National Poetry Month, I have failed you. I'm sorry. The days have been SO busy, even during spring break. I have been attacking other things I need to do in the times that I'm not studying. Still, only half the list is done :(.
Love to all.
B
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Moveable Feast...
The timing of Easter is as follows: The first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox.
Odd superimposition of Christian observance overlaid on the Jewish Passover and then again upon the Rites of Spring (or something). But who cannot help rejoicing at the newness of the vegetation and the return of warm days and the Morning Chorus (I adore the LOUD morning chorus outside our apartment in the morning. Everyone is singing to beat the boat: Chicka Dee Dee Dee! Piri piri piri!"
We had a delightful Easter. I'll post pictures when Richie uploads them - morning egg hunt, afternoon egg hunt, and Easter dresses.
Richie and I were picked to "hold the elements" today at church. This responsibility entails walking up at the appropriate time and taking the pre-poured grapejuice and the bumpy bread and standing at the head of the aisle (Richie on his side and me on mine). We don't even have to say words over the elements, although I prefer when people do say words for me. It was my first time, so I settled on just standing steadfastly with my thumb buried in the end of the bread so it would hold tight when congregants tore pieces off. I figured I'd work words into the routine next time. But...there may not be a next time.
Everything went seamlessly at first. We caught our cue, we got the elements, we stood. We managed to keep the bread on the plate (so it was not a moveable feast today har har har). Just as I was beginning to get cocky and think this was not so difficult after all, things started to get dicey in my line. One of the people filing through my line is a man named Tom. Tom has been so incredibly nice to us since we started attending this church that when I saw him all smiley on Easter Sunday about to take the Lord's Supper, I just felt very emotional. And I started crying. My lip began trembling at the person after him, but the tears didn't start to pop out until several people after Tom. And, with my hands occupied with the elements, there was no wiping my tears away or hiding the fact that I was overcome with emotion. So I just stood there...crying and smiling and doing Lord's Supper.
I don't know what the people in line, most of whom I've never met or seen before since we are new to this church (and Easter turns out all the people who never come otherwise). Either they thought I was just like Imogene Herdman crying at the end of "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" or they thought I was unstable and possibly dangerous. I should feel embarrassed, I guess, but I don't. I have always cried a lot in church because I cry when I'm happy or sad or feel strongly about anything at all. Maybe there was a fellow crier in the line who was just glad it wasn't them.
Then, at the end, the Lord's Supper servers serve each other. So Richie and I went up and started to serve each other but we couldn't work out who would do what, and whose cup and bread we'd use, so there was a lot of shuffling and some holding dishes between belly and arm and at least one loud clink. We finally accomplished the task and took our seats. I have never seen anyone else get so discombobulated serving the Lord's Supper.
Then it was over and we left right away because we had to take Mazie to Nana and Poppy's for spring break. So we got no feedback, bad or good.
Richie's folks had made a lovely Easter meal, so we ate lunch and celebrated birthdays with a cake and then we dyed eggs and had an egg hunt. I say "we" loosely, because although I didn't actually take my flash cards to the table with me, I managed to study most of the time. I was present, but aloof with stuff in my hands. More on this strategy later when I have more time...there's another boring study methods post waiting in the wings.
We had a change of plans late in the game today. Mazie is on spring break with Nana and Poppy. We were taking Vivian home with us because her spring break was weeks ago, but then, when we were 10 minutes towards home, we felt wrong about separating the two of them. We decided to take Vivi back so they will both be with Nana and Poppy. It would have been okay to separate them, but they both looked relieved that they'd be together. They are often adversaries, but they adore each other and take great comfort in the other's presence when the chips are down.
No kids tonight and we feel weird. I worry about them compulsively, but I know they're in good hands...
So, now it's time for bed 15 minutes ago! I hope everyone had a delightful Easter!
Odd superimposition of Christian observance overlaid on the Jewish Passover and then again upon the Rites of Spring (or something). But who cannot help rejoicing at the newness of the vegetation and the return of warm days and the Morning Chorus (I adore the LOUD morning chorus outside our apartment in the morning. Everyone is singing to beat the boat: Chicka Dee Dee Dee! Piri piri piri!"
We had a delightful Easter. I'll post pictures when Richie uploads them - morning egg hunt, afternoon egg hunt, and Easter dresses.
Richie and I were picked to "hold the elements" today at church. This responsibility entails walking up at the appropriate time and taking the pre-poured grapejuice and the bumpy bread and standing at the head of the aisle (Richie on his side and me on mine). We don't even have to say words over the elements, although I prefer when people do say words for me. It was my first time, so I settled on just standing steadfastly with my thumb buried in the end of the bread so it would hold tight when congregants tore pieces off. I figured I'd work words into the routine next time. But...there may not be a next time.
Everything went seamlessly at first. We caught our cue, we got the elements, we stood. We managed to keep the bread on the plate (so it was not a moveable feast today har har har). Just as I was beginning to get cocky and think this was not so difficult after all, things started to get dicey in my line. One of the people filing through my line is a man named Tom. Tom has been so incredibly nice to us since we started attending this church that when I saw him all smiley on Easter Sunday about to take the Lord's Supper, I just felt very emotional. And I started crying. My lip began trembling at the person after him, but the tears didn't start to pop out until several people after Tom. And, with my hands occupied with the elements, there was no wiping my tears away or hiding the fact that I was overcome with emotion. So I just stood there...crying and smiling and doing Lord's Supper.
I don't know what the people in line, most of whom I've never met or seen before since we are new to this church (and Easter turns out all the people who never come otherwise). Either they thought I was just like Imogene Herdman crying at the end of "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" or they thought I was unstable and possibly dangerous. I should feel embarrassed, I guess, but I don't. I have always cried a lot in church because I cry when I'm happy or sad or feel strongly about anything at all. Maybe there was a fellow crier in the line who was just glad it wasn't them.
Then, at the end, the Lord's Supper servers serve each other. So Richie and I went up and started to serve each other but we couldn't work out who would do what, and whose cup and bread we'd use, so there was a lot of shuffling and some holding dishes between belly and arm and at least one loud clink. We finally accomplished the task and took our seats. I have never seen anyone else get so discombobulated serving the Lord's Supper.
Then it was over and we left right away because we had to take Mazie to Nana and Poppy's for spring break. So we got no feedback, bad or good.
Richie's folks had made a lovely Easter meal, so we ate lunch and celebrated birthdays with a cake and then we dyed eggs and had an egg hunt. I say "we" loosely, because although I didn't actually take my flash cards to the table with me, I managed to study most of the time. I was present, but aloof with stuff in my hands. More on this strategy later when I have more time...there's another boring study methods post waiting in the wings.
We had a change of plans late in the game today. Mazie is on spring break with Nana and Poppy. We were taking Vivian home with us because her spring break was weeks ago, but then, when we were 10 minutes towards home, we felt wrong about separating the two of them. We decided to take Vivi back so they will both be with Nana and Poppy. It would have been okay to separate them, but they both looked relieved that they'd be together. They are often adversaries, but they adore each other and take great comfort in the other's presence when the chips are down.
No kids tonight and we feel weird. I worry about them compulsively, but I know they're in good hands...
So, now it's time for bed 15 minutes ago! I hope everyone had a delightful Easter!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Sorry about the typos!
HA! I just re-read some former entries. Instead of going back to edit them, which would take more time, I'll just apologize for those past and those I have yet to make...I haven't been proofing. I usually type the entries standing up while brushing my teeth or something like that - one day I hope to return to a life that permits rechecking my work, but this month is NOT it! BEST!!!
Season of Poetry.
Favorite Justin Moore quote: "God didn't make ice cream so we could sit around not putting it in our coffee.)
Favorite Justin Moore flourish: "Clap! Clap-clap-Clap Clap CLAP!"
Favorite Justin Moore tradition: Observing National Poetry Month.
In honor, I will be checking Justin's blog to see what he has to bring to the poetry table and I will be posting some poems that I love as well.
In other poetry news, I just found out that a friend's poems have just been published in the New York Quarterly, and that's reason for celebration.
So, here's the meat and here are the bones:
Haiku by Basho:
Husking rice,
a child squints up
to view the moon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)