Sheila's Dribs 'n Drabs

 The sign said Pre-Kart. I wondered what a pre-cart might be. A go-kart from the time before go-karts? Maybe something your parents pulled you in, like a wagon. Or maybe a go-kart before the time of wheels, and a Pre-Kart could be just a box. Or it could mean Pre-K Art, but by then I'd walked a long way past the sign and couldn't know.

 I looked up Semite, and learned the word comes from Shem, son of Noah, in the Bible. Then I learned it's a term that refers to all Semitic peoples--Jews, Arabs, and more. But the next place I looked said it only referred to people who speak Semitic languages, such as Jews, Arabs, and more... And the next said it refers to culture: Jews and Arabs again. So why isn't it antisemitic to oppose Palestinian Arabs?

An innocent parent, trapped in a cell far away, or a host of dangers safely expelled from our shore. An innocuous student, snatched from the street and removed, or a dangerous threat well-denied and wisely exposed. A child in a jail when all of the rules were obeyed, or a way to ensure they don't slip through our nets anymore. Every picture, telling a tale of a thousand words, but which words have you heard?

 A friend delighted in the fact that terrorists are at last being deported. I must say, those tattoos of roses, praying hands, mothers' and daughters' names, and inspiring quotes... they don't terrorize me. Our pastor has some cool tats too.

 A friend posted pictures of several US leader, each smiling at one Russian one. She asked why it this was okay for all of them but one. I wanted to answer, "A picture only tells a thousand words if you're willing to read them." But I didn't because I'm tired. My friend thinks I automatically disagree with everything she says, but perhaps she disagrees automatically with me. Perhaps I use too many words.

 It's Valentine's day! Yay! Let's dream of love and romance and all the things we need to make a relationship last... It's Ash Wednesday! Yay! Let's dream of love and sacrifice and all the things we need to make a relationship last... My mum (age 95) plans to walk five times around the garden each day during Lent. She's going to give up chocolate too. My pastor will give up after-the-sermon chats. And me? I know I'm dreaming of love today--the earthly love of a spouse caring for me when I've broken my wrist--the heavenly love of my creator who came to earth to live in a human body--the love that shines on a cloudy day, glints warmth from snow, reigns hope. For Lent, I'll try to remember I'm not in control (of the weather, politics, global warming, human sexuality, or anything else that everyone talks about). Neither is anyone else. I'll try to remember there's a God who will make it all work out. And I'll love my neighbor, whatever th...

 A pastor said it was "odd" to celebrate communion during Advent. Christmas is a birthday party, he said, and communion is a funeral. Then I wished I were brave enough to speak up and disagree. Christmas is a celebration of birth, not a birthday party - the baby doesn't grow one year older every year. But that birth only matters, two thousand years on, because of the person who is born; because of heaven come down to earth; because of the promise embodied in the Christ. And communion? In communion we commit ourselves to be part of Christmas's promise; we "do this in memory" of him. We say yes, this matters. This changes everything. Without communion, Christmas doesn't touch us, doesn't have any effect. And without Christmas, communion becomes a commitment that's meaningless. Just social and fun (and still not a funeral). So no, it's not "odd" at all. Communion makes us part of the meaning of Christmas. We might call the season Jesus...