Remembering 9/11 (repost)

I posted this a year ago today, not long after I started blogging. I feel like it’s worth re-posting today as we remember the events of seven years ago rather than my usual randomness, silliness or ranting. Thanks.

It’s one of those defining questions of our time. Where were you when JFK was shot? Where were you when the Space Shuttle exploded? Where were you on 9/11?

I was at work that morning, listening to a CD so none of the news had filtered down to me yet. That’s when a coworker came into my office & asked if I could take the company van to St. Louis to pick up our plant manager. He had been dropped off the night before in order to catch an early flight, but before it could take off, all of the airports in the country had been grounded. I listened to the radio all the way up including a live report as the second plane struck. We drove all the way back, a good two and a half hours, in relative silence.

I had a town board meeting right after work, but when I returned home Leah & I spent the rest of the evening in the living room watching TV. Like most Americans; we couldn’t take our eyes or ears off of it long enough to do much of anything else. We watched the reports in a daze but had yet to feel any real impact of the situation. We were emotionless & numb. We had watched for so long that the channel we were tuned in to went off the air for the night. At that moment, in place of their usual sign-off, they showed images of an Eagle in flight as an instrumental version of “Amazing Grace” played softly. That was the moment our emotions finally broke. We simultaneously burst into tears. Sitting on the floor, holding each other, we cried long into the night. Every cell in my body trembled. Every nerve-ending ached. Every element of my being wept. It still hurts when I think about it today. 

That is the one moment from the day of those tragic events that I will remember the rest of my life.

Selfish Prayer

Is it wrong to pray for some decent weather on Friday?

We have a big day planned with family, food, games & a Southern Illinois Miners‘ baseball game… but they just keep calling for rain & t’storms!

Maybe the Catholics have a saint specifically designated for weather related issues. Like Stephen Colbert says, the Saints are like God’s customer service reps. That way you don’t have to bother the Big Guy with the small stuff, like finding your keys or not raining on your festivities! Surely there is one – there are over 10,000!

I just feel like a selfish heel praying for something as silly as that while there are people dying in wars & starving to death all over the world.

Maybe I’m just worrying about it too much.

Gloria… in te domine

In preparation for our Annual Conference later this week, I’ve been hitting the conference’s web site more often than usual to try to keep myself aware of anything coming up. But I was excited Friday when I noticed that the lead story had to do with my favorite rock band of all time, U2!

“The crowd exceeded their wildest expectations at Quincy Union UMC in Quincy (IL), when, in cooperation with Melrose Chapel UMC, they hosted the city’s first U2Charist.”

U2Charist is a communion service, or Eucharist, accompanied by U2 songs instead of traditional hymns. U2charist was designed by Sarah Dylan Breuer, a contributor to the book Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog. The first service of its kind was held in Baltimore, Maryland, in April of 2004. Apparently it has finally found its way into the United Methodist Church – and even into the Illinois Great Rivers conference!

It’s this kind of thing that renews my faith in our church… not really, but I really like it & it sounded like the right thing to say! :)

Plugged-In Papacy

I heard a story on the news this morning about Benedict XVI’s first US visit since being named Pope. They said that he is truly the first 21^st Century Pope because he has 4 email addresses & an iPod. (Pretty good qualifications I guess.) But it made me wonder; What’s on the Pope’s iPod? (I know, they said it was loaded with classical music & programs from the radio station that gave it to him, but I’m pretty sure we can come up with a much better playlist, can’t we?)

• Madonna – Papa Don’t Preach
• Old Crow Medicine Show – Fall on my Knees
• Mike & the Mechanics – All I need is a Miracle
• George Michael – Faith
• Journey – Open Arms

Help me out!

Monday Miscellany

One Shot, One Beer & a Kiss Before I Go

After watching this week’s Austin City Limits, which was actually a repeat from 2005, I can’t get Ryan Adams out of my head. Not that I’m complaining, there are certainly worse things to get hung-up on. But it was an amazing performance and I really wish the whole episode could’ve been devoted to that recording. 2005 was a big year for Adams in which he released three albums, Jacksonville City Nights, 29, and the double album Cold Roses. I love all three.

Don’t Get Too Much of a Leadoff

The St. Louis Post Dispatch reported this morning that the Cardinals starting catcher, and one of my favorite current members of the team, Yadier Molina, is now tied for fifth place among major league catchers in picked-off base runners. What’s amazing about that statistic is that all of the other catchers in that category, guys like Pudge Rodriguez, Benito Santiago, and Yadi’s mentor Mike Matheny, played a minimum of 13 seasons to get there. Molina is just one week into his fourth season as a full-time starter! The dude’s got mad skills! Even his brothers, who are both also major league catchers, have stated that baby bro Yadi is the most naturally talented member of the family.

I searched literally for like two minutes for a video highlighting Yadi’s first-base pickoff throw behind the runner; but alas, came up empty handed. Oh well. I could’ve searched for a few more seconds, but it’s Monday, it’s early, and I’m tired. You will have to live without it for now.

The Loan – The Loan – The Loan is on Fire

Six and a half years ago the people of our church built-on a bigger and more easily accessible fellowship hall that we, quite frankly, could not afford. A large sum of money had to be borrowed in order to build it obviously, and yesterday during worship we celebrated the paying off of that loan with a note burning ceremony.

