Renewal Through Sustainability

Sustainability. A word that is slowly emerging to the forefront of even our smallest of towns and villages. To "sustain" is to strengthen or support someone or something. What could be better than using our powers of good to strengthen or support our neighbor or our neighborhood on either a local or global basis? I'm a believer--sign me up.


On this blessed special day in all Christians' lives, sustainability plays a huge role. Through Christ's resurrection we have all been sustained; we have been strengthened through the words in John 20:3-18. Eyewitness accounts that the tomb was indeed empty. We're not blindly following the latest idea, concept, or fad. We're following a risen Savior who's sole mission was then and is still today to give us the opportunity to move far beyond our own clumsy and limited way of thinking and to become immortal. To possess eternal wisdom. Fully sustained.


The risen Christ, in the definitive sense of being sustained through support, shows us that we will always be held close even after mortal death if--we allow it. I Peter 1:4-5 "And God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get thee safely to receive it, because you are trusting him. It will be yours in that coming last day for all to see." We're supported today; we're supported eternally. Sustainability at its purest sense.


Once we are assured of sustainability in our lives, the old worries and dreads tend to start to fall away from us. Here on Earth in our daily lives, we spend a great deal of time thinking about buying that next tank of gas, making more money to consume a bit more, getting the next bigger something. Once we realize that we can practice sustainability, we can relax knowing full-well that we are strengthened and supported. All will be well; maybe not in our current way of thinking, but we are also miraculously sustained in wisdom, and that wisdom will allow us to not only realize our sustainability, but revel in it.


And, on this Easter Day, with the sustainability of our souls, also comes the wonderful sustainability of our stomachs. We pull out all the stops to cook and share the Earthly blessings of tender hams, velvety potatoes, colorful and full-bodied salads, and of course, luscious desserts. God approves. In Isaiah 25:6-8 "Here on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, the Lord Almighty will spread a wondrous feast for everyone around the world--a delicious feast of good food, with clear, well-aged wine and choice beef. At that time he will remove the cloud of gloom, the pall of death that hangs over the earth; he will swallow up death forever. The Lord God will wipe away all tears and take away forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The Lord has spoken--he will surely do it!" 


Let's enjoy this most blessed day of celebration with good food, good drink, good feelings for one another, and the joy of knowing that we are truly sustained by God's eternal love for us through Christ's ultimate gift. He lives!

Others ARE Jumping Off the Cliff...Are You?

Readings: Ezekiel 34:11-16; I Peter 2:21b-25; John 10:11-16


We've all been privy to (or maybe been an active participant) in a scenario that pits a tween or teen against a parent over something that is, in the mind of the kiddo, the most important purchase, event, or opportunity known to man. This purchase, event, or opportunity is, in the mind of the parent, out of the question. Predictably, next  comes the retort from the kiddo stating that "everyone else" is buying/doing/going. Then...here it comes...that great timeless parental zinger, "If everyone else jumped off a cliff, you would too?" 


In I Peter, the folks Peter encountered pretty much acted the same way and thought the same thoughts. As a result, things were not going well from a Christian point of view. He urged  them to "keep away from the evil pleasures of the world". Don't follow the others off that proverbial cliff. The words remind us also that we are truly just passing through this life on the eternal journey; this isn't it. Not even close. Keep on the straight and narrow--obey all the laws of the land--be good examples at all times. That's enough to drive even the most self-disciplined person over that edge.  Kind of like a rubber ball being squeezed on all sides until it pops out of the compressed space--Pop! We're out; we're over the edge of the cliff happily following all those other oblivious lemmings as they go.


Fortunately for us, we have a shepherd that is always there to watch over our more lemming-like moments. And not just any shepherd...the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd that will not only watch over us, but actually lay down his life for us. That's how important it is that we have our Shepherd guiding us and protecting us. A regular shepherd, a "hired man" as stated in John, will "run when he sees a wolf coming and will leave the sheep" because there's no bond--they're not his, after all. So, the wolf has free reign, attacks, and the flock is scattered to and fro. That analogy gives a perfect view of how Satan is always there, lying in wait, ready to attack. Thankfully, we sheep have a shepherd who is so caring of us that, even though he has sheep scattered here, there, and everywhere, He is constantly calling to us and bringing us back to His close protection. 


God reiterates this message to us in Ezekiel. "I will search and find my sheep. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places they were scattered in that dark and cloudy day." We are not only promised being rescued from dangers that surround us, but also being brought to lush pastures, and, if needed, having our wounds mended as well. We are indeed in good hands.


So, the message is clear, just as it is from a caring parent when we're acting our worst in wanting, needing, and grousing. Would we bail off the cliff lemming-like? From time to time--probably. Are we a being watched over, cared for, and sheltered even though we don't really deserve it?  Always.


Peace be with you.

I'm In Control Here---A Humorous Thought

Stand in line at any grocery store by the periodicals and we're instantly bombarded by the word "Control".  "Control your weight", "Control your life", "Control your children", "Control your work environment". Control, control, control...we do seem to love the idea of being in control.


Perhaps we need to be in control to assure power or dominance over a situation; the "master of our universe", so to speak. There are certainly a few folks out there that would nod their heads in certain agreement that it's not only good but necessary that they feel in power or in dominance of their environment. Think not? Check the self-help section the next time you're at a mega-bookstore--the selves are over-flowing with advice on gaining control.


Most of us, however, just want to feel the sense of peace and flow that comes from a controlled environment. We're not confrontational people; we like people to get along with one another and us, we like for the dog to behave, and we like for the kids to listen. We do have a certain amount of control over some of the more basic things of life. If we weigh too much to suit, we know if we eat the right combination of foods, not too much of said food, and move around enough to satisfy the requirement for exercise, we'll most definitely be in control of that issue. If we start raising our kids the day we bring them home from the hospital and not when they're 8 or 9 years old, and all goes well with no situations that become out of our range of skills as basic caregivers, we'll be pretty successful in that capacity as well. If we carefully choose our mate and work diligently at making a marriage and a home, we'll more than likely be happily married many years down the road.


However...in TOTAL control? Think again; it's just not going to happen. And WHY would we want to be in total control? To do so is to say that we have all the answers, can solve all the problems, and know all that is to be known. Nope. Not gonna happen. We have someone who takes care of that for us...thank God. 


I always liked the joke where the guy asked God how difficult could it be to run the universe, and God, in response, said the guy could run it for an hour--He'd be back. Think about that...even Hollywood made an attempt a few years back by making a movie about the enormity of such an endeavor. I don't remember how it ended--probably Hollywood-esque well. However, the reality is that it doesn't have to be our job. And truly...we DON'T want the gig.


In Job, God gives an earful to both Job and to us. Job 38 gives a riveting reply from God to Job concerning all the glories of God and His universe. Verse 12, for example, "Have you ever once commanded the morning to appear, and cause the dawn to rise in the east? Verse 16, "Have you ever explored the springs from which the seas come, or walked the sources of their depths?" Verse 31, "Can you hold back the stars? Can you restrain Orion or Pleiades?" Yes, indeed. An earful. 


We have been given one aspect of control in our lives--the challenge of having the faith of a child eliminating the need for constant control. Kids know, on any given date, that things just work. Remember when you were a kid? No worries about being in control. We had the occasional spat with our neighbor kids when we all wanted to be the one in charge, but we were quick to forgive...it wasn't fun to hold a grudge and not get to play, so forget the control business. Too overrated!  In the Gospels, when Jesus is asked what is necessary to gain entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, one of His replies is that we need to love our neighbors as ourselves...but without any grudges. So--want a control challenge? Try that. No grudges. Forget controlling all those around us; let's try controlling ourselves. We adults have trouble with those two things--we like to be in control and we do tend to harbor those grudges.


For this week, let's get a little taste of the true peace that passes understanding. Practice the idea of not having to be in control of everything and let God do what God does in running the universe quite well. Have the faith of a child that things are going to work out if we have faith and we let go of those nasty grudges. Try it for a week...better yet...give it up for Lent. Meditate and pray about it today, tomorrow, and Tuesday. Come Ash Wednesday--give it up. Think how much better we'll all feel and how much better we'll all look to our loving Father come Easter morning. 


Peace be with you.

Lightening the Load

I'm beginning to feel that wonderful familiar pull of the seasons changing from winter into glorious spring. The days are getting longer, minute by minute. The cooler days--when the sun is shining--have a tinge of warmth to them that hints at the coming season. 


As I tossed my now longer hair up in a ponytail the other day, I decided it was time to lighten the load, so to speak, for the coming season. Spring always gives that feel of airiness, and the weight of the hair on my head seemed out of character with the way the rest of me was feeling. So...out came the scissors and the razor and off came the hair with great gusto. And, while I'm at it, why not a color change? I think I remember what color my hair is naturally--close enough. In my spirit of lightening the load, I'm thinking when I gear the color down, I can eventually shed the color in favor of the "now" natural color...whatever that will be.


So the load has been lightened--a good feeling indeed. Little care, little trouble. Sounds a whole lot like how God tells us to remember to live our lives. He gives us that wonderful news in John: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I now give and bequeath to you" (14:27). Wonder why we don't shed our worries? Probably one of our greatest failures as humans.


