Last week, I went to our adult study group which meets between services at 9:15 AM. You're probably bored with hearing that I'm not a morning person and how I struggle to get anywhere before 11:00 AM. The class finished the Walter Bruggemann DVD series, and moved on to a series of lessons by Bishop N. T. Wright of the Anglican Diocese of Durham in the UK. I don't know the name of the series, but Bp. Wright's words are interspersed with scenes from a movie or video on the life of Jesus. The first lesson was on the scandal of Jesus.
One scene in the film showed Jesus dancing at the wedding of Cana, and I loved that. At Mary's request, he made more wine for folks who had already drunk up all the wine, although he was not yet ready to begin his miracle ministry. Bp. Wright pointed out other ways that Jesus scandalized the people of the time, such as spending time with all the wrong people of his day, the prostitutes, the tax collectors. He touched the unclean; he worked on the Sabbath.
All well and good. It seems to be a good series, but I will probably not be attending the classes, because of the 9:15 AM time. I made a heroic effort (for me) for Bruggemann, because I loved his teachings and because they stimulated such lively discussions afterward.
At Lambeth, Bp. Wright said this:
“George Bush said he was going to invade Iraq. Everyone told him not to because there would be consequences, but he did it anyway.
“The Americans floated the balloon in 2003 when they consecrated Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. They knew exactly what they were doing then and they know exactly what they are doing now. They knew it would be unacceptable to the majority of the Communion. They are doing exactly as they please.”
He continued: “Either the rest of the world caves in or someone has to stand up to them.”
That's quite a leap, isn't it? Bush - Iraq - consecration of Bp. Gene Robinson.
In addition, Bp. Wright was a principal contributor to the Windsor Report, which somehow morphed into rules that the entire Anglican Communion must live by.
As Bishop Martin Barahona, the primate of Central America, said, "The Windsor Report," he said. "It’s just a report. When did it become like The Bible?"
Exactly. I hope that it dies a peaceful death.
I'm told that Bp. Wright is a fine Scripture scholar, and perhaps he is, but as he talked of the scandal that Jesus was, I was thinking about his actions and his words, and that put me off the series and discouraged me from making the heroic effort to be at church at 9:15 AM.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
This Is Not Blogging, Either
Kirkepiscatoid has left a new comment on your post "Addicted Again!":
Mimi, it was the mere act of "giving yourself permission to take off" that did the trick. It reminds me of a funny story of my late grandmother....
Granny, when we took car trips on vacation, would INEVITABLY get constipated. I think she just had a thing about pooping in her own toilet instead of all the strange toilets who God-knew-who sat upon.
After a couple days of this, she would say, "I have to buy Ex-Lax." Ok, so we would find a Walgreens or something and she would buy some. But she NEVER had to take it. It was the mere act of BUYING it that would end her constipation, just knowing she COULD end it by taking the laxative.
When she died, I think there were like 25 boxes of unused, unopened Ex-Lax in her medicine chest. Now why she just didn't BRING last year's box on vacation is beyond me, but I decided it was the purchase of it, not the presence of it!
Basically, you just bought a box of Blog-Lax and voila! No more blog constipation!
Too good to be hidden in the comments, don't you think? Kirke, what a nice way to say, "You're full of shit." You are soooo right.
Mimi, it was the mere act of "giving yourself permission to take off" that did the trick. It reminds me of a funny story of my late grandmother....
Granny, when we took car trips on vacation, would INEVITABLY get constipated. I think she just had a thing about pooping in her own toilet instead of all the strange toilets who God-knew-who sat upon.
After a couple days of this, she would say, "I have to buy Ex-Lax." Ok, so we would find a Walgreens or something and she would buy some. But she NEVER had to take it. It was the mere act of BUYING it that would end her constipation, just knowing she COULD end it by taking the laxative.
When she died, I think there were like 25 boxes of unused, unopened Ex-Lax in her medicine chest. Now why she just didn't BRING last year's box on vacation is beyond me, but I decided it was the purchase of it, not the presence of it!
