Advent Calendar Day 7

Can you imagine how Mary must have been feeling?  Think of all the emotions that one goes through when they find out they are expecting a child.  Excitement at the possibilities, worries and doubts of what kind of a parent you might be, fears for all the things that can possibly go wrong, joy of new life, love for the child you carry, and did I say doubts and fears... and that is just the first minute or two.  Then you revisit all of the multitude of emotions in depth as time goes on.

Mary wasn't married.  She did not have any knowledge of sex or men or much of anything up to that point in her life.  I would imagine that the last thing she worried about was what to name the child, but the angel took that worry off of her shoulders.  This may have been good news, but it is unlikely that she felt all that good about it, even if she was obedient to God.

We want to think that she the epitome of serenity and peace, just like we have pictured her in art over the years.  But let's think how we would respond--or maybe even have responded--to God laying "good news" on us.  We may know where God is leading us, but we have thought of all the ways that will affect our lives, the lives of our families, our friends,  We have pondered the changes we will have to make, things we may have to take on or perhaps give up.  We have worried about our inabilities, our desires to do something else, that if we are obedient to God, our lives will never be the same again. 

So, let us not be so quick to dismiss the value of Mary's obedience by thinking it was easy for her.  Let us not discount our need and ability to be obedient to God.  God calls us, just as God called Mary.  God desires our obedience.  And just as all our lives were changed by Mary's act of obedience--even though she may not have been aware of it all--we do not know how lives might be changed by our obedience--or disobedience. 

As we journey down the Advent road, let us recommit ourselves and our lives and futures to God for the purpose of God. 

Mary

Advent Calendar Day 6

Signs of things promised.  This is what the prophet spoke of -- the sign to look for the coming of the promised Messiah.  Of course, I wonder how popular the name Immanuel was or became at that time.  Young women are pregnant all the time.  I think this was one of those vague pronouncements, like 'when the sun rises on the third day of the week, this shall be a sign.'  Well this happens 52 weeks a year for as many years as we are in existence.  Which week, which year?  Which young woman?  Which baby named 'God with us?'

But that is the thing with signs isn't it.  They are everywhere for those who are discerning.  They are also everywhere for those who are looking for the latest sign.  I knew a young man one time who saw signs from God, God telling him to do something, in everything that happened.  It is one thing to have a series of things occur that you realize is God showing you the way; it is another for a multitude of "signs" carrying you in different directions.  I do not think God is either fickle or a tease. 

So, how do we know when something is of God?  How can we tell that it is a true sign?  I think it is much like anything else really--we will understand more if we truly know the one sending us the sign.  Knowing God and how God speaks to you, not just floundering around thinking everything is a sign from God, but knowing the one sending the sign well enough to be discerning.

Discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the one who is the interpreter between us and God.  Through the Holy Spirit we can be sensitive to the leading of God and attune to God enough to understand. 

Also, discernment is affirmed on hindsight, in that we can tell if what has come to pass is from God.  This is why I think those who are focused on watching for the signs of the "last days" can be so harmful.  Not only are they floundering around, believing everything is one of the signs of the apocalypse running around like Chicken Little declaring the skies are falling, they are diluting the importance of the occurrence.  There will come a time when the earth shall come to an end, but Jesus himself said that he doesn't know when that will be, so what makes these rapture-theorists think they know better.  And what is the purpose?  What do they think their sleuthing will accomplish? 

Much like the coming of the anointed one of God to a young pregnant woman who would name her child "God with us," it could have happened at anytime, been anyone, happened anywhere.  So what are we to do--we who watch and wait, the same as those who watched and waited before.  Recognizing in hindsight that this child was something extraordinary--something divine--but living in the moment of the God who is with us always.  Living as we are in God's very presence always, for we are.

I do not believe it does any good to get caught up in trying to foretell what the future may bring when there is so much to do to make the here and now happen.  There are hungry to feed, naked to clothe, oppressed to liberate, empires to stand up to, and life to be lived.  As we watch and wait, let us remember is while we are in the midst of living that we watch and wait for the one who was and is and is to come. 

