What's Up Wednesday?

We're now into the fourth day of Advent, and I saw many RevGals and Pals have put the A Light Blazes blog on their blogrolls and called attention to it. There were other thoughts about the beginning of Advent spotted around the webring.

Rebel saw Advent symbolism in some park graffiti, and Lutheran Chik linked several online Advent calendars. I am grateful for Lorna's mention of my father in her post my November 29 devotion in our book. I also want to brag on Songbird's November 28 devotion because one of our church members came into my office today to tell me how much she liked it.

Chaplain Mom needs a little credit for being the constant parent. Leslee says goodbye to the grandfather she never really knew. Grace Happens found an unexpected gift changed her attitude and her day. Meanwhile, Steph solicits your help with a moral dilemma.

Songbird jumps feet first into the American Girl doll controversy. (I didn't know there was one until I read this. Portia and Babs have their AG dolls stored away for their future children--we love them!) Natty posts some groovy sister pictures and Susan Rose is lighting virtual candles.

Gord and I have both composed our own versions of "Its Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and "Deck the Halls." Maybe we should keep our day jobs????

Legal disclaimer in fine print--there are now 104 blogs in the ring. Please feel free to add in the comments anything I may have missed!

Religion & Science Letter Update

Recently I posted about an online letter about Religion and Science. Their goal was 10,000 signatures and they now have 10,050.

Thanks all.

Sleigh Ride Round the Ring - Advent 2 - oi

Board meeting tonight. Tough crowd. oi...

However, there is no reason why you should suffer so here we go!

Natty has got a fun albeit long meme and a fun post about those radical Adrian Dominican Sisters - you go girls!

Be sure to check in on Jan. It's been a good day.

bethquick asks for some Christmas Eve worship feedback and has a couple of helpful movie reviews.

Clever Title Here visited the pyramids. Props to them for making a pyramid of people by the actual pyramids.

Hey Jules is offering to help us get into balance.

Friday Mom has some news. Stop by and support her - big decision. Congrats on making it and peace be with you our friend.

Grace happens!

We always get a good read from jo(e).

Thanks all. Good night.

Just a Reminder

Please post the address for the companion website to our book at
http://www.alightblazes.com
on your website and let people know about the resource. I've been tracking the number of hits -- we are getting 80 or so a day, and I know that there are more of you than that! =o)

And thanks for your support!

An Abbreviated Round Up Due to Injury (clumsiness?)

Blessed Advent!

I'm glad I asked you to round up yourselves a bit yesterday, because I didn't get to finish what I started in the morning (which see below). There are many other wonderful posts, so don't miss them.

After we left our Guadalajara hotel for our final day's shopping, I managed to fall over something (my feet?) and surf down the sidewalk, coming to rest on my chin. Thanks be to God! It could have been SO MUCH WORSE! I have some bad bruises (particularly on the chin) and soreness, but nothing broken or sprained, did not bite my tongue in two, etc!

Apologies to those of you I did not get to!

Partial Roundup:

If you didn't see Tammy Jo's post about Thanksgiving and where we are from, oh, my! Go now and do so.

Mary is making some life changes. Please hold her in your prayers.

Katherine has made a lovely hat for a lovely baby and played guitar.

Brother Terry, new to the Lectionary, is preaching it for the first time this year! Welcome, brother!

How does your Light Blaze today?

An early-ish Sunday post to say that I have been to Mass at the Cathedral in Guadalajara. A different language (Spanish) and different faith tradition (Roman Catholic) but the Lectionary Year B was right there! What a glory to share this with the folks here and with all of you.

My roundup is started but will again be late; our flight arrives in Dallas in the evening and then we still have to get home.

SO! Let me ask anyone who wishes to share in the comments about your First Advent. How's it going? Is your light blazing?

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like . . . .

Fairly light blogging this holiday weekend --if the RevGalBlogPal update notification is giving an accurate reading. Several of those blogging felt inspired to include visual aids. Check out the fabulous Episcopalian Santa pic at I Will Sing, Jo(e)'s Hair, which can function as a temporary retreat center when she needs it to, Quotidian Grace's lucious apple pie, and Natty's possible party dress. Now I'll just flop in my chair and recover from eating the last two pieces of pecan pie. (You have to eat the leftovers, they go bad otherwise, right???)

Be sure to check A Light Blazes in the Darkness as we move into Advent tomorrow.

