tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17497143478351621572024-03-18T20:50:57.959-07:00Seminary Conclusions.As you enter into the mind of this Lutheran seminarian, prepare to be amazed and shocked at what you find. This blog will not hold back, everything from Scripture to liberal views will be discussed, and most likely more than enough of my personal life. Enjoy, comment, reflect, and feel free to give me feed back. Pace e Bene. Peace. Shalom. Salem.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-51558492839975355792010-03-04T17:11:00.000-08:002010-03-04T17:25:15.462-08:00Praying and Patiently (maybe) waiting.I suppose it's very appropriate that we are in the season of Lent, and that we are encouraged to be in deep prayer and reflection at this time in the church year. As we pray and journey towards Holy Week, towards Good Friday and then the joy of Easter, I also await and journey in my own life and candidacy process.<br /><br />As an assigned candidate for ordained ministry in the ELCA, I'm waiting to find out which Synod I will have my first call in. I was assigned to Region 7, the region which spans from SE Pennsylvania, to NE Penn, NJ, NY, and New England. I was overjoyed at the prospect of being closer to home again, at being able to drive home at holidays rather then fly. So now I wait, until March 14th, when the Bishops from Region 7 gather together with us, interview us (speed dating basically) and then make their decision by the close of the day. <br /><br />I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anxious. I want to know where my life is headed, I want to begin to anticipate the environment that I will be a pastor within. I'm being human, and needy. I want to be able to start viewing my future, and mostly I want to go where I want to be. And this is the hardest part, and a good lesson for me. As the song goes, "you don't always get what you want," and that is possible in this case. It's possible that God has a different plan for me then what I have in mind, and it's most likely the truth. I feel called to Metro NY, I think my gifts will be well used in urban ministry there, and that is what I am keep in prayer. I'm praying that I will be sent where I am needed, and that I will be able to get over my own wants and desires, and see that I was placed exactly where I was meant to be.<br /><br />So please, keep me in prayer on this journey, and I will keep you up to date.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-49137823030992993142010-03-02T13:58:00.000-08:002010-03-02T14:09:22.879-08:00The best of intentions.I always promise to write in here, and then life, or class comes in and bam! no more posts. So once again, I'm attempting to begin actively blogging the last 80 days of Seminary! Woot! 80 days! 80! (does a little jump for joy).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsedZCeVuOWPu5O7lGJrDNz3YC0XeqAabcOGGjMp2KGtRxMBlBZffib0_APV2UJsoMZx4MunfT531aXl22mr3-d___PhfVx2nxuSVqGjbokO9hGLIZ1E1DipIHR-F3TjuJS0-C2DhNjE/s1600-h/snow2_0.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsedZCeVuOWPu5O7lGJrDNz3YC0XeqAabcOGGjMp2KGtRxMBlBZffib0_APV2UJsoMZx4MunfT531aXl22mr3-d___PhfVx2nxuSVqGjbokO9hGLIZ1E1DipIHR-F3TjuJS0-C2DhNjE/s200/snow2_0.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444161926439259522" /></a><br />As sad as it potentially could be, I'm overjoyed at the prospect of being done with school, being able to leave the paper writing behind, the stress of reading thousands of pages of academic books in a month, and being worried about the future behind. It's getting close, and as it does, I find myself caring less and less about what is going on around me. I just can't seem to invest myself in the community life anymore. Sure, I've got friends which I spend plenty of time with and talk through the future, argue over interpretations of theology, and laugh at the ridiculousness that is our classmates, but I just don't see the point in developing deeper ties to people I don't know well. It seems pointless, or maybe is just too much work for me right now. It would take effort to invest myself in someone else, and I'm too invested in getting myself out of here for now. And maybe that's how all seniors feel, so I'm not alone... However, I will say that at some time, I'll miss this place, maybe just not right away, and maybe not the assignments ever.<br /><br />So through my intentions, and to savor as much as I can, and also to grieve as I have to, I hope to write more in here. To just throw it out there, mostly as an expression, but welcoming of all thoughts and encouragement as I prepare yet again, to leave a place.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-91281040556364908982009-08-23T19:15:00.000-07:002009-08-23T19:18:54.926-07:00Last sermon at Salem.Today was a sad day for me. It was the last day of my internship. This year has been a blessing, the people at Salem have been joyous, welcoming, and have taught me a great deal. They will forever be in my prayers and heart. <br /><br />My last sermon for my internship was this....<br /><br />Gospel: John 6: 56-69<br />main text: Ephesians 6:10-20<br /><br />May the words of my lips and the mediations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our Rock and Redeemer. <br /><br />Let us pray,<br /> Triumphant God, wrap us in your love, use us in your mission, draw us together in unity, so that we may declare your radical Gospel with boldness. Amen.<br /><br /><br />As I read the text from Ephesians for today, it reminded me of a field trip I took in Junior high School. We had been studying the Medieval times, and the teachers decided a great way to make history fun, as well as to allow us to see the practices in person, was to take us to a place called, Medieval times. There was to be jousting, and knights in full armor, a ‘king’ of the event, servants, and food that was served without silverware. <br /><br />As the festival began, depending on where you were sitting you were given the color of a knight to cheer for. I had the green knight. I remember thinking how awesome it would be to try on a suit of armor, to walk around impenetrable, to fight gallantly for ones kingdom, to slay dragons like I’ve heard of in stories. <br /><br />Like many of us, as a young person, I romanticized that period of history. Thinking about kings, queens, princes, princesses, noble knights set out on dangerous missions. Their armor began to define who they were, their job, their title, their soul. These pieces of intricately laced together metal pieces, began to become a person. Their armor began to define them on one side of a fight, and usually that side was the good side. The strong protective side.<br /><br />Our obsession with armor has not ended. We think about and create it even today, from bullet proof vests, to the armor that we use and send out to our troops in foreign wars. We want to protect our selves as much as possible. <br /><br />But this extends further then just physical protection as well. We as people who are hurt by words and actions, by choices, and emotions, we want to protect ourselves from people too. We want armor and shields to cover us, so that we don’t have to be hurt, feel pain or discomfort from the words and actions of others. We want to be protected from the mean insults that others can lob at us. We want protection from the pain of self-consciousness, from the demoralizing of acts of racism, sexism, ageism, or classism. We don’t want to be hurt by rejection. <br /><br />We think about war in many forms, we express it in songs, we watch it in movies, cartoons show illustrations of heavily armed machines fighting one another, of fighting against evil. Fights of good versus evil are present in our literature, movies, songs, stories, minds, politics, social causes, language and lives. <br /><br />We live in a culture now, that is dominated by the thought that to make change, we must wage a battle. We must fight strong handedly against others, in order to change our current situations.<br /><br />We have created only two sides in our battle, the good side and the bad side. If it’s bad, we fight against it, and always believe that we are on the good side.<br /><br />This Ephesians text is something radical, it’s not advocating war, it’s not preparing us to wage a war, it is not telling us to use faith as a weapon, as some may advocate. Instead it is referring us to put on the armor of God to stand up for justice. To strive for peace. This isn’t a physical fight, this isn’t a fight that is easily won, but this is the mission that God is striving for.<br /><br />The section of Ephesians is drawing from a passage from Isaiah ch59. In the Isaiah text, God is the one putting on the armor, God is the one wearing the breastplate of righteousness, God is wielding the sword of the Word. God is the one who is striving for justice, alone.<br /><br />But here, in this text, we are asked to join that mission. To put on the armor ourselves. To place upon our heads the helmet of salvation, to wrap around our waist the belt of truth, to hold the shield of faith tight, to grasp the sword of the Word of God, and to walk in shoes of peace. We are asked to suit up, and help in the mission of God.<br /><br />We aren’t asked to help slaughter enemies. We aren’t asked to close ourselves off in our protective suits. We are instead asked to fight in an entirely new way. With our radical fashion, we are asked to walk in the Gospel of peace, to hold tight to our faith, to surround ourselves in truth and righteousness, to know that our minds are safe in the promises of salvation, and to keep the Word of God at our side. We are asked to open ourselves up to the Spirit, and to share ourselves with others. We are given an opportunity to help penetrate injustices’, to help invoke change in society, to help end pain and rejection. We are given an opportunity to show the love that God has offered to us with others.<br /><br />It is love that we are putting on, it is love that we are wearing from God. God has wrapped us in it, and now we have the power to go out and share it with one another. While the world is calling for war, while people want to fight, God comes to conquer, triumphantly through the peace of Christ. He doesn’t slay his enemies like they were dragons, instead he loves them. He radically changes them. His enemies are not people, but instead are hatred and sin and fear. They are not our earthly brothers and sisters, but are injustice and pain. And these are conquered by the risen Christ.<br /><br />But that’s difficult to understand for us. We have a hard time seeing love conquer evil without a real fight, without having to draw swords and strike the enemy down. We want God to punish our enemies, so it’s hard to understand a God that brings enemies into our family, and takes suffering upon himself. It’s hard to understand a God that would offer his body as a life-giving bread, to all those who listen. Even the disciples would agree, as we heard in the Gospel for today. They have heard the words of Jesus and say that his teaching is difficult, and ask who can accept it? <br /><br />Because of hearing this message of ultimate love, of ultimate sacrifice, many of his disciples turned back, and no longer went with him. They couldn’t understand this radical approach to love, so they left. And so Jesus turned to the twelve, and asked, “Do you also wish to go?”<br />Peter answered him, “But Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”<br />Peter and the twelve knew that these were difficult words that Jesus was offering, but they also knew that this was the only place they could receive the grace of God, the bread of life. <br /><br />As difficult as it is to understand, Christ is the armor of God. Christ is the ultimate conqueror. For Christ is the one who conquers the power of death and the grave, Christ is the one that takes our sins, takes our pain, and gives us eternal life. Christ is the one that offers up his own body, to save us. Christ is the one that pierces our hearts and minds with the Gospel of peace, grace and life. <br /><br />It is in unity that we put on Christ, the armor of God. It is in unity that we can strive for justice and peace through the Word of God. Christ will win this battle, for he has already given his life so that we may receive eternal life.<br /><br />In the armor of Christ, we stand together, we gather side by side, as brothers and sisters, whether we agree or disagree, whether we are similar or different, whether we understand the gift of salvation or are just learning about it’s power. We stand together, united, and receive the body of Christ, we receive the words of love from God, we receive the gift of salvation. We stand together, in prayer, that we may understand the words of Christ, that we may help to spread his love to all the world, whether they be our enemies or our closest friends. <br /><br />The letter to Ephesians is concluded with this passage. They are left with an encouragement to put on the armor of God, to stand firm, and to pray in the Spirit. Pray for the saints, and those gone before them, and to pray for the leaders of the church that they me deliver with boldness the Gospel.<br /><br />This encouragement is just as appropriate for us today. As my last Sunday with you here at Salem, I encourage you to put on the armor of God, that is Christ. To wrap your selves in the love that is the Gospel. To stand together, unified, as brothers and sisters of faith. <br /><br />Don’t allow small things to come between you, but remember the big things. Remember that the love of Christ is what conquers all, remember that you have been called to stand beside each other, to work together for the mission of God. And in doing so, never forget to pray for yourselves, your mission, your leaders, and those gone before you. For it is Christ who has the words of eternal life, and Christ who gives you them to you freely. Fill yourselves with the bread of life and cup of salvation, wrap yourselves in the armor that is Christ, and you will show others the love of Christ, you will make change, in the lives of others, in the world, and within yourselves.<br /><br />Also pray for those who speak the words of God. Pray that they may declare the boldness of the Gospel, the radical and life changing Gospel of love and that the Spirit may empower them through this difficult task. <br /><br />May we strive with boldness to spread the Gospel, to declare the words of God’s love, to share with others the radical life changing bread of salvation. And may we remember that the love of Christ conquers all. Amen.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-72177337328851987632009-07-12T19:34:00.000-07:002009-07-12T19:40:04.648-07:00New things.So here I am, 6 weeks from the end of my internship at Salem. I'm sad. That's the main feeling right now. I'm sad to be leaving such a terrific congregation, such terrific people, and a wonderful supervisor. I'm comfortable in my duties, enjoy the challenges, and love Minneapolis. It's going to be sad to begin to say goodbye, and to move back to philly for my last year. <br /><br />I guess this is a learning as well, how to gracefully and greatfully leave a place that you have so much invested in. *sigh*<br /><br />I think it would be great to do ministry in the cities again one day. We'll see what happens. :)<br /><br />In other news, I got a new tattoo on saturday, and I love it. I've been planning out tattoos for three years now, practically the minute after I got my last one, so it was definitely time. I'm pleased with the colors and the design, and can't wait for the next, hopefully it won't be in three years. :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NUM7fxGU_VfpHE2MAIwfqERO1IK7kvOe7LQVGDQFH6GLSmo_rEaQYiB1IMGh3YLy_52uFe9wmnQg9IiVqv3xNPXDWmbUzRKaygaCV1EfV99RIJnLOHCFcPEN31KmaBoo3mCIRZLfifQ/s1600-h/july+2009+075.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NUM7fxGU_VfpHE2MAIwfqERO1IK7kvOe7LQVGDQFH6GLSmo_rEaQYiB1IMGh3YLy_52uFe9wmnQg9IiVqv3xNPXDWmbUzRKaygaCV1EfV99RIJnLOHCFcPEN31KmaBoo3mCIRZLfifQ/s320/july+2009+075.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357768628443009090" /></a><br /><br />Blessings and Peace!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-88616149473316908832009-07-12T19:22:00.000-07:002009-07-12T19:31:54.196-07:00Losing heads to peer pressure.Sermon for Pentecost 6B<br />Mark 6:14-29 – The beheading of John the Baptist.<br /><br />Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.<br /><br /><br />Have you ever done something that you didn’t really want to do, in order to impress some friends, of even to get the attention of that pretty girl or good looking guy?<br /><br />For many people this has happened more then once, we have come up against peer pressure, and peer pressure has won. <br /><br />A friend of mine told me once this great anecdote from his life, about peer pressure. His name is Paul. He grew up in the country, on a dairy farm. As Paul and his friends became teenagers, they began to look for things to do as a group during Friday evenings. So this particular Friday evening, they could think of nothing to do, so one of his friends suggested they tip a cow. Paul wasn’t really keen on the idea, since he knew that they could get in trouble, and also that cows get pretty darn angry if you wake them up, and can charge. So they pestered him for a while, so finally he gave in, and said that he would do it, as long as they tipped on of his cows, this way at least he knew the cow they were tipping. They snuck onto his farm after the sun went down, and Paul directed them to this old cow. He figured she was the lightest, and most likely the slowest, so she would be easy to tip, and wouldn’t catch up with them too quickly. <br /><br />The group of young men, quietly creeped up beside her, pushed with all their might, and knocked her right over. As they ran away, Paul glanced back to see that the cow hadn’t gotten back up, that she wasn’t even trying to stand again. He watched for a minute or two, and realized something was wrong. He went back to her, and realized that they had given this poor old cow a heart attack, and she was now dead. <br /><br />Now of course they had to cover their tracks. So they decided to take the tractor, push her body off the bank, into the river that ran along the local farm properties, and play it off as if they had never been there.<br /><br />Two days later, Paul's dad sat him down for a talk, he wanted to discuss becoming responsible, and owning his own cow. His dad told him he would give him a cow for a fraction of the cost, only a couple hundred of dollars, and that Paul could start the beginning of his own dairy farm. Paul was excited that his dad seemed to trust him and jumped at the opportunity. His dad took his money, and told Paul that he could buy the old cow that he had killed earlier this week. Turns out that the neighbors had called to say that her body had washed up on their property. Paul's dad instructed him to go pick up his new cow. <br /><br />Paul was mindful of ever lying to his father, or tipping cows again.<br /><br />My friend Paul, caught himself up in peer pressure, and had to deal with the consequences of guilt and of course his father’s punishment.<br /><br />Herod’s story takes this peer pressure to the next level. Herod wanted to make himself look real good in front of his friends. He needed them to know that he was true to his word, but also that he was a powerful man. He hosted this party in honor of himself. And he intended to make sure it was impressive. I can picture the banquet hall full of luxuries, exotic foods, beautiful music, and a dance that was so moving, the king offered even half his kingdom as a gift to his step-daughter, the dancer. <br /><br />Now here is where we need some background information. As the Gospel recalls, Herod wasn’t quite sure how he felt about John. He saw that he was a man of God, and was fascinated at the things he had to say and the ministry that he cultivated, but he was also threatened by him. Herod couldn’t allow John to continue to spread the message that his marriage was unacceptable to God, but he also didn’t want to go to the extreme that his new wife wished he would. Whereas Herodias wanted John dead from the beginning, Herod was willing to keep him imprisoned, so that he did not harm this man of God, but so that his reputation wasn’t challenged either.<br /><br />As we look back at the banquet. Herod offers his step daughter whatever she wants, he does so out of joy for her dancing talent. She being the teenager that she is, she doesn’t really know what to ask for, so she goes to her mom for ideas. <br /><br />Instead of telling her daughter to ask for something that could help her in the long run, such as a piece of land, or power over an area of the kingdom, Herodias can only think about her own anger. Herodias is so consumed with her anger for John that she can’t even think about the welfare of her child, who has no legitimate claim to the kingdom of Herod.<br /><br />Her daughter does as her mother says, and even tries to please her mother more, by requesting John’s head upon a platter and presenting it to her mother. This gruesome tale then comes right back to Herod. <br /><br />As he sits in front of friends and guests, he seems to have no choice. He is so caught up in his need to impress people, that he doesn’t want to tell his step daughter no. Also, not killing John, after the public knew that John was speaking against Herod and his marriage, would have made Herod look weak.<br /><br />Herod allowed John to suffer, so that his company would not be disappointed and he would remain powerfully feared and honored. John suffered for a tyrant, a tyrant who exercised his ultimate power, the power to banish people to the grave.<br /><br />Like there were for Herod, there are many powers that we struggle with in life. We struggle to remain true to ourselves, but then also to succeed in life by society standards, and to make impressions on friends, co-workers, and even strangers. <br /><br />Pressure is on us from all areas of life. We are pressured to take care of family, to provide a safe place for them to live and to provide for their needs. We are pressured as a society to succeed financially, even in this struggling economy. We are pressured to look as if we handle tragedy and pain like it’s no big deal. There is pressure for us to go along with what society raises up as ‘cool’ or acceptable for people our age.<br /><br />Don’t we often back our selves into corners, and do what is socially acceptable? Don’t we all walk past things in life sometimes? Walk past moments where we see blatant racism? Walk past situations where we suspect abuse? Walk away from things and people that if we get involved with it could become messy for us? Even though we know it’s wrong? Instead of reaching out to people who are seen as ‘undesirable’ by society standards, we move on, cutting them off from love, grace and compassion.<br /><br />We deny people human rights all the time. Whether it gets attention in the media as the case of the two reporters that are imprisoned in North Korea or it is just known between the two people, such as when a child dismisses the feelings of another child in school because if they spoke to them or didn’t make fun of them, they wouldn’t be cool anymore. <br /><br /><br />The power of peers and society surrounds us like a tyrant, it threatens to remove us from power and prestige, if we don’t conform with it. So instead we cut other people out from the grace that is given to them. We choose to treat others poorly, so that we are not the ones that are treated like John the Baptist. Instead of sticking up for what we see is right, for living life as Jesus Christ has shown us through his life, we are scared to go against the pressures of society. We let the power of the tyrant rule our lives.<br /><br />But there is good news in this story of John’s death. For the tyrant’s power has no hold over the power of resurrection!<br /><br />When Herod heard of the teachings of Jesus, he automatically thought that John had risen from the dead. That death had no hold over this man of God. That must have terrified Herod, as well as comforted him. <br /><br />He would be scared because it was possible for this man of God to come back and preach against him once again, but also Herod could be relieved as not having felt like he completely destroyed John. He seems to comfort himself with the idea of John being alive again, and that his actions in front of his friends, had no real consequences. <br /><br />Herod is of course mistaken, and John was not the one responsible for the amazing acts that were being reported. However, there would be a resurrection. A resurrection that would strip power from the tyrants of the world. A resurrection that would strip power from death and the grave itself. A resurrection that would give life to people for all the ages past and all the ages in the future. A resurrection that was a promise of grace and love.<br /><br />Jesus’ resurrection still has the power to transform the negative powers in our lives today. Jesus has triumphed over sin and death for us. His life, death and resurrection release us from the powers of society; they enable us to live within the grace of God, to be loved children of God, instead of tyrants to ourselves and others. <br />It was through another gruesome act that God’s love trumped all the abuses of power and reached out to embrace a suffering world. God reached out to you, through the pain of the cross to save you from the powers of the world, to show you that you and I are loved children of God.<br /><br />We act out of that unconditional love, to break the tyrant like powers of the world that crush people’s hope and souls. We act out of God’s unconditional love when we take the time to care for the repressed people of society. We act out of that unconditional love when we participate in volunteer agencies and relief organizations, such as Lutheran World relief or the Heifer Project. When we volunteer our time at places such as “feed my starving children,” or even the summer VBS program here at Salem, we share that unconditional love, and help to change the lives of people through the transforming power of a resurrected Christ. <br /><br />It is through that love and grace that we are invited to the banquet everyday. This is not the banquet of Herod which is full of self aggrandizement or where we will be offered half of a fractured kingdom, but instead, this is the banquet of Christ, were we are given life and love, and given the whole kingdom of God.<br /><br />The message of the banquet of Christ cannot be stopped. The love of Christ will invade all parts of the world, all places full of tyrant’s power, and fills us with a life giving love, a power over the grave. Amen.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-45402687720033845082009-06-29T19:03:00.000-07:002009-06-29T19:07:26.511-07:00Stormy Seas a Comin'Here is my sermon for Pentecost 3B.<br />Mark 4:35-41<br /><br />Almighty God, Calm the storms in our hearts and minds so that we may hear your words for us, that we may know of your love and grace. Amen.<br /><br /><br />In High School, I was part of a class that went on a canoe trip each year. As part of the requirements, we were to be paired up with someone, and work as a team. For those who didn’t know how to canoe, they were taught in the indoor school pool, and this would be their first big outing onto a river. I was paired with a girl named Erin. Now Erin was about 5’2, and had never canoed before in her life. She was jittery, and I kept telling her to just be calm. As the experienced canoeist, I took the back. I explained to her again how we needed to work as a team, she needed to watch for things coming up ahead, and tell me how to steer us. We were towards the end of the boats that were launched into the river that day. Erin kept talking about how she didn’t want to tip in, because she was terrified of it, and how I needed to make sure not to tip us. I assured her that I had never intentionally tipped a canoe before and we would be fine, she just needed to sit still. <br /><br /><br />Well there is where I went wrong. Erin was so nervous, that she literally could not sit still. She jumped at every little movement around her, she swayed back and forth when she remembered to put her paddle in the water. Then we got to a part of the river where there was faster moving water, and trees that dangled overhead. Being that I was already 6’1 in HS, I of course got lots of branches in the face, lot’s of bugs all over me that fell off the branches, but the worst was listening to Erin scream about the spiders. She couldn’t handle the bugs falling on her, she freaked out, and began to squirm even more. Needless to say, she tipped us. <br />But that wasn’t the last time we would be in the water that day, Erin caused us to tip about six more times that day. Her fear had overtaken her and she was no longer thinking rationally. <br /><br /><br />That same fear of the water is tangible in the words of the disciples that we heard from the Gospel of Mark for today. You can almost hear the panic in their tones as they run to Jesus, asking him why he is sleeping while they are going to perish. They fear the storm that has cropped up, and for good reason too.<br /><br /><br />The location of the water that they disciples were boating on, lies behind a mountain range, and is quite shallow. Although Mark refers to it as a “sea” it’s actually a lake. This lake is well known for the bad storms that come across it. Because of it’s geographical placement, storms come quickly without warning, they are fierce and dangerous, and usually do not last very long. The fishermen would have known all this information, they would have known that this lake was well known for it’s storms, they would have been watching in fear from the moment they stepped on to the boat. <br /><br /><br />These disciples put no trust in their own knowledge of boats to save them from this storm that popped up. Instead they turn to look for their leader; they turn to look for Jesus awaiting his words, awaiting his commands. Although they had more experience on the water then Jesus, although the fisherman of the bunch had known the dangers of the waters for their whole lives, they turn to the man that they have been following, the man that was raised as a carpenter, and persuaded them to leave their jobs and follow him. <br /><br /><br />The fear over took them, and they could only panic and run to Jesus. When they find him sleeping calmly, they yell out to him. They accuse him of sleeping while they are perishing. They accuse, because they don’t know what to do, they feel abandoned by their leader, and are not trusting in his previous words, but instead need an action from him now, in this moment. They feel the peril that approaches them through the storm, and they don’t know what to do.<br /><br /><br />Having spent a good amount of time on the water myself, I know that it is a dangerous place. Storms only increase the danger of being at sea. I’m sure most of us have heard of all the different vessels that have been lost at sea. Stories pop up about the Bermuda triangle, and boats that vanish. We have heard of storms that have torn ships apart, run them aground, and sunk them. People, and all kinds of crafts get lost at sea. The water can often be a dangerous place.<br /><br /><br />We encounter storms on a regular basis during our lives. Yes, we encounter natural storms like thunderstorms and tornadoes, but we also encounter different kinds of storms. Storms that shake our foundations, storms that change life as we know it. <br /><br /><br />Storms in our lives come in different ways and at different times. They can be building storms, or can pop up without warning. We come to encounter storms such as death, loss, broken hearts, rejection, pain both physical and emotional. Storms in our lives can be the death of loved ones, struggling with depression, finding knew ways to survive, being turned down for a job because of who you are, feeling alone and separated from those who you love. <br /><br /><br />Storms cannot always be predicted, sometimes we are influenced by the people that surround us, sometimes people abuse and use us in ways we didn’t see coming. We get lied to by someone that we trusted with everything, and we are suddenly left alone in a mess we didn’t create. <br /><br /><br />There are times when we don’t deserve the storms of our lives, when we question what’s going on around us. <br /><br /><br />We like the disciples can wonder where God is during our storm? How can we be left feeling alone, and feeling as if we are perishing, and God not be beside us giving us direction? <br /><br /><br />As Jesus is awoken by the disciples, he stands up and calls out off the boat, “Peace. Be still.” Three words, and everything is calm. The winds and waves have stopped crashing, the beating hearts have steadied, and the worried minds have relaxed. With three words, the storm and the disciples are calm. <br /><br /><br />In the Gospel, Mark says that Jesus states these words to the wind and water, but I think they were meant more for the disciples. It wasn’t that Jesus had to physically control the natural elements, he was calming the minds and hearts of the disciples, he was giving them peace and stillness, not the waves. The storm would have passed in it’s own time, but the disciples fears needed to be calmed. <br /><br /><br />Jesus offers them peace in the midst of turmoil, he offers them calmness in the face of danger. <br /><br /><br />Jesus continues on to question the disciples, asking them if they have faith, how come they didn’t trust in this situation. Although he chastises them about their reaction, he still took the time to calm them. He knew that what they needed was peace of mind, they needed to feel safe, and he gave that to them. He brought to them a peace that not only calmed the storm in front of the, but calmed the many storms to come. He brought them a peace that will forever give them salvation, that will forever give them stillness, because he brought them a peace the surpasses all understanding. A peace that is offered in his death on a cross. <br /><br /><br />There is a great song, with the chorus line of, “Sometimes he calms the storm, and sometimes he calms his child.”<br /><br /><br />Jesus does this for the disciples. He may have controlled the earthly elements, he may have stopped the waves in their tracks, but he most definitely calmed his people. <br /><br /><br />God does this for you too. God is there, through it all. The comfort may not always come in the ways we want it to, the storms may not always disappear instantly, but God is with you.<br /><br /><br />The storms in our lives can come and go, they can stick around and they can reoccur, but through it all, God is there. Even when we think there is no help for us, that we are perishing, we can take comfort in our tiny seed of faith, that we are cared for that we are loved.<br /><br /><br />Just as Jesus spoke peace to the disciples, so God speaks peace to our lives. Speaks peace to the fears and dangers in our lives. Speaks peace to our worried hearts and minds. <br /><br /><br />Water can also speak peace to us, remembering God in the waters, we can have peace. Peace from the waters that God used to create the world, Peace from the waters that God used to save our ancestors the Israelites when He parted the Red Sea, waters that God used to baptize his Son Jesus Christ, waters that he uses to baptize us and claim us as his children, to claim that he will be with us always.<br /><br /><br />So let us take comfort in the fact that God is with us, through the storms through the joys through days and through the years. Let us be calmed by the glorious message that we are children of God, that we are a loved people, that we have been redeemed through the indescribable love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. <br /><br /><br />You are a loved child of God, a child that would not be allow to perish alone in a storm on the seas of life, for God is with you through all you do, through all the trials and through all the struggles. Living and breathing in and around you.<br /><br /><br />May the Holy Spirit blow peace into the storms of our lives, may Jesus be the calm conductor of our boats on the choppy seas of life, and may God be our guide and companion keeping us close as we worry and fear. AmenDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-33128605415922688052009-06-14T20:08:00.000-07:002009-06-14T20:09:28.345-07:00Weeds of faith.Pentecost 3B<br />This is my sermon for:<br />Mark 4:26-34- Kingdom of God as a mustard seed.<br /><br /><br />Let us pray.<br /> Holy Creator, you do extraordinary things with little resources, You make the small, mighty, you make the weak, strong. Bless our hearts and our minds to your service, so that we might be extraordinary through you and in your service. Amen.<br /><br /><br />After reading the Gospel for today, I got interested in mustard. I had always thought of it as a condiment, as an addition to sandwiches, burgers and deviled eggs. I never had really thought about what a mustard plant looked like, or where or how it grew. <br /><br />I looked it up, and found out some pretty cool stuff. <br /><br />There are several household uses for Mustard such as: a Food additive, muscle cramp reliever, clears congestion, aids in digestion, odor remover (skunk and smelly foods), can be used as a facial cleanser, household cleaner, muscle relaxer (good in soaking feet, or back aches). The leaves can be eaten, or used in marinating meats. <br /><br />The mustard plant can grow to a height of eight feet tall. It’s a weedy looking plant, taking over gardens, and practically impossible to remove once it starts growing. <br /><br />In Jewish law, mustard plants are unclean to keep in the garden. <br /><br />So why does Jesus use this image of a mustard seed as a mighty plant? They aren’t even the smallest seeds around, although as you can see they are pretty tiny (indicated a jar full of mustard seeds). <br /><br />This confusing image that is presented is to tell us about the Kingdom of God, so why then does it seem as if Jesus is exaggerating? <br /><br />The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed? The Kingdom of God, that which we are to inherit, is like a small invading plant, that takes over whole gardens, and is basically seen in the farming community as a weed. <br /><br /><br />When I think of weeds, I think of things that are undesirable. Things that take away from the plants I’ve been intentional about. We try to take out the weeds, we try to separate them from what we desire.<br /> <br />When I think weeds, I think dandelions. <br /><br />Dandelions are often one of the most hated weeds around. They poke up out of lawns all around the country. It seems as if there is never enough weed repellant to make dandelions disappear. They keep coming back. Ruining lawns we have worked hard to perfectly manicure. <br /><br />It seems as if we struggle so much to get rid of them so that our situations are perfect that we become consumed by them. But what are the dandelions in your life? <br /><br />Do we struggle to get rid of our racial identifiers, to be equal to others? Throughout the years people have attempted to assimilate into American “culture’ meanwhile losing their own culture. <br /><br />It often seems that those things which make people unique, are hidden, so that they can appear as if they blend in. People try to hide their family situation, their background, even some of their physical attributes, or talents. <br /><br />We as people try to appear perfect by society standards that we lose perspective. We look up to become great and tall like that of the cedar. We look up expecting God and Christ to come in a roaring thunderous way. We look up, expecting that perfection can only come dripping in Gold with trumpets blasting on high.<br /><br />But what if we are looking in the wrong direction? What if instead of looking up for God, we should really be looking down? Looking low on the ground in the common weeds. In the dandelions and mustard plants.<br /><br />Looking in the humble forms that God appears in our lives. Looking in the weeds for the unexpected. Looking in the scraggly plants that take over gardens, for the unexpected God coming in the form of man, to give up his life to save us all.<br /><br />We are so busy looking up, that we miss the unexpected in the weeds. We miss the life giving power of the Gospel, invading our lives, taking over our garden like hearts, and not being able to be removed.<br /><br />We as a society have been consumed by the bigger is better thought for a very long time. American society has adopted a strong consumerist attitude, using up all our resources to make sure we have the newest of things. Looking as if we are big and tall is the image we seek to portray, but what about those dandelions?<br /><br />So let’s compare cedar trees to weeds for a moment. In the forest, you would get rid of a tree by chopping it down. The size of the tree would mean that it would take more time to remove it, but it can be removed so that it never grows again.<br /><br />For anyone that has gardened before, or knows a little bit about it, you know that weeds are impossible to get rid of. They can be pulled out, sprayed with weed repellant, covered in wood chips and even mowed over, but they still find a way to come back. They grow in the most inhospitable of places, in the cracks of sidewalks, at the corners of foundations, in planted fields, in urban gardens, and in the wilderness. They grow where they are unwanted, and even despised. <br /><br />Isn’t this exactly how we should view the kingdom of God? <br /><br />Maybe this image of the weedy mustard seed is perfect to think about the Kingdom of God. Flourishing from a tiny seed, with little resources, and nothing can stop it. It can be neglected, left aside, unwanted, forgotten, but it will never stop growing. Isn’t the Gospel message exactly the same? <br /><br />We hear about faith all throughout our lives, often we are busy and in tune with church when we are young, when we are encouraged to attend church by parents or mentors, and for some of us, it fades as we grow. People see the world around them, and think that this God they had grown to know through Sunday school, isn’t what they see around them. They are looking up for something mighty, something profound to come out of the sky, for a great presence. And miss the weeds at their feet. The weeds that pervade their daily lives, that exist in poor conditions, even though all else has left. <br /><br />The Kingdom of God is of the weeds. It is of the unexpected, disregarded people, the broken and sinful people, the hurt and the weary. The kingdom of God is the pervading weed that is in all our lives, whether we see it creeping into our lives, taking over our gardens and sidewalks, or even if we try to get rid of it. That weed will always be there.<br /><br />Jesus prepares us for the unexpected. We are the mustard seeds, the Kingdom of God together. We are the undesirable, unclean seed, tiny little seed that gets tossed aside by society standards. We flourish with little resources, and nothing can stop us. <br /><br />We do not carry the word perfectly, but somehow it keeps flourishing through and in our lives. The message of Christ is in the world, and nothing can stop it. <br /><br />I’m going to place this pot of mustard seed, out in the narthex, and as the seeds grow and flourish, I want you to watch. To watch for the unexpected. So that each time you see these weeds, or ones out on the street, you think about the Kingdom of God. Think about God being in the unexpected places, in the weeds. And know that you are part of the pervasive Kingdom of God that cannot be stopped, no matter if we are neglected, alone, mourning, scared, or looked down upon. We, as the mighty weeds of God’s kingdom, shall continue to grow and spread the message of God. Let us remember that although we may not have the best of resources, we might not have giant seeds, we have enough to flourish. Let us use our resources to spread the Gospel message, to share with others the invading and life giving power of God.<br /> <br />The cedar trees of the world may be cut down and removed, but the Kingdom of God cannot be cut down or ripped out or removed in any way! Thanks be to God! Amen.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-43607024732679508652009-06-07T18:12:00.000-07:002009-06-07T18:17:10.701-07:00Questions and AnswersThis is my sermon for Holy Trinity Sunday.<br />The text is John 3:1-17.<br /><br /><br />Holy God, Three in one, bless our hearts and our minds that we may hear your word, and live out your calling to each of us, to your glory. In your name we pray, Amen.<br /><br />Answers. Aren’t we all looking for answers of some sort? Whether it be answers to questions such as, “will I have enough savings to make it through this economic crisis?” <br />Or will I make it through the layoffs at work, so I can keep my job.<br />Questions such as, How will I survive, now that my spouse is leaving me?<br />Or how can I go on now that this loved one has died?<br /><br />There are many questions in our lives. We search often for long periods for answers to our questions. Sometimes just looking for comfort, sometimes looking for joy, and sometimes we are just looking in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some of our questions are genuine, and others are meant to be accusatory or to hurt another person.<br /><br />No matter the answer we seek, we as human beings are always looking for answers, looking for reasons behind our lives, looking for ways we can improve either superficially or deep down to our core, we look for answers regarding our lives on earth, as well as what comes after.<br /><br />As we heard in the Gospel for today, Nicodemus is also searching. Nicodemus, a Jewish high priest, comes to Jesus by night. With that statement already, I have questions. Now, why would a Jewish High priest be coming to Jesus? In the past it has been ill-intentioned, they have wanted to find ways of discrediting him, of arresting him on an illegal charge, and have wanted him to contradict scripture or Jewish law. So, already, a sentence and a half into the Gospel reading, and I’m suspicious of Nicodemus’ intent. <br /><br />But, what does it mean that he came by night? How does that change the circumstances of his questions to Jesus? <br /><br />It changes them in several ways, actually. First, coming by night, meant that he didn’t want it to be a big show out in the public square, so that instead of him coming to challenge Jesus, Nicodemus is coming honestly to find the answers to his questions, and to find if Jesus is truly the Son of God.<br /><br />A second reason, why Nicodemus coming by night is so significant, is a Jewish teaching which tells the people that if they truly want to have a deep conversation with a Rabbi, so that they can get all the answers to their questions, they must come by night. The reasoning behind this is then that you have a quiet time set aside for answers. There is less commotion, and neither the person or the rabbi needs to run off to do things such as happens during the day.<br /><br />So here is Nicodemus, coming to Jesus by night, confirming that Jesus is whom he considers a religious leader, that Jesus is who he is coming to for answers to his deepest questions. Nicodemus is also showing how much he respects Jesus, and is in need of answers.