Day 59: 2/28/13- Plant a Daffodil Bulb in a Container for St. David's Day

Day 59: 2/28/13- Plant a Daffodil Bulb in a Container for St. David's Day
New Thing- Plant a Daffodil Bulb in a Container for St. David's Day  
Inspiration: The Feast of St. David, St. David's Church Fair, The 300th Anniversary of St. David's Church  
Time: About 10 minuets     
Bottom Line: Lovely growing symbol

In his last sermon David told his monks to "do the little things, the small things you've seen me doing".

Reflection: Tomorrow is the Feast of St. David, Patron Saint of Wales and St. David's Church in Wayne! Here are a few fun facts about this saint with more found here:

• He was at the heart of the Welsh church in the 6th century
• He came from an aristocratic family in West Wales
• His mother was a saint, Saint Non
• His teacher was also a saint, St Paulinus
• He founded a large monastery in West Wales
• He was one of the early saints who helped to spread Christianity among the pagan Celtic tribes of Western Britain
• He became Archbishop of Wales, but remained in his community at Menevia (now called St Davids)
• He was active in suppressing the Pelagian heresy
• His shrine became a great place of pilgrimage; four visits to the shrine at St David's were considered the equivalent of two to Rome, and one to Jerusalem!

You may remember two years ago when I made potato-leek soup (since the leek is one of his symbols) and went on a vegetarian fast on St. David's day in honor of his strict ascetic life-style. He was so strict with his diet that he became know as "the water saint" because that was all he ever drank. Food-wise was not much better since he only ate bread and herbs with some vegetables. 

You may also recall that it was the first time I had ever celebrated this saint in my life. However, since that time, I have been called to serve at an amazing church bearing his name that was founded by missionaries from the very church/monastery that he founded in Wales. I have also since been on a pilgrimage to Wales (learn more about the Bardsey Island pilgrimage here) which was a truly life changing trip with much of our time devoted to talking about Welsh saints and praying with them---David being chief among them as their patron. So, I am thinking it pleased him to have me learn about his amazing witness. I know it has made a difference in my life. 

Anyway, back to the Feast Day prep. One of the symbols that is associated with David and Wales is the daffodil. Here at St. David's Church, we take these plants very seriously and we are  well on our way to having 3000 of them planted all over the property in time for our 300th anniversary coming up in 2015. At our large annual fair, we have been selling daffodil bulbs in order to raise money to plant more (ever bulb you buy is actually the cost of two, so you get one to take home and plant in your garden and the Church gets one in a very nice fund-raiser). So, we bought some this year and I have been storing them all year to plant at the right time.

 

But it occurred to me that we could actually have some start growing now using a technique that works well for bulbs--"planting" them in vases. In this technique, you simply fill a long and tall container partially full of decorative rocks. Then you place the bulb in and then fill up the container with water to the bulb's level, but not all the way so that the roots will start "searching" for the water and start to grow. I have never tried this before, but have always thought it look beautiful. Hope it works!

Day 58: 2/27/13- Learn How to Felt Wool

Day 58: 2/27/13- Learn How to Felt Wool
New Thing- Learn how to felt wool and make a little sheep
Inspiration: Ellyn, Rebecca, Little D., Mimi (D.'s stuffed sheep)  
Time: About 2 hours    
Bottom Line: Baa

Little Sheep

Reflection: My friends Ellyn and Rebecca from Bethlehem are the type of people who are very good at making "crafty" things look easy. Amongst their many talents is the ability to felt wool into beautiful little dolls and animals (and other things I am sure). Well, today, I wanted to try my hand at this old art form so I found a beginners kit on-line and tried my hand at making D. a little lamb for her Easter basket. Sheep are her favorite animal since her lovey (Mimi) is a sheep. (Also, the lamb is a perfect Easter symbol since Christ was the True Pascal Lamb and we celebrate his sacrifice and resurrection then. But mostly, she just loves sheep.)

 

Felting, for those who may not know, is achieved by taking a felting needle (which is barbed on the end and hurts like heck when you stab yourself in the finger--which you almost certainly will) and rapidly sticking into wool causing the fibers to gather together more-and-more tightly.

 

 

Eventually, you will make a tight little ball or a smooth piece of felt depending on what what you are going for. Then you attach the pieces together with the same technique until you have made something. Above and below is my little something, and while it did not come out nearly as cute as the one in the pictures on the kit, it still has a certain charm, I think.

ok- maybe the cat does not love it.

Day 57: 2/26/13- Lunch at the Gryphon Cafe

Day 57: 2/26/13- Lunch at the Gryphon Cafe     

New Thing- Lunch with Amy at the Gryphon Cafe    
Inspiration: Amy     
Time: About an hour  
Bottom Line: Delicious food, cool vibe, great company

Reflection: This afternoon, I had the pleasure of meeting with my friend Amy for lunch at the Gryphon Cafe in Wayne. This was my first visit and it was excellent. Not only did it meet the requirements for my Lenten Fast's dietary restrictions, but it was clearly the hang out of college-type people making it instantly 10x cooler (and be my association). All the orders were taken on an i-pad and it even had an attachment for swiping credit cards. The conversation and fellowship with Amy (who is herself a philosophy professor) was even cooler than the atmosphere and that is saying something! Thanks, Amy!

