Walking Home

It was a Friday morning like every other Friday morning. Darrell had experienced questionable health the week previous that could be cause for alarm as he had received a kidney transplant just a year ago, but when he was walking, all was well. It was a cool crisp morning and the beautiful fall landscape lay before him.

What was he thinking as he made his way around his daily course, his personal journey, his moments of quiet reflection, his spiritual time. He was probably thinking about the night’s football game only hour away. The team depended on him for accurate records. He may have been thinking about his family, his wife, his children and grandchildren who depended on him for years of guidance and love. He may have been thinking about his church, the church that he had devoted years of service and leadership.

A bus driver waved as she passed and he rounded the corner by the school and headed for Home. We will never know what he was thinking on that pleasant November morning, but what we do know is that when he reached his earthly home he took one more step, the end of his earthly journey and the beginning of his eternal homecoming.

When I think of Darrell I am reminded of the Robert Frost Poem, the Road less Traveled. ..Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled… Darrell always took the high road, the one less traveled … and that made all the difference.

First Communion

Last Sunday our family gathered at our church to support and celebrate our grandboys first communion. It seems like only yesterday that they were decked out in white and received the first sacrament of the church, Holy Baptism. They were accepted into the community of Christ and marked as one of Christ's own.

With first communion we celebrate the next sacrament, receiving Holy Eucharist. The boys, six and eight years old, , attended training for their first communion. Early in the service I asked them what they were to do when they went to the alter rail. They answered seriously, "the same thing you and Nanny do." I paused for a moment reflecting on their simple response. What did I expect? The Lord's Supper is hard stuff. It is not completely comprehended by six and eight year olds, but there is plenty of time for the understanding part. That's what Sunday school and children's church is all about. Young children establish an importance for Holy Communion because our actions portray it as important. They will learn the mystery of Christ’s life on earth during confirmation classes.

It is only fitting that we renew our baptismal vows as a part of this service. Continuing the spiritual growth of our young people is not only the responsibility of parents and grandparents but a responsibility for the church membership as well.

As for Communion, we must remember that our children learn much of what they know from modeling the behavior of responsible adults. For now that will have to do.

A Day in the Woods

Enjoying an autumn morning on the trails with my wife,
Close to nature, Close to each other, Close to God.
The sun melts the dew.
Day replaces night with the cool crisp breezes of morning.
The sun bursts into the morning sky.
The brilliance of autumn is revealed.
A canvas of color as light reflects off the landscape.
Wind rustles the leaves.
Mixtures of greens, yellows, reds, and oranges all fading to browns,
Leaves falling aimlessly,
Creating a carpet on the forest floor.
Leaves rattle.
A squirrel scampers and gathers, preparing for harder times.
A reminder of the constancy of time.
The sun rises higher in the sky.
The woodland landscape transforms to a grassland.
Trees yield their dominance to tall and short prairie grasses swaying in the afternoon breezes.
The vanishing canopy allows for the growth of shrubs and other prairie constants.
An area of activity for birds and other critters.
Stilled by fall migrations, the area quiets in preparation for winter.
Our hike is over.
The sun starts it descent.
We gather.
A time to share.
New findings,
New adventures,
New friends.
Calmness at dusk,
The fireball of day cools to shades of red, purple, and pink .
Night returns, cool, damp, and quiet.
Faint sounds of darkness.
Chirping crickets.
Some peeper, hanging on to Indian Summer.
Wood burning.
The crackling camp fire,
Sparkling ambers break the night chill.
The moon takes dominance of the sky,
Stars and planets complete the night time canvas.
Our adventure is complete.
The world is at PEACE.

Why?

As Christians we are always asking why. Why do we notice when others ignore? Why do we care when others feel indifference? Why do we keep trying when quitting is easier? Why do we keep teaching when failure seems more common than any form of success? Why do we always come away from these challenges feeling defeated when our goal is winning? Why do we keep offering only to receive resistance?

The answer to this question came during our annual all school retreat. Our keynote speaker, a sister of mercy who spends a good deal of her life helping refugees, opened her presentation with the answer. We as Christians tackle life’s problems because “God Keeps Putting Them in Our Way?”

Believe it or not, sometimes, as Christians, we are able to break down the barriers. Sometimes are persistence pays off. Sometimes, even for just a few moments we feel a victory, an affirmation of God’s mysterious way.

If this is your first visit I would encourage you to start at the beginning. It's hard to understand anything without the beginning. - Calvin -