RevGalBlogPals: Friday Five: Extreme Random

Friday Five: Extreme Random 

as posted by  revkjarla

Hi there~~
Happy Friday to all of you.  Today's Friday Five has no theme, other than randomness.
That's o.k., right?
So, just to get to know each other a little bit (even more) here is the meme:

1.  What is the first thing that comes to your mind (right now) that you want to share about yourself.


1st, I'm moving. That is the thing most dominant in my thoughts so that is the first thing that came to mind. I think that is pathetic. But nonetheless that was the first thing that came to mind when I read that question. Ask me again in July.  


2.  What is your favorite piece of jewelry or accessory? Why?


I have a simple, crystal cross that was a gift from The Entertainer. It was the first present she purchased on her own for me and was so well thought out. I love it for its beauty. I also love that it represents her growth and maturity in that part of childhood. A true treasure.

3.  If you could have a starring role in a T.V. show/movie/series, which one would it be, and what would your character be like?


My character doesn't exist. :( She would need to be some kind of combination of C.J. Craig (West Wing), Minerva McGonagall (Harry Potter), Margaret Pynchon (Lou Grant), and M (James Bond, being "male" is a cover). Not the star but an integral part of the story which would be significantly more dull without her sharp wit and obvious intellect. :)

4.  What is one thing you will eat this weekend?


Since there is a "typical female brunch" thing at church for the consumer driven day so I'm pretty sure I'll have quiche and fruit. It's a bit dainty and froo-froo for me. Too bad for the "guys" day, they don't do ribs. As the Pastor, I would *so* crash that party!

5.  How do you waste time? (If you do, that is...)

It depends. If I am waiting for a meeting or to pick up a kid, I'm usually on my phone with facebook, twitter, Words with Friends (when it works AUGH). I also read real books with paper pages (usually because the battery on my phone is dying). I finish more books when I listen to them while driving but I'm not sure that counts as wasting time. I like to watch TV some of it might contribute to the loss of brain cells so I crochet while I watch TV in order to recapture them before they disappear completely. I also pretend like I'm doing something very important by going Geocaching. 

And now, for a small amount of time, I will not be the last blog on the blogroll of RevGalBlogPals. :)

Friday Five: All about Cars!

Friday Five: All About Cars!

as posted by SingingOwl

Maybe it's just me, but I often remember how long ago something occurred or something about it by recalling the car we had at the time. For today's Friday Five, tell us about the cars in your life. Maybe we can even tempt some of the guys of the ring to join us. Specifically, tell us about:

1. The earliest recollection you have of a family car

I remember laying in the very back (we called it the rumble seat even though it was not a seat) of our VW bug looking out the window at the stars as we traveled to and from the various relatives houses.

2. The first car you drove when you could (legally) get behind the wheel yourself.

It was a Gremlin with Levi denim seats. I had a key but it wasn't mine. My first car was an American Motors Rambler.

3. A memorable road trip

The Rambler took groups of friends to Denver and Dallas during breaks from school. On the Denver trip, I got two speeding tickets within two hours.

4. The car you drive now. Love it? Hate it?

The car I have now has 230,000+ miles & I love it! Toyota 4Runner

5. An interesting story that involves you and a vehicle. (No, I do not have a dirty mind!)

When I turned 16, the driver's test rotated among the small towns in the area. The test was not in my town on my birthday. It was in a little town that was between my grandparent's and my home. It really was about 1/3 toward me and 2/3 away from them but my grandfather brought his car to the test site because his was an automatic and the Gremlin was a manual transmission. He thought it would be easier to take the test in his car. I passed the test with flying colors and got my license on my birthday thanks to grandpa!

Bonus: What's your idea of good "car music?"

It all depends on who is with me and where we are going. If someone is being obnoxiously loud with their music, I'm very likely to roll down my windows and crank up the Beethoven or Mendelssohn or Schubert or ...

Friday Five: New Year's Eve

Friday Five: New Year's Eve

as posted by SingingOwl

I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, but it does seem a good time for some reflection and planning. For the last few days I keep thinking of Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Among other things, that seems to say that reflection is in order if we want to learn and grow.

For some of us, this has been an incredibly difficult year; for others it has been a year of many joys. For all of us, there have been challenges and questions and there have been blessings and--maybe even an answer or two! As we say our goodbyes to 2010 and look towards 2011, share with us five blessings from 2010 along with five hopes or dreams for 2011.

5 Blessings (not in rank order) of 2010

1. Another year in the same church!

2. My kids. They're both teenagers so we have some "moments" but far and away most of the time I am proud of them.

3. Insurance to pay for this chronic disease that makes my RA dr use her training and stay on top of the current information to keep my body moving on most days.

4. Friends who more than once were gifts from God if not God incarnate

5. More confidence in cooking. I'll never compete on Top Chef but there are more options on our menu.

Hopes for 2011

1. a finished dissertation??? Please dear God help me!

2. a child with a driver's license. I need her to drive to help calm the chaos.

