A Careful Exploration

Good Evening, Loved Ones,

Made it through the day with twos hours left before my discipline of Wednesday gratitude fades into the night. Here's one of the lectionary passages for this Sunday to consider.

Galatians 6 (The Message)

^1-3 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

^4-5Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

This Dame Cinco effort is part of our "creative best." In the last year-and-a-half we have made more than 5000 expressions of gratitude through this discipline. There have been more than 1000 email links in our gratitude chain. Let's keep making a "careful exploration" of our lives through gratitude.

As I move toward sleep, tonight I give thanks for . . .

. . . Alin Sanchez who celebrated her 9th birthday tonight at prayer group. Alin is a tiny little 9 year old, with a tremendous character. She is a devoted sister to her brother and little sister and an inspiration to her parents and her church family. Feliz Cumpleanos, Alin!

. . . day one of the more than 30 year tradition of Grandview Park's Day Camp. About 90 kids and adults invaded Heartland Presbyterian Center and had a blast singing, telling Bible stories, swimming, hiking, cooking and eating lunch, playing soccer and making crafts.

. . . the hard-working staff of the summer program - Jennifer, Ms. Washington, Gely, Sam, Erandeni, Cheny, Jean and Martha. They sink four weeks of their lives into the lives of our children and youth. May God bless them richly.

. . . a vacation weekend soccer tournament that found youngest son, Lucas, on the winning end of a tournament even as the US was eliminated from the World Cup. It was a great getaway made all the better by one of those rare win-it-all moments.

. . . the beauty of God's creation that can be seen even while traveling at 75 mph down the interstate. Lakes rimmed in reeeds, rolling green hills of various hues and bounty, rich blue skies dappled with puffs of white . . .

Gimme cinco!

Pastor Rick

Good morning (barely), Loved Ones,

Must confess to having spent the last 2 hours glued to ESPN watching the USA's last minute victory over Algeria in the World Cup. After having been denied a victory against Slovenia when the ref wrongfully disallowed a goal, having a similar moment happen early in today's game, the team persisted and at the right moment in the 92nd minute their persistence paid off. Without the goal, the tournament would have been over for the US. As it is, they go on to the knock out round of 16. I must admit that I am glad I am communicating via email at the moment because I blew out my voice, first in despair and then in glorious celebration.

One of the daily lectionary passages for tomorrow is a favorite of many.

Romans 5:3-5 (The Message)

There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

It's easy to believe the truth of this passage when you win the game in the 92nd minute. A bit harder when the goal doesn't come and a dream comes to an end. But the passage reminds us that troubles will come, that patience comes out of trouble, and character or virtue then leads us to hope. And we end up finding our lives full of God's grace.

I thank the Lord today for . . .

. . . moments of ecstatic joy when, in spite of troubles and challenges, patience endures and character produces the hoped for Goooooooooooooooooooooooal!
. . . Grandview Park Church which has endured many trials and struggles and yet has developed a passionate patience and determined character and has not only survived, but thrived when and where many others have given up. There are definitely not enough containers to hold everything God has poured into the life of GPPC in 121 years.
. . . the many who are suffering on the gulf coast and yet are persevering to do what is necessary to move forward and clean up what seems an insurmountable disaster. May their faith stay strong.
. . . the faithful 'perseverers' in small town/rural America who fight against long odds and a long list of challenges to build their communities and live in "alert expectancy." Their struggles are not unlike the struggles urban neighborhoods face.
. . . youth, like many in our church, who are persisting in doing the right thing educationally even though the current immigration laws have put a seemingly insurmountable wall in front of them. A wall that will deny them the ability to work, get a driver's license and, even in some states, attend a state university. They have shown immeasurable patience and character. Now we are alert for what God will do next!

Troubles + Patience + Character = Hope

Gimme Cinco!

Pastor "Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole!" Rick

A Gentle and Quiet Whisper

Good afternoon, Loved Ones,

Consider this story of Elijah as we approach Father's Day.

1 Kings 19:3-15 (The Message)

^3-5 When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba, far in the south of Judah. He left his young servant there and then went on into the desert another day's journey. He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all—to just die: "Enough of this, God! Take my life—I'm ready to join my ancestors in the grave!" Exhausted, he fell asleep under the lone broom bush.

Suddenly an angel shook him awake and said, "Get up and eat!"

⁶ He looked around and, to his surprise, right by his head were a loaf of bread baked on some coals and a jug of water. He ate the meal and went back to sleep.

⁷ The angel of God came back, shook him awake again, and said, "Get up and eat some more—you've got a long journey ahead of you."

^8-9 He got up, ate and drank his fill, and set out. Nourished by that meal, he walked forty days and nights, all the way to the mountain of God, to Horeb. When he got there, he crawled into a cave and went to sleep.

Then the word of God came to him: "So Elijah, what are you doing here?"

¹⁰ "I've been working my heart out for the God-of-the-Angel-Armies," said Elijah. "The people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed the places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me."

^11-12 Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by."

A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.

^13-14 When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, "So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?" Elijah said it again, "I've been working my heart out for God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me."

^15-18 God said, "Go back the way you came through the desert to Damascus. When you get there anoint Hazael; make him king over Aram. Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi; make him king over Israel. Finally, anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Anyone who escapes death by Hazael will be killed by Jehu; and anyone who escapes death by Jehu will be killed by Elisha. Meanwhile, I'm preserving for myself seven thousand souls: the knees that haven't bowed to the god Baal, the mouths that haven't kissed his image."

