Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Feed the wolf


I am a bit of a news-aholic....so it stands to reason the inauguration was on the TV all day yesterday and I have been watching closely our new president's first day in office. It has all been impressive but to be honest predictable. That is until today's National prayer service...the sermon given by Rev. Sharon Watkins was inspiring!

Up until that point the service was a bit disjointed...a bit of trying to please everyone...sounded a bit Catholic, then definitely Southern Baptist, and then whoops there's a Greek Orthodox priest standing on the pulpit behind a clapping and dancing choir (he looked really uncomfortable!) I know the Obama team has used the term patchwork in several speeches but this event was downright scrappy! Anyway, I had gone back to the kitchen to do dishes when I heard her start to speak so I returned to the living-room. I am glad I did. (I tried to find a copy of her sermon online but no luck yet.)

It wasn't overly preachy...I think I came back in the room when I heard the crowd laugh for the first time. In a very nice way it was a warning to the new administration that power can corrupt, that vengeance can eat away at you, and that we all depended on them to remain true to basic values.

She used an American Indian fable as a teaching point that went something like this: a grandfather told his young grandson that inside each of us are two wolves struggling - one filled with anger, resentment and self pity – and the other filled with compassion, faithfulness, and hope. "Which one wins?" the grandson asks. "The one you feed," answered his grandfather.

Did I mention she is the first woman preacher to deliver a sermon at a National Prayer Service...things are a-changin'!
(the photos are a couple more the fun quilts worked on by members of my guild during our retreat last weekend!)

10 comments:

Scrappy quilter said...

Oh my I love the top quilt. And to be at a retreat is a someday dream of mine.

Sam said...

Hi I clicked on the first quilt picture to see the detail; it was so lovely, and had a laugh at the single sock at the bottom - the really colourful one. Thanks for the giggle - it made my day. The quilt is lovely too.
Sam from Australia.

chrisee said...

My same thoughts - Sam from Australia - both beautiful quilts. The first one had someone, standing on one foot it seems and has VERY wide hands! The second one appeared to have Aboroiginal prints.
Chris from Australia

sewkalico said...

What a lovely fable. More great retreat photos too!

Lori in South Dakota said...

I did enjoy the sermon and the analogy. Patchwork, everything pulled together and IT WORKS! At least I am fervently hoping everyone wants to work together1

Lori in South Dakota said...

both quilts were lovely and I LOVED the Toe Socks!

Unknown said...

Ohhh I love the first quilt on the tripod (two hands one foot - and very colourful too).
It looks like the second quilt is trying to tell a story. Lovely combination of patterns.

Colleen formerly of South Africa said...

Love the colorways of your DD, I am stuck on part 2 at the moment. That retreat looked wonderful... with all that creativity surrounding you.

Beertje Zonn said...

What a beautiful quilts I see on your blog!
Kind regards,

Sonnja & Bear Zonn

Purple Pam said...

Thank you for sharing the pictures of your retreat. It looks like a great big room you had to work in. That is so fun. I like to walk around and see what everyone else is working on at retreats. Then I go back before the end and see what progress was made.