Earthbound Spirit

Annual Easter-time referral post

2011-04-08T18:53:00.004-05:00

Just about every year I refer folks to a couple different blogs. One is humorous. This is the other one. Kittredge Cherry at Jesus in Love blog began her annual Passion of the Christ: Gay Vision posts today, featuring artwork that reimagines the Passion from a more contemporary, and queer, perspective. Do. Not. Miss. This. This year all 24 paintings in Douglas Blanchard's epic "Passion of the

What is Rob Bell?

2011-03-27T17:29:00.005-05:00

Rob Bell is a theological tease.That’s my conclusion, having read his new book, Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived - a book much talked about in the (religious) press and among all my facebook friends for the past month. The online press and blogs were lively in the weeks leading up to the book’s release. Bell was, by turns, bid farewell by one of

Reading Amos on My Way to Madison, Wisconsin

2011-03-10T14:17:00.007-06:00

March 12, 2011 For the past two-plus weeks I have watched with disbelief the decline of the democratic process in my beloved home state of Wisconsin. Day after night after day, tens of thousands of people have been gathering, marching, chanting, preaching, and praying at the state capitol building. I’m going there myself, today.Several of my colleagues have been there almost continuously,

A Believing Nonbeliever

2011-03-09T17:21:00.003-06:00

I’ve written and re-written this blog post a few times. I will probably want to re-write it again after it’s posted.So, what do I believe about God? Being a typical UU, I’ll start with what I don’t believe:I don’t believe what I was taught in church about God. I used to believe that God thought women were second best. I was interested in religion, and wanted to do more than babysit children in

Better Late Than Never... UU Salon, October Big Question

2011-01-21T18:26:00.004-06:00

What is sacred to us?When I asked this question on the UU Salon, I was wondering about Unitarian Universalist specific symbols and practices, and their appropriate use by non-UUs. I acknowledge that for each Unitarian Universalist there may be a different list of ‘sacred things.’ Many of us regard the web of nature to be sacred, others elevate human life to be most sacred. What I really wanted

Congregational Polity - Salon Big Question

2011-01-11T13:14:00.007-06:00

Has Unitarian Universalism outgrown congregational polity?Since my blogging partner has asked for a definition: I understand congregational polity to mean that a local congregation (fellowship, society, church) holds the power of self-determination. This is why congregations vote on by-laws, on calling religious leaders, etc. Further, such bodies that choose to affiliate with the Unitarian

"Between the Evil and the Good"

2010-09-29T10:19:00.004-05:00

What is the nature of evil? That is the question posed at the UU Salon for September. It’s nearly the end of the month – and I guess I’m not very surprised that this question has drawn the fewest responses of our “Big Questions” so far. After all, many Unitarian Universalists claim to not believe evil exists – and many of us simply avoid the topic like the plague. We focus on the inherent

It Gets Better

2010-09-23T14:59:00.005-05:00

This warms my soul. Dan Savage and his husband have launched an effort to let GLBT youth know, life gets better after high school. Here's hoping more teens see this, or other videos in the project. And for more videos: It Gets Better.High school was a while back for me, but I remember the horrors. And I was a straight girl - who was a little different, a little weird, and "too smart." I was

Livin' this Life...

2010-08-11T10:24:00.003-05:00

"Why do you live?" is the question Lord Voldemort asks Harry Potter in the trailer for HP & the Deathly Hallows, part 1. Harry replies, "Because I have something worth living for." And this is, of course the August Big Question for the UU Salon.This is likely to be one of the most personal blog posts I've ever written. You've been warned.Why do I LIVE? On the most basic level, I live because

The Challenge of Universalism

2010-06-03T09:04:00.006-05:00

These are my current thoughts on this month's "big question" from The UU Salon. The question(s), which I may have phrased clumsily, as stated there: "Universalism: the "other U," What does it mean to you? Do you resonate with Universalism, or not? What about the Universalist perspective challenges or comforts you?"The question came from my reading of Philip Gulley, a contemporary Quaker

The end of hibernation

2010-05-28T11:12:00.004-05:00

...is what this feels like. Somewhere along the way, I ran out of energy for blogging. I slowed down, sputtered a bit, and finally just stopped. I haven't even been reading many blogs for the past 6 months. Oh, I've kept up with a few written by close friends, but rarely commented. A couple of things happened. First, I was approved for preliminary fellowship as a Unitarian Universalist

A new blog to add to your "check it out" list...

