A Life to Remember

"For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ...their end is destruction." "But our citizenship is is in heaven and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

(Philippians 3:18,19,20)

Today I celebrated the life of a wonderful woman. Peggy Kelley Roberts was my mother-in-law and today we said farewell as we remembered her life with great joy, laughter and more than a few tears. I wept, not for her death...but completely for my loss, my husband's loss, my two daughter's loss - our entire family's loss.

Peggy was one of God's meek saints. She was the stability and strength of our family, as my husband so beautifully stated. She was an incredible mother and wife, sister and grandmother, aunt and friend. She lived for her God and for her family and for her church - and, in about that order. So, I weep not for her death - for her death is a release and a reason for rejoicing. Her death means cancer no longer has a hold of her, pain and suffering will no more be a part of her vocabulary.

It also means she joins her beloved Jim whose farewell we celebrated in the same church just 8 weeks ago. They hated to be apart in life - why should death be any different? The church was full today, as it was 8 weeks ago and I can't help it but my heart is full of pride over this fact. Especially since many present didn't even know Jim or Peggy - but they knew one of their children or grandchildren. What that means to me is that the Godly and righteous influence of these two beautiful people did indeed rub off on their family - and we have gone on to form our own meaningful and cherished relationships. Like a pebble thrown into a pond - their influence will continue to ripple on for generations as we take what we learned from them and teach it to our own children, grandchildren, friends and neighbors.

It was a great day to remember a life lived well...I don't think I could ask for any more than to get to the end of my earthly journey and be remembered for a life well lived.

Farewell Peggy - until I see you again.

Get Behind Me Satan

"So when the woman saw that the tree...was to be desired...she took...and ate." Genesis 3:6

Have you ever had a good think right in front of you and not even realized it? My parents were always pretty great but I don't think I realized it until I became a parent myself. My husband is terrific but when I first met him I didn't care a thing for him, it was only later that I saw how wonderful he was. Sometimes there are good things right in front of us and we don't even notice.

As I was scanning the Genesis text this week, it caused me to quickly read vs. 6 and leave out some words...what I read is what you see at the top of the blog. It struck me then that Eve had been living in this Garden of Eden for a while. God had obviously pointed out the tree and given her instructions on it. She was surely familiar with the tree. But it wasn't until Satan arrived and began his conversation with her that she saw it - really saw it - and suddenly understood it was something she wanted. I find that intriguing. She didn't want it before that moment. It was right here all along and she was satisfied to just leave it alone like God asked her to. Until Satan pointed out it was the ONLY thing in the garden she didn't have...suddenly, she had to have it.

Isn't that just like us humans? We feel content in life, satisfied to receive all God has blessed us with - until someone points out we are lacking in some way. Then temptation and desire kick in and we spent time, energy, and money doing what we can to get that one thing we are sure we are missing. No longer can we look around and see we are surrounded by a lush garden of blessing - all we can see is the one thing we are missing.

I was reading that is was pride that drove Eve to commit that first sin - pride in thinking she could be as wise and knowledgeable as God. I do believe that is a valid assessment. But I can't help but wander if perhaps it was more an issue of ingratitude. An ingratitude that caused Eve to be temporarily blinded by all God had done for her. No more did she see the refreshing beauty of her surroundings. No longer did she think about the vast amounts of fruits and vegetables awaiting her consumption. Not another thought about the companionship she enjoyed not only with Adam but with God. All she could see was that one tree - the one thing she had been denied...all else faded to black.

Perhaps because I have been journeying through a season of death, but I have grown weary of black. I crane my neck to all sorts of crazy angles trying to catch a little sunlight and warmth on my face. In seeing precious life fade away I have re-evaluated my priorities and found myself more determined than ever not to take anything God has given me for granted. He has filled my life with blessing upon blessing and too often I have been like Eve - peeking through the blessings for what I don't yet have. Today my Lenten journey reminds me to stop peeking through and instead to look fully upon what I already have. When I begin to take stock of my blessings, how can I help but feel the satisfaction of contentment?

Satan, you might as well get behind me - because you have nothing to offer me that my God hasn't already made mine.

My Traveling Companion Awaits

"Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds."

Zechariah 1:4b

I'm not sure why but today I am drawn to the hard hitting prophets of the Old Testament. Perhaps it has something to do with a disturbing dream I had last night which centered around old houses. My dream interpretation books says a house represents the state of the soul - hmm - I better ponder that one later. Or, perhaps, because today I found myself sitting in yet another Hospice ward trying to make some sense out of tragic death. Or, it might just simply be that Lent always reminds me of that great prophetic message - Repent, for the Kingdom of God is near. Either way, the prophet Zechariah became my companion for the day.

