tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78997505589262254632024-03-18T22:54:33.738-05:00Dancing in the Ruach ElohimQuestions, Thoughts, and Random Mind-Wanderings of an Unmarried, Female, Music-Loving, Jeans-Wearing, PEZ-Collecting, CSI-Watching, PlayStation 2 Playing, Sleep-Wanting, Presbyterian Pastor.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-29811032548670019262011-05-11T00:04:00.005-05:002011-05-11T00:10:38.261-05:00A Message From The Moderator<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lbZcQa7fME8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-81698743729052741622011-05-10T23:11:00.007-05:002011-05-10T23:29:08.812-05:00A New Day For The PCUSAThe Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) had (finally) <a href="http://www.pcusa.org/news/2011/5/10/presbyterian-church-us-approves-change-ordination/">approved changes in ordination standards</a>! We are another step closer to genuine equality in the church! Praise God!!!<br /><br />Maybe now we will begin to truly believe that God's gift of grace that is made known to us in our baptism is truly sufficient...because, baby...we were born this way...<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xG0wi1m-89o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-48825375734494407852011-05-09T21:40:00.029-05:002011-05-09T23:51:12.296-05:00On The Threshold Of Equality<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmimAocXoJmGA7ROPFZHsHK5QSGMXRIaaPUx6ZzVvJ0MNc5RGbrcpRQMaPnIg-yK4f5-jUj5Fa5x1gVUZVH_efN_b-3Xqk2xjAOUOzqr-ZQBFs9xmAXengbVBmOWvd_VILBmQNyuxQDyI/s1600/Motion+Form.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmimAocXoJmGA7ROPFZHsHK5QSGMXRIaaPUx6ZzVvJ0MNc5RGbrcpRQMaPnIg-yK4f5-jUj5Fa5x1gVUZVH_efN_b-3Xqk2xjAOUOzqr-ZQBFs9xmAXengbVBmOWvd_VILBmQNyuxQDyI/s320/Motion+Form.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604934353872893394" /></a>In 2008, I served as a commissioner to the 218th General Assembly of the PC(USA). I worked with the Church Orders and Ministry Committee, which was the committee that considered amendments regarding G-6.0106b. That year, the General Assembly passed the amendment that became known as "Amendment 08-B". While it was being considered in committee, it was known as "Item 05-09". This proposed amendment would have changed the language of G-6.0106b in the PC(USA)'s <em>Book of Order</em>, moving us closer to real equality in the church.<br /><br />I moved for its approval in committee (and voted for its approval on the floor of the Assembly), so I was really disappointed when it was not ratified by enough presbyteries to pass.<br /><br />Many of us in the PC(USA) have been fighting to get the language of G-6.0106b either changed or removed from our <em>Book of Order</em> for years now -- ever since it was added to the <em>Book of Order</em> in the mid 1990s. Many of us wondered if/when that day would ever come.<br /><br />Well...that day is finally here!!! Most are now saying that Tuesday, May 10, 2011, will be the day that the language of G-6.0106b is finally changed so that it will bring us one step closer to full equality in the PC(USA). <br /><br />I will be reflecting on this action in the next several days and weeks. Many people will be excited and happy about the voting results (like me!) -- but, others will not... In the meantime, I share these words that I wrote back in 2008:<br /><blockquote>We are called to trust God in the process – really trusting that God is the one who is in charge. God calls us through scripture to live together, work together, pray together, worship together, and witness together.<br /><br /><em>I pray that we will seek to live out our calling to live as brothers and sisters in Christ, so that our willingness to look past our differences and declare together that Jesus Christ is Lord can bear witness to the amazing power of the love and grace of God!</em><br /><br />Jesus said: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35 (NRSV)</blockquote>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-38458263823034483252011-05-01T22:29:00.019-05:002011-05-02T01:04:35.241-05:00When Does Love Win?I just finished watching President Obama tell the nation about the death of Osama bin Laden. I must admit that I have mixed emotions about this "achievement". On the one hand, I feel some relief knowing that a known murderer and terrorist has been eliminated. This is the guy who orchestrated the tragic events of 9-11. This is the guy who regularly celebrated the deaths of thousands of innocent people. Let's face it -- even if he had been captured alive, he would have faced the death penalty for his multitude of crimes. So, knowing that he has been brought to justice is welcome news.<br /><br />On the other hand, I find myself somewhat uncomfortable with rejoicing over the death of someone -- even the death of such a sick, violent, twisted individual as Osama bin Laden. It doesn't sit well with me to cheer when there are acts of violence. While I understand many consider his death to be "justice", I can't help but see it more as vengeance. And as much as I wish that Osama's death would somehow mean that terrorism is now "done", I know that just isn't the case. So, I am hesitant to celebrate...<br /><br />Now...before the President spoke, the news broke -- both online and on the various television news channels. There was a ridiculous amount of speculation on Twitter. But the speculation about what the President was going to talk about didn't bother me. The "leak" of the news that Osama bin Laden had been killed didn't really upset me all that much, either. What really bothered me was the words of hate and disdain that were being tossed about between political parties and their supporters...<br /><br />Please. Someone help me understand how throwing insults is helpful. Someone help me understand how calling people or groups names adds anything positive. Someone help me understand how pointing fingers at people or groups we don't like or agree with is ever going to get us anywhere. Someone, please, help me understand how violent, hurtful words answer God's call to love one another.<br /><br />Is This what peace looks like? Is THIS what unity looks like? <em>When does love win?</em> When do we dare to truly embrace the command to love our enemies? When do we finally decide to follow the command to bless those who curse us and pray for those who persecute us? <br /><br />We aren't always going to agree on how things should be done. We aren't likely to agree on who should (or shouldn't) get the credit for things that happen in the world. And God knows that we aren't all going to agree on which people to vote for or which news channels to watch. But I <em>pray</em> that maybe -- just maybe -- we who call ourselves Christian might figure out a way to agree on the importance of showing respect to one another -- even when (and maybe, most importantly) we disagree so passionately about other things. If we can find that way... If we can dare to respect one another... If we can refrain from the temptations of violence and vengeance...then maybe...love can win...