Feeling Crummy

I just finished cleaning the house after a wonderful celebration with family and friends. However, while vacuuming leftover crumbs on the floor, I ’m thinking how some of my new parishioners are feeling a little crummy. It’s no one fault. Misunderstanding happens in every family and faith community. There are moments when we lose our temper and need to vent. That’s the way God made us. Sometimes we need to let off a little steam. But what’s more important is what follows next!

So while I’m vacuuming the crumbs and feeling a little crummy myself. Here is my prayer for all those moments that catch us off guard.

“Father, forgive them, forgive me… when I feel misunderstood. You understand more than anybody this feeling of not being understood and rejected. You came to bring forgiveness of our sins, those irritating remarks that drive our family, relatives and parishioners nuts. Now send your spirit to calm and heal our misunderstandings. After a breath of fresh air, let us think what really matters. Getting our way, being right or getting back with the people, our family and friends who matter most in our life.

You taught us by your life that we need to say, ‘I love you.’ So when something breaks, we need to fix it, when it hurts, we need to figure out a way to heal the wounds. Sure, it’s a bother and we would prefer to say that we are in the right and we deserve more respect. But come on now, how much respect did Jesus receive dying on a cross like a criminal. God knows how we are feeling when misunderstood. But from the cross, remember these words.

‘Father, forgive them they know not what they do.’ We need to stop the hurtful words and hurtful thinking that prevents us from coming back and feeling close with family, neighbors, in-laws and the church.

What an amazing Father we have in heaven, who created us with all our flaws, listens to our groaning and whining, yet still wants us around for eternity. He must be nuts!!!”

When we are ready to heal. Go back to those people, your neighbor, co-worker or fellow parishioner and tell them we were not at our best. We prayed about how God hung on that cross in silence bearing the weight of our misgivings, foolish whining and selfishness. In this silence of the heart comes a spirit of forgiveness that heals the soul and makes things right with God and one another.

So this Holy Week, if you really want to make a difference in your life. Who needs to hear from your lips, “I’m sorry and I love you.”

I love this prayer for Holy Week and recommend that you pray it often: “But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.” (Psalm 130:4).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that you give us the strength to “bury” all our hurt feelings. Let us be your willing servants who listen to your voice of mercy and kindness all the days of our life.

Seeds of Happiness

A daughter was struggling to take care of her sick mom. Her mother needed a surgery and a pre-opt appointment was made to take her mom to see the doctor. This daughter called her sister and asked her to help take their mother to see the surgeon. However, her sister's response was that she was too busy and her mother should change the date of the surgery. Her sister was outraged and disgusted with her sister’s response. This daughter daily cared for her mom and all she wanted from her sister was help to take their mother to the appointment. What was she thinking? Why do we act so heartless?

Research tells us that the key trait of happy people is that they have a purpose. In short they “invest” their lives in something. During times of family illness taking care of our parents can seem a bit of a tall order. However, if you ask a “happy” person, how they are in life, playing hard too get is not one of their traits. rather, they will enthusiastically tell you of something they’re at or doing. It could be work, or maybe investing time in helping their parents through difficult times. All in all, as they will explain, it really seems to give them life. The essence of their happiness seems to be giving more than receiving.

It does seem that we are genetically coded to “flourish under fire” to quote the title of a recent book by popular psychologist Maureen Gaffney. She contends that we are meant to have well-being, meaning and purpose in our lives. Agreed, but how do we achieve this. Basically by dying to self and living for others. Something needs to switch this on.

Jesus speaks of a grain of wheat dying. What happens there? Inside every seed is an embryo that has a root going into the ground and a shoot going up. It also has an “on” and “off” switch. The time and soil temperature must be right before the “on” switch allows oxygen in water to come into the seed. When it takes in water, it expands, breaking the seed coat and producing sugar and proteins and ultimately fruit.

