Black Spruce

Black Spruce

In August of 2018 my husband Richard and I took a trip to Newfoundland.  Newfoundland was beautiful and it provided not only a feast for the eyes, but some real food for thought.  On one of our seaside hikes we entered a forest of black spruce.  There were signs up there telling us that this particular forest contained very mature trees that were near the end of their lives.  That fact in itself is interesting to me, because trees live so long that we usually don’t think much about their natural life span.  But trees, like all living things have a time to live and a time to die.

This is a picture of what the trees in that forest looked like.  Although they’re more than 100 years old, you’ll notice that they’re not very big.  Large trees wouldn’t last in this coastal area because the soil isn’t very deep.  The trees look old, though.  They’re a bit ragged and gnarled -- and nearing the end of their lives.  Usually, a forest is populated by trees at varying stages of life.  This diversity of ages ensures the continuation of whatever species of tree is dominating the forest.  In this forest, all the trees are mature.  Because it lacks the diversity it needs, when these black spruce trees die, the make-up of the forest is uncertain.  Park scientists don’t know what the area will look like, but they don’t think that this space will be a black spruce forest in the future.

So, why is this forest populated by only mature spruce?  Well, it’s because the forest has been undisturbed.  Disruption creates conditions that allow for new growth.   Disturbance creates renewal. Over time, soil is buried beneath a thick organic layer.  For new growth to occur, the soil needs to be exposed.    It needs a disturbance.  Natural disturbances are things like fire, wind, and insects. 

Wind disturbance opens up the forest canopy and lets sunlight in.  In the sun, new growth begins.  Seeds that are present in the soil or blow into the area with wind are now able to take root and start growing.  Sometimes wind knocks trees down.  We’ve certainly seen plenty of that in southern Virginia in the last few years.  If you’re like me, when you see a tree that’s fallen over you think, “Oh, that’s too bad.”  But, once a fallen tree makes contact with the ground, the process of decomposition starts.  As a tree decays, it releases nutrients back into the soil.  While it’s very inconvenient when a tree falls in your yard – especially when it takes out some power lines, in forests, toppled trees are a healthy part of the life cycle.

While in the past, fire was considered a destructive force that had to be extinguished, attitudes have changed.  An absence of fire creates a forest dominated by old trees.  Now, when fires occur naturally in the national parks, they are allowed to burn --  at least for a while.  Sometimes “prescribed burning”  is used to restore health to a forest that has been undisturbed for too long.  Fire is a natural disturbance that plays a vital role in the regeneration of forests.  Frequent fires create patches of forest diverse in species, structure and age.  Fire also creates a habitat suitable for a variety of animals.

Yeah, yeah, yeah…And?  Well, the black spruce forest came into my mind this morning as I was meditating.  COVID-19 is a disturbance that has been sent into our forest.

COVID-19 has brought illness, death, and loads of stress.  Stress, tension, and conflict are typically viewed in mostly negative terms.  No one likes to feel these things, but tension, is not only inevitable, it’s a potential source for good.  In fact, it may be more accurate to say that some form of stress is required for the good.  So, when I’m feeling stressed and tempted to fight against the disruption this strange time brings, maybe I can change my mind and embrace it.  Rather than giving in to frustration, maybe I can surrender to this unique opportunity for growth.  Maybe rather then wondering how long this will last, I can pay attention to what’s happening in my life and in community and look for evidence of God at work.

In Ephesians 5, Paul urges believers to redeem the time. “¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” The word for time in this passage is Kairos, and rather than the time on the calendar or clock, Kairos is a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action : the opportune and decisive moment. Think of a pregnant lady ready to give birth.   Make the most of every opportunity, Paul says.  Don’t be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.  Romans 12 echoes this idea.  Paul says that as we submit to God’s transforming work in our lives, we’re able to “test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”   The times are so urgent, so pregnant with possibilities for redemption and transformation, that we can’t afford to miss it. 

In Ephesians 5:18 Paul urges believers to be filled with the Spirit.  Can you think of two metaphors for the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures?  Wind and fire!  Forests need the natural disturbances of wind and fire.  We need the supernatural action of the Holy Spirit in our lives and communities.  The Holy Spirit stirs us up – disturbs our soil so that new growth happens. 

This is an opportune time to discern the will of the Lord.  As we embrace the disruptive action of the Holy Spirit in our lives – individually, and as a community , the Lord will infuse us with new life and growth – and perhaps a renewed sense of vocation to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ.  May God grant us – the community that is Reformed and always being reformed - His grace as we move into the future.

Here’s a benediction – again from Ephesians (chapter 3):

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family^] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, ¹⁷ and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

It Beats the Alternative?

One of my employees had a birthday this week, and sent me a text asking for the day off.  When I responded with wishes for a great birthday - and day off, he shared that he found aging a bit depressing.  I answered quickly that aging beats the alternative.

I've meditated on my easy - downright glib - response this week.  Does aging beat the alternative?  I guess the answer to that question depends on what happens when we die.  If you're a person who believes that death = extinction, then you probably want to have as many birthdays as possible, whatever your quality of life.

I remember when my grandmother turned 80.  She was convinced that she would be going home to be the Lord that year (in fact she lived nine more years).  By 80 she had already outlived most of her friends and family.  Though today 80 doesn't seem so very old, in the 1970's most folks who were 80 didn't get around very well or very much.  She was stuck at home without the prospect of the variety of experience most of us enjoy... and that was her reality for the rest of her earthly life.  The alternative sounded pretty good to her.  

Before I was a follower of Christ, I feared the extinction of death.  It was terrifying to believe that I would be here one moment, and cease to exist in another.  It never occurred to me at that time that the very abhorrence of the idea of extinction pointed to the fact that we were made to live eternally.

