Alternative Wisdom

I like this quote...I believe it is true.

2008-08-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

"Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity."

What do Diets and Blogging have in common?

2008-08-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

I've decided that starting a blog is like starting a diet. When you first start either one, you are fueled by optimism and good intentions. You are so excited about this new thing, that you even tell people what you are doing. And that all works pretty well--as long as you continue to diet/blog. But then one day, you don't feel so inspired. You find yourself at Sonic ordering a cherry Creamslush and chili-cheese tater tots and days/weeks/months go by before you post anything on your blog. It's that moment you feel like a fool for telling anyone that you were going to diet or blog.

I am a tangled vine of good intentions and undisciplined focus. I both desire and fear success. I can be generous and kind. And I can be stingy and grouchy. There are days I feel the passion and power to follow Jesus. There are other days I just drift along. I am grateful that every day, there is God's grace and the chance to start over again.

Cookies, Kool-Aid and Jesus

2008-06-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

It's Vacation Bible School week at the Edgerton United Methodist Church and we're having a Beach Party! Kids are coming to sing, dance, play and pray as they learn more about Jesus.

We begin each evening with a kid-friendly meal. It takes extra energy and effort to provide a meal each night, but I'm glad we do. There's something that breaks down barriers between people when they sit together and eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Jesus would often gather people around a meal as a way to bring them together. He used our common hunger as a way to speak to our deeper hunger for truth and purpose.

A lot of things about VBS have changed since I attended forty years ago:
*Anyone else old enough to remember "back in the day," when VBS snacks were homemade chocolate chip cookies and red kool-aid?!? Now they serve healthy snacks like carrots, celery and fruit.
*During the opening worship, we sang "Kum Ba Yah" and "Pass It On" with a song leader and pianist. Now they have cool music videos with kids dancing and singing.
*Our craft projects were done with construction paper, glue and old buttons. Now they order craft projects from "Oriental Trading" and the kids make cute stuff you actually want to take home and keep.

But one thing hasn't changed--the story that we tell at VBS. It's still that old, old story of Jesus and his love.

Jeff

2008-06-17T07:08:00.001-07:00

A picture is worth a thousand words...enjoy the read!

James Taylor and the Kingdom of God

2008-06-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

I spent Monday night listening to James Taylor as he performed at Starlight Theater. It was--in a word--amazing. June 9th in Kansas--and there was no wind--temperature was in the 70's--the stars and moon were bright and beautiful. I love Kansas, but we rarely have those kinds of nights. So when we do, we rejoice.

I hear the gospel when James Taylor sings. It's good news to hear "You've Got a Friend." I feel not far off from the Kingdom of God when he sings "Shower the people you love with love." I remember the prophet's call for justice in "Shed a Little Light." Most the time, I just felt fully alive as he sang--my heart full, my feet tapping-my body and spirit moving. If the early church father, Irenaeus is right that "The glory of God is a human being fully alive," then I felt God's glory on that beautiful night.

The crowd gathered to hear James sing was also a glimpse of God's kingdom as I imagine it. What a beautiful variety of humanity...I especially loved that there were people of all ages and stages of life. It troubles me that some people in the church think there is music that old people like and music that young people like and the type of music used in worship depends on who's in control. I think the church could learn a thing or two from James Taylor--like it's OK to rock out one minute and then to have a quiet solo with an acoustic guitar. It's good to sing gospel music AND it's also perfectly fine to sing something from a Broadway musical. When we focus on the style of music, we miss the point. Music is about spirit--about moving us in a way that connects us with God. It's about moving us to tears, moving us to laughter and moving us to move!

Thanks, James Taylor, for the glimpse of God's reign...

Jesus Was Made Known to Them In the Breaking of Bread...

2008-06-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, three different people from the church and community where I serve came to me and told me they felt called to feed hungry kids this summer. The first time someone tells you they feel "called to feed kids this summer" it's easy to say something nice and religous like, "Well God bless you. That sounds like a wonderful idea," while fully expecting them to go home and forget about it. The next time another person tells you the exact same thing, a seed of faith gets planted in your heart and you begin to wonder, "Maybe this is something God is calling our church to do." When it happens a third time (and this time it's some person from the community whom you've never met!) you get this feeling that is both mysterious and creepy and you realize that God sometimes has to creep you out to make you get the point.

