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Perspective

Jun15

A few weeks ago, our pastor told a story.  I’ve pondered on that story several times since then.

Robert Farrar Capon wrote a lovely little book about the language of
theology called Hunting the Divine Fox. And he began it with a story
about an oyster who lived in the mud at the bottom of a tidal pool
between a rock and a starfish. The oyster’s self esteem was reasonably
healthy in the beginning. In fact, it was almost smug when it considered
the rock, a mere member of the mineral kingdom. starfish

The oyster was perfectly happy until it learned that starfish had a
very low opinion of oysters, making them the butts of what pass for
ethnic jokes in the starfish world and referring to them derisively as
“nothing more than a rock with a stomach.”

This revelation sent the oyster into an angry sort of depression. He
realized just how little he knew and wondered whether the life of an
oyster is worth living at all. Soon he was in an existential crisis of
Job-like proportions, and he cried out to God, “Let the day perish
wherein I was spawned, and the night in which it was said, ‘A seed
oyster has appeared’… Why do I live my days in doubt and darkness? O
that one would hear me, and tell me openly of the glories above…”

And to the oyster’s astonishment, a voice from heaven answered, “All
right, all right. But I have to make it short. It’s Friday afternoon.”

God goes on to tell the oyster that there really is a whole world in
which things can move themselves about, a world far beyond the starfish
even. The oyster hears about the magical realm of college basketball and
the wondrous movement of young girls’ knees and prima ballerinas and
squirrels. God tells the oyster that a squirrel hadn’t lost its footing
since May 3rd, 1438. (Borrowed from Rev. Scott Walters “The oyster, the starfish & the ballerina”)ballerina

Today while taking our pups on a walk near our house, I was reminded of this story again when Greg said, “Imagine – there are creatures that live and die within a few feet of where they are born”.  It’s hard to imagine this.  An ant or cricket never knowing about the dogs or people just 10 feet away walking along the trail.  A squirrel or bird never understanding tennis shoes or workout pants.  Bees and butterflies with singular vision – never comprehending people near by.

I don’t know about you – but these things fascinate me.  I want to understand them.  I can’t.  I have to ask the question, “are we too limited in our senses to comprehend the universe?”  The answer is YES.  That brings more questions – with no answers.  Dimensions beyond sight, sound, touch, smell and emotion.  Another time, another place.  A God space – beyond our understanding.

We are limited – this much is for sure.  We go on the best information possible and still we are left wondering.  I love that we are made to question – and have to believe that our curiosity and ability to be self-aware makes us special.  The creatures in the above story would never think to ask these questions, but we would.  My pups would never be intelligent enough to think about ballerina’s knees and basketball.  They simply wouldn’t comprehend it – and they’re not supposed to.  But we are.

I believe that because we can wonder and question, debate and suppose – is a glimpse into God’s very nature.  Him breathing through us as we are “made in His image”.

My son, Shawn and I used to have discussions that went late into the night about space and time and all related deep mysterious things.  We never solved anything – and in fact would make other people listening to us very dizzy – but we enjoyed it.  It made us feel very small – and very special.  To think that the God of the universe would create us – and not only want to relate to us but also have a personal relationship with us!  Incredible.

This Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image of a d...

This Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image of a dense swarm of stars shows the central region of the globular cluster NGC 2808 and its 3 generations of stars. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So as you are pondering that story above – I pray that you too would feel the magnitude of being very small in a great big universe.  And that you too would feel God’s great love pouring out.  As all mysteries are not yet revealed.  Things that are wondered about but still hidden.  May you get a glimpse of God’s perspective.  He is  bigger and knows way more than we could ever know.

 

God Bless

 

My Wingman

May29

A wingman (or wingmate) is a pilot who supports another in a potentially dangerous flying environment.

The traditional military definition of a “Wingman” refers to the pattern in which fighter jets fly. There is always a lead aircraft and another which flies off the right-wing of and behind the lead. This second pilot is called the “Wingman” because he or she primarily protects the lead by “watching his back.”

Wikipedia

I’ve seen movies where a “wingman” is very important to the pilot, such as “Top Gun” and “Pearl Harbor”.  I’ve always been fascinated with the concept.  That protection.  That feeling of safety.  Knowing someone has your back – priceless.

We all have humans in our lives that we think of in this way.  My husband Greg, for example is my “wingman” in every sense of the word.  He stays with me – protects me from unseen things, keeps me feeling safe, etc.

