Back to School Friday Five

"My late mother-in-law thought of September as the “real" New Year because of the number of programs and classes starting. By Labor Day, school is back in session for most of us in the U.S., although there is great variation by region (my children don't return until Sept. 7th!). To mark this, we bring you the Back to School Friday Five."

My note: the kids down here returned to school August 8. What a difference!

1. What is your earliest memory of school?

I remember kindergarten at Solomon Peirce Elementary School in Arlington, Massachusetts (1924-2001 and since rebuilt). I remember where a cute olive colored dress that had stick figures on it and things like "1+1=2" and "ABC" in kid scrawl and my teacher thought it was so cute, she took me around to other classrooms to show me off. I was so embarrassed! I remember many other things as well, including eating paste, rubber boots and snow pants under dresses (because girls still couldn't wear pants to school in the early 60s.)

2. Who was a favorite teacher in your early education?

My 4th grade teacher, Muriel Fortes, will always be my favorites. She always felt very strongly that I should "be" who I was, become a writer and call myself "Victoria" instead of "Vicki."

3. What do you remember about school “back then” that is different from what you know about schools now?

We would have never been so disrespectful of our teachers the way kids get away with today; punishment was more severe and often physical. And how come kids don't get milk mid-morning anymore?

4. Did you have to memorize in school? If so, share a poem or song you learned.

In elementary school, we were often memorizing things. My class in 2nd and 3rd grade had to memorize "The Age of Aquarius" one year and "Up, Up and Away (in my beautiful balloon) another to sing to the school. I also had to memorize a poem in 5th grade and I learned "The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Byron.

5. Did you ever get in trouble at school? Were there any embarrassing moments you can share?

My most embarrassing moment was in 2nd grade when I got in trouble for trying to switch lunchboxes with my friend. Before lunch, she decided she'd rather switch back and started pushing my lunchbox forward with her toe. As it was my lunchbox, I got in trouble. I had to stand in the corner, which was next to a shared door with another classroom. It was humiliating enough but then the teacher next door suddenly flung the door open to saying something to my teacher and the door hit me in the back of the head. I never got in trouble again until high school.

Father, Son & Holy Spirit

Frank and Griffin and I saw "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" this past weekend. There is a hilarious scene in the movie in which Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) is saying grace before a meal of fast food. A vociferous discussion ensues over how each character perceives Jesus because Ricky Bobby insists on praying to baby Jesus whom others argue was a grown man. There are a series of improvs at the end with John C. Reilly coming up with different images of Jesus.



Later, as I was driving to a nighttime event I was covering, I started to come up with my own images. My first thought was of Jesus as this big, loveable Chewbacca character. From, there it wasn't much of a jump to seeing Luke Skywalker as the Son, Obi-Wan Kenobi as the Father and Yoda as the Holy Spirit.




Of course, that's not how I really picture them, but it sure brings into focus not only how Star Wars plays out the whole good versus evil thing, but how much our images of Jesus can vary . . . and the human need to keep Him defined, if not confined, to our personal image.

Friday Five: Bursting with Fruit Flavor

Well, those of us in the United States are on high alert for air travel. Thank heaven, it appears that a huge disaster has been averted. Meanwhile, dreadful conflicts continue in the Middle East and around the world. We here at RGBP certainly hope and pray for safety, peace and fullness of life for all the peoples of the world.

Galatians 5 describes the fruit of the Spirit. With all the sadness and despair out there, we certainly need it! So, the Friday Five is simple. Pick any five of the following attributes and go wherever the Spirit leads you... your choice! Suggestions: When have you experienced this attribute? When have you struggled with it? Or who embodies it for you?

Or if you're feeling light-hearted--just assign a fruit to each one. I think Generosity is a Banana, don't you?

Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Generosity
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control


I'd like to tell a tale of God-inspired generosity and kindness in what I would definitely term a God-incidence.

I've been struggling with an eye infection pretty much constantly since May. I saw my doctor; he thought it was allergies and gave me some allergy drops. More than two months later it was just as bad, if not worse. On Sunday (he's senior warden at our church), he said, you need to see an eye doctor and recommended Dr. Joann Webster.
So, first thing on Monday morning, I called her office. But, both numbers directed me to an 800 number for customer service. I called that number and got something totally unrelated to eye care. I then called my husband and explained my predicament. He drove over to her office and discovered Dr. Webster was about to go on vacation and had no openings for more than three weeks!

He asked for a referral and a quick discussion brought the solution - an appointment, so to speak, if I was willing to wait for her until after she was done with surgery the following day and before she started seeing scheduled patients.
We agreed.

The eye exam turned up the diagnosis of uveitis, a chronic eye infection that won't go away without treatment and that could, eventually, lead to blindness. Dr. Webster then gave me samples of all the drops I needed with the explanation that she didn't want to prescribe the expensive drops until she knew they were working. Then, she scheduled to see me during her lunch hour two weeks later as there were no openings for three weeks.

Talk about kindness and generosity! Wow! And that appointment would have never been made if I had called. It seems God arranged for Frank to be there because people respond better to things person-to-person.

And now that another deadline is finally over, a moment of light-heartedness: I see a watermelon for joy. The picture is of my daughter, Griffin, and myself joyfully eating water on the Fourth of July (see from Turtle Walks to Fireworks).

Light The Fire

My daughter just attended her first "Happening."
There is just something about a Happening closing that fills you to the brim with the power of God. As Sonia Clifton noted in her sermon, you could still see the kids glowing. As they sang and danced and praised the Lord, the feeling of LOVE was palpable. I found particularly moving that some of the first rectors of Diocese of Georgia Happenings now have children of their own attending Happening. I pray that the trend continues.

And, as we often do at closings, we sang one of my favorite songs:

I stand to praise You
But I fall on my knees
My spirit is willing
But my flesh is so weak

Light the fire
(light the fire)
In my soul
(in my weary soul)
Fan the flame
(fan the flame)
Make me whole
(make my spirit whole)
Lord, You know
(Lord, You know)
Just where I've been
(where I've been)
So light the fire
in my heart again

I feel Your arms around me
As the power of
Your healing begins
Your spirit moves through me
Like a mighty rushing wind

Light the fire
(light the fire)
In my soul
(in my weary soul)
Fan the flame
(fan the flame)
Make me whole
(make my spirit whole)
Lord, You know
(Lord, You know)
Just where I've been
(where I've been)
So light the fire
in my heart again