tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40101178846527167432012-02-27T22:29:54.020-06:00personal and professional musings from a Jesus-loving, center-right chica navigating life and faith in the ELCAElizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.comBlogger1411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-70214581054296093182012-02-27T22:29:00.002-06:002012-02-27T22:29:54.042-06:00

I've been struggling lately (ok, for a long time) with what, precisely, are the needs of a Christian.  Because on the one hand, Christians are humans.  We have a need for air, food, clothing, etc, just like non-Christians.  And Matthew 6:8 seems to suggest that Jesus knows that we have needs - and so does the Father!  But then there's all those verses about not needing food or drink once you

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-80211216299315160462012-02-21T08:14:00.000-06:002012-02-21T08:15:03.321-06:00

I'd been meaning to get to this third part for a while now, and Clayton (in the comments of Part II) inspired me to get to it "sooner", rather than "later."  I've had friends in town, and lots going on, so but anyways...here goes: My point with Parts I and II re: Church and Politics is not not not to suggest that Christians should completely remove themselves from the public square.  Far from it

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-27121424507604101872012-02-17T19:43:00.002-06:002012-02-20T23:11:13.214-06:00

Part I Eventually, though, you start to get a little tired, and a little hungry.  It occurs to you that perhaps you should change the sheets, even.  And for the first time since you stumbled into the bedroom that night, you start to look around.  You notice that Politics seems to be little more than a high-maintenance mistress.  All around you are the discarded remnants of Money, Alcohol,

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-36101588039723591532012-02-17T19:42:00.000-06:002012-02-20T23:11:01.176-06:00

Psalm 146 1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, my soul. 2 I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. 3 Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. 4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-66894293507501589602012-02-16T22:24:00.000-06:002012-02-16T22:24:40.238-06:00

So...my surgery last month went great, at least, as great as I guess these things can go.  Long story short, it's over.  My mom came up the day before, and we scoped out the day surgery center and the best route to get there.  The day of, we got there about 6 am, checked in, waited a long time...and finally got in.  I'm such a lightweight - the Ativan alone knocked me out.  I remember about a

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-78576192511770055462012-02-04T22:08:00.000-06:002012-02-05T13:56:56.018-06:00

There's an absolutely fantastic scene from Season One, Episode Five of The West Wing.  The episode is titled "Crackpots and These Women", and the scene comes toward the end of the episode.  The video is here (sorry, it won't let me embed it), and you should watch it. I was thinking about this scene this past weekend as a friend and I were doing the typical girly thing of talking about guys - and

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-12214795582061354102012-01-17T10:39:00.000-06:002012-01-17T10:39:03.004-06:00

...this ...is why I'm still pulling for The Newt.

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-16172891240112380662012-01-03T23:14:00.004-06:002012-01-03T23:16:22.015-06:00

Sshhh...don't tell anyone... But I kind of miss rural America and rural ministry. North Dakota was a good year, and I think I'm realizing more and more how much I liked it, and what I liked about it, as I have more time to reflect.  While I was there I was incredibly isolated, and I definitely didn't like that part.  There wasn't really anyone there that wasn't a parishioner, anyone that I

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-29927437763713056482011-12-29T01:56:00.001-06:002011-12-29T09:18:01.660-06:00

Yay, more surveys! 1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?  Walked a 5K, visited Mt. Rushmore and the SD and ND Badlands, sisters-only road-trip, preached an entire Triduum, went to Montana, took the evil BCP, made a quilt, visited Canada - lots of stuff! 2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I did a pretty good job with my "

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-77464560867833465992011-12-27T16:00:00.002-06:002011-12-27T16:00:49.040-06:00

Ooh, I love surveys! How many books read in 2011?Gosh, I really don't know because I don't keep track like that. Probably 25-30.  Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio? Almost all non-fiction.  Well...probably about 5 fiction, and the rest non-fiction. Male/Female authors? Definitely more male.  At least four female, maybe a couple that I'm forgetting.   Favorite book read? Uncle Tom's CabinLeast favorite

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-90455311041989654192011-12-21T12:55:00.003-06:002011-12-21T12:58:06.441-06:00

Aaand...just like that, I'm a believer in the "law and gospel dialectic", the "fruitful prejudice", if you will.  I've been taking a class on this very hermeneutic of life and Scripture, and the whole time, I've been a little...underwhelmed (as I mentioned here).  It just seems so black and white, like "this" is law, and "that" is gospel.  This person needs to hear "the law", that person needs to

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-45153171988698200582011-12-12T16:16:00.000-06:002011-12-12T16:16:03.845-06:00

Surgery scheduled for January 27th.  Yay! I mean...who wants to have surgery, right?  But...BC is clearly not an option for me, and the opposite of that, Lupron (take away ALL your hormones for 3-6 months and then slowly add them back in) sounds like an even worse idea. So, general anesthesia, dive right in there and take a look at the stuff (since it doesn't show up on ultrasound, MR, or CT). 

