I was privileged to go to Russia with a church mission group in the mid-1990s a few years after the Wall had come down and U.S.-Soviet relations had mellowed. We flew from Dallas to Frankfurt to Moscow and spent a few days there looking around and then got on an Aeroflot (the Russian airlines) flight to Tomsk which is in Siberia. We stayed for a week at a Russian orphanage doing repair work to the buildings there and making friends with the children and staff. Everyone was so very nice to us, despite the language barrier. I learned a few phrases in Russian that I used liberally and had my little Russian guidebook in my hand most of the time to resort to finding an answer if I found myself in a jam. One word that I learned and used many times was pronounced "Spa-see-bah" and it means "Thank you." I said it every time someone helped me or gave me something to eat or drink or said something to me that I did not understand. I figured it was a pretty safe word to say.
Each morning many of us Texans would arise early since the sun comes up at about 3 a.m. in the summer in Siberia and does not go down until about midnight or 1 a.m. Many of us could not sleep much so we would be up early and go to a small dining area where we would have some instant coffee. A nice lady would be there at that time of the morning and pour hot water over our instant coffee and we would add sugar or cream if we desired and would enjoy a few cups as we woke up to begin our day. The lady would always smile at us and if I said "Spaseebah" to her she would reply "Prezhaltah" (you are welcome) in a cheerful voice. This went on daily until the last day we were there and as we had our morning coffee and thanked her for it on that last day, her "Prezhaltah" was more weary and strained. I think she was tired of getting up so early for these Americans--a bit weary in well doing.
Being thankful is something that we often take for granted. Many times when we say "Thank you" to someone, they reply, "No problem". I guess that has become the new "You're welcome" to many people. It may be equivalent to "De nada" in Spanish which loosely translates into "it's nothing". When we say "no problem" in reply to a "Thank you" we are saying "it was no sacrifice for me to do this for you" or "it caused me no problem to help you." It is a recognition that what we did to made another say thanks to us was something we do naturally for others or something that is a natural part of our lives. Doing good deeds for others is an outgrowth of a spirit that seeks to be of service to God and neighbor. Saying thanks for those deeds is something we do to show our appreciation. The two work together in harmony.
The people of Israel were reminded not to forget the source of all their blessings. They had traveled across the burning desert to reach the Promised Land and once they were settled into life in that land they were to look around them at how good it was and remember the source of all goodness. We live in a similar place in the United States, a land of bountiful blessings. We enjoy so many blessings that we often fail to consider the source of all of them. God has given us the skills, the good health, the opportunities to achieve and succeed and we return thanks to God for all which we have and know that God is the source of all good things.
So, as you gather around your Thanksgiving Table this holiday season, pause and give God thanks for all the many blessings in whatever language you choose to use....Thank you, Gracias, Merci, Danke Schon, Spaseeba...and I am sure God will speak a "You are welcome" to your spirit in return.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Risky Business
Do you love to ride on a roller coaster? Are you a fan of ferris wheels? Do you love to take off on a jet and go high in the sky looking down at the clouds below? Will you walk into a room of strangers with a smile on your face and begin introducing yourself to everyone in the room? If you said yes to these and other questions, then you may be a risk taker. That is not a bad thing in itself, although there are some who take foolish risks and pay for them with bad health or even death, but taking risks in themselves is a good thing. It means that you are willing to make yourself vulnerable in order to obtain a higher good or pleasure.
John Hershey in Creating Contagious Leadership lists five reasons why you should take risks. He says that risk taking "improves self-confidence and fosters, self-esteem...lessens mental anguish...promotes growth...teaches us what works...and promotes happiness." He expands on each of those characteristics but the overall theme is that we as humans learn by taking risks and our learning makes us to be inquisitive and courageous people. We take risks as soon as we are able to negotiate our environment. First, we learn to crawl and see where we can go by that method. Then, we begin to walk and take steps that often lead to falling down. Then, we may decide to ride a bike or a skateboard and end up with some bruises or scrapes. We learn from those experiences, however, and often become wiser and better at what we do because we were willing to risk doing them.
Many people do not believe this about me but I am basically a very shy person. I was so shy as a child that I would not talk to my friends if I saw them in public outside of school. I definitely would not talk to strangers and would hide if I saw someone coming that I did not know. I was very shy until I was in high school and then I made myself do something that shy people shudder if they have to do. I took public speaking as a class in high school where I had to write speeches and stand up before a group and give the speeches. Shy people faint or run away at the very thought of public speaking but I forced myself to do it and today people try to shut me up instead. That led me to join the drama club at school and I actually became an actor in plays and worked behind the scenes to produce them.
Risk taking is something we as humans do so that we can learn about ourselves and our environment. Risk taking is something we do in the Church because we want to see it grow and expand to include everyone possible. There is a parable in Matthew that we will study this Sunday during worship. It is a very old parable of Jesus about 3 servants who were given three amounts of money by their master when he went on a journey. He gave one servant 5 talents (1 talent was a sum of money worth 15 years wages), and another servant 2 talents, and another servant 1 talent. He said they should keep the money and return it to him when he returned from his journey. Two servants invested the money and doubled it so that when he came back they returned 10 talents and 4 talents to him and they were praised. The servant with only 1 talent, though, dug a hole and hid it and returned it to the master. That servant was criticized for hiding the money and giving back only what he had been given instead of investing it.
