IMMANUEL MAKES LIFE WORTH THE LIVING

      Isaiah said it first... then Matthew chimed in: "A virgin will bear a son and he will be called Immanuel, which means 'God with us'" Immanuel. God with us. It's almost unbelievable if we think about it. It's something that we long for, but it can be challenging, even disturbing, to have God with us. Ask the Pharisees who rejected his grace and the law of love that he taught. Ask Herod or Pilate, how they felt about having God with them. One of them tried to kill him and the other one... did. Ask Peter, who rebuked him and denied him three times, or the people in Nazareth, who attempted to shove him over a cliff. Ask the mob who cried out, "give us Barabbas," how they felt about Immanuel, or the demoniac, who put it succinctly when he shouted, "Jesus, what do you have to do with me?" Ask the one who is being called right now- sinner follow me- and yourself, when you consider what sort of person you would be... if you trusted enough to surrender.
      Jesus may have been a sweet baby, but he was (and is) a most demanding sort of man. He breaks into our lives and overturns the way we've arranged things. He challenges us to see things and people in a totally new way, and if we're not careful, he will have his way with us... and give us a new identity entirely. He breaks into our homes when someone in the family gets religion, and he breaks into our ballgames when someone holds up a sign that reads, "John 3:16." All may have been calm when he was born, but having God with us can be anything but calming. Mary struggled to understand the "good news" of Jesus' birth, and Joseph initially planned to divorce her when he heard that she was pregnant. He resolved to quietly put the whole matter behind him, but God had other plans for him- plans that called him to believe in things that he couldn't understand. And believing in things that we don't understand is part of what it means to have God with us. Immanuel. Mary and Joseph were nice people, I'm sure, but they weren't inclined to color outside the lines. But God is,,, and accepting this is part of what it means to have God with us.
      The lowly shepherds were near the bottom of the social hierarchy in Jesus' time, and they weren't even trying to find God, but God found them... and serenaded them with a heavenly anthem. Being found by God in the ordinariness, the dreariness, even the dirtiness, of our days- being surprised with startling good news in the darkest of nights- feeling that you- lowly shepherd that you are- have been personally blessed is part of what it means to have God with us. Even if He disrupts and changes everything we've known, and prompts us to run around and tell others about it, as if we don't have any sense at all. The wise men- the astrologers from the East- were looking and looking for a sign. Then, suddenly, there it was... and they did what men must do when God appears- they gathered their gifts and journeyed to worship him... because going, and bowing down and worshiping and giving is a big part of what it means to have God with us. The child was God with us, and he grew to show us that... His being with us... is a challenging, sacrificial, and life-changing reality- the price... and glory of which can never be captured in any manger scene or Hallmark card.
      What child is this... so tender and mild? A child, they say, who didn't cry at all in his manger... but as he lived among us, he cried over Jerusalem, and over Lazarus' tomb, and from Golgotha's hill. What child is this? A child who crawled out of his crib and onto Calvary's cross- that's who. A child whose name is scrawled on our bridge abutments- JESUS SAVES. From the animal shed to the cross, Immanuel fed the hungry, touched the lepers, gave sight to the blind, spoke to the women, embraced the kids, dined with sinners, and told all who would listen... that the kingdom of God had arrived in him... because that's what God does when He is with us. Believing that God is found in barns... and on crosses is part of what it means to have God with us. Immanuel.      
      Christmas has never existed in a vacuum. We cannot talk about Immanuel as if He is just a well-behaved baby, because Christmas is inextricably connected with Jesus' decision to empty himself of divinity and come down, down to this planet... and to hang on Golgotha's cross until his work was finished! Non-believers can pretend that Christmas is just a snowy night, or a good meal, or a shopping binge, but they are wrong. Christmas is the day when God appeared in the flesh... and changed our world forever- not by making it sweeter- but by filling it with hope and salvation. The world would have us believe that Christmas is either a party or a sentiment or just another holiday... but we know that it is God with us. Immanuel. This alone makes life worth living! Merry Christmas.

MARY SAID LET IT BE!!!

      Listen... to a story that of a young girl's faith... and ponder what our world would be like if she had said, "no."
      According to Luke (who wrote his gospel to set things straight), God sent the angel, Gabriel, to a virgin who lived in the town of Nazareth, which is in a region of Israel called Galilee. Why God chose to conduct such important  business in such an unimportant place with an unknown teenager is hard to figure. But he did, and in the 6th month of Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the Baptist, Gabriel came to Mary with a startling message. "Greetings," he said, "favored one! The Lord is with you." Greetings... favored one,,, the Lord is with you, He sounded positive and seemed excited, but Mary was confused... and pondered what sort of a greeting she had received. What was going on?What was going to happen to her? Why me, she may have thought. Looking around to see if she was alone, she may have thought, is he talking to me? I've never been "favored," never won anything , and no one outside of my neighborhood even knows my name. What's going on here?
      Don't be afraid, the angel said, you really have found favor with God... and that may well be an understatement because you will conceive and bear a son (for God)- a boy whom you will call "Yeshua," (Jesus) and he will be known forever as God's son. He will be great,and he will rule over the house of Jacob. It was a great proclamation indeed, but we can almost hear her stammering...well, uh, well... how can this be since I'm a virgin? It's not as if I'm too busy to serve on a ministry team or don't sing well enough to be in the choir, I'm a virgin and cannot bear a son." Yes," Gabriel said, "I know... but with God all things are possible, The Holy Spirit will come upon you... and the child you bear will be God's!" Mary, you have been chosen to give birth to the Son of God. What do you say?
      What do you say, Mary? Well, she might have said any number of things. Can I talk it over with my parents? Can I find out what Joseph thinks about the idea? How will I ever convince anyone- especially my husband- that this boy is God's son? I will be condemned and my son will be ridiculed throughout his life. My family will be shamed, my marriage will be called off, and Joe and I were planning to wait a year or so before we started a family. Can I think about this for a day or so? Many of us would've bargained for time, but time doesn't necessarily make it easier to take steps of faith. And the question remained: what do you say, Mary? Consider this, Mary: is anything impossible for God? If it is, faith is just another word for fantasy, but if nothing is impossible for God, then faith opens the door to miracles. What do you say, Mary? Will you trust and obey? And the unmarried teenage girl from Nazareth said, "Let it be! Let it be with me according to your word!" 
      Your will is my will. Your purpose, my purpose, I am the pottery, you are the potter. I am the hearer, you are the promise-maker; I am the servant, you are the promise-keeper! Lord, I don't know how you're going to do this. I can't explain it, and I don't really even comprehend what I just heard,,, but I believe, and believing, I say, "Let it be." Wow. What a powerful statement of faith! I'm not a Catholic and I not very knowledgeable about Marialogy. I don't think of Mary as the Mother of the Church, and I'm not an advocate of either her own virgin birth or her perpetual virginity... but I will give her this: she said "Let it be." Praise God- she said, "Let it be with me according to your word!" Amen.  Let Mary's words roll around in your mind and ponder this: what would our world be like if we all said, "Let it be?"

What Christmas Means to Me

      Some people… dream of Christmases past, when toys were wooden and trees were real. They long for the simple joy that they experienced. or at least the joy that the want to recall. But Christmas has never been a thing of the past. Nor has it ever been a sentimental thing. Indeed, it is anything but sentimental. What is sentimental about walking to Bethlehem, with a pregnant fiancée in her middle teens? What is sentimental about not finding a room, or lying a newborn baby down in a feeding trough?

      Some people… think that Christmas should fit snugly into the ways of the world. They insist that it be every bit as commercial & grandiose as our holiday parades and TV specials are. But the first Christmas was unimaginably modest, and it didn’t fit into the ways of the world at all! Indeed, the good news was first proclaimed to lowly shepherds, who hadn’t heard good news in years, and then it was seen by some astrologers in Iran, who were wise enough to go and worship, and finally, as if the good news was working it way from the bottom up, it reached the ears of King Herod, who didn’t think it was good news at all!

Herod was mad as a hatter. He was crazier than a loon. He was a deceiver and a murderer, who killed his own family… and all the toddlers in Bethlehem. He was a fool, but even he knew that Christmas is neither a sentimental journey nor a moment of escape from the real world. Even he knew that a new King would be the end of him. If we were all wise enough worship and serve the King of Kings, it would be a sad day for the gods of money, pleasure, power…and it would spell the end of the “Baby king within,” (who demands that we worship ourselves and the things we think of, create, and desire). Herod was as mad as a hatter, but he was sane enough to take Christmas seriously, and he knew that unless it was squashed entirely, he and all other petty tyrants, would be dragged from their thrones- just as Mother Mary had prophesied.

      Christmas is the beginning of a new world order! It is not a pacifier for the status quo, but rather, a moment that changed our world forever. Christmas was the first step to Calvary; the first step toward Easter; the first step toward Pentecost; and it beckons each one of us to take our first step of discipleship. Christmas invites us to accept the Christ-child, to dream new dreams, to see our neighbors and ourselves in new ways, and to join the throng of believers who no longer march to the world’s drum beat. I love Christmas! I love its energy, I love its joy, I love to see the little ones in line for Santa, I love to see families gather, people being a bit kinder, people dropping in the Salvation Army kettles… and fruitcakes.
      I love Christmas, but I do NOT believe for a second- not for a single second- that Christmas is a sentimental moment, or a commercial orgy, or that it’s all about families, or kids, or make-believe, or even giving. Christmas is all about Christ! It is all about God Incarnate… and that is mind-boggling! If God was born in Bethlehem, our world can never be the same… because God came to turn things upside down! If you like things as they are, Christmas may not be for you…but if you long for a day when… every two-bit despot is disposed, and all of the so-called “little people” stand tall, and all of those who are lost and broken… are healed and saved…and when smiles break out in the most unexpected places…if you long for this day… if you’re tickled by the thought of it… and you’re excited about embracing it…then I must say, “Merry Christmas!” Merry Christmas indeed!

