tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-282291092009-11-21T15:59:33.192-06:00Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.comBlogger313125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-3399268693461309702009-11-21T11:33:00.004-06:002009-11-21T11:53:12.700-06:00

I haven't had much to say lately - wait, no, I've had a lot to say and no time to write. And that's not even accurate - truth is, I'm having a dry spell on writing. It will come back, but it's tough right now. But I've begun following a very thoughtful blog. It's not a Unitarian Universalist blog. It's called On Being Both. I'd say this blog would be of particular interest to folks involved

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-59729763801661748702009-10-23T13:36:00.003-05:002009-10-23T14:12:38.305-05:00

I grew up calling this season "fall," but the leaves are mostly still on the trees on this wet and rainy day. A friend mentioned crunching in crunchy leaves the other day - and I fondly remember crunchy leaves from my childhood.You see, my school was called "Oakwood," which referred to the gigantic oak trees surrounding it. This was a school surrounded by vast stretches of lawn, too. Of course

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-90200700548577698422009-09-27T14:30:00.003-05:002009-09-27T14:38:29.836-05:00

This tribute to the late Carl Sagan, and the still-living Steven Hawking, expresses deep awe, wonder and reverence for the natural world. This is my kind of spirituality... ">

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-90345965602010491272009-09-04T21:36:00.005-05:002009-09-05T11:30:19.448-05:00

Billboard seen in South Carolina last springMy copy of the Fall, 2009 UU World just arrived this afternoon. Some of my fellow bloggers have already posted their opinions of the full-page color ad for the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) inside the front cover. I’m… well, I’m unsurprised. I know this organization. I support its mission to maintain the wall of separation between church

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-43951858559157268662009-08-31T19:45:00.005-05:002009-08-31T20:10:01.965-05:00

Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast during my seminary orientation week, four years ago. During the days, we were immersed in activities and exercises designed to help us get to know our classmates. In the evenings we gathered at a local pub and watched the images on television in stunned disbelief: people desperately clinging to the roofs of their homes; streets of New Orleans transformed into

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-70358608315767809042009-08-26T11:40:00.002-05:002009-08-26T11:45:35.227-05:00

Before Harry Potter there was another “boy who lived.” The metaphor falls apart quickly, but it’s what I thought of when I heard the news this morning. His name was Edward “Ted” Kennedy. He had three brothers. One died in war. One became president and was assassinated in 1963. One ran for president in 1968 and was assassinated the same year (as was Martin Luther King, Jr.). Ted lived. He

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-91597387113109703642009-07-04T08:42:00.000-05:002009-07-04T08:43:50.440-05:00

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-58494823420304057262009-07-01T16:30:00.005-05:002009-07-01T18:40:22.808-05:00

OK - I was going to go all the way and label this "Fear and Loathing," as a true tribute to the late Hunter S. Thompson, but there didn't seem to be any fear and loathing present. Befuddlement and confusion and some real joy - yes.My friend and fellow blogger, Ogre, has a wonderful post up about the failure of the Article II revision in plenary. I'm as disappointed and mystified as Ogre as to

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-19459990102676179192009-06-10T17:06:00.004-05:002009-06-10T17:36:50.311-05:00

I've been absent for good reasons. My old laptop crashed & burned a couple weeks ago. Right after commencement, in fact. Most of my files were backed up (thank goodness), but I lost my internet "favorites" folders, so in my nonexistent spare time I've been trying to find links I once had bookmarked. It's a slow process... And I'm wrapping things up at my internship. Then off to UUMA

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-826341443840066722009-05-20T14:43:00.004-05:002009-05-20T14:50:41.840-05:00

New Hampshire may become state # 5 to make civil marriage possible for gays and lesbians. Here's what CNN has to say about it right now. Interesting quote from the gov: Lynch said any such measure needs to "make clear that [clergy and other religious officials] cannot be forced to act in ways that violate their deeply held religious principles."What about those of us (clergy & other religious

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-75157943782789724842009-05-17T16:49:00.003-05:002009-05-17T17:07:02.511-05:00

I am no longer a seminarian. As of yesterday, I am a "Master of Divinity." Of course, none of us really masters the divine - though I know and have known many who seem to express the divine quite well through their work, compassion, and love. I'm grateful for them...Many good people helped me through the past four years, not the least of which my DH. He is a brick, a rock, a - whatever

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-7329026809778648672009-05-06T15:29:00.002-05:002009-05-06T15:35:04.390-05:00

Noonday Prayer service has been a blessing for me this year. It is something I will miss at the end of this internship. Usually our gatherings are quite small, no more than 5 or 6 people besides the leader. The nuns who run this agency cum coffee shop are open and friendly, and appreciate poetry as much as scripture. They’ve taught me much about interfaith interaction, living with an open

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-18309814496656083132009-04-15T10:39:00.013-05:002009-04-15T11:27:45.589-05:00

I've been contemplating prayer a lot during my internship. I think this picture represents what many of us envision when we think of prayer. Someone with folded or clasped hands, maybe a bowed head, reciting a memorized prayer as part of a liturgy - or quietly praying to God as s/he envisions the divine. I recently facilitated a class on reclaiming the positive aspects of our religious past.

