Nothing is worse than the Trump administrations separating kids from their parents into WWII American citizen Japanese style 'jails'--but something that happened the last few days is close.
The World Health Organization is sponsoring a "Nurse Now" campaign to encourage mothers, especially in 3rd world countries, to breast feed their babies.
Beast milk, it is know, gives babies the pro-biotics they need and prevents later allergies.
Breast feeding is simply--by all medical standards--the best thing for a baby.
(Bern breast fed our two kids until they could ask to nurse in complete sentences! And they've been remarkably healthy.)
The US tried to intimidate the country putting forth the proposal by threatening to deny them foreign aid. Probably because the companies who make infant formula--that does none of the positive things breast milk does for infants--gave them lots of campaign funds.
But then, get this, Russia made the proposal and the US backed off it's objections.
No collusion. No Russian connections. Nothing like that.
Oh, Mueller, finish your work soon.
Put post-it notes up all over your house that say "this is not normal' so we don't begin to think what this President is doing is in any way 'normal'.
Not normal at all. None of it.
Lord help us.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Monday, July 9, 2018
Wisdom and weakness
(I've used the quote that Louise Penny puts in the mouth of her character, Armand Gamache, in an earlier post and in a sermon at St. James, Higganum. I used it again this past Sunday at Emmanuel, Killingworth. I'll use it again at St. Ann's, Northford because it has caused me to ponder so much in life since I read it.)
July 9, 2018--Emmanuel, Killingworth
Today's gospel from Mark tells us about Jesus' visit to his home town. The people there were suspicious of his--'he's Joseph's son, isn't he? We know his brothers and sisters. Where does he come off with all this stuff?'
Jesus tells his disciples, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, among his neighbors and his kin."
That's true, you know. To brag a bit, my son is the youngest partner in one of Baltimore's largest law firms and Cathy Chen, his wife, has just be named a judge. They are doing very well in their lives.
But their three daughters, my granddaughters, think of them as their goofy parents who don't have a clue.
And when I grew up in southern West Virginia, there was a college student home for the summer who ran and ran down the valleys and hollows. This was long before the running and jogging craze and the people who knew him thought he was a little crazy and unhinged though he was the town's doctor's son.
Later I learned he was a star on the Villenova University track team and almost made the Olympic team.
A prophet is not without honor except in his home town, among his people and his kin.
You've probably experienced something like that among 'your people and your kin'. Not without honor except....
Then Jesus sends his disciples out two by two to proclaim the 'good news' and to heal and restore.
That's what we are called to do as well--as Christ's Body in this world--proclaim the good news and heal and restore.
I remember once asking 175 people or so at St. John's, "who among you invited someone to church this week?" And no one raised their hand.
"In the last two weeks? the last month? the last two months?" I went on.
When I got to 'six months' a few people raised their hands.
I won't ask you that question. But I will ask, 'why not? Why not invite those you know and meet to be a part of God's Body here in this open, welcoming, embracing community? Why not?"
That's enough for Mark's Gospel. Now to the Gospel of Louise Penny.
Louise Penny is a Canadian mystery writer. Her primary character is Armand Gamache, a detective in Quebec. Gamache has something he tells every young policeman who works with him. He calls it 'the four things you need to learn to say and mean to lead to wisdom." (I've used this at St. James and will later this month at St. Andrew's because it has given me so much to ponder and wonder about.)
Gamache tells the young police officers, "Learn to say and mean this four things, 'I don't know.' 'I'm sorry.' 'I need your help.' And, 'I was wrong.'
That, Gamache tells them, is the road to wisdom.
Ponder that for just a moment. "I don't know." We all want to 'know' everything and even if we don't, we pretend we do. To admit you don't know is a weakness.
"I'm sorry." A genuine apology leads to a deepened relationship with the one you hurt, intentionally or unintentionally. But saying your sorry is hard to do and harder to mean. It seems like a weakness to us.
"I need your help" goes against all we're taught growing up about 'self-reliance' and 'pulling yourself up by your bootstraps'. We want to be able to make it on our own. That's what we're suppose to do, right? Asking for help is a weakness.
