The Corner Muffin Stop

DailyGood: How We Can Change Our Minds

2011-05-07T22:09:00.000-07:00

Fascinating article. I'm reposting this here so I can remember to read it again.

DailyGood: How We Can Change Our Minds

2011-03-10T21:40:00.000-08:00

This is the best way to rent and view movies. Please use my link and you will get a free online rental and so will I.

Picture of Vlad

2011-01-29T19:40:00.000-08:00

The new cat seems to be adjusting well. He's huge, he's cuddly, and he's a keeper. The little cat keeps hissing at him, but not like earlier in the week.

Here's a photo of the big boy.

To give you and idea of scale between the Pooh cat and Bubba Vlad. Pooh is eating and Vlad is lounging.

A New Cat Joins the Family

2011-01-25T19:52:00.001-08:00

Our cat of 17 years died in December. We miss Mookie very much. Today we added a new cat to the family. He (Vlad) is certainly not a replacement for Mookie, as no cat can ever replace another. Vlad is a huge Tom Cat - a brown tabby - that we adopted from the Lee's Summit Animal Control Shelter. He's a loving cat. He is having a bad today, as we picked him up from the vet where he was 'fixed.' Never say fixed to a cat is the old joke.

Vlad is about 4 years old or so they think at the shelter. He is a big boy weighing at least 15 pounds (we haven't weighed him yet). He had been in the shelter since December 18th, about the same time Mookie went Heaviside(in the way of CATS).

Vlad and our little cat (age 9) Pooh are getting to know one another. I'll keep you all posted on how the sibling cats work out their relationship.

Whose Church is it Anyway?

2011-01-04T21:28:00.000-08:00

I’m a trained interim pastor, who began my ministry working on the staff of my denomination in its national offices. I have held secular jobs, mostly in the not for profit sector while I supply preached in small congregations. And by small congregations I mean sometimes only two people would show up for Sunday’s worship service. There may or may not be a musician so I have had to lead the music and singing without accompaniment. These tiny congregations have vital ministry in their locales, and it grieves me that many pastors on the pulpit supply list would not ever consider providing pulpit supply in such locations. I have to wonder sometimes what motivates some of my pastor colleagues in their understanding of their call to ministry. Is not our call to ministry that of Word and Sacrament: Preaching and Administering the Sacraments? It is sad when congregations have to beg for someone to come and administer the Sacraments and pastors who are available will say no because they do not see the importance of ministry where two or more may be gathered in the name of Christ. The cultural value of big is better has overtaken the Church.

I have also served two small membership congregations as pastor, albeit not as a called and installed pastor. The terminology of called and installed is part of the polity or political process of the denomination of which I find myself living out my Christian faith and serving God in the manner in which I believe I am called. I am best described as a contract pastor. I have a contract that is agreed to by me, the Session of the congregation and the Committee on Ministry of the Presbytery. I do not see myself any less of a pastor than my called and installed brothers and sisters. Although I know from my chaplain friends, who serve in validated ministries, that many of our called and installed colleagues do not view our ministries as serious ministry because we are not called and installed to pastoral ministry in a church. Who calls us to ministry? Jesus Christ calls us to ministry, which is then recognized by our governing body so ministry is validated by both an individual calling and the calling of the Church. I believe that ministry is living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in how we live our lives as Church leaders and then using all the skills we have been given to bring God glory. Personal recognition isn’t the goal or purpose of ministry.

My interim training has come in handy in the two congregations I have served in that it has provided me the training necessary to help my Elders live into their calling as leaders of their congregations. Too often the congregations I have experienced have given away their power to paid staff, who may not share the beliefs or theology of the congregation that they have been hired to serve, or to pastors who overstep their understanding of ecclesiology and think that the church they serve is THEIR CHURCH and nobody is going get between them and their church. The church they serve becomes for them their vehicle to personal recognition and prestige. Taken to an extreme, the church becomes a tool they use to promote themselves rather than a body of believers who proclaim the Love of God to an aching world. It is my strong belief that the Church belongs to Christ and the Ministry that God has called the church will prevail, in spite of, pastors who believe they own a specific church. Keeping the fact that the Church belongs to God helps keep all the human jockeying for power and personal glory in perspective, I gain much peace knowing that God is in charge and if there are people who wish to see certain churches fail, that ultimately that the survival and success of a ministry is up to God.

These are just some random thoughts I have had the last couple of days as I have been praying and pondering some recent experiences in ministry. I don’t expect anyone to agree with me. These are my personal viewpoints and by naming the ‘powers’ I sense working, I am able to dis-empower them.

New Years Eve 2010

2010-12-31T20:29:00.001-08:00

I am really looking forward to 2011. 2009 and 2010 were tough years, and they gave me the opportunity to reflect and regroup and evaluate a lot of things in life. It is my intention to blog much more often in 2011. Still don't what I will be blogging about if it will be knitting, my baking and cooking, or my life and ministry. Maybe it will be all of the above. Regardless, I hope that whoever reads my blog, will be inspired and find something that they find meaningful in reading my posts.

Until next year....

Clint, Virgil and George

2010-06-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

When I read this morning that George Edwards died yesterday, I thought to myself about the old cliche that deaths comes in threes. In this case George was the third death of three retired New Testament professors at Louisville Seminary.

All three taught at Louisville Seminary at or near the time that I attended LPTS.
Clinton Morrison, Jr. who I took for my first Greek exegesis class from and later several semesters of elective Greek reading died in March. Clint was known for his sense of humor, his puns and love of language and was just a genuinely caring human being.

I recently read a short Presbyterian News article that Virgil Cruz died in May in the Netherlands after a stroke. Virgil was a well known evangelical in the church. I took New Testament and a couple of exegesis classes with Virgil. Virgil will most be remembered by me for leading a J-term trip to Puerto Rico where we spent a month at the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico in Hato Rey and studied Puerto Rican Protestantism. Virgil also introduced me to my husband Anthony when I first arrived on campus and was helpful in giving me advice on how to make my dream of attending seminary come true during a visit to campus during an exploratory weekend.

Today I learned that George Edwards died. George was one of the most outspoken advocates for justice in the church. His life and witness and advocacy for those experiencing any of the ‘isms’ was an inspiration to all. George came back to campus after his retirement to teach polity. Although I never had a class per-se with George, his presence in the Louisville community and on campus was an inspiration to me and the stories of others who encountered him in their lives .
Both George and Virgil were important in getting the Presbyterian Church (USA) offices to move to Louisville, KY.

The witnesses of Clint, Virgil and George’s lives continues on even though they have joined the great cloud of witnesses that surround us. Their lives and their ministry all point us to look to Christ in some way, to see a new aspect of the Gospel, be it through humor or caring, be it through exposing prejudices and talking through differing opinions, or be it through challenging us to be hands on advocates for those experiencing injustice and speaking out against injustice.

All three will be missed and I know my life is richer for having known all three of these New Testament professors.

First Day in a New Pastorate

2010-06-01T21:07:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of my contract with the Belton Presbyterian Church as their half time Temporary Supply Pastor. I am looking forward to serving this congregation located at 122 Main Street in Belton, MO. The historic church building is beautiful and the congregation has been warm and welcoming. The first big gig with this church will be on Friday morning when the church host this month’s Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee. I’m baking some muffins for the event and one of the Elders on Session has taken the lead in lining up others to bring breakfast casseroles and scones and fruit for this networking event.

What I found so inspiring today was Bill Tammeus’ post on women in ministry. His post on his blog Bill’s FAITH MATTERS can be found here:

I just found it a nice and gentle affirmation of my own ministry as I began a new chapter in my ministry today.

Famous Failures

2009-10-04T14:37:00.001-07:00

A dear friend sent this to me in an email. It is very inspiring.

LIFE = RISK

If you have never failed you have never lived.

A Mid-Summer Update

2009-08-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that it is already August. At the end of this month, I will be out of a job. The church I pastor has voted to close and it will hold its last service of public worship on Sunday, August 30, 2009. It is a sad time for me and especially the congregation. So I have been swamped with all the details involved with closing down a congregation decently and in order in the PCUSA. Actually a lot of the heavy lifting has been delegated to an Administrative Commission and they are doing an excellent job. God does provide for the right people to be in the right place at the right time to do difficult tasks.

I don't want to get hung up on writing about the details of closing down a congregation. Mostly I have been spending my time focusing on the pastoral care needs of the my congregation members in these last few weeks and finding meaningful employment for me since I have to have to some means of income to pay the family bills.

I have been on three legitimate job interview, one group interview, and one extremely deceptive interview in the past month. I am still waiting to hear about the last two job interviews. One is for a full time as an administrative assistant type with benefits job and one is for a part time term job as a fund raiser. I didn't get a second interview as a hospice chaplain (work I think I would be really good at doing as a pastor to older adults and a gerontologist) or a call back to an interview for a concierge at a retirement community (I had more eduction than the Executive Director of the facility).

I am tired of getting emails about going into financial services or insurance sales. I have a business idea but it isn't cooked yet and I need to spend some time developing my business plan, but really can't do that until I find work to keep the roof over my head and the lights on so I can run the computer.

Right now I feel torn in a multitude of directions - take care of the folks at the church - find a new job - don't panic.

It has Simply been a Tough Spring.

2009-05-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

It's Been a Tough Spring.

Spring Cleaning hit my household early this year and it has continued with a theme of simplicity. We have lived in our house, which we are really blessed to have and enjoy living in for the most part, for seven years now. What we have come to realize in our household is that this house is just too big for two people and we have way too much stuff. A lot of our stuff is stuff that people have given to us over the years as we helped older relatives downsize their lives. Some of the stuff is stuff we bought that we no longer need, want or use. What I have come to realize is that I was happier when I had less stuff. Stuff has not made me happy. So Spring Cleaning has commenced in more ways than one in my life.

On the career front, I'm looking for my next new thing. The work I do as a pastor has me working with an aging congregation that is working through a process of deciding if they want to close or stay open. It is hard work to work with what many people consider 'dying' congregations. I am not sure if I am developing myself as a specialist in this area or not. I get frustrated with other organizations and entities that like to prey on vulnerable congregations. Lately I see this happening more and more.

I am also dealing with some related internal issue about consistency of my personal values with my exposed values of simplicity and that is difficult work of self reflection.

I did run across this interesting website and I want to link to it. It fits with the Simplicity theme.

My Knitting Foibles

2009-03-07T15:26:00.001-08:00

I just finished knitting the Shalom sweater and I have to frog the whole thing. I modified the pattern in an attempt to make a pattern for a small medium woman fit me – a plus sized woman. I ended up making a sweater that would fit a super plus sized woman. What I learned is that I have a mental image of myself that is a bit bigger than I really am. So I am going to frog this sweater and begin again. It is a quick knit and what really makes me sad about this is that my knitting was so good. The technique of the stitches were uniform, tension was uniform. The finished garment was beautiful. I hope I can reproduce it when I get the courage to try again.

I had added 40 stitches to the pattern and I don’t think I need to add that many. I am considering adding 15 and am now questioning if that may too many. Modifying sewing patterns, which I can do well, is so much easier than modifying knitting patterns.

Meanwhile, I want to post a picture of my finished Clapotis. I can do this ‘tangy’ pattern from Knitty. I had this yarn in my stash and I love how it came out. It is cotton and nylon so will wear well and I can wear it year round. It looks good with my orange dress and I have a red pantsuit that I can wear it with too. My learning on this project was how to twist stitches as a Continental knitter. I was also had some tension issues which I will address when I do this pattern again in the future. I am happy with the finished product.

Heartland Presbytery Votes in the Context of Worship

2009-03-07T14:47:00.000-08:00

I have to give great kudos to my colleagues and friends on the Church Order and Listening Division for their work in putting together today’s Called Meeting of Presbytery to vote on the 14 Amendments to the Book of Order. The meeting was designed around worship and it was an excellent meeting if any Presbytery meeting can be described as excellent. It is a meeting and it was a really nice day today. 70 degrees and sunny. I would have rather spent the day reading on my porch than cooped up in a church sanctuary voting on BOO changes.

Well what amused me most was the typo/spelling error in the Prayer of Confession. It made me smile. It made me smile because it reminded me of how human we really are and how much we all need God’s love and forgiveness. It is the prayer of confession where we confess our human foibles and sin and receive God’s forgiveness so it was so appropriate that a type/spelling error be found in that very prayer that sets the stage for this part of our service.

The sermon by our Executive Presbyter was a good sermon. Again it reminded us that that the process of voting was not as important as the real work and ministry of the church that happens in our congregations and through the relationships we have with each other. Charles left to attend the funeral of a long time Elder Commissioner and former Moderator of our Presbytery. As a Presbytery we did fine in voting and many prayers were offered for Gurnie’s family. I had worked with Gurnie on a couple of committees over the years I’ve been in the Presbytery and he served the Church well.

After this we voted and we voted and voted. The Church Order and Listening Division engaged the Commissioners to the General Assembly in presenting the various Amendments and broke them up based on topic. I presented on a process motion regarding the proposed changes in the Book of Discipline and providing for an Alternative Form of Resolution. It passed. I was also called to pitch hit for another Commissioner who fell ill, so prayers for Jeff and Madeline that they get well soon! That Amendment on Membership Vows failed to pass.

