Earlier this month my birthday and Mother's Day fell on the same day (it happens often since I was born so early in the month of May). Because this was my mother's first Mother's Day without her momma, my Gram, I thought it would nice if we could be together for the day. Instead of our usual four generations, we were a mighty three generations for worship and a special luncheon.
As if that was not significant enough... little did I know what would happen next.
My mother has been struggling for several years with a variety of health issues (the story is too long and detailed to go into here). Let's just sum things up by saying her health and staminia have been compromised. At the end of April she experienced even more difficulties. This most recent incident has made it very difficult, if not impossible for her to return to her pastoral duties full time.
Her worship leadership this past Mother's Day Sunday is now one of the last of her leadership in the pulpit as she is discerning full time disability which will eventually lead her into her full retirement from ministry. She is now in transition...
I know she will miss full time ministry as she has thoroughly enjoyed herself and been blessed by the eight congregations she has served! I also know she is looking forward to the blessings that await in her 'retired' time. (Actually, we plan on keeping her busy with grandmother duties.)
So today, I pay tribute to my mother and colleague who was ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church the same Annual Conference that I was ordained Deacon- for all her sermons, prayers, baptisms, funerals, weddings, Confirmations, youth ministry, teaching, leadership, VBS, finanical stewardship, passion for mission and evangelism (one of her churches received the Small Church Evangelism Award at Annual Conference) to God be the Glory!
My mother may transition out of full time ministry but the waters of her baptism will still be upon her... so only when she reaches heaven's entrance will she hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant! Well done!"
Until then, the Lord is not done with her ministry...yet!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
What Love for Flat Stanley!
What happens when the greatest spectacle in racing meets a one-dimensional children's book character? Thrills, chills and spills... mostly, some great smiles and terrific memories!
Check out these amazing photos my wonderful husband (who is an awesome dad) arranged for our daughter, her Flat Stanley, and our friend's (Riley) Flat Stanley! Great pics and great experiences in winner's circle... and no "hitting the wall" or "running out of fuel"! All winners at the brickyard!
Check out these amazing photos my wonderful husband (who is an awesome dad) arranged for our daughter, her Flat Stanley, and our friend's (Riley) Flat Stanley! Great pics and great experiences in winner's circle... and no "hitting the wall" or "running out of fuel"! All winners at the brickyard!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
People Who Decline to Pray
Over the past few months I am been quietly working to recruit folks from our congregation to serve in partnership with our youth and adult missionaries to Belize. The trip is coming up in June. In fact, they leave the 16th of June.
Our youth director is leading a team of twenty-two! Now that is a nice big number! Wow. Amazing to consider so many folks who are willing and able to travel to another country and help people they have never even met. That sort of response and willingness to be generous inspires me.
At my previous appointment at Carmel UMC, I was the associate pastor who provided leadership for all our mission trips and mission events. I have lead international, national and local efforts many times over. Very quickly I learned that each experience of Christian action and service is done more fully and with more God-Divine power when it is bathed in prayer.
So, when I shared with Andrew that I wanted to recruit prayer partners for each of our Belize missionaries I did so with a great set of expectation and anticipation! What a super neat way to connect even more folks with sharing the love of Jesus! What a great way to grow faith in the missionaries AND the prayer partners! It is a triple win- for the missionary, for the partner in prayer, and the folks who receive the care of our missionaries' efforts in Belize. A win for Jesus! (and by the way, all of the Mission team AND the Prayer team have been finalized.)
Many of the folks who happily agreed did so with great enthusiasm. One lady was honored because she considers this "one of the few ways she can still contribute something to God's work" (she lives in a nursing home).
But then, weird happened.
Some folks declined the invitation to serve as a prayer partner. The first few folks who did not respond or politely declined did not seem weird. I was not frustrated .. just kinda disappointed. (I have blogged many times over about being turned down by potential mentors for our confirmands.) My skin has toughened over the years.... so to speak.
But then as the days rolled into weeks of asking and being told "no thanks"... I started to wonder and worry. I was not worried about getting enough people to pray for the Mission team... I got worried about the state of prayer in our congregation. My mind has wondered, "why are church going people having a difficult time saying, 'yes' when asked to pray for someone else? What does this mean about the current state of our spiritual health as a body of Christ?"
What does it mean when people decline to pray? I do not think it is about a practical issue or an intellectual issue nor a time management issue. No, the more I ponder this recent experience in the church the more convinced I am that this is a spiritual issue. And it worries me. Greatly.
So, much so, that I am praying about it. Fervently. I'd ask you to join me, but then you'd probably decline.
