Preparations

Getting ready for our big trip to Richmond, VA this weekend -- Argamenmom (inside joke) is getting married.  I will be officiating at the service, #1 is a flower girl and #2 is a ring bearer.  We are expecting a long trip but will be fine.  Hard to believe Family Member (another inside joke) will be getting married.  I first met him at a basketball game between Alderson Broaddus College and West Virginia State University (then College) on the campus of WVSU.  Bryan was there with his mom, I was there to watch the game with the future VOR (her and Bryan's mom, aka Postmistress on this blog, were there too).  The VOR convinced the 7th grader that I played unrecallable, at the moment, collegiate sport; he believed it.  Should I tell this during the wedding  sermon (oh yeah, for reasons unbeknownst to me I am not sure they realize I will be giving a wedding sermon).  

In preparation The VOR has readied a slew of prizes, work books, crayon caddies, books and such for the kids.  My assignment is more utilitarian: oil changed, luggage moved, gas, atm, and last minute supplies (while writing it just hit me: does the VOR deliberately want me out of the house while she packs?) 

The VOR and I are excited to be back in Richmond, food wise we get to eat at two of our favorite restaurants: Mexico and Gelati Celisti.  

While on the topic of preparation last night I was listening to the Magnificat by J.S. Bach with Advent and Christmas in mind.  As the first cd was about to close a beautiful organ solo was piping.  I asked #2, what do you think of this music: it is spooky dad, I don't like it.  The Magnificat as spooky?

Now to some four letter words voiced by #3.  Pums = pumpkins.  Wawa = water.  Mups = The Muppets.

And finally, last night #s 1 & 2 asked how long our bodies stay in the ground when we die.  I said for a good while, till Jesus comes to get us.  #2 asked how fast Jesus could move.  I said pretty fast.  He thought long and hard and then said hmph even faster than me, and went on his way.  

Birthday Thoughts

Today I am 34, I suppose I am now fully engaged in the afternoon of life. I do not feel any older but I have noticed a gradual thickening of facial hair, then again I had nowhere to go but up in this category. I have also noticed a gradual popping of bones, an interest in the obituary, contacting friends from back home, an appreciation of seasons changing, a dislike of watching football, a surprising love of vegetables (even brussel sprouts!), waking up at 5:30am because I went to bed at 9:30pm, looking forward to retirement, and finally realizing that I will probably not ever make it onto ESPN Sportscenter. With that last thought I now want to offer a word to any aspiring athlete: how to make it onto Sportscenter, a guaranteed way at that.

If you are a sophomore or junior at any college in America: call a press conference and declare yourself eligible for the NFL draft. Do not worry if you play on a team or not, it would help if you do not (also, gender is no prohibition for this plan). This kind of boldness and tenacity will for sure get the attention of Mel Kiper and cause him to comment on you during pre-draft analysis. Seeing that ESPN is now more of a 24 hour program than it was when I was in college the odds are greater you will make it on.

Moving on...
Yesterday I finished my 46th book in my attempt to read 100 books for 2008. I do not think I am going to read 55 books in 10 weeks, only 5.5 books a week. If you look at my list you will see 8 children's books (recall I granted myself 1 kid book a month). Nevertheless, 39 books thus far is still far more than I read last year. I am holding out hope to have read 50 non-children's books by the end of the year, that I believe is well within shot.

The 46th book was John Claypool's, The Preaching Event, which was the 1979 Lyman Beecher Lectures at Yale Divinity School.  I mention this book because only a few years ago I was enthralled by Claypool and his approach to preaching.  But after reading TPE I am having second thoughts about his approach.  I cannot quite put my finger on it exactly.  I appreciate his honesty, his boldness in sharing his wounds, his journey away from the "fast track" of Baptist life (he eventually became Anglicized and re-ordained as an Episcopalian priest), and his use of pastoral care in his sermons.  I suppose my time in ministry is different than his, perhaps that is the biggest difference.  

Further down the road...

