We're all in this boat together

This week’s Gospel reading was Matthew 14:22-33, which is Peter walking on the water to meet Jesus, who was already walking on the water. My priest had a different take on this passage than one I have heard before. His take is that Peter wasn’t supposed to be out of the boat in the first place. He interpreted the boat as the world and the water as some kind of ecstatic, guru bliss that we want to stay in instead of the world. That’s not where Peter is supposed to be. We’re not supposed to be there either. We aren’t saved by ourselves out in the eternal beyond. Jesus put Peter back in the boat with the other eleven disciples. Then Jesus got into the boat, and the storm that had been tossing the boat around stopped. We are to be in this world. We are to work out our salvation together in this world. We are to build the kingdom of God in the here and now.

This reflects Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus came to this world; he came to us. He walked and ministered in this world, and then he told us to continue his ministry of love and compassion to the world around us. I like this new way to look at this story. What do you think?

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Dancing in the Park

One of the wonderful things about living in Chicago is all the cool, free activities there are in the summer. One of these is Chicago Summer Dance three blocks from where I live. I have lived here for over two years, and last night was the first time I actually went. I was walking back from yoga and saw the crowd at the Spirit of Music Park in Grant Park, and I decided to cross the street and take part. It was incredible.

The band was Fandanguero, and they play San Jaroco music which orginated from Mexico and is a fusion of Samba, Cuban Son, Afro-Peruvian, and Flamenco. They were great. If you have a chance to go see them go. The music was great, and great music normally leads to lots of dancing.

The dance for the night was Zapateado, and it was a Latin dance you didn’t need to have a partner for (my hubby was in a condo board meeting, poor man). Once the dancing got going there were people like me on their own, couples, and groups of five or six or more dancing. I almost didn’t do it. I love to dance, but I haven’t really danced that much in the last few years. And the Zapateado was a new dance for me, although a very easy one to learn. I almost–almost–let me fear kick in and rob me of one of my favorite things to do since I was kid. But I finally told myself to suck it up. Who was going to notice one person on the dance floor? No one was going to tell me I was doing it wrong (as one other lady told me later on the floor). I was a little stiff the first dance, but into the second dance, I was shaking it. Okay I was doing more stamping than shaking. The dance is basically stamp, stamp, stamp, kick and repeat. My hips loosened up and my arms, my whole body started dancing as I payed less attention to my feet.

More and more people were coming and dancing, and I decided I needed to get pictures. So then the dance went stamp, stamp, stamp, kick, click. And it didn’t really matter if you weren’t partners. We looked at each other and smiled and laughed and even chatted here and there. I felt so free, and oh my how I love to dance and feel the music. It’s been over a year since I last did that. I wasn’t the only having a lot of fun and unwinding after a long day. Here are some of the pictures I took:

This is the dance teacher, Anabel Tapia.

Fandanguero

Don’t let the clothes fool you: this guy could dance!

If you’re in downtown Chicago on Thursday, Friday, Saturday night or Sunday afternoon, go dance. It’s good for the soul. And free. Click here for the schedule (PDF format).

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How much money do your representatives get from big oil?

At True Majority you can type in your zip code, and see how much your state senators and representative have received from the big 3 oil companies, and how much of the time they have voted for big oil interest instead of their own constituency. Here are how the Illinois senators and one representative are doing:

 

 

Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL)

Accepted $40,850 from the oil and gas industry since 2000.
Supported the industry in 44% of selected votes.

 

Senator Barack Obama (D-IL)

Accepted $70,000 from the oil and gas industry since 2000.
Supported the industry in 33% of selected votes.

 

Representative Danny Davis (D-IL07)

Accepted $13,000 from the oil and gas industry since 2000.
Supported the industry in 18% of selected votes.

Way to go Rep. Davis! Now Senators Biden and Obama: follow suit. Although, I have to say that I am glad Sen. Obama changed his mind on offshore oil drilling (what a joke that is. Even if we were pumping more oil, it would have to be sold to the rest of the world because our refineries are working at capacity, so we wouldn’t get it.). We need other alternative energy sources–not more oil dependence.

Speaking of off-shore drilling, do you know why on June 20, Sen. McCain decided that offshore drilling was okay after being against it? It could have something to do with the $875,000 donation from Chevron. In June the big 3 oil companies contributed over $2 million towards his campaign using loopholes in the “public” election funding.

Here is the letter that you can sign that True Majority is sending out to the Senators and Representatives:

I know the facts about how much you take from oil and gas companies.

It’s time for you to show whose side you’re on: create the energy rebate for American families by making big oil pay it is fair share.

It’s time for big business to stop buying our ELECTED officials. This also includes the big business of health care, but that’s another post.

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Prayer Book Irony

The Chicagoland area had a freaking big thunderstorm go through last night (go to ChiTownDaily News for a great picture). Winds were whipping around and gusting up to 70-80 miles per hour, and the lightning was incredible. We had heard that a tornado had set down in Elmhurst (this morning officials say it was just high winds), but that part of the storm was heading for us. Tracy (my husband) and I packed up and went down to the basement to be safe. We weren’t the only ones. We hung out with other residents in the exercise room watching the news. The storm went over us moving around 50 mph, and out over Lake Michigan. We’re fine, and it looks like the South Loop made it through just fine.

