Distinctly Methodist?

Methodist minister and blogger, Jeremy Smith, posted in a round about way on a topic near and dear to my heart!  Here's a link to the post Methodist Kudzu so you can read it for yourself.  He was quite specific, I am going to reflect a little more broadly on this topic.  My biggest pet peeve with the United Methodist Church is that it does not clearly stand for, or reflect, the stated beliefs of the United Methodist Church.  When the average member can not tell you what the UMC believes or why we believe this, then you have a problem!

In The Message paraphrase, Proverbs 24 has this little gem:

"It takes wisdom to build a house, and understanding to set it on a firm foundation..."

My dad was a carpenter.  I'm no expert but I absorbed enough wisdom from him over the years to understand some things about buildings.  First, the foundation has to be solid.  It can't wiggle or wobble, it needs to be firm.  Second, the frame needs to be solidly connected to the foundation-the building needs to be unified.  There is a right way to build and there is a wrong way to build.  Some flaws are cosmetic and just need to be covered.  Other flaws though, negatively impact the integrity of the structure and you have to tear them out and fix the problem.  Build correctly and your building will stand firm.  Build it wrong and your building can (and at some point will) collapse.

Here's my point.  We have an amazing foundation thanks to John Wesley and the early founders of United Methodism.  In my opinion, hands down, bar none, we have something worth sharing!  But as a denomination today, we are all over the place in what we teach and how we teach it!  We have lost the unity of the message and our messages are no longer connected to the foundation!  Not only is the average member puzzled by what we believe, it seems some of our ministers have the same problem!  (Yup, here I go stepping on toes again).  Some call this an "identity crisis".  I think it goes deeper than that, we have a unity crisis.  When you stray from your roots or your foundation, then you are no longer connected, and that, my darling friends, is a problem!

Jeremy has pointed to something very specific-we are allowing Bible Studies to be taught in our churches that do not line up with core Methodist beliefs.  I think the problem is even bigger-we do not teach core Methodist beliefs in the first place.  What makes us distinctly Methodist?  What do we believe?  Why do we believe this?  Why do we do things one way instead of another way?  Seriously, why are we not preaching this from the pulpit or teaching it in Sunday School class?  Because we are no longer anchored to the spiritual foundation that is the UMC.  Because our leaders do not feel a necessity to be anchored to our distinctly Methodist foundation.  We have preached "anything goes" for so long that we have become a detriment to our own denomination.  And as members, we stood by and didn't say a word!  Gee, I couldn't possibly imagine why we have a problem!

Not that this is new.  Even Wesley preached on this topic!  Go read sermon 61 They Mystery of Iniquity and you'll see what I mean.  That's why teaching (and preaching) the core beliefs is critical to regaining our unity and connection with our foundation.  That is why the early societies were so "methodical".  They understood how easy it is to get distracted and off course.  It's human nature to follow the shiny bobble!  It's hip, it's cool, it's popular, yeah let's go with the flow!  Going with the flow has never been a "mark" of Methodism.  Methodists are expected to hold to a higher standard.

The solution to this is not an easy fix.  We, as members, can demand a higher standard, but then we become the "problem child" churches in the Methodist hierarchy.  Or, as an individual, you can do what I've done, which is read and study my bible, read and study Wesley's sermons and notes, and read and study about the history of the United Methodist church.  Educate yourself and then share what you have learned with others.  It's an eye opener!  But I can tell you from personal experience, it's well worth the effort!  And pray.  Pray, pray, pray because we have so much to offer, if we would just go back to our solid foundation!  I have faith that we can and will reclaim our heritage, but I understand that I may have to wait...

A Couple of Good Videos to Share today

My cousin Tamzen posted this video on my Face Book wall yesterday.  You want to be inspired?  Watch this:
Look at yourself after watching this.

My friend Ted, posted this on my Face Book page as well.  I've seen it floating around on other Methodist blogs and it's just plain funny!  Keep in mind, I used to plan the Contemporary service at my church so I get what they're trying to say about meaningful worship versus performance worship.  Satire with a point!
Worship Gone Wrong

I have been studying the Social Principles in detail (getting back to my blog post earlier in the week) in the hope of trying to either figure them out or come up with an alternative.  There's an awful lot of baggage to unpack!  I hope to post my thoughts in more detail but right now, it's a lot of study time!  Stay tuned....

Let me close with a gem from Proverbs 22 that I found this morning in The Message paraphrase:

"Generous hands are blessed hands because they give bread to the poor."

Food for thought.  How can we each bless others with our generous hands?  What can we do to sow those seeds of kindness?

Have a great day everyone!

When Alan Met Irene

When Tropical Storm Irene roared through Waterbury on Sunday night everyone knew that the Village was going to get flooded.  The question was how badly?  No one would know for sure until the sun came up on Monday morning.  It was, from all accounts, a very long night!

