Friday, December 12, 2008

The Best Gift I Could Give

The following is a paragraph written by my 8 year old nephew Jonathan, who I affectionately call Butterbean. Bean had to write on the topic "The Best Gift I Could Give." This is what he wrote:

If I could give a gift I would give a present of care and give it every day. First, I would care for animals. For example, homeless dogs, I would give them food, water, and shelter. Second, I’ll care for homeless people by giving them water and food during the holidays. Last, I will care for my family by being kind and helping out for example I would do my chores like emptying the dishwasher. That’s the best gifts I could give.

I am so proud of Butterbean! He also had some great pictures to go with his paragraph, but I couldn't figure out how to load them. :(

Blessings to you all in this Advent Season. Sorry for the lack of posts. As I explained to our good friend Mira......new job+ordination paperwork due Jan 7=no blogging. See you in the new year!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Apple...HOLLA!!!

Last Friday my good buddy Grace and I met halfway (her from the Milwaukee area and me from Chicago) at the Apple Holler in Wisconsin. The Apple Holler is a restaurant, apple orchard, petting zoo, corn maze...basically, everything that is fall in the Midwest. We ate a delicious lunch and then went apple pickin'.


We picked tart and sweet Cortland apples, mild Macoun apples, and gorgeous Asian pears.


It was a beautiful day with warm sun...that seemed to get warmer as the picking went on.


Grace found a lovely, interesting mushroom.


We came home with quite a bounty....lots of delicious fruit. I thought I would make apple and pear butter. But I just can't help eating them just as they are.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Facebook is awesome!

Ok...so I know that I have been that person who doesn't always believe the internet is all that great. In college I said that email would never catch on, and of course now I can't live without it. However, in the last couple of weeks I have fallen in LOVE with Facebook.

It's fun and a good way to waste a little time. But the greatest thing is when old friends find you! This happened to me a couple of weeks ago....

I met Nigel the summer before my senior year in high school. I was part of the New Orleans Youth Action Corps (NOYAC), which was an environmental service program run by AmeriCorps. Nigel was the office worker, and I was a corps member. We hit it off right away, even though we came from different neighborhoods, experiences, etc.

We hung out a bunch my senior year, and then life happened. I can't even remember why we stopped hanging out, but we did. We lost touch. I've moved a ton, and although I have thought of Nigel often, I had no way of finding him. Until a couple of weeks ago, when he found me on Facebook.

Now that's crazy awesome enough. But what's more amazing is that we live a mile apart! And we've gotten together twice since finding each other! He's married now to the beautiful Nancy, and they have an amazingly cute daughter Amalia. It's been so great to have him and his family in our lives. Nigel and Vince have a lot of common interests, which is great, and I can see us all spending a lot of time together.


The message here....HURRAY for FACEBOOK!!!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Almost Unpleasant

Yes, we're alive and well. Our last couple of months have been both wonderful and hectic. And basically, as much time as we both spend on the computer at work, we have lacked the desire to spend time on the computer when we get home. But there is also too much that is good going on in our lives to hinder us from sharing. First, though, I would like to share an almost unpleasant experience that we had the other day.

On Friday morning, Vince and I had the rare pleasure of walking together at the beginning of the day. Vince usually rides his bike to work, but the afternoon weather was going to be gross so it was off to the El for him. I take Fridays off, so I usually am not out and about in the morning. However, this particular morning I had a doctor's appointment in downtown Chicago, and I was taking the bus.



Anywho, we were walking along and enjoying each other's company and conversation, when suddenly we saw this...





Now this particular picture does not recreate the situation well. I was about to say, "Oh, look at the kitty." When I realized that this was not a cute little kitty, but rather a skunk butt...poised to spray. We had startled it, and we both took off in a short sprint. We spent the final block of our walk speculating about our day had we been sprayed! Vince would have called in "skunked" for work and would have to take his Greek quiz another day. I would have tried to explain to my new doctor that I don't normally smell this way, but it was unavoidable today.

Despite the fact that we live in Chicago, we have quite a bit of wildlife around us. Lots of squirrels, raccoons, and yes, skunks. This was our closest of our close calls so far. We are usually glad that we notice the skunks before Gumbo does!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Season of Pentecost - Dar Williams ~ I Had No Right

I keep thinking I will be able to make the time to write some more about this season's songs. And yet here we are a month and a half into the season, and all I've done is the initial post. So, we are into the time of the church year sometimes know as the season of Pentecost. In an older calendar (early to mid-twentieth century), this season served as a time to focus on the ministry of the Church empowered by the Holy Spirit.

