Angel Wings

Today I brought in a truly spectacular set of angel wings for the children to see. They are large, golden wings that glow when the lights hit them the right way. Typically they live in my supply closet until once a year they are worn by the angel Gabriel in the family Christmas Eve service here at St. Mark's. Gabriel is a coveted role in our Christmas Eve tableau, and I think it is in large part because of those wings.

Advent is a season of angels. An angel appears to Zechariah in the temple to tell him his wife Elizabeth is going to have a son. Gabriel appears to Mary to tell her she has been chosen to have a son. An angel appears to Joseph in a dream to tell him to go ahead and marry Mary, even though she is with child. And a multitude of angels appear to the shepherds to announce Christ's birth. We don't know what any of these angels look like, but we do know their appearance must have been awe-inspiring and even frightening, for in most cases the first words spoken by them are "Be not afraid."

While each time the angels appeared their message was different, the command to be not afraid stays the same. It is a message I hope we take to heart. Be not afraid of uncertain finances, of illness, of change, of death. Be not afraid for God is with us, surrounding us with love, carrying us on our journey.

Army Men

Today I had the chance to speak to our first-sixth grade students. I always enjoy joining the older children for their chapel. Our lesson was from James 5:7-11, on the virtue of patience and the Gospel was Matthew 11:2-11. In this section of Matthew we find an imprisoned John the Baptist sending his disciples to meet with Jesus. I spent a long time thinking about John and his time in prison, and so of course my prop for today was a box of army men.

When my oldest son was little, he loved building forts of blocks and populating them with army men. We have a box that now contains a time traveling assortment of soldiers from the revolutionary war, civil war and both world wars. My question for the children was, "Historically, what was one of the most dangerous positions for a soldier to occupy, a position that has to do with John the Baptist?" There were many excellent answers, but no one guessed correctly- the messenger.

Think of it. Instead of waiting to be ordered into battle, the messenger is sent out to the enemy, or even a friend, carrying news that very often no one wants to hear. Often messengers were killed and sent back to their commanders as part of a strong reply. That's why Shakespeare spoke of "not shooting the messenger." At this point in Matthew, John was in prison for his role as God's prophet, or messenger. John spoke the truth. It was a truth which Herod saw as a threat and it was for speaking God's message that John was killed.

Jesus also comes as a messenger of God's love, but Jesus is not only a messenger, he is the Good News- the message. The season of Advent is a time of preparation and waiting to celebrate the birth of Christ. Now is the time to consider how open we truly are to receiving God's message for us. Now is the time to prepare not just our homes, but also our hearts for Christ.

Advent Calendar

Last Sunday was the first Sunday in Advent, the season where we wait in joyful anticipation of the coming of our Lord. Waiting can be very difficult. I've waited for planes and trains to pick me up, for packages to arrive, and for water to boil. Sitting in the waiting room to see a doctor seems to take forever, as can waiting for a special event, a visit from a friend or the birth of a child. I know that patience is a virtue, but it is not always one of mine. What I pulled from my box was a gift, wrapped and tagged and waiting. It was given to me several days ago by my friends the Hainlines. And on the tag it said, "Wait until December 1st to open." So today in chapel I pulled it out and finally opened it.

My gift was an advent calendar. Each day there is a window to open and a Bible verse to read as I count down until Christmas morning. Today's verse is "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. " Isaiah 9:1. I love advent calendars, especially ones with Bibe verses, as they give me something to do each day during advent. For that's the thing about waiting, it is only hard to do if we have nothing to fill our time while we wait. Time spent in an airport with a good book is infinitely better than without, and the best appetizers provide a little something flavorful while waiting for a meal to arrive.

On Sunday our Gospel lesson was Matthew 24:36-44. This passage may seem to be a strange way to begin Advent, for the verses have nothing to do with the birth of Christ, but about his return. They remind us that we must be prepared, for the Son of Man will come at a completely unexpected hour. I suppose the question, for advent and beyond, is how will we spend the time we have to wait?

