Love One Another 5.13.22

This is the season of graduations…a season of completions.  Seniors have completed their coursework, but often that means a new chapter of living out what you’ve learned begins.

I can remember several “graduations” in my life…some official, such as high school, college, and seminary.  But there’s also several unofficial graduations I hold in high regard in my life, such as passing or graduating from the motorcycle safety class and passing my check-ride, thus graduating from flight training and earning my pilot’s license. 

To receive my pilot’s license, I had to fly with an FAA Instructor because of an eye issue I have.  I did the maneuvers asked of me, I answered questions the instructor asked, and once back on the ground, the official congratulated me and said I had passed.  He signed my logbook and handed me a piece of paper.  The interesting thing is he didn’t say, “Here you go, this is your pilot’s license. You’re done.”  He said, “This is your ticket to keep on learning.”  The instructor went on to say that truly skilled pilots approach each flight as a learning opportunity.  Those words have stuck with me and become an unofficial directive for my life…to keep on learning.

I believe Jesus did sort of the same thing, giving his disciples some ongoing life-altering instructions before he left them, as that flight instructor did for me.   What Jesus said to the disciples back then, that also speaks to us his followers of today, is this; “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

Notice Jesus didn’t say, “You’ve graduated now.  You’re done.  I’ve taught you and you’ve learned everything you need to know.”  No, he told them to “love” one another, a word that is an active and ongoing action word.  It doesn’t mean “once and done.”  It is something we keep on doing…regularly…daily!  Plus, it’s something we must keep learning and growing in as we ask the question, “How did Jesus love me?” because that’s how I/we are to love others. 

So, to the graduates, congratulations…and keep on learning!!  And to all of us who are followers of Jesus, may we keep on learning and growing as we live out Jesus’ “new command.”  The call to love is truly something our world needs, now more than ever, and it’s something that truly takes a lifetime to learn and accomplish.  Yes, let’s love one another!!

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

Teacher Appreciation Week! 5.6.22

This week has been “Teacher Appreciation Week.”  In fact, today, Friday, May 6 is the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week.  I understand there have been a few special treats around town that teachers have been able to enjoy.  That’s cool!!!  And they deserve every treat or form of appreciation they receive.  Teaching is such an important profession.  It is a profession and career that truly has the power to shape lives.  In fact, who are the teachers that have shaped your life?

I think of Mrs. Phyllis Sorensen, she’s the first teacher I remember.  She was kind and gentle.  Then there was Mrs. Evans, the teacher at our country school.  Boy, was she patient and hard working as she dealt with multiple ages and classes.  There was Mrs. Reinesch who was firm but also showed me grace and mercy.  There was Mrs. Johnston who, in a rather backward way, maybe planted the seed of ministry in my head and heart.  At the very least she was a prophetess and didn’t know it.  There was Mrs. Carter and Mr. Knutson who taught me a lot about music.  Of course, there was Marge Falk who patiently gave me piano lessons.  Mrs. Wright and Mr. Moore are other high school teachers I remember.  They each had their impact!!

In college I remember Vic Gordon and Thom Johnson, both who were religious studies professors.  Vic Gordon was also the Campus Chaplain.   Both of these individuals helped unlock the Bible and gave it new meaning for my life.  They both also gave me an incredible amount of support and direction as I began to think about the possibility of ministry for my life. 

In seminary, there was Dr. Bjornard, the Old Testament Professor.  He was never quite sure what to do with me because I was part Swedish and part Norwegian (He was 100% Norwegian).  But Dr. Bjornard truly brought the Old Testament to life and helped me see how these stories of old were still stories for our lives and faith today.  Dr. Robert Guelich helped me see the New Testament with fresh eyes that gave me a deeper and more personal understanding of Jesus and the early Church.  I could go on and on!!

Since seminary days I’ve had a number of official and unofficial teachers in my life – Adam Hamilton, Michael Slaughter, Andy Stanley, John Maxwell, Patrick Lencioni, Mark Batterson, Simon Sinek, Henri Nouwen, Fr. Richard Rohr, Brene’ Brown, and literally I could go on and on, speaking of all the “teachers” who have helped shape my life and my ministry.  These names I’ve mentioned don’t include the pastors and Bishops here in the Dakota’s who have also taught and shaped me!  And God’s not done yet.  I feel like there are still other things that God wants me to learn or how God wants me to grow. There are more teachers yet to come, that I’m sure of.  So, thank you.  Thank you one and all!!!

