A Stinky Sunday Morning

Now that's not what you want to hear a church staff person talk about right? But it is what it is. Let's just suffice it to say that the back of my car never looked so wonderful as I approached (no...ran) to it at about 12:35 yesterday afternoon with the beautiful prospect of going straight home, getting back into my pajamas and getting back into the bed so I could have a second chance at a nice day.
Every Sunday I know that I will be in the crook of being a member of our church staff and just a plain 'ol member of the church. I do everything I can to be fed in the midst of feeding. Actually I try to look at all my encounters on Sunday mornings as 'being fed'. But yesterday between the adventures of Confirmation, coraling two baptism families for a quick briefing, and feeling just plain stretched to the point of transparency...I just felt beat down before worship even started. I found myself in my office crying 'UNCLE'. Lucky for me I got a second chance at church later in the day.
Yesterday evening at 5:30 our UrbanLife and Music & Arts ministries conducted a 'Service of Scripture and Choral Meditation'. It not only saved my day but put me right back on the path I was on earlier in the day. The congregation came into a setting of quiet in which we were well able to prepare our hearts for stillness and a setting for hearing God. The service lasted about 50 minutes. During the 50 minutes I felt a sense of calm and love that only God can give and the setting allowed me to not only listen but to hear God's soothing presence.
Last night's moment reminds me that I must take time every day to be quiet. No talking. No conversation. No writing. Just listening.

What's the Main Thing?

Haven't you ever heard of people say, "Keep the main thing the main thing"? I guess we all get to decide what the main thing is. The quote most likely is a moral or value driven statement. And maybe for some the 'main thing' changes from day to day. The main thing could be God, or family or Love...
Today the main thing for me is to breathe. No, seriously...I can't breathe. Allerigies are kicking my butt and I'm unable to concentrate on anything but trying to get a breath. The older I get the worse the allergies get...and today I lost. I couldn't work, plan or eat because of the lack of breath. I feel defeated...a little lost in having to concentrate on breathing.
It makes me think about how I often forget to breathe daily. We get up, get ready for the day, grab a bite to eat, drive to work, assess our day and then bam! we're off on a meeting, task driven day. When do we breathe and reasses the main thing? It's a trap we all fall into. No one is immune! Only now, when I'm forced to think about it do I stop to breathe. Help us all, Lord, to remember the importance of your breathe in our life.

Fear the McRib

I'm not here today to judge what you eat. I just have say my gross out level today is so over the top that I have to share. So I was driving to work this morning and saw the sign..."The McRib is Back" Now I do try to stay away from fast food and especially as far away from McDonald's as humanly possible. But back in the day I did imbibe in a McRib or 100. Apparently, though, I've been thinking about that sticky 'sandwich' enough to do a little digging into the mystery of it's make up. With just a little effort I think the McRib could reach Spam fame...have you ever Googled the McRib? One guy posted pictures of his adventure in discovery. First he removed the top bun

Then he washed off the sauce and turned the 'meat' over for a looksy. Guess I didn't think about the 'ribs' being stamped on only the top side

Then he sliced it open and...YIPE!!!

okay, that's all I can take. Organic salad anyone????