My friend, Alan Dunster, was out early taking some pictures and seeing what things looked like.  Alan and his wife, Taunya, are members at Wesley United Methodist, which sits right smack dab in the middle of Main Street where it has stood for many many years!  The old brick building has withstood the 1927 flood, the hurricane of 38 and over the years it has hosted many a chicken pie supper and various community groups in need of a space to meet.  It has seen its share of weddings and baptisms and funerals.  It has been a touch point and a gathering place within the community for a long time and it is an anchor and a beacon within the town!  It is a lovely, grand, old church!

I have spent time at that beautiful church over the years for Vacation Bible School, Christmas parties and various other events.  Even though I grew up at Waterbury Center Community church, Wesley has a special place in my heart because, for as long as I can remember, the two churches were virtually joined at the hip.  One might have been in the Center and one in the Village but we shared much together in true Methodist tradition.  Alan grew up at Wesley and his wife, Taunya, comes from a long line of Methodists.  Taunya's grandfather was a Methodist Preacher and her mother sang some of the most beautiful solos at the Center church when I was growing up!  Wesley has a special place in our hearts, and what Alan found when he finally was able to make it down to the church was heartbreaking!

According to Taunya, the first thing that Alan did was call his father to bring the generator and the pumps.  The basement at Wesley was flooded and it was flooded badly!  The piano that Alan and Taunya's daughter loved so much had floated out to the back entry way.  The kitchen was underwater, the dining area had chairs and tables floating all over the place.  It was a disaster!  Alan worked, and kept working, until Taunya finally talked him into coming home to get some rest.  But the next day, he was back there again, bright and early, working to help clean up a church that his family loved!


Other volunteers did show up eventually, but Alan was one of the first, and he wouldn't quit!  Without Alan, and a small handful of volunteers who got in there quickly, things could have been much worse!  Maybe it was Alan's Marine training that allowed him to react quickly, or maybe it's those good family roots planted over the years, either way, he managed to get past the shock and act quickly.

I like this verse from Proverbs 20 in The Message paraphrase:

"Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart: a wise person draws from the well within."

The river rose but Alan drew from deeper waters!  And his story is like so many other stories that I have heard coming out of Vermont.  One individual at at time, choosing to do the right thing, especially in a time of crisis.  Yes, one person can make a difference!  I can't forget to mention Taunya either because she has been assembling care packages to give out to those in need!  If you have ever wondered what faith in action looks like, you don't have to look far!  I can't show you a clearer example of it than Alan and Taunya!  They get it, they understand and both acted upon that understanding!

As to the church, there were some things that couldn't be saved, like the piano.  The good news is, the church does have flood insurance.  The good folks at Wesley will stand strong and rebuild and be just as vital a part of the community as they always have been!  And I know that Alan and Taunya will be right there, doing what they can to keep that Wesley tradition alive and vibrant!

Thank you Alan and Taunya, for all that you have done and all that you continue to do!  My love and prayers and heart are with you!  I am so very proud of both of you!  Thank you for letting me share your story and your pictures!  Semper Fi my darling friends, Semper Fi!

What does it Mean? The Problem with Cushy Christianity

Once again my daily Bible reading and Disciple Bible study converge!  Let's start with a verse from Proverbs 19 (The Message paraphrase):

"We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God's purpose prevails."

Now let's jump over to Mark chapter 11 where Jesus cleanses the temple.  You know the story-Jesus walks in and starts tipping over tables and driving out the sellers and money changers and says in verse 17 (NRSV):

"My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations.  But you have made it a den of robbers." 

The notes on this verse say that Jesus wasn't opposed to the temple, he was opposed to what it had become.  People looked to the temple to keep them in right standing with God-to cleanse them.  But people were not living out that righteousness in their daily lives.  Salvation had become cheap.  It had no meaning.  The temple had become a building for buying and selling rather than a place of meaning!

Well, that's how a lot of people view churches today.  They are not opposed to religion, rather they find that church has no meaning to them.  There is no depth, there is no "why does this matter"?  If you look at the studies that have been done, a good majority believe in God and they say that they are spiritual but they have no faith affiliation.  Church, in their minds, involves marrying and burying and baptising your children so gramma will get off your case!   We know that churches are getting better at greeting people at the front door but we lose them out the side door.  We wonder why and then we start making "plans" in order to "fix" the problem!

Christianity is growing by leaps and bounds around the world in places that you wouldn't expect.  Africa, Asia, South America-these are areas where faith is flourishing despite the obstacles that these individuals face on a daily basis.  There are some places around the world where being a Christian will get you killed if your faith is discovered!  These are not easy places to practice your faith, these are hard places and yet faith flourishes!  Many of these places do not have church buildings.  They do not have Bibles.  They don't have big budgets or "special programs".  What do they have?  They have faith with depth and meaning!  They understand sacrifice and taking risks and they choose to follow.  Cushy Christianity doesn't apply!

