Having Fun Yet?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

It’s gone bankrupt, so how about a bailout from war?

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Even if we turn to you only when all else fails, I’d say that’s okay. I might wish and choose to turn to you sooner, but there is a lot to be said for trying to do things for ourselves. In addition, turning to you at last is certainly better than not turning to you at all.

Do you ever then put people on hold? Or perhaps say, “I’ll get back to you?” I don’t think so. But then, I think of you not as last hope but as best hope. In the end you will understand, you have considered all the evidence and can discern truly and fairly how my life stands up in terms of authenticity and integrity. You comprehend the struggles, mitigating circumstances, and achievements. And yours is the opinion that matters – at the last. I can live with that.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Are we having fun yet?”

[He liked to party, but nobody recorded Him asking this question. Too bad.]

D. Blog: A Haiku

When this life is over
I’ll have no complaints
I’ve had a total blast.

Healthcare Critic

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Tolerance. Understanding. Trust. Hope. Faith. Forgiveness. Empathy. Not only spiritual values, but also milestones on the road to peace.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Your ways are not our ways, but we strive for your righteousness and peace.
Your ways are not our ways, but we strive for your mercy and forgiveness.
Your ways are not our ways, but we strive for your faithfulness and grace.
Your ways are not our ways, but we strive for your justice and love.
Your ways are not our ways, but we ask you to mold us ever more in your image.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“How many reindeer can land on the head of a pin?”

[Just kidding. He never said it.]

D. Blog: A Silent Critic of US Healthcare

A woman dies of heart failure at age 66. Tests in the hospital before she died showed that she had experienced mini-strokes and two heart attacks at some points in the past. Family and friends were shocked because she seemed to be in excellent health and took good care of herself. A nephew revealed that she had worked in a doctors’ office for many years before her retirement at age 62, but she never went to a doctor for her own health care.

Someone asked the nephew, “Some kind of fear?”

“Sure. She knew some doctors, so she wanted no part of their treatment.”

Last Rites?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I’m gonna sing when the Spirit says “Peace Now!”

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One, Mother Goddess,

We carry many burdens, from the confusing array of decisions to the ethical dilemmas we face, from the physical and mental ailments that threaten our lives to the larger societal issues that create grave uncertainty for us.

You see and understand our burdens, for you too have been and are part of this life with us. You share the burdens with us, so much so that over time even those troubles become blessings. For you always look out for us.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Three ball in the side pocket.”

[Three is supposed to be His number, but sorry, He never said this.]

D. Blog: Calling the Last Rites

A man is struck by a bus on a busy street in New York City. He lies dying on the sidewalk as a crowd of spectators gathers around. "A priest! Somebody get me a priest!" the man gasps.

A policeman checks the crowd but finds no priest, no minister, no clergy of God of any kind."A PRIEST, PLEASE!" the dying man says again.

Then out of the crowd steps a little old Jewish man of at least eighty years of age."Mr. Policeman," says the man, "I'm not a priest. I'm not even a Catholic. But for fifty years now I'm living behind St. Mary's Catholic Church on Third Avenue, and every night I'm listening to the Catholic litany. Maybe I can be of some comfort to this man."

The policeman agrees and brings the octogenarian over to the dying man. He kneels down, leans over the injured and says in a solemn voice: "B - 4. I - 19. N - 38. G - 54. O - 72."

Wonky??

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Your war will just have to go on without me.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I greet you on another day of wonders and surprises. Even after the countless years of creation, you continue to delight and challenge us with change and newness. I wonder that we anthropomorphize and personalize you, but our minds are more at home with the concrete and particular, rather than the spiritual and universal. I am grateful that yo came in the form of a person and for shining through other persons so that we can know you despite our limitations. Today I am particularly thankful for knowing you in ways that deepen and broaden my vision of you, ways that push the limits of my words to express how vast, how awesome, how grand, how creative, how loving you are.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“How did the popcorn get on the ceiling?”

[Well we might wonder, but He never did.

D. Blog: Word of the Week - Wonky/Wonk

[From urbandictionary.com]:

“WONKY”

weird, whacked out, messed up, not working for no definable reason. Usually applied to technology.

"Dude, you have the wonkiest computer in the world. I walked through the room and it crashed."

