coffee in a mug....try coffee cake in a mug!

While I was enjoying my double fisted breakfast (coffee in one mug, coffee cake in the other) I had one load of laundry in the washer and was making my to-do list for the day.

Apparently I thought I was invincible, or that the hours in the day would expand to allow me to accomplish multiple tasks....I'm not sure what I was thinking.  Apparently a little too much sugar in that coffee cake, oops.  It was tasty, though.  If you are in the mood for 5 minute coffee cake in a mug, check out this site: coffee cake in a mug. I started making it after only a few sips of coffee and then realized I didn't have any sour cream in the house.  (shame on me.  actually i did have some in the house but it was already turned into french onion dip, which would have made for some awful coffee cake.)  So, I opted for the french vanilla yogurt instead....which after 2 tablespoons of sugar was super sweet!  It's a good thing I didn't try the key lime pie yogurt...or perhaps I should have.

Anyway, I attempted to conquer a list that would have taken several days to accomplish.  I did tick some things off the list...and did some things that I hadn't planned on...including enjoying a sugar cone of chocolate moose tracks from The Cone.  Ah the joys of being an adult = ice cream before dinner!!!

As youth opened the door to the risen Christ to me this week, my cat did today.
She was so intent on the bunny in the backyard, she couldn't be swayed...

They were like that this morning....and this evening.
I wonder if she enjoys the watch, or if it's frustrating not to be able to get to the other side of the window....who knows.  Either way, it brought a smile to my face.

I'm pretty sure all other hours of he day she was sleeping (as she is now) or eating.
Oh, to be a cat.

Until the next time . . .

+paz

pictures in my head

Okay...so the moments of seeing the risen Lord in my midst over the past two days all involves kids.

I have been in conversation with parents lately about their kids.  In the cases this week it was with parents of pre-teens or teens....and let me begin by saying this, I'm definitely not a parent.  So I can listen and offer advice, but I am in no was a permanent fixture in their home seeing all the ins and outs and all that goes along with family life.  That being said, I am so blessed to be a presence in the lives of families, to be there and listen and share and participate and encourage and love.  I saw the risen Lord in the midst of the struggles and challenges that parents and youth face.  The opportunity to learn and grow with them and to be yet another adult in the lives of the youth (because the more the merrier) is truly a blessing and an honor.  There is the reality that life isn't always smooth sailing, but there is the promise that God is with us in the midst of the challenges and struggles and joys and celebrations that is all a part of our life here together.

And today....I wish I had the opportunity to take two pictures.

So, imagine these with me if you will....

I walk out of the house this morning and see the usual crew waiting for the school bus.  The fashion statement this morning was the girl who turned 4 yesterday.  She was waiting with her PopPop and older sister and she was sporting her new pink bicycle shirt (that she got from her aunt yesterday) and the orange, pink and yellow scarf (that I gave her yesterday) and she was happy as a clam in her new outfit.  It was totally smile worthy.

Later in the day I was on my way home from a meeting in Reading.  As I enter Wernersville I come across The Cone.  (The *awesome* ice cream place.)  Well, I can see some boys standing in front of the cone playing trucker honk the best they can.  (Trucker honk is where you shake your arm up and down to make the trucks that pass by blow their horns, I'm sure you're tried it before...go ahead, admit it...and smile.)  So I get closer and realize that I know these boys (middle schoolers) from church!  So I honk & wave frantically....and one of them says..."Pastor Jen!" and they all wave frantically.  I laughed out loud.

I love this place...I love the relationships built within the context of the body of Christ that carries out into our communities and radiates love and laughter and joy to those around us.

May you see these moments around you...in the interactions with others that make you grumbly or happy....because God is in all these moments...reaching out to you and those around you as life goes on.

+paz

And a birthday cupcake from yesterday :)

a day of rest.

Today's moment was a combination of having a day off and having the opportunity to rest.  (Holy Week and Easter really took a lot out of me....and a day of rest was just what I needed.)  It was also a wonderful thing to have many folks at church yesterday checking to make sure that a day off was coming to both the pastors this week.  The care and compassion from so many folks was definitely felt by me...and I'm thankful for their concern and care for the pastoral staff at Trinity.