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-35822889617327074982011-11-30T21:46:00.001-06:002011-11-30T22:11:25.694-06:00

I am absolutely sick unto death of this need in mainline Protestantism (and apparently semi-liberal Catholicism) to keep referring to everything as "prophetic".  Every word we say and deed we do has become somehow "prophetic".  I actually think it's really arrogant and manipulative.  It's no different than when your average "spirit-filled" non-denom says, "God told me to tell you that....."  Once

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-1918389706931401512011-11-23T12:15:00.001-06:002011-11-23T12:34:30.103-06:00

I'm discovering this year that my tolerance-for-the-political seems to have swung back to a healthy medium.  After I got out of the game a few years ago, I kind of went cold turkey.  Aside from keeping tabs on a few local races that I cared about because my friends were staffing, I just dropped it.  I didn't really read anything about politics, I stopped watching the news almost entirely, quit

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-52087391888275488152011-11-16T21:59:00.001-06:002011-11-16T22:42:57.570-06:00

This post is dedicated to my friends who are struggling right now with everything that is "faith".  Seminary is one of the worst places to be if you want to have your faith confirmed, I'm convinced.  This weekend I had the luxury of going home to Gigantor Church, and I got to talk with my senior pastor for a few minutes.  He must have seen the distress in my eyes, because he said to me, "Keep.

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-77147246831364984942011-11-15T20:05:00.001-06:002011-11-15T23:41:36.624-06:00

Seriously, this stuff is awesome: There is a whole world which for various reasons is not yet or no longer attached to any religion, and certainly not to the Word of God, but obstinately boasts of its own sovereignty.  Yet we must not conclude too hastily that this constitutes a limit to the sovereignty of Jesus Christ and the power of His prophecy, so that true words are not to be expected on

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-16869237408569957712011-11-15T15:17:00.001-06:002011-11-15T23:43:41.091-06:00

The problem with saying that one "doesn't much care for Karl Barth's stuff" is that when one actually sits down to read "Karl Barth's stuff", one encounters gems such as these: From Church Dogmatics IV: To attest the Gospel in the world, there is serious though not exclusive need in both speaking and hearing of definite information which it is the duty of the community carefully to impart to

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-57078138975310930822011-11-04T20:52:00.000-05:002011-11-15T15:40:07.365-06:00

...or are Calvinism and Catholicism much closer to each other (in some ways) than either is to Lutheranism? Is this weird? Update: No, for real.  

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-56629505606122344622011-10-26T20:30:00.002-05:002011-10-26T20:33:55.108-05:00

I've always been a little weirded out by the idea of a "muse", you know the supposed spiritual-ish source of inspiration for artists.  I tend to associate it with paganism and fake spirituality - a fiction at best, a denial of God's glory and inspiration at worst. But lately I'm starting to wonder if there's somewhat of a truth to it.  I say this because I know that my own writing (for myself,

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-2721407368555025642011-10-09T19:43:00.001-05:002011-10-10T21:48:59.937-05:00

I've been superstressed out lately about some stuff, or maybe just letting myself get stressed out about stuff that's not actually that important. I think some measure of it is harassment from the devil, but some of it is just lack of faithfulness and confidence and hope on my part. But this is why it's so important to be grounded in the Word, in the actual text of the Scriptures, so that when

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-64437688126352258242011-10-07T16:19:00.001-05:002011-10-07T16:19:45.834-05:00

So, I've really been in a writing mood lately.  I could say more about why that is, but for the moment, let's just leave it at the fact that I'm in a writing mood.  I should probably be in a "studying for my Prophets midterm" mood, but I'm not.  I've really been digging St. Athanasius' On the Incarnation lately.  I read it a couple years ago for a class on early church history, and just read it

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-68175513842076532342011-10-07T15:39:00.003-05:002011-10-07T15:53:20.665-05:00

So I've really had it up to here with all this "Q" nonsense. "Q", which is the first letter of the German word, "Quelle", meaning "source", is the product of some scholarly idea about the overlap of certain Biblical texts.  According to the theory, the Gospel of Mark was written "first" (before any of the other Gospels), and Matthew and Luke basically stole from Mark and then embellished with

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-21046644998449993572011-10-05T17:17:00.002-05:002011-10-07T15:45:42.424-05:00

"I believe that many who find that 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand."  ~ C.S. Lewis Yeah.  This.  It's so hard to explain to people sometimes, the richness, and the spirituality, that I find in

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-69434460499244503692011-10-05T00:31:00.000-05:002011-10-07T15:45:56.473-05:00

I love love love the domestic life.  Even though I don't get to do it very often, the opportunities I have to wash dishes and do laundry and oversee homework and get kids ready for bed make my heart sing with joy.  I was babysitting tonight for some friends who have three kids in elementary/middle school.  I met the younger two when they got off the bus, gave them some time to unwind from school

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-15458217483946427342011-10-02T19:21:00.001-05:002011-10-07T15:49:22.179-05:00

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered.  "No one is good but God alone."  ~ Mark 10:18 Indeed. That is all.