If you're a Christian, you understand life as a journey toward heaven - life eternally with God.  In the Christian world view, humans are created for life, and in the "hereafter" will continue living - some with God, and some eternally separated from Him.

But in the Christian world view life eternal is also much more than life in the hereafter.  A great deal of Jesus' teaching concerned the Kingdom of God, and he made it clear that the Kingdom is a present reality as well as a yet-to-come promise.  Life in the Kingdom is one of great variety and delight -- even if you're stuck at home like my grandmother was.  It is an existence charged with meaning, and the enjoyment of the unconditional love of God.

When you get right down to it, aging (more birthdays) or the "alternative" is all of a piece in the Kingdom.  Maybe that's why those closest to the Kingdom live with so much peace and joy.

Inscrutable

For several weeks at church we looked at the Scot's Confession.  Even more than the sermon's preached, saying the first part of the confession during the liturgy, has had me pondering the word 'inscrutable'.  Merriam Webster defines inscrutable as, not readily interpreted, investigated or understood -- mysterious.  Here's what the Scot's Confession says:

"We confess and acknowledge one God alone, to whom alone we must

cleave, whom alone we must serve, whom only we must worship, and in

whom alone we put our trust. Who is eternal, infinite, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invisible; one in substance and yet distinct

in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. By whom we

confess and believe all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible,

to have been created, to be retained in their being, and to be ruled and

guided by his inscrutable providence for such end as his eternal wisdom,

goodness, and justice have appointed, and to the manifestation of his own

glory." Now you may be thinking with all of that theology packed into a paragraph, you're focusing on the word inscrutable?  Yes.  Only God knows why :)

We live in an age where we assume that everything can be analyzed and understood.  Inscrutability is anathema.  We are very quick to make a judgment and declare something good or bad, glorious or tragic.  Experts that run the gamut of the political and philosophical (or religious) spectrum weigh in on  trajectories and ripple effects, and where the world is headed.  The mysteriousness of God's providence rarely if ever gets mentioned, even by Christians.  This is the age of known quantities and outcomes.  Or is it?

Beyond the philosophical reasons that it's not fashionable to talk about the inscrutable providence of God, there is a fear that trusting in a providence that we do not understand will lead to inaction.  If the world is guided incomprehensibly by God, then isn't whatever is going on God's will?  Do good people, and especially Christians still need to take action?  Common sense as well as history answers that question.  We work in partnership with God - following where the Holy Spirit leads - with an awareness that we do not understand everything. 

Doesn't inscrutability make the world a scarier place?  The world is already pretty scary on its own.  The Scot's Confession elaborates a little here.   God's providence leads to ends appointed by His wisdom, goodness and justice - and a manifestation of His glory.  If you want to know what that wisdom, goodness, and justice looks like, read the Gospels.  Jesus is the personification of all of those qualities. 

Great Expectations -- Palm Sunday 2018

          A couple of years ago my husband, daughter and I were in South America on a mission trip.  While working on an animal shelter, I fell off a ladder and broke my wrist.  When the doctor in Medellín told us that I would require surgery, we decided to fly home for treatment.  We needed to move our flight up about four days, and I expected a big hassle from Delta.  Much to my surprise and delight, Delta expressed concern and changed our tickets – apologizing that they could only get us as far as Atlanta.  Their response made me a Delta fan and promoter.   I got much better treatment from them than I expected.  Can you think of a time when your expectations were exceeded – when you were blown away by a company’s service or a friend’s kindness?  Maybe even stunned by the kindness of a stranger?  It’s an amazing feeling when you get more than you expected isn’t it?

            As delighted as we are when our expectations are met or exceeded, though, sometimes the opposite happens.  We can all probably recount times when we were appalled at the treatment we received as a customer, a friend, maybe the undeserved mistreatment of a stranger.  Or how about when our family disappoints us?  Or the church?  Or a pastor?  Did you know that there are actually churches specifically formed for people who have been “burned” by the church?   How about when we’re disappointed with God—when He fails to meet our expectations?

We know that Jesus was not the kind of messiah that the crowds either expected or wanted.  The crowds wanted a military conqueror.  They wanted the Romans defeated and driven out of their country.  They wanted a king like David who would usher in glory days of prosperity and promise.  They knew that the messiah would be someone who (like David) was a man after God’s own heart.  Jesus fit that bill – even better than David because he could heal, cast out demons, and feed people miraculously.  Jesus spoke authoritatively, one might even say with kingly authority.  Jesus was like a first century rock star.   

I want to turn and look at the passage from Mark now, but before we do I think it’s important to point out that the healing of Blind Bartimaeus occurs right before this account in Mark.  I think we often take for granted the placement of stories in the Gospels, but it is no mistake that Mark places the account of Jesus healing a blind man right before the account of the Triumphal Entry.  The religious establishment and the crowds are blind to the kind of messiah that God will send – indeed the kind of messiah that they need.  But they can be healed.  And so can we.  The Gospels were written for us.  Let’s find ourselves in the story.

Jesus sends his disciples into the village with instructions to bring a colt.  Let’s read that portion of Scripture:  “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

⁴ They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, ⁵ some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” ⁶ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.” 

            It’s interesting that only  2 ½ verses actually tell of Jesus’ triumphal entry.  Most of the story recounts the care with which Jesus has made arrangements for the event.  These verses give evidence that Jesus has planned the entire occasion in advance.   He intends to come as a king into Jerusalem – and he intends for the crowds to understand that he is coming as a king.  Jesus begins his entrance at the Mount of Olives, the traditional location where people expected that the final battle for Jerusalem’s liberation would begin.  The people are there shouting their hosannas, calling for the coming kingdom of David, and treating him like a celebrity.  But he does something unexpected in a conquering king.  Jesus rides into Jerusalem not on a horse, but on a colt – the animal princes rode when they wished to signal that the were coming with peaceful intentions.  Jesus, is coming in peace. 

