"Never let go of hope. One day you will see that it all has finally come together. What you have always wished for has finally come to be. You will look back and laugh at what has passed and you will ask yourself... 'How did I get through all of that?'"
...when i was in Louisville last week for some R&R with old seminary friends, this quote was part of a worship experience i attended at my friend laura's new church start. as this thought 'came into my view' i read it over several times, and could not help be moved. i don't know who said it, and i doubt it will win any awards for being 'most profound', but moved i was nonetheless.
perhaps it is this present time in my life, perhaps it was the being with good friends, perhaps it was some much needed call/soul searching that only seems to get done when i am away...
but i believe these words will be with me for a while.
15 March 2007
13 March 2007
with a scotch and a smoke...
getting home from monthly church board meetings at 9:00 at night usually means drinking.
tonight, however, i am not. it was a decent meeting. no major anxiety or horrid accusations or defenses. and so i sit down at 9:55 to turn on the tv and have some 'down time."
Boston Legal is a show i have just watched a few times and never in its entirety. tonight was no exception finding just the last 5 minutes... but what i noted, at the very end of the show is the point in this long prelude...
okay... side note... all that is on at 10:15 is Sex in the City... and one of the girls dogs is named Elizabeth Taylor. i think that is hilarious. end side note.
...the two main male characters, perhaps at the end of each show...i don't know, but they seem to do it often... at the end of the day, after the office is closed, sit on the balcony with a scotch and a stogie. and they are glad for their friendship and the kind of conversations that are between friends after hours with a scotch and a stogie.
and what i realized is that i have that very thing in my life. in recent weeks i have become more aware of that which has always been so present, and life-saving. i can't begin to list the times and places where i have been with friends and found... well... the time i needed.
the time i needed to vent, to share, to question, to be witty, to be crass, to be sad, to be crazy, to know what to do, to tell someone else what to do, to be silent, to be loving, to pontificate, to listen, and most importantly to laugh and laugh some more.
the time i needed,
just at the right time.
i hope those who fall into this category will always know how i thankful i am.
tonight, however, i am not. it was a decent meeting. no major anxiety or horrid accusations or defenses. and so i sit down at 9:55 to turn on the tv and have some 'down time."
Boston Legal is a show i have just watched a few times and never in its entirety. tonight was no exception finding just the last 5 minutes... but what i noted, at the very end of the show is the point in this long prelude...
okay... side note... all that is on at 10:15 is Sex in the City... and one of the girls dogs is named Elizabeth Taylor. i think that is hilarious. end side note.
...the two main male characters, perhaps at the end of each show...i don't know, but they seem to do it often... at the end of the day, after the office is closed, sit on the balcony with a scotch and a stogie. and they are glad for their friendship and the kind of conversations that are between friends after hours with a scotch and a stogie.
and what i realized is that i have that very thing in my life. in recent weeks i have become more aware of that which has always been so present, and life-saving. i can't begin to list the times and places where i have been with friends and found... well... the time i needed.
the time i needed to vent, to share, to question, to be witty, to be crass, to be sad, to be crazy, to know what to do, to tell someone else what to do, to be silent, to be loving, to pontificate, to listen, and most importantly to laugh and laugh some more.
the time i needed,
just at the right time.
i hope those who fall into this category will always know how i thankful i am.
04 March 2007
would jesus have started any earlier?
well it was bound to happen. a church member at lunch today said "someone said today they were going to bring it up at the board meeting....about church not starting on time."
well when i got my eggs benedict swallowed, i started in... practicing for said board meeting, where the person will ask someone else to bring it up rather than be bold and direct.
(the context: we never start right at 10:45. there really is no way we could. but nonetheless, we never start after 10:52.)
1. perhaps that extra time could moments of personal reflection, mediation, prayer.... mark your hymns, chat it up with someone, take a nap. hell. if someone would give me an extra 4-5 minutes to just sit i would love it.
2. it all really starts at 10:25..... at which time i am trying to wind up sunday school. we get downstairs....doing some greeting, some last "setting of things" ....get caught by someone.....
then make sure the choir members and organist have moved from coffee hour to choir practice. throw in a few late choir members, and a slow organist, and wa-la it is 10:40.
the choir song through once, plus working out a tricky measure for the bass section.... then we are back to moving...
my much needed bathroom pit-stop and robing happens as the choir works their way to the sanctuary..... a double check to find that no one has turned the sound system on and wa-la it is 10:47 or later....
frankly i think we are pretty streamed lined for getting 15 people snacked, moved, robed, practiced, and moved again in 15 minutes.
3. perhaps this church member thought it just revolved around their schedule or watch.
4. perhaps this church member did not realize that there are still 10 people in the narthex, who apparently aren't as concerned about timing... when Jimmy starts the welcome.
or maybe this is one of those people. most likely so.
5. or maybe this person is passive agressive and discontented with the big sanctuary clock being taken down for painting and not replaced yet. (hell if i am putting that damn thing back up)
it will all remain to be seen.
i am just ever super glad to know that my people care about the big picture. :)
thanks be to God.
well when i got my eggs benedict swallowed, i started in... practicing for said board meeting, where the person will ask someone else to bring it up rather than be bold and direct.
(the context: we never start right at 10:45. there really is no way we could. but nonetheless, we never start after 10:52.)
1. perhaps that extra time could moments of personal reflection, mediation, prayer.... mark your hymns, chat it up with someone, take a nap. hell. if someone would give me an extra 4-5 minutes to just sit i would love it.
2. it all really starts at 10:25..... at which time i am trying to wind up sunday school. we get downstairs....doing some greeting, some last "setting of things" ....get caught by someone.....
then make sure the choir members and organist have moved from coffee hour to choir practice. throw in a few late choir members, and a slow organist, and wa-la it is 10:40.
the choir song through once, plus working out a tricky measure for the bass section.... then we are back to moving...
my much needed bathroom pit-stop and robing happens as the choir works their way to the sanctuary..... a double check to find that no one has turned the sound system on and wa-la it is 10:47 or later....
frankly i think we are pretty streamed lined for getting 15 people snacked, moved, robed, practiced, and moved again in 15 minutes.
3. perhaps this church member thought it just revolved around their schedule or watch.
4. perhaps this church member did not realize that there are still 10 people in the narthex, who apparently aren't as concerned about timing... when Jimmy starts the welcome.
or maybe this is one of those people. most likely so.
5. or maybe this person is passive agressive and discontented with the big sanctuary clock being taken down for painting and not replaced yet. (hell if i am putting that damn thing back up)
it will all remain to be seen.
i am just ever super glad to know that my people care about the big picture. :)
thanks be to God.
03 March 2007
you know you are in deep...
when in the same week, two different church members tell you where their secret house key is hidden... "just in case something should happen, and you would need to get in"
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