What I've Noticed

...about weather in Minnesota:
that you either feel like you're living the life of a character in A Streetcar Named Desire or a character in Dr. Zhivago.

This month it's been like the former.

First Dibs

Sis came over this past weekend a brought us a box of these fun new things (in mint!)

They rock!

Oh, What a Beautiful Play!

OK, not exactly beautiful - but quite delightful, nonetheless.

Dear husband has spent many, many evenings this spring and summer in rehearsal with our local community theatre's production of Oklahoma! He landed a role in the chorus this year: Zeke Hofer (the handsomest farmer of the bunch!). He's had such a good time doing these summer musicals for the past couple of years - I'm glad he's had these opportunities to flex his creative muscles a bit.

I was most impressed with the quality of the overall production and particularly with the vocal and acting abilities of the 4 leads (Curly, Lorrie, Will, and Ado Annie). Each of them had a different quality which made me think, at various times during the performance, that each was my favorite.

I love when that happens.

The Cross Around My Neck

Here’s a photo of the cross I wear which I received at my Chrismation – a gift from my sponsor. All Orthodox Christians are given a cross on the day they are received into the Church. Some wear their cross all the time, and some do not. Some wear their cross outside their clothes, some inside.

I wear my cross inside my clothes not because I am ashamed of it - I’m not. I treasure it. But one reason I wear it hidden from view is to protect it’s image from the likes of mine. That is to say that if I wear it for all to see, like some sort of a bumper sticker, it says to the world, “This is what an Orthodox Christian looks like. This is how a Christian acts and speaks.” All too often I don’t act or speak in a Christ-like way. Often I’m not a very good spokeswoman (in words or actions) for Christianity… so perhaps it's best to keep my cross hidden so that my own image does not tarnish it’s image to the rest of the world.

Lord, have mercy.

Speaking of Crosses

Here's an article I read during my lunch today:
http://merecomments.typepad.com/merecomments/2007/07/cross-what-cros.html

Do I ever know where this guy is coming from! I might compare some of his concerns to the beefs I have with my former tradition's "recently-published-nu-cranberry-colored-primary-worship-resource."

Is it fair for me to whine about that new book when I'm not even a Lutheran anymore? I'm not sure, but I still have to use the book at work, and there are alot of Lutherans I know and love who are stuck with it as well.

But whether it's fair or not, it's my blog and I'll whine if I want to.

It's Not Bling

On February 11 of this year I was, by the grace of God, received into the Orthodox Church (the picture on the blog header was taken at my Chrismation).

Younger Son came to talk to me the other night while I was working on setting up this blog. He saw the picture on the header and said “Hey, that’s you!” I asked him how he knew it was me and he said, “That’s your ring!” (this one notices everything).

I received the ring over 20 years ago when I began to serve the Lutheran Church as an Associate in Ministry. I've worn the ring all these years as a reminder of that day and of the nature of my work, and also to remind me of my Christian calling to a life of “faith, hope, and love,” - a calling which belongs to all Christians from the day of their baptisms.

I contemplated taking the ring off before my Chrismation, but decided instead to leave it on. It continues to be a reminder of my calling to the Christian life, but more than this, it has also become an important reminder for me to be grateful for my former fellowship … grateful to God for the gift of the church in which I received baptism, and which nurtured me for the first half of my life – grateful for the church which led me to the Orthodox faith. So I continue to wear the ring.

On the same day the picture on the blog header was taken, I received another such reminder. This one is not worn on my hand, where it is visible, but around my neck and under my clothing, where it's not visible. Though I can't see it, I am always conscious of it. It, too, is a reminder to me of who and whose I am, but it's also a reminder that a life in Christ is a calling to take up our own crosses and follow.

From Orthodox.net

"Why do we wear a cross?
The Cross is the first and greatest Christian sacred object. When the priest sanctifies water, he immerses the Cross in it, and the water becomes holy. When we wear the Cross on our breast, our body constantly touches it, and from this touch it, too, is sanctified …
… One ought not to look upon the Cross as some kind of jewelry like a bracelet or brooch. The Cross must adorn our soul and not our clothing, and must constantly remind us that we are Orthodox Christians, called to live according to our faith, which is founded on the Savior's sufferings on the Cross."

I'll say more about this later ...

Transposing

trans•pose
Pronunciation: tran(t)s-'pOz
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): trans•posed; trans•pos•ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French transposer, from Latin transponere (perfect indicative transposui) to change the position of, from trans- + ponere to put, place –
1: to change in form or nature;
2: to render into another language, style, or manner of expression;
3: to transfer from one place or period to another, to shift;
4: to write or perform (a musical composition) in a different key;