February 2014 – searchingforthinplaces

Logistics

The time is drawing closer and closer for the pilgrimage and it is time for logistics. No, not UPS, but I do understand their pleasure in logistics. Time for some detail work. Much of the big details were decided last year about his time. When can we leave? When will we return? Will we haveContinue reading “Logistics”

God will never forget us

Isaiah 49:14-15, Psalm 62, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, Matthew 6:24-34 You have to read the texts for this weeks lectionary very closely, because you can misunderstand the underlying subtext. The theme through all of these is that “God will never forget us.” The Matthew text is probably the one with which we are most familiar, theContinue reading “God will never forget us”

What kids pick up

One of the greatest and gravest responsibilities I have is the confirmation class of 11 and 12 year olds. We choose that age because they are just entering that early formal operational stage, where asking questions and challenging the status quo is becoming pro forma. We spend the first several months learning about the detailsContinue reading “What kids pick up”

Snow day

Don’t laugh. We had a snow day. Actually we had two snow/ice days. One of them legitimate and the other sort of a pre-false alarm. And I know it sounds absurd that less than .5 inches of snow should bring an entire community to a halt, but understand we don’t have the skills or equipmentContinue reading “Snow day”

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Night out on the town, sort of

I have rented out part of my home to a friend who is attending culinary school. This works out for me on so many different levels, not the least of which is a designated “night out on the town, sort of.” Because she is in culinary school and not from Louisiana, she is interested inContinue reading “Night out on the town, sort of”

Walking with poles

Of all the new equipment I am learning to use for my Camino pilgrimage, I think I like my trekking poles the best They are probably only practical for pilgrimage walking or hiking, I don’t see any real use for them day to day. Poles can range from cheap and useless to very expensive andContinue reading “Walking with poles”

These are hard things

Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18; Psalms 103; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23; Matthew 5:38-48 Nothing that starts out in Leviticus will be easy. No matter how simple it seems. For that reason we tend to stay away from that text. Who wants to do the hard things? We rationalize it by saying, “oh that is the Old Testament.”Continue reading “These are hard things”

Music of the church

I love traditional worship. Especially the music. Especially hymns, played on the organ, loud. Really loud. I would be the equivalent of a person who enjoys loud rock n’ roll, (which I also enjoy), except that it would be loud organ music (until you can feel your mitral valve vibrate). One of the things thatContinue reading “Music of the church”

Sometimes it is what you say

I do love my ministry at the College. But it is a challenge. I am teaching, along with about 100 colleagues, adults who without this education stand no chance at a meaningful career or employment that will be life sustaining. I know that I need to teach them, not only the content, but the skillsContinue reading “Sometimes it is what you say”