Hummingbirds-- a cause for a pause

taken this afternoon from yet a different perspective-- from inside

I put out new hummingbird food this week and have enjoyed watching the hummingbirds fly, land on the feeders and on the tree branches, eat, buzz around, etc. I have enjoyed hearing their wings, them fuss at each other, and the other sounds they make.

Today as I sat on the deck in the cooler morning air, I realized that my different point of view earlier in the morning had allowed me to see the hummingbirds from a different perspective. That was a "cause for a pause" as it made me think about seeing things from different perspectives. 

Here's what I wrote this morning and the photos that accompany my deck time.

"I waited and watched from a different vantage point this morning. I was able to get better photos without the hummingbird blending in to the trees. At the table I did catch one behind my coffee mug, but it is harder to see. Sometimes we need to look from a different perspective in order to see things more clearly. It may not need to be a huge move, just a small one. How can that experienced reality with the hummingbirds be applied to other areas and situations in life? 🤔

Peace on this day."

As I continue reflecting, here are some more questions that come to mind:

• How willing am I to move into a different space in order to see differently? 
• What can I learn by seeing from a different perspective? 
• As I look from a different perspective, how does that affect what I see, what I hear, what I experience?
• What if I were willing to look at carefully at people and situations from varying perspectives? How would that enhance my understanding?

These are the questions that rise to the top as I reflect. 

Maybe, just maybe, I have learned something today that I can carry into other scenarios.

I invite your thoughts and reflections.

Rev. Deb

(photos are mine)

A reflection on soul care from 6 years ago

I was scrolling through my memories on FaceBook yesterday and this is one of them, a reflection I wrote on August 28, 2018.

As I re-read the words I had written, I realized they still ring true. Though I don't remember the situation that spurred me to write the words, it could have been anything. It was most likely written during my morning coffee and deck time.

The view that I used to have off the deck was a wonderful frame for pictures. It has since been taken over by some straggly branches that belong to the neighbor on that side. I have thought about cutting those branches. I think it's actually an invasive bush, like privet. But, to do that, I would need to ask. We'll see. Though I no longer have this full view, there is still a view.

"Some days are more difficult than others to maintain a whole soul. There are the days I need more time in creation, silence, solitude, prayer, rest, play, or other spiritual practices. Soul care is crucial to living well."

What are your "go-to" spiritual practices when you need filling up, when you need to maintain a whole soul? I listed some of mine above. Some additional ones: spending time in a hammock, hiking, riding my bike or motorcycle, writing.

How are you living into soul care?

Peace on the journey, 

Rev. Deb

Reflections on the book by Noel Forlini Burt--Hope in the Wilderness: Spiritual Reflections for When God Feels Far Away

I finished this smallish, thinnish book about a week ago. It has 85 pages of reading, plus a bibliography. Don't let the amount of pages fool you into thinking it's thin on content. It's not. It's powerfully packed in those pages. 

I read it in preparation for an upcoming 4 Day Academy for Spiritual Formation in October. Though I had looked at and printed out the brochure, it didn't register in my brain that the author is one of the faculty for the week. When I realized that, I was even more grateful that I was able to sign up for this Academy experience. 

Hope in the Wilderness: Spiritual Reflections for When God Feels Far Away by Noel Forlini Burt is an honest, open look into the wilderness journey. The author shares her personal experiences throughout the book, along with references from Scripture and other writers. She shares her Academy experience from Camp Sumatanga. 

I can relate to the Two Year Academy for Spiritual Formation experience, as it was a life changing experience for me. My Academy experience was in FL and I finished it 11 years ago in 2013. Oh, how time flies. Each session was like "going home" as I headed there in my "rolling sanctuary". Each session worked in me in so many ways. I am still reaping the benefits for the time sown into my life those two years of Academy #32, the bilingual academy.

Being able to relate to the ebb and flow of "going home" was just one connecting point with the author. She taught at a University. I understand that too. I taught for 24 years, mostly at the higher education level.  Our experiences are different, but there are some similarities. She left home (Alabama) to go teach in Texas. I got to come closer to home (Georgia) when I moved to Tennessee to teach at a small liberal arts college from Long Island, NY. 

