Breaking news right now -- there was a man and wife who had 5 children; both husband and wife lost their jobs. Reaching the end of their collective rope, they choose to commit suicide rather than go on.
This is not new news; this has already happened in our communities here in Georgia -- where people don't see any hope in sight and where their problems seem insurmountable.
Yesterday there were a record number of people laid off. Some say up to 70 thousand people. Today there were more layoffs announced. Delta Airlines has lost millions and millions of dollars. Even big scale retailers like Neiman Marcus (Needless Markup) have posted losses for this last quarter. The only retailer I know of doing well is McDonalds. Retailers are trying to cut losses, reducing merchandise 75% to 90% (and I have purchased wonderful things after Christmas because of it.)
On the other hand, feed and hay are rising in price. A large poultry processor in North Georgia has laid off thousand of workers because the farmers are not producing the chickens. And the price of chicken is going up and up. Beef, too. In fact, the same meal that cost my family $20 last year is now costing us $30.
I know so many of my friends and family who are without job and who have few prospects. I wonder -- what now?
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Mark 1:21-28
Where can we apply this text to our current condition? How can we hold this text in one with these newspaper stories in the other? Can we preach with authority in this economic climate? Does today's christian have anything relevant to say in this economic climate?
I believe we are inhabited by unclean spirits -- the spirit of greed and avarice; the spirit that cries "more! more!" when we already have enough. We are a nation of gluttons who stuff our faces when our neighbors go hungry. It strikes me that when the unclean spirit departs this man, he goes into convulsions -- it's not clean and pretty; it might even be painful. The solution to our problems today is not going to be clean and pretty. It's going to be painful for us and for our neighbors.
Where is the good news? That we CAN preach with authority; that Jesus preached with authority. That the evil spirits can and will depart.
I will remember this family of 7 who in despair have left this world. I will pray for this nation tonight. I will pray for the unemployed -- and I will give tonight more of my surplus to those who hunger. I will give something of my plenty away today to someone who can use it. It's what I can do.
Showing posts with label Blogging Toward Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blogging Toward Sunday. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Blogging Toward Sunday: John 1:43-51
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
I like John – favorite gospel. Speaks to me – Luke was my favorite, then Mark, now John.
Stresses different stories – ask your spouse the story of your relationship, you will get different stories/ what the other sees as formative/important.
John starts with a beautiful word poem – parallel to the most important point in history to that point, creation. God spoke the Word and the world was created – now the Word has become flesh and is dwelling (pitching tent and all that implies) among us.
It's all about new beginnings. Then moves to John the Baptizer – different points than the story last week – John the Gospel makes it very clear about who John the Baptizer really is: not the Messiah, not Elijah come again, but a voice crying in the wilderness –
John calls Jesus Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world – and testifies to the movement of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life.
The next day (parallel here to the days of creation), he gathers together two of the disciples – those who will be beacons of light to the world – Nathaniel and Phillip, telling them to “Come and see.” (phrase found a lot in John) They join Andrew, Peter and John as disciples so by this point there are 5 of them.
The fig tree -- why was he under the fig tree? Theory #1 -- his mom was a single mother and would leave him under the fig tree to go work in the fields. Theory #2 -- he was very devout and would sit under the fig tree, praying and studying the Torah. I like number 2.
Why did Nathanael so easily belive??
I like John – favorite gospel. Speaks to me – Luke was my favorite, then Mark, now John.
Stresses different stories – ask your spouse the story of your relationship, you will get different stories/ what the other sees as formative/important.
John starts with a beautiful word poem – parallel to the most important point in history to that point, creation. God spoke the Word and the world was created – now the Word has become flesh and is dwelling (pitching tent and all that implies) among us.
It's all about new beginnings. Then moves to John the Baptizer – different points than the story last week – John the Gospel makes it very clear about who John the Baptizer really is: not the Messiah, not Elijah come again, but a voice crying in the wilderness –
John calls Jesus Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world – and testifies to the movement of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life.
The next day (parallel here to the days of creation), he gathers together two of the disciples – those who will be beacons of light to the world – Nathaniel and Phillip, telling them to “Come and see.” (phrase found a lot in John) They join Andrew, Peter and John as disciples so by this point there are 5 of them.
The fig tree -- why was he under the fig tree? Theory #1 -- his mom was a single mother and would leave him under the fig tree to go work in the fields. Theory #2 -- he was very devout and would sit under the fig tree, praying and studying the Torah. I like number 2.
Why did Nathanael so easily belive??
Monday, October 13, 2008
Blogging Towards Sunday
Matthew 22:15-22
22:15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said.
22:16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.
22:17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"
22:18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites?
22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius.
22:20 Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?"
22:21 They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's."
22:22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
Earlier, the Pharisees had questions about authority. This is also, in a way, a question of authority -- does the Roman Empire have authority over us? It's also a trick question. If Jesus answers "yes" that we owe tax to Caesar, then the Zealots will go all flibberty on him, because Caesar claims to be God. If he says "no" then the Pharisees get upset because they fear upsetting the status quo -- as bad as the Roman rule is, the crushing weight of the full Roman army is to be avoided at all costs.
So Jesus answers their question with a question -- whose head appears on the coin (not the obverse of the coin where Caesar claims to be God, BTW -- Jesus phrases his response carefully.)
Then he tells up to "pay back" Rome what is owed to Rome.
Juxtapose this with all our American angst about taxes, national budgets, bailouts and talk about depressions.
According to Peter Slevin's Sept. 29 news story, 33 pastors gave sermons on Sept. 28 endorsing candidates. This is great news.
These pastors have traded in their tax-exempt status for the thrill of endorsing from the pulpit. Of course, they are familiar with this statement from Jesus: "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's."
Especially in light of the $700 billion bailout, the Treasury is going to need the revenue. -- from the Washington Post, letters to the Editor Tuesday, October 7, 2008; Page A20
Something grim from the Sydney Morning Herald:
This is what happens in times of great insecurity. As the foundations of our lives erode, we search for an anchor, and social politics very often provides it. When all else fails, we may still rally around old certainties: nation, culture, religion, race. We crave strong authority figures that can imbue us with certainty and articulate for us a sense of self. That often involves fabricating a scapegoat who becomes a mortal enemy.Was Jesus the Pharisee's "mortal enemy"? What exactly is Caesar's? What exactly belongs to God? Jesus' example is that his very life belongs to God -- is ours?
