Do You Remember?

It's been awhile, but I am back. A busy summer and the need to juggle my time in different ways, means that I haven't blogged in a while, but here I am today.

Thousands of blogs, newspaper articles, radio and television news shows will be asking the same question that Alan Jackson asks in his song - "Do you remember, where you were that day?"

We probably all can name where we were and what we were doing when that horrifying news came across the news wire -- America is under attack.

9-11- 2001: a day that will in part shape our lives together. And as horrible as that day was, it was not the first day like it, nor do I suspect it will be the last day like it. I think of my parents, who as they were happily engaged to be married, sat in front of radios one day and heard the news that America was under attack - Pearl Harbor had just been bombed. A day that forever changed their lives and quite possibly the course of what my life was like, not to mention the lives of countless others.


If we would go back in history, every generation had their terrorists - Osama bin Laden, Al Queda, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Castro, Tito, Genghis Khan, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Nero, Attila the Hun -- the list goes on and on.

It's not that 9-11 is any less horrible because there have been other days like it, it's just that violence is nothing new in this world. There have always been those who have sought power at the price of the lives of the innocents.


The question is not whether there will be despots in the world that engage in evil atrocities. The question is, that as followers of the Christ, how should we respond? Jesus teaches us, "Happy are those who work for peace, God will call them his children!" -- Matthew 5:9.

Or in the words of Desmond Tutu,
Goodness is stronger than evil,
love is stronger than hate,
light is stronger than darkness,
life is stronger than death,
victory is ours through him who loved us

May we all allow God's peace to dwell in us more fully, so that we might work for peace in the world.

By God's Grace,
Michelle

Some Thoughts on General Conference

Alright, I now feel sufficiently guilty. I've been "justifying" (alright probably making excuses) for not blogging for too long a time. The truth is that I am busy...too much to do with too little hours in a day...a bit overwhelmed by a full calendar...on vacation for a week...etc., etc., etc.

But then I did some perusing today of some of my colleagues blogs. One of those blogs you'll find on the sidebar of this page - "Perceptions of a Pew Boy," by my friend and colleague Eric Park. Eric is a clergy delegate to General Conference.

For those of who you might not know, General Conference is held once every 4 years in The United Methodist Church. It is The United Methodist's top legislative assembly, meeting April 23-May 2. 2008 in order to set direction for the denomination for the next 4 years. It is made up of equal members of clergy and laity from United Methodist Churches around the world, elected by their conferences.

They work long hours - starting at 8 am with worship and conclude with the last legislative/plenary meeting at 11 p.m. (maybe...unless the business isn't finished and then they meet until it is finished). As the top policy-making body of the international United Methodist Church, General Conference is the only body that officially speaks for our 11.5 million member denomination.

That all being said...back to my friend Eric. He's VERY busy as a delegate from Western PA at General Conference. And yet, Eric is finding the time to blog while he is in the midst of doing the work of General Conference all the way in Fort Worth, Texas. And he's got some very interesting, deeply thought-out blogs. If you're interested it's in the sidebar, or here's the link: http://www.chcumc.com/weblog/eric/. Point is...what are reasons and what are excuses for not blogging? Well, my friends it's a fine line.

I've been following General Conference every day for at least a little bit. I've checked out the progress of some of the pieces of legislation, listened to the sermons and watched some of the live streaming video. If you're interested, here's the link to peruse General Conference with me: General Conference Sights and Sounds - UMC.org

There's been a real effort to stress "holy conferencing." I receive an electronic version of UM Newscope, a "newspaper" published by The United Methodist Publishing House. As far back as August of 2007 there was a call for Holy Conferencing with 10 guidelines of how to disagree in love. "In much of the Western world, results are measured in terms of winners and losers. Holy Conferencing does not work that way. It focuses on discerning where God is leading us. It focuses on prayer, rational and respectful conversation; and a belief that with God all things are possible." (Bishop Sally Dyck of Minneapolis).

