Posts

Showing posts from March, 2014

Marching Out...

It's the last day of March and I am heaving a sigh of relief.  Surely with April we will finally find some spring like weather. They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.  (Although who they are, I'm not sure.)  This year March came in like a Polar Bear and never wanted to be anything but. I know some of my friends south saw snow yesterday.  I saw flakes this morning which accumulated in a dusting on the lawn.  Nothing much, but just enough to make me go "REALLY???"  And I won't even talk about my friends to the North who got much more than that yesterday and today.  (Sorry folks...) It's time to put in a call to Mother Nature.  Winter is over.  We are ready for some spring!  We are ready for flowers to poke their heads out of the ground and bloom.  We are ready for the change.  We are ready to be pulled out of the cold and dark and into a season of color and light. So good bye March...you've stomped all over us.  I'm ready t

Why Are We Here?

(Note:  While my church is searching for a new pastor, laypeople have been filling in on occasion.  This is my sermon from Sunday, March 30th.  Names have been replaced by initials as I do not feel comfortable putting names out there.  Although this is about my church family, what I say could hold try for any faith.) Why am I here?  Why are you here?  Why are we here? This is not a metaphysical question.  I’m not naive or stupid enough to ask why and get into an awkward debate on the creation of the planet in 7 days or big bangs or anything like that.  My question is literally…why are we here…in this sanctuary, in this church, today, now?  (And don’t worry I’m not about to come out there are start polling you all.  If you have an answer and you want to shout it out, now is a fine time.  Otherwise I’m just going to keep talking…at least for the next several minutes.. . Today is Sunday, March 30 th .  There’s nothing much special about today.  We’re in the middle of Lent, we’

Saturday

I think most of us love Saturdays.  The work week is over and most of us have two whole days to relax (somewhat) and not have the stress and strain that come with Monday through Friday. Of course I love Friday nights too.  It means that the weekend is here.  But there is something wonderfully special about Saturday. Saturday I can sleep in late.  (In my case that means past 5...and staying in bed till 7 is wonderfully decadent.)  And when I get up there is no rush.  I still want to get that morning exercise/walk in, but I can take my time.  If I don't do it right away, it's all right. But what I really look forward to all week long is Saturday morning breakfast.  It's nothing really special.  My husband makes coffee (just like he does just about every day) and sometimes "makes" biscuits (if you call taking them out of the "can" and putting them in the oven making them).  I usually have a newspaper (just like I do in the weekdays).  But it is differ

Hallelujah! Spring is Here!

The warm weather has finally hit us.  (Although I know it won't last with dire predictions of snow and cold weather for next week.) It is truly a fine Friday night.   The sun is still out (though waning in the west) and there a bunch of kids running around my block.  (My own included.) They were out after school today running around the backyards.  My son was sorry to leave the gang to go grocery shopping with his parents and acted somewhat like a sullen teen as we pulled away in our car.  But he was joyous when we returned and they were still out and hard at play.  He woofed down his dinner.  (Which I let him do).  And then it was back out to play. There are numerous kids running through my backyard.  They are being boisterous and loud.  They are being kids.  Out for the first time this season. Out after dinner enjoying the still sunny day. I know it won't last, but it's here today...Hallelujah!  Spring is here!   Forget the birds and flowers and other signs of the

St. Patrick's Day and Spring

Both are right around the corner...and I am truly thankful. After the bitter cold and snowy winter that most of us have experienced (and if you haven't be grateful), we need a little celebrating. While St. Patrick's Day is traditionally "Irish", why can't we all celebrate this year with the wearing of the green?  When I look out my window and see still see piles of snow (and what isn't snow covered is brown and barren), I know I could stand to add some green to my life.  To me the green shamrock is a sign of life and growth.  (And yes, I know traditionally it's said that this little plant was used to St. Patrick to explain the holy trinity).  Don't we all need a sign that life is about to begin again with the coming of the spring (and hopefully warm weather)? I've been counting down the days till spring since our first December storm.  Now the official start is almost in my grasp.  I am hopeful that the weather will recognize the official dat

The Sleepover

I've entered a new era in mommy-hood.  My son was invited to his first sleepover. I wasn't sure he'd want to go.  I wasn't sure I wanted him to go.  Yes, he's spent plenty of nights away...mostly with his grandparents.  And there was a week away at camp.  But somehow this felt different. When I asked him if he wanted to go, he unequivocally said "yes".  So who was I to say no? I suppose I should be glad that he was the invitee, instead of being the other way around.  I'll admit it, I think I'm too high strung, too controlling, to be able to deal with a boy's sleepover.  They would have a blast, but by morning I'd most likely be a wreck.  (So props to the mom who agreed to let my son sleep over...she is a stronger, or at least more flexible, mom than I will ever be.) And so I packed a bag for him.  I dug the sleeping bag out of the closet (getting pelted by board games as I did).  I pulled a pillow off of the top shelf and put a pill

Getting Up & Giving Up

I'm a morning person.  Week days I get up around 5 and do my exercises (or walk when this long, cruel winter finally ends) before I get ready for work and get the rest of my family up.  I like the early morning.  And I like that the change to Daylight Saving time means longer days. But today, when I got up and the clock said 6 and I knew it was really 7, it was painful getting up.  I guess I'm getting a bit lazy on the weekend.  I've been sleeping in.  And by sleeping in I mean sometime after 7. (Although I've been really decadent a few times this year and slept past 8!)  I just did not want to get up.  But I did.  There were things to do (such as laundry; although I skipped this morning's exercise routine).  With a cup of coffee (have I mentioned that my husband makes the best coffee in the world?), I have gotten my act together.  The sun is shining and I'm glad to be up with this beautiful new day. Besides Daylight Saving time, this past week also brought