thoughts on the news of the day: is it real?

hmmm…..

            A two day conference is being held in Baltimore for Roman Catholic priests.  What is unusual about this meeting is the fact that it is a training session for exorcism.  This is the ritual of combating the presence of evil spirits by a series of prayers and actions.  This “renewed focus on exorcism highlights the divine element of the church and underscores the belief that evil is real.”  A spokesman for the Vatican said that “some Catholics who ask for an exorcism are really seeking, prayerful support. They're asking for formation in the faith." Exorcism is an uncomfortable topic, even for Catholics.  We think of it as a superstitious magical rite that borders on the occult. 

            Do you believe that evil is real?  Do you believe in its power to destroy what is good?  I have experienced the spirit of evil first hand.  It came in the form of a group of people who were determined to destroy a good and effective ministry in a church in Texas.  For no really good reason, evil forced itself into a situation and the result was devastation. 

            You may have experienced evil in your life.  Certainly you have pondered the events taking place in our world and questioned the presence of a spiritual force that loves to destroy.  We wonder why it exists and how to defeat it.  There are no easy answers to the problem of evil, but faith in a force for Good that overcomes evil is an excellent place to start.  That’s where I am today.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: comfort

hmmm…..

            “I just want warm food,” said one of the passengers debarking from the cruise ship that was stranded off the coast of California this week.  The luxury liner was without hot coffee or food, or lights and air conditioning because of a fire that filled the cabins with smoke and rendered the passengers prisoners for three days while the ship was towed into port.  The passengers had to subsist on spam and tang provided by a nearby navy aircraft carrier.

            Hot, tasty, comfort food – it’s what soothes us and feeds our hunger.  Sometimes a cold sandwich or salad will suffice, but for real hunger, you can’t beat a home cooked meal.  I went out to eat last night with some prospective members for our church and can I just say that even though it blew my diet, the warm mashed potatoes and country gravy nourished me is a way that a cold grilled chicken salad never could.

            Our souls hunger, too.  We want to be nourished and fed with warm thoughts and feelings that comfort and strengthen us.  Some people even starve from the deprivation that our culture allows and in that starvation comes a kind of death.  So, feed yourself today.  Find a steamy bowl of nourishing hearty soup or a big plate of warm macaroni and cheese.  Dig into a devotional book or other inspirational publication and cease those cravings for comfort, for strength, for love.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: seventy times seven

hmmm.....

            The news today lists eight mistakes that make physical pain even worse.  Upwards of 43 million Americans live with chronic pain and it is now considered by some to be a disease itself, not just a symptom.  Some of the mistakes mentioned are: waiting too long to treat the pain, being afraid to exercise for fear of making the pain even worse, and not doing your own research.

            I am one of those grateful and fortunate souls who does not suffer much physical pain. However, I have had my share of emotional and spiritual pain and I would venture to guess that it is as difficult to deal with as physical discomfort.  Far and away the best antidote that I have ever found for that kind of pain is forgiveness.

            As difficult as it is to reach, forgiveness heals grief, sadness, anger, and a multitude of other spiritual ailments.  We might have been cheated on, lied to, physically harmed or emotionally abused.  And we have to find a way to forgive the person or persons who have harmed us.  Of course it is easier said than done.  Sometimes it takes a lifetime to find the healing power of forgiveness.  Sometimes we just can’t do it, the harm is too great.  But sometimes, the miracle happens, and we wake up one day to moving on, letting go and feeling free. 

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: serendipity

November 10, 2010

hmmm…..         

            There’s a secret subway stop in New York City that has been tucked away for decades.  It is a beautiful structure that was opened in 1904 but has been closed for many years.  You have to stay on the train instead of stepping out of the doors at the last stop to see it, so lots of folks miss it.

            In a little movie called “Sliding Doors”, a young woman in NYC rides a subway regularly.  Serendipitously she barely makes the sliding door opening and her life goes in an interesting direction.  But the movie also tells a parallel version where she doesn’t get on the train and her life goes a dramatically different way.  Is it fate? Is it coincidence? Is it God’s will for her?  

            We move through our lives encountering situations and circumstances along the way.  I believe that there is a force in the universe that pulls us one way or another; that we have lessons to learn and people to teach as we move along on our journey. 

            Perhaps there are no coincidences in God’s world.  Perhaps people are put in our path for a reason. Perhaps we missed our stop because we are supposed to encounter someone who needs us.  If that were so, wouldn’t we view life in a whole different way? 

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: toys

hmmm…..

            Today my news feed was all about the toys.  In an attempt to boost sales in a sluggish economy, retailers are slashing prices on their Christmas toys.  The article lists the most popular toys and who will have the lowest prices.  For the moment, I am childless; my daughter is all grown up and the grandchildren haven’t arrived yet so this information doesn’t make much of an impression on me.  Not so for one family in our community and not the way you might think.

            You see, this family would have celebrated the birthday of their precious baby girl today.  I say would have, because their tiny baby had a rare form of stomach cancer and died a few months ago.  For this Mom and Dad, Christmas toy ads are just another painful reminder of what they have lost.

            Holidays can be tough if they bring back memories of loss and sorrow.  In our rush to make holidays a special time for those we love, we often forget those for whom it is a time void of merriment and joy.  This season is especially difficult because the expectations are so high.  But for many folks, toys won’t be bought, meals won’t be cooked, carols won’t be sung.  So as you begin this season of holidays, think of those for whom it won’t be a celebration and try and help them along their way.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: showing up

hmmm…..

            I showed up at my computer this morning.  It’s a slow news day, Obama is in India and the election is over, nothing dramatic happened in the sports world and so it might be a good day to just take off from this blog writing business.  But I showed up.

            There’s a lot to be said for suiting up and showing up.  We have a lady in our congregation who is having surgery this morning; she is scared and rightly so.  I can’t do much to make her fears go away, but I can be there.  Later on today, we are taking communion to our shut-ins.  For some folks, this is the only contact they have with their church family for the whole month. 

            Oh, sure, you say, “You’re a pastor, that’s your job.”  And in fact, part of my job is regularly visiting people in the hospital and in their homes.  But that is what it is all about: regular routine.  I have an ailing friend who desperately wants her only daughter to visit her.  The daughter is busy with three kids, a job and lots of laundry.  I think the daughter means well, but although she lives just blocks away, she rarely visits her mom.  It would mean so much to my friend if she could just count on her daughter to show up on a regular basis. 

            You may not think its important, but to someone who loves you, just showing up could mean everything.

            hmmm…..

           

thoughts on the news of the day: time

hmmm…..

            Do we still need daylight savings time?  There seems to be a debate as to whether it actually does much good any more.  Used to be that farmers would have an extra hour of daylight to get their chores done but that is no longer much of a factor.  We can flip a switch and get all the artificial daylight we need any hour of the day so a good argument can be made for abandoning the practice.

            In effect, the turning back of our clocks each fall gives us an extra hour of time to spend doing whatever we would like to do.  What would you do with an extra hour of time?  If I had an extra hour of time to do whatever I chose to do, I think I would spend it with my daughter.  We love to shop, so literally we would probably “spend” our time at the mall!

            What would you do if you had an extra hour?  Would you enjoy time with your family? Or would you choose to take a mini retreat, relaxing in the comfort of your own home or away in the mountains, on the river, at the lake?  Would you take time to catch up on reading, or exercise or bill paying and grocery shopping?

            It has been said that the most valuable commodity in the world is time.  Every one of us on the planet, rich or poor, powerful or not has the same twenty-four hours each day.  How we spend our time makes us who we are.  How will you spend your time today?

            hmmm…..