HAVING CHRISTMAS WITHOUT CHRIST

      When I was growing up, our holidays were occasions for drinking and fellowship. We often had fun... until the drinks took over, and we couldn't fathom a holiday without alcohol. This was especially true of Christmas, and as I grew older, my anxiety overwhelmed by my anticipation. Every Christmas was pretty much the same. Our parents were generous enough and they tried to be festive. Mother made sure that they spent exactly the same amount of money on me and each of my two brothers. Christmases were meant to be fair and festive, and they very well might have been if it weren't for the drinking.
      The drinking, however, always dampened the evening and sometimes ruined it altogether. I lament as one who must have learned a lesson, but I didn't, and when my wife and I had our own Christmases, I drank as much as I could. It was the only way I knew to have fun and I couldn't envision a holiday without it. In fact, when I traveled to Fredericksburg, Iowa to spend my first Christmas with my wife's family, I waited politely for a while... before I asked for a drink. "Oh," they said, "There's no alcohol in the house. We don't drink at Christmas." What? I must have heard it wrong. I quietly asked my wife, "Is there a place 'up town' (that's what they called the downtown area) where I can buy some alcohol?"' "No," she said, and you don't need any, which was wrong... because I did. Thankfully, it turned out that Everett had a little swig of whiskey each morning and the bottle was in the cupboard. With his permission, I found it and my spirit came to rest for a moment.
      I've never forgotten how surprised I was to discover that some families were celebrating Christmas without alcohol, and now we do the same of course. In fact, I haven't had a Christmas drink since Christmas of 1975, but it wasn't alcohol that was killing our Christmases. It didn't help, that's for sure, especially in my hands, but the real problem was that we were having Christmas... without Christ. There was no Christ in our Christmases- none at all. From the late 40s to the late mid 70s, we celebrated Christmases without Christ. No church service. No prayers. No sacred music, No mention of the "reason for the season." No moment of silence. Just fellowship and drinking... until the drinking won out. Our Christmases were empty... because we didn't invite Christ, and I've learned since then, that inviting Christ in NOT an option,,, because there can be no Christmas with Him,
      Friends, Christ is not a choice when it comes to Christmas because, as Christians, we believe that He barged into history to save our souls and to make our lives worth living. We insist that He gave up divinity and took on vulnerability so that we might share in His glory. It's a wild thing to believe- that God came to earth and died on a cross to set us free- and no one has to believe it, of course. No one ever has to believe it, but His coming to earth IS what Christmas is about... and your Christmases will be emptier if you leave Him out. My parents drank too much at Christmas, but the bigger problem was that they left Christ out of Christmas! Indeed, if He had been there, I suspect that the excessive drinking would not have been. Amen.

WHOSE TO BLAME (IN BLACK AND WHITE)

      NOBODY thinks that a teenager should die because he stole a handful of cigars. It's insane. No one believes that a 12 year-old boy should die because he is scaring people with a "toy" rifle. Such a thing seems impossible. Ditto for the 43 year-old black man in NYC. It's hard to believe that he was choked to death because he was selling individual cigarettes on the street. It is unfathomable that citizens could be shot (or choked) for these things in America... and yet they were. In Ferguson, Mo., Michael Brown was shot several times by a white policeman and laid dead on a town street for hours before his body was picked up. In Cleveland, Tamir Rice was shot within seconds after a policeman arrived on the scene. Evidently the office who wasn't sure whether the boy's gun was real or not, and didn't know how to find out. Finally, in NYC, Eric Garner died in a choke hold, even though he said that he couldn't breathe was well under control at the point. All three of these black males are dead, and virtually everyone would agree that justice was not served. Indeed, it was mocked in each of these cases... but to suggest that these incidents were "modern day lynchings" (as some have done) is absurd and unjust as well.  Like others, I think that excessive force was used in these cases. Poor judgment as well. However, this doesn't mean that the policemen involved are racists, that there actions were racially motivated... or that they committed a crime in the line of duty. Justice was not served in these encounters, and it was not served in the rioting that followed. No doubt- change is needed, and I applaud the public debate that has been ignited. Still, it is shortsighted to blame those who are caught up in a scenario that is much deeper than their actions. The scenario itself- the fears, prejudices, hopelessness, and reliance on violence must give way to mutual respect and cooperation, This will take time. Until then, I will close with these thoughts:
1) Policemen are scary. I'm a 68 year-old white man- a pastor in a small community... and I am afraid of the police! I think they want it that way. There's been a little bit of Barney Fife in many of them, and I've always had the feeling that joking or casual conversation would not play well;
2) Policemen have a very tough job! They deal with the worst possible people. They are harassed, insulted, and threatened on a steady basis, and a single mistake could cost them their lives. I wouldn't do their job for twice their salary;
3) There have been 3 police officers in the churches that I've served... and they were (and are) honest, kind, and honorable men. Two of them went to Israel with me, and after we returned, I told one of them- a police sergeant- how much I respected him. "Thanks," he said, "but you might change your mind if you worked with me for a week or two... because the language we use and the way that we handle things are hardly Christian. The people we deal with don't respond to Bible stories or group prayer." I was reminded that serving others is often a dirty and bloody business;
4) Rioting is a very dysfunctional response to injustice because it draws attention away from the perceived injustice and puts it on the rioters, who were unjust themselves. It destroys property, livelihoods, and even lives. I can't help believing that the rioters- not the protesters, but the rioters- are just thugs looking for an excuse to riot;
5) Officials are, in my view, rightly reticent to indict a police officer in the line of duty... because it could open up a can of worms that we might all regret. It's a tough job in the first place, and it would be very difficult to recruit someone if he or she could be tried for murder;
6) However, we do not live in a police state, and no one should be permitted to shoot people without accountability. Indicting officers for murder is not the answer, but greater training, new regulations, cameras, and transparency (even in face of the blue-line) would go along way toward alleviating the tension that seems to be building;
7) Communities are composed of families, and both justice and righteousness start at home. Teachers and policemen cannot fix what the families themselves continue to break. It is the parents who must instill a sense of worth and accountability in their children, and if they don't- whether they're black or white- we will all reap the whirlwind. Amen!

CRYING PEACE... WHEN THERE IS NO PEACE!

      "From the least of them to the greatest... everyone is greedy for gain, from the prophet to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They dress the wound of my people as if it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say when there is no peace." (Jer. 6) "So my hand will be against the prophets... because they've misled my people, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace, and when anyone builds a wall, they plaster it over with whitewash." (Ezekiel 13). Indeed, the prophets had it right. We can't have peace simply by claiming it or by denying our struggles anymore than we can cure cancer with a band-aid. Some wounds are superficial. Some are life-threatening... and it's important to know the difference. Likewise, covering things over doesn't make them go away, and whitewashing a wall... doesn't change its character. Peace demands truth, and truth often demands a painful struggle with oneself, and with one's God... even as Jakob found his identity... when he wrestled with God through the night.
      Peace, real peace, demands honesty, and to be honest, there is no peace in our time. Surely, you've seen the headlines. Undoubtedly, you've watched the reports on TV, about the protests taking place in many parts of our country. Sometimes I think that the tension between black and white is just as thick today as it was 50 years ago. Laws have increased opportunities and leveled the playing field a bit, but they have not changed the human heart, or calmed the fears and prejudices that find root in most of us. The war on poverty was a failure, it seems, and the tension between the haves and have-nots is even greater than it was 50 years ago. The war on drugs was a failure too, and the gang-related killings in our cities... ought to make every Christian cringe. The country is divided on every significant issue, which makes it nearly impossible to govern, and while political correctness has reduced public name-calling, it may have elevated the anger that people nurture in their hearts. People are tempted, persuaded and driven... to want more and more, and like rats in a maze, we keep running, and running, and running... chasing a peace that cannot be cornered and tackled. Many people don't fit in. They're lonely, and weary, from putting on and taking off the masks they wear, none of which gives them peace. Marriages are often little more than agreements that collapse when one of them feels slighted... because there never was a commitment to see things through, let alone a surrender to the union. Look, there's no point in denying it- we live in a broken and war-torn world. Nations war against nations, gangs war against gangs. Church fights tear families of faith apart, domestic violence tears families apart, blacks don't trust whites, and whites are afraid of blacks. School shootings are so common that they don't even raise eyebrows, young black men have a better chance of going to prison than college, many of our older citizens are hidden away in shoddy nursing homes (they would die if they could), and bullying is actually taking lives. People neither know nor trust their neighbors, and there's a line of people, more than a mile long, taking off their shoes as they go through security at Midway Airport... so that they can have peace around a Thanksgiving table- unless, of course, an argument breaks out. A boy in Cleveland gets shot by a policeman... and he has a toy gun. Hardworking people in Ferguson, MO. had their businesses destroyed by angry mobs, and there are hordes of people at war with addictions.
      Friends, there is no peace... and there never will be without God...because God is the author of peace. He's the giver of the serenity we all so badly want. Augustine noted that our hearts will never rest until they rest in God, and we'll never feel quite good enough about ourselves... until we accept the fact that Christ died for us. Friends, there's no greater peace than being forgiven- and in Christ, we are completely, fully, and forever forgiven. On our own and in ourselves, we can never fully get out from under the burdens of the past, or the anxiety of the future... but Christ is the giver of new names and new beginnings. Our journey is filled with hills, sometimes mountains, unexpected turns, obstacles, pain, and a thousand little deaths... anyone of which will tear us apart... unless we are in the hands of the man from Galilee. Life is difficult, and we will never be at peace unless we are in Christ... because peace demands surrender. Peace is a gift from God, and it comes to us in a three-step process: 1) we admit that we have no peace, 2) we come face-to-face with the fact that we cannot manufacture peace on our own (not the deep shalom that the Bible speaks of)... and 3) embrace Christ as our only source of peace.
      Peace is a gift from God, and it is found in Christ. Over the years I've tried everything I could... to get peace. I covered my ears so that I wouldn't hear my mother's screams; I stayed away from home as much as I could; I drank a fifth of whiskey and a handful of beers every day; I went out on the town; I lied when the truth would've served me better; I worked furiously to be important... and still, I had no peace. Indeed, I feared the nights because I felt so empty. For a long time I made excuses for myself, but I came to hate the man in the mirror. Finally, as if it was God's plan, I hit bottom, and at last, I did business with the living God. "Kenn," Pastor Lu asked, "do you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, and will you trust in Him from this day forward? Will you let him have his way with you and count it all good? Will you accept the fact that you are accepted? Will you lay your sins at the cross and dance away as a man forgiven? Will you share the peace that I have given you with everyone you can?" Yes, yes, yes, I said. I'm free at least. My soul is finally... at peace. Amen.

