Seek. Serve. Love.

The first week of Barth

2012-01-08T20:11:00.004-06:00

One week into the year and I'm already behind. However, I take great comfort in the fact that I am doing this for fun and for personal enrichment and therefore and not bound by course restrictions or time tables for this reading.

I am not used to Barth's writing style yet. That may take a while. And, I often have to go back and reread sections or reread definitions to keep everything straight. I'm quite sure it doesn't really hurt me.

So here are some thoughts from the first week.

1) For Barth, dogmatics is a part of theology, a subset (or specific part) if you will. It focuses on the content of what the Church says about God. So, it would seem that his entire work is a study of what the church says (or how it talks) about God in respect to various aspects such as the Word of God, God, Creation, etc.

2) Barth is obviously engaged in a conversation (whether real or in his own thinking) between the Modern Liberalists and the Roman Catholic Church. This helps put his ideas into historical context, especially when we remember he was writing in the early 20th century. He bounces back and forth between the two groups as he makes his case for his understanding of dogmatics.

3) It was interesting to reflect on the section about the Church and Proclamation the day before preaching a sermon that came quite by the Spirit. I had written an entire sermon and woke up at 4am to wrestle with Spirit, ending in the rewriting of much of it.

I'm still working through exactly what Barth is saying about the above. It's taking some time to get used to his way of thinking and writing after a couple of years away from theological academia.

More to come...

Books Read in 2011

2011-12-31T22:20:00.002-06:00

Every year I try to read widely. This year has been no different. But, I didn't make my goal of reading 75 books. I did read some rather lengthy works, however. Below is the list of books I've completed in the past 12 months in alpha order.

I have a long list for next year as well, including some daily reading items. Maybe I'll blog about some of them as I go along.

1) 13 Little Blue Envelopes

2) 55 Ways to Meditate

3) A Century Turns

4) A Dog Named Slugger

5) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

6) AIDS2031

7) Back on Murder

8) Bullying

9) Cannery Row

10) Change the World

11) Change Your Church for Good

12) Civil Disobedience

13) Common Sense

14) Confronting the Challenges of Participatory…Media

15) Dancing in the Lowcountry

16) East of Eden

17) Fireflies in December

18) Five Fruitful Practices

19) Hostile Witness

20) In the Name of Jesus

21) Invisible

22) Les Miserables

23) Life is so Good

24) Love Me If You Must

25) Love Wins

26) On the Run

27) Pure Pleasure

28) Reaching People under 40 While Keeping People over 60

29) Recreating the Church

30) The Bible

31) The Equipping Church

32) The Handbag’s Tale

33) The Pursuit of God

34) The Wounded Healer

35) Up From Slavery

36) Number the Stars

When you just don't "feel" the Christmas Spirit...

2011-12-28T19:00:00.001-06:00

I'm part of a Facebook group of young clergy women. One of them asked about the "emotions" of Christmas and how we deal with it when we don't "feel it." I can relate. While I have a fairly high Birkman score on the emotional side of things, I am such a control freak that I want to control what emotions I show. I don't tend to be overly dramatic about much of anything without some serious effort. And, Christmas is one season where that is especially so.

I've walked with lots of people in the last few weeks who are experiencing the hard, daunting, painful tasks that life brings. Death. Divorce. Serious illness. Financial crisis. Loss of faith. This year just hasn't seemed joyful and I wasn't quite sure what to do with that. I couldn't force or fake being happy and joyful. And, I'm okay with knowing I don't really have to be.

For this year at least, I have re-framed what Christmas means. I focused on incarnation....the totality of incarnation. Christ came, put on flesh and walked the dusty roads of this broken world in order to live life fully. And, to show us what it means to live life to the fullest. (Seems like John said something about that, too.) Living life fully means Christ experienced heartache, pain, grief, betrayal, hunger, exhaustion and frustration. And yet, we saw how He engaged all of those things. He didn't run from them or try to lessen the effects. He lived fully; He lived faithfully. We see how to walk the journey with trust and hope that one day all will be right.

That day isn't today. And it won't be tomorrow. But, we if we have experienced this world in a more full way (by engaging the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful), we can help walk with others who need to be pointed toward the wholeness we find in God's kingdom which is both now and ever-coming.

This reshaping has helped me make more sense of the current situation I find myself in as I think about what the appropriate "emotions" are for this holy season.

Grace and peace.

Barth in 2012

2011-12-27T23:31:00.003-06:00

Once again, I am attempting to read through Church Dogmatics in the years 2012 and 2013. Spurred on by one of my seminary professors (Mike Stroope) I am going to take the challenge.

My friend Jerry and I will be starting a blog specifically for our Barth and CD reading some time soon. Hopefully, that will keep me focused and determined to stick it out. And, I really do want to do this. I just get sidetracked with so much other reading and work responsibilities.

Barth may be one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, theologian on the 20th century. I know I may not agree with all he says, but it's important work to wrestle with and think critically about theology. Doing that in conversation with great theologians and good friends help a lot and offers a range of understanding.

More to come as we embark on the journey.

Grace and peace.

Another Set of Goals...

2011-12-17T18:30:00.003-06:00

Every year I set some goals at the onset of the calendar. 2012 will be no different. Below I will list several goals I want to accomplish and then I'll check in periodically and let you know how I'm doing.

1. Work through health issues - 2011 has been the year for wacky, crazy, but non-life-threatening medical issues. A bad abdominal pain that was diagnosed as colon spasms. An eternal (4 month) upper respiratory infection (along with some bronchitis). Bad reaction to meds for my lungs that is causing fairly significant leg pain: hips, knees, feet, tendonitis, cramps, general pain that leads to difficulty in sitting and lying down. Then, a diagnosis of asthma. So, this year, lose weight to help with all that and do what it takes to get back to where I was six months ago.

2. Read - 75 books already on my list. Hope to be much closer in 2012 than in 2011. About 35 books in 2011.

3. Barth Reading - I'm going to be faithful to read through the Dogmatics. I was going to do this in 2011, but quickly gave up. I'm going to push through in 2012 and 2013 to read through the entire work. About 15 pages a day.

4. Engage in intentional community - FCC has some amazing young adults that have started coming. We are meeting once a month to eat and share life and prayer and community. Also, a new group of young adults have started gathering for what we call "Faith on Tap." We meet once a month and talk about faith and how to live out our particular brand of faith in the world. This is good, healthy, life-giving community.

I could go on and on about goals, but four seems to be a good number to actually attempt.

Now off to see how much of 2011's goals I can manage to squeeze in before the clock strikes midnight.

Grace and peace.

Goals for 2011

2011-10-06T21:29:00.002-05:00

Well, here we are in October of 2011 and I've only checked in on goals once this year!? Of course, I haven't done all that well, so I'm not wanting to update.

1. Get Healthy - I've lost a little weight, but nothing that is intentional. In fact, I've had some pretty crazy medical things going on the last six months. For the last three months I've been fighting a respiratory/sinus infection that keeps trying to move into pneumonia. I have had four, yes FOUR, rounds of antibiotics and it just isn't working. So, I am meeting with my doctor on Monday to talk about seeing a specialist. I can't handle not being able to breathe and running a constant low grade fever much longer. And, I can't handle many more days of this low blood pressure either. Hopefully, better health is coming soon.

2. Read Widely - I've read widely, but I haven't read nearly as much as I intended. I have finished 24 books and am in process with four. One of those is Les Miserables. It's 1200-1400 pages in print depending on which translation you get. I'm reading it on my Kindle app, so I'm 50% through it. I am also reading a book about the future of AIDS, a book about a man who grew up in East Texas during the days of the great depression and segregation, and a book about church transformation.

3. Finances - Well, I'm not as far along as I'd like, but I haven't done anything too outlandish. And, I've received some generous gifts from several house sitting gigs this year. I'm moving out on my own (well, that's a relative phrase) in the next several weeks, so this is becoming a more pressing issue to attend to.

4. Writing - This is very low on my Birkman score and true to that, I haven't written as much as I'd like. I know it is good for me. I need to talk through my ideas and fears and dreams. Writing is one way to "talk" but I prefer talking with my voice rather than a pen. I need to make this a priority.

5. Professional growth - I finished up my Licensed Minister's Training program in April. It was good, helpful to understand what it means to be Disciples. I have done some theological reading and some "fun" reading that I would count in this. And, I spent three months in a professional coaching relationship with True Course Ministries. That too was helpful.

6. Getting a Life - I have found some friends my own age in recent days. They starting coming to the church and we hit it off pretty quickly. We now spend some time during the week talking about life and faith and stuff. In fact, we are trying to meet all together at least once a month for fellowship.

Overall, this is still a work in progress. I'm not going to make some of the goals, but that's okay. It's having goals that move us forward further than no goals at all. I believe I will be able to say that I am better for having set them and at least checked in on them several times a year.

Shalom.

If you don't slow down....

2011-09-13T20:22:00.002-05:00

...your body will do it for you. Or at least, that's what I've learned in the last five months. While I don't want to sound like a broken record and I don't want to complain, it would be healthy for me to articulate where I've been and what I'm feeling about it.

During Holy Week in April I began experiencing severe pain in my lower abdomen. Excruciating, day stopping, stab-me-in-the-eye kind of pain. It didn't matter what I did, it just hurt.

I figured I was due for several different doctor's visits, so I made appointments. I had a sonogram done to check for cysts. Everything came back normal. But, I was still in pain. So, I went to my GP and had a CT done. Again, everything came back relatively normal. (There were a couple of non-important things that came up, but no worries there.)

So, my doctor prescribed me a medicine for colon spasms. While the medicine did help with the severity, but the frequency was worse than before. However, over the course of a couple of weeks, it finally started getting better.

Then, I went in for a follow up for that I was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. Got my beloved Z-pack and took it. And, it didn't help. It always works! Always! But not this time. So I went back and got a different antibiotic. I'm almost finished with this round and I'm still having some issues with my respiratory system. Still running a low grade fever several days a week. And, still without any energy at all.

I come home most every day and crash after work. I can run about 4-6 hours before I just flat run out of steam.

I am so frustrated. I really do think my doctor knows what he's doing and I know that all my tests have shown little that is helpful. I'm just tired of feeling bad all the time. It is beginning to wear on my spirit. Ministry is often very draining and in the last few weeks have proven that over and over. Between normal ministry and life drains, this has almost tipped the scales.

Fortunately, I have a wonderful pastor/boss/supervisor who understands and is supportive of me even when I'm so pathetic. She encourages me to rest when I need to and take time off when needed. It is so nice to have that level of understanding as I fight through this. Even in the midst of feeling bad and struggling to get the bare minimums done, I am so grateful for her leadership and support.

Rest...

2011-03-18T22:51:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been considering the idea of Sabbath. Rest. Reflection. Rejuvenation. God commanded it and I have been good at ignoring it.

So, I've managed to carve out some time to just be--without much of a plan for doing. I recently house sat for some friends who live out in the country, complete with geese, a lake and wind chimes. A perfect setting for a few personal retreat days.

The first day was rough. I couldn't settle in. I was restless and couldn't stay focused on simply being, I needed to be "doing." By the end of the third day, I was doing better as just sitting and resting. And, what I found out was that I was completely exhausted. I had a list of things to do and had no energy to do them, so I didn't. I just was. And, that's okay.

So, a couple of weeks later, it's Saturday and the second day I haven't "worked." Sure, I wrote aboard report and need to look at Sunday school material for tomorrow, but I didn't go into the office and haven't spent all my time thinking about work.

In the last 48 hours I've: gone out to breakfast, browsed shelves at the public library (picked up two novels), finished one book and made progress in two others, washed my car and my dad's truck, got a massage, held a precious baby while he slept, slept in, took a nap, read outside, played with the dogs, watched basketball (it is March Madness after all!), washed dishes and did some laundry. -Okay, so a lot of that is work, but it's different work. It's what Barbara Brown Taylor calls "altars in the world"--ways we see God moving and giving us life in the midst of everyday activity.

And, even though I've done a bunch of things, the different pace of life the last two days have been good for me. As I continue to reflect on what it means to sabbath, rest and reflect, I hope to become more intentional about observing this practice.

No words...

2011-03-05T08:20:00.002-06:00

What do you say when the unspeakable happens? What do you say when tragedy strikes? As a minister, I like to have to right words to say, but I rarely find myself in that position.

Thursday night I got word that the unspeakable had happened. A fellow seminary friend and classmate was violently killed in his church in North Texas. His church is just over two hours from the church I currently serve. Everyone is shocked and stunned. His family. His congregation. The Police. Truett Seminary. Ministers around the world. Me.

I'm not sure what to say. I'm not even sure what I feel.

Anger. Outrage. Grief. Pain. Shock. Numb. Questions. Fear. Sadness. That's part of it. But it goes deeper into words I don't have in my vocabulary. All this, and yet I didn't know him as well as so many others.

Even so, God is God. I am not; we are not. And I'm reminded, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, your perfect love is casting out fear..."

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Pastoral Care

2011-01-22T09:19:00.003-06:00

The past couple of weeks my pastor has been out of town for various reasons. She completed her second week of classroom work for her DMin at Brite Divinity School. And, she welcomed her first grandchild into the world this last Tuesday. Benjamin Thomas Coyle is doing well and is loved beyond what he knows.

So, while she's been learning and loving, I've been holding down the fort at the church. That means lots of pastoral care. We've had several people in the hospital and several more who are recovering from major medical procedures.

I've learned one major thing in this process. Something that I knew (in my head), but hadn't ever really practiced. Sometimes people just need to talk. And, they need someone to listen.

So, slow down and take time to really be present to people. Listen to what they say and what they don't say. Let them tell their story. That is as much pastoral care as praying or sitting with someone at the hospital or comforting someone after the loss of a loved one.

Listen.

And the verdict......

2011-01-17T21:16:00.002-06:00

Keeping up with the goals I set for myself has already proved to be a challenge. It's only two and half weeks in, and I've missed some this early in the process!!

1. I've done a decent job of eating at home. I told my dad I was going to forget Sonic runs in the afternoons during 2011 as his birthday present for 2010. Actually, it was about all eating out, unless it was a planned event, like Clergy Girls or a ministry appointment or family dinner. You get the point....I've eaten fast food a couple of times and only been to Sonic once for a Diet Coke since Christmas.

2. I have been so busy with work the last three weeks that I have barely touched reading. I am currently working through Booker T. Washington's autobiography, Up From Slavery. And, I'm slowly making my way through Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics...very, VERY slowly. I should have at least three books finished; my count is zero. It will come.

3. I have paid down a good bit on debt this month, thanks to Christmas cash. Due to the rise in federal withholding taxes this year, I am bringing home less than last year...yes, even with the tax cut. The rise is bigger than the cut for me.....

4. I said I was going to post weekly on here in order to keep up with writing. Well, I haven't posted here, but I have been writing. I wrote a sermon for January 9th along with a communion meditation. Then, at 10:30pm Saturday the 15th, I got a call that our guest preacher was sick. So, I wrote a sermon and delivered it in less than 12 hours! That in addition to another communion meditation. And, I'm the guest speaker at our Disciples Women's Ministry General Meeting tomorrow, so more writing. Lots of writing, just not much posting. You can link to the sermon manuscripts here.

5. I am talking with a good friend and seminary professor at the end of this week to talk about some continuing professional growth opportunities. And, On January 29th, I will be traveling with a group from my church to an all day workshop in the Dallas area. I'm looking forward to it.

6. Ministry has been so busy with programs starting back up, extra responsibilities while Charlotte has been gone for continuing ed (two weeks ago) and vacation this week (to see her first grandchild born, sometime in the next 24 hours!), a funeral, surprise preaching engagements, etc. that life outside of work has been put on hold. However, I did meet my cousin for a cup of really good coffee in Downtown Paris last week. It was good to catch up and just sit for a while. --I might also add that I've had pneumonia for a chunk of this time, and a sinus infection that's flaring up again. Busy, busy, busy.

For now, I'm going to enjoy my mac and cheese, watered down Diet Coke and a good night's sleep.

Shalom.

New Year's Resolutions

2010-12-31T06:41:00.003-06:00

Today is New Year's Eve, the traditional day that many people commit to doing better and being better in the next year. For me, this year marks the last year in my 20's. I'm thinking I need to work on some things before I hit 30 and the time has come. It's now or never. So, here are some of my goals for 2011.

1. Get healthy. Well, this may be a life long thing, but I need to eat better and work out regularly and take control back. (Even though I have an issue with wanting too much control!)

2. Read widely. I want to read at least 75 books in 2011. I have almost 300 in the archives on my Kindle account, and the library has several more on my list.

3. Finances. Live simply in order to give more.

4. Writing. I want to write more and this blog is one way. Expect a post at least once a week on what I'm reading or doing or what's going on in life

5. Professional growth. I am committing to enter a mentoring program with True Course Ministries out of Waco, Texas. Michael Godfrey is a wise man who has been in ministry for more than 30 years and I look forward to learning from him.

6. Getting a life. My pastor, whom I love and respect more than she knows, told me one day to "get a life." By that she meant, get out in the community, enjoy life, experience things, have fun. She was right. I need to do that more often. And, I need to intentionally build community with people that are in my age range. I spend a lot of time with a lot of people, but very few are in the 20's-30's range. Here's to life!

I think that may be more than enough for 2011. I have a lot of ministry goals as well, but I want to have a record of the personal ones as well. I'll check back in every so often to let you know how I'm doing on them.

Grace and peace.

Goals in 2010

2010-12-28T08:36:00.003-06:00

Well, it's the end of December so I thought it might be good to look back at the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year. It's a mixed bag this time around. I accomplished some and came close on others (or am actively working on them); other goals are a complete wash.

So here is the verdict:

1. Reading books---As of December 28, I have read 51 books. My goal for the year was 52. Consider it completed! (I have three I am currently working on and should have at least one finished before Saturday rolls around.)

2. Work out---fail.

3. Spend time with people---I'm still learning how to do this, but find myself really working to focus on them instead of the five million other things during the conversation. So, making progress.

4. Journal and write---for the most part, fail. I haven't done much creative expression work. A couple of sermons, yes. Lessons for youth, yes. But not much in the way of my intention.

5. Work to simplify finances---Working on it. Credit card is less than at the beginning of the year. I am gainfully employed, and living with my folks where I am only paying a few bills (my phone, insurance, credit card, etc). So, this one is in the "making progress stage, too.

6. Free entertainment--In spite of my pastor/boss telling me to "get a life," I have done okay in this realm. Watched movies in the park over the summer, read books from the library, gotten 300 free fluff books with my kindle apps (notice they are free too!) and watched my youth play soccer and band instruments throughout the fall. So, I say, completed.

7. I've thought a good bit about starting a DMin program, especially since Charlotte began her DMin at Brite this fall. However, I'm still debating topics, emphases and even schools at this point. So, making progress.

So, the total.

2=completed! 3=making progress! 2=fail.

But, that's okay. I have made some good strides and hope I am better for it. Hang around the next few days to see the goals for 2011.

grace and peace.

"What is that?!?"

2010-11-21T18:45:00.003-06:00

This morning I was unusually tired, and knew that this day held lots of high energy situations. Sunday school, worship, board meeting, delivery of Thanksgiving baskets, dinner with my junior high youth. I generally enjoy all of these things, but when I'm tired, they can become chores instead of ministry.

So, I did what any sane person would do. I found caffeine.

Normally I'm a Diet Coke junkie! I mean, a real junkie. I wake up and head for a Diet Coke. I eat lunch with a Diet Coke. I even end my day with a Diet Coke. But today, I needed more lead than a Diet Coke can offer. I reached for the Mountain Dew.

As I sat down at the table for lunch and our board meeting, I was asked, "Lory! What is that?!" It was my drink. My peel-paint-off-the-walls-yellow drink. And, so the conversation about my caffeine consumption began.

I admit it. I have an addiction to Diet Coke. It's not because it's diet. Really, it's not. I am one of those weird people who actually like the taste better. I've been drinking it since I was in the 3rd grade (except for a four year hiatus from all soda!). I like it. No, I may actually LOVE it.

So, I am enjoying this night (after putting in 9 hours of my 20 hours for the week today) with a Diet Coke. First one of the day.

Cheers!

I Love Apples!

2010-11-15T18:40:00.003-06:00

Once in a while I find something I really, REALLY love. Some times the infatuation goes just as quickly as it comes. For example, toe socks. (Not that I wore any, EVER! But I do love socks...ask my parents about my Christmas list the last 20 years!) Other times, the desire for whatever object lasts and finds its way into the category of "I love that!" Or, maybe into the category of addiction.

And, I have decided that Honeycrisp Apples fit that category. They are sweet and a bit tart; filling, but just enough. That is, unless you add a big heaping spoon of Nutella on the plate as well. Apples are good for you. Nutella, not so much. Although, I would like to point out that Nutella does have hazelnuts (at least 50 per jar), skim milk and a touch of cocoa, even though the first ingredent is sugar.

The apples I get are huge. Right at a pound each! I can cut them into at least 20 pieces before devouring them with the sweet treat that provides some additional yummy-ness. There is way more than I need, even though apples are technically good for me. But, I love them. I love the taste. It's instant gratification for my tastebuds. I love the combination of the tart fruit and the sugary dip. Even writing about it has my mouth watering!

But, the reality is, I may love apples too much! Because they are huge, I eat way more than I should. I figure I should eat what's on my plate, and I put the whole thing on there. I don't stop until I finish it all. I love the satifaction of taking an empty plate back into the kitchen.

While that sounds good, at least to my mother, I end up feeling worse than I did before I started. I am miserable and regretting my decision to eat the entire thing, to take in the entire experience of savoring the most perfect fruit ever made. Yet, when the next day arrives, I forget the pain and misery as I remember the explosion of taste in my mouth. And so, I jump in again to eat an entire Honeycrisp apple with a big spoonful of Nutella.

I love apples. I love Nutella. I love them together, but I don't love the feeling after eating a full plate. The question is how I can enjoy their goodness without going overboard. We'll see if I can figure out the balance between the good gift of fruit and the poison of too much goodness.

If you really knew me....

2010-08-31T23:13:00.002-05:00

Today I read a book called Permission to Speak Freely written by my friend, Anne Jackson. She shared essays about all the things we "can't" talk about in the church. Issues like: depression, abuse, lack of faith, sex, anger, etc. She candidly offers her faith journey full of highs and lows, pains and graces. A great read for those wounded by the church and for those who love the church.

Then, tonight I watched MTV's (I know, not my normal routine) show "If You Really Knew Me" featuring students at my alma mater, Paris High School. Students worked on breaking down barriers across ethnic, socioeconomic and gender lines. Several of the kids poured out years of hurts to other students who had no idea of the pain inside the "cool kid" or "jock."

After some group building activities they were asked to get into small groups of about six and finish the statement, "If you really knew me...." My heart broke as I listened to stories of abandonment, poor choices, harassment and ridicule. There is so much hurt, but none of them felt free to speak that hurt because they thought they were all alone! They realized they were not alone. Friendships were made and walls broken down, relationships restored because they opened up.

Where do you need to open up and share? What is inside you that needs to get out? How can we walk with you as you experience healing and wholeness through this confession of who you really are?

Let us know by completing the phrase: "If you really knew me......"

No clever title...

2010-08-23T21:47:00.002-05:00

I don't have a clever title this time around, but that's okay.

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. I have done some things for the first time (see previous post). And, I have spent two weeks house sitting for my amazing pastor, Charlotte, and her wonderful husband, Jerry. I have watered tomatoes and spent time sitting outside. I rested well and read some books I've been "meaning to get to."

I also have been writing, journaling a good bit. Most of the things have been an outpouring of buried pain that surfaced while I sat out in the sun at their house. Lots of things have led to this. Grief, loss, and crazy brain chemicals, too. And, a life lived without expression of emotion.

I never cried as a kid. Never. I learned to not cry and actually had to relearn how to cry during college. I like to be seen as the strong, rational, logical, thinking, level headed one. In my mind, that has always meant being in control of my emotional expression...or lack thereof. I know a lot of people who are in this boat, many who are ministers. (Not that it makes a difference in this conversation.)

But I wonder if this is really a good way to live. John wrote in his gospel, that Jesus wept. He expressed emotion based on his genuine feelings about the situation, and it appears he did so without shame. He expressed joy and anger and frustration and hope. He knew how to get in touch with all of himself, not just his head or his work.

What would it look like for ministers, church leaders, me to be real with who we are and what we are experiencing? Would it help our congregations feel like they are welcomed? Would it mean we could find freedom in grace? Would it mean we could take of our masks?

Still working on discovering all of me,
Lory

New Experiences

2010-08-10T19:22:00.002-05:00

The past two weeks have been filled with many new ministry experiences.

August 1st I was ordained to the gospel ministry at Trinity Baptist Church in Harker Heights, Texas. I am the first female they have ordained to ministry, but they are open to women in leadership as evidenced by the six women they have ordained as deacons in recent years. It was a wonderful experience and I am grateful for their trust in me to proclaim gospel to the world.

August 8th I preached for the first time at First Christian Church, Paris, Texas where I serve as Minister to Children and Youth. You can link to the sermon here. It was also my first time to preside over communion. It was a great experience, but a humbling one as well.

What grace that God allows us to be his voice to people in congregation! What grace that God allows us to offer up a reminder of the death of Christ! What grace that I am able to speak and offer grace to so many others!

Thanks be to God for grace.

Goals Checking In...

2010-06-10T10:07:00.002-05:00

Okay. Once again, I am checking in on goals I set at the beginning of the year.

1. I've read around 25 books (or long articles) so far this year. I have another couple that I've started and four or five that I need to read and get back to where they belong.

2. Fail. Although, I have been hitting golf balls regularly now that I'm at home.

3. This is coming along. In fact, I spent some good, quality time with two dear friends in the last week.

4. Writing is not my greatest love, but I am always thinking that I should write. Hopefully more will come in the next few weeks.

5. Yes. I have a job, and while part-time, it is mor than I was making not working. And, I'm living with my parents for a while to help save money.

6. Yes. The City of Paris hosts several free events in the summer, including Movies in the Park. Tonight we are watching Karate Kid!

7. Haven't worked on this in a while, but my pastor, Charlotte Coyle, will being her D.Min. this fall, so I am eager to see her process and progress through the program. Super proud of her!!

I will check in on these in a few weeks, after I survive camp!

Grace.

What brings you to tears?

2010-06-09T20:27:00.002-05:00

Not very often I stumble across something that can bring me to tears. I'm not one of those that cries at Hallmark greeting cards. However, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is one such thing. The stories are genuinely touching.

But, that is not the object of this post. This last Sunday afternoon I took a flying trip down to Central Texas to watch several students from my former church graduate. We were running late and I told the girls riding with me, "Well, we're going to miss the pledges and the national anthem." And, I told them I was sad about it. It is my favorite part of such ceremonies.

When we got there we realized they were running about five minutes late. So, we walked in just as they posted the colors. Non-military communities do not understand how significant and meaningful this part of any ceremony truly is. Then, the national anthem was announced.

I was standing at the entrance tunnel and could only see the HUGE flag hanging from the top of the Bell County Expo Center. I stood and watched as the Harker Heights High School band began to play.

Immediately I felt a shiver of awe and reverence and emotion throughout my entire body. My eyes began to well-up. I did not weep, but I also could not stop the response of it all. Every time I hear the national anthem I feel the same way. Grateful and humbled by the men and women who have given so much, even their lives, so I could stand and listen to or sing the words that embody our national freedom. It happens. Every. Single. Time.

As I reflected on this a bit in the last couple of days I was reminded of Bible study last week. We were talking about what it means to be community, to live out gospel. The words of my prayer (and my heart....at least some of the time) is "break my heart for things that break your heart, God." Then, as I thought about how a song can bring me to tears, I realized that my heart sometimes breaks for things that are not quite what I mean by that prayer.

Sometimes my heart breaks because of my own emotional baggage or current situation. Sometimes it isn't that my heart is breaking, but that my spirit is broken by my own sin and selfishness. --Now I realize that tears do not equal a broken heart, but often for me they are closely related.

So I ask, what brings you to tears? What causes you to well-up with emotion? What causes your heart to break? Is it something that breaks God's heart?

Grace and Peace.

Plan B--by Pete WIlson

2010-05-03T22:36:00.001-05:00

I recently read Pete Wilson’s new book, Plan B. I have been looking forward to this book because of my admiration and appreciation for Pete and his ministry at Cross Point Church. He is a master communicator and leader in a thriving, growing congregation.
As he reflects on his own life journey and the journeys of people in his ministries, he answers the questions we often ask God. –Where are You? Why is this happening to me? Do You care? Can You hear me? How could this happen to us?—Wilson takes a look at what happens when God shows up in ways we don’t expect, or in ways we don’t understand.
I found myself reflecting on how God has moved in my own life through some amazing times and some rough times. I was able to process some events in new ways because I was able to look at the situation from a fresh perspective, thanks to Pete’s thought provoking questions and challenges. It has truly been helpful to my spiritual journey.
While I applaud his use of real life examples, from his own life and the lives of people in his congregation, I was a bit hesitant with his use of names. (That said, knowing a bit about Pete, I am positive he got permission for each story and name he used!) It just left me with an uneasy feeling, like I was spying on someone I had no business spying on. Again, that is my own reservation and not an accusation of wrongdoing!
I loved the study guide/questions at the end of the book. In fact, I could very easily use this book as a launching point for developing deep, meaningful community in a couple of my church’s small groups. It wouldn’t work for every group, but it has great potential for bringing about healing, growth and understanding for some.
I have been a long time fan of Pete Wilson, and his book, Plan B, only serves to encourage my desire to support him.

This book review is written as a part of the BookSneeze blogger program. I received a free copy of Plan B for the expressed purpose of reviewing it for my blog. I received no money or other compensation except the book, as noted.

New Beginnings...

2010-04-27T19:16:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I will spend my last night at Trinity Baptist Church in Harker Heights, Texas. I have been a member there for almost four years. In that time I have been honored to teach preschoolers, children and youth in various classes. I have spent time with a wonderful group of ladies on Tuesday afternoons. I have made friends that will always be near and dear to my heart.

I am leaving because I have a job! Starting Sunday, May 2nd I will officially be the Minister to Children and Youth at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Paris, Texas. It is an opportunity to go home and minister in the place I grew up. It is a chance to serve alongside some incredible people. I am blessed to be headed in this direction.

And yet, while I am excited, I am also realizing that Central Texas has been home for more than nine years. I love this place. I love the diversity. I love the folks serving in our military. I love the scenery and culture here. I will miss it immensely.

So, as I look forward, I look back. I am grateful for my time here. I am excited about my time there. And as always, I am humbled to serve others in ministry.

A Century Turns--William Bennett

2010-04-07T22:12:00.004-05:00

Bill Bennett walks through United States' history from 1988-2008 in his latest book, A Century Turns. In his third book about recent American history, he focuses on major events within the life of the nation. Beginning with the 1988 election and ending with Obama's run and victory for the White House, he shares candidly about his time working with various administrations in Washington.

While he is honest about his political leanings, Bennett tries to present an unbiased and fair review of actions and events. He states what he considers were good decisions and bad choices by leaders and the American people. I appreciate his attempt to point out the good and not so good, regardless of the political persuasion.

I enjoyed this book because, for the first time, I was reading American history that I lived. I remember the presidential elections, the Branch Davidians in Waco, and the Gulf Wars. I remember seeing many of the events on TV, some that were making history for being the first live video feeds from around the world. Because of this, I have an even greater appreciation for other written history.

It took me a while to get through this book because it was a different genre than I normally read, but it was a good read. I would encourage history lovers, and students, to read A Century Turns if they are interested in modern American history.

This review is a part of the BookSneeze blogger review program. I received this book for free in order to review it. I was not compensated in any other way.

Sweet and salty.

2010-03-15T20:08:00.004-05:00

I like sweet things. I also really, REALLY like salty things. I tend to keep the salt shaker handy when I'm cooking and when I get ready to dive into whatever I've made (or gotten from some" less than great for me" establishment!). It brings out the flavor. And, honestly, I would rather have salt than any other condiment. --Now before you tell me all the health risks associated with salt, I know. I really am trying to cut down and eat more whole, healthy food.

Several years ago I was reminded of my youth. I was at a senior adult conference to support one of my undergrad professors as she taught the daily Bible study sessions. She mentioned salt and asked what it was used to be used for. Well, everyone unanimously said "to preserve meat." She then told them how her students had no clue about that use. (I gave her a hard time later because a few of us DID know!)

Imagine my surprise this weekend as I read through Leviticus (yes, Leviticus!) as a part of my daily reading plan to read the Bible chronologically this year. (Thanks to youversion.com and Blue Letter Bible for the reading plans!) My general impression is that being a priest was more akin to a present day butcher than a present day preacher. Anyway, I digress.

In chapter 2, verse 13 the NLT says, "Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God's eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings." --WOW! I can add salt and reference Scripture as my guide! Ok--maybe not.

But, on another level, salt in the grain offerings?! Today, salt helps us savor the flavors of our food. What does that have to do with God's eternal covenant? I think we can connect the use of this salt idea with God's love for us in a couple of ways.

First, God's covenant is something to savor. Good food critics allow the flavors of their food to sit on their palates for a while so they can wrap their minds around all they are experiencing. Maybe we should sit within God's love and covenant with us, his people. Maybe we should savor the experience of salvation and grace.

Second, salt adds to our food. Again, the savoring idea, but more than that. It adds to the quality of the food many times. (We won't mention what happens if more than one person adds salt to a meal that is being prepared...another topic for another post!) Likewise, God's love for us adds to the quality and joy in our lives. His presence in our lives adds a peace and love that can only be found in him.

Two things are sure in Baptist life (and really any church that believes in proclaiming the gospel): we like our food and we love our God. What do we do when we eat a great meal or cook a fantastic recipe? What happens at potluck when we steal the show with our creation? Everyone wants the recipe and we WANT to share it! What happens when we are passionate about our relationship with God and our community of faith? What do we do when we experience the love, joy, and peace of Christ? We WANT to tell others.

Jesus said we were to be the salt of the earth. We are to help flavor the world with him. We are to add to creation in ways that increase its quality.

So, as you salt your food today and in the days to come remember God's eternal covenant. May we consume salt in moderation and be salt in the world.

Grace and peace.

Checking in on Goals

2010-01-28T20:56:00.002-06:00

We are now a little more than 3 weeks into 2010 and I have already heard some folks say they have given up on their New Year's Resolutions. In light of that, I decided to revisit the things I set out here and see how I am doing.

1. I have already finished 8 books and have three more going right now.

2. Umm...this one is seriously lacking. While it's not an excuse, my hip has been really hurting. That said, I did really good until the last five days with doing squats. I am up to 137!! --On another note, I have decided to adjust my diet as well. I am now eating AT LEAST 1500 calories less a day and that also means I have cut my fat gram intake by at least half!

3. I have not spent much time with people at all, but when I have....well, in a word...FAIL.

4. No writing yet. Maybe this week.

5. I am eating at home a lot more (see #2) and am trying to cut back on other things that waste money. I want to downsize to maximize my ability to give to others.

6. Not yet.

7. YES! I have started working on some ideas and doing some research on transformative learning and the role training plays in it becoming a reality. We'll see how it goes from here.

In a nutshell, I have not completely fallen off the bandwagon, but there is definite room for improvement. I'll keep you posted.

Grace and Peace.

The Gospel According to LOST

2010-01-17T21:13:00.002-06:00

I must admit that I have not actually ever watched an episode of LOST. However, I am a huge fan of Chris Seay so I read The Gospel According to LOST in an effort to support him. I was pleasantly surprised that his book grabbed me and spoke volumes to me even though I am not a loyal follower of the Losties.

Seay breaks the book up into character analyses. Each chapter gives a bit of background on the character and the ways in which biblical themes are portrayed through said character's interactions with the Losties, the Others and the Island. He then asks questions about how those themes and characteristics might be a part of the reader's life. This helps to draw non-Losties into the story and into a new understanding of the world.

I found myself really enjoying the book because I was able to see how I could fit into a larger narrative. The pointed questions about themes and issues found in the series allowed me to reflect on my own actions. I spent some time evaluating relationships, leadership, learning and faith as I dialogued with Seay and the characters in LOST.

I would recommend this book for people who are Losties and those who are interested in the relationship between pop culture and faith. This review is part of the Book Review Bloggers program with Thomas Nelson Publishers.

The Sweet By and By

2010-01-07T08:56:00.000-06:00

I found The Sweet By and By, written by award winning artist Sara Evans, to be a wonderfully delightful read. It centers around a family that has estrangements from one another and their journey to reconciliation. This all begins when Jade decides to send a wedding invitation to her mother with who she has not spoken in some time. The story follows their relationships and the relationships they have with others.
I thought the book was well written, especially for a first time novelist. Her approach to language helped me to envision and understand the characters. It is often hard to make people real without making them cheesy or trite. However, Evans does a good job in avoiding this situation.
I would recommend this book for high school and above because of some of the content involved in the story line. While none of it is offensive, some issues addressed are deep, complex and for a more mature reading audience. That said, it was an easy, fun read that deserves a wide audience and even wider reading. I commend Evans for her work and look forward to more of her writing in the future.
I posted this as a Book Review Blogger for Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Reading List

2010-01-02T08:48:00.002-06:00

Lately I've been reading a great deal in preparation for the "Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching" retreat this next week at Camp Chrysalis in Kerrville, Texas. I decided it would be a good idea to let you know what I have read and what we will be discussing while there.

1. The Grapes of Wrath--John Steinbeck

2. Silence--Shusaku Endo

3. Girl Meets God--Lauren Winner

4. Mariette in Ecstasy--Ron Hansen

5. Salvation on Sand Mountain--Dennis Covington

6. Compass of Affection--Scott Cairns

7. The Road Not Taken--Robert Frost

8. God:Stories--c. Michael Curtis

These cover a wide range of styles and approaches to mostly the human journey of faith and life. Except for The Grapes of Wrath, all of these reads include some form of religious searching. It is fascinating to me that so many approaches can be taken in humans' attempts to understand the divine. They have opened my eyes and mind to diverse forms of worship and expression of faith. Hopefully, this next week will only cause that openness to grow.

Grace and Peace.

As the New Year approaches...

2009-12-21T18:11:00.002-06:00

I've been thinking lately about the goals and resolutions I will set for 2010. I have been thinking about how I can simplify and live a more productive life, now that I am out of school (well, for a while anyway). I know, simplify and production don't usually go together. However, I truly believe that if I focus on what's important I will be more productive and life a calmer life.

So, here are some things I am going to attempt in 2010 (with some longer range goals included). These are meant to challenge me in areas of personal growth, ministry and faith. I will try to update you as I go along this coming year so you can know where I stand on each of these.

1. Read at least 1 book a week on a variety of topics. (faith, leadership, ministry, education, adult learning, cognition, fiction, economics, etc.)

2. Workout at least 4 times a week. (This may mean walking around the block...I want to participate in a 5k in 2011.)

3. Spend time being really present with people.

4. Journal and write reflectively (be it poetry, prose, or painting..just some form).

5. Work to simplify finances and dependency on others in this area. (Paying down bills, eating at home, etc.)

6. Take advantage of free entertainment and activities. (or those of little cost in the community.)

7. Begin researching ideas, topics and information for a DMin project.

Ok, so that list doesn't seem simple, but it will keep me focused on things I think are important, namely learning and living. We will see how it works out in 2010.

Grace and Peace.

Finished...but not really.

2009-12-19T09:32:00.005-06:00

Yesterday I graduated from George W. Truett Theological Seminary. It has been a five year journey--well worth it. I have learned more about life and love and scripture than I ever could have hoped to know before entering. I have been changed for the better (at least, in my opinion).