Around Chicagoland tree limbs and powerlines are down, and there were several fires from the lightning strikes. Both airports shut down for awhile, and the Cubs game was finally called off after two rain delays. Over 200,000 lost power as of this morning.

When I opened up Celtic Benediction: Morning and Night Prayer to chant compline (last office of prayer at night), this is the prayer for Monday night:

In the infinity of night skies
in the free flashing of lightning
in whirling elemental winds
you are God.
In the impenetrable mists of dark clouds
in the wild gusts of lashing rain
in the ageless rocks of the sea
you are God and I bless you.
You are in all things
and contained by no thing.
You are the Life of all life
and beyond every name.
You are God and in the eternal mystery I praise you.

When I got to whirling elemental winds, Tracy, said, “You’re kidding right?”

I said, “NO! This is the prayer for Monday Night!”

And people think written prayers are never true-to-life or where you’re at now. I beg to differ.

The photo was posted by Doug Siefken.

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It's One of Those Mondays

It’s grey, dark, and rainy on top of being Monday. Polisigh posted a picture over at Street Prophets that perfectly captures how I feel:

Yep that pretty much captures how I feel. Along with: Need More Coffee Now!

How’s your Monday going?

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Brag time

Cynthia Johansen at Christians Do It Better has listed me in her Top 100 Christian Relationship Blogs (#75 under Christian Values). I think this is the first time I’ve been in a top 100 list. Thank you Cynthia!

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Career Women of the Bible Pitch

Here is the pitch I came up with for Career Women of the Bible:

The Bible says a woman should be a wife and mother. A woman’s place is in the home. But is this what the Bible says? Yes, women were wives and mother, but biblical women were also prophets, judges, merchants, and queens. These are the Career Women of the Bible.

What do you think? What would you change?

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RevGals Friday Five: What you absolutely cannot live without

Songbird writes: We will be at a chaplain’s convention when you all are answering the Friday Five Questions. I’ll look forward to reading your answers next week when I get home. At the moment we are trying to get the car loaded so we can hit the road, so this will be a simple F.F. This running around madly in order to leave has me wondering: what are the five things you simply must have when you are away from home? And why? Any history or goofy things, or stories?

1. A book to read because I don’t go anywhere without something to read.

2. My Bible and a prayer book (normally The Book of Common Prayer).

3. Journal and plenty of pens because I always lose one (or 10).

4. Camera because I never know when I’ll find something cool (see I Found Palm Trees in Chicago).

5.  The Hubby: I’ve traveled alone, but it’s much more fun with somebody else. Plus I have a shoulder to sleep on. 🙂

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God as Father and Mother

In yesterday’s post I wrote that I was using different names for God. One of those I stole from Julian of Norwich. Julian wrote about God as Mother in her writings, Divine Revelations of Love. She prayed to “our Father-Mother God,” and I use her name for God most when I pray. When I pray The Lord’s Prayer, I begin, “Our Father-Mother God who art in heaven…” When I say grace, I pray, “Father-Mother, thank you for this food.” I believe that it is valid to address God as Mother (as well as Father) because of all the mother imagery used in Bible for God: God is pregnant, gives birth, and breastfeeds. God also hides Israel under God’s wings like a mother hen. I also believe God can be addressed as Mother because of Genesis 1:26: God created both male and female in God’s image. Mother and other feminine names can be used for God because women image God. Here is a different version of The Lord’s Prayer that we prayed in church last Sunday:

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need to today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials to great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever. Amen.

What do you think of using feminine names for God? What do you call God?

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The Many Names of God

We’ve been singing a wonderful hymn in church the last few weeks. Author Brian Wren wanted to show that “aspects of the divine are revelaed in our maleness, femaleness, youth, and age in a moving, growing matrix of life in God.”

“Bring Many Names”
Bring many names, beautiful and good,
celebrate, in parable and story
holiness in glory,
living, loving God.
Hail and Hosanna!
bring many names!

Strong mother God, working night and day,
planning all the wonders of creation,
setting each equation,
genius at play:
Hail and Hosanna,
strong mother God!

Warm father God, hugging every child,
feeling all the wonders of creation,
caring and forgiving
till we’re reconciled:
Hail and Hosanna,
warm father God!

Old, aching God, grey with endless care,
calmly piercing evil’s new disguises,
glad of good surprises, wiser than despair:
Hail and Hosanna, old, aching God!

Young, growing God, eager, on the move,
saying no to falsehood and unkindness,
crying out for justice,
giving all you have:
Hail and Hosanna,
young, growing God!

Great living God, never fully known,
joyful darkness far beyond our seeing,
closer yet than breathing,
everlasting home:
Hail and Hosanna,
great, living God!
(c)1989 by Hope Publishing Company

I have been exploring a variety of images of God in the past couple of years particularly God as mother. I am going to start writing of the images of God I am praying, and how they are changing me, how I see God, and the way I pray.

The picture is Farid de la Ossa Areita’s God, the Mother.

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