monday morning musing

Last week's musing began, "Yesterday, I pulled out some frozen Crappie fillets," meaning, I went into my freezer and grabbed a package of frozen fillets. Miracle of miracles, Sunday afternoon I pulled a real, and very much alive Crappie right out of Hill Lake while fishing with some folks from church. Even though we are still in the middle of winter, with each passing day we enjoy a little more sunshine. People are making good use of this extra daylight to ski, fish, snowmobile, and snowshoe in the beauty of the natural world. Still others are sitting around kitchen tables, perhaps with a cup of hot coffee, planning their summer vegetable gardens. Whether we are inside or outside, and regardless of the prediction of more snow soon, there is a renewed sense of optimism that spring is just around the corner. 

The church is also in a season of renewal. The word "Lent"comes from an old Angl-Saxon word meaning lengthen and, therefore, Lent connects the season of the church to the season of nature when the days become longer as we move from winter to spring. For many of us who grew up in the church, Lent was a somber time. I would like to suggest, however, that since Lent is a time when we turn ourselves back to God, it should be a season not only of homecoming, but also of hopefulness. Afterall, there should be joy when we return to God who is the Creator of all things. 

My prayer for us this week is that, just like we become more hope filled as we move from winter to spring, let us also be renewed during our Lenten journey as we prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate the Resurrection at Easter. 

Yesterday, I pulled out some frozen Crappie fillets I received from a member of the church. As I carefully coated them with a bit of cornflour and egg, and then gently put them in the frying pan, I not only thought how good they were going to taste, but I also thought of the people who generously gave them to me. It was then I thought of the wonderful generosity of all the people I have met in the communities of  Moose Lake, Cromwell, and Hill City. As I plated up the fish with some hash browns and green beans, I thought about how the crappie gave up their life so I could eat. Crappies are beautiful fish. I almost began to feel guilty for having them for my dinner. I do find some consolation that Jesus served his disciples a breakfast of freshly caught fish in John 21: 12. However, we should not forget that the crappie, and nature herself, are also part of God's creation and deserving of our respect and generosity. Thanks be to God!

Each week, I hear wonderful stories about folks going out into creation to ski, snowshoe, snowmobile, and fish. In so many ways, we are in a relationship with the landscapes that surround not only us, but our church buildings as well. Let us not forget that this week is Ash Wednesday and we have the opportunity to come to our churches and be marked with ashes signifying not only our sinfulness, but also our need to return back to God.  As we begin our Lenten journey, we should also remember that as we turn our gaze back to God, we can also see God's presence in the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us. 

So, just as Christ climbed mountains, crossed deserts, and sailed in boats across seas and lakes, when we walk with Christ, we walk with Christ through Creation. My prayer for us this week is that on this Lenten pilgrimage with Jesus, we also see the beauty of God in all creation. 

I wonder how many parents spent a little extra time with their children this weekend helping them print names on cards covered with pink hearts and corny jokes about love?  Maybe some even attached a hershey kiss or piece of sweetheart candy to the outside of the envelope. Afterall, Valentine's Day is Tuesday!  If you forgot, let this little missive remind you to find the perfect card for the special someone in your life such as spouse, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or even a good friend. I received a Valentine in the mail just the other day and it brought a smile to my face.

Even though Valentine's Day is a very commercialized holiday today, that was not always the case. Valentine, the person, was most likely a 3rd century priest who was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ. I suspect that is not who people are thinking about when they send cards, flowers, and candy to those they love today. Regardless, by the mid-14th century Valentine's Day was a day dedicated to show appreciation to those we love, especially romantically. However, my best memories of Valentine's Day are not as an adult but rather the exchanging of cards with classmates when I was in elementary school. Frequently, the teacher would send home a list with every student's name spelled correctly and we then spent many hours printing the names on small cards to present to all of our classmates at a Valentine's Day party at the end of the school day on February 14th.

Of course, I think the best inspiration for us today for Valentine's Day is Jesus Christ. He preached not only a message of love and compassion and gave himself up for us when he died on cross for our sins, but also asked us to love not only God, but our neighbors just as much as he loves us. My prayer for us this week is that we celebrate St. Valentine's Day by extending the love of Christ to all our neighbors. In my opinion, sending chocolate is not a bad place to start.

When I left a gathering on Sunday afternoon, something was just a bit different. As I pulled onto 169, and the sun flooded through my windows, I noticed that the snow seemed to be receding back from the highway. I stopped at the Post Office in Coleraine, and as I was walking in, a person leaving asked me, "Could it be?"  I smiled and said, "I hope so, but I think it is too soon."