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-38588184416773701282011-09-17T11:05:00.000-05:002011-10-07T15:56:19.486-05:00

And even if he tries to kill you, you’ll develop the inner conviction that there are some things so dear, some things so precious, some things so eternally true, that they are worth dying for. And I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.  ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.  Detroit, MI, 1963.  I'm taking a class on Christology right

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-53717736488357271962011-09-15T23:40:00.001-05:002011-10-07T15:47:26.866-05:00

God's faithfulness.  Even when I can't feel it, or I doubt it, or I question it, or it seems like it's not-good, it's still good. My awesome dorm room.  It's big and decorated super-cool and lots of empty rooms means I stole a bookshelf from another room am putting it to good use. Fall.  Leaves turning, cooler weather, salted caramel hot chocolate, a new school year... St. Athanasius' On the

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-82237952243655826032011-09-15T23:16:00.001-05:002011-10-07T15:48:35.757-05:00

So...there's all these rumors about how hard "reentry" from internship is.  I don't know if I believed them, but I kind of do now.  On the one hand, things have been pretty good.  I live in a great room, everything is unpacked and organized, I've gotten to see most of my friends, I've made some new ones, classes are going pretty well, etc... But on the other hand, something just seems...off. 

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-16843840382774807392011-08-04T15:21:00.001-05:002011-10-07T15:49:05.342-05:00

I've really been struggling through what some have called the "dark night of the soul", ever since the middle of Lent.  There have been glimmers of goodness and grace at times, but I've also spent (what seems like) more than my fair share of time feeling like I'm all alone in the universe, not hearing or feeling God's love for me, only his demands and expectations.  In short, I've been a very

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-57264603576739994842011-08-04T14:44:00.000-05:002011-08-04T14:44:40.858-05:00

So...I have 3-and-a-half weeks left in my internship.  I'm sorry, what?  Four Sundays left - what happened to the last 48?  It's strange looking back at the year, as I realize that when I got here, I said, "Oh, I know the year is just going to fly by," and now I'm noticing that, um, indeed it did.  There was a time after Easter where it seemed to drag a little, but since Pentecost, it's been

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-44371174820884414832011-08-04T13:53:00.000-05:002011-12-12T16:21:17.545-06:00

Well, it seems that a gentle nudge from a good friend has reminded me that I haven't written much here lately, and what I have written has been largely emotionally overwrought and crazy.  So it's time to catch up a bit on what's been going on, a task that I am looking forward to, loving writing as I do. As I sit here and type, I've got Christmas music on in the background.  Pandora was not

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-54955561062066358202011-06-14T18:03:00.000-05:002011-12-12T16:16:52.100-06:00

Since all my loyal readers care... :-) Ok, so as of yesterday, I only have one month left on this wretched pill before my GYN appointment, wherein I announce that this is not working.  Let's take a look at the box score, Bob.  After two-and-a-half weeks of adding synthetic hormones to my body, the reviews are in: + Pretty hair + Great skin - Bleeding every day - Increased pain (including new

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-89434998463732410952011-06-13T23:27:00.000-05:002011-06-13T23:27:11.446-05:00

So...it's way early to start talking about the Republican primary for President, and yet, in a lot of ways, it's way too late.  I was thinking about this - how four years ago, I was already on staff with a Prez Candidate.  The Iowa Straw Poll is in August, and the Caucuses are in January. I don't think it's too late for people to jump in the race, but it's getting there... I watched the debate

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-56593732112437904932011-06-02T20:53:00.000-05:002011-06-02T20:53:11.008-05:00

Part of the military mindset is that "we can do anything" - you can survive weeks or months without dad, you can pick up and move every three years, you can make new friends, etc... Combine that with an attitude toward my cancer in which complaining, or being sad, or resisting any tests or procedures was met with "Yes, honey, I know, but this is how it is."  Afterwards, anyone who ever said to

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-18546133279742975602011-05-24T14:06:00.000-05:002011-05-24T14:06:46.987-05:00

Ok, look.  I am not one of those people that thinks "trusting medicine" is somehow "unfaithful" or "not trusting God."  It's quite clear to me that medical skill, knowledge, and wisdom is one of the gifts God has given this world to treat and cure illness, alleviate suffering, and extend life. But. This bothers me: "If you're on the birth control pill, there's no medical need to have a period

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-89198738479440409162011-05-22T23:19:00.000-05:002011-05-22T23:19:20.303-05:00

Although the road trip brought back lots of memories, and made me realize a lot of things about myself, it also encouraged me to, how do I put this?, move forward.  I realized that while I'd been nurturing my dreams, I'd been doing so rather passively, and kind of living in the past.  Not totally, but living in a past rendition of those dreams.  Enough of the "variables" in those dreams are

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-85299928951042335622011-05-22T22:32:00.001-05:002011-05-22T22:40:42.034-05:00

I haven't written yet about the crazy road trip I took last week.  (Two weeks ago, now?)  Anyway, "Big Church" that's providing my internship supervision was taking a bunch of staff to a "big church get-together" at Gigantor Church, my home congregation.  They asked if I wanted to go.  Um, yes.  Problem, though.  They wanted to drive down all day on Monday, do the "get-together" all day Tuesday

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-74738090635752089702011-05-21T23:32:00.002-05:002011-05-21T23:35:43.256-05:00