Elijah has hit the wall. He's up against that wall that we often hit ourselves; the "I give up" wall, the "I'm all alone" wall, the "what's the point" wall. But Elijah finds that he's not alone, that God has not given up on him and that the point is still justice and hope. Whether you are a father or mother or a brother or sister you have surely struggled with keepin' on keepin' on. I give thanks today that we are not alone in the struggle. I am thankful for the fathers/brothers/mentors who have helped me get over the walls.

Check out this father/son song. It inspired me --- hope it does you too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbqF6Xv1mNU

Thank you, Lord, for . . .

. . . my father, Dean Behrens. Although he died when I was 5 and I barely knew him, I remember a few moments and I am grateful for those memories and whatever good he passed on to me through those moments we shared together.
. . . my brother, Greg Behrens. I know of no more patient and kind person than my big brother. I'm thankful for his work as a father and a dedicated leader in his faith community.
. . . my step-dad, Jerry Nelson. Jerry stepped in when I needed a father figure and immersed our family into a small faith community. I remember the day he came into our room and asked us to call him "Dad."
. . . my Prebyterian father, Tom Williams. Pastor Tom welcomed me into a new church family and mentored and counseled me. He has been an inspiration for my pastoral call.
. . . my Parishioner dad, Bill McCune. When our boys were little Bill encouraged me saying, "enjoy this time, Rick. These are the best years."
. . . my older-brother-of-another-mother, Terry Woodbury. Pastor Terry has been an unwavering friend, supporter and partner in minstry.
. . . my brother-from-another-culture, Alfonso Tot. Pastor Alfonso has expanded my understanding of what it means to follow Christ. He has challenged my faith as we have worked hard to embrace a common vision.
. . . Randy, Bump, Javier, Dedric, Greg, Mike, Darrick, Ricardo, Jonathan, Mark and many others to numerous to mention who have been part of God's grace in my life.

We are "surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses." We are never alone.

Gimme cinco and have a great Father's Day.

Pastor Rick

Good afternoon, Loved Ones,

"If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal." This is what Jesus says in response to a pharisee's criticism of him because he allowed a prostitute to crack open an expensive vial of oil on his feet and wipe it up with her hair and her kisses. The exchange reveals much about our sense of entitlement, our impulses to be hospitable and the understanding of our need for forgiveness. However, the link between forgiveness and gratitude is something to which I have not given much thought. Does the level of our sense of being forgiven correlate to our expressions of gratitude. 79 people are on this e-mail list, yet 8-10 people consistently respond. Could this somehow be related to our personal sense of forgiveness? Is this true, what Jesus says? Minimal forgiveness = minimal gratitude. And is the converse potentially true? Tremendous forgiveness = tremendous gratitude.

Luke 7:36-8:3 (The Message)
36-39 One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee's house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him."
40 Jesus said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Oh? Tell me."
41-42 "Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?"
43-47 Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most."
"That's right," said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, "Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal."
48 Then he spoke to her: "I forgive your sins."
49 That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: "Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!"
50 He ignored them and said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

Today I give thanks for . . .

. . . the lessons in hospitality and gratitude I have receive almost daily from my brothers and sisters at the church.
. . . the many times I have been forgiven by the people I love.
. . . the great mercy of God shown in Jesus who asks me to forgive even when I don't feel like it, even when its my enemy.
. . . the reality that, thanks be to God, I am learning enemies are few and far between and mostly in my head.
. . . people like Telma and Martha and Greg and Kent and Maria and Jennifer and many, many others who daily break open their expensive canisters of precious perfumes and oils and offer them to the church, the neighborhood, the community and thereby offer them to Christ. Their understanding of, their 'standing under' forgiveness must be great indeed.

How has forgiveness made you more grateful? Gimme cinco!

Pastor Rick

All of Our Yearning

Good evening, Loved Ones,

It's almost evening and my heart turns toward an evening psalm written by a favorite singer/songwriter named Bruce Cockburn. Perhaps tonight you'll be able to "step outside and take a look at the stars." (lyrics from another B. Cockburn song ;-) Maybe when you look at the stars your heart will leap or like David in Psalm 8 you will consider your place in God's great creation. Your reflection for tonight is extra-biblical.

Lord of the Starfields by Bruce Cockburn

Lord of the starfields
Ancient of Days
Universe Maker
Here's a song in your praise

Wings of the storm cloud
Beginning and end
You make my heart leap
Like a banner in the wind

O love that fires the sun
Keep me burning.

Lord of the starfields
Sower of life,
Heaven and earth are
Full of your light

Voice of the nova
Smile of the dew
All of our yearning
Only comes home to you

O love that fires the sun
keep me burning

To hear the song go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFkM_R3CZvI
(Images added detract from the song - so listen without watching video!)

Tonight I give thanks for

. . . a holiday weekend of work, play, rest and worship.
. . . Katie, Cassie, Jake and Eric -- the YouthWorks staff who will be living in our church all summer.
. . . Greg Take, whose vision has brought us a summer full of opportunities to share the grace of God.
. . . my friend Mark who has given me work to do this summer and with whom I shared an after-lunch walk around Lenexa Lake this afternoon.
. . . the love of God which created the universe and burns in our hearts.

What can you say to the Lord of the Starfields tonight? Step outside, take a look and say "Thank you!"

Pastor Rick