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In This Moment
Katrina
There is no avoiding Katrina today.
News images of disengaged oil rigs floating in the Gulf of Mexico, a broken US Highway 10 divided into pieces like a giant candy bar, houses filled to their roofs with surging water, as if set down into a giant casserole dish to marinate in the aftermath of Katrina's passing.
Earlier today Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco made this statement: "At first light, the devastation is greater than our worst fears. It's just totally overwhelming." Eighty percent of New Orleans is under water, but because the storm veered east before striking land, the city was spared a direct hit. What "worse" means in terms of material damage and life lost is thankfully out of reach tonight.
When I woke up this morning, the first thing that crossed my mind was a prayer of gratitude for the rain pelting down on my roof. You see, where I live, the rain has been an infrequent visitor this summer. My yard was crunchy and brown when I left for vacation at mid-August, and it was still crunchy and brown, and about the same height, when I returned almost two weeks later. The prayer in my devotional, the Moravian Daily Text, seemed like such a gift: "Jesus, help us to trust in your master plan this day. Strengthen and challenge us in ways that confirm your goodness to the entire world. Help us to release those whom we might have oppressed and allow your righteousness to rain down on us this day. Amen."
Although the people's lives directly burdened by the assault of Hurricane Katrina woke u[ with a different prayer of gratitude this morning, the gift in the devotional prayer is still real. Although unimaginable, the storm could have been worse, and other storms have been. The levees, built after a time when the waters had earlier poured into the city, at least partially protected New Orleans. Most people were able to evacuate the places hardest hit. In these respects, the aftermath could have been much worse.
The majority of the United States can breathe a sigh of relief tonight because we were not in the sites of the rain and the wind these past few days. The blessing is that there are more of us to bring order and reason and hope back to the Gulf Coast than have been devastated by the storm's wrath. And therein is where God's righteousness lies.
Until next time, God's blessings.
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In This Moment
The Feeding of the 12 Million
Perhaps you have heard of the famine in the Western regions of Africa. There has been some press, not a lot, as we here in the United States grapple with our own issues, particularly our involvement in Iraq.
But a famine does exist, affecting several countries, including Niger, a place the United Nations has called the second poorest country in the world. On its website, Concern, an Irish-based relief organization initiated to assist with the Biafran famine in 1968, offered poignant information regarding the plight of the Niger nation. In a country of 12 million people, 6 million are affected directly by the lack of food, 3.6 million are at risk, and of that 3.6 million, 800,000 are children. What drought, locust infestation and lack of enough seeds to plant new crops translates into is people barely surviving on eating a bowl of thin millet soup every other day. Most of us living in the United States have no way, intellectual or experiential, to even begin to hold on to this information long enough to grasp it, or understand it.
Organized relief efforts are underway, including by Concern, and have been all summer. Beyond worldwide awareness, the main issue has been creation of a distribution process once the food arrives. How do you feed 800,000-3.6 million people who need nourishment now in an equitable fashion ?
Although not dealing with famine conditions, the disciples ran up against food distribution issues in remote Bethsaida after a long day of preaching and teaching with Jesus. They were all for sending the crowd away to let them fend for themselves in the surrounding villages. Jesus disagreed. "But he said to them, 'You give them something to eat.' They said, 'We have no more than five loaves and two fish-unless we are to go and buy food for all these people,' for there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, 'Make them sit down in companies, about fifty each.' And they did so, and made them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. and all ate and were satisfied. And they took up what was left over, twelve baskets of broken pieces." Despite their initial reticence and subsequent confusion over Jesus' directions, the disciples figure it out, follow through and get the job done with great success. The crowd appears to have responded well and were grateful.
It's quite easy to judge the disciples as incompetent, as easy as it is to exonerate ourselves from any direct responsibility to understand or help a country so distant and foreign from our own. It is easy to smile about the befuddlement of these future leaders, and equally easy to settle our own consciousness with the belief that we have very little to share if we try to spread it out among so many people. But in our human dilemmas, God's directions, albeit not always printed on the side of a box ready to be read off in order, are usually available if we pay attention. In the Biblical account, Jesus basically told the disciples to divide the people into smaller groups, ask them to sit down and then proceed after asking God's blessing.
The concern contingent has moved forward in their task in much the same way. Having a larger crowd to assist, they have begun with 6,000 grateful people, and along with other agencies, will continue to move among the crowds until all are able to eat and be satisfied, no doubt also welcoming God's blessing.
Until next time, God's blessings.
