Friday Five: Friendship Edition

KathrynZJ of RevGals writes...

I spent the better part of last week on a continuing education cruise with a group of revgals. Both the class on hospitality and the connections made with friends (old and new) were phenomenal. I always have a difficult time with re-entry into reality from times away but this, aided by getting nailed with strep throat, has been more difficult than usual. Not only does it a take a few days (weeks? months?) for it to stop feeling like I am on a boat, but my heart misses my friends.

In parish life the boundaries are clear and they are there for a reason, but it can make the life of a minister a lonely one. It is such a tremendous gift to spend a few days with women who not only are wonderful and gifted, but who also get exactly what you do and why you do it. The hugs are genuine and free and the laughter is awesome.

Many of us have friendships - past and present - with these same qualities. And so today we will celebrate Friday with friendship:

1) Do you remember your first best friend? What did you do together? Are they still in your life?

Her name was Joann and she lived down the street. (At the time we lived on Rawlinson Road near Rock Hill, SC.) Her dad was (interestingly!) a Methodist pastor. She moved away after 3 years. I have not thought of her in years and have no idea where she is now.

2) Did you ever have to move away or have your best friend move away from you?

Both are the case. 

We moved from Ohio to South Carolina when I was 8 and then back to Ohio when I was 15. The move back to Ohio was not fun. But, because of family needs, it was necessary. 

In the recent past (around 2 years or so) a couple of good friends have moved (Sarah, Becky) and I miss them. 

3) Are there people in your life now that you can call 'friend'?

Oh yes indeedy. They are amazing.

4) What are some of your favorite things to do with your friends?

Laugh. Listen. Love. Learn. Pray. Cry. Read. Talk. Serve. Worship. Walk. Eat. Find my center.

5) What is a gift friendship has given you?

The gift of encouragement. One of the greatest blessings in my life outside of my family are some "RevGals" IRL. There are five of us. We meet for a meal once a month and do as much of the things I listed in #4 as we can. We try to be the kind of friends who are there to cheer, cry and watch out for one another. Three of us are ordained and done with school... Two are well on their way (having their first district council meetings in May! We actually met through being involved in Walk to Emmaus weekends. They are just a gifrt from the Divine. (Here's a photo of 3 of us... one had to leave early, and I was taking the picture. We need a pic of all of us!)

I look forward to meeting MORE RevGals IRL some day!

I'm on Meet and Greet this week!

I'm on the RevGalBlogPals "Meet and Greet" this week...

1. Where do you blog?
at Another Unfinished Symphony (We also have 3 blogging cats... Henry and Tiria blog at Mouse + Cat = Blog and Polgara, our senior citizen feline, deigns to respond at The Duchess Who Outranks Everyone. (You have to have read David Eddings to get Polgara's blog title...)

2. What are your favorite non-revgal blog pal blogs?
Becky, a friend, homeschooler and blogger
My orthodox friend, Debbi homeschooled up to 6 at one time (not worthy!!)
Emerging Women... and Beatitudes Society... remind me that I'm in this for an all-consuming purpose.
Christians for Biblical Equality has a blog "the Scroll"...
Fun ones...
Cake Wrecks...
The Buckeye Blog... and Block O Nation AND... TBDBITL... (because I do NOT get Buckeye coverage here in the DC area)
LOLCats

3. What gives you joy?
Family, Music, Friends and chocolate. Always Chocolate.

4. What is your favorite sound?
The surf on a "real" beach (no boardwalks, vendors, puke-rides... just the beach!)

5. What do you hope to hear once you enter the pearly gates?
I love you.

6. You have up to 15 words, what would you put on your tombstone?
Deb doesn't live here anymore.

7. Write the first sentence of your own great American novel.
Shredding her Turabian handbook one page at a time, the new pastor in town puzzled over why the dogs were picketing the manse...

8. What color do you prefer your pen?
Black roller ball

9. What magazines do you subscribe to?
Sojourners, Christianity Today, Consumer Reports, and a couple of homebrewing ones I don't remember the names of (for the Bearded Brewer's enjoyment.)
(OOPS! I forgot Priscilla Papers and Mutuality from Christians for Biblical Equality!)

10. What is something you want to achieve in this decade?
Well, finishing my M.Div. and actually being employed as a pastor would be nice... to see our kids through college, beginning the settle into the places God wants them, and maybe, just MAYBE, renovate the kitchen before we move.

11. Why are you cool?
Don't know as I am. But then, I never really tried to be.

12. What is one of your favorite memories?
Those "newborn" moments when our girls were born.

13. Anything else you've always wanted to be asked?
Q. Why now?
A. Why not?

Friday Five: The BIG To-Do

KatherineZJ of Revgals writes:

Greetings from the land of the Big To-Do!

It seems like every year I enter into the summer with a growing list of HUGE projects/events/trips that seem to have a permanent place on the 'to do' list.

This year I have a huge move pending so that takes up an entire list all on its own, but it doesn't take a big event like that for me to make plans bigger than my summer can hold!

How about you?

Is this the third summer in a row you have made a pledge involving your garage and actually getting a car into it?
Did you once again miss the registration deadline for the continuing education event of your dreams ?
Are you starting to think you couldn't even find the tents, let alone get it together to pull off a camping trip?