Basically, you just bought a box of Blog-Lax and voila! No more blog constipation!
Too good to be hidden in the comments, don't you think? Kirke, what a nice way to say, "You're full of shit." You are soooo right.
Addicted Again!
All right, it was a joke. I'm a joke. I've lapsed back into my addiction. I can't resist this from Frank Rich in the NYT on the Republican meltdown and blame game:
In defeat, the party’s thinking remains unchanged. Its leaders once again believe they can bamboozle the public into thinking they’re the “party of Lincoln” by pushing forward a few minority front men or women. The reason why they are promoting Palin and the recently elected Indian-American governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, as the party’s “future” is not just that they are hard-line social conservatives; they are also the only prominent Republican officeholders under 50 who are not white men. The G.O.P. will have to dip down to a former one-term lieutenant governor of Maryland, Michael Steele, to put a black public face on its national committee.
....
The only other widespread post-election conservative ideas are Bush 2000 retreads (market-based health care and education reform). Jindal offers generic gab about how the party must offer Americans “real solutions” and “substance,” but he has yet to offer a real solution to his own state’s gaping $1 billion budget shortfall. Indeed, the only two “new” ideas that the G.O.P. is pushing in defeat are those they condemn when practiced by Democrats: celebrity and identity politics. Palin’s manic post-election publicity tour, which may yet propel her and “the first dude” to “Dancing With the Stars,” is almost a parody of the McCain ad likening Obama to Paris and Britney. Anyone who says so is promptly called out for sexism by the P.C. police of the newly “feminist” G.O.P.
It's about Louisiana's main man, Gov. Bobby Jindal. How could I resist? It's also quite funny. Jindal is careful about his political career. If Obama has a fairly successful presidency, I predict that Jindal will not run in 2012 against a sitting president. He'll wait until 2016.
In defeat, the party’s thinking remains unchanged. Its leaders once again believe they can bamboozle the public into thinking they’re the “party of Lincoln” by pushing forward a few minority front men or women. The reason why they are promoting Palin and the recently elected Indian-American governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, as the party’s “future” is not just that they are hard-line social conservatives; they are also the only prominent Republican officeholders under 50 who are not white men. The G.O.P. will have to dip down to a former one-term lieutenant governor of Maryland, Michael Steele, to put a black public face on its national committee.
....
The only other widespread post-election conservative ideas are Bush 2000 retreads (market-based health care and education reform). Jindal offers generic gab about how the party must offer Americans “real solutions” and “substance,” but he has yet to offer a real solution to his own state’s gaping $1 billion budget shortfall. Indeed, the only two “new” ideas that the G.O.P. is pushing in defeat are those they condemn when practiced by Democrats: celebrity and identity politics. Palin’s manic post-election publicity tour, which may yet propel her and “the first dude” to “Dancing With the Stars,” is almost a parody of the McCain ad likening Obama to Paris and Britney. Anyone who says so is promptly called out for sexism by the P.C. police of the newly “feminist” G.O.P.
It's about Louisiana's main man, Gov. Bobby Jindal. How could I resist? It's also quite funny. Jindal is careful about his political career. If Obama has a fairly successful presidency, I predict that Jindal will not run in 2012 against a sitting president. He'll wait until 2016.
Clarification On The Blogging Break
When I first began blogging, I wrote what I really wanted to write. By some unfathomable aligning of the stars, I became what I considered a "success" as a blogger. People read and responded in numbers beyond what I ever believed possible.
Then, at some point, blogging morphed into what I should write, rather than what I wanted to write. This or that cause was so good and important that I must write about it. The pressure was on, but who was putting pressure on me? Me, myself, and I, that's who.
Then, as my readership increased, the desire for even more readers began to creep into my motivation for writing. I'm embarrassed to say that. It's shameful, but it's true. I was a success, and I wanted to be even more of a success. But what is success, and what is it worth, if your motivation becomes skewed so that success means more than loving what you do? I stopped loving what I was doing.
