In April of 2001 a new dog would join the Family, a beautiful little dachshund. My eldest niece, at the time my only one, at just age 4 help my parents pick her out, and chose her first name, Mocha. The pup was also named after my Grandmother who had passed a few years prior providing her with a wonderful string of three names. I first met Mocha when she just a pup. My parents, nieces and her traveled from Oregon to Iowa where I was attending University. The picked me up and took me to Illinois where I was to spend the summer for an internship. That tiny little pup and I bonded right away, and no matter how long we were apart, she would always react with great joy and excitement whenever I returned home.

Over the past 10 years she and I have had many adventures, gone on many walks, played, cuddled, gone camping together. She watched out for the family as well, she knew her cats, her dogs (over the last year or two my sisters family grew to include two dogs, the newest just in the last few months). She was a wonderful companion for us all… In the past couple of years she started having some weight issues, and in the past few days it became clear she was reach the end of her life, though we thought she still had a bit more… Wednesday was hard, but Thursday she seemed to be doing better, moving around more, able to get outside on her own… then yesterday she moved on her own a bit, but was slowing more.  When my mom came home after work and grocery shopping, she found Mocha laying there looking up at her, and she picked her up to carry her out to the back yard, and as she reached the end of the deck, Mocha lifted her head, perked her ears up, sniffed, and passed away within her arms… no longer the struggle with breathing, and he tiredness of the pass few days, she now left to rest eternally.

It’s hard on all of us when we loose a loved one. My thoughts and prayers are especially with my eldest niece, she seemed to take it very hard last night, (My sister and her kids were on their way up at the time of Mocha’s passing, had made sure to bring Mocha’s toy that had been left in their car a few weeks ago when My sister, mom, and eldest niece had gone to the coast together with Mocha for my niece’s birthday).

A year a half ago my cat of 21 and a half years passed away, and now my pup of ten and a half has… it’s a bit of a sad time right now, but also a joyous one, for I can ponder and reflect on many wonderful memories, can be happy in knowing Mocha passed in the arms of a loved one, and not alone. I hope appearances of not being in pain are true as well, and thus rejoice that she was not in pain, just tired and worn out.  But I am a bit lonely now without my snoring puppy to cuddle up to, play with, and go on walks with… nor the cat that took care of me since I was just a little boy watching her be born 23 years ago.

Peace be with you all

No, the above is not what happened right at the end of the last post, for between then and this I went into another building, met more people and sat through an orientation session, which covered things I already knew by having been involved with Bread, and a little bit of new about the national gathering. But the above sets the stage for several of the experiences of Saturday and Sunday, well except for the food, typically just water, tea, coffee… was there not the cheese and fruit…

In this room with tables draped with many colours, centerpieces with beans upon them, I found myself one of many. I found myself in a few ways transported to the wonderful experiences of my seminary past. For I sat in community at the table, with people of faith, engaging, growing, learning in it. The preacher for our opening worship was Rev.  Dr. Frank Thomas. When I heard his name my mind went “why do I know him” and then I realized, he was the author of one of my seminary texts for one of the homiletics courses I took. They Like to Never Quit Praisin’ God: The Role of Celebration in Preaching still resides within my collection of books. The scripture text for his sermon was Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.” As he proclaimed the good news, as he expounded upon this text, he and the Spirit with him brought forth passion and inspiration, new insight and awareness, along with old.  As he explored the manna, talked of Moses and the people, about today and the needs of this world.  As he talked about the sharing with all and the non hording of food. Talk of the need to ask of the holy, not expect, not demand… many were moved.  As he preached and proclaimed the good news, as he challenged us, as he spoke of being prophetic as speaking truth to those in power AND truth to those denied power. He spoke of how it is US not me, not you not some of us, but all of us… (I wish I wrote this early and thus express more clearly his words than now several weeks out I can). It was a wonderful and powerful experience, as as Rev. Thomas spoke and I quoted him in a tweet saying “Capitalism deserves to be critiqued… [it] will never end poverty” I learned my friend from seminary had arrived as was present in the arena for she tweeted at about the same time: "capitalism will never end poverty" and that the faith community must humanize capitalism.

