Looking for Jesus? This guy found him on his sock. Yeah, that’s right. A sock. I have blogged about this phenomenon before, but I couldn’t resist this picture.

Jesus on a sock.

Where do you see Jesus?

The Gospel of Matthew gives us a great parable about folks that served the “least of these”. Jesus said that when you serve them, that’s where you will find His face….on the faces of the hungry, lost, broken, and beaten down.

Some people’s lives really do feel like an old stinky sock. Some people get treated like a dirty sock. Some people smell like a dirty sock and others will have nothing to do with them.

Jesus told us that when we take the time to care for them…..that’s where he is.

If I was one to push a metaphor too far, I might say that the church is kind of like a laundry mat…..were called to take care the socks.

Happy St. Blaise Day!  With all the sore throats and illness going on around here, I thought I would bring up the patron Saint of throats, St. Blaise. That’s right, our Catholic Brothers and Sisters actually have a Patron Saint of throats. Tradition says that this priest healed a young boy who had a fish bone stuck in his throat (ouch!).

If you didn’t know, today is the celebration of St. Blaise. It is the day that many Catholics receive a blessing of the throat by placing candles around the throat and saying a prayer.  Even though I am not a Catholic, I have been struggling from a sore throat and cough all week and this blessing thing is sounding pretty darn good.

OK, asking for a dead Saint to intercede for me is not really my thing, but I understand the appeal. If anything, it is nice to think that someone somewhere may actually be able to take this throat tickle away! Besides, it’s not a bad practice to be specific our prayers anyway. I think God wants us to be precise. Why not light a candle and say a quick prayer?!? Can’t do any worse than the stupid cough drops!

So, got a frog in your throat?

Using your voice for anything important today?

Eat a fish sandwich too fast?

                Fear not, there just may be some relief coming your way!

             Kim and I watched “Money Ball” last night. The movie stars Brad Pitt and is a story about a baseball manager who has a dream to change the way Baseball is played. No, he doesn’t want to change the rules of the actual game, just change the premise that money rules the way the game (Players) are chosen for teams. Instead of letting money rule his decisions, Pitts character decides to form a team of players that need a second chance. Based on the players statistics, a dose of grace, and a whole lot of courage, Pitt puts together a record beating team.

Even though the movie requires a small working knowledge of the game and a desire to see Brad Pitt, I think there is something in the movie for everyone to enjoy. I liked the movie because of the plot to change a system that is arguably antiquated. There is one line in the movie that I think sums up Pitt’s character and personality. Talking with his assistant about his dream for the game, Pitt says, “If we don’t change…we die”.

That’s not a bad mantra for the church, you know. And not a bad mantra for our personal journey’s of faith. The one constant that I have discovered about faith is that it is always changing and evolving. A healthy faith is like a muscle…it needs to be used and tested and worked to be viable.

There are some things about the church that should remain constant. Lord knows we need a little stability and foundation in this crazy world. But we dare not be so unmovable that the Holy spirit doesn’t have a chance.

“If we don’t change….we die”

Good words for the game of baseball.

Good words for the church.

Happy World Communications Day!  Can you hear me now!?!?  Hehehe

That’s right, today we are being invited to think about how we communicate with each other, especially in a world where the ability to communicate has grown exponentially.

Communication has always been a tricky part of any community or organization. It is filled with the possibility for miss-information and hurt feelings. Yet, it is one of the most important aspects of any human interaction.  We communicate verbally and non-verbally in every situation we find ourselves. These days; with texts, IM’s, Tweets, and the web, communication is at the forefront of our lives. Yet, the ancient old problem still prevails…..

How to not open mouth and insert foot!!!!

Let’s face it, the biggest problem with communicating to someone is knowing when you’re saying too much.  That is certainly true for me. One of the things I have had to learn is how to balance my words with my silence.  Good communication begins and ends with a person’s ability to listen to another person.

We need to listen before we speak.  Maybe that’s what we all need to practice today on world communications day.

Hey, the world is speaking way too fast these days. Everyone has something to say about everything. The world doesn’t need more words…

It needs more ears.

More silence.

Less chatter.

May your day be filled with moments of quiet, so that you may hear the still small voice of a God who whispers your name.

P.S. Speaking of communication…..please excuse the poor grammer!!! J

Been thinking about Jonah today. Yep, I am preaching Jonah this coming Sunday and as I think about his life, I am struck with how Jonah gets a bad rap most of the time. He is usually seen as the prophet who tried to run from God and eventually did what God wanted him to do out of coercion (think big fish). That may be true, but I wonder if his stubbornness is just human nature. Let’s be honest, would YOU want to go somewhere you HATE to share God’s love???  Anybody want to go to a terrorist camp and tell them about God’s grace? Anybody want to walk through the prison ward of child abusers and offer them a second chance? And who here wants to give a second chance too…….

Offering grace is hard.

I think that was Jonah’s problem. He believed in offering Grace, it was the particulars that he had trouble with. Don’t we all? What Jonah learned, through his experience, is that ultimately we are not the ones who get to decide who God wants to transform. Quite frankly, God rarely asks for our thoughts on the matter and never asks for our permission. But he does ask one thing. He asks that we help Him reach those whom we don’t even care to talk too.

We don’t have to understand it.

We don’t have to even like it.

But we better be available when God picks us as his instrument.  (again, think big fish)

Offering Grace is a hard thing to do sometimes. But maybe remembering that His grace was offered to us too helps put that in perspective. In fact, God maybe trying to change you, not just the people you are supposed to be talking too.

So, where is God calling you to share His good news? Here’s a hint: if it doesn’t make you uncomfortable or if it doesn’t mean stretching your faith,  then keep looking.

I don't know why, but I woke up this morning humming an old song that I absolutly love. It is a hymn that gives me great comfort and focus when my life seems to be pulled in too many directions. The hymn "Turn your eyes apon Jesus" always calls me to take a moment to re-focus my priorities and remember my life goal for the day.

I don't know what is going on in your life today or how many things are claiming your time and energy. But I do know this, you don't have to take the journey alone. If your reading this,  I invite you to just take a moment and remember that you where created with a purpose. Remember that every breath you take today is a gift from a God who absolutly loves you!

Take a breath. Take a deep breath.... and give thanks.

Happy Epiphany!

                Today marks the last day of the Christmas season and the day that we celebrate the coming of the Magi (aka: Three wise guys). For some, this day means it’s time to finally take down the Christmas decorations. For others, this day is a chance to recapture the Christmas spirit one more time and go out with a bang! Many people actually give more gifts on this day to symbolizes the gifts  that Jesus received.  If you would like to carry on that tradition, I am available to help…..just saying.

                However you observe this day, Epiphany literally means “appearances” or “revelations”.  To put it another way, this is the day to look for God to surprise you with a glimpse of Himself. It is the day to remember that God shows up in the most unlikely of ways and lets us know that we are not alone in this big world.

                I like Epiphany because it gives me a chance to reflect on all the ways that God has surprised me over the years. It also invites me to be a part of Gods desire to surprise others. In a few minutes, I will be officiating a funeral for a family that is largely un-churched.  As I stand before them, in their grief, I wonder how I might help them experience an epiphany of God’s love and Grace. This may be a perfect time for God to show up unannounced in their life…and mine.

                So, what are you going to do this Epiphany?

                Surprise someone with a gift of Joy?

                Look for God in a strange place?

                Or, live your life as normal as you can?

Be warned, on this day God may just show up in the ordinary and say,   “Peek- a -BOO!”