Prayer of Oscar Romero

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Amen.

-Archbishop Oscar Romero

Olive Tree Kitty

International Relations Breakthrough!

The key to world peace: We all just need to give each other more pandas...

quick hits

i know it’s definitely been a while since anything of substance made it’s way in this direction... i’ve had a lot of posts that were started, but just never finished. so i’ll hit y’all up with a quick hits version of life (completely lacking all decency and order, sorry presbyterians you haven’t completely corrupted me yet)...

-summer is upon us in all of it’s sunny, thundery stickiness (thankfully it’s not 2 t-shirt a day days...yet)
-olive tree has become home and i will be spending the remainder of my time here (yippee)
-i’m so ready to leave, but so not ready to begin life anew elsewhere (gulp)
-jazz fest was soggy and excellent (sogcellent?)
-the cats are getting HUGE and continue to be a source of so much joy and entertainment (who needs tv when you have pets?)
-my trailer is clean(er)
-the revival of the new orleans hornets has been so great to tag along with (CP3 anyone?)
-i am sorely lacking hobbies
-muffins are quickly becoming my breakfast of choice (horray for otis spunkenmeier)
-i desire to become a grand master scrabble player (bring it on)
-i am learning how to be a camera owner (talk about pressure)
-chicago is looking imminent for the fall (ugh, why am i skipping summer there?)