Friday, October 25, 2013

seven hurried takes

one
Big cold in the head. 
Dreamt my phone broke into pieces but still worked, but could only talk on it if I carefully held all the pieces together, which of course was impossible. Woke anxious and with a sore throat. Felt surely that death would come. Didn't so got up and made breakfast.
two
My dad, the Reverend Doctor Robert Carlson of Nairobi and West Africa, will be preaching at Good Shepherd on Sunday. Here he is, reading to his grand children who wouldn't stop wiggling even for one tiny second.



Hope everyone within a hundred miles will come and hear him!
three
My 90 year old Great Aunt will be making the journey so there should be no excuse for anyone else. My mom and dad are going to pick her up in Pennsylvania today and bring her up for the whole weekend. Don't worry, I will stay well away from her with my cold. I will wave cheerily from other rooms and send disinfected notes and cause Matt to make all the food for the whole time. Looks like she might be bringing snow with her.
four
I will not speak of impending snow lest I lapse into profanity which, so far, whatever the name of this blog might suggest to you, would not be in keeping with nearly everything that I've written so far over the last seven or eight years or whatever. My deep animosity and hostility towards the snow and cold will just have to be believed. Feel the force behind these measured words and pray for my salvation.
five
Got to have lunch with my dad yesterday and came away feeling that perhaps I had not drawn breath the whole time, so chattery was I. Asked maybe one question and then lept into answer it myself. Have heard from Matt that this is what it's like to go out to lunch with Elphine (for him to go to lunch)--quick intakes of breath on the part of the child who has so much to say that breathing is a big waste of time. If God is a good Father, it may be that sometimes he feels like I am out to lunch.
{cough...sorry...just a little joke there..}
six
Reading a really good about how to celebrate the church year. Going to review it just the second I finish it, which will hopefully be today. Feel that I will need to have a stout stack of these books to hand out to the average Good Shepherdian who doesn't know what on earth we're doing with the colors and the insanity. 'Read this', I'd be able to say, 'and do what it says, and eventually you'll want to be an Anglican.'
seven
Had to shave the bottom of Moses' staff off so as to fit him onto the Mountain of The Lord. Then broke the staff and had to glue it. Now have to go buy some sand and something to put it in for the desert. And after that have to write out and laminate some helpful cards. Otherwise, how will the children learn about the near sacrifice of Isaac? How? I ask myself as I sling glue around, there must be some other way!


6 comments:

Anne said...

Kate just posted this comment and I stupidly deleted it because I'm so wretched. Here is her comment (sorry Kat!)
It's not just Good Shepherdites! I often wonder if life-long liturgical calendar following attendees are doing when they don't notice the change of colors, or if they do notice, don't connect the color with the season. The fall church kick-off picnic at our new church was moved indoors because of rain, so instead of lawn games, they had a "Draw Fr Mark" contest for the prizes. One of the kids drew him wearing a purple stole, and I commented that it must be Lent, and was given blank looks by those around me, except Fr Mark who had a surprised look. Then a few weeks ago, I was taking off my choir robe, and hung my green stole over the robe instead of the separate hanger some hang them on, and a lifelong member of this church suggested not doing that, because you don't know when the color would change. I told him we were in green until Advent (unless we go White for All Saints. We've only lived in the state since May) Blank Look. Then he went to the calendar hanging on the wall to check that the next few Sundays were still in green font. If my 6 month old puppy can figure out the pattern of going into her kennel at night when I get out of the shower, so that she does it automatically, you'd think after 40 or 50 years, the Episcopalians/Anglicans/Lutherans/Catholics would figure out that the stoles and altar linens are purple every Lent! ;)

Jessica Snell said...

eee! So happy to hear you're liking it. (And, to be crassly commercial, I'm pretty sure the publisher offers discounts to churches ordering in bulk. Okay, shutting up now.)

ettu said...

I do truly enjoy your real and honest and (often) totally hilarious posts. This one surely falls into the hilarious - and lovely - and loving category. Happy to see your Dad enjoying the kids. We go to WDW en famille in a few months and I only hope the love that is evident in your photo suffuses our visit. I have a relative in Johnson City but rarely visit so will not hear your Dad preach - a pity - but I will hear my wife preach on Sunday as is her wont so I will will still be blessed with a great sermon

Anonymous said...

Hahah! I was just going to ask if it was Jessica S's book, & then read her comment. Do you actually know her, and if so can I use your name as a 'I am a probably nice person' referral to ask her to let me read her friends only Sci Fi she was posting about ages and ages and ages ago? Yes, I have been pining after the non-posted story for this long..........................................................

I think the colour changes are only noticed by people who like colour, or possibly symbolism. I'm so sad that the only thing that changes in the church here are the stoles, all the altar clothes etc al are the same year round! Was reading up on Myers-Briggs again & found one personality type was partial to symbolism- 'Aha! This explains so much!' Of course, can't now recall which it was.

Glad your parents are there! Lovely pictures. :) I've been trying to find a smart guestroom solution for mine so we don't all feel like we're stepping on eachother.

~R

Sarah Boyle Webber said...

If it's the book I gave you because I'm a friend of the author, it's out of print. But don't worry, I still know the author and she has a few boxes of books in her basement she'd be glad to sell you, cheap.

Sarah Boyle Webber said...

Stupid question: Why are your parents in NY when GAFCON is happening in their home town?