I hope that you and your children can plan some wonderful ways to share Christ's love as we await his coming this season.

Hand Me Downs

Today my box held a real treasure in our family, a set of very worn Batman pj's. When my son Thomas was three he loved Batman and wore Batman pj's under his clothes every day to school for well over a year. (He also wore cowboy boots, but that's another story). In almost every picture of him at that age you can see the gray pj's peeking out from his shirt, or he has on only the pj's. We had several pairs, both short and long sleeved and when Thomas outgrew them they were lovingly put away. The pj's emerged when Xander was three, and although he didn't love them as much as Thomas they were worn quite a bit. And now Sarah Frances has them in her pajama drawer. As parents we often love hand me downs, because it gives us a chance to remember what our older children were like when they wore those clothes, even while loving the child who is in them now. But for children who grow up in a family with lots of siblings, who gets hand me downs and who gets something new can become a sore subject.

I imagine that the new coat Jacob made for Joseph was probably the straw that broke the camels back. You have to feel a bit sorry for his older brothers, working hard, with a little brother who liked to tattletale and had dreams of ruling them all and who was clearly the favorite with their father. The new coat, when most of them had probably had hand me downs, was enough to set off a horrible chain of events. The thought of older brothers conspiring to murder their little brother is horrible, that they sold him into slavery is not much better.

For me, the story of Joseph is a stark reminder that God does not promise us that nothing bad will happen to us, no matter how strong our faith. Illness, disappointment, temptation, failure, all these and more are simply part of being human. And while I don't believe God throws these stumbling blocks in our path, if the story of Joseph teaches anything it is that God is with us in the pit, and in slavery, and in jail, and that God can work through us and through adversity to bring about God's kingdom.

Next week is Thanksgiving. I hope you take some time to share with your child or children all you are grateful for and then thank God for being with us in good times and in bad.

Shoes

All morning long one of my favorite songs from childhood has been playing in my head. I suppose that's why I felt the need to put a new pair of shoes in my box this morning. They are some 5" heels I bought recently that a real kick to wear. In them I am quite literally 6 feet tall. And while I am comfortable enough with my height that I wear flats often, there is something about being that tall that is a real rush.

What is it about being taller that excites us so much. Remember the childhood excitement of being measured against a door frame and finding out you had grown? I now have one son who loves the fact he is taller than me and a second who is constantly standing shoulder to shoulder with me to see how he measures up. (And sadly, I think he's passing me, even when we smash his hair down flat). I think it is is because so many of us have stood on tiptoes in a picture or to see over someones shoulder that the story of Zacheus is such a favorite. You remember Zacheus, the "wee little man".

While I am sure if Zacheus had access to my shoes they would have worked, he was so desperate to see Jesus he climbed a tree to look at him. Zacheus was a tax collector, a profession despised then even more than it is now, and yet in spite of the wrongs he had committed against his people Jesus looked at him, and informed him that he would be dining at his house later that day. Jesus accepted him, and all of us, sins and all.

What would it look like for you to spend the day straining on tiptoes, or climbing a tree, just to catch a glimpse of God?

Costumes

Halloween is right around the corner. In our neighborhood one can now see giant spiders climbing on houses, ghosts swaying in the breeze and makeshift cemeteries popping up in yards. Every year I love the costume parade we have here at school. It's so much fun to see what all the children have chosen to wear. As a child I loved Halloween. Unlike me, my mother always made our costumes and after trick or treating in the neighborhood we ended up at our elementary school's Halloween carnival. There were games, and lots of food, but the highlight was the costume contest, with awards by age and an overall grand prize winner.