Monday, September 29, 2008
Matthew 21:33-46 -- Blogging toward Sunday
Matthew 21:33-46
33“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” 39So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” 42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? 43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” 45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
Of course the vineyard owner is God; the tenants are humankind; the messengers/slaves are the prophets and the son is the Son. And he will be seized, beaten, given a miserable death. And what will happen to us? Are we those that will be seized and killed or are we those who are producing fruit.
Of course, the Pharisees saw it differently. They understood that Jesus was talking about THEM.
Somehow this story is getting tangled all around the stories coming out of the news channels -- about homes being mortgaged to people who really can't afford them; about mortgages being sold and shuffled around -- and the piece of paper losing their human "face" of the person behind the loan and becoming just another statistic; just another number to enter into someone's ledger sheet. Some how this parable is getting tangled with the stories of people being seized and thrust out of the building they had been calling "home" -- to end up homeless and one the street; and their former home empty and desolate.
Where are we in all this? We are that mortgage broker; we are that CEO of the mortgage company who sells these bits of paper that represent people's lives; we are the people foreclosing on other's homes; we are the foreclosed.
On one level this parable is all about greed. On another it is about the generosity of the master. On another it's all about the fruit.
I read somewhere that the cornerstone always joins two walls -- here perhaps it is joining the Jew with the Gentile. This stone is referenced in Psalm 118:22-23
I am also struck with the idea of crushing fruit in this passage. There is the winepress with the wine vat -- the fruit of the faithful -- people being crushed by falling on the stone and the stone falling on them -- the violence of how people are seized is also a type of "crushing." The word for Son (ben) and Stone (eben) sound similar -- is this play on word made so that we associate the Son with the Stone? How do I reconcile my concept of Gentle Jesus, meek and mild with a Stone that will crush so violently?
33“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” 39So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” 42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? 43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” 45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
Of course the vineyard owner is God; the tenants are humankind; the messengers/slaves are the prophets and the son is the Son. And he will be seized, beaten, given a miserable death. And what will happen to us? Are we those that will be seized and killed or are we those who are producing fruit.
Of course, the Pharisees saw it differently. They understood that Jesus was talking about THEM.
Somehow this story is getting tangled all around the stories coming out of the news channels -- about homes being mortgaged to people who really can't afford them; about mortgages being sold and shuffled around -- and the piece of paper losing their human "face" of the person behind the loan and becoming just another statistic; just another number to enter into someone's ledger sheet. Some how this parable is getting tangled with the stories of people being seized and thrust out of the building they had been calling "home" -- to end up homeless and one the street; and their former home empty and desolate.
Where are we in all this? We are that mortgage broker; we are that CEO of the mortgage company who sells these bits of paper that represent people's lives; we are the people foreclosing on other's homes; we are the foreclosed.
On one level this parable is all about greed. On another it is about the generosity of the master. On another it's all about the fruit.
I read somewhere that the cornerstone always joins two walls -- here perhaps it is joining the Jew with the Gentile. This stone is referenced in Psalm 118:22-23
22The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
I am also struck with the idea of crushing fruit in this passage. There is the winepress with the wine vat -- the fruit of the faithful -- people being crushed by falling on the stone and the stone falling on them -- the violence of how people are seized is also a type of "crushing." The word for Son (ben) and Stone (eben) sound similar -- is this play on word made so that we associate the Son with the Stone? How do I reconcile my concept of Gentle Jesus, meek and mild with a Stone that will crush so violently?
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Toward Sunday
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
"For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
The parallels to our text are Mark 8:31-9:1 and Luke 9:22-27.
From the Depths of the Internet, an email that makes its way around:
A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door. SON: "Daddy, may I ask you a question?" DAD: "Yeah sure, what it is?" replied the man. SON: "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?" DAD: "That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily. SON: "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" DAD: "If you must know, I make $50 an hour." SON: "Oh," the little boy replied, with his head down. SON: "Daddy, may I please borrow $25?" The father was furious, "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities." The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep, son?" He asked. "No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy. "I'v e been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier" said the man. "It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for." The little boy sat straight up, smiling. "Oh, thank you daddy!" He yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father. "Why do you want more money if you already have some?" the father grumbled. Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied. "Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you." The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness. It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love. If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. "The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated...it is finished when it surrenders." "When you know what you want, and you want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it." See it > Be it > Do it !!!!
Matthew 16:21-28
1) Jesus is teaching his disciples about what is going to happen.
- His message to his disciples is changing -- he's not talking about how to live or how to approach the kingdom, but how he is going to suffer and die.
- He had begun to "set his face toward Jerusalem" as it says in Luke -- he knew what was bound to happen.
- Jerusalem is the place where prophets are taken traditionally to be put to death by the religious authorities (Matthew 23:37 and 2 Chronicles 24:20-22)
- He wanted (out of compassion) to prepare his disciples for this great suffering. Does knowing about the suffering lessen it? Can we really prepare for this?
- Peter knows that Jesus is the Messiah -- and Jesus gave to Peter the keys to the Kingdom.
- But he just can't deal with the fact that Jesus is going to die.
- He cries out "Never! Never!" -- God forbid it!
- Peter only want the grace and the glory of Christ's coming; he cannot bear the thought of the cross
- To Jesus, this must seem like a continuation of Satan's temptation in the desert -- just as he tempted Jesus to use his power and authority wrongly in the desert, Peter's concern is just as much of a stumbling block.
- We are to love God with all our heart, soul and strength -- how? and what does that look like?
- Heart -- deny self.
- Soul -- give your life.
- Might/Strength -- give up the world's possessions and take up real treasure
6) and some will not taste death....
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
A few Thoughts
Parallels: Mark 8:27-33 and Luke 9:18-22.
Son of Man -- Dan 7:13
"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. (NIV)
Peter/Rock -- Greek Petros/Petra -- a play on words. Interestingly enough, it works in Aramaic as well. “You are Kepha [or Cephas], and upon this kepha [rock] I will build ...”
This passage has long been used as the basis for Papal authority. Can that be ignored? Should it be ignored?
Seems to me there are two keys being offered to Peter, the rock. The key to bind; the key to loosen. The key to not forgive; the key to forgive. Interesting thought, that we as the church might NOT forgive. God hold ultimate forgiveness; do we hold the keys for that kind of salvation? Or is it that we need to practice what Dr. Laura would call "tough love" -- not letting people "get away" with their bad behavior. Holding them responsible for their actions.
Flow of the scripture:
Who am I? -- the Messiah
Good Answer! -- You now are my Rock!
Here are the Keys -- I'm going to build my church on you/on this
What are they keys for? -- to bind and to loosen
Son of Man -- Dan 7:13
"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. (NIV)
Peter/Rock -- Greek Petros/Petra -- a play on words. Interestingly enough, it works in Aramaic as well. “You are Kepha [or Cephas], and upon this kepha [rock] I will build ...”
This passage has long been used as the basis for Papal authority. Can that be ignored? Should it be ignored?
Seems to me there are two keys being offered to Peter, the rock. The key to bind; the key to loosen. The key to not forgive; the key to forgive. Interesting thought, that we as the church might NOT forgive. God hold ultimate forgiveness; do we hold the keys for that kind of salvation? Or is it that we need to practice what Dr. Laura would call "tough love" -- not letting people "get away" with their bad behavior. Holding them responsible for their actions.
Flow of the scripture:
Who am I? -- the Messiah
Good Answer! -- You now are my Rock!
Here are the Keys -- I'm going to build my church on you/on this
What are they keys for? -- to bind and to loosen
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Thinking about Radical Hospitality
Yesterday I had to get some house keys made. I really didn't want to go to the huge super duper mega store with the orange sign -- too many people, too many cars in the parking lot. So I went to a smaller hardware store just a little further down the road. It was such a pleasant experience! It is now my very favorite store -- Hill's Ace Hardware -- for two reasons. First is the incredible customer service. My husband claims that if you are in the store more than 30 seconds and someone hasn't asked if they can help you, you better look around because the building will be on fire. The store is clean, neat; the staffing friendly and helpful.The second reason I love this store is Clyde. Clyde is the hardware store's cat. He's a big fellow and quite friendly. I have to love a store that has a store cat. (Or a store dog, for that matter.) There is just something about having a cat or dog around that says "Welcome."
My second favorite airport had both an airport cat (A.C.) and an airport dog (D.C. (Yes, I know -- the Dog should be A.D. I once asked Jimmy what D.C. stood for. It's "Dog Critter." Of course. Obvious.)) My favorite bookstore ever had a Scottish fold kitty cat that lounged around on the checkout counter. I once tried to order a cat for work by calling it the "Organic Chemically Propelled Pest Control Unit," the cat food "Pelletized Fuel for Organic Chemically Propelled Pest Control Unit" and the cat food bowl "Cylindrical Container for the Pelletized Fuel for the Organic Chemically Propelled Pest Control Unit." Didn't get through the purchasing department because I didn't prove I had pests.... Worth a try, though.
I wonder what church would be like if we greeted everyone that walked in the doors with a handshake and the phrase "Good morning!" and "How can I help you?" Everyone. Not just the people we know (but ask them, too). Everyone. No matter what they looked like or acted like or smelled like or whatever. I am getting better at just saying, "Hello!" to just about anyone and introducing myself. Of course, I'm an mostly an extrovert. For others it might be harder. But I wonder.
I wonder what church would be like if we did have cats and dogs in the church. I wonder what it would be like to have a cat sit in your lap during service or have a dog help out at Sunday School. Or at least, a cat in the church office. I wonder what it would be like if dogs did roam in the sanctuary, looking for crumbs under the communion table. I do wonder.
**************
Bullets for Tuesday
- I'm thinking about the word Radical today. In Bishop Job's book this morning I noticed him using the word 4 or 5 times. I used it once today.
Radical :
Pronunciation:\ˈra-di-kəl\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin radicalis, from Latin radic-, radix root — more at root
Date: 14th century1: of, relating to, or proceeding from a root: as a (1): of or growing from the root of a plant <radical tubers> (2): growing from the base of a stem, from a rootlike stem, or from a stem that does not rise above the ground <radical leaves> b: of, relating to, or constituting a linguistic root c: of or relating to a mathematical root d: designed to remove the root of a disease or all diseased and potentially diseased tissue <radical surgery> <radical mastectomy>
2: of or relating to the origin : fundamental
3 a: marked by a considerable departure from the usual or traditional : extreme b: tending or disposed to make extreme changes in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions c: of, relating to, or constituting a political group associated with views, practices, and policies of extreme change d: advocating extreme measures to retain or restore a political state of affairsradical right> 4 slang : excellent, cool (from Websters.com)
- I have several of Bishop Job's book to give away. I'm going to start today. I have a huge circuit mapped out of people to visit.
- Little Kitty is not doing very well -- the tooth extraction was hard on her. She's eating ... some -- more than she was so the surgery was a good thing. She's sleeping a lot. I've been loving on her and helping her get on and off the sofa. She's just so very skinny. She will be 20 years old in November. Hard to imagine.
- I also have some free cycle boxes to pick up on the way. I'm going to burn some gas today.
- I had to watch Entropy get on the bus the morning -- I had to talk on the cell to Chaos as she stood at the bus stop. Separation anxiety is hard -- at least for the mama.
- I had to search for my portable communion set. My churches don't have a church office -- so all my office stuff is in Girl Scout cookie boxes in the garage. Well, at least they WERE in the garage; they are now in the kitchen. I want to repack them into something better. I think this is the third time I've had my office stuff in the garage. Maybe I should invest in permanent boxes.
- I need to go to the Post office, to the gas station (oh boy!), to the grocery store and just get on the road. Later!
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Blogging Toward Sunday
Walking on Water for real -- "The pool now has two WaterWalkers, special bubbles which allow people to walk on water, with your clothes on, and offer a new way to exercise in the town this summer."
In today's story, Jesus really is seen walking on the water and not in a big plastic bubble.
Results of fear:
Fight or Flight
The kids increase in fighting this week is a part of their fear of going back to school -- fear of the future, fear of new situations (the unknown), fear of the crowd maybe, fear of unknown expectations and in general anxiety.
ehow suggest that we:
1) DON'T WORRY. Everyone is just as nervous as you are. Actually, what your mind creates and what you actually experience are two different things. Normally, reality is better that your thoughts.
2) BE PREPARED. Make sure you have what you need at least a week before school starts. If you like to make lists, do that. If you like to wing it, do that. Just make sure you're ready and expect to make changes after the first day.
3) FOCUS ON THE GOOD STUFF! Attitude is everything. There will be times when you fail. There will be times when you feel embarrassed. Successful people don't dwell on the negative but keep the positive clear in their minds!
From a Google Search of "Do Not Be Afraid"
“People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that's bull. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they're afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It's all in how you carry it. That's what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you're letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain.” -- Jim Morrison
Faith flows like water and heals -- "It's as if the water of the grotto buoys people up, supports them, makes them weightless. When Jesus called himself the Living Water, maybe he meant more than merely quenching thirst. Maybe he also meant he will sustain people, carry them, take those who wade into him with a faithful heart and make them feel light, supported, weightless."
