I should have gone to the bathroom before we left.

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

We had a leadership meeting today; well, by the time you read this it was yesterday. I also had a meeting with a friend about helping me with the Social Responsibility committee, that was yesterday too. I was going to have my last meeting at 3pm, and then I was going to drive Padme to Ridgefield, Washington. We had a donor that was donating cases of water for our annual "Healthy Kids Day" event that is happening tomorrow, well by the time you read this it will be tomorrow. 

At 2:30pm Esmerelda comes to my office and says, "Coffee?", which we all learned from our "Padme is a big tea drinker" bread, is code for wanting to talk, and as we also know from our "Padme is a big tea drinker" bread, I said, "Sure." I was getting ready to leave, prepared to be back in time for my 3pm meeting when Padme walks up and says, "Bill (Not his real name but a story always goes better with a name attached, which you already know if you have been reading these breads) has cancelled." Esmeralda invites Padme to come with us to get coffee. 

Padme says, "Sure, but I need to get my wallet."

Esmeralda response, "No you don't, I have a Starbucks card." Yes, that is their real name, but I don't care if you know that.

Padme, says, "I don't want you to spend all the money on your card buying me a drink."

Esmeralda response, "Oh, I don't mind, and don't worry about it; it is Roger's Starbucks card"

It isn't easy being me. Besides, I was busy wondering what Padme was going to buy at Starbucks that would use the whole card.

Padme says, "Ok." and we start to walk out of the "Y."

That is when Esmeralda asks, "Should I go to the bathroom before we go?"

Padme answers, "We won't be gone long."

Esmeralda says, "Ok." and we walk out. 

Esmeralda calls dibs on the back seat, I am not sure why, but she did.

I drive them to Starbucks.

When we get there and go through the drive through, Esmeralda says that she wants to do the ordering; which is fine with me because I can never get the Grande double frappe chino with  a shot of chocolate, whipped not stirred, cold but with goose milk and antelope hooves...and one Splenda order correct. So, I have to drive past the speaker until the backseat is parallel with it. and Esmeralda orders the drinks. Twenty minutes later she is done ordering two drinks, how the barista's keep these orders straight I will never know.

I drive up to the window. I drive past the window and the girl inside thinks I am driving off and starts to yell, "Hey!" I stop with the backseat parallel to the window. Evidently, I can't be trusted with a Starbucks card. 

Esmeralda handles the complete transaction, and is thrilled to find out there is still $10 left on the card. I was actually surprised too, I forgot how much was on the card, but evidently it was enough to pay for the $37.86 for the two drinks and still have $10 left over.   

As I pull out of the Starbucks parking lot, Padme says, "We might as well drive to Ridgefield and get the donated water, that way we can get this all done at once and save time.

I looked at Esmeralda and Padme asks, "Is it ok Esmeralda?"

Esmeralda in true Esmeralda fashion says, "Sure." But I notice she crossed her legs.

We drive to Ridgefield.

When we get there Padme says, "Esmeralda, have you ever seen where we are going to build the new "Y?"  

Esmeralda response, "No" I notice she isn't smiling any more.

Padme directs us to the vacant lot where the "Y" is going to be built. I stop the car and Padme starts talking about where everything is going to go. 

Esmeralda says, "A-ha." Like she is in a hurry or something.

I drive to the company donating the water. Padme gets out of the car and makes the mistake of walking in front of the hood, I honk, Padme jumps, Esmeralda laughs, and then says oops. I don't know what that was, I wasn't going to ask though. My spiderman-chappy senses said it wasn't good. 

Padme rings the bell and a warehouseman answers the door. And Padme explains that she is there to pick up four cases of water. The warehousemen points at the direction of the cases, and Padme smiles, bats her eyes and says, "Could you load them for me? They are so heavy." 

Padme, yes the all-American pitcher just pulled the girl card. 

The big strong warehousemen said, "Sure little lady," and picked up all four cases at once. he grimaced a little as he did so. I hope Padme didn't cause a workers comp claim, just say-in. As the warehouseman put the cases of water in the car, Esmeralda kind of jumped for joy. At least that is what I thought she was doing.

On the way back to the "Y" traffic began to slow, and that is when Esmeralda said, "I should have gone to the bathroom before we left. I had no idea we would be gone this long."

When we finally got back to the "Y" I parked right by the door. Padme got out, lifting all four cases of water at once (without a grimace I might add), and carried them into the "Y." I never did see Esmeralda get out of the car, but she wasn't in the back seat when I looked. I never did know where she went, I guess she will tell me sometime. 

As I parked the car, I thought about how lucky I am to work with such great people. The "Y" is full of great people. I get to work with people that show the love of Christ to people that are hurting, hopeless, and lost. 

We don't do a lot of talking, no, we are more in the doing. 

People that put others before themselves. Even if it means sprinting to a bathroom after you have done that. 

We like to say, "We are teaching a community to truly love its neighbor," I love that.   

At the end of each day I like to reflect on it and ask myself the question, "Have I positively impacted a life today?" 

Do you ever ponder that, or is that just another one of my quirks?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

 

A walk with God

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Getting off the treadmill and onto a trail feels really good. 

When I am on a trail I have plenty of time to ponder, ruminate, and converse with God. I like to call it, "A walk with God." As I walk along, lost in my thoughts, time just flies, which again is much different than being on the treadmill. On the treadmill every minute feels like an hour. On a trail every hour feels like a minute. 

When I walk with God I get to ask all the "why" questions; all the "How come" questions. The questions can range from, "Why is something a certain color," to "How come something is the way it is?" But most of the time we just walk together in silence. 

On the trail, I smell all the foliage and flowers. I feel the breeze in the air, and the scenery is constantly changing. 

On the treadmill, I smell me, and sometimes when someone is on the treadmill next to me, I smell them too. There really isn't much of a breeze in the gym, and the scenery is always the same. On the treadmill I don't feel as if I am walking with God, I know that He is there because He is omnipotent (why do theologians have to use such big words? I am sure that will be another bread someday). Omnipotent simply means everywhere at once. Another concept that will make your nose bleed if you ponder it long enough. Anyway, God is with me on the treadmill, but I am not in the mood to listen, nor have a conversation. I just want to get it over with. 

On the trail, I feel happy. If I have a problem that I am thinking through, I usually come up with a positive solution. See, walking with God is beneficial.

On the treadmill, I am not so happy. If I have a problem that I am thinking through, I seldom even come up with an answer; let alone a positive one. Mainly, I believe, because I am not talking with God about it.

As you can tell I prefer a trail to a treadmill. 

Walking with God on the trail is taking a journey with God.

Walking on the treadmill is walking a road to nowhere.

I think I will take a walk with God, a journey if you will. 

In your life are you on a treadmill or are you on a trail?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Padme is a big tea drinker

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Last week Padme came to my office and said, "I am walking to 7-Eleven to get a tea, do you want to come with?" 

When I get asked to:

• Come with
• Can you drive me...
• I am going to get coffee...
• I need to go to Walmart...

It is code for, "I need to talk." so I always say, "Sure." 

So when Padme came into my office and asked me to "Come with." I said, "Sure." 

We walked and talked, and talked and walked. When we got to 7-Eleven, Padme walked over to the refrigerated wall unit thingy-a-bob, reached in and grabbed a bottle of unsweetened Black Tea that was chilled to her liking.

Padme is a big tea drinker, not that she is big and drinks tea, not at all. In fact if I even thought she was a big tea drinker meaning that she was big and drinks tea she would just kill me. After-all there really isn't much call for an all-American pitcher after softball is over. The one good thing left is to wing a softball at the Chappy's head at 70-mph. It would kill me. So no, I am not saying that she is a big tea drinker and that she is big and drinks tea. I say she is a big tea drinker, because she is normal size (Not to big, and not to little, but just right. Kind of like the porridge in Goldilocks and the three bears; which is a whole other thing. Since when did Bears prefer porridge over normal "bear" food? But I am not talking about that now, I am talking about Padme being a big tea drinker, meaning that she is "normal size," as I just said and loves to drink tea. Not just any tea but black tea with one Splenda in it. 