I chose to start this season with the Dar Williams song, I Had No Right. It was April who pointed me towards this song. This song speaks about Catholic priest and anti-war activist, Daniel Berrigan. Through the lyrics of the song, Dar sings of the things that Daniel has gone through in the service of peace - the protests, the arrests, the trials, the misunderstandings. And the chorus repeats that none of it would have been done but for the love of God. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live in the kingdom of God - a kingdom without war, a kingdom where love of God and love of neighbor outweigh all else. Fr. Berrigan is certainly one of those who knows what it means to live in that kingdom. All that we hear in this song helps us to see what that kingdom will look like when it is fully brought into being. May we all find ourselves as empowered by the Spirit, burning with the fire of God for the justice that all deserve.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

A Reflection on Popcorn

Of all of the snacks in the world, crunchy and salty ones are my favorite. Most snacks of this sort I can no longer eat. But the one crunchy, salty treat that I CAN have is popcorn! I often have popcorn as part of my afternoon snack. Today, as I looked into my bowl of popcorn, I was amazed that I had never paid much attention to how interesting popcorn is (to me, anyway).




I don't always eat butter on my popcorn, but it does taste delicious that way. What I find so interesting about popcorn is how each popped kernel is like a snowflake...no two kernels look alike. Some are popped so well that no part of the kernel husk (I don't know what it is actually called) is left showing. Others only pop half way, and some barely pop and are resigned to be at the bottom of the bowl hoping you'll crunch on it anyway...which I always do.


Popcorn is simply delicious. I had a friend (you know who you are) tell me last week that she had popcorn and a half bottle of wine for dinner two nights last week. This is what happens when your hubby is out of town. Popcorn is fabulous! I also like to sometimes put Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning on it for a little kick.

Today, I'm thinking we need an airpopper, so that I make my snack a bit healthier...with a bit less salt. What's your favorite popcorn topping?

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Veggies...YUMMY!

Vince and I are always looking for ways to improve the ways we live on this earth. We recycle, even when it's not always convenient. We only have compact fluorescent light bulbs in our house. I've been going to the library instead of buying books...and y'all know that's a stretch for me! We're not perfect by any stretch, but we are trying to do our part.



So we decided to join a CSA (community supported agriculture) called Growing Home Inc (http://www.growinghomeinc.org/). They are a fantastic organization that provides job training and employment opportunities for homeless and low-income people within the context of an organic agriculture business. We split a box of organic veggies every week with our friends Wes and Charlotte. And this week we got our first box of delicious veggies. This week we got asparagus, kale, cilantro, arugula, beets, and spinach.

Here's Charlotte with beautiful, HUGE asparagus.
April being silly with beets.
What will Vince choose: kale or gelato?
It's Vince...gelato, of course!


Monday, June 9, 2008

Busy Weekend

We had a very busy weekend around the McGel household. First our friends Kim & Rob came for a visit. They were in town to watch a Jesuit friend of Kim's be ordained. Then they took in all the sights and tastes that they could squeeze into such a short visit.


We also had an ordination to attend. Many of our seminary friends were ordained at this year's Northern Illinois Annual Conference. Here are a few pics:
Charlotte and Wes and their parents
Teran and his friends & family
Wes & Charlotte looking fabulous!
Proving we were present for the 3-hour-long service
These were just a couple of our deacon friends who were ordained. It gives me a great pleasure to see deacons being ordained. I hope that next year will be my turn...God/BOOM willing.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Gumbo - 1; Us - 0

So after a week of absolutely lovely behavior, Gumbo went a little crazy last night. He has been so good when we crate him at night. He usually whines for about 10 minutes and then settles down to sleep. Yes, he wakes up too early for my taste, but we can live with that.

But last night....oh my, last night...he whined with the most painful whine for at least one and a half hours!!! We did everything we were supposed to do, but nothing worked. Finally, we just let him out of the crate, shut the bedroom door, and let him wander around in the bedroom until he finally curled up and went to sleep. The good news is that he slept until 6am this morning. The bad news is that we are exhausted and aren't sure how this is going to affect future crating.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Monday, June 2, 2008

Everybody Loves Gumbo

Yes...everybody loves gumbo the soup. But the truth is everybody loves our new dog Gumbo! We adopted him on Saturday, May 24 from a shelter west of Chicago. We saw many dogs that day and had planned to get a bigger dog. But as soon as we met "Sparks" (now named Gumbo), we knew he was the one for us. We almost named him Tumbleweed because every time you pet him, he rolls over for a belly rub!



Gumbo is a Corgi/Shelti mix who is 8 months old, but he probably has more breeds than just the two. Much like the New Orleans favorite, our Gumbo is a good mix of lots of flavors...sometimes calm, sometimes hyper...but he's always a sweetie! He doesn't really know how to play, but he found the toys right away and took a couple of them right into his crate! He's still got quite a bit of puppy in him, but we like that.



Gumbo loves other dogs, loves our cats (they do not return the favor), and is good with kids.


