Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!

Christ is Risen!

He is Risen, indeed!

Alleluia!

I sent a message to the St. Mark UMC Facebook group just moments before the close of the long, dark Saturday. After the Good Friday service, I drove home in a storm that filled me with a sense of terror. As hail pounded on my roof and drowned out the attempts I'd made to comfort myself with loud-blaring music, I remembered that on the darkest of days, the temple curtain tore, and God could no longer be contained by the heavens. In our sadness, God chose not to abandon us, but to enter fully into the world, to live and breathe and even die.

But, this morning, we gathered to worship together - some, a brave few, came for the sunrise. The tomb was empty. A new word sprang to our lips, and despair turned to joy.

This is the day we live for, as Christians. The best day. The happiest day. The day when even Death died, and Life as we know it was changed forever.Happy Easter to you all, on this most Holy and Blessed of days.

Love, Mandy, Matt, Jackson and Cooper James

Breaking the Fast...No, no! This time I mean it!

The Flemmings have just recovered from the great Pneumonia Outbreak of '09. It was awful. They boys returned to school yesterday for the first time since MARCH 19. Which is, in case you're counting as actively as I am, NEARLY TWO WEEKS.

We've been awash in fevers, sleepless nights, screaming toddlers, Augmentin that tastes like poo (the pharmacy swore it was bubble gum), and Albuterol laced with amphetamines. In short, it's been awesome. Really, really awesome. And by awesome, I mean slightly less disconcerting than this:



[HOLY CRAP, who writes this stuff?!?!?!? Apparently, the writers of "One Tree Hill" were also hopped up on Albuterol when they wrote this scene. I was crying from laughter after seeing this on Friday night. It's ABSURD!]

Anyway, the boys are back in school, Matt and I have actually seen each other, and have stopped the revolving door parenting model, and have opted for the far more user friendly simultaneous parenting method. For our next trick? Conversation!

Thanks for your prayers, blessings and understanding. Somehow, I'll get up to posting all of the unwritten blog posts from the last 11 days.

Beware: you may be getting a lot of clips from The Soup.

PUBLISHED! on Fidelia's Sisters

Thanks to the good folks at The Young Clergywomen Project who enjoyed my piece enough to give it a chance to fly outside of my little blog.

You can read it... here.

Blessings - especially to you, Aunty K. It was nice to re-live the trip all over again!

Breaking the Fast...

And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. - Matthew 6:16-18


Apparently, I've decided to take a week-long fast from my 40 days of blogging pledge. It seems as though I'm really, really good at it, because I didn't once disfigure my face so as to show you I was fasting. My head is anointed, and my face is scrubbed. My Father, who sees in secret (but not in a creepy, stalker-ish kind of way) has rewarded me with leisure clothes and a nice visit from my mom.

I'll make sure to go back and fill you in on all the goings-on of the Flemming family during this week, which includes a lot of sporting events and pancakes, and currently, a feverish Jackson. But, for now, my fast has been broken, and I'm stashing away the sackcloth and ashes.

"Fear prophets and those prepared to die for the truth..."

"...for as a rule they make many others die with them, often before them, at times instead of them. " - Umberto Ecco

Last Thursday, Jon Stewart hosted Jim Cramer on the Daily Show for the most devastating 30 minute piece of journalism I've ever witnessed. For your convenience, I've posted the UN-edited segments here (please be warned - Jon Stewart uses some language that isn't bleeped out, so this post is not suitable for young ears).

The only thing that comes close is that great scene from the movie "Network," and a similar homage that aired as the first clip of a short-lived Aaron Sorkin show called "Studio Sixty on the Sunset Strip."

The only difference? Those clips were fictional.

Fictional though these comparisons may be, it doesn't take away from the truth of their message. Sorkin has the ability to write the world as we wish it existed, with people being brave in their assessments and ethical in their actions. But watching a real-live person interview another real-live person and hold him actually accountable for the things he has done was both painful and healing.

Many other bloggers (here and here) have beat me to the punch in commenting, and have made some astute connections to the parallel between Jeremiah's prophetic lanugage and Jon Stewart's unflinching inquisition. The fact that Stewart, a comedian with a self-proclaimed fake news show, is the only person who is willing to begin holding network hosts accountable for the information they've been spewing forth and marketing as "truth" is scandalous.

