Terrapin Station

God's Table

I spent the weekend with my parents and we had a very good time. On Saturday we went to Nancy's place and swam and ate Monstro Burgers stuffed with cheese and onion.

Church on Sunday was not my favorite thing, though. My parents attend an Anglican church that broke away from The Episcopal Church; as you will know, I remain Episcopalian, though recently in a new parish home. 

I know that I don't always agree with what their church teaches, but usually it is not as blatant as it was today.  The rector took the opportunity to link today's Galatians scripture to the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act this week. He spoke of the ringing of bells in the National Cathedral in celebration of that fact as shameful. About the legality of same-sex marriage as something to be defeated. He had a lot to say, in fact, including his beliefs about abortion. Which, let's just say, don't jibe with mine.

I considered walking out, but the reason I go to church there is to be with my parents, and I didn't want to embarrass them. Instead, I took out a Book of Common Prayer and read/sang Psalms in my head. The Benedictine Experience 2 weeks ago has firmly implanted the Gregorian Chant, 8th Tone in my mind, so I started at Psalm 95 (a favorite) and proceeded from there. I got through quite a few.

I considered whether I wanted to take Communion at the service, but quickly realized that the Table is God's, it doesn't belong to that priest. So I did.

When I knelt at the altar rail next to my mom, a lovely older lady came and knelt on my other side, and gave me a beautiful smile. I was overcome with gratitude for her welcome, and for the fact that we are united in the Eucharist, no matter what our other difference. I hugged her (which I think confused her a bit, as I don't really know her.) 

I still feel upset by this. I can't imagine that in my home church this morning, as liberal as it leans, the DOMA was mentioned in a triumphant tone. I don't think that sort of thing belongs in church.

And that's all I have to say about THAT. Oh, except: Ring out, wild bells!

ps: I hope that the priest will read this post, and also the luminous writing of Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton in her blog post, "We Are Equal." Which said it all for me.

Friday Five: Fives

Whoosh! My calendar is packed. And June is almost gone! There's the old saying, "Bad luck comes in threes" but I've decided that "Busy-ness comes in fives!" So this week we'll take things five-at-a-time. Tell me:

1. Five flowers you'd like in a bouquet or in your garden:

Hydrangeas

Camellias

Gardenias

Lantanas (when we were little, Mom taught us to pluck the individual flowers and make necklaces of them with a needle and thread...)

Nile Lilies

2. Five books you want to read (or re-read): All of Edward Eager (the Half-Magic Books). All of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (currently rereading). Chasing the Divine in the Holy Land by Ruth Everhart (which I have and have not started). To Dance with the White Dog, by Terry Kay. The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star, by Susan Wittig Albert.

3. Five places you want to visit: Mechanicsburg, PA. St. Teresa Beach, FL. Mount Rushmore. Seattle, WA. Galveston, TX.

4. Five people you'd invite for tea/coffee/beer and pizza: Deb in Narnia; Mrs. M.; Ellen P. (LutheranChik); Elsie in Washington; Laura L. in St. Louis/South Dakota; Helen M. in VA. All are people I have not met besides online (or just barely) but with whom I feel an exceptional connection. 

5. Five chores or tasks you'd gladly give to someone else: Sweeping and mopping floors, UGH! Decluttering. Filing. Cleaning the (unused) upstairs of my house. Decluttering...I hate it that much.

BONUS: A five ingredient recipe! (This is harder than it sounds!)

Black Beans and Rice Yummy - Serves 4

1 can (15 oz) Rosarita Refried Beans, Green Chile & Lime

1 cup cooked brown rice

4 T crumbled feta cheese (optional)

4 T reduced-fat sour cream (optional)

4 T picante sauce (optional)

Heat the beans and rice together. Add the other items as you wish. If you add 1 T of the optionals, the Weight Watchers points come out to 6. A filling one-dish meal (or as I call it, a "single girl special")! I like it with a big salad. 

 

George Herbert for the win (again) - sung in church yesterday

King of glory, King of peace,
I will love thee;
and that love may never cease,
I will move thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
thou hast heard me;
thou didst note my working breast,
thou hast spared me.

Wherefore with my utmost art
I will sing thee,
and the cream of all my heart
I will bring thee.
Though my sins against me cried,
thou didst clear me;
and alone, when they replied,
thou didst hear me.

Seven whole days, not one in seven,
I will praise thee;
in my heart, though not in heaven,
I can raise thee.
Small it is, in this poor sort
to enroll thee:
e'en eternity's too short
to extol thee.

 

Friday Five, All Kinds of Random!

Rev Kjarla says at RevGals:

Hey there gals and pals,
Happy Friday to you!

Here are a few fivers to get you ready for whatever is next in your day (or keep you procrastinating for awhile before you do what you need to do.)

1.  If you were a character in a children's storybook, which storybook would it be, or what character, and why?

ooh! ooh! I want to be Eloise! 
My older sister Barbara gave me an Eloise book when I was little and I've always been entranced by this little girl who does whatever she pleases. I, on the other hand, was required to toe many lines, growing up. Just for a little bit I'd love to explore the world the way Eloise does, with my dog Weenie and my turtle Skipperdee at my side. Nanny could come if she insisted.

2.  What is something you are looking forward to this weekend?

Some study, some housekeeping, some work in my library/office to make it livable (I've been camped out in my husband's office for a long time, but I am needing a room of my own now)...and playing in the garden.

Can you see the cherry tomatoes coming?

3.  If you had an invisibility cloak for a day, how would you use it?

I would go to DC and listen and find out what the hell is really going on. Of course, no one would believe me when I told them the truth, because how do you explain an invisibility cloak?

4.  I "lose" my keys all the time.  In fact, sometimes I lose them several times a day.  It is so bad that a member of my congregation gave me "instantly remember where you left your keys intense memory-stimulating mint gum."  Is there something you misplace or lose often?

Keys. In fact, this very morning I arrived at work and realized that I didn't have them...because I walked to work, I left the keyring at the house. DUH. Fortunately my colleague was available with hers!!

We have a set-in space in our laundry room (where we always enter the house) that we call "the windowsill." It was originally where the iceman would come in and slide ice into the back of the icebox, in the kitchen on the other side of the wall. Now, of course, it's boarded up. But we have cuphooks in it and that's where all our stray keys go, and supposedly every day we put our keys there when we come in. (My keys are there now!!!) It doesn't always work that way...

5.  Use the following words in a sentence:   ladybug, rowing, diner, sloth, and knitting.

My ladybug friend has tempted me sorely, leading me to an evening of sloth in the local diner, with knitting while rowing to follow.

Friday Five: Let's Sing

Here's my Friday Five as posted at RevGals:

You know how sometimes you just want to have a hymn sing?

Well, today is that day.

Share with the group five favorite hymns or praise songs or songs that bring you close to the Spirit (that's a pretty wide net!) and why they are special to you.

Bonus if you can share Youtube videos or audio files of one or two or more.

1) This is my favorite because it speaks to my soul a new way every time I read or hear it. The text is a poem by Auden:

He is the Way.
Follow Him through the Land of Unlikeness.
You will see rare beasts and have unique experiences.
He is the Truth.
Seek him in the Kingdom of Anxiety.
You will come to a great city that has expected your return for years.
He is the Life.
Love Him in the World of the Flesh.
And at your marriage all its occasions shall dance for joy.

W.H. Auden,
For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio

In the Episcopal Hymnal 1982, it is number 463, a tune by David Hurd. I am sad that I can't locate an audio file of it anywhere. The music is appropriate to a place called "the Land of Unlikeness." If you know it, you know what I mean. If you can get your hands on the hymnal and can read music, you will see.  :) 

2) Holy Manna, which I love in the Sacred Harp / Shape Note singing versions. But some with tender ears do not love those versions. So here you go:

3) Some days, playing Taize in the background is what gets me through:

4) Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

 

5) A folk mass favorite, again from my childhood...

I Am the Resurrection by Ray Repp

Okay, and a bonus one, also folk mass material: Take Our Bread, by Joe Wise.These last two  remind me of growing up in the charismatic renewal movement in the 70's. 

Invitatory Psalm

We chanted this in church every Sunday when I was little. We were still using the 1928 prayer book. I cannot find an audio file of that tune. But I just sang it for you. 

Psalm 95. Venite, exultemus.

O COME, let us sing unto the LORD; * let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; * and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God; * and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are all the corners of the earth; * and the strength of the hills is his also.
5 The sea is his, and he made it; * and his hands prepared the dry land.
6 O come, let us worship and fall down, * and kneel before the LORD our Maker.
7 For he is the Lord our God; * and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.