I suppose my love for costumes and dressing up was what made me put a wig in my box this week. It has long dark hair and will be part of my costume this year. Pretending to be someone else is always fun. With a few simple props I can transform myself into someone completely different. Someone who is scarier, or funnier, or smarter, or stronger than myself. In the Bible we read about Jacob, who dressed up as his older, stronger brother Esau, in order to trick his father into giving him the blessing meant for Esau. The simple disguise worked (of course it helped that Isaac was almost blind) and Jacob got the blessing he craved, although he then had to run away and it cost him his family, at least for a time.

We need to teach our children to think carefully about what masks they put on, because we can become who we are pretending to be. While the world tends to judge us by our outward appearance, God sees through our masks and costumes. Does the inner you match the costume you put on for the world?

Have fun this weekend, and as you are helping your child dress up, think about how you can also help her to be the person God is calling him to be.

Dog Biscuits

I love animals. Over the years I have had cats, dogs, fish, hamsters, frogs, turtles, mice, a guinia pig, a rabbit and even for a brief time a snake. I've had good pets and not as good ones. I've had a dog who used to steal the neighbor's milk after the delivery man set it on their porch, and one who ate the legs off my kitchen table. As a child these animals taught me responsibility, and allowed me to love, and also to grieve and experience death.

I also love stories about the saints. I always have. Growing up I loved the idea of ordinary people being called by God to do extraordinary things. This past Sunday we honored St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis was born in 1182 and had a carefree childhood as the son of a very wealthy family. However he turned his back on that weath and lived a simple life of poverty, committed to God. He established the rule of St. Francis which exists today as the Order of St. Francis or the Franciscans. He was known as being kind and loving to all, even to the animals, and died in 1226 at age 44.

So today to honor St. Francis I brought dog biscuits in my box. We talked about our pets and the Blessing of the Animals which happened at St. Mark's this past Sunday. I reminded the children that we are called to share God's love not only with each other, but with all of creation. I leave you with the Prayer of Saint Francis- another one of my favorite things.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Luke 17:5-10

Today I had the pleasure of speaking at the SMEDS Friday chapel. Our lesson today was from Luke:

Luke 17:5-10 (New International Reader's Version) The apostles said to the Lord, "Give us more faith!" He replied, "Suppose you have faith as small as a mustard seed. Then you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up. Be planted in the sea.' And it will obey you. "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. And suppose the servant came in from the field. Would you say to him, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? No. Instead, you would say, 'Prepare my supper. Get yourself ready. Wait on me while I eat and drink. Then after that you can eat and drink.' Would you thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? "It's the same with you. Suppose you have done everything you were told to do. Then you should say, 'We are not worthy to serve you. We have only done our duty.' "

Even though it was the "big kid" chapel, I brought my box and in it I had a trophy that is so big it wouldn't fit in the box, so that I had to cover the end that was sticking out so that it wouldn't show. We have two of these huge trophies. They are soccer trophies that were given to Quinn and Thomas when they were 4 and 5. I'm not sure if your house is anything like mine, but we are filled to the brim with trophies. With three children playing three to four team sports a year, each with its own participation trophy, the shelves fill up pretty quickly. And I have to admit that participation trophies drive me a little crazy. While I know we want our children to feel good about themselves, I believe we also want to teach them that we do our best because it is the right thing to do, but that we shouldn't expect honors and awards for simply doing what we should do.

In this what can you do for me culture, it is important to remember that it is not about us, it is about God. And I think this at least one of the points Jesus was trying to get across in the very difficult lesson from today. We are created to serve a loving master. And we serve not because we are expecting a reward, a participation trophy, but because it is our duty. Putting God at the center of our lives allows us to experience God's love and spread that love to others. So as we go about our routines this weekend, I hope we can remember that it's not about us, and in remembering that it is about God, we can live the life planned for us.

Hairbrush

Today is picture day at St. Mark's. If anyone else has a house like mine that day is filled with a bit of anxiety over whether a certain three year old is going to allow her hair to be brushed, or pulled back, or is going to go with her usual "messy hair" look that she loves. This probably stems from memories of my own picture days, figuring out what to wear and hoping for a good hair day. When I was little our prize for having our picture made was the little black comb each of us was given so we could freshen up in the few moments before the photographer called "next".

