Remembering 9/11

Photo by The Record, Thomas E. Franklin

Twenty years has gone by, and I still remember it like it was yesterday.  I was driving home from dropping Holly off at school and heard on the radio that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I rushed home and turned on the TV and watched in horror with thousands of people throughout the nation as the second plane hit the other tower. I can remember saying, Oh no… the people! Prayer was on my lips and in my heart for days as we watched the news of death and rescue and recovery. Our seminary had televisions playing in the hallways for those who wanted to watch the news between classes.  Our chapel was open for prayer.  We prayed and wept together for our nation and for the people and their families who lost their lives at the hands of terrorism.

More than likely we all have a story to tell about the day the twin towers fell… where we were – when we first heard the news – and how we felt.

In a span of 90 min on September 11, 2001 the world changed drastically. Twenty years of change has taken place in our nation and in our world since that day, and some would say we are still recovering. Just this past week, two more people out of nearly 3000 people who died that day were identified. It is so difficult to imagine the pain these families have gone through as they have waited for the closure with a mixture of dread and hope. Let us not forget the prayers we lifted so readily on the days of September in 2001 are still needed today.

We remember the pain, and yet we remember the courage and the compassion offered by so many in response. We remember the first responders, many of which did not return home, who gave sacrificially in love of neighbor.  We remember churches filled with people who came to pray together for those in peril.  We remember the love shared and the hugs offered to those filled with fear about what tomorrow would bring. And in the midst of it all was God.  God holding us, God calming us, and God present with us, reminding us that He would never leave us nor forsake us.

In the gospel of John chapter 14:23-27 Jesus tells us that what he offers us is not of this world…

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Remembering will be heartbreaking. But, by the grace of God, it will remind us that we are not alone when tragedy strikes.

America, America,
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown Thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea
.

The Wholehearted Life

The Apostle Paul tells us that our entire life is an offering to God.

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” – Romans 12:1-2 MSG

From the time I was a little girl, all I wanted to be was a wife and mother. I would spend hours playing house in the back room of my granny’s home, pretending my cat Nosey was my little baby. Nosey tolerated a lot of “dress up” and being carried around in my arms. She was a good cat and never bit me or scratched me during our times of “dress up” play. However, I am sure it was not her favorite time of life. I am sure she meowed a sigh of relief when I outgrew playing house and moved on to reading books behind the old coal stove with her cradled in my lap.

Much later, Joe came into my life and made my dreams of becoming a wife a reality. I could not wait to start our family! Laura arrived two years later and Holly four years after Laura. Within 6 years of our wedding, my dreams of being a wife and mother were fulfilled.

When I heard God’s call into ministry I knew without a doubt that God was not asking me to give up my first call. God was just asking me to add another layer to my life–serving His church. I started seminary and took the “turtle track” (slow and steady wins the race). I had friends start seminary after me and graduate before me, but I continued to move at the pace my family could handle. I was still a wife and a mother. I never wanted my family to feel that I was not available for them; though, with the demands of seminary, I must admit they probably felt that way from time to time.

Joe and I became a pastoral team, and he now knows that God was calling him as well. My daughters have always passionately loved Christ, but being a pastor’s kid was not always easy. Even in their adult years, there have been times when the church has had a little too much of mom’s attention, and even adult feelings can be hurt.

Salem has always understood that I am both/and. I am a wife, mother, grandmother, and pastor. When I presented the need for a sabbatical, Salem understood and encouraged me to take the time for rest and renewal. This has been the greatest gift Salem has ever given me.

I have spent the last three months with my family as we have traveled together, laughed, celebrated, cried, and cared for each other. I can truly say I revisited my first calling without any worry about the workings of the church. Salem has been in great hands with Rev. Deb LeMoine, Rev. Katrina Drew, and Rev. Tim Power, and our incredible staff that make church happen every day. I could not be more grateful for their dedication.

I have spent intentional time with each member of my family, with days apart, vacations, and overnights. Currently, I am flying 36,000 miles overhead on a plane to Alaska for two weeks alone with my husband, Joe. Joe would probably say I saved the best trip for last :). Alaska has been a place Joe and I have always wanted to see. We celebrate 37 years of marriage in just a few weeks so this is our present to each other in celebration of our anniversary.

