I spent last weekend in San Francisco with my friend Lesley and her two daughters. It was such fun. We walked a lot. We took in some sights. We shopped. We ate great food. We read books. We sat by the pool. The hotel we stayed at was right in Fisherman's Wharf, so there was lots to see just by walking down the block.
I went to a beautiful celebration of life for my childhood pastor today. It was like a slice of heaven: the music, the atmosphere, the hymns, connecting with old friends. The timing of it was so curious, or should I say providential. This morning I heard devastating news that a preacher that I look up to has had a moral failing and has had to step down from all his ministries. I don't know him personally, although I have heard him speak in person. I really thought that he was one of the solid ones; I couldn't imagine him failing, and yet here we are. But I have to admit, that although he was a powerful preacher and expositor of God's Word, I have no idea who he was when he stepped off the stage.
Someone I did know, on and off the stage, was my childhood pastor. So, interesting that it was his life we were celebrating in memoriam today. To admire someone from afar is one thing, but to know someone in a small church for 35 years is quite another. I have blogged about him before, so I won't go into it here. But, I am very blessed that I have had the privilege of knowing many strong pillars of the Christian faith up close and personal. And I am so thankful that they have been unshakeable and strong. That their moral character has been strong and unwavering. So yes it's terribly sad that a well known preacher has fallen from grace, but it happens. No one is invincible. But today we celebrated the life of someone I knew, who helped shepherd me as my pastor and who lived out an exemplary Christian life. I am so grateful for his example, for his faithfulness and integrity. I am who I am today in part because of the church he shepherded for 16 years.
September is the worst. I don't mind returning to work, or the coming of fall. What I can't stand is the uncertainty that September brings. Everything restarts, but it's all very unstable and unknown. What will our weekly schedule look like? Which teachers will my kids get? What will my own class be like? Who will be my support workers? What will the new staff be like? Who will be in my Bible study group? Everything in September is in flux and unsettled and I can't stand it.
Because everything restarts, there is also a lot of introductory sessions. Meet the teacher nights-both as parent and as teacher. Back to school barbecues. Fall launches. September drags on and on and I can't wait for everything to normalize.
So, every year I can't wait for October. I love routines. I love knowing what to expect. I love being able to plan my life because I know what is happening. I get more done when I have a regular schedule. So the countdown is on! Three more weeks until October!
PS. Anyone who knows me knows I also love the season of fall the best. So here's to also eagerly anticipating candles, pumpkins, crisp sunny days, pie, colourful leaves, fireplaces, scarves and all the wonderful things that are fall.
The last languid days of summer...the lazy slow days of sitting in the hammock. Of swim and sauna. Listening to the crickets and the river. Savoring a good book.
We're spending the end of summer at my brother's house and it's perfect. I feel like summer could go on forever. The kids are entertaining each other. The sky is bright blue and cloudless. Pentti and I go for a leisurely coffee at the bakery in the tiny town of Lumby. We all eat dinner together, all 11 of us, followed by homemade apple pie and ice cream. Our first full day here winds down. The boys are in the sauna...the four cousins. The dog is lying on the floor, exhausted. The rest of us are in our own corners and it's quiet and lovely and relaxed. Outside on the deck, I swing in the hammock and stare at the stars. I can feel the cool, crisp of autumn in the air. What a glorious end to summer 2024...
The sound of gentle ocean waves hitting the shore. The sun setting as it lights up the sky in pinks and oranges and reds. The quiet. A delicious meal cooked by my friend eaten outside. An invigorating afternoon swim. A bright oceanside cottage far from the worries of everyday life. Laughter. The joys of a good book. Morning coffee on the blue sofa, gazing in wonder at the vastness of the ocean. The smell of the salty ocean air. Animated discussions about the Bible.
My soul positively sinks into the rest of all these things. I know that the world is a burning dumpster fire. That work starts soon. That there are hard things. But here, I can relax and enjoy and savor the moments.
James 2:1 "My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favour some people over others?"
Our church is in a sermon series on the book of James for the summer. James is one of those books of the Bible that really puts you against the wall. Are you serious about your faith or are you just putting on a show? Are you willing to give anything up or is Jesus just an added bonus in your life?
The sermon on partiality/favouritism really got me. I want to be gracious. No, I do not want to give the rich people the best seats. No I do not want the poor to have to stand in the corner in the back. I want the church to be more like a hospital where broken people can come, than like a country club that has a dress code and a financial requirement. Or do I? Do I really want to see broken, weird people come to Jesus? If I do, do I hope it happens outside the church, after which they get cleaned up and THEN they can come to church? I'm not gonna answer that, but I can tell you about some people I've come across lately in three different churches, one of them being my own.
There is a loud, disruptive man who clearly has some special needs. His timing for everything is off whether its the liturgy or singing or the prayer. Did I mention that he is very loud? He annoys me. There is an older woman who is different. I am not sure she is homeless exactly, but that's definitely the vibe (and smell) that she gives off. She too is not quiet and can be quite disruptive. I hope she doesn't sit near me. There is an obviously down on his luck man who walks into church in the middle of the sermon. He goes to sit in the front row, eats loudly and calls out during the sermon (and I don't mean the odd amen). The pastor knows the man by name and is not ruffled in the slightest. After this continues for awhile, one of the other pastors goes to sit with the man and he settles down. I find him a nuisance. There is a woman who comes in late. She is bedraggled, for lack of a better word. She is also wearing a tshirt with the playboy logo written rather large on it. I am shocked that someone would wear such a shirt to church. I am indignant.
Do these sound like gracious Christian responses to you? They sure don't to me. In the case of the last woman, I found out later about her struggles and how far she has come in her walk with Jesus. Turns out it was a miracle that she was there at all. I don't know how much clothing she has and whether the offending shirt is actually an improvement. I am ashamed. I vow to do better. Because do you know who was offended by the noisy, dirty, outcast people Jesus associated with? The Pharisees. Enough said.