Uphill idealist

Several months ago, I noticed that a small church in a sleepy Western NY town was up for sale. A few weeks ago I noticed that the "For Sale" sign was gone and what had been a tender little white chapel had been flipped. It had not been made into a residential space or even yet another hair salon (even though one never can underestimate the need for a good salon in a rural community). The quaint little parish building had been refreshed, with new landscaping and the whole bit. The once weary but well loved building was dusted off and spiffed up, and now it was something altogether new. The church, was now, an antique shop. Wait. Hold on. The CHURCH was now an ANTIQUE SHOP. This statement concerning the flipped building did more than pop in my brain. The statement poured out of my mouth and filled my ears. "The CHURCH is an ANTIQUE SHOP!" I know this may initially appear to be a simple observation of a real estate transaction. But to me the sale...

Carpooling, chaos and hard-headed spark. Friends that are family, is us from the start. Meals and museums and pages from old books, these are just a few steps that we already took.    Goliaths we've wrestled and they've made their mark, but this way that we walk-wobble-walk encompasses our whole human heart.  Many cups of dark coffee and sharing a tune have been our mantra, our method our rune. The melody that greets us is one I can't hear too soon. Gospel and grace give us hope for the days set before us. Laughter and space call us to stay close. For this piece in the road  and the life that you've given - what a treasure, my friend, you are and always have been. For Jenn Swift Copyright 2015 T.L.Eastman

Bold, beautiful and busy can be a source of pride, but it can also be a sign of  impatience. Seeking the next best, or always hungry for the next flavor sometimes make savoring what's present a challenge. Taking time to sip water and soak up sun is something that a flower can teach. Impatiens grow easily in the right place. Good soil, moderate sun, moist soil, and regular watering are what they need. Perhaps the balance and moderation of the impatiens life are what makes their colors so bright. Home, light, water = life. I the impatient need to learn from the life lived by the Impatiens. Impatiens are not impatient but somehow... they are bold, beautiful, and proud. Photo and poem Copyright 2015 Tara L.Eastman

On my recent travels to Wartburg seminary I was required to take a week away to study two classes: Hebrew Bible 2 and Church as Community. During the five days of classes, it was necessary to stay focused, listen and learn as much as possible in the intensive week. Sitting still is not always my strongest suit. If it gives you some perspective, my parents dubbed me as “Tigger” before I was two years old. However, this time at seminary gave me time to wrestle with the challenge to listen more and worry less.   Image found at: how to get past a bouncer The lesson this week focuses on two sisters that give a good example of the contrast between listening and worry. Upon Jesus arrival at their home, he is welcomed by Martha and is ushered in. Martha disappears from her company to make preparations for them. Mary immediately takes a place sitting at Jesus feet and listens alongside of the men, which was not the custom of the day, to hear Jesus teaching. As time passes,...

Image 'Lucifer' by  Franz Stück, from Bierbaum’s  Franz Stück .        Found at:  Tumbler and at:   Franz von Stuck There are spaces that feel comfortable because we've gotten used to them. Just because we've become accustomed  to them doesn't actually mean that they ever fit at all. They've felt too tight, short, uncomfortable, or like they've been borrowed from someone who didn't want to loan them to you in the first place. But you wear them anyway. Because they are there, or there are no other options or whatever reason makes it bearable at the time. There have been attempts to force a fit, change to fit what is there, and even negotiate for some new duds -  but it just didn't click. That day that it smacked you in face - the "unfittingness" of it all, should have been evidence enough that it was time to take it off for good. Those words, "I can't do this anymore." escaped from your lips, before you had the tim...

There has been all kinds of leaping this week. Leaping out of the way of frustration, uncertainty, and even some leaping for joy. It's been a long leap in one particular area and now that I can move forward, there's a residue of  learned impulse and looking over my shoulder to saying, " Really, I can go now?" One step at a time. That is the only way to go. Anne Lamot would say it would be best to take things, "Bird by bird." That just might work. Leaping via faith, with a flock of birds to carry me through the really long jumps. That sounds like Holy Spirit kind of transportation. By the way, HS - I really appreciate the ride. Let's go for tour of some new territory. We've got the go ahead. (Really!) Let's fly.                                              Image found at  www.curiositiesbydickens.com

There is always a tension between hope and reality. The messy miss-matchedness of reality against our hopes can  be a startling contrast. This shock can either paralyze or motivate action. My prayer is that the contrast be a motivator, not a perfectionistic taskmaster. But an encourager. A do-what-you-can doer. A gentle, graceful hope and action motivator.

Image found at Youworkforthem.com "20 minutes to shine. What a promise. What a hope. While chemist-like trappings give the impression of control and order. There are cocktails, concoctions, and vials that speak volumes to potential. I admit to loving this promise. Wanting the contents of this bottle to do its best work - to draw all the vibrancy, lusture and gleam to the surface. I admit to this desire to be illuminated, but somehow I think the illumination needed runs much deeper than this crown. This light, hope, and glimmer needs to soak deep into the depths of my heart, to the cobweb coated corners of my mind, and make some space in spare room of my soul. Real light to take up residence here... in 20 minutes or less, of course. Is that too much for me to ask?" T.L. Eastman January 2012

What are the things that wake me up? Quite literally my alarm clock that goes off at 6am every morning to wake me up. Alarm noise is followed by a robust greeting from not-so-dainty 40lb. beagle cattle dog - Aggie. She plops on top of me with great anticipation of the great outdoor trek just minutes away from her Alphas feet hitting the floor. If I don't move fast enough, doggy kisses are on the way. Doggy kisses at 6am have an effective wake up call for just about anyone - espically me. When I think about the awareness of my dog, and her ability to be present to the moment, I'm challenged. In my very human way, I will so often be in a moment but at the same time be thinking, planning, or working out the moment that has passed or is yet to come. Dogs don't get caught up in the past or the future. Dog's live in the present. Even in the midst of a snoring canine sleep, Aggie will hear a noise and jump to attention barking at whatever has upset her rest. Often times, she w...

Image from Newsong . The Advent and Christmas season is one of my most favorite times of the year. In the past several years, I've become more familiar with the liturgical church calendar which is, "...the celebration throughout the year of the mysteries of the Jesus birth, life, death, and Resurrection in such a way that the entire year becomes a 'year of the Lord's grace'. Thus the cycle of the liturgical year and the great feasts constitute the basic rhythm of the Christian's life of prayer, with its focal point at Easter.". It has been a blessing for me to be introduced to this cycle in the last ten years and I've enjoyed thinking about and experiencing the holidays, seasons and focus on Jesus' life throughout the year. Every day of the year, in the liturgical calendar, points to the life, work and ministry of Jesus. By taking part in this cycle, I feel like I've become more aware of Jesus' presence in my own life - every day of each y...

Take twenty women with ages ranging from 17 to 65, add a catered breakfast and tasty lunch, some inspiring readings and discussions, lots of laughter, an opportunity to build a stronger community, hands on art and craft projects, some quiet time, some not-so-quiet time, and you have a day retreat for a lively sisterhood of women; committed to growing in their faith - cross generational friendships - and a great future together! Thank you to everyone who supported, helped with and attended the first women's day retreat at First Lutheran Church of Jamestown. Keep posted for the next one to come Spring 2012.

On my way to work this morning, I was sitting at a red light and saw something quite unusual growing in the front lawn of a city apartment building. People usually beautify their yards and homes with flowers, climbing vines and gnome sculptures - but not the town I live. This home's small front yard was filled with rows of corn! The stalks were at least six feet high and filled with growing stalks of eating corn. As the reality of this front-yard bumper crop made it's way into my view and mind I was reminded of the saying, "Bloom where you are planted!" Image found at Rachel's Blog. Years ago I had this quote on a Mary Engelbreit calender. I loved the quirky, colorful way Ms. Engelbreit encouraged the viewer to stand and thrive where they were placed. There are a few things I think people need in order to "bloom where they are planted." Obviously they need food, water, shelter and health care. But in addition to these things I think people also need: t...

This summer my church hosted a women's small book group that turned out to be anything but small! Over four weeks, forty-one women met and discussed Margot Starbuck's book - "Unsqueezed". The group was so popular, that I will be helping folks catch up on the discussion in a fall study group. Very soon, Margot's third book, "Small things with great love", will be published - and our group will be off and reading something new, challenging and fabulous yet again! In the meantime, we'll be doing some review and looking into the idea of "Doing justice, loving mercy and leaving our pews with the purpose of justice and mercy on our lists of things to do! If you would be interested in joining our women's fellowship - this is a inter-generational group of women (senior high ladies thru senior ladies!), please email me for times and dates at eastman_tara@yahoo.com

Let's face it. The church calendar and the calendar on our walls and in our planners are not one in the same. The Liturgical calendar is distinctly unique and has a way of setting those that follow it on a different rhythm that follow the Greco Roman Calendar alone. I spoke to a friend at church recently (the day after Christmas) and she shared that many people she knew were already done with Christmas. By the morning of December 26th, many people were planning to or already were removing the decorations and traces of Christmas. The only thing I could think was, after all the preparation - what's the rush to put Christmas away? Over the last few years, I've begun to become better educated on the Liturgical year and its cycles, and now know that Christmas Day is only the beginning of the celebration. It was wonderful to discover that many people wait to give gifts on January 6th, which just so happens to be my birthday, which is referred to as Epiphany. Epiphany is defined a...

God has a way of working dot-to-dot of our lives. For the last almost two years, I’ve been searching for a continuing education program specific to the ministry situation here at First Lutheran Church . I knew it had to be something I could do from Jamestown, it had to require a minimal amount of travel, it needed to engage my heart and mind and it had to apply to and assist me in the work I do on a daily basis. In February, my husband came across a book called, “The God bearing life.” by: Kenda Creasy Dean . In this book he learned about a Certificate program specific to current trends in youth and family ministry that fit all the requirements I’d hoped to find. Upon learning about the program, I discovered that the first retreat and intensive training week was to be held the last week of April 2010. In order for me to go to this training, many arrangements had to be made. Housing had to be secured for the week, my family had to work out the details of their lives with their mom abse...

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34 Going on a treasure hunt requires a few essential items: comfortable shoes, a sense of adventure, a water bottle, a compass, and of course a treasure map marked with a big black X to mark the spot of the chest overflowing with coins and jewels. The treasure that we seek can be like that in this photo, or it could be something altogether different. But, in some way we all are searching and looking for something in life. The desires of our hearts are revealed by the things we search for and spend our time with. While good work ethic and effort are wonderful qualities to posses, they can sometimes fool us into thinking we are the sole captains of our own ships or fleet of ships, depending on who you are. God desires for us to seek after his kingdom first. God desires for us to seek after Him first, before we go on any wild goose chases or self-propelled treasure hunts. This week as you work, play and spend time with fa...

Image from Phil Mack Irish Country Music . My husband Ian and I have old photos from when we first started dating, also in that box are the letters and cards we sent to each other when we lived a town away from each other. While we will have been married for eighteen years in June and have accumulated many things in that time, my favorite possessions are contained in that cardboard box. There are so many things available in the world for us to own. So often, we begin to believe that things are the key to happiness. However,the most precious possessions for most people are not things that are found at the mall. The old treasure boxes of our lives bring back the memories and relationships represented by the contents in that box of old photos. I think I love my old box of photo's, because it helps bring those memories back to life. I love the way the mind can recall things so vividly with the help of a photo, a familiar smell or an old letter. Letters epically have a way of cutting to...