<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Shades of Gray</title><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/</link><description>Theological musings of a woman preacher in Oklahoma</description><copyright>Copyright 2008 shadesofgray.blog-city.com</copyright><generator>Pat Spelling</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:09:00 GMT</lastBuildDate><image><title>Shades of Gray</title><url>http://server1.blog-city.com/images/bc_v5_logo_small.gif</url><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/</link></image><ttl>360</ttl><docs>http://backend.userland.com/rss</docs><item><title>Why bother having sex if you don&apos;t remember?</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/why_bother_having_sex_if_you_dont_remember.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/why_bother_having_sex_if_you_dont_remember.htm</link><pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:46:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=why%5Fbother%5Fhaving%5Fsex%5Fif%5Fyou%5Fdont%5Fremember</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[According to this article on Web MD&nbsp; Brief Amnesia After Taking Levitra?Erectile Dysfunction Drug Levitra to Get Label Change Noting Rare Reports of Transient Global AmnesiaBy Miranda HittiWebMD Health NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDMay 29, 200]]></description></item><item><title>No Parking! No wonder churches don&apos;t grow!</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/no_parking_no_wonder_churches_dont_grow.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/no_parking_no_wonder_churches_dont_grow.htm</link><pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:38:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=no%5Fparking%5Fno%5Fwonder%5Fchurches%5Fdont%5Fgrow</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[I always think that a church looks unwelcoming with a gate across it&#39;s driveway.&nbsp; Most churches do now it seems.&nbsp; Or at the very least, a heavy chain blocking the entrance.&nbsp; Now, I am not without sympathy because parking lots are e]]></description></item><item><title>Overheard on a bus</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/overheard_on_a_bus.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/overheard_on_a_bus.htm</link><pubDate>Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:35:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=overheard%5Fon%5Fa%5Fbus</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[I ride a bus between where I park and the hospital where I work.&nbsp; I sat at the back of the bus on this day but another one of our Chaplains sat in the front of the bus where a woman was complaining because her church (UMC) got a new pastor and i]]></description></item><item><title>Church Mission Trips--</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/church_mission_trips.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/church_mission_trips.htm</link><pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:06:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=church%5Fmission%5Ftrips</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[&nbsp;Below is an article that appeared today in the Washington Post about church about Church mission trips and why churches are re-examining what and why they do things.&nbsp; It seems to me that the article left out the &quot;real&quot; reason par]]></description></item><item><title>Planting &amp; Growing Churches from the Inside-Out</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/planting__growing_churches_from_the_insideout.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/planting__growing_churches_from_the_insideout.htm</link><pubDate>Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:06:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=planting%5F%5Fgrowing%5Fchurches%5Ffrom%5Fthe%5Finsideout</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[My friend Tim told me about the article Planting and Growing Churches from the Inside-Out developed at St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Darnestown, MD&nbsp;by The Rev. Ken Howard.&nbsp; I found his charts to be the most interesting of all.The article]]></description></item><item><title>&quot; I was hungry....&quot;</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/_i_was_hungry.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/_i_was_hungry.htm</link><pubDate>Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:53:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=%5Fi%5Fwas%5Fhungry</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[Yesterday&nbsp; I was talking with an old friend (Hi Bobby) and we were talking about how the church often gets it wrong with social justice and ends up being just as oppressive as the oppressors.&nbsp; And (I think) we become judges of what other&#3]]></description></item><item><title>Just a little Church Humor</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/just_a_little_church_humor.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/just_a_little_church_humor.htm</link><pubDate>Sat, 17 May 2008 21:57:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=just%5Fa%5Flittle%5Fchurch%5Fhumor</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[&nbsp;&nbsp;]]></description></item><item><title>What really makes us human?</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/what_really_makes_us_human.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/what_really_makes_us_human.htm</link><pubDate>Sat, 17 May 2008 13:13:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=what%5Freally%5Fmakes%5Fus%5Fhuman</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[I work as a Chaplain in an inpatient psychatric unit.&nbsp; Now, where I work is NOTHING like the ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO&#39;S NEST. We have a nice facility, almost always full&nbsp;and the staff really does care.&nbsp; Lately I have been working w]]></description></item><item><title>Freedom or Crazy?  Giving it all away</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/freedom_or_crazy__giving_it_all_away.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/freedom_or_crazy__giving_it_all_away.htm</link><pubDate>Sat, 17 May 2008 12:50:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=freedom%5For%5Fcrazy%5F%5Fgiving%5Fit%5Fall%5Faway</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[I belong to a email group of conservative quakers.&nbsp; Many of whom still have email but essentially live off the the grid, dress old fashion and try to be simple.&nbsp; Today there was a newspaper article that featured this family http://www.cagef]]></description></item><item><title>OK, OK  I do have a beef</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/ok_ok__i_do_have_a_beef.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/ok_ok__i_do_have_a_beef.htm</link><pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 03:50:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=ok%5Fok%5F%5Fi%5Fdo%5Fhave%5Fa%5Fbeef</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[So, we have an election with a Republican&nbsp;whose voice&nbsp;sounds like a munchkin, who is so old he might not live to be elected.Then we have the democratics pitting a woman against a black man. Both would be firsts for the presidency. At first]]></description></item><item><title>Great Books............My latest reading list....</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/great_booksmy_latest_reading_list.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/great_booksmy_latest_reading_list.htm</link><pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 03:34:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=great%5Fbooksmy%5Flatest%5Freading%5Flist</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[We had our annual Clergy Conference last week with Carrie Doehring as our speaker.&nbsp; She is a lovely and gracious person and very smart too.&nbsp; I had the privilege to have dinner with her the night before.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have read her books, 1.]]></description></item><item><title>Politics and Religion, Which is more evil?</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/politics_and_religion_which_is_more_evil.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/politics_and_religion_which_is_more_evil.htm</link><pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 03:15:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=politics%5Fand%5Freligion%5Fwhich%5Fis%5Fmore%5Fevil</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[I haven&#39;t blogged in quite some time.&nbsp; Not because I don&#39;t want to blog but because I don&#39;t have alot of time AND there is so much to think about.&nbsp;&nbsp; The election is forefront and more interesting than elections have been in]]></description></item><item><title>We have Puppies!</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/we_have_puppies.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/we_have_puppies.htm</link><pubDate>Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:56:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=we%5Fhave%5Fpuppies</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator></item><item><title>This is just SO WRONG - 1 arrested at Tinker protest</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/this_is_just_so_wrong__1_arrested_at_tinker_protest.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/this_is_just_so_wrong__1_arrested_at_tinker_protest.htm</link><pubDate>Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:35:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=this%5Fis%5Fjust%5Fso%5Fwrong%5F%5F1%5Farrested%5Fat%5Ftinker%5Fprotest</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[1 arrested at Tinker protestBy Ann KelleyStaff WriterMIDWEST CITY &mdash; A U.S. Marine reservist was taken to jail this afternoon after crossing a protest line in front of Tinker Air Force Base to defend the U.S. flag, police said.Ray Adam Modisette]]></description></item><item><title>Women Are Never Front-Runners - Commentary on Gloria Steinem&apos;s Essay</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/women_are_never_frontrunners__commentary_on_gloria_steinem.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/women_are_never_frontrunners__commentary_on_gloria_steinem.htm</link><pubDate>Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:08:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=women%5Fare%5Fnever%5Ffrontrunners%5F%5Fcommentary%5Fon%5Fgloria%5Fsteinem</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[I have to say that I agree with Gloria Steinem in many ways.&nbsp; This has been my experience. No matter how good I am or what&nbsp;skills I bring, a man is always favored over me in&nbsp;the &quot;good&quot; jobs.&nbsp; Not the crummy ones that peo]]></description></item><item><title>Race Bait BY Timothy Eagan-- Comments</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/race_bait_by_timothy_eagan_comments.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/race_bait_by_timothy_eagan_comments.htm</link><pubDate>Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:42:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=race%5Fbait%5Fby%5Ftimothy%5Feagan%5Fcomments</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[Well,&nbsp;its open season in politics.&nbsp; This commentary seems to echo the one I posted by Gloria Stienhm (but I don&#39;t see posted, I&#39;ll have to fix that)&nbsp; This one seems to have the same arguments.Funny, I don&#39;t like politicians]]></description></item><item><title>Rich or Poor?  In what way?</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/rich_or_poor__in_what_way.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/rich_or_poor__in_what_way.htm</link><pubDate>Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:09:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=rich%5For%5Fpoor%5F%5Fin%5Fwhat%5Fway</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[There is a question now a days about who is wealthy and who is not.&nbsp; I am talking financially.