The Swandive

wow it is soooooo lent

Anyone else really hungry for an Alleluia?

Natalie says she wishes she were Episcopalian. Today, I wish I weren't. I long for those days, back in the day, when I was not all liturgy geek-i-fied, super rubrics loving, church and liturgical season knowing. I was, *gasp* young and evangelical. Oh sure, call me naive. I was, sort of. My faith was definitely in the emotional best friends with Jesus stage. I was an Easter People, you know, " Ev'ry day's resurrection day, the past is over and gone." Not that Jesus is not my friend, He is. For sure.

I know, I should be all into this dark season. I need to walk the season of the cross, take up my own. I get it, I do. Is it wrong to look around and wish that the crabby, stressed out people, priests and lay people alike, would just get friggin' happy? They are all driving me NUTS. I am driving me NUTS. *sheesh*

I'll be honest, I miss the "Alleluia, Alleluia" so much, in more ways than I can even begin to share.

God of mercy, ______________________________________________. And be with Mark, his family, and the communities of Mercy Seat and House of Mercy. God, I don't know what is next, what You would have me be and do, but say the word Lord, just say the word. God, settle my heart and help me to be a bit less snarky, less say, ... of a total bitch. Help me be the light. In the name of Jesus, my friend (and savior). Amen.

from my beloved

Its a House of Mercy haiku.

Speak Lord, speak quickly,
Eastertide is approaching us.
Tulips pucker up.

a doublemint day

Double double church church - with a sweet sweet filling of good friends in between - that would be a fair description of today. Sort of an oreo cookie double stuff day. Except - I am sort of an original oreo lover myself. But - its a metaphor. I'll stick with it.

I have mentioned here a few times, my love for the two new church communities I have been attending lately. Today - it was just so amazing, so outstanding, so good, that I really do wonder. I wonder why, why are these places not just bursting at the seams? I mean really? Their awesome-ness is just breath-taking sometimes.

I am fully aware that I am a total church dork. Yep - 110% on fire for Jesus, yet something nags at me. Every week I hold in my mind, all my friends, family and people I have met over the years that are not the Lord lover that I am. My non-churchy, not down with the Gee Ohh Dee friends. They are not all pagans or agnostic, but some are. I try to imagine what they might experience, what they might hear if they were to stop in some Sunday, or more importantly, what they might experience or hear about God, through me. Because, really - that is a much more realistic view. People do not just wake up, after not going to church or believing in God, and say..."hmmm, church today?"

Today they would have heard that the church cares about women, empowering them, working to make them equal to men, and reducing mortality rates of their children. They would have known that its not just Co-ops and the Human Rights Campaign that care about and are DOING something about injustice and foodshelves. They would have heard someones needs, real (healing, grocery lists, childcare, loving, tell me I am not alone) needs, being met in a group of friends and strangers muttering together "hear our prayer."

I have a present, a gift, that I am dying to share with the world.

and here it is

I found it. My Lent practice. I went looking for a Lent joke this morning, and found it (not a joke - but a Lenten practice). I went looking for a joke, because I feel like one. A huge joke. I stayed in last night, instead of getting the ashes and divinely inspired whoo ha. I feel like a church nerd failure. I have been reading all of your blogs, in awe of many of you. But when push came to shove last night, I just wanted to stay home. So this is what I ran across - and now I feel inspired. So, if you are late - and want to do some lent whatnot - try here.

"I'm startled or taken aback when people walk up to me and tell me they are Christians. My first response is the question, 'Already?' It seems to me a lifelong endeavor to try to live the life of a Christian." – Maya Angelou