Really?

Last weekend I participated in a surprise birthday roast for a pastor friend in Omaha. We had a great time. It was the culmination of a stressful week.  They had officiated at a funeral for a teacher. Apparently the Phelps crowd from Westboro Baptist in Topeka announced they planned to picket the funeral.  I guess there are not enough soldier funerals so they are focusing on teachers as lackeys of government propaganda or something.
There were only 4 picketers but there were many counter-protesters. My friend says the goal is to provoke reactions that could lead to litigation.  It is a business strategy.

I find myself turning to Galatians 6: Don't be misled. No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants,he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others -- ignoring God! -- harvests a crop of weeds. But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life. So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we  will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

The Thrill is Gone

Thanks to the gracious generosity of folks from my former congregation, Christ UMC, Peggy and I went to Minneapolis last Friday for a BB King concert. He introduced his great-grandchildren to the audience who seemed to have gathered to celebrate his aura as much as listen to his music.
The blues are merciful to both instrumentalists and vocalists. The old guys in the band were having a good time and making fine music. BB talked more than he sang but when he cut loose with Lucille the power of the songs and singer emerged.
He spoke or sang several times about dying. The atmosphere was tinged with a bit of sadness. Near the end when he sang "The Thrill is Gone" I was tempted to extend the metaphor but I remembered years ago buying a vinyl album that included three cuts that I used to illustrate a Sunday message.
I used the Thrill is Gone to talk about the human condition; I'm a Born-Again Human to talk about the transformative power of love; and There Must Be a Better World Somewhere to lift up the promise of the Gospel. Still some of my better work and his.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.

Al Mohler is Mistaken

My last posting mentioned the teaching of my tai chi instructor to "lean into the pain". I'm fairly sure that he is not Christian (probably informed by some "eastern" philosphy or religious practice). Remembering his gentle teaching got me thinking about recent media attention of a blog by R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and intellectual leader within evangelical groups and a proponent of five point Calvinism (TULIP doctrine). I keep reading about Mohler ( a big article in Christianity Today) and a piece in Christian Century, Oct. 19, 2010, which quotes his Sept. 20 blog: yoga begins and ends with an understanding of the body that is, to say the very least, at odds with the Christian understanding. ... Believers are called to meditate upon the Word of God. ... not to meditate by means of incomprehensible syllables."

Be still and know that I am God. Ps. 46:10. But the Lord is in his holy Temple; let all the earth keep silence before him! Hab. 2:20 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. Ps. 23: 2,3a Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. John 15: 4

Jesus and the scriptures teach spiritual discplines and practices of keeping watch and waiting; being ready and prepared; listening and staying open to the way and will of the Lord. The classic way of praying with scripture (lectio divina/divine reading) leads one from the head to the heart and soul into a time of abiding with God. Surely Dr. Mohler is not denying the long centuries of contemplative prayer practices of the church.

Not to mention that Christians have long borrowed and adapted symbols, concepts and practices from other cultures and made them Christian. In my limited practice of tai chi I found myself praying. I found myself wanting to develop a form of body prayer that would be rooted in the Word and become a healthy expression of adoration. Catholics use prayer beads.  The entire Centering Prayer movement is not an attempt to follow eastern practices but to reclaim ancient Christian traditions.

It is my understanding that the Hebrew word for the name of the Lord (YHWH) is so sacred as to not be pronounced. I would encourage Al Mohler to devote his advent prayer time to the story of Zechariah in Luke 1. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:78, 79

Leaning Into the Pain

My second therapy session began with confession: I have been working 15 hour days and have not been diligent with my exercises. Physical therapists are acutely aware of the human condition. They understand that few of us are willing to hurt ourselves on purpose. Yet the cliche is rooted in truthful reality: pain with a purpose.
She began with a deep massage of my wrist and arm to address swelling and to make it easier for ligaments or tendons (what's the difference?) to slide through tissues (some with scarring). She was careful but gently persistent in showing me how to stretch and move into the pain. To regain flexibility it will have to hurt.
I remember a lesson from my tai chi instructor. He would require us to stand in a position where the muscles would begin to burn.  The body's natural response was to pull away from the pain but the instructor said: Lean more deeply into the pain and then relax.
We need a companion to guide and help us find our way toward shalom. A therapist who understands that for my wrist to turn more fully it may be necessary to address some issues in my elbow. An instructor who undersatnds the counter-intuitive/paradoxical way of  body, mind, heart, soul and life.
Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. Matt. 10:39

