Lisa's Musings

To Mall or Not to Mall

2009-01-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest events in our nation's history will take place thirty minutes from our home in Fairfax, VA. I resigned myself a few weeks ago, when it became apparent that I wasn't going to win any inaugural tickets in the lottery, that I'd watch it on TV. In my sermon yesterday I even mentioned how disappointed I was at having come to that decision.

Today our clerk of session dropped by and casually invited me to join her in her historic adventure of braving the crowds and the waiting lines for the porta-potties to be able to say, "I was there". Watching the swearing in and speech on the jumbotron with 2 million other Americans has got to be worth the trouble. Last night John and I watched a tape of the "We Are One" concert in the warmth of our living room and I for one could hardly stay in my seat. I needed a crowd to drown out my off key singing.

So - 2,000,001 - count me in.

Being in Time

2008-12-06T04:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I participated in a day-long Advent reflection on the Rituals of Sabbath and Spiritual Practice led by Duke Divinity professor Lauren Winner. This event was hosted by Wesley Theological Seminary and funded by the Lilly Endowment Foundation. I say 'participated' because Ms. Winner suggested we try to rid ourselves of using of the phrase "spent time" as in "I spent my day harvesting apples." Her thought, as I understand it, is that we commodify time when we 'spend' it. We exchange time in order to produce or reap something tangible from it.

Another way to think about time is "How are we to be in time?" An especially important question to ask ourselves in the season of Advent. Dr. Winner's focus was to think about how we are to be in "Sabbath" time - a time when we rest together with God. She pointed out that there exist many ancient creation

accounts -- all very similar. What distinguishes the creation stories is that other gods created humans as a replacement for the god while the god rested. The Judeo-Christian God invites humanity into the activity of rest with Godself.

Later in the day we were given the assignment to go off with a couple of scripture readings and contemplate aka 'rest' with them. Taking my preassigned readings I went outside to sit in the crisp, fresh air.

I wasn't into it. Wasn't feeling anything profound. I kept reading the texts. Nothing. God wasn't speaking to me at the moment.

So -- I started thinking about what I was feeling --

**Glad that I wasn't preoccupied with emails, Face Book updates, and cell phones.

**Thought about the family and where each of us 'were at' happiness wise in our lives.

**Bored - I started recording my feelings and wondering if I was really going to turn them into something utilitarian. (Guilty)

As I journaled, I looked back at those preassigned texts and realized they were, providentially, some of my favorites passages. Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest..." John 14 "My peace I give to you...I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Jesus gives us one rather big caveat in John 14: If you love me, you will obey what I command.

That includes entering into God's Sabbath rest -- being in time rather than spending time.

Image: THE SABBATH REST by Samuel Hirszenberg (1866-1908)

Oil on canvas 1894

Lunch with Lisa

2008-12-01T13:34:00.000-08:00

Nine of us dined on brown bag lunches, Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-8, and spiced with a little Psalm 85 and 2 Peter 3:8-15a. It was a Advent lectionary reflection and Bible study. One of my favorite things to do -- explore how different folks hear and interpret the Scripture. I'm grateful to those who joined me in listening to the text as I fearfully prepare to proclaim the good news next Sunday.

We talked about wilderness -- what it is and how do we get there? Sometimes we land there without knowing why, other times we're called there by a God who has a reason. And, when we are in the wilderness, what would salvation look like? What would we imagine needed to happen for us to be saved by God?

Thoughts?

p.s. Thanks David, Della Mae, Margaret, Lisa, Kathleen, Fred, Sheila, and Evelyn! You made my day.

Golden Birthday

2008-11-20T13:54:00.000-08:00

Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,

for in you I put my trust.

Teach me the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8

The morning Psalm is number 143 as I celebrate the 50th anniversary of my birth this day. What rings true for me today is that there is so much more for me to learn - and most basically is to trust in a God who is bigger (and older) than I am. It's a hard day if I think in terms that both of my parents have passed on to eternal life, my grandmother who was fifty when I was born, would've been 100 years old this year, and now it seems I can truly count on my mortality.