So if I had to put my finger on one thing in America that would explain our faith problem I would have to say it is Cushy Christianity.  Grace is cheap and it comes with no strings attached and no sacrifices to be made.  Instead of asking God what his plan is, we create our own do it yourself plans to fix our problems.  We lack depth and we teach but we teach without meaning.  We don't ask our members to crack open a Bible and read the words for themselves and think about what it is saying.  We don't ask our members to pray daily.  Mission is something you do to feel good.  It's all just very comfortable.  It doesn't involve risk and it certainly doesn't express something meaningful.  In short, we are biblically and spiritually illiterate.

In the land of the free you would think that churches would be bursting at the seams.  Think about it-we have the freedom to worship anywhere we want without fear of reprisal!  Not only that, we can worship openly and publicly!  We can read our Bible in our home without fear of going to jail.  We can pray privately or publicly without fear of being charged with a crime!  We are blessed, yet we take it for granted!  We are free to do things that others only dream about!  It's time we start taking our faith walk a little more seriously.

If our church leaders want our churches to be taken more seriously then we need to start preaching and teaching more seriously.  We need to start answering the question, "what does it mean?"  Spiritual faith and discipleship will bloom when we start adding some depth to an individual's faith walk.  We are asking people to go out and make disciples yet we don't equip them with the tools to explain why making disciples is important!  What does this church believe?  Why does it believe this?  What scriptures back up this belief?  How can you use this in your everyday life?  This is the depth I am talking about.  These are the tools that show us that faith means something real.

As individuals we can choose to deepen our faith walk.  We can open our Bibles and read and study.  We can read about prayer and practice specific forms of prayer.  We can openly share with others.  We can choose to take greater risks.  We can participate in mission work.  We can go to church or join a small group of fellow believers in order to encourage and share our faith with others.  We have the freedom to do all of these things so we can choose to walk a path that is more meaningful instead of taking it for granted!  We do not have to choose Cushy Christianity!  We can become the change that we wish to see in our churches our homes and our communities.  We are blessed with the freedom to exercise our religion!  Let's stop taking that precious right for granted!

The thing that really made me aware of how much I take my religious freedom for granted was when I read about St. Ignatius and St. PolycarpPolycarp we read about how the leaders of the city came up to him as he was being brought in and begged him to recant his faith in Jesus Christ.  They liked him, they really didn't want to crucify him and basically they said "just recant publicly and then you can go do your own thing and this will be all over with."  He refused.  St. Ignatius told his fellow church members to stop trying to get him out of his date with the Lions because he knew he was going to a better place and he thanked God for thinking that he was worthy enough to meet this sort of fate in the name of Christ!  Even when faced with death they didn't deny their faith!  Could I say the same thing?  Could you say the same thing?  Their faith had meaning and depth and it saw them through to the end!

It's up to you to make a choice.  Cushy Christianity or faith with depth and meaning?  You have the freedom to choose!  Let's stop taking our freedom of religion for granted!

Celebrate! Time for Family and Friends

Today is another celebration day at our house!  My youngest son, Randy, turns 11 today.  My how time flies!  Not only does he pick his cake but he gets his choice of dinner as well!  It is a family tradition!  And of course, there are presents but the big event is the celebration, not the gifts!

When I stop and reflect, I am always amazed at the changes I see in my children.  Subtle changes perhaps, but there always seems to be glimpses of who they will become and who they might turn out to be.  With Randy in particular because of Asperger's even the subtle changes are huge victories!  A "normal" kid with "quirks" learning how to successfully cope with a world that doesn't think like he does and doesn't deal well with someone who isn't like everyone else-let me tell ya, those are hard won victories!  Any challenge that my children overcome is worthy of celebration because it is the small victories that keep us going and keep us sane!

I've been reminded of this as I have spent time reminiscing with former and current residents of my hometown of Waterbury.  It's not about things that we bought.  It's about places we went and times spent together.  And it is about celebrating the people who made these events possible.  Everyone is sharing their stories, their memories and even some photos for a wonderful trip down memory lane!  It's about swimming at the old swimming hole or roller skating in the school gym.  It's about the police chief who would take a young teen home instead of hauling them off to jail.  It's about the fact that if you did something, good or bad,  your parents knew about it before you got home because everyone knew their neighbors and they kept an eye out for each other.  This was and still is a community that cared about each other and cared for each other.  The stories that are told about places we used to go and events we used to attend reflect this subtle understanding of just how special this community has been in our lives.  They are connections worth celebrating!

Proverbs has a couple of wonderful gems on the importance of family and friends.  Chapter 17 in The message paraphrase says this:

"Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble"

Here's another one from Chapter 18:

"Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family."

 Our society tells us that we should obsess over what we do not have.  We should, by default, always strive for more instead of celebrating what we already have in front of us.  I would like to suggest that instead of striving for "things" how about striving for something that in the long run really matters?  How about striving to connect more with family and friends?  We all long for that sense of community and that sense of belonging!  Why not celebrate those connections with those we love the most-our family and friends!  And who says that it has to be a carefully planned elaborate affair?  Some of the best get-togethers happen when someone just stops by to say hello!  These are your friends and your family-they know what you look like without makeup and they know what your house looks like with a sink full of dishes!  These are people who have shared your joys and your sorrows.  They have been a part of your fun times and they have been in on the scrapes and bumps along the way.  Through thick or thin they have been there!  What you have doesn't matter to them.  What matters to them is you!  Give yourself permission to just enjoy being with them!

