Category: Kim’s Blog

You are going to die. I am going to die. Everyone we know is going to die. Every person is born and every person dies.

The question is not will we die, but how will we die. A recent article in the paper gives the odds of certain causes of death. Are you afraid of flying? Apparently, there is a one in 8,335 chance that you will be killed in an airplane accident. So, maybe it is time to give up air travel? Maybe we are afraid of being struck by lightening. It happens, especially here in Pinellas County. Statistics tell us we have a 1 in 135,666 chance of being struck by lightening. So, maybe it’s time to stay in during a storm? It almost seems foolish to try to avoid something that is so unlikely.

What about guns? Are you afraid of being shot? Well, you have a 1 in 6,492 chance of being killed by an accidental firearm discharge. And a 1 in 355 chance of being killed in a firearm assault, and a 1 in 203 chance of being killed by a self inflicted gunshot. There is a way to prevent that. Don’t have a gun and you won’t die from a self inflicted gunshot wound. Gun control and gun safety measures could significantly decrease the risks of dying from a gunshot. So, there actually are ways to lessen the chances of a death involving a gun.

So, what are the most frequent killers? We have a 1 in 7 chance of dying from heart disease or cancer. We have a 1 in 30 chance of dying from a stroke. We have a 1 in 57 chance of dying from diabetes. These are all health issues that can be significantly addressed through diet, exercise, and medication. There are effective ways of lowering the chances of dying from these conditions.

When we look at these causes of death and the odds, we see that there are ways that we can significantly reduce the risks of death through our choices and behaviors. But, yes, there is still that 1 in 562,042 who will die from a spider bite.

Advent and the weeks before Christmas can be a very busy time. We can become overwhelmed by activities and tasks and gatherings that are supposed to be a source of joy. We can be stretched thin by the financial pressures of the season. We can become stressed by the many obligations and demands that we face. Now, don’t get me wrong. I have NOTHING against being busy. I agree with the saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” I like to be busy and active.

So for me, the question this season (and all year round) is not to be busy or not to be busy. I like to be busy. The area for reflection is more around what am I busy doing? Is it something I believe is important? Does what I am doing reflect my values? Am I occupied in ways that are consistent with my commitments and interests?

I may decide that I will not fly, to avoid being that 1 in 8,335 killed in an airplane crash. But wouldn’t my efforts be better spent on healthy diet and exercise to lessen the likelihood of dying from cancer or heart disease or diabetes?

For reflection: Do the activities you are involved in this season reflect your values and commitments? Are you involved in gatherings and events that reflect what is truly important to you? What can you do to avoid finding yourself in situations that are not consistent with who you want to be and what you care about?

Prayer: Life can be so rich and full. Every day is a gift. Opportunities for joy, delight, and service abound. We pray for the grace to be aware and discerning about what we do. May our choices be life-giving to us, to others, and to the world. This is how Jesus lived and we are grateful for his example. Amen.

For the full chart, “Which One Will Get You?”, compiled from a 2014 National Safety Council report, see the Tampa Bay Times, Nov. 23, 2014, Opinion.

I am sorry to keep you waiting. Waiting. No one wants to wait. We don’t like waiting. Can you think of times that you had to wait? Did you feel like you were waiting to get a driver’s license? Have you waited to get the results of a test? As students, it may be a grade on a test. As adults it may be waiting for the results of a medical test. Think about times that you have waited. I doubt many of us have positive associations with waiting.

In the beginning of the gospels, there is a lot of waiting. Elizabeth waits for her son, John, to be born. Zechariah waits to get his voice back. Joseph and Mary wait for Jesus to be born. John waits for Jesus to step on to the scene. The magi wait to find what the star is leading them to. Anna and Simeon have been waiting in the Temple for years. In the story of the flight to Egypt, Mary and Joseph wait until it is safe to return to Nazareth. There is lots of waiting at the beginning of the gospels.

Waiting just seems to be part of life. And we do a lot of waiting. But do we think about God and waiting? Did God wait for a woman who would finally say yes to giving birth to the Messiah? Did God wait until a certain time for the Messiah to come? Did God wait to see how Jesus would be received? Does God wait for people to catch on the the saving way of Jesus? Do we keep God waiting for our cooperation, our commitment, and our loyalty? Do we keep God waiting for our repentance?

Maybe we are not the only ones waiting. . .

For reflection: Think about some waiting experiences that you have had. What was it like to wait? Have you kept God waiting in some way? What might God be waiting for?

Prayer: We are grateful for patience. The patience that others have with us. The patience God has with us. And the patience we have with others and ourselves. It’s not easy to wait. But waiting can be a time of preparation, exploration, reflection, and re-creation. May we learn to wait with enough patience to be compassionate and with enough passion to be eager and ready. Amen.

Who would you be more likely to vote for? A liar? Or a cheat? When I worked at the polls last month on election day, an older gentleman approached our table. I said, “Good afternoon. Thank you for coming to vote.”

And he replied, “Well, I still haven’t decided who to vote for. The liar or the cheat.” (He was referring to the governor’s race.)

So often when I vote, I don’t feel enthusiastic about who I am voting for. It can feel like a choice between the lesser of two evils. Or a choice about who will do the least harm. Or I feel like I am voting for someone just because I can’t stand the opponent. Seldom do I feel I have the opportunity to vote for someone that I really believe shares my values and concerns and will do something.

This season we focus on the birth of Jesus and his life and ministry. Was he a liar? Not outright that we know of. Was he a cheat? Again, not that we know of, though those money changers in the Temple may think so. With Jesus there is no deception. There is no guile. There is no hidden agenda. There is no manipulation. There is no payback.

Jesus simply invites people to live in a way that creates just and caring community for all people. He shows us a path that does not create victims. He embodies generosity of spirit, of forgiveness, and of material resources. He is pure goodness. Pure compassion. Pure honesty. To hang your hat with Jesus is not to “settle.” It is to pursue our highest good.

Jesus invited people, all kinds of people to follow him. So, we do have a decision to make about Jesus. Are we going to entrust ourselves to him? Are we going to follow him? Are we going to let him be our guide in life?

Or will we follow a liar or a cheat? There are plenty of other people, products, values, and perspectives vying for our allegiance and our loyalty. Greed chases us down. Pride lures us. Ease and comfort seduce us. Individualism beckons to us. All of these are based on lies, deception, and delusion.

Can we believe that there is someone who is truly worthy of our whole heart? Our ultimate commitment? Our undivided trust?

For Reflection: Are there ways that we are resisting following Jesus? What are the costs of the choices we make that take us away from Jesus?

Prayer: We are thankful for this season in which we remember the gift of Jesus. He came to give abundant life to the whole world. He is peace and joy. He is reconciliation and hope. May we receive him as he is – good and true. Amen.

What’s on your Christmas list? What gifts would you like to receive?

Some years ago, Bill Parsons, a Russian history professor, hosted a guest from Russia for several weeks. She was working with him on the Two St. Petersburgs Project. She had a son the same age as ours. We talked with our son about sending a gift home with this mom for her son. Something special from Florida. Our son had several toy plastic alligators. We decided this would make a good gift. We got the alligators together to choose one. The largest was probably about 2 1/2 feet long. The smallest maybe 10 inches. Our son chose the largest one to give to this child in a far off country. We were impressed. That was his favorite and the one he played with the most. And he chose to give it away.

When we presented the gift the eyes of our Russian friend got wide and she very politely said that she could not accept this gift. She said that is was simply too big. They lived in a very small apartment and there wasn’t room for something so big. A smaller alligator was selected, given, and received with relief and gratitude.

I think there are some good lessons here – about accepting limitations. Being honest. Not taking on too much. This holiday season can be a time of excess. Too much eating. Too much shopping. Too much drinking. Too much activity and frenzy.

We are told in the New Testament that Jesus led a simple life, materially. He didn’t own much. He could carry what he owned. He didn’t have property and possessions to take care of, maintain, and store. By living in a materially simple way, he was free to be generous, to be compassionate, to enjoy time with friends, to appreciate nature, and to serve. It’s important to remember the connection between the openness and availability to live an abundant life and material simplicity.

Of course, Jesus was also known as a glutton and a drunkard! And for hanging out with friends in low places! [Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:34]

Reflection: Think about how you are creating space in your life for love, compassion, meaningful relationships and service. Are there ways to keep the tidal wave of activity this season at bay? Are we making time for what is most important?

Prayer: In this hectic season, may we pause, reflect, listen, and see the meaning and beauty around us and within us and others. May we not overstuff our bodies or our homes. May our consumption be gentle to the earth. In our pursuit of the Jesus life may we find true freedom. Amen.

Today is World AIDS Day. It’s a poignant day. A time to remember all those who have died from HIV/AIDS; an estimated 40 million people worldwide. A time to remember all those who are living with the virus. It is estimated that there are 1.2 million people in the US living with HIV/AIDS.

In the years since the 1980’s when AIDS erupted on the US scene we have learned a lot about the disease. But the disease has also taught us much. We have learned about prejudice. We have learned about how prejudice influences funding. We have learned about how prejudice fosters unfounded fears. We have learned about how prejudice affects access to health care. We have learned about stereotyping, and ostracizing, and stigmatizing. I suspect things would have unfolded much differently with HIV/AIDS if the first population hit in the US had been white, male, heterosexual CEO’s!

When it comes to sickness and prejudice, Jesus tried to teach some of the same lessons that we have been shown by HIV/AIDS. In his day, people thought illness and disabilities and birth defects were divine punishment for sin. Jesus rejected that idea. People who were sick were thought to be bad in some way. That’s why they got sick. So others stayed away from them. They were bad. They were unclean. You didn’t want to associate with disreputable types. If you were sick or had a disability, you were sidelined, pushed off to the margins of the community. Jesus rejected all of that. Stories in the gospels tell of crowds of people coming to Jesus for healing. He did not send them away. He had compassion on them. All of them. Regardless of ethnicity, religion, citizenship, income, gender, sexual identity, age, or culture. Sounds like universal health care!

For reflection: Can you think of a time when you were not well and you felt that you were treated in a degrading manner? Or ignored? Or did not get the proper care? Have you found yourself resisting reaching out to someone who is sick or dying? Maybe by giving this some thought, we will see some of our prejudices and work to eradicate them.

Prayer: We think of Jesus having compassion upon all who were sick, or disabled, or dying. May we realize that healthcare is not a privilege but a right and should not be contingent upon income or location. As Christians we pray for the courage to overcome our prejudices and fears and blanket the world with compassionate care. Amen.