Providing the Way to Change

The destiny of Jesus was to inaugurate a new Way of doing things, to institute a plan that would give good news of hope to everyone, including the marginalized, the poor in spirit and poverty-stricken of the world. The "good news of great joy" which the angel announced to the shepherds (see Luke chapter 2) was "for all the people." The intent of Jesus was to guide us into the way of peaceful existence.

Most everyone is familiar with the details of the arrival of Jesus. He was not born in a palace. His family was not one of great influence. He entered the world in humility. Drawing on that humble nature, he asks those who believe in him to be of the same mind as he is: to love all and put the needs of others ahead of our own. He asks us not to seek merely for personal gain, but to share what we have, our time and resources.

The teachings of Jesus are meant to draw people closer to God, closer to the things of the spirit: patience, kindness, love, joy, gentleness. Jesus was not born to drive people away from his kingdom, and he calls his followers to be living expressions of his message of hope, of compassion, each of us living in a manner which attracts people to The Way he came to establish.

Believing in Jesus, being a follower of Christ, a Christian, is only the beginning of our work here on earth, just as the birth of Jesus was a starting point, a transformational moment in time, with great possibility wrapped around it. What Jesus asks of us requires a shift in our natural thinking, in the way we behave and how we treat others. And that change does not happen automatically. It is a choice we make every day, a decision to embrace what is best, to opt for an honorable path and the way of peace.

Let us look at the celebration of the birth of Jesus as our call to action, a challenge to examine our beliefs, with an eye for putting aside old, worn out ideas and looking at the world with a fresh vision for helping steer the course of the future down a path with less hate and more love, better opportunities for all. It doesn't necessarily seem accurate to say Jesus was born to change the world. Rather, his teachings show The Way for us, his followers, to revolutionize everything.

Another Low in Christian Activism

I find the recent controversy regarding Lowe’s Hardware Store’s decision to pull advertisements from the TLC television show “All American Muslim” more than a bit baffling. After apparently caving in to pressure from certain Christian groups who think the show puts too much of a positive spin on Islam, Lowe's is now facing boycotts from Christians, Muslims and Jews who are speaking out against the decision to pull the ads.

According to the ChristianPost.com, "On Saturday, demonstrations in front of various Lowe’s locations across the country [sought] to raise awareness against the perceived bigotry behind the chain’s decision."

I'm sure the powers that be at Lowe's are more than a little confused and scrambling to come up with a damage control plan.

“We stand against Lowe’s decision. We feel corporations have the right to make their own decisions regarding their advertising. But when you are basing that decision on a fringe group and their hatred and bigotry then that’s wrong. They (Lowe’s) buckled,” Abed Ayoub, legal director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, told The Christian Post. “We’ve seen Christian groups as well as Jewish and other interfaith groups come out and stand up against this bigotry. It’s been a very diverse show of support.”

Ah, the irony. Corporations do have the right to make their own decisions regarding their advertising (and which members of Congress they choose to fund to further their agendas), and as Americans, we have a right to boycott those companies with which we disagree. But honestly, for the religious community, is this the best use of our time and resources? Remind me why we care so much about this issue?

If it starts a conversation about bigotry against Muslims which leads us, as a nation, to stop demonizing them, then that's one thing. But I don't see that as where this is heading. It just seems like more of the same pointless religious effort to meddle in private enterprise, and even law-makers are putting in their two-cents' worth.

Poverty is on the increase. Unemployment numbers are stubborn. Funding for organizations like Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for children is on the chopping block. Many children in the foster care system need good homes. Veterans are coming home from Iraq with physical and psychological scars and few job prospects. The list goes on, all the while the Church seems to have trouble mobilizing to address much of anything other than collective outrage over the lack of Christ in Christmas and now Lowe's advertising spending habits.

It's embarrassing, at best. It's blasphemous at worst.

I realize I'm veering away from my recent efforts at remaining positive, so I'll end by saying, let's begin to put this much time and energy into addressing issues which matter, issues Jesus might actually care about. Doesn't that seem like an appropriate gift to give him on his birthday?

Christmas Is But a Moment in Time

When I awoke this morning, the sun had not yet begun to shine on our part of the world. The moon, however, illuminated the view outside my window in a spectacular way. Hovering in the sky just above the treeline, it was brilliant and its light spilled out onto the frozen pond near our house. The ice created splendid, crackled patterns of light, a monotone stained glass effect more spectacular than the most magnificent cathedral.

I longed for the moment to last, but after a few minutes the earth rotated the night away as the sun began to rise, changing the chilly, blue-gray of predawn into warmer tones of pink and brown. A small flock of geese flew low over the tree tops, their undersides catching the light of morning rays from the sun. They were elegant in flight and gone in seconds, another passage of time I could not hold onto, could not control, could not will to last, not matter how hard I tried.

Full daylight brings its own beauty in the natural world, but it is harsher and somehow, less magical. What I perceive as imperfections -- broken tree limbs, leaves in the yard, dead and dried flower stems not yet pruned -- become visible and steal my focus.

All of this made me think of the illusive nature of Christmas. The anticipation of a single day of the year often makes us fixated on one ethereal moment, while all else pales in comparison. Yet, Christmas is but a single moment in time, and it can rarely ever live up to the hype which surrounds it. Kids will often not appreciate their gifts, disappointment can be palpable, family arguments sometimes erupt at a moment's notice, dinner might even be burned, and suddenly, the reality that Christmas is just like any other day hits home.

The key, I believe, is not to pine away for moments which are special and fleeting, while placing high expectations on yourself and others during the holidays, or any time. Embrace the moonlight, enjoy the sunrise, but love the full daylight and know that is where our lives are lived with all of the messiness, sadness and situations over which we have no control.

Remember to appreciate all the days leading up to Christmas and don't put too much pressure on yourself, and others, to be perfect. We have collectively decided December 25 is a special day, but it is brief, and it is merely a day, one 24-hour chunk of a year, like any other. Those of us who celebrate the birth of Jesus have reason to celebrate every day; December 26 will be a fine day, too.

Bring on the Peace

I try not to complain about being busy. After all, I choose to do the things I do, and I don't have to do as many things as I do, so if I start to get overwhelmed, I realize it is my problem, not anyone else's problem. However, having said that, I will confide I have had a rather action-packed week and another few days ahead which are also filled to the brim.

So, as part of the ongoing effort to simplify my life...seeking less clutter, fewer material possessions, more time to appreciate what is beautiful and important...I'm keeping my blog entry short this morning. Because, if Jesus is the reason for the season, if we do want to "keep Christ in Christmas," we need to think about his message, his example.

Let me throw something out there for us all to consider. While it is true each of us are responsible, ultimately, only for our own actions, as a society, we bear collective responsibility that there are those who would pepper spray fellow shoppers over a game to be given to a child on a holiday which bears the name of Christ.

We have been marching merrily along the path of rampant consumerism, instilling greed in our children from a young age, for many years, creating a holiday which bears little resemblance to the teachings of the one whose birth we are allegedly celebrating.

It's time to step away, if not in one big swoop, then bit by bit, but somehow, those who follow the teachings of Jesus need to help stop the madness. Stop worrying and stressing. Don't give in to pressure to "do it all." Encourage kids to give a lot more and get a lot less during the holidays and not expect a mountain of toys under the tree.

I'm not going to take time to type the whole passage, but I encourage each of you to read the words of Zacharias the prophet, in Luke 1:67-79. He says Jesus would, among other things, "guide our feet into the way of peace." While peace in the world is not within our means, as individuals, to obtain, peace in our own lives is entirely up to us.

Be filled with joy. Laugh and love. I can't say it any better than Gandhi did, "You must be the change you want to see in the world," but here's my paraphrase: Let's bring on peace and back off pepper spray!

Thoughts on Advent

From a friend of a friend (thanks, Steve Flower!), I recently learned of the "Advent Conspiracy" (AC), which encourages churches to give at Christmas by being creative and blessing those in need by giving relationally as God gave his son to us at Christmas. No money goes to or through the organization. Everyone decides where and how they will give to those in need.

Following are bits of what I gleaned from a video the organization has created. I invite you to visit their website and to watch the video and learn more: http://www.adventconspiracy.org.

"Everyone wants Christmas to be meaningful. But, instead it becomes shop, shop, shop; credit cards; traffic jams; to do lists; useless gifts. Then off to church. Noel, Noel, Noel. Sometimes we're just glad to survive it. Did you know Americans spend $450 billion on Christmas every year. Every year. So we ask: How did Jesus celebrate?

"Jesus gave himself: relationally, incarnation, time, space, presence. Do you see where this is going? What if you bought fewer gifts? That sweater she won't like. That random gift certificate. That toy he doesn't need. And then, instead of buying that gift, give something valuable, like your time. Talk. Eat. Bake. Bike. Read. Play. Create. Craft. Together. Make gifts (like when you were a kid). And remember that money you didn't spend? What if you gave some of it away to the poor, the hurting, the lonely, the hungry, the sick, the thirsty....

