A peace that never ends

Most of us these days can hardly remember a time that has been wrought with so much uncertainty, heartache, and deep cultural and political division. Add to that the daily feed of disturbing news and the routine stressors of everyday life, many of us have been stretched to our limits. My first thought is to extend my heartfelt prayers and wishes for wisdom, endurance, and grace to effectively navigate through whatever challenges have come your way. And may you find meaningful ways to sustain close relationships, even from a distance.

One thing that has helped me is to step back to a broader, historical perspective. Not to diminish the seriousness of what we are dealing with now, but many of our ancestors endured far worse, through the hardships of the early settlers, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, disease epidemics with lack of good medical care, the Great Depression, and the devastation of all the wars since.

At the time of Christ’s birth, the political and economic climate was beyond anything we can now imagine. Jesus was born under the dictatorship of the brutal King Herod whose paranoia drove him to murder anyone perceived as a threat to his rule. Joseph and Mary were poor peasants who were forced to make the 100-mile journey to Bethlehem on foot for the purpose of taxation. Some scholars estimate that the emperor Caesar Augustus levied taxes as high as 50-60% of what people grew and owned.

Those closest to Jesus had high hopes that he would bring deliverance from the oppressive rule. But God’s plan was far grander, encompassing all the peoples of the world, and to the end of time, into eternity.

Several hundred years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “^]The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine... For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders... for a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end.” (Isaiah 9: 2, 4, 6-7 NLT).

Since that time, we have seen many worldly kingdoms rise and fall. Even the best-intentioned leaders face insurmountable limitations and constraints. Regardless, we can be certain that God’s Kingdom reigns with peace, prudence, and justice, in the eternal realm. In His final hours before the cross, Jesus told Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world.”

The One who came as Prince of Peace 2,000 years ago, still stands ready to bring us real hope and peace, no matter what uncertainty or trouble we face in the days ahead. He is the One who dispels darkness. It is HIS love that reconciles us to Himself and one another. It is HE who now reigns supreme
over a peaceable, eternal Kingdom. Human minds cannot fully grasp how this can be, but as we  surrender to the wonder and mystery, peace will reign in our hearts.

Photo from Christmas Eve service, 2019.

What money cannot buy

 The staff person that tagged the hand-carved wooden nativity at Savers’ Thrift greatly underestimated its real value. With a coupon I paid about $5 for a 12-piece set that is selling online for upwards of $100.

Just like the thrift store nativity was under-pvalued, so also many people of Jesus’ day failed to grasp his worth. He was despised and rejected throughout his ministry. He was seen by many as “just” the carpenter’s son, from that town of low reputation, Nazareth. How could he possibly be who he claimed to be? He didn’t look like anything they thought the Messiah would look. Their preconceived notions prevented them from seeing his true value.

It’s easy to see how we also can lose sight of his value. We have heard the story so many times that we lose our sense of awe and wonder. Or maybe we have been through so many hard knocks in life that we become jaded or cynical.

I think it is also part of human nature to overlook or underestimate the value of what is right before us. We’ve all heard stories of discovered treasures of great value, items found in a forgotten corner of the attic, at yard sales or even in dumpsters. But the person with a trained eye recognizes its true value and rescues it from the trash heap.

Likewise, we can tend to underestimate the value of the people around us. I saw this first-hand in the many years I worked with the homeless and people having disabilities. But it also can apply to the every-day people in our lives that we have taken for granted. And let’s take it a step further. We often can be harder on ourselves than anyone else. Maybe we allow regret or disappointment to hang over our heads for wrong turns, broken relationships, missed opportunities. After a while, those thoughts can blot out the reality of our inherent worth.

The remarkable reality that Jesus stooped down from heaven and took on human form demonstrates his deep desire to connect deeply with devalued people, the poor and destitute, the lame, the prostitute, the “untouchable” lepers. Among the men he chose to be his disciples, he picked common fishermen, and a despised tax collector, being fully aware of their weaknesses and failures. He saw the inherent value and God-given potential of each one.

I for one have been grateful that He knows the worst about me but believes the best. He sees past my failures to the potential I have, as his grace transforms me from the inside out.

As we wind up the infamous year of 2020 with its devastating global pandemic and widespread political and social upheaval, now more than ever we need a renewed sense of hope for ourselves and our neighbors near and far.

The gift of knowing that you are deeply loved and greatly valued by the One who chose to walk among us and give His life for us…priceless!