Share a cup of coffee or cup of tea!  Share a donut and a good joke.  Get a group together to go to a picnic in the park or Chicken Pie Supper at the local church.  Fire up the grill or roast marshmallows around the fire pit.  Take time to celebrate the simple ordinary things with those that matter most-your family and friends!  These are the moments that memories are made from.  The moments that count are the moments that you share with those who truly care! 

Make time to celebrate!

Leadership-Jesus Style!

Ooh I love it when my daily Bible reading and Disciple study reading converge!  I got so fired up reading today's scriptures that I couldn't wait to share!  This is good!

Let's start with Proverbs 16 because there are just some real gems in this one little chapter!  Here are just a few that focus on leadership.  From The Message Paraphrase:

"A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit...Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kind; sound leadership has a moral foundation...Good tempered leaders invigorate lives; they're like spring rain and sunshine"

Now let's head over to Matthew 12.  Up to this point Jesus has been teaching not only the Disciples but also using parables to teach to the crowds.  He's been working miracles, he's been confronting the Pharisees.  In Chapter 12 he heals the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath.  This did not sit well with the Pharisees and in verse 14 we read that this is the point where the Pharisees started actively conspiring against him in order to get rid of him.  Verse 15 tells us that Jesus departs but large crowds follow him and "he cured them all."  In verse 16 it goes on to say that he told these individuals the following:

"...and he ordered them not to make him known."

In other words, he was quite content with flying low under the radar.  That little tidbit right there is a key element that we tend to overlook when we talk about leadership!  The best leaders are servants first.  They are content to do what they have been asked to do quietly and consistently without a whole lot of hoopla and fanfare. 

Everything that I listed from Proverbs 16, Jesus did in abundance.  His leadership had a moral foundation.  He didn't exploit, he went to those who were being exploited.  He abhorred wrong doing.  He was a motivator and he brought a message of hope, just like a spring rain and sunshine!  He didn't mislead.  He invigorated people's faith in God.  Jesus did everything mentioned in Proverbs 16 as marks of a good leader!  And he did it without being in a front and center position of power or authority! 

My my, how different than what we see from our leaders today who rush out and do the rounds on all the news  programs!  Look at me I'm great and powerful!  I accomplish nothing but I sure sound good! 

No a truly good leader does their job and doesn't search out the limelights.  And that is because they know that it's not about their best interest, it is about doing the best for those around them.  Let me give you an example.  It's something that I did and I'm not sharing this to toot my own horn but hopefully to explain why I'm not going in to formal ministry full time like so many people have suggested that I do.  I'm very very comfortable with just doing what needs to be done and flying low under the radar.  I much prefer being low man on the totem pole!

Before I came to First United Methodist in Washington, a previous minister had decided to start a Contemporary service.  To put things nicely let's just say that there was a bit of controversy that surrounded this move.  I was not fully aware of this before I agreed to join the Praise Team and I inadvertently stepped smack dab into the middle of an undercurrent of disagreement that simmered just under the surface.  Long story short, some individuals left and it looked like the Contemporary service would have to be discontinued due to the lack of a leader for the Praise Team.  After discussion with those of us who chose to stay it was decided that I would be the one who would plan the music for the service.  I took this very seriously!  I would look at the upcoming sermon topics, the scripture and the points of the sermon and I tried to pick music that either picked up on a section of scripture or a point in the sermon.  But I didn't stop there.  I made sure that I sent out a list of songs to the minister, musicians, singers and support team for the upcoming weeks and asked for feedback.   I made sure that we either had the sheet music or had access to the sheet music and created a master file so we were not scrambling at the last minute at practice trying to get it all together.  Every week I sent out a reminder e-mail with the songs and also would add links to You Tube videos of the songs so the musicians and singers could listen to them prior to practice.  And at practice, if a particular song didn't work out-no problem!  We would just switch it out with a song that everyone was comfortable with playing and singing!  Basically, I paid attention to the details.  What did the team need to do their very best was the question that I asked over and over again.  My job as a "leader" was to serve the team in the best way possible.  My job was to make sure that they had what they needed, when they needed it, so they could do their very best!  And when the few people who knew that I was the one picking the music would praise me, I would thank them but I always ALWAYS pointed out the fact that I had a wonderful team to work with and that it was a team effort!  And believe me, being up front leading worship is a team effort, whether it is a traditional choir or a praise team!  Does worship uplift and inspire and challenge and point you to the source?  That's what a good leader can accomplish if they can put their ego aside and use their gifts to bring out the very best in others.  A good leader is first and foremost an excellent servant.  That's what I tried to be and from all reports, I did a pretty good job!  But as far as I am concerned that is exactly what I was supposed to do in the first place!