About fifteen minutes before lunch, which was an Order of the Day at noon, we began the discussion on the ‘BIG” amendment – Amendment B. After our lunch break we continued to discuss Amendment B and the process motion to extend discussion, which needed to pass by a 2/3rd majority, failed so at the end of the 30 minutes of total discussion, we voted. Amendment B passed in Heartland Presbytery. I wasn’t surprised it passed because this Presbytery has always voted in the affirmative for the removal and/or change and modification of G-6.0106b. If you want to follow the outcome of this voting in all the Presbyteries, you can tune into the PCUSA’s official tally site at: http://www.pcusa.org/generalassembly/vote08.htm

The final tally will be posted on the Presbytery’s website on Monday. Here is my unofficial tally of the votes, which was reported after worship closed with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.

A. failed 81 Yes 132 No 7 Abstained
B. passed 127 Yes 90 No 5 Abstained
C. passed 199 Yes 17 No 2 Abstained
D. passed 203 Yes 9 No 4 Abstained
E. passed 196 Yes 16 No 2 Abstained
F. failed 72 Yes 140 No 6 Abstained
G. passed 228 Yes 6 No 0 Abstained
H. passed 189 Yes 26 No 0 Abstained
I. failed 60 Yes 148 No 9 Abstained
J. passed 149 Yes 55 No 13 Abstained
K. passed 202 Yes 13 No 1 Abstained
L. passed 185 Yes 28 No 2 Abstained
M. passed 215 Yes 3 No 0 Abstained
N. passed 207 Yes 7 No 2 Abstained

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving incorporated prayer requests that we all had the opportunity to share and were collected during a time of offering. Our offering today was prayer – no money – just prayer.

As a Commissioner to the 218th General Assembly, I am very proud of Heartland Presbytery for how they handled the Voting on the Amendments process. It was much more orderly than the last round of voting and I was chair of Church Order and Listening during that last round of voting. There are more creative people on the Division and that showed in how they placed the meeting in the context of worship. To me it reflected the idea that grew out of the General Assembly of Solemn Assemblies. The way Solemn Assemblies were first presented to the Assembly had me seriously questioning the practice since so many non-Reformed sources were cited. The General Assembly did not pass Solemn Assemblies as presented to the Commissioners but did charge the office of Theology and Worship to develop some resources for the use of Presbyterians. I think our Church Order and Listening Division and the Worship and Fellowship Division captured what the Assembly asked for regarding Solemn Assemblies when formulating today’s Presbytery meeting. As meetings go, this was a good one. Now lets get on with being the Body of Christ.

Where to Begin

2009-03-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've blogged. Has anyone missed me. It's been a difficult winter and I have a lot of issues - primarily heavy duty professional issues to think about. I've been thinking about my future as a pastor and my future job as the situation at my current church continues to struggle with its future. I'm also sick of winter. I have no energy in the winter.

Meanwhile I think this week was a fascinating week. There are so many things I could write about so I think I will start with Monday.

On Monday I was invited to participate an Interfaith Relations Clergy Institute sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Bureau of the American Jewish Committee. It was held at Union Station and featured a dialog between Father McManus and Rabbi Rudin on “The Parting of the Ways: The First to the Twenty-first Centuries and What New Scholarship Teaches Us” about Jewish Christian relations. I’m grateful for the invitation and learned much from both scholars that will be helpful in my preaching and teaching.

After the dialog, the exhibit “A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People” was open to us to view. It is a free exhibit sponsored by Avila University. I want to go back to see this exhibit again before it leaves Kansas City on March 27, 2009. It is in the Arthur Stilwell Room of Union Station and the exhibit is FREE. It is worth your time to see this moving exhibit.

On Wednesday I went to the Dave Ramsey Clergy Lunch. The Lunch was good and the presentation was for clergy on how we can support the Dave Ramsey LIVE event coming to Kansas City on May 2nd at Kemper Arena. If people buy tickets through their churches, they can save 30% off the $40.00 price for a ticket to the live event. If you are interested in a discounted ticket to this event, please let me know and I’ll see what I can do to get you one. In these economic times, economic education is important.

On Thursday I went to the funeral of a member of my congregation. This particular member had developed a close relationship with one of the Elders at the church and the Elder did the funeral. He did a wonderful job. I was glad that I could empower him to do so by providing the materials he needed to put together a good solid service that met the wishes of the family. What it also showed me, in reflection, that I am not irreplaceable. It is also symptomatic of my congregation and the larger church that it is dying. My congregation has lost two members so far this year. A roll of 55 has now gone down to 53. 53 people really cannot support a full time clergy person. I often grasp for things to do to keep me busy and keep my folks engaged – many of whom are elderly and infirm – it takes a lot of energy to just live life when you have difficulty moving. I often think that I have difficult job. It is difficult to watch a congregation die. It is difficult to walk with a congregation when it does die. In a culture that gets focused on doing, being is hard work and takes a lot of energy. I sometimes think being takes more energy than doing. So I see my primary task right now to BE with these folks as they grieve and as they It is difficult for me because I like to be doing something and I realize the end is probably coming soon for this congregation and I don’t have my next new thing lined up.

In terms of my next new thing - I am not sure what that will be. Discernment is hard work and the economic woes of our present time does not give one a sense of security or hope. In times like these it is difficult to remain faithful to what one believes God has called one to do. It is difficult to remain non-anxious in times like these, yet if I believe what I say I believe, this is exactly what I need to do.

After the funeral I went to Business Affairs committee of the Presbytery. Friday I tried to take as a day off, but had a medical test (routine) and end up in the office for about an hour to proof-read the bulletin. Saturday was spent – not enjoying the outdoors and 70 degrees and sunny weather – but a Presbytery Meeting. I’ll write more about that in my next entry.

An Angel Food Cake for an Angel

2009-01-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

I do not deny that I love my husband dearly. He is my angel and yesterday was his birthday. I baked him an Angel Food Cake from scratch. It's his grandmother's recipe and this isn't the first year I've done this. The first time I baked him this cake, I was deeply disappointed because it just didn't get very big, like the commercial angel food cakes or the mixes. Yet each year DH requests this cake from scratch. He says it tastes better. Well it doesn't taste chemically and I omit the almond extract (I don't like almond extract flavoring...like almonds, just not the extract).

Here's a picture of the cake. It made the house smell wonderful and it's gone. We ate it already.

Recent Knitting – Test Knitting and Knitting in a Meeting

2009-01-29T12:43:00.000-08:00

I just finished test knitting a pattern for one of my knitting friends. I was happy to test knit because I got to learn two new techniques. Learning new techniques and stretching my knitting skills is important to me. I learned that I can do lace and will probably knit a lace shawl this year. I have some wonderful deep green lace weight yarn from a swap I was in last year. I also learned to do thumb gussets so I'll be knitting mittens for my great nephews and nieces in Minnesota.

Well here are the pictures of the Missouri Autumn Mitts and you can get the pattern from Celia Ann Knits.

I finished these mitts on Monday during the Presbytery Council Retreat. I usually knit in meetings where I have to sit for more than an hour of so. I hate just sitting and knitting helps me concentrate. Since I go to meetings prepared – I’m one of those who reads everything before I go to a meeting – I can sit, knit and listen and if I think I can add to the meeting, I will speak up.

What was so fun was I was the only knitter in the group of nearly 30 folks until one other Council member came an hour or so late to meeting and sat down next to me and pulled out her knitting. Knitting is viral!

It Just Goes To Show You It's Always Something

2009-01-25T19:43:00.000-08:00

Gilda Radner’s character Roseanne Roseannadanna coined the phrase ‘well it just goes to show you it’s always something.’ So far this month it seems like it has always been something. But that isn’t necessarily bad. The ‘somethings’ of life can teach us more about ourselves and what we need in order to continue to grow and develop into better people.

Usually January is party month. I celebrated my 19th wedding anniversary and my 45th birthday so far this month. My DH’s birthday is coming up later this week.
Unlike past years, somethings have popped up that have attempted to ‘spoil’ the festivities. Problems at work, difficult relationship with friends and or family, being dissed by people you thought were your friend, breaking long loved objects, having minor accidents and problems happen to loved ones.

Yet even with the ‘spoilers’ the moments of learning and reflection have in and of themselves been a gift. I am pleased to say that they have not ruined any of the true celebration that has happened this month and I grateful for the learning the somethings have provided for me.

The 19th Wedding Anniversary was wonderful, it began with breakfast at Winstead's, a trip to the Kemper, US Toy, and lunch at Gates BBQ.

My 45th birthday was shared with the nation. My birthday falls on Inauguration Day every four years. This year was spent glued to the TV after a very early (we were in the restaurant, this time IHOP) before 6 am, breakfast! It was a momentous day. Although I someday would like to attend an Inauguration, or at least I thought I did when I was younger, I was very glad to be toasty and warm in front of my TV on the 20th. I could cry tears of joy, and share the day with my DH. Of course something came up that caused me to take a detour over to the church – this time one of the sanctuary furnaces, but it didn’t ruin the day.

Although the family celebrations were quiet this year, I did have a great day with my friends Charlotte and Donna as we ate lunch later in the week at my favorite KC restaurant, Eden Alley. I was even able to catch our day – Donna has a January Bday too!

I am grateful for the somethings, especially for the hurtful something that happened at my Saturday knitting group. The experience of standing there in a very loud and crowded coffee shop taught me what I need. I have learned that in order to nurture my knitting, I need a quieter environment and I need space to sit and put my pattern and cup of coffee and in the past several times at knit group, I haven’t had the space I’ve needed and Saturday there was no space for another knitter at the table. I need more than just pulling up a chair to an overcrowded corner of table and fighting for elbow space. I need a place where people appreciate me and are going to invite me to sit and help me find a place to sit. I have done well in coping with chaos throughout my life, but chaos and noise is one of those somethings that do not nurture me as a person. I am good at coping with chaos and dealing with the somethings that emerge from chaos, but I don’t need that in my life. My big learning was that I need to find a new knitting group that meets in a quieter setting that is less chaotic, loud and crowded…and one that will be more welcoming.

2009 a New Year - with loose ends.

2009-01-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted on my blog since the last day in October of last year. November and December of 2008 were tough months and I am really looking forward to 2009 as being a better year. Oh I have tons of stuff to be grateful for and I am. I also have a to do list a mile long on things I would like to change. I tend to over schedule myself and that got me into trouble the past two months.

I still don't have my assignment done, even asking for an extension, from my September continuing education class on Reformed Theological Issues of Middle and Older Adults. I have to write six hours of lesson plans on theological issues and it's just too much. The other two classes I have taken in this "under development" certification program only required four hours of lesson plans. A 'bug' that I will have to work out with the instructor, since I am the coordinator of the said "under development" certification program. It also would not look good if I didn't complete the assignment so I sit with that looming over my head.

I did manage to finish my DH's sweater, which I started in January of 2008, on the last day of 2008. I think it came out pretty nice. I liked the pattern, but if I were to do it again, I'd make the sleeves shorter and a size smaller. DH wanted a BIG sweater and he got one.

In terms of New Year's Resolutions. I rarely make them. I have made two related to my professional and spiritual life this year. 1) In honor of the Jubilee of John Calvin's Birthday, I have committed myself to read the Institutes of the Christian Religion every day (except the Lord's Day - which is Sunday) this year. I haven't read the Institutes since Seminary and thought this would be a good exercise in this special Jubilee year. 2) I was alarmed to learn when I went to Interim Pastor Training the last week of October, that the average clergy person only prays 6 minutes a day and lay members of the congregation pray even less per day. As people of faith, we should be all about prayer and prayer should under-gird all we do, so I have resolved to pray more every day in 2009. [Note to self: Check out and follow - up on the rumor that you have heard about Rick Warren saying that prayer isn't that important for church growth].

On a personal and health nature, I have made a resolution to be more mindful about the carbohydrates I eat. My body doesn't deal as well with carbs as it could and I want to watch that this year so as not to develop a chronic illness. I began doing this just before Thanksgiving and didn't gain any weight during the holiday and actually lost a couple pounds.

I was happy to get back to my knitting group last week and this week. We had a full complement of people today nineteen or twenty in the coffee shop at BORDERS. Of course BORDERS is dangerous to my budget. I greatly enjoyed my Iced Latte and Raspberry Thumbprint Scone (highly recommended - very tender and not too sweet) and of course books. I bought three today. So much for my book diet.

In terms of my knitting, I'm working on my stash this year. No buying yarn for a while. I have too much yarn. I'm knitting kitchen towels with this lovely cotton yarn that I received in a yarn swap last year when I went wild on swaps. I know have wonderful yarns to knit and look forward to lots of knitting in 2009.

It's A Bird, It's a Plane, no it's a Blimp

2008-10-31T20:16:00.001-07:00

The Seventeenth of October was a lovely Friday. The leaves were in full color, the sun was shining and the air temperature was warm. I had spent several hours over at the church catching up on paper work. A group of men from the buildings and grounds committee were over at the church replacing broken floor tiles. One woman had decided to come with her husband had deep cleaned part of the church, cleaning the baseboards and mopping the floors.

As I was getting ready to leave I heard a quiet sound and looked up in the sky to see this blimp. I took several blimp pictures and only wish I had a more powerful telephoto lens.