Day 56: 2/25/13- Ski Day and Mom's Birthday

Day 56: 2/25/13- Ski Day and Mom's Birthday    
New Thing- Ski day with new mittens and Mom's Birthday Celebration Dinner   
Inspiration: Mom, Ali, Dad, Doug     
Time: All Day 
Bottom Line: Family Fun!

Doug, Me, Dad, Ali

Reflection: Today, Ali, Doug and Dad and I headed over to Elk Mountain for a great day of skiing fun. We had such a great time and I was able to try out my new ski mittens that Dad gave me for Christmas. You may remember that I have a long history with my ski gear. (Here is the link to the last ski post when I had new-to-me skies from Ali and the crazy back story.) These mittens are replacing a pair of gloves that I have had for 21 years. They were the first ski gloves I ever owned and I had only had them for a few weeks when our puppy, Culley, chewed up the thumb. Then the next time I wore them, the hole he had made was made much worse by using a rope tow at Mt. Tone (or as it became known in our family: "Mt. Death" because of one terribly ill-fated trip we took there when my sister was learning how to ski. It was exactly two slopes--the bunny trail which was the bottom of the expert trail. It. did. not. go. well. Ali was crying within the first few minuets and then she and I struggled to get up the rope tow that left several children in a pile when one would fall down causing a domino effect. Mom--in the one-and-only time I ever saw her ski--was stuck on the ice hill and it took three different instructors to get her down. Meanwhile, my father and I continued to ski by them. Nice.) So, Dad's plan was to slap a piece of duct-tape over the hole and there it stayed until today. The new mittens were excellent. My hands never knew that they could be this warm.

After that fun day, I headed over to see Mom for her birthday! We had a delicious dinner and even nicer tea that she had won. Then we talked the night away. Sorry I don't have any pictures, but Ali was the one with the camera. Thanks, Mom, for the lovely end to a great day. Happy Birthday!

Here we are last year--notice the lack of gloves? It was a warmer day, but my gloves weren't making much of a difference anyway. What with the hole and all.

Day 55: 2/24/13- Organ Concert at St. David's

Day 55: 2/24/13- Organ Concert at St. David's   
New Thing- Organ Concert at St. David's with guest organist Michael Stairs  
Inspiration: St. David's The Art of Faith Committee    
Time: 30 minuets (I had to leave early) 
Bottom Line: Beautiful!

Reflection: Today we had a great organ concert at Church that I was able to catch half of before heading back to work. It was wonderful and here is the description of the performance and the organist, Michael Stairs:

 

Michael Stairs was born in Milo, Maine and began studying piano in Presque Isle at age ten. At Westminister Choir College he played for the 300-voice Symphonic Choir under the batons of great conductors such as Stokowski and Bernstein.  He then went on to earn the coveted Artist's Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music, studying organ with Alexander McCurdy and piano with Vladimir Sokoloff.  Michael taught Upper School Music at the The Haverford School, where he was awarded the first Grace and Mahlon Buck Chair in the Performing Arts.  Ricardo Muti appointed Stairs to do the organ work for the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1985.  He has since been a featured soloist with the ensemble in various locations ranging from New York's Carnegie Hall to Tokyo's Suntory Hall.  Maestro Christoph Eschenbach featured Michael in several concerts on Verizon Hall's new Dobson organ.  Stairs has recorded several albums at the famed Longwood Gardens Ballroom organ.

Day 54: 2/23/13- "Write Your Heart Out" Quiet Day

Day 54: 2/23/13- "Write Your Heart Out" Quiet Day  
New Thing- "Write Your Heart Out" Quiet Day at St. David's 
Inspiration: St. David's Center for Spiritual Direction, Lent   
Time: A few hours
Bottom Line: I ended up writing way more then I expected.

Reflection: Today was a very lovely Lenten quiet day and workshop at St. David's exploring different journal and prayer techniques. Here is a partial description of the day:

Writing can aid the journey of our spirit – helping to move the inward stirring of our soul outward into our world. The practice of writing offers us a way to express our heart songs, a beacon for our searching souls and (sometimes) even profound insight and solutions.

The speakers offered us many great ways to use writing as a prayer and my favorite one was the "Six Word Story" which was a favorite of Hemingway. The title says it all: you simply use the limitation of six words to tell the story that you are offering to God. Mine was "Dear Lord, your child loves you."    

Day 53: 2/22/13- New Hair Style "Modern Bun"

Day 53: 2/22/13- New Hair Style "Modern Bun" 
New Thing- New Hair Style "Modern Bun"
Inspiration: Pinterest 
Time: A few minuets
Bottom Line: Didn't quite come out right.

Reflection: As you may remember, I am trying to do more things with my hair this year since I get into ruts. Today's challenge was the "modern bun." Sorry that these pictures don't really capture some of the detail in the bun, but I was trying to go for this look: http://www.jettingtothewedding.com/blog/diy-wedding-hair-a-modern-bun.html and did not quiet achieve it. I did like how it ended up though. I think I'll try it again.

