"In the fleeting time that we have here on earth what matters is not wealth or status or power or fame but rather how well we have loved. And what small part we have played in making the lives of other people better."
Politics aside, whether you like him or not, in President Obama's words to the community in Arizona who gathered to mourn the loss of the people killed in such a tragic act of violence he summed up truly who we are called to be . . .
As a people of faith the things that matter are not "things" but the "who" and the "how."
How do we love? How do we show that love? It is in the small things.
I have to "speak" at the clergy meeting tomorrow morning about Williamson's West. I have to share about it . . . not real sure what that means.
Anyway - as I shared in my sermon on Jan. 2, my last encounter with the these clergy was at the District Board of Ordained Ministry and it wasn't what I would call stellar. Debacle would be more like it.
So I'm a bit anxious about what to say . . .
And then I was reminded tonight as I heard the President's words . . . there are only a few things that really, truly matter. Those things are all centered around "love" . . . and how we share Christ's love.
So, tomorrow I'll share how West is a place that shares that love.
I'll share . . .
how people email me asking for prayers for their friends and family.
how this faith community that was barely two months old adopted 60 angels and supplied them with Christmas.
how 25 people came the day after the "big snow of Christmas" to clean up our "stuff" from our Christmas services so the high school could have their basketball tournament and we were finished in less than 45 minutes.
how 29 youth give tirelessly of their time to provide a WIRED ministry for kids grades 1 - 5.
how a group of women asked me to go with them to pray with their neighbor, even though we had never met, because she was waiting on a brain mri to see if her tumors had shrunk.
how amazing volunteers pulled together to create two amazing and moving Christmas services.
how even when "screw ups" happen in worship we find a way, through the power of a spirit much bigger than anything we could create, to experience the presence of a loving, gracious God.
and how even when the pastor (me) was hurling ALL NIGHT LONG in the bathroom on the second Sunday of the new year . . . "worship" of a four month old church happened without MISSING A BEAT because of great VOLUNTEER leaders and a great "preacher's wife" (HA) that pulled together to make things happen.
I am blessed beyond words to be a part of a community that shares love so freely.
Obama also said, "the forces that divide us are not as strong as the ones that unite us."
How true.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
About Me
- Andrea
- So grateful for passionate people and a passionate place in which to be in ministry . . . West is ONE YEAR OLD!!!! YEAH! And looking forward to a great year ahead . . .
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Wrong Line of Work!?!?
Sometimes I wonder if I am in the wrong line of work.
I am in Florida in seminary this week. Taking a theology class the first week after Christmas break was not the BEST of my ideas. But it is the class that is "required." It's a freshman level class that I have waited until I am classified as a senior to take. Seems I consistently do things backwards.
As I drove in this morning I was still trying to find a radio station to listen to. I finally found one that had some peppy music to wake me up and then it went into the "morning talk show."
A lady named Suzanne was fielding calls, answering questions. Now these weren't just any questions, these were questions like, "Suzanne, do you see me making a move this year?" or "Suzanne, I am having a difficult time and trying to decide whether or not to leave Florida. Do you see me leaving Florida?"
Each time Suzanne had an answer. After she gave the answer the person on the other end of the phone sounded relieved, would make a general comment of response, thank her, and hang up the phone.
I thought - "Ok, this has got to be a joke. Surely people don’t' think this is real."
But . . . no joke. The station announcer went on a few minutes later to welcome Suzanne and give her "credentials." I then decided some woman was getting paid money to sit and tell people whether or not they were going to move. I could do that! I could listen keenly to what folks said and then make a guess at what I thought they should do. I'd never "know" them so it wouldn't matter if I got it wrong . . .
When I started thinking about whether or not I would "get it wrong" and I was justifying that it really wouldn't matter (I do realize I have already spent a LOT of wasted time pondering this), I concluded that because of the answers Suzanne gave, the people would gauge their lives and decisions by that advice.
She told one woman that she was going to move in five months so she needed to go ahead and get boxes and start throwing things away she didn't want to take with her. From the excitement in the lady's voice I imagine as I sit here in this chair for the next NINE HOURS (ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh) she will be out procuring boxes and getting ready to move!
I have committed this new year to really engage in personal study and devotion time with God. No more excuses, no "I'll do it later, I need to be devoted to that now. So I'm reading the "One Year Bible - God Sightings" version by Group Publishing. There's a group of folks reading along with me and we will "blog" about it together. It's ironic the first three days of the readings point out how folks from Adam/Eve, people during the time of Noah, and even Jesus were tempted to "achieve" or "receive" more. Jesus is the only one who was not driven by greed and desire.
Keeping that in mind with the fact that some woman is getting paid money to guess people's life decisions it made me think . . . sometimes we want things so badly we will do whatever we have to in order to find the answer or receive the wisdom. Greed doesn't have to be greed of money; it can also be greed of thought or control.
(For more on this read my blog for the one year Bible reading)
I am guilty of greed of "control." I want to know what is going to happen and when. I like being in control of my "days" and my "time" and "situations." BUT . . . I am not called to be in control or worry about tomorrow . . . I am to live in today. Yet not live on my own power . . . I am to live in and for and with the power of God.
John 1 says those who follow Christ are given the right (some translations say "power") of God.
So I don't need a lady on the radio to tell me where I will be in June or what I will be doing. I've got something far greater . . . so I just need to "get over myself" and live. In the HERE and NOW!
So . . . I'll go listen to a professor talk about Plotinus for lots of hours and see what it is God wants me to take away from this.
I am in Florida in seminary this week. Taking a theology class the first week after Christmas break was not the BEST of my ideas. But it is the class that is "required." It's a freshman level class that I have waited until I am classified as a senior to take. Seems I consistently do things backwards.
As I drove in this morning I was still trying to find a radio station to listen to. I finally found one that had some peppy music to wake me up and then it went into the "morning talk show."
A lady named Suzanne was fielding calls, answering questions. Now these weren't just any questions, these were questions like, "Suzanne, do you see me making a move this year?" or "Suzanne, I am having a difficult time and trying to decide whether or not to leave Florida. Do you see me leaving Florida?"
Each time Suzanne had an answer. After she gave the answer the person on the other end of the phone sounded relieved, would make a general comment of response, thank her, and hang up the phone.
I thought - "Ok, this has got to be a joke. Surely people don’t' think this is real."
But . . . no joke. The station announcer went on a few minutes later to welcome Suzanne and give her "credentials." I then decided some woman was getting paid money to sit and tell people whether or not they were going to move. I could do that! I could listen keenly to what folks said and then make a guess at what I thought they should do. I'd never "know" them so it wouldn't matter if I got it wrong . . .
When I started thinking about whether or not I would "get it wrong" and I was justifying that it really wouldn't matter (I do realize I have already spent a LOT of wasted time pondering this), I concluded that because of the answers Suzanne gave, the people would gauge their lives and decisions by that advice.
She told one woman that she was going to move in five months so she needed to go ahead and get boxes and start throwing things away she didn't want to take with her. From the excitement in the lady's voice I imagine as I sit here in this chair for the next NINE HOURS (ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh) she will be out procuring boxes and getting ready to move!
I have committed this new year to really engage in personal study and devotion time with God. No more excuses, no "I'll do it later, I need to be devoted to that now. So I'm reading the "One Year Bible - God Sightings" version by Group Publishing. There's a group of folks reading along with me and we will "blog" about it together. It's ironic the first three days of the readings point out how folks from Adam/Eve, people during the time of Noah, and even Jesus were tempted to "achieve" or "receive" more. Jesus is the only one who was not driven by greed and desire.
Keeping that in mind with the fact that some woman is getting paid money to guess people's life decisions it made me think . . . sometimes we want things so badly we will do whatever we have to in order to find the answer or receive the wisdom. Greed doesn't have to be greed of money; it can also be greed of thought or control.
(For more on this read my blog for the one year Bible reading)
I am guilty of greed of "control." I want to know what is going to happen and when. I like being in control of my "days" and my "time" and "situations." BUT . . . I am not called to be in control or worry about tomorrow . . . I am to live in today. Yet not live on my own power . . . I am to live in and for and with the power of God.
John 1 says those who follow Christ are given the right (some translations say "power") of God.
So I don't need a lady on the radio to tell me where I will be in June or what I will be doing. I've got something far greater . . . so I just need to "get over myself" and live. In the HERE and NOW!
So . . . I'll go listen to a professor talk about Plotinus for lots of hours and see what it is God wants me to take away from this.
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