Glimpses of Grace

DSK, A Sad Tale

2011-09-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

It has been long enough since the furor of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) affair in New York has abated. We are past the salacious details of the event in which a hotel housekeeper accused DSK of rape. He is no longer facing criminal charges for whatever happened. Other women are stepping forward with stories of, at the very least, inappropriate sexual behavior.

By some accounts, DSK has been exonerated. Exonerated?

Let's dismiss any criminality in that hotel room that day. Let's say that anything done in that room was consensual between two adults. Let's allow for the greater sexual permissiveness the French seem to tolerate.

Facts that everyone seems to agree on:

DSK is married.
DSK had some kind of sexual encounter with someone not his wife in the hotel room.
DSK, we can presume, had never even seen this woman before, unless she had cleaned his room prior to that day. It appears he is willing to copulate with any convenient woman.

Exonerated? By my account, even in the most benign accounting of the affair, DSK proves himself to be one who earns the disgust of God's people. The story reminds me of another powerful man who decided to have sex with someone far less than powerful than he--King David of Israel and Bathsheba. That story in the Bible results in horrible consequences for many people, including the King himself.

This is not a case of boys will be boys. Not even a case of French men will be French men. This is disgusting. This is light years away from God's intention of love between a man and a woman.

News reports indicate that DSK's wife has reluctantly come to an acceptance of her husband's philandering ways. The courts, it seem, will not be able to prosecute him for any legal wrong-doing. But to think that he has somehow escaped culpability here is nonsense. Jesus says that a man and a woman become one in marriage--not three or four or fourteen.

"I take you, (name) to be my wife/husband from this day forward, to join with you and share all that is to come, and I promise to be faithful to you until death parts us." (ELW, p. 288)

Mothers from Minot

2011-07-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

Bethel Lutheran Church where I serve is a large church, and we have visitors every weekend. It is not at all uncommon to have visitors introduce themselves to me, or family members who belong to Bethel introduce their guests.

So, it would not be unusual to meet someone from a city almost 600 miles from Rochester on any given Sunday. This past Sunday, a woman came through the line and was pleased to introduce me to the older woman behind her--her mother from Minot, North Dakota. My smile collapsed into concern as I asked if she had suffered loss in the recent Minot flooding. This gracious woman quickly assured me that she was all right and was in Rochester for a visit. She lived on a hill, and her home and possessions would be fine, though she grieved for all the loss that her friends and city were suffering. I was relieved for her, though the people of Minot continued in our prayers for the day.

It would not be unusual for me to meet a woman from a town of 40,000 people 600 miles from here. But two from the same city on the same day? After the next service, a woman wanted to introduce me to her mother. She had come from Minot, and the Bethel member wanted me to have a kind word with her mother since she had lost everything in the flood.

It took just a little while to locate her in the crowd. Clearly she was downcast, but there was a strong resolve about her as well. Her house was filled with water. They had been told they did not need flood insurance, but this was a 1,000 year flood, according to experts. While she was visiting in Rochester with her daughter, she wondered if the move to Rochester might be permanent. With the damage done, she could see her home simply being pushed in by heavy equipment and destroyed.

Two mothers from Minot in the same day. One's home was safe, and the other's was destroyed. In the Bible we read that the rain falls on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). We do not know why it is that some prosper and some suffer cataclysmic loss. We do know that we are to thank God for blessings, and we are to be a blessing to those who are suffering. Government, social service agencies, and the church are all in Minot being the hands and heart of a compassionate people. From the church's perspective, we contend that they are the hands and heart of Christ.

Mothers from Minot--a lesson in real life.

Kindness of Diane/Jesus

2011-05-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

Her name is Dianne. Tonight she was my server at a little buffet in Wisconsin Dells. Since it was a buffet, her task was to tend to the table, clearing dishes and responding to any needs.

Two tables away there there were two young men furtively sharing a plate of food. Somehow they had finagled two sodas. But it was clear only one of them had paid for the buffet. This detail didn't escape the attention of the staff.

It wasn't Dianne's table, but the male server for the table didn't seem to know what to do about the transgression. He warned the two young men that only one could eat if there was only one meal purchased. I could see that the men agreed.

But only in words. It wasn't long before they were sharing again. This time the manager came to talk to the men. They agreed with the manager, too.

But only in words. When it was detected the second man was still eating, the manager came and asked the second man to leave. At that point Dianne took over. I don't know what shse said in the presence of the manager, but as she was leaving the table, I heard her say, "You go ahead and get a plate. I will pay for you." And she did. The man went to the buffet with no hesitation, and he was still eating when I left the premises.

I don't think Dianne could afford that. She wouldn't be working at a diner if she was wealthy enough to buy dinners for other people. Besides that, these two young men clearly were not bothered by their cheating the restaurant out of a meal! They deserved to be kicked out of the place. Instead, they received grace.

Dianne was kind to me, too, and all others in the restaurant. She was kind. Like Jesus. I took a card out of my wallet and left a note for her and thanking her for her kindness and asking that Jesus might bless her in a thousand ways. I also left a 50% tip. I could afford kindness more than she.

We, too have cheated. Instead of getting kicked out of the place, we have received grace. The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Diane.

A Royal Dinner...Really!

2011-05-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

Six of us gathered last night at a Mexican Restaurant across from the Olmsted County jail and the Government Center. Kathy could see all kinds of activity in the parking area behind the jail--lots of black SUVs and men in dark suits. Eventually a few SUVs came across the road, and apparently into the restaurant's parking lot. Very big men in black suits started to come into the restaurant. A booth of four sat behind me. A table a six sat opposite and kitty corner from our table.

Our group of six tried to figure out what was going on. The largest of the men stood at the top of the staircase. He didn't prevent people from going downstairs where the restrooms are, but he was vigilant. We carried on with our dinner--great stories and laughter--but our curiosity was not satisfied by the time we prepared to leave.

I told my party that I was going to the bathroom and do reconnaissance. For some reason, they didn't try to stop me...

As I passed the first step going to basement, the very large man in the black suit spoke into his wrist. I had no misconception as to what he was doing. As I turned the corner to go the last half of the staircase, the eyes of another very large man in a black suit observed my descent. I made the appropriate turn--into the bathroom instead of into the dining area. Peripherally, I could see a large party at a long table.

On the way out I lingered only slightly for a better view before going upstairs. At a quick glance, I could see that most were Middle Eastern, and there were only a very few woman at the far end of the table. Security people were keeping close watch.

I reported back to my group, so another decided he had to go to the bathroom. Same procedure. But he actually asked the guard at the bottom of the stairs what was going on. It turns out that the group included the president and vice president of Iraq, along with an entourage--32 people total.

Wow--we had dined with a president and vice president--albeit separated by a one floor and by some very able men.

Last week Christians the world over read a story about Jesus dining with two men in a village called Emmaus. Though they had visited with him significantly on the road, the two men did not recognize the resurrected Jesus until he broke bread at table with them.

It is often in eating with one another that we come to better know each other and enjoy the gifts that God has given to us. I pray that you are deliberate in breaking bread with others. It would help, of course, if you were dining on the same floor and big men were not trying to keep you apart.

You don't have to worry about that in Christ. He has promised to be with us in the bread and wine. God's peace and grace to you this day.

Would Good Friday be the End for Carol?

2011-04-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

The Day of our Lord's Resurrection is a day without compare in most Christian churches. We are treated to the eternal truths of a Savior who is victorious over the powers of evil and death. Our Savior.

That does not mean our lives are without challenges. At Bethel today we heard the story of a woman named Carol Brott who started have significant health difficulties at the age of twenty, and in her 40's had nearly every heart ailment known to humans.

On Good Friday, April 2, 2010, she said to her husband, John, "I can't do this anymore." She felt her life ebbing from her. She had reason for resignation. Surgeries, heart failures, weakness of body, a six week coma, 123 units of blood, this woman endured more than most bodies are capable of enduring. While she was on a heart transplant list, things did not appear to be moving in her favor.

Certainly things were not in Jesus' favor, either. Both political and religious authorities sought to silence him. They succeeded on Good Friday. Jesus uttered his forsakenness on the cross. Jesus said, "It is finished," and breathed his last.

But we know that isn't the end of the story. The story ends (or just begins?) with a stunning reversal on the first day of the week. "He is not here, he has been raised, as he said." And so Christians around the world have celebrated the empty cross and the emtpy tomb with flowers and light. Bethel's sanctuary this morning was particularly attractive, appointed with Easter colors and flowers. The chancel was also decorated with the prayers of the children, drawn during Lent and draped over a cross.

Carol Brott came so close to death on a Good Friday, nearly 13 months ago. She did not die. Instead, she was at Bethel this morning, testimony to great medical care and even greater faith. The people of Bethel applauded as she stood. For it was a year ago, on Easter weekend, that she got the transplant that saved her life. She received new life--both in body and in spirit. Good Friday is never the end. It is only the beginning...

