Midnight Beignet Run

It's like midnite, and I just came back from Cafe Du Monde. Had a craving for beignets, which is weird since I wasn't all that impressed with them when I was there. 

So I'm not working out in the mornings.  I got up today, had breakfast (which is wonderful, btw), then went to a Bible Study taught by Bishop James Walker.  He was talking about Chronicles, and went on an historical journey that ended up making David come to life in a way at which I could only marvel. Then I went to a class on teaching the Bible by Carole Richardson.  It occurs to me that our church is really focused on teaching, on encouraging individuals to explore God's Word for themselves, and that is WONDERFUL news for me!  I just happen to think that if we stick to Biblical literalism we put God into our box; I believe God still speaks.  In order for us to hear God, we must sometimes change our preconceived ideas; we must always make ourselves available to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  By the way, I'm loving this CME Unity Summit -- the teaching gives me hope for the future of our church.

I got my sweat on at noon.  Although I only did about 15 mins of cardio before my sets and about 10 minutes afterwards, I must have really been huffing and puffing.  A woman at the elevator asked me if I was going to be ok. I tried to explain to her that pushing yourself past your limits is part of the fun of working out, but I don't think she bought it.

There was an AWESOME teaching/training for pastors by Rev. Hames from Beebe Memorial in Oakland(?).  During that time, I had the same conversations with my staff that always drive me nuts, and found that I was selected to be the Liberty's Season Subscriber of the Game on Saturday.  Unfortunately, you have to be at the game to win the tix, so the one game I miss is the game where I woulda gotten something. Go figure.

Tonight was a concert by the Williams Brothers.  While much of their singing is sincere Gospel and some of it truly inspired me, there's also quite a bit of showmanship.  I just don't believe people's dancing under the inspiration of the Spirit happens on cue, and club music is club music no matter what lyrics you put to them.  As much as I'm in favor of dancing before the Lord, I think that we can sometimes create a club atmosphere and cross the line into just partying.  And there's nothing wrong with partying before the Lord, but we need to know we're partying, and not be thinking the Holy Ghost has us all caught up.  I hope that doesn't sound negative.  It was a great concert.  And while we did worship God during the concert, it was still a concert.

Anyway.  After the concert I came home.  Kevin called and I chatted with him for a while.  I also chatted with some folks about the very large lady who sat on my during the concert. I used to be a much larger woman, but I hope and think that I was a bit more considerate.  If there's only one seat left and you know you take up more than one seat, DON'T TRY TO SQUEEZE YOUR BUTT INTO THE ONE SEAT!!!!  This lady sat down on/beside me and I literally could not move.  She had more bulk than I do (And I train five days a week; she was kinda square), and though I tried to cross my legs to give her more room, I slowly felt my left side going numb.  My arms were pinned to my sides from shoulder to elbow, so when I clapped, I looked like a seal.  I stood up for a while, both to get my circulation back and hoping she'd take a hint, but she just spread out to the point where I couldn't sit back in my seat.  Eventually someone I knew left early, saw my distress, and directed me to their former seat.  Thanks be to God!

So I came home and talked to Kevin, and the other folks and then I got a craving for beignets.  I knew I shouldn't have them. I think my reasoning excuse is:  1) it's hot and I walked; 2) the Liberty lost; and 3) I missed Grey's Anatomy and don't know if I DVR'd it.  So I took the hike down there. I saw folk outside who told me to be careful, that it's dangerous -- but New Orleans is a delightful place.  The people who are drunk are happily drunk.  Those who are not drunk look you in the eye, greet you, and go on their way.  The crazy people talk quietly to themselves and don't bother anyone.  The puke gets cleaned up relatively quickly, as do the other bodily emissions.  It works for me.

So my midnite beignet run has ended, and I'm going to bed. 

How could one possibly be bored in NOLA?

This morning I decided to sleep through my workout. Well, through my morning workout.  Don't know if I went to bed late or had muscle cramps at night or what, but I didn't rest well. Oh, I remember.  I went out to get ice and mistakenly left my door open.  Even though I inspected the room when I came back, it sorta creeped me out that the door was open.  There went my peaceful night's sleep.

So I got up about 7, went down to the free breakfast, then went off on my tour.  I would have been better off on the bus and streetcar.  This is a town for tourists, and they had this great big Gray Line bus with this guy with an annoyingly southern accent (he said he was a Louisiana native, but he didn't really sound like them).  I thought it was a three hour tour, but once we were on the bus it was only a two hour tour.  They drove us around New Orleans with a pretty constant barrage of facts (which, again, if I were interested, I would have googled before I came here.  Although retention of them would probably be good for Trivial Pursuit, if I had time to play games). 

I could have lived with that, I suppose.  What really annoyed me was that they kept telling us all this stuff and never stopped so we could take pictures.  Wait, now you're telling me this and that and this statue and that house and la-de-da -- and you're not gonna STOP for me to get a picture?  Really?  Although as I look back on it, what's even stupider than the tour was the fact that I took a video camera with me and forgot to use it.  At one point, I actually caught myself nodding out. If you overload me with information and don't allow me to process it, I generally shut down.  Oh, and the other annoying thing was that they kept plugging other tours.  Wait.  So you're gonna tell me about stuff, but not go into a whole lotta depth, and you're going to suggest to me that if I want more I should go on a DIFFERENT tour with your company? I guess that speaks to what they think of their customers.  You must be a real idiot to go on a Gray Line tour...