And that’s the problem with Jesus.  He’s always doing something unexpected.  He could have been a great rabbi – he taught the people with incredible authority.  But he kept doing pesky things like forgiving sins and healing people on the Sabbath and hanging out with socially unacceptable people.  He fed multitudes in deserted places with very little, and the people wanted him to give them this food always – in fact in John 6 we learn that after Jesus fed the 5,000, the people wanted to force him to be king.  Here’s what the scriptures say about that incident:” ¹⁴ After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” ¹⁵ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” That kind of kingship was not his mission.  Jesus wouldn’t keep to his place in a way that satisfied the religious leaders and he wouldn’t take his place as a conquering king in a way that satisfied the crowds.  Why couldn’t he just meet expectations?

And so… because he wouldn’t conform to the expectations of religious leaders and because he would not step into the role of the militant king who would free the people from servitude to Rome, by Friday the crowds were shouting “crucify him!”  If we were unaware of the final outcome of the resurrection, this would seem like a heartbreaking ending to the story of Jesus’ life.

But we are aware that the crucifixion (according to Paul) was actually a part of God’s secret plan.  Listen to these words from 1 Corinthians 2:

¹ When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. ² For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified….  ⁴ and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive [words of] wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, ⁵ so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

⁶ Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature, but not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. ⁷ Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, ⁸ and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for, if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ But as it is written:

“What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,
    and what has not entered the human heart,
    what God has prepared for those who love him,”

¹⁰ this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

            The religious leaders wanted to maintain the status quo – to keep their religious framework – but maybe make it appealing to the masses (if  only Jesus had cooperated, he would have been so good at the mass appeal angle), but Jesus came to offer the love and acceptance of God to all, even (gasp) the socially unacceptable.  And the crowds wanted to be delivered from the oppression of Rome, but Jesus came to deliver us from a much more insidious power – the power of sin.  While both groups had expectations that they thought were a “good” for them, God had the BEST in mind. 

            And that’s the problem with us.  Sometimes we think that we know what we need.  Sometimes we think we know what the “best” outcome is.   When God doesn’t meet our expectations, we think that the problem is with Him. 

Let’s look at a couple of examples.  I’ll give you one that we can easily wrap our heads around first.  Remember that I mentioned that there are churches formed for folks who’ve been burned by the church?  Any of us who have been around in church for any amount of time know that the church is made up of – guess what – sinners!  The problem is that we expect people in church to behave better.  We know that God doesn’t just wave a magic wand over us when we accept Jesus as Savior so that we immediately stop all of that bothersome sinning.  But we can’t understand why God doesn’t wave a magic wand over our neighbors to make them stop all their sinning.  The reality is that God has purposely left us in community together with one another while we’re in the process of sanctification because he uses our interactions – good and bad – in the process of sanctification.  It becomes a problem when we expect more of others than we do of ourselves.  The problem is in our expectations.

             If only everything was as easy to wrap our heads around as that.  Here’s one that’s harder, and I offer it from my own life – but I bet you probably have some examples too.  I met my first husband in college.  He, like I, was a Bible and Religion major.  He was a smart guy, and I felt that he had so much potential to serve God and advance the Kingdom.  Once we were married, however, Mike had no interest in following Jesus, in going to church, or anything remotely related to discipleship.  This is before people were saying, “Wait, what?!”  But that was my response.  Along with many other issues – believe it or not – the Lord became a big bone of contention in our marriage.  After 17 years, we finally split.  I prayed countless prayers for Mike during our marriage,  but they seemed to hit to ceiling and go nowhere. 

            BUT… in the process of getting counseling after our split, Mike turned around.  He renewed his relationship with the Lord, and began to follow Him wholeheartedly.  His life was transformed.  He met a wonderful woman who had been wounded by her husband, and their love brought healing into her life.  He became a better father, consciously trying to encourage our two kids.  He was a volunteer counselor, signed on with God’s Pit Crew, played the drums at church…  And after only a couple of years got bone cancer.  He fought it for 2 ½ years, but in the end succumbed.  Wait, what?! 

            All of that potential.  A new wife.  Two young adolescent children.  Now, please understand… I firmly believe that to live is Christ and to die is gain.  Mike actually went to his reward.  But what about all of that potential to build the Kingdome, what about his new wife Debbie, what about Olivia and Alex – what about me?  It’s hard to understand God’s economy. 

In fact, the longer I live the more I’m convinced that the only story we have any hope of understanding even a little is our own.  Mike is in heaven.  Somehow, though the loss of their father will feature into the story of redemption for Olivia and Alex.  Somehow, the loss of her new husband will feature in the story of sanctification for Debbie.  And I already know that raising adolescents by myself played a role in my own sanctification process.  There is a golden thread of redemption and grace woven into the fabric of our lives.

            What’s interesting is that when Mike finally decided to follow the Lord, the Lord gave him this verse from 1 Corinthians 2 as his “life” verse:

“What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,
    and what has not entered the human heart,
    what God has prepared for those who love him,”

Usually that verse is removed from its context when Christians use it.  In fact, while I don’t know for certain, I imagine Mike received it out of context too.  But the context is important – and that context is the mysterious plan of God. 

            It’s that mysterious plan that we are all caught up in, and what’s required is trust.  It’s trust that we struggle with the most, and it’s been that way since the very beginning.  Adam and Eve sinned because they didn’t trust God’s good intentions.  The children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years because they didn’t trust God to give them what He promised.  The Scriptures are full of examples of the problems that arise because the characters don’t trust God.  When we look at our own lives, too, there are more examples that we’d like to admit of not trusting God.

              In Luke’s version of the Triumphal Entry Jesus laments over Jerusalem’s blindness:  In Luke 19 it says,  ⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”  A few verses later he says that they did not recognize the time of God’s coming to them.  I wonder how often we don’t recognize the time of God’s coming to us because we are blinded by our own ideas of what that coming will look like. 

            As we enter Holy Week, I invite you to reflect on your expectations, and on your willingness or unwillingness to lay aside those expectations and embrace God’s best.  Like Bartimaeus our blindness can be healed and we can be free to follow Jesus into God’s best.

Retrospect vs Memory

I was released from physical therapy this week – another milestone along the road to healing.  I broke my arm in South America in March, traveled home for surgery, and have followed up with physical therapy until now.  It’s fair to say that I’m in the home stretch – doing my exercises at home, and feeling significantly better.

The surgeon that operated on my wrist warned that many of his patients believe that the healing process is like a race, with a prize going to the quickest healer.  I received his words as an invitation from the Lord to fully experience each stage, and determined that I would not be in a rush.  Although time has passed very quickly, I haven’t rushed the process.  Time and exercise have brought healing.  They’ve also brought a profound change in the way I view this adventure.  As I look back, I can see nothing but blessings -- a 100% positive experience.  I can still remember pain and anxiety.  I can remember being sooo exhausted from the trip back to the States.  But all of it – even pain, anxiety, and exhaustion have been transformed into an experience of growth and blessing.

Have the facts changed?  No.  The circumstances were what they were.  There’s nothing wrong with my memory.  I remember all of it.   But my view of the facts is different.  Perspective is “a way of regarding situations, facts, etc., and judging their relative importance” (Dictionary.com).  Retrospect is a contemplation of the past – putting the past into perspective, if you will.    I don’t know about you, but when things are happening, perspective is hard to come by.  For me, only by contemplating the past (retrospect), can I gain perspective – hind sight is 20/20, right? 

In March, when I was riding in the van from the farm in San Pedro to a clinic in Medellin, I knew that some kind of good would come from my experiences.  I couldn’t imagine what it would be, but I was certain that I was in the hands of an omnipotent God who loves me.  Today, I know – in retrospect – that more blessings than I can count have been given to me throughout this process. 

If you’re in the midst of an “adventure”, hang on.  Enter into the experience fully, trusting God to transform your circumstances-- and you -- in the process.  While it may be tempting to figure out the whys and wherefores right now, hold off.  Stay open.  Receive God’s gifts, and wait for the perspective that can only be fully appreciated when looking back.

No Good Deed...

My cast is off now, and typing is much easier, so I thought I'd take a minute to reflect on fracturing my arm while on a short term mission trip in San Pedro, Colombia. 

My husband and I were working to repair the roof of a shed where a pig would live.  We were probably within an hour of finishing our work, when I fell off of a ladder and fractured my arm.  Getting hurt began an odyssey of travel, surgery, and recovery.  It also gave rise to many thoughts and comments - from myself and the peanut gallery. 

As I sat waiting for a ride into Medellin for the emergency room, I thought to myself, "No good deed goes unpunished."  This is a sentiment I've  heard from several people since then - Christian and non-Christian alike.  Where does a thought like this come from?  While I can't say where the thought originated,  I can say where the thought didn't come from. It's not something the Holy Spirit was whispering in my ear. 

It's human nature to wonder "why?".  I've wondered why I felt compelled to climb the ladder.  After all, it was my husband Richard who was going to be doing the work on top.  I just wanted a little peek.  Why did the ladder fall?  Why did it lead to an injury?   I think the reason that the question "why" is so important, is because we know instinctively that events are infused with meaning.  It's good to search for meaning.

That proclivity to look for meaning can lead us down paths that are best left un-trod, however.  I've had stupid things said to me about the "why" as well as platitudes.  I've also heard things that are true and godly, but may or may not apply to my situation. 

The best response I've encountered during this adventure has been that of my husband.  He hasn't tried to figure out "why".  Instead, he's pointed over and over to where he's seen the hand of God at work.  He can recount travel mercies - plans falling perfectly into place, medical blessings - the best hand guy in Greensboro, NC being my doctor, and many more.  His list of God's blessing and provision is long, and he  recounts it well.  I think that Richard's approach is ideal. 

Sometimes God makes His purposes very clear. Other times, we find out over time what was going on, or how events led to our good and God's glory.  But sometimes we're not privy to the whys and wherefores.  Sometimes we just have to trust the Lord - without being in on all of the inside information. 

Regardless, we can't go wrong when we look for and point out where we see God's hand at work.  When our mouths are full of praise to God for His care and provision, and our minds are focused on where He is at work, then we realize that, "our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Cor.4:17).

Gotta Get Out of No Man's Land?

I learned to play tennis in the 1970's.  Although I really never had a lesson until a couple of years ago, I picked up tips from the many people I played with - especially in the beginning.  One of the big no-no's during that time period was standing in "no man's land".  No man's land on the tennis court is the space between the service line and the base line.  I was told emphatically, that just as no man's land was a place of almost certain death in WW1, no man's land on the tennis court would lead to the certain loss of the point. 

The idea was that because the ball typically lands in that space on the court, that the only way to hit the ball successfully would be with a half volley - not necessarily the easiest thing to do.

Yesterday I was at my club watching some friends play.  I'm recovering from a sprained ankle that's keeping me off the court.  One of the friends I'd been watching play has struggled with back issues that makes moving difficult.  It's kept her off the court a great deal over the last couple of years.  When their match was over she commented that one of the better male players at the club was suggesting that she learn to play in no man's land.  He told her that it would require much less running and allow her to play longer and with less effort.

She learned to play around the same period that I did and we commented that for us, it was a real paradigm shift to even think of playing from there.  She recounted a match she played against some very experienced and savvy doubles players with whom she and a partner had a knock down / drag out match that lasted 3+ hours.  She and her partner ran their butts off, while the other ladies had a much easier time of it due to the fact that they could play from no man's land.  Hmmm.

Sometimes a paradigm shift is exactly what's called for.  Occasionally that means learning a new skill.  If changing situations have you sidelined - or even partially sidelined, perhaps what you need is a paradigm change.  Maybe you've held on to assumptions that are holding you back.  You've assumed there's a certain place that's unsafe, but the truth is that you can learn to play there - even perform better.  I know this much... once my ankle's better, I'm going to take a lesson or two on how to play in no man's land.  Maybe I'll challenge some other paradigms too.

Stepping Back

This morning I was able to finish a Free Cell game that had me stumped all day Sunday.  For those of you unfamiliar with Free Cell, it's a Solitaire game which can be won every time  - yes, every time.  If you're skeptical, I understand.  I was too, but I can tell you anecdotally, that it's possible. 

Yesterday I tried several strategies to no avail.  Not wanting to ruin my record, I stepped back.  I decided to leave it until I could view the problem with fresh eyes.  This morning, I didn't perceive the difficulties that I couldn't get passed yesterday.  Hmmm.

It's not uncommon to come up against a problem or obstacle that appears unsolvable or too big to overcome.  It's a temptation to insist on staying with it until we decide we can't figure it out and then simply walk away. Often all we need to do is step back for a minute - or perhaps a little longer - and wait.

What are we waiting for?  If it's an intellectual problem we're waiting for our brains to solve the problem.  If it's something bigger, then - if we are Christians - we're waiting for God.  God to do what?  To speak or to act (which of course in God's case, is the same thing). 

I don't think I'm overstating things to say that if you're in a situation that appears confusing or that feels forced, then you probably need to step back.  Stepping back is not stepping away, although you may find that stepping away is exactly what you'll eventually do - especially if you're trying to force something that seems immovable.  However, you may also find that if you step back and wait, God will step forward and act.  What could be better than that? 

Happy New Year

My father is in the other room going through his emails.  He's opened one wishing him a Happy New Year.  As he reads it, I hear a song playing that speaks of the coming new year and the opportunity for fresh starts and the importance of pressing forward.  The tune has a decidedly optimistic lilt to it. 

Whether you're young or old, the prospect of a new year brings with it the promise of new beginnings and fresh starts.  New Years resolutions abound, and though they are often met with failure, the impulse do begin anew is a good thing.  New Years reminds us that we need to be better people - we need to exercise more, lose weight, stop smoking, be kinder, etc.

This is the time of the year when newsmen remind us of all of the tragedy from the previous year.  This is also the time of year to review our own lives and the disappointments, difficulties - and sometimes tragedies we encountered.  The end of the year feels heavy with the weight of all that was difficult.  We long for better times.

It's too bad that the secular calendar and the church year do not end at the same time.  Christians end their year right before Advent with Christ the King Sunday.  The year is capped off with a reminder that, no matter how things look right now, Christ is on the throne, and is guiding history to an end point.  When that end comes, everything will be set right. 

For those who know Christ, even now, all things are being set right, whether we can perceive it or not.  In Romans 8 Paul reminds us that all things work together for good for those who love God, and that nothing can separate us from His love.  Now that's the way to begin a year - or a day - or a moment, knowing that whatever we encounter God will use for our good. In fact, He delights in turning things upside down - making lemonade out of our lemons. 

So, Happy New Year!  May God bless us all with a sense of His presence and purpose in 2014.

A Force to Be Reckoned With - Wanda Weese Perez

Mom’s health really declined in the last year, so I’ve been thinking for a number of months about what I’d say about her when this day came.  So many things about her come to mind...  Wanda Perez was a real personality.  After some thought and prayer I believe that Mom - and the Lord would like you to hear what the Perez kids have heard from Mother’s lips very often over our life time: Live each day like it’s your last.  That’s certainly the way Mom lived her life.  I could probably talk all day long about the many ways that Mom fleshed out the idea of living each day like it’s your last, but I want to focus on three in particular:

Life is an adventure-  Mom was an adventurer.  She loved to see new places and learn new things.  She wasn’t afraid to step out and try something new.  She always told us that we could do anything we wanted to do.   After nursing school she decided to buy a sewing machine and taught herself how to sew.  Those of us who’ve known mom for a long time have probably worn something she made.  When she was a young nurse she hung out in the phlebotomy lab and learned how to be an expert stick – and in typical Wandanator fashion, was telling the nurses and phlebotomists at DRMC where to stick her right up till the end.  She could also do basic plumbing, electrical, and some home repairs.  She had lots of tools (including a chain saw) and she knew how to use them. 

Mom loved to travel.  In 1974 she took the five of us and our cousin Nick on a cross country adventure of epic proportions.  That trip was formative for all six of us kids.  She instilled in us a love of beauty and whimsy, as we stopped to see so many of this country’s beautiful places – and it’s oddities as well.  I’m known to my nieces and nephews as the Queen of Fun.  Well guys… Abuela was the original Queen of Fun.

 Sometimes adventure comes our way through challenges or adversity. Mom was game for that too, and taught us to face challenges with a can-do attitude. When we were very little she’d quote the Little Engine That Could to us – “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can – I can!”  As we grew older, she’d simply say, “Can’t never did anything.”  The challenges that Mom faced were sometimes daunting, but her resolve and her love of adventure meant that she faced them bravely, and never as a victim.  She was – as one of her friends aptly put it, intrepid.  Even at the end of her life when faced with declining health and very real limits on so much that she loved, Mom never had a pity party.

 Life is an adventure. Whether you’re out there seeking a new adventure or if life has dealt you a very difficult hand to play, go for it!   – Mom would say, “Can’t never did anything.” Face life – even the difficult things - as an adventure. Be boldly courageous, and you’ll have a lot more fun whatever comes your way.

People are important – Mom loved people.  She was genuinely interested in whomever she met.  Mom asked lots of questions – not because she was nosy, but because she truly wanted to know who people were.  She had lots of friends, and people were naturally drawn to her – especially young people.  I think that the reason young people liked mom was because she immediately treated them with respect.  She asked their opinions and took them seriously as persons.  Mom saw the humor in situations – irony and absurdity – and appreciated it with laughter.  In most of my fondest memories of Mom she’s laughing.

As a nurse mom demonstrated strikingly how important she felt people are.  Even her presence was healing, and she cared for her patients tenderly and competently.  For years she served in Employee health at DRMC.  She took that job very seriously and found herself not only nurse, but sometimes confidante and therapist.  She was always faithful with whatever was entrusted to her – whether someone’s health or their secrets. 

Over the years Mother opened her home to many people.  She cared for people in very practical ways – offering the hospitality of her cooking and friendly conversation.  There was always room for one or two more at the table.  We were often dismayed at the amount of food she’d buy and put in the freezer, but those supplies made it possible for her to offer hospitality to unexpected guests without feeling stressed out.  For mom, it was always the more the merrier.

People are important.  Mom’s life demonstrates in very real ways what it looks like to love our neighbor.  Take a real interest in other people.  Be a faithful friend.  Treat others with respect- especially young people.  Offer hospitality.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words – The Wandanator was a woman of action.  As much as she liked to chat with people, when it came down to the nitty gritty of living, she’d rather do what she believed than talk about it.  Mom didn’t spend a lot of time talking in the theoretical.  In fact, I can’t remember a single time I heard her say anything remotely theoretical.  She was a practical person.  In her mind it was fine to tell someone you love them, but it’s even better to show them.  It’s fine to have principles, but better to live them out. 

We all know that Mother loved to have her say.  She didn’t mind telling us what to do or how to do it.  Now that she’s in heaven, maybe she’d be more apt to quote from Scripture than she was before, so I thought it would be appropriate to leave my siblings and myself – and all of you- with a final instruction about being a person of action – this one from Philippians 2: 11-13 : ¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

For the last couple of years Mom was working on writing down her life story.  She only made it to the mid 1970’s, but the last word she wrote was Hallelujah.  I think that’s fitting.  We praise God for the incredible gift that Wanda May Weese Perez was to us.  We praise God for His work in and through her.  And we praise God that she has finished the race and kept the faith.  Hallelujah.

 

 

One Foot In Front of the Other

On Christmas Eve I watched Santa Claus is Coming to Town with my nephew.  It's a fairly modern classic for little kids, and it contains some great messages.  One of the songs animated is called "Put One Foot in Front of the Other."  It's sung by Chris Kringle and the newly reformed Winter Warlock.  Here are the words:

Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking out the door

You never will get where you’re going
If you never get up on your feet
Come on, there’s a good tail wind blowing
A fast walking man is hard to beat

Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking out the door

If you want to change your direction
If your time of life is at hand
Well don’t be the rule be the exception
A good way to start is to stand

Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you’ll be walking out the door

If I want to change the reflection
I see in the mirror each morn
You mean that it's just my election
To vote for a chance to be reborn

 

There have been times when someone has asked me how I'm doing and I responded, "Putting one foot in front of the other."  During those periods I generally feel that I'm just plodding along, nothing great, exciting, or noteworthy.  However, as the lyrics above would suggest, putting one foot in front of the other is not a bad thing.  In fact, it's usually the way change happens.  So... if you feel that you're only plodding along, putting one foot in front of the other, maybe you should be feeling alright about it.  Dare I say, better than alright?  Putting one foot in front of the other is making a choice to move forward. 

 

I don't know about you, but I'd like for the reflection I see when I look in the mirror to change dramatically.  I'd like to look like Jesus.  But that doesn't happen over night. It is as Eugene Peterson says, a long obedience in the same direction.  Right after Paul exhorts the Philippians to imitate Christ's humility in chapter 2, he says this: ¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

May God give us the grace to put one foot in front of the other in 2013 and come at least a few steps closer to the people God intended us to be.

O Antiphons - Wisdom

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God,
you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care:
Come and show your people the way to salvation

 Isaiah 11:1-9

¹A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
     and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
²The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him,
     the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
     the spirit of counsel and might,
     the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
³His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
     or decide by what his ears hear;
⁴but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
     and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
     and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
⁵Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
     and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
⁶The wolf shall live with the lamb,
     the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
     and a little child shall lead them.
⁷The cow and the bear shall graze,
     their young shall lie down together;
     and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
⁸The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
     and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den.
⁹They will not hurt or destroy
     on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
     as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11: 2-3 is one of the scriptures said to apply to the first O Antiphon (along with Isaiah 28:29, Proverbs 8: 1-36, and John 1:1-5).  I wonder if it wouldn't be more appropriate to read through verse 9.  Jesus came as the wisdom of God, and in his reign, all things will be put right.  Creation will once again be properly ordered and hurt and destruction a thing of the past.

As the winter solstice approaches and the days grow literally darker, the spiritual darkness of the world seems more evident. Every year by December it seems to me that the world has been sated with turmoil that has built up over the year.  It sags under the weight of all that is wrong and out of place.  Advent reminds us that all is and will be well in the Kingdom where wisdom and righteousness reigns. Come Lord Jesus!

Great Expectations

 Are you an optimist or a pessimist?  Is the glass half full or half empty?  In response to a question like that I once heard someone say cleverly that they were a realist: that there was a half a glass of water there – the full or the empty part could be left off…. 

One fairly accurate way to determine if someone is an optimist or a pessimist is to look at their expectations.  Expectations are mental pictures of the future, and they are very powerful influencers of actual future events. It isn’t uncommon to look at the life of an optimist and see very positive things going on.  In the same way, the life of a pessimist appears to be full of negative events and negative emotions about those events. 

I think that people generally get what they expect.  So if that’s true, are optimists just the lucky people to whom good things happen all the time because they expect it and pessimists those with the bad luck following them around like a shadow?    Though some outlooks are influenced by the temperament we’re born with, I think most of us begin life with great expectations.  Have you ever met a pessimistic toddler?  I think that we start out believing that we live in a sane and just universe and believe that folks will usually do what is right, and that we will ultimately be safe. 

The older we get, however, the scarier the world around us becomes.  We’re let down by the people in our lives, and events don’t unfold the way we think they ought to.  Do any of you remember the first time someone said to you, “Well, what did you expect?”  Whoever asked the question was beginning your reorientation to a world of changed – in other words, lowered expectations. Don’t count on things to work out.  Don’t count on people to come through for you. Don’t get your hopes up. 

It’s true, that if you’re counting on events to transpire the way you want them to or people to never let you down you’ll probably be disappointed. All kinds of unexpected and unwelcome things happen every day, and others will certainly fail to live up to our expectations.

I know that I sound a little like I’m contradicting myself by saying that I believe people generally get what they expect and in the next breath saying that events will likely not transpire the way we plan.  But is there a way in which both things can be true?  And could an active understanding of and participation in this truth be the secret to optimism and ultimately, happiness?

I think that David’s life is a terrific example of someone who lived an incredible adventure of faith.  Alan mentioned in last week’s sermon that David’s behavior was not always exemplary, and that’s true.  David made many bad choices.  But the Scriptures tell us that David was a man after God’s own heart. What was it about David that made him a man after God’s own heart despite his flaws?   I suggest to you that David’s implicit trust in God and surrender to God’s will is the answer.

Throughout his lifetime, David understood three important things about God and about life as one of God’s children:

1.      God is truly in control of every situation. 
2.       God is moving His plan forward in history.
3.      God is in control of David’s life.  His plans are good and can be trusted.

Our Old Testament reading this morning is a brief excerpt from the speech that David gives Goliath right before he kills him.  The entire Israelite army has been encamped before the Philistines for weeks, shaking in their boots because of the giant who comes out to taunt them daily.  When David hears about it he says, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”  David doesn’t get it.  Why are the soldiers afraid?  They serve the living God.  David eventually faces Goliath.  Before he kills Goliath, he wants him to know exactly what’s going to happen and why.  God can fight his own battles and he can use a boy to do it.

David answered, "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I'm about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there's an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn't save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he's handing you to us on a platter!"

Throughout the rest of his life David demonstrates an unwavering trust in God and in God’s plan.  The entire time he is on the run from Saul, David exercises amazing restraint and faith.  Several times he has an opportunity to kill his pursuer, but he trusts God to work out His plan in the right way and at the right time.  David realizes that God is both working out his plan for history and working out his plan for David’s own life.  As he humbly submits to how God is at work in both places, he is able to rest and enjoy the adventure.  The Psalms are full of David expounding on the amazing love, power, and plans of God.  Even the Psalms that are prayers for help or the laments contain assurances of God’s loving care.

In Christ, we can be even more certain of God’s ultimate victory in history and His tender care for us.  The final verses of Romans 8 paint a beautiful picture of what those who follow Jesus can expect.  There Paul assures us that everything that happens is used by God for our good.  In fact, the Father has our greatest good in mind: we will be conformed to the image of his Son.  Can you imagine anything better than looking like Jesus?  Neither can the Father.  Every resource in the universe will be used to make us like Him. 

 Nothing can separate us from God and his love.  Whatever happens, we can rest assured that God has us and has the situation under control.  If you’re like me, the nightly news is often a doorway to dark imaginings of what terrible things could happen.  The folks who went to the Batman premier in Aurora Colorado were not expecting to do anything but enjoy a movie that they’d been anticipating.  The night held something very different for them.  

                                                 

 All of us have known people who have faced incredibly difficult challenges that they had no idea was coming, and certainly would not chosen for themselves.  Some of us have been that person.  The difference between someone broken and bitter about their experiences of pain and those who are joyful and victorious in the midst of them is an understanding that God is in control and can be trusted to work His good plan.  Their eyes are watching for how God is blessing them in the midst of the struggle.  Paul says that in all of these things we are more than conquerors!  Those who are looking for blessing will perceive the blessing they’re being given in every situation.  Those who aren’t looking for it may only see hardship or suffering.  Which would you rather see?

            There’s a great hymn entitled Anywhere With Jesus.  It says:

Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go,
Anywhere He leads me in this world below;
Anywhere without Him dearest joys would fade;
Anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid.

Anywhere with Jesus I am not alone;
Other friends may fail me, He is still my own;
Though His hand may lead me over drearest ways,
Anywhere with Jesus is a house of praise.

So what do you expect?  Is the glass half empty or half full?  Do you envision a future full of hope and glory - or fear and dread?  I expect great things of God.  I’ve noticed that events rarely turn out as I expect.  I have no idea what will happen tomorrow - whether it will be pleasant or difficult, whether I’ll feel happy or sorrowful.  I cannot say that my life will go as I would plan it.  But what I do know is that God is in control, that He’s moving his plan forward in history, and that His plans for me are for my good.  We can go anywhere with Jesus, and expect a great adventure.

The Best Defense is a Good Offense

Many times over the past several months, I've heard folks trying to figure out how to stop some sort of negative behavior.  Usually the negative behaviors have to do with some relationship they're in.From a college student, "How can I be more positive with my roommates so that we can get along?"  Co-worker, "How can I deal with this person who's bad behavior is hurting the team?"  From a church member, "How can I deal with my bad attitude toward that very 'unlovable' person?"

When I hear anything like the above - or when I wonder them myself - I think about Pastor Joe and some very important things I learned from him.  Maybe I'd better begin by explaining who Pastor Joe is.  Pastor Joe served as an interim minister for our church for a year.  His ministry profoundly changed my life and the lives of so many members of our church.  How did that happen?  Love.  He loved us.

I don't have room on this page to describe everything in Joe's ministry that changed the way I think and approach my life.  I want to focus on one thing.  Something that struck me about Joe's prayers was the thanksgiving and praise.  Whenever he prayed with me or in a group, he spent focused time praising God for good: God's own wonderful qualities, the good things that were happening, and the good things that he saw in the lives of those he was praying for.  Though as a Christian, I'd received instruction about doing this, for most, this time of praise and thanksgiving was at best perfunctory.  In Joe's prayers it was profoundly powerful.

Praise and thanksgiving refocuses the mind and heart.  If you're praying about a difficult circumstance, and truly begin with praise and thanksgiving for all that God is doing, you're able to see the circumstance in its proper perspective.  A difficult thing is a part of the wonderful and gracious unfolding of God's plan - a plan that He is fully in control of.  We can rest assured that God's plan  means glory for Himself, and in a mysterious way is our glory too.  If you're praying for a person - even someone who may be giving you difficulties - and begin with praise and thanksgiving for that person's wonderful qualities, then your mind is refocused to view that person as a gift from God.  Focusing on the positive, changes the way you perceive the negative.

Anyone who has children can attest, that if you want a child to do something, then tell him not to... The thing you have forbidden becomes irresistible. We can't stop doing negative things by telling ourselves not to do them.  Instead, we must replace the negative with the positive.  If you are praising and thanking God for circumstances and people -- focusing on the positive -- the negative begins to lose its power.  It's hard (perhaps impossible) to continue to feel down about something or someone you've just been praising God for.  The best defense is a good offense. 

I've included in this post a picture of the front of a book Joe P. has written called An Unthinkable Marriage.  In it, Joe explains in a very entertaining and readable way, how he came to do the things he does. I have never encountered anyone as affirming as Pastor Joe.  The way he lives is transformational - for him and everyone he meets.  He wasn't born that way.  He followed a path leading to love and freedom, one that he invites his readers to follow.  I highly recommend it.

Finding What Was Lost

I had a very Luke 15 kind of experience yesterday.  My sister has a cat that she and her son love very much.  This cat (Tomas) reminds us all of the cat we had growing up (Tom - a.k.a. Amor, Amorcito, Royalty Redhead).  Two orange and white, long haired cats with very laid back personalities.  Well, Tomas had been missing since Monday.  My sister checked the Humane Society, several vets, and many of her neighbors.  No Tom.

I didn't find out about Tom being missing until Wednesday, but as soon as I heard, I began to pray.  Now you may be thinking, "Praying for a missing cat to be found?  Really?  Don't you think God has better things to worry about?"  It's true.  There are many things more "important" than a missing cat.  But in the Gospels, Jesus says that not even a sparrow falls to the ground outside of the rule of God. 

Yesterday afternoon, my sister in law, my niece, and four nephews decided we'd go looking for Tomas.  Which way should we go left or right?  Right.  Let's look in the woods nearby.  No Tomas.  On our way back, I called out one last time, "Tomas, kitty, kitty!" 

"MEOW!" 

All seven of us exclaimed.  The kids started to go crazy.  We shushed them. 

"Tomas.  Kitty kitty."

"MEOW!"

Tomas was in the back yard of a neighbor in a trap that had been set to catch squirrels.  The trap was very small - squirrel sized.  Poor Tom had been in there since Monday with no food or water.  He was very glad to see us and we were very glad to see him too.  Our short walk back to my sister's home was full of laughter, tears, and shouts from the kids, as they rushed into the house to tell my sister the good news. 

In Luke 15 Jesus tells the story of the "lost sheep", the "lost coin", and what many folks call the "lost son."  In all three parables something lost is found resulting in great joy.  The final parable in the chapter focuses on a father who never stops looking for his son to return.  It is the seeking, searching, love of the Father that is actually highlighted in all three stories, and culminates in a shocking picture of shameless love with the parable of the Prodigal Son. 

I don't think it's going too far to say that the exuberance we experienced yesterday was holy.  God understands better than we what it's like to lose something precious, dearly loved, and find it again.  The season of Lent is a time to reorient ourselves to a God who came looking for us.  The lengths He went to to "find" us are - well, I'm not sure I have words to describe it.  I only know that I'm humbled, awed, and bowled over by the love and devotion of God who would not let me remain lost.