Wishes for 2010

I want a Mrs. Van Landingham to organize my days and provide a raised eyebrow if I get off track or make a lazy decision.


St.Casserole

Christmas 2010

Things I loved about Christmas 2010:

Worship at Little Church during Advent and the Christmas Eve service

Seeing the bottle tree decorated with fresh wine bottles and sparkly white lights

Putting lights on the stump grinder on the front porch no one will move it to the backyard, so I put lights on it

Being dressed as "Christmas-y" as I'm willing to do (shiny red Dansko clogs with a green boiled wool jacket) and having Mr. T. comment, "Nothing says Christmas like a shrimp pin!" I pinned my shrimp brooch on the jacket.

Having the children home and meals around the table with them.

Having Mr. T at home for vacation day.

Cold weather followed by our ususal 60+ December weather.

What I miss this Christmas:

Having our favorite Songbird visit but lives change and I understand.

Hearing about LLS's Christmas Day meal and wishing I could be at her table. She's the best cook I know.


How did the holiday go for you?

Love,
St. Casserole

Happy to See You After All These Months

Glad and happy to see you after all the months I've been silent here. I haven't been silent elsewhere. I'm preaching, teaching the PW study for 2010/11, designing worship and keeping up a mighty pile of correspondence.

But, you, haven't heard from me here. I'm doing well and hope you are the same.

More later,

St.Casserole

Actual Conversation

On phone with Sears to schedule a repair.

Nice human helps me with parts information.

Conversation is ending.

Nice human says, "Is there anything else I may help you with Mrs. Casserole?"

I answer, "I'd like an end to world hunger and peace for all."

Nice human replies, "Mrs. Casserole, I'll pray for that."


May you have a day like this, too.

Thankfully,
St.Casserole

Pruning is A Mercy

When I can't control what I'd like to control, when my frustration index is high and the rain (from Alex) keeps coming down, yard work saves me.

We have a big yard with large established azaleas and shrubbery. I grow flowers and herbs along with a rich variety of weeds. Keeping everything going takes more time than I have but oh!, how wonderful to have the work when my spirit droops!

I have good garden tools. My yard man cleans up the piles of pruning limbs and weeding heaps.

Today, in the rain, I cleared out the box woods in the front of the house. Leveled the playing field. Mr.C., if you are reading this, you will be shocked when you see the piles of debris and no green bushes in front of the house. Take a deep breath and enjoy knowing that I did this instead of running off to a therapist or cleaning out your closet.

Love and Glad to See You,

St.Casserole

What's Going On

Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico

High School Graduation for LD

Rebuilding of two flat roof areas on Casserole Casa

Living without Sister the Dog

The relentless return of the Sabbath

Good rainfall, crawfish piles, mosquitoes and gekkos

Contemplation of the Real Empty Nest

as well as

Delight in Early Summer

Good Friends

Watching God's hands at work

Gardening


Yours,
St.Casserole

Time to let it go

Late in August 2005, our Governor called a mandatory evacuation as Hurricane Katrina churned in the Gulf of Mexico. We Casseroles complied, packing up the cats, computers, prescription meds and a few changes of clothing for the four of us.

Mr. C. and our Lovely Son returned with Gray Cat to our home after the storm. LD and I drove up the East Coast to stay with my LLS and LSiL.

I had enough clothing with me to last for a few days. The Aunts have fancier laundry equipment than most of the U.S. and were generous to us to use what they had to make us comfortable. For LD, this meant raiding their pantry for Oreo cookies (not a common food in our home) and eating Doritos all over the house.

After a week or so, I realized that needed to borrow a few shirts because I'd grown tired of the shirts in my suitcase. LSiL offered me a few of her Talbot's golf shirts, perfect for the September heat.

I love wearing her clothes. My LLS wears beautiful clothes, but somehow the beautiful clothing of my LSiL wows me. Maybe I think I'll become tall and elegant if I wear her things.

She loaned me an aqua Talbot's golf shirt. Weeks later when I packed to return to the Coast, I asked her if I might take the shirt home with me. She agreed.

For the past, almost 5 years, I've worn her aqua Talbot's golf shirt about every ten days or so, year round.

Tonight, after I returned from a long day of church work and then checking on our College Boy (LS), I came home to eat Mr.C's spaghetti with italian sausange sauce for supper. I'd changed from my preacher clothes to the aqua shirt and yoga pants to signal I was HOME and OFF-DUTY. We talked over the day and after eating, I began to clean up the kitchen.

I looked down at my aqua shirt and thought I saw a spaghetti stain up near the collar. I peered closer realizing I have another hole in the fabric. At year three of wearing the shirt, a hole appeared in the shoulder seam. Later, a paint stain appeared on the front hem. The button placket is wearing away from the shirt. I've paid no attention to these signs of aging. The golf shirt is aqua still, very soft and fits loosely allowing me to do everything in it except wear it out in public.

Thinking about this new hole prompts me to wonder if it is time to put it in the Rescue Mission bag. Probably not, because I try to give them reputable clothing. Their shoppers need better items. Cut it up to use as one of my silver polishing cloths? Sounds good.

It is time to let it go, with a grateful heart for the hospitality offered to me and my LD by LLS and LSiL, just when we needed it most.

Yours,

St.Casserole

Hey There

Since I last wrote, I flew to Atlanta to grade ordination exams, slipped on the airport terminal floor, threw my laptop case as I fell and lost my Christmas gift laptop.

Christmas laptop couldn't be fixed (Hey Lady! did you see this crack in the screen? can you hear the broken fan?).

I picked up my new laptop yesterday. Here I am, this very minute, enjoying a new, non-cat haired laptop!

I'm a sorry blogger these days busy with Lent, Lovely Daughter and thinking deep thoughts. Mr.C. is in court everyday and returns home to read his new book, "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Killer". He says it's even better than the Jane Austen zombie books by the same author.

Little Church is chugging along with more things going on than six months ago. As our membership grows, activities increase, excitement builds and we are just happy.
Spring landscaping plans are in process. We are far enough South to be Spring-y early with bulbs flowering and trees sending out blooms and yellow pollen.

I'm thinking about the RevGal BE.3 in about a month. I'll see you there, I hope, and will be ready for a Diet Coke with an umbrella perched on the side of the glass.

Lent, it's what we are doing/being,

St.Casserole

Reporting Religious News

The local newspaper prints press releases from churches and other submitted information but doesn't report religious news in the community. Long ago, even small newspapers had religion reporters who interviewed subjects in person and researched issues. Not now. Just press releases and info from the wire services.

What would religious reporting do for our community if we had a savvy reporter on the beat? Could the information in a genuine religion section make a difference?

What would happen if newspapers published which churches dismissed pastors and why?
We've had several blood-lettings where churches dumped pastors for the goofiest of reasons. Granted, no one tells the real truth about these dismissals and churches do not think they are accountable to the larger (and outside of their faith) community.

A religion reporter keeping a tally of clergy crushing churches would be interesting.
Add a tally of which pastors extorted money and abused congregations and perhaps accountability would increase.

Pastors note among themselves which churches stomp on pastors and recall the pastors who continue to get employment despite bad behavior of all sorts.

How would it be if religion reporting told the community all the news about churches and faith groups?


Yours,

St.Casserole

Percy Jackson and Valentine's Day

We enjoyed both movies this week even if we liked LOVE ACTUALLY more than Valentine's Day. Haven't read the Percy Jackson books? We saw the movie anyway and thought it was clever.

St.Casserole, it's a long month isn't it?

The Saints

Down here, we rejoice about the Saint's Super Bowl win.


Several local obituaries include, " he/she was glad to live long enough to see the Saint's win the Super Bowl."



Not kidding. We are THAT happy.


Hope all is well with you,

St.Casserole

Let them Talk

Pastors learn from listening to their people.
When we listen, we learn the issues, the interests and hurts of those we offer ministry. Make listening a goal this year.

Yours,

St. Casserole

My Flubby Week

Google's motto is : Do No Evil.
Medical People say: Do No Harm.
I say: Try Not to Hurt Feelings

This week I listened to pastors one-upping each other on the purity of their Session members. As in: "no one on my Session is divorced or has committed adultery."

Further pastoral conversation debated the use of the New King James' Bible versus the NIV in worship.

I heard Mr. C's hilarious riff on clients who do not listen to their attorney's advice while being willing to be charged for counsel. I see parallels to talk between pastors and church members. Without the billing.

LLS is off to chaperone a ski trip with her church youth. Paint me happy I'm not on that trip. LLS will be great but I'm finished with youth trips. Dues paid. Lack of sleep not appreciated.

One plum for consideration is changing the church school materials in the adult class to C.S.Lewis materials so participants stop talking politics throughout the class. These discussions criticize "other people" without realizing where we feed into the same problems. Who knew that Christ against Culture was a hot bed in church school.

We've had amazingly cold weather for DAYS down heah in the Deep South. I've filled three big bird feeders everyday for almost two weeks.

I 'bout gave up preaching last week over the Gospel lectionary text. Just couldn't move to cohesion or rhythm in the sermon. I told Mr. C. I'd be picking a trade school to get new work skills late Saturday night. He called after worship Sunday to see how the sermon went and when I reported that I got a good response and very good questions afterwards about the sermon, he laughed. It doesn't matter how long you've written sermons, you can get "stuck" still.

Cartoon strip is by my favorite cartoonist.

St.Casserole