Here is your chance to get it out into the open and OWN your Big To-Do! Who knows? Maybe making the list will help you move the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-Da!

I can get me some ambition and drive my family crazy. Maybe I AM like Nellie Forbush in "South Pacific" (you know... A Cock-eyed Optimist?)

I dared to come up with a list....

1) What home fix-it project is on your Big To-Do?
Realistic: The roof is first. We're in the "getting estimates" stage. (We just did the water heater... fun times.)
Optimistic: If we can, doing the front steps, walk and driveway would be great.

2) What event (fun or work) is on your Big To-Do?
Realistic: keep up with the weeding...
Optimistic: Shall I go adventurous and say "dig up all my bulbs, separate and re-plant them" -- it could happen!

3) What trip is on your Big To-Do?
August. The beach. It's gonna happen! Ain't no maybe about that!!

4) What do you wish was on someone ELSE's (partner, family member, celebrity, etc...) Big To-Do?
Realistic:
Organize and de-clutter the garage, maybe even new storage units (i.e. racks, shelving)
Optimistic:
Re-organize (new fixtures) in my closets.
Re-do my kitchen (floors, countertops, cabinets)
Re-do our bedroom

5) Getting inspired? What may end this summer having moved from the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-da? Realistic:
Finish two more classes.
Get The Harpist packed and off to college.
Help Reedy Girl get ready for high school.
Optimistic:
Lose 20 pounds.
End world hunger.
Bring world peace.

OK, that's it!

Deb

Friday Five: Friends

Jan from RevGalBlogPals writes:

Ever since I found out I could be the hostess for the third Friday Five of each month, I have not been able to get the thought of friends out of my mind. Being an only child (all growed up) who moved around a lot in my lifetime, friends have always been very important to me. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: "The way to have a friend is to be a friend."

So today let's write about the different kinds of friends we have, like childhood friends, lost friends, tennis friends, work friends, and the list goes on. List 5 different types of friends you have had in your life and what they were/are like.

1. Childhood friends

Growing up, we lived in Ohio, then South Carolina, then Ohio again. I have "sets" of friends from elementary school, junior high, high school and college that I admit I have no clue anything about them - where they are, what they are doing in life, etc. Even m>y high school friends, BFFs to use teen parlance, and my closest friends and sorority sisters from college are not on my radar screen. Occasionally one of my sibs will hear from someone I know and send a "hello" -- and I think "gee, that's nice" -- and don't muscle up the energy to respond. So hey -- if you went to any of these schools - drop me a comment! :)

• Lexington Elementary in Lexington, Ohio
• Ebenezer Elementary and Ebinport Elementary in Rock Hill, SC
• Sullivan Jr. High in Rock Hill, SC
• North High School in Columbus, Ohio
• OSU School of Music

2. Lost friends

My friends Carolyn and Tania were in my wedding. I have no clue where they are today. Carolyn got married. Tania got married and divorced, and I think she is now remarried. I'd love to find them again...

3. PTSA friends

Some of these women I have spent a lot of hours with, running committees, leading events, raising money, volunteering in the classroom, and advocating for our kids. One "set" of these friends is graduating... four more years... wow.

4. Seminary friends

These are very active, and Facebook sure makes a difference in staying in touch. We celebrate and love each other through the changes and challenges of finishing school (or managing to STAY IN school).

Last summer I took a Mentoring Women class. Our professor organized us into work groups, and we spent our modular week laughing, crying, and praying together. It was energizing and encouraging! We called our group "Daughters of the Lion" - a BIG shout out to them! (And for some reason, I don't have a group picture of us... bummer.)

Various other friends from divinity school - we started together three years ago and are still going at it, one semester at a time. We are from California, Texas, Georgia and Maryland, and still are friends and co-laborers for Godstuff.




5. Friends for the journey

There's groups within a group here...

- RevGals - so many... and I'm so grateful to have found you via a random "women pastors" Google search!

-I just realized I need a picture of these women... they are "The Pastorettes" as we jokingly call ourselves. We meet for life, love and encouragement every month. Dana and I are the seminarians, and Terry and Marina are pastors in the area. I truly love them.

- A dated picture, but here's most of the team at the church where I work. This was taken last year at a "Retro" party.



- My Bearded Brewer, Reedy Girl, and the Harpist. Love them the most. My prayer is that, as our girls grow up, they will be daughters and friends for BB and me.



As a bonus, put a link to a new (to you) blogging friend and introduce us!
Well, she's not a new friend, but she will be a new blogging fried to all of you. DebD is a homeschooling mom and long-time friend. We actually "met" via another on-line group, and then discovered we lived within 4 miles of one another. But that's a tale for another day...

Here's her self description:

I am a Christian homeschooling mom and wife with 6 children whom I have been homeschooling since 1991. As of the 2007/2008 school year, two of my children are in college, one in private school, and the final three are still at home. I am a convert to the Eastern Orthodox Christianity from a mixture of the Charismatic, Reformed, and Lutheran faith. I hope you will find a nice mix of family life, homeschooling, and faith on my blog.

“Of all holy work, the education of children is
the Most Holy.” --St Theophan the Recluse.

Hope you'll visit her!

peace out, friends...

