Of Snow and Resurrection

 

Easter Sunday:  Pine Island Presbyterian Church

A  few years ago at Christmas time I pondered the weather ~ wishing for snow instead of rain ~ and was reminded that God does not need the ideal conditions for Love to be born.  That seems in part having to do with the gift of grace but that’s a thought for a different day.  As snow fell this past Friday, lots of snow, at least ten inches of snow…

      

I pondered again how God works in wondrous and mysterious ways in less than ideal conditions.  Most of the people I spoke with recently had hopes for pleasant, 30 something degrees on Easter, without a pile of snow.  Certainly all those who planned Easter Egg Hunts in city parks for Saturday morning had hoped for spring-like weather, without a pile of snow.  And this morning, instead of standing on a hillside, watching the sun rise on this Holy Morning, I stood in my backyard and watched the moon set behind the trees, just above the crystal white blanket of snow.

I was reminded that this cycle of life and death and new life is so much larger than our individual lives, that it is lived out within the natural order of things, and that it is inner resurrection, hope renewed and revived within the human soul, that can happen regardless of the weather outside.

There may have been snow outside but our Table and Worship space inside reminded us of this inner beauty.

 

And we heard the story once again of the resurrection, of life and love having the last word, of hope rising up in what certainly was less than ideal conditions.  We sang of hope within us: “Because You live, O Christ, the spirit bird of hope is freed for flying; Our cages of despair no longer keep us closed and life denying.”

   

And, “Break the bread of new creation where the world is still in pain…Drink the wine of resurrection, not a servant, but a friend.”

May hope, may the persistence of love,

rise within you and around,

even in the midst of less than ideal conditions,

for our God is a God of great mystery!

Alleluia!!

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Hospitality ~ Enough

I’m still pondering, and living, in the empty space and with the question of how much is enough…  This is prompted in part by a laptop that still won’t turn on (what is full right now is my home with my oldest daughter returning from college 🙂 and bringing her laptop with her,) declining energy with each passing day, and Christmas gifts that aren’t getting completed because I had so carefully avoided the malls and big box stores and was going to be creative but I need a computer connected to a printer to complete them.  Do I have enough fill-in-the-blank for this season?  Christine at Abbey of the Arts asks similar questions in her comments to Lucy’s post on Vessels; I’m guessing there are a few other kindred souls wrestling with the same issue during this season.

What do we need more of?  What do we need less of?  How do we know when we have enough?  And how is hospitality offered by the One who holds enough in Her hands and heart? 

My grace is sufficient.

As I’m writing this I’m listening to my one of my favorite Advent CDs “Behold” by River’s Voice, two of my favorite musicians, and the words I’m hearing are:

                                         “where else would God but right here?”

Ahh… somehow, in the Mystery of God’s way, these days are enough, and grace really is sufficient, and hospitality is arriving in familiar and fresh ways.

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Thyme and Trust

 

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Pine Island Presbyterian Church

 

It was on Croyden Ave, in front of the apartments, while NPR was telling that General Musharraf had made a decision about general elections, as I was driving to Ann’s where I would get a ride to worship, that this thought just washed through and around me and I felt at peace:   things   take   thyme, their own thyme, and they do so for reasons we may never understand.  I’ve been here before  but this thyme there was a deep, deep acceptance.  Look back in history – humanity can take a long thyme to make significant changes.  Forty years of wandering in the wilderness.  Two thousand years and we’re still trying to grasp the essence of Jesus’ life and words.  The many years it can take for a single family, congregation or community to make healthy changes.

                                              

Then in worship, we hear of the prophet Haggai, in the context of the temple having been destroyed, trying to bring some good news to the people, saying on behalf of the Lord, “Once again, in a little while…”  In a little while in the eyes of the Creator can be a very, very, long thyme in the life of humanity.  Things take thyme.

                       

So, I give myself permission to slow down some more.  Rest some more.  Let go some more.  Trust some more.  Wondering if I’ll slow down so much I will come to a complete stop.  If I’ll then puddle up in the recliner.  And then to trust yet again, that in God’s thyme, new life will arise from the puddle.

               

“Faith is mostly about trust and knowing who to trust.”  These were the words of hope I carried with me from Sunday.  Like the unfinished building on the Worship Arts Table, life is a process, and, thank goodness, we’re not in charge.  We can make choices, we can seek wholeness and healing, but ultimately it is God who provides the growth.  In God’s good thyme.

                           

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Room for One More

Sunday, November 4

Pine Island Presbyterian Church

The circle was widened and one more was included into the story this past Sunday.  Two Sundays ago we were invited to consider Eutychus‘ place in the circle of God’s love.  This time it was someone more familiar: Zacchaeus.   He hangs out in a tree, thinking he’s disguising himself but Jesus sees him anyway, calls him by name, and says he wants to spend time with him.  With him – the corrupt tax collector.  One more unlikely soul is invited into the circle of God’s love.  We may or may not be corrupt but there’s likely a part of ourselves, however small, that we’re not proud of, and we too are called by name and invited into the circle.

