Wednesday Wisdom

 

Monday Meditations

It was certainly wonderful to enjoy the deep sleep of my own bed last night.
I do enjoy the perks and experiences of travel away from home, but there is something comforting about being surrounded by what is so familiar as home.

I haven't written as much in the past week or so. Certainly, I had the time for it -- I just decided not to. It was just a different morning routine and I decided to go with it. 
I think different can be a good thing.

So this morning I'm thinking about what changes I can make to my usual routine to make my day better.
After a couple of weeks of being surrounded by people, I think I'll keep the morning quiet time and isolation. I may shorten the meditation and contemplation part of my early day and shift some of it to the evening hours -- kind of a reflection of the day thing.

With spring here, I need to make working outside more of a morning thing. The heat of the day doesn't really bother me, but it makes sense to get started before it gets too hot. Although I track my daily steps on a phone app, it isn't something that I obsess about or even pay much attention to. I easily hit my daily goal (just 7000 steps) while on our trip because walking was the main means of transportation for us. I have to plan on actually taking a walk in order to reach my daily step goal at home. (And maybe I should!) 

I think I should begin the active part of my day earlier, but I don't know if I will. The freedom and privilege of being able to do nothing sometimes gets the best of me and I end up doing nothing and not being bothered by that one little bit.
I'm sure I'll figure it out.

What are your tips for a beneficial morning routine?
Coffee?
Exercise?
Reading?
Daily news?
Social media?
Does your morning routine need some change?
Would something different be better?

Something to think about.

John

¡Hasta luego, México!

I didn't expect to be writing this morning, but I'm up early on our last full day in Mexico. We still have a party to go to tonight and then tomorrow is a travel day as we head back to the states.

I've said it before --
There is something peaceful about life in Mexico. There is a much greater sense of community and so much less competitiveness in daily life. There is capitalism, to be sure, but on a different scale than in the US and taking care of one another is more of a priority.
At least, that's the way it appears from my perspective.

I'm certain that I could adapt to this more simple (but perhaps, more difficult) way of life here. I would miss many of the creature comforts that I've gotten used to. There are always trade-offs.

As it is...
I'll return to my comfortable, privileged life in Southwest MO. 
I'll mow my large yard on a street with similar homes and acreage. Afterwards I'll sip a cold iced tea made from tap water drawn from a deep, clean well.
I'll go to occasional baseball games, stream TV with pretty reliable and affordable internet access, drive one of multiple vehicles when I need to go someplace, and occasionally meet someone for lunch, drinks, music, conversation, or something else.
I have a good life.

The trip has been a good one.
We met some new people.
We saw the total eclipse in Mazatlan and enjoyed our time there.
We have had a great time with the kids here in Puerto Vallarta.
We have enjoyed having my mom with us for this trip so that she could see the kids' new place.
We have eaten a ton of good food and managed a good bit of walking and activity while doing it.

But...
I have a yard, flower beds, and a garden to take care of.
And we have our own community of sorts. That also needs to be taken care of.
One of the nicer things about Mexico -- it's here, and I'll be back.

John

Thursday Theology

¡Buenos días amigos!

Mornings in Mazatlan have been cool so I am writing from inside the condo we are staying in this morning. The days are warm. The nights have been cool -- kind of like it is back home. We will be back in Puerto Vallarta this weekend and will meet up with our daughter Hannah and her guy, Jason.
I am truly looking forward to having our little family together for a few days.

There are several things that I really like about this week's lectionary reading -- none of which really deal with the theology of Jesus, but rather give us some simple insights into living.
Here's the gospel reading.

And here is my take on the interaction between (the risen) Jesus and his friends:
Jesus's friends were confused and hurting by both his death and resurrection which they didn't understand, so he just decided to show up for them. That's an example of how we should be for our friends that are hurting from a loss, are suffering some kind of trauma, or just need a friend -- just show up.
In the verses preceding this, the disciples are talking about him and then -- there he is, a perfectly timed appearance!

Another thing I love -- have a meal with your friends!
And here's the thing -- you don't have to wait for your friends to invite you. You can be the one to initiate it.
Jesus: So..., you guys got anything to eat?

I think that sharing a meal with people you like is a precious way to spend time.
Even as I write that, I know that I am rarely to one to take such an initiative. Truthfully, there isn't a time that I am sitting on the deck, smoking a cigar, sipping a tequila, bourbon, or iced tea -- and I think to myself, "I should call ______ and see if they want to go to breakfast or lunch."
I enjoy meeting over a meal.
I kind of suck at planning for it.
I should work on that.
Maybe you should, too.

Is there somebody that would benefit from your presence today?
Why not just show up for them?
While physical presence might be the best way, there isn't anything wrong with a text or brief call to let somebody know that you are thinking of them and are available if they need you.

If there is somebody that you need to spend a little more time with -- invite them over or out to coffee, a beer, or a meal. You will both be better for it.
And you might as well share a hug while you're at it!

Eat
Drink
Hug

That might be my new life motto!

John

Hugs

I have come to believe that each of us has an energy field that surrounds us and is ours. Each person's energy has its own type of frequency or identifying characteristic. Sometimes those frequencies blend well with others -- these people are our closest friends. Sometimes they do not and we just don't feel as comfortable around those people. Some even set off a kind of energy alarm and we know that field is toxic to us.

I also believe that we transfer or share energy when we interact with one another. Sometimes we give our energy, sometimes we are in need of energy -- either from others or from regenerating our own.
Some people always have energy to give.
Some people are energy thieves -- taking energy without permission. You know, the people that seem to zap the life out of you just by their presence.

I think that touch is the best way to transfer that life force -- a pat on the back, an arm across the shoulders, a hug.
One person with an abundance of life force.
One person with a need.
Both are comforted and better for the sharing.

The best is when neither has a real need and we can just share with each other. That is a kind of intimate energy gift that we give to one another.

My Wednesday Wisdom gift -- Hug someone today.

John

The Day After

I really enjoyed yesterday's total eclipse. This was my second time experiencing a total eclipse and I really enjoyed the excitement and emotions of the people around me that had never had that experience before.
It was all pretty cool.

So...
I missed a coming total eclipse in 2026 that will run from the North Pole and down into Northern Spain. That sounds like a good trip. It only touches the tip of Iceland and it might be that Northern Spain will be a better place to find a viewing spot.

Then there is the 2027 total eclipse through Northern Africa, followed by July 2028 in Australia. Australia gets another one in November 2030.
I wonder if I could find a place to stay in Australia.
Hmmm...
Maybe we'll become eclipse chasers.
Maybe not.

Today -- life goes on. 
The moon keeps spinning around the earth.
The earth keeps orbiting around the sun.
The sun keeps moving within our galaxy.
And all of it hurtles through space in a cosmic dance that has been choreographed billions of years ago.
It is pretty mind boggling from my perspective.

Be the light
Not the eclipse

John

Out of My Routine

A condo balcony in a resort town on eclipse day is pretty far from my normal Monday morning meditative routine, but here I am. Although it is still relatively quiet, there is far more noise than I am used to for quiet centering, contemplation and meditation.
In truth, with just a little practice, it is very possible -- even necessary -- to be able to learn to focus in the midst of the distractions and still be able to meditate. As with most things, it just takes practice.

This morning I am not going to worry about it. In a few moments I will be going downstairs to the kids' condo to help with breakfast prep for our small group. I need to make a quick run to the store first. I'll make time for a little reflection later in the day. 
The next two weeks won't have much in the way of my normal routine, but all is well.