Walking Stick – The Wonder of God’s Creation

2008-10-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

It has been a mild autumn here in suburban Kansas City and it was wonderful sitting out on my front porch eating dinner tonight. It was nice to relax and get away from all the drama of the economy and election. As I was telling DH during our dinner conversation, I am finding that I am not as ‘worried’ about the economy or the election as a lot of people are. I realized that I don’t have a whole lot of control over the economy so why should I invest my energy in worrying about something I cannot control? In terms of the election, I can exercise my right as a citizen and vote and who I vote for is between me and my secret ballot. I can control my behavior and my reaction to the events of the day, but I don’t need to get caught up in other people’s drama.

So as I was reflecting with my DH about my insight into becoming less of a worry wort we were treated to a wonderful visitor to our relaxing family dinner on the porch. A walking stick.

I looked down to see what I thought was a twig and then it moved ever so slightly. The walking stick was so calming. We watched it walk across our porch and begin climbing the brick façade on porch.

What was most amazing about this walking stick, was how stress reducing it was to watch this unique creature. It isn’t every day one sees a walking stick. In fact I think this is first walking stick I have seen in my life. I enjoyed this encounter with creation and enjoying that wonder – this creature go on its merry way without any worries – was refreshing after a week of drama in the media and the marketplace. Ah the wonders of creation. Now I have a greater understanding of why God rested and enjoyed creation on the 7th day.

Speaking of Women's Health - Saying NO to more commitments

2008-10-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

Today I spent my day off at Speaking of Women's Health. If you have never attended one of these events, do. They are a wonderful day of relaxation, pampering, and learning all rolled into one. Last year, I met a woman at my General Seating table who was a knitter and she invited me to join the knitting group that has become an important part of my Saturday routine. It is hard to believe that I have only been part of the Sip Stitch and Knit group for a year.

Well today during the morning key note speaker, my cell phone rang it was the nominating committee calling me back to see if I would serve on yet another Presbytery committee. They had called two or three weeks ago wanting me to serve. I told them I needed some time to think about it and this was the call back. I said NO. I then told them all the things I am doing for the Presbytery. I am doing a lot. A lot more than some of my other clergy colleagues. I then suggested strongly that tap into some of the other clergy who aren't serving on a committee. All active clergy in the Presbytery are required by the Book of Order to be 'active' in Presbytery. I think I'm doing the work of at least three people since I am on three committees. The big thing was that I said NO. I said NO and I don't feel guilty about it either.

What was nice is that my saying NO was reinforced in a positive way by the women in my knitting group and by our luncheon key note speaker, Allen Funts daughter, Juliet. She was so funny and had so many things to say to folks who like to be in control. It was a helpful talk for me to hear and it reinforced in a positive way my NO to more volunteer committee work.

Surreal Transportation Experience

2008-09-18T06:17:00.002-07:00

The circumstances of my life have been a bit complex lately since DH has gone back to grad school and has an unpredictable schedule at times. We learn to adapt and roll with the punches. This is all very fun for me to watch the transformation in myself from someone who had to control every detail of every situation to someone who can roll with the punches and doesn't have to be in control. My transportation in the past few days has been that way. I didn't make any reservations for my transportation in Atlanta and discovered that MARTA works and is economical. Gosh I love public transportation and really hate the fact that we don't have that in in Kansas City.

Well here's the story.

DH drove me to the airport for my flight on Monday. The PLAN was that he would pick me up when my flight got back in on Wednesday late afternoon, but I didn't plan well. DH's schedule did not allow for me to be picked up in a timely manner. Because the airport is nearly in southern Iowa (yes, I know that is a exaggeration and I live on the other side of the metro from the airport)it takes 45 minutes to an hour to get the airport from where DH was working and we live.

So from Atlanta, I was trying to arrange transport home so I wouldn't end up sitting in the airport at KC for 3 hours. The MCI website is laid out well, EXCEPT there is no options for PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, because public transportation in Kansas City doesn't really exist.

Well I calculated what a cab would cost from the airport to my house (nearly 50 miles one way trip). A shuttle (van) wasn't much cheaper, and I emailed from Atlanta a car/limo service and they were competitive with a shared shuttle van and the cab. So I contracted with a car service for a TOWN CAR to pick me up at the airport.

I was met at the gate by a well groomed and helpful driver who handled my bags. Now remember I'm pretty much a do it yourself gal. Independent and self sufficient.

What I got when I collected my bags was the surprise of my life. A stretch limo. Now I have always fantasied about riding in a stretch limo. Riding in a stretch limo is on my list of things to do in my life. So as we walked to the waiting limo, the driver put my bags in the trunk and I must have had this weird look on my face because he said "don't ask me, they just sent me up here in this."

So for 45 minutes I got to ride in the lap of luxury in the back of this limo. I had my camera with me and took pictures. This was just too surreal. Nothing I ever expected and something that will never happen again.

Now please don't get me wrong. I loved my limo ride. I'm so glad I had my digital camera to document the moment. I know I paid dearly for this experience but I wouldn't trade this 'be nice to me' experience for anything. And I realize that I was able to have this wonderful experience because of privilege and that this option of airport transport would not be accessible to those who did not have computer access to make arrangements, a phone to make the call, or $$$ to pay.

I've been thinking a lot about how Kansas City needs good public transportation for a number of reasons and that the powers that be in this city just don't get it. I was unable to access any usable information on public transportation to and from the airport. There was information on cabs $2.50 flat rate for the first mile and then $2.00 for each additional mile. Car services and van/shuttles are competitive with taxis. Parking at the airport is $18.00 a day in the garage (many women with early and late flights like the garage for safety reasons). The least expensive surface lot is $7.50 at the airport and I don't know what the off site surface lots run, but I do know they don't have shuttle from the lot at the ungodly hour I had to arrive for my flight.

On my next trip I will think through the parking/transport better. I usually can get a ride and pick up, but in this case I couldn't. I've driven myself and parked on past flights - which is also expensive. Driving myself and parking would have cost $54.00. About $30.00 less than a taxi. All of this is sure a lot more costly than the $1.75 I paid in Atlanta to get from the airport to Columbia Seminary.

No wonder Kansas City doesn't have business clamoring to move here. It costs too much to do business in this city because there is no PUBLIC Transportation and the PUBLIC Good is not considered.

Public Art

2008-09-18T06:17:00.001-07:00

I love public art and when I get the opportunity to enjoy public art it always brings a smile to my face. In the Atlanta Hartsfelt-Jackson International Airport there is a wonderful permanent exhibit of stone sculptures done by several artists from Zimbabwe.

I really enjoyed this exhibit when I was in Atlanta on Monday.

When I left on Wednesday, I saw this hidden public art in the baggage claim area. The ants are just so fun and of course those folks who are too busy to take time to observe the details of their surroundings would probably miss these ants.

I love decent, affordable, public transportation

2008-09-15T14:52:00.001-07:00

I'm attending a three day continuing education event at Columbia Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. Decatur is a north eastern suburb of Atlanta. So I left my house at the undgodly hour of 3:45 am to drive to the St. Joseph/Kansas City international airport, which is 45 minutes from my house (at that hour...not rush hour where it might take double that amount of time) to catch my 5:40 am flight. Kansas City does not believe in public transportation. I've lived in two other cities, one larger and one smaller, and I could go from where I lived to the airport with no difficulty, but NO in Kansas Ciy you have to drive everywhere. Now I like to drive, but not everyone can afford a car. A car in many cultures is a luxury.

Well I arrived in Altanta, was treated to a wonderful public art exihibt in the airport, picked up my bag, bought a BREEZE ticket for $1.75. Yes $1.75 and that little ticket got me from the airport to the front gate of the seminary in about an hour. I had a wonderful time watching scenery and there was even a bird that few into the underground and perched on a sign in the Five Points Station stop.

Gotta love a city with decent public transportation. Can I take MARTA home with me?

A Tribute to my Mother

2008-09-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

My mom’s been gone for nearly seven years. When she was alive we had an interesting relationship. We didn’t always get along, but toward the end of her life, we came to many understandings that allowed us to have what I consider a healthy relationship. We began to understand each other and each others quirks. September is always a sad month for me because in 2001 I spent most of the month in Minnesota. My sister and I had to deal with her hospitalization, moving her to a nursing home on 9/11 (yes THE 9/11) and her death on the 17th and Memorial Service on the 20th. Not a fun month.

When I was in High School I took a creative writing class as I thought I might want to be a writer, but was discouraged because the teacher, who shall remain un-named, didn’t like my writing style. Having muckraker or tendencies toward going after things I didn’t like, I wrote a tribute to my father that went after the tobacco and smoking that caused his cancer and ultimate death. So taking the advice of this ‘teacher’ I am writing a tribute to my mother and posting some pictures of her that show her in the best light.

My mother liked to garden. When I had outgrown my swing set, we tore it down and turned the space next to the garage into a garden plot. In the last five years of so of my mother’s life, she let the raspberry bushes take over the space and she grew the best raspberries. I looked forward to my summer treks north and the raspberries.

Mom loved her house and hated having her picture taken. So here is a picture of her on the front porch of the house where I grew up but she’s not happy because she is having her picture taken. That porch is important to me because it is where I spent my favorite time of day in the spring and the autumn. When I would come home from school, I’d go and sit on the porch and listen to music in the afternoon sun at 4:00 pm. 4:00 pm is still one of my favorite times of day. The house was important to my mother because it was a place where she felt safe and at home and could do her crafts, sew, and have friends in for coffee.

Here’s a picture of my mother as a 17 year old girl. She was beautiful – something I don’t think she ever ‘got.’ Since she had me when she was 46 (I was a late in life baby), I always remember her with a splotch of gray in the front and her dark brown/almost black hair. She was beautiful.

My mother had lots of friends. Here is a picture of her with two of her friends. Her friends and social activities kept her going. My mom was always busy doing something or going somewhere and I always remember the house being full of people who would stop by for coffee and a chat. Although she was 83 when she died, there was a huge turn-out for her funeral because she had so many friends. Being a friend is something I learned from my mom.

So today as I remember that difficult day of moving mom from the hospital to the nursing home, I also remember all that she was and all that she taught me and I celebrate her and her life.

100 Facebook Friends

2008-09-07T23:39:00.000-07:00

I opened a Facebook account in early July after returning from the General Assembly. I was inspired by our tech savy Moderator and how Facebook might be used in ministry. Today I hit 100 friends on Facebook. Not a big deal to most people, but for a middle-aged woman, who has been somewhat shy, it has been an interesting journey with Facebook. What is most interesting to me is who I have caught up with people from my past and the interesting things they are doing. I also don't just 'friend' everybody on FB. I know well over 90% of the people who are my friends on FB. Classmates from various points in my life, relatives (long lost cousins and those younger generation relatives - nephews and great nephew's and nieces). And for the argument "I'm too old to use the computer; Facebook; the internet = PHOOEY. I've bumped into one of the quilting ladies from the church I pastor and some retired pastor colleagues I knew back in the early days of ECUNET.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that folks I've friended on Facebook are people I know and people who I have had a sustained relationship at various times in my life. I'm kinda of amazed that I've hit 100 friends on Facebook and wanted to mark that milestone.

What is community organizing a Local KC Perspective

2008-09-05T08:06:00.001-07:00

A Shout Out to Community Organizers

2008-09-05T08:00:00.001-07:00

I really want to stay away from partisan politics in my blogging, but the GOP’s Vice Presidential nominee hit several of my hot buttons in her recent speech. Her speech was mean and she strikes me as a mean person and those who know me know I don’t like mean very much so I am struggling with ‘liking’ Ms. Palin. I guess there is enough of a pastor’s heart in me to also seek to love this person as a sister in Christ, since she claims to know the same Savior and Lord I do. I know I will be adding her to my prayer list.

The internal issue I am confronting, is my discomfort and feelings with the ‘dis’ I felt from Ms. Palin’s remarks. This for me is a perfect example of two people who claim the same faith not agreeing with each other. I also view one of the roles of a pastor as community organizer.

I took much umbrage wit Ms. Palin’s remarks about Community Organizers. There have been several really good rebuttals to her comments that Community Organizers don’t have any experience.

Having done community organizing, I know it is hard work. In reality community organizing is grass roots politics at its best. It is populist politics. It is getting people involved. Our local PICO group in Kansas City Communities Creating Opportunity is doing great stuff through the Churches, in much the same way the churches in south Chicago where Barack Obama worked did. The people of the community are becoming empowered to change their local communities.

What I find so interesting about this that there is a strong populist strain in Alaska politics and it seems that Ms. Palin’s remarks, upon further analysis, miss the role of community organizing in populist politics. Her remarks show that she really doesn’t know or understand the profession of community organizing or what a powerful tool it can be to bring about change. Ultimately this may come back to haunt her.

I would also like to remind all those out there that community organizing is not a partisan thing. Check out the boycotts that the American Family Association are launching via email against McDonalds for their support of what the AFA perceives to be corporate support of a ‘homosexual’ agenda. Also the Christian Coalition has effectively used community organizing techniques to mobilize the religious right. Obviously the speech writer for Ms. Palin didn’t do their homework on the history of a profession they were going discount. I need not say more, I will let my readers make their own conclusions.

Although historically associated with the ‘left’ community organizing has been effectively used by all parts of the political spectrum so I don’t want to hear garbage about it being a left wing or liberal thing. I just wanted to give a shout out to all the community organizers out there, your work is valuable and keep it up regardless of your political stripe. Community organizing is just good grass roots politics so bring it on.

