The Firefight for Life

Every year wild fires tear through neighborhoods and mountain parks. Most of these are started by the forces of nature: lightening striking water starved underbrush and trees and fueled by the winds which are created by the heat of the fires. All too often they are started by a human who has either been careless or who has a need to create a stir for their own needs for power. Both of these fire-starters would love to remain anonymous -- the former out of embarrassment or ignorance of their part in the problem, the latter so they can maintain control over their source of joy.

The fire in Utah this week is a striking example of what I call "consequential ignorance." The commander of the National Guard did not think about the consequences of firing live ammunition into a parched tinderbox of a training ground. There had been posted warnings about extremely high fire risk in that region. But the commander didn't apply it to himself or his troops. He had only in mind that the Guard had to complete the annual renewal of their skills. He only did what he's always done and what he felt was best for his people.

The consequences are enormous. Hundreds of people have been uprooted for their own safety. Homes have burned to the ground. The lives of a whole community have been injured, changed, pained. Firefighters are out there risking their lives to protect and save what they can of their neighbors' -- and their own -- homes. The very National Guard Troops whose leader brought on this disaster are the ones who have to put out the fires, clean up the mess, and bring aid to those whose houses and homes are at risk.

How similar are our struggling faith communities! They are a tinder box of raw sores waiting for relief and renewal. They are struggling for their very survival. The leaders of these communities are trusted with the daunting task of empowering, enabling, and encouraging the community members to be faithful to the mission of Christ. And along comes one who is either not paying attention to the weather conditions or is in need of a control fix. The spark ignites, and the community is aflame in a hurtful and destructive way.

In the midst of the drought of faith-life, our faith communities are at high risk of wild fire. Alarms and the warnings are ignored -- or denied-- by leaders and members alike, and too often work only to draw the attention of those who need control. Otherwise petty and routine issues cause explosive results that rage out of control. They are fueled by the winds of change and panic. They are fed by the drought of trust.

Here am I, a firefighter in the midst of a wildfire. I am hot, exhausted, and in need of a break in the weather. But the sparks are flying into new quadrants while the first fire is barely contained.

Most days I work despite the exhaustion and the seemingly impossible task of a healthy community. These days I am fueled by the hope and promise upon which my faith is built. I am fed by the cool water of visible grace and comforted by the encouraging hand of the Spirit.

But some days I just wish God grant this Body a quick and peaceful death so that I can move on to greener pastures where the risk of wildfire is very low. Some days the sparks are multiplying too quickly for any firefighter to extinguish. Some days the energy of the Spirit is snuffed out by the attitudes or carelessness of communities members.

Today is one of those days. In such times as this, all I can offer is a prayer as I turn everything over to the One who soothes, heals, energizes, enables, and empowers.

God, grant me the...
Serenity to accept things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and the
Wisdom to know the difference
Patience for the things that take time
Appreciation for all that I have, and
Tolerance for those with different struggles
Freedom to live beyond the limitations of my past ways, the
Ability to feel your love for me and my love for others and the
Strength to get up and try again even when I feel it is hopeless.

May it be so.

Reclaiming Real Life.

I'm deactiviating my Twitter Account. And my Bebo account. And possibly my LinkedIn account. I might even put Facebook on hold for a week or so. Just to see what difference it makes.


I'm anything but Anti-Social-Networking. I love being able to pull up a screen and see what all my long time friends and acquaintances -- and my more than 70 neices, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and siblings are doing. But I'm wondering if this is a healthy connection. I'm wondering if it isn't superficial, pretentious, or a cheap fix. I'm wondering if I'm missing out on the deeper connections, the deeper listening, the deeper knowing. I wonder if I am really connecting with people or just brushing their sleeve as I pass them amidst a busy and distracted journey.


Don't misunderstand me -- Social Media is a wonderful place for me to put my 250 character thoughts as a witness to my moment on the journey called life. I certainly enjoy the quips and slices of life my connections share out here on the cloud. But these feel skin deep. I am missing the deep soaking rains of face time, the long cups of tea, and leisurely walks where the sinew and bone of life are exposed and examined; where tight and sore muscles in relationships are massaged; and where wounds are cleansed and dressed with gentle care. A computer screen cannot wrap its arms around you with joy, sigh deep sighs, or cry on your shoulder.


Maybe it's the resurgence of hot weather on this September day, or perhaps the distance between my work and home. It could even be that the sentimentality of Fall. What ever the source of the affect, I'm cutting the wires and renewing my claim on face time, on hot cups of tea, on long walks, and real life.


C

The Layers of Life

As I looked at the night stand, I wondered if it was salvageable. It looked ragged and worn, as though it had been through a battle. Scratches revealed raw red beneath the surface. Several gashes in the veneer reveal the old-style of plywood beneath.

