Saturday, August 22, 2009

What I Did This Week

  • packed up all the dishes from the china hutch in newspaper, put them into boxes to store in the "pod"
  • chased the dog. Once a day so far she has escaped out the front door while we were moving a piece of heavy furniture. She runs up and down the street, sniffs a few shrubs, generally makes herself a pest. If I wasn't so mad at her, I could admire her great running stride (she's part husky). Today she has not run out the front door yet. I'm praying that we make it to tomorrow without another incident. Tomorrow she goes to stay at the pet-sitter.
  • tried to set up a first planning meeting for our Children's Sabbath this year
  • visited two people in the hospital
  • nursing home call
  • shopping for sofas; we are throwing out the old one but haven't settled on a new style yet. We admire Stickley furniture, mostly from afar
  • packed books, packed books, packed books
  • cleaned closets, most notably the pantry, the linen closet, and the closets in all rooms. We have too much "stuff"! Existentially, I know this now.
  • had a brief conversation with one of my parish members at the grocery store yesterday. He mentioned the churchwide assembly news, and that it was controversial. However, he also mentioned the argument by some that "it's been this way for 2,000 years! We can't change it now!" He remarked, "But 2,000 years ago, we also thought the earth was flat." (By the way, this is not one of my younger members, but one of the more senior members of my congregation.)
  • planning meeting for a fall prayer breakfast with city officials and pastors
  • lunch with parish member, who asked what I thought of the churchwide assembly actions. Afterwards, drove home in the torrential rain that was right after the tornado hit.
  • read the book Julie and Julia. I was just getting through it, until last night, when one particular section made me laugh so hard I started crying
  • had a brief conversation with a woman at the check out of a local supermarket. She said, "I guess the Lutherans aren't going to be advocating abstinence any more." I said, "What are you talking about?" My position, unfortunately, unlike some others, cannot be reduced to a sound byte: you know, the people who say, "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." I think the position we have taken is entirely consistent with advocating abstinence.
  • dusted, dusted, dusted
  • met with a couple in prepration for a baptism tomorrow, still one of my favorite things ever

How was your week?

13 comments:

Paul said...

Blessings on you, Diane, in your very busy life. My ex and I are fond of Stickley and each have a few pieces of pseudo-Stickley (well, who can afford originals?). We are very happy with them. He has a "settle" that is very comfortable and seats three easily. It is handsome and sturdy. Best wishes on whatever you choose. May it comfort you and welcome guests.

Anonymous said...

I admire your closet cleaning! I've been threatening, cajoling and generally trying to psych myself up for it all summer and still can't get the gumption/energy to start.

I was very blessed to be able to be at CWA on Friday as a volunteer. The one thing I'd like to say is that I think we did a great job of trying to stay open to the Spirit. I suppose some will argue about how successful we were. I too find it odd that some would think this was somehow a vote against abstinence.

Peace to you and family - including the doggie who seems to have started you on an exercise program this week! ;-)

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

oh doggies...

i'm expecting a full onslaught of comments at church tomorrow...

Terri said...

to the about to be sanded wood floors (jealous)....to the hardwork to get there, not so jealous...to the wandering do, yup...to the questions, been there, too.

My week, awful. simply awful. So bad that all I'm doing is telling jokes in my sermon tomorrow. You think I'm kidding? (Laughs, hysterically)...

Hope all goes well for you!

Fran said...

Oh my gosh, you have so much going on.

I will have to remember that the world was thought to be flat 2000 years ago thing!

And I love Stickley!

LoieJ said...

I would guess that it is a rare news writer, person in the pew, or critic from another denomination who has read the whole of the items voted upon nor have many of them view the on-line proceedings in their entirety. Therefore we are mostly subject to a condensed version from people who don't really understand the whole thing. (Ditto on the health care reform debate.)

One time when I was anxious about my health issues, I was telling my doctor that I had read this, that, and the other thing, and I was anxious and upset. He said that the statements contained some truth, but that they had been simplified so much that they were no longer accurate.

Jennifer said...

Thanks for checking in with your blogging friends on such a busy, full week for you. It's good to hear from you. I'm grateful that your postition cannot be reduced to a glib,shallow sound byte.

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

Ah dealing with complexity can be so tricky. I love the comment your parish member said about the earth being flat.

Rev SS said...

I'm sure you're not surprised that in the Presbyterian and Methodist church environments I've heard no mention of the ELCA decision!

Lindy said...

Just checking in.
Hope the floors are coming along.

Billie Greenwood said...

It is kind of exhausting when I look at that long long list of accomplishments.

Anonymous said...

Whew!

Barbara B. said...

I would love it if you'd come over to my place and dust, dust, dust! ;)