When we talk about things we feel better. The difficulty is distrust. We have become so distrustful that we op out of discussions. We sit on the side lines and let things go by us. It seems to be true in both politics and church! We have become so distrustful that we have stopped participating.
Here in New York State I find it puzzling and disconcerting that a Republican Congressional candidate resigns from her electoral race three days before Election Day and then throws her support to her Democratic rival.
I am immediately suspicious of both the Republican and Democratic candidates and their respective parties. I have become totally disillusioned by what we used to call the democratic process. I am extremely confident that there were “backroom” antics in this Upstate New York Congressional race. I am certain that the resignation of the Republican candidate was not “spur of the moment”. It was part of a larger strategy. I for one have no confidence in my New York representation in Congress!
There I feel better!
When we have something to talk about we have to take the time to say it. We must be polite and respectful, but we have to say what has to be said. We have to take the risk that we will be criticized! Have faith that the right things will come from your mouth and often they will! Get involved in our government and get involved with your church!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
I Love Paradox
Posturing is a defensive maneuver designed by humans to create a place to shield them from verbal attacks and/or maneuvering by others in order to change directions or reinforce a new idea. When we create a position and we eliminate the opportunity of negotiating possibilities.
If we limit possibilities, we limit change. Although most humans prefer not to change, change is a mandate from God. If you do not believe it, consider the vast number of changes in nature. Weather, vegetation, for those of us who have been parents for any period of time, our lives! There really is very little that is not changed! Look in the mirror you will sadly discover that even your own looks have changed! That is because change is the only constant! I love paradox!
In the book “Getting to Yes” by the Harvard Negotiating Project they explain that taking a position in a negotiation eliminates the negotiation. They suggest that we keep ourselves open to the possibilities because we often have common interests. We are more alike that we are different. I love paradox!
Keep an open mind and you will find change to be not only a tolerable experience but a wonderful experience! Toleration and wonder, I love paradox!
If we limit possibilities, we limit change. Although most humans prefer not to change, change is a mandate from God. If you do not believe it, consider the vast number of changes in nature. Weather, vegetation, for those of us who have been parents for any period of time, our lives! There really is very little that is not changed! Look in the mirror you will sadly discover that even your own looks have changed! That is because change is the only constant! I love paradox!
In the book “Getting to Yes” by the Harvard Negotiating Project they explain that taking a position in a negotiation eliminates the negotiation. They suggest that we keep ourselves open to the possibilities because we often have common interests. We are more alike that we are different. I love paradox!
Keep an open mind and you will find change to be not only a tolerable experience but a wonderful experience! Toleration and wonder, I love paradox!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Defeated?
Defeated? Some days I feel defeated too! I wonder if I am weak or that I have not been given the gifts that I thought God has recognized in me and then I am just defeated. Jesus must have felt defeated somewhere along the line as well. There had to have been a time when those around him simply resisted and said, “we are not going”. Oh, that’s right he was God!
We are just human and in the human condition we do not always see things the same way. Recently, someone jumped to the conclusion that because I am a minister that the activity I brought to her was a religious one and she didn’t want to have anything to do with that. It was a musical gift, not a religious gift! She missed the opportunity to enjoy time together as colleagues! So sad!
There are some who dislike the concept of change! We have talked about that here before. Change is inevitable, what we do with the change is the gift! If we reject the change we will not receive the gift found in it. What we will receive is complacency! I don’t know about you but I was always told that complacency is a bad thing!
Defeated? Some days to feel defeated too! Be encouraging to those around you, even if you don’t see it the same way as they do! No one should feel defeated!
We are just human and in the human condition we do not always see things the same way. Recently, someone jumped to the conclusion that because I am a minister that the activity I brought to her was a religious one and she didn’t want to have anything to do with that. It was a musical gift, not a religious gift! She missed the opportunity to enjoy time together as colleagues! So sad!
There are some who dislike the concept of change! We have talked about that here before. Change is inevitable, what we do with the change is the gift! If we reject the change we will not receive the gift found in it. What we will receive is complacency! I don’t know about you but I was always told that complacency is a bad thing!
Defeated? Some days to feel defeated too! Be encouraging to those around you, even if you don’t see it the same way as they do! No one should feel defeated!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Why Did She Have to Take That Path
The Covenant Players came to CSCC last Sunday. They did a play in which one character was a recent entrant into what she believed to be heaven and the other character was an inquisitor. The five basic questions were to reveal the woman’s believes. One question was about God, then Jesus, then works, then faith and finally and almost invisibly; salvation. At the end the woman asked which way to heaven and the “heaven character” pointed in one direction. When she asked which direction she was to go, he pointed in a different direction (down the aisle of the church). She made her way down the aisle protesting as she exited. It was powerful.
After this wonderful and moving worship service, I heard from two separate people the question “Why Did She Have to Take That Path”. Their children asked both sets of parent the identical question. I am sure there were others with the same question. I believe that Jesus answers the question in Mark 10:50-52!
Jesus called Bartimaeus and he threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“Teacher,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”
And Jesus said to him “Go your way. Your faith has healed you.” And instantly the blind man could see! Then he followed Jesus down the road.
“Go your way. Your faith has healed you" says Jesus. He (Bartimaeus) could go his "own way" but instead he followed Jesus down the road! Bartimaeus could go his own way but took the same path as Jesus! Bartimaeus answered God’s call!