The one place we did stop, of course, was a cemetery.  Apparently there were a guy and a girl who went scuba diving in Australia, got left by their boats, and ended up getting eaten by sharks.  Their remains are in this cemetery.  There's lots of stuff about cemeteries here in NOLA -- a couple of the weirdest things are that they bury people aboveground because below ground is swampland, but even weirder is the fact that these above-ground burial places are valuable real estate.  They are bought by families.  When people die, they put them in, then when more people die, they remove the previously dead, and put in the most recently dead.  He did speak to how they handled multiple deaths at the same time in one family, but by that time I was just too creeped out. 

Here are pictures from this morning's trip.

So I came came back to the hotel.  Piddled around for a while, then went to work out.  I normally work out in neoprene shorts so I'll sweat more, but I saw a groupon for these things called flares.  They're like full-length neoprene workout pants.  They were half price, so I got them.  I picked them up from the PO the day I left, so I only got to try them since I've been here.  We all know that water weight is just water weight, but if you work out on a regular, you (or at least I)'ll take the loss of water weight.  So I got my flares in an XL, mostly because they're made in Europe and I thought the cut would be a little snug.  And it was, the first day. I know neoprene doesn't stretch, but these things are baggy now. And they absolutely give me the same kind of sweat I get from my neoprene shorts.  All  I know is that I have a pair of pants that had been uncomfortably tight.  (Now, when my size gets tight, I have to rein it in. Once upon a time, I had several different sizes, and if they all got tight, I just bought more.  No more). So anyway, this is a pair of low-rise, euro cut pants that I should be able to wear and which should be form-fitting. Last time I wore them, they were uncomfortable, and I think I wore a polo shirt so I could keep it out.  Today, even though they look horrible, I wore a button-down shirt tucked into the pants.  I don't really care that it looks horrible, I care that it's comfortable.  We'll work on the look next.

So anyway. I came back to the hotel and went to work out. I have on my long flares, my Chuck Taylors, and my NY Liberty shorts and shirt.  I take the elevator to the eighth floor.  Where there is the Women's Missionary luncheon, or something with all these little old church ladies all dressed up looking at me like I'm from mars (oh, and did I say I work out without my glasses and I can't really see without them?) So I'm wandering around the eighth floor looking for the gym and walk right into the middle of the churchladies lined up for lunch. It's times like this that I'm REEEEEAAAALY grateful that ours is a Connectional church -- they may look at me funny, but most of them either know me or know someone who knows me, so they'll hear that yes, she's a little weird, but she's a smart, Godly woman who preaches and teaches the Word of God.  So it's all good.  And more and more, they're getting to know me as the lady who works out instead of going to communal meals.  Maybe that part will rub off....

So I went to work out.  I now start with cardio before my machines, I also incorporate free weights, and I end with cardio. It's not as hard as my kettlebell instructor pushes us, but I have to say I get a much better workout now than I did before I started training with him.  So I got my sweat on, then came back to the room which hadn't been cleaned. That isn't the end of the world, but I'm working out every day.  I took a little breather to get my heart rate back down (when I don't wait for it to go back down, I keep sweating, which makes the church ladies look at me even weirder), then decided to play CME and go into a meeting. 

The first meeting was -- not interesting.  I would have stayed, but there were two guys in the back of the meeting room having a loud conversation.  I thought this was quite rude to the speaker (although I'm sure one of them was doing it because he was too big to move forward and whisper to the other guy), but it also interfered with my ability to hear.  So I left.  I wandered around the meeting rooms for a while until I stumbled into the room with a guy giving a training on how to use PowerPoint.

Geekette stands at the door, listening, thinking (in the smug, semi-elitist attitude that I can't seem to ditch no matter how hard I try) "I'll check him out and see how good he is."  Well.  This brother was AWESOME!!! He went through the creation of a PowerPoint presentation, explaining it simply enough that someone who knew nothing about PowerPoint would be able to understand it, yet adding value for someone like me who thought they knew everything.  I wrote him a note saying "THIS WAS THE BEST THING I'VE SEEN HERE TODAY," because it was.

Went back upstairs, got my wallet, and went to Pinkberry. It was ok, but I prefer Red Mango.  Came back, watched court tv shows for a while, then came down for dinner and discussed church politics with my Elder.  Afterwards we went to a meeting of the Connectional Board, but it was really boring.  All these committees give these reports. They're verbal (don't understand why they have to be done in person, why this all can't be done in cyberspace), and IMHO, many are incomplete -- there does not appear to be a lot of analysis (or if there has been, it's not identified, nor would it be appropriate to identify it in a brief oral synopsis), and there are just lots of areas that leave me going "really?  That's how we roll?"  In at least two separate reports, people identified issues, and the chairs acknowledged that people had identified issues, but did not respond to the issues identified nor provide any indication that the issues raised would be noted, discussed, or in any other way considered.  That occurs for me as rude at best; inept at worst. I think it's probably neither, though closer to the latter, but it then occurs for me as a waste of time to listen to stuff like that -- you're just reporting what you've done, which I can obtain (probably by purchasing) later and peruse at my own leisure if I like.  So the two or three hours you're asking me to spend doing this is basically two or three hours of my life you're going to suck away because -- why, exactly?

