Good Morning All,
I have heard it said most of my life that “communication is the name of the game…” And I take that to mean that communicating well is the key to understanding everything—certainly can be said of learning, any and all sorts of relationships, as well as local, national & world events. This being said, I have begun to realize that I am more of a “news junkie” than I once thought. I find myself listening to the latest news when I’m driving; I watch whatever news/sports channel is on at the Wellness Center; I catch one if not more of the local evening news; one of the evening national news; and if I’m awake, I’ll tune into the local evening news. And then to top it off, if there’s any sort of crisis going on, I find my way to CNN. And of course I also read the morning paper each day.
Well, lately, we have the never-ending political campaigns; advances of the Taliban in Afghanistan ; the war in Iraq ; concerns about Pakistan , N. Korea & Iran ; not to mention the increased numbers of deaths. We see the news about the destruction, deaths, financial ruin and homelessness from the storms, fires and floods throughout our country; the economic gloom and doom from Wall Street to our street—rising unemployment; the devastating housing market and rising gasoline & food prices; killer tomatoes—just checking to see if you’re really reading this :); the local reports of murders, rapes & robberies…I just want to stand on the top of a mountain and scream those memorable words from a last century musical/movie, “Stop the World, I Want to Get Off!”
And this sentiment doesn’t stop with all of these concerns , but it spills over a bit closer to home in our day to day lives...adjusting to tracked out children being at home; summertime boredom with teens; relationship issues with growing children, grown children, aging parents; other family members; colleagues, friends and neighbors; worrying about friends & family in the military; declining health; loss of meaningful work; lack of health insurance; graduation with no job in sight; balancing the home budget and wondering if you can afford that summer vacation or weekend getaway…fill in the blanks with any other issues…
Whew! Is it any wonder we want to stop the world and get off for a while…” But knowing that communication is the key to a meaningful life and at the same time allowing my life to be inundated/almost smothered in news reports about the ills of this world, are two different things. I’m a realist and I know that wanting to disassociate myself from the concerns of my own life and the world, is first and foremost unfaithful and therefore makes it not an option.
So I am trying to expose myself to less media information and to concentrate more on filling my life with more good news…with God’s Good News—praying to God for strength to make it through each day; a sense of renewed energy for facing whatever comes my way; compassion for the never-ending cries of this needy world; finding ways to help without suffering from compassion-fatigue, numbness and indifference. I am committed to listening & looking for ways to fill my heart with pure, unadulterated JOY!
So I leave you with an exchange between a 3 year old granddaughter, Maggie, and her grandmother, Queenie, on a recent beach vacation with the whole family. Maggie was having such fun running through the water as the waves broke on shore with Queenie watching closely. It was a picture-perfect day. You couldn’t help but see and feel the pure joy Maggie was experiencing. She turns and stops for a brief moment, looks up at her grandmother and says, “You guys make my heart happy!” :)
Ah, yes…in the midst of all that is disturbing, may you experience all that is holy, discovering heart-happy moments today and every day…Blessings, Joanne
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The M 'n' M Singers
Good Morning All,
We walked through the doors and were greeted by colorful balloons and friendly faces. “Welcome!” “So glad you came!” “Go around the corner and find a seat at any of the tables…” a large banquet room filled with more balloons; tables draped in white cloths and sprinkled with shiny confetti; colorful napkins stuffed in clear glasses; other tables filled with trays of food and 3 decorated birthday cakes. Ah…lots of familiar faces, including other Covenant people. Excitement fills the air and Ben Tomszak, the director, goes to the microphone: “Welcome to the 20th Anniversary of the “M ‘n’ M Singers!”
As most of you know the “M ‘n’ M” Singers are a lively singing group of differently-abled adults who come to Covenant one Sunday each year. We look forward to their annual visit as they grace us with their presence and fill our lives with such joy! You only have to be with them for a few moments to experience their bright smiles and share in their laughter; and you are transported to a higher plane where you feel the presence of God; and any and all cares are whisked far away. As they begin to share their gifts of music, you readily know that they ARE God’s Good News in Jesus Christ. They not only embody God’s love for all people but they celebrate how “wonderfully and awe-fully” they and all of God’s people are made. Any sermon on any given day pales by comparison.
Tonight was their night to shine…a special anniversary filled with good food and great company; but also a time for each of them to have fun and share their individual talents. There were solos; duets; bells; dancing; a ventriloquist and a stand-up comedy routine that rivals any at the Comedy Club or late-night television. What fun! What loving parents, family members, care-givers and friends lending encouragement and support to this awe-inspiring group.
As the evening was coming to a close, several volunteers were honored in special ways for their countless hours of working with the Singers throughout these 20 years. Then Ben spoke about a new annual award that would be presented for the first time. It’s “The Jackie Ransdell Award,” named for the long-time assistant musical director, who died of cancer a few years ago; a truly remarkable woman whose smile and personality would light up any room. I thought this is a great way to remember Jackie.
