Rambling is Good for the Soul

Hurricanes and Justice

I love New Orleans. I have spent a lot of time there and have enjoyed it. I have feared the day when the city disappeared. I knew that the “big one” would come and that a “mandatory evacuation” would come. (The city is below sea level! There is no way that that much water could not create a crisis.) However, I never dreamed that “mandatory evacuation” would mean “for those who can afford it.” That’s wrong. I am so repulsed that people would be left behind. What does this say about our society?

Then, of course, there are a bunch of police officers that I know who are still there dealing with the fact that they didn’t get everyone out to begin with. “Mandatory evacuation” should mean that everyone gets out. Yes, that means some buses and some trains. But it means preventing the mess that could happen in an emergency (like now…). So many things could have prevented in this mess…

Call, Contract, and Covenant

I’m at Interim Ministry training this week. We ended up in a multi-denominational discussion about the call process and the agreements that are reached between the rector/pastor and the parish/congregation. One of the people talked about how the covenant is like a marriage. The priest and the parish get married and when the priest leaves, it’s like a divorce. This then means that when one is on a new search that there is a flirtation or affair going on.

What do you all think of this? I see some really unhealthy things that happen with that much “commitment” between what I see as more of a contract. What does that say about theology of the roles?

Weight Issues…

Time magazine (July 18, page 57) had a column about pro-ana sites. These sites talk about weight issues and seem to encourage people to try anorexia or bulimia. The site they referenced was ceruleanbutterfly.com. This really interested me – how the author of this site identifies that medically-based food disorder sites never include inspiring pro-recovery stories from people who have lived it (especially teens). The medical people are concerned that this site encourages people to try starvation.

I have very little experience with eating disorders (besides my own over-eating). But I know people who need help. How do I help them? Are there resources that might be helpful on the web? I think that this also points to one of the known problems of the web – anyone can put up a website and discuss anything. (I mean, just look at THIS one…) This was one area that wasn’t on my web-radar screen.

A roller coaster ride

Looking at the front window of an “L” train is a lot like riding a really slow roller coaster. Sometimes, REALLY slow…

But I had never ridden at the front until this morning. It was pretty darn cool.

Solving Problems

John Dreibelbis, leadership professor at Seabury, always said to solve a tough problem during sleep. He instructed us to think about the tough problem right before sleep and then wake up and see if something else had occurred to us by the morning. Discover magazine states: “Clinical tests show people solve problems faster when lying down. Sitting or standing triggers norepinephrine, a stress hormone that reduces the ability to reason and pay attention to detail” (July 2005, 11). Wow – now there is even scientific backing for him! (And it works.)

HP and MB meet...

Well, I usually test as an ESFJ, but today I must be feeling a little more "T"...

Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

The Visual Age

Christianity Today, June 2005, had a one-page article by Andy Crouch about “Visualcy.” He talks about how we have now moved into the digital age – and the age where people are expressing themselves visually (not orally or with written words). I think that this is a really interesting idea and helps make sense of where society is going. Crouch also didn’t make judgments about it, but identified that we need to look at it. How do we communicate between the people raised in different “ages”? How we recognize the beauty of the visual age?

How do churches connect with people in this age? I think that this whole thing may be one of the reasons that churches are struggling with using “powerpoint” or not. Powerpoint can capture the images and help people connect visually to the message. This way of connecting doesn’t matter for those who grew up in the “written word” age. Made for interesting food for thought.

Cedar Point

My cousin Tina, 3 kids, and I went to Cedar Point yesterday. It was awesome! I haven’t been there in years (like 20-ish). We had a great time. The best ride was the Dragster. I stood in line for this with all of them because Tina decided that she wanted to go. I wasn’t so sure – but my job was to follow and help all day – so I did it. Now, I like speed (if I believed in reincarnation, I would say that I was a race car driver in a past life) so, that part wasn’t scary – it was the heights. 420 feet straight up. I got on with some trepidation and did it. 25 seconds later, I was saying, “That was AMAZING!” A very fun ride. Of course, at 120 miles an hour, I could not wear my glasses. Not seeing probably helped!