Deb

Friday Five: The Bucket List

Singing Owl from RevGals writes:

I wrote this Friday Five a while back but was unable to post it. Just saying, so you know I am not ill! :-) Actually I am heading out of town and will not be able to read your posts till sometime early next week, but I'll do so then. Have fun, and don't think too hard about this one. I figured we were due for some fun after Lent and Good Friday and Easter and all that churchy stuff!

Four days of being mostly in bed with a really bad case of flu (do not worry--I will give no detail) has me pondering the fragility of life. LOL! Death, however, has been cheated in my case and I am up and taking nourishment. In that vein of thought, do you have a "Bucket List"? In other words, from the movie of the same name, five things you want to see, do, accomplish, etc. before you kick the bucket?

see more Lolcats and funny pictures


I'd say learn to skydive. But if you know me, that's a laugh. SO with some degree of seriousness, and in no particular order...

1. Go with the Bearded Brewer to Ireland. I've been, he hasn't.
2. See our kids be established and happy in the places God has gifted them to be working. (we still have two in school... I am planning on a long life!)
3. Write a book. Not sure what kind. There's too many words in my head and ideas floating around and I've love to get them on paper... (and they don't have to be in Turabian formatting!)
4. Maybe pastor-by-the-sea? Or pastor-in-the-mountains?
5. Visit all of the places across the U.S. I've never seen, but want to (mostly west of the Mississippi).

Happy Friday, everyone...

Deb

Friday Five: time out edition

Sally from RevGalBlogPals writes:

Holy Week is almost upon us, I suspect that ordained or not, other revgal/pals calendars look a bit like mine, FULL, FULL, FULL........

Jesus was great at teaching us to take time out, even in that last week, right up to Maundy Thursday he withdrew, John's gospel tells us he hid! He hid not because he was afraid, but because he knew that he needed physical, mental and spiritual strength to get through...

So faced with a busy week:

1. What restores you physically?
Chill time. Time "off the clock" so to speak, where I don't have deadlines, phone calls, emails or tasks. I'm doing it this week since I'm on vacation with my husband and kids.

2. What strengthens you emotionally/ mentally?
Being able to talk and listen to good friends. Friends that don't have an agenda, aren't responsible to or for me, and we can just be. I've got three great ones in Dana, Marina and Terry.

3. What encourages you spiritually?
Music. And in a variety of styles, from contemporary to rock to classical.

4. Share a favourite poem or piece of music from the coming week.

Did you feel the mountains tremble? by Delirious

5.There may be many services for you to attend/ lead over the next week, which one are you most looking forward to and why? If there aren't do you have a favourite day in Holy week if so which one is it?
I would hazard a guess and say Easter Sunday. The joy. The promise. The hope...

Peace and joy to all-
Deb

New Year's Musings

Rev Honey from RevGalBlogPals says...

Welcome to this new day...and new year. For many, it is a time to make new or different choices about how we will live out our Christian vocation.

Perhaps you are choosing to take on a new devotional discipline, or act on some wisdom you have received from someone whom you respect.

Today, let's share some advice that we have received or claimed for ourselves, or some new direction we are choosing for ourselves in our ministry.

I've been doing some pondering on this, mostly because of the nature of being a seminarian! Every semester I have to write "reflection papers" on what I am learning, thinking, discovering, doing in my spiritual walk. My profs want pages. You get bullet points, non-Turabian. Hope you don't mind! ;^)

* I am doing a simple 5x5x5 Bible reading plan. 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week with 5 ways to go deeper on a chapter of the New Testament.
The plan allows for "catch up" days and will take me through the New Testament s-l-o-w-ly through 2009. This in itself is a nice change from my classes: "read the book of Mark and trace the themes of ________, juxtaposing them with the treatment of the same theme in John, responding to areas of personal spiritual growth needs." (or some such topic crammed into 12 pages.)

* I am making the women pastor's support group a priority in my life.
We met four times in 2008, we are going to go for monthly in 2009. I really love these women and can't even imagine what it would be like to be in ministry without their "outside view" of my life and ministry! We don't attend the same church, so there's no crossing of supervision and personal "stuff" which is really, really healthy.

* I am continuing to remember my priorities...
Especially, I want to a) remember ALL of them (God, husband, kids, church, friends, family, LIFE) and b) keep things in perspective because things WILL get out of whack -- I just need to get them back in line with "ideal" and live with that imperfection.

* I am looking to slowly read and reflect on four books in 2009.
I get very little reading done outside of my school reading, particularly this upcoming semester where the profs have promised "heavy reading requirements." I'm keeping my promised book list short since I am given a lot of "required" reading -- even for my pastor's role; last year I read 8 or 9 books -- just for my job!! Needless to say, those books, and schoolbooks, do NOT count! My first book of 2009 is a re-read... The Book of the Dun Cow. I read it years ago... it was given to me as an ordination gift and I think I need to re-read it.

If anything else happens in 2009, I will consider it a double bonus.

Peace - and a Joyous New Year!!

Deb

Friday Five: What you absolutely, can't leave home without...

Singing Owl of RevGalBlogPals writes:

We will be at a chaplain's convention when you all are answering the Friday Five Questions. I'll look forward to reading your answers next week when I get home. At the moment we are trying to get the car loaded so we can hit the road, so this will be a simple F.F. This running around madly in order to leave has me wondering: what are the five things you simply must have when you are away from home? And why? Any history or goofy things, or stories?