Padme grabbed the tea from the refrigerated wall unit thingy-a- bob saying, "I misjudged how much tea I would need for this week, so I had to come to 7-Eleven." 

I said, "Oh" and was about to ask what else is going on in her life, which is chaplain code for, "Will you just get to the point. I am a busy man!" As I have been told many times, "You're the best chaplain ever!" When what did my wonderous eyes see? The Powerball sign said that this weeks Powerball jackpot was at $400 million!!

As we walked to the cash register I said, "I am going to buy a Powerball ticket!"

Padme responded, "If you win you owe me $100 dollars." 

I said $100?"

She said, "Yes, I am not greedy." 

What she didn't realize is that I was thinking more like $10. 

We got to the register and Padme bought her tea. I said, "I would like one Powerball ticket please." 

She said it was $2. 

I said, "Isn't there a another thingy I am supposed to buy?"  

She said, "Yes, there is the kicker. that costs an extra dollar" Now I was getting really worried. I am standing next to a pitcher that was going to kill me for calling her a "big tea drinker," and now I am buying a "kicker." Great this should really end well and it even cost me an extra dollar to not end well.

That is when the cashier said, "No, you idiot it is just another number." and turned to Padme and said, "Is this fool really your chaplain?"

Padme just smiled and said, Yep."

On the way back to the "Y" we talked about all the cool stuff I could do with the money I was going to win. I was going to pay for the new "Y" in Ridgefield, endow the chaplaincy program, along with a bunch of other stuff. 

I was really excited for the drawing the next day.

The next day came and went. I hadn't thought about the Powerball ticket at all (Have I ever told you I have a short attention span). The next day I remembered the ticket. I pulled the ticket from my wallet and googled the numbers.

They were, 10-39-47-56 and the Powerball was 08.

Then I looked at my ticket and Oh my God!!!!

My numbers were, 02-51-60-69 and my Powerball was 21.

Not one match! No matter how I moved the numbers around they still didn't match, and I tried. I moved the numbers like 6-times and still nothing, Uggggg.....

By now God is rolling on the floor laughing. 

He said, "Roger you are such a dufus (Dufus is one of His pet names for me). Of course, you didn't win, that is not how I am using you. Now go be with the hurting, the sick, and the lost. Listen to those that ask you to:

• Come with
• Can you drive me...
• I am going to get coffee...
• I need to go to Walmart...

Go do what I called you to do."

It is funny, when I relax and just do what God has called me to do and not try to be "bigger" than I am. I sit really comfortably in my world. It is only when I try to be something that I am not that things get wanky. I was dreaming of all the stuff I could have done with a Powerball ticket instead of all the things I can do with God. 

It is a good reminder.

I shouldn't have put my faith in a Powerball ticket, I should have put it in God instead. 

What are you putting your faith in?

Something to Ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Treadmill Theology, is nothing more than bad body image spirituality!

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day. He is the worship pastor at the church that I attend. He mentioned "Treadmill Theology," a name for works based theology. Works based theology, I am sure you know, is a theology that believes doing good works wins favor with God and when you don't, you lose favor with God. Taken far enough works based theology creates a god of conditional love; so you end up on this endless treadmill of trying to gain Gods favor so you will be redeemed, gaining access to Heaven. 

Even when I write this, and even when you read this, it sounds silly. 

God is a God of unconditional love.  

We don't do good works to gain His favor, we do them because He loves us, and lives in us.

Yet...

Why are we on the treadmill? 

It is like we are at a gym and people are looking at us, judging us. 

It is like God is a personal trainer saying, "Oh, you just need to work harder." 

Why do I feel like I am on this never ending treadmill trying to lose that last 10 pounds of spiritual fat. 

Treadmill Theology, is nothing more than bad body image spirituality! 

I might as well be an anorexic Christian, spiritually speaking. Everyone seeing that I am grossly underweight spiritually from doing nothing else but constantly running on this treadmill and all I see is fat while I add speed and incline to the treadmill with the enemy yelling, "Harder, work harder!". 

Get off the treadmill!!!!

Relax, take a break, know that even though we may not see ourselves as good enough, God does!

Treadmill theology is nothing more than a lie the enemy tells us. The enemy says, "God can't love you yet, just work a little bit harder and He will."

What a bunch of Who-Ha. 

The funny thing is, all the while I am on the treadmill God can't use me to the fullest. My brokenness won't let Him.

But somebody once said somewhere, I wish I could remember where, "From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view, even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!"

I think I will get off the treadmill and onto a trail. On a treadmill you never really go anywhere. When you are on a trail you are actually on a journey with God.

This feels much better!

What do you think? 

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

In the end I told God I would try to do better.

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

As you know I have been pondering Heaven, which causes me to ponder God and His creation. I came in to the "Y" and our fancy-dancy white board in the lobby read "Earth Day" (Obviously I wrote this the other day since it is not Earth Day today). 

God is a funny duck.

Here we were, God and I, having this conversation about His creation; and for us on this tiny blue planet we, or maybe me, as I can actually only speak for myself, think about earth when we, or maybe just me, think about His creation.

When I think about God and earth and me, as I can only speak for myself. I am reminded of a gift my father gave me right before I graduated from High school. 

It was the spring of 1977 and I had gotten home from the state wrestling championship, where I was busy getting pinned yet again, around 5am. My father woke me up at 7am, obviously he had gotten home from watching me count the lights on the ceiling in the gym of the state championship wrestling tournament, which by the way there were 42 lights, 5 were burnt out. I was tired, beat up, and sore. I did not want to get up, but dad was persistent. I ended up dressed and in the car by 7:30am. He drove me to Zimbelman's Chevy. He walked up to a car in the lot and handed me the keys! 

I said, "What's this?"  

Dad said, "It's a car!"

I said, "I know that!"

Dad said, "Why did you ask then?"

We had lots of conversations like that when I was growing up. I guess that is how I got so smart. 

Dad went on and said, "I bought this for you so you would come home from college and visit once in a while." He was afraid that I would leave and never come home. As sweet as that was, it was a real fear for him. My older sister had left for college 6-years before and never returned. Later in life she admitted that she was a bit of an ass when she was young. 

I said, "Thank you dad, I could have bought my own car." 

Dad said, "I know but it wouldn't have been as nice as this one."

I said, "You are right about that!"

Dad had bought me a brand new Chevy Chevette! Chevy Chevette's were quite the car. They even came a hole in the floorboard so you could stick your feet through and help it get started moving by pushing with your feet. I called it the Flintstone mobile. Have I ever mentioned that the wind blows in Kansas? The running joke was, "The wind doesn't blow in Kansas, it's just Nebraska sucks." 

When I drove the car with the wind I could do 70-miles per hour. When I drove the car against the wind I topped out at 35mph. 

I loved that car. I loved it not because it was a great car, it wasn't. I loved it because my father gave it to me. He gave that car to me and never asked for anything in return. That car was mine, I could do whatever I wanted to that car. I could have driven it off a cliff if I wanted to. I didn't though, my father had given me this gift and I was going to take care of it. If I had driven it off a cliff my father would have still loved me, he would have been disappointed in me for not taking care of the gift he gave me, but he would still love me. He never would have given me another car though. Although, when I think about, he never gave me another car anyway. 

I kept that car for a long time. I gave it my younger sister when she needed a car. I told everyone I had given her a Vette. I didn't really lie, I just let them think what they wanted. I am gracious that way. 

