A few rants and a reflection

The news that another novel by Harper Lee will be published and released in mid-July made me say, “well, what have I been waiting for??”

Speaking of the new novel by Ms. Lee, I am at once excited to read the new book and at the same time troubled as to whether or not this is something Harper would want. After over a half century of holding fast to her position that she would never write another novel and then within months of her older sister passing on the second novel is passed through….hmmmm.

Today, 7 February, is a big day for writers as it’s the birthday of Charles Dickens, Sinclair Lewis and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’d bet my lost Super Bowl wages (run the ball, Pete!) that each of us has at one time or another read something by these authors.

Dickens is revered as one of the greatest authors in the English language and was also reported to use his finances and fame to convince the wealthy in England to give of their money to help the poor. That, little Dickens!

I may be a bit grumpy, yet, I am incredulous at how self-centered and self-obsessed our society has become. Hover parents refuse to get their kids vaccinated without thought nor care for the numerous children on the block, in the school or at the park. A woman talking on her cell phone speeds through a crosswalk without even a tap of the brake or a notice of the elderly couple crossing in the middle of the street. A bus full of people cuss out the bus driver who stops on a cold, snowy morning to pick-up a person waiting at a bus stop who also happens to use a wheelchair.

I’m a big supporter of the concept of the shared common good. Or, to put it another way, we are, whether we choose to realize it or not, in this together. I worry about the lack of compassion and empathy for persons whom we do not know because they do not traffic our neighborhoods, schools, faith communities, gathering places. Not only is their no concern, there is instead blame and disdain. (See Nicholas Kristoff’s recent columns in the New York Times).

Friends, the “I got mine (or inherited mine) good luck getting yours” philosophy of economics and community building is destroying both. Martin Luther King stated, Life’s most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?”

Answer well. Live better.

sj;

The dew is still on it.....

Happy 2015!

This post starts five days into the New Year to give us a chance to have made resolutions and determine which ones have a chance at being kept. May your resolve be strong so your resolutions are kept...at least until next week….hey, baby steps...baby steps….

This year will mark the 150th anniversary of the end of the US Civil War with the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox and also the 150th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

As a nation with cries of “Black Lives Matter” continuing to ring, we will mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Selma and the longer march from Selma to Montgomery for voting rights for African-American citizens of this country.

For those of us whom are of a certain age, this year will mark the 30th anniversary of the film “Back to the Future.” I went to that film with friends, one of whom was able to get the keys to her parents car to take us there...sigh…..

For 2015, I want to ponder more and slow down.

For 2015, I want to pay attention so, I am “dazzled at least ten times a day.”

For 2015, I want to give time and effort to important relationships in my life.

For 2015, I want to get in balance --- in spirit, physically, mentally, work and play.

For 2015, I want to be more about honoring the two sacraments of my faith tradition --- baptism and communion --- and therefore spend significant time near water and at table in shared community.

For 2015, I want to participate frequently in what Anne Lamott calls the “sacrament of the lawn” and blow bubbles and play catch with any and all takers.

For 2015, I want to linger longer in the places where there is magic.

For 2015, I want to commit deeper to the labor for justice whenever, wherever and whomever.

For 2015, I want to listen to more stories and tell more of my story.

For 2015, I want to be bold.

There’s my list….five days in…..how goes it with you?

sj;

Preparing room

The candlelight, the dinner, the presents, the rush of the day is done...now what? We are still in the Christmas season and now is when it really matters. A lot of congregations will spend time Sunday doing a carol sing. I always found that appeased and pleased the folks especially since I am one of those pastors who won't sing Christmas carols during Advent. Thanks goodness, the hymnals have made that task easier by adding some solid, singable tunes to the Advent reperatoire.....if you have to reach for "Lo, How a Rose Ere Blooming....." you had surly congregants.....

The song "Joy to the World" includes the line, "prepare him room." And, that's the rub.

Living the faith is about preparing room, making room, adding room.

Imagine what it would mean to have policies that shared resources so that all had enough, had space, had room?

Imagine what our faith communities would become if we acutally made room for everyone and worked to inlcude everyone in the life of our faith communty? One didn't need to have a certain family pedigree, or income, or fashion, or membership, or intellect --- we just welcomed, included and involved everyone. Why the possibilities are astounding!

Imagine what would change in us if we made room to listen to another and especailly to the other who's view, perspective, reality, faith and experience is completely opposite from our own.

Because the car I currently drive is in the "pray and start" phase and because it's so wonderfully easy and efficient, I've become a frequent user of the trolley system of Pittsburgh known as the T. (Also, I just enjoy telling someone that I'm taking the trolley...it's some kind of homage to Mr. Rogers). My morning and evening commutes on the T have given me an excellent glimpse of community and the possibilities present when we actually look up from our technological devices and see each other and acknowledge a fellow being.

The T gets crowded. The closer one gets to the city, the more uncomfortably crowded the T becomes. Yet, no matter how packed, whenever a senior, or a woman with a stroller or with toddlers in tow boards, without fail, several persons will offer their seat and choose to wedge themselves in with the standing hoards so someone else who needed the room of a seat could have theirs. I confess, witnessing those small acts of kindess gets my day off to a lightened start. It's even more fun when two or three people offer seats similtaneously.

A simple practice of faith is to pay attention, notice, look up, look out, look out for.

As the year draws to a close, notice when and where and who and how folks prepare room and make room. Share those reflections.

The gift of my mother was frequently heard saying to anyone who came to her home, "Come on, in. Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink? Have you eaten? Sit down, we've got plenty of room." ....yes, we do....if only we pay attention and make the effort.

sj;