Since we just did a 10 hour round trip to pick up Reedy Girl yesterday from band camp, I'll write down what I grabbed at the last minute (and actually needed!):
1. water
2. camera
3. map
4. snacks
5. napkins


When the kids were little it was:
1. diapers and wipes
2. changes of clothes
3. all-important blankie
4. kid entertainment (books-on-tape, simple games)
5. Cheerios!

When I head to a modular week I take along:
1. cell phone
2. lap top
3. quarters (for the copier)
4. snacks
5. my fellow traveler Dana who is on the sem-fem journey with me!

And it's back to the papers for me...

Deb

P.S. That's not my cat. Just loved the picture!

Friday Five: Summer Camp

Mother Laura of RevGalBlogPals writes:
We're settling into our new new apartment, and after a lifetime at Montessori Katie is having a fantastic summer at YMCA day camp. Meanwhile, Nicholas is packing up for a week at Camp Julian, shared by the Episcopal dioceses of Los Angeles and San Diego. His lists of supplies and rules--except for the ropes course available to the teenagers and the ban on IPODs and cell phones--bring back memories of my own happy times weeks at Y camp Ta Ta Pochon, funded by selling countless cases of butter toffee peanuts. So, in celebration of summer, please share your own memories and preferences about camp.

1. Did you go to sleep away camp, or day camp, as a child? Wish you could? Or sometimes wish you hadn't?
Yes. Starting about 4th Grade, I went every year to Girl Scout camp. It began with one week sessions, then two weeks, then four weeks as a C.I.T. (counselor-in-training) and then all summer as a counselor or senior staff member. After resident camp, I worked for a city recreation department as a day camp counselor.

As a family, we did "real" primitive camping: tents, lashed tables, dug our own latrines, cooked over the fire. With upwards of 5-7 kids. My mom is a saint. We've camped a little with the kids (when they were younger) and it was fun, exhausting, and a great way to test laundry products!

2. How about camping out? Dream vacation, nightmare, or somewhere in between?
Hmmmm.... I need to blog about this. I have "directions" on camping. Wise, prosaic ones that anyone who has ever camped thinks, "yeah. it's kinda like that." Another day.

3. Have you ever worked as a camp counselor, or been to a camp for your denomination for either work or pleasure?
Oh yes. C.I.T. for two years, camp counselor for three years, waterfront director for two years... Great memories! Bugbites. Sunburn. Lukewarm instant Kool-Aid. S'mores. What's not to like?

4. Most dramatic memory of camp, or camping out?
The time I was walking campers back from the shower house and we saw a tornado coming and had to take refuge in a ditch. And then, had to walk back to the shower house to get clean again. We were COVERED in mud and leaves!

5. What is your favorite camp song or songs? Bonus points if you link to a recording or video.

Gotta be the very spiritual, very edifying, very uplifting "Shark Song"!



Sorry it's short and sweet, but I've got stuff to do before ordination day! (And no. We won't be singing the "Shark Song" tomorrow...)

Deb

Friday Five: Fireworks Edition

Sally from RevGalBlogPals writes:

I have to admit that I am chuckling to myself a little; how strange it seems for me a Brit to be posting the Friday Five on the 4th of July!

I realize that most of our RevGals will be celebrating in some way today, but I hope that you can make a little room for Friday Five!

From my short stay in Texas my memories of the celebrations are of fireworks and picnics, one year we went in to central Houston to watch the fireworks and hear the Symphony Orchestra play, we were welcomed and included, and that meant a lot!

So lets have a bit of fun:

1. Barbeque's or picnics ( or are they essentially the same thing?)
Naw - they are quite different!

BBQ is a pulled meat with sauce on it on a bun. The meat is cooked, preferably smoked and then pulled. The sauce is sometimes mustard based, sometimes ketchup based.

A picnic is an al fresco affair with optional blanket and chairs. B.K. (before kids) it included a bottle of wine and a nice quiet place to... um... read. Yeah. That's it.

2. The park/ the lake/ the beach or staying at home simply being?
I would rather be anywhere but home. I'd like to go to a picnic. Or a pool party. Or go watch fireworks... But I married a homebody whose birthday is the 4th. So. We does what he wants.

3. Fireworks- love 'em or hate 'em?
LOVE LOVE LOVE them. But I am the only one in my family who does. (pout pout pout) SOooo... we stay home. Watching them on TV just doesn't cut it.

4. Parades- have you ever taken part- share a memory...
Yes, a couple of times. I remember having hot, tired feet and a stuck-to-your-back shirt. And sweating so much my mouthpiece would not stay on my mouth.

5. Time for a musical interlude- if you could sum up holidays in a piece of music what would it be?

Well it sure AIN'T "God Bless The U.S.Aaaaaaaa! Lots of John Philip Sousa marches, especially a trill or two of "The Stars and Stripes Forever." (Bonus points if you know all of the words to the camp song "Be Kind To Your Web-Footed Friend!"*) However, the optimist in me likes to hear "New World Symphony" by Dvorak.

