For the past five weeks, we have used the visual reminder of small rocks like this one to help us live into our scriptures. We have seen them lined up as a dividing line between us and them, and as a recreation of the body of Christ. We felt their weight as they added up…
Ordinary Time
Justice, Kindness, and Mercy
As we began worship today, we sat for a bit with images that reminded us of the story of the prodigal son, or daughter in this case. The question that I asked was simple: Do you celebrate and rejoice when someone who is lost has been found? Or are you like the brother or sister…
Over and Over and Over Again
Earlier this week, I was tired and worn out, and I kept being lazy and forgetting all kinds of things. I didn’t put the dishes in the dishwasher and left them on the counter. I forgot the previous day’s laundry in the washing machine and when we opened it, everything smelled a little musty. I…
Confrontations
[Wild west whistle] We know how the story goes. High noon. Hot dusty street. People hiding on porches and behind closed windows. Good Guy meets Bad Guy for a showdown. 10 paces. And then the confrontation. As simple and pure and black and white as those old westerns were…. The world we live in is…
Holy Ground
In our scripture video just now, the creators left off one snippet of a verse. Right at the very end, the Book of Romans reads: Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord. 20 Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. By doing…
Blessings and Boundaries
Oh, how lovely it feels, when we all live in unity, writes the Psalmist (Psalm 133). Grant that we all, made one in faith, may find the wholeness that reaches all of humankind, writes Mr. Green in the hymn we just sang (O Christ, the Healer). We know how good it feels when everybody gets…
Breathe
Shortly after we moved into our new home, there were a number of big, scary storms. It was cool for June, so we had opened the windows to let the cool breeze blow in. Our cats typically LOVE to sit in the open windows. They look out, smell the world, and watch the birds. But…
Give Them Something To Eat
On Friday nights, I get a little homesick. For the past seven or so years, every week we gathered at my sister-in-law’s house for dinner with her husband and children. At 6:00 every evening we’d walk in the door and be greeted with gigantic hugs and shouts of joy. We’d place our offering for the…