Our youth director is leading a team of twenty-two! Now that is a nice big number! Wow. Amazing to consider so many folks who are willing and able to travel to another country and help people they have never even met. That sort of response and willingness to be generous inspires me.
At my previous appointment at Carmel UMC, I was the associate pastor who provided leadership for all our mission trips and mission events. I have lead international, national and local efforts many times over. Very quickly I learned that each experience of Christian action and service is done more fully and with more God-Divine power when it is bathed in prayer.
So, when I shared with Andrew that I wanted to recruit prayer partners for each of our Belize missionaries I did so with a great set of expectation and anticipation! What a super neat way to connect even more folks with sharing the love of Jesus! What a great way to grow faith in the missionaries AND the prayer partners! It is a triple win- for the missionary, for the partner in prayer, and the folks who receive the care of our missionaries' efforts in Belize. A win for Jesus! (and by the way, all of the Mission team AND the Prayer team have been finalized.)
Many of the folks who happily agreed did so with great enthusiasm. One lady was honored because she considers this "one of the few ways she can still contribute something to God's work" (she lives in a nursing home).
But then, weird happened.
Some folks declined the invitation to serve as a prayer partner. The first few folks who did not respond or politely declined did not seem weird. I was not frustrated .. just kinda disappointed. (I have blogged many times over about being turned down by potential mentors for our confirmands.) My skin has toughened over the years.... so to speak.
But then as the days rolled into weeks of asking and being told "no thanks"... I started to wonder and worry. I was not worried about getting enough people to pray for the Mission team... I got worried about the state of prayer in our congregation. My mind has wondered, "why are church going people having a difficult time saying, 'yes' when asked to pray for someone else? What does this mean about the current state of our spiritual health as a body of Christ?"
What does it mean when people decline to pray? I do not think it is about a practical issue or an intellectual issue nor a time management issue. No, the more I ponder this recent experience in the church the more convinced I am that this is a spiritual issue. And it worries me. Greatly.
So, much so, that I am praying about it. Fervently. I'd ask you to join me, but then you'd probably decline.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Writing...
...many thank you cards (there are the teacher thank you cards for my student and then all our of Calvary Learning Academy teachers), graduation cards (we have 25 graduating from High School not counting our college and grad student graduations. I had to buy cards in bulk this year.), birthday cards (my family celebrates about 5 big birthdays this month (not counting mine) and bereavement cards (which I do monthly here at church and number about 25-30 each month) have absorbed and used all my words.
My words are plumb worn out. Gone. Used up. A shriveled pile of miscellaneous adjectives.
That is why my new devotions to Upper Room (so that they can turn me down another year in a row. I mean- they have a streak going so why break it?!) are not written. Why my Pentecost sermon is sitting somewhere in my cerebral cortex! And why my blog has remained un-used and empty for days.
When the words come back, I do have a new story about the dog to share. And there is the moment with Flat Stanley recently....ah, the momentum may come back yet this month (unlike the rain which has stayed away from our house leaving our grass brown in latter May).
Watch and see... more words are coming!
My words are plumb worn out. Gone. Used up. A shriveled pile of miscellaneous adjectives.
That is why my new devotions to Upper Room (so that they can turn me down another year in a row. I mean- they have a streak going so why break it?!) are not written. Why my Pentecost sermon is sitting somewhere in my cerebral cortex! And why my blog has remained un-used and empty for days.
When the words come back, I do have a new story about the dog to share. And there is the moment with Flat Stanley recently....ah, the momentum may come back yet this month (unlike the rain which has stayed away from our house leaving our grass brown in latter May).
Watch and see... more words are coming!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The Year After 40
Over a year ago at this time my emotions were in a state of total freak out because I was turning forty years old. And I thought the world would end or my body would fall apart or good times would end!
Just shows you how little I knew, back in my thirties! ha.
Life begins after 40... because after last year's pivotal birthday the following happened:
Just shows you how little I knew, back in my thirties! ha.
Life begins after 40... because after last year's pivotal birthday the following happened:
- completed my first mini-marathon
- wrote two eulogies for two amazing people, Rod and my Gram
- got a book published with my co-author Todd
- drive a gorgeous red convertible on sunny days; don't forget my nickname- hot rod preacher!
Therefore, I expect great things to continue to happen in this new decade of life. More challenges, and more fun, more friends and more laughs. More growth in body, mind and spirit for myself and those around me. more confidence in being who God made me to be.
And most of all, I expect my Lord and Savior to show up everyday in it with me.
Yep, forty and forty one are the new foxy.
