Overcoming Hope

Why?

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:29:39 -0500

*Warning* Presbyterian Polity blog posting incoming. My apologies beforehand to the three non-presby readers. My sympathies to the three presby readers.

Two very different posts caught my eye today. Both had to do with Presbyterian General Assemblies. David Fischler, over at Reformed Pastor, is writing about the EPC GA from the balcony of 4th Pres. in Bethesda, Maryland. He promises to write more, ‘if anything interesting happens.’

Bob Davis, over at Presbyblog has been writing for the last month or so- on all the things commissioners need to do to prepare for the PC(USA) GA beginning this weekend. A whole month. Everyday.

Now, I’m grateful for the heavy lifting Bob has done for the this polity luddite. He’s gone over the various committees, their balliwick and business. He’s analyzed overtures, recommending to all those who have ears to hear- what is right and what is wrong with the significant ones. Almost singlehandedly he has shone a light into the nFOG, warning us to take another path. I’m grateful for him. He has made me look smarter to the session I moderate. No small task, that.

But as I step back, and take a look at the forest, the question forms in my mind. Why? Why are these two GA’s so different. Why does it take a guy with both an M.Div AND a J.D., to explain the business before a General Assembly?

Size, one might say. Ok, thats legit. The EPC is significantly smaller than the PC(USA). Lots more logistics involved, a bit more complicated. Ok-- but is it THAT much more complicated and complex?

When I attempt to explain what is going on, some elders on session just look at me the way my dog does, when I’m talking to him. He cocks his head, looks at me affectionately, his eyes saying, “I know you’re trying to say something, I really don’t understand what it is, and I’d really rather go for a walk in the woods, can we go?” (the analogy is about my inability to communicate, not that the elders are somehow incapable of grasping the issues).

Other elders want to wash their hands of the whole thing. Not wishing to be presbyterian, any sort of presbyterian. Just a church that doesn’t have to deal with things that are so far from life on the ground reality for normal parishioners. So far from the clear direction of scripture. I stridently disagree, and have, with their solution- but I share their frustration.

My question remains, “Why does it have to be this way?”

In writing this, I just linked to Reformed Pastor, and see that David has posted several times. Sobering, joyful and significant posts about the future. I fear the best we can hope for in San Jose, is that bad things will be stopped.

What are we doing? Why does it have to be this way?

ps> my question is somewhat rhetorical, the juxtaposition of the two GA’s has brought it to the surface.

On Loss

Sun, 2 Mar 2008 21:21:03 -0600

Its been a while since I’ve written. I lost all my files and settings when I had to do a clean wipe of my hard drive. A source of significant frustration, as I tend to brag about how trouble free Apple computers are. Be warned what gods ye serve, as all that are false will surely disappoint. Ultimately, this is a little thing, easily mended. But it got me thinking a bit on loss, that and the death of Larry Norman.

What is it about suffering loss that strikes such deep fear in the human heart? I’ve watched people come alive after the death of a loved one, as if a huge burden were lifted from them,- especially if that loved one had suffered. And I’ve seen- same sort of situation- folks crumple within themselves, cutting themselves off from others, as if part of them too had died.

It seems to me, the fear of loss tends to do one of two things; either immobilize us, or, it can cause us to use every ounce of our energy to avoid, prevent or put it off. Its the fear of loss that does this, I suspect, and not the having of it. Once it happens, well, you either get through it or you don’t. Not all loss is as irrelevant as a clean wipe of an unbacked up hard drive. Some losses leave a mark.

A little over a year ago a friend of our family, Lon Yordan died. I just deleted him from my cell phone. He was the only Y entry, I never go there. Lon was young- I’m not sure he was 60 yet. Two years before he died he was an avid mountain climber. He was diagnosed with a terrible form of cancer, the only hope being a total stem cell replacement. A donor was found, the procedure was done, and several months later, Lon died.

But Lon, Lon was a bit like Larry Norman. Not in the singing, or the throw back to the 70’s look, but in the hope area. Lon was very honest about his condition- we joked on the phone about ‘victory in Jesus’ not feeling too victorious. Joking in that lump-in-the-throat-can’t-talk-because-I’m trying-not-to-cry sort of way. This wasn’t the plan he and Jane had for his life, for their life. But, like I said- Lon was under no illusions as to his condition. Jesus was his Lord in life and in death. And that made all the difference.

As was the case before his illness, so during it- Lon was a beacon of hope and grace. He ministered to folks who came to visit him, called him on the phone. In the end, he wanted to sing hymns, and talk with his family about the significance of life in Christ.

It was hard. It wasn’t pretty, no one should have to go through what he did. But he did. And that he did, in the manner he did, matters to those of us left, with stuff still to lose.

Thanks Lon.

blog 137 in exile

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:42:14 -0600

Yeah, I didn’t get it either... but it came up when I googled ‘Mac hell,’ so I thought I’d use it anyway. Its where I’ve been for the last 10 days. I ‘upgraded’ last week to the new Mac OS Leopard, and well... it hasn’t gone well. I wrote my sermon last sunday with a pencil and paper. I’ve driven close to 300 miles over the last week, three times to the local Apple store. Today, I spent 6 hours there... finally, we decided to just wipe everything off my hard drive and start over. One downside of this is I’m unsure how to access my blog files... so, dear friends... I may just re-do the blog this week and unveil something newish. Something I’ll write for in a more disciplined manner. Blog 137 is in exile for a while. Not long, but for a while.

But, today- I spent six hours with some very patient Apple employees... I watched people come in frustrated and short with the Geniuses behind the bar, yet saw these guys and gals respond with patience and grace. They certainly treated me well... but then, I was practically the store mascot after this week. I was going to offer my services as the store chaplain if I had to stay there any longer. I think I’d have to get something pierced though...

I was tempted to be frustrated. Ok, I gave into that temptation. But as I observed people-- I couldn’t help but think of Heather (who’s commented on this blog before) in Kenya, our dear friends the Bennett’s who’s german shepherd Meijsa was run over this morning and killed- five kids under 13, our friends in Afghanistan figuring out how to get out of their house with 80cm of fresh fallen snow... and realized my issues with my computer really where quite small potatoes.

So... blog 137 will be traveling to a new destination, perhaps in a new incarnation. Stay tuned. In the mean time... don’t get frustrated by the small stuff. Life’s too short, and people are far too interesting.