Advent Caledar Day 5

"Falling to their knees, the honored him."  Worship.  These travelers from the east--not Jews--worshipped this child that was foretold by the Jewish prophets.  We tend to categorize people into at a minimum of two categories--in or out.  But these non-Jewish travelers, who were possibly followers of Zoroaster, traveled a great distance from their homeland to bring baby gifts.  Why would they do this?  Traveling that far was perilous.  Why the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh?

Much is unknown about these travelers told about only in the Gospel of Matthew.  However, there is a great deal of fascination with them and a great deal of speculation which has become accepted as fact, although there is no basis for it.  We do not know how many of them there were, though it is presumed there were three because there were three gifts.  We do know there was more than one because the word which is translated as magi in Latin (magoi in Greek) is a plural form of the word magus.  This is the word we get our modern-day words magic and magician from; although there is nothing that indicates that these travelers were magicians or sorcerers in the modern understanding of the word.  They were probably scholars or priests, rather than foreign dignitaries visiting a newborn dignitary.  Regardless of our understanding, they were not Jewish leaders who rightly interpreted the signs for the coming of the foretold anointed one of God.  They were outsiders.

As for the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, there are two primary understandings of the meaning of the gifts--political or spiritual.  Political would indicate that they are presents you would present to a king as an indication of respect and good faith.  Spiritual significance would indicate that their worship was one of more than adoration or respect, but acknowledging the presence of the divine. 

Gold, a symbol of earthly kingship, seems a fairly practical gift--it was the ancient form of gift cards or just cold, hard, cash.  Money, which they did not specify to be put in a trust fund until the child reached some age of maturity.  It was for the parents to use to raise the child.  The gold likely funded their flight to Egypt where the family (Mary, Joseph, and Jesus) were considered refugees fleeing from political tyranny and death.  We would do well to remember that when we consider our modern feelings of political refugees. 

Frankincense and myrrh were much more spiritually symbolic.  Frankincense carries our prayers to God and is a symbol of divinity.  Myrrh was a perfume or spices used in embalming or preparation for burial.  Western Christianity has interpreted this to mean that the child born was a king, a god, and a sacrifice  (from "We Three Kings",a Christmas carol that was written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., in 1857).  As we know that Jesus, himself said that his "kingdom" or "realm" was not earthly, then it would be more appropriate to interpret the gifts listed in Matthew with a spiritual understanding rather than an earthly or political one.

While we do not know what happens of the magi, these travelers from the east, following their encounter with the child, there are many legends about them.  What we can surmise is that they were observers of another religion, from another culture, that should show us how to worship the Christ.  How often do we go out of our way to worship?  How often do we bring expensive and significant gifts to God?  How often do we worship in the manner becoming a follower of Jesus?

As you continue the advent journey, consider the journey of the travelers from the east.  What can you do this season that would be symbolic of the effort and sacrifice of the magi?

Advent Calendar Day 4

Terrified.  We read this story each year as a sweet, pastoral example of the message of God coming to the poorest of the people.  Terrified.  The shepherds were minding their own business--the sheep--one sleepy night.  Some were probably pondering life while others were preparing to bed down for the evening.  Perhaps there were some who had already drifted off to sleep.  Then BAM, angels.  They were not merely startled or honored or curious as we sometimes portray, but terrified (frightened, horrified, scared, petrified, shocked, panicked, alarmed—scared stiff!)  I think of all the ways people who are afraid respond in fear.  I suppose they could have whipped out their slingshots and began firing at the light of the Lord.  They could have run away, leaving their sheep and responsibilities.  Perhaps they could not respond with either fight or flight because they were scared motionless.  Adrenaline coursing through their veins, but their muscles were rebelling against them.

We live in a world of terror.  Terrorism seems to be such a talked about topic that it has become a caricature of what terror is actually.  The media, pundits, and politicians whip people into a frenzy—an irrational, foolish, crazy-people-run-amok frenzy.  The talking heads tell us who to be afraid of, who to blame, who to fight, who to flee, but not how to have calm, how to have peace, how not to be afraid.  The purpose of terrorism is to incite terror.  For terrorism to win, we must be terrified and live out that terror in our actions and relationships with one another.  All those who stir up this fear in the public (media, politicians, religious folks, others) are terrorists—in that they promote terror. 

