not just any tuesday!

i just returned from a gathering of clergy.  so, what else does a group like this talk about on the day before lent begins, but...well, 'church stuff'.

on the drive home, a conversation about the following link (below) left me with a questioning look.  so someone got on his phone, and found this link.  it is well worth taking a few moments to view.  as i now say, 'church shares it all'. 

since this is not just any tuesday, please take a moment to view why it isn't just another tuesday in your life.

feel free to share this with others...and before the sun sets on this day, be sure and enjoy a pancake!  jelly beans are optional, but don't skip the chocolate chips!

blessings and honor in the days ahead before easter.  each day, please make a difference in someone else's life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0O_7_XCtJs

i highly recommend spending time in san francisco during the winter.  many people unfamiliar with the city think that going there in the summer makes sense.  well, it does, if you like fog; and of course the summer is great for a visit out of the valley heat!

but, who could ask for a better time then this in winter?

this is a picture from deloris park and the city in the background.  i had to actually stand in line, as many people were trying to get a picture; people out with their children and their dogs; visiting with loved ones, neighbors and strangers.

what a wonderful experience.  it was during this time away that i achieved my 5 millionth (is that really a word (?) step!  so, it got me to thinking about what one has to do to get results....

one of the things you have to do is be willing to risk.

 and i discovered, particularly in san francisco, and then when i was in berkeley, that climbing the hills gets you where you want to be . . . even thought when you first look up the hill, you're thinking, "i'm not going up there!"  but, imagine!  if you didn't climb the hill, even though it looks way too steep, you wouldn't see this picture . . . and, alas, you wouldn't get to count all those steps!

and, believe it or not, some hills actually have steps to climb.

i didn't really leave my heart in san francisco, but i think i did leave some tread!






and the other thing about walking in the city is that once you get up one hill . . . .there is always another!

 but if i hadn't climbed that hill, i wouldn't have gotten this view . . . . or so many more steps!

and then i wouldn't have appreciated the view of the oakland/berkeley hills, and the bay, and . . . .

with all this walking, one would think i'd be healthy as a horse . . . . i thought i was gonna' die!  merced is flat....we don't have hills in the central valley!  oh my goodness....i believe the bay area people ought to put up a ballot measure that could really do some good . . . . like, perhaps, investing in escalators for the really tough hills!

ok, i'm only half kidding.







the point i am making, really, is that what we invest in can be SO worth it!  this thought got me to thinking about how we live our lives, and what we believe in.  without the effort, our results can be rather frail.  we have to decide what is worth the risk.  what is worth risking for in your life?

this picture (above) is of the bell tower on the u c berkeley campus.  i love to walk around at night, and explore what can be seen in a different light.  in the daylight, we can miss so much, even though we can generally see a great deal more.  so, i invite you to do something this week that you don't usually do . . . .something that will be rewarding to your spirit, and that will feed your soul.  maybe you could invite someone to share the experience with you, and have a meaningful conversation afterwards.

 after a little r and r in the city, i headed to berkeley for a time of continuing education, the emphasis was on family.  this was a powerful reminder that we continue to think of family in a more narrow definition.  but family, biblical families as well as those through the ages on up to today, are vast and complex.

i was able to visit with my mom; well, at least i got to see that she seems content, even happy; and well cared for.

and i got to go to dinner and spend time with kristen and ben; in fact the picture to the right is the view at sunset from pacific school of religion, as i walked to downtown berkeley to meet them.  i hardly ever took my car out once i parked during my time away.  i didn't even take public transportation.....i just walked!  what would i have missed if i hadn't 'pounded the pavement'?  do you ever wonder that? 

and, of course, i did find a flat surface in berkeley; it was difficult, but, alas, i walked up to the stadium, and discovered an adjacent field that was open and available to the public; 12 walks around that puppy, and i made three additional miles!

but if i hadn't gone, i would have missed 'the bear'!  cal is so known for its bear. 

so, there you have it.  a life in the times of a pastor on foot.  and now i am back home, doing my usual routine of walking in the morning.  i had the luxury of walking any time i wished while i was away.  but now i am back into another routine that permits me to move in different ways.

i appreciated the time away, and i'm glad to be back.  but this experience does remind me that i still need to stretch myself and risk, not knowing the results.  but worth the risk, me thinks . . . .

a technical glitch . . . and so much more!

i guess i didn't get the memo, and therefore, i have a technical glitch happening in my (blog) life.  some of you got wind of this last week, but, somehow, i figured out a way to handle it then; this week, i cannot.

my glitch is adding pictures to my blog.  previously, i just added them before i began my message, and then i worked around them; moved them to the right or to the left or to the center -- much easier than trying to move people from the right or to the left. . . .  but, now i haven't a clue; i can't even cut and paste them in, which is what i did last week....at least i think that's how i did it last week!  now i'm so confused, i'm lucky if i can remember my password!  by blog instructions say that i need google plus, and i can't even get google minus today!

so, this week's post will be picture-less.  let me describe what this past week has taught.

our leadership council met on retreat -- beginning the year on retreat allows one to set the tone and get some perspective for the time ahead.  that, by the way, is suppose to be what new year's does for us, but honestly, who would pass up champagne at midnight?

with pot-luck goodies in tow (how very united methodist), we gathered to do in-depth planning.  we listened, contemplated, shared ideas, snacked, indulged, laughed, offered ideas and prayed!  we prayed first -- always the best thing to do!  and from our time together, we set in motion a vision for the year:  an opportunity to have our community of faith be in covenant with god and one another, around the areas of prayer, bible reading, worship attendance, witnessing, financial giving, and service.  i'll share more about these areas throughout the year, beginning in april.

my point today is, making a covenant is about making a commitment; that is so difficult for our society.  we can hardly even bring our cell phones to be in the 'vibration only' setting for too long!  being faithful is not an easy decision, but something that is enriching and can lead to a very powerful change in one's life.

and so an unrelated, but actually more related than we think, action happened on sunday.  our united methodist women led us in worship, reminding us of what it means to serve in mission and keep our faith and the world accountable. women have not always been admired for taking a stance.  in the middle ages, women were told that in order to enter the church, they had to keep their heads covered; in a sense, women were kept in their place, under-valued and un-appreciated.

and so women began to gather their numbers together, advocating not for themselves, but for those who also had no voice; the widows, the children, and those for whom the church denied.  today, women continue to be under appreciated but their visibility and strength makes their advocacy even more powerful!  we truly must take off our hats to those who are the drivers of our compassion and care in this day and age (a picture would have been really good here, so you'll have to imagine women adorned with very unique hats standing to lead us in this year ahead, when we need more than ever, to take action to address issues of care and justice).

this is a year of great change, or it has the potential for great change, if we are willing to prayerfully consider what it means to be the hands and feet of jesus in the twenty-first century!  imagine . . . take a moment and truly see a world where we can focus on living without hunger; a world in which we cooperate with our neighbors; a time in which we share our needs and our resources.  if any body can lead us, it will be the united methodist women and their sister organizations throughout the world!

finally, i offer you a recommendation that has been offered to me.  sometimes we discover connections by sharing just the slightest piece of information.  joyce shared with me that she had just finished reading a book entitled god's hotel by (doctor) victoria sweet.  it shares the (true) story of her experience working on the wards of laguna honda hospital in san francisco; an almshouse style facility where people have come for many years to live out their lives or where lives were changed when the county hospital had given up all hope.  i commend the book to you, even though i am only about a quarter of the way through my reading.

the point i make, however, is about connections and relationships.  we never know how those spiritual experiences will come about, or where they will lead us.  as it turned out, joyce was working her nursing rotation in san francisco when she came upon laguna honda; a very florence nightingale style hospital, with wards and nurses and doctors doing somewhat 'pre-modern' medical treatments; before hmo and limited care that left you anticipating returning home before you had even been seen by a doctor!

as joyce was sharing with me about this book, inviting me to read it, she had no way of knowing that i had been to laguna honda in the early 1970's; my 'home church' in daly city had a member of the congregation who resided at laguna honda.  each month the women organized a birthday celebration for the members of her ward; they'd drive into the city with homemade cakes; we'd sing and visit and share the gift of time -- even 40 years ago, the gift of time was a commodity that was in short supply.  but each month this caring act continued!

had joyce not read that book, connecting with her experience there and sharing it with me, neither of us might have ever had this particular shared experience -- and, i suspect, this shared experience might never have reached 'blog status'.  do you have such shared experiences with people whom you meet? 

funny how a technical glitch empowered me to write this particular blog, when, as i arrived, i had something entirely different on my mind to share.  a spirit thing, i suspect, although i'm not sure the spirit had anything to do with my ineptness....  i was just fortunate enough to take a moment to contemplate a "plan b" (using anne lamott's image of how "plan a" wasn't want needed to be shared in the first place!)  a technical glitch?  no!  this was so much more!  have you ever had such an experience as this worth your time to share?

{an aside . . . . i will be away for the next two weeks; a week's vacation, and a week of continuing education.  i can't promise i'll be able to get my technical skills going....but none-the-less, i'll be back pondering very soon!  thank you for your continued interest and your kind feed-back!}

old, new, and i can't figure it out!

this is kristen celebrating christmas; some of us have to work, but i'm not bitter!

somehow, my blog settings have changed over the new year, and i can't seem to figure out how to change them.
so, here you are, getting to experience this new setting with me.
kristen and ben went to the islands for christmas, and i stayed home.  and i got this great picture, so i'm sharing it with you!  what a way to end 2012; with a splash!
and after all the financial cliff hoop-la, i can honestly say, i don't feel any differently in the new year.
the light still dawns on us, and hopefully, we will be able to share the good news, even if our politicians in washington d.c. can't figure it out!

and the picture below is new year's day; my home; i stayed home on that day too!  you can't really see, but our snow in merced looks a little like what people might call 'frost'.  and it was indeed, cold, and has continued to remain cold.  so walking is a challenge in the early, wee hours of the dawn.  but, alas, somebody has to do it!

i suggested to our communion group at the hampshire that they take their morning walk in the afternoon!

and so the new year has begun.  i started sorting out my taxes, and then this morning, in preparation for 'epiphancy', i began to prepare for our high school/college sunday school class.

we will have an epiphany party, based on the beginning text of matthew, chapter 2.  we'll hear about and explore together what epiphany is and was, and what it means to us today -- seeing the light; exploring the possibilities; sharing the gift of life.

we'll have gifts to share, and cake to eat.

now about the cake....a healthy cake to begin the new year...ok, carrot cake -- from scratch -- well, at least it sounds healthy; carrots and raisins; but then you add things like sugar and oil.  well, none the less, it will be a memorable way to explore why it is that one baby made a ruler (herod) so uncomfortable, and why, 2,000 years later, we still seek to follow in 'the way'.

what does it mean to share 'the light of the world', to you?

how will you share your faith in the coming year?

when will you be willing to serve in mission in the days to come?

who, if not jesus, will compel you to advocate on behalf of those whose voice and lives are being silenced?

where will you find your strength to make a difference -- meditation, community support, bible study, a small group; or will it be a sound bite, a headline in the newspaper, a facebook post or a website?

have you started your new year's resolution yet? 

reading?

lifestyle change?

setting out to make a difference?

are you finding peace and making a difference yet in the new year -- and if not, how are you setting out to find your spiritual place in 2013....

for me, the old continues to keep getting older;

the new continues to cause me to remember that i am old and need to continue to learn something new.

and, there is some comfort in knowing that i can't figure everything out...

leaving me to remember how important it is to ask for help, and offer help to others when asked.

all in all, it's not a bad beginning for a new year!

christmas eve, 2012

each thursday morning, with the exception of those thursday's when a holiday falls upon them, a small group of men will gather to prepare breakfast, plug in the coffee maker and heat up the kettle.

many of these men began meeting years ago when they were still working...at six; of late, because of my walking schedule, they have moved from meeting at 7 to 7:30...that's a.m.!

they meet to socialize and to exchange stories and tails that seem to be longer and bigger perhaps each time.  but there is an element of wisdom in everything they say -- really!

they support one another, pray together, and study the scripture for the coming sermon.  it is a great help to me, as they are a wealth of knowledge.  and sometimes, we even stay on topic!

 about three years ago, we were asked to help out a local men's group called hobie house; up to about 25 guys who are making their way back into mainstream society.

and so just before christmas we do what seems very traditional; we pack socks and underwear for the men; the traditional part, it seems, is that when no one knows what else to get the mail gender at christmas, the default always seems to be socks and underwear.

and these guys appreciate it!  we find holiday bags and wrap the gifts in tissue.  we sign cards for them, and deliver them.  we hope to make a difference in their daily lives.  and this bit of missional giving makes a difference in our lives.

our hope is that we will be able to do something with this group more often than just once-a-year-at-christmas; build a relationship with them; share goodness and mercy with them as it has been shared with us.  friendship is a valuable gift in this day and age!

we didn't have everyone in our thursday morning men's bible study group, but below shows a picture of some of the group and our finished project.  christmas is a time of sharing, and our hope is that you are able to find the gift of love that is shared freely to you from the one who gives us life.

and the best thing to do with a gift, of course, is to share it!  merry christmas!

the light still shines . . . . dim, but redeeming

the light still shines . . . dim, but redeeming in its divine way.

this iris bulb bloomed this past week in our prayer garden; it has three blooms, and when i snapped this picture i was thinking, 'great!  three blooms of great joy as we move into the lighting of the candle of joy on sunday.

ironic, what a difference a week makes!

my mom fell, hitting her head, and  landing in icu; now she is in the care of hospice in a board and care home. 

a senseless shooting at sandy hook elementary leaves 26 people, mostly first graders, dead in this season of advent -- the season in which we anticipate new life!

so much discussion about newtown ct since friday.  clergy around the country contemplated what it would be like to 'celebrate' this third sunday of advent; symbolically the sunday of joy....do we light the pink candle of joy, or do we leave this flame, unlit?

do we speak the prophetic voice of shame, or bring the good news that light overcomes even our most tragic times....as the gospeler john said, 'we who sad in darkness have seen a great light'.  i believe we do both.  prophetic words are not void of hope.

i elected to have our community light the candle of joy; symbolizing that god's light does shine in our most desperate times!  we light the advent wreath as a sign of hope and peace; we anticipate with joy that one day the hope of peace will be realized, when the tragic events of our world will be recognized for what they are: our human struggle with life.  one day our tragic lives will turn with joy to the recognition that love is what we have been missing -- and yet love has been here all along!

i hold those families and the community, and communities throughout the world in my prayers and in my heart;  may each of us be light-bearers!   i encourage you to share kindness -- the gift we are sorely lacking, and to make great strides in discovering and sharing peace; to advocate for safety and care in our world. 

and most of all, i encourage us to seek the light; to share the light; to be the light of the one who has lit our way with love.  in this season, and in every season, love can be the only way; love is the way, the truth and the life.  we are called to be the bearers of this great light. 

be this hope.  be this peace.  be this joy to someone today, and everyday.  we who anticipate the love...be this love to everyone you meet; together, let us be the living christ in this time and space.

a visit with mom

there is nothing like a visit with my mom.  it has been a while.  for those who need catching up, my mom moved from her place in a retirement community two years ago, to be closer to my sister; she found a one bedroom apartment in assisted living, that seemed just perfect for her.

but one of the things that happens when you move out of your own home where you had round-the-clock help, is that you get one-on-one attention.  mom would go on walks several times a day, and venture into chair exercises, and have discussions and inter-active play time.

when she moved into assistant living, mom was more on her own; she had to be more intentional in caring for herself, and taking care of her needs; people came to get her for meal-time, and made sure she took her medication.  staff would be very good about making sure that mom was invited to activities, and knew about all the opportunities available to her.  but mom's routine would primarily be going from the dining room back up to her apartment; not much socialization.  they tried, but they were also not doing one-on-one care.

So, the time came this november, when it was time to move mom once again.  now she resides with my sister and brother-in-law; sister kay is still working, and brother-in-law michael is retired.  my two nephews are on their own...well, patrick is in sparks, nv, and thomas, while still living at home, is also doing military time, so kay, michael and mom enjoy watching thomas' dog autumn -- a friendly husky, with two different colored eyes.

it was time to visit mom, and check out her new digs.  t was also the perfect time to bring 'christmas'...all the things mom likes in her holiday basket...fruitcake from our united methodist women -- homemade, and just her size (because no one else except maybe autumn will touch it!), some yummy jams and jelly's, and a box of sees -- also a fundraiser for our college wesley group; and, of course, a meditation cd from our prayer ministry team which i have been saving for just the perfect moment.  she was delighted!  'wonderful' is my mom's word.

while kay and michael went out to secure the christmas tree, mom and i played several hands of dominos.  for someone who struggles to remember things and sometimes cannot share what she is thinking, my mom has this great ability to keep track of a running game of dominos.  amazing, really!  she'll stay focused for hours.

then we went for a little walk up the street to see a christmas display of cookie jars....i was half-tempted to see if they were filled with treats for good little boys and girls, but, alas, my mom wouldn't let me!  darn!!

all in all a good visit.  who knows if i will be able to return for the christmas holiday.  but i'm convinced that 'ya take what you can get'.  is it important that my mother remember that i was there?  she may or may not remember.  but i was glad i went.  she seemed pleased and happy and delighted to go for a walk, eat a little something, and play some dominos.  what better christmas gift is there for me than that?!

my christmas wish for each of you this year?  have the opportunity to spend some time visiting someone this season; it may be a gift to them...and it will surely be a gift to you!