I do hope that you will make time to rest, reflect and enjoy moments of peaceful meditation.
Namaste

John

Sunday Morning -- Mazatlan

After a couple of days of travel, we have arrived in Mazatlan!
Although the weather is warm, it looks like the rain forecast for the US Midwest later in the week will begin with cloud cover and rain here this weekend. That's not boding well for eclipse viewing tomorrow as the forecast is for partly cloudy to cloudy skies. Perhaps we'll catch a well timed break in the clouds to be able to get a visual of the rare event.
Or perhaps we won't and we will enjoy spending the week with friends and family.

Either way -- this trip, this time together would not have happened without the planning centered around the celestial event. We've already met some new friends of the kids and are looking forward to the days ahead.
All is well (todo está bien).

In a little bit I will accompany Mom to mass at Catedral Mazatlan Basilica de la Immaculata Concepcion. Then we will reconnect with our small group and figure out the day. I am expecting to relax by the pool today and recover from the days of travel.
I have managed a couple of days of good activity step-wise, but today may be a less active kind of day.

Be well, my friends.
Hasta mañana.

John

Another Doubter

This week's lectionary story has us looking at the familiar story of Doubting Thomas. You can read it here.

Sticking with my usual looking at the weekly story from a different angle, I am not going to focus on Thomas's doubts, but will look at some of my own. This passage is a part of why I question some of what I have been led to believe about Christianity in general and the bible in particular.

I should probably just admit that I'd have likely been in Thomas's camp on this one. I mean bodies don't just disappear, nor do they resurrect. That has never happened before. You're going to have to prove it to me. 
I'd have been a heretic even 2000 years ago -- well, at least a skeptic.
Truthfully, if any of the other disciples had been absent that day, they might have felt the same. I think Thomas gets an undeserved moniker over this.

But the part of the text that confuses me is found in verse 22 where Jesus breathes on them and says,  "Receive the Holy Spirit."
Wait! What?!
Isn't that what happens at Pentecost?
Isn't that still seven weeks away?

John writes this and then moves on to Jesus admonishing Thomas's doubts like the gift of the Holy Spirit is no big thing. 
And what about Luke's account found in Acts 2?
And what about that teaching that the bible never contradicts itself?
Excuse me, but apparently the Holy Spirit inspired text was misinterpreted by one or both of these authors because I think this is a contradiction. It isn't just a different perspective. It's a different time and a separate  event. 

I'm really not sure what this story means for Doubting Thomas, or for doubting John.
Apparently Thomas's beliefs (slow, though they may have been) were enough to keep him in God's good grace. Hopefully, the same can be said for me.

After writing and reading this I am wondering -- What about the bible in particular or religion in general gives you reason to doubt?
You may not be alone.
It might make for a good conversation or a decent post.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

Enough with the foolishness

It's early on April Fools' Day and I am thinking this would be an excellent day to stay off of social media. There is enough foolishness in our world without adding to it. I normally enjoy humor and pranks as much as the next person, but I'm feeling a little "Bah-Humbug"-ish this morning.

Maybe it's the grey, overcast sky and the impending April shower that has me feeling this way, but I don't really think so. I am actually hopeful for some good seasonal rains to water the flowers for me. 
Sitting on the deck for my morning coffee and quiet time is quite relaxing this morning. The birds seem to be a little extra loud as they feed and fly this morning. Perhaps they are working extra hard in preparation for April's first thunderstorm which is expected later today.

I think the low clouds tend to make the noise from the nearby highway a little louder and audible from farther away than usual. It's surprising how much you can hear when you take the time to listen. 

Perhaps that's the real problem in our world today -- nobody is really listening.
Or maybe we just hear too much foolishness that we are no longer paying attention to anything that anyone has to say rather than sorting through the noise to find the important voices. 
I've found that I can usually sift through the noise by eliminating the voices that have proven track records of spewing bullshit or constantly adding negative, complaining voices into the cacophony. 

Hmmm...
Maybe every day is an excellent day to stay off of social media.

What voices are you allowing into your life?
How's that working out for you?

It's something to think about.

John

I did a thing...

I finally did something that I've been wanting to do for some time.
I bought this combo gas/charcoal grill and smoker.

It's an old school offset smoke box instead of the more advanced pellet auger, temperature controlled smokers that are available, but I'm pretty old school so it fits. Lowes has free assembly and delivery for grills over $350 so it will be delivered (assembled) on Monday.

I've never used a smoker before. I just love smoked meats. I haven't even used a charcoal grill in many years!
I am looking forward to experimenting and learning to regulate the temperature and smokiness and flavor of the smoker while still enjoying the convenience of the gas grill from time to time. I imagine I'll be spending some YouTube time as a part of my smoker education.

I hope that I enjoy it as much as I anticipate I will. Learning to successfully operate my smoker will be my summer retirement project!

John

Thursday Theology

I know I said I was skipping this week, but I felt like sharing some of my heretical thoughts this morning so here I am. I am going to skip the Lectionary readings and just go with some thoughts on the crucifixion and resurrection.

I've come to seriously question the idea that Jesus had to die to satisfy some kind of sin debt for humanity. What kind of monster god would do that?
Have you ever really thought about the kind of scary crap we teach our kids?
God sacrificed his son, and 
...wait for it - You are a child of God!
Hmmm...

It may be true that Jesus died for our sins and opened heaven for humanity -- but that would be for everyone, right?
Or is it just for a select portion of humanity?

What if Jesus came to teach us how God loves us -- unconditionally?
What if Jesus came to teach us how God forgives and how we are to forgive?
Even in the shame and humility of the cross -- Jesus had forgiveness for those that condemned him.
His whole life taught us to love society's unlovable, to stand for those that are being oppressed, to forgive those that have wronged us. 
Over and over, he taught -- The kingdom of heaven is at hand. It's here! Quit trying to earn something you already have and start to live and love like you are a child of God and an heir to eternal life.

I still believe that Jesus is divine.
I believe the resurrection shows us that this person was no ordinary human being.
But is it possible that we have missed the point of his death?
Isn't it weird that we've put more emphasis on his death and resurrection than we have on his life and what he taught us?

These are the kind of thoughts that can get a guy kicked out of a conservative, evangelical church.
Ask me how I know!

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

More Reflections on Religion

I often have thoughts of my former life as a Southern Baptist evangelist and the way that I once shared the beliefs that I held. Facebook memories and conversations around religious deconstruction bring the past back into my thoughts, often with mixed feelings.
Magic was a good way to share my beliefs back then, and there were always plenty of opportunities to do that. That really isn't the case today and so magic has become a thing of the past. My magic persona was built around evangelism (hence the moniker - magicianary) and if I were to take it up again, I'd need to be a new type and style of magician.

While I do consider my religious and spiritual growth/evolution from time to time, I seldom organize those thoughts to write about it or to discuss it at length. 
It now looks like I will have the opportunity to write about and share some of the benefits and trauma of making changes in how I perceive God, Jesus, the Bible, and a host of other sacred subjects. I think I am looking forward to that and writing about the how and why some of my thoughts and perspectives have changed, as well. 
It will be a project that will take place over the next couple of months and I'll share more about it as the resource becomes public and available for everyone. For now, it is time to organize my thoughts into something that will make sense in written form.
Wish me luck.

John

Palm Sunday and Easter

I'm taking the easy way and skipping Thursday Theology for this week and next week.
1)  There is so much that has been said and could be said about the events surrounding Palm Sunday and the crucifixion and resurrection.
2)  I am still working on reconciling the stuff I've been taught with what I believe to be true about Jesus and our place in the kingdom of heaven.

Here are a couple of my weird thoughts:

If it was necessary for Jesus to be betrayed and crucified, then didn't Judas and the High Priests do what they were supposed to do to bring those events to happen?
How was it a sin for them to do what God needed for them to do? 