3. more events/ministries that help the church connect to those around us, people excited about doing those things, and hopefully, growing more and more into the church God is calling us to be.

4. a successful transition for the kid who will start high school in the fall

5. calm, uneventful health

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five: we who sing pray twice

as posted by MaryBeth



Music is a part of the human experience, and part of religious traditions the world over. It is evocative and stirring, and many forms of worship are incomplete without it.

Our title comes from a quote popularly attributed to St. Augustine: "He who sings prays twice." A little Googling, however, indicates that Augustine didn't say exactly that. In fact, what he said just doesn't fit well onto a t-shirt. So we'll stick with what we have.

Note: This is the rabbit chasing section.

I have to say that this comment sent me on a wild goose chase across the internet searching for what was said. The last time I read this much Augustine was 1994 for a class on City of God.

Here is what I found considering my lack of desire to go to the nearest theological school to search the volumes of text and my non-existent ability to read Latin for myself.

The quote which St. Augustine actually said was:

"For he that singeth praise, not only praiseth, but only praiseth with gladness: he that singeth praise, not only singeth, but also loveth him of whom he singeth. In praise, there is the speaking forth of one confessing; in singing, the affection of one loving."
(St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 73, 1)

Apparently this has been abridged to "He who sings prays twice" over the centuries.

The quote is referenced in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1156:

1156"The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy." The composition and singing of inspired psalms, often accompanied by musical instruments, were already closely linked to the liturgical celebrations of the Old Covenant. The Church continues and develops this tradition: "Address . . . one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart." "He who sings prays twice."21

The corresponding footnote references St. Augustine, En. in Ps. 72, 1: PL 36, 914;. (The reason why the Catechism says Psalm 72 instead of Psalm 73, is because the Catechism is using Psalm numbering from the Septuagint, which fused two of the earlier psalms, meaning the numbering of the later psalms is out of sync with the usual modern listing).

I also found:

"Cantare amantis est" which is variously translated as "Singing is what the lover does," or "Singing belongs to one who loves," or "Singing is loving."

And:

According to one website, the more famous quote is cited as occurring in Sermon 336 as Qui cantat, bis orat.

Now, back on task.


"Singing reduces stress and increases healthy breathing and emotional expression. Singing taps into a deep, age-old power available to all of us. When we find our voice, we find ourselves. Today, sing like you mean it." And let's talk about the role music plays in your life and worship.

1) Do you like to sing/listen to others sing? In worship, or on your own (or not at all?)

Music in several forms is present daily. I am very often humming something without even realizing it until someone asks me what song it is. A dear friend noticed that the SportsQueen does it, too.

2) Did you grow up with music in worship, or come to it later in life? Tell us about it, and how that has changed in your experience.


Music has always been a part of worship (and everyday life). I grew up in a church with a very rich music program that started with Kindergartners and went through Adult choir with no gaps. There were choir programs twice a year from 4-6th grades, youth (7-12), and adult choirs. It was not extraordinary for a 20+ piece orchestra to be included with the adult choir. More than once Handel's Messiah was preformed either before Christmas or Easter. I had no idea how spoiled I was with the extensive music program I took for granted.


3) Some people find worship incomplete without music; others would just as soon not have it. Where do you fall?

Music, music, music!

4) Do you prefer traditional music in worship, or contemporary? That can mean many different things!

I like a lot of different kinds of music in worship (and outside of worship, too). When it comes to kinds of music, I agree with Leonard Bernstein. (I remember watching this live and how profoundly his thoughts about music struck me.)




5) What's your go-to music ... when you need solace or want to express joy? A video/recording will garner bonus points!


My go-to music depends on the circumstance or situation. Here's one option: (from my camera phone live!)




Here's another option







but those are not the only ones

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five: Storms of Life Edition

As posted by Martha Hoverson


I'm listening this morning for word of Hurricane Earl. Is he coming to visit, or will he bypass my part of Maine and move further Downeast, or veer toward Nova Scotia? Should I buy those bottles of water, just in case wind brings branches and power lines down? And how many times will the tracking map change today?

Herewith, a Friday Five about the storms of life:

1) What's the most common kind of storm in your neck of the woods?

I have two girls ages 16 and 13. It is an understatement to say the drama of adolescence is the most common kind of storm both in my neck and other body parts.

But if you want to know about the weather ...

Everywhere I have lived, I have lived in "Tornado Alley." That means thunderstorms with high winds, hail, and enough rain to cause significant flooding. And in the winter, ice storms are the major threat.

2) When was the last time you dealt with a significant power outage?

The last significant power outage was experienced at my sister's house (also in tornado alley but in a different state where I have never lived). It was summer and she had maybe one flashlight but a billion candles. So we lit candles. And remembered that candles have fire which give off heat. And we created our own indoor heatwave.

The time before that was an outage of more than 3 days when the 16 yo was 1 and there was no 13 yo. That was quite an adventure! The storm still makes the news when they are talking about the "worst" ones in this area.

3) Are you prepared for the next one?

Other than having multiple gallons of water on hand, as prepared as we could be in advance.