So, the question I want to raise to close with is this, “Who is teaching you these days?”  Who is helping to shape and form your life?  Your age doesn’t matter, there are still new things to learn.  Who are the teachers that are sharing wisdom with you?  Please take a moment to consider the teachers who have influenced you as well as the teachers who are still helping to shape your life.  Give thanks for them and if you are still able…Give thanks to them.  They often don’t hear words of appreciation enough.  So, with that in mind.  Phyllis Sorensen, probably the first teacher I remember…thank you!!!  You started it all!!  And I’m still learning, thanks to you!!

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

“Be still and know that I am God.” 4.29.22

This past week we had a delightful visitor to our back yard one evening.  It was a baby bunny. Nancy and I have some fun memories of baby bunnies from years back…but that’s a story for another day.  You can ask Nancy about nursing some baby bunnies back to health! 😊  Anyway, we had this cute little baby bunny hanging out in our yard.  Pictures were taken and then we left it alone. Later that night I checked, and the bunny was nowhere to be seen, so I hoped it had found it’s way back to its nest, or wherever it needed to go. 

The next morning, I checked around in the back yard just to see if the bunny was around, but I couldn’t see it.  Then, by chance I decided to look down our window wells just to make sure it hadn’t fallen into one.  Sure enough, there was the bunny, huddled in the corner.  

The window wells are deep enough that the bunny wasn’t going to be able to hop out, so the only other option was for me to hop into the window well and rescue the bunny.  I climbed in and of course my large presence in the confined space of the window well must have been rather frightening for the bunny because it started scampering around the window well.  It was little but it sure was quick because as I reached out to catch it, it would scurry to another spot, escaping my grasp.  Time and time again, I’d reach for it only to be denied the rescue I was wanting to offer.  When I simply stood still and didn’t move, the bunny would be calm and actually hopped around my feet. But the moment I would move, the panicked scurrying would start again. 

At one point I found myself thinking, “Bunny, be still and just know that I am here to help you.  I’m here to set you free from your captivity.”  Of course, the bunny didn’t know or couldn’t understand my intentions.  I was just a frightening large creature in a rather small and confined space.  Finally, I was able to coral the little thing and remove it from its prison. 

I was reflecting on that moment and how much I wanted to help the bunny, how it kept panicking and scampering away from me, and then my thought of “Be still and know that I’m here to help you.”  A verse from the Bible came to mind.  It seems there’s a Bible reference to “Be still and know…”  Yes, it’s Psalm 46:10 

My experience with the bunny gave me a new perspective on Psalm 46.  After all, Psalm 46 speaks of mountains shaking and falling into the sea, waters roaring and foaming (that sounds turbulent and scary to me), and nations being in an uproar (that’s reality in our world today).  This is all pretty frightening stuff!!  And what is the human response to these types of situations in our world??  We panic and we scurry around.  We move faster and faster thinking that if only we can do more, we can fix it.  But Psalm 46 reminds us that we are called to a different response, one that doesn’t involve panicking…  “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) This response recognizes whom is in our midst.

The truth is, God is here standing in the window well, or the world, with us.  Yes, many times we don’t recognize God’s presence, we’re just frightened by what’s going on in the world around us.  Yet God stands there patiently and calmly saying, “Be still and know I’m here to help you.  I’m here to rescue you from what is confining and scaring you.”  In the midst of the chaos and all that is frightening in our world, maybe we need to listen close and hear these words that God is speaking to us today, “Be still and know that I am God.”  Today, take a moment to put your own name in verse 10,   _______, be still and know that I am God…and I am here to help you!  Chaos is temporary.  God’s presence and love is steadfast and forever.  Amen…and Amen!!

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

Actions Speak Louder Than Words 4.22.22

The Lord is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!!  Those are such great words that we proclaim yet today as followers of Jesus.  The Lord is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!!  Easter is full of so many words, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”  Or the single word that the resurrected Jesus spoke that changed Mary’s life.  That one word… “Mary.”  Or these words that Jesus spoke, “Peace be with you”, words that we still need to hear today.  These are all great words that Jesus spoke on that first Easter day. 

