Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Sequim, WA
I am returning home today after a great week of R & R! REST AND RENEWAL! Some good friends from my old church in Canoga Park invited me for a week in beautiful Sequim, WA. I spent each day reading and walking and reflecting. I think these pictures will tell the story.
There are snow capped mountains and beautiful clouds. The flowers in people's yards and along the road are outstanding. One day I had a wonderful 5 mile walk along a stretch of the Discovery Trail. It started along a stream and then went along the ocean for most of the walk. I could see huge slow moving freighters and a ferry that goes back and forth to Canada. Green trees, wild flowers, stark cliffs- The rugged beauty made me wonder how anyone could doubt that there is a creator.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Memorial Day Remembered
It dawned on me yesterday that I had failed to make mention of Memorial Day during worship on Sunday. My focus was on Pentecost - the birthday of the church and the miracle of the how the disciples preached in languages they never learned before. It is a celebration of how Jesus breaks down of barriers and that separate and divide people. Divisions that cause war and hate. We have a bi-lingual worship service with our Spanish speaking church members. My attention was very much focused on having a meaningful, glitch-free, bi-lingual service and I forgot the other very important holiday were celebrated last weekend.
Monday, after working in the garden and trying to find some parts for my car - typical Memorial Day activities, I thought I should do something to remember those who gave their lives in the armed services. I happened to find a DVD on the bookshelf called We Were Soldiers.
We Were Soldiers is a 2002 war film that dramatized the Battle of Ia Drang, which took place in November 1965, the first major engagement of American troops in the Vietnam War. The power of the film is in how the characters are portrayed as more than one-dimensional tin soldiers. They were also fathers, sons, husbands and brothers. This film also gives you the same feeling for the North Vietnamese troops - They were also fathers, sons, husbands, brothers and soldiers. It was an awful bloody day. The film ends with a shot of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC. They remind us of the 58,000 US lives that were lost. How many others could be added to that number? It brings tears to my eyes and takes my breath away.
Yesterday I was reminded of the terror, horror and ugliness of war. I was reminded that the Scriptures call us to be peacemakers. I feel so for the men and women that have pledge their lives and are willing to go into harm's way to protect of our country. I grieve for those who lost sons, fathers, husbands, brothers and friends in war. They were all so young. I was reminded how the draft ended the year I turn 18 and the war was finally winding down. I think of the war we are fighting today as I write this - so far away and so very real. I think of Jesus crying over Jerusalem, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, If only you knew what makes for peace."
There is a haunting song, originally written for a different war that plays through out the film. The lament, "Sgt MacKenzie", is written and sung by Joe Kilna Mackenzie. Joe wrote the song in memory of his Grandfather, one of the Seaforth Highlanders from the Elgin/Rothes area who fought in WWII. Sgt Charles Stuart MacKenzie was bayoneted to death at, the age of 35, while defending one of his badly injured colleagues in the hand-to-hand fighting of the trenches. If the song didn't play as you read this click on the title of this blog entry and it will take you to a web page where you can hear it.
Here are the lyrics in memory of those who lost their lives protecting their country:
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
When they come I will stand my ground
Stand my ground I’ll not be afraid
Thoughts of home take away my fear
Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears
Once a year say a prayer for me
Close your eyes and remember me
Never more shall I see the sun
For I fell to a Germans gun
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Where before many more have gone
Monday, after working in the garden and trying to find some parts for my car - typical Memorial Day activities, I thought I should do something to remember those who gave their lives in the armed services. I happened to find a DVD on the bookshelf called We Were Soldiers.
We Were Soldiers is a 2002 war film that dramatized the Battle of Ia Drang, which took place in November 1965, the first major engagement of American troops in the Vietnam War. The power of the film is in how the characters are portrayed as more than one-dimensional tin soldiers. They were also fathers, sons, husbands and brothers. This film also gives you the same feeling for the North Vietnamese troops - They were also fathers, sons, husbands, brothers and soldiers. It was an awful bloody day. The film ends with a shot of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC. They remind us of the 58,000 US lives that were lost. How many others could be added to that number? It brings tears to my eyes and takes my breath away.
Yesterday I was reminded of the terror, horror and ugliness of war. I was reminded that the Scriptures call us to be peacemakers. I feel so for the men and women that have pledge their lives and are willing to go into harm's way to protect of our country. I grieve for those who lost sons, fathers, husbands, brothers and friends in war. They were all so young. I was reminded how the draft ended the year I turn 18 and the war was finally winding down. I think of the war we are fighting today as I write this - so far away and so very real. I think of Jesus crying over Jerusalem, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, If only you knew what makes for peace."
There is a haunting song, originally written for a different war that plays through out the film. The lament, "Sgt MacKenzie", is written and sung by Joe Kilna Mackenzie. Joe wrote the song in memory of his Grandfather, one of the Seaforth Highlanders from the Elgin/Rothes area who fought in WWII. Sgt Charles Stuart MacKenzie was bayoneted to death at, the age of 35, while defending one of his badly injured colleagues in the hand-to-hand fighting of the trenches. If the song didn't play as you read this click on the title of this blog entry and it will take you to a web page where you can hear it.
Here are the lyrics in memory of those who lost their lives protecting their country:
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
When they come I will stand my ground
Stand my ground I’ll not be afraid
Thoughts of home take away my fear
Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears
Once a year say a prayer for me
Close your eyes and remember me
Never more shall I see the sun
For I fell to a Germans gun
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Where before many more have gone
Friday, May 25, 2007
Adaptive Change
I just read an interesting book called 90 Minutes in Heaven. It is by a man named Don Piper who claims to have been clinically dead for 90 minutes and then came back to life after having a vision of heaven. I must confess that I'm not sure what to think about his vision of heaven and that is not the part of the story that really grabbed me. What caught my attention was the story of his recovery. He had been crushed under a truck and had broken many bones. Some bones had been shattered and others were actually missing. Most of his recovery involved having his legs in a painful device designed to encourage bone growth.
Don was lucky to be alive, but his life would never be the same. He spoke of this as learning to live in a new normal. He said he could keep remembering and dwelling on what he could never do again or he could start to learn and appreciated what he could now do. His decided to discover his new normal. I was very interested in how he adapted to the changes in his life and found contentment even though his life was forever changed in ways he would not have wished on anyone.
Don's injuries could not be reversed. There was no quick fix or new technique that could restore him to his former health and life style. Don had to change from the inside out to find a new normal - a new type of health. He had to adapt to things that he could not change.
Sometimes we all face things that we can't change: death, divorce, disability and more. There is a time to mourn and no one can tell you how long or how short that will be. There is also a time to find the new normal and no one can decide that time for you either. Some one once put it this way- the journey of grief is discovering what was lost, discovering what is left and discovering what is possible. This is what I am calling "adaptive change". I think that also describes the road to finding a new normal. Jesus does not promise to take all our pain away in this life. He does invite us to allow God to make all things new.
Here's a question to dwell and ponder. How is becoming a Christian like finding a new normal?
Don was lucky to be alive, but his life would never be the same. He spoke of this as learning to live in a new normal. He said he could keep remembering and dwelling on what he could never do again or he could start to learn and appreciated what he could now do. His decided to discover his new normal. I was very interested in how he adapted to the changes in his life and found contentment even though his life was forever changed in ways he would not have wished on anyone.
Don's injuries could not be reversed. There was no quick fix or new technique that could restore him to his former health and life style. Don had to change from the inside out to find a new normal - a new type of health. He had to adapt to things that he could not change.
