Heart thread - 4/25/2008

Tonight's invitation to prayer it tinged with rejoicing. It might more aptly have been labeled as follows:

We may begin the weekend celebration rejoicing with the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Kaeton who passed the defense of her doctoral thesis today.

It is finished.

I passed.

Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations, TELDP (The Evil Lesbian Doctor Priestess)!

[The sequence of adjectives occasionally becomes a challenge even for literate native speakers, don't you find? Dr. TELP just did not ring true.] Dr. K seems respectful but I like to think of her as Lisbeth, perhaps the most endearing version that MP uses. Of course, I went to a college where the instructors were all Doctors or would soon be so, and we thus called them all Mr., Mrs., or Miss (it was back before "Ms." when dinosaurs roamed the earth and we rode giant Mormon tapirs).]

Whatever you get called, Lisbeth, we are proud of you!

We also rejoice that yesterday's eye surgery went well for Kirstin. She needs our prayers for post-operative healing and stuff, so please hold her closely before God.

From the comments thread in yesterday's post we have these requests:

FranIAm asks our prayers for Ben, an amazing 8-year-old boy with a recurrence of cancer. "Apparently Ben tells others he has no time for this as he is very busy running his own 8 year old's version of a mini-kids cancer charity. For other kids..."

Jane R asks our prayers for Leah who has, in rapid succession, lost her mother and her paternal grandmother on the verge of graduation. Jane concludes: " I thank you for your prayers for her, for her dad, stepmom, and siblings, and for her other grandmother who has also been in ill health."

Deacon Ormonde provides an update on the struggle to serve the homeless in New Orleans. Let us remember the homeless and displaced, refugees throughout the world, and those who work with them to heal, rebuild and find a way home (in every sense of that word). Also Ormonde himself as he goes through chemo.

The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin continues its work of returning with joy and dedication to the mission of the Church. The chancellor and Bishop Lamb are working hard to protect the diocese. For reconciliation, healing, cleansing, renewal among the people there, let us pray.

[Summary information and links at Fr. Jake's on the Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief filed by the EDSJ, Bishop Lamb, and TEC. I cannot recall reading a legal document with such delight as the Church attempts to reclaim what has been stolen from it. I sorrow for those who have been misled. Regular readers here know I cut no slack for those who mislead.]

For all victims of false prophets and wolves in sheep's clothing and for ourselves when we err and go astray or are blinded by our desire for power.

For those who stand up and speak out on behalf of the disempowered and marginalized in society and in the Church.

For those who seek to embody the Good News by becoming God's radical welcome and channels of divine grace.

I wouldn't mind a few prayers for me as I head off on Sunday to work in New Orleans. I know that sounds glamorous but there will be little time to experience the city and I will be away from home far longer than I like to and while it seems exciting from the outside I am only doing it because I need the income. So I think it's my heart and emotions and attitude that need the prayer, because I really don't want to do this. My roses are just about to bloom and I want to be here, watching my fruit grow and close to my friends.

Diane, Scout's mom and a very busy pastor, has found out she cannot forever be the Energizer bunny and recently went from "a little sore throat" to being sick and could use some healing (and probably some rest).

Padre Mickey, the Lovely Mona, and others of the Panamanian household are at the beach for a couple of weeks. May they have a blessed and restorative time!

Jane R has way too many undergraduate theses to read. As she writes: "St. Mark, pray for us."

With that, I believe we have come full circle.

Since the midnight hour will quickly be upon me and we all are way too busy, here is a prayer by Gerhard Tersteegen (1697-1769), a Pietist:

God, you are in your holy temple, let all that is in me be still in your presence; still in my tongue, in my will, in all my desires and thoughts; I will cease from any sort of activity: O how precious in the sight of God is a gentle and quite spirit silent in his presence.

--the BB