The intrusion of the blog into my everyday life began to get out of control. I had to write about this, and I had to write about that, and I had my online public to whom I was responsible, but my relationships with the real people in my life suffered for it. I tried to cut back, but I could not, and thus I came to the conclusion that I must stop altogether, at least for a while.
When and if I start blogging again, (and I probably shall) I want to enjoy it. I don't want to feel pressured to write at all, not even about excellent causes, unless the cause is what I want to write about. There are many good folks out there writing about those causes, and I must accept that I cannot save the world. And I never, ever want to let numbers of readers and responses in the comments effect what I write again.
Then, at some point, blogging morphed into what I should write, rather than what I wanted to write. This or that cause was so good and important that I must write about it. The pressure was on, but who was putting pressure on me? Me, myself, and I, that's who.
Then, as my readership increased, the desire for even more readers began to creep into my motivation for writing. I'm embarrassed to say that. It's shameful, but it's true. I was a success, and I wanted to be even more of a success. But what is success, and what is it worth, if your motivation becomes skewed so that success means more than loving what you do? I stopped loving what I was doing.
The intrusion of the blog into my everyday life began to get out of control. I had to write about this, and I had to write about that, and I had my online public to whom I was responsible, but my relationships with the real people in my life suffered for it. I tried to cut back, but I could not, and thus I came to the conclusion that I must stop altogether, at least for a while.
When and if I start blogging again, (and I probably shall) I want to enjoy it. I don't want to feel pressured to write at all, not even about excellent causes, unless the cause is what I want to write about. There are many good folks out there writing about those causes, and I must accept that I cannot save the world. And I never, ever want to let numbers of readers and responses in the comments effect what I write again.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
I Need A Break
The election is over. I'm burned out from advocating for causes for the time being. I'm burned out for a lot of things. I don't really know what I'm doing on my blog any longer. My whole blogging enterprise seems a little crazy right now, and I need some time to sort things out. Maybe instead of being so scatter-shot in my posts, I need more focus.
I'm taking a break for a while. I don't know for how long. It could be for a few days. It could be for a few weeks or longer. I could very quickly get the urge to start up again. I can't say really.
The blog will stay up, but the comments will be turned off for now. If you want to reach me, email me. Remember that I'm not giving up my real life and virtual friends, just the blog. I still love you all. Whatever is good about Wounded Bird, you've helped make it so. See you around the intertubes, but not here for a while.
I'm taking a break for a while. I don't know for how long. It could be for a few days. It could be for a few weeks or longer. I could very quickly get the urge to start up again. I can't say really.
The blog will stay up, but the comments will be turned off for now. If you want to reach me, email me. Remember that I'm not giving up my real life and virtual friends, just the blog. I still love you all. Whatever is good about Wounded Bird, you've helped make it so. See you around the intertubes, but not here for a while.
From North Texas Episcopalians
From Katie Sherrod at Desert's Child:
A STATEMENT FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE NORTH TEXAS EPISCOPALIANS
The Steering Committee North Texas Episcopalians laments the divisive and uncanonical actions taken at the 26th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth today.
Bishop Jack Iker and his adherents, no longer comfortable in the Episcopal Church, tried to remove the entire diocesan structure, including real estate, from the church and align with another Anglican province based in South America. The Constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church do not permit such actions, and we anticipate a lengthy legal engagement to sort out the issues created by this action today.
Though the bishop and his colleagues are departing the Episcopal Church today, many Episcopalians in the diocese will not, and the remaining Episcopal laity, clergy, and congregations will move soon to reorganize the diocese as a fully involved entity of the Episcopal Church in union with its General Convention. We acknowledge the authority of the Most Rev Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop. The Episcopal Church’s work of Christian ministry and evangelization will go forward as Episcopalians worship and work together within the context of the Church’s historical faith, creeds, and Holy Scriptures.
