A Pie is Worth a Thousand Words

When it comes to meeting new people, I can rock it for all of ten minutes.  I'm good with names, and can come up with a few good questions to get some key details and information out of someone.  But put me with a stranger for any longer than ten minutes, and I'll start wishing I had a Smartphone, a magazine, or anything to draw the attention away from my inability to gab.

So with Call Day two weeks away, I've come to realize that I'll soon be thrust into a congregation full of strangers, and expected to talk to them.  I figure I'll be set for the first few Sundays.  Those early Narthex chats will be all about basic information, and I'll rock.  After that, my plan is to hand out pie.*  They'll forgive my speechlessness if I'm passing out homemade confections, right?

Mmmmmm, boy! Pie Heaven!

*You may be wondering why I would pick pie.  After all, it has a reputation of being finicky, and Pillsbury seems to be making a killing off everyone's fear of crusts.   I don't mean to brag, but merely state the facts.  I always rock at pie.  Always.

First Real(ish) Six-String

This is by far the coolest thing I've made for my kid.

Now if I can only get him to understand it's a "Guitar," not a "The Guitar."

He Is Not Here, He Qi

 

The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad,
The passover of gladness,
The passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
From sin's dominion free,
Our Christ has brought us over
With hymns of victory.

Let hearts be purged of evil
That we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal
Of resurrection light
And, list'ning to His accents,
May hear, so calm and plain,
His own "All hail!" and, hearing,
May raise the victor strain.

Now let the heav'ns be joyful,
Let earth its song begin,
Let all the world keep triumph
And all that is therein.
Let all things, seen and unseen,
Their notes of gladness blend;
For Christ the Lord has risen,
Our joy that has no end.

All praise to God the Father,
All praise to God the Son,
All praise to God the Spirit,
Eternal Three in One!
Let all the ransomed number
Fall down before the throne
And honor, pow'r and glory
Ascribe to God alone!

The Day of Resurrection, John of Damascus, John Mason Neale, trans.

Calvary, Andrea Montegna

What punishment so strange is suffered yonder!
The Shepherd dies for sheep that loved to wander;
The Master pays the debt His servants owe Him,
Who would not know Him.

The sinless Son of God must die in sadness;
The sinful child of man may live in gladness;
Man forfeited his life and is acquitted;
God is committed.

O wondrous love, whose depth no heart hath sounded,
That brought Thee here, by foes and thieves surrounded!
All worldly pleasures, heedless, I was trying
While Thou wert dying.

For vainly doth our human wisdom ponder—-
Thy woes, Thy mercy, still transcend our wonder.
Oh, how should I do aught that could delight Thee!
Can I requite Thee?

But since my strength will nevermore suffice me
To crucify desires that still entice me,
To all good deeds, oh, let Thy Spirit win me
And reign within me!

O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken, sel. verses, Johann Heermann, Catherine Winkworth, trans.

Really, this won't take long . . .

Isn't it interesting how when the internet is available, you can find infinite ways to spend your time doing really cool stuff that would have knocked the socks off your third-grade self, only to realize you haven't really accomplished anything at all?

Then, it's taken away from you for a week or two, and you have to find different ways to fill your time, and you realize you've accomplished more in one day than you did in all the other past weeks, and you wonder why you bother paying the internet company to bring the time-sucker back into your home.  But you do it anyway. And then you blog about it.

Or is it just me?