Continue the Celebration!

It is graduation season.  It is a time to celebrate.

Moms and Dads can remember the years--good and bad!  There were years where school went well.  It might not have been an honor roll year, but it went well given your child's ability.  These were the years of great achievement.  For some it was achievement in sports, arts, or academics.  For others it was where you saw your child make good friends and keep them.

Then there were those other years.  You watched as your child struggled.  Some of the struggles were just growing up.  It is such a helpless feeling to see your child struggle in the social arena.  We all want to be liked.  All children at one time or another struggles with their friend relationships.  People let you down.  Others watched their child struggle in academics, arts, or sports.  It may have been a difficult concept to grasp or an injury.  These are the years of prayer and perseverance.

So now there is a cap and gown.  Maybe an honor cord or certificate.  But always a smile.  The one that is graduating remembers.  The graduate remembers those who have taught them and those who have caught them!  The focus is now looking forward.  You can already here them say, "I can't wait for....."  Some will be going to received education or training.  Others will be in the job.  Either way, life is good!  The journey has taken a new direction.

Celebrations are so important.  Sometimes  in our hurried culture, we forget to celebrate.  We are off to the next task--the next step.  Celebrations are an excuse to stay where you are for a moment longer.  It is the realization that this place or this space needs to be continued as it is---to celebrate.  Celebration is allowing the community to enjoy the accomplishment with a sense of joy.

It should not seem strange to realize that Jesus of Nazareth performed his first miracle at a celebration.  The wine has run out.  The celebration will end.  Mary, his mother, would not even think of it.  She knew that Jesus could keep the celebration on the high note.  In fact, as time passed, it would only continue to get better.

So the water was turned into wine.  The celebration continued reaching an even higher note.  And the glory of God was revealed.  You see, when God's people are glorified, God takes it as a personal compliment!

Celebrate!

Pray for me as I pray for you.

Tell The Stories of Moms!

Mother's day is Sunday.

This used to be the day when more collect calls were made than any other day of the year. Mothers would never refuse a call from a son or daughter.   You can never call your mother too many times.  Most mothers can tell you the last time they talked to each child.

It is the day when the restaurants are full.   Flowers are sent or placed on the grave. Church attendance is up at Mother's Day.  Isn't it strange that food and religion are mother topics.

Mother's Day is filled with wisdom.  Mothers are always full of knowledge.  I call them "mommilies"--those things you mother would always tell  you.  "Don't cross your eyes like that, your face may freeze!"  "Always wear clean underwear, you never know when you are going to have an accident."  "Do you think we live in a barn--close the door!"

For some, Mother's Day is a sad day.  It is a day of broken dreams.  Some mothers just did not have the ability to mother.  For some reason they did not give great care or love. If only a manual or directions came  with children!  Maybe it would be easier but I doubt it.   Most women dream of becoming a mother only to find that it is not possible.   One time I received an irate call from a young lady because the church made such a big deal about being a mother.  I listened to her and prayed for her.    I think she just wanted to know she was not alone.

There is great power in stories.  I would encourage you to share the stories of being a mother, becoming a mother, and yes, of your mother.  Youngsters need to hear them more often.  Youngsters need to know that there are great examples of those people we call mom!

Growing up in my house, I had to learn how to share mom.  There were cousins and others who came to live with us when life was overwhelming.  Mom opened her house and her heart to those who needed a place to heal.  Mom loved to open the table she prepared for anyone needing a bite of family.  I remember sitting down one holiday meal and there was a stranger sitting next to me.  I introduced myself and asked about their journey.  As I watched this friend (a stranger I haven't met yet!) join in the fellowship of the meal, I noticed how much attention mom gave this new family member.    You see once you have been at the table, you become family!

Happy Mother's Day!  May you treasure all the moments of motherhood--those you give and you receive!

Pray for me as I pray for you.

Lead by Example!

Graduation is one of those things in life that we celebrate!  Celebrations are not meant to turn tragic but they can.

The father answered the phone.  Calls at this time rarely brought good news.  This was not good news!  The voice on the other end of the phone was not one of his friends.  It was the voice of the local law enforcement agency.  His daughter was taken to the emergency room.  She was critically injured in an auto accident.  His heart broke as he awakened his wife.

The drive to the hospital was silent.  Neither of them knew what to say.  Silently they just prayed that the worst was not what they would find when they arrived at the hospital.  But they did.  Graduation had turned into tragedy.