This time of rest and renewal with intentional times for my family is a significant piece of what Brene’ Brown calls “wholehearted living.” In her book, Gifts of Imperfection she defines this kind of life. “Wholehearted living is not a one-time choice. It is a process. In fact, I believe it’s the journey of a lifetime. My goal is to bring awareness and clarity to the constellation of choices that lead to Wholeheartedness and to share what I’ve learned from many, many people who have dedicated themselves to living and loving with their whole hearts.”

Brown says that people who live “wholeheartedly” live with intention, digging deep with God for the journey ahead. She says that when exhaustion highjacks the journey they have to DIG: Deliberate in their thoughts and behaviors through prayer, meditation, or simply setting their intentions. Inspired to make new and different choices. Going. They take action.”

As I return from my sabbatical I will DIG some new patterns that will enable wholehearted living in my family and ministry.

During my sabbatical I have loved the sacred pattern of early morning reading and Bible journaling. This has been life giving for my soul. One of the patterns I will need to keep is this deliberate time of reading God’s Word, silence, and prayer.

I have been inspired to make new and different choices for my health. I turned 56 this year, and I am discovering that my body requires more rest. This pattern will renew my body and mind. I will need to say “no” to some opportunities, even though it will be difficult.

Finally, I have to live out these patterns in order to wholeheartedly live and love, not only for my ministry, but for my family as well. As Brown so wisely put it; this life takes prayerful, intentional, and thoughtful patterns of restoration in order to live out God’s call.

So please do me a favor . . . keep me accountable! Ask me if I am Digging Deep, and I will tell you honestly if I am living the wholehearted life. Ask me if I am getting enough sleep. Ask me if I am saying “no” occasionally, even when I want to say “yes!” Ask me if I am spending time in silence, in prayer, and in God’s Word each day. Ask me if I am carving time out for my family. Ask me. And I will ask you as well. That is what community does. We are God’s family. Let’s wholeheartedly love each other as Christ loves us. In this mutual love, God brings out the best in each us, developing well-formed maturity in us as the Apostle Paul proclaims.

This is my story… this is my song… praising my savior all the day long.

Searching

Are you searching?

What gives you the motivation to get up each and every morning and put one foot in front of another? What moves us from the shadows into the light?

Over the years of ministry I have realized that everyone is searching in one way or another. Some are searching for deeper connections, some are searching for love, some are searching for meaning and purpose, some are searching for inspiration and a plethora of other things I could list. Yet, what most do not realize is their searching is misplaced.

I have known many who try to fill the empty hole within themselves by searching in the wrong place. They have searched through the next party, or the bottle of pills. They have searched through websites that distract from the reality of life. They search at the mall, or the golf course, or the bar. Searching in the wrong place can fill the void temporarily, only to be empty once again.

Jesus knew that searching was part of our human nature. He knew the human soul and the longings of the heart. When he was preaching on the hillside in Galilee, he told those who had gathered their search needed only be focused on God.

“What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:30-34‬ ‭MSG‬‬

I like how Eugene H. Peterson translated the verse I memorized as a child… “Seek Ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all shall be added unto you.”

We are to seek God-reality, God-Initiative, and God-provisions, giving our entire attention to what God is doing right now.

Now if you are like me, even though I am a follower of Jesus Christ, there have been times in my life when my search has taken me down the wrong path. It is in those moments I realize I have misplaced my focus. I have let the worries of the world and the “next big thing” take over my search. In these moments I am not partnering with God in the reality God desires. In these moments I am not participating in what God is doing “right now.”

Maybe a question for my daily journey should be… “what is God doing right now?”

If that question guides my journey, the shadows will diminish and the light will shine upon the path of my searching soul, finding a deeper relationship with my loving God and Savior.

This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long

Late Night Ponderings

At my age, sleep is one of those things you look forward to at the end of the day. Yet, it is also one of those things that rarely happens for the entirety of the night. I am thankful when I get 5 or 6 good hours of sleep without being awakened by the heat of a blanket or by a nighttime noise, such as my dog snoring her head off. (Millie is part King Charles Cavalier and they are known to snore… loudly!)

