Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Mission blog

There is a great blog that I can't recommend enough, Today at the Mission. What got me was an earlier post about setting up a feeding mission, where one has to acknowledge problems like trash and neighbors complaining, and my fav, opposing court orders. That's when the people you are trying to serve have court orders to stay away from other people who you're also trying to serve.
I love it because the author talks about Christ in this broken world. The world is broken. Maybe I read too much into it, but I read of Christ in those who hurt and need and suffer (Lord when did we see you hungry?), and in those who attempt to feed and help.

Organized religion

I like organized religion because the disorganized stuff gets on my nerves.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Superpower

I have two superpowers. One that I loathe and can't control, the other I love and can't control. Of course, the one I hate I get more of. The first superpower is static electricity. Yes, wearing a lot of wool does not help, but when the guys were playing with the volt-measuring thing we discovered I carry a higher electric charge than everybody else. [weakly] yea![/weakly] So I am constantly shocking myself and ruining electronics. I can't wear a watch (unless it is the springs and spokes kind). It would be neat if I could control it, build it up and zap people or things.... on purpose, as opposed to what I do now.
Anywho this morning I was full of energy, the zappy kind, and shocking myself.
But the reason I write was the other superpower came forth. My second superpower is the ability to find money on the ground. Free money. I found a nice crispy sharp $1 bill outside the Starbucks across from work. I decided not to put it into my pocket because if there was a beggar, I would give it to him. Strangely there was not a visible homeless person for two blocks, and when I hopped on the bus I put the dollar away.
I like the finding money power. My best finds was when I located L20 (now about $40) at a Tube Station in London with a fare card, but I turned it in to the station manager, and the $20 bill floating through the Dupont Circle Farmer's Market. Oh, no, I think the best best find, proving my power to me was at night, coming from RFK stadium walking with friends through the parking lot and I instinctively pick up a dollar bill. One swoop.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Jealousy

I'm jealous of Mk.
When we ride alone, just the two of us, sometimes we talk about religion and his faith journey. Anyway, we are talking and he's talking about his support network, all the people assisting him to find Christ and be a better Christian. And I'm jealous.
Well now. If I had the same buttinsky's earlier in my life I would have resented them. That was why I liked the Episcopal church, you like Jesus, cool, not too sure, that's cool too, sit back and enjoy our choir. That's why I left St. George's, they have a cool choir. TCotGL, yes, has a cool choir, but sometimes a bit too high altitude church at times.... I digress.
So now, at this very moment, I wish I had a little of Mk's support network. A little, too much and I'd probably run for the hills. I do have friends from church. Besides Spruce, we rarely talk of G'd.
Anywho, had to confess that.
Next deep question. Eat lunch at desk or go to cool restaurant to eat yummy, yummy, appetizer and remember how it is supposed to taste so I can make it home?
Lamb with yogurt defrosting in bag or cute waiters and Tuna tar-tare?
Lamb is pretty defrosted.
I'll eat it, and if I'm still hungry, $12 tuna.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Things I learn in Church

Did you know that you can like, pierce the back of your neck? I did not know that, until one day sitting in church behind a young man, with the nape of his neck pierced. Kids these days. I'm expecting to see someone get the idea to make the pierce jewelry in a pointy stud form and then make a pattern.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Closed communion, open coffee hour

That's what I took away from Dr. Ron Connor's last lecture at the CotRRBP. Closed Communion. Open coffee hour. I'd rather 'open bar', but sadly that would cause a whole set of problems.
The closed communion is, for one, to get away from the really bad, bad notion that the communion should be open to every one and their kid sister, regardless of baptism. No, according to Fr. Connor, the power of the sacraments flow from baptism. Without baptism and all that go with it, the communion is a light snack (my words not Fr. Connor's). I once argued with mummy briefly that you are not a Christian if you are not baptised. I still stand by that. You gotta get dunked or sprinkled (I think dunking is the way and a true baptism.... lingering bits of my Baptist background there).
On the open coffee hour, he mentioned something about the cliquish nature of it. Yup. So in essence it is the closed thing and the whole thing is just backwards. I could see how an open coffee hour could do more to evangelize than an all comers Eucharist. The purpose, for me, of the mass is to worship the Lord and remember his death and resurrection. Not an education for seekers. The lectures and events and programs where individual questions can be addressed and asked would seem more suitable. I learned very little of the Catholic faith by attending mass. I got some bits with the homilies. But where I really learned was in the RCIA class and more recently priest-led/produced podcasts. Places and environments of explaining the WHY one does, what one does at mass.
Still maybe an open bar if the only alcoholic choices are Chardonnay and Merlot.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Catholic mass is making me lazy, and still your issues not mine

