Tall Tales from Kansas

however that quote/bible verse goes

At the prairie meadow worship service on Sunday there were vines for swinging among the trees. There were flowers sharp and soft as well as flat and furry. They came in singles and multitudes.

Bunnies bounded, snails crawled, spiders spun.

Sunbeams crossed paths and the green fragrances of dill and cedar mingled together. And even though I had nothing to do with creating it, I looked upon it, and it was good. Or however that quote/bible verse goes. 

because the Holy Ghost suggested it

On Sunday morning at the church of the glassy river, the wild honeysuckle smelled sweet. The train whistle sat in for the organ, and the sermon that played in my head went in many directions.

There were two other congregants in attendance. At this church there are no start and stop times. Services are conducted at the will of those who enter and last as long as needed. 

After the closing hymn, instead of going to the basement for doughnuts and coffee I skipped over to La Prima Taza for a latte. As an afterthought I had the barista add a shot of brown sugar cinnamon syrup because the Holy Ghost suggested it. He appeared to me in the form of a dinosaur cleverly added to a garden beside the house on Tennessee street where I had parked my car. 

True story. 

the trifecta of of holy water, frankincense, and myrrh

I do NOT engage in political discussions on this blog. BUT, I am going to have to respectfully insist that those responsible for overturning the Kansas governor's ban on gatherings of larger than 10, on the basis that it is a violation of religious freedom, please instead go to church - instead of coming to the hospital if they become ill. 

Those of us on the front lines of the pandemic, who have witnessed the death of individuals whose illness can be traced directly to contact from a church gathering, can not understand the logic behind politics as usual. Not in the face of science and the evidence that social distancing will help decrease illness and death.

While I can not enforce it, I would like to absolutely insist that those individuals who insist on attending services and not following social distancing guidelines, who subsequently become sick and infect countless others, shelter at home and utilize the trifecta of holy water, frankincense, and myrrh and forgo standard treatment with hospitalization, oxygen, and perhaps an opioid.

If this seems harsh, and I realize it does, please imagine your sister, brother, spouse, or child as one of the ICU providers I witnessed this week working tirelessly, at tremendous risk to themselves, to resuscitate a patient who ultimately died.   

Thanks for allowing me to rant. Just a bit. 

P.S.  in case you hadn't heard what our legislators have been up to - read about it here.

P.P.S.  I also want to say that the vast majority of religious organizations in this area, have already cancelled services voluntarily.

it was me and the trees and the breeze

This Sunday, since all my usual places of worship (the churches of the holy bean aka my favorite coffee shops) were closed, I found myself giving thanks at the sacred spots shown below.  

All of these photos taken very early Sunday morning, when no one was about, it was me and the trees and the breeze. Spiritual uplifting accomplished. 

P.S. For the foreseeable future it seems that I will be going to the Blackjack Coffee House, luckily there is both indoor and outdoor seating, they serve a robust dark roast in most excellent mugs, and I don't have to drive to get there. 

"church" at my favorite coffee spot downtown

Happy Sunday, from Kansas, where I just got done planting a Rising Sun Redbud tree. 

I had someone else plant the last 2 weeping cherries that have both ended up dying in that spot, and decided maybe I should just take matters into my own (capable) hands.  

When that was done, and after Marco Polo'ing my sisters, and sending Mary Joan a text about my accomplishment, because listen... one must announce one's personal moments of excellence to those who understand these things... I sat in the chair above and read the Sunday Review section of the NYT, where I discovered this article. This line in particular "...If in doubt, snuff me out" made me want to jump over to Mary Pipher's house (the author) and give her a double high five. I would give my eye teeth to have come up with that line. We have all got to learn to talk about the fact that we are dying. Well written pieces like this help normalize death as a part of life. A part that we are all heading towards. I like hearing others beliefs about what happens after we die. Some offer hope, others seem more hogwash than anything else... and yet, to each her/his own. 

Earlier in the day, I bolted out of bed so I could fill my favorite hours of the day with double the activity since we "sprang forward an hour" here in the US. My reward was a lovely sunrise followed by "church" at my favorite coffee spot downtown.

It never gets old. Time to think about the best/worst/most/least memorable moments of the past week feels like a worthy use of part of the day. Plus, I'll always choose a latte over communion wine , AND today there was a German Sheppard puppy at mass. I am pretty sure God laid on the floor and kicked her feet up with delight over that. 

even though I have no way to give you pot pie to go with them

At the September meeting of the Quails we drank wine and beer, celebrated a birthday, talked about what Nancy was going to be wearing to her daughters wedding this month, and then the discussion totally jumped the tracks when someone said "what about the Catholic Church?"

At which point we all let loose with our individual feelings.  I should say that for me personally, having 2 glasses of wine, always greatly loosens any sense of decorum I may at one point have had, and results in public use of my salty sailor vernacular.  If any of you Quails are reading this, know that I am trying to work on this, though you would not have noticed any improvement during this discussion. 

When it comes to discussions about the Catholic Church I can get pretty hot headed.  This latest report on child sexual abuse in Pennsylvania is no exception.  I think at the very heart of my anger is my perception of the lack of women involvement in the highest levels of an age old institution run by men. You should know that it frustrates me beyond belief that in this day and age there are still not women priests in the church.  When I read responses from the church to this report that say "the Catholic Church of today is not the same" as the one when this child sexual abuse occurred and was covered up, every instinct within me wants to shout "THE HECK IT's NOT!"  

I don't know why I felt the need to express my opinions about this topic today.  Maybe because of my dream the other night where someone told me I had the chin of a nun?  Dottie I wish you could have been at our Quail dinner to lend your thoughts and expertise on this issue.  As it was, it felt right to be talking about this out loud, in public, and have the waitress chime in with her opinion as well.  

The beef and mushroom pot pie with an incredibly flaky crust stood up quite well to the discussion by the way.    I hope any of you reading will add your thoughts on the subject, even though I have no way to give you pot pie to go with them.  

P.S.  in the name of full disclosure I consider myself to be an "enlightened catholic"

every kind of good you want to feel after a spiritual connection

This past Sunday I went to services at the "Church of the Next Door Neighbor Cat".   I was just going for a simple walk, but then I started to pray that I would see a cat.

And lo, one appeared.  So I took it as a sign to stay awhile. 

There was singing and petting and hugging and they put that whole "sign of peace thing" from regular church to shame. 

As I was leaving I felt uplifted, inspired, better about the state of the world in general and mankind in particular, in other words every kind of good you want to feel after a spiritual connection.  I like a church you can wear shorts to.  One where you can hear birds singing.  And don't get in trouble for talking.  Even in a ridiculous high pitched cat loving voice.