Undeserved Blessings and Other Random Thoughts

 

It's been a while, but I'm determined to restart this blog during NaBloPoMo November. Here are a few of my random thoughts to be going on with.

Recently I've been sorrowing with several people, some of whom I know only or mostly through the Internet, over various losses. On Hallowe'en afternoon I was walking Rusty down Maine St. and was offered hot chocolate and candy by some teenagers at a card table set up on the sidewalk. Of course, there was a price: the adult with them wanted to talk with me about where I would go if I died today. I'm afraid I wasn't very articulate in explaining my ideas about God's grace. She gave me a tract with a "Sinner's Prayer" at the end so that I could be sure of spending Eternity in heaven. I know, none better, that I am a sinner. And I know that God's grace is sufficient for me and for everyone, and that I get it even though I don't deserve it. That's a lot like the good fortune I have had in my life. For example, thinking about the people who are grieving right now, I am fortunate that my three children all lived through infancy and childhood to productive adulthood. I did my best for them, but so did the parents who are grieving now that their babies have died. It's also hard to articulate what I believe about bad things happening to people; I certainly don't believe that "God wanted another angel in heaven" or any such meretricious baloney. I don't believe God punishes people on earth in this way. I guess I think God set some things in motion, including the laws of nature, and does not randomly or readily break those laws. And sometimes those laws break hearts.

Since I last blogged, Onkel Hankie Pants and I have had two wonderful short trips: one to California to participate in Cordeliaknits' (henceforward the Rt. Rev. Cordeliaknits) ordination, and one to Minneapolis to celebrate the centennial of our long-time church home there and incidentally, the premiere of a hymn and anthem with text by OHP and music by a friend and fellow churchmember. Both events were truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences and I can't think of any complaints (except the flying part, never much fun these days, but well worth it).

I could actually manage a blog post every day this month just by listing the things I'm grateful for. Here's one: after Christmas our younger daughter, Sisterfilms, is moving East to live with us for a while, not because she has to, but because she wants to. We are all looking forward to this, although with some trepidation about how Rusty will get along with Sisterfilms' aging but still lively cat Winifred (and vice versa).

More tomorrow as we reinstitute Tuneful Tuesday!

Friday Five: We Who Sing Pray Twice

Mary Beth at RevGalBlogPals writes: "Music is a part of the human experience, and part of religious traditions the world over. It is evocative and stirring, and many forms of worship are incomplete without it.

Our title comes from a quote popularly attributed to St. Augustine: "He who sings prays twice." A little Googling, however, indicates that Augustine didn't say exactly that. In fact, what he said just doesn't fit well onto a t-shirt. So we'll stick with what we have.

"Singing reduces stress and increases healthy breathing and emotional expression. Singing taps into a deep, age-old power available to all of us. When we find our voice, we find ourselves. Today, sing like you mean it." And let's talk about the role music plays in your life and worship. (quote on singing from The Green Children Foundation blog)"

1) Do you like to sing/listen to others sing? In worship, or on your own (or not at all?)
Absolutely. I sing lustily and with good courage, and wish more people would. And believe me, I'm not someone you would pay to hear sing.


2) Did you grow up with music in worship, or come to it later in life? Tell us about it, and how that has changed in your experience.
I think my first worship memory is learning "Jesus Loves Me" at the Bowdoinham Baptist Church's Vacation Bible School. Then singing from the Armed Forces Hymnal at the Hainerberg Protestant Chapel in Wiesbaden; "Blessed Assurance" and "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" are a couple that stay in mind from that time. The little Sunday school in the firehouse in Milford, Connecticut, had a choir for a time and I was in it! I got a ride to rehearsals from the divinity student in his three-wheeled Messerschmitt car, and we learned Fauré's "The Palms", quite ambitious for a bunch of 10-year-olds. When we moved to Fairfield and I started going to First Congregational there, a professional organist and choir director enhanced worship and I learned a lot of new hymns. In college, thinking hard about Judaism, I learned to appreciate Jewish cantorial music. Later, back in the fold at First Church, Waseca, MN, our wonderful choir director Penny Peters gave us a wide variety of music -- Bach to Bernstein to what I can only describe as cowboy music. It was then I became an occasional "choir widow." I've enjoyed hanging around with choir people ever since, aided by Onkel Hankie Pants and our two daughters. Music continues to be an important part of worship for me.