2009-11-21T11:33:00.004-06:00

I haven't had much to say lately - wait, no, I've had a lot to say and no time to write. And that's not even accurate - truth is, I'm having a dry spell on writing. It will come back, but it's tough right now. But I've begun following a very thoughtful blog. It's not a Unitarian Universalist blog. It's called On Being Both. I'd say this blog would be of particular interest to folks involved

Autumn Meditation

2009-10-23T13:36:00.003-05:00

I grew up calling this season "fall," but the leaves are mostly still on the trees on this wet and rainy day. A friend mentioned crunching in crunchy leaves the other day - and I fondly remember crunchy leaves from my childhood.You see, my school was called "Oakwood," which referred to the gigantic oak trees surrounding it. This was a school surrounded by vast stretches of lawn, too. Of course

Who Says an Atheist Can't Be Spiritual?

2009-09-27T14:30:00.003-05:00

This tribute to the late Carl Sagan, and the still-living Steven Hawking, expresses deep awe, wonder and reverence for the natural world. This is my kind of spirituality... ">

Freedom Of/From Religion (updated)

2009-09-04T21:36:00.005-05:00

Billboard seen in South Carolina last springMy copy of the Fall, 2009 UU World just arrived this afternoon. Some of my fellow bloggers have already posted their opinions of the full-page color ad for the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) inside the front cover. I’m… well, I’m unsurprised. I know this organization. I support its mission to maintain the wall of separation between church

Katrina Blues

2009-08-31T19:45:00.005-05:00

Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast during my seminary orientation week, four years ago. During the days, we were immersed in activities and exercises designed to help us get to know our classmates. In the evenings we gathered at a local pub and watched the images on television in stunned disbelief: people desperately clinging to the roofs of their homes; streets of New Orleans transformed into

The Boy Who Lived

2009-08-26T11:40:00.002-05:00

Before Harry Potter there was another “boy who lived.” The metaphor falls apart quickly, but it’s what I thought of when I heard the news this morning. His name was Edward “Ted” Kennedy. He had three brothers. One died in war. One became president and was assassinated in 1963. One ran for president in 1968 and was assassinated the same year (as was Martin Luther King, Jr.). Ted lived. He

Have a Happy & Safe Holiday...

2009-07-04T08:42:00.000-05:00

Fun and Frolic in Salt Lake City

2009-07-01T16:30:00.005-05:00

OK - I was going to go all the way and label this "Fear and Loathing," as a true tribute to the late Hunter S. Thompson, but there didn't seem to be any fear and loathing present. Befuddlement and confusion and some real joy - yes.My friend and fellow blogger, Ogre, has a wonderful post up about the failure of the Article II revision in plenary. I'm as disappointed and mystified as Ogre as to

Too True

2009-06-10T17:06:00.004-05:00

I've been absent for good reasons. My old laptop crashed & burned a couple weeks ago. Right after commencement, in fact. Most of my files were backed up (thank goodness), but I lost my internet "favorites" folders, so in my nonexistent spare time I've been trying to find links I once had bookmarked. It's a slow process... And I'm wrapping things up at my internship. Then off to UUMA

Number Five?

2009-05-20T14:43:00.004-05:00

New Hampshire may become state # 5 to make civil marriage possible for gays and lesbians. Here's what CNN has to say about it right now. Interesting quote from the gov: Lynch said any such measure needs to "make clear that [clergy and other religious officials] cannot be forced to act in ways that violate their deeply held religious principles."What about those of us (clergy & other religious

Commencing...

2009-05-17T16:49:00.003-05:00

I am no longer a seminarian. As of yesterday, I am a "Master of Divinity." Of course, none of us really masters the divine - though I know and have known many who seem to express the divine quite well through their work, compassion, and love. I'm grateful for them...Many good people helped me through the past four years, not the least of which my DH. He is a brick, a rock, a - whatever

Noonday Prayer - Hope

2009-05-06T15:29:00.002-05:00

Noonday Prayer service has been a blessing for me this year. It is something I will miss at the end of this internship. Usually our gatherings are quite small, no more than 5 or 6 people besides the leader. The nuns who run this agency cum coffee shop are open and friendly, and appreciate poetry as much as scripture. They’ve taught me much about interfaith interaction, living with an open

Noonday Prayer - On Prayer

2009-04-15T10:39:00.013-05:00

I've been contemplating prayer a lot during my internship. I think this picture represents what many of us envision when we think of prayer. Someone with folded or clasped hands, maybe a bowed head, reciting a memorized prayer as part of a liturgy - or quietly praying to God as s/he envisions the divine. I recently facilitated a class on reclaiming the positive aspects of our religious past.

A Prayer for Good Friday...

