Understand before being understood

Sometimes my head is floating so much in abstract thoughts, theories, and arguments -logically mostly : ), that I get a bit lost in there.  It is easy for me (a girl) to get lost in thinking about guys.  Not the 6th grade obsessing but from a programming and ministry viewpoint it is easy to see that within the church there are many more women/girls than men/boys.  I have read several books about working with guys from a psychological and sociological standpoint and have had countless conversations with my guy friends about how guys think... and honestly... I'm still a bit lost.

I read this interesting article the other day from Youthworker.com about a book (Why Men Hate Going to  Church) citing arguments I have heard before but applied to modern(ish) traditional church programming that I grew up in and have been a part of from sunday school to youth groups and christmas plays.

My solution to this issue has been to try and wrangle my guy friends in to participating and being intentional about trying to incorporate things the boys I work with enjoy.  Young guys need good guy role models right?  

Sometimes I feel like this is the best I can do.  Be aware that I'm not a guy and therefore sometimes I eschew my program in a way that lifts up natural (?) talents of girls and puts down the rowdiness of the boys and try to brings guys in to help balance that.

Isn't that what diversity is really about though?  And why it is important for our leaders to grasp it?  Working with people that are different than myself - in gender, age, race, economic status, family make-up, etc. ect.  can prove to be more difficult - often they think differently and therefore challenge or just don't agree with my thoughts.  Yet Jesus doesn't call me to just go out and serve those who are like me.  In order to really build relationships and truly love (the cornerstone of the faith in every window you look through - law, social justice, scripture) I desperately need to seek to understand those I have the opportunity to (and those I'm trying to connect to) and reach through my understanding instead of just leading how I think it should be done.

A little bit more complicated than just hanging out and having pizza at youth group - but not.  Food unites us, and games can unite us (competition, tag games... so many rabbit trails there), but to me it comes back to being intentional about reaching everyone in the room and learning my own personal biases.

Just some simple ramblings...

Peace,
Erin

Seminary is kicking my butt!

Hi friends.
I miss you.
Sorry I've been gone.
Not fishing...
READING.

It's so good, but it's soooo much all at the same time.  And balancing with work has taken some delicate footwork.  I think I'm good now.  This has been the first week I have felt like I am almost close to up to date on my reading.  Sigh.

So what, you may ask, do I get the pleasure to be reading??  Glad you asked.  Cuz I'm not bad about taking about it.

In New Testament, my latest "AH!" moment was when reading the commentary/text the author highlighted how Luke really portrays Jesus as a prophet.  In a major way.  Always connecting him with fulfilling scripture, doing good works, and living out his life as a model prophet.  Up through his death.  (The other gospel writers also show that Jesus was a prophet, but focus also on the "Messiah" part).  Then comes this big one - Luke (or the author of Luke) doesn't ever make mention of atonement.  What?  REALLY?  No.  He points to the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross as another reason to repent, and then God will grant us salvation.  Shook my world.  Still processing... but liking this path...

VFCL - talking about calling.  This week we talked about the charismatic and social justice streams that flow through us as Christians.  I typically do not identify with charismatic traditions... pushing them away as "evangelical" and a bit too much for me.  Yet I am a charismatic person!!  Kinda.  :)  The more I study this spirit filled stream the more I wonder how much I drawn to it...

Then there is social justice.  Ah.  So ME.  I won't go into it today.  But got to read Dorothy Day and Martin Luther King, Jr.  for class!  Not just for fun!

Then there is Bible Content.  Read the bible Erin.  Just do it.  Come on.  Sigh.  I need to get better about this.  Morning and night.  Getting on this.

SO - happy and CRAZY... but good.
Hoping to find my way back here.  It's a spiritual practice for me - blogging.  Can be great.

Peace and love,
your sister in Christ~Erin

Always learning, always growing, always challenged

Oh summer camp, how you consume my life for months and allow me to both be myself and stretch me in every way possible!  Oh God how you have given me this incredible blessing of summer camp, yet challenge me to never be still and comfortable!  Anyway - I'm hoping to share more here again on a regular basis now that it's almost September. 

Yet, I am turning to a new chapter in my life as well.  Since last January when I began working full time at camp, I have fully settled in here and LOVE my job.  This summer I had the opportunity to work with an amazing group of young people on staff and support them/challenge them/and see them grow.  I loved every minute of it (even if I didn't think so at the time) and I only hope that God continues to bless our camps and myself with many more years of summer camp!

However, now I will attempt work at camp (full time) with seminary (part time, and as much online as possible).  Yes friends.  I am starting.  Who knows how long it will take me to finish this way - but I love my job in ministry here and I don't want to quit to go to school to do what I'm already doing here!!!  I feel called to serve.  I have a heart for the church, yes I know that she has her flaws - but that's mostly because the church just like the world is full of people, and we are all flawed!  We hold grudges, we like our routines, we struggle with change, we judge each other, and we fail to reach out.  But I still love the church.  (And people in general).  Even after lots of reflection, I honestly don't think that my love of people solely rests upon my intense optimism, it rests upon my Lord and God.  It hasn't always been there.  Many people in my life have hurt me and I have been wounded in ways that don't tend to heal easily.  Yet behold the amazing power and love of God!  He can fill us all with his love for creation and his people.  There are so many others out there still hurting and struggling to simply provide for their families and live life.  Church - lets go to them and help!  In every way possible - from sharing our food to sharing our hearts and welcoming others into our places and spaces, making a home together. 

Never easy, this I know.  But church, I'm not backing down.  I love camp - but I love camp not just for the obvious beauty, but for the fact that camp is such an amazing place to embrace the wounded and nurture them until they are ready to go back out and into the world.  We all need to go.  Jesus makes that clear - "go out and make disciples".  No matter how much we love our churches, our families, and yes even camp - we need to go out into the world and share the love and light of God. 

So I'm going out to seminary.  To learn more to in turn teach more.  I'm ridiculously nervous about it and excited all at the same time.  A deacon.  Sigh.  Someday.  That is my calling, to the best of my understanding.  A deacon working at camp.  ?  Or at least a deacon working in the world. 

Prayers for the world,
prayers for our leaders,
prayers for new students.
Peace,
your sister in Christ ~Erin

What does it look like to follow Jesus?

So my mind has been digesting the scripture from last Sunday for a few days... in the lectionary it was Good Shepard Sunday.  Beautiful imagery of Jesus chilling out in a nice grove of woods with a bunch of sheep.  New testament lesson John 10:1-10.  I am the shepard, I am the gate.

I struggle a lot with this verse.  It rubs me the wrong way.  Did Jesus really say that?  "The only way to the father is through me."  Are my devout, loving, Jewish/Hindu/Muslim friends deceived?

That's the hard question here.

If you read the scripture literally - yes.

But I love this line from Barbara Streisand's movie "Yentel". - "Why would God have given me a mind, if not to ask the question WHY?"  (and am incredibly excited for the opportunity to go to seminary to explore the question why - even if I only encounter more questions...) 

