Category Archives: reflection

On an Amazing Day with Purpose…

30 Wednesday Aug 2023

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Hotel Gym View from Treadmill

On my sabbatical adventures, I stayed in a lot of hotels.  When you stay in that many hotels you get used to some rhythms:  finding the ice machine, sussing out the free breakfast, making your way to the gym.  I rarely encountered others at the gym, but when I did, the normal etiquette was usually a nod or a smile, but not really any small talk.  Everyone has their own headphones for music or video, and focuses on their workout in a parallel, but non-communal kind of way.

So, you can imagine my surprise at one hotel when someone broke out of the norm.  I was finishing up my workout and cleaning up my space.  As I grabbed my key to go, the only other woman in the gym turned to me and said, “Have an amazing day with purpose!”  She didn’t say a simple, “Bye!” or even “Have a good day!”  No, she said, “Have an amazing day with purpose!”  I have genuinely never had anyone say that phrase to me, let alone someone in the typically anti-social hotel gym. 

As I left the gym and made my way back to my room, my head was spinning.  Maybe today could be amazing, and not just “good.”  What might God have in store for the day?  But more importantly, what was my purpose that day?  If I was being invited to live the day with intentionality, and not just wait to see what happened to me, what would living that particular (supposedly amazing) day with purpose look like?

As a pastor who has visited the dying and buried the dead, I know all too well that every day is a gift.  I usually start most of my prayers thanking God for the gift of that day.  But I am not sure I usually go a step forward and ask what God wants me to do with that day – what the purpose is for the gift of the day God has given me. 

I do not know what you are facing today, or how you might be struggling today.  But God has gifted you another day today.  And that day has every potential to be amazing, especially depending on what lenses you put on to describe the day.  Your invitation, then, is to have an amazing day with purpose.  I cannot wait to hear how that sense of purpose drives you to do something amazing today!

On the Senses and God…

23 Wednesday Aug 2023

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Morning sun at Rehoboth Beach (photo credit: Jennifer Andrews-Weckerly; reuse with permission)

One of the gifts of sabbatical this summer was a heightening of the senses.  Some days it was the sense of taste – the rich freshness of local produce ripening in season, from blueberries bursting in skins to watermelon full of sweet refreshment to corn crunching with salty goodness.  Other days it was the sense of hearing – from the roar of the ocean to the gritty sound of bike wheels on a wooden boardwalk to the tinkling songs of an ice cream truck.  Other days it was sense of touch – from the coolness of a rock in the shade on a hot summer day to the feel of a sore muscle after a strenuous climb to the warmth of the sun on your skin as the day slowly heats.  Other days it was the sense of smell – from the smell of coals roasting food for a cookout to the clean smell of suds as you scrub a car before the day gets too warm to the earthy smell of trees on a shaded long hike.  And other days it was the sense of sight – from the magnificence of a slowly setting sun from the top of a mountain to watching an eagle swoop down into a river to grab a fish for dinner to seeing a friend whose familiar facial features you had missed after a long separation.

I suppose those stimuli to the senses are available all the time, unique to the season of the year, waiting to be tasted, heard, touched, smelled, or seen.  But something about the busyness of life dulls the senses.  We smell someone’s perfume or cologne in passing, but immediately refocus the brain on whatever task is at hand.  We taste an amazing wine or meal, but it is a fleeting joy before putting the kids to bed.  We feel the blast of summer heat leaving our air-conditioned homes but feel more annoyed than fascinated by the stark differences in seasons.  We hear a burst of someone’s laughter, but do not have time to slow down for a conversation that might gift us with similar laughter.  We glimpse a field of wildflowers on the way to an appointment, but our minds immediately return to the checklist we were mentally making.  The senses are all there, but we simply do not have the time to walk around in a constant state of awe or reverence for God’s creation. 