Words are such an important part of our world.  I did a quick Google search asking about how many words the average person speaks a day.  The average was 7,000- 10,000.   That’s a lot of words.  Then I typed in the question, “How many words does the average person hear or read a day?”  The most recent article I could find relating to this question was from 2009, and the answer it gave was 100,000.  I’m guessing that number is even higher now.  Just in what you’ve read of this article up to this point, you have read about 200 words. 

Words are so important in our world and in our lives.  However, I’m reminded of a saying that I learned as a child, “Actions speak louder than words.”  This is in part what the apostle Paul is trying to communicate in his letter to the Jesus followers at Corinth.  In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul writes to remind the people of the church that saying we love someone is important…but living out that love speaks volumes more than words ever will. 

In fact, as wonderful as the words were that Jesus spoke that first Easter morning, his most powerful message that day didn’t involve words at all.  Luke and John speak of the moment most clearly.  It took place on the evening of that first Easter Sunday.  The disciples were together and were basically hiding behind a locked door.  They were afraid for their own lives and a bit confused because of some people saying they’d seen Jesus alive.  But mostly, they were likely disturbed because Jesus’ body was gone, presumably taken, from the tomb. 

Then, without notice, Jesus is standing in their midst.  I’m guessing for the first few moments there wasn’t a word spoken.  In fact, I have a feeling there was an ear-splitting silence. Then there was an audible gasp from some of the disciples as the unspoken message sunk in…Jesus was alive!!!  And because of that moment the world has never quite been the same. 

We all recognize how essential words are in our everyday lives.  There are very few moments during our waking hours that we aren’t assaulted or surrounded by words.  They are everywhere.  (You’ve now read 480 words J)  In recent years, we’ve especially experienced the destructive power of words, as words have been used to divide, malign, confine, and even cancel people in our culture and world. 

As followers of Jesus, I believe a clear message for all of us, especially in our world today, is that of letting our actions speak for us.  In numerous stories from Jesus’ life, the message that was most clearly received had little to do with words, it was more about his actions; healing people, who he spent time with, what or who Jesus valued and accepted, etc. 

Remember what Jesus said when he gave the disciples the “new” command.  “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35. Jesus didn’t say, “By telling others you love them.”  He said, “if you have love for one another.”  That’s about living it, acting it, expressing it in our actions and daily living. I believe we all would agree the world needs more messages of love.  Personally, I feel there needs to be fewer words and more living moments expressing it.  My friends, may we each go into the world and live Jesus’ new command to love one another.  This is a message desperately needed and the great thing is, we don’t have to speak a word.  After all, actions truly do speak louder than words.

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

We Made It to Our Destination

4.15.22

Today we have arrived at our destination.  For the past six weeks we have been journeying together through the season of Lent knowing what was before us.  We have finally arrived…we have arrived at the cross.  Most often in life there is a sense of accomplishment or happiness when one arrives at a destination.  However, in this case, arriving at the destination, the cross, is not a cause for celebration or even accomplishment.  There is more of a sense of shock, sadness, even despair as we are once again reminded of what humanity is capable of doing to other human beings.  

It really is rather interesting what we have done with the cross.  Think about it.  The cross was a device used by Rome to torture and execute prisoners.  The cross being used in this manner didn’t originate with the Romans, but as some historians say, they perfected it’s use.  This is exactly what we remember, today of all days.  This is the day that Jesus was nailed to a cross and died.  It is interesting that a device used in this manner would become a central object and symbol of the Christian faith considering it’s brutal and hostile past.

