Sticks and Snakes

More Advice You Didn't Ask For...

Last year around this time I posted “Letters to a Young Seminarian” in an effort to consolidate and pass on some of the things I learned during my three years in seminary. Now, close to a year after graduation (has it been that long?!) and almost that long into my tenure as an associate rector, I thought it might be a good time to post some reflections on what I have learned about this peculiar and exciting new phase of ministry. I found that I didn’t know a whole lot about being an associate prior to beginning this position, so I hope that these brief thoughts are helpful to others about to embark on a similar journey.

 

Just like last time, these are my reflections on lessons I learned (mostly through trial and error…and error) on the ground and hadn’t been told about already. The stuff you’ve heard about maintaining a healthy spiritual life, strong relationships, and a good self-care routine are true and priceless words of wisdom, but you already know about them.

Of course, this is all based on the first year after ordination, so I reserve the right to change my mind in about fifty years…

New to the Neighborhood: Daily Grub

In his book The Great Good Place, Ray Oldenburg writes about the importance of the "third place." While most of us divide our time between home and work (places one and two, respectively), Oldenburg argues that third places help build communities, strengthen creative engagement, and engender a sense of belonging among their frequenters.  

The third place is very important to me. For whatever reason, I am closely tied to physical locations and I have difficulty feeling at "home" in a new city or community without being comfortable in all three of my places. While I love my job and have made a hobby out of turning my little apartment into a sanctuary-home, I am still waiting for that third place to really tie me to Omaha. In fact, I am surprised by how hard it has been to find coffee houses, bookstores, or restaurants that satisfy that mysterious spiritual X-factor within me. It's a constant search, and being new to the area, I'm not even sure where to look.  

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As soon as I heard about Daily Grub, a farm-to-table restaurant and cafe that just opened in my neighborhood, I knew that it might be a long-awaited third place. Open for lunch during the week and brunch on weekends, Daily Grub boasts a wide variety of vegetarian fare and they give you a discount if you arrive via bicycle! Today was one of those rare Saturdays where I woke up early and didn't have a sermon to finish, so I headed down to 20th and Pierce to check out my new neighbor. 

I was immediately taken by the atmosphere of the little corner eatery. Lots of light, natural wood, and clean design made for an inviting place to spend the morning. The waffle iron was broken so I ordered one of the specials, which consisted of stewed beans, avocado, crema potatoes, blue corn tortillas, with ranchero sauce on the side. It was delicious. What's more, the people there were all incredibly nice. Both of the folks behind the counter were gracious and friendly and helped contribute to the relaxed vibe of the room, and I ended up having a nice conversation with the people seated next to me (side note: I also ran into my favorite Omaha blogger, Princess Lasertron, enjoying a nice Saturday brunch a few tables down. I even introduced myself to her...because I have no shame).

All in all, it was a great breakfast at a great restaurant. I wish Daily Grub all the best and I will continue coming back in hopes of building the third place vibe. 

(I was too shy to take pictures while I was there, but you can check out their facebook page for some great shots.)

Best. Chicken. Ever.

I am not a good enough cook to devote much of my blog to food. I like to stick to what I know instead: sermons, books, and vampires. But this chicken recipe is so good (and so easy!) that I just have to share it with you...

 

I am a kitchen novice who very often lacks for time and tools, so I like simple healthy recipes that incorporate a minimal number of pots and pans. Real Simple's Mustard Roasted Chicken With Vegetables meets all of my requirements, with the added bonus of being incredibly delicious. I have made it twice in two weeks and have both shared it with others and hoarded it greedily to myself. Each meal ends with me and/or my guests licking fingers and reaching back into the roasting pan for one more morsel. 

You can find the recipe here. I recommend using chicken legs, as they tend to be a little more moist. Nice crusty bread would go well with this dish because it could sop up the yummy juices left on the plate. 

In other news, I am enjoying the spring that has sprung here in Nebraska. We are expecting our first severe storms this weekend, so I better stock up on batteries and candles...

Gone Fishin'

I am going to try to stay current with sermons again, after falling off the radar for a few months.

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Here is my sermon for Easter 3C, based primarily off of John 21:1-19, where the post-resurrection Jesus appears to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberius. I am happy that I finally found a reason to quote one of my favorite books, Salvation on Sand Mountain by Dennis Covington.

Enjoy!

Preaching the Triddum

Happy Easter Season! Last year I spent a lot of time blogging about Lent and also about the Triduum--the three holy days leading up to Easter. Now, Holy Week 2010 has passed and I have yet to reflect on it here. My first Holy Week and Easter as priest was fantastic--a meaningful, emotional time that I will never forget.

  
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A few months ago I had the passing thought that a single preacher should preach all the Triduum sermons (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil on Saturday night) in a given parish. My thought was that it would be easier for one person to tie all of the sermons together with common themes and language than for two or three preachers to try to stay on the same page. The strange and mysterious reality of the Triduum is that  it is made up of three discreet liturgies that meet to form a single event. Hearing the same voice from the pulpit each night would help drive this point home, I thought.

So, I mentioned the idea to my boss...and he agreed. So I volunteered. And then I had to do it. 

Writing three sermons for three days was a spiritual discipline unlike any other that I have had. I had to think and pray a lot about the meaning of Holy Week and how I wanted to tie all of the sermons together. I am not sure whether I accomplished it as powerfully as I wanted to, but it sure was fun to try. 

Below are PDF's of each sermon--enjoy!