As I was talking to God, before I knew it was "Earth Day," I thought about my dad and the gift he had given me. Actually, God reminded of it, He said, "I gave the earth to humanity to love and to live on. I didn't ask for anything in return. Humanity could do with it as they pleased. Humanity could cherish it or destroy it, I will still love Humanity. Just like your father I would be disappointed if Humanity destroys my gift but it doesn't mean I will stop loving Humanity. But, I am not giving humanity another earth if they do." 

I thought about my conversation with God. I began to ponder how I might have taken better care of the gift God gave us than I have. How I am not paying close enough attention and remembering to be thankful of His gift. 

In the end I told God I would try to do better. 

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

I can't get Heaven out of my mind!

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I can't get Heaven out of my mind!

I was at a Christian meeting the other day.  The topic of Heaven came up.  I sat there listening as people started talking about Heaven.  One man said, "When we go to Heaven we will all be 33-years old.  Jesus was 33-years old when He went to Heaven, so we will all be 33-years old when we go to Heaven."

I started to think about everyone being 33-years old in Heaven.  Under the premise that since Jesus was 33-years old when He went to Heaven, we all will be 33-years old in Heaven, then it also stands to reason that all of our birthdays will be on the same day as Jesus' birthday.  I could see conversations would go something like this. 

"Good morning Dan." 

"Good morning Roger." 

Dan, I have been wondering, how old are you?" 

"I am 33-years old." says Dan. 

I say, "Really, that is amazing, I am 33-years old too." 

Dan says, "Don't be too amazed, everyone is 33-years old in Heaven." 

I say, "Really, everyone is the same age?" 

"Yep," says Dan. 

Dan continues, "Do you know that not only is everyone 33-years old but we all have the same birthday." 

"Really?" I say. 

Dan says, "Yep, it's true.  Don't wait to the last minute to go shopping at HeavenMart.  The lines will be very long and they run out of stuff quickly." 

As I was running this conversation through my mind, a man who had been listening to our conversation looked over at me and said, "I hope we are all not 33-years old in Heaven.  I would rather be 19." 

I say all this because I think we have some pretty wild ideas of what Heaven is going to be like.  It is becoming obvious to me that we really do not have any idea of Heaven.  All I know is that it is going to be better than I can ever imagine, and I can imagine a lot!

Am I the only one to ponder this stuff, or do you have ideas of heaven too? I would love to hear them.

Blessings,

Roger

 

Simply because I like to sing does not mean that I am any good at it

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I am still pondering Heaven, there is lots to ponder about when pondering about Heaven.

One of the other things pastors tend to say about the going-on's of Heaven is that we will spend eternity singing.

On the topic of singing, the only songs we will be singing will be praise music. No Bon Jovi, no Johnny Cash, and for sure no ABBA (thank God). While I do like praise music, it seems sad that some of our favorite songs won't be there. And lets face it a lot of the worship music, when you break it down, is not all that theologically correct. I know, I know, I am told we will sing those old spiritual songs of old.

 Here is another secret about those old hymns you see in the hymnals. Charles Wesley (Yes, Charles was John's brother) was a gifted song writer. And we have, or maybe not we, but I have lived through my share of worship wars where the old guard complain about the new worship music not being spiritual enough. All the while not realizing that their "spiritual" hymns came from tavern songs that Charles repurposed for the church.  

I also must confess, I do like to sing.  Simply because I like to sing does not mean that I am any good at it.  Nor, does it mean that others like to listen to me sing.  I, for one, have heard more than my share of bad singing; usually in the form of special music when someone comes forward in church, a sound track is turned on and all of a sudden it is karaoke morning in church.  I hope that Heaven is more than singing.  Not just for my sake, but for the sake of those standing in earshot of my voice. 

When I talk to people about singing in Heaven and tell them that I can't sing they say, "When you get to Heaven God will give you a wonderful voice."  When they say this I cannot help but think, "It will be like those Allstate commercials were the little girl is talking to her dad and then all of a sudden her voice changes into this beautiful baritone voice and she says "Allstate, you have the Allstate protection plan." Her father just looks at her in wonderment.  I am sure that he is thinking, "Who is this in my daughter and why does my daughter sound like a forty year old man?" 

I really do not know if I will be given a new beautiful voice or not; I really do not think that having a new voice or not is really the point of Heaven in the first place. 

Maybe we will be singing in Heaven, just not all the time. Once again I think both the singing thing and the eating thing are just peoples ideas of what a great time would look like. with those that love food, it will be eating. With those that love singing, it will be songs. 

I still don't know much about Heaven, other than I know I will love and be loved as Christ loves us. 

Not a bad way to spend eternity.

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Have you ever talked to a cow?

 Good Morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Every Easter it is the same thing with me. All this talk of everlasting life and Heaven gets me to thinking. Once I start thinking pondering is sure to follow!

In the beginning was God.  

God, (as Christians we believe in the trinity), this being said, if we believe in the trinity, we believe that God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are one.  Therefore, if we believe that, "In the beginning was God," we believe that, in the beginning was God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  I know that this is hard thing to wrap one's head around, the more you contemplate it, the deeper it gets and quite frankly we see through the glass darkly and will never get the complete picture of this until we are there with them.  Being there with them would suggest, well actually, it doesn't just suggest, it means that we would be in Heaven with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  Being in Heaven with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit is also a lot to wrap one's head around.  

We have heard many preachers and pastors tell us that Heaven will be like a big banquet, with never ending food and never ending praise songs.  I would hope that Heaven is more than just eating and singing.  As much as I like to eat, and I must confess I like to eat, thus the reason for my current weight loss endeavor.  Eating for eternity would get old.  I hope that we are not just eating for eternity.  

The more I think about eating for eternity the more I begin to wonder about it.  First of all if all I do in Heaven is eat; isn't that gluttony?  Isn't gluttony a sin?  I am pretty sure gluttony is a sin.  Sin does not reside in Heaven.  

Secondly, there a multiple schools of thought about who will be in Heaven.  

One school of thought is that there will only be the souls of people from earth in Heaven.  

Another school of thought has animals up in Heaven too (How many pastors have heard, "Will my cat Buffy be in Heaven?  It sure wouldn't be Heaven if my cat Buffy isn't there.")  Other schools of thought have souls from other worlds in Heaven too.  Heaven could be quite the place when you start wondering who could be there.  

Let's stick with the second school of thought for now.  

If all we do is eat, where does the food come from? 

If animals are in Heaven, and since we are in Heaven there is no reason to think that we could not communicate with animals, and all we do is eat, I can see a conversation like this going on. 

Roger, "Hello Cathy."  I am talking to Cathy the cow. 

Cathy, "Hello Roger." Cathy the cow is talking to me. 

I say, "What are you doing today?" 

Cathy says, "Eating." 

I say, "Me too." 

Cathy says, "What are you eating today?" 

I say, "I am so glad you asked, because today I am in charge of the barbecue." 

I just do not think that Cathy the Cow would think that Heaven is a place she would want to be if she is a vital part of the banquet. 

I was in my aqua aerobics class this morning.  As I mentioned earlier I am in the middle of a weight loss endeavor.  

This morning I was doing my water walking, water walking is where you walk in water, duh, with weights.  I was obviously lost in thought, at least when I am lost I have an excuse.  Being lost in thought is much better than just being lost, at least I think so. 

Anyway, I was lost in thought and another "water walker," no it wasn't Jesus, this person was in the water not on the water  asks, "What are you thinking about?"  

I say, "Heaven."  and I go into the whole banquet thing.  

After I say, I don't think Cathy the Cow would think being eaten was part of Heaven." My friend says, "Manna, we will eat Manna for eternity."  