Those things we do to protect ourselves, are often the very things that wind up hurting us the most.  Those safety mechanisms, like closing ourselves off from others or refusing to help others, end up doing more damage to our spirit—our souls—than any possible physical damage that is unlikely to happen anyway.  We are terrified, and so we respond, often without thought as to the long-term consequences.  But this is not the way God created us to live.  God created us to be in community with one another, even those we do not know at all or very well.  God created us to live out the example of Christ in caring for the least, the last, the lost, the marginalized.

As long as we are scared and reactionary, our fear gets the better of us.  Did you know the opposite of faith is not doubt, but fear?  Fear grips us and keeps us from fulfilling the life we have in Christ as children of God.  We either want to fight at things that we cannot possibly see or engage, or we want to run from our responsibilities and soothe our souls by telling ourselves the world isn’t our responsibility.  Or we are scared stiff, motionless, unable to do anything right or wrong, and so we do nothing. 

The shepherds could not respond to the message of the angels if they hid in their fearful and closed off cocoons.  They would not have witnessed the birth of the one to save their people.  They would have hidden away, never living out the potential God had for them.

How do you hide from the things that you fear?  Do you give your fears to God?  Or do you cling to them like a security blanket, telling yourself that worry is what keeps the worst at bay?  This Advent, how can you move from reacting in fear to stepping out in faith to the message of God?

Advent Calendar Day 3

Joseph was told that his fiancé, Mary, was to have a baby.  Enough of a startling revelation as it was, but to be visited by an angel who tells you this child is the promised coming Messiah is almost too much.  I think of the emotions swirling about in Joseph’s mind.  After all, any ordinary man would have a mixture of such emotions—the internal adjustments you make as you process in your mind and heart that 1.) your fiancé whom you have not yet been intimate is pregnant; 2.) you realize, perhaps by surprise, that your love and compassion outweighs your need to save face; 3.) that this child who isn’t yours is to be raised by you; 4.) that this child is the promised one of God, who will save you from your sin.  You would feel—what, doubt and skepticism, fear and worry, overwhelmed, joyful, sorrowful—this is almost too much for anyone to grasp. 

Yet Joseph, a good man who wants to do right by his promise, has the very human idea of distancing himself from the entire situation; not to extract vengeance as was his right and not to play the wounded lover, but to simply, quietly, give her back to her family and call the whole thing off.  She and her family can deal with repercussions of the situation.  But, that is not the way God wants it to be.  He is to marry her, care for her and the child, and all of this knowing that this child may indeed be the anointed one of God who would come to save Israel.  Could you be this obedient in the face of personal humiliation?

Good men, truly good men, the kind with ethics and morals that are uncompromising and true are hard to come by.  It is as difficult for today’s men to live up to the Captain America standard (manly, brave, a moral compass that points true north, looks good in a costume), as it is for women to live up to the Proverbs 31 woman (in charge of the home, makes her husband and kids look good, while still having her own career).  I think, however, Joseph was not some illusive image of a good man, but truly one who shows mercy, loves justice, and in spite of the emotions that follow, walks with God humbly.  Are you a Joseph kind of person?  One who simply does what you believe to be right quietly and without fanfare, without seeking your rights, but rather protecting the rights of others.  I think Joseph is a good example for all of us—male and female—this season of Advent when there is so much going on in the world that gives us the opposite understanding of what is right and wrong.  

Advent Calendar Day 2

Have you ever had someone say something to you that seems like an odd thing to say?  Perhaps it was someone who mentioned a gift or quality you have that you didn’t think anyone else noticed?  Maybe it was about something you were feeling led to do, but had not told anyone else?  Perhaps, someone said a comment out of the blue to you, something you had never thought of before, and when they said it, you knew it was something important to you and you could think of nothing else?  Mary had that kind of experience.

The angels of the Bible always say something to the effect of “do not be afraid,” or “fear not.”  A visit from a messenger from God tends to rattle us—maybe even startle us.  It definitely shakes up our world—our routine—and we find we are never the same again.  It is of significant importance to us, and we should never simply write it off as all our imagination.  Quite often we are visited by “angels” who inspire us, affirm us, encourage us, and guide us.  God uses all types of people to bring us God’s message. 

