A while back LutheranChik put out a challenge to see if anyone could teach her to play euchre. I sent her an email trying to explain but I don't know if she understood or not.
Well yesterday my boys went to my parents' place for a few days so it's me, my wife, and our 2 girls in the house. I've been trying for ages to convince the girls to let us teach them euchre. Finally we semi-forced them to sit around the table with us and we taught them to play. We played a game in the afternoon and then another in the evening. It'll take a little while for them to completely catch on, to learn some of the nuances, to know what to lead and when, but they actually had fun.
I love euchre but I play it very rarely these days. When I was in university I played a whole lot. When I was a civil engineer working on a bridge and road construction job I played a lot when the weather was bad and we were stuck in the trailer. I remember playing as a teenager in youth group. When my wife's younger sisters were teenagers and we lived in the same city they often came over to our house and we'd play euchre and hearts for hours, listening to records and CDs.
I hope the girls don't poop out on us and give up on the game. It would go some way to turning the TV off more and spending time facing each other rather than always facing the same way focused on the tube.
Oh, and LutheranChik, they're 13 and 11 years old.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Summertime
I take turns with other clergy in town writing a column for the local paper. This was to appear yesterday. I didn't get around to buying a paper to see it in print. Sometimes if they don't have space it has to wait a week so I don't know if it was in there or not.
I usually approach my turn in the rotation to write this column with the intention of sharing something deeply spiritual or a word that might stir someone’s faith or at least get them thinking about God. As I sit to write this column, I’ve just come home a couple of days ago from two weeks vacation. It’s the middle of summer, generally a slow time in the life of most churches. There just aren’t many deep thoughts rattling around in my head at this time. Some people who know me better might think there’s never much going on up there and maybe they’re right. But this column is called "I’ve been thinking" and someone once told me just to write about what I have been thinking.
As I said, I’ve just come home from a couple of weeks vacation with my family. We drove about three hours into the finger lakes region of New York to a campground we found a few years ago, set up on our campsite and just relaxed. When the two weeks were up none of us were eager to come home. Don’t get me wrong, I love my home, I love Port Colborne, I love First Evangelical Lutheran Church and the people there, but man oh man I really liked the life we were living at that campground.
On our trip there was no schedule we had to keep, no office hours, no lawn to mow, no phone to answer. For two whole weeks I didn’t check emails, I didn’t even look at a computer. We made a few day trips in the area but most of our days were spent sitting by the pool, taking a dip when it got a little hot, reading books or working on crossword puzzles. Evenings were spent sitting around a fire singing songs, playing 20 questions, making s’mores, roasting hot dogs. On our first night home our 8 year old son said he misses sleeping in the trailer with everyone in the family so close to each other.
Life was really simple for those two weeks. We were practically cut off from news sources by our own choosing. I bought one newspaper in two weeks, didn’t listen to the radio or watch a TV. I hadn’t heard of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Lebanon although I’d been praying for the violence to end. I hadn’t heard about the foiled attempt to smuggle liquid explosives onto airplanes.
Now I’m not saying that news coverage is a bad thing, especially since you’re reading this in a newspaper. But I didn’t suffer a whole lot (at all?) by not watching the news at 10 or 11 o’clock every evening. It didn’t matter that I missed the latest episode of whatever reality shows are on TV. It didn’t bother me that I wasn’t keeping up with some of my favourite websites or blogs. In fact, in a lot of ways I preferred that kind of lifestyle.
Now don’t get the mistaken impression that we were roughing it. We had many modern conveniences. We were plugged in to electricity and hooked up to clean water. We were a short stroll away from the flush toilets and hot showers when we needed them. Nevertheless we were living a simpler life. I wonder how much of that simplicity I’m willing to carry over into the other 50 weeks of the year. I know of people who don’t have a TV. I’m not willing to go without that. I know people who do without a car, opting for bicycles and public transportation instead. We’ve got two cars and I don’t see us giving them up anytime soon.
I’ve got a lot of stuff, and I like my stuff. I know I’ve got it better than most people in this world. I realize that and I’m thankful, grateful, and sometimes I even feel guilty about it. So am I going to stop watching TV and give up my computer and internet connection? No. Am I going to watch less TV, spend more time reading, talk to my wife more, play with my kids more? Maybe. My intentions are good. We’ll see if I can follow through.
I usually approach my turn in the rotation to write this column with the intention of sharing something deeply spiritual or a word that might stir someone’s faith or at least get them thinking about God. As I sit to write this column, I’ve just come home a couple of days ago from two weeks vacation. It’s the middle of summer, generally a slow time in the life of most churches. There just aren’t many deep thoughts rattling around in my head at this time. Some people who know me better might think there’s never much going on up there and maybe they’re right. But this column is called "I’ve been thinking" and someone once told me just to write about what I have been thinking.