Wait, I take that back. All of my tools and tarps and ladders are still at the church after being borrowed for the last worktrip. I probably should get those home.

4) What's the weather forecast where you are this weekend?








5) How do you calm your personal storms?

With as many friends and fun things to do as possible! ... or if I can't make that work, burying myself in a book only coming up for enough food and drink to carry me through the next chapter.

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five: Dorm Life Edition

as posted by Martha Hoverson

Yesterday I returned my middle child for his second year of college. He's an experienced dorm resident, having spent two years at a boarding high school. In the lounge at the end of his floor I found a suite of This End Up furniture that took me back to my years in the Theta house at William and Mary. I remember polishing that furniture with my sorority sisters every spring, just before we headed off for Beach Week at Nags Head.

Mindful that many others are heading off to further schooling or delivering their loved ones to the institutions that provide it, here are five questions about dorm life.

1) What was the hardest thing to leave behind when you went away to school for the first time?

A private bathroom. I lived in an "old school" (pun intended) dorm with a common bathroom and shower in the middle of the hallway. My dorm room was the closest to the bathroom/shower so my roommate and I left our door open almost all of the time so we could talk to everyone as they traveled up and down the hall.

2) We live in the era of helicopter parents. How much fuss did your parents make when you first left home?

I was an incredibly independent child in spite of my mother's attempts to be an helicopter parent before anyone knew that terminology. However, my school was 5 hours away and my sister was 8 so my mother didn't really want to drive 10 hours round trip. So, she didn't. I moved all of my stuff by myself into the room in the middle of the hallway on the top floor of the dorm. While I could've used a little help moving the TV, I was thrilled not to have my mother with me.

3) Share a favorite memory of living with schoolmates, whether in a dorm or other shared housing.

The college roommate with whom I continue to stay in contact have several stories about which we could say "you can't rat me out because you'd be in trouble too." However, one publicly tell-able tale is that just after the completion of I-435 at about 11:30 pm one night, we decided that we should drive the entire loop. So, windows down, jamming to the tunes, we did.

4) What absolute necessity of college life in your day would seem hilariously out-of-date now?

Floppy disks, both 5.25 and 3.5 with dot matrix paper.

5) What innovation of today do you wish had been part of your life in college?

Laptops and online library databases/catalogs.

Bonus question for those whose college days feel like a long time ago: Share a rule or regulation that will seem funny now. Did you really follow it then?

10:00 pm curfew to be in the dorm. Nope. Due to my on-campus student job, I had a dorm key. I regularly used it for both legitimate and illegitimate access after hours.

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five: De/Re/CLutter?

as posted by Jan

Since posting about decluttering, I am still muttering about the need for it in my house. How about you?

1. What things do you like to hang on to?

Books, things that remind me of other people, and, generally, a lot of other nearly useless things

2. What is hard to let go of?

It's not the letting go that is hard for me. It's setting aside the time to actually do it. So, it usually happens when we move. One of the valuable questions for me is: "Do I really want to move this again?" So, other than a few sentimental items, the only things that are actually hard for me to release are books. But reselling them at a local used bookstore has helped ease that pain considerably!

3. What is easy to give away?

Clothes, as in, the girls clothes as they have grown. We don't currently have anyone to whom to pass them "down" so we put them in a collection bin ... because it is easy.

4. Is there any kind of stumbling block connected with cleaning out?

Time and energy are the two things most likely to stop the cleaning out. There is a certain threshold for my desk as home that when reached must be addressed. But cleaning the garage or attic will probably wait until we move again.

5. What do you like to collect, hoard, or admire?

I suppose the Peanuts especially Snoopy and Charlie Brown (and books ... did I mention books yet?).

Bonus: Tell us about recycling or whatever you can think of that goes along with this muttering about cluttering.

When we moved into this parsonage, there were items in the garage that were either abandoned by previous clergy or "leftover" parsonage furniture including two four-drawer filing cabinets. Late last night, long after the sun had gone down, I used the available child labor to move one of those cabinets to my church office because the "threshold of clutter doom" has been long crossed by the paperwork on my desk at the office. However, not having a filing cabinet has served me well in not addressing that paper disaster. But I can't stand it anymore. So, the needed storage space for those piles of paperwork is now in the appropriate place to be used instead of being an under performing waste of space in the garage. ::sigh:: Sometime soon, I'll begin moving paper from desk to drawer in the filing cabinet or to recycle bin and the desk can begin to function as a desk again.

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five: Dog Days of Summer

Dog Days of Summer Friday Five

As posted by SingingOwl

Here in the snow belt state of Wisconsin we long for the first signs of spring--perhaps a crocus poking up through the snow, or a pussy willow bud popping out even beneath ice. The first appearance of robins, that most cheery little hopper of birds, causes widespread rejoicing. Spring is followed by summer, a time for home-grown tomatoes, watermelon, corn on the cob, all sorts of "fests," back yard "fry outs" (what they call a barbecue here, for some reason) and trips near and far.