This Advent let us be watching for those “angels” God sends our way.  We should also watch for those opportunities and inspiration when we convey a message from God and are an angel to another.

Advent Calendar - Day 1

You do not need to be afraid of the dark to know that you can injure yourself if you are unable to see.  Stumbling around in the dark is slow-going.  There are obstacles and pitfalls.  When the electricity goes out, especially if there is a blackout in the neighborhood and no streetlights to shine into the windows, we realize that the dark is very, very dark. 

The dark can feel oppressive, even heavy.  It is always such a comfort to light a candle, turn on a flashlight, or start a fire to bring light into the dark.  I have noticed on such occasions that in pitch blackness, the glow of even the smallest light can bring light to a wide area.  It is almost as if the light pours around the room, spilling over into the darkness. 

I have never been in a blackened room in which I have lit a candle or turned on a flashlight that the darkness spread into the light rather than the light into the darkness.  Darkness will not ever overcome the light.  When I light more candles and place them around the room the collective light chases the darkness into the recesses and corners.  Only a few shadows remain.  Shadows remain even in well-lit rooms, but the light chases the shadows around allowing no place for them to hide.

It is like that with the light of Christ.  There is darkness in the world, this is undeniable.  But the light of Christ spills over into the darkness, and the darkness of this world will never overcome this light.  We who bear the light of Christ multiply this light in the world, bringing light to even the darkest places. 

This Advent let us prepare ourselves to be bearers of the light of Christ to a world in darkness.

Reflections on the Half Century Mark

Today is my 50th birthday.  Also, today I had the honor and privilege of speaking to the senior high school girls at a tea hosted by the local Lion's Club.  It is a fun thing they do every year.  The girls dress up, eat finger sandwiches, and drink tea from real china cups.  Many of the girls have never had that opportunity before.

When I was first asked to speak, I noticed it was on my birthday, and that was part of what prompted my reflections for this post.  These girls are 18, give or take.  I was in their place 32 years ago.  There have been some major changes since 1983.  When I was a senior in high school, only a few took computer classes.  Now, it is part of the regular classes and elementary children know more than I did then.  The computing power they carry in their pocket is greater than the first computer which weighed 27 tons and took up a whole room. 

I reflected on what has happened in their lifetime, the events that to me were a brief period of time ago, and to them is history.  They were never really aware of a pre-9/11 U.S., and for them wars have always had ambiguous borders.

Women have always been allowed at the Virginia Military Institute and the Citadel.  There has always been WNBA and female referees have always been in the NBA.   While there has been great advancement in the way of women's rights, there is still a long way to go.

In the past fifty years the U.S. population has increased from 194 million to almost 319 million.  Life expectancy rose from 70 to 78.  The median family income has increased from $6,450 to around $52,000.  In 1965 a new house cost around $21,000, a loaf of bread was $.21, and a new car was around $2,650.

I have learned a few things in a half-century.

1.  Everyone needs a role model and a best friend.  You need a role model that is an example of what you are working toward.  This does not mean you are trying to copy someone else, or not be yourself, it just means that someone who is further down the road is giving you an example of the possibilities and how to get there.

It seems that the reason to have a best friend would be self-explanatory, but it isn't just for companionship, and it shouldn't just be anyone.  It should be someone that accepts you for who you are, where you are, but doesn't leave you there.  Someone that being around makes you a better person, and your presence in their lives encourages them to be better people as well.  Sometimes friends are lifetime friends, sometimes it is the season of life you are in that determines your friendship.

2.  Everyone needs to know themselves very well, and to look at themselves honestly.  Looking at yourself honestly means you recognize your strengths and your weaknesses.  You do not make excuses for mistakes, but learn from them.  You examine your goals and work toward them without apology.  You also need to remember that it is okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them and you continue to grow as a person.

3.  You need to know how to say, "I'm sorry." You will make mistakes (see #2), and sometimes those mistakes will hurt another.  It is important to say, "I'm sorry."  But you should never apologize for being who you truly are, as long as you are truly trying to grow as a person.