As a pastor, you can imagine that I have become a collector of crosses.  As I spin in my chair, I see several crosses that are a part of the memorabilia that I keep in my office.  There’s a Jerusalem cross that I got while in Jerusalem.  There’s a paper cross on my bulletin board, colored and given to me by a Sunday School Student.  There’s a sleek cross made of glass.  There’s an ornate cross made of Olive Wood that also came from the Holy Land.  I believe that one came from Nancy’s Grandpa.  There’s a cross that is made from an old hymnal.  There’s a cross on my shelves that is from the church I grew up in.  One of my favorite crosses is made from old, weathered barn wood.  A number of these crosses were used as pew decorations for a wedding and then given to the church.  I like that one so much because of its roughness – there’s no attempt to make it look “pretty,” so to speak.  I have a beautiful Black Hills Gold cross given to me as a farewell gift from a church I served.  I’ve got a wooden cross that fits so nicely in my hand.  I’ve got a bronze cross that is heavy.  Holding it makes me think of the weight of the cross.  You get the point…I have a lot of crosses.

How interesting it is that years ago in Jesus’ day, one would not want to get to close to a cross.  Now you see crosses everywhere and on so many people.  It might seem that our culture has gone to the other extreme.  The cross is everywhere because it’s become more of a fashion statement or a decorating accent.  I’ll admit there are times I would like to go up to a person and ask them what the cross represents for them as they wear or display it.  Actually, that probably wouldn’t be a bad way to connect with people and gain new insights into how people think and what they believe.  

For us as Christians, the cross is such a central symbol of our faith because of what it represents for us as followers of Jesus; it represents sacrifice, it represents redemption, it represents forgiveness, it represents a new identity.  This list could go on and on.  

But today, on this Good Friday, I am wearing one of my own crosses.  It’s a cross made of three-square nails.  I wear it, especially today, to remember it was three nails that held Jesus on the cross.  Yet the more I think about the meaning and power of this day and the cross, that isn’t true either.  You see what really held Jesus to the cross…was love.  His love for you…and his love for me!  “For God so loved the world, he gave…”

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

From Fear to Love 4.8.22

So, how is the moving going in your life?  “What!” you’re thinking!   “Moving…I’m not moving!”  Well, maybe you aren’t…but maybe you are!!  The reason I ask this question is because in the book I’m reading for Lent, (Spiritual Formation by Henri Nouwen,) the author proposes that spiritual formation or spiritual growth isn’t so much about achieving stages or mastering steps.  Nouwen states that spiritual formation is really about movement, such as moving from Sorrow to Joy, from Resentment to Gratitude, or as this week’s chapter states, moving from Fear to Love.  Yes, I believe he is right, there is a lot of motion and movement in life, in growth, and in spiritual formation.

In the chapter about moving “From Fear to Love,” a phrase was used that really struck a chord with me.  Nouwen writes, “The invitation of Christ is the invitation to move out of the house of fear and into the house of love:” (Spiritual Formation; page 78).  I want to make sure you caught that - Moving out of the house of fear and into the house of love.  Think about that for just a moment.

In my adult life I’ve done enough moving to know it’s a lot of work to move from one house to another. There’s all sorts of sorting, throwing away, and packing that has to be done in preparation.  Then there’s the process of saying good-bye to the neighbors as well as saying good-bye to the home itself.  Next comes the journey to arrive at the new home, the process of saying hello to a new building and neighbors, unpacking boxes and helping your possessions discover their new home in your new home.  And finally, there’s the continual process of entering into the new home. 

Now I realize I’ve oversimplified the moving process into just a few short sentences.  When the reality is it can take months…even years to truly make the move from one home to another.  Yet, let’s look at the moving process and connect it with Nouwen’s discussion of moving into a new home.

To move out of the house of fear requires a lot of sorting.  If we’re moving into the house of love, it is going to mean there are a lot of old “tapes” or messages and influences that will need to be disposed of.  Sometimes it is easy to recognize the thoughts and attitudes that cannot make the move.  They’ve got to go!  But of course, we all know that even after the move takes place, the sorting continues.  There will be other items you’ll come across and wonder, “Why did I bring that?” and then simply throw it away. And that’s OK!!

There is a process of saying good-bye to the old neighbors, the people or structures that have kept us living in fear.  This is real.  If one doesn’t say good-bye to these influences, they will tend to hitch a ride and come along to the new home and take up residence with you again.  Saying hello to the new home, the new environment in which one will live is also an important process.  This means greeting and welcoming the new influences and making them a part of your life.  It means finding a new place for the things you’ve brought with you to the new home and of course this takes time.  Sometimes, lot of time!!  This is all truly hard work because usually this also means that change is taking place in one’s life.

