dual personalities

Well, we got our act together on Saturday morning and daughter #3 came over loaded down with gear and the wee babes. We walked the few blocks to the Greentree Parade and set up our camp chairs along the perimeter in our favorite spot for 20 years.

The active little bud actually sat on my lap for an hour and a half watching the parade. I refused to share. Lottie slept in the stroller

and then sat on a quilt with her mommy until the OM finally grew impatient and secured her on his lap.

She was okay with that. A schmoozing RC priest on the sidelines asked if the OM was her great-grandfather. Zut alors! How to win friends, right?

At church on Sunday, the scripture lessons were all about forgiveness. Our “Rector Emeritus” gave the sermon and it was rather weak I thought. He never mentioned the great first lesson from Genesis, which tells the story of the wonderful Joseph forgiving his terrible brothers, and only touched on the gospel (Matthew 18:21-35–“seventy-seven times”!) Ministers never want to touch the end of this story with a ten-foot pole and it is frequently left out altogether.

“…Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother and sister from your heart.

Yikes, forgiveness is a hard thing! But Jesus makes it clear that it is important and necessary and not optional.

Our rector reminded us to read and then pray the Prayer for the Oppressed (#36 in Prayers and Thanksgivings, BCP) this week in view of the protests that are going on in our flyover city.

Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this
land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as
their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to
eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those
who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of
us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I intend to do this. I was glad that he pointed to the Book of Common Prayer as a resource in times of trouble.

After church I bought a copy of the the Rector Emeritus’s new book–My Life Under the Big Top, Reflections of a Comic, Clown and Priest. I’ll add it to my stack of books at home.

Meanwhile I am reading Call the Midwife, which has been kicking around at home since I brought it home from the giveaway basket at work. It is really good! It is the memoir of a young English women who moves into a convent (Anglican nuns) and trains to become a midwife in post-war London’s East End slums. I am learning a lot.

The boy was unable to attend the parade with us because he was working in his store. But we got a bonus visit from the boy and his wee family on Sunday night. It was good to see our hard-working son and feed him tacos! (Check out my instagram for a video of the bud’s latest talent discovery.)

Have a good week!

*Romans 14:8