But I also have a canine “wingman”.  My puppy, Dexter.IMG_4259He takes his job seriously.  Barks at anybody near to me and gets agitated if he cannot get close enough so that he can protect me.  He is never far from me during the day.  When I’m in my office typing – he is at my feet or by my side – amusing himself with a toy or bone for hours at a time.  When I leave the room, he dutifully follows.  If I’m in the kitchen, he sits on the floor and watches everything I do.  When I sit to watch a movie, he joyfully jumps into my lap, his favorite place to be.  At night he cuddles up next to me – happiest under the covers with his head resting on my arm.

He is my “wingman” extraordinaire  :)

Of course this togetherness can get a little trying at times – especially when I have students coming and going during the afternoon for lessons.  His sharp barking reminds everyone coming in the house that he is trying to protect me!  And although very endearing – it gets annoying and I have to be firm with him and tell him to stop that barking!  But it is also sweet and loyal – how angry can you be with an adorable puppy who just wants to be with me?

It’s funny.  Our Bichon has never had any concept of “protecting” me.  She is a loveable, complicated, high maintenance, beautiful, and independent dog.  But she never stays with me very long.  Her favorite thing to do is go for a ride in the truck – go for a walk on the trail – or go upstairs and hide from Dexter – sleeping for several hours at a time.   Dexter loves to run upstairs and find her – jump on top of her and wrestle.  She will play along most of the time – and it’s cute when they play together.  But other times she will give a warning growl when she has had enough!  Sometimes in the evening we won’t see her from 7:00 – 10:30!  Not so with Dexter.  He is happiest when he can see me and be beside me.  Oh he’s not a perfect dog – barks too much at the neighbor dogs and most of the time will not come when called.

But I have decided that the positive far outweighs the negative.  I do love my little “wingman”.

God Bless

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To Remember

May26

IMG_5390This weekend

we pause from usual activities

attend Memorial Services

watch the presentation of the colors

view those in uniform

representing decades long past

and those still active

we see flags line the green grassed gravestones

observe family and friends of the deceased

as they mourn

reflect

stand silent

and quietly weep

There is a soberness

a reverence

a hushed crowd

those with hand over hearts

and those who salute

we stand unified

one nation under God

sing songs of patriotism

and pray

all of this

to remember

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A Unique Perspective

May25
Photograph of Shuffleboard at the Century Vill...

Photograph of Shuffleboard at the Century Village Retirement Community – NARA – 548567 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yesterday Greg and I had the opportunity to observe people in action.  People who manage a retirement community here in our area.  They were gracious hosts and showed us what they do to make a safe and comfortable environment for senior adults age 55 and older.  It is an independent living community, filled with many amenities, love and warmth.

The facility itself is large and beautiful – but what was impressive to us – were the people who live there.  Everyone was  happy, in good humor and eager to meet a new friend.  When we first walked up to the facility a couple of older gentlemen sitting outside the front doors flirted with me right in front of Greg,-  telling me that I had made their day – so cute :)   Greg got a real kick out of it and teased them back, which they found very endearing.  We walked in to  the large lobby where an art display was in progress.  The artist was a sweet lady in her 80′s that got started with art lessons at age 69!  There was wine and cheese and a display of her pictures with everyone milling around.  And we found to our amazement, someone we had known from a staff position at a nearby church about 5 years ago.  Greg had baptized this man and he had remembered the experience with fond memories.  It was great to talk with him and find out he had been in this facility for 19 months and LOVED IT!

In this unique independent living facility – the live in managers either make or break any feelings or atmosphere for the senior adults.  It was great to witness that this management couple was doing something right.  This kind of lifestyle is certainly not for everyone, but the rewards can far outweigh the drawbacks – because like church work – it is about people.  It is about ministry in the truest form – serving people.

Our unique perspective was in witnessing the dynamic of happy people living with a group of people who thrive on love, attention and time.

I think we are all like the people who live there.  We thrive when someone takes a special interest in us – someone who makes us feel special, our needs are important – and someone who really listens and understands.  It is a shame to think that we must become senior adults to have people pay attention to us in that way.

It is a lesson to all of us on this side of retirement.  It is a great reminder that life is short.  Enjoy each day as it comes.  Live each day to the fullest.  Listen to others.  Make others feel safe in your company.  Make others feel wanted and special.  Love on people.  Watch what happens.  See people  blossom right in front of your eyes.

 

God Bless

Finales

May18

20130516-redcarpet-29-650x380

This has been a week of season finales for some of our favorite TV shows.  American Idol, Elementary,  and The Office – among others I have recorded but haven’t had time to watch yet.   American Idol ended just as I knew it would – with Candace Glover winning the title.  She deserved it – she could sing circles around the other contestants!  I know we will be hearing a lot from her in the very near future!English: Steve Carell pauses for a moment to t...

In the case of “The Office” – (which our dear son-in-law, Drew started us on while he was first dating our daughter, Ashlee) it was the final season.  Something got messed up on my DVR, even though I went in manually and set the high priority for “The Office” and “American Idol”.  Sadly “The Office” didn’t make the cut.  Luckily we found it online and were able to hook up Greg’s Mac book to the TV and watch it that way.  There were several twists and surprises to this last episode and I must admit, I was actually a little teary when Steve Carell made a guest appearance for Dwight and Angela’s wedding.

In the case of “Elementary” I was glad to find this online also – as I somehow stopped recording in progress to get “The Office” recorded!  Good grief.  But all is well, and we got to see the finale of that as well.  I found this storyline VERY compelling.  Sherlock, who believes his lost love who died two years earlier is suddenly alive!  They are reunited, only to find out that he has been played and seduced.  The woman who was supposed to be everything he had wanted and loved, turned out to be his nemesis!  The actress playing Irene, ah – I mean Moriarty - was none other than the actress who played Anne Boleyn in the fantastic mini series “The Tudors”.  (I looked it up)  How could he have gotten it so wrong?  Did his feelings get so in the way that he was unable to see what she really was?  Even as brilliant as he was?  Yes. elementary_london_bSometimes the things we have rolling around in our heads is just plain wrong.  And has nothing to do with reality.  Have you ever thought something was actually true?  You believe it for so long – it occupied your thoughts, crept into your dreams at night, drove you crazy?  And then some time (maybe even years) later – you discovered you were wrong about everything?  You wasted your thoughts and time on believing you were right?  When people disappear  from your life – often it is because of another completely different reason.  Not the one you have romanticized in your mind.  Sometimes we have to stop the fantasy in our minds.  Stop believing for that happy ending.  Sometimes things are what they are.  No happy ending.  Just hard cold reality.  Not all people are kind.  Not all people have your back.  Not all people want you to be happy.  Sometimes they are so unhappy themselves that their true intent is to destroy you.  Sometimes they never loved you at all.  And when we can make peace with reality instead of a fantasy – it is a beginning.  A step to becoming and staying content.

Something happened to Sherlock when this happened to him – when he finally beat his nemesis.  He grew up.  He let go.  He took the fantasy and turned it upside down, inside out and started a beginning into a new life.  Seeing things clearly  allowed him to move on, be wiser next time in matters of the heart and mostly – it gave him his life back.

Can you relate to Sherlock?  Have you ever trusted someone with your thoughts, your words – even your very life?  You shared a part of your heart with them so intimate and rarely spoken?  You thought you meant as much to them as they did to you.  And then you found out they were not who you thought they were.  Have you been betrayed by someone you really trusted and loved?  Do you still make excuses for them?  Have they gone away and on with their life – and yet you are still holding out for them to come back and change?  Or like Sherlock, have you had a reality check?  You woke up to the cold hard truth one day.  Things are not what you always believed?  And guess what?  You are going to be okay.  This will not finish you.  This will not defeat you.  You will rise up to be wiser, stronger and yes, you will regain your life back.

It’s funny.  Life is all about trust.  We trust with all the ordinary things we do in our everyday life.  From sitting in a chair we are sure will hold us up – to eating something we are sure will not kill us – or at very least not make us sick!  Trusting people is a must as well.  We trust the bank teller.  We trust the wait staff in a restaurant.  We trust our parents.  We trust our pastor.  We trust our friends.  These are natural inclinations.  It is only when someone proves to be untrustworthy that we are reduced to being suspicious and cautious.  I believe we are born to be “trusters”.  I like living my life open and trusting – even though others, including my own husband have called me “naive”.

I have also learned that I cannot trust everyone I meet – even if they appear to be all about good intentions.  And this makes me sad.  But it has not defeated me.  I’ve had others try to beat me down, but it has not finished me.   I’ve learned the lesson that I needed to learn.  And with God’s grace, it has not made me bitter.  Nor does it make me look suspiciously on every friendly person that comes into my life.  I’m willing to give everyone a chance.  I have God to credit with that – it does not come naturally to me.  He works in and through my life, finding the good in people.  I look deeper than the surface.  I watch for what others do and not just what they say.  I look beneath just the superficial pleasantries and observe how they are with others, listen to what their friends say about them and watch how they handle themselves in difficult situations.  I remember that I am not very lovable at times either – and God found something worthwhile and worth saving in me.  And in spite of many hurts and slights from people over the years – this simple thought has given me my life back.

I am hoping and praying the same for you.

God Bless

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Waterwheel

May15
Daydreaming

Daydreaming (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s another blast from the past when you hear a song like the one I featured below.  I don’t know about you – but for me when I hear songs about childhood and things that children think about while playing and daydreaming, I can so easily go there.  Childhood should be at a wonderful time of simplicity and developing a great imagination.  I know this is not the case for many.  This is so sad.  I had a healthy home environment, we never had a lot of material things or money, but it was a great happy time.  I had a very keen imagination, including imaginary friends, playing outside under trees, (I played by myself a little too much) a few stuffed animals, dolls and even porcelain animals that each had a special name.   I was able to entertain myself for hours at a time.  This was a time before cell phones, emails and internet – nothing but a record player, a tape recorder, a few TV channels and radio stations.   I learned to develop a love for books and an active imagination.

Can you relate?  Then you must be from my era – growing up in the 60′s and 70′s.  Enjoy the song and see what memories stir when you hear these great vocals and lyrics.

God Bless

I hear you call me, waterwheel
Spin round, round in a circle
Gracing my child dreams on fantasy hill
Spin round, round in a circle
Flash! paddles sending a spray to the air
Lately, my thoughts are still-
With you there as you spin round,
Round in a boyhood daydream
Spin round My thoughts are drifting to a quieter time
(spin round, round in a circle)
Green covered slippery water-rocks I used to climb
(spin round, round in a circle)
Father and child walking down by the canyon
Lately, my thoughts are still-
With them there as they spin round,
Round in a boyhood daydream
Spin round© EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
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Skipping Ahead

May14

Sometimes with all good intentions, we think we are hearing and communicating correctly.  But if you have a mind like mine – you may be missing things and actually skipping ahead.

Check Engine light on a 1996 Dodge Caravan.

Check Engine light on a 1996 Dodge Caravan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This happened the other day.  I was sure that Greg had said something.  My car had a flashing “check engine light” all the way to church.  He had preceded me to church to play drums for the youth, taking part in the services.  I got to church and found Greg to tell him about the flashing light.  A solid “check engine light” is nothing new to this car.  There are things that eventually need to be fixed and we’ve done everything we can – or I should say everything we want to spend money on.  But this flashing light was something new.  As I finished letting Greg know – I was sure that he said, “I’ll need to call Steve about that and during the message I can go out and take a look – it’s the only time I have to do that”.  He started to walk back up to the drums and I asked, “do you have your keys to the car”?  He looked at me blankly for a moment and then said rather cautiously, “yes” – with a sidelong glance.

For a second I wondered why.  Greg never carries more keys on his person than he has to.  He usually never has my car keys because he has his truck keys.  But since retiring from a night window washing job he had been able to lighten up the load of keys he was carrying around for that job.  Maybe, I thought – he has permanently put my keys on his truck ring.  I guess that’s it, I reasoned.

The song service and special youth numbers came to a close and it was the time right before the message.  Greg came down from the platform and placed his phone and other papers beside me and said, “I’ll be right back”.  I thought, “good – he’s going to look at that light and make sure the car isn’t going to blow up while I’m driving home!”  In about 5 minutes he was back – sneaking in during the prayer time.  I whispered, “is everything okay??”  He didn’t answer.  I said again, “is it okay??”  He looked at me puzzled – as if he didn’t hear me and said, “what?”  I whispered directly in his ear, “the car – is it okay??”  He answered, “I don’t know I didn’t look – I went to the bathroom.”  “But didn’t you say you were going to look at the car during the message?”  “No”.

It was a most frustrating but amusing moment.  I had evidently skipped ahead to another whole chapter – maybe even two or three!  When Greg joined me at home later that morning we had a fun time trying to figure out just what he had meant.  He had absolutely no recollection of saying what he did!  Nothing about checking the engine during the message – nothing!!  You can imagine how we laughed when he thought I was asking him how he did in the bathroom!  And why was I asking if he had the keys to the car!  Funny – good times!

I was pondering this funny moment since it happened on Mother’s Day.  How many times do I skip ahead feeling justified to ask for answers, demand results and more often than I want to admit – am impatient with those not on our same page?  More than once – I can assure you.

This is a "thought bubble". It is an...

I hear and fill in those empty spaces with things I want – or that sound logical to me, forgetting that not everyone thinks like me.  This happens too often and reminds me that I must slow down - not only my words – but also my thought process.  Slowing down is hard for me.  My body may not always cooperate but my mind has always been quick.  I have always been a step or two ahead.  I am a planner.  I like to have things organized – especially in my thinking.  In this way I can feel in control.

But what does God require of me?

Be still and know that I am God

Psalm 46:10

There it is.  Be still.  What does that mean?  To be still is to be quiet in my mind.  Meditate on God’s love and peace breathed in my life.  Nothing else.  No agenda, no planning, no anticipating.  No skipping ahead.

This is a daily discipline for me.  To slow down.  Take one day as it comes with all its wonders and discoveries.  To ponder.  To relish, reflect and  to be still.

My prayer for you today is that you too will slow down.  You will appreciate the little things.  Take time to stop and ponder.  Really listen.  Stop planning three steps ahead.   To be still.

And may your spouse always be effective in communicating just what they mean.  :)

God Bless

Mercy Says No

May6

Last night we watched a wonderful story on forgiveness.  It was on Oprah’s new program, “Where are they now”.  Many years ago a brutally raped woman accused and put the wrong man in prison for this crime, due to a mistake on her part.  He had to be in prison for eleven years.

The story was unreal.  Can you even imagine being falsely accused by someone because you happen to look like the real criminal?  It seems horrific.  And yet this story has a powerful ending.  The man was released when DNA tests proved he was not guilty.  When the women found out her mistake she set about to rectify it.  She asked this man face to face if he could ever find it in his power to forgive her.  What he said to her next was so wonderful.  He told her, “I forgave you years ago – I had to let go of the poison of hate in my body so I could continue to live”.

As I watched the two of them who appeared on the Oprah show many years ago telling their story, and then an update to right now – their story did not end there.  They are close friends involved in each others lives today.  Their easy give and take is so genuine.  Truly love and forgiveness of even the most unspeakable things that people do to us CAN win out every time.  But that decision is up to us.

I have heard of people who were able to forgive their children or spouses murderers.  Stories of grace and God-given mercy.  It has to be God – in ourselves we are just not equipped to handle the emotions on our own.  We want revenge and for someone to pay.  But mercy says no.

Love Hope, Grace, Mercy, and Faith

Love Hope, Grace, Mercy, and Faith (Photo credit: nme421)

I think about what I deserve.  It is death.  It is wrath.   And I need to be reminded that if it were not for the grace of God I would be lost.  Because of that undeserved and unearned favor from God – and what he did to save me – I am free.  Freed by love.  Freed by something I could never repay.  Because of that example of total reckless abandon and outpouring – I can love and forgive others.  Oh it doesn’t come naturally to me.  In fact I don’t want to even talk to anyone who has hurt me – let alone invite them back into my life and live as if nothing has happened.  It is against my natural tendencies.  But because of God’s great love for me, I can take baby steps toward understanding this incredible kind of love.  I can take baby steps in showing grace – and in showing mercy.

I have a few people like this in my world.  Where it is an act of my will to just let it go.
I know that God will take care of them in the end.  But it is hard to
wait for that day that seems so very far away.  Where is the justice???  I don’t want to show mercy and grace.  I want them to pay and know how they have hurt me.  It is not a pretty picture.

When was the last time you had an encounter with the unlovely side of yourself?  The side that turns away, runs from conflict and those that have deeply hurt you?  Or the side of you that DEMANDS payment?  When was the last time you had an opportunity to show grace?  They didn’t deserve it.  They never will.  They deserved your wrath and exploding anger.  But you were able to dig deeper and lean on God’s great arm of forgiveness and understanding.  And instead of making them pay – you were able to let it go.  You found the strength to say, ‘mercy says no’.

My prayer for all of us today is that we can find that place to ‘let it go’.  I pray that you will come to that place where you practice the forgiveness that frees and releases.  I pray that you will continue to prosper even as your soul prospers, living happy, healthy and full of grace and mercy.

 

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