The final step I mentioned is continuing to show up or enter into the new home.  Now usually this isn’t a problem because when I’ve moved, it’s been to a completely different town or city.  However, one-time years ago, when we moved from an apartment to our first home, I got off work late at night, I was tired and not really thinking, and I turned at the usual corner…but it wasn’t the corner I turned at to go to our new home.  I was heading to the old apartment.  Yes, this can happen, spiritually speaking too.  Old patterns, behaviors, or attitudes can pop up even in the most unlikely moments.  We must be intentional about going to our new home.

So, let me ask you again, how is the moving going in your life?? Are you, like me, making the move from the house of fear to the house of love?  I have a feeling this will be a lifelong move for me.  But the truth is, if Henri Nouwen is right, and I feel that he is, we all are moving.  Moving to new places of understanding, moving to new areas of faithfulness, moving to new ways of following and imitating Jesus.  And through it all, we really are moving, not just into a new house so to speak, we are really moving into a new Kingdom.  The Kingdom or the reign of God in our lives and in our world.  May our combined prayer be, “God, help me move into the house that You build!”

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

“If Christ is in your heart as he is in mine, give me your hand.” 4.1.22

It’s amazing the slogans, phrases, and bits of information that one can remember.  I can remember our home telephone number from the farm.  I can remember our CB number.  Remember those days back in the 70’s?  Our home base was KRF-2145.  My CB handle was “Trailblazer.” (There’s a story behind that, which I’ll tell another day.)  Mom was “Organ Grinder” because she played organ and piano at our little country church.  Such useless information that still has a spot in my memory banks.  (I can even still remember the phone number to Nancy’s home in Iowa that I called.)

I also found myself thinking about some old commercial tag lines.  One of the oldest I can still easily remember is, “Don’t leave home without it!”  How many of you remember that one? Do you remember what the product was being sold with that line?  Do you remember the first “big name” actor who made that tag line famous?  Yes, the product was a credit card. 

Speaking of credit cards, another tag line that really isn’t all that old, 20 years, that is still used to this day is, “What’s in your wallet?”  This series of commercials strive to show how good things happen to a person when they have and use this particular credit card.  So, the tag line, “What’s in your wallet?” is intended to get you to question what credit card you have and use. 

Well, to be honest, I don’t really care what is in your wallet, credit card wise.  But the line or phrase that I do care about and that has come to mind more often in recent days, especially in our current days is this, “What’s in your heart?”

Now, there is a bit of a story behind the question, “What’s in your heart?”  It is said that years ago John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement, was involved in a heated theological debate with a pastor of another faith tradition.  It was obvious that neither individual was going to change their position or beliefs and they were simply wasting time debating.  Finally, Wesley paused in the discussion and said, “If Christ is in your heart as he is in mine, give me your hand.”  What that means is that if the love of Christ is contained in one’s heart and life, that’s really all that is necessary.  Even though there may be different opinions and beliefs, it is still possible to take each other’s hand in friendship, or as co-workers for Christ, and not dwell on the differences but rather share in ministry where they can further the work of Christ and the Kingdom of God. 

I believe these are such powerful words, words needed to be heard and lived out in our day.  Yes, right now we live in a world that is rather divided.  It seems everywhere one looks, there are forces at work seeking to make people chose sides.  What if the side we chose was that of the side of living Christ’s love?  That does sound rather familiar… “A new command I give you…love one another.”  There are always going to be things that divide us.  I like peanut butter and chocolate together.  Some people don’t.  Hmmm, seems like there’s an old commercial about that too!  😊  But especially in the Church, we would do well to remember and live Wesley’s words.  “If Christ is in your heart as he is in mine…give me your hand.”  That’s all that really matters.  Let’s work…and love the world together.

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

Spiritual Updates Available 3.25.22

My cell phone has a wonderful feature!!  No, I’m not talking about the video chat feature.  Though that is pretty great for being able to see our grandson at a distance.  I’m not talking about the messaging and social media apps that help me stay connected with people in my life.  I’m not even talking about the Amazon app that will track my package and even tell me when it’s out for delivery and how many stops there are before my package is delivered (I think that one is verging on TMI – To Much Information).  I’m not even speaking of the navigation app on my phone that will tell me turn by turn, lane by lane, etc. how to get to the destination I wish to arrive at.  That one is pretty amazing.

No, the feature I’m thinking of is the “Update” feature.  There isn’t even anything I have to do to activate this feature.  It simply informs me when there are updates ready for the apps on my phone or for the operating system that my phone uses to function. 

Now the reason for the updates is that there might be some new technology available to help the app run better.  Or there might be some problems, or bugs, in the older version of the app that was making it not work properly, so the update includes the “fixes.”  Or it could be there are simply new ways of doing things, new understandings of how to do things, or there might be some new features being added to the app or operating system.  Thus, the need to update the instructions that make the phone or the app function at its best. 

Like I said, the update feature on my phone is really wonderful.  I only wish my spiritual disciplines, faith development, and understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus would update as easily and as quickly as the apps on my phone do.  It seems there’s very little that is quick or easy about updating my spiritual life. 

In the book, Spiritual Formation by Henri Nouwen, that a group of us are reading for Lent, Nouwen talks about spiritual formation or growth often coming about through struggle, challenges, and even pain.  Yes, it can also take place through blessing, celebration, and pleasure.  However, we humans are more likely to change, grow, and take on new behaviors or life patterns when there is discomfort or disruption in our lives.  You see, when there is comfort in our lives, we tend to get comfortable…and want to stay there.

Lent is an intended and intentional season for doing some of the hard work of faith development and spiritual formation or updating.  It’s a season of asking God questions like, “How can I become more Christ-like in my life?”  “How can I better love God and love my neighbor?” “In what ways can I display Christ’s love more fully?”  “God, how can I reflect your Kingdom and serve you more fully in my life?”  These are just a few of the possible questions one can ask, but the intent is to get us looking outside ourselves, and beyond what is comfortable in our lives so that God might be able to do a “new thing” within us. 

The other truth we need to embrace is, just as updates can come any time during the week, month, or year for my phone, the same is true with our spiritual updates.  Lent is a great season to focus on spiritual formation and growth, but really, faith growth can and does happen at any point during the year, not just in one six-week season.  As we continue our journey through Lent and 2022, may we keep our hearts, minds, and spirits open to the presence of God’s Spirit gently (and sometimes not so gently) guiding us to the places within us where the message has been received, “Updates Available.”

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

We Can Do Hard Things! 3.18.22

I am not the most tidy person around.  For those of you who have seen my desk in the “Pastor’s Office” at the church, you know the truth of which I speak.  I tend to have lots of “stuff” laying around.  None of you reading this have seen it…buuuutttt my home office isn’t any better.  In fact, it’s probably a bit worse.  You can’t see her right now, but just imagine Nancy, my wife, nodding her head and rolling her eyes!

One piece of my struggle is there’s so much I want to do, it’s easy to simply jump into a new task, book, project, article, etc., without properly putting away the items that I was using for the last project I was working on. (And I might need some of the same “things” for this next project…so why put them away.  I’ll just get them out again.)  Another part of my disorganization is that as long as things are “filed” in my disorganized way on the floor or on my desktop, I tend to know where things are.  It’s when I put things away in an organized manner, such as in a file folder in a file cabinet, that I begin to lose track of where things are and then I can never find it when I need it.  We are all complicated and imperfect people…at least I know that I am.

Of course, my intentions are always good.  Once I get things cleaned up, which always takes place with the help of Nancy, my intention is to regularly take a few moments to put things away, to organize, and clean up.  But then I’m running late, I’m not feeling it, something more urgent comes along, etc., and suddenly I’m back to a big mess.  (Heavy sigh!)

I understand so well what the Apostle Paul means when he writes, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.”  (Romans 7:19)  Yes, that’s me too sometimes.  I believe an important part of our faith journey is recognizing the places where we fall short, or where God is nudging us to grow, and then to take some steps, as small as they may seem, to grow. 

This, for me, is why Lent is such an important part of the seasons of the Christian year.  Lent is a season of self-examination and reflection.  Yes, it’s a time of listening for the messages that God wants us to hear and yes, it’s a time of recognizing our sinfulness and seeking ways to live that reflects the light and love of God more fully.  But Lent should also be a time of celebrating and recognizing the places where we have grown in the past year, and where we are walking more closely with God than we have in the past. 