Yeah, that's how I'm feeling.  I realize that much of my life is about multi-tasking, and that's not healthy.  While it's not healthy to always barrel along at 110 mph, it's also not healthy to go from 110 to 10 and creep along at that speed.  While there may be good reasons to travel at 110 or at 10 from time to time, the generally accepted speed limit for (people who want to get somewhere and are on a highway) ranges from 55 to 65.  I think it might be good to shoot for that range.

So that was my day today.  At least I went to some meetings.  Tomorrow I'll go to some classes.  Right now I'm going to bed.

New Orleans, Day Two

So let's see... Got up this morning and started the day with a little cardio, some weights, and a little more cardio.  The good thing is that this hotel uses the same machines as the Y, so I know my pace, my weights, and my adjustments.   I don't know if it's the kettlebells or the excitement, but I'm doing cardio before my weight sets, then doing 3 sets of 12-20 reps, at the same or more weight I was lifting a year ago, PLUS more cardio -- and I'm doing the whole set (weights and cardio) in less time than I used to do just weights.  So I think that means I'm getting stronger, even though the arthiritis is pronouncedly worse, and my left shoulder still hasn't completely healed.  Tape it up, suck it up, don't be stupid, and keep it moving.  I LOVE it, and I love the way the guys look when they seem me in my routine. 

So after training a little, I came upstairs and showered, then came down for breakfast.  I went over to the tour desk and booked a combination tour -- steamboat today and City tour tomorrow morning.  The steamboat tour didn't start til 2:30, so I thought I'd head down to Cafe du Monde for beignettes and coffee.

I could barely make it down the street because there were so many interesting things to see.  They are on my fb page here.  I made my way past some church and square that I later learned had historical significance (I'm hard pressed to remember anything when I can just google it if I really want to know), then made my way into Cafe Du Monde for beignettes and coffee.  Beignettes are just fried dough with powdered sugar on them.  They're ok, but I don't have to have them again.

Hooked up with Pastor Jones' friend Daisy, and we sat out on the river talking for a loong time, until time to board the Natchez Steamer.  The reason I went on it was because it's one of the last, if not the only steam-driven paddle boat still in existence in the US.  We went up and down the Mississippi, with the captain telling us interesting facts (the port of New Orleans, in terms of traffic, I think he said is larger than both Amsterdam and New York), and with me really enjoying the convo and the ocean breeze.

Came back, tried to go to the aquarium but it was like 4:45 and they closed at 5. Walked down Canal street. Some lady tried to sell me a 2-liter Coke Zero for $5.00 (Amit, I'm assuming she was Guajarati..).   I walked three or four blocks to the CVS and got it for $1.77. I don't mind you making a buck off tourists, but don't treat me like an idiot.

Came back in time for the free dinner buffet. Dined once again with Elder Belcher and his wife. As they rushed off to service, I thought that maybe I would go.  And am I glad I did!!!

Bishop Theresa Snorton preached on that passage from Hebrews where Paul talks about needing to feed people milk.  Her sermon topic was "Grow Up, Graduate, and Get a Job," and it was all about how we cheapen our Christian walk when we fill it with platitudes and dogma instead of attempting to rightly divide the Word.  She told us how the standard should be Jesus and His love.  She told us (effectively) that if we were to be Biblical literalists, then as Black people, we should still be slaves.  I kept thinking that it would be awesome if someone sitting on the bench were to come clean about things, but she convicted me by telling us how judgemental and juvenile we sometimes are, likening us to people fighting over the remote when we have more than enough TVs for everyone.  She prepared us to make this Unity summit one where we are actually open to Christ still speaking to us, and open to a Fresh Word from the Lord.  I loved it.

Today I also met Rev. V. Williams from my home church, St. Joseph.  We talked about my brother and his amazing voice. I saw Rev. W. Williams, my colleague from NY-NE district who has relocated to the Carolina Conference. I was delighted to see Mrs. Jackson from St. Joseph and Rev. and Mrs. Harrison, formerly of St. Joseph. 

Just on the fellowship alone, it's going to be a wonderful Summit.  Even though I'm not going to a lot of the meetings, I'm getting out to see New Orleans (city tour tomorrow at 8:20, and I have to get a workout and breakfast before then), and I'm loving the fellowship. I have learned that my Chuck Taylors are better suited for the weight room and my sneakers are better suited for walking.  But I have my Rock tape, some good shoes, and a willing spirit.

It continues to be a great trip...

A New City

So I'm here at the First ever CME Unity Summit in New Orleans, LA.  Now, I should be excited because it's the first time in the history of the CME Church that all our connectional meetings have come together in one place -- it's an historic moment.  But quite frankly, I'm excited to be in New Orleans, a city I've never been in before.