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-19156532258532671342011-04-24T21:53:00.006-05:002011-04-24T22:04:55.242-05:00Our Heyday Is Yet To ComeOne of the scripture lessons that is often read on Easter Sunday – part of the “Easter Vigil” liturgy – is a lengthy passage from Exodus (Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21). In this scripture, we read about the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. We all know this scene – Cecil B. DeMille and Charles Heston made it famous. With Pharaoh’s army close on their heels, the Israelites come to the banks of the Red Sea, where it looks as though they will surely be recaptured. But, God instructs Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea – and, when he does, the water is driven back by a heaven-sent wind so that the people can cross the sea on dry land. <br /><br />It is a great story. But, we might wonder… why it is part of the liturgy for Easter Sunday? I think that – along with the Resurrection stories that we read in the Gospels – this passage from Exodus could possibly be one of the best scriptures to read on Easter Sunday. Like the accounts of Jesus’ Resurrection, the story of the crossing of the Red Sea is a salvation story. These scriptures tell us about God’s desire to save – even when doing so may appear to be impossible. These stories offer dynamic testimony of how God always makes a way when (it seems that) there is no way.<br /><br />These stories about the Exodus and Jesus’ Resurrection invite us to make a dramatic shift in our thinking. Conventional thinking would suggest that huge bodies of water are always impossible to cross on foot. Conventional thinking would suggest that death is always the end of the story. But when we shift our thinking – when we put on new, Spirit-tinted glasses and we tune in to see what God sees – then we discover that there are more possibilities than we originally thought. Suddenly, there are dry paths made in the midst of the waves. Suddenly, stones are rolled away and new life springs forth where there once was only death.<br /><br />Without the shift in our thinking – when we are reluctant to wear those Spirit-tinted glasses – we end up slipping into the murky land of “Should-a/Would-a/Could-a”. The Israelites were there for a while, asking Moses why they had left Egypt only to die in the wilderness – faced with the obstacle of crossing the Red Sea, they were quick to abandon hope and suggest that they were better off as slaves in captivity! “We should-a stayed in Egypt! We would-a never faced this kind of hardship there! We could-a been safe – even as slaves.” <br /><br />Without Spirit-tinted glasses (offered to us through the promise of God-provided salvation), we – like the Israelites – slip into the belief that our heyday is behind us! We might be tempted to look back to the “Church of Yesteryear” and pine for “the good-ol’ days”. But, God (thankfully) didn’t finish working in and with the Church 30, 50, or 70 years ago – if God had finished back then, we’d still be dealing with issues of institutionalized segregation and sexism in the Church! <br /><br />Thank the Lord that God is still acting! God is still moving! God is still at work! God – through the Word – encourages us to put on a new vision and recognize this fact: because God is at work, our heyday is yet to come.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-12753314177670672322011-04-03T22:40:00.011-05:002011-04-03T23:40:17.678-05:00Knowing the Mind of GodAs I was writing last week, I was reminded of an experience I had while I was searching for a new call. When I was being considered for a position at a particular church, I had the opportunity to interview with a Committee on Ministry of a Presbytery via email. (I will not disclose <em>which</em> church, COM, or Presbytery this was -- I will only say that it is NOT the church, COM, or Presbytery with whom I am affiliated now.)<br /><br />Here's one of my "favorite" questions about what I had to say in my PIF (Personal Information Form) from a member of that COM:<br /><br /><blockquote><em>Under the heading "Key Theological Issues" in Amy's PIF she states: "All Christians must recognize that whenever we claim to know the mind of God we are guilty of idolatry; it is God who calls us and claims us as members of the body of Christ, and not we who call upon or claim God as our own." I need some help in understanding what she is saying here. I would like to ask her: are you saying we cannot know the mind of God at all? Can you explain your statement a bit more, especially in relation to God’s work of revealing to us God's will, God's truth, God's mind so that we can come to know more about God and God's ways for right living? If God can make God’s will known to us, what do you mean when you say it is idolatrous to claim to know what God has revealed? I don’t think I understand what you are trying to say on this point. (see 1 Corinthians 2:9-16, esp. 10-11)</em></blockquote><br />Here is how I answered the inquisitive (and, dare I say, seemingly anxious) individual:<br /><br /><blockquote>God’s will and God’s truth are, indeed, revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God, and through the Scriptures (again, only by the illumination of the Holy Spirit). Yet, while we (the Church) have received “the Spirit that is from God,” that does not mean that we now “know” the mind of God. Our finite, human minds cannot –- individually or in small groups -– ever fully contain or ever posses the mind of God. As Paul writes, “we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end…For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:9-12).” <br /><br />It is the Church –- the full Body of Christ –- that has received the Spirit of God, and it is only together as a Body of Christ that we are able to begin to know the mind of God; and when God’s Kingdom is made complete, then our knowledge of God may also be complete. <em>When we as individuals or groups (churches, denominations, affiliate groups, etc.) claim to “know” fully the mind of God, we are quick to forget that we are only a part of the Body of Christ; to claim that somehow one group or another is able to have the knowledge that God has is to once again fall prey to the lies of the Tempter.</em><br /><br />In 1 Corinthians 2:12, Paul says that “Now we have received…the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.” Later in his letter, Paul goes on to more fully explain these spiritual gifts, taking great care to remind us that we are members of a body; we cannot live without one another (1 Corinthians 12). In order to accomplish this -– in order to live together as one Body of Christ –- we must have love for one another (1 Corinthians 13). Therefore, this is why I say this in my PIF: <em>“The Church is called to live out the truth of Christ’s command to 'Love one another as I have loved you'. As we are confronted by a barrage of political and social issues, it is vitally important that the Church find ways to be open to persons of all political, socio-economic, and theological standpoints –- we will only be whole when the Church is able to embrace persons of differing views.”