Looking for a Goal...
I am aimless.
And it feels weird.
So, my search for a new goal has begun. I've got stuff on my To Do List... but none of it has the bite and challenge of my last goal. (sigh)
For over ten minutes I poured over a website with all the Indiana race/walk events for this year. WOW- there is a lot of activity going on in our state! Geez! My sights are now set on three specific 5K runs/walks. Just need to get signed up.
My husband is launching himself into a new big scary goal called, "GRAD SCHOOL". I know, it causes shivers to run up and down my spine. So, in a way that is my new goal too. I owe him that. He got me through my first Mini-Marathon and so surely, I can return the favor and assist him through his MBA! (Although my goal took less time and cash. hee hee)
Maybe I need to sit in aimless for a moment. Discover what this is like.
But it feels so weird.
And it feels weird.
So, my search for a new goal has begun. I've got stuff on my To Do List... but none of it has the bite and challenge of my last goal. (sigh)
For over ten minutes I poured over a website with all the Indiana race/walk events for this year. WOW- there is a lot of activity going on in our state! Geez! My sights are now set on three specific 5K runs/walks. Just need to get signed up.
My husband is launching himself into a new big scary goal called, "GRAD SCHOOL". I know, it causes shivers to run up and down my spine. So, in a way that is my new goal too. I owe him that. He got me through my first Mini-Marathon and so surely, I can return the favor and assist him through his MBA! (Although my goal took less time and cash. hee hee)
Maybe I need to sit in aimless for a moment. Discover what this is like.
But it feels so weird.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
We did it!!!
Someone wrote on the wall in my office (no worries for the church trustees because there is a dry erase board on the wall):
Yeah, baby! What a super neat feeling to walk over the finish line after the longest, and most humid Indy 500 Festival Mini-Marathon ever! Couldn't tell which were my tears or beads of sweat cascading down my cheeks.
Special moments:
Great job Saturday!
Big scary goal= accomplished!!
Yeah, baby! What a super neat feeling to walk over the finish line after the longest, and most humid Indy 500 Festival Mini-Marathon ever! Couldn't tell which were my tears or beads of sweat cascading down my cheeks.
Special moments:
- my husband (aka walking partner who carried the backpack which saved our lives because it had food and drink for the worst mile ever...walking the frying pan called the IMS track) who awoke me at 4am to begin my day!
- the high five from my daughter when we went to pick her up! (and to my girl, "Sweetie, I did this walk for you so that you know you can conquer whatever big scary goal you have in your life!")
- listening to the amazing kid's hair bands along the way
- seeing the winner run past after I finished my mile number #1
- hearing encouragement, clapping, and cheers along the way
- listening to the love-of-my-life chatter excitedly as we walked his favorite track in the world...
- the shower when we finally got home!
Folks have already asked me if I would do it again. Sure. I want to have other goals and what not. I especially hope to do other run/walk events this year and beyond.
So glad to share this goal with my wonderful husband... and folks from my amazing church!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
At Loose Ends
Some how the timing of large events and goals in my life hit critical mass this week. The Confirmands were confirmed on Sunday. Our Jesus in the Gospels bible students finished their 30 week study on Tuesday. And in less than 48 hours I shall lace up to meet my "big-fat-scary-goal of 2012".
So, the question has come to my mind, "What next?"
In fact, members of my Tuesday study asked me what I shall do with all my time?
Knit? Scrapbook? Write? Sleep? Collect lint?
Maybe none of those or all the above.
What do you do when you knock out such big goals in the first 5 months of the year? Coast until someone else rings in 2013? Or create mid-year goals? Or take some well-deserved time off? Hmmm.
The thought has crossed my mind that I might do a couple of other races. A couple of 5K's sound appealing. And there are a lot of writing projects that I have simply shelved until my creative juices or at least time to be creative opened up again.
Whatever I do or not do... I can say with matter-of-fact-ness I am at 'loose ends'.
So, the question has come to my mind, "What next?"
In fact, members of my Tuesday study asked me what I shall do with all my time?
Knit? Scrapbook? Write? Sleep? Collect lint?
Maybe none of those or all the above.
What do you do when you knock out such big goals in the first 5 months of the year? Coast until someone else rings in 2013? Or create mid-year goals? Or take some well-deserved time off? Hmmm.
The thought has crossed my mind that I might do a couple of other races. A couple of 5K's sound appealing. And there are a lot of writing projects that I have simply shelved until my creative juices or at least time to be creative opened up again.
Whatever I do or not do... I can say with matter-of-fact-ness I am at 'loose ends'.
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