Dancing, by the way, with God

Sometimes the song that’s playing in the back of our minds is a gift, if only we will stop to listen.

Right now the words and melody of Donna Summer‘s Last Dance , is the gift that I’ve been trying to ignore but now have turned around to embrace. It’s not that the lyrics  are especially rich. It’s just the sense of the song that’s appropriate: the sweet mood of moving to the music one last time before the festive event comes to an end.

Heidi and I offered the invitation to our past bloggers to connect with the by the way community one last time before our closing next week. Dustin Wright responded with his images of God acting though by the way to provide a shelter from the storm  when he needed it most. Bill Petersen offered his take on living in the perfectness of God's love for us  rather than the perfectionistic goals we tend to pursue.

This week we have two more btw bloggers joining in the dance. And then next week Heidi and I will together compile our last reflections, on how God has indeed been dancing with us these past 4 years… as we’ve tangoed with the texts of God’s Word and the contexts of God’s world, through God’s dancing partner known as by the way.
Kari Henkelmann Keyl


To Linger Along the Water Way  by Elisabeth Aurand
 
The name “By the Way” and the blog’s attendant publicity cards had caught my attention, yet it was some months before I felt I had time… to explore this new “congregation via Skype.” I appreciated the empathetic and wisely reflective voices on Thursdays at 7pm, enough that I wanted to “meet them further on up the road,” (as Bruce Springsteen would sing it ).
 
I think my image… is “The Way”, a dusty way, tapering into the horizon where it now joins a way of waters. This water “way” still invites one for a journey –past the dusty road and on into the regular current. This is the river with us in our baptisms and it keeps rolling. I hope we who have gotten to know each other here can continue to linger along the water way together now and then.

+ + +

Where do you see God?  by Anne Roser

How amazing it is when God’s loving and healing presence is recognized in the world! As I have read the bytheway blog through the years, I have seen others point to the holy in new and exciting ways.

Isaiah 43.19 offers these words to us: “I am about to do a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Who could have imagined that when the internet took hold many years ago, that it would become a tool of faith? Or that social media via Facebook, originally geared for college students, would explode into use by many ages, groups, and organizations for their communication needs? Not to mention other social media inventions!

The science world is always on the fringe of new and exciting discoveries as well. A former college classmate of mine, Dr. Leonard Zon (read more about what he does here ) was recently featured on National Public Radio’s program Science Friday on his amazing work with stem cell research.  Do check it out!

God uses what is common to reach us, and that includes the wonders of science and technology. The gifted people of this world point out to us the wonders of life around us. They use what is common to bring new life. And we as well can use what is common to point to the Christ, the light of the world, using our gifts as God intends.

God is ever deepening our desire for what is holy. In ways old and new, God is reaching out to restore, renew, and nourish the world. We are all invited to new life, new possibilities, new futures – and the darkness of alienation, illness, injustice, despair and suffering do not have the final word upon the nations, cultures, and peoples of the world.

Where do you see God? Through invention, science, technology…as well as mutual dialogue, relationship and community, the power of the holy is revealed. New things indeed springs forth, do you not perceive them? Thanks be to God!

+ + +

Thank you, Elisabeth and Anne!  And thank you to the entire by the way community for joining in the dance.  Please add your reflections by commenting here, so we can all sway to the music of your dance with God.

(And if anyone has a link to the song Dance With Me, the one that starts with, "This is holy time", please do share it.  The lyrics fit with what we're talking about here, but I'd love to share the music as well.)

Perfect Retaliation = Love for Your Enemies (including yourself)

Today's post is from Bill Petersen, whose spirited imagination was vital at btw's beginnings as well as at other points along the journey. This being the last few weeks that by the way will be blogging (see the post from Feb. 2), we're hearing from those who have been central in btw's organically-growing life. On behalf of the btw community, I'd like give thanks to God for Bill's gifts and his enthusiasm for coloring outside the lines!   ~ Kari Henkelmann Keyl 

Is it really possible to love your enemies?  Can we really be so perfect?  It's a tall order, but it's a challenge that Jesus puts in front of us in Matthew 5:38-48, the big climax of Jesus' collection of teachings often called The Sermon on the Mount (from the 5th chapter of Matthew's Gospel).

In these teachings, Jesus moves from words of blessing to declaring an end to vengeance. Jesus tells us that God’s law (including the command to forgive and love our enemies) is based on God’s unlimited love.  Because of God’s love for us, we are not to respond to evil with retaliation, rather love and forgiveness. Jesus goes on to say that living in perfection is to live in the power of God’s abundant love.

Unfortunately many of us see perfection in a less than godly light. We have expectations of perfection demanded of us by our parents, friends, bosses, and if we truly admit it… ourselves. Even Jesus' words at the end of the passage from Matthew can add pressure: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Perfect, a word that I mutter as a curse more than I give as a compliment to myself, or anyone else for that matter…  perfect :(

I am reminded of Alanis Morissette’s song Perfect from her 1995 album ‘Jagged Little Pill’ is all about the pressure of perfection that can be piled on children by parents. The song has haunting, pressure filled lyrics that opens with:  Sometimes is never quite enough. If you're flawless, then you'll win my love. Don’t forget to win first place, don’t forget to keep that smile on your face…

It goes on with messages for sons: Be a good boy, try a little harder. You’ve got to measure up and make me prouder. How long before you screw it up, how many times do I have to tell you to hurry up. With everything I do for you, the least you can do is keep quiet.

And equally pressure filled words for daughters: Be a good girl, you’ve gotta try a little harder. That simply wasn’t good enough, to make us proud. I'll live for you, I'll make you what I never was.

And ends with the bottom line of: We'll love you just the way you are if you’re perfect!

How can a son or daughter live with that kind of far from perfect pressure…? I think Jesus recognized that there is pressure to be perfect and that as humans we can never measure-up. The law is a gift that isn’t meant to remind that we have to be perfect, but that as people, we can’t be. That doesn’t mean we should ignore it, but admit and ask for forgiveness when we screw up knowing that God loves us in all our perfect and less than perfectness.

There is a current song Perfect sung by P!nk, a singer influenced by Alanis Morrisette by the way, that confesses imperfection and reminds in the refrain that God see’s us as we are, loves us anyway and calls us to live awash in God’s perfect love. The refrain (the clean version here) are words that could be sung by Jesus to remind us of who and whose we are, children of God, made in God’s image…

Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel,
Like you're less than, less than perfect.
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing,
You are perfect to me!

The P!nk Perfect video shows the less than perfect life of a girl growing up and the challenging struggles she faces as she tries to be perfect. It is raw, it is hard to watch, and it reflects the difficulty many experience trying to live-up to expectations of perfection. As I watched it and reflected on it, I recalled Jesus’ teaching about loving our neighbors, many of whom struggle with perfection, and how we are called to live in the love of God.

The video, and uncensored version of the song uncensored version of this song  will probably never be shown in schools or churches due to its “R” rated material and sensitive subject. But I recommend it because the beautifully crafted video shows a young woman who grows up facing the very real issues of bullying, drugs, self harm and theft in a world that is far from perfect. I also think that P!nk’s song is a reminder that one doesn’t have to live up to any of our worldly expectations of perfection, because to God you are perfect.

No matter what your emotional experience around perfection is, or was… you are made in God’s image. Yes you are flawed, but you are still given life and forgiven your mistakes by God who loves you. God knows every hair on your head, your deepest secrets, and all your imperfections but gave you Jesus to show us what perfect love is, to bring forgiveness, and to remind you that you are accepted with open, loving and welcoming arms by the One who sees you as perfect!

+ + +

Bill Petersen serves as the pastor of Faith Lutheran Church  in East Hartford, Connecticut and blogs at Signs Along the Way: At the Intersection of Grace + Reality

Shelter from the Storm . . . by Dustin Wright

Today's post features Dustin Wright: blogger, worshiping member, and leader in the by the way community.  This being the last month that by the way will be blogging (see the post from Feb. 2), we're hearing stories from those who have been central in btw's organically-growing life.  Thanks, Dustin, for your insightful words here, and for all you have given to this community!    ~ Kari Henkelmann Keyl

As by the way continues its journey, entering into a season of change and evolution, I'd like to reflect on how this community's ministry has been important to me, in light of the Bible reading that many Christians around the world will be focusing on this Sunday, Matthew 5:21-37.

At first glance, Jesus seems to be speaking here in very plain language. He tells us to reconcile with others, or we will "pay the last penny".  He tells us not to look at others lustfully, or we will be “thrown into hell.” He tells us that all oaths come “from the evil one.” Once some of his prescribed actions are considered however, it becomes quite clear that Jesus is doing more than simply giving commands. Instead of commanding us to gouge out our eyes or cut off our limbs, Jesus is instead teaching us how important our thoughts are instead of simply our actions.

When we lust over wealth, prestige, or indeed another person, we’re already loosing focus on what God is trying to tell us. When we give into anger and dismiss the concerns of a spouse, a parent or even a close friend, we end up violating God’s intention for us to be in community with others. Whenever we lust or don’t work to release anger from our hearts, whether we act on such emotions or not, we’re already distracted from our relationship with God, and life can indeed become a living hell.

Of course, it’s so easy to get distracted! In world that is constantly trying to pull us in different directions, we all need a place that is a “shelter from the storm” so to speak, a community where we know there are loving people that care for us and want to walk with us as we get back on track. The by the way community provided that shelter for me, in a time when I needed it the most.

When I first came to by the way I was in the midst of a great period of loss in my life, and I was grasping at almost anything that I thought might keep me afloat… having recently graduated college into a well paying but life-consuming job, I was living a pretty hedonistic lifestyle in the little spare time I had, longing for wealth and relationships in a vain attempt to fill all that was missing. Every time I took that long drive to Nashua, NH however and participated in by the way’s "Bread for Your Journey" gathering, I briefly had a chance to refocus on my relationship with God. As I got increasingly involved with the by the way community, I was empowered to listen to God’s call, and now only a couple years later, I am beginning my second semester at seminary, on my way to -- with God’s help -- becoming an ordained pastor.

At the beginning of this post I mentioned how by the way is entering into a season of change… and that’s exactly what it’s doing! As much as it might seem like it, by the way is not ending, not at all! Instead, through the ministries of all whom it has touched over the years, by the way is evolving into what it was always meant to be. Through all of us, by the way will continue to have a lasting positive influence on others, be a ministry centered on learning and growth, and most importantly, be a way for individuals to feel part of the body of Christ who wouldn’t otherwise.

God’s peace,
Dustin

Note:  For some insight into Jesus' challenging words on divorce, see this translation: Matthew 5:21-37 - The Message    ~ Kari

Lights on in Egypt, lights on in us...

by Kari Henkelmann Keyl

The eyes of the world are on Egypt. Hopeful eyes: Will the protests bring about positive change for the Egyptian people (and others hungry for justice)? Fearful eyes: Will the protests get really ugly, and if they do, who will get hurt, and how will it affect us?

It’s almost as if there is a spotlight shining on Cairo. We hear a drum-roll. We know this is huge. How will this play out? I don’t know about you, but I’m praying, praying, praying. God, be with those thousands of people putting their lives on the line for justice. Hold them close. Move through them that they might be a light to all surrounding nations...

…And a light to us. To us? Yes, God, let the light of those who work for justice open our eyes, too… so we’ll see where justice is needed and act boldly.

How can we be beacons of hope, too? How are we already doing that? How do you see God at work in the world, moving those who are oppressed to speak up, moving those who have lots to take risks for those who have too little?

The whole “beacon of hope” idea is big in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah gets his people pumped up plenty of times by calling them “lights”. He wants them to strive for justice.  Do it because justice it's good for us as a people, and good for our relationships with God.  But more than that: Do it so God can shine a light to the world through us. This big-picture thinking breaks the molds. This is huge.

Take a look at these beautiful words:  Isaiah 58:6-10.  Isaiah is speaking to people who think that if only they “fast” (hold back on eating, in the way their religion prescribes) then God will smile on then. If only they worship impressively, God will help them re-build their destroyed country and jump-start their economy.  But no, Isaiah says!  Live the light that you are, boldly sharing, enacting God's justice, and getting closer to God in the process!

Can you just feel those warm rays shining out of you? They probably are. I bet you can think of one or more ways that your choices help to make this world a better place, ways that God shines a light through you. David Lose, in his  weekly message to preachers, suggests that we could each keep a Salt and Light Log, a list of ways God works through us to be the “light of the world” and “salt of the earth” It can get you thinking about how those justice-filled actions affect your faith in God. It could get you asking yourself what God is prodding you to do next.

Jesus is the one who gets us thinking about being salt and light, in this quite famous passage. Take a look at this version (Matthew 5:13-16 NRSV), and then at another (Matthew 5:13-16 The Message), just for fun (and additional illumination!) and to see how two different translators view the words of the Bible.

This whole business of shining your light, and of noticing lights shining in the world, has been so important in all that by the way has been and done these past 4-plus years. The by the way community has morphed a number of times, taken on different shapes to fit how the Spirit is calling us, in order to be effectively shining God’s light to those who might not ordinarily see it. It’s been quite a ride, and I thank all of you for your part in this journey (whether you are reading for the first time or if you’ve been here for the duration!)

Please stay tuned-in this next month, while by the way goes through it’s next morphing phase. We’re going to be celebrating how God has led us and we’ll be drawing our ministry to a close. It has been a difficult decision. We’ve prayed lots and will continue to do so. And it feels right to be moving on.

We’ll be asking you to consider sharing your thoughts on how by the way has been a light for you or has somehow connected you to God and to others in new ways. As always, you are invited to comment below to connect to others in the by the way community. Let us know what’s on your “Salt and Light Log” or what concerns you have for people who are in crisis around the world, and how we can support them and advocate for them.

I’ll leave you with the words of Jesus as I am hearing them today: You ARE my light. Absorb my warming love. Let it move around in you, and then out through you: in bold acts of justice and love.