drenched in words unspoken… by Kari Henkelmann Keyl

drench yourself in words unspoken
live your life with arms wide open
today is where your book begins
the rest is still unwritten
~ from "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield ~

So often I find myself drowning in thoughts of what I should have said or done… or what my life could have been if only I…  How different that is from the mood in Natasha Bedingfield’s song, Unwritten, where the listener is drawn into the unwritten-ness of today, the unwritten-ness of me.

staring at the blank page before you
open up the dirty window
let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

It’s an intriguing idea, the thought of living my life as if it’s a book that I’m writing, using words that no one else would write, not letting anyone else define me.  To be always stepping forward with aniticipation, seeing all I encounter with new, eager eyes… Yep.  I’d like to live that way. Sometimes I even manage to do it.

reaching for something in the distance
so close you can almost taste it…
live your life with arms wide open…
feel the rain on your skin


I’m thinking of this amazing person named Lydia who seems to have lived with her arms and her eyes open wide. She shows up in the Bible in The Acts of the Apostles, which is Luke’s post-Easter sequel to his book about Jesus. Take a moment, if you will, to put yourself into this story: Acts 16:9-15.

Lydia and company meet at the river to pray. Here come these strange sailor-dudes (obviously not from here), but the prayer group continues on, making room for the newcomers. The strangers soon become friends as they pray and as they listen. Lydia’s not stuck in any ruts of how worship should be and who should be present. She receives the presence-of-Jesus that the strangers have brought. She’s ready to jump into the newness and splash around. Her trusting joy is contagious, and soon everyone is in the river, trying out the baptized freshness, writing new pages in their own stories.


Lydia’s not the only one who’s got an open, unwritten book. Paul and his crew have been wandering out on the windy sea, struggling with which way to head. They’ve got an out-of-this-world-story-of-life bubbling inside, and they’re willing to scrap the old rule book if that’s the way the spirit leads. They join the riverbank prayer meeting, chatting away (with women! highly unusual!), swapping stories (with Greeks! yikes!), introducing the Risen Jesus with abandon. As Lydia received their gift, so do they receive hers. Her hospitality, that is. First they say no thanks. But she insists on teaching them a thing or two: You’re not the only one who’s got some spirit to give!


This spirit of freely-flowing receiving-and-giving continues on in many faith communities, who are opening up new windows to let the sunshine—and the world—in. Check out this one, which just happens to be named St. Lydia.


Please consider this by the way riverbank to be a place where you can be freely writing your own story. Leave a comment and come back to see the comments of others. If you have questions about baptism, about becoming baptized or renewing your baptism, please leave me a note, and I’ll give you a call.


Do take a splash around Natasha’s delightful video Unwritten. And the lyrics are worth some prayerful reflection as well. I would love to know what phrase or image catches your attention! We’ll be diving deeper into all this on Thursday, May 6, 7pm EST, on http://www.skype.com/. Look for "bythewaycommunity".  All are welcome.  No exceptions.


Flowing Spirit, open my eyes to see the unwritten possibilities of today. Drench me in your refreshing rain of new life. Challenge me to revisit my own closed-off notions that keep me from you. Move deeply in me and through me, so I’ll be offering hospitality Lydia-style to all in my reach. In your name I pray… amen.

 

Star-gazing, God-spotting... by Kari Henkelmann Keyl

The question January poses for me is: What is there to look forward to after “the holidays” are over? What can brighten our dreary existences now? Valentines’ Day just doesn’t cut it. And Spring doesn’t seem to be making any headway yet.

I myself am quite fond of making a big deal out of the season called Epiphany, which just happens to be starting today. January 6 is a day to remember when some ancient astronomers just had to see what God was up to, given the spectacularly bright star that was making its way across the night sky. They found God’s bright idea named Jesus, and it all came together for them.

So Epiphany is the season to follow those star-gazers’ example and open our eyes to other things God might be up to. Whether we are gazing up into a gorgeous night sky or just staring at the same old computer screen… What epiphanies might be waiting for us? What clarifying insight is going to grab me?

Whenever I'm contemplating epiphanies and revelations, I can't help but think of my favorite scene in Steven Spielberg's movie, Hook.  Captain Hook says to his sidekick, Smee, that he’s had an epiphany (“epiphy-what?” answers Smee), a suddenly clear understanding that his life is over, so he might as well end it. Then minutes later, Smee, who has just interrupted Hook’s suicide attempt (at Hook’s comical insistence), has the true epiphany in the scene (“I’ve just had an apostrophe!” he says, “Lightning has just struck my brain!”). Smee brings hope back into Hook’s world with his brilliant plan to defeat Peter Pan: They will defeat Peter Pan by getting Peter’s own children to love Captain Hook.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPP56_I4IB4)

Even though the two of them are up to no good, they do demonstrate the truth that light sometimes dawns when you are least expecting it. Even when you’re sure your life is over. And yes, it can happen when two less-than-stellar scoundrels put their heads together. How much more can come from truth-searching people putting their heads, hearts, and souls together? That’s pretty much what by the way is up to: giving all of us an online place where we can think and feel and pray together about what moves us and gives us meaning and direction… a place where God shows up.. where people who may have very different ideas of who God is can exchange those ideas and grow together.

Though the Epiphany season starts with the revelation of God showing up in the child Jesus, who welcomes guests from the ends of the earth, the rest of the stories get us into Jesus’ grown-up life as a teacher, healer, liberator. It all begins the day he’s dunked in river waters, baptized along with tons of others. Take a look at the story the way Luke tells it: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%203:15-22&version=MSG
Notice how the crowds are excited but confused: Is this John the One? John’s crystal clear: Nope, not me. I’m just the water-guy; you’re looking for the fire-guy, the one who’ll “ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out”.

And Jesus is right there in the middle of them, not looking much like the fiery blaster that John was describing. But the epiphany is still coming; God’s presence in Jesus becomes clear, as those who’ve been baptized along with Jesus see an amazing vision. The sky opens, a dove swoops down, a voice speaks. No fire yet, but that will be coming later. Jesus’ timing is different than John expected. Jesus doesn’t clean house by force; he draws people into God’s life by the power of his all-giving love.

What epiphanies have you experienced?
What ways has God shown up for you, if at all?
What clarifying visions are you hoping for?
If you’ve been baptized, how does this story of Jesus’ baptism affect you? How about if you haven’t?

Please feel free to enter the conversation in whatever way fits you. If you happen to be near Nashua, come by Applebees on Amherst St./101A, Thursday  Dec. 7th at 7pm, to chat about all this.

Epiphany-watching with you,
Kari