GOD'S OPEN-BOOK TEST

      When I was a student, I loved open-book tests. I was a pretty good text-taker anyway. I generally performed better on tests than I should have, whether they were multiple-choice, true/false, or essay. There were other students, of course, who underperformed because they had test-anxiety. They didn't score as well as they should have... but we could all agree that an open-book test was a no-brainer. Who could mess up an open-book test? No one, really, and that's what made them great. Well, as it turns out, the Bible has an open-book test for everyone who seeks heaven through Jesus, and the test is found in Matthew 25:31-46.
      In this passage people are gathered around Christ as he comes to judge them. They are a bit anxious, I suspect, and they've probably armed themselves with a long list of real good reasons for the sins they committed. They are gathered to be judged, and they are divided into two groups- the "sheep" who are assembled on the right and the "goats," who are congregated on the left. Then, Christ said to the sheep- but only to the sheep- come on in! "Come on in, and inherit the kingdom that has been prepared for you." (vs. 34) Come in and take your seat in the banquet hall! Go ahead and take your seat- it's the one way up toward the front. Dance for joy and come on in. You've done well faithful servants... because you fed me when I was hungry; gave me drink when I was thirsty; welcomed me when I was a stranger to you; clothed me when I was naked; visited me when I was sick; and called on me when I was in prison. You lived as if you knew me... and you saw me when I stood before you hungry, thirsty, and naked! You saw me in your alleys and in your food lines. You saw the need in my eyes and the desperation on my face. You saw me- when I was least among you- and you loved me... in my name. So, come on in!
      "Unfair," the goats cried. Your test is unfair. We've seldom missed a Sunday in church. We've tithed and we've served as leaders in our congregations. We've behaved ourselves and we've reared our children to do the same. We've done any number of good deeds... and besides, we never saw you hungry, or thirsty, or naked, or sick, or as a stranger, or prisoner! We never, ever, saw you in these ways, and if we had known it was you, Lord, we would've fallen all over ourselves to meet your needs. You know we would've. "O, but you didn't," the Lord will say. I appreciated your tithes and your church attendance was impressive. So was your knowledge of the Bible. I know how hard you tried to be good and I appreciated that too. But it wasn't about you... and when I appeared before you, you didn't give me the love and the grace that I gave to you? When I asked for food- you walked on by. When I was thirsty, you were too busy to give me a drink, and when I was dressed in rags, you looked the other way, never seeing that I'm important too. When I was sick, down and out, and isolated, you never called on me, although it would've made my day if you had. And when I was in prison, for crimes I did and didn't do, you acted as if I was dead to you. You never loved me enough to know me, and heaven's gate is closed to you.
      Friends, if we don't see Christ in the least among us, we won't see him at all. He appears to us in a hundred different ways. We'll see him in a darkened corner, sitting alone; we'll seeing him getting on and off one of our buses. We'll bump into him at the mall, make eye contact across the way, maybe walking on our side of the street, coming toward us. He'll come to our own dinner table, stop in to our home. Maybe he's working beside you. I don't know, but he will appear to you. He's male and female, gay and straight, young and old, rich and poor, able and disabled, smart and not-so-smart, clean and dirty, borning and dying. He's all these things and more. Look and see him, and if you see him, for God's sake, respond... because responding is your final exam. The goats will persist,"We never saw you thirsty, or naked, or suffering, not once," and our Lord will reply, "Who in the world did you think that was... hanging on the cross?" Amen.

IS YOUR FAMILY AS WONDERFUL AS MINE?

Personally, I'm a Duck Dynasty fan,
      although I wish they would shave their shaggy beards.
I admire their simple and empowering faith,
      and I wish that mine wasn't so clouded with thought.
My uncle isn't a fan of their show,
      but he shares their faith... and he doesn't have a beard.
My little brother was gay, engaging... and very competitive!
      He won so frequently at the games we played...
            that he expected to win whenever we played. (and he did)
My middle brother was disciplined and successful.
      He did the right things,
            and he was a much better golfer than me.
Many of my cousins farm the rich soil of Iowa,
      They are hard-working men and women,
            and they are virtually all conservative.
On the other hand,
      some of my family members are quite liberal,
            watching MSNBC instead of Fox News.
I like to watch documentaries and reality shows,
      but I have relatives who watch The Bachelor,
            Dancing with the Stars, and even pro wrestling.
Part of my mother's side of the family are Pentecostal,
      many of my dad's clan are practicing Catholics,
            there are Mormon's too, and at least one Presbyterian,
                  but mom and dad weren't religious at all.
My family is filled with warriors- I'm proud to say.
      They've fought in every one of our America Wars,
            but there are Quakers too, who refused to fight at all.
Dad flew combat missions in Europe,
      Sean and Donald were in Iraq and/or Afghanistan,
            Larry was in the Coast Guard, and Bill served in the Air Force.
For reasons that I'm not sure of,
      our family is filled with pretty girls and cute kids,
            some white, some black, and at least one Hispanic.
My wife has cancer, my sister-in-law and my uncle had it too,
      and it took my brother's life much too soon;
      my aunt suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis... mom has glaucoma...
            and there's a strain of alcoholism running through the family.
I like to golf and do a little bass fishing,
      but our daughters are obsessed with running and fitness,
            and my son-in-law is an accomplished snow-boarder,
                 and one of the creators of the video game, "Medal of Honor,"
Some of my family members live in NC, some in NY,
      several live in TX, a few in MO., and many still live in IA.
By and large, they've been successful and happy,
      but there are exceptions to both of these.
MY FAMILY comes in many different sizes and shapes;
      they have differing views and differing histories.
      They see the world differently, they vote differently,
            and their ages and incomes vary widely...
BUT THEY ARE MY FAMILY
      AND I LOVE EACH ONE OF THEM.
THEY ARE KIND, PRODUCTIVE, AND HONORABLE PEOPLE,
      AND THEY MEAN THE WORLD TO ME.
I have been blessed with a wonderful wife,
      two beautiful daughters, a charming son-in-law, two beautiful granddaughters,
            a grandson who fills my heart with joy...
                  and a great grandson whom I love dearly.
What is more,
      I'm also blessed with a loving extended family,
            some of whom I see and some of whom I miss.
All in all I'm a lucky man.
      I am grateful for each and every member of my family.
      I'm loved and I love, and
      I'm born again! Who could ask for more?

   

Thoughts on Veteran's Day and Family

Dear Archer and Donald-

This is Veteran's Day, 2014, and Lord knows, there's plenty to worry about. Taxes are high and, for most, opportunities are low. We're adding jobs, but they're the kind of jobs that students and retirees are supposed to have- not working men and women. We live in a PC world, which stands for "politically correct," and I fear that it's the only thing some people stand for. Finally, I should add that I'm worried about computers. Yes, I know that they are your dearest friends, and I applaud their power to do and transform things... but please don't fall in love with them. Fall in love, instead, with girls, and sports teams, and the great outdoors. Fall in love with conversing, daring, doing, but never settle for the image of something... when you can experience the thing itself.

Boys, it's Veterans Day, 2014. We have just endured a nasty political campaign, and I'm feeling tired right now. As a preacher, I worry about our worship of "self and stuff," and I think that we live in a time when "right is being called wrong," and "wrong is being called right." Things seem to be a little crazy to me...but I am also a proud and hopeful man... and I will always be... as long as freedom and love and courage abide. On this day we celebrate veterans- warriors of all sizes and shapes. We honor men and women who were willing to put service ahead of self. Some of them were eager to do so- some of them not so much. Some of them were fully supportive of the cause at hand- some not so much. Some of them fought hand-to-hand, some of them flew, some of them were at sea, some of them worked behind the lines, and some of them were stationed "at home." But they all served, and I applaud their service.

