SkinnyDipping or When Clothes give Animosity

I was never popular in school–pretty, skinny and smart my clumsiness and social awkwardness made me too nerdy for friends during junior high and most of high school…I say this because my status was not defined by my looks but instead despite of them….I never shopped at A & F (or the Gap for that matter). For the full incendiary article click here (full disclosure I did not read this word for word, my husband read it to me out loud so I wouldn’t get too mad)

There is this great passage in the Bible that talks about clothing yourself with Christ–It stands in opposition to the wishes of the flesh (Romans 13:14).

Recently I went on an EMI (Early Ministry Institute) non-retreat where an amazing Commissioned Lay Pastor Katrina Hebb, discussed skinny dipping. Taking off all of the things that divide you from Christ, all of the burdens and things that divide you from God, gone. Letting the water of life wash over your body. Embracing and embodying Christ in our imperfect, scarred and silly bodies. Overcoming our fears, and becoming fully ourselves in Christ…

This weeks lectionary is Rev. 22 “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let everyone who hears say, “Come.” And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.”

Waters of Life, Washing Clean, Clothing of Christ….I feel like this stands as a more fulfilling response to all those who thirst for life, hope and fulfillment.

It certainly does a hell of a lot better than Abercrombie and Fitch!

Sermons are Art

This is getting a lot of searches, so I’m re-posting Sermon’s are Art in response to the article Sermons are becoming Obsolete

katyandtheword's avatarkatyandtheword

Sermons are Art

Sermons are art, sometimes they rock, and sometimes they don’t. Its less of a quotient of how many hours you put in, and tends to be where you are emotionally, are you feeling creative, is your imagination engaged, can you connect to your audience, is it relevant and yet provoking.

I’ve always said, I wish every sermon was a masterpiece, but since its art, it doesn’t work that way. There are practices and disciplines that help you to be a better artist, but never any guarantees.

This brings me to Presbyterian Today their articles about arts in the church (Shout out to Katie Douglass who pursued arts even while she did her doctorate at PTS)

Arts and Church Art as worship and considering popular culture (ie arts) and religion (cough, cough Science Fiction/Fantasy and Religion anyone? Read about Faith and Dr Who & Star Trek here)

and  Whether Sermons are becoming…

View original post 66 more words

Book Review: “The Prince of Ill Luck” by Susan Dexter

Summary: The first in a series about Valadan a magic horse who finds the must interesting people to journey with. Today it is Leith (Lay-eth) the self-styled Prince of Ill-Luck wins the ring/princess/duchy, but he doesn’t want them! Instead he wants to get rid of his curse, and The Prince of Ill Luck (Warhorse of Esdragon, #1)the princess wants to find her mother the sorceress. So the story begins where most fairy tales ends following their adventure.

Reviews: I love this story, there’s something about the strong heroine and the ill luck prince which is fascinating. The story is told through both the characters eyes, and the reader gets a good idea of who they are, what they are doing, and how they grow. This book has been on my shelf for many year, read at many times, and its well worth the reread I just had. If you like The Hero and the Crown, The Enchanted Forest Series and The Seer and the Sword.

Patricia C. Wrede on Boston Marathon, here take on Actions speak louder than words

Here is a copy of Wrede’s words on her Blog that respond to Boston

“Boston

The first I heard about the Boston Marathon bombing was when my father called Monday evening to tell me my nephew was uninjured. My nephew goes to school in Boston, and had been watching the race, but not at the finish line. I’d been driving home from out of town, listening to CDs instead of the radio, so I hadn’t known a thing about it. Sometimes, having a weird schedule is useful.

The slight time lag in finding out about it didn’t make the event any easier to process. In fact, it brought up a whole lot of unpleasant memories of hearing about earlier disasters of one sort or another, from Sandy Hook and Columbine to 9/11, from the tsunamis in Japan and the Indian Ocean to Columbia and Challenger, all the way back to Kennedy’s assassination. Some of those horrors were man-made and deliberate; some were the result of terrible mistakes or accidents; some were just nature being nature.  Apart from the fact that people died every time, there’s no connection between them except for the personal one: I remember the same sinking feeling combined with shock as I heard about each of them.

There are a whole lot of known psychological reactions to unexpected tragedy, starting with shock, disbelief, and feeling helpless, but I think the psychologists miss something when they look only at the emotions people have. They miss what people do.

People didn’t panic (which could have caused a lot more injuries, given the crowd). Some of them ran towards the explosion, and not only the police and firefighters and medical personnel who were on the job. A lot of people who were there as spectators did, too, and worked to help the injured. Some of them we know about, and some we don’t.

