Presby-Musings

God [sometimes] puts out our lights to keep us safe... because we are never in more danger of stumbling than when we think we know where we are going. - Brown Taylor 

After reading a few studies that have been done on the effect that ambient light has on our sleep patterns, my wife and I have been working on making things darker in our bedroom.  

We purchased blackout curtains, and we ensure that the blinds are closed tight every night.  I've also gotten vigilant about covering up all of the little "blue" lights that blink from our cable box, Apple TV, cell phone chargers and the like. 

I got to thinking this morning about the way we too-often view darkness in negative terms when, in fact, there's so much that is generative and life-giving about it.   

What if we began to see the dark spaces in our lives a bit differently?  What if we began to see them as places where we are finally able to let go of our need for control and our reliance on our own power? 

The poet David …

Did you know that the Bible is One Big Story of God’s love for people who don’t always feel like they deserve God’s love?  It's true--it's the best kind of story, to be honest.

And God has a way of always picking the wrong kinds of people to do what God needs doing.  People who think they aren't good enough, people who the rest of the world thinks aren't good enough--heck, people who really aren't good enough... that's who God seems to love to pick to write God's One Big Story.

The Bible is One Big Story filled with heroes and villains, great adventures, epic battles, love stories and astonishing tales.  It’s also the story of a “once and future” King who picked the most unlikely people to help him share the story of God’s amazing love, and how far God was willing to go to save the world.

Today we are continuing our summer sermon series, One Big Story.  And what we're going to be learning over the course of this summer is one very simple fact:  "God c…

Yesterday, as I was driving my middle son to handle a task for marching band, I was struck with a memory of my mom driving me on a similar errand when I was about his age.

I was on the basketball team at my school and all of the guys on the team were getting a particular Nike basketball shoe.  We were not very well off.  I am sure the shoes were expensive, and that we couldn't afford them, but she took me to get them anyway.  

I suddenly found myself acutely missing my mom, grieving the passage of time, stunned that my middlest boy was so grown...  

I also realized that I was angry.  I was angry that my mom was gone, angry at myself for not being a better son, angry that I was so sad...   

And then I felt guilty and ashamed at being angry.  

It's the strange milestones that cause grief to return in a flood, just when you think you've started moving beyond it.  And no one really prepares you for how angry it can make you when it does.  

I'm writing this not to elicit sympathy…

Impatient people are always expecting the real thing to happen somewhere else and therefore want to go elsewhere. - Henri Nouwen 
I don't like to wait.  
When I am de-planing after a flight, I am always prepared to leave--my bags are gathered, belongings secured and I'm poised to move.  
Alas, not everyone has the same philosophy about getting off an airplane that I do.  
I've discovered that the majority of people de-planing on the flights I've taken seem to act as though they've never done it before.  They arise from their seats bewildered, confused and lacking the memory of where they left their luggage (most likely directly above their heads).  
It's maddening.  
My wife tells me that I should work on being less impatient.  I know she's right.  It's justs that I can't stand how long it takes to learn patience!  I'm only half joking about that last bit.  
I recently read that one way to look at the story of Adam and Eve was through the lens of their…

I made the decision about four months ago to head back to the gym after taking almost an entire year off from engaging in a serious exercise regimen.   

The first couple of months back was pretty brutal.  I was sore all of the time, hurting in places I didn't know I could hurt.  I had to drag myself to the gym to meet my trainer, who had no sympathy for me. 

But slowly, over the last couple of months, things have gotten a bit easier.  

I can now run on the treadmill for longer periods of time, row for farther distances on the rowing machine.  I can lift heavier weights for more repetitions.  And all because I have been practicing--working hard to get better, faster, stronger.  

This morning, I read the following quote from Richard Rohr that captured my attention:  
It is strange that we have come to understand the importance of practice in sports, in most therapies, in any successful business, and in any creative endeavor, but for some reason, most of us do not see the need for it in t…