That's something my mom used to say, and it's totally appropriate here. I walked my first 5K last night.  The closest "big city" was hosting their annual marathon today, and there was a "day-before" 5K and 10K.  I don't know why I felt the need to do this - I just did.  So I registered for it a few weeks ago, turned in my $35 check, and started training for it.  Well, sort of.  I'd been

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-53641389368782909132011-05-21T12:32:00.002-05:002011-05-21T23:40:32.748-05:00

So, wow. I just saw a "man on the street" interview that asked the question, "How would you spend your last hours on earth?"  Three people were interviewed and their answers were: "drive across the country", "spend all my money", and "have fun". Not pray, or worship, or spend time with loved ones.  Now, maybe it's because they're young and invincible.  Maybe it's because they didn't take

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-52194167062922482842011-05-20T12:53:00.001-05:002011-05-20T12:57:46.811-05:00

Can't wait for the search engines to pick this one up... Anyhow...over at Russell Moore's site, which I know nothing about except that it appears to be somehow connected to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and was linked to by First Thoughts, there is a discussion taking place about the relative impact or effect of porn for guys vs. romance novels (particularly of a Christian flavor)

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-58163346350416090092011-05-20T00:25:00.002-05:002011-05-20T11:58:10.924-05:00

I am becoming increasingly fed up with people who have little to no command of basic spelling or grammar. If you graduated from high school, you should, at minimum, not be capitalizing random words in the middle of sentences.  German capitalizes all nouns.  English does not.  If you graduated from college, you should be able to spell almost every word you need to write.  That little red line in

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-70114596905036554872011-05-19T20:07:00.000-05:002011-05-19T20:07:52.579-05:00

"Everyone on my team [read: family] always wants something different to eat.  That's why we go to the $4.99 Cici's Buffet." Sure, it's $4.99.  Yes, the commercial appears to take place right after a kids' summer ballgame, which I remember as being a crazy, exhausting time when Mom was a little more willing to punt on things like dinner. But what happened to "community"?  What happened to being

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-12935810058778176762011-05-19T13:50:00.000-05:002011-05-19T13:50:30.909-05:00

And "fun with evangelism", too! Yesterday I led one of my Ladies' Bible Study groups in the "Lutheran Woman Today" Bible Study, found in the May 2011 issue.  In the past, I've had many an issue with the material provided, so my expectations as I opened the magazine to preview it were pretty low.  Especially when the Table of Contents revealed that the topic was "evangelism."  Oh Lord, here we go

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-67308797633272516432011-05-17T15:08:00.002-05:002011-05-17T20:56:17.852-05:00

I get (well, mostly) the Great Lutheran Dialectic, "Law and Gospel."  At least, I think I do.  I understand the point that sometimes God speaks "a word of Law calling you out on your shit" (aw, geez, now I sound like I work for the ELCA), and sometimes "a word of Gospel reminding you that He loves you," depending on what our own personal needs happen to be at the time. But there's a lot of

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-63654476686716644632011-05-16T23:45:00.000-05:002011-12-12T16:19:38.620-06:00

She didn't even ask if I had any questions... My close friends know that for years (since college), I've been suffering from undiagnosed, vague, ill-defined but very intensely-experienced medical problems of a, um, girlish nature.  There's all sorts of details and qualifications that sort of come and go, but the bottom line is: PAIN, basically 3 weeks a month.  In the past, I've pretty much just

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-28933996715742095422011-05-16T22:08:00.000-05:002011-05-16T22:08:05.429-05:00

That was one heck of a season finale.  Good work, Hawaii Five-O.  Can't wait for the fall!

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-46279013795664540262011-05-15T19:13:00.000-05:002011-05-15T19:13:04.614-05:00

I just spend $500 on a new alternator, and probably going to have to spend close to that again soon on new tires.  Awesome.  In light of that, I should probably also spend money (not) on fun toys for myself.  Anybody have a recommendation of a sweet CD, book, or movie I should pick up? 

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-42956728630903469412011-05-15T19:08:00.000-05:002011-05-15T19:08:05.312-05:00

Man, I've been feeling the need to write - I haven't for a while, and I miss it.  I've got a couple posts that are half-done (half-baked?), but I need to get back in the "mood," so I'm going to start with something easy.  Top Ten Awesome Things In My Life Right Now: 1. Gorgeous weather 2. Iced coffee 3. Hallmark Channel movies 4. The commentary on Genesis I'm reading 5. The fact that I get to

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-75423488155655999572011-04-01T13:51:00.000-05:002011-04-01T13:51:00.527-05:00

A serious question: Are Republicans welcome in the ELCA? (NOT: Are they "allowed"?  NOT: Do they check your voter reg at the door on Sunday morning?) But, are Republicans welcome, truly welcome in the ELCA?  Are they welcome in your congregation? (A way to think about this: what would your reaction be if you found out that the person sitting in the pew behind you voted for John McCain? 

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-2079179529768267912011-03-20T00:56:00.000-05:002011-03-20T00:56:09.603-05:00

As (ELCA) Lutherans, we believe that basically anybody who believes in Jesus Christ is part of The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, per Article VIII of the Augsburg Confession. ...the Church properly is the congregation of saints and true believers... This would include Baptists, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Calvinists, Methodists, Anglicans, and so on...Presumably, anyway, given the

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-566880223831596062011-03-17T10:59:00.000-05:002011-03-17T10:59:03.760-05:00

The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. ~

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-54085677859708553492011-03-17T00:02:00.001-05:002011-03-17T09:15:02.533-05:00

Lent.  40 days, plus Sundays.  46 days from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. On Monday, I realized one of the main reasons that I love it so much. Lent is tailor-made for the introvert.  It is the 12.6% of the year where we are expected to be quiet.  And thoughtful.  When it is perfectly acceptable to walk into church 10 minutes early and sit - silently - in prayer or meditation.  And perfectly

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-19552441025043687992011-03-13T22:45:00.001-05:002011-03-13T22:56:27.050-05:00

From Luther's Large Catechism: Now, what is the Sacrament of the Altar? Answer: It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, in and under the bread and wine which we Christians are commanded by the Word of Christ to eat and to drink. Question: How do most Lutheran churches distribute the elements of the Sacrament of the Altar?  Especially, at the moment, I'm wondering about the wine,

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-19495204359013100612011-03-07T23:37:00.001-06:002011-03-07T23:41:49.387-06:00

I honestly feel nothing but compassion for Charlie Sheen.  It's clear to anybody with eyes...or ears...or the slightest amount of common sense, that the man has huge problems.  Look, there are plenty of people who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, and sex.  There are plenty of people who are just obnoxious cads.  (I went to high school with several of them.)  But watching Sheen lately (not even

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-31980274557357745572011-03-06T23:44:00.001-06:002011-03-06T23:54:28.855-06:00

Everyone knows the Armor of God, from Ephesians 6:10-17, right?  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-29936009961022796382011-03-05T17:30:00.000-06:002011-03-05T17:30:32.100-06:00

I don't know what my deal is lately, but I need some encouragement.  I'm in one of those places where I feel very professionally competent, like I can do anything I want, things are going well on internship, I've made some decisions about after-internship, etc..., but I just feel really unloveable.    I feel like the more I do professionally, the less I'm worth personally.  I want to have

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-13442100235657692712011-03-03T12:02:00.000-06:002011-03-03T12:02:24.041-06:00

In an article at Christianity Today, Christopher Hays explores "The Folly of Answering Fools," and basically says that when we get sucked into stupid debates with anti-Christians, we end up giving their arguments more credence, and more airtime, than they would get otherwise.  As the old saying goes, "Never wrestle with a pig.  You get dirty, and the pig likes it."  Or maybe, Hays seems to

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-28770625820854266042011-03-03T11:48:00.003-06:002011-03-05T17:34:31.420-06:00

So far, I've said very little to anyone about the ongoing uh...hoo-hah in Wisconsin.  For starters, I don't know or understand labor unions - particularly public ones - very well, and I'm not well-versed enough in economic policy to engage the pros and cons of the proposed budget on the table.  So, this is not a statement about whether Governor Walker's proposal is good or bad, acceptable or

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-12174735954704970262011-02-27T22:44:00.000-06:002011-02-27T22:44:33.387-06:00

Since apparently I'm watching them... It's been a long time since I watched the Oscars - I hardly ever see movies anymore, and I hardly ever see movies that get nominated for Academy Awards.  The show always seems to be, especially since 9/11, to be a forum for a preening, self-centered, self-righteous, morally depraved, Godless Hollywood to dress trampily, spew vile language and offensive

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-76378374679632092932011-02-27T12:40:00.000-06:002011-02-27T12:40:07.357-06:00

So last month, I wrote that I had made a few New Year's Resolutions, one of which was to, basically, start doing the things that people who have a life do.  To stop putting my life on hold, just because it's not the life I thought I would have.  Alison recently wrote a post wherein she stated that "life doesn't come with odometers."  It wasn't really about this topic, but it was a great turn of

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-76351082113724099782011-02-26T00:26:00.002-06:002011-02-26T00:26:48.482-06:00

I'm pretty sure if I was married, I wouldn't be allowed to eat Taco Bell cinnamon crunchies in bed at midnight. 

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-56956818524656660712011-02-24T23:23:00.001-06:002011-02-24T23:54:37.420-06:00

I've come to the conclusion that professional politics is basically just pretending to accomplish morally sanctimonious ends by means of immoral thoughts, words, and deeds, and whose practitioners (most of them, anyway) attempt to self-justify via large amounts of alcohol and illicit sex. I'm tired of losing friends to this.  I'd like them back.

