June 8, 2011 - Pastor Carlan's Blog

Dear Family of faith,
Have you ever really wanted one of your kids to do something that they didn't seem much interested in? That's a little how I feel in regard to the bus trip to the Synod worship on July 3rd. So far only 15 people have signed up for this incredible opportunity. Although I myself have been a delegate to the meeting five times, most people rarely, if ever, get a chance to experience the denomination together in worship. It is spectacular, inspirational, and educational-- all at the same time. Judging from previous experience (there have only ever been 27 Synod meetings before in the history of the U.C.C.), I can predict that there will never be another General Synod meeting in Florida in my lifetime. That's why I'm so keen on having as many of you go as can. The $13 bus ticket cost is so small when you consider what you would pay for gas to drive to Tampa, for parking, and for tolls. Even so, if anyone wants to go and cannot afford it, please talk to me, and I will find a way for you to go. Also, for those of you who are concerned about bringing walkers, etc.: the bus has room underneath for such things. As you can tell, I really don't want any of you to miss the chance to meet the denomination's officers and experience the best we have-- not to mention all the booths and kiosks with information about everything the U.C.C. does. It will be a wonderful experience, one we will talk about for a long time. You still have two weeks to get your tickets.
This past week I read some words that kept echoing in my head: "The best chance to be whole is to love whatever gets in the way until it ceases to be an obstacle." It was an excerpt from a book called The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo. There are many things that get in our way in life, many obstacles that seem to block where we want to go. Sometimes those obstacles are people, sometimes they are circumstances, sometimes they are unexpected events, sometimes they are diseases. They break up our wholeness, make us anxious and discouraged, ill and unfocused, obsessed and angry. Yet if we can only accept what irritates us, like a grain of sand in a pearl, and surround it with acceptance and see it as something we can learn from, then our "obstacles" cease to keep us from being whole inside. Although we may not be able to get to where we wanted to go or do what we wanted to do at the time, we can still be content and grateful and joyful. Who is getting in your way? What is stopping you from doing what you really wanted to do? Embrace those people and those things that stand in your way and find your inward peace by wrapping them up in love.
With affection,
Pastor Carlan