What Are We Asking For?

If I Wrote the Lord a Letter

I spent some time yesterday thinking about Christmas, and all of the things that we spend time doing over the Holidays... many people say that they enjoy Christmas because it helps them to prepare or refocus their life in Christ. Some people also hold the view that it is a good time to prepare for the return of the Christ, because the cross was the ultimate reason for the birth we are celebrating... I have been feeling the need to break away from the "twice a year church high" that comes from being Christian.. I love the Holidays, and Easter will always be my favorite of all Holidays.. but I want more than just two little bursts of enthusiasm in preparing for the Christ.. It sounds harsh, but that enables laziness in my Christian life..all around us people are in need of hope in their lives.. they are weary and broken.. and every Sunday is a great Sunday to introduce them to my church family. Everyday is a good day for prayer with those I love, and those I do not know. We often wait for disasters or Holidays to share with people about the Christ. 

I also realized that I can spend my life "preparing" for Christ, or I can realize that He is truly here already in the faces of those I love.. I thought about the ways that people try to obtain personal salvation by trying to live a "spotless life".... they work so hard trying to cover their own backsides and maintaining an appearance of perfection, that the mission of Jesus suffers around them. All that preparing and no results of major change for the preparers who worked  so hard to be "perfect", because our relationships with each other produce so much of what we feel through Christ. 

I thought for a while what a letter to God would sound like.. pleaing for the Christ to be sent back for us for just one day of my life time. I also realized through it, how much His presence is taken for granted in the "writing" of the letter. It would be something like this.

" Dear God,

You know that the world is a mess, for you created it, and can see that Creation has been abused. People do not treat each other right. We have poverty, we have injustice.. Can you please send Jesus back in human form to fix this for the day?? You know in the case of poverty we have many people with out food and clothing. If He could come back and take care of that everything would be much better.. Oh wait, we have Abolish Poverty and End Suffering missions. Oh Yes and Out Reach International, sustainable good...  Even when Jesus walked the earth all poverty was not abolished, because it is on going process that requires constant work as we go together, that is right . I guess people meet Him already when we share. Maybe we need to focus on something else that has need. We only have one day... Hmm. 

Okay Lord, we have sin. so many bad choices. People hurt each other out of anger and hate. Can we have Jesus with us for one day so that this will all end. Oh wait. One day, 365 days a year, even when Jesus was here, people treated each other badly, because they could not all be taught at once.. I guess He is already helping us in persuing peace and the caring ministries we provide. If it was only for one day, how many people would suffer the rest of the year??? What focus shall I choose Lord?, if this one day Jesus would come something would have to be perfect.

I think I have it now.. We need to equip people to serve You, to teach them all and to experience congregations in mission in such a way the world changes. How about this. Jesus can be our congregations pastor for one day? If he can teach us to serve, and to do so out of our giftedness, our congregation would be perfect. Hey wait.. what if Jesus doesn't play the piano? What if he doesn't really know how to make a powerpoint?? What would we do? What if we don't really do well at the project he wants us to do in the community??  Oh my, I guess we need to talk openly with our pastors about our congregations hopes and dreams, and let them know what we are good at. I guess we need to spend time growing closer to Jesus in classes and  training programs so we can expand our options to serve.

Okay Lord, I have it! What if Jesus comes back for the day and invites everyone to be with him! It solves it all.. they would see him in the flesh and know how wonderful being a follwer of Christ can be.Oh hey wait.. I seem to remember that being mocked and ran out of town happened the first time He was here. I also remember that many people took years to become truly aquainted with Jesus.. Thomas, Peter, even James his own brother had to have time to accept him.. so I guess that means that what we are going to have to take up the work together and keep at it if we are ever going to get anywhere. Rather than waiting for Jesus to come back and fix things for me, I have to help Him with the work being done...

                                                                            Yours in His Name,

                                                                           Josie Dalton de Carvalho 

The Other 11 Months

When I was a kid I always wanted to be a doctor. I loved taking care of people, to the point where when my dad accidently cut his head open with a chain saw, I cut out paper bandaids for his head, I asked for a doctors kit for Christmas that year, and Santa graciously obliged. I was so happy! For many Christmas seasons to come Santa continued to wow me. I remember the year I got a hand held Citizens black and white television. Then there was the year I got a "Get in Shape Girl"  exercise kit and a camera.. I was so happy I could have burst!