He's also pretty curious...always sniffing around finding a discarded chicken bone or some other snack. He also has learned to squeeze between the bars on the fence and has ended up in our neighbor's yard. Our "favorite" (read sarcastically) thing about Gumbo is his penchant for waking up at 5am! I know I'm a morning person, but that's ridiculous!



Here's Gumbo with the chocolate lab, Lucy, who lives downstairs. She's huge compared to him, but he loves to play with her all the same.



Gumbo loves everyone he meets...



But he's a complete mama's boy! Wherever I go, he goes. He's always got to be near me. I often sing "Me and My Shadow" when he's following me around. He is getting to know his name pretty well, and we couldn't be more happy about having him as a part of our family.



And just so you don't think we are partial to Mr. Gumbo, here is the beautiful Pandora...lounging in a sunspot.



Is she a glamour puss or what?!



And for those who never believed that we have two cats, here's the ever-elusive Luna.



Those mesmerizing eyes!

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Songs for the Journey: Season after Pentecost

As I mentioned briefly the other day, we have now entered into Ordinary Time in the Church year. This time exists outside of the special seasons and consists of counted Sundays during which we read through the bulk of the year's gospel. Of course, at times, having long periods of Ordinary Time can begin to feel rather "ordinary." Some Protestant churches in particular decided to create some seasons to break up what they saw as the monotony of the Ordinary.

The period between the Epiphany and Ash Wednesday became know as Sundays after Epiphany and sometimes the season of Epiphany. This whole period was given over to the showing forth or revelation of Jesus to the world. The period from Pentecost Sunday until late august was know as the Sundays after Pentecost or sometimes the season of Pentecost. This period focuses on the ministry of the Church empowered by the Holy Spirit. The period from the last Sunday of August until Advent begins was know as Kingdomtide. This time during the Church year focused on the principles of the Kingdom of God here on earth and our social responsibility. For the most part, these separate "seasons" fell out of practice after Vatican II and the adoption of the Revised Common Lectionary (though there has been some reclamation of Kingdomtide in recent years).

Since I was looking for an easy way to break up Ordinary Time to continue my Songs for the Journey series, I decided to use the alternate calendar, which I was able to find in a 1964 Methodist Book of Worship. However, unlike my list for Lent, I did not match the songs for Pentecost to specific Sundays. Instead, I came up with a number of songs that speak to the theme for the season that gradually move towards the themes of Kingdomtide.

Trinity Sunday
Ben Harper - Blessed to Be a Witness
Dar Williams - I Had No Right
Sweet Honey in the Rock - We Are the Ones

Stereo MCs - Connected
Depeche Mode - People Are People

Bob Marley - Redemption Song

Collective Soul - Shine

Tracy Chapman - Change

U2 - Grace

Indigo Girls - Hammer and Nail

Ben Harper - With My Own Two Hands

Tears for Fears - Sowing the Seeds of Love

Jack Johnson - The Sharing Song

Vienna Tang - Soon Love Soon

I'll run through these with you in the coming weeks. Until then, Peace.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Welcome Gumbo and Samuel!

Yesterday was a big day! Vince and I drove out to the country to adopt a new dog. His name is Gumbo, and he's a shelti/corgi mix. He's super cute and very sweet. We will be adding a picture soon. We thought we were looking for a bigger dog, and then we met this guy! He cuddled with us immediately and we feel in love!

We are also excited to announce that our good friends Jeff and Bridget had their baby last night. Mr. Samuel Aaron was born at a whopping 11lbs 13 oz! God bless Bridget. The family is doing well, and thank God he came three weeks early. Otherwise, he could have been a 15 pounder!

Hurray for new additions to our family!

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Songs for the Journey: Trinity Sunday

I decided to do my best to return to the Songs for the Journey series I began during Lent. Unfortunately, I was unable to prepare anything for the Easter season, but now that we have returned to Ordinary Time, I feel like I can again talk about the songs that speak to me along the way.

While the Church year is divided into several special seasons (Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter), the bulk of the year is given over to Ordinary Time. Now this does not mean "ordinary" the way we typically understand it. Rather, the word ordinary comes from the word ordinal, meaning numbered or counted. (Ironically our current understanding of the word "ordinary" comes from peoples' experience of Ordinary Time in the Church.) So Ordinary Time begins with the first Sunday following the Epiphany until the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, then the counting picks up again the Sunday after Pentecost going through the Sunday before Advent begins. Included in this time of the year are numerous feasts and holy days. In particular, the Sundays immediately following and preceding the other seasons are Baptism of Christ (First Sunday of Ordinary Time), Transfiguration Sunday (Sunday before Ash Wednesday), Trinity Sunday (First Sunday after Pentecost), and Reign of Christ Sunday (Final Sunday of Ordinary Time).