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In This Moment
Organization and Creativity
Organizing is big business these days. Apparently the closets, garages and storage areas of American households are so stuffed with useless clutter we are drowning in our own consumerism. We don't just need homes with good closet space to store our stuff, we need professionals to come in to help us develop plans to clear out what we don't need and to develop the habits that will move us out of chaos into orderly, creative and productive lives.
Enter Julie Morgenstern, an organizational strategist with this great piece of wisdom: organization is personal and cannot be created with a cookie cutter solution for all people. Of all Ms Morgenstern's brilliant and creative suggestions, this one makes the most sense. We women learned a long time ago that "one size fits all" pantyhose was the biggest lie on the planet. That being a basic truth, what makes us think a day planner could be the answer to everyone's question, or that that $24.95 closet organizer could really divide the areas of concern to peacefully welcome all our clothing and accessories in an orderly fashion? One size doesn't fit all in anything, but that is the beauty of humanity and creation as a whole.
What Julie Morgenstern speaks best about is our individual ability to know our lives, and to frame our choices in ways that uncomplicate the whole process of living satisfied, full lives. Part of her directives include mapping out how an individual spends her/his time, having the person look at the map, and discussing how this all came about. The choices to keep or alter parts of the geography of the map come through deciding what is appropriate for that person.
For those who still believe that Rome was built in a day, and for those who felt overwhelmed getting the refrigerator cleaned out this morning, consider God's creation of the world: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and a darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters." (Genesis1:1-2) God didn't just decide one moment to create the world in the blink of an eye. God started slowly, worked on one thing at a time and took time to look at what had been accomplished before moving on to the next step. That first day had God dividing the light and the darkness, naming them Day and Night, and calling it a day. God rested, took the evening off and started fresh on the next project, firmament and water, and so on, until God felt comfortable with the project as a whole.
Framing creation as either a six day marathon or as God's Spirit interwoven in a process over millions of years of evolutionary development, the planet on which we live today was created in intimate detail and with thoughtful, loving intent. Our lives deserve that same consideration. Why do we believe we should reorganize our closets, our lives or our faith with the snap of our fingers? How would our lives look if we could? Squeaky clean, show house perfect and talk show slick, but not much else. And just as quickly, another snap could change it all back. There is abundant learning in the whole process of dismantling the old habits and reworking the new plan. All of that would be lost if recreation came so easily Without the plan and the steps, the lessons evaporate and we are back to complaining about an overloaded schedule and a crowded closet.
God, having begun with a blank slate, may be said to have had an advantage over us who are reworking an old plan. But with every action we take to bring order and clarity to our lives, we are making space for God to make something new happen in us, a continuation of the original creation.
Until next time, God's blessings.
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In This Moment
On Finding Our Way
Maps are funny things.
They are only good if you know how to use them. You have to know where you are, know what your destination is, and from that, apply your time frame to this representation of the larger reality into which you are about to embark.
But what if you possess an outdated map? Or, what about road construction, traffic congestion, flat tires, stops for food, rest rooms and general relief from the numbing ribbon of concrete and asphalt? What about missed exits, bad food and all the things that can go wrong to jostle us out of our plan, all the things that shouldn't be, but are indeed? What happens when all the things that are going wrong become the journey itself?
Somewhere between moving into the map and moving onto the road we all have things go as we have not planned, and we must discover the ways that work best for us to continue our journey and get where we want to go. Sometimes the discovery process becomes another journey altogether. And, sometimes we step just far enough into the unknown that we feel the earth shift beneath us. How do you take another step forward, or in any direction, when you no longer know where you stand?
I guess the first bit of wisdom is to take a deep breath, and exhale. That is the crossroads at which the relaxation industry has amassed its wealth, and with good reason. It isn't the journey, or the pitfalls we encounter along the way, or the side roads that, after the fact, we realize have rendered new opportunities, that upset our balance, but our anxious responses to these circumstances. We have a choice in how we can perceive the world and ourselves, and anxiety is only one of those choices. When the first step back to solid ground is a choice on top of an already overwhelming amount of choices, it doesn't seem so simple and straightforward.
Having made it my mission to consider this aperture in our daily human travels, I was pleased to rekindle the memory that God, through a variety of Biblical references, clearly has no intention for us to be anxious or live our journeys as if anxiety is a tool, a weapon or a lifestyle choice. As fear can be the precursor to a mounting, crushing anxiety, Isaiah 43:1 reminds us: "Fear not, I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine." Here we are offered the gentle connection and the opportune steps to allow ourselves back to sure footing, and the freedom to return to the full joy of our travels. Let go of the fear, remember to whom we belong, as well as who we are called to be, and the love by which we are called into being. And from this process, we will indeed find our way.
