Tag: Lent

Water

On By skrosenfeldLeave a comment

This evening as we were preparing for choir practice (from the living room) I looked at the piano and noticed that the tulips I had in a vase were no longer standing straight. In fact, they were completely droopy. I went over to check out the situation and sure enough, the vase was completely dry – even though I had filled it the night before.

I thought my work was done when it came to those blooms for at least a day or two; it never occurred to me that they would require more water within 24 hours. If the flowers hadn’t wilted the way they had, I would not have even checked on them yet.

It was a potent reminder that we do not always use our resources in the same way, at the same pace.

Somedays you may need more water to stay hydrated, more food to feel full, or more sun to be happy. Our bodies and minds have a pretty good way of letting us know when we are running low on these things, if we listen.

But there are other things we can easily run out of – patience, love, mercy. Often we are are a cranky, miserable mess before we even realize we have run bone dry. It is easy to think of our souls the same way I thought of that vase – I just filled that yesterday. I can’t possibly need more already.

Fortunately, there is a well that will never run dry where we can draw endless amounts of Grace. It is ready before we ask; poured out to us without cost or condition. All we need to do is accept is that we need it.

Flame

On By skrosenfeldLeave a comment

What is the difference between a fire and a flame?

When I think about a fire I immediately think of something destructive. In my mind I see a charred and broken landscape, a force of nature that we can just barely hope to contain.

But a flame? Well, we see a flame as something positive, maybe even hopeful. We carry a torch for someone we love, we light candles in ceremony and in serenity. We use the metaphor of an eternal flame to signify the miracle of never ending love.

I have candles all over my house – the light of small flickering flames is my happiest place and I have put my home together such that I never have to work hard to fill a room with candle light. However – I am careful not to ignore the warnings that come affixed to most of the candles that I buy that instruct me how to burn that particular item with the least chance of setting fire to my house or something in it. One warning that is always present is to never burn the candle unattended; it can throw a spark and spread through your room like a wildfire. There is a lot of power in that one tiny flame.

That is why we use it so often to signify the love of Christ – why at Christmas we pass candle light between us in a darkened sanctuary and the glow lights up the room. This what we want to see the Love of our Lord do in this world; this is how we want to make disciples and share the good news of Salvation. And in the best situations, you would be able to ignite a flame that spreads the light far beyond your ability to attend its burning.

But I think that it bears warning that a lot of our passions can spark a flame that is easy to pass on. And if we aren’t careful, we could start or enable a destructive fire that could lay waste to our communities and our relationships.

So when it comes to flames, be discerning about what ignites you. Be intentional about what you want to spread.

Clean

On By skrosenfeldLeave a comment

A year ago we were experiencing our last normal weekend and we didn’t realize it.

That is the thought I could not push from my head this morning as I sat in the back of our empty sanctuary, listening to our Pastor preach on John 2 13-22 – the passage where Jesus cleanses the Temple, pouring out the coins of the money-changers and throwing over their tables.

Bet they didn’t see that coming.

This morning’s message was titled “A Clean Sweep”, and it got me thinking about how we never see a true clean sweep coming. This is the time of year when people start to open their windows and try to rid the house of the extra weight of winter; we get rid of the things we have outgrown physically and emotionally and do it all in the name of “spring cleaning” – a fabulous thing to do.

There has certainly been a lot of literal cleaning over the last year, so says how infrequently I can buy antibacterial wipes at Costco these days.

But what about the cleanses we don’t have any control over? What about the things that come through suddenly and bring us to our knees, giving us no time to pick and choose what we hold on to?

We don’t usually think of those things as cleaning. We think of them as disasters and they almost certainly are.

But it is an interesting thought to explore, maybe. Because life is nothing if not cyclical, with endings and beginnings often pushed up so tight against each other it can be hard to tell them apart.

It is easy to miss the beginning when you are in the throws of mourning the end, but if you look closely you just might recognize it.

Something that is clean isn’t barren, even though they may look the same from a distance. Something that is clean is full of opportunity for an intentional regrowth. Something that is clean is at the beginning; ready to start again.

Laugh

On By skrosenfeldLeave a comment

Laughter is the best medicine; I firmly believe that if some humor can be found in a situation it can save the day. In my relationships, in my house, in the classroom – I have long operated under the opinion that if I could get someone laughing, I could turn anything around.

Some people tell me I’m funny; I don’t know about that 😉 But I’m funny enough that this strategy has served me pretty well. We laugh a lot over here, and its a total blessing.

I have been thinking today about the way that Laughter comes up in the Bible. It is mentioned quite a few times and is an expression of everything from arrogance and pride to joy and exaltation. My mind immediately went to this – one of my favorite Biblical laughs:

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

Genesis 18: 11-15

As a person who indulges in a fair amount of gallows humor myself, I have always really enjoyed the brutally honest – and terribly sarcastic – laugh that Sarah has when she hears this news. I know this laugh. Struggling to get and stay pregnant made Sarah one of the most relatable characters in the Bible for me. At every bump in our road someone was sure to tell me that I needed to have faith and that God would make a way for us. So truly – I know this laugh specifically.

But then, most of this blog is a love letter to the child I didn’t think would ever happen. So truly, I know her joy as well.

It is so easy to forget that we don’t know as much as we think we do. I laughed last week when Danny’s case manager told me everything was under control and he was going to be fine at school. I have dedicated the last 11 years to understanding Danny and nothing that I have learned allowed me to dream that “fine” would be possible. And then, delivered as promised, two perfectly adequate – if not wonderful – days in middle school rounded out his week.

I laughed 6 years ago when Steve suggested I start leading the pastoral prayer at the contemporary service; told him that there was absolutely no way I should be doing that even if I could. I did it; begrudgingly at first, then dutifully, then joyfully. As I stood in the service praying for his healing the Sunday before he died, I understood maybe for the first time what a gift he had given me.

I have laughed nearly every time that someone has suggested that our lives are going to get back to normal on the other side of all this chaos. I have prayed for it, I have enjoyed signs of gradual (even significant) improvement, I have reveled in the pandemic specific things we have learned about how to live the best life possible moving forward.

And still, I laugh.

Because I learn and scheme and research and observe, but forget to ask the most important question:

“Is any thing too hard for the Lord?”