2009-04-08T14:23:00.004-05:00

(Like Ms. Kitty I'm participating in a Good Friday service where each clergy person is offering a reflection on the Seven Last Words of Jesus. My homily is too long to post here, but the prayer is below.) …Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved

Easter is Coming...

2009-04-01T13:33:00.001-05:00

***The Jesus in Love blog referred to at the end of this post is running the Passion artwork for Holy Week again. I don't know if this is new art or a rerun of last year's - but I recommend it to you all!***...so it's time for some "Passion of the Tchotchke!" (Besides, things have been way too serious around here...)See the most amazing (well, some are amazingly hideous) Holy Week "art" here.

God does what?

2009-03-30T15:26:00.000-05:00

A blogging pal posted this, because these over-the-top fanatics protested in her community on the date shown. (You know, it hurts my heart to post the link here, this group's activities are so offensive to me.)They protested outside my seminary, too. This seminary is liberal and Christian, (disclaimer - I am unabashedly liberal, but I don't call myself Christian) and teaches us to discern for

Noonday Prayer - Brokenness

2009-03-18T18:14:00.004-05:00

After lighting the candle with this gatha from Thich Nhat Hanh,In the garbage, I see a rose.In the rose, I see the garbage.Everything is in transformation.Even permanence is impermanent.I shared the first reading.Reading 1 (Deena Metzger, “Leavings” for Sister Cao ngor Phuong):From Prayers for Healing, edited by Maggie Oman, 1997I want what is left:The tea leaves, the soiled images on cards,The

Blogging - why?

2009-03-09T11:37:00.006-05:00

March 16, 2009Ms. Kitty posted at her blog about the joys of blogging. I started to comment there, but realized quickly that it was just too long. That was awhile ago, which tells you how busy my life is right now! But, I've been thinking a lot about blogging lately - mostly because I don't have much time to actually blog - and wondering whether it's worth the effort.Well. There are people I

Noonday Prayer - God edition

2009-02-19T13:35:00.004-06:00

Starry Night NebulaIt was my turn again to lead noonday prayer at the center down the street. Here's what I said/did:Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson opened his prayer at the inauguration festivities for President Obama with the address to the "God of our many understandings." Coincidentally, the adult group I lead once a month considered different ideas about the holy at our last meeting, and

Just One More...

2009-02-18T17:26:00.004-06:00

**UPDATED**...because I'm a romantic fool. Yeah, it's a commercial, but it's very well done! It reminds me of a meditation written by the late Rev. Elizabeth Tarbox, "The Wedding," which is in a collection I have at home. I'll post the book title later - but I think it's something like Evening Tide..."The Wedding" - By Elizabeth TarboxI stand before two men who are facing each other.Their

Valentines Leftovers...

2009-02-16T15:25:00.005-06:00

Just a few random notes about love, Valentine's Day, Freedom to Marry week, etc. ... I subscribe to "alerts" via CNN on a few issues (and obituaries), and this link was in my email box today: Soap features daytime TV's first lesbian wedding. Apparently, "All My Children's" broadcast today included a wedding between two women as part of an ongoing plot line. I could wish they'd scheduled the

Noonday Prayer - Love, Love, Love

2009-02-13T16:09:00.005-06:00

While on internship, I've had the opportunity to interact with other clergy and people in religious life through interfaith and ecumenical groups in the area. This is an area of ministry about which I was quite ignorant before this - and I have to say some experiences are better than others.One of the good experiences has been getting acquainted with a group of nuns who live at a retreat center

A Different Friday Quiz

2009-02-13T16:04:00.003-06:00

Since I love coffee, I decided to take a factual quiz about java at the MSN Encarta site. Unlike the fun quiz sites there's no code to post at blogs - and no fun graphics... But here's the quiz (and a graphic from somewhere, via Google Images). Enjoy!Encarta Morning Coffee QuizMy score was 6 out of 10 correct = "Warming Up."

"Just" Love

2009-02-12T10:58:00.004-06:00

Warning: This is a long post. Go do what you need to do - get a beverage, whatever - and settle in...I generally don’t post sermons. But parts of this blog post are extracted from a sermon I gave a couple of years ago. Originally written for a preaching class, it was polished and delivered publicly in response to my home state putting a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on the

Freedom to Marry Week

2009-02-11T06:42:00.002-06:00

It's Freedom to Marry Week - and both the Freedom to Marry project and the UUA are promoting the rights of every person to marry the person s/he loves. You can read more at Freedom to Marry or at the UUA website.Here's a poem I plan on using in worship this coming Sunday for a service on love and justice:It happens all the time in heaven,And some dayIt will begin to happenAgain on earth -That men

Friday Quiz Blogging!

