Christmas Story

A story of shepherds and angels, and yet,

Ours is a vision of shoppers and strangers.

A story historically inaccurate, and yet,

This is day which annually makes history.

A story painful beyond expectation, and yet,

The pain is where we really connect.

A story of loneliness and fear, and yet,

It is best embodied within community with great joy.

A story more misunderstood everyday, and yet,

It still offers truth, even to children.

A story about less, and yet,

It is always a story of more.

May you find more this Christmas.

A Fable: The Farmer and the Rock

Once upon a time there was a farmer who farmed a field containing a large rock.  The rock was close to the middle of the field and stood proudly for all to see, much like a iceberg in the sea.  The rock was a irritant to the farmer.  All his life he had plowed and planted around the rock.  It was always in the way, took up room, and was good for nothing.  The rock seemed to the farmer to be a constant reminder of what the farmer was not.

The farmer tried moving the rock.  It would not budge.  He tried breaking up the rock with a hammer, but it was quite large.  Year afer year the farmer battled the rock.  The rock stood. 

Years passed and the farmer finally got old and died.  But just before he died the farmer had a brilliant idea.  And so he ... (you fill in the blank.) 

As one might guess, the rock and the farmer became famous in all the land. Many people come from far away just to look at the rock and consider their own lives.  The end.

Questions to Ponder

1. How did the rock remind the farmer of his own life?
2. Were there other rocks in the same field? In other fields?
3. What did the farmers impending death have to do with his new idea?
4. Have you ever traveled to see a rock?
5 . Do you have a rock in your field?  What are you doing about it?

Fall Softly Snow

Snow does not always fall softly.

One of my mother-in-laws favorite songs is a classic Christmas song titled, "Fall Softly Snow." 

Fall Softly Snow

The verses tell the story of the Christ child born on a cold winter night and all the surrounding effects combine to tell the story.  Even the snow falls softly around the young family as the night wears on into the morning of a new day. 

Living in a new home for the first winter we have experinced many new and strange noises.  While expected, the banging and cracking noises related to wood and vinyl sideing expanding and contracting have been a surprise.  But I have to say that the wind the other evening with the snow pelting the North side of the house was not silent.  The snow was not falling softly.

Snowflakes, like our individual lives, are unique.  Each one is different, but also essentially the same.  Yes, some snow falls quiet, like a whisper, like a dream.  However other times, snow falls loud, stinging everything it touches.     Yes, maybe snow is more like people than we might think. 

To enjoy a look at some amazing snowflakes click on the link:  SnowCrystals.com

In the meantime, enjoy the snow.  It's the cold temperatures I could do without.

The Path More Traveled

Robert Frost said something like this: Two paths diverged into the woods, and I took the one less traveled and it has made all the difference."  These words have inspired me and instructed me to do things like take a light plane ride to fly around the top of Denali, to ride my bicycle across the state of Iowa, and even to follow a call into ministry.  Many times I have taken a path less traveled and found something inspiration and renewal just around the bend or rise beyond my vision.

 

However, as of late I have been thinking about the fact that for all the hoopla about these private and personal paths, I always seem to find myself ending up in the midst of community.  It is like the path I think is less traveled is actually the path everyone else is on as well, it just seems less frequented somehow until the community is revealed.  Or perhaps all paths lead home or at least back to the main road and before I know it, I am in the midst of the well worn path again moving along with fellowship and new responsibilities. 

We Americans are a fragile bunch, we need to think we are rugged indivudulalist even when we are not.  I sold my Jeep when we moved to Des Moines.  I miss it.  Even more, I miss the idea I can just cut across any old beanfield if I really needed.  Don't think the Prius rental ..., well, never mind.  The point is that I very seldom ever used the very freedom I seemed to think I needed.  Every Jeep comercial I see reminds me, as I watch a 60K SUV bounce through rivers and across rocks as if.  It is just an illusion I tell you, this need for my personal independence.  I do not need the road less taken.  Never did.

Maybe I am just getting older and this is all a part of that maturing thing.  Or maybe I am on to something and we all need to get off our rocking horses and begin to walk with each other for a mile or two.  We really need to begin to rethink the power of the connection. Being alone is never a word of creation.  The relationship is transformative.

No, these days I am into taking the road more traveled.   In the midst of the well traveled road is where life happens.  This is not about comfort, or even ease of travel.  Rather this is about being with other people.  Hard as this is to consider, even harder to believe, I need other people.  As pretty as a mountian view may be, I must find ways to share it with fellow travelers; and that has made all the diference.

What Are You Waiting For?

Waiting for the President On the Steps of the White House

Advent begins and I wonder who cares.

The word advent does not mean to wait, rather it means the begining of something. However the tradition of the church offers as we begin a new year, the first proper thing to do, is to do nothing, but wait a while.

We are instructed to pause and ponder, to consider and let the magnitude of the thing which is about to take place find it's proper rank in our to do lists. Thus the question, "What are you waiting for."

If I have considered and discerned that for which I wait, for which I hope and yearn, then I will also likely know how to best respond and which paths to choose as the year moves forward. If however, I am consumed by the events without perpective, my life may be swallowed by impuse responses with little or no connecton to anything I truely value. If the couple in the garden would have paused to consider the question and the source of the questions, I doubt they would have been so easily beguiled. I find this still true for us today. For what are you waiting? I believe the answer is a key to your happiness and your relationship with the world around you.

Are you waiting for a savior? Are you waiting for a king? Or perhaps a new Queen or princess? Are you waiting to grow? Are you waiting to survive? Are you waiting to eat or get warm. Are you waiting for shelter, or for yor ship to come in? Are you waiting on someone else, something beyond your control? Are you waiting with others or by yourself? Are you waiting in pain, in boredom, or celebration? Are you waiting for something more, something less, or perhaps just something, anything; Beuhler... .

http://www.old-picture.com/defining-moments.htm

Waiting is work. Not doing can also be understood as doing something. Waiting is doing something, and for me personally is usually quite productive. Pausing to reflect as a new season begins is a mature response to the world. And hard as this may sound, to stay young forever is not our goal, rather it is to mature, and to do so gracefully.

So I ask you, for what are you waiting? The answer defines our days.

I am Wondering

Do you eat the ice cream stuck to the bottom of the lid of the carton?
I call it lid cream.
What is it: yes or no?

"I say no way.  There is something a little strange about the ice cream stuck to the lid.  I am not touching it."

A Strong Bond
Here is a picture of my clergy accountability group for the past few years before our move to Des Moines: Larry, Tom, Dave, Dean, and we were missing Mike in the Picture. Larry died in late summer and we all miss him quite a bit. Dean was right, we never were a lectionary group. Most of our time was laughing and being too loud (Tom) for the HyVee deli on Mondays at noon. Carry on brothers, Larry would have it no other way!

Everything Changes
The Bishop called, invited Cheryl and me to Dinner. Everything changes. "Would you accept a new appointment as a Conference Superintendent assigned to the Iowa Central District." After a sleepless night I said "yes." That was late in February 2010.

I have been off the blog since, not because I have not noticed anything new or have nothing to say, rather it has been a time of learning a new place and of being quiet if not careful.

In my first few months I have learned humility is still the best ministry path; I must not take myself too seriously. Even as others do.
Because when I visit a church or sit and chat with a pastor I do so as an extension of our Bishop. What you say to me you say to the Bishop, whatever you offer me in word or action you offer to the Bishop. Some understand this. Others seem to think I am a paper pusher, someone to be tolerated, and little more. Our Book of Discipline offers the description about the important role of the Superintendent; yes it is almost beyond words, both in purpose and detail.
To represent the Bishop and bring a holy greeting from our "encourager" is a vital task.
And yet humility is the key which still unlocks the door for ministry. It always has.
And so maybe that is one thing which does not change.
Like I always say, "Not everything changes."

The Purpose of Lent

Could it be that many of us Christians accept the Christ into our lives, but not the new life Christ brings? Could it be that we make Christ a prisioner in our hearts, never releasing the fullness of the grace and glory? Could it be that being "born again" has more to do with our way of living and less to do with our outward confessions?

Perhaps Christ is always larger than we imagine or have room to accept. Perhaps as we grow in our love toward others Christ continues to enlarge as well. Perhaps we are never done growing and enlarging our hearts to contain the fullness Christ.

Maybe this is what the season of Lent it all about. Growing and allowing Christ to increase.

When Difficult Situations Arise…

Seven of my thoughts I keep by my desk. Some days they can be a life saver.

1. Realize, this is not new, just the same old stuff in the world revisiting us. Do not flinch.

2. Consider that Now is required the utmost professionalism. We never gossip. We never talk outside this confidence about personal situations for which our position offers us access. Be careful with e-mail as it is easily misunderstood.

