Salin's World

The Voice of the Shepherd

2009-05-07T15:15:00.001-04:00

May 3, 2009 10 AM

MP3 File

Miracles in Our Lives

2009-05-05T10:39:00.001-04:00

April 26, 2009 -- Easter 3
Stan Moraski

MP3 File

He is risen!!

2009-05-04T08:09:00.001-04:00

Easter Morning 2009 10AM

MP3 File

Do you hear the rooster?

2009-05-04T07:56:00.001-04:00

Good Friday 2009 Sermon

MP3 File

The Beginning of Pentecost

2009-05-04T07:46:00.001-04:00

April 19, 2009 -- Easter 2

MP3 File

It's about the cross

2009-03-07T16:41:00.003-05:00

Would you be helping to carry the cross or just ridiculing those who do?

To put yourself in the picture and to prepare for March 8, the lessons can be found here.

And this?

2008-04-17T07:52:00.001-04:00

Better?

2008-04-17T07:42:00.000-04:00

Amazing!!

2008-04-17T07:26:00.002-04:00

Now I can do great edits online. I'm starting to backup online. I'm getting more and more mobile, and I love it.

It's fun to finish!!

2008-03-21T14:59:00.002-04:00

I enjoy crocheting, and I really like finishing projects, like this afgan for friends' baby. It was a good focus during Holy Week.

Some Uncles are Great

2007-01-10T10:15:00.000-05:00

Uncle Ralph (Ralph Miller to those who knew him in other parts of his life.) was surely a great uncle. He loved being such to my sisters' kids, but he was also great to the Oklahoma Miller kids -- no matter how old we got to be. It sort of embarrassed him that adults as old and big as we've gotten to be still called him Uncle, but we couldn't have thought of him any other way.

Uncle Ralph may not have been our only Uncle, but he was his own kind of uncle. He reminded us of the sort of man our dad was, and Uncle Ralph's tenderness and sentimentality must have run in the family, because Daddy (Uncle Ed to the California Millers) was very much the same way. They also put family above everything, church high on the list, and travel as a priority in their lives. The last must have come from their dad -- the inimitable Ralph F.

On the other hand there were things about Uncle Ralph that were completely different from Daddy. Uncle Ralph liked opera and little theatre -- hardly passions of his brother Ed. And their politics never exactly meshed -- something they learned to accept and even laugh about in one another.

We'll miss Uncle Ralph a lot, but someone as alive, energetic (sometimes chaotically so), and distinctive as he was will not be forgotten by those of us who have loved and been fortunate to be loved by him.

2006-11-30T10:12:00.000-05:00

Confirmation

Happy Anniversary?

2005-06-11T14:25:00.000-04:00

I started this blog a year ago. Not that I have kept it up during the year. I wasn't sure how to work with it, and life took up most of my attention.

So what kind of year has it been? We have moved into a lovely new condo, and we have a terrific new dog. It took 8 tough months to sell our other condo, and Tigger the elegant standard poodle died suddenly at the end of January. There have been a few memorable days and lots of days I can remember only vaguely.

So this year has been a lot like other years. There isn't a lot I have accomplished, but I feel more able to do new things in the year to come. That's probably a sign of faith, and hope will give me the energy to attempt some or all of those new things and the strength to face the tough times that are part of every year.

Hopeful New Year to all of you.

Salin

Here's to Roger!

2005-06-09T17:08:00.000-04:00

My dear friend Roger Hall died a few days ago. He and his beloved Katrina (Kate to the uninformed) accompanied me to many a wonderful movie and shared many a lamb chop and Sunday potato during my sojourn in Philadelphia and and in the years since I left. We also shared many laughs, at least as long as Roger could laugh.

I wish I had a picture of Roger to post on this site. You'll have to rely on my internal camera, instead, although I'm sure it's tinted with the affection and delight I always felt when I was with Roger.

Roger had beautiful hair and a wonderful speaking voice. It's good that he did, because it put him on the right track with all the performing folks he encountered during his time among us. Roger was every bit as dramatic as any of them. And he used that drama to tell wonderful stories -- sometimes more than once (Did I ever tell you about Birch Mayo?).

