Is It Still Road Rash If You Do It On A Chain Link Fence?

So, I don't have a pic of the "rash" in question, (my skin is too brilliantly white to get a good pic...) but I'd still like to know... Is it still called road rash if you do it on a chain link fence? And you'd like to know how the question came up in the first place, I imagine!


Well, this is your bike post, the one I alluded to last time. Actually, this is kind of a postscript to my skateboard post. If you remember, or feel like going back and looking at it, I decided that I couldn't very well skateboard to work with the sidewalks being as bad as they are. And I ended with the question, "Now where'd my bike go?" The answer is: Nowhere, it's right at home, hanging up in my parents' garage, right where I left it... um... gotta be over 10 years ago now. Or rather, that was the answer. Today the answer is:

Chained to the railing in the entryway of the church.

That's right, I've been riding my bike to work! Praise me! Considering that I hadn't been on the thing in over a decade, I think I've been doing pretty well.
Now, I know that some of you might be against it, but I've been riding on the sidewalks. Call me a coward, but I simply do not trust the way people drive on Main Street (or Stratford Ave. for that matter) enough to be in the road with them. Besides, if I take the sidewalks I don't have to cross Main Street to get to the church. I think the main argument for not riding on the sidewalks is that it's rude and/or dangerous to, you know, barrel down on pedestrians with your bike. And I agree with that, of course! But over half of my ride has a strip of grass between the sidewalk and the curb and lawns on the other side, so I can get around padestrians!


And the rest of my ride? Well, pretty frequently I end up walking my bike for at least part of it. I'm scared of corners. I know, I know, but I actually took a pretty bad turn into my parents' driveway one time, lost control, hit a driveway light, went over the handlebars onto my head... So I'm afraid that I might loose control when I'm turning, because I've done it so spectacularly before. Now, the turn out of the apartment's driveway is really safe, but the next turn is onto a really busy street, so I dismount and walk my bike instead of trying it. Cause if I did loose control, I'd end up on the hood of a BMW or something. And then I often walk it just a little bit further, because the sidewalk gets really narrow right after that. All these pics are taken on the way to the church, by the way, but it was on the way home, in that narrow spot, that I earned my "road rash." I got a little too close to the fence side of that little gap, and, well... I was wearing a short-sleeved shirt! (Cool. I just discovered that sleaved is a real word, too!) So I didn't scrape myself on the road, per se, but I did do it biking... is that still road rash?


Major intersections that I have to cross, I do so walking my bike, with the walk light—there's no sense in taking stupid chances. Especially when you're on a bike and the other guy has an SUV. There is one last corner I walk, it's just at the church, and it's actually got a decent descent to it. (Try saying that three times fast!) I was biking downhill when I lost control all those years ago, and I don't want to repeat that, especially not when loosing control would probably mean ending up in the street—or running into the side of a car! I doubt if my insurance covers me running into a stationary car on my bicycle!

For what it's worth, I can make that turn coming from the other direction!

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good about bicycling to work, and I'm going to keep it up as much as is safe. Thanks to my folks for helping me get the bike here, and giving me enough money to get it tuned up and safe. Thanks also to Dawn for staying on the cell phone with me and talking me to Tony's Bikes and Sports. I never would have gotten there without her!

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
080707

Bash Bish

You were going to get a post about bicycles. Or rather, my bike. And you will, but not today. Because I forgot that taking pics on the way to work doesn't do anything for today's post, because I need to bring the camera home to upload them...

So, instead, the first installment of Silver Lake posts! Yay!


So, I think I mentioned that I was a conselor for a creative writing conference called The Written Word last week. I thought it would be silly to simply tell you about how I've been writing and not share any of it with you, so here's the first piece that came out of the week for me. But first, you need the setting: This piece came out of a writing exercise we did downstream from Bash Bish Falls. I'd say that this is a first draft, but I suspect that I'll be doing some editing as I transcribe it from my hand-written copy into the post, so in effect you'll be reading a second draft. I'm all about the constructive criticism, so if you have any, please, be my guest and comment!

Wednesday, 072507, Bash Bish

I meander down the bank of the stream, feeling secure in my old boots, looking for a new friend to make. As I sit here, writing this, I resist the urge to smile and lovingly give him a little pat. I know him well enough now to be confident that he would not appreciate the gesture.

But I get ahead of myself. It was downstream from the little beach that he caught my eye. He was, in general, shaped like all the other rocks, but something about his pockmarked features spoke to me.

I picked him up, ranged upstream and found a large rock in the center to sit on. Then, after a brief interlude involving the need of a pen, the return to the bank to retrieve a pen, and the subsequent decision to roll up my pant legs, remove my boots and socks, and wade back to the center, I lay him down on the stone next to me, and he began to tell me his story.

"Who but God knows the immensity of the pressure, the literal physical weight under which I was formed?"

I knew there was something about this rock, he has already brought proper focus to me, setting my mind on God, I thought.

"Who but God remembers the great, tall and fantastic mountain of which I was once a part? A spire so tall that it would seem to be a route into heaven. Who but God can comprehend the terrible cold, or the inexorable grinding movement of the glacial flow or the insistant tumble of water, or the more intermittent working of wind and rain that has worn me down to the palm-full of pock-marked stone you find me to be?"

I left him there, to ponder heavily the working and mystery of God. A smile and a pat seemed inappropriate.



Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
080307

Vacation is Work!

Hey everybody, been a long time, I know, so sorry, so sorry. Lots of things have happened since I posted that long, long post about a tiny piece of General Synod. Most of which happened during vacation. (Actually, I have only had half of my vacation, the other half is coming in about a week... don't ask, it's not worth the telling, lol!) But let me backtrack a second. Just before my vacation, I learned from Elizabeth (she of Modern Day Slavery and Red Leggings) that she was going to be involved in a presentation in the park of Shakespear's The Tempest. Awesome! I find out from her that the show will be running every Friday and Saturday in July. Way cool, plenty of time to go see it!

Well, as soon as I reach my vacation start, Jenny (she of Yarnpie) and I head home to visit the fams. We watch the new Transformers movie with my brother... and then we go searching for a walk-in clinic. It turns out that Jenny has Strep. (Cue evil music.) But not just in her throat. Oh no. She has a lovely ear infection to go with. By the time (hours... horrible hours) we get out of there, Jenny has been proscribed an antibiotic... and is tripping on Vicodin. No, you can't have any. So I got to take care of Jenny for a while.

We spent some time cleaning out closets (now, to clean out the rest of the apartment made messy by the closet cleaning... hmm... vicious circle anyone?) We also tried to spend some actual quality time with the fams. We also got to see my friend, Bob, from seminary. He and his wife came down to see the aquarium, Bob's got a thing for penguins, so he was happy! We had to hurry home so I could get ready to go to Silver Lake to be a councelor for The Written Word, a creative writing conference for high school students. I would be leaving Saturday late in the morning... to...

d'oh

I haven't been to see The Tempest yet. I suggest to Jenny that she could go on her own, but she would rather wait for me. She gets online and re-discovered that the Saturday I come home is the last showing, not the Saturday I go up, so we make plans to see it when I get back.