</em></blockquote><br />When will we dare to get over ourselves, admit that we don't have all the answers (and that we couldn't handle it even if we did), and just let God be God...?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-50125300809425589792011-03-28T16:59:00.021-05:002011-03-29T23:41:03.965-05:00The Cartoon Song: A ReflectionIn the late '90s, Christian radio stations were abuzz with the hidden track on the album <em>Past the Edges</em> by Chris Rice: Cartoons.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yQtmNet9yfQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Without question, it is a catchy, fun little song. It presents us with a simple hypothetical to consider: What if cartoons "got saved"? And it is clever to imagine how those famous cartoons would say "hallelujah". And yet, as imaginative as this song is, the message that it sends leaves much to be desired...<br /><br />The song suggests that "Beavis and that other guy" won't be or can't be saved. The slight pause and one word dismissal of "nah" makes at least some people in the live audience laugh -- there are some who cheer, even -- but, I don't see the humor or joy in it. Why is it that we think that these two cartoon characters can be so easily tossed aside? Is it their choice of dress? Is it their choice of music? Maybe it is their presumed education level or their choice of language? Why is it so difficult to imagine Beavis and Butthead getting saved?<br /><br />The answer really all depends on your understanding of salvation. Some people believe that salvation is totally dependent on our actions -- that is to say that we humans have a kind of authoritative role in whether or not we are saved. Some say -- either with their actual words or with their actions -- that salvation is based on our believing something or doing something or saying something, as though our being saved or not is dependent upon our "works". <br /><br />I don't agree with this understanding. You see, I don't believe that we humans (or cartoons, for that matter) have any authoritative role in "being saved". Salvation has nothing to do with any choice that I could ever make. It has nothing to do with any magic words or special incantations. It is not something that comes about because of our "works". Salvation is not something that <em>we</em> do. God - and God alone - is the one who acts through Christ. If salvation is dependent on me and my actions/choices, then that would mean that God is bound by <em>me</em>...and <em>that</em> is a <em>really weak God</em>! Salvation is a gift from God -- pure and simple.<br /><br />So, I have to wonder... why say "nah" when considering what it would be like if Beavis and Butthead were saved? Is God not capable of extending the gift of salvation to characters like them? God doesn't hesitate to save Fred Flinstone, a character who frequently mistreats his wife. God readily saves Scooby-doo and Shaggy, who are known trespassers (and long suspected drug users). God has no problem saving someone like Yogi Bear, who is an admitted thief. And yet, according to the song, God has no interest in saving two teenage boys who like to watch MTV. <br /><br />Really?!? I'm just not buying it... I wholeheartedly believe that God is <em>fully capable</em> of saving Beavis and Butthead! Do I <em>know</em> that God would save them? No. I don't know that any more than I can <em>know</em> if God would save anyone else! I don't claim to know the mind of God. This is why I find it rather upsetting that there are "Christians" who dare to make judgement calls like Chris Rice has in his song "Cartoons". There is no good reason to suggest -- even in jest -- that God has no interest in or ability to save someone...<br /><br />Jesus said -- without mincing words -- that we are not called to make these kinds of judgements. "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get (Matthew 7:1-2)." It is pretty clear that none of us are in any position to decide whether or not God would save someone. If we're going to be judged according to the judgments that we make, then I am going to follow the rules of love and grace...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-10046162409794704052011-03-17T23:12:00.011-05:002011-03-17T23:52:42.658-05:00If There Is A Hell...The violent behavior of Fred Phelps that has recently been <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-16/us/westboro.nate.phelps_1_fred-phelps-gay-rights-shirley-phelps-roper?_s=PM:US">revealed by his estranged seventh-son</a>, Nate, comes as no surprise. Any person whose entire "ministry" revolves around hate is bound to exhibit violent behavior. (I don't think that I have ever heard any reports of this "pastor" of the Westboro Baptist "Church" even saying the word <em>love</em>.)<br /><br />At the end of the <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-16/us/westboro.nate.phelps_1_fred-phelps-gay-rights-shirley-phelps-roper?_s=PM:US">article</a>, Nate Phelps (the son) says this: "So since the United States is taking steps to move in the direction of equality for gays in America, he says that has doomed America... So anyone who is connected to America, so anyone who is supporting America in any sense is subject to the wrath of God."<br /><br />So... here's what I'm wondering... The Westboro Baptist "Church" benefited from the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/03/03/exp.am.intv.toobin.cnn?iref=allsearch">U.S. Supreme Court ruling in their favor</a>. The court decided that they have the right to do what they do, right? So... doesn't that mean that they are "connected to America"? I mean, they live in America. They live under the rule of the U.S. government. They were just supported by the highest court in America. <br /><br />So...according to their own claims regarding what happens to those who are connected to America...doesn't this mean that (due to their association) "God Hates Westboro Baptist Church"?<br /><br />Just wondering...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-24000151370540328442011-03-16T23:56:00.002-05:002011-03-16T23:59:12.284-05:00Roll Away Your Stone...What stone could you roll away today?<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3eEobPFhpws?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-57391819645760365622011-03-15T15:51:00.004-05:002011-03-15T21:57:27.776-05:00Who Does This? Really?So...it seems that the gal in the video that I posted yesterday - the one thanking God for answering prayers to convert atheists by causing the earthquake in Japan - was making up the whole thing. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DQfCjuOr1oY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Now, on the one hand, I am incredibly happy to find out that the video wasn't legit. But, on the other hand... Who DOES this sort of thing??? I mean, is this meant to be entertaining? Is it meant to be a political statement of some sort? Is it designed to make other groups of people look bad by pretending to be the most rotten apple in the bunch? <br /><br />Parody or not -- "troll" video or not -- what was posted was just plain wrong. And the "oops, my bad" pseudo-apology doesn't really cut it for me...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-21367281069015655132011-03-14T22:25:00.014-05:002011-03-15T21:55:24.413-05:00A Response to One Who is Thankful for the Tragedy in JapanI was wondering when we'd start seeing things like this. And, by "things", I mean "crap". I guess I was hoping and praying that the wackos would keep quiet about the horrific tragedies in Japan. Sadly, we're not that lucky. I simply do not understand how it is that people can say these kinds of things.<br /><br />(I warn you that this video is, in my opinion, incredibly offensive. If you are one of those people who is prone to throwing things when you get angry or such like that...well...you've been warned.)<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BasbMKkJ5x0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />To say that I am disgusted by this person's words is, perhaps, the understatement of the century.<br /><br />At first, I figured that this must be a prank video - intended to parody so-called Christians like <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2010-01-13/us/haiti.pat.robertson_1_pat-robertson-disasters-and-terrorist-attacks-devil?_s=PM:US">Pat Robertson</a> and <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-tornado-the-lutherans-and-homosexuality">John Piper</a>. But, alas, I don't think that is actually the case. I looked at her profile on YouTube, and I'm fairly certain that she attends (or is at the least greatly influenced by) the Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in Cumming, Georgia. I saw the word "Presbyterian" and nearly came unglued. I quickly checked to see what particular "flavor" of Presbyterian this church claims, and I discovered that they identify with the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States. I have a few friends who attend RPCUS churches -- and the RPCUS is quite different from the PCUSA -- but I don't think that this person in the video is a good spokesperson for that denomination. <br /><br />The real Christians that I know aren't cruel, hate-filled people who think that we should celebrate when tragedy strikes -- they are kind, love-filled people who reach out to friends and enemies alike in the name of Christ. The real Christians that I know don't believe that God is all about separation -- they believe that God is all about reconciliation. The real Christians that I know leave pronouncements of judgement and damnation COMPLETELY up to God -- they don't pretend that they can make those kinds of pronouncements themselves.<br /><br />The creator of the video posted above calls Christians to prayer. And I say, let's do it. Let's pray fervently throughout this Lenten season. But, I would encourage us all to pray in ways that don't put words into God's mouth. Instead of praying for things like destruction and vengeance, let's dare to pray for those things for which Christ suggested we pray: pray for your own ability to forgive (Mark 11:25); and pray for your enemies and those who persecute you, so that you might demonstrate your love for them as God demonstrates love for you (Matthew 5:43-48). May we learn to pray in ways that answer God's call for us to love as Christ so loved us...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-25847662497495447062011-03-11T21:33:00.007-06:002011-03-11T23:07:19.718-06:00A Lenten Fast SuggestionThe season of Lent officially began on March 9th (Ash Wednesday), and it will continue for forty days until Easter Sunday. Beginning in the days of the early church, the season of Lent has developed into a time for learning and preparation – particularly for those preparing to be baptized. For all of us, Lent is a time to renew our faith, reaffirm our baptismal identities, and to learn more about what it means to be a follower of Christ.<br /><br />Many Christians “give something up” for Lent. Have you ever done that? Many people will fast from something during Lent – giving up meat, chocolate, television, or something like that. Fasting is a common Christian practice – especially during this season. By choosing to refrain from enjoying something that we otherwise enjoy on a regular basis, it gives us an opportunity to appreciate those things that much more when we break our fast. Fasting during Lent also invites us to refocus our lives, to repent from our sins, and to renew our commitment to God and God’s Church. <br /><br />Over the last several years, I have opted to "take on something" during Lent instead of "giving up something". And this year, I am wanting to do both -- take on something AND give up something. Once again, I will be striving to "take on" blogging on a more regular basis. (Hopefully, I will have better success this year!) And I will be "giving up" the oh so tasty trips to Dunkin Donuts... I plan to use the money I would have spent buying donuts and coffee to support one of our church's missions.<br /><br />Now... all this is well and good and all that... but, let me share what I PRAY we will ALL consider giving up for Lent this year... It is my prayer that we will give up saying things like "But, we've never done it that way before," and "We tried that once and it didn't work." Seriously. I REALLY want us all to give up these useless phrases! I especially pray that those of us who believe Scripture when it says "Behold, I am about to do a new thing" and "Nothing will be impossible with God" will give up saying things that express hopelessness, reluctance, and fear. Instead of "But, we've never done it that way before," I hope that we will say "Let's give it a try!" Instead of "We tried that once and it didn't word," I hope that we will say "Let's see what happens this time!"<br /><br />As we begin our Lenten journeys, may we dare to look forward - not backward. May we celebrate the gifts God has given - not whine about what we wish we had...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-2589168759812929382011-02-07T20:06:00.001-06:002011-02-07T20:11:34.151-06:00They Will Know...One of my favorite hymns is “They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love”. In it, we sing of how we will walk with each other, and we will work with each other. Most importantly, perhaps, is its declaration in the first verse that “we are one in the Spirit” and “we are one in the Lord”. Indeed, as members of the Body of Christ (the Church), we are made one in Christ Jesus. And, as members of the one Body of Christ, we are called to love – to love God, and to love our neighbors.<br /><br />In John 13:34-35, Jesus gives us the foundation for the well-known hymn. He says to his disciples: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” It is by our showing love for one another that everyone will be able to tell that we are Christ-followers. It isn’t because of the crosses we wear around our necks. It isn’t because of the bumper stickers we have on our cars. It isn’t even because people see us walking into a church building from time to time. Plain and simple – from Jesus’ own lips – it is by our love that people will know that we are Christians.