Despite that call and the guidelines for Holy Conferencing, there has been the need for constant reminders to do that during this General Conference...there have been disturbing stories of how some have tried to "buy" votes by giving gifts with strings attached... and there continues to still be some political maneuverings happening. But there is good news as well.

There are things happening that grieve my heart, but there are things happening at General Conference that give me hope that God is not finished with our denomination by a long shot! We ought to be very proud of our youth and young adult delegates. One of the proposals at General Conference this year is to develop a committee for the formation of a new hymnal. The thought of the General Board of Discipleship is that our current hymnal (about 20 years old now) needs to be revamped to be more appealing to the youth and young adults of our congregations.

Interesting thing as I watched that portion of General Conference: it was the older adults speaking in favor of a new hymnal. Overwhelmingly it was youth and young adults who stood up and basically said, "We don't need a new hymnal. The one we have is fine. When we want to sing newer hymns and songs we sing them. Take the money it would cost to do this study and develop a new hymnal and... get this ... buy hymnals and send them to our United Methodist brothers and sisters in Africa and in other parts of the world where they don't have enough money to buy any hymnals." WOW! That's a future with hope. We ought to listen to our young people - they sound like the church at work in the world.

Well, forgive me for being too lax in attending to this blog....and those of you who see me on a regular basis and think it's been too long for an entry, you might just want to gently hold me accountable. May God's grace fill your days.

By God's Grace,

Michelle

It's the Little Things That Bug You

During Lent I've been preaching through the Exodus. We've been looking at how things were changing for the Israelites as they moved from 400 years of slavery toward freedom.

This morning the text was Exodus 8:16-19. This is the 3rd of the 10 "signs and wonders." We call them plagues, but in 7:3 we read that God says to Moses, "But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I will multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt."

What we call plagues, God calls signs and wonders. Hmmm.... more about that in a minute. In Exodus 8:16-19 we read of the plague of gnats. Gnats aren't very big, but it doesn't take many of them to annoy us to no end. Exodus tells us that Aaron strikes the dust of the earth with his staff and the dust of the earth springs into life -- a most annoying form of life -- gnats! Without any warning, annoying, blood-sucking, irritating, worrisome, horrible little gnats -- everywhere!

Now if you've ever run into a cloud of gnats while fishing or hiking, then you know how annoying those little things can be. They get in your eyes, your nose, your ears, your throat - annoying little creatures. Now imagine the dust around you suddenly became gnats (and given my busy schedule if the dust around me in my home turned into gnats we'd be in some serious trouble!).

Back to what I said earlier -- what we call plagues, God calls signs and wonders. One of the definitions of a plague in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is "a cause of irritation; a nuisance." What we call a cause of irritation or nuisance, God calls signs and wonders.

What causes you irritation in your life? What are the little things that bug you. One of my pet peeves is the person who gets in the "10 items only line" with way more than 10 items (I've been known to secretly count their items when it looks more than 10). Or the driver a couple of cars in front of you who sits at the green light and by the time they get going, the line doesn't move fast enough and you're stuck through the light again (why does this always happen when you're running late and the last thing you need is another delay!).

The squeaky door hinge, the dripping faucet in the middle of the night, the loose drawer handle, the oven door that sticks, the car radio knob that falls off and rolls under the seat and you have to fish it out -- this is the stuff that drives us crazy!

We call them nuisances - annoying things that bug us. But is God wanting to use these moments in our life to show forth his signs and wonders? Maybe instead of getting annoyed at the person who's got 15 or 20 items in the 10 only lane has to get back home quickly to take care of a sick family member, or as a single mother who works two jobs, who needs to get home and relieve the baby sitter. Maybe God is wanting to show through us his signs and wonders -- to be kind and patient with someone who has a valid reason why they're in that line.

Or maybe the person taking so long at the light is lost in thought - they've just come from the doctors and are wondering how they'll tell their family there's nothing more the doctors can do. I remember driving home from the hospital my mother died, after sitting all night by her beside in her last hours of life. I drove home in a fog - if I can recall correctly I'm pretty sure a couple of people had to honk on me when the light turned green. Wouldn't it be a "sign and wonder" if we were patient with people who are slow at the light?

