Hot Rod Anglican T-Shirt Sale (2011)!!!

*** Not available in stores! ***

Available in Men's Medium-Large-XL sizes (Hanes Beefy-T), and Women's Cap Sleeve T (M-L-XL - see size chart below, because they run small!) ...

 

If you're ready to order, please click on the convenient PayPal button below ...

Style

Hanes Men's T-shirt - M Hanes Men's T-shirt - L Hanes Men's T-shirt - XL Ladies Cap Sleeve - M Ladies Cap Sleeve - L Ladies Cap Sleeve - XL

Here is the sizing chart for the Ladies' T-shirts:



And here is the lovely Tracy, modeling one of these fine shirts!

2011 Avanti Awards - Eliot Erlandson - Summa Cum Laude!

Two years ago, I blogged about my son Eliot's Magna Cum Laude award in the 2009 Avanti Awards.  The Avanti Awards is a competition for young automotive designers.  It is conducted under the auspices of Stellar Scholars (see link for more information).

In some years (such as in 2009) the Avanti Awards is an open competition.  In other years, students who have shown aptitude in automotive design are selected and commissioned to produce a new design.  The designs are to capture the spirit and some of the essence of the Studebaker Avanti, which was an incredible, forward-thinking automobile which premiered in the 1963 model year.

For 2011, my son Eliot Erlandson was offered the Avanti Awards commission, and he accepted eagerly and gratefully.  After his best efforts were turned in, a "star committee" of automotive enthusiasts rated his design in terms of rendering, practicality and function, and originality.  The level of the award is determined by the committee members' ratings.

I am pleased to announce that Eliot's design won the Summa Cum Laude award for the 2011 Avanti Awards!  Here is the write-up at the Stellar Scholars site (click on "Avanti Awards", then scroll to the bottom), and here is the announcment on the Avanti website.

Here are the three views of the design which Eliot submitted.

(background photo credit:  Philip Dattilo)

A brief awards ceremony was held at the Henry Ford Centennial Library in Dearborn.  Ms. Patricia Emery (Stellar Scholars Co-Chair) made the presentation.  The trophy is truly a thing of beauty, and Eliot will treasure it for a lifetime.

Our Visit to St. Gabriel's Anglican Church, Springdale, Arkansas!

On April 3, 2011, the family and I made a visit to St. Gabriel's Anglican Church in Springdale, Arkansas. It was Rose Sunday.

I had been a FaceBook friend of the Rector, Fr. John Slavin, for some time, and was glad of the chance to finally meet him in person, as well as to worship at St. Gabriel's.

We dragged the kids out with us for the 9:00 am Adult Education class. It was a great class, nominally centered around a particular icon (the Hodegetria), but with a rich survey of background information including a review of the 5 historic Patriarchal sees (Jerusalem, Constantinople, Antioch, Rome, and Alexandria) and four levels of religion (belief, faith, experience, and transformation). Other interesting points of early church history were brought forward as well. The class was well attended. In my roamings through Anglicanism over the years, I have noticed that a healthy, vibrant Adult Ed program (that is actually attended!) goes hand in hand with robust worship.

Everything about the Holy Communion service was lovely. 1928 BCP, the Hymnal 1940, no funny stuff added, nothing subtracted. I particularly liked the Processional (Jesus, lover of my soul - #415) and Recessional (Lord, who throughout these forty days - #59) hymns!

I hate to harp on this point, but I really appreciate that the service wasn't interrupted by the all-too-common "Seventh Inning Stretch" (by which I mean the Passing of the Peace).  There was plenty of time for me and the family to shake hands with everyone after the service.

I was also very glad that incense was used during the service.  It made me feel right at home.

One thing that seems so simple gave Cindy and me particular joy: All of the readings were read, including the Old Testament lesson, which is not done everywhere.

The worship space was very attractive, and tastefully decorated:

Fr. John's sermon was very lively, to say the least.  Fr. John is a very dynamic person, and a very energetic speaker.  I thought to myself how he had pulled off the impossible:  a Baptist-length sermon delivered in only the time of a typical Anglican homily.  Winning!

The sermon focused on Ephesians 5 and, other than being a bit too personally convicting to me at parts, was great.  Fr. John explained some wrong ways (and then the right way) to look at St. Paul's commands, such as the edict to not associate with unbelievers.

