remembering

There's a guy in Florida who has garnered a lot of attention this week for a proposed act for September 11 that doesn't match well with "They will know we are Christians by their love."

This morning I pulled up old sermons to glance at them before heading out to an all day training. I thought it might be a good idea to have those thoughts rumbling around in my head even though I won't be able to focus on the task of sermon writing until much later.

I was struck at the dramatic juxtaposition of this story and the guy from Florida. This story is copied exactly with names intact from an Ecunet meeting I joined many years ago.


Note #87292 from ROB NEDBALEK to RURAL AND SMALL CHURCH:


My niece sent this to me today. This is from the Facilities Manager at her sister's place of employment, in Fort Collins, Colorado. I hope it touches you, as it did us, to see what REAL Americans are about. God Bless You All, Rob
________________________________________________

As this long and horribly tragic week comes to an end, I can not finish my work here today with out expressing to this company some feelings (after discussing it with management).

As you know, I am an American citizen from an Arabic origin and of Muslim faith. Watching the media paint the Islamic world as all hateful toward America and all she stands for, and here in the land of the free, my wife has not left the house for fear of retribution and my children ask, as Americans, are they going to be safe too, just as President Bush promises?

I know as a Muslim, there is nothing in my religion that says it is ok to kill innocent people. So, I am proud to be part of this faith.

And then at noon today something happened that made me even prouder to be a Muslim American.

As with every Friday, around noon, I went to our weekly service at the Fort Collins Mosque (our church building). All of the Islamic females in the community have not been able to attend this week out of fear.

When I arrived, I was completely touched by what I found there. Our Mosque was completely surrounded by members of the Fort Collins Christian community, forming a human shield, with white carnations in their hands.

Tears came to my eyes, and I saw beautiful light shining through the darkness that has covered us this week.

As we went in to worship, I said extra prayers that we are so lucky to be living with this kind of people. I have never felt as proud as an American Muslim, as I did today.

As goodness is not a monopoly for any one race or religion, neither is darkness.

As I grew up in locations all over the world, and settled the last 26 years in America, I truly know what a great place this is to live.

United we stand, Divided we fall.
Thank you,
Your facility manager at your service,
Hani




Rob Nedbalek
Poplar/Brockton Lutheran Parish in Northeastern Montana
Saint John's Lutheran Church - Poplar
Our Savior's Lutheran Church - Brockton
Zion Lutheran Church - Rural Brockton

Somebody's Prayin'

I first heard this song at a TRUTH concert. The soloist was a fabulous young woman.

For almost two months, I have heard her voice singing this song. I couldn't remember all the words until I found it via Google. What I have heard over and over is: "Somebody's praying I can feel it. Somebody's praying for me." And then, I could hear the notes but not the words for the rest.

I distinctly remember when I heard it the first time this haunting way she sang it so that it was so clear that she felt alone and, yet, at the very same time had the deep conviction that she was not alone because she could feel someone praying for her.

Somebody's praying, I can feel it. Somebody's praying for me.

dormant

I realize that, like many, I have invested much more time in twitter and facebook than in this blog. While I don't always appreciate the constriction of 140 characters, I have become fairly adept at expressing myself within the constriction. The "payoff" is a more immediate response and high interactivity. Those are huge dividends for this extrovert. All that is to say, while I highly value those venues, I don't want to let go of this one. So, to the one reader who checks regularly, here is a post. And when I go months without posting, remember that this blog may be dormant but it has not been abandoned completely.

sounds like good stewardship to me

"It is necessary to recover some basic dimensions of finances, that is, the primacy of labor over capital, of human relationships over mere financial transactions, of ethics over the sole criterion of efficacy."

-- Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations, on the global financial crisis (quoted by zenit.org)

connections

I subscribe to the Comic Strip "For Better or Worse" through my feed reader. Today's strip is about a wedding but the last panel made me think of Facebook. See what you think here

the application of theory update

Today, I received the first dose of Orencia. Yeah! The insurance approval came through on Wed July 30 late in the afternoon. But the infusion nurse was out of the office on Thursday and Friday, so when I called on Friday to check the status of the request, the "office" nurse thought it was approved but not positive. I found out, for sure, when I got there this morning.

The first three doses are administered at two week intervals. The next doses are August 19 and September 3. Comprehensive exams begin September 9. Today, I was told that Orencia tends to have a slow start -- not exactly what I wanted to hear. How long? It may take 3 months to really tell the difference. The infusion nurse said a lot of her patients have told her they could tell the difference in 6 weeks.

side note: A long time ago, I thought I would be an MD. When I finally relented to the call that was so powerful, I said to God, "Fine. If I can't be an MD then I want to be a PhD." The timing and money fell into place for the PhD all the way up to this point.

So, at this point in the intersection of PhD and arthritis, I am consciously choosing to keep trying to study and adopting the mantra, "The God who brings you to it will bring you through it."

I see the resemblance

HOW TO WRITE A SERMON

1. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a well lighted place with a fully-charged laptop.

2. Read over the scripture carefully, to make certain you understand it.

3. Take a quick trip to Starbucks to buy some coffee to help you concentrate.

4. Make a quick call to clergy colleague to see if she's started her sermon, either. If neither of you has started, you might meet up somewhere for a quick bite to help you concentrate. If she casually says that she finished hers last Tuesday and was just brushing up on her delivery, hang up quickly and pray for the future of your friendship.

5. When you get back to your room, sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well lighted place with with a fully-charged laptop.

6. Read over the scripture again to make absolutely certain you understand it.

7. Check your e-mail; reply to everyone who sent you messages.

8. You know, you haven't thought about your Jr. High band camp roommate in years... You'd better look her up on Facebook right now and get it out of the way so you can concentrate.

9. Go look at your tongue in the bathroom mirror.

10. Download that song you've been wanting to add to your collection, and that's it - I mean it - as soon as that's done you are going to start that sermon. (This, of course, involves digging out your iPod from your gym bag, which necessitates starting a load of laundry.)

11. Put together a photo slide show using new song as background. Send it to everyone you know.

12. Check your e-mail again. (Do not - EVER - read email from members of your congregation that arrive at this crucial time. No good will come of this.)

13. Head for the bookshelf to find inspiration. (Perhaps that illustration you need is in that blue book you bought at that conference and never read.) Organize your library so books will be easier to find in the future.

14. Phone a clergy colleague and ask if he's started writing yet. Exchange derogatory remarks about your congregation, your D.S., your Bishop, and the Conference.

15. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well lighted place with a fully-charged laptop.

16. Read over the scripture again; roll the words across your tongue; savor their special flavor.

17. Check your e-mail to make sure no-one sent you any urgent messages since the last time you checked. Check Facebook while you're at it. It might be your turn to play Scrabulous!

18. Check the listings to make sure you aren't missing something truly worthwhile on TV. NOTE: When you have a sermon due in less than 12 hours, anything on TV from Masterpiece Theater to Sgt. Preston of the Yukon is truly worthwhile. Hey, there might be a sermon illustration lurking on that infomercial!

19. Check Facebook again. Maybe that friend from Jr. High accepted your friend request.

20. Phone your clergy friend to see how her sermon's going. Make fun of other sermons you read posted on the Internet.

21. Go look at your teeth in the bathroom mirror.

22. Check Facebook. Maybe someone wrote on your wall. Challenge a friend to a Scrabulous game.

23. Sit down and do some serious thinking about your plans for the future.

24. Open your door and see if it's too cloudy for stars tonight.

25. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well lighted place with a fully-charged laptop.

26. Read over the scripture one more time. Perhaps you missed something earlier.

27. Put the laundry in the dryer. Make a list of things you must buy at the store tomorrow.

28. Check your e-mail. Put your new photo slideshop on your MySpace page.

29. Scoot your chair across the room to the window and watch the sunrise.

30. Lie face down on the floor and moan.

31. Leap up and write your sermon.

edited later: I got this from an email forward from another clergywoman

planting seeds

The more I read and hear about Josh Hamilton the more impressed I am with Johnny Narron, Clay Council, and Josh's family, especially his grandmother.

While there's not as much information about Clay Council and his relationship with Josh, I'm thinking that a 71 year old who still pitches batting practice for teenagers has got some influence on the lives of young people. Obviously, Josh remembered him enough to ask him to pitch for the Home Run Derby.

John Donne got it right: No one is an island.

well said

Elizabeth Edwards wrote an incredible article reflecting on the death of Tony Snow. Be sure you read it

2

two shopping carts have been used

two hard drives have been ordered

two hard drives have a status of shipped

two computers should be upgraded soon

church camp

I am a leader for the soon-to-start church camp. We have roughly 200 kids registered. A few more girls than boys. We have a full slate of volunteers for the girls and we are desperately understaffed for the boys. We have a contingency plan, phone calls, email, etc for recruiting.

But what I really want to know is: How is it that the Bishop can preach about professions of faith being necessary for the survival of the church and neither he nor any of his District Superintendents or Conference Directors (9 men and 2 women) are volunteers at camp?

Our church camp is a great opportunity to shape the faith of young people so they will, with integrity, reach a point of making a profession of faith. Our church is wringing its hands over the lack of young clergy. Maybe those young people were children who went to church camp where there were no clergy to set an example and be available for conversation. Maybe those kids needed some one other than the clergy in the home church to help them recognize God's call on their lives -- not just as future clergy -- but as baptized Christians living out their faith each and every day. Sometimes camp is a place where God is heard differently and clergy can help shape the faith of a young person in a way that doesn't happen on Sunday morning in "church" clothes. And, maybe, a bishop or district superintendent could live out ministry for 5 days with a bunch of kids for one small shot that God could whisper the name of a kid at church camp and that kid would experience a transformation.

or maybe not

What are you looking for?

That's the question Jesus asks in the gospel lesson for tomorrow, the 2nd Sunday of Epiphany. I'm not preaching tomorrow because, at the last minute, I have a guest preacher.

However, if I were preaching tomorrow, I would connect that question with a small town in Texas and the UFO siting because that's how my sense of humor works.

I used to drive to that place on a daily basis because The Entertainer was in preschool there. It's a small college town that I like except for the ever present smell that reminds you that they produce a lot of milk around there.

MIZZOU RAH!

Happy New Year

Merry Christmas

I really do have a blog

I suppose if I'm going to have a blog, I should write something. I'm sure I've lost all the regular readers since I have not been a regular writer. Nonetheless, here is a blog that is not a Friday Five, a meme, or another variation on a personality quiz.

* I began watching ER when it first started. I then dropped it in the middle after the stabbing of Carter and death of Lucy but before Carter was gone. I started watching again when this seasaon began in order to see their version of a hospital chaplain. In the years of not watching ER, I've missed some things. But, like a soap opera, it has been pretty easy to catch up.

I wish John Stamos wasn't trying so hard to be George Clooney. I wish they had invested as much on the advisement regarding appropriate clergy behavior as they did on medical technicalities.

* I'm one of the officers for the local ministerial alliance. I'm not sure that I'm really that invested in the organization because most meetings I leave feeling like I've wasted my time. As a part of the nominations process, I met with two other clergy. One the same flavor that I am and one that is a different flavor. The same flavor one had to leave fairly quickly after the business was done. The different flavor one and I stood on the "porch" of the place we met and talked for an hour (maybe more). I could have easily talked to him longer. We talked about a variety of things but it started with Harry Potter. My investment in the ministerial thing may have gone up a smidge.

* My nephew was born on October 9 which was almost my favorite grandfather's birthday. He (the nephew) has hydrocephalus and has a shunt that appears to be working well. His first month checkup was today and went well. He is now 10lbs 5 oz. When born, he was 9 lbs 4 oz. Better my sister than me. My babies were little bitty -- thank God!

Speaking of my babies. My youngest, the Entertainer, was born on the anniversary of the same grandfather's death. She began playing violin when school started with a 1/2 size. She has now grown into the 3/4 size (or is it the other way around size wise?) violin that was originally purchased for that grandfather when he was about the Entertainer's age. She is not quite as good as he was yet. But I have every confidence that she will surpass him. And, if those in heaven, have any care about what happens here on earth, he will be her biggest fan even though he never met her on earth.

* Now that my church has managed to move on a better financial path, we need to find out how to help others discover our great little church.

* I am officially registered for the last course for my PhD. Then comes comps, then comes orals, then comes dissertation, so that last course is just the end of the beginning.

* I need to write a congregational stewardship letter. I'd rather copy someone else's well done letter. I hate writing stewardship letters, not because of the money part, but because I want the letter to be inspiring. I don't usually pull off "inspiring" in letters like this. Sermons? yes. Letters? not usually.

And the letters really need to be mailed tomorrow. But the secretary has a family medical thing in the morning, so that would be the finger pointing at me to do the job. I hope the mailing labels are already printed but I'm not counting on it. They are created by a program that is not user friendly. I wonder if the folding machine will cooperate? The copying should be easy. The stuffing, boring but easy. hmmm, do we have enough first class stamps? I bet not.

In that list, the first thing that has to be worried about is actually writing the letter. That is completely under my control. So I guess I will do that.

a chaplain?

I'm am so with it concerning entertainment news that I learned from Songbird about the new season of ER having a chaplain. I think I'll set ER up for recording now.

I quit watching ER when my kids quit going to their dad's on Thursday night. I would have them in bed, turn on ER, and they would wander out of bed. Of course, that only happened on Thursday nights when I wanted to watch ER and had not prepared any means for recording the show. ER also seemed to get more and more incredible stretching my willing suspension of disbelief past the breaking point. So, at some point after the knife attacker got Lucy and Carter, my faithful watching turned into "Oh, is it ER night?"

I started watching ER when it first premiered with the Sportsqueen, only months old, in my arms as I waited for then husband to come home after his weekly late night of work. I was captured by ER. I loved how Greene talked to Carter about when one of the cases "gets to you" and how if you really cared you took the chance that someone would "get to you" or how you could detach and no one would ever "get to you." I loved the nurse Haleh. One of my favorite sermons (submitted for ordination requirements, no less) included the scene from "Blizzard" where Haleh stands in the midst of the chaotic ER holding a child as tenderly as if she were her own singing "His Eye is On the Sparrow." I cry just thinking about it.

I pray that if (God forbid) my child experiences trauma there is someone who will stand in the chaos, hold them as tenderly as if she were hers, and sing with quite assurance about God's love and presence with the calm, soothing sounds of a lullaby.

That, to me, is the Kingdom of God at hand.

that's entertainment

With the beginning of school, The Entertainer started playing violin for orchestra and also has a new piano teacher.
The plucked violin can produce recognizable tunes. The Entertainer has started having sore fingers leading toward the necessary calluses. That's good.

The new piano teacher seems to be a good match. That's good, too.

The Entertainer is currently sitting on the piano bench belting out Christmas Carols instead of actually playing any instrument. She has a nice voice and sings on pitch. That's good.

But CHRISTMAS, geez, we haven't even made it to October yet. The air conditioner is still on 'cause we're still in the nineties during the day. Shoot at 8:00 pm tonight the temp: 89 degrees.

Maybe I could hire her out for the Always Christmas store ...

how I wish I could cool down

Sometime in the first half of the 1980s, I had my first TedDrews. It's really hot where I am now and I want TedDrews. But it is way, way, far away from me.

TedDrews is the first frozen custard I had ever had. I didn't know about frozen custard until TedDrews. It may be nostalgia re-writing history but I'm pretty sure it's best frozen custard I've ever had. If you are in St Louis, MO, please have TedDrews in my honor.

babies

I traveled five hours to go to my sister's baby shower. There were probably 25 people there, 3 were pregnant, and one was 7 weeks old. I got to hold the 7 week old one for the whole party! I put him to sleep. I actually have a reputation for having "the touch" and putting babies to sleep.

I think I got that from my dad and from Mrs. Across-the-street. Mrs. Across-the-street had four kids and lived across the street from 2nd grade to 6th grade. My sister (yes, the one with the baby shower for her 2nd baby) was born when I was in 4th grade. Baby Sister had colic. Mrs. Across-the-street would take screaming Baby Sister and put her to sleep. She patted with a rhythm that I can copy but can't describe. I can't describe it because when I stop to think about it, I mess up. When I don't even think about it but just do it, it is perfect.

After the shower, Baby Sister and I went running an errand and she talked about me putting the baby to sleep. Then she reminded me about when my niece (who is 3) was a baby and screaming, I said, "Here, give her to me. You need a break." And screaming niece gradually calmed down and finally went to sleep.

I think somewhere in those experiences, there is for me, a vision of God. When I am too inarticulate to express my needs except by screaming at the top of my lungs, God has the patience to pat and rock and be quiet so that I can find enough calm to finally sleep in arms of love.