Bodies in Motion and Andrew McCrew

I gotta tell you that I am thoroughly disgusted with the "Bodies in Motion" exhibit currently at Union Station, featuring dead bodies (real dead bodies) plasticized into athletic positions. I really don't care to know much of the details about this. Just the idea makes my skin (real skin) crawl. As a recent letter to the editor to the KC Star said it..each of these bodies was somebody's mother or father, sister, brother, son or daughter. At least, however, I like Barb Shelly of the Star, thought that this exhibit was produced by some scientific organization, and these bodies had been given for scientific research. But as she wrote today (I see by internet--I am in Columbia for cabinet) she has found out that it is a for-profit organization that has put this thing on, and now there are suspicions about where these bodies have come from--maybe China, and maybe these were unclaimed bodies not willingly donated ones. It all feels fairly sick to me. It reminds me of the Don McLean song The Legend of Andrew McCrew from his Homeless Brother album...I am getting back to Don McLean after two decades of neglect on my part. Here are the lyrics, with no more comment from me. Try to find a copy of the song, because it is much more effective to hear wonderful Don sing this.

The lyrics site where I got these had this annotation:

The song is based on an authentic case. Andrew McCrew toured with the carnival, posthumously, for about 35 years. He was buried in 1973.That was when Don McLean read an article about him and wrote the song. When the song came out, someone stepped forward and donated a headstone on McCrew's previously unmarked grave. The fourth verse of the song is carved on the headstone. (Anyway, that's what Don McLean tells on the live album.)

The Legend of Andrew McCrew
There was a mummy at the fair,all crumpled in a folding chair.
The people passed, but didn't care

that the mummy was a man,
So tell me if you can

Chorus:
Who are you?
Who are you?
Where have you
been, where are you going to?
Well, Andrew McCrew must have lost his way
'Cause though he died long ago he was buried today.

Verse 1:
Down on nightmare alley,where the shady people sway
a hobo came a-hikin' on a salty summer day
Well he hopped a freight in Dallas,
and he rode out of sight
But on a turn he slipped, and he lost his grip
and he fell into the night.

Repeat Chorus
Verse 2:
Well, Andrew had one leg of wood, the other leg was small.
And when he fell off the train that night he found he had no legs at all.
Well they found him in the thicket, and the undertaker came.
And they mummified his body for a relative to claim.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 3:
But no one came to claim him, until the carnival passed through.
The carnies took him to their tent and they decided what to do.
Well they dressed him in a worn-out rags and they put him on a stand.
And millions saw the legend called the `famous mummy man'.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 4:
Well, what a way to live a life and what a way to die.
Left to live a living death with no one left to cry.
Petrified amazement, and wonder beyond words,
A man who found more life in death than life gave him at birth.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 5:
But what about the ones who live and wish that they could go.
Whose lives are lost to living and performing for the show.
Well at least you got the best of life until it got the best of you,
So from all of us to what's left of you
Farewell, Andrew McCrew.

Two too close calls

Two things happened today that may seem unrelated to you, but they don't to me. BTW this is not a picture of my car...but it could have been. Driving (very rapidly) to Columbia this morning for a meeting, about mile marker 90 on the interstate a Bobcat type state vehicle backed out from the median into the left lane of traffic...right in front of me. I swerved, and I lost control of the car...my car skidded in front of a semi, back right in front of a fawn colored Jeep Cherokee, and then in back of the semi. I finally got it in control and was able to drive on to Columbia. About two miles after this happened, I pulled over to check that my tires were okay; the semi truck pulled over too. The guy driving it gave me quite a talking to--I believe he said at least three times, "You're just lucky you didn't roll that car of yours". This of course helped greatly my shaking hands and knees. I was going too fast. But I wasn't on the phone and I didn't have my laptop out which is what he accused me of...
And then this evening, as I began the every-two-week bill paying event, I somehow remembered that I no longer had direct deposit of my paycheck, and that for some unknown reason, right before supper, which I was fixing rapidly, I had thrown away my paycheck thinking it was junk mail. Fortunately, the envelope was only a little wet when I frantically found it digging through the kitchen trash.
Two close calls. Very close. Two too close calls. Much too close. I had the distinct feeling that Somebody up there was trying to tell me something today. Slow down? Tell everyone to buy a Prius not just for its gas mileage but because it handles pretty well when bobcats pull out in front of you on I-70? Start direct deposit again? Who knows for sure. I just get the feeling that I need to be a little more careful with this life of mine...my first thought after the car incident was "Cana!" "Caleb!" Actually, I guess that's two thoughts. My first thought after intially not remembering where the check was "I can always have the conference office stop payment." The car thing, of course endangered my life---the check thing only endangered my bank account. Life is a precious thing, very precious. And that's all I have to say about that.