I will admit that I get lost a lot. I hate asking for directions and I'm often so sure of where I am going that I don't even bother to check a map or load my GPS, I just take off and figure I'll find it easy enough. It is a silly habit really because I've noticed it rarely goes well for me. Instead, I waste time turning around and backtracking trying to figure out where I am and where I went wrong. The great prophet's pleas remind me of this predicament. Perhaps this was Israel's problem too. Too much self assurance that they could find the way on their own, they didn't need a guide or consultant.

Often, we get ahead of where we should be and we need to turn around and go back. This is God's message to his children - "You've gone too far away! Turn back!" I love how Zechariah records it in vs. 3 - "Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts."

I find this promise comforting today. It brings me hope to know that when I get far down that road of self-assurance only to realize I am lost, all I have to do is turn around and go back. God will be there waiting to join me as we journey together in the RIGHT direction.

As I journey into Lent I know I have, in essence, turned around. I've gotten lost by striking out on my own too much lately. This road is dark and curvy and not at all appealing. I am ready to be back on the lighted path of a more secure journey accompanied by the greatest travel companion I can image...my God.

I smile as I type this because suddenly my surroundings seem more familiar. I am sure I've been this way before and fond memories flood my soul. It may be too early to tell, but I believe I see a familiar figure up ahead and my heart is full of joy. My traveling companion awaits.

Amen

Time for an Adjustment

Leviticus 11:44 For I am the Lord your God; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.

Today I finally got around to doing something I should have done weeks ago...I went to visit my Chiropractor. Due to illness in my family I have spent the last 4 months sleeping in hospital chairs or catching naps anywhere I could. It does take a toll on an already bad back. The pain eventually became too much and I finally went in for a much needed adjustment.

Isn't it amazing what we do to our bodies? I've known for weeks that what I was doing was hurting me. I also knew that one or two visits to my doctor would fix it. And yet, I stubbornly tried to keep going on my own, despite the warnings and pain. Even though I knew if I let it go too long I could do long term damage to my nerves - I still waited.

It occurred to me as I sat in the waiting room that it is not only our physical bodies that we abuse in this way - but our Spiritual lives can suffer the same fate of neglect. How often do we realize that we are not as holy as we should be? How many times do we think about how we have let our spiritual disciplines slide for too long, or stopped doing them completely? We know we should do them! We understand that if we keep putting it off, our level of holiness will suffer. Our Spiritual health will begin to deteriorate! Yet, we keep waiting.

Ironically, today is the beginning of the season of Lent. It occurs to me that I need an adjustment in more ways than one. My doctor can adjust my spine - but I also need a Spiritual adjustment before my Spiritual health begins to fail. I've tried to decide for weeks what I would give up for Lent and today I realized I would rather take up something than give up something. I would rather take up a renewed commitment to holiness. I would rather embark on a re-discovery of a passionate relationship with God.

So for Lent, I will take up contemplation and prayer as a daily commitment. This means I will give up some T.V. time or some sleep time, or maybe even (dare I say it), some Facebook time. Instead, I will spend that time reading scripture and communing with God. I hope to blog about it along the way and share some of what God teaches or reveals to me in this journal.

I'm ready to make time for an adjustment - A Holiness adjustment - because my Spiritual health depends upon it.

Renewal

The past few weeks have proven to be emotionally and physically exhausting for me.  You've had those weeks right? Where it seems every time you turn around there is more need, more sadness, more problems.  

Last night I led a bible study on Jonah and his attempt to flee from God's call.  I felt great sympathy for Jonah, for if the call to rescue Ninevah was going to be as burdensome as the call to serve a church, then I'm not sure I blame him for running.  (ok, I exaggerate in my weariness)

Today, I woke up and drudged back into work. I found myself trying to prepare a worship service when my mind was anywhere but in worship.  I was weary and quite frankly a little put out with God for making this call so burdensome.  Finally, I decided I was getting nowhere in my work so I headed out to my favorite park to take a prayer walk and have a little "discussion" with God on the weight of the call.

As I trudged through the parking lot and down the road, I began to unload on God for the emotional toil that this calling was taking on me.  I lamented that perhaps I had missed something vitally important, maybe I was not cut out for this after all.  But then the road finally gave way to trail and I entered the refreshing shade of a lush forest.  There, surrounded by vibrant green trees and scurrying squirrels, I began to call out to God...how can you be the giver of such life and abundance in nature and not in me?  A gentle breeze tickled the trees and answered, "I am the giver of life and abundance, but the world is the thief of energy and motivation."