Noel had my attention from the introduction of her book. She quoted Thomas Merton early on and his prayer of unknowing. That prayer was and is an ongoing prayer for me, a mantra you might say. I used it in my paperwork for commissioning and ordination and in my interviews. You see, it has been hard for me to know, to see where I am going along this pathway of life. I haven't understood much of it. So, Merton's words have resonated with me -- "I have no idea where I am going."  But he goes on to say that he trusts the one leading him. That has been my experience. So, when Noel quoted Merton, I knew I was in for a good read.

Noel repeats phrases throughout the book that resonate and begin to sink in.

•  "In the struggle is the formation."
• "God is the Great Silence."
• "it came out of nowhere, as grace often does."
• "The wilderness is the Way Home."

In addition to these nuggets, there are many more nuggets that I have underlined and marked in the book. I may or may not get around to noting all of these at some point. Maybe I will get to a few of them.

I started thinking about all the wilderness experiences I have been though over the years and made a list. They include loss of loved ones, loss of relationships in other forms, physical ailments, loss of dreams, changes in situations, transitions. It comes down to transitions. Most of my wilderness experiences have been transitions and liminal spaces, the unknown. Hmmmm.

These experiences for me have helped me find myself, my true self, along the path. During the season of the Covid-19 pandemic, I spent lots of time outdoors, in the woods or in my hammock. That was a wilderness of leadership, relationships, being. Yet, I (with many others), found ways through it to create new paths, new ways-- to lead, to be in relationship, to be. There were several times when I could tell I was going through a transitional metamorphosis. Having that time to "be", to reflect, to do things differently, to see things differently, etc., was a powerful time for growth and creativity... even though there was unknown and wilderness.

This book has helped me realize and see that "the wilderness is the Way Home", that "God is the Great Silence", that "in the struggle is the formation", and that "it [grace] came out of nowhere, as grace often does."

One quote that resonates in this moment: "There is a truth that only the soul can tell, but that truth will emerge only when the soul is ready to tell it. [...] We trust that in the waiting, new life is unfolding." (54)

I am looing forward to going back through the book to read it again, to read my highlighted sections, to ponder and reflect more. I am also looking forward to meeting the author, Noel Forlini Burt, in October.

Whatever your wilderness experiences have been or are, may you find hope in them.

Deep peace and grace on the journey, 

Deb

Psalm 69 from Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill

I was talking with a colleague about prayer yesterday and she mentioned Psalm 69 to me. I looked it up in my favorite Psalm version, Psalms for Praying: An Invitation to Wholeness by Nan C. Merrill. There is much to ponder in this Psalm. 

It's not a short one. It goes from the bottom of page 127 to almost the bottom of page 131. 

As I read and reflect on the words, there are phrases throughout that speak to me. I have written them as they are in their sections. As there are no verses in this version, I will compare to a different version to get the verses.

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O Beloved, create within me a clean heart! Let me live simply, sharing what I have with those in need, that the abundance of your creation might be reflected! Let me speak out of the Silence, that through the words given, others will learn of You!

Let me see with the heart's eye; let me hear through the heart's ear.
Give me the sensitivity to hear your Word, and the courage to speak it. 

Let heaven and earth praise the Creator, the seas and all that dwell therein.
For in the Most High lies our salvation, the healing of the nations; 
And we, the people of the Eternal One, are invited, we are called, 
to co-creation, to co-operation; thus will future generations inherit the planet renewed, 

and those who live the way of Love shall dwell with Love forever. Amen. (verses 34-36)

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It's not always easy to "match" the verses, because there is a difference with this version. I was able to "match" the last section. 

Yet, the Psalm is still a prayer. A deep prayer. A prayer for change, healing, wholeness. The passages that have stood out to me this time are worth reflection and pondering.

Looking at what caught my attention, I see the word "heart" repeated several times, as well as "Love". I think I will ponder Psalm 69 a little while longer.