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-51814130811699407422011-02-20T21:27:00.001-06:002011-02-21T00:01:23.937-06:00

So, the thing is, I'm a cancer survivor.  As a little kid, I had bone cancer, which ultimately resulted in the amputation of my left leg, at the knee.  I finished chemo 18 years ago yesterday, and - Deo gratias - have been cancer-free and long-term-side-effects-free ever since.  But the other thing is, I don't often know how to talk about this.  It's the sort of thing that there's just never

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-89976484444429160952011-02-20T20:23:00.001-06:002011-02-20T20:24:56.657-06:00

So, I was visiting a parishioner in the hospital the other day, and I dropped by the hospital chapel, just too scope it out.  I picked up a brochure detailing the services offered, and was interested to find that it contained some general "Prayers for Healing."  Here, I will give you two of them - see if you can identify the differences: Prayer One: "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-25698362676789486802011-02-14T23:42:00.000-06:002011-02-14T23:42:53.257-06:00

So, I actually did pretty good vis-a-vis Valentine's Day this year.  I didn't sit around and mope, or feel sorry for myself.  I just kind of...did what I needed to do.  Independent of the day, however, I'm starting to feel like I have some icky Single's Disease, such that my married or almost-married friends ought not come near me, for fear of catching it.  Of all of my married or almost-married

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-12738992389682680692011-02-04T21:25:00.000-06:002011-02-04T21:25:51.711-06:00

I'm on a roll right now, so I might as well keep going.  But we'll switch up the topic, and I promise no gruesome pictures this time.  Mostly, I want to give a shout-out to Fr. Dwight Longnecker, who wrote a post entitled "The Smoke of Satan" the other day for Patheos.  His post is addressed to Catholics, although he mentions that mainstream Protestantism has nearly succumbed to the same problem.

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-6454532135943207062011-02-04T20:59:00.001-06:002011-02-04T21:02:07.498-06:00

So, here we go again.  I don't want to harp on this, but - oh, who am I kidding?  I do want to harp on this.  We - the ELCA - all three "expressions" are complicit in the murder of children and the emotional slaughter of women.  I do not understand how anyone thinks support for and/or encouragment of and/or acceptance of abortion is in any way witnessing to the hope and new life found in Christ.

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-84439308615904216772011-01-29T15:04:00.003-06:002011-02-15T12:00:12.062-06:00

Ok, I'm just going to come right out and say it: It's unclear to me how anyone "honored by the name of Christian" can be "pro-choice" in any scenario other than the most extreme situations.  (e.g., ectopic pregnancies, other circumstances where the mother's actual, physical life would be at stake if the child were carried to viability, etc...) When I look at the appalling failure of mainstream

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-76731588100024040802011-01-18T21:15:00.001-06:002011-01-18T21:17:28.548-06:00

So, I'm looking through the current issue of the Lutheran Woman Today magazine, preparing for my women's Bible Study that meets tomorrow and uses the Bible Study piece in the magazine.  Rolling my eyes at some of the more egregious political correctness (stop apologizing for translating patri as "Father", etc...), but okay, whatever.  I turned the page, and nearly burst into tears.  Yeah, I'm

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-31749860960616413652011-01-16T21:22:00.000-06:002011-01-16T21:22:19.895-06:00

So...all the people I would ask about this are, well, not available at the moment.  And I should probably stop drafting people into being my pseudo-spiritual directors anyway.  So I'm going to post this up for blogland (all 4 of you) to comment on. I feel like I'm in a..."season of prayer," as my evangelical friends might say, wherein I am stuck in "adoration" or "thanksgiving" (according to the

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-29240880514254313412011-01-11T18:53:00.000-06:002011-01-11T18:53:23.567-06:00

I love snow.  I love winter, I love fluffy white stuff that just makes the world seem cozy.  I love looking out the window at it coming down, and marveling at how high the piles in the yard or at the end of the street get.  I love playing it, bundling up to go outside, skiing, how it makes the world all quiet, snow days, everything. But I had NO IDEA how much it snows up here.  It just snows all

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-41027080265245001782011-01-10T20:05:00.000-06:002011-01-10T20:05:53.414-06:00

So, this weekend was a very successful first venture out, in line with my New Year's Resolution.  I didn't get up as early as I had planned, but it ended up being okay.  I got dressed all cute and warm, made sure I had directions to the places I wanted to go, packed a little bag of snacks, made coffee, and hit the road.  The first thing I did was head way the heck out west to this Cathedral I

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-19615900804101163192011-01-08T01:01:00.000-06:002011-12-29T00:04:48.474-06:00

So, wow.  It's been forever since I posted, but I want to get back into the swing of things, especially now that "the holidays" are over.  Now we're into New Year's Resolution time - who can set the most grandiose goal, and who can fail the most miserably, seems to be the Great American Competition these days. The last few years I haven't really been all that into New Year's Resolutions - I

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-76497986365524499752010-12-05T23:51:00.000-06:002010-12-05T23:51:45.718-06:00

I love all the opportunity I have right now to exercise my inner Domestic Goddess.  Last night for dinner I made venison steaks (courtesy of my sister's BF) with "pan gravy" and potatoes.  It was super-good.  Maybe just a touch gamey, I think doing something with a marinade would probably help that.  And I need to learn how to get everything to be done at the same time!  But other than that, it

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-64886474994477309762010-12-05T23:17:00.000-06:002010-12-05T23:17:46.427-06:00

I support "Don't ask don't tell" because I think that's how all of society should function.  The thing is, I don't care who you are or what your "preferences" are - personal information about sexual activity and associated topics are simply not a part of polite conversation.  I don't care if you're gay or straight, if you are having sex or not, or whatever else.  Frankly, I prefer not to know

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-34449362085009093492010-12-05T21:24:00.001-06:002010-12-06T00:03:15.478-06:00

Getting so busy with decorating and "real life" that you forget to blog.  Or are too tired to do so.  Either way, I'm back, and excited that I have some fun things to write about.  Currently, all my decorations - including the live tree - are up and looking bee-yoo-tif-full!  Candles, lights, garland, the whole works.  The Christmas Tree - successfully manuevered home from The Big City!

