Monday....rain...a full schedule with a couple extra things thrown in...
God...it's your day...I hope I know my place in and not the chaos of it. I'm going to strive to know the blessings and the depth of relationships and find you in the moments of the day. I'm hoping not to get lost in the possibilities of bitchiness, but to see the positives. Lord, I ask your blessing on my family and friends that they too may know you today. Don't let them get caught in the negatives today could bring....may they see the positives. May we all know you!
I look forward to the end of the day to reflect on the day and the places we all knew you deepest.
Amen
Monday, March 11, 2013
Friday, March 8, 2013
Life and Death
Looking into the face of death is reality and it's a part of life we strive to avoid, ignore and forget. But I look at it regularly. Most often it's around the corners of an older person who waits for the comfort and peace of death as if it's a long lost gift. I like the character Burgess Meredith played in Grumpier Old Men when he talks about feeling like God forgot him. I see that often in my ministry. Lately we've been watching the slow death cancer creates as well. That's like watching death stalk the life out of someone slowly and without dignity or grace. Death has many faces, but it is always the same conclusion to the story of this life.
For people my age...any age actually...we try not to think about death. We are still young enough to think ourselves exempt and to look at younger people who die as tragic. There was a car accident yesterday that made the news...2 cars of teenagers. 3 died on the scene. It's considered tragic, but it's still death flashing in suddenly, without warning.
Truth is that death is part of life. We try to make it an enemy or controlable, but the truth it that it is part of life. It's probably one of the most natural parts of life actually. It's the end of this life.
I've been with people when they die and the process is amazing to watch. It can be gentle and beautiful and quiet. It's not scary. I've seen babies born as well....death is much like that. It's about beathing....those first breaths and those last breaths. The struggle to be born, the struggles of life and the journey to death.
To think that God decided the best way to explain....example....demonstrate...the love God has for us was through death is wordless. To choose the thing we resist as the message of forgiveness, grace and love is like having the walls of the box torn off and the world changed.
To journey to the cross without looking at death is not a complete journey. To look at death and to see the love of the cross is to see beyond death into something greater....life!
Looking into the face of death is reality and it's a part of life we strive to avoid, ignore and forget. But I look at it regularly. Most often it's around the corners of an older person who waits for the comfort and peace of death as if it's a long lost gift. I like the character Burgess Meredith played in Grumpier Old Men when he talks about feeling like God forgot him. I see that often in my ministry. Lately we've been watching the slow death cancer creates as well. That's like watching death stalk the life out of someone slowly and without dignity or grace. Death has many faces, but it is always the same conclusion to the story of this life.
For people my age...any age actually...we try not to think about death. We are still young enough to think ourselves exempt and to look at younger people who die as tragic. There was a car accident yesterday that made the news...2 cars of teenagers. 3 died on the scene. It's considered tragic, but it's still death flashing in suddenly, without warning.
Truth is that death is part of life. We try to make it an enemy or controlable, but the truth it that it is part of life. It's probably one of the most natural parts of life actually. It's the end of this life.
I've been with people when they die and the process is amazing to watch. It can be gentle and beautiful and quiet. It's not scary. I've seen babies born as well....death is much like that. It's about beathing....those first breaths and those last breaths. The struggle to be born, the struggles of life and the journey to death.
To think that God decided the best way to explain....example....demonstrate...the love God has for us was through death is wordless. To choose the thing we resist as the message of forgiveness, grace and love is like having the walls of the box torn off and the world changed.
To journey to the cross without looking at death is not a complete journey. To look at death and to see the love of the cross is to see beyond death into something greater....life!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I was praying for snow....and when I woke up early to watch the scroll for closings I was anxious and eager. Excitement flowed as the first child was off school. Later the complete picture was created when UC closed for the day as well. I got to keep both of my girls and play with them today. It's a rare treat now and so it was a true thrill. Big breakfast, sledding with the neighbor, movie and nap for the afternoon....slow nothing important day. The kind of day you savor. Given our schedules lately it was nice.
The snow was lacy in the trees on our drive to sled and I had the opportunity to hear the silence that only comes with snow. It's like everything is muffled and sound silenced....as if the world transformed to the time before we filled it with noise and chaos. The silence is a sound I crave this time of year.
The day has also left me reflecting on this journey to the Cross and the empty tomb. I'm looking forward to Holy Week and the opportunities. The simplicity of the story and the chance to pray my way through it. I'm finding my life is more full this year...full of relationships and the depth of them.
The best part of the day, though, was laughing and playing and be completely free to do just that!
Maybe we just plain need more snow days and less busy-ness in our lives! Maybe we don't play enough. Seriously....we fill our days with tasks, appointments and errands, but not play. Laughter and joy see to get repalced with traffic frustration, grocery chaos and task coordination.
We might actually enjoy each other more and appreciate each other more if played more! I dare you to go like someone and play with them until you giggle madly.
The snow was lacy in the trees on our drive to sled and I had the opportunity to hear the silence that only comes with snow. It's like everything is muffled and sound silenced....as if the world transformed to the time before we filled it with noise and chaos. The silence is a sound I crave this time of year.
The day has also left me reflecting on this journey to the Cross and the empty tomb. I'm looking forward to Holy Week and the opportunities. The simplicity of the story and the chance to pray my way through it. I'm finding my life is more full this year...full of relationships and the depth of them.
The best part of the day, though, was laughing and playing and be completely free to do just that!
Maybe we just plain need more snow days and less busy-ness in our lives! Maybe we don't play enough. Seriously....we fill our days with tasks, appointments and errands, but not play. Laughter and joy see to get repalced with traffic frustration, grocery chaos and task coordination.
We might actually enjoy each other more and appreciate each other more if played more! I dare you to go like someone and play with them until you giggle madly.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
God of grace who breathes life into us in the beginning and welcomes us home....thank you. Thank for so much.
for....
my husband who loves me anyway
my children and the love on their faces
the rain as it washes away the dirt
the snow and the possible snow it might bring
the warmth of my house
the friends who are a word away
the hug that lifts and the word that loves
my parents who miss me
the crocus that screams spring
my church that is my family
change that brings challenges and possibilities
dinner
quiet and noise in their appropriate places and times
holding me with fingers shaping my like clay
and so much more....
THANK YOU, o Lord! You Rock!
for....
my husband who loves me anyway
my children and the love on their faces
the rain as it washes away the dirt
the snow and the possible snow it might bring
the warmth of my house
the friends who are a word away
the hug that lifts and the word that loves
my parents who miss me
the crocus that screams spring
my church that is my family
change that brings challenges and possibilities
dinner
quiet and noise in their appropriate places and times
holding me with fingers shaping my like clay
and so much more....
THANK YOU, o Lord! You Rock!
Monday, March 4, 2013
The past too many hours have been a roller coaster of emotions. After Bible Study last night I got one of those calls that makes the earth move out from under your feet and sucks the breath out of your lungs. I stood trying to know my name...my Mom was in the hospital. Now, before you loving join me in the abyss....she's fine! They sent her home and there's nothing wrong. But that phone call and the hours of waiting were incredibly revealing for Lent.
First....my sister is amazing in a crisis...She talked to the nurse and got information. I am the emotional one and didn't think to do that. Second...I am good at waiting. I can sit for hours and stare into space without it seeming painful, endless or suffocating. In the midst of the waiting I found other things.
When I was about 6 years old my Mom took me into the kitchen one Sunday morning yelling about how I hadn't cleaned behind my ears and then she preceded as she lectured me to wash my hair and behind my ears. I always loved my Mom washing my hair in the kitchen. She had these great finger nails and she would scratch and massage the soap into my hair and it felt so good. I had a stuffed dog when I was a little little one and I carried it by the neck to the point it would wear out and spring a leak for the stuffing to fall out. I remember being about 3ish and asking Mom to sew the hole. The memories flowed today from strange places...but all of them places of love with my Mom.
Mom is the rock in our family. We all count on her just to be the rock. We've probably never said it...it didn't need said...we all knew it and we never questioned the truth of it. Mom is Mom...it's that simple. She was the rock when I was little and she's the rock now.