I sent Mr. Randy Moss an official letter welcoming him to the community and to stop by to worship with us any time he is free and available.  I figure it is worth a shot.  I bet he did not expect to move to RI and discover a dude just down the street who grew up down the road from him, played football with his older brother, knew his football coach, and can attest to his basketball abilities too.  

The Almighty Speaking through Creation...

I am not for sure what God is trying to communicate to me but two weekends ago I spied (as #2 would say) 3 Eastern Bluebirds in the parsonage lot.  No one believes me.  My neighbor inquired: you sure it was not a Bluejay?  I know what a Bluejay looks like, never have cared too much for those loud beaked pushy birds.  For 6 years+ I have been looking for a E.B. and was overjoyed to see one.  Yesterday morning the same, I assume it is the same one, landed on the parsonage  backporch rail and stayed for a spell.

Resume building, installment #2...

My first bread recipe for testing arrived this week.  I am making a few loaves for the concert this Saturday and see what folk think.  I would also like to add a new component to my resume: this Fall I have developed an uncannily ability to tree squirrels.  

Language Lessons, installment #4

The way kids ask questions, sound out first time phrases and questions of metaphors is the subject of this post.

1. Today I was asked by the VOR to go and pick up #1. I marked my spot in the book I was reading and walked over. #1 located me with a tinge of disappointment then looked down the walk and saw the VOR with #3 and took off running. I received neither a hug nor a look of thanks. When I caught up with the three of them I asked the standard question: what am I chopped liver? #1 looked at me and asked, 'what's chopped liver?' Good question. If she was talking about chicken or even turkey liver then I would be all over that. In fact, I love to cook the organs of the turkey and crush the liver in the pot, then spoon it up on some bread.

To the next situation.

2. On Friday #2's school had a Ho-Down complete with bails of hay and the like; #2 was very pleased with the events. As we walked to the vehicle, #2 looked up at me and said the next time the school has a low-down #2 would very much like to go. #2 then looked up and asked when is the next low-down dad. Another good question.

And finally.

3. Today #3 woke up with a mild cold. After awakening from #3's nap a slight hoarseness could be detected in #3 voice. The VOR asked #3 do you have a frog in your throat. #3 said no, Frog on arm.

Resume Building

First off let me tell those who are not in New England, it is cold today. How cold? I had to reheat my coffee three times before finishing!

Second, a first today. Someone called wanting a copy of Sunday's sermon. I have printed versions available as folk leave the service; folk have taken them. When they are not printed a couple of times folk have asked for copies. But I have never had someone call and ask for a copy on a Tuesday.

What I want to share next is somewhat related to tonight's sermon. If you can travel back to the 1988 Republican primary. This was the year I officially started following politics (13 years old). For me it was the apex of SNL political satire. During one of the sketches Jack Kemp was asked how he would balance the budget, he responded by saying that in football he gave 110%, so he would do the same with the budget since he would have an extra 10% to work with. Then they asked Pat Roberston (played by Al Franken) for his qualifications he had to be president. He said he had mowed peoples grass while they were on vacations, walked neighbors dogs and even gave driving directions to people.

Now to me. This week I received word that I will be a recipe taster for Peter Reinhart's new bread baking book. All you had to do was sign-up. But what a resume builder: Recipe Taster. I plan to bake the bread on Saturday night then let the congregation taste and give feedback. I am looking forward to this.

#42, and I am not talking about Pres. Clinton

The other day while reading the contents of Theolog I noticed a review of Shift. The review caught my eye for two reasons: a mention of WV and bicycling.

Starting in 10th grade I dreamt of riding my bike across country. I imagined hopping on my orange, heavy, 10sp Schwinn Continental and riding from WV to California or Oregon. But my parents freaked out if I barely mentioned it and tossed it off as one of my hair brained ideas. I never made the trip but I kept dreaming about it. Every time I hop on my bike I think of what it would be like to have the family and ride to the left coast. One of these days...