Today start fresh--recognize the feel of spring in the breeze, the differing light,   the "lightening of the load" of sloughing off of the heaviness of winter. And, more importantly, let's take God at His word...let's take that glorious feeling of PEACE that He's freely offering and use that gift to the fullest. 


Peace be with you.

Saying Just the Right Thing

Ever felt tongue-tied? Who of us hasn't? There are situations in life when the last thing we want to do is make things worse for the person suffering. I'm guessing that many a visitation line at funeral homes are filled with people rehearsing just the right thing to say once they approach the family members. Then, as they do make that initial eye contact, all words are lost and the stumbling begins. It's a tough time for the mourners as well as the family of the loved one that has passed on; just one of many awkward situations when we don't want our words to let us down.

A passage read today from Matthew deals specifically with Jesus' words for the disciples to encourage them on the overwhelming task they have been given. He says, "When you are arrested, don't worry about what to say in your defense, because you will be given the right words at the right time. For it won't be you doing the talking--it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." (10:19-20)

Even though we may not find ourselves in this extreme type of situation as the disciples found themselves in on a regular basis (what now is still shunned by some--a proclamation of Christ--was cause for arrest in those days since it caused civil disturbances as well as going against the beliefs of those days), we still find our words being "arrested" in the form of just not coming to us as we'd like when we're trying out best to assure, to show love, or to calm those amongst us. The problem is that we depend solely upon ourselves or the latest "self help" gibberish to do the job. It doesn't.

The simple solution to to ask God through His son Jesus for the right words...and then have FAITH that this will happen. And it will. He doesn't let us down. Just be sure to let go completely and let God be in all thoughts, words, and deeds to help others.

Many times the complexities we create for ourselves are quite simple when we clear out all the human foibles and ego. Take a deep breath, say a prayer, and bask in the comfort that faith provides. You will come up with the right thing to say to whomever, whenever. Guaranteed.

Blessings to All.

A Lovely and Practical Proverb to Use Everyday

In my daily meditations earlier today, I came across Proverbs 3:5-6. It reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend upon your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths."

What a wondrous thought...what a wondrous message of peace to us. We continually try to go it alone and, as a result, we continually fail, make mistakes, say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing. What a relief to know that we aren't failures if we don't "depend on our own understanding". It's not only okay but commanded of us to just let go and trust the Lord.

If we "seek His will in all we do" we have the guarantee that "He will direct our paths". This all sounds so simple to do; however, being the fallible and proud humans we are, it's anything but easy. We have that little annoying voice in us that we have to be right, we have to be independent, we have to be superior. We're just funny that way.

As I grow older, the need to be right, to be independent, the need to be superior fades. The idea of being able to be totally dependent upon our loving God is welcomed indeed.

We learn to trust from those we love; and who loves us more than God? So, let's relax, let's let go, and let's follow the simple yet profound wisdom of the proverb.

God's blessings to you.

Let's Not Forget ALL of Christmas

Since Christmas decorations tend to appear in people's homes these days around Thanksgiving (or before), I hear many comments of relief when Christmas "finally" arrives and these folks can take down all the decor the day or two after December 25. Since this phenomena hasn't always been commonplace in our culture, I'm guessing that commercialism has had something to do with this...just guessing.

The song The Twelve Days of Christmas is still heard during the commercial "Christmas season" on the radio,  in the malls, and in the halls, but I tend to think that few know its actual meaning. The Twelve Days of Christmas actually start of December 25...Christmas itself starts on December 25. Up until that point is Advent--the time of anticipation. From December 25 through January 6 are the twelve days of Christmas. And today, January 6, is a very important date to all Christians...it is Epiphany. The glorious day when, according to our faith, three very wise men who after extensively studying the location of a unique star that appeared in the heavens, found its reason--the Christ child and the Holy family. What a wondrous discovery.

In any country that is ruled by a principality, the birth of a future King is an event of epic proportion. This event was no less momentous, albeit more complex. Who was this family? How could this newborn be considered a King? Yet those who believed the world of God knew this was a King indeed. The prophets had spoken of this event for generations. It was convincing enough that Pharaoh himself sent out a decree that, after the wise men didn't return to report on this momentous event, to kill all male children throughout the land ages 2 and under in keeping within the time of the first appearance of the glorious "new" star. Yes, an event of epic proportion.

This special day, January 6, is seldom recognized by anyone outside the Church anymore. I invite you to bring it back into your home. Maybe next year don't get in as much hurry to bring about Christmas, but enjoy the beauty of Advent, the miracle of Christmas, and the glory of Epiphany.

Blessings to you.