RantWoman is seasoning items to write under the influence of pipe organ lingering after Christmas eve worship RantWoman had rich worship experiences and expects several deliveries.
Faith Healing, Radio Broadcasts on Christmas morning about the faith of non-Christians:
A self-identified pork-eating, alcohol-drinking, premarital sex having Muslim woman who grew up in the US spoke. She explained how her father came to grips with her intent to live with her boyfriend. Her father asked, "Does he believe in a force greater than himself? ... Does he believe in gravity?" Well, yes. Then the boyfriend was Muslim enough for her father.
Faith Healing irreverence, not particularly Christmas-themed except that the thought muddled to the surface during pre-holiday bustle., perhaps in connection with solstice-themed reflections on subsistence challenges after the solstice before spring produce begins to appear:
To everyone who thinks God is supposed to fit into 30-second soundbytes, RantWoman notes that 19th century Russian novelist Fedor Dostoevsky got paid by the cuarto. If he had kept it short, his family would have starved. RantWoman has no suggestions about how to handle that point in the age of expectations about soundbytes, in the age of Twitter, a medium RantWoman peculiarly actually adores.
Faith Healing, Grace: RantWoman's worship thoughts were more Luke Chapter 1, geneology of Christ including WOMEN, and C Wes Danilels "You can't out-scandalize God"
http://gatheringinlight.com/2013/12/23/a-new-family-portrait-matthew-1/ than ministry in quaker worship from the book of John about men of good will / men with whom God is pleased.
Faith Healing, Nelson Mandela 1.
The fake sign language interpreter on stage at Nelson Mandela's funeral has inspired the Seattle Deaf and interpreter communities to address longstanding concern with a person who apparently has been misinterpreting the Seattle Men's Chorus for decades.
Here is RantWoman's contribution to the conversation, with multiple links to a blog by members of the deaf community.
http://rantwoman.blogspot.com/2013/12/letter-to-frank-stilwagner-of-flying.htmlThe short, boiled down version: hearing people think the "interpretation" is very artistic or some darn thing: Deaf people find the signing linguistically useless and people who train ASL interpreters find MUCH to object to. Holding the situation in the Light never hurts.
Faith Healing, Nelson Mandela 2:
On the bus on RantWoman's way to Christmas Worship, RantWoman and RantMom's cellphone conversation suddenly lurched from family dramas and Christmas stockings to Nelson Mandela. RantMom's box of Christmas decorations moved from MT include the historical Rant Children stockings custom sewn by RantMom. There is a stocking for each Rant child.
This year, RantMom's display expressed her fervent hope that all her children might be able to bear each other's presence. RantWoman knows several mothers who do not have that expectation. RantMom has been clearly told this is not necessarily a reasonable expectation right now; it's a moot point anyway since RantBrother is in MT, indoors at least.
RantWoman is not sure how the conversation got from stockings to Nelson Mandela, but it did. Somehow 26 years of principled study on Robben Island came up, as did the diplomacy spoken of by lots of African leaders. RantWoman got stuck on the stockings and things already restimulated from seemingly innocent words in the Christmas eve worship. At SOME point it might be reasonable to have some moments of Truth and Reconciliation, but RantWoman was definitely not called to try on the bus. RantWoman already, earlier in the fall had to tell RantMom that RantWoman thinks some outside help would be extremely helpful and on point for RantMom. Or, hypothetically, there is always the option of Quaker worship groups with someone else who maybe possibly might have certain life issues in common. Would RantWoman do that on purpose? Uhhhh...RantWoman would not mind if God got that done but would still want prayerful care of the situation if that occurred, but first RantWoman would have to drag RantMom to....
Faith Healing: extra guest
This year the RantFamily Christmas feast included a friend of Little Sister's family, another guy from Guatemala so Brother in Law had someone to talk to. Guy from Guatemala was being Christmas guest because his wife has gotten into some odd mindset involving faith healing and other challenging themes. RantWoman is sorry that faith healing gone overboard meant Guest could not have Christmas with his daughters but was delighted he was part of the Rant family feast!
