Hazelnut Reflections

on a lighter note

 


A happier story for this item:

Once upon a time I saw a children's sermon for the day of Pentecost that involved Beanie Babies. Hundreds and hundreds of Beanie Babies (for those who will ask, it was at All Saints', Ravenswood, Chicago, which if you know All Saints', will not surprise you at all that Beanie Babies were involved). At the climax of the story, the Holy Spirit came down upon all the Beanie Babies--the Holy Spirit in question being a pink flamingo.

So on some Pentecost day down the road, I found myself doing a children's type sermon with some Beanie Babies. I used the story of the Beanie Baby Pentecost to riff on, but described that I had no pink flamingo Beanie Baby, nor did I have a dove Beanie Baby, but I did have this little chicken Beanie Baby to use for the Holy Spirit.

The result of that sermon was that I am now the proud owner of a pink flamingo Beanie Baby, a dove Beanie Baby, and this lovely handcarved wooden dove. All three were presented to me by various parishioners, which I think answers one of those questions Reverend Mommy asked about whether members of your congregation show you appreciation. (Hopefully something was also made of the theological message of the sermon as well, which involved also a blue bear Beanie Baby (disciple in fear before the Holy Spirit) and a red bear Beanie Baby (disciple after the arrival of the Holy Spirit).

I'm not sure where in the boxes are the assorted Pentecost BBs. I trust they will turn up. I always try to have a stash of Beanie Babies and bubbles in the office to entertain small children and those (like me) who are cleverly disguised as responsible adults most of the time.

But I did take the dove to the office this morning. 

posted by Emily @ 4:25 PM