Music Monday

Last night we blessed and dedicated the organ console, pew cushions, and rocking chairs.  It was going beautifully until a lightning strike caused a single phase power outage and shut the organ down.  But we did get through most of the evensong liturgy before this happened, so the Stanford Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis got sung/played (and they were fabulous).

This got me thinking again about how much music pervades our lives.  As we sang the hymns, the magnificat, and the nunc dimittis, the rain storm outside was singing with us providing an alternate accompaniment.

Everyone who knows me has probably realized that I love music.  Unless I am trying to concentrate on something like reading a book or writing a sermon, I have to have some kind of sound around me.  At church, it's the wide variety of Pandora channels I have on my account, or NPR, or a radio station I love (because sometimes, listening to the DJ's from your hometown is healing when you're having a rough day).  At home, Chris and I are constantly rotating whose Ipod is on the speakers in the house or in the car (it makes me very glad that we have similar taste in music).  Even at night, I need white noise to help me sleep...which is its own form of music, if you think about it.  But I realized, in my wellness quest, that I haven't been listening to music as much recently.  I finally grabbed my ipod the other day, for the first time in a couple months, and plugged it into the ihome dock and it was awesome.  This has been the area of my personal wellness that I have been missing.  So I intend to be more aware of the presence of music in my every day existence. 

This is all a part of improving spiritual wellness.  Last week I was on retreat with the other first call pastors from the synod at Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, KS.  I had the opportunity to attend eucharist both mornings with the sisters, and this year I actually took them up on that opportunity.  It was really great to get to start the day with eucharist (even though it was at 7:30am) and to end the day with evening prayer.  Sometimes, I wish that we could participate in some aspects of monastic life, like eucharist every morning and evening prayer every evening.  

No updated stats to provide...though I have noticed my wrists look a bit smaller in the last week or so, so that's something (hopefully I'm not seeing things!) and my dress for the civic choir concert was bigger on my than I thought it would be, so there's that as well...I know that with summer coming, things are going to be pretty busy so I need to take advantage of a lighter schedule now to get into better habits so that I can be more aware that end of the wellness quest.

Music mood: Pandora - Jason Mraz Radio (with Joni Mitchell, Jack Johnson, Cat Stevens, etc, added for variety)
New wellness habit: Have added B-vitamin complex to diet

If you'd like to join me in this quest...I'm using the ELCA wholeness wheel as a guide to overall wellness...here is the link

A sermon for Easter 5

Easter 5

May 6, 2012

John 15:1-8

There is a new game that has developed in recent months amongst young people.  It’s a social game…an experiment really…that tells you a lot about my generation and the generations that have come after us.  What you do, is get a few of your friends together and go out to eat.  After you have been seated at your table, your water has been poured, and menus are in hand, you take a moment…pull your cell phones out of your pockets and stack them in the middle of the table.  They are not to be touched until the bill has been paid and you are all ready to walk out the door.  Sounds boring, doesn’t it?  But here is the catch…say one of these phones goes off during the meal…and you or your friend feel compelled to reach for your tether to the world…unless it is an emergency situation, the person who touches their cell phone first during the meal becomes responsible for picking up the check for their friends.  There are variations that don’t involve a monetary penalty, but you get the picture…how sad is it that we have had to invent a game to keep us off of our cell phones for one whole hour while we sit and have actual conversations with actual people, building on actual relationships? 

Advertising agencies have picked up on our addiction to social media and our technologically mediated social lives and have banked on it.  Last year, a dentyne gum marketing strategy urged customers to make face time with friends and family by playing scenes of people interacting with each other and at the bottom of the screen there was a description of what was happening.  A soccer player jumps in the air and runs to his team that embraces him…description – friend request accepted.  Two friends whisper a joke back and forth…description – voicemail.  It was wonderfully clever but pointed out this same problem.  In the age of smart phones, facebook, twitter, tumblr, it seems like technologically mediated relationships have taken over the social scene.  We are more and more connected to the world every day…and yet, studies suggest we have never been lonelier.  We need more genuine relationships, more real face time…we need to somehow become more connected to the source of our life together...

In order to help us to talk about this, we need to back up a few weeks…back to Maundy Thursday…back to a table where Jesus and his friends spent their last meal together…they had an advantage over us, as they had no cell phones, no facebook, etc, at their disposal…though folks sure have had fun guessing what holy week would have looked like if Mark Zuckerberg had been born a few millennia earlier and facebook were in existence.  Fortunately this was not the case and what we have is simply a rabbi and his friends gathered around a table sharing a meal.  It is during this meal that we hear the gospel text for this morning, a text which is part of Jesus’s farewell to his friends. 