Read the rest at Katie's website and scroll down to read her other posts on the convention in Fort Worth - the Statement from Fort Worth Via Media, how the voting went, Bp. Iker's address.
Those who chose to remain within the Episcopal Church in Fort Worth exhibited great courage.
Let us pray for Fort Worth Via Media:
O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let us pray for those who chose to leave. It's sad, but it's no surprise.
A STATEMENT FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE NORTH TEXAS EPISCOPALIANS
The Steering Committee North Texas Episcopalians laments the divisive and uncanonical actions taken at the 26th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth today.
Bishop Jack Iker and his adherents, no longer comfortable in the Episcopal Church, tried to remove the entire diocesan structure, including real estate, from the church and align with another Anglican province based in South America. The Constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church do not permit such actions, and we anticipate a lengthy legal engagement to sort out the issues created by this action today.
Though the bishop and his colleagues are departing the Episcopal Church today, many Episcopalians in the diocese will not, and the remaining Episcopal laity, clergy, and congregations will move soon to reorganize the diocese as a fully involved entity of the Episcopal Church in union with its General Convention. We acknowledge the authority of the Most Rev Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop. The Episcopal Church’s work of Christian ministry and evangelization will go forward as Episcopalians worship and work together within the context of the Church’s historical faith, creeds, and Holy Scriptures.
Read the rest at Katie's website and scroll down to read her other posts on the convention in Fort Worth - the Statement from Fort Worth Via Media, how the voting went, Bp. Iker's address.
Those who chose to remain within the Episcopal Church in Fort Worth exhibited great courage.
Let us pray for Fort Worth Via Media:
O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let us pray for those who chose to leave. It's sad, but it's no surprise.
Thibodeauxville
Thibodeauville is an annual festival in downtown Thibodaux to remind the folks who live here that we still have a downtown area with shops and restaurants. We are not restricted to shopping at the big box stores and chain restaurants on North Canal Boulevard, an area of bloated blight from the day that it developed. Sadly, many of the locally owned businesses have closed, because they could not compete with the big box stores.
Grandpère and I went last Saturday, a beautiful day, sunny and cool. We had lunch there. GP had pastalaya, which is jambalaya made with pasta instead of rice, and I had a crab cake on a bun. Then we walked around, chatting with folks we knew along the way, looked at the cars and the arts and crafts, where I bought four hand towels, each embroidered with a different fleur-de-lis. However, I bought them as gifts, so I'm giving them away. We listened to the music for a while. Then, we came home.
The Booths
The booths are for sellers of arts and crafts.
The Food Tents
For food and food and food. Shown below is a sign featuring the kind of food offered at the festival.
Display Of Old Cars And Trucks
The truck pictured is a 1957 Chevrolet truck. On our little farm in New Roads, we have a 1964 Chevrolet truck, which closely resembles the truck in the picture.
Music And Dancing
The girls are line dancing.
God Was There
Jesus Was There
Nancy Drew's Sporty Maroon Roadster
I know. This one is purple, but it's close enough. And I also know that in some of the stories, the roadster was blue.
Cute Dogs
Last, but, most certainly, not least. What can I add? Awww.
Grandpère and I went last Saturday, a beautiful day, sunny and cool. We had lunch there. GP had pastalaya, which is jambalaya made with pasta instead of rice, and I had a crab cake on a bun. Then we walked around, chatting with folks we knew along the way, looked at the cars and the arts and crafts, where I bought four hand towels, each embroidered with a different fleur-de-lis. However, I bought them as gifts, so I'm giving them away. We listened to the music for a while. Then, we came home.
The Booths
The booths are for sellers of arts and crafts.
The Food Tents
For food and food and food. Shown below is a sign featuring the kind of food offered at the festival.
Display Of Old Cars And Trucks
The truck pictured is a 1957 Chevrolet truck. On our little farm in New Roads, we have a 1964 Chevrolet truck, which closely resembles the truck in the picture.