Chocolate cake is baking for my Beloved Bearded Spouse's birthday... gotta run!

Deb

* What? you didn't know there were words???
Be kind to your web-footed friend
For a duck may be somebody's mother.
Be kind to your friend in the swamp
Where the weather is cold and damp (fun rhyming is optional)
You may think that this is the end...
well it is!

Friday Five: Summer Reading

Songbird from RevGalBlogPals writes:

Back in the day, before I went to seminary, I worked in the Children's Room at the Public Library, and every year we geared up for Summer Reading. Children would come in and record the books read over the summer, and the season included numerous special and celebratory events. As a lifelong book lover and enthusiastic summer reader, I find I still accumulate a pile of books for the summer.

This week, then, a Summer Reading Friday Five.

1) Do you think of summer as a particularly good season for reading? Why or why not?
I was going to say "yes, except I am in school!" But actually, I don't think it is, because there's so much more to do OUTSIDE during the summer months, I tend to not read as many books because I'm enjoying life. Or weeding. Or chauffeuring. Or hanging at the pool. Or pretending to study at the park. Or doing a cook out. Or... (sorry. am I boring you?)

2) Have you ever fallen asleep reading on the beach?
Yes. And gotten a lovely paperback-sized tanline on my stomach! (the rest was sunburned!)

3) Can you recall a favorite childhood book read in the summertime?
I read ALL THE TIME so I don't really remember one that was "summer."

4) Do you have a favorite genre for light or relaxing reading?
Fantasy.

5) What is the next book on your reading list?
I'm going to NOT pick work-related or school-related books for this! I have to read Elizabeth Johnson's book 'She Who Is' for my Feminist Theology class, but I don't think that counts!

I am actually getting ready to start a new book by Donita Paul called "Dragonlight." It's the fourth in a series of a really fun storyline about dragon keepers! What's cool about it is that is uses a monotheistic worldview (with a Christ figure, and a biblical view of good and evil) but it does not shove it down your throat. My kids read them, their friends read them, it's just a good job and decent fiction that doesn't require a list of steamy love scenes.

Here's to a summer or MORE casual reading... some day!

Deb

P.S. I should post The Harpist's Summer Reading List. It is really something!! (Unlike the "movies list" it appears to have a little more educational content.)

Friday Five: Beach Trip

Mother Laura of RevGalBlogPals writes: in honor of summer, please share your own beachy memories, plans, and dreams with a "Beach Trip" Friday Five.

1. Ocean rocks, lake limps? Vice versa? Or "it's all beautiful in its own way"?

I actually prefer a dune-y natural beach. No rocks, no boardwalk, thanks.

2. Year round beach living: Heaven...or the Other Place?

It would be fine by me. Add a never-ending margarita machine and then... yeah. I'm sure that's Heaven.

3. Any beach plans for this summer?

Yup. This month, August, and September.

4. Best beach memory ever?

Too many... we go every year. It's quiet. Peaceful. Very non-boardwalk kinda place.

5. Fantasy beach trip?

Hawaii... (remember my post with the hammock??) sigh...

Bonus: Share a piece of music/poetry/film/book that expresses something about what the beach means to you.
I LOVE this poem...

Sea Fever
by John Masefield

I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
All I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the seagulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trip's over.

Friday Five: Taking In the View

Sally of RevGalBlogPals writes:

This week I took some time out to stop and walk and take in the view; my son Chris is studying in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, too often we simply drive up there, turn around and come home! This time Tim and I took time out to take in the view. It occurs to me that we need to do that more in life....

With that in mind I offer you this weeks Friday Five:

1. How important is the "big picture" to you, do you need a glimpse of the possibilities or are you a details person?
I am very much a visual person. I can't DO those details if I don't know why. For instance, back in the day when I did keypunch (never mind if you are too young to know what that means,) I badgered a programmer to explain to me WHY the spaces were so important. I wanted to know HOW a cardstacker worked. (Not that I understood his answers, but "just because" doesn't cut it for me.)

2. If the big picture is important to you how do you hold onto it in the nitty-gritty details of life?

If I don't see the big picture, I don't WANT to keep up with the details. I need to understand "what happens" if I don't do them. Sometimes it is enough for me to comply and DO them. A great example is when I learned HTML. Not closing the brackets or quotes can make for a really funny looking page layout. :)

3. Name a book, poem, psalm, piece of music that transports to to another dimension (one....what am I thinking....)

I can't do all of them. There are too many ideas for this question. So let's just take "Music that Transports Deb for 1000." Alex!

(And I am guessing you didn't mean "The Age of Aquarius" and lava lamps from another age... )

Here's what sends me from my iTunes playlist...

• Pat Matheny: "Peace Memory" from the CD "One Quiet Night"
• Phil Keaggy: "In the Quiet Hours"
• Sylvia Woods: "Morning Calm" from the CD "The Harp of Brandiswhiere"
• Bebo Norman: "Where the Trees stand still" from the CD "Myself when I am Real"
• U2 and Bono: "Still Haven't Found," "Where the Streets have no name," and "When love comes to town" from the CD "The best of 1980-1990"
• Sting: "Fields of Gold"
• Christy Nockels: "Grace Flows Down" from Passion Band "Top 5" CD
• A Fine Frenzy: "Hope for the Hopeless" from "One Cell in the Sea"
• and finally...
• Denyce Graves singing just about ANYTHING!