I'm the one who has flitted around in life. I gave her hell as a teenager...ask her, she'll be glad to tell you and remind me. We remember the reasons differently, but it's behind us. I was the always the challenge for her. Ask her about when I was little and there are some really good stories. And even now I'm the one who can frustrate her faster than anything. Partly, I'm more like her than she wants to realize and I'm way more like her mother than either of us realize, which really is crazy. But I look at my daughters and I see my Mom again. So somehow it all moves in the right direction....forward in love.
I believe life is truly about relationships...my definition of sin from the other day fitting nicely in this revelation....it's about being right with God and others. We fill it with other stuff....until the phone rings and the earth moves and we are blessedly reminded again of the love of one person....and the love of the many who help us through the hours of waiting because I know I wasn't alone. Life is relationships....
First....my sister is amazing in a crisis...She talked to the nurse and got information. I am the emotional one and didn't think to do that. Second...I am good at waiting. I can sit for hours and stare into space without it seeming painful, endless or suffocating. In the midst of the waiting I found other things.
When I was about 6 years old my Mom took me into the kitchen one Sunday morning yelling about how I hadn't cleaned behind my ears and then she preceded as she lectured me to wash my hair and behind my ears. I always loved my Mom washing my hair in the kitchen. She had these great finger nails and she would scratch and massage the soap into my hair and it felt so good. I had a stuffed dog when I was a little little one and I carried it by the neck to the point it would wear out and spring a leak for the stuffing to fall out. I remember being about 3ish and asking Mom to sew the hole. The memories flowed today from strange places...but all of them places of love with my Mom.
Mom is the rock in our family. We all count on her just to be the rock. We've probably never said it...it didn't need said...we all knew it and we never questioned the truth of it. Mom is Mom...it's that simple. She was the rock when I was little and she's the rock now.
I'm the one who has flitted around in life. I gave her hell as a teenager...ask her, she'll be glad to tell you and remind me. We remember the reasons differently, but it's behind us. I was the always the challenge for her. Ask her about when I was little and there are some really good stories. And even now I'm the one who can frustrate her faster than anything. Partly, I'm more like her than she wants to realize and I'm way more like her mother than either of us realize, which really is crazy. But I look at my daughters and I see my Mom again. So somehow it all moves in the right direction....forward in love.
I believe life is truly about relationships...my definition of sin from the other day fitting nicely in this revelation....it's about being right with God and others. We fill it with other stuff....until the phone rings and the earth moves and we are blessedly reminded again of the love of one person....and the love of the many who help us through the hours of waiting because I know I wasn't alone. Life is relationships....
Saturday, March 2, 2013
My apologies for starting so late today...but I worked late today and then had dinner and a little family time. But I also need to write something...for my own journey.
Today was amazing. See, I struggle with self confidence in a million little ways. Today I did a Memorial Service for a beautiful lady I've known for years. Her son is an adoptive parent to me from my days back in college and I love him dearly. So, having the honor of doing this service was really overwhelming and yet I am so grateful to do it for them. There's something amazing when our past reaches in and affirms and loves on the present. It's a special blessing of the future.
Michael and I are discussing Luke 5 with the paralytic who is lifted through the roof to find healing. I am arguing the text isn't about healing...it's about relationships. It takes the relationship between the paralytic and the people who carry him. It takes the widening of the circle to pass him over the crowd to the roof and let him down into the house. People had to work together, cooperate, move in rhythm, be in relationship for Jesus to be able to even point out/announce "You sins are forgiven" and then to heal him.
I believe sin is that which breaks our relationship with God and/or others. Sin is that crap that keeps us from loving each other, knowing each other, embracing each other. It really is that simple. To me, the crap that separates us from each other is the problem...it can be anger, jealousy, laziness, lies, too many things to name here. But it the power of forgiveness and relationship that goes beyond the sin to grace is amazing. (There's more to sin and forgiveness, and I'll get to that in a few weeks. The cross really is coming)
The most amazing things happen in our lives when relationships are given the opportunity to be real, true, forgiving and deep. We change...we become more....we become stronger and better people when in loving, kind, compassionate relationships that take us deeper.
Today I knew the depth of loving relationship from my past, my present and my future and I was changed by the depth of it. Without this relationship I would be so much less and my life less rich. On the way to the cross I am reminded of the power of relationship and the truth of living in relationship.
Today was amazing. See, I struggle with self confidence in a million little ways. Today I did a Memorial Service for a beautiful lady I've known for years. Her son is an adoptive parent to me from my days back in college and I love him dearly. So, having the honor of doing this service was really overwhelming and yet I am so grateful to do it for them. There's something amazing when our past reaches in and affirms and loves on the present. It's a special blessing of the future.
Michael and I are discussing Luke 5 with the paralytic who is lifted through the roof to find healing. I am arguing the text isn't about healing...it's about relationships. It takes the relationship between the paralytic and the people who carry him. It takes the widening of the circle to pass him over the crowd to the roof and let him down into the house. People had to work together, cooperate, move in rhythm, be in relationship for Jesus to be able to even point out/announce "You sins are forgiven" and then to heal him.
I believe sin is that which breaks our relationship with God and/or others. Sin is that crap that keeps us from loving each other, knowing each other, embracing each other. It really is that simple. To me, the crap that separates us from each other is the problem...it can be anger, jealousy, laziness, lies, too many things to name here. But it the power of forgiveness and relationship that goes beyond the sin to grace is amazing. (There's more to sin and forgiveness, and I'll get to that in a few weeks. The cross really is coming)
The most amazing things happen in our lives when relationships are given the opportunity to be real, true, forgiving and deep. We change...we become more....we become stronger and better people when in loving, kind, compassionate relationships that take us deeper.
Today I knew the depth of loving relationship from my past, my present and my future and I was changed by the depth of it. Without this relationship I would be so much less and my life less rich. On the way to the cross I am reminded of the power of relationship and the truth of living in relationship.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Sabbath....had a conversation with someone recently who was thinking very strictly...Sabbath is Sunday. I explained Sabbath is a day of rest. If you're blessed to have it be Sunday great, but many of us aren't. Today is my Sabbath this week. I have a little work, but I have more Sabbath than work so I'm thrilled.
Sabbath isn't always an exact day or moment...it's really got to be an experience of God. It's a time to relax, renew, play, reflect.
I remember as a child reading the Laura Ingalls books and reading how her father was very strict with the Sabbath. No work was to be done. It was confining and restrictive. It was a time of nothingness that was devoted to God. Does God really deserve our nothingness?
I like the idea of Sabbath in it's true sense. I once read up on Jewish Sabbath and sex. Sex is encouraged on the Sabbath....To know your lover in the most intimate and nurturing of ways and finding the renewal of yourself and the other. That's Sabbath. By the way, I think God is intimately involved in sex, too....God's everywhere you know!
Sabbath....a time to enjoy being me....to re-inspire my heart and mind and life....to play and laugh and know the non "work" parts of life.
Lent is a serious time...it's a serious journey...but it must include the Sabbath parts of life in it as well. Lent needs to be wholistic to really get us fully to the cross and through the empty tomb.
Sabbath isn't always an exact day or moment...it's really got to be an experience of God. It's a time to relax, renew, play, reflect.
I remember as a child reading the Laura Ingalls books and reading how her father was very strict with the Sabbath. No work was to be done. It was confining and restrictive. It was a time of nothingness that was devoted to God. Does God really deserve our nothingness?
I like the idea of Sabbath in it's true sense. I once read up on Jewish Sabbath and sex. Sex is encouraged on the Sabbath....To know your lover in the most intimate and nurturing of ways and finding the renewal of yourself and the other. That's Sabbath. By the way, I think God is intimately involved in sex, too....God's everywhere you know!
Sabbath....a time to enjoy being me....to re-inspire my heart and mind and life....to play and laugh and know the non "work" parts of life.
Lent is a serious time...it's a serious journey...but it must include the Sabbath parts of life in it as well. Lent needs to be wholistic to really get us fully to the cross and through the empty tomb.
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