Sunday heart talk . . .

It wasn't more apparent than later this week, following the news of Michael Jackson's death that I began to really understand what it means to have the courage to listen. It requires a selflessness attitude and pushing aside our own voice and yearnings to follow the call to our spirit. This was the message I knew would be preached today, but didn't really understand it until now. So often we are consumed by the world's voice that we fail or even miss that of creation . . . the voices of those who need our help. . . the voices of those whose words have been muted . . . the voice of the one who calls us back to himself . . . thus missing the voice of our liberation and insight into who we really are. Somewhere along the way we as a people have missed the voice of the Michael Jackson's of the world. We have missed opportunities to pull them out of their exile. We have missed the voice that frees us from our own exile. From that, my heart murmurings, crafted this as our prayers of the people today:

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

God you talk to us throughout the day,
But somehow we don’t hear.
We find it hard to listen
To that still small voice
That may come as one rustling as the wind through the trees,
Or as the clouds opening up and the sun hitting our face
Accompanied by a gentle breeze.
Or as the cardinal outside our window singing your praises
Or in the gentle face of our children, laughing, playing.
Or the touch of someone’s hand that says “I understand” or “I am here for you!”

Perhaps our minds are too focused on the world that is in despair
A world that reflects the messiness of our lives,
A world that that does not seem to offer hope or promise of a better future
A world that our hands have distorted to look far from the one you created.
A world that does not love you freely.
Or heed your commands.
A world that does not even recognize your existence
Or acknowledge the miracles of your healing hands.
A world that is so busy, it doesn’t have time – to listen.

Forgive us today, God for turning a deaf hear towards you,
For making all else a priority, save for you.
For living not as we ought, with a concern or ear bent toward
the hurts of our neighbors, our family members, our spouses
our friends.
For assuming we have another day, another 24-hours to get it right.

Lord, we admit that we have lost our moral compass
And struggle to find our way back to you.
Guide us, O, Lord, back to you.
For we long to hear your secrets
We long to hear your voice
We desire to see your glory manifested in our lives.
We desire to be more than just “good people.”
We desire to your obedient children whose Word
is etched upon our hearts.
And becomes a part of our daily lives.
Here we are, O God!
We’re ready to hear you!
We’re ready to listen.
Speak to us today!

AMEN.

Friday Frolic . . .

As one minister reminded me this week, "Sunday comes early" and it always comes. So with that in mind, I decided to make Friday count for something. I headed to MOTE, the aquarium on the coast, hung out with the fish, turtles, mesmerizing jellyfish, sharks, manatees and dolphins for the day. Then I winded down here:

At the Salty Dog enjoying a blackened grouper sandwich and fries . . .

and this beautiful view . . .


And this delicious key lime pie!
These are the times when I really miss being in Florida and realized how I blessed I was to grow up here!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Woke up Sunday morning and didn't have one drop of vinegar in the house for my science experiment for the children's moment to show how a tarnished penny dropped in the vinegar/water solution is a illustration of how baptism works -- it cleans us up and makes us shiny and new. Had to go with some boiled eggs and crayons instead. I used the crayons to color marks on the egg shell to illustrate mistakes we make or sins we commit as we grow older, but when we are baptised, the old shell or our old selves are peeled away and we become all clean and pure again. The egg illustration worked right up until it was time for me to crack the egg and peel the colored shell off. I couldn't crack the egg! But then one kid spoke up with a solution . . . Give it to me," he said, "I'll just step on it and smash it!"
2.Went to pray with a church member this morning who was having a heart catheterization to check on why her mitral value wasn't working. Doctors initially thought that she may have a blocked coronary artery, which would require bi-pass surgery. We prayed. I remember asking the Lord -- if it was God's will -- to perform a miracle and knit her back together the way God originally formed her. Got word later today the tests were clear.
3.I made it to Zumba last night. . . making plans to head to kickboxing tonight . . .I hope I make it . . . I need to make it!
4. Realized something this weekend at the beach . . . in that scorching hot sun: 1.) I don't like being in the sun. 2.) I don't like being in the sun. 3.) I don't know how I'm going to survive South Africa this summer. I will be taking lots and lots of hats!
5.Crazy as it sounds, I haven't cooked or had spaghetti in forever . . . actually in more than a year, that is until last night when I made it Italian night at Juana's summer estate. And it was so good! Leftovers tonight will be even better in front of TNT's Hawthorne.
6.I'm really trying to hold off from eating Five Guys Burgers and Fries until I get back to Atlanta. . . hence the need to adhere to #2, if I can't hold out.
7. I saw a Japanese Steak House today and thought of my friends in Tally town. I miss them!
8. Miss girl's nights too!
9.Still trying to figure out which scripture will fit my sermon on prayer and why we pray. Suggestions are definitely welcome!
10.Got a coupon for a $20 massage for 50 minutes this weekend . . .you know where I'll be headed Saturday morning.

Reality check . . .

I had another strong dose of the reality of what I'm doing today . . . well it actually started yesterday when I had the opportunity to sit in on the memorial plans -- on Father's Day of all days -- with the family of a former member who committed suicide over the weekend. The gravity of my position hit me when I saw his step-daughter's face -- she was lost, overwhelmed and devastated. The only father she knew was gone. And in that moment, I was reminded of what it means to say that you're a minister -- the one who is called to hold it all together for those who need a steady place to stand and someone on which to lean and help them make sense of their disrupted world.
There is something about standing in that type of call. It's a humbling place to be. A position that, if you're honest, shines a light on your own weaknesses, inabilities and insecurities and reminds you that you alone can't make things better, only the one who you stand on behalf of.

I received a letter from a new minister friend of mine the other day who reminded me of who I am -- at least this summer. In the letter, my friend pointed out that I am Harvest's "pastor" for the summer (the senior pastors are gone on vacation for a month) and I will have some good opportunities to deliver pastoral care -- some that will be easy, some not so good and some that may be hard and painful. But that in the midst of all of that, I won't be alone -- that God will be along for the ride and in place to handle whatever comes.

I'm glad she reminded me of that, particularly on a day when I find all of these yellow slips of paper in my inbox -- prayer requests . . .for all kinds of issues . . . that a missing granddaughter would be found . . . that a healing would come to cancer-attacked bodies . . . that God will bless the healthy arrival of a new baby . . . that families who have lost loved ones will be strengthened. . . that God will accompany the doctors in surgery. The concerns are many. And they bring into full view of how real all of this is. It brings into full view how many people really need a safe place to park their fears and doubts. And how many people need someone to speak, petition and fight on their behalf.

It's not so much different than being journalist.

Having a heart talk with God . . .

These penned prayers are becoming one of my favorite assignments . . . one of the times when I feel even more connected to God and seem to be able to hear just a little more clearly to the murmurings of my own heart. Here is what it spoke this past Sunday:

Prayers of the People

Most merciful God, the lover of our souls,
The caretaker of our hearts
The custodian of our being
The curator of us, your masterpieces
We praise your name!
We sing of your bountiful blessings!
We extol all that you are.
The great I AM!
The Lilly of the valley
Our bright and morning star
Our strength and our redeemer
The one who saves us.
The one who washes us anew.
The one who calls us to die to the nastiness of our sin.
Cleanse us again, O Lord!

On this day, bring to our remembrance
the day of our baptism,
the day we united with you to walk in a newness of life,
the day we surrendered
the day sin ceased to hold us bound in chains.
The day Jesus proclaimed us as shiny and new.
Worthy of grace
Worthy of mercy.
Worthy of everlasting love.

Lord strengthen our faith so that we may live this free life in you.
Without fear of condemnation and criticism,
Without fear of being rebuffed and rejected,
Without fear of being deserted and discarded,
Without fear of standing alone on our convictions.

Help us, O God, to live as we have never lived before for the good of others.
Help us to choose to live boldly and unswervingly in the belief of your Word.
Help us to be your living Word.
Look upon us with compassion as you mold us to be compassionate.
Help us to remember that we are ambassadors of this movement of Christ followers
Called to a mission to bring more into the fold.
Called to a mission to continue what Jesus started.
Called to a mission to simply serve.

AMEN.

Ten on Tuesday . . . later in the week

Okay, this was supposed to be done by last week, but I didn't get it posted in time. Here is what I was up to . . .

1. I finally got a cleaned up version of my story in the East County Observer. The editor must have sent me at least three different versions before "Juana Johnson" was thoroughly removed from the story. The sad thing is I know exactly how this reporter/editor feels -- totally embarrassed and horrible. You're writing the story, looking at your notes, but thinking about this other name.
2.The pastors are leaving out for a month long vacation with the family after Sunday . . . Juana the intern left in charge . . . priceless!

3.I attended the staff appreciation luncheon today. . . had a great lunch . . .heard why I was appreciated . . . shared what I appreciated about others . . . and got a great gift . . . handmade. A church member here designed this, even putting HUMC beading on it. She's also designing me a matching honey spoon to hang on the side of my tea. See: 4.I'm really trying to get back into this exercise thing. Went to Zumba on Monday . . . trying to make an effort to go back tonight.
5. I still gotta write a Prayers for the People for Sunday.
6. I think I've figured out my moment with the children for Sunday. Since we're talking about baptism, I'm going to use the image of a tarnished penny as an example of how when it's dipped in vinegar and water, it's washed clean, made all shiny and pretty. That's what God does to us through Baptism, washing off all the dirt and yucky stuff in our lives and makes us clean again and shiny and new like the penny. I hope it works. Got at least 80 to 100 kids coming up on Sunday.

7. I'm heading out to Clearwater Beach this weekend to hang out with a girlfriend and her family at their family reunion. The time away should be nice . . . relaxing . . . rejuvenating for Sunday.

8.Trying out a new hairdresser . . . we're starting with a wash and set first . . . then maybe chemical application if all goes well. I really hate looking for new hairdressers.

9.I really need to learn how to swim. What good is it to live in this great home for the summer and not really take advantage of the beautiful pool outside my door . . . well, I do dip my feet in after I workout sometimes.

10. I just learned how to use DirectTV . . . not sure if that's good or not!

In the news . . . again

Having been a reporter, I know the barrage of questions we ask can oftentimes be disturbing, make one somewhat uncomfortable, but evoke excitement at the same time -- more so because you come to realize that someone is actually interested in you and your life. Sounds great, but the bottom line is: I'm used to doing the asking, not answering.

But, I got a chance to sit on the other side of those feelings and the following story below is what was birthed. I was giving this interview about a month or so ago while driving down I-285 on the way to take a friend to the Atlanta airport. So, I was kinda paying attention to the phone call and the road. It wasn't until after I finished the interview, which had to be cut because I wanted to see my friend off properly, that I began to panic and question, "What did I really say?"

Well, apparently here it is in black and white!

http://www.yourobserver.com/news/east-county/Front-Page/06112009866/Harvest-welcomes-pastoral-intern