In case you wondered, I am a true eclectic when it comes to music!

4.Thinking of physical views, is there somewhere that inspires you, somewhere that you breathe more easily?
Mountains and rivers. Quiet streams. Flowers. Rainbows. My cats snoozing.

5. A picture opportunity... post one if you can
Are you tired of seeing this picture yet? Picture, if you will, in the hidden foreground, a hot tub and a glass of chardonnay...


Oh. Yeah...

NOW I am relaxed!

Deb

Friday Five: Garage Sale

From the RevGalBlogPals:
Welcome to your irregularly scheduled Fifth Friday Five, hosted by will smama and Songbird!
Since will smama is preparing for a joint garage sale with her parents, and Songbird's church had a Yard and Plant Sale last Saturday, we have five enormously important questions we hope you will answer:

(cartoon from nataliedee.com)

1) Are you a garage saler?
Not so much right now. But in the past, that was how I got a lot of clothes and toys for the kids when they were little. Including a Victorian styled doll house, Legos, play kitchen, and a gazillion toddler clothes.

2) If so, are you an immediate buyer or a risk taker who comes back later when prices are lower?
I usually buy on the spot, particularly if it is something that I spot as being valuable and worth the money.

3) Seriously, if you're not a garage saler, you are probably not going to want to play this one. (That wasn't really #3.) 3) This is the real #3: What's the best treasure you've found at a yard or garage sale?
A set of French lead crystal (still in the box with the price tag) which, yes, we gave as a wedding gift. We're talking a $100 set of champagne flutes and I bought it for $5 when we were barely making rent... (Is that re-gifting? Is that tacky? Oh well... the bride loved them!)

4)If you've done one yourself, at church or at home, was it worth the effort?
Community/church ones are more fun. You hang out, talk, and then laugh at what people will actually buy. (Best garage sale moment EVER - Beloved Bearded Spouse and I were given the world's UGLIEST casserole dish as a wedding present. It was a home-thrown ceramic/clay dish with a lid -- that didn't fit. It had swirls of brown, green, blue and atomic puke pink. And someone BOUGHT IT for $5!!! For a wedding present!!! I think it is still out there, being sold by the next bride that gets it.)

5) Can you bring yourself to haggle?
No. I get tired of people who want you to knock off bucks off of things that are already priced cheap... Besides, when I have organized a garage sale, there is a charity pick-up scheduled for the next possible day already, so it's not like "everything must go."

BONUS: For the true aficionado: Please discuss the impact of Ebay, Craig's List, Freecycle, etc... on the church or home yard/garage sale.
It depends on the item. Nice things don't go easily on Craig's List or Freecycle, even with pictures. Big things, however, do. And broken things do!! People get greedy.

And eBay? I still can't believe how I was able to sell Precious Moments figurines for $20 a pop, because no one even LOOKED at them at a garage sale! But ONLY on eBay could you buy this piece of toast:


Ah... America...
Land of the free. Home of the deranged...

Deb

Friday Five: Vacation Thoughts

Sally from RevGalBlogPals writes:

It is a holiday weekend here in the UK, and the weather forecast for much of the country is not good!!! But we can still dream and so with that in mind I bring you this Friday Five.

1. Getting ready for summer, do you use the gradual tanning moisturisers (yes, gentlemen, you too can answer this!!!) or are you happy to show your winter skin to the world?
I don't know if they are any better than they used to be... but I tried them once and looked like a cremesicle (you know - pasty white with orange on the outside) and it was just not a great look. So I stick with my atomic whiteness. Besides. Even with a tan, my varicose veins show anyway.

2.Beach, mountains or chilling by the pool, what/ where is your favourite getaway?
The beach. Oh yes. The beach. But if it's buggy, from a screened-in porch with an overhead fan... But you know, a nice tranquil day or two in West Virginia near Dolly Sods would also be nice. One of my favorite places is the South Branch of the Potomac River... There's just a lot of God Space there!

3.Are you a summer lover or does the long break become wearing?
What is this long break you speak of? And have you experienced summer in Washington, DC? Yuck. H cubed: Hot, Humid and Hazy. No thanks. I am not really a summer person.

4.Active holidays (hiking, swimming, sailing), or lazy days?
I can do some activity as long as I have time to READ! And SLEEP IN! And not be the catering and laundry service!

5.Now to the important subject of food, if you are abroad do you try the local cuisine, or do you prefer to play it safe?
I'll try just about anything except the water. But usually I ask my host for a recommendation before I go off on a grand explore. Even here in the States, you have to ask around to find a really good "local" place. (puh-leese - I can find Olive Garden on my own!) That's how we found this amazing hole-in-the-wall Turkish restaurant in Virginia Beach called (unintuitively) The Mayflower Cafe! Man. I'd go back there in a heartbeat!

Being real... I have three papers, two projects and a bunch of busywork to do before mid-August. Oh. And another modular class in June. I might actually get a "vacation" -- before September... sigh...

Deb

P.S. the BONUS was optional but here's mine... "a blast from the past!"



"Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks
(snort... the fro. the depressing lyrics. the 70s!)

