Ending Well

³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’^[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

I remember this very day last year. I recall being slightly miffed at myself, supposedly in retirement, yet still the workaholic I have been all my life, and wondering how to use my time wisely going forward into 2021.  Well, that year is now history; need I say more? The above scripture from that final book of the Bible suggests apocalyptic endtime things, and many binary conspiracy theories and predictions on precisely that theme have flourished during this past year in this pandemic. Amazingly the parousia not yet, providing interesting vantage for just plain old moving on into the year that follows!

My wife and I, in our usual morning time, read a devotional in Rejoice, the above scripture being point of reference. April Yamasaki, the writer for this week, notes the possibility one day, death, mourning, and pain will be done (:4). Yes, we know that. Today, however, April provides a refreshing go-to perspective. I quote, “as I finish this writing project, I already have a new one waiting in a file folder on my desk [obviously this woman more organized than I am]. But I’m not in a hurry to get to it just yet. Instead, I’ll pause, give thanks for what is good, and live fully in this moment. I won’t worry but rather pray a blessing over you, dear readers and then move forward…” (Vol 57, No 2. p 41). This is a needed message for this guy already spinning his wheels to get at some stuff postponed because of cold weather, coronavirus, family issues, etc. etc.

A little survey of past year may be in order. My writing project for 2021 has moved. The aforementioned book, however, is not even in preliminary form. The ‘good articles’ of bygone trucking years which were to be part of that crafty effort, are still in safekeeping thanks to my computer’s ample storage capacity, so my son reassured me at Christmas time! The movement, or at least some measurable progress, is in this 'department of blogging.' I am pleased with continuing opportunity to write. I enjoy reflecting on and writing about events and ideas which I consider significant not only in my life, but also on that larger topic, the day to day passing of Life - kronos we used to call it in seminary. The number of readers’ hits is increasing, often with helpful responsive comments coming via email, Facebook, Messenger, and most enjoyably, even the occasional phone call. Note, I do not post all on public platform; some of my thoughts probably not helpful to foist on the uninitiated. Discretion. 😔 I find blogging to be personally therapeutic; grateful am I for this avenue of communication with some very significant groups of people ranging from longtime hometown friends to leftover trucker friends to retirees my age, some of them colleagues from years of pastoral ministry, and even some academics with well-earned doctorates in tow! I am blessed with this great variety of readers.

Furthermore, I am in communication with those on other side of this guild. Even as I try to downsize my library I regularly purchase and read the books completed by my friends - and occasionally reference them in my blogs (You’re welcome. 😉). And even furthermore (??) my experiences in some volunteer church work has tempted me into an interest which seemed of even greater importance than those 155 articles from back there - and into another round of grieving. Yes, I made another effort at a languishing D.Min program which I thought might be resurrected in retirement – turned down! Too idealistic apparently for an old trucker preacher. 😖  “Forget it. Give it up. You’re retired”, so I was told.

2021 has been a hodge podge year contributing considerably to my lifetime wintertime SAD challenge. Needless to say, my family has perhaps the bigger portion of challenge in this, putting up with this slightly moody, occasionally opinionated dad, who nonetheless loves them all dearly and we know it. The corona challenge in here also for all of us to face together; so far so good. My body is fairly fit and healthy, and I am learning to let the learning curve continue even as I reflect on opportunities perhaps slipping by, and the meaning of John 21:18 gaining a bit of traction, “someone else … will lead you where you do not want to go.” Some learnings are happening not quite as per my plans.

There are also some empty spaces in that group around me - yes death has made a few calls this past year, and as displayed in several posts (The Preacher and the Boys, Feb 15; Sentimental Friends, Dec.13) has contributed to the important topic of friendship. One of the responses to the latter blog yielded this nugget. “My grandpa always said, keep your old friends but always have room for new ones.” (Doris Daley, cowboy poet, a dear friend in our church).

After rereading that last New Years blog, I must say it was still kind of task oriented; things I was hoping to accomplish. The year ended as it did. Kind of different by now, time indeed moving on. With gratitude I receive April Yamasaki’s meditation, “give thanks for what is good, and live fully in this moment.” Rudyard Kipling in the famous poem “If” makes similar reference to “sixty seconds worth of distance run.” Two other significant people come to mind. My mother would say quite peacefully after occasional twists of circumstance, “It is what it is.” And one of my above-mentioned book writing friends, at end of his intriguing memoir of work in prisons with inmates and church volunteers and the courts always on theme of restorative justice, concludes in a most unassuming way, “… and so it goes.”  

Yes, so it goes. I look forward to a modest resolve of many things in 2022.

 

Meaning and Imagination

Every Christmas or holiday greeting this year seems to include some reference to the Grinch Covid-19 trying to steal Christmas from us again! It is most certainly a communication winner as it readily ‘takes us all in.’ We know what that’s about, and probably also agree with the grinchiness of it all!

