Coming Home

It’s been a family-full weekend. A brother in town, a baby being born, and embracing a family reunited after a long deployment to Iraq. Smiles abound. We welcomed home our own son a few years earlier and there’s nothing like actually having them within eyesight. Communication has improved incredibly to help families remain connected, more involved in daily routines and more available for consultation and decision-making, but it still doesn’t allow you to look into their eyes, feel their warmth, and confirm their well-being. My husband volunteers for the USO every Saturday and gets to witness a community who ensures that each planeload of soldiers is greeted with waving flags, cheering fans, and warm hugs. I think the soldiers are always a little surprised, but as they come around the corner, having heard the oncoming roar of support, they bring out their cameras and take photos of the welcoming party. No one leaves feeling hurt, disappointed, or left out. All are embraced.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are home. Let us remember that you are waiting for us to return. Let us not keep you waiting, wondering or worried. We can check-in regularly, respect the house rules, and honor our place at the table. You are delighted when we bring friends and open wide the doors. “The more the merrier!” you encourage us. Smiles abound. Love abounds. Amen.

A Magnificat for Coming Home (partial)

O Most Creative One, ever bringing me to new life
O Most Powerful One, empowering me for life’s journey
O Indwelling One, calling me to my Center
O Beloved One, loving me as I am.

Have you noticed I’m coming home?
I have seen you, the All-Seeing One who sees me
I can remain away from home no longer
I just want to be there in you who are in me
for I have heard your call,
Make your home in Me
I can stay away from home no longer.
- Macrina Wiederkehr

A Dream Come True

It was a dream, and now it’s real. They had already dreamed of getting married, finishing college, finding a job, building a house of their own design, and then they dreamed of having a baby to fill the house with love and laughter, questions and challenges, patience and growth, amazement and joy. Ashlynn is a Gaelic word for dream. Sometimes when I see the stork signs in front of a house I wonder if the parents could have ever dreamed how much their life could change – overnight. Once you could go to the grocery store without a second thought; now a trip will take an hour to prepare (or be one of the happiest getaways if traveling solo). Once you could watch a movie from beginning to end; now you’ll be lucky to see 30 minutes if you don’t fall asleep. Once you smelled of name-brand perfume; now there’s a personalized blend of baby powder, ointment and second-hand milk. Once you could plan how the day would be spent; now you’re captivated by a seductress who weighs less than ten pounds. Once you thought the day was successful when you got done the things you wanted; now you consider the day supreme when you’ve spent the day taking care of someone else. Once you were lost, but now you are found. Once it was a vision, and now it’s here, in our arms. Welcome Ashlynn Rose! A dream come true.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You dream of galaxies, restoration, creation, and love and they become real. Let us dare to dream of peace, compassion, growth, faith, healing and love. We believe that dreams can come to be reality. We also know that dreams need action and sweat, prayers and tears, cooperation and faith. Let us have the courage to dream, the enthusiasm to plan, and the determination to persevere. Let us cradle our dreams, hold them close, feed their needs, and let them grow. Let our lives be changed forever. Amen.

Local Treasures

Whenever my brother comes into town from Missouri, he has regular stops he anticipates, besides family gatherings. The first stop today was Whataburger and tomorrow he has Chick-Fil-A scoped out for lunch. My sister-in-law will make sure one meal involves Mexican food and our mother will make sure two or three of her trademark “goodies” are offered. When we lived in Memphis, one of the meals I made sure to eat on returning trips to Dallas was Jack-In-The-Box tacos. This summer my husband and I plan to make a trip to the Pacific Northwest and one of the staples we plan to eat is salmon because we have such fond memories of salmon served on our Vancouver trip. I have been hoping to eat fish tacos for almost a month, but haven’t found it offered at many restaurants like we discovered in San Diego. On a long trip, home can be in the form of Dairy Queen or McDonalds.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You supply all our needs and quench our desires. Let us crave to spend time with you, yearn to be fed by your word, and ache to call home within your presence. You offer one-of-a-kind sustenance that cannot be found anywhere else. Let us rejoice that we don’t have to wander, you are everywhere. Let us also praise the remarkable truth that because you are everywhere, we can journey and still have our necessities met there as well. You are home. Amen.

Defies Conventional Wisdom

I don’t know whether the overriding emotion was rebellion, survival, conquest, or dedication which proved more powerful than safety, caution, or comfort, but I woke up early again to make the drive into work and this time on decidedly icy roads. My mother, who shared this stubborn streak when she worked, called me to find out why I made the drive instead of staying home until things began to thaw. But, in the years of crippling ice, I’ve seen worse. Our school district made such a late decision deciding to close that I gathered the roads weren’t too bad, and the districts closer to my work site were planning to open at 10am. My plan was to be on the road before too many other cars were in route. Just two houses down I realized the thin ice was nothing to be slighted and I began to doubt my plan, but I also wasn’t sure it would be any easier to go back up the hill and into our driveway. I drove 20mph almost the entire time and the normal 40-minute drive took an hour and twenty minutes. I stayed off all freeways but can’t avoid bridges all together. I did make a concession to my limitations of driving prowess and did not get a breakfast sandwich, choosing instead to keep both hands on the wheel at all times. I’m not completely dense! I don’t like to gamble, and I suppose that driving on ice can be a gamble, but I get so frustrated when the news anchors and radio hosts advise you to stay home, because they obviously made it to work and ignored their own station’s counsel. This time it all went smoothly. I did not have to submit to the weather and I got a lot of work done with very few interruptions since many others found it a better choice to stay at home. By the afternoon it was well above freezing and the drive home was quite ordinary, which was okay with me. Not every drive has to be an adventure.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are wise and provide prudent counsel. Let us have the wisdom to submit to your authority and the humbleness to accept your knowledge. Let us set aside our pride to accept your guidance and our stubbornness to accept your offering. We have a will to thrive and survive, which helps us endure many hardships. You have given us all the tools needed to persevere. Help us to focus our passion towards ensuring your word is protected and glorified. We ask for traveling mercies for those who maneuver on dangerous roads out of service for others and traveling mercies for those whose hindsight is greater than their foresight. Amen