Maybe all the little annoyances of life are God's way of offering us opportunities to allow God's grace to flow through our lives. Maybe all the things that bug us are opportunities God chooses to work through us in order to grow the fruit of the Spirit in our lives -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Maybe, just maybe, all the little things that bug us are opportunities to allow God's signs and wonders to show up in our lives, and show others how much grace God has poured into our lives.

By God's Grace,

Michelle

Ho-Hum

I wish I had some profound reason for not having written much lately - but I don't. I could say I have been busy - which I have been. I could say it's because I've been sick - which I have been, sick enough to simply stay at home for 2 days this past week - nasty virus that's going around these days.

But perhaps the main reason I haven't written is that nothing has stirred within my heart to "blog about." I just haven't had much to say here lately. Which is AMAZING to those who know me. According to my mother, I began speaking very early and very clearly. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am RARELY at a loss for words. And anyone who knows any preacher, talking and words are not usually a challenge. But there has no topic that has burned within me of which I felt a need to share.

So, why am I writing now? I don't have any burning issue to share - no deep insight about which to pontificate. I often read many of the blogs that appear as a link on this page - many of them friends and colleagues. I am often impressed, challenged and inspired by what they write. Some write sporadically others write religiously.

When I first knew that I would be a part of the "blogging world," I made a commitment to blog at least once a week. But let's just say that hasn't happened like I originally planned. Sometimes it's because I've been too busy, sometimes because I've just put it off, but this time, I've simply had nothing to say. So it's led me to reflect a little in my life about those times in when we feel dry - nothing inspires us, nothing sparks our imagination, nothing burns within us to share with others.

Maybe it's a little like writer's block. Writer's sometimes struggle through dry spells, when they cannot begin or continue writing. There are several theories to writer's block. One theory says that writer's block is closely related to depression and anxiety. Another theory says that writer's block is due to the lack of ability to concentrate on or devote time to their writing. Yet another theory says that writer's block is part of the natural ebb and flow in the creative process.

That being said, I can honestly say that I am not depressed nor anxious. I am recuperating from the normal wear and tear of Christmas, settling back into a more regular routine and the last week or so 10 days of fighting a virus, and has left me all a bit drained - but not depressed or anxious. Maybe it's part of the natural ebb and flow of the creative process of writing, but as I reflect on the whole thing, I have to say that fundamentally I do not always have or create the time to concentrate on writing.

So, I'm thinking about where I need some space in my life for the creative juices to flow. Yes, there are always things to do, the work is never finished, there's always a need to be met, but before I can possibly imagine meeting all the demands of my days, maybe I ought to carve out some "down time," some space where I engage in some things that simply spark my creative juices, so that as I engage with the rest of my daily routine, I can meet the challenges with the spark of God's reflective creativity within me.

Just some thoughts - how about you? What do you need to break those dry spells in your life? What do you neglect that you know will feed your soul? How do you discipline your life to include reflective, creative time? Where do you struggle to order your life?

Just some thoughts - hope they make your think.

By God's Grace,
Michelle

For Auld Lang Syne, My Dear, For Auld Lang Syne

Happy New Year! The standard greeting in early January. I've never really liked New Years - well, more particularly, I've never really liked New Year's Eve. I find myself a bit melancholic every December 31. Oh, I like to watch the ball drop in New York Times Square, but all in all, I do not look forward to New Year's Eve.

It's true that the New Year offers a fresh new start - a blank page ready to be written upon. The New Year offers a whole year of new opportunities, the chance to improve myself, and to make new resolve to do some of those things I didn't get a chance to do in the Old Year.

However, as I contemplate the loss of the Old Year, I find myself slipping into a melancholic state - reflective of all that's passed and the time that seems to pass more quickly with each passing year.