That’s all for an in-depth reflection I shall give of the services and sessions of Saturday, we had another one where the David Beckman, president of Bread for the World spoke, and also we spent time in regional groups (the reason for the coloured tables). Good things were said, I learned things, but I was also starting to wear down a bit after being up so long with so little sleep… It was after the Opening Worship as I was leaving the area to head out to dinner in another building I encountered my friend in seminary, we shared in conversation, meal often in the next few days… It was good to have a companion at the event that saw with eyes opened from a view similar yet different than my own, to digest and process all that streamed into my head that weekend.

At the close of the final plenary we went to “The tavern” for social time, an odd name for a place on a dry campus, and then with a few young college students we took a risky drive on a golf cart and walked around a Methodist seminary next to the Methodist University we were at. A Lutheran and a Community of Christ person, who had gone to a different Methodist Seminary now here one another one (which I think was not as nice of a campus, and much smaller than the one we had gone to). Then finally after all the explorations, I would find my self back at the dorm, my room, and to my surprise my roommate still not present… he never did show… and sleep finally arrived over 34 hours since I had awaken the morning before…

Till next time…

(sorry for the delay in these, I had meant to reflect on the whole gathering the week I had returned, but life sometimes makes one busy…)

Peace,

So what is this “isn’t me” but in truth “is me.” thing I am about to do? I’m about to go and live out a part of my discipleship and ministry by going forth and proclaiming the good news. But I said I ‘m not preparing a sermon, and no I am not going to go preach. So what is it? I’m going to to go speak on behalf of the voiceless. I’m going to go speak on behalf of the hungry and poor. I’m going to go into the halls of power, sit down with the people who are elected to represent me, (or work for them),  and proclaim the living, restoring, liberating news of the gospel by  advocating for justice. Lyle, the shy, quite, little spoken in one on one and small group conversation, is going to speak up, and say we need to protect the poor and vulnerable.

As I prepare to do this my mind drifts to spring 2007 in hot and humid Independence, MO. it was here that I sat in the conference chamber of the Auditorium as I heard Prophet-President Steven M. Veazey share words of counsel to the church. Words of counsel, which he was not presenting to the church for consideration to be canonized and included in the Doctrine and Covenants, and yet words that spoke to me and many others. Words that as I heard them felt  as if they were scripture, and should be embraced as such. The Spirit moved amongst us, Steve by mid week had presented them for inclusion and felt a peace in doing so. When these words were being considered by the Aaronic Mass meeting I spoke on their behalf and the stirring that was within me. I have no idea what words I said. I know not what words ran through my head as I voted on each paragraph and the document as a whole, there as a member of the Aaronic Order, nor as we did the same as a whole conference.

What I can tell you, is as I heard these words, as I read these words, as I prayed over these words… I did not see myself where I am today. As I’ve used these words in sermons, papers, reflections. I did not see myself here today. Yet this morning as I awoke on lobby day, these words came to my mind:

Community of Christ,” your name, given as a divine blessing, is your identity and calling. If you will discern and embrace its full meaning, you will not only discover your future, you will become a blessing to the whole creation. Do not be afraid to go where it beckons you to go.

Jesus Christ, the embodiment of God’s shalom, invites all people to come and receive divine peace in the midst of the difficult questions and struggles of life. Follow Christ in the way that leads to God’s peace and discover the blessings of all of the dimensions of salvation. Generously share the invitation, ministries, and sacraments through which people can encounter the Living Christ who heals and reconciles through redemptive relationships in sacred community. The restoring of persons to healthy or righteous relationships with God, others, themselves, and the earth is at the heart of the purpose of your journey as a people of faith.

You are called to create pathways in the world for peace in Christ to be relationally and culturally incarnate. The hope of Zion is realized when the vision of Christ is embodied in communities of generosity, justice, and peacefulness. Above all else, strive to be faithful to Christ’s vision of the peaceable Kingdom of God on earth. Courageously challenge cultural, political, and religious trends that are contrary to the reconciling and restoring purposes of God. Pursue peace. There are subtle, yet powerful, influences in the world, some even claiming to represent Christ, that seek to divide people and nations to accomplish their destructive aims. That which seeks to harden one human heart against another by constructing walls of fear and prejudice is not of God. Be especially alert to these influences, lest they divide you or divert you from the mission to which you are called.