<br /><br />Nicodemus in an attempt to have Jesus understand that he is here in truth and peace, states that Jesus must be a teacher from God, because of all the amazing signs, healings and miracles he has performed. He tries to compliment Jesus with saying that he knows that God is with him in some way, and Jesus then answers in a riddle of sorts. <br /><br />He states that no one may see the Kingdom of Heaven without having first been born from above. It seems as if Jesus is answering a question, that hasn’t been asked yet. An answer that Nicodemus doesn’t seem ready or able to understand yet. It is in the response that Nicodemus gives that we understand that he is confused. He asks, “but how can someone be born again, can one enter the womb a second time?” <br /><br />Nicodemus is thinking of human birth, thinking that it seems impossible that after one grows old on earth, that he can re-enter a womb to be physically born again. He asks questions, so that he might understand more, so that he may know what he needs to do in order to see the Kingdom of heaven. <br /><br />There is an interesting play on words here in the Ancient Greek that the Gospel was written in. The Greek word, Ano-then, which we hear as translated as, born from above, can also mean, born again. In Greek there is in way to know which way this word has been used. <br /><br />Nicodemus takes Jesus’ words to mean literally born again, whereas Jesus was speaking of being born from above. Being born of water and of the Spirit. <br /><br />Still Nicodemus is confused, not sure what Jesus is even speaking about, not sure how the Spirit blesses or gives birth to a new people, not sure how baptism into the Family of God gives a rebirth of a new person as a child of God.<br /><br />We like Nicodemus, don’t always understand what God is up to. We don’t even always understand God’s love or compassion. <br /><br />As we grow older, we live through many trials, trials of faith, trials of endurance, trials of grief and depression, trials of drug habits, trials of persecution or rejection. We live through times that break our spirits, that beat us down, and tear us apart. We can wonder where God is in those trials, we can wonder how God is working in our lives, and even sometimes if God has left us, because it surely feels that way while in the middle of something painful. <br /><br />We can question God’s presence in our lives, we can question God’s plan for us, God’s calling, and sometimes even God’s existence. The earthly world surrounding us, can often be a harsh place. We see death and destruction daily. We remember world events such as D-day, a day when many people’s lives were lost. We see news stories about 18 yr old boys who go missing for months, and who are known to have now been murdered in the country that they had at one time fled from, to seek refuge here. We hear stories of murder, of drug dealers and houses, we see our neighborhoods slowly getting boarded up because of the economy, we see families getting kicked out of the houses they are renting because of foreclosures. We hear about young kids getting involved with gangs because they feel there is no other place to turn. We hear about communities that turn young people away, chastise them, look down upon them and even sometimes beat them because of who they love. <br /><br />We live in a broken world. We are a broken people. We do wrong things, we sin, we hurt ourselves and each other. We question what goes on around us, we try to find answers to our questions, answers to the things that hurt us the most. We look for comfort, we look for love, we look for even just a little compassion. <br /><br />Nicodemus came looking for answers, and he found love. He found love in it’s purest form, he found Jesus Christ, Son of God, salvation to all.<br /><br />Jesus continues to tell Nicodemus the most important truth. The line that is most quoted from Holy Scripture, known from memory to many people around the world, a line that sums up the Christian faith. A line that brings us comfort and shows us what love truly is.<br /><br />“for God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.”<br /><br />This was the focus of our first Wednesday night happenings, this last Wednesday. We worked on memorizing this verse, and then discussed what it meant.<br /><br />Now I know all the youth that were there know this verse well, so let’s say it out loud together. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.”<br /><br />So that everyone who believes in him, may not perish but have eternal life. Everyone! This is not a conditional statement, it’s meant for everyone. God loved the world so much, that He gave Jesus Christ, God’s son, to die painfully on a cross, for you, for me, for us, for the world. <br /><br />Jesus shares the answer with Nicodemus. He shares the truth with Nicodemus, he shares love with Nicodemus. Jesus gives Nicodemus life, eternal life.<br /><br />Nicodemus comes with questions, comes with doubts, comes with struggles, comes with imperfections. And he receives all the answers he needs, although he might not understand them all. Even though he is broken, he is welcomed into God’s family, he is redeemed by the death of Christ, he is loved.<br /><br />We are Nicodemus. We come with questions, we come with doubts, struggles, imperfections, sins, fear, and pain. And we receive the best gift of all time. We receive eternal life, life with God, life full of the love of God.<br /><br />We receive a love that surpasses all our understanding. It’s a love that exists for us even when we do wrong. It’s a love that is there for us even when we don’t see it or don’t want it. It’s a love that is there for us when we think we don’t deserve it.<br /><br />A love that inspires us to reach out and care for each other. A love that inspires things such as food drives, a love that inspires things such as listening to a friend who needs someone to talk to, a love that inspires things such as volunteering to help with a summer children’s program. It’s a love that changes our lives, that inspires us to live in new ways, to love our neighbor as we have been loved by God. <br />It’s a love that is there for you, even when we don’t understand. <br /><br />For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, so that who ever believes in him may not perish but have eternal life. Amen.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-72055309960466559292009-04-22T09:27:00.000-07:002009-04-22T09:35:28.944-07:00Prayers that tugged at my heart.So during Advent, we made this prayer chain, and over the weeks following Advent we had been taking pieces of the chain off and using them during the intercessory prayers on Sundays.<br /><br />As I went through these, there are several I pulled out that tugged at my heart, and truly illustrate what the kids in this neighborhood go through, and how powerfully they see God in their lives and need God in their lives. I want to share them, and hope that you will see their power as well.<br /><br /><br />1. I pray that I live to see another day and I pray that some day my mom won't give up on me.<br /><br />2. I pray that my broken heart can get healed and I can stop thinking about the one I gave my heart and gift to.<br /><br />3. Me.<br /><br />4. All my close friends and enemies.<br /><br />5. I pray that I can go to Prom because this is my first one.<br /><br />6. I pray that my mom could get some help with paying the bills and with us, she can't do it alone.<br /><br />7. Gay pride.<br /><br />8. Safer streets in all cities.<br /><br />9. I would like to pray on my life and that I won't be homeless by January.<br /><br /><br />There were many many more prayers, but these are the ones I knew were written by the youth, and that made me cry each time I read them. The children of the church and of the cities are in need of help, they need people to support them, to show them love (because they don't always get it at home) and to listen to their fears, because they are real. Many of these children try to find that somewhere, and end up in gangs or as prositutes, so I would encourage everyone to reach out and care, take a child into your heart, and offer them a safe place that they can talk and be a kid. <br /><br />I pray that all these children's prayers are answered, and that they feeling the healing presence of God in their lives, supported by people who care.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-6749697751277848362009-04-22T09:24:00.000-07:002009-04-22T09:26:48.008-07:00Just Breathe!This is my sermon for Sunday, April 19th<br /><br />The text was John 20: 19-31<br /><br />It’s right about dusk, the sun has set for the evening, and the sky still has an eerie reddish glow to it. There is a crisp autumn scent in the slightly chilly evening breeze. I’m holding tight to the arm of my friend Danielle, linked arm in arm our bodies are tense and anxious as we slowly move forward toward the next corner. Our ears are straining to hear the sounds of anything that is to come and surprise us, but we are left only with the noise of the fallen hay and cornhusks that crunch beneath our feet. I can hear my heart beating fast, my breathing is short and shallow, I’m scared, I’m fearing what is to come. As we go to turn the corner of the corn maze, we pause slightly, fearing the inevitable. And then it happens, a masked character jumps out in Halloween Garb, and all that is left is the echoes of our screams in the night air, surrounded by others who are undergoing the same momentary panic.<br /><br />Although my story is surrounded in the spooking spirit of Halloween, I can only imagine that the disciples feel that very intense sense of panic and anxiety as they huddle together in a locked room. As verse 19 says, “and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews.” The Jews here are not referring to the Jewish people, but instead are referencing the Pharisees, the Jewish leaders, the people that were persecuting Jesus and therefore now looking for the disciples. <br /><br />Here the disciples huddled, fearing for their lives, questioning what had just happened, wondering what their future held. <br />I don’t know about you, but I know I would sure be questioning everything that happened.<br />I’d be wondering how the Messiah could be killed?<br />How he gave himself up to be killed upon a cross?<br />What I should be doing now?<br />How could I live my life under persecution?<br />How could I continue to spread the messages Jesus had taught me, when he wasn’t there to lead me?<br />I can picture the disciples sitting around saying very similar things:<br />what were they going to do now?<br />would they elect one of them to lead?<br />or would they all just break up and try to spread the word that way? <br />They sit huddled, nervous, worried about the future. Behind closed doors they worried about persecution, listened to every creaking sound, strained their ears to hear if someone was coming down the road, afraid if something was coming their way that they couldn’t handle, something that they were afraid of.<br />Previous to the reading for today, Mary Magdalene witnesses the risen Christ, and she goes on to tell the disciples of her encounter. But the question becomes, why then would the disciples still be afraid if they heard Jesus had been risen, that their beloved Teacher was back upon the Earth, that the prophecy had come true, the Messiah had risen from the dead? Why still fear?<br /><br />But see, they were afraid, they were afraid of being persecuted, afraid of what people thought of them, of the way Jesus’ message had affected the leadership of the Temple, they were afraid of being killed like Jesus was.<br /><br />Not only were they panicking because of their previous association with Jesus, and what the Pharisees thought about Jesus’ teachings, but now, Jesus’ words had come true! He had risen from the grave, and they were bound to take the wrath of the Pharisees for it. <br /><br />The Pharisees feared that Jesus would be found alive, that’s why they had stationed guards outside the tomb. They feared that Jesus would try to get a message out from beyond the grave, they didn’t think that he could actually rise from the dead, but that his disciples would spread a false message. And yet, the disciples heard he was alive, Mary Magdalene told them that she saw him, and they were now terrified and just sat in their locked room unable to do anything else. <br /><br />In our own lives, we are often paralyzed with fear. We, like the disciples, have heard the message of Jesus’ resurrection, we have reflected, sang, cried, worshipped, praised, prayed, and waited for his rising from the dead. And yet we still have fear. <br /><br />I walked through that corn maze, knowing that there were people there roaming around to scare the patrons, Heck, that’s what I had paid for, but I was still afraid. I still crept cautiously to the corner, my breathing breaking into a belabored beat, anxiety arising within the air. <br /><br />I knew I would be surprised at some point, I knew that there was truly nothing in that maze that could hurt me, but still, STILL I feared!<br /><br />We, as a people, as children of God, as Children of the Resurrection, we fear. We have heard the resurrection story, and yet we are afraid. Fear runs through the air.<br />Fear motivates violence in the streets, fear motivates war in foreign countries because there might be terrorists, fear motivates racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, ableism, and classism. <br /> Fear is present. Fear is tangible. <br />Fear is in the dark street you have to travel down in order to get home after your overnight shift, <br />Fear is in not having enough money to put food on the table,<br />fear is in being beaten by your spouse,<br />fear is in drinking problems, <br />fear is in the economy, <br />fear in a recession, <br />fear is in the foreclosures, <br />fear is in worrying you can’t provide a better future for your children, <br />fear is in breaking out of stereotypes, <br />fear is in asserting your humanity, <br />fear is in the violence that get’s portrayed against women,<br />fear is in piracy in the seas,<br />Fear is present in many different ways. <br />Some fear having a black man as president, <br />some fear change in politics, <br />some fear not being in charge, <br />others fear not having control over their life due to drug habits, <br />or having to give up a drug habit, incarceration, rehabilitation, renovation, renewal, rebirth.<br /><br />We fear persecution. Persecution because of who we are, what we do, what we look like, how much money we have, where we went to school, what we do for a living, what we believe in, what we stand for, and who we are associated with.<br />Like the disciples, persecution is a real thing for us. <br /><br />We get questioned about why we are Christian, why we believe in Christ, why we go to church, why we try to help others out, why we speak the good news, why we talk about Jesus, why we sing about Jesus, why we give thanks for the things going right in our life. <br /><br />When it seems like life is out of control, when fear has paralyzed us, when we question ourselves, when we are worried about the rent, food, or our job, there he is, Jesus. Right there with us in the room.<br />The disciples were gripped with this fear, they were closed off, locked in a room, with no one coming in or going out, it was just them. But then suddenly there was another, one who wasn’t with them physically before.<br /><br />I don’t know about you, but my first reaction would have been to fall out of my chair. Here suddenly was another person, but the room was locked, no one knew they were there, their worst fear came true, they had been found. <br /><br />But Jesus, brings them a new message. He tells them, “Peace be with you.” This typical Jewish greeting brought them back to the moment, their breathing stabilized, they realized who this was. It was their Master, their teacher, their beloved Messiah. <br /><br />Jesus did more then just bring them a word of peace, did more then offer them a traditional greeting, Jesus brought peace, peace as an end of persecution. Peace as an end of fear. A new peace, peace that fulfills what he told the disciples before his death, In John 14: 27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” Jesus gave them a new peace, a peace that passes all understanding, a peace that gives us a new life, gives us eternal salvation, that can be there to comfort us through the trials. <br />I can only imagine, that the disciples are sitting there shocked. They were told by Mary Magdalene that he had risen from the dead, and he himself told them that it would happen, but yet here he was in front of them right now. I imagine all ten of them, standing there with their mouths open wide, eyes open wide in amazement. <br />Jesus is prepared for this though, and immediately tells them to look at the holes in his hands, to view the cut in his side, although they don’t ask, he verifies for them that he truly is Jesus, and that he is here standing before them, not a ghost, but a true flesh being. <br /><br />The disciples rejoice in Jesus’ appearance, peace has been brought. Now that the disciples are breathing easy, Jesus does another amazing and gracious thing for the disciples. He commissions the disciples, “Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”’ <br /><br />Then Jesus imparts the Holy Spirit on them, ruach in Hebrew, literally meaning the breathe of God. He breathes on them, and they are filled with the Spirit. Breathes on them. Just the breath of Jesus fills them with the Spirit, how amazing is that? He doesn’t need to touch them, or tell them anything, he just breathes on them. <br />He breathes on them just like God breathes on Adam in Genesis 2: 7 “Then the Lord formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” <br /><br />Just as God breathed life into Adam, Jesus breathes life into the disciples. The fear doesn’t matter any more, there is only eternal life through Jesus. Jesus breathed on them. How close do you think you would have to be to breath on someone? A couple feet? A foot? Five inches? One inch? I think you would have to be pretty darn close to breath on someone. And that’s what Jesus was, he got all up in their grills, got personal, and breathed on them. [breathe on them]<br /><br />Well, I’m here to tell you, Jesus does the same thing for each and every one of us. Jesus breathes on us. He gets up close and personal, and breathes on us. [breathe]<br />He breathes life on us [breathe], <br />breathes the holy spirit on us [breathe], <br />breathes away the fear [breathe], <br />breathes away the anxiety [breathe], <br />breathes away the pain [breathe], <br />breathes away the loneliness [breathe], <br />breathes away the self mutilation [breathe], <br />breathes away the money issues [breathe], <br />breathes away worries [breathe], <br />breathes away the stress of two or more jobs [breathe], <br />breathes away the troubles [breathe]. <br />Jesus breathes life into us [breathe], <br />giving us a new life through God, giving us new life through love, giving us new life though grace.<br />Now it doesn’t end there folks, there is two parts to breathing. In order for our lungs to fill with air, we inhale the oxygen [ inhale] and exhale the carbon dioxide [exhale]. <br /><br />We inhale the goodness, the life giving force [inhale], and exhale what we can’t use [exhale]. We inhale to stay alive [inhale], and exhale to get rid of the poisons and in order to inhale again [exhale]. It is a natural thing, you inhale [inhale], then you exhale [exhale]. You fill your lungs with life [inhale], and you exhale that which you cannot use [exhale]. But here’s the key to the workings of the universe. We think that what we can’t use isn’t useful, but it is. If we didn’t exhale, we would be harmed, but when we do, plants are given life. Trees, plants, shrubs, bushes, daffodils, tulips, roses, lilies, marigolds, carnations, poppies, pansies, and every other type of greenery need the carbon dioxide we exhale. <br /><br />Jesus breathes life into us [breathe], and we breathe out life to others [breathe]. It’s not something we have to do, it’s just something that happens, it’s a natural product of breathing in the Holy Spirit. <br /><br />Jesus gives the disciples a last message. “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” The disciples are given an option, either they can forgive and let go, or they can hold onto sins within themselves, Jesus gives them the power of proclamation, the freedom of forgiveness. Jesus gives them the ability to forgive others, to breathe life into other people, to show other people that God gives them life, God forgives them, and Jesus has given them the breathe of a new life. The disciples can either sit in fear of persecution, or they can forgive others sins, and be forgiven. They can give life through the spreading of the Gospel message. <br /><br />Jesus has that same message for us. We are given the gift of forgiveness, we inhale the sweetness of a sunny summer day in the spirit [inhale], and we exhale the gift of forgiveness to those who have done us wrong, who question us, who persecute us [exhale], and forgiveness is given. We inhale the Spirit, inhale the gift of Jesus’ love [inhale], and exhale the grace and forgiveness onto those who surround us [exhale]. We inhale, and we exhale.<br /><br />So come on breathe with me, inhale the holy spirit [breathe in] and exhale the Gospel story into the world [exhale]. Inhale, and exhale. Inhale, and exhale. 2x<br /><br />That’s what the message of the Resurrection is. Jesus came back to breathe life into us, Jesus came back to give us life, to give us eternal life through love. Jesus breathes on us, Alleluia!<br /><br />Inhale, and exhale.<br />Breathe!<br />Amen.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-1889033676479710292009-04-15T12:37:00.000-07:002009-04-15T12:51:28.686-07:00Ah ha!So this time it was only like two and a half weeks between entries. Not so bad! haha.<br /><br /><br />So life is progressing well, I'm at the 8 month mark of internship, and am still deeply in love with it. I began hardcore work on my project. I had a meeting last night with a lot of young adults, and they all expressed so much interest and offered all their help and ideas. So on May 17th, Salem Lutheran Church in North Minneapolis, will hold it's first ever, Hip-hop worship service. The theme is: "The Notorious G.O.D., the original gangsta." <br /><br />No joke, we voted on it and everything. It sounded catchy, and let's face it God is the original gangsta. I'm excited. I think this is going to turn out really well, and I think I can get enough people involved, that it has the possibility of lasting beyond me. If nothing else, this will help me see what it takes to create a new thing in the church, implement it, collect feedback, and maybe hopefully even approve upon for use in my future ministry. Doing ministry in the inner city and creating something new is really what I feel called to do. Currently the ELCA only has one musical group (Agape) that is a hip-hop group that they support. I hope that I have the ability to connect the Lutheran concepts of grace and the gospel into hip-hop culture, in order to spread the news of the gospel, in ways people can connect to it. <br /><br />As that is going well, and I've gotten opportunities to talk with many different pastors who are great resources, I'm looking into a lot of work for myself, but I'm game.<br /><br />These next few weeks are going to be difficult though. Sadly but with hopefully some joy in the future for her, my roommate will be moving out on Monday. She got a job in Baltimore (which is the good part) and will be going there soon. It will be sad to part from each other, as we get along really well, and compliment each other in many ways. It will be weird to not hear her around the house, or know that she will be there when I get home, to not have someone to directly vent to when something is going on, and to not have someone to crack silly jokes with. We understand each other well I think, and have fallen into a groove that allows us to comfort each other, or provide what each other need in the support area. I'm going to miss her a lot. And I truly truly wish that she finds great joy in Baltimore and in her ministry there. She has so many gifts to offer, and I know she will shine brightly. I also hope that she finds a her there. She was my first friend here, she introduced me to all the people I now call friends, gave me a social life again, and got me out into the culture of the twin cities. I can never thank her enough for that. My whole year here would have been lonely, had I not met her. She's truly become a loving sister of mine. I would keep going, but I'm starting to get weepy, and I need to consolidate my crying, and try to be as supportive as I can of her for the next few days. She has a very special place in my heart, and all my love. <br /><br />Besides, I'm totally coming to Baltimore to visit and eat lot's of crab! And then she and I can visit more of the places from the food network.<br /><br />Well....that's all I got for now. I'm preaching this Sunday, on a text I preached last year, and had an awesome sermon for, so I'm going to go back and alter that one, and see how I like it.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-48070444557891819122009-03-25T11:19:00.000-07:002009-03-25T11:34:18.909-07:00Okay Okay Okay....I know, you are all ashamed of me. I go and promise to update more, and then what happens? I disappear. I apologize. I know you are all so facscinated by my life, that you just have to know more about it. (That was sarcasm in case you didn't pick up on that.)<br /><br />On a serious note however, my life has been uber busy lately. The past few weeks our office secretary has been ill, so I've been producing the bulliten and monthly newsletter (which takes a buttload of time, and has given me much more respect for my future church secretary). Also within the past few weeks, I've run worship on my own twice, because the pastor was gone, preached both times, and kept up with my other responsiblities. <br /><br />About two weeks ago my Aunt in law died. She was 38. Yeah, it was hard. My uncle is devestated, as they really only had each other, family on both sides often gave them a hard time, and kept trying to break them apart, because they don't like the other ones family. I went home for a few days, because I needed to. I needed the closure of attending the wake and the burial, I needed to be there for my uncle, I needed to be with my family. My Aunt in law, was a sweetheart, she always had a smile, and I've never heard her say a mean word about anyone. She was passionate about animal rescue, and supported the human society. She was a peach. <br /><br />I'm worried about my uncle though. He is broken now, and my grandparents don't really help him at all. They are emotional abusers, and are forcing them to move back into their house with them. This could possibly be the worst thing for him. In honesty, I'm afraid he'll commit suicide because of the two of them. I pray for him every day, and would ask that others do as well.<br /><br />It makes me cry just thinking about being that deeply connected with someone, and then losing them. To have to go back to an emotional abuse situation, and to have lost the person you loved most in life, must be devesating. I wish there was more I could do for him, but hopefully his friends will step in and make sure he is supported. It seems as if they will do that, as they had spent a lot of time with him that week, and were trying to ease the transition.<br /><br />This is really what has consumed most of my life recently, between preaching, working on church stuff, organizing my internship project, meetings, cleaning, taking care of Kallie (my dog), and trying to have a small social life, I've been busy.<br /><br />I've also been in my head a lot recently. There are so many things to think about in the future, and often I just depress myself with thinking that there is a strong possibility that I will live a solitary life. *sigh* I know I'm only 23, but when in the hell am I going to have time to meet someone? Let's be honest, there isn't much understanding in the church that pastors need time to build relationships. There seems to be more understanding when you are married, that you need to spend time with your spouse and children, but for single pastors who are seeking relationships, I don't think many parishoners think about that. It's become an unhealthy system, and it needs to be broken, but then that takes even more time. I don't know, I'm just afraid to be alone forever I guess. Which I think is a valid fear.<br /><br />On that depressing note....I'm outta here. I will try to write more often, but I make no promises.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-74931282871516546522009-03-08T22:48:00.000-07:002009-03-08T22:53:44.941-07:00People of Promise.This is my sermon of the Second Sunday in Lent. It's based on two texts; <br />Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16<br />Mark 8: 31-38<br /><br />Here ya go:<br /><br />Almighty God, Holy Creator, bless our hearts and minds with the inspiration of your holy word, may it stir in us, so that we may understand your promises of love and compassion for us. Amen.<br /><br /><br />I’ve promised a lot of things in my life. When I was only a toddler, I promised things such as to share my toys with my younger brother, or to pick up my things before bedtime. As I grew older my promises changed to things such as, keeping my room clean, doing all my homework when I came home from school, feeding the cat and dog, taking out the trash, and telling the truth. There were times when I was a teenager, and I PROMISED that my friends’ parents were going to be home when I stayed over their house. <br /><br /><br />I’m going to admit to you something my mom already knows. I didn’t keep all my promises. Whether it was because I truly thought that I would actually always pick up my toys before bed, or because I just really wanted my mom to let me go to a friends house even though their parents weren’t truly home, I didn’t keep all those promises.<br /><br /><br />In the world today, there are many promises. We encounter them on a daily basis. Some of them make us laugh, and some of them trap us in deceit. There are promises that get delivered to your email inbox, saying things such as, Become a millionaire instantly, change the way you look with this one pill, own a private island. We are bombarded by scam artists, television ads, politicians and many other people, who make empty promises. We get led by these false promises into a sense of hope, only to be left in disappointment. <br /><br /><br />There are the false promises which do nothing more then cause us frustration, and then there are false promises which have taken away people’s lives. There are people throughout the world, who approach vulnerable people, either because they are not well educated or are in dire poverty, and offer them riches that exceed what they ever expect to have. They are promised things such as money, luxury, fame, beauty, and a new life. To some of us, this may seem like the old adage, “too good to be true” but for people who are left with no hope, this may appear to be their only way out. Women who are providing for their children or families, young women trying to put food on the table, young men striving to get their family out of debt are preyed upon, because they are without hope.<br /><br /><br />These victims lives are changed, but not for the better. Instead they are sent to far off places around the world, to work as slaves and prostitutes. They are forced into conditions that threaten their lives, either though physical violence or the nature of the job. They are often uncared for, treated poorly, not fed, violated, and brutally abused. These victims of false promises, are now denied even the hope of a better life.<br /><br /><br />There are promises such as these, which take away people’s lives, and then there are others which simply make us laugh at the ridiculous nature of them. They are so grandiose, that they seem improbable.<br /><br /><br />In the reading from Genesis for today, we heard the story of Abraham being told by God that he would be the Father of many nations. At the ripe old age of 99, which to quote Paul from the Romans reading, was ‘as good as dead,’ this surely seemed an improbable event. <br /><br /><br />Although Abraham had a great faith, and believed in what God could do, he still instinctively laughed. I picture Abraham standing there, shielding his face from the presence of God, being told that he would have many many descendants, and him having one of those giggles that gets caught under your breathe and comes out with sort of snort sound. A smile breaking across his face, and then him trying to control it, realizing that God wasn’t going to add a, “hahaha, NOT I was just playing with you,” to the end of his statement. <br /><br /><br />Now, Abraham wasn’t the only one that laughed at this promise. Sarah did her fair share of laughing too. She laughed at the idea that she could bare a child at her age, that God would make a promise of them having a child. They both laughed at God’s promise, at how ridiculously radical it sounded, and the improbability of it happening. As Frederick Buechner writes: “Why did Abraham and Sarah laugh?”---“They laughed because only a fool would believe that a woman with one foot in the grave was soon to have her other foot in the maternity ward. They laughed because God seemed to believe it. They laughed because they half-believed it themselves. They laughed because laughing felt better than crying. They laughed because if by some crazy chance it just happened to come true, they would really have something to laugh about, and in the in the meanwhile it helped keep them going.”<br /><br /><br />An interesting side note that I find in this story, is that Isaac means laughter. So as Abraham and Sarah laughed out of fear and what seemed like crazy belief, they were transformed into laughing out of extreme joy and faith when they laid eyes on their son.<br /><br /><br />Even though they laughed at the promise, they still continued on in faith. Abraham may have laughed at the idea that Sarah would bear a child in her old age, but he still went and followed God’s word. He went out and circumcised all the men in his household, because God told him to do so, before the birth of his son. Abraham had hope, and even though the promise seemed “too good to be true” he followed through in faith, and was well blessed.<br /><br /><br />Even though Abraham laughs, God doesn’t leave in a huff and not keep the promise. Instead God creates many mighty nations out of this man that laughed, many nations that comprise the people that God makes the ultimate promise to.<br /><br /><br />Promises don’t always inspire laughter in the bible. Other times they inspire the reaction that Peter had in the Gospel for today. Jesus had just gotten through telling the disciples of his ultimate promise for them and for all of humanity, and Peter jumps right in with confusion. He can’t accept that Jesus will die, and instead tries to convince him that there must be another way. He doesn’t let all the information even sink in, he doesn’t consider Jesus’ words and think of how terrifying it must have been to know that you will be brutally and humiliatingly murdered, in order to give the ultimate gift to a sinful and guilty people. <br /><br /><br />The promise is so large, that it’s hard to really take in, and yet so simple at the same time. Jesus lays it out straight forward to us and the disciples, that he was sent here to be a Savior to all people, to die for our sins. And yet, it’s often difficult to understand how God could sacrifice gods-self to save an imperfect people.<br /><br /><br />We like Peter, struggle with faith. Struggle with the idea that Jesus died for us, personally, individually, but also corporately. We struggle to understand a God that would forgive us for all the horrible things we do to each other and against God. A God that has an all compassionate love for us, and is willing to make nations out of a man who laughs at the promises. A God that is so full of grace, that a man who tries to convince God to not die for sins, becomes one of the forefathers of the faith. A God that dies for you and I.<br /><br /><br />We are confronted with a radical promise. <br /><br /><br />Jesus’ promise is always there for us, even when we are confronted by false promises. When we are in pain over false promises of economists, when we are in pain by false promises that rip us away from family, when we are in pain from giving our own false promises, there is always someone there for us, who suffered through the pain for us.<br /><br /><br />Jesus is there, bearing the cross, for us. We don’t have to worry about doing it perfectly, or doing it right, we can rest in the promise that Jesus lived and died for each and everyone of us. We don’t have to worry when we fail at our promises, because Jesus gave the true promise.<br /><br /><br />You and I are a people of promise. There may be times when we don’t keep our promises, but there will never be a time when Jesus’ promise is untrue. We may react like Abraham and Sarah, laughing at the promise that we are forgiven all our sins. <br /><br /><br />In that moment, that our laughter of incomprehension at the radical nature of the Gospel turns into awe-inspired laughter of thanks for loving God, we are given a glimpse of the light of Easter.<br /><br /><br />Even though as we travel through these next days, we are in the darkness of Lent, we can and will still experience the Easter light. We experience the light of Easter through our laughter together at the goodness of God’s promises, we experience the light together, as we share in worshipping a God that does the unexpected, breaking into our lives and sharing with us a grace and mercy that is undeserved, yet so deeply needed.<br /><br /><br />As you go out into the world, may you remember that you take Easter with you always, you take a risen Christ with you into the trials and joys of life, into the darkness, where it can inspire laughter of uncontrollable joy in the ultimate promise. AmenDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-50665254002357562112009-01-24T10:17:00.000-08:002009-01-24T10:19:24.942-08:00Guilty as charged.I am guilty of neglecting my blog. The worst part is that I don't intend upon making an update right now either. I just wished to apologize for my neglect, and promise that an update is in the makings. I feel like there are things I need to write, but have been so caught up in work things and social activities, that I haven't quite been able to formulate complete thoughts.<br /><br />So bear with me, an update is on the horizon. Along with more sermons!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-29390989439085604092008-12-26T08:20:00.001-08:002008-12-26T08:28:10.138-08:00Merry Christmas!I know I haven't posted in some time, and I'm missing a few sermon postings, so I figured I would post this Christmas day sermon. <br /><br />I hope you all had a blessed and joyous Christmas!<br /><br />Christmas Day- Luke 2:1-20 ‘Glory where there is no room’<br /><br /> <br />Glorious God, Bless the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts, that they may be acceptable in your sight, O Lord. Amen.<br /><br />Growing up there was always a point when I got really excited about Christmas, and knew that it was going to be that time soon. Usually this began with a series of Christmas themed movies that they featured on TV. One of my favorites has always been, ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’.<br /><br />Now, I was always enthralled by the silly antics of Snoopy, but there is also much more in this story. In particular one scene has always caught my attention and warmed my heart with it’s message. <br /><br />As Charlie Brown is attempting to direct the Christmas play, he struggles to discover what the true meaning of Christmas is. Linus, the youngest acting member of the Peanuts gang steps forward and offers to tell Charlie Brown, “what Christmas is all about.” <br /><br />He continues with this quote as a light streams down just illuminating him on the stage. “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were so afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."<br /><br />Linus then picks up his blanket and walks back to Charlie Brown. All the Peanuts gang has been changed by those words, and touched by what Christmas really means. They realize that making fun of Charlie Brown’s little tree was not in the spirit of kindness, and instead shower it with love, making it a beautiful tree shining in the darkness. <br /><br />As we listen to and read the Gospel of Luke on Christmas each year, whether this be the eighty-seventh time or the very first time, there is always something new and joyful for us to discover in the text. <br /><br />We are given the story of a faithful and courageous young woman, who accepts the Lord’s plan even though it may interrupt her own. The story of a young man, who despite all the traditions and whispers, trusts his fiancé and the Holy Spirit, and takes this pregnant women to be his wife. Uncovering challenges in the way, she gives birth to the Son of God in a manger. <br /> <br />A dirty, stinky, animal filled, unsanitary manger. There are no luxuries for this birth or this family, no this birth is exceptional in every single way. <br /><br />As Luke writes the story of the birth of Christ, he just glances past the mention of this fact. Simply stating, “because there was no place for them at the inn.” However, this small mention is huge in our understanding of the birth of Christ. For he could have come no other way then with unexpected and humble beginnings. <br /><br />Often we find ourselves closing off our hearts to those surrounding us, either because we have been hurt in the past, or we just don’t think we have the time. We look at them and say, “there is no place at this inn.” <br /><br />We find ourselves closing off to opportunities to give to others less fortunate then ourselves, because in this time of financial need, we want to save all that we can for those little extras that we don’t necessarily need, but that society tells us gives us a status. We find ourselves in the midst of a housing crisis, that literally turns people out of houses because they cannot pay their mortgage. Turning families, children, the elderly, and hard-working people out into the street because of foreclosures. <br /><br />For some, ‘no place at the inn’ is an all too familiar phrase and feeling. Whether it be rejection of a place to live, or rejection because of our lives are a bit different then those that surround us, and we are reminded through Luke’s message of the birth of Christ, that Christ also was surrounded by these same problems. He was born into a time of discord, he was born for a people who would deny him, persecute him, and kill him.<br /><br />But….<br /><br />It had to happen that way, because the world needed to be shaken up, morals needed to change, just as ours still do today. We are reminded that things such as how many gifts are under our tree are inconsequential, what matters is that small child born in the most unlikely place, a place which was unclean, full of animals, surrounded by not kings but shepherds and angels, not royalty but animals, not pain but peace. Bathed in the light of a star, this gift was given to each and every one of us. Christ was born for you, and you, and me, and all of us. <br /><br />In ‘A Charlie brown Christmas’ Charlie Brown trying to understand the meaning of Christmas goes out to purchase a tree. He was told to buy a tree that looks flashy, and that’s modern. As he walks through the tree lot with Linus, he finds himself surrounded by big chrome and metal trees, which look sparkly and draw attention. As they walk, Charlie Brown stumbles upon a tiny little tree, one that is losing needles, is hunched over, and looks like the runt of the litter. He reaches down and proclaims to Linus that this is the tree. Linus having eyed the little tree, looks up and reminds Charlie Brown that the rest of the cast wanted something big and modern. Charlie Brown simply states, “But this one needs me.” <br /><br />Christ does that same thing for each and every one of us. As the Gospel of Luke states, to YOU is born this day a Savior.” Christ is born to each of us, because we are in need of him. Although people have not realized this, people have denied him room at the inn, Jesus is born because we need him. <br /><br />God loved us so much that Jesus was born into a world of sin and pain, to relieve us from our transgressions, and to bring us great joy. We are blessed by the miraculous and unexpected birth of the Christ child<br /><br />In A Charlie Brown Christmas, Linus has one more line, which is a favorite of mine. As the rest of the Peanuts gang is pondering what to do with the small weak tree that Charlie Brown had bought, Linus walks over to it and wraps his blanket around it. The tree stands a bit taller and prouder then it was. The cast sees this, and suddenly there is a flurry of motion around the tree, when they step back, it is a beautiful tree, covered in lights and ornaments, shining brightly. Gathering around they begin to sing songs as Charlie Brown returns to see his sad tree now tall and bright. He questions how this happened, and Linus replies. “all it needed was a little love.”<br /><br />That love is what Christ brings, to each and every one of us, he transforms us into people who can shine in the darkness.<br /><br />Christ touches each of us with that Christmas joy, he takes us as little pathetic Christmas trees, wraps us up in his loving embrace, shows us love and compassion, forgives all our sins, gives us the gift of eternal life, and changes us into a beautiful light giving tree for all the world to see.<br /><br />As we share in the joy of the Christmas message, let us share it with others, bringing them joy, but also bringing them a ‘little love.’ Amen.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-73812858062646952812008-11-15T19:13:00.000-08:002008-11-15T19:25:19.110-08:00TimeIt seems that time is slipping away quickly. These past few weeks, heck even the past few months have just disappeared. Not that this is a bad thing, it just makes me feel like I'm running in a race, and will be exhausted at the end of this. I've been trying to take time for myself, and work on a careful balance of time, but it seems like there is always so much to do.<br /><br />I haven't really made a post about myself the last few weeks, so here is the rundown. I am really enjoying Salem, it's given me a lot of opportunities to see my call to ministry strengthened, and understand that I am very capable through God's help of spreading the message of the Gospel. Along with all the weekly responsibilities, I've done quite a few exciting things in last few weeks. <br /><br />One was presiding over a funeral on my own, a second was running a women's retreat. Both went extremely well. I've really been blessed with the opportunities that are left open to me. Along with these opportunities, come some very deep conversations with Pastor Hardy, which have both been enlightening and thought-provoking. <br /><br />The latest conversation, is one that I would like some others feedback on. We were discussing how you can lead worship and still worship. PH informed me that he does not expect worship to be a time of worship and praise for him, instead he sees it as his responsibility to lead. Instead he says that he finds daily devotion as his way of furthering his relationship to God, and that he can't even really get much out of a worship service lead by someone else, because he analyzes it too much. Is this what clergy are stuck into? Or are there ways that there can still be a time of worship for the staff leading the service? Anyone have some personal experiences with this struggle or thoughts? I'd be interested in other opinions, because I haven't given up on the idea that worship can still happen for pastoral leaders.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-16528037556279410982008-11-02T15:08:00.000-08:002008-11-02T15:10:33.599-08:00Let's walk.This is my sermon for All Saints Sunday on the Matthew 5:1-12 text.<br /><br /><br />As I read this text earlier in the week, I was reminded of a bright pink bracelet and a beaded bracelet that I used to wear in Jr. High School. I wore these bracelets every day for at least two years. Whenever they would get loose, I’d always tie them a bit tighter to make sure I didn’t loose them. Of course, a good portion of teens my age were wearing very similar bracelets to mine. They all had imprinted on them four letters. The letters were: WWJD. Perhaps you remember them? Those four letters had a very strong message that they were conveying. That message was: What would Jesus do? This is an age-old question regarding our morality. When we think we are going to do something wrong, we are encouraged to ponder how Jesus would react in that same situation. <br /><br />These bracelets became very popular, taking on a culture of their own. It became cool to collect things that had those four letters on them. Those four letters were out to start a revolution. They were supposed to alter the way people thought about each other, they were supposed to inspire behavior of saints, instead they became a status symbol. You either had one, or you didn’t. <br /><br />Jesus in his famous speech, commonly referred to as the Beatitudes text, offers up what appears to some as a path to do as he did. As Jesus ascends the mountain, he is followed by those eager to hear a laundry list of things that they have to do in order to receive the blessing of salvation. <br /><br /> It can be easy to picture them waiting to hear what details of their lives they must alter. They were most likely expecting to hear things such as: don’t eat this food, dress this way, give this much to the poor, do this, do that. These people longed for a list of what they should be. <br /> <br />It’s easier when someone gives you concrete steps to attain something. It’s often quite difficult to accept that things are out of our hands. Whether that means that we pray and give our worries over to God, or whether we rest in the comfort that God gave us salvation and we can do nothing to receive it. This reality, can make people uneasy, they think that it just seems too gracious. <br /><br />In a world where there are power struggles daily, where rebel units can take over countries such as the Congo and make them a war zone, this is a world where people are afraid of their hostile governments, and where suicide bombers aim to solidify their place in heaven with a combination of dangerous theology and desperate attempts. In a world driven by power, most of that power being economic, we find it difficult to see things such as being meek or humble as virtuous. We find it difficult that there is no laundry list of behaviors that will grant us a place in God’s kingdom. <br /><br /><br />The message that those who were following Jesus up that mountain heard, was a message of the radical, of God’s will being done on earth. Jesus wasn’t giving them a list of things to be, but he was blessing what the crowd felt was unusual. Jesus declared freedom from despair, freedom from grief, freedom from want, and freedom from injustice. <br />Then he declared freedom for healing, freedom for integrity, freedom for peace, and freedom for faithfulness. This beautiful picture of God’s will done on earth, shows us how there can be a radical reversal of what we see as truthful and powerful. It has nothing to do with who holds more power or who can perform purity laws better, but instead encourages us to view things a bit differently. Jesus was declaring freedom for the oppressed, the weak, the foolish, the poor, the mourning, the ill, and the trapped. <br /><br />This is not a message of the future, but a message of the now. Jesus declares blessing upon all of society as it transforms to reflect God’s will. <br /><br />The pink bracelet with the letters WWJD on it, also had a transformative power and still does for me. It had nothing to do with how society was reading those letters though. Instead of reading it as What would Jesus Do? And looking for a list of actions that were appropriate behavior, it became a new acronym for me after a friend of mine enlightened me on the power of those four letters. WWJD, was no longer What would Jesus Do? But Walk with Jesus Daily. That powerful transformation of those letters spoke to the beatitudes. <br /><br />Instead of trying to make an outline of how to gain blessing, we are reminded that we already have it, because Jesus is walking with us. That blessedness is available to us now, and we are given it freely as we walk with Jesus. <br /><br />In remembrance of those who we have lost throughout the year, we take this Sunday and honor those who Jesus walked alongside on earth, and those who now are comforted by his eternal love and compassion. As we mourn the loss of loved ones, we can rest in the promise of Jesus on the mountain, and remember that we are blessed in our walk with him, just as our Saints are blessed in their relationship with him. <br /><br />It is not an easy path that we trod with Jesus. There are plenty of times we feel lost and stumble, but then we can remember that Jesus is right there beside us, blessing us in that very moment. We may struggle through challenges, we may mourn, we may be weak, and we may be feeling helpless, but Jesus is present in our immediacy. The kingdom of God is not a faraway vision, but is with us in our suffering. Jesus walks with all of us on our paths, faithful and true to his blessing, he will never leave us to suffer alone. <br /><br />We can offer ourselves reminders of Jesus’ promise to each of us, through our tokens such as WWJD bracelets, and remember that we walk with Jesus daily. We don’t have to be perfect, in fact we aren’t asked to be at all, instead we are loved for just exactly who we are, loved as a Child of God. And that is something we can all rejoice in. Amen.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-78093605517360670712008-10-21T09:21:00.000-07:002008-10-21T09:24:46.649-07:00Give to God what is God's.<span style="font-weight:bold;">Sermon for Matthew 22:15-22</span><br /><br />May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts<br />be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Strength and our Redeemer.<br />Amen.<br /><br />Taxes. State tax, federal tax, income tax, social security tax, Medicare tax, federal withholding. Bills. The IRS. WallStreet, the dow jones, the nasdaq, plummeting stock rates. These are just a few terms that make us squirm about our economic status and future. <br /><br /> When I was 16, I got my first job. I started work at a sporting goods store, and was super excited to be getting paid $7 an hour. I imagined all the great things I could buy then, how I could get more ‘cool’ clothes, how I could save up for a car, how I could go out more with friends. I knew I was working about 15 hours a week, and that should have meant that my first paycheck two weeks later would have been about $200.<br /><br />I was shocked when I got my paycheck and it was closer to $100. I went from shocked to really upset. I wanted to know where my money went. I came home and asked my mom about why my check was so low. She explained to me that ‘taxes’ had been taken out. Although she explained why that much came out, I was still upset. <br /><br />Why did all of that money have to come from me? Especially when I was making so little? And what good did taxes do for me? Did I get to help choose what happened with my tax money? If I opposed a war, could I say that I didn’t want my taxes to go towards it? The biggest thing was that I felt helpless, this big thing called the government was taking what I worked hard for, and I had no choice about it. This was a giant change in how I thought things were going to be when I had a job.<br /><br /> In the Gospel for today, we have a group of people who are attempting to use this helpless feeling about taxes to their advantage. However, this was an unlikely group. The Pharisees sent their disciples, with a pack of Herodians. Now the Pharisee’s disciples and the herodians would not have likely been in the same place, let alone working together. The Pharisees were backing the removal of Rome from the holy land, while the herodians are a part of the roman governance. <br /><br /> As they approached Jesus, they could not have made it more apparent that they were out to trap him, unless of course they wore a giant blinking sign that said, “we have it out for Jesus.” They walked up, and hoped to sweeten Jesus up, so that he would answer their question. They echoed praises of his impartiality, and his truth to the biblical teachings. Then they ask him a challenging question, “Is paying taxes to the emperor lawful, or not?” <br /><br /> This yes or no question, was meant to get Jesus in trouble. Because no matter which way he answered it, he was setting himself up for disaster. If he said yes, then he went against the Jewish understanding that they should not be dominated by the roman government. If he said no, then he was directly opposing the ruling government.<br /><br /> This wicked motley crew, thought they had devised the perfect plan to finally have a public reason to arrest Jesus. They had been so challenged by his radical changes of society, by what he stood for, by what he preached would come, that they perceived him as a threat. They couldn’t handle losing power, and reacted out of a need for protecting what they knew. <br /><br /> Don’t we also do this same thing? We feel the power or that which we consider routine and traditional slipping from our grip, and we panic. We think of ways to counteract this change, to make sure that it doesn’t occur. It’s happened to us over and over again.<br /><br /> During the civil rights movement, people fought over the seemingly radical change of truly valuing each person as equals. During WWII, people fought over religious differences, and what that would mean for societal values. We have fought over racism, sexism, classism, and even sexual preference. We as people seem to gravitate to that which feels the same to us. We can fight hard against change, feeling as if we don’t want to try something new. Why fix something that ain’t broke, right? <br /><br /> So we hide our intentions, we face each other with smiling faces, some kind words, and polite fully say things such as, “well, we just don’t think you are right for the job.” Instead of telling someone that the real reason they didn’t receive that job was because they were of a certain race, sex or sexual orientation. We act just as the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians. We scheme and plot, we find ways to turn things down because of our fear of change. <br /><br /> I plotted myself. I plotted that day I got my first check. I tried to figure out ways that I wouldn’t have to pay taxes. How I could work ‘off the books’ and get all my pay, instead of getting part of it taken away. Then I was reminded of what taxes go towards, and what our duty as Christians, was to the government.<br /><br /> Jesus gives the disciples of the Pharisees and the herodians a reminder as well. He is aware of their malice, and even calls them out on it. Instead of just walking away then, without answering their question, he provokes them into action. He tells them to get him a coin. So they reach into their pockets, and pull out a denarius. A denarius, is a roman coin, which has the face of the emperor on one side with his title, and the capitol on the reverse, with roman words claiming the emperor as high priest. It was a symbol that the emperor ruled both the earthly and heavenly realm. <br /><br /> Jesus asks them who is featured on the coin. They tell him the emperor, which would have been obvious to them. Jesus’ next statement leaves them speechless. He says, “give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” He doesn’t answer their yes or no question in a way they expect, but instead changes the game all together. <br /><br /> He calls them out on their hypocrisy twice, not only did they come to him in malice, but these religious officials were carrying around roman coins! They had violated their own question. Jesus doesn’t chastise them, instead, he leaves them with something to think about, that cannot get him in trouble with either group. <br /><br /> But what does Jesus mean by “give to the emperor what is the emperor’s and to God what is God’s.?” As Christians, this means for us today, that yes, we pay our taxes, but we do not give money or the government our lives. We may have to dedicate a portion of our materialistic wealth towards the government, but we do not have to dedicate our lives to it. <br /> <br /> Instead, we are to remember that we are God’s people. As children of God, we have been saved by Jesus’ death, blessed by the Holy Spirit, and created in God’s image. God gives us eternal peace, and all that we can do is rejoice in that fact. So let us rejoice by reaching out and doing what the government cannot. Let us spread the message of God’s love, by caring for our neighbors, embracing the radical change that Jesus is offering, and live into a new future grounded in God’s promises. <br /><br /> We are given the opportunity to embrace diversity on all levels, change in our power structures, and fresh ways of being community. And we can do it all by following Jesus’ actions. Jesus doesn’t walk away in anger against his challengers, instead he is cool and collected, makes them think, and amazes them. <br /><br /> I can’t help but think of Jesus smiling as the disciples of the Pharisees and the herodians leave him. He smiles, looks down at the coin that is still in his hand, chuckles, and slides it into his pocket, to pass along to the next person in need he encounters. <br /><br /> The group had approached Jesus with cocky attitudes, believing they had found a way to corner him, and instead Jesus walks away with the last laugh. It wasn’t a laugh in malice, it was a laugh in triumphal joy, that he had initiated another radical change in a group of people, and was now moving on with new resources to help others. <br /><br /> So let us also follow this direction, having joyful laughter in the unexpected resources and triumphs that we have in God’s name, embracing change and inspiring radical change in those that we approach with the message of God’s love. Because we all need a moment of uncontrollable laughter in God’s service.<br /> Amen.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-21007820658050604492008-10-07T08:30:00.000-07:002008-10-07T08:34:51.143-07:00Sermon for Matthew 21:33-45May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts<br />be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Strength and our Redeemer.<br />Amen.<br /><br /><br />Jesus tells a powerful story through the parable of the wicked servants. The story parallels both the Pharisees and Sadducees, whom Jesus was speaking to, and our selves. Making us uncomfortable in the truth it speaks, while causing us to fear the repercussions of judgment as the Pharisees point out. <br /><br /> Jesus shares the story of a Land owner, who carefully and painstakingly plants his vineyard, protects it by building a fence and watchtower, and digs a wine press so that it is able to sustain it’s own business. God, our careful caring creator, is this landowner. Planning out all the details, and entrusting God’s creation to the tenants. <br /><br />Tenants who are entrusted with the care and upkeep of God’s creation. Instead of valuing and being thankful to the landowner, these tenants get greedy. They see God sending many prophets at different times, and they think, “hey, we could own this. Why should we give the landowner anything?” <br /><br /> They plot and decide that hurting and killing the servants that God sent to collect the bounty, would be a great way to keep the vineyard’s goods. I can imagine them thinking that if they scare away and hurt the servants, that the owner would either give up or be too scared to come and collect the bounty. <br /> <br />These tenants are deluded. They are living so deeply within their deception and perception of reality, that they can’t see that the land they are on is not their own. They have no rightful stake to the land, or the bounty of the land. But yet, they are consumed with owning it. They are so insatiable, that they can even justify killing the son, in order to become the new heir of the land. <br /><br />I’m here to tell you, we are those tenants. We as a society have become so consumed with greed, that we can’t see the wrong that surrounds us. There are people in the United states that are poverty stricken, some worse then third world countries, and yet there are also people exploiting resources. We see it daily around us, consumerism is rampant. We as the tenants, are abusing our role. <br /><br />We allow racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, homophobia, classism, crisis, confusion and collusion to strip us of our compassion. We have embedded ourselves so deeply within our want for commercial goods that our financial market is in a crisis. <br /><br /> Although there are some individuals to blame for the current mortgage crisis, we as a society are also to blame. We have built up the idea of ‘bigger is better.’ Striving to own as much as we can, to ‘keep up with the Jones’.” We have forgotten that we are not the landowners, but that we are tenants on God’s creation. Instead of caring for others, we build up our own wealth, we get disillusioned, we get lost in schemes to promote ourselves. Instead of distributing our bounty, we get fearful of loss. So in a frenzied fit, we hoard. We take our power as tenants for granted, and instead of sharing, we fight for full control. <br /> <br />However, the Gospel story has a twist. Jesus is trying to establish with the Pharisees that they are these tenants, that he is the Son, and that God is the land owner. Just as Jesus tells in the parable, the Pharisees react as the disillusioned tenants. They know that Jesus is trying to establish himself as the Son of God, however they reject this reality. They are blind to what Jesus is trying to reveal to them, and instead they jump into the idea that although they are God’s tenants, they could not possibly be THESE tenants. Instead they hypothesize about what will happen to those tenants, the ‘others.’ They lay down a harsh vision of what God would do to these unruly and incredulous tenants. <br /><br />It is important to remember however, that Jesus does not condemn the tenants, but the Pharisee and Sadducees do. Jesus points them in another direction however. He states, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders have rejected has become the cornerstone, this was the Lord’s doing and it is amazing in our eyes.” <br /><br />Jesus is pointing the Pharisees and Sadducees toward a new vision, a vision that they are blind to. He wants them to see that God mixes things up, and that with Jesus’ death, comes forgiveness and grace. Jesus tells them that the kingdom of God will be taken away from them, and instead be given to a people who can produce the fruits of the kingdom and those that oppose this vision, will encounter difficulty.<br /> <br />The Pharisees realize that Jesus is speaking about them, and are thrown into a fit of rage, however they are fearful of the crowd that supports Jesus, and therefore take no action against him yet. What the Pharisee’s don’t realize is that Jesus is predicting their future. He knows they cannot accept him, and that they must play out their part, in order for his death to redeem them and us. <br /> <br />Jesus is telling them that without the fruit of justice, without the fruit of righteousness, we produce wild fruits, as the reading from Isaiah mentions, fruits of violence and oppression. The kingdom of heaven cannot be full of these ‘wild’ fruits. <br /><br />But Jesus offers hope, telling them of the cornerstone. He shows that although there is a humanly perception that someone is an unusable stone, the builder God, will make that stone the cornerstone. The cornerstone, which is the visible recording and example of God’s love. There have been many cornerstone stories within the bible, and within the world. There is the story of David and Bathsheba, which shows that God holds up and utilizes even sinners to do God’s will and to save God’s people. Adam and Eve are also an example of tenants who have made mistakes, but have been redeemed by God’s loving grace. <br /> <br />Jesus offers us this same message of hope. We are Children of this message of hope. Jesus died for each and every one of us, and saved us from our sin. Jesus endured being the son that was sent to bring a message to the tenants, and was killed by a greedy people. We are given an opportunity to share the fruits of the kingdom, to share and practice justice, to share and practice righteousness. <br />We don’t have to be a greedy people, we don’t have to be like the Pharisees and Sadducees, we can take comfort in the words of Jesus, knowing that we are redeemed through his death. We don’t have to be afraid of the financial crisis, and instead be confident in God’s grace, and share with others our resources. We can equalize distribution, sharing the power of goods. Because we were given the vineyard, even though we didn’t deserve it, because God loves us enough to send God’s only Son, to die for our transgressions and disillusionment.<br /><br />We are a cornerstone people. Although we have imperfections, we are a visible recording and example of God’s love. So let us stand proud and tall, visibly marked as a cornerstone of God, sharing with others the fruits of the kingdom. <br /><br />Amen.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-119464278738674432008-10-02T12:28:00.000-07:002008-10-02T12:36:27.065-07:00Dark Place.I'm mad. I'm so extremely mad. But, I'm also sad, and hurt, and scared. That's right, I'm four out of five emotions, and none of them are good. I'd go on to analyze myself via my CPE skills (thank you Little Leslie that lives in my head), but I don't know that I can handle that right now. <br /><br />I don't want to feel this way, I don't want to still have this kind of reaction, but I am. I just want to forget all of it, I want to forget I ever knew you. I want to forget the good and the bad, because it's all just too much. I'm broken now. I've been broken for a while, and I don't know how to fix myself. <br /><br />I know I need to rely on God for this transformation, but it hurts so much waiting. Why can't it just be easy? Why did I have to be the one that got f'ed over? Is there something wrong with me? As Meredith says, "I'm dark and twisty." I don't want to be that any more. I want to be just 'glad.' Happy, content, joyful even. Yet, I can only hold down: sad, mad, hurt and scared. How did I get here? How did I let it get so far? How could I think he would change? <br /><br />I'm sad for that chick. Because he hasn't changed at all. He doesn't even realize that it's him that messed me up. No, I can't do this. I can't talk about him anymore. It's done. He's done and gone. He never existed. Done.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-25093490978329062792008-09-21T16:21:00.000-07:002008-10-02T12:38:10.354-07:00Crash."How many times can I break till I shatter?<br />Over the line can't define what I'm after<br />I always turn the car around<br />All that I feel is the realness I'm faking<br />Taking my time but it's time that I'm wasting<br />Always turn the car around" -O.A.R.<br /><br /><br />[Edit]<br /> And now I'm just shattered.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-68773369410955411942008-09-04T07:53:00.000-07:002008-09-04T08:01:19.368-07:00Painfully PalinIn her speech at the RNC on Wednesday, this is what Palin said, "And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities."<br /><br />WHAT!!???!?! Now we bash community organizers? Who defines these actual responsibilities. I mean because if your responsibilities are to sit down and take money and meals from big oil, well then I guess she's right. However, if your 'responsibilities' are to care for the people of America, figure out their plight, work with them to create a better and sustaining life for themselves, well then she's just way off. <br /><br />This is what I have to say, about just this comment. Palin, do you realize that over half of the social programing that occurs in the United States is done through community organizing? Do you realize that clergy are considered community organizers, and that the government gives community organizers money to do social programming that they cannot do themselves? You are a fool to think that you can make a statement like this, and not have repercussions. Do you realize what would happen if community organizers stopped working? There would not be food banks, shelters, empowerment for the poor, school programs, etc. Hell, you were on the PTA, looking for a better school system for your children, so you were a community organizer. <br /><br />I see this statement as an arrogant and uninformed attack. How dare you say that you're job is more important then that of Martin Luther King Jr, who according to your theory, had no actual responsibilities, so I guess that means he was just a fool with a microphone. Sarah Palin, I hope you realize just what this country would loose without community organizers, and I suggest you start to back pedal quickly.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-90404051085810335822008-09-03T12:59:00.000-07:002008-09-03T13:09:41.896-07:00When loss happens...Tragedy is part of the human condition, I realize this, but why so much?<br /><br />Yeah, I'm being philosophical at the moment, but it truly is related to events in my own life. Here I am at a crux in my training to become a pastor, and yet, I'm surrounded by tragedy. This week one of my classmates died of cancer, he was a friend of mine, a kind soul, and destined to be an amazing pastor, and yet he wasn't given that opportunity. Why? I know everyone questions why someone dies, but I can't help it. I know in my soul that God has reasons, that there is nothing done out of a plan, that this was meant for a bigger purpose, but why now? Why have him start seminary, be so ready and right for the job of spreading the Gospel, and take that away from him? Was sending him to seminary so that he could get closer to you? and be ready for this step? or was it for me? So that I and the people that had an opportunity to meet him and grow with him, were able to be with him, even if only for a short time? Or was it both? or none? I'm sure there could be many answers to these questions, and I trust in God's plan. Jerry, you were a joyful gracious presence in my life, and I thank you. May the grace and comfort of God's loving touch be with you, and touch all your family that is suffering. <br /><br />So not only did a classmate pass away, but a classmate's mother died suddenly. We as humans don't fully understand the reasoning behind tragedy, and we deal with it differently. Some of us get bitter, taking it out on those that we love that still surround us, others take to doing reckless things, some pretend it didn't happen, but we all suffer. We suffer together as a human race, at the pain that is with us. We are one body, and we suffer together. This is important to me at this moment. To know that we are in this together, that I am with all their family as the grieve, knowing that however brief the encounter, or even never having met someone, everyone on this planet has affected my life. We are in a never-ending cycle, and that is something we need to remember. <br /><br />I wonder if one day, instead of destroying each other, we can stand together to weather the storm that is human tragedy. To stand and support one another, in and through the Grace of God. <br /><br />Memories will survive, although the body will not. Legacies are passed throughout the generations, and so none of us shall ever be forgotten, or unimportant, but rather we all effect the future and have been changed by the present and past.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-4837319119021861752008-06-30T07:43:00.001-07:002008-06-30T07:43:33.502-07:00Random.Ich kann nicht an Sie, zu denken gerade halten. Ich bin innen über meinem Kopf. Ich möchte nicht wieder enttäuscht werden, und ich glaube, dass Sie ich in dieser Richtung führend sind. Ich kann nicht am Gedanken von Ihnen festgelegt werden, weil ich Sie nicht kenne. Ich habe Angst, dass Sie mich nicht Sie überhaupt wirklich kennen wünschen. Ihr Schild wegdrückt mich ch, und Sie nicht verwirklichen es sogar.Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1749714347835162157.post-81726971938071653182008-06-20T08:00:00.000-07:002008-06-20T08:21:08.034-07:00Books, Trips, Life.So first of all I need to gush about a series of books, which I have fallen in love with, and have been fulfilling my Harry Potter needs. It's a series by Stephanie Meyer, about vampires, werewolves, love, high schoolers and the rainy west coast. It is Ah-mazing, and the next book is coming out soon, and then the first movie is coming out in August! I can't wait! So go out and read these books, I highly recommend them, although be prepared for some heart thumping, because they can be quite romantic and sad.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrP3aKgKUShLUpN1aYqR9VcK35GIvOuYDjhfVF1kH6vzlwa0EsL4SoxINZ9sAUuuPjul06Y7WI0v0iPIftkILzI3gSlwh2avmjGYk3CUovCNSkXddWt38s4gn1aOrIlBWNHeZX_AMvXSY/s1600-h/twilight.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrP3aKgKUShLUpN1aYqR9VcK35GIvOuYDjhfVF1kH6vzlwa0EsL4SoxINZ9sAUuuPjul06Y7WI0v0iPIftkILzI3gSlwh2avmjGYk3CUovCNSkXddWt38s4gn1aOrIlBWNHeZX_AMvXSY/s400/twilight.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213983827011948562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyanulSaHSSy-oshxrjloAlRjWcGAMnO9v7Vz6rc5sqDSVzzBFRHGGzqhQyGJ2AdicnvC4OCQpJvFIfCkknzWx765V5TiDk-Rkqhm8lshXPshwMCWcsVoGJ77l9x16Wl6z295wOkUcNzA/s1600-h/new+moon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyanulSaHSSy-oshxrjloAlRjWcGAMnO9v7Vz6rc5sqDSVzzBFRHGGzqhQyGJ2AdicnvC4OCQpJvFIfCkknzWx765V5TiDk-Rkqhm8lshXPshwMCWcsVoGJ77l9x16Wl6z295wOkUcNzA/s400/new+moon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213983826271952642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHiCv2eSHA_ruDXNPMsneeHD9-pBs82RV9_ksExPv_y2A1kuoGsukKK5xmCqbX1Qzop1S7A_sw9OVJz4-LzesMoDbeC9RtJpG2886RPJ20VYsvtkJw8iFRLkTnuOkiFtsB9vJQRIWEm0/s1600-h/eclipse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHiCv2eSHA_ruDXNPMsneeHD9-pBs82RV9_ksExPv_y2A1kuoGsukKK5xmCqbX1Qzop1S7A_sw9OVJz4-LzesMoDbeC9RtJpG2886RPJ20VYsvtkJw8iFRLkTnuOkiFtsB9vJQRIWEm0/s400/eclipse.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213983831850704834" /></a><br />So read them!<br /><br />Next thing, So Mpls, is treating me well, I've been busy with work, organizing VBS, preparing for a retreat trip with the HS kids and a few other churches in the area, as well as running a wed. night program. All in all, things are great, I'm having a lot of fun, getting to know the staff, doing a lot of things that I've only observed before, so it's nice to get that hands on experience, and also getting to hang out with kids, which we all know is a blast! It really reminds me of camp a lot, and it's nice to be in that director role again. So this weekend is our retreat to St. Olaf college, where we will be joined by two other urban churches. The focus is on sacred places, and we will be doing a lot with spoken word and rap. I'm really excited about it, the kids are going to have a blast, and they are already excited that there is a pool that they get to go in. :) Good times.<br /><br />As life goes, things are good. I haven't had much time to explore more of the city, still kinda settling, getting used to the flow of life. It's been good though. I do miss all my friends and family though. Good news though, I'll be home in August for a week! So you all will have to arrange with me some time to see each other, because I miss you! <br /><br />That's all for now, I'm going to try to keep this updated more regularly, and with more of the events that I actually organize and do. I'm sure there will be stories from this weekend. Blessings!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14503171496174946544noreply@blogger.com0