a wedding story.

7 Jul
Reason #147 it would be awesome to have a boyfriend/be married: A built-in date to wedding receptions.
I had a wedding to do today – the one I told you about ages ago.  They’re not members and their pastor refused to do the wedding because they have a son.  [A mighty cute one.  He’s nearly three and walked down the aisle in a tux and with a sign that said, “Daddy, here comes our girl!”]  Anyways, I said I would do it and though things were slightly unorganized [as any good wedding is], we got through it – microphone, weather, and unity sand all cooperating.
Ceremony?  Check.  
Wine reception at the winery?  Check.  
Pastor Lindsay stopped at the Old Navy outlet briefly because it was on the way to the dinner?  Check.
Then it was reception/dinner time at the Holiday Inn – the time I dread as a single introverted pastor.  Luckily, I was assigned a table and a seat so I didn’t need to awkwardly find one.  The plan was to pray for the meal, eat the meal, and then hit the road.  It pretty much worked, though the prayer was proceeded by the bride swearing profusely about some relative or other at the head table as I asked her about the schedule of things.  And then during the prayer I could hear the bride sobbing in the background.  The table I was seated at was with spouses of wedding party people.  Most of them had been on the party bus between the ceremony and the reception.  Many of them were very drunk.  I was seated between ladies and gents giving the middle finger, cursing, and then covering their mouth and pointing to me and whispering, “We’re sitting with the pastor!  Who would put the pastor at our table?”
Yup.
That’s the story. 

read it in your baby voice.

5 Jul
The best part of my day?

Following @HonestToddler on twitter.

Cracks me up every time.

[There was a really great pastoral visit in there too.  I was there for over an hour but it was great, insightful, and fun conversation.  They asked me how things were going for me – these are people I feel like I can be honest with – so I mentioned how sometimes the hardest part is living in the big house by myself.  Mark – who is also the custodian at church – said he’d be my friend.  He invited me over to watch cooking shows and play cards.  He’s 65.  His wife gave me garden green beans.  Deal.]

the fourth.

4 Jul
Fourth of July celebrations for Lindsay used to look like this:

Fourth of July today looks like Lindsay on the couch watching cheesy Australian television dramas on Netflix.
I’d prefer the former to the latter, please.
The former was from 2002, the summer following graduation from high school.  All through high school and all through college, I’m pretty sure our celebrations looked the same.  We’d hang out in Jenni’s side yard, throw water balloons at the neighbors [they started it.], and walk to the park for fireworks later in the evening, battling mosquitos the whole way there and back.  Most years, there were easily twenty of us gathered together eating hotdogs and drinking soda.  I miss that.  A lot.  [Everyone looks happy in the photo except Allen.  He looks pissed but really, he shouldn’t.  Along with America, it’s his birthday!]
Now, know that I haven’t been sitting on the couch all day.  I worked … kind of.  I went into Blooming Prairie to help sell soda and water along the parade route with the youth from ROG.  I use the word help loosely; it seemed I wasn’t entirely needed so I was that awkward pastor like I am so often.  I stayed in for the big BP parade – a parade that is known to draw up to 30,000 people to the town of 2200.  It was hot.  And long.  And I think I just don’t like parades.  But it wasn’t without fun.  One of the members I sat next to had awesome commentary the whole way through and it was good connection time with the youth.  Parade people threw tootsie rolls; that’s always a win-win.
After being in the heat for much of the day, I have little ambition now that I’m at home [hence the cheesy Australian television dramas].   And I suppose it doesn’t much matter.  I have no plans to go and watch fireworks because I have no one with whom to go.  [here’s your invitation to lindsay’s pity party.  please rsvp asp.]  sigh.  It’s a far cry being home alone than to the photo above with some of my bestest friends.  Paige, jD, and Lauren are all out of town; I should have taken the hint and left too.  Celebrating here is no fun without them.
Back to Netflix. 

crafty.

4 Jul
Like paper and fabric crafty.  Not suspicious and deceitful crafty.   [most days not anyways.]
I feel like my veins have been running on mod podge instead of blood lately.  
Mod podge and spray paint.

I used both of those supplies to make coasters.  I bought tiles for 16 cents at Lowe’s and used paper I had on hand to create simple coasters to save my furniture from sweaty glasses.  They were super easy and pretty fun.  I’d make more; anyone want some?

