There is no "us" because if there were an "us" there would be a "them."

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

It is Thursday morning at the time of this writing. Frederick, you know Frederick the Great, just called. he is heading to the coast. I said that I would have loved to go with him, but there was this guy who was still mad at me for a bread I wrote a gazillion years ago, well maybe not a gazillion years, that might be an exaggeration, my mom used to get made at me when I exaggerated, she would say, "Roger, if I told you once, I have told you a million times, don't exaggerate!" Mom hated it when people exaggerated. 

Anyway Frederick was going to the coast and I had expressed a desire to go, but had reservations because of this guy who was still mad at me, and Frederick said, "When I get there I will let you know if the coast is clear." badump-bump.

Going to the coast was not the reason for his call however. He has an extended family member who is 93-years-old, and the Senior Center where she would go to socialize closed down, leaving her without a place to connect. Frederick asked if he could bring her to the "Y" and maybe she could chat with you? Of course I said, "Yes!"

I told Frederick that I would be honored to chat with her, and how the "Y" is such a great place to connect. If she would sit in the common area for any length of time, she would end up meeting lots of people. Frederick thought that was a great idea and said that when he got back from the coast he would schedule a time to bring her up. I told him that sounded great and we hung up. 

What I didn't tell him was that I was going to grill her about Frederick's growing up years so I could blackmail him later. 

I am glad we hung up the phone before I slipped and said something to tip him off!

Being a place where people can connect isn't a novel, or new idea. We have been using the term third space for a very long time. And while the "Y" is a great third space it isn't the only place that can be or has been used as one. 

What makes the "Y" a great third space is the fact that lots of people use it. You will find a lot of diversity in the "Y",  giving individuals the opportunity to connect with people that are, and are not like them. They can be as active, or inactive as they want. A person could, and people have, formed groups around just about anything. 

And if a person wants, they can also get a bad cup of coffee, just like a coffee house.

In his book, The Search to Belong, Joseph Myers makes the following observation and assesment, "Communities are voluntarily connected in search of genuine and meaningful experiences."[1]

[1]Joseph Myers, The Search to Belong, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003), 14. 

We must discover the language that moves our definitions of community forward while at the same time give our culture a lexicon people can use to express their community experience.  Our language needs to connect to an authentic piece of a person’s community puzzle, so that when they see, hear, and feel our “words,” they see, hear, and feel “welcome.”[1]

 

1. How do we create a genuine experience of belonging?
2. How can we help people grow in a way or in ways that help them connect and experience community?
3. Why are some of the groups we create empty?
4. Why do some of our groups seem forced?[2]

 What organizations measure becomes important.  Likewise, individuals measure what they find important in their lives.[3]

Here at our "Y" we are obsessed with creating spaces where people can belong. We talk in terms of Family, Community, Together...

There is no "us" because if there were an "us" there would be a "them." 

There is only "we."

When I think about Frederick, and his 93-year-old cousin, I am glad we can provide a place to belong.

I often wonder what other ways we could create spaces in which to belong?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

---

[1]Joseph Myers, The Search to Belong, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003), 14. 

[1]Joseph Myers, The Search to Belong, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003), 28.

[2]Joseph Myers, The Search to Belong, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003), 60.

[3]Joseph Myers, The Search to Belong, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003), 79. 

   

Katie and Dilbert sitting in a church k-i-s-s-i-n-g

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Yesterday was "National Wine Day."

The moment I saw what day it was my thoughts went straight to Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor. 

Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor, "Two guys walk into a bar."

Me, "Oh crap not another 'two guys walk into a bar' joke. I mean ok." 

Just remember that "sure" and "ok" are chappy code words for, not listening right now.

Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor, "You would have thought they would have wined about it."

Me, "Uggg...."

I can't wait to hear Frederick the Great's version. 

Yesterday was "National Wine Day."

When I was growing up in that little town in the upper left corner of Kansas I went first to the Lutheran church and then later to the Methodist church. So when people ask me what church I was raised in I say either Metheran or Lutherist. 

People usually stop talking to me after that. One person said, "I think you must have been raised Moron."

I didn't understand what he was talking about, so I quit talking to him.

When I was still attending the Lutheran church I started bringing my little sister Katie. I thought it was because I was such a spiritual influence on her life. Looking back I think it was because of Dilbert, a boy she liked to talk to. One day I caught Katie and Dilbert talking really close together, so close their lips were touching! It must have been really loud outside, or they had a secret they were sharing and didn't want anyone else to know. I couldn't think of what else it possibly could have been. 

One day I asked Katie what she saw in Dilbert? She just looked at me and said, "Dilbert doesn't have 11 fingers or 12 toes, and Dilbert doesn't drool. 

Did I ever mention there wasn't a wide selection of boys in that little town, most were related to each other. Looking back, that might explain a lot of things. 

Later when I decided to go the Methodist church, Katie stayed in the Lutheran church. I always thought it was because of Dilbert or consubstantiation or some other simple thing like that. 

After high school I went off to college and Katie went to work for a bank in Wyoming. She broke up with Dilbert and a few years later Dilbert married his sister. They have a bunch of kids now, and are doing great, some can even talk and spell their names. 

One day after college I was visiting Katie in the "Frontier State."

I asked Katie, "Why did you remain Lutheran and not move over to the Methodist church when I did? was it doctrine, or their particular belief in the Trinity? Was it the Eucharist? Their hymnal?"

Katie said, "No."

I asked, "What was it then?"

Katie said, "The wine, the Lutheran church used real wine, not grape juice. I stayed for the wine."

I replied, "I guess if you hadn't dated Dilbert so long you wouldn't be a drunk now."

Yesterday was "National Wine Day."

I should just get off this "National Something Day" instead of just whining about it. 

Why is it we feel the need to always celebrate something? Can't we just celebrate the fact the Jesus died for our sins, rose again so we may have everlasting life, and continue to be in relationship with us forever. 

Isn't that enough to cause us to celebrate?

I am going to ponder this for a while. 

Will you ponder it too?

Blessings,

Roger

 

Have you ever been on a journey, a coddiwomple journey?

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Have you ever been on a journey, a coddiwomple journey?

When I was a kid growing up in northwestern Kansas, way northwestern Kansas, so northwestern that you can't get anymore northwest and still stay in northwest Kansas. The little town that caused me to grow up in northwest Kansas was 14-miles from Colorado and 27 mile from Nebraska. the little farm that my father rented was right at 14-miles west of the little town. When I went outside I was almost in Colorado. The funny thing was it looked just like northwest Kansas, but so did Nebraska for that matter. 