Day 52: 2/21/13- Make Debbie's Kale Chips

Day 52: 2/21/13- Make Debbie's Kale Chips
New Thing- Make Debbie's Kale Chips
Inspiration: Debbie
Time: About 12 minuets
Bottom Line: Just call me Debbie.

Reflection: The last time my mother came to visit she made me a really yummy new snack of kale chips. So, tonight I made them myself and they were great. It s a great way to get more green veggies. Here is the recipe: 


Here's what you need

• 1 bunch kale, washed and torn, stems discarded
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• dash of salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl mix the kale pieces with all of the ingredients.
3. Spread evenly on foil-lined baking sheets.
4. Bake for 12 minutes, watching closely that they do not burn. Remove from oven when crispy. 

Day 51: 2/20/13- Take the International Justice Mission Quiz to Determine my Slavery Footprint

Day 51: 2/20/13- Take the International Justice Mission Quiz to Determine my Slavery Footprint
New Thing- Take the International Justice Mission Quiz to Determine my Slavery Footprint
Inspiration: Frederick Douglass' Feast Day
Time: Under 5 minuets
Bottom Line: Sobering.

Reflection: Today is the Feast of Frederick Douglass. I remember being incredibly inspired by his story and speeches when I read selections of his work in school and that inspiration was renewed again tonight as I studied more about his life. I would recommend taking the time to head on over to wikipedia and read his bio, but here is a little taste:

Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, c. February 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing. He stood as a living counter-example to slaveholders' arguments that slaves did not have the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens. Douglass was a firm believer in the equality of all people, whether black, female, Native American, or recent immigrant, famously quoted as saying, "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong."

So, in honor of him, I decided to take the online International Justice Mission quiz to determine how many of my actions shamefully support the slavery of others around the world. While my score was less than average, it was still completely sobering to see just how many people I have abused without even knowing it. I will certainly be making different purchasing choices from now on and will be praying about this tonight. It was also very informative as it was full of such scary facts as:  "There are at least 27 million slaves worldwide. That’s roughly the combined population of Australia and New Zealand."

I highly recommend taking it. You can find it at: http://freedomcommons.ijm.org/action-alert/find-out-how-many-slaves-work-you. It will open your eyes.

Day 50: 2/19/13- Reconcile: Teach My First Reconciliation Class

Day 50: 2/19/13- Reconcile: Teach My First Reconciliation Class       
New Thing- Teach my First Reconciliation Class in Connection With my Doctoral Project       
Inspiration: Reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5:17-21, DMin, My LAC Committee, St. David's           
Time: Several Hours                                  
Bottom Line: Great start!

Reflection: Today was the first night of the Reconciliation Class that is being taught in conjunction with my DMin project. It was formed with the help and research of the members of the Lay Advisory Committee who diligently interviewed members of the congregation and helped me to develop a curriculum based on the findings (thanks guys!). This first session dealt with the historical, Biblical, and theological roots of the Rite of Reconciliation of a Penitent. We had some great discussion and I am so looking forward to the weeks that will follow.        

Day 49: 2/18/13- Be Insulted by Martin Luther

Day 49: 2/18/13- Be Insulted by Martin Luther      
New Thing- Celebrate Martin Luther's Feast Day by being Insulted by him.      
Inspiration: The Feast of Martin Luther         
Time: A few minuets                                 
Bottom Line: Now that is what the internet was created for.

"Look how this great heretic speaks brazenly and sacrilegiously."

From Defense and Explanation of All the Articles, pg. 85 of Luther's Works, Vol. 32

Reflection: Today is the Feast of Martin Luther who is known for being one of the most influential minds in all history. He is also known for being one of the greatest insulter givers in all history. FINALLY, some one has finally used the internet to its fullest potential and created a Lutheran Insulter which will randomly generate some of his best affronts at the click of a button. Enjoy being put-down by one of the the best!

Be insulted here: http://ergofabulous.org/luther/  

Day 48: 2/17/13- Try a Deodorant Crystal

Day 48: 2/17/13- Try a Deodorant Crystal      
New Thing- Try a Deodorant Crystal     
Inspiration: Mom         
Time: A second                                
Bottom Line: Worked better than expected.

Reflection: My mom gave me one of those deodorant crystal things (that I pretty much assumed only hippies used) for Christmas. These are supposed to be just as effective as normal deodorants and also healthier since they have no Aluminum Chlorohydrate. The national cancer society even gave it its stamp of approval. So, for the sake of trying things new, I gave it a shot. I have to say I am impressed and there is now residue at all.  

Day 47: 2/16/13- Visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Day 47: 2/16/13- Visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art     
New Thing- Visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art with Ali, Ken and Little D.    
Inspiration: Little D., Ali         
Time: Several Hours                               
Bottom Line: Fun and beautiful

Reflection: Today, Ali came into Philly for a brief visit and had the good idea to go to the Art Museum. I haven't been there in years and D. has never been. It was beautiful and made even more fun with Ali and her love of art as you can see by her pictures below. Thanks, Little Sis!

