It's 8:15 on the east coast -- I'm getting a slow start this morning. The coffee's on, I'm dressed for a wedding (panty hose this early in the morning should be illegal) and a fixin' to go. Mother-in-law-zilla awaits.
Later today: sermon time!
I'm going with the Luke 12:13-21 text, especially this bit: "And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
That little bit where the dude is talking to himself "And I will say to my soul, 'Soul...'" -- How many times have we done this? Can YOU say rationalization? Do you talk yourself into things maybe you shouldn't do?
Off to the wedding! I'll be back to pass out slices of leftover cake....
First post! Whee!
ReplyDeleteI'm all over Hosea today. I'm planning to use it as a basis for discussing how we talk about/see God. I may use the wonderful prayer uniper shared, too.
Have a meeting at 3, should be over by 5--otherwise it's all about the sermon.
I have free trade coffee and some fresh fruit to offer.
Have fun today, preachers! I am off to summer camp.
ReplyDeleteThanks to reverend mommy for filling in today!
'Mornin' y'all!
ReplyDeleteTomorrow will be my first time back in the pulpit in 7 WEEKS. DH and I take turns, and we were out for 4 Sundays (with ABC Biennial and then vacation). I somehow managed to get him to do the last Sunday before we left and the first Sunday after we returned. But now I'm feeling all rusty.
I'm doing Luke and am not sure I have a fix on exactly what I'm going to do - more like an impression. I am currently pondering what it might mean to be "rich toward God" and how that runs counter towards our tight-fisted way of living.
There is so much in this parable, and I need to remind myself I don't need to deal with all of it!
I haven't a clue. I did my study on Tues. as I normally do but I am stymied. I am preaching in an Episcopal Church for the first time in a year. Yipee! But there is nothing like telling a bunch of Episcopalians not to save.
ReplyDeleteI like the talking to oneself, motive, though. Thanks.
I have fresh peaches and mocha Frapachinos to add to the gustatorial pot.
I am standing in the need of prayer this morning, though. Just a word or two will help.
I'm doing Meshach, Shadrach and Abendago - but so far all I have is an opening line about our own Sanctuary feeling like a furnace.
ReplyDeleteI also have funeral this evening in that same Sanctuary(think brick oven) and need to redo my normal 'Word to the Living' since most of the church members have heard my 'she is dead in the earthly kingdom but not in the heavenly one' speech.
Anyone have a genius funeral meditation out there?
Good morning! I'm still off lectionary preaching on James, but I wanted to drop in and say "Hey."
ReplyDeleteTomorrow's service wil include the baptism of a 40-something, wheelchair bound, recent convert to Christianity! For obvious reasons I will be sprinkling instead of immersing as Disciples usually do. :-)
I have to run out later this morning for a worship team meeting and then to get the special candle and presentation bible, plus some hoagies for our fellowship time after church. By the time I get back it will be lunchtime - I'll bring enough hoagies for everyone to share!
Meanwhile I'd love some of that fresh fruit, RP. Thanks
I'm trying to put together OpenHouse informal family worship plus a creative evening service, both around the Transfiguration. And i have all the inspiration of a dead donkey.
ReplyDeletePathetic. That's what it is. Paaaathetic.
It's early afternoon here, too, so I really ought to do something constructive. I bought some fudge back from Cornwall, so at leat I am not empty handed, though I'm definitely empty headed.
For some reason, when I read the parable in Luke my mind goes to the hoopla around the bestseller, The Secret. I haven't read it, mind you. But I've read reviews and a few excerpts and think that this rich man lived by the book's premise: think about your one most important thing and don't let anything else distract you; it will come to you. Now, that's not such a bad thing if the one thing you seek is the kingdom. Unfortunately, that isn't the first choice for so many.
ReplyDeleteI'm not preaching... I am writing my autobiography for my CPE application. Since I have been procrastinating on doing this, I figure I can work on it today while you all are working on your sermons...
ReplyDelete:)
d
I'm serious. Funeral meditations accepted here: preacherbloggerprocrastinator (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDelete:)
boy, this is one of the first texts I every preached on. I'm brimming with nostalgia. but not preaching...
ReplyDeletewill smama - I am happy to send you a few meditations that I did last summer. I had four ladies die, each a month apart. Kept me busy with funerals. I am not saying they're "genius" meditations, but maybe they'll stimulate some thoughts for ya!