I love summer, and wait anxiously for it every year. So how is it that we have arrived at the hot and humid "Dog Days" of August, and I have not done nearly enough of what I planned to do? I want to pack in as much as I can before snow flies once again.

How about you? And what is happening for those of you who are in a different hemisphere than I, and it may be cold?


1. What is the weather like where you live?

HOT! We're on a streak of 100+ temperature days.


2. Share one thing you love about this time of year.

Air conditioning and a little slower pace for church stuff.

3. Share one thing you do NOT love about this time of year.

Everyone else being on vacation and not coming to church.

4. How will you spend the remaining days leading up to Autumn?

The "back-to-school" practices for band are in full swing for both kids and registration for school is completed. So, we're squeezing in as much fun as we can as we prepare for the beginning of school.

5. Share a good summer memory.

I spent as much time as possible in the summer at my grandparent's farm. Grandpa always went to the State Fair and I loved going with him. My first ever Big Mac was consumed at the McD's across the street from the State Fair and no one thought I could eat the whole thing because I was a scrawny little kid. It turned into a family story. They talked about me eating that Big Mac forever

Bonus: What food says SUMMER to you?

Watermelon ........ mmmmmm

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five on Thursday

Friday Five: Love the One You're With

This Friday Five will post while I'm at the beach which for me is more than a vacation destination, it is a trip home. I have found it quite easy to wax nostalgic about the places I used to live (well, except for one) and have begun to wonder what it is I like about the place I'm living now? For instance I sure do love the beach, but this picture was taken about 30 minutes away from my house - not too shabby!
And so I ask you to please name five things you like about where you are living now... and as your bonus - 1 thing you don't like.


You may have noticed I'm late playing. When I saw this come up, I thought "oh I'll play that in a little bit." Yeah, well, I guess it's now been a "little bit."

But I also am playing because I want someone to come visit my site. When I changed the template, I forgot to add the sitemeter. ::sigh:: I don't look at those stats often but I do look at them. I particularly liked being able to see from where and to where folks came and went. I'm not sure if the code is working and the only way I can check that is with visits. I have found the easiest way to increase visits is to actually post something.

I have to say that I have now lived here longer than I have lived any where since graduating from high school. Good thing I love it here!

1. In the middle of the city where almost anything is available. Having lived in towns with only a glorified convenience store or only one grocery store, I deeply appreciate having multiple options.

2. Food diversity! While I don't always take advantage of the varieties of cuisine available, I appreciate the fact that I can.

3. When something needs to be repaired, either by church folks or professionals, the response time is fairly quick. In other parsonages, in other locations, not so much.

4. Appreciation for fine arts in our schools. We are in a district that has a fabulous reputation for fine arts and both of my kids have benefited from the depth and richness of it.

5. This is the largest house in which I have ever lived. It has its quirks but it has a great "feel."

One thing I don't like: it is really hard to see the stars.

Friday Five: Forgetful Jones Edition

Friday Five: Forgetful Jones Edition as posted by Songbird on RevGalBlogPals

No, it wasn't my turn to do the Friday Five, but it was my job to confirm the new person whose job it is, so herewith, the Forgetful Jones Friday Five, complete with Sesame Street video for those who like such things.







a) What's the last thing you forgot?

I can't remember. Really, yesterday, I had Skittles to give to some great high schoolers and forgot to get them out of the box sitting right there. But today they will get frozen popsicles and, if I remember, Skittles, too.

e) How do you keep track of appointments?

Outlook on my smartphone and computer. Before electronics, Daytimer. Everything on one calendar, every "kid" event, every "church" event, every "me" event, everything!

i) Do you keep a running grocery list?

Yes, most of the time. However, it is usually on the counter while I am at the store because I forgot to bring the list. If I'm lucky, there's a kid at home that can look at the list.

o) When forced to improvise by circumstances, do you enjoy it or panic?

I am pretty good at improv and assessing the resources available to address the need of the moment, depending on the situation, so I don't panic often.

u) What's a memory you hope you will never forget?

*A* memory!?!?! I'll make this a bonus answer! Here are some highlights: presiding over communion in international waters, in a Choctaw church, at church camp with 3rd & 4th graders, during Mission Trips with jr high & high schoolers; watching my children live their faith in ordinary and extraordinary ways; connecting with others God put in my path in ways that brought joy and wholeness (that includes a particular geocache in Mexico)

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five: Friends

Friday Five: Friends as posted by Jan

Ever since I found out I could be the hostess for the third Friday Five of each month, I have not been able to get the thought of friends out of my mind. Being an only child (all growed up) who moved around a lot in my lifetime, friends have always been very important to me. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: "The way to have a friend is to be a friend."

So today let's write about the different kinds of friends we have, like childhood friends, lost friends, tennis friends, work friends, and the list goes on. List 5 different types of friends you have had in your life and what they were/are like.

As a bonus, put a link to a new (to you) blogging friend and introduce us!

1. Friends from "back home" I've lost touch with most of them except that a certain well know social networking site has brought some of them back into my life. It happens that I attended K-12 in a school system with only one each of elementary, jr high, & high school. There are 12 of us who went through all those grades together. And, yet, upon graduation, I lost touch with them. So that time suck social network site has brought back some folks.

