Turning our lives around

Grace and greetings.

It has been several weeks since I wrote anything here or on Facebook. I hope to fill you in on our lives here in the North Slope; but tonight I am going to get back in the swing with my meditation from this evening.

“Turning Our Lives Around”
Ephesians 4.25-5.2

This is a continuation of the reading from last week, reminding us that we are one in Christ; One faith, one baptism, one Lord and Father of All. As we hear the writer from the Letter to the Ephesians, how we are to deal with each other. It sounds so easy, but like many other simple ideas and concepts, they are hard to keep up and follow.

As we follow the reading, we are told that it is okay to become angry, and we do. But that we are not to hold on to our anger, especially over night. If we need to speak to somebody about our anger, speak in a way that will build up the Body of Christ, not to tear it down. We each think that when we “speak our peace,” we do so meaning to encourage one another. But in reality, all we do is continue to anger and frustration rather than bringing about true peace.

We hold onto our anger and grief; our resentment and bitterness. I can speak to my own holding on to my hurts and frustrations throughout my twenty plus years of ministry. Soon it becomes too much for me, and I will speak words that I do not mean to speak, and they will come out at the wrong person at the wrong time. We are reminded to be imitators of God. God can be angry with us, but God forgives us, and welcomes us back.

What would the world look like if we were able to live this simple statement? Would the world be a different place if we did not hold onto resentment, bitterness, wrath and anger? Let us start in small places where we have the ability to make those decisions, starting one day at a time, one moment at a time.

What would our lives look like if we looked at each other as Christ sees us, with love? How would that change our responses to each other? This is not something that is going to happen all at once, but we can try. We can try one moment at a time. If we stumble, holding onto our anger and resentment; give it to God, let God hold onto it for you. Let God wash the situation; let God wash your resentment and wash the other person with love. See where that takes us. Then build up on it, one moment at a time, once here, once there, and see how our lives can be turned around by God’s love that works through each and every one of us. “Forgive each other as God has forgiven you. Be imitators of God as beloved children. Live in love, as Christ loves us.” Amen

Peace and blessings

Bright Thursday morning

Grace and greetings.

We have made it to Anchorage on our two week whorl wind tour.  We spent the Fourth of July with my brother and his family in Portland; enjoying the time with them; the fireworks and the excitement of the neighborhood fireworks setting the neighbors lawn on fire that was quickly put out.

We spent a week in Seattle shopping, seeing old friends and being able to spend time with my sister and her partner.  We looked at schools for Sam, and the winner so far is the Art Institute of Seattle.  They have several Bachelor of Arts programs.  The two tracks that Sam is interested in is "Animation" and "Digital Film."  He is leaning towards the film making but we will see what happens over the next year or so.  One of the pluses for the Art Institute of Seattle, is that it is a three year program, but goes throughout the year, which means one can not spend the summer making money to pay for the next year.

Tuesday Kim finally had her court date with the Social Security Disability judge which was held via video teleconference.  The judge had two witnesses: a psychiatrist and a vocational expert.  Our attorney was impressed that the judge had done her homework and reading Kim's file.  Because of that, after Kim's testimony and the one of the other experts, the judge ruled that Kim fit the definition of disability without all the other testimony we were ready for, including me.  That is a big relief for us.  Now Kim needs to figure out who she is now that she has been declared "disabled." 

The rest of the week here is going to be spent doing the normal vacation type events: catching up on movies, shopping, doctor appointments and seeing a tour of some of the glaciers tomorrow.  Since there is no movie theater in Barrow, Kim and Sam came down with a list of movies in mind.  The movies we have seen so far: Star Trek, (with my brother and his family), Wolverine, Angels and Demons, Transformers, Night of at the Museum, and Harry Potter.  For me, the best was between Harry Potter and Star Trek; for Kim it is those two and Angels and Demons; for Sam it is Wolverine.

Well, it is time to get some breakfast.  I will try and post our time with the glaciers later, after I can up load the pictures on our own computer.

Peace and blessings.

Grace and greetings.