A Barbecue Nest

2011-04-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Luke 9:58)

Apparently a squirrel had no trouble finding a place. It built a nest in my gas grill! I had grilled on Monday, and tonight, Friday, went out to grill again. I opened the hood of the grill and was startled to see a squirrel jump out, leap off the bench you see at the left of the picture, and hit the frozen turf at full speed.

Of course there was some considerable clean up before grilling was in order. Kathy was none too thrilled that a rodent had taken up quarters on our cooking surface. (By the way, the hamburgers were very good.)

In our part of the country, cold as it is much of the winter, animals need to find secure homes. Some fly away for the winter and come back in the spring. Some hibernate. But all need some shelter.

We don't know much about Jesus' living conditions prior to his baptism by John, nor is much said about his lodging the three years of his ministry travels. It is of little matter. Jesus knew where home was. Jesus promised "home" for those who know him as the way, the truth, and the life.

A nest in a grill? A beautiful four bedroom home? What about a dwelling place prepared by no less than the Son of Man? No need to worry about gas flames...

Sometimes Grace Costs...

2011-03-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

Ten minutes before a three hour visioning meeting, a man rushes into the meeting room at the church and asks if there is a pastor here. Of course, I say, "I am one of the pastors at Bethel."

He goes on to explain that he rushed out of the house earlier in the day and that his wife had just given birth to twin girls at the hospital. He was in need of gas. Could I help?

We have a system for that at Bethel. I didn't follow the system. I needed to get into the meeting, so I tried to be as quick as possible. I asked him to write down his contact information, and he gave me a name and phone number. I asked the names of the twin girls, and he gave me two names with birth weights.

Twice he told me he wasn't looking for a handout, but that he would be back with the money as soon as he got home--about 25 miles from Rochester--and could get back to town that evening. Maybe an hour and a half. That was Thursday.

I asked him for his driver's license--a requirement at Bethel for receiving a gas voucher. He had rushed out of the house. He didn't have it. I cannot give aid at Bethel without the license. But he looked so sincere, and I was pleased for the birth of his twins. I couldn't give him any Bethel help, but I could give him my own money. I explained that Bethel could not do what he asked, but I would trust him. He told me he would be back on Thursday.

It is Saturday.

Will he ever come back? Did I waste twenty dollars? Did I spend it? Did I invest it in the kingdom? I suppose I will never know. Quite a few people over my 32 years of being a pastor have said they would come back with the money. Only two have.

It is a risk. Of grace. Maybe I got taken by a good story. Maybe a father with new twins has just forgotten a promise. Maybe someone is thinking, "At least the church was willing to help." Sometimes grace does have a cost...

THREE YEAR OLDS IN CHURCH? ARE YOU CRAZY?

2011-03-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

Those who know me well know that the sun rises and sets in my two grandsons, especially Jarek with whom I have been a big buddy for almost three years (he turns three on April 2). I spend a lot of time with him, but, since I am a pastor, rarely do I get to be with him during worship.

This past Wednesday I had no leadership role in our mid-week Lenten service, so Jarek’s family, my wife, and I were all together in the pew.

It was a delight.

Bethel is exploring the senses that God has given us during our mid-week services this year—how do they sharpen our journey to the cross?

This past Wednesday the sense was “touch.” This little-boy-just-short-of-three picked up on the theme immediately without being told. When a pastor would say “touch”, he would repeat it out loud—the pastors even heard it by the altar. He might have been coloring, he might have been paying close attention—it did not matter. He was listening, and he knew that “touch” was an important gift of God that night. I was so delighted to hold him, to help him sing the songs, to explain the bidding prayers we were using, to worship God with him.

I am told once in a while that parents will not come to church because their small children get nothing out of it. There are too many times that I have been told of some astute observation or question by a child for me to believe children aren't paying attention. Children belong in worship. They probably don’t understand everything (surprise—pastors don’t understand everything either), but they are learning about God’s great love for them through the gathered body of Christ.

Please. Please. Bring your children/grandchildren/nieces/nephews/small neighbors to worship with you. You could be making an eternal difference.

Oh, Jarek wasn’t perfect. At one point, ironically enough on a night in which touch was the focus, he complained about his eight-month old brother, “Joren’s touching me!” Oh, well. His parents and grandparents aren’t perfect either.

May God touch all young ones (and middle-aged and old ones) in worship.

Meet the Vikings Head Coach

2011-03-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

You're just going to have to trust me on this...the man in the background of this picture is new Minnesota Viking head coach, Leslie Frazier, who, last night, was the featured speaker at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes banquet in Rochester.

I came away from the banquet refreshed that a man of character and faith is leading the sports team I love the most. He knows what is ultimately important, and it isn't football. When, as a player, he suffered a career ending injury in his mid-twenties after having led the Chicago Bears in interceptions three years in a row and helping them to win a Super Bowl, he knew then and he knows now the most important thing in his life--faith. It was faith that would get him through the hard times. It is faith that encourages him today. It is faith that leads him to believe that times of fulfillment will follow him.

A few random quotes from last night:

Hebrews 11:1--I don't know what God's plan is, but I'm going to trust.
God wants us to have hope in the name of Christ Jesus.
I see God time and time again deliver on his promises.
God has a purpose for everyone in this room.
God doesn't care how many Super Bowl rings I have, but he does care if I have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord.
We serve a loving God that loves us unconditionally.

Oh, at least one football item: "We're going to have a lot of fun in Minnesota winning football games."

People of faith are everywhere--some of them even sit in the highest offices of coaching football. I am thankful that a man of grace is at the helm of the Vikings.

Ethics? Not so much...

2011-03-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

This morning another Bethel staff member and I needed to renew certification for using a web-based program assisting people in need who come to the church for help.

This portion of the training was to begin at 11am. Three people not from Bethel had needed additional training in the longer module, and they had already been in session for a couple of hours. The first part had gone a bit faster than anticipated, so they were halfway through the renewal part when the other Bethel staff person and I arrived.

No problem. The trainer would continue with the remainder of the last module, and she would repeat the first part for the two of us from Bethel. Having completed the training for the first three people, the leader handed out tests that needed completed before certification to use the program would be awarded. The trainer then completed the process for us from Bethel. Meanwhile, the other three were completing their tests.

My colleague and I were given the ten question tests. As I read the first question, I could see no apparent answer I needed to offer. The blanks were filled in with words in bold. I went to the second question--multiple choice. But it appeared to me that the answer to that question, too, had already been identified. A quick look at the rest of the test revealed that all the questions had been answered. I told the leader that I didn't understand the test--that it appeared I had the key to the test--could I have a different sheet? The leader looked at the sheet and apologized. Indeed, all the answers had been filled in. When she looked at the rest of the tests, they, too, were all complete. Every one had the answers.

I wondered why the previous three had not alerted the instructor to the problem. Would that not have been the right thing to do?

Oh... You ask the subject of the test? Ethics. Oh, my.

Sins--Scarlet, Black, and White

2011-03-09T06:48:00.000-08:00

Standing out in the snow this morning while offering Coffee & A Prayer to people, I was struck by both the beauty and the incongruity of our electronic sign at Bethel.

Of course, the snow was building up from the east, and it was more beautiful than the picture would communicate.

Ash Wednesday--a time of repentance--a time to receive a smudge of ash on the forehead to remember that we are dust, and to dust we shall return. We move through a lengthy litany of sin so that we can come to the promise of forgiveness.
But the blackness of sin is sometimes described as scarlet. We read in the first chapter of Isaiah:
"...says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be like snow..."

As white as snow. As white as snow on Ash Wednesday.

This is No Church

2011-03-03T18:00:00.000-08:00

Not quite a year ago I was honored to serve the family of Lance Corporal Curtis Swenson. This fine young man and marine was killed in Afghanistan when the vehicle he was riding in hit an improvised explosive device. It was an honor to serve the Swensons, but it was so hard. Not nearly so hard as it was impossible for his parents, Dave and Kay, and his family. They were devastated by this loss, as they should have been.

Healing has been hard. The wounds are still open. And it is apparent that those wounds have been freshly ripped by this week's Supreme Court ruling allowing for hateful protests at military funerals. The court has ruled that free speech, no matter how vile, must be protected in public places. The ruling was in response to a man's suit against...a church?

That same church had targeted Lance Corporal Swenson's funeral last year for protest. I will not give space to the hateful signs that the protesters carry, but they are enough to make me vomit. The church, the military, the community, and the Patriot Guard surrounded the Swenson family last April. Had protesters come, they would have been met with hundreds, many hundreds of people who would have kept them far away. When we left the church for the long trip to the cemetery in southern Minnesota, we were not met with signs of protests. We were met with signs of thanks, American and Marine flags, salutes, tears, waves.

I am no legal scholar, and my opinion of the Supreme Court ruling is of little importance. But I am a Christian pastor, and I am appalled that the suit needed bringing in the first place. Remember, this suit was brought against a church that purports to be Christian!

The signs these people carry, and their slogans, are as far from Christ as Satan himself. I am not distressed when Christians disagree with one another. But when we use the language of evil to support our cause, we have moved to the side of evil.

I am sorry that the pain of the Swenson family and so many more families has been renewed by this ruling. I am incensed that it is caused by a "church". Jesus said that there were two commandments: Love God; and love neighbor as oneself. I am thankful when we succeed at obeying those two, and we need to repent when we fall short. But if we are to speak as this "church" speaks, we have completely lost sight of both commandments. They may enjoy the right to speak as they choose, but they do not speak in the name of Christ.

Military families may feel betrayed by this Supreme Court ruling. May they never be betrayed by those who follow in the way of Jesus Christ.

Forgiveness--the Power of Tears and Words

2011-02-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

Recently I had the privilege of teaching the fifth petition to the Lord's Prayer to our confirmation students. "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us." Looking for resources that 7th-9th graders could enjoy, I came across this clip on youtube. It is powerful. Take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv50xrsFNdU

I have been forgiven, and I have offered forgiveness. Never have I found myself in the depths this young man portrayed with his father. Likely I have never known the remorse of the man weeping behind an insurmountable barrier.

As Christ offered forgiveness from the cross, even to those who were taking his life, did tears stream down his face? Do tears help to cleanse our spirits as we receive the great, good news of God's forgiveness? We don't deserve it, but it is ours. That is the definition of grace.

Shed For You

2011-02-20T14:59:00.000-08:00

During the serving of communion today, my eyes were drawn to the floor just to my right. I am disappointed that after each of our two services I got busy with people and forgot to take a picture.

If I had taken a picture, you would have seen a three inch strip of wood at the edge of the first carpeted step. Directly in the middle of that strip of wood was a splash of red wine, glistening in the light. It was almost as if someone had purposefully placed the wine there.

It did serve some purpose. In a few weeks (March 9) we will enter the season of Lent. In that season we focus on Christ's journey to the cross. On Good Friday we note with both dismay and awe his sacrifice, even the spilling of blood.

This morning I was transported to that place as I was serving communion. "The blood of Christ shed for you." "The blood of Christ shed for you." "The blood of Christ shed for you." Over and over, to all the worshipers. And next to me was the spilling of the wine--the blood of Christ in, with, and under.

I wish had taken a picture. But maybe these words can transport you, too. Christ--one who came for you in love and grace.

Orchestra...Cross...Light

2011-02-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

It was a busy Saturday morning at the church. There was a nice gathering of new members enjoying a five hour seminar about the church and faith, coming to know each other, and delighting in food with one another.

A group of women were in a room across the hallway from my office in a monthly Bible study. They, too, had coffee and refreshments.

Outside of my office the other direction a wonderful group of musicians had gathered--the Southeastern Minnesota Youth Orchestra. They were preparing for a concert they would perform at Bethel the next day.

While I had much to do that morning, including three different stints with the new member group, I was compelled by the music that beckoned from beyond my office window. Eventually I had to give up and go into the sanctuary to enjoy the skill of these young musicians. The scores of strings and woodwinds and brass and percussion filled the chancel. More than that, their sound filled the room with vibrancy.

As I watched the orchestra, I was taken by the light of the cross that streamed over them. When Bethel built this sanctuary in 2004, we wanted everyone who came into this place to know of our faith. A dominating cross (moved from our former sanctuary) would never let us forget who we are and would serve as a powerful witness to the community.

Did this entire orchestra know that they were basking in the light of the cross? Would every concert attender notice it the next day? Probably not. But some would surely notice. The love of the cross. The light of the world. Grace.

From Where will the Wood Come?

2011-02-08T18:35:00.000-08:00

The bracelets made by the Nicaraguan carpenter were beautiful, as were the earrings and rings. They were turned from native Nicaraguan wood--wood that is in very short supply due to deforestation. In fact, the carpenter can get no more wood since it is illegal for citizens to cut down any more trees.

That which you see in the second picture is a part of the small stock of wood that the carpenter believes will last him another two years--if he is a careful steward of what he has. He doesn't make tables or dressers--nothing of any size. He needs to make small items so that his wood will last longer.

I told him I was a carpenter and made furniture. He wondered what wood I used. He was as unfamiliar with my red oak and walnut as I was unfamiliar with his native woods. I almost felt bad telling him that I make bedroom furniture and bookcases and high chairs for grandchildren. I use a lot of wood. I even bought an entire used white oak wine barrel from Napa Valley, California, so that I could make interesting objects from the slats.

What will he do in two years when he runs out of wood, I asked. He shrugged his shoulders. He would find something. He was just glad that we from the USA were there to hear his story, see his skill, and buy his reasonably priced wares. Half the population of Nicaragua lives on less than $2 a day. The bracelets, so beautiful, were only $3. I bought four. He was so grateful.

The human spirit is an amazing thing. Even when faced with scarcity, one carpenter shows great gratitude. He is a good steward of all that God has given him.

Silliness--Bulls and Lutefisk

2011-02-03T09:34:00.000-08:00

While in Nicaragua we visited artisans in their place of work. Two of them were in Masaya, just outside Managua.

As we came over a little rise, we suddenly saw hundreds of people in the street a couple blocks away which would have prevented us from moving. We could not hear what they were chanting, but it was clear we were going nowhere. I will admit to a fleeting moment of fear with the unrest that we see in the world.

Suddenly, the crowd started rushing towards the bus, still chanting. We pulled over as far as we could. They ran right by the bus, and after a few dozen people, there was a skinny bull in the midst of them. We laughed--a poor man's rendition of the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Our Nicaraguan host laughed. Oh, we have just encountered a bit of the festival of San Sebastian. While this was January 18, the Church of Saint Sebastian in Masaya leads up to the festival with some "silliness" according to our host, since Saint Sebastian is actually feted in the church on January 20.

That would include a "running of the sick bull", I guess. People were celebrating the festival; celebrating their church, celebrating the faith. The hundreds continued to march and run--a parade that even included a few instruments.

Silliness. I like that. We have silliness in our USA churches, too. Lutherans are known for lutefisk and lefse and red jello. They have nothing to do with the way we live out our faith. (In fact, there hasn't been any lutefisk or red jello at Bethel in years. Lefse, on the other hand...) They simply represent a bit of our history and the way we live out in community.

I suspect that we won't be running after a bull in the streets of Rochester any time soon. But it was fun to celebrate faith with the people of Nicaragua--even if it was from a bus. May some silliness invade your faith life as you continue to be a fool for Christ.

Catch a Nicaraguan Ride!

2011-01-30T15:01:00.000-08:00

It was a privilege to spend four days in Nicaragua at Augsburg College's Center for Global Education. The fourteen of us--sometimes one, two, or a few more--rode to our meetings with officials, leaders, peasants, and educators in a comfortable, small bus.

The assortment of vehicles on the road was astounding. We saw a few semis. The public transportation system is mostly old American school buses (I am assuming Little Rock School District is in Arkansas, not Managua). Lots of cars and lot of motorcycles and scooters. There were bicycles trying to carve out room on narrow, sometimes rutted roads.

And then there were the animal drawn vehicles like the one in this picture. They might be pulled by mules, horses, or oxen. All of these vehicles were sharing Nicaraguan roads and highways. They have figured out how to merge fast vehicles with slow moving ones. One of the school bus/public transportation buses had a bed on top of it. If one doesn't have a vehicle, it is the only way to get it home from market!

A poor country, Nicaragua, it has been suggested, could be termed a fourth- or fifth-world country rather than a third-world country. In spite of, or because of the poverty, there are plenty of ways to catch a ride.

But the best ride of all is the spirit of the people. While most USA citizens would probably fold in the face of the issues confronted by Nicaraguans, the people there are almost universally focused on the future and how to improve education, the economy, and living standards. Their sense of hope was remarkable. We in the USA could learn much from them. Politically, militarily, and economically, they have been pummeled for decades. Yet, a certain grace emanates from them.

The last horse drawn vehicle I traveled in was a buggy through Central Park in New York City. How different, yet graceful, the horse drawn vehicle in Nicaragua--a glimpse of grace.

Welcome Home, John M. Kowalski

2011-01-21T09:18:00.000-08:00

The family was gathering at the Gate H3B in O'Hare Airport, Chicago. The plane was late in arriving. Somehow, they got passes to come to the gate to welcome home a loved one.

The plane was slow in unloading. They asked a passenger if there was still a uniformed man on board. The passenger said, "Yes, he should be through the door soon."

