Where am I?

I dunno. Here I stand I suppose.
I have found myself so incredibly swamped right now that I'm not sure what end is up.
Work is in its busiest time right now. Church is crazy busy between confirmation, sunday school, anniversary planning and upcoming call interviews. Add to that the fact that IP will be gone for a couple weeks....and I'm leading worship midweek for those weeks (or trying to delegate one or two) and assisting with our supply pastors....must go sleep now.

Weird things. Six of them.

I was tagged by Scott so here I meme.

I had to think about this....but certainly not for lack of weirdness.

1. I have three alarms in the morning to get me up. First my tv goes off. I have it set to the local station with the most boisterious and annoying weatherman. That gently brings me from REM sleep. Second I have a 1970's repro, plug in, analog, real bell alarm on the other side of the room. That jolts my body. I jump up turn it off and get back in bed. I'm not up yet.....but I'm getting there. Third, my cell phone is set to go off making the sound of a foghorn and seagulls. THIS requires me to open the phone, and actually open my eyes wide enough, and focus enough to turn it off.....so I grab the phone from its charger...and hug it....continously hitting the snooze button on the outside....until something gives.

This is all helped by an annoying cat that is attacking the crap out of my feet. Yeah, I'm a nightowl.

2. If I have used any heat source in a given day, I must check at least 3 times that it has been turned off and unplugged before I can leave.....even if I KNOW that I've taken care of it. Thanks Mom.

3. I play the ukelele. Like, gigs...conventions....ukelele. Seriously. I have a couple custom made instruments and I don't want to tell you how much they are worth! :) My cheapest one is the one I use most lately...the biggest one....and me and the sunday school kids have a blast.
(anonymity alert....this is a dead giveaway re: RuthRE)

4. I don't have cable. I generally don't watch TV. I dunno, you may not find this weird.....but I can't participate in many lunch conversations at work...because I just don't watch it and that's all people talk about. I'm not AGAINST it...I just don't have time or the inclination. Maybe working in the industry briefly turned me off? I dunno. (I do have the broadcast channels through the cable company though...anntenae don't cut it anymore).

5. I refuse to wear socks from May thru September. If it's consistently above 55....my feet must be free. I can't stand keeping track of socks, making sure they make it through the wash with their mate....no. I've been on an intensive search for a shoe/sandal in black that I can wear to work this summer sans sock. In fact I'm headed to a store in a little while to try on some Crocs...I may order a special style/color online tonight. It adds a notch to my mellow level, it really does. When I was down in Tampa in Feb, my sandals came with me.

6. What is number six? I've just come to OWN my uniqueness man...hmmm

I have professional mascoting experience. (shhh)

Consider thyself tagged if thou hast not been already.

COTA

I just ordered this cd.




I had a discussion recently about contemporary worship. That I'm okay with it if it is done well. There are churches nearby that I don't think do it well. Everything that COTA does really gets my attention. I think that praise band (as I read in a comment...80's Happy Clappy contemporary) is what I tend to not like....and I honestly think its days are numbered as a preferred style.

Council meeting was tonight.
We elected new officers. Leadership changed. (phew)

I gave the call report. (we have a candidate)

The meeting was so full, I did not have a chance to bring up my candidacy.
I did inform the new chair (a good friend) about it though.

I. Am. Tired. Now.

The Big Mister

Mister Mister's pop Kyrie Eleison always seems to pop onto the canned music in stores that I find myself shopping at....at odd times in my life. Seriously it's interesting.....the timing is always after something really nice and reassuring has happened....and it's like a little sign....a little whisper of God saying "See, I've got your back".

The interesting addition to tonight's song....it came on right after an in-store promotion for "All is Forgiven" beauty products. Which...added a sort of Prairie Home Companion twist to it.

Big Yawn, Gonna Sleep Well Tonight..

Well...since I just got home a little while ago from visiting family...and it's too late to nap...I think I should post on Holy Week.

Hmm....um...it involved a seder, a baptism, some acolyte action, a tenebrae, some reading, much assisting, a vigil, preparation for it, lily pollen up my nose, breakfast, many pieces for today's service,........If I was thinking clearly over a week ago I'd have arranged to take Monday off.

Today (even though a little stressful) came off just fine. The service itself was built beautifully with song by the kids, choirs, soloists....with liturgy, with hymns, children's sermon. The torchbearers, cruficer, etc....did swell....we don't usually do the high church stuff....sometimes the kids don't even show up on their assigned day to do the simple acolyte bit.

My parents came. Breakfast and service. Everyone was thrilled to meet "RuthRE's Parents". My mother was saying "everyone...like EVERYONE was singing your praises"....well eek...thanks. Seriously, I feel like I skipped ahead to my intern year the way I'm running lots of things (especially service-wise) and people consult me...etc.

(next post, re: an argument I had with my brother on saturday)
anyway....

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

Re: ELW

Save any preaching, I'm as swamped as the real deal this week.

Question though....has anyone else noticed in the occasional copy of the ELW, a chunk of hymns missing? We've found this in a few hymnals...and I just discovered another one tonight.

#343, #94, #91

Hiya :)

I had a crappy work week last week....but a good weekend. Oh golly...and this week will be busy! I have some posts brewing including all of that....but for now....a thought on a hymn that we sang this Sunday:

My Song is Love Unknown....in your ELW's #343.
I didn't realize I knew this song until we warmed up with it in choir. My heart "sang out"....I knew this song/tune and loved it! So passionate and such real emotion!

Imagine my reaction when the rest of the choir responded with "what? what's up with that tune? it's wrong!" I couldn't understand them! How could they say this? This is a beautiful hymn that I've sung since I was a kid.....oh....of course...

The tune is #94 in LBW.....and it uses a different tune. A tune...that I checked out...and honestly...do not know.

Since I was a kid.....aha...well...it is #91 in Lutheran Worship....the LCMS hymnal that I grew up with. No wonder I was the only one who knew the tune!

Go ELW put-er-together-ers for picking up the good tune!