update

Just got word that at 2:30 today the faculty approved my recommendation to Candidacy to Holy Orders. The draft of my evaluation will be ready for me to review by the end of next week.

"Too much learning is driving you insane."

That was the first verse in this morning's lesson in chapel today, from Acts 26:24. It was good to be back in community morning prayer. The chapel was peopled once again with mostly new students, some old-timers, a good number of the faculty and some staff. After a long, quiet summer, it's nice to get back into the swing of things. At Eucharist later, the Dean and the server entered sans bells, which prompted quizzical looks. We were informed during the announcements that the tuck-pointing workers dangling precariously from the steeple didn't appreciate our customary 5- and 3-bell peals for morning prayer. Apparently the bells are quite a bit louder when you're right next to them. We'll refrain from ringing the bells before services until the workers are done. Hopefully they'll be done for the day before the carillon concert next week. We sang Hymn 518 for the offertory and Raisin was there in spirit singing the descant with me. I realized that I'll be preaching the second sermon of the year tomorrow evening. It's only proper that the Dean preach first - but then I follow. I suppose I should have realized this way back when the rota came out, but I didn't. I'm quite honored. With the new schedule, Wednesdays are now Community Eucharist night rather than Thursdays, which means I'll get more exposure to the community. Imagine that: first the Dean, then me, then Ruth. John Dally, our preaching professor, isn't up until next week. That's kinda cool. Given the events of the first day, I think the year is off to a good, slightly comical, definitely interesting start.

missed me again

We had another tornado warning Thursday. This time the sky never turned green and moved in perpendicular directions - unlike last year. This tornado thing is really freaky to me. Kinda scary. I'd much prefer hurricanes - at least I know in a hurricane we're all screwed. With tornadoes it's hit or miss. Someone said he refused to leave his apartment until he sees the funnel cloud. Given the canopy around the seminary neighborhood, I reckon if you see the funnel cloud it's too late to run. Put your head between your knees and kiss your a** goodbye, as they say.

I was just about to print out notices to put on all the apartment doors instructing people where to go for storm shelter, and the power went out. I heard tornado sirens, but later someone said they were from the town north of us. We lost some tree branches, and some buildings took on a little water, but all in all I think we faired all right. A generator was set up outside the basement entrance to work the pumps. It went all night long.

I was ready to be without power until Monday. I had the apartment set up with candles all around, and my office space made me feel like one of those Medieval monks copying texts. I had yet to work on this Sunday's sermon, and given that much of it was going to be about the events, I made my desk space reflect what I was doing. Just as I settled down with pen, paper, and candle, the power came back on. Darn. So much for ambiance.

While the seminary community was figuring out what we were going to do in a morning meeting Friday, I composed this picture with Connie and Peggy. We thought it would be funny.
















"Neither tornado, not blackout, not threat of flood, will stop Seabury students from their academic work."

Props to:
Brian and Wolf, our maintenance guys, who stayed up most of the night to hold down the fort. They deserve something special.
And to:
My sister Trish, who kept us all informed what the weather was doing from her home weather center in Woburn. Thanks!
And to:
The three invitations I got to crash in electrified homes. It's good to have friends.

it's in the mail

A couple weeks ago the person at the Diocese of Chicago who coordinates the ordination process e-mailed me about candidacy. She asked, "I'm trying to ascertain whether or not you should be interviewed for candidacy this fall." I responded, "Yes, I definitely should be interviewed for candidacy this fall." She gave me a list of things that I had to submit to the diocese in fairly short time. I was expecting to get this material in September. I had August already booked for planning the coming year. By September 14th - "the sooner the better," I was told - the diocese needs me to...

-Write answers to six questions
-Gather all my GOE information
-Have my CPE evaluations sent
-Write two letters
-Get the parish to fill out one form
-Get the seminary to fill out two forms, and send transcripts

I felt pretty good about the quick turn-around time getting all that stuff in the works within a couple days. I got started on my stuff, and handed on the information to the parish, the seminary, and my CPE site. The seminary then replied with a list of their own questions for me to fill out before they could fill out what they have to fill out. Add five more questions to answer to my list. I did that too. About two weeks later...

-The seminary has what they need to write their evaluations and recommendations
-The registrar is ready to print off my transcripts
-The diocese has already received my CPE evaluations
-The parish Vestry meets in two weeks to sign their names on the dotted line
-AND everything I had to write for the diocese just went out via express mail less than an hour ago. They'll receive them tomorrow by noon.

All I have to do now is stay on the parish and the seminary for their stuff so that it gets to the diocese before the deadline. I'm really good at that. The sooner they get their stuff done the sooner I'll stop pestering them for it. Yes, the sooner the better for us all.

Sunday's sermon blossoms

I stumbled upon -- actually stepped over -- a visual for next Sunday's sermon this morning while I was doing my security rounds. I'm preaching on Jeremiah. Hammers aren't the only things that can break rocks.

















Heidi discovered me crouching outside her apartment building door this morning trying to get just the right angle for this shot. The flower managed to break its way through the cement walkway by the back step. The morning sun brought out some dramatic contrasts at that hour:














I was never really happy with the way these came out. Though I do like the depth in the one on the left. The indirect light of mid-afternoon in the first one makes for a more appropriate context. I'll print out three copies, frame them, and place them at the reception table. Originally I wanted to get a large print and post it on an easel at the entrance, but K says a print that big is too expensive. I'm toying with the idea of putting a small copy in the service leaflets as an insert.