RevGal Friday Five: Leftovers

It’s the morning after Thanksgiving here in the U.S., and I apologize in advance to our international friends for this parochial Friday Five. But I’m relaxed after all that tryptophan and can’t think of much else. Thus, the Leftovers.

1) Did you cook or bake anything for Thanksgiving?

2) How was it received?

3) Anything left over?

4) What's the best use of Thanksgiving leftovers you have ever seen?

5) And the worst?

(And a bonus question: Do you think maybe I like pumpkin pie?)

Welcome our New Ring Members

Friends, we turned back from our original Thanksgiving destination due to snow and ice, so I will first give thanks that my former sister-in-law has invited us to her table. And then I will take a few minutes to introduce you to our new Ring members.

girl at girl gone great has introduced herself in the comments here and on some of our blogs. Her most recent entry concerned Thanksgiving memories.

Dash Goes to Church joins in on the gospel meme.

James at Love During Wartime is a poet and has become our 100th member!

Soujourner at Life's Journey is a seminarian married to a seminarian. They're trying to navigate combining holiday traditions.

Singing Owl at The Owl's Song is a rural pastor who just blogged a Thanksgiving prayer.

Finally, we welcome Jeff at Philosophy Over Coffee, who has been a UCC blog pal of mine for a while now. He's kindly promoting our Advent Devotional Book. Remember, it goes right through Christmas and Epiphany, so it's not too late to order more!

If you have tried to join, but don't find yourself on the member's list, please send me an e-mail at revgalblogpals@hotmail.com and we will try to figure out what the problem is.

Enjoy your turkey, or tofurkey, or whatever graces your table this day!

Dear RevGal and BlogPals

Remember that we have a companion website for the book
www.alightblazes.org

We will post each day's devotional there. We will also have a PayPal button (soon!) so that donations can be taken.

Please pass the URL around to everyone you think it appropriate to pass it to -- and post it on your blog.

Thanks!

To Grandmother's House We Go...Or Not!

Although a quick trip around the ring gave me the impression that most of us will be home for the Thanksgiving holiday, some RevGals and Pals are traveling. Cheesehead is off to Dysfunction Junction (what a great phrase!) but our prize winning holiday traveler is--drumroll please--Rev. Mibi who is in the Middle East to be with family. Will there be hummus dressing in that turkey?

You last-minute types still scrambling for recipes should check out the comments on Friday Mom's blog and for some good Thanksgiving poetry log on to Reverendmother's site. Mary Beth's tribute to her mother may inspire some of you to give thanks for someone near and dear in your life.

Sarah Dylan is experimenting with podcasting. I've got to listen to this, but haven't done so yet. Lorna offers an interesting reflection on the origin of Eugene Peterson's translation The Message.

Hey Jules and Susan Rose are doing a new meme in which you take the month and day of your birth and look up the corresponding chapter and verse in each of the Gospels. What if you used The Message for this instead of the NIV or the NRSV? Maybe I'll try that one out myself.

RevGals sometimes wonder if their sermons ever make a difference to those who hear them. For reassurance, see Lutheran Chik's A Paean to the Preacherly. St. Casserole blogs about the significance of the anniversary of the assassination of JFK and asks "what are your marker events?"

And as Advent approaches, Songbird has a mini-rant on Holiday Madness. Something tells me that we'll have more of those as Christmas approaches.

Speaking of Advent, I bought extra copies of our book and have been selling them at church. Everyone has been very interested in them, and folks ask me to sign them! I feel like I'm on a mini-book tour. I hope those of you who are sharing them with your friends and colleagues are enjoying the same type of encouragement and support that I have.

Lastly, here is an invitation for those of you who I inadvertently missed today to let us know in the comments what's going on with you. Happy Thanksgiving RevGals and BlogPals!

Sleigh Ride 'Round the Ring - Advent 1 - Keep Watch!

Please excuse this Lectionary Freak... Just be glad that since this is all typed, I cannot make you all sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel every Sunday from now until Epiphany. I use the verses as part of our liturgy every year because it is my favorite and friends, because I can.

Enough - shall we sleigh around the ring?

Bride without spot gives us an honest and open view into her soul. She ends by asking, "Why do we fight the Lord's work in our lives when we know it will bring us into perfect peace?"

Chaplain Mom gives us a blog-eye-view into some of the Thanksgiving trappings where she lives. Sounds like she and I have some things in common where in-laws are concerned.

Gord has got some news!!!

Kathryn at Good in Parts posts on ecumencial unity. It's got a ring to it, doesn't it?

Have we officially welcomed Luctor Et Emergo yet? It means: "I struggle and I emerge."

Susan Rose challenges us with a blog quiz about her life.

Joe at Pondering Perfection has a couple of posts about bettering ourselves professionaly, spiritually and personally.

Lorna at see-through-faith has been reading, translating, teaching and studying herself silly - come read what one of her students shared.

Sister Christer also quizzes us about her AND is going to the beach to knit. Unfair! I mean, have fun!

Telling Truth posts about Right Guard and in an older posts mentions the Jars of Clay cd that you CANNOT stop listening too. Old hymns with a twist - this ain't your mother's worship cd.

Finally, I apologize if she has already been introduced but please go check in on Diary of a 20-something Youth Pastor's Wife. I have ALWAYS considered this the hardest job around.

Peace my friends and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

What's up with YOU?

Hey y'all,

Just got back from Miami. It was rainy so I spent a lot of time working in my hotel room (and occasionally dipping into blogs!!)

Like for instance, Bethquick's thoughts about changing relationships. Really struck a chord with me because I am having an interesting shift in a long-time relationship...how to handle? With prayer, apparently.

HeyJules is thinking about stewardship (as are so many of us at this point) and so is Luctor et Emergo (new to me, welcome!) And hey! so is Susan Rose. It's a theme, by golly!

If you haven't seen the dog-blogging at St. Casserole's place while she has been away, well you SHOULD! I'm writing in praise of my mom. And Nueva Cantora has a great sermon for the Feast of Christ the King.

What are YOU thinking about?

And Away We Go....

Don't look now, but the name of that train that is about to hit us is called Advent.

Good luck.... and God bless!

it must still be saturday somewhere

Late update. Yesterday was my son's birthday party. What is it about 8 year old boys and fart jokes anyway????

For more sophisticated humor, check out Any Day a Beautiful Change who has been playing with the Spanish translation software. As a follow-up to last week's pie meme, Hazelnut Reflections posts her results on the "What Pie are You?" quiz. Jo(e) and Fresh Cut Flowers muse on what they love and hate about winter and invite us to do the same.

Travelling mercies to: St. Casserole who is in the Big Apple. (Check out Mr. Casserole's guest blogs), and to Clever Title Here who is returning to Egypt later this week.

Anyone else live in a state where cold medicine is now banned? How are you coping? I've been hit with the first bad cold of the season and I foolishly did not stock up on psuedophedrine while one could still buy the stuff.

More at the store

I've added holiday cards and postcards at the CafePress store. $1 per item goes to Heifer International!

Suggestions always appreciated.

Hogwarts Churches

Rebel continues the homage to Harry Potter in a very creative post here. Don't miss it!

UPDATE: I fixed the link. Just realized that somehow microsoft.com hijacked it. That's odd because I wrote this on a Mac. Maybe it isn't odd?

RevGal's Friday Five: Kiddie Lit Edition

It’s a Children’s Literature Friday Five, Pals, in honor of the opening today of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

1) Earliest book you remember (read to you or by you)

2) Picture Book you would like to climb into

3) Favorite series of books (then or now)

4) Character you would most like to meet

5) Last childhood book you re-read (for yourself or to someone)

You'll find my answers over the rainbow...
("Eh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh!!!")

Missing In Action

OK, I've been slow posting on my own blog. So here's some other blogs that haven't been updated in a week or more.

.:ordinary time:. hasn't blogged in a couple of weeks.
A Faith in Progress
A Thing with Feathers OK, it's only been a week, but still.
All Manner of Thing
Church Lady (but she doesn't post that often, anyway) (but the traveling casket is to die for.)
Housecalls must be gone on a house call....
Meandering Mumbles and Redundant Rantings
Monday Morning Letters Becky's around but not blogging.
Auntie Em MIA since AUGUST!! Auntie Em, there's no place like home!!
Pastor Anonymous is blending in with the masses, no doubt.
Preacher in Progress hasn't written since her funeral recipe.
Terri C who is just a blogging slo-poke. So she says.
Nawny Tammy hasn't blogging in a month.
Susan may actually have been arrested last week.
Susie at Sojourn Stories hasn't blogged on either of her blogs recently.

All of you, you are missed and give us a shout-out if you are still hanging around....

I read all the blogs today -- two dead cats, many live cats left. Skipping Christmas and giving churches away, Yeah! Hide and seek -- see if you can find them....

Finding Avalon

Please bring your cyber hugs and support over to Finding Avalon!

Inquiring Minds Want to Know...

A quick tour of the RevGalBlogs this evening revealed a recurring theme-- inquiring RevGal minds want to know

~ " What is your favorite (and least favorite) big City." Beth Quick
~ " How long did have you lived where you live now?" Juniper 68
~ " Is Matthew McConauhey the sexiest man alive?" Will Smama
~ " What do you love? " Reverendmother
~ " What are some of your mood elevators?" Songbird

I'm counting on lots of comments to satisfy their curiosity!

Another recurrent theme this time of year is bound to be concerns about how Christmas is celebrated. Join Gord in the Buy Nothing Christmas. Laugh with Sophia at the display spotted at a local Episcopal church.

Katherine at Any Day a Beautiful Change lists 10 Things I Love About My Pa. Heart-warming. Cathy Knits posts a sign in a coffee shop admonishing children to use "inside voices." Meanwhile Chaplain Mom has problems with older children as she describes roommate woes and heartache visits the Cheesehead house. Rev. Mibi and I are concerned with events in the ECUSA and the PCUSA.

Finally a big "HOWDY and WELCOME" goes out to Kirstin at Playing Tag With God.

And now for my question. There are now 96 members of the ring. Who will be the 100th?

Surfing The Ring - 'Thong' you very much

Once you place your revgalblogpals order it's time to let the ol' credit card cool off, sit back and relax with your favorite beverage and go surfin'... the blogs that is.

Notshychirev blogs about a stunning comment made by Bill O'Reilly (and not in a good way).

rainbow pastor does some book blogging.

Rev-to-be-Mibi has a serendipitous moment with spooky cat and give us an update on "The Process" and life.

Shield the Joyous asks: Is overdone politeness a qualifier for academic debate?

Carol at smallest angel blogs about how much she hates the fall leaves and loves Wizard of Oz. I shared this with all of you despite my bias since I love the leaves and HATE the Wizard of Oz (sorry Inner Dorothy - who blogs about her life ranking by the way). I ask all of you, how in the world can a movie with SCARY FLYING MONKEYS be rated 'G'. In the very least it should be PG-13.

Rachel at the Big Dunk has found Grace.. a place for worship.

Steve has got some tipos - just kidding, that's typos.

And last but not least apparantly Beth did not get my message from a week ago about the Bible Content ordination exam. People, snap out of it! These exams are not fun - they are evil pressure cookers.

The only thing that would make them worse is if flying monkeys were the proctors...

{sigh} Oh if I only had a brain.

ADDENDUM: Sometimes (okay, a lot) I forget that tone does not come through the type so please know that I am just teasing Smallest Angel and Inner Dorothy. They are certainly more than welcome to have a special place in their hearts for any movie they so choose. To prove my respect I will refrain from writing a deragatory comment about flying monkeys... or green-faced witches... or lions who may be cowardly but still jump out of the forest... or scary scarecrows... or witches that look very much like the librarian who rode past our house on her bicycle every day while I cowered inside protecting our dog who would not have fit in her basket anyway...

While I follow the yellow brick road to therapy please welcome newcomer Chaplain Mom and enjoy her posts including the question Why Jesus?

Check out the store!

OK, I'm all a-flurry with short posts today.

Based on the results of the poll, I threw two quick new designs up at the store. Check out the "Yes Virginia" and "'Tis the season" designs and tell me what you think.

As you can see, I am not a graphic designer. Actually I used to do that but don't have any of the tools anymore. One thing I realized is that everything is black and white--should we use dark green or red lettering for the Christmasy stuff?

Also if there's a particular piece of swag you want to see a particular catchphrase on, let me know.

Are you PSYCHED???

I am very psyched about the Harry Potter movie coming out this week. I can't wait to see Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort. I am doubly psyched for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in December (please let them NOT have screwed it up). In addition to all of our annual holiday traditions it is great to look forward to these two films.

Mary Beth provided a great roundup, so the question for Monday is simple:

What are YOU psyched about?

Sunday's roundup a little late!

While I'm talking about ME, (was I?) I am looking for an "English" gingerbread recipe. If any of my English (or Anglophile) RevGals might have suggestions to share, I'd be grateful! marybeth@unt.edu.

My most happiest blog-read this week came from Canticles, who HAS NEW HEARING AIDS! Wonderful ones! Gloryosky! This made my day. And I think it made hers, too. :)

St. Casserole & Grace find that hurricanes continue to overshadow all they do. May the rest of us be there with them. May we never forget. Songbird has had a nutty (see Nov. 13 entry), but don't think it was necessarily hurricane-related.

Carolyn is hanging in there. Send up a prayer for her. And CleverTitle makes me weep with her poignant writing about her loss of her mother. I am going to ask my mother the questions that she wishes she'd had time for.

I wish I knew someone named Hamish! Kathryn does. He came and disrupted her church service, and turned out to be a fascinating and thought-provoking addition. I think that Kathryn ("the lady minister") provoked some thoughts for Hamish, too.

Given that Ken and I missed church yesterday, I was glad to read JaneEllen's thoughts on the parable of the talents.

ReverendMother has a wonderful, wonderful shape poem called Navel Gazing. You must go to see it! And another new baby is on the way: Sister Christer is awaiting the arrival of a lovely Chinese niece!

Shield the Joyous has an aspirant question. Anyone out there have an answer? Or just an opinion? Or a virtual hug?

And finally, seems that maybe Rachel has found grace in a church of the same name.

Round-up: Plan B

Hmmm. I signed on all ready to try and do a real round-up, but Blogger is having a moment. The list of all our sites and which are updated is not appearing in the sidebar at present. It was there earlier today, but I decided to leave the update till after dinner. Procrastination is always such a bad idea.

Well, Plan B. What's the most dramatic emergency Plan B story of your ministry? The one that leaps immediately to my mind is the year the Interim Senior Pastor I was working with delegated the whole of one Christmas Eve service to me. Do what you want! Go for it! What was not communicated to me clearly was that our regular organist was not available for this "extra" service and I needed to recruit an accompanist as well. So it's ten minutes till the service starts and I'm searching high and low for our organist. Where is she? Why is she so late? Finally someone says, "She's not playing for this service. She asked me the other day if I knew who you'd gotten to do it." AHHHHHHHH! Luckily there was someone else present who was a passable pianist. She wasn't expecting to play, hadn't rehearsed, but we pulled it off, barely.

Can you beat that?

RevGal Friday Five: Pies

We have a bag of organic Gala apples on the counter, and the collective mind of the Songbird family is turning to pie. So for this Friday, which is a holiday for us, I invite you to reflect on some kinds of pie: love them? hate them? neutral? Share a story about a special pie in your life.

1) Apple Pie

2) Cherry Pie

3) Pumpkin Pie

4) Chocolate Cream Pie

5) Pecan Pie

Bonus Question: Do you have a favorite kind of pie not on this admittedly short list?

Vote!

First, don't miss reverend mommy's great roundup below.

Second, here are the suggestions for the CafePress store. I left the RevBaby suggestions off; we can deal with that separately. In the meantime, vote for your favorites. In the comments, share if there are particular types of items on which you'd like the different logos to appear. It being winter we'll probably want to do some long-sleeved stuff.

And I don't know why there's all this white space here...

Choose your favorite RGBP slogan(s) for our Christmas merchandise:
	It's a Wonderful RevGal Life
	Hark! The RevGalBlogPal ring...
	'Tis the season to be blogging
	Yes, Virginia, they do ordain women!
	Glory to God / Peace on Earth / Goodwill to All (three separate lines)
	Been there. / Done that. / Blogged about it. (three separate lines)
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Updates for Thursday

Zinnhead blogs about lighting fires under person's, ahem, anatomy.

Yoda Beth is home from Yellowstone, after a really good milkshake.

Natty is blogging about Needles, Drugs and Customer Service. What a combination!

Twerpette gets tweaky with the Illiad and refrigerator magnets (I do like the collection.)

Mark, better known as Bishop Church Ruth Nerd is being locked in with teenagers. How come I feel like chortling and laughing like "Mu hah hah hah"? Sorry Mark. My condolences.

Our Beloved St. Cassie asks Fish the Kitten 10 questions.

Sister Mary Alternative, better know as Jen blogs about sin and the postmodern girl.

Being Shielded blogs about her conflict and retreats. So much fun, but so much to do!

Our Beloved Lorna merely asks "why?" Why do we keep some blogs on our blogroll?

I blog about the fuss and bother in the UMC. Still. Hope you all aren't getting bored with it.

Rev. Dr. Mom asks a different "Why" -- "Why do I feel guilty?" -- about many of the same issues we ALL have asked -- like balance in our lives of being Reverend and Mommy and Wife and Housekeeper and.... fill in the blank. RevDrMom you are NOT alone.

Caroline from Conyers blogs about helping a soccer league -- hispanic and poor and without proper equipment. She ask if anyone can help overwhelm these kids with love.

Rebel without a Pew has gotten 35 comments on her last posting. I'm jealous.

Grace is going to use the book for their staff study. Yipee!!

Lastly Steph pleas for professional plagerism policy. A serious read and great posting. Pop by and give opinion.

Done for now. Maybe more later??

Signs of the Season

As we move through Hallowsgivingmas, several RevGals are getting in the spirit of the season. The first Rant Against the Secular American Christmas of the year was spotted today at Any Day a Beautiful Change. Stacey posts her "famous" satirical take on "The Twelve Days After Christmas" and Rebel challenges you to name your LEAST favorite Christmas song.

Cheesehead joins Reverend Mother in debating whether or not it's time to shed some of the anonymity of her blog so she can share our Advent book with friends and let them know she had a part in it.

Preacher Mom blogged about the process of working through the question of whether it's time to consider a new call, while Rachel of the aptly named The Big Dunk remembers her baptism and Will Smama debunks the Myth that She Doesn't Get Along Well With Other Women.

Joe Tiedemann's posts about his two year old son and his daughter's "Pajama Party Rules" will bring a smile to your face.

Blessings, everyone!

Welcome to the Zoo

A HUGE congratulations to Amy Avery who is being ordained into the RCA on December 4th.

The title of this post is also the title of her blog.

Welcome to the Zoo, indeed!

Tuesday Greetings (and mega stall tactic)

Yesterday was my day off. This morning and early afternoon I had coffee and scone with some of my favorite women ministers so now in my office where the top of my desk is no longer visible I shall buckle down and get right to it.

Cruising the blogs that is!

We have added new members but I still think my hypothesis in revgalblogpal aerodynamics will hold true and I will hit everyone... eventually. If you find that I am consistently ignoring your brilliant blog or if you just want to advertise please comment about yours at any time. Also please remember to direct any complaints as: "Dear reverend mommy..." ;)

Now, onto the blogs:

Jan supported her son at a Tech-E Awards breakfast and has good news for any of us who may feel inadequate in any areas.

It is interesting that Jan blogged about our inadequacies because the next blog with a new post that I hit was beth.quick who sent shivers up my spine with comments from a clergy finance training event which sounds like a lot of math to me AND the opportunity to take a Bible content exam. Yeah, like I need to fail that thing again... by one point... for the THIRD time. That's right, I failed that bad boy twice. By one point. Both times.

The Cathy who knits introduces us to two home schooled youth from Oregon who spent time down in the area hit by Katrina. Their out of sight out of mind post is excellent.

Be sure to visit Dylan's Grace Notes if you would like to get yourself on the map.

Gord does the 5 Things Meme.

Kathryn at good in parts continues her reflection of prayer. lutheran chick and Narrow at the Outset also blog about prayer. Narrow also includes 'random wonderings'.

Jane Ellen posts the most spectacular flower I think I have ever seen.

Amy blogs about sermons.

And finally for today, reverend mother and others continue in the conversation about
blogging boundaries. With the book out a lot of us are very excited about it and yet are conflicted as to whether or not to 'out' ourselves to our congregations. I cleaned up my blog some, but still remain conflicted on the issue.

Well, the elves who I thought I hired to sift through my piles did not show up so I guess I must be going.

Happy reading. Happy blogging.

Religion and Science

I may be overstepping my bounds here and for that I apologize. Please check out my blog if you are interested in signing an open letter concerning religion and science. I have seen some revgalblogpals names that I know on it already and thought others of you may be interested. The goal is to gain 10,000 signatures. So far they are at 9,300.

I received my "Blazing" Book yesterday and even with the confused cover it was very cool! Don't forget to sign up for your Ordinary Time dates! (she typed while sheepishly thinking, 'I really need to do that')

Have a great morning!

God's blog

God creates the universe and blogs all about it here!

Enjoy.

Time to spice up the CafePress store

With ChristmaHanuKwanzaakah upon us, it's time to think about gifts for those special someones. Of course the Advent Devotional should be tops on your list this season, but don't forget our CafePress store for all your shopping needs!

$1 on every purchase goes to Heifer International. However, CafePress will only cut me a check after we've earned $25 worth of commissions, and if you don't generate that much within six months they keep your commission. I think I opened the store in July so we're looking at January for the first "deadline."

However, so I will not sound like one of those extortive TV preachers, I will simply remind you of the store, and say that if you have any ideas of stuff you'd like to see at the store--new slogans on T-shirts, etc.--just let me know and I'll make it happen. We can beef up our "bargain basement" stuff too--journals, notecards--all profits to Heifer.

Have a great Monday!

Rounding up Sunday

Go see the rainbow and find out what's been happening with OP/EN at Mary's place...and definitely do not miss Will Smama's sermon tool. I want to go to HER church! :)

Ciona at A Thing with Feathers remembers a lovely little girl and her cow, AND (in the previous post) opens a new door for your humble reporter by commenting on the UMC Book of Discipline. AND, Reverend Mommy posts on this ominously named book as well! I never knew of such....being an Episcopalian-type.....The things I learn here! I feel a blog post a-comin'!

Need a little fun? Bad Alice refers us to Archie McPhee's wonderful, wonderful, fabulous bizarro toystore. If you need gifts (or maybe just someplace to waste a little virtual time looking), this is your spot! And also in the fun and games area, Bethquick has a link to a "How Well Do You Know Your Bible" quiz. And St. Casserole's joke contest (Nov 2-5) is a treasure. Link to it in your "Favorites" now, so you can find it on a future dark day.

HeyJules is working hard on that book, and (as usual) making us think about Christians, Christianity, and life. And LutheranChik's church is doing a prayer exchange.

ReverendMother is writing! and being published. And Lorna's books from Mindy's bookswap have JUST come! and they are wonderful. Talk about anticipation and joyous surprise!

Halloween followup...Ann's church gave out 300 BIG candy bars with an awesome sticker. (Obviously, the big candybars are the way to go....I, myself, with little WillyWonka candies, had a scant 3 (three!) trick or treaters, one of which was a college age couple who didn't want any candy, but to show off their dog's devil costume.) (Which was delightful).

Wishing you all a lovely week.

Tears, Laughter and Prayers

Hello all.

Let's all be in prayer for Clever Title Here and her family as they mourn the loss of her mother.

Many of us seem to be tired and having rough weeks. May I suggest stopping by St. Casserole's place to read all the contributions to her Friday joke contest. We are waiting with baited breath for the winner to be announced! Other good for a laugh sites include Quotidian Grace's Aging Boomer song list and Lutheranchik's satisfying experiences with the Biblical Curse generator.

And please pray for me--I have a phone interview tomorrow afternoon with the PNC of a church in a neighboring state. (They are calling it a "conversation", which I interpret as their way of saying we're-mildly-interested-but-don't-take-this-too-seriously) Pray for wise, spirit-filled discernment for all involved.

A Light Blazes in the Darkness

I received the final product in the mail this morning.
It looks great. All books shipped with the messed up cover will be replaced free of charge.
Feel order to start placing orders and email everyone you know.

Thanks!

A Question I Must Ask

Of people that I trust:
What do you think of the Beth Moore Bible Studies? I have not seen any, but am curious because there is a group of women in the church who want to do one.
Honest answers, please.
Thanks.

All's Fair Friday Five

As I go into the office to attempt sermon-writing while preparations for the Church Fair take place underfoot, I offer up this Fair-themed Friday Five for your amusement and participation (and if you don't do church fairs, feel free to substitute a craft fair experience):

1) Favorite thing about Church Fairs

2) Best Item Ever at a Church Fair

3) Opinion of cotton dishcloths, that staple of Church Fairs everywhere

4) Major Lunch Offering at your fair or the last fair you attended

5) Worst Item Ever at a Church Fair

Silent Auction Bonus Question: Have you ever accidentally purchased more than you really wanted at a silent auction?

Visit me for my answers, and have a Fair Friday!!

From Katherine

Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Readers of Dylan's Gracenotes are invited to place themselves on the world map .

jo(e) writes eloquently about walking before winter descends with her friend PoetWoman.

Preacher in Pink could use some prayers & empathy from her RevGalBlogPals. She's struggling with the demands of being a wife, mother, and pastor while feeling under the weather and intending to keep a clean house.

Oops, Natty forgot a happy pill. Make sure you read her thoughtful commentary on better living through chemistry.

About the books: replacements are coming automatically -- just keep the messup ones. thanks.

Not much time for a roundup

Email me updates or post them in comments please.

I'm working with Lulu right now about the book. This revision looks fab. It's all a learning experience. The interior of the book is fine, it's just some of the print on the cover that's messed up -- all books will be replaced, free of charge and will arrive within a few days of the messed up ones. I am impressed by the customer service at Lulu.

Lorna has a troll. He's branched out to Jeff's blog (Bad Alice's husband). I found another blog with the tag "No King But Jesus" with a manifesto on it and "No King But Jesus" merch on Cafe press. The words "No King But Jesus" were initally used by John Adams on the eve of the Revolutionary war and used in 1999 by Ashcroft at Bob Jones University. This troll blogs also as Conrad Grebel, still no real name or comments allowed on this blog. This stuff boggles my mind. I wonder what he really supports -- I've seen nothing that he supports, just what he doesn't support. One comment said that the person would rather go to hell than share heaven with this person. I understand that -- I think I would too. I hope he doesn't have a gun...

I hate trolls. Point of discussion -- who IS going to heaven? who IS going to hell? What happens if this troll and I have to share space in heaven? ewww....

Midweek Highlights

A virtual plate of cookies and a big "Howdy" to the newest additions to our neighborhood webring, A Church for Starving Artists, Grace Happens (another Grace!), and It's Not Just About the Camel Dance. Stop by and welcome them!

Halloween and All Saints Day were the subject of lots of blog postings.

Cute Halloween pictures of trick or treaters were posted by Cathy Knits, Gord, Jane Ellen, Songbird, and Smallest Angel. St. Cassarole reminds us that its hard to celebrate Halloween when the world around you still looks like a haunted house.

All Saints was the subject of writings by Ciona , Hey Jules, Grace Happens, Lutheran Chik, Nueva Cantora, Rev. Dr. Mom, Mary Beth and Zinnhead. Coming from a faith tradition that does not usually observe All Saints (Presbyterian) in the way that these other denominations do, I concluded that we are missing something.

Before leaving the subject of these two holidays, don't miss the all-too-true All-Purpose Holiday Cartoon posted by Leslee.

There were topics other than Halloween and All Saints spotted around the webring! Emily ate Indian food and discussed Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. There are Diwali lights strung on several homes in my neighborhood as my neighbors celebrate. Sue at Inner Dorothy is already looking ahead to Christmas and asks if your church only sings Advent hymns during Advent--or do you sneak in a few Christmas favorites before Christmas Day?

And me? I'm pondering prophecy and soup. Happy Wednesday, RevGals and Pals!

I'm in panic

my first book looked great.
I ordered 26 -- they look horrible.
has anyone else gotten a book?

Update:
I thought embedding the fonts in the cover would be good enough. I needed to flatten the image of the cover. The fonts turned out to be courier and unreadable. All will be well. the 60 books that were shipped will be replaced and all the others will be good, too. Lulu is very generous and kind. All will be well and all matter of things will be well.

Another Update:
The new cover is uploaded and tomorrow morning will go online. Any and all books purchased that have a bad cover will be replaced free of charge -- you will get a new book shortly. In fact, you can keep the old messed up book too. So you will have two for the price of one. Lulu was extremely good about this and I am impressed by their customer service. They will be printed out tomorrow and shipped ASAP. Thanks for your patience.

A Romantic Evening

Remember when a quiet evening with your favorite partner meant snuggling and NOT putting together an elliptical trainer?

I am taking Songbird's advice - please people use the comments to plug your site. What did YOU write about?

G'night.

Tuesday Excuses

Friends, I still hope to make the rounds sometime tonight but my 'get things done in the office day' became a 'try not to show that my ears are actually bleeding day' as our helpful, but gabby Property Co-Chair decided to kill the time it was taking to drain our hot water heater by TALKING TO ME!

I tried every trick in the book: I got up and walked out in the hallway with him... he followed me back in.
I used my cell phone under the desk to call my husband so that he would in confusion call me back on the church line enabling me to look busy on the phone... my Co-chair never left my office.
I asked him for sermon ideas as I earnestly opened my Bible and jotted notes... he gave me the suggestion of a fire and brimstone sermon COMPLETE WITH ILLUSTRATIONS!!!

I must now go home and be a Mommy and a supportive spouse... hopefully I will have time this evening to also be a responsible revgalblogpal.