I have way more questions than I have answers and there really isn't anyone qualified to answer my questions other than those that confidently offer their bullshit to control and manipulate the masses.

sigh

Maybe I'll come up with something else for next week.
Maybe I won't.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

It's Still Winter!

It seems as if Nature is reminding us that there are still a few more hours of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Last night's temperatures were below freezing, and tonight's are forecast to be the same. I imagine that will damage some plants and early blossoming trees, but nature can be fickle.

Because of the extra winter day (Leap Day) this year, the Vernal Equinox takes place on March 19th. It doesn't happen until just after 10 PM here in the Midwest, so it will still be like the 20th is the first day of spring. With high temps today still being in the low 40s (6c), I'm calling it a stay inside day and not planning on doing much. I may be spending a final night at the shelter if there isn't a volunteer for tonight, so an easy day is a good plan for me.

As nature marks the passing of time with the changing seasons, this morning I'm thinking about the passing of time in my own life -- how I've arrived where I am, and what direction I seem to be heading.
I'm wondering about the outside forces or people that influence my thinking and doing in life. Some are influential because I've chosen to seek their wisdom, others are more forceful about how they bend the course of my life.
I'm not much of a fatalist, believing that things happen in a predetermined course, but rather I believe that the choices we make and the things we do set both the individual paths of our lives and influence the courses of the people and the communities that we touch.

So I am thinking...
How do you (or do you) determine the people and forces that you allow to influence your thoughts and actions?
Do you have a go-to person or persons that you see for guidance or counseling?
Do you seek spiritual guidance or believe in a Higher Power?
Or do you just go with the flow as the earth hurtles through space and time marches on?
What are you thinking about as one season ends and another begins?

John

Thursday Theology

I've been rethinking this Thursday Theology thing.

First of all, I am no theologian and don't want anyone to think that I am.
In all honesty, I think that theologians are an arrogant lot. The idea that we can study God and know what God is thinking is pretty ludicrous. We use the words of men, say they are inspired by God, and then define and redefine them so we can say we know the mind of God. It seems to me that a task like that is far above the pay-grade of humanity, much less a poor, uneducated, insignificant fool like me.

According to this week's gospel reading, many of us (humans) can't recognize the voice of God when we hear it. That is an ideal condition for anyone that wants to insert their own will as that of God. It's no wonder that we are so easily manipulated as adherents to any kind of organized religion.
We (humans) want to be told what we need to do to curry favor with God.

Maybe a label of That's the way I see it! would be better than Thursday Theology. I'd lose the alliteration, but it would probably be more fitting. 
Hmmm...

I think I'll leave it as is. I don't expect the few readers I have to be misled by my wayward thoughts, and those of you that do read regularly already know I am an uneducated, insignificant fool when it comes to trying to figure out what God is all about. 

Wednesday Wisdom

 

Normal

What is normal?
And is it okay to be abnormal?

I would say that it is normal for an introvert to prefer not to spend a lot of time around other people.
It might be abnormal to really shun society and remain very isolated from other people -- even loved ones.
Damn, I think I am moving towards that abnormal range. The more time I spend with people, the more I think I should not be in that place.

I really do enjoy conversations about ideas and ideals.
I really do not enjoy talk about other people or mundane things.
Sometimes it is difficult to relate experiences without talking about people. I get that, and as long as the focus is on the experience and not the people, I'm okay.
I don't like small talk, and I don't like people that wander deep into the weeds when telling a story.

For example--
If you are telling a story of something that happened at work that involves -- say, Sally -- I don't need to know that Sally went to such-and-such high school, has three kids, drives an EV, and really needs to do something with her hairstyle unless that is relevant to the story -- which is unlikely.
Tell me the effing story without the unnecessary details.

Maybe I need help -- like some kind of counseling.
Even when I do venture out into public, I don't mind going out by myself. I go to baseball games by myself. I go listen to some friends play music by myself. I go to craft breweries by myself. And I usually do interact and talk with people at those places -- or not. I don't know if that's weird or odd or abnormal, but it's me and I don't mind. 

Mostly I don't mind being with people for short periods of time. I generally won't be the one to initiate an outing, but I usually enjoy meeting for a drink or a meal and some good conversation. A one-on-one, or a few people is way better than a crowd. Although people often tell me that I am good with people and make them feel comfortable, I don't know if I really do. I know it's work to make others feel comfortable and safe. It's a good thing if I succeed. It's also one of those things that you might never really know.

Anyway--
just some weird things in my head these days.

John

Raindrops on roses...

One of my recent gratitude prompts asked, "What makes you happy?" or "When are you happiest?" or something like that.

I've been thinking about that.
I'm mostly a pretty content guy that isn't really sure about how to best define being happy. I enjoy nice afternoons sitting on the deck (like now), but I don't know if I would say it makes me happy. I'd say that what I feel is contentment.

I enjoy a good cigar, a good bourbon or tequila, and I enjoy sharing those things with others that also enjoy them. I don't think I'd say they make me happy.
I like working in the garden or at least I recognize that working in the garden is necessary to be able to enjoy the flowers later in the year. I do enjoy watching the butterflies and hummingbirds at the beautiful flowers.
Again, I don't know if I'd describe that as being happy.

Being together as a family or just getting to spend time with the kids makes me happy. I am really looking forward to getting together in Mexico in a few weeks.
I'd also say that getting together with members of my birth family also makes me happy.

It's weird.
I certainly am not a sad person. In fact, I am generally pretty upbeat and positive. I'm just not sure that happy is the best way to describe myself. 

How about you?
What makes you happy?

John

Monday Meditation: finding my place

Since my retirement I have become a pretty non-productive member of society. I've come to terms with that and am okay with it. A good pension, a little retirement savings, and Social Security have put me in a comfortable retirement place. I no longer have to produce anything in the way of product nor service to barter for food, housing, or necessities of life.
I am still a consumer. I still contribute to society by paying for those things. I just don't have to do the work part anymore.

Last week I spent some time talking with a friend of mine. It was a guy that I really enjoy spending time with. It's weird that I know there are people that I get so much benefit from just being in their presence, and yet I never really think that I might be that person for someone else.
Recent comments from others along with some recent interactions are starting to make me aware that it may actually be the case and I'm processing how I feel about it. It seems like a pretty big responsibility.

Maybe my current and future contributions to society will be simple like growing flowers for birds, bees, and butterflies. Maybe I'll find myself just being present and sharing some positive energy with others from time to time. I'm really too lazy and too unskilled to do much else at this point in life. I know several other retired air traffic controllers that are doing jobs, starting businesses, investing in income producing hobbies, and otherwise being productive members of society.
I'm just sitting on my deck drinking coffee and sharing the futon with Groucho the cat.
And I'm okay with that.

I planted some spring bulbs yesterday and hope to start some more seeds in pots today. That's my productivity schedule for the day.
Oh! And I need to do some laundry. That would be good.

Are you where you want to be in life?
Or in a place that will get you there?
For better or worse, I am content.

John

Sunny Sunday

I am really enjoying my morning coffee and quiet time on the deck.
I know there will still be mornings when it is going to be too cold to be comfortable out here, but I am going to enjoy being out here more often as we get closer to spring and summer. 

I suppose "quiet time" is a bit of a misnomer. The morning chatter from the birds, the dogs barking in the distance, and the constant hum of traffic from the nearby highway are not very quiet. Even so, this is my peaceful (if not quiet) place.
I had a thought that I might actually go to church this morning, but I'm pretty comfortable here and I don't think that being in a building with a bunch of people will bring me any closer to my Creator. It's true that there is a benefit to the corporate worship (the musicians, singers and worship leader at The Venues are excellent) and the message is usually very good, but I am finding church time to be less and less beneficial to my everyday relationship with God and all things spiritual. The church community is beneficial and there are always people there that I am happy to see. I'm just not certain that the few moments of "Hi, how are you?" are enough to make me want to actually be there.

