The Healer

Who is the Angel to the left? He is kind of the unknown archangel, or perhaps the least known. He is Angel Raphael. We know Angel Gabriel, and we know Angel Michael, but who is Angel Raphael? What does he do?

He is the Healer.

Have you ever healed from an injury or major illness? What made you well? What helped? What didn't?

Let's take a look at healing. It is an interesting phenomenon. We have all been sick at one time or another. But, what does it mean to heal? To really heal?

Every age and culture has their healers. Who are our modern day healers?

For the most part, the doctor is "the healer" of our modern age in the Western world. That profession that has a huge amount of education (mostly in science) and wears a white coat. And yes there are many gifted, talented and caring doctors and medical professionals out there. But for the most part, our modern day healing way, or system is impersonal, bureaucratic and for the patient, primarily passive.

We all know the drill, we call the doctor and make an appointment, we go to the doctor's office and then sit in a small little examination room waiting until the doctor comes in. If we are lucky, the doctor will not be in a rush to get out the door to see the next patient and take the time to explain things to us.

Usually as part of our modern day healing ritual, the doctor will write a prescription for whatever ails us, and we go to the pharmacy to get our drug. We take our medicine and wait for the drug to heal us.

But as we know, different times and cultures all have / had different roles of "the healer". As well, different roles and expectations for the person who is in need of healing. Healers are / were known as Medicine Persons, Shamans, Healers, herbalists, Midwives, Curanderos, Hataali, and all the others many names by which they are known.

As we know, Jesus was a healer. The stories of Jesus' healings in the Gospels are numerous. Interestingly in about 95% of the healing stories... Jesus tells the person he has healed, "Your faith has made you well".

Yes Jesus was primarily a healer. He seems to be better remembered though as a teacher and a preacher, but when you read those stories, it is apparent that he was predominantly a healer. Also interestingly, he seems to not take the credit for his healings. He attributes the persons new found healing to their faith.

"Your faith has made you well."

Hmmm.

Unlike our modern day medical healing model which tends to be somewhat passive for the patient, the person being healed in Jesus' healing stories had a very active part in their healing. Their thoughts, their belief and their faith (trust) that they would become well were key in their healing and being made whole.

In many religions and cultures teachings, a person's thought has much to do with their healing...and or its opposite, making them ill.

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7)

From the Buddhist perspective, the mind is the creator of a person's sickness or health. Buddhism asserts that 'for lasting healing to occur, it is necessary to heal not only the current disease with medicines and other forms of treatment, but also the cause of the disease, which originates from the mind. If a person does not heal or purify the mind, the sickness and problems will recur again and again'.

Also, in many indigenous healing traditions the person being healed has an active part in their healing. Yes the medicine person may chant and sing, perform rituals, pray, give healing herbs, and other rituals and art forms may be enacted, but most importantly is the sick person's belief, their faith, that they will be healed.

In many ways, the patient is also the healer!

Have you ever healed from an injury or major illness? What made you well? What helped? What didn't?

Yes there is more to healing than just going to the doctor and taking a pill. It takes faith. It takes courage...it takes strength, inner strength. It takes wanting to get well, with all your heart. It takes prayer upon prayer. It takes family and friends and a network of support. It takes letting go and... trust. It takes all you've got... body, mind and spirit.

The depths of what Jesus said rings true... "Your faith has made you well".

Life Interrupted..Or Is It?

When I had my life put on hold due to illness a few weeks ago, amidst the shock, fear, and range of other emotions I was experiencing, were also feelings of anxiousness and frustration that my busy life had been "interrupted".

I had just taken a new position...I had vision, things to create. There were plans, projects, hopes and dreams to make real! Still things to teach, things to learn, things to do. Places to go.

And then, out of the blue....everything... on hold. Everything beyond my control.

Life interrupted. Ugh!

It was not what I had envisioned.

But now, as the first couple of weeks have gone by, I rest and am convalescing...and have begun to contemplate my time of illness and healing.

Perhaps it is/was not an interruption after all. Although it was no picnic being in the hospital and no fun being sick, there are gifts.

Already, in these few short weeks, I have learned so much. I have seen and experienced so much love and support from so many people. So many amazing and talented people, so much generosity and kindness. So much caring.

Perhaps bringing it down a notch or two (or three) was all in the plan. I am taking this time, for now I have it, to read more, pray more, rest, relax, and heal. It is on many levels, sacred time.

As someone who has served as a chaplain, minister and a teacher of religions for many years...I am used to doing ministry, helping people, teaching people.

But now I am the patient, the recipient, the receiver of people's generosity, kindness, caring, ministries, prayers, phone calls, emails, cards, flowers, visits, and so forth.

What a blessing it is.

It is an adjustment, yes. Humbling, yes. For no longer a super-person am I. I am human, like everyone else.

And again, what a blessing it is.

The Dark Night

All of us will face dark nights in our lives. They come in many forms. And yes, they are really, really scary. As I face my darkest night, I remember this story of long ago...

Many years ago, I was a "Candidate" (a student) in Army OCS, (Officer Candidate School). Now as many of you have heard, getting through OCS is brutal. Among the many torturous things we had to learn and get through, one of the biggest hurdles was passing the Land Navigation test, (better known as "Land Nav"). If we did not pass Land Nav, we would be removed from the program and not become an officer.

One Land Nav test was in the day, the other, at night. These were the days before GPS, so we had to do it the "old fashioned" way with compass, map, and own own intuition and skill. "Orienteering" as it is also known.

The daytime Land Nav test was fairly easy. Things were easily seen, the terrain, the map, washes, foliage, hills and mountains. But doing Land Nav at night was another story.

We were taken to a place way out in the middle of the desert in Arizona, the terrain fairly flat. The night sky had no moon at all...so no light. It was the darkest of nights. It was also summer, and it was very hot. Even at night.

All of us were given our maps and coordinates. We were supposed to find our markers at each coordinate, write down what letter what was on the marker (that is how they would know if we found the correct one).

The test was also timed. We had two hours to find all of our markers and get back to the start area to turn in our results. If we did not get the correct ones or finish in time, we would fail Land Nav and be kicked out of OCS. Dreams and hopes would be dashed.

And so, the stress was on. I was given my coordinates. Sweat drops dripped onto my map as plotted out my course to each marker. And...it was so dark, I was in the middle of the desert...all alone...there were snakes out there, javalinas... (Lions and tigers and bears!) I could get lost...hurt out there!... Ugh!

I had to overcome my fear....and just go for it!

I pressed forward. I decided to run to each marker to make better time. Amazingly I found the first four markers with no trouble.

But then the last marker, as I approached the area where it was supposed to be...I saw two markers. They were only about fifty feet apart. Which one was it? This one, or that one?