[From merriam-webster.com]:

Etymology:
probably alteration of English dialect wankle, from Middle English wankel, from Old English wancol; akin to Old High German wankōn to totter (see “wench”)
Date: 1918
1British : Unsteady, Shaky
2chiefly British : Awry, Wrong

[And from the Online Etymology Dictionary]:

WONK

"overly studious person," 1954, Amer.Eng. student slang, popularized 1993 during Clinton administration in U.S.; perhaps a shortening of Brit. slang wonky "shaky, unreliable" (1919), which perhaps is from Ger. wankel- or from surviving dialectal words based on O.E. wancol "shaky, tottering" (see “wench”). Or perhaps a variant of Brit. Slang “wanker” (masturbator.) It was earlier British naval slang for "midshipman" (1929).

Wouldn't Want to Live There

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

“When peace goes away, I cry.” – Emily, age 8.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

You are the ultimate possibility thinker. Some of us can be quite glib with the quotation that in you all things are possible. But they are. And you make more possibilities possible than we can possibly realize. Yo place so many possibilities before us each day that I could never deep track of them. I wonder how any of us can ever be bored. My conclusion: boredom is above all a failure of imagination. You certainly don’t have that problem. Why, with your imagination. Even the impossible becomes possibility. It makes life extremely interesting for us.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“This pastry is to die for!... Wait, that doesn’t sound right.”

[So He never said it.]

D. Blog: OBX

We just spent a few days on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. An okay place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. Apparently that’s the attitude even of many of the “locals”. They tend to live on the inner islands or the mainland. I know I would if I chose to live in the area. Who wants to deal with the strong winds and colder weather all the time. And who wants to contend with the thousands of tourists when the weather is better. Along the ocean front side of the banks, almost all of the buildings are large rental properties (thousands of them) for tourists who come to enjoy the ocean and the beaches, and who don’t have to stay and deal with the annual threat of having their homes damaged or destroyed during hurricane season. A tourist haven, perhaps, but not a place to live.

Eyes Watching God

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Of the dreamers of peace there shall be no end.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Guide me, for I can’t always see the path.
Guide me, for I grow weary.
Guide me, for I tend to follow distractions.
Guide me, for I have much to do.
Guide me, for I want to do the needful and kind things.
Guide me, for I want to reach my home with you.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Which way to the Jerusalem Renaissance Faire?”

[It never took hold, so He didn’t say this.]

D. Blog: Are We God’s Paparazzi?

Some time ago I read Zora Neale Hurston’s book, “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” The title came from a line in the book that described looking out into a dark night where the characters could see nothing, but their eyes were watching God.

I think it’s a terrific image. When we encounter trouble, we watch for signs of the Holy One to guide us through it. At the same time, I wonder whether God might get tired of being watched all the time. Like celebrities, I imagine God could be self-conscious and a little angry. Being invisible makes good sense; makes it easier for God to get things done without us snooping around all the time.

In addition, watching doesn’t necessarily lead to any sort of relationship, often just some vicarious thrill and some name-dropping with our friends. I believe listening is the better approach to establishing relationship.

Did He See Light at the End of the Tunnel?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I bid one peace. That’s trump, you know.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

You are steady and constant, but my experience of you is inconsistent. I am the one who becomes distracted, have my attention waver, and forget what I’m doing. I’m grateful that you make allowances for my lack of focus. Or perhaps you intend it to be that way. After all, you made the world such a place of varied experience and multiple delights and curiosities, what else could you expect?

You can be steady and constant enough for both of us.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

[We can play with this one, but He never said it.]

D. Blog: Divine Light

Sometimes the divine light shines like the sun, brightening all that is for as far as we can see, supplying energy and sustenance in quantities we can hardly imagine.
Sometimes the divine light shines like a torch, bold and bright in the night, daring the night to extinguish the torchlight, and thus giving courage and hope to those who walk in the range of that bright light.
Sometimes the divine light shines like a flickering candle, seemingly vulnerable, but offering the hint and the hope that there is much more than the apparent dark night. In the flickering candle, too, there is hope, less bold, but for that all the more inspiring.

Dialogue with God

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I have a dream that one day we will have a Secretary of Peace.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

You are the center around which our lives radiate. You are the place from which we go out and to which we return. You are the source who supply our instructions and to whom we report. When we run into difficulty, we turn to you for directions and advice. When we meet something unfamiliar, we consult you for your wisdom and experience. We depend on you to supply what we need. We count on you to be there for us no matter where we go. The amazing thing is that you can be with us in a flash. There is never a problem with your communications equipment, although ours has been know to go on the blink.