2009-02-06T18:18:00.003-06:00

OK, so Quizilla does things differently. They give one the code for the quiz, to put on one's blog - instead of the code for the results. And then the code didn't work... I don't really like this system, but I thought this quiz was clever!What Kind of Spice Are You?My Results:You are cilantro.The bad news is that there are some people who can't stand you. The good news is that most people love

Sabbathing

2009-02-02T11:44:00.005-06:00

One of the most valuable parts of my internship has been feedback from, and interaction with, my advisory committee. There are seven people on mine, which I think is pretty standard. Four men, three women, these people are a pretty good cross-section of the congregation in terms of age, occupations, gender/sexual preferences, and ethnicity. One member in particular has been sort of my "

Yes, I could live there...

2009-01-30T06:26:00.001-06:00

Friday Quiz Blogging Returns!You Belong in AmsterdamA little old fashioned, a little modern - you're the best of both worlds. And so is Amsterdam.Whether you want to be a squatter graffiti artist or a great novelist, Amsterdam has all that you want in Europe (in one small city).What European City Do You Belong In?h/t to Paul

Blog-a-blog, blog, blog...

2009-01-21T15:35:00.000-06:00

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.Philocrites put this meme up at his blog a bit over a week ago - and I haven't seen many takers (besides Joel at CUUMBAYA. What I noticed is that Joel didn't stick to the "rules" Philo set out - so I don't feel any particular need to, either. I'm pretty eclectic in my blogging tastes. My main

Breaking (UU) News

2009-01-20T14:11:00.002-06:00

Copied & Pasted from the UUA Commission on Appraisal's Facebook Discussion Board*1-18-2009*UUA Board Voted Unanimously to Place COA Proposed Changes to Article II on GA 2009 AgendaDuring their January meeting, the UUA Board of Trustees voted *unanimously* to place the Commission on Appraisal's proposed changes to Article II on the GA 2009 agenda.For the delegate vote in Salt Lake City, the Board

A sigh of relief,

2009-01-20T13:29:00.002-06:00

...a commander in chief who certainly sounds like he has a steady course planned. I'm sure many bloggers will be commenting on the inauguration. I skipped the invocation, enjoyed the music and the poetry, thrilled to President Obama's clear call to action, and loved hearing the Rev. Joseph Lowery at the end. A FB friend posted this link, to another poem composed for the new president. Enjoy:

Vampires and Orthodoxy

2009-01-19T20:25:00.004-06:00

Things have been a bit rough here in EBS-land. Luckily, I have good friends nearby, and one of them asked me a good question the other day. One asked "So, what are you doing to take care of yourself?" After some thought, I decided that I need to get back to blogging more regularly. I've been pouring energy and creativity into my internship - and that's been the right thing to do, except it

The year in review

2009-01-01T17:21:00.010-06:00

h/t to Paul. His method is to post the first sentence of the first post of each month. I'm posting the first sentence of the first AND last post of each month (and sometimes the title, if needed). If it was a quiz day, then I'm going with the nearest non-quiz day. Clear?I'm pouring a lot of effort into my ministerial internship (which is wonderful), but that leaves less time and energy for

Rest In Peace: Eartha Kitt

2008-12-25T18:04:00.001-06:00

The one, the only...

Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, etc....

2008-12-24T08:40:00.002-06:00

There is snow up to the windows where I am, and more is falling heavily as I write this. The darkness is receding, the light is increasing, since the Solstice a week ago. We will brave the weather to spend the evening with the dh's family tonight - all our children will be under our roof later tonight and tomorrow - on Boxing Day we will visit my mother. I'm grateful that my internship

When is "interfaith," not?

2008-12-03T16:09:00.003-06:00

One of the interesting things I get to do right now is attend meetings of local clergy and interfaith groups. At my count, there are three such groups my supervisor and I attend regularly. One is an explicitly interfaith coalition which focuses on action in the community. One is a generic area clergy association. One is an association of urban religious communities. My supervisor is very

Rest In Peace: Spot, 1996 - 2008

2008-12-01T14:51:00.005-06:00

(Spot in June, 2006)"To have reverence for lifeyou must have reverence for death.The pets we love are not taken from usbut leave when summoned by the gods."Adapted from Jim Harrison & Ted Kooser(From "Braided Creek," a conversation in poetry)Our eldest cat, our boon companion, was “summoned” this past Friday. He had been ill for some time, and for the past several months we knew he was really in

Another fluff post

2008-12-01T13:35:00.002-06:00

What have you done in your life? -- A meme I found on a couple other blogs. I haven't done much, it seems. (What I've done is in bold.) To play, copy the following list. Bold the things you've done. Post on your own blog...Started my own blogSlept under the stars (assuming in a tent doesn't count)Played in a bandVisited HawaiiWatched a meteor showerGiven more than I can afford to

Really - That's it, folks.

