Come to the Manger

Come all who are harried
Come all who are sad
Come all who are wistful
Come all who are glad.
Come to the manger,
for the bed in this stall
holds a grace-gift for you:
the Savior of all.
-- JCWaggoner

My heart swells with joy as I anticipate raising our voices together tonight in praise of our Savior and Lord!

Merry Christmas!!
Blessings,
Janet+

Maybe there's a reason . . .

"Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God." - Luke 1:64

Dear Friends in Christ -

All it took was one act of faithfulness, one time of standing up for truth, and Zechariah was free to speak again.

Thinking about the unfaithfulness that caused Zechariah to go mute and then the faithfulness that set his voice free again might cause us to think that the answer is easy. Just do it.

But sometimes turning the corner from hopelessness to hopefulness, from lies to truth, from darkness to light is NOT easy. Sometimes there's something in the way.

And sometimes what's in the way isn't out there, in some other person or external situation. Sometimes what needs to change is something in us.

In this season of hope and waiting, may God give us the grace to see the things in us that need to change in order for us to break through to freedom.

Faithfully waiting and humbly hoping to see . . .
Janet+

Silenced, waiting to receive

"because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur." - Archangel Gabriel to Zechariah (Luke 1:20)

Dear Friends in Christ -

What would the world be like if all the doubters, non-believers and nay-sayers were silenced? Then there would only be words of belief and assurance and possibility . . . and silence.

Not long ago, I was sitting in the cafe at Barnes & Noble, sipping a cup of hot tea and gathering ideas for my writing. I paused to listen, and when I did, I heard dozens of little snatches of conversation - and for several mintues, not one positive word. It wasn't that people were talking about great atrocity, natural disaster or grave injustice. They were speaking about the ups and downs in their daily lives, yet without any words of hope or beauty.

My mother always said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Picture it: if people really didn't have anything hopeful or helpful to say, the room could have been filled with meaningful glances of encouragement, warm handshakes of connection, hugs of support. And silence. Silence into which something good and true - perhaps even something game-changing - could break through.

In this season, may we so boldly believe in the goodness of God that we are empowered to wait in silence to receive it.

Faithfully,
Janet+

Messiah - or Menace??

Sermon for the people of God at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Shelton, Connecticut on Sunday, December 18th (Advent IV)

PRAYER: And now to God, who is able to strengthen you according to the gospel proclamation of Jesus Christ – to the only God of heaven and earth – to him be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
INVOCATION: I speak to you in the name of the living God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Didn’t the kids do a lovely job again this year sharing the Christmas story with us?

We have this tradition here of having the pageant on the fourth Sunday of Advent, a tradition which I like because it gives us more time to steep ourselves in the most important thing about this season – which is our encounter with Jesus.

We need this time because Jesus broke into history to change things, in powerful yet not always obvious ways, and it takes us time to understand what he’s up to and – to allow him to do what he came to do, which is to save us.

The pageant itself is a gift from our children to us, to help us understand what this season is all about, and at the end our kids actually pray for us. Did you catch that??? The pageant closes with these words, “We pray that God will make the mystery come alive for you, so that you may truly rejoice and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.”

When I heard that just now, a chill went up my spine. If, as Scripture promises, the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective, then the prayers of our children are likely to really blow the roof off of things, don’t you think???

Our children live into the story they tell, this Christmas story, for several weeks. They choose their parts and get their scripts. The adults prepare their costumes and help the musicians prepare. Then everyone comes to rehearsal and after a couple of run-throughs the show goes on. I always look forward to the happy mayhem of it all . . . because I know that somewhere, somehow along the way, the mystery will come alive.

It happened again yesterday. I was working with the members of the Confirmation class, who serve as Narrators for the pageant tableau created by the younger children. The Archangel read the classic lines: “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing to you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the MENACE, the Lord.”

The kids were so intent in their practice, that they just went right on, reading the next lines, as I sputtered and brought them to a halt. I didn’t want the Archangel to be embarrassed, but I thought I should just . . . clarify.
Menace: pesky threat
Messiah: promised Savior

As the rehearsal of lines got back underway, though, my imagination was running wild with thoughts of Jesus as a menace . . . There was at least one person who definitely saw him that way: Herod. Herod didn’t want things to change. He liked things the way they were. He wasn’t the biggest king in the land. He was only a governor, but he had aspirations. Because the King of the Empire was so far away, for all practical purposes he was in charge, in control, and he liked it that way. This “important” child could potentially be a problem, but he wasn’t about to let that happen. He quickly formed a plan. He schemed to use the wise men to get reports back on the child, and if he started to be a threat . . . well, Herod wouldn’t let that happen.

In this season of light breaking through darkness, love breaking through fear, we are drawn again to peer into the manger, to ask the question: who is this child Jesus – for us?

Messiah – or menace?

Do we come to him to offer to a Savior our hearts, our very lives? Or do we see him as a threat, potential troublemaker in our lives, to be controlled, contained?

There really is very little middle ground here. Jesus’ powerful presence and purpose requires response. All the characters in the story – from Mary to the shepherds to Herod – are convinced of this. They can’t sit idly by. They have a choice to make.

Messiah – or menace?

We seem to forget, in the rush of our busyness, in our efforts to manage and control, that change has come. Change is actually not an option we can choose or not choose. Jesus incarncation – God putting flesh on – means that transformation is always happening. Change for the better is promised and is here, for us. The question is how we will live in relationship to that change.

Though the change Jesus came to bring – hope and justice, joy and peace – is GOOD, in our human frame, we greet it always with some fear and trepidation. That’s OK. God doesn’t despise us for our fear. Instead, he offers an invitation . . . the invitation of the angels – to Mary, to the shepherds, . . . to have courage, to “Fear not!” and instead, to focus on the promise.

What is that promise? Nothing more or less than this: an inbreaking of love that will bring us to freedom and delight.
Maya Angelou paints a picture of this promise in her poem, Love’s Exquisite Freedom . . . and I leave you this morning with her words . . .

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free

AMEN.

Lights on

"When . . . glory . . ." - Matthew 25:31

Dear Friends in Christ -

Every year, my friend has those Christmas candle lights in all her windows. When I drive past her house in the evening, they're always on. Always. After several years of running around the house every night to get my lights plugged in, I asked for her secret. When she got finished laughing at me, she said two words: "Light timers."

Ri-i-i-ight! Why didn't I think of that???

So this year, I went out and bought light timers. I hooked them all up and - presto! Light! Every night!

Except. Except when something else interferes. There are a surprising number of possibilities. Dead bulbs. Outlet switches that get turned off accidentally. Timers that get unplugged so that someone can plug in something else.

There are a surprising number of things that can interfere with our ability to experience the light of God's glory. Disappointments that cause dead spots in our hearts. Anger that switches our listening off, so we can't hear God's voice. Places where our relationship with God is unplugged due to busyness.

Choosing to be a Christian is like choosing to buy a light timer. We do it because we know we need light - consistently. But the one-time purchase won't solve all our problems. We have to tend the connection in order to shine.

Faithfully with you, seeking to shine,
Janet+

"Do You Hear What I Hear"?

"The word of the Lord came . . . But they refused to listen, . . . Therefore great wrath came from the Lord . . ." - Zechariah 7:8ff

Dear Friends in Christ -

It's a popular Christmas carol, so lots of famous people sing it: Bing Crosby and Vanessa Williams and Carrie Underwood and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir among many others. Often, musical artists say they want to avoid doing the song as it's always been doing and about their desire to "leave their mark" on the song.

But I wonder: did this song leave its mark on them? This song is about listening. It's about really hearing the traditional things in the Christmas season that we might pass by or take for granted.

As the days count down to Christmas, may we choose to slow down rather than to rush, so that we may see the star, hear the song, and know the power of the Babe in the manger - who is Christ our Lord.

Faithfully,
Janet+

PS - I've been doing a lousy job of going slow enough to see and hear. Sigh. Lack of posts here are evidence of an important thing I've been rushing through - time with Scripture. Hopefully my time with God over the next few days will bring to ME more peace and throug me to you more posts!!!

Wide-eyed Wonder

"Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." - Jesus (Mark 10:14-15)

Dear Friends in Christ -

Happy St. Nicholas' Day!!!

Today, December 6th, is the Feast of St. Nicholas, the real saint after whom Santa Claus is patterned. Traditionally this day is celebrated by giving an unanticipated gift or doing an unexpected kindness - things that push people out of the ruts of their everyday lives and stir them to wonder . . . How did I get so fortunate to receive this? Where did this come from? Is there more where this came from?

Whenever the commercialism or the pressure of the season gets me down, all I have to do is spend some time with children. Even more than they want stuff, they want to throw themselves headlong into the mystery, wonder and fun of it all. They want a series of little surprises to lead them like a trail of breadcrumbs through Advent to Christmas. They want to hear the stories again: the story of what Christmas was like when Grandpa was a little boy, as well as the story of the Baby who was born in a barn.

This Advent, may you come to the manger like a child: not knowing quite what to expect, eagerly noticing everything, hoping for some great surprise. God will surely meet you there!