Music And Dancing
The girls are line dancing.
God Was There
Jesus Was There
Nancy Drew's Sporty Maroon Roadster
I know. This one is purple, but it's close enough. And I also know that in some of the stories, the roadster was blue.
Cute Dogs
Last, but, most certainly, not least. What can I add? Awww.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Feast Of The Consecration Of Samuel Seabury
Samuel Seabury was the first bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. During the colonial period and after the end of the Revolutionary War, the church in the United States had no bishops. Candidates for the priesthood had to travel to England to be ordained before the war, an arduous journey. After the war, the situation was the same, and the requirement that all candidates for ordination swear an oath of loyalty to the British crown became an impediment to sending American candidates to England for ordination. The church in the United States needed a bishop.
Samuel Seabury was chosen to be the first bishop, but, again, because of the oath of loyalty, he went to Scotland, rather than to England, to be consecrated bishop by two bishops of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, which was no longer the established church, and therefore did not include the loyalty oath to the British crown in the ceremony.
James Kiefer at the Lectionary has more information on Seabury.
READINGS:
Psalm 133 or 33:1-5,20-21
Acts 20:28-32
Matthew 9:35-38
PRAYER
We give you thanks, O Lord our God, for your goodness in bestowing upon this Church the gift of the episcopate, which we celebrate in this remembrance of the consecration of Samuel Seabury; and we pray that, joined together in unity with our bishops, and nourished by your holy Sacraments, we may proclaim the Gospel of redemption with apostolic zeal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Note: Reposted from last year on the feast day.
Happy Birthday, Prince Charles!
From the Guardian:
For many men, a 60th birthday is a time for reflection; a winding down of activities, handing over to the kids (passing on the family firm, perhaps), looking forward to retirement.
Not so for the Prince of Wales, whose birthday it is today. All his life, since the age of three, he has been readied for the day when he will succeed his mother. It could happen maybe next week, maybe next year, maybe not for another 20 years. The Queen is fitter than her mother was at the same age, and she lived on to be 101.
Abdication is not written into the royal DNA and so, barring accidents or long-term, incapacitating illness to the Queen, Charles also serves by only standing and waiting. He is already the oldest Prince of Wales and third-longest serving heir-apparent and, in another five years, he would be the oldest person to become king.
Imagine spending one's whole life "only standing and waiting". Retirement before he's ever had a job and may never have a job? I meant to do a serious post on Charles' birthday for my friends from England and the countries of the Commonwealth, but as I saw the official picture and read the article, I began to laugh. The end result is mainly satirical. I blame the Guardian and extend apologies to all his admirers.
Look at the official portrait. It's a flattering picture, showing him at his best, but - really! Isn't the Gilbert and Sullivan uniform a bit over the top? I know it is a real uniform, but still....
And his life. Waiting since he was three years old to be king. The once and future king - not! He could be doddering by the time he takes the throne, or it may never happen.
He seems more settled since his marriage to Camilla, although, it is reported that they quarrel a good bit. However, they get over the arguments and are friends again soon enough.
He has practiced and promoted organic gardening for many years now. His charity work includes sponsoring a trust for educating disadvantaged children, and he speaks out for preserving the environment - all good things, surely.
Charles does not use computers. He prefers long hand-written notes or communicating by phone. His life is presently more peaceful than in tumultuous times past. As the article says:
But now the turmoil is over: he has married the woman he loved all along, his sons are grown and tucked away in the armed services, his charities flourish and, mention it gently, some of his pet causes - the environment, organic farming, human-scale architecture, improving interfaith relations - no longer seem quite so wacky after all.
Happy Birthday, Prince Charles! And many more to you - standing and waiting.
“God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts. Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o’er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.”
John Milton
UPDATE: If you think I'm bad, watch the video at the site on the Guardian's cartoonist, Steve Bell and how he was able to capture Charles in his drawings.
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