I looked at my map. I saw the marker that was "mine" was next to a small wash, just to the west of it. I went to one marker...walked straight east...no wash. I made my way back to the other marker...again, I walked east...in the darkness I saw perhaps the remnants of a dry small creek. That was it! I wrote that one down!

I had only ten minutes til the deadline to get back to the start / finish line. I
ran all the way back sweating profusely, making it to the finish just within a few minutes!

I waited anxiously as the officer in charge graded my results...

I had passed! Hallelujah!

A few more torturous months and many more hurdles, I graduated OCS and was commissioned an officer, a 2LT (Second Lieutenant). I was a brand new officer (also known as a "butter bar"). Forty eight of us had started OCS, eight of us made it.

A few years later, it was I who was teaching Land Nav to students, Officer Candidates in OCS. It was not the skill of learning Land Nav that was the hard part, it was and is ... overcoming fear.

Yes all of us will face dark nights in our lives. They come in many forms. And yes, they are really, really scary.

I am now facing the biggest dark night of my life. Illness.

But what is amazing, is that in this difficult time as I enter the dark night, so many kind, loving, caring people. So much love!

Isn't it amazing how humanity is...in the worst of times, the most difficult of times, we can also be at our best?

Light (love) always overcomes darkness (fear).

I will remember this little Land Nav story as I walk into this dark night...and hang on with the hope, there is light on the other side...and that I will get there...

And now dear readers...this may be my last post for awhile. I hope and pray, God willing, that I will be able to get through this, heal, and get back to "regular life". As well, continue my blog soon.

Live and walk in love!

The Teacher

We all have had many teachers in our lives. Some of them in a formal setting, such as a classroom in school or college. Think of your favorite teachers you have had over the years....what was it about them that you liked? What made them a good teacher? What was it that made them have such an impact in your life?

But some, if not most of the teachers in our lives are not classroom teachers, so to speak. Rather, in more everyday settings, in our lives, and many times we may or may not even be aware that they are a teacher, or that we, are a teacher in their life.

I think of the patients in the hospital here. Here at the VA and over at the Stanford hospital just a few miles away, many medical residents, students, interns, and or people doing fellowships in their medical professions are here, learning and working. Yes, they may have their professors...but the real teachers...are the patients.

And there they are...unsuspecting...do they know they are also teachers? As I have visited many many patients, it is amazing what I learn from them. It is not just me, as a chaplain doing ministry...I am also learning from them.

Most recently, I am now facing a medical issue. I went to see the doctor. And there was a medical student, who saw me before the doctor. She was very kind...and I watched her brief the doctor, (my doctor, her professor) on my medical situation.

Later, as I was preparing to leave the doctor's office...I told her that I thought she would become a fine doctor someday.

I have taught dozens of classes as a teacher over the years, in colleges, at churches, with the government and military. I have been a teacher for many years.

But now as I walked out of the medical building, facing my unexpected medical situation....now ...I have joined the ranks of the many. It is a path I did not choose, teaching others...in this way.

Fear and Waiting

Fear. We know it when we face it. We know it when we feel it. What is it we all fear?
It is about to be All Hallow's Eve, better known as Halloween, All Saints Day (Nov 1st), All Souls Day (Nov 2nd), or Samhain (Celtic New Year), or Dia de Los Muertas (Day of the Dead, Nov 2nd) and so on. Why all these interesting holidays this time of year?

We (the earth) are at the midway point between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter

Solstice (in the northern hemisphere, that is). Winter Solstice being the shortest day of the year, or the longest night. As we head toward December 21st from Oct 31st / Nov 1 / Nov 2nd, the earth was thought to be going into its "dying" phase as the trees lose their leaves, plants seemingly die, it gets colder. The days get shorter and the nights get longer. It was thought by many cultures that this was a time when the barrier between the spirit world and the physical world of the living is most thin. The night dominates. Spirits come to visit, hence it can be a dangerous, fearful time.

Just like our planet and its seasons, we also have our seasons of life. And our seasons of life, unlike the earth's three month seasons can last years. All of us have our metaphorical summers, winters, springs and falls.

In our modern Western American culture though, most people wish to over-emphasize our metaphorical "summers". Happy, happy all the time. Stay happy, pursuit of happiness. The right to happy. Fear, sadness, decline, illness, death, dying, loss, (winters) are to be avoided at all costs. But I suppose this is natural, for who really wishes to face suffering and fear?

But that's not the way life is. Winter comes. We may not wish to go there, but an event in life that we do not choose may catapult us there. And there we are, in winter. Loss, grief, depression, dealing with an injury, facing illness, etc. may put us in our "winters". It may not be the most pleasant time of life. It is not happy, happy, joy, joy. It is downright scary. It may be a time we face our worst fears. More fearful than anything we may have ever faced in life. But oh what we can learn and how we can grow from our winters.

Walking around the VA hospital where I work, I see people facing their greatest fears...waiting with anticipation for information about their medical situation....people crowded in waiting rooms in the oncology clinic, or radiology...the ICUs, waiting for loved ones to come out of the OR, the ER.

For those of you who have never had to face these events, can you imagine what must be going through their minds? The anxiety. The fear. The suffering of waiting and going through test after medical test. People who were once young and strong, now dealing with their illness or injury. Waiting and wondering, will I ever walk again? Will I heal? Will I ever beat this disease? Do I have cancer or is it benign? Waiting to see the doctor, waiting to hear information.

That time of waiting .....the mind can so easily run away with itself with fear and worry. The waiting ...can be the worst of all.

Getting Help for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Last week I had the privilege of attending a week long seminar at the National Center for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) at the VA Hospital in Menlo Park, CA. It was mostly attended by psychologists and social workers, and a few of us chaplains.

As we know, many Vets have returned from combat in SW Asia, Vietnam, Korea, WWII, may have or develop PTSD.

PTSD can also develop if one has experienced a traumatic, life threatening event such as an assault, or a disaster. (Examples include childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, terrorist attack, sexual or physical assault, serious accidents, car wreck, plane crash, natural disasters, hurricane, earthquake, fire, tornado, flood.)

Most people will have stress reactions after a trauma. If the intense stress does not go away after time, (post trauma) or it disrupts one's life it is called a disorder, hence "PTSD".

Signs of PTSD include: nightmares, flashbacks, use of drugs, drinking to excess, withdrawal, depression, rage, suicidal thoughts, fear, confusion, can't stop thinking about the event, reliving the event, jumping at loud noises, avoidance, feeling numb, feeling intensely anxious or keyed up, having trouble sleeping, having trouble concentrating, feeling always on guard, feelings of hopelessness, relationship problems, difficulty holding a job, chronic physical pain, feelings of intense distress when reminded of the trauma.

Help is available. Most VA Hospitals have treatment for PTSD. The National Center for PTSD at the Menlo Park VA Hospital in California has some residential and innovative treatment programs for men and women Vets.