Today was a combination of sleeping in, a bike ride with my boyfriend and a great lunch...and the day has ended with this:

There's nothing like seeing the idea of sabbath...true rest...being modeled right next to me.  Thanks, Marley.  (Her snoring is soothing in a way, as well.)

I'm thankful for a day to sleep, breathe, exercise and take some time just for myself.  It allows me to head back to church tomorrow refreshed and ready to serve.

Blessings to all...and I hope you all have a moment if not a whole day to rest.

+paz

50 Days of Easter!

So, during Lent...I was blessed to journey with the people of Trinity (by our Lenten Devotional) and hear stories about where people have seen God in their midst.

So as we enter the season of Easter...and journey in the light of the empty tomb I hope to share moments where I see the risen Christ in our midst here and now.

We are blessed to celebrate the joy of the resurrection for 50 Days!  (Pretty awesome, right? I mean, who doesn't like a 50 day celebration?)

So yesterday, on Easter Day, I was blessed to walk from the darkness of the tomb into the light of Christ as we began Easter morning worship at 6am.  With the opportunity to celebrate the joy of the resurrection at 4 services yesterday, there were many opportunities to see the risen Christ in our midst now.
The moment that sticks out for me the most was at the 9:15 service.  It was a service that had many families with young children and babies.  The youngest of our brothers and sisters in Christ were so quiet during the service, you may not have noticed their presence.  But as we made it to the intercessory prayers, then things changed.  As we prayed for those in need by name, the assembly was invited to share names in their hearts or on their lips...and that is when a murmur came from the youngest among us.  It wasn't a scream or cries, it was this murmur or hum coming from the infants when they were invited to share prayer concerns.  It was a holy moment.


Today's moment came after a funeral.  I have to tell you, it was amazing to be at a funeral on Easter Monday and to see the empty tomb and hear the words of promise in the resurrection.  At the end of the service, proclaiming the words of life eternal and death being conquered and knowing the family, I was tearing up as we prayed.  Well, as I greeted folks coming into the social hall for the dinner, Logan walked up to me and gave me a hug.  She saw me crying during the service and said, Pastor Jen needs a hug.  (So true.)  Seeing me in the midst of grief and mourning...and reaching out to me...a holy moment of love and grace in the midst of suffering.

The moments surround us...and I invite you to see and share the moments where you see the risen Christ in our midst here and now.

Blessings to all in this Easter season.

+paz...

Holden reflection for the week...

Here are the thoughts I shared last night.  The story about Lamont, Iowa came from a book I'm reading called Sharing Food: Christian Practices for Enjoyment by L. Shannon Jung. 

Psalm 84

¹How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!

²My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

³Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

⁴Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah

⁵Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

⁶As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.

⁷They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

⁸O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

⁹Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.

¹⁰For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.

¹¹For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.

¹²O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Holden Evening Prayer

March 14, 2012

Psalm 84

Our Psalmist this day talks about God providing for us, God nurturing us…and God providing a place for all of God’s creation.

¹How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!

²My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

³Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

How we all long for such belonging, for such a home, for the place where we feel loved and nurtured, cared and provided for. 

“Thus it was in Lamont, Iowa.  The good citizens and church members of Lamont had lost the last café in their town.  Mabel and Sam had decided they were just too old to carry on, and no one was interested in buying their place.  The café was where the townspeople, local farmers, and anybody else in town got together in the morning for a cup of coffee and maybe a doughnut and shoot the breeze.  Most heavy decisions got made there.  Lunch was when you could count on some of the older townspeople and maybe some others coming in to get a bite to eat. 

Supper was sometimes heavy, sometimes light.  But the fact remained that the last café in Lamont had closed.  The only other place to be served something to eat without going out of town was the tavern. Now taverns come in all stripes and dispositions, but this one was not a community sort of place.  People felt uncomfortable going in to the tavern to eat.

What had become evident to the good people of Lamont was that they needed a place to share a meal, share their news, and build community.  The need for such a place had become evident through its absence.  I am happy to report that the church, with the help of an inventive and outgoing United Methodist pastor, got together and decided to open such a place.  It is called Common Grounds, and it is a simple coffee-and-sandwiches café- nothing very complicated, but it is volunteer rich, has strong grassroots support, and is a place for community building.  On Sunday mornings the high school groups of all the churches gather there.  Throughout the week members of the community gather for breakfast, coffee, and other meals.  People recognized that it was important to have a place in town to share food.” (p.38-39)

We were blessed this past week to share in worship and a meal with people from our community.  As contemporary worship ended, youth from our community traveled from the sanctuary to the social hall and joined us for a meal.  We had plenty of food, plenty of space and lots of good conversations. 

