walking in the rain . . . .

i've begun rising at 5 am in order to get my walk in each day.  one is suppose to have 8 1/2 hours of sleep per day as well . . . ain't gonna happen!

so tuesday morning i had to leave the house by 7 -- therefore, no blog that day, and the same for yesterday and today.  so, now, i am able to post this blog which has been on my mind since monday!

on monday, at 5 am, i could not detect a cloud in the sky ... but re-thinking this position, i should have realized that there was also no moon nor stars either ... hum; mental note:  check the sky for clouds clearly before walking!

1/2 way through my walk -- the heavens blessed me with a downpour.  walking in the rain . . . .

three thoughts came to mind as the rain began to soak my sweatshirt;
thought #1:  do i stop and walk home (ok, i get the idea here -- i would have had to walk home anyway, so why cut my walk short, as i was already soaked!) 
thought # 2:  this thought thanks to a recurring image of my mother when she saw people out in the rain . . . "doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain" . . . (ok, i get that too, but honestly, where would i have gone?  under someone's porch, under a tree, or run for my life -- that was absolutely NOT going to happen!)
thought #3:  "remember your baptism, and be thankful".  i knew deep down, spiritually speaking, that this was 'the third time was a charm' to my thinking, anyway.  i'm already wet, i'm doing something healthy and i'm  not splashing in any puddles -- i did checked for nearby pubbles, however; several times!  and i needed to get home in order to leave by 7.  keep walking!

so, away i went, remembering my baptism and being thankful.  what does that mean, anyway? 

well, to me, it is a reminder that i am blessed, loved, and graced with an opportunity to share the love of god with others.  there are times, believe me, when that message is easily forgotten.  what was this storm reminding me?  in united methodist circles, we 'sprinkle' rather than pour or dunk.  that morning, i was experiencing the effects of episcopalian baptism; they pour, as do some others.  but the episcopalians need my support and i need theirs, so, that's what i thought about.  i'm sopping wet, and listening to music, and walking; happy as a clam.  what could be better than this?! 

safely home, with a hot bath and a healthy breakfast (do I detect a 'healthy trend' here?), and i was ready to start my day.

reflection.  had i not experienced the 'remember your baptism, and be thankful' thought that morning, i might have experienced a different kind of day.  i have no idea what the day might have been like but i know what the day was like, and it was a wholesome day.  no matter what; grace.

my suggestion next time there is a storm . . . go walking in the rain!  be renewed, be reminded . . . and use an umbrella if you do not want a grace-filled day!  me?  i'm looking for another storm . . . .

spring has sprung . . . .

spring has sprung -- part of a little jingle i learned in my scouting days.  so i thought of that today, of course, because it is the first day of spring; a beautiful day.

i took these three pictures on saturday, when we finally have had a very nice winter storm, at least in merced.  i've managed to walk in between downpours, so i've kept to my goal, and have reached my 2000 health miles prior to march 30.

we're told to keep walking anyway, even though we've reached our goal; we get $25 for achieving that goal, only no one has shared where that funding source is from!  i guess i could just say 'thank you' and leave it at that!

so a little bit about these spring pictures. . . .

prior to my mother's plan to move -- i believe she sensed that she would need to leave her home, and enter a retirement center where she could not keep everything she had -- including plants.  so, on one of my visits, she 'encouraged me' -- mom is very persuasive in her encouragements -- to take back the cymbidium i had given her when she moved to walnut creek in 1993 after retirement.

walnut creek is much milder than merced, and so i had to place the plant on the north side, where i never really see it; yes you guessed it, i hardly take care of it.  but by golly, after two winters, this plant still yields such grace!  i wonder if it thrives on neglect?!

this year yielded three spikes of orchards.  i clipped one on saturday because i finally noticed as i was finished my walk, that it was blooming!  i cut one spike and put it into the vase above; that was a vase that had not sell at mom's estate sale, so i thought it was an appropriate container.

i had another vase from a prior estate sale; this from a parishioner.  many members of our church will purchase a little something from a church member's estate sale to honor and remember them; i did the same.  so, here is this third picture. 

honestly, i never really understood orchards, so i'm not a great expert on them, but it amazes me that a plant you put in bark and water on occasion can yield such delicate blooms that piggy-back on one another and stay in bloom for long periods of time!

other plants don't do that.  case in point.  i wondered why my hanging baskets in the backyard were in such sorry state -- not that i give them much encouragement during the winter, but, still, i wouldn't call myself abusive!  anyway, as i was washing dishes yesterday, on the last day of winter, i began to understand why! 



those hanging baskets, of which i replaced the straw lining last summer, were being ceremoniously robbed by starlings and blue jays ... actually, there was a fight in the yard, that drew my attention; such a disturbance in my small little yard.  spring had sprung, and it was time to re-nest for the season, and evidently,the straw from MY baskets make a fine cosy nest.  i really should have invested my retirement in the hardware store industry, as it seems that i will be purchasing new straw liners again this season.