There are many therapies and treatment programs for PTSD. These include:
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CBT)
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Mindfulness Practice
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

There are many more therapies, but these are the most effective.

Noticeably absent are any therapies of a spiritual nature or emphasis. But this is changing. It is unfortunate, that the medical model of therapy and healing took a turn in separating the spiritual from the scientific. It is well noted how much a person's spirituality, spiritual or religious / faith beliefs and practices can be a source of strength and resilience in healing and wholeness.

For more information on these therapies, or how to get help for PTSD, please go to the National Center for PTSD web site: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp

The things we can learn from the places that scare us

OK, I am going to 'fess up, there are places and people that sometimes scare me. These places are sometimes hospital rooms and patients with certain conditions.

What do you say, or what comfort can you bring to someone who will never walk again, or has been flat on his back for 20+ years and will never heal?

Walking into these rooms can be more scarey than being in a plane doing a combat landing in Baghdad!

But the other day, I had a most interesting experience visiting a patient who was confined to a wheelchair. In spite of his condition, he exuded such joy and happiness. He showed me pictures of him going skiing, and participating in other sports even though he can't walk! He beamed with joy as he told me how he had never been into these things before his injury. And now, he has discovered new things, new activities and new friends that bring him joy.

I marveled at him. He was amazing. Here, I can walk, and sometimes I find myself so easily getting bummed out about things. So easy to let myself get in sad state of mind. So easy to be disappointed about something, anxious about something, angry about something, and so on.

But these people, with spinal injuries, brain injuries and so forth, have found a way to LIVE. And I mean really live, not just exist. Not stuck in self pity, or sorrow, or have given up hope.

Oh yes, they grieve their losses greatly and have their rough days. But many find a way to live. Really live.

I did not have to ask him how he did it. He let me see into his world by sharing with me his story. I just listened ...and was amazed.

In each person, a whole universe!

Oh the things we can learn, by daring to go into the places that scare us!

Dare to walk in love and not fear!!

Stealth Chaplain

The chaplain. That mysterious clergy person who works beyond the walls of a church.

The work is out there in the world, in the military, in hospitals, in prisons, in the hospice, police departments, fire departments, the psych wards, schools, colleges, universities, recovery centers, homeless shelters, and far, far away places like Antarctica, war zones, remote and desolate locations and places where most people would not like to go or be.

Holy moments at someone's bedside, in the ICU, in hallways, in a day room.

The last two Sundays I have not been able to attend or lead worship in a church. But that is OK. I led worship services at the VA Hospital's Chapel. Then services to the people in the Psych Ward, and then to the people in the Addictions Recovery unit. It was amazing.

The following Sunday, I gave worship services to people on a military base.

Each place so unique, so different, so wonderful!

Worship and serving people in chapels, class rooms, meeting rooms, outside, in prayer rooms, in tents, in the hangar, on the flight line...in an aircraft...anywhere...

Out there in the world.

These places may not be a big, beautiful Cathedral...but to me they are...

Spirituality, Travelling and Commuting

A little over two years ago, while I was deployed to SW Asia, I was selected to be the Wing Chaplain at an Airlift Wing in Ft Worth, Texas. Upon my return from my deployment to SW Asia, I began serving at this unit. (Photo to the right is my chaplain team.)

And thus I began my journey into the world of commuting every month. And, I mean really commuting...from two states away!

Yes, every month I would fly to Texas from my home, two states to the west for my military duty.

Previously, the many years I served at an air force base that was local to my home and only a 30 minute drive away. I met people who flew to attend duty from across the country and or a state or two away. I just really never thought about it.... until I had to travel regularly. I guess we never really know something, until we experience it for ourselves.

Traveling and commuting is quite different when you take a trip that you WANT to go on, like a weekend getaway or a vacation. It is different than the occasional business trip or "TDY" (temporary duty) as it is know in the military.

Commute travel is exhausting, as well as very time consuming and expensive. There is no thrill or excitement to it, as you repeat this trip over and over every few weeks. The sou-less airports, the waiting for buses, vans, trains, planes, the lines at the airports, the security humiliations, the emptiness and loneliness of travel, the delays, the lost luggage, seeing the many people who are stuck commuting and traveling just like you, waiting in the airport, all playing on the smart phones, the stale, expensive and bland food in the airports.... And need I mention the change of time zones heading east is a killer, you lose two hours...getting up at "my time" 3 am to be at work on time in "their" time zone, and so on.

It is very different than deploying and flying to the other side of the globe...grueling in a different sort of way but when deploying and coming home, their is adrenaline and excitement.

Yep, commute travel is a bit de-souling, but it's a real opportunity to practice one's spirituality! Breathe...meditate, in those frustratingly long and slow moving lines! ...Keep a sense of humor...Pray for peace! Inner peace! You will need it!

Why did I do it? I had a great chaplain team, (pictured above) and I really enjoyed my work there. I worked very hard and it was rewarding to see our labors begin to flower this past year.

One thing it taught me... the essence of serving.

But now, I leave this grueling interstate commute...and on to my next assignment...

Bye bye Texas...

Being Qualitative in a Quantitative World...

We live in a quantitative society. It’s the language of business, economics, science, social science, mathematics, and finance. It is based on numbers, statistics, measurements, empirical observations, money, stuff, budgets, production, profits, the "bottom line", and getting the most bang for the buck.

But as we know, not everything can be reduced to a number, a formula, or even tallied numerically on a form! Not everything is "talliable"!

For those of you who work in the qualitative professions, such as the ministry, the chaplaincy, social work, counseling, teaching, the arts and or any of the helping / people professions...you know what I am talking about. The things we provide just do not fit neatly into little boxes on a form. And we go untallied, undocumented, and those that live in the quantitative world look at us and wonder, what on earth have you been doing? What are we paying you for?

But even if we wanted to, we can’t ignore the quantitative. For those of us that serve in large, governmental organizations or corporations or large businesses, things change as we move up the hierarchical ladder. We become supervisors, directors, the person in charge..... We become “them”!! Now we must create reports....how do we tally what our people do? We must live within budgets, justify our existence, if we don't, budgets may be slashed, jobs lost.... Bills need to be paid, payrolls met, and so forth.

How do we translate the language of the qualitative to quantitative?

Yes, it is not only a different language, it is also a different worldview!

Large, organized religions and churches I think, tend to operate for the most part quantitatively. Get those people in the pews! Grow! Expand. Get new converts! Increase those numbers!

Of course, not all religions are this way. But it seems to be the way for many religions and denominations that are missionizing type religions.

Of course, no one wants to speak in front of, or perform in front of an empty house.

But what is the spiritual dimension of all this? Hmmm. Well, there are many levels…

On one level, it is very “Western”. It seems to be related with the Industrial Revolution and the creation of a consumer society. Stuff. More! More stuff! Conspicuous consumption!

It also seems to be related to production. Make more stuff. Produce! Work hard.

How did it get this way? And there…it is almost hiding….it is related to that darned Protestant hard work ethic! And the thought of faith without works, is dead!

Perhaps it is also, because our global economy is based on similar quantitative attributes. Business and big religion…they tend to match each other.

But spiritually, it goes deeper, way deeper.

Work more, make more money...so you can buy more stuff!

What if we didn’t play the game?

The past two weeks, I have been at home. On the verge of moving for a certain amount of time, what should I take with me?

After much pondering, and the fact that I am on a budget, and I am the only person moving me, I decided not to play the game!

I am going minimalist! Taking only the bare essentials.

And I mean, the bare essentials. No furniture, no desk, no cable TV, no stuff. Therefore, no trailer needed to haul stuff, and no $350 fee for being forced to purchase a hitch that I will use once in my life. No lifting of stuff that I can’t lift by myself anyway.

It is totally counter–cultural. I am not going to have any stuff!

It makes me contemplate the early Christians….no church buildings, no budgets, no heads in the pews. No programs. No bulletins. No stuff. Just people who gathered together….

But, somehow, the movement grew. Why?

Perhaps it is because it was based on the qualitative. Perhaps it was because of the people….the relationships.

And that is QUALITATIVE.

What if we lived our lives based on this? What of we dared to live qualitatively….instead of quantitatively?

What a different world it would be!

Next Services 100 Miles

'The Road Less Traveled'

Have you ever been driving a very long distance and for some reason you decide to stray from the beaten path, and take the back roads instead of the interstate freeways?

I have driven dozens of times up and down I-10, I-5, back and forth from Phoenix to Los Angeles, and up to the San Francisco Bay Area. And those interstates are boring!

So the other day when I was driving south on I-5, as I was nearing Bakersfield, I veered off onto the back roads, heading into parts unknown. Instead of taking the usual route, I decided to take the road less traveled!

What would I find? What would I see? What adventures lie ahead?

I was driving alone, with exception of my two little dogs. We headed into the high desert of the Mojave, avoiding the LA basin, its traffic jams, pollution and busy freeways.

Driving on two lane highways, we went through many little towns. As we passed through Victorville, I got to see a part of the historic Route 66!

The desert began to change as we drove on, giant Joshua Trees popped up as we entered the Yucca Valley area. They are so beautiful!

It was getting late, so I decided to stay the night in Yucca Valley. We were in the high desert, but the evening was cool and the air was fresh. Same for the morning, but as the sun came up, the temperature quickly rose.

Passing on to Twenty Nine Palms, seeing the Marine Corps base off to the left, and heading westward, there was a sign, "Next services, 100 miles".

Hmmmm. I was driving alone. On a very little traveled back highway across the desert, and it was quickly getting into the triple digits in temperature. Should I drive down to I-10, where it was perhaps safer? Faster? But so familiar and boring?

Nahhhh!

Nothing like the adventure of seeing new things. I had never gone this way before. So, I headed westward. Into the unknown!

Passing through Parker, again I could have taken a road down to I-10. But I stayed on the back roads.

Yes it was risky, perhaps dangerous. But I am so glad I did it. And I got to see things and places I have never seen before!

Have you ever done this? Weren't you glad you did?

What Is A Good Death?

Death is not the enemy!

But in modern American culture, the topic of death is something most people are not at all comfortable with. For most, it is a topic to be avoided. Or preparing for death. Especially our own.

Over the years working as a chaplain, living life, and of course experiencing my own family losses, I have seen death many times. Some of it, very painful. And for others, a good and peaceful death.

A couple of people I know have had the blessing of dying in their sleep, peacefully in their own bed. No long drawn out illness, no suffering. Could we all be so lucky? The sad fact is, many do not die this way.

So, how can we have a good death? A peaceful death, when it is our time?

I am not being morbid. This is something very important!

First of all, if you have not already done so, do get your will, and living will drawn up. Advanced Directives as they are also known.

Please do this! Get your wishes in writing. As soon as possible.

What are your wishes if you become incapacitated and stuck on a respirator or food tube? Save your loved ones from heartache and making decisions for you under extreme duress.

My mother and I used to have long talks about life, she used to say "if I ever have to live on a machine, turn it off".

Well, one day, that horrid thought became a reality. A nightmare turned real.
Unfortunately for my mother, she never did get her wishes in writing. And I did not have power of attorney. She was kept alive on a food tube, stuck in bed, brain damaged, in a care facility....for four years. It was heartbreaking. She was alive, but not living.

About four years into her illness, I prayed, 'God, if you are not going to heal her, take her'. She died 6 weeks later. When she finally passed...it was a release. She was free.

We in the modern world have all this technology now of advanced medicine. We can keep people alive, even bring them back from flat lining (death).

But we as humans do not have the spiritual wisdom needed for such decisions.

So many stories now of loved ones who go into a hospital, something goes wrong...now the loved one is stuck being kept alive on a respirator...if we turn off the machine are we committing murder? Do we let our loved one stay in this semi alive state, with no quality of life?

Ethical dilemmas about end of life issues are now abound. So how can we try and have a good death?

It is said that we die the way we live. A good death may require advanced planning. A good death has completed relationships including those that need reconciliation. Ira Byock is the author of one of the seminal volumes in the death and dying literature, Dying Well. He speaks of the four things that need to be said as life comes to an end: I love you, thank you, I forgive you, and forgive me.

A good death will often come after a carefully considered decision not to pursue life-sustaining treatment.

My grandfather had lymphoma. After a couple of very painful episodes of chemo, he chose to not have any more. He died peacefully a few days later.

Many families have experienced this. After trying and emotional times of hospitalization, treatments, etc., finally going to hospice...and letting the inevitable happen, peacefully.

May we all be blessed...with a peaceful, and good death.

Drumming with the Vets!

Here at the Veteran's Hospital in Palo Alto, CA there are many innovative therapies. One such therapy for healing is art and music therapy. This therapy is offered to the Vets in the hospital, especially in the PTSD unit and the hospice unit.

This last week the Music Therapist decided to offer a weekly Drum Circle during lunch for the staff and Vets as a way to de-stress.

Drumming? How could I resist?! What fun!

So I showed up at the drum circle which was held during lunch hour in front of the hospital, outside. There we all were, drumming away. Quite a few people showed up to play, creating good rhythms and having fun.

It was very timely for me. It has been a long time since I have played my drums. How I have missed it!

We played for 45 minutes. There is a certain connection that happens as you play with the others, the drumming is energizing, it moves energy inside you. It is joyful. It is healing. It is de-stressing. It is communal.

Drumming is very powerful.