The Cast is Off

A week ago the doctor declared my broken wrist bone to be healed. The cast was removed revealing an arm that is smaller, weaker and much less flexible. The doctor recommended a month or so of hand therapy.

The cast was essential to stabilize my wrist and allow healing to occur. But one kind of healing created a different set of challenges. Scar tissue, constricted ligaments and tendons, and muscles debilitated from lack of use need to be massaged, stretched and strengthened or I will not regain normal use of my wrist.

Reflecting on my cast led to thoughts about other kinds of defense mechanisms that we use (consciously or not) in response to wounds or breaks in our life. We create walls or boundaries of denial; withdrawal; anger; depression; aggression that protect us in some ways and weaken us in others. Our retreat from confrontation or introspection may be needed for a season but creates challenges to full healing and a return to normal health and well-being.

The massaging, stretching and strengthening needed to regain health and vitality (body, mind, heart, soul and relationships) is difficult and crucial. Therefore, we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perserverance; perserverance, character; and character, 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. Romans 5

Voices

Recently I sat in a dental waiting room while my spouse had oral surgery. I picked up Sports Illustrated and began reading an article by Joe Posnanski who used to write regularly for the KC Star. His words are so carefully chosen. The sentences are well-crafted. I realized how much I missed his voice in my life along with his colleague, Jason Whitlock, whose style was so entertaining, direct, and occasionally courageous. I gave thanks for the way they enriched my life with their thoughts and words. I began to reflect with gratitude upon other voices who have brought light, encouragement and joy to my path.

My reflections of loss led to an awareness of a concurrent sense of yearning and anticipation of new voices emerging. Sam Mellinson's writing keeps my interest as he writes about area sports. Although she has been writing for years I have come to need Mary Oliver's poems as soon as possible. Staying open to new friends or fresh visions helps keep me alive.

The Word is alive and manifest in so many voices! Thanks be to God!

Discretion

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called frredom that destroy freedom. Romans 6: 16 MSG

Burning a Quran is a constitutional right but such choices have preditable consequences. Less severe or radical but just as predictable is the building of a (constitutionally legitimate) mosque near ground zero.

Discretion might be a mask for cowardice but more often is a recognition that our role and decisions serve God's greater values and aims.

I remember a fellow who attended the church I was serving. He seemed to be quite knowledgable about scripture. I heard he had started a Bible study. He came to me (supposedly to acknowledge my ecclesial authority) and discussed his study. I told him that although the people he was attracting were not confident in their knowledge of scripture, I trusted their hearts and the Spirit to lead their discernment. One by one they came to me with concerns. I helped them reach good decisions for their families. After a few months this fellow had moved on. ... Six months later he was back.  He needed a place where his family was accepted. I told him that they were welcome but I expected real respect and deference to the beliefs of our church. He seemed relieved. It felt like grace.

moments and choices

Last Sunday I spoke about living in the moment and the significance of our choices. On Monday as I approached the small ladder, it occurred to me that I should turn around and back down the ladder.  But it was only two steps and I wanted to help Peggy so I hopped on. It was a short ride. Too brief to be called ladder surfing ... although the ladder did slide out from beneath me.

Now I experience new moments and choices. Shaving with my left hand. Probable surgery. Having my pants fastened by my bride. Typing with my left hand. Maybe finally testing voice recognition software.

As the doctor puts some scews in ... I think I'll request a search for those other loose screws to be tightened. 