<br /><br />So, perhaps it is not a big surprise that I – along with (thankfully) a multitude of other Christians – am so disgusted with “pastors” like Fred Phelps (the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas). I am (to put it mildly) frustrated and deeply troubled every time I see these people on television or I read about them in the news. I fail to understand how it can possibly be a demonstration of God’s love to protest people’s funerals or picket various school or military events. I struggle to understand how a group of self-proclaimed Christians can even consider parading around the country with signs proclaiming that “God hates”. God hates? I dare say that isn’t what we find in scripture!<br /><br />Again and again, the scriptures tell us about God’s love – not God’s hate. The scriptures tell us that God shows “steadfast love to the thousandth generation” (Deuteronomy 5:10). Through the prophet Isaiah, God declares, “In overflowing wrath for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer (Isaiah 54:8).” Even when God is angry, God doesn’t stay angry – instead, God showers us with a love that never ends! And that shouldn’t surprise us – after all, God is love (1 John 4:8). <br /><br />Echoing the words of Christ, the author of 1 John tells us: “Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also (1 John 4:20-21).” We show love because we have been shown real love – never ending love – in Christ. And so, we are called to love one another in the same way. <br /><br />Friends, in a world where “churches” make headlines by preaching hatred, let us strive to be bold in our proclamation of love. May we embody the love of Christ and bring the words of the hymn to life, so that all in our community – and even in all the world – will indeed know we are Christians by our love.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-28806852255150146242010-11-29T22:52:00.004-06:002010-11-29T23:00:28.598-06:00Advent Re-PostAdvent is here! And followers of my blog may already be aware of the fact that I have a fun habit of having all kinds of crazy things happen to me during the Advent season. I am, apparently, a kind of magnet for these sorts of things.<br /><br />Well, so far this Advent has yet to present anything too crazy... But, there are still 3 weeks to go. In the meantime, I thought I would provide you all with links to my favorite Advent-ures from years gone by: <a href="http://revael.blogspot.com/2007/12/and-thats-when-i-set-myself-on-fire.html">And That's When I Set Myself On Fire (Part 1)</a> & <a href="http://revael.blogspot.com/2007/12/and-thats-when-i-set-myself-on-firepart.html">And That's When I Set Myself On Fire (Part 2)</a>.<br /><br />Enjoy, my friends!!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-10232223336685074882010-09-14T12:24:00.005-05:002010-09-14T13:35:48.508-05:00God, the Finder (a sermon)<em>The following was preached at the First Presbyterian Church of Washingtonville, NY on Sunday, September 12, 2010. The primary scripture lesson was <a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=151485318">Luke 15:1-10</a>.</em><br /><br />When we meet up with Jesus in our Gospel lesson this morning, he has gathered quite the variety of people around him. Townspeople, ordinary folks, religious leaders, Pharisees and scribes, and sinners and tax collectors. Of course, we're used to seeing Jesus with that latter bunch of folks - the sinners and tax collectors. But, the Pharisees and scribes are apparently a little taken aback by the company that Jesus keeps. And so we hear the Pharisees and scribes <em>"grumbling"</em>. (They just never seem to be in a good mood, do they?)<br /><br /><em>"This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them!"</em> The religious leaders are disgusted. And, they are full of themselves... You can hear the disdain and contempt just <em>dripping</em> from every word. "This fellow welcomes <em>sinners</em> and eats with them!" These "sinners" aren't worth it, they think. These "creatures" are hopeless. Why would anyone worth <em>anything</em> - which Jesus claims to be, saying that he is the very Son of God - why would he <em>waste his time</em> with <em>those</em> kinds of people?<br /><br />Of course, Jesus hears what they have to say. Most likely, everyone hears what they have to say. Rather like hot-headed people threatening to burn religious texts... or like loud-mouthed, hateful protesters at a military funeral... Everyone hears what the Pharisees and scribes have to say - they make sure of that. And Jesus responds. Not by chastising them. Not by yelling or reprimanding or turning over tables. Jesus responds by telling a story - a parable. He tells 3 parables, actually - though our scripture lesson today only includes 2 of the 3.<br /><br />Jesus asks all of the people who are present: "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the 99 in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?...And what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?..."<br /><br />Who among us is like that? Which one of us would do these things? Jesus asks these questions in such a way that they seem to beg us to respond "Well duh...we would," as if it is obvious that all of us would do those things without a thought. But, of course, it really <em>isn't</em> that obvious - it really isn't that way at all! Most likely, if we are honest with ourselves, <em>none of us</em> would do those things. Instead, we would cut our losses. We'd be <em>crazy</em> to risk the safety of 99 sheep - leaving them in the wilderness - to search for just one that is lost! It would be <em>foolish</em> to lose an entire day's work - or longer - to search for one list coin, when there are 9 other coins safely tucked away in our wallet already.<br /><br />But Jesus, the asker of the questions and the teller of the stories, says: "Just what makes you think that these stories are about <em>you</em>? These aren't stories about how <em>you</em> behave - these are about how <em>God</em> behaves!"<br /><br />If the Pharisees and scribes were grumbling before Jesus told these stories, they must have been <em>fuming</em> afterward. You see, the Pharisees believed that they had God all figured out. God was safe. God was predictable. God looked after the righteous and God damned the unrighteous. Everything was black and white. God had created us, given us rules to follow, and was now out there in the great beyond, waiting for us to obey. And only then - if we obeyed - would God welcome us. Anyone who dared to step off the path that they Pharisees knew and guarded so carefully were cursed. That was how God worked, they thought. And so, religion was all about separating the good from the bad. It was all about being righteous and staying as far away as possible from anything thought to be sinful, lest the righteous be "tainted" in any way...<br /><br />Does anyone get the feeling that the Pharisees would have gotten along with Fred Phelps and Terry Jones?