Sometimes a Meditation is More Than You Bargained For

The last of our house guests left Saturday morning, so I should be back to blogging semi-regularly. When we have company my computer time gets used for sitting around chatting instead!

K.'s party was a success -- "the best party Ever!" according to the birthday girl. That is what we were shooting for, so Ed and I were happy. The rest of my parents' visit was relatively peaceful. We went kite flying with one of our homeschool groups on Thursday, and, despite very little wind, we got the kites up and the kids had a good time. It helps to have lots of space with no trees and a nice hill. Friday, my aunt and uncle came. The last time we saw them, I was expecting K., so it was wonderful to catch up with five years worth of chit chat. They were my original inspiration to homeschool, since they taught their own four children at home, back in the days before everyone and his brother was doing it, and my aunt is a great confidence booster when I mention any hs related worries to her. My uncle, who is a great talker, learned more about our area in an hour from various locals he met than we have learned in six months of living here. They told him that he should see the nearby vineyard, so we followed the excellent directions he had gotten and took the tour (Ed and the kids stayed home). The vineyard was quite snazzy, and the wine tasting was fun, though I don't know beans about wine and only really liked the Chardonnay. They had one particularly neat machine, with rows of paddles on the inside and holes like a colander on the outside, for separating the grapes from the vines that I would have loved to see in action.



Today was T.'s second Sunday serving as an acolyte, and he did a pretty good job. It probably helped that the other little boy who tends to goofiness wasn't there today. After the service, the priest was looking for volunteers to read and "meditate" during the Good Friday service. When he asked me if I'd be interested, I asked him if by "meditating," he meant "talk about," and he agreed that that was indeed what he had in mind. Five to six minutes of "reflections" on the passage would be expected. I explained that, while I might conceivably be able to read, a five to six minute exposition on a sentence of scripture, in front of the entire congregation, was was beyond me, and he moved on. Specifically, though I didn't find out 'til later, he moved on to my poor old honeybunch. Ed has often suggested that we, the family, should meditate. By this, he means that we should sit quietly, legs crossed, perhaps saying "Ohhm (or something like that), or perhaps just dozing. Not being a reader, he had no idea that meditate might also mean "a contemplative discourse." I guess he thought that Father wanted him to read John 19:30 and then stand at the lectern, eyes closed, for five to six minutes, and that seemed doable to him. He was quite dismayed when I told him what he had actually signed on for, and he expressed the thought that Father had been somewhat less than forthright, but, brave soul that he is, he didn't suggest backing out. I've promised to help him put something together, but this is not my area of expertise, so if any of you have useful insights or links to Bible commentary websites they would be gratefully received!