As I said, I’ve just come home from a couple of weeks vacation with my family. We drove about three hours into the finger lakes region of New York to a campground we found a few years ago, set up on our campsite and just relaxed. When the two weeks were up none of us were eager to come home. Don’t get me wrong, I love my home, I love Port Colborne, I love First Evangelical Lutheran Church and the people there, but man oh man I really liked the life we were living at that campground.
On our trip there was no schedule we had to keep, no office hours, no lawn to mow, no phone to answer. For two whole weeks I didn’t check emails, I didn’t even look at a computer. We made a few day trips in the area but most of our days were spent sitting by the pool, taking a dip when it got a little hot, reading books or working on crossword puzzles. Evenings were spent sitting around a fire singing songs, playing 20 questions, making s’mores, roasting hot dogs. On our first night home our 8 year old son said he misses sleeping in the trailer with everyone in the family so close to each other.
Life was really simple for those two weeks. We were practically cut off from news sources by our own choosing. I bought one newspaper in two weeks, didn’t listen to the radio or watch a TV. I hadn’t heard of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Lebanon although I’d been praying for the violence to end. I hadn’t heard about the foiled attempt to smuggle liquid explosives onto airplanes.
Now I’m not saying that news coverage is a bad thing, especially since you’re reading this in a newspaper. But I didn’t suffer a whole lot (at all?) by not watching the news at 10 or 11 o’clock every evening. It didn’t matter that I missed the latest episode of whatever reality shows are on TV. It didn’t bother me that I wasn’t keeping up with some of my favourite websites or blogs. In fact, in a lot of ways I preferred that kind of lifestyle.
Now don’t get the mistaken impression that we were roughing it. We had many modern conveniences. We were plugged in to electricity and hooked up to clean water. We were a short stroll away from the flush toilets and hot showers when we needed them. Nevertheless we were living a simpler life. I wonder how much of that simplicity I’m willing to carry over into the other 50 weeks of the year. I know of people who don’t have a TV. I’m not willing to go without that. I know people who do without a car, opting for bicycles and public transportation instead. We’ve got two cars and I don’t see us giving them up anytime soon.
I’ve got a lot of stuff, and I like my stuff. I know I’ve got it better than most people in this world. I realize that and I’m thankful, grateful, and sometimes I even feel guilty about it. So am I going to stop watching TV and give up my computer and internet connection? No. Am I going to watch less TV, spend more time reading, talk to my wife more, play with my kids more? Maybe. My intentions are good. We’ll see if I can follow through.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Because She's a Woman
Women who claim to love God should do helpful things for others, and they should learn by being quiet and paying attention. They should be silent and not be allowed to teach or to tell men what to do. After all, Adam was created before Eve, and the man Adam wasn't the one who was fooled. It was the woman Eve who was completely fooled and sinned (1 Tim 2.10-14).
This was the basis for firing Mary Lambert, a Sunday School teacher in Watertown, New York. I can hardly believe it but then I guess it shouldn't surprise me. Why do so many Christians give the rest of us a bad name? I just have to shake my head but it makes me angry too.
You can read more about it here.
This was the basis for firing Mary Lambert, a Sunday School teacher in Watertown, New York. I can hardly believe it but then I guess it shouldn't surprise me. Why do so many Christians give the rest of us a bad name? I just have to shake my head but it makes me angry too.
You can read more about it here.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Mary, mother of our Lord
Sing of Mary, pure and lowly,
virgin mother, wise and mild.
Sing of God’s own Son most holy,
who became her little child.
Fairest child of fairest mother,
God the Lord who came to earth,
Word made flesh, our very brother,
takes our nature by his birth.
Roland F. Palmer
Today is the feast of Mary, mother of our Lord. The church honours Mary with the Greek title theotokos, meaning God-bearer. Origen first used this title in the early church, and the councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon upheld it. Luther upheld this same title in his writings. The honour paid to Mary as theotokos and mother of our Lord goes back to biblical times when Mary herself sang, "from now on all generations will call me blessed" (Lk 1.48). Mary’s life revealed the presence of God incarnate, and it revealed God’s presence among the humble and poor. Mary’s song, the Magnificat, speaks of reversals in the reign of God: the mighty are cast down, the lowly are lifted up, the hungry are fed, and the rich are sent away empty-handed.
My soul cries out with a joyful shout
that the God of my heart is great,
and my spirit sings of the wondrous things
that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight,
and my weakness you did not spurn,
so from east to west shall my name be blest.
Could the world be about to turn?
Though I am small, my God, my all,
you work great things in me,
and your mercy will last from the depths of the past
to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame,
and to those who would for you yearn,
you will show your might, put the strong to flight,
for the world is about to turn.
From the halls of power to the fortress tower,
not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears
ev’ry tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more,
for the food they can never earn;
there are tables spread, ev’ry mouth be fed,
for the world is about to turn.