On Trinity Sunday, we celebrate the fullness of the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This understanding of God is meant to be relational and not prescriptive. In other words, the reference to the Father and the Son is about their relationship to one another and not a reference to gender or inherent maleness. In the Revised Common Lectionary this year the gospel reading is of the "Great Commission" from Matthew. In this text, we hear again about Jesus final appearance to the disciples before the Ascension, his return to heaven. He tells them to "go forth and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28.19-20b).

Now, this text has been horribly misused in the past to justify everything from holy war to forced baptism. But if we ourselves are truly following all that Jesus has taught and commanded us, how can we show others anything but love? We have been blessed by our relationship with Christ. If we want others to become followers of all that Christ taught, we must meet them where they are with the same open arms that Jesus greeted others, not by grabbing them but by loving them. Teaching them to love others the way that Christ loves others is the key. This is what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

The first song that came to mind when I read this passage was Blessed to Be a Witness by Ben Harper. Over and over in this song, Ben repeats how blessed he is. He ends with how he is blessed to be a witness(to the things he has seen and experienced). And I realize that I, too, have been blessed. I don't always think about all the ways in which I have been blessed in my life, but this song makes me slow down and think of that. When I think about the ways that I am blessed in my relationships with others, when I think about the ways love changes the world around me, I know that I am also blessed to be a witness - a witness to the love and grace that God in Christ has offered to me.

Glory to the holy and blessed Trinity, one God, now and forever!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

"I" Statements

My friend Traci had this her blog, and I (April) found it interesting and thought I would give it a shot. I would encourage you to do the same...


I am: ready to ride my "new" recycled bike.

I think: I could be a full time volunteer.

I know: what it feels like to be loved.

I want: to eat more locally grown produce.

I wish: I had time to read all day long.

I hate: that my family lives so far away.

I miss: Duchess.

I fear: being irrelevant.

I feel: ready for some "people time".

I hear: the leaf blower.

I smell: nothing...dang you, allergies!

I crave: a bubbly drink, like my flavored waters.

I search: my past for mistakes that need mending.

I regret: nothing at this time.

I love: Vince.

I ache: after Pilates.

I care: about the environment.

I always: listen to This American Life.

I am not: good at relaxing.

I believe: in the life transformed.

I dance: in the kitchen while I cook.

I sing: constantly...even, Vince will tell you, when I don't know I'm singing out loud.

I cry: at sappy commercials.

I fight: injustice.

I write: thank you notes. I think they are important.

I win: at cards.

I lose: myself in cookbooks.

I never: say never.

I confuse: Vince when I start a conversation out loud that has been going on in my head for a long time.

I listen: to my sponsor.

I can usually be found: reading the comics. "Cow and Boy" is my favorite!

I am scared: that I will miss my plane when I fly.

I need: a dog.

I am happy about: my brother marrying a great woman.

I hope: to be a mom someday.

I tag: all of the bloggers who read this.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Our Trip to New Orleans



Almost two weeks ago, my baby brother Jake got married in NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) to a wonderful woman named Robin. We LOVE Robin and are so glad that she married Jake. They met in Armenia when they were Peace Corps members in the same town. They have quite a story, and they are a great match. Vince and I were able to spend 6 days in my hometown celebrating with them. There are more to come, but here are a few pictures:



This is my cousin Heidi and her new husband Jeff. Vince and I stayed with them for the first night of our trip. Thanks, Jeff & Heidi!



Me and my grandmother Oma. She's 86! Gotta love those genes!



Silliness runs in the family!


Can't go to NOLA without seeing the white alligators!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Bodily Resurrection update

A week ago Sunday, my baby brother got married in New Orleans. So Vince and I made the trek south for almost a week. During that week I didn't get to do my regular exercise, but we did walk like crazy. Then when we got back, my allergies went nuts, and I spent the remainder of the week not doing much more than showering each day.

I was feeling discouraged about not meeting the weekly goals I had set. The sabotager in my head said, "Well slacker...you tried, but you may as well give up now. You haven't been perfect." There was a time when that voice would have gotten the best of me. Lately, one of my favorite phrases has been "Progress...not perfection." I took a look at my calendar and realized that I had three weeks left of Easter. 21 more days to celebrate the Resurrection, and I couldn't let that time go to waste!

So yesterday, I got up and took my multivitamin and turned on my Pilates dvd. To my great pleasure, I was able to do one of the exercises without the usual modifications that 30 or so days ago I had to make. Mari Winsor (my dvd host) was right...I was feeling taller, stronger, and more sculpted! I even did pilates again today...much to the displeasure of my sore abs!

The resurrection of the body is something we can continue to celebrate and work for. So, if you are still on track...great job. And if your sabotager is saying, "what's the use?"...tell it to take a hike...and then maybe you'll want to get out and take a walk too.