Something like that needs to happen to us. Maybe the outside conditions are not ideal in our faith community, in our family, in our life. Perhaps we are a dried up shriveled seed - but we are destined to grow and flourish.

We approach Holy Week. Next Sunday you may see your community gather in a different space outside the Church to mark Jesus entrance into Jerusalem. Perhaps you will bring your own green branch. As you cut it off this week from the lifegiving shrub it belongs to- consider this; what ways are we cut off from the life giving power of God. In Jesus we have someone worth living for and great enough to die for. Or are we like the amateur gardener, who bought the seed packs with those beautiful pictures of flowers…on those same seed packs. The seed, which was never immersed in soil, lie shriveled and dormant within its paper coffin. It would be terrible if our true epitaph at the end of life were to be a similar “returned unopened.”

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and does not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater. (Isaiah 55:10).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends to help us open our seed packages and share the abundance of our life with those in need of your life giving understanding and love.

Spiritual Mentors

I opened my basement doors for Steve to back in his truck who was going to install a water conditioner for our home. After he opened his van, he turned and asked if he could ask me something about religion. On his way to our farm, he got a call from his wife that a neighbor had died last night. This neighbor was Ariel, a member of his church where Steve was a deacon.

Ariel was Steve’s spiritual mentor. Ariel taught by example. He worked hard on his farm, raised his crops and animals and took care of his family. Ariel had his share of farming accidents and lost the use of his shoulders. He struggled with the daily chores but got by for you see farmers are a stubborn and a proud bred of people. Stubborn yes, but generous to family and friends and fiercely faithful to their religion.

Ariel was Dutch Reform who practiced his faith by coming to church every Sunday, saying his prayers to himself, tithing according to the good book and working hard on the farm. He was not outgoing and he did not join any committees.

Steve grew found of Ariel and started coming over to visit. He noticed that Ariel was physically hurting so he took some cords of wood from his tree farm, and brought them as a gift. One tradition Ariel practiced was high tea; Steve was invited to this time honored tradition when Ariel took a break to enjoy some Earl Gray and sandwiches in the afternoon. It was at these special moments that Steve noticed another side of this hard working farmer and witnessed a faith he grew to love and admire.

Steve understood that Ariel was not comfortable in his old church that had a change of heart. He just wanted to come sit in his pew and be quiet with the Lord and go back and tend to his fields. Steve was an experienced Navy veteran who for over 20 years was use to living in chaos. Their church wanted to be a community that love one another and cared for one another. This concept made farmers like Ariel uncomfortable who were use to being independent and taking care of themselves. Yet, this morning Steve wanted someone to listen to his story about a friend and fellow parishioner who had gone to heaven but would be greatly missed by his spiritual apprentice.

I asked Steve if being a deacon in his country church was different than when he serving on board ship in the Navy. ‘Oh, yes!’ he said emphatically. ‘In the Navy if I said to my fellow shipmates, “We are all shipmates of one another on this boat,” they would just nod their heads in agreement as if to say that everyone, even the most simple, understands that. But when I say that same sentence to people who live on the farm, they look at me as though I am proposing some crazy theory.

Steve noted that a characteristic on the farm is that dogma of individualism which makes it almost impossible for people to realize that we are members one of another, that we are meant to live in community, that our need for another is not a weakness but a divine gift. To live in community whether on board a ship, or in a country church or at home with your family can stretch our limits. Love is a decision.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “But with you is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.” (Psalm 130:4).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that you help us all feed the hunger to be more generous with our time and be present to those in need of our comfort, our forgiveness and our compassion.

Be Patient and Pay Attention

One day a little girl asked her father, "Daddy, what is God like?" The question sounded innocent enough--until the father actually tried to put his answer into language that a five-year- old could relate to. Finally, he gave the answer for which fathers are famous: "Go ask your mother." She went to her mother with the question, "Mother, what is God like?" The mother soon realized that she had no adequate answer for her daughter either. She said, "Honey, why don't you ask your Sunday school teacher?" The little girl went to her Sunday school teacher with the same question, "What is God like?" The teacher said simply, "Why don't you ask your father or mother?" The little girl thought to herself as she left, "If I had lived with God as long as my father and mother and Sunday school teacher, I think I would be able to tell a little girl what He is like."