3) Some people find worship incomplete without music; others would just as soon not have it. Where do you fall?
Well, as I said, I can't imagine worship without it. I have met a few of those people and I don't "get" them at all. Even Quaker Cousin goes to a "programmed" meeting where they sing!

4) Do you prefer traditional music in worship, or contemporary? That can mean many different things!
I love traditional music of all kinds -- Bach and the old hymns, but also "roots music" -- black and white gospel and even those sawdust trail hymns my father used to sing bits of. "Contemporary Christian" and praise music -- not so much. But I've heard examples of both that were good. And I like Taizé and some of the newer hymns that have shown up in the hymnals I collect. Also "foreign" hymns add a lot to our worship, such as "You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore" and "Toda la Tierra."


5) What's your go-to music ... when you need solace or want to express joy? A video/recording will garner bonus points!
Trying to come up with one I haven't shared before, I thought of this one. There's little or no information about the singing group and I'm not even sure where they are, though a tag "sda" suggests they may belong to a Seventh-Day Adventist church somewhere. I listened to several others, some with lovely photos of lighthouses, but this is the one that dampened my eyes. After a long absence from Friday Fives, I need all the bonus points I can get!

Friday Five: Decisions, Decisions!

Songbird at RevGalBlogPals says:

"Since I've been in the midst of a discernment process, I've done a lot of reflecting on how we make decisions. But don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to reveal a dark story about a poor decision, or a self-flagellating story about an embarrassing one. Let's keep it simple and go with five word pairs. Tell us which word in the pair appeals to you most, and after you've done all five, give us the reason why for one of them."

Hey! I can do this! I probably could have done it even without the unscheduled day at home because the car is in the shop. Here goes:
Here they are:

1) Cake or Pie: PIE! Not that there's anything wrong with cake. But pie is better. My father used to say "Cookies are for children, cake is for ladies, pie is for men!" And pie is for breakfast too, where I come from.
2) Train or Airplane: Train
3) Mac or PC: PC
4) Univocal or Equivocal: Equivocal. I guess.
5) Peter or Paul: Peter

Try not to pull on the big cat's tail when you answer. :-)

Friday Five: Hot Fun in the Summertime

I promised a blog post and here it is!

Songbird at RevGalBlogPals has had some summer troubles. She writes:

“It's possible I may have a bad attitude about the arrival of summer. On the eve of the Solstice I left for a mission trip to a town in Maine bordering Quebec. Beset by a swarm of bloodthirsty black flies, and a "classic allergic reaction" according to the PA at the Urgent Care, I had to return the next morning to a week of Benadryl and ice packs. (If only I had known about Bug Band *before*...)
But I don't want that to ruin summer for the rest of you. So I invite you to share five things you love--or don't--about summer. The tone is up to you!”

1. LOVE: West Denmark Family Camp! We’re going there next week! We will have group singing, watch the folk dancing, listen to interesting people speak and discuss, see cousins real and honorary, have wonderful meals cooked by local organic farmers with some of their own produce, and of course be with Sisterfilms and The Traveller. After that we will go to City of Lakes to see SonShineIn and The Collector and a lot of old friends. WDFC has been part of nearly all our summers for 33 years now and we hope it continues for many more.

2. HATE: excessive heat and humidity. The heat is not so bad here as it sometimes was in the Midwest, but we do sometimes get a humidity that makes 65 degrees feel like 95. The doors stick, salt and spices lump up in their containers, and no one feels much like doing anything.

3. LOVE: summer fruits and vegetables. Onkel Hankie Pants, as we speak, is picking strawberries for the church Strawberry Festival. Maybe after he’s picked his quota he will have time to pick a quart for us! Later there will be raspberries and blueberries, eventually tomatoes, summer squashes, and all the other bounty of the farmer’s market.

4, LOVE: flowers. Walking Rusty, I get to enjoy my neighbors’ gardens with daylilies, peonies, old roses, new roses, etc. OHP has planted some new flowers on the sunny north side of the house, and a lupine and irises have already bloomed. We expect gladioli and maybe even dahlias as well as lilies. Hoping for peonies next year, as we bought some at a garage sale along with more hostas for the mostly-shady parts of our yard.

5. LOVE: Rusty’s new summer haircut. I like him as a shaggy dog and with the classic Springer cut, but this cut (built for exploring woods and beaver ponds!) makes his hair so satiny ! It was a bit disconcerting at first though, as he looked like a whole different dog. Here is a picture. I was pleased to not that (although it doesn’t look that way in the photo of him sleeping) he had not really gained weight over the winter.

So, although summer isn’t my favorite season, I’ve found more “loves” than “Hates” for it. Now for your listening pleasure, two renditions of a song my father used to sing to me:

(He may have learned it from someone who heard this recording!)

And from another icon of my childhood days:

Friday Five: Looking Toward Spring

Sally, in England, posts this photo called “Easter Snow” and tells us:

“Candlemass is past, and Christmas is well and truly over; here in the UK February looks set to be its usual grey and cold self. Signs of spring are yet to emerge; if like me you long for them perhaps you need ways to get through these long dark days. So let’s share a few tips for a cold and rainy/ snowy day....

1. Exercise, what do you do if you can't face getting out into the cold and damp?

Fortunately for me, my dog Rusty is oblivious to any kind of bad weather and needs to go out regardless. Rain, snow, wind, cold – we take our walks anyway. Also fortunately, winter on the coast of Maine is quite often sunny. I’ll be starting an all-day job on Monday, though, so it’s time to get intentional about those Vitamin D supplements.

2. Food; time to comfort eat, or time to prepare your body for the coming spring/summer?

Comfort food is the thing for winter, I think. Because of the new work schedules (I’ll be working 6 days a week and Onkel Hankie Pants will be working 6 days plus 4 or 5 evenings – no fear, it’s not permanent!) I’m racking my brain for things that can be made quickly or in the slow cooker, and reheated at need. We may be eating even more homemade soup.

3. Brainpower; do you like me need to stave off depression, if so how do you do it?

During January, which is perhaps worse for me, I cheered myself by reading “not-so-trashy trashy novels” and watching costume dramas ranging from Mad Men to Elizabeth R. I’m fortunate not to have serious problems with depression so little fixes like those usually work for me.

4. How about a story that lifts your spirits, is there a book or film that you return to to stave off the gloom?

Jane Austen is a big help, in either medium – I’m enjoying Emma on Masterpiece Classic each Sunday night right now. The novels of Miss Read are what I resort to if things get really bad. However, they do engender some envy when she starts writing about “winter-blooming jasmine” and other flowers that, in southern England, come out soon after Christmas.

5. Looking forward, do you have a favourite spring flower/ is there something that says spring is here more than anything else?

I do love all the spring bulbs, but perhaps daffodils are my favorite, and yet I have trouble getting them to grow; we have better luck with tulips.

Bonus; post a poem/ piece of music that points to the coming spring......

Here's a song my father used to sing. I love the outfits on these guys!

Friday Five: Social Media

I’ve been taking January off from a lot of my usual pursuits, but even though the month is not over, it’s time to resume them. So here’s this week’s Friday Five from RevGalBlogPals. Kathrynzj says:

“I had the joy of spending time with Songbird last weekend, someone I would have never met had it not been for the blogosphere. Now we keep in touch using a large variety of methods: blog (hers a lot, mine not so much lately), facebook, twitter, text messaging, chat and email. So far there has been no skype.
It got me to thinking of the pros and cons of these relatively new means of communication and interconnecting and so I ask you the following:”

1) What have been the benefits for you of social networking (blog, twitter, facebook, etc...)

I really hate making telephone calls. I don’t mind receiving them, just making them. So blogging, email, and Facebook have all enabled me to reach out to people without having to pick up the dreaded telephone! There are some people who aren’t really reachable by these media and I need to call them, but not many. The fact that my children are in different time zones from me also makes these other methods quite useful since none of us is awakening the other from a sound sleep! I’ve also made a lot of connections to distant cousins, etc. for genealogy purposes, via online forums of various kinds. My membership in DorothyL (an online discussion group for mystery readers, writers, publishers, booksellers, librarians – basically anyone interested in detective stories) has enriched my life and added to my library.

2) Which medium do you use the most? Or if you use them all, for what do you use each of them?

I’ve been using Facebook far too much! I’m going to need to set some limits for myself. I probably check my email a bit too often, but Sisterfilms sometimes emails me with urgent questions about commas and such, so maybe that’s an excuse. I’m not a fan of chatting or instant messaging online (and have no cell phone so no texting here). Chatting seems too disjointed to me. Tried Skype, had some success and then not so much, gave it up. I have a hard time sometimes deciding whether to email someone or send them a message on Facebook – wondering which they will see sooner? I’ve been bad about blogging partly because of perfectionism…Onkel Hankie Pants is similarly afflicted when it comes to email, feeling he needs to compose as carefully as if he were writing a letter to the Times of London.
3) If you could invent a networking site (with no limits on your imagination), what would it provide? What would it not provide?

Well

I can’t immediately think of anything else I’d want. I don’t care for all the applications and games on FB, but have managed to opt out of most so that’s OK. I’m afraid I’ll just wait to see what the 20-year-olds come up with next!
4) Who have you met that you would not have met if it were not for the 'miracle' of social networking?

Three RevGalBlogPals (in person that is—numbers more still in the virtual world, but that could change!) Many people on DorothyL and Goodreads who share my reading tastes and also help broaden them.
5) Who do you secretly pray does not one day try to 'friend/follow' you?

Someone I once knew who had a crush on me and in whom I was completely not interested – not quite a stalker but uncomfortably close. I did put my maiden name on my Facebook profile for ease of contacting people who knew me 40 years ago, so it’s possible. My excuse for not friending people is that I have my screen resolution and font size set so that I don’t usually see the stuff at the right side of the FB screen unless I look for it. (That’s also why I might neglect to wish someone a happy birthday…nothing personal!)
BONUS: What was the most random/weird/unsettling/wonderful connection you made that would not have happened if it were not for the ease of which we can find each other in the computer realm?

I can’t come up with just one. Would it be the descendant of my great-grandfather’s “missing” brother? Scattered friends from my high school in Germany, or the woman who had the same third-grade teacher I did a year earlier (also in Germany)? Or just one of the many people in my online communities who lead very different lives from mine, but with whom I’ve found surprising common ground? Of course, way back when we first got Internet connectivity, I found a distant cousin who told me about our family connection to Malaga Island, a big surprise that will continue to affect our family for some time to come (especially if Sisterfilms makes her documentary about it!) I expect new surprises daily.

Friday Five: IF

It’s been far too long since I’ve updated this blog. Some minor health issues (resolved), Christmas craziness and fun (over now and welcomed guests returned to their own homes) and sheer winter hibernation or, to give it its proper name, laziness, interfered. I’ll have to pick up the songs and stories next December. Meanwhile, here we go again, with this week’s Friday Five coming from RevGalBlogPal Jan, who blogs at Yearning for God.

1. If you were a color, what would you be?

A soft, heathery blue-grey. That’s today. Maybe tomorrow it would be a dusty rose , or a sunny yellow . A chameleon perhaps?

2. If you were a flower (or plant), what would you be?

A pot of rosemary, inside for the winter, outside in summer, adding taste and aroma to everyday life. (Alas…I do not have a green thumb so my pot of rosemary died.)
3. If you were an animal, what kind would you be?

I’m afraid lots of people are going to say this, but…a cat. Home-loving, not usually energetic but capable of furious activity, likes people but also likes solitude. And they are all so pretty!
4. If you were a shoe, what type would you be?

I’m thinking I’d be this one , which I’m wearing right now. It’s an indoor shoe that can go outdoors, comfortable, durable, easy on and off, with a warm lining.
5. If you were a typeface, which font would you be?

Nicolas Jenson Italic. I liked it when I wrote headlines for my college newspaper, and I like it still. It’s both elegant and readable, two qualities to which I aspire.

Bonus: Anything connected with metaphors that you'd like to contribute.

Sorry, my mind is a blank. Sisterfilms’ work Internet was down, and she’s been calling me all day with requests to look things up!