D.'s favorite room was the armor. 

Me in the Ming Dynasty

D. in the Middle Ages

Day 46: 2/15/13- Make A Lenten Prayer Garden

Day 46: 2/15/13- Make A Lenten Prayer Garden    
New Thing- Make a Lenten Garden    
Inspiration: Lent, Prayer Partner, Ali, Isaiah 58:11         
Time: About a half hour                              
Bottom Line: An oasis in the desert 

Reflection: Part of the Ash Wednesday service included a reading from Isaiah. One of the lines that spoke to me the most was Isaiah 58:11 which reads:

 The Lord will guide you continually,
   and satisfy your needs in parched places,
   and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
   like a spring of water,
   whose waters never fail.

I immediately began to think about how amazing it is that God offers us a garden just as we enter into this desert time that is Lent. So, I decided to take that vision and turn it into a tangible prayer by making a little garden out of desert plants. I also wanted to make one for my prayer partner in a terrarium style, so I went over to a local florist to get a lesson in how to make one. D. and I were helped by a really lovely woman who taught us a ton about succulents and the art of plant placement.

They were not only wonderfully meditative to make but I also loved having mine during my prayer time as a reminder of the oasis that God's love is.

I also had a really sweet moment yesterday when I was able to bless one of St. David's two year old's on her birthday, Little A. and her Mom shaped this sweet pic. It was just one of those moments that makes this job so great! Just wanted to share the joy ;)

Her little sheep got in on the blessing.

 

Day 45: 2/14/13- DIY Make-Up Remover

Day 45: 2/14/13- DIY Make-Up Remover   
New Thing- Make DIY Make-Up Remover   
Inspiration: Pinterest         
Time: A few minuets                             
Bottom Line: Even better than the expensive stuff.

Reflection- A few weeks ago, I made my own make-up brush cleaner and was so pleased with the results that I decided to try out another make-up related DIY project: homemade make-up remover. It feels much more gentle than the store-bought stuff and is SO less expensive. Here is the recipe:

Ingrediants:
1 Cup of Distilled Water
1 1/2 TBSP Baby Shampoo (Tear Free)
1/8 TSP Baby Oil (Coconut or Olive Oil)

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Stir until mixed.
Pour into plastic bottle

Day 44: 2/13/13- Ash Wednesday- First Day of Lent

Day 44: 2/13/13- Ash Wednesday- First Day of Lent   
New Thing- Preach at three service, prepare for a Holy Lent  
Inspiration: Ash Wednesday, Lent        
Time: All day                            
Bottom Line: Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.

Reflection- Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. After preaching three services, (the audio of that sermon can be found here) I spent some time praying and deciding what I will be giving up and what I will be taking on for the next 40 days. It feels a little to personal to share all the details of this fast on the blog, but I will say that I am actually looking forward to striping away some of the layers that I have been letting to develop on that part of my soul that needs to feel the fresh touch of the Holy Spirit. I pray that you all have a Holy Lent!

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Day 43: 2/12/13- Shrove Tuesday Movie Night: Aliens

Day 43: 2/12/13- Shrove Tuesday Movie Night: Aliens  
New Thing- Watch Aliens for the first time. 
Inspiration: Ken        
Time: About 2 hours                           
Bottom Line: Tense

Reflection: Today is Shrove Tuesday and I spent the day enjoying the full pre-Lenten food-fest that it should be. After D. and I went to the St. David's waffle supper (complete with moon-bounce in the Narthex), Ken and I settled into watch Aliens since I had never seen it before. I enjoyed it way more than I expected to. For one thing, it really has more depth than modern action films which just seem to be explosions strung together with scantily women used as set dressing. In Aliens, the main character, Ripley, made choices that didn't leave me screaming, "OH COME ON! Why would anyone do that?!" Even though it was a sci-fi movie, she had enough depth to make me care about her character and cringe when she was in trouble. Well worth the watch!

Day 42: 2/11/13- Peanut-butter Cup S'Mores

Day 42: 2/11/13- Peanut-butter Cup S'Mores
New Thing- Peanut-butter Cup S'Mores
Inspiration: Tom, Matt and Andrew        
Time: A few glorious minuets                          
Bottom Line: Yep. That'll do.

Reflection: Today at lunch, one of my colleagues had the awesome idea to make s'mores in their fireplace. And then another colleague kicked it up a notch by suggesting that we use peanut-butter cups in place of normal chocolate bars. It was as good as you think it would be. Probably better. Genius!

Day 41: 2/10/13- Confess in a Confessional Booth, Attend Solemn High Mass at Smokey Mary's & Kara NYC Fun

Day 41: 2/10/13- Confess in a Confessional Booth, Attend Solemn High Mass at Smokey Mary's & Kara NYC Fun
New Thing- Confess in a Confessional Booth, Attend Solemn High Mass at Smokey Mary's, & Kara NYC Fun 
Inspiration: The need to be reconciled, DMin, Kara         
Time: All day (only 20ish minuets for Reconciliation)                        
Bottom Line: Reconciled!