A well-known Lutheran Theologian, and one of my favorite seminary professors, Dr. Timothy Wengert, began class each day with prayer.  One day he began this way… “Dear Lord, your hold us in the palm of your hands….”  And then he completely forgot what he was going to say next.  As he gently paused….and thought….and breathed…he found the words to continue.  “Don’t drop us. Amen.”

That was it.  As he shared this experience with others, he said he had this great train of thought that he just lost….and he was left with this simple, yet all-encompassing prayer.

Because that is all we ask…the God hold us and never let us go. 

And God will hold us, God will provide for us…and God will never, ever let us go.

God continues to hold us and to provide for us in abundance through family, food, shelter this place of worship, just to name a few.  How do you see that abundance around you…and see the needs of others, too? 

How are you able to share that abundance with others? 

May our words and actions spring forth from God’s abundance and show and share that abundance with others. 

Holden Evening Prayer - Reflection

What Do You Pray For? 

An excerpt from The Magic Word, Stirrings and Stories of Faith and Minstry by Frederick Houk Borsch, (Cathedral Center Press, 2001, p. 233-235)

What do you pray for?  I find this one of the most interesting and revealing questions about the spiritual life. Sometimes, the question produces guilt.  Gee, I don’t pray enough.  Or, I don’t think much of what I pray about. 

                But those are just preliminary responses, perhaps in part defensive gestures to avoid talking about what may seem too intimate.  We may also suppose that what we pray for isn’t important enough, or that it is too mundane or trivial or even wrong.  Lord, I pray to win the lotto on this once.  It should solve almost everything, and then I’ll be better able to serve you.  One remembers the joke:  “When I was little and didn’t know any better, I prayed for a new bicycle.  Now that I’m more mature, I pray for a Mercedes.”

                I have, however, learned something important about prayer – and that is not to leave out the things one really wants.  Prayer cannot be honest if love is on my lips and the lotto in my heart.  One of the things I have always valued in the Psalms is the way the Psalmist lets it all hang out – including getting even with one’s enemies. 

                Such honest prayer may help us to gain a greater perspective on our deepest hopes and fears – what we most need and want.  But it also brings up another problem.  What do we really think God will do – or God can do – about our prayers?  Scripture tells us that God is better than all earthly parents and will give good things to those who ask.  That may often seem true, but we know, too, of prayers that do not seem to be answered.  Sometimes they are the most desperate pleas to spare a loved one.  And we may imagine all the prayers cried out in the midst of the Holocaust.  Do we believe that God can or will intervene in the world of automobile crashes, AIDS, poverty and Intifada to answer our prayers for safety and cure, justice and peace?  These are hard and perhaps confusing questions.  We know that no squad of angels came to rescue Jesus from the cross.  We hear his cry of forsakenness.  Yet still he prayed. 

…

There are days when we are grateful to have words for our prayers.  I am particularly grateful to have the Lord’s Prayer: to know that I do not pray alone when, by myself or with the community of faith, I ask for God’s kingdom and God’s will – God’s ways – to come on earth as in heaven.  We pray for life’s daily bread and the true bread of life; that we may be forgiven as we are given grace to forgive others; that we will not fall in the great temptation to give up on God’s Spirit or to give in to evil.  We can be grateful for other prayers that help us to offer thanksgiving and love, to pray for forgiveness and courage and strength better to serve, to pray for others and for ourselves. 

There will be times, however, when we are beyond the understanding that shapes our words.  We are not sure what to pray for.  Then we yearn for “the Spirit that helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.” George Herbert says that “prayer is God’s breath in man” – God’s breath in us, yearning with our spirits. 

When in Luke’s Gospel Jesus tells us that God knows how to give gifts better than earthly parents, the gift the heavenly Father offers “is the Holy spirit to those who ask.”  What better gift for myself and for whom I pray than the divine Awareness as the context for their awareness in life, for God’s Spirit with theirs, for Presence in the valleys, with the thorns and crosses and the sacraments and joys of life. 