"Let's face it, consumerism does not equal happiness, memories, meaning. Spend less on gifts. Give more presence. Love like Jesus....Worship fully....Give more. Love all. This is the season of advent. You are free to worship, live, breathe, give, laugh, celebrate, conspire. Enter the story."

Even though my family has not stopped exchanging gifts at Christmas, we have cut back over the years and have already been incorporating some of the ideas suggested by AC. My point is, I don't believe it's wrong to buy gifts for friends and loved ones, but as the advent season approaches, I do suggest we carefully consider how we use our resources to bless others.

The estimated $450 billion spent at Christmas is a staggering amount of money which could be used to change the world, and if we aim to put "Christ in Christmas," I believe we need to give some real thought as to the example he set for us during his time here on Earth.

Questioning Our Beliefs

Do you ever question what you believe and why you believe it? It is healthy to assess our beliefs from time to time, examining our traditions and religious attitudes. It helps us formulate what is most important to us and makes it easier for us to be able to articulate the tenets of our faith to others.

For example, no where in the Bible are we instructed to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and scripturally speaking, things like Christmas trees certainly never enter the picture. I'm not implying there's anything wrong with festive decorations, but the way Jesus established and instructed us to remember him is by partaking in the bread and wine of what has become known as communion. Christmas is a human invention, not something suggested by Jesus or even the writers of the New Testament.

I'm not picking on holidays, this is to make a case that certain things, like Christmas and Easter and other religious ideas, rules and laws we often embrace and passionately defend, are manmade, even if some of them have a small measure of biblical basis.

There are a great number of religious notions which are merely distractions and have little to do with the heart of the message of Jesus. I challenge all of us to think about how our opinions and points of view have been formed and whether or not the concepts we hold dear hold up to the gospel's rather simple message to love God and everyone else. We should all be willing to shine a harsh light on our religious opinions. Some of them will stand after examination, but many may need to be revised, adjusted or eliminated.

It is never wrong to question what we believe. In fact, it is quite necessary to continually think about our own interpretation of the will of God to make sure our focus is sharp and we are concentrating on what matters. Much of what the religious world has become passionate about doesn't hold up under close scrutiny. If our traditions and personal views become more important than our relationship with God and our love and respect for others, it is time to re-assess our religious opinions, time to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Making the Most of Each Day

Most of us have, likely, at one time or another, entertained the thought of how a day might be lived if we knew it was our last day on earth. Would it be spent quietly with friends and family? Or would it be used to do something adventurous and daring? Traveling? Reading? How could one possibly choose?

It's a safe bet most of us wouldn't go to work or school or attend to the often mundane tasks which consume many hours of each day. (I might update my status on Facebook, but I probably wouldn't check out everyone else's posts....sorry.) After some pondering, the question then usually becomes: If we would do things differently, then why aren't we living each day, right now, as if it is our last?

Of course, the answer is, for most of us, today is not our last day, and if it is, few of us know it. We will wake up tomorrow with bills to pay and a number of other practical pursuits demanding our attention. Few of us have the luxury of complete freedom to do as we wish.

One afternoon last week, as I drove to do some work-related errands, I contemplated what else I might prefer to be doing. After ruling out the impossible -- starring in a show on Broadway or living on a remote island somewhere in the northern hemisphere -- I decided what I do on a day-to-day basis is perfectly fine. I have part-time, low-stress jobs I enjoy, and I work with people I like. I am grateful I am able to freely seek God's kingdom and offer some small measures of service and help to others along the way.

Whenever my last day does arrive, I vow to have no regrets. I won't regret what I've done, even though I have made mistakes and missed opportunities to do what is best. Neither will I regret what I have not been able to accomplish, even though there is always something else to achieve.

Ultimately, when we think of living each day to its fullest, it is, perhaps, not what we do which matters most, but it is how we go about doing it: sharing love, joy, kindness and treating others as we wish to be treated. I won't spend my life longing to be somewhere else or doing something grand by the world's standards. I want to appreciate right where I am and what I have, and I believe that's how to make the most of each day.

Increasing in Faith

Faith is an interesting thing. It is central to any belief system, and we know we are to "increase in faith," but how we go about doing that and what grown-up faith looks like can be a bit difficult to define or describe. Even the definition, as given in one place in scripture, seems almost vague: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

Growing in faith does not mean we get better at asking God for things until we eventually work our way up to getting everything we ask for. God is not a magic genie, bottled up in Heaven, waiting for us to release him so he can grant us three wishes. Perhaps we do grow in faith by asking for things and realizing if we don't get what we ask for there is quite likely something better for us than what we initially wanted or thought we needed. (Humans are notorious for thinking we know what is best going into every situation, but evidently that is not always the case, since we so often hear the phrase "hindsight is 20/20," which is often applied when we're right in the middle of dealing with the consequences of getting what we thought we wanted.)

It would seem a mature faith might not be about asking for material things at all, but about developing a relationship of trust, whereby we are ready to face problems without worrying about the worst-case scenario outcome. Fear and fretting are enemies of faith, and Jesus repeatedly told his followers not to give in to anxiety. Have you ever solved anything by worry alone? I don't know anyone who has. No one knows what tomorrow will bring for any of us, but the key is not to fear the unknown.

The Message Bible translates Hebrews 11:1 in this way, "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see." Believers have a foundation on which we can rely, one which will not allow our world to crumble or our lives to fall apart. My dad was a carpenter, and many times I heard him say the two most important things when building a house were plenty of insulation and steel in the concrete. That may be about as good of a definition of faith as I know.

Steadfast and Unwavering

With spiritual maturity should come a steadfast approach to life. Believers are not meant to be in a constant state of turmoil and despair. We should not be agitated and upset every time some small thing doesn't go our way. Instead, we should be "rooted and grounded in love," (see Ephesians 3:17) a state of being which leads to less stress and lower blood pressure, generally better spiritual, mental, physical and emotional health.

When we are not burdened with the mindset of needing to have a frantic response to the most mundane problem, life is much more pleasant and rewarding. Why do we choose to give in to turmoil? Most everyone knows, at least from past experience, if not current standing, how exhausting real-life melodrama is, and, additionally, how draining it is be around individuals who seem to always be living on the edge of disaster.

Those of us who claim to have Jesus as our example, can look to his life and see a quiet resolve in his attitude and approach. Yes, he did have moments of impatience and did not shy away from confrontation when a situation warranted a strong response. But complaining and frustration about the minor inconveniences of everyday life are not the pattern we see in the life of Jesus. And I try to remember that when I'm standing in line a little too long for my liking, and the person in front of me has three different orders and two forms of payment.

The reason I need to relax when I'm the one at the back of the line is because I've been the person holding up the line, and that's just how life goes.That's the give and take of it. I never try to intentionally ruin anyone's day with my actions, and I need to remember other people aren't trying to ruin mine, either. If we could all be better about giving others the benefit of the doubt, if we would extend more mercy and grace, if we could try to understand other points of view, even when we don't agree, the world would be a much calmer place.

Remember, "the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy." (James 3:17) Let us seek to have that kind of steadfast wisdom.

One Step at a Time

Big mistakes most often are the end result of a series of smaller mistakes and poor decisions. A bank robber, for example, is usually not someone who walks into his bank to make a deposit into his Christmas Club account and decides while he's there to ask the teller to hand over all the money in the drawer. I think it's reasonable to say, in most cases, a thief is someone whose thought process leads him to believe, for whatever reason, honesty may not be the best policy, and eventually, once he has opened the door to dwelling on what may seem like an easy solution to his problems, he becomes convinced committing a crime is either justified or that he won't get caught.

I'm hoping no one reading this is contemplating a life of crime, but I know there are those who have reached places in life where they would rather not be and wondered how they got where they are. Barring outside interference from tragic events or circumstances beyond our control, all of us have arrived at where we are in life, for better or worse, one step at a time. Dysfunctional relationships, poor health and unhappiness don't just happen overnight. Those are the kinds of things which gradually take shape over the course of weeks, months and years and are based on the choices we make. Even though we're not bank robbers, our choices do catch up with us.

The good news is, life is not a one-way street. We're not trapped by our poor decisions, and thankfully, it's never too late to turn around and take steps to start over. Relationships can be mended by commitment to working, unselfishly, on what has gone wrong. Health can be improved by eating right and becoming more active and less stressed. Happiness is a choice to change poor attitudes. I never want to trivialize any bad situation anyone is going through, but I do want to encourage all of us to look within for solutions, to the love of God which resides in believers, rather than looking to others to fix our problems.

Scripture often talks about the "putting on" of positive qualities and the "putting away" of negative traits. Just like we get dressed for the day, one piece of clothing at a time, we put on good decisions, one on top of another, as we work toward a fulfilled and productive life.

Now, the Rainbow

A few weeks ago, I referenced "rainbows and kitties" as positive attitude promoters. I wrote about our kitten shortly thereafter, and now, as if on cue, a rainbow has appeared to give inspiration. Just a few evenings ago, there was a stunning arc in the sky, perhaps the most complete-looking display of color in a rainbow I ever remember seeing.

