Why We Need Ash Wednesday

Create a clean heart for me, God;

put a new, faithful spirit deep inside me!

Psalm 51:10

Two unrelated events are on my mind this Ash Wednesday.
First, a story on our local news last night about an apparent hate crime in nearby Shepherdsville.  Our family lives in Mt. Washington and the church I pastor - Hebron Presbyterian - has a Shepherdsville address, but is actually several miles north of Shepherdsville; at the end of the day though, it's all Bullitt County.  So this was local.  The crime took place in a storefront in an older stripmall type structure.  It appeared to be something of a convenience store and was identified as a "Smoke Shop".  The place was ransacked, the stores contents thrown every which way and paint splashed here and there with vile words and messages included.  Ugly.  The owner of the store was reported to be from another country, but it was never clearly stated as to where.  It's an important detail I guess, but the basic ugliness of what this appears to be needs no further explanation.

Second, I just read news accounts of the death of American print journalist Marie Colvin and French photo journalist Remi Orchlik after they came under intense fire while reporting the events currently going on in Syria.  The story of reports filed in the past couple of days by Ms. Colvin were especially poignant as she pleaded with the world to pay attention to the slaughter taking place in Syria and very specifically reported of the death of a two year old child as a result of the shelling.

Somehow these two unrelated events make me even more aware of why we need Ash Wednesday, why we need Lent, why we need Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter.  We need today because there is much that we need to turn from, much in our lives and in our world that requires repentance.  There is a brokenness that is at times beyond our comprehension.  It's in far off places like Syria and it's much closer by in Shepherdsville and it's still closer in myself.  I need and we need the space of Lent to prepare and to reflect.  And I/we need to embrace the reality of how very much we need what Christ has done for us - how completely necessary is this Lenten journey.

Lots of Water

I'm guessing no one has ever played a football game with John 3:23 emblazoned on their eye blacks.

"John was baptizing at Aenon near Salem because there was lots of water there, and people were coming to him to be baptized."

I've surely read this verse before, but it's never caught me like it has today.  It seems so almost innocuous.  Kind of telling us something obvious.  John was baptizing at a place because there was lots of water there - of course he was.  He's John the Baptizer, it's what he does and what he does what he does with.

Maybe it's saying something about the water.  It puts me in the mind of another New Testament passage - from Acts 8 - Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch.  Phillip shares the good news with the Ethiopian and then "As they went down the road, they came to some water."  Yep. They just happened to come to some water on a desert road just when they happened to need some.  "The eunuch said, 'Look!  Water!  What would keep me from being baptized?'"  Well...nothing.

John's got plenty of water for baptizing.  Phillip, it turned out, had plenty of water for baptizing.  John needed lots.  Phillip just needed some to show up in a pretty unlikely place.  They both got what they needed - water.  I think neither John nor Phillip was surprised to find the water they needed.  I'm afraid that too often the surprise to we mainline Christians wouldn't be that we have water, but that we could need "lots" of it.  We have received a wonderful gift - baptism, named and claimed as God's own people.  And we, like John, have lots of water.  John was expecting to use it - he knew he'd need lots of water.

I want to have that kind of expectation.

Our seminary student at Hebron, Maureen Clark, has guided us into a practice that our denomination has suggested churches make a part of the service of worship.  Each week we pour water into our baptismal font.  Sometimes at the prayer of confession and assurance of pardon.  During the sermon.  During the children's time.  Call To Worship.  Benediction.  It could happen any time.  It's been poured by Maureen, by myself, by children, youth and adults.  People like it best when the big pourers do it.  Folks who hold the pitcher high and let them see the water fall and hear the unmistakable sound it makes as it reminds us of our baptism, as it reminds us of the endless ways water winds its way through the stories of Scripture.

It reminds us that water is not scarce.  Water is available and abundant.  We have lots.  No need to imagine that it's scarce or that the font is maybe even empty.  We have been blessed.  Folks came to John, a man came to Phillip (okay, technically I guess Phillip was led to that man), God sends people to us and we are sent to people.  And there is lots of water.  Lots.