When I was a growing up on New Year's Eve, we watched Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, playing in the Grand Ballroom of New York's Waldorf Astoria. Guy Lombardo and his band popularized the song "Auld Lang Syne," turning it into a New Year's Eve tradition.

Lombardo first heard "Auld Lang Syne" as a teenager in his hometown of London, Ontario, where it was sung by Scottish immigrants. When he and his brothers formed the famous dance band, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, the song became one of their standards. Lombardo played the song at midnight at a New Year's eve party at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City in 1929, and a tradition was born.

After that, Lombardo's version of the song was played every New Year's eve from the 1930s until 1976 at the Waldorf Astoria. In the first years it was broadcast on radio, and then on television. The song became such a New Year's tradition that Life Magazine wrote "that if Lombardo failed to play 'Auld Lang Syne,' the American public would not believe that the new year had really arrived." In fact, it's Guy Lombardo and His Royal Candians recording of Auld Lang Syne still plays as the first song of the new year in Times Square.

It's been said that "Auld Lang Syne" is one of the most popular songs that nobody knows the lyrics to. C'mon, admit it - off the top of your head, you can sing some of it, but all of it? "Should auld acquaintance be forgot and hum-hum-hum-hum-hum."

Auld Lang Syne - what does that mean, anyway? Literally translated from 18th century language of Lowlanders in Scotland, it means "old long since." A good idiomatic translation is "times gone by."

I guess that's what makes me feel nostalgic and yes, a bit weepy on New Year's Eve - remembering all the "times gone by." My nostalgia lingers awhile into January - reflective of all those "times gone by." And at the same time I'll reflect on whether or not I've been living the kind of life I ought to live - what do I say are my priorities and am I living in a way that reflects those priorities - where do I need to improve the way I'm living - where have I gotten off-track physically, spiritually, relationally?

All over the world, people welcome the new year for it is one of the oldest of all holidays. It is a time to reflect on the past and envision a future. I leave you with this: "Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better [person]." ~Benjamin Franklin

By God's Grace,
Michelle

Christmas Rush

On December 11, 2007, I had a minor panic attack. At some point that day someone mentioned this heart-stopping fact: "Two weeks today is Christmas Day!" They said it with a smile on their face - how COULD they - I was no where near ready...in fact not ready at ALL!

Of course, I knew Christmas was close, but when I heard that stark truth, that in 14 days Christmas Day was happening reality came crashing in on me. You see, two weeks before Christmas and I had not one Christmas present purchased, not one Christmas cookie baked, not one Christmas card written. I had been rushing to put Christmas decorations up, but RUSHING is the key word.

My husband Steve, try as he might to be supportive, was quite frankly....well...no help at all. He said things like, "Don't worry about it, we'll get everything done." (Oh REALLY?) He also said, "You know, you don't have to put every Christmas decoration up." (Blasphemer!) and "We don't need the cookies, we're trying to lose weight." (I know, but some things just mean Christmas!)

You see, Christmas holds such a special place in my heart and life. Of course, because of the birth of God's Son, our Messiah, God's heart wrapped in flesh. But on another level, Christmas has always been a very special time of the year. My mother transformed our home into a veritable winter wonderland. A tree laden with ornaments - each one holding a special memory of our lives. Electric candles in the window glowing with the orange glow of light bulbs. My father outlined the entire house in large multi-colored strings of light.

Each year he lugged the train platform upstairs from our garage. Two 4 foot by 8 foot homasote boards, having painted it all grass green, with white roads and sidewalks. He had also drilled holes and from underneath had wired strings of small lights (the kind of lights we often use on trees today, but in the 1960's they were screw-in bulbs). Over each light, one by one, we placed an entire Plasticville Village that my mother had meticulously glued, painted in great detail and hundreds of trees and bushes made from dried moss.

Plasticville people were everywhere and a wonderful train track that ran 2 trains, with whistling engines -- and a little red caboose bringing up the rear. My dad taught me to wave at the man in the caboose as it went by (my dad had at one time worked on the railroad - he knew what was what!). As we grew older, my brother and I sat for hours on end, running the train through town, making deliveries and imagining a whole town coming to life before our very eyes (when kids' didn't have so many electronic gadgets, we honed our vivid imaginations.)