I applaud their sense of honor. I applaud their guts, and I cry over their tears. My father- your great and great-great grandfather- flew supplies to the battle lines in the European theater and liberated the prisoners in a concentration camp called, Auschwitz. He lost several friends in that war, including his co-pilot, Kenny, after whom I am named, and although he was always "tough," he was never the same after the war. Two of my uncles, which means that they're your kin too, saw combat in the same war, and my brother, Larry, served proudly as well. They didn't believe the same things, or worship in the same ways, or root for the same teams, or vote for the same candidates... but each of them believed that freedom was worth fighting and even dying for. Just last week, on my way to a family gathering in Kansas City, I stopped at the Ohio Cemetery in Ladora, Iowa to pay tribute to our relatives. In many ways, it is a family cemetery, and right away I saw large tombstones belonging to the Rosenbergers, the Schalls, and the Slaymakers. These are some of our people, boys. I saw a small marker for "Elizabeth Jane, mother," and I knew it was Elizabeth Jane Shedenhelm. Then, I looked up and saw a large monument for J.N. Shedenhelm, born 1836, and I smiled because I knew that he fought bravely in our Civil War- as did many of your relatives on the other side of that terrible war.

Boys, there are many things that need to be changed in this world, but I want you to know that this land of ours was founded on God, freedom, and opportunity. As you go through life, I hope that you will always be as loving as you are now. Be graceful, not rude, and always speak and enact the truth in love... where the words "truth" and "love" both count. Be good and generous men... but always remember that important things are worth fighting for. Remember, too, that your own ancestors took their stand as far back as Colonial America, and that you come from a proud heritage that includes both courage and grace. Donald, when all of this makes sense to you, give your daddy and hug... because he also took his stand and fought for freedoms that we enjoy! 

TGI Election Day!

Tomorrow is election day- 2014- and I am more exhausted than excited. In fact, I'll be happy when it's over. The half-truths, the practiced lines, the name-calling-it's not any worse in kind than it's always been... but with social media and 24-7 television, it's insufferable! Besides, the candidates are so, well, ordinary. There's not a transforming figure among them, and I'm getting tired of the old line about choosing between the lesser of two evils. It's not that I don't get the joke, but there's too much at stake to find it funny.

I believe in hard-work and accountability, but I also believe in safety nets and helping hands. I believe that the Bible embraces these acts as well, but the liberals can't spell "accountability" and the conservatives can't spell "compassion." The world seems to be filled with extremists. Isn't there a liberal somewhere who knows that a policy of handouts doesn't work? And isn't there a conservative out there somewhere who knows that a helping hand can be a great investment? The arguments are the same tired arguments that I heard (and voiced) in the sixties... but the world has changed dramatically in the past fifty years. The population is growing at a staggering rate, and there are simply too many people in many, many places. There is a coalition of minorities that seems to threaten traditional ways of life,. and in what was already an individualistic society, the individual is now god in America. Most politicians are wealthy and out-of-touch, and most of them want lifetime jobs. Poor people resent the rich... and the rich blame the poor people for being poor. There are problems everywhere- but we've agreed not to mention them...and the silence makes healing impossible.

No one is doing anything but running for office and/or attempting to hold on to office... and our issues are too big for that.  Someone once told me that if you're young and conservative, you're hard-hearted; but if you're old and liberal, you're soft-headed, and that might be my problem in a nutshell.
Perhaps I'm the one who is changing. Maybe I'm just getting old, but the lives that our children will lead...are worth fighting for, and not just by voting for the lesser of two evils. I suppose I will vote tomorrow, but I really don't have my heart in it! And there's some part of me that says "it will only encourage them."

ROCKY'S OUT OF PAIN

I am writing this with a broken heart because our Sheltie, Rocky (originally known as Rusty) died tonight. He had been in pain with severe arthritis for some time, and toward the end, he could scarcely get around. In fact, we had given up our walks together and Rocky had gotten to the point where he had to lean against something to go potty because he could not stand on his own. Last night he had difficulty breathing and there were episodes of the same throughout the day. So we took him to the Emergency Vet and she said that he also had heart failure.

This was the moment I'd been dreading because it brought me face-to-face with the decision I had been avoiding.  No one likes the "E" word because Euthanasia is so painful, so final, and so God-like... but real love would rather "let go" than cling for the sake of clinging. So we faced our pain... and Rocky's pain and decided to set him free, which broke our hearts and tears filled my eyes. I might have even cried a little- I can't remember- but when Rocky saw that we were grieving, he tried to comfort us! And there we were- the three of us- on the floor in the room that leads directly to heaven ... and Rocky was worried about us. Indeed, in Rocky's mind, it was always his job to watch over us, and he did it well from the moment we adopted him to the moment we said goodbye.  Again, tonight, I am reminded of two things- just as I was when Nikki left us: 1) there is no love as pure and unfettered as a pet's love and 2) we surely have a brokenhearted God! Surely we have a God who gets caught up in our suffering and who cries real tears when he sets us free.

Goodbye Rocky! You gave us all that you had to give... and that was more than enough!  

Love, Poppy

An Open Note to Archer and Donald

Archer, you have a big heart and a lot of energy, and I know that you will be able to repair a lot of things when you become an adult. You'll be on the better side of the divide, and this means that you will have many opportunities to help others.
So...take time to listen... and you will hear...
children crying for want of love, safety, and attention,
idols clamoring for your worship, allegiance, and sacrifice,
old people pleading for dignity and perhaps even death,
frustrated voices shouting to be heard above the din of self-interest,
poor and desperate kids working the streets and asking for a dime,
tempters promising pleasure and escape in the middle of the night,
con artists inviting you to take a card... because you "can't lose"
politicians telling half-truths, outright lies, and what you want to hear,
liberals claiming there is no one truth, while conservatives insist that they have the truth.

Donald, you are so loved, and your world is so comforting. You have a gentle spirit and you will have a chance to "heal" others. So, look around... and see
that people on the street almost never look you in the eye...because they're scared;
that good things are challenged more than bad things... because we're afraid to say 'no;'
that money is behind almost everything, whether it's good or evil;
that there's real beauty in every face, no matter what Hollywood says;
that everybody's somebody and nobody is nobody... because everyone counts;
that many old things are worth keeping, whether they are people, things, or traditions;
that "handicaps" are imposed from the outside... and other people should not limit us;
that real prophets are invariably mocked and killed... because we can't handle the truth;
that people are most vulnerable when they are sobbing, laughing... and in love.

Archer and Donald, both of you will live in a world that I wouldn't even recognize.
But human nature never changes... and with that in mind,
I pray that you will keep an open mind and consider that...
you may not know everything there is to know,
the best things in life can't be seen or measured,
"holding hands" is as good as love ever gets,
faith neither seeks nor needs understanding,
Nothing has ever been done in the future.

Poppy
October 15, 2014

OUR GOLDEN CALVES

Everyone knows about the Exodus. They may think that Moses looked like Charlton Heston and they may think that Cecil B. DeMille wrote the story, but they know the story. Everyone knows that the Pharoah let God's people go after his own firstborn son died, and then changed his mind and chased after the Hebrews as they made their way to Mt. Sinai. We know that the Hebrews were blocked by the Red Sea and that their death or re-enslavement seemed eminent... until God divided the waters and created a highway for his people only. Indeed, when the last Hebrew had reached shore on the other side, the waters came back together and became a watery grave for the Egyptians who were in pursuit!

It was a day of liberation, a day of celebration... but it wasn't enough to change their hearts!  Despite the miracle that they had experienced, they were still filled with fear... because "trust" is unnatural for us. In the main, we are too self-centered and too frightened to trust. We talk about trust, we want to trust, but when the going gets tough, we either freeze or take matters into our own hands... and, like us, God's people were scared... as they walked to the promised land. They were relieved at first, but when they discovered that there was no water source... no food pantry... or any established patterns for living, they began to get scared. They grumbled against Moses and bickered among themselves. They longed for stability and even came to believe that the "devil they knew" had to be better than trusting in God.

Going on faith seemed worse than not going at all... and they were "on edge" when Moses went up the mountain to meet with God. They had seen miracles, but they had never trusted God... and they became anxious when Moses didn't return when they thought he would. Doubts filled their heads, fear filled their hearts... and they asked Aaron to "make" them other gods who would lead and protect them. Yes, even after God had liberated them from Pharoah's hand, they turned to other gods! It was a shocking display of unfaithfulness, but it was even more shocking that Aaron agreed to make them another god. He fashioned a golden idol and added to his sin by shouting, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." Yes, it's true- Aaron gave credit to a "god" of his own creation... for the life and promise that had actually been given by Yahweh! And then he announced that he would throw a party in the morning... so the people could eat and drink their fill... and offer sacrifices to their new gods. It was quite a party, but their rowdiness caught God's attention and aroused His anger- so much so that he decided to destroy them and start again with Moses. Moses was given the chance to be a new Noah, but he declined, choosing instead to plead for the people. He asked God to change his holy mind... and according to the Bible, God did (which is also shocking in some people's minds)!