And yet, I know this is not the end of the journey in learning, but the beginning. I have so much more to learn. So many things I want to learn. So many other fields I want to explore. In fact, I told three or four professors that I would be back in three to four years to begin work on a doctorate at Truett. I am already thinking about possible projects and areas of study.

So, now, it is off to find a place to serve full-time where I can use what knowledge I have and gain more knowledge along the way.

Reflection

2009-12-12T15:37:00.003-06:00

I spent last night with an amazing group of teenagers at Immanuel Lutheran in Killeen. Vicar Heidi asked me to be an adult presence and I am more than grateful for the opportunity. Below are some of my reflections from the night and from life in recent days--written down between 3-4am when everyone started to fade. I am not much of a poet, but it seemed to be the most natural way to reflect and express the things I saw and felt. I may go back at a later date and work on them in terms of wording and literary technique, but for now I leave them as they came to me. Grace and Peace.

Light

It’s all around but rarely seen
The darkness comes and crowds it out
Glimmers and sparkles flicker dim
In this world of pain and sorrow

The Light is bigger, stronger, brighter
It shines in the midnight
Gives sight in the day
Makes things whole, puts the dark to flight.

Tears

A parent with cancer
A family split apart
Grieving friends left behind

Bitterness of heart
Aches without any words
Wounds that do not heal

Fears about the future
A Dad who lost his legs
Anger for injustice

And in the silence
Surrounded by candle light
Sniffles are heard and shared.

The Sacred Meal

2009-12-12T14:21:00.004-06:00

The Sacred Meal by Nora Gallagher is the latest book I have read for the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program. She shares her experiences and reflections from her work as a Lay Eucharist Minister in The Episcopal Church. Her understanding focuses on three aspects of the communion meal: waiting, receiving and the afterward. In waiting she prepares herself for what is to come by allowing herself to "let go" of the past week. Then, she receives as she opens her hands and hears the familiar phrase "The Body of Christ, The Bread of Heaven." The afterward is a time of realizing the magnitude and holiness of sharing a meal together at the table of the Lord.

I really appreciated her approach to understanding the Eucharist. I found Gallagher's work as a minister at the table to provide a unique perspective for reflecting on the stages and sections of the meal. She helped me realize I need to slow down and experience the wonder of the Eucharist instead of seeing it as something to do and leave behind at the rail.

Gallagher challenged me in my understanding intellectually and spiritually. I am looking forward to approaching the table tomorrow morning as I seek to embody waiting, receiving and the afterward. I would highly encourage others to read and reflect on The Sacred Meal.

Below is a poem I wrote in response to reading this book:

Thanksgiving

We stand and move forward
We wait and watch the crowd
We take our place at the rail
Waiting.

We open our hands and prepare
We listen to words we know
We kneel in silence
Receiving

We stand to leave the front
We walk to take our seats
We stop briefly in the
Afterward

Reading and Reviews

2009-11-29T21:19:00.003-06:00

Recently I signed up to be a blog book reviewer with Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am excited about being able to read some advanced copies of books and sharing my thoughts about them with you. I am currently reading a book about the Eucharist (Lord's Supper, Communion, Mass, etc.)

In addition to this reading opportunity, I found out last week that I will be attending a retreat the first week in January entitled "Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching." I will spend a week with pastors and ministers from around the country (some friends and some friends-to-be). We will read a variety of novels, short stories and poems. Then, we will spend time discussing them and seeing how they can help us better understand the world around us. The setting will be the beautiful Camp Chrysalis in the Kerrville area. I had a wonderful time last year and am looking forward to this year's group.

Ultimately, both of these things will challenge me to read and reflect more than I would normally do. I hope to make these continuing practices as I head towards graduation and enter the real world.

Grace and peace.

Take Your Best Shot

2009-11-14T16:12:00.001-06:00

In Take Your Best Shot, Austin Gutwein recounts his journey from sitting in his living room to founding Hoops for Hope, an organization providing AIDS relief in Africa. As a nine-year old Austin saw a video about the poverty and struggles children face every day. He knew he had to take action.
Austin began raising money by shooting free throws which has turned into an international effort to help orphans. Hundreds of kids now join with Austin to help people around the world.
I particularly like the way Austin encourages everyone to do great things that help others. No matter how big or small, every person can make a difference. That is the key point he makes throughout the book.
I also think the format of the book is wonderful for reflection and planning. Gutwein provides thought provoking questions and space to write answers at the end of every chapter. These questions are not just about making plans to help others, but they also help the reader reflect on his or her relationship with God.
Ultimately, Austin shows how he felt a call from God to do more for others. Then, he shares how God calls all of us to do more with our lives. Everyone who reads Take Your Best Shot will be challenged to find ways to serve others.

From where we come...

2009-08-09T20:31:00.002-05:00

In Sunday School today we began a series about Baptist freedoms, or foundations. Walter Shurden lays out four freedoms that are pivotal to understanding what Baptists are all about. Today we explored what Bible Freedom means for us and what it meant for the first Baptists.

Originally, what we know as Baptists, were not interested in beginning a whole new denomination. They simply wanted to be free to be "faithful and obedient to Christ." So, they decided that people should be free to read and study the Bible under the authority of the Lordship of Christ. They said He was the ultimate authority and that the Bible had to be interpreted using Him as the norm. Everything in Scripture points to Jesus Christ, the Old and New Testaments.

In addition, the Bible is the final written authority for Baptists. This does not mean creeds and other statements of faith cannot exist or have no value. It simply means they are not greater than or equal to the Bible. No confession can adequately express all that person believes. It can show the main, core elements of faith, but not the whole. And so, the Bible stands far above them as authoritative.

Baptists have been known for many years as "people of the Book." This refers mostly to the idea that Baptists read and study and formulate ideas about faith and doctrine for themselves without a higher "office" dictating or suggesting interpretations and doctrine. While there are some groups today in some strands of Baptist life who seemingly would like to do just that, Baptists hold that the individuals are free to explore and express their faith themselves.

Of course, this begs the question about heretical doctrine and teaching related to personal interpretation of Scripture. Well, it must be remembered that Baptists hold to the idea of personal study under the Lordship of Christ, which means Christ and the Spirit are leading in the discovery of truth. In addition, it is important to recognize the years and years of Church history and tradition that feeds into our modern understanding. While we would say that we do not hold tightly to such Church doctrine tradition, we cannot say it has no influence in our thinking. Ultimately, if Christ is guiding, the truth found should be theologically sound.

One final note Shurden makes in this section is that this idea of Bible freedom is hard work because it means we must study, seek, read, think, work and dig to understand the Scripture to the best of our abilities with the best of the resources available to us. We should never take lightly the task of being able to discover Truth for ourselves.

More to come as we learn what it means to claim to be of the Baptist way.

Lory

Transition is.....

2009-08-02T17:18:00.002-05:00

tough. We deal with it all the time and today I was reminded again how difficult change can be for groups, churches and individuals. It can bring out the best in people. It can bring out the worst in people. Ultimately, it means we are different today than we were yesterday. Different tomorrow than today.

We said goodbye to Coy and Tiff officially today at church. We watched some videos of the students saying how much they love them and a video of random pictures from the past four years they have served Trinity Baptist Church faithfully as Ministers to Students. We had a cake and prayed for them. We wrote notes and sang our favorite closing song for one last time with this particular group.

And while this is a sad day, it is mostly a day of celebration. Celebrating what God has done, how God has moved, how God has led. It has been a day of memories, both funny and serious. It has been a day of laughs and hugs. Celebrating is good. It is fun. It is necessary. And, it is proper. Even God celebrated on the seventh day (well, rested...but things were done, which often involves celebration for us) by setting it apart and resting and marveling at His work.

And now, Coy and Tiffany move on to study full-time and pursue the call God has placed on their lives. Yet, we know that they have left a big chunk of their hearts with us--not just in their memories and actions, but in the ways they have impacted and changed us. And, we know that a big chunk of TBC's heart is with them--not just the t-shirts and pictures (and 10 lbs. we gained from eating two meals at church today!), but in the love and support and encouragement I hope we have given them on this part of the journey.

So, transition is tough. However, it is often necessary if we are to follow God and call we each have. These times of change will be different for all of us, but they will come. The question is: what will we leave behind and what will we take with us in those moments?

I pray that what the Jennings take is half as wonderful as what they left behind.

Lory

People are Hurting...

2009-07-13T11:16:00.003-05:00

Today I am overwhelmed with grief for friends and strangers. In the last 24 hours I've discovered that a person very close to me endured a horrific situation a few weeks back, a church van carrying youth blew a tire causing major injuries and one death, and a news anchor I watched for years died long before he should have due to medical complications.

Many, many people around us are hurting all the time, yet we often do not notice. We tend to be so wrapped up in our own issues that we forget that others are going through things, often much worse than our own.

If you are hurting today, and want to share you struggle or leave a prayer request, email me at toe4@hotmail.com.

If you want to pray for people, start with my friend or FBC Shreveport or Brett Johnson's family or those around you who are suffering in silence.

Grace and peace to you this day.
lory

Simplicity...

2009-05-25T14:18:00.002-05:00

I have several friends who have recently been talking about simplicity and decluttering on their blogs. As I have pondered their thoughts and discoveries about these two ideas, I have decided that I am WAY to busy, WAY to involved and WAY to complicated. My life is running me instead of the other way around.

I have decided to simplify my life. Granted, I'm not sure exactly what it will look like. I don't know what all it will involve. But, I do know that my actions are directly linked to simplicity or chaos. I want to make huge changes quickly, but that is not as feasible as I'd like. So, I will commit to do several smaller things each month, adding to the previous month's activities (I know, a strange word when speaking of simplifying!).

To start, I will commit to doing the following things through the month of June (since it's almost the end of May).

1. Eat at home or take my meals with me unless the meal is provided by someone else. (With the exception of 1 meal a week--I eat with a great group of ladies every Wednesday for lunch....the fellowship is worth the meal out!)

2. I will recycle what I can because in doing so I will be more conscious of what I buy and what I get.

3. I declare June "No-Buy Month" except for one grocery trip and the meals previously mentioned.

These things will help me to be a better manager of my resources and time. Let the simplicity begin.

The heart of God....

2009-05-24T20:16:00.003-05:00

Tonight in small groups we talked about evangelism. Sharing our faith with others. The definition given: having a heart for people like God's. Wow. What a definition.

Our normal Western idea of evangelism is handing someone a track about Jesus, reading verses from Romans that tell how we are all sinners but can be saved, sharing how God has changed our lives. We usually think of it as a thing we do where we give our "testimony" to someone who does not know about the gospel. We tend to treat those who do not "know" as lesser than us. We treat them as many people have been treated by missionaries in past days. We often want to feel like we (believers) are superior to others because of our faith commitment. How does that reflect the heart of God? It doesn't.

When we begin to look at people (the man to the right, the kid down the street, the woman in the nursing home) the way God sees them, we will share His love and good news with them. When we see the world through the eyes of God, we will love the world. We will love the unlovable, the untouchable, the least of these. We will not try to "convert" the masses in order to add to our church roles. Instead, we will truly want to walk with them as we seek to be disciples together. We will walk hand in hand rather than holding a position over one another.

Evangelism is having a heart for people like God's heart for people. How is your heart?

Grace and peace.

The mission continues.....

2009-05-17T18:36:00.003-05:00

Today I watched two of my best friends resign from their ministry position effective at the end of the summer. It was hard to watch and yet exciting because God is leading them in a new direction. In times of change it is easy to try to figure out why and what is next. It is easy to be angry or hurt or sad when change comes in a church setting. It is easy to forget that the message and mission continues even when individuals move on to a different role in that mission.

We see the same picture in the transition from Moses' leadership to Joshua's leading. The Israelites had placed a great deal of trust in Moses. He had encouraged them to leave Egypt when Pharaoh was oppressive. In fact, he led them out himself. (Exodus 12-14) He led them to the desert and then God used him to provide food and water. (Exodus 15-17) He led them to the edge of the Promised Land. (Deuteronomy 1-2) They disobeyed God by not continuing on into the Promised Land, so they wandered in the desert for 40 years. (Deuteronomy 2) Then, Moses dies. (Deuteronomy 34)

Before he died, Moses passed on his mission and role to Joshua. God has appointed Joshua to continue with the mission that Moses began. The Lord spoke to Joshua in chapter 1. He told Joshua that he would cross the Jordan River and would give him and the people every place he had promised to Moses. God promised to be with Joshua just as he was with Moses.

In this part of Scripture we see that even though Moses died and his part of the mission ended, God prepared Joshua to take the reigns and lead on. Just as with days of old, God continues to provide leaders to step up and continue to the work started by others. We never minister alone. Our ministries are impacted by those who have come before us. Our ministries impact those who come behind us.

As the song says,

"Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light their way,
May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe,
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful."

As times change and people move to and fro, may we remember that God's mission is not dependent upon our work alone. We are in this grand mission of the ages together.

Grace and peace to you.

Life Update

2009-05-09T09:49:00.003-05:00

Things have been a bit crazy around here lately. Finals have come and gone....over 60 pages turned in between three classes. Chip has been super sick with some kind of sinus/strep stuff. Mom and Dad are coming tomorrow for Chips graduation Monday night, which he may or may not be able to attend.

So, I've been playing nurse and maid the last few days. And it's been a job!

It's been a job because I don't do nurse duty well. I don't have tons of patience and I want to do what I want to do, which does not usually mean taking care of sickly people. In addition, I don't deep clean my house often. So, when the parents come, I have to spend several days vacuuming, dusting and making sure everything is where it belongs. It would be so much easier if I would do a little bit more often.

That's how my spiritual life is a lot of the time. I go for long periods without a good, deep cleaning or examination. Life just goes and goes and goes okay for a while. Then, I begin to notice things are going as smoothly. I am less patient. I am angry more often about more things, most of which are really insignificant. I am bitter more often. I am frustrated more.

If I would just take some time on a regular (say, weekly or even DAILY) to really examine my spiritual life, to really dig into who I am and where God is leading, these moments of completely crashing and getting stuck with sickness and stinky-ness would not come as much..nor would they be as bad.

Where are you? Are you in need of some cleaning and medicine? Are you seeking fully? Are you spending time evaluating your life? Am I?

"Jesus Camp"

2009-05-05T12:07:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I watched "Jesus Camp" yesterday and while I found it to be extremely scary, I also found some positive things that might be good for us to consider. Here's the summary: An evangelical, fundamentalist children's pastor holds a camp in North Dakota for kids from what appears to be age 6-12. So, typical kid camp ages. They do all the camp things, sing, sermons, crafts, etc. but they also talk about topics such as government corruption, abortion and other hot button issues in the USA. The worship times are very emotionally driven and the kids tend to be really "in to" it. This camp is of a Pentecostal/Holiness tradition, I believe, so there is some speaking in tongues and a large emphasis on the Holy Spirit. (Please note: I'm not saying anything one way or the other on that, just giving the back ground.) So, here are my pros and cons from what I saw.

CONS:
*They deal with subjects that I do not believe children can comprehend and make informed decisions about (for themselves) based on the developmental levels. An eight year old cannot grasp enough about the political system to promote specific people for supreme court justices. Also, six year olds cannot grasp all that the abortion issue covers. Yet, the leaders had the kids chanting "Righteous judges! Righteous judges!" and eight year olds were calling down curses upon the USA for the abortion epidemic. I'm fine with the stances they took here, but I'm not sure a kid can really understand what they are saying or calling on the government to do.

*Some of the language used in the sermons were not on a level where most kids could understand. At one point the pastor told them that she had a vision that some of them were not living the same way at church and school. She then used words like "stop being a hypocrite." Again, not a problem in theory, but not sure the kids can understand.

*All of the language and concept issues I've pointed out are a problem for me because of the age of the children. It is indoctrination at it's finest. They point out that other religions are doing the same thing. True, but I think it is necessary to allow people (children) included to understand what they are supporting and saying instead of just blind adherence to what others around them are saying. It seems very militant in the approach.

*Also, I find the emotional aspect troubling. It seems like the adults were wanting lots of emotions and tears, which broke the kids down and helped with the indoctrination. Kids should not become a well of tears and sniffles every time they hear some leader speak. Yet, this is what happened at this camp. The kids were emotionally and spiritually spent most of the time, but the leaders pushed harder and harder while telling them that they were responsible, even as kids to change the world. In the midst of the emotion, they were told to accept a burden that I believe it too big for them to bear at six or eight or ten.

*A final con: The adults and students interviewed in the film made very clear that they were opposed to separation of church and state. While the US may have been founded upon some beliefs consistent with Judeo-Christian beliefs, as a Baptist Christian, I cannot support a merger of the two. I believe that every has the right to their beliefs. I may not agree with them, but I will not tell them the MUST believe like I do. (Which does nto mean I am against evangelism....I'm not) I believe that people have the freedom and intellect to decide for themselves. As such, I believe that a merger of church and state would mean that any religion or belief would have to be protected. I don't want to have to listen to a prayer to another diety over the PA system anymore than someone of a different faith wants to hear me pray to YHWH over the same system. The group at Jesus Camp wanted a complete Christian take over of government so that Christian beliefs could be made the norm for society. I disagree.

PROS:
*They do begin teaching their children very early about their faith. They expect their kids to know what is taught and to live by it. We might do well in our home and churches to do the same thing.

*They do take their faith very seriously and see it as the most foundational part of life. Most of us tend to see it an one aspect of life, not much more important than any other part.

*They do promote evangelism. We often brush it aside becaue it is hard work.

*They are very, very pasionate about what they believe . They make no excuese for their openness about thier faith. We might do well to have a little more passion in our faith lives.

Summary:
While I did find the majority of Jesus Camp to be deeply disturbing and scary, we must also realize that they offer some pictures of things that we all should be doing. I don't agree with their methods. I don't always agree with the message they proclaim. I don't think their approach is the best. However, they do believe strongly in their practice. They do believe strongly in their faith. For that, I cannot fault them.

May the words above be a true reflection of my heart and a fair representation of what I saw and observed.

It's been forever!

2009-04-29T10:02:00.002-05:00

So, it's been forever since I've posted anything. School and life have kept me more than busy lately. I will try to have something more substantial for your reading during the summer. Until then...it's off to write papers and finish projects!

Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 25, 2009

2009-01-31T18:38:00.002-06:00

Revelation--Part 4

John's Vision between the 6th and 7th Seal
-144,000 Sealed Saints
-Represents 12,000 from the 12 tribes.....meaning the whole world.

-Multitude with White Robes
-Robes are made white by dipping them in the blood of the Lamb.
-Although Christ died and offers eternal life, we must actively participate in faith. --It's like a gift. It isn't a gift just because it's offered. It becomes a gift when it is accepted and taken.

Seven Trumpets (This begins the plagues ...remember the 4th seal from last week??...Rev. 6:7-8)
(Also, you will begin to notice that there are many stories within stories here....like when I tell a story that has fifteen stories in the midst of the first story!)

*Trumpet #1
Hail, Fire mixed with Blood, 1/3 of earth is burned
*Trumpet #2
Mountain on fire thrown into sea...1/3 of sea turns to blood, 1/3 of sea creatures die, 1/3 of ships destroyed
*Trumpet #3
Stars fall from sky on 1/3 of rivers and fresh water sources...1/3 of water becomes bitter...people die!
-The star is named "Woodworm" which mean bitter.
*Trumpet #4
1/3 of sun, moon and stars struck with darkness....1/3 of day and night was dark
*Trumpet #5
The fallen start (#3) is given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. Smoke covers everything. Locusts
come out and attack everyone who does not have the Mark of God on them for 5 months. They
want to die but don't.

All of this is considered the FIRST WOE....there are two more to come!

*Trumpet #6
Four angels at the Euphrates River (present day Iraq) are set loose to kill 1/3 of humanity by fire,
smoke and sulfur. (Those who remain still do not repent!)