Though the nations rage from age to age,
we remember who holds us fast:
God’s mercy must deliver us
from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard
is the promise which holds us bound,
till the spear and rod can be crushed by God,
who is turning the world around.
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.
Rory Cooney, based on the Magnificat
virgin mother, wise and mild.
Sing of God’s own Son most holy,
who became her little child.
Fairest child of fairest mother,
God the Lord who came to earth,
Word made flesh, our very brother,
takes our nature by his birth.
Roland F. Palmer
Today is the feast of Mary, mother of our Lord. The church honours Mary with the Greek title theotokos, meaning God-bearer. Origen first used this title in the early church, and the councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon upheld it. Luther upheld this same title in his writings. The honour paid to Mary as theotokos and mother of our Lord goes back to biblical times when Mary herself sang, "from now on all generations will call me blessed" (Lk 1.48). Mary’s life revealed the presence of God incarnate, and it revealed God’s presence among the humble and poor. Mary’s song, the Magnificat, speaks of reversals in the reign of God: the mighty are cast down, the lowly are lifted up, the hungry are fed, and the rich are sent away empty-handed.
My soul cries out with a joyful shout
that the God of my heart is great,
and my spirit sings of the wondrous things
that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight,
and my weakness you did not spurn,
so from east to west shall my name be blest.
Could the world be about to turn?
Though I am small, my God, my all,
you work great things in me,
and your mercy will last from the depths of the past
to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame,
and to those who would for you yearn,
you will show your might, put the strong to flight,
for the world is about to turn.
From the halls of power to the fortress tower,
not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears
ev’ry tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more,
for the food they can never earn;
there are tables spread, ev’ry mouth be fed,
for the world is about to turn.
Though the nations rage from age to age,
we remember who holds us fast:
God’s mercy must deliver us
from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard
is the promise which holds us bound,
till the spear and rod can be crushed by God,
who is turning the world around.
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.
Rory Cooney, based on the Magnificat
Home Again
Well, we got home the day before yesterday. None of us were too happy to come home. Don't get me wrong, I love my home, the town where I live, the church I serve, the people in the church, but... Well after two weeks of no schedule, no real chores, no work, just sitting by the pool or around the campfire, not having to be up at any certain time, not having to be anywhere except where I was... I'm telling you that's the life.
Now we're home, I'm back at the office, we're doing laundry and cleaning the trailer (well my wife's doing most of that), it's back to a daily grind that can't compare to the freedom of holidays.
I did some reading on my vacation. I read a novel by Pete Hautman called Mrs. Million. Then I read some books that some might consider taking my work with me. First was a little book by Kelly Fryer called No Experience Necessary: Everybody's Welcome. Then I read a book on homiletics by Paul Scott Wilson called The Four Pages of the Sermon: A Guide to Biblical Preaching, not as dry as you might think. Then I started but still have to finish Philip Yancey's The Jesus I Never Knew.
I went to church while I was on vacation too. I worshiped at Centenary United Methodist Church. There aren't any Lutheran churches in Bath, NY or anywhere very close. A few years ago I worshiped at the Episcopal church there so I thought I'd give the Methodist church a try. They have 3 services each Sunday at 8, 9:30, and 11. The first was too early for me on vacation and the last cut too much into my day so I went at 9:30. It turns out this was their "contemporary" service. It wasn't too bad although I'd do things somewhat differently. There was no kind of liturgy. The music was contemporary praise songs to piano and drum accompaniment with words projected on a screen behind the altar. Not all bad but I would have liked a contemporary hymn or two rather than all praise songs. There were no prayers of the people. There was only one scripture reading, the epistle reading which was the focus text of the sermon. There was Holy Communion but there was no Eucharistic Prayer, only the words of institution. One interesting thing was near the beginning, after starting with some singing, the pastor invited anyone who wanted to come up to the altar if they wanted to pray or have him pray for them personally. A few people went forward and he went to each one or each group and talked and prayed with them. It didn't take too long and there was quiet piano music playing during that time. I so rarely get to just sit in the pew as a worshiper rather than being up front leading worship and it was a different kind of service than I'm ever involved in so it was a good experience.
I found out later that the early and late services are more traditional, probably more to my liking and more what I'm used to but different isn't all bad. And if I go back two generations I'm 3/4 Methodist (my paternal grandparents and maternal grandmother were Methodist) so I was getting back to my roots in a way.
Let's see, what else did we do? We went to Watkins Glen for a day, hiked through the glen, strolled down the main street, had pizza for lunch. We went to Corning for a day, visited the Corning Museum of Glass and walked through the old shopping district. We went to the The Windmill Farm & Craft Market, a really big place where thousands of people come every Saturday. We went to a mall one day when it was so hot we thought we'd get into some air conditioning and while we were there we watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. I know we saw it before but that was such poor quality at a drive-in, it was a lot better in the theatre.
