A THANKSGIVING NOTE

It is Friday afternoon after Thanksgiving.  The family is relaxed, loving our time together and enjoying a mild Arizona day.  There are twelve of us, including six grandchildren that I adore.  Family! What a great idea.

Tomorrow we head back into our post Thanksgiving journey home but we will be filled with memories and stories and laughter.  For our family the journey of Advent begins on Sunday and we will make our way to Bethlehem's manger and, by faith, we will look into the face of Jesus and refresh our imaginations, imaginations rooted in the outrageous grace of God. 

We will journey with another family, too; the church to which we belong.  Together we will walk the Advent journey as we seek to draw near to God in openness and transparency and self-examination.  Our journey this year is a journey of paying special attention to what God is doing in our world. 

In a sense what we do in Advent is no different than what we do everyday throughout the year.  It's just that Advent slows us down a bit and gives us the opportunity to clear out any cobwebs that might have found their way into our story. It is a time to remember, to look back, to look forward, and to embrace the present.  It is a time to remember that God really is at work in the world, and that the world, as desperate as it is for meaning and purpose and peace, is not out of control.  God is here.  He has not distanced Himself from us but has come up close and personal. 

Today, I just want to say thank You to the God of all grace.  Our world is broken but our God is not broken.  He's got the whole world in His hands.  He's got me in His hands, and that amazes me more than anything else.  The world is filled with uncertainty but Jesus helps me to make sense of things in the midst of all the non-sense. 

So, even though it is a day late I want to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to all my friends and family.  May His grace embrace you through and through.  May His mercy stun You everyday.  May His comfort encourage you.  May His love hold you steady.  May God guide you and keep you and direct you in the twists and turns of your life.  May the Holy Spirit empower you.  May Jesus touch your life to the core and give you peace.

God you bless you all,

Rick   

HOW DO WE GO FORWARD?

Wouldn't it be great if the two people who ran for the presidency of the United States would take to a platform somewhere today, stand side by side and say to America,  

"The two of us disagree on just about every issue facing our country today.  This will not change.  We will daily take our stand and fight for what we believe to be the good fight.  Today, however, we stand in solidarity as Americans.  We confess our country is not perfect.  We acknowledge that we are not perfect.  Yet, we love this country, and today we are calling for a new way of being in America.  Don't let your convictions go.  Fight the good fight but remember we are Americans all. We are a people of law.  We have a constitution.  We don't have to agree with each other but we have a constitution."

There is a great line from the 1995 movie, "The American President," where president Andrew Shepherd (played by Michael Douglas) addresses the American people.  He says to them, to us,

America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. 

American is in a world of hurt and if ever there were a time for her leaders to step up and lead it is now.  Israelmore Ayivor said,

“Contrary to popular opinion, leadership is not a reserved position for a particular group of people who were elected or appointed, ordained or enthroned. Leadership is self-made, self-retained, self-inculcated and then exposed through a faithful, sincere and exemplary life.”

I love this country, warts and all, and I hope, even pray, that somehow, someway, we will stand strong in the face of adversity and exercise "advanced citizenship."

ON BALL GAMES AND ELECTIONS

The U.S. elections are less than a week away but before that important Tuesday there is another contest to resolve—which team will be the winner of Baseball's 2016 world series!  In the series, each team has three wins and three losses, and tonight, game seven will decide it all.  Tomorrow, life goes on but tonight the thought on the hearts of many Americans is focused on one ball game and it's outcome.  Will it be Chicago or Cleveland, the Indians or the Cubs, my team or their team?  Oh, the drama. 

All that being said, let the record show that I will be in front of my TV tonight watching the spectacle.  The truth is, however, I have no invested interest in the outcome of the game, the series, or even Baseball for that matter. I'm just a fan and I enjoy the trip every year even though my team (who for the purpose of this article shall remain nameless) hasn't made an appearance in the World Series for a while.  Still, I love it when a season comes down to one game, winner take all.

What does all this?  Probably nothing.  It's just got me to thinking about life in our world.  Life seems always to come down to winners and losers.  And, most of the time, outcomes seem to be out of the control of we ordinary folks.  Late next Tuesday night (unless this election has hanging chads issues to be resolved) the result of our opinions will be given, and on Wednesday November 9, we'll all get back in the saddle and do whatever it is we do.

As a follower of Jesus I will vote my conscience and proudly wear my "I Voted" sticker but still won't put my hope in the ways and means of people.  I seek to live faithfully and truthfully in the world as one created in the image of God.  The prayer of my life isn't, "Give me your best, Hillary or Donald."  My prayer is, "Our Father, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10).  Jesus convinces me that God is at work in the human story in ways I could never conceive, that He has the best interest of the world in mind, and that God has spoken into the deepest needs of the human heart in Jesus. 

So, no matter who wins the World Series or the presidency or the senate or the house, Jesus is Lord of all.  I refuse to get caught up in the political and often times, extremely harsh, rhetoric of the past several months.  I think today I will be child-like and let Annie speak for me.

The sun'll come out tomorrow Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow There'll be sun!Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya!
Tomorrow! You're always A day A way!

Whatever tomorrow looks like those of us who are followers of Jesus will need simply to get back to work, living a life that is shaped and formed by the Lord of history, the Savior of the world, and the one who continually calls us to Himself that we and our world might know the rest of God. 

Okay, that's all I've got today.  Now it is off to Pasadena and channel 11 on my TV, and a game that holds the future of the known world in his grasp.