3. Recognize everyone involved will be a victim sooner or later. This includes the church. Consider the persons most at risk in this particular situation and what might be our best response for them. Pray for these persons and also the ones who may be the cause of much of the stress. Pray like God is our only hope.

4. Feel and Know the power of God at work and be assured the Holy Spirit will offer a path. That path may not always be happy or even pleasant, but will be life-giving for all who choose to travel the path.

5. Whatever the issue: this is not our problem to fix or solve by ourselves. Our task is to offer the compassion and understanding of the Christ into a broken world. Think Gardeners.

6. Jesus Always forgives repentance. 70 X 7

7. Notice how every point invites us to pause and think. Do not immediately react, think.

What is the big deal with Valentine’s Day?

I am fortunate to have a wonderful valentine in my spouse. She loves to celebrate birthdays and holidays. Valentine’s Day is no exception. I have been trained well over the years to know how to think ahead and find something nice, something thoughtful, which cannot be purchased at a gas station. Yes, I tried that and it does not work. Anyway, this is a fun little holiday which is tailor made for couples like us who do not need a lot of fuss to care for one another. We make it fun and focus our attention on the other.
However, as I look around, I see a whole lot of folks for whom this quirky little holiday is anything but fun and easy. I see folks who are in the midst of grieving the loss of a loved one. I see folks who are waiting for Mr. or Ms. Right and the only people they seem to run into are Wrongs. I see folks who are in relationship, but just barely. And the stress, or pressure, from such a holiday as this drives a wedge further between their feelings of hope and despair. I wonder about this Valentine’s Day stuff and think about ways to change things up.
One thing we can all do is to stop and think for a moment about the lives of the people around us. The people we live with, work with, and play with. Why not include them in the celebration by dropping by with a card, or flipping a carton of candy hearts on to their desk. Ok, be careful to not go overboard and be miss-understood, but you can do this with an open heart and thoughtfulness. If a conversation about loneliness or brokenness opens between you, then you have an opportunity to share your faith in a graceful and hopeful manner. And if laughter breaks out then you have won a great battle. If you are gifted in return with an opportunity to just listen, you are most blessed.
Maybe the big deal about Valentines Day is not about love as much as it is about friendships and relationships. Maybe the day is less about a dozen roses costing eighty bucks to get me out of the doghouse for something stupid I did which I do not remember and more about the sweet taste of a heartfelt thank you or a simple nod of encouragement, Either way, in my experience, chocolate also works pretty good. Now if they only sold that at the gas station.

The Garbage Person

Someone is designated as the “Garbage Person” in our Christmas celebrations. The task is simple, hold open a garbage sack and allow everyone to toss their wrappings into the bag. It keeps the mess in the room to a minimum and everyone has a little fun throwing wrapping paper garbage.
Just a minute before the paper was not garbage. Instead it was highly prized, yearned for, and waited upon. That which has become garbage was not the thing which was desired, yet it covered the very thing with celebration and joy. The wrapping has become garbage to us based on our need, or lack thereof.

Three things strike me about this whole Christmas garbage thing.
The first is a curious memory of my days before the “garbage person” when my grandmother would gently unwrap her gifts, fold and smooth the pretty paper, then save it for wrapping new gifts another year. In her quiet way, she found a gift even in the wrapping. Not only that, but she found a new year, another person, another Christmas in the paper. Nothing was overlooked, everything was sacred. I compare that to my childlike tearing away at the outside to find the inner “real” gift. How many times have I failed to see the gift within the gift? Can our garbage become more, even a blessing?

The second thought is the Christ as our garbage person. The incarnation of God in human flesh was for one purpose, to save us from our sin. The Messiah came to catch our garbage and is holding open the sack for us to throw all the stuff which blocks our path and clutters our world.
My friend Dean, who is the pastor of Glenwood Grace UMC, shared on January 3 the youth purposely filled the sanctuary with paper wrappings, garbage if you will. Then when it came time for Holy Communion everyone was asked to clean a place, a path of the garbage. Bring your garbage to Christ, even help clean the path for others, and then come and receive the free gift of life.

The third is to consider the Christ as the wrapping paper, the covering for a real gift of life. We may struggle when we see others throwing away the incarnation, the Christ child, wanting only the offered life of peace and joy. We feel the strong connection of the Easter passion week of knees bowing and gifts offered on Palm Sunday, while Friday finds the same crowds throwing away the Messiah.

It seems someone is always designated as the “garbage person” in our Christmas celebrations.