One of the things my father loved to do was go for a drive. He would load mom and all the kids into the 1966 ford pickup truck, which was quite a feet in itself. Mom and dad had four kids, so if my math is right, and it always is (ok Tony Stark) we had 6-people smooshed into the cab of the truck. Back in those days we didn't have extended cabs, or crew cabs, no we just had cabs. 

The loading procedure went something like this:

1. First dad would get in behind the wheel (He was the driver)
2. Then I would get in.
3. Then my sister Kate would sit on my lap.
4. Then my sister Mary would get in and sit next to me.
5. Then my sister Sara would sit on Mary's lap.
6. Then mom would get in, she would have to stand up turn slightly with her head out the window, and slam the door shut. Once the door was shut she could do a wiggling motion until she had safely placed herself, kind of, on the seat. 

I am sure you are wondering why I would get in second and not mom. Well, there were two reasons for this:

1. I was the shifter. yep, you guessed it it was a four on the floor ford pickup truck. we were so smooshed together that dad couldn't move his arm to shift so that job fell to me. The shifter had a big black knob on the end with the shift pattern written on it (in case I forgot). Boy oh boy, did I hate second gear!
2. If we put mom in second they would eventually get into an argument, she would bring out her wooden spoon, and things just got gnarly from there. I never could figure out where she had that spoon, and how she could get to it at all, smooshed together like we were. Most of the arguments started like this, "Kids roll up the window, I see an oil well coming up."

Once we were all settled in, dad would take off on the drive. His goal was to get lost. This is really hard to do in Kansas. Did I mention Kansas is flat? Later after I had graduated, and went to college, I was living on the seventh floor of the dorm. I looked out my window and there was my house. I had a buddy that lived on the other side of the dorm, when I went to visit him I looked out his window and there was my dog, still running away. I think he was in Missouri by then.

Anyway, dad would drive with great intent. a purposeful manner if you will, but we never knew where he was going. 

At the end of the ride we would be back on the farm and unload. Usually, this meant that mom would open the passenger door and we would all fall out onto the ground. Our legs had gone asleep hours ago. 

We had been on a coddiwomple journey.

"What is a coddiwomple journey," you ask?

The definition of a coddiwomple journey is, "To travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination."

As I thought about this I began to ponder, mainly because that is what I do, about my journey with Christ. As I walk with Christ through this life, I am on a coddiwomple journey. You say, "Wait a minute, don't you know you are going to Heaven?" I say to you, "I have faith that I will go to Heaven." What is the definition of faith? Faith is defined in, "The belief in something yet unseen." I  have no idea what Heaven is going to look like, all I know is it will be better than I can ever imagine. While I know something about heaven it is still vague, at least to me. 

A coddiwomple journey.

What kind of a journey are you on?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Oh yes, I found that coddiwomple can also be spelled coddiewomple, take your pick of how you would like to spell it.

Yesterday was "World Turtle Day."

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Yesterday was "World Turtle Day"!

When I walked into the "Y" and saw the sign, my mind went to three places:

1. Making stupid dad turtle jokes.
1. What did the Turtle say Monday morning?
1. Wow, I had a shell of a weekend!
2. What did the old wise turtle say to the new turtle on the block?
1. Don't stick your neck out!
3. Why did the Turtle cross the road?
1. He was chasing the chicken!
2. Frederick the Great, he would come up with some great (that is why he is great) stupid dad jokes.
3. Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor
1. A turtle walks into a bar and orders a drink. The bartender says, "You're not getting another drink in this bar until you shell out some money!

Yesterday was "World Turtle Day."

The thing about turtles is they don't get into a hurry. We have all heard the story about the tortoise and the hare. We have all heard the adage, "Slow and steady wins the race." How many times have you heard me say, "It is a marathon, not a sprint." I think this bread is going to be a marathon, it could turn into a slow read. 

Spiritual formation is also a marathon and not a sprint. In fact, this is an endeavor in which you never truly arrive this side of eternity. I have met a few people that have claimed to have reached complete sanctification in their lives, but I am not so sure. The fact that they feel the need to tell me gives it a feel of pride, so I think there is more work to be done. 

One day a friend of mine and I were at a ministry celebration (Kind of like the Oscars with lifetime achievement awards). The fact that we feel the need to have one of these events goes to show that we don't do a good job of listening to Paul about humility, or Jesus for that matter, "Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."  The presenter called one of the "award" winners to the podium, and as he walked up, the presenter talked about all the wonderful things that he had done for Jesus. When the man got to the podium he turned looked out at the crowd and announced, "I have achieved complete sanctification!" 

I turned to my friend and said, " If that were true would he feel the need to tell us?"

My friend just looked at me and replied, "I want to ask his wife!"

We had a good chuckle over that one. 

The more I learn, the more I realize I do not know.  

I often wonder what I will know once I get to heaven? I also wonder, if it is true that I will have all my questions answered and no longer see through the glass darkly, as Paul puts it, if I will feel the need to tell anyone? 

Yesterday was "World Turtle Day."

I will continue to meander slowly through this life on earth and try my best not to hurry. 

Eventually, I might be lucky enough to come out of my shell! I couldn't help one last bad pun. 

How are you going through life? Is it a sprint, or a slower pace? Are you still on the journey, or have you arrived?

Something to Ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

  

It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

It is another beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest. I suppose I should clarify "beautiful day." When I say beautiful day I mean it isn't raining cats and dogs. We consider it a sunny day when it is only drizzling or misty, we call that liquid sunshine. Today when I look out at the ground it has that wonderful shade of dry in its color. I should also clarify that I am writing this particular Daily Bread on the Friday before the Monday of which you are reading this; so the ground could have many different shades in its color by the time you are reading this. 

In the midst of my meanderings while writing this, one of the staff at the "Y" came to say good morning, I tend to do most of my writing in the morning before things get out of control. When I say, "Out of control" that is code for Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor showing up and say, "Roger, I am glad I caught you, I have this great idea." The picture in my head shifts to an amusement park attendant saying, "Keep your heads inside the ride at all times." as the rollercoaster leaves the station. 

It is a good thing Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor doesn't read these breads, or the code would be broken!

Back to the staff that came into my office. I asked her what she was doing this weekend and she said, "I am going to a 'Mom's prom'!" She missed her prom in high school and a friend asked her to go to this prom.

She asked me, "What are you doing this weekend?" 

I said, "I don't know, I haven't been told yet."

When she told me about how her friend bought the tickets and went out of her way to do this for her, I immediately went to Mark Twain. Mark Twain is one of my favorite authors and I have many of his quotes locked up in my head, I think that is why I can't remember where I put my keys, my head is full of Mark Twain quotes. 