2008-11-25T18:37:00.002-06:00

h/t to Street Prophets

Thursday Quiz Blogging...

2008-11-13T10:54:00.002-06:00

...because I'll be away from computers all day Friday.h/t to Paul. Thanks - I think...Your result for Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test...Interpersonal22% Logical, 16% Spatial, 55% Linguistic, 49% Intrapersonal, 57% Interpersonal, 8% Musical, 6% Bodily-Kinesthetic and 22% Naturalistic! "This area has to do with interaction with others. People in this category are

Encore: Post Election Pastoral Prayer

2008-11-10T11:30:00.003-06:00

Two years ago, I was a pulpit guest preaching to a congregation that had a large number of folks who'd worked hard to defeat a referendum on a constitutional amendment to ban civil unions and gay marriage. That referendum has passed, as have this year's batch of hate-filled propositions in Arizona, California and Florida. Many in that congregation were grieving, as many more are now. There's

What a Wonderful World, mostly...

2008-11-05T12:05:00.002-06:00

OK - this is a very quick post, because I've had things to do this morning and I'm off traveling in about 10 minutes! This is mostly how I'm feeling today, after staying up late watching election returns:Of course, Props. 2, 8, and 102 all passed - and that is the bummer of the day. However - seeing the demographics and how young people overwhelmingly voted against Prop. Hate gives me HOPE for

Friday quiz blogging!

2008-10-31T06:32:00.002-05:00

It's been a long time, but Paul had this up at his blog... and I'm a sucker for quizzes like this. Now, I have to get sermonating!Your result for The 4-Variable IQ Test...Interpersonal30% interpersonal, 30% visual, 20% verbal and 20% mathematical! Your strongest type of intelligence is Interpersonal. You thrive when thinking about people, social situations, and human interaction.

Write to Marry Day

2008-10-29T14:41:00.003-05:00

I've been posting some YouTube videos on the "Vote No on Prop 8" campaign, and today is "Write to Marry" blogswarm day. Here's hoping a lot of other UU bloggers are also blogging about this issue - whether or not they happen to be in the state of California. Because, hey, Florida has Prop 2 and Arizona has Prop 102 on the same issue of marriage rights - both of which also should be defeated.

More on the California Critical Issue

2008-10-28T19:33:00.001-05:00

Another in the ad campaign for "NO on Prop 8" (which rhymes with hate, which we don't need...) I love the humor!!!h/t to Sunflower Chalice

Cat Blogging on a Grand Scale

2008-10-24T07:29:00.003-05:00

So I post photos of the kitties (to the left are Spot, looking like a sphinx, and Minnie in motion) fairly often. I don't have mad photoshopping skills, but some cat lovers do, and have combined their politics with their cats at Cats for Obama! Consider it a mental health break...h/t to the MadPriest

Another Critical Issue

2008-10-21T14:24:00.002-05:00

Looked at slant by Jessica Hagy at Indexed. If you don't want/need an abortion, don't have one.But don't bar access to appropriate medical attention to those who do want/need abortions. As a corollary, don't bar access to contraception (or STI protection) to those who request it. The life you save may be your own (or your child's).And - FYI:

Critical Issue

2008-10-21T06:45:00.003-05:00

For friends, virtual & real, who have married in the past few months. Keep their marriages legal - vote no on Prop 8 (which rhymes with hate)...h/t to Paul, Mimi, and a host of others...

All Americans

2008-10-20T20:58:00.000-05:00

Thank god for Keb' Mo'...

No commentary needed

2008-10-15T07:15:00.001-05:00

Keith Olbermann says it all:h/t: Byzigenous Buddhapalian

Others have said it better

2008-10-14T14:54:00.004-05:00

I try to keep up with a reasonably eclectic mix of blogs, and often find that what I want to say has been said before and better by others. So...Go and read this post at Paul's place, and this one at Fran's. Remember, go vote early if you can. If you can't - don't miss voting on the day of the election. It's your civic duty, friends. (Or, as the immortal Lucy Van Pelt always said, "If you

I voted!

2008-10-13T21:44:00.007-05:00

You should, too. In my state one need not provide a "good excuse" to vote an early absentee ballot. As it happens, I have office hours on election day, and an hour-long commute each way. It would be easy for me to miss voting, so I went on my day off/work at home day. While we were there, R got registered to vote, too. I try not to let myself get too crazy about all the politics, but I do

Why, yes, it has been awhile...