4.  Speaking kindly to everyone will serve you well.  Treat others - all others - with respect.  Regardless of their or your station in life, regardless of whether or not you think they deserve your respect, always speak to others with respect. 

5.  Don't be so focused on the present, that you forget that decisions you make now will affect the future.  Don't be so focused on the future, that you forget to live in the present.  Don't be so focused on the past that you never move forward.  Your life is not a series of disconnected moments, but part of a continuum.  Things that happen today will have an impact on the life you have in the future. Make the most of your whole life, not just concentrating on short term happiness, but learning to be patient that there are great things to come.

These are just the top five musings for the half-century mark.

A Prayer For the Twentieth Anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing

Today we gather to remember and reflect on an event that changed the way we see the skyline of downtown Oklahoma City; that changed for many a sense of security that since that day we can no longer have; that changed our understanding of the face of terrorism, and brought us horror when we realized the face looked like us.

Lord in your mercy…

We remember and pray for the people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Those who wandered into the building to visit friends, change their name on their social security card, and other innocuous reasons to go to a building targeted by those who would seek to do evil.  There was nothing to tell them to stay away or indicate that the day would be any different. 

Lord in your mercy…

We pray for those who died, and those changed forever.  We remember the fragility of human life and give thanks for the breaths we take.

Lord in your mercy…

We remember and pray for those who had offices in the building, who were holding meetings, talking on the phone, typing, having inane conversation around the coffee pot in the break room.  Unsuspecting that that cup, that conversation, that thought would be their last.

Lord in your mercy…

We remember and pray for the people who were near the building on the street or across the street who, although not in the building targeted for destruction, lost their lives in the devastation anyway.

Lord in your mercy…

We remember those who responded, the one who died, and all who suffered great trauma at the sight of wreckage and desolation.  Those who still see visions in their dreams that they wish they could erase.  Those who medicated and self-medicated the pain away.  Those who took their lives because they could never find peace.  And those who love them.

Lord in your mercy…

We remember and pray for the children who died that day.  Children in the day care center where parents dropped off their children with a sense of security believing they would be picking them up that evening safe.  We remember the children who died while with parents or grandparents at the social security office.  We remember our children everywhere who have been victims of violence whether by a truck bomb or a school shooting or a political regime that cares little for human life. 

Lord in your mercy…

We remember grieving parents, grandparents, siblings.  We remember the children who, although they lived, their lives were never the same again.  We remember our duty and obligation to all our children to protect them from violence and the fear violence brings.

Lord in your mercy…

We remember the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, children, beloved friends and even close acquaintances of those who were killed.  Whose grief was tangible, and even the sky cried that day.  

Lord in your mercy…

We remember and pray for those who lost their lives, and those who survived although forever changed.

Lord in your mercy…

As Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us, we pray and remember those who planned, plotted, schemed, and carried out this heinous act.  We pray that we may learn to trust again, in spite of our fear, because all of humanity is not responsible for the deeds of a few.  We pray for their families who were thrust into the spotlight, and were grieving as well.  We pray for them as best we can, Lord help us when we do not know how we should pray.

Lord in your mercy…

We pray for ourselves, that we might never forget to stand again injustice, oppression, violence and evil however it presents itself.  Lord give us strength and wisdom.  Lord grant us peace in the midst of a chaotic world.

Lord in your mercy…

Hear our prayers today and everyday, O God.  Amen.

Parenting

I have often remarked to members of my congregations that there should be a support group for parents of adult children. This writing from Henri Nouwen is helpful, I think, to understand our relationship with our children from another perspective. 

The Great Gift of Parenthood - Henri Nouwen

Children are their parents' guests. They come into the space that has been created for them, stay for a while - fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five years - and leave again to create their own space. Although parents speak about "our son" and "our daughter," their children are not their property. In many ways children are strangers. Parents have to come to know them, discover their strengths and their weaknesses, and guide them to maturity, allowing them to make their own decisions.

The greatest gift parents can give their children is their love for each other. Through that love they create an anxiety-free place for their children to grow, encouraging them to develop confidence in themselves and find the freedom to choose their own ways in life.