At the risk of appearing a bit grinchy myself (quite in character, some say) I need to weigh in on this a bit. I wonder what form of Christmas is threatened here? I remember many Christmases of bygone years when I was serving as church pastor. That annual celebration came with quite a load of expectations. December 24 evening candlelight services featured best attendance of the year, mostly composed of children and grandchildren of church members showing up with bright shining faces and parents proudly introducing their brood to the pastor! How inspiring is this? It was fun actually, but also visualize the pastor thinking to himself, “So where were you the other 364 days of this past year?” This holiday church ritual fit well into the shopping mall, commercialized version back then, and we wink at and participate in repeatedly year after year.

Even in this 2021 covid-challenged shopping environment, and among other cautious shoppers, I have noted several times browsing among Christmas or Holiday cards, almost a catchphrase, “the true meaning of Christmas” –  not overly religious, no Bible references, although there may be a picture of angels and baby Jesus right beside the next card with Santa Claus and cookies. This ‘true meaning of Christmas’ phrase-in-passing obviously designed for the annual church attendees and holiday shoppers leaves me wondering what is that true meaning about to be spoiled by the grinch? Is it the biblical meaning gone missing because the yuppies have not needed church this past year? Is it parents of children growing up too fast wishing Santa might once more bring the delight of Christmas morning to their ‘little ones’? Is it the sentiment of family gatherings just a few years prior when all the kids were able to gather at grandma’s house and no fear of Covid-19? Or perhaps it is “Seasons Greetings” for the open-minded educated woke crowd who just want the party not to be too offensive to anyone, and equally

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

accommodating of every latest version of decoration, be it Halloween, Christmas or Valentines, whatever gives opportunity to spend money on air compressors and electronic LED creativity. 😏 Or is it just my thinker again, somewhat cynical, admittedly winter SAD depressed (see my last post, Dec 13), smiling this time, but wondering – legitimately I think – what is the true meaning of Christmas?

I suppose now I have set myself up for it, kind of positing enough scenarios that I now need to provide my well thought out articulation of true meaning? No not really. Not yet! Indulge me please as I go on a bit. My observations continue in the discipline obviously of my interest and also of my training. Yes, my life-calling was and is ever there even in retirement. This trucker always wanders into the theological scene! [My trucker friends always waited for this, unlike my family or fellow church people! Yes it's true.😇] So here I says it as I sees it again.              

True meaning is at risk even in churches planning the annual show! Recently I read a blog by a good friend, critiquing our need to provide definitive salvation answers (he refers to his upbringing in that environment) with exact explanations, either of who God is, or how to experience God and even what to do with that knowledge. Clear answers; clear expectations. Too often, says he, with that expectation of certainty, we shortchange ourselves of the wondrous eternal mysterious Presence. He makes a case not for skipping the church services, but for speaking with one another more, relating to God in conversation and relationship with one another, sometimes even ‘talking around an issue, but at least talking.’ Although his blogpost was not an attempt to nail the true meaning, I think he points in that direction. True meaning is more than a systematic theological statement (Old Testament wisdom literature would say the same. eg Ecclesiastes 12:12, Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body). True meaning is more than a slavish prescription; it must include experience. 

I hope experience is not lost in some of the creative 'efforts' being made in churches these days. We have writers and communications coordinators and promoters who work for churches, regional or national conference offices - specialized career jobs actually. Mostly the fruit of their labor shows up in links and websites available for us to seek and find at the click of finger. Old resources have a new look. For example this year's Advent series designed for my church denomination. Longstanding advent Sundays of Waiting, Joy, Praise, Hope this year replaced with Imagine. Yes imagine, the go-to word of late. Imagine the new ways of God! Dare to Imagine: God's Goodness; God's Embrace; God's Song; God's Face; ... even God's Dance! Very creative, very modern, non-sexist with inclusive language, non-offensive with scripture allusions some of them even coming from the good old lectionary, but carefully chosen to meet the above criteria! It is a creation of those trained in communications technology, not so much in theology. [This however is not final word on this. Two days after pressing Publish on this post, I read an article precisely on topic, "Web 3.0 and the Church: New Internet Technologies present new options - and questions - for Christians," Mitchell Atencio, Sojourners. January, 2022, p.30. Stay tuned!] Perhaps those Christmas cards with their nod towards true meaning, are as close to the truth as church services and performances. Perhaps it would be just as well for me to look at the shopper standing beside me, and say in a friendly inquisitive manner, “True meaning of Christmas? Hmm, what you think it is?” The ensuing conversation could well be as ‘true’ as that service I was planning to attend that evening - and at least as imaginative! Maybe if I blog about it enough, or talk it through with my significant others – ie wife, children, grandchildren, and neighbors and friends regardless of ethnic origin or societal status, good possibility of encountering the true meaning! For me, it’s still about that Christ child come among us, and still available for grinches and all, in church and beyond church, in covid and beyond covid. The child’s mother still says it best:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47)