Transitions & Life Liturgies

What William Bridges calls the neutral zone in transitions shows up in the disruption of daily routines or what I like to call life liturgies. I am in my fourth week in a new office but I still do not have a fully functional routine. I don't quite yet know where I put my cell phone. I don't have a routine for gathering my stuff before I head home. Most of the time ... all is well ... but I forget things, misplace things more than usual.

The in-between time creates subtle below-the-surface uneasiness that one simply has to live through.  It helps to stay aware and attentive.  For me it means slowing down and being full of care. It provides an opportunity to prayerfully consider fresh approaches rather than simply seek a way back to previous routines. It includes an invitation to pray which brings a better chance for the emerging routines to become faithful life litugies.

Jesus said: Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. - Matthew 6: 34 MSG Now, where's that cell phone!

Patriot Dreams

My father was a first generation American. His mother, Clara, was from England (never quite lost her accent). His father, Samuel, was Scottish. He and his brother, James,remained in Scotland to work and pay passage for the rest of the family to come to America. James died in an railroad accident. Dad was named for his uncle whose dreams were unfulfilled.
My grandparents and father were proud to be citizens. This took shape in my life with my father's devotion to the flag.  I remember helping him construct a homemade flagpole on top of our garage. My daily responsibility (as a young Boy Scout) was to raise the flag.
Dad had an inordinate trust of elected officials and persons in authority.  The other side of my family (my mother is from Arkansas and her family roots go back to the early 1800's in North Carolina) seemed to distrust elected officials as fools and crooks. I don't know. Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt.
It's just that on Independence Day when I think of the freedom forged by those early colonists, I also think of the pride and devotion of my immigrant grandparents. And I hope the stream of persons seeking new life in America will be blessed.
O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years ...
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw, confirm thy soul in self control,
thy liberty in law.

When teachers become friends.

A former professor, the Rev. Dr. Bruce Rahtjen, died recently in an unfortunate accident. Bruce was my professor of Biblical Theology at Saint Paul School of Theology. He was brilliant, charismatic and some of my best learning moments occurred in his classes. He also was tremendously supportive when my father died while his student.
Bruce transitioned away from United Methodist ordained ministry and became an Episcopal priest. His journey also led him away from the seminary into the parish. We found ourselves serving congregations in Independence and reconnected. It was interesting to experience the shift in relationship.  I discovered that I had experience and insights that were helpful to this man who had not been responsible for a congregation for some time.
We became friends ... meeting regularly to discuss our ministry and spiritual lives. I celebrated his ministry at St. Mary's in the urban community in downtown KC. Bruce invited me to share in the school for deacons that he led in the diocese. Later I encouraged his reconnection with the UMC through the Melrose congregation.
There is something marvelous about the way relationships develop and mature. I learned much from Bruce; enjoyed the repartee that marked our conversations; and grieve his passing from this life and world.

Greed

Like many midwest sports fans, I've been captivated by the drama around conference expansion. I also have been thinking about Sam Mellinger's article in the KC Star on Tuesday, June 15, 2010, titled: Cash Carries The Day Again. He's a fine writer with helpful insights on sports. But ... I reacted harshly to this observation and comment: Greed is why this conference formed. Greed threatened to rip it apart. And in the end, greed kept it together. There's nothing wrong with that.
Actually Sam, greed as a core value and motivation is more likely to lead away from the fulfillment of one's goals and priorities. It usually means short term gains at the cost of long term liabilities.
The Gulf of Mexico is filling up with oil because safety measures were bypassed or minimized in order to get the well online.  The Great Recession brought huge losses because banks and Wall Street could not contain their greed and accept slimmer profit margins.
You don't have to be a Christian to observe that greed is a lousy core value. What is profoundly disturbing is that so many people of faith don't seem to get it.

Sanctuary 2

Sanctuary also can be understood as a holy place set apart for the worship of God. Yesterday was my last day of leading worship at Christ UMC. Ideally worship in a "sanctuary" is worship in a space that represents the realm of God ... both today and the anticipated new heaven and earth.