And then I heard Ben say, “And the first recipient of the Jackie Ransdell Award, is Covenant Christian Church in Cary!” Did he say, Covenant? “Will Rev. VerBurg and Carole Tyler please stand?” Whoa… I had NO clue this was in the works. (Yes, there are times when I actually am overwhelmed and speechless at the same time!) :) As far as we knew, 7 Covenant members were simply going to a party to celebrate this great group. Ben went on to share how Covenant is the only church where the “M ‘n’ M” Singers had been invited to sing every year of their 20 year existence!
How excited we are to share this award with you, the congregation. How humbling it is for us to be recognized in this way. They speak of this simple gesture of hospitality we offer; how we welcome God’s people into God’s house. So, I ask you, what’s the big deal here? We’re just welcoming God’s people into God’s house, right? Isn’t that what we’re called to do; isn’t this what it means to be faithful? Actually, it’s the Singers who are the ones to be honored and recognized for the many ways they bless our lives…how they teach us about God’s unconditional love.
I guess it’s a two-way street…we are blessed and we in turn are a blessing to others. That’s how God’s love works-- like the words in that old camp song…”Love isn’t love til you give it away… and you end up having more!” Maybe this is what a dear friend meant when he paraphrased Ecclesiastes: “Cast your bread upon the water and it comes back as a ham sandwich.” :) Blessings, Joanne
We walked through the doors and were greeted by colorful balloons and friendly faces. “Welcome!” “So glad you came!” “Go around the corner and find a seat at any of the tables…” a large banquet room filled with more balloons; tables draped in white cloths and sprinkled with shiny confetti; colorful napkins stuffed in clear glasses; other tables filled with trays of food and 3 decorated birthday cakes. Ah…lots of familiar faces, including other Covenant people. Excitement fills the air and Ben Tomszak, the director, goes to the microphone: “Welcome to the 20th Anniversary of the “M ‘n’ M Singers!”
As most of you know the “M ‘n’ M” Singers are a lively singing group of differently-abled adults who come to Covenant one Sunday each year. We look forward to their annual visit as they grace us with their presence and fill our lives with such joy! You only have to be with them for a few moments to experience their bright smiles and share in their laughter; and you are transported to a higher plane where you feel the presence of God; and any and all cares are whisked far away. As they begin to share their gifts of music, you readily know that they ARE God’s Good News in Jesus Christ. They not only embody God’s love for all people but they celebrate how “wonderfully and awe-fully” they and all of God’s people are made. Any sermon on any given day pales by comparison.
Tonight was their night to shine…a special anniversary filled with good food and great company; but also a time for each of them to have fun and share their individual talents. There were solos; duets; bells; dancing; a ventriloquist and a stand-up comedy routine that rivals any at the Comedy Club or late-night television. What fun! What loving parents, family members, care-givers and friends lending encouragement and support to this awe-inspiring group.
As the evening was coming to a close, several volunteers were honored in special ways for their countless hours of working with the Singers throughout these 20 years. Then Ben spoke about a new annual award that would be presented for the first time. It’s “The Jackie Ransdell Award,” named for the long-time assistant musical director, who died of cancer a few years ago; a truly remarkable woman whose smile and personality would light up any room. I thought this is a great way to remember Jackie.
And then I heard Ben say, “And the first recipient of the Jackie Ransdell Award, is Covenant Christian Church in Cary!” Did he say, Covenant? “Will Rev. VerBurg and Carole Tyler please stand?” Whoa… I had NO clue this was in the works. (Yes, there are times when I actually am overwhelmed and speechless at the same time!) :) As far as we knew, 7 Covenant members were simply going to a party to celebrate this great group. Ben went on to share how Covenant is the only church where the “M ‘n’ M” Singers had been invited to sing every year of their 20 year existence!
How excited we are to share this award with you, the congregation. How humbling it is for us to be recognized in this way. They speak of this simple gesture of hospitality we offer; how we welcome God’s people into God’s house. So, I ask you, what’s the big deal here? We’re just welcoming God’s people into God’s house, right? Isn’t that what we’re called to do; isn’t this what it means to be faithful? Actually, it’s the Singers who are the ones to be honored and recognized for the many ways they bless our lives…how they teach us about God’s unconditional love.
I guess it’s a two-way street…we are blessed and we in turn are a blessing to others. That’s how God’s love works-- like the words in that old camp song…”Love isn’t love til you give it away… and you end up having more!” Maybe this is what a dear friend meant when he paraphrased Ecclesiastes: “Cast your bread upon the water and it comes back as a ham sandwich.” :) Blessings, Joanne
Friday, June 6, 2008
God Is in Charge
Good Morning All,
On the last Sunday of May, the lectionary gospel reading was Matthew 6: 24-34—a reading that could fall under the heading, “Don’t Worry.” Easier said than done, right? How absurd to think that we humans will not worry…maybe we’re hardwired to worry, who knows. And some of us do a much better job at worrying than others; and you know who you are! :) Which then also means that there are also those who seem to do a much better job at keeping whatever happens in our lives, in perspective. This usually means taking a deep breath or many deep breaths, stepping back a bit to reflect on the cause of our worry and then to remember that it is God who is in charge. And our faith reminds us that we are to fill up whatever is empty with a sense of God’s peace and not our own anxiety.
No matter how fervently you may search throughout the scriptures, you will not find any passages where God promises to fix everything that goes wrong; or that if we are faithful, we will never encounter challenges or defeats or anything bad in our lives. It doesn’t work that way. God doesn’t promise to solve our problems and dilemmas; but God does promise to be with us every step of the way as we make our way to the other side of our troubles.
It is God who gives us the precious gift of perspective: Consider those lilies of the field that Jesus talks about in this reading from Matthew.” Look at the birds of the air. Who of you by worrying have added a single hour to your life or inch to your height?” Or as Eugene Peterson writes in The Message,
“Don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow; so much so that you miss out on today. Don’t get all tied up in knots over the possibilities of what lies ahead.”
Yes, of course, for many good reasons, it is wise and prudent to prepare for the future. But these words from Jesus warn us not let our plans for the future take total control of our lives; or become the driving force or the ultimate goal in our lives. That’s when we run amok. That’s when worry and God’s peace are fighting for space in our hearts. We find ourselves running on empty; losing our way along the path; thinking that providing for the future needs to be done even at the expense of our relationships with our family and friends as well us at the expense of moving toward a fuller relationship with God.
God stands ready to put our worries to rest…to move our worries out of God’s way so that we may be filled and clothed with God’s presence, patience and strength; as we allow God to provide us with all that we need. If God does this for birds and flowers and all of God’s creatures, in all of God’s splendor; then how foolish we are not to believe that God will not custom-tailor our lives as well.…
“Alterations, No Charge”
Last night, I hung up my worries in the closet,
hoping the wrinkles would smooth out by the next day;
I put my fears into the laundry, so they would be clean enough to wear again this week; I made sure that pebble called stress was still in my shoe, where it has worn a hole into the heel.
But this morning, when I opened the closet, I found a whole new outfit, woven out of Easter lilies and resurrection's sweet grass and sandals made out of sparrow's feathers.
Turning, I found you standing there, a tape measure around your neck, chalk in your hand, saying with a smile, 'try them on…so we can see if any alterations are needed.'
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman
So, what will it be…"off the rack" or custom-made?
Blessings, Joanne
On the last Sunday of May, the lectionary gospel reading was Matthew 6: 24-34—a reading that could fall under the heading, “Don’t Worry.” Easier said than done, right? How absurd to think that we humans will not worry…maybe we’re hardwired to worry, who knows. And some of us do a much better job at worrying than others; and you know who you are! :) Which then also means that there are also those who seem to do a much better job at keeping whatever happens in our lives, in perspective. This usually means taking a deep breath or many deep breaths, stepping back a bit to reflect on the cause of our worry and then to remember that it is God who is in charge. And our faith reminds us that we are to fill up whatever is empty with a sense of God’s peace and not our own anxiety.
No matter how fervently you may search throughout the scriptures, you will not find any passages where God promises to fix everything that goes wrong; or that if we are faithful, we will never encounter challenges or defeats or anything bad in our lives. It doesn’t work that way. God doesn’t promise to solve our problems and dilemmas; but God does promise to be with us every step of the way as we make our way to the other side of our troubles.
It is God who gives us the precious gift of perspective: Consider those lilies of the field that Jesus talks about in this reading from Matthew.” Look at the birds of the air. Who of you by worrying have added a single hour to your life or inch to your height?” Or as Eugene Peterson writes in The Message,
“Don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow; so much so that you miss out on today. Don’t get all tied up in knots over the possibilities of what lies ahead.”
Yes, of course, for many good reasons, it is wise and prudent to prepare for the future. But these words from Jesus warn us not let our plans for the future take total control of our lives; or become the driving force or the ultimate goal in our lives. That’s when we run amok. That’s when worry and God’s peace are fighting for space in our hearts. We find ourselves running on empty; losing our way along the path; thinking that providing for the future needs to be done even at the expense of our relationships with our family and friends as well us at the expense of moving toward a fuller relationship with God.
God stands ready to put our worries to rest…to move our worries out of God’s way so that we may be filled and clothed with God’s presence, patience and strength; as we allow God to provide us with all that we need. If God does this for birds and flowers and all of God’s creatures, in all of God’s splendor; then how foolish we are not to believe that God will not custom-tailor our lives as well.…
“Alterations, No Charge”
Last night, I hung up my worries in the closet,
hoping the wrinkles would smooth out by the next day;
I put my fears into the laundry, so they would be clean enough to wear again this week; I made sure that pebble called stress was still in my shoe, where it has worn a hole into the heel.
But this morning, when I opened the closet, I found a whole new outfit, woven out of Easter lilies and resurrection's sweet grass and sandals made out of sparrow's feathers.
Turning, I found you standing there, a tape measure around your neck, chalk in your hand, saying with a smile, 'try them on…so we can see if any alterations are needed.'
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman
So, what will it be…"off the rack" or custom-made?
Blessings, Joanne
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