Month: November 2018

Election Day

It’s Election Day.  Finally!  There’s been quite a lead up to this election.  Ads.  Mailers.  Robo calls.  Yard signs.  Emails.  Texts.  Social media posts.  Radio, TV, and print media coverage.  And it’s finally here – the day of the midterm elections in the United States.  

In the Gratitude Journal provided by the church for this season of preparation for The BIG Event, there is a prompt:  Something I appreciate about living in the United States. . . There are so many things to be grateful for but today, I am thinking about how thankful I am that we have a say so in who our leaders are.  We have the right to vote for our leaders and those who will govern.  And that right was hard won for African Americans and for women.  People were willing to give their lives to get the vote because voting matters.  In the current news there are many stories about voter suppression and gerrymandering.  Why bother to restrict voters or to manipulate district lines if it didn’t matter?  Voting makes a difference.

And here in Florida, voting is not just about who gets elected to govern, but we also vote on amendments to the state constitution.  This gives us the power to directly influence the laws of our state.  Think of it.  With our vote.  In those few minutes filling out a ballot, we have the power to give 1.4 million people in Florida who have paid their debt to society the right to vote and have a constructive impact on their community and their country.  [Vote yes on Amendment 4]  We have the power to stop any further off-shore drilling on the coasts of Florida and to stop fracking in Florida.  [Amendment 9]  

I am grateful that we have the power to influence the life of our communities and our country by voting.  I am thankful that voting gives us a voice in the affairs of our land.  

I am also thankful that the election will be over today.  Whoever wins, whoever loses, there will still be work to do to ensure that there is “liberty and justice for all” in these great United States of America.   

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16    

An Operation

I am thankful that our new dog, Stephanie, had surgery.  Yes, I know, that sounds like a strange thing to be grateful for.  An operation?  But here’s my story.  

First of all, I am thankful that we have Stephanie.  She is a 6 year old, AKC champion, 136 pound black Newfoundland.  She was re-homed to us this spring.  So she is new to our household.  And she is one very big bundle of JOY.  

I am also thankful that Stephanie’s bum leg could be healed through surgery.  In another month, she should be up to snuff as she has not been in some time.  It was a relatively easy fix.

Next, I am grateful that we actually had the money to pay for this extremely costly procedure.  There have been many times in our lives when paying for this surgery would have been impossible.  I don’t know what we would have done.  Maybe we would have given her back to her breeder.  I don’t know.  But I was am so very grateful that we could provide this care for our beloved pet.

I am also thankful that we were able to manage the care that Stephanie needed after her operation.  It has been an inconvenience, to be sure, always taking her out on the leash when needed 24 hours a day, buying a harness to hold up her back end when she stands, not letting her use the doggie door, restricting our other two dogs from using the doggie door, giving medication at 8 and 4 and 8 and midnight for a week, etc.  But I am so grateful that we have been able to allocate the time and manage the scheduling to meet Stephanie’s needs.  And I am also grateful that I have the physical ability to hold her up and help her maneuver.  

Sometimes it is surprising how much you have to be thankful for.  And even more surprising how that is revealed to you. 

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16  

A personal note:  On this, our 35th wedding anniversary, I am thankful for my husband who tolerates my devotion to dogs and my special fondness for Newfs, drool and all! 

Sunday

It’s Sunday.  Yep.  That’s the day that you may go to church if you want to.  I say “you” because I have to go to church – I’m getting paid to go, you might say!  But for others reading this, you have the opportunity to go to church today.  

In some places, people are forced to participate in religion, whether they want to or not.  In other places, people are forbidden to practice their religion.  We have the freedom to choose.

That means that we are free to go to church. Today and every Sunday. There is no one stopping us from being part of the community, enjoying the music, experiencing the prayers, being with the caring people, having our values nurtured, having our spirits fed, and feeling rooted and grounded in love.  This is always available to us.  Each and every week.  And there is no law or authority to prevent us from participating in church.

There is also nothing to stop us from offering our generous support to the ministry of the church as it feeds us and the world.  We can give as much time and money to the church as we choose.  There are no barriers or limitations imposed by an outside authority on our giving to the church.  

There is also no limit placed on our ability and our capacity to serve.  No one can stop us from offering a smile or a kind word.  No one can make us stop praying in our hearts.  No one can prevent us from writing a letter and expressing our views or joining in a demonstration.  Because we know that serving is more than helping one individual person in some way.  It is also about changing the institutional arrangements that create and perpetuate need.  

I am so very thankful that it is Sunday and there is nothing stopping us from fully expressing of our faith today and every day!

Looking ahead, make sure to plan to be in church for The BIG Event on Sunday November 18.  Come and share the harvest!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16

Scarcity Part Two

This is a second look at scarcity.  Yesterday, I mentioned how the culture around us tries to convince us that we are lacking something, and that something is scarce, so we have to seize the chance to get it.  This kind of cultural ambiance keeps the focus on what we don’t have rather than on what we do have.  So we feel a sense of scarcity.  Intentionally choosing a discipline of gratitude helps to counter that.

But there is another aspect to the scarcity mentality around us.  It is not just that we are lacking some material object.  There is also the perpetuation of the idea that we are not good enough.  We’re not thin enough.  Or tall enough.  Or rich enough.  Or stylish enough.  Or athletic enough.  Or successful enough.  Or charming enough.  Or. . . . enough.  

This creates the impression that we are lacking.  In and of ourselves.  As we are.  This is disempowering.  And can lead us to think, I can’t make a difference.  What I do doesn’t matter.  I don’t count.  

The scarcity mentality tells us that we don’t really count for much. With this outlook, we are less likely to give, to help, to contribute because we think we’re not much and our help doesn’t matter.     

When we choose to be thankful and affirm our gratitude, we see how powerfully gifted and blessed we are.  We see our abundance.  And then we are aware of all that we have to give and share.  And it does matter.  And we can help.  And we do have much to offer.  

As we prepare for The BIG Event, think of all that you have to offer to the life of Lakewood United Church of Christ.  Let your gratitude guide you!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16

Scarcity Part One

Hurry in and save.

This week only.

Don’t miss it.

This won’t last.

Free.  No cost.  No obligation.  Call today.

Don’t let these deals get away!

We are constantly encouraged to hurry up and buy.  Something.  Anything.  Goods.  And services.  The underlying messaging is: 1) that we are lacking something, and 2) that there isn’t enough of it.   There is the creation and perpetuation of the illusion of scarcity.  

Something we already have is not good enough.  There is something new that we need.  That something is in high demand and we have to be sure to get ours.  Our economic system has to create demand to keep growing.  Demand can be created by making something look really appealing or necessary, and scarce.  It’s a never ending cycle and we get sucked into the whirlpool.   It is very stressful to the spirit, this always trying to keep up and not to miss out.  And it can be stressful to the wallet to feel pressured to spend beyond our means.  

One way to put the brakes on this endless cycle, to reduce the stress, to reframe reality, is to engage in the spiritual discipline of giving thanks.  The conscious choice to give thanks, to look for what we have in our lives to be grateful for, is an intentional rebellion against the mindset of scarcity and consumerism.  The practice of gratitude reorients our reality.   Gratitude and giving thanks induce a change of heart.  Instead of seeing what is lacking, what we don’t have, what we can’t do, we see all that we do have.  Our perception of reality transforms from scarcity to abundance.  

This November as we prepare for Sharing the Harvest at The BIG Event, consider using the Gratitude Journal offered by the church (available at church and on the website) to guide you in the spiritual discipline of giving thanks.  

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16