It's a MEAN world out there - Overcome it with Good

2008-09-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

It doesn’t help that the sun has not shined for two day and the weather has turned autumn chilly over night. I came home from a day of working at the church on Tuesday to find the house at a humid 85 degrees and the windows open, DH was enjoying the last vestiges of our mild summer. That night it rained and it turned darn chilly. This turn in the weather, and I know that I should not let the weather affect my mood as much as it does, has affected my mood. I really do like sun shine.

The weather compounded with some various ‘stuff’ in my life internal and external is affecting my mood. I know it will pass. I know that whining about it isn’t going to change anything and only concrete action on my part will change things. I also know that I am in charge of my mood. I guess admitting I’m in a bad mood and only I can change it. I am admitting that I’m already tired of politics and want to take a nine week news diet. I’ve even thought about killing my television set and I’m not listening to my usual NPR as much when I drive…thank God for the Boulevard.

I think what has set me off is the mean spiritedness that I’ve personally experienced a little over a week ago when I left a meeting where my hard work on a project was tossed under the bus by a couple people I had viewed as friends and allies on some of the justice issues I often support. Mean spiritedness can come from all perspectives, even those with close viewpoints on some issues.
My own personal pain and working through being tossed under the bus has been compounded with the MEAN SPIRITED rhetoric of recent days in the political arena, which basically leads me to conclude that I REALLY HATE MEANNESS of any type and there is a LOT OF MEANNESS RUNNING RAMPANT THESE DAYS.

So as a person who seeks to follow Jesus Christ and a pastor I find myself realizing that I am not called to counteract the meanness of the day with more meanness, but to be faithful. Faithful to what I believe is true and right. Overcoming meanness with good is harder than it sounds. Trying to find a redeeming quality to lift up and praise in a mean person is difficult, being kind and generous in the face of meanness is nearly impossible sometimes, yet that is exactly what I think overcome evil with good is all about. SO if I seem kind of sullen and quiet these days, it’s because I am struggling with a GOOD to overcome the meanness I see around me. The last thing I want to do in my quest to be faithful to my faith and beliefs is contribute to the meanness around me.

We often wonder how we can impact the world as one person. I have come to realize that I can overcome evil with good with each and every choice and action in my own life with the people I meet each day. That’s my story for today and I’m sticking to it.

Ravelry Swap on a Budget

2008-08-26T22:45:00.000-07:00

YohoPaulette was my spoiler in this swap and she certainly spoiled me in this swap.

I opened this box that smelled wonderful because one of the items in the box was Patchouli incense. I know I'm dating myself with I mention incense, but I love candles and incense and I love Patchouli. I grew up in the 70's.

In terms of yarn, I now understand the hub bub about Malbrigo sock yarn is all about. This yarn is sooooooooooooooo soft and I will be petting in appreciation this lovely skein in an Applewood colorway for quite a while before I knit it up into the perfect pair of socks. Paulette also dyed a skein of Knit Picks Merino wool for me in a lovely maroon to pink colorway. I will enjoy knitting with that yarn.

In addition to this wonderful yarn and incense, I received some ice tea mix for my water bottles, some peanut butter filled pretzels (which I learn I can get at my local CVS - it pays to read labels - these are yummy) and a lovely denim tote bag with RAVELRY embroidered on it that will be perfect for carrying smaller knitting projects.

Thanks Paulette, I love everything in this swap.

Saturday Sunrise

2008-08-23T06:50:00.001-07:00

Now most everyone knows I'm not a 'morning' person. I am a night owl and prefer to stay up and burn the midnight oil. Well I have been challenging myself to see how the other half of the world lives, you know those folks who get up and follow the old Benjamin Franklin adage of "the early bird gets the worm." This morning I was up before the dawn. I made a pot of coffee and went out and sat on my porch. I then had to run back in and find my camera. This morning, because I was awake and enjoying the beauty of creation, was treated to this colorful sunrise.

The sunrise didn't last long before the clouds moved in and about an our later we got some rain that got the sidewalk wet.

It was a lovely peaceful morning and in addition to the lovely sunrise, I was treated to these really cool cloud formations. This is exactly why I love living in the Midwest.

First Year Blog Anniversary - 50th Post

2008-08-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Today is the FIRST YEAR anniversary of this blog and this is also the 50th post to this blog. The theme of cleaning out has been prevelant for this first year of this blog and I believe that it will continue to be a theme in my life during the second year of this blog. It is interesting to note that I spent a good deal of the day today cleaning out all kinds of stuff. I cleaned the 'pastor's' closet at the church today. I then came home and posted 33 books on Half.com where I sell as AnCGentry. I also list on Amazon Marketplace. Here is a link to my Amazon Marketplace inventory. I may post some more tonight as I am working on reducing the size of the library. These are books that made their way into my life over the past 20 years but just don't have a meaningful purpose in my life anymore. Actually as I look over the the 'stuff' we've accumulated, most of it, if it were wiped out, wouldn't be missed. That is the nature of 'stuff.'

Books n' More Yarn Swap

2008-08-20T16:43:00.000-07:00

This is the second time I participated in the Books n' More Yarn Swap on Ravelry. My spoiler was in Great Britain and sent me some love treats from the UK. The Yarn I received in this swap is genuine Shetland Wool. I hasn't been dyed so she sent me some Kool Aid to dye the yarn with. I've not tried dying my own yarn so I am going to have a new experience soon. I received Easter Egg dye in the Summer of Yarn Love Swap so I will have to try my hand at dying yarn next time I take some time off for me.

My Books n' More swap package had the book Bag Style, along with the fore mentioned yarn. There is enough yarn to make the Needle Bag in the book, which is a really cool bag with a Knitting Needles as the frame.

What is really special about this package is the three Alan Dart patterns. Two for cats, and one for a Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. These patterns are really special because they are difficult to get in the US and they are from Alan Dart before his patterns became regularly published in Simply Knitting.

The hand made item in this package is a little teddy bear and he is just precious.

There was also a lovely batik tote bag (I love tote bags), some Tetly Green Tea with Lemon, Shortbread biscuits (cookies) - which are also personal favorites, two cute little tea lite candles, and three fun size candy bars. Oh and who can forget the fun size 15 Knitting Needles with a cool design on the needle.

Jacqui this was a great package and I thank you so much as this arrived at time when things are going a little tough with some tough decisions being made in my life and lifted my spirits very much. Thank You!

The Virtues of Bran Muffins - Classic Joke that always makes me smile

2008-08-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

OK it came in the email again today, the classic bran muffin joke. I know it by heart, I can tell it. I've passed it along to friends over the years, yet every time I hear it or read it, it makes me smile.

Since this is a blog with muffin in the title, this joke seems appropriate. Sooooo here it is.

The couple was 85 years old, and had been married for sixty-five years. Though they were far from rich, they managed to get by because they watched their pennies.

Though not young, they were both in very good health, largely due to the wife's insistence on healthy foods and exercise for the last decade.

One day, their good health didn't help when they went on a rare vacation and their plane crashed, sending them off to Heaven.

They reached the pearly gates, and St. Peter escorted them inside. He took them to a beautiful mansion, furnished in gold and fine silks, with a fully stocked kitchen and a waterfall in the master bath. A maid could be seen hanging their favorite clothes in the closet.

They gasped in astonishment when he said, 'Welcome to Heaven. This will be your home now.'

The old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost. 'Why, nothing,' Peter replied, 'remember, this is your reward in Heaven.'

The old man looked out the window and right there he saw a championship golf course, finer and more beautiful than any ever built on Earth.
'What are the greens fees?,' grumbled the old man.

'This is heaven,' St. Peter replied. 'You can play for free, every day.'

Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch, with every imaginable cuisine laid out before them, from seafood to steaks to exotic desserts, free flowing beverages.

'Don't even ask,' said St. Peter to the man. This is Heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy.'

The old man looked around and glanced nervously at his wife.

'Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods, and the decaffeinated tea?,' he asked.
'That's the best part,' St. Peter replied. 'You can eat and drink as much as you like of whatever you like, and you will never get fat or sick. This is Heaven!'

The old man pushed, 'No gym to work out at?'

'Not unless you want to,' was the answer.

'No testing my sugar or blood pressure or...'
'Never again. All you do here is enjoy yourself.'

The old man glared at his wife and said, 'You and your bran muffins.. We could have been here ten years ago!'

Four Seasons Yarn Swap - Summer

2008-08-18T00:06:00.000-07:00

I've been a funk lately so it was nice to arrive home on Saturday from Sip Sit and Stitch, my knitting group, to find this wonderful package from Robin (Fiber Bloopers) waiting for me from the Four Seasons Yarn Swap - Summer swap. The Ice Blue wool yarn is wonderful and I am now in search of the perfect pattern. Nine skeins of Sugar in Cream cotton in a variety of colors and textures. A wonderful book on Crochet Lace, not to work up my crochet skills to actually be able to make some of the projects in the book. Not pictured is a book marker with SUNFLOWERS on it. The poncho book which has patterns to crochet for kids (I have a new great niece that I think needs a poncho up in Moorhead, MN) and of course the elixir of life...or at least being awake for life...coffee. I was just about out of beans so this arrived just in time.

Here's a picture of my package...with many thanks to Robin for her generosity and making my day and getting me out of funk.

Rental Cars

2008-08-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

This past weekend DH and I took a road trip to Northfield, Minnesota for my great nephew’s wedding. My car doesn’t have cruise control and DH’s truck is getting up in miles so we thought a rental car was in order. Usually rental cars work well for us, but this one for some particular reason was not our best rental experience.
It was a Dodge Avenger and the windows were small. I kinda felt like it was a gangster car. The car rental place didn’t clean the car very well. We found someone else’s soda bottle in one of the dash board compartments when we made our first fuel stop…yuck!

We did take this cool picture of horses during this fuel stop and that was one of the redeeming factors from the day.

What we really didn’t like about the rental car was how uncomfortable this car was. It had no lumbar support and the seats were stiff and just not comfortable for a road trip of 8 hours. SO I know not to even look at this particular model when I am shopping for a new car in few years. Oh and the car looks angry…I guess that’s why they named it Avenger.

Because I don’t like to say something bad without pointing out the good in things, I will say I did enjoy the Sirius satellite radio.

The car went back to the rental agency today. I told them about the vehicle. I’m grateful the car got me to the wedding and back, I am grateful that car didn’t break down, and I’m grateful that I know that this is not the car for me. See even a ‘bad’ experience can be a good thing!

Summer of Yarn Love - August Package Received - Thank you Secret Spoiler

2008-08-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

Wow have I been spoiled in the Summer of Yarn Love Swap.

My secret spoiler Timiae (Spinkintup) sent me this wonderful package

Timiae has been my spoiler and she has outdone herself. In this final package I have received a lovely card that I can display at my office that has the scriptures on it that was made by another crafter.

I also have new gnome for my collection, which I have named Bubba.

A new coffee mug with lovely photos of yarn, wonderful yarn on it.

Two packages of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (both sugar free and regular)

Cat Borhdi's book on knitting socks on two circular needles and two circular knitting needles from Knit Picks, which I have been wanting to try. I have also wanted to learn this technique and the book looks great.

And finally a skein of superwash sock yarn ready to be dyed with the easter egg dye. I'll hold off on dyeing the yarn as treat for a task I have looming over my head, but it will also be incentive to get the that task completed.

Thank you so much Timiae. I love everything in this package too!

A Gaggle of Geese

2008-08-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

These photos illustrate the reasons why I have started to carry my digital camera everywhere with me. We were driving out of the un-named fast food restaurant to begin our weekend road-trip to my great-nephew's wedding quite early on August 1st (let's just say it was before 6:30 am). We had to wait for this lovely gaggle of geese to cross the road. Of course we blocked the other traffic coming out of the fast food restaurant so we could get this photo (when I looked back into the rear view mirror) there were four cars in line wanting to pull out, and rush off to their jobs or errands or whatever else that could not wait a few minutes on a lovely morning. Nothing could have been so important as not to enjoy the peacefulness of these geese as they leisurely walked across the road. It was the start of a great day.

Wind Farms in Iowa

2008-08-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

On August 1st, DH and I took a road trip to see my family in Minnesota. My great-nephew Brandon is getting married today. Well we rented a car and I'll be writing a post on our experiences with our rental car later.

DH and I are really big supporters of alternative energy sources and we try to leave a low carbon foot print in most things that we do so the idea of wind energy, especially in the Midwest, where wind is so much a part of the landscape, warms our hearts.

We were truly excited to see a couple of wind farms along Interstate 35 in Iowa and took some pictures from our moving vehicle of these wind farms. Depending on how well they enlarge and print, I think one of these may even be framed and find a place on the wall in our home.

I only regret not getting the shots of the blades on the flatbeds as we drove through Des Moines.

Summer of Yarn Love - July Package(s) Received

2008-07-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

I am not working too hard to figure out who my Secret Spoiler is in the Summer of Yarn Love Swap is. All the packages have been coming from the same place and there are two members in the group who are from that area, but there is a clue that I was given that doesn't let me think that my spoiler is either one of those two people. So I will sit in a mystery until the great reveal.