When I came to Christ UMC part of the challenge was that I did not enjoy the worship space. The stained glass windows did not inspire me. Part of the Sunday morning rhythm has been to gather with a few folks in the sanctuary for silent prayer for the morning events followed by Holy Communion. These moments of silent prayer gave me opportunity to gaze upon the rectangular swatches of colored glass. 

I realized my previous experience had often been for evening meetings which provided no sunshine to illuminate the windows. This made the sanctuary dark and uninviting.  But after a few weeks of Sunday morning prayer, I began to associate each window as an image in a kaleidoscope (an important metaphor for spiritual formation in my journey). Each week the windows were different.  I began to understand the chunks of stained glass as a person gathered to worship. Sometimes the light would shine brightly ... the yellows would stand out or a deep red or an aqua.

I began to associate the subtle changes of light through the stained glass with the presence and movement of the Holy Spirit within the life of the congregation. The Lord helped me learn how to worship in that space. I will miss the kaleiscopic shifts of light and love and grace within the people of Christ UMC along with the sanctuary in which we celebrated the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

Sanctuary 1

Sanctuary can be defined as a place of refuge and protection from oppression. Years ago I had dinner in Jerusalem with a couple who were from the Netherlands. During WWII they were provided refuge from the Nazi's by a Christian family in the Netherlands.  This kind of civil disobedience and risk-taking is joyfully affirmed when we talk about resistance to the Nazi's or discuss the Underground Railroad that provided refuge and escape for slaves in America.

Christians in Arizona may soon face similar choices. The current issue of Christian Century (June 15, 2010) outlines the challenges. UMC pastor Rosemary Anderson tells about a parishioner who has lived in Phoenix for 20 years. This woman has four children all born in the USA. She recently was stopped by police for driving too slow. She could not provide proof of legal residence. Nothing happened but it was an example of what may be coming. When Arizona SB 1070 takes effect, she could be deported.

I do not suggest that immigration issues are easily resolved. Clearly a criminal element needs to be addressed. But it will be easy to target church going illegals while those posing genuine challenges to civil society are left to their bad behaviors.  Already people who support the Arizona legislation are withholding financial support for congregations whose leaders oppose it.

There are 35,000 United Methodists in Arizona along with many other Christians of other persuasions. Let us pray for their faithfulness in the midst of conflicted choices. 
The Lord is our refuge and strength.

Mai Gray

At his mother's memorial service on May 29, 2010, Jarrett spoke of her elegance. I remember seeing Mai Gray for the first time at an eighth grade orientation at Paseo High School. More than a typical school open house, this was my introduction to racial diversity. Mai was in the role of a host. Her son, Jon, was in my class but she had two older children  and was already a parent leader.
When I saw her, I knew she was important. The way she dressed; the way she carried herself; her tone of voice; her confidence; and the way others responded to her. I remember the warm gracious greeting she gave my parents. For the last forty-five years we have never spoken without Mai inquiring about my mother.
I have witnessed the integrity of her careful affirmation of core Gospel values in many meetings. I have observed the way she brought people together and built bridges of hope and encouragement.
Even the memories are a blessing!

stems, pits and pods

Fresh fruit are among the delicious joys of this life. But eating fresh fruits (or veggies) involves dealing with the stems or pits or pods. In the moment of slurping up the fruit, the stems or pits seem an impediment. But they are the connectors, seeds, and protectors of the fruit itself.
The Christian life bears the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). Galatians 5:22. But the Christian life also includes our methods of communication and decision making which allow the fruit to form and ripen. We cannot have one without the other.
I am often frustrated by what I call "church work" ... which involves having care-full conversations (speaking the truth with love) and meetings that allow us to discern and finally make faithful decisions.
Abiding in the vine (part of fruit production) is vital to producing the fruit of the Spirit.  Teresa of Avila once said of prayer: The purpose of prayer is to produce virtue.  Prayer is the ultimate stem that connects us with the source of growth, life and Spirit.

Digging Deeper

An ad on the morning news touted the hard work of R.J. Dutton as they claimed to dig deeper. Hard work and solid research are positive values. The ad closed with a shovel embedded in the earth at the edge of the Grand Canyon.  It was a big hole they dug!  Comparing themselves to the majesty of nature (not to mention Almighty God) betrays a misplaced sense of self.
Earlier in the morning my contemplation was seeded by these poetic phrases from Wendell Berry's Leavings:
Out of charity let us pray
for the great ones of politics
and war, the intellectuals,
scientists, and advisors,
the golden industrialists,
the CEOs, that they too
may wake to a day without hope
that in their smallness they
may know the greatness of Earth
and Heaven by which they so far
live, that they may see
themselves in their enemies,
and from their great wants fallen
know the small immortal
joys of beasts and birds.

the sanctuary

Some churches call their worship space a meeting room or auditorium while other churches have a sanctuary. A sanctuary represents the realm of God ... a place where heaven and earth meet and mingle and where the people of God encounter the Holy.
One thing our medieval ancestors got right was placing the cathedral at the center or high point of the community. A cathedral took generations to complete but that did not matter since it was to the glory of God.
I have only lately come to really appreciate the promise of a new heaven and a new earth that runs through the scriptures. A deepening edge of my faith is that every act of compassion, mercy and justice; every time we speak the truth with love; every sacrifice made in the name of our friend and savior, Jesus Christ, will live all the way into God's new creation.
I realize all too well that we confuse today's organizational agenda with those eternal kingdom purposes. I understand that many are oppressed and wounded when the church forgets to work for kingdom purposes and the glory of God.
Yet, as I once heard Bishop Willimon affirm: Church is what Christ does! 
Lord, may our worship this morning become a sacred meeting and celebration of your love. Amen.

Holding Hands with Suffering and Joy

This morning I am working on next Sunday's message about the resurrection appearances of Jesus while also preparing to care for a family and congregation in the midst of a tragic death.
I take comfort from these words of Tilda Norberg's book, Ashes TRANSFORMED: As you heal more and more deeply, God invites you to be present to both crucifixion and resurrection. ... When you are passionately willing to hold hands with both suffering and joy, entering into the depths of crucifixion and resurrection, you may discover a new and astonishing truth: There is a place of contemplative rest and profound healing between the two. When crucifixion and resurrection mingle in a human heart, it is a sign of God making all things new. Resting here, you do not need to hold onto awareness; rather it holds onto you. You do not need to form words of explanation about what is happening -- indeed you cannot -- but you can allow God to penetrate your being with mystery. In this holy place, you begin to see the whole truth, both tragedy and its transformation. Suffering, seen through the lens of resurrection, is a birthing place of faith; in this crucible, suffering often turns into gift. Here you discover the peace that passes all understanding. here you know that God provides healing, not just for your individual comfort, as important as that is, but that God also reaches out in love to care for all humanity. From here you are sent, imperfect as you are, to become intoxicated with love for the world, reflecting the Christ you follow. And you will return to this place -- between cross and resurrection -- again and again to be healed.
Abide in me as I abide in you. John 15:4

Pony Express

The current Smithsonian Magazine reflects upon the inaugural run of the Pony Express on April 3, 1860. The network of riders began in St. Joseph, Missouri, carrying a pouch with 49 letters and 5 telegrams to San Fransisco. The trip took 11 days, 75 horses and 20 riders ... which was 10 days faster than stagecoach.
The Pony Express lingers in our imagination but lasted only 18 months (when telegraph service linked the east and west coasts).
For everything there is a season ... a time for birth and another for death, a time to plant and another to harvest, a time to hold on and a time to let go.
What's hard are the in-between times ... what William Bridges calls the "neutral zone": Since a life transition is a kind of buried rite of passage to begin with, a person's life will take on, willy-nilly, symbolic overtones at such times. The value of reflecting on the symbolism and making up little private rituals is not for the sake of ceremony but simply to become more aware of the shape of the natural transition process. Dying, the neutral zone, and rebirth are not ideas that we bring to life; they are phenomena that we find in life. The only trick is to see them -- by looking beyond the reflected light of the familiar surface of things and seeing what is really there, working in the depths. (Transitions)
Lord, on this Holy Saturday, as we remember you within the tomb (between the cross and resurrection) help us to abide and endure our own transitions with hope and faith. Amen.

Suffering Love

How can any good come from this? Certainly a question (more an exclamation!) from the disciples on the day of Jesus crucifixion.  Little matter that in Mark's Gospel Jesus told them (at least 3 times) what was coming and what to expect.  Little matter that John's Gospel relates the pains that Jesus took to assure them that all would be well.
The empire, the system, the boss, the bishop (whomever) seems to crush us and we forget the heart of the Gospel. Something happens that hurts us; disappoints us; challenges us ... and we cry out: How can any good come from this?
Walter Brueggemann reminds us: Friday, in Christian reckoning, is a null-point wherein the power of God is defeated by the empire of force. But the church has found in that Friday shut-down the transformative work of God, because this God works in and through weakness and vulnerability as the door to new life. It is a Friday truth that suffering love has transformative power that the "executioners" never suspect. (Soujourners, April, 2010)
The old, old story is true. The Lord takes our hurt, our disappointment and even death (in all its manifestations) and transforms them into the new life.
Lord, open doors to new life and refresh our faith on this Good Friday. Amen.

Spitting

The last week or so has brought many opportunities to reflect upon the mocking and humiliation of Jesus by Herod's guard and the Roman cohort. Their disdain for Jesus of Nazareth included spitting on him. This act of disgust and disapproval seems nearly universal among human tribes. It is one of the worst things you can do to a person.
The last week also included debate about the health bill and some citizens chose to use the "n" word in regard to my Congressman and colleague, Rev. Emanuel Cleaver, II. Rev chose to respond with Christian grace ... in effect turning the other cheek.
What concerns me is how little I have heard about this. When Rev says something that upsets people or they disagree, folks have a way of letting me know their disapproval.  Why have so few ( almost no one) expressed concern that a UMC pastor and their Representative in Congress was spat upon?
How can any citizen of this republic much less a disciple of Jesus Christ affirm such behavior?
John Wesley followed a core value/practice:  In unity, essentials; in matters of opinion, liberty; and in all things, charity/love.

Cremaster

Sue Monk Kidd continues to explore the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into a butterfly [When the Heart Waits] by discussing the development of its chrysalis. It begins with a little "protuberance" called a cremaster. The cremaster is the connection point. Kidd writes: My mind whirled to the poetry of T.S. Eliot, who wrote about a still point, a spiritual place where there's no going forward or going backward. A point within us where we're fastened, and around which everything turns. "Except for the point, the still point, there would be no dance." he wrote. The still point is our cremaster. Without it, there's no dance of tranformation. It's the place where all cocoon making starts. We need to find the point in our soul where we go neither forward nor backward but are fastened in our waiting. ... What is this still point? It represents the Center, the quiet core where God's Spirit dwells in us. "Do you not know that ... God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Cor. 3: 16)

I believe this spiritual cremaster ... our Christ connection ... can take shape in many ways. For some it is a moment of belief; a spiritual experience; a relationship of acceptance/amazing grace; the taste and sensation of eucharist; or a deep sense of the Holy.

I wonder about the spiritual cremaster of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, who shouted his prayer to Jesus outside the Jericho gate. His prayer has anchored millions as they have discovered how the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. (Romans 8: 26b)
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Amen.

The Diapause

I've been revisiting Sue Monk Kidd's When The Heart Waits. In her chapter on Letting Go, she discusses our resistance to change and spiritual growth. Her book explores the image/process of the metamorphosis of a larva into a butterfly: The most surprising thing I discovered is that catepillars don't yield themselves to the cocoon at the same rate. When the moment comes to spin the chrysalis arrives, some of them actually resist and cling to the larval life. ... This state of clinging has a name; it's called the "diapause." ... There is a natural diapause in the human journey of transformation -- a time when we hold onto the self we know. It seems that at the moment of our greatest possibility; a desperate clinging rises up in us. We make a valiant attempt to "save" our old life.