And spiritual. After all, music is the language of the soul!

Anchor's Aweigh!.... Singing with the Women Veterans

The other day I attended a social function held by the Veteran's Hospital honoring Women Vets. I met so many older women veterans, some served in Korea, Vietnam, and even a few from WWII!

Interestingly, so many of them were Navy. Some were Army, one lady a Marine, a couple served in the USAF. The ladies told me stories of their time in the service, with flashes of excitement in their eyes..."Oh it was such a time!" said one of the older lady vets.

So many stories.

Today we are so used to seeing women in the military. But before the 1970's, women in the military services were a drastic minority. One of the male chaplains I serve with here is a Vietnam vet, (Marine Corps) and he said he only saw one or two ladies in the military when he was in, back in the '60s.

Toward the end of our social gathering I asked the lady vets, why so many Navy here? (I am Air Force.) I started humming the Navy song, and they all chimed in, singing "Anchor's aweigh, my boys!..."

Such great fun!

CPE at the Veteran's Hospital, Palo Alto, CA

Greetings from the VA hospital in Palo Alto, CA where I am TDY (temporary duty) doing training & serving here for ten weeks called "C.P.E." (Clinical Pastoral Education). I am now half way through my tour.

CPE is about visiting patients in various units, processing with the others in your group every few days under the supervision of a senior chaplain and in the process one sharpens their pastoral care skills. We are also given special training on Grief, PTSD, and exposure to many things.... everything from surgeries, illness, spirituality and healing, addiction treatment, mental illness, Spinal Cord injury, blindness, and so forth.

It is a rare and wonderful opportunity to be able to have this special training at a VA Hospital. There are also 2 other ANG chaplains in my CPE group here at the Palo Alto VA hospital and three civilian CPE residents, who have been doing this for almost a year. We have a CPE supervisor (like our teacher) who is a very experienced VA Chaplain, she is really a wonderful teacher / supervisor.

The VA hospital here in Palo Alto is one of the nicest, most modern and large VA hospitals I have ever seen. The Vets here get top notch treatment, as they should!

It might seem really scary or unpleasant to visit patients who are ill and be around suffering all day, but what happens is that you have compassion and very much care for them. You develop a love for them. It is love based, not fear based. And as you do this over and over, you have less anxiety about facing people's pain and suffering. You gain more confidence, and in the process, one becomes a better chaplain / minister / priest / rabbi / imam. And that is the other thing, we have all faiths here... Roman Catholic, various Protestant Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, etc.

Yes, it is a real honor to serve the Vets here...and the learning never stops.

The photo here is in the Chapel. The stained glass window in the photo has a picture of the famous 'four chaplains' who went down with their ship, giving their life vests to others so they could live.

A New Priest...

Still so much to learn...

Guilty party

I am now on my TDY (temporary duty) tour here at one of the nicest places on earth, beautiful Palo Alto, California, serving as a chaplain and learning at the Veteran's Hospital here.  We are right down the street from Stanford University and very near the famous "Silicon Valley".  And just about 40 minutes or so south of San Francisco.

This is quite a place.  Very different than my last two harsh deployment tours (Antarctica and Arabia)!   My mobilty bag (see photo) survived two global deployments....but did not survive two weeks in Palo Alto, CA.  (Rather,  two bored little doggies in my hotel room who chewed through it trying to get to their treats inside...)

The VA Hospital I am happy to report, is one of the most beautiful and modern VA's I have ever seen.  And I am quite lucky to be here, serving here and learning. 

This is a side of the military I have not yet seen much of...all the years I have been in...what happens after the vets get discharged?  What happens to the vets who are injured...and do not fly home with their units, but rather, in planes that take them from SW Asia to the USA...to a hospital or care facility?

They are young and they are old.  Some are in between.  Vietnam vets, Afghanistan vets, Iraq vets, people still on active duty, people who got out long ago.   Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force.  National Guard.  Reserves, and so on.   The veteran's do receive top notch treatment here. 

One vet I was visiting the other day said he had been in 30 years.  I asked him to share some wisdom from all his years in the service.  He said "Don't let the B.S. get to you!"   We both laughed.

Still so much to learn....

Sigh.

The Normal People

I started this blog last summer when I found out I was being deployed to Antarctica.  After I returned home, I decided to continue telling my stories...of my travels, my deployments, the amazing people I have met, continue to meet, life in the military, music, teaching, and more...

As I write this post, I am once again...on the road, to my next military assignment....to the next "edge of the earth" so to speak, to a VA hospital where I will serve as a chaplain for the summer.  It may not be as glamorous as when I deployed to SW Asia, or to Antarctica, or to Panama, or some other far away, exotic place, but...I go where they send me...and to have this tour of duty is a blessing.

Someone recently asked me, "Do you LIKE being on the road this much?"   Well...yes I am tired of living out of a suitcase.   Like so many people, I wish I had a regular, normal job, or a normal, comfortable life.  Sigh.  But, I don't.  Actually, I never have!

Many years ago, in my music playing days, one late night we (the band members) were tearing down our equipment after a gig, and the drummer and I began talking as we were prone to do.  I was wrapping up my cords and she was dismantling her drum kit.  It was late, and this evening was not a weekend, so the crowd was thin.  Weekend nights were packed with people, but not so much during the work week.  I commented, 'Why do they (the club owners) have us play so darn late if hardly anyone stays up this late during the week, much less go out to hear a band?'     The drummer chimed in, 'Yeah, the normal people usually don't stay up this late during the week...'

The normal people.   It made me chuckle.  But I knew what she meant. 

Some people have the blessing of living a "normal" life, whatever that means.  In this instance, it meant people who were blessed with full time jobs, people who worked during the week, usually day schedules, 40 hours a week and had weekends off.  Normal people are typically married, have families, a house, and all comforts of life that normal people have.

Normal people don't have to take jobs that whisk them away far from home or to the other side of the planet, because they have normal jobs, in the very city they live in!  They don't work have to work into the wee hours of the night, they work normal day hours, 8 am to 5 pm or so.  They don't have to work three part time jobs just to survive and pay the bills.  Oh, I should also mention, normal people HAVE JOBS.  Good, full time jobs with good, decent pay.

When I was in Antarctica, I met some very interesting people.  Some took the jobs down there because they had no job and no job prospects at home.  Some of them had lost their homes, had to give up their pets, had put all their things in storage while they worked in Antarctica for the 5 month summer season there. It was not "normal".

When I returned home, I was telling a certain person about what it was like down there.  The cold, the wind, the harshness, the austerity.   This person responded to me, with irritation,  "You could not pay me enough to go down there!"

Well.  I guess he had the blessing of having that choice.  He had a normal, comfortable life.

But so many don't.

And for so many, we were just not created that way.