Meanwhile I want to publicly thank my Secret Spoiler for spoiling me this month. I received two surprises and combined them into this one photo. I've never tried Knit Picks Yarn so I am looking forward to diving into the Summer Yarn Sampler I was sent. I collect squeeze balls so love the addition of the Walgreens Pill Squeeze Ball. The Kitchener Stitch pin will go on my knitting bag. The Kitchener stitch is the bain of a many a knitter. I also will enjoy the two new crochet hooks as I did not have either of those sizes. And the lotion sample I plan to use NOW. I cut my finger slicing up bacon for a salad yesterday and I think this will speed healing.

So Secret Spoiler, whoever you are, THANK YOU!

Satire and Humor and Jib Jab

2008-07-18T07:16:00.001-07:00

There was a big hub bub earlier this week about the cover of the New Yorker magazine and how it portrayed Barack and Michele Obama. The New Yorker said it was satire but in my own personal opinion it stepped over the line. And I sometimes read the New Yorker. One of my college roommates was a regular reader of the magazine and I love New Yorker cartoons, but this was just wasn't satire and it wasn't funny.

On that note, I know that humor is difficult for many and irony, satire, and sarcasm can be used effectively and can sometimes go overboard as in the case of the New Yorker. Al Franken is running into this problem, as was recently reported on NPR earlier this week, in his Minnesota Senate race against incumbent Norm Coleman. Now I admit that Franken's first book about Rush Limbaugh was one of the funniest books I've read back in the early part of this decade.

Humor is important to me and I like to laugh at least once a day. To that point I want to share with you the latest Jib Jab video on the election season. Jib Jab is a social networking site of sorts that allows you to share all those forwarded e-mail jokes and videos and share them with other people on the site. I was a beata tester for Jib Jab and have a Jib Jab coffee mug to prove it! I know I get excited about the smallest things in this life.

Well my favorite Jib Jab is Big Box Mart, but this one is much more relevant for today.

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Who Said Summer was Lazy and the days were Hazy?

2008-07-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer was the title of a song from the era of my parents. If my parents were still alive today they would both be in their 90's. I was a midlife surprise. It took me a long to realize that I wasn't a mistake or an error or even a freak of nature. Actually I've come to understand that as a midlife surprise that there are some very interesting and unique things I can contribute to the world. One of those being cross generational understanding, which I am attempting to discern how to further develop and use.

Considering I'm technically a first year Gen Xer this is always something that makes people take a second look when I tell my sister is in her 60's (the age of my of peer's parents) and my parents, if they were still living, would be the same age as their great-grand parents. This could make you feel like a freak but these circumstances are actually a gift.

I like the fact that my parents were from the GI generation and my sister is from the Silent generation and I looked up to and was influenced by some incredible Baby Boomers and count many of them friend and I actually have some Gen Xer friends too! It is interesting in that my life has been touched and influenced by decades of generations what gets confusing for me is some of the stuff I think about to the point that my brian hurts and that is how different people of different generations bridge or don't bridge the technology gap. I'm very comfortable with adapting and using new technologies. I may ask a lot of questions until my little brain gets comfortable with understanding something new and then if I find it useful, I'll adopt it.

Well that gets me back to the song. Summer use to be Lazy when I was a kid. Summer is Crazy now that I'm a 'grown up.' And Summer is NOT Hazy in Kansas City, for that you need to go to the Ohio Valley where this is no wind and no fluffly clouds and the air just sits in a puddle of humidity. I don't miss Louisville in the summer.

Well back to Crazy days of summer.

I am working on so many projects with tight deadlines right now that I finding myself procrastinating on Facebook, Ravelry, and writing on my blog. Now I know that if I just sat down and applied myself for a few minutes here and a few minutes there that I could have most of these pressing little projects done and I could actually enjoy the rest of the Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer.

Then there is my porch...it's dusk and its not too hot and it might just be time to sit a spell and be lazy.

Ahhhhhhh Summer! Don't you love it!

Favorite Summer Time Memory

2008-07-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

The Summer of Yarn Love swap that I am involved in on Ravelry is having a contest for the best summer memory. I think the reason I like my front porch on my house so much is that it allows me to recapture the feelings of some of the best things I loved about summer and my best summer memories.

I've always loved summer and you don't often hear me complaining about the heat or the humidity. I especially love summer in the Midwest because of the wind and the clouds.

The reason why I like my front porch so much is allows me to sit out and enjoy the clouds and the wind and it reminds me of two of my favorite things that I use to like to do during the summer growing up in Grand Rapids, MN (beside the daily bike ride to a local lake to go swimming) and that was sitting on the front porch at night with a flash light and messing with the bats that lived in the Blue Spruce tree in the front yard. I also liked to sit in the chaise lounge chair at night and watch the stars while listening to the radio. I know that in this day and age of X-box, Nintendo, and Wii that these simple and carefree activities seem kinda dull.

They were great because they didn't cost money and they connected you with simplicity and nature. What else could you ask for in a chaotic world.

Oh, I also learned to knit from my neighbor Hazel during the summer. Summer gave me the opportunity to learn new things that you didn't get to normally learn in school...that is why I liked summer school, not for the remedial courses but for the enrichment courses, so I always tried to go to summer school and learn something new. Because of this I can play some chords on a guitar, learned all about the Bicentennial times (I know I'm dating myself) and the arts and crafts of that era. Hey I learned how to use a drop spindle and made the most bumpy and lumpy yarn but loved the feel of the freshly carded wool. And my neighbor taught me how to knit...which is why I am posting this today.

Summers Rock!

Oh the yellow thing is my robotic mower....another reason to love the summer....I don't mow...Edgetta mows....I posted an earlier blog entry on her.

BBQ Swap

2008-07-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

The very first swap I did was the Valentines Day 2008 Swap and my spoilee was Carola, who lives in Sweden. She was so easy to put a package together for since what she really wanted was Sugar and Cream cotton yarn. How easy is that here in the US, but not in the EU, where it is not available....so I loaded up a box with Sugar and Cream and some other goodies and she blogged about in on her blog (My Living Room). That was back in Februrary.

Since then Carola and I have become online friends through Ravelry and she is moderator of the BBQ swap. I couldn't resist signing up for this swap since I do live in a cow town and BBQ is the food of choice here in Kansas City. Carola was my spoiler in this swap and I sent a package off to my spoilee in The Netherlands. Of course I'm not going to post a picture of what I sent until I know that my spoilee has received her package.

Meanwhile here is what Carola sent me. I missed listing the tea and several other items in both the personal note of thanks to Carola and on the posting in the BBQ Swap group on Ravelry. She sent so much stuff in a compact mailing enevelope. I can't wait to try the marinades and the hand painted sock yarn.

Carola you spoiled and I thank you for everything!

Knitting and Swaps and such

2008-07-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

I really am trouble getting my head back in the knitting game, although I had a lovely afternoon with Sit Sip and Knit group this afternoon. I worked on my Nunkin socks and on DH's sweater, which had been hibernating for a while. I haven't knitted for nearly two weeks due to being at General Assembly.

One thing I've come to realize is that I want to keep this blog for my knitting stuff and use my other blog that I started for General Assembly for my church related comments, so.... that's what I'm doing. If you care to see my views or reflections of a theological or comments on other such stuff go to my other blog Blogging My Way to San Jose.

I've also come to realize that I'm involved in too may swaps at this time. I'm signed up for five and have committed myself to NOT sign up for any more swaps. They are fun and I love getting surprises in the mail but I need to focus my energies on some other task.

Of course I have committed to these swaps so I will fulfill my commitment. I went to my local yarn shop (LYS) and bought all the yarn I needed to fulfill my commitments to my spoilees on Thursday and will be spending the next couple of weeks getting my packages prepared and mailed. I really do like this swaping but I can truly say I've had that experience and need to use the time to experience something else.

I goofed up the Four Seasons - Summer - Swap in that I forgot to contact my spoilee and then sent her a note through Ravelry. It was suppose to be a anonymous swap and I was suppose to use my anonymous e-mail addy for that contact.....OOPS!

Here are the swaps I'm currently doing: Summer of Yarn Love (this is such a cool swap...three months of surprises) I will mail the July package next week.

BBQ swap...I'm late in mailing this one but have been in contact with my spoilee in Belgium and this package will be mailed on Monday...

Four Seasons - Summer - Swap....As I said earlier, I think I messed this one up.

Books and More Swap....I just need to get the book and the rest of the package will fall into place. Borders, where I usually get my books just downsized and moved its knitting and crocheting books and none of us in SSK are happy. I am going to write to the manager about our disappointment....I'll have to go to B&N or JoAnns to get the book for this swap.

and finally Swap on a Budget. This one will get mailed this week or next week.

I'm usually pretty organized, but I have let this get out of hand...so after this no more swaps for a while.

Knit if Forward Swap

2008-07-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

This is second round of the Knit It Forward Swap that I've participated in and this once was fun because we have had to knit kitchen items for people. My spoiler Kristen (Angel101580) went over the top. I love kitchen items from kitchen cotton and now I have two new towels and two new dishcloths along with the cutest point protectors for knitting needles (they are socks) and a row counter bracelet and oh who can forget DARK CHOCOLATE. The mug cozy is also really neat and will fit my General Assembly mug perfectly!

Thanks Kristen and I was glad to see you received an equally nifty surprise package too!

Summer of Yarn Love Swap - June Package Received

2008-07-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

My secret spoiler for this swap has gone over the top. Here's a picture of the lovely things she sent me. The YARNS are yummy. I can't wait to make the market bag, which she included a pattern for out of that beautiful Bamboo yarn from Southwest Trading Company. It will definitely test my crochet skills. Although this is suppose to be a yarn swap, it is hard to ignore that lovely Muffin cookbook. I will really enjoy using that. Whoever you are secret spoiler...THANK YOU!!!

On Going Debate on Where to Meet

2008-06-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

I've been having an ongoing debate in an organization I belong to about where the board should meet. The President has been very disparaging of our current meeting spot, which is adequate and centrally located because it happens to be a room at a long-term care facility. Her argument is that younger members won't want to come to a meeting in such a facility. Hello!!!! I'm one of those 'younger' members! I don't know why this bothers me so much except that rather than use the term long-term care facility (or nursing home) or retirement home the term 'old folks home' was used which for some reason didn't sit well with me as a social gerontologist. Ageism is still alive and well in our society and the last acceptable prejudice.

The argument that we need to meet in a location where 'younger' people will go, doesn't sit well with me for a number of reasons. It is the same argument used by the faulty church growth people who have forever advocated building a church building and the people will come. The literature shows that this doesn't work. It is also based on a scarcity model and a model that says we need to build program around where we think we are weakest rather than build on our assets. I'd be much more ready to assist my services and less critical is I saw some asset based planning going on rather than strategic planning that focuses on weaknesses.

Out reach and building an organization and attracting the population for your membership is transferable from the world of the church and its evangelism and outreach literature and to the marketing of secular organizations. I've been thinking a lot about this lately and hope to do some more writing and reflecting on these ideas and I read more materials on this topic. As much as I hate to admit there are some marketing ideas out there that work for evangelism and outreach. I've been thinking about WORD OF MOUTH marketing lately and how that might apply to the church. I'm currently reading a piece I found because of my participation as a Buzz Agent called The Word of Mouth Manual Volume II. Here is a link to get the book for your own reading pleasure in PDF format from The Social Consumer Manifesto blog

Now some would think it smarmy that I am a pastor and a Buzz Agent (buzzing is one of my hobbies...I like to try new stuff and as a Buzz Agent I get to try new stuff and then talk about it both good and bad) I have to admit that I like getting free stuff and enjoy trying new things.

What really annoys me about this ongoing debate is that I am not being heard. Instead it is suggested that I become part of the membership committee. If I wanted to be part of the membership committee I would have volunteered to be on the membership committee. I was once the membership vice-president and resigned from that position because I don't like to have tasks assigned to me without first being asked if I will undertake a task and that was happening. I went back on the board after being away from it for six years and I see the same stuff happening again.

I have only a limited number of hours in my day. My primary task is to pastor a congregation. The work I do in this social organization is part of my community service work. IF these ladies would jump into the 21st Century and grasp the importance of a web presence and the power of social networking they might be able to attract some of the younger demographic that they believe is missing. I use to be one of the younger women...I've now become one of the middle aged women, but I do see the value of facebook, blogs, and other social networking sites for getting connected, building coalitions, etc. and I've attempted to keep up with the technology.

So out of this debate on where to meet has come a philosophical debate on the need to attract younger members. It's a old debate and some helpful suggestions on how to go about it are being ignored and that ticks me off a bit. It has nothing to do with meeting location, it has everything to do with listening to and valuing the opinions of those around the table and trying new technologies even if you aren't comfortable with them. It's a philosophical debate and I'm not feeling heard and I get really annoyed when the conversation gets shut down because older members of this organization don't want to discuss it and farm the work off to a membership committee that will then have its ideas squelched in the general meeting.

My DH has asked me why I am wasting my time and I'm beginning to think seriously about that question. I think I will be looking for someone to take over these duties so I can concentrate on other things I find important, but I do enjoy the basic philosophy of the organization, my friendships with some members, but this moot debate on where to meet and the reluctance to try new technology just gets in my craw.

