kathrynzj over at RevGalBlogPals writes:
We're in the midst of 'it' and I'm hoping that it is not just me who is starting to get a bit overwhelmed. So for today I am asking for five quick picks of things that are good in your life. And as a bonus, 1 pick for a thing you could do without. If you want to describe them? Great. If not? That's fine too.
well, this is my second Easter, and I think it's been more frantic than the first because I was so prepared for last year to be overwhelming!
Things that are good in my life:
Kitties. 3 pound kitties who come and sit in my lap and climb on the keyboard or just sleep in the chairs in my study while I'm working.
Chocolate brownies -- made them for the lenten study last night and am enjoying the leftovers today!
Spring birds at the feeder outside my study window (in the snow, but we'll ignore that bit!)
Sermons that come together on Friday!!!
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
and things I could do without: feeling puny with way too much to do.
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.
1) Do you like to sing/listen to others sing? In worship, or on your own (or not at all?)
Absolutely! even when my vocal chords aren't involved, there is almost always a song in my head.
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.
Always had it. I know the words to many of the great old hymns and can have great difficulty with some of newly rewordings, especially when they change the meaning. I also love the ones that I know the harmony line for, I love the soaring joy of adding harmony!
3) Some people find worship incomplete without music; others would just as soon not have it. Where do you fall?
Worship is not complete without music. Unfortunately, I currently serve a church with no choir, and not a great deal of love for singing. but I sing enthusiastically, anyway!
4) Do you prefer traditional music in worship, or contemporary? That can mean many different things!
yes. I love the "sung theology" of the old hymns, and I detest the new 7/11 choruses. But some folks play the old songs too slowly; and many new praise songs have great depth and meaning (just try explaining why this song works/won't work to a musician who only cares about the tune!) Frankly, I think we need both.
5) What's your go-to music ... when you need solace or want to express joy? A video/recording will garner bonus points!
It depends on the day. Since we sing mostly hymns, I tend to listen to KLove. When I'm getting contemporary music in church I listen to hymns in the car!
SongBird at RevGalBlogPals posits the following Friday Five: 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.
Here they are:
1) Cake or Pie(Fruity! although neither is gluten-free :( ) 2) Train or Airplane -- as much as I flew for business for 15 years, I still don't like to fly. the crowds, the insanity, and the queasy part. 3) Mac or PC -- well, betamax wins again :) I might have to look into a mac once Logos finishes their Mac version, though. I did use a Lisa for a while back in 84... 4) Univocal or Equivocal -- oooh. Equivocal can be more fun, layers of meaning and such, but lately, especially in the church, we're talking past one another when we have different definitions and can no longer understand one another. I use analogies a LOT. 5) Peter or Paul -- or Mary! Sorry, smart aleck got the better of me.
Try not to pull on the big cat's tail when you answer. :-) Mreow!
Today's Friday Five over at RevGalBlogPals invites us to share five things we love--or don't--about summer.
1. Love: Blackberries -- the edible kind, not the cell phone kind! I used to love to go to the hill behind my great-grandmother's house and pick them! I'd come home with as much on my face as in the bucket (more in my belly!) and Mom would make cobbler. YUM! I also remember one day at the end of school, when I was 6 (?) I was walking home, which included a short stretch of dirt road which had, you guessed it, BLACKBERRIES! I got home around 4:30, Mom was frantic, I was confused. I hadn't gone anywhere but straight home. The fact that it took me an extra hour because I was picking blackberries didn't register on a little mind.
2. Don't Love: heat and humidity. I am a native Floridian, but hey, we Floridians know what AC is. These northerners don't realize that at 85 degrees and 75%+ humidity, one should have AC. Especially in churches and manses (that last bit could be personal prejudice).
3. Love: Vacation in the mountains. I'm headed to Presbyterian Mecca next week over the fourth of July weekend and a few extra days in the NC mountains. I spent several summers of my youth at a summer camp right down the road from PM, so it's kind of a homecoming.
4. Don't Love: Did I mention heat and humidity? We've moved services to 10 instead of 11, but it doesn't really help. I'm not wearing the Geneva gown, but I still wear a blazer, but maybe not this week. 88 predicted for Sunday. But I get more comments about my outfit than the sermon when I'm not wearing the gown... Do men deal with this? don't answer that!