I thought, "that is just ludicrous."  First of all, the Hebrews only had to eat Manna for forty years and after only 40-years they were darned tired of it.  Eating Manna for an eternity would be just awful.  Besides Manna means, "What is it?"  Can you imagine eating "What is it?" for eternity?  

Can you imagine a conversation around Manna? 

Phil, a friend of mine in Heaven, we will have nothing but friends in Heaven so this is really a ridiculous statement.  

Anyway, Phil comes up and says, "What are you having for dinner? 

I say, "This."

Phil says, "What is it?"

I say, "Yep."

Phil says, pointing to the Manna, "What is it?"

I say, "Exactly."

Phil, his face is starting to get red and his voice is rising says, "Are you being a smart-butt?  What are you eating for dinner?"

I say, "What is it."

Phil, face in contortions says, "What is what, dinner? are you asking what dinner is?"

I say, "No, I know what dinner is."

Phil, visibly upset, just gives me a big huff turns and leaves saying, "I will never talk to you again."

I say, "Are we still friends?"

Phil shouts over his shoulder, "NO." 

Now everyone in Heaven is no longer friends; all because of Manna. 

This is why we are not eating Manna for eternity.      

The whole Banquet theory falls apart pretty quick when you think about it.  

Maybe the whole banquet thing comes from all those church potlucks?

When I pastored (more like pestered) inside the walls of the church we would have a potluck once a month. As the pastor it was always very important that I tasted everything that was cooked. Every month, Agnes would make her "Medley Surprise." If I had to eat Agnes' Medley Surprise for eternity I don't know what I would do?

I know I have an imagination, I get reminded of that often by my wife, but when i think about how awesome Heaven will be, I fall short all I know is it will be bigger and better than we can imagine. 

You are going to have to put up with my Heaven ponderings as I have been told many things about Heaven over the years that have caused me to ponder, and I must share them with you.

If this has caused you to ponder as it has me, or if you have any thoughts, suggestions, or simply would like to correct my misunderstandings, I would love to hear from you.

Blessings,

Roger 

I appreciate you for saving my life, but I still get Laurie in the divorce (story of my life)

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Laurie and I had company Easter weekend. 

A friend of ours came to visit, we hadn't seen Deborah (Once again, not her real name, but every story goes better with a name attached) for Jee-wiz, I don't know how long. Debbie (Another form of Deborah we are fond of using) has been part of our lives for over 30-years. We have lived life together, raising kids, helping move each other to new houses, supporting each other as we traveled the road of life. A couple of years ago, Deb (Yes, that is short for Deborah. I get tired of typing Deborah so I use Deb a lot. Not that Deborah is a bad name, not at all. Actually Deborah is a great name, a beautiful name, but typing Deborah gets to be tedious so I prefer to just type Deb, which as we all know by now is short for Deborah) moved to a city a couple of hundred miles away and her job keeps her very busy, Covid hit, which didn't help the "getting together" part of our relationship. Now Covid is letting up, and Deb came to visit. 

Deb got to the house around 6-oclock on Friday. I had just finished mowing my yard, Jen and Mel's yards, moving firewood from the "drying rick" to the rick by the house and putting wood in the fire pit for a relaxing fire on our patio. Laurie had all sorts of goodies out to eat on the kitchen island. She had a wonderful pasta salad, a humas plate, and these new chips that she got at the store. 

I started the fire in the fire pit, we got our goodies and sat down around the fire and began to "catch up" with each other. Deb told us about her new job, and how good it felt to make such a positive impact in her community. As she talked both Laurie and I felt pride welling up in us to know such a wonderful human being and count her as our friend. Laurie and I shared what we had been up to and the conversation went on for hours. Towards the end of the evening Deb commented on how good the chips were. Laurie was glad that she liked them and started to talk about how good these chips are for you. Laurie said, one of the big reasons they are better for you than "regular" chips is that they are made from vegetables. 

I started pondering about the difference between these chips and "regular" chips.  I agreed that these chips did taste really good, but better, I wasn't so sure. Sometimes, I just want regular chips, so I couldn't say they were better. I also began to ponder the vegetable piece of the equation. Aren't Potato chips made from potatoes, and if not, what are they made from? And what about Corn chips, aren't they made out of corn? Aren't both Corn and Potatoes vegetables? I pondered this and pondered this. If you can explain the difference please tell me. I still can't figure out why these new chips were better for us.

The conversation continued for quite some time. We talked and ate, and ate and talked. All of a sudden Deborah stood up with a shocking look on her face. She stopped talking, that is when I knew something was wrong. When Deb isn't talking something is wrong. She always has lots of words to use every day. Laurie looked at her and said, "Are you choking?" Debbie shook her head yes. She was choking on one of those chips that were so good for her. I bet she didn't think it was so good for her at the moment, just say-in.

I can't remember if I've ever told you, I am a certified lifeguard and have lifesaver training. Laurie said, "Roger do something." So, I dug into my training and started running around the house yelling, "Help, Help, Deborah is choking!! Actually, I was happy to see that my training just kicked in. I did the Heimlich maneuver, which is now called the abdominal thrust because of copywrite issues. She was still not talking. I bent her over and did a couple of back slaps. Debbie stands up straight, breathes in deeply and began talking again. 

Catastrophe averted!

Deb, looks at me and says, "Roger, I appreciate you for saving my life, but I still get Laurie in the divorce."

I immediately started thinking about Jesus. 

Here it was Easter weekend, the weekend where Jesus died and raised from the dead. The week before His crucifixion He did all these amazing things, which He had done His entire life. the week before Easter was the pinnacle. And, after all that the people decide to free Barrabas a murderer free instead and kill Jesus (For more on this topic read the Gospels). 

I started to feel like Jesus (Not that Laurie is anywhere near what Barrabas was, although she threatened to kill me a time or two) I had just saved Deborah's life and she cast me aside. 

Funny thing was, my mother told me the same thing on my wedding day. She said, "You screw this up, we are keeping Laurie."

I must clarify something though. Laurie and I are not getting a divorce (I like to think she couldn't live without me, but actually it is the other way around). We have been together a long time and will stay this way until the end. 

I still love Deborah, just as Laurie loves Deborah. I still love her even though she cast me aside. You know what is the coolest part? Christ/God still loved His people even though they had cast Him aside. He loves me too! 

It feels good to have something in common with Christ. Even if it just being cast aside.

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

It is the Monday after the Sunday!

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

It is the Monday after the Sunday!

We went through Palm Sunday, then the Passion week, then Good Friday, had scary Saturday, and then we had Easter Sunday, Yeah!!!!

Now it is Monday. The Monday after the Sunday.

Jesus has died and Christ has risen. He has risen indeed! I can't tell you how many times I have responded to this greeting.

Yet so often I still find myself living in scary Saturday. You know, the day after Jesus died, and the day before Christ has risen. He has risen indeed! I just can't help myself. 

On scary Saturday the disciples hid behind a locked door, sure that the Roman army and the Sanhedrin would find them and execute them too. They lived in fear. They didn't know that Christ would rise so their fear was justified. 

But I am living after Easter Sunday. The Sunday when Christ has risen. He has risen indeed! Then why do I sometimes find myself living a scary Saturday life? Why aren't I living a life of happiness and gratitude all the time? Why aren't I living a fearless life? 

Is it because I don't believe? I am sure there are some that say that would be the reason they would say,  "A true Christian would never be sad, or scared, or depressed."

No, as much as I would like to validate their assumptions, it isn't because of that. 

I wonder what it could be? Could it be because I am weak? Well, maybe I am.

Could it be that I am unintentional? Maybe. 

It is after all the Monday after the Sunday.

Maybe it is just because I am human, and that is the way God made me? Maybe, I don't know everything. Maybe, it is because I can't see the future.

