Take no oath by the earth that you stand on.

    You walk on it only for a while, 

    but soon you shall be buried within it.

Pay no heed to the world you live in.  

    You are dazzled by its pomp and pleasure, 

    but soon you shall be carried from it.

Time is like the ebbing tide on the beach.  

    You cannot see it move by staring at it, 

    but soon it has run away from sight.

From one of my favorite books, Celtic Prayers by Robert Van De Weyer.  
 

This prayer reflection, written by some ancient Irish heart, captures me.  It allows me to name that which we loose sight of.  Our days are finite. Embrace the beauty of life, the joy of love, family, community in all its fullness.  For it is good. Most of the time.

It seems that this unknown writer must have come to a hard place.  Perhaps he or she had been living life to the fullest, the crops were abundant, the forest provided meats, all was well.  And then, it wasn’t.  Did he loose a friend to a tragic accident?  Did she experience loss of a child?  Did hunger overtake abundance and living was precarious?  We don’t know, however we can relate.

For the most part, we, especially in the U.S., have had somewhat of a charmed life.  We have our failures in society, we have many shortcomings within and without, we get dazzled and teased out of our complacency by well scripted commercials that convince us to part with our money.  In this pandemic, we have all had to wrestle with temporary.  Temporary “shelter-in”; temporary cancelations; temporary alteration of habits, travels, etc.  It is becoming a long term temporary.  Words like “new normal” are popping up.  Warnings of second wave infections and vaccines that will take more time. 

That is just it. From the ancient reality to this day.  Time slips by, and all of a sudden it seems we have passed through these days, or occasions in life, without being fully present.  We loose awareness of the precious momentary events that can make meaning of life.  Fleeting, passing time seems to gobble up or cover over the sacred moments.  These solemn words from the Celtic mind call us to attention.  If not by the Celt, we have been brought to the abyss of truth by this pandemic.  Each day, each minute, each breath is a great gift.  To live is to be given something not to be wasted.

Not that we are wasteful, just distracted.  Not moving mindlessly through our days, but at times dazzled or distracted by things that remove our rootedness, our base understanding of life.  Time is passing, there is life and death. It will come to us all.  When the dark and moody Irishman wrote these words, we might think it a morbid, black and depressing way of thinking.  Sometimes it takes a person outside our life to bring truth to us.  Not to scare, create fear, or send us trembling into the corner for what is to come. 

No, to be reminded that all is temporary.  A gift from the words of a thoughtful Irish soul given yet again. Allow the truth to generate a fresh awareness of temporary  and permanent.  Embrace the goodness of each day.  This moment is what we have.  Awaken to the holy moments of being alive.  Never loose sight of the permanent.  God is with you now and in eternity.  Peace and joy now and forever.  Because He promised.  

Your are loved and prayed for.  Every day is full of God-given goodness, its God’s plan!

Pastor Lisa

“The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40: 8

Accompaniment

Not a word we use frequently, I suspect.  But it is something that we desperately need. That is – to know that we are not alone. Not just in the sad, fearful, glass-not-even-half-full day, but all days.  Days that start with good intentions, begin with prayer, engage in all manner of faithful life.  Happy days, quiet days, all days.

The shelter-in life has hit most of us hard.  If you are an introvert, maybe not so much, but still. We need companionship, conversation, a hug or two, right?  Families right now are missing special events together, holding off on gatherings, eating together, just doing life.  There are those who are struggling with friends and family ill with corona virus or other circumstances.  In the hospital, unable to sit with them, hold their hand, give encouragement, or sadly share last moments with loved ones.  These are times that we all need someone to be with us.

Jesus understood our needs.  Remember when just before Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, and brought his disciples to sit and pray with him?  And they fell asleep.  Remember when they were breaking bread at what we now call “the last supper”, and Jesus was telling how he would die and be resurrected?  “Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterwards.’  Simon Peter was offering to accompany Jesus, however it was not his time.  Not now. 

However, Jesus was ready to journey in faith with His Father, so that the Holy Spirit would be sent to carry on in the lives of those who love Him.  It is hard to explain what you see.  Even harder to explain what is a very individual experience or encounter.  Faith is a first stepping stone in coming to know the Holy Spirit.  There is a trust and assurance that comes from knowing God is with us. Now.

Just now, I had to stop and take a phone call from a dear, dear friend. We have been in touch as her husband has been hospitalized, developed complications from heart issues.  Today she called to tell me, he was able to express his wish to stop further invasive treatments.  He is on his way home.  My heart is breaking, my sorrow is clouding my eyes and the pain I feel for them both is physical.  I can’t write anymore right now. I need, need someone. I need God to take this, hold this, be with them.  For so many over the years I have depended on the Holy Spirit to carry these times that overwhelm. And always, always, God shows up.  I pray, for you also, that the Advocate will accompany you in good and hard times.  Come Holy Spirit, and fill the spaces and places of sorrow, emptiness and brokenness we all experience. 

Thank you Lord, for your sacrifice on the cross that opens up the way for your presence in the Spirit.  Take this message and use it for your glory.

Peace and love, Pastor Lisa

“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.” John 14:18

I had the privilege of meeting someone very special a number of years ago.  Special in a number of ways, but especially because she sings.  When she sings, bands play and people move with her.  She has sung with the likes of Willie Nelson, still sings with Lyle Lovett, she sat on Johnny Carson’s sofa, and traveled many a road to do what she does so well, sing.

Some of her history is important, because it reveals her talent.  But when I met her, over the phone for the first time, I learned something uniquely precious about her.  I was serving a struggling church in Atlanta. Mark Clement, a member and yet another story of someone special, was an airline attendant, but on the side he was a promoter of the community.  He called me one day and said, “Call Francine, she may do a concert to help us.”. 

I called her, not even knowing exactly who she was, or her history.  I am afraid I am not a music buff. Mark said do it, so I did.  I introduced myself to her, explaining why I was calling, and she listened.  Just listened. Then she asked, what do you want to raise money for?  I was stumped.  We didn’t have any grand plan, so stumbling I said, well, we could do it for this, or that, or one thing we desperately need is a handicap ramp for people to get in the building safely. She listened, and then said, “I will put my heart and hand to it.  Let’s talk when we get in town.”

There it was.  A teaching moment for me.  Generosity.  Attitude of commitment. Uniquely held in a statement that will forever describe her.  Francine met with us between gigs.  I learned, watched and supported as the church rallied around.  We had visionaries that built an extension to the platform to create a stage.  We had the community support us selling tickets and creating media visuals.  The night of the event, our church was full, up to the balcony.  Francine was not satisfied with just her, she recruited our choir to do back up. We invited The Clifton Sanctuary Shelter men to join us singing.  Francine recruited the band from Blind Willie’s to join us, and a piano talent that rocked the room.  You had to be there. But since you weren’t let me say, the room rocked as never before. Francine brought us to the altar of fullness, joy, love, expression and heart.  I still hear the sounds of blues, her voice and the sanctuary being more than just a place. It was a sanctuary for celebration, delight in God-given talents and the faces of people that came to just be together and enjoy this gift.

All that to say, as we worked on this together, I found a friend.  She calls me her pastor.  We could not be more different.  She has shared some of her life with me.  I took her to meet my mom.  She still asks after mom when we speak.  We found out she loves fish, so she always got fresh fish from Jack’s annual trip to Florida.  And I get singing “cards” from her on Christmas.  You haven’t lived until Francine calls to sing to you.  

I pray with her and for her. That is the thing.  For all Francine is to a very wide group of followers, admirers and blues aficionados’ she is a follower of Jesus Christ.  Her singing began in church with her family, and interweaving all of her life, the good, the bad, the hard, the lonely, the joyful and times of waiting, there is that.  Francine trusts God with all things.  There is a commitment to the Lord in her faith that is unwavering.  Years of faith practice has brought her to this place.  When we talk, catch up and pray, her faith grounding begins to have an effect on me.  I am emboldened.  I am given new strength.  Faith upon faith is a marvelous thing. What a treasure to have such a friend, to have Jesus be our bridge to life together.

In all things, I remain humble.  For the gracious way Francine allowed me to come alongside her.  In days when we talk, we are both lifted in spirit.  There is a love that is borne out of faith, for each other that remains.

You too, are part of this story.  You have a unique place in my life.  Your faith, your being who you are blesses me, informs me of a broader world.  You too, are a gift!  God has given us such a beautiful passage as we find the common thread in all of life.  Jesus Christ created us all, to love and tell His story.  Sing it, tell it, live it.

You are His witness.  And Francine, to you, I give you my heart and my hand.  Together let’s continue to walk in His path.  Love you.

God has given us a story that brings life to one another, and in His story, we are given eternal life. You are loved, prayed for and have the hand of God on your story.

Pastor Lisa