Fayetteville, North Carolina

 These are my good friends Kristin and Coleman Smith as they set off on a motorcycle adventure to Charleston, SC. They are leaving from Fayetteville, NC where they live. I am here to stay with Kris' mom, Margaret (aka Mama and Gigi). Margaret has been like a mom to me over the past 21 years. She is an incredibly wonderful woman and I am so glad to be closer to her since I retired. Margaret, who is now 93, has had a quite a life. She has wonderful memories to share and I enjoy listening. Traveling to NYC after she finished college at Virginia Tech, Margaret worked at the YWCA headquarters. She met her husband, Don, at the First Presbyterian Church in Newark, NJ where she attended church. The choir director introduced them and they were married there. Don had a wonderful singing voice and they were both in a variety of theater productions that the church had. After living in a variety of locations for Don's career in civil service with the Air Force they moved to Fayetteville.  They became a part of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church where Don sang in the choir. Two little girls in tow, they came each Sunday becoming part of the strong foundation of families in the church. Margaret and Don were foster parents for babies and older children who came their way via Child Protective Services.  Don died just after he retired and Margaret remained in the house they had built in Fayetteville, surrounded by family and many wonderful friends.

I got to know Margaret in 1993 when I became the Associate Rector at Holy Trinity. I loved her bright and inquisitive mind; we had lots of stirring conversations. When I left Fayetteville in 2000 to go to work at the Cathedral in Albuquerque, she included me in her Sunday routine of writing letters to her daughter Sharon (who lives near St. Louis). Margaret came to visit me in Albuquerque and in Indiana. At 90 she came to visit me in Sparta where I live now and together with her daughters and other family we took a trip to visit Margaret's family homes in Virginia. Over the time I have known her she has learned to use a computer for communication and began "web camera" visits with her daughter Sharon. What a joy she is in my life and the lives of all who know her.

 Bella with her passion: a stick

Another snow last week (perhaps the last?). This is such a good picture of what Bella loves to do. She loves to find STICKS! And, bring them home...and chew on them. Actually, she chips the sticks off in little bites and spits the chips out. She is like a little machine with them. She occasionally tackles sticks that are too big to bring home and I have see her get caught between two trees when a stick won't fit between them. Now if I can just get her to help with the yard work. 

Winter: The gift that keeps on giving!

Grumpy Isabella!

 This is a picture of the tree that greets everyone as they drive up Ivy Lane. I call her Isabella. She is looking a bit grumpy in this picture because she is covered with ice. But that was last week...today it is snowing. It is a spring snow: icy, wet and heavy. I keep going back to the wisdom I learned a few weeks ago..."snow is like cash to the farmers because it puts nitrogen in the ground." I certainly don't want to rob the farmers of their fortune, but we need some spring!

The Standoff! 

This is a picture of Pumpkin (on the left) and Bella (on the right). Bella has now been with us for 6 months and Pumpkin has decided that Bella will NOT get all the attention just because she is bigger...and more extroverted. Pumpkin often resides under the bed...her extroversion is certainly "in check". She does not like visitors, or other intrusions to her schedule. But she has decided that Bella is not going to harm her on the other hand...

This is the cat that Bella chased up a tree this weekend. I don't know the cat but I have never seen one climb a tree quite so fast. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen a cat climb a tree and it was remarkable. The cat had no idea that Bella wouldn't hurt a fly but after hearing one, loud, deep bark from this big red dog, the cat wanted to make sure it was out of sight. When I lived in Albuquerque my Golden Retriever, Katie, would chase the bunnies on the mesa when we walked. I always told them: "No fear, little bunny, she is slow of foot and easily intimidated". And so it is with Bella, although she has younger, swifter feet than Katie ever had. Can you tell that I love my animals?

Bella, the lovely

One of the ways that I know God's love is through Bella. She is so tolerant of my failings and forgiving. This morning I "got caught up" on the SSJE Lenten Series meditations. In the meditation yesterday, Br. Mark Brown talked about his "trinity" of attributes for God: Love, Grace and Truth. We humans are certainly meant to reflect those attributes as we "incarnate, or embody" God. One of the things he suggests is asking ourselves, "Is this the gracious way to act?" or "What is God's truth?" or "Where is God's love for this situation?" I find myself deeply moved by this notion of "incarnating or embodying" the divine attributes of God. It requires such mindfulness on my part. I want to slow down to that mindful way of making God's presence in my life real. 

