Golf Fan

I'll do my very best to relate my rant to Lent today but honestly, it's not looking good. I'm just having one of those "Really?" moments.

Let's start with making a list of outdoor sports that require a fan. Not a "Woo Hoo, I'm a Packer Fan!" kind of fan...I'm talking about an actual fan used to cool off the sportsperson. Okay, here we go...let's see...there's the football field. You know, the one that has the water spraying through it? So after the player has run a 80 yard touchdown in 90 degree weather he doesn't keel over. Can't remember if I've ever seen once on the baseball field but it's possible...and there is probably one on the soccer field as well. All needed as all those sports are quite strenuous. But now I come to the sport that could not exist without the use of a giant mondo fan to keep it's participants nice and comfy...GOLF! Here's what I saw just before my hand slapped to my forehead and I yelled, "What the....!!!"

While on a Sunday afternoon drive through Highland Park, my husband said he wanted to show me something. He knew I would be highly amused. As always, he knows me oh so well. I had the biggest laugh over this fan on it's pretty little grassy green just waiting for the temperature to climb so it can perform it's needed duty. I was thinking maybe I should get one of these monsters in my front yard so that when I'm working outside in the sun, in July, in 98 degrees with dirt on my face, I could still be cool as a cucumber. Why be uncomfortable...ever? Good grief people! Yep, I failed at the Lent/Golf Fan connection. Maybe next time.

Easter Basket

Today, I was in a strange pull between my Lenten concentration and the stores' understanding of Easter. Agh!!! Commercialization! Yes, I'm deep in my Lenten journey but then, in a moment of fluffy, pink, blue and other pastel abominations I was in shoulder deep amidst 'Easter'. I'm not ready for that celebration. I'm still in the journey!!! But as I sauntered (that's what we do in Texas)...as I sauntered through the Michaels looking for items for a church luncheon...there they were...gazing at me... Bunnies, eggs, baskets, fake grass...Dang it! I couldn't help but think of my niece and how fun it would be to give her an Easter basket full of goodies. At first, I just let my eyes skim over the baskets. None of them measure up to my Easter basket, the one I've had forever, but they were pretty. Then I looked at the fake grass. I have an issue with plastic grass since the grass in my basket is made of paper. So I didn't look at that plastic grass and I surely didn't buy any! Then, finding that the basket had made it's way into my cart I thought, awe, what the heck, and walked over to the little Easter gifts. Before I knew it, there was a nice little Easter backet for a 15 month old taking shape. May I say it is lovely. There is no candy, no sidewalk chalk and no Peeps. (I get the Peeps...although I'm not allowed to eat them till Easter morn.) So here is my revelation. I can plan for what is to come in the midst of my journey. I can be in the zone of self examination at the same time I'm embracing the joy of the moment of the resurrection. As we continue our journey, we do so with the joy of the life we live in Christ. Now!!!

The Lutheran in me...

We made FUMC Dallas our church home in June of 2004 and I have been on the church staff since 2001. Before that that I was a church shopper/hopper. I was raised in the ELCA Lutheran tradition and I claimed that identity well! (still wear my Luther's rose). I was baptized in the Lutheran church, was active in the youth group and eventually attended Lutheran colleges. Heck, I even sampled the Scandinavian side of Lutheran life and learned how to make Lefse and eat Ludefisk. (That last thing should only have been on a dare! bluchchch) As I was looking at my Lenten study this morning I was thinking about how darn good I am at doing Lent. It's amazing really. As I considered the requirement of laying all the trash out there for God to see I saw that I'm making quite an amazing display of my garbage. I've done this enough times to know that this is only a growth experience if I remember God's love for me or else I'd flog myself silly in the tradition of Luther before he fully grasped the concept of Grace...which he then developed into an amazing understanding of God's love. The founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, was highly impressed with Luther's writings and theology and the theme of God's Grace is tightly woven into the traidition of which I am now a part. Thanks Martin for giving me the closest interpretation I have to understanding how much God loves me.

Unknown Caller

Today, I woke knowing exactly what I wanted to do. I got home late yesterday and couldn't do this thing. And yesterday was the first day to do it. So this morning I got up, washed my face, brushed my teeth and put my hair in a ponytail and fired up the Escape. Since it was rush hour and the regular neighborhood traffic was hopping, I slyly took the back route through less traveled avenues. With a determined face I didn't stop for coffee. I didn't need to stop at the ATM. As I arrived at my destination, I took the keys from the ignition, opened the car door and felt a peaceful smile spread over my face as I entered the Best Buy. I recognized it right away as I've been anticipating the new U2 CD "No Line on the Horizon". The sweetness of this moment was only enhanced as I reached into my wallet and produced a Best Buy gift card.

The song I will highlight is about us not listening to God. During this Lenten season, it is being clearly communicated to me that I hardly ever listen to God. Unknow Caller:

Sunshine, Sunshine,

Sunshine, sunshine

Oh, Oh

Oh, Oh

I was lost between the midnight and the dawning

in a place of no consequence or company

3:33 when the numbers fell off the clock face

Speed dialing with no signal at all

Go, shout it out, rise up

Oh, Oh

Escape yourself, and gravity

Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak

Shush now

Oh Oh

Force quit and move to trash

I was right there at the top of the bottom

On the edge of the known universe where I wanted to be

I had driven to the scene of the accident

And I sat there waiting for me

Restart and re-boot yourself

You're free to go

Oh Oh

Shout for joy if you get the chance

Password, you enter here, right now

Oh, Oh

You know your name so punch it in

Here me, cease to speak that I may speak

Shush now

Oh Oh

Then don't move or say a thing