Mark Twain once said, "It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand." When he said this he was talking about the things that God asks us to do that we don't really want to do and it bothers us.

Mark Twain also said, "Let us endeavor so to live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."

For me, I have always said that I want to end well. To go out with a smile leaving people with a fond memory and wanting a bit more. When I got the news that I had cancer I didn't yell at God, nor did I ask Him to heal me. I did say, "If this is how I am going to go out, let me go out well. Let me go out living the faith I profess to have." 

After the staff was telling me the story about getting to go to prom and had left my office I thought, "let me be that friend" 

I am now pondering again, "Am I living a life that when I go even the undertaker will be sad."

How are you living your life?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Well....today is "Be a Millionaire Day."

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Well....today is "Be a Millionaire Day."

Only in America would we have a special day to celebrate the top 1% of the wealth in the country, not to mention the world. When we think about wealth on a global scale, if you have change in your pocket, not to mention having a savings account or checking account with money in it, you are in the top 1% of the wealth in the world. If you can take the time to read a book, you are in the top 1% of the wealth in the world. In fact if you can even afford to buy a book, you are at the top of the 1% of the wealth in the world. 

Today is, "Be a Millionaire Day." Only in a first world country would we be so obsessed with money that we are willing to let people die just so we can keep more of it. 

I come from farm country and we like to say, "We feed the world." I guess that is true, as long as we get paid to do so. I have seen my share of mountains of wheat and corn rotting outside of grain elevators because there isn't a market for it; all the while people in 3rd world countries are staving to death. 

We just saw a billionaire spend $43,000,000,000 so he could have "Free Speech." You ever wonder what $43,000,000,000 could have done to mitigate hunger around the world. maybe he could have paid the farmers and they would have let their crops go. 

We use words like, "I deserve" or "I earned." We justify our behavior. We make excuses. We turn the channel when those commercials come on with a hungry kid so we don't have to see it. 

What is wrong with us? Do we really think we are making God happy, or we impress Him with our wealth? I am reminded of something Jesus once said:

A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered, “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”

“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.”

When Jesus heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

I know you are probably thinking, "Boy Roger is really kicking on rich people." Well maybe I am, and you might say, "Boy Roger is really kicking on farmers." Well maybe I am, but only because I can use them as an example.  

When I think about this stuff, I always come right back around to me. How am I being that rich young ruler? I don't have to go any farther than my refrigerator and I see a rich young ruler. I have way too much food in there. I may have leftovers in the fridge, but I will make something new, simply because i don't feel like eating leftovers. 

I have been in third world countries where people would be forever grateful just to have leftovers. Here I am making something new simply because I can. 

I have been to third world countries where people don't have a refrigerator. 

Refrigerator, what a stupid name. I think it is right up there with "Walkie-Talkie" the military invented the walkie-talkie. Here is an organization that makes its living defending us. and they have Tanks, warplanes, assault rifles, hand grenades. But when they made a communication device it gets called "Walkie-Talkie? it is a silly name. Refrigerator is right there with it. Just what is a "friger" and why do we have "ator" it? for that matter what are we "re'ing" 

I was relaying my frustration with the English language and the word refrigerator to a friend and she said, "Well idiot the re'ing part is because it was cold when we bought it (Again a first world thing). I say back to that, "What if it wasn't cold in the first place?" 

She said, "Like what, name something?"

I replied, "Lettuce"

She said, "Name something else."

I once had a parishioner who liked to garden. She was complaining that the slugs were eating her lettuce.

I told her to buy some intertainu.

She said, "What is that?"

I looked at her shocked and said, "Haven't you ever heard of "Lettuce entertain you?" 

Another reason why I think I more pestered than pastored my churches.

I am going to ponder how I can be less of the problem and more of the solution.

Am I alone in these ponderings, or do you think about this as well?"

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

 

Today is one of my favorite days of the year; it is World Inflammatory Bowel Day!

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Today is one of my favorite days of the year; it is World Inflammatory Bowel Day!

One of my dad's favorite pastimes when I was a kid was to pass gas in the car. He would drop a rose, that is what my wife Laurie calls it. I have never smelled a rose that smelled like that, but then again I have never dropped one either. Maybe, they smell different if you drop them, I will have to try it sometime. Just thinking about it makes me wonder what a florist shop would smell like after an earthquake? It must smell pretty bad, just say-in.

Anyway, my dad would drop a rose in the car and then quickly yell, "Quick roll up the windows (Yes this was back in the day before air conditioning) there is an oil well near by." and we would all roll up our windows complaining, "Man oh man, why do oil wells have to smell so bad?" quickly followed by, "Dad, where is the oil well? I can't see it." He would reply, "It is just over that hill over there." The only flaw in his plan was we lived in Kansas and there were no hills over there. 

Did I ever mentioned that one day my dog ran away? I watched him run away for three days; that is how flat Kansas is. 

Unfortunately, for us kids we got dropped on our heads a lot when we were young, so we never caught on. 

Well that is enough about my father's seditious remote parts. 

Back when I pestered, I mean pastored churches, I am sure I gave more than one seditious sermon that inflamed more than one congregant's bowel. How do I know that? Because, after every service one of my many, and I do mean many jobs, was to stand at the exit door and people would file by saying a few words to me as they left. Some had more than a few words, and some even had some ideas of how I could better do my job.

I was so lucky to have so many experts in the field in my church.  

Sometimes, as they coached me up, they would say, "Pastor Roger, that sermon really stunk!" 

And I would reply, "It wasn't the sermon, it was your inflammatory bowel!"

Looking back, I probably should of just let him think it was the sermon. There are many reasons why I am a Chaplain! But I must confess that after one of my seditious sermons, and as I walked through the sanctuary on my way to the front door, I could not help but notice there was an unusually rosy smell!

I remember something one of my mentor's, his name was Ken, once told me. He said, "Roger, remember that Pastor is just Greek for shepherd. Shepherds, shepherd sheep. Sheep are dumb, lazy, and smelly. They bite, and they kick, and they lay down with their feet uphill." I guess that is why we had so many sheep in Kansas, just one less thing to worry about.

I replied, "That is good counsel Ken, but why are we talking about sheep?" 

Ken just shook his head and said, "Go sit down in a pew."

When Ken said that I was reminded of an old adage. Confucius once said, "Show me a man who passes gas in church and I will show you a man who sits in his own pew." 