Even though there is a perfectly rational, scientific explanation for the occurrence of rainbows, there is something special about them, too. The prophet Ezekiel, in an attempt to describe his "vision of divine glory," said, "As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord...." (Ezekiel 1:28)

Of course going back even further in biblical comment, we read of the mention of a rainbow in the book of Genesis, following the Flood. Recorded in chapter 9, God said to Noah, "I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth." God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant....When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature..." (verses 11-16)

The heavens are filled with wonder and breathtaking beauty. The stars and planets, the sun rising and setting, clouds and the phases of the moon often have me looking upward, contemplating the vast universe and how everyone on earth is in this life together. Wherever we are, whatever our social standing, race or creed, we are loved and we are connected to each other. But especially when I see a rainbow, I like considering that God is looking at it, too, remembering his covenant, thinking of all of us, his children.

Having One of Those Days

As I was rather carelessly placing a small, lop-sided stack of papers and books in the front seat of my car the other evening, an acquaintance of mine walked by, and the stack spilled out of the car onto the sidewalk, falling into a mixed up mess. "Having one of those days?" she asked. I thought it was an odd question, as she had not seen me at any other point in the day and had no idea how things had been going for me. Even though I found her comment to be slightly vexatious, I tried not to sound rude when I replied, "No, I just dropped some papers. That's all."

She was only making conversation, but I did think of how often I've heard people comment in exasperation, "it's just been one of those days," meaning something went wrong at the beginning of the day and then everything they did after that went downhill. However, there is no reason for one bad incident to bring on another bad incident, unless we begin to focus on irritations. Then annoyances can, and often do, gain control of our attitude, and attitude is what determines what kind of day we have. Don't buy into Murphy's law "if anything can go wrong, it will." (No one is really certain who Murphy was, and his "law" certainly isn't a law at all.)

It is possible to ruin an entire day by merely thinking it was spoiled from the start. It is also possible to have a productive day by not giving credence and power to minor aggravations. It's the same for "waking up in a bad mood." If our disposition is sour, it doesn't mean we have to stay in a bad humor. We are in control of our moods and attitudes; our moods are not in control of us.

The further problem with allowing bad moments to ruin our whole day, is we will be in danger of letting bad days pile up on top of each other until bad days, rather than good, rule our lives. Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us, "The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Maybe we should think of having "one of those days" in a new light, a day filled with God's lovingkindness, no matter how many minor inconveniences come our way.

The Happiness Habit

My effort to remain optimistic has been challenged many times over the past week as I have encountered an abundance of situations which appeared to be engineered to feed my cynicism. With bad news and nonsense running rampant, it seems to be so much easier to complain than it is to "keep on the sunny side." But I know it doesn't have to be that way. Since I am, in all honesty, quite happy with my life, I have few valid reasons to complain. For many of us, myself included, expressing dissatisfaction at a moment's notice is more of a habit than anything else.

Even when something unfortunate befalls us or an obstacle lands in our path, an old stand-by piece of advice from my days of motivational speaking does hold true: We can't control what happens to us in life, but we can control how we react to what happens to us. (This is one problem with optimism, for me; I tend to rely on trite comments when trying be cheerful. I've evidently managed to convince myself crankiness somehow fuels creativity.)

Dissatisfaction with the status quo is not necessarily a bad thing. Complaining about a wrong situation to those who can do something about it can be an effective means of changing that situation for the better. However, complaining to everyone other than those who can address an issue, or complaining without offering solutions, is not so effective. In addition, complaining about traffic, the weather or how others choose to dress or wear their hair, for instance, is not productive. Making incessant, negative comments about things we can't change only serves to bring more negativity into our lives and the lives of everyone around us.

Seek joy and set aside griping. Only complain about circumstances we can do something about, and then, only fuss if it leads to action and positive change. As believers, when we try to achieve these kinds of attitudes it is a worthy goal. It's a good way to demonstrate we are casting aside worry and walking in faith. If we want to spread the Good News, let's ditch the complaining and develop the happiness habit. (I'll try to work on profound comments another time. Platitudes will have to do for now.)

Oh, and have a nice day. : )

Kitties and Rainbows

After last week's blog, a couple of my friends expressed concern I might be trading off honesty in favor of optimism. My somewhat facetious reply was, "I don't know that I can write about 'rainbows and kitties' all of the time and feel as though I'm remaining true to my beliefs, but I do think I can, perhaps, make an effort to avoid politics, in particular, and its polarizing effects." Having said that, in my first week into my renewed efforts toward optimism, I have decided to share a story about a kitten. Our kitten, specifically.

Shortly after my dad passed away, just over two years ago, his cat made the short journey from his place to ours to take up residence. This past June, at the age of 14(old for an outside cat, I believe), she evidently decided it was time to go. One Monday, she stopped eating. We didn't notice she was otherwise acting sick or unusual; she just didn't eat. As the week went on, we figured out what she was doing, and by Saturday, we found her dead in her favorite flower bed. After a short memorial service, whereby her devotion to my father was noted, we buried her near the garden.

Because of the need for mouse control in our outbuildings, we decided to get another cat. Shortly after, Max, a lively kitten who had been abandoned in town, was adopted to fill the role of chief mouser. Perhaps because of his gratitude at being rescued from a life of dodging cars, or maybe because he honestly has a sense of humor, he is the sweetest cat I have ever known. He loves to sit on laps and gently stroke our faces with his soft little paws, and he is unrestrained in his delight at making us laugh: stalking, jumping out from behind anything, playing madly with a ball. He is determined to out-kitten all other cats.

And he reminds me of the wild abandon we should show in loving others, which is the way we fulfill God's commandment to us. Max does his job of catching rodents, and without reservations, with no hesitation, enjoys life while doing it and apparently, desires for us, his family, to savor life, too. He is my current role model. I'm not proposing we're only here to be the entertainment for everyone else, but I do want to enjoy every day to the same extent our kitten does, letting go of worries, living to the fullest and imparting joy. Don't you?

A New Day

This past Monday, my husband and I celebrated our thirty-first wedding anniversary. During the good-natured banter which resulted from discussing the occasion with our friends, I was again reminded of how very blessed I am, in every way. I was also reminded of the importance of laughter and maintaining a good sense of humor, and it dawned on me I have been terribly serious of late. In this blog and elsewhere.

On the day after my anniversary, I had an opportunity to give a motivational presentation to a local group, and as I was sharing my thoughts with them about the choices we all make every day regarding attitude and happiness, I found I was in need of the same advice I was dishing out: Lighten up.

As the presidential race goes into full attack mode, more than a year away from the 2012 election, I am already weary of the nonsense ("I love God more than you!") and rancor ("But I hate you!") surrounding the process, as I'm sure many others are, as well. And yet, my temptation is to jump into the fray and add my two cents. Well, I'm praying, "Lead me not into temptation."

Most regular readers of this blog have a pretty good idea of where I stand on many issues which have become (sometimes wrongly) politicized in this country. In my recent days of enlightenment, I have realized I am most likely not going to change anyone's political opinion, and further, that has never really been my goal. Controversy is a good way to alienate and cause strife, and I don't want to do either.

My aim is to challenge us all to think about how our spiritual life and beliefs should be manifest in everything we do, every day. While I personally remain passionate about certain issues, in this forum I'm hoping to back away from what tends to cause division and steer toward that which unites and encourages. I'll do my agitating elsewhere. (I do reserve the right to challenge believers to be socially responsible, but will try to limit my thoughts to that which happens outside the political process.)

I claim to be an optimist, and I need to put that assertion back at the top of my list of priorities. I've been a little gloomy lately, and it's time for a change. Let's make a pact, what do you say? What if we try to find common ground even when we disagree, find joy even when things aren't going so great and love one another no matter what? It's a new day dawning on a new season, and I'm back on the Good News train!

Better Or Bitter?

A question I have heard asked of someone who suffered a terrible loss in his personal life was, "Will this make you better or bitter?" It's a question I ask of our country on this, the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001.

Have we made good choices, as a nation, in the past ten years? Was the decision to retaliate the best course of action, given the toil it has taken? The cost is measured not just in dollars, trillions of them, but in horrific loss of human life and limb. Several thousand U.S. military personnel have died, along with well over 100,000 civilians in the Middle East. The passage of another 50 to 100 years will give us a better perspective on the success of the so-called war on terror. In other words, time will tell.

But in the process of it all, has the soul and spirit of our country been damaged? Do we, collectively, continue to feel the impact of the attack, causing us to fear and worry? The grieving process has been long and difficult, but after ten years, we should all have permission to believe it is time for healing to get into full swing.

Commemorating the bravery of the firemen and other rescue personnel who labored selflessly during and after the event is a good way to remind ourselves what is best about human nature and will help us overcome feelings of defeat and loss. Incessant focus on a lurking enemy, harboring constant fear of when the next attack might be and fomenting distrust is not a good way to heal, and will not make us better. Let us please leave the worst behind and move forward.

