Since childhood, I have imagined that Bigfoot or Sasquatch existed. This creature is just fanscinating enough not to be too scary, but deeply mysterious, and plausible. I loved watching Leonard Nimoy's TV series, In Search Of, as Bigfoot was a frequent subject. My fascination was increased because we lived next to a deep wood in which Bigfoot could have resided based on all the data collected in my 10 year old mind. Now as a reasonable (my opinion only) adult, a new series on the Animal Planet channel has rekindled my childhood curiosity. The series, Finding Bigfoot, is about a group called the Bigfoot Research Organization (the BFRO), investigators who follow sightings and launch a proper investigation into the plausibility of sasquatch activity in a given geographic area.

I watched this show the night before sighting the suspicious object across the lake. If I were to call the BFRO, they would venture out into the woods, listen for sounds unique to Bigfoot, check out food sources and then say, "This place is definitely squatchy."  That means that while no conclusive evidence exists, the conditions are right for a sasquatch - squatchy. I love that word!

I also love the word faithy. Okay, I made that up that word, but I do love the idea of a place being faithy. That is, a place or a circumstance or an experience or a group of people in which all the conditions exist for faith to thrive and flourish. You see, faith can be elusive like a squatch. Faith can be difficult to prove, faith can be difficult to see and faith can be difficult to locate, but I believe faith exists. I hope that our lives can be faithy, that our families can be faithy, that our community can be faithy and that our church is faithy. Faith, and being faithy, exists in the mystery between absolute proof and absolute foolishness. This life that we live is definitely faithy.

Peace, John+

We awoke early to take our beloved dog Sadie to see the neurological specialists at Mississippi State. He has exhibited symptons that are consistent with a serious neurological issue and, at the recommendation of our local veternarians, we wanted them to give us their perspective. Yesterday's cold and rain didn't do much to lighten our moods, nor did the news we received from the specialists.

Now what I have learned over the course of time in our marriage comes down to two big things. First, I am not always right. This is not fair and I will argue the percentage of time that this is not true, but it is true nonetheless.  The second thing that I have learned is that Lisa and I are two very different people who listen in different ways, who speak in different ways, who process in different ways, who plan in different ways and who react in different ways.  We are not the same person as though that would be easier, but we are very different in very important ways. 

In most trivial matters, recognizing that is easy, but celebrating it is not a visceral response. However, yesterday, our anniversary, and today as we work though not only the issue with Sadie, but also with all of life's questions, family dynamics and dilemmas I am thankful for our differences. In fact, I celebrate them. Perhaps this is what we mean when we say vows that include words like love, honor and cherish. Two opinions create tension, but in that tension is the beauty of listening to another person, of having to check my own arrogance and prejudices and, at the very least, of being vulnerable. 

Each day we are presented situations and experiences that require our "better angels." In most cases, we do not ask God for the hard and difficult stuff just to test our mettle. But when we encounter those trying moments that come with being in a family, with being a parent, with being a partner, with being a child of God and, yes, with loving a dog, I give thanks that I have someone not like me whom I honor and cherish and love.

Just so you know, I did take Lisa out to eat for our anniversary. On the way back to Memphis, we stopped and ate Tops BBQ in the car with our dog. From the back seat with the dog curled up next to her, Lisa raised her styrofoam cup and straw and said to me, "Cheers," and "Happy Anniversary."  Happy Anniversary indeed.

Peace, John+

Today, we sang together, and then I asked them to tell me something for which they were thankful. Every person in that room was able to participate giving thanks for their life, their health, their loved ones, this country, the staff at Page Robbins and for faith. What I thought was a relatively simple question produced answers that moved me deeply. Here we a group of ladies (they were all women today) who despite disease and age were genuinely thankful. Certainly, they could have been angry or frustrated by the reason for being there today, but to a person they smiled and articulated with great clarity their gratitude for the blessings of their lives. I fought back tears.

Although I know we are all grateful for many of these same things, I also know that we can allow life's challenges to create negativity in our attitudes. When I am having a bad day or when the news feels overwhelmingly grim or when being frustrated at things not going my way limits my gratitude and appreciation for all the blessings of this life given by God, I am going to think about those beautiful women at Page Robbins. For today, they were angels and for that, I give thanks.

Peace,  John+

What's In A Pledge?

I have read a lot of very pertinent and interesting information in the past, which has attempted to answer this question, and has, from time to time, sturck some deep chords in my life. Some of it has not done anything for me, and, judging from the results of the past, has done done too much for many people like you.