*The Sea of Galilee Boat or The Jesus Boat was an ancient fishing boat from the 1st century AD/CE (the time of Jesus), which was discovered in 1986 on the north-west shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. The remains of the boat, which are 27 feet (8.27 meters) long and 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) wide and with a maximum preserved height of 4.3 feet (1.3 meters), first appeared during a drought, when the waters of the Sea (actually a great fresh-water lake) receded. (Wikipedia)
**This can cause plenty of quibbles. There are people who get stuck in rationalizations of HOW the miracles occur -- who see this as "magic" or who get so tied up in the HOW they don't ever get to the WHY and more importantly the WHO.
In today's story, Jesus really is seen walking on the water and not in a big plastic bubble.
Imagine it -- springtime in Israel. The winter rains had come and the hills were greening up with vegetation. Around here that might mean stormy weather. It was also the time of the Passover. That meant usually meant Spring Break in Israel -- a nice vacation packing up the family donkey and heading to Jerusalem to chill with the relatives.
Jesus went off on his own for prayer and meditation again -- he went to the Mount he used probably for the sermon on the Mount -- the Mountain of Beatitudes. He had just fed 5000 (or 20,000) people with 5 loaves and 2 fish -- he wants more time alone. He sent the crowds home and he sent the disciples out in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Now this is a very small sea -- more like a large lake -- only eight miles wide and thirteen miles long.
While Jesus was praying on the Mount, a storm blew up on the sea. Since this is a shallow freshwater lake, it really didn't take much for there to be huge waves in this little sea. Archaeologists and whatnot have shown that storms can blow up suddenly and violently. (See also all the interesting stuff about the Jesus Boat. The Jesus Boat is plenty big for 15 people and 5 crew, so 12 people sleeping the the boat is quite within the realm of belief.)*
About three o’clock in the middle of the night, the storm woke the sleeping disciples and they were literally scared to death. Suddenly they see Jesus. Now some translators think that the phrase "walking on the water" (peripateo epi thalassa) could be translated as "walking by the sea" (which would be peripateo para thalassa as is used earlier in Matthew), but John 21:1 is also epi thalassa and always translated BY the sea.**
The scriptures say that the disciples were frightened and cried out that he was a phantasma -- and apparition, a spirit. I'm not understanding this reaction. I try to imagine it. All I can imagine is that they are out of their minds with fear. They didn't say, "Hey, look! There's Jesus!" But they were disquieted, troubled, anxious -- Afraid.
- Snakes, Spiders, Rats, Bats, Alligators (OK, that's me.)
- Heights, Darkness, Night
- Storms
- Water
- Public Speaking
- Confinement
- Public Transportation
- Tunnels, Bridges
- Crowds, Being Alone
- The Future
- Death
- Nuclear War
Results of fear:
Fight or Flight
- heart rate and blood pressure increase
- pupils dilate to take in as much light as possible
- veins in skin constrict to send more blood to major muscle groups (responsible for the "chill" sometimes associated with fear -- less blood in the skin to keep it warm)
- blood-glucose level increases
- muscles tense up, energized by adrenaline and glucose (responsible for goose bumps -- when tiny muscles attached to each hair on surface of skin tense up, the hairs are forced upright, pulling skin with them)
- smooth muscle relaxes in order to allow more oxygen into the lungs
- nonessential systems (like digestion and immune system) shut down to allow more energy for emergency functions
- trouble focusing on small tasks (brain is directed to focus only on big picture in order to determine where threat is coming from)
The kids increase in fighting this week is a part of their fear of going back to school -- fear of the future, fear of new situations (the unknown), fear of the crowd maybe, fear of unknown expectations and in general anxiety.
ehow suggest that we:
1) DON'T WORRY. Everyone is just as nervous as you are. Actually, what your mind creates and what you actually experience are two different things. Normally, reality is better that your thoughts.
2) BE PREPARED. Make sure you have what you need at least a week before school starts. If you like to make lists, do that. If you like to wing it, do that. Just make sure you're ready and expect to make changes after the first day.
3) FOCUS ON THE GOOD STUFF! Attitude is everything. There will be times when you fail. There will be times when you feel embarrassed. Successful people don't dwell on the negative but keep the positive clear in their minds!
From a Google Search of "Do Not Be Afraid"
- Do not be afraid of dirt or grime; most things clean up nicely.
- Do not be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
- Do not be afraid of debt, but use it wisely, monitoring rates of interest, which could increase substantially over time.
- Do not be afraid of selling at a loss. Instead of waiting for the stock to recoup its losses, try switching to another stock with greater promise.
- Do not be afraid to ask questions and advocate for yourself. We’re here to serve you.
- Do not be afraid to purchase insurance leads because you think that they will be difficult to decipher.
- Do not be afraid to survey clients and ask them about their satisfaction level.
- Do not be afraid to ask the seller questions about the item for sale.
- Do not be afraid to come down to help us to fight this intimidation.
“People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that's bull. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they're afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It's all in how you carry it. That's what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you're letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain.” -- Jim Morrison
Faith flows like water and heals -- "It's as if the water of the grotto buoys people up, supports them, makes them weightless. When Jesus called himself the Living Water, maybe he meant more than merely quenching thirst. Maybe he also meant he will sustain people, carry them, take those who wade into him with a faithful heart and make them feel light, supported, weightless."
*The Sea of Galilee Boat or The Jesus Boat was an ancient fishing boat from the 1st century AD/CE (the time of Jesus), which was discovered in 1986 on the north-west shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. The remains of the boat, which are 27 feet (8.27 meters) long and 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) wide and with a maximum preserved height of 4.3 feet (1.3 meters), first appeared during a drought, when the waters of the Sea (actually a great fresh-water lake) receded. (Wikipedia)
**This can cause plenty of quibbles. There are people who get stuck in rationalizations of HOW the miracles occur -- who see this as "magic" or who get so tied up in the HOW they don't ever get to the WHY and more importantly the WHO.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Blogging Toward Sunday
Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43
24He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them.
36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!
Intro to Parable
Harder thought: Are there weeds or evil people in the church? Again is a hard answer: Yes.
Are there weeds in each of our own lives? Yes.
The American search for the perfect lawn -- When I was working at Fernbank, one of the meteorologists with whom I shared an office had a problem -- he had put sod in part of his lawn, but had seeded the other half. After a year or so, Bill had half a yard of grass and half a yard of weeds. He tried to go around and pull them up one at a time; he tried paying the kids ten cents a weed to pull them up, but everything he did actually made the problem worse. He scraped up the weeds, retilled the soil, reseeded -- same result. He nuked it with chemicals and then had big brown spots in the lawn to go along with sickly grass. He finally asked one of our horticulturists what to do -- and Walter told him to stop trying to kill the weeds, but to strengthen the grass and eventually the weeds would be shoved aside -- choked out.
