The Arrow's Path

Your X files fix for the day. Here's a blurb about Bigfoot on the BBC.

This is an interesting online quiz thing I got from YodaBeth. Its actually pretty in depth for such things. Try it... You scored as Sacrament model . Your model of the church is Sacrament. The church is the effective sign of the revelation that is the person of Jesus Christ. Christians are transformed by Christ and then become a beacon of Christ wherever they go. This model has a remarkable capacity for integrating other models of the church. What is your model of the church? [Dulles] created with QuizFarm.com

This is Zena...our new foster dobie. Notice the scar on her chest. Apparently someone (a burglar and/or previous owner) tried to slice her with a knife when she was a puppy, back before the East Tennessee Doberman Rescue got ahold of her. She's no worse for wears these days...a sweetie if still a bit hyper from her new surroundings.

I guess I have hit the big time...or at least the geek time. A friend who shall remain nameless e-mailed me to tell me that if you google search for costlygrace or the archer of the forest, my blog comes up first or second on the engine returns. Why I have friends googling me, I'll never know. Ah, the joys of internet...

I have decided to expand my blog a little bit to include what the Archer is reading and watching (some movie reviews and books I am currently reading). I have included the initial step on the side bar. I have not decided if I am in some way going to write more extended reviews, possibly on a second blog. If I do that, it will be after I finish CPE. I don't have a lot of time to fool with my blog at the moment. For the time being, my movie reviews will be in arrows instead of stars. Stars are too passe; I'm the Archer...I use arrows. I will not be reviewing simply new theater movies. I am a classic film buff, so I will be seeing and reviewing movies as I see fit. I love old black and white horror movies, so expect to see reviews of those especially. I am undecided if I want to use an arrow review system on the books I am reading. I am also thinking of including what video game the Archer is playing. Like my friend Nick , whose blog I indeed to create a link to on my sidebar), I ...

I guess I am about to alienate what seems to be the entire civilized world, but I just don't get Harry Potter. With the 6th book out, HP fever is again sweeping the country. I have tried and tried to get into Harry Potter (read a few of the books and seen the movies), Harry Potter just does not seem all that imaginative to me, frankly. I know...I know. It gets kids to read and that's great. And I am not saying they are bad or trashy or the handywork of Satan like some nuts. I guess I am a book snob or something. I just don't get it.

Dobie Pic of the day, more to follow 

For some weeks, I have had several friends (mostly non-Episcopalians surprisingly) wanting me to voice an opinion on this Connecticut 6 (sounds like a fleabag motel) business. If you are unfamiliar with this fiasco, for lack of a better term, let me describe it as best as I understand it. There is so much spin going on (from both sides I might add) that I have been having trouble discerning fact from fiction. As I understand the situation, the Rt. Rev. Andrew Smith is the Bishop of Connecticut. Well, at least he has a pointy hat, I do not think he is particularly acting like one. Likewise, as I understand, there are Six rectors of churches (at least they have collars, but likewise are not acting like it) that have applied for DEPO oversight (i.e. another Bishop to oversee them.) The best way I know how to describe the hoohah is as follows: The Feloniously Rev. Smith is trying to defrock the Superciliously Reverend Rectors. Darth Smith claims they have abandoned communion and has shadil...

For some strange reason, yesterday's 24 hour on call (a Friday evening and night no less) was shockingly calm. Only 3 traumas and the last one came right as I was about to leave at 8 this morning. Here are some things I learned when business is slow: 1. Star Trek comes on for 5 hours straight in the afternoon. 2. You get hit on when you wear a seminarian clerical collar. (this is an element of abnormal psychology I really don't want to understand.) 3. For goodness sake, never be a patient at a learning hospital when the new medical residents have arrived. Actual conversation: Newbie Resident: What's that? Actual Doctor: A catheter. Newbie: What's it for? Doctor: You'll find out when you get to put it in 4. Only the vending machines in the ER and on 11 East stock Zero candy bars 4.A. Paydays can be found on any of these floors: 6E-9E, TICU, NICU, and the Lobby 4.B. You can find Pepsis, Cokes, and Dr. Peppers, but RC colas are verboten. 5. The Journals of NeuroSurger...

My parents now have a new, if temporary, addition to our family. Besides our regular doberman, my parents have decided to foster this doberman (well, doberwoman, let's be PC). Her name is Zena and she's reckoned to be about 3 years old. We are doing some remedial obedience training. So, if you know anyone in the East Tennessee area that would like to adopt one, drop me a line. No hurry, we love her.  

Well, we hit the half way point in CPE this week. In some ways it seems like its flying and in others, it seems like I have been doing this forever. I guess that's the way it goes with CPE. Who knows...

Here's the grave yard itself. During the trip to the graveyard, I think we got visited by a ghost. I know its weird and don't really believe in such things I don't think. But we were at this graveyard which was in the middle of no where; There were no houses around that we could tell. As we were walking through the graveyard, this weird Cherokee old woman appeared. No one saw her walk up and when we got ready to leave, no one saw her leave. She didn't say anything but just sort of followed us around the graveyard at a distance. It really creeped my mother and great aunt (seen here in the blue shirt) out. It was weird. I thought I had taken a picture of her, but curiously, the picture didn't turn out.

We went over to a cemetary near Cherokee, NC to find some relatives' grave. We finally tracked down this gentleman, who was a relative of mine. So the historian told us, this is one of the few known Cherokee indians who fought in the Revolutionary War and whose grave is known...and i'm related to him. Shazam! Notice only Christian name is given on the Tombstone...this was before the Cherokee syllabary was invented.

This one must have been taken over spring break...my mother had it on her camera

The dog is in fact not dead...contrary to rumor

Here's one for you. Why on earth would you own one?

I heard through the blogvine that my good friend, Raisin , from the Seabury Pen has started her own blog. Welcome aboard!

Check it out...I made St Paul's newsletter ! Sweet!

I was on call for 24 hours last night, and of course it was the night after the terror attacks in London. People were up tight, and toward the end, if I had to hand hold one more person, I was frankly going to scream. There were a lot of deaths last night. I was completely drained having to deal with families that came in and had to learn their loved one had died. There was a lot of screaming and throwing of soda. I think the major thing I am wrestling with in all of this is my need for fix things. I think that is what bugs me so much about having to do chaplaincy work. I see and emphathize with a lot of people who are in pain and I there is not a *&%$ thing I can do about it. There are no magic words, no shaman chant, no hocus pocus thing-a-mabob that I can do to fix the situation. I think in a way I am angry that God would send me out to minister and not really give me any way to fix situations like this. I guess I have a better appreciate for Job.

In my CPE site, we have ecumenical chapel services every morning. Most of the CPE chaplains are Christian of some variety, but we do have two unitarians. I am personally disillusioned with them because I think they sacrifice anything of theological substance upon the altar of inclusivity. I mean we are banned from using Christocentric language and heaven forbid you refer to God as Him. I don't know, but it seems to me that what we have created in this weird Orwellian blob where we worship not God but an abstraction. I have said before on this blog that I think people should proudly be their own tradition or something unique is lost. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?