     “Will you come and follow me if I but call your name…

      Will you love the ‘you’ you hide if I but call your name?

      Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?

      Will use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around…”

      (from hymn: Will You Come and Follow Me)

You too are called by name and included in circle.  Who else will you invite?

 

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Resting and sleeping ~ there’s room for us all

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Pine Island Presbyterian Church

I sure don’t remember the name Eutychus as one of the Bible characters I heard about in Sunday School nor do I remember it from seminary.  But there he is in the book of Acts, sitting next to a window while listening to Paul preach.  Paul carries on for a while, a looong while, and Eutychus falls asleep and then tragically falls out the window to his supposed death three stories below.  Paul goes down to check on him and proclaims “do not be alarmed, for his life is in him”  and then returns to his preaching.

I thought about the bulb resting before growth (see here) and Eutychus sleeping through the sermon.  Neither is typically put before us as a model of upstanding and righteous faith ~ whatever that might be ~ but I’m venturing a guess more of us can relate to needing to rest or falling asleep during a sermon than we can to standing in front of a burning bush, giving birth at the age of 80 something, or traveling from country to country preaching the gospel.  These obscure stories about little remembered and often un-named folk in scripture remind us that there’s room for us all, even if we don’t feel as if we have our act together.

Lately Christine has been inviting us to lean into the darkness and unknown, Lucy writes of unresolved grief, and Karla ponders living authentically with grief.  I’m recalling an article I read several years ago entitled “The Freedom to be a Mess” (unfortunately I don’t remember the author nor the publication – maybe the title is enough of a message…)  Perhaps all this has to do autumn, with this season of changing and dying, leaves falling from the trees, geese flying south, and fields becoming barren.  It seems that in every direction I’m invited to let go, to surrender, to rest, to sleep – but hopefully not fall out of a window!, to stop trying to get it all figured out.  So I’ll follow the way of the bulb that’s resting, of Eutychus who sleeps yet still receives grace, and see what lies ahead.  

On the worship table, nestled in the basket, were these beauties:

This is the dried form of the “Money Plant” ~ it’s far lovelier in its dried form than when it’s fresh and growing.  It’s a wonderful invitation to surrender to the innate processes of life for beauty to come forth, which sometimes comes late in the journey. 

 

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Which comes first?

She spoke of it at two different thymes in the service: at the beginning of the service, as the pastor reminded us of this being a Communion Service, she told us that this is God’s Table and all people are welcome; during the Communion Liturgy she again said, “This Table belongs to God, not to the pastor or the elders or those with power, this is God’s table and all are welcome.”  Because she spoke of it twice I thought this must be really important to her.

The sermon title was “Hospitality and Healing.”  I pondered those words, in particular, the order that she chose and I wondered if it matters that hospitality comes before healing.  We had a chance to talk about this after worship.  I shared that I thought hospitality indeed needs to come first – a safe and welcoming place – for healing to follow.  Yes, she agreed and that is why she spoke twice about God’s hospitality and the Table belonging to God.

In one sense I believe the Gospel is all about hospitality ~ providing a safe place for people to be at home, to look honestly at one’s own needs and fears, to be fed physically and spiritually.  Hospitality, then, has endless faces: a plate of food, a place of shelter to rest and care for one’s body, a listening ear and heart to hear words of fear or abuse, a community with which to laugh or sing or tell stories, a table to create and share one’s creative expression, a space that offers dignity for all walks of life, an invitation even to be made uncomfortable thus being open to new growth (see Milton’s challenging words here.)  And when we have experienced that safety, that hospitality, if even a small glimpse, healing begins. 

God’s Table offers every possible face of hospitality ~ all those we can become and all those we have yet to imagine.  The invitation is given to all: come, the feast is prepared.  Receive, that healing may begin.  And when we have experienced healing we are able to offer hospitality, and the circle of giving continues.

Blessed are they who receive hospitality and share hospitality.

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It Doesn’t Look Like Manna…

  

It doesn’t look like manna but it is delivered in the manner that manna was delivered – only when it was really needed and not any sooner.

Last fall I desperately needed a car and being on a very limited budget I knew that this would be an act of faith.  A dear friend gave me the name of a trusted car salesperson ( a true gift!!) and I spoke to him of my need:  reliable, adjustable seat to accomodate changing positions as I manage pain, and a very limited budget.   A week later he called: he had a 1995 Taurus, with only 72,000 miles, owned by one family who kept records of all regular maintenance, and here’s the clincher – it was selling for half of what I could spend!  It didn’t take long to get myself over there, check it out, and get it financed.  It’s now my reliable mode of transportation – with a great adjustable driver’s seat.  Green manna – I’ll take it any color it comes.

Then came the kitties.  We had talked about getting one, or maybe a two.  Through a friend we learned of two littermates that needed a good home.   We went to see them, fell in love with them and brought them home the following week (read here.)  They are very entertaining as well as affectionate ~ they seem to know when to jump in my lap for some snuggle time.  We’re glad they’re a part of our family.  Manna with fur – we’ll take it! 