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-73783111445532986802009-04-08T14:23:00.004-05:002009-04-08T14:38:46.167-05:00

(Like Ms. Kitty I'm participating in a Good Friday service where each clergy person is offering a reflection on the Seven Last Words of Jesus. My homily is too long to post here, but the prayer is below.) …Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-53212171671317151362009-04-01T13:33:00.001-05:002009-04-08T14:22:55.952-05:00

***The Jesus in Love blog referred to at the end of this post is running the Passion artwork for Holy Week again. I don't know if this is new art or a rerun of last year's - but I recommend it to you all!***...so it's time for some "Passion of the Tchotchke!" (Besides, things have been way too serious around here...)See the most amazing (well, some are amazingly hideous) Holy Week "art" here.

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-51738535089843581072009-03-30T15:26:00.000-05:002009-03-30T15:26:14.027-05:00

A blogging pal posted this, because these over-the-top fanatics protested in her community on the date shown. (You know, it hurts my heart to post the link here, this group's activities are so offensive to me.)They protested outside my seminary, too. This seminary is liberal and Christian, (disclaimer - I am unabashedly liberal, but I don't call myself Christian) and teaches us to discern for

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-46751397765596022422009-03-18T18:14:00.004-05:002009-03-18T18:26:37.203-05:00

After lighting the candle with this gatha from Thich Nhat Hanh,In the garbage, I see a rose.In the rose, I see the garbage.Everything is in transformation.Even permanence is impermanent.I shared the first reading.Reading 1 (Deena Metzger, “Leavings” for Sister Cao ngor Phuong):From Prayers for Healing, edited by Maggie Oman, 1997I want what is left:The tea leaves, the soiled images on cards,The

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-57193481809166360272009-03-09T11:37:00.006-05:002009-03-18T18:14:20.964-05:00

March 16, 2009Ms. Kitty posted at her blog about the joys of blogging. I started to comment there, but realized quickly that it was just too long. That was awhile ago, which tells you how busy my life is right now! But, I've been thinking a lot about blogging lately - mostly because I don't have much time to actually blog - and wondering whether it's worth the effort.Well. There are people I

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-78990612716207589512009-02-19T13:35:00.004-06:002009-02-19T13:53:56.255-06:00

Starry Night NebulaIt was my turn again to lead noonday prayer at the center down the street. Here's what I said/did:Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson opened his prayer at the inauguration festivities for President Obama with the address to the "God of our many understandings." Coincidentally, the adult group I lead once a month considered different ideas about the holy at our last meeting, and

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-73662250871754622502009-02-18T17:26:00.004-06:002009-02-20T19:34:28.907-06:00

**UPDATED**...because I'm a romantic fool. Yeah, it's a commercial, but it's very well done! It reminds me of a meditation written by the late Rev. Elizabeth Tarbox, "The Wedding," which is in a collection I have at home. I'll post the book title later - but I think it's something like Evening Tide..."The Wedding" - By Elizabeth TarboxI stand before two men who are facing each other.Their

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-50256262714696022682009-02-16T15:25:00.005-06:002009-02-16T15:54:18.475-06:00

Just a few random notes about love, Valentine's Day, Freedom to Marry week, etc. ... I subscribe to "alerts" via CNN on a few issues (and obituaries), and this link was in my email box today: Soap features daytime TV's first lesbian wedding. Apparently, "All My Children's" broadcast today included a wedding between two women as part of an ongoing plot line. I could wish they'd scheduled the

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-61053472902422720382009-02-13T16:09:00.005-06:002009-02-13T16:34:48.918-06:00

While on internship, I've had the opportunity to interact with other clergy and people in religious life through interfaith and ecumenical groups in the area. This is an area of ministry about which I was quite ignorant before this - and I have to say some experiences are better than others.One of the good experiences has been getting acquainted with a group of nuns who live at a retreat center

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-27007398713300919172009-02-13T16:04:00.003-06:002009-02-13T16:08:37.074-06:00

Since I love coffee, I decided to take a factual quiz about java at the MSN Encarta site. Unlike the fun quiz sites there's no code to post at blogs - and no fun graphics... But here's the quiz (and a graphic from somewhere, via Google Images). Enjoy!Encarta Morning Coffee QuizMy score was 6 out of 10 correct = "Warming Up."

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-56294034760009905442009-02-12T10:58:00.004-06:002009-02-12T13:16:34.278-06:00

Warning: This is a long post. Go do what you need to do - get a beverage, whatever - and settle in...I generally don’t post sermons. But parts of this blog post are extracted from a sermon I gave a couple of years ago. Originally written for a preaching class, it was polished and delivered publicly in response to my home state putting a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on the

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28229109.post-81176112237342833762009-02-11T06:42:00.002-06:002009-02-11T06:50:19.919-06:00

It's Freedom to Marry Week - and both the Freedom to Marry project and the UUA are promoting the rights of every person to marry the person s/he loves. You can read more at Freedom to Marry or at the UUA website.Here's a poem I plan on using in worship this coming Sunday for a service on love and justice:It happens all the time in heaven,And some dayIt will begin to happenAgain on earth -That men

Earthbound Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042611502142798184noreply@blogger.com0