Rob & Laura's Wedding::The Preparations

•*¨*•.¸¸Click on the pic to make it larger¸¸.•*¨*•

♥ Melody

Almost Like a Fairy Tale::July 20

Today, I am editing pictures from Rob and Laura's wedding. I just finished this one; I love it.
♥ Melody

We are just walking each other home::July 19

Jeremiah 23:1-4
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

I have struggled with some religious issues throughout the past year. As I talked to my priest about a few of them (over and over, in different words every time, but ultimately about the same things), he suggested that I google "spiritual abuse". I thought that was harsh, but as I did, I realize that I have had some of those abuses happen to me. Without delving to much into the specifics, but staying with the general ideas, here is an excellent article.

Today in church, the scripture (above) in Jeremiah was read, as was Psalm 23, and Mark 6:30-34, 53-56.

David, our Postulant, gave the sermon. He said that as he read these scriptures, he saw that Psalms gave the example of a good shepherd, Jeremiah, a bad shepherd, and Mark, people without a shepherd.

He said that he had always thought that a bad shepherd would be no worse than no shepherd at all, but as he read the scripture in Jeremiah in preparation to the sermon, he realized that a bad shepherd can do a lot of harm.

I don't think that a shepherd sets out to "destroy and scatter the sheep of [God's] pasture". I think that it happens when we forget that the highest law is this:

Matthew 22:36-40
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I firmly believe that once someone feels loved and valued by God, just by their very existence, they will want to do good and be better people. You cannot be filled with God's love without it exuding from you, it's just the way the fruit of the Spirit works.

There is one thought that I hear over and over and over and over in the Episcopal Church that I love: God love you just as you are.

Bishop-elect Michael Curry said this in his sermon at the Episcopal Convention regarding the theme, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations."

"Max Lucado who’s a Christian writer says 'God loves you just the way you are, but he [doesn’t intend] to leave you that way.'"

"We are all different. Some of us are black, and some of us are white, some of us are brown, but I like that old song that says, 'Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.' I don't care who you are, how the Lord has made you, what the world has to say about you, if you have been baptized into Jesus, you are in the Jesus Movement, and you're God's. And therein may be the gospel message of hope for the world.
There is plenty of good room for all of God's children. For in the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me; as he died to make men holy, let us live to set all free, while God is marching on. Glory, glory hallelujah God's truth is marching on. Now, go!"

We are all responsible to be our brother's keeper. We all have the power to "destroy and scatter" God's sheep. We can each take a look at the spiritual abuse article to see if we are doing anything that may be harming someone's relationship with God (as far as the church can, anyway). Then we need to stop it.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf is one of my favorite religious leaders of our time. He reminded us to "Stop it." And he also reminded us of this great gem of advice:

"Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity." ~ Pema Chodron

We need to deal kindly and compassionately with our fellow travelers. After all, it is what God has told us to do.

♥ Melody

In God alone::A Sabbath Day Thought::July 12

♥ Melody

A recipe for the priestly potter's clay::July 10

Many people have many different opinions about what constitutes a "good" priestly formation. I have my own "recipe" for the "priestly potter's clay".It is this:

Take equal parts of intellectual stimulation, transformative pastoral care and a creative, imaginative spirit, add several heaping spoonfuls of challenge, a few healthy dollops of questioning and doubt, and several cups of tears and sorrow. Pour into a broken and contrite heart, mixing well with an abiding love for all of God's creation, and a deep passion for God's justice and mercy. Whisk together over some 'fire in the belly' for the painstakingly slow work of finding and creating the "thin spaces" in the world. Fold mixture into the intersection of the sacred and the profane, garnish with a keen appreciation for the absurd and sprinkle liberally with laughter and joy. Allow priestly potters to work with the basic clay mixture until shaped and formed to the glory of God.

I saw this on the Telling Secrets blog, and I wanted to be able to remember it for later.

She talks a bit about becoming a Priest. One part is that of "being called" to the ministry.

Apparently, "being called", can feel like different things to different people. I have heard three such stories since I've been at St. Mary's.

The first story was from my priest, Peter. He said that he didn't ever feel anything big, just a feeling that that's what he should do, and things kept working out, one after another.

The second was from Kiffer, a fellow parishioner at St. Mary's. He said that as a young man, he felt like he was supposed to be a priest. One day he googled it and found the LDS church. He joined that church and went on a mission, but things were lacking. In 2014, he found St. Mary's and attended on Maundy Thursday; he feels that someday he will be an Episcopal Priest.

The third was from Tim, who is a Seminarian right now. He said that he just always felt that he was supposed to be a Priest.

