The search is on

The panic to find the Advent wreath form for the St. Mary's Chapel continued in the search at home for my Advent wreath. I knew I had one. I've used it every year for the last seven or eight. It was made by a member of member of St. Augustine's Church in Rhinelander. Because of its size and shape I always pack it along the side of a large, dark green, plastic storage bin. I looked everywhere. I couldn't find the bin. I even pulled out all of the empty boxes I have stored under the steps in the basement thinking perhaps it got buried back there.
Finally today, as I closed the door to the small store room/water heater room in one last search attempt, I looked down and to the left. I saw the bin under a table in my study. It was the only thing under the bin. I'm thinking the bin was in the corner and when I added the tabled, needed to spread out books for all of my papers and projects, it got covered. Well, sure enough, the wooden frame was in the bin. So, I grabbed it, the new package of Advent candles and headed up stairs to pare down the bottom of the candles, so they would fit, and put it together.
Next step is to have my first official lighting, complete with the C.S. Lewis Advent devotional booklet from St. Mark's Church in Waupaca this year. Today's reflection is about miracles and specifically John 1:14.
There has to be a preachable parallel between searching for the Advent wreath and the search for the Christ child!

Thanks for giving

Sitting in the living room at my Aunt Tommy and Uncle Bill's today in Wausau I thought I was bored, because I was sitting quietly. Then I realized what a normal, comfortable life I lead. There are 14 relatives here including two cousins that had not seen each other in more than 40 years. So, some were sitting around the dining room with dessert plates pushed aside, talking about old times and future times; some were in the living room watching football; others were playing mancala, cards or napping. I was pretending to read a Newsweek magazine, which I did, sort of. What I was really doing was listening (aka eavesdropping). Everything was just normal, folks were talking about Christmas shopping, kids, getting hair cut for Locks of Love, state championship football games, bad TV commercials, good TV commercials, the best Brandy, the worst Brandy, Granny Smith apples vs. Bayfield County apples. You get the idea. I was smiling to myself when I went back to the magazine. I flipped the page and read an araticle by two retired military men whose sons had died in Iraq.

I was immediately immensely more thankful for my comfortable life and gave a silent prayer of thanks to the men and women who have fought to make that comfortable life in a country of free choice possible.

We're All the Same, Really

After three months of seminary I felt that I needed a bit of diversion and an occassional different focus to discussion. Now, don't think that my brain doesn't get an adequate workout, because it does. I just needed something different, so I contacted a few women on campus, wives of students, and organized a book group.

We met and organized on Sunday. The book we've selected to read first is "Same Kind of Different as Me." I highly recommend it. The book is the real life story of two men, unlikely to form a friendship, but do. One is a modern-day slave, the other an art dealer. Their differences span the horizon from race, education, income and at times faith. What brings them together is one truly amazing woman and a faith unknown to either of them.

Bottom line, differences are only on the surface. The title says it all!

For most of the semester I've been doing my homework at home, resisting the natural distractions of the library. However, since the semester is moving toward its conclusion and paperwriting time is heavy upon me, I've decided to move into my study space in the library. I'm just using too many books to be hauling them back and forth. They're nice spaces, but mine looks too organized, complete with a box of tissues. So, taking the lead from one of my "neighbors" in the library I decided to mess it up a bit, leave the books all scattered around, rather than piled neatly, throw an extra pair of shoes under the desk and a sweather on the desk shelf.
It doesn't work for me. I feel claustraphobic and can't find anything. My "neighbor" on the other hand, as cluttered as his space may be, is way ahead of schedule and onto other things. Maybe I could learn something from him.

A Day Off

Today I decided to use my time to catch of on "real people" stuff, but haven't accomplished that goal. I had a couple of medical appointments, days off are good for those, drove into Milwaukee to pick up a pair of shoes I had ordered and did very little putzing at home. I have to admit I felt guilty about not doing school work. Oh well, there's tonight and tomorrow and Wednesday...
When I was reviewing my previous post I was quite entertained by my unconsious pun. When I used the word "riting" I was refering to salng of writing. Then I realized that in Episcopalian cricles Rite I and Rite II are common vernacular and refer to different service and language styles. Oh, I'm so clever!

Reading, Riting and Re-charging

Today officially began Reading Week. For me it's more like writing week. And of course, since there's a holiday in there, there will be a bit of relaxing, known as recharging. My plan is to get my home spotless, Christmas card envelopes addressed, all laundry done, cook ahead and getting organized. Oh, no!

Organizing means clarifying the topics of the four papers I have to write/finish in the next three weeks, write and outline, identify any additional resources and get ready to dig in after Reading Week. I do plan on really reading during this week. Usually I read the assigned chapters a day or two before the class. However, because I want to focus on my papers, I hope to read all that I will need for the rest of the semester in the next few days. That should be possible because it's only about 300 pages.

Well, Time to move onto the next page turner.