Can't wait to see what Heidi does with her photo of the flower.

trading spell books with dumbledore

Recently I came across a question on a blog (can't remember which blog) asking "who you would want to have as your guide" on some kind of trip - it was a question from a while back, and that's about as much of it as I can recall. It was a good question and I have been pondering it since then. A guide, a mentor, is not someone I would choose quickly. I've had many mentors in the past, good and bad. The bad ones generally chose themselves to be my guide. Today I have an answer: John Dreibelbis. I remember the first time I met him - fascinating fellow, I thought. I was so intrigued by the work he's doing, and our conversations have, well... admittedly a third, to a full half-the-time I can't figure out what he's talking about - but it's so interesting! What I can keep up with is really useful.











Seems he's always offering me another book to read. Today I brought him one:












I finished this book last night and loved nearly every page of it. If I were ever to teach a leadership course, I'd take most of my material from this book. He gave me a sideways glance when I told him it was a military-style leadership book. It took a little convincing to show him that, by changing just a few words, it was a more usable model for parish leadership that most of the business leadership books I've read (and I've read plenty). Okay, so we don't "deliver steel" as this author states. We deliver the Word of God. The method of making that delivery possible is not so different. When he took the book from me and began paging through it, I could tell his mind had changed. It may be a while before I get that book back.

Every now and then I go up to visit and we chat for longer than I had in mind. He's been in this priest business for a long time (49 years), and I'm sure he's forgotten more than most people know. He would be my go-to person, my guide, on whatever kind of trip that question proposed.

And speaking of Hogwarts, I'd like to welcome all the new kids arriving, and also the old kids coming back to their seminary studies:








Your CPE summer vacation is nearly over... back to work. Heh heh.

pretty accurate

I also look good with a martini.

Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0

You scored as a James Bond, Agent 007

James Bond is MI6's best agent, a suave, sophisticated super spy with charm, cunning, and a license's to kill. He doesn't care about rules or regulations and somewhat amoral. He does care about saving humanity though, as well as the beautiful women who fill his world. Bond has expensive tastes, a wide knowledge of many subjects, and his usually armed with a clever gadget and an appropriate one-liner.

James Bond, Agent 007 100% Captain Jack Sparrow 96% Lara Croft 92% Indiana Jones 79% El Zorro 71% The Amazing Spider-Man 63% Batman, the Dark Knight 58% The Terminator 50% William Wallace 42% Neo, the "One" 38% Maximus 29%

Thanks to The Archer for this one.

Which Action Hero Would You Be? v.2.0
Created by QuizFarm.com

here we go

The rector is away for the month. I get to make the call to move everybody to the church when it rains. Today was my first Sunday with this responsibility... and it rained. Also for the next 4 Sundays I get the pulpit: twice at the lake and twice at the church. Now I realize that a number of my loyal readers are rectors in churches where it's just them, they preach all the time, so to y'all this may seem like no biggie. This is my first time preaching rapid fire like this, and I'm kinda excited about it. I'm thinking about doing a series that builds each week on the previous week. But then again I can't be sure that all the same people will be there every week - it's summer after all. Maybe there can be a common thread, but each of the sermons can stand alone. Then again the Spirit might have other ideas -- she often does. This is going to be fun.

skunked

Oh. My. God.

Roz got skunked last night. I try so hard to make sure the yard is all clear before I send her out for her last pee and poop for the night. I have Roz sit inside while I check the back yard and the side yard for skunks. Sometimes I even bring a flashlight. I saw no movement, so I let her out. I even double checked the side yard - nothing. Last night my best wasn't good enough. Just as we were about to go in, both Roz and I saw it at the same time: waddling movement along the fence.

"ROZ!! NNOOOOOoooooooo......!!!!!"

Too late. When she stopped dead in her tracks I thought for a moment that she heard me as she raced to the fence to corner the skunk; but no. She stopped to ponder the unusual moisture on her. With head and tail tucked in shame, and probably also to escape the smell, she trotted back to me.

I had no idea what to do, so I left her outside the door while I looked for the bottle of "Skunk Odor Remover." There was only about a quarter of it left. I prepped the bathroom for decon.

When I let Roz in she headed straight for her bed. Buffy, our cat, who hardly moves for anything, lept off the hassock, making a facial expression I thought cats incapable of, as he backed away quickly from the dog. Into the windowless, and ventilation-free bathroom for both of us to try to de-stink Roz.

First I used the rest of the product we bought for just such occasions. Then I used my shampoo that leaves her smelling delightful for at least a week. Then I used a vinegar/water mixture. By this time the air in the bathroom was so concentrated I couldn't tell if she still smelled anymore. I called K at work, who promptly consulted with our dog-owner neighbor who happened to be working that shift also. I confined Roz to the bathroom and left, hoping she didn't run out of air before K got home. I evacuated to guest housing.

The next morning I held my breath when I went into the building, and slowly moved my nose into the apartment first. It smelled like cinnamon! Roz rushed over to greet me. "Down girl! No paws. Stay." I sniffed all around her -- nothing! She didn't smell like skunk anymore. It's a miracle! I found a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the sink, but that was the only evidence of what K and our neighbor did.

When they finished their heroic efforts, they spread cinnamon onto a cookie sheet and placed it in the oven on warm to fill the apartment with a new and infinitely better smell.

6 month sentence

I went to Roz's groomer today to make an appointment, and to see if she had any ideas about skunked dogs. She described her treatment which included hydrogen peroxide. But, she said, it only neutralizes the smell. It's still there. If she gets wet, or if it's humid, the smell will come back. It can last as long as 6 months.



The recipe

1 quart of hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon dish washing soap

mix together and spray on affected area
let sit for 10 minutes
rinse
repeat as necessary


My olfactory sense is shot. I smell skunk everywhere I go. It must be coating my sinuses. This sucks. This better not last 6 months!