People Amaze Me.

Recently, in our quiet little neighborhood we've discovered that someone is going into unlocked cars and taking items that he/she (but probably he) deems valuable. Why do I presume he? Well, because most of those who go to work at Labor Ready are male. Especially those who seem to be walking by at around 6:00ish-ly in the a.m. Our alley is a convenient cut through for the walk.

Items that have gone missing from my hubby's rag-top (and therefore unlockable vehicle as we'd hate to find it cut into shreds) are: change, a stainless steel coffee mug or two, some razors kept there for emergencies when a) the alarm fails because of either power outage, or inefficient setting, b) snooze is just too attractive or c) the tired wife kills it.

It amazes me that someone feels it necessary to do this. It shocks the conscience. Yet as I was out replacing those items, I thought... maybe desperate people do desperate things. No one was hurt. Inconvenienced, yes, you bet your bippy. But truly harmed, no...

And that brought me to a pondering place. I'm pondering. How desperate are we few Anglo-Catholics? Are we desperate enough to ask leave to sell the church building or turn it over to the diocese? Desperate enough to leave the stranglehold of TEC and move to a different rented location? If we were to sell the building and rent, we could afford a priest-- albeit not one that needed pension or health insurance but a full-time priest. What would or might that mean?

There'd be a lot of pain. The Sudanese would definitely be inconvenienced, as would we... but is that what we may need to do given how thoroughly unattractive TEC is to conservatives who love ritual and Anglo-Catholic rite? I don't know.

Are we desperate enough to take this leap? Is it what God is calling us to do? I dunno... but I think we need to think about it... and it may mean that like my hubby we wind up changing our parking spot in order to avoid the slow attrition of members, funds, and in hubby's case coffee mugs and razors. TEC can keep the change... we can't afford to lose anymore of the other items or we simply won't make it.

There, I said it. We won't make it unless we do something desperate.