Question: What are we going to concentrate on? Are we going to kill weeds or grow strong grass?
Discussion of different methods of weed control:
Looking for a quick fix with chemicals
Manually pulling them up -- futile -- they grow faster than you can pull them up and you damage the roots of the good plants.
ending with the news story in previous post about a man torching his neighbor's garden.
Are we going to kill weeds or grow strong grass?
How do we grow strong grass? To quote Bishop Job:
1. Do No Harm,
2. Do Good, and
3. Stay in Love with God.
What do these mean? Traditional wording is this:
“First, By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind…”
“Second, By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all me…”
“Thirdly, By attending upon all the ordinances of God…”
24He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them.
36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!
Intro to Parable
- second of 7 in this series
- again about seed and soil;
- good seed and bad.
Harder thought: Are there weeds or evil people in the church? Again is a hard answer: Yes.
Are there weeds in each of our own lives? Yes.
The American search for the perfect lawn -- When I was working at Fernbank, one of the meteorologists with whom I shared an office had a problem -- he had put sod in part of his lawn, but had seeded the other half. After a year or so, Bill had half a yard of grass and half a yard of weeds. He tried to go around and pull them up one at a time; he tried paying the kids ten cents a weed to pull them up, but everything he did actually made the problem worse. He scraped up the weeds, retilled the soil, reseeded -- same result. He nuked it with chemicals and then had big brown spots in the lawn to go along with sickly grass. He finally asked one of our horticulturists what to do -- and Walter told him to stop trying to kill the weeds, but to strengthen the grass and eventually the weeds would be shoved aside -- choked out.
Question: What are we going to concentrate on? Are we going to kill weeds or grow strong grass?
Discussion of different methods of weed control:
Looking for a quick fix with chemicals
Manually pulling them up -- futile -- they grow faster than you can pull them up and you damage the roots of the good plants.
ending with the news story in previous post about a man torching his neighbor's garden.
Are we going to kill weeds or grow strong grass?
How do we grow strong grass? To quote Bishop Job:
1. Do No Harm,
2. Do Good, and
3. Stay in Love with God.
What do these mean? Traditional wording is this:
“First, By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind…”
“Second, By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all me…”
“Thirdly, By attending upon all the ordinances of God…”
Friday, July 11, 2008
Still working toward Sunday
Stories, Quotes, Illustrations
A few years ago, when archaeologists began excavating in the courtyard of a medieval monastery, they found seeds that had been dormant for more than 400 years that had begun to grow. King Henry VIII had closed the monastery in 1539, and herbs tended by the monks died. But they sprouted to life again after the archaeologists disturbed the earth.
Today in the Word, November 15, 1997 from Bible.org
Dirt is what you find under your fingernails. Soil is what you find under your feet. Think of soil as a thin living skin that covers the land. It goes down into the ground just a short way. Even the most fertile topsoil is only a foot or so deep. Soil is more than rock particles. It includes all the living things and the materials they make or change.
DiscoverySchool.com
We know more about the dark side of the moon than we do about the earth beneath our feet. This is the teeming domain of amoebas, bacteria, mites, mold, worms, and countless other organisms, so numerous that scientists haven’t even named them all. In fact, there are more creatures in a shovel full of rich soil than human beings on the planet. Journey into the dark, earthy center of it all with Dig It! The Secrets of Soil, a new exhibition from SITES, developed by the National Museum of Natural History with support from the Soil Science Society of America and The Fertilizer Institute.
Error is a hardy plant; it flourishes in every soil. ~Martin F. Tupper
The Who, What, Where, When and Why
Who sows? God and by extension us
Sows What? Seed/ the Word of God and sows it generously, extravagantly
Sows Where? Everywhere, without discrimination of the type of soil
Sows When? Continually
Sows Why? -- OK, this is always the hard one -- because. Hope for a bountiful harvest.
Historical Background Stuff
Villages at that time -- All people lived in villages. Each had a plot outside the village to which they would travel to plant. Also outside the village: pastures for sheep/goats, threshing floor, perhaps a stoning pit. The path would be hard packed. The area next to the path would have caught the run-off and perhaps was shallow. Each patch was set aside by a margin or hedge that would have weeds/thorns. The middle of the patch would be good soil, enriched over the years with compost. Thus the physical location of each of the soils. So the hearers of this parable would know all these soils -- they would know seed -- and harvest.
Edited: Wouldn't you know it? I broke a tooth on a blackberry seed this afternoon. Shattered it, really. Broke it at 3:00; at the Dentist at 4:00; home by 6:00. I HATE the Dentist. I hate the Dentist even more than I hate IVs. I usually go after taking an Advil (once even a Xanex for a root-canal). I had to go in and I was TENSE.
Now -- how to work that in?
A few years ago, when archaeologists began excavating in the courtyard of a medieval monastery, they found seeds that had been dormant for more than 400 years that had begun to grow. King Henry VIII had closed the monastery in 1539, and herbs tended by the monks died. But they sprouted to life again after the archaeologists disturbed the earth.
Today in the Word, November 15, 1997 from Bible.org
Larry McMurtry, known for his [book] Lonesome Dove, wrote another book about roads—the many roads he had driven on and the hundreds of miles he had explored across America. At last, returning in memory to the place where he grew up in east Texas, he recalls that his father had seldom gone much farther than the dusty roads near his dirt farm. Comparing his own travels to his father's localized life, McMurtry admits, "I have looked at many places quickly. My father looked at one place deeply."
Leighton Ford, The Attentive Life (IVP, 2008), p. 112 from PreachingToday.org
Dirt is what you find under your fingernails. Soil is what you find under your feet. Think of soil as a thin living skin that covers the land. It goes down into the ground just a short way. Even the most fertile topsoil is only a foot or so deep. Soil is more than rock particles. It includes all the living things and the materials they make or change.
DiscoverySchool.com
We know more about the dark side of the moon than we do about the earth beneath our feet. This is the teeming domain of amoebas, bacteria, mites, mold, worms, and countless other organisms, so numerous that scientists haven’t even named them all. In fact, there are more creatures in a shovel full of rich soil than human beings on the planet. Journey into the dark, earthy center of it all with Dig It! The Secrets of Soil, a new exhibition from SITES, developed by the National Museum of Natural History with support from the Soil Science Society of America and The Fertilizer Institute.