Of course! How could I have not seen it more clearly?  The burden and weariness I am feeling does not come from God's calling upon my life but it comes from the demands of a broken world.  God is refreshing and joyful, life giving and renewing.  It is life that is draining and demanding, burdensome and exhausting.  

I walked on and came to the horse pastures; there are yellow flowers everywhere, the horses ignore me for the sweet grass they have found.  God is renewing my soul as we walk together. For the next hour I walked, past meadows, ponds, and pre-schoolers playing on the play ground.  By now I am past my lament. God has renewed my strength. The sermon I had been struggling with has suddenly burst to life. The weariness is replaced with excitement to get back and write it all down. My circle is almost complete as I approached the horse pasture. This time, to my surprise the horses look up from their sweet grass and coming running to the fence, looking at me expectantly.  It seems all of God's creatures need a loving touch sometimes. I stop and visit each one, whispering gently in their ears and giving them a good rub on the nose. I wonder who needed that more, me or them?

I return to my car and know that I am ready to work now for I have been caressed by nature, renewed by God. This world has great power to steal away our energy and desire to do God's work, but this world is not the greatest power.  The greatest power is found in the love of God, surely that is where I want to dwell all the days of my life.

Hope less = Hopeless

It has been one of my biggest shocks as a new minister.  A development I was not at all prepared for.  I have always believed that Christianity was almost synonymous with Hope.  Can you be a Christian and have no hope?  Well, our church's appear to be abounding with people who believe just that.  The longer I am in ministry the more I realize that people hope less than they should.  I'm beginning to see that this is one of the major faults of our church today, for when we hope less, then our faith becomes hopeless...where is the point? Where is the vision? Where is the expectation?  When there is less hope, there is less vision, less expectation and in my opinion, less Christ following.

I am continually frustrated by those who hear a new idea and immediately respond, "it will never work" or "they will not come" or "we've never done it that way before" or "our people will not like that."  I've heard it my entire ministry and quite honestly, I'm losing my patience with it.  Where is our hope that God is still present and active in our church?  Where is our hope that people really are looking for God and ways to experience God's presence?  Where is our hope that in our worship, God will transform us and in turn transform our world?  When did we decide to hope less?  Have we truly been that disappointed in past failures that we no longer feel like putting forth the effort of reaching out on God's behalf?

Psalm 71 comes to mind, "Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel. For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth...But I will hope continually, and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all day long..."  If we truly are a people of hope then should this Psalm not speak to us?  With each new idea, each potential ministry, every opportunity of evangelism, should we not jump at the chance to "tell of your righteous act and your deed of salvation all day long."?  Why then do we say, "ah, it will never work!" 

Folk's, God's Word has ALWAYS worked when someone was bold enough to proclaim it and audacious enough to hope in the glorious results possible.  Let us open our minds and hearts again and dare to hope more in the opportunities of ministry.  

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.   Romans 15:13 

A question of making the right introductions

Networking has been a big buzz word in the business world. The concept being that you want to be introduced to the right people that can help you further your goals.  Too often, Christians and sadly, even our ministers, have a tendency to treat the church as if it is a business. Meaning that evangelism has seemingly become a form of Christian networking. Our thinking seems to be that if we can just meet the right people and make the right introductions then BAM! Goals will be met and our churches will be full.  Not a bad concept I suppose but something has been bothering me about it...something is off and I'm really been struggling to define it but in the past new weeks I think I have narrowed it down.  It is all about the purpose of the introduction.

The question I would like for us to consider is this: When we evangelize, are we doing it so that we can introduce people to church or are we evangelizing so we can introduce people to God?  A friend reminded me this week that we should never get the two confused - Church and God are not synonymous.  God is God and the church is a servant of God.  So, when we say we are "reaching out to the community" or "evangelizing the neighborhood" what do we really mean?  Are we providing them with chances to see what a great church we have and hope they will join us on Sunday morning? Or are we providing them with a real opportunity to meet God, to learn and experience God's love and provision in a real and life-altering way?  I think there is a huge difference between to two.

Programs, events, parades, picnics, festivals are good and fun things to do occasionally but last time I checked the great commission said, "Go and make disciples" not "Go and rent a bouncy booth for the neighborhood kids to enjoy."  I look at my community and what I see are lost and hurting people who have plenty of entertainment opportunities at their disposal but they do not know that a new and vibrant life is available and waiting for their embrace.  

Have you ever gone out with a friend and had the opportunity to meet someone important, but your friend dominates the meeting and you never even get introduced? Frustrating isn't it? God is here and waiting for the church to make the introduction to the lost and least - but the church seems too busy introducing themselves to point out that God is there.

The right introductions are important for success.  The question is, whose success is more important - your church? Or God's Kingdom?