A letter home...

I've been away for a while because of a number of things: two weeks of tooth pain; four days of assessment; and because I forget each year how very busy this time is for d.s.s. Churches and pastors who are on the bubble as far as move/stay need attention and meetings in the evenings; we must begin the important work of prayer and discernment of appointment making; and it's so darn cold everything seems harder. Tomorrow we interview Saint Paul students who are newly asking to be appointed in student appointments next year. It'll be a good but long day.

Emergent wise:

---I've been asked by a d.s. in North Georgia to come down and do three workshops with her pastors around younger adult and emergent conversation topis in mid-May.

---I think I'm leading a book review session for the KC Emergent Cohort on Brian McLaren's Everything Must Change on March 6 and I foget where...I left my calendar at the office...

---I am (and I hope YOU are) registered for the Deep Shift conference on April 25-26 led by Brian McLaren in KC. Go to http://www.deepshift.org/ for registration and other info. Tim Keel is leading a two day workshop on his Intuitive Leadership April 23-24. Mike King is also offering a youth leadership event during that same time. Go to http://www.timkeel.com/timkeel/conference.html to find out more.

---And, ok, speaking of Tim, I heard a very good sermon on fasting Sunday night at Jacobs Well. Here's the podcast link: http://jacobswell-mp3s.s3.amazonaws.com/ Don't know quite if that works but you can go to the http://www.jacobswellchurch.org/ site and click on sermon audio to get there, too.

---I am reading a book I picked up a couple of weeks ago that is a really neat story about what so many of us yearn for---real community. It's a couple of years old and is entitled Little Chapel on the River: A Pub, A Town and The Search for What Matters Most by Gwendolyn Bounds.

And in other news:

--I bought a KC cityscape print by water colorist extraordinaire Barbara Neth that she framed and Hubert brought by for me yesterday. Just seeing Hubert and reading a poem he let me read were tonic for my soul.

--Steve Campbell led the HN district book study today on Barbara Brown Taylor's The Preaching Life. I only wish I had had time this morning to be present for the entire session---I think we had 12 pastors present. I was reminded that preaching does not need to be complex in structure to be profound--most some of the simplist expressions of the gospel in story are the ones the preacher thoughtfully speaks from his or her own soul....so we all best be about soul care, our own and others.

This sounds like the "letter home" mode I fall into when I haven't written for a while...so, take care of yourselves, drive safely, and remember your mittens when you go out....Love to all, SKCJ

--

Not a pleasant week...

I have been off line because I have been attempting to manage the worse pain I have had in my life. I know others who day to day have to deal with much worse things, and, unlike me, they know that their pain, of heart or body, isn't gonna get better anytime soon. I have dry socket. I feel so cheap. So like I have not followed instructions. I gave birth to two beautiful children, and you know how they say you forget the pain after you see them and cuddle with them and look at their tiny hands and feet? I have not forgotten the pain, though it was worth it. The radiating pain from my chipmunk left jaw into my neck, up my face to my ear, throughout my brain, was not of course due to childbirth. That would have been odd in deed. Instead, that wisdom tooth that the other doc in my doc's office said on Wednesday, "was a real booger to get out...he told me about it"...and who said "more than half of extractions where the wisdom tooth is sideways get dry socket" and "I think it might not be dry socket but come back if it doesn't get better" did not get better. After waking up looking for a Wailing Wall to wail at three nights in a row, and finally breaking down in tears this afternoon (and no, it did NOT make me feel better), I went back, and by golly, even though it didn't look exactly like a dry socket, it was, because as soon as the doc packed medication in, AS SOON, the pain was more than cut in half.



You know it was bad when I didn't even want to talk about it...except to Philip and the kids and a time or two to Barbara because I needed pity. Philip has been extremely kind, taking me to the doctor; of course he did get my car all week too (his lack of motorized transportation would take another blog entry. Former husbands can be very nice to have as good friends. ) I also needed to scream. And yet I have felt guilty about that since I know there are many others, as I've said, whose pain cannot be medicated by doctor or pastor. Prayer and loving arms do help though, I know. I just really didn't want any loving arms this week for fear a free-flying hand might graze my cheek and I would scream and perhaps curse that person to eternal and everlasting fire, which a pastor should never, never do, by the way.



Here is a picture I found posted by blogger Felicia that she drew to illustrate her feelings about her dry socket



If this has happened to you and I seem to be overdramatizing, consider yourself blest. Hope you can read her little notations.

I am especially happy to get some relief because the cabinet meets this week at Windermere to do our yearly assessments of churches and pastors. Windermere is near Roach MO and Mack's Creek. My doc told me that I probably want to get repacked with medication at on oral surgeon on Tuesday....I have searched our insurance provider list, and see no oral surgeons closer than Springfield...is that right?