Well, that's the story. It's a story of miracles, a story of God's power, a story of freedom... and obedience... and sin. It's a human story, and it's our story... for we also utterly consumed with ourselves and the stuff of daily life. Like the Hebrews, we forget that we're in God's hands and we even forget the wonderful things that God has done for us. Like them, we lose sight of the amazing journey that we are on, and we also discount God's ability to transform us. Moses was leading God's people into a new reality, but they were focused on crying babies, sick parents, bickering neighbors, menacing armies, and their daily needs for food, water, sanitation, and rest! God had given the people a great promise... but they couldn't see it. He had given them freedom, not only from tyranny, but also from doubt and fear... but they didn't claim it. God had given them the ability to soar with the Spirit, but they chose to waddle instead. Out of grace alone, God had chosen a stiff-necked group of slaves to bless the world, but they could never get their eyes off of themselves long enough to do it... and this is pretty much the way it is today, even in the church.

We shake our heads at the Hebrews because they couldn't wait on God, but we are the ones who "want what we want... and want it now." We shake our heads because these ancient people trusted lifeless gods that were simply extensions of themselves... but we trust in our wits, our savings plans, our gated communities, our expensive cars, our titles, our appearances, and our addictions. We condemn these people because they turned to a object of gold when they got scared, but we turn to alcohol and drugs at the drop of a hat. There are many of us who would rather drink and eat our fill than wait for God. Friends, the Exodus story is about us! We are the ones who are on the journey of a lifetime... and it is we, not they, who have an insatiable desire for little gods that we create and control. It is we, not they, who turn to "talking eight balls" for answers- to IRA's for security, to sports teams to make us feel like winners, to possessions to make us feel important, and to parties to give us a sense of community. It is we, not they, who immediately think, "how will this affect me" when we hear a new idea; and it is we, not they, who would've turned to a golden calf within hours after we started to become doubtful. It is we, not the Hebrews, who prefer small and shiny gods, and who- especially when it requires sacrifice or patience- are often unsure of a God whom we can neither see nor control. It is we, not the Hebrews, who worship gods of our own creation in ways that are all about us. Exodus is our story, and rather than condemn an ancient people, we would do better to put ourselves in their place and consider these points:

1)      Fear (of being vulnerable or forgotten) lies at the root of many sins;
2)      A God who is not big enough to have his way with us... is not a God at all;
3)      Waiting for something to "prove" our faith is foolish. Believing is a choice:
4)      God responds to our prayers- even if that means "changing" His mind;
5)      The promise-maker is a promise-keeper, even if we don't "get it;"

Amen.

ARE ONLY GOAL- TO BE LIKE JESUS!

      Mahatma Ghandi admired Christ. He quoted him often and the noted Christian, Earl Stanley Jones, asked him why he so adamantly rejected following him. "Oh," Ghandi replied, "I don't reject your Christ. I love your Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ." Christ, in Ghandi's view, was passionate, but his followers were not; Christ was obedient even unto death, his followers aren't. In the hands of his followers, Christ's light doesn't shine, and the biggest basket that they hide it under... is the way in which they live. When asked what non-believers expect from Christians, the French philosopher, Camus said it plainly: "we expect Christians to speak out, loud and clear, so that never a doubt, not the slightest doubt, could rise in the heart of the simplest man. Christians should get away from abstractions and confront the blood-stained face that history has taken on today." Christ's voice is seldom heard, Camus thought, from the mouths of his followers, and it is muffled mostly by their desire to fit in with the world. Soren Kierkegaard put it this way long ago: "The Bible is very easy to understand, but we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend that we don't understand it because we know very well that the minute we do, we will be obliged to act accordingly." 
      The the problem, then, seems to be one of motivation rather than education. We don't imitate Christ because we don't want to... and this is killing us. Kierkegaard noted that, "There is something frightful in the fact that the most dangerous thing of all, playing at Christianity, is never listed among the heresies." To which we can only say, "amen." Playing at Christianity. Pretending that we don't know what God wants from us. Pandering to the world. These are the reasons why the church is increasingly irrelevant. If the church was filled with passion, those who cannot help but give themselves to passion... would flock to it. If the church was filled with acceptance, if it was a place where people actually forgave one another, people would flock to it. We live in a world filled with critics... and if this church, or any church, offered a real difference, people would flock to it. If the church was a place of deep, life-changing thought, deep thinkers would flock to it because they so badly want to understand who and whose they are. If the church was a revolutionary center, people who would rise up and challenge "the man and his system"... would flock to it... because they are committed to making things right. If the church was filled with crosses, cross carriers would flock to it, and if the church's only goal was to be like Jesus, it would attract people who wanted to be like Jesus. But... if the church's main goal is to provide a comfortable place for the comfortable... it will be a place where nothing really... ever happens.
      This is why the church is irrelevant today, whether we're talking about the big box entertainment centers (the so-called mega-churches) or the bland community centers (the so-called mainline churches,) where good people just come and go. It's a huge problem and we aren't likely to change the worldwide church here today...but we can commit ourselves to a more serious Christianity, right here, right now. We can commit ourselves to more intentional study- every elder and every serious deacon should be in Bible study... and to a broader and deeper prayer life. We can commit ourselves to a bolder presence in community... and to being a more vulnerable presence in this neighborhood. We can lift our church to a higher place... in which members become disciples, visitors become members... and where God is the ONLY spectator. If we become better Christians, our chances of growing will be much greater, and even if we aren't blessed in that way, we still would've touched lives by being better Christians. Friends, Christ has told us what to do. He said that the light that we've been given to shine... is powered by obedience and faith, and He has called us to love our neighbor and one another... sacrificially and completely. When Jesus walked among us, he revealed, in word and deed, the fullness of God's priorities. He showed us what to do, and much of what he did and said has been written in God's word.
      Becoming a complete Christian is well beyond our scope today, but we can take a first step to be like Christ... and I can't think of a more powerful motivator that Paul's inspiring words in Philippians. If you want to be like Christ, Paul notes, give up gossip. Stay away from it. Challenge it, and reject it as something unChristian. Reject factions as well. Commit yourself to the common good... and consider others and their needs, not just your own. Let's train ourselves to ask, what does Christ want from our church... and how can I contribute to that goal? In this way, while we will still have honest differences, we will be of one mind... but Paul is calling us to something MUCH greater than simply agreeing to agree. Have the mind of Christ, he said, who felt that equality with God was not worth clinging to- not if God's people were sinning and dying. Embrace this same mindset- that superiority is not worth clinging to- and then become authentically vulnerable. Be of the same mind that Christ had when he voluntarily emptied himself of divinity... and came down, down, down to this sin-filled place, where he took on the form of a baby and laid helplessly in a cattle trough. If you want to grow in Christ, empty yourself of "self" and become vulnerable before God and this threatening world. Become a vulnerable and servant-oriented team player... by picking up the cross that Christ has already prepared for you. Get yourself out of the way. Lose the "I," and make Christ's foot-washing agenda your life's work! You will probably need a job to pay the bills... but make Christ's work... your work... and his people... your people. If we do this, if we do it together, and do it with humility, people will flock to our doors because it's hard to find heaven on earth! Amen.

...

RANDY SHEDENHELM-WE WILL NEVER STOP LOVING YOU!

      Today I have my late brother, Randy, on my mind... and in my heart. He died of AIDS in September, 1994, and those of us who loved him will never forget him. He was bright, witty, and engaging. He was talented and competitive, but innocent and vulnerable at the same time. He died not long before they developed the "cocktail" that would've saved his life. He died before his boys grew into the men they are today... and he died without knowing the full joy of being a grandfather. If he had lived- if they would've had a cure- if he had been more cautious-there's no telling where his career would've gone. If he would've lived, I am sure that he would've won a thousand more board games... and shared thousands of more laughs. He would've also shared our grief when Larry died; and he would've both given and received more than his share of love. He would've brightened our days if he had lived...but he didn't... because he died of AIDS... in Anniston, Alabama ... way back in 1994. Twenty years have come and gone, and it is time to write him a love note.
      Dear Randy, it has been 20 years since I've seen your face... but I will never forget it!  I remember how you would run into my bedroom when the storms inside and outside of our home frightened you, and I remember how small you were when you were a kid. I remember the time when mom and dad inadvertently left you in a gas station in South Dakota... and Larry and I didn't bother to tell them (although they noticed you were missing 30 miles or so down the road)! I remember how proud you were of the store that you and Larry owned together, and I remember how close you were to Larry and his family. I remember the taco eating contest that you won, and all of us will always remember our vacation trip to the Grand Canyon. I remember the day when you nearly beat me in our marathon tennis match... and I will never forget how routinely you beat me at everything else. I will never forget how you compensated for the big slice you had off of the tee, and I will remember the day when you agreed to put your life back together... like it was yesterday. With delight, I recall the way that you and Linda played cribbage and all sort of games...and I remember the beautiful home that you and John had when you died. I remember the day when you and Larry and I went to the driving range in Plano... and how you could hardly hit a ball 50 yards. I will never forget how faithful your sons were when you were suffering... and I remember how Aaron and I played tennis to get your impending death off of our minds. With gratitude, I remember the wonderful care that hospice gave you... and I will never forget the "bulb garden" that you bought for Sherry and me. As you planned, it arrived after your death... and I am sorry to report that I planted several of the bulbs upside down. Still, many of them bloomed and they were standing tall when Easter came in 1995.
      I remember when you told me that you were not afraid to die... and I remember the faith you expressed in your unchurch-like way. When Larry was dying, I asked him if he thought he would see you in heaven, and he said that, while he didn't know about "seeing you," he did think that he would recognize you. I pray this is true, and I want you to know, Randy, that my life has not been as full since you've been gone. I write this blog, and I opine on any number of topics. They are all very real to me. The joys and the sorrows of life- I've come to embrace them both- and I want you to know that losing Larry created a deep void in my life. He was my best friend and I was always so very proud of him... but I am sure that he would agree- you were our little brother! You were "the R," and we loved you with all of our hearts. Those of us who were left behind... still do.  Ken, 

