All the things I forgot to do (OK, not all)

It would appear that I have forgotten some follow-up on recent blogging issues. Imagine that.

The Tennebrae service was well-attended considering it was our first year trying it. This is a service about darkening: night falling, acknowledging evil, considering the darkest hours of life. We held the service in candlelight and as the service progressed candles were extinguished. The service ended in complete darkness and silence.

My partner in ministry brought this service with her. I particularly liked that the service does not attempte to resolve the issue of evil or wrap it up neatly. Evil is represented through newspaper articles from the past year. Each article is read by a different volunteer, whom we did not ask ahead of time. Articles were about local, national, and international incidents, wars, violence, abuse, and neglect. The different voices in the darkness added another dimension to the service. Response was positive in a "Wow, that was deep. And dark." sort of way.

My Daddy is out of the hospital. He is weak and has an abundance of complications, however, none are life-threatening. This made Easter particularly meaningful for me. Winter to Spring, death to life, sorrow to rejoicing. It's not my holiday, but I finally get it.

Fabulous Uncle Dan returns to FL. Booooo. The only drawback to my father's recovery is my uncle felt like he could resume his normal life at home with his family. The nerve. I miss him already.

Spring reverie halted by freak April snowstorm. This is Virginia, and Central VA at that. To have our first decent snow of the year in April... well, I had to call my sister to make sure I hadn't lost my mind. My sleepy first thought was, "Slurpees fell from the sky." I took some REALLY great photos for the blog. I have absolutely no idea where the disc is. So for you, it might snow in June.

Computer dies on Good Friday and is resurrected on the Monday after Easter. Freakish but true. That's why I've been out of touch. Good to be back. Kids are on Spring Break so I will have nothing but GoGurt, SpongeBob, and hotel pools to blog on until then. For your sake, I'll probably refrain from blogging.

Peace out, y'all.

Tennebrae Service Friday at 7PM

We will have our first Tennebrae service tomorrow at 7PM. This service combines Christian history, the natural darkening of the end of day, candlelight, silent meditation,and reflection on the human capacity for evil.

My partner in ministry is leading this service and it is one she brings to our congregation for the first time. I am honored to assist her and it will be my first Tennebrae service.

This is a deeply moving service, but it is not appropriate for children.

Richmond in April - the snow is pink

This lovely photograph by E.M. Jones shows the Memorial Garden at our church. Once a year it snows pink in the Memorial Garden with blossoms from the flowering trees. Now perhaps my blogging friends across the country and in Canada see why I've been transfixed by Spring in Virginia. Our congregation is unbelievably fortunate to have this beautiful garden smack dab in the center of the city.

More Rites of Spring

Naturally, moments after I have posted my Guy Wonders inspired musings on the rites of Spring I visit the Incredulous Traveler and get a great zing on his. So if you are interested in the Passover side of things, as I am, go read his Passover/Matzoh/Industrial Revolution post.

Bring on the Sacred Spring

I have been perusing blog central for the mundane and sacred rites of Spring going on across the continent. Oddly enough, the ever droll and subtle Guy Wonders was the most inspirational to me with his quiet yarn about the men of his neighborhood heading for their first iced capuccino of the year. ("The More Things Change", March 29)

Round here we did it with Slurpees.

Dearest friend Seth came down on a break from his final semester in law school. Seth is an unfaithful but revered friend in our house. He started as my friend (let the record show!) Then my husband adopted him and made him his intern. Then our son stole him (maybe Seth isn't the unfaithful one after all...), renamed him Silly Seth, and... well, let's just say that Seth's visits have become long and complicated as he diplomatically attempts to have a grand ole' time with each of us. But I digress...

Slurpees, Seth, and Summer go together for us. It is a tradition for 7 years of my friendship with him, and my son has been part of the deal for at least two years. We don't plan it, but when the temperature gets to a certain point, we find ourselves together and on a mission.

Seth rolled up on his motorcycle this past 70+ degree Friday afternoon looking way too slick to be walking into my house. Good man that he is, he eagerly dumped the stud factor, jumped in our carseat crowded car and headed off to 7 Eleven for the world's best non-alcoholic, caffeine and nutrition-free beverage: the Slurpee.

I really love a Slurpee. When teaching Exodus in my Bible class I always describe manna as Slurpees from heaven. In my younger years, I tested the worthiness of my dates by their affection for Slurpees. I'm not sure I could have survived the final trimesters of my two children without Slurpees. (Summer babies- what was I thinking?!?!) I REALLY love a Slurpee.

I'm reading Eliade's The Sacred and the Profane at the moment which is coloring how I view many of my daily tasks, affections, and affinities, and how we practice our religion. His term "hierophany" immediately came to mind as we all had our first Slurpees of the year. Eliade uses this term to describe the moment of revelation, the transformation of a moment from profane to sacred.

There was a powerful hierophany in the car when the Slurpees arrived. Seth had the Coke version (which he will tell you is the ONLY flavor.) Little Man went for the cherry. Daughter Louie had a mini-banana, and I, of course, had a mixed banana and cherry, because deep down I am still 16. I passed out the Slurpees and Little Man gave the straws which had each been chosen with the imbiber's favorite color in mind.

As I handed Louie hers, I realized that this was her first real Slurpee and, after a brief moment of New Age mama panic at giving my beautiful tender offspring a concoction of pure chemicals, hierophany descended. Louie looked positively beatific with her apple cheeks, chubby fingers, and hot pink straw. Slurpees make a terrific texturized sound as they shimmy up the straw, and the car was reverberating with the Spring Slurpee shimmy. As we rolled off with windows and sunroof open, Lucero playing on the stereo, and each of us enjoying the full mouth experience that is a Slurpee, I thought - this is celebration.

I hollered out, "First Slurpees of the Year!"

"Woo hoo!" "Yay!!!" They hollered back.

And for the benediction, my son showed me his Slurpee dyed scarlet tongue.
Amen.