- Soil Fun Facts
- There is soil in your dishes, in the paints on your walls, and in some of your favorite jewelry!
- There are more organisms in a shovelful of dirt than there are people on the planet!
- Many of the antibiotics we use to fight illnesses were derived from soil organisms!
- Did you know it may take up to 500 years to produce one inch of topsoil!
- There are more than 70,000 different kinds of soil in the United States!
Soil is great entertainment for anyone under the age of 5 (and some of us who are considerably older).
From "Dig it! The Secrets of Soil"
Error is a hardy plant; it flourishes in every soil. ~Martin F. Tupper
The Who, What, Where, When and Why
Who sows? God and by extension us
Sows What? Seed/ the Word of God and sows it generously, extravagantly
Sows Where? Everywhere, without discrimination of the type of soil
Sows When? Continually
Sows Why? -- OK, this is always the hard one -- because. Hope for a bountiful harvest.
Historical Background Stuff
Villages at that time -- All people lived in villages. Each had a plot outside the village to which they would travel to plant. Also outside the village: pastures for sheep/goats, threshing floor, perhaps a stoning pit. The path would be hard packed. The area next to the path would have caught the run-off and perhaps was shallow. Each patch was set aside by a margin or hedge that would have weeds/thorns. The middle of the patch would be good soil, enriched over the years with compost. Thus the physical location of each of the soils. So the hearers of this parable would know all these soils -- they would know seed -- and harvest.
Edited: Wouldn't you know it? I broke a tooth on a blackberry seed this afternoon. Shattered it, really. Broke it at 3:00; at the Dentist at 4:00; home by 6:00. I HATE the Dentist. I hate the Dentist even more than I hate IVs. I usually go after taking an Advil (once even a Xanex for a root-canal). I had to go in and I was TENSE.
Now -- how to work that in?
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Blogging Toward Sunday
Romans 8:1-11
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law--indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!"
"Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
I cannot decide which text to preach on Sunday. This is the beginning of my very favorite chapter in the Bible, but.... this is also only my third sermon for these congregations. I don't know them well yet -- I don't know what they need to hear. And the sower parable - well, these are rural country folk who know much more about this than I. Actually, a lot of the people in my churches are professionals with either the Forestry Service or the Ag Sciences Department at UGA. Who am I to preach this parable to them? And yet, who is better prepared to understand this parable than farmers and researchers into Ag Science?
But there is this:
Things to think about:
I think I will start with a story about how my Dad would prepare a patch of ground before he planted -- how he would break up the dirt with a roto-tiller, the get some of the bigger clumps with a spade and even use his hands. How he would enrich the soil with fertilizer, compost and lime, mixing it carefully and then raking it near smooth. How he would place the seed so that none went to waste. How different this is than the parable of the sower -- how foolish the sower seems!
I suppose we really can't tell whose heart is really ready for God's seed -- you really cannot look and tell that the soil of one's life is packed hard. This parable calls for a casting of the seed indiscriminately, blindly, never knowing where it will take root.
And seed will take root in unexpected places -- I'm thinking of the little Sweetgum trees that took root in my Father-in-law's gutters. He didn't clean them for a few years and the leaves and water made a perfect medium for little Sweetgum trees. And I think of the weeds (or what Chaos and Entropy call "wildflowers") that take root between the curb in front of the house and the asphalt. There were dandelions there last year that grew into big beautiful puffballs. Their seed scattered across the asphalt -- it that seed wasted? Are our words and actions wasted? Does God ever really waste anything? Do we have to see the end result or is it good enough to know that we have cast our seed and trust God?
Seeds come from the center of the fruit, for the most part. It's part of a cycle. There must have been fruit in the past for there to be seed NOW. And today's seed could possibly be fruit, given a good place to grow and time.
Things to think about.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law--indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!"
"Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
I cannot decide which text to preach on Sunday. This is the beginning of my very favorite chapter in the Bible, but.... this is also only my third sermon for these congregations. I don't know them well yet -- I don't know what they need to hear. And the sower parable - well, these are rural country folk who know much more about this than I. Actually, a lot of the people in my churches are professionals with either the Forestry Service or the Ag Sciences Department at UGA. Who am I to preach this parable to them? And yet, who is better prepared to understand this parable than farmers and researchers into Ag Science?
But there is this:
Things to think about:
- This parable carries with it a sucker punch. I can imagine the original listeners nodding their heads when Jesus talks about the hard soil along the path -- most of them would have lived in a little village and would have had to traverse a path of hard packed soil to get to their own little patch outside the village. They would have known about plants that wither and die because of being scorched by lack of water, shallow roots and the hot sun. They could imagine seed being gobbled up by hungry birds. They probably got drawn into the story as Jesus teaches so that they are ready to believe that good soil produces fruit -- but the amount! A good yield is ten fold -- here's the sucker punch -- but 30, 60 and 100 fold?? No way!
- What kind of person wouldn't carefully prepare the soil exactly right? What kind of person would throw valuable seed around like this?
- Why explain THIS parable?
- Why this parable at this time?
I think I will start with a story about how my Dad would prepare a patch of ground before he planted -- how he would break up the dirt with a roto-tiller, the get some of the bigger clumps with a spade and even use his hands. How he would enrich the soil with fertilizer, compost and lime, mixing it carefully and then raking it near smooth. How he would place the seed so that none went to waste. How different this is than the parable of the sower -- how foolish the sower seems!
I suppose we really can't tell whose heart is really ready for God's seed -- you really cannot look and tell that the soil of one's life is packed hard. This parable calls for a casting of the seed indiscriminately, blindly, never knowing where it will take root.
And seed will take root in unexpected places -- I'm thinking of the little Sweetgum trees that took root in my Father-in-law's gutters. He didn't clean them for a few years and the leaves and water made a perfect medium for little Sweetgum trees. And I think of the weeds (or what Chaos and Entropy call "wildflowers") that take root between the curb in front of the house and the asphalt. There were dandelions there last year that grew into big beautiful puffballs. Their seed scattered across the asphalt -- it that seed wasted? Are our words and actions wasted? Does God ever really waste anything? Do we have to see the end result or is it good enough to know that we have cast our seed and trust God?
Seeds come from the center of the fruit, for the most part. It's part of a cycle. There must have been fruit in the past for there to be seed NOW. And today's seed could possibly be fruit, given a good place to grow and time.
Things to think about.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Sunday Morning Prayer
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Give us the joy of your saving help
and sustain us with your life-giving Spirit.
Jesus says, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.'