LAST NIGHT I DREAMED ABOUT MY DOG

      Last night I had a dream, and I don't know what it means. It's unusual for me to dream at all, and even more unusual for me to remember what it was. But, even though some of the details have slipped away, this dream was very vivid.
      I was out with my dog, Nikki- the one with whom I walked and ran, almost daily, when we lived in Kalamazoo- and something chaotic came about. It's not clear what it was, but it was disorienting, and somehow, Nikki got free from her leash during the confusion. I don't know whether her leash broke or simply became disconnected from her collar, but she ran off just as fast as she could go. I called her, but she soon disappeared into the distance, and I couldn't help but recall those times when she ran away from me in Michigan, especially in the first year. We would be walking or jogging in the woods, or in the open fields behind our home, and I would unleash her, in part to give her a little freedom and in part to develop a sense of trust. Usually, she would simply wander along beside me... but if she spotted a squirrel or a rabbit, she would take off at a thousand miles per hour. Even though she didn't know what she would do if she actually caught one of them, she would run great distances in pursuit, knowing that I was duty-bound to bring her home safely.
      She was right, or course. I always found her and brought her home, but in the course of time, she would come home on her own. Nikki and I walked nearly every day and we shared a lot of moments. Sometimes we would come across deer; sometimes we would find ourselves literally running in the rain; sometimes we would see a breath-taking sunset; and sometimes we would tromp through snow knee-deep. Most of the time, our walks were quite ordinary, and even when she "got away," she would always come back. Thus, I wasn't all that worried when she broke loose in my dream... but she never came back. Days passed. Weeks went by, and there was no Nikki. Day after day I stood outside and called her name, but she never appeared, and finally, I recruited (maybe they just volunteered) three other dogs to help me. I didn't know them. I had never met them, but they were quite sincere about helping me find Nikki, and they even seemed to know a little English. They were diligent and thorough in their searching. They looked far and wide. They talked with other dogs, and they gave it all that they had... but in the end, there was no Nikki.
      I've been hoping to see Nikki's face ever since I held her in my arms at the Vet's office, and it was sad to see that she may have run off forever. One night, the three little dogs and I were commiserating about Nikki's disappearance... when we heard a dog barking on the front porch. We all heard it, and I was sure it was Nikki. The bark was Nikki's bark. I would know it anywhere. So we hurried to the front door and looked out... and sure enough. there was a dog wrapped in a blanket on the porch. It was a big and strong dog, just like Nikki was, and I reached down to remove her cover... only to see an Australian shepherd! It was an Australian shepherd, and I cried out in anguish... because Nikki was NOT an Australian shepherd! When we found her, the vet told us that she was part lab and part collie. We always thought she was mostly Border collie, except for her black tongue, but when we purchased an official DNA report, we discovered that Nikki was a composite of at least six breeds, including Samoyed. She was many things, but the dog on my porch was not Nikki, and my spirit cried out! A few minutes later, I made my early morning trek to the restroom, and when I returned, my wife asked if I was alright. Sure, I noted, why do you ask? "Because," she answered, "You cried out loud about 10 minutes ago. I couldn't understand what you said, but it sounded distressful and rather mournful. Did you have a dream?"
      Yes, my dear, I had a dream, but I don't know what it meant. Maybe it was simply a reflection of how much I loved Nikki; maybe it was a recognition that losing a pet is unbelievably painful; maybe it was a cry of lament because the cost of love is so high; maybe it was a cry of anguish because life itself is slipping away. I don't know, but I do know that three little talking dogs that did their best to make things right. Amen.

ME AND OTHER 5 O'CLOCK SINNERS

           As most organizational psychology students know, "Equity Theory" is one of the theories that attempts to explain employee motivation in a group setting. It asserts that each one of us maintains ratios in our heads... of our inputs and outcomes versus someone else's... and as long as these ratios stay in balance... we are satisfied. For instance, if you earn more than I do, I can live with that... IF there is a "legitimate" reason. If you work harder or longer than I do, or have more education or experience than I have, I'm okay with you receiving more. If you have a better batting average than I do, or run faster than I do, it makes sense that you should receive more compensation. I may even understand it if you are the boss' son or daughter... BUT if you are receiving more than me, or even less, for reasons that are illegitimate to me, I will be unsettled. It isn't fair. The input-outcome ratios are out of whack, and I am likely to feel guilty if they are out-of-whack in my favor... and downright angry if they are unfair in your favor!
      It's not fair if you do less than me and receive more. Everyone knows this... except Jesus of Nazareth, who told this story for the entire world to hear. It was harvest time, and a landowner needed additional help to bring in the crop. So he went to the village... and hired a number of eager men at 6 in the morning. They were dedicated workers, the "early birds," but by mid-morning, he could see that he needed more help, and he hired more men at 9:00. This went on through the day, and he hired more men at noon, more again at 3:00, and finally, a few more at 5:00 pm (the 11th hour), even though he wondered why they had been idle all day. It was a good day for all, and at the owner's request, the men gathered to be paid. Well, for reasons of his own, the paymaster started with the last hired first. He approached the men who had been hired at the 11th hour... and (to everyone's delight) he paid them a full day's wage! It was very generous, and it bode well for everyone left. Surely, they thought, we will receive more because we worked longer... but the owner gave the same pay to those who had started work at 3 pm, at noon, at 9 am, and yes, to the men who had started working at 6 am.
      Even the "Johnny-come-lately's" received the same pay that they received... and as every student of "Equity theory" would know, this made the workers in all the other groups angry. It especially outraged those who started at 6 am, and they cried "UNFAIR."THIS IS OUTRAGEOUSLY UNFAIR. The owner noted that he had paid them exactly what they had agreed to, but they were more concerned with what the others had received, and they complained bitterly. We've worked harder and longer...and we deserve more! Right? Right? Doesn't everyone know that they deserved more? Don't we all agree that those who have run longer and harder should receive more? Of course, we do! Everyone knows that! According to Equity Theory and all that is holy, the men who started at 6 am were right! But... the owner was perplexed and he said, "Do you begrudge my generosity?" Do you resent my grace? Do you talk about grace in church... and secretly pray that God has a scorecard so that you will receive what you have coming? Do you really believe you ought to be compensated for the good person you are and the great person you intended to be? Would you do whatever you had to do to make sure you get the rewards you deserve? Yes, yes, yes. It's been my experience that people will throw their best friend "under the bus" to get the rewards that they think they deserve.
      They do this under the guise of being fair... but fairness is NOT a Biblical concept, and since we're all sinners, FAIRNESS is the last thing we need. Jesus' story must have upset his hearers, even as it upsets us, because it's about love, not equity. We live in a grace-less world, where there's no free lunch, and we know that nothing- not the game nor life itself- is worth doing without a score. 1) Effort and consequence- tit for tat- is all we know. This is one of the reasons that stories about grace confound us, but there's another. 2) We also have a perception problem! We have a tendency to place ourselves in the best and most faithful roles in every situation. We make ourselves the stars of every Biblical story, which we read as if it's written to someone else... when, in fact, the story is actually speaking TO US. When I hear the story of the Good Samaritan, for instance, I shake my head when the religious leaders walk by the man in need... but I have walked by more people in need that I can even count, and I have also walked to the other side of the street on many occasions. Likewise, when I read about the widow giving all that she has in faith, I shake my head at the religious types who are pretending to be generous by flashing twenty dollar bills. I roll my eyes... but in truth, I would rather flash a twenty dollar bill now and then... than give sacrificially... in faith. 
      And when I hear Jesus' story about the pay system in heaven, it makes me more angry than grateful... because I see myself as being part of the 6 am crowd! But who am I kidding? I'm not a good Samaritan. I'm not the widow with her mite. And most assuredly, I'm not part of the 6:00 o'clock crowd. Not even close! The 6 o'clock crowd died in faith centuries ago. They met in caves and they were martyred in arenas. The 9 o'clock crowd died... to give us Bibles in our own tongues and to reform our church. The noontime crowd left their homes and endured great hardships to found this land and to build it... on faith in God... and the 3 o'clock crowd held Bible studies in Nazi concentration camps because they knew that Jesus Christ and not Adolf Hitler... is Lord! No, I'm not one of these, not even close, and I haven't earned anything at all. On the contrary, I'm one of those who stumbled in at the last minute, and I need grace more than anything else in the world! YOU do to! Not sort of, not kind of, but really... and deep down! I need grace more than anything else. Me. A sinner who was blessed... to be called at all... has no business shedding a single tear about unfairness. I have no business worrying about what anyone else deserves or doesn't deserve. None at all. I must keep my eyes on my Lord, and utter words like this: Thank you, Lord, for having mercy on me. I know that I didn't deserve to be called at all, but now I ask simply this: that you show me my neighbor and mold me into the servant you want me to be. Amen.