Download Sermon.MaundyThusC

Download GoodFridayC

Download Sermon.EasterVigilC

Stop the presses...

...I made dinner last night! Using my oven! And chicken! 

I live alone and work pretty irregular hours. That, combined with my lack of culinary experience, means that most of my dinners involve "fixing/preparing" rather than actual "cooking." Salads, soups, the occasional Lean Cuisine...these make up my usual dinner routine. Not so last night!

Last week my friend Lainey made us this beautiful chicken in onions and cream (a la Julia Child!) when we got together for our regular Gossip Girl viewing. Her hospitality and poultry-bravery inspired me to return the favor and make a dinner to precede this week's teen drama. 

I saw this recipe for roasted chicken with tomatoes and olives in last month's issue of Real Simple, and knew that I wanted to try it.  It was sooo easy. The whole meal is made in one roasting pan and cooked all at the same time, which made clean up a snap. The chicken was moist, the cherry tomatoes were roasted all the way through but still managed to pop in your mouth, and the olives added a great savory-ness. Whole cloves of garlic made the apartment smell delicious and also made my breath stink for a full 24 hours (sorry co-workers!). Finally, lemon skin and fresh rosemary rounded out the flavor with some nice aroma. 

 

I will definitely make this dinner again. You can find the whole recipe here at Real Simple's website. 

 

Our Long Nebraskan Nightmare is Over

Today is the first day of SPRING! Never before in my life have I so ached for a change in season. My first winter as a Nebraskan was miserable, with blizzards, weeks upon weeks of seriously sub-zero temperatures, and precious few hours of daylight. Even when the snow melted last week, the sky remained a soupy gray for days and days. Now, we are finally starting to get a little sunlight, which does wonders for my mood (and the speed at which I am able to get out of bed in the morning). Even people who have lived in Omaha for their entire lives insist that this winter was the worst they have ever seen. I am so happy to kiss it goodbye. 

 

In the church world, I am longing for Easter just as intensely as I am for springtime. Epiphany was short this year and Lent (while remaining a fixed forty days) has felt loooong. I can't wait to say Alleluia in worship, sing more festive hymns, and stick the sackcloth chasuble in the back of the closet. 

Hopefully better weather and a post-Easter work schedule will allow for more blog posts!

Hello There

As my mom has been reminding me a lot lately, I have become a terrible blogger in the last month or so! I apologize for my recent absence from the internet--I have just been so busy in my "real life"! Work has been keeping me on my toes and my schedule shows no sign of slowing down. I am looking forward to taking a retreat with my fellow Nebraskan priests next week, when I will have a chance to catch my breath and enjoy some downtime with my colleagues. 

Since today is my day off, I thought I would take the opportunity to update Sticks and Snakes with an entry from the Simple Woman's Daybook:

Outside my window...this month looks a lot like the last one. We got a  dusting of snow this morning, which was just enough to cover the dirt that was collecting on the big piles and drifts from the last three blizzards. I am looking forward to spring, even though I think I am going to have to wait a while.

I am thinking...about all the creative projects that I have relegated to the back burner. I will never get to them unless I figure out how turn lazy down time into productive down time. 

I am thankful for...my beautiful apartment, with which I have an ever-deepening idolatrous relationship. 

I am wearing...jeans, a navy blue tee-shirt, and a grey hoodie. Day off!

I am remembering...what it felt like when I started the discernment process several years ago. I have been returning to those memories a lot lately and am really starting to feel called to help other young people in their discernment of vocation. I just need to figure out how...

I am going...to work in a few hours for a meeting with the Worship Committee, where we will continue planning for Lent. 

I am reading...a ton! Mostly fiction, mostly low-brow.

I am hoping...that a magical fairy will clean the rest of my apartment for me. 

From the kitchen...a version of the "micro wrap" that I loved so much at Western's Viking Union: a whole wheat tortilla, brown rice, whole black beans, and chunky salsa. A great lunch. 

Well, there's a brief look at my day! Keep checking back--I hope to update more soon!

Cana and Haiti

I have to confess, nothing makes my blood boil and throws me into a blind rage more than people blaming disaster on "sin" or tragedy on "God's plan." Nothing. So you can imagine that I had to take more than a few deep breath's after hearing televangelist Pat Robertson's absurd claims that Haiti was struck by an earthquake because the country made a "deal with the devil" in order to secure their freedom from French colonialism in the 18th century. My anger over Robertson's ignorance was only matched by my incredible sadness over the suffering that this earthquake has brought, and like many of you I had to pause and really reflect on what was happening in Haiti and how I might be able to help.

 

So, a sermon was born. The appointed gospel passage last week was John 2:1-11, when Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana. While this uplifting miracle would usually cause me to preach a happy sermon about God's abundance, I was brought up short when I thought about all those people in Haiti who didn't have water to drink or food to eat, let alone wine to party with. Anyway, the following is the sermon that I ended up with. You can read the full text after the jump (as sermons go, it's really short!).

 

Staying Warm

 Well, it's another cold one here in Omaha. Our high today was only zero degrees--a stark number on my weather widget that I can't even begin to comprehend. Another snowstorm last night ensured that schools would be cancelled today, which means that my office was closed too. Although I am beginning to truly hate this weather, I was really happy to have a cozy day off. Even though I began the day with the best of intentions to write my sermon early (I usually write on Fridays), I chose to read books and watch movies instead...pretty nice. 

While looking outside at the frozen world beyond by window, I caught a sight of a little group of birds huddled around the chimney of the house next door. I was wondering how those little guys managed to stay warm!