A completed baby quilt for a new baby Hemenway.  [My first ever baby quilt was made for a baby Hemenway.  If one were to compare Gavin’s quilt to new baby’s quilt, the skills I’ve learned would be most evident, which makes me feel both accomplished and embarrassed!]
A file cabinet redo.  My mom brought an old black file cabinet when she came to visit last.  It was pretty dinged up and the black was nothing too exciting.  I spray painted it and mod podged fabric to the drawers.  It’s not perfect but it will do the trick.  [It was still in the process of drying here.  I was too excited to wait.]

Lampshades have also be decorated and an outdoor swing painted.  
Next up: new cushions for the swing and an ottoman slipcover.

shut the front door –

3 Jul
It’s July.
When did that happen?  [aka when the f* did we get ice cream? right, Joe, Amanda, Sara, and everyone else with whom we have that inside joke?  right?!]
I’m totally bummed and excited that it’s July.
First, I’m bummed.  Summer is, like, half over and I feel like I have nothing to show for it.  Summer makes claims that it is less busy and things slow down.  Summer lies.  While I feel that has happened a bit, it’s been forced.  I’ve forced myself to try and stick to forty hours a week and two full days off, but there is still much to do and plan and evaluate in the church.  And summer masquerades as this season to do fun things and hang out with friends.  While I did fun things and hung out with friends on vacation in the first week in June, since then I’ve been pretty boring with no friends.  [That’s not completely true.  But I need to do more.  And find more friends.]  I need to put another vacation on the calendar.
While I’m bummed, I’m also excited.  July is the month of the national youth gathering in New Orleans.  I’m heading down on the 16th with five youth from Red Oak Grove [along with 30,000 other Lutheran youth and chaperones] and it should be a great time [though also hot and steamy and exhausting].  A dear old seminary friend is coming to visit right before the trip departure and I look forward to reconnecting with him.  But, then, uh … I realize the excitement runs out.  Quick!  I need more to be excited about …
Maybe blocking out a train trip to Montana in January to visit a couple new baby girls?  Maybe a plane ride to Texas to see Joe and Amanda?  Maybe taking a horseback riding community education class?  [Okay.  I’ll be honest.  That’s more fear than excitement but something I feel I should try again.]  Maybe a Canadian cruise with Paige?  [Notice how all excitement revolves around travel and friends.  huh.]  Maybe …

a weekend away.

30 Jun
I ran away from Red Oak Grove this weekend.  I ran away to Stillwater.  Mabel came too.  She stayed at a kennel and made many new friends.

It wasn’t an impromptu decision – a girls’ weekend had been on the calendar for many weeks.  Karen, Jenna, and I had plans to go out to eat, explore fun places in the cities, and shop.  Check, check, and check.

I was greeted at the Gieseke B&B by my very own olives.
Karen and I met Jenna at the seminary and I ran into a couple old friends.  [Adam!  So good to see you!]  We went to a giant fabric outlet warehouse and ate at Big Bowl [one of my favorites].  We saw a movie and settled in for the night.  Then today there was a trip to Hunt and Gather, a fabric shop, and an estate sale.  It’s like all of Lindsay’s favorite things crammed into one day!  I bought a crazy yellow wire thing on wheels [how’s that for a description], a really great Spanish bull fighting velvet print [which I bought for the frame and the frame only], and some polka dotted fabric from the outlet warehouse.  It was great fun and full of wonderful, caring conversation.  I’m sad to be back at the parsonage, with Sunday morning looming over my head, but such is life.  boo.
But a small taste of Hunt and Gather.
Babies, anyone?

I wanted every single one of these.  Love me some polka dots.

sabbath thoughts.

28 Jun
I can’t say it any better than Wayne Muller himself so let’s have ourselves a quote party.  But shhh.  It’s a quiet party.  [Comic Sans is not invited.  He’s mean and swears a lot.  But this link is pretty darn funny if you like typography humor and don’t mind cursing.  Thanks to jD for making me aware of the awesome it is.] 

All Jesus’ teaching seems to hinge on this singular truth concerning the nature of life: It is all right.  Do not worry about tomorrow.  I have come that you might have life abundantly.  Be not afraid.  Over and over, in parable, story, and example, he insists that regardless how it goes for us, we are cared for, we are safe, we are all right.  There is a light of the world, a kingdom of heaven inside us that will bear us up, regardless of our sorrow, fear, or loss.  Do not wait to enjoy the harvest of your life; you are already blessed.  The kingdom of God is already here.  It is within you and among you.  [p. 43]

Sabbath implies a willingness to be surprised by unexpected grace, to partake of those potent moments when creation renews itself, when what is finished inevitably recedes, and the sacred forces of healing astonish us with the unending promise of love and life.  [p. 37]

Sabbath challenges the theology of progress by reminding us that we are already and always on sacred ground.  The gifts of grace and delight are present and abundant; the time to live and love and give thanks and rest and delight is now, this moment, this day.  Feel what heaven is life; have a taste of eternity.  Rest in the arms of the divine.  We do not have miles to go before we sleep.  The time to sleep, to rest, is now.  We are already home.  [p. 78] 

garden remix.