2. Camp friends Starting in 4th grade I went to church camp every summer and even went as an adult while in college. I really appreciated some of those intense one week friendships. A few lasted a little longer through letters or occasional phone calls. I am amazed at the impact those folks had.

3. nearby clergy friends I have intentionally worked to have friends but in the circles I travel that means mostly clergy. I am grateful for my Lectionary Lunch group and other F2F clergy who are friends.

4. friends who were there For many different reasons during different seasons of my life, there have been the friends who were there. These days I don't talk to any of them very often but they still count as my closest friends because they already know the story from living it with me.

5. technologically connected friends Not surprisingly, there are RevGalBlogPals whom I consider friends. I also have folks that are on other technologically enabled means of connection that I consider, if not friends, close aquaintances. I've been on some preacher-type email lists since 98 or 99 and recognize the personalities even if I could not pick them out of a crowd of 3. Even without the visual, or in real life, connection, I consider them a part of my life, too. I have cried at the deaths of folks I only knew through the internet so I think they count.

Bonus, minus: I added a couple of folks that I follow because of BE 2.0 but I can't get the link to post correctly.

Friday Five from RevGalBlogPals

Revgalblogpal Friday Five: Positive Potpourri Edition

as posted by will smama

Greetings friends! It's been awhile since I've contributed to the posts here at the revgalblogpals website, but I agreed to step into the Fifth Friday of the Month Friday Five slot.

So here I be.

As I zip around the webring it is quite clear that we are getting BUSY. "Tis the season" when clergy and laypeople alike walk the highwire from Fall programming to Christmas carrying their balancing pole with family/rest on the one side and turkey shelters/advent wreaths on the other.

And so I offer this Friday Five with 5 quick hit questions... and a bonus:

1) Your work day is done and the brain is fried, what do you do?

Watch a previously recorded episode of some tv show that I didn't have time to watch when it actually aired. maybe read a fiction book. maybe crochet -- but that one is a big maybe.

2) Your work week is done and the brain is fried (for some Friday, others Sunday afternoon), what do you do?

If it's Sunday, it's a nap. If it's Friday, it's a football game because the SportsQueen is in the marching band. If it's any other liberated time, geocaching! well, even if it's not liberated time, it's geocaching if I can.

3) Like most of us, I often keep myself busy even while programs are on the tv. I stop to watch The Office and 30 Rock on Thursday nights. Do you have 'stop everything' tv programming or books or events or projects that are totally 'for you' moments?

There are no "stop everything" tv programming events that's what the DVR is for. If it's totally "for me" it's probably sleep.

4) When was the last time you laughed, really laughed? What was so funny?

The best laugh I have had recently that was not generated by my family was listening to 3 daughters tell stories about their mom in preparation for her funeral. (I got called in because none of them are local but the cemetary plot next to her husband/their dad is here.) OMG, their mom was SO creatively funny. And the stories are unique enough that they would pop up on search engine radar so if you are that curious send me an email or call me.

5) What is a fairly common item that some people are willing to go cheap on, but you are not.

crutches. I have bright yellow powder coated crutches with brightly colored arm and hand pads with a detachable bag (my "crutchware" is no longer available so I'm not linking to a pic of them). I may have a body that requires the use of assistive devices but that does not mean I need to be boring about it. I got mine from LemonAid Crutches.

Bonus: It's become trite but is also true that we often benefit the most when we give. Go ahead, toot your own horn. When was the last time you gave until it felt good?

I was part of the very last minute help to serve food at our local homeless shelter. I didn't really have the time, like usual, there were others things to do. I got the phone call to please come help as I waited to pick up the SportsQueen from basketball practice. We went straight to the shelter. After serving, on the way to the car, the SportsQueen said, "Thanks, Mom. I really wanted to do that but I didn't think we were going to be able to. I'm really glad we came. Thanks."


Let us know in the comments if you played and I'll come around and visit. The first 50 are entered into a drawing for a new car (sorry, that's a lie. We are immersed in political attack ads here in the US that lie and so I thought I would join in). Seriously, go ahead and let us know if you play. I will visit. And buy you a new house (lie). The last person to do the Friday Five is a socialist and hangs out with computer viruses (STOP!). Do I qualify as a socialist???

Friday Five twofer from RevGalBlogPals

Friday Five: What You Absolutely, Positively, Can't Leave Home Without

as posted by Singing Owl on July 25, 2008

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. books
2. medication
3. gps loaded with geocaches
4. laptop
5. if traveling with children, dvds and player

Multiple time events in our family:

When I was a child going to spend the night with grandparents, I would "forget" to pack pajamas because then I got to sleep in one of grandpa's t-shirts.

When the SportsQueen packed her own clothes (for multiple days), no socks were included even though she needed them.

When the Entertainer travels, there is a stuffed animal that goes along. She has also traveled via the United States Postal Service, FedEx, and UPS.