Sometimes, when I am praying for others, a curious thing happens.  They begin to levitate in my prayers.  They come up off the ground.  And I imagine I see them with their legs sort of dangling and their jacket flapping – in all their vulnerability.  I can see them, as it were, all around, and I imagine that this is something like God sees them and holds them up.  The author of the 14^th century The Cloud of Unknowing tells us that “God, with the all-merciful eyes, sees not only who we are and who we have been but who we will be.”  Without knowing what other things to pray for others or for myself, I ask for us and all people to be held in that Spirit.

...

What do you pray for?

Wednesday's Noontime Homily

A reading from the gospel of John, the 12^th chapter:

³⁶While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.³⁷Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him.³⁸This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”³⁹And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said,⁴⁰“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not look with their eyes, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.”⁴¹Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him.  ⁴²Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;⁴³for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God.

Midweek Lenten Service

March 7, 2012
John 12:36-43

 Please pray with me,

Lord God, you kept Abraham and Sarah in safety throughout the days of their pilgrimage, you led the children of Israel through the midst of the sea, and by a star you led the Wise Men to the infant Jesus.  Protect and guide us now in this time as we travel through the season of Lent.  Make our ways safe and our homecomings joyful, and bring us at last to our heavenly home where you dwell in glory with your son and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.  Amen. 

Growing up I remember listening to the story called The Point.  Back in the day, we would listen to it on a record….now, it’s on my iPod.  Well, the story is about a boy named Oblio and he is the only round headed person who lives in the land of Point, everyone else has points on their heads, so he is banished to the pointless forest, but here’s the thing….all the trees have points on them….and all the branches on the trees have points….so Oblio is confused….how can this be the pointless forest if there are points all around us? 

Luckily, he runs into the rockman, who, in his infinite wisdom says, “You see what you wanna see.  And you hear what you wanna hear.” 

He asks Oblio, “Did you ever see Paris?”

No.

“Well, did you ever see New Dehli?” 

No.

"Well that’s it….You see what you want to see and you hear what you want to hear…."

How true is that in our lives today?  That we see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear?

As we heard in our gospel passage today, that people were able to see Jesus in their midst, to see the healing, hear his teaching….and have their hearts and eyes opened to see Jesus as the Messiah….yet, they struggled with believing or telling others about it because of the laws of the land and the synagogue. 

The passage quoted from Isaiah says their hearts were hardened…

What hardens our hearts…

When we see God at work in our midst and in the world around us, what keeps us from seeing those amazing moments? 

Is it the sin in our hearts, that turns us in on ourselves? 

Is it the self-centeredness that causes us just to focus on our own selves? 
Is it the worry of what friends or neighbors will say if we talk about our congregation or our faith? 
Is it our quest for human glory?  For our own needs and desires…?  For our own glory? 

God is constantly at work in the world around us….in the joys and celebrations and in the struggles, sickness and pain that we face. 

How are we being turned this season…turned away from ourselves to see God at work in our world here and now. 

How are we being turned from living in fear, sickness, and scarcity, so see the abundant love, hope and trust in our midst here and now? 

Listen to something I read this week:

“The good news involves both the transformation of the mind and the healing

of the body. It also involves the leaving behind of some cherished traditions;

often the greatest force of opposition to renewal is not the evils of this world

but a clinging to past goods. It has been said that the good is often the worst
enemy of the best, and it is so in this case.” [Witherington, The Gospel of Mark, pp. 250-1]

Now, where we go from here?

Do we allow ourselves to get caught up in the ways things have always been

done?
Do we fall into the trap of sin and focus just on our individual needs?

Or are we turned…even just for the moment…outside of ourselves, to see the

needs of others, to see that the mission of God is at work in the world…and
that we are all connected and dependent upon one another…?

Or are we able to see the transformation of our minds and the healing of our bodies…as the presence of God in our world and in our lives? 

I pray that this Lent is a time for us all to be turned away from ourselves and towards others. To see the freedom we have from sin and death…to love and serve our neighbors. And to claim the cross…not as our own burden, but as the way God has shown and continues to show and unending love and forgiveness for each and every one of us.

May our eyes be opened to see that transformation.

May we see Christ in our midst here and now.

May we share this abundant love and grace with others as it has already been shared with us.

And now may the peace, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen.