5 Shots at Disease

     "This may hurt!"  In the muscle, and not... the shots began.  Polio, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis, Meningitis, Tetanus, and then add the meds for Malaria, "Traveler's Diarrhea" (nice name for a bad situation) and all to get to Kenya.
     I am so grateful that I have generous people supporting me with prayers, gifts and encouragement.  It makes the shots a bit easier.  Thank you.
     Today began the medical process that will continue well past the Feb. 6, 2014 departure.  Month's ago began the process that is preparing me to be a part of the teaching team, who are preparing pastors to fulfill their calling.
      A sore arm is a small price to pay for health of body and many spirits.

Conversation #2: Don't Mock-Be Real

Moments after posting "4 Tips to Life-Giving Conversation" a friend messaged me (imagine that, my thoughts a conversation starter :-).  He asked if I'd seen this video link below.  I hadn't.  I clicked.  I learned.  Now, I've shared...

Some conversations are hard...so true!  All of us encounter hard conversations...equally true (unless we're hiding from them, and that will kill us)!  "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free," are familiar words and the One who spoke them was all about Love and Truth.  That's why this is so important and effective.

What are your hard conversations?  How might you begin to hold them with the necessary people?

P.S.  Thanks KB

4 Tips to Life-Giving Conversation

Brian McLaren's brief video offers a bit of truth that me thrive in community, be it church, civic, family, friends...any community.   I believe that the following four things give me mindful guidance for entering into my conversations and reflecting on my conversations.  (FYI  I know I don't do all of these, all the time,  with all of my abilities...and yet I'm working on it.):

1. Listen First: I seek to take time to really listen so that I  understand the other's viewpoint to their satisfaction.  A coaching colleague of mine relayed the acronym W.A.I.T.  (Why Am I Talking) as a reminder to listen first and to talk with purpose;
2. Open to Learning: I admit that conversation can't truly happen when my conclusions begin an exchange.  It's worth considering "I may be wrong" or "I may be able to learn something new."  I've never been disappointed by finding that I knew all there was to know, or by not learning something new about the topic at hand or the person with whom I was talking;
3. Honesty Sharing:  I find that after listening and openness, it's critical to be honest in expressing my personal beliefs, perspectives, and opinions with neutral language, as well as appropriate passion.  When I fail to be me,  I cheat others from listening and learning.  I also often feel powerless.  Neither is good or necessary;
4. Love Generously: I don't need to agree with you to love you.  In healthy conversations my love/respect won't be misconstrued for approval of all you have said.  We all believe what we do because we think it's right, the best option.  We all have convictions and passions and no one has all the answers, so we do well to begin and end with gracious love that respects our conversation partner's experience, convictions and person.  

 What helps you have better conversations?

What Do You Choose?

What do you choose each day?  Love?  Anger?  Patience?  Isolation?  I don't like to believe I get to choose, because then I'm responsible.  But Jesus did say Come and see, and Follow me and both of them a choice.

I want to invite you to choose, life, love, joy, peace, wholeness and all that is good.  A friend shared a video, This Is Water  that's worth the 9:23min to be reminded and inspired about our daily choices.

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Here's another good link on choices!

When Life Hurts... Love Works!

I'm disturbed by what I see around me.  At so many levels we fight, not debate, with callousness and brinksmanship that frightens me. 

I believe that our different opinions are a gift and worth listening to and that when we're creative and loving we can find ways work together. I don't mean always compromising to the least common denominator, but collaborating in ways that lift everyone up.

I believe that our fears too often drive us.  Fears (like mine in writing this) that others will attack, call names, agitate, or ambush.  Fears that if we don't defend our convictions with violence and vitriol we have somehow abdicated our beliefs and failed.  Fears of all shapes and sizes that weasel their way deep into our hearts and minds.

I believe that perfect Love trumps fear every time.  I believe that it's OK to be hold differing viewpoints.  I believe that variety is interesting and designed by God.  I believe that I get stronger in conversation with others, especially when I am challenged with thoughtful, caring, creative and kind debate rather than the spirit of gridlocked, self-interested, aggressiveness I see and experience too frequently around me.

I hold many opinions on things. I wouldn't hold them if I didn't think they were the best to be had. (And my challengers, I trust believe the same of their opinions.) However, honesty, history and humility call on me to hold my opinions loosely enough to love and grow in relationship with others. And truthfully, I've had some of my opinions changed in my life.

Bottom line for me is Live Love, which begins with God and extends to all I meet.  And that shapes my opinions on Food Stamps, Faith, Guns, Gays, and so much more.  I like what I believe, and I might be wrong.  My beliefs are born of painful and joyous experience, logical and creative thinking, fears and confidences, and so much more.  

Today I pray for two things:  

      First, healing for us all that we might find many places 

            of creativity, safety and peace; and 
      Second, for many good conversations... 

            that will challenge, affirm, provoke, and heal.

I'd love to continue the conversation with you.  Peace on the Journey.

What Would You Do If You Couldn't Fail?

     What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?  How would that choice or action share Jesus’ Love with others?

     I recently began asking that question of many things.  I know some of my habits and patterns as a pastor were formed when Sundays didn't have community sports, when most stores were closed on Sunday, and when photocopy machines weren't in the church office.   I now photocopy, text, preach-from-a-tablet, use a Smartphone and find good things in all these changes.  Yet, all my ways of living the love of Jesus don’t reflect the changes in the world around.  So I've been asking, “What needs to be updated to fit in God’s world?”  God says, “See, I’m doing a new thing!” (Is.43:19)

     When I started as a pastor 30 years ago I could visit a whole list of shut-ins in an afternoon because they were always home and lived in the community near the church.  Now they are spread out and their retirement communities have worship, buses to the doctor & store, activities and assistive tools allowing family to include them in offsite activities.  All great things, and now finding one or two shut-ins available in an afternoon can be a challenge.  So when I asked, “How can the church show care to these folks?” we, a community of caring, began using a team of people and one-on-one communion “friendship” visits. I focused on special needs, hospitals, requests and crises, all of which are often our shut-ins.  It’s not perfect yet, but it’s an adaptation in progress.  Jesus says that all of us are to be a part of, “Love one another.” (John 13:34)

     Another question I've had to ask myself is, “What am I unwilling to change in order to share Jesus’ love?”  I want to say “nothing,” but my actions may say differently.  I want to learn how to put everything in God’s hands.  Faith wisdom says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5)

     Our church has a recent meeting about building modifications including a strong vote pursuing a redesigned, welcoming entrance, a change, so that we can get a barrier or two out of the way of sharing Jesus’ love.  That is a celebration!  What else do we hold onto?  What other ways of being the church and doing ministry do we need to ask these questions of?

     This year we had a Vacation Bible School meeting and asked these same questions and changed our strategy from a 5 weeknight pattern to a one day festival event.  Why?  Because we don’t want to fail in sharing Jesus’ love.  Because people’s schedules have changed dramatically since we began a weeknight pattern.  Because we believe that we were listening to God’s voice leading in new ways.  Because the word of God says, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Lk.8:21)

     For me I want to care for all and sometimes hesitate to change out of fear that I’ll be uncaring.  Fear, I know, isn't God’s way of working and yet it sometimes gets in my way.  For me sometimes I want more information about things that are hard to measure, and yet I know that God works first with transformation and doesn't lead with information.  Failing to follow God out of perceived lack of information is putting information higher than faith in God.  The wisdom of scripture reminds us to put God first and says, “But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.” (Mt. 6:33)

     It is simple and yet complicated.  Simple is, “Love God and love neighbor.” (Lk.10:27)  Complicated is in the how. So back to my original question, beyond the complications, “What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?  How would that choice share Jesus’ Love?

Holy Shopping Moments

     By grace I am happy, relaxed, fulfilled & strong in Christ.   This gift, given during a shopping prayer.
     Shopping with my wife, we parted ways and I was strolling, looking, waiting, and wandering.  Having lapped the store, I lapsed into a conversation with God, as much from boredom as from holy intention.  In this place, in this moment, I noticed these four gifts of happiness, relaxation, fulfillment and strength in my life.
My observation began morphing into a breath prayer spoken to the rhythm of my feet.  The process sounds simple and quick.  In practice, it was clumsy, distracted and quirky.  The serendipity, I arrived in a state of peace with the prayer sentence opening this blog entry.
     Equipped and refocused, words shifted toward images, in my impromptu encounter, set to the routine beat of my gate.  I began to imagine scriptures with each word and their visual counterparts.
     "Happy" lept to ancient wisdom that reminds that "from the rising of the sun, to it's setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised."  Viscerally & visually the warmth of noonday sun lifting my spirit, as it has many times swimming, hiking, working, or moving from office to car and beyond, emerged in my mind's eye.
     "Relaxed" flowed into "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and not your own understanding," as I pictured the sun setting over lake & landscape.
     "Fulfilled" evoked God's promise to Abraham, that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars.
      And "Strength" brought memories of my father quoting the Psalmist "I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord." as we approached the beauty of sunrises over vacation encountered mountains.
     Full of peace and images I finished my shopping feeling blessed.  Reunited with my wife and finished our adventure together.  Arriving home I set out to draw.  My art a faint reflection of the gift I continue to carry.  Prayer in the midst of life is like that for me.  Surprising.  Life-giving.  Challenging--I'm still living into the gift, praying the prayer, and sharing the peace.
     What gifts have you received, prayers prayed, and journeys begun?  Happy & Holy Shopping! ;-)