Random Dots of Saturday Night

It's been a not-so-quiet week Chez Mibi.

• The front end of the week was consumed by the start of my Doctor of Ministry program at That Presbyterian Seminary outside of Atlanta.   

• I got home Wednesday night, PH and I headed out for supper, and the clutch promptly gave out on the car. We had it towed to the place that repairs old Swedish cars like mine. The next day, we got the good news and the bad news: good news was that it was only the hose that carries the hydraulic fluid to control the clutch. Bad news was that there were none to be found in the USA. The closest one is in Africa. Not kidding...it is in Africa. So the repair place is having one fabricated by a local guy - it will take less time than waiting for the one from Africa. Still, it will take until Wednesday or Thursday to get it done, so I am saying prayers of thanksgiving for my Senior Warden, who is lending me their spare car for a few days so PH and I can travel to our separate parts of the universe as necessary.

• Visited a parishioner to plan the memorial service for her dying spouse. This is always such holy ground, and hearing stories and seeing family photos...it reminds me to hold those I love close, and to tell them I love them. Our lives are so ephemeral, and yet they carry such exquisite weight of emotion and meaning.

• Spent part of the day today out at a community fair event the next town up from the parish's. We had our booth (as did many of the other churches in the area) and gave out hard candy and brochures and such. Our big draw was inviting all the folks walking their dogs to come for the pet blessing service the first Sunday in October. We will see how many pet lovers show up for that - it's usually one of our best attended services outside of Easter and Christmas.

• We went out tonight to see a movie - the incomparable Frank Langella, whom I have adored since seeing him in "Dracula" when I was in my twenties, is in a beautiful little movie called "Robot & Frank" and you must see it. Poignant story about an older man with some dementia who is given a health care aide robot (this is set "in the near future") who becomes something more than a programmed caregiver. Funny, some interesting surprises that I didn't see coming, a sweet meditation on memory and the loss of it, or not. Go see it if you want to understand what I mean by that little last bit.

Tomorrow is an "easy" day...as if Sundays are ever easy. Our diaconal candidate is preaching - it's stressful for him, but he has more of a natural gift for it than he realizes - and my senior warden is doing an adult forum. A good thing for me after an intense week. Thank God for others who share the load.