in the midst of everyday life? (don't mind me, I'll be over here taking notes) Well, if I had the answer to this, the possibilities.... I can only say that I attempt to keep in touch with the memories of those experiences I have had through pictures and rereading my journal. Reading entries about my dad's death still stirs up those feelings and insights I had when it happened, and photos of views over Guatemala still stir feelings of awe and wonder (not because the photos are great, but because it reminds me of being there. There just isn't a substitute for the experience and it's inevitable that those feelings fade. We can't live all our lives in a heightened state - it wouldn't mean anything, but we can take the time to make sure that we continue to have those experiences that put the rest of life into perspective - this is the purpose of sabbatical (and why it's so important, especially to those in ministry and serving others).
Friday, June 29, 2007
Friday 5, Gifts and talents
Sally writes :
Our Circuit (Methodist) is having a "Gifts and talents day" tomorrow- we have a minister visiting from another circuit who has modified the Myers Briggs personality test and added a few things of his own to run a day where we get to look at ourselves in the light of giftings and of the whole church. The idea is to encourage everyone with the news that there is room for you in the ministry of the church- and perhaps to discover where that ministry might be.....
It should be an interesting day, and one where I hope people will leave feeling encouraged and challenged...
So with gifts and talents in mind here is todays Friday 5:
1. Personality tests; love them or hate them? I LOVE them. I have taken countless tests at various points in my life and it's to the point now that I get gifts of things like a book titled "101 self tests" - at least I think I know my strengths and weaknesses fairly well.
2. Would you describe yourself as practical, creative, intellectual or a mixture? a mixture, leaning more to the practical and intellectual side of things. I wish I was more creative...
3. It is said that everyone has their 15 minutes of fame; have you had your yet? If so what was it, if not dream away what would you like it to be? Well, that kind of depends on how you define fame. I've always enjoyed being a big fish in a little pond, but never really had state-wide or national "fame" unless you count singing the national anthem with my choir before a nationally televised baseball game (Philadelphia Phillies). I don't think I want to be famous, even if for only 15 minutes.
4. If you were given a 2 year sabatical ( oh the dream of it) to create something would it be music, literature, art.....something completely different...share your dream with us... My partner, Trouble, and I have always talked about opening up an interfaith retreat center, somewhere in the mountains (not necessarily the Rockies though - somewhere a little more friendly to be in the outdoors year round, like say the Ouachita Mountains in Oklahoma/Arkansas). It would be a place for a variety of people to nurture themselves, their relationship with nature/God/the Universe and to foster their creativity. -sigh- Someday...
5. Describe a talent you would like to develop, but that seems completely beyond you. I wish I could draw/paint. I attempted quite a bit when I was in elementary school, and loved to do it but was never satisfied with the results. The teachers and people painting on public television make it look SO easy! I gave up eventually, and now just want to take a photography class...
Bonus question: Back to the church- what does every member ministry mean to you? Is it truly possible to encourage/ implement? I truly believe that every member has something to offer to the world, and to the faith community. For some people, it may be providing money, but for others money isn't possible but time and presence are. It's the epitomy of God's kin-dom that each of us contribute, in Christian terms, to the Body of Christ. 1 Cor 12 talks about the body being made up of many parts, each with their own purpose and all working together. Even if one seems weak, it is indispensable; if one suffers, all suffer together; if one rejoices, all rejoice together. The problem with trying to encourage it and implement it in our society is that it flies in the face of the individualism and competition that are continually taught and fostered. Can we really have it both ways??
Our Circuit (Methodist) is having a "Gifts and talents day" tomorrow- we have a minister visiting from another circuit who has modified the Myers Briggs personality test and added a few things of his own to run a day where we get to look at ourselves in the light of giftings and of the whole church. The idea is to encourage everyone with the news that there is room for you in the ministry of the church- and perhaps to discover where that ministry might be.....
It should be an interesting day, and one where I hope people will leave feeling encouraged and challenged...
So with gifts and talents in mind here is todays Friday 5:
1. Personality tests; love them or hate them? I LOVE them. I have taken countless tests at various points in my life and it's to the point now that I get gifts of things like a book titled "101 self tests" - at least I think I know my strengths and weaknesses fairly well.
2. Would you describe yourself as practical, creative, intellectual or a mixture? a mixture, leaning more to the practical and intellectual side of things. I wish I was more creative...