People who live in Boston signed on to web sites to offer their spare rooms to strangers who were stranded, or who suddenly needed a place to stay while a friend or family member was in the hospital. Others turned up with bottles of juice, water, and sweaters for the bewildered slower runners who weren’t allowed to finish because of the explosions. People who don’t live in Boston coordinated “random acts of pizza,” sending food to the police, firefighters, EMTs, anyone who needed it.

And people talked about what happened, and their reactions to it.  Some of us aren’t in a place where we can do anything but talk…and watch the news, and hope that the death toll doesn’t rise and that they catch whoever planted the bombs. But even that little is doing something, of a sort.

And as far as I’m concerned, doing what one can is important, whether that’s running toward an explosion in order to help, walking calmly away from it so that the EMTs will be able to get in and do their job, or donating $10 worth of pizza to feed the people who are in the thick of things.” Patricia C. Wrede (original link above)

Parenting Parable: Actions Speak Louder than Words

Once Upon a Time there (around Matthew 21) there was an actual father who had to deal with two sons. And this family was so typical, Jesus decided to use them as a guide to life. In this family there were two sons who’s father told them to go and work on the vineyard. The first son refused. The second son agreed.

But in an ironic twist, the son who refused changed his mind and went and did the work anyway, the second son didn’t go at all….

Then Jesus asked, which son did what his father asked (not which was the better son, not who was more faithful, just who DID IT) and his disciples answered the first

This is classic teenage behavior: My father (a behavior psychologist and pastor) likes to point out that usually while teenagers are giving you mouth, they are doing exactly what you asked them to do. Hence my father advises parents to look at actions more than words.

You want your kid to do x, y and z and he/she is doing it, great!

They don’t have to be happy about it…that might be asking too much

I have a congregant who complains about every bit of work that has to get done–she is a veritable saint, showing up to everything, serving on boards, cleaning what needs to be cleaned, working when work needs to be done, and is dependable and loyal as anything. I’ll take an entire congregation of such people (even if it does wear me out).

With my eldest, we’ve learned not to give him the opportunity to argue–this is a child who thinks no=anopportunitytoargue, maybe=yes and if-you’ve-given-an-inch=everything-is -up -for-negotiation. I call him the negotiator. So often I don’t tell him what’s going on (against my extroverted nature!) and just start doing it–going upstairs to brush teeth without telling him, taking all the other kids out to the car (because they are too young to argue, at least verbally), or reading the stories whether or not he is present. When I do this, he often follows, because my actions as a parent speak louder than words! Putting things into action means that I REALLY mean that we are doing this now, I’m not just talking about it…

What does this say about parenthood (esp. on days like yesterday when I lose it?) What does it mean about us as Christians? Jesus ends the parable by pointing out that the prostitutes and tax collectors are getting in before the church people for they believed and acted first. A lot of the Spiritual not Religious data says that Christians do not follow through on what they believe. The practical aspect of faith is missing.

As parents, I think this means telling and ACTING on the fact that we love our children. If we do not act out love–if we don’t practice REAL forgiveness, if we are not open and accepting of EVERYBODY, if we curse people while we are driving or tell our children that dressing up in high heel shoes is a ridiculous thing for a boy to do (my son’s experience in nursery school), if we mock the weak, demean the different and blame the poor for their plight, what are we teaching them?

How can we enact love? How can we, on the days we don’t feel like it–go out and pick the fruit of God? How can we return to work in the Garden of the Kingdom of God again, and again in meaningful ways?

We might not always want to do it, but that’s ok, as long as we know that our actions speak louder than words, and its never too late (even after we’ve refused!) to go out and work the garden.

Review 10th Kingdom (the mini-series)

I love 10th Kingdom

Before Vampires and Werewolves, Before Once Upon a Time and Grimm there was 10th Kingdom the mini-series

Summary: Virginia gets tricked into a fairy tale from NYC, and begins to meet fairy tale characters and tests which ultimately result in self-discovery, trust and a happily ever after.

Why I like it: This is a miniseries, so if if gets a little repetitive (sometimes the villainous trolls get a little long), but the fairy tale references are magnificent, the self-discovery lead the viewer to a better understanding of the trials and tribulations that exist in fairy tales.

Both the wolf and the Prince have adorable moments, Virginia learns to get over herself some and appreciate her father more, and her father develops into a hobbit-like hero figure. Plus Snow White Rocks (literally). There are some achingly embarrassing moments, but I feel like they are few and probably necessary to the story.

