8-10-11

Dear Family of faith,
I finished the Sunday crossword puzzle today! I love doing the puzzles because they are a weekly reminder to me of a powerful spiritual truth. You see, when I first glance through all the clues in the puzzle, often I can come up with only one or two answers that I am sure of. But as I continue to struggle with it, looking again at it day after day, trying new possibilities in the blanks, I am amazed at how what once seemed an impossible task actually gets finished. Even though I go through this same journey from hopelessness to conquest almost every week, I am always in awe of the lesson it teaches me: that nothing is impossible; it only looks that way in the beginning. I pray that each of you will learn that life lesson, too, if not through difficult crossword puzzles, then through your own history of not giving up but continuing to believe that what seems hopeless is not hopeless at all, especially when we turn over the struggle to God.
Do you long for "the good old days?" A friend of mine recently gave me a book that belonged to his mother. When I was leafing through the pages, I saw an old, discolored obituary, stuck between them. I didn't know the deceased nor do I know if my friend knew the woman either. There was no year printed in the paper, only the month and day, so I have no idea how long ago the person died. Yet I read with interest the details printed in the item. Not only did the obituary list the time and place and officiating clergyman, but it also reported who sang the solos and who the pallbearers were. At the end of the obituary were listed the names of those persons, eighteen not counting children, who were "from away" (i.e. out of town) and even the towns they came from! I was amazed at how much press the funeral got, and, of course, it was all a free service of the newspaper. Compare that to today when you have to pay exhorbitant prices just to get the fewest of details listed, and nobody would dare include such "frivolous information" as who attended the memorial service from out of town. It's no wonder we long for days gone by when people truly cared about people and not just about making a buck. And yet, in the kingdom of God, those days are still a part of our lives. Within God's realm, and especially in the church, we are still called to care for and about one another. When someone is down, we cry with him. When someone is happy, we rejoice with her. When someone needs help, we come to his aid. That's what it means to be part of the family of God. Just today I was the recipient of such care when both of our vehicles ended up in the shop for repairs and I was left car-less. A friend in the church offered me her car for the day. 'The good old days' are still with us! May each of you know that truth in your lives as you share your love and care with others because you belong to the kingdom of God!

8-4-11

Dear Family of faith,
Nobody wants troubles and turmoil in their lives; yet there are some good things that can come out of our trying times. I have been in an emotional turmoil of late, and it has turned my head to remember the simple blessings of life-- blessings like a day that is peaceful and productive, an invitation to dinner, an email of encouragement, a surprise left in my office, a doctor who treats you kindly, friends who promise faithfulness, and the beauty of those around us. Too often we take such little things for granted, not appreciating what gifts they are to us and how they make our lives worth living. When trials come, then it is that we see most clearly how precious those we love really are and how many good things God puts in our everydays. If you find yourself in a "funk" right now because life isn't the proverbial 'rose garden,' take a moment of feel the breeze, breathe in a flower's fragrance, marvel at a little hand in yours or the pet in your lap, or find new beauty and promise in the things that happen around you. And, remember that when we feel our backs are up against a wall, "God will make a way where there seems to be no way."