This is my attempt to put it into words and thoughts which are most meaningful to me, and which I hope you, too, can find helpful.    Father Leach ( The Rev. Philip M. P. Leach)

What's in a pledge .  . .

a certain kind of offering of myself which is hard to describe but is there just the same . . .

what I feel when I look at my children and realize whose they are and who has given them to me. . .

the security I feel when my wife or mother or just a good friend loves me . . .

the hope that I have for a better world for my children . . .

the gloriousness of a fresh new day . . .

the satisfaction of being a part of a great effort . . .

My hopes and dreams for my life and the lives of  those whom I love most . . .

the strength and hope and faith I feel in times of stress and of tribulation . . .

the thankfulness that I have that I live in this land of the free . . .

my faith that my struggles have meaning and that life is not a vain thing . . .

the goodness that I feel in the presence of goodness . . .

the hope that I have for all mankind and me that Jesus Christ has brought eternal life . . .

the joys of my life and the sadnesses of my life . . .

the great sense of comfort I feel when I realize that I never walk alone . . .

thanksgiving for this day and hope for tomorrow . . .

the pride I feel in doing my share . . .

all these things, some good, some questionable perhpas, but all ME.

Yes, the house is quiet and much darker without them. This is our new reality, and I hope and trust, that the darkness is not a permanent metaphor, only that MLG&W will not benefit so much from their presence. Truth be told, this new reality is not comfortable yet. We miss our children and the light and chaos their presence brings. At the same time however, they are experiencing the life we hoped for them. They are having fun, not too much fun I pray, while pursuing their dreams, honing their God-given gifts, stretching their minds and their perspectives, finding new friends and discovering new truths. This is what we said we wanted and this is what we have.

For our children, they are walking in a new light, armed with whatever precepts and understandings we were able to successfully impart. And we are left with a darker house and not worrying about what time they get home. Such is the process of letting go.

Transitions in life can always feel gloomy and dark in the beginning, but that darkness always gives way to light. It may take time to see and to accept new realities, but that is what faith proclaims. Change opens up chances to discover and do new things. Like our children, we will live into our new reality and we will find that comfortable place, even knowing that it too is only temporary.  And the bonus for this new reality - I will smile each month when I open the utility bill!

Peace,

John+

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom
nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon
us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so
pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Given the news from the stock market today, I thought this prayer from a couple of weeks ago was quite fitting. "Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal."  Yes, the Dow tumbled and the economic news feels grim and depressing. I just hung up the phone with someone who felt and sounded as though a family member had died.  They couldn't find the words to describe how bad the day had been given Wall Street's reaction. There is no way to sugarcoat the current economic situation.

And that is the place of faith, not panic and not fear. No one wants to watch money evaporate or values of stock, property and portfolios decrease. No one enjoys economic uncertainty. Yet, as followers of Christ, we should feel free to acknowledge those things that are temporal - things whose worth are limited to this life and to this world alone. Hyper focus on the temporal, especially such attention that evokes panic and fear, depression and despair are antithetical to that which is eternal.

We are God's beloved, rich or poor. We are saved by the love of Jesus Christ, rich or poor. We are free to feel God's love and to share God's love with each other, rich or poor. We are called to proclaim the good news of God's love, rich or poor. We receive compassion and mercy, and we extend compassion and mercy, rich or poor.

Most of us will be loved by our family and friends today, no matter what happened with the Dow. Most of us will be able to love our family and friends today, despite the stock tumble. Most importantly, God has faith in our ability to give thanks for these eternal gifts and graces no matter what the world throws at us. The apostles, our patron saints, left everything to follow Jesus putting their faith in the truth of God's love made human in Jesus for the sake of humanity.  It may be possible that, as a people, we are being called to a new place. Such a call, as the earliest apostles and disciples can attest, involves tough choices, challenges and even suffering. Perhaps if we put aside our fear and our sense of panic, we, like the apostles, will be led to a new reality, a new way of living with and for one another. We can have faith that a new day will dawn, we are an Easter people after all. 

Peace, John+

Most of us are not accustomed to weddings on Sunday mornings. Typically, we attend the weddings to which we are invited by engraved invitation. This was the case for my own wedding. Yet, as the Church we are reminded that Holy Matrimony is a sacrament, and as such, the administration of sacraments is always a public occasion. That being said, what we are doing Sunday is not new.