3. It is said that everyone has their 15 minutes of fame; have you had your yet? If so what was it, if not dream away what would you like it to be? Well, that kind of depends on how you define fame. I've always enjoyed being a big fish in a little pond, but never really had state-wide or national "fame" unless you count singing the national anthem with my choir before a nationally televised baseball game (Philadelphia Phillies). I don't think I want to be famous, even if for only 15 minutes.
4. If you were given a 2 year sabatical ( oh the dream of it) to create something would it be music, literature, art.....something completely different...share your dream with us... My partner, Trouble, and I have always talked about opening up an interfaith retreat center, somewhere in the mountains (not necessarily the Rockies though - somewhere a little more friendly to be in the outdoors year round, like say the Ouachita Mountains in Oklahoma/Arkansas). It would be a place for a variety of people to nurture themselves, their relationship with nature/God/the Universe and to foster their creativity. -sigh- Someday...
5. Describe a talent you would like to develop, but that seems completely beyond you. I wish I could draw/paint. I attempted quite a bit when I was in elementary school, and loved to do it but was never satisfied with the results. The teachers and people painting on public television make it look SO easy! I gave up eventually, and now just want to take a photography class...
Bonus question: Back to the church- what does every member ministry mean to you? Is it truly possible to encourage/ implement? I truly believe that every member has something to offer to the world, and to the faith community. For some people, it may be providing money, but for others money isn't possible but time and presence are. It's the epitomy of God's kin-dom that each of us contribute, in Christian terms, to the Body of Christ. 1 Cor 12 talks about the body being made up of many parts, each with their own purpose and all working together. Even if one seems weak, it is indispensable; if one suffers, all suffer together; if one rejoices, all rejoice together. The problem with trying to encourage it and implement it in our society is that it flies in the face of the individualism and competition that are continually taught and fostered. Can we really have it both ways??
Friday, June 22, 2007
Friday Five: Hot Town, Summer in the City
...or town, or suburb, or hamlet, or burg, or unincorporated zone, or rural area of your choice---pretty much anywhere but the southern hemisphere, it's summer. (Australians and others, consider this an invitation to take a break from winter for a while.)
(as posted at RevGalBlogPals by reverendmother)
1. Favorite summer food(s) and beverage(s)
I love just about anything cooked on a charcoal grill - chicken, burgers, fish, veggies (squash, eggplant, corn on the cob) and this time of year Trouble and I try to break it out a couple of times a week... We just have to remember to not leave it sitting out in the rain... And then for beverages you can't beat strawberry lemonade or a fruit slush from Sonic.
2. Song that "says" summer to you. (Need not be about summer explicitly.)
Well, the one from which the title of this post comes is a classic summer song, and just about anything by the Beach Boys. Then there are all the songs that bring back summer memories, like Indigo Girls' "Hammer and a Nail" or "Ghost" and others that I can't name, but I know them when I hear them.
3. A childhood summer memory
Our family used to go camping every weekend, sometimes even going for a couple of weeks to the Jersey shore where my brother and I would hang out during the week (sometimes with friends along) while my parents commuted the extra hour each night. There was plenty of swimming, dancing, campfires, volleyball, and just hanging out...
4. An adult summer memory
Not sure if I'm actually an adult yet... but assuming that at 31 I should be, perhaps it's going to the lake with Kyra and Dalonna back in Oklahoma. It was my first time going out on a boat and tubing. We had a blast but I was sore for the next three days!!
5. Describe a wonderful summer day you'd like to have in the near future. (weather, location, activities) This questions doesn't say anything about the liklihood of my actually getting to have this day, so I'm going to say that I want to take Trouble to the Jersey shore - swimming in the ocean (perhaps a boogie board), pizza and funnel cakes from the boardwalk, walking along the piers, perhaps going on some rides and then getting some salt water taffy before heading home.
Optional: Does your place of worship do anything differently in the summer? (Fewer services, casual dress, etc.) My church is always casual dress (although most people aren't wearing shorts in the winter), and our two services keep their same dynamics for the most part, although attendance in general is more sporadic for vacations and such... The only thing we really do different is the choir doesn't rehearse on Wed nights - only on Sunday morning before they sing in service, and there are many services where they won't sing at all.
In the United Methodist Church, summer is the time when pastors move churches (not all of them every year) so there is often change and getting to know each other that happens this time of year. This Sunday is our pastor's last week and then next week we get to officially meet our new one - exciting and scary all at the same time!
