Happy Thanksgiving!

"The person who has stopped being thankful has fallen asleep in life." Robert Louis Stevenson

I'll be away for the next two days celebrating my favorite holiday with some of my favorite people, my extended family in Pennsylvania. Here's a little poem to think about as you dine tomorrow:

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

(I found this on another blog site. It is NOT my original work.)

Podcasts

Nowadays there are so many podcasts available, and I've got several subscriptions that update automatically on my Itunes. Techonology is wonderful, and I'm glad that other people make it easy on me to get their podcasts, but I find that I'm always behind on listening to them. As many as 9 or 10 build up on my ipod before I get around to focusing on the message they present.

Today in the church office, I had some typing and computer work to do, so I started going through my podcast folder and listening to one after another. One of the main podcasts I like is "Staying in Touch" which is put out for ministers of the Potomac District. I realized today though, that I must be "out of touch" since I hadn't listened to that podcast since April!

Facebook

Yesterday I turned 35 and was wished "Happy Birthday" from people I haven't heard from in years, from countries all around the world. All of that came about from the phenomenon called Facebook.

I joined Facebook about a year ago, and I have been very pleased with the connection I've made with long-lost college friends, former students from Israel, and people I've never met but have something in common with me. It's a great tool for social networking, and I've recommended it repeatedly to people that want to network or connect with other people through the internet.

We were discussing it recently at a family gathering. All of us were remarking on what we like best about Facebook (finding old friends), what we don't like (getting notifications about stupid stuff), and why everyone should use it.

Some churches are already using their own social networking site for their individual church, a Facebook facsimile for Pasadena Assembly of God, for example. People could network in groups for their individual ministries, and announcements like, "Fine Arts practice is moved to Tuesday night" could just be added to the group page. I can see why people would want to use a tool such as Facebook. I mentioned that I had heard recently about a "Christian" Facebook alternative.

My question was, "Why do we need a Christian alternative?" It seems like we reinvent whatever wheel is popular and useful, with a Christian spin. In my humble opinion, I think that most often it is done to protect ourselves from the world. We prefer to connect or network with other people just like ourselves. I have to wonder, if Jesus were on the Internet, which social networking site would He use?

First Snow

This morning just as I was headed out of the house to take my grandmother to her weekly hair appointment the heavens opened up their storehouses of snow.

It was really beautiful to drive down route 100 in all that snow, even though I knew it wouldn't last 15 minutes. It makes me happy to think of the coming winter, however mild it may be.

This photograph was taken in 1902, of Vermont snowflakes under a microscope. Amazing.

Safe

Yesterday I attended a pastor's meeting, and then drove to Gainesville, VA for a meeting in the District Office. It's been awhile since I've driven the Capitol Beltway to northern Virginia, and I can't say I've missed that drive! Yesterday I was amazed again by the recklessness of the drivers. I consider it a minor miracle to survive the commute to Gainesville and back.

I witnessed an accident yesterday that occured right in front of me. Two cars merged simultaneously into one lane--and into each other--at 60 miles per hour. I was sure that I was about to be sandwiched into a ten-car pile-up because of the heavy traffic and high speeds. I braced for impact, but God really protected me and the others near me. The two cars bounced right back into their respective lanes, with the velocity of the impact. The bumper was dragging on one, and the rear was all smashed up on the other, but they managed to get control of their cars. After a minute, they moved off to the shoulder, and the rest of us drove away. I was so thankful that God kept me safe!

Long Hours

For the next six weeks, I'm acting as a ministry consult to my home church in Pasadena, MD. My pastor needs some help with a few specific projects, and I am hoping to help clear a few things off his to-do list.

It's been fun to have "work" hours again, after so many months of working out of my home office, namely my bedroom. I like having an environment that is conducive to work, and I enjoy seeing other people pass by the church office. So far, I'm in up to my elbows in the first project, and it's going well, I think.

I'm finding my schedule suddenly filled with appointments, and my week is booked through the weekend. But I like it that way.

Contentment

It seems like you can't turn on the television or open a newspaper these days without facing dire predictions of the economic collapse of our country. All day long I hear people talking, using expressions like "in this economy" while they discuss their employment or financial situation. Sadly, I don't know that we're going to face any improvement soon.

Probably the most natural reaction to this type of recession is to cut spending. I got to thinking the other day about things I could eliminate from my list of bills: cancel magazine subscriptions, change habits of eating out, stop drinking Coke Zero, etc. Its the quickest "fix" to regain control of our finances.

But then I thought about "contentment." I think it's easier to cut spending than to learn to be content with what I have. One is an action, and the other is an attitude. Someone can stop getting their Starbucks everyday, because they determine it's necessary. But their attitude may still be poor about it; they might even grumble to themselves, "As soon as I have more money, I'm going straight back to getting my morning Frappucino!" They haven't come to a place where they are content without it.

I struggle with how Paul was able to say, " I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

I read this poem recently by Fanny Crosby called "Resolve"

O what a happy soul am I!
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be;
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't!
To weep and sigh because I'm blind,
I cannot, and I won't.

I admire the attitude that this poem represents. Contentment is a choice.

Some Thoughts for the Weekend

Late Thursday night I saw the movie, "The Secret Life of Bees," with my sister's book club who had recently selected the book for their monthly discussion. Without giving away the plot or giving a recommendation, the film tells the story of a 14 year old girl, who grows up feeling that she is unloved, unwanted, and causes tragedy wherever she goes. I was thinking of how much the young girl's pain seemed to resonate with the audience, and I was reminded of a quote that I recently read.