Then there is my own story. I went to church on and off through my childhood. I settled into the LDS church at 15 because I had a crush on a cute, very LDS boy. I loved church! I loved released-time seminary in high school. I loved talking in depth about religion and philosophy. I thought that the best thing ever would be to be a Relief Society President and have my husband be Bishop.

It is interesting the number of times I've been talked to about being the relief society president, or at least in the relief society presidency: 3.

Once by my bishop back when I was 22 or 23. I think he was starting to get dementia. He called me into his office, said that he was going to be calling a new relief society presidency and told me to pick my position. I told him that whatever the Lord wanted to call me to be, I would be happy to serve. When the presidency was formed, another lady who looked very similar to me (same hair style & color and same taste in dresses) was called to be a counselor, and I was called to nothing. Odd.

Another time, when my father-in-law was my branch president, he called me into his office. He told me that he thought I would be an excellent relief society president, since I'd had so many experiences in my life that would help me relate to the ladies, but he felt that wasn't what God wanted me to do right then. He called me to be the secretary.

Then, a few years ago, a friend of mine was called to be the relief society president. She said that she prayed about me being a counselor, but she didn't feel like it was the right thing.

Very interesting stuff, I tell you.

I still love theology. I still love thinking and talking about religion and philosophy. Do I feel like I've "been called"? Who knows. I don't think it is a one time occurrence, but a little niggling in the back of your head that one day you finally understand.

Plus, there are a great many things I'd like to be when I grow up! ;)
♥ Melody

26/52::Michael at the Ponds::July 4

A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2015

♥ Melody

Our 4th of July Celebrations

On the 4th of July, we wanted to do something fun, but we didn't want to be in the middle of a big crowd, so we went to Burraston Ponds.



Michael was nervous about sitting in the tube in the water.



But once he got in, he had a great time!



He finally talked Matt into taking him on a boat ride. (Okay, I did. Michael just kept telling me that he wanted to go in the boat with Matt.)



I love these boys of mine ♥



Afterward, we went to Michelson's and ate dinner and watched the trains. Michael loved the trains best :) Steve & Matt were totally spoiled and got steaks. I ordered cheese & bacon fries for Michael, and they were the tastiest fries I've ever had!!

Then, as it started getting dark, we went and found a spot to watch the fireworks.

It was a very good day.

♥ Melody

Thoughts on Eternity::July 5

As Steve & I were driving home from church today, my thoughts turned toward the complex message that the LDS Church has about Kingdom's in the afterlife. These kingdoms are taken very seriously, and of course, the Celestial is the one that most want to obtain.

When I was a member and I had teenagers, I realized that I never wanted to be a god - to be like God (that is the doctrine). If I went to the Celestial Kingdom, which I thought I did, I wanted to be the gardener - the groundskeeper, never an eternal parent.

Now that I have moved beyond the LDS Church, I am thinking that the kingdoms are created here on earth. We don't have to wait until the eternities to be part of those kingdoms. I also realized that the kingdom I want to be in is one where everyone is allowed and no one is held back. I am inclusive. I detest exclusion of ALL kinds. My dear LDS family members who are reading this are probably worried. Don't. If there really is Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial kingdoms, and if it is true that those in the higher kingdoms can visit those in the lower kingdom, even if I am in a lower kingdom, we can get together for Sunday dinner at my house. ;) No worries.

Anyway, back to my thoughts in the car. I want to be in an afterlife where all of God's children are welcome. Where all know of their worth and can feel God's love for them. When here, Christ didn't just associate with the ones that would have attained the highest of the kingdoms, but everyone.

I could never be happy somewhere that all aren't welcome.

I guess I believe that we are choosing and creating our kingdoms here. By who we associate with, who we worship with, and who we ourselves become.

I was led 9 months ago to the Episcopal Church, and I believe that it was by the hand of God that I was led there. I feel at home there. I love worshiping there.

God is kind and loving. He gives us just what we need when we need it. And for all of it, I am truly grateful.

♥ Melody

Presiding Bishop-elect Michael Curry::GC Closing Eucharist

I just watched this video, and I have to tell you that I am so excited to have him as our new Presiding Bishop. His message is funny and wise and powerful.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations."
"We are all different. Some of us are black, and some of us are white, some of us are brown, but I like that old song that says, 'Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.' I don't care who you are, how the Lord has made you, what the world has to say about you, if you have been baptized into Jesus, you are in the Jesus Movement, and you're God's. And therein may be the gospel message of hope for the world.

There is plenty of good room for all of God's children. For in the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me; as he died to make men holy, let us live to set all free, while God is marching on. Glory, glory hallelujah God's truth is marching on. Now, go!"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj_N3OsHxxo
♥ Melody