The flight was uneventful.  I try to travel from JFK because it tends to be cheaper than LGA, and if I take the SuperShuttle, the difference in transpo costs is negligible.  It was nonstop, and except for the fact that they had a bit of difficulty finding a jetbridge when we landed in NOLA, it was fine. The flight was nearly empty -- everyone got their own seat, just about.  I saw a woman with some earrings that were adorable.  I asked her if they were the Cartier series, since they looked like the little bangle with the screws on it.  She said no, that they were just screws and were made by some designer in NYC. Wish I'd paid more attention.  I really liked them. They were just flat, like a screw, but I liked them.

There were some issues with transpo, but fortunately, I saw a group of people praying and went up to join them.  There was Rev. Regina Reese-Young leading the prayer, and she got me a ride with her friend Vernessa and the Pastor of the church in Detroit(Pastor Gordon?) that my own pastor once pastored.

From now on, I'll always upgrade to a club floor. First of all, I sorta like the exclusivity, but more importantly -- it's cheaper.  You get the same breakfast and dinner buffets that everyone else gets, but you don't have to pay for it.  And you get free use of internet in the lounge (I don't think they give it to you free in your rooms, unfortunately).  But internet is like $14.95 per day, and the dinner buffet alone was $30.00.  Add in the cost of breakfast, and the upgrade is a no-brainer.  Even if I choose to dine out, I still save money!  I tried to explain this to someone, but they declined, then before I even landed, they were texting me asking me to get them a key to the club floor. It appears hotels are getting smarter -- claiming to be "under renovation," they give us access to the same restaurant everyone else has access to, and they give us a check -- they just tell us it won't be charged.  We shall see.  But in the interim, it certainly helps to explain to my friends why I can't give them a hookup.

So I got to the hotel, set my bag down, and went to the "complimentary hors d'euvres" or however you spell it.  I never had finger foods like this:  There was a salad bar, a chicken tortilla soup in which you could actually taste the lime, some sort of andouille sausage, red beans with sausage, rice, corn (I skipped those two), and plates and plates of pralines and brownies. As much as you wanted, no charge.  Unfortunately, I still can't eat very much, but what I tasted was DELICIOUS!  I fell in love from the first taste of the soup!  I'd actually thought that all those years in darkrooms had allowed the acetic acid to ruin my nasal passages and destroy my sense of taste (that's my story and I'm sticking with it...). But I found out today that my sense of taste is completely intact -- I just need food that is seasoned with a little BAM!!

Speaking of which, I do hope to get to Emeril's place for lunch tomorrow. 

One of the cool things about these meetings is meeting people.  In addition to the people who brought me to the hotel, I met a Ms. Johnson from Memphis, who came here by train, I met a Cassandry (yes, Y)from the Ninth, I met another woman from the Ninth I'd seen in Alaska, and I've managed to see many of the people from the Seventh as well as many more from across our Zion.  Between Facebook and our in-person gatherings, I'm loving my CME Church family!  We may have our issues, but when we come together, we are amazing!

Anyway, after the pralines, and to avoid a sugar coma, I went for a little walk.  I went outside and heard music, so I followed it.  The street musicians here play snare drums instead of water buckets (so the drums sound sharper, more rhythmic and not so quasi-melodious), and the beat is a little more jazzy.  Add to that the brass of the trumpets and trombones, and there's a very distinct sound here.  The guys were on the corner of Canal and Bourbon.  Finding myself on Bourbon street, I walked down it. I went into a coupla clubs (no cover), but they were pretty empty. After a while, it just seemed like endless clubs playing almost studio music, and there was a constant smell of pot everywhere, though I never saw any.  It was new and different, but not quite exciting. 

So I turned down some street that was a little less touristy and then turned down another street that used to be the Royal Street when the French ruled Louisiana, and looked at some cute shops with WW1 antiques and intricate masks.  I also saw little hitching posts on the street, then wandered into some praline shop.  But I got out with only a Coke Zero.

Tomorrow I hope to go on the Nanchez Steamer and do some sightseeing. I know it's a church meeting, but I think one of the great deficits of our organization is that we encourage people to come to meetings in all sorts of places, then leave them within the four walls of the hotel.  How in the world are we supposed to do ministry to people if we don't even go out to meet them where they are?  If I got to a new city, I want to see the city!  I don't recall a Commission to go into all the hotels, but to go into all the world, and IMHO, that means OUT INTO the world.

Oh, well.  It's late, I'm in a new city, and I'm having a ball.  Probably should have brought my laptop; while it feels good to write again, I am sitting across from the bar.  I guess that in this town we're supposed to get used to the smell of alcohol, but I still don't like it...  Nevertheless, I'm in a new city and I'm going to enjoy it!

Today was another awesome day!!

Sometimes, things go well.

This morning I had a 10 am conference call.  It was over by 10:15, and simply involved scheduling another meeting.  We dedicated a garden in one of our buildings to one of our State Senators who has worked tirelessly to help us over the years.  You can find a writeup of the event here.  It worked out better than I had even hoped!!

I came back to the office, and my socially challenged son, Amit decided that I needed to leave at 4.  His birthday is September 11 and I usually go to the US Open with him.  We decided to go tonight, since Andy Roddick is supposed to be retiring after this Open.