And by the weekend, I promise to have wedding pictures up!

Peace,
April

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Dearest Duchess

Our sweet little dog Duchess died on Tuesday, March 25, 2008. We only got to love her for 6 months, but we are glad for the time we had.

(This was taken her first day with us.)


Duchess came to us in October 2007 as a rescue dog. She had quite a story. She had been abandoned in an apartment when the tenants were evicted. She was found a week or so later. She was covered in fleas and had no hair from the middle of body to the tip of her tail. She had to have 8 teeth removed, and she was covered in scabs. It took quite some time for her hair to grow back.

She was quite the scraggly one until we got her groomed.



Her eyes seem to tell the whole story.


She never seemed to learn how to play with others. You could toss the ball and she would simply chase it and then throw it for herself. Her other favorite thing to do was to put the ball or chew toy on her blanket and then shake the blanket to throw the toy. She always made us laugh.

I think today is the first day I haven't balled my eyes out for this sweet girl. It didn't matter that she was with us for such a time, but we really loved her. She died in my arms after a nice long walk. She didn't want to come up the stairs to the apartment, so I carried her.

Those who met Duchess knew she was quite a character. She always wanted to be near everyone and was often underfoot so often that we would trip trying to avoid her. We had tons of nicknames for her...Duchess of Barrington, Duchess Kitty (you'll notice the picture of her sitting on the arm of the chair like a cat), Duchy, Duquesita, and on and on.



She loved to look out the window and would go to any lengths to get a good view!

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Easter ~ The New Beginning!

I must say that it was this song (Sunday Morning) by K-Os that pushed me to finally put together this playlist. The refrain repeats over and over "Everyday is Saturday night, but I can't wait for Sunday morning." It is such a happy and upbeat song, and I realized it fits perfectly into that transition between the emptiness of Saturday and the joy of Sunday. I heard or read part of an interview with K-Os, who spoke of the night life of Toronto and how everyone is so focused on the Saturday nights - the parties, the clubs, the hook-ups, etc. But there is just something different about Sunday morning that calls to us. Sunday hearkens back to memories of our grandparents' church and family meals. For us as Christians, there is also the sense that too often we get caught in the pain of Friday or the emptiness of Saturday. Every day of the week becomes a Saturday night - a time of excessive living in this world. But week after week, I find I can't wait 'til Sunday morning - Sunday when everything is made new, Sunday when we become aware of the risen Christ all around us, Sunday when we celebrate the joy of God's promises fulfilled.

Of course, I couldn't end with Saturday night. Even Mel Gibson threw a few seconds of Resurrection in at the end of his movie. Now that Sunday is here, we need to be reminded that Jesus is still here with us. Ben Harper speaks of the Picture of Jesus, which we keep with us "for the times [we] feel lost." Not only that but we ourselves are called to be a picture of Jesus. Though it may lead to our own crucifixion, we are called to continue to be a picture of Jesus for the rest of the world. We must listen to the prayers of those around us. We must use the gifts God has given us to be a blessing to those in need. As Christians, we claim to be the continuing body of Christ in this world. We are baptized into this body, and then the body is fed at the table. So this Sunday, and every Sunday, look at those gathered with you at the table to see a picture of Jesus. Then make sure that Jesus' ministry is carried on, so that others may know God's love.

Christ is risen indeed!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

The Triduum ~ The End...?

The Triduum, the last three days. Jesus has entered Jerusalem, knowing what is to come, while his disciples are still trying to figure it all out. This is where it is all supposed to happen. Passover...when we remember God's deliverance. Gathered in a small room, Jesus calls the disciples to serve others, to carry on all that he has begun. He again tells them that he will be going on without them, that they will have to continue the works of mercy and healing that he has shown the world. And this call is what I hear every time I hear Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. When the song asks if we will "be the savior of the broken the beaten and the damned?...Because one day, I'll leave you" I always think of Jesus' call to continue his work once he is gone. And I respond with the song that "we'll carry on" in the memory of the one who came to save.

Of course, it couldn't end there. Not all of the disciples were happy about things. If Jesus is the Messiah, shouldn't things be different? Why are we traveling around healing people and talking to the poor instead of kicking out the Roman oppressors? Judas had become disillusioned; why, we may never know (at least not this side of heaven). But out of his disillusionment, he betrayed the one he had also come to love. Ani di Franco's song, Dilate, shows just this sort of struggle, the struggle between love and disillusionment, between devotion and betrayal.

And then of course, there is Peter. After Jesus is arrested and taken away, Peter is "accused" of being one of his followers. He is afraid to admit it, and yet he is ashamed once he realizes his denial. I tried to imagine something in our contemporary world that evokes the same feelings of denial and shame. When I heard In Denial by Pet Shop Boys, I knew I had found my song and my example. The song portrays a father who denies that he is gay and feels ashamed both of his sexuality as well as his "need" to deny it. Throughout the song, his daughter tries to encourage him to be true to who he is. Even in a world with greater openness for all people, there are still those who feel they must deny who they are, while at the same time feeling great shame for their denials.

After Jesus has been arrested and abandoned by those he was closest to, he is tried, beaten and nailed to a cross as a criminal. I imagine this must have been the loneliest day of his life, to the point where he feels abandoned even by his Father. But at least he survives. It was a tough choice between two different System of a Down songs for Friday. Chop Suey includes some of the last words of Jesus, but ultimately Lonely Day spoke more of the sense of loneliness that I felt Jesus must have experienced.

And then we come finally to the loneliness of Saturday. It was all supposed to turn out differently. Jesus was supposed to be the one to change things, the Messiah, God's chosen one. But today, he is dead, buried, and the Romans are still in charge. As I thought of the sense of emptiness that the disciples must have felt, I thought of My Immortal by Evanescence. There is just something about the haunting voice, the sense of emptiness and loss, that speaks to what the disciples must have been feeling this day. And yet, in the midst of this we have the ability to remember that Christ is still here. The story hasn't ended quite yet.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Palm Sunday ~ Queen - We Are the Champions

Though many churches have begun celebrating the last Sunday of Lent as Palm/Passion Sunday, I decided that for the purposes of this list, I could actually keep the traditional feasts separate. Traditionally, the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem was celebrated on the last Sunday before Easter, and the passion was celebrated beginning on Thursday night. Of course, I think that "triumphal entry" is both highly accurate and extremely misleading. Palm Sunday is the day we commemorate the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. After his time of ministry throughout Israel, he enters Jerusalem amidst cheers and calls for God's saving strength. But this is where we come to the misleading part - Jesus did not come to lead a violent uprising. Everyone was expecting him to come in strength and power, and instead, he comes riding a donkey. So I label this song The Disciples' Song, because I feel it better represents their feeling on entering Jerusalem. Jesus enters in his power, but also knowing that the victory to come will not come as others expect. Jesus knows what the coming days will hold. The disciples, Jesus' friends that never seem to catch on, are the ones with the expectations of what this entry means. And so, much as my friends and I after winning an academic team competition, the disciples are entering town with the trophy raised high while Queen blares from the stereo...while Jesus again tries to help them learn what it means to be a servant king.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Resurrection of the Body Campaign

As many of you know the season of Easter begins next week with Easter Sunday. And during Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the victory over death.

What we sometimes forget is that Easter lasts not just one Sunday but for 50 DAYS. That's right...50 FULL DAYS! A few years ago, to celebrate the 50 days of Easter, I decided to "take on" something...sort of the opposite of "giving up" something for Lent. I decided that since we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus...the resurrection of the body...that I should spend the season of Easter trying to resurrect my body! So, I took on some exercise.

Well, I've decided that it's time to resurrect the RESURRECTION OF THE BODY CAMPAIGN. Won't you join me? Here's what's involved: For 50 Days beginning on Easter Sunday (March 23, 2008), add something to your life that will be good for your body. My plan is to add at least 30 minutes of exercise three times per week. I'm also considering giving up diet soda...that stuff can't be good for me.

I'm always more successful with these things if I have friends who are willing to join me. So, think about it....and let me know if you are willing to join in. Let me know how you will be resurrecting your body this Easter season. Will you take the dog on an extra long walk? Will you add a workout into your week? Will you watch less TV and get out more? Will you walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator? What will you do to join my campaign?

I am working on a calendar to hang in my house to track my workouts. If you'd like a copy, let me know. I can't wait to hear what kind of resurrecting you will be doing!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Fifth Sunday of Lent ~ U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name

One of the themes for the fifth Sunday of Lent is "God does a new thing." In other words, God is making all things new and the old ways of doing things pass away. Our criteria for measuring success are no longer based on earthly models, but on God. As I thought about this theme, I was reminded of a retreat that I participated in once. The theme of the retreat was Spiritual Formation through the Arts. During the primary presentation, our speaker was using themes from music to point to spiritual realities. He talked about the eschatological theme behind this U2 song. In certain areas of Ireland, he said, what street one lived on could say a lot about what camp the person falls into. Protestants live on certain streets and Catholics on others. So a person would be judged based on what street they were from. Bono's wish is for a place where the streets have no names, a place where these petty distinctions will no longer be used as criteria to decide who is in and who is out. This is the promised land that God is ushering in through the Messiah - a place where our differences are included but not used to discriminate. What a wonderful place that will be! So let us work together to "tear down the walls" that we have put up to divide ourselves.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Fourth Sunday of Lent ~ Indigo Girls - You and Me of the 10,000 Wars

