GRACE AND NOTHING ELSE AT ALL

      A friend once told me that her pastor preached "responsible grace," and while I think I know what she had in mind, grace cannot be burdened with any adjective. Grace is simply grace, unearned, undeserved, unfair, and hard to understand. It must be unmerited and unconditional to be grace at all. I've known people- perhaps you have too- who seem to believe that grace ought to be given to those who are "trying hard," or who will "appreciate it," or who "won't need it again." But this cannot be grace because grace cannot keep score. Grace is unfettered and undeserved loving kindness. It forgives those who will "straighten out their ways"... and those who won't. It lifts up those who will "pass it forward"... and those who won't. It blesses those who are very, very good... and those who aren't even trying to be good! Grace seems unfair to us and most people feel as if they don't "deserve" it. They don't... deserve it... but it is the only hope we have                                                                                                                                         

When God "speaks" to us. it is grace; when God listens to us, it is also grace;                                                                                     When God clothed Adam and Eve even though they had sinned, it was grace;                                                                                     When Jesus invited himself to have lunch with Zacchaeus, it was grace;                                                                                             When a Rainbow appears in the sky, when a wound heals, when hope rises, it is all grace;                                                            
When people stick with us in tough times and don't run away;    When they continue to love us and don't give up on us, it is grace;
When God blessed Sarai with a baby boy named "laughter" Isaac, it was grace;                                                                                     When Jesus hung on his cross and welcomed the thief hanging next to him into his kingdom, it was grace!                                          When the Son of God ended his work by saying, "Father, forgive them," it was amazing grace!

 "Rain is grace," Updike said. "Grace is love that stoops and rescues," according to John Scott. "Listen to you life," Buechner says, "touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it (because) life itself is grace." In Rumi's view, "grace comes to forgive and then forgive again." When Jesus talked about forgiving 70 times 7, completely and as a way of life, he was talking about grace. Creation is about grace. Salvation is about grace. Kindness is about grace. Heaven is about grace. Dying with a loved one at your side is grace. Forgiving and loving yourself is grace! It's all about unmerited, unearned. undeserved favor and that is grace! May we dry our tears, leap for joy, and get out there and shower others with grace in Christ's name and for God's sake! Amen.
     

REFLECTING ON OUR LITTLE CHURCH FAMILY

Jimmy rolls along... embracing his faith and traditional values,
      In his mind, they fit together perfectly,
            and he watches Fox for legitimate news.
Susie's mind is filled with observations and answers.
      She knows a lot about a lot of things,
            but tolerance is not her strong suit.
Bob has trouble breathing.
      He's a gracious man,
            and we're all glad that he has someone to love him.
Marjorie's gone now, like so many others,
      but she had enough time on this earth
            to read the entire Bible... 33 times!
Ralph is battling Alzheimer's-
      so is Joe, and Mary, and several others.
           It's a cruel thing that seems epidemic.
Vern's hanging on, clinging to his home,
      fighting for his independence, and
           always missing his wife.
Katie's found a new love.
      I hope he treats her like a princess.
            We don't know of anyone more deserving.
George & Lettie, Doug & Debra- they're grieving their daughters.
      They always will, and we need to do
            a better job of remembering their sacred days.
Where have all the children gone?
      They were all just kids when I arrived.
            May God be with them in their vulnerable years.
Judy has significant struggles physically,
      but her spirit is strong,
            and she's a wonderful joy-giver.
No one seems to know why Frieda has so little energy.
      Her doctors don't know why
            and I wonder if they ever will.
Jack and Joyce are gathering grandkids,
      and riding our highways on their Golden Wings.
            But fall's coming, and we'll see more of them in church.
John continues to fight cancer,
      and now, I've learned that Morgan's dad is too.
            Where is the cure that they've promised?
Last year, Harper spent her birthday in Iowa City.
      This year, she's at home- active and beautiful-
            and we can't help but shout "God is good"
We'll be baptizing little Jack and an adult next week.
      Jack is between 2 and 3- the adult is much older-
            but I love baptisms- adult, babies, and everyone in between.
Our little flock has almost no interest
      in adding to their numbers...
            but their commitment to community is unmatched.
So, they come and go,
      loving one another as family,
            doing the same old things in the same old way.
Truth is- in our church family...
      some members are thriving, some are dying;
      some are alone, and some can't find time to be alone;
      some are building houses, some are leaving homes;
      some are active, some we seldom see;
Our little church family... is experiencing life together.
      We work together, pray together, and walk together.
            talking, planning, laughing, crying, struggling
                  to be the church Christ wants them to be.
Pray for us
      as we make our way
            in a world filled with mega-churches.
Pray that our love for one another
      will be a beacon and that we'll never
            put church ahead of Christ!
       
   

IN TRIBUTE TO MY LITTLE BROTHER

      Today I have my little 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 five years have come and gone, and it is time to write him a brief love note.
      Dear Randy, it has been 25 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 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 contests 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. 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'm sorry that I planted several of the bulbs upside down. 
      I remember when you told me that you were not afraid to die... and I remember the faith you expressed as we walked around our sanctuary in Joliet. 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,