So I'm tryna get out of my office by 4 pm.  Everything that could go wrong did;  I tried to do a background check on a potential new employee, but forgot my password to Lexis and couldn't find it anywhere; the printer didn't have the proofs ready on the artwork for the banners we want for the block party; and so on and so on.  I decide that I need to leave at four and one of the people who was supposed to have met me around 2:30 calls at 4 to say he'll be there in 15 minutes.  I tell my staff to tell him not to come, as I'll be gone.  I offer to give my staff rides home.

 I'd told my staff they could leave at four if they helped me to get out, so I thought it a little odd that they didn't call me to remind me until 3:58.  But I started shutting things down, trying to close up and get out. I come downstairs about 4:10, and they are dragging their feet. "Come on!" I say, "Let's go!"

"Well, Ms. Perry, Mr. Williams is on his way over." 
"But I told you to tell him we'd be gone."
"Yes, Ms. Perry, but he says he has a surprise for you."
" I don't want a surprise.  I don't like surprises. I went to the Liberty game last night and was out late.  I gotta go to the Open tonight because Amit wanted to go, and then I gotta go back tot he Liberty game tomorrow. I don't want a surprise. I want to go."
"Ms. Perry, he told us what it was.  You should wait.  It's gonna be worth it."
"Y'all want to wait?"
"Yes, Ms. Perry. We want to see your face."

So we wait and we wait.  They are just giddy with excitement.  "O. M. G, Ms. Perry, this is going to be so cool!  Just wait!"

Sometimes, if you are called to lead, you have to learn to follow.  My staff knew how important it was to me to leave, and they knew the surprise that was in store for me, so if they thought I should wait, I tried to wait.

Mr. Williams called to say he was right around the corner, and a few minutes later he called again.  It was like 4:30, and all I could think of was how I needed to go home, about 20 minutes away, change clothes, and get to midtown so we could leave by 5:30. 

And then my "surprise" walked through the door.  You could have knocked me over with a feather when Kia Vaughn walked through the door!  That was CERTAINLY worth the wait!  What a delightful young woman! 

When he interviewed, Mr. Williams had stated he was friends with her, but everyone who interviews sees my Liberty stuff and says they are friends with someone on the Liberty.  When he mentioned it, I'd said something like "Oh, that's nice" and kept the interview going.  But to have this young lady COME TO THE COUNCIL was more than I'd ever expected!!  What a great way to end the day!

Here's a picture of me pretty excited to have Kia Vaughn in the first floor of our Council:

Now, there are certain privileges that come with being the Executive Director.  One is that you can exercise certain crazy quirks.  So I added an addendum to our dress code that says the only logos you can wear on your clothing are Council logos and NY Liberty logos.  I did it mostly because I wear NY Liberty jerseys on game days and there's no way I'm going to stop. 

Apparently Mr. Williams told Ms. Vaughn about it.  She actually took a picture of our policy, then autographed one of our employee handbooks for me.  THAT was pretty cool!  We also got a chance to chat about her having lived and played in Israel.  We didn't get to talk for long, but I told her about my trips to the Middle East and the pic I sent of me in a NYL shirt at the entrance to Mt. Sinai.

Here are pictures of Kia Vaughn outside our offices at 490 East 167th Street:

 

If that had been all that happened today, it would have been wonderful.  But I went to meet Amit in midtown.  As I'm walking down the street, I run into Ricky, the son of Sandy from church.  Ricky seems to have his head on his shoulders and appears to be doing quite well for himself.  It was great to see him.  He has a daughter now, that his mom brings to church.  He proudly said "You've seen my daughter, right?"  And without my prodding, he mentioned how he wants to start coming back to church.  That was great.  We met with his friends Malcolm and Annie, and finally we were on our way to the Open.

Despite the fact that it was nearly 6 before I got to Amit, and well after 6 before we were on our way, it took us no time to get to Arthur Ashe Stadium.  We watched Andy Roddick defeat Bernard Tomic in straight sets (Roddick is supposedly retiring; Tomic is a 19 year old Australian), and then watched Victoria Azarenka defeat Jie Zheng in a match where the biggest thrill came in seeing Zheng actually take a game.  I think she took one, and was defeated in straight sets. 

Still, there were over 60,000 people at the Open today, and this evening's match was sold out.  I'd love to continue going every year, but the seats are celebrity trust fund expensive.  This is the view from our seats,

complete with lady who kept leaning forward so we could see her color job instead of the court, and these seats were already more expensive than we said we'd pay.  It was nice to spend time with #1 socially challenged son, though.

Overall, today was an AWESOME day!  The Liberty play tomorrow, and Kia put on one of our 163 Council rubber bracelets.  She says she'll wear it tomorrow.  She also took me outside and introduced me to her mother, who invited me to come and sit with them tomorrow.  As soon as I get those pics, I'll post them, as well.

What a great day it was!  A Great Day!!!!

Blessings and Demons

So I'm at the Liberty game tonite.  They didn't win, but I don't go just for the win; I go for the game.  On the way back, my child Amit calls.  Amit's birthday is September 11, and we usually go to the US Open.  He's trying to find a wife and I'm trying to pay my mortgage off in 15 years, so we haven't had as much disposable income as in past years, but we talked about going.  He really, really wanted to go, and even though the seats were $100.00 more than the limit we agreed on, we decided we'd get them.