How would you answer this little girl’s question? Is God like your best friend who listens to you on the phone when something bad has happened in your life? Or, is God like the co-worker who pats you on the back after you completed a project before a deadline. Maybe, God is like your parent who smiles and takes your pictures while you were performing on stage at a school play. Or, maybe God was like your mom who coached your lacrosse team and encouraged everyone on the team to do their best.

What God really wants from us is a change of heart, a change of direction in the course of our lives through good works. And good works do not begin overseas somewhere in Africa or Asia, or even in some poor inner city area. Good works should begin in our own families, in our own neighborhoods and in our everyday lives. They begin with the little things-- the kind word, the encouraging pat on the back, or being willing to listen to someone pour out their heart. These small acts of kindness are of far more weight than an envelope in the offering plate or a prayer for a missionary overseas. How often we long to do the great things for Christ, but overlook these daily critical signs of faith that should be our way of life.

Yesterday, I was blessed to listen to a wonderful Sonshine Friend who poured out their heart about a situation in which they felt rejected by her partner’s family. The pain and hurt of years of rejection had made her feel dark and empty. What is God like at this moment? Someone who has patience and pays attention. I did not have any clever psych-babble to make her feel better. But I listened and simply paid attention to her concerns for someone she loves very much but feels misunderstood.

What does the Lord require of each one of us is to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God. God is like our mentor who reminds us to make kindness our second nature.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” (Proverbs 1:33).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who daily bring Your kindness into homes, offices and communities. Help us to be more patient and pay attention to reach out, to touch, and to enrich the lives of others.

Looking Over

Two friends were walking down a country road. One was really troubled. He was expressing his doubt about God, about His goodness, "I don't know what I am to do with all this trouble and worry" he said. At that moment his friend noticed a cow looking over a stonewall. "Do you know why that cow is looking over the stone wall?" he asked his friend. "No" was the reply of the troubled friend. "I will tell you, because the cow can't see “through the wall.” He went on to say that that was what you must do with your wall of troubles. Look over it. Look above it.

My spiritual director, a retired college professor whose faith I admire very much shared his personal experience on the way to the operating room. He began his email with this comment: “Did what? You were once again my ‘hospital buddy’! I had a miracle that God bestowed on me at this time. I was more than a bit worried as the date for my operation was drawing near as the surgeon indicated a sense of urgency as the earliest available date he could get me into the hospital was over two weeks and he was trying to move that date up if at all possible so my prayers were a bit more urgent right up to the morning of the surgery.

At that time, I thought of Jesus words when He taught us to pray "The Lord's Prayer" and he said that we should not go babbling on as our Father knew what we needed and we should just trust in Him. At that time my prayer just became "Father, Thy will be done to me as you will it. I put all of my worries and my concerns in Your hands and know that whatever happens here is Your will which I gratefully receive." Ever since that moment, I have felt the greatest sense of peace and well being. So, not only is my corporal body on the mend so is my spiritual body being strengthened.

To every Sonshine friend - no matter where you are, what country you are in, "look over your problems" How? By faith. The same faith my spiritual mentor prayed before his surgery that will enable you to look over and above every trouble to God who is your help. Remember, always, God sees over the fence of your life.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.” Psalm 54:7).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that there are many sermons seen and not heard. For those, I thank you. I ask a special blessing on their eyes, that they may lift them up and over.

Technique!

Last Thursday morning, I had a glimpse of heaven through my viewfinder. Every branch on every limb on every tree was dusted with a fresh coat of snow. It was a stunning moment that took my breath away. Of course, I reached for my camera in the hope of capturing this scene, but you had to be present to really experience the sacredness and grace of this moment.