So after all these mysterious and creepy "calls" from God, we fed 36 kids lunch today here at the church. The "Summertime Lunch Bunch" is what we are calling this program. Monday through Friday, all summer long, kids can just show up at noon and we'll feed them a free lunch. Today I stepped outside a couple minutes before noon and saw no one. I wondered (honestly, I doubted...) if anyone would show up. But about 5 minutes later a parade of kids on bikes came down the street headed towards the church. And red-faced, sweaty kids, covered with the grime of summertime fun came streaming through the doors. They got their food, sat down and began to eat, talk, laugh and make plans for the rest of their afternoon.

As I witnessed these 36 kids share this meal together, it came clear to me what the scriptures meant when it said, (Jesus) was made known to them in the breaking of bread...

(Quest)ions

2008-05-26T21:37:00.001-07:00

Last week one of my church members introduced me to one of her friends--a guy in his mid-twenties who described himself to me as a "seeker." He grew up in a church but now finds himself questioning the religious beliefs he was taught. He told me about some of the issues and ideas with which he was struggling and he described to me a church where questions like his were not welcome.

When I was 12 years old, I went through Confirmation Class at the Meadowbrook United Methodist Church in Gladstone, Missouri. One Sunday evening, during class, the tornado sirens went off and our pastor had us take shelter in the basement. While we were downstairs waiting for the storm to pass, I asked the pastor, "If God is good, why does he allow bad things like tornados to happen?" I don't remember the pastor's answer but I do remember that he received my question with grace and with respect. That experience was significant for me as it invited me into a way of faith that isn't about having a checklist of right answers but having a relationship with Jesus that values honesty and authenticity.

If you look carefully at the New Testament gospels, you will see that Jesus sometimes asked questions as a way to teach his disciples and as a way to get them to look inside themselves for a deeper truth.

"Simon, do you love me?"
"Do you want to be made well?"
"Where are we to buy bread for all of these people to eat?"
"Who do you say that I am?"
"What are you looking for?"

Jesus didn't seem to have a problem with questions. Maybe those of us in the church need to follow his lead on this...?

Memorial Day

2008-05-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

Mention "Memorial Day" and some folks think about a long weekend, BBQs, golf, the first unofficial day of summer. Me--I think about foil covered coffee cans with big pink peonies. I think about trips with my parents to the cemetery to place flowers on the graves of my grandparents and other loved ones. I know lots of people who don't like cemeteries--who tell me they don't go to funerals or to cemeteries because it's "too depressing." But me, I cherish those Memorial Day trips to the cemetery. They've been a time to remember--rejoice--and reflect on the people whose lives have made an eternal imprint on my life--Grandmothers who taught me about faith and cooking and Grandfathers who taught me to love the land and to read the Bible out loud.

I also like seeing the name "Rapp" on a headstone. It makes me think about how I'm living this one "wild and precious" life that I've been given. It reminds me to number my days and look at my life through the lens of eternity.

In 2003, the Kansas Health Foundation published a calendar that had this story on it: "On a day when the snow drifted high around our farmhouse, my teacher, who lived with my family during the winter, had me follow her to the one-room schoolhouse so I could walk safely in her tracks. I often think about the life trail I'm leaving for others and wonder who is following in my tracks."

This Memorial Day, I'll be thanking God for the "life trail" that people have made for me along the way and I'll be thinking about what "life trail" I'm leaving for others...

Why "Alternative Wisdom"?

2008-05-19T22:05:00.000-07:00

Theologian Marcus Borg uses the expression "alternative wisdom" as a counter to "conventional wisdom." (Buy his books and read them--all of them--because my explanation of what he says will fall very, very short.)

Conventional wisdom says "Look out for number one."
Alternative wisdom says, "Seek first the Kingdom of God."

Conventional wisdom says, "If someone hurts you, get even."
Alternative wisdom says, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."

Conventional wisdom says, "Be afraid of anyone who is different than you are."
Alternative wisdom says, "Variety in creation is God's gift to us."

Conventional wisdom says, "Be good now for the sake of heaven later."
Alternative wisdom says, "Be good now because the joy of eternal life begins right now!"

Conventional wisdom says, "God is a cosmic Santa Clause who rewards those who are "nice" and punishes those who are "naughty."
Alternative wisdom says, "The God who created us, knows our great capacity to do good AND to do evil and, by grace, loves us, forgives us and sets us free to love and be loved."

Alternative is different...oftentimes a minority opinion/point of view. To embrace alternative wisdom is joyful, challenging, sometimes lonely and always amazing.