The parable is a bit harsh to the outward appearance. After all, the servant with 1 talent did not lose the money he had been given and gave it all back, but the master wanted the interest that he could make off his money and he was pleased with the creativeness of the other two servants. What the parable says to us today is that we all possess lot of things that could be invested in the Kingdom of God--time, talent, treasure OR prayers, presence, gifts, and service (two ways of saying the same thing). We often hoard or hide or keep for ourselves what we have instead of sharing it, lest we lose what we have. We are often afraid to take a risk and give of ourselves because we are not sure of what the future may bring. The master praised the two servants because they were willing to risk what they were stewards of in order to gain more to return to the master. They took a huge risk and it paid off. The other servant was so afraid of what could happen that he was paralyzed with fear and took no action. That is what he was scolded for.
Many times we do nothing because we are unsure of the result. We may not ask someone for a date because they could say no. We may not join a club because we do not know its members. We may not ask for a raise because the boss could say no. We may not begin a new hobby because we could fail at it. There are so many possibilities in the world but if we never try, we will never know if we can do them or not. I think the parable is saying to us--"Go out on a limb...that is where the fruit is." (That is an old saying, I really did not make it up.) When we invest ourselves in God's Kingdom, we will find that the Kingdom of God expands to bring in all whom we may reach out to embrace. God's Kingdom includes and envelopes all and we are the ambassadors whose arms reach out in love and service to be sure that such good news is spread everywhere.
John Hershey in Creating Contagious Leadership lists five reasons why you should take risks. He says that risk taking "improves self-confidence and fosters, self-esteem...lessens mental anguish...promotes growth...teaches us what works...and promotes happiness." He expands on each of those characteristics but the overall theme is that we as humans learn by taking risks and our learning makes us to be inquisitive and courageous people. We take risks as soon as we are able to negotiate our environment. First, we learn to crawl and see where we can go by that method. Then, we begin to walk and take steps that often lead to falling down. Then, we may decide to ride a bike or a skateboard and end up with some bruises or scrapes. We learn from those experiences, however, and often become wiser and better at what we do because we were willing to risk doing them.
Many people do not believe this about me but I am basically a very shy person. I was so shy as a child that I would not talk to my friends if I saw them in public outside of school. I definitely would not talk to strangers and would hide if I saw someone coming that I did not know. I was very shy until I was in high school and then I made myself do something that shy people shudder if they have to do. I took public speaking as a class in high school where I had to write speeches and stand up before a group and give the speeches. Shy people faint or run away at the very thought of public speaking but I forced myself to do it and today people try to shut me up instead. That led me to join the drama club at school and I actually became an actor in plays and worked behind the scenes to produce them.
Risk taking is something we as humans do so that we can learn about ourselves and our environment. Risk taking is something we do in the Church because we want to see it grow and expand to include everyone possible. There is a parable in Matthew that we will study this Sunday during worship. It is a very old parable of Jesus about 3 servants who were given three amounts of money by their master when he went on a journey. He gave one servant 5 talents (1 talent was a sum of money worth 15 years wages), and another servant 2 talents, and another servant 1 talent. He said they should keep the money and return it to him when he returned from his journey. Two servants invested the money and doubled it so that when he came back they returned 10 talents and 4 talents to him and they were praised. The servant with only 1 talent, though, dug a hole and hid it and returned it to the master. That servant was criticized for hiding the money and giving back only what he had been given instead of investing it.
The parable is a bit harsh to the outward appearance. After all, the servant with 1 talent did not lose the money he had been given and gave it all back, but the master wanted the interest that he could make off his money and he was pleased with the creativeness of the other two servants. What the parable says to us today is that we all possess lot of things that could be invested in the Kingdom of God--time, talent, treasure OR prayers, presence, gifts, and service (two ways of saying the same thing). We often hoard or hide or keep for ourselves what we have instead of sharing it, lest we lose what we have. We are often afraid to take a risk and give of ourselves because we are not sure of what the future may bring. The master praised the two servants because they were willing to risk what they were stewards of in order to gain more to return to the master. They took a huge risk and it paid off. The other servant was so afraid of what could happen that he was paralyzed with fear and took no action. That is what he was scolded for.