I remember watching my daughter, Leah, getting ready to crawl.  She managed to get up on her hands and knees but seemed unable to move forward.  She simply rocked back and forth.  Her mother and I became worried. Was something wrong? Then we received our monthly newsletter on child development which explained that one set of muscles was needed to hold her up while another set of muscles had to be engaged to move her forward. When she finally tried to crawl ... she fell on her sweet face. She returned to her "diapause" for awhile but soon was crawling all over the house.

Our lives include a series of passages or transitions where we often resist the next step, stage, opportunity (select your descriptive word). We cling ... a diapause ... a temporary stopping point ... before moving through. Our life prepares us with multiple passages/diapauses for the final transition for this life to the next.

Yesterday in worship (while exploring the last 24 Hours of Jesus life) we spent some time with Jesus in Gethsemane. A diapause of sorts before saying to his disciples: Rise, let us be on our way.

The Second War

A recent Smithsonian magazine article, Dolley Madison Saves the Day by Thomas Fleming, reminded me of America's second war of 1812.  We skip over it quickly in school ... noting the burning of many buildings in Washington, D.C. (especially the White House) along with Dolley Madison's courage and Andrew Jackson's timely victory over the British in New Orleans.
The War of 1812 continued for six years. I had forgotten that five New England states seriously considered succession over Madison's conduct of the war. Many adamantly called for President Madison to be  impeached.
Most revolutions are followed by counter-revolutions.  Most change initatives are followed by a period of consolidation or a lack of follow-through. Congress refused to appropriate money that would provide for a national defense ... trusting ill-prepared and equipped state militias to defend the nation. We nearly lost the union.
I suppose it is human nature (read "sin") to relax and avoid responsibility. It is easy to label the problems. It is more difficult to craft a plan of action leading to a productive faithful future. People stand back watching and hoping for people to fail.
I give thanks for leaders who step up and take responsibility for the difficult choices that will bring blessings. I pray for national leaders who will set aside personal self-interest and seek policies that will bless our nation.
In scripture we read how God's people wanted to return to Egypt because the wilderness was full of challenges.  We also read how the team sent by Joshua to spy out the Promised Land came back with a report that the challenge was too great!
Trusting the promises of God is seldom easy but faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. - Hebrews 11:1.  Or as Paul wrote: ... we 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. - Romans 5: 3-5.

Church Work

A quick reading of Acts or the Epistles or Revelation reveals that the early church spent a lot of time and energy trying to resolve quarrels and issues as they sought to live in the Way.
A typical work week in the local congregation brings numerous conversations about issues that on the surface have little to do with the mission of the church. Sometimes I refer to these distractions or interruptions as "church work". I probably use that phrase with an intonation of resignation more than upward lilt to my voice!
I also like to say that it takes a truck load of grace for the church to function effectively and faithfully each day! What is delightfully apparent is that most days, God's grace flows wonderfully through the body of Christ!
This morning will bring people to the church to rearrange altar flowers to be delivered to the homebound; yesterday's offering will be carefully counted; the sick will be visited; children will be cared for; it will be a good day.
Part of our church work in the next few weeks is to prayerfully discuss a proposal to renovate our sanctuary worship space. To move forward will require a very generous commitment from the congregation. The other day a person who is deeply committed to our community ministries and caregiving efforts walked me down the hall.  "I have a plan, she said.  If 100 people will give $1,000 to this project, the rest of the money will come." And then she handed me an envelope, saying: "And here is my contribution!"
Church work. Amazing grace. Every day. Thanks be to God!