Now that I am older I really have no desire to have more things or for Santa to spend time "wowing" me. I am not an old crab or anything like that, it is just that for me I want Christmas, the Season of Hope and Blessing to not be confined in my life to one 4 - 5 week span each year. There are so many opportunies to come in contact with the living Christ, the forever living hope, that I like to spend as much time as possible in this kind of spiritual preparation for blessings the rest of the year, as most  people do only for Advent and Christmas..  "Santa"  a figure of blessings has been present with me year round for quite some time now. I like to think of him as the greatest marketing figure for angelic ministry of generosity ever. Yes I know in some ways it is sad that Jesus did not get that kind iconic representation for the masses, but I think some day the world will be more likely to "get it" as we mature.

This year I went to Brazil and painted a church with two of my friends from the church in July. It was my second of three trips in one year..

 I never would have dreamed or imagined that I would be doing this kind of missionary work overseas. Seeing the transformation of the people as the work progressed was amazing.. The look of hope became more and more noticeable each week on the faces of the people as they delighted in the improvements being made. To add to this story of blessings, I had someone graciously pay for the paint, and my air fare. My family is not wealthy, and sometimes we have to really scrimp to get through the week, but there is always enough because someone always provides in some way was missing, Most often that person was from my faith community.. 90% of the blessings we have received have been from January to November as God does not limit the blessings of knowing His Son to the Advent and Christmas seasons. 

So often I have experinced the wow moments during times of struggle, much like when I was a child, and it never ever loses its effect when the blessings come forth. It feels warm and amazing everytime.. So Santa forgive me if I am not really worked up for just December, and I have not left you out at all... there are simply 11 other months out of the year that also bring joy to life, and I want to appreciate them all

The Label of Sin, Careful With YOUR Stickers...

Weighting Sin...

It seems as child we learn that "sin" is something bad that we do. We see it through a child's eyes of course, so it is equated with telling lies, or hitting someone. When we get a little older, we still equate sin with telling lies, hitting people, and then other things come along like stealing, cheating, and basic dishonesty fall into the understanding of sin. 

Somehow, somewhere along the lines a foundation of sex and sin begins to form. We begin to learn that somethings we feel need to be worked out, because you can't act on every bodily impulse in life. Hormones change us and our minds go crazy thinking about the opposite sex. To the point that I feel teaching Mathematics in Junior High and Middle schools should be outlawed permanently, because they take in nothing that stays.Many tenth grade algebra teachers have scratched their heads in wonder, as to what had happened to their students in the last three years.. my dear professor, I have solved your dilemma. What I can't seem to solve is the idea among people that some sins are "greater" than others, and that we can label others sinners and not seem to see that it is our label as well... . In passages of the scriptures we find that the writers included the phrase "go and sin no more" coming from Jesus to those people who did not know that they were in the wrong, or those who did, but felt remorse for their actions. 

In Scripture the most dire warnings came to those who professed to be "the example", and were creating situations where others could not be close to God in the temple, or in society. I often am drawn in my thoughts to the women who was about to be stoned for being an "adulteress". Even though her behavior was less than stellar according to the rules of her people, the scripture states Jesus drew something in the sand, although I have no idea what it was, my personal theology says that the power of God showed each person the things that they had done, that they thought no one else would know about. When Jesus challenged the crowd "You with out sin, throw the first stone", no one threw a single stone.

Some how over the last few years we have come to a place where we are allowed to assign points of sorts to sin, and the more points your sin has, the more people seem to feel allowed to "throw stones". If the sin is a little sin, we can look the other way, no crowds needed.. Some how those basic things we learned in church no longer apply in the realm of sin. They are some how lesser in a world of bigger sins. If you have money or status, your sins are not really something you have to show remorse for, no point figures will be awarded... because a dollar figure can put a band-aid over the situation. We have to look much deeper than the surface of how things appear. I think my friend Wanda put it best when she said that "sin is anything that puts distance between you and God", my friend Tim clarifies that to anything that "sin is anything that puts distance between you and God, distance between you and another person, or distance you put between two people, whether that is them to each other, or them to God as well". 

The phrase "go and sin no more" is action oriented, it doesn't just mean "do not", it implies that something has to change in order for the "no more" part to happen, what ever it was that cause the original action to be made okay the first time, has to change with in. If I steal five million from a pension fund, it is not worse than stealing fifty dollars from a gasoline station. What ever made stealing okay in the first place has to go. While we would like to award more sin points to more money stolen.... The only difference is that more people were effected. It in the greatest sense both acts are equally wrong. For the person who does drive offs at the pump, this is just as bad as the person who points a gun to get the drawer money at a gas station. Some would argue that the use of a gun makes is worse.. my theology says it is not worse, it is more traumatic. Sad but true, drive offs are often not even pursued in bigger cities, they just don't have enough weight in the already stretched police divisions, but someone, some place pays the price. 

In today's world in the United States, we don't stone people for their sins.. we actually do something that causes equal pain with a longer sentence. We label people according to actions. Thief, Liar, Bully, Harlot.. the list goes on. Even if we don't say the word out loud, we think it, all the while pretending we deserve no label of our own. "closed minded, judgmental, pious" . We also have a tendency take things a step deeper and assign a "look" to the labeled person in question.. If a blonde woman is pretty, she must be superficial. So she must therefore be only concerned about sex and her looks, and if she dates someone, that girl will certainly ruin the reputation of the person she is with. All the points of that woman's life must be assigned to her sleeve, because she "looks like a harlot, therefore she is assigned sin points based on a glance. What about the poor person? As a person who was low income for a long time I encountered this. "Well this woman is poor, therefore she will need to be watched, because at the first opportunity she will steal money from the box, food from the shelves, or an extra of some sorts" here is your points mam, thanks...  or for the wealthy "His check book is huge, that guy doesn't care who he steals from, he has no heart, do you see that BMW??" I bet he has ten at home. A million points to you sir.... I guess to be "honest", you have to live in the very middle of social classes?? Hmm.

Where I am going with all of this is we need to be careful where we put our sin labels and how we decide  what is worthy of them or not.  I pray for the day when we simply come to realize that treating others badly for any reason is a sin, even through stereotyping, and that bringing people back to the place where they can feel close to God, matters more. I have been with people in many instances where they say, "it doesn't matter what I do, or say no one believes me any ways, so I might as well...". In my life I might never see the end of labels or the sin points awarded to them, but I can at least not let that come from me to another. I can also work to with in myself, not make excuses for "my little meaningless sins" but instead take responsibility, and be vocal in my sharing that I have my own list of sins that I need to address. The first place need to start would be that I have to address that sometimes I feel that people are "jerks" for passing out labels.....just a place to start.. I know there are many more.. 

. 

TQM Linda Tia My Guardian Angel.

 Te quierissimo mucho! TQM! Those were the words and letters that my dear friend Dora would leave written on my facebook wall sometimes four or five times a week. I think about her everyday, and I am pretty sure that she is never ever far from me. I officially met Dora in 2010 at some church retreats, although I feel that I have known her all my life. She was a ball of fire and loved me more that I feel I deserve. 

While we gathered a few times for lunches and craft time at her home, we talked on Facebook almost every day, and over the phone when life allowed. She always told me I could do anything, and sometimes I believed her.. Sometimes we would string beads while our husbands spent time together. Other days the four of us would gather and she would harass her husband Sonny while he cooked for us. 

One day while sitting at her table she started to cry a little, and she asked me if she ever told me the story about when we very first time first met, I told her she had not. I had gone to Bay City for a conformation of a small child I had baptized that summer. He was afraid to be upfront, so I sat with him and held his hand, so he wasn't alone. (She and I were introduced, but never had the chance to actually get to know each other until a retreat a few weeks later at Blue Water.). I knew I loved her fire and the way that she smiled...  I sat at listened that day as she had told me about an experience that she had with the Holy Spirit, that she knew I was a person of great faith, and that I needed to go into the world with out fear. She was miffed as to why we never got to visit that first day, but she knew that one day we would be good friends.... When she finished her testimony, there were two weeping women at the table. 

I enjoy praying, it is a way to become empty from the bad stuff, and overflowing with the good stuff. Whenever Dora and I talked over the phone, she would let me pray in my very bad, sometimes Google translated Spanish. She always told me that she loved to hear me pray, and that she felt better after prayers.. every time.. When I went to Brazil this July I suddenly had the feeling that I needed to call her one day..She had confessed that she was not feeling well again and that it was serious. I knew deep in my heart I wasn't coming home to her, and that when I prayed she needed to know just how much I lover her, and how she already had been my angel. I cried even harder when the news came that she was indeed gone. Truth is I am crying now, because I can still hear her talking to me sometimes when I am down.. telling me I can do anything.. and of course, te quierissimo mucho.". "I love you, so much".....  and my favorite

"THANK YOU, I DO BELIEVE IN THE BIG BLESS! TQM"

Lately life has been hard. I miss my family in so many places that God has blessed me with. My husband and I are trying to buy a house, and I am struggling with school. The mission of the church in Brazil is a very deep and profound part of my daily life.. My heart aches for the people there whom God has sent me to serve, and yet they fill me so much more. I know that God is blessing us, and holding me so tight.. but in that same breath I feel so lost and even helpless.. I have a million beads and can't think of anything to string. I have papers to write, but no real words come. Then God does what he did tonight and life is okay for at least this evening...... Sephora called.... She is my dear sister from the Detroit area born originally in South America... She tells me about her desire to learn Portuguese, and that she has found someone from Brazil that she wants me to meet in Michigan. 