Invisible Adjunct

I came across an old blog that is now no more called "Invisible Adjunct".  What a great name!  But alas, it is actually sad, but true...and a sign of the times.

For those not in the higher education world,  colleges and universities hire many part time professors, (called "adjuncts" or "lecturers").  For the college, this is much cheaper than hiring full time professors with decent salaries and benefits.  The trend the past twenty or so years is hiring more and more adjuncts and less and less full time professors.  About 75% of the faculty at community colleges are now adjunct faculty! 

An adjunct faculty has to have the same qualifications as any full time college teacher, at least at the community colleges.  This usually means a Master's degree at minimum.  In universities, they do hire people with Master's, PhD's of course, are preferred.

Many people work as adjuncts while they are working on their PhD or another degree.  Some are adjuncts because they have another full time job that is their main bread and butter, or a spouse that supports them.  Many, hang in there year after year with the hope of getting on full time some day, and or are searching for a full time professorship.

Some do it for the joy of teaching and love for the students... because it is certainly not for the money! 

The adjunct faculty is a second class citizen in the academic world.  No tenure, no benefits, no  office (usually), and no say in what goes.  The pay is about 1/5th of a full time college teacher, and only by each class (hours) one teaches per semester.   

Yes, the invisible adjunct teacher.  As an adjunct faculty, the pay is minimal and there are virtually no benefits.  No offices, no health insurance, no supplies, etc.  The college can let the adjunct go at will, and basically rehires by contract every semester.  A full time teacher can take an adjuncts classes last minute before the semester begins if they want to, even if they filled because of the popularity of the adjunct teacher's reputation as a good teacher. 

The adjunct basically comes to the college, teaches their classes, and leaves.  Oh, maybe some time at the school for class prep, like photocopying, or meeting with students.

The adjunct is usually not invited to the weekly or monthly faculty meetings, or the department meetings.

Yes, working as an adjunct can be a lonely life. Many give up after a few years, disillusioned.  Hurt.  Angry.

Some of the full timers have never been an adjunct, and have no idea what an adjunct goes through. There is an unspoken hierarchy in academia, an adjunct is "low on the totem pole".   Some pity the adjunct, "those poor adjuncts".  It is a part time teaching job not for those that need lots of ego massaging.  As one article put it, adjuncts are the "slaves of academia".

So I can see why "Invisible Adjunct" gave up on teaching and closed up her blog.  Those graduate degrees do cost lots of money...and then, the only job to be found is work as an adjunct faculty...part time work, for what pretty much equates to gas money.

When I was a college student some 25 or so years ago, 95% (if not more) of all my professors were full time teachers.  They had offices, benefits, decent pay.  I remember ten years after I finished my degree going back to visit my community college, (where I went my first year before transferring to the university), and finding my former philosophy and music teachers...still there!   It was so great to see them again!  And, they remembered me.  One writing me a letter of recommendation so I could attend graduate school. 

But nowadays, students wanting letters of recommendation for graduate school may come back of few years later, and their former professor, who was an adjunct is now gone.  And that is that.

More for less.  Less pay.  No benefits.   Tuition keeps going up, and the vast majority (75%) of teachers are part time with minimal pay and no benefits.     Who is making the money here?  Where are the ethics?

What is going to happen to higher education?   What is going to happen to us?

Thoughts on Spirituality and Food

As we know, most religions have food laws, or dietary practices that are part of their spiritual and religious practices.  Like keeping kosher for Jewish people and eating foods that are halal for Muslims.  As well, many Hindus and Buddhists are vegetarian.  

This is not done "just because".   These dietary practices are for one's well being and health, which is a very important part of one's spirituality.

In fact, most religions do have food laws and special dietary practices, except Christianity!  Hmmm.  What does this say about us Christians?

OK, OK, I know some Christians practice some kind of fasting during Lent.  Like giving up a certain food item for the 40 days of Lent.  But how many really, if one even does this, really gives up their least liked food?  C'mon, c'mon, admit it.  (I confess, as a kid, I gave up beets one Lenten season....& I hate beets!)  Real spiritual sacrifice there!  And, not all Christians even have Lent or fast.

I was reading an article a few weeks ago and it said it was noted in a study that people who attend church, or are active in church life, tend to be a few pounds heavier than those who do not have church that is an active part of their lives!  Yes really!   The study said it is because of all the wonderful food we share at church events!

Of course, this is not true for everyone...there are a few thin people that attend church!  I think I saw one a couple of months ago.  (Kidding!)

But I can attest, as someone who is around churches a lot...all those pot lucks, dinners, goodies, cookies, banana breads and so forth that people are always cooking, baking and sharing...I admit, I have put on a few pounds the past two years.  My will power weakens when all of those delicious goodies are in front of me!

Yes, sticking to a diet is difficult.  It is especially hard to be a semi veggie in Texas.  I do not eat beef or pork, and have not done so now for about 8 years.  The reason is that I have slightly high cholesterol.  When I stopped eating beef and pork, my cholesterol dropped 70 points.  And my doctor said, "Well, just keep on doing what you are doing!"  
 
This does not mean of course that my mouth does not water when I smell steaks grilling on someones the barbecue...or smell those juicy cheeseburgers cooking at a restaurant




But all this does make one contemplate...that what we eat is a big part of our spiritual life.
 
What do you think?

Spirituality and Doors

This is the homily I gave yesterday.  Enjoy! 

The week before last I was in Virginia at an Episcopal retreat center called Roslyn, where I attended my first Episcopal Armed Forces Chaplains conference.   There I met many Episcopal priest chaplains, some active duty USAF, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and some Reserves and Guard. 

One night, we all gathered in the dining hall for dinner, but I was not very hungry, as the whole conference they fed us very well, too well.   I sat at the table anyway, just so I could visit with the others.  One of the chaplains said to me,  "Aren’t you going to eat dinner?”    I told him I was not very hungry.  He responded, “What does hunger have to do with eating?”   

It made me laugh…and remember my grandfather, who said the same thing…he spoke with a heavy Italian accent, as he was from Italy and immigrated here when he was a young man.  When I was a kid, I would visit my grandparents…and one evening dinner I was not very hungry and had a small helping of pasta on my plate.  He looked at me across the table with this perturbed look over his dish piled high with pasta and said with his heavy Italian accent, “Lauda, you eatah like a bird!  Monja!!” I told him I was not very hungry.  He said, “What does-ah hunger haff a to a do with eating?”

My grandfather would tell me stories of when he was kid growing up in Italy, his service in the Italian Navy and his transition to living here in the USA.  Man, it must have been hard for him… Never seeing his family again after he left Italy.  Learning a new language, starting totally over.  For 50 or so years, he lived here, making the USA his new home.   Can you imagine?  A door closed behind him as he left Italy…but a new one, a new life opened for him here in the USA.    