Vision Between the 6th and 7th Trumpets
The people have still not repented. Therefore, 2 witnesses testify about God and have power to kill those who oppose Him. They will be killed, mocked for 3 1/2 days and then called to Heaven. There will be an earthquake, 1/10 of the city will collapse, and 7,000 people will die. The remaining people will turn and praise God.

The SECOND WOE has passed.

*Trumpet #7
The Kingdom of God has come. The 24 elders around the throne worshiped God. The Temple in Heaven opened and the Ark of the Covenant could be seen. There were flashes of lightening, peals of thunder, rumblings, an earthquake and a great hail storm.

So, what can we gain from this section?

1. God is the God of all creation.
2. God is working in the world, even when it seems like He is not. Even when it seems evil is winning, He is at work.
3. God desires repentance.
4. Those who testify about God will face hardship, but some people WILL turn to God because of their witness.

Tomorrow....a woman, a dragon and 2 beasts!....Read Revelation 12-13!

Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 18, 2009

2009-01-24T09:59:00.002-06:00

Revelation--Part 3

This past week we looked at chapters 4-6. Here's a recap of what we shared.

THE THRONE
*A lot is happening at the throne
The throne itself (4:1-3)
Surrounding the throne (4:4-6a)
The center of the throne (4:6b-11)
The Four Creatures
*Lion
*Ox
*Human
*Flying Eagle

THE SCROLL
*What is the purpose of the scroll?
-The scroll is held by God. It contains the plans of the world, but no one can open it because no one has the proper credentials.
*The Lion of the tribe of Judah can open the scroll!
-But instead of a lion, John sees a LAMB who is SLAIN. This is JESUS.

THE SEVEN SEALS
*Seal #1---(6:1-2) It is a WHITE HORSE with a CROWN OF CONQUEST. It is a picture of VICTORY.

*Seal #2---(6:3-4) It is a FIERY RED HORSE with the duty to take peace away so humans will kill one another. It is a picture of DESTRUCTION.

*Seal #3---(6:5-6) It is a BLACK HORSE and the rider is holding scales. It is a picture of JUDGMENT.

*Seal #4---(6:7-8) It is a PALE HORSE. The rider’s name is Death and Hades follows close behind. They were given power of 1/4 of the earth to kill by sword, famine, plague and wild beasts. It is a picture of WORLD-WIDE DESTRUCTION.

*Seal #5---(6:9-11) It is a WHITE ROBE given to the people under the altar. (Those who had been slain, or martyred.) It is a picture of HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT for those facing persecution and death.

*Seal #6---(6:12-17) It is an EARTHQUAKE where the sun turned black, moons turned red, and stars fell from the sky. It is a picture of TOTAL DESTRUCTION. The day of wrath was upon them.

Between the 6th and 7th Seal, John has a vision of 144,000 being sealed. He also sees a great group of people with white robes.

*Seal #7---(8:1) It is SILENCE. This is followed by trumpets, incense and prayers of the saints, and angels who sought to destroy earth with fire from God’s altar. The trumpets begin a series of PLAGUES.

What does all this mean????

*The scroll, which had the seven seals to be opened, held God’s plans for the world. As a means of encouragement, John was saying that rough days are a part of living in this world. If they were faithful and persevered, one day God’s plans for the world would become a reality. Ultimately, they were also encouraged to know that what was happening to them was not what God had originally designed for the world....when sin entered the world, these plan could not be put in place immediately. So, the Christians in the Roman Empire were hopeful that one day God's good and perfect plans for the world would be reality....on the other side of their present sufferings.

For tomorrow, read Revelation 8-11.

Another Week...

2009-01-23T20:57:00.002-06:00

Well, another week has come and gone (at least in school terms) and life has gotten busy. REALLY BUSY! I've already had one group presentation and have two more (all in the same class, mind you) in the next two weeks. That doesn't include the major projects, papers and presentations in my other two classes. All that said, I am trying to figure out the secret to "time-management"...if you have the secret, help me out!

Also, have you ever noticed how often we react to situations in poor ways when some good time management would help? I am usually the worst at procrastination. Really, I am. But so far this semester, I am fairly close to the mark in my reading. I am not stressed out (well, at least I don't know it yet...I always feel the stress long before I know it is there...my neck and shoulders tell me!). Hopefully I am learning to procrastinate when it comes to procrastination...meaning, I'm getting stuff done when I should. We will see as the semester goes forward.

What things stress you out the most? How do you deal with stress? Or do you deal with it?

lory

PS. Tomorrow I will post the Sunday school info from last week. It takes a while to post and I don't have that much time tonight.

Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 11, 2009

2009-01-17T11:30:00.001-06:00

Here is the outline for last Sunday's lesson...sorry it has taken a while. School has started! lmh

THE PROLOGUE

*This is GOD'S revelation to the APOSTLE JOHN.
*"The time is near..."
-Some say this means that the things described in Revelation are about to happen. (kind of a futuristic idea)
-Some say it references the return of Christ that so many believers waited on. (with emphasis on destruction of the current world and the reign of Christ and His kingdom.)
-Still others say this phrase is a means of hope for the people, calling them to remain faithful in the face of trials. (I tend to hold to this idea.)

SEVEN CHURCHES

*Each of the churches receiving letters were given good news and bad news with the outcomes should they continue or should they return to God.

EPHESUS: Ephesus was known for their hard work and perseverance in the midst of persecution. They did not tolerate wickedness from those in the church and they tested what was taught in order to make sure it followed what they knew to be true about Christ. However, they had forsaken their first love. They forgot what they should have been and the result was dire. They would be stamped out!

SMYRNA: This congregation was afflicted and in poverty, both of which were seen as good and proper things for the church of Christ in that era. But, they had liars in the synagogue. They were told not to fear. Although prison was coming, they would receive a crown of life. (Note: A crown of life seems to us to be a great reward, but for them it probably meant death was coming. In this era and in future generations believers would greet each other saying, "May you receive your crown!" In effect, they were telling their friend, "May you DIE for the sake of Christ!" As a martyr, one who dies for their religious beliefs, they would be seen as heroes and worthy of a "crown.")

PERGAMUM: They has remained true to the name of Christ, and yet they had some serious charges brought against them. They held to false teachings. They were faithful, but to things that weren't true. These false teachings included issues of sexual immorality, food offered to idols, and pagan ideas. If they turned around, they would receive hidden manna and a white stone with a new name on it.

THYATIRA: This church was known for their deeds, love, faith, service, perseverance and growth since initially starting the faith journey. But, they tolerated Jezebel (which means sexual immorality and food for idols). Those who continue will suffer, but thse who return to God wil have authority over nations and the morning star.

SARDIS: A few people in this congregation are worthy and clean, but for the most part, people are doing their own things. They have a reputation for being alive, but they are spiritually dead! If there is no change, destruction will come like a theif in the night. If they do change, their names will be written in the book of life.

PHILADELPHIA: This church kept the word and did not deny the name of Christ. They endured patiently as they were persecuted and as false teachers tried to lead the astray. There is NO bad news mentioned for them!! Their reward will be a crown, the name of God and the new City. They will be a pillar in the new temple.

LAODECIA: This group is neither hot nor cold. In fact, God says he will spew them from his mouth. They have material wealth, but spiritual poverty. There is NO good news for this congregation!! For those who overcome, they will sit at the throne with God. (Note: Being lukewarm was not a good thing. It's like Velveeta. It's good cold..well, some would say....and it's great hot. But room-temperature Velveeta is gross! It is not good for anything. Basically, the church at Laodecia is not good for anything in the spiritual world because they are lukewarm! So, God says he will spew them....which literally means "throw up" or "hurl"......that is how serious God is about being lukewarm!)

All of these churches can teach us something about how we live our lives. Yes, we are looking at the historical and contextual frameworks for Revelation in this series, but we MUST see how it informs our own faith practice as well. So, are our churches mostly filled with the good news or the bad news of these ancient churches? Are our personal lives filled with things God wants or despises? Am I living in a faith of good news, or bad news?

May 2009 be a year of change and growth as you seek to be what God would have you be.

Some thoughts for tonight...and apologies.

2009-01-14T20:58:00.004-06:00

First, the apology. This week as school gets under way, I am falling behind in blogging about the Sunday school lesson. It will be up by Friday night...or Saturday! Sorry to keep you waiting. (Actually, does anyone read this at all?? If you do, leave some love in the comments!)

Now for some thoughts. Tonight we talked about a very hard parable Jesus told. In Matthew 22, he described a wedding banquet given by a king for his son. The guests were invited and none came. In fact, they killed the servants who came to invite them. So, the king sent other servants to invite everyone they found, even those on the streets. As the party began, the king noticed one guy was not dressed properly. (Remember, folks were invited from everywhere, even off the streets) In his anger, he had the man bound and cast out into the darkness. What a harsh picture!

There are many disturbing things about this parable. I am not sure about all the answers to questions that I have. I may never have answers that satisfy my head and heart. But, as we talked about all the possible meanings of various lines and different characters, I realized several things. 1) I know so very little. About the Bible. About life. About ministry. About myself. 2) Sometimes scripture is hard. Hard to read. Hard to understand. Hard to grasp. Even hard to believe.

And yet, as we talked several truths were evident (whether they were really in this particular text or not is another matter!). 1) We have a task to do...namely, share the gospel and make disciples. 2) We can get so caught up in keep the "rules of our faith" that we miss the actual faith part. We are so religious that we ignore our relationship with Christ.

So, are you sharing gospel with people? Are you following rules or living in a relationship?
(By the way, rules aren't all bad, except when they replace the relationship!)

Do you really care about folks?

2009-01-12T08:09:00.004-06:00

This past week Tiffany and I went to a retreat in the Hill Country of Texas. It was a wonderful time of reading, reflecting and refreshing. As we talked about the week, we realized that we now had life-long friends...after just one week. On the way home, we shared stories from the week and realized what an amazing group of people gathered there and lived life together that week.

