Pajamma-fied

An afternoon of blessed sabbath time-- something I haven't felt in a long time. While having a very serious conversation with a close friend (nothing like discussing questions of church polity, stupid classes, and call processes over bbq), I realized that I am quickly approaching burnout. He astutely pointed out that there are two types of over-workers. 1) The type who needs something to do and thus engages him self fully in a project 2) The type who dives into something because they are so passionate about it, and then don't realize that they are tired. I think I'm of the second variety, but I've realized that I'm doing a tremendously poor job of taking care of myself. (Though the beloved has done a great job taking care of me this semester--I often come home from work when he's in town to find my laundry done and neatly folded on my bed, and dinner on the table.)
One of my obligations was cancelled today, and here I am in my PJs at 630. I came home and layed in the sun and read (for fun!!) and then took a nap. I've been for a walk, and I've been to the store to get the stuff to surprise my beloved with bananna pudding when he gets into town. I'm getting ready to paint my nails and watch a movie, and generally be princess-like. I could get used to this!

Wow... who knew

Guess I'm in the right denomination after all! I would've guessed that I was more of a Barthian than a Calvinist...

You scored as John Calvin. Much of what is now called Calvinism had more to do with his followers than Calvin himself, and so you may or may not be committed to TULIP, though God's sovereignty is all important. John Calvin 87% Augustine 73% Anselm 73% Paul Tillich 67% Karl Barth 60% Friedrich Schleiermacher 60% Martin Luther 60% Jürgen Moltmann 53% Jonathan Edwards 47% Charles Finney 47% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Just Shoot Me!

So I find myself in the position of being very conflicted. I just had a pretty heated argument with my beloved (and soon to be intented) over guns. We're generally exact opposites on almost everything-- and true to form, we're total opposites on this. I preach peace and he carries a gun to the dinner table. This was sort of a running joke between us, but today his gun-totingness overwhelmed me. All of the sudden I realized his devotedness to that part of the constitution-- I guess I had thought that he packed heat because he has to-- not just because "he can" as he put it. Maybe I'm being silly, but guns really kind of scare me, especially when I think about your average joe schmoe having them. I've been shooting with him, and after the first shot I was ok with it (though truth be told that first shot almost convinced me to never shoot again.) He contends that "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." I guess my thought on the matter is that we shouldn't enable people to kill people. Perhaps I'm still reeling over the VA Tech tragedy, but it makes me nuts to think about more crazy people carrying guns all over the place. I know a lot of people with really bad tempers who aren't especially rational when mad-- and I sure don't want them having guns.

In the course of the argument, he contended that lots of "ordinary" people have concealed weapons on them all the time... and then further pointed out that a preacher whom I have known all my life often carries a concealed weapon. For some reason, this bothers me immensely. Not only that I didn't know about it. Not only that he's a preacher. It just bothers me for so many inexplicable reasons, not the least of which is that it seems highly contradictory for a preacher to carry a gun. Granted, I hold a relatively high belt in Tae Kwon Do, and plan to go further... and I guess that seems contradictory too. But I guess when it comes down to it, I know that I would never fatally harm someone in defense of my own life (though if anyone threatened the lives of my children or anyone else nearby, I can guarantee that my resolve would bust.) I enjoy TKD as a sport and an art-- and I guess the same types of arguments could be made about carrying guns. Maybe the issue is that I don't trust the common citizen. Or maybe it's that I desperately yearn for a world in which people don't feel they need guns to feel safe.

I'm going to marry this aforementioned arguing guntoter-- but I wonder if I'll ever feel completely comfortable with this part of him.

Spitting into the Wind

If you know anything about me, which you probably do or you wouldn't be reading this, you know that I am a seminary student (for another 24 days). I'm in this preaching class now, and what strikes me today-- or more precisely, what struck me last tuesday and I'm just now getting to write about it-- is what a strange and fabulous thing it is to be in a room full of professional theologians following a tragedy.

We were all preaching Exodus texts-- and it was interesting to watch how each person somehow claimed in their sermons, "This is what the text said to me on Sunday. But this is what the text said to me following the VA. Tech shootings."

And then the discussion within the class after all of our sermons was about how preaching is like spitting in the wind. This class is crazy-- after all, it's name is "The Theater in the Text" and the teacher really believes in "pushing the envelope". So we've been using props all semester-- big flowery hats, ropes, teddy bears, bows and arrows, etc. When we finished preaching these very tough sermons, the teacher had us put on these props, and go stand on the roof of one of our buildings, and spit of the edge of the roof. And then she said, "You look crazy. The people will laugh at you." Yeah...and... why are we doing this? And then she went on "This is the way you will make them listen-- by being crazy and looking silly."

Indeed.