I hope that today will be a good day for you.
I hope that you find time to connect with God through nature or through other people.
I hope that the warm, sunny mornings will continue to be more frequent and that cool ones will fade away as winter finally comes to an end.
I hope...

John 

March 1st

March 1st
9 PM
From anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere 
Face due south and look up

That bright star is Sirius, the Dog Star.
Sirius is easy to find on any night when it's out. It's just to the left of the constellation Orion. Above Sirius you'll find the Gemini twins, Castor and Pollux. Above and to the right of Orion you can find the Pleiades cluster and Aldebaran, the red eye of Taurus the bull.

The constellation of Orion is very large and includes the Orion Nebula, the bright white Rigel, and the red super giant Betelgeuse. 
Although I love looking at this area of the night sky, I am looking forward to these winter stars moving on and making way for the stars of spring and summer.

John

Thursday Theology: Why churches suck

It's pretty late in the day for my usual posting habit, but it has just been that kind of day. I took a brief look at writing this in the wee hours of the morning while working at the Crisis Cold Weather Shelter and decided that I just didn't have the mental energy for it. After getting the shelter put away this morning, I had a nice breakfast with a couple of the volunteers, spent a couple of hours winding down at home, and then managed a few hours of sleep.

Now I've been up for a few hours, had dinner, finished my book, and decided that I should probably just go ahead and force myself to write something. I think a big part of not wanting to write this is that it is a little depressing.

The gospel text from this week's schedule is John 2:13-22.
Honestly, after reading it you probably won't get the same depressing vibe that I do. I don't know what thoughts come to your mind with this text, but I can't help but think that things haven't changed much in 2,000 years. The Jews of Jesus's day had made the process of worship more important than the act of worship. Like many of today's churches, there might have been more to the following of rules about worship and profiting from the commerce of worship than there was about actually worshiping God.
I wonder what kind of table tossing Jesus would be doing in the "christian" churches of the US if he were to visit us.

This is supposed to be the Bible belt. On any given weekend, there are around 600 churches that gather for worship under the banner of Christianity in Springfield MO. Only about a dozen of those churches help in sheltering and serving the homeless and hungry of our community. 
It's odd that many of them will spend big bucks and invest time and trips to help people in other countries, but turn their backs on the people of our own community. I don't understand why there are so few pastors that would encourage church goers to actually serve people in our community.
I guess it's hard to recruit new members (that's church talk for generate more money) when you're offering a job of volunteering to mop floors and clean toilets at the shelter.

There are certainly churches that serve our community in other ways, but there are truly far too few that seem to be interested in doing anything that doesn't profit them in some way.

I really do find it to be a bit depressing.
It's probably a good thing that I'm no longer a preacher. I suck at the business of religion.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

No meme today; just a thought about a lesson I'm still learning.

Silence is hard.

I've gone from being vocal and arguing
to being more contemplative and discussing
to being silent.

On social media--
I've gone from responding
to typing out a response that I delete before publishing (usually)
to just scrolling on.

It's still hard.
It's easier to avoid people and stay off of social platforms.
But (slowly) I'm learning.

Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Proverbs 17:28

John

It''s Spring -- almost

I hate to wish my life away looking for the future to rush in, but I am ever hopeful and waiting for spring/summer to arrive. We have had some wonderful days for late February in the Ozarks this winter, but we aren't yet finished with cold weather.
This is the forecast for tomorrow and the coming week:

Wow!
That's a 60 degree (15c) difference between the high and low tomorrow!

Upper 70s today, 80 tomorrow, and down to 20 tomorrow night!
Then back into the mid 70s for the weekend.

My mindful practice helps me to leave the past behind me and keeps me from spending too much time hoping for what is yet to come. So I'll focus on today, even while preparing for tomorrow.

Today I will work on starting some plants for our flower gardens and maybe starting a few veggies, as well.
Sometime soon I need to get the arm on my tiller fixed so that I can add a little space for more sunflowers. I am also adding a native grass and wildflower area to a section of the field that will be food for the pollinators and will reduce my mowing area.

I'm going to do some container gardening this year so I need to get those prepared to accept the seedlings that I'll be starting today. I should have plenty of work to keep me outdoors and busy for the coming month. It's amazing that it will be March before the week is over.
Working in the dirt and being out in the sun is good for my soul, as well as for my physical well being. It is more beneficial than any meditation practice and connects me to nature and nature's Creator. 

What is your favorite way or practice to be well grounded?
How do you connect to the world around you?

It's weird to me that although the Bible teaches that we (people) are created in God's image, I find it much easier to connect with God through the part of creation that isn't other humans. 
And that makes me wonder -- Can others see God's image in me?
That may be something I need to work on.
Hmmm...?

John  

Theology Thursday is back

After skipping a week in the lectionary schedule I am back to my brief comments on some aspects of this week's readings. So far I have stayed in the gospel reading, but there may be times when I comment on the other readings, as well. I do like the practice of keeping close to the gospels. As a Jesus follower, the gospels are where it's at. 

This week's reading is from Mark 8:31-38.
Go ahead and read it, then come back.

It seems to me that most Christian religions have made it all about what religion can do for me (or you).
Follow Jesus and go to heaven.
Behave this way and God will love you.
Have faith in God, and he will take care of you.
Do this. Don't do that. That's how to get God to love you and shower you with blessings.

Jesus, however, seems to be saying that it isn't about us at all.
Following Jesus has to be about -- well, following Jesus.
When we make following Jesus to be about what it does for us we miss the whole point. God's love isn't a transaction. Eternal life isn't a cosmic game of Let's Make a Deal and heaven isn't a place we go to when we die.
Heaven is about living in and with the presence of God. Following the gospel isn't about doing the right thing so that we can go to heaven. It's about doing the right thing because it's the right thing.
We are in heaven.
We are in the presence of God. It is where (and how) we live.

I know not all of my readers (few that you may be) are Christ followers, but I think there are still some good things to learn from his teachings. Currently there are more than 45,000 different Christian denominations worldwide. While we might agree to follow Jesus, apparently we can't agree on what that looks like.
Religious systems kind of suck.

For what it's worth -- I'm a Jesus follower.
Admittedly, I'm not that great at it, but I'm working on it.
I don't feel like I'm going it alone because there are a lot of followers that are still working on following Jesus from the inside of different denominational religions. More and more, it seems that there are many of us that are choosing to follow Jesus without the restrictions and rules that churches govern with. If you are one of those unchurched followers of Jesus, feel free to join me in your walk -- no ties or restrictions, you can leave and go it alone whenever you want.
Let's share some thoughts about how to follow Jesus.

John 

Wednesday Wisdom

I have friends that have grown weary in their struggles of fighting for those in marginalized communities. Too often their voices are muted along with the voices of those being oppressed. When they fight alone, resting means losing ground. When we work together, we can continue to move the oppressors and help to give them a new perspective.

This is a worthwhile strategy, but it takes many voices.

John
 

No Monday Meditation

I'm not posting a Monday Meditation today. I'll make time for some meditative thoughts later in the day, but this morning I am really thinking about and being concerned with the number of people that are still supporting the former president in his campaign for re-election to the nation's highest office.

My mind is completely boggled by the number of people that have been taken in by this con man.
As a (former) magician, I have learned some of the street cons -- Three Card Monte, Fast and Loose, The Shell Game. Maybe I need to brush up on them and take them on the road as a money maker rather than as entertainment. It appears that there are a great many gullible people out there that are more than willing to give lots of their hard earned money to a talented con man. 