Next, I needed a laptop.  When I started looking “Vista” had just come out and I wasn’t too keen on learning a new system that still had lots of bugs in it.  All the big name stores had great sales – for laptops with Vista, and all “old” laptops were removed from the shelves.  Fortunately my brother knew of a reputable computer shop where used laptops were refurbished.  Again, it was in my price range, I had a knowledge guide on the side (thanks Tim!!), and I was provided with what I needed, when I needed it, and not any sooner.

And family and friends.  I can’t begin to post photos of all of them, and for privacy reasons I won’t.  But family has been a constant, and friends old and new, near and far, have filled my life ~ each offering a word, reassurance, memory from the past, or hope for the future.  Each are there when I need them, offering what I need, always in God’s thyme.

Like the Israelites, on ocassion I’ve tried to gather up extra manna, just in case.  It still doesn’t work that way.  Manna is about trust.  Absolute and honest, hard-core, let-God-handle-this trust.  It’s humbling ~ it reminds me that I’m not in control.  It’s grace ~ I’m loved enough to be provided for.  It’s sufficient – what is needed, when it’s needed, how it’s needed even if it doesn’t make sense to me.  It’s love ~ given freely, unconditionally.

And, manna is an invitation to trust the future: for my health and hope to return to work, for a place to live when our house sells, for income, for all the joys and challenges that life brings.

May you graciously receive the manna in your life.

                       ~The Alchemist

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What is the opposite of war?

This past Sunday in worship we were asked the question, “what is the opposite of war?” and before I could even think of the standard response of “peace,” we were offered a refreshing response, “art is the opposite of war.”  Art.  Art…  How does this work?  The pastor continued, “the opposite of destruction is creativity.”  Well of course.  I rather like this way of thinking.

Perhaps this is why I have a need to create, to engage in some kind of creative expression, especially when my life feels chaotic or out of control.  Whether it’s something as simple as arranging flowers, or cooking a meal, or singing, or getting help to rearrange furniture, life seems a little more manageable after a creative activity.

And what if we, collectively, considered this on a larger scale?  What if there were bumper stickers and billboards that said, “Art is the opposite of war?”  Without sounding too naive, what if, instead of sending truckloads of arms bearing ammunition, we sent truckloads of grandmas and grandpas bearing arms that were ready to embrace and cook and draw with children and plant gardens and help carry water and build homes?  What if we could think outside the box and creatively respond to the deep needs of the world?  I know that there are many who are already doing this, I just wish their stories made the headlines more often.

What stories do you know of where creativity reigns?  How have you experienced the power of art in whatever form it takes?

              

Creatively,  The Alchemist 

 

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Networkers

 

Sometimes responses to huge problems are relatively simple and I recently learned that “Networkers” is one such response.  It is a malaria prevention program that provides insecticide-treated mosquito nets to families in Africa and Asia.  Malaria is the number one killer of young children in Africa and yet something as simple as mosquito netting can save lives.  The NetWorkers program, the Presbyterian Church (USA) International Health Ministries, and Presbyterian Women are working together to provide mosquito nets and health education to families in Africa and Asia.  Rick Reilly, of Sports Illustrated, wrote of the program SI started, Nothing But Nets, encouraged readers to support it, and the the response was overwhelming ~ more than $1.2 million was given, enough to buy 150,000 nets.  He then wrote of the trip he took to Nigeria; you can read his article here.   Sports enthusiasts and people of faith alike are making a difference.

The Presbyterian Women of the PCUSA makes supporting this program very accessible by offering Mother’s Day Cards (the photos on this post) for a donation of $10 or more.  What a thoughtful Mother’s Day gift ~ honoring women and mothers who have access to the basic necessities of life, and giving to the women and mothers who need so much, including life-saving mosquito nets for their families.  If you’d like to share in this gift, you can go here

 

 Happy Early Day of Celebrating and Honoring All Who Mother,

Cathleen

 

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Doxology in Pairs

 

     

Paradox ~ it often shows up

just when I think I have something figured out.

Paradox shows up to say,

“it may not really be that way.”

Paradox reminds me, again,

that faith usually believes in order to see.

Paradox, an invitation to embrace dissonance,

to hold in tension two seemingly unlike events or ideas.

Paradox ~ a teacher of doxology in pairs.

                                                                                                         

Less is more.

Gain one’s life by first losing it.

Mustard seeds are more than enough.

Thirst is quenched, but with more than water.

Hunger is satisfied, but not with bread alone.

Costly oil is to be used on feet.

 Boundary lines bring freedom.

Salt, more than sugar, sustains life.

A seed is buried in order to grow.

Wholeness can exist in brokenness.

Joy and pain both find a place in the same heart.

                                                                                     

And, empty is full:

Full of new life, hope, healing, love,

As Mary and Joanna and Peter discovered at the tomb.

                                                                                                       

Such is the good news of Easter

As we discover it anew, day by day. . .

  

                                                                                      

May Easter blessings be yours in pairs!

Cathleen

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