Let us focus, instead, on what is recorded in the book of Philippians, "....whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things....and the God of peace will be with you." (verses 8-9)

There is good in the world, and many reasons to remain hopeful and joyful. Concentrating our thoughts on the best, on an overcoming spirit within us, is the way to peace and healing. Focusing on the worst, is the path to bitterness. Better or bitter? I choose better, don't you?

A Labor of Love

As Labor Day approaches, I'm reminded of the story in Matthew chapter 8 which describes a landowner hiring vineyard workers. The first group is hired early in the morning, while subsequent groups are hired at various time throughout the day, with the last group going to work just one hour before quitting time. When it is time to be paid, the last ones to be hired receive a full day's wages, as does everyone else, including the first ones hired. The first ones hired are indignant because they are not paid more than the others.

The ones who worked the entire day are not so much angry over the amount they are paid -- they receive their promised wages -- they are upset because of the unfairness of the situation. Their perception is that the last workers hired got a nice bonus which they didn't deserve.

The first laborers hired, "...grumbled at the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.' But he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius [standard day's wages]? Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?' So the last shall be first, and the first last." (verses 11-16)

One of the foundational teachings of Jesus is to proclaim the kind of equality described in this story, to promote the poor and to provide equal footing to all, regardless of one's social standing, or what others think someone else may or may not "deserve." The celebration of Labor day has its roots in the early labor union movement, specifically efforts to end harsh working conditions, thereby giving a voice to those in poverty. As such, I believe it is probably one of the more "Christian" holidays we celebrate in America. Christmas and Easter commemorate the birth and death of Jesus, but Labor Day could be viewed as a celebration of the way Jesus lived: encouraging work and productivity, while teaching the vital importance of caring about what happens to other people.

His life was a labor of love. Let us always pursue the same line of work as Jesus.

Progress and Choices

What blocks progress? Beyond the forces of nature and occasional events beyond one's control, progress is hindered by the choices we make. Whether consciously or on a subconscious level, it is a natural tendency to blame other people and/or our circumstances for our lot in life. But our reaction and response to any situation rests squarely on each of us, individually. We are responsible for choosing to help or halt our own progress. (And, of course, I am keeping my potential, expected readership in mind as I write this. What I discuss here would not apply to those living in Somalia, for example, who are living minute by minute at the mercy of circumstances.)

What guides our choices? Many things, of course. As a general rule, choices which move us forward in a beneficial way are guided by a set of principles based on right conduct and are helped along when we are well-informed and willing to admit there might be a different way of doing things other than the way "things have always been." On the other side of that, things like selfishness, greed and a stubborn refusal to consider other opinions and ideas will stop forward movement, in just about every way.

In the areas of health, happiness and spiritual growth, we often feel "stuck" and without options. But are we really, or is it possible our daily decisions are keeping us from improvement? We know that sitting on the couch, watching TV and eating a piece of cake is not a superior choice to having a couple of carrot sticks and going for walk, but how often does the television win the battle in our war with self-control? (Don't ask me that question; I'm not telling.)

Similarly, for the most part, we are not ignorant of what promotes spiritual well-being. Faith, hope, love, kindness and joy lead to peace and progress on our journey through life, and qualities such as these are not mysteriously bestowed on us; they are up to us to choose, just as worry, fretting, fear, unforgiveness, hate, stinginess and whether or not we're in a bad mood are all within our control.

My encouragement to us all is to look inward to see how we can change ourselves and look outward not to place blame or criticize, but to seek how we can help others along as we all travel the Way. Let's choose the good news and move ahead.

God Insurance

My niece recently shared the following story about her baby: "A couple of weeks ago when we were going to have Teddy baptized, our younger nephew asked his mom and grandma, 'Why do we want to have him hypnotized?' They said not hypnotized, baptized. He asked what baptized means; his older brother told him it meant 'God insurance.' "

Kids certainly can be funny (and sometimes, painfully accurate) can't they? It brought to my mind a conversation I had this week about what the word "Christian" means. One friend commented that in American society, calling oneself a Christian is almost like trying to have a "Get Out of Jail Free" card, and many of those who profess to be Christians "don't want to leave home without it."

These days, rather than Christian, I often prefer to call myself a follower of Jesus, a believer or disciple (student) of Christ. For one thing, Jesus did not call his followers Christians, they were first called that at Antioch (see Acts 11:26) a number of years after his crucifixion. Another reason is, even though those who call themselves Christians know what they mean when they use it in reference to themselves, the term, I'm afraid, has a negative connotation for many, who equate it with dogmatic formality, dreary inflexibility and misplaced zeal.

Jesus did not teach the importance of following traditions and practicing elaborate rituals; in fact, he spent a great deal of his time trying to free people from thinking God wants to be confined to earthly buildings and that one needs to follow a complicated set of rules and laws to please and obey him.

Baptism is one of the few "rituals" in which Jesus himself participated. One other I can think of is communion. I wouldn't consider doing either one to be simply an effort to feel "insured." These two things represent heartfelt love and obedience.

Whatever one chooses to do to express religious beliefs, it is not my intent to question anyone's sincerity or devotion. Each of us knows our own heart and no one else can, but I do want to challenge us, myself most of all, to think about and study why we do what we do in the name of Christianity. If it's only because "that's the way it's always been," or to fit into a specific mold made by society and not by Jesus, maybe we're merely paying our monthly premiums toward a "God insurance policy."

The Journey

My family and I recently returned from a weeklong driving trip which covered over 3,000 miles. While we did have a couple of particular destinations in mind, for the most part, our vacation was more about the journey than where we were going to end up.

We love the natural beauty of the country as well as man made oddities and attractions. We enjoy stopping at scenic overlooks and at almost any claim of the "world's largest" anything. This trip included a stop at the world's largest hand-dug well in Greensburg, Kansas. Greensburg has another claim to fame. It is a small Kansas town which was decimated by a tornado in 2007. When deciding to re-build, planners made it the "greenest" (environmentally-friendly) town in America. It is fascinating to see their creative approach in coming back from a devastating loss.

Mount Rushmore, the Badlands and Devil's Tower were some of our favorite sites, but along with those we saw the continuing shameful plight of Native Americans, extreme poverty in areas of Colorado and Kansas and Joplin's destruction. Breathtaking beauty exists alongside sobering heartbreak; this is true on vacation and it is a fact as we live our lives every day.

I view our individual spiritual journeys in much the same way as I think of my recent vacation. It is vital to live in the moment and make the best of every situation, embracing the beauty while not trying to deny the pain. Because life is uneven, because we often struggle with the cares of the world, it is easy to dismiss the present and get caught up in thinking God must be preparing us for some great plan or future project. Even though that might be true, how we behave on our way there is most important. We should not concentrate exclusively on "someday." Because of life's uncertainties, it is "now" which should be our focus.

Living with passion, loving unconditionally and helping where we can must be our daily goals. If all we think about and long for is a better future, we miss golden opportunities today. Appreciate the journey, letting the beauty inspire you while not allowing the sadness to overcome you. And if you're ever near Greensburg, go see their big well.

What Will We Do?

There are some who long to return to the days of the kind of government which prevailed under the reign of our founding fathers, with few regulations and no income tax. If you are an adult, white male of at least average intelligence, that might work out for you, but for anyone who doesn't fit into that entire description, it might not be so enjoyable.

Let's consider the good old days: Women could not only not vote, but had most other rights sharply curtailed. Anyone who was poor, down on their luck, mentally incapacitated or either too old or too young to take care of themselves and had no relatives, had few options and usually become little more than indentured servants, or, slightly later in our history, were at the mercy of supposedly charitable organizations who answered to no one and were quite often less about charity than about abuse of those in their care.

Children were treated as property and were used as their parents (and others) saw fit. There were no child labor laws, no mechanisms in place to prevent the abuse of children, and the results were tragic. If you were a person of color, any color that would not match the skin tone of someone from a socially-acceptable European country, of course your plight was worst of all.

I am fairly certain most of us believe government regulations and tax codes have gotten out of hand. But do we believe it is possible and practical to return to the days when government intervention in the lives of individual Americans barely existed?

There is a solution, but it requires those who claim to follow the teachings of Jesus to unite and become serious and creative in our approach to those living in sorrow and poverty around us. There are certainly enough resources in the hands of churches and individuals to address the ills of society (and the world) in spectacular fashion.

But the question is: Christians, are we ready to mobilize to take care of all of the children currently in foster care, the elderly in nursing homes with Medicaid paying the bill, those who are struggling with mental illness, living with domestic violence, with addiction issues, with poverty and pain? If we are, then let's not ask corporations and billionaires to contribute to government coffers, and let's cut social programs.

The Church has been at the forefront of social change throughout our nation's history. Now may be the time for our generation to answer the call. If the current political course continues, we'll find out if we're ready.

Working Together for the Greater Good

I am overwhelmed by the way the cast and crew of the recent Avenue Theatre production of "Willy Wonka" worked together to create something wonderful. This isn't just a thank you for their hard work and dedication (even though it is that), this is a recognition of something special. Yes, it was just a play, and, as with any community theater production there are things which could have been better, but if the world functioned the way this group did, every situation which looms before us, causing worry and distress, would be solved. I have no doubts about that.

Over the course of a few weeks, fifty people amazed me at every turn. Consider this: When added together, thousands of hours of rehearsal, organizing, set building, prop gathering, decorating and more were required to produce seven, two-hour performances of "Willy Wonka." Not only did they receive no pay, as is typical with community theater, but they bought their own costumes, sold sponsorships and tickets and chipped in extra money for the cast party and lovely gifts for me, the director.

Whether on stage or behind the scenes, many were called upon to do things they had never tried before, and they did so without complaint even when I was quite demanding, wanting them to do their best. Our handful of truly experienced participants helped others along and never displayed a "prima donna" attitude. If there were disagreements backstage, I didn't know it; everyone dealt with problems which arose and worked through them. New friendships were forged.

When I thought of how to try to thank the cast and crew by recognizing each one, individually, I knew I would do a disservice to those who took on tasks behind the scenes which I knew nothing about. The generosity of those involved cannot be overstated; all gave freely, whether of their time or resources or both.Whatever their background, profession or station in life, it didn't matter -- all that mattered was the task at hand. And that certainly didn't include just the "glamorous" stuff, performing on stage or meeting and greeting adoring fans, but also: set changing, curtain opening/closing, doing make up, loaning personal items to use in the play, helping with publicity, working at the concession stand and box office, picking up trash/cleaning up after the show, etc.

Can you imagine how different our current "debt crisis" would be if decision-makers would lay aside their egos and work for the common good? If they didn't care about recognition or getting credit for their ideas? If lawmakers were willing to not only give up their salaries but also ask their friends and family to contribute to making progress? If creative thinking and a willingness to cooperate would prevail?

The cast and crew bring to mind several verses in the second chapter of the book Philippians. "make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." (verses 2-4)

My joy is complete with regard to everything they did. Don't you wish Congress would take a page from the same play book?

Our Image of Jesus

A conversation on a related topic this week has me thinking about my image of Jesus. How do I imagine him? Not just his physical appearance, but how do I think he behaved? What were his mannerisms? What kind of personality did he have? If he is our example, as scripture says, then perhaps we should spend some time thinking about the kind of person he must have been.

We do know Jesus wept at the death of his friend, Lazarus, so he was not robotic and emotionless. This is also evidenced by his recorded anger at unrighteousness and injustice on several occasions and by the tenderness he showed, as well. While scripture, perhaps, provides few specific instances of his outward joy, it is easy to think of him smiling often, laughing easily and singing. Visualizing Jesus as solemn and stoic does a disservice to him and the life he lived. It can also deprive us, (and those around us, if we become sour and judgmental), of a joy-filled existence.

While we may sing "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," do we think of him as someone we would enjoy spending time with, who is supportive and encouraging? Or has he become just a figure from long ago in flowing robes, perhaps portrayed only as a shepherd, a teacher or a dying man on a cross?

I think of Jesus as vibrant and strong, smiling and friendly, creative and intelligent. He was straightforward. He didn't tell anyone what they wanted to hear, but what they needed to hear, and he managed to do it in a way that was not insulting. He promoted dignity and respect, especially for the least of those around him. His love is unconditional, but he pushes us to grow spiritually and get beyond behaviors which are destructive.

I believe he urges us to live simply. To stand up for those who are poor and downtrodden. To display passion and purpose. He doesn't fit into the mold that many, especially in the political realm, have cast for him. I see him breaking free of traditional wisdom and conventional thinking and challenging us to be a better individuals every day. He is not hateful, spiteful or mean, and for those who would do harm or say hurtful things to others in his name, I suggest a thorough re-thinking of their image of Jesus

Gratitude

I am grateful today. Grateful for my family and friends. For living in a community where I feel safe and in a country where I am free. For health and joy. For life and love.

My son-in-law wrecked his car this week. When someone pulled out in front of him on the highway, John managed to avoid a three-car pile up even though it sent his vehicle spinning down the road before flying off of an embankment, totaling his car. He's sore and bruised and whiplash hasn't been ruled out (he was wearing his seatbelt; it broke), but he walked away, and in fact, within an hour of the incident he was on stage at our local community theatre performing the lead role in "Willy Wonka," the musical.

As I reflect on the ups and downs of life, the what ifs and the big picture view...I am grateful. My blessings are many.

Outrage and Actions

I remember reading in "The Week" last year about a little dog lost at sea in a burned out ship, and the mass effort and amount of money spent rescuing it. (The article is also posted online and is actually an excerpt from the book The Hidden Brain ©2010 by Shankar Vedantam. Here is the link for those who would like to read it; he makes some interesting points. http://theweek.com/article/index/106310/the-little-dog-lost-at-sea)

The article outlines the story of a 2002 incident which spanned nearly two months and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars (including at least $250,000 from U.S. taxpayer funds) which finally led to the dog's rescue. Vedantam addresses the thinking behind why we seem to connect with one individual (dog, in this case, but humans in other instances), but mass suffering is easier to dismiss. He notes:

"The philosopher Peter Singer once devised a dilemma that highlights a central contradiction in our moral reasoning. If you see a child drowning in a pond—and you would ruin a fine pair of shoes worth $200 if you jumped into the water—would you save the child or save your shoes? Most people react incredulously to the question; obviously, a child’s life is worth more than a pair of shoes. But if this is the case, Singer asked, why do large numbers of people hesitate to write checks for $200 to a reputable charity that could save the life of a child halfway around the world—when there are millions of children who need our help?"

I did not watch the Casey Anthony trial and am not entitled to an opinion as to her guilt or innocence, but the situation does remind me of the "one child versus a million children" moral dilemma. I am certainly saddened over the death of her beautiful little girl, but at the same time, I can't help thinking of the millions of children who die from preventable causes each year, around the world and in the United States. Their passing is not generally greeted with the same outrage as Caylee's has been, even though, in many cases, their deaths are the result of the policies of our own country, including wars we have started.

As we (rightfully) mourn Caylee Anthony, perhaps her death can also serve as a reminder that tens of thousands of other beautiful children suffer and die every day. While there's nothing we can do to bring Caylee back, we can strive to cherish all children, just as Jesus did when he took them in his arms and blessed them.

Our Failures Are on Display

A "Letter to the Editor" which recently appeared in my local newspaper, The West Plains Daily Quill, left me stunned and puzzled after I read it. A man from Florida told of his initial intent to make a donation to the Red Cross for relief efforts in Joplin in my home state of Missouri. He had written the check but forgot to mail it before he left on vacation. While driving through our area on his way home from Iowa, someone in an SUV with a Missouri license plate cut him off in traffic, causing him to swerve and "miss his exit entirely."

He concludes his letter by saying, "Upon arrival home I went to my desk where I voided the entry in my checkbook register, then opened the envelope and shredded the check. It takes only one bad apple to spoil the bushel. That SUV driver was the one."

After reading the details, I found it difficult to imagine why he was motivated to be charitable in the first place (perhaps for a tax deduction; he did feel the need to also mention he was driving a new car with less than 2,000 miles on the odometer), but it is mind boggling that his philanthropic impulse would be squelched so easily. (His car was not damaged, and missing the exit he mentioned, likely required a detour of five minutes or less to get back on track.) Deciding to "punish" Joplin because of the actions of one inconsiderate Missouri driver requires quite a leap in logical thinking.

It reminds me of those who reject Jesus because his followers don't always live up to his teachings. If Red Cross officials could somehow magically have made that SUV driver do the right thing on the highway so the Florida man would have gone ahead with his donation, I'm sure they would have done so. Similarly, Jesus can't force believers to do the right thing, either; the choices we make every day are ours alone.

And while the choices are ours, we need to remember our choices often affect others, and when we make poor decisions, someone will almost always be watching. It's not fair that Joplin got gypped because of a bad motorist, but that is, unfortunately, the way some people think. And it may not be fair that we need to be on our best behavior because others are watching, but it is a fact of life and why we should strive to be better every day. But if you ever see me do something silly in traffic, I hope you'll give me the benefit of the doubt, and also, don't blame Jesus; he's not the one doing the driving.

Our Response to Hate

When faced with the hatred which emanates from members of the organization which calls itself the Westboro Baptist Church, there are three basic responses: ignore their actions, react inkind (or even with violence) or respond with love and forgiveness.

It is difficult to ignore these hate-filled loudmouths with their obnoxious placards and venomous words, but refusing to acknowledge them or give them the attention they crave is a better option than sinking to their mean-spirited level and "returning evil for evil." However, the best option is to respond with love, and it seems to me, for the most part, that is what happened last Sunday at the funeral of Pfc. Warren England in Gainesville, a small community not far from where I live.

Even though some angry words were exchanged between the Westboro group and other funeral attendees, area residents were standing up for what is right and acting out of concern for the grieving family. Love does not always mean we will hold hands and sing "Kumbaya" (which is what a friend of mine recently said seems to be my approach in dealing with our enemies). Love is not an emotion; it is an active, powerful force, and Jesus, who was the master of love, had harsh words for religious people who had lost their focus and misplaced their priorities. He did stand up to them.

But he also forgave them, and that is key. He prayed they would see the error of their ways and turn back from evil. Extending forgiveness toward the Westboro group should be our ultimate goal. Not forgiveness which gives them the green light to continue their misguided rants or approval of what they're doing, but forgiveness which hopes they will repent and change.

That is an unlikely scenario in this case, but praying for them is our calling as believers, and if we follow the teachings of Jesus, love is our only choice. We can't control the behavior of others, but we do have the choice to control our own actions. The forgiveness we extend is not for them (because they are not asking to be forgiven); it is for us. We must not let the Westboro group win by becoming like them. Love in the face of evil is the ultimate victory, because it transforms us, even when our enemy never changes.

Thoughts on Father

I realize how truly blessed I am to have had a dad who loved me, cared for me and would have done anything in his power to help me in any way and make me happy. I know not everyone is so fortunate as I am to have had a father who made it easy for me to believe there is a heavenly father who has my best interests in mind and loves me beyond measure.

No one I have known has had a greater influence on my life and my beliefs than my father. He died two years ago, but his words and his ways are always with me. I often marvel at how his early life was, in so many ways, sad and tragic, but his conquering spirit made him an overcomer, not bitter or resentful about his past, but grateful for what he had been given and able to move on.

The youngest of four children, he never knew his mother. When he was just two months old, in 1918, she died in the influenza epidemic. From there, his situation went even further downhill: passed around amongst relatives, ending up with an abusive stepmother, running away from home, working on an uncle's ranch and not getting the share he was promised, serving in WWII, his brother killed in action, lost love and more. He didn't ask, "Why me?" Moving from his beloved Colorado to the Ozarks after the War to be near my mother's parents, he also never asked, "What's in it for me?" He was loving and giving, and willing to put the needs and wants of others ahead of his own.

He was not perfect by any definition, but he is the best example of Christian love I can point out. Even though I know he had a temper, he did not speak angry or hurtful words. No one was allowed to call anyone else "stupid" in his presence. Insofar as it was up to him, he was a friend to everyone he met. He was the least judgmental person I have ever known; I never heard him point out anyone else's faults or mistakes or even speak an unkind word. He simply did not gossip. Ever. He was honest, generous, and he loved to laugh and sing.

He also never quoted Bible verses to make a point, never told me (or anyone else) what God did or did not have to say about a particular matter, kept his religious leanings to himself and at many times wasn't even a regular attendee at church services. But everything about him made me want to be a better person, and he is still my inspiration.

My thoughts on Father's Day: All of the religious things you'll ever say will never be as important as the example you set for your children every day. Talking about Jesus will never have the impact of doing your best to live the way he taught us we should.

Marking the End of the Easter Season

Today is the official end of the Easter season for this year; it is the celebration of Pentecost, a holy day commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus. In observing it, I am reminded of what happened in the lives of those first believers in the days following the resurrection of Jesus, concluding with Pentecost. Days which present some of the most compelling reasons why I've chosen to be a follower of Christ.

After Jesus was crucified, a transformation took place in those who were closest to him which changed them forever. Prior to the crucifixion, we see a group of followers -- especially the twelve disciples, who had been learning daily from him for three years -- who consistently demonstrated a lack of understanding of his message. There were constant questions. Doubt and confusion were common. They never seemed to "get it."

For example, John and James (the "sons of thunder" who wanted to call down death from above on the Samaritans) argued about wanting to be seated in a place of honor in Heaven, even though Jesus said his followers were to be humble servants, not concerned with power. And, as we see from the story of how Peter denied Jesus three times after his arrest, the disciples were, initially, timid, to say the least, about stepping forward in defense of Jesus. But something happened to change that.

There was no compelling reason for the disciples to perpetuate the story of a risen savior unless they believed it was true. They had not been living in luxury or occupying a place of power or influence as followers of Jesus, so there was no worldly reason to want to continue teaching the Way which he proclaimed. In fact, what happened to Jesus would suggest, that for their own safety, they should just go back to their day jobs and be quiet. But they didn't. They left behind their old lives and carried the words of Jesus to faraway places, planting seeds of faith which would eventually take the message around the world.

Something happened to those early followers which can only be explained if they believed Jesus is who he says he is. A ragtag bunch of misfits don't change the course of history unless they are transformed by a power much greater than themselves. For me, their witness provides overwhelming evidence to believe in the power which changed them.

A Simpler Way

This week, when I was thinking about writing my column for the West Plains Daily Quill, I was at a bit of loss for words, so I did what I sometimes do in that situation, rely on inspiration from the classic devotional book "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. The scripture reference is, "Look at the birds of the air. . . . Consider the lilies of the field . . ." (from Matthew 6:26, 28), and I share it today.

He writes: "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin -- they simply are. Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, and the moon -- all of these simply are as well -- yet what a ministry and service they render on our behalf. So often we impair God's designed influence, which He desires to exhibit through us, because of our own conscious efforts to be consistent and useful. Jesus said there is only one way to develop and grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, 'Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me.' In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you 'will flow rivers of living water' (John 7:38).

"We cannot discover the source of our natural life through common sense and reasoning, and Jesus is teaching here that growth in the our spiritual life comes not from focusing directly on it, but from concentrating on our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows our circumstances, and if we will stay focused on Him, instead of our circumstances, we will grow spiritually -- just as 'the lilies of the field.'

"The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and 'the lilies of the field' -- simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us."

It often takes an effort of our will and way of thinking to concentrate on the beauty around us and the joy of simplicity. But when we do, we free ourselves to grow spiritually, and our witness to others is likely to be far greater than many sermons combined. When we focus on activities and the world racing by around us, it is easy to become agitated and distracted from God's best for us. Instead, we discover his character and nature in the quiet times, when we allow ourselves simply to rest and breathe in the depth of God's love.

Looking for Answers

As my home state of Missouri begins to come to terms with the aftermath of the deadly tornado which crushed Joplin a week ago, I consider how it is human nature to try to make sense of tragedies, to understand why trials and tribulations befall certain people, while others appear to breeze through life with one blessing on top of another. This tendency to question the fairness of life drives some people away from religion because faith is not an adequate answer for them; it offers too many vagaries and not enough solid evidence.

Others who question, turn to religion to make sense of things, and sometimes that results in trying to reach logical conclusions where an analytical finding can never be applied. This kind of attempt at logic with a religious twist can lead to misguided decisions (convoluted end-of-the-world prediction dates, for instance); judgments about why some people are sick or afflicted in some manner or theories as to why tornadoes strike certain communities and spare others, for example.

However, the teachings of Jesus do not focus on making sense of circumstances. In fact, his central theme is love, and unconditional love simply doesn't make sense, it is beyond reason.

Jesus wants his followers to transform the world, but he does not claim we will always understand everything which happens along the way. He tells us not to fear, not to worry, and by implication, not to spend time trying to figure out why life turns out the way it does. I have experienced pain and heartache without faith and with it, and I am content to choose faith and place my trust in God. The mental agitation which is a result of constant fretting and questioning is not a productive use of time, and "figuring things out" is not as satisfying as we think it will be.

Jesus does not always offer explanations for what we see unfolding around us. He invites us to see with eyes focused not on this life, which is fleeting, at best, but on that which is eternal. And what he does offer is peace that passes understanding which we can embrace every day, especially during times of tragedy. Our neighbors in Joplin don't need our theories; they need our love, compassion and help, and, let's not forget, so does our neighbor down the street.

Priorites

As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer I have heard heartbreaking stories of abused and neglected children, the most vulnerable members of society. We all know what sometimes happens to children is deplorable, but after what I discovered this week, I will add to the list of deplorable acts against children, what our elected officials are considering which will affect funding for the CASA program.

According to Beth Dessem, Executive Director of Missouri CASA, "The continuing resolution that Congress just finalized for fiscal year 2011 imposes a 17.2% funding reduction for some Justice Department accounts, which includes CASA programs. We estimate this will impact 2,500–2,900 children who need volunteer advocacy in the coming year. We must now ask members of the House of Representatives to urge appropriators to restore funding for CASA programs in FY 2012 to the FY 2010 level of $15 million."

I was shocked to discover the total federal budget for CASA programs across the country is only $15 million, but more astounding is that even that paltry amount is on the chopping block. ($15 million is certainly paltry when compared to the $20 billion in tax breaks extended to big oil companies by the Senate earlier this week. The oil industry cannot be numbered among the "least of these," who Jesus commands us to help.)

There are tough choices to make when addressing our budgetary woes, but the priorities of our elected officials are shameful and disgusting. And it would seem what they are doing is becoming more and more far-removed from the wishes of the majority of Americans.

Do you know why Sodom was destroyed? Not for the reasons you might think. Here is some eye-opening and sobering scripture from Ezekiel 16:49-50, "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it."

If believers do not let their voices be heard by holding elected officials accountable for taking care of the poor and needy, we are placing our country in a precarious position. Not that I think God is going to rain down fire and brimstone, but I believe we are in danger of destroying ourselves. How can we be the greatest nation on earth, if we don't take care of the weakest among us?

Let us demonstrate the love of Jesus and make a difference in the lives of those who are powerless to speak for themselves. The time is now to turn bad news into good news.

What Now?

I post this on Mother's Day because if I could have one wish for today, it is that no one's son or daughter would ever have to die in a war or by violent actions again. Many say it can never be, but the unlikeliness of the possibility doesn't stop me from promoting peace; seemingly impossible dreams come true every day for those who won't stop trying to change the world.

There are those who call me naive (and worse) for the way I interpret the teachings of Jesus, especially in light of my blog last week, which ironically was followed just hours after I posted it by the announcement of the death of Osama bin Laden. Even though I fight my own feelings of creeping cynicism every day, I stand by what I believe Jesus meant when he instructed us to "love our enemies."

For civilization to continue, criminals must be brought to justice. I believe the military operation last week which resulted in a criminal's death was as close as we can get, by earthly standards, to justice being served. But it has been ten years since the 9/11 attacks on the U.S., and it is not justice which prevailed during that time. I believe when the first Iraqi civilian died because of the actions of our government, justice was replaced by revenge, and we became more like our enemy and less like Jesus.

Even those who want to subscribe to (and do some fancy twisting of its application) the Old Testament rule of "an eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth" would have to admit that once the civilian death toll in Iraq and Afghanistan reached just one more than the number who died on 9/11 -- a milestone we passed many times over, several years ago -- then we could safely say we became no better than our enemy.

The Old Testament is full of tales of war and vanquished foes. But, ultimately, it would seem, all of that fighting did not serve the Jews well; they are a nation living in the shadow of violence on a daily basis. That is one reason why the teachings of Jesus were so radical in his day; many Jews were expecting a conquering king, not someone who was more interested in promoting love than encouraging revenge.

To frame the context of what Jesus told his followers about loving their enemies, we need to realize they were living in a time when the Romans were a cruel occupying force, and Herod was willing to slaughter babies to stay in power. Wouldn't it seem a real leader would want to do something about that situation? Yes, and I believe Jesus taught what he did about our enemies, because he knew what works, and what doesn't.

Instead of a temporary victory over Rome, Jesus wanted to break the cycle of violence forever when he said in Matthew chapter 5, "You have heard that is was said, 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also." And, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Chapter 12 in the Book of Romans is what could be called a Christian's "war manual." It concludes, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

The past ten years have been a disaster for peace. Thousands of our own troops are dead, thousands more maimed, and it is widely accepted that in Iraq, alone, over 100,000 civilians (perhaps many more) have died because of "the War on Terror." Billions of dollars have been spent. And worse, our society seems to have become immersed in a culture of revenge and hate.

As a result, there are difficult questions we need to ask ourselves. Is this the way a "Christian nation" should represent Christ? What have we really accomplished? Is it possible we have become no better than our enemy? And, finally, what now? We have killed one foe, but what about the next and the next and the one after that? When and how will the violence ever end, and at what cost to the Spirit of Jesus?

Fire From Above

I saw some good bumper sticker wisdom this week on a truck which pulled out in front of me. This may not be an exact quote because I didn't write it down right away and may not be remembering correctly, but it was something along the lines of, "When Jesus said to love your enemies, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean kill them." That's about as straightforward and to the point as it gets.

I find it fascinating how some Christians have taken an opposite stand to that teaching, especially when it comes to the alleged threat that "Muslims are trying to destroy our way of life." Jesus, the reasoning goes, would never approve of us standing idly by and letting that happen. But there's a story in scripture which is a perfect illustration, it would seem, as to why believers should not condone that line of thinking.

In Luke chapter nine, we read, "When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, 'Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?' But He turned and rebuked them, and said, 'You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.' " (verses 51-56)

The Samaritans of the New Testament were, basically, ancestors of the Muslims of today. In this story, they did not want Jesus in their village, and the logical conclusion is because of their religious differences. (Samaritans were not Jews, and Jesus "was traveling toward Jerusalem," indicating he was a Jew). James and John were insulted and outraged by the Samaritans' rejection of Jesus; they evidently thought God was "on their side," and would be willing to destroy the village with fire from above. (An interesting parallel to modern weaponry, wouldn't you say?)

But Jesus set them straight. He did not bring a message of destruction or division. He brought a message of salvation and peace, and he apparently was not threatened by the mindset of the Samaritans. The spirit displayed by James and John seems to be the guiding principle behind much of what is happening in the Middle East right now, but the Word seems fairly clear on this matter; a spirit of destruction is not the spirit of Jesus.

A Time to Give

John chapter 12 records an incident which happened just days before the crucifixion of Jesus. Mary, the sister of Lazarus, "took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. . . . But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 'Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor people?' Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, 'Let her alone. . . For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.' " (verses 3-8)

Aside from the beauty of the extravagant love toward Jesus shown by Mary and the hypocritical attitude of Judas, the statement in that section of scripture which always leaps out at me is that the poor are always going to be with us. As the story is recorded in Mark, Jesus adds the statement, "and whenever you wish you can do good to them." (14:7)

Poverty is certainly nothing new. Because of a variety of circumstances -- death of a spouse or parents, disability, a generational spirit of poverty, etc. -- there have always been those who have depended on others just to get by. And it has always been, and always will be, the job of those with resources to assist them. While we are to be good stewards, we are also instructed to "give to him who asks of you." (Matthew 5:42)

As the Easter season draws to a close, I can think of no better way to honor Jesus in our lives than by a renewed effort to bless others. With our money, with our time; we should not fear being taken advantage of, we must remember Jesus commands us to give.

For anyone looking for a way to help in the West Plains area, I suggest making a call to our local homeless shelter, Samaritan Outreach Center. They are needing donations of food for their pantry, but also volunteers to give even a few hours a month to help in the office. The phone number is 417-257-7792.

Special observances like Easter and Christmas tend to bring out the best in all of us, but it should be our job to take these times of inspiration and let them propel us to give on a daily basis, because poverty doesn't stop after the holidays are over.

Cherishing Children

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, established by the Department of Health and Human Services to increase public awareness of the need to ensure the safety and welfare of children. For my own community, there is a horrible irony in that statement (a four-year-old boy was killed by his father this week) which should propel us to think about the plight of all at-risk children around us, and to cherish all children, everywhere.

As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer, I have a bit of insight into the legal/protective system put in place to ensure the safety and welfare of children in our area. In many ways, it is a broken system, and that's not because the individuals caught up in it aren't, for the most part, trying to do the right thing. Overworked and mostly underpaid, with resources being cut every day, the people charged with taking care of the kids who end up in protective custody have some of the least-enviable jobs in the country.

How can we go about improving the system? Specifically, what can the faith community do about it? Because I believe it is the job of the Church to rise up and help address this shameful situation.

First, not every person is in a position to be a foster parent, or even a CASA, but I call on pastors in every community to be informed about the needs of these vital programs and to present those needs to their congregations. Where I live, the lack of local foster care providers is a huge complicating factor, with kids from our county who have been removed from their homes being scattered all across the state in various facilities, (many of which aren't much better than where they were living before, quite honestly). This forces the people who work with them to use precious time and resources to go where the kids are, and the children end up being neglected, even within the system.

Aside from what individuals can do, there are churches in every community with enough resources to open residential homes for children who need a safe haven. I call on church members to form committees and investigate how to go about it. A few committed individuals, working together, could make a huge impact on foster care needs, while at the same time having the opportunity to help salvage children's lives, showing them what compassion means and breaking cycles of abuse and neglect

Jesus looked on children as precious, and he cherished them with his lavish, unconditional love. He calls on us to do no less.

Springtime and Hopeful Change

I like to stay busy. When someone says he or she is sitting at home bored, I can't even imagine how that feels. Right now, without even trying too hard, I can think of a a half-dozen projects which need my attention and at least that many more I'd like to start. I have two or three books I'm reading at any given time, one I started writing a year ago which I need to finish and one book already published which I should be promoting. I think many of my friends are the same way -- there seems to be so much to do and so little time to do it.

This morning, I took a few minutes to prop my feet up and stare out the window. I don't do that often enough. While I do have as part of my daily routine, time set aside each morning to pray and read, I don't sit and stare enough, don't take time to soak up the details of what is happening around me. Today, many of the trees are just beginning to have that light green springtime "glow" of tiny leaves and buds. I know that by next Sunday, the landscape will be even more dramatically alive, and it is my loss if I don't take time to enjoy it.

But even in my quiet contemplation, my mind goes to what is happening in our country and how there are significant changes on the horizon. Framed in the context of the new life of springtime, nothing seems too bad, nothing seems impossible. I like to think about possibilities because God is the God of possibility.

Our country has gone through many trying times in the past, and it has not been the end. Out of a revolution came a nation based on democratic principles. Out of a civil war came freedom from the scourge of slavery. Out of a worldwide influenza epidemic came modern medical advances. Out of World War II came the knowledge that war at that level must never happen again.

We'll get through whatever we need to, and it is up to the moderate majority of believers to lead the way. Our hope and faith must be strong, and our activism must be real. We must let our leaders know how we feel, and we must not give up. To my young friends, in particular, now is your time to rise up and decide what the future of this country will look like, what YOUR future will be. Don't give up, friends. I say again, as I say often, better times are ahead. I have to believe it.

Better Times Ahead

Recently, I have had occasion to listen to/read several messages, from various sources, which lead me to believe perhaps a critical mass is nearing which will bring tremendous change in our society. I do not say that to incite fear; I say it to encourage hope. It is time for significant change; we are not going down a road which is sustainable.

I heard the phrase yesterday "normal bias." In short, it means it is human nature to think life is going to continue along on the same track indefinitely, that things are going to remain the same, even in light of significant evidence to the contrary. An example was given regarding the Jews in Germany prior to WWII. They could not believe Hitler was really gaining power and would do the things he said he would do. Even when their friends and family were being hauled off to concentration camps, and they would have still had an opportunity to escape, many of them did not, because they were in disbelief of what was happening around them.

We must strike a balance in preparing for different days ahead, without living in fear. There is much to inspire us in this regard, including a lovely book I read this morning, loaned to me by a friend, titled, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. It was written in 1989 by Henri J.M. Nouwen, who provides a simple message which is incredibly timely and strikingly beautiful.

Quoting from the book: "The Christian Leader of the future is the one who truly knows the heart of God as it has become flesh, 'a heart of flesh,' in Jesus. Knowing God's heart means consistently, radically, and very concretely to announce and reveal that God is love and only love, and that every time fear, isolation, or despair begins to invade the human soul, this is not something that comes from God. This sounds very simple and maybe even trite, but very few people know that they are loved without any conditions or limits." (Emphasis added.)

God loves each of us, and he has a good plan for our future. Let us not be alarmed by change. Simpler times are ahead, and that is not a bad thing. We must not worry incessantly and be afraid; those emotions are not from God. We must be hopeful and encouraged, loving and forgiving. Let us be at peace and trust in better days ahead.

Notes on the First Day of Spring

Dear Winter,

I know many of my friends don't understand how I feel about you. I think most of them don't even like you, because some of them have said fairly mean things about you. (And I think more of them are whispering about us behind my back.) But I don't hold that against them. They have a special relationship with Summer, which I also don't understand. How could they prefer sweaty, sweltering heat and ticks and mosquitoes and dusty wind blowing hot and burning their eyes? But I digress. This is my love letter to you.

As I went for my walk this morning, I was glad there was a bit of your chill left in the air. I picked a handful of daffodils, leaping up from bulbs which my mother had planted many years ago, and I was reminded that springtime is when she died, while working in her yard, no less. I don't hold that against Spring, because it does have some nice qualities, but the thought of my mom's passing did make me sad. (And secretly, I do think Spring had something to do with it.)

I notice that I didn't get the leaves raked in the yard at Mom and Dad's house after Autumn dumped them there last year. Autumn, I know there are those who adore you, and your weather can be delightful, especially when you remind that Winter is on the way, but you're so messy. I wish you could pick up after yourself instead of making me feel obligated to do it. My Dad's words echoing in my ears, "You have to keep the leaves raked from around your house, because if there's ever a fire, your house will burn down." Autumn, this leaf situation is your fault.

But I am not trying to assess blame here. I am merely telling you, Winter, how much you mean to me. I may be blinded by your beauty, but you make me feel so comfortable and creative and peaceful. I also realize not everyone thinks you're beautiful, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

So, I will close for now, with the acknowledgment that every season is different, and we all have our own reasons for picking a favorite. We're all different, and that's okay, or it should be, anyway. I will be content with Spring, Summer and Fall, but please know, Winter, I am waiting eagerly for you to return. I miss you already.

Love,
Terry

Balance

The last few days have been filled with extremes. Certainly in my own life, but in the world as well, as we all know. On Wednesday, I found myself advising a new acquaintance of mine regarding the importance of trying to find balance in life, and I woke up this morning hoping I have found it in my own.

Some of you know I'm the Executive Director at the Avenue Theatre in my hometown of West Plains, Missouri. In the past ten days there were seven different things going on at our little community theater -- seven! That's a record number. With those events, I interacted with hundreds of people, and a full range of emotions came into play at the way various situations were handled (by myself and others), including (on the perhaps not-so-pleasant end of the scale) frustration, confusion, anger, sadness, disappointment. When creative personalities are involved in projects....well, look out; the drama is not always contained on the stage.

The thing about those kinds of emotions, which on the surface seem only to be destructive, is they tend to stick in our memories because they are mentally draining and often consume large chunks of time as we try to "fix" the problems they create. But in spite of chaos, and often because of it, creativity arises. It rises up, and I believe it triumphs.

I've been witness to an incredible amount of creative energy and original thought in the last few days. And yesterday, it registered with me how many young people I came into contact with who have such astounding vision and strength. With a few exceptions, they are from West Plains, most of them still living here, a few living elsewhere but with strong ties to home.

There's the group of elementary school kids who had been working on a play for months, and they performed it for the community last week. They had basically been bribed into it by a teacher and were not originally enthused about performing it, but they had so much fun, that now they want to come back to the Theatre and present it to their classmates.

Then there's our amazing group of Fine Arts Academy students, ranging in age from seven to seventeen from a wide variety of backgrounds, but with big hopes and dreams. There were the dancers and singers in the shows and concerts, brimming with talent and enthusiasm, culminating last night with the young men from "Ha Ha Tonka" who are kicking off a nationwide tour to promote their new album. Of the four band members, three were born and raised in West Plains.

A short film was shot at the Theatre this week, and I was overwhelmed at the level of professionalism and dedication to detail displayed by the young people involved, proudly we can claim most of them as from our small town here in the Ozarks. The creative process, as it unfolded, was inspirational. I was also in contact with young visual artists, dreaming of making a difference, of turning the world upside down.

It seems as though it should have been an exhausting week, and in many ways it has been. But this morning, I am energized. I am filled with joy and hope for the future. I don't claim to know when and how the world will end or even what that might mean, exactly. (Many of the Jews in the time of Jesus missed his message because they interpreted prophecies incorrectly, and I think there may be some of that going on now....just my theory. The return of Jesus might mean something different, might look different, than what Christians have been taught in church over the years.)

What I do know is this: All of us have a limited amount of days on this earth, and to let our minds dwell only on what seems wrong, to focus on the sadness and despair without balancing those feelings with confidence that God can cause beauty to rise out of ashes, is a waste of precious time.

Let's say a prayer for those who are hurting around the world, and celebrate love. Tell a child today how important he or she is and let them know you are hopeful for the future because of him or her. Let us find ways to give consideration for possible changes down the road, while at the same time being careful not to stifle the enthusiasm and innocence of youth by bringing worries about tomorrow into today. Balance, my friends. We're miserable without it.

Grace

I read a beautiful piece this week, written by Shauna Neiquist for EmergentVillage.com. She wrote, "If arithmetic is numbers, and if algebra is numbers and letters, then grace is numbers, letters, sounds, and tears, feelings and dreams. Grace is smashing the calculator, and using all the broken buttons and pieces to make a mosaic. Grace isn't about having a second chance; grace is having so many chances that you could use them through all eternity and never come up empty. It's when you finally realize that the other shoe isn't going to drop, ever. It's the moment you feel as precious and handmade as every star, when you feel, finally at home for the very first time." (You can find the link for her full comments on my Facebook wall.)

Those of us who recognize the grace which God has extended to us know he is the God of infinite chances; he never writes off anyone as being beyond redemption and hope. When we rest in the knowledge of God's unconditional love toward us and his boundless grace, we have courage, strength and peace, and it should also prompt us to pass along compassion and grace to every one we meet.

People everywhere, all around us, are hurting. Some pain is emotional, some is physical, and much of it is spiritual. Many feel as though they have no purpose, no hope, no reason to go on, and those who feel that way are often not pleasant to be around. They can be crude, argumentative and difficult to love, and sadly, some of them will never change. But believers are called to extend grace toward all, whether we feel like it or not. Often, we are the only light in someone's dark world. We don't have to be everyone's best friend, but at the very least we should not return an insult with another insult. Surely, we should be able to manage a smile, maybe even a kind word.

Grace is what everyone longs for, even when they don't know it's what they need. And since grace has been extended to us, no matter how badly we have behaved, we need to look beyond the bad behavior of others and see their pain. Those of us who realize how precious we are in God's eyes, must do what we can to make others feel precious and valuable, too. Honestly, most days I'm not that good at it, but I want to learn to lay aside criticism and live a grace-filled life.