&nbsp; It seems as America gets progressively richer, the standards change.I recall looking at my son and his wife&#39;s calendar, where they carefully]]></description></item><item><title>Can Rich People be Christian? What is hunger?</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/can_rich_people_be_christian_what_is_hunger.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/can_rich_people_be_christian_what_is_hunger.htm</link><pubDate>Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:55:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=can%5Frich%5Fpeople%5Fbe%5Fchristian%5Fwhat%5Fis%5Fhunger</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[I read a very thought provoking blog posting by Susanne Kromberg called Rich Liberals in an Age of Hunger&nbsp;(worth clicking through and reading)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;One of the more startling things to me during 2007 was the discove]]></description></item><item><title>ICE STORM</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/ice_storm.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/ice_storm.htm</link><pubDate>Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:20:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=ice%5Fstorm</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[This is our front yard with Buckeye standing guardWell, it was all over the news........the ICE STORM, that is.&nbsp; We had no power for 5 days.&nbsp; Since we are temporarily living in a mobile home, we are all electric. Therefore, the ice storm me]]></description></item><item><title>Semper Fi-- Bloody Sunday-- Full Circle</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/semper_fi_bloody_sunday_full_circle.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/semper_fi_bloody_sunday_full_circle.htm</link><pubDate>Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:04:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=semper%5Ffi%5Fbloody%5Fsunday%5Ffull%5Fcircle</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[I recently attended a wedding in the church where I used to pastor.&nbsp; That was interesting&hellip;&hellip;&hellip;. The wedding was great, a Native American style wedding.&nbsp; The couple is lovely and I am very happy for them. A rare feelings,]]></description></item><item><title>Mega Church, Inclusive, What kind of church is important anyhow?</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/mega_church_inclusive_what_kind_of_church_is_important_any.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/mega_church_inclusive_what_kind_of_church_is_important_any.htm</link><pubDate>Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:45:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=mega%5Fchurch%5Finclusive%5Fwhat%5Fkind%5Fof%5Fchurch%5Fis%5Fimportant%5Fany</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[I found this short blog entry very beautiful.&nbsp; I am often approached by people saying &quot;When are you going to start a new church?&quot; But I notice that there is no &quot;we&quot; in their statements.&nbsp; Why do people start new churches]]></description></item><item><title>The Road Less Traveled or Seeking God&apos;s Path for Me</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/the_road_less_traveled_or_seeking_gods_path_for_me.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/the_road_less_traveled_or_seeking_gods_path_for_me.htm</link><pubDate>Sat, 11 Aug 2007 03:07:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=the%5Froad%5Fless%5Ftraveled%5For%5Fseeking%5Fgods%5Fpath%5Ffor%5Fme</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[&nbsp;Robert Frost (1874&ndash;1963).&nbsp; Mountain Interval.&nbsp; 1920. &nbsp; 1. The Road Not Taken &nbsp; &nbsp; Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,&nbsp; And sorry I could not travel both&nbsp; And be one traveler, long I stood&nbsp; And looke]]></description></item><item><title>A Franciscan Benediction:</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/a_franciscan_benediction.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/a_franciscan_benediction.htm</link><pubDate>Sat, 11 Aug 2007 02:21:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=a%5Ffranciscan%5Fbenediction</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[A Franciscan Benediction:May God bless you with discomfort at:Easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships-So that you may live deep within your heart.May God bless you with anger at:Injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,So th]]></description></item><item><title>Ordinary Blessings</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/ordinary_blessings.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/ordinary_blessings.htm</link><pubDate>Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:54:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=ordinary%5Fblessings</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[We stopped at the store to pick up a couple of things and of course, found ourselves amidst the tabloids, candy and other last minute temptations at the checkout.&nbsp; My daughter nudged me and nodded at the man in front of me.&nbsp; He was a young]]></description></item><item><title>According to a Pew Study, Pastors are blissfully happy! NOT!</title><guid isPermaLink="true">http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/according_to_a_pew_study_pastors_are_blissfully_happy_not.htm</guid><link>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/according_to_a_pew_study_pastors_are_blissfully_happy_not.htm</link><pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 2007 11:43:00 GMT</pubDate><comments>http://shadesofgray.blog-city.com/console/comments/popup/?f=according%5Fto%5Fa%5Fpew%5Fstudy%5Fpastors%5Fare%5Fblissfully%5Fhappy%5Fnot</comments><dc:creator>Pat Spelling</dc:creator><description><![CDATA[Here is a great blog entry that is more in line with reality as I experience ithttp://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2007/05/shiny_happy_pas.html&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;]]></description></item></channel></rss>