"I was wrong" is the hardest of all to say and mean. Being wrong diminishes us in our own eyes and, we think, in the eyes of others. 'Being right' is what we want to be, against all evidence to the contrary.
The road to wisdom, it seems, leads through weakness.
But what did God say to Paul in today's Epistle? "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."
And Paul reflects on that and writes, "So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
Imagine that--power made perfect when we admit our weaknesses!
Imagine a world where we all--All of us--including our leaders, learned to say: I don't know. I'm sorry. I need your help. I was wrong.
Imagine how wisdom would flow among us and what a better world it would be where 'weakness' leads to power and wisdom and hope and wonder.....
Amen.
July 9, 2018--Emmanuel, Killingworth
Today's gospel from Mark tells us about Jesus' visit to his home town. The people there were suspicious of his--'he's Joseph's son, isn't he? We know his brothers and sisters. Where does he come off with all this stuff?'
Jesus tells his disciples, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, among his neighbors and his kin."
That's true, you know. To brag a bit, my son is the youngest partner in one of Baltimore's largest law firms and Cathy Chen, his wife, has just be named a judge. They are doing very well in their lives.
But their three daughters, my granddaughters, think of them as their goofy parents who don't have a clue.
And when I grew up in southern West Virginia, there was a college student home for the summer who ran and ran down the valleys and hollows. This was long before the running and jogging craze and the people who knew him thought he was a little crazy and unhinged though he was the town's doctor's son.
Later I learned he was a star on the Villenova University track team and almost made the Olympic team.
A prophet is not without honor except in his home town, among his people and his kin.
You've probably experienced something like that among 'your people and your kin'. Not without honor except....
Then Jesus sends his disciples out two by two to proclaim the 'good news' and to heal and restore.
That's what we are called to do as well--as Christ's Body in this world--proclaim the good news and heal and restore.
I remember once asking 175 people or so at St. John's, "who among you invited someone to church this week?" And no one raised their hand.
"In the last two weeks? the last month? the last two months?" I went on.
When I got to 'six months' a few people raised their hands.
I won't ask you that question. But I will ask, 'why not? Why not invite those you know and meet to be a part of God's Body here in this open, welcoming, embracing community? Why not?"
That's enough for Mark's Gospel. Now to the Gospel of Louise Penny.
Louise Penny is a Canadian mystery writer. Her primary character is Armand Gamache, a detective in Quebec. Gamache has something he tells every young policeman who works with him. He calls it 'the four things you need to learn to say and mean to lead to wisdom." (I've used this at St. James and will later this month at St. Andrew's because it has given me so much to ponder and wonder about.)
Gamache tells the young police officers, "Learn to say and mean this four things, 'I don't know.' 'I'm sorry.' 'I need your help.' And, 'I was wrong.'
That, Gamache tells them, is the road to wisdom.
Ponder that for just a moment. "I don't know." We all want to 'know' everything and even if we don't, we pretend we do. To admit you don't know is a weakness.
"I'm sorry." A genuine apology leads to a deepened relationship with the one you hurt, intentionally or unintentionally. But saying your sorry is hard to do and harder to mean. It seems like a weakness to us.
"I need your help" goes against all we're taught growing up about 'self-reliance' and 'pulling yourself up by your bootstraps'. We want to be able to make it on our own. That's what we're suppose to do, right? Asking for help is a weakness.
"I was wrong" is the hardest of all to say and mean. Being wrong diminishes us in our own eyes and, we think, in the eyes of others. 'Being right' is what we want to be, against all evidence to the contrary.
The road to wisdom, it seems, leads through weakness.
But what did God say to Paul in today's Epistle? "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."
And Paul reflects on that and writes, "So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
Imagine that--power made perfect when we admit our weaknesses!
Imagine a world where we all--All of us--including our leaders, learned to say: I don't know. I'm sorry. I need your help. I was wrong.
Imagine how wisdom would flow among us and what a better world it would be where 'weakness' leads to power and wisdom and hope and wonder.....
Amen.
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Baltimore
The trip to Baltimore was wondrous.
The girls--Morgan, Emma and Tegan--are so grown up. Morgan and Emma are almost as tall as me and you can have really grown up conversations with them.
Tegan is still a little bit a little girl. Josh and Cathy's friend, John, brought some very mild fireworks to dinner and one of them that spun around and shot off lots of sparks, scared Tegan horribly. She cried and cried--something I haven't heard her do for a long time. By the end, she was holding sparklers and not freaking out.
And they are all so beautiful. (I know I'm prejudiced, but the truth is, and Bern agrees, they all have the most beautiful skin you can imagine. Not a blemish or acne mark to be seen.) I love them profoundly.
Josh and Cathy are doing so well that I could weep with joy. Josh is the youngest partner in his large law firm (mostly because since he does a lot of bankruptcy and taxes his section kept the firm solvent during the recession.) And Cathy will be installed as a judge for Baltimore City in September. Her Taiwanese family is so proud that they are taking Josh and Cathy and the girls to Taiwan for Christmas to give offerings of thanks to the ancestors.
They live in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Baltimore--Baltimore is a city of distinct neighborhoods. (Two people I know who grew up in Baltimore both told me Mount Washington was their favorite neighborhood.) Mount Washington is the only hilly part of the city and looks like a Connecticut suburb. A very mixed neighborhood--million dollar houses next to simple ranch houses--and a fair amount of ethnic mix as well.
The 4th of July parade in Mount Washington came right by Josh and Cathy's house. It was four or five vintage cars, a woman on stilts dressed as Uncle Sam, a bagpiper and lots of the neighbors on foot on on bikes. A real neighborhood parade. We didn't even try to go see the fireworks over the harbor, knowing it would be a nightmare to park and walk.
They used to live in Canton, right on the harbor, and we once watched the fireworks over Fort McHenry from their upstairs windows.
The drive down was just over 5 hours with three stops. The drive back was a little longer because of the inexplicable slow downs of the Merritt Parkway. We once made the 280 miles in 4 hours and 15 minutes--but just once.
The girls--Morgan, Emma and Tegan--are so grown up. Morgan and Emma are almost as tall as me and you can have really grown up conversations with them.
Tegan is still a little bit a little girl. Josh and Cathy's friend, John, brought some very mild fireworks to dinner and one of them that spun around and shot off lots of sparks, scared Tegan horribly. She cried and cried--something I haven't heard her do for a long time. By the end, she was holding sparklers and not freaking out.
And they are all so beautiful. (I know I'm prejudiced, but the truth is, and Bern agrees, they all have the most beautiful skin you can imagine. Not a blemish or acne mark to be seen.) I love them profoundly.
Josh and Cathy are doing so well that I could weep with joy. Josh is the youngest partner in his large law firm (mostly because since he does a lot of bankruptcy and taxes his section kept the firm solvent during the recession.) And Cathy will be installed as a judge for Baltimore City in September. Her Taiwanese family is so proud that they are taking Josh and Cathy and the girls to Taiwan for Christmas to give offerings of thanks to the ancestors.
They live in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Baltimore--Baltimore is a city of distinct neighborhoods. (Two people I know who grew up in Baltimore both told me Mount Washington was their favorite neighborhood.) Mount Washington is the only hilly part of the city and looks like a Connecticut suburb. A very mixed neighborhood--million dollar houses next to simple ranch houses--and a fair amount of ethnic mix as well.
The 4th of July parade in Mount Washington came right by Josh and Cathy's house. It was four or five vintage cars, a woman on stilts dressed as Uncle Sam, a bagpiper and lots of the neighbors on foot on on bikes. A real neighborhood parade. We didn't even try to go see the fireworks over the harbor, knowing it would be a nightmare to park and walk.
They used to live in Canton, right on the harbor, and we once watched the fireworks over Fort McHenry from their upstairs windows.
The drive down was just over 5 hours with three stops. The drive back was a little longer because of the inexplicable slow downs of the Merritt Parkway. We once made the 280 miles in 4 hours and 15 minutes--but just once.
Friday, July 6, 2018
Something to pray about
I get so caught up in what's going on here in the US that I ignore most everything else.
But not the kids in that cave in Thailand.
It seems miraculous that they lived 9 days cut off from the world by water.
And even more miraculous that they were found and given food and water and light. (Imagine 9 days in darkness--what a miracle light would be.
But now, with the oxygen level in the air they are breathing nearing a dangerous low and one diver losing his life trying to take them oxygen and no way to drill down a mile to them and a jungle hiding any back entrance to the cave and the need to be underwater for a long time to escape--now, previous miracles aside, a major miracle is needed to keep the world (and their families) from watching them die.
Something to take my mind off the lies and nonsense from our president.
Something to make me pray about.
Hold those kids and their coach in you heart and soul.
Try to imagine--no, don't!!!--how he feels about leading them there.
A life and death drama on 24/7 TV.
Pray. And ponder the fragile nature of life....
But not the kids in that cave in Thailand.
It seems miraculous that they lived 9 days cut off from the world by water.
And even more miraculous that they were found and given food and water and light. (Imagine 9 days in darkness--what a miracle light would be.
But now, with the oxygen level in the air they are breathing nearing a dangerous low and one diver losing his life trying to take them oxygen and no way to drill down a mile to them and a jungle hiding any back entrance to the cave and the need to be underwater for a long time to escape--now, previous miracles aside, a major miracle is needed to keep the world (and their families) from watching them die.
Something to take my mind off the lies and nonsense from our president.
Something to make me pray about.
Hold those kids and their coach in you heart and soul.
Try to imagine--no, don't!!!--how he feels about leading them there.
A life and death drama on 24/7 TV.
Pray. And ponder the fragile nature of life....
Thursday, July 5, 2018
What I call Justice
Back from Baltimore--great 4th (more later)--wondrous Josh and Cathy--too amazing three growing girls.
The best news I've heard since getting home (besides Scott Pruitt's resignation) is that a group of poachers broke into a wild animal preserve in South Africa and were killed by lions.
The poachers were armed with all the things need to kill rhinos and take their horns. But a pride of lions had other ideas for them.
South African officials aren't quite sure how many poachers their were--they haven't be able to determine how many remains the lions left.
This is what I call the triumph of Nature over Assholes.
Bless you lions. Keep your eyes open and protect those rhinos always.
Justice prevails.
Please support all those trying to protect endangered species and animals in general.
It was their planet once--before us--we need to make sure they are safe.
We need to be lions bringing justice to the wildness of the earth.
The best news I've heard since getting home (besides Scott Pruitt's resignation) is that a group of poachers broke into a wild animal preserve in South Africa and were killed by lions.
The poachers were armed with all the things need to kill rhinos and take their horns. But a pride of lions had other ideas for them.
South African officials aren't quite sure how many poachers their were--they haven't be able to determine how many remains the lions left.
This is what I call the triumph of Nature over Assholes.
Bless you lions. Keep your eyes open and protect those rhinos always.
Justice prevails.
Please support all those trying to protect endangered species and animals in general.
It was their planet once--before us--we need to make sure they are safe.
We need to be lions bringing justice to the wildness of the earth.
Monday, July 2, 2018
Going to Baltimore
We're leaving in the morning for Baltimore to celebrate the 4th of July with Josh/Cathy and the growing up too fast Bradley girls.
Given Fort McHenry and all that, Baltimore probably goes all out for the 4th. I'll let you know.
Having Eleanor in our life makes me miss the 'little girls' we used to see on holidays and in Baltimore. Morgan and Emma are on the verge of puberty and Tegan is much bigger than I want her to be.
But they are wonders--each of them in different ways. Morgan is sly and insightful. Emma is ebullient and excited. Tegan is social and secretive at the same time.
And Josh is flesh of my flesh and Cathy is the flesh they chose to share with each other.
Pinch myself every time I have to hear stories--deep and heart-breaking and profound--about children that have struggled, gone off the rails, been lost.
We lucked out in all that in a big way--and I mean 'luck' like "Grace" since I can't see how we deserved to have two such children and such great son and daughter in law and four granddaughters.
We didn't 'earn' it--they are, pure and simple, GIFTS.
And we get to see 5 of the 8 of them tomorrow.
Cahoo, Cahey!!!
I'll check in with you on Friday.
Shalom and Happy 4th!
Given Fort McHenry and all that, Baltimore probably goes all out for the 4th. I'll let you know.
Having Eleanor in our life makes me miss the 'little girls' we used to see on holidays and in Baltimore. Morgan and Emma are on the verge of puberty and Tegan is much bigger than I want her to be.
But they are wonders--each of them in different ways. Morgan is sly and insightful. Emma is ebullient and excited. Tegan is social and secretive at the same time.
And Josh is flesh of my flesh and Cathy is the flesh they chose to share with each other.
Pinch myself every time I have to hear stories--deep and heart-breaking and profound--about children that have struggled, gone off the rails, been lost.
We lucked out in all that in a big way--and I mean 'luck' like "Grace" since I can't see how we deserved to have two such children and such great son and daughter in law and four granddaughters.
We didn't 'earn' it--they are, pure and simple, GIFTS.
And we get to see 5 of the 8 of them tomorrow.
Cahoo, Cahey!!!
I'll check in with you on Friday.
Shalom and Happy 4th!
Sunday, July 1, 2018
July 1 sermon--Emmanuel, Killingworth
Mark 5:21-43
5:21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea.
5:22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet
5:23 and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live."
5:24 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him.
5:25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years.
5:26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse.
5:27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
5:28 for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well."
5:29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
5:30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"
5:31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'"
5:32 He looked all around to see who had done it.
5:33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.
5:34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
5:35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?"
5:36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."
5:37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
5:38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.
5:39 When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping."
5:40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.
5:41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!"
5:42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement.
5:43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Mark's gospel uses the word "immediately" more than it is found in the rest of the Bible. Mark's gospel is moving fast and furious. In fact, so fast that today there is a story inside a story.
The synagogue leader, Jarius, came to beg Jesus to heal his dying daughter.
The major story is about Jarius' daughter--but in the middle of the immediacy of that, a woman who has been plagued by bleeding and lost everything--including her money to physicians--and she believed if she could only touch Jesus' cloak--only that---she would be healed.
And she did and she was.
And Jesus said "who touched me?" because he felt his power go out of him.
Of course, given the crowd, no one could know, but the woman came forward to confess it was her. Jesus told her that her faith made her whole and blessed her.
By then folks from Jarius' house told them his daughter had died and not to trouble the Teacher more. But Jesus takes his three most trusted disciples--Peter, James and John--and goes to Jarius' house.
He is met by people weeping and wailing and when he told them the girl was 'just sleeping', they laughed, as upset as they were.
Then Jesus went into the girl and said to her, "Talitha cum", Arimaic for "Little girl, get up", and the child did get up, dead as she had been.
(An aside, I wanted to name our daughter "Talitha" but Bern put the stop to that immediately!)
One of the things God confounds us with is that we believe dead things must stay dead.
But Jesus says, "no" and resurrects the little girl. In God's mind, dead things don't have to stay dead. Jesus resurrected only two other people in the gospels--the son of the widow of Nain and, of course, Lazarus.
But Jesus tells us dead things don't have to stay dead.
Dead relationships, dead thoughts, dead emotions, dead hopes, dead longings--they don't have to stay dead, God tells us.
I've felt the need for healing for a while--a long while. When children can be separated from their families and all interred and a perfectly good family can be denied a meal in a restaurant, both remind us of horrible historic events--Japanese Americans interred during the Second World War and African-Americans being denied meals.
I heard someone say on radio, "Civility is dead". It seems that way. But, God tells us dead things don't have to stay dead.
We have become Tribal in this country. I know of families who can't eat together on holidays because of the political differences.
We need to find healing to our community. We must find a way to heal our differences and become "one nation" again.
We need to be healed and touch each other in spite of our differences.
That's why as soon as I stop talking, I invite you to come forward for anointing and prayers for healing. Garnet will help me.
We must be healed so we might heal the divisions and pain in our nation and world.
I invite you to come forward for a prayer of healing and anointment.
Now.
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