So let us turn away from our sin and turn to Christ,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Your Son, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us. In His name, my God, have mercy. Amen.
Blessed are you, Lord our God,
creator and redeemer of all;
to you be glory and praise for ever.
From the waters of chaos you drew forth the world
and in your great love fashioned us in your image.
Now, through the deep waters of death,
you have brought your people to new birth
by raising your Son to life in triumph.
May Christ your light ever dawn in our hearts
as we offer you our sacrifice of thanks and praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Awake, Jerusalem, awake!
No longer in thy sins lie down;
The garment of salvation take,
Thy beauty and thy strength put on.
Shake off the dust that blinds thy sight,
And hides the promise from thine eyes;
Arise, and struggle into light,
The great Deliverer calls: Arise!
Shake off the bands of sad despair;
Zion, assert thy liberty;
Look up, thy broken heart prepare,
And God shall set the captive free.
Vessels of mercy, sons of grace,
Be purged from every sinful stain,
Be like your Lord, His Word embrace,
Nor bear His hallowed Name in vain.
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Give us the joy of your saving help
and sustain us with your life-giving Spirit.
Jesus says, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.'
So let us turn away from our sin and turn to Christ,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Your Son, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us. In His name, my God, have mercy. Amen.
Blessed are you, Lord our God,
creator and redeemer of all;
to you be glory and praise for ever.
From the waters of chaos you drew forth the world
and in your great love fashioned us in your image.
Now, through the deep waters of death,
you have brought your people to new birth
by raising your Son to life in triumph.
May Christ your light ever dawn in our hearts
as we offer you our sacrifice of thanks and praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Awake, Jerusalem, awake!
No longer in thy sins lie down;
The garment of salvation take,
Thy beauty and thy strength put on.
Shake off the dust that blinds thy sight,
And hides the promise from thine eyes;
Arise, and struggle into light,
The great Deliverer calls: Arise!
Shake off the bands of sad despair;
Zion, assert thy liberty;
Look up, thy broken heart prepare,
And God shall set the captive free.
Vessels of mercy, sons of grace,
Be purged from every sinful stain,
Be like your Lord, His Word embrace,
Nor bear His hallowed Name in vain.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Today and This Sunday
Today is the first choir practice in my new church (that's really an old church) in quite a while. The music program never seemed to be huge -- much of the music library is from the 1960s to 1982 or so -- and so I'm starting out really really simple. I haven't been the choir director in 22 years (yes, I WAS a child prodigy!) and have a certain amount of nervousness.
I'm also preaching for the first time this Sunday -- and feel free enough to really preach to this context. So I'm a little nervous about that. Butterflies are not bad -- I just know that the first time in preaching class, I almost freaked myself out -- I even got dizzy. So, I'm going to do the deep breathing thing a lot and hand it all over.
So, off to choir practice! I am going to do something out of the hymnal this Sunday, Tallis' Canon (a really nice arrangement) for next Sunday, "Be Thou My Vision," "Down to the River to Pray" and "The Gift of Love" for later. All simple unison or two part harmony. I'm going to work on technique mostly for the next few weeks -- how to breathe, how to stand, how to enuciate. Basic but essential.
A little prayer would be welcome, too.
I'm also preaching for the first time this Sunday -- and feel free enough to really preach to this context. So I'm a little nervous about that. Butterflies are not bad -- I just know that the first time in preaching class, I almost freaked myself out -- I even got dizzy. So, I'm going to do the deep breathing thing a lot and hand it all over.
So, off to choir practice! I am going to do something out of the hymnal this Sunday, Tallis' Canon (a really nice arrangement) for next Sunday, "Be Thou My Vision," "Down to the River to Pray" and "The Gift of Love" for later. All simple unison or two part harmony. I'm going to work on technique mostly for the next few weeks -- how to breathe, how to stand, how to enuciate. Basic but essential.
A little prayer would be welcome, too.
Friday, April 22, 2005
More about chicken salad sandwiches.
Gramps on Reverend Mother’s blog commented:
I think that lots of mature people have sub-clinical but significant anxiety and depression. We are anxious because our future seems scary and out of our control. We are depressed because many of our hopes and personal aspirations have been crushed by time and reality. Our response is to become rigid and globally negative. We withdraw into our increasingly narrow comfort zone and we are critical of anyone who forces us to deal with change. Our internal distress is high but because we want to be perceived as nice people, we express our unhappiness in small nastiness about unimportant things.
I am just bemused and amused. I think of it as a gift I can give to them when I deliberately "mess up" and then watch them fuss. =o) (This was a joke. Just in case someone didn't realize that.)
I try to understand these women. These are the invisible women -- older ones put out to pasture, with no purpose. They are disenfranchised and feeling worthless. We have come to an understanding – I listen to them, they tell me how to make the sandwiches.
Miss Betsey Sue* used to teach the 4 year old Sunday School. She started to have problems with her arthritis and vision. Some of the younger people to “help out” took over her class – she was displaced. Miss Mary Lou* loves to make crocheted do-ma-hickies. She was told that they “don’t sell” at the Fall Festival and we don’t need any this year. She entered a severe depression. Miss Martha Blue* used to take care of her older relatives, visiting the nursing homes to brighten others up; now she can’t drive and she has lost all purpose. There are dozens of stories from these ladies – maybe a group of 20 or so, whose families have grown up and moved away and they are alone in their widowhood. They used to be leaders of the church when they were younger, but now most of the members don’t even know their names. As women grow older, they lose that “sex appeal” that some get their self-esteems from, they lose the perception of competence, they lose their positions of authority, they lose purpose. This sounds patronizing to a certain degree, but they remind me of that song from “Music Man”:
Alma- Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little,
cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
Alma and Ethel- Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little,
talk a little, cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
All the ladies- Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little,
talk a little, cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
And of course I am always incredibly self aware (sarcasm, just in case you didn’t notice.) I was chewed out by an older lady earlier this year for “not noticing” her anymore. She had been sniping about the flowers – the ones on the right-hand side were pastels and the ones on the left were warm autumn colors – and she wanted to gripe about it. I realized that she wasn’t really upset about the flowers. I asked it her if there was anything else bothering her. She wanted to know if I was mad at her or if she had offended me – I just had relegated her to the “not useful to me right now” pile and I really was ignoring her. It really was my problem. I now deliberately look each of these ladies in the eye every time I see them and say “good morning” and call them by name. I also make it a point to shake their hand or hug them for physical contact. Some still resist, but most respond wonderfully. I now have dozens of crocheted do-ma-hickies in my house, 5 different chicken salad recipies, people to go visit with me when I do the hospital visits, I get lots of homemade baked goods (really good for the weight control program!) and babysitters (which I usually don't use for long periods of time). Some (note not all, some still have a prejudice towards male pastors) Some consider me “their” pastor. I consider that an honor.