Until then there are stories from the journeys of others, enter Shaft by Jennifer Bradbury. The story of two high school graduates who ride across country from WV to WA, along the way they find themselves and mature quite a bit. Bradbury wrote the book for young adults but it is a good read for adults too, especially those who dream of riding across country, those who "moved" away from home, and those who sought their own way in the world.


My review from Library Thing,

After 25 pages I knew for a fact that either I knew the author or knew someone she knew. Why? There were too many details of WV life. Who else would know about John's Cyclery next to Taco Bell? That clue made me stop reading and google some information. After some research and a couple of emails it was confirmed, I knew the author's husband, but enough of that -- back to the book.

The book is a great read. It tells the story of Chris' and Win's cross country bicycling trip from WV to WA. The author tells the story in alternating chapters, one from Chris' current point of view then one from Chris's running diary of the trip.

I do not want to give any more details of the book. I do want to highlight the author's creative usage of the biblical story of Jacob wrestling the angel. I also want to say the way the author narrated the tricky and troubling aspect of young adulthood of growing up. Well done Mrs. Bradbury, look forward to future works!

Testamental Confusion

Yesterday I spent a good 20 minutes trying to locate a copy of Everett Fox's The Five Books of Moses. I called all the local book stores before calling the megalomarts. I eventually had to go to one of the megalomarts. Lucky for me the book had been on the shelf for some time, thus the price was the old price of $25.00 and it had a crease on the cover (so I asked for a discount) they happily knocked off 10%.

While searching I took one quick look over at overstock.com Notice the heading:
Online Shopping>Entertainment>Books>Religion>Christianity

Christianity? I know both Jews and Christians share the Torah as scripture. But labeling Fox's translation of the Torah as Christian is a little much for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Online Shopping > Entertainment > Books > Religion > Christianity

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The Five Books of Moses

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy 
Schocken Bible, V. 1 Volume 1 
by Fox, Everett

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• 02/01/2000
• 9780805211191
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While other English translations of the Bible attempt to render its language as if it had been written in English, this translat 

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Behaving Like a Calvinist

I have long made the argument that people need a nemesis or a foil for all of their arguments.  I have chosen the Presbyterians.  Why?  While a student at BTSR I felt like most of the students from across the street looked down upon us Baptists (need I say they had every right to do so, for the most part).  But there is irony here.   Personally, after a great deal of family history I discovered the Norvells were Scot Presbyterians when they came over in 1617.  Professionally, everyone always thinks Baptists when they hear fundamentalists, but fundamentalism was a product of: the Princeton Presbyterians.  Oh yeah, when Fozzy and Kermit go into the church in the scene from the Muppet Movie  Kermit asks Fozzy what kind of church it is, Fozzy replies, I don't know they all look Presbyterian to me.  

Now on with the story.  Today I preached on Jacob's Ladder, during one part I talked about how we live in an era infused with positive thinking.  But Calvinism would say positive thinking won't get you jack squat.  My second Calvinistic activity: I went bowling this afternoon.  I once read that John Calvin loved bowling for his Sabbath day play.

Many people have been requesting an action shot from the kickball game, here goes:

Magical Animal Eye Candy

I forgot to post this picture from the Pulled Pork BBQ

After 10+ hours of smoking I watched as Richie (co-owner of the deli who let me use the smoker and other facilities) opened the smoker and saw this:

As many of you who smoke meat or even grill it, know there is quite a bit of shrinkage and mass loss due to the cooking/rendering of fat. I lost about half of the beginning weight. So where did all of that mass go? This is where it went:


The pan weighed in excess of 15lbs. I would say the rest of the mass loss came from deboning, pulling off excess, and simple moisture evaporation.

Relationship Breakthroughs

Once a week a cleaning crew of men and women of mental and physical challenges come and clean the church. When they come in I greet them, shake hands or perform some hand shaking rituals/high fives, hear about their day, and etc.

Today while I was in the office one gentleman who is in his early 20s who usually does not say too much peeked his head in the office and inquired: Hey Father, what about those Red Soxs last night?