At the campground we played Bingo, we attended a Pig Roast/pot luck (they provided the pork, rolls and drinks and people brought "a dish to pass"), we played mini golf, we went on some wagon rides around the campground, we went to the Saturday morning pancake breakfasts, to the weekly ice cream socials, the kids did crafts most mornings when we weren't making day trips, and we sat by the pool a lot.
I've said before, and I'll freely admit it, I was never a boy scout and I'm terrible at making campfires. So I cheated. We bought a couple of boxes of those fire logs, the ones wrapped in paper that burn for up to 3 hours, and I laid one in the bottom of the fire pit each night, lit that and then laid the firewood over top. It worked like a charm and we were never disappointed. I didn't even feel guilty about taking a sucky cheaters way out. The important part was our family time around the fire playing 20 questions, singing songs, telling jokes (no ghost stories, they give daughter #2 nightmares) making s'mores and hotdogs over the glowing embers and staying up late every night. I don't think the method of starting the fire was all that important.
Anyway, now I'm back and I have to get back to work. We already booked our 2 weeks at Hickory Hill for next year and I'm looking forward to going back.
Now we're home, I'm back at the office, we're doing laundry and cleaning the trailer (well my wife's doing most of that), it's back to a daily grind that can't compare to the freedom of holidays.
I did some reading on my vacation. I read a novel by Pete Hautman called Mrs. Million. Then I read some books that some might consider taking my work with me. First was a little book by Kelly Fryer called No Experience Necessary: Everybody's Welcome. Then I read a book on homiletics by Paul Scott Wilson called The Four Pages of the Sermon: A Guide to Biblical Preaching, not as dry as you might think. Then I started but still have to finish Philip Yancey's The Jesus I Never Knew.
I went to church while I was on vacation too. I worshiped at Centenary United Methodist Church. There aren't any Lutheran churches in Bath, NY or anywhere very close. A few years ago I worshiped at the Episcopal church there so I thought I'd give the Methodist church a try. They have 3 services each Sunday at 8, 9:30, and 11. The first was too early for me on vacation and the last cut too much into my day so I went at 9:30. It turns out this was their "contemporary" service. It wasn't too bad although I'd do things somewhat differently. There was no kind of liturgy. The music was contemporary praise songs to piano and drum accompaniment with words projected on a screen behind the altar. Not all bad but I would have liked a contemporary hymn or two rather than all praise songs. There were no prayers of the people. There was only one scripture reading, the epistle reading which was the focus text of the sermon. There was Holy Communion but there was no Eucharistic Prayer, only the words of institution. One interesting thing was near the beginning, after starting with some singing, the pastor invited anyone who wanted to come up to the altar if they wanted to pray or have him pray for them personally. A few people went forward and he went to each one or each group and talked and prayed with them. It didn't take too long and there was quiet piano music playing during that time. I so rarely get to just sit in the pew as a worshiper rather than being up front leading worship and it was a different kind of service than I'm ever involved in so it was a good experience.
I found out later that the early and late services are more traditional, probably more to my liking and more what I'm used to but different isn't all bad. And if I go back two generations I'm 3/4 Methodist (my paternal grandparents and maternal grandmother were Methodist) so I was getting back to my roots in a way.
Let's see, what else did we do? We went to Watkins Glen for a day, hiked through the glen, strolled down the main street, had pizza for lunch. We went to Corning for a day, visited the Corning Museum of Glass and walked through the old shopping district. We went to the The Windmill Farm & Craft Market, a really big place where thousands of people come every Saturday. We went to a mall one day when it was so hot we thought we'd get into some air conditioning and while we were there we watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. I know we saw it before but that was such poor quality at a drive-in, it was a lot better in the theatre.
At the campground we played Bingo, we attended a Pig Roast/pot luck (they provided the pork, rolls and drinks and people brought "a dish to pass"), we played mini golf, we went on some wagon rides around the campground, we went to the Saturday morning pancake breakfasts, to the weekly ice cream socials, the kids did crafts most mornings when we weren't making day trips, and we sat by the pool a lot.
I've said before, and I'll freely admit it, I was never a boy scout and I'm terrible at making campfires. So I cheated. We bought a couple of boxes of those fire logs, the ones wrapped in paper that burn for up to 3 hours, and I laid one in the bottom of the fire pit each night, lit that and then laid the firewood over top. It worked like a charm and we were never disappointed. I didn't even feel guilty about taking a sucky cheaters way out. The important part was our family time around the fire playing 20 questions, singing songs, telling jokes (no ghost stories, they give daughter #2 nightmares) making s'mores and hotdogs over the glowing embers and staying up late every night. I don't think the method of starting the fire was all that important.
Anyway, now I'm back and I have to get back to work. We already booked our 2 weeks at Hickory Hill for next year and I'm looking forward to going back.
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