Word Wednesday - Fusty

fusty
 \ FUHS-tee \  , adjective;
1.Having a stale smell; moldy; musty.
2.Old-fashioned or out-of-date, as architecture, furnishings, or the like.
3.Stubbornly conservative or old-fashioned; fogyish.

Fusty - Age had formed him into a fusty creature, broken of body and spirit, totally unwilling to entertain even a hint of novelty or humor.

The Fire Pink Trio, Winston Salem, NC - January 31st

Pardon the convolution, but because of someone I know, who knows someone who plays classical music (at a very advanced level) with two other someones - I've discovered "The Fire Pink Trio."

Based right here in Winston-Salem, this trio of musicians brings a classical zest and tactical expertise to their music so pervasively that even untrained ears like mine can appreciate the beauty of sound generated by these women. You can hear and see some of their work on The Fire Pink Trio website.

What is more, you can hear them live on January 31st at The University of North Carolina School of The Arts, Watson Hall-Faculty Recital.

Sunday Coffee Cup - Noel

Sometimes we have to provide the meaning.

How many times have we sung, “The First Noel?” It is a wonderful, commonly known carol. You most likely can sing it from memory – tune and verse. If you need a little help, I’ll get you started:

The first Nowell the Angel did say
Was to certain poor Shepherds in fields as they lay.
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
In a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

If you remember it slightly different, you are probably right, as well. There are many versions of “The First Noel,” or Nowell . It makes sense, really, considering the hymn dates back to the early 18th century and has made its way through countless Christian and popular revisions.

Today’s Sunday Coffee Cup reminds me of the popular and often misunderstood carol. Do you know what “noel” means? Perhaps. Perhaps not.  Noel derives its meaning from a French word (which came from a Latin word) that means “day of birth.” So, we are singing about the day of Jesus’ birth. It is a little difficult to ‘get’ the meaning of Noel from my coffee mug this morning.

The snoozing teddy bear and children’s block letters spelling Noel are – well – where’s the Christ in that? This morning Christ is there all right, but not because of the secularized image on the mug. No. The Christ of this Christmas morning rises, like the steam from this mug, from the beloved family, friends and fellowship of my life.  So, today – I will take the time (amid the busyness and chaos) to savor the moments of the day. The unwrapping of gifts will be symbols of the greater gift we have all been given. The indulgence of the meals will remind me of the abundant table that Christ sets before us. The laughter and tears (for both will come today) will remind me of the intensity of a life lived trusting a higher power. And this little sleeping bear, resting unknowingly upon the very word that announces Christ’s birth reminds me that because of what we celebrate this day – all is well.

Merry Christmas, my friends. Merry Christmas.


P.S. As I post this, Bing Crosby just began singing "The First Nowell" on the Panadora Christmas channel. Perfect.

Sentimental, Cruel Father

Just a quick post. Don't you love the memories that you have hanging on the Christmas tree? Here's one of my favorites.

Yes, that's my now 20+ daughter and son dressed in matching outfits! There mother and I were cruel, yes we were. Aren't they cute?

Word Wednesday - Lucent

lucent  \ LOO-suhnt \  , adjective;
1.Shining.
2.Translucent; clear.

Lucent - Lucent may mean shining, but it just sounds wierd to talk about the Wisemen following the lucent star. #justsaying

Sunday Coffee Cup - Old World Santa

Christmas has already arrived in my cupboard! It is a household tradition that sometime shortly after Thanksgiving, the regular coffee mugs and many of the glasses get replaced by the “Christmas drink ware.”  It is always a small delight to open the cabinet door and be greeted by a bright, if cluttered, assortment of holiday mugs and glasses.

There are Santa mugs, snowmen (sorry, no snowwomen), decorated trees, and even an elf or two. We have a drinking glass set of the 11 days of Christmas (there use to be 12 days, but somebody dropped the Piper’s Piping – moment of silence please).

Today’s Sunday Coffee Cup is an old world style mug with a different sort of “Santa” depicted. Here in America, we have come to conceptualize Santa as a caricature of a short man as depicted in the old Coke commercials or the clay-mation special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  The Santa staring at me this morning is more of the old world variety. I like that.  He is depicted here as a taller, thinner man. His clothing is less cartoonish and more realistic. My mind reminds me that Santa is a larger phenomenon that what we do in 2011 in the United States. It reminds me that the gift giving, myths and commercialism really started as something else.