Many times we do nothing because we are unsure of the result. We may not ask someone for a date because they could say no. We may not join a club because we do not know its members. We may not ask for a raise because the boss could say no. We may not begin a new hobby because we could fail at it. There are so many possibilities in the world but if we never try, we will never know if we can do them or not. I think the parable is saying to us--"Go out on a limb...that is where the fruit is." (That is an old saying, I really did not make it up.) When we invest ourselves in God's Kingdom, we will find that the Kingdom of God expands to bring in all whom we may reach out to embrace. God's Kingdom includes and envelopes all and we are the ambassadors whose arms reach out in love and service to be sure that such good news is spread everywhere.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Hope Shall Bloom
My wife and I made a trip to the city of New Orleans at the end of last week. We flew this time, which is incredibly better than driving since one can fly from Houston to New Orleans in just 45 minutes compared to a 6-8 hour drive from our house to the city. We were there before you knew it and it did not cost a lot to fly as we found bargain fares on Southwest Airlines at just $49 each way per person. We did have to fly at 6 a.m. in order to get this great fare but I have been wondering if I can stay up all night now as I once could and found out that I can. So, we left our house after seeing the 10:00 news and drove to the edge of Houston and stopped and had coffee and a bite to eat and then drove on to the airport. We were sitting there waiting about 2 a.m. and were told that security did not open until 4 a.m. so we had a couple hours to enjoy the airport. I was fairly wired from the coffee but my wife fell asleep soon and I watched the people who work in the airport cleaning and mopping and sweeping. Pretty soon we made it through security and went to the gate to sit for about another hour. We got on board and arrived just before 7 a.m. so we had an entire day ahead of us in New Orleans. We found some breakfast and a place to park the rental car and began walking down by the Mississippi River and went to an IMAX movie about the lions in Africa (King of Beasts has two wives and five kids and has to fend off a challenger...now you don't have to read the book).
We decided to walk around the French Quarter a bit and looked in some shops and then had lunch at a great place at the corner of Decatur and Toulouse---oyster po boys, yum! Then the lack of sleep began to set in so we found the car and began the search for our hotel. Easy enough to find and check in and then a good nap was in order. Dinner followed and then more sleep and the next day gave us more adventures.
Our purpose for going to New Orleans was not just to have a getaway, although that worked itself in too. We went there to attend the closing worship service for the Hope Shall Bloom disaster relief ministries that the United Church of Christ had been doing in the New Orleans area since Hurricane Katrina had hit in 2005. The service was held on Saturday afternoon at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in New Orleans. People from across the US had come for this service, partly because many of them had volunteered in service over the past six years to help rebuild the homes of persons who had nearly lost all they had in the flood. Some of these volunteers had come and given a week or more of their time, had paid all their own expenses to do the dirty work required, and had returned to their homes with a deep sense of satisfaction that it was all worth the effort. They had slept in church halls, showered in make-shift showers, eaten food prepared by other volunteers, and done all this with little complaint. These volunteers and the pastor who had given up his parish to lead this effort were honored with standing ovations at the service. The leadership of the UCC was represented at the service and a litany was read that gave praise to God for all that had been accomplished.
The theme of the disaster recovery effort for the past six years was "Hope Shall Bloom". It reflects the scripture from Isaiah 35 that says that when the redeemed of the Lord returned to Zion, "The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom..." Hope would re-emerge in places where the dry wastelands had been. The people of New Orleans had been overwhelmed by what must have seemed impossible circumstances. Many had given up on them and declared the city to be a place of desolation and death. The volunteers and leaders who gave of themselves became symbols of hope to those who were without hope. Their efforts and optimism became the strength they needed to continue to live.
Hope Shall Bloom can be our motto of life also when we place optimism in the forefront of our lives. When we think positively about life instead of letting negatives rule our lives then we foster a positive outlook for all to observe. The motto is very demonstrative...Hope SHALL bloom....it looks forward to the future even in the absence of proof that better days are coming. We are in a cycle of negativity in our country at the present time. Embracing a positive way of life and a positive attitude about life will make us to be people of hope and that hope will encourage others to also have hope. Hope Shall Bloom in our lives and the lives of others as we continue to spread the message of hope to all with whom we share life.
We decided to walk around the French Quarter a bit and looked in some shops and then had lunch at a great place at the corner of Decatur and Toulouse---oyster po boys, yum! Then the lack of sleep began to set in so we found the car and began the search for our hotel. Easy enough to find and check in and then a good nap was in order. Dinner followed and then more sleep and the next day gave us more adventures.
Our purpose for going to New Orleans was not just to have a getaway, although that worked itself in too. We went there to attend the closing worship service for the Hope Shall Bloom disaster relief ministries that the United Church of Christ had been doing in the New Orleans area since Hurricane Katrina had hit in 2005. The service was held on Saturday afternoon at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in New Orleans. People from across the US had come for this service, partly because many of them had volunteered in service over the past six years to help rebuild the homes of persons who had nearly lost all they had in the flood. Some of these volunteers had come and given a week or more of their time, had paid all their own expenses to do the dirty work required, and had returned to their homes with a deep sense of satisfaction that it was all worth the effort. They had slept in church halls, showered in make-shift showers, eaten food prepared by other volunteers, and done all this with little complaint. These volunteers and the pastor who had given up his parish to lead this effort were honored with standing ovations at the service. The leadership of the UCC was represented at the service and a litany was read that gave praise to God for all that had been accomplished.
The theme of the disaster recovery effort for the past six years was "Hope Shall Bloom". It reflects the scripture from Isaiah 35 that says that when the redeemed of the Lord returned to Zion, "The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom..." Hope would re-emerge in places where the dry wastelands had been. The people of New Orleans had been overwhelmed by what must have seemed impossible circumstances. Many had given up on them and declared the city to be a place of desolation and death. The volunteers and leaders who gave of themselves became symbols of hope to those who were without hope. Their efforts and optimism became the strength they needed to continue to live.