The father could not resist going to the scene of the accident.  He had to see with his own eyes.  He needed some answers.  The story unfolded as the law enforcement people on the scene informed him that apparently the driver and the others in the vehicle had been drinking.  They were celebrating their graduation. 

The father's heart was filled with rage as he took from the car an empty bottle.  He made a vow that he would find who sold this bottle to minors and they would pay.  His revenge would be justice.

There was only one thing to do but go home.   He went back home and they all wept.  How could this be?

As he roamed around the house still in shock of the night's events, he noticed one of the cabinet doors slightly open..  He went to close the cabinet and a note fell out on the floor.  There in in an all too familiar handwriting he read these words, "Dad, borrowed a bottle to celebrate.  Didn't think you would mind!"  Signed by his daughter.

When things happen in life, often the responsibility falls at our own feet.  We think it is outside of us but it is not.  Maybe this tragic story teaches us to be mindful of the examples we set.  For the examples we set cost more than we can ever imagine.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In The Meantime

Have you heard someone say,  "in the meantime...?"

It is the time between.  Something has happened and something is going to happen.  And yet, you have to continue living in the present while waiting.   It is a time where you can do some really good preparation.  It is a time where you appreciate where you are because you know that change is coming whether you like it or not.

The "meantime" can indeed be mean.  The demons of regret and bitterness love to dwell in the meantime.  It can also be a time where one can become paralyzed.  There can be a helpless sense in the meantime.  I have seen people just shut down during the meantime.  

Or the meantime can be a time of healing.  It can be a time where you intentionally take some actions to remedy some relationships that need some attention.  During the meantime, you can prepare yourself for the days ahead.   For some, the meantime is a time of rest.  There are certain things you can release.  The meantime can be a time of deep sigh.

So I find myself in the meantime.  Within our tradition (United Methodists) the appointments of pastors to churches happens in March or April.  Then the transition begins.  Finally in the latter part of June, new pastors report to their new churches.  So in June, I will be moving to be Lead Pastor at St. Luke Simpson UMC in Lake Charles. La after six years at The Well.   During the meantime, I will be saying "goodbye" in one direction and "hello" in the other.   It is a difficult thing to leave a church that you have birthed!  But I have complete trust in God to continue to work

I am going to use the meantime to continue writing.  I am going to use the meantime to heal, rest, and prepare.  A new pastor, Matt Rawle, will be welcomed to The Well and its surrounding community.  I am using the meantime to pray!  I am praying for all churches and pastors who will be going through transition.  I will pray for all persons who find themselves in the meantime.

One of the mantras of my faith journey is ever before me though.  I repeat it often to myself and to others.  It goes like this:  Whatever happens today, I know that God is at work for good in the days and years ahead of me.  I can count on it!   In the meantime.....

Pray for me as I pray for you.

God Chooses to Be Present

Jesus wept.
So where is God? Why would God allow such senseless violence? Did God do this to punish someone? How could a person conceive of doing such a thing? What would be their motive? Are we supposed to forgive someone who would do this?
This week there have been more questions than answers. Random violence does this to us. We quickly grow tired of seeing the images again and again. Some become angry. Others become indifferent—somehow. Many just shake their heads. Anger is pointed towards God, the government—someone has to be blamed. Prejudices and bitterness motivate us to point fingers. The "if only" game starts. If only this had been done….If only I had ….This roller coaster of a game never ends. Do not get on it!
Jesus wept.
Many point to this passage as the ultimate passage of Jesus' humanity. His friend, Lazarus, died. Mary and Martha were wondering why he had not come immediately. They began to question Jesus. In response to all of this, Jesus did the human thing—he wept.
There are two passages in the Bible where Jesus weeps. The other passage is where he is looking over Jerusalem. He knows what is ahead. He knows the disappointment of what should be and what is. Jesus weeps because he is moved with compassion and pity. Jesus weeps for things to be different.
I like to say that the weeping that Jesus does is just as much of the divinity of Jesus as it is the humanity. I think God weeps. The offering that God gives us in our crazy world where life makes no sense is God's presence. It is not just a presence that is above us. God chooses to be affected by our suffering and our senselessness. God chooses to enter into the vulnerability of innocence. God chooses to know us and to be known.
It is comforting to know that God chooses to be in a dynamic relationship with God's creation. So the good news is this. God weeps in our sorrow and untamed moments. However, God also begins to work for good in the days ahead. May we never lose sight of this!
Pray for me as I pray for you.

The Last Shall Be First

The last shall be first and the first shall be last" Jesus of Nazareth

If you were like me your mama told that you were supposed to take turns. Do not break in line.  Wait your turn!