So a friend gently reminded me to look further into the verse.  Written by John... sounds a little more like Mark, and written approximately 70 years after Jesus was crucified.  So I'm pretty sure that John wasn't there taking notes.  Past down information from others through generations (image of a game of telephone here) can still keep the general theme of message, or turn it into something completely different.  I do firmly believe that everyone involved with the passing down of church tradition, stories, and the writing of holy scripture did their absolute best - yet they are still human and imperfect.
 Now I have read 2 Timothy 3:16 - "All scripture is God breathed."  But my mind implores me to go further and not just take that as it is.  (I recognize that I often get criticized for over-thinking.... but this is how my mind works and I take it as a blessing)  Paul wrote this in a letter to Timothy - encouraging him and reminding him about the holy texts that he had been practically raised reading.  I don't believe Paul had any intention of his letters (to Timothy or other believers) becoming HOLY SCRIPTURE.  Yet we base a lot of our daily christian lives on what Paul says... dare I say instead of what the gospels say Jesus said?

Yet this argument is circular (sorry) did Jesus really say that?  What do I do with scripture that seems to be out of character for the God that I am trying to get to know?  I am not trying to make God into what I want God to be.  That's not fair... but way to easy.  It's like becoming infatuated with a person that you only meet a few times and have little contact with, when you don't have that regular contact to get to know them, it's so much easier for them to be perfect in your eyes.  You make them into whatever you want.

I wish I knew Jesus.  What he liked to eat... How his face looked when we was annoyed, tired, incandescently happy... From the scriptures I get the general idea of the things he taught, but I can't wait for the day I can sit and talk to him myself.  Why, oh great God of the Universe, would you (or would you?) deny those who love you, worship you, and serve you - just because they don't believe you came down to earth to die for their sins?  Do you really know what I will choose - therefore not really having a choice anyway?  DO you adapt to my choices, making you not eternal (outside of time/always the same)?  How can you be both just and merciful?  Is hell real?  How do you bear the pain of any part of your creation hating and rejecting you?  At the end of our earthy lives will we have any other chance to accept your love?  How long will you love us?  Even if we never return it?

I love the scripture, and I think it's good to question it and learn more about it.  I don't need to know all the answers - but I NEED to ask the questions.  As instructed by Micah I will attempt to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with my God.  As as instructed by Jesus I will attempt to love God and love my neighbor as myself.  Yearning to have the fruit of the spirit - (yes I even learn from Paul) Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and self-control.  This is the best I know how to follow Jesus.  I do believe Jesus came and lived and loved, so much so that he sacrificed himself for me. 

But as God - in infinite wisdom and power and mercy - can you accept another way?

Peace,
your sister in Christ~Erin

Hard Truths

In our religious traditions we believe in certain truths.  Some of these concepts come from the bible, others from tradition, still others are based in what we dub as "theology".  Which, as I understand it, is our human understanding of scripture.  Theology differs among denominations, obviously religions, but even more often - individuals.  Here are some basic truths, do you agree? 

God created the heavens and the earth. 
God loves all of his creation. 
Jesus lived and taught how God desires us to live out our lives.  Prophets try to share God's love and warnings to people. 

Would you agree with me that these are generally accepted truths among Christians?  What about some of the less "warm and fuzzy" beliefs. 

God desires a relationship with his beloved children, but can not be in relationship with anyone who sins. 
God hates sin. 
Jesus died to fulfill our (mine and yours) debt to God, for we are sinners and deserve to die as he did. 
Because of Jesus's sacrifice, God offers us his grace which we must accept to gain eternal life. 
For those who do not accept God's grace through believing in Jesus, they will not gain eternal life - they will spend eternity in hell. 
This includes those who have never heard the message of the gospel. 

Now here is where it gets interesting.  Those who say "it does not effect me" are wrong.  Even if you are a believer in Christ, I am sure that you know of others who aren't.  We are also called by Jesus to go out and spread the good news to those who have not heard.  Our compassionate hearts ask, can our God of Love really condem to Hell those who have died as infants?  Or those who have never heard the gospel? 

Well... the bible is pretty clear - there is no other way to the father except through me (Jesus).  John 14:6  However many theologians believe (and teach) that there is a certain age we must reach before God expects us to make that decision.  Or all children that are baptized are accepted by God.  So what do we believe? 

I do have to admit - I don't know.  Now I'm not trying to ignore this issue because it is important.  It is easy to say, well God is a God of mystery and I am not capable of understanding his ways.  But how would my actions change if I really truly believed that all nonbelievers went to hell?  Would I try harder to evangelize?

There is a new book out entitled "Love Wins" by Rob Bell.  It presents this very issue.  Today among my generation we have a difficult time accepting a God so willing to condemn those we know are good and love so much.  We are in a culture of acceptance - but is our God?  Are we simply trying to soften the gospel? Do we really believe that we need to accept Christ into our life?  Will everyone go to heaven? 

A couple years ago I read another book on this subject entitled "If God is Love".  The authors point was that if God is truly a God of Love then he would accept all of his children into heaven no matter what.  Interesting theological point.  In many ways I love the idea, but it's not what I have been taught by my faith tradition or in the bible.  It is very dangerous to make God into what we would like God to be... instead of accepting God and following the path laid out for us.  I learned that the view of God accepting all people to heaven is called Universalism.  One can also be an exclusivist, or on the other side believe in inclusivism (that God saves through Christ but includes others on the basis of what work, and that inclusion is based on response to truth) and accessibilism (that God somehow reveals his saving truth to all humans who have ever lived, and has done so at least one time in the life of each person, and judges on that basis but salvation is only through Christ).  Taken from Scott McKight and his great conversation about Rob Bell's new book. 

I enjoyed reading C.S. Lewis's Narnia series.  In "The Final Battle" there is a beautiful description of a sort of heaven.  Some who were there didn't realize it - they were still in the dark, but still there.  One was of a different faith and baffled to be there, but chosen by God and loved.  Does it cheapen our grace if others who are not like us are "allowed" in?  Doesn't Jesus teach us not to worry about it in the parable of the Vineyard owner (paying all his workers the same no matter how long they worked?)  Matthew 20:1-16 

So here is the rock and the hard place.  Will we know for sure who gets into heaven or how?  If we truly believe the only answer is Jesus, how does that change our actions? 

Praying for direction,
your sister in Christ~ Erin Michelle 

Perspective

Whenever I start to feel... down/off/sad/frustrated/etc.  I try to regain some perspective.  This is my favorite prayer - (the whole thing)

God,
grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time,
accepting hardships as the way to peace,
taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;
trusting that he will make all things right
if I surrender to his will.

That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with him forever in the rest.
Amen.
- Reinhold Niegbuhr

I absolutely love being in Westfield, WI.  Close to my grandparents and so much history of my family.  I love living in my little cabin in the woods, 100 feet from a beautiful lake.  It's a dream world.  I get to serve people and teach people, and work with kids.  Yet there is always a but.  I miss my friends.  I get lonely.  But I have been blessed and I will trust and have faith.  I was not created to be alone.  Somewhere out there, is a match for me, god willing I will find him sooner rather than later. 

I had a wonderful moment today that brightened my day with a friend who is far away.  Best of luck with that pomegranite tree, dance lots, and think of me - chilling in my hammock by the lake. 