Kim and Sam have now joined me in Seattle. We spent the July 4th weekend with my brother and his family in Portland, and we promptly were sun burned.

While we are back in Seattle for this week, Sam has been catching up with some of his friends and so are we. We have done many of the tourist stuff, like buying clothing, shoes, etc; and of course eating out at real restaurants that we have been wanting to try again.

Last night we were able to make it to the Texas Rangers-Seattle Mariners game. We were hopping for good seats but still ended up in the upper deck, which of course the sun beat down on us until the fourth inning, after it finally became a wonderful night. Unfortunately the Mariners lost 6-4, where just like last week against the Angels, the Rangers scored all their runs on home runs.

What is amazing at the moment, is that we have not seen that many movies yet. In the past when we get out of Barrow, the first thing Kim and Sam check out is what movies are playing. We have only seen two so far, "Transformers" and "Star Trek." Though Kim and Sam really loved Transformers, I thought it was a let down from the first one, and too much fighting of the transformers, still had a hard time figuring out who was who.

Today we are on our way to a church retreat to see some friends that we will miss if we go to church tomorrow. Then we will have dinner with my sister and her partner. Then we leave for Anchorage on Monday for Kim's Social Security Disability hearing on Tuesday.

Well it is time to get ready to go out into the "HOT" Seattle weather...okay it is only in the low 80's, but it is hot for us.

Peace and blessings.

A Walk on the Beach

Grace and greetings.

Yesterday, I went for a walk on the beach. To get down from the retreat center to the beach I had to take a set of stairs that I was told that was equal to a ten story building. Once I got down to the beach, I saw things that I have not seen in a while, sea weed, algae, sand dollars, shells and more algae, and more drift wood. Along the way I found a carving in the sand wall. I was first attracted to the shell below the carving, then I found the carving. As I walked along the beach on Puget Sound, I found a few other carvings as well.

After about an hour and a half of walking, I realized that I did not put on any of the sun block that I purchased on Sunday for just this occasion, oh well. By the time I got back to the retreat center, my arms were a little pink. It was not until over night that the slight burn on my arms and parts of my legs showed up. After all the time out, I was very luck that it was a very mild sun burn, it could have been a lot worse.

We have three more days here, then Kim and Sam will join me from Barrow and we will head to Portland to spend the July 4th weekend with my brother and his family.

Peace and blessings.

Monday in Seattle

Grace and greetings.

I have made it to Seattle for a conference on Preaching. Like the picture here on the left, I will be looking backwards in this blog. I took the picture while waiting for Samuel to get out of his driving class out at the college. While sitting there, I noticed the telephone poles in the mirror and just liked the way they lined up, one can tell that they go on into the distance, but able to see each pole by itself.

The past week was long; I was trying to get things tied up so I could leave, but also dealt with other matters that drains the person mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. But I also was able to play volleyball again; that by it self can restore my soul. It felt good to be on the court, and not having my knees hurt. I think it goes back to earlier in the year when the doctor injected my knees with steroids and a pain killer, as well as taking glucosamine/chondroitin. I had tried the glucosamine before, but I guess I did not take it long enough, or I did not give it time to work with my body. This time I had been on the glucosamine for about a month before I started to play volleyball.

I had not been able to load my pictures from the camera to the computer, so I had to wait until I got a new cord in Seattle. I ended up buying a card reader, but it would not read the card. Then, while looking around on my computer, I found a SD slot for the card, and it loaded right up. Here all this time I was waiting for something so I could share my pictures, and I had it with me all the time. The same can be said about our relationship with God and each other, sometimes we feel that we need to do something, or be about something, instead of just letting God do the work with us and it happens.

Well, it is a fantastic afternoon here in the Seattle area, so I am going to go out and enjoy the trees, as well as the rest of the area.

Peace and blessings.

Happy Father's Day

Grace and greetings.

Following this morning's service, I had the opportunity to speak with my father, wishing him a "Happy Father's Day." He said they got up and went to church, then out to eat with some friends, enjoying their day. They had arrived shortly before I had called, and being true to my father, he was starting the grill for some chicken.

Here, we had lightly blowing snow, but now it is sunny. Though today is also the Summer Solstice, we are not really affected here as else where, for the sun does not set until August.

Anyway, I got a chance to relax in between services to watch the Angels-Dodgers game, only to get frustrated when the Angels blew both of their chances with the bases loaded and gave the game away. At least Matt Kemp scored the first two runs for the Dodgers. From what I understand from old classmates from Edison High School in Huntington Beach, that is where Matt went to school; not the same years of course...

I am not sure why I am also putting in my message from tonight's service, I feel burned out and tired, and this just seemed flat, maybe it will do something for somebody out there. Then again, it could just be a lousy sermon.

“OPEN WIDE YOUR HEARTS”
2 Corinthians 6.1-13

In the lectionary reading this evening, we pick up a few verses where we left off last week. Paul is still trying to get through to the Corinthians with whom he has had an up and down relationship with throughout the time since Paul helped start the Christian Church in Corinth. In reading of the two letters that we still have in existence, we realize that there are references to other letters that Paul wrote to the church, trying to heal the factions within the congregation.

Paul writes to the church on behalf of the other workers, stating they are “Ambassadors for Christ” coming to them with authority. But he also asserts that as we are all in Christ, we are ALL NEW CREATIONS; we are all made new. Within the newness of Christ, we should be able to put aside our differences and come together and sisters and brothers in Christ. Paul requests that they do not take God’s grace in vain; for God’s time will be when it happens, and it God’s time is now.

Paul appeals to the group in Corinth to trust in the message that Paul and the others working with Paul bring to the people. Paul writes of his troubles that he has experienced, in Corinth and throughout his ministry. Paul tells of his pain, his loss, and his love for the people of Corinth. Therein lays the message of Christ that is so often lost in the world of riches and might. So often in the world, we look to superior military might; we look at the riches of a person or nation. But Christ came with his strength in his weakness, by going to the cross. Paul too expresses his weakness means strength in Christ. The message is not as the world gives, but as Christ gives to us. As we empty ourselves, we find God.

All too often, we end up in arguments in the church. Sometimes those arguments can be summed up with the quote: “The reason that fights in churches get so vicious is that the stakes are so low.” We find ways to divide ourselves over petty differences. We get into arguments over the color of the carpet; over who is doing what for which committee; who got snubbed at the nominating committee; whether a picture or flags belong here or there. The arguments are not over salvation or how to fully use our gifts for the betterment of the Realm of God.

It is this type of arguing, over the pettiness of the church, that Paul is writing to the people of Corinth and to the people of the future church. Paul is telling the people of Corinth, that like any parent of an adult child that is misbehaving, and fighting tooth and nail to prove it; Paul is saying, “We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.” (Verses 11-13)

Open wide your hearts to God, and as we open them wide to God, we will be opening them to each other as well.

Peace and blessings.

Rotarian Again

Grace and greetings.

Tonight I joined the Rotary Club again. I was a member when we lived in Columbus, Ohio. Sam was born while I was a member, and for the first year of his life, I could swear that he had a better attendance record than several members; the same could be said of Presbytery meetings at the time. Now I am a member of the furthest northern club, (any real surprise there?)

After the meeting, Kim and I drove around a little so Kim could have some time out of the house. As we were driving, out of the ice we could see lone seals here and there. This was the first time that I have seen a wild live seal up here, cool.

We are also trying to get the church ready to paint, though the weather has been some what dry, it still has been pretty cool, high 20's to high 30's, but the wind chill around 25. Hopefully we can start painting sometime next week.

Right now, other than trying to get Sam to do something other than watch TV or be on the computer without World War Three, life is going along about the same right now. No funerals at the moment, but several weddings scheduled. I get to get off the North Slope next week with a conference in Seattle for a week. Then Kim and Sam will join me in Seattle, and we will have a little more than two weeks in Seattle and Anchorage before coming back to Barrow for two weddings. Good reason to be coming back.

Peace and blessings.