song for the day

Well, I like to drive too, usually what comes to my mind when driving are songs ... today it was a song from my childhood that sprang up ... one that I haven't sung for a long time ... but there it was: "I've got a river of life flowing out of me ... makes the lame to walk and the blind to see ... opens prisons doors, sets the captives free. I've got a river of life flowing out of me. Spring up oh well, within my soul; spring up oh well, and make me whole; spring up oh well, and give to me that life so full, so free!"

So, that's my song for the day. I'm praying for the well to spring up ... 'cause I'm feeling dry!

Robert Frost's View from the Road

Have I mentioned I like to drive? (Yeah, thought so.) Part of the attraction of driving is that it gives one a chance to let the mind wander (except for paying attention to the road of course.)

This latest drive up to Bellingham and back was really nice. As I was enjoying the view of all the trees covered with snow, one of my favorite Robert Frost poems popped into my head. (I kid you not.)


Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.


In addition to the imagery, I love the balancing of and tension between the two 'worlds' (the woods and all they represent vs. "promises" and all they represent). Theo discussion (including midrash) potential here!
--Barb

Go Blog Team!

The Portal blog has come on over to join Views from the Road, so you can enjoy the blogging efforts of Serena and Barb all in one place! (We'll sign our individual posts so you'll know who's who!)

So stay tuned as we journey on and share our... views from the road!
--Barb

p.s. To view The Portal archives, click HERE

Here's a Head Scratcher!

I ran across something interesting on LarkNews.com entitled Pastor Tries Inauthenticity. The brief article is about a pastor in Bend, Oregon who gave up trying to be real since "nobody knows himself well enough to be fully authentic, and trying to self-divulge all the time breeds shallow relationships because it denies the complexity and mystery of human personalities."

In defense of his new inauthenticity, the pastor makes the point that Jesus himself "wasn't 'constantly open and frank' and didn't even speak plainly to his disciples until the Last Supper." In addition, "Jesus also spoke in parables and obscured his messianic identity for three years"!

OK, people, let's weigh in! What's your take on this? You go first!
--BB

Sadly familiar...

Hmm... Might this sort of thinking be one of the problems of mainline churches today? (Notice how I am restraining myself and not singling out any particular congregation or denomination?!)

Sigh. Big sigh.

Got the cartoon from here.
--BB

ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!!

I love road trips and I love movies, so imagine my unabashed delight at a movie about a road trip! If you haven't seen Little Miss Sunshine, check it out! (It's out on DVD, and the movie is up for some SAG awards.) Anywhooo, the film is about a dysfunctional family--aren't we all?! but this one is particularly so--who sets out on a road trip to get the young daughter to a beauty pageant. Of course, much wackiness ensues, but there are poignant moments as family members confront fears, failures, and flaws and learn how to support one another. This film would also make for some good theo discussion...
--BB

here's my word cloud

www.snapshirts.com has a program that scans words from your blog and puts them in a 'word cloud' ... cool, huh?!
--BB