Uphill idealist

Last week I had the privilege and honor of meeting a 94 year old woman who captured my heart in the first moments we met. It was once again an honor and privilege to be asked by her daughter the morning of her passing to officiate for her funeral today. In all of the stories her family shared about her, it was clear that she lived life to the full everyday. She loved life, her family and was always willing to learn something new. After her kids were grown she re-entered the world of education in taking an art class. This art class led to her going on to earn two masters degrees and starting a second career in elementary education. A few weeks ago, my dear friend Deb gave me a hand made mini book pendent and chain that on the inside says: Image found at art quote of the day Deb's handmade quote book and Miss Mildred's 94 years of life have given me a wonderful gift. Merton's quote is one I've held close as a reminder to stay active in creative endeavors. Mildr...

When I was 12 years old, my college-age brother bought me an amazing gift – a stereo system complete with turntable, cassette deck, radio, speakers and a vinyl album of “Synchronicity” by the Police. The giving of this gift required lots of working overtime and thoughtfulness on my brother’s part but the receiving of this gift was one that still makes me smile years later. The memory of that Christmas is one that makes me feel a sense of home, even though the tangible gift is long gone. We all have a longing for things in life to become whole or complete, but we live with the reality of that tension that things  aren't  quite right.  In recent reading of “Undone” by Laura Sumner Truax with First Lutheran’s True Sisterhood group , I have been learning about the tension of living in-between the spaces of Saint and Sinner.  Laura writes, “(The creation story) framed and ethic and a worldview. These were stories that helped explain why brothers had a hard ti...

Image found at Virtual Tourist Dan Dan the shoe shine man approached us in a crowd. He said, “I’m Dan Dan the shoe shine man. I’ll shine your shoes. I bet I can guess where you got your shoes.” From his demeanor and appearance, Dan Dan the shoe shine man seemed street smart and determined. He spoke quickly and smiled wide. He implored to my husband, “You need a shoe shine! I bet I can tell you where you got your shoes. $10.00 a shoe if I tell you where you got them!” My husband smiled waiting for Dan to tell us where his shoes were from as he bent down to spray and buff his sneakers. Dan stood up tall and proud and said, “You Sir has your shoes on your feet! That will be $20.00!” As soon as my husband handed Dan Dan the shoe shine man his $20.00 he was gone into the crowd. Dan was a few dollars richer and we both were a little more street smart. Dan Dan the shoe shine man (and his muscular buddy who was watching from a few feet away to assure he got his payment), were devo...

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...

Image from Bestuff. You turned on the light "The love you give brings so much light, like a beacon in the night. removing the fear and the fright. Confronting shadows, blacked strife, defeating death, reviving life, fanning the ash, defending my heart. Hearts are breaking, souls are aching, but you turned on the light. You turned on the light, and made things right when they were broken and you removed the dark and lit a spark that was smoldering. How can it be I have a life? How can some good come from such strife? Something in me can turn out right. Giving value to the slight. Fueling dreams, inspiring sight - burning a path to realties might. Lives are changing, hope is gaining - because You turned on the light You turned on the light, and made things right when they were broken and you removed the dark and lit a spark that was smoldering. Hearts are breaking, souls are aching, but you turned on the light. Lives are changing, hope is gaining - because You turned on the light....

Read the following scripture: "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." (Romans 12:4-6a) What word or phrase stands out to you in the verse above? Why do you think this is? Think about the different gifts in the Scripture references listed below: (Romans 12): exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy, prophecy, service, teaching, (Corinthians 12) administration, apostle, discernment, faith, healing, helps, knowledge, miracles, (Ephesians 4) evangelism and pastor. Is there a gift that stands out to you or that you have interest in? Circle the ones you might like to learn more about. Think about the responses on your affirmation cards (Ie. See group activity on earlier blog post): How might those affirmations be clues to some of your God given gifts? Take some time to write a...

Image from Min.tool.com "There are different kinds of gifts but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord." (1 Cor. 12:4-5) Imagine for a moment that you are going to a party at a friends house. You're group of friends have all decided to meet at a friend's home on a certain day, at a certain time and bring some food for everyone to share. As you walk up to the house and ring the bell, you'd probably think of all the good food you were about to eat and all the laughter and fun that you would take part in all evening. Your friend opens the door and says, "Who are you and what did you bring?" The expectant smile on your face has turned to a confused expression. You try to think of something to say, but you stammer responding to the odd question, "I brought cookies?" The friend you thought knew you, says "Oh, ok.", snatches the plate from your hands and slams the door. You are shocked and stunned. How could...

