Pet Funeral

Well, I'm doing a funeral for the neighbor's cat this afternoon. Andee decided to go to his reward in my back yard. I was just avoiding the back yard until the animal rotted, but my neighbor asked if I had seen Andee. I told her I had a dead animal in the back since yesterday (well the smell since yesterday). When her husband came to investigate and then to collect the remains, I told him I do cat funerals. So when I saw her a few minutes ago, she asked me to say a few words.

The World Does Change

I just watched Glory Road, the story of Don Haskins (coach) and the NCAA champions Western Texas (now UTEP). I remember, my school, the Yaaaan keee school in NC was in the final four that year and lost to KY. (The next fall we started the season ranked number 1 as I recall and then lost in a preseason game to a school in California that had a freshman--or was it a sophomore--named Lew Alcindor. They were unstoppable after that. Oh well. We finally won a NCAA championship in 1991, a very long time to wait and still one victory behind that school that's seven miles away.)

Back to the movie. Haskins played only African American players in the final game. This was at a time when it was assumed that African Americans did not have the intelligence to lead on the court.

And now, a black man is running for president of the US.

Prejudices do moderate. One day, we will look back and wonder why the church was so concerned about ordination of gays and lesbians. One day, we will laugh at folks who didn't think gays and lesbians should marry each other. One day. . .

A Bit Sad

I went to circle this morning. I never go, but thought I really ought to start. I think I will alternate the day and the night circles. So, after circle this morning, one of the old ladies, whom I dearly love took me aside and said she wanted to talk with me. I asked what about and she said that she had really listened to my sermon on Sunday (on reconciliation) and she was sorry about things she had thought about me. Well, at least I know people are listening to my sermons, but I am really saddened. I just don't think this is the right fit for me. I think I'll start putting together my PIF (resume in secular speak) and post it and see what happens. Or I may stick it out to the end of my contract in a year. And then just retire.

Death

What can one do? Go home, love your children, try not to bicker, eat well, walk in the rain, feel the sun on your face and laugh loud and often, as much as possible, and especially at yourself. Because the only antidote to death is not poetry, or drama, or miracle drugs, or a roomful of technical expertise and good intentions. The antidote to death is life.

From the NYTimes

Last night a small group of clergywomen got together as we try to do monthly or thereabouts. We talked a bit about my congregation. One of the women present is a former pastor there, two others had worked with the congregation (as pulpit supply and as moderator of session) while they were looking for me. So we talked a bit about the congregation and its unwillingness to change. They will do all the steps towards implementing something new and then it just doesn't happen (the congregation blames the former minister for things not happening: who so they think is supposed to do the work they have decided to do). So, on the way home, my friend who is unrelated to the congregation and I were talking about graphic novels. She is 68 and she knows what graphic novels are. I am 62 and know what graphic novels are. She was really excited about one she had seen with no words at all. (Does this mean sermons are a thing of the past?) We talked about how so many people in both our congregations never venture far from home. They don't go away to school (every young person with one exception) in my congregation goes to school in Memphis. Our inquirer wants to go to Vandy because she has friends there and it's close to home. So, they are not experienced with change, except change brought upon them by unforeseen circumstances which is almost always horrible: loss of a child, suicide, cancer, death. They have no experience with chosen change.

In the latest National Geographic Adventure Traveler magazine--sorry I can find the article on line--there is an article about group mind. It begins talking about A&P and how successful it had been after the depression, but then as people's ideas about what they wanted in a grocery store changed, A&P did not because they had been successful for 100 years. The thesis of the article was that we get into a group mentality and do not listen (accept??) outsiders and outside advice.

So, I'm not going to change the congregation. Only God can do that. I'm just going to do what needs to be done (preaching, visitation). I've already told session that.

Nursing Home Visit

It's an Episcopalian home, so it's nice. So, I found my parishioner. I wheeled up back to her room. Her roommate was sitting in a wheel chair, slumped over and drooling all over herself. I thought that this was awful. I also assumed that this was the way she was and I was depressed. I hope that when I get that way, I'll just die. My parishioner was complaining about severe pain and so I set out to find a nurse. I asked a worker and she said she'd tell the nurse. The nurse didn't come, so I went to find one. My parishioner's nurse was at lunch and so I found another. (I'd like to swap nurses.) The second nurse said that my parishioner had a pain pill earlier but she would see if she could do something for her. Then she saw the roommate and went into hyper drive. Evidently the roommate isn't usually like that.

My grandmother, in her 90s, cooked until almost the very end. She got pneumonia. She was unable to care for herself for about three months before she died. Despite the fact that I am not ready to die, I sure don't think I like the way we stretch out death these days. One of my aunts just quit eating. The nursing home sent her to the hospital for IVs. I was there with my son. Almost as soon as he arrived, she died. It was too late. Fortunately. My cousin said she thought my aunt just decided to die.

We need to come to grips with life and death.

More on Palin

I just saw a YouTube video of McCain on Fox. McCain smiles like a guy with a huge crush and calls Palin "a partner and a soul mate."