In the Church of England at one time, it was normative for weddings to be held on Sundays mindful that the couple were members of the parish and that they sought the support of the entire community for their new life together. The marriage vows were said between the service of Morning Prayer and the Eucharist. This tradition has become more available to couples in the United States in recent years. On Sunday, the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage will take place at the beginning of the liturgy followed by Holy Eucharist.

Brian and Velva wanted to include the Holy Apostles family in this occassion. Brian has been a member at Holy Apostles for nearly 40 years, and together this will be their church home.  I am honored to be a part of this celebration and know that you will feel the same.

Peace, John+

I met my first Indigo Bunting two weeks ago during Vacation Bible School.  While standing in the church office, I saw a small bird fly into the window, heard the crash and looked to see the Indigo Bunting on the ground. Seeing him suffering, but not moving or flying away, I went outside with a small paper cup and gently scooped him up hoping that he would react.  He just sat in the cup barely alert as I walked toward the woods behind the church. I knew I had a decision to make. How to be humane and alleviate his suffering if he couldn't fly away?

When we reached the edge of the woods, I eased him into my hand. Suddenly, he sat upright and flew into the woods. I almost cried. I decided to call him Lazarus.

All I did was to lend a hand, and in so doing, I did not know the outcome. I feared having to end his suffering - leaving a flightless bird in distress was not an option in my mind. If that had been the outcome, I don't know if I would write about it. But Lazarus lives and flies. 

A faith community like Holy Apostles is at its best when we lend a hand to pick each other up when life knocks us down.  All of us know what it means to struggle, to run into obstacles and to be down. There are thousands of reasons for this - too many to analyze here. Nevertheless, all of us can be present to each other in such times and occasions. We may not know the outcome, if we help, but we can assume the outcome is less appealing when we do not. 

Peace, John+

My experience suggests that our live have rough patches, places where the foundations we have relied on become eroded. This is normal as we go through the ups and downs of life, the successes and failures, the challenges and conflicts that come with living in this world. These rough patches can be jarring and bone-rattling disorienting us and potentially, leading us to avoid those closest to us and to avoid spiritual companionship. We live as though we are driving, as we start going around these rough patches - the emotional and spriitual potholes- ignoring them as they continue to erode.  The result is that the rough patches remain while our daily routines and relationships are altered.  Perhaps this is what Isaiah meant when he wrote, 

"The way of peace they do not know,
   and there is no justice in their paths.
Their roads they have made crooked;
   no one who walks in them knows peace."

The solution is to actually address and fix the rough patches, to do the hard and tedious work of replacing the foundations which have eroded and to fill the rough patches. Spritiually, we do this by addressing our challenges and conflicts and by allowing the grace and love of God to heal us, to reshape us, and to make our pathways straight, just and life-giving. What equipment will you need? Prayer, companionship, the Bible, worship, songs and the support of a faith community. So, the next time you drive into the parking lot at Holy Apostles remember that although life can be rough, life can also be restored to wholeness. No pun intended!  

Peace,

John+

That controversy erupted when my father kept asking, "Do you really think that sounds good?" or "Do you really call that music?"  As foolish teens, we rushed to the defense of our cultural icons doing good for the world, and we enjoyed a lot of their music. Much like he did when we watched wrestling on Saturday mornings, my father rubbed his balding head and muttered under his breath.  This went on for the better part of the concert.  "I've never heard of these people!" he proudly exclaimed as though that freed him from any communal acceptance of the artists.  Finally, I went upstairs, put on the most outlandish combination of clothes (this was the 80's after all) and wrapped my head in an ace bandage, donned stripped sunglasses and jumped in his lap and exclaimed in a dreadful British accent, "Hello Pop, I am Ace Bandage in the band, Broken Hearts and Broken Bones." He gave up his protests and threatened to ground me for life.

Reading about the Grammy's this morning, I realized that I don't know many of the artists and groups that won, save John Legend and the Roots. While I have seen Lady Gaga, I cannot name a single song she sings. I don't know Arcade Fire's music, and although, I have heard of Lady Antebellum, I discovered that she is actually three - not a person, but a group.  Reading the paper saying to Lisa, "I've never heard of these people!", I realized the sad, but true irony. I have turned into my father, out of touch with today's Grammy winning music and musicians.

To remedy this, I went and set my iHome on Pandora's "80's Dance Party." You see that makes me cool and hip, I have an iTouch and Pandora. I showed those Grammy voters didn't I? I guess we are who we are - children turning into parents like Christians trying to follow Jesus. It is not so easy to accept or to embrace, but to quote Steve Perry and my friends from Journey, "Don't stop believing, hold on to that feeling."

Peace,  John+