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Small Changes That Work

7/28/2014

 
       Not too long ago, I read an account of a man who had stumbled across a good way to make a change in his thoughts. He was very angry with his ex-wife, and was holding that anger and resentment tightly in his heart.  While on the computer one day, he was asked to change the password to a site he frequented.  He changed it to: Forgiveher.  Every day, several times a day, he had to type "Forgiveher".  And, slowly, it worked.

     I like to have ringtones that alert me when the family is calling me - songs that I associate with each one of them.  But I used to use either canned rings or sort of popular songs for other ringtones.  Then I realized that I could make sure I heard something calming, or inspirational, or edifying, each time the phone rings.  What I hear now sends me a message to calm down.

     It's tempting to want to put the latest picture of the cute grandchild or an Oreo cookie as a screensaver, but when the computer is fired up and I pull up Micah 6: 6-8, it reminds me of my calling.

      Strange to admit, but I have an app on my phone that is set to go off randomly three times a day, as a signal to stop and breathe and let go.  The sound is a small and gentle one, and even when it goes off during a meeting, or in traffic, or when someone is in my office - I benefit from the reminder.  I'd bet the other people in the meeting, other cars, or talking with me do too, whether they're aware of it or not.

     Standing in line, I have a choice of reading the magazine covers  - I especially like the ones geared toward women that have BOTH cupcake recipes AND how to lose 10 pounds before Labor Day - or praying a sentence prayer.  Maybe "Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner", or "Thanks. Help. Wow", or "What is the one thing You want me to notice today?  How can I be of help?".

     And of course, there is the ever faithul 'count to ten before you speak' change.  The other day, I didn't do that.  And I should have.  Boy, I should have.  

     In the 6th chapter to his letter to the church at Rome, Paul tells us (in paraphrase) to keep our eye on the prize.   Maybe by keeping our eyes, and our ears, in tune with a still more better way, we can stay closer to God.

525,600 minutes

7/17/2014

 
     If I understand it correctly, we are all given the same amount of time every day: 24 hours, 1440 minutes. Looking around at the people I know, it's amazing to me how we each choose to spend that time. 

     I know, I know - most of you are going to say "CHOOSE?!?! HAH! Most of my time is spent for me by others".  And I get that.  For years, I felt like Steve Martin's character in Parenthood : when asked by his wife if he has to go somewhere, his response is, "My whole life is 'have-to'"

     But to a great extent, we DO choose how we spend our time; outside of work and the immediate care of the sick or the young, we allow who we let interrupt us, who we let slide, what we ingest in our minds and our souls. The key is being aware, consciously, of where our time goes.

     If you have a problem with spending money, the experts suggest that you operate with cash only: a swipe of a card doesn't make the imprint on your mind that physically taking money from a wallet does. By removing the cash, you can easily see how much you are pulling out, how much is left, and thus can make a last minute decision about the expenditure.  Now obviously, we don't have the capability to do that with our time, but there are some other things we can consider:

     +Set a timer for yourself. If you are the type to get distracted by social media, set a timer (across the room, or in another room all together) and when that timer goes off - you're off line.  (Even if you've not completed the "Which Dwarf are You?" Questionnaire.  Of which there are only 7 options.  Yeah.............)

     +Write down what is important to you. Not what you want other people to think is important to you, but what IS important to you.  If you say you want to have time to read the Bible, but you really prefer to read Tori Spelling's blog - just be honest with yourself and admit it.  But if you DO really want to have time to read the Bible, the truth is that you DO.  It just means that something else will not get your time.  Like Tori.  Or Doc and Sneezy and the boys.

     +Make sure your newly decided wish to change your expenditure of time includes quiet time, or prayer time, or doing nothing time. If there is a disease of our generation, it is silence deficiency. And NO, doing the above while brushing your teeth or being stopped at a red light does not count.  Or, you know, hanging with Tori.

     +Mean what you say and say what you mean. It's so easy to postpone something you either don't have time for or don't want to take time for by saying, "We need to get together soon", or "I'll look into that next week", or "I really will start doing that (Monday/Next year/When the kids go off to camp/when monkeys fly").  Slow down before you speak.  And think about what you say.  I have a couple of people in my life - and you do as well, I'll bet - who will see you and tell you they REALLY miss you, and REALLY want to have lunch with you no kidding, and they'll text you next week.  Have you heard from yours yet?  I didn't think so; neither have I. 

     THE REALITY IS THAT OFTEN THE LEAST IMPORTANT THINGS MAKE THE MOST NOISE.  The very nature of the critical, essential aspects of our life is such that seldom do they make noise.  They just are there.  Until one day, they're not.  And when you need that person, that Bible verse, that still small voice - they're not there.  Or you don't remember where it is.  Or you don't recognize His voice. 

     Okay.  Enough time reading this blog.  Get on to the important things in life...  Blessings on your way.



Who Lives in Your Head?

7/8/2014

 
I cannot be the only person who has their own Pandora Radio station playing as background music in their mind.  I hear an off the cuff statement from a random person in the street that ends, " ..if everyone can come", and I immediately go to, "If everyone cared, and nobody cried; if everyone loved, and nobody lied; if everyone shared and swallowed their pride we'd see the day when nobody died".

 When someone responds with "that's all I'm saying", I'm likely to spend the rest of the day with "Give peace a chance" on a loop in my brain. If there's a problem here at church, and we need someone to fix it, and the question is "Who are we going to call?"  I sort of HAVE to answer, "GHOSTBUSTERS!"

And sometimes, when I am alone, I catch myself singing under my breath, or in my head:

 "Darlin', you send me..."

 "There will be an answer, Let It Be"

"Just Molly and me, and baby makes three; we're happy in My Blue Heaven"

 "All I have needed Your hand has provided"

 

Who knows?  Is my brain just rambling?  Have I heard something unconsciously that triggered a song? Or, just maybe:


 that Leon loves me


 I needed to be reminded that I need to calm down

 that somewhere out there my mom or dad was thinking of me

 that God will take care of me


Who knows?  I don't, and I suppose unless I try to make something more out of it than it is, well, it's not for me to say.

Oh, great.  Now I hear Johnny Mathis.....................





A Matter of Perspective

7/2/2014

 
My first church was a rural one in a sort of small town.  It was a sweet community with wonderful folks.  Not too terribly long after I came on board, a young couple joined the church.  They had a little boy - can't remember his exact age, but he was under 1. 

There weren't a lot of kids in the church at that time, and the entire congregation took him to raise.  When he was about 3, he and his parents took a trip to see the grandparents.  The next Sunday, when his family walked in the door, he made a beeline for me, shouting "PASSER MOLLY!!!!" (Pastor Molly) at the top of his lungs.

I squatted down for my hug.  "I missed you, Jackson!"  I said.  "How was your visit?"

He took my face in his hands and said, with all the seriousness of a three year old: "I went to Nana's church, Passer Molly, and guess what!?!?!?"

"What?" I asked.

He drew a deep breath and said: "Her minister's a MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I assured him that I knew of several male ministers, and that they were all nice.

It's all relative, isn't it? Sometimes what we are used to isn't the norm, but until we venture out of our own small world, we don't know that, do we?

Bless his heart.  Wherever you are, Jackson, I hope life is good.



    Picture

    Reverend Donald Chase, Minister

          We welcome back to First Christian Church the Rev. Don   Chase, who was installed as FCC Minister on November 4, 2018. Reverend Chase is the director of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and Clinical Chaplain at the Lexington VA Medical Center, where he has served   for the past 12 years.  He is an ACPE Certified Educator with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) with the National Association of VA Chaplains (NAVAC), and an ordained minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  

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