the Unexpected

We often hear the phrase “expect the unexpected” (coined in an Oscar Wilde play) – and yet life is not always so simple. Surprises are common; we get to choose how we react and respond to them.

Last night as I was watching a hockey game, I was reacting – with enthusiasm. Loudly.
It startled my dog – poor thing hasn’t been with me through a hockey season yet, so he did not understand why I was commenting loudly to the box of moving pictures. As my emotions were raised, his head tilted further to the side.

He had no basis for this experience; and while he’ll learn (Go Jets!) it was unsettling for him. He knew he was safe, and he knew I was going to be okay – but the behaviour is not the norm – and it baffled him.

We can all face times when the curveballs of life shock us; and we need to decide if we will react (as I did to the goal) or respond (as he did to my reaction). A reaction is an immediate reflex, usually begun before logic can prevail; whereas a response is a more considered action that aligns values and intention with rationality.

With spiritual maturity, we recognise that life’s unexpected moments are quite common – and that our faith keeps us grounded so we do not get overwhelmed by them. We can prepare ourselves for the concept of the unexpected, through prayer and meditation and community connections. It won't eliminate surprises, but it will better equip us for how we want to respond when they do happen.

We know that life is full of ups and downs, of times where we expect certain things, and times when life surprises us. Ideally, we can frame our expectations in such a way that we are ready for the adventure that life may throw at us; so that rather than disappointment at unexpected outcomes, we live in joyful anticipation that God is guiding the journey.

Harvest Time

Garden Potatoes!

The concept of Thanksgiving has different meaning to folks.
For some, it’s a joyous time to gather with loved ones and feast abundantly!
For some, it’s a time still in the fields, hoping to get the crop off before the snow flies.
For some, it’s a welcome long weekend to get that yardwork done.
For some, it’s not a festival at all, but just another weekend struggling to get by.

In the church, we recognise this as Harvest Thanksgiving – a time to be especially grateful for the harvest. In times gone by, the harvest was essential for supplying the necessities to make it through the winter. With the luxury of grocery stores, canned goods, and freezers, we’ve decreased our reliance on one large harvest.
Yet: it remains. The crops still come off, the stores are filled, and we prepare to hunker down.

My garden this year was not the best producer; yes, I have a bunch of potatoes in the root cellar, the freezer is full, and the canner and dehydrator did their annual duty to preserve what they could.
Yet I know that if the only food I could eat this winter is what I’ve grown, I know I would go hungry.

So I have spent some time considering what else the harvest looks like, and what else I can focus my gratitude on this joyous weekend.
What relationships have I tended to, and reap the benefits from?
What communities am I a part of, that feed my spirit?
What nourishment have I stored in my faith, that it will sustain me year-round?

The harvest can mean many things to us; I invite us to celebrate not only the feast of the weekend (for those of us who will feast!) but also the fulfillment of the harvest in our emotional and spiritual lives. For indeed, God has given us every good thing – and we are blessed to give thanks.

 

Entrenched

Shadow, my gorgeous fruitbat-on-stilts, is not shy. An adolescent dog, he is certainly not body conscious. He regularly lies down on his back, presenting all his bits to the world; while walking his short hair hides nothing. This dog is undeniably a biological male.

It surprised me a bit this week during one of our walks (we walk a lot!) when a stranger across the street decided to comment on my dogs. He complimented them to start, and then said that he knew they were both girls. When I corrected that they’re one of each, he became adamant. His rationale: “Boy dogs pee on every post. That dog walked right past a post – it’s a girl!” I countered that not every post gets watered, and then we continued down the street at our normally quick pace, ignoring the rest of the gentleman’s fervent assertions.

Whatever was going on with him, he was clearly entrenched in his perspective, and nothing would dissuade him. (At least, not from across the street – and we weren’t going closer to put Shadow’s anatomy on display!) It led to reflection on how we can all become deeply convicted of certain ideas, such that they become unchangeable regardless of any new information.

Any entrenchment may have both positive and negative aspects, and it is helpful to try to be open to hearing various perspectives. It can be helpful to consider what is an anchor for us as opposed to what may adapt to new circumstances and information.

Especially when it comes to our faith, it’s helpful to recognise these both can exist!
We are rooted and grounded in love; that for me is unchangeable. God, the source of perfect love, is at the core of who we are and all we do. We remind ourselves of this as a tenet of our faith to keep us secure from moral compromise or supporting us through doubt.

Sometimes our faith experience adapts, however, with new information: errors in biblical translations can have vast influence (an early edition of the scriptures forgot the “not” in verse 14 of the commandments – “thou shalt commit adultery”; another bible in the beatitudes replaced an E with an L, blessing the “placemakers” as children of God…). While we recognise such examples as amusing typographical errors, other mistranslations can cause broad theological conviction over time. We must always be aware of the evolution of language, of editorial commentary and bias.

Entrenchment can also happen when political alliances may be attached to religious convictions and theologies. The overlapping of political identity with religion can lead to ideological blindspots and difficulty in separating what is of empire and what is divine. Compromise and discourse becomes less likely as opposing views are considered spiritual or moral deficiencies.

And of course, theological rigidity in such convictions can serve to limit (or prohibit) acts of love, grace, and community. A legalistic entrenchment prioritises divisions of right and wrong, us and them, in or out, and thereby misses the nuance of being the people that God has made us to be. This type of entrenchment can lead not only to obstacles in discourse but also in self-reflection.