(as posted at RevGalBlogPals by reverendmother)
1. Favorite summer food(s) and beverage(s)
I love just about anything cooked on a charcoal grill - chicken, burgers, fish, veggies (squash, eggplant, corn on the cob) and this time of year Trouble and I try to break it out a couple of times a week... We just have to remember to not leave it sitting out in the rain... And then for beverages you can't beat strawberry lemonade or a fruit slush from Sonic.
2. Song that "says" summer to you. (Need not be about summer explicitly.)
Well, the one from which the title of this post comes is a classic summer song, and just about anything by the Beach Boys. Then there are all the songs that bring back summer memories, like Indigo Girls' "Hammer and a Nail" or "Ghost" and others that I can't name, but I know them when I hear them.
3. A childhood summer memory
Our family used to go camping every weekend, sometimes even going for a couple of weeks to the Jersey shore where my brother and I would hang out during the week (sometimes with friends along) while my parents commuted the extra hour each night. There was plenty of swimming, dancing, campfires, volleyball, and just hanging out...
4. An adult summer memory
Not sure if I'm actually an adult yet... but assuming that at 31 I should be, perhaps it's going to the lake with Kyra and Dalonna back in Oklahoma. It was my first time going out on a boat and tubing. We had a blast but I was sore for the next three days!!
5. Describe a wonderful summer day you'd like to have in the near future. (weather, location, activities) This questions doesn't say anything about the liklihood of my actually getting to have this day, so I'm going to say that I want to take Trouble to the Jersey shore - swimming in the ocean (perhaps a boogie board), pizza and funnel cakes from the boardwalk, walking along the piers, perhaps going on some rides and then getting some salt water taffy before heading home.
Optional: Does your place of worship do anything differently in the summer? (Fewer services, casual dress, etc.) My church is always casual dress (although most people aren't wearing shorts in the winter), and our two services keep their same dynamics for the most part, although attendance in general is more sporadic for vacations and such... The only thing we really do different is the choir doesn't rehearse on Wed nights - only on Sunday morning before they sing in service, and there are many services where they won't sing at all.
In the United Methodist Church, summer is the time when pastors move churches (not all of them every year) so there is often change and getting to know each other that happens this time of year. This Sunday is our pastor's last week and then next week we get to officially meet our new one - exciting and scary all at the same time!
Friday, June 15, 2007
Friday Five: Books, Books, Books
1. Fiction what kind, detective novels, historical stuff, thrillers, romance????
I love all kinds of fiction, but especially detective novels, intrigue (a la DaVinci Code and Robin Cook novels), humor and fantasy (i.e. Harry Potter).
2. When you get a really good book do you read it all in one chunk or savour it slowly?
It depends on my mood, the book itself, and what setting I'm in. I read the DaVinci Code while I was visiting a friend - she was at work all day and I was just hanging out in her apartment, so I finished it that afternoon! Harry Potter books take longer, and now that I've read all of them at least once, I tend to go slower, savoring and soaking in the details.
3. Is there a book you keep returning to and why?
There are several that I go back to over and over again - The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is a personal favorite that helps me feel powerful as a women, connected spiritually and reminds me that there are always more complexities and sides to a story than we are aware of. I also go back to Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh on a regular basis. It's got short essays on a variety of topics for meditations, but different than your typical Christian bible passage devotional.
4. Apart from the Bible which non-fiction book has influenced you the most?
It's too hard to just pick one!! I just graduated from seminary so my shelves are packed with non-fiction books that have all influenced me to some extent. To choose a few that have been particularly powerful: Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh has been a favorite since my undergrad days and I need to go reread it again; The Abuse of Power by James Poling takes a theological and sociological look at violence, particularly sexual and domestic violence perpetrated by males. What made this book so powerful for me was the way he explicitly brings in the theology piece AND that he works with male offenders and does an excellent portrayal of their point of view which is something I had never seen or heard before. And no theology student can get out of seminary without having some kind of major theological work influencing them and for me I think it was reading John Wesley's sermons. I didn't grow up Methodist, and joined the UM church because of logistics and the people at one particular congregation; now that I've learned about the development and theology of the denomination, there are just a lot of great things about it that really make sense and feel right to me. God knew what she was doing when she led me this direction!!