You see, Lent is not about suddenly being perfect, whole, or complete (as if that is ever possible).  Lent, like the faith journey, is about movement, it’s about steps, it’s about moving in a direction that takes us more into the heart and hope of God, not just for ourselves but for the world and all creation. 

So, what is an area I’m seeking movement or growth in for this season of Lent, as well as for the year to come?  I’m going to live into a T2  strategy for dealing with the mess in my office – and who knows how that will affect other areas of my life.  Each day while in my office, I’m going “Take Two” items and put them away.  No, it doesn’t sound like much, but over time it is likely to make a big difference.  Lent really isn’t about giving things up, per se.  The fasting or “change” of Lent is really about recognizing within ourselves that change is possible and we can do hard or uncomfortable things…if we really want to. 

Yes, two weeks of Lent are behind us.  There are still four weeks ahead.  Plenty of time to take some small steps to move in a new direction, to live into a little bit of change, and to walk and live more closely with God.  We can do it…Together!!!

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

Looking For The Treasures 3.11.22

I am a geocacher.  That means I participate in the activity of geocaching.  Some of you know exactly what that means, others are sort of familiar with the activity, and others of you haven’t a clue what I’m talking about.  The simple explanation I tell people is that geocaching is treasure hunting with technology.  Fellow geocachers hide small containers, or caches, in public places and then post the coordinates (latitude and longitude) on a special website on the internet, and then other geocachers use the posted coordinates to find the cache that is hidden.  There’s usually a logbook in the cache container, so once the cache is found, the person signs the log and then puts the cache back in place for the next person to find.  There are thousands of caches hidden all around the world and at least 60 caches here in Mitchell.  So far, I have found 754 caches. 

Part of the fun of geocaching is the search.  The caches are often placed at unique and interesting locations.  So, in the process of the “hunt” for the geocache, a person is often taken to places they might not ordinarily go, and sometimes the description of the cache location will tell a little bit of the story of what makes that spot interesting or unique. 

Yet, the process of finding the cache can take some time and work.  You see, the tracking equipment one uses to find the location of the cache, via the coordinates, doesn’t take you to the exact spot.  They say it’s likely to be within 10-15 feel of the location. And the other factor is that the cache container isn’t painted a bright orange to help you locate it, it’s usually camouflaged to help it blend into the setting so other people don’t find it and run off with it.  If the cache container is large enough, it might also have some little trinkets in it.  But for me the fun part is finding the cache, signing the log, and enjoying the location.

In many ways, the season of Lent is a bit like geocaching.  There’s a beginning point – Ash Wednesday.  There’s an ending point – the cross of Good Friday.  And then there’s the journey in between those two points.  What one experiences along the way can vary from person to person, but there is always a treasure or two just waiting to be discovered.  When a person is open to the leading of the Spirit of God there can be all sorts of unseen treasures just waiting to be found and applied to life.  But it takes the willingness to put in the time and energy to seek out and notice the treasures hidden along the way. 

In geocaching, the most common container might be something like a rectangular Tupperware container or even a pill bottle that seals tight.  However, there are some individuals who get really creative with the caches they create and hide.  They blend in so well it takes a careful eye to find them.  The same is true for the treasures that await us in Lent…or in the faith journey.  Sometimes the faith treasures are in plain sight and sometimes they blend in to the surroundings and take a careful eye to find.

Recently I was reading from Psalm 62.  It’s one the Psalms written by David.  As I read the first two verses, I found myself reflecting on David’s dependence on God, especially in some very difficult moments.  Through it all David was able to say, “For God alone my soul waits in silence… God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.”  As I read those words, they spoke to my soul.  With a number of different things going on in our world, I have found myself longing for something stable.  David reminded me of the true source of stability in life.  “God is my rock…I shall not be shaken.”  What a wonderful treasure those words are.  In fact, it is now my goal to memorize Psalm 62:1-2 as a part of my Journey in Lent.  This was an unexpected treasure just waiting to be found.  I hope you find a treasure today…or in this season of Lent too.

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith