Doors and windows

You have probably heard the statement, “When God closes a door, He opens a window.”
The opening of windows is something I associate with summertime filled with warm breezes and long sun soaked days. Open windows are something that is hard to remember in the cold and gray of mid-winter in western NY, but their image is one that I’ve been thinking a great deal about.

A few weeks ago I walked into a dance studio to try out a new exercise class that was being offered by the YMCA. It’s called “World Jam” and it features music and integrates dance styles from around the world. I tried the class to continue my efforts in physical activity even through the winter season and found that this class is a great deal of fun. At the end of the class, the group was doing the cool down stretches and at that moment I looked up to the ceiling and was taken aback to see unexpected sky lights above me. Had I not tried the new class and looked up, I would have missed the windows that were right above me all along.
God’s presence is like unexpected windows sometimes. It’s easy to forget the words that Jesus spoke to his disciples at the end of Matthew and Mark, but I think these words are a source of unexpected light and hope.

Matthew 28 16-20 /The Great Commission
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

At the end of Matthew and Mark, Jesus reminds the disciples that he is with them to the end of the age. At the conclusion of Luke, Jesus reminds the disciples immediately before he ascends to heaven that, “I am going to send what my Father has promised”. In the conclusion of John’s gospel (20 :21), Jesus says: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus words promise his followers the continual and unending presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus breathes upon the disciples as a means of giving them the Holy Spirit. The words and actions of Jesus in the scriptures can be like an unexpected open window blowing a refreshing summer breeze into our lives.
Seeing the skylight above me that morning was Jesus way of reminding me of his presence with me, so since then, I’ve begun to ask some questions:

“Where am I experiencing Jesus?” “What situations do I see Jesus working in?”

It is in asking ourselves questions like this that we begin to take notice of the ways God is living alongside of us. We need to become better, “noticer’s”.

It is true that when God closes a door, He opens a window, but sometime we need to have the eyes to see the open windows, or we have to have the faith to open the few things that we are able to reach. Just like the disciples, we need to be reminded that Jesus is with us. That promise is like opening a window to a summer breeze in the middle of February, unexpected but greatly welcomed.

Who would have guessed?

Shout out to Jay "Da youth guy" for this fun quiz...

You are a Hippie

You are a total hippie. While you may not wear birks or smell of incense, you have the soul of a hippie. You don't trust authority, and you do as you please. You're willing to take a stand, even when what you believe isn't popular. You like to experiment with ideas, lifestyles, and different subcultures. You always gravitate toward what's radical and subversive. Normal, mainstream culture doesn't really resonate with you.

Are You a Hippie?

Green trees instead of a blanket of white

Image found at Dad's Images
I was thinking about the poem "Trees" today. In mid-January in the north east, it becomes more and more difficult to remember the green of grass and trees. Everything here is encased in a hardened shell of ice and snow. I think reading poems is one way of melting away the bleakness of winter, and this is one of my favorites.

Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918

119. Trees

I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day, 5
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain. 10

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

I'm praying for some sunshine to warm up the trees on my street.

Ubuntu finds me - again

So far I have stumbled, read, and been found by the word "ubuntu" four times in the last couple of months. If you've been following my blog lately, you'll remember the other references, but for the sake of keeping count here's the full list.

1. Ubuntu is referenced in Krista Tippet's book, 'Speaking of faith' as the true definition of humanity. It's a wonderful long short book that the book club I attend picked up in September and are just about to finish now. As you can guess, the long-six-chapters-in-240-pages are full of wonderful ideas discussing "Why religion matters - and how to think about it.".

2. When reading 'I'm proud of you', by Tim Madigan, I was taken aback in the very first chapter as Mr. Fred Rogers describing Ubuntu as the existence of true humanity as me with you. In his point of view, we can only be made complete in our interaction and working along side of others.

3. While walking out of my office last week, I looked on one of the many book shelves and saw the book, 'There is no future without forgiveness' by Desmond Tutu. Having learned a few things about ubuntu in relation to the restoration of South Africa after the impact and recovery from apartheid - I turned to the index of the book to find several references to ubuntu were listed. I immediately put in next on the que in my pile of, Books that I need to read pronto!



4. Today, when preparing for my high school group I was rooting around the youth room for some ambient music to play during a reading I was going to use and found the CD case pictured above. The CD is titled, "Ubuntu: I am because we are. This CD was produced in 2003 as to promote and teach music for and ELCA youth gathering. Then I remembered my pastor telling me how he heard Desmond Tutu speak at the conference. Wow!

In the two months I've been working with the ELCA I've come in contact with this word four times now. Each succeeding time I reply, "I'm listening!". Maybe the word is chasing me in order to let me know more every day, I am because we are. We are family, we are community, we are together. We are, hopefully, living out ubuntu. Ubuntu, keep on chasing me. I need you too.

You wouldn't like me when I'm angry

Photo by Beth

On my way to the office this morning, I passed by Burger King and was taken aback by the advert I saw on their sign.
"Try our Angry Whopper - it's the hottest burger in town!"
Never mind that their unusual burger's name did catch my attention of my early morning fogginess. I understand that the ad campaign is a gimmick, but all day I was bothered by the spirit of it. Does the world really need to be consuming and consumed by more anger?

Forgive my idealism, but why on earth would we want to consume something that stokes the fires of anger simmering within us? If the name if the burger isn't enough, you can go to Burger King's website to send "Angry-grams" to whomever happens to tick you off. Sorry BK, this ad campaign is just bad form!

Yes it's a sandwich. Yes it's supposed to be funny, but in a day where violence, war, and destruction rage on, I think a peace burger would be a better option. Maybe then it would need to be a veggie burger, but then again I'd be ok with that too.

How about less anger, more peace and a side of onion rings to share.
Now that's a meal I could swallow.

Go to Time magazine to see more about the photo essay, "The Peace Symbol's 50th Anniversary"

SWB: Rising anew

On Sunday, the gospel reading was Mark 1:4-11 and the section of 9-13 is one I keep thinking on since I heard it.

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus
9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.
12At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him."

Jesus was at a point in life where what he had been preparing for had to work out in practice. He had spent 30 years working towards all the opportunities that God had promised in and through him. What would it be like to be and live as God in the flesh and blood of humanity? Would he know the answers to all the big questions or would he just have bigger questions?

Either way, this scripture and the Sleeping with bread practice of considering what to let go of and what to hold on to have a great deal in common. Jesus arrived at the water that day a person holding on to life as he knew it and left that day dripping with the waters of baptism and taking steps into the desert.

Somehow it seems the waters of baptism soaked in deep allowing Jesus to be sustained in his desert retreat. It is also understood that Jesus did not go into the desert alone. He did go to the desert to be tested by Satan, but God's Spirit went with him. The spirit that descended upon Jesus during the oasis of baptism, was not limited to that refreshing environment. The Spirit was hearty enough to withstand extremes in temperature, isolation from human company, and all the temptations that were thrown its way. The Spirit of God helped retain some rest for Jesus in the midst of dire circumstances.


Image found at Cross Lane Student Ministries

The statement that, "God is with us." is one that has been repeated to me at increasing pace lately. Upon hearing this passage yesterday, I began thinking about what sort of things I need to take with me as I continue serving in ministry. I often think upon what book I should read next or what class would help me better understand and effectively practice the work that is youth ministry. Resources are good, but the ultimate resource is the Spirit of God.

After a workout at the gym the other day. I took a few minutes to sit in the steam room. It was hard to see across the small tiled box of a room due to the thickness of the steam. It was almost hard to breathe in the humid air, so I slowed my breathing in order to get what I needed. I sat quietly and water droplets to heavy for the air around me settled on my head, formed drops of water and began dripping from the ends of my hair and down my face. When I listened to the reading describing Jesus' baptism, I remembered sitting in the steam room and thought, " I wonder if Jesus noticed how wonderful it felt to have an unexpected shower of water run down his face?" I smiled knowing we had a baptism like this in common.

On the day I was officially welcomed into a new place of ministry, the reading that describes what Jesus did and experienced in preparation for ministry was read. Those words being read on that day fit together like bookends, like heartbeats in sync or like being caught in a cloudburst with someone you love. There is laughter, joy and refreshment in moments like this. Yes, there is the desert ahead, but the bearer of the water is coming with me.

New horizons and promises kept

Image by Alex DeCarvalho @ Flicker.

Today, I was formally installed at First Lutheran Church in Jamestown as their Director of Family and Youth Ministry. I've been working at the church since October 21st, but today my official welcome ceremony took place. The service this morning reflected the experience of my past and bounced back with a feeling of newness in opportunity.

In some ways, it was overwhelming today to be standing in front of the congregation and responding to all the "Will you..." questions that were posed to me. I answered each one by saying, "I will and I know God will help me."

Youth ministry is something that takes energy, intelligence, liking and loving kids as well as understanding that all the work is impossible without God's help and blessing. At this point in ministry and my life, I keep going back to my own need to more rely upon God. It's necessary to allow for the space and time for God to speak into my own life, before I'm of use to anyone else. The more I think of the balance between being willing to serve and understanding my own dependence upon God the more I'm amazed that I was standing in front of everyone this morning. God is so patient. God is so willing to work in our lives, if only we are willing to be molded and formed.

Today was one more opportunity to let go of my own agenda and ask God, what would you have me do? I feel more than ever that it is less about my doing, and more about my relying on God in whatever I do.

Someday, I hope to better understand the tension of willingness to serve and serving knowing that God already knows the story. I hope the words I write with my life are the ones God would desire be written.

There is a song I wrote for my kids in church once and the chorus goes like this -

"Wherever I go, whatever I see, I know that You are there watching over me."


Image by Alex DeCarvalho @ Flicker

God does not sit and watch our story from far away, God is with us. With you, and with me. It's in better understanding this promise that we can all say with confidence,

"I will and I know God will help me."

God us with us.


Also, thank you to my friends and family that came on this snowy day to show your support and love for me.