I have been reading a lot about the hidden aggression of middle school girls. They are told they cannot be physically aggressive like the boys at this age, so they learn some really devious methods of aggression. I am seeing parallels in these older women. Why are they aggressive? Because they feel (note the word feel) threatened.
Dr. Schieb has written a wonderful book:
Challenging Invisibility: Practices of Care With Older Women
by Karen D. Scheib
Women older than 65 are a large subgroup of the average congregation, yet women are noticeably absent in the literature and training in pastoral care and counseling. They outnumber same-aged men in the general United States population by more than 40 percent, but are underrepresented in studies and disappear from the media, which offers few positive images of older women in television, movies, and advertisements. In an in-depth study of women over the age of 65, Karen Scheib asked women how they feel they are perceived in their churches. Their answer: “invisible.”
Karen Scheib believes that invisibility results from social, political, and economic factors that provide the context in which women age. This social context is not neutral toward aging, but defines or constructs what it means to grow old and to be old. Scheib draws on her extensive research; insights of gerontology, sociology, psychology, and anthropology; and her experience as a practical pastoral theologian to develop a new approach to pastoral care with older women, an approach that takes into account social context, as well as individual analysis, and theological reflection. She proposes a model of care and a set of practices that challenge women’s invisibility and assist congregations in creating an environment that values contributions of older women.
A short article by Dr. Schieb from the Circuit Rider magazine.
My rule #1 is “No behavior exist in a vacuum. Including mine.” And it doesn’t. Sometimes we can figure out where it comes from, sometimes all we can do is cope. I’m learning to cope. I struggle with this almost every Sunday. I still don't "see" these women. I get really, really irritated with them. I get mad and frustrated at the petty bickering. But I know one day I will *be* one of these women.
*not their real names.
I think that lots of mature people have sub-clinical but significant anxiety and depression. We are anxious because our future seems scary and out of our control. We are depressed because many of our hopes and personal aspirations have been crushed by time and reality. Our response is to become rigid and globally negative. We withdraw into our increasingly narrow comfort zone and we are critical of anyone who forces us to deal with change. Our internal distress is high but because we want to be perceived as nice people, we express our unhappiness in small nastiness about unimportant things.
I am just bemused and amused. I think of it as a gift I can give to them when I deliberately "mess up" and then watch them fuss. =o) (This was a joke. Just in case someone didn't realize that.)
I try to understand these women. These are the invisible women -- older ones put out to pasture, with no purpose. They are disenfranchised and feeling worthless. We have come to an understanding – I listen to them, they tell me how to make the sandwiches.
Miss Betsey Sue* used to teach the 4 year old Sunday School. She started to have problems with her arthritis and vision. Some of the younger people to “help out” took over her class – she was displaced. Miss Mary Lou* loves to make crocheted do-ma-hickies. She was told that they “don’t sell” at the Fall Festival and we don’t need any this year. She entered a severe depression. Miss Martha Blue* used to take care of her older relatives, visiting the nursing homes to brighten others up; now she can’t drive and she has lost all purpose. There are dozens of stories from these ladies – maybe a group of 20 or so, whose families have grown up and moved away and they are alone in their widowhood. They used to be leaders of the church when they were younger, but now most of the members don’t even know their names. As women grow older, they lose that “sex appeal” that some get their self-esteems from, they lose the perception of competence, they lose their positions of authority, they lose purpose. This sounds patronizing to a certain degree, but they remind me of that song from “Music Man”:
Alma- Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little,
cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
Alma and Ethel- Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little,
talk a little, cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
All the ladies- Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little,
talk a little, cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
And of course I am always incredibly self aware (sarcasm, just in case you didn’t notice.) I was chewed out by an older lady earlier this year for “not noticing” her anymore. She had been sniping about the flowers – the ones on the right-hand side were pastels and the ones on the left were warm autumn colors – and she wanted to gripe about it. I realized that she wasn’t really upset about the flowers. I asked it her if there was anything else bothering her. She wanted to know if I was mad at her or if she had offended me – I just had relegated her to the “not useful to me right now” pile and I really was ignoring her. It really was my problem. I now deliberately look each of these ladies in the eye every time I see them and say “good morning” and call them by name. I also make it a point to shake their hand or hug them for physical contact. Some still resist, but most respond wonderfully. I now have dozens of crocheted do-ma-hickies in my house, 5 different chicken salad recipies, people to go visit with me when I do the hospital visits, I get lots of homemade baked goods (really good for the weight control program!) and babysitters (which I usually don't use for long periods of time). Some (note not all, some still have a prejudice towards male pastors) Some consider me “their” pastor. I consider that an honor.
I have been reading a lot about the hidden aggression of middle school girls. They are told they cannot be physically aggressive like the boys at this age, so they learn some really devious methods of aggression. I am seeing parallels in these older women. Why are they aggressive? Because they feel (note the word feel) threatened.
Dr. Schieb has written a wonderful book:
Challenging Invisibility: Practices of Care With Older Women
by Karen D. Scheib
Women older than 65 are a large subgroup of the average congregation, yet women are noticeably absent in the literature and training in pastoral care and counseling. They outnumber same-aged men in the general United States population by more than 40 percent, but are underrepresented in studies and disappear from the media, which offers few positive images of older women in television, movies, and advertisements. In an in-depth study of women over the age of 65, Karen Scheib asked women how they feel they are perceived in their churches. Their answer: “invisible.”
Karen Scheib believes that invisibility results from social, political, and economic factors that provide the context in which women age. This social context is not neutral toward aging, but defines or constructs what it means to grow old and to be old. Scheib draws on her extensive research; insights of gerontology, sociology, psychology, and anthropology; and her experience as a practical pastoral theologian to develop a new approach to pastoral care with older women, an approach that takes into account social context, as well as individual analysis, and theological reflection. She proposes a model of care and a set of practices that challenge women’s invisibility and assist congregations in creating an environment that values contributions of older women.
A short article by Dr. Schieb from the Circuit Rider magazine.
My rule #1 is “No behavior exist in a vacuum. Including mine.” And it doesn’t. Sometimes we can figure out where it comes from, sometimes all we can do is cope. I’m learning to cope. I struggle with this almost every Sunday. I still don't "see" these women. I get really, really irritated with them. I get mad and frustrated at the petty bickering. But I know one day I will *be* one of these women.
*not their real names.
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