Time

Today I woke early and went to the church where we hosted a district committee. We are pretty insistent on being as hospitable as possible, so we made sure there was coffee and ice water. Lunch was prepared for them and we stayed until they were finished. It makes for a long day, but although it took the same amount of time, it wasn't  as long as theirs. 

Today this committee met with ministry candidates, local pastors, and others who fall under the oversight of this committee. That kind of work is painstaking and tiring. It isn't physical labor, it isn't even necessarily unpleasant, but when taken seriously, you feel the weight of responsibility. It is tiring. 

Time is a funny thing. We say we "make" time, "take" time, time goes "quickly" or "slowly."  Sometimes I think "time" has a mind of its own. This weekend we are even "losing" an hour as we spring forward for the time change.  But in reality there is never any less or any more time, it is an illusion due to our perspective. 

As you set your clocks this Saturday night, think about what a precious gift time is. Enjoy the journey rather than rushing from big event to big event. Never "wish your life away" as my mother used to say. Savor each moment and make memories. 

I am glad you took some time to read these thoughts.  May your time be blessed tomorrow and throughout your life. 

Blessing

This Sunday I am planning to have a blessing service as part of the morning worship service.  It reminded me of when I was last anointed and blessed.  After the service, I wrote this poem.

Faithful pilgrims with oily brows
  following as best we can the 
    footsteps of Christ.

Fearful people with songs of praise
   stuck in dry throats
      hoping God doesn't notice.

Weary travelers seeking a safe place for rest,
   come to the harbor of God's friendship.

God responds to the faithful, 
   the fearful, and the weary with open arms 
        and a heart full of divine grace and love.

I hope this poem blessings your journey of faith.

Has Reason Left Us?

It seems the current ideological climate is marked by unreasonableness.  I remember when you could have a conversation with another person and could disagree without resorting to hate-filled remarks and character assassinations.  You might even have a civil discourse in which new understandings could be found by both parties.  Now, the battle lines are clearly drawn and it seems all have chosen their sides. 

What happened?  It is as if we have dehumanized and demonized anyone whose views differ from ours.  We have become rigid in our opinions, and have closed our minds to any new ideas.  This makes learning problematic.  It also makes finding middle ground and discovering new perspectives virtually impossible.  Unreasonable disagreements are not new, but they do seem to have multiplied.

I'll admit it is difficult when the pendulum of reason swings so wide; when the middle has disappeared in the mire of extremism.  Good people are woefully uniformed, misinformed, and believe dubious facts because it supports their position.  Education has become suspect, and is even discouraged.  As someone who values as much education as you can get, I find this last part most interesting.  It seems that some would rather believe a lie, than to learn a truth that may challenge their views.  I cannot fathom this.

Today was a day of quite a few disagreements on social media.  People who otherwise might be nice, under the anonymity of the internet have said some very ugly things.  Intentionally twisting words and name calling seem to be the order of the day.  These are not teens who are caught up in online bullying, these are adults who are professionals in their field--and often in helping fields such as the clergy.

I am reminded of Jesus words as found in Mark 12:29-31:

Jesus replied, “The most important one is Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  The second is this, You will love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”

Do we show our love for God by our love for God's children?  Or do we want to narrow our understanding of who are children of God by our own standards, limiting our views even further?  Do we love our neighbors, meaning even those we disagree with most, as we love ourselves?  That would require us to respect their opinions as we would like ours to be respected.  

We live in a difficult time.  I would like to think that reason has not left us entirely, and with kind words and understanding spirits we can regain some of the reason that is needed in our country right now.  Join with me as we seek to bring a kind word, even in disagreement, and not hold grudges when others would say ugly things to us and about us.  Let us love one another as Christ has loved us and as we love ourselves.  

Piecemaking

I have recently taken an interest in quilting.  That interest has not yet born the fruit of an actual quilt, but my intentions are good.  I am inspired by the quilting group at our church called "Piecemakers."  This title isn't just a cute name with a play on the words "piece" (meaning what you do when you put a quilt together) and "peace" (tranquility, no war, harmony, etc.), it is what we are called to do and be.  The ladies that are a part of this group make more than quilts, they make peace.  Their quilts offer comfort.  They provide quilts for those whose lives are chaos (lost everything in a fire or tornado).  They give quilts as gifts to youth leaving for college to reassure them that their church family loves them.  They do bring peace, and I am very thankful for them.