As Providence would have it, we attended on a day when a potluck meal was scheduled after the service, and so we stayed for that, and were thankful for a great meal.  Finally, Fr. John took the time to show me around the grounds.  As he did so, he gave me some of the history of the parish and of his own involvement with it.  This is a cool little chapel they have out back, which has 24-hour access via a keypad on the door.

One thing more needs to be said, and to me it was perhaps the most encouraging thing about the entire visit:  There were plenty of young kids at this parish!  There is much reason to be hopeful for the future!  God is at work at St. Gabriel's.

Bible in Miniature - the Christian Kitsch Art of Flo Boatright

This is the kind of thing you cannot (until now) find by staring into your computer screen.  You have to go out into the vast, wind torn center of Route 66 America to find this stuff.  The artist, Flo Boatright, apparently made her way through life without herself or her art being recorded anywhere on the internet.  Even the museum where we found her art could not find unstained hard copies of these little booklets about her.

Let me say at the outset something that still startles me about this great kitsch art:  these pieces are intended to be Christmas tree ornaments!  It is fun to imagine some young children taking a look around the artist's Christmas tree, and finding this macabre collection.

Little of it seems to have to do with Christmas.

This is always good advice:

Either Flo Boatright was fixated on death, or else maybe the Bible is:

I think that must be Saul of Tarsus at right, consenting to St. Stephen's death: 

Perhaps someone can clue me in as to why a bottle of champagne is a symbol for Moses the lawgiver?

Here are a few more favorites of mine:

The dog licking the sores of Lazarus is a nice touch.

Pink Elephant Antiques - Livingston, Illinois

We happened on this place by accident, while making the return trip to Detroit from a family vacation to Oklahoma.  We only found Pink Elephant Antiques because we missed the turn onto I-70 East, and remained longer than intended on I-55 North.  It is about 35 miles northeast of St. Louis.

When I saw the giant "Muffler Man" in the same lot as a green flying saucer, I knew we had to stop and take a look.  Unfortunately, we arrived after the main building was closed.  So, all I have to share with is photos of the outdoor attractions:

Also, if anyone is planning to make the pilgrimage to this place, PLEASE set aside at least an extra hour to look through the beautiful vintage cars at Country Classic Cars!  It is just 4 miles up the road from Pink Elephant Antiques.

The Figurehead

Here is another poem I wrote.  This was for my wife; I wrote it in 2007.


The Figurehead

I am my true love's head, but she the neck:
The crown of Christ's authority I wear.
But she, by will or whimsy, doth direct
All motions of the crown, the head, the hair.

That God created man a quadruped,
Beloved brother Gilbert taught us well!
But which shall be the tail, and which the head?
And how to steer this monster, who can tell?

To all her wifely wisdom, I submit.
But, is such abdication not unjust?
How so, if I employ her sense and wit?
If in my love my heart doth safely trust?

May God, by Whose great wisdom we were wed,
Have mercy upon me, a figurehead.

© 2007, Paul W. Erlandson

A Winter's Eucharist (London, 1990)

It always annoys me when I recall a poem of mine, and Google it only to find that it is posted nowhere on the internet.  So, I will be posting some of these "missing" poems here, in order that I'll be able to find them more easily should I ever decide to publish my first volume of poetry.

This one is from 1993, about my trip to St. Paul's, London, in 1990.  A word about the unique form.  It is the invention of my Anglican friend Russ Smith.  The form requires 80 syllables in total.  It is first written as ten lines eight syllables, and then as eight lines of ten syllables, and each pair of consecutive lines must rhyme in each presentation.  Trickier than you might think!


A Winter's Eucharist (London, 1990)

A winter's Eucharist I took

At noon, with Cranmer's little book

My fork and spoon to eat the bread

Of heaven as we sung and read,

The blood of Jesus on my tongue.

St. Paul's Cathedral round me rung

With late echoes of Donne and Wren.

How very great our God is then

Who on His wise wheel spun the sun,

As well as Messrs. Wren and Donne!

A winter's Eucharist I took at noon, 

With Cranmer's little book my fork and spoon 

To eat the bread of heaven as we sung  --

(And red the blood of Jesus on my tongue).

St. Paul's Cathedral round me rung with late

Echoes of Donne and Wren.  How very great

Our God is then who on His wise wheel spun 

The sun, as well as Messrs. Wren and Donne!

 © 1993, Paul Erlandson