by Erin Robinson Hall | Mar 25, 2015 | Reflections |
Mashups. Does anybody else do these? My mashups happen when the songs I’ve had stuck in my head for days meet up with the tunes that won’t quit in my house. Like the Doc McStuffins theme song mashed with “99 Problems.” It works, I promise. Or “All About that Bass” mashed with the Clean Up Song (“All About that Mess”). The song that’s been on repeat in our house this weekend, especially with Sister and Mom visiting, is the fabulous theme song from my new favorite, the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Even the two year old now sings his one line from it on cue: “It’s a Miracle!” So, as I’m going through a morning where it would have been helpful to have this little jingle stuck in my head like it has been for days, I am surprised to find myself humming a very different tune. Probably because I don’t feel even slightly unbreakable. Walking through this day, I’ve found myself humming this song. My heart remains sure in the wind, sure in the waves. You are the anchor for my soul You won’t let go, You won’t let go No matter what may come I know You won’t let go. An anchor for my soul. Sometimes, the imagery gets it just right. But in my life, the grace happens when the songs you know by heart mash up with the other tunes that just won’t quit to make a beautiful new thing. It’s amazing when the beats line up. It’s amazing how the song you thought was driving you crazy actually blends with another melody in a way...
by Erin Robinson Hall | Feb 11, 2015 | Wonder |
I had not planned on bringing my two-year old into the Vespers service Sunday evening. But plans change, and he ended up with me standing tip toe on the back pew, giving commentary every two seconds: “Dat’s water?” Yes, I told him. “Dat’s the big boys, IN the water?” Yes. We’re Baptists, so we go all in. Chest deep into the pool at the front of the chapel. (He’s a fan of the big boys – 4th and 5th graders mostly) “What dey laughin’ about?” That, I couldn’t tell you, son. The precious boy standing in the baptismal waters was CRACKING up. And I loved it. He got so tickled and couldn’t stop. I mean, lots of people get emotional in this moment of symbolism. But laughter during a baptism delighted me as much as when a couple gets the giggles and laughs during their wedding. It’s just effervescent joy. There was so much joy in the chapel. It so happened that this crew of five baptismal candidates were all related: siblings and cousins. It makes sense, really. As one kiddo begins conversations about their faith journey, the ones listening nearby start to get in on the conversation, too. And once they had each proclaimed to their church that they were ready to go all in and let baptism mark their identity, it was a little hilarious to hear about how they coached each other through the actual event of getting soaking wet in the baptismal pool. Standing in the back, the 6th grade girl turned to Pastor Jake and said, “Can I ask you something?” He nodded and...
by Erin Robinson Hall | Feb 10, 2015 | Reflections |
January went by in a blur of kleenex, cough drops, and cold medicine. We kept colds and stomach bugs rotating through our house for way too many days. And, after trying to make an appointment just yesterday and hearing the lady tell me, “Yeah, we’ve had to reschedule for so many people, because of the flu and, you know, the norovirus,” I wanted to quarantine my family. Oh, I know the norovirus very well. That’s another story for another day. Believe me, the 2013 Norovirus is not a plague I’ll soon forget. But here we are in 2015, and because of these darling little illnesses I am now prepared to offer you the best five tips for dealing with the worst patients of all time. It so happens that the worst patients of all time are, in order: my husband, my father and my sister. I’ve recently had all of them in my house – SICK – and in need of care. Here’s how it went down: Dad still refuses to admit he was sick at all (“just a little cough”). The Hubs came down with the The Cough and The Ick after nursing all the visiting Robinsons back to health after Christmas. And Sister. Sister kept a horrific version of bronchitis for weeks that turned into pleurisy. After weeks of that mess, she called me pitiful and in need of a Super Nurse. I am a Super Nurse. I am also, if need be, a kidnapper. One look at her pitiful self and not-so-much-as a drop of broth in the house and I informed her, “Yeah, after we...
by Erin Robinson Hall | Nov 26, 2014 | Uncategorized |
I am listening to a lot of voices. I saw a challenge for people who maybe have not directly experienced racism (those of us who are, if we’re honest, privileged) to hush. To give it a few days before responding. So, resisting the temptation to cry out, I have decided to listen. And read. And listen some more. In my experience, listening goes a long way toward change. Gosh, there’s a lot of chatter and statements and continuous commentary out there. There’s a lot to listen to. As much as some comments have made me want to throw things and other comments have brought me to tears, my prayers for peace have led me to listen still. Not listening the way we do in the middle of an argument, where you’re putting your words together in a retort WHILE your person is talking. That’s not listening. I mean stopping your trigger finger on the response to HEAR what is really being said. From all sides. To sit with it and let the words work in you for a minute, even if you reject them with all you’ve got. Hold the words and the images and the cries and listen for what they are saying. Even if, especially if, the voices say something that doesn’t line up with what we are just so sure we think. Listen anyway. Let’s ask ourselves: What am I hearing? What would make them shout this out loud? Is there a situation that would make me shout like this? Is there a situation that would evoke emotions like this for me? Why are they focused...
by Erin Robinson Hall | Nov 18, 2014 | Reflections |
I’m learning that I need surprise in the Church, little unexpected signs that there’s a rhythm of grace and redemption that is moving this Body along to try some new moves. I was on a women’s retreat recently with mothers, grandmothers, women who have run businesses, women who command auditoriums full of people – a classy group of well-mannered gals. After a weekend full of honest prayers, soulful reflections, real tears and belly laughs, we were ending our session for Saturday night. In the meeting room, some ladies were snacking, others were adding finishing touches to their pottery creations from the day. Crafty, I am not. So, I gave up my sad little attempt at pottery and decided if I couldn’t be artsy I could add some tunes to the moment. I walked over, plugged my iPhone into the speakers and gave us a little mellow music. Then, I decided we needed a little pep for the evening. I clicked on a different song, a personal favorite for my family’s kitchen dancing: Taylor Swift “Shake It Off.” I worried for a minute that this pastor’s wife may have shocked the whole bunch of ladies when I looked up to see a DANCE PARTY going on. These (seemingly) well-mannered gals were breaking it down. Naturally, the only appropriate song one should play next at a church women’s retreat is Beyonce’s “Love on Top.” This is where it got real, folks, with real-live, soul-train style dance line. I was almost in tears at the delight of this surprise, when I looked to see one of the grandmothers in the group walk...