Laurie told me that Confucius never said that. I told her he must have since my dad told me he did and dad said he was never wrong. Well, he was wrong that one time when there was a six foot bull snake on our dirt road sunning itself and he said, "Kids come over here, I want to teach you how to pick up a snake." We came running over to have dad impart some great outdoorsman wisdom on us. He bent over the bull snake and reached down. The snake quickly bit him on the hand between his thumb and forefinger. Dad lifted his had up, with the bull snake still attached to his hand. We just looked at him and he said, "don't pick it up like that!" 

Today is World Inflammatory Bowel Day.

I am not making light of an inflammatory bowel, I am still recovering from lymphoma that attacked my small intestine and I have had more than my share of inflammation in the remote parts.  

I am using it as a metaphor for, "don't be a stinky Christian." 

Don't be that person that other people say, "if that is a Christian I don't want to be one.

• Don't be judgy
• Don't be mean
• Don't be petty
• Don't major in minors

Do be that person that exudes:

• Love
• Compassion
• Inclusiveness
• Christ

Naturally when I say this I begin to ponder.

How am I doing in this regard?

Do you ever think about these things?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Luther, Zwingli, and Pope Leo walked into a bar

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

It was a beautiful, sunny day yesterday. As I sat in my office longingly looking out at the blue sky and puffy clouds, watching people come in wearing shorts and T-shirts I was a little bummed. After all this was the first nice day we had in the Northwest since November, well maybe that is a bit of a stretch, but not by much. The best part of the copious amounts of rain we receive every winter and into the spring is watching the migration of Calibeasts and the Fornian 's going south again. 

I was sitting in my office a bit bummed. Whenever I get a bit bummed I try to cheer myself up by thinking about theological questions and all the doctrines that arise from them. 

It never works, possibly because I am to depressed for theology to cheer me up, or more likely, thinking about theology and all the nuances that created denominations is depressing in itself, and frankly a bit boring. 

Whenever I get to really pondering theology and all its nuances I start feeling like Marvin from The Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy

Life, don't talk to me about life.

When I think about all the divisions caused I get a little sad.  

Then I think of a conversation Luther, Zwingli and Pope Leo had all those years ago and it cheers me up. 

It went like this:

So Luther, Zwingli and Pope Leo waked into a bar. You would have thought Zwingli and the Pope would have genuflected (That one was for Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor).

So Luther, Zwingli and Pope Leo waked into a bar and sat down. The bartender asks if they would like to try a wine. they all nod. so the bartender asks them what kind of wine they would like.

Pope Leo immediately replies, "It does not matter what kind of wine you get, for once I bless it it shall no longer be wine but become the blood of Christ."

Luther immediately interrupts, "Nonsense, for although the blood of Christ will really be present in, with, and under the wine, the wine will still remain. Therefore, let us order the finest, sweetest wine thy have so that we may thoroughly enjoy the gift of God."

Zwingli then shakes his head, "You two are nuts! It is only wine and a sign of Christ's blood. therefore we should order the most bitter wine they have in order to better remember and think on His suffering and death."

The three continued to argue in circles for a while until Luther paused, looked at the bartender and replied, "I'll have a Sam Adams."

How did we get here? Well it is quite simple really. Luther wrote a letter and nailed it to a door (a practice that was widely regarded back in the day) and somebody took it and made a bunch of copies. Not only did they make a bunch of copies but they had to translate it from Latin into German first. It wasn't enough that this person made a bunch of copies, no, they had to hand them out to a bunch of people too!

This led to a revolt

Which led to a break from the Catholic church, which led to denominationalism, which led to multiple traditions, which led to varying beliefs, which led to different doctrines, and ultimately led to a very bad run-on sentence!

Take heart fellow ragamuffins!! If you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, that is all you need. Now go do what Jesus did and commanded. Love your neighbor as yourself. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned and the sick. 

Oh, and go to church. 

I think I have pontificated enough. I think I will go paddle. 

something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Don't be a whitewashed tomb.

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Matt did a wonderful job last Sunday talking about having God come into your house, but not letting Him come into certain rooms with-in your house. this was a great analogy of inviting God into your life, but not letting Him into your whole life. 

I have talked with you before about the elder that wanted to make a rule about not wearing shorts to church. He wanted people to clean up on the outside and look presentable; at least presentable to his standards. How I explained to him that God is more interested in how you clean up your insides than what you are wearing on the outside. 

Whitewashed tombs. 

Jesus called the Pharisees and Sadducees (Pastors of the day) Whitewashed tombs. How they looked really good on the outside but were dead on the inside. 

Have you ever driven by roadkill, a dead animal on the side of the road? Often times you can smell it long before you see it, and you can smell it long after you drove by it. Dead things stink. 

Don't be a whitewashed tomb. 

The funny thing is God is omnipresent (everywhere at once), how he does that, I don't know, I am not Him. The funny thing about being omnipresent is that you are everywhere. 

The funny thing about being everywhere is there is not place you can't be, even if someone does not want you there.  

So the idea that we don't invite God into any certain rooms, please, in our lives, doesn't mean He doesn't see them. No, it simply means that we do not acknowledge that He is in them. We go on as if we are hiding something from God. 

Oh, did I mention that God is omniscient? Omniscient simply means, all knowing.

The funny thing about God being all knowing is, God knows everything, even if we don't want Him to. 

So who really isn't looking into those places, looking into those rooms?

Do you know who is not omnipresent? It is us, we are not omnipresent.  

The funny thing about not being omnipresent is, we have the ability to not go into certain rooms, to close doors and hide things, not from God, but from ourselves and others. 

Do you also know who isn't omniscient ? It is us, we are not omniscient.

The funny thing about not being omniscient is, we can't be in multiple rooms at the same time. So we close doors behind us, so we can hide things that we don't want to see or have others see. 

It is these rooms, these places in our lives that keep us from being in true relationship with God. It is us closing a door to ourselves.

The funny thing is, we close the door out of fear that if God sees in that room He will not love us. But as we already talked about, He already not only sees into that room He is standing in the middle of it. 

So is the reason you have a secret room because you don't want to look at it? Do you have a secret room because you are trying to please man? 

Paul (Yes, that is his real name) Asked, am I trying to please God or man?  

A question we have to ask ourselves, "Am I trying to please God or man. Is that secret room, that secret place so important that I am willing to keep God at arms length over it?"

Something to ponder.

Let go and let God.

Blessings,

Roger

In the words of Yoda, "No! Try not! Do or do not, there is no try."

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Finally a national something day that I can write about with my eyes closed.

salkdvf;kljvdnrewipnvfnpfp[a j fewo vcf!!  