Unity

A thing Jesus did not say:  "Come follow me.  Until you hear me say something or see me do something you disagree with."
Cheryl Mound is a member of the United Church Women of the United Church of Canada.  I don't know her.  But I read her devotional.  She was up on January 2, 2012 in "These Days" (a quarterly devotional magazine produced by the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation).  I read Cheryl's words on January 2 and have been returning to them regularly since.
"God calls us to live in a faith community as Jesus did.  We are not meant to walk alone or to avoid debate among ourselves.  Others are there to travel with us on the journey.  When we walk with others, God walks with us.  As this year unfolds, let us take opportunities to live as God intends."
In that brief paragraph something came together for me that for whatever reason had been jumbled up to that point.  Yes, God is relational within God's own being - an idea we try to put words to when we talk about the Trinity.  And, yes, God created us to be in relationship with God and with one another.  And I think these ideas have always been core ideas for me.  But never so vividly or concretely.
We live in a divisive time in the denomination I'm a part of (the Presbyterian Church USA) and in the larger world - our present political climate could be exhibit A.  And somehow, division came to seem not only possible, but in some instances preferable.  As though the highest value we could aspire to would be some sort of imagined purity - we will walk only with those who agree with us at every point.  There is an allure to this.  Purity isn't a bad thing.  It's almost certainly preferable to impurity.
There are though, I believe, multiple problems with this approach to our relationships - the main problem being if we keep it up we won't have any relationships. Really.  We will either at one point or another find a reason to part ways with nearly everyone OR we will learn to never say what we really think, feel, believe in our heart of hearts so as not to lose contact with those about whom we care.  The former is a progressive winnowing process.  The latter is a progressive dishonesty process.
I am thinking that Cheryl Mound has it right. We are not meant to walk alone.  And we are not meant to avoid debate among ourselves.  We are meant to walk in relationship and to honestly share what we believe about God and faith and matters of importance.  We are also meant to listen to others as they walk with us and share about God and faith and matters of importance from the place where they live.  And we are meant to have conversation, dialogue and debate about those things.  And in that conversation the other may learn and we may learn and we may both find ourselves in someplace we had not imagined and would never have visited on our own.
I cannot categorically state that there are not instances when the healthiest thing for a person or group of people to do is to part company with another person or group of people.  However, with a great nudge from Cheryl Mound I'm increasingly likely to say that working at the relationship with tenacity and perseverance and faith even when (and perhaps even more so) it's a challenge is the healthiest alternative available.

Top 10 (+7) Of 2011

Inspired by my son Cameron's blog for his high school news magazine I've decided to throw together a top ten list of songs for 2011.  To be truthful, not a great year for music, but there are some bright spots.  At least one qualifier, I've got nothing against Adele, I just don't hear her right I guess.

Top Ten of 2011

1.      Brighter Than The Sun – Colbie Caillet

Bringing back Fleetwood Mac type vibe and that’s a good thing.

2.     Tonight, Tonight – Hot Chelle Rae

Perfect pop confection.  Flawless.

3.     This Is Country Music – Brad Paisley

What the title says.  Cliché upon cliché reminds that cliché begins somewhere in truth, which is what country does better than any genre.

4.      Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall – Coldplay

These guys are magic.  Physically unable to make bad music.

5.      Good Life – One Republic

A guilty pleasure I think, but a really sonically pleasing one.

6.     You and Tequila – Kenny Chesney (with Grace Potter)

Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter do what you would least expect – understated.

7.      Back To December – Taylor Swift

       Lovely.

8.      Paris – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

“If I was from Paris I would say….”  Not understated at all.  Big time fun.

9.     You and I – Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga pulls off the unlikely, only Gaga could do it, task of suggesting mid 70’s Elton John, sounding like the lost Shania Twain single, and building in a Brian May signature moment. 

10   Mean – Taylor Swift

Another great song by a great songwriter.  Most of us just live through pain, heartbreak, joy, ordinary events, etc.  Taylor Swift lives through it and then writes a great song about it.

11  Edge Of Glory –Lady Gaga

Clarence Clemons last great moment.   The Big Man was on the charts when he left us.

12.  Crazy Girl – Eli Young Band

Not quite as good as the best off of “Jet Black and Jealous”, but still a cut above most country folks.