In Matthew 5:9, Jesus tells us "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."  To be children of God, we are to be about the business of peace. We are to bring comfort to others, bring harmony when there is discord, and advocate for non-violence whenever possible.

Too often, however, we are more busy sewing seeds of discord rather than harmony.  We cry for war rather than search for peace.  Our lives reflect anything but tranquility as we seek retribution and revenge.  We are too busy being just like everyone else rather than the body of Christ.  We fail miserably at being the children of God we are called to be.  This is the sad truth of our witness as Christians.

But this is the season of Lent.  The season of honest reflection and repentance.  We can only repent when we are first honest with ourselves and quit making excuses for our behavior.  It is time we turn from our ways back to God's ways.

Blessed are those who seek to and live in peace with one another and with God.

I'll try to do better...

I'm not doing very well at my Lenten practice.  I forgot yesterday until very late, so I thought I would do two today.  I forgot again.  So, maybe I'll do one tomorrow since everything is snowed under here. 

I'll try to do better, of course I am reminded of the immortal words of Master Yoda, "Do or do not, there is no try..."  It's one of my favorite sayings that I tend to share with anyone who tells me they will "try."  Particularly, if I feel it seems to be an empty promise. 

My efforts to do better, come with all the best intentions though.  I just know my tendency to procrastinate.  What I can promise, however, is to keep making an effort.

For today though, I will leave you with this thought from St. Francis of Assissi

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.


Amen.
 

Winter

In many parts of the U.S., there is snow, ice, sleet, freezing rain, and all around yucky weather.  The sky is gray and the ground is hard.  I'm ready for warmer weather, buds sprouting, and sun.  Of course, we have to go through the winter to get to the spring.

As much as I want to hurry through the cold, I am reminded of words of wisdom my mother would say when I would wish something would come to pass, "Quit wishing your life away."  I did not fully appreciate this as I do now that I am older.  My children have been born, were children, teens, and are now young adults.  I have aged -- some days more gracefully than others.  I have learned, and soon I will be graduating--again.  But it isn't always just education from books and school, I have life experience as well.  I hope this all means that I have a certain amount of wisdom. 

Life is meant to be lived, one day at a time.  We should enjoy or at least experience life every day.  The ups and downs are what make us who we are, and learning from these things is what gives us life experience, wisdom.  At times we would like to avoid the pain, but it is the winter that makes me appreciate the warmth of the sun that much more.  We appreciate the ups in our life, because of the down times. 

Romans 5:3-5.  "And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us."

My View is Limited

I do not know many people who enjoy walking in the dark.  Most of the time we stumble around, stubbing our toes and knocking our shins.  We prefer to clearly see where we are going and any obstacles in our path.  

While we can flip a switch to light the room, we cannot do the same with our future or understanding spiritual truths. There are folks who claim to see clearly in the dark--maybe they think they can--maybe they do not know what the world looks with the light on. 

1 Corinthians 13:12 tells us "We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!" (The Message)

We may be squinting trying to see through the dimness of this world, but God sees things clearly. We will too one day, but until then we can trust in the One who sees clearly until that day when we can see. 

My Covenant

You may be familiar with the Covenant Prayer

Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition

I am no longer my own but yours.

Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will. 

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you,

Exalted for you or brought low for you.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things

To your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

You are mine and I am yours.  So be it.

And the covenant now made on earth.

Let it be ratified in heaven.  Amen.

I find as I repeat this prayer, a couple of lines stand out to me.  "Rank me with whom you will," "laid aside for you," and "let me have nothing."  These lines are tough to pray--God might think I'm serious.  (Just kidding.  Tell me you haven't had the same thoughts.)  I am also curious that doing is paired as a counterpoint to suffering. 

As I think about my ministry over the years, I find that my suffering is often associated with doing.  Either not doing something someone thinks I should, or doing something someone thinks I shouldn't.  At times it feels like a no win situation.  Being able to stay grounded in God helps keep me from being tossed about like a ship in a storm.  The Covenant prayer helps me to remember that it isn't about me, it is about God.  So be it.