Maybe, even though I know Christ has risen, and my sins have been forgiven, I don't know what tomorrow will bring and this has a tendency to cause angst for me. And maybe, God has made me this way so that I will always fall back and rely on Him and not myself. 

It is the Monday after the Sunday. 

Even though I may not have it all together I am sure grateful that I am not in this alone and Christ is here with me. As I continue to work out my faith with fear and trepidation, somebody said to do that somewhere. I know I read it somewhere.

I would love to consistently live in the Monday after the Sunday and not have scary Saturdays.

Am I the only one? or do you feel the same way?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

What about me?

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Yesterday's bread was quite the hit. People were running around asking people if they had read the bread yet? Bluebell asked Esmerelda if she had read the bread yet. 

Esmerelda asked, "Is it about me?" 

Bluebell responded, "NO."

Esmerelda responded, "Why should I read it then?"

Esmerelda came running into my office and I said, "No running in the 'Y'." Being the "no running in the halls police" is just one of the many duties I have as chaplain. 

Undeterred, Esmerelda said, "When are you going to write about me, when is it my turn? What about me?" and plops down in the "chair." Evidently plopping has become a thing at our "Y."

I realized that you may not know "The Chair." Well here is the chair that people keep plopping in!

While Esmerelda prides herself on being a bit of a drama queen (Hence the bread name she gave herself), and likes attention, I could tell there was something else going on behind her "what about me" statement. 

Esmerelda had recently moved into a new apartment building. She too, just like Archibald, had adult stuff to do. She had to call the utilities (power and water, no  garbage though). She set up a direct bill pay for her apartment and utilities. That is when the stress came into the picture. Somehow the direct bill pay she set up was not working correctly and she was overdrafting!

As she was calling the various organizations to correct this problem she was not feeling as if she was being heard.

I listened to her plight. There really wasn't anything I could do to fix it, but just listening helped her calm down. 

Listening with the intent to listen and not respond, is one of the most important tools in my chaplain toolbox. 

Many people tell me they are good listeners; when they tell me this I usually put them to the test (without their knowledge of course) and find that they aren't.  

Being a good listener takes practice, it is hard to master. Most people aren't listening at all. They are just waiting for their turn to talk. while the other person is talking they are formulating their response. Sometimes, they can't even wait for the other person to finish talking and they interrupt. Most times they don't even know they aren't listening, they think they are, but they aren't. 

One of the techniques that I use is to make sure there is a pause after the other person is finished so I can formulate my response. If I already have a response I know that I have failed to listen completely and ask clarifying questions. 

Listening is hard work. 

God tends to give me feedback on my listening skills. He tells me when I am doing good and nudges me when I could have done better. 

The world could use a lot of good listeners right now.  The question I am pondering is, "How could I become a better listener?'

Do you ever ponder this question, or have you mastered the art of listening? If you have, do you have any pointers for me?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

You won't believe what happened to me last weekend!

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Archibald (Our Aquatics Director), came into my office, plopped (yes, plopped) down in the chair and said, "You won't believe what happened to me last weekend!" 

I responded, "Knowing you, you're right, I probably won't believe you." I know what your thinking, "Wow, Roger is the best chaplain in the world!"

He looks at me for a minute and says, "Haha, now shut up and listen." We have an awesome relationship, Archibald and I. 

Archibald had just bought a house with his partner and were in the process of moving in, turning on the power, water, garbage...All that "Adult" stuff you have to do. 

Anyway, he tells me to shut up and listen.

Archibald then recounts his entire last week, weekend through Monday. I knew this was going to be a long story so I put on my best empathetic counseling face so Archibald knew he was being listened to cared for, and validated.

It looked like this: 

Archibald said, "Monday I went online and set up an account with Clark Public Utilities for water.

Wednesday, there was a notice on the front door saying that the water would be shutoff in 24-hours if we didn't setup an account. I ignored the notice and told my partner Banjo, "Don't worry Banjo, I already setup an account and this must have been done before they got the new account notice"

Thursday the water was shutoff 

Thursday I called Clark Public utilities and said, "Why did you shutoff our water?"

Clark Public Utilities responded, "Oh that makes sense, we don't service your water; that is the city of Vancouver, here is their number."

Archibald went on to say, "I hung up with Clark Public Utilities and called the City of Vancouver Water Department. They answered, walked me through setting up an account and said, "The earliest we can come out is Friday morning."

The story drags on.

Archibald continues, "Friday roles around and I waited. By 5pm the water was still not on and I assumed it was too late to call the city. the weekend flies by, waterless."

I did the perfunctory, Hmmm. You learn that in chaplain school.

Archibald goes on, seemginly oblivious to my Hmmm that I learned in chaplain school. 

He says, "Monday morning I went to check to see if the water was on, it was still off and the padlock was still on the water main. I called the city, ready to unload on them. They answered very pleasantly and said, "Our records say that we did turn the water on Friday. 

By now I was really interest and on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait for what would happen next.

Archibald snapped a picture of me, totally enthralled.

The story went on:

Archibald said, "I assured them that, no, the water was still off and padlocked."

The City said, "Alright, we will send someone out."

3-minutes later, a lovely woman shows up in a white van, takes the padlock off and turns the water on.

Archibald said, "That was fast!" she responded, "Yes, I was just around the corner. If it happens again, we have a 24-hour call center and could have taken care of this quickly." 

Archibald yells at me, "Why couldn't they have told me that in the first place." 

I responded, "In the first place you set up the water with the wrong utility."

Archibald said, "Shut up and be supportive."

I am really going to have to work with him on his people skills! 

Archibald said, "Thanks for being here and letting me rant." 

I said, "That is why I am here." 

Archibald got up and left.

As he closed the door, I started to ponder his story. That is when God asked, "There are so many directions we could go with this story. 

• Are you listening, or just waiting for your turn to talk.
• Trust in God not man.
• Are you practicing the ministry of presence, or are you just asleep?

Which story should we go with?"

I pondered God's question.

Then I pondered some more.

I started to ponder, how man will disappoint, but God never does. While I may think he is disappointing me at the time, when I look back I am always glad that He said "No" to something. Archibald had placed his trust in someone to do the right thing and they treated him as just another number, another box to get checked. God will never treat you like another thing on his to-do list. 

I will continue to work on giving more of my trust to God. I will continue to work on losing myself and gain more of Him. 

How are you doing? are you putting your trust in yourself or God? 

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger 

If everything is breaking news, then nothing is breaking news.

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I came into the "Y" this morning and guess what today is? Grilled cheese Day! Evidently April 12 is national grilled cheese day. I wish it had been the other day on our "Snow Day" It would have been awesome to have a grilled cheese on a snow day, but alas it wasn't so I couldn't.

In typical upper left fashion (Upper left is one of the things we call ourselves up here in Oregon and Washington. There are other things that people call us, but I won't go into that now) the snow has already melted and we are back to our normal (everything is relevant) selves.

One of the things I love to witness during a "weather event" is the names the news always gives them.

• The snarl in the city
• City at a standstill
• The Apocalypses in April
• The storm of the century
• The storm of the year
• The storm of the month
• The storm of the week

I could go on, but I already know you are getting tired of it. 

If everything is breaking news, then nothing is breaking news. We have become numb to "Breaking News." 

This got me to thinking, which of course, led to pondering. 

What am I doing in my life that has become in essence "breaking news?" What am I doing in my relationship with God that has become "numb" to me? 

Just thinking about it makes me a little sad. I don't want to become numb to my relationship with God. I don't want to just go through the motions, but sometimes I wonder. 

Take miracles for example; I hear people say all the time, "God doesn't make miracles happen anymore. When was the last time you saw a miracle happen?" Many people believe that miracles do not happen today, that they are a thing of ancient history. Are we so numb to miracles that we just don't see them happening anymore? 

Another thing people ask me is, " Do you really hear from God?" when I ask them, "Don't you?" and they say no, I wonder have they become numb to his voice? 

I worry about being numb to God. If I am numb to our relationship, people will not find it compelling. Have you ever seen a relationship between humans that is just blah, numb? If you have, you typically look at it and say, "I am glad that I'm not in that one!"

So if I am in a "numb" relationship with God, people can see it and I have no doubt they say, "I'm glad I'm not in 'that' relationship."

I do not want to be in a numb relationship with God. It is more than just for show, for others to see. It is because being in "right" relationship with God is exciting, fun,  and I get to see "real" braking news! I have seen miracles. God does talk to me. 

The question that I ponder is, "How is your realtionship with God? is it numb or exciting?"

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Don't get the Walmart Jesus

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I woke up yesterday morning and we had a tree down. It snowed about 4" of heavy wet stuff and the trees were leafing out. There were lines down across the road, so we had a snow day yesterday. 

My home is in the country, so it is peaceful and quiet, well most of the time anyway, unless the kids and grandkids are here then all bets are off. Today the kids and grandkids aren't here, so it is very peaceful with the snow blanketing the ground and falling from the sky (where else would it fall from?). With the peace and quiet. I began to ruminate (I like the word ruminate; it is just fun to say.) on Sunday's sermon. Matt our pastor was talking about intrinsic value vs. attributed value. Intrinsic value (true value) never loses its worth, it is always worth more than what you paid for it. Attributed value, or market value can and often does lose its worth after you buy it. New cars are a great example of "attributed value". He went on to talk about buyer's remorse and wishing he had not bought certain things. While the things in his life that have intrinsic value, he has never regretted buying, getting, coming into relationship with. 

I probably would have gotten more out of the message if I wasn't cracking jokes about things like the "free" Lexus, or half the stuff I get at Walmart. Chaplains are weird ducks, just say-in. The person I was joking with was another chaplain. Evidently, we are not allowed to sit together anymore.

Anyway, I was ruminating on the sermon and having a real Bonhoeffer moment, he wrote The Cost of Discipleship, a book about the price you pay to follow Christ. While following Jesus is not free and doesn't feel like a bargain when you are going through a particularly difficult situation, a relationship with Jesus is an intrinsic value and never loses its worth.  

Don't get fooled into the Walmart Jesus were anything goes, and you don't have any spiritual growth. I am pretty sure you will have buyer's remorse in the end if you do.

We are in what we call "Passion week", the week in-between Palm Sunday and Easter. You know Easter, the holiday where we celebrate Christ's victory over death and the gift of everlasting life. We celebrate this amazing event by hiding eggs and having a bunny hop around (You just can't make this stuff up. We are a weird bunch). 

I can't tell you how many times God has asked me to do hard things. While I always end up doing what he asks (the story of my friend Joshua comes to mind) I, in most cases, throw a hissy fit because I don't want to. I say things, "It's too hard." or "It is too scary." just talking with you about this reminds me of the poem footprints in the sand, a poem that tells the story about two sets of footprints (when Jesus was walking with the person) and one set of footprints (where the person thought they were alone, and told Jesus so) Jesus responds, "The time you only saw one set of footprints was when I was carrying you." 

My poem is a little different. My poem has drag marks in the sand, where Christ was dragging me along.

When I do hard things that are Christ centered, not me centered, I always have spiritual growth. 

Intrinsic value.

Something to ruminate on.

Blessings,

Roger

We had "Y" Day last Friday.

 Good morning,

I pray the day find you well.

We had "Y" Day last Friday.

"Y" Day, what's that?

I am so glad you asked! 

"Y" Day is a day where we close down the entire association and bring all the staff together for a day of learning, fellowship, and fun. When I came in there were over 100 people milling around the lobby of the Clark YMCA. Being an introvert the last thing I wanted to do was to interact with 100+ people at 7am. The day did not start out as fun. 

I love people but not crowds.

Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor, our CEO, loves to start these events off with the standard "Y" check-in. 

I am not a fan of YMCA check-ins, especially the ones that have to do with "feelings" or "What are you working on currently?" At one of our association events Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor's check-in was, "Come to the front of the room, state your name, your title, and something you are currently working on for self-development." Most of the people in the room had gone and done their perfunctory duty. I went up and said, "Hi, I'm roger and my title is, "Village Idiot of the North Region" and what I am working on is to not be so self-deprecating! " I thought I was hilarious, Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor was not as amused.

It is good to get together as the whole "Y" family. It can become lonely and easy to forget that we are part of a bigger family. 

When I was a kid, I came into a relationship with Christ at the age of eight. My family was what one would call "spiritual but not religious." They weren't really sure what they believed in and did not go to church. I started going on my own, they didn't seem to mind. Probably because it was good to get me out of the house. By the time i was in high-school I was collecting my friends and taking them to church too.

What denomination was I? I am so glad you asked. I tell people that I was raised either Methoran or Lutherist, depending on your theological bent. I started in a Lutheran church but there was this Reverand Shoemaker in the Methodist church that really connected with me and my friends so we went to the Methodist church in high-school.

One day I was sitting in church listening to the sermon and there were these two adults that had been fighting all summer long. All summer they would tell anybody who would listen how bad the other person was. Then every Sunday they would sit next to each other in church as if they were the best of friends. I finally couldn't take it any longer and I asked Reverand Shoemaker, "How can they do that?" he said, "Church is a hospital for unhealthy people." I didn't like the answer. I thought it was flippant. so I stopped going to church. I said, "It is just you and me God. I am done with "man's" church!" 

When I went off to college it didn't take long for me to start to slip and go down roads that I knew God wouldn't like me to go. I went anyway.

A few years went by.

I didn't know who I was anymore. I didn't like me very much. I wanted to come back, but I was ashamed that I had run out on God. I sat in this shame for a couple of years. Then God just grabbed me and threw me back into church and fellowship.

Why am I telling you all of this? It is because a life with God, though may be a personal relationship, is never meant to be lived alone. we need the church, we need to fellowship with each other. It helps us in times of weakness.

Just as I need to get together with my  "Y" family. I need to get together with my church family too.

While I am not a fan of "check-ins" I know they ae vitally important. Thank you Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor for the check-ins. If as a "Y" family we can't keep each other accountable and see how an action over here affects an outcome over there, then we are just missing the point altogether. We need this in our walk with Christ too. 

Sooo, how are you doing with your walk with God?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger 

Evidently yesterday was, "No Housework Day."

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Evidently yesterday was, "No Housework Day."

It is a good thing I didn't do any housework. I would have been upset if I had missed that day!!

My wife didn't know about it either, so she is more upset than I am, she did do housework yesterday. 

God is a funny duck! As I read the April 7 "No Housework Day" sign He said, "Remember that church board meeting you had almost thirty years ago." 

This is why you can't hide anything from God, He has an amazing memory.

 I said, "The one where the elder was upset because a person came into our church wearing shorts (it was his first time in a church)?" 

God said, "Yes, that's the one. I was very entertained."

 I responded, "I am glad you were, I was a little angry." 

He said, "I know, that made it even funnier." 

"I suppose you want me to talk about it in my bread", said I. 

God said, "That is why I reminded you." 

I said, "Ok." So here goes. 

I long time ago, in a land far far away, I was pastoring a church (Maybe it was more like pestering a church). And as many of you know, (it is ok if you don't, why would you if you haven't been in church) we have meetings. So. once a month the "Elder" team meets with the pastors and we would discuss church business. I have always said, "If you want to watch a bunch of Christians not act very Christian-like, go to an Elder meeting." During the meeting the topic of "dress code" was brought up (not by me) and the fact that this "new" person had the audacity to show up in shorts, it was summer by the way, the elder went on to say, "If I were to meet the president of the United States I would put on the best clothes that I had so I could make the best first impression that I can." 