<br /><br />Jesus tells a very different story. He paints a very different picture of God. Jesus describes God as a devoted, seeking shepherd. Jesus describes God as a persistent, searching woman. As Jesus describes, God is not some distant, hands-off rule-maker or taskmaster. <em>God is closer than we think.</em> God is relentlessly pursuing us! God values the "lost" just as much (and perhaps, even more so) as the not-so-lost. So, there is never even a question of God's simply cutting any losses and just shrugging off the lost - that sort of behaviour isn't even on God's radar. Regardless of any risks, God searches for us until we are found. It isn't a matter of "if" - it is always a "when".<br /><br />Now, it is common to hear people say that they are "looking for something" when they come to church. Likely, we have all said it or thought it at some point ourselves. And, I suppose that the lost sheep in the parable was "looking for something", too. Yes, we like to think that we are here because we are looking for something - that we're searching for answers - that we're looking for God. And that's fine. There isn't really anything all that wrong with our thinking that. But, our scriptures describes something else. Time and time again, our scriptures describe sheep - people just like you and me. But we don't read about how these sheep go searching for and find a shepherd. We don't read about coins who search for and find an owner. No! We read and learn about a shepherd who searches non-stop for the sheep until they are found. We read and learn about a woman who turns the whole house upside-down for one coin until it is found.<br /><br />Jesus tells these parables while he is sitting with sinners, and the Pharisees grumble about it. And, in effect, Jesus demonstrates with his actions - by his dining with the outcasts - the same amazing grace and love that God shows through the actions of the seeking shepherd and the searching woman. Jesus says to the Pharisees and scribes - to all those who want to put up walls and make distinctions between "us" and "them" - that he is exactly where he needs to be. Jesus says to those who grumble about his actions, "I came to seek and save the lost...why are you here?"<br /><br />Father Robert Capon - an Episcopalian priest and scholar - said <a href="http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/capon_4012.htm">this</a> of these parables in Luke's gospel: <em>"The point is that what these two parables put together says is that what governs God's behavior to us is not our sins. It's not our problems. It's his need to find us. These parables go by the need of the finder to find, not about the need of the lost to be found... the universe is driven by the need of the finder to find all of us in our lostness."</em><br /><br />God, the Finder, <em>needs</em> to find us - all of us. Now that is good news! No matter who we are, no matter where we are, no matter what we've done, no matter what we'll do, no matter what kind of "lostness" we are wrapped up in, and <em>no matter whether we even realize that we're lost or not</em> - God the Finder is searching non-stop for each of us. And God won't stop searching for us until we are found. And, when we get lost again... God will search again...<br /><br />And every time we are found...scriptures tell us that the heavens will rejoice! There's a party like we can't even imagine every time we are found...<br /><br />May God, the Almighty and Eternal Finder, find <em>each</em> of us - again and again. And may we all take a lesson from Christ, learning to dine in peace with our fellow "lost", resting in the knowledge that God will never give up on searching for each and every one of us...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-34599892487737917462010-07-15T16:24:00.010-05:002010-07-15T17:55:32.541-05:00Taking It All to Heart...Sometimes I wonder why I bother to read the news or check out online opinion articles from certain affinity groups that associate themselves with the PCUSA. In my attempts to stay informed about what is going on in the world around me, as well as my commitment to do my best to listen to voices on all sides of the issues that face the church, I find that there are easy days and hard days. Today is NOT one of the easy days. It seems that - with the exception of the news that BP may have finally capped the oil leak in the Gulf - most everything that I have read today has been written to throw daggers at, well, folks like me. It isn't easy to NOT take it all to heart...<br /><br /><strong>First</strong>, I read about <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/15/vatican-ordination-of-wom_n_647296.html">the latest revision to the Vatican's in-house rules</a>. The revision of these rules came about to address the various "sex scandal" issues that the Roman Catholic Church has struggled with in recent months/years. But, the Vatican - in all its "wisdom" - also made a rather startling addition to their in-house rules regarding the attempted ordination of women. Any attempt to ordain a woman is now considered to be a "grave crime", which happens to have the same set of punishments as those named for sex abuse! A "grave crime"??? Any woman who feels God's call to share the Good News of the Gospel and offer the Sacraments in the name of Christ is guilty of a "grave crime"? The Devil must be having a wonderful laugh with this one, as the Church continues to deny the movement of the Spirit in the name of "holiness"! I was ordained almost 5 years ago as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the PCUSA, and I must admit that it is difficult not to take this announcement from the Vatican to heart. I was <em>called</em> to this ministry - it isn't a game, it isn't "just a job", and it isn't some sort of political statement. I wonder what this pronouncement by the Vatican is going to do to inter-faith and inter-denominational relations. The church that is directly next door to the church I serve is a Roman Catholic Church. I pray that this latest bit of "goodness" from Rome will not hinder our ability to do ministry together.<br /><br /><strong>Second</strong>, I read some of the opinion pieces and letters to the editor that were posted on <a href="http://www.layman.org/Home.aspx">The Layman Online</a>. The vast majority of them were all commenting on the <a href="http://ga219.pcusa.org/">219th General Assembly of the PCUSA</a>. Now, I could go into how much I disagree with their assessment of the Assembly's decisions on various issues, but I will save that for another time. What really struck me today was the ever-present assumption that folks like me (people who don't agree with The Layman or PFR and the like) don't study Scripture, don't value the Lordship of Christ, and don't practice prayerful discernment of the will of God.<br /><br />Hmm...how can I put this...? <em>THAT COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!!!</em> (Phew! I feel a little better. Sorry for yelling.) <br /><br />I DO study the Scriptures. And I don't just read one English translation and then claim full and complete knowledge of what God is speaking in a particular text. I do my utmost to read Scripture in ways that are faithful to our denomination's statements from 1982 & 1983: <a href="http://oga.pcusa.org/publications/scripture-use.pdf">Presbyterian Understanding and Use of Holy Scripture and Biblical Authority and Interpretation</a>.