Thinking about all my fellow southerners, and those who feel the soulful tug of the south in their heart no matter where they live, as we get ready for Fat Tuesday. My uncle in Tallahassee just ripped out his winter garden late last week and momma overnight expressed an entire box full of collard greens and mustard greens which arrived last night. I took the day off today (in part) so that I could cook up this mess of greens and make some cornbread and rice and some baked chicken to go with it. The pitcher of tea is ready and waiting and although Harald will come home and say the house stinks, it smells like heaven to me!
Anyone else got big plans for Shrove Tuesday, before the seriousness of Lent sets in?
Our church is doing a “read along” for Lent, with the congregation dividing into subgroups depending on which book from the “40 day journey with …” series that you pick. I went to the Luther Seminary bookstore this morning because I couldn’t find any of the “40 day journey with …” books in stock at any of the local stores. But LS had them all – makes sense since they are the primary retail outlet for Augsburg Fortress. Anyway, I read several pages of Sr. Joan Chittester and Madeleine L’Engle, but neither one of them really spoke to me. The Parker Palmer version did a little. But when I picked up the Julian of Norwich and read three pages, it shook me and wouldn’t let go. So I’ll be doing my 40 day journey with Julian. I couldn’t bring myself to leave, though, because my intuition kept telling me there was something else there I was supposed to see. I looked and looked at looked at all the displays and tables, and then out of nowhere, one lone copy of “The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents” and I knew instantly that was it. It will appeal to the sinophile in both of us. So I came home with two good books instead of one.
It is 42 degrees outside right now and the sun is shining bright. I rolled the front windows down on the way home just to get the refreshing, clean air in my lungs. I know, only in Minnesota, right? Well, anyway …..