The Means of Grace

My father died on a Monday. The day before we were in church. For some reason Dad was sitting on the back pew of the balcony. It was a communion Sunday.  My father was raised Episcopalian by his mother who came from England. I can still remember my father's posture as he approached Eucharist. He was old school ... high church. He also had been taught that it was necessary to be in a right relationship before approaching the altar/table.
Part of the turmoil in the weeks before his death included quarreling with my sister. Dad had not behaved well. Sitting on the back pew of the balcony suddenly reflected the distance between himself and the Lord. It became apparent that dad was not going to receive communion that morning.
I was in seminary.  While watching the pastor [a fine man] serve ... for some reason ... there was something out of order ... my seminarian sensibilities were miffed.  I chose not to receive communion. I stayed on the back pew with my father.
The next day Dad died. In the heartbreaking days of preparing to bury my father, I realized I had missed an opportunity to receive the grace of God.  I realized that I should have implored my father to go and kneel at the throne of grace and partake the blessings of the sacrament.
So often pettiness prevails. So often we deny ourselves what we need most.
It is Sunday morning thirty-five years later. In a while I will be speaking about seeking shalom through covenant community/koinonia.  I will offer the loaf and cup. I pray that no one will deny themselves (for any reason) this sacred means of grace. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

A Scrap of Grace

Thirty-five years ago this week my father died suddenly from a heart attack at age 48. The weeks before his death had been tumultous. He was under pressure at work (we learned later). There was conflict between my father and sister about which we had harsh words. Despite the struggles our relationship was changing. We were beginning to relate more adult to adult. We had more conversations and fewer arguments.
In the days after his death my mother showed me a scrap of orange paper. It was a partial sheet of paper with a pencil sketch of a bonzai tree. Apparently my father intended to paint the tree as a gift for me.
Although I was in seminary preparing to become a pastor, my spiritual journey had led me to serious exploration of Zen Buddhism. My dad thought I was weird. Our worldviews were often in conflict. But that scrap of paper conveyed a desire on his part to connect with the core of my emerging self ... my soul.
It was the best gift my father ever gave me: A father's desire to accept, affirm and love his son. An amazing scrap of grace.

The Fullness of Life

The past week has been a whirlwind of life and death. Two friends in Christ have come to the end of their journey. Our second grandchild was born last Friday and my youngest daughter turned twenty this week. Such a swirl of experience covering the entire spectrum from birth to death!
In each situation families gather to pray, to remember, to anticipate and celebrate. We remember lives well lived.  We pray for a life just beginning. We give thanks for a life that is maturing and finding purpose and direction.
We thank God who knows each of us by name since before we are born; who promises to be with us always; whose grace makes all things possible.
I find myself praying in Ephesians 3: I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Being Snowed In

January cold and snow used to be a welcome season to read, reflect and plan for the coming months. That respite from the hurry of other seasons has largely vanished. Today a bitter winter storm is coming. I hurry to get stuff done and I yearn for the time to wrap up with God.
Nancy Copeland-Payton's book, The Losses of Our Lives, includes a prayer that seems fitting for this day:

Settle me into this moment,
this once-in-a-lifetime moment, O God.
Quiet me.
Make me still.

Give me courage to sit with my longings.
Let me hear your whisper
calling me,
beneath the surface
to your undercurrents.
Amen.

How Hot?

I knew I made a good choice in restaurants when each table offered five different kinds of hot sauce.  I had no intention of using any of them (my body has demanded much more respect in such matters) but I had fun reading the content labels to distinguish what kind of hot I might have enjoyed!
I use the same criteria when it comes to barbeque restaurants.  There is a very popular restaurant near my home that does not offer its own sauce but puts catsup on the table.  I don't go there very often. 
The entire ritual at dinner reminded me that the core of spiritual discernment is distinguishing between good choices.  The choice between good and evil or right and wrong requires faithfulness ... not discernment. Discernment involves sorting through the shades of gray ... identifying the movement of the Spirit leading one on the way.
While reading the menu at Carlsbad Tavern in Phoenix, I found myself desiring the pork tenderloin with an apricot habaneros sauce. But first I needed to know: how hot is it?  Our server checked with the kitchen who agreed to put the sauce on the side.  Discernment!
It was great!