PreHoliday Prayer

Oh dear sweet Jesus,

the holiday blitz in on,

even before I  relish the day upon which to be thankful.

That crazy blonde lady Target ad,

who drools over the Black Friday flier, and works out in her pumps to get ready for the big shopping extravaganza (have you seen that commercial?)--it makes my stomach sick.

Even the UCC online store has a 25 Days of Shopping Specials, and each day I get an email highlighting the deal of the day.  Really?  UCC?   That is sinful.  

Now don't get me wrong,

I like me some UCC bling and I have had a love affair with Target since I was about 12,

but to overload

on the shopping commercials...

it's too much right now.

It's too much.

Oh dear sweet Jesus,

Forgive us,

forgive me.

Help me offer your peace, your hope, your quiet redeeming grace

in the midst of all the lights and glitter and show.

Amen.

just some random thoughts, cause it's Tuesday morning.....

It's Thanksgiving Week,
which means that the bulletin is already printed for Sunday,
and my colleague is away for the week,
and my other colleague will not be in the office after today,
and my beloved is on staycation all week,
which means that things are a little relaxed right now.

I am not on vacation or leave or anything,
but I am taking advantage of the down time to do what pastors don't get to do at leisure,
which is write and read and wonder....
drink coffee in the morning in pajamas, and
wander over to my office later this morning.  

I will get to deliver Meals on Wheels on Thursday.
Nice.
I will take Bubba to work with me.
(he really still has the stinky butt, though, so I think that is a sacrifice on my part.)
I will make some pastoral visits.
I will go to the Apple Store, and have a lesson on how to use this Mac computer.
(I can't remember a thing from the last time).

I will ponder Big Things,
like my call, and my options,
and will ask God to please let me know what is next.
I really, really want to settle in and down.
This feeling in my stomach makes me sad, a little, this unsettled thing.

I will Pray for My Loved Ones.
For my family,
for my adopted family,
for my sister friends...
and my brothers....
I will pray for them....because many of them are going through so much pain and disease and Big Life Stuff.

I will rest in my God,
and I will know that the heart of Jesus
is with me.
Amen

Friday Five, 11.11.11

Songbird asks us to reflect on 5 ways we go over the top, blast the volume to number 11.....Big. FAT. THANK YOU.  to Songbird for creating this FF!!!!

1.  Animals.  Oh dear.   It's a blessing and a curse to live across the street from a foster/rescue organization.
Both my beloved and I get hooked in at the strangest times.   However,  there are times we just need to, for the sake of the kitties (usually) or doggies (once in a while)

2. Books.  Piles of them in my office, my home, and on my Kindle.  Just waiting to be read.  

3. Shoes.  I don't have a ton of them, but shoes make me happy.

4.  Pizza.  This is unfortunate.

5.  hmmm.  I wish I could say yoga or jogging or something, but I can't.  I can't think of a 5th, which tells me I need to branch out a little more.   Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Do one thing everyday that scares you."   I like that.   Maybe I will try it.

Bubba

I've been spending a lot of time lately with a gorgeous big furry boy pit bull mix, who is in temporary foster care until we can find a forever home for him, or a more permanent foster situation.  

His original name was Jacoby.   Then he was renamed Tristan--a noble name, yes, but doesn't really fit him.   He is the most submissive dog in the universe--he laid down on his back to a lhasa aphsa dog in the park.  Really.   For awhile I have called him Dino.  He is huge.  

He is grey all over, with a little white.  Such a soft luxurious grey.   He is a close sitter.  Right now, he is curled up on my desk chair behind me.  I am hanging off the end to accommodate.  Silly, right? If I move to the chair next mine, he will move there.  He likes to snuggle.  

He smells like fritos and peanut butter, and a faint whiff of cat spray (lots of cats in his foster home--NOT my house however).   He wants to be friends, but they don't like him.  He has the scratches on his nose to prove the kitties' disapproval.  

Oh his nose.  It also is beautiful--sort of a purply grey.   And soft.  and wet.  and cool. 