Now, I love Silver Lake, and it was a very good week, I think. But there wasn't a whole lot of sleep involved. Ok, so only half of that was the fault of the youth (Harry Potter is my Kryptonite) but the fact remains that I was dead on my feet by the time we got to the park. But I really wanted to be there to see Elizabeth (and, it turns out, another member of my church) in the play.

Only, Elizabeth wasn't there. I haven't had a chance to talk to her since I've gotten back, but I hope everything is ok... and I fear that she might have told me she couldn't make that last performance. If so, then I am truly sorry.

Anyway, The Tempest was very good.

But it would have been better with Elizabeth.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
080107

PS I just reread this post, and I realize now that my tenses are shifting all over the place... and I just don't have the umph to sort them out. You'll just have to deal, lol!

The Bubble Man...

...that's me! There are so many things to tell you all about General Synod, but I think this might be my favorite. I was a volunteer at General Synod this time around. (You can't say "this year" about something that happens every two years, right?) I wasn't at the registration table, like the people in the picture, but I did get to wear a snazzy blue shirt. I was a greeter, and as such I found myself standing outside the Civic Center, smiling, answering questions... and blowing bubbles. It may seem like I was shirking my duty, but I really wasn't. I was greeting on the tail end of Synod, and most everyone knew their way around by that point. And blowing bubbles didn't keep me from greeting, smiling, and answering questions. Besides, bubbles make people smile. It is always amazing to watch people's reactions to bubbles. Children, of course, want to play with them themselves. (And I, of course, let them.) Some children were very eager to show me how to blow the biggest bubbles. Some simply wanted me to keep blowing bubbles for them to pop!

Youth are another thing altogether. And if you believe that, I've got a nice bridge to sell you. Granted, some are too cool to pay attention to bubbles, or at least try to be. I saw one young man, I'd venture to guess of Latin descent, purposefully striding down the street. He was wearing a backwards baseball cap, baggy jeans, and a tight white tank top with nothing but rippling teenage muscles beneath. A gust of wind took a whole flock of bubbles into his path, and he succinctly waved them out of his way. Then he caught me grinning at him, and dared to smile. Cool kinds aside, quite a few of the youth reacted immediately with a joyous cry of "BUBBLES!" Some even thanked me for the bubbles! And one brother and sister immediately set about the very serious task of attempting to catch the bubbles... on their tongues! One of them actually accomplished the feat!

Full grown adults seem to be the least likely to chase the bubbles down and pop them with their hands, let alone their tongues. But if you watch adults closely, they will smile. Sometimes it's only with their eyes, but they do. Sometimes they even give you a big grin, a wave, or a thumbs up! A few people proclaimed, "Hey, it's the Bubble Man!" and I would grin and say, "Yup, that's me!" or "Absolutely!" Some few adults would strike up conversations with me, and I would invariably tell them this story.

I was a Youth Delgate to General Synod 22, which was held in Providence, Rhode Island. (Geeze, that was in 1999... practically ancient history.) I remember sitting at a table during a plenary session, bored out of my ever-loving mind, when I looked across the hall and saw that some other Conference had one of those bubble guns and was sending streams of bubbles up into the rafters. It was amazing to see these very serious delegates, very seriously paying attention to the utterly boring meeting... until a bubble came floating by, and then suddenly a sense of awe and wonder and simple child-like happiness would overcome them. I've bought bubbles—and used them—at every Synod I've been to since.

Well, the sidewalk is pretty uncrowded when a mom and her daughter come around the corner. The mom is half a block away when she calls out to me. "You're the coolest volunteer I've seen so far! You're the only one who's had toys!" So we strike up a conversation, and I start to tell my bubble story. Only when I get to the point where I say, "some other conference" she can't contain herself any more.

"That was me! I had the bubble gun!"

So I made a cool connection and proved to myself, once again, that it really is a small world after all.

Be good to each other
Rev. Bubble Man
062707

PS Go blow some bubbles someplace crowded, it's worth the time.

Under Construction

I've just finished overhauling my blog! Isn't it pretty? I hope it is also functioning for you. I've had a few little catches along the way, and I hope to be able to tweak it... well, anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and please bare with me as I get used to the new stuff!

Be good to each other.
Rev. Josh
062107

Father's Day... and not.

First of all, I'd like to wish a very happy Father's Day to my dad. I know it's Wednesday, I've been very busy. And unfortunately I was very busy last Sunday, too. But Jenny got to go home and be with the dads various, so my father did get his card, and his copy of His Dark Materials, by Phillip Pullman. And besides which, I'll get to see him soon when the family comes down for General Synod.

And now for the "not" of the post title. I recently ran across this somewhere, and discovered that it's on Youtube. It's a Japanese gameshow, and, well, it's just fun-looking, ok? *grin*

Be good to each other!
Rev. Josh
062007

A Queer Kinda Day

Queer is one of those words that means many things and is in fact undergoing change. One must, therefore, be careful in how it is used. When I use the word (and I do use it very sparingly because I don't want to offend our gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered (glbt) brothers and sisters)I usually intend it as an umbrella term for glbt folk. It has, of course, a history of being what the dictionaries call "offensive slang," but it is also being reclaimed by the glbt community, so... languange in flux. So you might be asking yourself why I would be using such elusive language in a post. The answer is simple. The poet in me couldn't help it! It was a queer, as in strange, kind of day in part because it was a day where extremely straight themes ran along side extremely queer as in glbt themes!

I performed a funeral today. Very straight-laced and one might assume heterosexual croud. It went well, but it was, well... a funeral and all the somber that normally entails. After the funeral I had some wonderful conversation with Dr. Joe, which is by definition an experience of a queer. (Don't worry, Dr. Joe is very out and would enjoy the turn of phrase, he wouldn't be offended so you don't need to be either.) And the first thing I ran into this morning before the funeral was the following advertisement.

Powered by AOL Video

I don't know how much time I'm gonna have to get into this film festival, but I really want to. Maybe some of you will get to see some of it and will be willing to let me know what you think?

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
061107

Grand Experiment

Or rather, the abrupt beginning and end of a grand experiment. I believe that in a previous post I might have mentioned that I was considering an alternitive mode of transportation to work. Something that will help me save on gas. ($$) Something that will help me get a little more exercise. Something that would be fun to learn, maybe. And then I remembered my skateboard! I never got very far with it as a kiddo, because we lived in a housing development where we didn't have sidewalks. In fact, there are very few places in all of town that does. I've always wondered how the skater culture took root at home, with no place to, you know, skate. Anyway, it turns out that the old board was still at home, and so I asked Jenny to bring it here one of the last times she took a trip up there. That and my helmet. (gotta protect the ol' noggin) It was just as pink as I remembered. (What? It's from the '80s, man!) And... lo and behold I can make it go in a straight line! Score! That's all you need to stay on the sidewalk, right? So, fully aware of how silly I must look, I got up one morning, got dressed in my work clothes, added my helmet, and skated off. I got maybe a third of the way to work when I ran into sidewalk that looked a little like this:

and then like this:

and this:

and finally, this:

I think... I didn't think to get much in frame that would tell me where exactly along the sidewalk these were taken. But you get the picture. I was probably carrying my board for at least half the way to work. At which point, why shouldn't I just walk?

Now where'd my bike go?

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
060107

Three Years! Weeoo!

So, last Tuesday was our third anniversary. (I almost typed "yesterday," where is the week going? Heck, where did the last three years go? O.O ) Anywho, Jenny got me a wicked cool present, it looks like this:

or like this:

It's so much fun! You put a marble up at the top, and it winds it's way down through all the troughs and gadgets and widgets until it finally drops into the recipticle at the bottom. It also inspires you to use words like "troughs" and "recepticle" and also to check out the Think Geek site.

Jenny also knit me this!

Does he remind you of anyone?


To see what Jenny got for our anniversary, go check out her blog.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
053107

Counting Blue Cars

I just have to share with you a post from the blog Red Leggings, on the off chance that you haven't been clicking that link over there ------->

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Have you ever noticed your own humanity? Today, I've really seen it. It is terrifying but is full of grace and beauty. I'm going to take a walk soon. This is not your ordinary walk; it will be done with intention. I will be totally conscious of the soul I posses and nourish it. I've spent too much time wanting to kill it. Sometimes, it all boils down to the belief that God knows the truth. We can either take it in like a cool glass of water, or push it away until we are literally sick. I've done both; and I know to feel that refreshing water go into my system (whatever truths it delivers) will sustain me.
I know a while back, I was sure that God was a woman. But, I am deeply in love with this God I know who is an energy - the life force. Its presence is my lullaby.

With all the power of red leggings,
Elizabeth

Elizabeth always seems to have some refreshing thoughts on God, and I sincerely hope that she keeps sharing them. God is so awesome and awe-inspiring, so much greater than we are that we have no recourse but to reach for metaphore. Is it any wonder that there is so much poetry in the Bible? Is it any wonder that Jesus himself spoke in metaphore? Elizabeth was convinced that God is a woman. And Elizabeth was right. Now she knows God as living water, lullaby, energy—as life-force. And Elizabeth is right. But I think that what's important in this post is that she finds God in her own humanity. As one of my favorite authors once wrote, "being human is a terribly important proposition." Or something like that, I've loaned my copy out again. *smiles* And I think it's just as important to note that we all can identify with the idea of taking it in, or pushing it away—even wanting to kill it. Much like someone on VH1 once said, if don't identify with Radiohead's Creep at least a little bit, you were probably a total jerk in high school. I could go on at length (there's probably a sermon in all this somewhere) but I won't. Instead I'll say—

Be good to yourself,
Rev. Josh
051607

Ocelot? Take two!

For some reason when I try to put the daemon into a post, it does not show up on the preview. But when I publish, there it is! So here's a bigger version for you to peruse.



Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
051007

Ocelot?

I recently got onto Dawn's blog and discovered that she has a daemon! Apparently, this daemon is part of a movie promotion (the setting, at least, sounds very intriguing so far, if you're into the whole sci-fi/fantasy scene) and is an avatar intended to represent who you are.

I had to try it out!

If you look in my sidebar, you'll what daemon was chosen for me in response to the little test I took. What I want to know is, do you all think it describes me? You have a chance to weigh in on the subject! You have 12 days before that daemon becomes mine forever, please click on her before that happens to see if we all agree on what I'm like!

Go on! Click it! I'll wait...


Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
050907

Water and Walking

This Sunday afternoon is the CROP walk, a fundraising campaign to end world hunger through Church World Service I've been on many of these walks over the years, especially if you count the ones where I was dragged along in a little red wagon by my parents. It's not even a question for me every year. I'm going. But here's a little something for those of you who may not get the why's and the wherefor's of the thing. It's a true story I recently found in a publication put out by CWS. Although it's a story about water, not food, it still puts a whole new perspective on the mantra, "We Walk Because They Walk."

Water: The Rest of the story...

Our jeep came to an abrupt halt at the end of the dusty road leading to the entrance of the small Malawi village of Maziyaya. We got out, made our way throught he brush and then a cornfield, until we came to a clearing. There stood the new well. The entire "Well Committee" had assembled there to greet us. Ms. Andrea, the president of the group thanked the members of our visiting Church World Service staff group for, as she put it, CWS's kind gift of clean, accessible water.

Because I like to help people here in the United States identify with the long distances that women and children in the developing world have to walk each day to get water, I asked the inevitable question: "How far did you have to walk to get water before the well was installed?"

We had to walk to the river," she answered. "It's about 1 1/4 kilometers from here."
Thinking of the 5 km and 10 km distances that most participants hike in the United States in our annumal CROP Hunger Walks, I said quietly to a colleague standing next to me: "Hmmm.. that's not too bad."

Fate being cruel, my comment — which had not been intended for the women — was heard by the interpreter and, with a lack of any malice, translated to the members of the well committee.

The president of the group, Ms. Andrea, stepped forward and spoke directly to me.
"You're right; it's not that bad &emdash; at least not for grown women. We're used to it. But it's very hard for the little ones."

I felt my face flush. Of course I knew that. I'd worked for 10 years in very poor countries in Latin America. How, ever, had I forgotten how arduous was the daily hauling of water? I began to wish I'd kept my mouth shut.

Ms. Andrea continued: "You see, water's very heavy."

I swallowed hard. I knew that, too; but she was correct in assuming that most Americans, who don't have to haul water every day, may not. There is probably nothing that we consume on a daily basis, besides air, that we take more for granted than the easy availability of clean water. The age-old dictum sounded in my head: "A pint's a pound the world around." I was embarrassed.

"Not to mention the fact," she went on, "that a long of our children are sick."

I'd seen that immediately upon our arrival in the village. It is estimated that 60% of rural families in the developing world still do not have access to safe drinking water. For children who are malnourished, waterborne diseases can bring on diarrheal infections that dehydrate, lowering the body's electorlytes, and can spell death in as few as 48 hours. My discomfort was growing. I was mortified and wanted to go and hide.

"Not to mention the fact that the river is downhill from here and the children had to carry the water back up the hill," she added.

Humiliation is too euphemistic a word to describe what I was feeling. Yet it's important to state that she was saying these things in no way to "put me down" but out of a sincere desire to help me understand just how precious this new well was to them. Still, I was squirming.