Until next time, God's blessings.
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In This Moment
A Farewell
News of Peter Jennings' death was noted with a small photo with a caption in today's paper. The ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings created a fuller, poignant portrait of the newscaster, personally and professionally. All but a few moments were dedicated to their comrade and friend.
Apparently Mr. Jennings was surprised at the outpouring of support and kindness shared with him after his April announcement that he was battling cancer. Letters, emails, hugs in the hallway of his apartment building from neighbors, and fervent testimonies from numerous cancer survivors offering a club membership of tough roads and survival strategies.
But it was the evening newscast that underscored Peter Jennings' own belief at the end of his life that he had lived well. His colleagues spoke of a man of excellence in what he did, but more so, how he lived. Mostly, he cared about people and he expressed that clearly, in many ways. A young reporter's parents received a call from Mr. Jennings before their son's first report from a war zone aired, so they would know their child was safe. Before meeting with Mikhail Gorbachov, a Louisville Slugger and a Raggedy Ann doll were procured for his grandchildren. His understanding of world events as seen through the observations of children were sought out and treated with respect.
My point in remembering Peter Jennings is not to eulogize him. Others will, and should, especially those who knew and loved him best. It is to say, as did Willa Cather, through the title character in her book,
My Antonia, "Ain't it wonderful how much people can mean to each other."
It is a Biblical concept, this sense of connection to each other that can be described as deep affection, respect, admiration and love. In describing Jesus, each gospel writer allows a great leacher, prophet and savior to emerge. But John's one sentence speaks of Jesus the friend: "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." (John 11:5)
Jesus spent time with them in their home, including the Passover, a true family celebration. One can only surmise that in the remembrance of the Passover ritual and tradition, there were also stories told of past gatherings, and some laughter. We can also hope that, after Jesus' passing, they kept telling the personal stories shared among old friends that keep people a part of our memories long after they have moved on from our daily lives. They knew Jesus as a dear friend, in town for a few days for his work, who would make time to sit at their table and share their lives. Somehow, their personal stories have blended into their friend's public life, and we know their names today.
Ain't it wonderful how much they all meant to each other.
Until next time, God's Blessings
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In This Moment
Crowds and Lonely Places
Christmas is a long way off, but a friend of mine works retail, and has already begun to mention gearing up for fall and back to school That kind of talk is only a few sentences shy of the fall trilogy: Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. That equates to extra shipments, extra merchandising, extra people. The holidays meld together into one massive crowd that won't begin to diminish until well after January clearance sales.
In rereading the Gospel of Mark recently, I was taken aback by how many times Jesus was confronted by such crowds of people that he literally could not escape them. Even his disciples were overwhelmed by the masses of people following Jesus into the mountains, to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and even into the homes of people who had offered them respite and repast around their own tables. The gospel readings clearly express Jesus' compassion for the crowds, doing literally everything in his power to meet their needs, spiritual and physical. Mark 6: 30-31, in an equally clear fashion, tells us, "The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest awhile.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure, even to eat." The tireless workers, eager to share their experiences, also needed a rest and nourishment to refresh their bodies and souls.
Interesting, though, is how Jesus is quoted as using the phrase, "lonely place," as the balance to the crushing crowds demanding their attention. When was the last time you heard "lonely place" used in a positive way, something to seek after? Not in our culture. We are so geared to being surrounded by people we are barely equipped to be alone in our cars for five minutes without the radio or CD player running. When is the last time you left your cell phone off and at home? We firmly believe that we have to be accessible to everybody in our lives all the time.
But "lonely" is the word Jesus is credited with, and I believe is what he meant. Lonely, in this scenario, is an opportunity, a gift, not a punishment or a dismissal. Lonely equals privacy, balance, breathing space. Lonely is the recognition that we cannot always give, but need to receive unto ourselves the gift of our own selves.
I believe this is also a direct reflection of Jesus' answer to the religious leaders when questioned about the greatest commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."
We are guided to love God, ourselves and our neighbor, in that order. We miss a beat in the rhythm of life when we leave ourselves out of the song. We each deserve to find some time to be lonely.
Until next time, God's Blessings.