God, the Eternal Creator, weeps for the poor, displaced, mistreated, and diseased of the world because of their unnecessary suffering. Such conditions are not God’s will. Open your ears to hear the pleading of mothers and fathers in all nations who desperately seek a future of hope for their children. Do not turn away from them. For in their welfare resides your welfare. The earth, lovingly created as an environment for life to flourish, shudders in distress because creation’s natural and living systems are becoming exhausted from carrying the burden of human greed and conflict. Humankind must awaken from its illusion of independence and unrestrained consumption without lasting consequences. Let the educational and community development endeavors of the church equip people of all ages to carry the ethics of Christ’s peace into all arenas of life. Prepare new generations of disciples to bring fresh vision to bear on the perplexing problems of poverty, disease, war, and environmental deterioration. Their contributions will be multiplied if their hearts are focused on God’s will for creation.

The words bolded, italics, or both, especially the both, are what resonated in my head the most. For you see, without thinking about it, I found myself on a journey of embracing these words in new and different ways than I had before. I found myself learning, growing, speaking, and now today after three days of engaging speakers, worshiping with others, conversing, praying, learning, I’m going to the hill to live out these words. In particular as they relate to the suffering of my sisters and brothers around the globe who are hungry, those who are the verge of being so. (I have a lot of sisters and brothers, over 6 billion and  your one of them). I’m going at a time when there is this mode of “slash everything” being expressed by some, this mode of governmental expression that includes  proposals that will make those suffering the most suffer more and those who suffer least suffer the same or even less… I’m going to speak of healing, I’m going to speak upon those who can’t speak, for those here who may get the right to vote but seldom are heard  and for those who don’t get to vote as they live elsewhere in the world, but whose lives and well being are on the table. It’s not a task I want to do, it is not a task I am comfortable in doing, but it is a task that as a minister of the Risen Living Christ, and as a disciple of Jesus the Christ, I am called to do. I encourage you to write your leaders, wherever you live, and advocate for the voiceless. To make phone calls, to visit in person. To advocate for those who you are called to serve. Even if you are not a follower of Christ, you are a member of the human family, and as such you are called to help ensure we bring an end to the pain and suffering in this world.

Please if you read this on 14 June 2011, keep all of us who will be visiting our members of Congress and our Senators today to speak on issues of hunger in your prayers and thoughts.

Peace be with you,

There are some problems with reading though… I haven’t been reading much beyond news stories and brief articles lately. Well, in preparation for sermons and other worship tasks I have found myself at least engaging a bit more in reading, but still not a lot. I’ve made steps to change this, including after many months of debates, and testimonies from trusted friends, the procurement of a Kindle. In the past week I have found myself reading a lot more. I’ve downloaded many free books, and bought one or two inexpensive ones. In the past week or so of having it I have found myself reading a bunch, reading the entirety of some works, in the middle of some, and read the samples to a few books that I decided against reading further, or putting aside for a future day. (I’ve been reading more in other forms as well..) I wasn’t so sure  about this endeavor and if it would truly help fill the need I had been craving to fill regarding reading. Would reading a book on an e-reader work for me. It isn’t my first experience with electronic books. Various articles, parts or entries of books have been read by my eyes upon computer screens over the years for school.

In the summer of 2004 I purchased by first e-book, somewhere I may have the file still. It was in Microsoft’s electronic reader format and I read it upon my pocket pc, it was a science fiction title and part of a series that I had been reading. The previous books in the series I got from the Kirtland Library, but this one they didn’t have. (I read a few books on that thing) It was okay, and I was able to get into the book, yet I must admit the e-ink screen and the larger screen of the Kindle is more enjoyable than the smaller screen of that pda, and navigation so much easier. It feels a lot closer to reading a real book, and I think it will pan out to be a good investment. Especially if after the “yeah I have this new to me thing I must use it” phase moves on. For I just can’t see myself not using it. (I guess if I get to a point where I read all the free books out there and don’t have funds to buy other books…). It’ll never completely replace  paper books for me… I now need both But it is so much better than any e-book reading experience I have ever had, and has a much more “book” feel to it…

There are a lot of things I think would be nice to have in e-book format that aren’t there right now. How wonderful would it be have a few multi volume biblical commentaries on it.. I love my hardbound commentaries and my paperback ones (well I have no full set, but I have several individual volumes), but I can’t easily take several volumes with me on a overnight hiking trip, while if they were available for on the Kindle I could hold up in my tent  (or next to it)  on the side of a volcano and read them for days on end..