When we feel the need to be right all the time, we lose the chance to learn and grow. Our own self-justification can prevent us from participating in the gloriousness that is God’s all-present love. So let us hold on to the truths that never change: we are cherished and wanted, recipients of God’s infinite grace… and use that knowledge as the foundation from which we might spread love in the world.

 

The Benefit of Reading (and Re-Reading)

 

Most folks know that I’m an avid reader, and that much of what I read is fictional. Thus, the turn-around of my shelves is not uncommon. I read a book, and I donate it to the book sale – where I purchase several more; and the cycle continues.

Some books, however, stay with me – literally, on the shelf, as well as in the mind. There are some fiction and some non-fiction; books that have held meaning deeper than just entertainment. These are books that get re-visited, sometimes for nostalgia, sometimes for comfort, sometimes for research or study (or sermon prep!)

As François Mauriac said, "Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are is true enough, but I'd know you better if you told me what you reread."

Re-reading can be beautiful, for any number of reasons. It keeps the books alive for us, and thus indicates we are still wanting to engage with the material (or characters or themes). A re-read can reveal to us new understandings or applications, depending on where we are in our journey. It can enhance our appreciation for the writing itself, as we discover nuance or structure that we missed the first time.

What we choose to re-read can be a great experience. It’s why we re-read the scriptures: because God is constantly revealing new lessons, new perspectives, new appreciations of how we are being called to live in community.

As we journey through the bible, there are some passages that we may have memorised, some we vaguely remember, and others we may never have read. Whatever opens before us, however, invites us to read it carefully – intentionally and prayerfully – that we might fully benefit from that passage today. Even the parts we think we know can surprise us with new perspectives!

What we read is important. What we re-read can define who we are. As we re-read God’s word, may we be open to hearing God’s speaking anew!

Apples!

As the end of summer looms (egads it’s frost season. Already!) I have the pleasure of picking apples in the yard. I have 2 apple trees, and it’s amazing what that means for my annual fruit intake!

After a slow start this spring, my one tree remained minimal in its output, while the other one decided to bless all my neighbours and friends with abundance. It’s such a unique experience: the fruit at the top of the tree may look the most appealing with the hints of red, but the green ones within reach (without a ladder to fall from) provide the best tang and texture for baking and oatmeal. How very human to desire that which appears “better” even when it’s slightly out of reach!

Yet that ladder experience itself speaks of another component of the season: the benefit of others. When I ascend the heights, I make sure someone else is nearby – should my descent be too rapid they are there for help!

After completing the apple harvest for myself (meaning my freezer has hit capacity), I’ve given away about 100 pounds (so far!). I’ve heard of folks making pies, bread, crisp, and sauce… apples definitely provide an example of what it means to be generous: I don’t care what other folks do with their apples, I’m just glad they’re being used.

The apples also help me to comprehend our human concept of unused or wasted; many have either become bruised after having fallen in a windstorm, or have been a feast for wasps and other insects. They do end up in the compost bin; and while that may seem like waste, it is providing nutrients for next year. It’s not unusable; it’s just not practical for me to use right now.

There are numerous additional reflections I could offer, and others I’m sure I’ve not considered – however we take the opportunity to reflect on the events of our daily lives, may we receive as many blessings as my tree had apples!

Expression

I recently had opportunity to acquire some travel aids for a long-haul flight. In my youth, concepts of swollen feet didn't really enter my consideration. 

Alas: for this venture, I gave in to the reality that compression socks would be a wise investment.

And, being quirky, I thought that perhaps standard black or white didn't quite fit my personality... So funky patterns it was!

Changing into said socks during the layover raised a few eyebrows, but it also raised a few questions... Strangers asked me for details about  my fun socks, as they commented on the joy of self expression. 

It doesn't take much for us to find things that bring us happiness while also serving a particular need. God made us all different, and delights in variety, so why shouldn't we?

We can express our choices and joys in different ways, just as we can live our faith in varying ways. 

However we express the love of God that has been lavished upon us, let us do it on such a way that makes someone smile (even ourselves!)

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends…

Over time, expressions change.
For example, we often hear some variation of the phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” as meaning doing something impressive without any help from anyone else. The self-sufficiency, however, was not the intention of the phrase.

When it began in the 1800s, it was a jest to describe some absurdity, or impossible task. One cannot defy gravity by will or by effort. Much like my puppy with his foot stuck in a loop toy (poor Shadow!), the act of lifting up just leads to frustration or (eventually, and hilariously) falling down.

The reality is: none of us can get through life alone. None of us are entirely independent.
But rather than co-dependent, we are interdependent. And this is how God created us to be! We benefit from the blessing of community.

When times are tough, we lean on the strength of others. When things are going well for us, we are graced by the opportunity to be generous. Whether with time, love, experiences, or resources, God has given us one another so that we all might flourish.

The scripture often speaks of the ways in which we grow when we come together: we learn, we share, we support. Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs; the apostles spoke of the sharing of gifts, the whole concept of Christian community depends on the willingness to connect with others.

What a blessing to be with one another, to be vulnerable in our weaknesses and generous in our strengths; to truly wish the best for everyone we encounter as a beloved and valued child of God. Let us give thanks for the communities that we are part of!

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ~Rom 12.4-5