Friday Five: Change

Change is hard. Shrek and Fiona (and Puss and Donkey) are under the influence of a spell, and time is running out to break it or make it permanent. Most changes happen a little less drastically, which is great except that it also means change is usually a big effort. For this Friday Five, please answer these five questions about change.

1) Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and seen yourself with surprise? Why?

The first time I saw myself in my nun's habit I knew that change had happened. I was giddy with the moment but the reality was harder to understand. I had a similar experience when I first saw myself in clerics.  Clothing does begin to change who you are, how you are perceived and how people respond to you.  And then when I noticed that most of my hair was white and while it wasn't much of a surprise, I knew I had changed even though I didn't feel changed.

2) Have you ever witnessed a change in routine at church that upset people? (Hahahahaha!!!! I know you have!)

Whoohoo!  Try moving the altar in an Episcopal Church!  Try using inclusive language.  And just last week, try talking about the LGBT gifts at a Same-Sex blessing in the parish--the first in a very conservative diocese!

3) Have you ever been surprised or inconvenienced by a change in a public setting (not church)?

Oh, Hell!  I have been a part of the inconvenience of change since the early 60's.  I was thrown out of history class in high school because I believed that Afro-Americans should go to the same school I did.  I was run out of the RCC because I believed that women should be ordained.  I was run out of my parish because I believe that Mexicans should go to church WITH us not just be provided space as a mission strategy.  I was run out of another parish because I believed that in calling a gay man as bishop of NH the Church was doing a new thing.  And I am still raising hell about LGBT folk being bullied or denied their rights as citizens.  Cummon!  I am a priest.  I am not surprised--I am just preaching the Gospel!!!

4) Has the passage of time changed your understanding of something you used to think you knew for sure?

EVERYDAY!  All I have to do is sit down to my computer!

5) Is there something you're trying to change, or want to change, in your life right now?

Is there anyway to stop the ageing process?  I am changing everyday.  It is part of life.  

Would anyone like to come and help me unpack?  My office doesn't need to be like the last one--it just has to have some order.  Would some one like to organize my kitchen?  I need the knives to the right of the stove and the hot pads to the left of it and one junk drawer for tools and odds and ends and you can put everything else where you want.  It doesn't need to be the same as I would.  Just some order would be nice.  Can you help me find my good shoes?  Winter is coming and I need something more than my sandals.