Meaning and Authenticity

Whew! My life is at warp-speed again. So much to do. I'm grateful, though, that I seem to be sailing through it all. Last year, if I'd had all this in front of me, I think I'd have been stressed out. Perhaps the working-out is helping. Plus, I'm taking Juice-Plus, which also seems to be giving me more energy (I've never really liked veggies, and this stuff is suppose to be freeze-dried immediately after it's picked off the vine so it retains its nutrients.) Plus, I'm seeing an acupuncturist, mostly for the carpal tunnel on my right hand, but she's also treating me for weight loss, same price. We'll see. I've been planning Lent for about a month, and now here it is! Brochures are made--I did one for all the activities, one for Centering Prayer, and one for Walking the Labyrinth. Love the creativity involved in making these brochures. Publisher makes it easy and almost fullproof, but gives enough variety that I feel the brochures are really somethi...

It's official: I now have dual standing in the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). I spent yesterday morning being "examined" by the Church & Ministry Committee. They "approved" me after asking me questions mostly about UCC polity, some of which I really flubbed, but the committee passed me anyway! Thank goodness! I spent the afternoon at church as well, participating in our church's Planning Retreat which lasted from 1:00 until about 5:00. Then I was off to friend Life Giving One's house to pick up little Julia for an overnight at our house--a sleep-over which included my granddaughter M as well. J is 3 and M is 2. For the most part, they managed to have a great time together. I think it helped to have them both here at the same time. For one thing, little M fell asleep without a fuss, having J in the bed next to hers. Whew! They are such delights to have around!

Seems there was this family of skunks being attacked by some hungry wolves. The mamma skunk said, "Alright now, children, let's all put our heads together and think about this." As the wolves kept getting nearer and nearer, the mamma skunk said, "Children, there's nothing else for us to do now: Let us s-pray!" (as told by our preacher this morning...no idea where he got it)

I was witness to something extraordinary last night. Truly extraordinary. Lovely Passionate Feminist (LPF), who will turn 21 this week, landed a major role in The Vagina Monologues. She's been part of this play for each of her three years in college, but been part of the chorus or a trio. This time, she had her own monologue: Crooked Braid. For those of you who don't know--and I didn't until LPF got involved in this-- The Vagina Monologues is produced on college campuses every year around Valentine's Day. The reason? To draw attention to violence against women. It is a powerful, powerful play, based on the interviews conducted by Eve Ensler. (Not sure if that's Ensler pictured above or not, but that's the photo on the website). When Ensler asked women about their vaginas, many of them took that opportunity to speak to her of that which is at the center of their being as women. They spoke of their pain, their joyous breakthroughs as human and therefore sexual b...

I'm continuing to workout. My trainer said I'd start to really want to workout after about three weeks. I knew that wouldn't happen, so in my mind I thought, well maybe after six weeks. Nope. Doesn't matter, though. I remain committed. And the great thing is that at each session I'm able to visit with a dear friend of mine, M, with whom I share the cost of the trainer. Like me my friend M is feeling deep sadness at hearing the news of a diagnosis of cancer for our common mentor, A . After our workout session this morning, I went with M to Starbucks where we shared a few moments talking about why he has been such a crucial person in our journeys. At one point my friend said, "I just needed to be with you, Katherine, to share this sadness I feel." We both teared up.

I wish I could sing. When I was growing up I wanted to sing like Dionne Warwick or Barbara Streisand or Joan Baez. Oh! I would just sing and sing and sing along with their records and pretend I was onstage and belting out this great song, full of emotion and daring. My sister and I would often sit at the piano and sing from all this huge collection of sheet music we had. Such FUN! Great memories. Tonight was Evening Prayer, just like every Wednesday night at my church. I do a little Taize service -- beautiful really with lots of candles. And I use a CD of instrumental music for the songs. People kind of wait for me to begin the singing/chanting. Ugh, it's ugly. I'm OK on the lower notes, but I can barely make the C above middle C anymore. My voice just creaks and screaks and breaks. Pitiful. I wish I could sing.

As I was working out this morning, I listened to Carrie Newcomer . Her song, Geodes , is a prayer. Pure and simple. A prayer. Here are the words: You can't always tell one from another. And it's best not to judge a book by its tattered cover. I have found when I tried or looked deeper inside what appears unadorned might be wondrously formed. You can't always tell but sometimes you just know. 'Round here we throw geodes in our gardens. They're as common as the rain or corn silk in July. Unpretentious browns and grays, the stain of Indiana clay, they're what's left of shallow seas, glacial rock, and mystery, and inside there shines a crystal bright as promise. All these things that we call familiar are just miracles clothed in the commonplace. You’ll see it if you try in the next stranger's eyes-- God walks around in muddy boots, sometimes rags, and that's the truth. You can't always tell, but sometimes you just know. Some say geodes are made from ...

Oh, isn't this beautiful? It's another breathtaking painting by my friend The Artist. Take a look here .

The surgery itself wasn't bad--of course I was asleep! duh!! :-) I mean, everything happened on time, we didn't have to wait long...David was there with me (his joke-telling was really fun; his obvious concern was even better!)...I felt fine as we left. Last night was a different story. I assume it was the anesthesia, but something caused a monstrous migraine--the kind that gave me nausea and had me throwing up (more than once, but that's more than you care to know!) This morning, except for this PAIN in my hand, I'm okay. The pain pills the doc prescribed are taking the edge off of it. David got me all set up here in bed. Everything is at hand--my right hand, that is--I have my laptop, my phone, my books, my favorite quilt, a cup of coffee, the sun shining through the windows. It's good. And I don't mind typing with one hand. If I can stay awake I'm going to work on my paper for the UCC ministerial partnership--I have to write a history of the UCC, go thr...

She's good. Definitely worth your time to watch this. Embedded video from CNN Video