Reflection: As I mentioned before (see the post here), I have been preparing to make a private confession which, in the Episcopal Tradition is called "The Reconciliation of a Penitent" and today was the day. Reconciliation happens to be the topic of my doctoral thesis, but this exercise was not a "fact-finding" mission for me. I went, not as a student, but as a sinner in need of repentance.

Now, I have made a private one-on-one confession before, but it has been years since my last one and never in an actual confessional booth (I did try in a RC church once but was sent away since I am not of that tradition). Most Episcopal Churches do not have them (nor do most Episcopal Churches hear many private confessions for that matter) so I went into NYC to The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin (also known as "Smokey Mary's" because of its high Anglo-Catholic tradition of a smells-and-bells style liturgy) to experience what it would be like to make a confession in this manner.

The beautiful sanctuary of St. Mary's

I took the train in and used the time to look over my prayer book and the notes I had made two days ago. Mostly I just prayed and spent some time with my thoughts until I arrived at Penn Station and walked over to Times Square to the church. When I arrived, I found an usher to let the priest know I had arrived and took my place on my knees in the booth while I waited.

While I certainly wont go into the details of what I confessed (sorry!), I will say that there were tears of both pain (towards the beginning) and joy (towards the end). I received my first ever penitence and actually welcomed it as a service I could offer as a mark of a grateful heart. And grateful it was. Grateful, joyful, and re-adjusted back on the path that glorifies God rather than myself. In fact, I felt like I had just had a spiritual chiropractic appointment. After that, I went to Solemn High Mass and felt very warm.

After that, I joined up with one of my all-time best friends, Kara, to have lunch and hang out in Times Square for a bit. We even went over to Toys-r-Us and rode the Farris wheel! The ride home after that amazing day was completely different, and this deep feeling of thankfulness to God who loves me no matter what continues to abide. 

Day 40: 2/9/13 - Valentine's Day Tea & Etiquette Class

Day 40: 2/9/13 - Valentine's Day Tea & Etiquette Class 
New Thing- Valentine's Day Tea & Etiquette Class
Inspiration: Ken, Easttown Library       
Time: A little over an hour                      
Bottom Line: Now D. and I are ready for the Queen's invitation to high tea when it comes.

Reflection: Today, D. and I made our way to the Easttown Library for their Valentine's Day tea and Etiquette Class. We had a lovely time eating tea sandwiches and little deserts while learning proper tea-party etiquette. We also played bingo and had a fun time dressing in our fancy clothes. Although the best dressed mother/daughter combo had fascinators and lace antique gloves. Main Line livinin'!

Day 39: 2/8/13 - Use The Saint Augustine's Prayer Book to Prepare for Reconciliation

Day 39: 2/8/13 - Use The Saint Augustine's Prayer Book to Prepare for Reconciliation
New Thing- Cataloging my sins using the Saint Augustine's Prayer Book to prepare for the Rite of Reconciliation   
Inspiration: Confession      
Time: About an hour                     
Bottom Line: O Lord...that is humbling.

Reflection: As many of you know, I am in the process of working on my doctorate at Drew University. My thesis is dealing with Reconciliation, both as a theological concept and the Rite (which is also known as private confession). I believe that the great gift that Jesus gave us on the cross was to reconcile all of creation back to God, thus we are called, to live resurrected lives that are free from the pain of being out of relationship with Him. Here is what St. Paul says about this concept:

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. - 2 Cor. 5:17-20

In other words, because of Christ's sacrifice and his bringing us into union with God, we have become new creations--reconciled back to God--and we are thus called to be his ambassadors of this reconciling love to the world. In fact, our Catechism tells us that the mission of the church lives into this ambassadorship by "restoring all people to unity with God and each other in Christ."

So, this is where the Rite of Reconciliation comes into the project. This Rite also goes by the name of "Private Confession" which has a bit of a bad rap because of the guilt and shame that has been associated with it over the years. However, my thesis contends that the true joy of this blessing is that once a person has confessed their sins and heard those comforting words "you are forgiven" from the priest, they are again able to live into that hope of being a new creation in a full and holistic way. It is an invitation to peace, joy, and action.

I am going to to be teaching a class on this invitation to "new creation living" on Tuesday nights during Lent at St. David's (info and registration found here.) if you are interested in putting all this theory into practice. 

Now a confession of my own: it has been years since I have made a private one-on-one confession and I am planing on remedying that on Sunday (stay tuned for that post) to get ready for Lent and to hear confessions myself. The last time I did it, I prepared for it by simply making the list of the things I had done that I felt I needed to confess, but this time I used the Saint Augustine's Prayer Book which is a classic book of devotions for members of the Episcopal Church. This little book is full of prayers and meditations to help a person prepare and give thanks for the sacraments of the church including a VERY comprehensive catalogue of sin. I have to say that I was amazed at how helpful it was as well as being humbling. Helpful because it gave some vocabulary to problems that had been nagging at me but I didn't know how to express. Humbling because...well I was making a catalog of my sins. However, I do feel ready to make my confession. Actually, I would say I am looking forward to laying these burdens down and picking up joy and peace. 