5. Describe a perfect place to read. ( could be anywhere!!!)
When I'm at home, I like to sit in my arm chair, next to the living room window, with the lamp over my left shoulder when it gets dark. It's comfy and big enough for me to sit with my legs under me or stretchd out on the ottoman in front, or hang them over the arms on the sides. I also really enjoy reading outdoors, where I can soak in the sunshine (need that Vitamin D) and feel the breeze on my skin.
So, what are your answers??
I love all kinds of fiction, but especially detective novels, intrigue (a la DaVinci Code and Robin Cook novels), humor and fantasy (i.e. Harry Potter).
2. When you get a really good book do you read it all in one chunk or savour it slowly?
It depends on my mood, the book itself, and what setting I'm in. I read the DaVinci Code while I was visiting a friend - she was at work all day and I was just hanging out in her apartment, so I finished it that afternoon! Harry Potter books take longer, and now that I've read all of them at least once, I tend to go slower, savoring and soaking in the details.
3. Is there a book you keep returning to and why?
There are several that I go back to over and over again - The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is a personal favorite that helps me feel powerful as a women, connected spiritually and reminds me that there are always more complexities and sides to a story than we are aware of. I also go back to Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh on a regular basis. It's got short essays on a variety of topics for meditations, but different than your typical Christian bible passage devotional.
4. Apart from the Bible which non-fiction book has influenced you the most?
It's too hard to just pick one!! I just graduated from seminary so my shelves are packed with non-fiction books that have all influenced me to some extent. To choose a few that have been particularly powerful: Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh has been a favorite since my undergrad days and I need to go reread it again; The Abuse of Power by James Poling takes a theological and sociological look at violence, particularly sexual and domestic violence perpetrated by males. What made this book so powerful for me was the way he explicitly brings in the theology piece AND that he works with male offenders and does an excellent portrayal of their point of view which is something I had never seen or heard before. And no theology student can get out of seminary without having some kind of major theological work influencing them and for me I think it was reading John Wesley's sermons. I didn't grow up Methodist, and joined the UM church because of logistics and the people at one particular congregation; now that I've learned about the development and theology of the denomination, there are just a lot of great things about it that really make sense and feel right to me. God knew what she was doing when she led me this direction!!
5. Describe a perfect place to read. ( could be anywhere!!!)
When I'm at home, I like to sit in my arm chair, next to the living room window, with the lamp over my left shoulder when it gets dark. It's comfy and big enough for me to sit with my legs under me or stretchd out on the ottoman in front, or hang them over the arms on the sides. I also really enjoy reading outdoors, where I can soak in the sunshine (need that Vitamin D) and feel the breeze on my skin.
So, what are your answers??
Friday, April 27, 2007
Friday Five
It's been a while since I played, so here goes...
What are you:
1. Wearing - black ballet neck 3/4 length sleeve shirt and light blue jeans and tennis shoes - comfortable, but not too slouchy
2. Pondering - how being an aunt will change my life and how I feel about the possibility of being a mother myself one day... maybe...
3. Reading - I'm at work, so I'm not reading anything right this second, but I have a whole list of books and things to read for classes. My personal favorite (said as sarcastically as possible) is "Radical Reformission" by Mark Driscoll. For more insight on this book, check out hipchick's blog entry.
4. Dreaming - lately I've been having really strange dreams and haven't been sleeping well. For example, last night my dream was almost tetris-like trying to figure out how to fit all of my paper recycling trash (boxes, bags, etc.) into my one little bin.
More long term, life dreams are to buy my own house (something a little older and in need of TLC so Trouble and I can fix it up and make it our own unique sanctuary) and find the perfect church job.
5. Eating - at the moment, nothing, but I ate an apple breakfast bar on the drive to the hospital this morning to meet my brand new nephew. I'm salivating at the thought of going to an Indian restaurant for lunch in a couple of hours. Yummmmmm....
What are you:
1. Wearing - black ballet neck 3/4 length sleeve shirt and light blue jeans and tennis shoes - comfortable, but not too slouchy
2. Pondering - how being an aunt will change my life and how I feel about the possibility of being a mother myself one day... maybe...
3. Reading - I'm at work, so I'm not reading anything right this second, but I have a whole list of books and things to read for classes. My personal favorite (said as sarcastically as possible) is "Radical Reformission" by Mark Driscoll. For more insight on this book, check out hipchick's blog entry.
4. Dreaming - lately I've been having really strange dreams and haven't been sleeping well. For example, last night my dream was almost tetris-like trying to figure out how to fit all of my paper recycling trash (boxes, bags, etc.) into my one little bin.
