Friday Five: What's New?

Songbird writes at RevGals:

There's a new baby on my street, a double PK whose Mom and Dad are Methodist pastors and church planters. I'm hoping to go over and meet her today. I love new babies, the way they smell and their sweet little fingers and toes. Little K has me thinking about all the new things that please us with their shiny freshness.

Please share with us five things you like *especially* when they are new.

1. Hot glazed Krispy Kreme donuts! I take HockeyBoy there for a weekly mom and son date, and brought two boxes to my 8:00 class today--they're taking their New Testament exam as I write. Their eyes lit up when they saw the bag and one young man said with delight: "They're still hot?"

2. Pencils, nice and sharp and with lovely clean and high-functioning eraser ends--preferably pretty colored ones instead of traditional yellow.

3. Nice crisp cotton or cotton blend blouses or dresses. Like doll hair, they're never quite the same after the first wash.

4. Friendships. Long held ones are special in their own way, of course, but there is something magical about the early stages of learning, sharing and discovery in relationships.

5. Liturgical music, whether sung for the first time or in a new video version on YouTube. Like friendships, the old favorites have deep resonance of course. But, like most conscientious music ministers, I make sure to repeat familiar music more often than my personal taste would dictate for ease of singing....So a really good new discovery is a real treat.

I am in the midst of some prophetic cleansing of the temple work in my new jurisdiction, which is a joy and privilege but also a daunting and dangerous task. So I am steeping myself in constant prayer and consultation and asking for prayer support as well, please--for the victims (at least 6 young boys in the 80s, and who knows how many since), the perpetrator and the colluders, and those of us trying to be part of the solution rather than the problem--and speak the truth in love and humility and "there but for the grace of Godde" rather than harshness or pride.

I found this setting of Malvina Reynold's God Bless the Grass last night and have been singing it since for strength, inspiration and peace.

God bless the grass that grows through the crack,
They roll the concrete over it and try to keep it back.
But the concrete gets tired of what it has to do,
It breaks and it buckles and the grass grows through,
God bless the grass.

God bless the truth that fights for the sun,
They roll the lies over it and think that it is done.
But it moves through the ground and reaches for the air,
And after a while it's growing everywhere,
God bless the grass.

God bless the grass that grows through cement,
It's tender and green and it's easily bent,
But after a while it lifts up its head
Cause the grass is living and the stone is dead,
God bless the grass.

God bless the grass that's gentle and low,
Its roots are deep and its will is to grow.
God bless the truth, the friend of the poor,
And the green grass growing round the poor man's door,
God bless the grass.