Well maybe not literally closed; that wasn't quite as good an idea as I thought it was. 

Today is "National Love your Neighbor Day"!

As far as I am concerned it might as well be the Clark County Family YMCA Day! You have heard me say this a bunch of times, 

"While it is true that we have the best pool in Clark County Washington, the largest group exercise studio, weights and weight systems that rival any gym, indoor track, awesome gymnasium and multi-purpose rooms, along with programs that are the envy of Southern Washington. All that stuff are just tools that we use to do what we do best. What we do best is love on people." 

We actually have a "Transformation Team" with the sole purpose of teaching a community to love its neighbor. How do they do that you ask? Well, accomplish that amazing feat by doing a lot less talking and a lot more doing.

Oh wait, did I hear you say, "Ya right, that will never work. where did you get that hairbrained idea from?"

Well, being the village idiot that I am, I obviously didn't think it up on my own.

I read it in a book, now what book was it? 

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’^[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]”

²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii^[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Here at the Clark County Family YMCA we are busy "going and doing likewise" to the best of our ability. do we always get it right? No, not always. We have a saying, It is ok to make a hustling mistake, just don't make the same mistake over and over. There are too many new mistakes we can make to get into the rut of redoing old mistakes. 

In the words of Yoda, "No! Try not! Do or do not, there is no try."

How are you at loving your neighbor, Are you doing or doing not?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

This morning it was pipes, valves, water pressure and all things plumbing

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I got to the "Y" this morning a few minutes early today. I had a 7am meeting so instead of getting here at 6:45am I got here at 6:15am. It is amazing what you see getting to the "Y" at different times. this morning I was privy to a conversation between Sabastian and a member that swims in the mornings before work. 

Evidently Cliff (Not his real name, and I am using Cliff, as in Cliff Clavin, from the old T.V. show "Cheers" simply because he reminds me of him) is quite the expert on lots of things, this morning it was  pipes, valves, water pressure and all things plumbing. he was pontificating on electrolysis, anodes, and shower valves. Sabastian didn't interrupt. In fact, he had that "I'm so interested in what you are saying" face on that I thought I was looking at myself in the mirror. Obviously, Sabastian had been watching me work unbeknownst. 

As I listened to Cliff's riveting diatribe, I was actually inspired by how the members care and feel ownership to the "Y" they call home. Yes, of course there still are those that complain about this, and that, but we're getting less of the complainers and more of the "I can helpers",

We have been working on teaching a community to truly love its neighbor for quite a while now. It is cool to see it coming back at us. 

We have a homeless community that has become truly part of our family. They have full memberships and have taken ownership of our "Y". They police the parking lot, picking up trash and volunteering in other areas. Some have applied for jobs at our "Y", I don't know where in the process they are, but I love the fact that we are connected and walking life together. 

When I think about all the great things that are going on in our "Y" I cannot help but think of the words of Paul, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)

I am also drawn to Jesus when asked, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 

Jesus answered, "Love the lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself."

When I asked what is it that the "Y" does well, I always answer, "We do a lot of things well, but what we do best is love on people."

We are really good at loving our neighbor, it is nice to see our neighbor loving us back.

I wonder if I am missing anything?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Yesterday was "Eat what you want Day."

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I have great news!!!

Bellona (Of course not her real name), noticed some grammatical errors, and a misspelling here and there. 

Bellona said, "You have grammatical errors in your breads."

In true Chappy fashion I said, "Ya, so what." Even after all these years as a chaplain I still amaze myself at my caring response to people in conversation with me.

She said, "You should fix them before you send out the bread."

I responded, "If it is so important to you that the breads are grammatically perfect, you fix them."

After some back and forth Bellona agreed to be the "Bread editor" for us. 

So here is our first bread post editor!

Yesterday was "Eat what you want Day."

I found that humorous. the fact that I am on an endless weight loss kick is because every day was an "Eat what you want Day." 

I actually know a Jennifer Lawrence. She is not the Jennifer Lawrence from the Hunger Games movies, but that doesn't take away the fact that I know a Jennifer Lawrence. I asked her for her autograph once, I suggest you don't do that, she just hit me. Thus the reason for the "You can Scream, Cry, and Yell, but you can't hit the chaplain" sign that I have in my office. But that is not what I want to talk to you about today. I am still in therapy from that beating. 

When I saw the National "Eat what you want Day" sign, Jennifer Lawrence, or JLaw as she is commonly called. Was walking by. I immediately put the two together and came up with, "The Hunger Games." I can remember my revulsion when I watched the scene in the capital and they were all eating extravagant food. when someone came up to Peta and Katniss and offered them more food, they politely declined stating that they were full. the person then said, "Drink this, it will make you throw up and you can eat more food." 

The irony was that I was revulsed by this in the movie and yet at the same time as I was watching it, I was busy wolfing down an entire pizza.    

I am learning that I don't need to eat until I am busting at the seams, and in all actuality, I am happier if I don't. 

I was busy thinking / pondering about "Eat what you want Day" and how I can be revulsed one moment while at the same time doing exactly what was making me revulsed in the first place. That is when God threw a wrench into my whole thought process. 

God said, "You might as well have a "Think what you want Day", it seems you are having as much trouble controlling your thoughts as you have been with controlling your eating." 

I said, "Yes, I know. I do pretty good for a while and then some abhorrent thought comes into my head and the next thing I know I am pondering that as well."  

God said, "I know, This whole omnipresent thing means that I am present in your thought life as well. Frankly, sometimes it makes me want to scream, cry, and yell." 

I said, "That's ok, just don't hit me."

We had a good laugh at that one. 

As we talked I said, "I even teach thought life and do directional work with-in it, and I know I have my thought radar scanning pretty far out there, but every so often I catch myself in a daydream that usually starts with a "What If" scenario." 

God said, "I know, but nobody ever trips on a crack in the sidewalk and just falls into sin, they think about it first. It goes something like this:

1. A thought pops into their head.
2. They begin to think about it.
3. They realize they should not be thinking about whatever the thought is. 
4. They decide to think about it anyway.
5. Pretty soon the thought consumes them.
6. They think they want to do it, whatever "it" is.
7. They justify why it is ok to act on the thought.
8. They act on the thought, this action is called sin. 

I said, "I can't tell you how many times people have sat in the chair and said, "I don't know how I got here in my life." "It is like I just fell into this situation."

I just look at them lovingly and say, "Yeah, No." (Remember I am good at what I do). 

And yet, I too catch myself starting down that road. Sometimes I get to level 3-4 before I go knock it off and correct myself. Of course another conversation with God happens soon after. 