 

Grief, Gratitude and Grace

When asked yesterday for a word or two to summarize my feelings of the past few weeks, I said, “Grief.”


Grief for the hardness of one man’s heart that made him deaf to George Floyd’s pleas for life.


Grief that it took such a horrific act to wake so many of us from complacency and ignorance.


Grief for the people I know and care about who have had to endure a lifetime of racism and injustice.


Grief for the long hard battle against slavery and oppression and the curse it has on succeeding generations. From William Wilberforce to Frederick Douglass, to workers in the underground railroad and those who fought in the Civil War with the conviction to free the captives…. It causes me to weep, to think of all those who have gone before in this fight and yet here we still are. 


Yes, there has been progress and yet at the same time our culture has turned even more divisive.


For me there is another more hopeful side of the story.


For nearly twenty years, I worked in the heart of the city, in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the nation. At the City Mission I worked mostly behind the scenes but was honored to meet and work alongside so many who had given years, even decades to bringing life and hope to so many. 


I think it would not be hard for me to find enough material to write a book to capture the stories of the people I worked with who continued to fight the good fight with perseverance, resilience, grace and steadfast faith.

Looking at this photo this morning, I wept again, but this time with gratitude and deep respect for the heart of service these three represented.  They were the featured volunteers highlighted in The City Mission’s centennial book, A Door of Hope 1910-2010. Together they served over 100 years. 

Especially in these times, I have a deeper appreciation for what a difference it can make to actually be in relationship with people who have had such different experiences from me. Side by side, hand in hand, working within our own roles and capacities, we carried the work forward and saw lives changed in significant ways. To God be the Glory.


My hope is that this would encourage us to find ways, even small ways, to be in relationship and partnership in standing FOR causes that bring reconciliation, restoration and redemption.

Ponder the path of your feet

It's good to be reflective at times, looking back to what worked and what didn't, what moved us closer to where we hope to be, what has set us back even further. 

But extended periods of reflecting back cannot be done while speeding down the highway of life. That's why I appreciate having some quiet blocks of time at the side of the road, especially at the beginning of the year.

Yesterday I had several errands to accomplish. Before I left the house, I had a plan and a route to make the best use of my time and gas. 

Similarly, I'm taking time now to begin mapping out some plans for 2020, with prayers for discernment and a healthy dose of openness and flexibility to the unanticipated. In the process, I'm buoyed up by the remembrance of God's faithfulness to lead through the unexpected twists and turns in life.

I recall with gratitude many specific instances when He clearly pointed me in a very different direction than what I had planned. At times it felt like untying my little boat from safe moorings and sailing off into a massive sea of unknowns, much like C.S. Lewis’ Voyage of the Dawn Treader. But I hate to think where my life would be now if I hadn't followed those leadings. My life has been immensely enriched as a result, in relationships, in vocation, in faith.

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” Proverbs 4: 25-27 ESV

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16: 9 NIV

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." Ephesians 3:20 NLT

A fairy tale come true

I have been writing an inspirational sketch to send with Christmas cards for many years. Why do I do it?  Because by nature I am an “encourager.” I want to speak a few words that could give a measure of grace, strength and hope. We all can benefit from a good word to lift our spirits, especially at this time of year, but this is especially true for those facing an uncertain future, a scary diagnosis, a broken relationship, or just the daily challenges and setbacks.  


In the first days of advent I wait for the inspiration. Usually it comes from daily circumstances or something I’ve read. Regardless, it eventually all circles back to the original Christmas story. That’s because in that One Big Story of God becoming a human, living with us, dying for us, rising again, it’s THE message of love, hope and redemption that we all need.


How do I say it in this small space, but that all our little stories, all our hopes and fears, are wrapped up in that One Big Story. I’ve heard with my own ears the first-hand accounts of the down-and-out, the homeless, the broken, even those well off but still left feeling like something is missing. They all came to a place where they realized that His Story, ancient and true, is the only one that gives meaning to their own. 


For many of us that One Big Story can become so familiar that we lose our sense of wonder, or, it can seem so far-fetched, its hard to believe. It is for that reason that I read insightful writers who share a fresh perspective that captures the imagination and keeps the story alive.


This year I discovered a book and music album by Andrew Peterson. He was a preacher’s kid but grew up captivated by science fiction and fantasy novels as a form of escape. Eventually it was those same stories that primed his interest in the most fantastic story of all time, one that spoke most fully to his painful longing and pointed him to his heart’s true Home. He writes,


“…the Bible isn’t a book of rules or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all, a story. It’s an adventure story about a young hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave prince who leaves his palace, his throne, everything, to rescue the one he loves. 


It’s like the most wonderful fairy tale that has come to real life… The best thing about this story is, it’s true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one big story, the story of how God loves His children and comes to rescue them. 


… at the center of the story, there’s a baby. Every story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle, the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. And suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.”*


For many of us, our life’s story has turned out quite different than we had hoped with its disappointments and struggles. But all these centuries later, Jesus is still the puzzle piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. He came to bring meaning and hope to your story, my story, every story.

“…they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”  Matthew 1:23 NIV

Good thoughts about labor...

I'm thinking that most people don't have inspiring thoughts as it pertains to Labor Day. We're just happy to have a day off work and perhaps enjoy some festivities. 

But somehow this day always stirs up gratitude for the somewhat convoluted trajectory my career path has taken. I won't start at the beginning, there's too much to tell. Instead I begin with my

move to Cleveland. 

I arrived here twenty plus years ago, having enrolled as a full time student in the photography/graphic arts program and Cuyahoga Community College, with the support from the unemployment bureau, since my grant-funded position in Sandusky had ended.

I had just transitioned out of a long stint in social services, the last position being the management of a crisis intervention team for adults with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and what was then called mental retardation. It was a deeply rewarding but very challenging position. 

It was a scary leap but those six months in school with students half my age turned out to be therapeutic for the weariness of working so many years in a challenging field. And it was a turning point in my, awakening a deeper awareness and appreciation for how I was designed to integrate my creative strengths into my vocation.  

Even then, I could not envision where it would eventually take me, to very unexpected places.  

For a time, I worked as a portrait photographer while continuing to explore photojournalism in a variety of contexts. After about five years of that I stumbled on an opportunity to use both my writing and photography skills in a communications position at The City Mission, as the writer, editor and photographer for the newsletter, annual report and other print and online media. Eventually that evolved into grant writing which brought further career fulfillment in being able to use my skills to raise support for worthy causes. 

Now I work for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, still in grant writing and after all these years, feel grateful that I am compensated a competitive salary and benefits for what I am good at and enjoy doing. Even more remarkable to me is that I arrived at this place without having taken any college classes in writing, journalism or communications. It was all a matter of trying to be sensitive to God’s leading and how he created me, with a particular set of interests and skills. 

My journey into this field started with my camera and a leap into the unknown. My camera is still with me often and continues to inspire and accompany my writing. 

There are so many twists and turns in my career path, many of them unexpected. But at every turn, it was clearly evident that God was going before me and being faithful to lead me through the challenges and uncertainties, and bringing fulfillment and delight in ways that I could never have orchestrated myself.

"...we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  Ephesians 2: 10 NLT

Foundations of my writing life

I distinctly remember my Dad getting frustrated in trying to help me with my bookkeeping homework in high school. I am not sure how I ended up in the business curriculum instead of college prep. I clearly was not cut out for it.

More importantly, it is healing to think of all the ways my Dad encouraged me in my writing and photography.

He kept a handful of my writings from elementary school. He provided a camera for me at a young age and set a good example of documenting our childhood with his own SLR camera.

When I started writing a blog as an adult, he printed out my many blog posts and kept them in a binder. He made a copy of the handwritten prayer I read for a Thanksgiving dinner.

He often remarked that my photography was better than his, but I think he was probably much better at the technical aspects of getting a good exposure with a camera that required manual metering.

And he extended to me the invitation of writing obituaries for Mom and him. He mentioned it often and suggested I should write it ahead of time because perhaps I wouldn't be in a good frame of mind to do so when it was needed.

When I knew Mom's passing was imminent, I began thinking about it, but didn't write it until after she passed. Dad often remarked to me how much better it was than so many others he had read. He never again mentioned writing his ahead of time, he was confident it would be good.

What a privilege to be entrusted to effectively capture the essence of one’s life and to honor ninety plus years of living in a few paragraphs.

Thank you Dad, for all the ways you encouraged me in these things.

From the last lines of his obituary...

"The story-teller has fallen silent. His many years of family record keeping have been passed on to the next generation. And another of the “Greatest Generation” has passed on, with the invitation to those who follow to carry on the good fight."