I found after a few minutes that while I was listening to her speak, there was a deeper feeling of calm than what I have felt in months. Suddenly I was thinking "TQM".  I told Sephora that she was bringing me deep ministry and why.. I could hear Dora speaking to me through her in a very special speech rhythm that only Dora used with me..it was a a special moment, and one that I give God many thanks for. While I cannot hug my Tia and hold hands while we pray, I can always remember "TQM... you can do anything..." Amen linda tia... one day soon. 

Dear Sir or Madame Senator,

What You are Doing to Me, and My Neighbors

Dear Senator,

Greetings, in the name of humanity.

Can you remember when you worked a minimum wage job? How about the reasons you wanted to be elected, before you were bought by big business and your buddies? I want to know if you can. Why? You may ask do I need to know this? Because I want to know what happened to you, that makes this situation in America okay in your mind. I want to know how the souls of American Senators are bought, because someday, I would like to own all of you, and turn you back to caring people who can't be bought by companies, who won't steal from your constituents, and would never ever lie. Remember when the USA took care of  the senior citizens who worked hard to build this country we enjoy today? Maybe now that is too far away.. 

For years we have argued about poverty, taxes, healthcare, and numerous issues. You have said "well live a better life, go to school, work, own a home, it fixes everything". Believe me, most Americans are trying to do this.The abuse of power and trust that you have exercised, is costing me all of those opportunities, as well as thousands of Americans that want a better life. 

I am trying to keep my family out of poverty, by going to school. Students I know in the work study program will be furloughed, the effects will be devastating for them. . Some schools in health and research will be hurting by tomorrow. You said "Buy a home!, it will stabilize your family and help your life.." Well jinkies, that FHA loan that I have fought to save for tooth and nail.. is now held up because YOU all can't get along. I might loose the seller's acceptance now, because this was my way to finance within reason.. I need healthcare for myself and my husband. We can't have it because you won't allow it to be sold to me at an affordable rate, but you wont stop the gouging prices that would let me pay cash either.... IF I could get through this patch in my life, I would be a second tax payer in a home of 4. I won't be able to get a job that allows any real tax contributions with my high school education, in fact jobs like those level families, and leave them in the clutches of welfare cycles you tell me to get off of.. and you say they need to go because I am bleeding you dry. Do you ever wonder why the American people no longer trust anyone in government???. If I hurt someone in your family, you are not going to sit by and be happy about it! NO! You are not going to trust me around your family or other people in your life. You will watch me like a hawk, and make sure that I don't do that again.

Are you feeling me? This is the vibe across the nation that you have looked away from. The greatest part of this country is that if enough people have had enough, you can no longer have the office in which you have abused your authority. So now you need to know that people are angry, upset, and disappointed in you. I may not have the money to catch your attention, but I do have the ability to share my voice, and to ask others to share theirs! I also have the ability to be sure that you do not have my vote, even to lead the local glee club.. While my one little vote may not seem like much.. if enough of us give ours to the other guy, you have nothing. 

Dear Senator, I will no longer kneel down in humility and beg for your compassion, instead I raise my fist to you, and tell you this will not go unremembered at voting time. While the rest of us pray for a better country to live in, you need to pray about the choices that you have made...It is time for the greed to go, and for the nation to claim a senate that works for its people first and its money second. Yours truly, 

                                                                                                                   An Angry American.  

High School Football... What the Parents Need to Remember

HEAR YOURSELF!

Have you talked to your teenagers these days?? Do you actually listen when they talk to you? My kids have been telling me that they are overwhelmed with school work in some ways. Overwhelmed with the social pecking order, and stresses of an uncertain world.. we should never wonder why schools have become a play ground for psychologists.

Lets take a look at school staff too.. over worked, underpaid.. and still paying off student loans that are from required learning to do the job. Did I mention nearly every school employee has too many kids in their class room.. state and federal mandates to meet.. and here is one more... Less money every year to perform on. So often in the schools we have a mix of burned out employees and tons of hormonal teenagers who are stressed out as well...we nearly need to dispense Prozac with school lunches..

I don't know who needs more help.. the kids or the staff, and I worry about them all. I went to my Alma matter tonight to see a foot ball game. I loved hearing the marching band, and seeing how great the stands looked for the first time as a spectator. For four years I watched the fans from the field as a marching band participant.. what I hated tonight were many of  the parent's behaviors..

I was embarrassed to sit with them. They only applauded the major plays, and grumbled EVERY SINGLE MISTAKE!! Parents. Your kids need you to cheer for them and quit the complaining! This is not the NFL or College ball! These are your teenagers trying to learn a sport and have a good time. I realize that Vassar being 800 students smaller brings a smaller crowd.. the opposing team had so little money, they cannot bus cheerleaders to away games... big sign of the times.... Sad indeed, but the game is the kids time to be kids. On the field they are not rich or poor. They are not dressed badly or in the out crowd! On the field they are orange and black! Mighty Vulcans! Please no eye rolling.. we wonder why school spirit is nothing like the old days... my kids tell me pep assemblies are only at home coming and ice fest.. If it was face book.. I'd be screaming dislike! I need to do some fact checking as my kids are middle school students... but if it is true.. sheesh..

Sometimes a team can only be as good as the leadership, which is not solely coaches, faculty, or association members. The leadership, at home and in the stands, has its responsibility too! Tonight I was feeling very bad for this group of boys who were trying to do what they love. While a loving mother shouted "wake up boys this is sad!"  among many other great statements..... (and one "Tighten that f'ing line up!"came from the press box.. which was highly uncalled for..)
Over and over again the mother complained. I said to her "Did you ever see such a long drawn faces on the players?" She did a double take.. I simply said " these kids need support"

Sports programs teach competition yes, in pro-football players get paid to make it worth the pain. but fans are supposed to make it worth while for high school kids because the wins can be great, but the  losses are even tougher.. Monday morning comes back quickly, and the word "loser"gets tossed around more than you know. Worn out teachers can sometimes do little to boost morale, because their energy is spent trying to stay sane just in the class room.... Remember my words from above.. school staff are beaten over the head everyday with serious problems The kids lives are also more complicated as the information age has many of our kids now are exposed to the difficult questions of life at a much earlier age.. with you in the stands screaming at your kid to "get it together"..

 Somewhere, some way we need to HEAR OURSELVES SPEAK! So next time you go to a ball game.. ask yourself.. do I sound like the kind of fan that those kids want to see and would play their hearts out for, or do I sound like the guy I used to dislike for this same behavior in my own life?. in coming to care about school sports and the players.. take a time out if you can't cheer for the kids...you might say the one thing that you can't take back, in front of hundreds of people.

A moment with Ali...

No you probably don't know him, but you see him every week, sometimes more. You say hi and good bye, but do you really know him.?. probably not. I don't know everything about him, but his soft eyes and wide smile always make me feel welcome. His heart does the rest.

 Ali owns a gasoline station, he has a small fit stature, but a heart of gold. He talks to people about the weather, the economy and even the latest news. Ali just asks me "Did you just get back?"... We can skip all the mundane weather chat, because he knows how much I want to tell him about my latest preaching visit or mission project. He genuinely listens, and sometimes teaches me a word or two in Arabic.

Everyone else calls him "Al".. I can't do it. He is Ali, man of many cultures, friend of all he meets. I don't know much about Ali's faith beliefs. I never ask. I don't want to. Ali's ministry of caring and warm welcome is a blessing in my life. If he believes in God as Allah, he is doing well to credit his faith with peace and love. If he is Christian, he is doing well to credit his faith with peace and love..if he is something else in belief, he brings honor to it, because he is so kind.

Ali's early life was one of strife and learning to adapt to life in other places, born to Palestinian parents in a Syrian refugee camp .He never gave up on his dream for the life he wanted... Here he helps Americans survive the rat race, by making people feel welcome at his business. I like to bring Ali cookies, because they are something that we can share without having to explore theological correctness of any kind. You just eat them. It is my way of loving him, with no judgement from the world, and he can accept in the same way.

I confess that a few weeks ago when the world was hanging on by a thread, I was not just devastated for the people who were so blatantly abused in Syria, I was also sickened by the people in many nations who talked about the "costs"of war and peace, with human life as the commodity. Why, because Ali is my connection to that area of the world,  Ali is my living breathing neighbor... whom I adore. I know that with Ali's genuine goodness that no matter where his home is, I am welcome. He in no commodity or number to consider for damages. He is instead my friend. You can speak politics with Ali, and have a good conversation. I wish he was a moderator, because he has a good sense of justice..

While his business is not the closest fuel station around, I always try to find time for a moment with Ali....