Less about Me

As I mentioned in my previous post on Ash Wednesday, I should probably think about why it is so important for me to make sure others begin Lent well, while I tend to be "late" getting into Lenten practices.  It is very simply that I see Lent as a time to be less about me.  If I think more about others, then I have little time to think about me.  Yet, I want others to have a meaningful start to Lent, because it is such an important time to me.  A time to look honestly at ourselves, in all our mortality and fallibility, yet in light of the eternal promise of resurrection.  It is a time we can put aside self to grow closer to God and deepen our discipleship.  Join with me as we seek to observe a holy Lent.

Ash Wednesday

No, I am not trying to sneak this in as if it is Ash Wednesday.  I did think it would be good to reflect on Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season as a way of getting into my Lenten practice--to blog daily (except Sundays) through Lent. 

Ash Wednesday is generally one of the busiest days of the year for me.  You would think it would be Christmas Eve or Easter or some other high holy moment in the Christian year--no Ash Wednesday.  I see Ash Wednesday as the day that sets the tone for the whole season of Lent.  Lent is a time of repentance, of reflection, of looking at ourselves and our relationship with God honestly--no sugar coating or rationalizing or hiding--just us raw and vulnerable with God. 

I find it interesting that we often do not like looking in the mirror of our souls.  What is it we see?  What is it we are afraid of?  All of this comes to the surface to be cleansed and healed during the season of Lent.  We walk through the valley of the shadow toward the day of Resurrection.  It is...intimidating.

I am so busy preparing for the evening Ash Wednesday service, because I feel that in order to set the right tone, the service should be prayed over, thought out, with a specific aim of preparing those in attendance for Lent.  It isn't that the usual Sunday morning service doesn't have a specific focus or isn't prayed over--it is.  But the Sunday morning service happens every Sunday.  The format rarely changes, it is comfortable and predictable.  It isn't that Christmas and Easter aren't intentional or prayed over--they are.  But these services tend to be traditional, so while not every week, every year there are similarities--including the scriptural text.  Ash Wednesday, however, while every year, comes with more thought of what those in attendance need to come fully into right relationship with God.  What will begin their journey in such a way that they are inspired to continue it?

For the past several years, I have incorporated a time of prayer, meditation, and reflection, including prayer stations.  I have typically had four, but this year I added six more.  In the past, I have taken these stations down following the Ash Wednesday service, but this year I have placed them in a room near the sanctuary.  These stations will be left up all Lent long, open and waiting for those who need to renew their commitment to observing a holy  Lent. 

It is my prayer, as I worked to set these stations up, making sure everything necessary was provided for, that those who visit these stations--maybe once, maybe several times--will connect with God in a real and meaningful way.  That they will begin to see themselves--the good and the bad--through God's eyes.  That they will make the necessary changes in their lives, in their attitudes, and in their hearts to grow in their discipleship and draw closer to God. 

My prayer and my practices tend to be for others and their relationship with God.  Maybe I will explore why that is in future posts.  Blessings for a holy Lent.

Time to Get Back to It

It has been almost a year since I last posted.  It isn't that I have not been writing.  I have been doing a great deal of writing--my doctoral paper is finished.  I found out yesterday I will be graduating this May.  I hope to use some of this work for future publishing purposes, so I thought now is a good time to get back to this blog.

This happens to coincide with the beginning of Lent.  I would say I am giving up school work for Lent, but that would not be quite right.  I still have to make sure that the pages are formatted just so and the other minor details associated with preparing a doctoral paper for publication.  So, I thought I would write for Lent.  I am already two days behind.  This is pretty usual for me--getting a late start on Lenten practices.  Ash Wednesday consumes my time entirely, and then yesterday--well yesterday, I was celebrating.

I will attempt to keep up with blogging daily, Monday-Saturday, for the rest of Lent.  Who knows?  Maybe this will become a regular practice, and I will continue it.  Lent is good for developing good habits such as study or meditation and to end bad habits such as over indulging or negativity.  So, my practice this year will be to offer a Lenten reflection/meditation each day.  I hope somehow God uses this blog to speak to you.  Blessings for a Holy Lent!