Back from San Jose

2008-06-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

I've been away from the knitting needles for TEN (10) days! I debated about taking my knitting to General Assembly with me and part of me is mad I didn't and part of me is glad I didn't have another thing to carry.

I'm glad I am on 'vacation' this week. I need it to recoup and recharge and figure out how to come back after an amazing experience and pastor my little church where most of the decisions made by the Assembly will not really have any real impact or meaning.

While I was gone I received two lovely swap packages. One from the three month long Summer of Yarn Love Swap: A muffin cook book (with how much I love muffins, I'm surprised I didn't already own this book), two lovely skeins of yarn (Southwest Trading Company Bamboo) with a pattern for a crocheted market bag .... time to really test those crochet skills I say I have, a lovely skein of blue sky alpacas dyed organic cotton, a bag of dark chocolate Hershey's Kisses (which survived the summer heat) and a earth friendly grocery shopping bag. Thank you secret swap partner and I'll post pictures when I get to my camera.

I also received my Knit if Forward Swap package and my spoiler (Kristen) Angel101580 went over the top. Two hanging hand towels, two dishcloths, a mug cozy (which will fit my new General Assembly Mug perfectly!) bracelet row counters in a cute tote sack, and the most adorable sock shaped point protectors. Thank you Kristen and I will post pictures when I unpack and find my camera.

Ktichen Towel (Knit it Forward Swap)

2008-06-13T23:51:00.001-07:00

I found this wonderful pattern for a Kitchen Towel (Worsted Towel) on the Kraemer Yarns site and made one for my swap spoilee out of Sugar and Cream yarn from Lily.

I'm going to be making more of these towels. I also made a dishcloth and a scrubbie. Two skeins of Sugar and Cream makes this wonderful gift ensemble.

I sent this along with some goodies to my spoilee. Hope she likes it.

Sock Yarn from Your Stash Swap

2008-06-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

I've signed up for a few more swaps than I thought. I mailed off my package to my swap spoilee yesterday and this is what I received from spoiler earlier in the week. Dawn (Pakerbelle) even sent some goodies for my kitties. I received Ghiradelli chocolate, three skeins of wonderful sock yarn that I know I will use, a cute kitty notebook (which I needed for my purse to keep notes), candles, which I often burn to focus attention and when I write Sermons, some hand cream and some wonderful treats for my cats.

Here's the photo of the package and a picture of the cats playing with the toys. The big furry cat, who loves catnip, is Mookie. Pooh is smaller and more reserved but she likes catnip too. The toys are adorable.

Thank you Dawn

Cotton Lover's Swap

2008-06-13T23:19:00.000-07:00

Thank You Angela

This is the wonderful package that I received from Angela in the Cotton Lover's Swap. This will keep me knitting for a long time. Since I have declared myself on a yarn diet (I need to knit up my stash...it's getting too big) this will help keep me busy in the coming months. I am overwhelmed by Angela's generosity and kindness and I am grateful for her.

What more could a person who loves cotton yarn want?
First there is a Green Bag. Tote bags are my weakness and I am starting to use my own bags at the grocery.

Second, Angela crocheted me four different bags, one large hobo bag, a knitting needle bag, an a
accessory bag, and cell phone bag. For those who aren't into the needle arts, there is often a lack of understanding in the time, energy, effort, and love that gets poured into these projects. This aspect of the swap process always gets me a bit verklempt (in the words of Linda Richmond).

On top of the crocheted bags was a box of yarn, yarn and more yarn (three kinds of cotton yarn in multiple skeins) along with other goodies like knitting needles, a booklet of crochet patterns, some paper accessories, a bar of Dark Dove Chocolate, a bag of sour Jelly Belly Jelly Beans, coffee, and crocheted baby cap.

I am truly overwhelmed by this swap package.

Lawn Mowing Made Easy - Edgetta the Lawnmower

2008-06-13T23:01:00.001-07:00

This is a picture of our SECOND Robotic Lawnmower.

Our first, which we named Edger, is in need of a new wheel motor, so we recently purchased Edgetta. Edger is an RL500 and Edgetta is and RL550. We bought Edger when we bought the house and he has worked hard for us since 2002. My Dear Husband (DH) customized both Edger and Edgetta by painting their unique faces on them. They are truly part of the family.

This robotic mowers are manufactured by Friendly Robotics and is the best 'gadget' I have ever purchased. Keeps our lawn in tip-top shape and allows us to do all kinds of other things like read, surf the web, and mow at night. The mower is only 85 decibels. What I like is that it electric and runs on a rechargeable battery. No gasoline or other flammables in the garage.

Of course we painted the face on Edgetta because she is one of the family.

Here's an up close and personal picture of Edger.

What is so remarkable to me is that these Robotic Mowers haven't caught on more. They are easy to use and easy to maintain. They are wonderful adaptive technology for Older Adults who want to stay independent in their homes and loath lawn maintenance.

It's an Afghan

2008-06-07T00:50:00.000-07:00

My great nephew is getting married in August and I finished part of the wedding gift. I decided it might be fun to give the newly weds an afghan. This pattern is called Embossed Diamonds and it is made from Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue. I love this yarn because it is so easy to care for and the finished product is so soft and warm.

If I were to do this afghan again, I would do the Russian join for the yarn rather than the join I did use. I'm really pleased with the finished product and I hope they like it.

It's almost a sock and some other completed projects

2008-06-03T22:21:00.001-07:00

I have been knitting a lot lately to divert my attention from some serious matters at my church and procrastinate in preparing to be a Commissioner at the upcoming General Assembly meeting of my denomination later this month. Oh, I've been preparing and I've been doing my work, but what I really want to do is knit.

I sat down last week and wound some yarn into a usable ball. I don't have a swift or ball winder -- yet! I bought this beautiful purple yarn from my friend Kay off of her Etsy site, Dome Hill Yarns. Kay hand dyes sock and worsted weight yarn. I found a pattern for socks that I liked and thought would show of the variegations of Kay's yarn. I'm almost done with the first sock in the Nutkin pattern. If I'm lucky I will have two pair of hand made socks to wear to General Assembly. I'm wondering if I can get any knitting done while at GA and hope to pack some sock yarn and needles and will probably do something like the Nutkin since it is an easy pattern.

I've also made myself a HUGE Hobo Bag that I refer to as my Hippie purse. It is made out of Banana Fiber Yarn the I bought from the Hunger Site. It is a really interesting fiber to knit with, not exactly soft or easy on the hands, but it does make a strong garment. I have some teal, black and white so it looks like I will be making some more market bags or such. This Hobo Bag is my own design. Not real pretty but it does do what I want it to do...hold a lot of stuff. It is going to General Assembly with me. I've also been working on getting a couple of swap packages together that need to be mailed this weekend. One is a swap for sock yarn out of my stash (which is getting big) and one is for a mini purse/bag swap. For that swap I knitted a really cute bag of my own creation/pattern based on the 'basic' design of another pattern. It is really cute and I'm going to make a second one for myself. I'll post that picture when I get ready to mail the package.

Summer of Yarn Love Swap

2008-05-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

I'm going to participate in the Summer of Yarn Love Swap and part of the bargain is to post the questionnaire answers for my swap partner to read off my blog and then blogging during the duration of the swap. Should not have a problem with this. Here's the questionnaire.

Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been at your craft? I do both. I prefer to knit and I have been knitting since childhood. I think I learned to knit and crochet when I was 8 or 9.
Do you spin? What type of spinning? No, but I did try the drop spindle in 1976 in a Bicentennial Arts summer school class.
What are your favorite yarns/fibers? What are your least favorite yarns/fibers? I really don’t dislike a particular fiber (yes I even like acrylic). I have yarns I don’t like and I have yarns I love. I love Tofutsie sock yarn. I don’t like Regia sock yarn. I don’t have any fiber allergies. I don’t like ladder yarn like Matrix. I like fun fur because I can be creative with it.
What are your favorite colors? What are your least favorite colors? Green, Blue, Purple, Red, Pink, Brown are favorite colors. I don’t particularly like yellow as I don’t look good wearing it. I don’t like camouflage.
Are there any yarns/brands that you are dying to work with but never have? Oh where to begin. I love yarn and trying new types of yarns and fiber.
What is/are your favorite types of projects to knit/crochet? I’m on a sock kick since I learned how to knit socks. I knit bags and sweaters and afghans and of course dish cloths. I like to try new things and learn new techniques.
What are you currently working on? Anything you plan to work on this summer? I’m working on a pair of Nutkin socks, a cable bag, and kitchen items for a couple of swaps I’m in. I am also working on a sweater for my husband.
What is your favorite FO? (Post a pic if you would like.) I tend to post the thing I’m most proud of on my blog. Take a look at my blog photos.
What is your oldest UFO? The sweater I am knitting for my husband.
Are there any techniques that you want to learn? Intarsia, Entralac, socks on two needles and sock on the magic loop.
Are you on Ravlery? What's your ID? I’m on Ravelry and my Ravelry ID is Carbby64
Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes I’m a sock knitter. I have a pretty standard foot. 8” circumference and 10” from heel to toe
Do you collect anything? All kinds of stuff: gnomes, squeeze (stress) balls, plates, coffee mugs, Douglas Coupland novels in First edition, wrist watches, souvenir buttons. (the tie tack kind), ink pens from trade shows,
Do you have a yarn winder and/or swift? No…it’s on the wish list.
Do you love sweets? What are your favorites? Not too sweet – chocolate the darker the better, I like Jelly Belly Jelly beans, Peanut M&Ms, salt water taffy.
What are your favorite scents? Patchouli, Citrus, Herbs like Sage and Rosemary and Lavender
Where do you keep your needles/hooks? In a tote bag my mom made. Need to work on that storage.
Do you have a wishlist (Amazon, Etsy, etc?) I do have a Amazon wish list (clgentry)
Having a birthday this summer? Nope…it’s in January
Are you allergic to anything??? Please let your pal know! No allergies.

I love quizes - I'm a Sunflower

2008-05-27T23:01:00.000-07:00

I am a
Sunflower

What Flower
Are You?

My friend in Sweden (Carolia) who has this really cool blog called My Living Room, and who I met as part of a Ravelry swap had this quiz on her blog and I tried it and came up as a Sunflower.

I love Sunflowers. I know, I know, I live in Missouri and I'm not suppose to like anything about Kansas. Silly fact of history called the Kansas/Missouri border wars that in many ways are still being fought in unconscious ways in our local culture. Considering I'm not a native of this region I find the unconscious way that the Kansas/Missouri border wars continue to play themselves out in the local scene very interesting.

Well the Sunflower is the Kansas state flower and Sunflowers just make me happy.

I wanted to decorate a room in my house in a sunflower motif, but it evolved into a western motif and we call the room the Santa Fe Room, which is fitting considering that the Santa Fe trail started in this area. The decor is so southwestern and incorporates bits and pieces from my family and dear husband's family. There is still space for Sunflowers when they are in season too!

Flaming Hot 40's Gift Bag

2008-05-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

My niece Julie turned 40 on the 12th of May. Her friends in Grand Rapids and her husband tossed her surprise birthday party on the 9th, for which I received an invite but could not attend. I sent her a token of her turning forty, which started off with this nifty gift bag that I designed and made from some yarn in my stash. I filled the bag with my favorite chocolate (Dove filled with caramel) some vanilla body wash and gift card from Target. I hope she liked her gift and the card was not one of the DUMB over the hill cards, instead it was an invitation to her Flaming Hot 40's. I sure had fun putting this gift together and hope she enjoys it half as much as I enjoyed making it.

Gulity Pleasures - Good Karma Swap

2008-05-26T22:59:00.000-07:00

I will be mailing my package to my swap partner in the morning and my contribution to Warm Wollies. I'm sending Warm Woolies this crocheted baby blanket. Part of the bargain on the Guilty Pleasures - Good Karma Swap was that we do something good for a charity and the organizer of this swap picked Warm Woolies as the charity. I've been so swamped lately that I haven't had a chance to knit something for them but had this lovely baby blanket my aunt crocheted and gave to me to give to someone or use for a gift. This was the perfect purpose for this baby blanket and I will be adding Warm Woolies to my list of charities I knit for. I did six hats during Lent for the Seaman's Church Institute which was part of a Ravelry group.

My swap partner for this swap lives in Singapore but is in the US for a month, so I'm sending my package (which is a surprise...but contains some lovely sock yarn, some knitpicks needles, and some Kansas City specialties like Russell Stovers and coffee from The Roasterie. ) to my swap partner.

In turn I received this lovely package of surprises from my swap partner Nikki. The yarns are just yummy. Debbie Bliss (three skeins - enough for a lovely project yet to be determined) some Bamboo yarn and some Fixation sock yarn. Oh am I going to have fun knitting. But even more wonderful are the knitting needles size seven bamboo and size 8 double pointed and the stitch markers. The coffee is decalf and delicious so I can drink coffee into the night without it affecting my sleep. This wasn't a problem until recently.

Well, thank you Nikki for making this a lovely swap.

Swap on a Budget

2008-05-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

I've been involved with Ravelry since November. My name on Ravelry is Carbby64. Ravelry is like Facebook for knitters and crocheters. There are groups and many of those interest groups swap stuff. I've become addicted to swaps of sorts in that I like to buy and give gifts and I like to get surprises. One swap I was involved in was called Swap on a Budget. I sent my package off to a woman in Washington state and it arrived at a time when she was having a tough day and it made her day, which made me happy.