I do understand that the different parties seem to have very different ideologies and political goals, but surely the GOP can find someone that is more qualified to serve as the leader of our country. I am completely baffled by the all-in to the extreme stance the national party has taken and how all-in also encompasses each level of politics right down to local city councils and school boards. I just can't wrap my head around it. 

I'm not going to put a lot of thought or energy into it this morning (maybe a little thought into practicing those street cons again), but it has distracted me from my usual quiet time. I'll give it some distance and be back for quiet time later.

John 

PS: an interesting combination of labels today -- magic, meditation, and politics

Thursday Theology

No message from the lectionary schedule this week; just a couple of memes to reflect on about how following Jesus should feel and what it should look like.

I've been thinking about addressing the He Gets Us Superbowl commercial, but I haven't decided that it is important enough to give that much time or energy to. I'm a little short on time this morning and didn't think to plan ahead for today's post. 

Have a good day!

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

Fat Tuesday and Lent

Today is Mardi Gras -- Fat Tuesday, the day of gluttony and debauchery before the solemn season of Lent.
To be honest, I've never really understood either.

To the sections of Christianity that observe Lent, the fasting and other acts of suffering/hardship they put themselves through are supposed to help them to identify with the suffering of Jesus as he fasted for forty days and nights in the wilderness. I guess identifying with Jesus in his suffering is supposed to help us understand the crucifixion better as we approach Easter.
However, I don't believe there is a sect of Christianity today that takes fasting very seriously. The Muslim practice of daily fasting during Ramadan seriously puts any idea of Christian fasting to shame.
The cleansing ritual of fasting is nonexistent in our Western culture today.

Having said that, I do believe that finding ways to better identify with Jesus is an important part of living life as a follower of Jesus. I'm just not sure why we've decided that identifying with his suffering is better than identifying with his acts of mercy and love.
What if those forty days in the wilderness were his way of identifying with our humanity? 
It would seem a little ridiculous for us to use fasting to attempt to identify with his divinity.

I'm going to think on this for today and tomorrow (Ash Wednesday).
How (during Lent) can I best connect with Jesus?
Any advice from my Lenten observing friends?
What are you doing?

John

Monday Meditation

Some morning meditations are easy.
This morning it is snowing outside. The temperature just made it down to the freezing mark and it will only warm up a few degrees today. It looks pretty.
It is easier to appreciate the pretty when I don't have a need to go out in it. 
So...
I'll just sit here and think for a little while.

Over the past few weeks I have had a few different people tell me of small ways they have been encouraged by me. I am not saying that for recognition or a pat on the back. It is helpful to know that little things are noticed and appreciated, and it serves as a great reminder to recognize the simple things that others are doing, as well.

One of the freedoms of retirement is the freedom not to care or worry about what others think of me. I don't have bosses to impress, nor coworkers to deal with. Moving on from the preaching/evangelism gig means I don't have to concern myself with the harsh judgement of the loving church people of my past, and I have learned to reject criticism from people that I wouldn't go to for advice. If I don't value them enough to seek their advice, why would I value their criticism?

Recently, I was in a discussion about legacy -- What do we want our legacy to be?
Truthfully, I'm not that worried about how people will remember me. I honestly don't think that people will give much thought to me after I'm gone. Why would they?
I am more concerned with how they feel about me now -- not with whether or not they like me or agree with me, but how they feel when I am in their presence.

Do they feel seen?
Do they feel safe?
Do they feel valued and appreciated?

As I have become more aware of my own self -- the how and why of how others make me feel, I am also becoming aware of how I make others feel. 
It's no secret that I would usually choose not to be around a bunch of people, but for those times when I am, I hope that they are comforted by my presence rather than made uncomfortable by it.

Do you think about your legacy?
Do you wonder about how people will remember you?
Why not try living in the moment and being concerned with how we make them feel -- today?

It is said that people will not remember the things we say or do, but they will remember how we made them feel. The simple things we say and do have value because of how those things make people feel. 
Make somebody feel seen, safe, or valued today.
Maybe they will remember you.

John

Superbowl Sunday -- meh

Yeah, most of you already know I'm not a big football fan. I enjoy the game, but I usually explain it by saying that I do occasionally watch the NFL ... after baseball season is over ... and if there's not a hockey game on.
I actually don't even watch it that often. I did watch two games this post-season -- the Chiefs vs the Dolphins and the Chiefs vs the Ravens. I didn't watch any regular season games.

I'll probably watch the game tonight, or at least some of the game. I doubt that I'll go to our church's chili cook-off/Superbowl party. It might be nice to sample chili and sides, but I am just fine watching the game solo.
Or not watching the game solo.

This is Chief's country here in SWMO, so a KC victory would be grand. Maybe the baseball Cardinals could partner with them to bring two championships to MO this year. Or even three if the Blues can find their way back to the Stanley Cup. In any case, it's just not that big of a deal to me -- not even for the commercials or the halftime show.

Anybody else kind of meh on the big game?
Who has exciting plans for tonight that don't involve football?

John

I've Been People-ing

It's been a weird week. Most of the time I stay at home other than an occasional errand like a run to the store or to get Chris her daily fountain soda. This week has had some type of scheduled people interaction activity on most days.
A doctor appointment, dinner out with friends, volunteer chaplains' meeting, midweek church, and an afternoon drink and cigar with a friend -- that's a lot of people-ing! Nighttime temperatures have been warm enough that the shelters haven't been open. It looks like I'll see some open nights in the coming couple of weeks.

My people interactions have been really good -- especially the Wednesday night dinner and the afternoon cigar. The chaplain meeting was also good. It is such a different energy around people that are actively working that "love your neighbor" thing.
I'm looking forward to not people-ing for most of the weekend. I'll be working at a different shelter on Sunday night if the shelters are open. It's currently a close call on the overnight temps, so I'll have to wait and see. Even so, I think I might be getting better at this people-ing thing, but I think it's best to go slowly. I should probably be more restrictive this week.

John 

Listen to him

I almost skipped today's lectionary schedule and went with a simple message of Love your neighbor. 
The message of "Love your neighbor" is simple. The act of loving your neighbor can be more difficult. In the end, the message part goes well with this week's text, so here it is.

Mark 9:2-9

The transfiguration is a pretty familiar story to most followers of Jesus. Jesus takes a few select disciples to an isolated place and is transfigured into some glowing type of spirit being. Then two icons from Israel's past appear with him -- Moses, who represents the Law, and Elijah, who represents the prophets. Then a voice speaks from a cloud and tells the disciples that Jesus is his beloved son and they are to listen to him.

As faithful Hebrews, they have been taught that God speaks through the Law and the prophets. Now God is telling them that he speaks through his son. 
Jesus would tell us that he didn't come to do away with the Law. Nor did he come to contradict the prophets. Maybe God was telling us that Jesus would help us to understand the purpose of the Law and the prophets. Maybe this was God's way of saying, "Let me simplify things for you. Listen to Jesus."

Well then, what did Jesus teach?
Love God.
Love your neighbor.
What if we show our love for God by how we love our neighbor?
I'm pretty sure that is the case. I don't think you can actually love God and not love your neighbor -- and yeah, Jesus teaches that, too.

Here's some bad news: Loving your neighbor is hard.
Nobody said it would be easy.

I chose my coffee mug for this morning's post. Groucho the cat is also enjoying the fireplace.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

My Calendar

How do you mark the passing of time?
This morning I woke up at 6AM and was looking at the constellation Scorpio out of my southern facing bedroom window. The Scorpion is a summer constellation!
It probably sounds pretty lame or like I must have a boring life, but I find it kind of exciting to see this nighttime summer constellation in February's early morning sky. It means summer is on the way!

I really do look forward to the changing night sky and I watch the stars as we make our annual orbit around the sun. The winter sky is beautiful and exhibits many bright stars. However, long observations of the winter sky can be challenging when it is just too damn cold outside to enjoy it. 
One of these days I should up my telescope game and replace the beginner's 60mm refractor that I've had for more than 30 years. Or maybe I'll just continue to observe the universe with a simple magnifier or the naked eye. 

In any case, seeing the early sky this morning is a great way to begin the day.
My other calendar reminds me of an early morning doctor's appointment. Regular check ups with a dermatologist are important for a guy that loves being in the sun as much as I do.

I hope you have a great day, too!

John

Monday Meditation (or not)

No real Monday Meditation today. 
But I am contemplating the simplicity of my life. 

I don't really do much anymore. 
I don't have to.

I don't worry about being an influencer -- over anyone.
I don't worry about leaving a legacy.
I don't really care what other people think about me, my thoughts, or my actions.
It's pretty freeing.

I am grateful that I have this privilege of not caring.
I don't have a boss to please.
I don't have to do or say things to manipulate friends or acquaintances.
I've made religion less about what I do and more about who I am so I don't have to wear the "church" mask. I think I've been mostly genuine in my church life, but not caring what church people think is a real gift.

While I don't really go out of my way to be a kind person, I think that I generally am.
Neither do I go out of my way to be an asshole, but fear that I am sometimes that, too.
Mostly I like who I am.
There are times when I don't.

I have some really good people connections -- not a lot of them, but some really good ones.
I have become more sensitive to the energies that people put out and feel that I am somewhat of an empath. I haven't really figured out what to do with that, but it's there.
That energy connection has made me more aware of my relatively few people interactions. I am finding that -- even without trying -- I am influencing people's thoughts and decisions.
I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Today will be a quiet day. Sending this note out into the virtual world will likely be the most people interaction that I will have today.
Sounds like it'll be a perfect day!

John

Connections

Just a quick Sunday morning note--

Thursday night was a little bit warmer so the overnight shelters weren't open. In fact, they weren't open  all week, so I was able to make it to this week's More Than at Battlefield Venues. It was great to get to see and visit with Pastor Chris and his wife, Morgan.

Chris is one of those few people whose mere presence lifts my spirit. It had been quite some time since I'd seen him and I didn't realize how much I had missed that uplifted feeling. So this morning we are heading into Springfield for The Venues' Sunday morning church time. I do hope to see a few more of those people that lift my spirit. 

Do you have that one person (or those few people) that just lifts you up by their presence? 
If it's been awhile, maybe you should make an effort to reconnect.

Do you ever wonder if you are that person for someone else?
Hmmm...?

John

Was Jesus an Introvert?

This week's gospel text is from Mark 1:29-39. Check it out. 

It is a little comforting to know that after a day of being around and serving people, Jesus needed to get away from it all and find time to connect with God.
Is Jesus connecting with God the same as people connecting with themselves?
Isn't that connecting with self, God, grounding, mindfulness the kind of discipline that we learn both in the Judeo-Christian practice of prayer and the Eastern practice of meditation?
Isn't getting away from people to recharge/refocus a defining introvert characteristic?

Maybe not.
Maybe it is a human need that introverts are just better at than non-introverts.
Maybe we all have the need to regularly connect to God/the Universe/our inner being but we don't all recognize just how important that connection is to our spiritual well being.

I have to admit -- the Jesus/God thing sometimes confuses me. Did Jesus go away to pray because it was something he needed?
Or was he teaching us how to deal with the stress of being around people because he knew that we would need it?
Does God retreat to a quiet corner of the cosmos whenever God gets weary of our endless prayer lists of the things we want/need? 
Maybe that's when bad things happen.

Just my Thursday morning thoughts.

John

P.S. Another Thursday morning thought -- it's a good thing I'm not really a preacher anymore. These weekly thoughts would make for terrible sermons!

Ugly John: the f#¢*-r rears his head

Ugh! 
Just a few hours after posting about recognizing the authority of Jesus and loving our neighbors -- I blew it. From the dungeon of my being Ugly John rose up to make an appearance and I kind of lost my cool. With it went my reputation for generally keeping my cool at the shelter.
Sacrebleu!

It has been quite some time since Ugly John made it out of the dungeon. Maybe I got a little too complacent about watching over him. It is time to reinforce the manacles and double lock the cell door. I've been a little careless with the personal meditation and grounding lately. That, combined with the exposure to a dependent population, is a pretty volatile situation. I should have been better.

Maybe I'll brave the cold this weekend and spend some time on the deck with a good cigar. It has been too long. Although the weekend will be cool, Monday and Tuesday should offer some near 60 (15c) degree temps for a more enjoyable smoke and still be in plenty of time before my next overnight exposure.
Looking back, it was still pretty much just another night at the shelter. I'm not sure what the trigger really was. Maybe I'm just getting too old (or cynical) for this shit. 
Nah, that's just a BS excuse for bad behavior.
I need to be better.

Sorry for the rant.
Just needed a therapeutic place to vent.

John

Recognizing Authority

This week's gospel reading in the lectionary schedule is Mark 1:21-28.
This is one of those passages that always amazes me. Jesus encounters a demon or demons, they recognize him as the Son of God, they always obey his command.

It's weird, isn't it.
Followers of Jesus say they recognize him as the Son of God -- as God Incarnate, but so often refuse to obey his simple commands. I know the "love your neighbor" thing is tough, especially when Jesus considers everybody to be your neighbor. 
Feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, welcoming the stranger, taking care of the sick -- why do we as a "Christian nation" oppose these things?

It would be one thing if the secular side of the nation opposed these Christian acts, but it is too often the party that professes to be the Christian party that is so against helping those in need. I know it doesn't sound right for the one sharing the gospel message to drop an F-bomb, but I can't help but say, "WTF?"

I like to try to differentiate between what I call Christianism -- believing in the church and doctrinal stuff of Christianity, and actual Christianity -- actually following the teaching and commands of Jesus. The Christian nationalism of today is very much like the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus's day. It just seems too weird that the demons are the actual followers of his instruction.

As one who has been demonized by the evangelical church of today, maybe it isn't too weird after all.
It's just sad that actually following Jesus means going against the organized churches that are supposed to be teaching us how to follow Jesus. 
But, I've said it before -- Church leaders teach us to follow church leaders, not Jesus. They have no control of people that follow Jesus. They only have control over people that follow them.

If you know who Jesus is
If you believe he is the Son of God
What are you doing to...
    feed the hungry?
    clothe the needy?
    welcome the stranger?
    help the sick?
    Love your neighbor?

John

Gratitude

I know this isn't the first time that gratitude has been the subject of my morning meditation. It should be something that I consider much more often than I do.

Gratitude comes easy on days like today. Outside is a frozen land, covered in ice from last night's and this morning's continuing freezing rain. I am inside with my coffee, a warm fireplace, and  my Chromebook, and I have no plans or need to go out. A comfortable retirement is a wonderful thing on mornings such as this one.
I have a new book from the library and another on my Kindle app. We have food in the 'fridge and pantry, and we will be cozy, warm and dry throughout the day. 

I am thankful.

John

Cold

Not the frigid kind of cold, but the sick kind of cold.
Man, I've been trying to shake this thing for about a week now. I don't think that last week's cold weather and work schedule have helped any, and I am growing weary of the nasal congestion and coughing.