As I am easing my way out of sabbatical time, figuring out what to hold onto, I was thinking that part of the challenge of non-sabbatical time is five senses are a lot to focus on at one time – especially when my brain is busy shutting down the sensory experience so that I can achieve another task.  Instead, I have taken to committing each day to celebrating one kind of sensory experience.  Maybe today I will pay attention to my sense of smell – what smells might bring me joy.  Tomorrow, I may pay attention to my sense of taste – what yummy flavor can make me pause in delight.  Somehow knowing that I only need to focus on one sensory pleasure allows me moments of sabbatical even in non-sabbatical time.

I wonder what reconnecting with your senses this week might do to help you connect with God.  Perhaps the work isn’t to charge through the day with the assignment to pay attention to your senses.  Perhaps the work is holding some inner space in your being for God to fill – so that when you see that beautiful sunrise, or when you smell that fragrant flower, or when you hear that delightful song, you allow God space, even in the busyness of everyday life.  Making that inner space is one way we create daily sabbatical time with God – where God can speak to us, even in life’s busyness.

On Not Really Being Alone…

16 Wednesday Aug 2023

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Beehive Trail Iron Rungs, Acadia National Park (Photo credit: Elaine Ho; reuse with permission)

Last week, I finished up my sabbatical on a trip with college friends to Acadia National Park.  Having been friends for over 26 years, and having traveled together, domestically and abroad, we know each other well – each other’s habits, weaknesses, and strengths.  We know who is most likely to get up early for exercise, who you don’t talk to before they’ve had coffee, and who is a total chicken when it comes to anything adventure related.  That last one would be me.  But since we all know how tentative I am, we all know they will push me to try new adventures anyway, and I will say yes – even if I grumble, curse, and sometimes pray my way through the adventures.

This year’s adventure was hiking the Beehive Loop Trail – a trail with a steep mountain cliff, boulders, exposed ledges, and iron rungs.  We’ve done hikes before, and I’m relatively fit, but this was definitely a difficulty I have never tried and would certainly not have tried of my own volition.  But this is what we do, and so off I went.  I knew the trail was no joke when the first part of the “trail” was actually just a path of small boulders to navigate over.  As we made our way up, I could see the views were going to be amazing.  But I stopped when I got to the first real set of iron rungs.  After a few deep breaths, some encouraging words whispered in my ear, I grabbed the first rung.  As I scanned for where to place my feet, I could see worn footholds from thousands of hikers before me.  As we walked along ledges, the skinny tree trunks I used as handholds were smooth from those same thousands of hikers who had grabbed them before me.  When the hikers in front of us were moving slowly and we just had to stand on narrow ledges waiting for our turn, I hugged the rock cliff beside us. 

Nature’s handrails, Beehive Trail, Acadia National Park (Photo credit: Elizabeth Shows Caffey; reuse with permission)

During that hike, I slowly realized the reason I say yes to these challenging women is not because I’m avoiding conflict or caving to peer pressure.  I say yes because I am never alone in my yes.  Whether it is my amazing friend who refuses to bound ahead because she knows that if I slip or start to panic, she will catch me and encourage me ever so gently.  Whether it is the guidance of travelers before me who have left their wisdom behind.  Whether it is in God’s creation herself who stands strong when we need her.  So, as I mutter the reminder, “I love these women…” like it’s both a curse and a blessing, I am reminding myself I am not alone.  When I sigh in profound gratitude, “Thank you, tree,” I am reminding myself that God has not left me comfortless.  When I watch out-of-shape elders, and seemingly too young youngsters, being cheered on and reaching the top, I am reminded that none of us is alone. 

I wonder what challenges you are facing today that feel like a challenge you are facing alone.  I could have faced that mountain ledge or those crazy iron rungs and thought, “I am utterly alone in this.  Only I can take each step, ascend each level.  This is my battle to face.”  But just as I was never alone – and not just with my three other friends, but with countless generations of hikers, and centuries old formations of God’s creation, we are not alone in the challenges we face either.  How many times have we cried out to God for help, only to find a friend or stranger unexpectedly accompanying us?  Sometimes that worn foothold is hard to notice in the face of panic.  Sometimes the smoothness of that tree trunk is barely noticeable because we are gripping so hard or trying to move forward so quickly.  But God is with us, giving us companions for the journey.  We are not alone.

