Day #787

February 26, 2016

What a privilege to finish up conversations this week with those discerning the call to ordained ministry. The four conversations all reminded me of those days in my own life - wondering where I would be for a year, who I would be with, and what it would be like.

It also gives me hope for the future of the holy catholic church. To "meet" these servants who are anxious to live out their lives doing what God has called them to do - to be a light to the world and to accompany others on a journey of faith - encourages my faith in Jesus' church.

Yes, it has been a privilege and joy. Prayers for all as they continue. And thanks be to God for them!

Blessings.

Day #786

February 25, 2016

The word for the day: thankful!

• To have been a small part of someone’s life, along with being grateful to have been welcomed in. 
• For time spent with others. 
• For words of encouragement and appreciation. 
• For different perspectives shared.
• For safety on a gravel road.

Yes - a day to be thankful!!

Blessings.

Day #785

February 24, 2016 

Another entry from Daily Grace brought to mind something to share. On this date the question was asked by Linda Post Bushkofsky: what books are you reading? That resonated with me. After all, in the last couple of years my reading of books (and magazines, blogs, etc) has increased. You may have noticed as I often quote here in the Daily Intersection from something I'm reading.

Without doubt, what we read helps form our minds, hearts and faith. Does what I read build me up - and thereby the kingdom - or tear me/it down? I hope the former.

So what book am I reading right now? It is one for a class I have been attending called The Church of the Second Chance by Jens Soering. Through it and the discussion in class, my thoughts and actions regarding the justice system in America are being challenged. It is good reading - thought provoking reading.

What about you, what are you reading? Anything you would like to recommend?

Blessings.

Day #784

February 23, 2016

While it is true I am not a parent, I do know dozens. So when I saw this "Measure of Success" in Daily Grace, a devotion by the Women of the ELCA, I thought it might be helpful, even for non-parents. And that it was written by a former seminary professor made it seem even more helpful.

How does a parent measure success? If a child chooses to go to college or achieves prominence in a profession or in earning capacity, is that the parent’s ultimate measure of success? If we measure parenting in these ways, the flip side is cruel. How many non-successes could one have without being a total failure? Beside the big failures, there are the small daily ones: raising your voice, losing patience, spending too much time on work, missing opportunities to show them love. 

Lutheran theology of sin and justification by grace alone carries a powerful message to all parents: We all are prone to fail in one way or another daily. We do have control over how we meet the challenge of parenting however, by resolving to do the best we can, every day. Success is a gift of pure grace. It may not be something we can claim, but it is something for which to be very thankful. 

This message was adapted from “Parents and Success” by Kirsi Stjerna that appeared in the April 2004 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.

Don’t we sometimes act as if another person’s success depends on our being perfect in how we teach or guide them? Or that somehow what and how they do points to whether or not we have succeeded or failed? We all want to do the best we can, especially with children, but we all will fall just a little short of the mark. In those moments/times, I am certainly thankful for God’s love and mercy. And thank you, Dr. Stjerna, for your words and reminder.

Blessings.

Day #783

February 22, 2016

There is no greater honor in what I do than accompanying a family at the Funeral Home. It is a holy time.

And yet, being with someone in their final hours/days is truly holy ground. What a privilege to share Holy Communion and the assurance of God’s love and mercy!

Certainly I am humbled, and grateful. 

Blessings.

Day #782

February 21, 2016

What better prayer to pray on a Sunday morning than this one from The Moravian Daily Prayer:

Benevolent Creator, you have built a home for us in you. Through the Spirit of your Son, help us to welcome into your house those seeking your love and forgiveness this and every Sunday. We worship you and give you thanks. Amen.

And I AM thankful - for joy-filled worship, a great time in study, and faithful students and a fun confirmation class. All in all, a wonderful day - with even a little extra time for rest!!

Blessings.

Day #781

February 20, 2016

When I read this, I thought - wow, it sure says a lot!!

One Sunday morning at a small southern church, the new pastor called on one of his older deacons to lead in the opening prayer. The deacon stood up, bowed his head and said, “Lord, I hate buttermilk.” 

The pastor opened one eye and wondered where this was going. The deacon continued, “Lord, I hate lard.” Now the pastor was totally perplexed. The deacon continued, “Lord, I ain’t too crazy about plain flour. But after you mix ‘em all together and bake ‘em in a hot oven, I just love biscuits.” 

“Lord help us to realize when life gets hard, when things come up that we don’t like, whenever we don’t understand what you are doing, that we need to wait and see what you are making. After you get through mixing and baking, it’ll probably be something even better than biscuits.” Amen.

Wish I knew who to attribute this to, but it sure gave me something to think about.

Blessings.

Day #780

February 19, 2016

After talking about the Coaching Training, it seems appropriate to share a photo of some of my new coaching colleagues -

And this also seems appropriate to share as I wonder where the training will lead -

Blessings.

Day #779

February 18, 2016

There is some vulnerability in this Christian Coaching. There is the need for the coach to trust the person being coached. There is the necessity for the person being coached to trust the coach. Basically, there is the need for a mutual relationship of trust.

So when I read this prayer from God Pause for 2/18, it made me stop and really pray as Bruce Eldevik writes:

Loving God, you call us to shelter under your wings, but we resist. As the days and years pass, help us to rely less on the security we try to create, and more on the security you provide. Amen.

I suppose with a new Coaching focus, I could pray the same prayer in this way:

Loving God, you call us to shelter under your wings, but we resist. You call us to trust those you place in our paths, but we hesitate. As the days and years pass, help us to rely less on the security we think we have in our own determination and independence, and more on the security you provide through the hearts and hands and gifts of our brothers and sisters. Amen.

It’s good learning! And good reminders that we have a good and gracious God!

Blessings.

Day #778

February 17, 2016

I’ve been learning about coaching (no, not football or basketball) but Christian Coaching. And one thing that’s been driven home in the training - the conversation is always, always centered on, and about, the person being coached, not the coach. The focus is what the other person wants to talk about, work on, and set goals for, not what the coach thinks they should.

Well, isn’t that the epitome of caring for another - putting the focus on the other person? In a loving relationship, shouldn’t it always be about lifting up the other person? For in turn, they will be about lifting you up. But then that’s not the focus of coaching.

A primary focus of coaching is listening - deep, intentional, active listening. And when we’re really, really listened to gifts, talents and dreams can be uncovered and opened up that can be unleashed on the world to help transform it. Gifts that God has given us.

There may just be some definite holy ground in this coaching. Hmmm...

Blessings.

Day #777

February 16, 2016

This was a very affirming day. And I give thanks for the affirmation.

There were holy-ground ministry conversations with colleagues, which are always affirming. But then there was an out-of-the-blue visit by two individuals who just offered to pray for the ministry of the congregation. What can we pray for, pastor, regarding this ministry? What an awesome question - and prayer! But even more so, before they left one of them said, can we just pray for you, pastor. Pray for me! Well, certainly! Now there’s an affirming - and a humbling - moment.

Thank you for days like this, God. Show me how I can help others have more of them, too!

Blessings.

Day #776

February 15, 2016

I was reminded today of something that happened several years ago. As I stood up to preach one Sunday, a young boy looked up at me and let out the longest sigh. At the time I laughed, thinking he meant, oh no, not another sermon. You know, something like: are you really going to talk again??

Now it could have meant that he looked at me and sighed with appreciation - oh boy, another sermon!! Yay - you are going to talk again!! (The difference punctuation makes reminded me of Martin Marty’s article about the “?” and the “!” marks I talked about in Day #775.)

What specifically made me think about this event today? It was the thought I had that he meant: really, do I have to listen now, because there are so many other things I would rather be doing. Yep, truth is, today was one of those days I would have enjoyed playing hooky!

Maybe I am having the beginnings of a little spring fever. Or maybe it was just one of those days. But either way, I sure am glad God never has moments of wanting to be doing anything other than what needs doing!! And I’m also glad they only last a short time!

Blessings.

Day #775

February 14, 2016

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

What joy - and privilege - to remind the children today that God loves them. Thank you, God, we prayed, for loving us and help us love you!!

And then this from Martin Marty's article in The Lutheran magazine about curiosity:

For people who have decided that religion is all about answers, writer Edward Hays has a different idea. He imagines the question mark as a holy symbol. Whereas the exclamation point is emphatic and insistent, the "?" is really a bent over "!" that has bowed it's head in humility. Open to a spirit of exploration and wonder, the "?" is both a prayer tool of everyday people and a creative tool of artists, geniuses and explorers. We could say, "God is love!" Or we could say, "God is love?" Notice the wonder and astonishment in the second example, all because of a question mark. Building such curiosity into our Christian lives [and I would add our love lives] is not only our calling, it's also a vital clue to our depth as interesting people.

It occurs to me that when we decide we know the other, all about the other (including God), then we lose our curiosity, and thereby our interest. Prayers that we always keep that wonder and astonishment in our relationship with God - and with those we love!!

Maybe a revisiting of this reminder is appropriate after all!

Blessings.

Day #774

February 13, 2016

The scripture for Sunday is about Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness according to the Gospel of Luke, specifically Luke 4:9-13. Michelle Phillips has this to say in the “think” portion of the d365 devotion:

Reading today’s verses, I am reminded that faith is about just trusting that God is there. It’s hard. It’s hard to believe in something you can’t see. But that is what faith is all about. Faith is about assurance, a sense of security and peace that comes from knowing Christ.

Certainly Jesus was tempted to doubt God’s presence, and caring for him, while he was in the desert. Isn’t that probably the biggest lie the devil uses, though, that God doesn’t exist? Followed closely by the lie that God doesn’t love us or that we aren’t somehow worthy of God’s love?

Prayers that the faith God gives us reminds us - and gives us the power - to resist the temptation to listen to the devil's lies!

Blessings.

Day #773

February 12, 2016

The word for the day? Thankful!

For some time with my hubby - for a “date” night - for time to get some necessary paperwork started.

All in all - thankful!

Blessings.