5. Love: Veggies from my garden. OK. I was late planting because of the move, so I'm not yet harvesting, but the zucchini has blossomed and it looks like I have a couple of tiny okra pods, so, soon.
Jan over at RevGalBlogPals says: I'm late, I'm late, I'm late for a very important date!
As I opened up my computer this morning, I directly went to my blog and RevGals to see what the newest Friday Five would be! Nothing was here, which seemed odd. Then I went to look at the calendar and counted the Fridays, and it is the THIRD Friday! How did that happen so quickly? It's my turn, so here's a quickie:
1. Do you tend to be a late person or one who is timely, arriving on time or earlier? I tend to be a bit early, prevents the late thing.
2. Have you forgotten anything of importance lately? yes. I'm still getting into the rhythm of a new position and getting settled into the house. Some things are dropping through cracks. Working on getting that solved. not there yet. Luckily I was forgiven by the Ladies whose meeting I missed.
3. Is procrastination your inclination? Why or why not? For things I don't like to do, yes. sometimes on other things -- the sermon is not yet done, and here I am, playing the Friday five!
4. Do you like schedules or spontaneity? Which works best for you? mostly spontaneity, but with a structure -- so schedules, but not rigidly so.
5. How do you stay on track with the various things you need to, people you must meet, etc., etc.? See #2 above. :)
BONUS: Whatever comes to mind about forgetfulness or lateness. I forgot what I was going to write and now I've gotta run before I'm late.... :)
For this Friday Five let's ponder the various ways we work out (or not), physically, spiritually, and/or psychologically.
1. Do you work out physically, spiritually, or psychologically? (I'll let you define what that might mean to you) I do not work out physically -- I'm an Immagunna who never does. Spiritually/psychologically? Daily devotions and weekly sermons put me in contact with the Word which I probe and which probes me in return. I'm in my first call as a pastor, so all the things I have to deal with in the congregation system require me to examine my reactions and motivations and turn them over to God (usually multiple times because I keep taking them back) so, yeah, i think I'm getting a work out here.
2. Are you more inclined to join a gym, or a book club? Book Club. Definitely. Now that I'm out of seminary I can read for my own pleasure!
3. Are you more inclined to read self-help books like Gail Sheehy's "Passages" or spiritual books like Richard Rohr or Theresa of Avila? And if so, what is your favorite? Spiritual books. I just re-read Yearning by Craig Barnes (which helps keep all this "not quite good enough" in perspective) and read the Relational WORD.
4. Are you a loyal fan of a sports team? Or do you join the bandwagon when the local team is winning? And, if so, which one? Gators.'nuff said. Been a fan since I was in a onesie, back when they could scarcely get a win in a game, much less a season!
5. Or do you lean more toward having a favorite theologian/Spiritual writer or self help author and if so, who? And, why. I have not settled on a favorite, still reading many.
Bonus: What was the last play-off series you watched and did your team win? NCAA football and, uh, that would be a no.
Songbird at RevGalBlogPals gives us the following Friday Five: By the time you're reading this, I'll be en route to a Great Big City to see my son in a play. I'll go by car and bus and train and no doubt cab and maybe even subway. Thus, our Friday Five.
1) What was the mode of transit for your last trip? RV. We've had the RV for about 12 years now, and we took it on a long trip this past summer, with the cats, to visit my presbytery of care and get examined and blessed to look for a call, to Atlanta to shmooze at a national event in search of a call, to visit my family and preach in the church where I was baptized and confirmed, and then back up through Presbyterian Mecca in NC and back to current abode. 5 weeks total, although 2 weeks were a little more spread out in the family's house on the river.
2) Have you ever traveled by train? Yes, When I was a young lass, my Girl Scout troop took the train to Savannah to visit the Daisy Gordon Low home. As a business person, I took the train several times from DC to NY for business trips. Much more pleasant and efficient that flying for my locations.
3) Do you live in a place with public transit, and if so, do you use it? yes and no. It doesn't tend to go where I want to without lots of transfers.
4) What's the most unusual vehicle in which you've ever traveled? hmmmm. Here, I am boring. I don't even have any unusual cars to reference.
5) What's the next trip you're planning to take? A week from today, over to my church of care (5 hours each way) to be ordained.