So, why did I title this post "Do you really care about folks?"...well, because each person at this retreat showed how much they cared by the little things they did. One man used peoples' names in the middle of talking to them, making the conversation personal and intentional. Another guy continued to ask questions (even on the last day) in a genuine effort to get to know each person there. One of our leaders encouraged us by mentioning specific things we said (even days earlier) as he expressed his appreciation for the participation. One woman shared her experiences because she knew it would help those in the room. They cared, but the ways they cared were a part of their normal lives. They care, not just about people at a retreat, but all people.

So, do you really care about folks? How do you let them know? What can you do to let people know you are concerned about them?

Seek to truly care about people. Your life will be richer and the lives of those you meet will be richer.

Senior High Sunday School Re-cap: January 4, 2009

2009-01-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

This past Sunday, we began a series on the book of Revelation. It is important to know that the treatment of this book/work/writing will be from a historical/literary standpoint with applications made to life today. It will NOT be an attempt to place current leaders/countries/etc. into the text to make it a vision of the present-day world. While we can learn many things and find meaning for our lives today, we must remember it was written to a specific people in a specific situation for a specific reason..all of which we will look at through the coming weeks. Below is the outline for the first lesson.

Revelation—Part 1*
(Historical and Literary Context of the Apocalypse)

Historically

*Revelation was written during a time of CONFLICT between the church and the Roman Empire.
*It was written from the island of PATMOS where John had been exiled for his faith. (1:9)
*The author is concerned by persecution of saints for refusing to ACCEPT EMPEROR WORSHIP.
*This persecution and conflict actually began within JUDAISM. The government continued on with this practice.
41 AD--HEROD AGRIPPA instituted persecution of Christians.
49 AD--CLAUDIUS expelled "Jews" from Rome
64 AD--NERO killed Christians for a fire that destroyed Rome.
(He probably set it himself and needed someone to blame!)
81-96 AD--DOMITIAN followed in the footsteps of Nero.
112 AD--TRAJAN received a letter from Pliny the Younger asking what to do about believers. His response was to continue the cruelty already in place.

* The date generally given is 95 AD, during DOMITIAN'S reign.

Literary Context

* The category Revelation falls into is:
~LETTER--with salutation/closing….seven churches
~PROPHECY--according to 1:3
~APOCALYPTIC--which means "revelation" in Greek
~CRISIS LITERATURE--which is typical of apocalyptic literature.

*John's goal is to encourage the believers to be faithful even in the direst of circumstances.

Structure of Revelation--The Road Map

I. Prologue (1:1-8)
II. Prophet's Call (1:9-20)
III. Message to the Seven Churches (2-3)
IV. Heavenly Vision (4-5)
V. Seven Seals (6:1-8:5)
VI. Seven Trumpets (8:6-11:19)
VII. Great Conflict (12-14)
VIII. Seven Bowls of Wrath (15-16)
IX. Fall of Great City (17:1-19:10)
X. Victory of Christ (19:11-20:15)
XI. New Jerusalem (21:1-22:5)
XII. Epilogue (22:6-21)

*The bold/all caps words are the answers to the blanks in the weekly handouts.

Sabbath and Retreat

2009-01-04T14:01:00.004-06:00

This morning I was pleased to find that TBC's Spiritual Formation/Prayer Time focused on Sabbath. I am not good at practicing this, at all! I would much rather run fast and never slow down. However, I have had opportunity to rest and reflect in the past week. It has been a welcomed time of discovery and understanding.

My resting and reflecting has all been in preparation for a retreat/conference I am attending this coming week. I leave tomorrow for the hill country of Texas: Kerrville. A group of about fifteen are headed to the Lutheran retreat center there to spend time reflecting on "Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching" (or, Teaching, in my case!). I have read some wonderful novels and great short stories to prepare. I will let you know how the week turns out when I get back.

And, Sunday school outlines will be up by next Sunday...stay tuned.

Lory

New Year's Resolution

2008-12-18T22:42:00.002-06:00

Yes, I know that the New Year is a ways off. (Well, not really, but we haven't made it to Christmas yet!)

Anyway, I want to list some of my New Year's resolutions here for the world to see..even though no one reads this.

1. Blog at least three times a week on life, faith, church, school, etc.
2. Work on working out.
3. Faithfully read my assignments for class. (I don't know if I have EVER read a whole assignment!)
4. Try to read one book a week that is NOT related to school. (If you have suggestions.....let me know!)

That's all for now.

Update

2008-10-27T09:04:00.003-05:00

Ok....once again, it's been forever and no one has even read my blog...EVER. That's okay. I'm going to start posting regularly on here. I really do desire to encourage my high school kids at Trinity as they learn about putting their faith into action. So...here we go....again.

Lazy

2008-03-19T21:39:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted in forever, and it's just because I'm lazy! I actually forgot my passwords and after reading some friends' blogs, decided I should get back in the swing of things. Look for some coming thoughts on the cross. Until then...

Grace and Peace.

Birth Narrative of Christ

2007-12-14T10:32:00.001-06:00

This month the High School class at Trinity has been reading through the birth narrative's of Christ as recorded in the Gospels. We have looked at the world context used by the writers and the format in which the story is presented. Here's some of what we've discussed and learned.

Matthew--It begins with a genealogy that goes from Abraham to Joseph thus showing the authenticity of Christ as a descendant of David. This book was written as a means of showing the Jewish people that Christ was their Messiah, so this listing is extremely important.It is important to note that five women are in the line up, all of whom had questionable pasts. It shows us that God can use anyone is they are open to Him. Then the story shifts to Joseph. An angel comes to him and instructs him to take Mary as his wife. We then find that Christ was born. Why is the focus on Joseph? Why is Mary not really mentioned except in passing? It has to do with the purpose of the writing. By telling the story through Joseph's eyes, it gains credibility with Jewish readers in those days. Only after the birth do we know anything of the world culture as we hear about Herod's decree to the Magi to find the child and then tell him. The Magi found the child well after the birth, as they had to travel to get to Herod and then travel to find the child. Herod is tricked by the men and orders all males under two years to be killed. Joseph is instructed to take the family to Africa until the threat was over.We discovered that Matthew was writing to a specific audience that helped shape the form of the story. The historical context is that of Jewish culture and because of that is somewhat narrow compared to the other Gospels. (Matthew 1-2)

Luke--This is the story most people think of when they think about the birth narrative. What interests me most in this version is the parallel between John and Jesus. Both births are foretold: John's to his father, Jesus to his mother. Both parents who are told of the birth sing a song to God: Mary, before the birth and Zechariah, after the birth. Both children have names that do not go with the tradition of family names, but a big deal is made of John's name while at Jesus' birth nothing is really said except "his name is.." Now for the birth of Jesus: Luke's account is set in the Roman world. This is much broader than Matthew's Jewish context. The circle of influence of the story is getting bigger. Luke tells us about the reason for the birth being in Bethlehem as the prophet foretold. There was a census and the town was packed. There was not a place for them to stay except in the back stable. Jesus was born and wrapped up in clothing and put in a manger. Shortly after that, angels appeared to the shepherd outside of town and told them the news of the birth. They went to town and found the the baby in the stable. Yes, Luke tells us of swaddling cloths, a manger, shepherds ad angels. He is concerned for the marginal and outcasts. He tells the story through the eyes of Mary and the shepherds, not usually the leaders in society. We see the broadening scope of the gospel message in Luke's account. (Luke 1:1-2:20)

John--Some people say this is not a birth narrative, but I beg to differ. These verses tell us a great deal about our Savior. First, he was with God in the beginning. He is God and he was with God. Not only that, but the title given is the Word of God. Why do we use words? Communication. God has communicated with us most clearly through Jesus. We find that everything was made through Christ. We are also told about John the Baptist and his role to be a forerunner to Christ by announcing his coming. Jesus was a part of our world and yet people did not recognize or acknowledge him. But, for those who believed in him, they received the right to be children of God. (I love how this gospel tells the story of the birth and the resurrection of Christ all in one story line!) The writer mentions that this new birth as children of God is not natural but spiritual. Reminds me of Nicodemus and his confusion of being born again. Then we are told the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Wow! What a phrase! Jesus became flesh, human. He made his dwelling...when someone dwells somewhere he is free to go anywhere. He can be a part of any group or place within the area. Jesus did just that. He spent time with thieves and liars, sexually promiscuous people, tax collectors, church leaders, and many others. He penetrated every aspect of society and shared his message of being a child of God. The gospel says that we have seen the glory of the one and only...and we have. In Christ we see the image of God the Father in the midst of our streets and homes. The words in John tell us a story that involves the whole world, not just one sector. Again, the scope is wider in this account than the last. Salvation is offered to all and John picks up on this. The context here is universal. The message is one of hope and acceptance. (John 1:1-18)

These are a few thoughts on these passages before Christmas. We will continue to discuss them in class and I will post more of what is said in future blogs.

Sabbath

2007-11-01T17:54:00.000-05:00

So this week has been ridiculously crazy, hectic, overwhelming. Some of it by choice and some by circumstance. The closer I get to the end of the semester, the more things I have piling up that need doing. My struggle is staying focused for long periods of time and prioritizing what should be done first. I am learning some of those things by necessity, but I have a long ways to go.

My sabbath consists of not turning on my computer and relaxing by watching college football on Saturdays. I love watching Big XII ball in the Fall. I can escape and just enjoy the time I spend engrossed in things other than work and school.

What do you do to rest and relax? Is it a regular thing or do you rest because you can't go on anymore? What does sabbath mean to you?

What dies inside...

2007-10-23T17:44:00.001-05:00

"The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives."--Albert Schweitzer

What is in danger of dying inside you? Is it courage? Hope? Love? What will it take for you, for me, to keep from dying while we yet live?

What are your thoughts?

So begins a blogging journey...

2007-10-22T17:48:00.000-05:00

I have never been one to journal and reflect on things in writing. However, I am finding that I am reading more and more insights written by friends through blogs. So I figured I'd jump in on the action, even though I am years behind this technology thing!

My goal is to use this to primarily encourage the students in my Sunday School class. I want to challenge them and give them things to chew on during the week. I always appreciate people who ask deep questions and share profound understandings. Although my questions may not be too deep and my understanding is not profound, I hope to provide a means for getting teens to think about life, love, friendships, faith and God.

So, here begins a journey...are you up for the ride??