FORGIVE UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME

Have you ever been forgiven... in depth... and felt the emotional release that being forgiven gave you? When you are really sinning and your debts are really adding up, your spirit takes a weight that will crush it entirely.  And as the debt grows, you become frantic...and add to it by lying, or stealing, or sinning in some other way. Your relationships become strained, especially with the one whom you owe the debt (or are sinning against)... and scheming, avoidance, and manipulation become trail signs of a deadly secret that is killing you. You go on, half wishing that you would be caught, and then one day- you are! Caught and held accountable by the boss, the wife, the friend, or the king. Where is the money you owe me? Where were you last night? Did you really tell all those lies about me? What is the meaning of this gambling debt? You're caught, and all you can do is beg for mercy... because you owe more than you can ever repay. So... you plead for leniency, even forgiveness. Give me a mulligan, let me start over again, I didn't mean to cheat, I wasn't in my right mind. I'll be a better servant, husband, employee, team member- I promise I will- if you give me another chance. And then... you hear the words that you know you don't deserve and which you didn't think you would hear- your debt is forgiven, You are free to go! My debt is forgiven? I don't owe you a thing? You can't believe what you've heard and your soul begins to sing for the first time in weeks, months, years! The weight has been lifted and you feel light and able. A new day has dawned, and you've been given the chance to be a new creation. Friends, many of us have experienced the transforming power of being forgiven, and I can tell you that there's nothing like it. The older I get, the more I know that I don’t know much… but I do know that MY debt was paid at Calvary. I know what it’s like to carry the heavy burden of unrepentant sin. I know what it’s like to feel empty and small. I know there is nothing on earth more exhilarating than being forgiven, and I know that I'm not the only one. 

In his book, “Listening to Your Life,” Frederick Beuchner captures the essence of ministry when he writes:“She doesn’t know God forgives her. That’s the only power you have- to tell her that. Not just that He forgives her the poor little adultery. But the faces she can’t bear to look at now. The man’s. Her husband’s. Her own, half the time. Tell her (God) forgives her for being lonely and bored, for not being full of joy with a houseful of children. Tell her that sin is forgiven because whether she knows it or not, that’s what she wants more than anything else- what all of us want. What on earth do you think you were ordained for?” Why do you think you were ordained- to judge others, to join committees? Surely, forgiveness lies at the core of the gospel, Christ came to forgive us, and when he showed himself to his disciples after his resurrection, he had forgiveness on his mind. Receive the Holy Spirit, He said, and forgive others! Free them from the bondage of guilt. Liberate yourself from the cancer of resentment. When he introduced his Supper and lifted the cup, he proclaimed that our sins are forgiven in the new covenant of grace, and when he hung on that dreadful cross and faced his killers, he said, “Father, forgive them.” He said this because forgiving us was His mission. When he taught about the ways in which his disciples ought to live, he mentioned forgiveness as well, and Peter said, tell me just how many times should I forgive a brother or sister. One time doesn’t work. Zero tolerance is not a heavenly theme. Three strikes isn’t enough, because life is not a baseball game.  How about seven times? Seven times is more than most of us would give and it is also a Biblical number indicating “fullness” or “completeness,” but Jesus replied, 70 X 7… which doesn’t mean 490 times but forever! Jesus’ people forgive again and again and again, to the point where they are embarrassed by it, until the cows come home… because they've been forgiven a HUGE debt themselves… and because it is God’s nature to forgive! If we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we die to ourself and we are reborn as a new creation. None of us is able to forgive continually, and without God's help, some of us can’t forgive at all...and on our own, we never will! But a person who has surrendered to Christ and who is filled with the Holy Spirit… CAN forgive until the cows come home… because grace, love, and forgiveness will be his or her new nature! In Christ, we can be a forgiving people… and we must be because forgiving others is a great gift! 

In the 18^th chapter of Matthew's gospel, Jesus tells a remarkable story about an unbelievably generous king (God) who forgave an impossible debt. The king is all-powerful, but he uses his power to forgive an unpayable debt- and his motive for forgiving the debtor seems to be loving kindness (hesed) and nothing more. Being forgiven is a life-changing gift that brings utter joy, but it also brings an obligation...to share that joy. We're all called to treat our fellows with the greatest respect, but when we know that we've been forgiven, our joy and gratitude drive us to be forgivers ourselves! It’s a spiritual truth- since forgiveness is God’s nature, we will forgive others... if we are in Christ. To do less is both unfaithful and revealing… so when the forgiven servant refuses to forgive a man who owes him a much lesser debt, he is called to account by his king! Being forgiven, then, is an unmerited gift, and forgiving others is an unshakable obligation- a new and joyful debt if you will. Thus, the cycle of being forgiven and forgiving goes around and around, and on and on, and it must be this way for all of us who are Christians. I know that many of you have not been burdened by the weight of sin that I carried… but you still need to be forgiven… and what is more, we all need to forgive ourselves and others. People say that they want to be like Jesus. They ask, what can I do that would be pleasing to God today? And I say, get out there and forgive someone! Set them free. That would be the most Christlike thing that you could do today...but remember these things about forgiveness as you go forward:    

1) A person who thinks Jesus' thoughts on forgiveness can be summarized with catchy sayings like...forgive but never forget, or do it once shame on you, do it twice, shame on me… is not taking forgiveness seriously; 2) forgiving ourselves and others means that we must let go of the past. All of our sins and those imposed on us... lie in the past. So, once we have dealt with them, LET THEM GO; 3) forgiving is never easy and without the power of God, it wouldn't even be possible. It is hard to forgive, and the more someone needs to be forgiven, the harder it is; 4) acting as if nothing happened is NOT forgiving. It is only denying; 5) forgiving others does not mean we should forsake justice or condone their sin; 6) forgiveness always has a face! We can never in the abstract; 7) Being forgiven is the greatest feeling I've ever known, but forgiving others feels good too. Both experiences are worth seeking; 8) being forgiven is NOT a license to sin, but rather an opportunity to repent and serve. Jesus often said, "Go and sin no more"; 9) resentment is a terminal spiritual cancer. Untreated, it will kill your soul; 10) forgiveness is blind to race, sexual orientation, gender,wealth, age, and all other barriers that divide us. The Bible says that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, not to condemn it, but to save it. This he did on Golgotha...for all who receive him… and he also did it for you, no matter what you look like, or how deeply you have fallen, or how badly you are lost! Friends, believe the good news: in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Amen!

A TRIP TO THE MALL

      I took a  trip to the mall yesterday- to the big one on the Iowa side of the river- and since I had to wait for our automobile tires to be rotated and aligned, I went to the Starbuck's inside of the Barnes and Noble store and worked on a sermon. On my way to the store, I passed a young woman who was "struggling" with two toddlers, one of whom was in a stroller, and a small group of disabled people on their way to the food court. They were moving slowly, some with a companion, one with a white cane, and my spirit rejoiced for them, even as I felt a burden for the young mother. When I entered the bookstore,I noticed a magazine cover featuring a man with "28 Day Abs," and it made me feel a little awkward because I've spent a lifetime without any visible abs. Then, as I approached the cafe, I noticed a special display featuring Starbuck's "Fall Blend." A "fall blend?" I wondered what it could be... as I ordered a "grande" coffee and a blueberry scone. I felt a little naughty ordering the scone, but in time, I finished it off, and my sermon as well, and I left the store... but not before I purchased a few books. I love history, religion, and language... so I just had to buy two copies of Phil Robertson's new book, a Duck Commander Devotional for women and a Duck Commander Devotional for men (one is pink), a clearance book on the "Lost Books of the Bible," a German language map, and a book entitled, "Learning German The Fast & Fun Way," on the way out.
      Then I walked around the mall itself, and except for the two shirts I bought at Jos. A. Banks, I just walked and observed people. There were several other walkers, of course, elderly men and women, generally walking as couples. Some of them walked as if they meant it and some of them were moving so slowly that they probably didn't burn a single calorie. I walked past the "eyebrow weaving" boutique, and I wondered if I needed to have my eyebrows weaved (nobody likes the Andy Rooney look). I passed the area where they display vibrating chairs and it took me back to the time when (legitimate) motels featured vibrating beds. They cost a quarter or two- I can't remember- and they would give you a little tingle for a few moments before they shut off. The majority of the people that I saw at the mall were overweight- some of them considerably- and I wondered if they had made peace with their inner selves (which would be a good thing)... or simply lost track of their appearance along the way (which would be a bad thing). Watching people can be fun, but I confess that I was annoyed by all the men wearing shorts... and they were ALL wearing shorts! I've been annoyed by this for years now, but there they were! Old men, young men, fat men, skinny men, men with pale legs, men with tanned legs, men with ankle length socks, men with black socks- all wearing shorts- and I wondered... when and how did this happen? Fess Parker never wore shorts... and Matt Dillon didn't either. What's next? Will quiches replace steak at Johnny's Steakhouse? Pray that shorts are not the beginning of the end for men as we've known them.
      As I walked the mall, I saw those who worked there, and I wondered how they made ends meet on their meager paychecks. I was a retailer for decades and I guess I still am. Besides, I'm something of a bleeding heart and I know how hard it is for working class families to get by. I passed the Victoria's Secret store and smiled... because there aren't many secrets anymore. Finally, I came to a small coffee shop next to the auto repair center and decided to wait there while they finished with our car. They had a modest menu, and I ordered a "It's Not Your Mom's" grilled cheese sandwich and another coffee. They were right. It wasn't my mom's grilled cheese sandwich and not nearly as good as my wife's. But the place was comfortable and it wasn't long before they called to tell me that the car was ready.
      Young people, old people, poor people, rich people, black people, white people, disabled people, enabled people, believers, non-believers, innocent people, cynical people- each and every one of them a child of God- each with a secret or two, each with a hope or two, each with fears, and issues. Everyone with a story... and me- an aging sinner, a born-again Christian who doesn't rest easily in any group. It occurred to me how much I need all of these people (even the men in shorts) and how deeply we are in this life together! I walked up and down and around for an hour... and no one made eye contact with me. People are afraid to know and to be known, myself included... but it can't be a good thing. Pray that we will come to see just how much we have in common... and how much we really, really need one another.