Around the time that we decided that the addition was needed, we also adopted a theme – a verse from Mark 10:27 – “With God all things are possible.” We wrote it on the wall of the sanctuary. We printed it in our bulletins & newsletters. We added it to our website. We etched it on the cornerstone of the new fellowship hall. But most of all, we burnt it on our hearts. We have witnessed the fulfillment of that promise time and time again. We know it to be true. Indeed, all things really are possible!

Breaking News

Just in case you were wondering…

Lenten Prayer – Good Friday

Almight God,

we ask you to look with mercy on your family

for whom our Savior Jesus Christ was willing

to be betrayed,

to be given over to the hands of sinners,

and to suffer death on the cross;

who now lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

(Reprinted from the UCC Book of Worship.)

 

Thank you for allowing me to share with you these prayers throughout this season of Lent. Honestly, it was mostly for my benefit during my own Lenten journey. I feel like it helped me reconnect spiritually which I guess was the whole point of this exercise as I have been waning in that area of my life lately. So, for whatever its worth, Thanks!

Have a wonderful Easter and may God bless you and your families!

Lenten Prayer – Maundy Thursday

This is a wonderfully appropriate yet dark prayer for Maundy Thursday posted by Reverend Mommy in 2005, titled Tonight is a Night of Darkness. But Maundy or Holy Thursday really is a dark and melancholy day when put into the perspective of the Passion. And tomorrow is even darker. But it always gets darker before the dawn, doesn’t it?

Tonight is a night of darkness.
We gather it together like gauze and wrap our souls in it.
Tonight is a night of final things.
We gather together in the darkness and hold hands for one last meal.
Tonight is a night of water.
We gather together to cleanse and prepare.
Tonight is a night of tears.
We gather together and pray that the tears can wash away the betrayal yet
tonight is a night of betrayal.
We gather together to support one another, but one of us will destroy.

The cup comes to me at the table – the cup of the last meal
I will drink of it deeply and
remember all the good times; the teachings, the laughter, the love.
The cup comes to me at the table – the cup of new beginnings
I will drink of it deeply and
Hope that the new covenant will not hurt too much as it is carved on my heart.
The cup comes to me in the garden – the cup of my Father’s will
I will drink of it deeply after
I ask that it pass from me.
The cup comes to me as He is on the cross – the cup of bitterness
I will drink of it deeply even
If it comes in a form that is alien to me.
The cup comes to me tonight and I will drink.
I will drink deeply and enter into
Atonement with Him.

This is the dark night of the cup.
Dark is the wine, dark are the shadows, dark is my soul.
Together we enter into this night; we will leave separately in silence.
Can I be at one with Him? Will I stand watch with Him tonight?
Or will I too sleep at the gate?
Will I embrace and kiss only to betray?

Lenten Prayer – Week 6

Back when I studied Lectio Divina, a monastic practice of literally praying the scriptures, I learned that there really are no limits to the variety of ways that God can speak to us. My pastor at the time, who led the group, said that his most basic definition of spirituality is simply “paying attention”. If we open our minds to the possibility of God’s voice & pay close attention to Him – basically shut up & listen – then He could penetrate those obstacles & boundaries that we have erected and speak to our very being.

I don’t necessarily practice Lectio anymore, but I do still try to apply many of the principles to my prayer life & study; listening intently for God’s word. And there’s not a more appropriate time to do just that than Lent.

Here is the scripture passage I am “praying” today:

Psalm 130 (the Message)

 Help, God—the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help!
Listen hard! Open your ears!
Listen to my cries for mercy.

If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings,
who would stand a chance?
As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit,
and that’s why you’re worshiped.

I pray to God—my life a prayer—
and wait for what he’ll say and do.
My life’s on the line before God, my Lord,
waiting and watching till morning,
waiting and watching till morning.

O Israel, wait and watch for God—
with God’s arrival comes love,
with God’s arrival comes generous redemption.
No doubt about it—he’ll redeem Israel,
buy back Israel from captivity to sin.

I want nothing more than my life to be a prayer.

Amen.

Prayer Request

Please continue to pray for Devan (sorry I had it misspelled earlier). His outlook has worsened. He was put back into isolation over the weekend for Pneumonia & has now developed RSV (an infection in his lungs & breathing passages) and is coughing up blood. I fear that his little immune system is just shot right now.

I am not the kind of person that normally asks for prayers, even from my friends & family, but I feel a sense of urgency with Devan that’s just breaking my heart.

Thanks.

Lenten Prayer – Week 5

Prayer to make poverty history

Christ our Lord,
your light shines into the shadows,
and shows us where the obstacles to change lie.
We know that often they are in our own hearts,
in the way we live,
and in our daily choices and actions.

We pray that we may accept the light of your love
as a challenge to change ourselves and our world.

We pray that, each day,
we make the choices and take the actions
that will bring an end to poverty and hunger,
and lead us all towards a fairer world.

Be with us, Lord,
as we face your challenge
and learn how to live our lives in love.

Amen

© Linda Jones