Saints

The first of November is All Saints Day. My favorite definition of a saint comes from Presbyterian minister and author Frederick Buechner who writes, “In God’s ongoing flirtation with the world, God occasionally drops a handkerchief, those handkerchiefs are called saints.”

We each have picked-up the holy dropped handkerchief.

Knowing we remember our saints perhaps every day, today, we make a special effort to remember.

We remember by looking at photos.

We remember by telling the stories about them.

We remember by doing the activities they enjoyed doing.

We remember by eating some of their favorite foods.

We remember by working to fill the vacuum they left in our lives by doing what they did.

Along with the obvious ways, today, I also watched Jeopardy, had a Mounds bar, and promised to be better bringing the family together around the table. One of my saints would understand.

sj;

The choice is yours

Today, 30 October, is the birthday of our second president, John Adams. It was Adams who spoke loudly and persistently on behalf of the American colonies without representation having to pay taxes to England. It was Adams who chose Thomas Jefferson to be the one to write the Declaration of Independence.

Remember the first TOY STORY movie and the little aliens in the arcade exclaiming, “You’ve been chosen” as the claw approached taking up one of the plastic toys? There is a certain respect and honor given to those who are chosen.

Playing sports, there were pats-on-the-back and “you-can-do-it” confidence builders to the teammate chosen to pinch hit with runners on base and the team behind in the late innings.

Being chosen was an affirmation of your talents. Remember in elementary school and choosing the kid who could draw to work on the bulletin board? “You do it, Mike! You’re the best artist!” That encouragement helped Mike to claim his artistic talent and present his first public art display.

No matter how old, there is still a rush and reaffirmation when one is chosen from the group to do something important. I’ve been chosen to write the letter, to design the liturgy, to speak at the rally. Proud? You bet. Wanting to deliver? Absolutely.

To what have you been chosen? What have you been selected to do? Who chose you? Did they see something in you that you knew was there? Did your being chosen help you to find it?

Whom have you chosen and in your selecting affirmed?

We all like to be picked first, to be asked to step-up, to be chosen for an opportunity to be the hero.

Choose wisely.
sj;

Wait for it....

As you read this, I assume you have power (define that however you wish), are warm and safe and being smart. The latest "storm of the century" is walloping the eastern sea board and I confess I am amazed that there are reported 70 mph winds at JFK airport....yowzers!

Living in the 24-hour news cycle of our media-saturated times, the networks will be busy trying to fill the airwaves with any nuance, angle, or human interest story they can find. I'm waiting for some religious zealot to say this unprecedented storm hitting so late in the year, is some divine act of "people pay-up time." Just wait for it, someone will say God has it in for the blue states dotting the northeast and will tie that into the election.

Please.

While perusing my weekly time magazine, I noted one of the best print ads I've seen in quite awhile. The ad is from the Salvation Army and the tag line is: "Combating natural disasters with acts of God."

Perfect.

Keep that in mind and look for evidences of those acts of God as the storm blows out to sea and people respond and re-build. Witness and give thanks for the uitility wokers pulling double and triple shifts; the firefighters and police personel on patrol; those working in shelters and caring for those whose address is the street.

I thought about adding the weather people who stand out in the middle of a raging storm to tell us that, "Hey, it's really nasty outside;" yet, willingly doing that job tells me they need a deeper kind of prayer.

May our actions be ones of light, of grace, of compassion for there is where God is and abides.

sj;