Pentecost 17, September 23, 2012

Every once in a while if I’m in a playful mood – especially if I’m with my kids – I like to have a little fun with the check out people at Target.  A little teasing, a little comic relief, a little joking around.  Often this is kind of fun.  Other times the employee might give me a look like, “who are you?”  As we walk away from some of these less successful attempts at humor, one of my kids will usually say, “Dad, I don’t think he got you.”

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Pentecost 16, September 16, 2012

If you were going to list all of your favorite things, what would you include?  Julie Andrews has raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens at the top of her list.  What would top yours?  Favorite foods – favorites things to do – favorite toys.  You’d probably think that some of my favorite things include listening to Christian music or reading books about theology and praying.  But if I’m honest, I find my favorite things to revolve around Diet Coke, a bowl of popcorn and a good TV show or movie. What is wrong with me? 

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Pentecost 15, September 9, 2012

I realize many Minnesotans are in grief right about now over the passing of our all-too-brief summer.  We’ve taken our vacations, we’ve enjoyed the long days outside, we’ve had our lazy days in the sun and now it’s back to our busy scheduled lives.  This can be a transition marked with a little sadness – we wipe away tears as kids go off to school once again.

But I welcome the return of the regular routine.  Just as kids return to classes this week, here at Grace of God we are returning to some regular patterns of ministry. And I love that.  But I can’t decide if I like this because it feels fresh and new or if it is because it’s old and familiar.

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Pentecost 14, September 2, 2012

I took 3 years of art in high school and two semesters of art class in college.  One might wonder why someone who was studying theology and biblical languages would really need that much instruction in drawing and painting, but it kind of runs in the blood in my family.  I have always loved art.  And my favorite class was pottery.

I loved taking that lump of clap and putting it on the wheel and watching something take shape.  I haven’t done it since, but I can still feel the wetness of the clay and remember what it felt like to have that spinning lump in my hands.  One thing our teacher, Mrs. Briggs taught us was how important it was for the clay to be centered.  You slap it down in the middle of the wheel to start with and maybe try a few times to get it as close as possible.  And then as you are shaping the clay you must always keep it right there.  Otherwise it will quickly flop around and return to a misshapen lump and you’ll have to start over.  A beautiful bowl or vase or pitcher begins by being centered on the wheel by the potter.  And then it becomes a thing of beauty, something you could give as a gift, a vessel for others.

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