Hope Shall Bloom can be our motto of life also when we place optimism in the forefront of our lives. When we think positively about life instead of letting negatives rule our lives then we foster a positive outlook for all to observe. The motto is very demonstrative...Hope SHALL bloom....it looks forward to the future even in the absence of proof that better days are coming. We are in a cycle of negativity in our country at the present time. Embracing a positive way of life and a positive attitude about life will make us to be people of hope and that hope will encourage others to also have hope. Hope Shall Bloom in our lives and the lives of others as we continue to spread the message of hope to all with whom we share life.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Decision Time
The older I get, the more I am inclined to become more impatient with people who will not make a decision. Some of us make a decision and live with its consequences but there are others who will not make a decision at all, even over fairly trivial matters. Have you ever noticed that if a group wants to go to dinner together, that it is very hard to reach a consensus as to where to dine? That is because many people do not want to choose a restaurant lest it be a bad experience for one or more persons in the group. No one wants to be the one who chose the restaurant and people in the future will make remarks about how bad it was to dine there.
Some people do not want to choose a meal in a restaurant very quickly either. They peruse the menu and look it over again and again, perhaps wanting to be sure that what they order will actually taste good to them and not being stuck with a fairly inedible entree. I am not that way at all. I give the menu a glance and when my eyes focus on something that looks like it would taste good, I choose it. I do not continue to look it over but just settle on the first thing that looks like it would be good. I actually do consider the healthy options nowadays over the obviously fattening one (nothing with Alfredo sauce on it, give me a healthy marinara sauce instead) but all things being equal I am not a very fussy eater.
Choosing clothing is a similar story. Some people try on shoe after shoe and cannot decide on a pair to buy. Some folks go to the fitting room again and again, trying on article after article of clothing and not being able to make a decision. I do not shop unless I need a definite item (I don't shop for fun--I don't even know what that means) and go to the place where I can find the item I need and buy it. When I finish finding that one item, I am ready to go home or go eat. I will go on shopping trips with the family if they will allow me to sit on benches in the mall or the outlet mall and do people watching. It is much more fun to sit and stare than to stand and wait.
The people that God called out of Egypt and named them after their ancestor Israel (Jacob) had finally reached the Promised Land. Moses was dead and Joshua had led them across the Jordan River and through the land of the Amorites and now Joshua was about to die too so he gathered them all together at Shechem and gave them his big goodbye speech and covenant ceremony. He told them that they had to make a decision. They had to choose whether they would serve Yahweh the God of Israel or the gods they had known in Egypt or the gods of the Amorites. They were not given a "none of the above" option. They had to choose, make a decision, come to a conclusion. He told them their options and then told them they had to consider it carefully because if they promised to serve Yahweh and then did not fulfill the vow they made, then Yahweh could be difficult.
The people were insistent that they would serve Yahweh only and not turn back to idols but Joshua did not want a maybe, he wanted a resounding "YES!" They again promised that they would serve Yahweh and this time he accepted their word but he gave them a stern warning and said that a big stone that he set up for all to see was a witness to their words and actions so they better be serious. The stone would testify against them if they did not keep their word (they believed in such things in their day). So, the people affirmed, "We will serve the LORD" and that was that.
As Joshua talked to them about the decision they had to make, he told them, "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua had already decided and he had lived his life in service to Yahweh so now that he was an older guy, his trust was in Yahweh and no idol tempted him to do otherwise. He wanted the people of Israel to be just as confident in the decision they would make on that day at Shechem.
Some decisions we make in life do not have long lasting consequences. If we choose a bad meal, then in about four hours or so we can correct that and choose something good for us. If we buy an article of clothing that is ugly, we can donate it to Goodwill and start again. If we suggest a restaurant that turns out to be a dud to a group, then people may talk about that decision and even have a laugh at our expense but we may choose a good one someday and they will forgive us. Other decisions have serious and long lasting consequences. If the mate we choose to marry suddenly exhibits flaws that make us have second thoughts, then we may have to develop creative coping skills to stay in that marriage. If the house we buy, suddenly has structural or plumbing problems, then we may have to spend some money on house repairs that we did not bargain for. If we do not take care of our health through healthy diet and exercise habits, then we may be locating physicians and hospitals to help us in correcting our negative lifestyle choices.
The faith decisions we make also have long lasting consequences. Many in our world have little need or regard for faith in their lives. They made the decision at some point that organized religion did not have to be part of their lives. They may have even once belonged to a church or other house of worship but allowed life to overtake them and the vows of faithfulness to that institution became non-important. The decision to "go it alone" without the company of a faith community became comfortable to them and now they rarely think about renewing the vows they made in the past. It is very sad to most pastors to be called to assist a family at a time of crisis, such as a hospitalization or death of a loved one, and learn that the persons have no faith community upon which to call at such times. They may even be members of a church but have not attended worship or activities there for such a long time that few currently active members know them. The faith community would love to be in ministry to all persons in their time of need but when persons have made the decision to be absent from the faith community, then their lack of connectedness is revealed at such times.