Sometimes we all face things that we can't change: death, divorce, disability and more. There is a time to mourn and no one can tell you how long or how short that will be. There is also a time to find the new normal and no one can decide that time for you either. Some one once put it this way- the journey of grief is discovering what was lost, discovering what is left and discovering what is possible. This is what I am calling "adaptive change". I think that also describes the road to finding a new normal. Jesus does not promise to take all our pain away in this life. He does invite us to allow God to make all things new.
Here's a question to dwell and ponder. How is becoming a Christian like finding a new normal?
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Transforming church
I'm at a Transforming Church conference in Menlo Park. It is a very full schedule, but I thought I'd blog a bit. We spent a lot of time on the Myers-Briggs and leadership styles - very good and helpful. I thought this was a local conference, but there are folks here from all over the US.
The other day I had a talk with someone about the difference between a "technical fix" and "adaptive change". I plan on writing more on this later, but it really helps me understand some of the struggles and successes at Westminster.
The other day I had a talk with someone about the difference between a "technical fix" and "adaptive change". I plan on writing more on this later, but it really helps me understand some of the struggles and successes at Westminster.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
And Even Yet Another Poem!
Poem: "The Gardeners" by Jack Ridl, from Broken Symmetry. © Wayne State University Press.
The Gardeners
In the spring she
drops the seeds, he
covers them. He
digs up the weeds.
She cuts the flowers.
She takes the blooms
and puts them in
every room. They soar
red from the tables, sprout
yellow from the shelves,
hang purple from
the ceiling, blue
from the edges of
lampshades. Clusters
of flowers sit in
tiny pots on every
windowsill, in open
cupboards, behind
the sink. He stands
beside her as she tosses
all the wilted leaves
into a rusty bucket.
This house is heaven's
door, the air gathering
the bashful smells of
blossoms, roots, cut
stems, wet dirt, new
and rotting leaves.
The Gardeners
In the spring she
drops the seeds, he
covers them. He
digs up the weeds.
She cuts the flowers.
She takes the blooms
and puts them in
every room. They soar
red from the tables, sprout
yellow from the shelves,
hang purple from
the ceiling, blue
from the edges of
lampshades. Clusters
of flowers sit in
tiny pots on every
windowsill, in open
cupboards, behind
the sink. He stands
beside her as she tosses
all the wilted leaves
into a rusty bucket.
This house is heaven's
door, the air gathering
the bashful smells of
blossoms, roots, cut
stems, wet dirt, new
and rotting leaves.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
AND yet another poem from the Writer's Almanac
Poem: "Unwise Purchases" by George Bilgere from Haywire. © Utah State University Press.
Unwise Purchases
They sit around the house
not doing much of anything: the boxed set
of the complete works of Verdi, unopened.
The complete Proust, unread:
The French-cut silk shirts
which hang like expensive ghosts in the closet
and make me look exactly
like the kind of middle-aged man
who would wear a French-cut silk shirt:
The reflector telescope I thought would unlock
the mysteries of the heavens
but which I only used once or twice
to try to find something heavenly
in the windows of the high-rise down the road,
and which now stares disconsolately at the ceiling
when it could be examining the Crab Nebula:
The 30-day course in Spanish
whose text I never opened,
whose dozen cassette tapes remain unplayed,
save for Tape One, where I never learned
whether the suave American
conversing with a sultry-sounding desk clerk
at a Madrid hotel about the possibility
of obtaining a room
actually managed to check in.
I like to think
that one thing led to another between them
and that by Tape Six or so
they're happily married
and raising a bilingual child in Seville or Terra Haute.
But I'll never know.
Suddenly I realize
I have constructed the perfect home
for a sexy, Spanish-speaking astronomer
who reads Proust while listening to Italian arias,
and I wonder if somewhere in this teeming city
there lives a woman with, say,
a fencing foil gathering dust in the corner
near her unused easel, a rainbow of oil paints
drying in their tubes
on the table where the violin
she bought on a whim
lies entombed in the permanent darkness
of its locked case
next to the abandoned chess set,
a woman who has always dreamed of becoming
the kind of woman the man I've always dreamed of becoming
has always dreamed of meeting.
And while the two of them discuss star clusters
and Cézanne, while they fence delicately
in Castilian Spanish to the strains of Rigoletto,
she and I will stand in the steamy kitchen,
fixing up a little risotto,
enjoying a modest cabernet,
while talking over a day so ordinary
as to seem miraculous.
Unwise Purchases
They sit around the house
not doing much of anything: the boxed set
of the complete works of Verdi, unopened.
The complete Proust, unread:
The French-cut silk shirts
which hang like expensive ghosts in the closet
and make me look exactly
like the kind of middle-aged man
who would wear a French-cut silk shirt:
The reflector telescope I thought would unlock
the mysteries of the heavens
but which I only used once or twice
to try to find something heavenly
in the windows of the high-rise down the road,
and which now stares disconsolately at the ceiling
when it could be examining the Crab Nebula:
The 30-day course in Spanish
whose text I never opened,
whose dozen cassette tapes remain unplayed,
save for Tape One, where I never learned
whether the suave American
conversing with a sultry-sounding desk clerk
at a Madrid hotel about the possibility
of obtaining a room
actually managed to check in.
I like to think
that one thing led to another between them
and that by Tape Six or so
they're happily married
and raising a bilingual child in Seville or Terra Haute.
But I'll never know.
Suddenly I realize
I have constructed the perfect home
for a sexy, Spanish-speaking astronomer
who reads Proust while listening to Italian arias,
and I wonder if somewhere in this teeming city
there lives a woman with, say,
a fencing foil gathering dust in the corner
near her unused easel, a rainbow of oil paints
drying in their tubes
on the table where the violin
she bought on a whim
lies entombed in the permanent darkness
of its locked case
next to the abandoned chess set,
a woman who has always dreamed of becoming
the kind of woman the man I've always dreamed of becoming
has always dreamed of meeting.
And while the two of them discuss star clusters
and Cézanne, while they fence delicately
in Castilian Spanish to the strains of Rigoletto,
she and I will stand in the steamy kitchen,
fixing up a little risotto,
enjoying a modest cabernet,
while talking over a day so ordinary
as to seem miraculous.
Another poem from the Writer's Almanac
Poem: "Family Reunion" by Jeredith Merrin from Bat Ode. © The University of Chicago Press.
Family Reunion
The divorced mother and her divorcing
daughter. The about-to-be ex-son-in-law
and the ex-husband's adopted son.
The divorcing daughter's child, who is
the step-nephew of the ex-husband's
adopted son. Everyone cordial:
the ex-husband's second wife
friendly to the first wife, warm
to the divorcing daughter's child's
great-grandmother, who was herself
long ago divorced. Everyone
grown used to the idea of divorce
Almost everyone has separated
from the landscape of childhood.
Collections of people in cities
are divorced from clean air and stars.
Toddlers in day care are parted
from working parents, schoolchildren
from the assumption of unbloodied
daylong safety. Old people die apart
from all they've gathered over time,
and in strange beds. Adults
grow estranged from a God
evidently divorced from history;
most are cut off from their own
histories, each of which waits
like a child left at day care.
What if you turned back for a moment
and put your arms around yours?
Yes, you might be late for work;
no, your history doesn't smell sweet
like a toddler's head. But look
at those small round wrists,
that short-legged, comical walk.
Caress your history—who else will?
Promise to come back later.
Pay attention when it asks you
simple questions: Where are we going?
Is it scary? What happened? Can
I have more now? Who is that?