These things came to mind as I contemplated our gospel reading for today  (John 10:1-10) especially the passage where Jesus says, “I am the gate”,  (Gate is also translated as “door”.)  

And so this week, I have been thinking about doors and gates.   

This specific passage, Jesus as a gate, is usually overlooked as in the next paragraph in John’s gospel, Jesus says ‘I am the good shepherd’, a passage and image of Jesus we are all very familiar with.   We are not so familiar with Jesus as a gate or a door!

So, what can we learn spiritually in contemplating and exploring Jesus as the door or a gate?  What could Jesus have meant by this?   What are doors symbolically? 

Yes….hope, opportunity, a passage, change, transformation, entrance into new life…. 

As we know, there are many famous doors and gates around the world on many great buildings, structures, cathedrals, temples, and so forth.   What are some famous gates and doors?     […The Golden Gate…the gateway to America from the Pacific…..Torii gates in Japan….interestingly, they are red.]

Have you ever noticed that many Episcopal Churches have red doors? Many ancient houses going back to Biblical times also painted their doors red.    Why?  [It symbolizes safety, protection, sanctuary, leaving the ordinary, secular world and entering a sacred and holy place…]

Interestingly, in Scotland, if someone paints their front door red, in means they have paid off their mortgage! 

And references to gates and doors also are all over the Bible…in Matthew…”Enter thru the narrow gate, for the gate is wide that leads to destruction..”.  And in Luke, “ask and it shall be given, knock, and the door will be opened for you..”  In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says “I am standing at the door, knocking, if you hear my voice, open the door.”

Who has not at times prayed to God to open a door in our lives?..., such as a new opportunity to come our way, …or a new job?

Doors, gates…symbols of passage, transitions, changes…

Spiritual teacher Joyce Rupp  says a door can symbolize the human heart of our deepest self.  Do we dare go within? 

Yes opening the door to our heart can leave us vulnerable…. We can get hurt…. But it is also a way to spiritual growth, living in love, not fear….it is the way to God.

What doors have you opened in your life that brought you closer to God?  What life circumstances may have pushed you into a door that was perhaps very difficult…but led to much growth?  What doors may still need to be opened?  What doors, need to be closed? 

Yes....when we walk through that open door… we must also close the one behind us. 

There are many doors in our lives….many transitions, phases, chapters and seasons of life.  At each of these transitions, a gate or a doorway we go through. 

Think of all the seasons and phases of your lives…your childhood…. high school, college...marriage…careers….each chapter of life, and between each season… a doorway of transition.  In our lives, we walk thru so many doors.  These transitions are usually marked with ceremonies and rituals. 

And like I said, when we have that open door that beckons, we also must close a door behind us.  This really hit home with me yesterday…as I received a letter in the mail….and it had great impact on me.  Oh, I knew it was coming…but nevertheless, a door had officially closed.    It was from the United Church of Christ, the denomination I have been ordained with and endorsed for military chaplaincy for 12 or so years…plus more before I was ordained.  The letter was my official notification that I am no longer endorsed by the UCC…and basically, no longer affiliated with them any more.  Sigh.   

It really hit me.   My title now is “Transitional Deacon”…meaning I am in transition…soon to be an Episcopal Priest.  A new door I will walk through…

Yes in all our lives, many doors, many seasons, many gateways and doorways we pass thru. 

And Jesus said, “I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved… I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly…..I am standing at the door, knocking, if you hear my voice, open the door.”

Plane Rides $7

A conversation I had earlier today made me remember my days of flying as a private pilot.   A joy and excitement I have not thought of in a while.  I think of flying and to this day, I still get an energy rush, stronger than the strongest pot of coffee!

Funny, because it all started here in Sedona long ago.  Right where I am now....but now is all these years later.    Back then, I was in college and I played music on the weekends.  It was a great way to earn money while in school.  We (the band I played in) had a gig up here in Sedona, and we stayed the night.

The next day driving around, we saw a sign that said, "Plane Rides $7".  Our curiosity was peaked.  So we headed up airport mesa and took a ride.

My little plane, Cessna 24518, the plane I learned to fly in

The pilot was a young woman, a student at Embry Riddle.  She took us up and I sat in the co -pilot's seat.  We breezed above Sedona.  She let me take the yoke (the wheel), and I felt the wind as I turned the plane.

I was hooked.  I had to learn how to fly!

And so I did.  I took lessons in a little Cessna plane, a 152.  I still remember the tail n number, 24518.  In this plane, I learned to fly and earned my private pilot's license.

I wonder where that little plane is today...if it even still exists. But I found this old photo... 

And now, I have not flown as a pilot for over 20 years.  After I stopped flying, I wondered why, why I had learned to fly.  All those hours, the cost...and I did not become a professional pilot.  Oh well, it was fun anyway.  It was thrilling.  Great memories.   And I had a few spiritual lessons up there...

But years later I realized why.

Years later in life, I was (am) a chaplain in the military, the USAF.  Was it any wonder I wound up in the USAF?  Was it any wonder why I still love to be around aviation, and the people of aviation?  I know the lango of aviation.   It was/is great to serve the people of aviation.

Well, I may have never become a professional pilot...but there is a reason for everything in life.

We never know what the future may hold...in the things we do, the experiences we have, why we do them, the people we meet...

Or how taking a little plane ride for $7 can impact your life!

More Stories from the Edge of the Earth...Doing Shabbat in Antarctica

A recent talk I gave made me think about my adventures in Antarctica.   I did not write about all of them when I was down there. I just did not have enough time!  OK, so here is one more.  Read and enjoy. 


One day sitting in my office in the Chapel at McMurdo Station last October, a lady came in and asked me, "Are you the chaplain here?"   I told her that I was.  She asked, "I am Jewish, when am I supposed to do Shabbat?  The sun never sets here!"

Well, that was a stumper.  I had never been asked that one before!  And they don't write about these things in the textbooks.   Of course, I had never been to Antarctica before either.  She was right, it was  the Antarctic Springtime, the austral spring - summer and the sun went round and round in the sky, 24 hour sunlight!

I told her I would get back with her right away.

I emailed a colleague I know who is a rabbi and a chaplain in the New Zealand Navy.  I asked her, when should she do Shabbat?  The sun doesn't set here!

She wrote back, "Have her do Shabbat when the sun sets at the closest land mass to Antarctica".

And that would be New Zealand.

So I told the lady to practice Shabbat by following the sun set times for Christchurch, New Zealand!

And all were happy.

When You Go Somewhere, You Take A Little Bit of It Home with You...Greiving for Christchurch, New Zealand

I have had the privilege of visiting a few far away places around the world.  Once I have been there, I feel a sort of kinship with the place, the people, the culture. 

There are many beautiful and wonderful things, friendly people, cool accents,  interesting clothing, cultural traditions, tasty foods, coffees, teas, etc.  And many of these things from far, far away...I bring home with me...a new found discovery of something that does not exist in my home country. 

One example was when I went to Greece, I came home with a love for Greek salads, calamari and blue doors.  Many houses in Greece on the islands are painted white and have blue doors.  A beautiful sea blue.

And guess what, I still love to eat Greek salads, calamari and the front door of my house is blue.

From my trips and deployments to the Middle East, I brought home a love for their tea, "shai" it is called in Arabic.   The tea they drink is a spice tea, sometimes with a mint leaf in it.  It is excellent.  And humus, and chicken shawarma and olive oil, and....   

I passed through Christchurch,  New Zealand on my way to Antarctica and back again, staying about 5 days each time last September and November.   I was introduced to a coffee drink there called a "Flat White".   I participated in the Antarctica Ceremony at the Cathedral last September, receiving the Chalice from the Dean (the priest in charge).    I visited the Botanical gardens in November after my return from Antarctica, taking hundreds of photos of the flowers and trees...so colorful after two months of no color, no plants, no flowers and no trees.  I traveled all over the city, and enjoyed many, many flat whites.  I worshiped at the Anglican Cathedral in downtown Christchurch again.   I watched the barista make Flat Whites, so I would know how to make them whe I got home, as they don't have Flat Whites in America!

I still drink Flat Whites.

Trolley with Christchurch Cathedral and tower (photo taken NOV 2010)

Last week, we all heard on the news of the terrible earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand.  It just broke my heart.  Many killed, a city in ruins, even the Cathedral toppled.  Unimaginable.  I was just there! 

My camera had many photos on its little camera disk...I almost forgot I had them.  I took these pictures last September and November.  This one I will share.

For the people of Christchurch....

When Life is Like That Music that is Played When Darth Vader is Approaching....

Ever have one of those days when it feels like the "dark side of the Force" is messing with you? 

It all actually began the day before..I was going to drive up to Sedona....when a storm decided to roll through the state.   So I decided to wait until the next morning..and get up extra early for the long drive to make it to the church on time.  It is a two hour drive. 

I was preaching this Sunday...and had toiled all week creating this little sermon.  Seems some come easier than others.    

So, I got up at zero dark thirty and began the long drive up the hill.   I got an hour up the mountains...and there was rain, then snow...then slush everywhere...then fog...and then cars spun out on the banks of the winding mountain road!  

It was still dark as night.

I drove on...and then...as the sky began to get some light to it, red cop lights in my rear view mirror!  Uh!  I was being stopped by a cop!

I pulled over and as I rolled down the window...I could see his smile fade as he looked at my collar.  Yes, I was wearing my clergy collar, as directed by my Bishop.

The cop said I was speeding....and wanted to see my driver's license.  I gave him my license.  He said he just had to check and be sure I didn't have many manslaughter charges.

Manslaughter charges!?

I waited.  He returned my license...and just gave me a warning not to drive so fast.    Whew!  The Bishop saved me.....from getting a traffic ticket!  (Thank you Bishop!)

So, when I got to my church, I was just a little shaken up.  I sat in the early 8 am service up front in my Deacon spot near the altar...and as we began the service, I noticed that the scripture passages were different in the bulletin than what I had prepared my sermon!   Oh my gosh, did I mess up and write a sermon on the wrong Gospel?

This just couldn't be happening!

Beads of sweat developed on my brow as I sat there in my Deacon spot as the first scripture reader was reading.    How am I going to get out this one?    How could I be so stupid?  Should I just resign now? 

The time came for me to read the Gospel passage.  I got up, read the passage.  Then went over to the pulpit.   I opened by telling of my morning...and being stopped by a cop.  I also just 'fessed up, that my sermon was on a different passage.  By the grace of God...amazingly, the sermon actually came out OK.  Thank God for humor.  When I was done...I heaved a sigh of relief. 

For the 10 am later service another priest was supposed to give the sermon.  I was glad.  But of course, the way things were going...was I really going to get off the hook this easily?

Of course not.  The other priest forgot he was supposed to preach.  The Rector asked, can you preach again?  I responded, even though I have the wrong Gospel passage?  Yes.

In the sacristy as I robed, I could not help but think the"dark side" was messing with me.  Blasting in my head was the music that is played in the Star Wars movies when Darth Vader is approaching...da da da, da de da , da de da!!

Fortunately, when I preached again, the "force" (the good Force) was with me.  (Hey, this is Sedona!)   The sermon came out great.  The Holy Spirit was definitely at work.   Thank God.  And especially, for humor.  

I found out later, that I actually did have the correct gospel passage. 

Da da da, da de da, da de da!!

Helping and Gathering People - In Defense of Religion Part II

The other evening I was helping out at the weekly community dinner at the church where I am now assigned, which is in a small town up in Red Rock country.

The dinner was actually not run by the church, the church just provides the facility, (kitchen and community hall).   Various people from the community come to help prepare the meal and serve the food.  The food comes from donated funds, food banks, grocery stores, and generally from those that give to help keep this going.  A talented lady is in charge, and to see her in action was amazing.  She directs everything,  gets the food,  coordinates everything, rounds up volunteers, cooks, and more.  It is her ministry.

I assisted as I could, chopping vegetables, preparing food and later serving in the food line.   As I am new here, I do not know anyone very well yet...and this was a great way to meet new people and make new friends. As well, help 'pay it forward'. 

The people started to show up for the meal an hour or so before the serve time.  It was cold outside, so the doors were opened so they could come inside and be warm while they waited.  Some came to the dinner as they were in need, some homeless, some young people on their grand adventure who were hitch hiking across America and basically living off the "land", and some there to socialize, perhaps to get out of the house and enjoy the company of others.

The room was fully packed and all the food (and there was a lot of it) was eaten.     It was so great to see all the people there, gathered together and sharing a meal.

Giving back and helping others is of course, nothing new.  Many churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, etc. sponsor dinners to their communities, or feed and house the homeless...and basically help those in need.

"Religion" is about gathering people.  It unfortunately is a term that in popular context has lost its real meaning.    We hear so many say they do something "religiously", like a force of habit, or with a certain intensity or rigidity to it.  But this is not what the word really means. 

Actually, the word "religion" comes from the Latin word "religio", which means to gather together, or to bind together, like when we take some string and bind together a bunch of sticks. 

The Community Dinner is only one function, one ministry of this little church.  But what a positive impact for the wider community.    There are many other gathering functions and service to the wider community that most churches try to carry out.   And really what is this?  It is a group of people, or maybe just a person or a handful of people, living out their faith and trying to do something positive.

It is a shame that for many, the term "religion" is associated with something negative.  Because what it is really about is gathering people together...to grow in the Spirit...to learn from one another, and help each other, as we best can.