No one has to go down the path of the woman in the play! We can all go down the path that Jesus has made for us! We can take any journey we choose! We are allowed the choice of sequences in our lives. It is when we choose the God sequence that things begin to happen!
After this wonderful and moving worship service, I heard from two separate people the question “Why Did She Have to Take That Path”. Their children asked both sets of parent the identical question. I am sure there were others with the same question. I believe that Jesus answers the question in Mark 10:50-52!
Jesus called Bartimaeus and he threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“Teacher,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”
And Jesus said to him “Go your way. Your faith has healed you.” And instantly the blind man could see! Then he followed Jesus down the road.
“Go your way. Your faith has healed you" says Jesus. He (Bartimaeus) could go his "own way" but instead he followed Jesus down the road! Bartimaeus could go his own way but took the same path as Jesus! Bartimaeus answered God’s call!
No one has to go down the path of the woman in the play! We can all go down the path that Jesus has made for us! We can take any journey we choose! We are allowed the choice of sequences in our lives. It is when we choose the God sequence that things begin to happen!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Colors
As I wake this day I see the colors of change. For some reason these colors attract me. For some reason I am exhilarated by the colors of fall. I have been told that my cosmetological/fashion color scheme is Autumn. That means that I am more attractive with the colors browns, yellows and orange around me. That’s remarkably true to the extent of my attractiveness!
Yet, like a personality profile, I have sub-dominate colors as well. For instance, I love the color blue. Syracuse University’s colors are orange and blue and I really struggle with the color orange. I almost always wear the blue color with a dash of orange.
Today, as was true yesterday and will be true tomorrow, I am in a meeting with several ministers from Germany! We are all preachers and teachers. We have all studied hard to get where we are. Yet, we speak a different language. Our geography is also similar yet different. The miracle is that we seem to be communicating and learning from each other!
I pray that my human color changes this day! I pray that more miracles present themselves. I pray that we accept this encounter as a step towards learning that our differences strengthen us rather than divide us.
Hear my prayer, O, Lord.
Yet, like a personality profile, I have sub-dominate colors as well. For instance, I love the color blue. Syracuse University’s colors are orange and blue and I really struggle with the color orange. I almost always wear the blue color with a dash of orange.
Today, as was true yesterday and will be true tomorrow, I am in a meeting with several ministers from Germany! We are all preachers and teachers. We have all studied hard to get where we are. Yet, we speak a different language. Our geography is also similar yet different. The miracle is that we seem to be communicating and learning from each other!
I pray that my human color changes this day! I pray that more miracles present themselves. I pray that we accept this encounter as a step towards learning that our differences strengthen us rather than divide us.
Hear my prayer, O, Lord.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
On the Brink
We are at the brink of a new day. That seems cliché but, each day is the brink of a new day! The issue is whether we will make it a new day that the Lord has made or will it be just another day in the sequence of days we call life.
When we open ourselves to the possibilities before us each day, we can discover a wonderful journey. If we limit ourselves to the immediate experience of our lives we will find only drudgery and mediocrity.
The process I use is perhaps different then most. When I have a busy or stressful day, I give thanks to God! In my mind the things before me were placed there to offer me the opportunity to be successful! Every day we are offered the opportunity to succeed. In the course of our routine we often miss God’s grace and the opportunity to go outside the everyday rituals.
Look carefully! Each day there is an opportunity to go outside our habitual day. The only habits we should have are the practices of praising God and seeking the Kingdom of Heaven. Everything else should be up for grabs each day!
Have fun today! Success is right before you!
When we open ourselves to the possibilities before us each day, we can discover a wonderful journey. If we limit ourselves to the immediate experience of our lives we will find only drudgery and mediocrity.
The process I use is perhaps different then most. When I have a busy or stressful day, I give thanks to God! In my mind the things before me were placed there to offer me the opportunity to be successful! Every day we are offered the opportunity to succeed. In the course of our routine we often miss God’s grace and the opportunity to go outside the everyday rituals.
Look carefully! Each day there is an opportunity to go outside our habitual day. The only habits we should have are the practices of praising God and seeking the Kingdom of Heaven. Everything else should be up for grabs each day!
Have fun today! Success is right before you!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Relevance
What makes things relevant? According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary it says, a: having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand b: affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion c: having social relevance
Having a bearing on the matter seems to hit our Chritian situation right on the spot. Today members of Central Square Community Church and the Central Square Baptist Church are having a SUMMIT to discuss the bearing Christianity has on the community at large! It should be an interesting discussion!
Do we have our bearings? Are we relevant in the 21st century? Can we demonstrate a legitamate stability in the course of an unstable time in history? Can we provide evidence proving our importance in society today?
We will encouter these and many more questions today! Pray for us!!!
Having a bearing on the matter seems to hit our Chritian situation right on the spot. Today members of Central Square Community Church and the Central Square Baptist Church are having a SUMMIT to discuss the bearing Christianity has on the community at large! It should be an interesting discussion!
Do we have our bearings? Are we relevant in the 21st century? Can we demonstrate a legitamate stability in the course of an unstable time in history? Can we provide evidence proving our importance in society today?
We will encouter these and many more questions today! Pray for us!!!
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