okay bear with me as we review.
some people are theological in their blogs. some are introspective. others are funny or sad.
mine for today is more of a reflection on how a day full of random crap can cause one to say "what the heck!"
6:45 a.m.: a major ice shower lasting the one hour kids were coming and going from the parsonage a la youth breakfast. (biscuits and gravy was a major hit....thanks to a gracious church lady.)
got to church finding that i did not have my house/church key set. $%#*!
(i have 'building keys' and 5 separate sets of keys, one for each car...for a total of 6. confusing most of the time.)
back home.
searched and searched. no keys.
went ahead to hannibal for disciple clergy cluster gathering.
generally worthless meeting. these people just don't like each other, nor do they have any desire to talk, relate, commiserate, or generally laugh. thanks be to God for our new area minister who tried to bring life to a group that should not be a group.
found keys in car seat in a spot i had searched twice. (this is a pattern, having lost them last wednesday night at church....finding them on my desk that had been searched twice.)
back to church to work feverishly for two hours prepping a bible study no one showed up for.
took advantage of said situation to do more prep for youth group. good showing. having major problem getting high schoolers....as in the girls who bring life to the deal. what to do. what to do. this combined with the high energy of 5 middle school boys, a church with no real gym or play space. wow.
okay, so now everyone has some perspective on their happy lives.....
serious notes: when one is out of ideas and doesn't seem to have the time ('seem' being the problematic term) or support to implement new ideas that would bring greater success to a ministry....what does this mean?....what does one do?
ps: i did laugh a whole lot at a book i have of cartoons from the comic strip "GET FUZZY"
hilarious cat et al. crazy in fact. i suggest checking it out asap.
28 February 2007
25 February 2007
why i buy cars
every now and then i have to "rationalize" why i have so darn many cars.
well first of all, i am a car fanatic, freak, buff, and general lover.
second of all, i don't have pets or children.
third of all, they all have a "purpose" (or at least some of them do) in my life.
fourth of all, i believe that in the midst of all my good friends buying homes, having children, being in love, buying new cars etc... i too have a (subconscious) need to add to the family---get something new---etc.
and for me, that something new in these past 10 years has been cars that i love, adore, and have always had a thing for.
i realize this will not always be the case, (hoping to have all of the above too someday) but for now that is the way it is. furthermore, i know that no matter how many homes, children, and loves i have i will always have a few to many cars.
the cars:
my 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu two door hardtop, 307 V8, powder blue..... was my grandmother's car. i was the oldest and most attentive of the grandchildren and the only one who cared for her car with great passion. and so, upon her death she gave it to me. and i will forever be thankful. not only is it a great old car in great shape but also a part of life with my grandparents that i will always have. the Malibu is always kept in the garage, has not seen snow or salt since the first Bush administration and rarely even sees a raindrop. the historical plates read 'jimmy4' and it starts every time... never fail.
the Cadillacs. frankly i just love them. Lincolns too for that matter. but for now i am a Cadillac man. the history: in 1996 the family's Cadillac Sedan Deville was passed down to me to take to seminary... then i had a Lincoln Continental, then another Lincoln Continental Mark VI... then back to another Sedan Deville, then another (present one) and now the addition of the Fleetwood. i love the classic lines, the chrome, the leather, the feel, the ride, the power... it is just me.
there have been Dodge Convertibles, Chevy Suburbans, Oldsmobiles, T-Birds, in the mix too...
but that is why i buy cars, and always will.
well first of all, i am a car fanatic, freak, buff, and general lover.
second of all, i don't have pets or children.
third of all, they all have a "purpose" (or at least some of them do) in my life.
fourth of all, i believe that in the midst of all my good friends buying homes, having children, being in love, buying new cars etc... i too have a (subconscious) need to add to the family---get something new---etc.
and for me, that something new in these past 10 years has been cars that i love, adore, and have always had a thing for.
i realize this will not always be the case, (hoping to have all of the above too someday) but for now that is the way it is. furthermore, i know that no matter how many homes, children, and loves i have i will always have a few to many cars.
the cars:
my 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu two door hardtop, 307 V8, powder blue..... was my grandmother's car. i was the oldest and most attentive of the grandchildren and the only one who cared for her car with great passion. and so, upon her death she gave it to me. and i will forever be thankful. not only is it a great old car in great shape but also a part of life with my grandparents that i will always have. the Malibu is always kept in the garage, has not seen snow or salt since the first Bush administration and rarely even sees a raindrop. the historical plates read 'jimmy4' and it starts every time... never fail.
the Cadillacs. frankly i just love them. Lincolns too for that matter. but for now i am a Cadillac man. the history: in 1996 the family's Cadillac Sedan Deville was passed down to me to take to seminary... then i had a Lincoln Continental, then another Lincoln Continental Mark VI... then back to another Sedan Deville, then another (present one) and now the addition of the Fleetwood. i love the classic lines, the chrome, the leather, the feel, the ride, the power... it is just me.
there have been Dodge Convertibles, Chevy Suburbans, Oldsmobiles, T-Birds, in the mix too...
but that is why i buy cars, and always will.
19 February 2007
driving miss daisy
well i have succumbed. the Fleetwood is in my carport.
it is a behemoth... fins and all. just looking at its size and knowing how it rides down the road, it will be quite the land yacht. i think the church ladies will like it. and might i say, i already feel like Hoake in the movie Driving Miss Daisy, just looking at it.
my boating friends have already harrassed me that i said was i looking for a boat. ha.
and on the 2nd day of the week, jimmy got a new caddy... and it was good.
it is a behemoth... fins and all. just looking at its size and knowing how it rides down the road, it will be quite the land yacht. i think the church ladies will like it. and might i say, i already feel like Hoake in the movie Driving Miss Daisy, just looking at it.
my boating friends have already harrassed me that i said was i looking for a boat. ha.
and on the 2nd day of the week, jimmy got a new caddy... and it was good.
17 February 2007
spending time with the Queen
alright, i have always had a thing for the British and course HRH. so i have in recent months wanted to see the movie The Queen. after my time admiring madeline albright, i began the journey home....stopping first at the mall....finding some amazing deals at Eddie Bauer.... then i made it right on time to the 5:10 showing. what a great movie. Helen Mirian (sp) is really very good. it was amazing how well all the characters were portrayed.
after some thai food with friends, a good coffee, and a late night hospital visit i headed home in yet again a late night snow storm. really. enough is enough.
glad to be home and ready for the weekend.
ps: i looked at the cadillac. of course it is wonderful. i have no idea what to do. i have till wednesday.
after some thai food with friends, a good coffee, and a late night hospital visit i headed home in yet again a late night snow storm. really. enough is enough.
glad to be home and ready for the weekend.
ps: i looked at the cadillac. of course it is wonderful. i have no idea what to do. i have till wednesday.
16 February 2007
a luncheon with the Madame Secretary
well i have made a little jaunt to St. Louis. i had a dr. appt. here so decided that a day away was in order. presently i am finishing my frontega chicken panini w/ broc. soup a la St. Louis Bread Co., or as we here call it...."the bread company".... anway, there is a woman eating across the room that looks just like Madeline Albright. i was behind her in line and had to do a double take. now, grant you, i just came from Cokesbury (church bookstore) and happened across the former madame secretary's book.....so the old girl was on my mind.
frankly, i have always had a bit of a thing for Maddy. she does "her thing" so well. little frumpy suits and helmet hair... and i might note, that the present Foreign Secretary of Great Brittan reminds me of her also for the same reasons, but with a Margaret Thatcher-esque quality....
God save the Queen.
frankly, i have always had a bit of a thing for Maddy. she does "her thing" so well. little frumpy suits and helmet hair... and i might note, that the present Foreign Secretary of Great Brittan reminds me of her also for the same reasons, but with a Margaret Thatcher-esque quality....
God save the Queen.
15 February 2007
like a hole in the head
well i need another car like i need a hole in the head. but a nice local church lady called me today and said i had first dibs on her Cadillac.
can i just say, it is the only one in town like it, and i have personally drooled over the thing many times.
i told her a few years ago i would love to buy it. and she always sees me in town or at a function and says "not yet" even without my prompt.....and then today she calls.
geez. so now what? well of course i am going to look at it tomorrow!
i might add it has really low miles, has always been garaged, and is the largest land yacht ever made. it makes my present full size Caddy look like a compact car. :)
can i just say, it is the only one in town like it, and i have personally drooled over the thing many times.
i told her a few years ago i would love to buy it. and she always sees me in town or at a function and says "not yet" even without my prompt.....and then today she calls.
geez. so now what? well of course i am going to look at it tomorrow!
i might add it has really low miles, has always been garaged, and is the largest land yacht ever made. it makes my present full size Caddy look like a compact car. :)
snow vs. the organist
so i just happened to call the organist to see if she could come in early today for choir....which is in like 1 hour....
and she says "oh i won't be in." (thanks for calling me...ugh.)
since she had not been plowed out.....
i could have sent a crew to do it....hell i would do it myself.
but 1 hour.
so now i am out to her house to probably shovel it myself and bring her in for choir so the show can go on.....
my friend april and i laugh about the difference in women and men clergy.....
she is expected to bring things to potluck....
and i am end up shoveling the organist's driveway. humf.
and she says "oh i won't be in." (thanks for calling me...ugh.)
since she had not been plowed out.....
i could have sent a crew to do it....hell i would do it myself.
but 1 hour.
so now i am out to her house to probably shovel it myself and bring her in for choir so the show can go on.....
my friend april and i laugh about the difference in women and men clergy.....
she is expected to bring things to potluck....
and i am end up shoveling the organist's driveway. humf.
the difference between 3 & 4
in case any one was unaware, my father and i have the same name. (James Edwin, III & IV, respectively.) this aspect of my life every now and then presents some hilarious misunderstandings. for example, today's experience at PCMH.
today is my day to be chaplain at our local Pike County Memorial Hosptial. as i was in visiting lucille, introducing myself etc.... the nurse on hand says "oh i thought you would be much older" and i made some nice remark. then she says "i have heard about you." (and i think "oh brother, i wonder what is is this time") and i respond with some generic humor...
but then she says something to the effect that she has heard that i believe the man is the head of the household.
oh my loving god. if there is one thing that i am sure i have never in my life said, it is that. then it occurs to me, that my rather concervative father could very well have had some coversation-- a la--the baptist church and thus brought about this thought that "jimmy ____believes."
well i told her there was some mistake and that i felt very differently about the "heads of the household....equality, God etc..." i don't know what the lady thought after i got done, but perhaps she now realizes the difference in father's & sons.
so there you have it. many things to overcome in this ministry. now if i could just get my father from being one of them. LOL..
thanks be to God for the number 4.
today is my day to be chaplain at our local Pike County Memorial Hosptial. as i was in visiting lucille, introducing myself etc.... the nurse on hand says "oh i thought you would be much older" and i made some nice remark. then she says "i have heard about you." (and i think "oh brother, i wonder what is is this time") and i respond with some generic humor...
but then she says something to the effect that she has heard that i believe the man is the head of the household.
oh my loving god. if there is one thing that i am sure i have never in my life said, it is that. then it occurs to me, that my rather concervative father could very well have had some coversation-- a la--the baptist church and thus brought about this thought that "jimmy ____believes."
well i told her there was some mistake and that i felt very differently about the "heads of the household....equality, God etc..." i don't know what the lady thought after i got done, but perhaps she now realizes the difference in father's & sons.
so there you have it. many things to overcome in this ministry. now if i could just get my father from being one of them. LOL..
thanks be to God for the number 4.
14 February 2007
snow day, part deux
well here we go again.
another snow day.
and....i feel like i get one too!
snow day on a wednesday means: no 7 am youth group breakfast, evening bible study, evening youth group. ahhhh... how sweet it is. (it must be noted that i do in fact love all of the above, however a free day from them is really nice)
the weather: cold. bright sun. extra bright today given the white snow.
the plan: having slept till 8am, continue to clean out the "paper" that has overcome my table and desks. the secretary in the living room is done, and the desk is next. next project: get the chevy suburban out and make my 'free lunch' meeting at the local chemical plant (citizens advisory committee). this afternoon will bring 'snow day visits' which are always more fun.
happy hour? well you better believe it. (it must be noted that i am not an alcoholic, however this snow has brought the grand opportunity for some social drinking)
as the song says: "oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we no place to go,.....let it snow, let it snow, let is snow!"
another snow day.
and....i feel like i get one too!
snow day on a wednesday means: no 7 am youth group breakfast, evening bible study, evening youth group. ahhhh... how sweet it is. (it must be noted that i do in fact love all of the above, however a free day from them is really nice)
the weather: cold. bright sun. extra bright today given the white snow.
the plan: having slept till 8am, continue to clean out the "paper" that has overcome my table and desks. the secretary in the living room is done, and the desk is next. next project: get the chevy suburban out and make my 'free lunch' meeting at the local chemical plant (citizens advisory committee). this afternoon will bring 'snow day visits' which are always more fun.
happy hour? well you better believe it. (it must be noted that i am not an alcoholic, however this snow has brought the grand opportunity for some social drinking)
as the song says: "oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we no place to go,.....let it snow, let it snow, let is snow!"
phil of the future
one of my favorite shows is PHIL OF THE FUTURE on the disney channel. it is hilarious. phil and his sister pim are hilaroius. well actually pim is the hilarious one.
if you have never watched it....you should. good tv. funny, clean, well meaning.
reminds me of really hilarious & witty youth groupers that we have had appreciation for over the years.
if you have never watched it....you should. good tv. funny, clean, well meaning.
reminds me of really hilarious & witty youth groupers that we have had appreciation for over the years.
13 February 2007
katie couric
so i have not watched the CBS evening news in some time. i frankly miss the theme music. it had not changed in years and always reminded me of the nighty viewing at my grandparent's house. i could always close my eyes and recall Grammy's early dinner and then 5:30 with Dan Rather. but where i am going with this is to say, that since i am home bound i am watching the news... Katie looks terrible. i think she has had her face altered. she really does look freakishly scary.
an adult snow day: cocktails at 2pm
several observations as i look out upon the 10 inches of snow in the parsonage yard.
1. thanks be to God for snow days.
2. the great thing about snow days as an adult: a tall southern comfort (the house drink; as in it is in a decanter) and coke at 2:00 p.m. --how great is that.
2a. going out to lunch with teacher friends with no school.
2b. it is even better when they come in their 4wds to pick me up. pizza hut buffet was just what the dr. ordered.
3. i realize i have been a terrible blogger....having let it go for several weeks. frankly each night when i get home i am to tired to be witty or informative. thanks to all of you who are like "what the heck jimmy, you better get back to it!"
4. i am learning that i should just "note" things here rather than "write a book". i will try.
5. i will refrain from complaints on the 11 inches (we have added an inch as i write) of snow outside since the poor saps in the northeast have like 11 feet. oh my Lord Jesus.
6. update: my Winter River Festival was a success and i am now officially done with it and never going to help again!
6a. thanks for all the great feedback on the tv post from that weekend. my new corduroy flat cap got the most reviews....and is a new staple in the vicar's winter closet.
7. my friends had their baby! april & dennis had little sir mcstew or DANIEL, as we will call him, last week. he is most precious. check out april's blog "saltforthespirit" to the --> to see him. and http://www.mcstewsnews.blogspot.com/.
8. i have been here 4.5 years. what now? there are some options opening up. is it time? ugh. what to do. a change is coming, just don't know when and where. --this will have to be touched on at a later date.
9. next winter i am renting a bus and taking my senior adult church members and we are going to road trip to florida. there is no reason we need to be in missouri if winter is going to be like this.
10. (because we needed at least 10 notes) a quote from a commentary found in The Christian Century, that i used this past sunday which has been mulling in my mind as i ponder my happiness.... the writer Wendell Berry said "What I wanted had become the same as what I had." humm...
1. thanks be to God for snow days.
2. the great thing about snow days as an adult: a tall southern comfort (the house drink; as in it is in a decanter) and coke at 2:00 p.m. --how great is that.
2a. going out to lunch with teacher friends with no school.
2b. it is even better when they come in their 4wds to pick me up. pizza hut buffet was just what the dr. ordered.
3. i realize i have been a terrible blogger....having let it go for several weeks. frankly each night when i get home i am to tired to be witty or informative. thanks to all of you who are like "what the heck jimmy, you better get back to it!"
4. i am learning that i should just "note" things here rather than "write a book". i will try.
5. i will refrain from complaints on the 11 inches (we have added an inch as i write) of snow outside since the poor saps in the northeast have like 11 feet. oh my Lord Jesus.
6. update: my Winter River Festival was a success and i am now officially done with it and never going to help again!
6a. thanks for all the great feedback on the tv post from that weekend. my new corduroy flat cap got the most reviews....and is a new staple in the vicar's winter closet.
7. my friends had their baby! april & dennis had little sir mcstew or DANIEL, as we will call him, last week. he is most precious. check out april's blog "saltforthespirit" to the --> to see him. and http://www.mcstewsnews.blogspot.com/.
8. i have been here 4.5 years. what now? there are some options opening up. is it time? ugh. what to do. a change is coming, just don't know when and where. --this will have to be touched on at a later date.
9. next winter i am renting a bus and taking my senior adult church members and we are going to road trip to florida. there is no reason we need to be in missouri if winter is going to be like this.
10. (because we needed at least 10 notes) a quote from a commentary found in The Christian Century, that i used this past sunday which has been mulling in my mind as i ponder my happiness.... the writer Wendell Berry said "What I wanted had become the same as what I had." humm...
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