Although tonight looks like another miserable night, it does appear that we will get a break from this extreme cold weather pattern this week. I feel like I need a little outdoor time and the warmer temps and no overnights should help with that. I don't typically get colds or flu. The exposure from working at the shelter is most likely the issue. This is my second bad cold this season.
I haven't been wearing a mask at the shelter, but I may start. There is a lot of coughing, sneezing, and other germ spreading going on there.

Today I will be resting, healing, and thinking about spring.

John

Leadership vs Followship

Yeah, I know -- followship isn't really a word. It's not even a concept that is considered, but maybe it should be.

This week's lectionary text is from Mark 1:14-20. Read it and then come back.
It's a pretty familiar story -- Jesus calling the brothers Peter and Andrew, and brothers James and John. I don't know what pastors and preachers will be talking about on Sunday. I imagine many will talk about the willingness of the men to leave their nets and businesses and begin to follow Jesus.

But I wonder what Jesus saw in them. These men would eventually become leaders in the movement of following Jesus, but I don't think that Jesus was looking for leaders. In truth, I don't think Jesus is looking for leaders today.
Jesus is still looking for followers.
Churches look for leaders.
Churches control followers.
Church followers worship church leaders.
Yeah, I know -- I'm way too cynical, at least where churches are concerned.

I really don't know what compelled those men to leave everything behind and follow Jesus. Even with what we know about Jesus 2000 years later, the thought of setting everything aside to follow him is an incredible thing. I struggle to follow Jesus and his teachings. I struggle to be less of John and more of Jesus. I don't want to be thought of as some kind of religious leader. I would love to be thought of as a Jesus follower. 
Maybe some day.

In any case, don't follow me. Follow Jesus.
Don't follow your church leaders, either. Follow Jesus.
And for God's sake, don't idolize your church leaders. They aren't worthy of your worship.

I may have to rethink this Thursday Theology thing that follows the lectionary. I don't want it to be a negative thing and when it comes to churches and preachers/pastors in general, I may be a little jaded. I know that's because the preachers/pastors that seem to get the most attention are the ones that work hard to make themselves the center of attention.
The ones that I've really grown to love are the ones that quietly and tirelessly work out the Matthew 25 version of following Jesus. These are the ones I watch. These are the men and women that show me who Jesus is. They expect no praise. They expect no worship. They appreciate those of us that work alongside them to show our neighbors who Jesus is and that God truly loves them.

I know that leadership has its place. Leaders in business, in government, even on sports teams are vital to success. But I think churches would do better to seek after those that model followship. Don't you?

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

Transporter

I don't have a lot of time to write this morning as I have an early date to give somebody a ride. It's the occasional opportunity like this that sometimes makes me wish we lived a little closer to Springfield.

Over the past several years there have been so many people that have helped my parents by giving them rides to various appointments or to run errands. I feel that my payback (or pay forward) is to do the same for others. I'm not writing this to look for an attaboy or pat on the back. It's just a reminder that there are lots of ways to volunteer in this and other communities.

After a short amount of time and the cost of a little gas, I'll go back to being my normal, least productive member of society. I'll stop at the library to pick up a book that's arrived for me and spend most of the rest of the day sitting on my butt reading. It will be a good day.

Tell me about what you are doing to make your day a good day,

John

An Apology

Not gonna lie -- crisis cold weather shelter duty can be a little trying through the heart of cold weather season. Our shelter area this season is pretty tight, meaning that cots and cages (for dogs) are in close proximity to each other. Although such arrangements are better than sleeping out in the freezing temperatures, it doesn't take long for people to start wearing on each other's nerves. Minor conflicts and arguments arise often and I sometimes feel like a glorified baby sitter with adult charges.

Such conflicts become more frequent as daytime highs remain below freezing and our overnight guests have limited places to go and are kind of stuck with each other for several days without many options for a break. That's the way it is currently.

The other night one of our guests came up to me to apologize.
He said he was sorry for the way he reacted to another person and that he really didn't like being that kind of a person. He continued to express that he hated when he let others dictate his behavior or response in those situations and he would try to be better.

Not only did I appreciate his apology, but it also served as a reminder to me:
Stay true to yourself.
Stay in the moment.
Recognize the frustration that others are experiencing and respond accordingly.

It's easy to grow weary and lose focus when you're busy putting out fires all night.
And it's hard to take the necessary moment to quickly refocus in the midst of it all.
I feel like I've done a poor job of that this past week and need to access the necessary tools to do better in the coming nights. 

So...
My Monday Meditation is on staying calm, staying focused, and remembering who I am in the midst of others' conflicts and frustrations.
While several guests expressed their appreciation of how I have handled the past few nights, I know that I could have (should have) done a better job at restoring peace to our little space.

In the middle of chaos, how do you find your peace and restore your calm?
What methods do you use to bring yourself back into focus?

John

 

"Come and see."

This Sunday's gospel reading is from John's gospel and is found at John 1:43-51.
Go ahead, click the link, read the passage, and then come back here.

The former evangelist in me loves this simple passage. I'm sure there are plenty of good, deep, sound theological lessons to be explored in this passage, but the one that stands out to me is Philip's statement at the end of the 46th verse. He says to his skeptical friend Nathanael, "Come and see."

The same call is used in the fourth chapter of John's gospel when Jesus stops at a well in Samaria. The woman that encountered Jesus at the well goes into town and declares, "Come and see a man that told me all about myself. Could this be the Messiah?"

Today's evangelicals are more likely to help you find Jesus by shoving a Bible down your throat and expecting the ingestion of the Word will make you a Christian. It turns out that there is a sizable difference between professing to be a Christian and actually acting Christlike.

I get that the whole "Come and see" approach to evangelism was very different for Philip and the woman at the well when they could actually bring their friends to Jesus. But we can still show our friends Jesus by acting in a Christ-like manner. 
I know it's not easy, but I think the "Come and see" approach is pretty effective if we can show them what Jesus is like.

"Come and see" is a good invitation to discuss Jesus, God, philosophy, faith, or whatever. It can be a discussion with you, your pastor, or others that might shed some light on the character and teaching of Jesus. Teaching what Jesus taught isn't as tough as you might think. Start with the love God, love your neighbor bit and never get too far from that.
I mean if you're going to use the "Come and see" approach to introduce people to Jesus, you are going to have to produce a Jesus at some point. Just make sure it is God's son Jesus and not some Jesus of your own design.

What are the things you think about when you read this passage?

John

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is not the kind of music that I typically listen to. Most of the time you will find me listening to classic rock. 
However, I have started listening to some more contemporary music like Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, and others that I can't recall at the moment. I hear them on Pandora's Taylor Swift and friends (or something like that) station. While I still can't tell you the name of a single TSwift song, I just figured that it would be a shame to share time on earth with perhaps the most prolific songwriter ever and a top tier entertainer and not listen to and appreciate the excellence of her craft. Her songs seem to tell her stories like country music, but she doesn't sing or perform like a country artist (thank God!).
Besides, I like what I've read about her as a human being. She seems like a genuinely good person. 

Any Swifties among my regular readers?
What are your favorite songs of hers?
What other artists or genres should I be listening to? 

John

Winter in the Ozarks

It is mid-afternoon and the light snow and blustery winds continue here in the Ozarks. By the weekend the temperature will peak with daytime highs in the teens and overnight lows will be single digits to subzero. For my Celsius friends that means it's going to be cold.

Winter plays havoc with the little routine that I have. I miss coffee on the deck in the morning, but coffee by the fireplace isn't too bad. Mostly I miss the afternoons and evenings on the deck. The seasonal job messes with my writing routine and has disturbed my normal quiet time. I'm not sure if it is the change in routine or the exposure to so many people that has disrupted my inner peace, but I suspect it is mostly both. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) rarely affects me and I don't think it is now. I'm just working on a new rhythm with my changing patterns.