Friday Five: Wait and Pray

Sally of RevGalBlogPals writes:

Part of the Ascension Day Scripture from Acts 11 contains this promise from Jesus;

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Then he was taken from their sight into the clouds, two angels appeared and instructed the probably bewildered disciples to go back to Jerusalem, where they began to wait and to pray for the gift Jesus had promised."

Prayer is a joy to some of us, and a chore to others, waiting likewise can be filled with anticipation or anxiety....

So how do you wait and pray?

1. How do you pray best, alone or with others?

Without a doubt... I need others praying with me. But much of the "waiting" is done alone. There is a sense of comfort, though, knowing that I have shared my heart and others are listening.

2. Do you enjoy the discipline of waiting, is it a time of anticipation or anxiety?

You've GOT to be kidding! That's like saying, "you can't wait to have a root canal, right?" Uh, no. I hate waiting. I hate not knowing. I hate that period of what seems to be silence from God. I don't know like not knowing if it is a "no" answer or a "not yet"... when on the waiting side of a situation, they both look like a "no."

3. Is there a time when you have waited upon God for a specific promise?
Oh. I am definitely in one now. The tension of "the now and the not yet" of a place to be in ministry. The prophetic knowledge that God has something in mind for me... and not knowing what it is.

What comes to mind and helps me in this waiting zone is to remember the principle of the "fallow fields". When I was in France last November on a mission trip, I took this picture of a vineyard which looked like a bunch of dead sticks tried to the trellises. I was a symbol to me of the place of rest and fallowness in between periods of blossoming, fruit-bearing and harvest. We forget that in the cycle of ministry, of life, there is this "fallowness" -- and when you are there, it just ain't easy. Because you FEEL like sticks tied to a trellis, not a vine deeply rooted and preparing to yield fruit.

4. Do you prefer stillness or action?

Therein lies the problem of "waiting and praying" for me... I like ACTION, baby! And a lot of the wrestling I have been through over the past few months has been because I have had to WAIT. Ugh.

5. If ( and this is slightly tongue in cheek) you were promised one gift spiritual or otherwise what would you choose to receive?

Oh no. You're not getting me on that one. I am NOT going to pray for patience. Every time I do, I get handed a shipload of situations to practice it!! Truthfully, the desire of my heart is to be wise. And you only get that by experiencing life... sigh... so there's no short cut but listening, learning, watching, praying... failing... and trying again.

Blessings to all as we wait!

Deb

An Old Vs. Modern Friday Five

Singing Owl from Revgals writes:

Yesterday I had two separate conversations in which people were musing about how much change is occurring. The WW II generation, of which my mom is a part, went from horse and buggy to automobiles, saw the lessening, or even the end of many diseases, went from widespread use of kerosene lamps and outhouses (in the country, and most folks were rural)) to a totally electrified and plumbed society. The fastest means of communication was a telegraph. The second conversation-- gulp-- was about MY generation and how much change occurred in the last half of the 20th century. The person said his 13 year old had not seen a vinyl record album until a few days before, couldn't remember a time without cell phones, and on and on.

As for the questions!

1. What modern convenience/invention could you absolutely, positively not live without?
Electricity. I admit it. I am a wimp.

2. What modern convenience/invention do you wish had never seen the light of day? Why?
Cell phones. The new version of the old ball-and-chain.

3. Do you own a music-playing device older than a CD player? More than one? If so, do you use it (them)?
Yes. Yes. (a turntable and cassette players) And... No. Not really. We still use cassette players in our cars, but that's about it. Occasionally we use the turntable to play some Zeppelin or Who. Somehow without that familiar pop and hiss, it just isn't the same on iTunes!!

4. Do you find the rapid change in our world exciting, scary, a mix...or something else?
I'm a busy thinker-doer-feeler-experimenter. Yes. I think it's scary, fun, sometimes weird, and sometimes whacked. My kids call vinyl records "those big, black CDs" and their friends were shocked that we had a turntable. And we realized later it was because they thought we used it for being hip-hop DJs or something... RrrrIIIiiiiiggghhhTT! Word.

5. What did our forebears have that we have lost and you'd like to regain? Bonus points if you have a suggestion of how to begin that process.
Natural fertilizer? Compost, baby. It's the best idea. (And no, I'm not so good at remembering to do it, either...)

And I have a great big LOooonnnnnggg post about my week which I will have to edit tomorrow because I am too wiped out and have no brain left.

This is Silly Putty Head, signing off...

Deb

Friday Five: Moving

Mother Laura writes:

We are right in the middle of a move--only twenty minutes away, but we're still a mix of busy, excited, nervous and surprisingly full of grief about what we're leaving, for me at least. So this week's Friday Five asks about your experience of the marvels and madness of moving...

1. How many times have you moved? When was the last time?
As a child, we moved... (counts on fingers)... 7 times. As an adult, I've lived in (finds toes)... 16 different places or apartments. The last time we moved was when we bought our present home in 1996.

2. What do you love and hate about moving?
I am trying to figure out what, if anything, I could love about moving. The smell of cardboard? Not being able to find anything? The noise of packing tape? Uhhhhh... no. I think what I love about moving is when it is OVER!!

3. Do you do it yourself or hire movers?
The last time we hired movers. Wise move. Would not attempt it myself evah, EVAH agin.

