Entering her second year as a Celebrity Blogger, Laurie Brock is also the owner of Nina, the Official Horse of Lent Madness. Of course everybody in Kentucky owns a horse so we realize this is only a big deal to those outside the Bluegrass State. When she's not riding, writing, snarking up the joint on Twitter, tending to her congregation, following Alabama football, drinking bourbon, or walking her puppy Evie, we really have no idea what Laurie does all day.
Oh, she also has the distinction of teaching Tim how to ride a horse when he was in Kentucky to lead Clergy Conference for the Diocese of Lexington last year. He was not a natural.
The Rev. Laurie Brock
Laurie Brock is a returning Celebrity Blogger because she loves getting free coffee mugs. Clergy never have enough coffee mugs or crosses. She serves as the rector of St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church in Lexington, Kentucky. She blogs at Dirty Sexy Ministry and is the co-author of Where God Hides Holiness: Thoughts on Grief, Joy and the Search for Fabulous Heels (Church Publishing). She is also the creative force behind Fifty Days of Fabulous from Forward Movement. She frequently shares her quirky, snarky views on faith, Alabama football, and popular culture on Twitter at @drtysxyministry, but don’t follow unless you can laugh at yourself and your religion. Otherwise, you’ll just be offended. When she’s not doing priest things, she is riding her horse Nina and trying to avoid another spot on the Celebrity Blogger injured reserved list like last year.
What do you hope the Lent Madness public will learn from the lives of the saints?
Laurie with Nina, the Official Horse of Lent Madness
I was intrigued with the small scandal that erupted over Frances Perkins winning last year's Golden Halo. I had some people argue, "She's not really a saint." Well, no, her hair and fingernails didn't continue to grow after her death, and as far as we know, she didn't put a pickled barrel full of children back together after a mean shopkeeper had enough of their shenanigans and dismembered them (why no one tells that story from the life of St. Nicholas is beyond me). Do these qualities make a saint? Or is a saint someone who heroically lived his/her faith in a daring and courageous way? Frances is a wonderful example of using her faith to guide her decisions and influence others to help the least of these in this country at a time when women's leadership was considered suspect and rarely given heed. That seems heroic to me...I mean, imagine if we all lived our love for God and neighbor the way Frances did.
49 comments on “Celebrity Blogger Week: Laurie Brock”
I must object! You are breaking my budget by promoting books by your "celebrity bloggers" that demand reading. Can't we just LentMadness in peace? 🙂
Just began reading a large book, St. Francis of Assisi Omnibus of Sources. Fascinating info there. Before beginning this book, I always thought of St. Francis as only the saint of animals. Goes to show that I'm not too old to learn something new.
I was very moved by the description of your visit to the site of Jonathan Myrick Daniel's murder. And the fact that he was martyred, not in an arena, or a cathedral, but at a cash store, shows that heroic service and sacrifice for God can take place anywhere. Following Jonathan's example, may we all be willing to serve and sacrifice.
HELLO i AM ALSO A HORSE OWNER, AND RIDER. TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR LENT HORSE STAR
I feel inspired to send bags of Camellia beans to Lexington.
Love from Mississippi!
I was also very moved by your description of your visit to the site of Jonathan Myrick Daniels murder.
I am wowed ! by Rev Laurie's answers! And, she's in the diocese next door!
Hi Laurie,
So glad you are a part of Lent Madness! I really appreciate your comments about the witness of God's saints in all times and places. I have been feeling that right now is worse than other times in history so thank you for the reminder that we have men and women to inspire us and give us hope! I look forward to learning about a new group of saints!
St Kateri Tekakwitha (1656) would be the Saint I'd have some brandy with waiting for steaming and delicious French Onion Soup, by a fireplace in Montreal. Catherine (Kateri) walked 200 miles to sustain her faith and had her beauty restored when she died and went on to the eternal life. "Eternal life is the whole coin, once you choose eternal life you choose death as well and they both are life." The hymn playing would be "Gather by the River" (St. Lawrence, of course might join us.) Any hymn referring to cold or snow would not be appropriate!
I believe Alaska is Heaven on Earth, and we have lots of cold and snow!Shirley
Thank you for choosing Mary Magdalene. I think of her often and wonder that the guys don't include her in their reports. I even read some of the Gostic gospels to learn more.
Dear Laurie, I did some further research on Mary Magdalene and found an artist - Sue Ellen Parkinson (a northern California painter) - who painted a beautiful portrait of her, very like a stained glass window, large and brilliant. I'm sure you would love that picture and it appears on Ms. Parkinson's Google site. She was a recent speaker here in Ukiah (Mendocino County) CA. I attend Holy Trinity Episc. Church here in Ukiah.
Dear Laurie,
Thanks for choosing Mary Magdalene & also for being a celebrity blogger yet again! 2015 was my first year to participate, & I recognized your name! I'd met you years ago at All Saints, Mobile, AL. Now I'm back in "Sweet Home Alabama" after a decade in SoCal, It is a great pleasure to go through Lent Madness each year; I'm grateful to you all for creating & sustaining it.
When it comes to spiritual food for thought, Laurie Brock is the chef extraordinaire! I love her Fifty Days of Fabulous that invites us to celebrate Easter during all of Eastertide. What a writer she is! Mary Magdalene would be fascinating to listen to. Great choice!