Jon Stewart's interview is not just a scathing critique of Cramer's work in presenting fiction as truth, but it also held a mirror to the face of the news media that has refused, for decades, to present true investigative reporting that isn't entertainment, character debasement, or worthless. Cramer claims to be hosting an "entertainment show about business." But, as Stewart points out, folks take his advice seriously. They're not watching him to be entertained; they're watching to be informed. He's abusing their trust and his authority, and Stewart is the only one who calls for it to stop.

Many of my friends are journalists, and many are clinging to the last vestiges of their jobs at their print media homes. They can speak to this topic far more knowledgeably than I can. But, I know that we, the people, are not alone in our anger over how far we've come in receiving actual news that isn't smeared with an agenda. Yes, there will always be a bias, but why can't we just decide it for ourselves?

To register your complaint, click here.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 1

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 2

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

A Prayer of St. Patrick

St. Patrick's Breastplate
or A Prayer to God for Protection and Safe-Keeping

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through the confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of demons,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

The Madness Begins...

You know that I grew up in Knoxville, TN, which is the home of Women's College Basketball, and the Hall of Fame. I know that other schools have teams, but really... why? I guess I can concede that UT needs an opponent, otherwise they'd just be really good at scrimmaging, and really, what's the fun in that?

I am a dyed-in-the-polyester UT Lady Vols fan, and Pat Summitt is one of my long-time heros. When I was a girl (embarrassingly pictured here asking for Pat's autograph in 1989), I wanted desperately to play for the Lady Vols when I grew up. I also desperately needed a wardrobe intervention to rid my waistline of the orange UNITS belt, so one out of two isn't bad.

I watched Bridgette Gordon and Sheila Frost (embarrassingly pictured here) win the first National Championship game in 1988. When I played, I chose #12 as my number, and I did my best to make the front part of my hair look as curly and lofty as Frost's. She was my favorite player, and still holds the Lady Vols career record for most blocked shots (251). She was good, crazy tall, and not too flashy. She made my goal feel attainable.

For my birthday that year, my mom's friend's friend (who worked for the UT Athletic Department), got the entire team to sign a basketball for me. It's still sitting in a prominent place in my bedroom at home. My family went to lots of games, even when we were among the select few. My mother still goes fairly often, and UT Basketball became one of the traditional fun things that we did together.

There are lots of great things about being in ministry, but one of the best things is meeting people who do all kinds of different things with their lives. They are doctors, lawyers, teachers, professionals, painters, contractors, hairdressers, massage therapists, singers, actors, real estate agents, and many who are still searching for their vocation. It's a gift to be in a community that celebrates all these folks in whatever they do. Recently, I've gotten to know Beth, who is the CEO of ... women's college basketball. She is the most humble famous person I've ever gotten to know, and she manages a fairly stressful job with such balance and groundedness.

Last week, Beth invited me to come to the world headquarters of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association WORLD headquarters (!) to watch the selection show on Monday night. I was psyched. Matt was incredibly gracious, and stayed home with the boys, and I went with PL and Redykle to the WBCA headquarters in (wait for it) Lilburn, GA. It was surprisingly tucked-away in a little office complex, and made me wonder what the National Association of Basketball Coaches office in Kansas City looks like. I imagine it's not tucked behind Joe's Auto Body, like the WBCA.

We arrived, decked out in our appropriate collegiate t-shirts, just in time to settle in with empty brackets and lots of excited, smart women. It just so happens that Beth seated us right behind Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli, who host a podcast for the WBCA on their own time, just because they love women's basketball. We chatted and joked with them during commercial breaks, and we filled in our brackets with groaning and trash-talk. After the show, the visitors were introduced, and Beth gave us a brief tour. It was such a remarkable experience to be around people who all love the same thing, and work so collaboratively together to promote it. Churches should be so lucky, friends.

We wound up sticking around for the live podcast, and because of our idle chit-chat I somehow managed to become a character on it. So, if you have the time, check out ShootAround's Selection Show. Rev. Mandy, the Methodist Minister, who doesn't share their view of the Pope (there's no Pope in the Bible, right Number 8?), is, in fact, me. So, I guess, I'm famous-ish for all the folks who take time to listen to the podcast.

And, for the record- Methodists don't play Bingo, and no, I did not take a whole box of cocktail napkins with me in my trunk. I rode with my friends, thank you very much.

For all that's been said about the level of play at every stage of women's basketball, it was a gift to be present with such passionate and gifted women who love the sport that's both brought them together and placed them in opposition. It was my first sporting love, and it was so great to celebrate the start of the tournament with those who love it, too.