Claimed, gathered and sent

Last week felt like fall. It was in the air with the cooler days. We had to wear sweaters to enjoy our patio on those mornings. This week however is quite another story. It's been in the 90s nearly every day. Today it reached 97 degrees. As the seasons and the weather change, so do the seasons of our lives. For the past couple of weeks I have been struggling with fatigue--even when I've had a quiet and peaceful day off and plenty of sleep. I couldn't tell if I was coming down with something or what was going on. I'd make a few calls, do a little visitation and my energy was sapped. I knew it couldn't be my thyroid because I was taking my thyroid medicine. Well, it seems that thyroid levels ebb and flow also and now I'm on a higher dose of medicine. This all leads up to the time I had with my spiritual director this week. I was frustrated that during the times of extreme fatigue, I seemed to accomplish very little. My spiritual director reminded me that those

The parable of the dishonest manager Luke16:1-13 is a tough one. This is what I came up with. It was preached this morning at my internship site, Grace Lutheran Church, Petersburg, WV. This parable is one of the continuing series in Luke where Jesus seems to be messing with our minds. It has been likened to a watermelon coated in Crisco being used as a football. It can be played with, but you just can’t get a hold of it. Like that slippery watermelon, parables are meant to keep us on our toes. Let’s see if together we can see what God is saying to us through this passage. The parable of the dishonest steward or manager is familiar and puzzling to most of us. It makes us think. You heard me read the story. How many of you were puzzled? You’re not alone. You should have seen all the comments on Facebook as my classmates and pastors were preparing their sermonsAnd what do we do with phrases like, “ I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when i

I'm finishing preparation for tomorrow's adult Bible study at Grace. It is our last study in Galatians. Come Holy Spirit!

I can't speak for anyone else, but sometimes I become defensive--especially if misunderstood. These are great words of wisdom that hit me right between the eyes. Remaining Anchored in Love When we are anxious we are inclined to overprepare. We wonder what to say when we are attacked, how to respond when we are being interrogated, and what defence to put up when we are accused. It is precisely this turmoil that makes us lose our self-confidence and creates in us a debilitating self-consciousness. Jesus tells us not to prepare at all and to trust that he will give us the words and wisdom we need. What is important is not that we have a little speech ready but that we remain deeply anchored in the love of Jesus, secure about who we are in this world and why we are here. With our hearts connected to the heart of Jesus, we will always know what to say when the time to speak comes. Share your thoughts on this reflection. These reflections are taken f

We have now been here in Petersburg, WV for internship just over a month. School began here in August--1 week before it began in Gettysburg--well before it began for my granddaughter in Rochester, NY. First grade began for her this past Thursday after Labor Day. Everything and everyone is gearing up for the school year routine. What is particularly different about this year is hearing about what's happening on the Gettysburg Seminary campus, but not being involved in it. I still follow the news via the Redactor , the seminary's daily news. There are familiar and not so familiar names. It is a different world there than here. I miss the people and some of the activities, like the Fri. night bonfires in the quad. But I absolutely love internship here in the Potomac Highlands. Actually doing the work I have been trained for is particularly rewarding, especially when I "get it right." Of course, there are also those times when I am so very aware of my shortcomings and how

I love the mountains. They speak to me. Often when I've thought of their beauty, I imagined I would have to live in them to appreciate them. My internship site is in the valley, the Monongahela Valley to be precise. It's also referred to as the gorge. But do you know what surrounds this valley? Mountains! Whether I'm driving or visiting someone at the hospital or nursing home, I see the mountains. This morning, Pr. Larry, my supervisor, and I visited several people in the hospital. At the end of one of the corridors was a door to the outside. On each side of the door were narrow rectangular windows, giving us a wonderful view of those mountains. I never tire of looking at them. They renew and refresh me, making me stop and reflect upon God's goodness. Perhaps that's why the psalmist prayed,"I lift up my eyes to the hills — from where will my help come?" (Psalm 121:1).The mountains surround this little town just as God's love surrounds each of us

It is hard to believe we've been here nearly 3 weeks. We are feeling very much at home in this small community. Being all unpacked and having the parsonage settled has helped a lot. We've even learned our way around enough to feel quite comfortable going to the next town to get things unavailable here. Tuesday night at a meeting, I had the opportunity to hear more of this church's history. Over the years the people have grown in so many ways. Today I started teaching adult Bible study and preached my first sermon for Grace. Grace is such an appropriate name for this community of faith. Here is the sermon I preached this morning: How often have we heard or used the phrase “Timing is everything?”  We might think of this in the middle of hearing funny stories or jokes. Two people can tell the same story using the same words, but one is a good story teller and the other may not tell it as well, with the right pauses and cadence. Then there are some people that have in