Am I the only one who has times when I fight the, "Think what you want Day," or do others fight it as well.

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Yesterday was "National Clean Your Room Day."

 

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

One of the many things that I love about being a chaplain is that people think I like to listen to their jokes, especially the bad ones. They mistake my "Oks" and "sures" for me being interested. 

I get to hear jokes like, "What do you call a Zombe cooking Stir fry?

I get to answer, "I don't care, I mean I don't know."

And they answer, "Dead man woking."

        Or

"Why did the bicycle keep falling over?"

I say, "Why?"

"It was two tired."

In the words of Monte Python, "Oh these are terrible times to be a shrubbier"

Yesterday was "National Clean Your Room Day."

I was pondering the fact that every day is "National" something day. As I ruminated on "National Clean Your Room Day." I couldn't help think about my mother. To her, everyday was "National Clean You Room Day." I never knew what the big deal was. I liked my room just the way it was. My toy trucks, and blocks, Mattel Hot Wheel cars and track, were just where I wanted them. Evidently, my toy trucks, and blocks, Mattel Hot Wheel cars and track, were not just where she wanted them. 

She would say, "Roger, pick up your toys." 

I would say, "I can't."

She would respond, "Why can't you pick up your toys?"

I would answer, "Because there are to many of them to hold all at once."

Then Mom would say, "I am sick and tired." I hated it when she was sick and tired. I didn't mind if she was sick, and I didn't mind if she was tired, but sick and tired, well that was a whole another level. When Mom said, "I'm sick and tired." a spanking usually followed. 

As she was busy turning my butt cheek into an interesting color of red she would say, "Why do you always have to have a smart___ answer.

I would say, "Use your words Mom. Words are important. You said 'Why can't you pick up your toys?' and I told you why I couldn't."

She said, "Fine, I will do a better job of using my words next time."

I said, "Why not now?"

Mom replied, "Because I am too busy using my wooden spoon right now."

All I could say was, "Oh" or was it "Ouch" I can't remember.

One day I asked why it was so important to have a spotless room. Mom said, "Well you never know when you are having guests."

I replied, "I never have 'guests', and the other kids that I play with, like my toys where they are too."

She just gave me the "LOOK". She was looking tired.

I asked her if she was tired, and she said, "Yes." I then smiled and asked her if she was sick too?

Looking back I think that was a bad move. She just turned and started walking out of my room.

I asked her, "Where are you going?"

She said, "The kitchen."

Have I ever mentioned that my mom didn't cook.

I asked her, "Why are you going to the kitchen, the phone is in the hallway?" She used the phone to cook with, it was a very important cooking tool I learned. It was like a miracle, or something. She would pick up the phone say some words and thirty minutes later food would miraculously appear at the front door. I never did figure out how she did that.

She said, "To get the spoon."

I fled out the window.

When I got older I realized that having a clean room was important; mostly because I started having "Guests" come to my house.

As I said, yesterday was  "National Clean Your Room Day." I was just sitting there wasting time with God, when He started talking about the importance of cleaning your room. I started to get nervous, but I didn't ask Him if he was sick and tired (See how smart I have gotten). 

He started talking about the importance of having a clean spiritual room. Of taking care of your thought life. 

As He talked, I listened to His words and pondered my spiritual room. Was it clean, or cluttered? I think I have a pretty good spiritual room, but It could use some straightening up. I see a dirty sock or two that need to put in the laundry. There are some cobb webs in the corner. I need to get rid of those too. 

I will continue to work on cleaning my spiritual room everyday, not just on "National Clean Your Room Day."

How about you, is your spiritual room as clean as you would like it?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Death by a thousand cuts

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Darryl decided to prune his tree. Now to be honest and transparent, Darryl doesn't have a lot of experience pruning trees. He came into my office and said, "Roger you have to see what I did this past weekend!

I said, "Ok" (If you remember, that is chaplain speak for, 'God, I hope this doesn't take long, and give me patience. Like a I said, I am a great chaplain). 

Darryl started to flip through the pictures, telling a story and weaving a tale with each picture. Somehow, I was transported back to the 70's when our family had the good luck of knowing people that went on vacations, although we never did, and they would invite us over for a rousing 3-hours of carousel slide projector pictures of Ethel with a Mai-Tai, and a bikini that probably looked great 20-years ago. And Bob, in those Bermuda shorts that look a lot better on the guy in the magazine. 

As a teen I had more fun getting kicked by a horse than those vacation picture nights. It probably says a lot about why I am the way I am.

But here I was putting my best chaplain face on, while Darryl told me about his pruning prowess. 

Darryl said, "Here is that ugly tree sporting branches in every direction. Uggg...I just couldn't take it. I had to make it pretty."

So I made a few cuts.......But it still wasn't right.

After a few more it really began to take shape. but not quite there yet!

Finally, I got it to just the way I wanted it. I might have pruned a little much, but I think it looks ok. 

As I listened to Darryl, weave his tale. I couldn't help but think of Brennan Manning and Henry Nouwen. I couldn't help but think of the Ragamuffin Gospel and the Genesee Diary. 

To use Manning's wit and wisdom is to see the tree full of life just after a person comes to Christ. They are happy, full of life, looking forward to this new relationship, they are a new creation, it is a beautiful thing.

Time goes by...

The church has started the pruning process in their lives. At first it doesn't hurt much and the person still feels full of life and excited to live this new life.

More time goes by...

The church has pruned a bit more. Now the person doesn't smile as much anymore. They come to church because they are supposed to, not because they want to. It is beginning to hurt being in church. They notice a judgment of those in the pews. They work even harder to be accepted and to "be the right kind of Christian."

More time passes...

Now, if they have managed to stay in church (which by now is an iffy thing) they are dead inside, all their spirituality has been pruned away. They are little more than a stump of their former selves. they sing Joy to the world, with no joy in their voice. 

Death by a thousand cuts.

They have become dead Christians.

If you think I am being hard on the church, you are right, I am. I have watched too many pastors flame out and crash, leaving the ministry altogether feeling as if they are nothing more than a stump of a once beautiful tree. Beaten down and out by over needy parishioners, and pushed by those above them in the denomination until they are dead inside.

I have even sent more than one pastor on a monastery style spiritual retreat, just to re-center themselves.

Christ came to save us, not kill us. So why do we put so much energy into killing our brothers and sisters in Christ and wounding our healers? 