If you can’t borrow/stream/rent this series, I’d consider picking it up, it is all of about $10 for hrs of entertainment.

-And do me a favor, when you are done go out and read the first 11 graphic novels of Fables the comic book series (you probably want to interlibrary loan them at first, but of course I own them all 🙂

Martin Luther K…

Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said that “Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice.” Our world changes when justice prevails. When we love one another — no matter who they are — justice and peace become part of our reality. When we work for justice and equality we are fully living into the love we are commanded to show one to the other by Jesus.”

Because you can’t go wrong with MLKJ

Why is Christianity uncomfortable: Love defined

Christianity is not, “Smile Jesus loves you”–anyone who says that is probably selling you on Christ (so to speak)

Last Sunday’s Scripture included one of my favorites from Revelation

Revelation 7:9-17

9After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

One thing I always testify to is my absolute belief that at the end of the world every knee shall bow to Christ. I don’t know exactly how, but I have faith in Christ that it WILL happen (again do not ask me the why and wherefores, I leave those technicalities to the boss).

I don’t think Christianity is about guilt, I don’t think its my job to convert people and I think that God is ultimately merciful when She sits in judgment. (AGAIN NOTE THE LACK OF JUDGMENT IN ALL OF THIS: IF CHRISTIANITY FEELS JUDGMENTAL YOU MIGHT BE ATTENDING THE WRONG CHURCH)

However, I do know that God loves EACH and EVERY one of us. The Good News of Jesus Christ is not that God loves everybody, but God loves each and every person, with all of their warts and faults and encourages us to do the same–that is the uncomfortable and “not feel good” of Christianity, for Christ’s love calls us to practice a love that is equal to God’s, to practice grace worthy of the Holy Spirit and to be as merciful as God.

In the end, we will all know God’s love, we will all accept ourselves and each other for who we truly are, and in the end we will not be able to help but to bow to God and praise her, crying Glory, Power and Might be our God–for what is more powerful than love!

Stolen from Howard Kleinman BBC Book LIst: Katy Stenta, almost half

BBC Book ListShare, nabbed from someone’s sister, Beth Fleischer
by Howard Kleinman (Notes) on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at 6:13am
BBC Book ListShare
See how you do!The BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up?Instructions: Copy the list into a Note and put an ‘x’ after those you have read, count ’em up, compare tallies. This should be easy. Strutting and preening is optional, but encouragedResults –> 49/100

1 Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen X

2 The Lord of the Ringsx

3 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte X

4 Harry Potter series – JK Rowling x

5 To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee x

6 The Bible x (although this is  at tricky one, I’m a pastor and I’d hesitate to say I’ve read every word in the Bible)

7 Wuthering Heights x

8 Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell x

9 His Dark Materials – Philip Pullmanx

10 Great Expectations – Charles Dickens

11 Little Women – Louisa M Alcott x

12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy

13 Catch 22 – Joseph Heller

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare (um seen/read most, if not all, so I’m going to rule it an…) X

15 Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier

16 The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien x

17 Birdsong – Sebastian Faulk

18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger x

19 The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger X

20 Middlemarch – George Eliot X

21 Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell

22 The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald

23 Bleak House – Charles Dickens

24 War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy

25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams x

26 Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh

27 Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky x

28 Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck

29 Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll x

30 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame

31 Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy

32 David Copperfield – Charles Dickens

33 Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis x

34 Emma – Jane Austen X

35 Persuasion – Jane Austen X

36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis x

37 The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

38 Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Bernieres

39 Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Goldenx

40 Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne x

41 Animal Farm – George Orwell x

42 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown x

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquezx

44 A Prayer for Owen Meany – John Irving

45 The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins

46 Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery x

47 Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy

48 The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood x

49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding x

50 Atonement – Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel

52 Dune – Frank Herbertx

53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons

54 Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen x

55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth

56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens x

58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61 Of Mice and Men- John Steinbeck

62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov x

63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt

64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold (BK)

65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumasx

66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac

67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy

68 Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding x

69 Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdiex

70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville

71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens x

72 Dracula – Bram Stoker x

73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett x

74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson

75 Ulysses – James Joycex

76 The Inferno – Dante

77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome

78 Germinal – Emile Zola

79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray

80 Possession – AS Byat

81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens x

82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell

83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker

84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro

85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert

86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry

87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White x

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle x

90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton

91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad x

92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery x

93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks

94 Watership Down – Richard Adams

95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole

96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute

97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas x

98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare x

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl x

100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugox