Is it ever too late to say thank you? by Heidi Jakoby

On this day of thanksgiving I am taken with the importance of living in a world with others. I have recently noticed how some of my friends and family have a very small view of the world. They barely think beyond the moment or beyond their immediate family. I know that when you are going through difficult times sometimes it is best to think about what you need to do in the next hour rather than the next five years. I am reflecting on people who have stability and many things to be thankful this day.


As in the first reading(to see the reflections and readings for this week you can link to Bread for your journey) about the story of putting 5 grains of corn on each empty plate and having each person share the things they are thankful for this day, I am sure for many those things go beyond themselves and to the world. What are you thankful for locally, nationally and globally? I try hard not to get too caught up in my own little world but try to think of others, help out where I can and be thoughtfully thankful. In the last reflection we are called to be thankful, and to spread God’s love.

Earlier this week the local TV station in Nashua, NH was interviewing people online for a turkey and food at the Nashua Soup Kitchen see story at: Nashua Soup Kitchen What struck me about this report was how each person online was helping one another and they are were thankful. Even though for a number of people this was their first time in line they were thankful and figuring out how to get through these difficult times. One particular person even re-gifted some of his food to a larger family to help out. The circle of giving and gratitude was wonderful. I also find great comfort in knowing there are places people can go for help and places I can give to out of my thankfulness for the blessings in my life.

If you are feeling truly blessed and thankful this day I challenge you to consider how you can share that with others? A sign I past recently said, “Give as much as you can and be thankful for what you can give.” What are you giving away today?

I need your help I am looking for your thoughts on the following thankful dilemma.

When I grew up my parents taught me to send thank you cards for gifts received and I have noticed how thank yous are fewer and farther between these days. I try and write out thank you to people or at least acknowledge their thoughtfulness but it isn’t always easy. I recently found a stack of thank you cards I wrote out over two years ago that I thought were mailed and they were not. Is it too late to send them? Is it ever too late to be thankful and express your gratitude? What do you think?

Don’t forget to play, relax and enjoy the day!

Closure and beginnings... by Heidi Jakoby

It is interesting with how busy we are in life we often do not take time to close things, whether it is a draw, cabinet or a relationship or job. What is it about closure that many of us don’t; want to do it or think about it? I believe it is about time and feelings of loss. It takes time and thought to put closure on something. It takes time to honor what has occurred and to value what has happened. That brings us to the first reading from “Reverence: the Practice of Paying Attention” by Barbara Brown Taylor. You can see the readings, reflections and prayers at http://breadforyourjourney.blogspot.com/  .In the first reading there is a quote “The practice of paying attention does take time.” Paying attention to others, to yourself, to the world around you takes time. Do you notice what is around you? Do you appreciate those around you? Do you take the time to honor the many moments in your life? The idea of reverence that is spoken about in this first reading causes me to think about the many things and people I take for granted the things I do not take time to be thankful for or to offer reverence.

On Friday Oprah announced that she would end her show after next season, more and more television shows announce their ending at the beginning of their last season so they and their fans can have closure. Why is closure important? I think it helps us to move on to the next thing with less regrets and more joy especially if things end well.

Some of the discussion last Thursday centered on losing one’s job and how that was handled by the employer. Many of us commented how our employers just wanted us gone and seemed to fear what we might do if we had time to pack up, say good bye or create some closure. How have you found closure to your jobs? Were people kind or were you escorted from the building?

The second reading from John, reminds us that Jesus came and died for us. Jesus helped the Disciples have closure through the act of a meal of bread (Jesus body) and wine (Jesus blood) a continuous ritual reminder of all that Jesus gave for us. Rituals are very powerful during joyous times and sad times. What are some of your rituals during different times of your life? What are some cultural rituals?

The last reading I really love because it brings hope and joy. Knowing that any closure in my life whether good or bad Jesus is there and that is a great comfort.

What do you think of these comments and the readings? Please share them here.

All’s well that ends well (and begins well)... by Kari Henkelmann Keyl

Two people are given the news that they’ve lost their jobs. One is handed a pink slip and ushered out the door. The other is given six week's notice, an appreciative send-off party, and a good severance package. Both people have lost something important to them. But only one has a sense of closure.

A compelling book is only as good as its ending. Two in a relationship that say, “Let’s still be friends,” will have to work at it to make the transition. Closure is important. Things can just come to an end, or they can end well. And when things can end well, there’s room for healthy beginnings.

Part of ending well must be telling the truth, being honest about what’s happened, how it’s affected us, and where we intend to go from here.

Soon we’ll be coming to the end of 2009. The end of a decade. Incredible!  I’m sure the world around us will be coming up with all kinds of lists: the best of this and the worst of that. And maybe we’ll even do some reflective truth-telling to find some closure… and to look forward to new beginnings.

The faith community known as by the way has travelled through its two-and-a-half years with many endings and beginnings. We’ve often used the word, “organic” to describe ourselves and our way of making transitions from one phase to the next. The old ideas and resources become the compost for the new seeds that are sprouting. We keep flowing on, shaping ourselves to the changing circumstances, according to where we see God is leading us.

This Thursday by the way will be marking an ending and a new beginning. Two things are coming to an end: 1) our pattern of weekly worship at the Crowne Plaza, and 2) our goal of becoming a congregation that’s rooted in one local scene.  And what’s springing forth from this rich soil that is our past? Some new patterns and some new goals! I won’t go into the details here, but I will say that I am confident that the Spirit is leading us to make a broader impact on this world this God so loves.

So this week we’re working on some healthy closure and looking forward to what God’s going to be up to next. We’ll dig into a story from Jesus’ life that has us facing up to his time of endings, that time when he looked like he was a washed-up loser whose glory days were over. But the reality could not have been more different. The new life was only just beginning.

Take a peek into the last chapter of Jesus’ life, where we see the “powerless” Jesus on trial before “powerful” Pilate, the person who could sentence him to death, or not. If he had any sense at all, Jesus would be on his knees begging for mercy. Instead, he’s standing tall calmly trying to teach Pilate a thing or two about true power: the power to tell the truth. The power to look beyond this world’s power and see God’s kind of power at work.   Read it here:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2018:33-37&version=CEV

There’s so much more to say about Jesus’ radical kind of power — power FOR others instead of power OVER others — and the amazing beginnings that come for all of us who follow this strangely powerful leader. Please share any thoughts you may have on closures and new beginnings, truth-telling and empowering, by clicking on “post a comment” below. Come, if you can, to the Crowne Plaza (at exit 8 in Nashua NH) Thursday 7pm. And come back to the blog at week’s end for more.

Reaching closure for now,

Kari

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors. by Heidi Jakoby

Please go to http://breadforyourjourney.blogspot.com/ to read, listen and reflect on the poem, song and gospel chosen for Nov. 12.

As we lisented to the words of Robert Frost the phase "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors" resonated for me as it was put to me in High School in the form of a question for the debate team for the year, "Do good fences make Good Neighbors?" and for the entire debate season we had to be able to argue both sides of this question.  With last week being the anniversary of the Berlin wall coming down, it has been interesteing to think about that wall coming down and the walls being built in the United States between the US and Mexico and those being built between Israel and Palestine ( check out this link to learn more about Peace Not Walls, campaign for peace http://www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Justice/Peace-Not-Walls.aspx )

Also, in the reading form Mark Jesus talks about how the temple will be desctroyed. If you look at ruins of ancient cultures we all know that nothing lasts forever. Walls and fences will not stand forever, they too will come down.  As we look at our individual lives what walls do you have in your life? What are you walling in ore walling out?  What walls do you need to break down in order to live your best life?

In the song from the Newsboys they talk about the secrets we keep that may be preventing us from really knowing love or truly knowing how wonderful life can be.  What secrets are you not facing?  What are you afraid to share with the world?

One cannot look at the reading from Mark and not reflect on the end of the world.  As you may know by now on Friday the new movie 2012 came out and was #1 at the box office.  Why do we enjoy these apocolyptic movies?  What do they offer us?  This movie is based on the belief held by some that the world will end on Dec. 21, 2012 and this was concluded from the ancient Mayan Calendar.  If you knew when your life would end would you live each day differently?  Would you go on a trip?  Would you stop working?  Would you spend more time with your family? Martin Luther when asked what he would do if the world would end tomorrow, "I would plant a tree today." When I think about Luther's statement I know that the best is yet to come and that when my life ends I will be with God so it is all good and I get great comfort from my faith. Where do you get your comfort each day?

I look foward to your comments and thoughts on these reflections.

How do you wait expectantly? by Heidi Jakoby

Mark 13:1-8 (New Living Translation)


Jesus Foretells the Future

1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.”
2 Jesus replied, “Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”
3 Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4 “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?”
5 Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’[a] They will deceive many. 7 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

As I have been reflecting on this reading I think it is telling us to be ready and to live our life expectantly. As I live in the northeastern United States this is a time when all the leaves fall and there is a clear ending to Summer and the beginning of a new season. Living all my life in an area that has four seasons I am always expectant of the next season. I am not quite sure how to describe that sense of expectancy. It is thinking of those favorite activities, smells and tastes of each season.

In the beginning of this lesson Jesus talks about the temple being demolished. All of the walls will fall. John Meunier commented on his blog “I think of it [Mark 13:1-8] as a metaphor for the walls we construct in our own lives and our own psychology. When they fall, how terrible it can seem. Even when the collapse is necessary.” What walls do you have up? John's comments reminded me of Rihanna who last Friday was interviewed by Diane Sawyer on 20/20 where she outlined her abuse at the hands of Chris Brown, is she letting some of her walls down? http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625783/20091107/rihanna.jhtml

Then this week was the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down. As a person whose parents are German and with a Mom who had to escape from East Germany to West Germany it is still amazing to me that Germany is again one country, united. How did these walls fall? Were people on both sides expectantly waiting for that day? With walls going up between Israel and Palestine, I wonder if people on both sides are expectantly waiting for those walls to fall?

How do you wait expectantly? If you knew you only had 6 months to live what would you do differently?

These are just a few thoughts. Consider joining us for Bread for you journey on Thursday Nov 12th 7pm at the Crowne Plaza or come back to this blog and see what we talked about.

Putting your whole self in ain’t hokey

by Kari Henkelmann Keyl

Have you heard about the bumper sticker that says, “What if the hokey pokey really is what it’s all about?”

That’s how last night’s Bread for Your Journey got started, just after the theme of the evening was announced: “you put your whole self in” (see this blog’s previous post for more on the theme). I can’t take credit for it. It bubbled up out of our circle of those gathered. Lying in the center of that circle was a black scarf of mourning, holding a small cruet of oil, a bit of flour, a couple of shekels, and some random-looking chains. You’ll see why in a minute…

If you’d like to enter into this time of reflection, prayer, and discussion hop over to http://www.breadforyourjourney.blogspot.com/  and then come on back to hear more.

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All three stories show us people who threw themselves into something, not planning to be heroes at all. But those actions were noticed. And a kind of energy exudes from the telling of their stories. Sometimes that’s exactly the energy we need to get us connected again, connected to what we are passionate about – what we’d like to put our whole selves into.

In the story from Mark’s gospel, we see Jesus pointing out two different kinds of passion. Over in this corner, we see some guys who put their whole selves into dressing well and looking good. In order to pull it off, they have to strong-arm the weakest folks, get some extra income by stomping on the poor. This kind of passion leaves people feeling like they themselves are gods. Not good for the relationship with the real God.

And in this corner… where did you say to look, Jesus?... oh! over there! There she is... the one whose putting her whole self into her gift to God. She’s passionately connected to the God she serves. And she becomes for us a beacon of light. Even though she has so little, she has what really matters: trust in the God who loves her.

Even as Jesus points at her, she’s pointing back to Jesus, in a way. And that’s what REALLY makes her a hero. Her giving of her whole self lights the path that is ahead of Jesus… as he walks into dangerous territory, putting his life on the line. Jesus puts his whole self into connecting all people to the God who loves them. And when we accept this gift of life, we are freed to give our whole selves with abandon, with joy.   This passionate joy multiplies as we share it in community, the community God's spirit draws together, whether it's at the Crowne Plaza, or here on line. 

And THAT’S what it’s all about.

At least that’s what I think. How about you? Please comment as the spirit moves you. Start some conversation and see where it goes…

Peace,
Kari

you put your whole self in

by Kari Henkelmann Keyl

I do a lot of listening for a living. And here’s what I’m hearing: Lots of people are wandering these days, in some kind of uncharted territory. Joblessness. Cluelessness. Homelessness (physical and/or spiritual). Rug-pulled-out-from-under-me-ness. All kinds of “lands of the lost".

Sometimes wanderers look around for a hero, someone to inspire them, cheer them on. And sometimes they look into their own past, to find the hero they once were.

I’m not talking super-heroes here. Just people who know what they are passionate about, and they go or it. They put their whole selves into what they’re doing. And they make a difference.

Can you look back into your story and locate an episode where you put your whole self into what you were doing? Did you feel the aliveness that comes from being focused and determined? Or was it just the freedom to be who you are and do what you do best?

I can think of work weeks where I hammered or painted or cleaned up messes with a great group of volunteers. I gave a week of my time to do something out of my comfort zone, for someone else. It wasn’t easy, but it felt great. And I still reach back to those experiences, when God’s energy was so tangible and sure… especially during my times of wandering.

There came a time in Jesus life when he was in uncharted territory. Now I’m not saying he was wandering, because I don’t want to project or assume… but he was human, and he had some mighty tough realities to face. Like when he was in Jerusalem, not at all his home turf, and he knew that if he kept challenging the system there’d be serious consequences. He mentioned more than once that he saw death row in his future. But he didn’t let that stop him.

Take a look at this episode from Jesus’ life and see what he sees, the injustice as well as the hero he admires.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%2012:38-44&version=NCV
She gave all she had. She might as well have climbed up and put her whole body-and-soul into the offering box. Unknowing, she gave a gift of life to Jesus, even as he walked forward to put his life on the line… for her and for all of us.

There’s so much more here to talk about here. Please share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below. Better yet, if you’re able, come to the Crowne Plaza in Nashua (at exit 8) where we’ll dig into the good stuff of this story and stories happening around us as well.

Wandering with you,

Kari