On Enjoying the Walk…

14 Friday Jul 2023

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He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  (Isaiah 40.29-31, ESV)

Photo credit: https://www.henryford.com/blog/2023/05/10-ways-walk-better-health

I was reading today about a running method many marathon users use to help them sustain their pacing.  It’s called the “run/walk method.”  To sustain pacing for the marathon, a runner could choose to run for five minutes and walk for one throughout the race.  The challenge for the runner is to use this method throughout, especially at the beginning, when adrenaline is running high and it may feel like capitalizing on energy is a good idea.  Instead, keeping the run/walk pattern allows for the stamina for many runners to complete the race.[i] 

I’ve been thinking that my sabbatical has been utilizing the run/walk method by accident.  The twelves weeks had included multiple trips, punctuated by periods of 4-5 days at home between trips.  This week, one of those trips was cancelled due to weather complications, so my “walking” time at home has been more like 9-10 days.  Initially I was irritated by this disruption in my rhythm.  But as I lived this week a little differently, and as observations about the week have percolated up from family members, I have realized the gift of this rhythm disruption.

In the midst of this rhythm disruption, I have been able to more leisurely take naps and rest – something I would have limited if I knew I was approaching another “running” cycle.  I have also been able to be more thoughtful about time with family – whether an impromptu lunch with a kid at home, going to a community show with a kid instead of encouraging my spouse to do so, and just having some fun together time.  I’ve also been able to create quiet time in town – finding a place to tuck away in my local library.  It has not been the week I planned, but in many ways, it has been a week of blessings – certainly blessings I wouldn’t have enjoyed were I not on sabbatical in the first place.

I wonder what rhythm disruptions God has been gifting you lately.  Have you noticed them?  Have you been able to see them as invitations instead of annoyances?  I suspect the Holy Spirit does a lot more disrupting that we regularly notice.  Our invitation today is to settle down into a walk to see where the Spirit will guide us.

[i] As relayed by Curtis Zackery, in his book Finding Soul Rest:  40 Days of Connecting with Christ (Bellingham, WA:  Kirkdale Press, 2020), 52-53.

Sabbatical Journey…On Spacious Skies

07 Friday Jul 2023

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Oh beautiful, for spacious skies

For amber waves of grain

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain

Grand Teton National Park (reuse with permission only)

Our last couple of days on our cross-country journey are mostly comprised of driving – seeing more states and the scenery of this country.  On days like today, when I literally see amber waves of grain, and I have already seen purple mountain majesties, I am once again reminded of part of why we did this trip:  to see the beauty of God’s creation in its many forms.  Today we drove on a road lined with trees – something we have not done in weeks.  Some days the vistas were all in hues of reds, oranges, and browns.  Other days were vivid greens.  On other days we could see nothing but blue skies.

In the Book of Common Prayer there is a collect for joy in God’s creation.  It says, “O heavenly Father, who hast filled the world with beauty:  Open our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works; that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, we may learn to serve thee with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.”[i]  This trip has been one that has certainly opened my eyes to see God at work in God’s creation.  It has been a feast for the eyes, and no matter how many pictures I snap, I will never capture the true beauty of this gift God has given us.

Today, I invite you to take a look at God’s creation around you.  Certainly, traveling thousands of miles around the country will inspire you, but so can pausing at a flower bed, gazing at an old, wizened tree, or taking in some clouds or stars.  Watching a world of beauty whirl around you – something entirely not man-made – may give you the gift of perspective, humility, and joy.  God has great plans for you, and gifts you beauty everyday!

[i] Book of Common Prayer, 814.

Sabbatical Journey…on Embracing Both-And

06 Thursday Jul 2023

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Touchdown Jesus (photo by Emily Liechty; reuse with permission)

In our sabbatical travels today, we met up with friends on the campus of Notre Dame.  None of us knew much about the college except their history of football prowess, their religious roots, and their devoted fans.  But a tour taught us so much about their history and current student experiences.  We learned that about 80% of the current students are Roman Catholic, there are chapels in every dorm, Mass is offered nearly 160 times per week, and we lost count on the number of Marys we saw on campus.  We also learned how many of the art pieces on campus have football references:  Touchdown Jesus, First Down Moses, and Holy Handoff.  But even more intriguing is the equal focus on academics, service, and community.

When I was in college, I quickly realized that being an active person of faith put me in the minority.  Academics were important, as was an active social life.  But religion, despite the prominence of Duke Chapel on campus was sort of an awkward subject.  I found a community among campus ministry, but the idea of chapels in dorms, or regularly offered masses was unimaginable.  Because I was involved in campus ministry, particularly at a university with a Divinity School, I received a balance between faith and intellect.  In fact, that balance is probably what shaped my own call to ministry.  But my experience was certainly not the norm.

Notre Dame seems to have found the art of “both-and.”  Notre Dame is both a religious institution and an institution focused on academic excellence.  Notre Dame has managed to embrace both athletics and the intellect (although, the construction of first stadium had to be funded by the first football coach because the administration thought it was more important to teach young men).  Notre Dame has managed to embrace both religious devotion and self-deprecating humor.

I wonder what lessons the larger Church might take from Notre Dame.  Where might we need a fuller embrace of the “both-and” mentality?  How might we be both fully faithful and fully of the world?  I imagine in order to share the Good News of Jesus in Christ, we might need to hone our ability to embrace the both-and of sacred and secular.

 

    

Sabbatical Journey…on Choosing Unity

05 Wednesday Jul 2023

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License Plate Game (reuse with permission)

As we celebrate the 4th of July today, I cannot think of a more appropriate activity than to be on a cross-country trip.  Our trip so far has given me a renewed appreciation for the vastness of our country, the unique topographical beauty in each state, and the tremendous diversity of people.  Though we call ourselves the United States of America, sometimes I think we forget what an improbable arrangement we have – that these fifty states, in all their glorious diversity, are united as one.

Traveling through the country these last eighteen days, I have seen both signs of our political divisions as well as indicators that there is more in common between us than different.  I have also seen that experiencing each other in our own settings, learning about each other’s heritage, remembering that the creation of this country was done on the backs of so many oppressed peoples, helps me remember that being united states takes work.

Often when I am doing premarital counseling, I will tell couples that marriage is a choice – not made one day in beautiful attire with all your family and friends – but a choice made every day, over and over again.  Only when we make that daily commitment do marriages thrive and can be filled with love.  What I appreciate about the Fourth of July is that it is our annual reminder that we have to choose to be united over and over again, so that we might thrive and be filled with love.  I realize that may sound overly romantic, and in our current political times even impossible, but that we live in such a place that allows for differences and disagreements is a true gift that can help in the midst of our divisions.

As fireworks go off tonight, my prayer is that we renew our commitment to care for one another and respect the dignity of every human being in this country.  We know that we are all made in the image of God – even those folks with whom we disagree.  I offer the following prayer from the Book of Common Prayer for you tonight.  May we take up the mantle of being united once again.

Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace:  Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Book of Common Prayer, 258)

Sabbatical Journey…on the Ties that Bind

04 Tuesday Jul 2023

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Sisters (reuse with permission)

When I was growing up, my brother was my best friend.  As a preacher’s kid, we moved around a lot, always relocating in the summer, and so for every move, he was the only young person who knew me until I could make friends when school started.  So, by default, we became close over the years through the common experience of being the new kid on the block.  That did not mean we did not have our fair share of fights and bickering, but in the end, we knew we needed each other and how important our companionship was.

When my husband and I had two children, I hoped the same would be true for them.  But there are all sorts of factors that are different for them.  For one, they are both girls, which can change the dynamics.  Two, they are a little further apart in age than my sibling and I are, so there are some maturity gaps.  And three, I know the relationship between every set of siblings is unique – some are very close, some are strained, some have falling outs, and some remain best friends far into adulthood.

One of the tremendous gifts of this cross-country trip has been watching my children form bonds.  Of course, there has been the typical sibling bickering (“She’s on my side!”), the rowdiness that comes from being cooped up in a car for hours on end, and the whining that even adults do when we’re not being intentional.  But there has also been a tremendous amount of laughter (lots of new inside jokes being formed), caretaking that only a big sister can offer, and learning new things together.  I imagine these twenty-one days will be days that build the foundation for a lifelong friendship – not just family ties.

As I have been watching our children’s relationship grow, I have been thinking about the relationships in my life.  One of the themes of my sabbatical has been reconnection.  Our time in pandemic meant that many of my friendships were harder to maintain because we simply could not see one another.  As I have forged renewed relationships with my family during this trip, I am also reminded how intentionality can help with my friendship ties.  Just like our relationship with Jesus needs tending, so do our earthly relationships.  I invite you to reach out to a relationship that needs tending today.  Your point of contact may be the only reminder to them and you how you are a beloved child of God.

Sabbatical Journey…on Being the Church

03 Monday Jul 2023

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Several years ago, I encountered a mobile chapel at General Convention.  The idea was that if people are being taken away from church on Sundays by sports, competitions, or other commitments, bring the church to them.  The mobile chapel was set up so people could go in for personal prayer, but there was also a set time for the distribution of Eucharist with a priest.  It was a creative expression of an ever evolving Church.

Travelers Chapel, Wall Drug in Wall, SD (reuse with permission)

On today’s leg of our sabbatical journey, I felt embraced by several other folks bringing church to me.  The first encounter was at Wall Drug, the famous roadside attraction and tourist stop in Wall, South Dakota.  Among the drug store, gift shops, stores, and restaurants is a “Travelers Chapel.”  The Chapel is always open, offering a peaceful setting for prayer.  Amidst the consumerism and loud animatronic singing, the Chapel is like an oasis for all of us passing through.  Somehow, Wall Drug managed to bring church to me today.

The second encounter came as we checked in at hotel tonight.  A laminated card was left on the nightstand.  The card is basically a greeting and blessing for all who stay at the hotel.  I confess I have never received such a note at a secular hotel, and I was thoroughly humbled by the witness of love of the management and staff of this hotel.  Once again, church found its way to me, this time at a Comfort Inn and Suites.

Hotel Note in Albert Lea, MN (reuse with permission)

Far too often I hear churchgoers complaining about how fewer people are making their way to church.  Today I am reminded that our work is take church to others.  Jesus was always commissioning people to go out and witness God’s love and redemption.  Our work is no different.  I wonder what unique way you might figure out how to be someone’s church today.

Sabbatical Journey…On Weariness and Gratitude

01 Saturday Jul 2023

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Montana Driving (reuse with permission)

Today was a driving day for our cross-country trip – perhaps the longest driving day of the trip.  All told, we were on the road, with multiple stops, for about 10-11 hours.  By the last hour, I was engaged in an inner complaint fest:  the trip felt like forever, I was stiff from the ride, and I just wanted to be in the next location and stretch my legs.  But when we arrived, I was glad I had kept my complaining to myself.  First my younger child exclaimed, “That wasn’t so bad!  It went by kind of quickly!”  My husband agreed, “Yeah, that was an easy drive!”  My elder child confessed, “I kind of like driving days.  They’re like ‘chill’ days.” 

Their comments helped me reflect on the day a little differently.  I tried to remember all the good things about the day:  the way the heavy fog slowly lifted to reveal beautifully green mountain scenery with rivers and tall pines; how fun it was to drive along winding road, hugging the curves; the pops of color that wildflowers brought to the drive; the fun road trip games we played, where everyone was winning at different points; the laughter, the naps, and adding a new state to our list of visited states.

Today, I am grateful for the invitation into gratitude.  It’s a practice I encourage all the time, but one that is easily forgotten when we are tired, weary, and cranky.  But the funny thing is that gratitude is the best antidote to us who are tired, weary, and cranky.  When we give thanks, we see all the good things that made us tired.  When we offer gratitude to God, our weariness is held like soft mattress.  When we give ourselves to thankfulness, crankiness is melted into praise.

I would love to hear what you are grateful for today.  How has God shown up in surprising ways?  How has the Holy Spirit spoken grace through people in your life?  How is Jesus inviting you into a new interpretation of the day?  I’m grateful for you and our journey together in gratitude!