Here is the wonderful package I received from a knitter in Pennsylvania (llidle). I am now looking for the perfect one skein projects for the two skeins of yarn. The bamboo knitting needles are a wonderful and of course CHOCOLATE. I like the fact that they are miniatures because it works well for portion control. One should not be deprived but a whole Hershey bar is too much and two or three miniatures are just enough to satiate the sweet tooth. I just love the colors of the bulky yarn and there is probably just enough for a slouchy beret for the winter. The crocheted book mark that Lori made for me, makes me feel special. There really is nothing more touching than a hand crafted gift, especially in our high tech world. The Handkerchief is probably going to end up in a project I've been planning.

My mom had a huge pile of handkerchiefs and I am thinking of making a quilt top from them. There is a butterfuly motif that is made from handkercheifs, but I am thinking of expanding that a bit to other things. If all else fails, I could also use them for making pillow tops. Either way, I digress and I wanted to get this wonderful package posted for the world to see.

Thanks Lori for this wonderful swap.

We Ain't Ready

2008-05-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

I’m relatively new to the blog world and blogging. I’m on that age cusp between Baby Boomer and Gen X. I’m fascinated with my Gen X colleagues and their use of technology. I read their blogs and I’m inspired by them.

I know there is an Age Wave that the Boomers are just starting to crest and we ain’t ready. This is **WHY** I went back to school to get the second degree in Social Gerontology. The Human life cycle has fascinated me an early age. I love exploring and understanding human development and very little has been done past childhood.

What does Middle Adult development look like. Gail Sheehy looked at this in her books Passages and New Passages. I read Passages in High School – yeah I know I’m a freak just like my friend Shelly calls me. Older Adult development is pretty much only mentioned, until just recently, by Erik Erickson.

Well the impact on the aging population on the church – especially the PCUSA has been of interest to me for about a decade. Presbyterian really means THE CHURCH OF ELDERS. Elders are how govern ourselves, but I like the play on words, considering the average Presbyterian is now reaching close to 60 years of age.

Well I stumbled upon a blog this morning that had a post that asked important questions and the post is titled Boomer Retirement Wave. Carol Howard Merritt is a PCUSA colleague, author, and a Gen X pastor. She is asking important questions.

Caffeine Lovers Yarn Swap

2008-05-08T22:29:00.001-07:00

I have an ‘addiction’ of sort and it is swaps on Ravelry. The basics of a swap are the following:

You sign up and are assigned a spoilee (the person you send a swap package to) and you receive back in the mail a package from a spoiler (the person who has been assigned to send you a package).

The swap has a price range and depending on the theme of the swap you also exchange items related to them, but the basic item is yarn.

My latest swap was the Caffeine Lovers Swap and here is a picture of what I received from my spoiler, Katie.

Coffee (3 kinds), candles (Citrus-Sage tea lites), Patchouli soap (I love this scent because it reminds me of the health food store and hippies and the counterculture of the 60's that is so vividly imprinted on my mind from my early childhood), a beautiful mug and most importantly YARN. This yarn is particularly nice Cotton blend from Uruguay.

Swaps are particularly meaningful to me because they allow me to practice generosity and giving proper gifts. I grew up with a poor model of gifting and proper gifts and it is important to know how to give gifts (share) and receive graciously gifts. There is an element of embarrassment as I look back over my life to some of the gifts that I have given because I gave gifts out of the wrong motivation or just didn't have a good model for giving. These yarn swaps give me the opportunity to practice giving and to practice receiving.

All of this goes along with a book I just finished during this past Lenten season by Miraslov Volf entitled: Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace. I preached a Lenten sermon series using this book as the model and I found the book, which was sent to me because I am a member of the Company of Pastors.

I'ts a good book and I recommend it for reading by anyone wanting to explore on a deeper level the concepts of giving and forgiveness. I know I my sermon series was a success because one of my parishioners asked to borrow the book. I look at yarn swaps in a similar way. They give me the opportunity to give of myself to another person that I don't know and to allow another person to give to me. That's the hard part because I have been so self-reliant due to my background that it is hard for me to receive.

The Company of Pastors helps keep me grounded and focused on ministry and knitting helps me express my creativity and is a great outlet for the frustrations of ministry in that I can turn the agitation into loops of yarn that then become something beautiful.

Marketing Call at Church - Glad to Be Presbyterian

2008-05-06T21:22:00.000-07:00

Today was a rather rough day on a number of levels. The icing on the cake was this phone call from some no name organization that is in business to market to churches on how to market the church.

Marketing is huge business in our society and how the marketing culture has infiltrated the church just makes me mad. I really get steamed with how small churches get marketed to and how gullible these marketers think small churches and their pastors are. I see through their pitch and I ain’t buying.

Today I received yet another cold call from yet another ‘outreach’ marketer telling me how they can help me grow my church. HELLO….isn’t it God and the Holy Spirit that grows the Church of Jesus Christ? Well I listened to the guy’s spiel which started off something like this:

Me: Hello [I don’t have the luxury of a secretary to screen my calls during the day…I have a great secretary she works part-time and in the evenings after her day job…the church would not function without her…I answer my own phone during the day when I’m in the office.]

Marketer Dude: My I speak with the pastor

Me: I am the pastor. [It does not cease to amaze me how many of these marketer types are still surprised when a woman is the pastor…but that is fodder for another blog entry]

Marketer Dude: Yattles on about how they can me grow the church and gee wouldn’t I want to grow the church [all the while I’m thinking … I don’t grow the church …in fact it isn’t my job to grow the church…church growth happens through the work of the Holy Spirit ] and that they have already done some research [asks me to verify the zip code of the church] and was I aware that x number of new families move into the zip code each month and wouldn’t I like to have those new families visit my church and that they can help me by providing mailing labels for these new families. [I’m thinking are you are that the zip code where this church is located has the highest foreclosure rate in the United States! HELLO…that’s why there are x number of new families moving in to the neighborhood each month…it’s a transitional neighborhood]

He then asked me if we have a brochure, postcard or if send out a weekly mailing.

Me: No we don’t do a weekly mailing but we have a bulletin we hand out each Sunday at worship.

Marketer Dude: You could print up some extras and mail those out each week. Could I verify some information so we could sign you up for our program. We will do this for you for four months and if after four months and you are happy with the new families that have come to your church then you can decide to continue. [I’m seeing a cash register and hearing cha ching in my head the whole time this guy is talking]

Me: I really can’t make that decision right now. I have to run it through my Session and our next Session meeting will be

Marketer Dude: You mean you can’t make that decision now? A lot of pastors I talk to can make that decision on their own.

Me: Well I need to run this through my Session, they make the decisions for the church.

Marketer Dude: Of course they would be on board with wanting to grow the church

Me: Most likely, but we would want to see a written proposal and if there are any financial implications we would need to see those too. I would need seven copies for my meeting.

Marketer Dude: Well I think I could send you something. Do you have a fax machine?

Me: No

Marketer Dude: You don’t. We have a nice electronic brochure I could send.

Me: Only a couple of my Session members have computers and we really need to see a proposal in hard copy.

Marketer Dude: {sounding a bit disappointed} I will send something out to you and we say goodbye.

I’m glad to be a Presbyterian because of the process of making decisions. I can’t make decisions with financial implications sight unseen without the Session making the decision to authorize the expenditures. It makes my life easier in that I can shut down these marketing ploys by just a simple application of polity. It also protects me from getting caught up in the latest trend without having the Session consider if it something good for their congregation. In the process of the Session looking at something they get to think about the mission and ministry of the church and if the latest trend is actually good for the congregation and its ministry. Having the Session make the decisions makes the Session accountable to making good decisions and deciding how they are going to lead the congregation. Having a strong Session and encouraging them to make decisions about the mission and ministry of the congregation keeps me from becoming a lone ranger pastor that is building a cult of personality rather than discerning the will of Christ and the ministry that needs to take place through the ministry of the congregation…Lord knows there are enough lone ranger pastors who seek to build a cult of personality out there. I got wind of a crazy idea of one of them today before this phone call [ but that too is fodder for another blog entry in the future]

So that was part of my day. The other part of my day I don’t want to blog about yet. I will say I came home and knitted on my second flutter-by sock and got through the heel turn. I think my knitting is therapeutic, especially after a day like today.

Socks

2008-05-01T22:54:00.000-07:00

They are tedious and they are a small project that packs away well and is portable. They are tedious because they are knit on such tiny needles (size 1 is just 2.5 mm in circumference). I just finished the first sock of my second pair and I am really liking everything about knitting the Flutter-by sock. I started these on April 2^nd. Of course with everything I had going in April I didn’t get to knit much. I am going to cast on the second sock, before I go to bed tonight (this morning) I think the second sock will go much faster than #1 since I got the kinks worked out of the pattern. I like the yarn Tofutsie by Southwest Trading Company. I received this skein in a yarn swap and just loved the colors. I have another skein of Tofutsie that is less green and more purple which will be another pair of socks – pattern to yet be determined.

My goal is to have the pair done so I can wear at least one pair of socks I made to General Assembly in June. Of course I’m going to take my knitting with me. I’m just trying to figure out what small project(s) to take with bamboo needles so I can get through airline security.

Back in the Saddle

2008-04-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'm back in town from a week of study leave. Last week I was in St. Louis at the national Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries Network (POAMN ) conference. I presented on workshop and co-presented a second. As a whole I think that went well. Since I'm new to this presenting and workshop presenter game it is always a learning experience and since I'm my own worst critic I'm never as good as I want to be. But as a whole I thought the conference was a good one and it's an organization I am glad to be associated. I hope to post some pictures later this week. Sunday's sermon (May 4th) is mostly written as I had to write up the worship service to be published in the Older Adult Resource Guide for this year and will be using that service outline and lectionary texts to talk about Leaving a Living Legacy (the conference theme) to kick off Older Adult Week.

I got up this morning and made muffins. Banana Nut Muffins.

I used the recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (the blue and red and white checkerboard covered). The Basic Muffin Recipe and then I modified it as I like to do. I had enough bananas to make a double batch so I used half whole wheat and half unbleached white flour. I used brown sugar and sugar in the raw instead of white sugar. They turned out real earthy and not too sweet. My batch made 18 sizable muffins and we will be eating on them all week.

Gotta go for now. More later as I catch up with life.

Me as a Knitter - Take the QUIZ

2008-04-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer. You are through those knitting growing pains and feeling more adventurous. You can follow a standard pattern if it's not too complicated and know where to go to get help. Maybe you've started to experiment with different fibers and you might be eyeing a book with a cool technique you've never tried. Perhaps you prefer to stick to other people's patterns but you are trying to challenge yourself more. Regardless of your preference, you are continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as well you should since your non-knitting friends are probably dropping some serious hints, these days.http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!

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Bugs bunny and Daffy Duck the happy miser

2008-04-18T06:07:00.001-07:00

One of my friends in the knitting group I'm in shared this video about a discussion they have been having.

I have to post this here because this short clip, illustrates how we hang onto stuff because we think it is the stuff that makes us wealthy or rich.

The stuff is only a tool and the actual wealth comes from how the stuff is utilized by us or others.

It also shows how stuff can destroy us and change us.

I'd rather be like Bugs...enjoying what I do have and not letting my stuff control me.

The Ultimate Feng Shui Clean Out

2008-04-17T22:43:00.000-07:00

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice of creating space and capitalizing on the Qi or energy flow in space. Feng Shui is believed to impact all aspects of a person’s life, health, employment, relationships, etc.

Over the past ten years we have absorbed significant parts of five estates. I am embarrassed to say that when dear husband and I bought our house we shopped for our house to accommodate the furniture we had inherited. What we have come to know is that we live in more house than we need and are now taking some time to get rid of the things in our lives that hinder our doing what we believe we need to be doing. We have also come to know that it is not our responsibility to hang onto other people’s stuff because someone else didn’t want it. In other words, if we don’t love, use it, or if it doesn’t bring joy to our life pass it on to someone else.

I’ve done a bit of this in the past by selling stuff on Ebay and giving things away of Feecycle, but recently we decided to do the ultimate Feng Shui clean out and took a truck load of stuff to an auction house. Stuff that was gathering dust and taking up space and stuff we were not ever going to use and stuff we didn’t like but were keeping because well the family said, ‘we don’t want this anymore, let’s give it to …’ Part of this Ultimate Feng Shui clean out is realizing that we aren’t responsible for other people’s baggage just because they want us to be.

Now of course someone could turn the scripture passage of the reply that Cain gives to God about Able’s disappearance (murder) in Genesis 4:9 as including responsibility for ‘my brother’s’ stuff. We are responsible for caring for other people, but cast off lamps, china, and other items that have not seen the light of day for decades! Stuff and people are different. We ARE responsible for caring for and keeping people, but in our materialistic society we often place things over people. Look at the number of laws on the books that protect property (beginning with our Constitution) and the number of laws that protect people. It is a digression from this argument but interesting to note that Bill of Rights was an addendum to the original constitution…so this fascination with property, things, stuff is an ingrained cultural value.

Organizer Peter Walsh of Clean Sweep fame, points out that how much we value our things is reflected in how we care for our things.

What we have come to learn is that if we don’t value the thing it is time for the thing to move on to a place where it will be valued, but our time and energy should be focused on people not things. The primary responsibility of life is to care for or keep people and things do not equal people and just because a long gone relative valued an object doesn’t mean that I have to value the same object in the same way.

For example, I know that my ancestors are probably not going to value my squeeze ball collection or my taste in literature, after all who is going to want to read Waste and Want the Social History of Trash! It is actually a very good read! I recommend that along with the Story of Stuff, which can be found on the internet.

One could argue that ‘recycling’ things through Ebay, Freecycle, or an auction is better stewardship in that those items are given new life and a loving home. Since the objects were cast off from the family and no longer loved, even by us, does this not reflect how they are valued or not valued? Sooooooo we sent them off to be loved by someone who would love them in our Ultimate Feng Shui clean out.

One of my friends said to me, after I told her about this clean out: “I can’t wait to hear about all the new things that come into your life.”

All I know is I have space to park in my garage, I have space to work in the craft room, and we are not tripping over boxes of books. Being a worrier, I do wonder what the family will say if they find out we sold the…., dear husband has reminded me, ‘we made this stuff work for us and it was our stuff because they didn’t want it.’

I’ll probably be writing more on this topic or related topics of stuff as this seems to be a big theme emerging in my life these days.

Finished my first socks

2008-04-01T20:59:00.001-07:00

I cast these on in February at the last Presbytery meeting and finished them tonight while watching American Idol. I would love to see "Blue Springs Boy" David Cook, take the competition, but then I also like Rock and Roll and he's a genuine rocker.

Well I set these aside for a while and there is something wonky with the pattern (it is sized funny), but they are done and will make great house socks.

Presbytery can be frustrating and keeping my hands busy knitting I have found keeps my blood pressure down and allows me to believe I am using my time wisely. There is a lot of sitting and I am a person that sits but despite my size, I do like to move around a bit.

I Can Crochet!!

2008-04-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

I learned to crochet when was in elementary school (3rd or 4th grade) from my neighbor across the street Hazel Vadnais. Hazel is also responsible for teaching me how to knit. Well I preferred knitting to crochet so never got past the granny square phase but got the basics of chain, single, double, and treble crochet. The thing that threw me for a loop when I was first learning back in the dark ages of the 70's was turning, so I gave up on crochet and focused on knitting.

In my knitting group there are a couple of people who are also proficient at crochet and from watching them week after week and then asking a couple of questions it clicked. I can crochet and so I thought I'd try my hand at making this cute muffin.

How appropriate for a blog called the Corner Muffin Stop.

Great NPR Story this morning - Sermon Illustration Lived Out

2008-03-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

I have a terrible cold and so am taking the day kind of slow today.

As I was waking up this morning I heard the a great story on Morning Edition and their periodic airing of Story Corp. I love the Story Corp project because it is real life stories of real people. Real life is so much more interesting than fiction and today's story just proved that to me more.

Today's story by Juilo Diaz, A Victim Treats His Mugger Right was a pefect illustation and embodiment of Jesus' admonishment to turn the other check, found in Matthew 5: 38-42 I cannot wait to use this story as part of a sermon illustration next time I preach this text.

But what is even more amazing is that our world is a really good place made of wonderful people, but our new media doesn't ofetn tell us the good stories of life. That is what I love about Story Corp. It's good news in the midst of a culture that focuses on the bad and sentational.

This story inspired me, made me forget about my cold and how lousey I am feeling and reminded me that we need to live as blessed creatures in the creation.

Oh, and the sun is shining today...

Me as a Knitter - an Intro

2008-03-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

I have found a knitting group that I try to meet with on a weekly basis. These women have saved my sanity and I so enjoy the conversations and exposure to other knitters. This of course is in addition to my membership on Ravelry. A great place for knitters and crocheters.

Chelle, who is one of the women in the local knitting group, that is currently meetin at Borders in Lee's Summit at 1:00 pm on Saturday afternoons, created these great questions to get us all aquainted. I thought I'd post my answers on my blog.

Do you knit using the English or Continental Method? Continental Method

Loose, normal or tight knitter? Normal (when I first started I was a tight knitter)

How long ago did you learn to knit? I was in 4th or 5th grade

Who taught you how? My neighbor across the street - Hazel Vadnais

What was your first FO? A yellow headband for a 4-H project

First FO? First Object?

Favorite yarn? Oh that's a hard one....

Any yarn you don't like? Caron had a terry cloth cotton yarn out several years ago I hated.

Projects tend to be what color(s) if knitting for yourself? green, blue and brown

If you knit socks, what is your preferred method (i.e. toe up/cuff down, double pointed needles, 2 circs, Magic Loop etc.) I'm just learning to knit socks so this pair is a cuff down on DP needles

Favorite pattern you’ve knit so far? The sweater I knit my husband, but there was a Tabard I knit in College I really loved too and a sweater I pulled out an old issue of Women's Day that I ended up giving away (Dumb, dumb, dumb thing to do)

Favorite pattern source? I don't have one, but love the internet

Favorite needles? My favorite DPs are Clover. I don't really have a favorite needle yet.

Favorite type of knitting? One big project and then a couple of little projects. In terms of technique, I want to learn a couple of new things every month or so, so am always trying something. I like to do cables.

Are you on Ravelry? If so, favorite thing about it? Ravelry Screen Name: I am Carbby64 on Ravelry. There is so much to like about Ravelry. Patterns are great - a place to organize everything is great - I think my favorite thing is Swaps. I've done three and two more are in the works.

Nicest thing you’ve ever knit: The sweater I gave away! Anthony's sweater is a close second.
Project you get the most compliments on: Anthony's sweater. My Ruana that I finished in January.

Most hated project and why: I knit a striped (a woman my size should not wear horizontal stripes) sweater out of Caron Terry yarn and I hated it. Ended up giving that sweater away too. I hated the yarn. I also am not real happy with the sweater I finished up in November, but I don't hate it so much I won't wear it, it's just not my favorite.

Update

2007-11-03T20:40:00.000-07:00

I haven't had time to blog because I've been completing my thesis which will I will defend on the Thursday the 8th. In the act of procrastination, I have re-discovered my passion for knitting. I've also found a local knitting group and am getting to know some new people, which is always a good thing. I did learn how to short-row knit so I'm on my way to making socks as soon as I finish the sweater I started back in the 1990s! I think November is the month of completing abandoned projects.

The Vacation that Wasn't

2007-09-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

I returned from my vacation a ten days ago. During my vacation my mother-in-law had gall bladder surgery, I visited my aunt in Mississippi, a conference I was planning to attend was canceled (and I'm now fighting with my credit card company to get the fees credited back. The conference center sent me a letter stating they wouldn't charge my card and they did - so now I have to fax that to the credit card company and wait for a credit) I think Dave Ramsey is right - Credit Cards are not our friend. To top off my vacation, I really messed up my right leg when I took a fall on campus while visiting the writing center to get some technical assistance on my thesis.

Needless to say, it is GOOD to be back in the rhythm of a weekly schedule and pastoring. Vacations don't agree with me. I didn't get nearly enough done during my time off from work and I find the rhythm of my weekly schedule more relaxing than the disruption of taking time away. Is this an addiction to work? I know my first entry in my blog is Confessions of a Workaholic. I'm just not sure...it will be something I will be pondering along with my tendency to be a klutz.

Muffins – A Meeting – A Blanket – Coffee – and Lunch

2007-08-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

The first half of my day was spent in a planning retreat/meeting for a community organization that I have been involved in for many years. I am interested in education for women and equity issues and have been involved with the American Association of University Women (AAUW) in every city I have lived in since graduating from Seminary. My involvement gives me a special connection with other like minded women.

Well a few days ago, I had made a huge batch of Morning Glory Muffins to fulfill the muffins that a parishioner had bought at the annual Potato Bake and Auction fund raiser. I made a triple batch and have been sending muffins to school with my husband and to work with my husband and I took the bag of leftovers to meeting, thinking they’d go good with coffee. When I got to the meeting all to drink was water and iced tea. Passed the muffins around and they got eaten. One person commented that they looked healthy but I felt that I almost had to convince folks that they weren’t as healthy as they looked.

Why don’t people want to eat healthy muffins? Muffins are notorious for being high in fat and these had their fair share of oil in them, but what threw people were the carrots. These Morning Glory Muffins need a little cream cheese glaze or frosting and they would be better than carrot cake. I get a thrill out of sharing muffins with people, but I also want to feed people with good and nutritious food too. I think my Morning Glory Muffins are a good balance of nutrition and decadence. Yes, they have too much sugar, but they are full of fruit and veggies and I used part whole wheat white flour.

The planning meeting was good. Over the years I have noticed a parallel between evangelism discussions in mainline congregations and community organizations. Both groups lament that they can’t get younger members. Both groups lament that membership is dropping off and that if it doesn’t recover they will have to close. Both groups struggle with similar financial issues that relate back to organizational maintenance and mission. I was amazed to hear the phrase; “each one bring one.” I thought to myself, ‘I’ve heard that before,’ ‘easier said than done,’ and ‘gee that sounds like evangelism, wonder what model?’ Most regular folks aren’t good at spreading the word – regardless of what that word is – the mission of a community organization or the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Or is it that that regular folks do spread the word but the people being spread to aren’t open or interested? Not much we can do if the human heart isn’t receptive to a message.

The room we were meeting in was cold and if you can believe the wisdom of the public library, the temperature is controlled from the downtown administrative offices. I wasn’t the only person who went out to my car for a blanket. My aunt will love the story of how I actually got to use the circa 1940 car blanket (cars in the 1940s had terrible heaters). The blanket was a wonderful connection to my aunt and the other women that are important in my life – especially appropriate since my meeting was for a woman’s education organization.

And again the nurturing power of coffee was a part of my morning because when we took our break because it was so cold, one of the women went to buy coffee for those wanted it. It was wonderful to have coffee in such a setting and the warmth of the coffee was reflected in the kindness of the person who went to get it for us. It made my day.

Lunch was from one of my favorite places to have a catered lunch, the Classic Cookie Cafe. We all had so much fun that we took the ribbons from our boxes and wore them in various ways, some as head bands, some as bows in their hair, some as neckties. The ribbons of our lives bind us together.

So home I went after the planning retreat – to continue cleaning and reflect on connection.

Stuff - The stuff inside and the stuff outside

2007-08-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today is the second day of my vacation and I've done a pretty good job of decluttering and deep cleaning my kitchen. Anybody want some circa 1970 plastic thermal glasses? I remember taking them from my mom's estate five years ago. Since then they have been moved from an apartment to a house and have sat unused in a kitchen cabinet. Not worth anything on Ebay so off to charity or freecycle.

Mostly what I've done today is think about the lectionary Gospel lessons from the past two Sundays. The stories in Luke 12: 32-40 and Luke 12: 49-56. Since I don't have to preach on Sunday, I don't have to write a sermon for Sunday, reflection on what I have shared with my congregation and how that applies to my life is the order of the day.

These have been very personal texts to me since my family has accumulated so much stuff in the past five years. I am almost embarrassed to say that we bought our house in order to fit furniture we inherited from family. My house is much too big for my family (a husband and two cats), and as scripture reminds us in very subtle and real ways, the more you have the more you are responsible for, for to whom much has been given, much is required. I'm beginning to see the wonders of simplicity, not just for the benefit of less to be responsible for but for the benefit of ones mental sanity.

Ultimately I realize that most of this stuff is that stuff. Now the really big questions, does it enrich my life? Does it help or hinder my relationship with God? So as I scrub and sort and toss these are primary questions.

Dealing with the stuff we have accumulated through life that stuff can choke out God in our lives if we let. And like an astute parishioner said to me leaving church, a parishioner that does not have the clutter or hoarding problem that is often found in many who survived the Great Depression, "I have stuff (in my heart) to deal with," and so do I - which I openly admit.

And so this pastor who is on vacation is so grateful so have been spending time thinking about the past two weeks as I've been dealing with all the material stuff that has accumulated in my house. Some of that stuff is also connected to the stuff in my heart that I have to deal with, but knowing that God has a solution...a deeper relationship and connection with the Holy makes this decluttering all the easier.

Confessions of a Workaholic

2007-08-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

I'm scheduled to begin two weeks of vacation tomorrow. Right now I am protesting and saying I have too much to do to take a vacation. This is definitely going to be a working vacation, because I am going to attend some community related and church related meetings, but according to my contract, I have to take time off from my work - so I scheduled two weeks two months ago and then planned to visit my aunt. At this time, my vacation is more scheduled than some of my work weeks have been this past summer, although being the pastor of a small church and working to compete my thesis for a second master's degree has kept me busy. If I'm lucky and manage my time correctly, I just might get that thesis completed during these next two weeks. My big goal is to get my house cleaned so I can host a birthday part for my mother-in-law the day after I get back from visiting my aunt.

Of course I want to have time to sit on my porch and drink coffee and eat a few muffins. Muffins in my estimation are the greatest food ever created. I bake muffins about once a week and I may even post a recipe or two on this blog. If I wasn't a pastor and the coffee shop/food service/restaurant business wasn't so cut throat, I'd love to run a muffin shop that serves excellent coffee.

I've not blogged before and I'm not sure if I'm going to like blogging, but it just seemed like the thing to start doing as I begin my vacation.