2008-10-12T20:02:00.004-05:00

(Original image by M*)...since my last post! But I've been busy: - learning my way around the offices and other spaces of my internship church,- getting to know my internship supervisor (IS) & church staff,- figuring out a work schedule that allows me to sleep at home most nights,- drafting and redrafting a learning agreement for the UUA (and a learning covenant for the seminary),- preaching,-

Perfectionism strikes again...

2008-09-03T11:04:00.002-05:00

...or something like that. I figured I had to check, since everyone else is. Some of my close friends would tell you I cuss more in person than in print.Created by OnePlusYou - Online Dating Site

Remembering

2008-08-29T12:30:00.003-05:00

OK - before you think "Has Earthbound Spirit lost what was left of her mind???" - let me explain.This photo shows the two men celebrating the white-haired one's birthday, three years ago. Three years ago, coincidentally, was also my seminary orientation, and I'm happy to know that another Unitarian Universalist will be entering the same seminary. There's always got to be an official freethinker

Last Free Weekend

2008-08-17T21:09:00.003-05:00

photo, 2007, from along a hiking trail in the midwestThis was my last free weekend for awhile, so I indulged in a bit of self care. Said self care was primarily spending all of Saturday with my spouse - not working, not on the internet, not solving kids' problems. Just hangin' out. Together. Of course, with a spouse like mine, "just hangin' out" involves getting out in the woods. Which was

out of practice

2008-08-12T10:52:00.003-05:00

I know - it's been awhile. I've been thinking, and reading, and caring for my mother who had eye surgery two days after my last post. She's doing as well as can be expected, but frustrated at the slow process of healing.This summer has gone by in a blur of GA - family vacation - my own illness (bad cold turned into bronchitis, which aggravated asthma, yuck) - my mother's surgery... and all I've

The Butcher is Bagged

2008-07-21T19:14:00.005-05:00

Radovan Karadzic, last seen in public in 1996, has been arrested. The man who oversaw the massacre of Srebrenica. The man who is probably responsible for the deaths of over 300,000 Bosnians in the name of "ethnic cleansing." Let him be tried and called to account for his actions - I hear the Hague has a room ready for him... Now - go get Mladic, too. His accommodations are waiting.

Random Round Up

2008-07-17T07:34:00.004-05:00

Okay, so the blog posts are few and far between this summer. What can I say, I've been busy...Here are a few random thoughts and gleanings:Highly recommended: I download the Speaking of Faith podcast religiously (no pun intended). You can go to the website for the Speaking of Faith radio program and listen to UU minister Kate Braestrup talk about faith and presence in her position as chaplain

"I've been here, I've been there...

2008-07-07T20:34:00.000-05:00

I've been here... and I've been there...Unfortunately while "here" I got sick, and spent my week "there" feeling mostly miserable. I'm home now & the doc has given me some new drugs, so I should be back to blogging again.

"All the Happy People..."

2008-07-07T20:01:00.004-05:00

Chorus:“There are men who love women who love menThere are women who love women every now and thenThere are men who love men because they can’t pretendThey are men who love women who love men”--Steve Goodman, from the “High and Outside” albumThis entry is much delayed, what with GA and a family vacation happening back to back, I just haven’t had much time to blog. But I did tell a friend about

Ministry Days

2008-06-25T21:38:00.000-05:00

So... pre-GA I'm here at Ministry Days - a gathering of UU ministers and seminarians with a day for professional development/continuing education and a day for UU Ministers Association business. The lecture yesterday from Walter Brueggemann was very good. It's so important, I think, for us to hear from our close cousins in the liberal Christian community. I know it was important for me to learn

Off to Florida...

2008-06-22T19:48:00.003-05:00

It's that time again. Time for UUs to gather, meet, greet, eat, learn, play, buy UU things, do UUA business, and generally exhaust ourselves. Florida in June? OK. I may or may not have time to blog. I've been working on a couple pieces that aren't ready - one on marriage (our wedding anniversary was last week) and another that is really still in my head. After GA - family vacation!

OK - this is frightening.

2008-06-20T18:35:00.003-05:00

It's people like this science teacher who give all religion a bad reputation. The article is in the Washington Post. My only question: Why wasn't this person fired a long time ago?h/t to "Rant and Reason"

Picture of the Day: Celebrate the love!