all of this is a reminder, of course, that spring has sprung ... the realization that after the winter season, when the cycle of life goes dormant, these signs of new life -- shoots of orchards and birds in search of nesting materials -- remind us that the cycle begins again with spring.  we need a period of rest and renewal so that the mystery of beautiful life can again emerge and we can begin again.

easter is not far off; the signs of life are all around us -- spring cleaning, showers that clean our systems and replenish our supplies, and shedding our sweat clothes for lighter ware.  literally, spring calls us to lighten up.  not a bad message to behold!  how will you spend your 'spring has sprung' day?

a little squeak when i walk

now that i am walking more...daily, pretty much over 7,000 steps, i have been able to accomplish at least two things related to my hearing.  one:  i am re-connecting with my walk(person) again, that has over 773 selections of music from my home library of cd's.  this actually helps motivate me to walk, since i hardly ever get to listen to my cd's at home -- and my car isn't equipped with a cd player (darn!  my cassette player is on the fritz, so that won't work in the car, either...does anyone use cassettes anymore, anyway?!)

but the real discovery to my hearing is a squeak.  i can hear that above the music that i play.  imagine my surprise when i thought people looked at me strangely because i was breathing heavily...not to be confused with being a heavy breather!  i even romanticized that people noticed that i was exercising, and were giving me support -- a thumbs up kind of look.  but, alas, no.  they heard my squeaking too.

i've never worn a pair of tennis shoes/walking shoes/athletic shoes or any other kind of shoes for that matter, that squeaked -- in this case, loudly!  i ended up laughing this morning because there was a very quiet piece of classical music being played, and all i could hear was the squeak; i wanted to turn around and shush the person making all that racket -- kind of like you do when a cell phone goes off in a movie and someone answers it, or someone unwraps their candy during a performance....

i laughed because, of course, i would have to have had to shush myself...in the quiet of the morning (i've started walking at 5:30ish -- in the dark once again, now that daylight savings time (ended?) (began?) (take your pick!)

i've heard of squeaking tennis on a basketball court, but not on a sidewalk.  do they make oil for tennis shoes?  i hate to get rid of them...they are in such great shape.  what to do...what to do.

no wonder jesus wore sandals.  a dirty/dusty road is filled with all kinds of noises; perhaps no one noticed if jesus sandals squeaked.  honestly, i can't imagine jesus squeaking....although he did make noise about issue such as injustice and being too tied to the law for our own good.  maybe that is where people got the concept of responding to the 'squeeky wheele'?!

no matter.  i hit the pavement running when i came into the office this morning.  no squeaking.  only the tap, tap, tap of my fingers punching the keyboard.  do fingers punch at keyboards, i wonder?  well, that will have to be some other day's topic.  i've have another appointment with the pavement!

and sense some of you asked...although i don't always get your comments to me unless you share them by email or facebook....i've accumulated 1800 health miles toward my goal of 2000 by march 30.  i'm pretty stoked, maybe that squeak is really a joyful noise?!

creation through cupcakes

i'm not often asked to be a judge; good thing! everybody would win!  so, when pastor jennifer, campus minister for our wesley clubs here in merced emailed me to be one of the judges during worship, it was with excited trepidation that i said yes...what will i do if they are all so good?!  ok, so my nightmare happened!

the theme on sunday was creation.  and that theme was carried through the whole worship experience on during the evening worship on the u.c. merced campus; this tree below was utilized as a prayer tree, in the center of the room -- much like the tree of life; people were invited to add leaves to the tree to share their prayers; very 'creative', don't you think?! 

through the use of multi-media, we experienced both the beauty and the reality of creation; survival of the fittest, as it were; but god is in the midst of everything.  we heard the creation stories from genesis chapters one and two, but also from the book of proverbs...ok, i'll give you a moment to run and get your bibles and try and find the creation story there-in.

and we heard about what happens when we expect, as humans, to know more/know everything -- to be like god, or better yet, be god, illustrated in the story of the book of job.  we live in a time when we want everything and to know everything.  problem is, of course:  we can't know everything!

below are two pictures of the three teams who put together such creative cupcakes -- the event became known as 'the cupcake wars'.  one team did ducks...two above water, and two with their tails in the air; what a hoot, eh?!

another team did apples a-la adam and eve, as well as the sun and the earth and butterflies.  all the ingredients had to be edible because, of course, in the true nature of united methodist fashion, they also became our fellowship treats!

the tray below represents the seven days of creation...well, six days, plus a day of rest...and let me assure you, after judging these creative cakes, i had to go home and rest!  so grueling, so nerve-wracking; too much creativity (and sugar) for my sunday evening!!!  see if you can't identify the six days of creation.

