[Post-doggie walk, we’re back!]

The archives are pretty well-organized, and if you’re new to blogs all you need do is scroll around under the categories to the right that appeal to you and click to find related entries. I do everything from theological reflection to sermon excerpts to “random rants” to movie and book reviews (I was one of the only religion writers –however minor — to lambaste Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling Eat, Love, Pray last year, causing quite a furor in the comment sections) … and for those of you who are planning to go whale-watching this weekend, you might enjoy this reflection on whales. Hey, we’re nothing if not varied in our offerings here at PeaceBang!

Want to weigh in on the songs that make you cry? Dozens of other readers did so recently here. Blogs are fun. PeaceBang aims to be fun, provocative, interactive and to help demolish the stereotype of clergypeople as pious, one-dimensional characters who are so focused on ancient ideas and scriptures that they don’t have both feet firmly planted in the here-and-now, with a dash of hot sauce to go with their spiritual and pastoral dimensions. Visit often, comment freely, and see you around the blogosphere. Or at the MFA tonight. Or at Fenway this weekend, if someone wants to invite me!!

Peace.
Bang.

Here’s producer and journalist Anne-Marie Dorning on how a woman named Millie Garfield and I inspired her to start a blog called Massachusetts Mom.
I first met Anne-Marie when she called to see if I would be willing to appear on “Nightline” two winters ago. I declined at first, then went to my Parish Committee to see what they would say. They were all for it, so Anne-Marie came with her crew and filmed this little segment for “A Sign of the Times.” I hated the lead-in, which insinuated that I give fashion tips to my congregants (hello Martin, the name of the blog is Beauty Tips FOR MINISTERS — what about that isn’t clear?), and my congregation and I cringed at the cut-in of the cross that doesn’t exist on our building. Other than those small details (oh, and the suggestion that I spend most of my spare time cruising the malls maniacally pawing through the racks at Macy’s seeking clergy-appropriate garb) and my squealing embarrassment at my own appearance (does anyone really like seeing themselves on camera? Can we re-shoot this now that I’ve lost 30 lbs.?), it was a good segment, a fascinating day, and all the more fun and memorable for the involvement of my delightful colleagues Donna and the Eclectic Cleric.

Mazel tov on your blogging, Anne-Marie!

I have been searching for a week on-line for something that was religiously-themed but not Bob Jones University material and here Barb came to my rescue with this totally perfect option and for that I owe her a million billion thanks and also some cocktails on me when we next see each other. Can you tell that I’m breathless?

On a related note, did you check out the faculty of the SBS? I know! Wotta bunch of babes, eh? So much for mainstream America’s idea of the stereotypical egghead Bible scholar! Smart, fit and gorgeous isn’t what I expected but I ain’t complainin’. It’s just… well, can I keep up with these Indiana Jones hotties? Good thing I have almost a year to work my walking legs and touring tootsies, and NO CUTE SHOES are going with me on *this* one. We’re limited to one bag, anyway. What, no separate suitcase for my toiletries? What if I want to give myself an Aveda tourmaline face masque in Kudasi? What if I want to paint my toenails in Athens?

In all seriousness, though… there’s a focus on the god Asclepius on this tour, people! And he and I are like THIS.

Excuse me, I must go do the happy dance again. Max will join me, as he’s very good at it (think Snoopy dancing to Schroeder’s music).

Go to Meg Barnhouse’s site and listen away, ’cause she’s generous enough to include the entire song for sampling.

“All Shall Be Well” has ministered to me for years, and I bet you know who I’m thinking about when I listen to “Somebody Fall.”

Do yourself a favor and buy the whole album of “Meatloaf Thoughts In A Mango Town” while you’re at it.

See you soon, loveys.

I don’t know that UU’s should have any sign relating to our theology; it’s just too diverse in language, and slogans cheapen it’s depth. My church has a “Standing on the Side of Love” equal marriage banner on the side of the church. (This banner was vandalized when it was first hung–so it definitely made a statement, and got attention). But it was a statement based on principle and action, not theology. Attempts to sloganize our theology only end up focusing on what we are NOT, rather than what we ARE, I think. Our beliefs–and the language we use to describe them– are just too diverse. It is important that people experience God (or transcendence and holiness) when they come to church– but I don’t think that experience can be sloganized.

I think this is an excellent reflection, and was very happy to see that Terri expounds on it further over at her own blog, UU Intersections. I had never seen this blog until today and I am very moved by Terri’s beautiful writing. Her Easter season posts are exquisite, and I am very interested in her opinions on strengthening Unitarian Universalism through more shared spiritual practices and experiences. She reminds me of the old joke: Unitarian Universalists are those who, when they die and reach the afterlife, see two doors. One is marked “Heaven” and the other “A Lecture About Heaven.” The Unitarian Universalist goes through the door marked “A Lecture About Heaven.”

*The video you want is Emmylou and Robert Duvall live. Click on the icon.

But for now, I just want to share that although I read a ton of books in preparation for the training sessions, and have taken many classes, seminars and workshops on pastoral care, I found this book to be the best guide of all in organizing our sessions.

A Pastor In Every Pew: Equipping Laity For Pastoral Care by Leroy Howe. I just think that, chapter for chapter, Howe’s book is the most conversant with the realities of pastoral caregiving, that it anticipates all the most significant questions and anxieties that arise for laypeople learning to do pastoral care, and that, although written from a strictly Christian perspective, it is the most useable for Unitarian Universalists.

It looks like ChristianBook.com has them on sale.

Four stars and two thumbs up!

Mark Bittman’s Meatloaf Recipe
from How To Cook Everything

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, preferably fresh
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 pounds mixed ground meats: beef, veal, lamb, and/or pork (I used half pork and half beef)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 5-6 crumbled, dried fresh sage leaves or 1 tsp dried (I used about six dried leaves from last summer’s garden & I think it was the winning ingredient)
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 small onion minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 slices bacon optional but good, especially if the meat is very lean

What’s Next:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Soak the bread crumbs in the milk until the milk is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
2. Mix together all ingredients except bacon. Shape the meat into a loaf in a baking pan (I baked it on a rack to keep it from soaking in its own fat); top with bacon if you like ( I did).
Bake 60 minutes, basting occasionally with rendered pan juices. When done, meat loaf will be lightly browned and firm, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meat loaf will read 160 F, cook for 1 hr.

I made this for dinner tomorrow night but of course SweetieBang and I had to “sample it.” We had to wrap it in foil immediately and treat it like plutonium because it was so heavenly delicious we knew it wouldn’t last the night if we left it on the counter for one more second.

Yes, I’m still on Weight Watchers. Yes, this is one big fat and cholesterol bomb. But dern it, a gal likes to make a big ole meat loaf now and then, and we’ve been all about big salads and roasted vegetables and small portions of pasta for weeks (except for that one Oscar night pu pu platter situation).