Christmas Vacation Report

Flannery rode with me to Indiana and back. She likes to yowl while I'm driving, but eventually calms down. Yesterday in the car we listened to some Lenny Bruce comedy, the Cold Mountain soundtrack, an album Dylan did with Allen Ginsberg, The Fiery Furnaces, The Mamas and the Papas, and I forget what else. My cd player tends to get too hot or something and not want to work for a while.

I split my time between Michigan and Indiana, my family and Stacey's, both of whom I really dig. Our families live about an hour from each other so I ended up doing quite a bit of driving. I love everyone but it's nice to be back in Omaha and not have to drive a ways to get anywhere.
I won't bore you with a gift list.

Many thanks to Jeff for all the great books, tapes, and videos I'm borrowing. I should be working on Desolation Angels right after Tripmaster Monkey since I have to get that one back to the library.

I spent a good amount of time with my niece. She's 17 months old and we'd only hung out more than a year ago, so she remembered me in name only, really. She's a bright little kid and is just a blast to watch and have fun with.
I intended to get to a liturgy or service on Christmas Eve or Christmas. Something besides the Children's Mass that Jeff and Beth's kids were going to be in...it didn't even necessarily need to be Orthodox, just a service or liturgy in a contemplative, liturgical setting to really commemorate and medidate on Christ's birth. However, splitting time between two Baptist families that live a distance from each other sort of made that impossible; we had to get up early on Christmas morning (or at least were supposed to, hehe) so I couldn't even make a midnight Mass.
I had been planning to leave Sunday but Allie (Stacey's young sister) asked if I would come to her Baptism, so I did and just left Monday. So, yes, I went to a Baptist Sunday Morning church service for the first time in years. The church there has some great people, but I wish I could have just gone to the baptism and taken off after that. We ended up going to Sunday School first, during which I held my tongue pretty well, even in "group time." The teacher had some good and interesting things to say, but was teaching about Bible study and then started a study in Ephesians. At first, I just sort of didn't mind what I observed and knew would be the case, that the thoughts would be incomplete. However, his approach to Bible study turned out to be not only incomplete, but also backwards! How can people teach Sola Scriptura and then turn around say that YOU, the reader, are the measurement by which we interpret Scripture and you should do that yourself before looking at commentaries and other writings (and by whom?)? I could go on and on, but I won't. I'm not into bashing people just because they are Baptist or Pentecostal or anything, but it's literally painful and excruciating to watch and listen to the butchering that goes on. I really feel sorry for those who trust these people as spiritual leaders. I mean, both our families are in that boat and it's so hard to be nice about it. I suppose the important thing is that they're trying.

Anyway, all this leaves me really looking forward to some spiritual nourishment. I've tried to spend a lot of time meditating on Christ's birth. Tonight I'll be going to vespers and then some of us are going to go do something I hope is nice. This couple, Ed and Pat, is one of the nicest couples you'll ever meet and have been a part of St. Vincent's since it began, as far as I know. A bit less than a month ago, Pat had a stroke and ended up needing dedicated care and is now in a nursing home. On the Sunday before the Sunday before Christmas, Ed reposed in his sleep. I chanted at the requiem mass and it was good to see it heavily attended. One of the most touching things I've ever seen happened there. Toward the end of the mass, those who wish to may kneel at a rail up front and take Communion. Pat, sitting on the front row, was unable to walk or talk properly because of her stroke. However, when Fr. Stephen came to the rail to serve Communion, Pat half-stood and began to lurch toward the front (with a little help). Fr. Stephen whispered, "Pat, I'll come to you." She shook her head vehemently and forced herself to the rail, desperately desiring the Body and the Blood. I want to be like that.
Anyway, tonight a group of us are going to Pat at the nursing home to sing Christmas carols and just show our love.