ReplyDeleteWS, I just emailed a funeral meditation. It's really personalized but perhaps as inspiration?
ReplyDeleteI'm not preaching, but now I really want some wedding cake.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am really sorry to not have anything to offer as a funeral meditation....all my funerals have been 19 and 20 year olds....totally different feel.
ReplyDeleteBut I still really want some wedding cake.
Tata y'all!
hmm, we are slightly off lectionary this week, using the bit that's cut out, the "don't worry" passage in Luke. I am not preaching (thankfully!)--children's time and communion prayers are all I'm working on here. We have this thing with stones and sharpies--people are being asked to write things they worry about or things they fear on the stone, then put the stone in the font on the way to communion. Except we're only doing it at one of the three services, but it's apparently still important to the worship so I have to work out how to do it at children's time. I'm not sure it's a concept I can explain to 5 year olds, but I must persevere.
ReplyDeletethoughts?
PPB, I'm with you in wanting wedding cake now...as long as it's tasty. so often it's dry. this photo looks scrumptious!
I'm doing my bungee cord thing.
ReplyDeleteDon't you wish you were me? Somehow that seemed like a good idea on Tuesday.
I have a few funeral things I can send you, smama.
Wish I could help, but all mine are on my laptop, which is not working.
ReplyDeleteTime Until Leaving for Camp: Two hours, fifteen minutes...
THANK YOU FOR THE FUNERAL INPUT!!
ReplyDeleteYou all have no idea how much burden has been lifted just seeing them in my inbox.
Childcare and other challenges stemming from living on the church grounds have come up and if I didn't have those things sitting there I would seriously be having a breakdown right now.
THANK YOU!
Teri, from watching the kindergartners at our preschool I'm pretty sure 5 year olds worry about a lot of things. They worry about why little Bobby or Angela doesn't like them, or why their big brother doesn't want them to play with his friends. They're afraid to play on the slip n slide, and of falling off the swing again. They're afraid of the monster in the closet or waking up alone in the dark. I think you'll find they have plenty to share!
ReplyDeleteFinished with the wedding and REALLY finished with Mother-in-law-zilla. Lots of cake to go around -- nice and moist. It had a vanilla moose and raspberry jam (is that the way you spell that) between layers. I had ONE BITE. I am committed to this diet. But boy did that hurt, so take the cake off my hands.
ReplyDeleteAnd as they were putting the top layer aside for the freezer, I had a flash -- And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have a full layer of that cake laid up for next year; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'
Eh, no, I don't think it will work.
Rainbow Pastor, I am also preaching Hosea, focusing on the image of God as parent/mother. Can you point me to Juniper's prayer? I'd very much like to see it.
ReplyDeletePeace,
Mags
Wow, it's 12:30 and I have a draft! i am excited because usually that happens around 11:00 p.m. i'm acutally using the Amos passage from two weeks ago. I got sucked into the fruit imagery and couldn;t get out.
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think: http://ctsjules.blogspot.com/2007/08/more-sermon-stuff.html
I brought fruit salad to share -- what's left is going to a pool party later and eggplant parm that will go into the freezer. I made the sauce with tomatoes from my garden! For those on WW I think the E. parm is 5 pts a serving. No pasta.
Knittinpreacher- Pass the Parm! Eggplant is my fav and my hubbie won't touch it, so more for me :)
ReplyDeleteI'm preaching on Luke, in theroy. I just read hubbies for Sunday morning on COlosians and, surprise, it covers all I was going to say, so now I need a new game plan to preach to the same people Sunday night.
Well, I'll stress about it, after lunch!:)
Good morning friends. DH made chocolate banana smoothies this morning --they kind of remind me of fudgesicles. Or a banana dipped in chocolate, then frozen. There's a little left.
ReplyDeleteI'm going with Hosea and Luke, to really focus on God as tender,loving, gentle parent as opposed to wrathful, angry parent, teaching us how to walk ... but Ephraim was greedy for power and wealth, and forgot how to walk.
Maybe Ephraim chose to strut instead of walk ...?
Mine is done! I stuck with Greed--something that Episcopalians never hear about. My appologies to all the Lutherans out there who I satirized, but I do the same for Episcopalians when I am preaching to the Lutherans.
ReplyDeleteThis covenant is working for me. I enjoy both. I just hope that we can laugh enough to make the covenant work.
ck it out: www.stoneofwitness.blogspot.com
*sigh* The day started out so great... ran a 5K this morning, came home & had muffins for brunch. Beloved needed a nap and so Daddy & AJ were going to get some bonding time, right?
