Down the Canterbury Trail I stroll

It’s official (well, as far as it can be at this point). I gave a letter to an elder at Knox today requesting my membership to be transferred to Grace.

1st Sunday in Advent

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Happy Turkey Day!

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Hmmmm

I feel like I need to blog something, but I don’t know what. Here’s a list I guess

• I’m pulling 12 hour shifts this week at work. The day-shift clerk is off for Thanksgiving and me and the other girl have to cover for her. I actually have to leave within the nedt 30 mintues for work. At least I have Thursday-Sunday off.
• Still no word from the library about the job.
• BJ is still in England probably have the time of his life.
• Thanksgiving is in 2 days and I have family coming in tonight but I may not be able to see them until Thursday b/c of work.
  
• HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Don’t I have the prettiest sister ever?

Quotables

“I’m not rich enough to be Episcopalian.”
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will kill my soul.”

Everybody already knows it

I’m an idiot. Seriously. I rolled my window down in the car last night on the way home to feel the cool air. You know what coming next right? I left it down. Accidentally. I swear. Who would do that on purpose when they KNOW it’s going to rain for hours during the night? I didn’t discover it until this morning leaving for church. Now everytime I get out of the car, I have a wet bum. Lovely.

Christ the King Sunday

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of him
who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.

Crown him the virgin’s Son,
the God incarnate born,
whose arm those crimson trophies won
which now His brow adorn;
fruit of the mystic rose,
as of that rose the stem;
the root whence mercy ever flows,
the Babe of Bethlehem.

Crown him the Son of God,
before the worlds began,
and ye who tread where he hath trod,
crown him the Son of Man;
who every grief hath known
that wrings the human breast,
and takes and bears them for His own,
that all in him may rest.

Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed over the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save.
His glories now we sing,
who died, and rose on high,
who died eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.

Crown him the Lord of Heaven,
enthroned in worlds above,
crown him the King to whom is given
the wondrous name of Love.
Crown him with many crowns,
as thrones before him fall;
Crown him, ye kings, with many crowns,
for he is King of all.

Crown him the Lord of lords,
who over all doth reign,
who once on earth, the incarnate Word,
for ransomed sinners slain,
now lives in realms of light,
where saints with angels sing
their songs before him day and night,
their God, Redeemer, King.

more than 12 years later

This can be filed with that letter I wrote several months ago.
Two friends (a husband and wife) that are close to me very recently lost someone close to them. I hadn’t seen then since it happened, so I decided to go see them at the visitation. I didn’t know the lady that had passed, I just wanted to be there for my friends. I couldn’t stay very long. I had so many memories and stuff flying back at me from my father’s death. I cried for a little while after I left, not for my friends or the one who had passed away, but for me and for my dad.
Then, late this week, my mom’s aunt passed away. The visitation is today at the same place my dad’s funeral was. The funeral is tomorrow at her home church. I called my mom this morning and told her that I don’t think that I can go. I knew he understood, and she told me that it was ok that I didn’t come.
After thinking for a while, I came to the conclusion that I’m still having problems with my dad’s death. I was trying too hard to be there for everybody else and be “the strong one” and trying to get on with a “normal” life that I didn’t give myself time to grieve. I still to this day “look” for him, conciously and subconciously. I think that maybe he’s off somewhere else with another family, another wife, living another life. And I don’t get mad at that (thinking he’s off with other people) I just want him to come home. I want to see him again. I want him to wake me up by whistling. I want to hear that fun horn on his red and white truck as we ride around town with the windows down. I want him to walk in the house after playing golf after work and me smile at him and say, “Hey Daddy, how was your day?” I want him here.

Creation amazes me

The colors of the sunrise and sunset. The placement and brightness of the stars. How our bodies work and move. All that other stuff. But here I want to mention a very specific thing. The lake I cross over every day to and from work is what I’m thinking of. The road separates this section of the water and there is a small bridge that water can pass through. (If you go to this map and zoom in to the “street” level where Hwy 33 crosses the lake you’ll see what I mean.) Ok back to my point now. Almost everyday, when I pass by I look at the lake on the left and for the most part the water’s pretty smooth. There are some smooth waves but not really choppy. I’ll look at the other side and the water’s choppier than a Japanese chef’s knife. What’s the deal? Sometimes it’ll be vice versa but it’s usually opposites like that.

You know…

You’re a grownup when you ask for a vacuum cleaner, a nice knife set, and better pots/pans for Christmas. I asked for and received the first one and am asking for the other two this year.

Little Ones

An Easter experience

I opened the door of St. Michael’s Church and stepped into the narthex only to discover that I was in total darkness, huddled with about a hundred other people. No one was talking, not even a wshiper. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness I could tell we were standing in a circle around several priests and acolytes. I could smell incense, and through the dim rays of distant light, I could see the outline of the priests holding candles. In the center of the priests there seemed to be a large bowl, but I couldn’t tell what it was for. So I stood there in reverent silence with everyone else, waiting for whatever was going to happen.

I didn’t have to wait long. All of a sudden the bowl in the center of the gorup burst into a flash of light and I could see the whole narthex, all the people, and the celebrants. At the same moment a young priest owith an operatic voice boomed out in a chant, “The Light of Christ,” and everyone began to process into the dark church. The priests went first, holding candles lit from the source of light that was still burning. The priest leading the procession carried a large white candle, at least three feet in height and six inches in circumference. It had the symbol of the cross etched in blue on the side. Later, I learned that this was the paschal candle representing Christ who is the light of the world. The rest of us followed, and we each received a small candle that was lit at the door.

As we moved into the church, our procession stopped three more times while the celebrant chanted, “The Light of Christ.” The light, although bright, only cast its lengthening shadows trhough the sanctuary at first, but as each of us entered with our candles, the light from the candles increased until it filled the church with it brightness. For the next several hours we listened and responded to Scripture readings, we participated in a baptismal service, and the night ended with the celebration of the Eucharist, the great thanksgiving of the church.

I began to feel the resurrection. It was more then evidence that demanded a verdict. It was more than an intellecutal proposition proving the empty tomb. I couldn’t put my finger on it completely, but I sensed that there was something different, something deeper about this experience of worship than anything else I had been through. I didn’t really understand it at the time, but I was experiencing the resurrection. It was no longer a hard cold fact, but a warm reality. I experienced being in the tomb and walking out of that darkness into the marvelous light, the light that conquers evil, the light that is Jesus Christ.

Robert E. Webber, Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail

24th Sunday After Pentacost

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Bored out of MY MIND

I got off work tonight at five, and I have absolutely nothing to do, so out to surf the world. I found this and cracked up. My fave has to be the bottom one on the right.