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-77355735232331970102010-12-03T19:53:00.000-06:002010-12-03T19:53:46.523-06:00

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-90173576007172983212010-11-25T08:15:00.000-06:002010-11-25T08:15:10.901-06:00

Santa Claus at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.  No matter how early Hallmark starts selling ornaments or WalMart sets up the whole Christmas section, really it's Santa at the end of the parade (even with Katie Couric's annoying voice in the background) that marks the official beginning of the Christmas season.  Merry Christmas, everyone!

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-30281153413127100352010-11-24T20:09:00.001-06:002010-11-25T08:12:23.288-06:00

Travel.  And the strange days of vacation that are relaxing and enjoyable, but tiring because they are so not-normal. I'm at my grandparents' this weekend, where I can access somebody's unsecured wireless internet only while laying diagonally on the bed in the back bedroom, so if I don't get Christmas Is...up for a few days, that's why.  Don't want to be antisocial.  :) Happy Thanksgiving!

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-43477940746590406742010-11-24T00:53:00.002-06:002010-11-24T00:55:55.101-06:00

I went to an "ecumenical Thanksgiving service" tonight that was "hosted" by the pastor I co-teach confirmation with.  He asked me if I would read, so I read a text from Deuteronomy, and led the responsorial psalm-paraphrase from ELW.  Other than that, though, I just got to worship, and it was fabulous.  At first, it was hard, because I kept thinking about what I would have done differently, but

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-10895827880479040952010-11-23T21:57:00.000-06:002010-11-24T01:04:39.703-06:00

Wondering if you're going to have enough lights.  Every year.

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-34279609311675024132010-11-23T09:20:00.000-06:002010-11-23T09:20:36.685-06:00

White House: Terrorists Have Discussed Use of Prosthetics to Conceal Explosives I can't wait for the opportunity to show off my flawed body to the general public. 

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-30317521448938069262010-11-22T22:43:00.004-06:002010-11-23T01:07:39.926-06:00

Christmas is the first snow of the year.  It finally snowed here today!  I am a huge fan of winter, and a huge fan of snow.  I love it.  I relish it.  I wait for it with the impatience of a child.  And when it comes, I giggle and rub my hands together and run outside to twirl around and catch snowflakes on my tongue.  There's something about snow - and especially the first snowfall of the year -

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-58850852349588979842010-11-21T21:28:00.001-06:002010-11-21T21:46:18.709-06:00

Christmas is trying to figure out how I'm going to get a real, live Christmas tree into my car.  I'm always a little nervous, since I drive a Honda Civic, how I'm going to get a 6-foot-tree in the backseat.  Then again, in my past life, I (more than) once got ten barn signs (4'x8') into the backseat, so I don't know why Christmas trees concern me. I also wonder where people in this tiny little

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-51442095778433890112010-11-20T23:28:00.000-06:002010-11-20T23:28:55.778-06:00

Ok, I promise after tonight I'll take a break from TV stuff for a while... But Christmas is...catching a Folgers commercial on TV and being reduced to tears. Yes?  How can this not make you just a tad weepy? And while we're on the subject, let's have a little entry from Coca-Cola, as well: So sweet.

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-72128456402707524572010-11-20T15:26:00.000-06:002010-11-20T15:26:42.884-06:00

Wow, I'm just Miss Merry Little Sunshine today, aren't I? Anyway, this essay on "dying with dignity" by David Mills really hit home for me a couple weeks ago.  It came as I was getting ready for yet another funeral, and basically doing (to be blunt) "Death Watch" for another member.  I wish that I could just cut and paste the entire thing right here, but I think that violates all kinds of "fair

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-73499261735116163202010-11-20T14:19:00.002-06:002010-11-20T14:22:11.785-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about death lately, since there's been so much of it around my part of the world.  I myself have conducted 4 funerals in the not-even-three months that I've been here, and there have been 2 others that have taken place in my church building but that I wasn't responsible for leading/preaching.  There were another 4 or 5 over the summer, too, before I got here.  Part of

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-21804621589449544522010-11-19T22:13:00.000-06:002010-11-19T22:13:25.695-06:00

Anybody who knows me knows that I ♥ Christmas.  Lights, music, decorations, baking, family, movies, traditions, church, snow, books, everything about Christmas is fabulous.  So I think that starting today, every day until Christmas, I'm going to post a "Christmas is..." post.  That way, the four of you who read this blog will know what my most favorite-est parts are. So, for tonight we have:

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-41032132330667238792010-11-19T21:46:00.000-06:002010-11-19T21:46:45.053-06:00

