Living in the bible belt I am occasionally confronted with conservative "Christians." Today the preacher was using Exodus to take a pro life stance. Now I don't believe in abortion for birth control which seems to be the only reason conservatives think women have abortions. These same "Christians" and conservatives are the same ones who defend their constitutional right to bear arms in the wake of school shootings. What
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Sunday, March 25, 2018
power
There are two kinds of power in this world according to Martin Luther " right-handed power" and "left-handed power." This not referring to right and left wing political power nor to the physical power of right-handed person versus a left-handed person. What Martin Luther was referring to is Earthly power versus the power that is given through Jesus Christ.
"Right handed power" is kind of power in Kingship that exist in this world. It is the church priests stirring up the crowd to release Barabbas instead of Jesus because he threatened their political power.
Left-handed power is much more subtle and creative and vulnerable. However, it is no less tangible. Left-handed power is the Selma March in 1965, it is the March of thousands of children not old enough to vote telling those that can vote and those that have right-handed power enough is enough with the guns we want to be safe in our schools. It is millions of women using the hashtag me-too to raise awareness for sexual abuse.
As Christians we live counter to the right-handed power of this world. We do not genuflect or bend the knee to " the man who would be king." We do not bend the knee to the people with the right-handed power. God is the victory to those who love and forgive. As we March into Holy Week God shows us what true power is, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"Right handed power" is kind of power in Kingship that exist in this world. It is the church priests stirring up the crowd to release Barabbas instead of Jesus because he threatened their political power.
Left-handed power is much more subtle and creative and vulnerable. However, it is no less tangible. Left-handed power is the Selma March in 1965, it is the March of thousands of children not old enough to vote telling those that can vote and those that have right-handed power enough is enough with the guns we want to be safe in our schools. It is millions of women using the hashtag me-too to raise awareness for sexual abuse.
As Christians we live counter to the right-handed power of this world. We do not genuflect or bend the knee to " the man who would be king." We do not bend the knee to the people with the right-handed power. God is the victory to those who love and forgive. As we March into Holy Week God shows us what true power is, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Do you know you?
As I am kneeling in church this evening a line from one of my favorite songs by my absolute favorite band brother popped into my head. The line says " on your knees beneath the table if they find you would they know you? Know enough to start again. Later part of The Gospel reading from John chapter 5 lines 19 through 29 says "the father judges no one but has given all judgment to the son so that all may honor the son just as they honor the father. " Our Minister posed a question to us "how do we judge ourselves? Are we loving and forgiving to ourselves? Or do we hide our sins hoping that God doesn't see them?" Later in the service mailing at the altar the line from Brother popped back into my head. There are was kneeling beneath God's table thinking if God Finds me would he know me? The thing is God does know me better than I know myself after all as a Christian I believe God created me.
After the Lenten service we had a Ted Talk on minimalism. And the speaker was speaking in a very personal way about minimalism as a way to start again. Minimalism is "a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. I clearing the Clutter from Life Path, we can all make room for the most important aspects of Life : Health, relationships, passion, growth, and contributions. consumerism is the unconscious drives for the accumulation of things to the find success and achievement. " I also got to thinking about the lyrics from the song Fly Away that says know enough to start again. As many of you know I started again in 2015 after I lost my mom to cancer. What many do not know instead I had to start all over again in October. When I first moved to Oklahoma I not only bought my house and my first new car ever but I also started with adding more things. I put in a swimming pool I put in an above-ground jacuzzi I took family members on vacation and paid for the whole thing myself. I bought and bought and bought. I remodeled the house I had bought. My Uncle Bill told me for what I had spent remodeling the house I could have purchased a piece of land and belt it the way I wanted it built. What I realize now is that I was still trying to fill the void left by my mother with other people and with stuff to pacify me. In October of 2017 I had to start all over again. The money from mom's estate was gone and I had bills piling up and credit cards maxed out. Add to that my uncle died and I was unemployed. Thankfully in October I got a job as a personal care aide making minimum wage for Oklahoma. I am becoming a better Steward of my money and slowly paying back what I owe. For a while I felt like a failure having to start over again in my forties. Then I talk to my uncle Fred and my auntie Lon who had to start over again in their fifties and sixties respectively. I realized that at some point everyone has to start again. Often times more than once. The good news is that when we stumble and falls God doesn't judge God is loving and forgiving. So the question is how do we judge ourselves? Are we loving and forgiving to ourselves just as God is loving and forgiving?