And every Christmas Eve, I remember the magic of lying awake in bed, waiting in anticipation of the morning's treasure trove of gifts under the tree -- and living out the lyrics of that classic carol, The Christmas Song,...Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow...Will find it hard to sleep tonight... They know that Santa's on his way - He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh...And every mother's child is gonna spy...To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

So you see, all the things I do at Christmas - all the decorations, the cookies, the gifts - brings to life memories of Christmases past- when life was simpler, all was well with the world and for a season of time, the air held magic. Maybe my frantic efforts of keeping familiar traditions alive in my home has something to do with this -- "Christmas is the keeping-place for memories of our innocence."-- Joan Mills

By the way - 99% of my decorations have found a home...most of the gifts are purchased...no Christmas cookies yet and I may start a new tradition this year -- New Year's cards! And I'm reminded of a quote from one of my favorite Christmas T.V. specials - How the Grinch Stole Christmas, when the Grinch says, "It came without ribbons, It came without tags, It came without packages, boxes, or bags. Christmas can't be bought from a store... Maybe Christmas means a little bit more." -- Dr.Seuss"

As you gather round your Christmas trees this year and the dinner tables with family....as you thank God for entering this world in the mess of this world to lift us out of our mess, take a moment as well thank God for the traditions of Christmas. In a world that is changing so rapidly, our family traditions help anchor us to deeper values....of deepening relationship with God, family and friends...and of God's hope, love, joy and peace found wrapped in the swaddling cloths of the manger.

MERRY CHRISTMAS,

Michelle

Giving Thanks

It seems almost inevitable at this time of year to list the things for which we would give thanks. I give thanks to God for some much needed rest this weekend - time spent with our family, as well as, spending some time continuing the task of organizing ourselves in our new home. I'm thankful for our health, our home, the food we can afford to put on our table and the opportunity to be in ministry with the good folks of Christ Church here in Erie. There are many things I'm thankful for - too many to list here, if I really spent some time listing them out in any detail.

One of the things I most like about Thanksgiving - besides the food of course - is the time to slow down, sit still, relax and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Let me go on record as saying I do not generally enjoy parades at all. And the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is not the most spectacular parade. However, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a treasured tradition from my childhood, and honestly, it would seem a little less like Thanksgiving if I didn't watch a goodly portion of it.

When I was a child, we slept in since we had no school, but my mother would always rouse us by 9:00 a.m. to watch the start of the parade on television. I remember anxiously watching for the balloons - Underdog, Popeye, Bullwinkle & Rocky the Flying Squirrel - among others, but those were always my favorites. I love watching and singing along to the Broadway musical songs that various groups would perform - some of them the actors from Broadway. And what would the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade be without the Radio City Hall Rockettes! Perfectly manicured, long-legged dancers who synchronize their movements with mesmerizing perfection! And for the grand finale, ending the parade and beginning the Christmas Season - Santa Clause! Wow - you can't get better than all that!

I can remember in the first few years of our marriage, I insisted on watching the parade. And if I would leave the room for any reason, Steve would often change the channel. When I came back into the room, I'd ask him, "Where's the parade?" His answer was often something like this - you weren't in the room, and it's only a parade. Only a parade! It's the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Just a parade - I don't think so!

I don't know what it is - but I love the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. And every year when I watch it, I go back a little in time each year, to when I was a child, sleepily emerging from my warm covers to the smell of turkey baking in the oven, our whole family gathered together at home, cuddled on the couch under one of the many afghans my mother crocheted, waiting for Santa Clause to appear in his magical sleigh. Maybe by watching it now, maybe life seems a little simpler for a few hours and all is right with the world.

I hope your Thanksgiving conjures up memories of simpler times and for a day or two, maybe, just maybe, you can enjoy simple living of being with your family, enjoying each other's company, good food and the abundance of God.

By God's Grace,

Michelle