I’ve just returned from a meeting in Cambridge so I’m posting this late here in the UK (it is 3:45pm).. because I took the opportunity of a free afternoon in Cambridge’s wonderful book shops… I only bought a few- and they were on sale- very restrained for me!!!

So with my head full of books I’ve seen and a long wish list in my mind, I bring you a Friday Five on books!!!

1. Fiction what kind, detective novels, historical stuff, thrillers, romance????

Urban fantasy, mystery, thriller, classical fiction, fantasy, and historical

2. When you get a really good book do you read it all in one chunk or savour it slowly?

I devour books.

3. Is there a book you keep returning to and why?

Several: Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books, Little Women, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, A Wrinkle in Time series, Neverwhere, and Sunshine.

4. Apart from the Bible which non-fiction book has influenced you the most?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship

5. Describe a perfect place to read. ( could be anywhere!!!)

Bed. Or sitting by the lake.

I was planning on getting back into a normal blogging routine, but due to an upper respiratory infection that is knocking me on my behind, it may be another week until I’m posting more than twice a week. But it’s not mono: thank goodness!

Providentially, the virus did not knock me flat until after I had officiated my first wedding ceremony on Tuesday. It was a beautiful and simple wedding for a women who attended our church when she was a child. Her sister and two brothers attended as well, and we got to re-establish ourselves with the family. It was a day of grace and love as we shared the couple’s joy, and the fact that God was working among us. I think the family felt that too. A couple of members expressed a desire to visit us. It was a good day.

Now I am going back to lay on the couch and probably sleep (that’s what I do when I don’t feel good).

The Songbird wrote: For this Friday (which happens to be my birthday), tell us these five things about parties, birthday or otherwise.

1) Would you rather be the host or the guest?

It depends on the size: I love to host smaller parties, but I’d rather be a guest at larger parties.

2) When you are hosting, do you clean everything up the minute the guests go home? Will you accept help with the dishes?

No, normally I pile everything in the kitchen and leave it for the next day. Yes, I accept help with the dishes: I point to the trash can. 🙂

3) If you had the wherewithal, and I guess I mean more than money, to throw a great theme party, what would the theme be?

Definitely Lord of the Rings.

4) What’s the worst time you ever had at a party?

To be honest, I don’t remember.

5) And to end on a brighter note, what was the best?

My wedding reception.

Happy Birthday Songbird!

Happy belated Easter! I was not online much yesterday. Our pastor reminded us yesterday that a lot of us live in Saturday: the Saturday of doubt, grief, and pain. Our Saturdays include job losses, family problems, addictions, or problems at work. But the Resurrection gives us hope. With the Resurrection God has once and for all broken the power of sin and death. Through sharing in Christ’s suffering, death, and now resurrection we have the hope that through God’s grace we, too, can have victory over our Saturdays. Not that it will be easy. We have to trust in God and submit to God, and trust God’s power and grace to redeem us. We have to obey what God tells us to do. But we do have hope—hope that the way this world is, is not the way it should be. The hope that God’s kingdom can come on earth as it is in heaven. Hope that this life isn’t all there is, and that this life has more of God’s grace and power than any of us believe. What would happen if we believed?

It’s the fifth week of Lent–yes fifth. And every year at about this time, I am ready for Lent to be over, like I was ready for winter to be over by the third week.

Lent the time of self-denial and getting rid of things that hamper your growth with God and your growth as a person. It’s a time of self-examination. It’s a time of major pruning in the Christian calendar.

I’m tired of Lent, of confession, and the the tempetures still dropping down into 30s. I’m tired of my Lenten discipline: making time to meditate 20 minutes a day. I am ready for this season to end.

Aah, but there are signs that the physical winter, as well as the winter of the soul are coming to an end. Green is shooting up through what has died.

Life is once again coming from death, and Lent is coming to its end. Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. We’ll remember and celebrate Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem while we hold in tension that, while we are singing “Hosanna to the highest!” by Good Friday we will be shouting “Crucify him!” Maundy Thursday is the reminder of the new commandment Jesus gave the disciples the night he washed their feet and shared Passover with them: “Love one another as I have loved you.” And how we as the Body of Christ fail so miserably at that most of the time. Then Good Friday: candles are extinguished as we recount his arrest, trial, and crucifixion. One by one the candles will be extinguished until the church is dark and the Cross is shrouded in black. Even the Paschal light will be carried out. Christ is in the grave. Vigil Saturday: a day of the inbetween. A day of knowing Christ died, but that he also rose. But we must wait. We must wait until Easter morn when the sun breaks through the darkness and the cry rings out: “He is risen!” “He is risen indeed!” Then we can once again shout our hallelujas! I miss hallelujas.

But not yet. Not yet. This is still Lent, but the signs of the Resurrection are all around me.

Winter is gone, and Lent has almost run its course, and new life waits on the other side.

Readings: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:12—4:1; Luke 13:31-35

God of our fathers and mothers,
Your faithfulness knows no bounds.
Your love is beyond measure.
So many times we stumble and fall.
So many times we lack faith.
Forgive us and strengthen us.
Help us to grow in Christlikeness and stand firm in Your love.
Amen.

During Lent here at Suburban Presbyterian Church, we are exploring the creative and liturgical arts, with classes and speakers dealing with storytelling, iconography, dance, visual art, writing, and so on. The theme is “A Beautiful Thing,” inspired by the story of the woman anointing Jesus and his declaration that “She has done a beautiful thing for me.” (Mark 14, NIV)

We are working on the notion that everything we do can be considered a beautiful thing–a creative offering to God–whether it’s gardening or scrapbooking or accounting or sorting clothes at the clothes closet or child-rearing. And so:

1. Would you call yourself “creative”? Why or why not?

Yes, there are a lot of things I do that are creative.

2. Share a creative or artistic pursuit you currently do that you’d like to develop further.

Writing and crocheting (see skirt in pic).

3. Share a creative or artistic pursuit you have never done but would like to try.

Calligraphy! I have all the things I need; I just need to get started.

4. Complete this sentence: “I am in awe of people who can _____________.”

Sing. I can’t, so it’s one of those great mysteries to me—especially people who can sing by ear.

5. Share about a person who has encouraged your creativity, who has “called you to your best self.” (I’m pretty sure that’s from the Gospel of Oprah.)

Most definitely Jenn. We’re both writers, and it seems she’s finding ways of egging me on to be the best writer I can be.

My assessment and interview with the University of Phoenix went very well last week. I felt I had a strong presentation and gave a strong case for why I would be a good teacher. I will hear back this week on whether or not they will hire me.

On the menu to the right I have added Recommended Reading. These books are great resources for those who are wanting to know more about women in equal leadership positions with men in the church. I have joined Amazon Associates, so if you click on the book you will go to Amazon’s detail page for that book. The books listed under What I’m Reading will also take you to Amazon’s page to learn more about the book. I decided to join Amazon Associates because I can recommend resources that I know are good, and I buy A LOT of books from Amazon. My big financial goal is to make enough money to pay for my domain name, so the blog breaks even. 🙂

Thank you for your well wishes and comments. Normal blogging will now resume.