ReplyDeleteWRONG. Beautiful, wonderful AJ has been a nightmare. Now she's been bawling in the crib for 20 minutes rather than taking the nap she desperately needs. *sigh*
I have an outline, surrounding the Luke passage and dealing with how and why we store treasure. Mostly I think it's fear, which of course is the opposite of faith. I'm hoping Beloved can take the child at 3:00 so I can write the sermon while the Twins play the Indians this afternoon.
BTW, I drank all the coffee, too. But I have sweet corn if anyone wants a tasty dinner treat.
The Boy has been picked up and the church has been 'readied' and so now I sit down to pull the last few things together for the service and then shower... or vice versa if I cannot stand myself any more.
ReplyDeleteWish I had some ice cream.
Just coming by to offer encouragement, tea and chocolate! I'm not preaching tomorrow, am presiding, but preaching next Sunday, which is my last Sunday as curate in this church - then we're moving!!
ReplyDeleteHey!
ReplyDeleteI have soem pisatcio pineapple pound cake and well, napkins too!
Check out my Frog Blog and you can all have a napkin.
Cheese, Are you really going to bungee cord jump? Do y'all ahve a balcony? That would be way cool.
Terri, do you have a recording of Don't Worry, Be Happy? Ask 'em what they are worried about and just play it and use a puppet and bee-bop aroudn with the 5 yea olds.
You're done! :) I'm not serious, okay?
KP- I will take some of the eggplant parm for lunch. I am impressed with your gardening skills .
Deb, here's a beginng for your autobiography, " I was a dark and stormy night..."
Of course with CPE they will ask why you are so interested in storms, if you are afraid of storms, what storms have hit your life and in the storm of life where you see yourself, a victim, a rescuer, or the storm.
Let's all sing the revgal lulaby for AJ to get to sleep and revscott to get his work done.
Wait, we dont have a revgal lullaby.....
It's 10:42 in California and I'm crate training a puppy. Hoping God will write the sermon for me...we're doing a 6-week series on classic prayers and this week is the (entire) Serenity Prayer. Yes, I do see the irony.
ReplyDeleteI'm in on eggplant too -- have fresh sourdough to go with!
Errg. Last week rocked and this Sunday's the last Sunday I'm preaching before HoS gets back from 7 week break. I know we can't control what really connects to folks - just try and be open to the Spirit - but I really want this one to keep that great level up. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteLuke. Greed. Rev Scott, I'm going with something similar to fear - greed comes from a longing for security. Hence the sermon title "Secure Yourself" (yes, the indigo girls' song).
Got the exegesis, the application... Just can't get the thing to find it's flow.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOne service down, one to go....I've finished OpenHouse.
ReplyDeleteMight just do a guided meditation for the evening lot, as it's so much NOT what they usually have...Invite them to join the disciples walking up the mountain of the Transfiguration.
What do you think, pals?
More significantly, if we have a curry tonight, would you rather I got in samosas or popadums to share??
I'd vote for poppadums as they're gluten free!
ReplyDeleteI have NO idea what a poppadum is.
ReplyDeleteFor those of you who are preaching Hosea, you might find this to be a possibly useful quote from George Lakoff, entire article here
ReplyDelete"The God As Father metaphor attributes to God both authority and nurturance. But there are various possibilities for how authority and nurturance can go together. In the Nurturant Parent model, the child's obedience to the parents' authority is a consequence of the parents' proper nurturance. In the Strict Father model, the reverse is true: authority comes first. First and foremost, the child must obey and not challenge the Strict Father's authority; to the obedient child, nurturance then comes as a proper reward.
“One's relation to God can be interpreted in either way. On the Nurturant Parent interpretation, you accept God's authority because of his original and continuing nurturance. On the Strict Father interpretation, God is seen as setting the rules and demanding authority; if you obey, you get nurturance. The difference is one of priorities, and, as we have seen, that is an all-important difference.”
Oh, rm I am now worried for you...Fancy having got through life thus far without even the hint of a pappadum. Here's part of the wikipedia definition
ReplyDeleteThe papadam is a thin South Asian wafer, sometimes described as a cracker or flatbread,the recipe varies from region to region and in fact from home to home, but typically it is made from lentil, chickpea, black gram or rice flour.
Deeply yummy, specially with assorted chutneys. Have one, do...
