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
PK IN SWEDEN
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
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
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
Saturday, October 11, 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.
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.
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