Faithfully moving toward the manger,
Janet+

Faithfully

Advent reflections . . . on living!

Jesus answered them, "[God] is God not of the dead, but of the living.’ - Matthew 22:32b

Dear Friends in Christ -

We're alive, but are we really living? We're going through the motions, but do we have joy in the midst of it all?

Our Advent reflections are an attempt to reconnect with what life's really all about. These words of Richard Rohr (from his book, "Preparing for Christmas") have stirred my mind and heart to press on to "really living" - and I pray they'll touch you, too.

In His peace and joy . . .
Janet+

"'Come, Lord Jesus' is a leap into the kind of freedom and surrender that is rightly called the virtue of hope. The theological virtue of hope is the patient and trustful willingness to live without closure, without resolution, and still be content and even happy because our Satisfaction is now at another level, and our Source is beyond ourselves.

We are able to trust that the Lord will come again, just as Jesus has come into our past, into our private dilemmas, and into our suffering world. Our Christian past then becomes our Christian prologue, and 'Come, Lord Jesus' is not a cry of desperation but an assured shout of cosmic hope!"

Hope

Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up. — Anne Lamott

Dear Friends in Christ -

Is there something you're tempted to give up on? Something you've longed for for so long that you are beginning to think the time for it has passed?

Well, then this prayer of encouragement by King David (from Psalm 20) is for you:
"The Lord answer you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary,and give you support from Zion. May he remember all your offerings, and regard with favour your burnt sacrifices. May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your plans."

It may seem like God's not listening. It may seem like good will not prevail. But God's promises are true, and our hope is sure.

In this Advent season, you could give up. It's always an option. Therefore, it's an option you can risk NOT exercising now. It may not be easy, but you can . . . wait . . . work . . . watch . . . And when the dawn comes - and it WILL come - you'll be there to receive it.

Faithfully in hope,
Janet+

The secret of Life

"Seek the Lord and live . . ." - Amos 5:6a

Dear Friends in Christ -

As you may have figured out by now, I'm celebrating the season of Advent by offering up an Advent meditation each day. The daily writing process draws my personal need for Scripture together with my desire to connect with you about how God's Word impacts our daily living.

So far, I've been slow in getting the daily posts up. The days have been so full of work and family life that I've been falling asleep over my computer in the evening, still in the midst of my prayers at the end of the day. But my hope is to turn the corner and find time FIRST THING in the day for extended time with God's Word. I know from the witness of the Saints, as well as from my own past experience, that doing so puts my day in a whole different frame. And boy, do I need that alternative frame! Others do, too, it seems: in the past five minutes, 26 people have come into the Starbucks where I'm writing and only one of them is smiling. Maybe that's not an indication of anything other than the cares of the day, but I wonder: how many of these folks started their day with Jesus?

As we move deeper into this Advent season of waiting, may we discover that the words of the prophet Amos are true: real, hopeful, joyful LIFE comes to us as we seek (first!) our Lord.

Faithfully with you, seeking -
Janet+

It all adds up . . .

" O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart . . ." - Psalm 15:1-2

Dear Friends in Christ -

Today is the Feast Day of the Saint Nicholas Ferrar, the founder of the British spiritual Little Gidding. The peace and power of the chapel at Little Gidding was immortalized in T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Four Quartets."

In February, 2001, I went to Little Gidding to do research for my final project at the Institute of Sacred Music. The little chapel, built by Nicholas Ferrar as the cornerstone of his little Anglican community, is a mystical place.

What makes the chapel at Little Gidding special is not its beauty (though it is remarkably lovely), not its quiet (though it sits in isolation in the English countryside), and not its longevity, (it is one of many little chapels that dot the landscape_. What makes the Little Gidding chapel special is that it's clearly a prayed-in space. From the founding of the chapel, Ferrar and his community focused not on the "thou shalt nots" of their faith, but on simply doing the things they knew to be right, the things they could do, one day at a time. The simple, good acts of Ferrar and the gathered community added up to righteousness that echoed out in their community and echoes still, down through time, to those who spend time at Little Gidding.

(To take a peek at this place of deep blessing, visit http://www.littlegiddingchurch.org.uk/)

May this be a season in which we pause to take stock and ask, "How are the little things I'm doing day to day adding up?" And may we be investing ourselves in daily goodnesses that echo out into our community and down through time . . . to eternity!

Faithfully yours,
Janet+

Getting Ready

"Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you." - Matthew 21:31

Dear Friends in Christ -

"If all children of God are equal in His sight, then why are the tax collectors and prostitutes getting into heaven ahead of respectable, righteous community leaders?"

When I put this question to my favorite resident theologian (my beloved professor husband, Ed), he said: Because everyone lies, but tax collectors and sinners are still keenly aware of where the lies end and the truth begins, while these leaders are so caught up in their own lies that they can't see the truth when it appears right in front of them.

Hmmm . . .

Is there anything in our lives, in our hearts, that we hang onto so tightly that we can't embrace Truth when it appears?

In this Advent season of preparation, may we dare to let go of any and all facades and pretenses so that we can recognize and receive our Savior when He appears.

Faithfully with you, getting ready,
Jane+

"Whatever you ask for" . . . Really???

"Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive." - Matthew 21:22

Dear Friends in Christ -

REALLY??? Dare we believe that it's true that we'll receive whatever we ask for??

Yes - as long as we ask 'with faith.'

Asking 'with faith' doesn't mean without doubt. Asking 'with faith' doesn't mean we have to reach a certain level of belief - and when we do, we'll get what we want. Asking 'with faith' means trusting beyond the present circumstances to the loving Father who gives - only and always - GOOD things.

Jesus tells his disciples that they'll receive whatever they ask for just days before He prays "let this cup pass from me." Jesus clearly didn't want to be crucified. But He chose hope over fear, trust over control. It was "for the joy set before Him" that Jesus endured the pain and suffering of the cross.

In the midst of the trials we face, in the midst of our suffering, we're tempted to focus on getting relief. But God desires to give us so much more than that, and if we come to Him in faith, we'll receive it.

With you, seeking to believe - and receive! -
Janet+

SHOPPING - WITH A TWIST

"May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." - 2 Peter 1:2

Dear Friends in Christ -

Grace and peace came to me in an unexpected way today . . .
I had some Christmas shopping to do, but I had to move a little more slowly than usual because I fell this weekend (ER diagnosis: coccyx contusion!). For a breather between stores, I sat in my van, sipped some coffee and wrote in my journal. Result: I got the things I needed in record time - and bought less overall.

So on this second day of Advent, I'm giving thanks for a little slower pace - even if it took an injury to get me there!!!

Faithfully easing into this new season,
Janet+

SERMON: "DIFFERENT THIS YEAR" - First Sunday of Advent

Year B – First Sunday of Advent – November 27, 2011
Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7,17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37
"DIFFERENT THIS YEAR" by the Rev. Janet Waggoner

It could be different this year, we think.

This year, we’ll be on top of things. Shop a little more efficiently than usual. Get the Christmas cards in the mail earlier.

This year, things will be more simple. We’ll buy less – and maybe even try making a few things . . . maybe . . .

I read a story this week about a woman named Lisa (story adapted from Sarah M. Foulger's short story "Yards of Purple"), who decided that rather than doing her usual “favorite aunt” Christmas thing for her four nieces and buying each of them an expensive present, she would make Christmas dresses for them this year. She was proud of herself for buying the fabric well in advance, but as the Fall months rolled by, she got less sewing done than she anticipated. Just as her discouragement in the project hit a peak, she received a check in the mail from her aunt, with a note that said, “Do something wonderful with it.”

Lisa laughed to herself about her sewing frustrations, and drove down to the bank to cash the check. She put the couple hundred dollars in the envelope in her back pocket and headed to ToysRUs. Though she felt guilty about the prospect of wasting all the fabric she had purchased, she felt relieved not to have the project hanging over her head as the round of holiday parties started up. And then, of course, she found that the toy store had exactly the things her nieces had told her they wanted.

It could be different his year, we think.

But then, we waver. We doubt ourselves, our goals, our values. We’re speeding through life at such a fast pace that bumps in the road become obstacles that cause us to swerve off our intended path.

When Lisa got up to the check-out counter, the four gifts – all on sale, she could feel good about that, right? – rang up to just less than the money she had in her pocket, and she thought about how happy her nieces would be to receive the gifts as she reached to hand over the bills. Except they weren’t there. She double-checked her pockets and her purse – even though she knew for certain right where she had put the money. It was gone. A pickpocket? Had she dropped it?

Though she was holding up the line, Lisa quickly retraced her steps into the store. No luck. So she returned to the checkout counter and reached for her credit card to pay for the gifts anyway. But as she did, she had the sense that maybe she should have stuck with her plan to make the dresses. So she said, “thanks, anyway” to the attendant at the checkout counter, who replied: ‘just so you know, this stuff might not be here later; we’ve sold a lot of these.’

It could be different this year, we think.

