Beauty Tips for Ministers

Small Rev-To-Be

Check out this little news item! It’s none other than seminarian Taylor when she was just a snazzy little girl!

She writes,

i think i still make this face in photos and still have somewhat meticulous yet trying-to-not-look-so-meticulous tendencies (note the small ring and the bracelet plus the quasi-matching of the sunglasses). i hope i never stop makin’ some noise!

We hope you don’t, either, Taylor. Bring all the exuberance of that toothless grin to your ministry and never be afraid to rock outrageous sunglasses. You remind me of my neighbor and friend who owns and runs the local funeral home which has been in town for many generations. He stopped by the other day to give me his new pens — bright purple with a smiley headed guy on the top, sporting a mop of fuzzy purple-pink feathers. The whole thing sticks to your desk with a suction cup and features the name of the funeral home on the side. Someone frowned upon his new pens and told him they were inappropriate. I, however, think they’re a much-needed riot in these times and laughed my head off when he gave them to me. I said, “Bob, I think you’re losing it, and I think that’s great!”

So Taylor, keep the zing alive. It is sorely needed in this world where too many of us mistake sombre gravity for reverence and respect. Like PeaceBang sez, put a little REVVVV in your reverence!!

P.S. That is an awfully snappy top (necklace?) you’re wearing there, young lady. Wow!

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Tender Little Revs.

We all have those times in ministry when we feel stripped of our defenses and rendered totally vulnerable. Because it is our calling and our work to love God’s people — and especially those with whom we have been called to minister — we strive to show only our most mature and understanding faces at all times.
This photo of little Rev. Julie reminds me of how tender we are underneath our clerical professionalism:

Look at that little chumbly angel. And see? She even has a boo-boo on her knee. Grown-up Reverend Julie should always remember to hold that Little Julie in tender care, and to give her lots of nurturing and love.

Here’s our lovely lady today.
And just because it’s hilarious, and a great image of the feistiness and flair Julie also has within her, this Moment of Extreme Pink from what I’m guessing is the 1980’s:

Girl, WORK that headband!! Ssssssassy for Jesus!

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Our Little Selves, con.

Anna loves this photo because it reminds her that she couldn’t control her hair then, and she can’t control it now, and “that’s why I love it.” This photo was taken during a summer when her mother had the unusual and very ambitious goal of swimming in all five of the Great Lakes. Here’s Anna and her brother at VERY cold Lake Superior:

What a great smile! I bet this pastor has an amazing game face. If you could look that enthusiastic for Mom, Anna, I bet you know how to shine it on your congregation during challenging times.

And here’s little Sarah, digging into the coffee hour goodies on Easter Sunday when she was about four. Note “The Hat.” Sarah believes that that hat probably did Easter service for several years after that.

She writes,

I am also digging into the traditional Easter feast of Ritz Crackers and Pepperidge Farm cookies, with a little apple juice on the side.

Wait, what? They didn’t have those at the resurrection? Huh.

Sarah says it was a miracle that her mom got her into a dress. Dresses are BACK in a big way, ya’ll! I didn’t wear dresses for well over a decade — no, make that more like 20 years — and now have several in my closet. I’m too lumpy to wear them alone but they’re wonderful and pretty with a cardigan or other layer, and short dresses look darling with boots and leggings!

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Our Little Selves, Continued

An active laywoman and Unitarian Universalist blogger from Virginia sent me this:

She writes, “My father was very musical and had high expectations for me in that direction, none of which played out [pun intended? - PB]. I like how in this shot I’ve got this expression of concentration on my face, yet am holding the slide whistle upside down. Sorry, Dad.”

Maybe because it’s a sad week in our congregation, maybe it’s because autumn is coming, but I find this entry very sweet and even poignant. Look at that beautiful little girl with her shiny cap of hair. Think about the fact that she was born with so many gifts of her own, and that her father had one in mind for her that wasn’t in her nature. Isn’t that always the way?

I am LOVING your reminiscences about traumatic clothes from your past, and I love these baby pictures. Keep ‘em coming!

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Fausto, who was referenced in my previous post, has contributed a photo of himself at the tiny age of two years old. Although he did not submit a reflection on the image, I will observe that he is cleverly anticipating one of the biggest fashion trends of fall, 2009 by sporting plaid (madras) bathing trunks:

Fausto blogs at The Socinian.

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Baby Photos

Frequent reader Fausto will recognize this setting as Compo Beach in Westport, Connecticut. I was in a program there called “Sea Squirts” and so was he, although several years apart. We found each other thirty-five years later in the blogosphere.

Send them in, gang. Let’s see our little selves. Let’s post some cute little future reverends on here and celebrate how far we’ve come… and remember what was good about our childhood selves that we’d like to re-energize or recover for our lives today.

What I remember about this moment is that I felt VERY pretty in my pink bathing suit. And of course I had no consciousness whatsoever that anything could ever be found imperfect about my body — this was the time of absolute innocence. Sun and sand and the salt water squishing between your toes and the ice cream truck. Eden.

Submit photos to victoria-dot-weinstein-at-gmail-dot-com!

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