On the Way to Wonder

Calendar thought for today, “’What are you doing?’ a man asked of three laborers beside a building under construction. The first man replied, ‘Puttin’ in time until a better job comes along.’ The second smiled, ‘Stone-cutting.’ The third man waited a moment and then said simply, ‘I’m building a cathedral!’ Father, help me remember that each day I’m not just walking through life, but preparing for eternity. Amen. (author unknown)”

The day after a holiday is always a return to normal routine. There is no special food or special movies or family phone calls. Perhaps that little voice in the back of your mind asks the question, “Are you essential?” This little story challenges me to ponder where I am focusing. If I focus on self, certainly aging clouds my vision and it is tempting to think I am just putting in time til eternity. If I focus on others, the tasks of life, I suspect I evaluate myself by my contribution to communal needs. If I focus on God, I am part of his plan to build a kingdom for eternity. Perhaps my part is to be faithful through the ordinary work days as well as rejoice during days of celebration. Often my Kenyan friends would start church, “Many longed to see today and did not, so let us come to the Lord.” May we be faithful today as we wait, as we cut, and as we help build!

Blessings.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was established to honor soldiers who fell during the Civil War. It is the last Monday in May, hence the celebration is not tied to a specific date like Christmas. The meaning of the celebration broadened as we became more involved in more wars to include honoring all fallen soldiers fighting for the USA. (Even as today we debate who gets to be considered “essential” and who is “on the front line” I suspect we mourn today loved ones departed who fought for our lives.) In 1967, my lifetime, the celebration became legally known as Memorial Day.        I have always thought Proverbs 25: 20 a mystery verse, “Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.” I admit I have never poured vinegar on soda but I suspect it causes a bubbling effect, eating up the soda. But how is that tied to taking away a garment on a cold day? As I researched interpretations, the one I like most proposed that singing is a highly valued tool for dealing with a heavy heart all through the Bible. The problem is not singing. Ecclesiastes 3:4 sheds light, “There I a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…” The problem is not taking off a coat, pouring vinegar, or singing but the wise person knows the appropriate time for an action. I remember begging my mother to let me go outside in the winter without a coat and her reprimand that it was zero degrees out. I remember walking into church, heavy hearted and involved in self introverted thoughts but as I relax and listen to the prelude, I am drawn out of myself to a better place and my heart opens to worship. Memories of our loved ones who gave their lives for us can draw us to deep remorse so we cloak this day in music and stories of heroism to draw us to places of gratitude for all that has been done to bring us to today.

As we remember today, I pray we can forgive and forget that which is not worth remembering and dwell on the blessings of those who lived their lives helping us and the God who holds all our lives in his hands. Blessings.

Chapter 23 of Proverbs has many delightful images and I suspect a lot of sly humor. It starts with a person given to gluttony, putting a knife to the throat when invited to the White House to dine. Can you imagine how many secret service men would jump to attention seeing a guest with a knife? I doubt the man would ever taste the food. Next we are advised in verse four to not lust after riches, “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” Did he know about the stock markets of the world and the deep concerns about their daily rise and fall? Again, deep want precedes deep folly and poor decisions. These images we know. Actually I did get invited to State House, the President’s official house for entertaining in Nairobi. A letter arrived with blue stripes across the corner and I asked my husband what it meant, a letter from State House? It was an invitation to eat. My first question was, “What do you wear to eat at State House? Next question, “Can we drive to State House in our rattle-trap car?” My husband was working in the bishop’s office and we were invited and went. There were tables loaded with sodas. I did not have to pull out a knife. Today I hear the news comparing our lives to times similar to the Great Depression. Perhaps these verses challenge us to look at what we have instead of what we don’t have and count our blessings and govern our wants. Jesus said he came to give us life, life abundant. What a comfort that in his presence we will not have to worry about putting a knife to our throat nor anticipate our wealth sprouting wings and flying away! We will all face the battle between want-need-have today in some form. Perhaps it will not be food or finance but for sure the challenge will be there. May we meet it with hearts of gratitude as we celebrate this Memorial Day Weekend and find other ways to honor our Speedway heritage. Blessings.

Today I am tired of gloom and want to be positive. And, in-fact, the calendar gives me three quotes. “One joy scatters a hundred griefs. (Chinese Proverb) Cheerfulness is the atmosphere in which all things thrive. (Jean Paul Richter) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. (Proverbs 15:30)” This morning I want to give a huge shout out and take my hat off with gratitude for one of our ministries at Bethany, Bethany Community Gardens was awarded first place in The Neighborhoods, USA (NUSA) National Convention virtual awards program. Their category was Multi-Neighborhood Partnerships, National Neighborhood of the Year. Wow!!! The award is wonderful but it has been a real joy to watch about 20 little plots, strips of land, be used by people from our community and volunteers from our church worked throughout the growing season to provide food for families and for local food pantries in our area. I get to pray before interesting lectures that help us be more environmentally aware, before we are fed by community organizations that pitch in to support this effort, and before we put elbow grease into our little plots – the young and the old! Our Day Care tots are introduced to growing gardens and the local high school students can get credit for introduction to farming class in the summer. There are too many names to list but perhaps the smile (insert emoji happy faces) is better than a sermon. This cheerful news does bring joy to my heart and tells of health brought to the bones! For those of us who may not be able to “dig in the trenches” anymore, our role in helping serve the workers, praying for others and caring for our communities is important. May you be blessed and smiling in your area of service today!

Calendar wisdom: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried. (Chesterton)”” for yesterday and for today, “ Too often we conduct our lives cafeteria style – self service only! (Unknown)” That brings pictures to mind as I go down a cafeteria line weighing the cost against the amount of food purchased. I try to round out the good stuff with vegetables and rolls, of my choice of course. The problem is that I suspect life and faith do not come cafeteria style. A prayer for patience may have the side of mashed ego, err potatoes. A prayer for healing may require paying for a doctor visit too. The problem today is that we are not sure if the side dishes of “masking,” “”sheltering,” and “social distancing,” will take us where we want to go, will give us the abundant life we want to live. Proverbs 21:31 reminds us very poignantly, “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.” How true. Our lives are ultimately in the hands of God.

Today is Ascension Day when we remember Jesus “ascending” to heaven. For some that means, up the elevator and out of sight, “social distancing.” I heard the explanation that it is more like a prince ascending to power when the king leaves i.e. Jesus finished his purpose on earth and ascended or assumed his full, invisible place. Now that is hard to grasp with our finite minds. Jesus did not distance to the heavenlies. I tend to doubt whether his telescope or microscope is on me and whether He understands my situation fully. It is difficult to believe and I revert to cafeteria-style life. Rather, he resumed full godliness, not needing to “mask” parts of his character for us. We can now be sure that the meals we are served every day pass his inspection and there are no secret viruses to harm us. He holds the victory in His hands! Thank goodness. Blessings as you tackle your battles today.

There are three verses in Proverbs 20 that bring memories. V. 10 “Differing weights and differing measures – the Lord detests them both.” V.23 is almost the same. Sandwiched between is v. 14 “”It’s no good, it’s no good!’ says the buyer, then off he goes and boasts about his purchase.” In the market in Kenya there would be large gunny-sacks of ground corn, beans, and all kinds of things. The food would be measured and sold by old cans that were often beaten up, indented, reducing the amount of flour inside. But also the merchant would stand there, lifting a can of flour and letting it pour out before you to see and drawing attention to himself and inviting you to buy his goods. Others lifted handfuls of flour and let it fall back to the sack. The effect is visual and drawing but in essence the flour is being loosened and air is entering the deal. Perhaps you can picture pouring a bag of flour into a container at home and then pounding the container to compact the flour to get that last little bit in. Merchants didn’t compact, they added air. At the end, giving you an extra handful of flour as a “baraka,” blessing, to make you think the merchant was generous.   Let the bargaining begin, no “fixed price!” While these verses bring wonderful memories of community, of interchanges and laughter, of friendly bargaining and bantering, the underlying message is a question of integrity. Am I so desperate, I am trying to take advantage of you, or am I so needy I am willing to claim poverty that is not honest. Hence I walk away boasting of my purchase. We all love a good sale. I heard on the TV, at the Governor’s Covid update the question, “What are you going to do about the great mid-Western phenomena of the garage sale this summer?” The proverb today challenges us to reflect on our “masks” that we use these days. God “detests,” and that’s a strong word, taking advantage of another either by under-selling or by over-bargaining. May we use honest measures and honest words as we interact with each other today. I will post the Daniel Bible-study later. Blessings.

Proverbs 19: 11, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is his glory to overlook an offense.” I was quite offended by something this last weekend and carried my “woe is me, nobody loves me, I’m going to eat worms” plaque for a couple days. Yup, after the sun went down, I was chewing my bone. So this verse intrigues me. How does wisdom give me the patience to overlook an offense? The first thought is that with wisdom comes time and learning lessons over time. Little children, youth, wellll are not very patient. Remember worrying over who is the right person, what is the right job, when???? But now I more quickly realize that tomorrow comes when I am not so tired, not so worried, not so stressed and I will be able to understand the other better but also, given time, the other will grow and gain perspective. I had no idea what it was like to be “retirement age” and fear I owe my mother an apology when I get to heaven. “Time heals many wounds” is the secular saying. Time allows me to gain wisdom, be patient, and overlook offenses. Differently, this proverb does not say that wisdom automatically leads to forgiveness. Overlooking an offense is not necessarily forgiving an offense. Perhaps patience is the ability to experience an offense but then to set it aside in one’s mind or heart to see if the offense is symptomatic of a character flaw that needs to be recognized. My mother would say, “There’s many a slip between the cup and the lip.” Patience in someway is allowing the other to grow from the offense even as I do. And the third things that come to mind is that often, it is not wise to respond “in the heat of the battle” but wait for a calmer time to discuss an issue when feelings aren’t so aroused. How does that apply today? I watch our news media scrabbling to respond and give the latest insight on Covid-19, election speeches, and economic predictions about our future. We are so very quick to find fault in someone we disagree with. One of the values I love about sacred space, Sabbath, church is the ability to sit in sacred space and be patient, seek forgiveness for sin, and search for eternal perspective. May you find the quiet place today to reflect with the Holy on those things that offend you. Blessings.

Two quotes tie together today as we start another new week. “He who plants a garden works hand in hand with God. (Malloch) And, “As the blossom cannot tell what becomes of its fragrance so no one can tell what becomes of his influence. (Unknown) Make me aware, Lord, that today never returns. May the sweet fragrance of Your loving kindness follow me through this day. Amen.” For various reasons, we may not be able to work in Bethany Community Gardens that reaches out to many. The Gardens are a valued ministry of Bethany but each person is a flower however loosely connected to Bethany and our lives are multiple gardens with all sorts of variety of flowers, talents, seen and unseen, affirmed and unrecognized but of great value to God. We have no idea of the ripple effect of our lives but my prayer today is that we will be a sweet fragrance spreading not viruses of gossip and jealousy but the fragrance of forgiveness and patience – the grace we all receive from the Master Gardener. You are his valued work! Blessings!

I am going today with calendar wisdom, “That we are alive today is proof positive that God has something for us to do today. (Lindsay) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Heb. 4:16) Very often in Kenya, church services started by the leader sharing, “Many wanted to see today and did not, so let us rejoice.” Those all seem even more poignant as we live today with the pandemic, with politics, and with economic challenges. A student I taught in the 70s in junior high math, now an adult, shared on Face Book that his cousin, a beautiful young woman of 33, so proud of becoming a nurse, was a victim of Covid-19, leaving a four- year old child. I cried. It is a privilege to wake today and face the challenges – and joys. The quotes remind us that we have purpose and we have a God to run to for help. As you face the grief, the shadows, the unknowns of today, may they turn into comfort, joy, peace and grace as we turn to Him. Blessings.

Calendar wisdom for May 15, “It isn’t the load that weighs us down – it’s the way we carry it. (unknown author) My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9” I’ve shared the following story before in church but I love it. A hitch hiker with a heavy backpack is given a ride by a driver in a pick up. The driver says to the hiker, just throw your pack in the back. The hiker refuses saying he needs to carry it so as not to cause the driver more work. The humor is, of course, that the car is carrying the back pack whether it is on the hiker’s back or on the floor of the car. The hiker only weighs himself down. How we carry our loads is important. While speaking with someone I care about yesterday the litany of an old grievance was again recited. So much pain and consequential anger. I ponder today how the things in my “backpack of memories” weigh me down. The proverb says that it is not the memory but how I carry it. The past is the past and probably remembered through my much younger self and from a much different time but if I carry it now with bitterness and resentment rather than gratitude for a lesson learned, it makes a big difference in who I am and how I face life. Perhaps a lesson for today is the realizing how God works through my weakness to His glory. Certainly we are weak now and need His perspective on all the issues challenging our lives. May we be able to put our backpacks on the floor of God’s car, as He carries us! Have a good and safe day!