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In This Moment
Confirmation Hearings
History is in the making once again. Senate hearings are about to begin to determine who will fill the vacancy left on the Supreme Court by the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Justice O'Connor made history herself as the first woman named to the Court over twenty years ago. These hearings draw, and require, our attention because whoever receives the power of this appointment will help shape the future of our country for the next twenty years to come with their judgments.
Our own decisions and judgments can have lasting effects as well. Choosing a carpet color, for example, is something you are going to be living with for awhile. And the carpet decision will then dictate all the other choices in that room: wall color, draperies, sofa fabric, wall decor and pillow designs. One wrong selection back there at the beginning and, well, you are living with a momentary loss of reason or taste for years to come.
The choice regarding a life partner is a fairly important decision with lasting effects too. Not unlike an inadvertent carpet selection, a less than accurate choice in partnership can bring you up short five, ten or twenty years later, wondering why your life doesn't match up with your hopes and dreams. Choosing well can mean a well-lived-in life that feels warm, comfortable and joyfully challenging. There may still be some new pieces you would like to add, but there is room to grow.
Attitude is another life choice that can have serious long-term consequences. I believe it was Albert Einstein who said that we must each decide whether we live in a friendly world or a hostile world. What difference does it make? Luke 6:37-38 gives us a pretty clear picture: Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back. How you view the world is likely how you will behave in the world, whether you are conscious of that or not. What you are more likely to be aware of is what the world feels like when you enter it on any given day. In his PBS special, The Power of Intention, based on his book of the same title, Dr. Wayne Dyer talks about how some people wake up looking to be offended, and they are not disappointed.
There are plenty of reasons to be offended each day, too many to name. And there are so many reasons to feel that "good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over." We can search out the companionable and friendly each day, or the miserable and hostile. You've met some older folks who have consistently chosen one side of that fence or the other. What do these people look like to you? And what do you want to look like when you reach their age?
As the Senate gathers, they are aware of the implications of their choices in this important work. But each of us faces the hard work of choice each day of our lives. The blessing is that how we choose will come back to us in the measure we give of ourselves and our faith to those choices.
Until next time, God's blessings.
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In This Moment
Peace In Our Times
Suicide bombings in Egypt and Great Britain have shaken the boundaries of safety and peace in the Western world. A newspaper headline in my local paper was surely echoed in your town: Is the United States next? We are not in a position to answer that question, or control those who may be planning exactly that prospect. But we are not without hope or ability to act for the cause of peace in our world. In fact, as people of faith, we are obligated to do so.
First, we must understand what this peace is that we are working for. How do you define peace? An air of calm or tranquility? An absence of conflict or relief from war? The Oxford dictionary adds a third definition: freedom from evil disorder. The book of Genesis tells us that god created the universe and our planet by bringing order our of chaos. What we are witnessing around us in these terrorist attacks are people whose lives are so overtaken by despair, hopelessness and evil that they are willing to literally blow apart other people's lives with their own bodies. As people of faith we are one with God's continuous, loving, creating, ordered nature. The peace we are working for is freedom from this kind of disorder and fear that evil can produce.
Second, we must recognize that the peace we are working for is not just "out there," but in our own lives. Are you an instrument of peace in your household and your community? How is your patience level with long lines and stressed out customer service representatives? What did you do with that juicy tidbit of information about the couple you met at a friend's party last week? What was the decibel level of your voice the last time you reminded your child to complete a task you had already asked them to do several times? what did you say the last time a relative tried to give you advice you didn't want or need?
If your immediate reaction is hostility, anger or rudeness, you are not alone. We can choose hostility, anger or rudeness over kindness, patience and understanding only if we really want to maintain a status quo of misery and frustration. If we desire God's peace, as people who claim a faith that is freed from evil disorder, we will need to get serious about treating each other as if we want peace. None of this is a "he said/she said" match up. All of this is a personal, moment to moment decision making-process to seek peace, to be an instrument of peace in our own lives.
Third, by living lives as instruments of God's peace, we can do some of the most important work of peace: we can pray. We ca be the peacemakers who pray for the people whose lives are being directly shredded and dismantled by the disorder and chaos of war and terrorism. we can pray for the people whose skills and gifts are focused on rebuilding Iraq into a safe, beautiful country. Our prayers can directly support the people whose minds and hearts are about creating order in the world that is just, merciful and peaceful.
Jesus said,"blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." People who choose to work for peace are blessed and are recognized as coming from the originator of peace. Prayer might not seem like much, considering what we are up against, mainly the unknown. But we have everything to gain by giving it our best in concert with the One who continues to give us the best. We have the ability and the tools to work for peace in our world.
Until next time, God's blessings.