If I do not have the blessing of going back to sleep, God and I have some good talks in the middle of the night. God probably chuckles at my late night ponderings!

God, why did you include a sinus cavity when you created humankind? After all, it just gets stopped up!

God, why do we like the things that are bad for us? Why can’t I crave broccoli instead of ice cream?

Obviously, these are important questions! However, God and I have some serious talks as well.

God, what do you have in mind for your church?

God, why is there so much pain in this world? Please help us.

God, why am I still praying the same prayer? It has been 10 years and still no answer. How much longer God?

God, give me strength in my weakness, and vision when I cannot see. Give me ears when I do not hear and a heart of care when I am indifferent. God bring me into your light when I am engulfed in my own selfish darkness.

Maybe God wakes me up just so I can spend some uninterrupted time with the One who calms all storms.

The quiet of the night allows God to be heard. The phone is not buzzing with the next text message. The TV is not blaring with news reports from across the world. All is quiet… (except for Millie’s snoring)

Late night ponderings are now something I experience as a blessing in my life, even if the circles under my eyes might be a little more noticeable.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:22-26‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

This is my story, This is my song… praising my Savior all the night long!

The Painful Messy Middle

I really hate labels. To say I am a Traditionalist, Progressive, or Centrist does not capture all of who I am. In fact, I can see points from all sides. When I talk to people, I try to understand their stories, experiences, and beliefs. I prefer listening to labeling. I can identify with the tradtional view of marriage. My husband Joe and I have been married for 36 years, and our understanding of married life comes from our experience of living out our vows together. I can identify with the progressive call of inclusion and justice. As a clergywoman, I am thankful that the United Methodist Church took a stand for including women, embracing and encouraging my call to ministry. I can identify with the centrist understanding of contextual ministry. In order to share the Good News of Jesus Christ we must be able to reach our mission field . . . and in my years of ministry, the mission field around me has changed drastically!  The inclusivity of the Gospel message is for all people.  We may have different understandings and beliefs, yet love should be at the center of who we are and guide our words and actions. There is room at God’s table for all people.

What does that make me? A traditional, progressive, centrist, inclusive, loving, seeking, broken, imperfect follower of Jesus Christ in the middle of a huge family mess.

After the 2019 General Conference of the United Methodist Church, I felt numb. It has only been one week, and I am still trying to process what took place. The pain inflicted upon both sides of this family argument was felt by ALL! Watching it unfold was like watching your mom and dad scream at each other and threaten divorce. Questions begin to fill your mind; such as, “Where will I end up? Will I be living with Mom or Dad? How can this be happening?” It was difficult to watch to say the least. 

My heart is broken for my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, who desperately want and wait to be welcomed fully into the family. My heart hurts for those who do not understand the depth of pain their words are inflicting upon those all around them.

As United Methodist, where do we go from here? How can we be the church in the midst of this painful messy middle? How can we share hope when we feel like we have been “gut punched?”

We must listen for the Lord with faith. God will guide our steps. The writers of Hebrews shares a classic definition of what faith is:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭NRSV‬‬ 

The conviction of things not seen . . . yet.

This Biblical definition is one I hold in my heart, but along with it, I cherish Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, definition of faith. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” We certainly cannot see the staircase right now-but with God I will step in love. My faith is holding me together.

Jesus tells us that even a little faith will move mountains. 

As a pastor, in faith I will continue to challenge and call us to be the Church.  In faith, we will praise and worship God, feed the hungry, visit the sick, tutor children, mentor youth, serve the community, and share the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

In faith, we will take seriously the command Jesus gives us to “love your neighbor as yourself,” welcoming all people to the saving grace and love of Jesus Christ. 

Maybe the mess is where God will teach us something we need to learn.  After all, the painful messy middle is where we are the most willing to listen.

I have much more to learn about living out my faith, day-by-day and step-by-step in God’s love.

In faith, I will be listening, praying, growing and loving from the messy middle. 

This is my story, this is my song . . . Praising my Savior all the day long.”