It's liberating, really. As friends and colleagues have shared with me, by fifty, you have the wisdom not to worry much about earthly matters. You'll be living life more fully, abundantly, realizing the blessings God has provided even when they have been cloaked in pain. And - as one friend wrote, you'll most likely be ushering in the next generation of your family. Good thing -- I miss my little boys.

Miscellaneous Thoughts from Study Leave

2008-11-11T13:54:00.001-08:00

A week of time lay as a blank space on the calendar two months ago. As time progressed -- aka drew near -- I found this blank space crunched with activities. A routine breaker was the three days spent in Stony Point, NY with a variety of Presbyterians. It was an interesting mix of folks and their thoughts regarding what to do about the Presbyterian dilemma of mainline malaise and members of the PC(USA)'s allergy to evangelism. The denomination has been hemorrhaging members since 1968. Twelve years ago the denomination even published a 'study' on evangelism for the PC(USA), which has not had any effect on the aforementioned ailment.

So the discussion at the conference raised the interesting question "Can the PC(USA) be a movement rather than an institution?" "Can the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst inspire a movement rather than keeping the 'status quo' of the institution?" As one pastor observed, "People join movements, they don't join institutions." Another former pastor turned church consultant commented something to the effect that, "Our current systems are perfectly designed to get the results they are presently achieving."

Some speculation centered on raising the bar on member expectations; the idea that low requirements gets low commitment. Other speculation focused on monastic practices that would bring a new spiritual energy for a younger generation yearning for connection. Still others thought long and hard about reviving practices that would bring current members to a deeper spiritual place. Do we need evangelism both inside and outside the denomination? What does it take to make the PC(USA) a movement rather than an institution? Is this what it would take to grow the church "Deep and Wide?"

A Lection Election Morning

2008-11-04T06:17:00.000-08:00

My body's still transitioning to a new clock as a result of Daylight Savings time. So, John and I were awake at 5:00 AM getting ready to stand in line to vote. When we got to the polling place at 5:50 AM there was nowhere left to park in the parking lot and the line looped the entire parking lot of this Fairfax Lutheran Church. It took only 55 minutes to get in to vote.

By 9:00 AM I'd had my morning coffee, read the paper, and began an initial look at the lectionary for November 9th (see sidebar for easy access). The following are my first impressions without any research:

Joshua 24:1-3, 14-25 ~ What a beautiful verse "...choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods of you ancestors...but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (vs. 15) But then there's the shocking verse 19 where Joshua tells the people "You can't serve the Lord, for he is holy, jealous, and unforgiving." It's sounds like a taunt. Are you sure you're strong enough, good enough a match for this God of all gods? Of course it raises an "Oh yeah, just watch, we can too!" response. I'm sure Josh was trying to hide the smile behind his "are you good enough, strong enough" challenge.

Jesus on the other hand, tells the parable of the Bridesmaids in Matt. 25:1-13, posing the question "Are you ready?" An exercise of good wisdom will ensure you are not left out.

Either way, there is a condition to be met. A conditional God??

Psalm 78 is a promise the God will guide the next generation. With all the changes happening so fast in life, we certainly hope so.

Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians is about Resurrection Hope usually a topic covered well at Easter time in the liturgical year. But, oh so appropriate for Election Day! What might be dying and rising to new life?

How's this week's lectionary working on you?

