Seeking Authentic Voice

Songbird, over at RevGals, offers this Friday Five: i've got home on my mind: what it feels like, how we make it, what we carry from the past and how we separate other people's leftovers from objects that really reflect our identity. My family has had one home for the past 13 years, the longest I've ever lived anywhere. As the time when all the children are gone comes closer, I wonder where my next home will be? So here are five questions about home. 1) Where was your first home? I was born in Salt Lake City. The first house I remember was in "Avenues" near the university. Later we lived further up the side of the mountain in a house with an apricot tree and a view of the valley below. 2) Do you ever dream about places you used to live? I use to dream about my Great-grandmother's farm house in southern Idaho. It was a big yellow house with a turret room where my great grandmother kept all of her sewing materials. I remember playing with her sewing materials in

With the start of the church program year I have experienced a significant increase in activity. Many, many meetings. A lot of learning. Lots of activity. Coming up briefly for air. This morning is cool, rainy. Perfect for drinking coffee and moving slowly. On Friday I will host the vestry for dinner at the rectory. That means I have some cleaning to do, and reorganizing of furniture, and setting up extra tables for dining. And prepping and cooking the meal. Looking forward to some time to just relax with this group of leaders, fine people! Otherwise, a week that should be relatively slower than those in recent past... What about your week? Busy? Slow? Anything you are looking forward too? - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A reflection on John 3:1-17 for the Season of Creation 1A When I was a little girl I lived in a neighborhood on the side of the mountains that rim the southern section of Salt Lake City. Our driveway angled sharply down, providing a great place to skateboard. And from the street I had a fabulous view of the city and valley below. For me it was most spectacular at night, with thousands of bright sparkling lights. I remember that Petula Clark’s song, “Downtown,” was a hit on the radio. Another of my favorite memories of living there was the apricot tree in the backyard. Now, I know that apricot trees are not very large, but as a little girl it was a big tree for me. I loved to climb up in the branches, high enough that I could see beyond the garages to the city in the valley below. And then I’d settle in on a good branch, remove the book from my pocket and enjoy fresh apricots while reading. These memories are rich in imagery, of the amazing beauty of God’s creation – even now they

It's Ollie's third birthday! What a silly boy-dog. Here is a photo of him during his recent visit. I hope our daughter is giving him dog appropriate birthday cake!

For a time Dan and I lived in the Sonoran desert south of Tucson, Arizona. It was a beautiful place – wide open space, cacti with brilliantly colored flowers and amazing wild life. Our house was on the foothills of the Santa Rita mountain range, which is home to the Madera Canyon. This canyon, plunging some 9000 feet from the mountain peak, is riveted with ravines known as arroyos. The Santa Rita’s are famous for the birds that live and migrate through, especially the seasonal hummingbirds that come every spring and fall. This mountain range is also one of many passage ways used by undocumented people who cross the border between Mexico and the US, some 45 miles to the south. Some of these people are truly awful –involved in the drug trade and human sex trafficking. But most of the people coming across are simply trying to find a way to make a living. As I understand it the issue is one of a global economic concern – of how corporations, industry and governments have impacted the wo

A reflection on the readings for Proper 19A:Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114; Matthew 18:21-35, on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2011. The other night Dan and I were sitting in the family room, watching a movie. Suddenly we heard an odd noise in the wall. A noise that had our cat glued to the spot! Some more odd sounds and some scrambling and scratching took place; all the while the cat was motionless, staring at the spot. Dan and I wondered what was in the wall – a squirrel? A chipmunk? A mouse? After about 40 minutes there was a loud screech and the cat jumped backward! Suddenly there was a mouse running for its life around the family room floor. A mad chase ensued, the cat cornering the mouse, Dan and I overturning furniture to try and grab it, the dogs barking, and the poor mouse, a blur as it ran from corner to corner. Finally, after several failed attempts, I scooped the mouse up in a rag and ran outside to let it go. I know the mice are seeking a warm nest for th

I spent the day at the church, leading a special Eucharist for Labor Day and a prayer vigil initiating our Week of Prayer to Transform the Tragedy of 9/11 into a Mission of Unity and Hope. Here is one of the prayers from the booklet I created using prayers from the Episcopal Tradition, and prayers from other traditions: Buddhist Vow Knowing how deeply our lives intertwine, We vow not to kill. Knowing how deeply our lives intertwine, We vow to not take what is not given. Knowing how deeply our lives intertwine, We vow to not engage in abusive relationships. Knowing how deeply our lives intertwine, We vow to not speak falsely or deceptively. Knowing how deeply our lives intertwine, We vow to not harm self or other through Poisonous thought or substance. Knowing how deeply our lives intertwine, We vow to not dwell on past errors. Knowing how deeply our lives intertwine, We vow to not possess any thing or form of life Selfishly. Knowing how deeply our lives intertwine,

Gracious God, who hears our prayers, who Strengthens hearts (tho we do our best to harden them) who blesses, over and over, Be with those who suffer and Bring them peace. Be with those who hunger and Nourish them, as only you can. Be with those who weep and Wipe away their tears. Be with this who rejoice and share their joy. Be with us all, however we Are this day. And help us To be your hands and heart Loving others as we love self, you. Help me to pray for all: May I be free from danger, May I be free from fear, May I be healthy, May I dwell in peace. May you be free from danger, May you be free from fear, May you be healthy, May you dwell in peace. May all beings be free from danger, May all beings be free from fear, May all beings be healthy, May all beings dwell in peace. (Traditional Buddhist Prayer) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Pray for those who persecute you. Have you ever actually tried to do this? I did once. I was having a very difficult time with someone who had a fair amount of authority and control over my life and was causing me all kinds of challenges. Because this person could influence the outcome of some work I was doing I had to tread lightly. I wanted to dislike this person and rail against them, but that would have been counter productive. One day it occurred to me that what I ought to be doing was praying for this person. Admittedly the very thought of holding this person in my prayers almost made me ill. Prayer was my time with God, a time for me to be vulnerable, to share my grievances, a time to be silent and still, to find peace. All of that would be disrupted if I brought this person into my prayers. And so for a time I fought the impulse to pray for this person. But eventually I decided to try praying for this person. My anger was so strong that all I could muster was to say the

Headquarters for me is the northeast of the United States. Here school is getting back in session, the tease of autumn is in the air (or the hope for the tease of autumn is in the air) and church life is gearing up to full throttle. One thing I've learned with blogging and social media is that the where I live is not necessarily where you live. And so I want to know what September means to you, in your place of the world and time in your life. This week's Friday Five is: What are 5 things that the beginning of September mean to you? 1. Relief from long hot steamy weather....which I love, but am always ready to move from summer to autumn. 2. Apples, September is apple season where I live, particularly picked fresh from a local orchard. I like sweet apples for slicing and eating with lunch or in my breakfast yogurt, and tart apples for baking. 3. Start up of fall programs and events at the church, and a return to a more formal worship with choir and longer sermon, vestments and