2008-06-17T07:59:00.004-05:00

photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez, pool via APPhyllis Lyon & Del Martin, a couple for over 55 years, legally wed in California yesterday. Finally. You can read all about it, see a slide show & video here. Loving v. Virginia was the court case that made interracial marriage legal in the whole country. I'm thinking about Mildred Loving today, as she recognized that the right of any person to marry

For Father's Day

2008-06-15T08:30:00.001-05:00

Father's Day is a time of mixed emotions for me. Tuesday will be the eleventh anniversary of my father's death.I had a good dad. Not a great dad, but one who lived a life of integrity. He said what he meant, and meant what he said. His light lives on in my brother, me, my spouse, our children, and all my cousins who called him "Uncle Chick" and regarded him as a second father.(poem via panhala)

Haven't done a quiz for awhile...

2008-06-14T17:16:00.004-05:00

I noticed that Paul had taken the "political compass test," and thought that since I usually describe my political views as very liberal I should check it out. I think my self-description is correct.Here's how they score various world leaders.

"How High's the Water, Mama?"

2008-06-12T21:07:00.000-05:00

Like other friends in the midwest, there are rising waters all around us. Main St. in our town was flooded when the local lake overflowed its banks, leaving displaced fish in its wake. The next nearest town has a river running through it - and most of the bridges have been closed all or part of this week. Our home is on high ground, away from the center of both towns, but we keep a close eye

"And now, the end is near..."

2008-06-05T21:34:00.004-05:00

The post title? Today was the last class session I have to attend. Still some writing to do, papers to submit, but no more required classes. I have all the academic credits required to graduate - just need to successfully complete the internship. A colleague recently reminded me, when I griped at him, that I knew I had chosen a less-than-traditional path to ministry. I chose it. He was

Tired Sunday Quiz...

2008-06-01T21:58:00.002-05:00

We've had a busy weekend. Yesterday we attended a wedding, which made us think about being old enough to be parents of children who are old enough to be married (we are!). It was a beautiful ceremony. Today was Religious Education Sunday and the Annual Meeting at church - although the dh skipped to go for a long bike ride. Anyway, the dh was websurfing & found quizzes for the first time! What

Knowing versus Not

2008-05-29T20:35:00.007-05:00

To the right: Luxembourg American CemeteryFor this post to make any sense, you must read the previous one, "Honor and Remembrance." Mom took the news about finding my uncle's burial place very well. She wants copies of everything I found online, to share with my father's two remaining siblings, who were much younger than Dad & his brothers who served in World War II. One of those siblings

Honor and Remembrance

2008-05-26T12:45:00.004-05:00

Today is Memorial Day. There are some excellent posts on other blogs, about the subject. You might want to check out the poems at PeaceBang's blog, or the story sharing at Keep the Faith, or “Never Again… Remember Me,” at Celestial Lands.I preached yesterday at my home congregation. It was one of the most personal sermons I’ve ever preached. I spoke of the deep ambivalence I, and I daresay

Ad Campaigns

2008-05-23T07:11:00.002-05:00

There’s been a lot of chatter on the blogosphere about the latest UUA ad campaign since it began. Some people like the new ads, others really hate them. I’ve even been a little snarky about it, myself.Today, a discussion with some other UUs reminded me of other ad campaigns – and how they might have been viewed…Does anyone remember: “The Religion that Puts Its Faith in You?”That was an ad

Book Meme

2008-05-21T07:40:00.006-05:00

Just for Fun:"Below is a list of the top 106 books marked as "unread" by LibraryThing users. Bold the ones you've read, star (*) the ones you read for school, italicize the ones you started but didn't finish. "Now, for me - there are a few I wasn't certain of, so I italicized them. I don't have a clue which ones were for school or not, I often had novels assigned for undergraduate classes that

desperate...

2008-05-20T08:40:00.003-05:00

...for a "story for all ages" for Memorial Day weekend. I've found children's books on Veterans Day, and non-fiction "how Memorial Day was established" children's books, no stories. Any suggestions? A UU connection would be a major plus!Thanks.**Update: Thanks to Bea (see comments), I think I've found a story! All three books she mentioned in her comment were "in" at the larger community's

Procrastinating on a Paper Quiz

2008-05-18T14:09:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Ms. Kitty...Hey - we got the same result! Hmmmm...Better get back to work.After you die...HeavenAfter death, you will exist in heaven. Everything and everyone you love will constantly surround you for all of eternity. You lucky scoundrel.Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Bragging a bit...