But the world around us just seems to keep pressing, pressing for more of what’s out there to be in here, in our minds, in our hearts. The good news for us is that it’s in just these places of stress and tension, these places of decision, where Jesus comes to be with us. Personally. Compassionately. Quietly. So quietly, in fact, that if we’re not still, we may not even notice.

And with Jesus, it could be different this year . . .

Lisa was at home that evening, listening to Christmas carols and making remarkably good progress with her sewing, when the phone rang. The man on the phone said that he found some money in the parking lot at ToysRUs, and that he thought it might be hers because the envelope he found it in was addressed to her. He told her that he felt bad keeping it all day, but, he confessed, he had struggled about returning it. He had gone with his son to ToysRUs because his son had begged to go look at the toys so he would know what to ask Santa for. It was a lean year, though, and the man went to the store wondering how ‘Santa’ was going to afford any gift this year.

Lisa thanked him for his honesty and chatted with him about connecting the next day near the local McDonalds to pick up the money – before she found herself blurting out, “Oh, please just keep it. I don’t really need it.” And they wished each other a shy and slightly rushed ‘Merry Christmas’ as the man said breathless thank yous as they hung up.

And then Lisa realized, she had fulfilled her aunt’s wish: she had “done something wonderful with it.”

It could be different this year.

But really, only if we are different. And we likely – won’t – be – different – without – . . . Jesus . . .
I’m so struck by the invitation Jesus gives to his disciples in today’s Gospel lesson . . . Jesus is in a situation where the outcome is predictable. The authorities who have been mad at him for years are going to challenge him again. Each time they’ve questioned Jesus, it’s been more aggressive, so he’s preparing for the same old thing to happen again. But in the midst of the predictable happening, Jesus’ words to his disciples encourage them to “keep awake” for what is new.
The newness of the Living God in the power of His Spirit flows in and through all creation – and is available to those who seek it at all times. We don’t have to wait for Christmas to experience the newness of Christ. It is here, now, for us. And we are enabled to be different and to engage in revolutionary acts of love as we steep ourselves in Him.

In this holy season of Advent, we “keep awake” by:
Keeping silence in the midst of the rattling din, so that we may hear His voice drawing us on.

Being still in the midst of the rush, so that we may receive Him whenever and wherever He comes.

For our Lord does speak, our Lord will come. In glorious and unexpected ways, He will come to save us. And his goodness, light, and power will flow to us and through us, making us – and all things – new.

In this new season, let us choose to be awake – and ready. If we are, it will be different, – WE will be different – this year.

Amen.

Thanksiving Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~ Melodie Beattie

Thanksgiving blessings to all!!!
Janet+

Not Letting the Saints Off the Hook

"let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith" - Hebrews 12:1b-2a

Dear Friends in Christ -

Today is the Feast of All Saints!!! On this joyful occasion, I invite you to celebrate with me by recalling a couple of the saints in your life who have shown Jesus to you, who have had an important positive impact on your life.

What are the saints in your life like? What key characteristics set them apart from other people you know?

Without exception, the true saints in my life have two characteristics in common: (1) they are loving and (2) they persevere. The truth is, any of us can be loving on occasion, when we want to or when we think it's important or when we want to impress someone. But the true saints among us persevere - they love even when people aren't watching, even when no one else cares, even when other people think it's a lost cause.

Perseverance isn't something we're born with, I think. Perseverance is something we choose to develop - or not - as life rolls along and things fail to go as we hope or expect.

As a friend, as a fellow Christian, I'm inclined to let people off the hook when they fail to persevere - when they're lax about fulfilling their Christian responsibilities, when they fail to make time for the important in the midst of the urgent. But as your pastor, as your priest, I'm here on All Saints Day to say "you're NOT off the hook!" You've got to do justice even when it's difficult and unpopular. You've got to give to help others even when you're stressed about making ends meet. You've got to be kind even when you're not in the mood. If you want to have a life worth living, if you want to leave a legacy, you've got to follow through.

The saints in our lives persevered through thick and thin so that their love could make a difference in our lives. Will the way you're living make a difference in anyone else's life?

On this day when we "sing a song of the saints of God, patient and brave and true," may we strive "to be one, too."

Faithfully,
Janet+

The "Enough" Prayer

"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." - Matthew 13:22

Dear Friends in Christ -

Obviously, I haven't figured out what "enough" is in my own life. I say "obviously" because I've neglected writing here for some time - and I really enjoy doing this! My schedule overfloweth. Many of the good things I want to do I don't get around to - and I spend more time than I would like to admit on things that seem important (or praiseworthy) but that, in the long haul, don't prove to be worth that much. Sigh.

Enough. What is enough? How much money is "enough" money? How much time is "enough" time? How much effort is "enough" effort? And how are we to know?

Today's Gospel lesson points out what happens to the Word when the cares of the world and the lure of money get to us: the Word gets choked out. And when the Word gets choked out - out-yelled in the daily shouting match for our attention, forced to take a backseat to other "crucial" things in our agenda - we yield nothing. Nothing of significant value, at least.

I have a friend I really admire. She does important work: she's a peacemaker who's job is to bring warring, wounded parties together to try to work out peace and reconciliation agreements. She's been working overtime lately, with more and more work coming her way. Recently, I asked her: "How do you know when you've done enough?" She said, "I ask myself the question, 'Was I kind to people each person who crossed my path today?'" If the answer is yes, then she believes she's done well, she's done enough.

Another friend of mine shared with me the prayer she's been praying lately: it's a prayer asking for guidance to "enough." I'm praying it these days, and I invite you to join me.

Whether it's "enough" time or money or grace we need, this prayer draws us to Jesus, the source of all we need . . . (It's from a book entitled, "Enough")

"Lord, help me to be grateful for what I have, to remember that I don't need most of what I want, and that joy is found in simplicity and generosity. Amen."

Faithfully in Him,
Janet+

Pray always - and take cover!!! (SUNDAY SERVICES CANCELLED)

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!
For great is his steadfast love towards us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Praise the Lord!
- Psalm 117

Dear Friends in Christ -

Psalm 117, a song of praise to God, is the one appointed for us to read today. It's the song God wants to put on our lips even as we scramble about doing everything from buying water and batteries to taking in the garden furniture.

God IS worthy of praise and He WILL see us through - no matter who we are, no matter where we are. God is noticing YOU on this day of storm preparation. "Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you" . . . that's more than just a pretty saying; it's God's everlasting promise to us.

Please continue to pray for all those in the storm's path as you hunker down in your homes with some good food and a few good books you can read by candlelight if necessary!

SERVICES AT ST. PAUL'S FOR TOMORROW (SUNDAY, 8/28) ARE CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE IRENE. If you or someone you know needs pastoral assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me at home (203-929-2929) or on my cell (203-246-8646).

All peace to you as you pray through yet another challenging weather ordeal!!
Faithfully yours,
Janet+

PS - In the midst of storm preparations, I find it very ironic that the name "Irene" means "peace"!!!

Pass It On

"Be strong, be courageous, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes . . ." - 2 Kings 2:2

Dear Friends in Christ -

Each year, it gets easier, and it gets harder. I'm talking about the back-to-school routine. This is the fifth year for me, the fifth time 'round that I'm getting the kids ready for a new year, a new set of challenges, a new season of growth. I've pretty much got the basics down: the school uniforms are purchased, washed and hanging in their closets; the backpacks are selected and have been filled with the stuff on their school list; the summer homework is almost complete.

Each year, it gets easier, and it gets harder. Getting the "stuff" organized is a flurry of activity but easier to manage each time I do it. The hard part is getting the kids ready - in their minds, in their hearts, passing on to them what they need to know to be who God is calling them to be.

In today's Old Testament lesson (see the sidebar on the right for information on how to find the full Daily Office Readings for yourself), David is passing things on to his son, Solomon. The truth is, he almost waited 'til too late. He nearly died before he passed along some things that Solomon really needed to know.

What do your kids - or your grandkids or the kids in your neighborhood - need to know? Do you live your life in such a way that they pick those things up from you? Have you come right out and told them what's important to you - and why?

As a country, we've spent a lot of time bemoaning the state of our ecomony, the state of our city government, the state of our schools. But have we done what our God calls us to do? Are we living in His love and light, and passing that love and light down to our children?

An old camp-song says, "It only takes a spark to get a fire going." Of course, the presumption is that we have the spark, that we will "Pass It On."

At this crucial time in the lives of our families, in the life of our world, may we all have the power and the grace to equip the next generation not only with stuff, but also with the power that comes from living in God's way.

Faithfully with you,
Janet+

It's Not Too Late

1 Samuel 19:18 - "Now David fled and escaped; he came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all . . ."

Dear Friends in Christ -

In the summer, we all need and want a change of pace. But when I talk to many of you and to my friends from around the community, I'm not hearing much of a difference from the rest of the year.

"How are you?" I ask.

"Busy." "Crazy busy." "Tired." These are the most common responses.

Now the school year pace seems to have set in year round. It seems that folks have just traded in one set of obligations for another set, one way of overcrowding the calendar with another way of overcrowding the calendar.

This isn't just a work problem or a family problem, it's a SPIRITUAL problem.