The primary themes for the fourth Sunday of Lent are mercy and forgiveness. Of course, in a culture where we are not actually to blame for anything we do, what is the point of forgiveness? When we are not actually the cause of anything we do, where does mercy come in? The truth is that regardless of who is at fault, we are called to live in peace with one another. This requires forgiveness and mercy. When we see the pain in another's life, when we recognize our own participation in the sins around us, when we begin to discover the pain we carry with us from past hurts - this is where we find the need for mercy and forgiveness. It is difficult to start on the road to healing with obstacles in the way; mercy and forgiveness begin the process of clearing the road blocks that get in the way of our relationships with one another. This Indigo Girls song speaks well of both the fine line that we walk in our relationships with one another and the need for forgiveness. This song speaks to the constant flow of hurts - both big and small - that are a part of our relationships with one another - the 10,000 wars. But there in the midst of it all, we find recognition of mercy - the open arms inviting us back, even in the face of the wrongs we have done. So let us "sweep the ashes" away and enjoy the silence that comes when we cease to fight. "A moment of peace is worth every war behind us."

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Third Sunday of Lent ~ Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin

One of the primary themes for the third Sunday of Lent is repentance. Repentance involves a recognition of past wrong and a commitment to turning around and going a new direction. When we repent, we express our sorrow for our past sins and a desire to change for the better in the future. This melds perfectly with the lyrics to It's A Sin. The song recognizes that each of us is to blame for our own faults; if we have done wrong, we are the ones in the need of forgiveness. And through our recognition of our faults, we find the courage to seek that forgiveness from those we have wronged. The great news is that even when we try to do good and fail, God still offers us forgiveness. Even when we fail to learn from our mistakes, God's arms are open to welcome us back.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Second Sunday of Lent ~ The Pretenders - I'll Stand by You

The primary theme for the second Sunday of Lent is God's faithfulness. No matter how much we screw up, God keeps welcoming us back. God does not give up on us. While thinking of a song to represent this, I heard this Pretenders song on another CD I had put together years ago. If we put the words of this song into God's mouth, we can begin to get some idea of what Gods' faithfulness really means. It the midst of our pain and doubt, we can remember that God knows exactly what we are going through. In Jesus Christ, God became human and lived a life here on earth. He was born, he grew up, learned a trade, made friends, and dealt with love and loss. I am sure that along the way, Jesus also experienced guilt and shame and sadness. God walks with us, even when we don't know which way to go, and God will walk with us through the darkness (Psalm 23). So remember, when you are feeling overwhelmed, insignificant, and unworthy, God's arms are opened in welcome, and you hear God say, "nothin' you confess, could make me love you less."

Monday, February 11, 2008

First Sunday of Lent ~ Carl Thomas Gladstone - Just a Tempter

One of the themes for the first Sunday of Lent is the temptation of Jesus. The gospel lesson looks at the end of Jesus' forty day fast in the wilderness following his baptism. This was a time of preparation for Jesus to begin the ministry that God had called him to. It is also one of the primary stories that the Church has used to create the forty days of Lent. As his forty day fast comes to an end, Jesus finds himself in the presence of the tempter. The tempter tempts him to feed himself, to test God, and to take power for himself. Jesus is able to resist these temptations. We enter the forty days of Lent seeking to resist our own temptations. As I was thinking of a song to use for this day, I picked Carl Gladstone's "Just a Tempter" because he does such a good job of helping us to see the temptation of Christ in a contemporary setting. What are the temptations we have to deal with everday? I can't fully comprehend what it means to fast for forty days; I don't know what it would mean to be that hungry. But I have been tempted in other ways. By retelling the story in the way he does, Carl helps to make the story of Jesus' temptation real for me.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Ash Wednesday ~ Hoobastank - The Reason

Sometimes, trying to put Jesus in as the subject of a song is more than just a little bit cheesy (or maybe it always is). But in this case, I couldn't think of a better song for Ash Wednesday. The whole point of this song is recognizing our imperfection and the pain we have caused another. For those of us who are Christians, we recognize our imperfection in the face of Jesus and we know the pain that we cause others everyday, whether intentional or not. These others see our imperfections on a daily basis. But it is also through Jesus that we find the strength to change our lives. In Jesus, we are made new. Jesus is "The Reason" that we are able to become better people, for I think that those of us who have tried have recognized our own inability to create lasting change for ourselves. We need a reason, a model, a source of strength. Fortunately, Jesus is there for us. So, as we enter this season of penitence and renewal, I hope that you can hear this song and feel yourself thinking that you, too, have a reason for changing "who [you] used to be, a reason to start over new, ..a reason for all that [you] do."