4. Advice for surviving and thriving during a move?

ONE WORD: FLYLADY! My personal experience suggests the following ideas...

• Clothing - pack a week's worth in suitcases.
• Linens - pack a suitcase of towels. Use sleeping bags for a few days.
• Computer - label what all those miscellaneous wires go to. You won't remember.
• Books - use small boxes. Paper boxes work great.
• Boxes - you will become really good at spotting "good" box sizes. For some things, bite the bullet and buy some. Esp. for your dishes (dishpaks are WONDERFUL!)
• Cats - (quick. turn their little heads from the screen) - lock them in a bathroom with food and litter. Put a BIG sign on the door "DO NOT OPEN PSYCHO CAT" and when the house is empty, you will then be able to snag them, stuff them in whatever portable torture device you are using, and take them with you. And buy Greenies.
• Kids - farm them out if you can. If not, plan on having only one of you seriously involved in the move, the other running crowd control.

5. Are you in the middle of any inner moves, if not outer ones?
Yup. I'm in God's waiting room right now... Dunno what's up. And I just moved my blog to a new template which I am still tweaking... sigh...

Bonus: Share a piece of music/poetry/film/book that expresses something about what moving means to you.
OH, I think a sense of humor helps... There's always more stuff than you can fit. You get creative... sometimes it's not so good. The picture I have in my mind is overstuffed cars and vans, and the music playing is Sanford and Son...

Deb

A Revelation Friday Five

Sally of RevGals writes:

With this Sunday's gospel reading in mind, that wonderful revelation of Christ to the companions on the Emmaus road. I wonder where you might have been surprised by God's revelation recently.

So with no further waffle I offer you this weeks Friday 5:

How has God revealed himself to you in a...

1. Book -- The Bible
Consistently, predictably, immeasurably, gently... I get "God pokes" every time I read my Bible. OK, that sounds obvious. But as someone who has struggled off and on over the years to read my Bible consistently in a 'devotional' mode rather than in 'study' mode it is always a wonderful experience. Yesterday while reading in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy? yes!) I was reminded of how every blessing in my life is part of that train of promises God has given his people over the generations. And I am grafted in to the line of heirs... AMAZING!

2.Film -- Pirates of the Caribbean 2 (Dead Man's Chest):

Ragetti: [studies his upside-down Bible intently, then looks up] Well, I say it was Divine Providence what escaped us from jail.
Pintel: And *I* say it was me bein' clever.
[turns to the dog with the keys]
Pintel: Ain't that right, Poochie?
Ragetti: Well, how'd you know it weren't Divine Providence what inspired you to *be* clever?

AND...

Davey Jones: Do you fear... death? Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare, all your sins punished?

3. Song -- You Never Let Go
Matt Redman's song "You Never Let Go" caught me by surprise...


4. Another person -- Sarah
A chat last night with my friend Sarah. She said a couple things that were obvious, and yet not. Thanks, friend... Wish you were here...

5. Creation -- Cherry blossoms
The stunning handiwork of God in the cherry blossoms here in DC... For me, a quintissential expression of hope, of promise, of changes in the air...


Bonus answer: your choice- share something encouraging/ amazing/ humbling that has happened to you recently!

I just finished reading Henri Nouwen's book "The Selfless Way of Christ" and there's so much in my response to that book that it will have to be another post...

More to come!

Deb

A Million Dollar Friday Five

Singing Owl from RevGalBlogPals writes:

Lingering effects of a cold have me watching more television than usual. There appears to be a resurgence of the old daytime staple--the quiz show. Except they are on during prime time, and a great many of them offer the chance of winning one million dollars.

I think it started with Regis Philbin and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" but now we have a half dozen or so.

My husband and I started musing (after watching "Deal or No Deal") about what we could do with a million dollars. I thought I'd just bring that discussion into the Friday Five this week. It's simple. What are five things you would want to do with a million dollar deposit in your bank account?

Oh, the mind boggles. Travel? Charity? Family? Church? Meeeeeee??? First I'd call Mike, our financial planner and say "HELP US!!!" Then, I'd change my phone number. In my heart, I'd like to be holy, but chances are I wouldn't be completely well behaved. The temptations to just blow it are incredible... but here goes...

1. Tithe: AH. Such a dirty word. But $10K goes to God. Period. Probably a lot of it would go locally to our church and then to organizations we already support.

2. Education: Each kid would get $20K into some kind of education fund. The Harpist is a junior in high school, so hers would need to be more liquid. Reedy Girl has 5 more years.

3. Travel: I've been to Europe numerous times. It's time to take the family and go. They, too, need a moment with God in a jacuzzi in the German Alps!!! Let's blow $20K there.

4. Home Improvements: We have some big ticket items we have not done that we need to do. Our kitchen, namely, and some landscaping to keep the driveway and front walk from sliding down the hill. So, that's an easy $20K. Which leaves me with...



5. Mad Money: $10K for some domestic travel we've never done... Hawaii? The Grand Canyon? Colorado Rockies? The Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota? (eh... no...)


Here's to dreams... and the money to fund them!

Deb

Addendum...
P.S. Yes - I can't add. Put a zero behind each one of those numbers. Then it will add up to a million.