Hmm, sounds all good. As you know I love reading BUT I’m also frustrated. why, because of a book I read. The book wasn’t one I normally would be drawn to but it was free, and was only a couple years old. (I was curious what type of recently written book would be free, it is the first of 3 in a series the others are not free so…) I started to read it and for the most part I thought it was going good. Well at least the first part was. Then in the last 1/4 – 1/3 or so of the book it went down hill. I had to keep reading as I found myself invested in the story and the characters, but well the quality of writing wasn’t as good, well it wasn’t consistent, it was like the author didn’t flush some things out, rushed to get some places, and also she started to throw in more religious elements… and the theology was often bad theology.  The ending of the story was rushed, and not flushed out, and very cheesy, cliché…. There were some okay things in the religious aspects, but a lot of it was just based on just plain bad theology. Some moral understandings that were drawn form the faith expressions were good (such as killing is wrong), but still the theology expressed and implied was for the most part bad… It made me frustrated, it made me angry at times. Perhaps more so is that I know that the theology expressed in places is popular, but it just isn’t good. I’m sure the author and others might argue with me, hey this stuff sells to the masses, but my theologically trained mind says “no”, my Community of Christ raised self says “no” this is not representative  of the peace of Christ, the eternal love of the Holy One… does not fully uplift the worth of all persons… 

But perhaps what made me the most frustrated, is in the description of the book no where does it mention it is a “religious themed” work, and in the first 1/2 or more there really is no clue, the mentions of faith etc. are things you might expect people of the time period and place to say and be part of their lives, it seems like a detail that is used to flush out and make the characters more realistic to the setting, and then wam, bam… and I don’t think some of the changes and the ways it goes about and is brought in fit with the characters, or with the period. Thus I had to force my self through the final chapters, frustrated by the bad theology expressed, the rapid changes in quality from one chapter to the next, and flipping back to the style of the first portion of the book… So I am frustrated… Had I known some of these things I probably wouldn’t have read the book… Now do I regret it, no for a large portion of it was entertaining… I just wished the author had flushed the book out more, and that the author had used better theology, and had used religion/faith in a way that fit more true to the rest of the book rather than the agenda that seemed to get pushed in a few chapters and didn’t flow… and have feelings similar to my own about this stuff… And that the marketing material of the book clearly expressed what type of book it was… rather than not mentioning it at all. It just amazes me that people express some of this stuff… even though I know a lot of people in the pew in many Christian traditions do embrace the type of stuff expressed in parts of this book, even if their tradition and/or their minsters don’t preach and teach it… and in part it gets promoted by works like this, actually I know the stuff in this is extremely tame compared to what I heard, read, seen  being expressed in some so called “Christian” fiction and “non fiction” out there… (My main issues perhaps is with the salvation theology expressed, and also some “it’s for the pest” “it’s part of a plan” that is not flushed out and they way it is left could devalue people and their experiences, their pain and suffering…

(I found the author’s web page and she expresses her writing in ways that makes it clear some expression and aspect of faith will be found in her writing… so it definitely was the marketing people who wrote up the blurb for the book that were misleading, maybe they just read the first part of the book…)

So yes, I love to read, but I am frustrated (I just finished the book before writing this), I’m looking forward to reading some old classics, and some non fiction stuff I have… If you have and books you think I should read, let me know. I’ll read just about anything… I may get frustrated by the quality of the writing… I may get frustrated by bad theology, but I still will enjoy reading.. Though I do prefer marking people being honest about the books…

Well time to sleep, so I get arise, work, and read tomorrow…

Peace