Friday, January 25, 2008

Songs for the Journey: Lent

A couple of years ago, while getting some music together for a road trip, I noticed a mix CD of April's called Happy Advent! It was a CD that her roommate Courtney had given her. I think we were nearing Lent at the time, and I said, "I wonder what a mix CD for Lent would sound like?" It kind of stuck in my head. Then last year, as I was preparing a sermon for Lent, I was looking for a theme, and came across a list of themes on the General Board of Discipleship worship website for each Sunday of Lent. So starting there, I put together a playlist for each of the major days/events of Lent.

Ash Wednesday ~ Piety & Reconciliation
Hoobastank - The Reason
Lent Week 1 ~ Temptation of Jesus
Carl Thomas Gladstone - Just a Tempter
Lent Week 2 ~ God's Faithfulness & Our Resistance
The Pretenders - I'll Stand By You
Lent Week 3 ~ Repentance & Trust
Pet Shop Boys - It's a Sin
Lent Week 4 ~ Prodigal Mercy/Forgiveness
Indigo Girls - You and Me of the 10,000 Wars
Lent Week 5 ~ God Does a New Thing
U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name
Palm Sunday ~ Triumphant Entry (The Disciples' Song)
Queen - We Are the Champions
Maundy Thursday ~ Call to Servanthood
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
Judas' Song ~ Disillunsionment & Betrayal
Ani diFranco - Dilate
Peter's Song ~ Denial & Shame
Pet Shop Boys w/ Kylie Minogue - In Denial
Good Friday ~ Jesus' Song
System of a Down - Lonely Day
Holy Saturday ~ Loss & Emptiness
Evanescence - My Immortal
Easter Vigil
K-OS - Sunday Morning
Easter
Ben Harper w/ Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Picture of Jesus

I'll talk about why I chose these songs in upcoming posts. I am also planning to create playlists for the other seasons of the church year, but that may take me as long as this one did. :)

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Good Breakfast...Good Friends


Ed, Roger, April, Vince, Kristina, and Amy

We celebrated Amy's 26th birthday and new red hair with bottomless mimosa and bloody marys at Altas in Detroit. Anika, Charlie, Nate, and Jo-Ann were also there. Brunch was yummy...even if they were out of the chorizo! :) Two year old Nate chowwed down on some delicious corned beef hash and occasionally let his mom have a bite or two. It was a great day and a wonderful time with friends!

Amy & Anika

Jo-Ann, Amy & Kristina

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

BLAH!

Yuck! I (April) have felt horrible all day. Stomach virus. I can hear the collective "eeww" now. It's almost 3pm, and I think I might be able to sit up without feeling gross. My last board meeting is tonight, and I need to be on my game. I'm not feeling it though. Illness stinks...especially when you've sold your tv! What do you do when you are sick? Leave me a comment!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Our new Chicago home!

How's this for blogging power? Two days in a row? Some said it could never happen.

Vince and I officially have a residence in Chicago, IL. Vince signed the lease to this cute little two bedroom flat. We are on the third story.


We are in the Rogers Park neighborhood only a few blocks from the El (hooray!!! public transportation!!!) There are some major perks of this place, like laundry in the unit, new windows, ceiling fans, a garage spot for the car and a JACUZZI TUB! You Chicago folks should understand how it exciting it is to have all the above ammenities in one place.

In theory we are really ready to be residing in one location. This whole commuting between two states thing really stinks, but we aren't nearly packed enough for me to feel ready to move. The moving company is coming bright and early tomorrow to give us an estimate. Yes, we have graduated from moving ourselves. I guess when you buy a china cabinet, that's the moment you graduate! Or at least that's the moment when April finally says she's unwilling to lug the seriously heavy wood and glass cabinet up to the third story. Vince heads back to the D tomorrow to tackle the basement, two other rooms. Three weeks from today is my last day at work, and we have to be ready to move that next week. So, it's sneaking up on us.

If you want to see more pics of the apartment, just post me a note, and I will send you the link to our virtual tour.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

For Bridget...and who ever else visits regularly!

Well...much to Bridget's shagrin (sp?)...we have not been good bloggers. Just this week in one of my favorite comic strips (Candorville), the lead character Lemont was being berrated by his blog because it had not gotten very much attention and was hungry for words. I'm surprised that our blog is alive! Thanks for your patience, Bridge, and your encouragement!

So our darling Duchess has been groomed for the first time in God knows how long! And she's quite spunky now. Before we got her, we had no idea that Scottish Terriers were such proud dogs, but we could not believe the change in her after a good bath, conditioning, and a haircut. This is Duchess on our first day with her...



Now this is her after:


Here's a cute snowy beard shot!

Well, I sold our TV day before yesterday. Craig's List is great. So, maybe I'll be more blog-friendly now that I will have no other tool for procrastinating my packing!