THE DEMANDING & LIBERATING LAW OF LOVE

      "Shedenhelm's Law" maintains that all trails have more uphill sections than they have downhill sections. To which I would say, "Amen." Shedenhelm's Law, by the way, is a real thing- you can look it up- but there are a lot of laws, aren't there? There are famous laws, like Hammurabi's Code, and there are types of laws- criminal, civil, international, among them. There are laws that govern things- like gravity and thermodynamics-and there are outdated and silly laws. For instance, in MA., it is illegal to bathe on Sundays and/or to have intimate relations with a rodeo clown; and in KY, although I suspect it's frequently violated, every resident must take at least one shower per year! Yes, there are funny laws and living-giving laws... but there is one law that trumps them all... and that is the LAW OF LOVE... which is the most important of all of God's gifts and which also captures the very essence of ALL of God's commandments.
      According to Paul, love has 15 traits. Two of them are part of the fruit of the Spirit- patience and kindness; two of them show the power of love- that it's not easily angered and NEVER keeps score; 6 of them are attitudes, and 5 of them are things love ALWAYS does... which is to rejoice with the truth (there is a truth you know), protect, trust, hope, and persevere. Love is all of this and more, but since we're discussing the Law of Love, we must focus on behavior! We live in a world where love may be a sentiment, a feeling, or just something we like to think about... but Biblical love is invariably an action word and the Law of Love demands action. This doesn't mean that there aren't any feelings involved... but God's love is a verb... and it shows its face in the things we do. As Jesus noted, the Law of Love is fulfilled when we love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength... AND our neighbors as ourselves... and when we show our love for both of them in concrete ways. Love must be visible because good intentions and wishing are not enough. Some of the components of the royal law of love are well know to us. "Love one another," Jesus said, "as I have loved you"...which was in word and deed, Love one another as I have loved you. This is the 11th commandment... and through the light of our love for one another...others see God. Friends, let us work to let others see our love for God in the love we show to one another! If they don't see it that way, they won't see it at all, at least not from this church. "Love your neighbor as yourself," Jesus said, and when he was challenged, he told a story about a Samaritan and asked: which man was neighbor to the one who was beaten? His antagonist said, "the one who acted like a neighbor"... and Jesus replied, "Bingo. Go and do likewise."
      Love is an action word, but our actions are NOT love if we play favorites. Love does not show partiality. It does not go out of its way to meet and seat someone who is rich and famous, and let a poor man wander around without saying a word, maybe hoping inside that he will feel rejected and leave. The Law of Love demands that we treat each person with the greatest respect because love is an action word!"Bear one another's burdens." This is yet another way of fulfilling the law of love, and we are blessed with members who actually make a practice of bearing other people's burdens, including mine, and we appreciate because bearing another's burdens can be tiring, costly, and maybe even frustrating. Love one another as I have loved you, love your God with every fiber of your being, love your neighbor as yourself; treat all people- each one- with respect; bear one another's burdens, knowing that your brother and your sister are NOT heavy, and forgive others... again and again and again...until the cows come home...until you feel like a fool. Forgive an actual person in real time for specific transgressions. Friends, we cannot forgive in the abstract... because the healing and releasing power of forgiveness comes when we let go of our real anger and resentments.
      We could go on for some time, even have a sermon series on the Law of Love, but you have the idea. Love is a verb- an action- a behavior for God... to empower someone else, or to shoulder their burden, or to break the bonds that bind them. The Law of Love is the most important law there is. You can make your own specific list of things you can do that will show your love for one another, for your neighbor, and for your God... but I will close with a real example that caught my eye. At the close of the first day in the battle at Fredericksburg, hundreds of union soldiers were lying wounded on the battlefield... and their cries, pleas and prayers drowned out everything else, at least they did for Sgt. Richard Kirkland, who could no longer ignore their need. Kirkland was a Sgt in the Confederate Army- a man from SC- but he went to his commanding officer, and asked for permission to go onto the battle field and give the union soldiers who were suffering and dying some water to drink. The General hesitated,but finally said, "Kirkland, it is sending you to your death, but I can't refuse a motive such as yours. Go!" And he did. He stepped over the wall and in full view of both armies, he knelt down by the nearest sufferer and raised his head, as he gave him a drink of cool water. And not a single union soldier fired a shot. They didn't shoot either when Kirkland spent the next 90 minutes giving drink to the thirsty and the dying, straightening out cramped and mangled limbs, spreading army coats and blankets over the fallen enemy. Then, and I'm not sure if he ran out of time... or water, he returned to the safety of his bunker and went back behind the wall.
      Richard Kirkland was not a preacher as far as I know, nor an elder... but he gave a concrete lesson in the Law of Love that day... and he showed the world that there really is NO black or white, or grey coat or blue coat... in God's eyes... just men and women, girls and boys... who are one day winning and the next day losing, one day running and the next day fallen... and that each one of us... poor man or rich man... ought to have a drink from the fountain of life. Kirkland could have been killed in an instance... and he may well have been killed the next day or the next week, maybe by one of the men whom he gave a drink of mercy to. I don't know, but I do know that practicing the law of love is its own reward and that sometimes... the Law of Love demands every ounce of grace, courage, and blood that we have to give. Amen.

IN MEMORY OF MIKE AND IN PRAISE OF DONALD

      Last Saturday, my wife received one of those phone calls no one wants to get. The call came in at 8:00am, and Sherry was told that her nephew, Mike, had passed away. Evidently, he was undergoing a biopsy when something went wrong and he died... leaving his older brother, a younger sister, his mother, and his wife behind... and his aunt Sherry, who has been deeply affected by the news. When I first married Sherry, Mike was a kid- a witty, engaging kid, playing a big role on a small stage in a rural Minnesota town. He was popular and he had a great deal of talent. He wrote for the school newspaper and he was President of his class. He was charming... and the others doted on him, including Sherry...who thought that Mike was certain to run the world, or at least the entertainment world. For a number of reasons, we saw Mike less and less with the passing of time, but love and loving memories never die... and Sherry's heart is filled with loving thoughts of Mike. She and all three of the kids in Mike's family grew up together...especially in their younger years. They vacationed together, and they stayed at one another's homes for weeks on end. Holidays were spent together for years, and even I got into some of that. In short, Mike and his family WERE Sherry's family of her youth, and she loves them as much as I love my uncle Bill and the two cousins with whom I shared my childhood. We hate to lose people we love, but it's more than that... because we are also losing part of ourselves. Part of us dies when a loved one dies... and time, which we once considered our forever friend, laughs in our face and mocks our mortality. We know about death conceptually from a very early age, but we never think it applies to us! We attend funerals, walk through graveyards, and read about tragedies in the news... without ever really connecting to death. And then one day, it becomes clear: what once was will never be again because we, too, are dying. O Mike, our heart cries, we'd give anything for one more smile, one more story, even one more tear...with you, but we will never splash in the lake together again, and what is more, people will soon be gathering for me. 
      However, life goes on, and on this Labor Day, our kids called in and told us that they love us... which is always a joy... but today, I also had the joy of listening to my great-grandson, Donald, sing "Jesus Love Me (because the Bible tells me so)." The last time I saw Donald in person, he was crawling around at our daughter's home in the Chicago area and I found him to be irresistible even then. I suspect that I won't see Donald as much as I would like to over the years...because he lives in North Carolina and because he already has wonderful and loving grandparents. Still, I love Donald with all of my heart and I write my blog (in large measure) to convey my love and my life to both Archer and him! I haven't seen him for some time now... but Donald certainly lifted my spirits today! I came home from church and there he was, singing "Jesus Loves Me," and my heart just melted. He was so darn cute, and his message is so very true. I know that he doesn't yet know what these words mean in depth (who does?), but I was absolutely delighted to see that Jesus IS part of his life. What a wonderful kid! Brittany, when time is right, tell Donald that he and poppy both tried to tell people that Jesus loves them over this holiday weekend. Tell him that we both proclaimed the faith. Tell him that poppy got paid more... but that he said it better! God bless.
      The ebb and flow of life, with all of its unexpected joy and with all of the "little deaths" we experience, certainly makes a man think. However, there is one thing I know for sure: Jesus DOES LOVE LITTLE DONALD... AND HIS CHILD, MIKE, AS WELL! Amen.