"Not to mention the fact," she again went on, "that the river water is polluted with schistosomiasis, guinea worm, and other waterborne bacteria, so that once we'd hauled it back here to the village, we had to do more walking to find firewood in order to boil the water to make it safe to drink."

I wondered: How long would this verbal, even if unintended, flogging go on? I wanted to find a hole and crawl into it when, mercifully, Ms. Andrea put an end to my misery.

"Not to mention the fact," she concluded, "that getting water from the river was dangerous for the children."

"Dangerous? How so?" I asked, sensing a slight opening, the possibility of a slight reprieve, an opportunity to justify myself if, perchance, she might have gone too far out on a limb by using hyperbole with that adjective.

Speaking through the interpreter she explained, again matter-of-factly, "The river is crocodile infested."

It was the coup de grâce.

Today, even after 10 years have passed, when I turn on the water in my kitchen sink it's hard not to think of the village of Maziyaya, and my embarrassing faux pas. Far outweighing my short-lived discomfort of then, however, is the wonderful remembrance today of what a blessing clean drinking water is for one small village, far away, in the heart of Africa.

Joe Moran, Regional Director of Church World Service in the Carolinas, has worked in international development for 36 years.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
050107

And A Little Child Shall Lead Them

I received this forwarded to me in an e-mail today, and just had to share it with you! (Ok, it didn't come with the picture, it's just a stock photo, but it's just precious, isn't it?)

I think sometimes we all lose site of what being a parent is all about. Sometimes when life moves fast we all too often expect our children to keep up with us, not remembering that they are small and just need to learn or want to learn about life. I myself have found it hard to take my time when I "need" to be someplace and I often get frustrated with my children because they just don't seem to think that the "need" to be some place is really all that important...they are right! I am learning that I must slow down to look at the flower and try to see life from the eyes of my children...with that perspective life is incredible! I found this on a website and I thought it was a great reminder...slow down, love life and cherish every moment with your children before you know it they will be doing it with children of their own!

Love to all

Jenn


10 Child Commandments To Parents

1. My hands are small; please don't expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture or throw a ball. My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.

2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely. Don't restrict me unnecessarily.

3. Housework will always be there. I'm only little for a short time, please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world and do so willingly.

4. My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs. Don't nag me all day long. (You wouldn't want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness. Treat me as you would like to be treated.

5. I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by and disciplining me in a loving manner.

6. I need your encouragement to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember, you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.

7. Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday I'll be prepared to make the kinds of decisions that life requires of me.

8. Please don't do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn't quite measure up to your expectations. I know it's hard, but please don't try to compare me to my brother or sister.

9. Please don't be afraid to leave for a weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids. Besides, it's a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special.

10. Please take me to Sunday School and church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow. I enjoy learning more about God.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
042507

Buzz Kill

Some days it is more difficult to hold on to the promise of Eastertide than others. This Monday, April 16th, at 7pm at the Unitarian Universalist church, the Clergy Association is presenting, "The Holocaust: An Interfaith Service." I want to share with you the real testimonial of a Holocaust survivor which I will be reading aloud at the service. (When I get the information myself, I will post the title and editor of the collection this testimonial comes from.)

We began to feel more distinctly how the ghetto was being emptied. We realized our turn would be coming soon. All the lovely things we did in the lovely Terezin. It was done all under pressure, to retain our own dignity. That's what they wanted to take away from us, our dignity. That we had to fight for. And in that respect, we succeeded.

Not that we all of a sudden felt superior, but we insisted on being ourselves, no matter how hard it was, how hard the circumstances were. Each block elder had to supply the Jewish administration every morning with a number of people they selected for deportation. A miserable job, but it had to be done—there was no way out, we just accepted it, because we were completely powerless in this situation.

But we continued conducting our services. The services were held during the summer in the open, in the courtyard. Masses of people came there every Friday night, and we sang with a choir and the real music they remembered from their homes, whether Berlin or Vienna. Basically the same melodies so they could join, and they're praying. If anybody had reason to pray, it was us.

In the wintertime, because we couldn't do it outside, we went to the attic, a very, very small area, with all these beams going every which way. We squeezed in there and I haven't prayed like this in the United States, with that intensity, not one single time. Not that I want to wish for having to pray this way. And so we did this, and this was very successful. It gave people hope and faith in the midst of all things that were happening.

Kurt M.
Germany

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
041207

Easter! tide...

Ok, so I didn't have the umph to post on Easter proper, but it's still Eastertide! And a couple of people have told me that they enjoyed my post on Chocolate Jesus, so I guess it's ok that I left that up. As you can see, I've changed my background again... an ivy-covered grave seems to be a not bad metaphor for the Resurrection, right? Speaking of which, here's on more pic from Eva. It usually makes me think of the Resurrection of Lazarus, not Jesus, but the one points to the other...

This is one of the pilots of the giant robots (not the one from my Good Friday post, though) and she's just been through a traumatic experience. The robot went berserk with her inside! In desperation, the folk monitering the 'bot ejected her cockpit and waited for the robot to run out of power. Gendo Ikari, man in charge and general father figure, rushes onto the scene and opens the red-hot cockpit with his bare hands. The amniotic-like fluid that fills the cockpit pours out, and Ikari peers inside... and Rei lifts her head to meet his gaze. Birth, womb, death, tomb, father, child, resurrection... I see them all in this moment.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
041007

My Sweet Lord (Good Friday, pt II)

A thought on the controversy. As near as I can tell, what has the Catholic League up in arms is not that this statue of Jesus was crafted from chocolate. (After all, who doesn't like chocolate?) The issue, apparently, is that this statue of Jesus is naked and anatomically correct. The Catholic League sees this as "demeaning our holiest time."

Holy Week is, indeed, our holiest time--it is when we confront and celibrate the events which are the very core of who we are as Christians. Holy Week is a solemn time of celebration. It is a time to consider the horrifying degredation, beating, whipping, stabbing, and final suffocating torturous death of the Messiah... and somehow find there our own hope and salvation. It is a time to be loved and to be disturbed. Holy Week is a poetic paradox indicating the divine. As Christians, we believe that Jesus was both human and divine, nothing less than the Incarnation of God. To believe that is to know in your heart that God, in the flesh, was stripped (see John 19:23-25) and died an agonizing death. I believe that a chocolate statue of the crucified Jesus is a beautiful and brutal way to enact this holy paradox. And I believe that if we can consider the utter humiliation and ruthless execuation of any man, let alone the Son of God, as "our holiest time," then we have no business becoming offended by the idea that Jesus had a penis.

To get hung up on his genitals seems to miss the point entirely, doesn't it?

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
040607

A Pregnant Moment (Good Friday)

The background today comes from Neon Genesis Evangelion. I posted about it in the beginning of Lent. There is a place in the story where a good 10 or 15 seconds look exactly like this:

Here we have two people locked in a life or death decision: the pilot of the giant robot and the incredibly powerful being caught up in the robot's fist. The powerful being has let himself be caught and has in fact asked the pilot to kill him. And by this point in the story, we should believe that his death is for the best, really. In fact, the powerful being has forced the issue, the only question is: Will the pilot kill be able to bring himself to do it? It has always reminded me of Pilate, with Jesus before him. Pilate does not want to kill Jesus, he believes him to be innocent. But despite everything he does and says to try to spare Jesus, his hand is forced.

Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified, and the pilot of the giant robot simply squeezes.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
040607

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday marks the transition from the sweet hosannas of the Triumphal Entry we just reinacted on Palm Sunday into the horror of the Crucifixion. It's worth pointing out that the word Maundy is traced back to the Latin translation of the new commandment Jesus gave the disciples immediately after washing their feet... to love one another. And as John 15:13 tells us, no one has greater love than this, to lay one's life down for one's friends. Jesus knows that he is about to do just this. Maundy Thursday is when we celebrate Jesus' washing of his disciples' feet, the institution of the Lord's Supper, and the betrayal and arrest of Jesus. Tonight there will be a Tenebrae service. Tenebrae means "shadows," and the shadows will certainly be closing in as, one by one, we snuff our candles tonight. Enjoy the candle flames in the background of the blog today. Tomorrow they will be gone.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
040507

Dear God...

A member of my congregation sent these to me in an e-mail the other day. I thought they were wicked cute, and I hope you do too!

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
033007

PS Having read through them all again, there's one more thought... Children pray with a sincerity and openness that we should all strive for. And a little child will lead them...

1. Dear God,
Please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter. There is nothing good in there now.
Amanda

2. Dear God,
Thank you for the baby brother but what I asked for was a puppy. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up.
Joyce

3. Dear Mr.God,
I wish you would not make it so easy for people to come apart. I had to have 3 stitches and a shot.
Janet

4. God,
I read the bible. What does beget mean? Nobody will tell me.
Love Alison

5. Dear God,
How did you know you were God? Who told you?
Charlene

6. Dear God,
Is it true my father won't get in Heaven if he uses his golf words in the house?
Anita

7. Dear God,
I bet it's very hard for you to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it.
Nancy

8. Dear God,
I like the story about Noah the best of all of them. You really made up some good ones. I like walking on water, too.
Glenn

9. Dear God,
My Grandpa says you were around when he was a little boy. How far back do you go?
Love, Dennis

10. Dear God,
Do you draw the lines around the countries? If you don't, who does?
Nathan

11. Dear God,
Did you mean for giraffes to look like that or was it an accident?
Norma

12. Dear God,
In bible times, did they really talk that fancy?
Jennifer

13. Dear God,
How come you did all those miracles in the old days and don't do any now?
Billy

14. Dear God,
Please send Dennis Clark to a different summer camp this year.
Peter

15. Dear God,
Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they each had their own rooms. It works out OK with me and my brother.
Larry


16. Dear God,
I keep waiting for spring, but it never did come yet. What's up? Don't forget.
Mark

17. Dear God,
My brother told me about how you are born but it just doesn't sound right. What do you say?
Marsha

18. Dear God,
If you watch in Church on Sunday I will show you my new shoes.
Barbara

19. Dear God,
Is Reverend Coe a friend of yours, or do you just know him through the business?
Donny

20. Dear God,
I do not think anybody could be a better God than you. Well, I just want you to know that. I am not just saying that because you are already God.
Charles

21. Dear God,
It is great the way you always get the stars in the right place. Why can't you do that with the moon?
Jeff

22. Dear God,
I am doing the best I can. Really !!!!
Frank

23. Dear God,
I didn't think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset you made on Tuesday night. That was really cool.
Thomas

Warning!

If you startle easily or have a heart condition, do not view the following video.



Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
032807

Driven Before the Lord

One of my goals for the year is to get another book study kicked off. The idea is to push myself and appeal to a different audience than joined me for The Chronicles of Narnia. Well, earlier this year, Pastor Ed kindly reminded me of my goal, and so I started actively looking for a book to focus on. That's when Elizabeth mentioned that she was reading a book based on the story of the prophet Hosea. All I could remember of his story was that God told him to go marry a prostitute. I'd always read the story as God creating in Hosea's life a microcosm of God's relationship with Israel. And no, Israel does not choose to play the role of the loving husband. Elizabeth, as usual, took up the perspective of the one character I hadn't given enough thought to. Not Israel, but the actual prostitute. Of course, Jesus would expect us to pay the most attention to the "least" character. I had to read this book. So I had Elizabeth give me the pertinent info,
Redeeming Love, a novel by Francine Rivers. I finally got around to ordering it last week, and I started reading last Friday during the Nor'easter that brought us snow, sleet, and generally deep frozen ickiness. It intrigued me right off the bat, even if I did fall asleep reading it on the couch. (I'm sure that had more to do with the amount of energy it takes to drive around in the snow, sleet, and generally deep frozen ickiness all morning.) This week, it went in huge chunks, and last night I couldn't put it down. The story, and the Good Lord speaking directly through it, had ahold of me, and so I gave in to it. It was the wee hours before I got to bed, but it was worth it.

I'm totally starting a book study of this one, folks. Just as soon as I can pull it together. Considering that it's still Lent, that might mean it'll take a while. (And no, I haven't had any caffeine to counteract the lack of sleep...!) But I was blown away, and inspired, by this one--and I plan on sharing that with others!

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
032307

Up the Walls

"By the way, Josh, long time, no blog."

Well, Dawn, when you're right, you're right. So, a couple of weeks ago (yeah, geeze, long time no blog indeed) our Junior High youth group went to one of those rock-climbing places, where I immediately attempted to be thirteen again.


Look! I made it all the way up!

Now, I know I look awkward, but really... ok, I'm awkward.

But I made it! All by myself! Unless you count the nice man holding the bottom of the net so it would stop swinging... Wasn't Dawn nice to not get him in the shot?

I'm just waiting for photo releases from the youth who went on the trip, then I can show you all how it's supposed to look!

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
032107

Elizabeth Abolitionist

The other day I was talking with a mother in my congregation about skateboarding laws, because I'm considering getting one to ride to work in the morning. It seemed important to make sure that I wouldn't be breaking any laws to do so! It turns out that there aren't any laws about skateboarding down the sidewalks, but that you can't skate in places where it's posted that you can't. I suppose that businesses are concerned about possible skater-patron collisions, but I also suspect that there's also a degree of irrational fear involved. Skaters tend to travel in groups, and any time there are groups of young people, "old" people get scared. (I know 20-somethings who get nervous at the sight of a group of teens hanging out together, to in this case "old" really is very relative!) Irrational or not, it's bad for business to scare off the "old" people--cause the "old" people have money!

But it still bugs me. We're literally surrounded by extraordinary teenagers who are passionate forces of good in the world. Take Elizabeth for example. You may have read her blog, considering that I have it linked in my sidebar. Elizabeth has a lot of good things going for her, but today I'd like to highlight her abolitionist work.
She is deeply involved with Justice for Children International, a charitable organization which stands opposed to human trafficking with a focus on child sex trafficking. Elizabeth recently held a fundraiser here at the church, and because she brought that attention to JFCI, our Board of Benevolance and Social Concerns is considering allocating money to support the group. Elizabeth was even recently featured on the JFCI website!

So next time you feel nervous around a group of teens, ask yourself if any of them are Elizabeth.
Ask yourself if any of them are fighting racism, or homophobia, or child sex trafficking. Ask yourself what it is exactly that you're scared of? Because most likely, you don't have any reason to be scared at all.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
030507

The Seven Day Itch

Seventh day of Lent, and I've already slipped! (Boohiss) Did the lack-of-caffeine headache send me to it? Did I just need a boost to get me through that World of Warcraft binge?

No.

I blame Subway.


Jenny asked me to pick up Subway for lunch, so I swung by on my way back to the apartment. I entered the store and used the ATM to pull some cash to pay with. I ordered two foot-long subs (I eat half now, and half later.), one roast beef on Italian with provalone, lettuce, green peppers and light mayo, one turkey on honey oat with American cheese, lettuce, green peppers and light mayo. (Quite the pair, aren't we?) And then I see the sign. If I add in a drink and some chips I can get one sammich free. Free!
So I nab some Sun Chips, pay, take my cup and quickly grab... I dunno... Diet Coke. I put on a lid. I grab a straw, bang it on the counter until one end emerges then pull it free with my teeth. I pop the straw into the cup, take a sip, take two steps... and... Oh bother. That has caffeine, doesn't it?



Sigh.

Force of habit, enemy of change everywhere. We'll have to watch me at the movies, too.

Anyway, pray for my slip and that there will be no more!

Oh, and be good to each other.
Rev. Josh
022807

I Wage Peace

I found the link to this video through the I Wage Peace website. If you drive I-95 through CT, you may have seen their billboards. I'm really impressed with I Wage Peace so far! Enjoy the video, and go visit their site.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
022707

Nerve

You've probably noticed by now that my cute little Valentine's "I Love You" graphic has dissapered from the background of my blog and replaced with this.



And you might (perhaps "should"?) be asking yourself what it means. It's a reference to a popular anime series entitled Neon Genesis Evangelion. At first glance, it looks like just another giant robot show. (Like when I was watching Voltron when I was a kid. I had no idea it came out of Japan!) Well, maybe a particularly decent giant robo show.
Then, I noticed something in one of the first major battles of the series. The giant robots are fighting up in the city, and there is an explosion. The explosion shoots up the street, and then spreads into two side streets as the explosion continues up... making the form of a cross. I really wish I could find that image for you, but I haven't been able to. Needless to say, I started paying a little more attention--there were obviously multiple layers of meaning here! And sure enough, Evangelion draws from all kinds of religious imagery, including The Tree of Life as it is understood in the Kabbalah of Judaism, The Well of Souls from the same, Christian crosses, images creepily reminiscent of crucifixion, The Lance of Longinus, plus (according to the DVD commentary) plenty of ancient Babylonian imagery that I don't have the background for. And that's not even the half of it!



Of course, like any good story, it actually comes down to the people involved. And I think that I always turn back to Evangelion during Lent because it does such a good job at showing how broken we all are. How we all make our own mistakes for our own reasons... and of course there's the scene where one of the characters sacrifices himself for the good of humanity in a sudden and gruesome manner.



To sum up, Neon Genesis Evangelion is an apocalyptic anime that draws from a lot of religious imagery. It does a great job of exploring the fallen nature of humanity, which actually meshes very well with the introspection we are expected to do during Lent. You can find the series and the movie(s) (which are a digest of the series followed by a re-imagining of the ending) on Netflix, but you should be aware that they are unrated. There is a lot of violence of varying degrees and and a couple of "adult" situations. If it were rated, I'd guess that most episodes would be PG-13, but some definately trip over into R-rated territory (usually for violence).

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
022307

Ash Thursday!

Ok, ok, I know... but I got busy yesterday, and so you're getting the Ash Wednesday post today. As many of you are aware, Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent There are a lot of really interesting traditions and disciplines associated with Lent, from Bible study, to fasting, to prayer, to giving something up for the duration. Wikipedia has a pretty decent explanation of fasting and abstinence as it relates to Lent, so I won't go into oodles of detail here. We remember that Jesus went out into the wilderness and fasted for 40 days. (Just as Jesus remembered Israel wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.) We remember the events leading up to the suffering death (and later Resurrection) of Jesus.

The ironic thing is that the 40 days of Lent actually don't count Sundays... the days when most of us are most likely to be thinking about Lent. You see, we worship on Sunday because that's the day Jesus was raised from the dead. So Sundays are always celebrations of the Resurrection. And Lent is preparation for the Resurrection... it points to it, in a way, but doesn't get to celebrate it. So Lent doesn't include Sundays.


Anyway, that's why I like to encourage people to take on a Lenten discipline. For exaple, I myself have given up caffeine for Lent. Every time I crave a soda, desire a caffeinated pick-me-up, or yawn in the middle of the day, I am reminded that it is Lent. Now, if you aren't addicted to caffein, giving it up means nothing. Mary Kate Olsen should not be fasting. (In fact, if you're thinking of fasting, speak to your doctor and find out how to go about it right. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Harford has a concise definition of what they mean by fasting.) The point is to do what will work for you, but to do something!

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
022207

Wow. Now that's a big "oops"

Ok, it's not the most terrible mistake ever made, but I feel kinda bad, anyway. I'd been beating myself up and even complaining about the lack of comments on my blog. I have always intended for it to be a place where folk can safely comment on whatever I've posted. Well... somewhere along the line I enabled comment moderation, most likely so I could delete spam. I now have the little "type what you see in the pic" filter up, so that spam is no longer a problem, but, well, to make a long story short, I recently discovered a good half a dozen comments that never went up because they were waiting for me to "moderate" them. I reserve the right to moderate, but now at least I have it set up to let me know via my e-mail when a new comment is waiting... on me... to let it go up.

I hope.

So, sorry everyone! Sorry new people! Sorry old friends... (so that amounts to Elizabeth and Layrinn, but sorry anyway...)

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
021507

Amistad Follow-Up

If you want to learn more about the Freedom Schooner Amistad, check out their web site!

Mark Your Calendars for Amistad!