And for those of us who have a love hate relationship with the gospel of John because of its simultaneous concrete and abstract concepts, this is one of the classics that get folks hung up…I am the vine, you are the branches…my father is the vine grower…abide in my love and bear much fruit. 

Think about what a grape vine looks like…a strong base attached to the roots that is woody in appearance, then a main vine coming out of the base which branches off in all sorts of different directions, intertwining with one another along the way…but each one ending in its own unique spot, where the fruit has an opportunity to grow.  The vines need occasional up keep, pruning, to make sure that the optimal amount of fruit is produced and that that fruit is healthy, ready for whatever application is in store for it, be it eaten off the vine, made into wine or grape juice, turned into jams.  And sometimes, for whatever reason, a branch withers and dies and must be removed so that the health of the entire plant can be sustained and so the rest of the branches can maintain a strong connection with the main vine, which provides them with all that the branches need to thrive and produce much fruit.

Jesus told all this to his disciples as they sat at the table and shared their last meal together, Judas was about to run off to the Pharisees to tell them where Jesus was going to be that evening…Peter was merely hours from denying Jesus three times…the other disciples were hours away from deserting their beloved rabbi…and Jesus was nearing the cross.  Soon, his disciples would be on their own and they would need to be prepared to continue to be in relationship with one another and to remember and put to practice the teachings of their rabbi…to abide in those teachings…without Jesus being physically present with them. 

As modern day disciples of Christ, we are charged with the same task as the first disciples. We, too, are like branches on a grape vine, intertwined with one another and connected firmly with the main vine.  No one asks disciples of Christ if there is going to be pain, disappointment, and hurt associated with the ministry we have been called to carry out…or if there is going to be withering every once in a while during the course of this ministry…but rather the question is when this is going to happen.  We are all pruned from time to time so that we can grow and thrive and bear much fruit. 

We were chosen be disciples of Jesus because we are beloved children of God, and we have received an invitation to be in relationship with Jesus.  With this invitation to be in relationship with Jesus comes an invitation to be in relationship with one another.  Like branches on a grape vine are intertwined, so are our lives intertwined.  The stronger the connection of the branches to the vine are, the stronger the connection between the other branches are.  It works in reverse, too….strong connection with the branches can lead to a stronger connection to the vine.  This is what happens in genuine community. We physically come together and get real face time with real people and our relationship with one another grows.  And what draws us together is our relationship with Christ. This is why church is so important. We are brought together by Christ from different backgrounds and interests and political views and are united by our love of Christ and our desire to serve our neighbors.  This is something that requires person to person interactions.  As much as we like to think it can, technologically mediated relationships cannot replace in person relationships…true, they can help us to keep in touch with folks that we do not see often, but these relationships are no where near as satisfying and healing as being with friends and family…be it biological family or church family. 

It is because of our life together on Sundays and during the week that Christ has made us into a family, so that we can show the love of Christ to those who need it most, so that no one is alone in the midst of a stressful or tragic situation, so that we do not have to be afraid to be vulnerable with one another and admit our shortcomings, our failures and our doubts, so that we can all grow in our relationship with Christ, and remember and put to use the teachings of Christ and bear much fruit by loving one another and serving our neighbors.   

Living Psalm 23 - a sermon

Easter 4B

April 29, 2012

Psalm 23

Living Psalm 23

It’s portrayed in paintings and stained glass windows, a gentle Jesus holding a calm young lamb in one arm and a shepherd’s staff in the other.  It is always a serene pose and sure there are variations of the scene but, when the phrase “Jesus, the good shepherd” is spoken, gentle Jesus and the calm lamb is the image that is most likely brought into view.  What about the rest of the story, though?  What about the images associated with a table being prepared in the presence of our enemies?  What about the images of the scared sheep following the shepherd through the valley of the shadow of death? The way I see it, the images of the 23^rd psalm more accurately tell the story of Jesus the Good Shepherd…because it’s about our life together…it’s about the hurts and the pains and the awkwardness that happens within life…but it’s also about how God, through the person of Jesus, permeates the entire realm of life so that even in the midst of the hurts and pains and awkwardness, our cups can run over. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the Gospel text for this morning.  I yearn for the day when we do come together as one flock with one shepherd.  But, I’m also a city girl who knows nothing about sheep except what I’ve learned from petting farms as a child and from friends who have farmed sheep.  So, for someone like me, the Gospel text doesn’t really resonate. 