Joshua wanted the People called Israel to understand the decision they were about to make. Their actions would carry long lasting consequences. God wants modern people to be just as clear about the way they order their lives. Deciding to worship the idols that modern society presents to us daily brings about separation from the very source that can give us strength in our time of need. It is when we are connected to the source of our energy that we are able to survive the storms that we must all endure.
Some people do not want to choose a meal in a restaurant very quickly either. They peruse the menu and look it over again and again, perhaps wanting to be sure that what they order will actually taste good to them and not being stuck with a fairly inedible entree. I am not that way at all. I give the menu a glance and when my eyes focus on something that looks like it would taste good, I choose it. I do not continue to look it over but just settle on the first thing that looks like it would be good. I actually do consider the healthy options nowadays over the obviously fattening one (nothing with Alfredo sauce on it, give me a healthy marinara sauce instead) but all things being equal I am not a very fussy eater.
Choosing clothing is a similar story. Some people try on shoe after shoe and cannot decide on a pair to buy. Some folks go to the fitting room again and again, trying on article after article of clothing and not being able to make a decision. I do not shop unless I need a definite item (I don't shop for fun--I don't even know what that means) and go to the place where I can find the item I need and buy it. When I finish finding that one item, I am ready to go home or go eat. I will go on shopping trips with the family if they will allow me to sit on benches in the mall or the outlet mall and do people watching. It is much more fun to sit and stare than to stand and wait.
The people that God called out of Egypt and named them after their ancestor Israel (Jacob) had finally reached the Promised Land. Moses was dead and Joshua had led them across the Jordan River and through the land of the Amorites and now Joshua was about to die too so he gathered them all together at Shechem and gave them his big goodbye speech and covenant ceremony. He told them that they had to make a decision. They had to choose whether they would serve Yahweh the God of Israel or the gods they had known in Egypt or the gods of the Amorites. They were not given a "none of the above" option. They had to choose, make a decision, come to a conclusion. He told them their options and then told them they had to consider it carefully because if they promised to serve Yahweh and then did not fulfill the vow they made, then Yahweh could be difficult.
The people were insistent that they would serve Yahweh only and not turn back to idols but Joshua did not want a maybe, he wanted a resounding "YES!" They again promised that they would serve Yahweh and this time he accepted their word but he gave them a stern warning and said that a big stone that he set up for all to see was a witness to their words and actions so they better be serious. The stone would testify against them if they did not keep their word (they believed in such things in their day). So, the people affirmed, "We will serve the LORD" and that was that.
As Joshua talked to them about the decision they had to make, he told them, "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua had already decided and he had lived his life in service to Yahweh so now that he was an older guy, his trust was in Yahweh and no idol tempted him to do otherwise. He wanted the people of Israel to be just as confident in the decision they would make on that day at Shechem.
Some decisions we make in life do not have long lasting consequences. If we choose a bad meal, then in about four hours or so we can correct that and choose something good for us. If we buy an article of clothing that is ugly, we can donate it to Goodwill and start again. If we suggest a restaurant that turns out to be a dud to a group, then people may talk about that decision and even have a laugh at our expense but we may choose a good one someday and they will forgive us. Other decisions have serious and long lasting consequences. If the mate we choose to marry suddenly exhibits flaws that make us have second thoughts, then we may have to develop creative coping skills to stay in that marriage. If the house we buy, suddenly has structural or plumbing problems, then we may have to spend some money on house repairs that we did not bargain for. If we do not take care of our health through healthy diet and exercise habits, then we may be locating physicians and hospitals to help us in correcting our negative lifestyle choices.
The faith decisions we make also have long lasting consequences. Many in our world have little need or regard for faith in their lives. They made the decision at some point that organized religion did not have to be part of their lives. They may have even once belonged to a church or other house of worship but allowed life to overtake them and the vows of faithfulness to that institution became non-important. The decision to "go it alone" without the company of a faith community became comfortable to them and now they rarely think about renewing the vows they made in the past. It is very sad to most pastors to be called to assist a family at a time of crisis, such as a hospitalization or death of a loved one, and learn that the persons have no faith community upon which to call at such times. They may even be members of a church but have not attended worship or activities there for such a long time that few currently active members know them. The faith community would love to be in ministry to all persons in their time of need but when persons have made the decision to be absent from the faith community, then their lack of connectedness is revealed at such times.
Joshua wanted the People called Israel to understand the decision they were about to make. Their actions would carry long lasting consequences. God wants modern people to be just as clear about the way they order their lives. Deciding to worship the idols that modern society presents to us daily brings about separation from the very source that can give us strength in our time of need. It is when we are connected to the source of our energy that we are able to survive the storms that we must all endure.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween!!!!
There, I said it. I said, "Happy Halloween!" not "Happy Harvest Day" or "Happy Reformation Day" or "Happy Non-Offensive Autumn Day" as some may prefer. Actually, I now live in a part of our state where saying Happy Halloween is okay. It was not always so when I lived in East Texas. Many there would say Happy Halloween and perhaps decorate their homes with appropriate holiday symbols but for some that tradition was totally verboten. There is a religious strain in that part of the world that connects and connotes Halloween with something sinister or even evil. Some churches and their leaders have taught their followers for decades this teaching that Halloween must be avoided at all cost to keep themselves pure. That thinking filtered into the public school system to the place where teachers could not have their children color pages with ghosts or witches or black cats lest they bring on the wrath of the religious adherents of such thinking. It got to the place where it was ridiculous. Those who wishes to participate in Halloween traditions did so in an almost stealthy and secretive manner. "Pssst, there will be a Halloween Party at the Smith's house tonight. Pass it on!"
To those who would make something evil out of this holiday that strictly means that children get to dress up in costumes and eat candy, I say simply--"Poppycock!" There, I have said that stern rebuke! Halloween is no more sinister than my great grandmother's fruitcake. Yes, it may be something that some would avoid and let them do so, but do not forbid Halloween or fruitcake to those of us who wish to partake of it. Halloween has ancient origins that have something to do with the idea that once a year the spirits of those who recently departed would connect with those on earth. It was a belief that persons on earth may have their loved ones who died in the last year with them a bit longer and that one this special night they may feel their presence. Persons began dressing up in costumes to remind themselves of the departed ones and it soon evolved into just a night of merriment and for children into a night where treats were handed out as they paraded in their costumes. The trick part of "trick or treat" really came about as silly pranksters did fairly harmless practical jokes and especially if they did not get a treat they liked. Today, that same tradition exists and when I see children come to our well lit porch to receive some candy, it is fun to see what clever costumes they have.
I went through my neighborhood when I was growing up usually dressed as a hobo or a ghost because we had to use home made costumes most of the time. We would take a large grocery bag with us and I would collect enough candy before returning home to last until Thanksgiving. Few if any people ever said anything about the holiday being something evil. Some years my aunt and uncle would have a Halloween Party at their house and we would go and bob for apples or put our hands in spaghetti (to resemble a brain) or feel of grapes in a bowl (eyeballs) and we would laugh and tell spooky stories and listen to scary records. We would be home by 9 pm or so and get ready for bed and go to school the next day. It was just a time of fun for children and their parents.
There is plenty of evil in the world and we dont have to wait for Halloween to find it. You can read about it in the paper daily or hear about it on the newscast on television. It has nothing to do with dressing up in costumes or giving out candy. Evil surrounds us because of the greed and lusts of humankind as it always has been. People do evil acts out of these evil feelings and attitudes. Halloween is a sacred day, a day of fun, but also a day to remember all those who have gone ahead of us to their Eternal Reward. Tomorrow is All Saints Day when we remember these dear Saints. In our church, we will celebrate that special day next Sunday in the German festival of the Dead--Totenfest.
Happy Halloween to all, even to those who live in East Texas!
To those who would make something evil out of this holiday that strictly means that children get to dress up in costumes and eat candy, I say simply--"Poppycock!" There, I have said that stern rebuke! Halloween is no more sinister than my great grandmother's fruitcake. Yes, it may be something that some would avoid and let them do so, but do not forbid Halloween or fruitcake to those of us who wish to partake of it. Halloween has ancient origins that have something to do with the idea that once a year the spirits of those who recently departed would connect with those on earth. It was a belief that persons on earth may have their loved ones who died in the last year with them a bit longer and that one this special night they may feel their presence. Persons began dressing up in costumes to remind themselves of the departed ones and it soon evolved into just a night of merriment and for children into a night where treats were handed out as they paraded in their costumes. The trick part of "trick or treat" really came about as silly pranksters did fairly harmless practical jokes and especially if they did not get a treat they liked. Today, that same tradition exists and when I see children come to our well lit porch to receive some candy, it is fun to see what clever costumes they have.
I went through my neighborhood when I was growing up usually dressed as a hobo or a ghost because we had to use home made costumes most of the time. We would take a large grocery bag with us and I would collect enough candy before returning home to last until Thanksgiving. Few if any people ever said anything about the holiday being something evil. Some years my aunt and uncle would have a Halloween Party at their house and we would go and bob for apples or put our hands in spaghetti (to resemble a brain) or feel of grapes in a bowl (eyeballs) and we would laugh and tell spooky stories and listen to scary records. We would be home by 9 pm or so and get ready for bed and go to school the next day. It was just a time of fun for children and their parents.
There is plenty of evil in the world and we dont have to wait for Halloween to find it. You can read about it in the paper daily or hear about it on the newscast on television. It has nothing to do with dressing up in costumes or giving out candy. Evil surrounds us because of the greed and lusts of humankind as it always has been. People do evil acts out of these evil feelings and attitudes. Halloween is a sacred day, a day of fun, but also a day to remember all those who have gone ahead of us to their Eternal Reward. Tomorrow is All Saints Day when we remember these dear Saints. In our church, we will celebrate that special day next Sunday in the German festival of the Dead--Totenfest.