I'm sure that many, if not most of us, have seen the movie Amistad at some point or another. It was a great film, and worth a watch if you haven't yet. Any time you see someone up in the rigging of the ship in that film, you are in actuality seeing folk from the Mystic Seaport Museum, in Mystic, CT... practically in my parents' backyard! But what the film did not manage to do well, was highlight the role of Congregational Christians (many of whom later became members of the UCC) in the whole incident. In fact, Stratford Congregational minister, Joshua Leavitt was appointed to the American Anti-Slavery Society executive committee in 1833, became editor of The Emanicpator in 1837, visited the Amistad prisoners several times in 1839-41, and helped orgnize the Amboitionist or Liberty Party.

If you're anywhere near New Haven, CT on June 21st—even if you aren't a member of the UCC and are just into your American history—you might want to come see off the Freedom Schooner Amistad on its first trans-Atlantic journey, including a stop in Sierra Leone, West Africa—the country of origen of the Amistad captives. According to the Connecticut Conference of the UCC, the Freedom Schooner Amistad

...will set sail to Shelburne and Halifax, Nova Scotia. After a voyage across the North Atlantic the Amistad will participate in the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in England. Then it is on to Lisbon, Portugal, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Dakar, Senegal, San Juan, Puerto Rico and a return to New Haven with stops in Charleston, SC, Washington, DC and New York City.

For more information, contact Rev. Kent Siladi, kents@ctucc.org or (203) 453-0614!

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
020907

Eep.

I just made a point of looking at the date of my last post, and I owe all of you out there in cyber-space an apology. I should have updated by now. I should have taken before and after pics of my office, which I am nearly done re-organizing. And I mean completely reorganizing. I was given a copy of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, by David Allen Allen's theory seemed to make sense, so I jumped in with both feet when he started asking me to put the book down and actually do some of the things he'd been talking about. It's taken a lot of work, but the end of the tunnel (or the beginning of a new system of working efficiently) is just ahead. I hope this means more time to blog, among other things!

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
012507

An Unselfish Deed

I love the interenet. Granted, it isn't a very reliable research tool. And you have to be careful, or you might see something awefully naughty. But it brings me my e-mail, and allows me to journal where you all can enjoy it, and it brings me Yahoo News, which, despite the national trend to the contrary, actually gives me some good and uplifting news every so often. The kinds of stories that might help bolster a person's faith in humanity, rather than shake your head sadly and go numb inside. News like the story of Ray Heilwagen. You see, the other day, Ray got a phone call from a man named Stephen Breitenstein, who told Ray that he had found Ray's wallet, and was going to send it back to him through the mail.

I know what you're thinking. Just wait a minute. People return wallets all the time. Sometimes they're hoping for a reward rather than doing it out of the kindness of their hearts, but they still do it! Every day! What makes Ray's wallet so special?

Well, besides the fact that it was very special to Ray, I suppose you might be impressed that he had lost the wallet in France. During World War II. After being hauled off the field of battle because he'd been blown into a river by a mortar shell. Ray recieved a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, but he lost his wallet.

That is, his wallet was lost until Stephen found it among his late father's belongings. It seems that Stephen's father found it during the war, and brought it home, hoping to return it. Not knowing how to go about it, it sat, forgotten, in a drawer for six decades!

So how did Stephen find Ray? He used the internet.

I love the internet. Sure, it isn't always a reliable source of information. But at least Ray got his wallet back.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
011007

Cries at Movies

So, a bunch of us did get to go see Charlotte's Web last Saturday. It was good. It was very good. I cried. A lot! I was going to outline what bits did it to me, but I don't want to give anything away on the outside chance that you don't know the plot. Suffice it to say that the third act got me going, one thing after another, and leave it at that. Jenny was very comforting!

But it got me to thinking about the social relevance of a full grown man crying at a movie. And it reminded me of Dar Williams, or rather, her song, "When I Was A Boy" Here are the first and last verses, I think you'll appreciate why it comes to mind...

I won't forget when Peter Pan came to my house, took my hand
I said I was a boy; I'm glad he didn't check.
I learned to fly, I learned to fight
I lived a whole life in one night
We saved each other's lives out on the pirate deck.
And I remember that night
When I'm leaving a late night with some friends
And I hear somebody tell me it's not safe, someone should helpme
I need to find a nice man to walk me home.
When I was a boy, I scared the pants off of my mom,
Climbed what I could climb upon
And I don't know how I survived,
I guess I knew the tricks that all boys knew.
And you can walk me home, but I was a boy, too.


And like the woods where I would creep, it's a secret I can keep
Except when I'm tired, except when I'm being caught off guard
I've had a lonesome awful day, the conversation finds its way
To catching fire-flies out in the backyard.
And I tell the man I'm with about the other life I lived
And I say now you're top gun, I have lost and you have won
And he says, "Oh no, no, can't you see
When I was a girl, my mom and I we always talked
And I picked flowers everywhere that I walked.
And I could always cry, now even when I'm alone I seldom do
And I have lost some kindness
But I was a girl too.
And you were just like me, and I was just like you.

I think it's time to take back the notion that you are just like me, and I am just like you, don't you? I won't care if you're a gal who climbs trees, as long as you don't care that I'm a guy that cries at movies.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
010907

PS The last movie that made me cry was The Iron Giant What was yours?

Charlotte's When?

Hey, just in case anyone is trying to check this blog for information about tomorrow afternoon, the showtimes for Charlotte's Web did change. So be at the theatre for the 1:10 showing of Charlotte's Web, because there is no 2pm showing!

Hope to see y'all there!

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
010507

The Most Mighty Purple of All...

Elizabeth and I were talking over the instant messanger (AOL Instant Messanger, my screen name is RevJosh211) and she asked me if I wanted to hear a new song by Mighty Purple.

I do!

And maybe so do you, so here's the link Elizabeth sent me:

Mighty Purple Live

Enjoy!

Oh, and be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
010307

PS Happy New Year!

Dungeons & Dragons

Despite myself, I am beginning to become excited. A couple of our Junior High students have exibited an interest in D&D. In fact, one of them has approached me and asked me to run a campaign. Suddenly, I feel like Wil Wheaton sharing his love of "geeky" things with his step-kids.
I truly love telling stories and playing games, and D&D is such a wonderful way of doing that. It's the most cooperative passtime I've ever been a part of, and that's one of the things I love most about it. It's not an "I win, you loose, ha ha ha" kind of game at all. So I hope this works out, and that I'll have a chance to collaborate on a great story with some of our youth, soon!

Be good to each other,
Rev Josh
122906

The Miracle of the Christmas Mic

A Charlie Brown Christmas has been striking a chord with all kinds of people from the religious to the not so religious (and even geeks to some extent!) since the mid sixties. So it should come as no surprise that (a) I posted Linus' famous speach just before Christmas. (Incidentally, check out what Linus does when he gets to the spot about "Fear not!" I believe that's the only time you'll see Linus do that on film!) and (b) That I thought to myself, "that'll preach" and decided to use it in my Christmas Eve sermon. Ah, but I was crafty! I roped in one of our Jr. High students (thank you, Kathleen!) to read the part of Linus when I got there in my sermon. I decided to give her the cordless hand mic, and have her read from her seat, so as to make it a surprise. And that's why this post is called "The Miracle of the Christmas Mic." My sermon was just that good.

Just kidding.


The miracle was this: The microphone almost didn't make it. It was to be used three times during the service. Once for the lighting of the Advent candles, once for the solo vocalist offertory, and when Kathleen was being Linus for the sermon. The deacon of the evening (Eric) went and got the mic for the Advent Candles, and noticed that the batteries were just about shot. So he turned off the mic, and didn't turn it on again until it was time for the solo, with the thought that if the mic made it throught the solo, we'd be in the clear. So he took the mic, turned it off, and put it back in its stand when the solo was done. At which point Kathleen did exactly what I told her to do. She got up, nabbed the mic, and proceeded to try to turn it on.

Now, imagine the look on Eric's face. Priceless.

So it's about time for the sermon, and I see Eric go up to Kathleen, take the mic from her, and leave. It turns out he's looking for batteries, but I don't know that yet.

Now, imagine the look on my face. Priceless.

So I buy us some time through prayer. I mean, isn't it lucky that I always pray right before I preach? So I give Eric what time I can, then, noting that he's in the pew in front of Kathleen (with no new batteries, but I don't know that yet) looking anxious, I begin to preach. When we get to Kathleen's Linus reading, I see Eric turn on the mic and hand it to her. She reads just a little bit fast, but honestly, so does Linus. She did a great job. It was fun watching people trying to figure out who was reading, and where it was coming from. I saw lots of nodding heads, agreeing with the Linus message. And she made it all the way through! And Eric takes the mic from Kathleen, and goes to turn it off.

But he doesn't have to.

Because the batteries have given out.

Kathleen literally finished her reading in the nick of time. She finished just before the mic.

And that is the miracle of the Christmas Mic.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
122806

I Can't Say It Any Better

I never noticed this before, but pay close attention to Linus and his security blanket...


Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
122106

Who is Ministering to Who, Here?

Pastor Ed told me this story about one of our fellow clergyfolk. Apparently it was the middle of Advent, as it is now. (I like to imagine that maybe he had performed a funeral or two already that week, as I'm doing now.) In any case, it was the middle of Advent, and this pastor went to visit an elderly shut-in member of his congregation. And so he entered her house, which was quite warm, and sat down in a confortable chair to visit with her.

And then, quite suddenly, he realized that she was grasping his shoulder and asking him if he was okay.

He had fallen asleep.

When he explained that he had drifted off, she responded, ever so kindly, "You must be very tired."

Isn't that just about the sweetest thing you've ever heard?

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
121206

Abolitionist? Today? Really?

Yes, really. It's not something we think about a lot as U.S. citizens, since slavery is not legal here. We think of it as a thing of the past. I thank one of our youth for reminding me that it is not. You'll notice that I've linked Elizabeth's blog in my link list, please go check it out. But before you do that, look at this video she e-mailed to me. It's heartbreaking...

But that's why you have to see it.



Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
120806

Every Time It Rains, It Rains Pennies from Heaven

Thanks to Jenny for finding this on the Mental Floss site this morning. As I was eating my breakfast, I looked up and she had this image up on our computer.


"What is that?" I ask. (To me it looks like somebody drove a tractor trailer truck into the ocean.)

"Apparently a cargo container fell off a ship and washed up on the Outer Banks of NC a few days ago. It must have broken open, because bags and bags of Doritos washed up too! And they were all still in their bags, so the chips were still good!"



Mmmm, nothing like the taste of free ocean Doritos!

Shooby Dooby

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
120706

More, more, more!

I ran across this today, and I simply must share it. Robert Needlman, M.D. gives us some advice on how to avoid Christmas becoming only about the presents.

Pay close attention to the developmental psychology, it's telling.

He writes:

Here in the world's richest country, we often confuse material things for love. "I give him everything," a frustrated mother complains, "New shoes, videogames, his own TV. You'd think he'd at least show me respect!"

Of course, love and consumer goods are related. Most parents work hard to earn money. They want their children to have more than they did. They sacrifice so that their children can have better lives.

The problem is, most children don't connect the things parents buy with the labor that pays for them. Children have more, but our culture -- and television in particular -- teaches them that more is never enough. Having more does not guarantee that a child feels loved.

From a parent's point of view, this all may seem like plain ingratitude. But normal developmental forces are at work. Young children see their parents as all-powerful. If parents fail to provide what they want, it must be a matter of choice. It's normal for children, even well into school-age, to not be able to take another person's point of view. For example, they may resent their parent for working long hours, and not realize that the parent would also rather have more time at home.

As hard as these issues are all year round, they're even harder during the holidays. For many children, Christmas is all about the presents. Even in devout families, it's easy for the religious meaning to be lost amid the tinsel and wrapping paper. At the same time, the holidays heighten needs for connection and belonging which cannot be filled by more and bigger presents.

Instead, we have to find other ways to express love and create memories. Reading or telling stories together, making music, playing games, are all ways for families to spend time without spending money. Traditions like midnight services, caroling, favorite poems, even snowball fights, all serve the same purpose. Most important, as parents, we have to learn to hold back some energy from our exhausting jobs and all-consuming careers. When we're present for our children we ourselves become the presents we want to give.

To read see the original article, click here

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
120106

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day, and tonight I'll be doing my part in the annual World AIDS Day service. (7pm at United Methodist) But maybe that doesn't help you (or impress you much) out there in cyber-space, so here are some links to some on-line resources:

Ecumenical Advocacy Allience

The Balm In Gilead, Inc.

UNAIDS

Personally, I will always remember a sign held by a demonstrator outside of General Synod in Kansas City, oh, a few years ago. I talk about that experience here. Anyway, Synod was being picketed by Fred Phelps' ravaging horde--er... I mean his church. Several signs caught my attention, some so badly graphic that I won't describe them here. But I will tell you about this one. It said that AIDS was a plague sent by God to destroy the fags.

I beg to disagree, on every aspect of that thought.

First, AIDS can be caught by anyone, gender and orientation have nothing to do with it. Not one thing. It can be spread through sexual contact and blood, and there are many, many ways that can happen.

Second, I don't believe that gay men and lesbians warrent such vehement hatred to begin with. Of course, Jesus told us not to judge each other at all, and I'm obviously having my own problems not judging people like Fred Phelps and his ravaging horde--er... church. So maybe I'll just let this point drop for the moment.

Third, I don't believe that God sent AIDS to punish or destroy anyone. Not the queer community, not druggies, not even Fred Phelps' ravaging horde--er... church.


Here's the bottom line. There needs to be more education and less stigma attached to HIV/AIDS.

Don't you think?

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
120106