Then he decides we'll have to drive.  It occurred to me that year before last when we went, Amit was styling in a Mercedes (on display at the Open), and I didn't have any car.  This year, we're trying to decide whether we'll both drive our cars, or whether he'll drive us both in his Mercedes SUV.  I was thinking about how things change, and how much material blessings we've both enjoyed.

And I was thinking about sports.  Like I said, Liberty tonight, US Open tomorrow night, Liberty again on Saturday -- looking at my schedule, one might think I was into sports.  One would certainly not believe the host of illnesses, orthopedic conditions and injuries I deal with.  (Sidebar:  this conversation in my head was before I came home to my copy of USMS Swimmer magazine, with an article on training with chronic illness).  But the net result of my thoughts is that I was happy and grateful.  Zipping through NYC in the evening,  Chrystal Rucker blasting ... I was having a Thank You Jesus Good Time.

And then I saw it.  I rolled up on a Jeep with a Romney sticker on the back.  Now, NY is a mostly Blue State, but NYC is about as True Blue as Duke is (not politically; that's probably a phrase that only Dukies will get.  But NYC  -- well, it's one of President Obama's best fundraising cities).  A Romney sticker here is something of an anomaly.

But I completely lost my mind.  I rolled up on it, and suddenly I was yelling, "You're an A-HOLE!!! OH. MY. GOODNESS!!! YOU'RE SUCH AN A-HOLE!!!!!!"  Mind you, my window was open, and I didn't know whether theirs was open or not.  Thankfully, I had turned my Jesus-praising Gospel music down...  I caught myself, mostly because there is a very real possibility of physical danger for people who yell obscenities at other people in NYC.  Somewhere, I was aware that my actions were not reflective of the Jesus I'd just been praising seconds before, but I didn't stop, I just toned it down.  I went from "You're an A-HOLE" to "Man, your friends must really hate you!  They've totally messed up your car!"

And I felt a rage inside of me.  Sure, the rage has been fueled by listening to Mr. Ryan spin the truth.  The rage is fueled because it brings back memories of living in the South when white people put you on an uneven playing field and used the results not as indicators of their treachery, but as more fodder with which to debase and degrade you.  The rage is certainly fueled by a Congress that has a stated goal of defeating a black president, but will use the results of their collective sedition as "evidence" that the POTUS should not be re-elected.  The rage is fueled by the fact that my mind draws a direct parallel between the folk who are at the RNC and the folk who were in lynch mobs and who were in the crowds as the dogs and hoses were turned on people....

But that doesn't excuse my behavior.  My ancestors went through things far more blatantly oppressive than these, things that equally affronted human sensibility, and they reacted not with uncontrolled rage, but with unmitigated dignity.  Why, I wondered, did I react in such an uncontrolled manner?

And that's when it hit me.  The only thing that could make a person behave that badly is a dark force.  I believe America has come face to face with evil incarnate, and that is in the persons of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.  They've taken evil upon themselves as a cloak,  Now that I've recognized it, I've got to watch for it.  Scripture tells us that satan can quote Scripture, and I saw that later this evening as Mr. Romney joked about making money and not wanting to go to hell, too... With that simple statement, he brings the question of faith front and center, appearing to  mock those who would question his Mormon faith, while simultaneously appealing to the greed of the "evangelical Americhristians" whose favor and votes he seeks.  His deception and redirection in this statement are akin to that of a magician -- he's an ideological magician, and I fear that people's critical thought processes will be re-or mis-directed by his twisted words.

But I've gotten off topic.  The topic was blessings and demons, and I wanted to talk about how I recognized both tonight.  I'm grateful for just waking up and breathing air this morning.  I'm nowhere near to being a Biblical literalist, but the stuff that's going on in our political system right now is demonically creepy,

I pray enough Americans will open their eyes. I pray that I can exercise enough control to not behave like the demons we need to battle.

Gotta go.  Long day tomorrow:  contracts, politicians, and then the Open.

A Leap of Faith

So for my birthday this year, I went skydiving again.  The video from this year's jump is here.    Last year's jump, my first, is here.  I could see this becoming an annual thing.  It's exhilarating, but there's also something about facing one's fears, and there is the very real aspect of stepping out on faith.  It takes a lot to approach the open door of an aircraft that's a couple of miles above the ground, and then to willingly exit that aircraft.  It takes a tremendous leap of faith. 

Of course, as soon as you do, the winds rush up to meet you, and you're in some sort of otherworldly experience.  But it takes a lot to get there.  It occurs to me that the process is relevant not only in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense, as well.  How many times do we face uncertainties, or seeming impossibilities?  How many times are we fearful or discouraged by them?  Put off by the raging of the wind, or the height or velocity of our aircraft?  How much does it take from each of us to make that leap into the unknown, sure only of the fact that God holds the outcome in God's hand? 

I think it's something we need to do more often -- relinquishing control (or what we think is control) and offering ourselves to the joy that comes in relying solely on God.

But that's a manifestation of spiritual growth or spiritual development, and that does not come overnight.  I train 5 days a week, three of them with kettlebells.  Now, I'm closer to 60 than I am to any other whole number, and this class has twenty-somethings groaning and moaning.  It's taught by the same guy who teaches Boot Camps.  I don't kid myself that I can do what the 20-somethings do, but I can do a few burpees now, and I can do jumping jacks now, and I can do deeper squats than I ever could, and I can swing a 25-pound bell.  I couldn't do any of that when I started, and my form can certainly get better.

The point is that I can do more now than I could before, and that has come about through training and application of what I've learned.  I believe the same is true in our spiritual lives.  I see so many people who don't appear to exercise their faith, so much as display it.  They have all the answers, they know exactly what Jesus would say and do -- and there is no room in their consciousness for doubt or error -- or growth. 

I'm not so sure I believe that.  I believe that our earthly journey is one in which we are continually stretched and shaped and molded anew.  I don't think it's one where we pick up our cross and parade it around, I think it's one where we pick up our cross, perhaps stumbling under its weight, and if we should drop it, we pick it up again.  I don't believe the process is constant or static; I believe it's continual and dynamic.

Sort of like the process of jumping out of an airplane.  It's all about going into the unknown and finding that God has already been there.

Some thoughts on the shootings in the temple.

I am saddened, a bit angry, and even more afraid because of the shootings at the Sikh temple in Milwaukee yesterday.  I'm saddened any time we humans think the answer lies in killing another human.  I'm angry that we live in such a permissive society and continue to let stuff like this happen.  Yes, it's true that guns by themselves don't kill people -- they are only the instruments.  But when you have a society which appears to have relaxed or eradicated all semblance of moral standards, and which allows the common person access to weapons made for mass murder -- what can be the expected result?

And I'm a little afraid because of what I fear could be the cause or the result of incidents like this, which is a knee-jerk return to any sort of religious literalism.  As a preacher, I probably shouldn't say that, but I'm saying it.  Yes, the Bible is God's love letter to humankind.  Yes, the Bible records God's covenental relationship with humankind.  But I don't obey all the 613 laws of the First Testament (I eat shellfish and pork for starters), so no, I don't take the Bible literally.  Seriously, yes.  But not literally.  While I respect the right of people to believe whatever they believe, I'm tired of apologizing for being a progressive Christian.  I love the Lord with all I've got --all my Heart, Soul, MIND, and Strength --- and I trust that if there's any issue or concern that can be made manifes to my awareness, that it can also be made manifest to God's awareness.  So I believe, for instance, that while the truths contained in the Holy Bible are eternal, the particulars may not be.  We don't take slaves in war, men trim the corners of their beards, and so on. 

My fear stems from the fact that many of us humans tend to self-righteously cherry-pick the Scriptures we hold as binding.  We'll tell you you're going to hell for being gay (a First Testament Law, echoed by Paul but never mentioned by Jesus), but will say nothing of the fact that Jesus told us not to lay up treasures on Earth (Jesus himself, not someone who came along later and never met JC in the flesh); or that it was hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  We forget that Jesus sent his disciples out with nothing, and that the only time Jesus got mad was when the moneychangers were sitting in front of the temple, trying to make a profit off the faithful.  I've gotten a bit off topic.  My point was that I fear people who read the Bible or any other Sacred Scripture without a critical eye, and with a lack of discernment.  While I believe the truths conveyed in Scripture are timeless, I also believe that they are Spiritual truths, and are usually conveyed in a Spiritual manner.  Simply opening a book, reading it, and parroting it back does not necessarily imply conveyance of that truth. 

But that's what a lot of people do, and I'm not talking only about Christians.  I've known Jews and Muslims who were this way, and it leaves me sad and a little bit afraid.  The reason it leaves me afraid is because it creates an environment in which people not only believe they are right, but they Genuinely believe their correctness comes from Above.  It's not the fervency of their belief that gets me really;  it's the arrogance.  It's the same thing that happened with eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the same thing that led to the construction of the Tower of Babel.  Whenever we humans start to believe that we have complete knowledge of the Divine, I think it puts us in dangerous territory.  Why?  First because it takes away from the sense of awe and wonder of the Divine, but it also begs the question:  If you have complete knowledge of the Divine, why(how) are you still human?

The human tendency, of course, is not to consider or wrestle with questions such as this, but to assume that pseudo-divinity and to assign it some sort of moral, spiritual, or other superiority.  We put into place a value system that effectively says "I'm right and you're wrong," or "I'm better and you're worse." or some other sort of dichotomy which, by its very nature, denies the universality of the human spirit.

And no, I'm not a universalist. I very much believe in the power of the Blood of Jesus to save.  I believe we get to accept or reject that salvation which was freely given to us.  But I believe Jesus died for all of us, not just some of us.  Somehow, I believe we're all gonna get a shot at accepting that gift. And I think we're gonna be really surprised to see who really did, and who didn't.

This was supposed to have been a reflective piece, but it's not.  I'm just sort of rambling.  But at least I'm writing again....

