Doing Good for "The Ridiculous"

A couple months ago I got word that my former roommate from seminary will become a DS as her new appointment, starting in July. (In United Methodist-speak that means that she'll move from pastoring a church to being a "District Superintendent"-- as close as our denomination comes to being "knighted." She'll get to participate in meetings with the Bishop and tell pastors "where to go"- literally, as part of the UM appointment system).

She and I have only shared passing voice mails since then, but as her former roommie it's my job to share this news with the world. With this move, we, the outsiders, finally have an "in" to the secret society of the church hierarchy. I felt I needed to quote her in my blog (definitely WITHOUT her permission) with her initial message to me. (If I'd ASKED her "ok," she might have told me "no"...! Now THAT wouldn't have been any fun!) Her message is in response to me asking if she, as a DS now, was too good to talk to me any more since she wasn't answering her phone. Here it is:

"Hey you **** , you know where I was the whole freakn' day?! I was sitting in a *** **** Cabinet meeting! I... have absolutely no idea how the **** I got there-- but I can't wait to talk you about that! It's been a bit of a wild ride the last month.. but um.... I don't know what the **** I got myself into, but I think maybe we can do some good on behalf of ridiculous people everywhere... I don't know... but anyway.. I can't wait to talk to you; but I'm on my way home.. but, umm..driving and talking on the cell phone, which I shouldn't do... So..umm.. I will hopefully talk to you in the near future, but I haven't seen my husband in 4 days, so if I don't pick up the phone, you'll know why. Bye!"

Yeah, if you're reading this blog things are probably starting to make sense why this woman and I were such good roommates. This "irreverent rev" and ol' roommie had just a few commonalities (see also "Why I Swear"). What I liked about her message, of course, is the great, colorful content-- everything that she "shouldn't be doing" as a pastor-- swearing, talking on the cell phone while driving long distances through the mountains at night (admittedly so- but does it anyway) and adds a little innuendo there at the end. It doesn't get much better than this.

Yes, my friends, God does work in mysterious ways. And yes, it's a good day for "The Ridiculous" everywhere.

Cat Communion

I'm about to enter into what no one should ever do in blogging: write about her pets and children. I know, I know... so cliche and so not funny to anyone else who's not related to these creatures... But REALLY, this is a good one.

So the other day we're sitting down for a family meal, with little Poppin' Fresh buns hot out of the oven, and my four-year-old grabs one immediately. He starts tearing it apart and begins (obviously) to mock me (mother and pastor) by pretending to offer communion at church. But he does so... bending over his chair to the floor to offer communion to the cat. "Wanda (whiny voice and twisted face), Jesus loves you." He then proceeds to outstretch his little, fat hand to give the cat the crumpled bread.

To make sure that he's offended everyone in the household, he finishes this act by "crossing" himself. Husband, Jason- the "cultural Catholic," does not find the gesture funny.

Don't miss the photo here of Wanda, our (almost) hairless cat.