13.  For The First Time – The Script

A pop song about making a relationship work in a tough economy.  Wonder how this found an audience.

14.  Moves Like Jagger – Maroon  5

While it’s unlikely anyone actually has the moves like Jagger (except Mick himself), this song is catchy like Maroon 5.

15. The One That Got Away – Katy Perry

Music sounds like Katy Perry, lyrics sound like Taylor Swift.

16. Superheavy – Miracle Worker

Mick chimes in with “There’s nothing wrong with you I can’t fix!  I comea runnin’ with my little bag o’ tricks.”  That guy still has the moves like Jagger. 

17.  Modern Love – Matt Nathanson

Thoughtful pop that sneaks up on you by not trying to hard.

To check out Cameron's list...

http://ww2.bullittschools.org/BEHSLiveWire/index.php/2011/12/31/12-31-2011-all-you-need-is-love-2-best-and-worst-songs-of-2011/

Taylor Swift and Daughter's Who Grow Up

My daughter has been anticipating attending a concert for more than a year.  Her brother went to one and she was promised tickets for a concert when she saw one she liked.  She knew what she was waiting for - when Taylor Swift announced a date for Louisville in July 2011 she said, "That's it."  So I dutifully was at the keyboard some morning in March, I think, at 10:00 a.m. and ordered tickets.  Come the day of the concert and Miss Swift was forced to postpone due to illness.  Concert rescheduled - on the night of a Middle School Girls basketball game - the one thing that could deter my daughter from her date with destiny.  So we sold the tickets.  Turns out Swift would be in Lexington on October 29 AND the basketball team would participate in a tournament on that same day.  Drama.  Would the games end early enough to allow us to make it to the concert?  Joy!  Which is to say, yes.
So to Rupp Arena with 16,000 other fans (largely teenage and younger girls and their parents).  I was thrilled to see Eliza that happy.  And it seemed like a nice atmosphere - this will be a nice evening for the kids I thought.  Well, and for me to it turns out.  Taylor Swift is not simply some confection created by a record label somewhere.  Based on what I saw - she's the real thing.  I've been a passive fan all along - I don't find much fault with  her music, actually like a good bit of it and am much impressed by the fact that she writes these songs.  I was already convinced she was a prodigiously talented artist.  What I was not prepared for was the level of competence of the performer.  Not a veteran of a ton of concerts, but have seen more than a few including several by my own personal favorite, Bruce Springsteen.  Taylor Swift began the show by walking down the long ramp to the front of the elaborate stage and stood in the spotlight and immediately owned the room.  She is no opera singer, but do not believe the naysayers, her voice is fine and she wields it with precision.  The songs featured choreographed dance numbers, some pyrotechnics here and there, a short set performed at the back of the arena on the floor seated under a rotating tree, and wonderful energy along with a strong connection with her audience.  Stunning command of the room.  And all of 21 years old.
And the songs.  Swift took the stage at 8:30 and played till 10:50.  She played many songs I knew, a few I didn't (but my daughter certainly did) and she pulled off the remarkable feat of playing all that time and left you thinking, hey she didn't do...(Tim McGraw, Teardrops On My Guitar, White Horse and more).  To be so young and to have such a full catalog of what I will argue are not only passable, but in most instances very good songs is really beyond imagination.
High point of the evening.  In the quiet section of the show she sang a song I did not know called "Never Grow Up".
Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all your little brother's favorite songs
I just realized that everything I have
Is someday going to be gone
Oh, I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
Could still be little
Oh, I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
It could still be simple
Dylan?  Not so much.  But nicely crafted pop song with a surprisingly self aware reflection on the passage of time?  Yes.  And try having your 13 year old daughter sing it in the seat next to you and put her head on your shoulder.  Geez, am I crying at a Taylor Swift concert.  Maybe.  Misty anyway.
Great show.  Taylor Swift.  I'm a fan.

Dust

There was a picture on one of the front pages of the Courier-Journal yesterday of a man from Louisville who had been in New York City on September 11, 2001.  The picture showed him standing in a cathedral sanctuary holding a pair of dress shoes.  The shoes were covered in dust.   They were, of course, the shoes he was wearing on that day ten years ago and the dust was the debris of the events of that day.  For a few moments before heading to church I sat with that picture in my lap and listened as on the television family members read the names of husbands and wives, sons and daughters - the names of people who had died that day read by those who live with the memory.

And I got to thinking about those shoes covered in dust. Those shoes are all of us.  We are all covered in the dust of the debris of that day. I love that, at our August Session meeting, one of our elders asked if we would be touching on the events of 9/11 in our September 11 worship service. I love it because I think it's a great question coming from one of the folks providing spiritual leadership for the congregation - expressing concern for the need for our worship to speak to the world where we live.  I don't know how we would have worshiped yesterday and not acknowledge the dust that has settled on our national psyche post 9/11/01.

The lectionary for the week demonstrated the uncanny ability of ancient scripture to speak a compelling, challenging, contemporary word to every moment in life.  From Matthew's gospel we read of Jesus instruction to forgive seventy times seven times, or seventy-seven times or basically as many times as we have the opportunity to forgive.  Jesus clearly knows forgiveness is not an easy task, understands that and asks for it anyway.  It's what we have received and now it's what we are to practice.  From Romans we were reminded that the judgment seat doesn't have our name on it - we don't get to sit there.  Our energy is not well spent judging others, far more productive is the time we spend asking how we are doing in terms of how we might face such an accounting at this very moment.

The anniversary of September 11 is a day that I don't believe will ever slip quietly by.  There is just all that dust.  Thanks be to God who walks with us to meet the most unspeakable of challenges and grants us the resources - the love, the compassion, the forgiveness - that allow us to live in ways that do not ignore the dust,but rather enable us, day by day, to polish, to shine, to live towards God's better tomorrow.

(The man in the picture is Sean Higgins. To read the C-J piece on Sean Higgins, click on or cut and paste the following...)

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20110911/EXTRAS17/309110078/1001/Survivor-Sean-Higgins-has-searing-memories-9-11?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|p

Dropping Off, Picking Up

We picked up Eliza from Aldersgate camp in late July.  We had dropped her off for several days at her Granny and Grandads and then she had gone on to camp.  So we'd been apart for a week and a few days.  Now we'd made our way through Richmond and Irvine and wound are way to the camp that has been a part of Cameron and Eliza's lives from the time they were each about four for the purpose of picking her up.  A few days later we were off to Murray Kentucky to pick up Cameron from his five week stay with the Governor's Scholars Program where we'd dropped him off in the waning days of June.
Dropping off and picking up are a primary part of the skill set for this parent.  I like doing it and I'm mostly okay at it, although I'm late more often than I should be.  Dropping off and picking up has been going on since the days of the day care across the street from our house in Prestonsburg (Cameron was there briefly), preschool at the Baptist Learning Center in Prestonsburg (a gloriously blessed place), Mountain Christian Academy in Martin, Kentucky (Cameron's school K-5 and Eliza's K-1), Mount Washington Elementary (Eliza 2-5), Mount Washington Middle (Cameron for three years and Eliza entering her third) and Bullitt East High School (Cameron entering his fourth and final year this very day).
Dropping off and picking up is what we parents do.  School, friends houses, dance lessons, soccer practices, basketball practices, we deliver our children, they learn, play, grow and we pick them up and bring them home.  I especially am fond of the bringing them home part.  I truly enjoy the moment when they emerge from the school, even on the grumpy mood days for the most part, the moment when they come into view and climb into the car and are ours again.  For a while.
The routine worked a little differently this year.  Cameron's friend picked him up and took him for his first day of his Senior year of high school.  It's a movement which Eliza mitigated the effects of a bit by assuring me that I could take her to school.  She was playing, but she also knows how emotionally fragile her dad is with things like this, so it was an appreciated gesture.
All of it points to a time when in some figurative way we will drop them off at the next phase of life and the picking up will be a thing of the past.  So a word from a fragile dad to any parents reading these words - savor the picking up and dropping off.  Don't become frustrated when the task becomes necessarily complicated by laborious comparing of your schedule and your spouses schedule and your in-laws schedule and your friends schedules to see that all the ports (both of exit and entry) are covered.  Enjoy the rhythm of the dropping off and picking up.  It is a gift.  Every time.