Spending Time with Siblings in Christ

Jen and I have been in Kansas this week at the Leadership Institute of the Church of the Resurrection. It has been an amazing week in which we have been reflecting on Christ Crossman as we hear presentations. I am sure you will hear about this from us before too long.

Right now, I am filled with awe and gratitude at how our God works amazing connections. I was able to introduce Jen to some friends of mine. We stayed with some of my college friends on Tuesday night, Susan and Loren. We had only reconnected in January, 2012, after many years. It seemed as though Jen and Susan had been friends for years. We have also spent time with a newer friend, Hedy, and found that the world is indeed a small place. That discovery will be Jen's to share.

Spending time in community with sisters and brothers in Christ is an awesome privilege and a great joy. Every time I get to go to a conference and spend more time with Jen, I give thanks more and more for her passion and compassion, for her intense love of God and God's people, and for her deep commitment to Christ Crossman. 

Colossians 3:12

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Lost in the Beauty

My soul cries out holy, holy
My heart is lost in your beauty
All hope is found in your mercy*

Wednesday night as I sat listening, amid all the standing--and jumping--to the music of the Rend Collective, I was caught by the phrase “My heart is lost in your beauty.” I remembered the image I had last week of Chip, Jeff and Elmer standing in awe and wonder in the glory of our God whose heart is the center of all creation. God is the center, and yet God also encompasses all of creation. How can God be both the very center and that which surrounds us all? All I can do is be lost in the beauty of God’s mercy, singing “holy, holy.”

The wedding banquet is a great image that Jesus uses for the kingdom of God. The problem is that we think of this banquet as somewhere off in the distant, far away future. The reality is that the kingdom of God is already among us. Eternity began the moment of Creation’s beginning. God has invited all of creation from the very beginning into relationship. God is both the host of the banquet, and yet God is the very feast itself.  How can God be host and feast? All I can do is be lost in the beauty of God’s mercy, singing “holy, holy.”

*Rend Collective, “Finally Free,” 2014.

Revelation 7:9

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.

When Someone Dies...

“When someone dies, you don’t get over your grief by forgetting; you get through your grief by remembering.” I read this on Facebook this evening. It is appropriate for this week. A college friend we loved died this week after a journey with cancer. In his caring fashion, as he realized that treatment was not working, he reached out thinking of his wife, and how Charlene and I have been through what she is now facing, losing a husband to cancer.

I have never forgotten Chip, though as so often happens in life, we got busy and did not stay in touch as much as we could have. We talked on occasion, once after Hurricane Katrina made them evacuate from Beaumont. We emailed a bit. The last time I saw him was eons ago, just before I started at Duke, and while he was in law school at the University of Texas in Austin. I took a solo road trip visiting family and friends along the way, ending with Chip. After he finished his final exam, we had a cookout with his law school friends—the first brisket I ever had. He went with me to visit my childhood hometown in Taft, and to see the white, white beaches at Corpus Christi. We waded in the almost bath-warm waters of North Padre Island.

I met Chip in our Fireside fellowship at the Wesley Foundation at UVA. Neither of us had signed up for the “Contract” meal plan, so many, if not most nights found us eating together in different eateries at The Corner. He took me to the Moot Court, when his father, a graduate of the law school at UVA, visited. That night, we were able to witness the great Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall preside over the Moot Court.

I remember Chip’s deep intelligence and his compassion, and the light that would gleam in his eyes when he engaged in a discussion. Though they never, ever met in life, I wonder if he and Jeff, and Elmer might find a pause in their wondrous gazing upon the glory of our God to find common ground, and share a laugh about the naiveté of their two Wahoo women, and stand amazed at how we all grew into what God called us to be. Here’s to the memories! I hold them dear.

1 Corinthians 15:41-42

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from star in glory. So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.

Get Your Game On!

Get your game on! Come dressed as, or sport gear from your favorites!

What is your favorite cartoon character? You will have to come to worship at Christ Crossman this Sunday (September 7) to see mine! What can cartoon characters teach us about conflict?

Which is your favorite sports team? Personally, I’d like to find a Gryffindor quidditch robe to wear on September 14, but I will settle for something a little more earthbound. What can we learn about forgiveness in sports?

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman! Or whoever is your favorite superhero? With all their superpowers, what could we possibly learn about humility from them on September 21?

The breadth of history is wide open for your choice of a favorite historical character. The good, the bad, the ugly—all have something to teach us about our faith on September 28. Did you know that Maggie our new intern majored in history in college? She will be preaching that Sunday.

And on October 5, we hope to see a panorama of our favorite nations (other than the good ol’ USA) as we celebrate World Communion Sunday.

Why on earth are we doing this? It’s because laughter and mirth can bring joy to the heart. And why not! Sarah laughed.

Genesis 21.6:

Now Sarah said, “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.”