Yes!  There is a faint whisper of spring in the air. When I arrived home, a neighbor was on a ladder trying to remove ice dams from above one of his windows. He let me know he was hoping for a few days of thaw and was praying for an early spring. Let me be clear, I know there is more snow on its way, and the temperature will soon drop, but this little bit of warmth does give us some hope that spring will be here soon enough.

In much the same way that a bit of warm weather in the middle of winter gives us some hope for an early spring, we also get a taste of what both this world and the next could be like when we take time to gather with others to give thanks and praise to the Creator. When we gather with others to pray, and then through collective action work to alleviate suffering in the world, we can experience a renewed heart and we are better able to embrace the coming days with a new sense of purpose and hope. My prayer for us this week is that we make the time to gather as a community so we can share the hope we find in Christ with those in this world who feel hopeless. 

Last Sunday evening, I watched a Korean tv series on Netflix. In one scene, there was a kind and delightful small boy whose parents had told him when he was very young that he had been sent to earth from another planet to teach people on earth how to live in peace. Furthermore, once he accomplished this, a space ship would arrive and take him home to his planet where he would live happily ever after. The boy, now about 5 years old, believed this story and took his job as peacemaker very seriously.

Unfortunately, the boy was dying of cancer and he was found crying in his hospital bed. When his mother and nurses asked him if he was in pain, he answered, "no!"  However, he would not share what the problem really was. Finally, a doctor walked into his room and asked him some direct questions about the rocket ship that would be coming to take him home one he completed his mission on earth. The boy, knowing he was about to die, told them he was worried he did not do enough to bring peace to this world so he would never make it back to his home planet. Surrounded by family and hospital staff., they shared all the different ways that he brought peace into the world; loving his mother, bringing joy to other patients in the hospital, playing with his brother, and taking care of a small turtle in the pond close by the hospital. When the boy was reassured that he had indeed spread peace, he gently passed from this world and into the next.

As I wiped a tear from my eye, I realized that Jesus came into this world and then called each of us to live out the very same mission as the small boy in the tv series -- to be peacemakers. My prayer this week is that we answer Christ's call to peace and  be just as concerned about spreading peace as the small boy in the tv series. 

I headed into the kitchen and put some coffee beans into the grinder to make my morning brew. As I removed the lid from the grinder, I got a whiff of fresh ground coffee and immediately the fog cleared as my  body tingled with anticipation of drinking my first cup of the day.  I grabbed a large navel orange from the bowl of fruit on the table and pulled back the peel. The smell of citrus added a second smell to my morning bouquet.

I put two pieces of rye bread into the toaster and then headed outside to get a couple of logs for the fireplace. As I came back in with my arms cradling tamarack logs, I was attacked by a very unpleasant odor, burnt toast. As smoke streamed out the top of my toaster, I turned on the fan above the stove and grabbed a can of air freshener to eliminate the foul smell.  Eventually, I decided on a better course of action; I put some thick slices of bacon into the cast iron frying pan. When frying bacon you find comfort not only in the smell but have the added bonus of listening to it crackle.

In much the same way that we rely on morning smells to wake us up from our sleep to start the day, our faith in Jesus also has fragrance. When we light a candle while we pray, a symbol of Christ's presence, or break bread with others around a table, we remember Christ is with us when we gather alone or with others.  The smell of wax and fresh bread enlivens our senses, not forgetting  who is also with us, Jesus Christ. Today I pray we take time to enjoy the fragrant beauty of Jesus.

I have been watching icicles form on the roof of my house, gutters fully encased in ice. All three churches in Cromwell, Hill City, and Moose Lake have long, clear icicles hanging down, much like vicious looking teeth of some mythological creature. It is January, and despite temperatures most often well below freezing, the snow and ice continue to melt on roofs and sidewalks. It has always amazed me that despite the bitter cold, when the sun shines on a portion of exposed shingle or on the blacktop of a  shoveled driveway, the roofs, decks, and sidewalks will soon be clear, at least untill the next snowfall.

In much the same way, Christ can begin to thaw the covered and frozen parts of our lives if we can let Jesus enter into just one small sliver of our day. Just like it is unlikely that a snow covered roof or driveway will be free of several feet of snow in a matter of hours, it is also true that it takes time for the love of Christ to seep into our hearts and minds in a way that we can fully comprehend.

My prayer for us this week is that we can have the patience and wisdom to allow Christ to thaw the frozen spaces of our lives so Jesus' light can shine through. In this way, much like how snow and ice melt off the roofs of our churches and homes, our lives can be transformed and restored by the loving presence of our Creator. 

Driving home from Saturday evening worship, I turned on my headlights, only to wonder if they were working properly. AS I drove through Cromwell, it was hard to tell if the low beams were on. As I left town, the high beams acted more like low beams, and I struggled a bit to see the road. In Floodwood, I pulled over to take a look, and I realized they were covered with mud - nothing a little glass cleaner and paper towel would not remedy.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, I headed into Grand Rapids. At the edge of town, I noticed some eerie lights glowing from a building near the community college. As I came closer, I realized they were lights from one of the green houses connected with the U of M North Central Research and Outreach Center. I wondered what plants were basking in the warmth of those lights, escaping the chilly temperatures on the other side of a few inches of glass. 

Last night, not able to sleep, I put on a warm coat, some old boats, a hat, gloves, and scarf and went for a walk down to Trout Lake. As  I trudged through Coleraine, I rather enjoyed the one or two strands of Christmas lights not yet taken down. As I crossed the street by the old Methodist Church building and ambled to the edge of the shoreline, I could see stars and the moon shining brightly in the skies. It was humbling to stand beneath all this beauty.

As we move on from the season of Christmas, my prayer this week is that we don't forget that Jesus Christ is the light the world desperately needs in times of chaos and turmoil. Afterall, sometimes we need to clear away dirt so we can see things more clearly. And, just like plants, we need light if we are going to live long and happy lives.  Finally, life has more joy when we can take time to  discover the beauty in the lights of an evening sky. Our lives require the light Jesus provides to help us see, grow, and find joy in a world that in many ways, remains dark.

Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!  I am hoping, since today is the Eighth Day of Christmas, everyone has discovered eight maids milking under the tree!  Yes, the Twelfth Day of Christmas is not until January 6th when the church celebrates Epiphany, the arrival of the Three Kings at the manger. So with this in mind, it is perfectly reasonable to continue wishing friends and family Merry Christmas as you hand them gifts. Fortunately for me, I have plenty of Christmas cookies left and should enjoy them well after January 6th.  Nowhere does it say I must eat these delicious treats by December 25th or throw them away!

For those who removed their tree promptly on the morning of December 26th, I would like to remind you that we start preparing for Halloween in late August, Thanksgiving in September, and shortly after Halloween, many of our favorite stores were already displaying Christmas decorations. Certainly,  no one should be offended if we extend Yuletide greetings through the first week of January.  I do wonder sometimes, in our rush to move quickly from one holiday to the next, do we forget the meaning of why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. In our haste to take down Christmas lights, remove wreaths and candles, and sweep up glitter and tinsel from wood floors and carpets, do we inadvertently put out the light of Christ that God brought into this world to enliven the dark spaces of people's lives.

My prayer this week, as many of us return ornaments to their boxes and put trees outside to be recycled, is that we do not accidently snuff out the light of Christ that the world so desperately needs to shine bright. Jesus' light, if allowed to shine brightly, can bring peace to war ravaged places, love to temper hate, and mercy and comfort to the brokenhearted. 

Waking up later than usual, I enjoyed a delicious Christmas cookie and a freshly brewed cup of coffee. As I looked out my window, there were chickadees, a nuthatch, and a jay or two at the bird feeder. This afternoon, there are even a couple of pigeons underneath the feeder foraging for the seeds that fell to the ground. As I watched the communion at the bird feeder, the phone rang and my sister asked if I had had a good Christmas. I, of course, said yes, and she, the same. 

Now, sitting on the table in front of me are cookies, cards, and a chocolate Christmas tree with green frosting.  As I take a bite of the chocolate tree, I feel like I am enjoying a meal together.with the birds. Just as I take another bite of the tree, the rabbit who seeks refuge under my deck appears and finds space underneath the feeder to join the feast. 

During Christmas worship at Hill City, Cromwell, and Moose Lake UMC we recited Psalm 96 with these words, "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exalt, and everything in it. Then all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord; for he is coming."

My prayer for us this week is that we rejoice with all creation as we continue to celebrate Jesus' loving presence in the world. And when our celebrations start to wind down, I pray we find new ways to allow the light of Christ to inflame all of creation with love.

Yesterday, on my way home from church, I stopped by my sister's house to pick up some freshly baked Christmas cookies. As I bit into a delightfully crisp gingerbread snowman, I was immediately transported back in time to my mother's kitchen in Ely. A wonderful baker, my mother was always busy this time of year making a variety of cookies, Russian tea cakes, krumkake, fruit cake, fudge, divinity, and potica to be shared with others. I believe the art of baking Christmas cookies is the perfect way to embody the season of Advent. Afterall, Christmas dinner is only complete when the platter filled with all types of cookies makes its way onto the dining room table. 