Yesterday I finished my second book of 2024, and I have a full library on my Kindle Unlimited app, plus one on order from the Christian County Library.
I have some tree saplings (more like twigs) from the Arbor Day Foundation in pots in the basement and soon I'll be starting some flowers in starter trays and pots.
More reading and a little indoor gardening sounds like a pretty good way to pass the time until spring arrives. 

What do you do during the winter?

John

Sleep

It's estimated that we spend more than 1/3 of our lives trying to fall asleep, sleeping, and trying to wake up.
I have pretty much eliminated the trying to fall asleep and trying to wake up parts of that equation. I go to bed and fall asleep. I wake up and get up. Maybe that's a part of doing well on around just 6 (or fewer) hours of sleep. These days, I typically add a sleep cycle and enjoy around 7.5 hours of sleep per night.

I spent yesterday (Saturday) readjusting my sleep to a typical nighttime mode after putting in my three overnight shifts earlier in the week. All-in-all, it was a pretty non-productive day.

How long, and how well do you sleep daily?
Do you fall asleep easily?
Do you struggle to wake up in the morning?

Retirement is great for going to bed when you're ready to go to sleep and waking up when you're finished sleeping. Even when working, I never really had trouble with either falling asleep, nor waking up. And I generally sleep well.

Do you have a bedtime routine to prepare yourself for sleeping?
Do you have a morning routine for waking up?

As a good sleeper, I am genuinely curious about people that do not rest or sleep well. 

John

First Friday

It is late on the first Friday of 2024. I am sitting here and contemplating the first abbreviated week of the year. 
It is winter in the Ozarks and it snowed for a little bit today. The temperature was just above freezing for most of the day so it was gone quickly. Tonight's temperature is just below freezing and the crisis cold weather shelters are open. I am so grateful for the many volunteers that come and serve on nights like tonight. The steady string of cold nights can stress our volunteer pool as it takes a good number of people every night we are open.

The diversity within the unsheltered population is interesting. Last night one guest was calling me an asshole and another was nearly in tears thanking me and calling me Pastor when he left in the morning.
Weird.
Two guys left the shelter this week saying I kicked them out in the middle of the night, when really I just gave them the option/suggestion that if they didn't want to follow the rules they were free to leave. It is generally a bit of a balancing act to provide a safe, warm environment for everyone to sleep when some are disruptive.

Most of them are unaware of how difficult it was to secure a location for this shelter, or how precarious our position is when it comes to keeping it. I doubt that many of them care -- until we lose it and they find themselves without the option our few beds offer them.
Some of the bs has me growing a little cold toward the community in general. I need to be careful about that. I've gone from going out of my way (as a volunteer) serving them to often feeling like they are ungrateful and wondering why I'm here. It's good to reevaluate my position and make the necessary adjustments.

Not much happening tonight.
Cops called twice (before the shelter even opened and before I got here) and the ambulance once.
Just another night at the shelter.

John

Thursday Theology

I am thinking that I may try to make this a regular weekly feature. There is a part of me that misses the discussions around biblical texts and stories. Putting together a sermon was never really fun, but the experience always seemed to benefit me and sharing what I learned through the prep was generally enjoyable. For me personally, the random texts or "waiting on the Spirit" to guide me was always difficult and I suspect that will continue to be the case.

Therefore, I think that I will choose to use the Liturgical Calendar for my bible texts. I don't know if there are many of my regular readers that attend churches that use this schedule. I suspect that there are not. I haven't fully decided on whether I should be using the last Sunday's text or the coming week's, but will most likely use the coming week.
Also, since I haven't put much thought into it at this particular point, I also haven't done any real study on the text for January 7. 

For this week (and it may be the case in future weeks) I'm just going to give you the text and my gut reaction to it. In any given week, my take on the material and what you'd likely hear from a real pastor/preacher in church will no doubt differ by a great deal. I, after all, am somewhat of a heretic in the world of preachers.

The text, Mark 1:4-11

John the Baptist sees himself as unworthy to be a servant of Jesus, the Messiah. In The Gospel According to John, he says that he must diminish so that Jesus can increase.
This doesn't seem at all like the attitude and character I see from preachers, pastors, and proclaimers of the gospel today. I wonder how church life in general and Christianity in particular would change if our pastors were truly servant leaders rather than persons to be idolized and worshiped. 

As I said, this isn't much in the way of a message today. In fact, it is much more negative and critical than I intend to be if I continue to make this a regular post. Perhaps this first text will serve to remind me of my place in the sharing of the story of Jesus.

Until next time,
John <><

Wednesday Wisdom

 

Something to consider

John

Books

What are your reading plans for 2024?
I ask that like I have a plan -- I don't.

I do plan to read. I'm guessing I'll end up reading 15 to 20 non-fiction books and another 20 to 30 fiction books. Although I'm not much of a philosopher, I do enjoy understanding the faith and philosophies of other belief systems and cultures. I'd gladly add your suggestions to my reading list as it is currently pretty light in the philosophy section.
I'm also up for suggestions on Christian theology and wouldn't mind a conversation partner or group while reading something.
I have several gardening, landscaping and homesteading books that I'll be reading in sections or looking for particular chapters and information as it applies to whatever situation I find myself in at the time. I'm not much of a carpenter, but I also have some woodworking material to help with potential projects around the yard.

On the fiction front, I have a pretty full line-up of titles in my Kindle queue. They range from fantasy with vampires, witches, and werewolves, to mystery, to action thrillers, and even include a couple of romance kind of novels.

I really didn't read as much in '23 as I expected. Hopefully I'll do better in '24.
If it's not something I read on my Kindle app, I don't use another app to track what I read. I may consider that, but I just don't care enough to make it a priority.

So -- What are you reading in 2024?

John

Monday Meditation -- New Year Thoughts

I suppose that January 1st is a good day to look forward towards the coming year. Reflection is also good, but I think looking forward is better for me. Other than using the past to see how far I've come and what lessons I've learned, I'd rather leave the past in the past.

Honestly, I am hopeful for the future.
Sure, it is easy to see the darkness that often dominates the news cycle and the idiocy that is on social media, but I force myself to remember that darkness and idiocy sells. 
It is sad that we are not as moved as a people by good news and good people. There are so many stories of kindness and positive acts that never get the attention of the mainstream media or aren't shared on social media because they just don't generate the hits that the ugly stuff does.

I don't want to ignore the loud, self-serving voices of society, but I am going to spend more time focusing on the positive voices. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with a Springfield City Council member the other night. She spent the night volunteering at the Crisis Cold Weather Shelter at the Fairbanks. Not only does she give of her personal time volunteering, but she seems to be a fierce advocate for the underprivileged and marginalized populations of the city. 
My exposure to the different organizations that work to make life better for our community gives me hope and reminds me of my privilege and obligation to society. While it is true that I contribute little to the world around me, I know that I am a better person just from being around the crusaders that are working to make us better as a community. 

Realistically, I'm probably going to remain a pretty non-productive member of society in 2024. My contributions to the world will be simple things like providing flowers and food for the butterflies, bees, and birds, planting a few trees, recycling what I can, and trying to be a good neighbor.
I'll be on the deck most of the year and am willing to share a drink (beer, bourbon, iced sun tea, chilled lemon water, or hot or iced coffee), a cigar, and some conversation. 
I will try to be more encouraging and supportive of those that are doing the heavy lifting to make the world a better place. I may even get off my butt on occasion and help in the cause.

How are you seeing 2024?
Hopeful?
Or fearful?

John