yes, awards were given, and i got a wesley club tee shirt for helping to judge!  i'll let you now 'be the judge' of who your favorite creation cup-cake might be...just use your imagination with the tasting part; they used pretzels, star bursts, coconut, icing that had been died many 'earthy colors'...

so, why all the fuss?  well, for one reason, during lent, sundays are 'a day of grace'; you get permission to 'go off' your lenten fast on sundays.  that is probably the church's best kept secret!  it is a reminder that god's grace is sufficient!

but more to the point, creation through cupcakes will leave a lasting impression -- well, it certainly will for me anyway -- about how god continues to invite us into the story of creation.  we are a part of god's creation, and we are invited to help god create anew in this day and age.  we can be co-creators with god. 

if you heard someone preach that message, you might say, 'yes, that's a good point'.  you might even yawn and say, 'i've heard that before'.  but imagine!  if you got to create the images of creation using cupcakes, that would be something you would remember, perhaps forever.  every time you woke in the morning or looked at that stars at night, or saw a fish or a butterfly or a duck or the person next door, you would recall that this was a visible way god lives with us; we might even treat one another with more dignity and respect.  and of course, on a sunday in lent, when you were given the opportunity to bite into a cupcake and enjoy 'sweet temptations guilt free', that experience would be a little bite of heaven.  and you might even give thanks to god, for this awesome taste of creation.

walking in prayer . . . walking in health

we began the season of introspection last week...historically, the church has called this time 'lent', when we often give up (foods or beverages that we are often dependent on) or take on something (a service of some kind) for 40 days.  This is a symbolic time when we reflect on the things that tempt us not to remain faithful or committed to our faith teachings; in this time we seek to be attentive to our faith, and grow closer to the love that jesus shared with us and all the world.

we at the united methodist church of merced, are handling this season a little differently this year.  we are offering a reflection of the season utilizing adam hamilton's work, '24 hours that changed the world'.  in this study, both during worship and in small groups, we will explore, well, the last 24 hours of jesus' life, beginning with the passover seder that we embrace as communion, and concluding with the crucifixion.

as a way of beginning this journey, we offered a personal prayer time on ash wednesday.  instead of having a traditional service in which we conclude with receiving ashes on our foreheads and remembering that we are dust and to dust we shall return, we offered the labyrinth.  walking the labyrinth is a style of prayer that invites us to open ourselves up to a journey with god; as we walk into the center, we let go of those things which prevent us or block us from faithfulness; as we walk out from the center, we are open to receive god's spirit -- which is always available to us, but after we let go of all our clutter, we have room for god and better resources to grow in faith.

we will offer the labyrinth again on thursday april 5, and friday april 6; those days are traditionally known as holy thursday and good friday.  we felt the best way to be closer to understanding our spiritual path was in prayer with god.  so please, join us.  we will even have 'on line' and paper labyrinths available for those who have difficulty walking.  11:30 am until 2 pm; 5 pm until 7 pm, both days. 

i've always believed that one could not get lost on the labyrinth.  it is a simple path to follow.  but somehow this past week, i never made it to the center.  so my season of reflection will be to prayerfully consider what that means.  i did make it back out again, and i wasn't fearful, just curious and amazed that this could happen.  i understand this has happened to others as well.  no worries, when it comes to prayer.

so here is a picture of me walking the labyrinth.  such a calming experience and a wonderful way to be emptied and filled again by the grace of god.  i'm ready for whatever this season brings.

and my walking continues.  for those who have been following my blog, you know that i've started walking with a pedometer.  my goal each day is to take at least 7,000 steps.  most days it is not a problem to reach that goal number, but on days when i have to be somewhere early (like worship on sunday mornings or the men's breakfast and bible study on thursday mornings), i just can't get in my daily walk.  rather than being obsessed by this reality, i find that i'm ok with being able to walk five days and take two off. 

i'm paying attention, once again, to what god is trying to say to me.  and in the process, i've completed 720 health miles on my pedometer.  when i am able to walk in the morning, my step count is moving toward over 10,000 steps!  wha-hoo!  my hope is to reach 2,000 health miles by march 30. 

i kind of like having a goal, and being accountable to others other than myself (i have not one, but two clergy groups with whom i will be sharing the results each week).  not obsessive, but committed!  i've noted how difficult it is for some of my colleagues to commit to being accountable.  i just figure it is one more way to remain faithful -- to myself, if to no one else!

what steps are you taking on your faith journey this season?

one little step and i'm locked out!

as we approach a new season, our focus for the next seven weeks at the church will be on the last 24 hours of Jesus' life, based on the study by adam hamilton from church of the resurrection (united methodist).

granted, the bulbs are blooming and the trees are budding; all of these events earlier than normal.  but this isn't the new season i'm talking about.

each year around the is time, faithful christians begin to reflect inwardly to take what i call a 'faith check-up'.  we explore individually how we are doing with respect to our faith journey.  are we paying attention to god, and the spiritual direction of our lives...are we being the best we can be...are we struggling in some way that needs our attention...are we moving onto perfection, is how john wesley would put it.

we tend to begin this season -- often called lent -- with pancakes of 'fat tuesday'.  our after school program will have this kind of dinner tonight...did someone say yummy?  and then we spend the next 40 days, not including sundays or some of the days before easter, in reflection and exploration, often giving up something or taking on something as a reminder that jesus also took on something for us, and gave us new life.

our church will be offering opportunities to pray the labyrinth in a variety of ways.  traditional markings for this season begin with ash crosses on the forehead, but we're utilizing a new form of lent this year, hoping people will be moved to experience prayer in their daily journey.

our board of pensions, the folks who watch out for clergy health and our retirement, invited us to once again be serious and thoughtful about our health.  clergy are dismal in the health department; too much stress, too many obligations, and too little exercise and healthy eating opportunities.  i wonder if we started having healthy pot-lucks, if people would be more inclined or less inclined to increase their spiritual commitment...oops, i digress.

anyway, in preparation for getting healthy, we have contracted with 'virgin healthmiles' -- now, isn't that a hoot of a company name?!  upon signing up, we were sent a pedometer -- advertised as the ultra-wearable activity tracker with 3d accelerometer-based technology for true tracking accuracy.  the goal is to walk at least 7,000 steps a day.

now, for the technology part, where i got locked out!  i began my walking with the pedometer on thursday evening.  to date, i have walked 48,364 steps, and average 9,672.8 steps (in 5 days). so, i think i'm on track; the trouble, of course, is technology!                                                                                    

we are suppose to download our pedometer every day or so, and then be able to log into our account.  trouble is, i had to create a new personal id for this account; i couldn't use a previous pin to get in, and i must have typed in the wrong pin...three times, thank you very much!  and now i am frozen out of my account.  i was suppose to receive an email to reset my pin, but that has gone into cyberspace, and has yet to reach even my spam folder. 

this isn't turning out to be such a great start to the season. 

never-the-less, i keep walking...i guess that is the important thing.  one foot in front of the other.  one little step. 

what might your step be in these coming weeks?  how will you check in with yourself and with god to see how your spiritual journey is.  are you healthy?  are you spirited?  are you moving faithfully?

. . . about valentine's day

what do you remember about valentine's day?

historically, valentine's day has many starting points; one being that it is a day to remember early christian martyrs named valentine.  one valentine was martyred for his care of couples in 269; legend had it that when weddings were outlawed by the church (yes, this is STILL happening!) for some reason, valentine did the ceremonies in secret, making contact with the couples via notes signed valentine.

it became established as a real holiday in 496 by pope gelasius the first.  it was associated with romantic (courtly) love in the high middle ages by none other than geoffrey chaucer!  by the 15th century, flowers, candy and 'valentine' cards were shared between lovers; today we have target and see's!

last year an all star cast came out with a movie, 'valentien's day'.  so, there you have it.

what do you remember about valentien's day?  red, pink and while paper heart-made cards out of construction paper?  chalky candy hearts with messages like 'i love you' and 'you're sweet' written on them?  red-hots?  chocolate hearts?  mysterious flowers appearing?  roses costing hundreds of dollars?

I remember learning to play post office (now get your minds out of the gutter!) in second grade when we did a unit on the u.s. postal service.  we got to decorate lunch bags and set them on our desks (these became the mail boxes where we lived in class).  we'd have cupcakes and punch for our party...how is it that anyone ever decided that two such sweet things like punch and cake go together?  boxed hearts...they still sell those at target -- they might even actually BE the same hearts from my second grade classroom!

homemade cards, store bought cards.  valentines in every shape and size.  what do they mean?

love.  a way to express what is sometimes difficult to say in person.  love.  sentimental, perhaps.  but deeply meaningful.  where would we be without love?  love is not easy.  love takes work, and can slip through your fingers when you're not paying attention.  even when you ARE paying attention, love can hurt.  deep love is eternal.  with the wind on our face, we can remember that the spirit of love is jesus. 

do you remember your first love?  the love you never thought would end?  the love you never thought possible again?  the love that is inside of you...to give, and also to receive.

if nothing else, remember that every day, not just today, but every day: you are loved, you are appreciated, and you are worth the love that is shared.  and no one, no matter what, is beyond love.  that may seem debatable by some.  but, fortunately, we're not the ones who have the final say.

share love always; don't hold back.  and in those times when love feels so distant, think back upon those handmade cards that perhaps you even made once.  remember that you have the capacity to share all the love that is within you.  what a great love story....you!