Family Reunion
The divorced mother and her divorcing
daughter. The about-to-be ex-son-in-law
and the ex-husband's adopted son.
The divorcing daughter's child, who is
the step-nephew of the ex-husband's
adopted son. Everyone cordial:
the ex-husband's second wife
friendly to the first wife, warm
to the divorcing daughter's child's
great-grandmother, who was herself
long ago divorced. Everyone
grown used to the idea of divorce
Almost everyone has separated
from the landscape of childhood.
Collections of people in cities
are divorced from clean air and stars.
Toddlers in day care are parted
from working parents, schoolchildren
from the assumption of unbloodied
daylong safety. Old people die apart
from all they've gathered over time,
and in strange beds. Adults
grow estranged from a God
evidently divorced from history;
most are cut off from their own
histories, each of which waits
like a child left at day care.
What if you turned back for a moment
and put your arms around yours?
Yes, you might be late for work;
no, your history doesn't smell sweet
like a toddler's head. But look
at those small round wrists,
that short-legged, comical walk.
Caress your history—who else will?
Promise to come back later.
Pay attention when it asks you
simple questions: Where are we going?
Is it scary? What happened? Can
I have more now? Who is that?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Saturday, April 07, 2007
More great comments and questions!
KATHERINE WROTE:
Wow, I've never been called Kristine before. Karen, Kathleen, Kathy, but never Kristine. It's a new one. ;)I like that joke, as a way to tell people that God doesn't live your life for you. What if God's plan is for me to do something else? How would I know? Although God is certainly capable, I don't know that He has a plan for each of the 6 billion people on the planet. How does free will play into this? Does God have a plan, but gives us the time and choice to see if that if that is the path we will take? I'm interested to hear your answers. Thank you! -Katherine
Sorry Katherine - and I thought I double-checked your name too! Well, now that I go the name right, here are some responses to your questions:
How do we know God's plan and how does free will play into it?
As with many things in life it is trial and error. We learn by stepping out and walking in faith and being open to God's correction and guidance. Learning to dream God's dreams comes by learning as much about God as possible:
Start by listening more to God's word than to all the other words around you.
Read your life through the lense of God's word as opposed to reading God's word through the lense of your life.
Spend some time in Ps 37:4-8
Where it talks about learning to delight yourself in the Lord - and He will give you the desires of your heart - That is a great secret - as you delight in the things of God and do good - your desires, your dreams become closer and closer to God's dreams -
Other helps:
God often speaks through His people. Hang out with people who have followed God for a long time and seen to have a good track record hearing God's voice. Join a Christian small group. Share the hopes and dreams you think God is planting in your life with a safe, wise God-follower and see what they think. This may not always work, but it is a way God uses to confirm his direction.
Attend worship - Of course you would guess a preacher would say this ☺ but it is so true. God often speaks and confirms direction in worship.
Last but not least - PRAY: Ask God to reveal His will to you! James says that we have not because we ask not. Believe it or not God is more interested in helping you find His direction than you are! He wants you to learn to hear His voice and to follow.
Remember - I think this has helped me more than anything else. If I try to follow the clear instructions of the Bible in my everyday life-Simply do as Jesus teaches - all other things seem to fall into place.
Hope this helps!
Steve
Wow, I've never been called Kristine before. Karen, Kathleen, Kathy, but never Kristine. It's a new one. ;)I like that joke, as a way to tell people that God doesn't live your life for you. What if God's plan is for me to do something else? How would I know? Although God is certainly capable, I don't know that He has a plan for each of the 6 billion people on the planet. How does free will play into this? Does God have a plan, but gives us the time and choice to see if that if that is the path we will take? I'm interested to hear your answers. Thank you! -Katherine
Sorry Katherine - and I thought I double-checked your name too! Well, now that I go the name right, here are some responses to your questions:
How do we know God's plan and how does free will play into it?
As with many things in life it is trial and error. We learn by stepping out and walking in faith and being open to God's correction and guidance. Learning to dream God's dreams comes by learning as much about God as possible:
Start by listening more to God's word than to all the other words around you.
Read your life through the lense of God's word as opposed to reading God's word through the lense of your life.
Spend some time in Ps 37:4-8
Where it talks about learning to delight yourself in the Lord - and He will give you the desires of your heart - That is a great secret - as you delight in the things of God and do good - your desires, your dreams become closer and closer to God's dreams -
Other helps:
God often speaks through His people. Hang out with people who have followed God for a long time and seen to have a good track record hearing God's voice. Join a Christian small group. Share the hopes and dreams you think God is planting in your life with a safe, wise God-follower and see what they think. This may not always work, but it is a way God uses to confirm his direction.
Attend worship - Of course you would guess a preacher would say this ☺ but it is so true. God often speaks and confirms direction in worship.
Last but not least - PRAY: Ask God to reveal His will to you! James says that we have not because we ask not. Believe it or not God is more interested in helping you find His direction than you are! He wants you to learn to hear His voice and to follow.
Remember - I think this has helped me more than anything else. If I try to follow the clear instructions of the Bible in my everyday life-Simply do as Jesus teaches - all other things seem to fall into place.
Hope this helps!
Steve
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
At last! A comment on a sermon! YES!
I just got the following comment on my blog from Kristine about Sunday's sermon -
"I didn't understand why you clumped all dreams together as useless and non-productive.
Your example was "I'm dreaming of a million dollars, but it ain't happening."
Did you ever hear this joke:
A man, in desperate need of money, prays to God that he win the lottery. "Please God! Let me win a million dollars!"
Nothing happens and the next morning, the man prays again. "Please God! Let this be the day I win a million dollars"
Again, nothing happens. The next morning, the man prays, "Please God! I'll take a thousand dollars. Please help me."
At this point, God felt the need the need to reply to the man, "You're going to have to meet me half way on this one. Buy a lotto ticket."
This isn't implying that God will grant wishes (hence, your sermon about dreams.) But there are dreams that come true and only come true with dedication and a constant eye on that goal/dream. We should discard the unrealistic expectations we have of God and ourselves, but why should we discard the dreams of becoming better people?"
Response -
Kristine thanks for the comments! Your point is well put and I may have over stated my point - I didn't mean to clump all dreams together as useless and non-productuve. I do believe dreams are good and very important to life and growing in the things of God. I was trying to make two points - One is that there is a current philosophy that you can create your own reality by picturing or just imagining what you want. I wanted to point out that that isn't true and we do need to put feet to our dreams -like in your joke. The second point was that if we do seek out and follow after dreams that are not from God, they could affect our lives in a negative way. We can miss out on the things God is dreaming of for in our lives.
The example was:
What if your plan your dream is to own a beautiful home with a 2 car garage, have 2.5 children and maybe a swimming pool - nothing wrong with that dream - BUT you know deep inside and feel that if only this dream would be realized THEN you would be truly happy!
BUT
What if God's plan, God's dream, God's hope for you has nothing to do with working with owning a beautiful home with a two car garage and having 2.5 children and maybe a pool in the backyard?
What if God's plan for you is to work with the children of undocumented farm workers in Watsonville?
What is God's plan for you is to be a doctor - but not in San Jose or Los Angeles or San Francisco but in Malawi?
And what if God knows that only then you would be reasonably happy in this life and ultimately happy in the next?
Hope that helps… I loved the lottery joke!
Steve
"I didn't understand why you clumped all dreams together as useless and non-productive.
Your example was "I'm dreaming of a million dollars, but it ain't happening."
Did you ever hear this joke:
A man, in desperate need of money, prays to God that he win the lottery. "Please God! Let me win a million dollars!"
Nothing happens and the next morning, the man prays again. "Please God! Let this be the day I win a million dollars"
Again, nothing happens. The next morning, the man prays, "Please God! I'll take a thousand dollars. Please help me."
At this point, God felt the need the need to reply to the man, "You're going to have to meet me half way on this one. Buy a lotto ticket."
This isn't implying that God will grant wishes (hence, your sermon about dreams.) But there are dreams that come true and only come true with dedication and a constant eye on that goal/dream. We should discard the unrealistic expectations we have of God and ourselves, but why should we discard the dreams of becoming better people?"
Response -
Kristine thanks for the comments! Your point is well put and I may have over stated my point - I didn't mean to clump all dreams together as useless and non-productuve. I do believe dreams are good and very important to life and growing in the things of God. I was trying to make two points - One is that there is a current philosophy that you can create your own reality by picturing or just imagining what you want. I wanted to point out that that isn't true and we do need to put feet to our dreams -like in your joke. The second point was that if we do seek out and follow after dreams that are not from God, they could affect our lives in a negative way. We can miss out on the things God is dreaming of for in our lives.
The example was:
What if your plan your dream is to own a beautiful home with a 2 car garage, have 2.5 children and maybe a swimming pool - nothing wrong with that dream - BUT you know deep inside and feel that if only this dream would be realized THEN you would be truly happy!
BUT
What if God's plan, God's dream, God's hope for you has nothing to do with working with owning a beautiful home with a two car garage and having 2.5 children and maybe a pool in the backyard?
What if God's plan for you is to work with the children of undocumented farm workers in Watsonville?
What is God's plan for you is to be a doctor - but not in San Jose or Los Angeles or San Francisco but in Malawi?
And what if God knows that only then you would be reasonably happy in this life and ultimately happy in the next?
Hope that helps… I loved the lottery joke!
Steve
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Week Six Guide is ready!
The theme for this week is Bury Dreams– Grow God's Reality.
The disciples had dreams of what would happen when Jesus ushered in the kingdom of God. They dreamed of material prosperity, political freedom, of vengeance against the Romans. These dreams had to be surrendered, as they followed Jesus and learned to dream God's dreams.
Someone once said the problem is not that our dreams are too big, it is that our dreams are too small. Maybe our problem really is that we dream and long for things God never promised or willed for our lives. We all have dreams of how we would like our lives to be. Are we willing to bury those dreams and realize God's dreams for our lives?
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, celebrity Brad Pitt reflected on his lead role in the movie Fight Club, which is about a man who has the American dream and yet remains unsatisfied:
Pitt: Man, I know all these things are supposed to seem important to us—the car, the condo, our version of success—but if that's the case, why is the general feeling out there reflecting more impotence and isolation and desperation and loneliness? If you ask me, I say toss all this—we gotta find something else. Because all I know is that at this point in time, we are heading for a dead end, a numbing of the soul, a complete atrophy of the spiritual being. And I don't want that.
Rolling Stone: So if we're heading toward this kind of existential dead end in society, what do you think should happen?
Pitt: Hey, man, I don't have those answers yet. The emphasis now is on success and personal gain. [smiles] I'm sitting in it, and I'm telling you, that's not it. I'm the guy who's got everything. I know. But I'm telling you, once you've got everything, then you're just left with yourself. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it doesn't help you sleep any better, and you don't wake up any better because of it. -Rolling Stone (10-28-99)
The disciples had dreams of what would happen when Jesus ushered in the kingdom of God. They dreamed of material prosperity, political freedom, of vengeance against the Romans. These dreams had to be surrendered, as they followed Jesus and learned to dream God's dreams.
Someone once said the problem is not that our dreams are too big, it is that our dreams are too small. Maybe our problem really is that we dream and long for things God never promised or willed for our lives. We all have dreams of how we would like our lives to be. Are we willing to bury those dreams and realize God's dreams for our lives?
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, celebrity Brad Pitt reflected on his lead role in the movie Fight Club, which is about a man who has the American dream and yet remains unsatisfied:
Pitt: Man, I know all these things are supposed to seem important to us—the car, the condo, our version of success—but if that's the case, why is the general feeling out there reflecting more impotence and isolation and desperation and loneliness? If you ask me, I say toss all this—we gotta find something else. Because all I know is that at this point in time, we are heading for a dead end, a numbing of the soul, a complete atrophy of the spiritual being. And I don't want that.
Rolling Stone: So if we're heading toward this kind of existential dead end in society, what do you think should happen?
Pitt: Hey, man, I don't have those answers yet. The emphasis now is on success and personal gain. [smiles] I'm sitting in it, and I'm telling you, that's not it. I'm the guy who's got everything. I know. But I'm telling you, once you've got everything, then you're just left with yourself. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it doesn't help you sleep any better, and you don't wake up any better because of it. -Rolling Stone (10-28-99)
Saturday, March 10, 2007
The new lent adventure guides are on line!
Check out the Lent Adventure Blog for the latest Adventure Guide!
DARE TO BELIEVE (Stonehill/Kilpatrick)
I admit my faith is small and I’m easily distracted
My imitation of myself is poorly overacted
And the mirror shows the lines upon my face
I get to wondering if I’m one more hopeless case
It’s just so hard to wrap my heart and mind around,
This thing called grace (you’ve got to)
Chorus:
Turn off your television, shut off the radio
Listen to your own heart beating
Listen to the wind blow and
Feel the sun on your face
Fell the tears in your eyes and
Dare to believe that Jesus loves you
Dare to believe He really loves you
At times I think my prayers are some kind of delusion
And even if God’s listening, my words are an intrusion
My failures make up such a lengthy list
I think of all the chances I have missed
This penchant for self-loathing is a hard one to resist
It’s as easy and as hard as this
To accept that Love is living and real
You’ve got to step out off the edge into the great unknown
If you want to fell God’s hand beneath your heel
DARE TO BELIEVE (Stonehill/Kilpatrick)
I admit my faith is small and I’m easily distracted
My imitation of myself is poorly overacted
And the mirror shows the lines upon my face
I get to wondering if I’m one more hopeless case
It’s just so hard to wrap my heart and mind around,
This thing called grace (you’ve got to)
Chorus:
Turn off your television, shut off the radio
Listen to your own heart beating
Listen to the wind blow and
Feel the sun on your face
Fell the tears in your eyes and
Dare to believe that Jesus loves you
Dare to believe He really loves you
At times I think my prayers are some kind of delusion
And even if God’s listening, my words are an intrusion
My failures make up such a lengthy list
I think of all the chances I have missed
This penchant for self-loathing is a hard one to resist
It’s as easy and as hard as this
To accept that Love is living and real
You’ve got to step out off the edge into the great unknown
If you want to fell God’s hand beneath your heel
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Great Poem from the Writers Almanac
Poem: "The Invention of Fractions" by Jessica Goodfellow, from A Pilgrim's Guide to Chaos in the Heartland. © Concrete Wolf Chapbook Series.
The Invention of Fractions
God himself made the whole numbers: everything else
is the work of man.
—Leopold Kronnecker
God created the whole numbers:
the first born, the seventh seal,
Ten Commandments etched in stone,
the Twelve Tribes of Israel —
Ten we've already lost —
forty days and forty nights,
Saul's ten thousand and David's ten thousand.
'Be of one heart and one mind' —
the whole numbers, the counting numbers.
It took humankind to need less than this;
to invent fractions, percentages, decimals.
Only humankind could need the concepts
of splintering and dividing,
of things lost or broken,
of settling for the part instead of the whole.
Only humankind could find the whole numbers,
infinite as they are, to be wanting;
though given a limitless supply,
we still had no way
to measure what we keep
in our many-chambered hearts.
The Invention of Fractions
God himself made the whole numbers: everything else
is the work of man.
—Leopold Kronnecker
God created the whole numbers:
the first born, the seventh seal,
Ten Commandments etched in stone,
the Twelve Tribes of Israel —
Ten we've already lost —
forty days and forty nights,
Saul's ten thousand and David's ten thousand.
'Be of one heart and one mind' —
the whole numbers, the counting numbers.
It took humankind to need less than this;
to invent fractions, percentages, decimals.
Only humankind could need the concepts
of splintering and dividing,
of things lost or broken,
of settling for the part instead of the whole.
Only humankind could find the whole numbers,
infinite as they are, to be wanting;
though given a limitless supply,
we still had no way
to measure what we keep
in our many-chambered hearts.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Lent Adventure Guides
The new lent adventure guides are now ready to download. Check out the link to the right.
The Lent Adventure Blog may be found at http://lentadventure2007.blogspot.com
The Lent Adventure Blog may be found at http://lentadventure2007.blogspot.com
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Ash Wednesday
I was quite moved by God at our Ash Wednesday Worship last night. We have three worship stations that were described in the bulletin as follows:
Station One: Ashes to Ashes
You may receive ashes on your forehead or wrist as a sign of repentance and belonging to Jesus.
Station Two: Remember Your Baptism
Dip your hands in the water. Reflect on the meaning of your baptism. You might confess your faith in Jesus by reflecting on or reciting the baptismal questions: Who is your lord and savior? Do you trust Him? And do you desire to be a faithful member of his church wherever you may be?
Station Three: Holy Communion
Come to the table, and partake of the bread and wine by way of intinction. Break-off a piece of bread, and dip it in the cup. Remember the Lord's death and resurrection. Remember that He is coming again, and we will feast with Him in Glory.
I was at the Ashes to Ashes station and placed ashes on foreheads and wrists while reminding people, "You are dust and to dust you will return." It touched my heart deeply and reminded me how much I love the members of the church. I had a profound sense of my mortality and the mortality of those I anointed with ashes. We are all finite beings and each of us will return to the earth one day. I was also very moved by remembering one of the prayers from our Christian funeral service - " You only are immortal, the creator and maker of all.
We are mortal, formed of the earth,
and to earth shall we return.
This you ordained when you created us, saying,
“You are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
All of us go down to the dust;
yet even at the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia."
That prayer is powerful. We are mortal but we have a sure and certain hope in life with God beyond the grave, through Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Any comments on Ash Wednesday? Read more and leave comments at the Lent Adventure Blog http://lentadventure2007.blogspot.com
Station One: Ashes to Ashes
You may receive ashes on your forehead or wrist as a sign of repentance and belonging to Jesus.
Station Two: Remember Your Baptism
Dip your hands in the water. Reflect on the meaning of your baptism. You might confess your faith in Jesus by reflecting on or reciting the baptismal questions: Who is your lord and savior? Do you trust Him? And do you desire to be a faithful member of his church wherever you may be?
Station Three: Holy Communion
Come to the table, and partake of the bread and wine by way of intinction. Break-off a piece of bread, and dip it in the cup. Remember the Lord's death and resurrection. Remember that He is coming again, and we will feast with Him in Glory.
I was at the Ashes to Ashes station and placed ashes on foreheads and wrists while reminding people, "You are dust and to dust you will return." It touched my heart deeply and reminded me how much I love the members of the church. I had a profound sense of my mortality and the mortality of those I anointed with ashes. We are all finite beings and each of us will return to the earth one day. I was also very moved by remembering one of the prayers from our Christian funeral service - " You only are immortal, the creator and maker of all.
We are mortal, formed of the earth,
and to earth shall we return.
This you ordained when you created us, saying,
“You are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
All of us go down to the dust;
yet even at the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia."
That prayer is powerful. We are mortal but we have a sure and certain hope in life with God beyond the grave, through Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Any comments on Ash Wednesday? Read more and leave comments at the Lent Adventure Blog http://lentadventure2007.blogspot.com
Saturday, February 17, 2007
I admit it! I watch LOST
Yes, I watch LOST... I admit it! Last episode during the preview they promised that next week they would answer the top three questions that viewers have about LOST.
But what are the top three questions asked by viewers of LOST?
I think I have it:
1. What the heck is going on?
2. Really, what is going on?
3. Please! Tell me! What is going on?
But what are the top three questions asked by viewers of LOST?
I think I have it:
1. What the heck is going on?
2. Really, what is going on?
3. Please! Tell me! What is going on?
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Out of the mouths of babes...
Kids are so sweet and innocent - and the things they say so true! I got a gift certificate to a very nice clothing store where I bought a very sharp and expensive Columbia hooded sweatshirt. I bought a bright color (orange) a bit outside my normal comfort zone because I thought it might cheer me up and to tell the truth I thought it was slimming... So it was cold and rainy today and I thought I'd wear my cool, slimming new hooded sweatshirt. I walked into the living room, feeling great but all that soon changed when 2 year old Lily pointed at me a remarked, "Grandpa, are you a pumpkin?"
Anyone want a used orange sweatshirt?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Pathology Report!
If anyone was wondering - the reports were fine on the tumor that was removed! Thanks for your prayers, The Doctor also removed a burn scar that I had since I was an infant. My shoulder feels like I am wearing a shirt that is about 3 sizes to small, but I am told that it will stretch out and feel normal in a few weeks.
Monday, January 29, 2007
A very moving poem
This is a very moving poem from the Writer's Almanac radio show:
Poem: "A Boy in a Bed in the Dark" by Brad Sachs, from In the Desperate Kingdom of Love: Poems 2001-2004. © Chestnut Hills Press, 2004.
A Boy in a Bed in the Dark
Born with a cleft palate,
My two-year-old brother,
Recovering from yet another surgery,
Toddled into our bedroom
Toppled a tower of blocks
That I had patiently built
And in a five-year-old's fury
I grabbed a fallen block
And winged it at him
Ripping open his carefully reconstructed lip.
The next hours were gruesomely compressed
Ending with a boy in a bed in the dark
Mute with fear
Staring out into the hallway with horror
As the pediatrician went in and out of the bathroom
With one vast blood-soaked towel after another
Shaking his head worriedly.
My brother's howls
And my parents' cooed comfort
Became the soundtrack to this milky movie
That plays
In my darkest theatre,
The one that I sidle past each night
With a shudder
And a throb in my fist
Poem: "A Boy in a Bed in the Dark" by Brad Sachs, from In the Desperate Kingdom of Love: Poems 2001-2004. © Chestnut Hills Press, 2004.
A Boy in a Bed in the Dark
Born with a cleft palate,
My two-year-old brother,
Recovering from yet another surgery,
Toddled into our bedroom
Toppled a tower of blocks
That I had patiently built
And in a five-year-old's fury
I grabbed a fallen block
And winged it at him
Ripping open his carefully reconstructed lip.
The next hours were gruesomely compressed
Ending with a boy in a bed in the dark
Mute with fear
Staring out into the hallway with horror
As the pediatrician went in and out of the bathroom
With one vast blood-soaked towel after another
Shaking his head worriedly.
My brother's howls
And my parents' cooed comfort
Became the soundtrack to this milky movie
That plays
In my darkest theatre,
The one that I sidle past each night
With a shudder
And a throb in my fist
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Surgery
Just a quick update for those who might be wondering... The surgery went well. They removed a fatty tumor that weighed about 2 LBS! and cyst the size of a large walnut. I ache a bit and pain pills are helping. My folks are here helping me out. I get a pathology report in the next day or so, but I am not expecting any bad news. Thanks for all the prayers! They are being answered.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Poem in progress
I've got a problem
I wish I could dismiss it.
Life would be simpler if there was no meaning
But when I look around me there is no denying God.
I just posted some old pictures of myself at www.revnorman.com - you might find them amusing...
I wish I could dismiss it.
Life would be simpler if there was no meaning
But when I look around me there is no denying God.
I just posted some old pictures of myself at www.revnorman.com - you might find them amusing...
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Being Grandpa
I've been spending a lot of time with Jedi lately, teaching him the ways of the force... Here are some of the latest pictures
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
UP Ice Caves
I found this picture while I was sorting through some old papers. It is from an outing our church in upper MI took out to the ice caves on day after worship in the 1980's. 
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Grandpa's Birthday
I celebrated my birthday a day early this year with Melia, Micah, Lily, Jedi and Peter. We had a great dinner at the Hickory Pit and then went for a walk in to see Christmas in the Park in downtown San Jose. The displays were corny as usual - but we had a good time being together. Tomorrow Micah and I will be going out to see the new Mel Gibson movie. Many cards have come in from friends, family and folks from church.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
More Birthday photos
Here are some more pictures - I got a great shot of everyone watching the birthday girl.
Lily's Birthday
Lily turned 2 on Nov. 25! In the first picture she is holding up two fingers and telling us that she is two years old. She was very aware that the party was for her. She just glowed when we sang, "Happy Birthday to Lily". Opening presents was a great new adventure for Lily - she tried to very carefully and daintily unwrap each gift as we cheered her on and tried to encourage her just to rip off the wrappings. I was so happy that we could have the party with my parents, Jeff and Veronica and Veronica's mom. Lily says she really likes, "sesents" read presents. I got her a tricycle and she got lots of clothes and a big pink ball - Everything, including the cake, was very Elmo...
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Back home
I had an awesome time on my travels and I think I am finally starting to sense some healing in my life. I had a very restful healing time both in Missouri and Florida and spent a day in Georgia. I had a lot of time to read, reflect and pray. I am grieving still and I'm sure that will be part of my life for a long time, but I am feeling more confident that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am beginning to believe that I can be at peace and enjoy life again. Holidays are still pretty tough. I had a wonderful time with just my sons. We went for a bike ride and had a great dinner.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Florida
Dave and Debbie have been so kind and gracious to open their home and let me have space to read and pray. They live in a pretty little town and are right across the street from their church. This is a picture of their backyard. The picture does not do it justice - but will give a sense of the serenity and beauty that surround me. I am feeling very rested. I have a sense of healing and peace that I haven't experienced in a long time.
Great visit with Rich
I had a really great visit with Rich. Here he is out front of the church. Rich is doing a wonderful job as pastor. It was a joy to be with him, see the church and meet some folks from his flock.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Fish Stories in Assville Missouri
I'm in Missouri visiting Rich Williams. We went fishing today or I should say I went fishing while Rich sat on a log and read a book. We drove about 50 miles to a recommended fishing hole only to find out that it was closed to fishing until next week!
We found another spot where I caught 4 very small fish. On the way back we saw this sign that we just had to photograph. We just couldn't believe that there was a town called, "Assville". I had to stop and take a picture. While taking the picture I realized that the sign originally said, "Cassville", but someone crossed out the C.
Later we got back to Neosho and Rich suggested that I try fishing in a little creek near his house. Third cast I caught this wonderful 10 - 12" rainbow trout - I had to throw it because they have to be 15" to keep, but it was a great finish to a fun day. Sometimes the best things are found in your own backyard...
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Las Vegas Nights
Of all places to have a church conference! Las Vegas! We had a great time and learned a lot - we learned that you should not hold Church conferences in LV....
Does this remind you of Lily?
When I was at the Transforming Church conference in LV, an artist was painting pictures while the speakers were talking - this one reminded me of Lily -
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Challenging and disturbing poem
Here is challenging and disturbing poem I heard on The Writer's Almanac. I don't know the author - but I can't shake this poem. Check out http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org and get the pod cast!
Thoughts?
Poem: "Hard Rain" by Tony Hoagland from Hard Rain: A Chapbook.
Hard Rain
After I heard It's a Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
played softly by an accordion quartet
through the ceiling speakers at the Springdale Shopping Mall,
I understood there's nothing
we can't pluck the stinger from,
nothing we can't turn into a soft drink flavor or a t-shirt.
Even serenity can become something horrible
if you make a commercial about it
using smiling, white-haired people
quoting Thoreau to sell retirement homes
in the Everglades, where the swamp has been
drained and bulldozed into a nineteen-hole golf course
with electrified alligator barriers.
You can't keep beating yourself up, Billy
I heard the therapist say on television
to the teenage murderer,
About all those people you killed—
You just have to be the best person you can be,
one day at a time—
and everybody in the audience claps and weeps a little,
because the level of deep feeling has been touched,
and they want to believe that
the power of Forgiveness is greater
than the power of Consequence, or History.
Dear Abby:
My father is a businessman who travels.
Each time he returns from one of his trips,
his shoes and trousers
are covered with blood-
but he never forgets to bring me a nice present;
Should I say something?
Signed, America.
I used to think I was not part of this,
that I could mind my own business and get along,
but that was just another song
that had been taught to me since birth—
whose words I was humming under my breath,
as I was walking through the Springdale Mall.
Thoughts?
Poem: "Hard Rain" by Tony Hoagland from Hard Rain: A Chapbook.
Hard Rain
After I heard It's a Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
played softly by an accordion quartet
through the ceiling speakers at the Springdale Shopping Mall,
I understood there's nothing
we can't pluck the stinger from,
nothing we can't turn into a soft drink flavor or a t-shirt.
Even serenity can become something horrible
if you make a commercial about it
using smiling, white-haired people
quoting Thoreau to sell retirement homes
in the Everglades, where the swamp has been
drained and bulldozed into a nineteen-hole golf course
with electrified alligator barriers.
You can't keep beating yourself up, Billy
I heard the therapist say on television
to the teenage murderer,
About all those people you killed—
You just have to be the best person you can be,
one day at a time—
and everybody in the audience claps and weeps a little,
because the level of deep feeling has been touched,
and they want to believe that
the power of Forgiveness is greater
than the power of Consequence, or History.
Dear Abby:
My father is a businessman who travels.
Each time he returns from one of his trips,
his shoes and trousers
are covered with blood-
but he never forgets to bring me a nice present;
Should I say something?
Signed, America.
I used to think I was not part of this,
that I could mind my own business and get along,
but that was just another song
that had been taught to me since birth—
whose words I was humming under my breath,
as I was walking through the Springdale Mall.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
PandA Party
Peter and Amber both have birthdays in October, so we have a joint birthday party every year. Peter has gotten into country western music this last year, so I bought him a cowboy hat for his 32nd birthday.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Blogs are really for Grandparents
I just decided that Blogs are really all about Grandparents bragging about their wonderful grandchildren. Here are some pictures of Lily in her Elmo suit - that was too small and we had to return. Jedi in his bear suit (he came with his own bare suit). And Lily in the new toy I bought myself, so I can pull Lily and Jedi (when he is older) behind my bike.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Great New/Old Puppet Show
Micah Mann performed the debut of the rebuilt version of the old National Puppet Theatre version of Hansel and Gretel at the Arts and Olive Festival in Redwood City - He did and awesome job - the crowd cheered! It was too windy for the masking and we could watch Micah work the puppets. I was quite impressed when he used his foot to swing over a hook off that was facing the wrong direction - Imagine a puppet in each hand and a foot rising to relocate a hook off - only a veteran puppeteer would appreciate the beauty of that move and envy the guy who could do it with grace.
check out their new web site with new videos at www.nationalpuppets.com
check out their new web site with new videos at www.nationalpuppets.com
Friday, September 29, 2006
News Letter Article
Dear Church,
I have really been enjoying preaching on the Six Great Purposes of the Church. The Great Purposes, also known as the Great Ends of the Church, are a six mission statements for the Presbyterian Church USA. They were adopted around 1908 and even though the language is a bit old fashioned the direction they point us to is still valid and relevant to the church in today's world.
Preaching on the Six Great Purposes reminded me that the church is not the building and that worship is not about the people up front on Sundays like the pastor, choir or worship team. The church is made up of people who are called to follow Jesus. The worship service is about God and for God. One of the goals of the 2006 vision is increased involvement in worship and prayer. My prayer during my sabbatical is that WPC worship attendance is better than ever and that the ministry of Westminster continues to forward and grow in serving God and reaching out to our community as we equip believers to answer the call of God on their lives. I 'm so thankful for the great leadership of our session and support staff and their willingness to help make my sabbatical a reality. Please pray for them and support them in my absence. I will miss you all and look forward to returning renewed and refreshed in February.
I have really been enjoying preaching on the Six Great Purposes of the Church. The Great Purposes, also known as the Great Ends of the Church, are a six mission statements for the Presbyterian Church USA. They were adopted around 1908 and even though the language is a bit old fashioned the direction they point us to is still valid and relevant to the church in today's world.
Preaching on the Six Great Purposes reminded me that the church is not the building and that worship is not about the people up front on Sundays like the pastor, choir or worship team. The church is made up of people who are called to follow Jesus. The worship service is about God and for God. One of the goals of the 2006 vision is increased involvement in worship and prayer. My prayer during my sabbatical is that WPC worship attendance is better than ever and that the ministry of Westminster continues to forward and grow in serving God and reaching out to our community as we equip believers to answer the call of God on their lives. I 'm so thankful for the great leadership of our session and support staff and their willingness to help make my sabbatical a reality. Please pray for them and support them in my absence. I will miss you all and look forward to returning renewed and refreshed in February.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Lily Movie
I received this video in my email today and thought you might enjoy it. Click on the title of this entry
http://revnorman.com/Resources/Watermellon-little.mov
http://revnorman.com/Resources/Watermellon-little.mov
Monday, August 28, 2006
Radical Sabbatical Oct. 23, 2006 - Feb. 4, 2007
Westminster has a policy that pastors be entitled to a sabbatical their eighth year of employment. I find it hard to believe that eight years have past since I made the move from Los Angeles to San Jose. On June 7, 1998, I signed the terms of call and officially began as pastor of Westminster on August 1st, 1998. These last eight years have been wonderfully full of energy, enthusiasm, love, and joy. I have found Jesus to be very present in our common life together at WPC. I feel so blessed and privileged to serve, to follow, to laugh and to weep with the part of the Body of Christ that meets on the corner of Shasta and the Alameda. When my life was hit with tragedy, I was so thankful to be part of such a strong loving church.
The sabbatical is not in the nature of vacation, but rather is intended for career development and personal growth and is considered to be part of a Pastoral Staff member's job duties. I am looking forward to a time of rest and renewal, study and growth.
Rev. Nancy Schell and Rev. Judy Joy have graciously agreed to serve as co-pastors during the sabbatical. They are currently working with the personnel committee toward a division of responsibilities. They will work as a team, but will provide care and leadership for different areas of the church. Rev. Judy Joy will be returning to Westminster in October.
I encouraged the church to support and pray for Nancy and Judy as they take on extra duties during these months. I'm so glad to have such a great staff and I know the church will be in good hands. I have every confidence the church will continue to move forward in the vision God has given us. There is a momentum at Westminster that has little to do with me and everything to do with members catching the vision and moving forward in the things of God.
Sunday, October will be my last Sunday in worship before the sabbatical. My sabbatical will begin October 23, when I return from the 2006 Transforming Church Conference. I will return on February 4, 2007. I'm hoping and believing that the sabbatical will a time of rest and renewal to prepare me to enjoy many more good years of ministry at WPC.
Sabbatical Main Focus:
A time for personal and spiritual retreat and renewal. Oct. 23, 2006 - Feb. 4, 2007
Sabbatical Plan:
• Meeting weekly with a spiritual director for direction and reflection.
• Journaling and writing.
• Reading books about preaching, personal spirituality.
• Planning 12 months of preaching
.
Ecclesiastes 3
There is an appointed time for everything.
And there is a time for every event under heaven-
A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
The sabbatical is not in the nature of vacation, but rather is intended for career development and personal growth and is considered to be part of a Pastoral Staff member's job duties. I am looking forward to a time of rest and renewal, study and growth.
Rev. Nancy Schell and Rev. Judy Joy have graciously agreed to serve as co-pastors during the sabbatical. They are currently working with the personnel committee toward a division of responsibilities. They will work as a team, but will provide care and leadership for different areas of the church. Rev. Judy Joy will be returning to Westminster in October.
I encouraged the church to support and pray for Nancy and Judy as they take on extra duties during these months. I'm so glad to have such a great staff and I know the church will be in good hands. I have every confidence the church will continue to move forward in the vision God has given us. There is a momentum at Westminster that has little to do with me and everything to do with members catching the vision and moving forward in the things of God.
Sunday, October will be my last Sunday in worship before the sabbatical. My sabbatical will begin October 23, when I return from the 2006 Transforming Church Conference. I will return on February 4, 2007. I'm hoping and believing that the sabbatical will a time of rest and renewal to prepare me to enjoy many more good years of ministry at WPC.
Sabbatical Main Focus:
A time for personal and spiritual retreat and renewal. Oct. 23, 2006 - Feb. 4, 2007
Sabbatical Plan:
• Meeting weekly with a spiritual director for direction and reflection.
• Journaling and writing.
• Reading books about preaching, personal spirituality.
• Planning 12 months of preaching
.
Ecclesiastes 3
There is an appointed time for everything.
And there is a time for every event under heaven-
A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Church Camping Trip
I had a great time on the church camping trip. One day I caught two really nice trout.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Could this be Sunday?
Here is a poem from the Writer's Almanac. It is a very cool PBS show that you can subscribe to as a podcast. I have a link to it on my sidebar. Any way - it is about a poetry reading gone bad. But I wondered if it might not also apply to some Sunday morning sermons....
Poem: "A Reading" by Wendy Cope from If I Don't Know. © Faber and Faber.
A Reading
Everybody in this room is bored.
The poems drag, the voice and gestures irk.
He can't be interrupted or ignored.
Poor fools, we came here of our own accord
And some of us have paid to hear this jerk.
Everybody in the room is bored.
The silent cry goes up, 'How long, O Lord?'
But nobody will scream or go berserk.
He won't be interrupted or ignored.
Or hit by eggs, or savaged by a horde
Of desperate people maddened by his work.
Everybody in the room is bored,
Except the poet. We are his reward,
Pretending to indulge in his every quirk.
He won't be interrupted or ignored.
At last it's over. How we all applaud!
The poet thanks us with a modest smirk.
Everybody in the room was bored.
He wasn't interrupted or ignored.
Poem: "A Reading" by Wendy Cope from If I Don't Know. © Faber and Faber.
A Reading
Everybody in this room is bored.
The poems drag, the voice and gestures irk.
He can't be interrupted or ignored.
Poor fools, we came here of our own accord
And some of us have paid to hear this jerk.
Everybody in the room is bored.
The silent cry goes up, 'How long, O Lord?'
But nobody will scream or go berserk.
He won't be interrupted or ignored.
Or hit by eggs, or savaged by a horde
Of desperate people maddened by his work.
Everybody in the room is bored,
Except the poet. We are his reward,
Pretending to indulge in his every quirk.
He won't be interrupted or ignored.
At last it's over. How we all applaud!
The poet thanks us with a modest smirk.
Everybody in the room was bored.
He wasn't interrupted or ignored.
Monday, July 24, 2006
What Every Jedi Needs
Right after Jedi came home, Micah ran out to Toys"R"Us to be sure that he had some basic Jedi equipment and supplies on hand. You know, light sabers, Darth Vader Helmut - the important things that every Jedi needs.
Return of the Jedi
Here are a couple of Jedi pictures. They are from July 4th - I'll post some new ones soon
Friday, July 21, 2006
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I've been told that there is a certain prayer that God loves to hear and answer. I know that prayer well and I think you might know it too. But, for a long time, that has been my only prayer- "God, please, help me". There are times when life hurts so bad that we can't seem to find words for our prayers. Sometimes we are not even sure what to pray for, but we know that we must pray. So we pray, "Help me."
A few days ago, in a moment of grief, I prayed my all too familiar prayer.
"God, please, help me".
In my heart I sensed God reply, "How would you like me to help you?"
This stopped me cold. I seriously pondered, just what am I asking God to do when I pray, "God, help me." What answer or miracle action am I expecting? Do I simply want the pain to go away? Do I want a miracle cure? Do I want a lightening bolt from heaven to direct my path? None of the above were quite right. It came down one thing and only one thing. My help me prayer was really asking, "God, please make it as if these things never happened." So I adjusted my prayer. I made it more specific. I told God what I meant and what I truly wanted.
"God, Please make it as if these things never happened."
This became my new prayer.
I didn't hear a voice. I didn’t need to hear a word. I heard the impossibility of my request as the plea left my lips. I pictured God sadly explaining that He doesn't usually do that sort of thing and I shouldn't get my hopes up.
That wasn't the answer I wanted. I was hoping for some cure, some eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. I wanted to find a company or service where a trained technician could carefully erase all memories of this hurt and disappointment from my mind and heart. So, it would seem as if these things had never happened. Or better yet, I wanted time turned back and history changed. Where were the experts who could make things better? Where is the all-powerful God who can do all things? Is there any help for me? How can I ever get over this and live my life as if this never happened? Reality Check: I can't and no one else can do it for me.
I am coming to accept that what I want is not possible. It is not possible for me to change the course of events that have brought me here. It is not possible to erase these memories from my heart and mind. It is not possible for the most enlightened doctor or therapist. Whether God can or could turn back time or erase memories, I don't know. But, I'm pretty sure that God doesn't to do this sort of thing.
Acceptance of the unacceptable is where I dwell. I can't keeping asking God to turn back time and make things as if this tragedy never happened. No matter how many more times I ask, it will never happen. God has great patience, but I'm fairly sure that after awhile my request to change history would become annoying- even for God.
Enter a new way of thinking: Could I search my heart and see if there are other things for which I could pray? Things I would want, even if I couldn't have what I really wanted. So I decided to try and make a list. I didn't think I would have much on my list. Really, was there anything else I would want if I couldn't reroute the course of history? When I finally sat down and started the list I was amazed at the things that poured out on the paper. I keep the list in my wallet and pull it out often when I can't find the words beyond, "God, help me".
Things I can pray for:
God, help me:
• To know you will and do your will.
• To get better rather than remain bitter.
• To heal my broken heart/life.
• To pray that Teri might be well and connected to God.
• To help me feel the pain and let it pass rather than get stuck obsessing about the past.
• To accept that the unacceptable has happened and no one can change it.
• To be a good and loving father and grandfather.
• To be a good pastor and preacher.
• To be close to God and have a hunger for God's word.
• To learn how to be alone without being lonely.
• To love and be loved.
A few days ago, in a moment of grief, I prayed my all too familiar prayer.
"God, please, help me".
In my heart I sensed God reply, "How would you like me to help you?"
This stopped me cold. I seriously pondered, just what am I asking God to do when I pray, "God, help me." What answer or miracle action am I expecting? Do I simply want the pain to go away? Do I want a miracle cure? Do I want a lightening bolt from heaven to direct my path? None of the above were quite right. It came down one thing and only one thing. My help me prayer was really asking, "God, please make it as if these things never happened." So I adjusted my prayer. I made it more specific. I told God what I meant and what I truly wanted.
"God, Please make it as if these things never happened."
This became my new prayer.
I didn't hear a voice. I didn’t need to hear a word. I heard the impossibility of my request as the plea left my lips. I pictured God sadly explaining that He doesn't usually do that sort of thing and I shouldn't get my hopes up.
That wasn't the answer I wanted. I was hoping for some cure, some eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. I wanted to find a company or service where a trained technician could carefully erase all memories of this hurt and disappointment from my mind and heart. So, it would seem as if these things had never happened. Or better yet, I wanted time turned back and history changed. Where were the experts who could make things better? Where is the all-powerful God who can do all things? Is there any help for me? How can I ever get over this and live my life as if this never happened? Reality Check: I can't and no one else can do it for me.
I am coming to accept that what I want is not possible. It is not possible for me to change the course of events that have brought me here. It is not possible to erase these memories from my heart and mind. It is not possible for the most enlightened doctor or therapist. Whether God can or could turn back time or erase memories, I don't know. But, I'm pretty sure that God doesn't to do this sort of thing.
Acceptance of the unacceptable is where I dwell. I can't keeping asking God to turn back time and make things as if this tragedy never happened. No matter how many more times I ask, it will never happen. God has great patience, but I'm fairly sure that after awhile my request to change history would become annoying- even for God.
Enter a new way of thinking: Could I search my heart and see if there are other things for which I could pray? Things I would want, even if I couldn't have what I really wanted. So I decided to try and make a list. I didn't think I would have much on my list. Really, was there anything else I would want if I couldn't reroute the course of history? When I finally sat down and started the list I was amazed at the things that poured out on the paper. I keep the list in my wallet and pull it out often when I can't find the words beyond, "God, help me".
Things I can pray for:
God, help me:
• To know you will and do your will.
• To get better rather than remain bitter.
• To heal my broken heart/life.
• To pray that Teri might be well and connected to God.
• To help me feel the pain and let it pass rather than get stuck obsessing about the past.
• To accept that the unacceptable has happened and no one can change it.
• To be a good and loving father and grandfather.
• To be a good pastor and preacher.
• To be close to God and have a hunger for God's word.
• To learn how to be alone without being lonely.
• To love and be loved.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Melia Summer Tour Updates
For the latest news on Melia's summer tour check out her Tour Blog at http://www.xanga.com/mannsmission or click on the title of this article.
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