The good news is that we're only about 2/5 of the way into summer. It's not too late. YOU can, with God's help, center down, refocus and receive what you need. Though fear ('what will people think if I change our plans now?'), exhaustion ('I'm too tired to make the call'), and anxiety ('we haven't done it that way before'), may at first loom large, wouldn't you rather take a step in faith and risk getting what you need than go along and get the same old unfulfilling results?

In today's Old Testament reading, David is facing some pretty difficult situations. He manages to get through it by escaping to talk to a trusted mentor and friend.

Maybe you need time with a friend, too. Maybe you need something else. Talk to God. Make a change. It's not too late.

Blessings,
Janet+

Treasure found at camp

Dear Friends in Christ -

What I enjoy most about camp is that it takes me back to the basics . . . sitting on dirt watching skits around the campfire, being silent at prayer time to hear the birds, seeing the slithery snakes and the little brown bunnies on my morning walk.

The isolation from "everything" allows me to get down to some things that I've let sit on back burners for a while . . . including a backlog of email. (Yes, there's an email connection available here, though mercifully not "too" available). I'm ashamed to say that I've had emails languishing unanswered since LAST summer. People - friends, parishioners, people I've handed my card to in line at the grocery store - send me emails that I don't always have time to get to. Sigh.

In digging through the pile of miscellaneous things, I found a significant amount of trash (let's face it, there's some humor but not a lot of depth in most of those "pass it on" emails). But today I also found a real treasure . . . a video clip from this site called TED . . . the clip is about really getting to the heart of things in our lives. When you get a chance, pour yourself a cup of iced tea, and watch . . . it may just change your life . . . really!
http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html

Slowly breaking open into more greater deeper LIFE,
Janet+

Independence Day

Dear Friends in Christ -

Around holiday times, I always search for a fresh way to express the connection between the event of the day and our souls. Today I want to share with you a piece by the Rev. David Anderson, a priest who ministers down the road from here. His words below on "True Freedom" invite us to reflect on Christ's invitation to us to be really, fully free.

A blessed Independence Day to you!
Faithfully,
Janet+

True Freedom
I don't know if it's true, but someone once told me that domesticated birds can be trained to sit by an open window---and not fly away. You put their perch next to an open window, but you tie one foot to the perch, so that when the bird attempts to fly out the window, it can't. You do this for days and weeks, and before long the bird stops trying to fly out that window. It's impossible. Eventually, you can untie the foot and the bird will sit by that open window and never try the "impossible."

That reminds me of the circus elephant, trained to sit quietly with his foot chained to a stake in the ground. At first, the trainer chains the elephant's leg to a stake driven deep into the ground: it's impossible even for an elephant to yank it free. The beast tries of course, heaves on the spike, but to no avail. Once the elephant has learned that stakes are impossible to fight against, you can drive a little picket into the ground that a rabbit could probably pull out, and the elephant no longer even tries. He knows what he knows.

The Fourth of July always brings us hot dogs, parades and speeches about freedom. America is indeed the "land of the free," and we ought to be proud of our liberty. But political liberty is not the same as spiritual freedom. You can have all the political liberty in the world, and still be a soul in chains. You can be like that bird by the window, that elephant tethered to a toothpick.

True freedom dawns when we recognize that the real bondage is deep within our hearts. Somehow we've been trained to sit still, not even to try the "impossible" anymore. It takes soul work, but God is in the business of freeing hearts. Now that's a liberty worth celebrating.

Pass the mustard!

On Mission

OUR 2011 MISSION TEAM IN HARRISBURG, PA

Dear Friends in Christ -

"Hard but good." That's the underlying riff I hear from this mission trip - and from every mission trip I've ever been on myself or heard reports from.

There's no easy way to make a deep difference in the lives of others. It's HARD. But I'm betting when the youth come back and greet their families in the church parking lot on Friday afternoon (tomorrow!) and when they offer their reflections on Sunday morning, we'll hear that it was . . . GOOD.

Their experience will, I hope, press the rest of us to think about whether or not we're "On Mission" - in our church, in our community, in our world. Sometimes we all (yes, including ME) come to church seeking comfort and encouragement. When we find challenge instead, we're tempted to walk away and seek comfort somewhere else: at an ice cream parlor, at a bar, at the home of a friend who will lend a sympathetic ear to our complaints without nudging us down a better path.

The disciples following Jesus never had it easy, but they had it GOOD: love flowed through them so powerful they changed the world and, through our missionaries (and through the rest of us, right?!), are changing it still. That's GOOD.

Faithfully on mission with you,
Janet+

Tension . . . and Relief

Dear Friends in Christ -

As I write this, they sky drapes overhead, a white-grey sheet full of moisture waiting to let go at any point. There's a tension in the air. Even the birds feel it. Less of them are singing this morning; it's as if they're hold their breath, waiting . . .

The tension in the sky seems to heighten the general tension I feel these days. Tension about the economy. Tension about war. Tension about transitions . . . even though summer is a welcome change of pace, it is still a change, requiring more give and take, more fleet-of-foot adaptation.

Today, I looked for relief in the pages of Scripture, in the passages assigned for this day in the Daily Office (see sidebar for more information). And I found . . . well, not what I hoped! I found three stories of people living in the midst of HUGE tension. The story of Samuel, leader of the Israelites, being beseiged by people who are demanding a king to rule over them and lead them. The story of Stephen, a follower of Jesus, giving brave witness about the power of God to people who are about to stone him to death. The story of Jesus who, sitting with his disciples at the Last Supper, answers their greedy question about who is the greatest without flinching and then tells them - in spite of their pettiness - that they're beloved heirs of God's whole kingdom.

The singular thing that stands out to me in these stories is the power of choice. Samuel, Stephen and Jesus are all living SMACK in the middle of HUGE tension. And they stay the course. They keep their focus on what's important. They rely on God for strength. And they SING. They sing out words that are truth and justice and hope for those around them.

It would be a lie to say that the tension doesn't touch Samuel and Stephen and Jesus, doesn't impact them. Of course it does. All of them are human. But God's goodness continues to ripple to them and through them in their brave, steady faithfulness.

Today, in the midst of the tension, may you sing - sing the bit of truth you know, sing the hopeful longing in your heart - and may the presence of God invoked by your song bring sweet relief.

Singing,
Janet+

Summer Solstice

Psalm 100 - A Psalm of thanksgiving.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;*
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Dear Friends in Christ -

Today is the day of the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. At 1:06 p.m., the sun was at the highest point in the sky. It has long been said that the sun stands still (sol - stice) for just a moment right at its apex. People of all times and cultures have thought that this moment was a good spot to praise God.

As grace would have it, most of the psalms appointed for reading on this day in the daily office are psalms of praise. On this day, I invite you to join me in giving thanks to God for the blessings in our individual lives and in our life together at St. Paul's.

Indeed, God is good, all the time . . . all the time, God is good!

May blessings as bright as the sun in the summer sky be upon you this day and always,
Janet+

Retreat Report

Dear Friends in Christ -

As I write this, I am sitting in a rustic "cabin" in on the northwestern coast of Massachusetts. The sun in shining and the birds are singing and the temperature is just right for sitting here with the sun dropping down in flashy bits through the pine needles and the leaves.

Some of you have asked what I "do" on retreat. Well, perhaps the most important thing I "do" is ONE THING AT A TIME. I "do" the regular rhythm of life - sleeping, eating, exercising, praying, talking with people, reading, even a little bit of working - but everything slower and with more space for solitude and silence, which makes way for noticing things and realizing things.

This past Friday through Sunday, I participated in a "guided retreat" led by famous spiritual author Esther de Waal. She led four sessions entitled "Imagine," and she wove personal reflections, poetry, and short films together to invite all of us (60 participants) to imagine God and our relationship with God in new ways, which makes room for new possibilities.

Done properly, retreat is both entirely hard work and entirely refreshing. Thomas Merton once said that getting in touch with God in this way is getting "beyond the shadow and the disguise." Indeed, when I go on retreat, I run into things in myself I've been trying to avoid and pains I haven't allowed myself to feel. Working through those with God and trusted friends is hard - and renewing.

Esther says that "retreat is NOT a time of escape, but a time of deepening ones powers to deal with reality." This is certainly true for me. And I make my way home on this day with my body and spirit energized and my mind and heart full of new insights and hope.

I can't wait to see what God has for me - and for us - as we continue God's work together!

Faithfully,
Janet+

In anticipation of Pentecost

Dear Friends in Christ -

The season of Easter has passed without many posts on this blog. Ironically, for St. Paul's the season of Resurrection has meant many, many funerals and many, many visits to people who are elderly or ill, including my own parents. Time does fly - when we're having fun and when we're tending to things that are urgent and important.

I'm hoping that tomorrow's celebration of Pentecost will mark the beginning of a new season - not only a new season on the calendar, but also a season of fresh encounter with God's Spirit. When I talk to people and when I read the newspaper, it seems like I'm not the only one who could use a dose of Spirit goodness and power!

