Friends,

So for some strange reason, I chose to go to the 815am service at Zion yesterday. Here's my main problem with the 815am Sunday morning service...we do it at 815am. Now I have no problem with the morning...I quite like it actually, but it's the interaction with happy people that early that I struggle with.

But I went at 815am because Saturday at 5pm was booked up with driving the kids around and by 1045am, I need to be in a parking lot in full Bills armor and have a football in hand along with some sushi (2009's favorite tailgate food) to meet up with my friend Sam Adams and a few of his cousins before the game.

So 815am it was. And let's just put it this way...between low blood pressure encouraging me to fall back asleep, the chaos of life that spins through my head, excitement for the game and answering text messages during church about a funeral...it wasn't my finest moment of worship.

Until Randy starting talking about God's interruption. My head popped up, my senses focused and yes...for a moment, for the twinkling of an eye (random 1 Corinthians reference)...I paid attention. God (through Randy...don't tell him I said that because it'll go to his head)....interrupted me. And reminded me that God was in my day...despite me.

I began thinking and focusing on God's interruptions in my life....ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT. And it has now shaped what I will be preaching on for the next two weeks and even on Christmas Eve.

Here's why I'm so distracted by it...I normally think of an interruption as a negative thing. But in God's case, it's anything but.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory. John 1:14

The greatest interruption God had in his arsenal...gardens in Eden weren't enough, prophets weren't enough, floods didn't quite do the trick. So God said, "Man up!" Kitchen sink. 110%. Everything I got!

I'll interrupt them so they can't possibly forget or miss it. My Son.

Great story right? Great way for God to whack us upside the heads, right?

And yet I came to church yesterday with my head up my butt and almost completely missed it!!! Thankfully, God is all about the interruption.

Why have I/we made God's presence and good news in the world ONLY about the first Christmas interruption a long time ago and Jesus coming again to interrupt us(I guess in 2012 so says the movie)????

Why can't God be interrupting us right now?

Why can't the events that you and I have experienced recently actually be the very same power-filled events that mold and shape our lives, our missions, our families, our decisions, our love, our forgiveness, our grace given to others, our sharing of meals and riches, our .......us!...for our now!

Interruptions aren't necessarily always negative! They may still be frustrating and hard to figure out and distracting from what WE thought the direction and purpose was for the day.....but that doesn't mean they are bad.

Interruptions might just be the "things" that happen...the "throw away moments" I call them...the new and unbelievable that you never saw coming and don't quite understand...those times might be calling you to see....God...in your midst...in your story...in your change...in your consistency...in your moment.

We have good news today that God loves the interruption! God wants us to refocus. God wants us to prepare. God wants us to recognize something that might just have the potential to be incredible...now.

Not just 2000 years ago. And not just years from now.

But maybe today. Maybe sooner than you think. Maybe...just maybe...filled with the Word made flesh and living among us...now.

Lord, help me be interrupted by you. Amen

Still in One Peace,
ps

Friends,

I want to keep things simple today. I know we're all in the Thanksgiving mode and others might have asked you this weekend in worship or this week to "count your blessings" or "take stock of what you are thankful for," and I am certainly not going to stop you from doing that.

But if you are doing that...and seeing lots of blessings...please remember those who aren't as blessed...those who are hurting...need hope...love...communication...forgiveness...and more.

Paul said, "In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35

I don't think Jesus was just talking about only tangible goods here. I think our hearts play into this as well.

Someone on my Facebook quoted Donald Miller the other day and it has instantly become one of my favorite quotes: "We're called to hold our hands against the wounds of a broken world, to stop the bleeding." --Don Miller

There is bleeding in the world...maybe closer than you think. What can we do to stop it? And maybe we can even use more than our hands...maybe we need to use our hearts.

Lord, help me love those who need love. Amen

Still in One Peace,
ps

Friends,

So I guess today in the "church year" (that's the yearly calendar where they commemorate different dead people that have had an impact on the faith life of history...if I ever get a day, it'll be April 1st!)

Today is Chief Elder Festival Day. Sounds like an American Indian thing but it's got more to do with the fairly recent church history. My notes say: "On November 13, 1741, the announcement was made to the congregations of the
Brethren's Church of the Chief Eldership of Jesus Christ." That's a tad confusing to me, because I kinda thought we knew that "chief eldership" thing already earlier...like the first Easter morning. But I guess it needed to be reconfirmed in the mid-1700's.

Now a true Biblical Scholar would do some deep research, read a ton of books, get to the bottom of this eldership thing, and share with your four or five important points about Jesus' eldership-ness for salvation history.

Me not so much.

I just want to ask you to reflect on one question today: what role does Jesus/God/Spirit/faith play in your life? And is there an elder-ness to him/God/her/that?

An elder is someone you look up to and turn to and seek advice from and learn from....do you have that relationship with God?

If the church needed to re-announce the chief elder-ness of Jesus fairly recently and give it a day of the year, maybe we should all give that question at least a day too?

Lord, how can you be my chief elder? Amen

Still in one Peace,
psA

 

Friends,

 

The kids, Michelle and I spent a lot of time in, around and under leaves this weekend.  It was a beautiful day on Saturday morning here in Western New York and 95% of the leaves have come off the trees.  So it was time to get them to the curbs so the boys on the Town road crew could take them away this morning (hint hint guys!).  It was work.  But it was also play.  As we shut off our own noise making lawn tractor and leaf blower, you could hear those same sounds all over my Clarence Center neighborhood of so many doing the same thing.

 

It was a nice moment.  The beginning of three 60 degree-ish days in a row to give us time to prepare for the next thing coming: winter.  Trees need to de-leaf.  Houses and windows need to layer up.  Lawns need to transition.  Wood piles need to be stacked.

 

Something new is about to happen.

 

"Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" Isaiah 43:18-19

 

Over my past many weeks of reflection, I've gone down this road of Isaiah's many times: trying to recognize the new thing that God is about to do, and yet, not run past the amazing moment that God has planted there for the now.  I guess it would be the difference between panicking about the leaves in fear of the coming changes vs. enjoying raking them as a family because my 8 year old looks really funny running a leaf blower.

 

Present v. Next.

 

The good news I dwell in today is that God is in both.  "Don't worry about what tomorrow will bring" says Jesus.  He's inviting us to look around...at the leaves, at work this week, at today's interactions...tests...relationships... friendships...random moments...stressful events...love...and be in those moments.  

 

Because at the same time, he's about to make something new out of them.  "I am about to do a new thing."

 

It's like DoubleMint gum...you get the flavor now and later...but I guess that would make it more like Now & Laters...do they even make DoubleMint gum anymore.  I also hated Now and Laters...stuck to my teeth too much.

 

Wow.  How did I start writing about that?  Random?  Maybe.  But maybe God can do a new thing with it!?

 

Enjoy today.  Trust today.  Trust the moment you are in.  Breathe it in.  And sense God's Holy Spirit entering you. 

 

And get ready for what is next...because God is in that too!

 

Lord, thanks for this moment....and whatever comes next.  Amen

 

Still in One Peace,

ps