The Swandive

quote for today

All the world's a stage, and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.
- Sean O'Casey (1880-1964)

I have one of those spiral bound cheap rack, Barnes & Noble engagement calendars called simply "Ireland" on my desk at work. Each week is a new photo and new quote. The photo was from a place I have not been (yet), Newgrange in County Meath. It looks kind like the photo here.

I liked the quote. I find it has a great deal of hope and grace in it. It says "Hey sister serious pants! Lighten the frick up. We're all in this together, we're all a bit unrehearsed. Go easy: on yourself, and on your neighbor."

love this quote

HT InnerDorothy. Just so good.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
— Nelson Mandela

too good not to share

Antony over at Coming to the Quiet, gets this from a friend, and its just too good not to pass around.

The first discipline is listening. The word listening in Latin is audire. And if you listen with great attention the words are ob audire. That is the word for "obedience." The word obedience means listening. If you are not listening, you are deaf. The Latin word for deaf is surdus, and if you're actually deaf, you're ab surdus. The "absurd" life is a life in which you're not listening. An obedient life is a life in which you are listening." ~Henri Nouwen

From K. at Onehouse.

quote from an old friend

 

We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem. Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.

Mister Fred Rogers

God of Mercy, where should I be today? How can I be a part of what you are blessing? Be with the hurting, the grieving, the lost. Open their hearts - to walk through what today offers. Amen.

This American Life

I heart Ira. A lot.
On the last Wednesday in February my sweetie and I had the most amazing pleasure of sitting with a bunch of MPR nuts at my old workplace, the Historic Orpheum Theatre. Not only do I love Ira, This American Life, and MPR, but the Orpheum is such a great venue to see - well anything. I saw Sting there a few years back. The procinium, the seats, the hall itself, its all so historic and beautiful and grand.

What I Learned From Television was the name of the show - and it was broadcast on MPR tonight. Mates of State were the band - and are really quite catchy. There were so many brilliant moments. David Rakoff describing the show The Desperate Housewives of Orange County (on Bravo) by saying "Its like watching paint dry. Stupid, shallow fake breasted republican paint." Ira, telling the story about his relationship with the OC. Priceless. Dan Savage, the funniest queer possibly ever. He's naughty, raw, incredibly incredibly real, and a wonderfully amazing father. The night - was like magic, and sitting with  my dear tonight I got to re-live the while thing.

I just read over this post and thought what on earth does this have to do with seeing God in my daily journey? I have to go to bed now, but I promise to connect the dots tomorrow. For now...

This American Life will be premiering this Thursday - the TV show. If you have Showtime - I commend it to you. It will be one hour of great television.

Reading Roundup

I doggin' out on a "real post" today, because so many have posted some really interesting stuff I really want to share. You got something to read? Link it in the comments. I'm in a reading sort of mind.

Starting off with a laugh today - I have not watched MadTV lately, sometimes its just too quirky for me. Anyway - re:generate posts a clever MadTV bit here.

Water anyone? Care about the MDGs? This cool post has got me thinking. I want to do it. Trying to figure out the with who and when. Thanks KP.

Today is my Goddaughters (Grace) anniversary of her baptism. I have been going back to Christine's post here, praying for G. I love Christines art. I could meditate on her blog forever.

Read this. The posts titled "Detox Discoveries" and "Road to Detox." I don't know the backstory - but wow. As a lay person, a CALLED lay person, reading this was like reading into my own heart.

You don’t realize how common it is for the “official” people to receive many prophetic words of affirmation – and how rare it is for the “laity” – until you’ve moved from one group to another.

The people most needing encouragement rarely received it, because encouragement (prophetic or otherwise) seemed to be directly connected to your perceived value to the machinery organization.

Many times, I found myself looking in the mirror and really wondering, “Maybe the problem really is me...”

When you’re in pain, you’re not the nicest or most consistent person to be around. Although we had legitimate wounds that needed healing, we were kinda prickly, moody, and at times fairly toxic ourselves as we detoxed.

I know it says so in my sidebar, but really. Holy. Crap. Sarcastic Lutheran has just had some really great posts lately, today is no exception.

Maybe you have noticed that I am not posting about the hub-bub in my little episcopal church. I just don't have anything to add. I don't. I am not and have not been and don't feel called to be the flag waving queer voice for my church. I am queer, yes. But I am a child of God first. You know who does keep up with it - and is just too fabulous for words? MadPriest. For real. Check him.

Happy Thursday!

rant via quote

Chris­tians­ are hard 
to tolerate; I don't know 
how Jes­us­ does­ it.
— Bono

I can't remember when

I can't remember when I found this blog, but I follow him, loosely. The last few weeks have been quite a journey for him. Monday, he posted about his experience at another "dying" church, an Episcopal Church, in his neighborhood.

Here is an excerpt from his post - but please go read it.

i’ve never seen such care, such respect, such love, and such beauty surround communion in all my life. as i watched the rector pray over the cup and the bread, making motions and preparations i was overcome with just how essential and important the eucharist is to the life of this congregation, and as i watched tears welled up in my eyes. i desperately wanted to participate in this, but was a little nervous as to the proper way of participation. tracy and i must have looked extremely confused because a lady behind us peeked her head in to tell us that we could participate in the eucharist if we wanted to, and she began to explain how they do it… she even offered to go in front of us so that we could watch her and follow her lead!

I love this post, for so many reasons. It gives me hope, tickles me, and it helped me to remember that the little dying church that I belong to- brings hope and reverence and light into this world. Go little friendly hope-filled church, GO! And I get to work in it. And despite what the media says, it ain't all about the queers.

Holy God, thank you. Thank you for being bigger than our fights, for showing up in our tiny little (and in some places big) churches, for letting us be a part of what you are blessing. Help us to hear Lord, help us to listen, and then act. With all the love and grace you can muster up for us broken folks I pray. Amen.

about getting old

I don't like it, not being able to consider myself a "young adult" any more. I am going to round the corner past YA'hood this summer (I'll turn 36 in July, a beautiful double cancer am I). Everytime I am aware of an "old people" behavior, I freak out just a little. Tonight, I am aware of how much MPR and A Prairie Home Companion has come to mean to me. Crap.

Guy Noir: She had a Mount Rushmore t-shirt on, and those guys never looked so good. Especially Jefferson and Lincoln. Kind of bloated but happy.

Spread the love

Some wonderful things in my inbox - with love to you my blog friends.

Act 1: From my friend W

A friendly reminder that you can love the planet on valentine's day, as well as your friends and lovers.
Go here.
And here for more.

Act 2:
A note from a friend I have not seen lately, written from him to me, not in mass email. Wow. Here is what he says. "Happy St. Valentine's Day (or is it Relationship Appreciation Day?) Thank you for being a friend."

Act 3: If you haven't noticed, the "act" links are to This American Life, which can be heard on great public radio stations all across this land (and streaming online). Do you find yourself saying to people "I heard this story on NPR (MPR or whatever yours is called) today and they said (enter something interesting and smart you learned here). Yeah, me too. That is why I love my MPR, and why I am a member. If you listen, do the right thing, join today.

Happy relationship appreciation day everyone.

Late day addition from natalie dee. You can always find her in my sidebar. For today.