Peace, 

Rev. Deb

Last minute opportunity to preach last week

Last Friday evening I saw I had missed a call from earlier that afternoon. I listened to the message and called back as soon as I had the opportunity. The result of the conversation was that I would be doing pulpit supply on Sunday at two locations for my colleague. I was glad to be able to fill in for my colleague who needed the help. My schedule happened to be open, so it worked out. I hadn't preached at either of the churches in a long while, but I knew them both, one more than the other as I had been a member of it prior to becoming clergy. 

The sermon was written. Sunday came. I headed to the first church. 

The sign outside the church caught my attention. It said: "Your life is a canvas-- paint it with God's love". The focus of the sermon was God's love. When I got inside the church, there were a few people already there. A few others came later. It was a small turn out, but we had a good time of worship. The small, but hearty choir sang a special song, "God is Calling Us"  by Natalie Sleeth. Some of the lyrics: "If the song's to be sung, we must sing it! If the love's to be shared, we must bring it! For God is calling us now indeed, to go where there is need If the word's to be heard, we must speak it! If the peace is to come, we must seek it!

Other songs came from "The Faith We Sing" ("There's a Song") and "Worship and Song" ("Give Me Jesus"). It was a good blend of music, as there was also a song from the United Methodist Hymnal (UMH). The children's message was partially about grace and hit on some of the things in the sermon. It was neat how things came together, even though it wasn't planned for me to be there. 

At the 2nd church, a handmade bookmark in the Bible that read "God is love" from 1 John 4:8 caught my attention because that was one of the verses I referenced in the sermon. 

I enjoyed the music at the 2nd church too, as the drum, piano, and organ worked together to lead us in worshipful praise. 

Though I prepared one sermon and preached it two times, it was almost two different sermons because it changed. I couldn't really tell you exactly what I changed, but I know I used some different examples in each place. That's how it was when I consistently preached at two different churches every Sunday. It was always interesting to see how the Holy Spirit moved.

Here is the basic sermon. I say "basic" because as I noted above, it changed. It got edited here and there in the giving of it. The foundation is the same. Maybe there is something there for the reader today. Who knows? 

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“Know the Love of Christ”

Ephesians 3:14-21

July 28, 2024

Grace and Fairview UMC

 
Good morning!
As we continue in our time of worship this morning, will you pray with me?
 
“God of Light, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that, as the Scriptures are read and your word proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.” (Prayer for Illumination, UMH, in Upperroom WorshipBook, page 35)
Today’s Scripture passage comes from Ephesians 3:14-21, from the Common English Bible:
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¹⁴ This is why I kneel before the Father. ¹⁵ Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. ¹⁶ I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. ¹⁷ I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, ¹⁸ I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. ¹⁹ I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God.
²⁰ Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us; ²¹ glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen.
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LEADER: THE BREAD OF LIFE.
PEOPLE: THANKS BE TO GOD.
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I gave this passage a different title than Braxton, taking the title from verse 19 as a focus verse: “Know the Love of Christ”.
Before we get there, let’s look at the passage.  The passage begins with “this is why I kneel before the Father.” What is the “why” here? To understand that, we need to go back a bit. In the preceding verses, there is much talk by the apostle Paul about God’s grace and the strength that offers. In verse 12, we read this from Paul: “In Christ we have bold and confident access to God through faith in him”. It is that bold and confident access that causes Paul to kneel before God and pray for the Ephesians. In this prayer he asks several things in verses 16-19.
 
There are four “I ask that” statements. Two are Paul asking God and Christ on behalf of the Ephesians and two are Paul asking the Ephesians to respond.
 
·      I ask that he (Father) will strengthen you in your inner selves (16)
·      I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith (17)
·      I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth (18)
·      I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge (19)
 
Both verses 18 and 19 put the responsibility onto the hearer of the letters (in those days)…. Or hearer or reader in current times.
 
How do we grasp the love of Christ and know it beyond knowledge?
 
If we are to grasp its width and length, its height and depth, how are we to do that beyond knowledge?
 
It’s similar to having “peace that passes all understanding”, right?! We are somehow able to have these things that are beyond measurement and capability. How does that even work? It goes back to grace. God’s grace, which is ongoing for us, throughout our entire lives and faith journeys. We don’t stop growing or learning.
 
And because of that, we can continue to learn about Christ’s love, how we are to love, and what that all means.
 
We can look to Christ to see his love. Christ modeled love through humility and compassion for others. We know he took on the role of a servant when he washed the disciples’ feet. He cared for those who were sick, had disease. He brought back people from the dead. He defended the poor, the widow, the orphan. Jesus showed love in many situations.
 
Jesus set the example but also left us with words when he shared the greatest commandments…to love the Lord God and to love neighbor as ourself, as found in Matthew 22:37-40: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
1 John 4:8 reminds us that God is love. 1 John 4:9 goes on to say this: ⁹ This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him.
1 John 4:16 says: ¹⁶ We have known and have believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who remain in love remain in God and God remains in them.
If we are to “know the love of Christ” as Paul is praying to the Father here in Ephesians, then we will seek to better understand how Christ loved, who Christ loved, and how we can love as Christ loved. We will seek to love God and others as ourselves. We won’t always get it right, because we aren’t Christ. But grace abounds and we can keep trying.
The love and power of Christ is within us and as we continue to allow Christ to work in us and through us, growing us on our spiritual path, we will “know the love of Christ” .
Paul ends this passage with these words, a fitting ending for us today, as we recognize that God is able to do more within us than we can ask or imagine: “²⁰ Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us; ²¹ glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen.”

Rev. Deb

BOOK REVIEW: Looking Inward, Living Outward: The Spiritual Practices of Social Transformation by Daniel Wolpert

 

I have written about this book before on my blog: Looking Inward, Living Outward: The Spiritual Practice of Social Transformation (July 10)

I finished reading it a few days ago and I started writing a book review. I had promised a friend and colleague a book review for the national newsletter. So, I wrote it. It took two days to complete it, but I sent it off yesterday. It will be shared in an upcoming edition of a Hearts on Fire newsletter, but I thought I'd share it here for those who might be interested in the book.

I invite and encourage you to check it out. If you're interested in discussing the book, let me know. I'm still "chewing on it" in reflection.

Here is my review: 

"I sit in silent reflection as I just closed the back cover of this book. There is so much in these pages that resonates with me, to soak in, to live out. This book is an easy read, yet challenging. Just as the spiritual practices mentioned are simple, yet not easy, as the author admits readily in several places throughout the book.

Wolpert takes us into spiritual practices that lead to social transformation by looking at what Jesus said rather than what we have attempted to say that Jesus said over the years. By not listening deeply to God incarnate, we have perpetuated social injustice, a view of a heavenly only kingdom and other things that aren’t in the teachings of Jesus.

If the reader is willing to read this book with an open mind, there is much to see and learn. How do we start to attend to God’s presence? How can we listen in prayer rather than speak unnecessary words? How can we live in the here and now, in this kin-dom on earth, as we are called to do in the Lord’s Prayer?

These are some of the questions swirling around as I finish the book.

Format of the book: at the beginning of each chapter is a scriptural passage that relates to the practice in that chapter. The twelve practices are: willful attention, boundary creation, fearless humility, self-awareness, powerful presence, compassionate relationship, serving God, radical trust, letting go, discernment, loving your enemy, and prayer.

For me, this is a book that deserves at least a 2^nd read, and likely a 3^rd one. It will take time for the concepts, nuggets of truth, and practices to seep into my thinking and action. It’s a book that I would recommend using as a group study or a book club, as a way to discuss it with others.

If I were to include only one quote from the book, I think it would be this one: “One of the main reasons people find spiritual practices challenging is that it is hard and painful to encounter our own judgmentalism.”  (67)  I encourage anyone who desires to grow, to take the challenge of this book to look inward and to live outward. It will not be an easy process, but it will be transformational, if you allow it to be."

Rev. Deb

LINKS:

PODCAST EPISODE FOR THE BOOK: Liminal Living S3 E20: Daniel Wolpert: Looking Inward, Living Outward

Daniel Wolpert, author bio-- From the Upper Room