Peace,
your sister in Christ~
Erin 

Change the World

The United Methodist Church is sponsoring a day of volunteering around the globe.  Awesome!  This is the second year of this project and I'm excited about it. 

Get involved locally. 
Improve health globally.
Change the World. 

That's something I'm proud of coming out of our church.  :) 
The idea of the event is to challenge local congregations to partner with other groups in town and do some volunteer or service work.  If you would like to, they also encourage you to raise money for Imagine No Malaria.  (Related to Nothing But Nets - but do more than prevention - treatment, education, etc)

There are a lot of humanitarian organizations out there.  Some I agree with, some I am alittle leary of.  I do however appreciate the church (my church) getting out and doing something.  Not that they don't, there are many amazing programs happening on the local/conference/jurisdictional/etc level.  Prison ministries, homeless ministries, etc, but this is uniting, simple, and easy. 

That weekend my home church is coming to camp for a retreat.  Perhaps I'll talk them into a project somewhere.... :) 

What will you DO to change the world? 
Peace,
your sister in Christ~Erin

Grayscale

What a world we live in.  Or so we often say. 
Simple
Complicated
Connected
Lonley
Beautiful
Impoverished
Diverse
Unjust

We look at the big picture. 

And we see our own little problems, getting the fridge fixed, finding time to get the dishes done, making a grocery list.  And our own little things vary greatly based on where we live in the world, our economic status, our family status... etc. 

It's not an easy concept, and one can easily get lost in contemplating the world and your place in it.  So often we focus on what we can.  Providing for our families, giving to groups when they ask and we can, trying to better ourselves with education and saving.  Thinking about (in detail, not cliche) what is happening to others around the world is not generally one of those warm fuzzy things for most of us here in the US.  Because we are on the extreme high end of the world (even those of us who are poor!). 

The "heavy" issues of human rights, religion, politics, even basic right and wrong - not your typical best conversation starters, but to me they are incredibly important. 

Yet the only thing I know, is that I don't know enough.  My highest spiritual gift is Servanthood.  (those of you who know me are shaking your head in understanding)  God has gifted me with the desire to make others lives easier and just a little brighter.  I'm torn on where and even often why. 

There is no "right" answer.  There are loving caring moral people who are on both sides of the Wisconsin budget issue.  There are loving caring people moral on both sides of the abortion issue.  There are loving caring moral people fighting poverty and homelessness and ignoring it. 

Do I love talking about these issues... YES.  I do.  Others don't.  (Sorry friends).  I also love learning more about... well everything.  And you learn more from those who think different and even disagree with you than those who think just like you.  But at the same time we must always remember to love.  To honestly listen, respect, and care about the individuals on the other side of the issue from you.  To think of them as part of the same human family that you belong to and not as your enemy. 

I know being open and loving to people you disagree with is difficult.  But it is a widely accepted way of life (or endorsed more than lived) by millions around the world of many cultures and religions.  What kills me is that we don't LIVE it.  WHY???  Why do we insist on hurting each other?  With words, with weapons, manipulating relationships... over and over again we deliberately cause others pain.     

But it's not black and white.  Nothing is.  It's all grayscale.  Only when we can really begin to show true love can we begin to see the color beyond the gray. 

One person at a time.  Me first.  (Thanks Ghandi)  Then hopefully others (that's you).  Someday the world.  

Wishing you peace and love,
your sister in Christ~Erin

Relating

So a friend of mine got me started on The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker a few weeks ago... LOVE it!  The first couple chapters I thought were really weird and I wasn't sure that I was going to get into these books, but I recommend them to anyone who likes a good (somewhat crazy) story.

Thomas Hunter, the main character, falls asleep in the present day world and wakes up in another reality.  A world where the people are completely focused on the Great Romance and their creator - Elyon.  It's a little ... sci-fi ish... but the metaphors and allegory come clear as you work through the books.

Such vivid emotions and descriptions of love, something easily relateable in a story.  Love, loss, war, good, evil these are concepts that are at the core of most of our stories from the evening sitcom line-ups to classics from Shakespeare, Jane Austin, or even Stephen King.  These are the basic concepts we understand our human lives in.

But do we allow such emotion in our religions?  Do I allow myself to have such a deep relationship with my creator?  Well... it's much more difficult.

Yet this book seems to carefully prod the reader - don't you want to have something this meaningful?  It's easy to watch a movie or a TV series and find a situation you relate to, or wish you related to.  Yet, religion can so easily fall away from something that centers around those concepts of love, good, and evil.  It's easy to talk about, academically speaking, but do we really FEEL love in our relationship to God?  Do I?

Sometimes, yes.  Sometimes, no.  So what else do I focus on and is that really worthy of my time and energy?
Great books, great concepts, great way to approach the story of the gospel in a new way.  Thanks Ted Dekker. 

God Bless you and yours,
Your sister in Christ~Erin  

No more is the Land of Limbo!

I have been in the Land of Limbo for the majority of the last fall through January.  Sigh... not a comfortable and relaxing place to be!! 

But as do all good things, the time has come when more exciting and permanent things have come about!  I am now the Camp Assistant for the United Methodist Camps of Wisconsin.  I work back and forth at both Lake Lucerne and Pine Lake, while I am living on site at Pine Lake.  I assist with whatever is needed from taking care of animals, nature programming, helping with summer programming, typical office work, serving food/dishes, and hosting groups. 

In a lot of ways I can see myself here for a while.  (crossing my fingers!) 

So seminary, - I have still begun my ordination process and am planning on attending seminary and following my calling as a deacon.  Therefore I will begin school part time next fall as I maintain my full time job here.  Hopefully I will be able to do many of my classes online!  I am also looking at the possibility of taking the train down from Portage to Chicago when necessary.

Just some life details.  I love being at camp and getting to meet all sorts of wonderful people from all over the state.  It's also very relieving to have a "real" job again and be able to pay the bills.  I am still learning to put my trust in God, in good times and in Limbo Land.

God Bless you and yours,
your sister in Christ~Erin  

Rabbit Trails

I love the little things that color the world.  Little changes, unexpected, that draw your attention for maybe just a minute or a week... Rabbit Trails we call them sometimes (at staff meetings) and I am fully distracted by them!  All these little things, from blog posts to a radio bit, a comment from someone, a new book, just add a pop of color I didn't expect for my day.  It's fun. 

I know, I'm young.  I don't really know much.  Many days I feel starved for information, yet today- it's not hard to get.  (good sources a little trickery.. )  I can study Bonheoffer online, or contemplate how cool it would be if I could get birds to eat from my hand.  Yes, I know I'm alittle scattered, but it makes sense in my head - and God gave me this crazy head, so I've decided to embrace the way I think. 

Being young and not knowing nearly enough to really have my opinions... (ha - that doesn't stop me) I consistently attempt to listen first and speak later.  Difficult for me, I know.  But I also remind people that as I learn and grow my opinions and ideas will change.  Please have patience for me... and the rest of the human race. 

I just started reading an interesting book called "Black" - by Ted Dekker.  It took a while for me to get into it, but I loved it and am onto "Red"  the next book of the series.  There are great images of a loving God and a people fully in love with their creator.  Spending the better part of each day worshiping or preparing to worship.  The immense love felt by the characters is so touching. 

It's so much easier for me just to contemplate the ideology behind universalism and debate if it is "cheap grace" or not, than for me to really let my guard down and be wholely in love with the God who created me. 

So much easier to put down a book full of, in my head, rediculous oversimplistic claims of conservative evangelist Christianity and go volunteer at a local church and feel good about my social justice - than to really studying personally (not academically) the words of my God. 

Eh?  I dont' understand myself most days... but I'm glad I read.  Blogs, books, billboards... really it all adds fun color and random thoughts to each day helping me enjoy what has been created for me. 

Peace,
your sister in Christ~Erin

Overwhelmed to the point of apathy?

So many thoughts in my head.  Sometimes it is easy to write on a topic I am passionate about - I like to ramble.  But lately the words have just not been there.  My life was full of waiting, reading, caring for others, and learning to be patient and trust God to open doors for me. 

Today I am overwhelmed with thought.  (The internet will do that to you.)  I had a chance today to check out what I have been missing on some of my favorite blogs.  Oye vey.  All kinds of things to think about, no easy answers, some things I have strong opinions on - yet all too often I just don't know. 

Topics range from how to engage the church in meaningful relationships (marketing won't do it for you), living up to your principles, protesting for the rights(?) of Wisconsin public employees, the role of educators in parenting (due to lack of?), appropriateness in the media for young people... so many topics... so many thoughts.. no clear answers. 

So what?  One of my biggest pet peeves - apathy.  So there are all kinds of things going on in this world that are interesting or that in some ways I care about, but I am not going to add my voice.  AHH!!  Why not??  Too busy?  It's just not that important?  It's our world people - care!  Please... care. 

Yet I find myself in the same trap today.  So many interesting topics, topics I normally care about toay I am overwhelmed by.  I could just go back to the simple and easy aspect of my work - meanial tasks that have to get done, so I might as well do them.  Or contemplate how to ... well... how to share the message of Jesus with those who visit the camps I have the opportunity to serve.  Oye vey. 

As an oral communicator my favorite way to contemplate these things is intentional dialouge.  Face to face communication shows respect to one another - your ideas and your time matter to me.  That's what a good conversation says (to me.)  Yet, we are very entangled in the tasks.  And I'm not sure yet where my place is to ask or attempt to answer these questions.  They are important to me - how do we share the gospel?  How do we live out our faith here as disciples of Christ?  How do I live out my faith through the United Methodist Church?  How do I help lead others to do the same?  On my own?  Oye vey. 

I know that we are all blest with different spiritual gifts.  One way these present themselves is through personalities (a topic I very much enjoy!).  I know that I'm a dreamer, a very "green" person who likes to contemplate the big picture and what could be.  I'm not very task oriented.  My to-do lists are everywhere and more often ambigious than check lists, yet they are my attempt to organize and work on details.  But when we are so overwhelmed by our own individual lists/tasks/dreams - how do we fit together? 

Today, do I care?  Sigh.  I don't know. 

I ran across one shining white light in my blog reading today - one of my favorite concepts.  Namaste.  Ah... "The divinity in me percieves and adores the divinity in you." (is my favorite interpretation)  Even if I don't know you, even if I don't get what I want from you, even if I love you - it is because the Holy Spirit in me (striving to purify me and make me more holy) recognizes the Holy Spirit within you and I will treat you as such.  Someone wonderfully and beautifully made in the image of God. 

At least that's one area I can focus on for the day.  Amen. 

Songs of Christmas Past

Hello friends!  Christmas consumes all life!

I do very much miss easy internet access.  Sigh.  But there are other wonderful things in life.  Like Christmas!

So my pastor, knowing how much I love worship, asked me to put together the service for Sunday seeing that she is doing everything for all the Christmas eve services.  YES!  I miss putting services together...

So we are doing a history of christmas carols thing, and I think it will be awesome!  I got a bunch of instrumentalists (go instrumentalists!!!) to play the carols while someone is going to read a short paragraph I put together and then we all sing the first verse.  6 carols, lots of fun.

I just love Christmas, but interestingly enough I recently learned some people really do not.  I love the lights, the smells, the smiles, the decorations, and the SOUNDS!  So happy, filled with love.  But is it over commercialized and not really about Christ's birth?  Well... this is going to sound bad - but who cares?

I take the side of the sergeant in Guy's and Dolls when she finds out the reason all the gamblers are at the prayer meeting is that they lost a bet.  Isn't it wonderful that God can use anything to bring people the message of salvation?  We don't control when people are ready to hear the word - like the parable of the sower, we can't help it if people aren't ready to grow.  But I am grateful that this beautiful and wonderful season gives people the opportunity to (I know it doesn't happen in every household) hear the story of God coming to earth.  What they think of it I can't say.

All I know is that this time of year, more than any other, people are kinder to one another and I'm grateful.  Yes, I would love for that to continue throughout the year, but I'll take what I can get and keep on loving people.  I can only control myself and through the grace of God I will do my best.

I pray that you and your loved ones have a very happy and warm Christmas.  God Bless!

Your sister in Christ~Erin

So this is what I've gathered from 2 Kings...

Jehoram ruled for 8 years - did evil in the eyes of the Lord, son Ahaziah
Ahaziah ruled for 1 year and was killed by Jehu, son Joash (was hidden when Jehu killed Ahaziah's family)
Joash started ruling when he was 7, ruled for 40 years, son Amaziah
Amaziah ruled for 25 years, son Azariah
Azariah (or Uzziah- called both) ruled for 54 years, Jotham 
Jotham - good king, ruled

**here is where I get confused, in Matthew it goes straight from Jehoram to Uzziah - but there are 3 generations in between!

Ahaz - ruled for 16 years, did evil in the eyes of the Lord, believed in human sacrifice - even sacrificed his son! son Hezekiah
Hezekiah - really great king!  Successful at everything he did (lots of battles), son Manasseh
Manasseh - ruled for 55 years, did evil in the eyes of the Lord, son Amon
Amon  - ruled for 2 years, did evil in the eyes of the Lord, was assassinated by his officials, son Josiah
Josiah - was 8 when he became King, ruled for 31 years, good king, renewed covenant with the Lord!

There is lots of history here, years of stories, not just battles and changing of political lines, but they aren't written in the bible.  At the summary of each king it states - aren't all the deeds, good and bad, done by this king written in the history books?

What stories of honor and inspiration have we lost?  They were important enough for Matthew to list, our history is important.  That's why we have tradition, to remember the past.  The good and the bad, to learn and to be inspired along our path.

Role models, saints, hero's... we all have them.  Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Dietrich Bonhoeffer... all people I admire and have learned from.  Who are some important people for you?

In peace,
your sister in Christ~Erin

Extra, extra, read all about it! Politics and Punishment!

More history...


Rhoboam - was suppose to become King after his father Solomon, however when the working class came to him and asked for less work he refused and said he would make them work harder!  (bad politics) and they overthrew him.  it is said then that all of Isreal will reject the house of David... (forshadowing!)  
But because Jeroboam (the leader) who became King strayed from God and built temples for other God's and the like, God killed his son and made Rhoboam king again.  
***This is when Israel splits in 2, the northern half Israel and the southern half Judah.  Jeroboam continues to be the King, but of Israel while Rhoboam is the King of Judah, and he reigned for 17 years. (but was always at war with Jeroboam) 
Abijad - Ruled Judah after his father, did the same sins as his father, only reigned for 3 years, lots of war with Jerobaom.  : ( 
Asa - took over after his fathers short rule.  Ruled a long time!  Worshiped God and didn't put up with pagan worshipers (even outted his grandmother!)  Hurrah a good king!  During his reign there was war with Israel.  
Jehoshaphat -  good King, followed God, was a peace with Israel! reigned for a good 20 some years 
Jehoram - he married a girl from the royal house of Israel (who weren't following God laws well) only reigned for 8 years and didn't follow God (did evil in the eyes of the Lord) 
Azziah (Uzziah? Ahaziah?)same? - (says the book of Kings... ) ruled after his father, but again did evil in the eyes of the Lord.  Got along with Ahab King of Israel (they were family), but God spoke to a man named Jehu and he killed both the kings and their entire families!  
After some rocky years with Jehu leading, Ahaziah sister got away and hid her son Joash- who began his reign at age 7.  Both Israel and Judah (I think... 2 Kings 12) - But in the 27 year of his reign Jehu's son became King of Isreal.  


So lots of bad kings, corrupt officials I guess, doing what they please instead of God.  Which in turn lead to the splitting of the country into Israel and Judah and everyone kinda getting looser on their morals.  God spoke through Elijah and Elisha at this time, but the kings didn't really care.  


Thoughts and questions to take away:  fascinating stories by humans that are relevant today, how were they relevant to Jesus?  Why are their names remembered and listed in the first chapter of the gospel?  What can we learn from them?  


More soon!  


God Bless, 
stay warm!!  
~your sister in Christ, Erin

More crazy ancestors!

Back to the first chapter of Matthew to learn more about the crazy of stories of Jesus's ancestors.

Perez and Zerah - twins sons of Judah (4th son of Jacob) and Tamar (his daughter in law), when they were born Zerah put his hand out first but then pulled it back in and his brother came out.  Zerah is therefore the oldest... moved to Egypt with their father Judah, uncles, etc. (over 70 - people in all) to be with Joseph and lived there until they died.  Both had clans named after them (the Hezronite clan and the Perezite clan) caounted in the census as part of the clans of Judah 76,500 men the largest clan at the Plain of Moab before the Israelites entered the promised land.
Hezron - son of Perez, must have lived in Egypt, a part of the growing Israelite population soon to terrify the Egyptians.  Out of fear the Egyptians organized the Israelites into work groups to control them, a pharaoh even ordered midwives to kill boy babies during childbirth or drown them : (
Ram - ?
Amminadab - only reference I could find was as father as Nahshon
Nahshon - chosen to help Moses and Aaron register every man in the tribe of Judah for the census help in the wilderness of Sinai, a military leader as well (Numbers Chapter 1.7)  The tribe of Judah was the largest tribe at 74,600 men of the 603,550 total warriors.
Salmon and Rahab - Rahab, another woman! and referred to as a harlot..., lived in Jericho before the Israelites arrived, and when they approached the country was in an uproar.  Two scouts came to her house and she hid them with the promise that when the Israelites took over her family would not be harmed.  (Joshua 2)  After Joshua and his army took the city, Rahab and her family were the only ones spared, well them and the gold, silver, and bronze.  *personal issue - Joshua's genocide?  hmmm...  : (  The couple would have been part of the clans of Judah that settled in the area described in Joshua 15 from the great sea to the salt sea south of the tongue... etc.  must include in part or whole, Jerusalem
Boaz and Ruth - The beautiful story of Boaz and Ruth is told in the book of Ruth. During the time of the judges a family had left Israel, and the 2 sons took wives from the area they moved too.  Then the husband died.  Then the sons died.  The 3 women were left wondering what to do.  One daughter in law returned to her family, the other, Ruth refused to leave her mother in law and the two went back to Israel.  Ruth was not an Israelite by birth, but accepted it "your God is my god" she said.  In Israel she walked through the fields picking up what had been left behind for the poor and the prominent owner noticed her - Boaz.  (good guy too, he fights for her and everything)
Obed - only mentions him as a baby and as part of the lineage
Jesse - had 7 sons, lived near Bethlehem.  After King Saul lost God's favor, his family was invited to a feast with the priest Samuel (yes the little boy in the temple who heard God calling him).  God told Samuel he would point out the new king.  Jesse left his youngest son David at home with the sheep, but that's the one God wanted.
King David and Uriah's wife - David the same harp playing little boy who defeated the giant Goliath.  Became the next King of Israel.  His best friend was the last king (Saul's) son... put a damper in their friendship when Saul tried to kill him... But an interesting note that Solomon was David's son with Uriah's wife.  Well, David saw Uriah's wife (Bathsheba) bathing on the roof of her home and just had to have her, so he did.  When she became pregnant, David had her husband brought back from war but he wouldn't sleep with her because his men didn't get the privilege either.  Then David had him sent to the front lines where he died, then he took on Bathsheba as another wife.  All to cover up his sin... despite it though he was a great King and musician, he wrote many of the Psalms.  and he had at least 6 other sons (2 Samuel 3:2)... and 11 more including Solomon were born in Jersualem ( 2 Samuel 5:13)
Solomon - became the next King after David, but was not the eldest... actually his older brother held a coronation and everything, but it didn't turn out.  (1 Kings 1) he married the pharaohs daughter and was considered a very wise man.  He ruled Israel and Judah in peace and built The Temple of God in Jerusalem.
*musical reference:  Fiddler on the Roof, If I was a rich man "like Solomon the wise man"

15 (13 if you don't count the women paired with their men) more ancestors explored, 13 more before the Babylonian exile
13 to Mary and Joseph

So much wisdom in these stories that has inspired many for centuries.  Leadership, honor, friendship, commitment, true dedication to God, as well as the mistakes.  Sin.  Failure to put God first.  Greed.  Lust.  Disobedience.  Many lessons to learn we still teach our children today.

It's hard to love God and always put him first, we are often tempted.  Stories like those found connected with these people help us remember and keep God first.  Stories much more than commands perhaps?

In peace and love,
your sister in Christ~Erin

Wisdom

 “It’s gotta be more like falling in love, than something to believe in

More like, losing my heart, than pledging my allegiance”

“Cause all religion ever made of me was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet”

These words are from a popular Christian song by Jason Grey that I have struggled with a bit.  Simply because a song is sung by a Christian artist doesn’t make it true or theologically sound… personally religion has given me some of my greatest role models and hero’s as well as an enormous amount of encouragement and traditions to help me understand my walk. 

God, the creator of the universe, made the human race, to quote Desmond Tutu “The Rainbow People of God”.  Not simply are we different by our physical looks, but through and through.  I have written before on personalities and ways to label them which gives people the tools to understand what makes them who they are. 

For example, my spirituality type is a “prophet” described as someone who has a passion for people and loves to teach.  Other spiritual types are “sage”, “lover”, and “mystic” each with their own interests, passions, and gifts.  Other ways to describe our personalities can be learned from the “True Colors” test, “Learning Styles”, and found in the bible even- “Spiritual Gifts”.  We are truly a rainbow people of God with an array of gifts, talents, interests, passions, and views. 

These differences mean when listening to a story, we can all hear the same words and take away different lessons and meanings.  Our knowledge also plays a huge role as well.  Paul says to the Corinthians “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”  (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). 

In the words of Jesus there are many messages.  There are some for those who are still young in their faith, basic Christian values and ideas.  There are other lessons though for those who have more knowledge (not necessarily more faith) and are more mature in their faith. 

I hope to explore more about who Christ was and is through taking a closer look at his wisdom through his teachings in stories, parables, and sermons. 

Jesus’s heritage:  Matthew Chapter 1

The wisdom of our ancestors.  There are stories here, so many stories.  Typically when given a lineage the male members of the family are mentioned, not the female.  Yet here, Matthew mentions several women, some by name, other’s by association.  These stories are important and Jesus will grow up learning about many of them. 

Abraham – a common man born Abram, but with his faith in God became Abraham the father of Israel. 

Issac – the son we remember from Abraham, however his half brother creates an interesting story.

Jacob – the father of 12 sons, and 1 daughter.  Soon to become the 12 tribes of Israel.  And father of Joseph, soon to become a  Broadway Musical inspiration! 

Judah – the oldest of Jacob’s sons, he had3 sons with his wife Shua, Tamar is his oldest son Er’s wife.  When Er died tradition dictates that the next sons marries that wife and gives her children, but he didn’t (on purpose) and so Tamar waited until the youngest son grew up, but was burned there as well.  So she tricked Judah and had twins from him, she and her two sons are mentioned here.  Quite the story!  (Genesis 38)    

The list and stories associated goes on.  When first read it can be a boring list of names that don’t mean much.  There is a little name dropping – Abraham and King David are some pretty important guys.  That would be like saying my great great great great grandfather was the King of England.  Through association it makes you cool. 

But as we mature and LEARN, we see that these names and their stories have meaning.  We often think that Jesus was just an infant born to a poor couple of little consequence – but with this lineage – it is not so, and his family would want him to know that. 

We are all children of God.  We can all look back to Abraham and his descendents and the Jewish people of Matthew’s audience definitely did.  Many of us today have knowledge of our families roots, yet many do not.  But there is much to learn about the wisdom Jesus was born into through this list of ancestors. 

Always,

Your sister in Christ~Erin

Habits

Habits... sometimes I wonder if it's the Achilles heel of many of us.  I unfortunately am not one of those personality types that is all that good at habits.  This fall with more flex time I had hoped to get some more habits into my schedule, yet... November and still not there as I would like them to be.

Helping a friend with youth group this week the theme was creating habits.  Many of the youth had asked questions about how to read their bible or where to start and other things that really have no specific answer so his response was pick something and create a habit with it.  It doesn't matter so much what you do, but that you do it and regularly.

For a while about a year ago I blogged almost once daily.  It was a great habit.  I felt closer to God and I was learning alot.  Lately I have been struggling to blog once a week - mostly because of internet access, but excuses excuses.  The busier I am I find the better I have habits - they tend to to along with the schedule.

An acronym he found to help the kids went like this:
H - hang time with God
A - accountability with another
B- Bible reading
I - involvement in church
T- tithing
S- Study scripture

All good places to start.  But like anything I think it is better to start with a little bit, a combo that fits you and try to commit to it.  I love devotional books that combine looking up the passage in your own bible and then comment on it.  Works well for me.  Praying with meals is another habit that is great to have.  So many good things it's easy to get overwhelmed and like a popular song out right now religion can become "a stone tied to my feet".

Obedience is important to God.  Too often we make God what WE want God to be... it's easier.  How do we get to know God?  Read the bible.  Daily.  It's hard.  But we sit and watch TV or movies for at least an hour a day, can't we give God a few minutes?

One thing I learned while reading Eat, Pray, Love is that you don't always love a habit when you try to start it, but after a while it can really become wonderful.  The author didn't like the mandatory early morning group meditation and got nothing from it.  But towards the end of her stay in the Indian monastery after taking to another she slowly grew to love the meditation and it became an important habit in her life.

I'm not saying we should all meditate (though I think we could all benifit) but some habits we don't pick up because we like them right away, but because they are good for us.  Later with an open mind we may discover something we never saw in them.

What are your habits?  What helps you keep them?

For me - an accountability partner is vital.

Wishing you the best in your struggles and your blessings.

Your sister in Christ~Erin

Oh Books... how I love you!!!! (dreamy sigh....)

I LOVE to read.  Just in case you didn't know.  LOVE IT!

It's a retreat into another world - wonderful, colorful, and full of all kinds of emotion and adventure.  I just finished reading Eragon, Eldest, and Brigsinger only to find out that their is a fourth book that concludes the story but isn't out yet!!!

I just started The Time Traveler's Wife.  Oh my goodness... (happy sigh...)  fabulous.

I was having a conversation with my grandmother (- who is also a reader) about what it is we love about books.  I love the characters - how you can relate, or not, but exploring who they are as a person and why they choose to do what they do with the situations presented to them.  Grandma loves the plot.  Very different from the characters, the story itself not necessarily who is caught up in it.  Finding that out is wonderful insight to my grandmother and what makes us different.  =)

I love people.  Young people - old people.  People in general.  Thank you God for giving me a love of your people.  I think it's where most of my patience comes from.  At the heart of the matter I do believe people are good, even though many times their actions are bad.  Due to circumstances unknown people make a lot of choices that don't make sense or get frustrated, but when you get to know someone you learn all the wonderful things about them.  Their likes and dislikes, how to encourage them or how to make them angry.  The little things - it's what I love about people and in connection - reading about people.

Often quoted from the bible is the saying "We were created in God's image".  People I get.  God?  Not so easy.  I can't just go over to God's place and hang out, learn the things that make God happy, the way God likes a sandwich or just watch the general day to day life of what makes God - well, God.  I want to know more - and all my questions point me to the bible.  But it's not the same.  It's like reading the diary of your best friend and wanting them to be there telling you about it instead.

Yet I was wonderfully warmed by the beginning of The Time Traveler's Wife.  In a way, I felt like it related to my relationship with God.  Sometimes I feel God's presence.  Sometimes I don't.  Sometimes I feel like I know God is with me and where we are going and other times I am alone and lost.  And often it happens abruptly.  I pray for the strength to keep seeking God.  To read and learn more.  To continue to deepen that relationship.

I love to refer to God as "the lover of my soul".  Most day's I can't imagine how anyone who has really seen my soul and who I am can love me, yet I am loved.  Loved and accepted and encouraged.  I also know love isn't just a feeling, it's a choice.  Many times when I am reading stories of what God has done I don't love God - I hate God.  Sodom and Gomorra?  Even the battle of Jericho?  What about the people who lived in that city?  What about the babies of Bethlehem?  It's complicated I know - sometimes it's about human free will... but sometimes it seems like it's about punishment and vengeance.  I have this love for people - all people, not just Christians, not just "nice" people - but all people.  I think if you get to know someone you can find redeeming qualities and pain that causes things that you don't like.  But we are called to love our neighbors.  Everyone.

Faith, Hope, and Love.  I've seen that if I share love, I can give hope, and eventually help teach faith.  But in that order.  Love someone first.  Not just the people who love you.  Love all of God's children.  and love God - even when it isn't easy.

That doesn't mean not to ask questions.  Niether does it mean in this relationship I will always understand or get my way.  But if God can love me with my flaws, I won't give up on loving God and trying to learn more and continue to seek.

In peace and love,
your sister in Christ~Erin

There is a time... WHEN?

I pride myself in being a very patient person.  Especially when working with others... co-workers, supervisors... children...  I can wait.  Yet I am not patient with myself or God.

Well... I think I could be patient if I knew what was coming.  It's not that hard to be patient and wait for a child who doesn't want to eat their dinner, but I know that I'm going to win this battle.  The broccoli will be eaten and life will go on - even if it takes a half an hour or more.

I pray that God has the same patience with me!  I know that seminary is a part of my path.  I know it's up ahead - but WHEN?  When is the time for this learning process?  Do I, or should I, do it all at one time?  What if I go to school part time?  Is that alright?

I know two things.  1- I have to go to school and get my Master's in Divinity and work towards being ordained as a deacon.  2 - I need to start/continue on my career path in camping.

Now - I believe that one day I can combine these two things into a beautiful plan.  I want to do ministry, serve the world (children, families, young people, widows, orphans, etc.) through a camp.  But when Lord?  WHEN?

Today's devotional for me was from Matthew.  In two words:  Don't worry.  Sigh.  Don't worry about the future, don't worry about food, don't worry about where things will come from.  Have faith and continue to seek God.

Seek God.

Okay.  Big breath.  Seek God.  (pray for me?)
Hey- I know you all get impatient too.  I pray for you, whatever your life stage is right now to also seek God first.

In peace,
 your sister in Christ~Erin

Matthew 6:25-34  Do Not Worry

 ²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[b]? ²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Stories

Isn’t it fascinating how important stories are to us?  Be it a family story handed down over generations or a tale from a friend about their weekend stories are integral to who we are.  Jesus used stories to help us learn and reach more people – parables. 

I love to get caught up in stories.  And a good story can be told and retold – or watched and re-watched!  Tonight I find myself snuggling up under my favorite green wool blanket and memory quilt watching – Ever After.  It has been one of my favorite movies for years, one that guarantees to calm and comfort my soul. 

Calming is what I require tonight – but not for anything bad – I got caught up in another story and want to focus on something else.  I just finished the second book of the Inheritance series – Eldest.  (The book following Eragon).  Ah.  AH.  AHHHHH!!!

The story hasn’t ended and I’m just dying to know what happens next.  I must have read at least 300 pages today.  I just love the struggles, the psychology, and the philosophy entwined throughout the story.  To summarize 2 large (several hundred pages each) books: 

Eragon, a country boy whose life has always been full of hunting and harvesting, finds a unique rock one day on a hunting trip in the mountains.  Several days later the “egg” hatches into a dragon and Eragon is swept up in a momentous, unbelievable, and heroic tale.  Through hardships, vengeance, mentors,  new lessons, and the struggles of coming of age Eragon and his dragon become involved in many adventures which continue to unravel surprises about his past and the Empire.   The 3 races of humans, Elves, and Dwarfs depend on this dragon and her Rider, and good and evil is never as black and white as it may seem. 

The books, as any good fiction, deal with many things we face in life:  injustice and anger, vengeance, honor, limitations, failures, family, good and evil, philosophy, strength, love, friendship, loyalty, and betrayal to name a few.  All wrapped up in a delightful story that makes me laugh, cry, and shriek with surprise. 

Book 2 ends with an understanding of the title and a whole load of new information at once – I am going crazy! 

Through there are some really important themes in the book.  If you want to achieve greatness, then you must take the time to learn from someone with great wisdom, skill, and knowledge.  I want to do great things – but I’m not sure how yet.  I dream of founding a non-profit organization based on helping connect people who have with people who have not to create real relationships.  To do so I have answered God’s calling on my life and am off to seminary.  Yet I struggle with the idea of spending more time not realizing my dreams and calling.  But the importance of learning is bigger.  I can’t do much with limited knowledge.  I only hope that I may work on both school and this organization at the same time. 

However I do love the way the author presents situations in which right and wrong are challenged, and often changed.  To have an open mind in a very difficult task, yet still one of the greatest gifts and child can receive.  We deal with this is life.  How to face an employer honestly, communication or dealing with miscommunication with others, taking care of oneself, etc.  These are also things I teach at camp.  Subjects I love and yet struggle with all at the same time.  

The biggest connection I made with the book is the main characters time in "training".  Taking time out for learning is a large part of many cultures.  That is the next step in my life and I pray that God grants me with an open mind and wisdom as I study his word and how to serve the world through him.  

Proverbs 4

Wisdom Is Supreme

 ¹ Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
       pay attention and gain understanding. ² I give you sound learning,
       so do not forsake my teaching.
 ³ When I was a boy in my father's house,
       still tender, and an only child of my mother,
 ⁴ he taught me and said,
       "Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
       keep my commands and you will live.
 ⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding;
       do not forget my words or swerve from them.
 ⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
       love her, and she will watch over you.
 ⁷ Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
       Though it cost all you have, ^[a] get understanding.
 ⁸ Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
       embrace her, and she will honor you.
 ⁹ She will set a garland of grace on your head
       and present you with a crown of splendor."
 ¹⁰ Listen, my son, accept what I say,
       and the years of your life will be many.


In peace, 
your sister in Christ~Erin

Imagine a world...

Many people tell me I really only about 8 - or act like it many days.  I love to play pretend and color!  Even at work my favorite phrase starts with "Can we... "  I love to rearrange the furniture and change things up to keep it new and fresh.  Color, music, movement, and nothing for too long.  Imagination is a huge part of me.

Yet I am not always stuck in my 8 year old world.  None of us are.  Something makes all of us mature and grow up.  Sometimes we want it... sometimes we don't.  People say the world ages us.  We have all seen pictures of children who seem much older and wiser than their years.  It's the tough situations in life like poverty, hunger, violence, fear, anger, and injustice that age us.

Yet there are many of us who haven't experienced that side of life.  Imagine the college frat boy whose parents pay for college and spends more time partying than studying.  Now imagine the college boy who's father walked out on his pregnant mother before he was born who is working 4 jobs to support himself and his family as he goes through college.  Who is "older"?  Now imagine a 20 something old boy who is in a refugee camp trying to protect his family and get as much education as possible while being displaced and fighting for his daily needs.  Who is "older"?

It's often hard for me to connect to the stories and parables of Jesus.  I wonder what kind of a world he lived in.  Obviously not a world where he grew up going to public school and had his own personal computer to blog his thoughts out to the world and keep up with his friends on facebook.  The stories he tells relates to his life and the lives of the people similar to him.  The broad concepts relate to my life - struggling with money, struggling with sin, not wanting to love my neighbor.  And these are the ways the church and our church leaders teach us today.  Yet their are significant differences.

Social Justice is a concept many "religious" people grab onto and run with or run from.  For some it is what the gospel is all about.  For some it has nothing to do with the gospel and how dare you try to  make it.  I believe social justice is something Jesus was all about.

Love your neighbor.  Not just the one who lives next door or upstairs, but everyone on the planet.  Get to know people who are different than you.  A different race, culture, gender, religion.  Don't judge.  Share your beliefs and your belongings.  Take care of the widows, the orphans, and the sick.  Not just by throwing some money in a plate or towards a charity.  Go out and do it.  It can and may change your life.     That's what Jesus did.  He didn't give all his money to the synagogue  and work towards becoming the next "Nazareth's Carpenter of the Year".  Jesus went out and walked among God's children and told them that first - they were loved.  Second - they needed to follow him.

I read an amazing book (almost in one day!) by Barbara Kingsolver called "The Bean Trees".  It's an amazing story of a young girl whose goal is to get through high school without getting pregnant and make something of herself somewhere far away from home.  She ends up going from Kentucky to Arizona and along the way "inherits" a small child.  Once in Tucson she starts making a life for herself working at a tire repair shop that just also happens to be a safe house for Central American refugees.  In my eyes, it's a story of how Taylor Greer grows up.

My favorite line is during a conversation with a friend who happens to be a refugee from Guatemala who has experienced some awful things in his life.  After hearing his story Taylor says "I hate to say it, but I really don't know.  I can't even being to think about a world where people have to make choices like that."  Her friend replies - "You live in that world."

I live in that world.  We say it all the time, especially faced with something beyond words difficult, I can't imagine... what that would be like, or I can't imagine a world where that happens.

We don't have to imagine it.  It's here.  The question is what do we do about it.  What does our christian faith move in us to do about it?

Give.
Be there.
Go out and love people.

Not just go out and preach to people about how Jesus saves.  I mean, yes Jesus saves.  But if I was a widow walking to the drug store wondering about how I'm going to afford my medication and you handed me a pamphlet about God I might curse at you.  If you walked with me and became my friend, perhaps helped me with my paperwork for healthcare I would say "God Bless You"  and go to church if you invited me.

If I was a poor young adult struggling to find steady work to pay the bills and wondering what is good in this world and you tried to tell me Jesus was good I would ask you if he was hiring.

Meet basic needs.
Preserve human dignity.
Don't do it through a middle man - go out and make a friend.

The best way I know to not get lost in the imaginative world is to experience the real one.  Don't keep yourself in a pretty imaginative world were everyone has what they need.  Go out and live, love, and share the love of God.

In peace,
your sister in Christ~
Erin

Learning the little things

I often get caught contemplating the big questions in life.  What is my calling?  How can I help world poverty and hunger?  How do you put into practice the teachings of God?  Is God really just?  I mean there are a lot of stories in the bible....

But today I was watching two little boys of a friend of mine and we went to the park.  The older one, 4, found an acorn and remembered that earlier I had said that squirrels eat acorns and he said - "For the squirrels?"  The rest of the time he went looking for acorns and digging in the sand.

I was so proud that he made the connection and that today he learned about squirrels and acorns.  It was a big deal in his world and therefore, also in mine.

I struggle with parents who say, I want to let my child decide what to believe when they get old enough.  Well... if we really believe in God and God's love as our salvation - they we should care.  Kids are amazing and they learn so much in a day.  I hope that I can help share my love for God and his love for them to this family as we get to know each other better.

I also struggle with the verse - Only those who come like little children will enter the kingdom of heaven.  Little children don't simply believe what you say, they are inquisitive and get into everything and all over the place - (mentally and literally!)  It makes me have hope that when I have all these big questions, I am like a child trying to understand something much bigger than me.

God Bless you on your struggles and adventures.
Peace
your sister in Christ~Erin

Educating our Kids

There are a lot of interesting things to think about that don't really matter.  Like what makes the sunset mostly red or why we only see the constellation Orion in the winter in this hemisphere.  I mean, they do matter in the grand scheme of the world, but not necessarily in my world.  Or the questions like Is God omnipotent and changeless?  Because if he is then why does he rule differently today then in the old testament?  Not to say that there is a right answer but interesting topics to discuss.  Discuss - not debate.  Talk about in a respectful and loving way.  (Sometimes I have discovered these kinds of topics can lead to hurt feelings or uncomfortableness among some present...sorry! We didn't mean it!)

And then there are the things that matter that I simply rejoice that other people know and take care of that I don't really understand or want to know about.  Like the laws.  I like to vote, but I don't want to be a politician.  I want to elect someone whom I have faith in and be able to say thanks or please don't do that.  Scientific research too!  I don't want to stare at petri dishes trying to find a cure to cancer but I'm really glad someone else does!

There are however things I do care about that do matter.  For one, my faith.  God has touched my life in such an amazing way I want to share it with others.  I can only imagine as a parent how much you would love your child and want to share the wonders of the world with them.  For many parents this includes their faith.  So the question to discuss here is should you, the church, or anyone indoctrinate kids?

I can see both a yes and no answer to this.  There is a common thought today that well... I just let my kids decide when they get old enough.  (falling on the no side)  Yes, faith is a personal decision.  Yes, kids often follow the values of their parents and other role models around them.  If the ideas are shared and presented.  But, we don't let our kids (mostly) decide when their bedtime should be, what is good for them to eat and not, how much TV to watch, what is appropriate to wear or say... the list goes on.  It's just a part of parenting.  We teach kids what is good and right and what is bad and wrong.  So why is faith questioned?

Well... faith or religion?

There is also many who teach kids theology that personally I think goes a little to far.  Yes, Jesus loves them and I agree kids should know that.  But I just watched the documentary Jesus Camp lately and was very distressed at some of the things happening.  I have read about Islamic extremist schools for young boys that teach the west is evil and a threat to peace and happiness and God.

Hitler also educated youth.  With propaganda they believed that still today makes many of us tremble.  So there are extremes to this question.  What do we teach kids about faith and God and the church?

I think that this is a fascinating question.  It came up in a discussion with my sister yesterday.  We were talking about God parents somehow and she mentioned how her and her fiance just touched the subject a while ago and he was not okay with me as a God parent because I am not catholic and they are.  We don't believe the same things.

Well yes and no.  Earlier in the conversation she laughed at me and said "why aren't you catholic?".  We share so many fundamental beliefs about God and faith.  That's why we are all christians!!  Yet we often don't know the truth behind the differences or over emphasis them.

I say teach the kids the truth of the gospel.  Use scripture for references.  And teach them the differences of the major faiths and famous religious people and what they said.  Saint Augustine is one of my favorite people - yes a catholic!  But I still love being a part of the United Methodist Church.  I also love Luther - (just saw the movie LUTHER as well - excellent!)

Bottom line - we all love God and have a very unifying message in his gospel.  Teach that to anyone with ears who will listen.

In peace,
your sister in Christ~Erin