The Friday Five: What's in a name?

as posted by RevHRod on July 18, 2008

If you are a regular reader of Songbird's blog, you know that "The Princess" has requested a new name. Her older brother changed his "secret identity" a while back and now this lovely young lady is searching for a new name on her mother's blog. This got me to thinking. How do we come up with all of these names? There must be at least a few good stories out there.

In honor of the Princess I have posted a picture of one of my favorite members of fictional royalty, Robert Munch's "Paperback Princess." She is a brave young woman who doesn't need anyone else to fight her battles. And she knows that what is most important isn't tiaras and finery but what's on the inside. If you haven't read this little fairy tale, I highly recommend it. But I digress.


BONUS: We LOVE the Paperbag Princess! "hey dragon" for a great review and telling of the story click here

1. So how did you come up with your blogging name? And/or the name of your blog?

Well, the Vicar part came from Vicar of Dibley and trying to be geographically appropriate for the place. The place is the "hometown" for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While some Christians have criticized the Harry Potter books for various "anti-Christian" themes, it was apparent to me from the first book that the themes and values share a deep affinity with Christianity if they are not based on Christianity (which I really think they are). I'd like to think that somewhere in the back story the Vicar of Hogsmeade was a regular part of the lives of many of the faculty at Hogwarts even if not so involved with the students.


2. Are there any code names or secret identities in your blog? Any stories there?

The names have been changed to protect whomever needs protecting. Generally, they reflect characteristics or they are the first lame pseudonymn I could create.

3. What are some blog titles that you just love? For their cleverness, drama, or sheer, crazy fun?

preacher, blogger, procrastinator
St. Casserole
Cheesehead in paradise
cafe diem (it's about coffee)
skewed view (one of the re-occuring conversations in my PhD program is about how we all have a skewed view but some of us are better at identifing ours)

4. What three blogs are you devoted to? Other than the RevGalBlogPals blog of course!

I use bloglines to keep track of them all.

5. Who introduced you to the world of blogging and why?

Mostly it was RevGalBlogPals. I wanted to answer a Friday Five but I didn't have a blog. So I started one to tell about how I got to play Jesus in a Southern Baptist church.


Bonus question: Have you ever met any of your blogging friends? Where are some of the places you've met these fun folks? I was on BE 1.o. And I met Mid-Life Rookie because of an obsure reference to a place that closed several years ago.

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five

An Old Versus Modern (Postmodern?) Friday Five

as posted by Singing Owl

Yesterday I had two separate conversations in which people were musing about how much change is occurring. The WW II generation, of which my mom is a part, went from horse and buggy to automobiles, saw the lessening, or even the end of many diseases, went from widespread use of kerosene lamps and outhouses (in the country, and most folks were rural)) to a totally electrified and plumbed society. The fastest means of communication was a telegraph. The second conversation--gulp--was about MY generation and how much change occurred in the last half of the 20th century. The person said his 13 year old had not seen a vinyl record album until a few days before, couldn't remember a time without cell phones, and on and on.

As for the questions!

1. What modern convenience/invention could you absolutely, positively not live
without?

Remicade (or the other biologics) that let my body move in such a way that most people don't know how bad my arthritis is

2. What modern convenience/invention do you wish had never seen the light of day?
Why?

Since I am fully convinced that everything has the power for both good and evil, depending on who is using it or how it is being used, not one thing. God gave us a brain for us to use it. The same brain should also be used to make judgments about the usages that bring about more good.

3. Do you own a music-playing device older than a CD player? More than one? If
so, do you use it (them)?

Older than a CD player? there's a cassette tape deck and receiver that are older. The receiver is used much more frequently than the tape deck. The tape deck (dual, mind you) has been used Maybe twice in the last 3 years.

4. Do you find the rapid change in our world exciting, scary, a mix...or something
else?

I think I''m used to rapid change since I haven't known much else. After all, both MTV started and I learned basic programing on an Apple when I was in high school while the rotary dial phone still hung in the kitchen of my house and we were only able to change the channels on tv remotely because we used the cable remote. (I remember renting a VCR with the tapes for a birthday slumber party for my little sister.)

5. What did our forebears have that we have lost and you'd like to regain?
A better sense of community.

Bonus
points if you have a suggestion of how to begin that process. Well, first, I think we need to intentionally set aside time for re-creation. With all of our "time-saving" devices and strategies, we focus on getting more done instead of using that time for sabbath, for soul building, for nurturing friendships. Somehow, my grandpa knew that there would always be something to do on the farm but a nap might be the best use of time right then. He did chores AND went to church and taught Sunday School because it wasn't about one being more important than the other but that both needed to be tended to. Feeding the cattle and pigs and horses was just as important as capturing the attention of teenagers and trying to feed their souls. We have to decide that tending to our souls (which includes our community) is important enough to count as "getting stuff done."

Friday Five: Moving

The RevGalBlogPals friday five as posted by Mother Laura

We are right in the middle of a move--only twenty minutes away, but we're still a mix of busy, excited, nervous and surprisingly full of grief about what we're leaving, for me at least. So this week's Friday Five asks about your experience of the marvels and madness of moving...

1. How many times have you moved? When was the last time?

20 (I think), the last time was June 2005

2. What do you love and hate about moving?

Since 1998 I have lived in parsonages with varying amounts and kinds of furniture. I hate packing, unpacking, taking things out of the place they belong, and trying to figure out where the next place to belong is.

3. Do you do it yourself or hire movers?

As a single mom with Arthritis, I beg for all the packing help I can get and have movers transport all the stuff.

4. Advice for surviving and thriving during a move?

Start getting rid of "stuff" as soon as you know you're moving. For the last move, we were in the perfect location for a garage sale. I hate garage sales but it was a really good idea (after the move was "public") and the money went for GameCube! That made it almost worth the hassle.

And, as much as practical, pack your dishes in your clean towels. Then your kitchen unpacking cleanup is not as bad and the bathroom and kitchen are being unpacked simultaneously.

5. Are you in the middle of any inner moves, if not outer ones?

The inner moves are hard to blog but have lots to do with realizing how isolated I had become and moving toward the love and support I find with other trusted people. I figured that out on the aft deck -- and I hope you won't mind if I call you.

Bonus: Share a piece of music/poetry/film/book that expresses something about what moving means to you.

sad to say the very first thing that came to mind was (probably because of the circumstances related to the last two moves): "Take this job and shove it, I ain't working here no more" but as the old joke goes the current hymn is: "I shall not be moved"

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five

Friday Five: What Are You Doing For Lent?

as posted by Mother Laura

Ready or not, Lent is upon us! To get you in the mood for this week's Friday Five here is a pretty setting of one of my favorite pieces of Lenten music: Hosea, written by the monks of Weston Priory.

1. Did you celebrate Mardi Gras and/or Ash Wednesday this week? How?
We observed Ash Wednesday at church with the imposition of ashes and communion.

2. What was your most memorable Mardi Gras/Ash Wednesday/Lent?
Several years ago when The SportsQueen was about 5 and The Entertainer was about 3, they were helping me serve communion by intinction. The SportsQueen was holding the chalice. The Entertainer was standing in front of me holding half of the loaf of King's Hawaiian bread. As each one came forward, I broke the piece of bread from the loaf The Entertainer was holding. The girls were very poised. The congregation loved them assisting. The organist and chair of PPR (personnel) was the last in line. As she began to move forward, the Entertainer sneezed -- right into the loaf of bread! As I smothered my laugh, I looked at the organist and said, "Just a minute, I'll be right back." I took the bread from the Entertainer, who was as mortified as a 3 year old could be, retrieved the unused half of bread from the altar, put the "fresh" bread into the Entertainer's hands, and served the organist. This is still one of my favorite, funny moments in ministry. And, of course, the church talked about it for weeks, giggling every time.

3. Did you/your church/your family celebrate Lent as a child? If not, when and how did you discover it?
I grew up in a non-liturgical tradition and learned about Lent when I went to Benedictine College

4. Are you more in the give-up camp, or the take-on camp, or somewhere in between?
Depending on the year, depends on what I do. A year after my separation, I weighed about 110 pounds and everyone could see that I was very underweight (the pediatrician told me to eat ice cream every day) so giving up food was not a good idea. That year, every Wednesday, I worked on a Habitat House. I got to know some of our retired men from church better than I would have otherwise. We talked about all kinds of stuff during lunch or while holding boards for each other.

I miss being in a community that has Habitat during the week in addition to weekends.

Other years, I have given up things or even both -- given up and taken on.

5. How do you plan to keep Lent this year?
This year, I am giving up carbonated beverages. Two days into it, it is harder than I thought it would be, especially for eating out because I do not like plain water.

Friday Five from RevGalBlogPal

Revgalblogpal Friday Five: Don't Call It a Comeback Edition

posted by Will Smamma

Parishioners pushing for carols before you digested your turkey?

Organist refusing to play Advent hymns because he/she already has them planned for Lessons & Carols?

Find yourself reading Luke and thinking of a variety of ways to tell Linus where to stick it? (Lights please.)

Then this quick and easy Friday Five is for you! And for those of you with a more positive attitude, have no fear. I am sure more sacred and reverent Friday Fives will follow.

Please tell us your least favorite/most annoying seasonal....

1) dessert/cookie/family food
divinity: It is NOT divine or heavenly. GAG.

2) beverage (seasonal beer, eggnog w/ way too much egg and not enough nog, etc...)
Eggnog of any variety, to me, it's just a big loogey.

3) tradition (church, family, other)
The church that has the nasty stew cooked over an open fire combined with decorating the sanctuary and calling it Hanging of the Greens with the appearance of Santa Claus. All parents were expected to provide the gifts to be distributed by Santa but no one told the new people (including the pastor who had two young children who still believed in Santa).

4) decoration
The huge Santa kneeling at the manger in the church lawn at the same church as #3.

5) gift (received or given)
The mass produced plaque with wonderful supportive words about "our pastor" with all male pronouns.

