House...Crown

Our architects are finishing up the contract for our house. It should be signed very soon and construction will begin. We had six contractors bid for the job. It still came out much higher than we expected. Oh well.

**

Norah celebrated her third birthday last Saturday. That evening she brought some framed photos to Glory and asked, "Was I in your tummy in this picture?" "Why, yes," said Glory, "you were." Norah pointed to another picture. "Was I in your tummy in this picture?" Glory said, "No, not in that one." "Where was I?" asked Norah. Glory paused then said, "Well, you weren't anywhere." Norah said, "But where was I?" Glory said, "You were not anywhere; you didn't exist then." Norah persisted. "But where was I?" Glory repeats: "Before you were in my tummy you were not you...You didn't exist. That's all I can say." Norah, without missing a beat, said, "I guess it's a mystery."

**

I read a short piece in The Christian Science Monitor recently about the effect of prayer on international politics. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, gave an interpretation of Psalm 23 in which she identified the Shepherd (in 'the Lord is my shepherd') as Divine Love. She said that Divine Love erases fear, criticism, jealousy, and judgmentalism. Prayer, according to Eddy, can break down the barriers that these characteristics cause in political life. Whether or theory of prayer is correct or not, I was helped by thinking of the Shepherd as Divine Love. I just have trouble relating to the God-image of shepherd. I don't know any shepherd; never have. But being shepherded by Divine Love has meaning for me. Many metaphors or images of God don't register with me anymore. But Divine Love and Divine Intelligence resonates.

**

My book of family stories is about finished. I'm reading the proof copy and making corrections.

**

I joined the gym at our local Community Center. I've not yet used the weight room or any of the zillion exercise machine (though I intend to acquaint myself with some of them). I'm using the indoor track for walking. One day I was going around the track in the usual counter clockwise direction when a man met me coming the other way. "Hey," he said, "didn't you read the sign? This is Tuesday; you're supposed to be going clockwise." "Oh," thanks," I said. Sure enough there is a sign that says we run or walk counter clockwise on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday -- and the opposite direction on the other days. Boy, life is complicated, isn't it?

**

I'm still going to the Dental School at UAB for dental work. Yesterday I got my new crown. Gold! I guess if I get mugged I should keep my mouth shut lest the mugger yank out my shiny crown. It took three hours as usual. The students are thorough and slow. The student didn't numb me before he started. But when I jumped a couple of times he realized I needed an injection. This was the first crown he had put on someone who had not already had a root canal. Thus, my pain helped him learn to numb those who have not been rooted. I try to do my little part in educating the next generation of dentists. I started singing the hymn "Crown Him with Many Crowns," but he didn't get it--he hadn't grown up in a Protestant church.

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