wonders and reflections in God's presence

Yesterday I turned off the noise for a few hours.  From 8:45 until 4:00, I turned off the computer, radio, music, tv, and telephones.  And I took a silent retreat in my own home.  I spoke to no one but God; I read nothing but the Bible.

I didn’t realize how addicted I am to media.  After the first hour or so of getting myself out of the habit of checking email and new blogs, I settled into the silence.  It was good.  I heard everything more clearly … and I felt things more keenly.  The wind outside as it splashed pool water on my feet, for instance.  The silence brought me into the present more.  And it was good.

I had no earthshaking breakthroughs as to why I’ve been in a “funk” for the past few weeks … but, well, I guess it will pass in time.

News: 

• My parents have a contract on their house in New York.  It should work out that they will close on that house just before they close on the house in Pflugerville.  And they can move soon after.  Perfect timing!
• Katie has a job at Subway.  Dwayne and I ate there last night.  I am proud of my grown-up daughter.
• Katie is singing a solo in the Pop Show at Sterling on Thursday night, May 11.  Tickets are available at the door … or let me know and she’ll get them for you in advance for a bit cheaper.
• Dwayne and I will be attending the first worship service for the newest of our new churches.  Restoration Fellowship is a congregation launching in the Heights specifically designed for those who are in 12-step programs.
• Tomorrow I’m preaching and speaking at a “town hall meeting” at the Presbyterian Church in Port Arthur.  It should be a good morning.

I guess that’s all for now … have a blessed day.

OK … this is from Quotidian Grace …

Accent: A little New York, a little Michigan, a little Texas … but very cameleon.

Booze: sometimes I enjoy a good Margarita

Chore I Hate: hmmm … cleaning up other people’s dirty dishes

Dog or Cat: I’m definitely more of a dog person … we have two now:  Liesel, an eleven year old Collie; and Lizzie, a five year old Bichon.

Essential Electronics: my computer, my cell, and my palm pilot … do microwaves count?

Favorite Cologne: not into cologne

Gold or Silver: used to be silver; but I’m becoming more fond of gold.

Hometown: Holbrook, Long Island, New York

Insomnia: yeah, sometimes … though not too much lately.

Job Title: Associate General Presbyter for Evangelism/Renewal and New Church Development

Kids: One wonderful daughter who is graduating High School in less than a month … then heading to college in the fall.  I’ve also been host mom to five teenage girls from Korea, Germany, France, Thailand and Austria.

Living Arrangements: We bought a new house and put in a new heated pool and hot-tub last year.  I thought it was extravagent but since we’ve had two baptisms in the pool, I feel it’s all been blessed.

Most Admirable Trait: hmmmm …. lots of people call me visionary, though I don’t always see it.

Number of sexual partners: been happily married to Dwayne for 26 years …

Overnight hospital stays: 3 times when I was pregnant; once for my thyroidectomy

Phobias: nothing I can’t deal with.

Quote:
I can never quote anything right … and I can’t think of the good ones when I want them. 

Religion: Presbyterian

Siblings: two brothers

Time I Wake Up: it varies … sometime around 7 or 8

Unusual Talent or Skill: does decorating Ukrainian Easter Eggs count?

Vegetable I refuse to eat:  brussel sprouts

Worst habit: shaking my leg … it even annoys me.

X-rays: yeah sure …. lots

Yummy foods I make: I think I make the best New York Cheese cake!  Just got done baking a loaf of banana bread that smells good … other than that I’m a half-way decent cook on most things

Zodiac sign: Scorpio

Some of you know that I was a little depressed about Easter …

In the past, I would work hard on Easter. Preach 2 times; cook an Easter dinner; prepare Easter baskets and Egg Hunts. Often we had company … my parents, my brother, neices, nephews visiting from out of town. People from the church, friends, and a large leg of lamb.

This year no one came to town, I wasn’t working in a church, and Dwayne had to fly to DC a little after noon. Seems I’m a bit more traditionalist than I like to admit. I felt that the spirit of Easter was going to be far from me this year.

But, God has an amazing way of taking care, doesn’t he? After a good traditional Easter worship at First-Westminster … where I got to see and talk many of our old “Westminster” friends, I connected with many others, too. I kissed Dwayne goodbye about 12:30. Then Rahel, Katie and I played a couple hands of UNO and ROOK (games that the Easter Bunny left in their baskets). We had a good time, then, searching through my drawers and boxes of scarfs and hats for “spring-like” accessories — it was good old-fashioned girl stuff. When we were decked out … we drove a short drive to Saundra and Gary Smith’s house. They served us a delightful Easter dinner with their family. We watched as the kids played in the pool; then came home to our own pool and invited our best friends over for a splash. At 8:30 I realized these people needed to be fed … and we ordered pizza. Ate on the patio next to the pool. What a great Easter with both old and new friends! God is good.

I love eggs! Not so much to eat them … although, when I’m in the mood, they’re great. I love their shape and their image and their symbolism. I love the fact that they are both extremely strong and delicately fragile simultaneously. Everyone of them is egg-shaped, but each is uniquely different. I know this because I have spent years decorating eggs Ukrainian style for Easter. Yesterday I got out all the supplies and decorated eggs from 10 am ’til 10 pm straight. I only took breaks to eat a sandwich or a piece of cheesecake. I had sent out an email to some women friends announcing that I would be doing eggs on Friday and inviting them to stop in and either watch or try one or two themselves. I was very happy that five people stopped by. Saundra, Chalisa, Sarah, Rahel, Katie,DeeDee and Tanya all gave it a try. And in that time, I decorated a whole five eggs of my own. Four of them are in the picture above.

Chalisa, an AFS student from Thailand, asked me, “There is just one thing no one can explain to me; why do you have eggs for Easter?” Chalisa is going to miss Easter with the Dickens because she and another Thai friend are going to the Thai temple (Buddhist) on Sunday for the Thai new year celebration. She really doesn’t know about Christian holidays and didn’t understand the egg and bunny at all. How does that relate to the Christian story?

You know … it’s just like the Christmas tree … remember? These are NOT Christian symbols at all. They are ancient pagan symbols. In Eastern Europe, for example, in the centuries before Christianity arrived, the people worshipped the sun and nature. Spring was a natural fertility holiday to the gods. It was a time of celebration in that the days were getting longer, the trees and flowers would be blooming soon, and it was a season of … you got it, fertility! The egg symbolized fertility and good luck throughout the year. When the countries were Christianized the adopted the ancient pagan rituals of decorating and giving eggs and added some Christian symbols in the decoration. Some have said, well, the egg is still a symbol of new life and the shell reminds us of the grave Jesus rose out of. I think that’s a bit far-fetched myself. The egg is really a very feminine image of life and prosperity. That’s another reason I like them so much. We, Christians, just adopted the secular/pagan cultural ritual and called them “Easter Eggs”. I love understaning the relationship between faith, ritual, and culture … this is yet another reason I love these eggs so much.

Easter, of course, is the holiest day of the Christian calendar. You wouldn’t know it though by our culture. We tend to put a lot more money and tradition into Christmas than Easter. But, really, Easter is what Christianity is all about. The promise of life out of death; the resurrection-hope that God’s way is always far better than what we can perceive at the moment.

When I decorate the eggs .. I think and pray about those things … I re-dedicate my life with each egg … wow! God is good! And I love participating in that goodness.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Here is a link to the CBS News story today on the emergent church …
CBS News clip

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