I am in the process of learning how to use a pro model camera. The number of options and details in using this technology is overwhelming. But one of my photo mentors kindly reminded me that “its not about the new technology, its about your technique.”

What is my technique? Drive along a country road, notice out of the corner of my eye a shot that looks interesting. Stop the car, set up the tripod, or more likely, stand, squat and take the shoot. Pretty lame technique if you ask me. Rather, this young professional photographer was trying to wake me up to realize that any stunning shot is more about your technique in life and not about how many the pixels you have in your camera.

He demonstrated how he simply looks through the viewfinder and lets the camera select the best aperature and shutter options and focuses in on his subject. He pays attention to his subject, not the technology. Once he gets his focus, his moves a dial around to make it “tact sharp” and viola he has his shot. Technique!

Sounds pretty easy, but it took years for him to develop his unique technique.

Lets imagine Jesus’ technique for being fully human. Yes, he was without sin, but being human meant he experienced all the joys, sorrows and disappointments of this life. His technique was not to whine about the technology. Rather, he spent time getting to know his people. Making himself present to their everyday moments. Our Lord’s technique was not to be a stranger. He was not a distant God, somewhere hiding in the clouds, but rooted on earth and walking into the homes of folks and letting people know that God has chosen each of us for a special mission. His technique was all about affirmation, graced with the knowledge that sometimes we have our imperfections that simply need refining. His technique, his message was “be watchful how we come across to one another, be humble not selfish, be kind not mean, generous to a fault to everyone.

Spiritual technique puts us right in the viewfinder of God who always has his eye on our efforts to bring light to the world and when we are in focus, we get the most profound, the most stunning images possible. We are beaming with the radiance of God in our hearts. It is a transforming moment when our point and shoot shots become museum quality art. Believe me, all of you are a fine work of art in the viewfinder of God!

Take a moment to reflect on this magnificent image that I had the privilege to witness a week ago. When I woke up, it lay before my eyes, a glimpse of heaven. All I had to do was bask in the moment and thank God for his wonderful creation. I am grateful we have had a mild winter so far, but this moment makes me think about technique.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. (Psalm 43: 3).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that in this Lenten journey our unique technique may place us in your holy presence.

Where to Focus?

I am in my woods focusing in on a sacred moment after a new snowfall when the “blinkies” start flashing in my viewfinder. This is a sign that the area flashing in the photo is over-exposed. There is a highlight button on the camera that warns me when this situation occurs. However, snow is bright and how do I get this shot so that its not over exposed or in layman’s term the image is “washed out.”

This sounds like our dilemma as we begin another Lenten Season. What do you plan to focus on in the next forty days? In the past, you tried your share of weight reduction promises-no chocolate or ice cream. Or, maybe you got serious and took Lent to a new level and tried to cut down on your drinking and smoking. You made your doctor happy, but you were miserable for the six weeks until you celebrated at Easter and started back where you began. With our blown highlights, let me suggest another way to enter this season of repentance.

Jesus takes for granted three practices central to Jewish devotion: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. He does not doubt that his disciples will continue to keep these practices. His only concern is that they pray and fast and give alms in the right spirit: not to impress people, but to deepen their relationship with God.

Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving need not be quaint, obsolete customs confined to the pages of a user manual in our Bible. They can reappear in a contemporary lifestyle, one that calls into question the status quo, that refuses easy answers, that exchanges contemporary craziness for deep-down, delicious sanity. This is a lifestyle that gets us right with God, with creation, with other people, and even with ourselves.

Ask people how they're doing, and so often the answer includes the word “busy.” People take their own busy-ness and other people for granted--almost. They want to be absolved of their busy-ness by something less drastic than cardiac arrest. So if you want to live a life in the spirit with creation, then pray. Leave some empty space for God. Give up rushing.

Ask yourself, do we have stuff or does our stuff have us? Are we stuffing our houses, our bodies, and our lives to the point of no return? Then down the road Jesus comes talking about fasting. If you want to live in the spirit with creation, then fast. Don't exist as simply a consumer. Unclutter your life.

So often we experience the world as full of strangers. We do not look for the connection between them and us. The humanity common to them and us goes unrecognized. Their problems have nothing to do with our problems, or so we say.

Ask yourself, do we know the person in the pew two rows in front of us? If you want to live a life worthy of creation, then give alms. Not just a few coins, but the love in your heart. Always look for the connection between you and that other person. Treat no one as a stranger.

Don't leave the message of Lent flashing like a “blinkie’ indicating that we are out of focus. Live your life “tact sharp” and in sharp focus: give up rushing; unclutter your life; treat no one as a stranger. Do these things, make them your lifestyle, and you'll find yourself walking to the rhythm of Jesus and the saints.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.” (Psalm 130:4).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that our Lenten journey may be tact sharp with words and deeds that bring us closer to you and one another.

Look of Love

It was a bitter, cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago. The old man's beard was glazed by winter's frost while he waited for a ride across the river. The wait seemed endless. His body became numb and stiff from the frigid north wind. He heard the faint, steady rhythm of approaching hooves galloping along the frozen path.

Anxiously, he watched as several horsemen rounded the bend. He let the first one pass by without making any effort to get his attention. Then another passed by, and another. Finally, the last rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue. As this one drew near, the old man caught the rider's eye and said, "Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side? There doesn't appear to be a passageway by foot."

Reining in his horse, the rider replied, "Sure thing. Hop aboard." Seeing the old man was unable to lift his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman dismounted and helped the old man onto the horse. The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination, which was just a few miles away. As they neared the tiny, but cozy cottage, the horseman's curiosity caused him to inquire, "Sir, I noticed that you let several other riders pass by without making an effort to secure a ride. Then I come up and you immediately asked me for a ride. I'm curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. What if I had refused and left you there?"

The old man lowered himself slowly down from the horse, looked the rider straight in the eyes, and replied, "I've been around these here parts for some time and I reckon that I know people pretty good. I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no concern for my situation. It would have been useless even to ask them for a ride. But when I looked into your eyes, kindness and compassion were evident. I knew, then and there, that your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give me assistance in my time of need."

Those heartwarming words touched the horseman deeply. "I'm most grateful for what you have said," he told the old man. "May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion."

Think of the last time your computer crashed or you had a water leak and the repair person of your dream came out in the middle of the night to plug the hole or repair the virus—now that’s compassion.

Like Jesus, may we never be too busy to notice our sisters and brothers in need and often them a ride when they are stranded by the burdens of life.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.” (Psalm 34: 14-16).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who eyes are filled with compassion and never hesitate to stop in their busy lives to lift up the cries of the poor.

Moooood For Love

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement.

As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest.

When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel: "How could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him", she accused. "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die."

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it."

"Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."

Things aren’t always what they seem. This little heifer in the photo might be “mooing because she’s in some kind of distress, afraid or just a bit lonely. Thank goodness she lives in a barn tended by a kind and generous farmer who takes good care of his heifers.

God takes good care of us despite the fact we don’t think he pays much attention to our concerns. We “moo” out of pain or desperation, but we need to believe that God hears all our cries for help. That’s the love we celebrate this Valentine’s Day. The love of God that knows what “mooves us” to stretch beyond our normal comfort zone and reach out to help a frighten heifer calf or maybe a frighten child or neighbor.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends whose hearts are “mooved” each day with the desire to listen to the cries of their brothers and sisters and respond with Your love and compassion.

Did You Come Expecting Anything?

