Sermon Writing

I am writing my sermon for May 9th (yes, Mothers Day) and trying to get it done before my fabulous friends John and Nancy and itty bitty Becca come to town. I'm preaching about joy. You know- down in your heart to stay. I've been reflecting on how as I've emerged from a period of depression (more on that later) that the ability to express your joys is as important a need as the ability to express your sorrows. In churches, we like to hang out in the lukewarm section... when really that just makes God want to vomit. I kind of get that verse a little bit now. I thought about how David danced naked with joy about bringing the arch of the covenant to his people (before Indiana Jones encountered it of course). I mean- David- a king- shakin his stuff because he was so happy! Maybe he was drunk, maybe he was crazy- but I have to think God was so relieved to be getting some sort of response! I love Eddie Izzard's take on this when he makes fun of the Anglican religious tradition of song- he mocked their drone-voices singing a life-less chorus of "oh God our help in ages past...." and juxtaposed that history of privilege and droning to that of the African spirituals that are sung with more gusto and life about the enslavement and torture of generations of ancestors... I don't want to be vomit-worthy. I don't want to live numbly without expression of joy or sorrow. I want to feel. I want to dance naked- and have God stomping the beat.