Cannot go to work

Its one thing to not have a job, its another to be physically unable to get to work, its another to have a job and not want to go, and its entirely a different thing to have a job that you want to go to and cannot because you are employed by the Federal Government. First, to all the members of St. John's who are home because of the government shut down, I admire you perseverance to use the time that you want to be at work in creative ways. Some of you are planning ways to assist family and neighbors with projects. As public servants you are continuing to serve. Some of you are beginning home projects that you otherwise have not been able to complete, because you have been reliably at your jobs. Some of you are volunteering in your community and here at St. John's. Common among all of you who are home not from your own choice is that you are not yet shutting down but still looking for leaders to lead the country to a new place. Thank you for your common sense and dedication as citizens. Second, I appreciate that there are many others who are members of St. John's who businesses depend upon the Federal Government operating, such as contractors, food service, even home care providers who are now displaced or whose families are cutting back because of the economic uncertainty. Thank you for the same perseverance and service as citizens. And finally, I know this places everyone in a position to question commitments of both time and money. How much income will be lost? Is there anything to be done to make it up? When to cut back? How to look day to day? Your parish stands with you. Whatever support and help you need, the community of St. John's surrounds you. Whatever questioning or fist shaking or wondering you want to do out loud, we are here to listen. While the current financial situation of your household may have an impact on the financial household of St. John's, it will not change our joy in community and our appreciation of all our members. We all wonder, "How long, O Lord?" However long, Christian community continues through the Spirit of St. John's among us all.

You have searched me out and known me.

The Psalm for this coming Sunday is Psalm 139, one of my favorites. This is the Pslam I turned to in my late twenties when I was trying to discern who I was. Living alone, managing a house, job, friends, and broken relationships, I was not moving deeper to understand myself and who I was with God. It was lonely. I did not turn to friends because I felt only God and me could work this out. Yet, nothing that I could recognize from God seemed to be coming my way. More doors where closing than opening. It was comforting to me to hear in this Psalm that that even if I didn't know who I was and where I was called, God knew. Even if I couldn't see it at the time, God knew. And, not only did God know but that knowing stretched through my past, my painful present, and my hope for the future. "God, you know my sitting down and rising up...you discern my thoughts from afar...you are acquainted with all my ways..." A Life with God is not a straight line up an ever winding spiral. We revisit our joys and sorrows at different parts in our life seeing them with a new perspective of the accumulated days lived. We find ourselves sure of what we are doing and wonder and times of transition, "who am I?" Psalm 139 is always there for me

Practically, as in almost there?

Practically Christians, as in almost there? That is a question that came up shortly after beginning this blog. It is the opening a new school year on our campus and the opening of new program year for the parish so it is a good time to revisit why "Practically..." Think of practicing the piano, or a language, or any skill. At first it is awkward and then as the body learns the movements it becomes more fluid. Then it is time to learn another level, a different song or movement. The same is true of the Christian life. We are always practicing. Even with a refresher as an adult, we don't begin again as if we were children. We practice from the place we find ourselves in today and then move into more practice. We touch our center and God's center. So Pratically Christian is about practicing our faith life day to day. That is also part of the practically, it that our faith is practical - in real time, every day, in each place and relationship in which we find ourselves. Practically Christian, practicing day to day. While some days we may feel the frustrations of being incomplete and almost there, the focus is on what we can do each and every day as people of faith. And that is all good news!

Caffe Decaffeinato

Foods are full, simple, and as they are intended to be in Tuscan cooking. Measuring means less and taste means more. That is why I've come to the conclusion that Italians really don't know the meaning of Decaffeinato. I came to that conclusion about 3 am last night. Lunch had concluded with a lovely, what I thought was a decaffinated expresso. Clearly not true at 3 am. After all, coffee was never meant to be striped of its pizzazz. Consider if in our life with God measuring meant less and taste meant more. Savor the rising and falling of emotion in a hymn, allow the time of prayer to take us where God wants to go, skip our to-do list for God and enter instead into a sweetness of simple rest. Don't accept a watered-down or altered version of someone's experience of faith but find the pizazz of our own. Wouldn't that be as God intended in our relationship?

Retracing our steps

In Florence not all the streets appear on the brightly colored maps printed for travelers. We start out in the direction we want go on a street that appears on the map. Then we find ourselves on an unmarked street but still in the general direction we want to go. Sometimes forging ahead leads to the destination. And it almost always leading to meandering before figurimg out where we are. Sometimes we retrace our steps. It's like confession, or call it self reflection if that makes it sound more comfortable to you. Confession is to turn around, turn away from the path you are currently traveling to get back on the path you want. In theological language the path you want, and you want it because God desires that path for you, is the path that leads to God. Retracing our steps to find the streets other Christian travelers have also discovered lead in the way we want to go.

Toscana

Land, people, food and hospitality weave inseparably in Tuscany. To produce, cook, serve, and invest in food are all hard job with long hours and no days off (eecailly March to December). The people on these "industries" are have passions, not jobs. They bring personality, perseverance, intelligent, humor, and commitment to make the world a better place. Today we met butchers including one of the few woman butchers, a woman Veterinarian with cashmere goats, and restaurateurs who are the social centers of their villages. This is Slow Food- local, sustainable, building their communities.

Voices

I speak in many voices.  Not the sound of my words but the experience and roles of my  life: spouse, mother, priest, administrator, friend, advisor, mentor, supervisor, colleague.  While the context directs  which voice I use, none of the voices are distinct.  Sometimes to be a thoughtful administrator the mother layer is in my voice.  Sometimes to be a mother the administrator voice organizes home life.

Yet, there is one voice that is in every layer, the Christian voice.  On this sabbatical, I am reflecting on my heart core.  That which gives me life.  That which is my inner scaffolding, central support, architecture of my beliefs. Naming my roots in Christ, literally, continues to be very supportive.

So, when I came across the following, paraphrased from the Collegeville Institute web page, developing my Christian voice became that much more important. "It is not enough to preach.  It is not enough to teach.  It is not enough to update the church's Facebook page.  We must learn to write and speak theology accessible for everyone". Write and speak theology for everyone are at my core.  It is what this blog is about as well as the many other voices of my life.  What are the practical, everyday dimensions of a Christian voice?  How is it heard?  Where? Am I speaking out loud or whispering in my own head? What inspires others to speak in their own Christian voice?

What inspires me is to know and feel that my Christian voice makes two profound differences.  First that everyday I choose life with God and I am grateful.  Second, that I make a difference in the lives of others everyday. I am not measuring the difference.  The size, impact, is less important than the difference Christ in me makes. In that way I am developing my voice and speaking to connect with others.