It's not me, it's you, no, really. . . .

When everyone in your life (except you reading this I am sure) is doing annoying things that annoy you, you have to step back at some point and ask, is it me? Am I the one being too sensitive? Is it that I drank too much the night before? Is it lack of sleep? Stress? A vitamin deficiency?

What if you just come to the conclusion, that no, indeed it is just that they're all annoying.

My small group on Tuesday talked about why we fight. According to James, it's because we're selfish and worldly and war because we do not have and think that's how we'll get what we want. As you can imagine, James had a lot of negative things to say about it.

Paul faced with people fighting had this to say in Philippians 4:8-9: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I'll try to think on lovely things, I'll try to focus on being pure and hopefully it will help the storm cloud over my head blow over. . . .

Stocking Stuffers

So a friend found the following two links today while perusing the web. I thought I would post them here in case anyone was looking for a charity (I know they're so hard to find especially this time of year) or an extra place to spend some cash. Any of the places I volunteer for would love to receive these little gems.

gloves only: http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Boundaries-Unlined-Fleece-Glove/dp/B000XSJM5I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1194984581&sr=1-1

and then set: http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Boundaries-Ultimate-Fleece-Gift/dp/B000X8RFC0/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1194984581&sr=1-19

If you want to get them for my groups, you're welcome to send them to me (I can give you my address if you don't already have it). Otherwise, they'd be a great gift for any number of outreaches in your neighborhood too, I'm sure.

More About Food

We tried a new Arepa place last night, this one is far closer than Viva Mi Arepa way out in West Roxbury. It doesn't have the same family feel, but it's quite nice and very reasonably priced. I really enjoyed our trip there last night and recommend any of the plantain dishes and the empandadas (which come with an incredible salad). There was also an especially good arepa that had avocado and tomato and chicken and was cold -- my friend called it a Venezuelan chicken salad.

I can't complain about anything we got, it was all really great. Sadly, I ended the night with one of my crazy stomach aches that wakes me up in the middle of the night (the last really terrible one I had was when I had arepas the last time, I think I might be "sensitive" to something in their yummy sauce or in them). Sigh.

Don't let that dissuade you from eating there though, no one else had any ill effects and it is really good!!

Not with a bang, but a whimper

T.S. Eliot could have written the picketing that went on at the church. Terrible people that we are, my boy, my roommate and I all got up early on Sunday and trooped to church in plenty of time to see the picketers. Suzib and my boy both brought cameras. When we came up out of the train station, my roommate said "I SEE. . . .Paul?"

That's who was waiting there as we exited. Paul, a homeless guy who's affable and always at church on Sunday. There were also two policemen, two girls with a video camera and as we came out the head pastor came out of church and talked to aforementioned Paul. We joined Paul outside the church and various other pastors came out from time to time to see how the picketing was progressing -- one even had a camera. Eventually we all just went into the church.

What I find most interesting is that not only did the people who think we're too soft on gays not show up, but the groups that think we're too hard on gays who planned on counter picketing didn't show up and neither did the guardian angels who had said they'd come try and keep the peace. It's like they all got the memo and somehow we missed it.

To make the day more anti-climatic, we decided to go out for a nice brunch and ended up walking in a rather large circle and ending up at Kinsale, which was a disappointment to me. Then we took the train home and exhausted I collapsed into bed and slept for the rest of the afternoon. My boy made a nice chicken recipe from the NY Times which was perfectly comforting and for dessert I made some hot chocolate with warm milk. A nice calming end to the weekend.

Quick Poll

This poll is totally not for any real purpose, it does not affect my life at all (seriously, this isn't some veiled thing, where I am telling you in a round about way that I am about to elope or anything). I have a friend (a real living breathing friend with a name and everything even if I don't tell you what it is) who is deciding whether to have her wedding in Hawaii or in Puerto Rico. I know there are some strong feelings out there so I am wondering what people think would be better (either way you're not invited to the wedding and it really won't affect their choice since they're not really into popularity contests). I am just intrigued as to what you see as the benefits/draw backs to each place. Please post a comment with your choice (and the reasons for it).

This and that (again)

There's been some talk (you know, among perhaps two readers) that I haven't posted much lately. I pointed out that several of the blogs I know and love hadn't posted lately either. That, apparently didn't make it any better :).

I don't really have much to post about, I mean refer back to my multi-vitamin post. Last night in my small group we did draw/write what was on each of our individual plates (we even did it on fine chinet). I am not an artist (apparently everyone else in my group is, it was kind of amazing), so I simply wrote my plate. I wrote around the edges what I do each day of the week and then in a spiral all those little things that have to fit in somewhere. I was slightly dizzy looking at the plate, and I often feel that way looking at my life. When I was listening to some people talk about what's on their plate, I found myself getting jealous that they actually have a night set aside for laundry and grocery shopping. I also was relieved I didn't have some of their stuff on my plate. I mean a new baby, a pending baby, an entire church seeking answers from you. . . . It did make me think though.

Last night was also the night we celebrated God's bounty in a sort of harvest fest. We had cookies, pumpkin muffins (as requested) and full size candy bars. IT was a good night. The sermonette that was given was really powerful too. It wasn't so much a sermon as a group apology.

Two weeks ago someone who had met us on the common tried to come to church. He had felt accosted at the entrance when he was asked the name of the church and then his bag was searched. As a group, we felt frustrated at how little our church culture appears to have changed in nearly two years.

The guy speaking last night though, offered an apology. He apologized for the church that this would happen. On a separate note, he apologized for the planned picketing of our church this Sunday (as in he's sorry that it's come to picketing and so called Christians are so obviously missing the point of Christ's coming and that we can't get along). He apologized personally for people's names he got wrong week after week and for friendships that had become disconnected.

He apologized profusely and said he's only human and he's trying his best, but he knows he screws up and he hopes that everyone can accept his apology because he, and his church are trying the best that they can to live what they believe. I have really struggled with how little our church has changed and listening to his apology made me soften a little. It made me realize, we can't change what has already happened, we can only say we're trying our best and we definitely need the grace of God to come anywhere near perfection. . . .

In a perfect world, the church would welcome everyone with open arms --and we should and we're working on it, but we're also working through hurt, past problems, with computers that were flung, items that were stolen, trust that was broken. Just like in romantic relationships, sometimes that baggage adds up. The outreach team is probably a first step, hopefully, soon, we'll be ready for that blind date ;) -- you know, if in my stream of consciousness I haven't mixed too many metaphors.

Um, so yeah. that's about all that's going on in my life really.

Perhaps I'll post a Christmas list next, I mean if you're going to whine that I don't post, perhaps I should get something good out of it.