Lent II

Tomorrow is the second Sunday of Lent and I have just finished listening again to all of the "Love Life" series from this week. "Love Life" is a Lenten series offered by the Society of St. John the Evangelist. This is a religious order of the Episcopal Church and these brothers have often been a lifeline for me. I have retreated at their monastery and guesthouses in Massachusetts. This Lenten video series is about "Living the Gospel of Love". Each of the videos is presented by a brother who talks about the Gospel of John. On Wednesday of this week (Revelation 3: Acceptance) Br. Curtis Almquist talks about "feeling" God's love. Sometimes I know God loves me and sometimes it is so hard to feel loved by anyone, especially God.  Almquist, in his meditation, says this, "...I think love is ultimately not a feeling it’s a decision and it’s God’s decision and God adores you." He recommended writing these words on a piece of paper, "God loves me", and taking it into the day with us. 

God loves and adores you

Looking at that paper at times during the day was a gift to my memory, a reminder that God has decided to love me and I am living in that love whether I feel it or not. At those moments when I opened the folded piece of paper and looked at the words, a flood of feelings came over me. The battle waged by darkness in my soul could not stand in the face of that "tangible light" - the words: "God loves and adores you." I KNOW in my heart that this is the message of scripture (the whole of it!) and that little piece of paper became a laser light of proof to me.  You can listen to these videos by going to www.ssje.org and clicking on the "Love Life" series at the top of the page. You can subscribe to these videos (which are about 2 minutes long) at that site also and each one will be sent to your email daily during Lent. 

Pumpkin sleeping in Bella's crate

Bella is spending a few days with my friends at Mepkin. She loves it there and it is an opportunity for me to get some things done around here. Last night after I made Pumpkin get out of my lap so I could knit, she got in Bella's crate and went to sleep. Does this mean she misses Bella???? She has managed to sleep in Bella's other bed as well. This is why I have animals...they are live entertainment 24/7.

Fireplace in my "new" living room

The house painting is finished as well as the new tile work around the fireplace. Wish I had a "before" picture to show you! The house feels like it is finally "mine". Before it had yellow/white walls and the wood around the fireplace was honey colored. The tile was white with tan and yellowish designs in it. This tile is slate and the natural color variations are beautiful! I'm happy... Now, today, it is time to clean out the garage....

Lent

 Kantha Cloth

I know the title of this post is "Lent" but I'm still on Valentine's Day projects (sigh!). This is a piece of Kantha cloth that I made last month. I am calling it Kantha cloth because I can't really think of anything else to call it. I took a piece of red cotton velveteen and fused a piece of lightweight quilt batting to the back of it. I then took a variety of embroidery threads (different colors, weights) and did a running stitch (Kantha stitch) through the velveteen and batting. You can't see the various colors on this one but you can see it in the heart I cut out of the piece below. I used some metallic threads as well which added some interest. I had enough fabric to make 3 hearts which are on their way to becoming pins.  

Kantha Heart

Perhaps by next Valentine's Day they will be finished products! The past several weeks have been busy as the house continues its progress in being painted and some minor remodeling. The house is looking really fine and it is exciting to make the interior of the house reflect my personality and style. And I have been doing some clergy supply work as well.

Yesterday on the First Sunday of Lent I was at Good Shepherd Episcopal Lutheran Church in Galax, VA again. I think I have said before how much I enjoy this church and its people. For me they symbolize the future of the Church because they choose not to focus on where they disagree, or are different from each other; rather they choose to find their common ground and celebrate that. 