A Cold Day in Facebook

We had been warned for several days to expect an ice event starting on Tuesday. It could start as early as 7am and could last through Wednesday at 6am. I got up early so I could get to work before the sleet had a chance to start. In fact, the accounts sounded so authoritative that I packed a suitcase with an extra set of clothes and toiletries just in case the 25 mile drive was too treacherous and it would be safer to spend the night at the office. Senior management decided to send a good part of the workforce home early along with many other companies and schools in the area. That night, Facebook was ablaze with friends on-line as the icy weather grounded the city to a halt. Ironically, it reminded me of a summer night: neighbors sitting on each other’s porch, kids playing up and down the street, screen doors swinging with the constant in-and-out activity, and plans being made for the next adventure. It has taken quite awhile for Facebook to grow on me, but now I log on almost every night to catch up on news I wouldn’t find through my e-mail. The age demographics are changing as more parental units and youth workers are signing up. Tuesday night was an example of how Facebook can build relationships and keep a dialogue on-going. I used a Scrabble application to play on-line with my niece in Arkansas, examined Jayme’s photos from Egypt and Israel, marveled at how pretty one of the youth who grew up in our church is, admired Stephen’s photos from China, salivated over Colleen’s life stories from India, investigated information from the moderator of PCUSA, discovered Brad was sick with a cold, congratulated a former intern on her new house, was invited by Kathy and Michelle to share my story, and all without having ten different Internet tabs open at once. There are still a lot of frills that I haven’t bought into, but I am beginning to definitely respect its possibilities.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, Whether a single candle flame or a computer screen, a cold winter’s day or a hot summer’s night, you are able to use all things to relate and connect to your people. At a time when technology is moving so quickly; we must adapt and retrain our ideas and practices or be left with no way to communicate. We have media we can no longer view because players are discontinued, slots removed, and signals terminated as the next upgrade in machinery and knowledge is implemented. There is still great value and need for the handwritten note, the hand on the shoulder, and the personal phone call, but we also should not ignore other gifts and opportunities of connection. Let us use any and all methods to invite, to share, to care, to grow and to pray. Amen.

Cooked Rarely

My husband loves my mother’s cooking. Sadly, I don’t have the same talents. Tonight we had a four course dinner that was only supposed to be one. Before my dear one could offer to take me out for pizza (course 2) I had already placed some Chicken Cordon Bleu in the oven (course 1). It wasn’t too long before I noticed a different sort of smell coming out of the oven. Odd, I’ve never known Cordon Bleu to smell quite like that before. I reexamined the packaging and noticed it said Curried Chicken (course 3). We haven’t eaten much curry and I didn’t know what to expect. The one who eats my food with graciousness and gratitude took one bite and blamed himself for gaining a tender stomach for spicy foods as years have gone by. When in doubt – Chicken Pot Pie (course 4)! Nothing like chicken pot pie for weak taste buds and I try to keep a few in the freezer most of the time. To ease my conscience and to attempt to make the pie a little nicer I try to bake it in the oven instead of using the microwave. So I put the pot pie in the oven where I had recently cooked the first course and went to do something else. Fifteen minutes later I came back and realized I had not adjusted the temperature setting from warm to 400 degrees. I quickly bumped up the temperature and went again to do something else. Ten minutes later I returned to the crime scene only to find I had never turned the oven on! It’s been awhile, even for me, to have such a madcap antics in the kitchen. There’s a reason why my four basic food groups include boxed, take home, frozen and eat out.

Amos 5:9 It will be like a man running away from a lion
only to meet a bear.
He enters his house and rests his hand on a wall
only to be bitten by a snake.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You design crystals out of covered stone, galaxies out of twinkling stars and feasts out of garden fruits. Some days we seem to do more harm from our good intentions than act as benefactors. Sometimes if we acted a little slower, studied a little closer, thought a little clearer, communicated a little more understandable, and appraised a little more often, then we would not find ourselves in hapless situations that could have been lessened or terminated with a few minutes of careful planning and review. On the days when we feel as though everything we touch is a blight let us find a common ground to review, reset, and reconstruct. We turn to you to help reform our juvenile habits to life-affirming traits. Amen

(he who made the Pleiades and Orion,
who turns blackness into dawn
and darkens day into night,
who calls for the waters of the sea
and pours them out over the face of the land—
the LORD is his name-
Amos 5:8

Inconvenient Beauty

The Washington Post conducted an experiment in 2007 in which they asked Joshua Bell, an internationally acclaimed violinist, to play at L’Enfant Plaza, a busy subway court, during morning rush hour. The experiment was to determine, if in a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend? Almost 1,100 people passed by in the 43 minutes that he played timeless, classical pieces on a 3.5 million dollar Stradivarius. The acoustics were especially pleasing and beneficial for the performance, but the nearby lottery ticket sales, newspaper stand and shoe shine booth drew more attention than the virtuoso dressed in ordinary street clothes. He opened his case and threw in a few dollars of his own for seed money.