He snores.  Like right now.  

In the car, he rests his great head on my shoulder.  

I call him Bubba.  At least today. 

I love him.  He makes me laugh.

Praying for some human to come along and fall in love with him too. 
Pray with me, please?

wow, my rhythm is....

...so busy these days, that my blogging has been been on the down low.
or non-existent.  

sigh. not the way I want to live!  

my work is busy--ministry is good.   I am incredibly fortunate to be working with a senior interim that is very collegial, and whose presence I enjoy.   I'm gaining a few tools for my toolbox, which is always good.    I love my congo so much....
and it is a possibility for me to apply for that position.
don't know if I can wait around that long, frankly...
so my heart stays open,
and I just pray for wisdom and discernment.

my dear, dear friend and animal sitter has found out her cancer has returned, and it is inoperable.   I hate this.  I am going with her today for her "teaching appointment"--what to expect when she starts chemotherapy.   please send her love and light....she is a special person.  you would love her, I know.

on the furry family front.
they just all crack me up, and make me laugh.   we have kept the momma kitty of the momma/kitten rescue of late August.   unless we find a really good home--she is a love bug.   the last two kittens went to their furrrever home last weekend....and so now momma is free to roam the house.  she has wrought terror in everyone--not skeered of a thing.   this has produced a few more passive aggressive pee puddles  around the house--hopefully this will fade away, sooner than later.  

ummkay.   I am watching Rocco the chef sing the zero calorie praises of that shiratake (sp?) noodle stuff.
it's made from soy or something weird--that stuff does NOT REPLACE spaghetti, people.   It's gross.   It stinks.  it smells like dirty feet, really.   but go ahead and eat it Rocco.  I am going to do 20 more minutes on the treadmill instead.   jus' saying.

that's enough randomness, bad capitalization and terrible grammar for now.

happy day to you.

a little hike and a nap.

so,
when you live in my home,
a staycation is pretty much impossible.
there is always a furry friend that needs something,
a floor to mop,
a countertop to clean,
an errand to run,
clothes to put up, and dishes to wash.
never mind those BIG. house. projects.

even though we took Friday-Monday off together,
we haven't really put the "cation" in "staycation."
we have managed a couple of long naps. (nice!)

today, we went on a hike with two of the doggies.
it was nice, they LOVED it.
we enjoyed it.

and we realized,
that next time,
if we want to feel like we are escaping on a staycation,
the hike needs to be
without the doggies,
in spite of how fun they are.  

i did get a pedi, though, today.
totally worth it.  doing a pedi for my feet is like putting lipstick on a pig.
but even piggies like lipstick, right?

tomorrow is more errand running.
please pray for my daisy, my firstborn sweetie dog.
her mouth (lips?) are swollen, and scabby from scratching--I just discovered this after her grooming yesterday.  she is a month shy of 14.
she hasn't shown she is in pain, has been spicy and happy, and stealing the puppies crunch and growling at her....
but if my lips looked like hers, I would have scabby cold sores all around my smile lines.

poor baby, I can't believe I didn't see this.

this evening,
we are watching football,
blogging, surfing...
gonna jump in the hottube,
and just relax.

as we should.

xoxoxo love to all.

how did this happen?

When did we get five SIX (really???) days into October already????

Sheesh. 

I am so behind in my work-a-strivia-stuff.  Yew.  

Howevah,
I am taking the weekend off.
I am bone-tired in so many ways, and I need a break.  

I had an interesting conversation last night.  Hmm, much to ponder and pray for.  It did, at least, give me some perspective.  And questions...and I need to remind myself not to be lured into magical thinking (in a bad way, not the good way).....I also need to remind myself not to be skeptical--because yes, it is that easy to be these days. 

Maybe I need to go laugh with God in a boat  and let go.

Yup.
Wish I could have a milky way latte about now  because I am sure it would be lovely and sinful.....
but it's too far away.

Instead, I will become my own desk fairy, and straighten things up.
Take good care of thy-selves dear ones!