Look, there are things that I know that I am very very good at-I can preach a good sermon, I can plan an excellent worship service, I can teach an inspiring class and I'm not half bad at writing!  These are my gifts and I have agreed to use them at various times and that is enough for me!  If these gifts, used properly bring just one person one step further in their walk of faith then I have accomplished what I have been asked to do!  Jesus had it right!  Do what you are asked to do, be a blessing to others, do it well and fly low under the radar.  By serving others you lead by example. 

I've told you my story simply as an example.  You may have very different gifts than I have.  That's a good thing!  Maybe your gift is managing money.  Maybe your gift is being able to create really cool graphics on the computer.  Maybe you are really good at making others feel comfortable in a social situation.  How can you use your particular gifts to serve others?  That my darling friends, is truly the mark of a leader-when you can take those God given gifts that you have and use them to help others.  I know there is a leadership gift in each and every one of you!  Use that gift to serve others and you will be a leader-Jesus style! 

Leadership Jesus style is not person driven, it's not ego driven, it is servant driven!  And there but by the grace of God go I.  And by God's grace you will go there too!  Amen and amen!

The Land of Milk, Maple Syrup and Mentors

The first thing you notice when you cross the border between New York and Vermont is the lack of billboards.  Many years ago, the state decided to ban billboards because they were considered a blight on the landscape.  It's an immediate shock to the senses for me because billboards are everywhere here in Missouri!  Don't let the lack of billboards fool ya though, there's a lot going on in the state!  All one has to do is get off the interstate and travel the back roads and you see small farms and businesses thriving!  Small signs posted at the bottom of a driveway tell you that you can buy maple syrup or that a roadside farm stand is just ahead.  Or, you can stop by the Cabot Creamery Annex and browse and buy locally made products to your hearts content!  Add to that the local chambers of commerce who promote everything in their small towns and you have a winning combination!  Compared to other places, there is a stunning level of cooperation between small businesses throughout the state!  Cabot Creamery makes the best cheddar cheese as far as I'm concerned but when you walk in the annex, you find far more than just cheese!  Homemade mixes for biscuits, scones and pancakes.  I counted four different hot chocolate/hot cocoa mixes.  Let's not forget the maple syrup, maple sugar and maple creme!  Plus, micro-brews, hard cider, jams and jellies, salsa, crackers, sodas and soap, the variety is amazing!  Each and every one of the items in the store is locally made by small businesses within the state of Vermont!

Restaurants are no exception.  They go out of their way to use local products from fruits and vegetables to locally raised meat and poultry.  And of course, they use local syrup and cheese and butter.  Believe me, you can taste the difference!  They're proud of the diversity and they're willing to support each other!  They are also willing to talk to complete strangers and answer questions.  Some places like Cabot Creamery and Cold Hollow Cider Mill offer either tours or demonstrations of how their products are made.  They are proud of what they do and they want people to see exactly how it is done.

I tell you all of this because I vividly remember a time when Vermont was not such a hopeful place to live!  Jobs for the average Vermonter just were not there!  Farms were being bought by out of staters for high end developments because milk prices tanked and property taxes went sky high.  There were some farmers who couldn't afford to hold on any longer!  It looked like the Vermont way of life was going to be ripped up and paved over to make room for yet another condominium complex!    Open fields were being replaced by cookie cutter housing.

There were individuals, however, who decided that they were not going to give up so easily!  The traditional way of life was important, it mattered and somehow a piece of it needed to be saved.  Farmers got creative and started creating events that brought people to their farm-the birth of agri-tourism.  Small businesses started creating "value added" products.  Instead of just selling strawberries, how about making some really cool jams?!  They chose to work together and when they started to see success they didn't keep it to themselves.  Instead they created workshops and gatherings where they could teach others to do the same thing!  The cottage industry movement flourished!

You could use a lot of terms to describe these individuals.  Creative, visionary, diligent, hard working, risk taker.  A couple of verses in Proverbs really reminded me of just how important their vision and risk taking were to the community and the state.  In Proverbs 14 (The Message Paraphrase) it says:

"Cynics look high and low for wisdom and never find it; the open minded find it right on their doorstep."

This verse in Proverbs 15 (The Message Paraphrase) also jumped out at me:

"The empty-headed treat life as a plaything; the perceptive grasp its meaning and make a go of it."

The easy out would have been to take the cynics route instead of looking at what they had right on their doorstep.  The easy out would have been walking away instead of trying to make a go of things.  When I say some of these folks took a big risk, I mean they put it all on the line for their vision and goals!  Believe me, they went in to the venture with a lot of fear and trembling!  But life is like that, isn't it?  There's a lot of fear out there in the world today and a lot of hopelessness being purveyed.  Sometimes though, you just have to use that fear to propel you forward to take a risk that you know is worth taking.  Sometimes you just gotta lay it all on the line and trust God that you have been given the skills and strength to fulfill your dream and vision!