This is the night stand given to us when we were married. It came to us well used. It was painted brown to refresh and renew it for our use. It had been in our homes for 26 years, carried through 11 moves, served as everything from a television stand to a dresser. It has lived a long life, served well in its role. It is time to retire it? Or will there be something beautiful and useful beneath all those layers of paint?

Drawers open, the workmanship is obvious: Dove-tail construction at all four corners of each. On the underside, paint splotches speak of some of the cover up time has dealt: brown latex covers a red, oil-based paint. One can only wonder what the wood grain beneath these looked like. Was the veneer finish sanded before that fire engine red oil paint was applied? Or was that step disregarded and the varnish left intact? The brown latex has peeled a great deal over the years; now I know why: Latex doesn’t adhere well to oil paint.

So again I wondered, “Is this tiny chest of drawers salvageable? Can it have a new life?” The only way to find out is to remove the layers of paint. Only then will the quality and condition of the wood beneath be known. Only then can its new future be revealed.

It takes a lot of patience to remove layers of paint. If one uses a traditional paint remover, there will be hours of careful scraping with a soft putty knife and then gentle scrubbing with fine steel wool. This is labor intensive and very harsh on ones hands. There is always the risk of scratching the wood beneath, or scraping off the veneer. Or, if one uses a “dip” or gel that simply “paints” on and changes color when the underlying layers have been softened, the putty knife will lift off the layers of finish very easily; however, if the veneer was sanded before applying that layer of red oil paint, the dip may also soften the hide glue that holds the veneer to the wood beneath. And regardless to the method of removing the paint, one has to be sure the wood beneath is worth the work of removing what covers it.

The time between pastors can be likened to my query about this nightstand. Evangelical church has undergone many changes over the years. Many layers of “paint” have been applied to what the founders of this congregation envisioned nearly 145 years ago. What was their vision? What was their purpose? What did they do as a community of faith and why? And what was the reason for the changes as they happened? How many layers of change have there been and what got covered over in the “remake.” Is there, underneath all the “stuff” that has happened, still a sustainable and promising future?

As the Interim Committee is formed and begins its work, we will try to gently lift the layers that years of use have applied to our community. We will be opening things up and listening to your stories as we interview members. We will be gently scratching off layers of old habits as we gather with you for Congregational Events. We will be looking for the beauty that peaks from beneath to reveal what God has in store for the congregation’s future.

My tiny chest of drawers turned out to be a real keeper. Its walnut veneer is beautiful and shines through its new finish; its sturdy construction promises to serve us well in a new way: as a focal point in our home. The work to reveal this new purpose was worth the steel-wool-raw fingers it took to bring it out. We are better off for all the hard work.

Our churches have some hard work ahead. There will be some rough spots to work through. There may be some sticky places where grace and gentleness are required. There will be some surprises at what beauty lay beneath the surface. And through it all, we will rediscover what God has in mind for this community of Christ in this place at this time. We will get through it by the grace of God and with God’s help.

Shocked and horrified.

I am shocked and horrified. One of my Facebook "friends" has been sexually harassing one of my relatives. The only thing the two have in common is my Facebook page. How did this happen? How could someone that I accepted as a contact, someone I have known in my life's journey, turn into a cyber-stalker and sexual fiend, someone who would go so far as to threaten to pay a visit to this relative if the relative dare tell me that the abuse was happening?
Further, how could this happen to two people on MY "friends" list -- when I am the one who keeps spouting on about how the privacy system on Facebook works well, that Facebook is a safe place for productive and meaningful communication?
First, let me say that I am appalled and dismayed that this has happened. I am absolutely disgusted by the behavior of this acquaintance toward a relative of mine. I would be disgusted if it hadn't been an acquaintance or a relative. The behavior reported to me by yet another relative is rude, lewd, disgusting, and just plain wrong. While I won't comment about possible legal action, the perpetrator is clearly in need of serious psychological counseling. This person, who has a family of his/her own, does know that what s/he is doing is immoral, unethical and flat out wrong. This person would undoubtedly be infuriated if his/her spouse or child was the recipient such behavior. Yet this person has continued to stalk and harass this member of my family.
So, how did this come to be? How did these two otherwise unconnected people ever make contact? Through my Facebook wall. My relative responded to a comment on my wall made by this person from my past. That person furthered the conversation through the Facebook inbox system. My relative responded in good faith; after all, if this person was a friend of mine, it must be safe to continue the conversation. The relative and this person established the Facebook “friend” status between them The conversation was not initially harassing or sexual, but this person became infatuated by my relative.
With “friend” status, more private information is available, including phone numbers and your address – if you are not careful to protect your information. With this information in hand, a person can contact you by phone, by text, by e-mail, and even – if you don’t protect the information – know where you live.
By the time I post this on my blog and in my Facebook notes, I will have contacted the person involved, expressed by disgust and anger, blocked him/her completely from my Facebook account and posts, and told others in my Facebook circle of friends of what has happened so they will be aware of the risk involved in choosing to “friend” someone they have never personally met. And my point in posting this at all is this: Protect you private information on Facebook by setting your privacy settings and being very selective in who you allow into your circle of friends. Learn how to make groups in your friends list and block those who might turn into your stalker.
And to this person who I thought I knew: please choose to get the psychological counseling you so desperately need, confess your wrongs, and make amends.