Things never got much better. In the three-quarters of an hour that Joshua Bell played, seven people stopped what they were doing to hang around and take in the performance, at least for a minute. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run -- for a total of $32 and change. That leaves the 1,070 people who hurried by, oblivious, many only three feet away, few even turning to look.

One man does stop to listen for three minutes even though it made him run late for work. Later when he was interviewed Mortensen describes why he stopped: "Whatever it was," he says, "it made me feel at peace." The one constant category within the commuters who were drawn to the music was children who were there accompanying their parents. Each child was keenly interested and pulled towards the violinist and consequently had to be cautioned to remain in step with the parent. There was only one moment when more than one person stopped to listen at the same time. During the planning stages it was predicted that police would have to be called in for crowd control. Finally, in the final minutes a woman recognized him as the violinist who had given a concert at the Library of Congress. She stayed until the end not knowing why Joshua Bell was playing as a street musician, but knowing she wanted to hear him play again. She couldn’t understand why no one else seemed to even acknowledge his presence.

If we can't take the time out of our lives to stay a moment and listen to one of the best musicians on Earth play some of the best music ever written; if the surge of modern life so overpowers us that we are deaf and blind to something like that -- then what else are we missing?

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, Beauty is your reflection. We are keen enough to acknowledge the grandeur of a mountain range, the infinite swells of the ocean, and the miracle of life, but we are not as astute when beauty is packaged unexpectedly and obscurely. Help us to be sensitive to the hidden, disguised moments of beauty in our day and have the presence of mind to doubt our perceptions and explore the nameless, mysterious, beauty before us, if we but open our eyes and minds. Once again, we are called to think as children, being pulled towards an uncommon prize in our ordinary day and responding to the sound of an undertone calling our name. Let us witness your spirit in each person we meet and offer our due respect and gratitude to be in your presence. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and you find loveliness in your people. We are blessed to be within your gaze. Amen.

Approaching Days

Sometimes the weathermen act as prophets from the Old Testament, warning us of impending affliction and rough days ahead. But when the weather reaches 75 degrees in January for an entire week, it’s easier to follow the rule of Ecclesiastes, “A man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and be merry." (Ecc. 8:15) And don’t think I wasn’t muttering that under my breath when the temperatures reached 80 on Friday and I was working instead of using some planned leave. But the day passed pretty quickly and the evening was still pleasant and the approaching cold front was still as a distant warning from Isaiah:

Danger ahead!
God's about to ravish the earth and leave it in ruins,
Rip everything out by the roots and send everyone scurrying:
priests and laypeople alike,
owners and workers alike,
celebrities and nobodies alike,
buyers and sellers alike,
bankers and beggars alike,
the haves and have-nots alike.
The landscape will be a moonscape, totally wasted.
And why? Because God says so.
He's issued the orders. Isaiah 24: 1-3

When we woke up in the morning, we found:

Isaiah 24:4The earth turns gaunt and gray,
the world silent and sad, sky and land lifeless, colorless.

The lifestyle of leisurely walks, shorts, talking to neighbors, and joining in sports turned into blankets unfolding, clothes being layered, drapes being drawn, and people scurrying from car to store with accelerated speed. Even with the warnings, and the expected return to winter temperatures, the abruptness always comes as a shock.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are the judge of the nations. You do not rule capriciously, instead providing just guidelines, constant supervision, fair limitations, and righteous counsel. Your dominion is over all people, the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak. Let us be mindful of your ways, seeking to follow a virtuous life at all times, instead of being jolted into submission by cold reminders of your power. It is right to celebrate your world and your works and to dance and participate in the splendor of the day, but let us bear in mind that the day is yours and not ours. Amen

And here on this mountain,
God will banish the pall of doom hanging over all peoples,
The shadow of doom darkening all nations.
Yes, he'll banish death forever.
And God will wipe the tears from every face.
He'll remove every sign of disgrace
From his people, wherever they are.
Yes! God says so! Isaiah 25: 7-8 (The Message)

Armchair Theology

Because we spend so much time in front of a computer at work we were approved to get some chairs that are off-the-rack-custom, meaning the vendor has ready-made pieces for chairs and they pull out the sections needed to fit your body. It’s kind of like buying tops and bottoms separately to fit the upper and bottom sections of the body instead of wearing one-size fits all. Because the chairs were fitted for individual needs we made an agreement not to change settings on anyone else’s chairs, which is a struggle for those who like to manipulate each chair in which they sit. I believe my chair has improved my work effectiveness. I don’t have to cringe getting out of the chair or fidget playing with adjustments. It just fits, which is appreciated when your legs are a little shorter than the average person. Our computer chair at home is probably ten years old and has been through some rough times. It had no life and felt as flat as a tortilla. I went shopping for a new chair tonight and the one that felt above average in the store, is taking some getting used to at home. It’s great for sitting back and thinking, but I like to sit a little straighter most of the time. I'll never second-guess Goldilocks again!