After the Lenten service we had a Ted Talk on minimalism. And the speaker was speaking in a very personal way about minimalism as a way to start again. Minimalism is "a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. I clearing the Clutter from Life Path, we can all make room for the most important aspects of Life : Health, relationships, passion, growth, and contributions. consumerism is the unconscious drives for the accumulation of things to the find success and achievement. " I also got to thinking about the lyrics from the song Fly Away that says know enough to start again. As many of you know I started again in 2015 after I lost my mom to cancer. What many do not know instead I had to start all over again in October. When I first moved to Oklahoma I not only bought my house and my first new car ever but I also started with adding more things. I put in a swimming pool I put in an above-ground jacuzzi I took family members on vacation and paid for the whole thing myself. I bought and bought and bought. I remodeled the house I had bought. My Uncle Bill told me for what I had spent remodeling the house I could have purchased a piece of land and belt it the way I wanted it built. What I realize now is that I was still trying to fill the void left by my mother with other people and with stuff to pacify me. In October of 2017 I had to start all over again. The money from mom's estate was gone and I had bills piling up and credit cards maxed out. Add to that my uncle died and I was unemployed. Thankfully in October I got a job as a personal care aide making minimum wage for Oklahoma. I am becoming a better Steward of my money and slowly paying back what I owe. For a while I felt like a failure having to start over again in my forties. Then I talk to my uncle Fred and my auntie Lon who had to start over again in their fifties and sixties respectively. I realized that at some point everyone has to start again. Often times more than once. The good news is that when we stumble and falls God doesn't judge God is loving and forgiving. So the question is how do we judge ourselves? Are we loving and forgiving to ourselves just as God is loving and forgiving?
Sunday, February 25, 2018
God's love and repentance
The season of Lent is very big on repentance. Living in the Bible Belt you hear almost on a daily basis about repenting and turning away from Satan and turning to God. In the Old Testament we have the story of repentance As Told Through The Eyes of Jonah (yes as in Jonah and the whale) when he goes to Nineveh. In his day it was a city of the most evil people of his generation. The last thing this reluctant Prophet wants you to do what is to go to the city and see them repent. He wanted to see them ignore God be shunned by God and go away. Juxtapose that with the story of Jesus who sees evil in the world and Mourns for the people and ultimately loves Humanity so much he commits the ultimate Act of vulnerability and allows himself to be crucified.
The news these days is filled with stories of evil whether it's terrorism or Mass school shootings. The question when faced with the evil of the world is one of repentance. Do we approach it as Jonah wanting it simply just to go away or do you want to approach it with the love of Christ?
The news these days is filled with stories of evil whether it's terrorism or Mass school shootings. The question when faced with the evil of the world is one of repentance. Do we approach it as Jonah wanting it simply just to go away or do you want to approach it with the love of Christ?
Sunday, February 4, 2018
God in your life
Father Mike asked us to remember today a time in our life when we felt God's presence. For me there were two times that came to my mind. The first was November 6 2014. I remember the date because it was the date that my mother who had been living with stage 4 breast cancer slipped into a coma. I made the usual phone calls to nearby family and friends to let them know that it was time to come and say goodbye. I called father Rob are Minister change Stephens who head been with us on this journey since her diagnosis in 201 late 2011 early 2012. My uncle, my mom's brother and his wife or present her student nurses who had taken such good care of her for the past year were there and close friend was there. At one point we all gathered around the bed and father Rob said the prayer for the dying from the common book of Prayer which is the Episcopal Church's version of last rites. I remember the sun streaming through the window and the birds chirping outside and just the circle of light that engulfs the room.
The second time that came to my mind took place a few months after that when I went to Australia with a group of musician friends. There was one night where we dined out in the middle of Aboriginal land. The boys proposed a toast in memory of my mom. There were as the Eagles sang " a million stars all around."
Although each of these times was in a different location and at a different time of day and with different people what was the same was the feeling of peace and love. As many know who reads this blog I am a student of Abraham Hicks and dr. Wayne Dyer. The things that they both talked about is that God / Source energy /the universe is love. One of the things father Mike pointed out in his sermon was when things are going well we sometimes put God on the back burner. We may not kill that we necessarily need God's presence in our life at that moment because things are going well. Many times we only turn to God when things are going wrong and then we bring God to the front burner again. Abraham Hicks has what is referred to as the 17 second rule being that when you think of something that you build up momentum for that thought to then manifest itself in your life. So my challenge to you is to apply the 17 second rule to the presence of God in your life. Close your eyes and think of a Time when you felt God's presence in your life. Then for 17 seconds simply ask that God be present in your life.
The second time that came to my mind took place a few months after that when I went to Australia with a group of musician friends. There was one night where we dined out in the middle of Aboriginal land. The boys proposed a toast in memory of my mom. There were as the Eagles sang " a million stars all around."
Although each of these times was in a different location and at a different time of day and with different people what was the same was the feeling of peace and love. As many know who reads this blog I am a student of Abraham Hicks and dr. Wayne Dyer. The things that they both talked about is that God / Source energy /the universe is love. One of the things father Mike pointed out in his sermon was when things are going well we sometimes put God on the back burner. We may not kill that we necessarily need God's presence in our life at that moment because things are going well. Many times we only turn to God when things are going wrong and then we bring God to the front burner again. Abraham Hicks has what is referred to as the 17 second rule being that when you think of something that you build up momentum for that thought to then manifest itself in your life. So my challenge to you is to apply the 17 second rule to the presence of God in your life. Close your eyes and think of a Time when you felt God's presence in your life. Then for 17 seconds simply ask that God be present in your life.
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