Aren't babies fun to watch?My granddaughter, Kyla, is eight months old. Every week I ask her mother, Katie, what exciting new trick did Kyla learn this week? Today Katie called to tell me Kyla pulled herself up to stand. (Wasn’t she just a newborn yesterday? I will turn around and tomorrow she will be driving a car or getting married!) Watching babies teach us in unexpected ways.Everyday is a new adventure for Kyla – new places to crawl and explore, learning how to pick up Cheerios and discovering their awesome texture and taste, squealing in different pitches and volumes – life is full of wonder and curiosity.Lord, when did I lose the wonder and curiosity of a child?How did this “I can do it all” attitude take over my brain?When did sarcasm, doubt, fear and anger invade my every cell squeezing out trust, faith and the ability to marvel at the ordinary?Lord I ask you for the eyes of a child:To giggle at silly noises and pay attention to the whispers beneath the clamor To peer deeply … [Read more...]
THIN PLACES
A Thin Place is a place where heaven and the physical worlds meet. The Celts use this word to describe the moments or places in our lives where the veil parts a little and we taste the sacredness or catch of glimpse of heaven.In Germany a few years back, exploring the monastery ruins in Disibonenberg, I felt the presence and walked the grounds with Hildegard of Bingen. Disibon, a missionary from Ireland to that area, built the monastery in the 600s. Perhaps he did create a thin place there.Recently I read a book of hope and healing titled Thin Places, a memoir by Mary Demuth. I recommend her haunting story about her broken childhood and the healing that takes places when she discovered God in her thin places.Even though I received this book at no cost in exchange for posting a review, I do highly recommend its reading. I also think Thin Places would make a great book club or small group discussion. Storytellers and writers will appreciate the rich language of this memoir. “Age grants … [Read more...]
Putting out into Deep Water – Lectio Divina – February 7, 2010
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Luke 5:1-5 (NIV)PUT OUT INTO DEEP WATER.Lord, what are you asking of me? Deep water isn’t safe. I can’t touch the bottom where I can have control. I drift at the mercy of the waves out there. I gasp for breath between gulps of salt water. I don’t know what is lurking below my feet as I franticly paddle to keep my head above water. And you want me to live this … [Read more...]
The Four Chaplains – Selfless Sacrifice
The U.S.S. Dorchester, struck by a torpedo, sank 67 years ago. I read in our local paper that our county’s American Legion Posts were commemorated the selfless act and sacrifice of four armed forced chaplains during World War II. They are honoring a story we all should not forget.Often just called the four chaplains, something inside me drove me to find their real names: Reverend George L. Fox, age 42 – MethodistRabbi Alexander D. Goode, age 32 – JewishPriest john R. Washington, age 34 – CatholicReverend Clark V. Poling, age 32 – Reformed Church in AmericaBriefly the story goes like this: The four were clergy serving the U.S. Army aboard the U.S. Army Transport Dorchester, when it was torpedoed with 900 men on board. The four managed to reach the deck quickly and worked to calm the frenzied soldiers as they passed out life vests. However, the ship sank quickly, the stock of life vests ran out—and the four chaplains handed over their own vests to save lives. They helped as many men as … [Read more...]
Angels: God’s Ambassadors
During the month of February, the Monday post will feature a book I am reading.Do you believe in angels?As part of my public speaking ministry, the most frequently requested presentation is on Angels: God’s Ambassadors. Interest in their existence and meaning peaked in the 90s, but in every group I speak to at least a couple of people will share their experience with an angel. Bookshelves are flooded with various books about these heavenly agents. During my presentation I mention the classic one by Billy Graham and several others, but always leave the listeners with a warning also. Many books about angels are just plain bunk. Be sure what you are reading is Bible based.I have a new one to recommend that is a solid reference: Angels by Dr. David Jeremiah. Now I have to give the basic disclosure here: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. But I am so pleased to have new Bible based material to add to my collection. The book is widely … [Read more...]
You Alone – Lectio Divina – January 31, 2010
"We bring nothing at birth; we take nothing with us at death. The Lord alone gives and takes. Praise the name of the Lord!" Job 1:21 (Contemporary English Version)Job lost everything, Lord, and how did he react? Did he curse You, ignore You, and deny Your existence? Did he whine, beg, or bargain? No, he did only one thing: he lay before You in worship. You hold everything in Your hands while I stumble through life falsely believing I am in control.My heart’s desire, Lord, no matter in times of blessing or in times of sorrow, is to praise your name.You alone are the Lord. You alone give us everything we cherish - families, friends, life itself.You alone know what the next minute, hour, year will bring.You alone fully understand the depth of shattered dreams, the pain of lost loved ones, and the heartbreak of betrayal. Daily I place my hopes, dreams, sorrow, disappointments, anger, bitterness, blessings, family, friends, writing, speaking, travel, worries and all I possess on Your … [Read more...]
Above All, Trust in the Slow Work of God
Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. Yet it is the law of all progress that is made by passing through some stages of instability and that may take a very long time. And so I think it is with you. Your ideas mature gradually. Let them grow. Let them shape themselves without undue haste. Do not try to force them on as though you could be today what time -- that is to say, grace --and circumstances acting on your own goodwill will make you tomorrow. Only God could say what this new Spirit gradually forming in you will be. Give our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you, and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete. Above all, trust in the slow work of God, our loving vine-dresser. Amen.Pierre Teilhard De Chardin wrote these … [Read more...]
Lydia, Dorcas and Phoebe – What do you know about these Biblical Women?
January 27 is the commemoration of Lydia, Dorcas and Phoebe by many churches including my own. I noticed this in the bulletin insert on Sunday and realized I didn’t know much about these three women. How much do you know about these women of faith?Lydia – Act 16· First convert in Macedonia· Women had more freedom in Macedonia than in other parts of the Roman Empire so it is not surprising she was an independent and successful business woman. · Seller of purple – her region was known for its purple dye. Purple dye, made from a certain mollusk, was extremely expensive. One use of it was for the stripes in the togas of Roman senators. Lydia's occupation suggests that she had considerable capital· Later sponsor of Paul and the Philippian church in her own home implying wealth and influence.Dorcas – also known as Tabitha in Aramaic -- both names mean "gazelle" -Acts 9· Peter brought her back to life· She is called a disciple and is seen as always doing good … [Read more...]