I just looked at him in disbelief.  

He went on to say, "I want to make a motion (Roberts rules of order were alive and well in church meetings) that shorts are not allowed in church!"

Again, I just stared at him.

Then he said, "Pastor don't you agree?"

God said, "This is the best part!" 

I responded, "No, no I do not agree! you see, if I was to meet the president of the United States I too would put on my best clothes, so I could also make a best first impression. But, God already knows me! He sees me in church, and in the world. He sees me in the bathroom when I am pooping (Yes, I actually said pooping. Of course I was much young and not nearly as mature as I am now, so you won't here me say pooping now. I don't talk about poop or pooping anymore so do expect to hear pooping again., ok I done now)! He sees me naked in the shower! God does not ask me to dress up on the outside to come to Him. He continually nudges me to cleanup my insides so I can be more like him. If someone seeking Christ comes into our church wearing shorts, then good, at least they are with us." 

I have never forgotten this. When I get tired and a little "judgy" it reminds me that I have more house cleaning to do. Cleaning my spiritual house is never ending and not all that easy at least for me. 

How are you doing with your spiritual housecleaning?

Something to ponder

Blessings,

Roger

Postscript-No we did not confirm a dress code for our church.

I have never been a big fan of mirrors

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I have never been a big fan of mirrors, and quite frankly I don't think mirrors have been a big fan of me! Mirrors have never placed me in a good light. When I look into a mirror one of two things usually happen.

1. The mirror looks somewhere else.
2. The mirror exposes all of my flaws.

It is hard to have a big ego when you have a mirror in your house. Just when you start thinking you are all that and a bag of chips, you look in the mirror and see yourself and say, "Who am I kidding. I am no better than anyone else." 

Now let's get one thing straight. I am not talking about:

•  "Bad body image", which I must be quite fond of having since I live in that world everyday and do nothing about it. And in not doing anything about it, I am not saying I just need to work harder in the weight-room. I am saying, getting that tape out of my head that the enemy keeps playing saying, "you are ugly, unlovable, unwanted...Many of you know that tape. 
• "Low self-worth", Another tape that can play if I am not careful. 

What the mirror is good at reminding me of is the fact that I am not perfect. Just when I start thinking I am better than someone else and start to get "Judgy," the mirror reminds that God has forgiven me, so I need to forgive others. God has accepted me, so I need to accept others. Oscar Romero of El Salvador said it best when he said:

How easy it is to denounce structural injustice, institutionalized violence, social sin. And it is true, this sin is everywhere, but where are the roots of social sin? In the heart of every human being. Present-day society is a sort of anonymous world in which no one is willing to admit guilt and everyone is responsible.

Because of this, salvation begins with the human person, with human dignity, with saving every person from sin. Individually there are among us here no two sinners alike. Each one has committed his or her own shameful deeds, and yet we want to cast our guilt on the other and hide our own sin. I must take off my mask; I, too, am one of them, and I need to beg God’s pardon because I have offended God and society. This is the call of Christ.

How beautiful the expression of that woman upon finding herself pardoned and understood: ‘No one, Sir. No one has condemned me.’ Then neither do I, I who could give that truly condemning word, neither do I condemn; but be careful, brothers and sisters, since God has forgiven us so many times, let us take advantage of that friendship with the Lord which we have recovered and let us live it with gratitude.

Oscar Romero of El Salvador[1]

The mirror reminds that when the Bible says, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." that includes me. So often I can catch myself reading or hearing things that I want to apply to everyone else but not me. But my mirror won't allow me to do that. 

So often I see or hear something and want to get all "Judgy" about it, and the mirror says, "Do not judge so that you may not be judged." 

My mirror can really get my goat! Actually, my mirror says these things in a very loving way. it is me that acts like a spoiled kid throwing a fit when I am reminded. 

It is almost like God is talking to me and I am just being a brat. Hmm.......

I am reminded of an old song, sang in the church back in the days of florist Friers (another story I will have to tell one day), it went like this:

Old MacDonald had a sin E-I-E-I-O

Here a sin

There a sin

Everywhere a sin, sin

Old MacDonald had a sin E-I-E-I-O

With a sin, sin here

And a sin, sin, there

Here a sin,

There a sin,

Everywhere a sin, sin

Old Macdonald had a sin, E-I-E-I-O

Actually, they didn't sing it; the song just popped into my head as I was talking with you about grace and "judgyness". 

I will try to take my mirrors observations more seriously, and not get so emotional when I see something that I need to work on.

Am I the only one with a mirror that talks to me, or do others have one too?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

---

[1]Northumbria Community, Celtic Daily Prayer, (San Francisco: HarperCollins Publishing Company, 2002), 329-30.  

Then I got to thinking about looking under rocks.

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Did you know that April 15 was Geologist Day? It was on the white board in the lobby of our "Y". That got me to thinking, "Do you know what Geologists say at a concert? Rock-on!!" I thought of that all by myself! When I told it to my "Y" family the consensus was, they wished I hadn't thought of it. Then I got to thinking about what geologists do. When I thought about what geologists do, one of the things that naturally happens is, they pick up rocks. When I thought about what happens when you pick up a rock, the natural thing that happens is you look at where the rock was. So, by default, you look under a rock. 

Then I got to thinking about looking under rocks. 

While I was pondering looking under rocks and imagining what that looks like. God interrupted my daydreaming and asked (As if He didn't know), "What are you doing?" I replied, "Looking under rocks in my mind." When I said this, I immediately remembered a Steve Martin joke, it went like this; a person walked up and said, "Steve what are you doing?" Steve responses, "Why I am juggling in my mind....Oops, dropped one." God just smiled. He said, "Why are you imagining looking under rocks? You actually look under rocks every day. One of you favorite hobbies that I like to watch you do is look under theological, and worldview rocks, and see the hidden theology and worldview beneath them." 

I do like to look under theological/worldview rocks. It is always fascinating and often weird when I do. I am always entertained by them, often disappointed, but knowing them helps me, help others that have been hurt by these "hidden worldviews." Most people do not even realize they exist, but they do.

Take Christianity, my worldview, for instance; with-in this worldview there can be:

• Individualism
• Consumerism
• Nationalism
• Moral Relativism 
• Scientific naturalism

I have even added some others:

• Politicism
• Tribalism

Did I mention I like looking under rocks?

Lets take individualism for a ride. Individualism is the classic, "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps." Which taken to its conclusion says, "You don't need God for salvation, you can do it yourself." 

How about Consumerism? Consumerism is the classic throwaway society, When you don't need it, chuck-it. "I don't like the music in church, I will go to a new one." or "The message didn't move me, I will find one that does." Treating church as if they went to a show, consumerism.

Nationalism-"If the United States ceased to exist God's plan would be derailed."

And then there is Moral Relativism! The old, "truth is relative" argument. Speeding driver, "Pardon me officer, why are you giving me a ticket?" Officer, "You were doing 70 in a 55 mile/hour zone. Didn't you see the speed limit sign?" Speeding driver, "Oh yes, I saw it, but that doesn't apply to me. Your truth is not my truth and my truth trumps (pardon the pun) your truth every time. 

And then we have Scientific Naturalism. Scientific Naturalism states that the world is a closed system and does not leave room for an outside entity (God) to interact with it.  While this is a worldview that Christians do not adhere to, their reaction to it can be to reject "all science", as Wilkens and Sanford state in their book Hidden Worldviews, 

"Many Christians correctly recognize that naturalism does not find belief in God as simply a benign belief but as a dangerous alternative to rational scientific techniques. As a result, Christians often incorrectly react by rejecting science itself (sometimes with a rejection of rationality thrown in for good measure) rather than naturalism."[1]

Now we have Politicism and Tribalism. Politicism states that if you do not belong to the same political party as I do, or vote differently, you are evil; or that a particular political party is God's favorite. Those in the other party are not Christian. Tribalism, is simply if you do not talk, act, dress, go to a certain church...you are evil and not a Christian. 