Shane Hipps, a Mennonite pastor and one-time advertising executive, uses his unique gifts and training to share his views of spirituality through his distinctive perspective. I heard him on a podcast describing that even the furniture in the worship space sends a spiritual message. The church he was visiting had recently upgraded some technical applications, such as lighting and projection screens, but they had not changed their seating. The church probably could have afforded theater-style seating, but they chose to keep their simple, thinly padded folding chairs. The message Shane understood was that the leadership didn’t want the congregation to get comfortable. They were only supposed to stay for a little while within the walls of the church, but then be encouraged to get up and go out into the world.

What does our seating say about our church? And if something as simple as a piece of furniture can speak volumes about one's faith, what do our actions imply?

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are the comfort of the desperate and the nettling of the stagnant. As we grow placated in our homes, in our jobs and in our church, let us become bothered and irritated to such a degree that we shed our favorite delusions that we are doing enough. Until we care to grow outside of the church as much as we treasure the inside, we are developing unbalanced. Let our actions and words relate our faith as clearly as our beautiful stained-glass, our peaceful open staging, and our repeating baptismal font trimmings. If stones can shout “You are Lord,” and chairs can instruct “Evangelize!” then surely we can muster whispers of support, prayers of healing, and praises of your goodness. Let us not grow so fond of our chairs, nor our lives that we fail to stand up and offer them to you. Amen

For Worse As Well

One pastor relates a personal story of a radical change in her life at a time when the timing was awkward, the consequences life-changing, and the outcome unpredictable. After a week of sharing duties at the hospital for her son, caring for a young daughter at home, and the busiest week at church for which to prepare, she walked into church Psalm Sunday with a heavy heart. One of the members preparing to join the church that morning asked her how she was, and impetuously she told the truth. Ironically, sometimes at church we feel uncomfortable to tell the truth. We feel we need to be a “Stepford” Member, exuding smiles, confidence, and control. It can’t be the right place to mention our own errors in judgment, doubts and failings. What kind of reference to personal character and church functionality would that send? But because life had superseded her plans, and she was too tired to hold character, the pastor told how she felt without sugar-coating the issue or lessening its reality. He ended up being exactly the right person to listen.

His friendship changed our lives in the years that followed, and none of that would have happened had we not been joined together in the body of Christ, not just in our good news but our bad…. He probably thought that he was joining the church that day because he needed it; but sometimes the reason you are joining the church is because somebody there, needs you.

My prayer for the congregation?

Loving God, You bear all. Teach us to trust that our church family is a place to share our weaknesses and faults along with our gifts and dreams. We hold ourselves to a higher level of judgment than we impose on others, and we determine our guilt and enforce penalty before allowing others to get a glimpse of our burden. But there is no hiding our lives from you. You are able to position healers for our injured souls, giving rest for the weary and teaching compassion and service to the supporter. Both roles have to be filled; we have to receive help to allow another to give help. Let us humble our pride and be reborn in mercy. Amen.

Some resurrections are enormous and get recorded in scripture to be read year after year. Other resurrections are smaller. They happen in the midst of ordinary lives. We witness one another’s resurrections in church all the time.

The entire account is worth exploring.

A New Chapter

Parade magazine ran a letter that Barrack Obama wrote to his children explaining why he led the family through two years of campaigning and now life in the White House. I think it help explains why the majority of the voters turned to him in November. There is a sense of hope that he will make a difference that can only help the country through difficult transitions to a new era. There are doubters, but as a hopeful person, I find the renewal of hope among such a wide spectrum of people incredibly fresh and joyful.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

…She [your grandmother] helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be. I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation.

But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential…. Love, Dad

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are Lord of all. Until the day when your rule is supreme, we turn to leaders to help govern our nations. Throughout generations, your hand has led leaders to arise from the most unlikely circumstances. We are hopeful that our new president will follow your call for justice, renewal, accountability, and service. We pray for our country, but we also pray for this man and his family. Give them guidance, keep them safe, allow them to grow closer as a family, let laughter be heard at the dinner table, let peaceful sleep refresh their minds, and let a growing faith surround them. Let us as a country be called to the same challenges given to young children: righting wrongs and serving others. Let us find the potential that you have given to share your gospel. Let us find hope in our collective union today. Amen.

A Day On

As a Federal employee I can name the ten paid holidays; they are valued days and the period from September through February is my favorite because there is at least one holiday each month. The truth is that holidays are valuable to me as a long weekend, a chance to go out of town, or catch up on household chores. Sadly, there are several holidays that I don’t use the day to honor their namesake. The tenth holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, was first observed in 1986 and was added during my career. This observance started with contention but is evolving into a unique memorial to Dr. King. Several years ago the slogan “A day on, not a day off” began to be presented as the focus of the day, offering a day of service to the community instead of a day of leisure for individuals. The hope is that the goodwill then grows from one day of service into an ongoing practice of servanthood. The President elect is passionate about bringing change to the country through the commitment and service of individuals.

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

He is using the same power of the internet that helped him connect with voters in the election to now help align people with missions; www.usaservice.org asks for your zip code and they can connect you with local project. Locally, the Volunteer Center of North Texas can also help match your gifts with the needs in the community. Or, all I would need to do is look at the prayer list in the church bulletin and find someone who could use a visit.

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'” Martin Luther King, Jr.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, If we could honor your name every day by serving others, each day would be a celebration and feast of love. We would not have to sanction days on the calendar to remind us of our duty to the world. We are thankful for the dream that Martin Luther King, Jr. shared. In a time of chaos, strife and injustice, he saw visions of the promised land. Instead of pursuing hatred, he chose love, considering hatred too great a burden to bear. Let us chose love. Let us vision peace. Let us work for justice. Amen.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Render Your Heart

“Rend your heart and not your garments.” Joel 2:13 (beginning). I guess because I relate to visual imagery that descriptive phrase made me pause and want to know more and consider what that might look like. As an “orderly” people, it would be a break in our tradition to have these outward signs of tearing of clothing as a part of the expression and release of grief and sorrow. Tears yes, but tears? This passage in Joel is usually associated with Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. I knew that rending, or tearing of one’s clothes was an outward sign of someone’s deep sorrow or remorsefulness. Keriah is the Jewish ritual for rending of garments before the funeral of a family member. For close relatives, the cut should be visible and on the left side, close to the heart. The act of tearing may act as a psychological release of anger and can serve as a symbolic severance of family bonds. The cut should not follow a seam, instead ripping into the clothes as a scar and not an accidental unthreading. The call in Joel to rend your heart and not your garment is a plea to invest your heart and not merely to follow rituals or attend church as a superficial demonstration. The heart for the ancient Jew was the seat of emotion, intelligence, understanding and feeling. It was the heart that gave direction to the brain and not the other way around. To invest one’s heart was, and is, to surrender all that one has.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You call us to return with full devotion and intention. You ask us to tear off our outer shell and allow our hearts to be opened and changed. We are so cautious and protective; it seems we are unable to let our guard down for inner revolution because we know the consequences are life-changing. We are proficient at choosing the correct words, showing the right emotion, and following the roles of good church goers. But you ask more than that, you ask us to be Christians. Let us return to the Lord with broken hearts made whole. Amen.

12 The Lord announces to his people,
"Return to me with all your heart.
There is still time. Do not eat any food. Sob and cry."
13 Don't just tear your clothes to show how sad you are.
Let your hearts be broken.
Return to the Lord your God.
He is gracious. He is tender and kind. He is slow to get angry.
He is full of love. He takes pity on you. He won't destroy you.
Joel 2:12-13 New International Readers Version (NIRV)

The Servants

One of the best things about church, some people say, is not the worship services, nor the music, it’s not the study, nor the wisdom delivered by the pastor, but it is the support received from fellow members. For those who say they can worship in nature better than inside a building, I can understand their sentiment from a visual and emotional standpoint; one can’t help but stand in awe, considering the evidence of God in every blade of grass and sparkling glacier crystal. But it’s hard to know the tactile and poignant side of the church unless you have relationships with other people. One of the most amazing gatherings of Christ-followers is the Servants Class in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. I know of the class through my sister’s journey and relationship. As a group they have a commitment to each other to study, pray, travel, have fun, engage in mission work, nurture and support each other through every phase of life. She no longer lives in the area, but in their eyes she will always be within their encircling care. Even though she lives five hours away in another state, they wanted to honor their promises to her and her family, the children raised with their care as baptismal parents. I attended the baby shower they gave for my nephew and his wife and we were treated as royalty and family, all at the same time. While the gifts were wonderful, the decorations delightfully elegant, and the cake divine – the lasting impression is that I was reminded of what an extraordinary group they are. It seems they know just the right thing to say, or perhaps because they've helped each other through so much, sometimes nothing has to be said at all - just a look in the eye conveys so much trust and compassion. It may sound adulating and exaggerated, but there is something unique and consecrated about them and I couldn’t help, as we left, wishing she were closer to their nurturing and challenging care.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are the one we seek. We witness the beauty of nature and our response is praises to you. We witness the enduring circle of life, and our response is praises to you. We witness the care and love by your people, and our response is praises to you. Let us be known as remarkable people, earning that designation through thankfulness shared openly, study shared fervently, prayer shared faithfully, labor shared generously, care shared frequently and love shared abundantly. Let us strive to be Christ followers and doers, walking and working in relationship with each other, always moving together, towards you. Amen.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" Matthew 25:23

Newel of the Soul

The word sent today from a.Word.a.Day e-mail was newel. Sometimes the words are familiar, sometimes I can’t pronounce them, and sometimes they connect. Newel is a center column that supports the steps of a spiral staircase. Oddly enough, the connection that came to my mind was a staircase in Santa Fe, New Mexico that has no newel. The story is told that as the Loretto Chapel neared completion, it was realized that a terrible design flaw had provided no stairs to reach the high choir loft, and there was not enough room for normal stairs to be built. The Sisters of Loretto called in many carpenters and architects who suggested either using a ladder to reach the loft or tearing down the upper floor and starting over. Instead, the Sisters decided to pray to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, and on the tenth day an old carpenter appeared who offered to build a staircase. He had minimal tools but over several months built a circular staircase that rises 22 feet to the choir loft with no visible center support and when originally built had no hand rails that could have provided support for the staircase. The 33 steps make two 360-degree turns and uses wood not found in the local area. After the staircase was built the carpenter disappeared and despite searches by the Sisters, they were never able to find, or thank, the carpenter who had built the “miraculous” staircase.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are the strength of our days. You offer support even though it may not always be tangible or visible for questioning eyes. We know of the inner sustenance you provide that fuels our ability to face another day with conviction and graciousness. Let us learn to lean on you, and trust your will instead of probing for absolute sure-footing. Your structure of love provides our sanctuary and peace. We are able to rise above our limitations when we come to you in prayer. We come in humble prayer to praise your miracles in the world and in us. Amen