Well, thanks for putting up with me.

Favre Kind of Leader...

As I said earlier in the week, I had my evaluation with rs on Thursday. He shared with me some of the comments others from the district had made about me in their evaluations, but not who they were from...one was that I was a "Brett Favre" kind of leader. I don't know who said that, but I think it was a compliment. I went to the Packers website and saw a description and I just realized that he was named Sportsman of the Year by SI for 07. I don't think the comparison has anything to do with my athletic ability. Maybe age. Or maybe something else. From what I can find out, Brett is "one good guy" and if somebody thinks I am "one good gal" I am grateful..Apparently he was also on the cover a couple of weeks ago, losing in the snow. Anyway...

I did too much yesterday and this morning and need to veg some the next couple of days. Vegging always sounds so good, but when I really get the chance I am not too good at it. But my ordinarilly chipmunky left cheek is even more so right now and I am really beat, so I will try to make like a carrot and veg tomorrow and the next day ...except for some computer work. Everyone take careth.

O.S. day night

It only took about an hour, all told, to remove that sucker that's been there all my life? After Dr Tanner (who my dentist Karen told me she would send her sister to if she needed this done), kind and real Dr. Tanner, put the little i.v. drop thingy in my hand, I think I was out like a light until I was in the recovery room and Philip was coming in to help wake me up. Doc was able to take out the wisdom tooth without removing the back molar, which needs a root canal so that Karen can put a bridge in the spot next to it where she pulled a tooth three years ago. So the first of many procedures dentally (something I am tres used to) is done.

I have received lots of advice and condolensces from folks from the blogosphere and those I see as well. As I said, this was my first g.a. experience. How many people have a prayed with, listened to, held hands with, read psalms to, and even soothed a brow or two with in pre op rooms before THEY had g.a.? Many, probably hundreds. Mine of course was light anesthesia and I came out of it quickly. I don't remember much about coming out from under it except how everything was so right in the world. I felt so GOOD, Philip says I said over and over again. Part of it of course are the drugs: part of it that I have been working so dang hard, but I feel at important things. Part of it is that I think I may actually be able to take time off this week before Assessment Week to rest and recoup. Part of it is that I have the evaluations just about done. And part of it is that I had a very good and helpful evaluation with my bishop yesterday about my own work. He canvassed lay persons and clergy in my district and he said to me, "Susan, one thing's for certain..you are loved." Those are some of my favorite words in the world, if not THE favorist. Also, I have liked these phrases that have been said to me too: "your baby is tiny but healthy"; and "I am asking you to be a district superintendent" and "we only had to take one tooth" and "you have made a difference in my life" And "no, please stay, it makes me feel better when you are here" and "I want to be baptized" and "this church has really helped me through the bad times and I want to help somebody else" and "I think God is calling me into the ordained ministry." But, of course there are two other phrases that I feel like God and Paul say to me twenty times a day and are the ones that make everything good: "God can do far more than we can ask or imagine" and "Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus."
ps. I thought I would put a picture of an impacted wisdom tooth here to illustrate today, but opted for a pic of sweet Cana, my caretaker. This picture was taken around Christmas time. Thank you, Cana Ruthie!

Grudge Candle and O.S.

One of the better stories I heard during evaluations came from a pastor whose congregation has some internal bickering and sometimes members talk about each other more like plain old brothers and sisters instead of brothers and sisters in Christ, if you know what I mean. He told me that he had an inspiration during the district Christmas worship. He wanted to do this: some Sunday morning, give everybody a little piece of wax that they would shape into a "chip" to put on to his or her shoulder (since so many have one anyway)--and after the sermon, he would have everyone bring up his or her chip, find someway to get the wax soft, press all the pieces together and then for several weeks, light the candle and burn it down to nothing. Don't I have wonderfully inventive pastors???

BTW I am having that dreaded o.s.(oral surgery) tomorrow with g.a. (general anesthesia)--the extraction of a wisdom tooth that has never come in but now is pushing with all its might against the root of a molar--so close in fact that the o.s. person (oral surgeon) thinks they may have become as one...hope that isn't a chargeable offense. Anyway, it's the first time I have ever been under g.a. and I am a skoatchy bit nervous. And of course George W. Bush HAD to pick tomorrow to be coming to visit the Plaza, where the o.s. person is. At the same time. Philip is taking me and Cana is taking care of me afterward. Prayers for the many physical antics of the C-Js are always appreciated. For all HND pastors: I have blocked out all of next week to be off...hopefully I won't need all that time to recover. I hope I never recover from all of your wonderful stories, laughter, tears, anger, prayers, blessings and love shared during the evaluations. Thank you for the priviledge.