Yesterday John and I began the horrible task of cleaning up our office, and I quickly got sidetracked when I found one of my old calendars. It was the June 2013- June 2014 calendar and I had wondered where I had stashed it because it wasn't with the other ones.
So I began to look through it, knowing I was walking into some sadder times in my life. For in that year, as a family, we faced two deaths which were very painful. Gus died in November, actually coming up on that anniversary, and Sarah died on Gus' 25th birthday. Both of them were family, one blood, one emotionally, and both died way too young. Both were intelligent, loved life and touched many lives. Both are missed everyday. There are and will be times that the grief is overwhelming, no matter the years that pass. However, there are also times when remembering them brings laughter, joy and love and I rejoice that they were a part of my life, even for such a short time.
Such thoughts at this time of year make for a weird kind of thankfulness. Thankfulness and grief do not usually share the same page during this time of the year. In this season of thankfulness, we give thanks for the beauty which surrounds us, the blessings of family, a warm home, and the privileges we have received or gained in life. We give thanks for our faith in God, a faith which Frederick Buechner writes should be a verb, faith should be active and alive in our lives. Buechner also writes that Jesus took the hand of Jarius' daughter and said, Talith cumi,"Little girl, get up", giving us the hope that death isn't the end, even before Jesus resurrected. The words and and actions of Jesus give us hope and thankfulness, even in death.
This is our season of thankfulness, and our thankfulness includes the saints of our past who have taught, touched, and shepherded our lives, making us who we are. Our challenge is if we are using the tools they gave us to make a difference in the world.
Peace.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Saturday, August 19, 2017
This morning, as I was fixing breakfast, John motioned me to the window. Across our backyard, there was a majestic doe walking. Following back a ways was her fawn. Suddenly, fawn kicked up his back legs and started prancing and dancing in our yard! The fawn kicked and bucked and wiggled across the yard in total abandon. It was a cross between "Dance like no one is watching" and Bambi going out into the meadow for the first time! Then, about 10:00, again I was at the kitchen window, and there was a hummingbird zooming around the Butterfly Bush, landing and eating, then zooming again! We have had many butterflies this season, but had not seen a hummingbird until today.
Not that everyday isn't, but this morning was truly a gift from God. A gift I needed for my spirit. These gifts, the simple gifts of nature sharing its life with me were gifts that gave me hope, especially as the news was on in the background. These days it is hard to try and be informed about the world and not get sucked into the vortex of politics. It is hard to sit and watch violence in a beautiful city which is 90 minutes from my house, knowing that I was planning on being there, knowing that my friends were there in the middle of the fray, and I was praying for their safety as well as the safety of all who were there. It is a struggle that as a female in 2017, I hear the voice which cries that 100 year old statutes are offensive and not necessary, but the historian in me doesn't want them destroyed and doesn't want history rewritten. As a people, since Old Testament times, we have sought ways to put down another class or race for our own gain; we have pushed and demanded our way because we feel that as white Christians it is the right way. We have enslaved people, we have disrespected people due to their color, their sex or their sexual orientation. We need to remember these not so proud moments in our history and learn from them. We must correct our ways and set a pattern for the next generation to be better than we are. If we don't, then we are no better than the generations past.
With those thoughts on my mind, and they have been mulling around in my brain for a long time, today I was gifted with witnessing beauty and nature at its finest and rejoicing. Such a gift doesn't cause me to downplay the violence and horror in the world, but it does comfort me as I seek God's guidance on how to deal with such atrocities. When I notice the little things, a sunset, a laughing baby, or a fawn dancing in my backyard, I know that the world won't be perfect, but I am renewed in the faith that God will always be in control, in spite of of what we think or do. Slow down, look around, and see them for yourself, find your own renewal.
Olivia
Noticing the little things
This morning, as I was fixing breakfast, John motioned me to the window. Across our backyard, there was a majestic doe walking. Following back a ways was her fawn. Suddenly, fawn kicked up his back legs and started prancing and dancing in our yard! The fawn kicked and bucked and wiggled across the yard in total abandon. It was a cross between "Dance like no one is watching" and Bambi going out into the meadow for the first time! Then, about 10:00, again I was at the kitchen window, and there was a hummingbird zooming around the Butterfly Bush, landing and eating, then zooming again! We have had many butterflies this season, but had not seen a hummingbird until today.
Not that everyday isn't, but this morning was truly a gift from God. A gift I needed for my spirit. These gifts, the simple gifts of nature sharing its life with me were gifts that gave me hope, especially as the news was on in the background. These days it is hard to try and be informed about the world and not get sucked into the vortex of politics. It is hard to sit and watch violence in a beautiful city which is 90 minutes from my house, knowing that I was planning on being there, knowing that my friends were there in the middle of the fray, and I was praying for their safety as well as the safety of all who were there. It is a struggle that as a female in 2017, I hear the voice which cries that 100 year old statutes are offensive and not necessary, but the historian in me doesn't want them destroyed and doesn't want history rewritten. As a people, since Old Testament times, we have sought ways to put down another class or race for our own gain; we have pushed and demanded our way because we feel that as white Christians it is the right way. We have enslaved people, we have disrespected people due to their color, their sex or their sexual orientation. We need to remember these not so proud moments in our history and learn from them. We must correct our ways and set a pattern for the next generation to be better than we are. If we don't, then we are no better than the generations past.
With those thoughts on my mind, and they have been mulling around in my brain for a long time, today I was gifted with witnessing beauty and nature at its finest and rejoicing. Such a gift doesn't cause me to downplay the violence and horror in the world, but it does comfort me as I seek God's guidance on how to deal with such atrocities. When I notice the little things, a sunset, a laughing baby, or a fawn dancing in my backyard, I know that the world won't be perfect, but I am renewed in the faith that God will always be in control, in spite of of what we think or do. Slow down, look around, and see them for yourself, find your own renewal.
Olivia
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
What do we have time for?
Trevor Noah, host of "The Daily Show" has a re-occurring segment entitled "Ain't Got Time For That!" He reports on the news, issues like executive orders, what Congress has voted on, and other news, but says, "We ain't got time for that" because of some tweet our President has posted, or some comment that Kellyann Conway or Sean Spicer has said.
Well, I began to think, What do we have time for? We live in a fast paced world and society, where we read Facebook posts about "remembering when we caught lightening bugs and played outside until dark", so what do we have time for? I began a list, "What we need to have time for", and here it is:
1. We need to have time for ourselves. There are personalities who think of everyone else and not of themselves. That is benevolent, kind and for many, the Christian Way. However, we are taught that our body is a temple and because of that, we are called to take care of ourselves. Recently, I read an article saying that we need to take care of our animal. (and this is very paraphrased) The question was asked by the facilitator, "If you had a pet, how would you care for it? The answer was, "I'd feed it, hold it, love it and protect it." The facilitator responded, "You too are an animal, take care of yourself like you would your pet." That requires more than just food and water; it requires exercise, enough rest, attention, those are things we need to have time for.
2. We need to have time for loved ones. It doesn't loved ones is defined as family and blood relatives, or if loved ones is defined as neighbors and best friends, we need to take time for them. Relationships of all kinds are what shape us into the people we are. We say we ain't got time to meet the crew for drinks after work or we ain't got time to drive over to "Uncle Eb's place" but life is precious and we really don't have control over it, so take time for those loved ones. That time is priceless.
3. We need to have time for prayer. Whomever you pray to, take time to do it. If you listen to the news, we are in need of Divine Inspiration, and that is calling on all faiths, all belief systems, for such help. As a Christian, I find that being able to take my concerns, my apprehensions, my petitions for others, my celebrations and hopes, and giving them to God does make my life seem better. I believe that the Will of God will be done, even when that Will doesn't agree with what I think should happen, and I have the faith to know that it will all be okay. No matter what time of day or night, prayer time is time well spent.
4. We need to have time to laugh. As a society, we look at life too seriously and we do not laugh enough. At times, laughter is the best medicine. Enjoy a good comedy, read jokes in a joke book or in Reader's Digest, or watch cat videos online. Ed Wynn in Mary Poppins is right, "The more I laugh, The more I fill with glee, And the more the glee, The more I'm a merrier me."
Source: <a href="http://www.elyrics.net/read/m/mary-poppins-lyrics/i-love-to-laugh-lyrics.html">click here</a>
5. We need to have time for "appropriate service". These first four items have been time for us, personally. For me, "appropriate service"is the time we give to ministry and mission. We all have gifts and talents to share, that is our stewardship our discipleship. But we need to balance service time with personal time. That is something each of us need to seek individually; what is good for one person might not be good for another. Find your place to make a difference in other people's lives and enjoy it as you serve.
Those are 5 of my areas that I think we need to have time for. What are yours?
Happy Summer!
Olivia
Well, I began to think, What do we have time for? We live in a fast paced world and society, where we read Facebook posts about "remembering when we caught lightening bugs and played outside until dark", so what do we have time for? I began a list, "What we need to have time for", and here it is:
1. We need to have time for ourselves. There are personalities who think of everyone else and not of themselves. That is benevolent, kind and for many, the Christian Way. However, we are taught that our body is a temple and because of that, we are called to take care of ourselves. Recently, I read an article saying that we need to take care of our animal. (and this is very paraphrased) The question was asked by the facilitator, "If you had a pet, how would you care for it? The answer was, "I'd feed it, hold it, love it and protect it." The facilitator responded, "You too are an animal, take care of yourself like you would your pet." That requires more than just food and water; it requires exercise, enough rest, attention, those are things we need to have time for.
2. We need to have time for loved ones. It doesn't loved ones is defined as family and blood relatives, or if loved ones is defined as neighbors and best friends, we need to take time for them. Relationships of all kinds are what shape us into the people we are. We say we ain't got time to meet the crew for drinks after work or we ain't got time to drive over to "Uncle Eb's place" but life is precious and we really don't have control over it, so take time for those loved ones. That time is priceless.
3. We need to have time for prayer. Whomever you pray to, take time to do it. If you listen to the news, we are in need of Divine Inspiration, and that is calling on all faiths, all belief systems, for such help. As a Christian, I find that being able to take my concerns, my apprehensions, my petitions for others, my celebrations and hopes, and giving them to God does make my life seem better. I believe that the Will of God will be done, even when that Will doesn't agree with what I think should happen, and I have the faith to know that it will all be okay. No matter what time of day or night, prayer time is time well spent.
4. We need to have time to laugh. As a society, we look at life too seriously and we do not laugh enough. At times, laughter is the best medicine. Enjoy a good comedy, read jokes in a joke book or in Reader's Digest, or watch cat videos online. Ed Wynn in Mary Poppins is right, "The more I laugh, The more I fill with glee, And the more the glee, The more I'm a merrier me."
Source: <a href="http://www.elyrics.net/read/m/mary-poppins-lyrics/i-love-to-laugh-lyrics.html">click here</a>
5. We need to have time for "appropriate service". These first four items have been time for us, personally. For me, "appropriate service"is the time we give to ministry and mission. We all have gifts and talents to share, that is our stewardship our discipleship. But we need to balance service time with personal time. That is something each of us need to seek individually; what is good for one person might not be good for another. Find your place to make a difference in other people's lives and enjoy it as you serve.
Those are 5 of my areas that I think we need to have time for. What are yours?
Happy Summer!
Olivia
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Christianity 2017
Christianity 2017
The Christmas season is in full swing! The child has been born, and we are gearing up for Epiphany. But before we get there, I want to share at least one reflection of the Advent/Christmas Season. This reflection begins in about 1989. Christmas was on Monday, and it was the first Christmas after my mother had moved from the farm where we had lived since 1964. As Christmas was on Monday, and John and I had only one child (#2 was due in March), we went to my mother's for Christmas Day with the majority of my family. Both boys were not home yet, but all 3 of us girls, with husbands and children, along with Aunt Nancy and Mother were in her front room, rather crowded but noisily opening presents, with the 3 fathers armed with video cameras. I remember a conversation in the middle of the chaos, which has been recorded for perpetuity, about how 7-11 was open on Christmas, and that was so shocking! Nothing should be open on Christmas, not even 7-11!
Fast forward to Christmas 2016, which was on a Sunday. Interestingly enough, during Advent, I kept hearing conversations about having church on Christmas, and how that was just messing up all the plans; Christmas Eve should be enough. I found it surprising to hear people, church going people, question why church services would be held on Christmas Day, and was equally stunned to hear how many churches didn't have Christmas Day/Sunday services. We don't question that Easter is on Sunday, so why, when Christmas lands on Sunday about every 5 years, we question if we are going to church on Christmas or even if we should have church on that Sunday?
I am not going for a guilt trip over Christmas, a guilt trip over family vs. church, or a guilt trip about church attendance. I am looking at the bigger picture. Where is our Christianity in what is now 2017? What does it say about us when we actually consider not having church on the Lord's Day which is also December 25? Has the consumer world overtaken the religious world when it comes to Christmas?
And I think is was this question about Christmas and church which got me really thinking about Christianity in the 21st Century. We just came through an election cycle where religion was never mentioned; voters didn't know that Hillary was a Methodist or that Donald was a Presbyterian, or that Bernie was Jewish, and if they did know, it was as if they didn't care. Faith and beliefs were not topics in debates or town halls or even in tweets. Historically, John Kennedy, as a Catholic was a major point in the 1960 elections, but now religion isn't mentioned. Have we as citizens, become complacent, when it comes to faith and organized religion? Were we so caught up in the reality TV aspect of our last election that we were so blinded by the shining objects of tweets and negative campaigning that we forgot to look at the real issues of what our candidates believed, and how those beliefs would help them run our country?
Yes, we have become complacent in many areas of our lives. We have definitely become complacent when it comes to our faith and our church life. Maybe complacent is too strong. We are more conscious of not wanting to offend people, so we find it is easier to just avoid talking about faith so we don't hurt feelings or come off sounding like an evangelist. What is interesting is that the times have changed, our lives, and the world has changed, but Christianity hasn't changed, the message is still the same as it was in the First Century. And just like those of the First Century, we need to talk about it. We need to share what we believe in for one reason:
1: So others will hear of the saving grace of Jesus Christ
Christianity in 2017 is the same as it was last century, but how we talk about and live our Christianity is different. We can no longer assume that everyone knows the "old, old story of Jesus and his love", we need to tell it; tell it with words, tell it with actions, tell it in our reactions. We still have a story to share, a story of goodness, of healing, of grace. My hope is that everyone who reads this will think about how, even as the world has changed, and as 2017 will probably usher in more changes, that story can be shared.
Blessings,
Olivia
The Christmas season is in full swing! The child has been born, and we are gearing up for Epiphany. But before we get there, I want to share at least one reflection of the Advent/Christmas Season. This reflection begins in about 1989. Christmas was on Monday, and it was the first Christmas after my mother had moved from the farm where we had lived since 1964. As Christmas was on Monday, and John and I had only one child (#2 was due in March), we went to my mother's for Christmas Day with the majority of my family. Both boys were not home yet, but all 3 of us girls, with husbands and children, along with Aunt Nancy and Mother were in her front room, rather crowded but noisily opening presents, with the 3 fathers armed with video cameras. I remember a conversation in the middle of the chaos, which has been recorded for perpetuity, about how 7-11 was open on Christmas, and that was so shocking! Nothing should be open on Christmas, not even 7-11!
Fast forward to Christmas 2016, which was on a Sunday. Interestingly enough, during Advent, I kept hearing conversations about having church on Christmas, and how that was just messing up all the plans; Christmas Eve should be enough. I found it surprising to hear people, church going people, question why church services would be held on Christmas Day, and was equally stunned to hear how many churches didn't have Christmas Day/Sunday services. We don't question that Easter is on Sunday, so why, when Christmas lands on Sunday about every 5 years, we question if we are going to church on Christmas or even if we should have church on that Sunday?
I am not going for a guilt trip over Christmas, a guilt trip over family vs. church, or a guilt trip about church attendance. I am looking at the bigger picture. Where is our Christianity in what is now 2017? What does it say about us when we actually consider not having church on the Lord's Day which is also December 25? Has the consumer world overtaken the religious world when it comes to Christmas?
And I think is was this question about Christmas and church which got me really thinking about Christianity in the 21st Century. We just came through an election cycle where religion was never mentioned; voters didn't know that Hillary was a Methodist or that Donald was a Presbyterian, or that Bernie was Jewish, and if they did know, it was as if they didn't care. Faith and beliefs were not topics in debates or town halls or even in tweets. Historically, John Kennedy, as a Catholic was a major point in the 1960 elections, but now religion isn't mentioned. Have we as citizens, become complacent, when it comes to faith and organized religion? Were we so caught up in the reality TV aspect of our last election that we were so blinded by the shining objects of tweets and negative campaigning that we forgot to look at the real issues of what our candidates believed, and how those beliefs would help them run our country?
Yes, we have become complacent in many areas of our lives. We have definitely become complacent when it comes to our faith and our church life. Maybe complacent is too strong. We are more conscious of not wanting to offend people, so we find it is easier to just avoid talking about faith so we don't hurt feelings or come off sounding like an evangelist. What is interesting is that the times have changed, our lives, and the world has changed, but Christianity hasn't changed, the message is still the same as it was in the First Century. And just like those of the First Century, we need to talk about it. We need to share what we believe in for one reason:
1: So others will hear of the saving grace of Jesus Christ
Christianity in 2017 is the same as it was last century, but how we talk about and live our Christianity is different. We can no longer assume that everyone knows the "old, old story of Jesus and his love", we need to tell it; tell it with words, tell it with actions, tell it in our reactions. We still have a story to share, a story of goodness, of healing, of grace. My hope is that everyone who reads this will think about how, even as the world has changed, and as 2017 will probably usher in more changes, that story can be shared.
Blessings,
Olivia
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