You are the bedrock, the touchstone upon and around whom our lives gravitate. We could not, even if we wanted to, escape the gravitational pull that comes from you. Who wants to escape, though? Those who think they do are only reacting to a debased image of you. I know you’re my home base.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“No, really, John. I want to know. What part of love don’t people understand?”

[I wonder about that, too, but He never asked.]

D. Blog: Dialogue with God

“Which way to Heaven?”

“It’s in your midst.”

“Yes, but how do I get there?”

“With your neighbors.”

“Okay, but which ones are the right neighbors?”

“Wrong question. Just be a right neighbor.”

You Never Know

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I have a dream that one day we will have a pacifist President.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Hear our sobs. Hear our hoorays.
Hear our sighs. Hear our hallelujahs.
Hear our groans. Hear our ecstasy.
Hear our moans. Hear our eurekas.
Hear our cries. Hear our chuckles.
Hear our oh nos. Hear our ahas.
Hear our prayers.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“You want to know how many angels will fit in the eye of a needle?”

[He didn’t know how to answer. Never said it either.]

D. Blog: Meetings

Meetings create anxiety, whether formal group meetings or informal first meetings or reunions. I imagine that Jacob and Esau had butterfly stomachs when they met again after many years. We read about Jacob’s disturbing dream the night before. I imagine Esau slept poorly as well. Who knew what might happen? In a meeting. Where the spirit of God is present.

Praying Twice

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

The work of peace is neither liberal nor conservative. It is human and divine. Thus its association with the birth of Jesus.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

You could have made plants without their colorful flowers, roses without their wonderful aroma. You could have made trees without their amazing variety of shapes and sizes, leaves and bark. You could have made birds more alike and with croaks rather than songs.
You could have made people uniform and colorless, plain and without inspiration or wonder and creativity.
That you did none of these things leads me to know that you love beauty, you desire things and people that are beautiful inside and out.
It’s a wonderful world.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Your dreadlocks look amazing, Jubelina.”

[No, it never occurred to Him, then…]

D. Blog: Praying Twice

There is a saying that anyone who sings prays twice. With our singing we express ourselves on multiple levels, one of them being, at least some of the time, a spiritual one. In those moments, Divinity is present. If angels sing God’s praises, so can we. Some music tries to make a point; the “music of the spheres” aims to make a connection. If we connect, we are usually in the Spirit. A woman leads a congregation in singing hymns, they connect. A soloist moves the hearts of his listeners by the beauty of his voice. A girl sings a long in honor of her grandfather at his funeral, causing many tears to shed. They all make music, and the Holy One delights in it. Voices raised in song rather than in angry shouts are a sign of grace and peace.

Deal or No Deal?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

The peace, the whole peace, and nothing but the peace, so help us God.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I marvel at the wonders you work with rushing streams: soothing, cooling, quenching thirst, cleansing, purifying, carving rock, supplying the need in all life through an amazingly complex water cycle, refreshing and inspiring. It goes on all the time, but mostly we don’t notice. Only when there’s a problem with our water supply. Then we notice pretty quickly.

I like these mountain streams. They show a lot of variety in rapids, ripples and falls. They have a song like nothing else. They are a beautiful way to bring sustaining water from your mountains to a thirsting people below.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“So here’s my offer, Pilate. You leave Jerusalem alone and I won’t bother Rome. Mess with me and Jerusalem, though, and I take over Rome. Deal or no deal?”

[Since He remained silent before Pilate, He did not make this offer.]

D. Blog: Sustaining Fire

A suspicious fire in our town the other night. Nobody hurt, but the fire consumed a prominent establishment about to go into foreclosure, people wonder if the owner reached a point of desperation, saw no way out but to try to cheat the insurance company. We just wonder…

But apparently insurance companies can’t afford to pay their bills either. Propping up an unsustainable lifestyle with dubious measures leaves a lot going up in smoke.

It's Sara and Dippity!

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Peace in our time. I’m a believer. It’s far more credible than the physical return of Jesus.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

When vehicles crash on highways, you are our refuge.
When fire consumes its victims, you are our refuge.
When violence kills in city streets, you are our refuge.
When drugs infect our neighborhoods, you are our refuge.
When lethal threats lurk in the mail, you are our refuge.
When planes fly into buildings, you are our refuge.
When children attack other children in schools, you are our refuge.
When death-dealing seems routine, you are our refuge.
You declare that life is to be treasured.
You command against killing.
You proclaim that there are better ways to express our grievances and settle our differences.
You send prophets who say justice will roll down like a might river.
You affirm that life can be better for all.
You promise that even when death comes, it is no the final answer, it does not have the final say.
You are our refuge. Your will be done.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Explain how I can text Dad on this thing.”

[Hmm.. The Text, maybe, but not in this sense.]

D. Blog: Serendipity??

[From Trivia-library.com]:

Serendipity - The faculty for making desirable discoveries by accident. English novelist Horace Walpole (1717-1797) so named a faculty possessed by the three heroes of his story The Three Princes of Serendip.

[From ExperienceFestival.com]:

The fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip is based upon the life of Persian king Bahram Gur who ruled the Sasanian Empire from ca. 420-440 AD. Stories of his rule are told in epic poetry of the region (Firdausi's Shahnameh 1010 AD, Nizami's Haft Paykar 1197 AD, Khusrau's Hasht Bihisht 1302 AD), parts of which are based upon historical facts with embellishments derived from folklore going back hundreds of years to oral traditions in India and The Book of One Thousand and One Nights.

Did He Say "Help!"?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

When did peace ever care about who is most powerful or who is richest?

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I might compare you to the mechanic who takes care of my car, or to the technician who fixes my computer when it goes wacky. You do that for us, but we may take your caring for granted. If you charged for it, would we value you more? Probably not. I expect we might grow to resent you because we become so dependent on your care. As it is, your care is free of charge and we are free to notice or not notice as we will. I appreciate your care, and I try to pay attention so I notice when it’s especially timely.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Help! I need somebody!”

[Not what He said when He was arrested.]

D. Blog: Let’s Talk about Sin

Some years ago, I learned a variation of the “Jesus Prayer” that goes: “Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.” I have come to have serious reservations about defining myself first and foremost as a sinner.

I am admittedly a sinner, but first and foremost I am a child of God. I am a sinner, but that is secondary to my being made in the image of God. There are dark places in my personality, but much more of me is bathed in light. I sin, but I also commit acts of kindness, goodness and generosity. Even if I approach God in such prayer, the emphasis should be on the merciful goodness of Divinity rather than on what’s bad about me.

When Christian teachers and preachers put the emphasis on human sin, they are wrong. Out of that approach comes a religion of guilt and legalism, a restricting religion that leads to narrow life instead of abundant life. I believe that Christ wants no part of it.

Sin Spin

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Get me to the peace on time!

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Some people act as if you might vaporize them if they question you. They forget about Job. They also stunt their own spiritual growth. I think you enjoy our questions, find them entertaining in a way. I think you might even say “Try questioning; you might like it!”
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Don’t step on my blue suede sandals.”

[He never said it.]

D. Blog: Hating Sin

It is said that we should hate the sin but love the sinner. I wonder if we need another distinction that says God hates sinful acts not for themselves but for the destructive consequences they have on the human community. Adultery might not be so bad, but it leads to broken marriages and broken families. Stealing/greed might be redistribution of wealth and property, but it leads to loss of trust in and respect for one another in a society. Failure to keep a Sabbath day might allow for other kinds of rest and renewal, but it also leads people to honor commerce more than they honor God, leading to a society in which people are honored for their monetary value more than their spiritual value. I can’t see a positive spin for murder; its effect in society is to raise levels of fear and anxiety and distrust.

All sin, individual and corporate, damages people and damages society. God is against it.

God as Programmer

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

They say everything has a price. I’d say the price of peace is much lower than the price of war and it has far greater benefits. So those who market war must do an unbelievable job.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

You are one boss programmer (or more formally, senior programmer). You set it all in place. You made the universe function in ways that make us marvel when we begin to understand them. The multitude of applications and operating systems stretch beyond the capacity of our super computers. Your codes are elegant in design and efficient in performance.

Do you hack, too? Maybe you can get into my system and fix the bug that’s hampering my central processor. I don’t need to know you’re working on it. I’ll notice when it’s up and running as it should.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“I love that you built this tiki bar, Zacchaeus! You tax collectors have something going, don’t you?”

[He was big on appreciative inquiry, but He never said this.]

