Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Preaching Drunk...

Last night I dreamt I was riding my bike to school (work?) from my old old house, and I crashed it and flew off into the cornfield, landing myself with a giant gash on the right side of my forehead. An instructor from college (Dr. Wandtke) stopped his car and took me to his house to get cleaned up. He handed me a tampon to wipe my face with and he told me he didn't have a mirror or a shiny plate or anything like that in his house that I could use. And then I was late for class (work?) and my car was still at home because apparently my family did not need to borrow it like they told me. But I rode to school (work?) anyway.

Stupid dreams. That was only one of a few I had last night. One involved Oz/Wonderland, a lot of ice, and a twenty story tall sword. Think Smithy. Oh, and my dad. Ugh.

Anycrazy...I won't bore you with my wacky subconscious.

Tonight is the night!

What night? You might ask...

Well, the night where we all get drunk at church!

Okay...okay...it's the Seder dinner. We have one every year to relive the captivity and exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. You eat strange, symbolic foods, listen to beautiful words, and drink lots of cheap red wine. No, seriously. It's like, "Blah blah blah...eat this strange food. Blah blah blah...drink your whole glass of wine."

I wasn't prepared for it last year...I got a little drunk. I think this year I'll try to scale back.

It's funny, though. This is the only year I've ever given up something for Lent, despite saying I wouldn't. And I'm not talking about giving up my job. That wasn't voluntary. But this is also the first year that Lent has actually meant something to me. It's a season of examining your life, of being in a hard place awaiting some good news, of getting rid of the excesses in your life and the things you know you should change. It's waiting for Spring. It's Spring cleaning for your life and soul.

I don't usually talk about my faith on my blog, but I really identify this year. I know a lot of you don't feel the same way, don't believe the same things, and that's perfectly fine. I don't expect you to. They're my beliefs, and they're not fact. They're not even popular among people who believe what I do. But you know what? They shape me. They comfort me. They allow me to love others when I don't want to. They are good. And in this Lenten season, when so much is thrown out, I'm keeping them.

Now let's all go to church and get drunk.

Out

4 comments:

Melissa Blake said...

Have fun!!

P.S. I love the photos of the library! I miss that place!

Bryan Ochalla said...

Ha ha! Read this earlier but didn't comment for some dumb reason. Anyway, hope you had a blast -- and didn't get *too* drunk ;)

Viewtiful_Justin said...

Not too drunk...well, maybe a little too drunk.

But we had a good time, and that's all that matters.

Argent said...

That seder thing sounds interesting. The church I used to go to wouldn't even allow the communion wine to contain any alcohol (red grape juice I think). Your faith is your business, no-one has the right to ttell you what to think and believe. Happy Easter!