I so never thought that I would be writing anything about Dorothy Day, let alone something positive.  But I was intrigued by this post over at First Thoughts, which gives us some samples of Msgr. Charles Pope's (note: I don't actually know who that is) favorite Dorothy Day quotes, and I was intrigued by these: Together with the Works of Mercy, feeding, clothing and sheltering our brothers, we

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-62267394376192216082010-11-19T17:09:00.000-06:002010-11-19T17:09:51.210-06:00

This whole TSA thing has gotten ridiculously out of control.  I understand wanting to fly safely, and make sure people aren't bringing bombs on board.  But the fact that we now have government employees literally touching the genitals of innocent Americans strikes me as ridiculous.  It frustrates me that Homeland Security and the higher-ups at TSA keep defending this madness as "it makes good

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-69011421095530188062010-11-19T12:40:00.002-06:002010-11-20T14:23:01.899-06:00

Because they "get it."  Look, I'm a capitalist.  I freely defend the right of people to make money, and to run their businesses for the purpose of making money.  But I very much appreciate companies who clearly go out of their way to provide excellent customer service as they go about making money.  It says, "We know you have a choice about who you do business with, and we'd like you to choose us

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-19111251319926543862010-11-19T09:13:00.005-06:002010-11-20T14:25:39.945-06:00

Christopher Johnson over at Bad Vestments does a good job of reminding us that "Christian worship is not supposed to be about you."  If you haven't checked out his site, take a coffee break and go do it now.  You should be okay just looking at the pictures, but make sure you swallow your coffee and set the mug down before you read the comments - they are always hysterical. Meanwhile, Fr. Z, who

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-54202338454592189842010-11-19T02:09:00.000-06:002010-11-19T02:09:27.888-06:00

er...supervisor. I just want to give a shout-out to my supervisor.  He freaking rocks.  I get the sense that internship supervisors (like pastors in general, I suppose) are all over the map, so to speak.  Some are really helpful, some are fine, some are awful.  Some want you to learn by doing, and trying, and succeeding, and failing, and just generally figuring it out for yourself, with their

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-26388829615680036752010-11-17T23:59:00.000-06:002010-11-17T23:59:07.515-06:00

It was brought to my attention this morning (I've been super-busy all day and haven't had time to blog) that today is the Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary.  As with Jerome, I really wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with that.  But I found out about it via a friend who mentioned on Facebook that it was Elizabeth's Memorial (not sure on the capitalization there, anyone know?) and also the

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-85392626443913542542010-11-08T22:16:00.000-06:002010-11-08T22:16:20.152-06:00

I think G.K. Chesterton's writing style can best be described as "quirky." I think that the lady I saw cut up a cold, hard-boiled egg and put it in the microwave at the hotel last month goes beyond "quirky." I think I need to visit, in no particular order, Milwaukee, South Bend, Dallas, and Washington, D.C.  I'm still not sold on Berkeley.  I think know that I am tired of October being hijacked

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-87469737325753139752010-11-01T18:42:00.006-05:002010-11-01T23:01:04.882-05:00

This is why I read other people's blogs, Tracey's in particular.  Because 1) she's funnier than I am, and 2) just when I'm thinking, I feel like blogging myself, but I don't quite know what to write about, she's got a survey.  And not just any survey, but a survey about books.  Suh-weet. Here goes. 1. Favorite childhood book? I'm with Tracey here, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E.

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-14985177804257466932010-10-27T11:21:00.003-05:002010-10-27T11:38:21.611-05:00

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."~Hebrews 10:24 I am absolutely sick unto death of the unloving, uncharitable, unhelpful, and disrespectful manner in which the sexes have come to treat one another of late.  I haven't the slightest idea where "obviously it's just her time of the month" and "if you want it done right, ask a woman" come from, in the

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-43879700730904337432010-10-24T23:37:00.006-05:002010-10-25T00:08:28.648-05:00

Tracey over at palepage wrote about this a couple weeks ago, and I still am struggling with this here Modesty Survey.  (To see the data, click a category on the left, then choose a question on the right, then scroll down for the results.)  The upshot of the survey and its results are that no matter how hard women try, our clothing or makeup or jewelry or the way we sit or stand or walk is always

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-38688842947942790642010-10-24T21:56:00.000-05:002010-10-24T21:56:26.247-05:00

Where was I?  Oh yes, my supervisor wanted me to evaluate Young Adult Worship.  I got there, and immediately engaged my event-planner side, left over from my days in politics.  I was thinking: Well, let's start by evaluating how many people are here.  The actual number of people here isn't terrible, but the room is "built" way too big.  It is a gigantic room, with too much space between tables

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010117884652716743.post-3923692593187947252010-10-23T23:30:00.001-05:002010-10-24T00:32:09.650-05:00

I'm one of those people who tends to adopt the attitude that birthdays should be celebrated for several days - full of taking care of myself, enjoying life, having fun, and generally being glad to be alive! So since I had to be in the Big City for Thursday Night Young Adult Worship, and I had an interesting meeting set up for Friday afternoon, I decided to get a nice hotel room Thursday night

Elizabeth of Hungaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12167332645985278749noreply@blogger.com0