In some ways, the varieties of cookies, bars, cakes, and candy represent all of the people in the world and the large platter where they are carefully placed is Jesus Christ. This week, as we prepare to celebrate Jesus' birth at dinner tables with family and friends, let us not forget that we are called in this New Year to find new ways to share the platter of Christmas cookies with those both locally and around the world who are hungry. Our work will not be complete until everyone has the experience of biting into a delightfully crisp gingerbread cookie.

Last evening I came across an old manilla envelope. When I lifted up the two aluminum tabs to pull back the flap pulling out the contents, I discovered nine  family photo Christmas cards dating back to the late 1960's. In each of the photos, my  seven brothers and sisters are lined up, oftentimes youngest to oldest or tallest to shortest. We are sitting on logs with the fall colors in the background, holding skis and poles in the driveway, or sitting on the ice wearing ice skates. Of course, with each old photo a memory is resurrected, not only of the day when the photo was taken, but also of all the other Christmas cards my parents recieved from relatives and family friends that contained pictures of their children.  

I am not sure when the picture Christmas card became so popular, but of course, Christmas cards have been part of the holiday tradition for centuries. Oftentimes, the card was accompanied by a letter telling the receiver about everything of significance that transpired since the last Christmas missive the previous year. I do remember my parents reading bits  of some letters out loud at the dinner table. Some senders took time and wrote by hand, no computers then,  long personal letters while others sent a mimeographed copy of the same letter to everyone on their list. As Christmas Day got closer, my dad would take long strips of Christmas ribbon and attach the cards to the ribbon and then hang them from the sides of the fireplace so everyone could read the letters on their own. 

Of course, the most popular picture found on Christmas cards today is also a family picture, one of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. What amazes me when looking at Christmas cards of Jesus' family is that it is not uncommon to see Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in a manger surrounded by animals or Mary holding Jesus while sitting on a donkey with Joseph leading out front. Certainly, these depictions make it clear that Jesus' family was not the typical Jewish family of the day. Afterall, giving birth in a cow stable may look nice on a card but not ideal at any time, ancient or modern. My prayer this week is that  just like God blessed the unique family situation of Mary. Joseph, and Jesus, we too take time to lift up and pray for all families around the world each with their unique joys and struggles. 

There are times when the old way is truly the best way. For example, when doctoring for the old fashioned, run of the mill, non-covid, runny nose and sore throat, there is nothing better than homemade chicken soup. Last night, I rushed to my freezer and found my last rubbermaid container at the bottom of the freezer drawer sandwiched between some green peas and a package of ground beef. I left the soup on the counter to thaw, thinking I would first try other remedies including hot tea, thera-flu, hall cough drops, and even resorted to my least favorite, Vicks vapor rub. There was a bit of relief, but finally at three in the morning I had had enough. I put on my bathrobe, grabbed the soup from the counter, and put it in a pot on the stove. Thirty minutes later, I was sitting in front of the fireplace with a hot bowl of homemade chicken soup made with homemade noodles given to me by a friend. It tasted so good, it was almost worth getting sick!

This morning, I am starting to feel much better, and I wondered what it is about chicken noodle soup that makes it the perfect remedy for a cold. The ingredients by themselves are nothing special - broth made from the bones of a chicken from Sunday dinner, meat picked from the same bird, noodles, carrots, onions, and salt and pepper. Of course, once in a while, you put in something else if it is lying around the fridge, like maybe some peas or a bit of wild rice. 

In some ways, our faith in Jesus Christ is not unlike a hot bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. Just like we use chicken left over from a previous meal and add other ingredients easily found in our kitchen pantry to prepare a meal that heals us from the winter cold, Jesus Christ's appearance on earth in the body of the human creature is rather ordinary and fragile in many ways. However, because God is the master chef in this kitchen, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, today, and long after Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection, Jesus' ability to heal and comfort us is still the best way, even more nourishing than a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup.

It didn't take long. The first Christmas card arrived in my mailbox the day after Thanksgiving. The golds, browns, and oranges found in the aisles of stores on Thursday have been replaced with a sea of red and green by Friday. If you are the type to listen to oldies on the radio while driving, Mel Tome, Nat King Cole, and Burl Ives will be making their yearly appearance singing such tunes as "White Christmas," "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire," and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."  Friday morning, forgetting what day it was, I needed to run into a large box store to look for a few items for Advent.  After waiting patiently in a rather long line, I asked the clerk if they had any Advent Calendars? She politely said, "You mean calendars for the next year?"   I said, "No, Advent calendars."  She smiled politely and said,"What's Advent?"

I stood in front of her for a split second before I  realized she had asked a very good question. Afterall, why would anyone under the age of 21 really know about Advent when today we start preparing for Halloween in August, Thanksgiving in September, and Christmas in mid-October. The changes in stores by the way, are not subtle transitions but rather, sudden and drastic. You can walk into a store on October 31st, and get scared out of your wits by real life looking zombies, horrifying monsters, and rather unpleasant looking Jack-O-Lanterns. However, if you go into the very same store the next morning, instead of zombies and ghosts greeting you as you meander through the aisles, you now can shake hands with Santa Claus, his wife, Mrs. Claus, as well as elves, angels, and a variety of reindeer.

My prayer for us this week is that we don't forget about Advent. Advent, which means "coming" in Latin, is a time when we prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate not only Jesus' birth in a manger, but also prepare our lives for his second coming at a time of God's choosing. In a world that is so fast moving and very chaotic, I suggest we slow things down just a bit during the four weeks of Advent, so by the time we gather with friends and family on Christmas Eve, we have the capacity to fully understand how much God loves us by sending us Jesus Christ.  Happy Advent!

Thanksgiving is just a few short days away, and I am just now taking a few moments to reflect and be grateful for all the blessings of the past year. Despite the ongoing chaos in the world, and other challenges that we all face on a day-to-day basis, I want you to know how grateful I am to be able to gather, pray, and work alongside the folks of Moose Lake, Cromwell, and Hill City United Methodists Churches in the work of transforming the world into the love of Jesus Christ.

This week, as many of us gather to share a meal with family and friends, we will no doubt recall the events, some joyful and others sorrowful, from the past year. Stories about fishing, gardening, and family barbecues will be interspersed with moments when we took time to be with someone who is ailing or comforted a friend who lost someone dear. In our remembering times, both good and bad, I pray we do not forget that through all time, God is with us. For this we should all be thankful.

Furthermore, let us take a few moments during our celebrations to remember and pray for those who will be in war zones, hungry, or alone on Thanksgiving. It is my prayer for our communities of faith, that after the last dish has been washed and put back into the cupboard, and someone has eaten the last piece of pumpkin pie, we continue to find new ways to put our petitions to God into actionable steps to ease the lives of those who have little reason to be grateful today. 

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!  I am thankful to each and everyone of you and am looking forward to the many ways we can extend love and provide hope to those who are in desperate need of care.

Just the other day, after I finished  filling up my car with gas and walked into the store to pay,  the clerk politely asked, "what's going on?" Without thinking, I said, "Not too much, and you?"  She said, "The same."  We chatted back and forth a bit,  and I headed out the door to my car and drove off.

Just a short few hours later,  I walked into church and someone asked, "What have you been up to?"  Without thinking, I said, "Not too much, what about you?"  They said, "Not a whole heck of a lot."  After a few grunts and moans about the cold weather and snow, they found their way to a pew, and I greeted another person who happened to come through the door. They asked, "What's new?"  I did  manage to give them a smile and said, "Same old thing, different day." 

Later that evening, as I was driving home after worship, for some odd reason I recalled those rather short, but polite conversations.  I wondered, what if it were Jesus who asked me what was going on, what have I been up to, and what's new? Hopefully, I might be able to honestly share with Jesus both my joys and struggles, let him know what I have been doing to care for those around me, and then share the new ways I am learning to love both God and neighbor. 

By now, most folks have remembered to turn their clocks back, having savored that extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning. Even with that extra hour, I don't believe many who came to church yesterday would have wanted to tithe that extra hour to listen to an hour long sermon from their pastor. However, come Sunday evening at 8pm, some of those same folks' eyelids were already closing during the middle of the Kansas City and Tennessee football game. I wonder how many fell asleep before the exciting game ended with Kansas City winning in overtime. 

What is time? What are the things we have time for everyday?  How often do we say, "I just don't have time to do this or that anymore?"  As I wrote this missive early this morning, struggling to come up with a definition, I went to an online source that defines time as, "the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future is regarded as whole."

As I ponder this definition, I realize  faith in Jesus Christ is inextricably linked to time. Jesus Christ is undeniably a part of history and Jesus is also  present today in each of us, especially when gathered together in community. Furthermore, our hope is in a future existence, living eternally with Christ. My prayer this week is that we make time each day to abide with Christ as Christ abides in us.