All Hallows

When we were young
the high green trees were holy
ancestors never met
guarding us.
Still they attend our paths.
But in the late year
when one and another
turn scarlet and crimson or gold
among their peers
they suddenly startle,
archangels among us,
or spirits
returned from that other place
toward which the heart tends.

Review of 2012

New Year’s Day 2013

Thoughts about last year.   Yesterday a new baby arrived in our step family, Lily Grace, a wonderful omen for a new year, sign of hope for the future.

An entertaining little book of short pieces, The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling, was fun to read.  I enjoyed her tragedy for adults although it was heavy.  And I enjoyed  The Sense of An Ending by Julian Barnes, a truly haunting book.   The Hunger Games trilogy was  worthwhile, also tragic and haunting.   I read To Heaven and Back by  Dr. Mary C. Neal.   This was very inspiring and encouraging, a near death experience report.  Another inspiring book is Boredom to Brilliance by Timothy Simpson, very good for aspiring artists.  I gave a copy to young Alec, not sure how much it is affecting him.

I plan to read The Life of Pi and Flight Behavior and the new Precious Ramotswe sequel  which I read annually so long as McCall Smith writes them.  They are charming.  I look forward to beginning the popular series about three angels by Debbie Macomber for more light and comfort reading.

Outstanding events were visits throughout the year with family and friends (some were surprises) and phone calls,  Alec’ s performance in the children’s choir with a Stage One production, a visit to Cathedral Gardens, time spent with Evan during Emily’s classes, time with both Evan and Chase during church, family birthday parties, and the family Christmas celebration.

A big disappointment, my persistent bad temper

A big frustration, my inability to re-learn knitting

I saw only one movie I think came out in 2012, the animated film Brave, pretty good.

I was introduced to a really nice new place to take visitors to lunch, Hawk’s View Gallery.

Our most serious problem is global warming.  A relevant interfaith organization is Kentucky Power and Light. 

A great local organization for children at risk is the Cabbage Patch. 

A great event of the past year is a new contract and a new season for the Louisville Orchestra which was greatly endangered and did not perform for a year.

Gardening surprises.  Very late green beans, an outstanding squash crop, average tomatoes, limited okra, zero peppers, better than average cucumbers.

Welcoming churches.  Messiah Trinity Church, welcomed the Sudanese congregation.  St. Mark’s Episcopal welcomed the Karen and Karenni congregations.  They are not participants, however, with Kentucky Power and Light. 

Enjoyable TV –

Reruns of Downton Abbey, Christmas movies, Gaither gospel music, Book TV, Charlie Rose brain series, Christmas music from universities, Great Performances, Kentucky Life, Castle

I am thankful of quiet times with Mother and visits with neighbors, friends, family.  It has been a good year.

Liberals under attack

Because I am my Mother’s full time caregiver, I am often in the company of evangelicals. We worship at her evangelical church. I often hear that they feel somewhat embattled, under attack by atheists and the intellectual elite. They should try walking in my shoes, a liberal Christian. I am despised not only by the intellectual elite but also by most Christians. I feel like a pariah around these people during the current election season. I and my ilk are under attack by the Roman Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for simply being a Democrat.


The BGEA has devoted an entire issue of Decision Magazine to a rant against the Democratic Party, who they say have adopted the sins of Romans One as their party platform. (The BGEA should look out for its tax exempt status.) Is it just me, or am I correct that the Democratic platform has included abortion rights and gay rights for some years now? The one added bit this year that seems to have driven all these people over the edge is gay marriage.

I just can’t see the big problem with gay marriage. For me it is much easier to accept than abortion rights. Abortion is a knottier problem, but gay marriage doesn’t hurt anyone. It seems to me to be good for society. Even if the six possibly relevant versus in the Bible did condemn homosexual activity, the Apostle Paul equates sins of sexual impurity with such sins as slander and backbiting. So those who slander gay people are as guilty of sin as those who engage in homosexual activity. I do not believe these six verses are even commenting on people who are born homosexual. Furthermore there are only the six verses but there are a great number of verses on justice for the poor and downtrodden. Social justice is not the forte of the Republican platform.

Banning abortion and making it a criminal act causes all manner of complex problems for individual women in situations of great difficulty. God has given us all freedom of choice and this very intimate issue should be a woman’s choice between her and God. I don’t believe it is unchristian to allow women this choice. We are all sinners and there are all kinds of sins. It doesn’t behoove us to point fingers at one another.

It is a cliché that everyone wants abortion to be rare. Birth control is very important in preventing abortions. It is very important to offer support services to pregnant women. God has given us the power to create human life and the power to destroy human life. I question the belief that human life begins at the moment of conception. I do not know at what point the fetus receives a human soul and becomes a human being. Clearly this happens at some point during fetal development. A microscopic embryo, however, does not seem to me to be yet a human person with an immortal soul. A local clergyman has pointed out that an egg is not the same thing as a chicken. The same observation applies to the embryo and the fully formed human fetus. I cannot see that the morning after pill should be a moral problem.

Jesus spoke often to condemn the Pharisees and the sins of hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Pride is the greatest sin. Perhaps all this condemnation I feel is good for my pride and will humble me as I deserve for all my many sins. I doubt that voting for President Obama is one of them.

Colors are more intense and varied this year

Of course pictures can't do the colors justice.

Pictures from the summer

Waiting

“I hear it in the deep heart’s core.”




I hear it. Incessant surge of waves

Running up, falling back, rolling out again.

I feel it swirl the sand between my toes,

See funny little crab eyes,

Hear cries of ocean birds in the wind.

Inland, inland, inland, bound by hills,

Betrothed to trees,

Married to earth,

The vines of tomato, squash, beans,

Lilies, and roses upon roses.

I do not begrudge my roots,

Cherish the land, the freshly upturned soil,

Dragonflies, watchful trees.

But always I hear from far away

Secret music and feel the wet inbound wind,

Waves upon waves, the surf’s songs,

Poignant gull notes

Calling, calling.

A dying church

Our church seems to be dying.  The original families are aging and many no longer attend.  I do not attend often because of looking after my mother.  I have been able to attend vestry meetings on Sunday afternoons and record the minutes. 

There has been a fairly steady decline of people to do the work of running the church and to provide money to pay the bills.  Our fairly new bishop has been concerned with the ministry to our vulnerable refugee populations who were welcomed to our church.  Our rector also became frustrated with the lack of help with this ministry because we have so few people available. 

Conversations with other possible partner churches were begun and our two refugee memberships, the Sudanese and the Karen/Karenni people decided to move to other churches where there are more resources for them.  Some of the few core people remaining are quite bitter and angry, grieving.  They feel they have been sabotaged by our rector and our bishop.

In looking back it seems that perhaps our refugees were welcomed more to save our parish than to serve them.  If their best interests were foremost in our hearts we would support them in their decision to move where they will have greater resources.  Some are reluctant to give them the church vans which were purchased for them in the first place.  They will need them in their new locations just as they need them with us.  This mean spirited attitude turns me off and makes me think it is time for me to leave also.

A few years ago I considered leaving when it appeared that the rector was driven away by unkind treatment.  I stayed because of the ministry to the refugees.  Now that they are leaving, there is little reason to stay.  The remaining members must come up with some reason to continue in existence, some simple ministry, but my ideas are not welcomed.  They do not know how to get along with any rector apparently and they will operate without one now, unable  to pay a rector. 

It is enough to be and worship but I think my time to leave has come and I will probably go to the church where the Karen and Karenni have chosen to go.  I rather dread this Sunday's meeting which may be rather tense and unpleasant.