Dearest Pigeons!
From time to time I feel the need to apologize to the many of you who send me e-mails and sometimes photos and to whom I say, “This is a great question, let’s bring it to the blog!”
And then I don’t.
This is because I am a full time minister with a house and a dog and a cat and no helpful BTFM secretary to organize my blogging and on-line advising life for me, not because I don’t love you!
Also, I forget. Like you, I have a billion things swirling around in my mind; even when on vacation.
Ha ha about vacation, right? I’m so grateful I get it! I get a nice, long one! But I dunno about you, I’m thinking about church every day and organizing files and my library, drafting sermons and worship services, designing our new website, and did I mention thinking about church and ministry and activism most of the day?
It’s just who I am, and who many of us are.
I am also working on a BTFM BOOK, which is HARD.
I just wanted to say hey and hi and ho there, Mickey Mouse Club-style.
Please know that I am not at all offended if you contact me and say, “So, hey, Victoria, you were going to do a post about my bloddy bla, and that was a year ago, do you think you might still write about that?” I would actually be GRATEFUL for the reminder. Chances are I even have a draft somewhere!
How about the insanity reigning in our nation, huh, U.S. readers? Lord have mercy, have MERCY.
I have a tiny silver lining, which is that my Spanish seems to be good enough to talk to neighbors about voting, and I intend to register new voters this fall.
I loved Jon Stewart’s harangue from last night, when he thundered at the GOP for their vile tactics and among other things, said that they do not own America, they do not own patriotism, they do not own appreciation for the work of the armed forces and public safety professionals like cops and firefighters. Goddamn it, yes.
I just keep repeating, calmly, that Black Lives Matter is one of the most important civil rights movements of our time. It does not condone — you know what? WHY DO I EVEN NEED TO SAY THAT? I don’t even need to say that here. I pray, pray, pray for your leadership in your respective communities. There is so much pain, but there is also “discomfort,” which is the feeling white people get when their loving pastors push them beyond their personal feelings (“I’m not racist!”)and toward an understanding of the system that is racism. If you serve a privileged white community, please take a look at Debby Irving’s book Waking Up White.
Please carry on. Show up and keep showing up, and you can tame those frizzy fly aways with a dab of hand lotion – did you know that?
Grateful for you and for our calling.