More long term, life dreams are to buy my own house (something a little older and in need of TLC so Trouble and I can fix it up and make it our own unique sanctuary) and find the perfect church job.
5. Eating - at the moment, nothing, but I ate an apple breakfast bar on the drive to the hospital this morning to meet my brand new nephew. I'm salivating at the thought of going to an Indian restaurant for lunch in a couple of hours. Yummmmmm....
Friday, March 30, 2007
Friday Five - Easter edition
I have errands to run this morning and afternoon, but I at least wanted to play the Friday Five. I'll try to get on later and get up some pics from the mission trip...
reverendmother writes:
Well, the Clergy Superbowl is almost upon us, and so, I offer up this Friday Five (with apologies for the irreverent title):
1. Will this Sunday be Palms only, Passion only, or hyphenated?
Assuming this Easter will be like previous Easters in my congregation, there will be both. The palsm open the service and then we go through the rest of the passion (since most people don't attend services on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, the next service they'll see is Easter morning).
2. Maundy Thursday Footwashing: Discuss.
I love it - I think anything experiential that can draw us into the story and the meaning of the Easter holiday and the ministry of Jesus is a good thing. I haven't ever experienced a foot washing in the Methodist Church - growing up in my particular Catholic congregation we always had a foot washing service for what we called Holy Thursday (I didn't know the word Maundy until I hung out with Methodists in college). I know there are people who have issues with smelly feet, ugly feet, dirty feet, etc. but that is EXACTLY the point! The way we did it, each person got their feet washed by someone, and then they sat down and became the washer for the next peron - we all got taken care of and served someone else. It was very powerful and an image of what Christians should be able to be for each other.
3. Share a particularly meaningful Good Friday worship experience.
When I was in college and under no illusions that I was not meant to stay in the Roman Catholic church, I was attending carious services with friends. I tried out several different churches - mostly Methodist since I attended a Methodist college - and had the comfort of knowing that anything I didn't understand, my friend could kind of walk me through and explain. Holy Week- Easter is just done very differently, and I was very surprised and moved enormously when I went to my first Good Friday service. The service was fairly "normal" feeling but things were in a different order with scripture readings spread out throughout the whole service. It ended with the story of the death of Jesus and suddenly, without any kind of warning, the lights went out and everyone walked out in silence. The people who went to church there knew it was coming - this was their annual tradition, but it was so powerful to me because it was a new way to experience it. I'm not sure I would ever do it this way in my own church, except for maybe once just to catch people off guard and really get them thinking about what it would have been like to be there. Theologically, I'm not so sure....
4. Easter Sunrise Services--choose one:
a) "Resurrection tradition par excellence!"
b) "Eh. As long as it's sunrise with coffee, I can live with it."
c) "[Yawn] Can't Jesus stay in the tomb just five more minutes, Mom?!?"
b) I used to love going to my sunrise service when I was working at 9-1-1 just because I usually worked until 7 am and couldn't make myself stay up long enough after work to go to church (our only service was at 10:30 and I was sawing logs by then). The sunrise service worked out perfectly on my way home from work and it seemed appropriate that the one service I could attend out of the year was Easter morning (some of the Catholic in me??). Now though, being in seminary I think makes me almost jaded on the whole thing - I know how much work goes into the planning and I study all of this stuff to the tiniest detail, so it's lost much of it's magic and emotional power. Church in general feels like more of an obligation now than it ever did. Isn't that horrible!??!? Still I like a sunrise service just because it's something different - I just don't know how my sleep schedule will work with all of the papers and projects due for seminary this time of year...
5. Complete this sentence: It just isn't Easter without...
EASTER EGGS! Those crazy colorful, pagan items just make it for me somehow. I don't know what the significance of it is - we didn't do egg hunts every year or anything like that - perhaps it just that I have a great excuse to be creative and have lots of hard boiled eggs to eat for the week following. This year, instead of buying a dye kit, I'm going to try doing it all natural, using fruit, veggies, and herbs to color my eggs. If you're interested in trying it, go to Wild Oats homepage for directions. They seem to bring out more subtle colors, it's something different, and I think it's cool to see what colors we can find in things direct from God's creation rather than processed chemicals.
Bonus: Any Easter Vigil aficionados out there? Please share.