Henry

We adopted Henry when the family that had raised him from a bottle fed kitten moved to another state and were afraid this this "outside cat" would be eaten by the coyotes or bob cats that lived in the woods behind their new home.  Henry was 18 at the time.  He was declawed and neutered.  He was flea infested, had a matted coat, but was as friendly a cat as I had ever met.  He greeted me every time I walked by his house while I was out walking.  He begged for love when I knocked at the door doing census work.  The humans who brought him this far in life had put him outside because they had acquired two very large dogs who lived in the house. 
We adopted Henry in June.  After a trip to the vet and some de-flea-ing, he was the most affectionate cat I've ever met.  Anyone who came into the house would be "Henry'ed" -- he would jump onto your lap and climb up onto your chest, lay his head on your shoulder and purr.  He could never get enough. 

Just before Thanksgiving, Henry had a stroke.  It paralyzed one whole side of his body.  He could neither walk with balance nor get to the food or litter box.  Henry was not happy even on anyone's chest. 

The day before Thanksgiving, I brought Henry to the vet's for the last time.  He lay across my chest as the I.V. was put into his leg.  He purred as the chemicals flowed from the syringe to his veins.  He clung silently to my shoulder as his last breath left him. 

Henry, you lived a long life.  I can only hope that in your last months in a new home you found peace, love, and care. We will miss you.

This is my community of faith. Could it be yours?

A tasty winter meal.

Several people asked for this recipe.  You're welcome to share it with others, but please give due credit.  Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Lasagna

This recipe could be Vegan with the changes in parenthesis
Sauce:
4 cups skim milk, or low fat soy milk
2 large garlic cloves – or 2 Tbsp minced – no garlic powder!!
1 large bay leaf
1 slice of sweet onion, ½ inch thick
¼ cup fresh parsley loosely packed or 2 Tablespoons dried parsley
4 Tablespoons white flour
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (olive oil)
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Filling:
1 medium butternut squash (2.5 lbs or so)
1 large sweet potato or yam
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped – not dried or powder!
1 small onion, chopped coarsely
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or ¾ cup if using black walnuts
1 cup chopped parsley, loosely packed
2 teaspoons rubbed sage or 15 or so big fat sage leaves, chopped
½ nutmeg, grated; or ¼ tsp ground nutmeg from a spice bottle

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (good tasting soy cheese of a melting Swiss variety)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese --NOT out of a green can, please!  (the equivalent in soy)

9 no-boil lasagna noodles

Filling:-- Can be done 2 days ahead
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds.  Oil the cut sides lightly. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick oil. Place the squash flesh down on the baking sheet.
Poke fork holes in the skin of the sweet potato or yam.  Place on the baking sheet.
Roast at 400 degrees for an hour, or until a fork easily penetrates the squash.
Scoop out the flesh of the squash and the potato and place in a food mill or food processor.  Sieve the flesh to remove the stringing things and any stubborn skin.
In a sauce pan, heat the oil and warm the garlic until golden.  Add the chopped onion and sauté until tender.  Stir in the nuts and allow to brown slightly.  Remove from the heat and add the herbs.  Stir this mixture into the squash mixture.  Season with the nutmeg. 

Sauce:
In a large microwavable measuring cup, heat the milk to scalding – don’t let it boil.  Add the garlic, bay, onion, and parsley.  Cover and allow to steep at least half an hour. Longer if you have the time.  Strain in a tea strainer to remove the solids.  Reheat to about 120 degrees.
In a sauce pan, melt the butter/olive oil and slowly whisk in the flour.  Stir until bubbly but not yet brown.  Whisk in the strained milk and stir until the mixture begins to thicken.  Reduce heat and allow to thicken and flour to cook, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Assembly
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a rectangular pan (10 X 12 or 9 X 13) with non stick spray.  Spread 1cup of the sauce on the bottom of the pan.  Place three noodles on top of the layer. Spread half of the squash over the noodles.  Spread a cup of the sauce, 1/3 cup of Parmesan and ½ cup of Gruyere over the sauce.  Repeat noodles, squash, sauce and cheeses.  Add last layer of noodles, and spread the last of the sauce over the top.  Sprinkle with the last of the Parmesan
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 25 minutes longer or until the top is golden.  Remove from oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes before cutting.

This is really good served with a dark green Kale or brightly steamed broccoli.