Friday, January 30, 2009

Ice Storm



Two days ago we had an ice storm. I was glad that I didn't have to drive in it, which is perhaps why I found it to be beautiful.

The back steps.


Our street

Monday, January 26, 2009

Which wolf will we feed?

Words from the inaugural prayer service:

There is a story attributed to Cherokee wisdom:

One evening a grandfather was teaching his young grandson about the internal battle that each person faces.
"There are two wolves struggling inside each of us," the old man said. "One wolf is vengefulness, anger, resentment, self-pity, fear... The other wolf is compassion, faithfulness, hope, truth, love..."

The grandson sat, thinking, then asked: "Which wolf wins, Grandfather?"

His grandfather replied, "The one you feed."

There are crises banging on the door right now, pawing at us, trying to draw us off our ethical center - crises that tempt us to feed the wolf of vengefulness and fear.

We need you, Mr. President, to hold your ground. We need you, leaders of this nation, to stay centered on the values that have guided us in the past; values that empowered to move us through the perils of earlier times and can guide us now into a future of renewed promise.

We need you to feed the good wolf within you, to listen to the better angels of your nature, and by your example encourage us to do the same.

Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins
Sermon: Harmonies of Liberty
Isaiah 58:6-12, Mt 22:6-40
National Prayer Service; January 21, 2009


Links to the entire sermon:
In text:
http://www.disciples.org/OfficeoftheGeneralMinisterandPresident/NewsandUpdates/HarmoniesofLiberty/tabid/483/Default.aspx

For audio or video, try here:

http://www.nationalcathedral.org/presidents/service.html

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Six things

I've been tagged. So here goes:

6 things that happened today:

1. Obama was inaugurated.
2. I cried for joy.
3. I finished the song sheet for the Women's Retreat.
4. I made tofu with stir fried vegetables and pasta for dinner.
5. I did some paying work, despite the fact that it was hard to concentrate.
6. I dropped my suit off at the dry cleaners.

As you can see, no hoopla here. You have to go to Washington DC for hoopla today.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Coldest Day requires hot soup

This morning at 7:00 AM the thermometer reads -7 degrees F. My dear son is headed outside for the day, to the Klondike Derby, where the Boy Scouts practice winter skills like ice rescue. I believe they do this on a tarp spread over solid ground. I hope they practice skills such as keeping hands warm when it’s -7.

My job is to provide soup. I much prefer this to ice rescue practice.

Yesterday was even colder, with a high of -4F. It probably will turn out to be the coldest day of the winter here. I’m sure it’s colder in places like Minnesota and Canada, but -4 is cold enough for me. The kids decided it was finally time to go sledding.



Thursday, January 15, 2009

Ahead of Santa

Judging from what I read in the newspaper, President-elect Obama has now received more wish lists than Santa Claus himself. Is it like this every time there is a new president? Or just when a new president is likely to be doling out billions of dollars to new projects?