My mom used to take us to Easter Vigil when I was growing up but I think I was too young (or apathetic) to understand the whole point. In seminary I've looked several times (for different classes) at the tradition of the Easter Vigil, particularly the way it's used as a time for baptism into the church and I think it's very powerful and could be really moving for everyone in a congregation. I just don't know any churches that really do it that way anymore.
Have an Easter story you want to share? A unique family tradition, or a suggestion for things to use to color my easter eggs this year? Leave a comment and let me know!
reverendmother writes:
Well, the Clergy Superbowl is almost upon us, and so, I offer up this Friday Five (with apologies for the irreverent title):
1. Will this Sunday be Palms only, Passion only, or hyphenated?
Assuming this Easter will be like previous Easters in my congregation, there will be both. The palsm open the service and then we go through the rest of the passion (since most people don't attend services on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, the next service they'll see is Easter morning).
2. Maundy Thursday Footwashing: Discuss.
I love it - I think anything experiential that can draw us into the story and the meaning of the Easter holiday and the ministry of Jesus is a good thing. I haven't ever experienced a foot washing in the Methodist Church - growing up in my particular Catholic congregation we always had a foot washing service for what we called Holy Thursday (I didn't know the word Maundy until I hung out with Methodists in college). I know there are people who have issues with smelly feet, ugly feet, dirty feet, etc. but that is EXACTLY the point! The way we did it, each person got their feet washed by someone, and then they sat down and became the washer for the next peron - we all got taken care of and served someone else. It was very powerful and an image of what Christians should be able to be for each other.
3. Share a particularly meaningful Good Friday worship experience.
When I was in college and under no illusions that I was not meant to stay in the Roman Catholic church, I was attending carious services with friends. I tried out several different churches - mostly Methodist since I attended a Methodist college - and had the comfort of knowing that anything I didn't understand, my friend could kind of walk me through and explain. Holy Week- Easter is just done very differently, and I was very surprised and moved enormously when I went to my first Good Friday service. The service was fairly "normal" feeling but things were in a different order with scripture readings spread out throughout the whole service. It ended with the story of the death of Jesus and suddenly, without any kind of warning, the lights went out and everyone walked out in silence. The people who went to church there knew it was coming - this was their annual tradition, but it was so powerful to me because it was a new way to experience it. I'm not sure I would ever do it this way in my own church, except for maybe once just to catch people off guard and really get them thinking about what it would have been like to be there. Theologically, I'm not so sure....
4. Easter Sunrise Services--choose one:
a) "Resurrection tradition par excellence!"
b) "Eh. As long as it's sunrise with coffee, I can live with it."
c) "[Yawn] Can't Jesus stay in the tomb just five more minutes, Mom?!?"
b) I used to love going to my sunrise service when I was working at 9-1-1 just because I usually worked until 7 am and couldn't make myself stay up long enough after work to go to church (our only service was at 10:30 and I was sawing logs by then). The sunrise service worked out perfectly on my way home from work and it seemed appropriate that the one service I could attend out of the year was Easter morning (some of the Catholic in me??). Now though, being in seminary I think makes me almost jaded on the whole thing - I know how much work goes into the planning and I study all of this stuff to the tiniest detail, so it's lost much of it's magic and emotional power. Church in general feels like more of an obligation now than it ever did. Isn't that horrible!??!? Still I like a sunrise service just because it's something different - I just don't know how my sleep schedule will work with all of the papers and projects due for seminary this time of year...
5. Complete this sentence: It just isn't Easter without...
EASTER EGGS! Those crazy colorful, pagan items just make it for me somehow. I don't know what the significance of it is - we didn't do egg hunts every year or anything like that - perhaps it just that I have a great excuse to be creative and have lots of hard boiled eggs to eat for the week following. This year, instead of buying a dye kit, I'm going to try doing it all natural, using fruit, veggies, and herbs to color my eggs. If you're interested in trying it, go to Wild Oats homepage for directions. They seem to bring out more subtle colors, it's something different, and I think it's cool to see what colors we can find in things direct from God's creation rather than processed chemicals.
Bonus: Any Easter Vigil aficionados out there? Please share.
My mom used to take us to Easter Vigil when I was growing up but I think I was too young (or apathetic) to understand the whole point. In seminary I've looked several times (for different classes) at the tradition of the Easter Vigil, particularly the way it's used as a time for baptism into the church and I think it's very powerful and could be really moving for everyone in a congregation. I just don't know any churches that really do it that way anymore.
