Sometimes ministry and life can be complicated. One’s motives become suspect, lack of trust and defensive behaviors are the order of the day, there’s more talking than listening and little effort to reach understanding. I’m learning that using certain words and phrases can evoke an immediate backlash, so words must be chosen with care. Such are the days in which we’re living.
In such a week, three blessings from past relationships fell upon life’s troubled pathway to encourage my spirit: the Jackson Springs community Club, a poem by an old friend and a memorial service for a dear friend in a former congregation.
After months of concern with the pandemic, the Jackson Springs Community Club gathered once again. With the club “matriarch” in a care facility and the “patriarch” present on his walker, members gathered, grateful to be together again. The familiar little meat loaves, chocolate pie, butter beans with okra, the apple dumplings, green beans and cucumbers and squash graced the table, and a red basket filled with local peaches was there to be shared by all. We picked right up where we left off – sharing community concerns and praying, giving scholarships to two graduating seniors, talking about needed repairs to our beloved old building, hoping we’ll be able to begin thinking about the Annual Community Chicken ‘n Dumplings Supper and Auction, and closing with the Pledge of Allegiance, after being reminded it was Flag Day! So good to be together again!
My friend died of Covid-19 at the age of 98 years in January of 2021. Her family gathered today at Bennettsville Presbyterian for a Memorial Service in the chapel, as she’d always wanted. I shared with the family a special memory of a visit with her one day several years ago. When I came into her room, she was sitting by a sunny window with her eyes shut and a lovely smile on her face. I bent down and whispered in her ear, “I hope you’re having a pleasant dream!” She opened her eyes and said, “I’m sitting here thinking of all the wonderful blessings I’ve had in my life.” I find myself doing just that from time to time these days – spending time remembering and giving thanks for all the wonderful blessings I’ve had in my life. Good advice for all of us!
I came across this poem from an old friend. While it was a poem written for Easter in his final year, it speaks to feelings stirring in these days of seeking the promise of a new beginning after so many months with life “on hold.”
Lord,
send me a SURPRISE.
One that catches me off guard
And makes me wonder.
Like EASTER.
Send me a RESURRECTION …
When everything looks dead and buried.
Send me LIGHT
When the night seems too long.
Send ma a new IDEA
When my mind is empty.
Send me a THING TO DO
when I am just waiting around.
Send me a new FRIEND
When I am alone.
Send me PEACE
when I am afraid.
Send me a FUTURE
When it looks hopeless …
These three blessings bring encouragement and hope to me, as we watch for and work for the new things God is doing, and discover how to come together in new ways.
Elizabeth
A river has always been a helpful metaphor for me in reflecting on life. In Church Officer Training classes, I always include a worksheet showing a river flowing, a helpful metaphor to get us to thinking about our journeys of life and faith. Numerous streams flow into the river and others flow out. The river is our life, coming from God and going where it will. The numerous streams flowing in and out are people, ideas and life experiences that come and go, adding to and taking from the river of our lives. We talk about how the river overflows in some seasons, and dwindles to a trickle in others.
While watching the Kennedy Center Honors program last evening, I heard a special song. It was new to me and I was careful to look up the lyrics so I wouldn’t miss a thing. Garth Brooks wrote the song in 1991- my first year in ministry, so maybe that’s why I missed it! It’s about chasing your dreams and never giving up on what you believe in. We’re reminded that life is shorter than we think, and if we just stand on the shore watching the river go by, then life will be gone before we have a chance to live it.
Brooks uses the metaphor of a person’s life being a vessel, moving through life, trying to reach their dreams. He says that a dream is like a river, changing, depending on what life brings. Each person has a dream, but when the river gets rough and life is hard, a lot of people put their dreams aside. Brooks says that he will sail his vessel until the river runs dry, that he will always chase his dreams until his life is over. If we don’t follow our dreams we never have a chance to experience the life we really want to live.
I’m so thankful this song found me! It’s lyrics are an inspiration to me, even in my 73rd year! Here are those special lyrics:
“The River”
You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin’ as it flows
And a dreamer’s just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what’s behind you
And never knowing what’s in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores … and
Chorus
I will sail my vessel
‘Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I’ll never reach my destination
if I never try
So I will sail my vessel,
“Til the river runs dry
Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
‘Til what we put off ‘til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don’t you sit upon the shoreline
And say you’re satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide … yes
Chorus
There’s bound to be rough waters
And I know I’ll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all …yes
Chorus
Yes, I will sail my vessel
Til the river runs dry
‘Til the river runs dry.
So grateful for river of my life, and thankful for those streams of mercy, flowing in and out and all around, evermore.
Elizabeth
President Biden issued a Memorial Day Proclamation a few days ago, and I share parts of that Proclamation today.
Memorial Day Proclamation 2021
“On Memorial Day, we honor and reflect upon the courage, integrity, and selfless dedication of the members of our Armed Forces who have made the greatest sacrifice in service to our Nation. Whether in the waters of the Pacific, on the beachheads of Europe, in the deserts of the Middle East, or in the mountains of Afghanistan, American service members have given their lives to uphold our Constitution and to defend the safety and freedoms of our citizens. These patriots embody the best of the American spirit. They put themselves on the line for our shared values — for duty, honor, country — and they paid the ultimate price. Our Nation can never fully repay the debt we owe to our fallen heroes and their families.
That is the vow we make each year on Memorial Day. Our Nation will never forget the courage and patriotism demonstrated by the countless women and men who laid down their lives so that we may continue to pursue a more perfect Union and to protect the unalienable rights Americans hold dear. They came from every part of the country, of every background and belief, united by a shared belief in our uniquely American creed — that all people are created equal. We will honor their legacy by continuing our work to live up to that commitment and to advance the values they lived and died to defend. We will continue to fight for equity and inclusion in our country and institutions, and ensure every qualified American who is willing to serve our country — regardless of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or background — has a fair and equal opportunity to do so …
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 31, 2021, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when people might unite in prayer and reflection. I urge the press, radio, television, and all other information media to cooperate in this observance. I further ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day” …
A Prayer for the Pursuit of Peace
Father, today we pause to reflect on the sacrifice made by those who paid the ultimate price on behalf of our nation. We pray that their sacrifices are never forgotten, nor is the pain of their families. We acknowledge that freedom comes at a cost and pray that we can pursue peace. We hope that, someday, we'll celebrate Memorial Day as just a memory of the time before we started living the peaceful existence You intended for us since the beginning of creation. Let us turn to You, Lord, in our grief and in our remembrance of the fallen. Guide us toward a harmonious existence as we honor those who were willing to give up their lives that we may gather here today freely. On this Memorial Day, we pray for peace and for those who gave all. Lead us toward a world where no one must give their lives in pursuit of freedom. May we be receptive to Your guidance, and may we never forget the fallen. Amen.
May we all pause for this appointed time of reflection and prayer this Memorial Day, giving thanks for and remembering those who made the greatest sacrifice in service to our Nation, and praying for permanent peace. May we commit to working together for that “more perfect Union.”
Elizabeth