2008-05-05T08:01:00.004-05:00

on my kid. This is the one who is terribly shy about standing up in front of people and talking. Speeches in classes are torture for her. Some teachers have allowed her to complete assignments by speaking to part of a class, instead of everyone, to help lower her anxiety level. Well... Two Sundays ago she stood up in front of the congregation as part of the bridging service for high school

Some Random Saturday Thoughts

2008-05-03T16:34:00.004-05:00

It's a sign of the apocalypse, or something. My ultra-conservative congressman and I agree on something. Amazing. Shortly after it was submitted, I wrote to him, asking him to support HR 5825, the Hubbard Act. I received a reply today, and it turns out he's a cosponsor of the bill.Have you heard of the Hubbard Act? It's proposed legislation to guarantee veteran's benefits to military personnel

Touring the Blogosphere...

2008-04-30T11:21:00.003-05:00

Every now and then I think, "I should really have a blogroll off to the side, like other blogs do." I have a list of favorite links - but setting up a list of blogs? Most of the blogs I visit are those of other UUs, and adding links to them from my blog would be duplicating the efforts of many other bloggers - as well as the efforts of both UUpdates and Discover UU. But there are several that

In the Light

2008-04-25T17:52:00.001-05:00

photo: Canis Major constellation, someone sent it to me & I don't remember who...I know, Friday is supposed to be quiz day – something fun leading into the weekend. But I haven’t posted anything of substance for a bit, and this has been on my mind. I’ve been praying a lot lately. There have been people and things to pray about. Like Lizard Eater and her daughter, Sean's son, UUMomma and her

Flag Decal, Flag Lapel Pin, same difference...

2008-04-20T09:29:00.000-05:00

Or, maybe, How UU are you?

2008-04-19T13:11:00.003-05:00

For some reason, the html for my score won't copy & paste the way it should... But I wanted to share this very simple quiz - How Caffeinated Are You?Have fun!I scored "Jittery, Easily Excitable."

Friday is Quiz Day!

2008-04-18T21:30:00.002-05:00

No time for a real post, so I found a quiz... Since I like stargazing, this one sounded good. And, if anyone was wondering... I had my constructive paper defense this week. I passed - but it was not fun.I took the "Constellation" quiz on gURL.comI am...CygnusDoes commitment come naturally to you? Are you willing to put yourself in difficult situations for friends? Are you known for your

"Pullin' Weeds, Pickin' Stones...

2008-04-14T14:40:00.012-05:00

"Bring me back a rock!" was the last thing my youngest said to me before I left for the travel class I took over her spring break. This is a request she makes of almost anyone who travels outside the state. Friends have brought her pebbles, rocks, and stones from many far-flung places, and she has quite a collection.A busload of us, some seminarians - most not, journeyed through several states

I do like carrots...

2008-04-12T08:22:00.001-05:00

Your Score: RabbitYou scored 16 Ego, 15 Anxiety, and 16 Agency!IT was going to be one of Rabbit's busy days. As soon as he woke up he felt important, as if everything depended upon him. It was just the day for Organizing Something, or for Writing a Notice Signed Rabbit, or for Seeing What Everybody Else Thought About It. It was a perfect morning for hurrying round to Pooh, and

Vows & Wows

2008-04-10T20:25:00.003-05:00

The subject of the week in worship practicum was weddings. Weddings of all kinds, with liturgies both canned and newly created. One classmate created a beautiful tea drinking ritual as part of the service, highly original! I concentrated very hard on writing a piece that had gender-neutral language throughout, with blank spaces where I could write in names and more blank spaces where I could

I said I liked to fly...

2008-04-06T13:18:00.002-05:00

I didn't say "without an airplane!" Why am I not Supergirl is what I want to know...Your results:You are SupermanSuperman80%Green Lantern75%Spider-Man60%Supergirl58%Robin57%Hulk50%Wonder Woman48%Catwoman40%Iron Man35%The Flash30%Batman25%You are mild-mannered, good,strong and you love to help others.Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quizthanks for the diversion, Ms. Kitty!

Earth Centered, Earth Formed

2008-04-03T19:25:00.001-05:00

We are not our own.Earth forms us,human leaves on nature's growing vine,fruit of many generations,seeds of life divine.#317, "We Are Not Our Own,"Words by Brian Wren,Music by David Hurdfrom Singing the Living TraditionMs. Kitty has written a post asking bloggers & readers to chime in with how UUism and their pagan connections intersect. Several have already done so - and I thought I'd add my

"Jeremiah was...

2008-03-31T08:42:00.002-05:00

RIGHT!" exclaimed the Rev. Dr. Herbert Lester, Jr. at Centenary United Methodist Church in Memphis on Easter Sunday, in response to the scripture reading of the day which was Jeremiah 31:1-10. Later on, he connected this statement to the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, pastor of Trinity UCC in Chicago, whose statements in YouTube snippets have caused much consternation. Sigh.Here's another take,