Have an Easter story you want to share? A unique family tradition, or a suggestion for things to use to color my easter eggs this year? Leave a comment and let me know!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Friday Five - Things to Do Today
Name five things you plan to do today.
Bonus: If today is about "have-to" for you as well, share up to five things you'd like to be doing today.
Well, this is an interesting one for me after the week I've had. I'm leaving to go to Louisiana for a week (thank God/dess for Spring Break!) to work in Hurricane Rita territory, spend time with good people and refresh my spirit. Of course, in order to leave in the morning, there have been PLENTY of things for me to get done today. Since this post is coming rather late in the day, I'm naming things I had to get done:
1. laundry (still in progress but I can at least start packing)
2. counseling appt (first thing this morning and definitely needed after these last 2 weeks)
3. Target run (for sunscreen, travel size toiletries, etc.)
4. Babies R Us (to get gift for my sister in law who has her baby shower the day after we get home - my first nephew!!)
5. Veterinarian (get refills of dog's prescription to deliver with dog to friend who is being nice enough to watch her while we're gone - thanks, Rob!!)
If I could have done whatever I wanted to do today, it would have been:
1. read something fiction
2. watch a movie (I'm falling way behind in pop culture again)
3. get a massage (serious stress relief)
4. go for a walk in the park with a friend
5. take a nap
Who knows, there's still time left in the day....
Bonus: If today is about "have-to" for you as well, share up to five things you'd like to be doing today.
Well, this is an interesting one for me after the week I've had. I'm leaving to go to Louisiana for a week (thank God/dess for Spring Break!) to work in Hurricane Rita territory, spend time with good people and refresh my spirit. Of course, in order to leave in the morning, there have been PLENTY of things for me to get done today. Since this post is coming rather late in the day, I'm naming things I had to get done:
1. laundry (still in progress but I can at least start packing)
2. counseling appt (first thing this morning and definitely needed after these last 2 weeks)
3. Target run (for sunscreen, travel size toiletries, etc.)
4. Babies R Us (to get gift for my sister in law who has her baby shower the day after we get home - my first nephew!!)
5. Veterinarian (get refills of dog's prescription to deliver with dog to friend who is being nice enough to watch her while we're gone - thanks, Rob!!)
If I could have done whatever I wanted to do today, it would have been:
1. read something fiction
2. watch a movie (I'm falling way behind in pop culture again)
3. get a massage (serious stress relief)
4. go for a walk in the park with a friend
5. take a nap
Who knows, there's still time left in the day....
Friday, March 09, 2007
Friday Five: Matters of Taste
Songbird wrote: My mother loved figs.
I only like them in a Newton.
It's all a matter of taste.
Name five things you like a lot that some close relative or significant other did/does not like. This could be food, movies, hobbies, music, sports or whatever springs to mind.
1. Chocolate (or really desserts in general), I absolutely love and sometimes crave like crazy, but Trouble can pretty much take 'em or leave 'em. Carb addicts shouldn't be married to other carb addicts, I guess, 'cause we'd all be eating horribly (and probably diabetic)! :)
2. Seafood (particularly fish and shrimp) are common fare in our house (especially since Trouble doesn't do meat) but we have good friends who don't eat anything from the ocean. We like to have dinner together but it has to get creative to find things that suit the meat-and-potato crowd as well as the vegetarian.
3. SUSHI!! I'm guessing this is just one of those things - you either love it or hate it. I admit I was skeptical about eating sushi at first, but Trouble talked me into trying some (my choice on what we ordered that day). I don't eat the raw fish stuff, but I love all different kinds of rolls (especially the unagi/eel and the eel sauce). We have some friends who go along but SO many of them will not. :(
4. Seminary - there is just something about the books, conversations, concepts, theories, etc that I soak in. Trouble is a great thinker and conversationalist but she feels in over her head (and I totally get that - this is why pastors talk very differently in seminary than they do in their churches) when I get going on particulars (like epistemology, which is one of my favorites).
5. Cats - I'm definitely a cat person; I grew up with two cats and just speak their language. Trouble grew up with dogs and is totally a dog person. We have one of each, but Dakotah is clearly Trouble's dog (beagle) and Kai was my gift from Trouble several years ago before she left for several months. What's been very interesting to watch over the years is how the dog and cat relate to each other - I swear they teach each other very weird stuff!! Does anyone else have a cat who like to make a den in the bed covers??