Why did you come to this blog today? What kinds of emotions swirled through your mind as you connected to this site, scrolled through your bookmarks, slid into this file? Did you have any particular expectations for this reflection or did you come here looking for some special image that might brighten your day? Maybe you came here out of habit, perhaps a habit fueled by a genuine faith. Or maybe you had to drag yourself here. Maybe you felt inwardly crabby as you pulled yourself out of bed and logged on to find the weather and mistakenly clicked onto this blog. You didn't get near enough sleep last night, and the kids drive you clean up a wall as you try your best to get them dressed and out the door on time for school. Maybe you came here feeling sad, maybe joyful. Maybe you came bearing a lot of guilt on the inside, maybe you came here hanging on to lots of fear if its OK to come to pray here, or maybe without having given much thought one way or the other as to what shape your life has been in lately.

But did you come expecting anything? C.S. Lewis once penned some thoughts on worship, he was uncomfortable with the notion that every worship service needed to be a kind of variety show. Worship or praying, Lewis wrote, should be a bit like dancing. Once you have learned how to dance and have become good at it, you are able to immerse yourself in the dance and just do it almost without thinking about it. But if you must constantly look down at your feet, if you have to think about each movement before you actually make it, then you can't dance yet but are just learning how to dance.

I like to believe that coming to this blog is like a dance that you are so good at you can just do it freely and flowingly, but we dare never forget who our dance partner is! Anyway we chose to pray, whether in our church, or on our knees at night, with a rosary or bible in our hand or seated at our computer reflecting on this Sonshine, Jesus is here and it makes all the difference for the rest of our day.

We believe that we meet Jesus here every time we click to this blog. Whether at font and table, in prayer, music, and the Word, we believe we are getting caught up in the dance of life and hope and joy and what's more, we are dancing with no less than the Lord of Life.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “Then young women will dance and be glad, young man and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:12-14).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who love to dance and look to you as our partner who leads us to safety and joy. May we hop and skip like kids again and feel the happiness in our hearts that we are in the hands of wonderful God who has chosen us to be his beloved for all eternity.

I Love You

An adult education teacher once gave his class an assignment to go to someone they love before the following week's class and tell them that they loved them. They would then give their report at the next class. It had to be someone to whom they had never said those words before, or at least not for a very long time.

At the next class, one man stood up and recounted his story to the class. "I was quite angry with the teacher last week when you gave us this assignment. I felt that who were you to tell us to do something so personal? But as I was driving home, my conscience started talking to me. It was telling me that I knew exactly who I needed to say 'I love you' to. Five years ago, my father and I had a terrible argument that we have never resolved. We have avoided seeing each other unless it was absolutely necessary and even then we hardly spoke to each other. So last week by the time I had gotten home after class, I had convinced myself to tell my father that I loved him.

It's strange, but just making the decision seemed to lift a heavy load off my chest. When I told my wife, she jumped out of bed, gave me a big hug and for the first time in our married life saw me cry.

The next day I was up bright and early as if I had slept soundly all night. At 9am, I called my father to tell him I wanted to come over after work and talk to him. He reluctantly agreed. By 5:30, I was at the house. When my father answered the door, I didn't waste any time. I took one step inside and blurted out 'Dad, I just came over to tell you that I love you.'

Well, it was as if a transformation had come over him. Before my eyes, his face softened, the wrinkles seemed to disappear and he too began to cry. He reached out and hugged me, saying 'I love you too, son, but I've never been able to say it.' I didn't stay long, but I hadn't felt that great in a long time.

Two days after my visit, my dad, who had had heart problems but hadn't told us, had an attack and ended up unconscious in the hospital. I still don't know if he'll make it. So my message to all of you in this class is: don't wait to do the things you know need to be done. If I had waited, I may never have another chance to do what I did."

We all need to tell the people that we love how much we love them. We always presume that they know. But maybe they don't, and besides it wouldn't kill us to say so.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.” (Psalm 130:3-5).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends and let me personally say "I Love You" for all your years of wonderful support. May you find these words of affirmation a sign that God is well pleased with your life that reflects a divine love for all creatures great and small.