D. Blog: A Haiku

Each day I awake to an
Empty cup. I look and I say:
“More, please.”

He Never Said It!

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Let each step be a step toward peace.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

It’s one of the most popular images we have for you, the shepherd caring for needy and oft-straying sheep. You bring us back to the fold, guide us by safe paths and clean streams of water. You are wise enough to let us go “on our own” so we gain self-confidence. You give us other sheep with experience to lead us where you want us to go.

But, I want to say, there are same who put the bells on themselves and lead others astray. There are also wolves in sheep’s clothing; they devour a lot of unsuspecting sheep. Some sheep swear by them. We’re better off if we just keep our eyes and ears tuned to you. Any lead sheep that isn’t wise and gentle as you are should be ignored.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“I’ll have to die on a cross so God will forgive you for your sins.”

[The way that idea flies around at this time of year, you’d think it would be in one of the gospels. He never said it.]

D. Blog: Stretching

There are times and places I’d rather not be stretched, but I don’t seem to be the one in control of that. A good thing, that, as otherwise I would still be the shape I was in as a teenager, which is a shape okay for a teenager, but hardly for a “mature” adult. Now I rather like the way my apparent limits have been gradually stretched until they have expanded to encompass new insights and attitudes. If I resist stretching, I risk becoming brittle enough to snap. Stretching is good exercise – for muscles and for personality. I hope it continues.

God in the Details

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

If you’ve seen one empire, you’ve seen them all. We can do better.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

You do more than listen when we communicate with you. Your ears overhear our sighs, you read our body language, you pick up on the cues that tell you our needs, hopes, fears and dreams. More so than the best of parents, you are attuned to us and mark our growth and development. Your spirit connection with our spirit keeps you informed at the deepest level of who we are. Whether we’re conscious of it or not, our thoughts are heard as readily by you as are our words. You hear the prayers we can’t even think. How wonderful is this connection to you. Teach us to make use of it, to enjoy the intimacy you offer.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“The force be with you.”

[Not in so many words, no, He never said it.]

D. Blog: In the Details

I don’t know who should get credit for saying that God is in the details, but I appreciate it. The life force certainly pays attention to details. And we, when we pay close attention to details in our environment, will discover the presence and activity of a divine source.

The detail in the dose of a medication will determine the difference between ineffective, cure, and overdose. I am invariably dismissive of sales approaches that can’t get the details of my name correct. I wonder if God could ever have the same reaction toward us when we have misconceptions about who God is, if we don’t get straight some of the details of the identity of divinity. My hunch is that, as in my case, it depends on the motivation, the difference between wanting to use God for our purposes and wanting simply to relate to God. A telemarketer who botches my hyphenated name won’t get nearly as far as someone wanting to learn to know me but who can’t quite figure how to pronounce my name.

Leaving a Light of for Us

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

There is no justification for starting a war – unless one becomes irrational. (Comedian Lewis Black calls it “nuts”).

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

There’s a motel chain that has advertised they’ll keep a light on for the weary traveler. You do that and more with your light. When we’re weary, when we need a place to rest, when we’ve had a hard day of traveling, when we think we have lost our way, when we fear obstacles in the dark, your light shines to beckon and to show the way. Your light brightens our surroundings and reveals our obstacles as manageable and not so frightening after all. Your light draws us to you, where we find warmth, shelter, a welcoming presence. Like the fire in the wilderness, your light leads us safely through unfamiliar territory. Like a lighthouse, your light helps us steer our course to avoid danger. What I like best is that when I get close enough to be illumined by your light, I feel recognized and welcome.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

"Have you noticed how the number of people at a memorable event seems to grow after the fact? I hear there were at least 5,000 people there when we passed around that boy’s bread and fish. Seemed like 50 at the time."

[It might have helped, but nobody recorded such a saying.]

D. Blog: Where do Your Bumperstickers Lead?

- Assume Nothing

- God Bless the Freaks

- Lord, help me be the person my psychiatrist medicates me to be

- Something Wonderful is about to Happen!

Thinking of Divinity

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

It takes a war to turn many men to peace.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I thought of you when the woman in the coffee shop was so helpful to teach me what I wanted to know.
I thought of you when a young man found new inspiration to follow an interest and to pursue a job possibility.
I thought of you when I helped with a little project on a farm.
I thought of you when I shared time with elderly relatives and felt re-connected.
I thought of you when we enjoyed a simple meal and in-depth conversation.
I thought of you when there was time for a group activity and talking deep into the night.
I thought of you when I lay down and was full from the memories of the day.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Take it from me, people, Chaco sandals rock!”

[You’re right. He never said it.]

D. Blog: Word of the Week – “Quockerwodger”

[Thanks to World Wide Words and Michael Quinion for this great term.]

A wooden puppet on a string.

A most mysterious term, this appears in the middle of the nineteenth century, apparently originally an English dialect term for which no antecedents are known.

It is recorded best in John Camden Hotten’s A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words of 1859: "The term QUOCKERWODGER, although referring to a wooden toy figure which jerks its limbs about when pulled by a string, has been supplemented with a political meaning. A pseudo-politician, one whose strings of action are pulled by somebody else, is now often termed a QUOCKERWODGER."

Older readers may remember the toy. It was a wooden puppet whose legs and arms were connected only loosely to its body. It was suspended by a single string connected to the head. By jerking the string you could make the puppet flail about in amusing and ridiculous ways. You can see how the political meaning could easily have grown out of that.

[Yes we can.]

On Singing

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Some days it seems like the Peace River is going dry. Let’s have a rain dance for peace.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One, Blue-collar God,

Your work is your glory. You bring full effort all the time and don’t know the meaning of the word slacking (well, you do know what it means, but it would never be associated with you). You don’t take vacation, and you’re on call 24-7.

Maybe if we were better at observing a Sabbath, you could, too. Was that perhaps the point? I don’t really think so. But it bothers me that you are taken for granted, as if you were some lowly servant or slave.

I will acknowledge what you do. I will express my appreciation for your effort and time (even if they are trifling matters to you). I will see your example as one I can try to follow. And, I’ll observe the Sabbath so you can rest that much if you want.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Nobody has to tell me what’s right and wrong, Rabbi.”

[Did He say this when He stayed behind in Jerusalem? Probably not. Definitely not in English.]

D. Blog: Singing

I remember the saying that whoever sings, prays twice. By putting our words in song form, adding the vocal beauty that is singing, we pray with music as well as with words.

I suggest that when we sing with a group, we pray a third time. The heartfelt singing of a group, with beauty, gusto, unison or harmony, multiplies the prayer that is a song or hymn. Then we add instruments! I expect that chorales and hymn sings hold a special place in the Divine heart.

I enjoy singing, especially group singing. I can appreciate a fine soloist, but put that voice with a group where he or she can inspire others to sing better than they know they can and that is divine.

Like birds, we are made to raise our voices in song. I wonder if there isn’t a lesson in those birds. It might be said that they sing neither in unison nor in harmony. But they sing with gusto, and their singing is still beautiful and a demonstration of praise: “Thank God I’m alive.”

Spiritual Qualities

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

The road to justice goes through peace, and vice versa.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

If we pray it, you will hear.
If we think it, you will answer.
If we suggest, you will consider it.
If we cry, you will feel the pain.
If we burn with enthusiasm, your spirit will move.
If we sing it, you will absorb the praise.
If we touch another in sympathy, you will heal.
If we hope it, you will applaud our desire.
If we celebrate, you will dance with us.
So we pray.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Tell me again, teacher. How much is 3 to the 3rd power?”

[He had trinity power, but He never asked this question.]

D. Blog: Universal Translator

So many languages, so many religions, so many ways of expressing praise and petition. God must have as one characteristic that of universal translation.

Through the incredible variety, I wonder what are the common features God recognizes as “religious” or “spiritual” or “God-like” or “in God’s image.” Let me propose, in utter humility, a listing:

- Longing for God
- Love and respect for others of God’s children
- careful treatment of God’s creation
- compassion for the poor
- openness to others, rather than judgmental assumptions
- not worshipping one’s own group
- eagerness to receive God’s creative spirit of change

It’s a lot like living under God and trusting in God. How about that!

Would We Love God?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I have yet to see a down side of peace.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Because you declared peace against us, I have stopped thinking of natural disasters as “acts of God.” Such language is provocative and inflammatory. I think of the miraculous stories we hear from survivors. You do your best, but you can’t entirely disrupt forces of nature or of human stupidity and arrogance. The terms of the peace accord seem clear to me: You love and we love.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood!“

[Not what He said upon leaving the tomb.]

D. Blog: Haiku Trilogy on Loving God

If You were female,
Would we love You less?
Only if we were sexist.


If You were male,
Would we express our love?
Only if we were female.


If you were not gendered
Would we love You less,
Since you are not like us?

Empty of Self?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I vote “NO!” to global domination.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One, You of Great Deeds,

Let us celebrate achievements great and small – a universe created, a new computer skill learned.
Let us celebrate achievements great and small – a creative painting, a wholesome meal.
Let us celebrate achievements great and small – an architectural marvel, a child’s first steps.
Let us celebrate achievements great and small – a Grand Canyon, a high school diploma.
Let us celebrate achievements great and small – a peace treaty, an idea to improve efficiency on the job.
Let us celebrate achievements great and small – 50 years of marriage, another birthday.

Oh God, you bless our lives in countless ways. May we also bless the lives of those around us.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Throw another fish on the bar-b, Peter.”

[Not what’s recorded by John at the fish fry after the resurrection.]

D. Blog: Emptying of Self?

I understand, I think, letting the Divine fill me. What I don’t get is this notion of emptying of self in order for that to happen. An empty vessel remains a vessel. My self remains my self, even when the Divine fills me. I remain I. Otherwise, there seems no point to it. Otherwise we have no union; we have domination or obliteration.

I understand setting aside ego and personal pride and the fears that underlie them. With these gone, there is lots of space, but it is my self remaining to welcome the Divine.

In a Children's Hospital

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

No rest for the weary, no peace for the warring.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I just thought I’d stop by and say hello.
I just thought I’d stop by to see how you’re doing.
I just thought I’d stop by and bring you some flowers.
I just thought I’d stop by and show you some pictures.
I just thought I’d stop by and tell you about Peter’s problems
I just thought I’d stop by to see if I can be of help.
I just thought I’d stop by to get your advice about something that’s troubling me.
I just thought I’d stop by and listen to some music with you.
I just thought I’d stop by and hear what you think about the news.
So, what do you think, God?
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“I signed up for the beginning Jew’s harp class, Dad.”

[Pharisees probably would not have approved. He never said it.]

D. Blog: In a Children’s Hospital

I see bald-headed children.
“This is not right,” I think.
Then their smiles say, “You’re wrong.
We are much more than the disease.
Surely you can see that.”

Good Bumperstickers

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Heaven can wait, but peace now.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I enter your presence and feel love and concern.
I speak with you and hear acceptance and forgiveness.
I listen to you and am challenged to be the best I can be in serving you and my neighbors.
I spend time with you and give thanks for the richness of our sharing together.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Everyone out of the pool, now! I want to do a practice walk.”

[Even if He did have to learn, He never said this.]

D. Blog: Bumpers, Anyone?

- God's true name is unpronounceable...because God is Welsh.

- God speaks the language of Stillness; everything else is bad translation.

- We must behave patriotically, obey authority, and follow our leaders blindly or we will lose our freedom!

- Don’t postpone joy!

Word of the Week: Quagmire

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

The world suffers an economic collapse, in part because the US invaded and occupies Iraq. Talk about weapons of mass destruction!

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

In Afghanistan, people work and pray for peace.
In Israel and Palestine, people work and pray for peace.
In Sudan and the Congo, people work and pray for peace.
In Iraq and Iran, people work and pray for peace.
In Mexico and the US, people work for peace.
Overcome our fears and our hatreds. Remind us that we need peace more than we need revenge.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Andrew, for the revival on the mountain, I want you to make arrangements for several port-a-potties.”

[I have wondered about 5000 plus children at such an event, but He never said this.]

D. Blog -- Word of the Week: Quagmire

[Thanks to the Online Etymology Dictionary]

1579, from obsolete quag "bog, marsh" + mire. Quag is a variant of M.E. quabbe "a marsh, bog," from O.E. *cwabba "shake, tremble" (like something soft and flabby). Extended sense of "difficult situation, inextricable position" is first recorded 1775.

[In terms of the current financial crisis, I think the implication might be that we’re in deep doo-doo.]

Mound Rush-more?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Peace is not an option for Christians; peace is the way for Christians.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Some say that Jesus on the cross paid the price for us to receive your forgiveness.
I say your forgiveness has always been free.
The price he paid was for representing your dominion in an empire that presumed to be sovereign.
We still have such presumptions, yet you continue to forgive.
Amazing grace.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Mom, I’m considering going by my shorter middle name: H. What do you think of the idea?”

[He didn’t know H, so He never said this. I'm guessing she would not have approved anyway.]

D. Blog: Mound Rush-more

“An entertainer”
“Incendiary”
“Ugly”
“A political diversion”
“A sideshow”
“Confused conservative”
“Crosses the line”

Change must be coming. I’m agreeing with Republican party leaders. His values are not our values.

Why Me?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

If angels on high announced “Peace on Earth, good will to all,” perhaps we, in humility befitting Earth-bound humans, should refrain from declaring war on Earth.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Renew a right spirit within us.
Remove the fear of others from within us.
Renew a right spirit within us.
Remove the thirst for revenge from within us.
Renew a right spirit within us.
Remove the lust for money and power from within us.
Renew a right spirit within us.
Remove the arrogant pride from within us.
Renew a right spirit within us. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and restore our souls to your peace-filled presence.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“James throws down a wicked dunk.”

[Yes, but Jesus never saw one or said so.]

D. Blog: Why Me?

The question usually come from someone undergoing some traumatic change or living in unhappy conditions. In my case, it’s the opposite – why am I so fortunate?

I don’t really expect an answer. If it came, it would likely be: “Just lucky.” I can’t see that I did anything to “deserve” or “earn” my fortunate situation. The timing was good; I was in the right place at the right time. I had hope. The planets were in proper alignment. I could not have planned it. In fact, what I did plan didn’t work out as hoped.

Was God’s hand in this? Indirectly, of course. But directly? I have trouble believing that. There are too many equally or more “deserving” friends and neighbors who ask the “why me?” from the other side of the coin. “Just because” is the best answer I find.

Heaven=West Virginia?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

We think we see a speck in our enemy’s eye.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

So much to do; so little time.
So much beauty to admire; so little time.
So much goodness to enjoy; so little time.
So much humor to amuse; so little time.
So much love to share; so little time.
So much creativity to express; so little time.
You, thankfully, provide enough.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Almost heaven, West Virginia.”

[No, He wasn’t humming this from the cross.]

D. Blog: Tuesday Haiku

There but for fortune go I
But you smiled at me
Thus I have riches

Bible Theme Park?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

What do truth, beauty and hope have in common? They flourish only in peace.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Sometimes I wonder if this is what you expected of humans. On the one hand, quite marvelous in what we’ve done with our creativity and freedom (wonderful gifts, by the way!). But on the other hand, we can be so self-centered, short-sighted and stubbornly stupid. I imagine you shaking your head and thinking “When will they ever learn?” I hope it will be soon enough.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“We should build a Bible theme park with a ride in Noah’s ark, a rock Babel tower to climb, a visit to Moses’ burning bush, and a scary walk inside Jonah’s whale. We’d make millions."

[And many Christians would flock to it. But He never suggested this.]

D. Blog: Random Questions

- If the pope can deny recognition or promotion to Catholic priests who doubt the Holocaust or think Katrina was God’s judgment on the city of New Orleans for its unrighteousness, wouldn’t it be great if Protestants had a way to tell some preachers their pronouncements are garbage?

- Speaking of the New Orleans priest, was his public disgrace also an indication of God’s judgment upon him for a lack of sensitivity? Or for disgracing God’s reputation?

- I’ve also been wondering: did Jesus’ undertaker lose business or gain business after that job?

- If God plays no favorites in sporting contests, why think it’s any different in the case of war?

Riding with Absolute Mysterious

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

On Fifth Avenue, a man holds a sign asking: “Is there a peace in your future?”

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

In a universe vast beyond our imagining, we cling to the belief that you love us.
In a minor moment in the span of time, we claim the significance of what we experience in our lives.
Despite our sin, folly, and sheer ignorance, we know the wonder of your grace – for we are your children.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“I find that less is more, so just half that much fig cobbler for me, Martha.”

[Why not? He never said a word of English.]

D. Blog: Traveling with Absolute Mysterious (the great I AM)

Me: Are we there yet?
AM: No, not yet.
Me: Is this all there is?
AM: No, there is more.
Me. Well, when then?
AM: In the fullness of time.
Me. How will I know?
AM: Remember the quote: “not until the fat lady sings”?
Me: And who’s that?
AM: Take a guess.
Me. Oh…