A song has been playing in my mind today, a song that I learned as a child:

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is peace.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is love.
There is comfort in life's darkest hour.
There is light and life.
There is help and power,
In the Spirit,
In the Spirit of the Lord.

As we gather tomorrow for worship, may we bask together in this Holy Spirit, and may this Spirit empower us for new ways of living His light in our daily lives.

Faithfully,
Janet+

Wrestling for . . . good . . . . and better . . .

"Whoever says, ‘I am in the light’, while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling." - the apostle John (1 John 2:9-10)

Dear Friends in Christ -

Osama bin Laden is dead. Today, his family and friends and followers mourn his loss; to them, he was husband, father, friend, leader. Many, many others do not mourn his death. For military and intelligence personnel, this is "mission accomplished." For people who lost loved ones on September 11th - and for all who have felt less secure since those terrible acts of terrorism - yesterday found them feeling relief . . . closure . . . celebration.

Personally, I feel a sense of relief - though I'm not exactly sure why. I don't believe that terror will end with bin Laden's death. Perhaps the relief I feel is connected with my longing for justice; now the one who killed - and gloated over it - has been killed, silenced forever. But my relief is tinged with feelings of confusion: his one life doesn't seem like fair exchange for all the lives he took.

I can't bring myself to celebrate bin Laden's death. Not because of what today's Scripture reading says; at such emotional times my heart isn't convinced by bland moralistic assertion, true though it may be. I can't celebrate because following September 11th, I spent a good deal of time as a chaplain at St. Paul's Chapel at Ground Zero. There, I experienced grief with relatives who lost loved ones, anger with fire-fighters who lost friends, and agony with recovery workers finding body parts. Through connection with these people, I came to understand the HUMANITY more deeply - our fragility and strength, our wisdom and failings, our fears and hopes. BECAUSE of my encounters with the tenderness and hardness of these people, I now see the HUMANITY of people first - and ideology, and even action, second.

Yes, bin Laden is responsible for his actions - and I do trust that he has now seen God face to face and experienced God's own judgement. That's right. That's good.

But consider this: if there was no fear, if there was no hate, none of this would have ever happened. Wouldn't that be better?

Faithfully wrestling,
Janet+

”I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

Everything is God's Grace

When the righteous man searches for the nature of all things,
he makes his own admirable discovery:
that everything is God's grace.
Every being in the world, and thhe world itself,
manifests the blessings and generosity of God.
- Philo of Alexandria

In this in-between space . . .

‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.’ - Jesus (John 16:16)

Dear Friends in Christ -

One of our parishioners sent this prayer to me this week, and it struck a chord deep in my spirit . . . There's something comforting about it. In essence, it says that we can be who we are because God is who he is.

In this in-between space of Holy Saturday, may praying this prayer bring you clarity, humility, confidence - and peace.
Faithfully,
Janet+

I thank you, Lord Jesus, for becoming a human being
so I do not have to pretend or try to be God.
I thank you, Lord Jesus, for becoming finite and limited
so I do not have to pretend that I am infinite and limitless.
I thank you, crucified God, for becoming mortal
so I do not have to try to make myself immortal.
I thank you, Lord Jesus, for becoming inferior
so I do not have to pretend that I am superior to anyone.
I thank you for being crucified outside the walls,
for being expelled and excluded like the sinners and outcasts,
so you can meet me where I feel that I am,
always outside the walls of worthiness. Amen.

-- Richard Rohr, Hope Against Darkness, p. 38

The End of the Story

"It is finished." - Jesus (John 19:28-30)

"The infinite beauty of God is constantly being discovered anew." - Gregory of Nyssa

Dear Friends in Christ -

The story we hear on this Good Friday is old to us: we've heard it over and over again. We come to it again in sadness, in curiosity, in hope, in wonder. We come to this story again because it is powerful to us.

Though they don't know it, my children watch their favorite movies over and over again for the same reason. They bask in the power - and comfort - of seeing the bad guys lose and the good guys win.

HOW we come to these stories makes all the difference. My children come to their favorite movies as if they had never seen them before, with fresh eyes and open hearts, ready to say "take that!" when the bad guys are vanquished and to cheer "yeahhhh!" when the princess is saved. Are your eyes ready to see something new? Is your heart open to experiencing this story afresh?

The end of this story is just the beginning . . . .
Faithfully waiting for the end
and the beginning,
Janet+

Examine yourselves . . .

"Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup." - 1 Corinthians 11:28

Dear Friends in Christ -

By this point in Holy Week, I've done it all. Yelled at my adorable kids. Ignored my loving husband. Shouted unkind words at people "in my way" in traffic. Lied to myself and others . . . by not being sober about my finitude and overextending. Watch out. Cheating and stealing could be next. At this point in Holy Week I know the truth: I really am capable of anything . . .

The Angel on my shoulder (the same one who was at the open tomb??) says, "OK, then. That means you're ready. Ready to let go and let God. Ready for Resurrection . . .

"Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There's crack in everything
That's how the light gets in." (Leonard Cohen)

Bring on the light!
Unfaithfully - and yet, by grace, still here with God and you,
Janet+

Jesus knows

Jesus: ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’
John: ‘Lord, who is it?’
Jesus: ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’
(exerpts from John 13)

Dear Friends in Christ -

Jesus knew who would betray him. In this scene, Jesus points out the one who betray him to the authorities: Judas.

But the reason this scene sticks in John's mind so clearly is that he realized the implication of what happened here: Jesus knew EVERYTHING. He knew that not only Judas, but also, eventually, all of the disciples would betray him. Not one of the twelve would be loyal to the end.

Jesus knew about them. He knows about us, too. He knows that sometimes we're more honest than we care to admit because we don't want to look like a goody-two-shoes. He knows that sometimes we're less honest than we care to admit because . . . well, for all sorts of reasons.

Jesus NEVER stops knowing us, NEVER stops loving us. Even when we blow it.

May that thought comfort us all as we stumble our way to the Cross this week. (And may it dis-comfort you if you're not stumbling your way to the Cross this week!)

Faithfully stumbling,
Janet+

It's amazing, really

"‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say - "Father, save me from this hour"? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.'" - Jesus (John 12:27)

Dear Friends in Christ -

As I've been preparing for this Holy Week, one thought has greatly impressed me, remained with me . . . Jesus CHOOSES to do his Father's will. God never coerces Jesus to go to the cross. God doesn't guilt Jesus into into it. God doesn't manipulate or trick Jesus into it. In spite of the fact that he's troubled about what lies ahead, Jesus goes to the cross freely because he wants us to have the what we've lost: love, freedom, peace, eternity.

It's amazing, really . . . "For since by man came death, by man came also resurrection . . . " Astonishingly amazing.

In awe,
Janet+

There's nothing more compelling than . . .

"When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus." - John 12:9-11

Dear Friends in Christ -
. . . a resurrection story. We all love them. Remember last fall when, for 69 days, we were fixated on the story of the miners trapped underground - and rescued - in Chile. Remember just a month ago, when we followed the story of the tsunami in Japan, waiting to hear about - and rejoice with - survivors and their families.

We know what death is. People around us have died. Parts of our very own selves have died - due to grief, physical injury, heartbreak, betrayal.

Our deepest longing is to live. The longing for life is so great in us that we breathe without even consciously willing it. The longing for life - abundant life - is so great that we strive not just to make ends meet, but also to make a difference.

For those who follow Jesus, this week is more than just a family gathering, a special dinner. This week, we walk again with Jesus, who died and rose again FOR US. There's nothing more compelling that a resurrection story, THIS resurrection story, the greatest story ever told.

Don't forget to share YOUR resurrection story with a friend this week. It just might bring them to Jesus. It just might change a life.

Faithfully,
Janet+

Still waving palms . . .

"They brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and [Jesus] sat on them." - Matthew 21:7

Dear Friends in Christ -

When Palm Sunday is over, I never feel like I'm quite finished. I always have the sense that I'm still standing on a streetcorner, palm branch in hand, my cloak in the middle of the street with hoof-prints on it. Jesus has passed by, and now the rest of the crowd has moved on. But there I am, still drinking it all in.

It's a beautiful scene, and I want to remember it, hold onto it: thousands of people hailing Jesus as their radiant king, waving to people from the back of a donkey.

This is it. He's the one. The Messiah for whom we have waited. The one who will save us.

Matthew, the author of today's Gospel, is so eager to impress upon future readers that Jesus really is the Messiah, that he goes to great lengths to point out EVERY prophecy that is fulfilled by Jesus' coming - including prophecies from different Old Testament prophets that say Jesus will enter Jerusalem on a colt AND a donkey.

The thought of Jesus riding two animals simultaneously brings a smile to my lips. That would have been a sight to see! And I'm sure it's not quite what Matthew had in mind. No, he was just trying to tie up all the loose ends.

But that's impossible. At least for now, not even Jesus himself tries to do it. The story has to play out - messily - to the bitter end. On the same streets where people waved branches of palm and hailed him as their king.

Faithfully,
Janet+

What is the darkness . . . ?

"I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness." - Jesus (John 12:46)

Dear Friends in Christ -

Clearly, this promise that we won't remain in darkness has nothing to do with the weather! It seems like we haven't seen the light, the s-U-n in WEEKS!

What kind of darkness IS Jesus talking about here?

Certainly, the darkness in our lives isn't lack of information; there's more of that to be had than we can process.

Certainly, the darkness in our lives isn't lack of basic necessities; we all have a roof over our heads and most of us would actually be a bit better off for skipping a meal now and then.

Certainly, the darkness in our lives isn't lack of opportunity; even if we don't have the job we would most love to have, there are abundant places where we can use our talents for good.

What IS the darkness in our lives? The chief darkness in our lives is in our own hearts. The dark corner of our hearts where resentment festers. The dark corner of our hearts where jealousy lurks. The dark corner of our hearts where fear constantly mutters 'not enough' and 'what's in it for me?'.

Jesus came not only to bring light around us, but also IN us. And if we believe that we need His light and open ourselves to it, it will allow us to put away the worst kind of darkness, the darkness IN us. Forever. THIS is the whole point of the Holy Week to come.

Faithfully,
Janet+

Getting Out of the Box

"Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was." - John 11:5

Dear Friends in Christ -

Management experts have this grid called the "urgent important matrix." It's a grid with four boxes:
Not Urgent, Not Important
Not Urgent, Important
Urgent, Not Important
Urgent, Important
(if you want to see a picture of this matrix, Google "urgent important matrix')

This past week, I've been living in one of these boxes: Urgent, Important. When emergencies arise, this is where I usually need to be. Where I want to be. Where I can often be most helpful. There's a problem, though, with camping out in the "Urgent, Important" box: the things in the other boxes don't get done!

Jesus spent a lot of time camped out in the "Urgent, Important" box, too. But after a while, he refused to stay there any longer. Healing ("urgent, important" stuff), he said, isn't my first job. Heck, he said, it's not even my most important job; my #1 job is to give glory to God.

I'm sure that Jesus' friends thought that it was a mighty darn inconvenient time for him to make a move from one box ("Urgent, Important") to another box ("Not urgent, Important"). But people - including US - never would have received Jesus' message, never would have known His true purpose, if he stayed in one box.

As we roll into Holy Week, it's crucial that I'm not stuck in the "Urgent, Important" box (visiting the sick, helping folks with emergencies, going to meetings) - but make a move into the "Not Urgent, Important" box - preparing, studying, writing . . . blogging! . . .

I have to confess that getting out of the box - even to write this blog post this morning - feels strange, and risky! I feel concern that folks I care for won't have their needs met. I feel frustration about important things left undone. But years ago, I signed on to be a disciple, and that means following where my Lord has led the way.

And I'm not the only one called to "get out of the box!" You, too, are a disciple. In Holy Week you, too, are called to get out of the "busy box" and spend some time in "Not Urgent, Important." It will save your life.

Faithfully,
Janet+

Refreshment for Tonight: A Prayer for the Morning

He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water. - Psalm 107:35

Dear Friends in Christ -

Someone at our "Adventures" study group this evening shared this prayer, which she prays every morning. It was so powerful that I asked if she would share it. She sent it immediately, so I now pass it along to you. I'll be praying it tomorrow morning, and I invite you to join me!

Blessings,
Janet+

SIX GESTURES OF THE MORNING PRAISE
By Joyce Rupp

1. Offering the Creator praise and gratitude:
Stretch your arms high and wide above your head.
I THANK YOU, HOLY ONE, FOR THE GIFT OF ANOTHER DAY OF LIFE.

2. Intentionally being aware of my spiritual bond with all of creation:
Hold arms out from your sides, a little below shoulder height. Move (pivot) to the left and to the right with your arms stretching outward toward the cosmos.
I REACH OUT IN COMPASSION TO MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE.

3. Offering my life to the Holy One:
Stretch your arms out straight in front of you, slightly apart, palms up.
I GIVE TO YOU ALL I AM AND ALL I HAVE.

4. Opening to accept what the Holy One offers me this day:
Pull your hands close together and cup them as a container.
I OPEN MY ENTIRE BEING TO RECEIVE THE GIFT THAT YOU HAVE WAITING FOR ME IN THIS NEW DAY.

5. Remembering to be kind to our planet Earth:
Bend over, reach down, and touch the floor, or better yet, the ground, if you are outside.
I TOUCH THIS PLANET, EARTH, WITH AWE, REVERENCE, AND GRATITUDE, PROMISING TO CARE WELL FOR HER TODAY.

6. Awareness of the indwelling presence of the Holy One:
Stand up, cross hands over your heart, and bow to the waist.
MAY I BE UNITED WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THIS DAY, AWARE OF YOUR LOVE STRENGTHENING ME AND SHINING THROUGH ME. AMEN!

-- From "Out of the Ordinary: Prayers, Poems and Reflections for Every Season" by Joyce Rupp

Message for today

Dear Friends in Christ -

Here's today's message from the apostle Paul:
"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Letter to the Romans 8:38-39)

Here's today's message from me:
Glad to hear it, Paul, 'cause I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment!

Faithfully trusting,
Janet+

Lost in the Shuffle?

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. - Romans 8:5-6

Dear Friends in Christ -

Someone once said that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect different results. Yeah. Well. Then color me insane, BUT trying to be less insane.

As a priest, Lent is my "busy season." So it's easy for me to be preaching deeper spirituality and reflection while rushing around like a mad woman for 18 hours a day. This year, I'm trying to shed some insanity and get different results by doing something different.

My Lenten discipline has been to practice noticing and doing beauty. And I'm striving to keep that up - even in the face of feeling like the ever-rolling stream of time is speeding up, rushing toward Easter.

When I stay faithful to this discipline of beauty, something different does happen. The cloudy noise in and around me seems to subside. I cease to feel lost in the shuffle. I can hear and see things. Today, I noticed the fresh-tilled earth in my garden and paused to run my hand through the silky clumpy damp dirt. And all of a sudden, I felt less overwhelmed and more like singing . . . "Almost heaven, West Virginia . . . country roads, take me home" . . . and smiling.

Faithfully,
Janet+

Prayer for a Whirlwind Day

"Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life . . ." - Jesus (John 6:27a)

Dear Friends in Christ -

It's a whirlwind day for me today. Happy busyness at home (my adorable young son's birthday - he's 6!). Lots of work at the church (including assisting a couple of people with serious emergencies). Errands that need to be run to keep up with our volunteer and community commitments.

When everything on my list involves working "for the food that endures" how do I find the place to touch down? Just a simple prayer . . .

GOD grant me the SERENITY to accept the things I cannot change;
COURAGE to change the things I can;
and WISDOM to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will -
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.

Faithfully,
Janet+

4/3 SERMON - Hard Work AND Design

WAY OF SALVATION: THE BIBLE AND THE 12 STEPS - Part 5 of 6

Dear Friends in Christ -

I offer you this exerpt from the sermon I preached at St. Paul's on Sunday, April 3rd . . .
Blessings
Janet+

"One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." - Man Born Blind, after Jesus put mud on his eyes and he washed them in the pool (John 9:25b)

Every once in a while, there’s something that I want to put in my sermon, even though it has nothing to do with the Scripture passages or theme for the week.

I haven’t talked about sports in church recently, so I thought it was time . . . Final Four Basketball is underway. Butler – a team from a small, liberal arts college in the mid-west – has made it to the national championship game for the second year in a row. Certainly the players are incredibly talented. Some are saying they’re lucky. A news analyst commented, “Luck is the residue of hard work.”

“Luck is the residue of hard work.”

I’m wasn’t sure that that had anything to do with our sermon series or today’s Gospel lesson, but I liked the notion that luck could be a side benefit of our hard work, so I thought I would throw it in.

Then I stumbled on an article about Tiger Woods. Remember him? He’s long been known as one of the most talented golfers in the world, ever. Part of the reason he’s so good is that he chose not to rely on talent alone; he added hard work to the equation. At a time when many pro golfers hit the course without a regular workout regimen, Tiger worked out hard. In the early 2000s, he started working out a couple of times a day, piled on the muscle, and bulked up from 160 to 185. With the combination of talent and hard work, he became nearly unstoppable.

But then we all know what happened next. Human failings got the better of him, pulled him under. Tiger himself said that he lost everything that meant anything to him – his wife, his kids, his reputation. Hard work alone didn’t get him where he most wanted to go.

All that made me curious . . . curious about the role of luck in our lives, and curious about quote that I had been turning over in my mind. I wondered if the quote was original to the news analyst. So I looked it up on Google. And I discovered that the original quote, which is slightly different, is attributed to a guy by the name of Branch Rickey, an innovative Major League Baseball executive who was famous for breaking the color barrier in baseball by signing Jackie Robinson for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Rickey was also known to be a man of deep Christian faith.

What Branch originally said is something more like this: “Luck is the residue of hard work and design.”

Ah, now that sheds an interesting light on things, doesn’t it?

Hard work AND design. The combination surely resonates with the 12 Steps we’ve been working through. God’s design is the foundation. Hard work is required to bring us into the fulfillment of that design.