Two Worthy Commands

2008-10-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

On Friday I was at a church growth seminar where the speaker, Paul Borden, made the point that the Christian Church’s inner nature is usually rooted in one of two ways. Oversimplified some churches are rooted in The Great Commission: Go make disciples of all nations. These churches have a heart for evangelism and want to reach as many people as possible with the Good News that God loves them. They are out there with the message, seeking ways to bring people into the fold. Other churches are rooted in The Great Commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your mind, with all your heart, and with all your strength AND love you neighbor as yourself. They are seeking to love people into the fold.
If I’m not mistaken, I’ve come to learn that a substantial root of John Calvin Presbyterian Church is The Great Commandment. Listen to our list of Fall 2008 activities: CROP Walk, Walk for the Homeless, Alternative Gift Market, Support for Iraqi refugees, ACCA financial support as well as support for its activities, Bread for the World Sunday, supporting a Ugandan child’s education, Children’s Worship and Arts, Kid’s Musical Theater, and protesting genocide in Sudan. I’m sure I’m leaving something out but the point is, this is a church that believes in loving its neighbor as a sign of God’s influence in our lives.
We have much to celebrate and much to be proud about. Yet, if Paul has a message for us today, it is that God is not done with us yet. “Our inner nature is being renewed day by day.” We each are ‘works in process’; so too, communities of faith are also ‘works in process’. God is working in us to transform us from one degree of glory to another.
The idea of God’s transformation does not mean that whatever has gone before us is old or used up or in need of elimination. It means God is expanding the root system and that God intends for us to bear more new fruit. In a sense, we are always in process of being “Re-formed.”
With the decline in numbers of most of the mainline churches, I would venture to guess that God would like to transform us to be a little more like our sisters and brothers who, like Paul, say “I believe, and so I speak”. On the other hand, folks like Rick Warren who are really good at The Great Commission have recently been paying more attention to The Great Commandment. Praise God for both transformations!

Hope for America

2008-10-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

When it comes to blogging, I'm a newbie. From my corporate days, I believe in the value of benchmarking - researching based on best practices. At the sidebar of my blog you'll find two bloggers I have great respect for because they make me think and spark ideas.

Recently, Beloved Spear posted this amazing video. It's a reminder to not paint the folks who lean on the other side with a broad brush. I admire how these folks did not just 'ignore' the people who were misrepresenting them.

There's hope for America -- especially in our diversity.

Hate Came Calling

2008-10-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

I didn't go to the rally for John McCain or Sarah Palin when they were in Fairfax. Neither had I been to a Hillary or Obama rally, although I've been following all of the campaigns for what feels like f-o-r-e-v-e-r. (As an aside, a serious contender for my vote would be someone who introduces legislation putting a one year term limit on campaigns.) Early in the weekend just past, it was alarming to hear some of the ethnic assertions that are being made at certain rallies. My hope and prayers were immediately asking that the racial prejudice that lurks in the corners of our society would not be invited to ferment and fill the room.

Apparently, hate works faster than hope. As I prepared to lead a Senior High Sunday school discussion on what happened at the PC(USA) 2008 GA, I was stopped by a parishioner who had come back inside from his car to show me what had been left in every car door in our church parking lot during our Sunday worship service. (see photo)

Hate came calling on a beautiful Sunday morning as we worshipped.

What do we do when our opinions collide?

The SS discussion revealed that Youth, and many older adults, find value in "staying neutral" and allowing everyone their own opinion. This led us to reflect on other questions: How long can you stay neutral? When has someone crossed a line that requires a response? What's the best way to 'change' someone's mind on a position? By vote? By getting to know someone as a fellow human being and then engaging in discussion without the ulterior motive of changing their mind. Instead, we'd each ask ourselves, "What is God doing here, right now?" Maybe we'd each learn something.

Hope takes longer because it takes more time and work. Hate found it is easy to pamphlet a parking lot after producing some negative literature. It's also easy to make some 'questioning' comments in a speech. It's a lot harder to sit down and find out why someone with different opinions holds that opinion. And - it's d*** hard to be open to the possibility that we might not be right.

"Remember to take the time to talk about what you believe" was the message I've been giving upset parishioners over this 'incident'. And - keep praying that hate gets scrubbed from all corners of our globe.

Bail Me Out?

2008-09-30T05:14:00.000-07:00

My high school aged son's lunch account sends me notices when he reaches a $5.00 minimum balance. I just electronically deposited funds into the lunch account to last him at least month. The funding then shows up on my credit card at the end of the month. My Netflix subscription and a view other accounts are backed by my credit card account. My life is so much easier because of my credit. The number of checks I have to write has decreased, I don't have to go to the bank as often as I would if I paid everything in cash, and I earn frequent flyer miles as I spend.

My second born son is in his first semester at college and we keep getting notices that he's spending money faster than we can replenish his account. Again, we depend on electronic means to keep him in the black - with a little help from the bank. (And, if we could just get ahold of him maybe we'd be able to share some money management tips. It's scary to think about how much fun he must be having.)

What's even scarier is that this life as we know it, is changing. If we believe what we hear in the news, the credit situation is in danger of freezing up and the banks will no longer be so 'free' with credit, even for 'good' credit risks like me. I'm nervous that if I have to be a better money manager of my actual cash flow, which will definitely require some lifestyle changes.

Last weekend I preached on the Parable of the Talents. The idea I offered was that God wants the faithful to be risk takers, which requires taking risks in lifestyle. The parable, the kinda-like story, used money as a lens into the character of God. I prefer to read this from the perspective that the story wasn't really about money but about taking risks with the gospel.

Some believers might ask, "Did God create this economic situation? Is God involved here?"

One message is clear, God wants us to risk some lifestyle changes. Starting at the executive level right on down to the grassroots.

What can change?

Ch-Ch-Changes to Face the Strain

2008-09-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

Being a Presbyterian, I take my responsibility as a presbyter very seriously. I lament when I have to miss a presbytery meeting as they used to inspire me. However, today's meeting felt like I was back in the corporate world, meeting for the sake of meeting. Reviewing budgets that were going to pass regardless because no one except the presbytery staff had enough background on the total budget to not let them pass. We even increased a debt limit for a retreat center in this economic environment! My only point being -- we were meeting and doing business that felt like it was simply a formality.

On the car ride home I asked my elders what they thought. One said, "I could have skipped the morning but things got lively there for a moment after lunch. That was interesting."

What the elder was referring to was a motion brought forth suggesting NCP presbyters 'try' a new format to presbytery meetings. Instead of conducting business as a formality, how about if we were to engage one another in Bible study, discussion, and worship??? Our votes on important, controversial subjects might take on a new tone and meaning. We might be in relationship and experience something of what we preach about.

Hello, was that the Holy Spirit blowing through the room?

Some wanted to refer it to "Council" to decide. Right, take the decision making away from the people who actually have to suffer through the meetings-as-a-formality.

Looking forward to November.

Grace in the Chaos

2008-09-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

It started off by waking up way before the alarm at 4:40 AM about the time JMR was leaving for work. After working for the morning, I decided to ride my bike to the gym to work out. Soon I discovered the tires were very low and I couldn't find the bike pump. I rode to the gym anyway via the service station with an air machine. However, it cost 75 cents for three minutes of air. In my pockets -- nothing except a debit card. Arriving at the gym later than usual, I found my my favorite machines occupied and at that moment my reading glasses broke.

I did work out.

Heading home, I stopped for cash at a nearby ATM, and proceeded to the service station to fill up my tires. I wasn't quite sure how the pressure gauge worked but I checked the tires which said "fill to 75" whatever the measure system is. I made sure the gauge didn't go over 60 whatever-the-measure is. Very proud of my self sufficiency, which I could wave in front of JMR, I rode on into the intersection of Braddock and Rt. 123 where I had the walk signal.

There was a loud bang like I'd never heard before as trucks and cars are whizzing by. "Is someone shooting?" I thought. I looked down and my tire was flapping in the wind -- POPPED. My bike and I became walking companions.

Grace broke in when I caught up to a neighbor who was walking home from the store. Living in the same neighborhood for 4.5 years, this was the first time I ever met Jim who'd lived in North Hill since 1983. For the first time in 4.5 years, we spent fifteen sun-filled, September minutes walking together.

Grace broke in at 5:55 when I decided to stop trying to sleep and get up and work. I was done with Sunday's bulletin by 10:00 AM and had some ideas working for the sermon.

Grace broke in at the gym when I asked for a young woman's assistance with my glasses and with her good eyes and long fingernails she was able to put the little screw back in place. I worked out for 45 min. reading happily.

Grace broke in -- and -- the day's not over yet.

Getting Techie

2008-09-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

I am in awe of bloggers and those who have souped up fancy FB profiles. I've been reading blogs recently by our PC(USA) moderator, Bruce Reyes-Chow, about why he and some of my other colleagues blog; as a spiritual discipline, a way of dialoging and sharing ideas, a way of staying in touch with those who might be disconnected from traditional faith communities. I love the idea.

In my wandering I discovered Google Reader, an efficient way to select blogs that you'd like to receive update feeds from. I stumbled on it at http://www.blogger.com and clicking on the dashboard menu. It's amazing. Now, not only do I get feeds from my favorite bloggers, but also from places like The Daily Show and Daily Quotes. The quotes are great and here are a few of my favorites from today:

"When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth." George Bernard Shaw

"What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet." Woody Allen

"Try to learn something about everything and everything about something." Thomas H. Huxley

So much to learn...so little time.

Saying Yes and Wishing I Knew When to Say No

2008-09-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

"When men and women take personality tests, some of the old Mars-Venus stereotypes keep reappearing. On average, women are more cooperative, nurturing, cautious and emotionally responsive. Men tend to be more competitive, assertive, reckless and emotionally flat."

I Better Get Better at This

2008-09-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

I so want to be a regular blogger -- then I might actually tell people to check out my blog. Instead, it seems to turn out to be something I "mean-to-do." It reminds me of vacation this past week. We spent four days at the beach with some very good friends. One morning two of the friends were organizing photos -- one in an album and one was doing a fabulous job scrap booking. I would love to expend creative energy scrap booking! But - I know that in reality I would probably buy all the supplies, fill a couple of pages, and then stuff it all in my closet -- and feel unendingly guilty about not getting more done.

Just the awareness of that reality makes me feel like I have such self control. I haven't spent a cent on scrap booking. At least, not until I turn the couple of hundred dollars worth of beads in my closet into jewelry!

Retreats and Time Well Wasted

2008-08-04T18:42:00.000-07:00

It was hard to get myself geared up for the presbytery retreat I had committed myself to attending this first week in August. It's Vacation Bible School week and it still takes me awhile to generate a sermon so I hated to take two whole days out of my schedule. Anyway, this week I'm preaching on the practice of "listening for transformation" using the story of Jesus' conversation with the Syrophonecian woman. Well, a comment was made at this retreat that transformation is an exchange: you have to exchange an old idea, value, program (fill in the blank) for a new idea, value, or possibly a program to take root. Ooo la la a sermon start. Time well wasted.

Candidates and Ords

2008-07-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

After taking the Presbyterian ordination exams 7 years ago, this morning I was reacquainted with the angst associated with preparation for these rigorous exams. Over a latte, I reviewed ord questions with three candidates for the ministry who are preparing for their exams in September. They took me back in time. In my mind ords are the Presbyterian equivalent to state bar exams for lawyers.

And -- they are worth the effort! It is a denominational practice of preparing ministers of the Word and Sacrament, which ensures they are knowledgable of Scripture, classical and modern theology as well as the PC(USA) constitution. It is a practice that equips the potential pastor to respond to the deep questions of faith that permeate everyday life and situations people find themselves in. Often times when 'situations' occur in the church I ask myself, "How would I answer this if it was an ordination question?" Which initiates my examination of whether my approach is well thought out along with what my motives vs. God's purpose might be in my handling of the situation.

It's rigorous and I'm glad there's not such a thing as renewing your ord 'licensing'. On the other hand, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea...

Honoring the Body

2008-07-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

This week's sermon topic is the Christian practice of honoring the body. I'm calling it "Known in the Biblical Sense" with Psalm 139 as my scripture text. How does one honor being 'fearfully and wonderfully made' as an individual and in relationships? Where do we cross the line from sacredness to vulnerability; honor to dishonor?

There is so much to explore in body 'projects':

adornment ~ clothes, like tatooing, piercing

shaping ~ steriod use, eating disorders, exercise for health or compulsion

being shaped by our bodies ~ I'll always be a 5'2" Euro- American woman, no changing that, how has that shaped who I am, how I operate?

Feeding the Body ~ why has it taken 40+ years to figure out how to eat normally?

The Sexual Body ~ I want my sons to be good lovers. Does that mean they should go out and practice, practice, practice? No - they should honor their own body and the body for whom they care with love, offering as much freedom as possible. Freedom means being able to develop physically, emotionally, and spiritually into the person God intends.

The Suffering Body ~ touch is important in healing (not curing). What kind of touch helps another heal? Who are untouchables in our lives?

It takes a body to know God. We experience, feel, taste, touch, hear, see, and express with our bodies. Without bodies there would be no relationships.

God bless our bodies for we are fearfully and wonderfully made!

Testimony - That's (Not) the God I Know

2008-07-09T11:13:00.000-07:00

Last week BBT asked us to write an Amazon.com review of a reader's choice book that we read in preparation for our class. My choice was Testimony: Talking Ourselves into Being Christian

by preaching professor Thomas G. Long. A great read for mainline Christians, here's what I thought.

Two Weeks with BBT

2008-07-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

Folks in our Christian Practice for Congregations class with Barbara Brown Taylor are feeling a little guilty. It seems we aren't 'working' hard enough. There's a lot of time spent nourishing our bodies; resting, reading, taking a walk or a nap, and tasting a little wine from time to time. Barbara said she "trusts God will meet people who do good practice." That leaves much to the imagination.

Do we initiate the practice that focuses us on God, or does God lead us to the practice? Does resting and playing have a place in shaping who we are as Christians in the world? Does everything we do have to be utilitarian?

What about deforming practices - practices that are detrimental to our formation as a community of believers?

What makes a practice Christian?

Columbia Sabbatical

2008-07-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

This is my third round of classes for a doctor of ministry degree. The term doctorate sounds very studious but instead I'm finding it very freeing. More often than not in the Gospel and Culture track at Columbia Seminary we practice creative Christian thinking. This week I thought we'd be sitting around meditating, doing lectio divina, or walking a labyrinth. Instead we're exploring embodied practices - the things we do over time that shapes our way of life.

What do you do over time that shapes your way of life? Here are some of the non-traditional (in terms of being associated with church) practices shared in class:

Practice of the Porch - John sits outside reading the paper on his porch which connect him to the immediate neighborhood and the larger world.
Practice of the Evening Walk - Chris' family walks every evening. The neighborhood has watched this family grow from couplehood to having a dog and now two children join their band of merry walkers.
Practice of the Fountain Pen - This activity makes Jeff slow down, be intentional about the words he writes since there is no back space button.
Practice of Cooking Over an Outdoor Fire - Mason and his preschool sons build a fire in the morning, tend it for a good part of the day, and then cook something wildly southern over the open fire. They are out in the God's good creation, taking Sabbath time to cook the fruits of the earth, rather than turning the stove on and having dinner in 30 minutes.
Practice of Walking and Biking - trying not to increase my carbon footprint anymore than I have to I try to walk or bike as much as I can to the gym, the library, to Starbucks, etc. It sharpens my senses as I smell the flowers and the soil, feel the changes in the weather, listen to the birds chirping and the dogs barking. Overall it makes me attentive to the creation. This practice evolved from an effort to be 'green' yet it sends me to prayer almost every time. I don't do it in church, but I often feel way more gratitude to God, so it must be a Christian practice.

What's your life giving, life shaping practice?

Practices

2008-06-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

Thinking all about practices for my upcoming trip to Atlanta. What do we repeatedly practice that makes meaning? Well, I seem to repeat the practice of forgetfulness. I remember to get something that I'll need later in the day, lay it somewhere, and then I'll forget it altogether. Is this God's way of reprioritizing for me?

Trying Again

2008-06-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

Full disclosure ~ I'm old enough to realize that blogging is something I want to do to keep up with the 'changing times'. I'm also old enough to be set in old patterns, which makes blogging hard to do. Yet, a friend of mine invited me to a group of Emergent church types who encouraged me to take it up again.

I've been a solo pastor for all of five months. I'm still trying to find my groove in scheduling, which I'm pretty sure will take at least the first year. It's been great getting to know a new congregation and community.

In preparation for a Christian Practices class with Barbara Brown Taylor, I'm reading "Testimony: Talking Ourselves into Being Christian" by Tom Long. My favorite quote for the weekend sermon is: Unless you can say it, you don't really believe it. (p.7) What do we say about our faith?