A Simple Therapeutic Post

It's been quite a while since I've written.  The idea was to write something, anything, every day, simply to stay in the habit (and prayerfully to resurrect the art) of writing.  Instead of resurrection, I find myself having nearly succumbed to the culture of instant gratification. 

While I still manage to exercise my body and spirit daily (well, almost daily for the bod -- I work out 5 days a week), the mind is simply not being nurtured. I had to write staff performance reviews in June.  I completed them in July.  I don't write my blog any more. Not only do I watch TV, I now have one in the den AND in the bedroom, something I once refused to do.  More and more, it seems that life has devolved into a pseudo-frenzy of text messages, harried emails, and relentless, but hardly necessary, half-communications.

This may be a particularly sore point for me because I just paid my mortgage twice.  It was completely my mistake -- I pay it online, wasn't paying attention, and in the space to enter "Amount of Additional Principle," I entered the mortgage amount.  Because I wasn't paying attention, I clicked ok, and only upon confirmation realized my account had been debited for twice the amount of my mortgage.

So I called the mortgage company.  They couldn't do anything, they said, because it was an internet payment.  I should call my bank.  My bank (with whom I am a Platinum customer, do millions of dollars of business a year and am responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars on deposit on any given day) claimed they could do nothing.  I told them that half of it was an unauthorized charge.  No response.  An hour and three phone conversations later, the conversation was the same.  I emailed them, but my bank, unlike my mortgage company, has yet to respond...

And then I realized that, while making a double mortgage payment was inconvenient, and not consistent with the kind of debt I resolved to carry, it wasn't going to bankrupt me.  It's annoying, and I will likely have to spend more time on the phone with my charming bank getting them to waive the overage charges that will likely start to accrue today, but what an incredible blessing it is to be able to make a mistake with the mortgage and still be able to live one's life relatively free of disruption.

So that's good, and I'm grateful.  And I'll be more careful before making any more online payments.  And I should probably cancel my Netflix subscription because I haven't used it in over a year.

I often fancy myself a thinker, and look to my friends Leslie Callahan and Morton Guyton, thinking "I used to have thoughts like that.." And I may still be capable, but reflection --- Spirit-filled, purposeful, prophetic reflection and proclamation -- require discipline, dedication, and devotion.  Lately I've been devoted to our nonprofit, to raising the level of staff development and consequently enhancing the quality of our service delivery, thereby positioning us to grow and offer even more services.  That's been my excuse.

What I need to remember is that all leadership requires discipline, dedication, and devotion.  It may be time for me to stop getting caught up in the press of everyday matters and to begin to take a higher-level look at things.

I'm going to do a staff training on perspective.  Maybe I'll start with adjusting my own.

Or maybe I'll get to writing again......

More on Alaska....

So one of the things I didn't say (because I didn't know) about the Alaska trip was that on Friday, May 11, when I went shopping, there was indeed a tour.  It was offered by Sis. Angela Gardner of First CME.  They went to the Alaska Heritage Center, among other places.  The reason I remember the Alaska Heritage Center is because it's a place I would have LOVED to have visited.  She tells me that the people were in rapt attention as totem poles and other aspects of Native life were explained to them.  Big regret that I missed out on that one.

I did NOT, however, miss out on First CME's Tribute to Mothers.  Ohmygoodness!!!  It was Saturday, May 12, about 4 in the afternoon.  I arrived, all dressed down, to find the most welcoming and accepting group of people ever!  The men were doing whatever men do; they covered the window to the Fellowship Hall door and we women had to wait outside.

When we were finally allowed to enter, it was WELL worth the wait!! We walked into a Fellowship Hall that had been transformed into a five-star restaurant.  The tables were set with real silverware and china (not plastic like you know we church folk like to do), and a scrumptious salad was set at each place.

It only got better.  We took our seats, the food was blessed, and we enjoyed our salads.  Then the men came out and cleared our salad bowls away before they delivered the entrees.  They did this, of course, while keeping our glasses filled with water, iced tea, and, during dinner, a delightful de-alcoholized Merlot (vintage 2009).  The menu was delicious:  Mixed Garden Salad, Filet Mignon with Au Jus Sauce, Potato Wrapped Halibut, Polenta Cakes, Seasoned Green Beans, Bananas Foster, Rolls, Iced Tea, and the afore-mentioned wine.

You can see the whole album here!

I was so impressed to see men doing their thing, and doing it well -- it was a wonderful last impression of Alaska -- that and their insistence on sending me on my way with extra Potato Wrapped Halibut -- as one person said, "it's a long trip.  Do you want your stomach to be growling while everyone is eating those $7.00 sandwiches?"    All I have to say is, I never really tasted halibut until I tasted halibut in Alaska.  The first time I ate some, down by Whittier, it was so good I took a picture of it.  Now I see halibut steaks in the store, I can tell they're frozen, and I just pass them by.  The good people of First CME gave me enough halibut that I ate dined deliciously on it for several days.  I am truly grateful!

Alaska was simply amazing.  If you're considering a trip, GO!  If you're CME, make sure you contact Rev. Jerry Webb and the congregation at First CME Church, 3600 MacInnes Street, Anchorage, Alaska 99508.  THEY ARE AMAZING!!!