I Squealed on Myself

A good friend shared that she volunteers at her church cleaning the altar and she was feeling terrible about lots of things in her life. Then one of her fellow workers asked her to do something and she started to scream back at her friend. She admits that whatever her friend wanted set her over the top and she just lost it. She has no idea what she was complaining about, but she felt embarrassed and walked over to the confessional to “squeal on herself.” Obviously, it must have been 4 o’clock in the afternoon if father was open for business.

On her knees, she told the priest her sins, but she started sobbing in the confessional. The kind man listened through her tears, but she felt burned out from all the stress in the past few months and the healing came as quickly as the squealing. Father gave her penance of three Hail Mary’s and she left relieved but went up to her fellow volunteers to say that she was sorry.

You have to admit we go through so many stresses that there are moments we feel like screaming at the top of our lungs. It actually can be quite relieving, but screaming while cleaning a pew was quite a shock for her cleaning buddies.

Once again, it was moment to trust that God can help us surrender our tension and give us the hope that the brokenness we experience can be mended with a kind word. Her cleaning buddies told her to go home and get some rest and don’t worry about cleaning the linens. They would gladly pick up the load while she went home to take a nap. Better yet, she had the kind of friends who do not hold a grudge and gossip behind her back. She was having a bad day and they promised to pray for her that all her troubles would be resolved and she back helping again.

Lord, only knows that our shouts and screams are a cry for help when life gives us more than we can handle. The compassion comes from our friends who offer a hug and reassuring words to take a break and they promise to check on us to make sure that we are felling better.

Thank you Lord for such wonderful friends who don’t take us seriously but allow us to vent and holler and give us the grace and courage to persevere through the miserable days.

Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for help.” (Psalm 116:1).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who squeal on themselves in humility for we know that we are not always at our best. Thank you for friends who accept us when we are a terror and take us into their arms with no questions asked. What a surprise and wonderful grace to be loved by a God who hears the cries of his people.

We Are Star Stuff

I'd like to begin this Epiphany Sonshine reflection by describing one of the most beautiful sights a person can see. For this photographer, it involves getting up very early in the morning - before dawn, when there are still stars visible in the sky. The sun has not yet risen, but you can see its light on the eastern horizon. Little by little the stars begin to disappear. Soon there is only one left and it is not a star. It is the planet Venus. Finally the light of the sun overcomes Venus, the Morning Star.

Something like this happened to the Magi when thy came come from the east because they had seen a "star." We don't know exactly what the star refers to. The Chicago Planetarium once had an exhibit titled "The Star of Bethlehem." They reconstructed the heavens around the time of Jesus' birth and speculated that the star may have referred to a comet, some configuration of planets or perhaps the Morning Star itself. Whatever it was, the star led to Jesus. But when the Magi found Jesus, things changed. Jesus was like the sun rising at dawn. The Wise Men no longer needed stars and planets. They now had the bright, life-giving sun.

The poet Lope de Vega wrote a beautiful poem about this. Its title is: “The arrival of the Magi Kings.” Lope de Vega describes how the star guided them in the dark night, but when they found Jesus, the stars faded. Here is a translation of Lope de Vega's poem into English:

You Kings, who come from the East,
are searching the night sky
looking at the their beautiful lights.

Do not follow them now
for where the sun is
the stars have no light.

The Child shines upon you.
And where the sun is
the stars have no light.

Lope de Vega is thinking about the practice of astrology. It was something that attracted him, but he realized that if he was going to follow Christ, he would have to give up astrology. A famous astronomer named Carl Sagan said, "We are star stuff." That is a poetic phrase and it is true as far as it goes. The matter that forms us was ultimately forged in the furnace of stars. But, unfortunately, Sagan meant it in an absolute sense: We are only star stuff. However, I like the phrase “We are star stuff.”

As Christians, we admit that we are material beings, but we believe that we are something more. When we encounter Christ, his light overwhelms even the stars.

Sometimes darkness enters our lives and we find ourselves lost and confused. In those moments, keep in mind that are “star stuff” filled with light of the divine. The best part of the wondrous Magi story comes at the end: they left us a promise. For at last they found what they were looking for. And so will we.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “While the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:7).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who look to the morning star to guide us each day to be a true sign of God’s love here on earth.

Rainbow on New Year's Day

I am driving to get gas for the tractor before the snowstorm when the cell phone rings to inform me to look north. Over my left shoulder is the most perfect rainbow that frames all the plowed fields in the most stunning image you can imagine. I say imagine because my camera was in the closet at home and not at my side.

Sometimes that’s where we tend to put God. In the closet and not at our side. We drive along life with all our fears and hurts. We wonder if we are doing the right things in life. Are we caring for our loved ones enough? Am I working at the right job? Do I take good care of ourselves or do we neglect to exercise and eat the healthy greens.

Over time, the hurts begin to accumulate that we no longer are ourselves. Instead of kindness and patience, we find ourselves irritable and full of venom. We are no longer pleasant to ourselves because we have experienced so much rejection. Jesus farewell gift to his disciples and ourselves was a “shalom.” This is not a peace that eliminates frustrations or disappointments. Rather imagine a quiet peace that reminds us that we a never alone in our tears and God is at our side to guide us with his wisdom and courage.

Rainbows were a sign from heaven that we are never alone and that we are never in control of our destiny. Rather, we are on a path guided by a wonderful God who has sent his Son into the world to show us how to live a life filled with grace and wonder. Let this rainbow experience help us to meditate and relax that we are in the hands of a compassionate God who wishes no harm on all his creation.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:13).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who need a rainbow in their life to remind them that You are faithful to your promise to watch over us and guide us in our everyday life. Help us to be aware of your loving presence and we give you thanks.

Blending

The rolled pork stuffed with spinach and goat cheese was the highlight of the family Christmas meal. There were plenty of leftovers to take to a family member who had returned from the hospital on Christmas day. However, the real surprise came when the chef decided to deglaze the roasting pans with the pork juices and “blend” them with the pan from the charcoal grill.

I like to slow cook meat on a charcoal grill. The meat melts in your mouth. But this takes extra time, so you need to find the patience. I had recently slowed cooked a pork roast on a charcoal grill for six hours. This grilled has been used to smoke various kinds of meat this fall season. The juices from the grilled pork were caught in the pan below but what I did not know was that the juices had captured the smoky flavors from all the prior grilling.

The chef had an idea to combine the Christmas pork juices with the pork dripping that had been captured in the grill. When the juices were mixed together, there were a lot of crispy trimmings that were difficult to reduce. So the chef reached for the Christmas gift, a Cuisinart blender spoon and they were able to grind up the pork trimmings that made an awesome sauce that you would die for.

Something miraculous happened in the blending. You see the pork trimmings that were captured in the grill also contained the smoky flavors from a season of grilling. Add the juices from the stuffed pork that contained the goat chesses and spinach and the blending make a sauce that would make the saints in heaven scream for more.

I like to think that a faith community is a blending of many different cultures, traditions, and experiences. What gives each faith community flavor is the spirit to experiment and try for something unique that makes the light of Christ’s loves present in their community. The blending might result in a potluck supper to help pay the medical expenses of a neighbor’s cancer treatment. Or it might be a request to donate blankets and warm socks to a local clothing shelter. It might be a dream to rebuild a former parish complex into a retreat center located in a valley where people might want to walk and commune with God in the woods.

Yes, all faith communities are a blending of God’s love that has no boundaries and cannot be contained by any faith tradition. Jesus, our master chef, brings all the ingredients together so that each one may add their seasoning to the pot. The result is a taste of heaven here on earth where people feel the warmth and forgiveness of the newborn Savior, the Iron Chef of peace and good will to all God’s children

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who you have blessed with many flavors and talents. May they open their hearts to Your creative hands as You stir their hearts and blend their spirits to bring Your sweetness and love.