I have no idea who John M. Kowalski is, where he came from to get to Chicago, or if he has yet to serve longer in the military. I can tell you this. He is loved.

This family exuberantly welcomed home their son, brother, nephew. Tears flowed. Hugs all around. Balloons and signs. It was joyous. John M. Kowalski doesn't know me either. But when his family saw me taking his picture, he turned around and gave me a thumbs up, wanting to share his joy.

I was at the O'Hare Airport coming home from a trip to Nicaragua with the Augsburg College Board of Regents. At about 2pm, I left 85 degrees in Managua. Somehow, God had misplaced 102 degrees somewhere along the way, and it was 17 below when I pulled into the garage at 2:30am.

The picture to the right is the first thing I saw when I walked through the door. I laughed out loud. Two more signs were awaiting me in the kitchen.

Home. It is good to be home and loved--no matter what the temperature.

In John 14 we read that Jesus is making a home, a dwelling place, a mansion for his sisters and brothers. Jesus tells us that we know the way to that home, because Jesus himself is the way. How many people have I, as a pastor, reassured with these words over a lifetime in the ministry? And those words are no less true today than when they were spoken 2000 years ago.

John M. Kowalski received a wonderful welcome home, as did I. We do, however, have an eternal welcome coming in Christ. Will there be a sign welcoming us? I don't know. I do know this: "This will be a sign for you--you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." That sign is the light of the world--the way, the truth, and the life.

A High Calling

2011-01-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

When God indicated that Dr. Gary Thorn, Bethel Minister of Music, and Jim Weaver, Bethel Super Volunteer, had high callings, this is probably not what God had in mind.

Beautifying the Bethel gathering space, the two (barely visible in these pictures because of the bright light streaming in from the skylights) stand high on a lift. All churches are eternally grateful for the many volunteers that serve in the name of Christ.

Do you have a high calling? Maybe that is literal. Bethel has a firefighter who has done very high work for us. More so, he uses those skills in his position as a firefighter. Do you believe that God calls people to positions of service in fire departments, police departments, military, and emergency services?

Do you have a high calling? It used to be common to say, "Oh, I don't have a job--I just stay home with the kids." Sometimes yet today people are apologetic for investing their time in their homes and families. Is there a higher calling? Whatever time you devote to relationships and home is time well spent. (I don't necessarily include time reading blogs or FaceBook. That can be done anywhere, anytime. I refer specifically to building up the home.)

Maybe your calling is to teach or heal. Maybe it is to listen. Maybe your calling is cooking or delivering pizzas. Maybe it is to deliver babies.

You are not in this world by accident. You have a calling, no matter your station in life. I used to visit a woman in the nursing home--she spent a total of 45 years in the nursing. While she seemed disabled in every way, she prayed for every member of a 350 person congregation every day--by name. She couldn't cook or wash floors, but she could pray. It was her calling.

Do you have a high calling? You do. Your first calling is a child of God. After that you have been gifts to serve God, God's people, and God's creation. Maybe you have even been called to stand on a lift to beautify a house of worship!

A PET with Wheels

2011-01-09T12:48:00.000-08:00

This morning we had a PET at church. Instead of four legs, it had three wheels. Instead of providing love, it provides valuable transportation for people in third-world countries who are not able to walk.

You can read more about the PET (Personal Energy Transportation) Project at petinternational.org. It is an amazing story. Each of the vehicles, powered by hand, costs only $250 to make and ship nearly anywhere in the world. At the website you can witness the joy of people finally being able to get around on their own. Perhaps they have lost the use of their legs due to land mines or disease. The gift of being able to move is priceless.

One of the vehicles was used in our worship service this morning. For nine weeks the children's offering will go to buy PET vehicles. The pastors enjoyed riding the vehicle to illustrate the ease of its use.

But it isn't only for children. Adults are welcome to give, too. Already this morning two $500 checks were offered--one from a Bethel group and another from a Bethel individual. I have never seen so many $20 bills in the children's offering. It is safe to say that this project has captured the hearts and imaginations of our people.

Transportation is grace. If you want to donate to this project, you can send your donations to Bethel, clearly marked for the PET Project. Or you can donate on line at the PET Project website. Either way, your generosity is more than a glimpse of grace for the one who will benefit from your gift. It is a huge measure of grace.

Sometimes Grace is Just Fun

2011-01-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

Nothing hugely theological or reflective here. Just fun. While on a family Christmas bowling event, my sister-in-law got out her cell phone with video capability. I told her I would "try hard".

I am not a professional, and I should not be trying this at home or at the bowling alley. But...

And grace prevailed. Just fun. Good to laugh. And sometimes all the pins fall just right.

May the pins fall nicely for you in 2011.

Happy New Year

2010-12-29T11:54:00.000-08:00

"Happy New Year" is the most common greeting we hear these days. I suppose it is more a seasonal saying than it is a truly thought-out hope for the one to whom we offer the greeting.

What would happiness in a new year look like? Surely most or all of us would pray for peace in the world and an end to hunger. We may hope for fulfillment in our relationships and in our work. Some may yearn for material blessings that are lacking.

Happiness can be elusive if it is based on the circumstances of the moment. But there is a greater sense of happiness that evolves from one's spirit. Repeated studies have shown that people who have faith in God are happier than those who don't. For instance, the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University reports that religious participation brings happiness even in times of economic distress. The CBS Interactive Business Network reports on a Gallup poll that indicates people with religious involvement are twice as likely to say that they are very happy than those with no religious involvement. It is easy to find these studies on the Internet--no need to take my word for it.

Every couple I see who intend to marry hears me say that the best gift they can give to one another is the sharing of a faith life. If they want to wake up 50, 60, even 70 years from the day of their wedding next to the one they love, the best guarantee of that is a faith life they share. I ask them to google "faith and happiness", "faith and length of marriage", "faith and satisfaction in marriage"--really, anything they can think of. The research always comes down in favor of those with a significant faith life.

Happy New Year. How could it be even happier? If you have a house of worship, you will have one more important resource to which to turn in both good times and bad. I wish you a happy new year. I wish you a faith that brings you great, new, and renewed joy!

Fail...Really?

2010-12-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

On Facebook, I have a young friend who frequently ends her posts with the word “fail”. It may be something she has observed in society; it may be something that has been done to her; it may be something she has done herself. In any case, it is something that disappoints her, and she writes, “Fail.”

That could be true of all our lives. Here are some of mine for the past month:

Thanksgiving Eve Day travel. Fail.
Palm Pre (smart phone). Fail.
Snowblower start. Fail.
Snowblower started but broken on huge snowplow deposits. Fail.
Palm Pre . Fail again.
Palm Pre. Failed two days in a row
December 12 worship attendance after 16 inches of snow and bitter cold. Fail.
December 12 offering—worst in modern history. Fail.
Broke a Christmas gift before I ever got it to the car. Fail.
Furnace thermostat. Fail.
Vikings. Fail. (You know my passion here…)

But my fails are minimal compared to the hardships for others. In fact, the great things that happen eclipse the failures by many times. I began to think of a young man and woman about 2000 years ago:

Engaged, but woman is pregnant. Fail.
Said woman is in her teens. Fail.
Said fiancé intends to end engagement quietly. Fail.
At nine months of pregnancy, woman is forced to make a 103 mile journey either by foot or common animal (donkey?). Fail.
No room at the inn. Fail.
Earliest known visitors to the baby—smelly shepherds. Fail.

You get the idea.

As we read the scriptures, we see many instances of “fail” in Jesus’ life. He had to follow a most difficult road, up to and including his death on the cross.

But the non-fail aspects of his life and ministry make all the difference. To all the world. For all time. We romanticize the holy birth of Jesus. The list above would indicate it probably wasn’t as pristine as “Silent Night” or “Joy to the World” would have it. Real life comes with challenges. Jesus was able to meet all those challenges. Because of that, we worship a baby born into crude surroundings and whose first bed was an animal’s feeding trough.

That is amazing. Non-fail. The biggest non-fail of them all.

My Song in the Night

2010-12-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

Hundreds of singers. Thousands of worshipers. Many songs. One question: What will your song be this Christmas?

Advent Vespers is not a Christmas concert offered at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis by Augsburg College. It is an Advent worship experience pointing toward Christmas. About 15,000 people witness the five worship experiences.

This year's offering was entitled, "My Song in the Night". We have so many songs that we sing at night--particularly lullabies when we have small children in our midst. Perhaps we sing or hum that we might calm or bring comfort to ourselves.

And we have a wealth of songs that we sing at Christmas--the best hymns and carols of the year! People come to church just to hear the magnificent Christmas songs!

But there is one song that abides with me after Advent Vespers:

     O, Jesus, my Savior, my song in the night,
     Come to us with Thy tender love, my soul's delight,
     My comfort and joy, my soul's delight,
     O Jesus Savior, my song in the night.

That is the song that will sing in my heart this Christmas Eve. If I am to put all my trust in just one place, it is going to be with the one who brings light and love to the world.

If you are interested in hearing more of this song in the night, be at Bethel in Rochester at 3pm, 4:30pm, or 6pm on Christmas Eve.

What will your song be?

Early Christmas Inspiration

2010-12-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

Do you need to get in the mood for celebrating Christ's birth? Check out these two:

http://www.godvine.com/Celine-Dion-Sings-O-Holy-Night-Simply-Incredible-83.html
May a holy night soon visit you with the gift of a savior.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&feature=player_embedded

This is not the Macy's rendition, but a food court in Canada. Watch for the little boy a few times. Has his heart been forever changed? "Let ev'ry heart prepare him room...."

A merry and blessed Christmas to you.

How soon, Christmas?

2010-11-28T14:46:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is over. As I write this, it is the evening of the First Sunday in Advent (November 28).

While there have been Christmas displays up in stores for months in some cases, and while most peoples' attention has already turned to buying gifts (anyone for Black Friday, Super Saturday, or Cyber Monday?), when is it appropriate to start with "Merry Christmas"?

(And don't get me started on the "Happy Holiday" thing. Anytime someone says that to me, they get a quick and enthusiastic "Merry Christmas" in return.)

Last night I attended the Festival of Trees with eight family members. It was beautiful and celebrative. Trees and lights were everywhere, of course. Carolers, Santa, live reindeer, and a special guest star singing Christmas music were all a part of the evening.

It was excellent. And it was the Eve of the First Sunday in Advent. Too early?

Maybe. In the church we try to preserve the character of Advent as a time of preparation--a time of getting ready to the point of wanting to burst with celebration on December 24 and 25. But my own home already features two Christmas trees, and whenever I hear a "merry Christmas" in the next weeks, I will smile and offer a like greeting in return.

Isn't it always Christmas after a fashion for Christians? We proclaim that Christ was, is, and is to come. That is as true in July as it is in December.

Too early? Or just right. Your call.

Merry Christmas. (I couldn't resist.)

Church Just Messes Up Holidays

2010-11-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

This past week while in the car and listening to sports talk radio, a commercial for a local business was aired. It was one of those "conversations" between the radio host and the business owner.

The businessman was looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday because "it is all about family and food." While I may have a word or two wrong in the next quote, I was next astounded to hear, "Thanksgiving isn't like holidays like Christmas and Easter when church messes things up."

Either this man has issues, or I do. There are at least two glaring problems with his statement. The first is the most egregious. Church is not something that "messes up" holidays. It is the reason that there is a holiday. If it were not for God's gift of a Son at Christmas--celebrated, oddly, with worship services around the world and attended at rates higher than any other time with the exception of one day--there would be no holiday to "mess up." If it were not for Christ's resurrection from the dead on Easter--strangely again, celebrated at church in the other prominent holy-day (holiday) that brings more people to church than any other--this man would not have to worry about whether he serves red wine or white wine with his spiral ham.

Worship services lift up the foundation for the days themselves. There is nothing wrong with family and food at Christmas and Easter. But if they are celebrated without church, they are devoid of meaning.

Second problem. At Bethel we actually do try to "mess up" Thanksgiving with a worship service. More than 25 family members will be gathering at my house on Thanksgiving. It will be a joy to prepare a 22 pound turkey and to eat and laugh. Prior to that, however, we will be at worship thanking God for all his bounty. After all, even Thanksgiving has a focus. The businessman should look at the name of the day: thanks giving. To whom will you be giving thanks this year?

Go ahead. Mess up your holidays. You will be glad you did.

Adultery; Faithfulness

2010-11-04T08:12:00.000-07:00

The Bethel confirmation program in early November had its 110 students in Bethel Hall studying the sixth commandment, "You shall not commit adultery." Some people believe that the church has given up teaching fidelity in marriage. Not true.

It is true that we are swimming against the current. Our confirmation curriculum reports that the average number of scenes including sexual content in an hour's television programming is five. For the most popular teenage programs it is seven per hour.

On television only 13 percent of the people engaged in sexual activity are married.

It is no wonder that our young people are swimming in a sea of confusion.

But here is a bright spot. When these youth 13-15 years old were asked why a person should refrain from sex before marriage and why they should be faithful to their spouse in marriage, outside of one answer, the answers didn't differ from those that would have been common 50 years ago. Why wait? Why be faithful?

God expects it of us
We have given promises to God and to a spouse
We could hurt friends and family with inappropriate sexual behavior
It would kill our love for a husband or wife
Not mature enough before marriage
Could get bad reputation
Unintended pregnancies

Does that list look different from when you were (or are) a teenager? The one answer that would not have been common 50 years ago but is a reality today is: sexually transmitted diseases. While they have been around for millennia, we just didn't talk about them in places such as the church a generation or two ago.

So, in spite of the spate of sexual images, maybe youth aren't all that different in these days. It sounds as if they are listening, learning, responding to faith-filled messages.

As the hour ended, the teacher, Pastor Andy Nelson, closed with this statement: "This is not God's suggestion. It is his command." That command isn't going to change--no matter how far television or culture might go. Thanks be to God that youth are still listening to the message!

New York City Contrasts

2010-10-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

Kathy and I enjoyed a quick MEA trip to New York City--a lifelong dream for Kathy. We were privileged to enjoy a lot of what New York has to offer (including appearing on "The Today Show" group shots on Saturday morning). Many of those activities took us to Times Square, a hub of entertainment, commerce, and people watching. Twice in Times Square we bought discount tickets for Broadway musicals.

Saturday evening we had no agenda but to be in the lights and among the people. Who could possibly count them all? Tens of thousands? A hundred thousand? And most were young. We have never been in a city teeming with people like New York. We enjoyed visiting. We were glad to get back to the reality we call home.

On Sunday morning we attended an Episcopal church a half mile walk from our hotel. People were not streaming into the church building. They weren't even trickling. In a building that could easily seat three hundred, there were 17 of us sitting in the pews, and Kathy and I were among the youngest. The five person choir was professional. I assume they were young singers looking for fame on Broadway and who took jobs to pay the bills--like being in a paid church choir. Oh, they were good. They were very good.

And the preaching was good. The service was well done out of the Book of Common Prayer. It was a good and worshipful experience. For 17 people. I wondered about the tens of thousands that we had rubbed shoulders with the night before--where were they? That night we were treated to the lights of Times Square. Sunday morning we were treated to the light of the world. Saturday evening we enjoyed lasagna and connolis in Little Italy. Sunday morning we dined on the bread of life. Saturday evening the sounds were cacophonous--music blaring from gigantic screens, cab horns, people and more people. Sunday morning the sounds were those of music that has stood the test of hundreds of years--sounds of forgiveness.

We enjoyed Saturday evening. We were fed on Sunday.

Have you heard of Chuck E. Jesus?

2010-10-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

To say that I have a family who loves sports of all kinds would be an understatement. If I said that we had hundreds of balls at our house, that would not be an exaggeration (and I am not counting golf balls of which there are a few dozen). And if I told you that we had two dozen footballs of one kind or another, that is probably low by a bunch.

At least a half dozen of those footballs are always immediately available. Not long ago I was in the basement with our 2½ year old grandson, Jarek. He was lining up in a straight row five footballs that were within his immediate grasp. One of those footballs looked unfamiliar to me. I picked it out of the lineup to see what it was. As I twisted it around, I saw that it had come from a Chuck E. Cheese pizza and game parlor. (As it happens, Rochester will be getting a Chuck E. Cheese soon—not two miles from my house!)

Excitedly, I told Jarek about Chuck E. Cheese and how his next birthday party (in April) could probably be at this place—how much fun we would have together. He seemed more interested in the football of the moment rather than a promise sometime in the far distant future.

So we continued to play with the footballs—he loves to play “fumble” and “tackle”. We also got a yoyo out and a fire truck.

It came time to put the toys away, and as the balls were being placed in the toy box, he picked out the little black one, brought it to me, and said, “Chuck E. Jesus”. I smiled and said, “No, Jarek, that is a Chuck E. Cheese football.” And he said, “No, Grandpa…Chuck E. Jesus!”

Jarek has no concept of what Chuck E. Cheese is (though I suspect he will soon find out). But he does know something about Jesus—a frequent topic of conversation and song. He doesn’t care if there is a little mouse on the football—it still is a Jesus football! From his frame of reference, pretty much everything in life is connected to Jesus in some way.

And he would be right. As Christians we come from the conviction that everything, everything belongs to God, and it is given to us to use for a while. That includes our homes, families, possessions, money…and even our footballs.

Jarek changed the name of the football to something that was more familiar and comforting to him. That new name is the one who has promised to watch over him for a lifetime, and even unto eternity. It is Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who has promised to pick up innocent children in his arms and bless them.

Chuck E. Cheese is a fine place. I can already hear the birthday parties and the whack-a-mole (do they still have that?) from my house two miles away. But for my part, I believe I will throw my lot in with Chuck E. Jesus.

"Lutheran" Commandments?

2010-10-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday friends from Bethel (both of them former presidents of the congregation--Cindy and Doug Boese) gave me a gift that they had found while on vacation. Hilarious.

Martin Luther once gave a comprehensive explanation of the Ten Commandments. In Minnesota, I guess we need an even shorter explanation. Hence, this shirt. On the front, the logo reads, "Minnesota Style". On the back we read these commandments (and please note that the numbering is one off what we normally consider in the Lutheran church, but a numbering that is accepted by a wide range of Christians--for instance, our commandment four, "Honor your father and your mother," will in this listing be number five):

Der's only one God, ya know.
Don't make that fish on your mantle an idol.
Cussin' ain't Minnesota nice.
Go to church even when your up nort.
Honor your folks.
Don't kill. Catch & Release.
There is only one Lena for every Ole. No cheatin'.
If it ain't your Lutefisk, don't take it.
Dont be braggin' about how much snow ya shoveled.
Keep your mid off your neighbor's hotdish.

So, der ya go. Easy, ain't it?

You're Thankful for What?

2010-10-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

Every week we have a staff devotional time before our staff meeting. This week one of our office staff, Judy Gittus, offered us some wisdom about thankfulness as we approach a season of Thanksgiving. Here is her list:

... the taxes I pay because it means I'm employed

... The clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat

... my shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine

... A lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.

... the spot I find at the end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking

... all the complaining I hear about the government because it means we have freedom of speech

... my huge heating bill because it means I am warm

... the lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means that I can hear

... the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are near

... weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I've been productive

... the alarm that goes off in the morning hours because it means I'm alive

... the friends and family I can share this message with to remind us all what is important in life.

I imagine we could quibble about one or two of those. So often we grumble about most of them. But in the blessed part of the world in which we live, even the things we might grumble about can bring blessings.

For what will you be thankful in this season?

The Canvas of Creation

2010-10-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

Recently I was Augsburg College for two days of Board of Regents meetings. On a brilliantly beautiful October Friday morning, I came out of the chapel building and saw twenty or so students painting or drawing.

I asked the students if I could see what they were working on (and if I could take their pictures). They all happily agreed. Of course, there were varying levels of skill in the class.

But one thing was consistent--they were painting the creation we have been given in this world.

I admired some of their work. Others were a bit too abstract for me. Then I would look up from the art work and compare with what God has given to us.

There really was no comparison. God's handiwork will always remain supreme, no matter how hard we try to copy what comes naturally in his great gifts to us.

Joyce Kilmer has written a poem that says, "I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree." Will we ever seen a piece of art that is as beautiful as the tree God has already created?

We are so blessed to live in this canvas of southeastern Minnesota. Of course, I might write that no matter where I might be if I had grown in that place and had come to love it. God's creation is even more varied than our ability to copy it.

May you enjoy these last days of fall as we have opportunity to look out every day onto the most beautiful art possible.

Connected

2010-09-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

Most of us are connected in multiple ways. Even the church is connected to the world and to each other in so many, many ways. The first picture you see here is a welcome luncheon for new Rochester Chamber of Commerce members. While I have been an individual member for over five years, recently the chamber made it affordable for the church to join as a business member. We are able to make connections in new ways with a cross section of our community. In some ways, Bethel is a business and has to be run like a business. If we do not meet our monthly obligations, like all businesses, we would have to close the doors. We need to be smart in our use of technology and in using media (like this blog?) to reach out to people. Being connected in a chamber of commerce is one way to extend our reach.

The second picture is even more exciting. On the same day of the luncheon our normal confirmation group came together in Bethel Hall. More than 110 students. Some 16-20 adult leaders who serve as small group leaders at the tables. Four to five staff
members who devote their time so that our confirmation students are

afforded the best possible confirmation program.

Have you ever been in a room with 110 excited 7th, 8th, and 9th graders? The energy, even at 6pm, is palpable. They may have just spent a long day at school, and they might have been to a sports practice or music group in the late afternoon. Yet they show up faithfully, Wednesday after Wednesday, to learn about God's great love for them and our response in love to God.

The students are connecting, and they are connected. This is just one of the programs the church offers to ensure that youth know they belong, that they are loved by God.

They are connected because you have helped to connect them. You promised that you would support them in baptism. You are making the promises come true. I pray for you the connection that these youth feel week after week. There is a God who wants to connect with you and offer his best. We are the body of Christ. Connected from head to toe.

Harmon Killebrew and Jesus

2010-09-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

Last night Kathy and I saw our second Twins game at Target Field in Minneapolis. Taking a different route into the stadium, we saw the statue of Harmon Killebrew--my favorite Twin as I grew up in the 1960's. You might have guessed that since in the picture I am wearing a Killebrew jersey which I received for my birthday (a month early!).

Like so many children, I hoped that I would one day play professional baseball. I matured earlier than classmates, and I could hit the ball a long ways. I fashioned myself as a home run hitter like Killebrew.

In third grade we needed to do a report on what we "wanted to do when we grew up". On the cover of my report were two pictures. One of them was a picture of Killebrew. I would play baseball in the summertime.

But that would leave many months of the year to pursue my other love--the church. The other picture on that report was of a pastor. From my earliest days of recollection, I felt called to be a pastor in the church. From elementary school on, people would encourage me and affirm in various ways my pursuit of being a pastor.

This picture--the Head of Christ by Warner Sallman--was hanged over my bed, along with many other Sallman lithographs that I received from perfect Sunday School attendance.

There were many people I admired when I was young (including many Minnesota Vikings players starting in 1961). So many teachers and coaches and friends and relatives were formative in my upbringing. But Harmon Killebrew and Jesus were on a different plane than most.

I once met Harmon Killebrew in the Minneapolis airport. He was kind to exchange a few words with me. It is my privilege to encounter the Risen Christ every day. Anywhere. All times. Harmon remains a hero in my book. Jesus has turned into something much more real--a Savior and Lord.

Who are your heroes?

Sunset on Sabbatical

2010-09-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

Sabbatical has ended, and I am officially sitting at my Bethel computer. It has been a wonderful three months. As the time away for refreshment and learning has come to an end, I have reflected on those months. I have come away with three major learnings, none of which will probably surprise you.

1) God has created a world of wonders. Kathy and I had the chance to travel widely in these months. We visited Florida for a couple of days prior to a short Caribbean cruise. A ten day trip to Israel was a highlight of the summer.
Twice we visited the summer home of my sister, Carolyn (the sunset picture is a view from her home at Ham Lake near Park Rapids, MN). Napa Valley and San Francisco were home base for a week. A weekend trip to Chicago helped to prepare for the wedding of our son, Chris, to Michelle this fall. And we finally made the trip to Door County, Wisconsin, staying at Little Sweden outside of Fish Creek for a week. I cannot begin to list the many experiences we had in these various places. I can only tell you that God's world is a marvel.

2) Family is a blessing. Kathy had some doubts that we could co-exist in a house (even with extensive travel) for an entire summer. I guess I can be pretty intense. But she was an excellent partner in all that we did. I am blessed with her presence for more than 36 years now. The birth of our second grandchild in July is an incomparable blessing--all life makes other blessings seem small. Joren grows in leaps and bounds these early weeks. We have had opportunities to spend time with all three of our children and their families at various places (Ham Lake, Little Sweden, Chicago). It is a great joy to be with them. It was good and reminiscent to spend a couple of weeks with my sister. And we have had even more time with our first grandchild, Jarek. My sister says that I am "smitten" with him. She is right. He will never remember this summer, but I will cherish it forever.

3) Bethel is the place I want to be. Kathy and I worshiped at many wonderful places this summer (including the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem). The churches were near and far, big and small. Most of the time the services were very good to excellent. Out of the 13 Sundays in those three months, we were away from Bethel for 12. The exception was the Sunday after Joren's birth when we had much family in town, and we all wanted to worship together. It would be at Bethel. And that is the best Sunday we had amongst the 13. It was a time of coming together with friends--people with whom we have celebrated and cried. It was the familiar and good voices coming from the pulpit and the pew. It was home.

So it is from home that I am composing this blog today--my work and church home. It is good to be back. The sun has set on sabbatical. The sun is rising in so many new ways.

Don't Jump?

2010-08-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

Cave Point Park in Door County is worth the drive and time to get there (and it is free!). As we explored the first bit of the park, we saw three young men in swimming trunks standing at the precipice of an abyss yet unknown to us. Drawing closer to the edge, we could see a pool of water provided by Lake Michigan.

Amazingly, we also saw one of the young men do a somersault into the shallow pool about 18 feet below. As he stood after the plunge, I could see that the water was a mere 3.5 feet deep! As well, there were rocks in that clear water. If the jumper misjudged, a rock could clearly ruin his day (week, year, life...). Additionally, there was another pool of water surrounded by underwater boulders a bit farther out to sea that required a leap. One of the jumpers preferred this landing spot.

Of course, that brought me back to my first attempt at a sabbatical eight years ago when I jumped off a 35 foot cliff into the Colorado River and broke three vertebrae. Thankfully that only ruined my summer and not my life. As I peered over the edge of this 18 foot drop, Kathy said, "Don't even think about it." And I thought about all the people who, humorously, told me before going on sabbatical not to jump off any cliffs this time.

So I didn't. I climbed down some rocks to the edge of Lake Michigan and was rewarded with all varieties of coastline--caves, boulders, sand--different around every corner. Now it is only five days to the end of my sabbatical, and I have only to survive a long weekend at my sister's lake home in northern Minnesota.

Don't jump. But we do. I recall Peter stepping out onto the Sea of Galilee. It was a leap of faith. Abraham and Sarah's jump from a secure home to wandering towards an unknown home is well documented in the Bible. As a teenager, Mary, mother of Lord, needed a huge leap of faith in her journey to motherhood.

Are we still jumping into sometimes turbulent water in our journey of faith? Sometimes the water seems too shallow, other times too dark and deep. Do rocks surround the safe pool of water in which to land? Are the risks too great?

The risks are too great for some. They would rather rely on their own strengths. Someday, however, the strengths of any one person will erode. What we need is a pool of faith. We know who can provide that. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, lest anyone should boast."

Join in the water--sometimes turbulent water, sometimes as graceful as the waters of baptism. It is a great swim...

A Clarion Call

2010-08-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

The nurse who drew my blood this morning at the Mayo Blood Donor suite was looking for some kind of sign today. She prayed that God would send some Christian her way.

As is common during a blood draw, the donor and nurse often visit about weather, sports, family, jobs, and more. She asked what I did for a living. I told her I was a pastor at Bethel Lutheran Church. She said, "Oh, I was just there last night." "What brought you to Bethel?" I asked. She responded, "It was my first time at Beginning Experience. Beginning Experience is a support group for people who have lost a spouse through death, divorce, or separation. It was clear this nurse had lost her husband to death--a huge loss--and her faith was important to her. She is grateful for the good Christian man who leads BE at Bethel.

During the blood draw we talked about matters of faith, and, particularly for her, how faith can help us through the difficult times in life. She must have thanked me five times for coming to donate blood on this day of all days, and for being a Christian. She was looking for a beacon of light in a world shrouded with grief.

Or maybe she was waiting to hear that clarion call of faith. Christians, and especially Lutherans, can be quiet about our faith, not wanting to "push" it on others. Sometimes we miss opportunities to clearly sound the bell.

The picture you see here is of the bell recently installed with a bell tower on the west lawn at Bethel. Most people will never notice the four figures at the top of the bell--a kind of humanization of the bell--this bell is alive! This bell will sound in the neighborhood calling people to worship and to faith. There is no uncertainty--the only reason for the bell is to remind people of our faith in Christ.

It is a clear, clarion call. It was good to be a little bell this morning reclining on a blood donor chair. It is good that we use as many avenues as possible, including a brass bell, to tell the story.

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
`God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.'"

A Journey

2010-08-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

Ah, the cable cars were great fun. We knew that they were not the most efficient means of getting around San Francisco, but we really wanted to ride the famed cars. The lines were long, both to buy a one day pass and to get on the first car. But a local showed us a shortcut that we used throughout the day.

Though we had looked at maps, what we didn't realize is that there are only three cable car routes, and two of them parallel one another, starting at the same spot and ending up just a few blocks from one another near Fisherman's Wharf. So it clearly isn't the most efficient way to get around San Francisco. Many waits, some full cars so more waiting until the next one, and limited coverage of the city. So why do thousands upon thousands buy rides every day? It is all about the journey and having fun on the journey.

Kathy and I enjoyed most hanging off the sides of the cars--one gets to see more, and there is a thrill in the experience. One meets interesting people waiting in line or trading short conversations on the car. Most interesting was a Scottish policeman who is a huge Seattle Seahawks fan (I was wearing a Vikings sweatshirt--see below for blog on cold!). He wondered if Favre would be back this fall (pronounced "fa-vray" by this Scot). He said that he was coming to a game in Washington DC, not this season but the season of 2011 when the Seahawks are scheduled against a good friend's team, the Redskins, in DC. (I wonder what Kathy would say if I told her I was going to London one weekend for a game. Actually, I don't wonder...)

The cable car bells were constantly clanging. We stopped in the middle of intersections to let people on and off (the only level spots on many roads). We plunged down steep hills with the brake man yanking as hard as he could on the mechanism in the rear. We actually spent more time riding the cars that day than we did seeing the sights.

And it was worth it. Because it was the journey.

We are all on a journey. Very often it isn't the most efficient journey. And sometimes it doesn't even seem to take us the places we would rather go. For Christians that journey is most clearly stated by Jesus, "I am the way..." That way differs a bit for every Christian. No one will ever take the same exact route on the cable cars that Kathy and I did (if only because I got on one going the wrong way for a long block, and we walked straight up three blocks to a different line--and I do mean straight up, on that San Francisco hill). But the cable cars eventually end up in one spot. That spot in our Christian journey is Christ.

Wherever your journey takes you this day--even if it is never to leave home--may that journey include a conversation with a new or old friend. May that journey find its beginning and end in Christ.

Mark Twain...Alcatraz...Golden Gate Bridge

2010-08-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

Mark Twain is reported to have said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." Can we have an "Amen" to that?

A day of seeing many sights of San Francisco in weather befitting late October in Minnesota left Kathy and me chilled to the bone. At the southern edge of the Golden Gate Bridge we offered to take a picture of a couple and asked the same favor in return. As we were both reviewing our digital images, one of them asked where we were from. We answered, "Minnesota, and even though it is known as being a cold place, we would never dress like this in August", pointing to our many-layered look for the day. The man laughed and said, "Yes, we are from a cold place, too--Austria--and it is never like this in the summer.

But the coolness of the day was nothing compared to the stark frigidity of a major exploration of the day--a trip to Alcatraz Island which served as the most secure federal prison for about thirty years, ending in 1963.

As we exchanged our e-tickets for real ones, we noticed that the trips to Alcatraz were sold out for today...and for the next seven days! One could not buy a ticket for the next eight days! It occurred to me that there is something odd about the fact that thousands of us were so anxious to get to a place that, 50 years ago, people would have dreaded, making that trip to an isolated island in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Why are we so interested in seeing a place of imprisonment for the likes of Al Capone and the Birdman from Alcatraz?

The cell blocks were cold and uninviting. Alcatraz was a place of punishment, not of rehabilitation or redemption. There is not one confirmed escape from the place. It successfully locked people in its jaws and didn't let go.

The sounds like a description of sin--a prison in which we all serve. And this prison seeks to lock us in it icy jaws--a perpetual winter of despair. But for God's people, the sun will shine, and the Son has risen. No matter how cold the day may be, we can be warmed by the sure and certain hope we have in Christ. No matter how bleak the situation may be, a new day in Christ erases the yesterdays of despair.

There is a Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco (even if we couldn't see the top half of it today for the cold fog). But there is a Golden Gate in a greater kingdom--ready to open wide for brothers and sisters in Christ

Never Really Goodbye?

2010-07-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

By all accounts the answering machine you see at the right is quite ordinary. We are trying our hand at a garage sale this weekend, and we are clearing out some things that we are no longer using. You might even be able to see that I have already marked it for $.50.

To ensure that we would not be selling unusable items, I plugged it in to see if it worked. Looked good. One old message from years ago. I hit "play", and there came a voice from the past--a woman who loved to use the telephone to visit frequently at length with her beloved family.

I called Kathy to the garage and told her she had to listen. It was her mother, now dead for four years. At the first words of the message, Kathy's eyes showed suprise. By the end of the message, those same eyes were glistening with tears. She took the answering machine from me. We would not be selling this piece of electronic equipment for $.50 when there was something much more valuable attached.

In Kathy's heart, her mom is not gone forever. Surely, to this world she is lost, but there is another world to come. Perhaps a digitized voice is a way to hang on to that certain hope in Christ. Christians truly never really go away--we just change our addresses.

Other important people to us (and to all of Bethel Lutheran Church) are departing us. This morning Kathy and I had breakfast with Dale and Helen Mundahl while the movers were finishing up the packing of their belongings onto a truck. They will moving close to their two children and five grandchildren in the Twin Cities! (For readers unfamiliar with Bethel, Dale has been our magnificent church organist for 46 years!)

It is hard to say goodbye to good friends, even servants of Christ. But we have already made plans to see each other again. We really never go away--we just change our addresses. And all of our addresses are temporary until we come to the home being prepared for us by none other than the Son of God. Talk about high quality construction!

God's peace to you in your comings and goings.

Watching Over

2010-07-26T10:46:00.001-07:00

If you look at the picture to your right, can you pick out two eyes, a nose, a forehead?

It is the Place of the Skull, or Golgotha, just outside one of the gates of Jerusalem. It fits the Biblical evidence well. Not far from there is a garden with tombs--perhaps even the very tomb in which Jesus was laid?

Even in the picture's sunlight, the face is ominous. One can imagine why the Romans would crucify criminals in such a place.

This Place of the Skull sent shivers down my spine when Kathy and I observed it in June. How did those first century observers feel? We know something from the Bible--his mother was there, distraught. John, the disciple to whom Jesus entrusted the care of his mother was faithful in his attendance. A centurion was awed, declaring this to be the Son of God.

I can only imagine how frightening it must have been with the sun being blotted out in complete darkness around noon. And to always have those eyes looking...dark and ominous.

For most of us, the Place of the Skull isn't our picture of God watching over us. Instead, we look to the God of light and love. We appeal to Jesus who, in his absence, promised to send a counselor, one who would aid us in the truth.

Most of all, we take comfort in the God of Psalm 121--one who will watch over our going out and our coming in, from this forth, forevermore.

Are God's eyes upon you? Loving you? Caring for you, even in times of distress? God was even there at the crucifixion...watching a Son die for you and me. God raised up that Son. God intends to raise us, too. This time forth, forevermore.

On Target

2010-07-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

As American as baseball, apple pie, and Chevrolet.

Our first visit to the new Target Field in Minneapolis was uncertain. Plans changed for friends at Bethel, and they offered us tickets in the first deck down the right field line--excellent tickets!

The seats were so good that we hesitated to leave them for any reason to explore this beautiful, new Target Field. And we didn't. We also enjoyed a well-pitched 6-0 winning by the Twins over the Indians.

As a supporter of the Metrodome (and the need for a covered baseball park in Minnesota, especially for all the college teams that use the Dome 24/7 for a few weeks in the early spring), I didn't expect to be moved by outdoor, professional baseball as I was yesterday. The sights were tremendous. The sun was brilliant. The house was full. We even saw Wally the Beer Man, one whom I have seen selling beer now in three stadiums, the first time in Metropolitan Stadium in the 1960's.

It was a tremendous afternoon. As we were leaving Target Field, I checked my smart phone for messages. One had particular poignancy. Ninety-three year old Lois had died that morning. The coincidence? Lois was the mother of the friend who gave us the tickets, because this friend knew her mother was in dire circumstances.

As we were celebrating at Target Field, Sue and Paul were mourning the loss of this vibrant and wonderful Christian woman. She gave great inspiration to all of us who are aging. She was on target with her faith and her family. Sue and Paul will never think about a game that they missed in 2010, but they will forever remember their mother and mother-in-law. Tears are shed, but prayers of thanks are offered as well.

I hope that people will enjoy baseball (as well as apple pie and Chevrolets) for decades to come at Target Field. More so, I pray that people will be on target with their faith and their relationships. Baseball will come and go. Faith is forever.

Bethlehem--An Uncertain Journey

2010-07-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

The startling picture you see to the right is a part of a labyrinth of wire, iron gates, and concrete separating Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Bethlehem is on the West Bank, under the control of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Our guide in Israel, an ardent Zionist (and for some good reason--he still carries shrapnel in his body from a suicide bomber in Jerusalem in 2002), discouraged us from going to Bethlehem since it could be dangerous. Four out of our group of 19 decided to go anyway, including Kathy and me.

It was a little disconcerting to be let off outside a concrete bunker and told we would be met on the other side by our Bethelhem guide. There was no one to guide us through the maze of security that was daunting for an Australian couple and a Minnesota couple. There was a U.S. security warning not to visit areas under Palestianian authority. But how many times would we be within sight of Bethlehem?

We went, our hearts a bit in our throats. Walking through the security system only heightened our anxiety.

Today I think of a much younger couple--a family from Nazareth who made a much harder journey to Bethlehem. There was no dispute between Israelis and Palestianians, but there was political and military unrest--so much so that Caesar Augustus demanded that everyone return to their town of origin to be counted in a census.

This young couple found no comfortable hotel or guides waiting to show them the sights. They worried about the impending birth of their baby. They would finally find shelter amongst animals, and a baby would be placed in a feeding trough. Angels sang that night. Shepherds raced to see the wonder and told the story. It was the beginning of a life that would change the course of the world. And it began with an uncertain journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Kathy's and my uncertain journey ended gloriously. Surely this journey would not give birth to a child or even to a new angel song, but it was a day that helped our spirits soar in the truth of the Christ child. Our guide opened up the scriptures in Bethlehem. We looked over Shepherds' Field which lay between Bethlehem and Jerusalem--a place where angels could have sung to those keeping watch over their flock by night. We climbed many steps up to the top of a hill where Jesus surely could have been born. We enjoyed the quiet faith and the hope offered to us by a guide who assured us that 95% of Israelis and Palestinians simply want to live in peace with one another. And we enjoyed the shop of a Palestinian Christian who offered us a soft drink and a falafel while we bargained for olive wood carvings--purchases we will cherish forever.

The last leg of our uncertain journey concluded at the wire/iron/concrete structure where it began. The four of us read every sign to make sure we followed the correct procedures--and still almost went through the wrong door! I am sure that we were on video the whole time, guards chuckling at our naivete. With nary a problem they let us back into Israel.

It was an uncertain journey with a blessed end. And all because an uncertain journey 2000 years earlier has blessed the world.

Joren Preston Solak

2010-07-15T00:37:00.000-07:00

Of the many and wonderful experiences we have had and yet will have during sabbatical, none will have the enduring value of this evening. His name is Joren Preston Solak. We planned a sabbatical that would keep us home most of July because of the impending birth of a grandson--due date, July 14.

Kathy and I went to the Solak home to watch Jarek late in the afternoon on July 14 so that Kari and Joe could go to a medical appointment. When they returned home, faces were glum. It looked like it would be a wait, perhaps as long as 10 days. We went to supper at Fazoli's where Jarek, age 2, mowed through a serving of spaghetti like he hadn't eaten in days. We asked if we could take him home to sleep at our place since we would be watching him the next day.

At 8:11, we got a call--the water had broken! Shortly afterwards, the power in our home went out due to storms. We lit candles and played with a flashlight and talked about a new little brother. I lay down with Jarek a bit after nine, but he is too excited to sleep. We hear Kathy's cell phone go off after a while and her excited voice communicating the news of a baby that had been born within 1.5 hours of the water breaking. Kathy came to the bedroom and had Jarek talk to her parents about this new baby brother.

Amazing facts: both Jarek and Joren were 8 pounds, 9 ounces at birth. Both were born on a Wednesday. Most amazing, both were born on their due dates. Since the percentage of babies born on their due date is only 5%, the chances of having two in the same family are .25%!

I visit many Bethel families in the hospitals after a baby is born. I always tell them that there is no gift as precious as life, that this has been one of the greatest moments of their lives. This has been great for the Solaks and the Wahls--the biggest event in sabbatical, far outpacing even a trip to Israel. Nothing more precious. A gift from God.

Communication

2010-07-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

With much regret, I apologize to the readers of my former blog with WordPress. It seems that the server has been taken out of service with no warning.

Communications--Jesus had no such trouble as a web server going down. Jesus' world was a simpler and slower world--even with fewer languages.

To the right is a picture of languages. Everything in Israel, of course, is communicated in Hebrew. Most often, there is corresponding English. And I assume that the second line is an Arabic language of some sort.

If everything had been in Hebrew, Kathy and I would have been lost. We don't know the language. We needed familiar words.

Jesus spoke the language of his peers, but he was truly bringing new words to the world. Even in the Upper Room (the sign noting the place above) of the Last Supper, new and challenging words were offered. When he told Peter that he would wash his feet, Peter protested. But his spirit of servanthood would carry the moment. Even while presenting challenging concepts, Jesus uses familiar words.

That remains true today. "Grace" is an exceedingly difficult concept, but Jesus uses familiar words like love and sacrifice and serving and gift to help us understand. Fear can be overwhelming, but Jesus frequently uses the comforting language and shepherd and sheep so that we might know his care.

Perhaps in 2010, Jesus would use a blog to tell of his love. I pray that this blog will be successful in that communication.