An "Auld Lang Syne" Friday Five

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2007




Singing Owl said: It is hard to believe, but 2007 is about to be history, and this is our last Friday Five of the year.

With that in mind, share five memorable moments of 2007. These can be happy or sad, profound or silly, good or bad but things that you will remember.

Bonus points for telling us of a "God sighting"-- a moment when the light came through the darkness, a word was spoken, a song sung, laughter rang out, a sermon spoke to you in a new way--whatever you choose, but a moment in 2007 when you sensed Emmanuel, God with us. Or more particularly, you.

1. We went on our first real vacation in 4 years. We drove up to French Canada visiting Montreal and Quebec City. We had several wonderful French meals. But most of all we visited the Ursuline houses (Order of St. Ursula) in Trois Riveiers and Quebec City. It reminded me of my stint as an Ursuline novice back in the early ‘70’s. And while it was not my vocation, it was a time when I learned much about who God was and was not. I am so grateful for that time in my life and the influence that those nuns had both in my history and the history of the development of Canada and the US.

2. I was called to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Sept. There is such a good feeling in the parish. I know I am in my honeymoon period and I am savoring it because it will not last too much longer. I need to introduce the new hymnal! There have been other parishes where there was never a honeymoon so I am relishing this time with the parish. So this time is a blessing that I am trying to soak up for when the difficulties do come.

3. Diocesan politics have reached a new low for me. To watch our diocese continue to destroy what once was holy and blessed is a grief that is almost unendurable. God is in this somehow but it is hard to see in what way. I will continue to attend diocesan affairs because I refuse to abrogate my responsibility for the diocese. But I know that I cannot affect any change there until there is some change at the top. I will just have to bide my time.

4. Observing the world of Church from the Lutheran side of things has been interesting and healing for me. It has allowed me to step away from the nasty mudslinging in the Episcopal Church and find a group of people who are more about living out what Christianity means rather than denominationalism. I am changing, I know, in my thoughts about denominationalism, about theology, about God in general and Redemption in particular. I don’t have these ideas worked out completely but I am pleased that in my 60’s I am still trying to work out such theological issues in my life. It means that I am not too set in my ways that I can’t change. I have watched others become too set in their ways that they cannot even allow others to discuss issues anymore. I don’t want that to happen to me.

5. I spent some days with my mother this year that may be the last days of any substance I will have with her. She has slowly lost much of what made her my mother that it is sad. And yet I am now able to do things for her that she would never have allowed me to do. Even cleaning her up after she had gone in her pants was hard but built something between us that even though she cannot speak about it, I know that it has created a bond that we have never had. I feel blessed.

Bonus: I am reading some of my blogpals comments that God is so far off for them. I have known that in my career. I finally had to come to the place where I had to lay back and float on the prayers of those around me. It is was what “having faith” meant to me then. Presently I am experiencing much consolation from the Divine and am thankful. Now it is my job to hold up all of those who are feeling either lost or that God is too far away. That is my New Year’s Resolution!