Happy Halloween to all, even to those who live in East Texas!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Sliding Into Home Plate
I love metaphors. They make our language unique and colorful. They help us to imagine what it may be like to be someplace else or do other things we wish we could do. They help us to describe things to others that we may not be able to describe otherwise.
We had a funeral today at our church where we said goodbye to an 88 year old man. He had lived in Houston where he worked for many years but when he retired he and his wife moved to the country, as many people often do. They bought a piece of property in our area and built a nice house on it. This man had a love for softball. No, not baseball, but softball and girl's softball teams. He acted as trainer and coach for 100 or more girls over the years teaching them the intricacies of throwing a softball and hitting one. He had been in the Navy in World War II and had worked as an electrician during his working years but it was his mentoring of girls on softball teams that drew the most attention from those attending the funeral today. A group of girls from the local high school came dressed in their uniforms and sat together with their coach. The school superintendent came as well. A banker, the city manager, the county commissioner, and other officials attended the service.
One woman read a tribute to this man that told a lot of facts about his life. As the tribute came to a close, she inserted a metaphor that described him being in heaven and on a softball team with two other relatives who had preceded him in death. She imagined him hitting a ball into the outfield and running the bases and then sliding into home plate with the base judge calling him "Safe!" as he slid in and touched the plate. "Safe at home at last", she ended. I have heard many metaphors used at funerals to imagine what the deceased must be doing in heaven including fishing and playing pool, but I think I like this one the best, and especially the statement that ended it---"Safe at home, at last."
That is probably what we all would like to hear when it is our time to cross the plate. I compared this man to Nicodemus in the Gospel of John who came to see Jesus by night and learned from him and then just disappears after that chapter, only to reappear one time later and then in the final chapters as he assists Joseph of Arimathea in burying Jesus' dead body. Nicodemus was a quiet man, a secret disciple who never proclaimed his faith openly for everyone to hear but simply did the good work that he could as it needed to be done without calling attention to himself. That sounds like faith in action, a faith that James recommends and Matthew has Jesus talk about in the Parable in chapter 25. Doing good work is an outgrowth of faith, something one does because they have faith, and the faith they have may be known only to themselves.
This man whom we buried today was a lot like my own father, I imagine. Neither really cared much for organized religion or went to church often but both made sure they helped those who needed help and both tried to live out an understanding of faith in action, loving God by loving their neighbor as best they understood how that could be done. Both liked the game of baseball and how it was played but did not play it themselves. By the grace of God, both of them have crossed home plate and have been declared "Safe" by the only authority that really matters. God grant them rest for their souls and peace in God's Kingdom.
We had a funeral today at our church where we said goodbye to an 88 year old man. He had lived in Houston where he worked for many years but when he retired he and his wife moved to the country, as many people often do. They bought a piece of property in our area and built a nice house on it. This man had a love for softball. No, not baseball, but softball and girl's softball teams. He acted as trainer and coach for 100 or more girls over the years teaching them the intricacies of throwing a softball and hitting one. He had been in the Navy in World War II and had worked as an electrician during his working years but it was his mentoring of girls on softball teams that drew the most attention from those attending the funeral today. A group of girls from the local high school came dressed in their uniforms and sat together with their coach. The school superintendent came as well. A banker, the city manager, the county commissioner, and other officials attended the service.
One woman read a tribute to this man that told a lot of facts about his life. As the tribute came to a close, she inserted a metaphor that described him being in heaven and on a softball team with two other relatives who had preceded him in death. She imagined him hitting a ball into the outfield and running the bases and then sliding into home plate with the base judge calling him "Safe!" as he slid in and touched the plate. "Safe at home at last", she ended. I have heard many metaphors used at funerals to imagine what the deceased must be doing in heaven including fishing and playing pool, but I think I like this one the best, and especially the statement that ended it---"Safe at home, at last."
That is probably what we all would like to hear when it is our time to cross the plate. I compared this man to Nicodemus in the Gospel of John who came to see Jesus by night and learned from him and then just disappears after that chapter, only to reappear one time later and then in the final chapters as he assists Joseph of Arimathea in burying Jesus' dead body. Nicodemus was a quiet man, a secret disciple who never proclaimed his faith openly for everyone to hear but simply did the good work that he could as it needed to be done without calling attention to himself. That sounds like faith in action, a faith that James recommends and Matthew has Jesus talk about in the Parable in chapter 25. Doing good work is an outgrowth of faith, something one does because they have faith, and the faith they have may be known only to themselves.
This man whom we buried today was a lot like my own father, I imagine. Neither really cared much for organized religion or went to church often but both made sure they helped those who needed help and both tried to live out an understanding of faith in action, loving God by loving their neighbor as best they understood how that could be done. Both liked the game of baseball and how it was played but did not play it themselves. By the grace of God, both of them have crossed home plate and have been declared "Safe" by the only authority that really matters. God grant them rest for their souls and peace in God's Kingdom.
