Hope and Shoveling Snow

     I shoveled some sidewalks today. The snow was about 4 inches thick but very light and fluffy so it was not very difficult. While I was shoveling it began snowing; big fluffy flakes gently falling. It did not take long for the sidewalks to get recovered in a dusting of snow. But that was okay, because it is much easier to keep periodically shoveling a walk than it is to wait until there are 6 inches accumulated! Continued shoveling keeps the edges of the sidewalk marked so that it is easier to know where to shovel. If I wait until no snow is in the forecast before I even attempt to shovel, it is much more back-breaking and I may not have any indication where the sidewalk actually is.

     I read Jeremiah 29:11 this morning and I have been focusing on the word hope; I even wrote it in Hebrew on my wrist. I prayed as I shoveled, “Show me your path, God. Clear the way. Give me hope.”

     Then I realized that seeking God’s direction is a lot like shoveling a sidewalk. If I patiently persevere in prayer, asking God for wisdom and discernment, I essentially am keeping the “path” cleared.  Yes, I may have to keep asking for awhile, and the path may get covered up a bit, but with continued prayerful clearing the edges of my journey remain visible. Meaning, I at least know the direction I’m headed! And I’m continuing the dialogue with God through that prayerful process, which means I will not be overwhelmed and buried by life’s circumstances.

     So, hope keeps me persistently shoveling sidewalks even while the snow is falling. And, hope keeps me prayerfully seeking God’s guidance, even when I am not sure of the next steps in my life. 

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord  Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Rm 5:1-5.

Hopefully,
Deb

How do feathers make a noise?

The other day I took my dog for a walk. I looked up at the brilliant blue sky and noticed an enormous approaching flock of grackles and black birds that rose from our woods and headed south over our house. These flocks form every winter, disband every spring and are always impressive and awe-inspiring to watch as thousands of birds stretch in a huge black band across the sky. The flock moved as one body, rising, twisting, flowing, and sometimes descending on trees, shrubs and lawn with noisy squawking, clicking and chirping noise. I have often wondered which bird dictates their direction. It seems like some bird has to lead and some bird has to be last! Sometimes the middle of the flow bulges and forms a new direction that sort of sucks the ends along. Sometimes the entire flock reverses direction upon itself looking like a wave of the ocean hitting the beach and then receding; the following birds then become the leading birds. Is there purpose in their direction? Are they actually headed somewhere or do they fly for the sheer joy of being able to do so?

This particular day the flock flew directly overhead stretching across the sky like a black ribbon. There was no sound other than the combined whoosh of thousands of wings. Just how do feathers make such a noise anyway? Awestruck at the sound I wondered, would true worship look like this moving, shifting, flowing flock? Would true worship sound like the awesome noise made by something so fine?  Would true worship create a response in the observer of awe and wonder?

“And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech…” NRSV Ezekiel 1:24a.

           This feeling of being awestruck is similar to what I experience during camp worship, especially with the campers under the age of 12 years. Their worship is uninhibited, energetic, and pure. If the words say, “dance,” they obey! These youngest of worshipers, whose movements of praise appear like the moving, shifting, flowing flock of birds, are small in size, their hands and feet have trouble with rhythm, and their voices may not produce harmony, yet their praise is awesome. They worship for the sheer joy of being able to do so. And the Almighty Observer responds with sheer holy joy, and He dances with them.

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great joy in you. He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing." Zeph 3:17

Whoa....what's happening?

December 27, 2010, 9:30 AM. The exact time when I received my first ever manicure, for the wondrous occasion of John (my son) and Katie’s wedding! The bridesmaids and both mothers had bright red fingernails, which perfectly matched the wedding colors.

I normally keep my nails well trimmed; I’ve never liked long fingernails on myself and I cannot stand the feel of fingernail polish—its “heavy” on the ends of my fingers (some of you will understand that). However, since I knew I was going to get a manicure for the wedding, for several weeks I had carefully grown my nails. It made me very aware of everything I did with my hands because having a longer fingernail changes the dynamic of touch (especially typing, texting, and picking one’s nose). But I succeeded and the manicurist praised me for my diligence, nail shape, and bravery (although she took pity on me and gave me a free bottle of polish remover because she thought I’d take it off as soon as the wedding was over, which I did not do; it lasted until Wednesday).

That red nail polish was beautiful and I felt confident that when I pointed at something people would really notice and look where the laser-red nail was pointing. Or when I talked with my hands (which I do a lot) the flashes of red would keep listeners’ attention. I felt more mature; like that 15 minutes of trimming, emery-boarding, lotioning, and polishing were rites of passage into a more fashionable adulthood.

I was sure that after the wedding I would trim my nails to return them to their normal length, however when I prepared to do that I just couldn’t. In fact, this morning I looked through my daughter’s polish and chose a light lavender shade, which perfectly matched my shirt. And before my morning devotions, I polished my nails. Whoa….what’s happening to me?

This little experience reminds me of change; specifically the change that is happening here at camp. Our new vision and new logo will be launched this month which will bring excitement and energy into our already vital ministry. It will also bring adjustments; we will feel this change in profound ways as we strike out in faith following God’s lead. The new vision will change the dynamics of this camp; some changes we will embrace and enjoy, but other changes will bring frustration and sorrow. All change, even good things, ushers in a grieving process, so we must be attentive to the rites of passage that will shape this ministry into a more mature model of God’s Kingdom on earth.

Another change will result from the fact that I have resigned from the Camp Director position effective August 31, 2011. God is calling me to embark on a new journey with Him which will involve pastoral ministry of some sort (He hasn’t told me yet). For me this is a lot like the fingernail polish story. I’ve been involved in camp ministry for ten years and I like it (most of the time I even love it). But I know that God is ready to give me a “spiritual manicure”—something new that I have not ever done before. So I’ve been allowing some new growth within my mind & spirit, and it is changing how I think and how I function. I feel this process deeply—sometimes with deep sorrow, sometimes with relief, sometimes with a bit of panic; but I know it is what God desires for me, my family, for the camp, and for whatever new ministry I enter. It will feel and look different from anything I’ve known so far but it certainly will shape me into a more obedient and mature follower of Jesus Christ!

So please pray for the camp, the Board as they conduct a search for a new Director, for the staff, and for me as I faithfully serve these last eight months in a remarkable ministry!