Friday Five

am writing in my official capacity of grump!!! No seriously, with the shops and stores around us filling with Christmas gifts and decorations, the holiday season moving up on us quickly for many the time from Thanksgiving onwards will be spent in a headlong rush towards Christmas with hardly a time to breathe.... I am looking at the possibility of finding little gaps in the day or the week to spend in extravagant unbusyness ( a wonderful phrase coined by fellow revgal Michelle)...So given those little gaps, name 5 things you would do to;

1.to care for your body
New exercise program and I have lost four pounds over the last week. I even bought a new indoor bike for variety in the exercise program.

2. to care for your spirit
I am planning a vacation to New Mexico to visit my Dad. I haven't told anyone yet except in my quest to find someone to preach for me. I might even take my daughter skiing, which is totally not my thing but she loves the snow. I grew up next to Taos in New Mexico and only the crazy tourists went skiing.

3. to care for your mind
I have a checklist and have almost checked off everything that has to be submitted for my commissioning. When that is done, my mind will be free, free I say. Plus, I have totally tuned into watching "That 70's Show". My personality profile said that was the best way for me to relieve stress.

4. to bring a sparkle to your eye
Contacts. My peeps told me Sunday at church that contacts make me look 10 years younger. Which is a backwards compliment if I ever heard one. It reminds me of one of my now deceased parishioners who said, "You preach good...for a woman".

5. to place a spring in your step, Enjoy the time to indulge and dream....
I don't know if it is a dream but I really pray that my commissioning goes through with no hitches. It has been a tough year on me.

and then for a bonus which one on the list are you determined to put into action?
I am determined to get into shape. Really, the personal trainer is working my butt off, literally working it off.

Friday Five

Does everyone remember the old Sunday School song?The B-I-B-L-E,Oh, that's the book for me.I take my stand on the Word of God,The B-I-B-L-E.I have been working on an expansive language version of the Psalms and the Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office/Breviary. (For you non-liturgical gals and pals, that's a set of prayers for morning, noon, evening, etc., mostly consisting of Psalms and other biblical texts).So I have been thinking a lot about the Bible recently, and how we encounter it as God's Word--or don't--in our lives, prayer, and ministry. (Great minds think somewhat alike this week, as yesterday's Ask The Matriarch post dealt with ways to help as many people in a community as possible engage with a scriptural text in preparation for Sunday worship).So, in that spirit, I offer my first Friday Five. I'm looking forward to hearing everyones experience and reflection on these B-I-B-L-E questions:

1. What is your earliest memory of encountering a biblical text?

I remember seeing a movie when I was a teenager and I absolutely cannot remember the name of it. (Keep in mind my family are atheists) And at the very end, It says “Blessed are those who believe without seeing”. As I struggled with accepting Jesus Christ, that line would pop into my mind.

2. What is your favorite biblical translation, and why? (You might have a few for different purposes).

For study purposes the NRSV. For reading and devotional purposes, NIV. And for telling stories out of “The Message”.

3. What is your favorite book of the Bible? Your favorite verse/passage?

My favorite Book of the Bible is the Gospel of Mark and Acts. My favorite verses are Philippians 4:13 and Matthew 19:26. I pray a lot for strength and for courage to overcome the odds.

4. Which book of the Bible do you consider, in Luther's famous words about James, to be "an epistle of straw?" Which verse(s) make you want to scream?

Anything that Biblical Fundamentalists use to oppress women. It makes me especially mad for them to use Paul to justify their oppression of women when it is clear that Paul thought highly of women in ministry. I learned not to publicly express my dislike of those books, however, because I was forced to do my Commissioning Bible Study over one of them last year. So to all you Commissioning fairies, "I Love Them ALL".

5. Inclusive language in biblical translation and liturgical proclamation: for, against, or neutral?

For and neutral. I will pray to the God the Father at times but I will also pray to God the Mother, God the Creator. I don’t want my language or the language of the Bible to be a stumbling block to someone else’s faith.

Bonus: Back to the Psalms--which one best speaks the prayer of your heart?
To many to choose from but I especially like ones that reveal the depths of the author’s pain or anger and their willingness to share it with God. For some people it is taboo to get mad at God and I love to lift up the Psalms that show that God accepts honest emotion from God’s people.

Friday Five

1. Are you a hoarder or a minimalist?
I am a hoarder that goes through periodic sweeps that totally cleans things out. Unfortunately, they tend to collect right back. I bought a shredder which is making throwing papers out much easier but, darn it, you really don't know when you might need it.

Plus, I really have a lot of different activities in my life. I need the camping equipment and chainsaw for Emergency Mission trips; the books for well, everything; O crap, I can't make excuses - I have too much.

2. Name one important object ( could be an heirloom) that you will never part with.
A rocking chair that is 61 years old. It has been passed down from mother to daughter for three generations now. Its "birthday" is October 27th. Of course, I would probably try to grab my computer if the house was on fire (I have scanned all of the family photo's into it). Plus, it has my sermons, my school stuff (backed-up off site) but, still, it's MY COMPUTER.

3. What is the oldest item in your closet? Does it still fit???
I have a dress that is 10 years old. And no, it doesn't still fit but I'm really working on it. And before you say, "Get rid of it", Cheesehead is living proof that I can get that small again. (((So there)))

4.Yard sales- love 'em or hate 'em ?
I kind of like them but I don't believe in pricing every single little item. Too much work. I like sections or tables - Everything for $1. But when you walk away with money and a cleaner (or emptier) house. It's a great feeling.

5. Name a recycling habit you really want to get into.
Paper - I would like to recycle paper. In this part of the country, you don't recycle paper -- you burn it. And the plastic water bottles..... yeah.... the plastic water bottles. And, aluminum cans, those too.

And for a bonus- well anything you want to add....
In my family, recycling means giving your old stuff to a member of a younger generation. As recently happened with all of my daughter's furniture. It is anathema to throw away or sell furniture. Cousin Billy Bob's niece twice removed is getting married and has to furnish her house. I can honestly say that I have never bought a piece of silverware in my life. Of course, none really match (except for the fancy set I got for my wedding)

One a different subject: In honor of the October Book of the Month, I bought all the food from local vegetable stands and my daughter and I cooked and baked today after school. It was a total vegetarian meal. She wasn't to keen on the squash.

I finally received an email from the Dean of the D.Min. Program. We start at 8 a.m. Kind of weird, that none of the staff could answer that question, Isn't it??