<br /><br />I DO value the Lordship of Jesus the Christ. In fact, I depend on it. Jesus Christ is Head of the Church and Lord of all. Not the Scriptures. Not the Church. Not my understanding of God - and not the understanding of God belonging to anyone else, either... Only Christ.<br /><br />I DO practice prayerful discernment. I find it fascinating that people on all sides of the many issues that we wrestle with as a Church seem so ready, willing, and able to point at "them" and claim that "they" aren't praying or seeking to discern the will of God. What is the basis for these claims - the fact that we don't agree? Considering that NONE of us have God's vision (to claim that we do is idolatrous and delusional, at best), what on earth makes us think that we can rightly judge who is in conversation with God or not? Personally, I am getting very tired of my fellows in the Church who claim (whenever a decision doesn't go their way) that clearly God's will is being ignored or denied. Could it be that maybe - just maybe - God is trying to tell you something when you don't get your way? I seem to recall there being a prayer that asks God "Thy will be done", not "My will be done"...<br /><br />I am wrestling with trying to not take these things to heart....Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-48329216502867114612010-06-22T13:46:00.002-05:002010-06-22T13:48:19.725-05:00Time for a Facelift (for the blog, that is)I'm trying out a new look for the blog... What do you think?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-82279633566041273312010-03-26T12:09:00.003-05:002010-03-26T12:23:29.701-05:00Holy Week According to FacebookI admit that I am a Facebook junkie. So, when I saw <a href="http://eugenecho.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/facebookpassion.pdf">this</a> posted on one of my friend's pages, I had to share it. Basically, it is meant to look like Jesus' Facebook page during Holy Week. <br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><br /><a href="http://eugenecho.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/facebookpassion.pdf">Check It Out Here</a>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-76661940228425556402010-03-03T16:24:00.003-06:002010-03-03T16:35:15.503-06:00I'm Not Keen On Shaving My Head, So...Ok...so, I'm looking for ideas. Have you ever participated in a fundraiser or some sort of challenge for a club or group where the leaders name their goal and say that "if you reach this goal, then Bob (or whoever drew the short straw) is going to have his head shaved (or something like that)"? Know what I'm talking about? Usually, it is some school group that is challenged to raise several thousand dollars. If they go above and beyond, then the principle or that goofy science teacher that everybody likes finds that they have a date with some hair clippers.<br /><br />For whatever reason, the only ones that I can recall always involve someone ending up bald.<br /><br />So, here's what I'm wondering... Besides the tried-and-true "shaving of the head" bit, what other "rewards" could there be? I'm thinking about this, since I would like to issue a challenge to the congregation that I serve - and I would like to add a fun twist to the challenge. But, I don't really think that folks will actually WANT me to shave my head, so I'm guessing that THAT isn't the best "prize" to suggest.<br /><br />Anyone have any ideas?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-22353857738890238462010-02-23T22:03:00.001-06:002010-02-23T22:05:02.358-06:00E-Z Answer SquirrelIf only...<br /><br /><br /><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/njuq0NundBE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/njuq0NundBE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-78066562804475256802010-02-23T20:34:00.005-06:002010-02-23T21:34:40.587-06:00We Interrupt This Blog for a Mini-Rant...I'm just wondering... When did it become okay to <em>lay on your car horn</em> while waiting for the car in front of you to make a turn into traffic?<br /><br />In order to get to Zumba, I need to make a right-hand turn onto a busy street. It is a pretty standard, run-of-the-mill kind of intersection -- you stop at the stop sign, and turn when the way is clear (since the other cars do not have to stop). So, when I made my way to Zumba last night - while the freezing rain came down - I stopped at the stop sign, and waited for the cars to either slide through the intersection or turn before I made <em>my</em> turn.<br /><br />There were several cars zipping through the intersection. And, of course, there were a bunch of cars that decided to turn that <em>didn't</em> use their turning signals. Mind you, if the cars had actually used their turning signals, letting me know that they were going to turn, then I would have gone ahead and turned. But, since their right-hand turning signals were all broken (clearly <em>that</em> is what the problem was), I waited to turn. I guess I am just the kind of person that doesn't want to pull out in front of people -- especially when the roads are slick.<br /><br />And... I guess that the guy behind me <em>is</em> the kind of person who wants to pull out in front of people -- even when the roads are slick. Seriously... This guy laid on his car horn when I didn't turn -- all the while, there were about a half-dozen cars skidding down the road in the lane into which I would be turning! Much to his dismay, all of his honking did <em>nothing</em> to make me want to throw caution to the wind, rev up the engine, and pull out into oncoming traffic. I waited until it was safe, and <em>then</em> I made my turn.<br /><br />When did we all get to be in such a hurry that even waiting for the car in front of you to execute a turn safely became an inconvenience?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-30217133793777289262010-02-18T14:10:00.004-06:002010-02-18T15:22:10.362-06:00AshesYesterday was Ash Wednesday - the first of the 40 days of Lent. And, like many of my fellow Christians, I attended a special service of worship which included the <a href="https://www.upperroom.org/askjulian/default.asp?act=answer&itemid=39734">imposition of ashes</a>. I have participated in Ash Wednesday services since I was very little. Then, I was the one walking up to the pastor... Now I <em>am</em> the pastor. (It is still a bit of a mind-trip, really.)