This Sunday, Kelly Thiele will be performing her masters thesis. We are planning to attend and follow up with an early dinner at a local restaurant. The suggestion has been that we go to El Cholo to do the early Cinqo de Maio celebration.
Recital will be at 4:00 pm in the Sanctuary, dinner following immediately after.
Hope that you can all join us.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Thursday, April 14, 2005
A Cup of Sugar?
This past week, we did a very unusual thing ... we borrowed an onion from the neighbor down the hall. Both Karen and I were home, planning dinner and not wanting to go out to the grocery store. We figured that we had almost everything that we needed to make curry for dinner except for an onion. We actually figured that we could make do without the onion until I came up with a revolutionary idea - why not ask a neighbor? At first, it was a joke, "Why not ask a neighbor?" We weren't serious of course, it seemed too much like a 50's sitcom. Then, many of you will not be surprised to hear that I figured, what the heck, and started down the hallway.
Even then, I was apprehensive. Our neighbors across the way, with the little boy that plays with Maddy and Owen, wasn't home. The neighbor a little further down the hall that has lived here longer than us, and who is on the homeowners' board wasn't home either. As I assessed the situation, I initially turned back into our condo, and then decided to head down to ask the Indian (from India not native Americans) couple that lives down the hall. We don't know them well, but exchange pleasantries in the garage and hallway, and since we often smell curry wafting out of their kitchen, it was somehow strangely appropriate.
As I approached the door, I was still apprehensive. I brought my fist up, and then since I was mostly committed, I went ahead and knocked. Rus, the husband answered. Somehow, that caught me off guard, since I was thinking that it would be easier to ask his wife for an onion - no doubt some chauvinist thinking on my part.
I cleared my throat, "We were starting dinner and realized that we needed an onion - you wouldn't happen to have one, would you?"
Rus replied, "Certainly," and went to rummage through a drawer in the kitchen as I stood at the door. He returned with what looked like a monstrous onion and handed it to me with a smile.
I turned and walked away as the door closed behind me. I was actually exhiliarated, feeling a little like Mrs. Kravitz on "Bewitched" (okay, I have to admit that I have never been in their condo, so when Rus was looking for the onion, I peered into the place from my vantage point at the doorway). When I got home, Karen and I both broke out laughing at the simplicity of a neighborly favor, as well as our trepidation at the thought of imposing on someone else.
As I thought about it, though, I wondered how come we had never done this before in the 12 years that we have lived in this building. I wondered how come in today's society, why so many of us are afraid to go next door to ask for a cup of sugar. Are we afraid of imposing on other people, or have we just gained such a feeling of self-sufficiency that we don't ever want to need a bowl of sugar from anyone, including our neighbors?
Putting this into context with relation to faith, do we hesitate in opening our hearts to God? Do we believe that we are so in control of our lives that we do not need to ask God for guidance? Isn't God like that good neighbor who is willing to give us something that we need if we simply ask?
It was not a long walk down our hallway, and yet it is extremely difficult to take that first step. The distance to God is even shorter, but for many of us, it is even tougher to take action. Still, I felt so much exhiliration from the simple act of allowing someone to give me something that I asked for, that I have to say that sometimes, it is better to receive than to give.
This Sunday, we will be meeting here at our place. I'd like to take you for a walk down the hall.
With God's love,
Ben
Even then, I was apprehensive. Our neighbors across the way, with the little boy that plays with Maddy and Owen, wasn't home. The neighbor a little further down the hall that has lived here longer than us, and who is on the homeowners' board wasn't home either. As I assessed the situation, I initially turned back into our condo, and then decided to head down to ask the Indian (from India not native Americans) couple that lives down the hall. We don't know them well, but exchange pleasantries in the garage and hallway, and since we often smell curry wafting out of their kitchen, it was somehow strangely appropriate.
As I approached the door, I was still apprehensive. I brought my fist up, and then since I was mostly committed, I went ahead and knocked. Rus, the husband answered. Somehow, that caught me off guard, since I was thinking that it would be easier to ask his wife for an onion - no doubt some chauvinist thinking on my part.
I cleared my throat, "We were starting dinner and realized that we needed an onion - you wouldn't happen to have one, would you?"
Rus replied, "Certainly," and went to rummage through a drawer in the kitchen as I stood at the door. He returned with what looked like a monstrous onion and handed it to me with a smile.
I turned and walked away as the door closed behind me. I was actually exhiliarated, feeling a little like Mrs. Kravitz on "Bewitched" (okay, I have to admit that I have never been in their condo, so when Rus was looking for the onion, I peered into the place from my vantage point at the doorway). When I got home, Karen and I both broke out laughing at the simplicity of a neighborly favor, as well as our trepidation at the thought of imposing on someone else.
As I thought about it, though, I wondered how come we had never done this before in the 12 years that we have lived in this building. I wondered how come in today's society, why so many of us are afraid to go next door to ask for a cup of sugar. Are we afraid of imposing on other people, or have we just gained such a feeling of self-sufficiency that we don't ever want to need a bowl of sugar from anyone, including our neighbors?
Putting this into context with relation to faith, do we hesitate in opening our hearts to God? Do we believe that we are so in control of our lives that we do not need to ask God for guidance? Isn't God like that good neighbor who is willing to give us something that we need if we simply ask?
It was not a long walk down our hallway, and yet it is extremely difficult to take that first step. The distance to God is even shorter, but for many of us, it is even tougher to take action. Still, I felt so much exhiliration from the simple act of allowing someone to give me something that I asked for, that I have to say that sometimes, it is better to receive than to give.
This Sunday, we will be meeting here at our place. I'd like to take you for a walk down the hall.
With God's love,
Ben
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
SNG Trip to the California Poppy Reserve
This past Sunday, we took a trip up to the California Poppy Reserve. It was a long drive, but we had a wonderful time checking out this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Mojave Desert in full bloom after this year's historical rainy season. We followed up with a drive following the railroad line along Highway 58 to enjoy a Basque dinner in Bakersfield.
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