I only like them in a Newton.
It's all a matter of taste.
Name five things you like a lot that some close relative or significant other did/does not like. This could be food, movies, hobbies, music, sports or whatever springs to mind.
1. Chocolate (or really desserts in general), I absolutely love and sometimes crave like crazy, but Trouble can pretty much take 'em or leave 'em. Carb addicts shouldn't be married to other carb addicts, I guess, 'cause we'd all be eating horribly (and probably diabetic)! :)
2. Seafood (particularly fish and shrimp) are common fare in our house (especially since Trouble doesn't do meat) but we have good friends who don't eat anything from the ocean. We like to have dinner together but it has to get creative to find things that suit the meat-and-potato crowd as well as the vegetarian.
3. SUSHI!! I'm guessing this is just one of those things - you either love it or hate it. I admit I was skeptical about eating sushi at first, but Trouble talked me into trying some (my choice on what we ordered that day). I don't eat the raw fish stuff, but I love all different kinds of rolls (especially the unagi/eel and the eel sauce). We have some friends who go along but SO many of them will not. :(
4. Seminary - there is just something about the books, conversations, concepts, theories, etc that I soak in. Trouble is a great thinker and conversationalist but she feels in over her head (and I totally get that - this is why pastors talk very differently in seminary than they do in their churches) when I get going on particulars (like epistemology, which is one of my favorites).
5. Cats - I'm definitely a cat person; I grew up with two cats and just speak their language. Trouble grew up with dogs and is totally a dog person. We have one of each, but Dakotah is clearly Trouble's dog (beagle) and Kai was my gift from Trouble several years ago before she left for several months. What's been very interesting to watch over the years is how the dog and cat relate to each other - I swear they teach each other very weird stuff!! Does anyone else have a cat who like to make a den in the bed covers??
Saturday, March 03, 2007
RevGal Friday Five: Artsy Crafty
Some of you may have noticed that I joined the RevGal Blog Ring recently - thought it might be fun to link up with some of the fabulous women (and friends) who are out there facing some similar struggles and joys! That said, here's my first Friday Five (a day late while I procrastinate on papers) - and please feel free to share some of your own answers in the comments.
1. Would you call yourself "creative"? Why or why not?
not really - i want to be, but feel like it takes a lot of effort and just doesn't come naturally. i think that's part of why i left music....
2. Share a creative or artistic pursuit you currently do that you'd like to develop further.
sadly, i don't think i really have any creative pursuits. i do enjoy taking pictures and have always wanted to take a photography class to learn the proper way to do it, but am not about to give up my automatic, digital camera.
3. Share a creative or artistic pursuit you have never done but would like to try.
stained glass - i've heard it's very time consuming, expensive and tricky but the results are so beautiful!!
4. Complete this sentence: "I am in awe of people who can _____________."
write music, especially if they play an instrument and sing at the same time.
5. Share about a person who has encouraged your creativity, who has "called you to your best self." (I'm pretty sure that's from the Gospel of Oprah.)
Well, the obvious answer would be my partner (who uses the alias "Trouble" in the blogosphere) - her creativity and willingness to encourage me and help me be a better person is one of the biggest things that drew me to her and continues to keep me in love. SAPPY, I know. :) I honestly believe though that she helps me be the person I was created by God to be.
1. Would you call yourself "creative"? Why or why not?
not really - i want to be, but feel like it takes a lot of effort and just doesn't come naturally. i think that's part of why i left music....
2. Share a creative or artistic pursuit you currently do that you'd like to develop further.
sadly, i don't think i really have any creative pursuits. i do enjoy taking pictures and have always wanted to take a photography class to learn the proper way to do it, but am not about to give up my automatic, digital camera.
3. Share a creative or artistic pursuit you have never done but would like to try.
stained glass - i've heard it's very time consuming, expensive and tricky but the results are so beautiful!!
4. Complete this sentence: "I am in awe of people who can _____________."
write music, especially if they play an instrument and sing at the same time.
5. Share about a person who has encouraged your creativity, who has "called you to your best self." (I'm pretty sure that's from the Gospel of Oprah.)
Well, the obvious answer would be my partner (who uses the alias "Trouble" in the blogosphere) - her creativity and willingness to encourage me and help me be a better person is one of the biggest things that drew me to her and continues to keep me in love. SAPPY, I know. :) I honestly believe though that she helps me be the person I was created by God to be.
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