The second part of all of this, is the mentoring (which I can not emphasize enough!)  Sharing with others what you did and how you did it and helping them avoid your mistakes and sharing lessons learned is incredibly important!  Even just offering encouragement can be the best gift that you can give someone.  I saw that lesson first hand on the last day that we were in Vermont. 

My 17 year old son Robert starts his Senior year this fall.  I don't know what he will end up doing but I can tell you that he is incredibly gifted and amazingly smart!  One of the things that he is really passionate about is blacksmithing.  He has his own little mini forge set up in our front yard under the trees down the hill.  He had shown an interest a few years ago and after doing a little research I found a local workshop here in Missouri.  I signed him up for so he could check it out.  I signed my husband and Lonnie up as well so the three of them set off on a weekend adventure!  Rob was hooked!  He loved it!  But, there were a lot of people telling him that he couldn't make a business out of it. They thought that he needed to think about doing something else and just keep blacksmithing as his hobby.  I, on the other hand, think that he should follow his heart and use his gifts to the best of his ability!  Long story short, we had passed by a local blacksmithing shop in Marshfield, Vermont and on our last day there we decided to stop so Rob could have a look.  Blackthorne Forge is owned by the wonderful and amazing Steven Bronstein who creates the most incredible pieces of work out of metal!  Steven not only took time out of his busy schedule to talk to Rob, he also helped Rob troubleshoot a couple of things that he had been having problems with at home!  He answered Rob's questions, but more importantly he encouraged him to keep at it and also gave him the name of someone to get in touch with who might be able to help him down the road!  His passion and dedication and his success hopefully gave Rob the encouragement he needed to pursue his dream! 

My hope and prayer is that you are inspired and encouraged to follow your heart and take a risk and use your God given gifts and talents to make a difference.    Life is meant to be lived not feared!  It's time to step forward and do what you were called to do!  And someday, you will be the one mentoring others and sharing your story!  I am looking forward to hearing your story!

Do We Encourage Big Dreams?

In the early hours of yesterday morning I watched the shuttle land for the very last time.  It is indeed the end of the era that I grew up in, believing that we would touch the stars!  My earliest memory of the space program?  Grainy images of astronauts driving around on the moon in their little lunar dune buggy!  As a child, I remember hearing that by the time I was an adult there would be people living in space and on the moon. 

Big dreamers, even bigger dreams!  They may not have accomplished everything they hoped but they did accomplish a lot!  I think that's why movies like "The Right Stuff" and "Apollo 13" are still popular today because they remind us that we stand on the shoulders of big dreamers.   

As I look at my children and their friends I wonder if we are encouraging them to be big dreamers?  With our obsession with structured schedules and test score outcomes are we taking away the free time needed to be able to dream big dreams?  Big dreams are the stuff of innovation!  Some of the biggest innovations have come from someone tinkering in the garage in the back yard!  I have to wonder if our obsession with standardizing everything is sucking the life right out of creativity and robbing us of the next big dreamer?  I'm not sure.

Big dreamers take risks.  They explore, they tinker, they plan and then they risk trying it out.  There are dozens of examples in the Bible from Abraham to Paul.  Each one had a dream and had to make the choice to step out in faith.  In modern times you could mention people like Henry Ford, Chuck Yeager or Bill Gates.  And here's the kicker-each one of them did this without structured play time or scoring high on a standardized test!  Yet no one would accuse them of being ignorant-on the contrary, they are considered a hero or a genius! 

Not to be a downer here, but I just don't see the next big dream on the horizon.  Maybe I'm not looking hard enough or maybe I've become a little jaded.  I think this all goes back to my post from yesterday about looking for the extraordinary in the ordinary.  Young children intuitively know how to do this but can the same be said of them once they get older?  Can they still look at things with wonder and see the possibilities?  Or have we indoctrinated them so far in the standards of "normalcy" that they can not see beyond what we have told them that they should see?

My hope is that the next big dreamer is out there, somewhere.  That in spite of our efforts to standardize everything, this individual still has the ability to think beyond the standard and  instead think creatively.  We need dreamers and thinkers and risk takers!  We need to encourage them to be what they were meant to be.

And maybe as a society we need to re-think our "standards".  Low test scores do not necessarily mean lack of knowledge.  What it may mean is that we have children who do not think in terms of text and coloring in the lines.  Perhaps we should stop guilting ourselves because our child is not the most popular at play group.  Perhaps, we have a child who needs to climb a tree and think deep thoughts or needs to sit with Lego's and create amazing things!  How many children are slipping through the cracks because they don't fit our notion of normal?  Don't get me wrong, sharing your toys,  and getting along with others does matter.  Being able to read and do math and know certain facts does matter.  But as a parent I would argue that each child is different and they come at things in their own unique way.  If we discourage them from using their natural gifts, talents and abilities we are selling their future short!  We are robbing them of the opportunity to not only blossom but to shine! 

We need big dreams and big dreamers!   We need to give our children the space and the tools they need to explore.  Perhaps the biggest gift we can give our children is the gift of free time.  Instead of mourning that our child is somehow "different" we should celebrate and encourage their uniqueness in a positive way.  Who knows, you could be nurturing the next Edison or Einstein, the next Ford or Gates, the next Bach or Monet. 

Proverbs 22:6 says:

"Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it."

Let your child use their natural gifts and abilities.  Let them have the time to dream big dreams.  If you do that, you'll find that your job of being a parent suddenly becomes a lot less stressful.  And I know, because I have helped raise four children to adulthood!  If I do say so myself, they're pretty cool!  Each one unique and different.  Each one with their own set of dreams. 

Dream my darlings, dream!

Extraordinary Ordinary

I was reading Proverbs 12 and one of its bits of wisdom is:

"Better to be ordinary and work for a living than act important and starve in the process."

One of the blessings (if you can call it that) of the latest recession is that people have had to get back to basics.  Ordinary is suddenly cool!  I think we tend to sell ordinary short.  There's a lot of value in ordinary, we just have forgotten how to appreciate those simpler things!  I would even go so far as to say there are extraordinary things to be found in the ordinary!

Why is it that when you buy your child the latest coolest gizmo the excitement lasts for a moment and then they suddenly start playing with the box?  Why do young children spot every ant, caterpillar, butterfly and bug on a simple walk outside?  Because kids intuitively understand that there is great value in the ordinary!

Think back to your childhood and your fondest memories.  Did they involve a "thing" or did they involve family and friends?  Now granted, that bike you got for your birthday may have been cool, but was it the bike itself, or rather the feeling you got from riding it or the adventures that the bike took you on that you remember?

One of my fondest memories is of my grandmother.  It was a beautiful late spring/early summer day.  Sun was shining, a breeze was blowing and the two of us were taking a walk to the brook.  I don't remember all of the details but what I do remember most was the feel of her hand, the warm sun and light breeze and feeling like all was right with the world!  I'm sure my grandmother thought nothing of it because we had done this a hundred times before.  But in my mind, that moment-that day was magical!  It was an extraordinary ordinary moment!  I have lots of memories like that, brief moments, snatches of time that in the scheme of things were very ordinary but they hold a special spot in my heart!

I still have moments like that-moments that take my breath away!  So ordinary yet I know deep down that they are more than ordinary.  Watching my children discover their first walking stick bug.  A hummingbird hovering gracefully by a feeder.  The burst of color from the Irises finally blooming.  Hearing the bells of the Catholic church gently toll across the valley on a misty morning.  Watching a deer pick it's way carefully across the front yard.  The cooling brace of the water when you first jump in to the pond on a hot day.  Making an ordinary meal and sharing it with family and friends.  Ordinary moments, yet they are the ones that I cherish and most vividly remember!

I think it's time to look for the extraordinary in the ordinary!  To value and cherish the common and everyday moments of our lives.  To look at the world like we did when we were young and everything was new and fresh.  Let's look for the joy and wonder in what is right in front of us!  Let's look at the ordinary things in our lives and find the extraordinary spark of specialness!  We have the ability, we just need to reclaim the skill!

In the meantime, I'm going to grab a cup of coffee and go watch the dogs chase grasshoppers!  Carpe Diem-seize your ordinary day!

Get Everything Ready For You In The Field

I find it interesting that my Bible readings today both come from the book of Proverbs!  Let me back up and explain-I am using a daily plan that will allow me to read through the entire Bible by the end of the year.  I also have been working through Disciple Bible Study on my own and the focus of this week's readings happens to be the book of Proverbs.  I'll tell ya what, I am beginning to think that anyone in a leadership position should consider this book of the Bible as required reading!  It's like peeling back an onion, the more you read it, the more you see!

I don't know about other bloggers but I actually pray before I write-it's real simple "please dear Lord, don't let me stick my foot in my mouth and let me say something that will be helpful to someone!  Guide my way.  Amen"  I wait until that still small voice kicks in and then I start writing.  I call it my "spiritual nudge" because that's the best way that I can explain it.  I've talked quite a bit about having faith and hope and using your God given gifts, tapping in to your God given creativity, etc. etc.  Personally, I thought it was time to move on to something new.  Nope!  Apparently, I haven't said it enough times yet, so you and I dear friends, are gonna cover the territory again!  This is good stuff though!  We're just mining a little deeper and coming at it from a different angle, looking at the same message, just in a different way!

Here is what Proverbs 24:27 says:

"Prepare your work outside, get everything ready for you in the field; and after that build your house."

Hmmm....now that's interesting!  First, you prepare your work and get everything ready out in the field THEN you build your house.  Say what?  Doesn't common thought dictate that you put a roof over your head first and then you do the other things?  Yet this is saying to reverse that order.  Why? 

There's a life lesson here!  Wait for it...wait for it.....

In an agricultural community how do you feed your family and how do you produce an income?  From your crops and livestock.  So preparing your field is investing in your future!  You plow the field and plant the seed or the grape vine or the apple tree. Then there is a period of time where you have to wait-it's called growing season.  You still have to tend to the various things-pull the weeds, watch for disease, water when necessary but essentially it is not as labor intensive as the initial planting season.  This is when you can work on building your house.  Because at the end of growing season you're going to be busy gathering the harvest.  Harvest comes in due season but there will be nothing to harvest if you didn't prepare the field in the first place!  And, if you haven't taken the time to build some place to put that harvest for safe keeping it will not last!

Some of you are probably thinking "that's nice but I'm not a farmer so I don't know how that would apply to me."  Think bigger!  Be creative, broaden your perspective.  Maybe your "field" is to get more training.  Maybe your "field" is to get in touch with someone who can help you write that business plan.  Maybe your "field" is to start a new ministry or outreach program.  Maybe your "field" is to be a mentor.  Your "field" is that gift or idea that you need to invest in so you can reap a harvest, either for yourself or for others!  Think about the possibilities!  This is taking that God given creativity and making plans and doing the work now so you can reap a harvest later!  It is literally taking the steps necessary to get the ball rolling!  You are taking a carefully planned leap of faith! 

I remember reading about the pioneers and how they would build their barns  and outbuildings or plow their fields before they built their houses-something I didn't understand at the time but now I do.  It was a statement of faith and hope.  They planned and planted and built because they had faith that harvest would come!  They were willing to do the work to make it happen.  They had the courage to take a risk! 

There are great ideas and plans out there that will never see the light of day, let alone a time of harvest if someone doesn't go out there and plan for them.  They will never see the light of day if someone is not willing to take a risk.  Pray, study, ask, discern.  Is the time right?  Is the time now?  If it is, then what steps need to be taken in order to start?  Start getting everything ready now so you can be ready when the time is right!  Harvest time only comes when you are willing to do the work in the first place!  Pray, plan, prepare!  Have faith and hope!  Believe that God truly does want the very best for you!  Mediocrity is easy.  Great things involve great work and a whole lot of planning!  Are you ready?

An entire life lesson in one simple verse!  How cool is that?!

Simple Acts of Kindness

Proverbs 12:25 has this wonderful bit of wisdom:

"Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up."

Anxiety I had in spades!  Tuesday morning I had a 3:00 crying jag because I wasn't exactly sure how things were going to turn out. 

It all started Monday.  After my darling husband was able to fix the air conditioner so we didn't roast, I had to move on to another issue that had been weighing heavily on my mind-dad's funeral.  I knew mom was concerned (okay, she was starting to stress out) because all of the children and grandchildren were coming to her house-at the same time!  First off, it's not a big house.  Second the well is let's just say slightly tempermental.  Sure we could set up tents in the back yard but if the well went down, that was going to be a huge and very expensive problem to fix!  So after talking to Kenny, we decided that it would be best to try to find a place to stay. 

Most people think of Vermont as snowy-a place to go skiing.  Actually though, the busiest tourist season in the state is summer time because of the lakes and fishing and hiking and a host of other activities.  So I knew I was facing a virtual "Mission Impossible" to try and find something that was available and that we could afford to rent.  So I started making phone calls.  First I called a good friend of mine who not only owns a vacation rental company but I also worked for this individual.  Someone was supposed to call me back-they never did.  Now I could talk about how hurt I was by the snub, but I'm not going to.  I would much rather tell you about the kindness and generosity of spirit of two wonderful ladies who I have not met but will hold dear in my heart for the rest of my life! 

When a return phone call didn't come, my next call was to Stowe Realty Rentals where I spoke to Kim Rushford.  They did have a beautiful small cottage available on Harvey Lake.  I loved it, my husband loved it but we weren't sure we would be able to afford to do the rental.  So I told her I would call her back once we made a decision.  I tried a few other places and then someone suggested that I call a realtor in Craftsbury.  I left a message and within less than an hour I had a call back from Barbara Paterson.  She actually owns a couple of properties and has her own website called Never Enough Vermont and her cottage was available at a price I thought we could afford.  I fell in love with it as well! 

Long story short, I was getting ready to call Kim back and let her know that I had found another place when Kim called me!  She apologized and said "I quoted you the wrong price" and then told me what the correct price would be for the rental.  We couldn't pass it up! 

I can not begin to tell you how incredibly grateful I am to these two wonderful ladies!  They went over, above and beyond the call of duty!  Their incredible acts of kindness for a complete stranger makes me so proud to be able to say "I'm from Vermont!" 

If you ever get a chance to visit Vermont in the summer time (and I highly recommend that you do visit), call either one of these fabulous women!  100 gold stars for both of them!  They are true gems and they represent the Vermont that I remember and cherish and love!

Thank you Kim and Barbara for your kind words and outstanding help and service!  From a grieving but grateful heart~Trudy