And, if you are a fellow ragamuffin but still has reservations abut the whole thing, take heart, find a group of people that are grace filled, low on judgement ( I would say judgement free but I can't honestly say any human is judgment free), and big on love. I found one in the church that meets at our "Y". We love Jesus, and we love each other. 

God has asked me to look at myself and find where I might have culpability and need to ask for forgiveness.  

Are you brave enough to look yourself in the mirror and see where you might have hurt a blossoming Christian, just because they didn't do everything right? Or have you not forgiven the church because a person that isn't good at pruning has judged and hurt you? 

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Long time caller first time listener

 Good Morning,

I pray the day finds you well. 

It was 9am Sunday morning. I had family, and relatives coming to the house and Laurie and I were busy preparing for them. I was washing windows, getting things in order...all the things one does before people arrive to their house and then go through the process of destroying it all over again. 

I was busy doing the things Laurie told me to do, I am good that way. Laurie tells me I would be better if I just did them without her prodding. My response is always the same, "If I say I am going to do it I will. You don't need to nag me every 6-months!" 

Anyway, I was busy doing the things Laurie told me to do when my phone rang. I answered the phone and Rusty Bent was on the line. rusty is a faithful Bread follower; in Ragamuffin fashion he said, "Hey I am a long time caller first time listener."  

I said, What's up Rusty?"

Rusty asked, "Are you at the YMCA?"

I said, "No."

He said, "Why not?"

Putting aside the fact that it was 9am on a Sunday morning, and the perception that I do live at the YMCA. the fact is, I do go home once in a while (Usually to do the things Laurie tells me to do). 

I said, "I have family in town and more coming in on a plane. Laurie has me do chores."

Rusty said, "Sounds like you should be at the YMCA."

I responded, "What is it that you need? And don't ask for Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor's autograph again." 

Rusty said, "I have a bunch of bottled water and some energy bars that I want to donate to the "Y," is anyone there to take them?

I said,  "Yes there is. I will let them know you are coming"

I called Esmeralda. She said, " Great I will meet him out front."

Rusty got to the "Y" and Esmeralda met him at the front door. rusty (Not knowing who was helping him) said, "Do you read the Daily Bread for Ragamuffins?" 

Esmeralda replied, "Yes, yes I do." 

Rusty went on to say how he loved the "I should have gone to the bathroom before we left" Bread. And asked if she had read it? 

Esmeralda replied, "Well, I am Esmeralda, so yes, I read the bread." 

Rusty was star struck.  

He called me after he delivered the water and energy bars and said, "Esmeralda is a gem!" 

I said, "I know!"

There is an old YMCA saying that goes, "If you have seen one 'Y' you have seen one 'Y'." Meaning that every "Y" is a reflection of the community that the have been placed in. 

Our "Y" has been busy teaching the community that it has been placed in to truly love it's neighbor. When you see our "Y" you see a "Y" that is busy loving on its neighbor, and the community is actually reflecting that love back on the "Y". It is a pretty cool place to be.

When I ponder our "Y" and our place in our community, I cannot help but also ponder about me and my place in our community. What am I reflecting? I ask that question a lot.

Do you ask that question?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

"Don't lose Jesus in the bathwater."

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

First of all I have to get something off my chest. Our Cinco de Mayo bread was a hot mess. Not the message, nor the content, I had written the bread when Esmeralda suggested that I translate it into Spanish for the holiday. I thought that was a wonderful idea, so I did. Then I promptly deleted the original bread that was in English. Once I deleted the English version I realized that the message would be lost if the reader could not translate the message into English (I know I have a translate button in my blogsite, I never trust those things). So I went to Google translate, and well you have seen the rest. I hope the message came through the "Hotness".

There, done with that nonsense.

My good friend Frederick (Frederick the great as he is commonly known, unless you went to college with him and know him as "Siete cajas de cerveza Coors" for reason unbeknown to me), sent me a message after reading the "May the 4th be with you" conversation we had together. 

If we all remember correctly, the message was on Grace, and where do you get your "force (4th) from, your strength, identity if you will. Is it you doing good things, or Christ in you? After reading all that he came away with: 

Patience is a virtue

Virtue is Grace

Grace is a little girl who wouldn't wash her face 

It is good to know that I am making such a positive impact on my readers. I can only imagine the conversations  Frederick (Frederick the great as he is commonly known, unless you went to college with him and know him as "Siete cajas de cerveza Coors" for reason unbeknown to me) will have after he reads this!!!

Still ruminating on my mess up with the Cinco de Mayo blog.

I woke up this morning, turned on the news (Probably not the best way to start one's day) and the news lady (Is that correct, or do I say person, persons, multi-dimensional being/beings? I can never tell anymore, and what ever I say ends up wrong, if not today, 30-years from now). And she (I am going with she. She looked like a she) said that now today is May the Sith Day. It is no longer Cinco de Mayo, but "May the Sith be with you day." Why couldn't we just keep Cinco de Mayo and have May 6th be May the Sith be with you? May 6th and Sith seems more closely related than May 5th and Sith unless one has a lisp. 

Once again, adventures in missing the point.

Speaking of missing the point, it seems that between my "Cinco de Mayo" blog and  Frederick (Frederick the great as he is commonly known, unless you went to college with him and know him as "Siete cajas de cerveza" Coors for reason unbeknown to me) response to the "May the 4th be with you" blog we have missing the point pretty well covered, just say-in.

Why is it that we spend so much time and energy taking something that is meant for one thing and attempt to change it into something completely different? Why can't we just see that one thing for what it is and celebrate that, or work with-in it's framework. Frankly, if that "something" isn't something we agree with, well than go to the work of making our own "something" and not spend time trying to change someone else's something so we feel better. 

That is exactly what George Williams (The founder of the YMCA) did back in 1844. He saw something he did not like, but instead of insisting that "they" change there stuff, he started to provide a new "something" and that is how the YMCA started. And that new something was working with young men to see the world they lived in differently along with how they interacted with-in it. Where did George get this radical idea? Well he got it from modeling what Jesus did. 

Cinco de Mayo was a good object lesson. 

I have been thinking about this, how can I work with a mentality of positivity instead of a mentality of negativity and see things for what they are, not try to change them but be comfortable with-in them and work on being even more inclusive and loving. To complain less about the way things are, and create new ways for all humans (the YMCA has grown from just young men to all people) to see the world and interact with-in it. Once again not a radical new idea, no, just a radical old idea. An idea that Jesus modeled some 2,000 years ago. You have heard the term, "Don't lose the baby in the bathwater,"  I like to say, "Don't lose Jesus in the bathwater." Simply meaning that we should be careful not to lose Christ in the murkiness of the dirty water that pervades our life and society. To Christ with-in the mudpuddles of life and continue to be His hands and feet.