I can allow my imagination to let go back in time, following an imaginary path back to a real man, a kind, generous, self sacrificing man who lived – giving to the less fortunate because of the unfathomable generosity of his Christ. I can remember that there was once a real connection between the Christ of Christmas and Saint Nicholas. Then my fantasies expand and I follow the greatness of God’s love into other places and faiths, many nations and stories, countless traditions and beliefs as humanity struggles to unite around the truths of caring, self-sacrifice, peace, justice, kindness and a belief that children deserve more love and security than we have historically given them… my mind wanders and my heart both aches for more and fill with abundance of gratitude  that at least for the next few days we will once again gather around decorated trees, tinseled presents and faith filled hymns and remember – if only in a limited way – that God has come to us and we are better for it.

Meet Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

If you have been living under an internet rock, you might have not heard of Marcel the Shell with Shoes on. If not or if you have memorized every line - enjoy this delightful little video. Curious as to how this came to be? Then follow the link below the video to learn more about the SNL connection...





Rock Center with Brian Williams meets Marcel the Shell! 

Word Wednesday - Syzygy

syz·y·gy   [siz-i-jee]
noun, plural -gies.
1.Astronomy . an alignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet: Syzygy in the sun-earth-moon system occurs at the time of full moon and new moon.
2.Classical Prosody . a group or combination of two feet, sometimes restricted to a combination of two feet of different kinds.
3.any two related things, either alike or opposite.

Syzygy - The timing for this past week's syzygy made it hard to view the lunar eclipse from an east coast America location.

NOTE: Sorry for the delay in this week's post. I set the time/date for the schedule in correctly. It happens!

Parental Problems

Children hate it when their parents can't get along. So do I.

I wish Google and Apple would play nice. It seems they never tire of finding ways my Apple devices and my Goggle products DON'T work together!

Come on! I love you both! Give a kid a break!!!!!!

Sunday Coffee Cup - A Son's Gift

Frankly, I don’t remember if it was a gift on Christmas or one that arrived during the Christmas season, but it is a gift that captures much of what Christmas is truly about – simple giving in love.

My son crafted a Christmas coffee mug when he was a very young lad. He drew the picture himself on the side of the mug – a Christmas tree, two wrapped presents, and angel on the tree top - and then presented it to me. Every year when we bring out the Christmas decorations we replace our normal glasses and mugs with Christmas ones. His gift is always among them, and all season long I reach for that mug with great love and care.

This Sunday Coffee mug sits around reminding me that I am a most fortunate father, step-father and husband. It reminds me that we never know what act of kindness, no matter how small and ‘imperfect’ will remain permanently in someone’s life. It reminds me how quickly life can change and how important it is to enjoy each simple moment. It reminds me that taking time for a quiet cup of coffee and delicate reflection is important in the busy holidays. It causes me to hear the carols of children singing in church.

Mostly, I see that angel, perched atop the tree and hear an ancient voice speak a timeless message softly through thousands of years, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

Merry Christmas.

Poetry Re-Post: Entanglement

By the last micro thread of the spider’s web
Hanging
In a delicate balancing between desire to be free
From the casket of this cocoon
And to be safe from the fall to the ground

How came I upon this entanglement
But by little things, single threads of erroneous
Actions
Quiet discontentment resting feather-light
Clinging unassumingly to the sleeve of my façade

Until

Movement through my own self
Became hindered and slowly, progressed to
Halting proportions lost in one immobile
Case
Suspended by the last filament of my attachment

To you

(originally posted 1/9/09)

Word Wednesday - Suspension

sus·pen·sion   [suh-spen-shuhn]
1.the act of suspending.
2.the state of being suspended.
3.temporary abrogation or withholding, as of a law, privilege, decision, belief, etc.

Suspension: Enjoying the day while on suspension required Teddy to suspend the knowledge of the consequences of attempting suspended animation with a live frog and plastic.

Chuck Berry - My ding a ling

Somethings never get old...

Sunday Coffee Cup - Hospice

Being a pastor. Knowing a founder. Providing logoed hats and shirts. Watching my spouse volunteer. These are the many ways I have come to know the wonderful organization and mission of Hospice.

Our lives have many sacred moments. Births, marriages, rites of passage, countless first times and none more difficult than the sacred moment when we wait with someone who is dying. The demands of this ultimate moment in the culmination of someone's life impacts not only them, but every relationship they have. There is never enough energy of body, understanding of mind or depth of spirit for us to draw upon as we navigate such times. Hospice's mission provides assistance to families and individuals during the last days of a terminal illness.

This morning's Sunday Coffee Cup is from our local Hospice organization and was given to my wife as thanks for the support she has given as a volunteer. Speak with her about it sometime - you will know instantly what a wonderful service we have here in Forsyth county. Grasping the warmth and solidity of today's cup, I am thankful for Hospice.

Steve Jobs - Tasteless Humor

At the risk of premature tasteless humor regarding Steve Jobs:

Did you hear what Steve Jobs' last words were?




"iDead"