Image from Homemaking blog. There are three different Christmas gifts I'd like to tell you about today. One was a mystery, another was unexpectedly good, and the third was good - but spoiled by my sneaking to see it too soon. If you could have one amazing thing for Christmas this year. what would you ask for? I suppose if I could ask for something besides something ideal like world peace - that was purely for the fun of it I'd ask for a full supply of paints, canvas and new paint brushes as well as the time I'd like to spend working on various art projects. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Question to ponder: What did you say you'd like to have and why? What about this thing makes it so desirable to have? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mystery Gift: One Christmas morning, a long time ago in a land not so far away, I walked down to the living room to find a large shiny box under...

This coming weekend I'll be giving some talks with a group of middle schoolers surrounding the topic of gifts. I've begun some pondering and broken down the segments into three categories: gifts received, gifts identified and gifts given. Below are some amazing quotes on gifts to help get the juices going.... You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. ~Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet What is bought is cheaper than a gift. ~Portuguese Proverb A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver. ~Thomas á Kempis The only gift is a portion of thyself. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers. ~Seneca We do not quite forgive a giver. The hand that feeds us is in some danger of being bitten. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go t...

Last summer, the children of First Lutheran Church got excited about helping children in a small village in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. My friend Sally and her family are currently on a long-term mission there and she let me know that most of the children slept on the dirt floors of their family huts without any barrier between them and the ground. Sleeping directly on the ground can cause a multitude of health problems, but these children's families could not afford the $2.00-$3.00 cost for each child to have a bed roll or bed mat. When our VBS kids heard this news, they knew there was a way to help. Over that week of VBS the children and parents collected enough money so that one-hundred mats could be purchased. This week was the celebration of Ethiopian Christmas and it was time for the bed mats to be distributed! How fitting that on Epiphany, the feast that celebrates the Three Kings giving gifts to the Christ Child, that these children would receive this small gift of a little com...

So often people will think of the areas of life that they fall short or what may need some improvement. I think there is some wisdom in knowing where we need some work as humans, but I also feel it is equally important to learn, foster and use the gifts each one of us are instilled with. So here is the challenge or question that I'd like to present: "What gift(s) has God given to you that can be used in the care and ministry of loving others?" How have you seen that gift used in the past? How would you like to use it? If you dream big and I dream big together - how could God work in that big pool of gifts in the lives of others??? Let's share our gifts today and dream of what they can accomplish for God's purpose! 1 Peter 4:8-10 (New International Version) 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,...

Image from blog Gospel by ear . "That twinkle of joy and love in your eye is the spark of heaven I needed to see." I don't think there is anything better as a parent than to see your child rolling up their sleeves and digging into an activity that they truly love and are absorbed by. There is a silent joy, an all inclusive involvement that looking from the outside we as parents get the opportunity to soak up and observe at times. When considering how I love to see the gifts and talents of my own children be developed and implemented, I started to wonder if that is how G-d feels when observing each of his children when they are in the zone of their gifts and talents? Does G-d beam with pride when the gifts he gave are cared for, developed and carried out to their fullest potential? I'm sure like other parents, G-d desires for each one of us to have life to the full and I think that includes this area of gift or talent. I want to be a good steward of the G-d-given gifts...

Image found at How stuff works. As I sit on the living room floor, the Christmas music plays on the radio as I look to the already collected gifts sitting all around me. I begin the process of wrapping up each one carefully. I'd gather the gifts for each person, wrap them in shiny paper and then stack them one atop the other and finally tie them with curling ribbon that I'd take my scissors to and make piles of shimmering ribbon curls at the peak of the gift pyramid. With all that wrapping around the gifts, it usually was impossible to guess what was inside. It was only when the wrapping would be torn open, that the true identity of the gift would be made known. The process of shopping, organizing, and wrapping the gifts was always fun. Waiting for Christmas morning to give and have the gifts get opened was always difficult. I always want to give my gifts as soon as I wrap them, but somehow I manage to contain my excitement and wait until Christmas morning. In 1 Corinthians 12,...

“Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” Henry Van Dyke Photo by H. Eastman So far this weekend (It's late Friday night as I write this.), I've seen a glimmer and shimmer of gifts and talent in both my lovely children. The photo at the top of this post is one taken by my daughter, Heather. She's a great photographer and I'd love to find a means for her to foster her natural abilities in our area. Any ideas? She's the wood sprite to the right in the photo below. Nigel had his first open mic night at Infinity Performing Arts , a local music education program that he's been a guitar student of for almost two years. He's done a great deal of growing and developing as a guitar player in the last six months or so and had this opportunity to play with a group assembled for this night only. The group played two songs together and Nigel was asked to solo on 'Stand by me.' He looks so s...