You can imagine how irritated I became at my visit to Universal Studios. It is all about economics. Now you would think that a theme park which is all imagination oriented might be different. It is not.

So what is the irritation? Fast pass. It is where you pay off the park to skip the lines. For about $40 a day, you can eliminate all line waiting. There is something wrong with this. But it is all about economics. Pay the price and you go to the front of the line.  If there are about 200 people in line, You go to a special line (not the ordinary line) where they scan your "special" pass. And you walk in front of the rest and go immediately to the front of the line.  Airlines have their own version of this.  At the airport, if you are part of the airline's "club," you do not have to wait.   You pay for the privilege of not being in line.

Honestly most of us are really not very patient.  Waiting in line is a test of character.  Waiting in a long line is form of purgatory on earth.  Waiting in a long line that is not moving is more than most of us can handle.  Somebody in the marketing department of each business has learned that the capacity of people to wait has a correlation to their pocketbook--a direct correlation.

Now I could afford the pass. But there was something just not right about it.  It creates a conflict with my Jesus life.  Conflicts with my Jesus life do not resolve themselves quickly.  I admit that I have tried to numb that relationship for convenience sake but it simply does not work.   That Jesus voice, as small as I try to make it sometimes, still rings in my ear and touches my heart.

So tell me Jesus, how much do I have to give to be in a right relationship? How much does it cost me? If I just give a certain amount of money, am I then exempt from all the hours of service or worship?  Will I get Sunday's to just play golf?  

Lots of folks are looking for a "fast pass" relationship with God. I am sorry to tell you it does not exist. God wants more of you than just giving you a free ride.  In fact, Jesus' words tell us that those who are of great privilege in this world and seemingly at the front of the line, will find themselves at the back of the line. Your final placement in heaven will be determined by your sacrifice on earth.  If you read the book of Revelation, it is the martyrs that get all the breaks.

Being last teaches us to observe those who are before us.  Maybe we could learn from taking the time to observe.  We would see those who are alone.  We would see those who are struggling.  We would see the world from the back of the line instead of no line at all. 

When we finally arrive, we are ready.  Life has not passed too quickly.  Along the way we have made some friends if we are lucky.  Sometimes the most faithful thing we do is spend time in line.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

God Directs Our Journey

Recently I drove on the autobahn in Europe for the first time. For those who may not know about these roads, there are many places where there is no speed limit. You are free to go as fast as you want. I was amazed at how orderly life could be with speed.
To be honest, it was a bit fearful at first. You would see this car coming up so fast and wonder not if the car would run into you, but if you would survive when the car ran into you. There was this need to get out of the way! Eventually though, you begin to get into the pace of the driving. You learn how to time your passing in order to keep your speed but not impair others.
The other thing that makes the autobahn work is that that trucks must stay in the right hand lane. Trucks passing each other or anyone are an exception. You would pass lines of trucks following each other but all in the right hand lane. Immediately I thought of how repulsive this would be to the trucking industry of our culture. This would never have a chance to fly in our world.
There are places where the speed limits are enforced. The cameras are these to take your picture if you do not slow down. There are also a few policemen around but not many. I am still waiting to see if a ticket will arrive at my doorstep. Although I am told the tickets are not expensive if you get one.
The other thing I learned about driving in Europe is that you need a GPS device. If you ask for a map, they will laugh at you. You enter your destination into the GPS. Then the GPS device will tell you where to turn. It warns you when you are getting close to a turn. If you make a wrong turn, you hear those wonderful words, "recalculating" and it tells you how to correct your route. You have to trust the GPS in its directions.  I am sure that one day there will be a GPS that after "recalculating" too many times will say, "Is there anyone else in this vehicle that can drive?"
As I was traveling, I wondered if the autobahn could teach me about a willingness to orient myself to God's kingdom. After all, the faith is but a journey. Are there places where God invites me to go as fast as my comfort level will allow me? Are there places where God slows me down? And what if I were to listen to God's Placement System (GPS) would my journey be clearer? Do I really trust the directions God gives to me on my journey?
I think that Jesus had a unique ability to listen and look for God's directions in his journey. There were times in his life where he seemed to go in a direct fashion. Then at other times, it seems as if Jesus is on a slow pace. All in all, Jesus knew that his journey was not about him, it was about something bigger—the kingdom of God!
I must admit that on the journey we saw so many wonderful sights. The experience was a great experience. And when I came home, I had to remind myself, there are no autobahns in the USA!
Pray for me as I pray for you.