I may be the village idiot of the North Region, but I don't think that there is room for any of these "Hidden Worldviews" in our main worldview. 

Here is where it gets really tricky.

We all fall into these hidden worldviews, no matter how diligently we strive not to. I catch myself often.

This got me to pondering once again. 

Am I the only one who trips and falls, or are their others out there? 

I haven't run into too many people that don't like Jesus, so what keeps them from drawing near? Hmmm...I hope it isn't me. 

It is funny what you will find when you look under a rock.

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

---

[1]Steve Wilkens, & Mark L. Sanford, Hidden Worldviews. (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2009), 105. 

---

My watch rang and Jess was calling.

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

My watch rang and Jess was calling. 

Yes, I have a Dick Tracy watch. For those of you too young to remember Dick Tracy; Dick Tracy was a cartoon when I was a kid about a million years ago. He had really cool hi-tech gadgets and one of them was a wrist-watch phone (which by the way, was later parodied in the sitcom Get Smart where Don Adams (Maxwell Smart) had a shoe phone. 

Anyway, my watch rang and Jess was calling. 

The Kids went to Leavenworth, Washington this past weekend, leaving Laurie and I with the grandkids and Ruby, their Husky.

Laurie picked up the kids after school and when I got home the party and pranks started. They played an April fools joke on me right away, Laurie pretended to have forgotten to pick up the kids and they hid, jumping out to scare me, oh my. We then had dinner, made a fire in the fire pit, and roasted smores and blew bubbles. We finished the evening reading C.S Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe until they fell asleep. Laurie and I talked how we were going to wear the kids out the next day with our adventures. 

We got up early the next day because we had big plans. We had breakfast, got into our adventure clothes and jumped into the car. The kids had no idea where we were going, but when we got there they were sure excited. We went to Hood River, and to a climbing club. the climbing club was located in an old church. Laurie's grandfather had pastored that church in the late 1920's and early 30's. We went in had a blast. The kids climbed and bouldered for 3-hours. Laurie and the kids slept on the way home as I drove along. When we got home we started another fire, ate dinner and had smores. Everyone had a great time and all were really tired. Laurie started a bath for the kids and I sat down on the couch, trying not to fall asleep.

That was when my watch rang.  

I got up and grabbed my cell phone, (I don't like talking to my watch, it's just weird) said, "Hello." Jess told me that Muriel was in the ICU and to call her daughter Sandi, so I did. Sandi told me that they were going to take her mom off life-support (I didn't know she was even in the hospital) and could I come down now? 

I looked at Laurie (who had come into the living room) and she mouthed, "Can you even drive right now?" I was really tired. 

I paused for a moment, contemplating not going, and that is when God reminded me of our You can scream, cry, and yell, but you can't hit the chaplain daily bread.  You  know the one where I said, "Do you have anyone in your life that you can be an instrument of God's love?" And I said I will be there in about an hour (She was OHSU and I was in Washington).

I wasn't in "chaplain attire" but I didn't have time to change. 

As I drove to the hospital I said a prayer, actually I was just talking to God. I said, "Please give me the right words to say, please give the right actions and if you would please, keep me out of the ditch."

When I got to Muriel's room and met with Sandi, and her son, they were in distress, as anyone would be, and quite at a loss as to what to do. I talked to Muriel (She couldn't talk but her eyes opened a bit), I prayed over her. After I had finished, the nurse and the doctor came in and turned off the life support. I talked with Sandi about how the last thing to go is the hearing so she should continue to talk with her mom. 

We talked about Muriel, told some stories, had a few laughs, and yes, shed some tears and hugs. 

I stayed with the family until after 11pm and then drove home. God was good to me, He gave me the words to say, the actions to perform, and yes, He kept me out of the ditch.

Muriel is in heaven now. 

I am glad that I didn't just say that I was too tired to go. I am glad that my myopic self-centeredness didn't get the best of me. I am glad that God was able to use me to bring comfort to a family in distress. 

Most of all I am glad that I got one last conversation in with my friend Muriel. 

I will continue to be in relationship with Sandi and her son. I will do my best to walk with them through their grief, their loss. 

Enjoy those around you, because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Blessings,

Roger

  

You can scream, cry, and yell, but you can't hit the chaplain

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

One thing that I have noticed in my life's travels is, left to their own devices people tend to be self-centered and myopic. What I mean is, unless there has been some intervention by God, either mystically, or Him using part of His creation, people tend to be turned inward. 

Creation, what do I mean by that? I am so glad you asked.

God can use nature (remember He created nature) to transform someone. People fall in love with hiking, or water sports, animals...and they start thinking in terms of, "What is best for...and are my actions helping or hurting...?

God can use people (He created people too) to transform someone. People may go to a therapist, counselor, pastor, friend...and realize that they are part of something bigger and start thinking outwardly.

Oh, here is one for all those primordial ooze advocates out there. Have you ever thought that God created primordial ooze and thus created all biological life through that? Hmmm...something for you to ponder, just say-in. 

Not everyone has been transformed yet. We have lots of work to do.

The "Its all about me" mentality runs rampant through these individuals. 

I got to the "Y" this morning and was doing my walk through. I walk through the "Y" multiple times during the day checking on staff, volunteers, and members. I was doing my morning walk through and got to the Youth Department office. Padme (our Youth Director), Anna (our Youth Coordinator), and her daughter Aurora were there. No, those aren't their real names, you know the drill.

Anna was busy yelling at her computer screen. Padme was busy yelling No, No, No while at the same time texting a staff. and Aurora was busy playing music on a drum! Very relaxing environment if I say so myself. 

Anna was yelling at her screen because someone wanted financial assistance (We call this Access in the "Y"), but didn't want, or think, we needed any supporting documents. The, "I want this service but I don't want to do anything to help you give it to me" mentality was happening.

Padme was actually multi-tasking (something she seems to be very good at). Padme was yelling No, No, No, because a parent had signed their child up for two different sports with two different organizations at the same time. This parent had signed their child up for both city league soccer and YMCA basketball. Then sent Padme an email with the soccer schedule attached and said, "Here is my child's soccer schedule, would you please schedule all her practices and games around that!" All the while Padme was texting a staff about a schedule change for afterschool enrichment. 

Did I mention that people are self-centered and myopic?

Both Padme and Anna explained their plight to me, so I knew I had to do my chaplain thing. I did the only thing a good chaplain would do in this moment, I sang a song while Aurora played the drums! I thought this would help, evidently it didn't. 

I talked with them about the hardest people to work with, and to love, are the ones that need it the most. And that God often uses people to show them a bit of Him and transform their lives. I went on to say that maybe God was using them in the moment.

I also reminded them of the sign I have in my office. It reads, "You can scream, cry, and yell, but you can't hit the chaplain." Mostly because Padme threw a dodgeball at me. Did I mention that Padme played softball in college? Yep, she was an all-American pitcher so yes, it hurts when she hits you with a dodgeball. and yes, she doesn't miss!

After I left their office, that still soft voice said, "Well done, thank you for reminding people that I need them, as part of my creation, to help show a bit of Me. Also, have you looked for places in your life where you could be more outward facing?" 

I said, "Thank you, I will continue to work on this. Thank you for being part of my life."

That is when God gently and lovingly rebuked me. He said, "I am not part of your life. I am your life."

God touched my heart. He made me cry.

So I am wondering, "Do you have anyone in your life that you can be an instrument of God's love?"

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger