To the by the way community:
By the way is taking a bit of a breather here. Summer’s not a bad time for that.
BTW’s adventures in searching for God – active in the world, alive in the Word – will continue. In the meantime, do be attentive to how God just might be searching for you. And if that attentiveness leads to new discoveries or a story to tell, let us all know, will you? Just comment below…
Journeying on with you,
Kari
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Connect to the Extraordinary by Heidi Jakoby
Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. I am still to this day a person who gets excited about the mail, yes snail mail the mail delivered to my home each day. I am always hopeful that the mail will bring a surprise something unexpected, just like a knock at the door or the doorbell ringing. When I was little the door bell rang often, but today everyone arranges play dates or calls ahead and the surprise, is a little lost in my opinion. On a pretty regular day Jesus came and knocked on Martha and Mary’s door. They did not expect him and there were many chores to be done to maintain the house and to show hospitality. Take a look at the story in Luke 10:38-42 . What do you think? Martha definitely had the gift of hospitality and opened her door and invited Jesus in but may have missed the opportunity to visit with Jesus and be in the moment. Mary disregarded her chores and visited with Jesus. I do not think one woman was right and the other wrong I think that sometimes we do not notice the opportunities before us to be in the moment. To put ourselves in a place of wonder. We easily get caught up in what we have to do and we sometimes don’t ask what are we being called to do?
Let me share three of my own examples from this past week. I had my Niece, Nephew and their Mom visiting for a week as they do every year since before they were born. My Niece and Nephew are 9 and 11 and I used to make breakfast everyday for them, but as they grew I realized that they could help. Yes, it was a little messier but letting them help, teaching them to cook has become a wonderful tradition each time them come for a visit and now it is our time to talk catch up and for them to teach me. I recognized that this ordinary time has become extraordinary.
A second example which stands out for me is our trip to Canobie Lake Park , a local amusement park. This park has history going back to the Vitoria era and it was known for its Dancehall, now redone with a small museum in the back. We entered the park when it opened and left when it closed so you can tell we were on a mission, to get as much in as possible. In the heat of the afternoon we often stop to take in the show, as we did this time. The show ended and we were heading out and my husband grabbed me and started dancing with me. There was music but no one else was dancing, but this was a dance hall. I had two options, say “stop, we need to move on” or dance. I chose to dance, and it is one my favorite memories of last week, my husband and I danced in this famous dance hall. Check out Lee Ann Womack : I Hope You Dance (Lyrics, Video) Lyrics and see what you think about how this relates to Jesus invitation to Martha to come and be a part of the visit.
The third example is about a friend who had surgery Monday and asked me to stay overnight as she needed a “responsible adult” to be with her overnight. The Monday after a week of visitors is usually a day to catch up on sleep and to take it easy but I knew that this was something I needed to do. I knew that we all need help every now and again and it isn’t always easy to recognize when your tasks and plans need to take a back seat to someone else’s needs. I think this video I found from the Responsibility Project illustrates this well entitled Second Line What did you hear?
I agree with one of the many bloggers I read that the story of Martha and Mary:
{Is} really about Jesus and how much Jesus wants to draw each and all of us into a relationship that lifts us beyond the everyday limitations of this life that we might glimpse, if only for a few moments at a time, the sacred in the mundane, the extraordinary in the ordinary, and the holiness with which each and every moment of this life is imbued.” David Lose (to see the rest of what David wrote click here )
Please comment and let me know what you think. We will not be skyping for the next few weeks, so please comment here and let us know when you would like to join the conversation.
I challenge you to find the extraordinary in the ordinary and share it hear.
Let me share three of my own examples from this past week. I had my Niece, Nephew and their Mom visiting for a week as they do every year since before they were born. My Niece and Nephew are 9 and 11 and I used to make breakfast everyday for them, but as they grew I realized that they could help. Yes, it was a little messier but letting them help, teaching them to cook has become a wonderful tradition each time them come for a visit and now it is our time to talk catch up and for them to teach me. I recognized that this ordinary time has become extraordinary.
A second example which stands out for me is our trip to Canobie Lake Park , a local amusement park. This park has history going back to the Vitoria era and it was known for its Dancehall, now redone with a small museum in the back. We entered the park when it opened and left when it closed so you can tell we were on a mission, to get as much in as possible. In the heat of the afternoon we often stop to take in the show, as we did this time. The show ended and we were heading out and my husband grabbed me and started dancing with me. There was music but no one else was dancing, but this was a dance hall. I had two options, say “stop, we need to move on” or dance. I chose to dance, and it is one my favorite memories of last week, my husband and I danced in this famous dance hall. Check out Lee Ann Womack : I Hope You Dance (Lyrics, Video) Lyrics and see what you think about how this relates to Jesus invitation to Martha to come and be a part of the visit.
The third example is about a friend who had surgery Monday and asked me to stay overnight as she needed a “responsible adult” to be with her overnight. The Monday after a week of visitors is usually a day to catch up on sleep and to take it easy but I knew that this was something I needed to do. I knew that we all need help every now and again and it isn’t always easy to recognize when your tasks and plans need to take a back seat to someone else’s needs. I think this video I found from the Responsibility Project illustrates this well entitled Second Line What did you hear?
I agree with one of the many bloggers I read that the story of Martha and Mary:
{Is} really about Jesus and how much Jesus wants to draw each and all of us into a relationship that lifts us beyond the everyday limitations of this life that we might glimpse, if only for a few moments at a time, the sacred in the mundane, the extraordinary in the ordinary, and the holiness with which each and every moment of this life is imbued.” David Lose (to see the rest of what David wrote click here )
Please comment and let me know what you think. We will not be skyping for the next few weeks, so please comment here and let us know when you would like to join the conversation.
I challenge you to find the extraordinary in the ordinary and share it hear.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
A Picture of Jesus . . . by Dustin Wright
When Kari asked me to guest blog this week for by the way, I was frankly a bit apprehensive. I hadn’t done this in a while, and since I’m spending my summer training new counselors up in New Hampshire at Camp Calumet Lutheran, I also knew I wouldn’t have all that much free time to get this post done. Luckily though, after borrowing from some experiences up at Calumet this summer, writing about this week’s gospel seemed pretty straightforward. It’s the story of the Good Samaritan, from the New Living Translation: Luke 10:25-37
Think about what the nature of a relationship between two neighbors looks like… I don’t mean the “keeping up with the Joneses” sort of relationship, or the type where you kill your neighbor’s rosebush for growing a few inches into your yard… I’m talking more about the healthy relationship of two neighbors living in community. In a healthy relationship between neighbors, one party isn’t always helping the other… it’s a relationship that’s mutually beneficial. I borrowed some milk from an older couple next door a few months ago for instance, but I’ve also helped to haul some old furniture out of their basement once or twice too.
Through the Good Samaritan parable above, Jesus suggests to the “religious expert” that all persons are created in God’s image, and thus should be treated lovingly as neighbors. Jesus on the other hand suggests that while not everyone will love us back as neighbors, some folks will act as a picture of Him, even if they're not always the people we’d expect. The song "Picture of Jesus" by Ben Harper, illustrates this concept quite well.
Finally, given the profound effect Camp Calumet is having on me this summer, it’s impossible not to mention how this “picture of Jesus” concept is alive and stronger than ever on the shores of Lake Ossipee. Having been up there for a well over a month now, I’ve been amazed how a new generation of staff members are striving to emulate Jesus’ love and caring for others, treating all campers, guests and fellow staff members as neighbors. It’s particularly interesting that while some staff members are doing that on purpose, others are doing the same thing unintentionally, just by living, working and having in fun in the strong Christian community that is Calumet. Check out this video post from Calumet’s new blog to meet some of those amazing staff members.
God’s peace,
Dustin Wright
Thanks, Dustin, for your thought-provoking words and links! It can be intriguing to notice all the ways that God shapes us to be neighbors for one another... and how we keep finding Jesus showing up in the world around us. All are welcome to join in the conversation Dustin has started here. Feel free to leave your comments below. We will be skyping Thursday July 8th at 7PM EST. On Skype we are "bythewaycommunity". If you're new to skyping, just download the program at skype.com, set up your identity.
Think about what the nature of a relationship between two neighbors looks like… I don’t mean the “keeping up with the Joneses” sort of relationship, or the type where you kill your neighbor’s rosebush for growing a few inches into your yard… I’m talking more about the healthy relationship of two neighbors living in community. In a healthy relationship between neighbors, one party isn’t always helping the other… it’s a relationship that’s mutually beneficial. I borrowed some milk from an older couple next door a few months ago for instance, but I’ve also helped to haul some old furniture out of their basement once or twice too.
Through the Good Samaritan parable above, Jesus suggests to the “religious expert” that all persons are created in God’s image, and thus should be treated lovingly as neighbors. Jesus on the other hand suggests that while not everyone will love us back as neighbors, some folks will act as a picture of Him, even if they're not always the people we’d expect. The song "Picture of Jesus" by Ben Harper, illustrates this concept quite well.
Finally, given the profound effect Camp Calumet is having on me this summer, it’s impossible not to mention how this “picture of Jesus” concept is alive and stronger than ever on the shores of Lake Ossipee. Having been up there for a well over a month now, I’ve been amazed how a new generation of staff members are striving to emulate Jesus’ love and caring for others, treating all campers, guests and fellow staff members as neighbors. It’s particularly interesting that while some staff members are doing that on purpose, others are doing the same thing unintentionally, just by living, working and having in fun in the strong Christian community that is Calumet. Check out this video post from Calumet’s new blog to meet some of those amazing staff members.
God’s peace,
Dustin Wright
Thanks, Dustin, for your thought-provoking words and links! It can be intriguing to notice all the ways that God shapes us to be neighbors for one another... and how we keep finding Jesus showing up in the world around us. All are welcome to join in the conversation Dustin has started here. Feel free to leave your comments below. We will be skyping Thursday July 8th at 7PM EST. On Skype we are "bythewaycommunity". If you're new to skyping, just download the program at skype.com, set up your identity.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Traveling Light . . . by Kari Henkelmann Keyl
Living with purpose is a beautiful thing. Some of us do it every day. Some of us feel that sense of meaningful purpose just once in a while… or not at all. One of the things we can do to cultivate that sense of purpose is to “travel light”. Don’t get bogged down with so much stuff. Pay attention to all you’re “carrying” that might be distracting you or weighing you down.
Max Lucado’s book, Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear, has much food for thought on this topic. He starts out with a comedic description of his own boy-scoutish tendency to “be prepared” for everything and therefore leave nothing behind. Then he gets us thinking…
"I don’t know how to travel without granola bars, sodas, and rain gear. I don’t know how to travel without flashlights and a generator and a global tracking system. I don’t know how to travel without an ice chest of wieners. What if I stumble upon a backyard barbecue? To bring nothing to the party would be rude…
…I need to learn to travel light. You’re wondering why I can’t. "Loosen up!" you’re thinking. "You can’t enjoy a journey carrying so much stuff. Why don’t you just drop all that luggage?"
Funny you should ask. I’d like to inquire the same of you. Haven’t you been known to pick up a few bags?
Odds are, you did this morning. Somewhere between the first step on the floor and the last step out the door, you grabbed some luggage. You stepped over to the baggage carousel and loaded up. Don’t remember doing so? That’s because you did it without thinking. Don’t remember seeing a baggage terminal? That’s because the carousel is not the one in the airport; it’s the one in the mind. And the bags we grab are not made of leather; they’re made of burdens.
The suitcase of guilt. A sack of discontent. You drape a duffel bag of weariness on one shoulder and a hanging bag of grief on the other. Add on a backpack of doubt, an overnight bag of loneliness, and a trunk of fear. Pretty soon you’re pulling more stuff than a skycap. No wonder you’re so tired at the end of the day. Lugging baggage is exhausting."
-excerpt from Traveling Light, by Max Lucado
Take a moment to consider what kind of extra stuff you carry… and how you might benefit from letting some of it go. Then check out this reading from the Bible, where Luke gives us an account of how Jesus sent off a whole slew of folks on an important mission: Luke 10:1-9
I don’t know about you, but I would love to be a part of such an intensely focused mission… where the most important thing you have in your pocket is peace. And healing. And some awesome news to share! Travel light, Jesus directs, so you can be focused on the oh-so-vital job I’ve given you. Focused and free.
But let’s face it. Letting go of stuff – whether it’s material stuff or emotional stuff — is so so hard. It’s so hard for me to let go of the little things I’ve collected that bring back treasured memories. Each time I let go is like a little death. And as hard as it is to let go of the positive things, it can be even tougher to let go of the negative stuff that clings on.
…I was hauling those souvenirs of misery
And with each step taken my back was breakin’…
Sara Groves’ and Joel Hansen’s duet, Traveling Light, grabbed my attention with those words “souvenirs of misery”. Why in the world would one carry stuff that reminds you of awfulness? See where this song takes you in answering that question: video lyrics .
There’s lots of wisdom in Jesus’ choice to send out his crew in teams. Loning it doesn’t work. We can begin to drop the unnecessary baggage when we’ve got team support to do it, when there are other travelers walking beside us to keep our spirits lifted. And when that team spirit bubbles up from the love God gives us in Jesus… and not just our own desire to “improve ourselves”… then that love can ripple out from us to affect others on the journey.
Healing Spirit of Jesus, bubble within us that desire to be out there in your world, filled with purpose, loving your people. Help us to let go of all that weighs us down. When that feels like death to let go, walk beside us to show us the new life you would have us find. We can’t do it without you and the people you give us to team with. Lead us on! In your holy name we pray… amen.
Continue the conversation by leaving your comments below and/or by joining the btw community Thursday (July 1), 7pmEST, for our audio skype conversation. If you’re new to skype, set up your identity at http://www.skype.com/, then look for “bythewaycommunity”. All are welcome! Come as you are.
Max Lucado’s book, Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear, has much food for thought on this topic. He starts out with a comedic description of his own boy-scoutish tendency to “be prepared” for everything and therefore leave nothing behind. Then he gets us thinking…
"I don’t know how to travel without granola bars, sodas, and rain gear. I don’t know how to travel without flashlights and a generator and a global tracking system. I don’t know how to travel without an ice chest of wieners. What if I stumble upon a backyard barbecue? To bring nothing to the party would be rude…
…I need to learn to travel light. You’re wondering why I can’t. "Loosen up!" you’re thinking. "You can’t enjoy a journey carrying so much stuff. Why don’t you just drop all that luggage?"
Funny you should ask. I’d like to inquire the same of you. Haven’t you been known to pick up a few bags?
Odds are, you did this morning. Somewhere between the first step on the floor and the last step out the door, you grabbed some luggage. You stepped over to the baggage carousel and loaded up. Don’t remember doing so? That’s because you did it without thinking. Don’t remember seeing a baggage terminal? That’s because the carousel is not the one in the airport; it’s the one in the mind. And the bags we grab are not made of leather; they’re made of burdens.
The suitcase of guilt. A sack of discontent. You drape a duffel bag of weariness on one shoulder and a hanging bag of grief on the other. Add on a backpack of doubt, an overnight bag of loneliness, and a trunk of fear. Pretty soon you’re pulling more stuff than a skycap. No wonder you’re so tired at the end of the day. Lugging baggage is exhausting."
-excerpt from Traveling Light, by Max Lucado
Take a moment to consider what kind of extra stuff you carry… and how you might benefit from letting some of it go. Then check out this reading from the Bible, where Luke gives us an account of how Jesus sent off a whole slew of folks on an important mission: Luke 10:1-9
I don’t know about you, but I would love to be a part of such an intensely focused mission… where the most important thing you have in your pocket is peace. And healing. And some awesome news to share! Travel light, Jesus directs, so you can be focused on the oh-so-vital job I’ve given you. Focused and free.
But let’s face it. Letting go of stuff – whether it’s material stuff or emotional stuff — is so so hard. It’s so hard for me to let go of the little things I’ve collected that bring back treasured memories. Each time I let go is like a little death. And as hard as it is to let go of the positive things, it can be even tougher to let go of the negative stuff that clings on.
…I was hauling those souvenirs of misery
And with each step taken my back was breakin’…
Sara Groves’ and Joel Hansen’s duet, Traveling Light, grabbed my attention with those words “souvenirs of misery”. Why in the world would one carry stuff that reminds you of awfulness? See where this song takes you in answering that question: video lyrics .
There’s lots of wisdom in Jesus’ choice to send out his crew in teams. Loning it doesn’t work. We can begin to drop the unnecessary baggage when we’ve got team support to do it, when there are other travelers walking beside us to keep our spirits lifted. And when that team spirit bubbles up from the love God gives us in Jesus… and not just our own desire to “improve ourselves”… then that love can ripple out from us to affect others on the journey.
Healing Spirit of Jesus, bubble within us that desire to be out there in your world, filled with purpose, loving your people. Help us to let go of all that weighs us down. When that feels like death to let go, walk beside us to show us the new life you would have us find. We can’t do it without you and the people you give us to team with. Lead us on! In your holy name we pray… amen.
Continue the conversation by leaving your comments below and/or by joining the btw community Thursday (July 1), 7pmEST, for our audio skype conversation. If you’re new to skype, set up your identity at http://www.skype.com/, then look for “bythewaycommunity”. All are welcome! Come as you are.
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