The other fun ride that we found at the end of the night was the Wicked Twister. We did have a slight delay with technical difficulties, but it was well worth the wait (and we know that the safety systems are working!) I’ll definitely be going there more next time. (If there’s a next time in fewer than 20 years.)

The Mermaid Chair

I listened to The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd on CD (thanks mom!). As I listened to it, I got worried about where it would go, but all turned out well. I didn’t like it as much as The Secret Life of Bees, but it was an interesting read and since I was able to multi-task (I get so bored driving!) it worked out well. It was an interesting book, but may also have a draw to the women in the next generation older than I. A mid-life, empty nest woman starts to question her life and her marriage.

Wedding Crashers

My friend Ann and I went to see Wedding Crashers. Hilarious! I really had a great time with that. Vince Vaughn is great – just really, really funny and works well with Owen Wilson. Nothing too profound, but was well worth the trip and the entertainment. I’ll watch something more profound next week…

Pet connections

Searching for a pet? Check out Petfinder. Though I’m not quite in the business for another pet (since my dad has my old one and my currently life cannot support one), it is fun to look at some great options. There are a couple of great horses on there now. I am excited about getting to a place where I can get another one! A dog would be fun, also.

Idaho

Well, I have almost completed my yearly pilgrimage to Coeur d’Alene (and area). I visited with friends and went to Art on the Green and watched Madagascar with my God-daughter. Entertaining and cute, especially for a cheap theater show, but nothing to run out and watch immediately. Visited with friends at St. Luke’s and got to meet a bunch new people.

I haven’t had enough time here. It’s been the first time that I didn’t seem to get everything in that I wanted to. Too many people to see. Too much fun to have.

But I’ll head back tomorrow to the work and fun of Chicago. We’ll see how that goes. I figure that I’ll spend all of Tuesday opening mail.

Harry Potter 6

Well, I finished it on Friday night. It took me until now to blog because other things (that wedding, traveling to Idaho) got in the way… And, I didn’t even know what to say. I needed to think about more than:
I laughed, I cried, I got to the end.

Really, I read HP for the entertainment. I have heard a lot of, “Well, it’s not as well written.” Whatever. Just let me read the story and find out what mess we can get into this year.

So, really, I don’t have much to say that isn’t conjecture about the next (last?) book.

Theories (spoilers – don’t read if you don’t want to know the end)

- Dumbledore is dead. There is really not option. The narrator told us and if he’s not, then we’ve been tricked. That would not be fair and I would be angry (I suspect I’m not the only one who would be.)
- Until yesterday, I thought that Sirius was alive. Someone reminded me however that the veil he fell through was the “death” veil or something. Anyone have more information on this? I had thought that the narrator never told us that he was dead, just that people said that he was. However, I could be wrong and may have to retract this statement.
- Something’s up with Snape. Not all is how it seems. I don’t have a personal theory on this, but someone else thought that Dumbledore may have told Sirius to kill him when the time came.
- There is a horcrux hidden in the Room of Requirement where Harry hid the Potions book.
- Personal thought (preference?): Harry has to have some connection Hogwarts. It is his community. (The priest in me comes out…) Even if he doesn’t go full time, he needs the support of those people.

Wedding Bells

Well, the wedding has occurred. It was a great event. Nan had everything picked out the way that she wanted and it was beautiful. People cried and laughed and had a great time. I am now totally exhausted. I have been trying to catch up on sleep but have been unsuccessful.

Next stop: Spokane, Washington and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Hopefully, I’ll be able to sleep there. AND – I’m going to see Nan and Shawn this next week. (In case they haven’t seen me enough in the last 2.5 weeks.) They are driving across the country for their honeymoon. Should be fun to do lunch or something.