Mmmmm, I'll take one please. I'm about to put on a fresh pot of java - anyone care for a cup?
ReplyDeleteFor those of you preaching Luke, you might want to check out Tolstoy's brilliant short story "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" So good, and so fitting to this text. (you can google it and find translations online, as well as synopses).
There is also an Anthony DeMello story about a quaker man who puts up a sign saying "this land will be given away free to the one who is truly satisfied." A very rich man rides by, sees the sign, and thinks that he has everything he could ever want or need, so he must certainly qualify, so he goes to the house and tells the Quaker man he is truly satisfied. The Quaker man says "then what do you want the land for?"
ReplyDeleteIt's in the red book....umm....the heart of the enlightened.
I've put a draft of my sermon up here. Interestingly enough, there turned out to not be any bungee cords in it, though I might use some for the children's time
ReplyDeleteHey Everyone,
ReplyDeleteI hope the party is taking you were you need to be.
Me. I'm on vacation...a much needed breather.
I have lots of food though, so help yourself: homemade spice cake with cream cheese frosting; pasta salad with zucchini, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes in a basil vinagrette; french bread and olive oil/garlic for dipping; iced tea; chilled white wine for later...sloppy joes...what would you like?
(hey, notice how I started with the dessert...)
I have achieved pretty much nothing today (except sitting in front of the TV watching DVDs of 'Murder She Wrote')! I was really tired - but is that a decent excuse?!
ReplyDeleteI have at last managed to do half the washing up - but oh, here I am again!
I'm happy to say that AJ has napped, I've taken time to paint an Adirondack chair (belated anniversary present for my parents' new deck) and clean up my shop, and now I'm writing while Beloved vacuums.
ReplyDeleteOops - check that, the vacuum's smoking.
[15 minutes later]
Now I've watched our vacuum snap two belts and fill the house with a lovely stench. But at least the question "Can you fix the vacuum?" has been answered definitively in the negative.
So I'm back to beginning to work on the manuscript. Thanks for the Tolstoy, earthchick - I'll be reading it in a few minutes. Another illustration I considered was the scene from "The Emperor's Club" where Mr. Hundert has one of the boys read the stele above his classroom door. "Great ambition and great possessions without contribution is meaningless!"
Not preaching tomorrow. My last Sunday at Internship Church is next week and I'll preach one last time then. So today has been filled with packing and spatial relations games. How will all the stuff I have here fit in my car to make it back to seminary ... ? Perhaps I bought too many books this past year ... yeah, I definitely bought too many books.
ReplyDeletemompriest, that spread sounds delicious. I think I'll need to try a little bit of everything.
I'm finally back from the worship team meeting and shopping for last minute baptism supplies.
ReplyDeleteI brought the hoagies I promised this morning. You have your choice of turkey, ham or roast beef. The green tea with lemon chilling in the refrigerator should go with the sandwiches perfectly.
How's the sermon coming, you ask? I have about a page of meandering thoughts - not so good. About normal for early afternon on a Saturday.
look out! I'm willing to knock people over for anything with cream cheese frosting.
ReplyDeleteI have a vague plan for the children's time with rocks (though not entirely sure how to get from "things we fear" to "put them in the font" to "communion" but it'll come eventually), no communion prayers written, and HP 7 re-read more carefully this time, complete with tears.
I have to go to a graduation party...two of "my kids"--a HS and a college graduate in the same family. Please pray that I can leave early--I need good sleep tonight!
happy writing to the rest of you....
Dear Gals Thanks for the help I am preaching on Luke, was stuck (sorta) the help from all of you meant I just got it done (sorta) in time to get a call from hospital saying a good friend and one of my assistants is in the hospital with heart attack (they think) Outa here...and thanks to you I have something to preach...Gail
ReplyDeleteRight...have most of the service outline done now. Ought to write the script for guided meditation based on the transfig story, but actually think i'm too sleepy to do it well.
ReplyDeleteI'm on at 8.00 tomorrow, though, so if I don't finish it now, I'm not quite sure when it WILL get done....
aargh.
Brain death post holidays is not a good thing.
Time to make some coffee...who'd like another cup?
Well, I'm gonna have to shut it down for a while, maybe the rest of the night. But I've got half my manuscript done and the second half will be far easier. Blessings to you all as you prepare!
ReplyDeleteThe cake is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI've been cleaning the house and preparing food for a birthday fry out, Wisconsin's goofy expression for cooking something on a grill, not frying it. Anyway, celbrating Ken's birthday with fruit and corn and pot. salad and kabogs of steak, chicken or shrimp, onions, peppers....etc. etc. It looks nice out in the back yard. Fire pit is ready...
Um, sermon? No, sermon is not.
It is going to be a sermonette, I expect.
Gotta go drizzle the chocolate on the cake now...
Well, I'm done with a draft. It needs some tightening, but for now I just need to give it a rest. I need some food (you guys have made me hungry and you've served a great virtual feast, but sometimes a girl's gotta eat actual food - which rarely measures up to what we have at our little party here!).
ReplyDeleteBlessings on all of you.
I'm not preaching this week, so I'm feeling kind of left out, but I do have fresh peaches and pralines I bought at the farmers market this morning.
ReplyDeleteI hope it helps.
Scott, I am sadly familiar with the vacuum smell you describe.
Got a lovely baptism tomorrow as well.
and our organist is leaving after 25 years. (sniff sniff)
pasta, anyone?
Well back from the budget training, had dinner, cleaned up, done everything but alphabetize the spices...must be time for sermon work.
ReplyDeleteI have some ideas and a blank sheet of paper, a mind that keeps wandering down pleasant but not sermon-oriented paths and ever dwindling time before I have to be done.
Sigh.
I'll take some of that cake and coffee.
Sermon .. well as finished as it's going to be.
ReplyDeleteDinner? Low fat, low carb brocolli soup. Thankfullly not low on taste. Salad, sugar-free Jello. I WILL stay on this diet.
=o)
Well, I can offer Chinese food, Orange Chicken and Beef Fried Rice. Sorry, I'm sure it is not low cal...and white wine.
ReplyDeletesoon, tea and spice cake with cream cheese frosting (home made)...and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you want...
blessings for a restful night. May the Spirit fill your dreams, your thoughts, and your words.
Me, tomorrow, I'm sleeping in, then making breakfast and reading the paper. yawn. (hey, when you preach 50 out of 52 Sunday's...)...
Yes. Well. That CPE autobiography? I got as far as high school. Not bad. That only leaves me, oh, 30+ years to go. Yet another reason not to dilly dally answering God's Call... you have a longer stinkin' autobiography to write that a 20 something.
ReplyDeletemajor sigh and razzzberries on this... I fully expect to be toast with all these sharp-thinking whippersnappers I will intern with...
d
Deb, did you ever see the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes?"
ReplyDeleteRemember the scene where the young whipper-snappers smart-off to the Kathy Bates character in the grocery store parking lot and what she does afterwards?
Just remember --you're older, wiser and you have better insurance!
And with that, I'm getting offline for the rest of the evening. I'm as done as I ever will be ...
Well, it's not earth moving, I'll let the HS do that tomorrow :) but it is done. Feel free to check it out if your brian is less fried than mine is. Now I'm off to work on the Sunday school lesson on Hebrew ch 1. Blessings and peace. (oh, and apple pie for anyone interested)
ReplyDeleteWell I let myself be derailed by other people's needs. Not major earth-shattering needs, but enough.
ReplyDeleteSo. I have about half an outline. Luckily, I preach from outlines and the service isn't until tomorrow afternoon.
So I will work for another half hour to try to finish the outline and then dress it tomorrow.
Good night all...
People stayed and stayed and stayed. This was good, lots of talking and laughing and some praying at the end with some of our youth who just returned from camp. The bad part is that it is 11 p.m. and I am TIRED! No way I can stay up. What to do? I dunno. I'm going to sleep and getting up early tomorrow and counting on the kids sharing in church to go looooooong. Eeek!
ReplyDeleteLooks like everyone else has gone to bed. I'm watching Pirates 1 to see if it'll work for Luke.
ReplyDeleteArg, not all treasure is silver and gold. God be with ye.
ReplyDeleteboo--I woke up this morning to find rain, rain, rain--the kind that makes it dark outside. It's definitely the kind of day where I would stay in bed and worship there if I wasn't the pastor.
ReplyDeletecome, holy spirit, come quickly.
happy preaching, friends!
Hang in there Singing Owl. I am not sure about your group, but mine forgives a lot in July and August. No one ever complained about the sermon being too short in the summer!
ReplyDeleteI hope all of you have a wonderful morning (mompriest, sounds beautiful).
Remember to let it go, the Holy Spirit has got your back. And if you've gotta dog... walk it proud.