S&T Factor

When I was looking for something else, I found a sack with some books I had bought several months ago. One of the books is named Surprise Me: A 30-Day Faith Experiment and details the journey as the author’s daily prayer was simply three words, “Surprise me, God!” Terry Esau is not afraid of challenges or change. The author is in the music industry and has a personal theory called the “S&T factor” which states his belief that if there is not at least one person who Squirms and Twitches when they hear it, then toss it out, it’s dead. A phrase that has given him energy and courage over his career, and that he shares with leaders, is: “Incrementalism is innovation’s worst enemy.” Boy, just reading that made me start to squirm and twitch! He believes that if we are trying to ease our way into change, “same our way into something different,” in a way in which no one feels uncomfortable, then the original momentum will be diluted, mutated, or derailed. Maybe this advice works well as attention-getting music for TV commercials or radio jingles, but how many other venues can really apply this advice??? When you are problem-solving in mechanics, if you make too many adjustments at once, you don’t know which the key to the correction was. It’s best to be slow and deliberate. When you get into the pool are you more likely to dive in all at once, or walk down the stairs trying to adjust temperatures in stages? Was Jesus more likely to apply the “Steady as She Goes factor” or the “Squirms and Twitches factor” as he taught? Perhaps there will be more than just children fidgeting in the pews if we are willing to be surprised by God.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, We are surprised by your Grace. We are wary of sudden revelations but impatient with lesson-filled wanderings. We want to maintain our position. Help us to let go of the comfort of familiarity and learn to value the uneasiness of the mystery. Help us to discern the changes that are your will, and to bring them about with strength and devotion. Let our own thoughts be subject to your authority and release our conditions to your vision. Even though we prefer to be in familiar surroundings, let us be open to travel, challenges, revisions and change as we encounter you in new ways. Surprise us, God! Amen.

Impulsive

Did you know a new pencil can make a line 35 miles long? My friend downloaded Trivial Pursuit onto her ipod and we answered a few questions so that I could see how the nostalgic game is meeting a new technology. When I was answering the question about the pencil I wanted clarification: is it a golf pencil, is it a hard-lead or soft-lead pencil, and is the surface smooth or pebbled? Of course no one could offer those further explanations and we found ourselves remembering the adage when taking a multiple-choice test, “follow your first impulse.” It’s amazing how many times that proves true in Trivial Pursuit. There are times you can throw out one answer and you have a 50% chance of getting the right one, so your odds have increased to pick the right one, but you still have to make the choice. For the question above the choices were: 1 mile, 35 miles, 10000 feet. In my faltering math I had a hard time converting feet to miles so I focused on 1 mile or 35 miles. I chose correctly! Personality tests reveal I have an INFP profile (Introverted preferred to extraversion; iNtuition preferred to sensing; Feeling preferred to thinking; and Perception preferred to judgment). Wow! Seeing it all together, even to me, sounds like I live in a constant state of impulses! I know that plans are helpful, but I also know that plans are subject to change, and in fact should be expected to change. There is still something about that first impulse that makes you gauge your decisions afterwards. Often it’s not the first impulse I have a problem with, but the second step – what you do about the impulse.
“Faithful discipleship has nothing to do with your first impulse; it has everything to do with your second impulse.” – Laurie DeMott

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are the catalyst for ideas, plans and works that bring the world closer to healing and wholeness. Let us open our minds and hearts to receive the promptings that will allow us to give more than expected; More of ourselves, our gifts, our time, our energy, our thoughts, and our hearts. Give us the next longing to fulfill these desires. As we work side-by-side, gifts balancing gifts, we can provide the planning, or the intuition, that the next person requires. Together, our efforts will go the extra mile towards showing and sharing the Love of Christ. We cannot fathom how far the possibilities will take us. Let us not second guess your will, but honor that first gesture of invitation. Amen.

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”
– Vincent VanGogh

Toys in My Hands

We have three temperatures that we monitor on our computer desktop: Dallas, TX; Grand Junction, Colorado; and Williston, North Dakota. #1 son moved to Colorado in the fall and is working for a company that shuttles him between Colorado and North Dakota every two weeks. Williston is about 20 minutes from Montana and 20 minutes from Canada and he said a lot of the landscape is like west Texas, which in my mind means there are not many hills or trees to block the arctic fronts from blowing across the plains. One of his goals was to move somewhere cooler than Texas, which he has, and I know he’s handling the temperatures much better than I would. He must think that the cold is all we ever ask him about, but it’s so foreign as I watch the weather and consider it a warming trend when Williston makes it into the 20s. I’m giddy for them! I sent all kinds of outerwear, down-filled ice scraper mittens, and thermals for his birthday and Christmas. I had to make a conscious effort to send something fun as well because all I could focus on was the difference in weather. He assures us that he is managing the climate quite well. The past few days we’ve had 70 degree weather that makes us invent errands to run outside in January. I would like to visit him in North Dakota, but I’ve made the stipulation that it has to be above 40 degrees for several weeks, so maybe July??? However I will be quite envious if he gets to see Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). What a gift that would be!

I remember frequently sitting on the doorstep of our home when the sun was blazing, the air on fire, grapes being trodden in a large house in the neighborhood, the world fragrant with must. Shutting my eyes contentedly, I used to hold out my palms and wait. God always came – as long as I remained a child. He never deceived me – He always came – a child just like myself, and deposited his toys in my hands: sun, moon, wind. “They’re gifts,” He said, “they’re gifts. Play with them. I have lots more.” I would open my eyes. God would vanish, but His toys would remain in my hands. – Nikos Kazantzakis autobiography, Report to Greco

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You lavish us with gifts and grace. Let us open our eyes to see the beauty around us and savor in its splendor. Let us appreciate those wonders around us: snowflakes and sunbeams, ice cream and hot tea, mountain slopes and coral reefs, blanketed white and waves azure, crackling fires and misting fans, dancing lights and sparkling stars. Let us remain as children in awe. Amen.

Fair to Midland

That word “reality” keeps butting its head against my own. It’s not a highly unusual word so it’s not necessarily peculiar or mysterious that it should appear within my reading, but the word juts out of a sentence as if I were wearing 3D glasses. This time it came from a blog written by Bruce Reyes-Chow, the moderator of PCUSA. In his first six months he has tried different forums and methodology to ensure voices have a place to be heard. He’s probably been a part of more discussions and heated ideology than I will ever hear in my lifetime, and I appreciate his sacrifice to jump into the fray when he could be home with his girls. Heated arguments have a polar magnetism effect and I am repelled away from them. Raised voices, interrupted sentences, and red cheeks have never swayed me towards a side. Maybe because I have such a hard time making up my mind about something as simple as an ice cream flavor, I find it hard to understand how people can be so sure of their decisions, creating a rigid stance, and feeling adamant that others agree with them. I am a middle dweller and will forever see to the left and to the right of me. (Isn’t that one of our first life lessons as we are taught to cross a street? “Look both ways, and look again!”) Bruce talks about a vertical middle way, not one yielded from apathy or resignation in a lateral move between the two sides.

I would like to think there is this Middle Way, a place where a great number of our people do not simply succumb to a particular posture, but embrace it. And while the existence of the Middle Way need not be proved to me per se, I know I am not the only one that struggles with the idea, reality and/or efficacy of the Middle Way. The Middle place I yearn for though is not one that is borne out of our weariness of the discussion; it is borne out of a discovery of larger common understanding of our Reformed faith that remains healthy, prophetic, compassionate and faithful.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You stand in the center of love and reach out to us from all sides, gathering us towards you. Let us be drawn together instead of becoming islands of principles; inhabitants in isolation and distance. Give us patience when ideas become crowded and create respect for those surrounding us. Let us pay attention for commonalities that will surface when two or more meet and offer thanksgivings for these bonds with our brothers and sisters. At our core, we love you, and want to honor you. Help us to live in the center of your will. Amen.

* Farmers from rural Texas, say that the phrase "Fair to Midland" actually expresses "good, clear, great, as in clear skies and weather," not "so-so." They say it originally meant, "The weather is so nice and clear you can see all the way from here to Midland" (Midland, Texas, that is).

Calls for Reality

You never know where you will find yourself when you start investigating topics on the internet. My search led me to a newsletter and I had to scan the majority of the newsletter before I found the word that the search engine had keyed into. But as I read through I grew disoriented. It sounded so familiar:

• First Presbyterian Church – check
• Orders for poinsettias – check
• Angel Tree – check
• Joyful Noise – check
• New Member classes – check
• Prayers for our Military - check
• Game Night – check
• Food Pantry collection – check
• Good Sense Program – check
• Schmidts, Snyders, Campbells – check
• Breakfast Club – check

Wait, Breakfast Club, really?? Had I stumbled into a parallel universe? Was I confused with reality again? Then it was affirmed as I re-read the opening paragraph from the pastor:

When God calls and you listen, you never know where you’ll end up or how long you’ll stay there. But I can guarantee if you listen to God’s Call, if you somehow, some way discern what it is God wants you to do, and you then follow his voice, your life will be, at the very least, interesting. That reality is forever in my mind when we ordain elders during the month of January. When God calls, strange things can and will happen…
Rev Tom Cook, First Presbyterian of Grand Haven, Michigan, January 2009

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You make peace out of chaos and unearth the rooted. Our opinions are dismantled as we allow your Truth to submerge our thoughts. We are forever changed if we but submit ourselves and follow. You call us to be leaders, singers, mentors, builders, dreamers, counters, guardians, teachers, laborers, organizers, musicians, cooks and bottle washers. Let us quiet our objections, doubts and busyness and listen. You are calling our name. Amen

Rev Cook continued
…Most gratifying were the times I witnessed real transformation in peoples’ lives when they heard God’s Call, stopped running from it, surrendered to God’s will, and then followed.

...When it comes to answering God’s Call, and following it, you never know where it will take you. But if you are open to the grace of this special Call, I can personally witness to you that it will be a life changing, life fulfilling experience and a wonderful ride.

God calls and it’s up to us to answer him. Listen to your life. If you have not yet experienced it, listen and somewhere in your living you will hear Christ calling you to drop life’s nets and follow him.

Reality Check

After being on leave for one final week of the year I was lamenting and bemoaning on Facebook and through e-mails that I was not prepared to return to reality. I know well enough to be grateful for steady work at any time, but especially at a time when layoffs are as common as Cheerios for breakfast - I know to be thankful. As a nearing mid-centuryette – I know to be thankful. As one who likes to eat, buy a few toys, and live in a house – I know to be thankful. And I am. I am actually pretty content at work and when I work on a steady, routine pace, Monday through Friday, I don’t think too much about what it is like to be away from work. It’s like putting one foot in front of the other and before you know it you’ve walked your way to the end of the work week. But being off a week? First the alarm clock gets turned off, then an impromptu plan gets hatched, and suddenly I’ve forgotten all about that building 20 miles away. So no, I was not looking forward to returning to the real life of alarm clocks, schedules, deadlines, dark when you leave and dark when you return, bills, and my prized time belonging to someone else. Tough it up, that’s reality. So imagine my surprise when I read Richard Rohr’s version of reality in his daily meditation: “…Contemplation is loosening our attachment to ourselves so the Reality can get to us, especially the Absolute Reality we call God. William McNamara rightly calls contemplation “a long loving look at the Real.”

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are the alpha and omega, the very God of very God. All of our days begin and end with you. Our vain attempts to build a world around ourselves, is not in accord with your world. We are bland and vacant left to imagine a world on our own. Let us break down the walls of our reality to see what is waiting. Let us loosen attachments to our possessions, our time, our voice, our thoughts, and our judgments to allow more of your righteousness to fill that void. Let us be observant for the assurances of your reality that surround us and wind through communities and histories. Our greatest dreams are no match for your smallest truths. Let us live in the truth of God's reality. Amen

Wise Men Follow

...From the Eastern kingdoms
Come the wise men far.
Bearing ancient treasure,
Following yonder star.
Sing we Noel! (noel)
The King is born, Noel! (noel)
Sing we now of Christmas.
Sing we here, Noel!...

I knew the focus of the church service today would be on the Three Wise Men or Three Kings arriving before the Christ child and on the way into church I was already singing the chorus of this carol. I really like the echo of the bass voices singing the Noels and the up-tempo of the rhythm. Maybe because the wise men are coming from the orient a lot of the music about them is a little more mysterious and exotic. I was introduced to “Amahl and the Night Visitor” a few years ago by my friend Margaret. In the one-act opera the story focuses on a crippled boy, Amahl who lives with his mother. Amahl, who is known to exaggerate, tells his mother that in the sky above their house is a star “as large as a window; and the star has a tail, and it moves across the sky like a chariot on fire.” It’s the beginning of several surprises that night as three kings on a journey ask to stay at their house. The mother hoping to keep her child from a life of begging tries to take some of the gold that was going to be a gift for the child. Melchior sings in response:

“Oh woman, you may keep the gold.
The child we seek doesn’t need our gold.
On love, on love alone he will build his kingdom.
His pierced hand will hold no scepter.
His haloed head will wear no crown.
His might will not be built on your toil.
Swifter than lightning, he will soon walk among us.
He will bring us new life, and receive our death,
and the keys to his city belong to the poor.”

The visit changes the lives of Amahl and his mother who want to send gifts as well to the Christ child. Amahl offers the only thing he has, his crutch, and his leg is healed. He leaves with the three kings to see the Christ child. I was fascinated by the music, the pageantry, and the story. Even though it wasn’t a professional production, the voices were sincere, the details were fine-tuned, and the message was clear.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear Christ Child, We wish to bring our gifts to you, but we worry that we have nothing that can befit a king, especially one born to change the world. If gold isn’t needed then what should we bring? We aren’t sure where to look, who to ask, and we are not even sure when the right time to come forward might be. We search and search but forget to search within. “Yet what I can I give him—Give my heart.” Christina Rossetti. Let us come forward today, with our earnest hearts. Amen.

Plan to be Surprised

I don’t make New Year resolutions much less ten-year goals. “What do you want to be doing in ten years?” You might as well be asking me to explain quantum physics! It’s not unreasonable for some people, but it’s close to impossible for me. Plans that I make get delayed, derailed, or dejected – and usually by myself! I have a hard time arranging each day so trying to make a plan for the entire year just seems improbable. Imaging me ten years down the road is science fiction without a plot. Before you can start writing you have to develop the characters. It seems that would take an awareness of one’s self that I haven’t yet met. Often it’s easier to count off colors, foods, or movies that I don’t like rather than narrowing my choices to favorites. I can pronounce deeds never accomplished more than actions completed. I can pontificate on my faults rather than mention strengths. It’s easier to deflate ideas rather than to stand up and pronounce beliefs that are true to me. However, I think one truth I do know about myself is that before I make a promise, I try to evaluate whether I can uphold my part. I like to think that my word is true. So to make a resolution would not be a simple wish, or an offhand statement. In the movie “Dan in Real Life” the main character ends the movie as he is writing a column: “Instead of telling our young people to plan ahead, we should tell them to plan to be surprised.” That’s a resolution I can uphold.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, Your miracles are revealed each day. As this new year begins let us welcome the surprises of your grace interwoven into our daily life. Instead of facing the new year with hope, some will see it as a beginning of many new days filled with anxiety about jobs, health, money, family upheaval, and perhaps an unrest in their own faith in themselves and in you. Help us to find the words that share with others the truths that we believe, the love that we have witnessed and the hope that we hold dear. Let us learn more about ourselves so that we may realize the strengths that we already possess to help further your ends. Let our plans be set aside for your surprises. Amen.