As we work our way through the 12 Steps of AA, the 12 Steps of Healing, the 9th and 10th Steps are the ones we’re reflecting on today. Step 9 is: Wherever possible, made direct amends to such people we’ve harmed, except when to do so would injure them or others. Step 10 is: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

These two activities show up over and over again in the twelve steps: “admitting” and “making amends” Fully two thirds – 8 of the 12 steps – involve admitting powerlessness or wrong and making amends for things done or left undone. Holy cow! Any way you slice it, that’s a lot of work, a lot of very humbling, very hard work.

And this is where we come back to design. One of the things that’s amazing about the way God designs things is God’s fearless generosity. When God designed all things in the beginning, he designed them beautiful and full. He poured all of his own goodness into it – power and beauty and knowledge - without concern for what might go wrong. He made man and woman in his own image, sharing with them, granting them god-like powers – free will, creativity, love.

Indeed, God knew even then, that things could – and would – go badly wrong. But his design had space for that, too. And for a perhaps even deeper kind of perfection – redemption – experience of Mystery beyond measure – that from the ashes of disaster, glory burst forth, from death, life can rise.

Doing The Stuff You Know

"But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." - Paul (Romans 6:17-18)

Dear Friends in Christ -

A couple months ago, one of the beloved parishioners here at St. Paul's (beloved by others, beloved by me) asked me how I was doing. He asked the question on one of those days when I was looking a little ragged around the edges - dark circles under my eyes from not quite enough sleep the night before, clothing slightly askew from getting down on the floor with the kids at church, shoes clicking quickly along as I rushed between meetings. I replied, "Good, a little tired, but good!" With a knowing smile, he said, "You know, all those wellness training things we send you on don't do any good if you don't DO the stuff they teach you."

If I had a bull's eye painted on my chest, he couldn't have made a better shot. I felt humbled - and grateful for his honesty.

"He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Yep.

The main challenge in the Christian life - in all of life, really - isn't to amass more knowledge, but to live true to what we already know. If we actually DID the two commandments in the New Testament - (1) Love God and (2) Love your neighbor as yourself - astonishing things would happen.

Over the past couple of months, God has brought my encounter with this parishioner to mind many times, continuing to call me to DO the good I know to do. This week, God teased my attention back to this with the following story. May it bless - and CHALLENGE - you as it did me.

Faithfully,
Janet+

A young agricultural official was sent out by the County Extension to help farmers improve their crops. In visiting the first farm on his agenda for the week, the young official talked excitedly with the farmer about the practices recommended in a book he was offering. “This book will tell you everything you need to know about farming,” the official said enthusiastically. “It tells you when to sow and when to reap. It tells you about weather, what to expect and when to expect it. This book will tell you all you need to know.” “Sir,” the farmer said, “that’s not the problem. I know everything in that book. My problem is doing it.”

Springs

"Singers and dancers alike say,
‘All my springs are in you.’" - Psalm 87:7

Dear Friends in Christ -

The little boys at our house today for my son's 6th birthday party ran and leapt in the short spring grass like jittery little lambs stumbling out into pasture after being penned up. The fact that it was pretty darn chilly and the sun was under the clouds most of the time didn't phase them in the least. Their delight in each other and in the games they played overflowed - and dislodged my grumpiness.

I've been feeling impatient. Impatient to find the finishing touches for tomorrow's sermon. Impatient for some resolution in a couple of sticky situations. Impatient for warmer weather.

Usually, I come away from the frenzy of children's birthday parties exhausted. Today, though, in witnessing their tumbling revelry, I felt gentled, satisfied to be drinking in the springs of beautifully good moments with a bunch of blissful little kids.

With thanksgiving for the Source of the springs,
Janet+

Oh-oh.

"'Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.’" - Jesus (John 8:47)

Dear Friends in Christ -

Heard the voice of God lately? If not . . . oh-oh. Perhaps the problem is the same one the Pharisees were having almost 2000 years ago. Jesus tells the Pharisees straight up that the reason they don't hear the word of God is that they're "not from God."

How is it that people seeking so hard after God that they became religious leaders, people "made in the image of God", could end up "not from God"?

Somewhere deep inside me a voice replies . . .
"Inch by inch
day by day
slipped a little
off the path
and lost my way."

There are so many destructions (oops - I meant to type distractions - or did I?) all around. Right things can turn out wrong, good things can turn out bad if they're set in incorrect framework, lived out of proportion. And then it's as if someone put earplugs in for us when we weren't looking, and . . . silence. It's as if God isn't speaking anymore.

Oh-oh.

God is always speaking. So if we can't hear Him, the problem is with us, in us. The way to get the cotton out of our ears? Do something we know God has been telling us to do. Any little thing, any bit of faithfulness will start the process.

Though we're sometimes afraid to hear God, it's GOOD to hear his voice. And the absence of it: deadly.

Faithfully striving to hear,
Janet+

Encountering the Word

"‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’" - Jesus (John 8:31b-32)

Dear Friends in Christ -

My experience of reading the Scriptures today was as blah and grey as the weather outside. While I'm hearing Jesus say, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples . . .", I'm feeling less like a disciple and more like a squirrelly second-grader itching to go out to recess!

So what to do, what to do . . . ???

Well, what I needed today - and many days - was to read God's word and then to find a place to encounter truth "with skin on." Places I reliably find incarnation that helps me hear God's Word afresh:
The rhythm of poetry or the melody of song
A super-sqeezy hug from one of my kids
Touching nature - with my feet or my hands
Giving a kind word to someone in need

And . . . today . . . today, I encountered Goodness in a delicious little book, a book that's a rhymed blessing from a father to his daughter. Here's one of my favorite lines . . .

"[Keep her from]Dull days at fourty,
false friends at fifteen -
let her have brave days
and truth,
Let her go places
that we've never been,
trust and delight
in her youth."

All these things, I pray for you as well.
Faithfully,
Janet+

PS - The book is called "Blueberry Girl;" it was written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Charles Vess.

Because of love

". . . because God's love has been poured into our hearts." - Romans 5:5b

Dear Friends in Christ -

The apostle Paul knew something about suffering. In the course of his career as a missionary, he was beaten and chased out of town and jailed and mocked and shipwrecked . . . and beaten some more. But when he talked about his suffering, he didn't talk about how unfair it was. He didn't dwell on his aches and pains or quit being a disciple because of the horrible way he was treated.

There's something else Paul didn't do in response to suffering: he didn't say he enjoyed it! NO ONE enjoys suffering, and God doesn't expect us to pretend that things are hunky-dorey when they're not.

But God does ask us to be patient and to trust him while we're waiting-waiting-waiting for God's promise to unfold. What promise? His promise to make ALL THINGS work together for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28) The trick for Paul - and for us - is not to give up on God while he's in the process of getting the job done.

Paul didn't give up on God, and because of God's love, he learned the following secret, which he shared in a letter to the church in Rome:
" . . . suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope,
and hope does not disappoint us . . ."

Faithfully,
Janet+

Who Do We Expect God To Be? - Redux

"When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, ‘This is really the prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’ But some asked, ‘Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he?'" - John 7:40-41

Dear Friends in Christ -

What a great Scripture lesson to follow on the heels of Kate's sermon!

The questions raised here are such important ones: Who is this Messiah? How is he - and how is he NOT - who we expect him to be?

Some of the people I know who are most distant from God are distant because they are angry with God. Underlying their anger is a tremendous well of disappointment that God hasn't made good on his promises.

I struggle to talk with them about their disappointment because I'm so aware of their pain. Some of them have children who have died. Some of them struggle mightily with addiction or depression or another overwhelming problem over which makes just getting through the day a HUGE struggle.

God promises to be with us always, but he never promised to fix our problems. God promises to bring us Life, but he doesn't promise that someone we love won't get killed in an accident. And yes, that's confusing. And yes, that doesn't feel like enough.

Relationship with God requires us to move forward even when we can't see our Guide, to receive this day as a gift even though we will almost surely encounter loss and pain in it.

These days, I'm operating on this set of expectations:
I expect God to be perfectly good, but I expect all people and situations in this world to be imperfect.
I expect God to give me what I need to get through this day, and as He does that, I expect myself to continue learning to trust Him with tomorrow.

Faithfully,
Janet+

3/27 SERMON - "Who God Is and What God Does" (Part 4 of a 6 part series)

WAY OF SALVATION: THE BIBLE AND THE 12 STEPS - Part 4 of 6

Dear Friends in Christ -

Our seminarian intern, Kate Spelman, preached a really wonderful sermon this week. Her sermon was the fourth in our six-part sermon series "Way of Salvation: The Bible and the Twelve Steps."

Here are a couple of excerpts from her sermon. Hopefully it will stir your interest in reading the entire text of her sermon, which, along with the texts of all the sermons in this series, will be available from our parish office soon. Hopefully by the end of this week!
Blessings,
Janet+

WHO GOD IS AND WHAT GOD DOES . . .

