Friday Five: Signs of Hope

I've been on a break from Friday Five for awhile, but this one seems like the perfect opportunity to jump back in. So, here goes...

What have you seen/ heard this week that was a:

1. Sign of hope?

This is a goofy one, but it worked for me. My best seminary friend, both a Texan and a dyed-in-the-wool Republican (though not a Bush fan any longer, a sign of hope in itself), voted for Hillary Clinton in this week's Texas primary. Seriously, people: this is almost a sign of the return of Jesus, not to mention a sign of hope. (She confided that her vote was mostly motivated by a desire to flip the bird at the Texas media who had virtually called the state for Obama before polls closed, but hey - the fact that she would even entertain the possibility of voting for a Clinton is a freaking miracle.)

2. An unexpected word of light in a dark place?

Last weekend I helped preside at my first funeral here at New Congregation, for a 26-year old man who died of a staph infection which settled in his heart. The service was very moving, as you would expect, but for me, the best word of light came during the eulogy given by this young man's cousin. Trying to write the eulogy, he had put his three-year old daughter in front of a children's program on television to keep her occupied long enough for him to think. What happened to come on was a barnyard cartoon wherein the cow's pet goldfish had died, and the cow was grieving. Being Irish barnyard animals (naturally), the whole farm got together for a wake during which the chicken asked the cow (in an Irish lilt, which the cousin imitated very well), "Are ye sad?" "Yes," said the cow, "but it's a good sad." The way he told it and his acknowledgment of both grief and hope - certainly a light.

3. A sign of spring?

Having recently moved from Winter Wonderland to New and Green City - hey, it all looks like spring to me. It's green! Things are growing! Grocery stores have primroses outside! And they're not frozen black! All good.

4. Challenging and/or surprising?

I got a whole day this week to sit at my desk and write long lists of all the dreams I have for our new worship service and for adult education opportunities. In my experience, both that kind of time AND the encouragement to do those things are rare. I loved it. Challenging in the best way.

5. Share a hope for the coming week/month/year....

Well, the crass one first: I really hope we sell our house in Former City by this time next month. I am not above praying for this at this point.

More important hope: I really hope that Beloved finds an amazing new job in New and Green City, because he's moving here for my sake and I want him to have an exciting opportunity of his own. I've been praying for that one for quite awhile.

Bonus play... a piece of music/ poem guaranteed to cheer you?

This list could be long, but I'll just highlight a few:
1. Song that will make me laugh: "Everyone's A Little Bit Racist" (Avenue Q soundtrack)
2. Song that lifts my spirits: "Ave Maria" (from my Alma Mater college choir's Christmas CD, and when I can find it I'll tell you the composer)
3. Song I love to sing with: "Galileo" and "Power of Two" (Indigo Girls)
4. Song that always makes me happy: "You Can Call Me Al" (Paul Simon)
5. Song that makes me so grateful that God created a world where there is music: "Make Our Garden Grow" (from Leonard Bernstein's Candide)

Enough for now. Hope, and my song list, springs eternal...