Okay I got to the screamy baby service late. I should have left the house 10 minutes earlier than I did but I really didn't care. No really, did, not, give, a crap. I had already had the old & new testaments and the gospel from the priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Suffering with a homily, so the first 1/2 of the Episcopal service is nothing but a re-run for me anyways. Besides, the screamy baby service homilies, are only good because the potential for chaos to rein supreme gives it a kick. I got there pretty much at the end of the homily. As I wrote, re-run. 'Cept there was a chick telling the story and not a dude.
That was one of the issues I had to deal with after the Catholic mass when I and a friend got dinner at a new joint, round the corner from Our Lady. I asked to meet at the church because I saw no reason to head back to my house, meet there and then head back over to that part of town where there were eatery and bar choices. So because of the meeting outside the church I had to explain why my Episcopal self was doing at a Roman Catholic church.
I prefaced the part explanation with the fact that I tend not to vocalize my faith so I tend not to have the language to explain it well enough. Also, something I did not say, is that these things sometime come across as a challenge for me to convince the other person that RC is the true faith and answer all their questions. No, that's what a Catholic information service is for, do I look like a Catholic Information service booth, didn't think so. And once again, it tends to be other people's hang ups with the RC, not mine.
First question, how could you belong to a religion that says that women are unholy and too inferior to become priests? Good lord where do I start? There are several assumptions there, one being that I give a s**t about an integrated priesthood. I like the female priests I have encountered, but I don't really consider their femaleness essential to my salvation. I have no desire to become a priest, maybe a nun (different lifestyle and duties), but not a priest, so the whole female priests thing, not my issue. Also there are Catholic theologians, saints, teachers, etc who are women.
Then there was the priest sex-abuse scandals and celibacy. Knowing how much the RC church asks of its priests, church life can put a strain on family life. And sexual predators are attracted to certain vocations that put them in contact with children, like teaching and coaching and the priesthood. I have no major issue with priestly celibacy. If the RC ever decided to change that I gather they would take a cue from Eastern Orthodox.
I explained, the stuff he brought up were not my struggles with the RC and it is not like I haven't encountered the RC before. I'm getting annoyed (maybe it is the PMS) with having to address other people's problems with the Roman Catholic Church and the assumption that I haven't heard of or considered the cons. I am considering the cons, MY CONS. The issue of the Bishop of Rome as the head of the whole church, the RC churches past sins of indulgences and questionable theology that just seemed to ask for the Protestant Reformation and a variety of minor theological interpretations, not policies.
I also tried to explain the big Episcopal tent, not so well.
While I'm at it, what is it with this constant consensus vibe I keep getting. That we all have to be in agreement almost all the time. Can't we respectfully disagree and stick to the things we do agree on.
Ok this is getting long, I quit.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Good Curry

The smell of the lamb I cooked last night is still in the house and is haunting me. I want it for breakfast. I will have my usual breakfast of tea and crossants and if I still want creamy-yogurty spicy tender lamb, I will have a small plate.

Monday, January 01, 2007

NYE

Well Mk and Cs left here, hopefully well rested.
We deserted our first music venue for another quieter place, because Cs was getting a headache and I was getting the broken speaker effect in my ears. A band Mk knew of was playing on the other side of the District, so we hopped in the car and drove over there. We were still on the road when midnight struck.
We got to the restaurant with the band finishing up the set. The floor was carpeted but we danced anyway. There was a cover charge when I called but we got there with less than 30 minutes of the band and the staff didn't ask much of us. I ordered tea and the waiter refused payment. I left $2 which he never seemed to pick up.
After the band packed up Mk went over to do what he usually does and chatted up the musicians. Cs was slumped over on the bench, and later popped her head up and wondered where Mk was. I pointed over to the corner where the band was breaking down and she walked over in her satin semiformal, a bright bird among the rest of us black clad and casual dressers. In a few seconds time I heard piano music.
Cs played for about half an hour. A few rags, show tunes, a little jazz and some Christmas hymns. We nearly closed the place down. The band was nearly out. The big table was gone, the large Persian/ South Indian (?) family was half gone and the kids were tearing down some of the decorations. A little after 1AM we left.
The rain wasn't hard but it was hard driving for Mk and halfway to my house he asked if I could put Cs up for the night. Closer to the house I said that he should sleep on the couch.
It was about 2AM when my head hit the pillow. I kept my door open just in case someone needed something. Also I was still chaperoning.