26 Jun
one of the two big blue pots on either side of the front garden.
It’s a bit delayed in sharing but my mum was around last weekend and we had one goal: to make the parsonage gardens bee-u-tiful.  It was a lofty goal for two days – the gardens were a wretched mess because I couldn’t even differentiate what was a plant and what was a weed.  I called in the right person for the job and after five stores, a truckload of mulch, and long days, it came together.  We added some new plants, moved some others around, and Pastor Lindsay bought a bird bath.  The final product is quite lovely, wouldn’t you say?

Front garden:

before.

after. [with two blue pots on either side, just on the outside of the photo.]

 Corner garden:

a corner garden with two new pots.

 Back garden:

before.

after.
Not pictured is the small bed we [read: Leanne] dug around the mailbox for a couple hostas and stone. There is still work to do – a little mulching around the garage and maybe edging out a bush.  All in good time as Lindsay gets the nerve and time to dig in.  This parsonage’s landscaping is well on its way to being top notch. 

I goofed.

26 Jun
I’m still kinda crabby but it’s my fault.
I’m crabby because I messed up.  I messed up and I shouldn’t have.
You see, Red Oak Grove leadership was invited to a stewardship meeting with the synod staff.  They were going to be at three different locations on three different days; we could call and sign up for a time slot.  Great.  I did this.
And then I went on vacation without ever writing the date and time on my calendar. 
Last Wednesday, when I was at The Sound of Music, I should have been talking about mission and stewardship with the Bishop in Albert Lea.  Shit.  I’m learning that my calendar is my life; if it’s not written down, it doesn’t get done.
I only remembered yesterday when my memory was jogged by reading a certain Scripture text.  
I emailed the synod staff and apologized.  
I felt like an idiot.
What a healthy reminder that I’m not perfect.  I goof up and I forget things.  Perhaps also a needed reminder that I can’t do it all.  My council president was also invited to go; in fact, she received the letter in the mail about it, not me.  I could have said, here, Karen, if you could set it up and invite people to go, that would be great.  But I, instead, and like I always do, said that I would take care of it.  I want to help everyone else out.  I don’t want to put anyone out.  But the thing is I say I’ll do things and then things get overwhelming and then I forget things.
Through my own disappointment in standing the bishop up, I told a few people and all I really wanted to hear in response was, it’s okay.  We all goof up.  But it seemed nearly every reaction I got made me feel even worse for f’ing up.  Oh, well.  Me, writing this, is admitting it and moving on.  Sinking feeling in stomach, you may leave now.  [please?]
It wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last time that I forget a meeting or overlook a commitment.  This pastor isn’t perfect.  Thank goodness I’m in the right business for some forgiveness.  

links for a crabby monday.

25 Jun
I’m terribly crabby today.  Stay away.  Seriously – that’s your warning.
I think it’s because I’m at work [… and blogging.  opps.] and not outside in this beautiful weather.  It might be because I started work at 7:30 yesterday morning and didn’t get done until 8 last night [with a little time for a nap in between].  Needless to say, today is a catch-up and work-ahead office day in my jeans and tshirt.  And I might leave mid-afternoon.  [Shh.]  I need to be outside today before the heat arrives and makes me glisten.  [I had a conversation post-church yesterday with three women.  They decided that women don’t sweat.  They glisten.]
Thus, instead of subjecting you to crabbiness [no one wants that], I give you links.  Huzzah!
My pastor colleague, Emily, writes a column in the Rochester newspaper each week.  I give this one a hearty AMEN.
This is a real thing and I want to go to there.  It’s on my calendar.  Now I just need friends to go with … hint, hint.
I’m so intrigued.  D. Lose knows how to make a girl think.  And how to make her add books to her reading list.
We’re making these to take to New Orleans with us for the youth gathering.  I think it will be a great experience to hand them out to those who are homeless as we encounter them in our time there.
This sounds delicious.  I’ve been on a zucchini kick lately.
Okay.  I’m done.  Back to being crabby at my desk.  I hope your Monday is non-crabby and awesome!
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