Listen, I once heard a story –
A man, a very religiously devout man, died. And of course he went to heaven. And he gets to the pearly gates, and meets St. Peter. And Pete says to him, "Would you like to meet God?" The man says, "Absolutely!" He wants to see God face to face, and worship God like he was taught to do. So Pete brings him to a giant chicken coop, and there is God. And God is a chicken. A talking chicken, but otherwise a normal-looking chicken. St. Peter has to muck out the coop once a day. God needs some gravel to digest what God eats.

Now go ahead tell someone who missed the sermon that the intern told you God is a chicken. (And if they come after me, I will cite for them Luke 13:34 and Psalm 17:8!) But that’s not really the point to this story – and it isn’t over yet. But think – would you know God if you saw him? Would you be able to see God If he was right before you, but looked all wrong? Or would you end up saying, “This cannot be the Messiah, can it?!?” I also want to suggest that just seeing God isn’t everything. Certainly, it’s not the end of the story. Lent is about a deeper connection with God, A God who surprises us and confounds our every expectation.

The very religious man has met Chicken, that is, God, and is understandably a little upset. And he says to Chicken, “You have to send me back. I have children, I have to warn them!” The Chicken shrugs (as much as a chicken can shrug and says, “OK.” And the man wakes up in his hospital bed, with his wife and his oldest daughter standing over him. And when he opens his eyes, they begin thanking God for answering their prayers. The man has too many tubes in his nose and mouth to communicate. But he is glad to be back.

When the man is well enough to go home, he’s stewing and planning his words. The family gathers for dinner; all the kids shower and put on some nice clothes. The younger boy picks up all his art supplies from the table, without being asked. The teenage son who seems to spend all his time at his girlfriend’s house comes home for dinner. And his wife brings out the main course – roast chicken!

The man becomes so agitated he starts to get up from his wheelchair But his oldest daughter reprimands him and tells him to sit. “I have to tell you!” He yells “What, dad? What?” The kids ask. “I have to tell you about God!” He is stammering now, impatient. “OK, Dad. “ “All right” “Tell us” they all say. And he looks at the faces of all his children, the younger boy’s hair still wet from the shower, the oldest daughter looking more like her mom every day. And he looks at his wife, who put on the earrings he bought her for their anniversary last year, even though he heard her telling her sister on the phone that they’re not really her style. He looks at his family, And the man who has seen God says, “God has been so good to me. God is all knowing and all loving. Let us praise the name of the God who brought me back from the dead.” And he bows his head and leads his family in the same grace they’ve used since the kids were babies.

So what happened in that story? Did the religious man lie? Did he cover up the truth? I don’t think so. I think he told an even greater truth than he knew he was speaking.

Through a cracked windshield, what can be seen?

"He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice! Do not harden your hearts . . ." - Psalm 95:7-8a

Dear Friends in Christ -

One of my dear friends wrote the following Lenten reflection for her church. I was so touched by it - particularly by the "heart" questions she asks - that I wanted to share it with you.

Blessings,
Janet+

When the rotted-out tree landed on my car while driving to work this winter, I numbly pulled over on Mansfield Avenue, called for help, and from my seat surveyed the dreadful damage to my husband's luxury SUV. Surrounding drivers emerged, incredulously inquiring about me, and five men started hauling the tree's broken limbs out of the road so the surrounding world could resume. Despite the immense impact to the base of the windshield, precisely where my legs had been, I was 100% fine. Swiftly thereafter, repair-mode ensued. And although that uprooted day led to a whirlwind of routine frustrations that accompany all accidents, we relish in God's blessing that I am alive and unharmed.

But somewhere inside, I can't help but wonder: what if I had been hit by another car, rather than a tree? What if there had been a person to blame? How would we have treated the stranger who almost killed me and caused a huge headache with our insurance company? Would we have chosen to forgive? Would we have noticed God's blessing? I forget sometimes that people, like trees, are inherently beautiful, intricately designed through nature and nurture. Depending on how others enter my world, I may see them as lacking dimension. But I think God graced me with His tree to remind me that just as trees can rot from within, drop branches or fall entirely, people are equally susceptible to causing these kinds of accidents. And I must be wise and avoid convenient blame or even hatred when I feel wronged. Instead, I must trust that like me, my enemies have many dimensions, and by meeting them with mercy and forgiveness, I will undoubtedly unearth another one of God's blessings.
-- Lindsay Hayes Hurty (2010)

The Secrets of the Psalm

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1

Dear Friends in Christ -

Often, when I hear this Psalm, I get stuck on the first line . . . "I shall not want."

While it's true that I'm not lacking for food or clothing or shelter, I have so many wants. I want things that I truly NEED - like new windshield wipers so that I can see while driving in the rain - and things that I DON'T need - like a new KitchenAid mixer to replace a 40-year-old hand-me-down mixer that still works.

Deeper than that, I have these other wants . . . longings for forward progress in so many areas of my life. Longings for safety for my kids and peace in the world.

As I've prayed this Psalm over and over today, one of its secrets unlocked. The first word in each of the next four phrases is the key. "HE makes me to lie down in green pastures; HE leads me beside still waters; HE restores my soul. HE leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."

Ah, yes. When I bring my whole self to my Shepherd, everything falls into the right order, the right perspective, the right priority. I can relax even my most intense agendas for good and enjoy God being in charge.

When I do that, another of the Psalm's secrets is revealed . . . "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for YOU are with me." Praying this Psalm shows me how prayer itself moves me closer to God. What starts out as a third person prayer, becomes an intimate first person conversation . . . and Life in His house, where my whole heart is at rest, its deepest longings fulfilled.

Faithfully resting this day,
Janet+

What made the world fall away

"O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!" - Psalm 95:1

Dear Friends in Christ -

Though the date stamp at the top of this blog post says "Friday," I'm actually writing it on Saturday. Last night, I was so excited about what was happening that I simply forgot to sit down and write.

What was so exciting? Bible study. I attend lots of things at church that are exciting or interesting or inspiring, but rarely do I attend something (at church or anywhere else, for that matter!) that really makes the world fall away.

What is it about this Bible study . . . ? Well, I think it's the no-holds-barred approach. We're tackling life's most important questions and issues head on . . . what are we clinging to that keeps us down, holds us back? . . . what does it mean to really be committed to Jesus?

I was seven years old when I first asked Jesus to come into my heart. The next time I remember praying to God to help me with my life was when I was fifteen. When I was a freshman in college, I sank to new lows and asked God to show me a better way. When I was a junior in college, I renewed my commitment to God again - and was baptized.

If I heard that story about someone else's relationship with God, I would probably be tempted to think that either: (1) The person was somewhat insincere about committing to God, so it took multiple attempts for it to "stick." OR (2) The person was pretty sincere, but relationship with God was a challenging process.

Since this story is my story, I can tell you that . . . both A and B are true! These experiences, and many more, have been occasions when the world fell away and something new in me opened up to Life, to GOD.

It happened again for me last night, and my fondest wish for you is that God finds you in this way, too - and soon.

Refreshed by His love,
Janet+

The Choice for Today

My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praises to you [God];
my soul also, which you have rescued. - Psalm 71:23

"Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgement, but has passed from death to life." - Jesus (John 5:24)

Dear Friends in Christ -

Every day, I have a choice: to hope or to despair.

The evidence for hope shows up first: the sun rises, so bright that even on days like today, when there is a great blanket of clouds between it and me, the light shines through to waken the birds, and their songs waken me.

The evidence for despair arrives close on the sun's heels: the news on the radio breaks into the morning quiet with the latest about war and natural disaster abroad, about state budget cuts and school bullying.

At a fundamental level, the evidence on both sides is "true." So then it's up to me. I have to make the choice. What will I choose to focus on? What emphasis will order my day?

God's desire for what I should choose is no secret. Joy . . . hope . . . truth . . . and He states it most clearly in the 30th chapter of Deuteronomy. He says, "CHOOSE LIFE!"

So this day, I'm not going to forget about the things in this world that are broken and unjust, painful and wrong. I'm just going to breathe God's love in deeply and work like crazy to share that love, until all creation is choosing Life as one.

Faithfully choosing,
Janet+

"Do not sin any more!"

"See, you have been made well. Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you." - Jesus, to the man he had healed (John 5:14b)

Dear Friends in Christ -

Jesus rarely comes off as peevish as he seems in this quote from today's Gospel lesson (John 5:1-18), but Jesus is completely fed up with this guy who keeps blaming others for everything that happens to him.

You might know someone like that . . . heck, some days you might BE someone like that: someone who complains about the actions of others rather than doing what you can to take responsibility for yourself, to reach out to ask for the help you need.

Jesus takes us up on even our smallest movement in this direction. Though the guy in today's Gospel lesson doesn't call out to Jesus for healing or even acknowledge that's what he really wants, Jesus takes his presence near the pool to be the tiny crack of openness required to start the man's healing process. While the guy's body is healed instantly, it takes longer for his heart to change. And Jesus sticks by him each step of the way, even prodding him firmly along when necessary.

In these days of Lent, may you have the courage to stop blaming others, to receive Jesus gift of healing and live into it, and to give Him all the praise, so that He can make you well.

Faithfully,
Janet+