Monday, October 24, 2011
95 Theses 95
A week from today is Halloween Day! It is also Reformation Day! So, since both days fall on the same day, one can dress up to look like Martin Luther or Philip Melancthon and see if people can guess who you are! You may not get a lot of candy but you may get some raised eyebrows. Even Luther and his buddy PM got raised eyebrows in their day because they challenged the status quo. They did not believe everything that came down the religious pike of their day and they stood their ground even in the face of excommunication from the church. (In their day the teaching from The Church was that there was not salvation outside of the Roman Catholic Church so to be excommunicated meant eternal damnation.) Even when Luther was faced with bodily harm or death, he still refused to recant his beliefs. He posted his list of objections to the teachings of the Church of his day on the church of the castle at Wittenberg which is where the public notices would have been posted. This was the equivalent of writing an email and pushing reply all in his day. Everyone who was anyone who could read would read what was posted on the church door and spread the word. It took a while but eventually it created a firestorm of controversy, so severe that Luther had to leave the priesthood and hide out to save his life.
The main objection that Luther had to the teachings of the day had to do with the idea that was being pushed by the Church hierarchy that one could buy relief from Purgatory for dead relatives. This was called "indulgences" and when one bought an indulgence for a specific dead person, that person would be given less time in Purgatory. Luther thought this idea was insane, much less not scriptural, and he began to teach that one could not buy one's way out of Purgatory and one could not buy one's salvation. In fact, he challenged the very basis of works over faith to insure salvation. Soon, Luther was teaching that salvation came about by faith alone (thanks to Paul's letter to the Romans) and that average citizens could understand the Bible for themselves (once they could read and actually had a Bible to read). Soon his followers were shouting, "Solo Scriptura! Solo Fidelis!"
When my wife and I were in Germany two years ago, we rode from the train from Leipzig to Wittenberg to visit the places where Luther had lived and worked. We went to Wittenberg Castle Church and saw the door where now the 95 are enshrined in metal on the door and there is a list of them inside the church in both German and English so that everyone can read them. We were there at noon when a short service was being held and a short organ concert was given. The church contains several stained glass windows and paintings dedicated to Martin Luther. In front of a bookstore on the main street is a large, life size cut out of Martin Luther with whom I had my photo taken. He is still very prominent in the memory of many Germans and revered as a saint-like figure to them. In fact, they are preparing for a grand celebration of his nailing the theses to the door, the 500th anniversary to be celebrated in 2017.
Martin Luther's example to modern persons of religious faith is his belief that each of us can read the scriptures and understand what they say and that we do not need a religious person to tell us what it means. Yes, we can enlist teachers to help us in our understanding or we can take classes to aid us in our quest, but in the final analysis it is what we believe to be true that matters. Luther also gave us the idea of the "Priesthood of All Believers" as an inheritance. That means that each of us is a priest in our own right and can understand the meaning of the scriptures as we seek ultimate truth. We can understand what the Scriptures say to us individually because the Holy Spirit will grant understanding to us.
So, Happy Halloween and Happy Reformation Day! Enjoy and celebrate and give thanks for a monk who would give up his right to be a monk and a priest so that all could know that they were priests in following their belief in the God who cannot be bought but can be approached through faith alone.
The main objection that Luther had to the teachings of the day had to do with the idea that was being pushed by the Church hierarchy that one could buy relief from Purgatory for dead relatives. This was called "indulgences" and when one bought an indulgence for a specific dead person, that person would be given less time in Purgatory. Luther thought this idea was insane, much less not scriptural, and he began to teach that one could not buy one's way out of Purgatory and one could not buy one's salvation. In fact, he challenged the very basis of works over faith to insure salvation. Soon, Luther was teaching that salvation came about by faith alone (thanks to Paul's letter to the Romans) and that average citizens could understand the Bible for themselves (once they could read and actually had a Bible to read). Soon his followers were shouting, "Solo Scriptura! Solo Fidelis!"
When my wife and I were in Germany two years ago, we rode from the train from Leipzig to Wittenberg to visit the places where Luther had lived and worked. We went to Wittenberg Castle Church and saw the door where now the 95 are enshrined in metal on the door and there is a list of them inside the church in both German and English so that everyone can read them. We were there at noon when a short service was being held and a short organ concert was given. The church contains several stained glass windows and paintings dedicated to Martin Luther. In front of a bookstore on the main street is a large, life size cut out of Martin Luther with whom I had my photo taken. He is still very prominent in the memory of many Germans and revered as a saint-like figure to them. In fact, they are preparing for a grand celebration of his nailing the theses to the door, the 500th anniversary to be celebrated in 2017.
Martin Luther's example to modern persons of religious faith is his belief that each of us can read the scriptures and understand what they say and that we do not need a religious person to tell us what it means. Yes, we can enlist teachers to help us in our understanding or we can take classes to aid us in our quest, but in the final analysis it is what we believe to be true that matters. Luther also gave us the idea of the "Priesthood of All Believers" as an inheritance. That means that each of us is a priest in our own right and can understand the meaning of the scriptures as we seek ultimate truth. We can understand what the Scriptures say to us individually because the Holy Spirit will grant understanding to us.
So, Happy Halloween and Happy Reformation Day! Enjoy and celebrate and give thanks for a monk who would give up his right to be a monk and a priest so that all could know that they were priests in following their belief in the God who cannot be bought but can be approached through faith alone.
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