Day 38: 2/7/13 - Give Blood Without Passing Out!

Day 38: 2/7/13 - Give Blood Without Passing Out!                       
New Thing- Giving blood for the first time without passing out since I was a teen.     
Inspiration: Grandpa REF        
Time: About an hour, but bleeding for like 10 mins.                    
Bottom Line: Bloody good show!

Be nice to me! I gave blood today!

Reflection: My maternal Grandpa, Robert, was a champion blood donor while he was still alive giving about 20 gallons all total (he was also of the trickiest people I have ever known). As a teen, I was very inspired by his witness and decided that I would try and meet his record and signed up for the first blood drive to come to our high-school. That semester, I was also taking a gourmet cooking class which (since this was NEPA in Appalachia) happened to include elk preparation that morning. Like-you-do. (Hillary Fun-Fact: Elk is my favorite type of game-meat) This actually turned out to be a very fortuitous "gourmet" coincidence because put my iron levels through the roof and I made it through the blood-letting process without a problem.

So, I was well on my way to a life-time of blood-donation. Or so I though. The next time I gave, I did not have the magic elk iron coursing through my veins but thought that would be no matter. Even though I did make a donation, I ended up passing out at the cookie table when I was done. I remember waking up on the floor of the gym being scooped up by a foot ball player who was taking me to a nurse with several cheerleaders around him. That was the closet I ever got to hanging out with the cool kids.

It was down hill for me and blood giving after that. I tried again a few months latter and passed out at the part when they prick your finger to test your iron levels. I didn't even make it to the table that time. I went again a year after that and was told that "passer-outers" were not even welcome to try. Then I started traveling to countries on the "no" list for diseases and so had to wait several years to even try again.

All this was weird to me since I really am not squeamish around blood at all. For some reason, the whole process (especially the finger part) just got into my head. Well, today was the day to change that. Matt and Ken and I went out to lunch where I had steak fajitas to re-create that magical elk powers I had the first time. After that, it was back to St. David's to check into the blood drive. I made it through the finger prick by using my yoga "ujiayi breathing" to calm down the all-to-firmular butterfly feeling that started to creep into my head and stomach which had heralded the break with consciousness in the past. Then it came time to bleed into a bag which was alright as long as I kept breathing or talking to other people. Finally, when it was all done, I received my delicious "blood cookie" (as Lia Lemon calls it) and a scolding from my nurse for waiting till the end of the whole process to tell her I was prone to passing out. "I would have told you not to give!" she said. "Exactly," I said. I think my Grandpa would have been proud--both for the giving of blood and the deception. Did I mention he was a craft fox? :)

Day 37: 2/6/13 - Pass My Motorcycle Learner's Permit Test!

Day 37: 2/6/13 - Pass My Motorcycle Learner's Permit Test!                      
New Thing- Take and Pass my Motorcycle Learner's Permit Test    
Inspiration: Al, Morgan, Wanting to Learn how to Drive a Motorcycle       
Time: 3 mins.                   
Bottom Line: Permitted to be wild!

Reflection: One of the things I want to do this year is get my motorcycle license, but in order to do that, I need my permit. So, I took the motorcycle knowledge test today and passed it in like 3 minuets. Not bad for having just skimmed the manual in the parking-lot. Ready to ride!

Day 36: 2/5/13 - Start Reading "Little House in the Big Woods" with Little D.

Day 36: 2/5/13 - Start Reading Little House in the Big Woods with Little D.                    
New Thing- Start reading one of my all time favorite books to D.  
Inspiration: Snowy winter nights here at our little house      
Time: About an hour because we really got into it.                  
Bottom Line: Even better now that I can share it with my own daughter!

Ma and Little D.

Reflection: It should come a surprise to no one that I LOVED the Little House series growing up. Laura Ingalls Wilder was one of my most beloved heroines and her stories of life as a homesteader and pioneer were inspirational to me. I used to pretend to hunt bears like Pa and played school house/church with the other girls who lived near my house. I even had a sun bonnet that I got in Amish country for these games. So, I could not wait to share these stories with D. as soon as she was old enough to really get into them. I am happy to report that she was taken with them right away and we read three chapters in one sitting. I can't wait to keep going!

Side note: As a coincident, Dad just happened to send me this interesting article today about what caused Mary to go blind found here.

Day 35: 2/4/13 - DIY Beach Hair Spray

Day 35: 2/4/13 - DIY Beach Hair Spray                   
New Thing- Make and Use DIY Beach Hair Spray 
Inspiration: Pinterest     
Time: 5 mins.                  
Bottom Line: At least my hair looks like I spent the day at the beach.

Before- Non Beach Head

After- A little more wave

Reflection: Since it is so chilly and wintery out, I decided to let at least one part of myself take a trip to the beach--my hair. I made DIY beach hair spray which is supposed to give you that "beach fab." look. Just mix 1 cup of warm water, 1 tbs sea salt, 1 tsp coconut oil and 1 tsp of hair gel in a spray bottle and liberally apply it to damp hair. Although I got a little wave and a very nice smell out of this, I think it would have been more effective if I had let my hair air-dry...in the sun...on the shore somewhere tropical.

Day 34: 2/3/13 - Celebrate Little D.'s Baptismal Anniversary

Day 34: 2/3/13 - Celebrate Little D.'s Baptismal Anniversary                  
New Thing- Make Coventry God Cakes
Inspiration: Little D., Britain    
Time: 30 mins.                 
Bottom Line: 5 years with a little Christian!

Reflection: Today is D. 5th Baptismal Anniversary! If you would like to read the crazy story about that day you can find it here. So, today I wanted to try something different to mark the occasion. My search lead me to the Blog: "Baking for Britain" which had a really neat food tradition called Coventry Godcakes:

Godcakes seem to be peculiar to Coventry. Both Godcakes and God's Kitchels were handed out at the beginning of the year (or Easter), by godparents to godchildren. The idea was that when a godchild approached their godparent to request a blessing, they would come away with a double-whammy - a blessing and a cake. A fair deal for the godchild, I think. Historically, Godcakes ranged in size and price, depending on the pocket and generosity of the godparent. The triangular shape, along with the three slashes in the top of the pastry, has led to speculation that the cakes were representative of the Trinity. Godcakes are very easy for the heavily pregnant and time-poor cook to assemble. They are also a good way of using up any leftover Christmas mincemeat.

I somehow managed already used up my "leftover Christmas mincemeat" already (that may because I have never even seen any) and all of D.'s Godparents live several hours away, so I had to improvise some things. I used organic blackberry current instead of mincemeat and gave it to D. with a prayer and a blessing as we sang hymns and looked at pictures of the baptism. A tasty new tradition!   

Here is the recipe: 

Puff pastry
Mincemeat
Dash of rum (optional)
1 egg white and some caster sugar to finish

1. Preheat oven to 220C/425F/Gas mark 7.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface.
3. Methods divulge at this point, so you can either cut out squares (4 inches per side), and then cut the squares into triangles; or leave the squares uncut. It depends whether you want to make your Godcake using two triangles pressed together, or using a square folded diagonally. I tried both ways to see what worked/looked best.
4. Place a teaspoonful of mincemeat in the middle of your pastry shape. Don't be too generous, otherwise the mincemeat will squidge out when you press the pastry together. I found that if the quantity looked a little mean in my eyes, then it was sufficient.
5. Moisten the edges of the pastry with a little water, and press either the second pastry triangle on top, or fold the other half of the square over to form a triangle. Press the edges of the triangle to form a seal/eject mincemeat all over the worktop.
6. Cut three slashes in the top of your Godcakes. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.
7. Bake for approx. 15 minutes, or until golden and well puffed up.
8. Cool on wire rack.

Day 33: 2/2/13 - Celebrate the Feast of The Presentation, Groundhogs Day, My 5th Ordination Anniversary, and The Women's Appreciation Dinner

Day 33: 2/2/13 - Celebrate the Feast of The Presentation, Groundhogs Day, My 5th Ordination Anniversary, and The Women's Appreciation Dinner                 
New Thing- Sing at the Women's Appreciation Dinner, Presentation Prayers, Teach D. The PA Polka
Inspiration: The Feast of the Presentation, My Ordination, St. David's, Punxsutawney Phil   
Time: All day                
Bottom Line: Full, Awesome Day!

Reflection: Wow! Did we ever have a full day. Today is the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. Here is a nice little description of this blessed feast:

In olden times, the last farewells were said to the Christmas Season on Candlemas, February 2. When Jesus was born, is was the custom for every Jewish mother to go to the Temple forty days after her first male child was born and 'present him to the Lord'. At the same time, the mother was 'purified' or 'blessed'. Mary made this trip to the Temple with the Baby Jesus and that is why February 2, the fortieh day after Christmas, is also known as the Festival of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Because this was the first public 'presentation' of Jesus, the Light of the World, many candles are lighted for the celebration of this day. It was also customary to bless the year's supply of candles for the church on this day--hence the name, Candlemas. 

Personally, this Feast has special significance for me as it is my 5th Diaconal Anniversary! To celebrate this morning I created my own Prayers of the People (since Deacons typically read the POP's at services) to "present" the people in my life to God.

Next, D. and I celebrated Groundhogs Day by watching the annual hero of old-thyme, rodent based weather predicting, Punxsutawney Phil, make his prediction of an early spring and then celebrated with me teaching her the Pennsylvania Polka. This was a song that I was forced to learn as a child in North Eastern PA and now D. has that experience to share.

After assisting at a funeral and writing a sermon, Ken and I made our way to St. David's Women's Appreciation Dinner which is the evening when the men of the church serve the women of the congregation. This year, I was hoodwinked happy to help by singing with Kevin as the live entertainment. No one thew any rotten fruit so I think it went alright!

Day 32: 2/1/13 - Celebrate the Feast of St. Bridget of Ireland!

Day 32: 2/1/13 - Celebrate the Feast of St. Bridget of Ireland!                 
New Thing- Make Beer Bread, Milk Drink, and St. Bridget Cross                    
Inspiration: The Feast of St. Bridget                
Time: All day                
Bottom Line: Kiss me, one of my favorite saints is Irish!

Reflection: Today is the Feast Day of St. Bridget of Ireland! You may remember from my last three years celebrating this saint that her hagiography from James Kiefer includes:

Bridget (Brigid, Bride, Bridey) of Kildare was born around 450 into a Druid family, being the daughter of Dubhthach, court poet to King Loeghaire. At an early age, she decided to become a Christian, and she eventually took vows as a nun. Together with a group of other women, she established a nunnery at Kildare. She was later joined by a community of monks led by Conlaed. Kildare had formerly been a pagan shrine where a sacred fire was kept perpetually burning, and Bridget and her nuns, instead of stamping out the fire, kept it going but gave it a Christian interpretation. (This was in keeping with the general process whereby Druidism in Ireland gave way to Christianity with very little opposition, the Druids for the most part saying that their own beliefs were a partial and tentative insight into the nature of God, and that they recognized in Christianity what they had been looking for.) Bridget as an abbess participated in several Irish councils, and her influence on the policies of the Church in Ireland was considerable. (http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/)

St. Bridget's Cross

Here is some more from my previous posts that still works for today's celebration:

Bridget is indeed laudable for her piety and life, but her legend is also incredibly interesting. When I was a student at Moravian, my favorite class was "Irish Mythology" and Bridget was a major figure that we studied since Saint Bridget is often considered a Christianization of an earlier pagan goddess Brigid. This means that for Ireland, Bridget has stood the test of time as a holy woman and has been one of the bridges to help spread Christianity in that part of the world. I also had the cool experience of visiting one of the sacred wells that is attributed to her in Ireland. Very moving. 

Here are some of my favorite Bridget stories:

• It is thought that her parents were baptized by St. Patrick himself and that Bridget heard him preach several times.  Some even think that Patrick heard her final vows before entering into the convent. 
•  She established a double monastery in Kildare, an art school and many monasteries all over Ireland. 
• She traveled extensively (which is odd for that time period) and is one of the parton saints of traveling.  
• She is know for her love and compassion for the poor, and she once turned water into beer for some thirsty priests. She also could supply an endless supply of milk and ale to her guests and is often depicted with a cow.
• Brigid is known for being the only female bishop of the early church. It is said that upon receiving her vows Saint Mel was inspired by God to make her a bishop. She is often depicted with a bishop's crosier.

So, to celebrate this wonderful woman, Little D. and I have made several things to warm our souls, bodies and home. To begin with, we repeated last year's ritual and made a Bridget inspired meal. Since Brigid is the Patron Saint of things like Ireland, milkmaids, cows, and beer we made beer bread and a tasty milk drink made with cinnamon and honey. Beer bread was a staple in my family growing up and was my grandfather's favorite. I thought that beer bread would be a good choice since Brigid had a vision of a lake of beer that she, Jesus, and Mary sat and drank by in heaven. The warm milk drink was chosen because Brigid was a milk-maid herself and many of her miracles have to do with dairy products. Since this is a drink served hot, it was the perfect way to warm up after coming in from the cold when we were gathering rushes down by the swamp to make a St. Brigid Cross.

Gathering Rushes on a Cold St. Bridget's Day

Here is a little cross history: "Making a St. Brigid’s cross is one of the traditional rituals in Ireland to celebrate the beginning of early spring, February 1. The crosses are made of rushes that are pulled rather than cut. They are hung by the door and in the rafters to protect the house from fire and evil. St. Brigid and her cross are linked together by the story that she wove this form of cross at the death bed of either her father or a pagan lord, who upon hearing what the cross meant, asked to be baptized." (http://www.crosscrucifix.com/articlehome.htm) Each arm of the cross should have seven pieces to represent the seven days of the week.

So, today we wove together a cross out of the traditional rushes, unlike the first time we made one out of D.'s old art work. I loved it! We are going to hang it up as is tradition to bless the house and to keep it safe from fires (which is her specialty).

Here is Little D. with the final product. She changed into a "fancy dress" because her favorite Bridget legend is that she was so beautiful that she had to pray to God to take away her beauty to keep her from being forced into marriage. God granted her prayer and she was able to join the convent. On the day of her reception into the religious life, her beauty was restored. D. was excited to "be pretty like St. Bridget for God."

To top off this wonderful day, I am about to have dinner at a new restaurant named "Agiato" in Manayunk where I am sure to have good food and ever better fellowship. Sarah is one of my all time favorite people and we have in fact traveled to St. Bridget's church in Kildare together as teenagers. How fitting to share this day together!

Here is the prayer of this most blessed woman:

O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through his
    poverty might be rich:  Deliver us from an inordinate love of
    this world, that, following the example of thy servant Bridget,
    we may serve thee with singleness of heart, and attain to the
    riches of the world to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
    liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
    one God, now and for ever.