BONUS: SONG/CD that makes you want to tell the elves where to stick it.
Santa Claus Lane or any other song from "Last Christmas" by Hilary Duff

I know, I know.... pretty grumpy for November but why not get it out of our systems now so we are free to enjoy the rest of the festivities.

Friday Five from RevGalBlogPals

Friday 5- extravagant unbusyness....

posted by Sally

I am writing in my official capacity of grump!!! No seriously, with the shops and stores around us filling with Christmas gifts and decorations, the holiday season moving up on us quickly for many the time from Thanksgiving onwards will be spent in a headlong rush towards Christmas with hardly a time to breathe.... I am looking at the possibility of finding little gaps in the day or the week to spend in extravagant unbusyness ( a wonderful phrase coined by fellow revgal Michelle)...

So given those little gaps, name 5 things you would do to;

1.to care for your body
get a massage.

2. to care for your spirit
spend more time with friends or spend more time making more friends

3. to care for your mind
oh, this really is a busyness fuel, get a jump on reading for my last course for the PhD

4. to bring a sparkle to your eye
this would be the friends thing again

5. to place a spring in your step
go Geocaching

Enjoy the time to indulge and dream.... and then for a bonus which one on the list are you determined to put into action?

Well, tomorrow, I probably will Geocache while spending time making friends

Friday Five from RevGalBlogPals

The Friday Five: Homage to the Top Chef!

posted by Revhrod

This Fall my family has been energetically watching Top Chef on the Bravo channel. My teenage daughter watches with the dream of some day being a chef. My husband watches because he loves reality shows and I mean, really loves them. Plus the whole competition thing really works for him. Me, I love cooking and good food. Every so often I get an idea from this group of talented young chefs who are competing for big money and honors galore.

The winner for this season was Hung. Not the fan favorite, but he won fair and square. In his bio, he says if he were a food "I would be spicy chili - it takes a while to get used to, but once you eat it you always come back for more!" With that in mind, here is this week’s Friday Five.

1. If you were a food, what would you be?

Devil's food cake with chocolate icing.
The SportsQueen said I'm a ribeye 'cause I'm tender.


2. What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where?

I was weeks pregnant when we came down the switchbacks from Nazareth. We stopped at a roadside place for falafels with chick peas. Morning sickness met motion sickness. You can imagine the rest. The word falafel still makes me nauseated.


3. What is your favorite comfort food from childhood?

Beef stroganoff made with strips of beef and lots of sour cream over egg noodles.


4. When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to be a hit?

A potato casserole made with cheese, cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream that is cooked in the crock pot. The only way anything makes it to a church potluck from this single preacher mom.


5. What’s the strangest thing you ever willingly ate?

Some Greek food in Athens that I still don't know what it was.

Bonus question: What’s your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great meal?
That is completely context dependent but most of the time it is diet coke or tea. Mountain Dew used to be my drink of choice but now I'm in the diet drink crowd. Methotrexate means no alcohol for me but I used to like MangoPeach Margaritas.

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five

Friday Five: The B-I-B-L-E

Does everyone remember the old Sunday School song?

The B-I-B-L-E,
Oh, that's the book for me.
I take my stand on the Word of God,
The B-I-B-L-E.

I have been working on an expansive language version of the Psalms and the Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office/Breviary. (For you non-liturgical gals and pals, that's a set of prayers for morning, noon, evening, etc., mostly consisting of Psalms and other biblical texts).

So I have been thinking a lot about the Bible recently, and how we encounter it as God's Word--or don't--in our lives, prayer, and ministry. (Great minds think somewhat alike this week, as yesterday's Ask The Matriarch post dealt with ways to help as many people in a community as possible engage with a scriptural text in preparation for Sunday worship).

So, in that spirit, I offer my first Friday Five. I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's experience and reflection on these B-I-B-L-E questions:

1. What is your earliest memory of encountering a biblical text?

I think it probably was Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

2. What is your favorite biblical translation, and why? (You might have a few for different purposes).

I use NRSV all the time. I like NIV except for the places where male language is used "generically." I also like the NASB and The Message.

3. What is your favorite book of the Bible? Your favorite verse/passage?

My favorite is probably John because of the rich imagery. However, it drives me nuts when people choose to understand the literary devices in literal ways. Favorite verses/passages: Micah 6:8, Matthew 25, Gen 21:6.

4. Which book of the Bible do you consider, in Luther's famous words about James, to be "an epistle of straw?" Which verse(s) make you want to scream?

The books that are "questionable" Paul with all kinds of rules and restrictions that are probably culturally based. If new converts to Christianity do not have to become Jewish first, then the household shouldn't have to live by the culturally based household codes found in the writings of Greek philosophers in order live as a Christian household.

5. Inclusive language in biblical translation and liturgical proclamation: for, against, or neutral?

For inclusive language regarding humans without reservation. For language that is not limited to gender specific pronouns for God.

Bonus: Back to the Psalms--which one best speaks the prayer of your heart? More than once Psalm 139 has spoken to me in significant ways.