But the 23^rd Psalm …that text speaks to a common experience of life.  Imagine a picture perfect day spent out on a green lawn…or spending sometime near a calm lake or stream…allow the smells of fresh air, green grass, and cool waters to enter into your senses.

Having spent most of my life in Michigan and Illinois, I was blessed to live for 17 years within walking distance of a large lake and, over the course of my life, I have become a water person. Water stills my soul, calms my nerves and helps me to relax.  Water is a powerful compound. It has the power to calm and soothe, to shock and cause pain. It can refresh and heal, and it can cause sickness and death.  Water is fun, and it is dangerous.  It is centering and calming and scary.

Seven years ago, my family rented a cabin in South Haven, Michigan for a week.  The cabin was across the road and down two flights of stairs from the beach and Lake Michigan, so of course we spent the majority of our time there by the lake.  The first four days of our trip, the water was beautiful.  It was very relaxing and healing to sit on the hot sand, book in hand, and listen to the sound of gentle waves lapping on the shore and feel the cool water on my feet.  In the evenings we watched the sun set over peaceful waters as we walked up and down the shore and then sat in the sand as the last remaining rays of light danced across the calm waters.  

As the week came to a close, a storm front started to pass through and the water got progressively rougher.  Our final day in South Haven was a dark one, but my family decided that we couldn’t waste any time we had available to us to sit on the beach, so across the street and down the stairs we went to watch the storm cross the lake.  Then my brother had a brilliant idea.  He, my sister and I would go fight the waves that were now high enough to attract body boarders and the like.  And so, like little kids, the three of us young adults raced into the water, plowing into the waves with all our might.   We tried jumping over them, through them, going under them…the waves fighting back, not wanting to give of their shape or size to the likes of us.  When we had about used up our energy, mom and dad appeared jumping over the waves with rafts and we all decided that instead of fighting the waves, why not just let them carry us.  So we did. We floated among the high waves and rough surf until eventually we made it back to shore…exhausted…but a good exhausted.  We had accomplished what we had come to the beach that morning to do.  And although the week ended on a rainy note, we still carried the memory of when the lake was almost as flat as glass, the beams of the setting sun reflecting their light off the water. 

Water is life and it is death, it is healing and it can cause disease.  Water shows us a pattern of life that is both alarming and comforting.  When it is calm, water can be a source of relaxation, of hydration, of play.  When it is rough, water can be a source of destruction…it, in itself, can be a valley of the shadow of death. 

Water is sacramental.

It is the place that we bring Kiera Joyce this morning to be joined to Christ in both death and life…with the Good Shepherd leading her to those waters of rest. 

But it doesn’t end there, it doesn’t end with water, there is also a table being prepared…one that is set in the presence of those who trouble us.  I’m not talking about an awkward dinner party with guests in attendance who are in the midst of a disagreement or just don’t see eye to eye, though I’m sure that this has happened to at least some of us at one time or another.  Rather, I am talking about a joyous feast where those who have the least in common and the most to disagree about are brought together by the Good Shepherd to share a meal and celebrate together the gift that is the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And maybe, just maybe, one day the sharing of this feast will translate into our everyday lives without it being awkward or uncomfortable. 

The 23^rd psalm is a text about God as our shepherd, shown in Christian eyes, through the presence of Jesus Christ.  It is also about our life together, about the times when we are taken to places where our souls are stilled, times when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, times where we sit at tables prepared for us in the presence of our enemies, those who trouble us. It is about the sacramental times in our lives where we are taken to places that we would never expect with people we would never expect and our experiences of the holy in those times and places and with those people.  It makes you wonder, what would those stained glass windows and paintings look like? 

They would probably be a little more unsettling, for one thing.  At the same time, though, they would tell a more complete story about how Christ permeates our life together and is present in those moments of joy and comfort and stillness, as well as in moments of death and hurt and awkwardness and brings us together in ways we would never expect, just like a shepherd leading a flock.

Wellness Wednesday!

As of Monday, I had done reverse progress on my fitness/wellness goals.

Then yesterday, I attended a luncheon on wellness and nutrition given by a member of Trinity who is a retired biology teacher and the leader of Trinity's Earth Stewards team. It was a good reminder of goals I need to set for myself as far as nutrition, which will give me more energy for the physical fitness portion of operation fabulous.

And as I took stock, I realized that though there are days in which I don't hit the mark in terms of eating well, on the whole Chris and I do a pretty good job of incorporating whole foods into our diet as much as we can. I still really wish that a cheeseburger had the same caloric count and nutrition value as kale, though.

My other helper in this quest is the myfitnesspal app on my iphone. Again, though I'm finding it SUPER hard to stick with the daily calorie count they suggest (this part will be easier when I find more time to exercise), I do find it helpful to be told by this app that I am doing really well on keeping fat intake down and natural vitamin intake up (Side note: did you know how much vitamin C is in cauliflower?? 1 cup contains 77% of your daily recommended intake...and that 1 cup only costs you 25 calories. I say that again: 77% recommended daily value of Vitamin C for only 25 calories! and it's amazing when roasted in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and some lemon juice...yummm)

 So we press on, trying not to be too hard on myself for Sunday's dinner from Freddy's (side note: the once a month splurge on chili cheese fries or something like that is enough to motivate me to stay on track) and instead focusing on the wins like yesterday, when I ate 10 servings of vegetables.

Stats: Weight - 167.2 (ouch! pass the veggies, please)
 Miles since start - 9

Goals:
Increase walking
Re-introduce portions of P90x (not ready to go full blown yet, but there are 4 workouts I love)
Continue to increase whole food intake
Positive thinking!
Try more healthy recipes (my turkey meatloaf recipe rocks, btw)

Manic Monday

"Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." Colossians 3:14
This verse sits on my desk. It's part of a piece of graphic design art by Kirsten Malcolm Berry, whose art I collect. The pieces I have so far have all been based on verses of scripture that have been meaningful to me. But this one if my favorite so far. For me, it's a much holier version of one of my favorite quotes of all time "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else. Can I get an amen?" ~ RuPaul

Because when it comes down to it, even on the craziest and worst days...the ones filled with bad news, the ones filled with frustration, the ones where you cannot find anything to wear in your closet full of clothes and your hair just won't sit right...it's love, love for yourself and love for others, that makes the day worth living. That's what operation fabulous is about...taking the time to love and appreciate yourself for who you are and living with one rule - be the best you that God made you to be. It's a rule that's easy to break sometimes, but it puts down a foundation for not only loving yourself, but loving others and the world around you and appreciating all that God has made.

Quick thoughts for today...

Thankful Thursday

It's a rainy Thursday after Easter...which means a sleepy Jen...

This means a thankful Thursday is in order

This week I am thankful for:
- A beautiful Triduum and Easter
- Baptism
- Easter Monday naps
- Easter Tuesday treats from Mom and Dad
- The ability to go to bed as early as I want to/need to
- Rain
- Thursday bible study
- The opportunity to spend the evening at Hollis (if you haven't been there and are in the KC area, you need to go)
- Local, organic milk

Starting over...

In December, I attempted to start a program to get me on track with eating healthier and exercising more. I did really good for about a month and then fell off the wagon.

So I'm starting again from scratch.

Here's the low down from this morning:
Current weight: 166
Desired weight: 135-140
Miles walked: 2

The plan is to not have grocery trips like Monday's where the post-Easter exhaustion led to a basket filled with 2 kinds of potato chips, fried chicken, coke, and toilet paper. (At the time, all those items were necessary)

Instead, we will start getting our milk from the Iwig dairy store, where the milk is a bit more expensive, but it came from cows who live only 20 miles away, so that's super cool. We will also begin increasing the frequency with which we visit the farmer's market, which opens Saturday! I will begin walking to church more (a win for me and the environment) and our food menus will again attempt to be more health conscious.

We will still allow for a once a week pizza night since we have become addicted to our pizza stone and, besides every day cookware and dishes, it is the most used item in our kitchen. But we've also started eating healthier pizzas that taste just as good as the five cheese, four meat, etc, etc, pizzas.

My two rules for sanity:
1) Sunday is my exercise day off unless I decide otherwise (sometimes I like to walk to church on Sunday mornings, it's nice)
2) Unless something is planned for that day, Fridays will still remain no alarm clock day. Sleep is just as important as exercise in my book.

Where I need help:
1) I have a plethora of amazing cookbooks that I wander around the house with on a regular basis and use as the basis for our menus. But sometimes I just need a quick, easy, recipe for nights when I really don't feel that much like cooking. So I'm looking for recipes that are on quick and easy par with the recipes you find on the cambell's soup labels, but healthier (Though honestly, their chicken and rice with low fat cream of mushroom soup is awesome). If you've got any like that, feel free to share!
2) Folks to ask how much I've walked in the past week. I usually do great the first couple weeks but then slack off. So it's about week 4 that I need people to bug me.

Let's do this!!!