The lessons for yesterday were about temptation: Adam and Eve in the garden and Jesus being tempted by Satan. Several years ago I preached a sermon on these lessons called, "The Devil is a Friend of Mine" and used the Jerry Garcia song, "Friend of the Devil" in the beginning of the sermon. That might have been shocking to some (still may be). It does seem to me that Jesus and Satan in Matthew's account of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness sound like two old rabbis debating religion. Most mental health professionals would say that befriending our "devils" is a good thing. Getting to know the "shadows" that lurk in our hearts enables us to be aware of the places where temptation can take hold so that we don't trip over them so often. Anyway, here is how I ended my sermon yesterday:

         Lent is that time when we try to do something that will stop the usual patterns of our lives. We give up something or take on something that will stop us in our tracks so we can explore who we really are. Yes, we really are human. Like our ancestors in the garden we still want the fruit that will make us complete. We reach out and we take it over and over. Then we hide it, and we hide ourselves. We blame others for our failures and we blame ourselves…we trip and yes, we fall.

         All those things are true and you don’t need me to tell you that. What you do need me to tell you is this: God made you, every cell of you. And God has loved you from the moment you took your first breath. You have tripped and fallen and God has been there, loving you and helping you up, turning you to face in a different direction. And Lent is for this one thing: For you and me to know that in the midst of all that is chaos in our lives, God placed One who is human and is also God in our midst to show us that life doesn’t end after we fall. Life continues even when we are broken and scarred and dented. Jesus is at our side to show us that even if we are wounded to death, life will continue. 

High on a Windy Hill

View from the Top

      Last Sunday I went be with a wonderful friend on her last Sunday in her parish as she retires from full time ministry. It was also the Last Sunday of Epiphany and as always the gospel reading was the story of Jesus' transfiguration on the mountaintop. As I listened to my friend preach about Jesus and his three disciples arriving on top of the mountain, I had the above picture in mind. 

      While we were staying at Mepkin, Bella and I hiked to the top of the mountain behind their house. It was quite a feat, but with Bella showing me where the deer paths were we made it. I could see the Fraser Firs at the top and knew that once we got up there we could take the tree farm's road back down. When we got to the top the view was so stunning that I just wanted to stay. There was a cold wind rustling through the trees but the sun was warm on my shoulders as I sat on a rock to rest. I was like Peter in the gospel lesson, "Lord, let me build shelters so we can stay here." Things happen in the presence of such beauty when the Spirit blows where it will. God revealed Jesus to the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. As Jesus stood in the presence of Elijah and Moses, the word and purpose of God became unified in Jesus. Jesus is the prophet (like Elijah) who will lead the people (like Moses) out of slavery. High on a windy hill there is much to be revealed.

Snowy Leaves

Snow has come again to Ivy Lane. We had enough yesterday to make everything white and beautiful. It was an "early spring" snow...winter showing off while it can. Today things are warming back up just in time for Mardi Gras! Pancakes are the order for this evening as we feast in preparation for Lenten fasting. As I have begun to put the house back together after the painting finished, I have found so many things that I don't need or want. It feels like a time to "keep things simple" and so my car will soon be full of things to take to the local thrift store. Friends were here this weekend and they helped me throw away 3 file boxes full of my sermons from almost 30 years of ministry. This feels like a Lenten discipline and it's a huge start on "traveling light". Now about my studio....

Chicken, Fennel and Potatoes

I rarely take pictures of food but this dish is so pretty...and so yummy. I found the recipe online and made it this weekend while my friends were here. We added the red potatoes to the recipe which calls for lemons, fennel and chicken. The combination is so yummy and so easy. We substituted fresh rosemary for the thyme called for and it was fine. Here's the recipe:

Chicken Roasted with Fennel and Lemon

by Cooking Season by Season

Ingredients:

4 large chicken thighs with skin on

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon and 2 small lemons quartered

a few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked (or rosemary)

1 large fennel bulb, roughly chopped

handful of green olives, pitted

3/4 cup of dry white wine

(I added 4 red potatoes cut into large pieces)

Steps:

1. season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle the oil and lemon juice over the top, scatter on the thyme leaves. then transfer to a large bowl or plastic bag and leave to marinate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a small roasting pan and add the fennel and lemon quarters (and potatoes, if using them). Season well and bake for 20 minutes.

3. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and add the olives and wine. Return to the oven and cook for another 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees. Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes till done. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Serves 3-4 people.