God has been nudging me again. He is a pesky God after all, never giving up on me nor forgetting me. It is as if He loves me or something.

How has God been nudging you ?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,Roger 

Es el 5 de mayo

Buenos Dias,

Rezo para que el día te encuentre bien.

Cinco de Mayo (pronunciado sinjkq de majo) en México, es español para el "cinco de mayo". Es una celebración anual que se lleva a cabo el 5 de mayo y que conmemora el aniversario de la victoria de México sobre el Imperio Francés. Curiosamente, es más popular en los Estados Unidos que en México por tres razones;

1. La gente piensa que es el día de la independencia de México, pero no lo es. Tal vez estudiar un poco más en la escuela ayudaría con este concepto erróneo.

2. Es una celebración de la Cultura México-Americana.

3. La gente no celebra nada en absoluto, solo lo usa como excusa para beber.

Cuando pienso/reflexiono sobre estos dos puntos, creo que veo el problema con nuestro proceso de pensamiento, o más acertadamente, la falta de pensamiento.

 

En primer lugar, la gente no sabe realmente lo que está celebrando, en segundo lugar, tienen que ver con la cultura mexicano-estadounidense, pero no se molestan con la persona mexicano-estadounidense, y por último, pero no menos importante, a la gente ni siquiera le importa, ellos Sólo quiero una excusa para beber.

 

Cuando pienso en esto, reflexiona si lo harás. Creo que esto es solo un microcosmos de personas que afirman que el cristianismo es una cosmovisión.

1. La gente piensa que ser cristiano es tener todo "todo junto" sin problemas. Tal vez estudiar un poco más y prestar atención a las palabras de Cristo ayudaría con este concepto erróneo.

2. Es una celebración de la vida sobre la muerte, cultura eterna si se quiere.

3. La gente en realidad no está celebrando nada, solo quiere un seguro contra incendios.

Si tuviéramos que celebrar verdaderamente el 

Cinco de Mayo:

1. Celebra de verdad el motivo de la ocasión

2. No solo celebrar la cultura porque nos gusta la comida

y la bebida, sino celebrar a la gente y su cultura 

y cómo puede mejorar la nuestra y nuestra experiencia.

3. Tal vez obtenga ayuda con su forma de beber si 

la única razón por la que están celebrando 

es tener una excusa para beber.

Si realmente tomáramos en serio nuestra cosmovisión, 

haríamos lo siguiente:

1. Preocúpate menos por aparentar que lo tenemos 

todo bajo control y preocúpate más por cómo podemos 

amar a nuestro prójimo. Alguien dijo una vez, 

"Amarás al Señor tu Dios con todo tu corazón, 

y con toda tu alma, y ​​con toda tu mente, y con 

todas tus fuerzas. El segundo es este, 'Amarás a 

tu prójimo como a ti mismo.' no hay otro mandamiento 

mayor que estos.

2. Mientras que la vida eterna es un beneficio de llamar 

a Cristo tu Señor y salvador; no es por eso que entras 

en una relación con Él. Entras en una relación con 

Él porque Él es el camino, la verdad y la vida. 

Tu vida entera cambiará cuando lo aceptes como tu 

señor y salvador, no solo después de la muerte.

3. Darse cuenta de que si hubiésemos venido a 

Cristo por miedo, sin creer verdaderamente en Él pero 

sin querer "arder en el infierno", por así decirlo. 

Vinimos a Cristo por la razón equivocada.

Si tuviéramos que celebrar el Cinco de Mayo por todas 

las razones correctas, la gracia abundaría y la inclusión, 

no la exclusión, sería la palabra del día.

Si tuviéramos que celebrar el cristianismo por todas 

las razones correctas, la gracia abundaría y la inclusión, 

no la exclusión, sería la palabra del día.

Algo para reflexionar.

Bendiciones,

Roger

And here is the Bread for all of us that cannot read spanish

Good morning,
I pray that the day finds you well.
 Cinco de Mayo (pronounced sinjkq de majo)
 in Mexico, is Spanish for "fifth of May." 
It is an annual celebration that takes place 
on May 5, and commemorates the anniversary of 
Mexico's victory over the French Empire. 
Interestingly, it is more popular in the 
United States than in Mexico for three reasons;
 1.    People think it's Mexico's independence day, but it's not. 
Perhaps studying a little more in school would help with this
 misconception.
2.    It is a celebration of the Mexican-American Culture.
3. People don't celebrate anything at all, 
they just use it as an excuse to drink. 
When I think/ponder on these two points, I think I see 
the problem with our thought process, or more accurately, 
the lack of thought.
 First of all, people don't really know 
what they're celebrating, second, 
they celebrate the Mexican-American culture,
but they don't bother with the 
Mexican-American person, 
and last but not least, the people don't 
even care, they just want an excuse to drink.
 When I think of this, ponder if you will. I
think this is just a microcosm of 
some people that Christianity as a worldview.
1.    People think that being a Christian is having 
everything "all together" without problems. 
Perhaps studying a little more and paying attention 
to the words of Christ would help with this 
misconception.
 2.    It is a celebration of life over death, eternal culture 
if you will.
3.    People aren't really celebrating anything, 
they just want fire insurance.
 If we were to truly celebrate the Fifth
 of May:
 1. Really celebrate the reason for the 
occasion.
2. We don't just celebrate culture because we like food
and drink, but to celebrate the people and their culture
and how it can improve our culture, and our experience.
3. You may want to get help with your drinking if
the only reason they're celebrating is to have an excuse 
to drink.
 If we really took our worldview seriously,
we would do the following:
 1. Worry less about looking like we 
have it all together, everything under 
control and worry more about how we can love
 our neighbor. someone once said,
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind, 
and with all your strength. The second is this, 
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
 2. While eternal life is a benefit of 
calling Christ your Lord and savior; 
that's not why you come in
into a relationship with Him. You enter into a relationship 
with Him because He is the way, the truth and the life. 
Your whole life will change when you accept Him as 
you lord and savior, not only life after death. 
3.    Realize that if we had come to Christ out of fear, without
 truly believing in Him but not wanting to"burn in hell",
 so to speak. We came to Christ for the 
wrong reason. 
If we were to celebrate Cinco de Mayo for all
the right reasons, grace would abound and inclusion,
not exclusion, would be the word of the day. 
If we were to celebrate Christianity for all
the right reasons, grace would abound and inclusion,
not exclusion, would be the word of the day. 
Something to ponder. 
Blessings,
Roger