<br /><br />The church I am now serving held its Ash Wednesday service last night. I called the service "A Service of Confession and Forgiveness". Throughout the service, we read scripture and prayed together, confessing the sins of idolatry, violence, and selfishness. And together, we heard God's clear promise of forgiveness. We heard that Good News. We let the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit burn away those valueless sins, purifying our hearts so that we might have a new space present within us for the new life offered us in Christ. Then the mark of the ashes was offered as a sign of our forgiveness and new life. <br /><br />Now, I must admit... I typically have <em>every </em>element of these services planned out <em>to the letter. </em>But, I struggled with one element this year: what to say while I was marking my fellow travelers with the ashes. Traditionally, the pastor will refer to God's words to Adam in Genesis 3:19: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." I've used those words before - and they are certainly appropriate - but, they just didn't seem to fit the full context of the service that I had put together. For whatever reason, I just couldn't decide what I needed to say... So, I stepped out in faith and decided to let the Spirit give me the words in the moment. Seriously. I walked down, opened the earthenware container that held the ashes, and waited for the people to come forward...all the while, having no idea what I would say as I made the sign of the cross on their foreheads with palm ashes. <br /><br />Well, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Spirit showed up just in time. As I marked the first person with ashes, I found myself saying, "The gift of God's grace, given to you." It certainly fit. Each and every one of us...marked with grace. <br /><br />Anyone who has ever received the mark of ashes -- as well as, and perhaps <em>more</em> <em>especially </em>those who have ever done the marking -- will tell you that the ash just seems to get <em>everywhere. </em>Sure, you may have started with it only on your forehead, but somehow you will find that you get smudges of it on your hand, your bulletin has ashy fingerprints on it, or your glasses get a few flecks of ash on them. And if you are the one who is <em>offering</em> the mark of ashes...well... it is practically impossible not to get smudges of ash all over everything -- your robe, your cheeks, your Bible, the hymnal... I can't explain it. No matter how careful I am each year, I always end up with ashy smudges on things. Sometimes I discover them weeks later, only to wonder how on earth it got smudged with palm ashes.<br /><br />So, with my index finger coated in ashes, as I tried to avoid getting ash marks all over the hymnal, I thought back to the words that the Spirit had given me as I made the sign of the cross on the foreheads of my fellow Lenten-travelers. "The gift of God's grace, given to you." And I had an epiphany, of sorts... God's grace is a lot like the ashes of Ash Wednesday. God's grace is a free gift. God's grace is pure. And God's grace <em>gets all over everything...and there isn't anything any of us can do about it</em>. Oh, sure... we <em>try</em> to stop God's grace from touching things (or people, or groups) that we don't think it is supposed to touch. But there really isn't anything we can do to stop it -- or, more specifically, there's nothing we can do to stop <em>God</em> from marking whatever or whomever God wants with smudges of grace. <br /><br />Like the ashes of Ash Wednesday, the grace of God ends up all over the place...even the unexpected places... And -- when it comes to God's grace -- that is how it should be. Thanks be to God.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-7987481132424768612010-02-17T15:23:00.005-06:002010-02-17T20:11:54.115-06:00The Lenten Journey Begins...For several years now, I have opted out of the whole "give something up for Lent" thing. Instead, I have chosen to dare to "take something on for Lent". This year, I am challenging myself to take on 2 things:<br /><ol><li>Zumba</li><li>Actually posting to my blog on a regular basis</li></ol><p>Yes, I am beginning <a href="http://www.zumba.com/us/">Zumba</a> classes. For those who aren't familiar with Zumba, it is a workout program/class that feels more like a Latin dance fiesta than your average exercise program. I've been to one class so far, and I <em>loved it</em>! In many respects, this one is all about the practice of Honoring the Body. As one who was created in the image of God, I need to remember that my body is worthy of care - it is, after all, "a temple of the Holy Spirit within [me]" (1 Corinthians 6:19).</p><p>My second challenge...well... I know that I have tried to post on a more regular basis in the past. I've even managed to succeed on occasion! But I really do want to work on this one. I find that I am forever thinking about things to post - things to write about, talk about, ask you all about...but then I don't bother to sit down and <em>actually blog about it</em>! This has got to change. So, considering another Christian practice - Saying Yes and Saying No - I am determined to do better. </p><p>You may be curious about this "Saying Yes and Saying No" business. Good. I hope you <em>are </em>curious! Once again, as I have done in the past, I am leading a study on several Christian practices during this season of Lent. I am a huge fan of the book <em>Practicing Our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People</em> (edited by Dorothy C. Bass) - it is a wonderful resource, and it provides for a fantastic book study. In conjunction with the book study, I am also going to be preaching on Christian practices during the entire season of Lent (and likely into the Easter season, as well). I plan to invite you all into the conversation here on my blog, too!</p><p>So...that's what I'm looking forward to as I begin this Lenten journey once again. How about you?</p>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-36195507512308304672009-12-18T23:23:00.005-06:002009-12-18T23:35:40.569-06:00Ring Them Bells!In honor of my love of the Muppets, and in celebration of the Christmas and Holiday Season...<br /><br /><br /><p align="left"><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ysIzPF3BfpQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ysIzPF3BfpQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object></p>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899750558926225463.post-70441376782039771942009-12-15T14:25:00.002-06:002009-12-15T14:40:12.764-06:00Blogging Again, For The First TimePeace and greetings, my fellow dancers! It has been FOREVER since I have posted (clearly), and for that I do apologize. I had high hopes of blogging on a more regular basis this last year, and then life got the best of me. <br /><br />As many of you already know, I have recently accepted and been installed into a new call. Yes, I have bid a sad farewell to the Midwest, and I am now learning my way around the lovely state of New York. No, I am not living in the city, but I am only about an hour away. It it absolutely beautiful over here by the Hudson River, and - while the Winter is lovely - I can't wait to see this place in the Spring!<br /><br />I really am hoping to be more faithful about posting - especially in the new year. Really! There are lots of things that will be going on this year, and I am excited to be able to share with this community. I may even do some lectionary-related blogging this year -- we'll see how the Spirit decides to inspire the dance...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13429579286467036128noreply@blogger.com1