Roger worked hard on his faith, although it didn't come naturally to him. He could read a passage from scripture so beautifully one minute and be snoozing during the sermon almost without missing a beat. He once told me that he understood about God and he was catching on about Jesus, but the Holy Spirit eluded him. I don't think it eluded him at all. I think the holy spirit filled him and poured out of him and was shared with each of us every time we heard him laugh or tell a story or wax eloquent about a piece of music.

Roger taught us all something about faith. If you can explain it, it's not faith. And it is the most faithful among us who keep trying to understand when all explanations are beyond us.

I'll miss Roger, but I know more about God's grace because I've known him.

2005-06-09T10:38:00.000-04:00

Bubba and I had a great time in the Dog Parade, and I even got to promote the church with the new shirt. All in all a good effort.

2005-06-09T08:11:00.000-04:00

Sitting on the church steps looking out. How often do we worship looking out?

Not much spring!

2005-06-08T20:34:00.000-04:00

Just two weeks ago it was so cold that I couldn't believe it. We were suffering through a nor'easter. A week ago it was pretty nice.And now it's as hot as it will be almost any time this summer -- mid 90's. So spring was about one week. I could have sworn it was supposed to be more like three months. Why are the good things always the shortest?

Blessings and Love, Salin

Bubba loved the dog parade.

2005-05-30T19:57:00.000-04:00

He's a real politician and wanted to kiss all the babies and shake everyone else's hand.

2005-05-30T15:02:00.000-04:00

The church is always beautiful in the spring.

Beautiful Memorial Day

2005-05-30T13:43:00.000-04:00

Happy Memorial Day!!

This is the prettiest Memorial Day I can remember in several years. We deserve it after such a cold and wet May. And it's good that things were so lovely, because there have been so many outside activities in the last few days. On the one hand it is sad to see some of the long-standing events, the service on the Pine Meadow Green and the talk at the top of Town Hill, somewhat poorly attended and mostly by senior citizens. On the other hand there hae been some great events for younger people -- the road race around Brodie Park and the dedication of the new playscape, as well as yesterday's dog parade, which introduced the Dog Daze of New Hartford. There are a lot of exciting things going on in our area. We are in the process of making some good new memories.

Blessings and Peace, Salin

Back from California

2004-06-28T21:13:00.000-04:00

I was gone for 10 days and had a good visit with family (the "California" Millers). I alsoattended two worthwhile conferences on stewardship and planned giving. A good extra was attending Jocelynn's ordination in Sacramento.

I got home in spite of problems with a rental car and a delay getting out of Atlanta. I was so glad to see Bill and tired enough that I didn't have trouble with jet lag until the second night. I did have trouble getting out of bed on Sunday morning.

Now if we'd only sell this condo, everything would be much easier. It's getting closer and closer to the time when we will move into the new place. It looks good, and our choices seem to be turning out as I would have liked.

How the condo is coming

2004-06-11T21:05:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, the big thing this summer is getting our codo built. There is now a sign posted on the door saying that we are not supposed to go into the condo unless a representative of the builder is with us. I'm not sure we'll completely follow the rules, but we're behaving a bit better.

The siding is going on, and the wallboard is in, setting the rooms apart. It's very exciting and is supposed to be finished in 6 weeks. Oh, won't someone please buy our old place?

It's a place to start

2004-06-11T19:04:00.000-04:00

I wanted to try something new while I'm on sabbatical. This is one way to share some of my thoughts and activities during these months.

We went to New York yesterday. I attended the Via Media course for the third time. I think it has a lot of possibilities for St. John's Pine Meadow, as well as for other congregations. It is not perfect, but it will challenge people and provoke conversation.

Today I have been mesmerized by Reagan's funeral service. It's good to see a well-done Episcopal service. I was glad we were there last year.

2004-06-11T18:20:00.000-04:00

We can't wait to sit on this porch -- and grill on the patio below.

2004-06-11T17:37:00.000-04:00

Here I am in Paris in March!