"It is easy to think of the poverty far away and forget very quickly. Today a great disease is that feeling of terrible loneliness, the feeling of being unwanted, having forgotten what human joy is, what the human feeling is of being wanted or loved. I think this is found in very well-to-do families also.

We may not have people hungry for a plate of rice or for a piece of bread in New York City, but there is a tremendous hunger and a tremendous feeling of unwantedness everywhere. And that is really a very great poverty." --Mother Theresa

Gifted to Lead

While I was at the conference, one of the seminar presenters mentioned a book that I picked up from an exhibitor's booth on sale. I read it on the plane back to Maryland, and I've added the review here.

Network for Women in Ministry Conference

I've mentioned my trip to Phoenix, but I'd like to write about some of the seminars that most influenced me while I was there. I'm never able to write this all out when I first come back; I need time to process out what most influenced me and why. I even need time to realize the applications for my own life that I find in someone else's story.

The conference was called "Conversations '08" --a title that helped to facilitate the objective of the conference: to network with other people who share your goals for ministry, perhaps your specifc type of ministry, or even your "style" of ministry. Women network best by talking, and the conference allowed for a lot of interaction. We had a couple of interactive sessions each day, in which a speaker would present their experience in ministry focusing on one topic (conflict, disappointment, mistakes, etc) and then we would discuss that topic and our own experiences at our tables. It made for a lot of personal communication, and we were able to connect with one another on deep levels.

The first session was the testimony of a pastor's wife who left a cushy mega-church for a rat-infested inner-city church of Miami. She hated it, and her teenage sons were revolting against their father's decision to uproot them from yuppie Washington state to poverty-stricken, drug-infested Miami. One day she saw an ad in the newspaper that mentioned a deadline for grant applications; federal funding was available for programs that would aid those in "need." Almost on a whim, she applied for money to start a summer day-camp program for the kids in their neighborhood. She won $175,000 from that first grant proposal to start the camp, and hundreds of kids attended that summer! Ten years later, their organization Peacemakers has over a thousand kids in after-school programs that are totally federally funded, and their church is able to evangelize through all of it.

She spoke on the subject of fear. She challenged us to be ready to take the plunge into a greater ministry, rather than being sidelined by either fear of failure or fear of other people's opinions. Using Deut. 27:2-5 as her text, she reminded us that only in stepping into the Jordan did the Israelites put "feet to their faith" that God was leading them to the Promised Land. She reminded us that God is not moved by NEED, but by FAITH.

Her question to all of us that day was poignant: What keeps you from doing what God has for you?

Typical Friday

Fridays are typically my least productive day. On Fridays, my grandmother, who suffers from dementia, gets her hair set into the classic “football helmet” style favored by octogenarians. I usually take her to the hairdresser’s in the morning, and an hour later, one of women in my family picks her up. Our habit is to take her to lunch afterward; other than church, this is the only social life she has, now that her mind is deteriorating.

Every Friday we debate the lunch options. The restaurant has to service my mother, my grandmother, my sister, her two-year old daughter, the 3 month old that my mother babysits, and me if I’m around. It’s challenging to find a kid-friendly, reasonably-priced place with a menu that suits everyone’s palate. After lunch, we run errands—often for groceries my grandmother needs—before we end up back at home in the afternoon.

Today was particularly long. Granny had to be at her hairdresser’s an hour and half earlier than usual. She got the “works” today, so we were later than usual heading to lunch. We decided to go to Columbia, which added 30 minutes to the commute. Lunch was great, as long as we didn’t mention any of the subjects guaranteed to get Granny “started.” There are certain subjects that she can’t handle mentally anymore, and she’ll ask the same questions over and over and over. She just can’t comprehend the answer. We managed to talk about old vacations and our travels to unique places, which got her laughing and reminiscing a bit.

We went to JoAnn Fabrics, where my sister wanted to get some craft materials for a craft show she’s entering. Olivia, my niece, gets bored easily in place like JoAnn Fabrics. There are dozens of things to attract her attention, but nothing that she can really play with, without knocking over home decorations or bolts of fabric. The baby was starting to get hungry and fussed until her cries became full-blown wails, and I was trying to distract her by moving the shopping cart back and forth. My grandmother wandered slowly around the store, always an aisle or two behind us, so we had to constantly stop and call for her to catch up. Then there were potty breaks for the toddler who’s being toilet-trained, and the long line at the cutting table to wait through. Everyone was already feeling frazzled and frustrated when Olivia hurt herself on a shopping cart; her grandmother had to take her red-faced and screaming to the bathroom yet again to check for bleeding. We managed to get all the children and senior citizens out of the store and loaded back into the car by 4:00 pm, and they all took a nap on the way home.

I need a nap. . . .

Prayer Request

Yesterday I received a letter from one of my supporters requesting prayer for this little girl, Marlow Lucht, his great niece. She was born on September 7, 2007 with such hearing loss that she requires a small hearing aid. Just recently, the doctors discovered she is also blind. In doing more tests, they diagnosed her with "Peroxisomal Disorder" in which brain cells do not work with other brain cells. Their prognosis: she will not live to see her second birthday.

Stephen wrote to ask me to pray for her, because he is asking for a big miracle. "I want one day for Marlow to stand in a church and say, 'Because of our Lord, I lived to be an adult. I can now hear. I can now see, and I am truly a miracle of the hand of God'." Please add Marlow to your prayer list and storm heaven for this child!

The Gospel According to Starbucks

My latest book review (The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living Life with a Grande Passion by Leonard Sweet) is up here.