So today I put a small hairbrush in my box and we talked about hair. The funny thing about hair is that most of us want what we don't have. Those of us with curly hair would love for it to be straight, while all my friends with straight hair say they would love some curl. Some of my friends would love to have any hair at all. We put it up, pull it back, color it and style it. Think about the times and ways hair is described in the Bible. We know that Esau had red hair and that Samson had long hair. We also know that long, long ago, a woman named Mary loved Jesus so much, she got down on her knees and dried his feet with her hair.

What would it take for us to give Jesus all of us, from the soles of our feet to the tips of our hair?

Playdough

When I was little I loved playing with playdough. I still do. There is still something comforting about rolling out shapes, making cups or bowls, or animals with it. Playdough sculptures are short-lived, the minute you finish one masterpiece it's time to squish it all together and start over. Playdough doesn't last. All of us can remember the sadness of leaving a masterpiece out too long, only to find our snake or duck or tree dried out and brittle. At our house we love making playdough and a fresh ziploc bag of purple playdough was what I brought in my box today.

As I showed it to the children and started kneading it in may hands, I talked about two stories the playdough brought to mind. The first was of Jeremiah, who was sent by God to observe a potter working at his wheel with clay. The potter was making a cup or a bowl, but somehow it was spoiled, so he mashed it and molded it and reworked it into another one, this one strong and fine and ready for use. The second was when God created the earth, and formed man from dust or clay on the ground.

I think, if playdough had been around in Biblical times, the prophets might have talked about it. While I like the idea of being a strong, finished vessel of clay, a beautiful cup that is filled with the Holy Spirit, I think I am more a work in progress, like a squishy playdough ball. God is constantly molding me into what I am supposed to be at the moment.

What is God creating of you today?

China Tea Set

The guesses for what I had in my box today were very funny. I gave the clue that it was very old and the guesses were, Lego's, a sweater, and lipstick! But instead, today I had an old toy tea set, in it's original box. It had been my aunt's when she was a little girl, and when I was little, it sat on a high shelf in the playroom. My grandmother (Sarah) told me I couldn't touch it, but when I was older she would get it down so we could have tea parties together. The playroom was stuffed with everything, books, dolls, blocks, my father's electric train set, but all I wanted was the tea set. So one day I stood on a chair, and got it down to play with it very carefully, and of course I broke a saucer. I then very carefully put everything back in the box, so that you couldn't tell the saucer was broken, and put the box back on the shelf. I'm not sure how my grandmother found out, she had a sixth sense about us misbehaving, but she did & I was punished & then she told me no matter what I did she would still love me. Now I have the tea set, on a shelf, waiting for my daughter, Sarah Frances, to be old enough to play with it.

Telling this story then led to talking about the garden, and how even though the first people could touch anything in it, all they wanted was what was forbidden. From the beginning of time we have always wanted what we couldn't, or shouldn't have. We all have apples in our lives, the tea set on the shelf that is attractive in part because it is off limits. We all covet. From time to time, we will all choose to touch what we shouldn't. And poor choices almost always have consequences. Thankfully, grace means no matter how many times we break the tea set, God's love will always be there for us.

Back to School

Parents everywhere are rejoicing as by this time of year everyone is back to school. The first chapel back is always fun. The new kindergarten students serving as acolytes for the first time looked so proud, and a little unsure, as they processed. In honor of backpacks and making lunches and the return, for many of us, of routine, I brought an alarm clock in my box.

This clock is older, and it chimes the hours and will chime at a certain time if you set it to, although it is too old to have a snooze setting. In our house everyone has an alarm clock. Mine goes off at 5:30am, so I can go to the gym. My husband's goes off a bit later, and he leaves to run. The older boys are supposed to be up around 6:00am, to slowly shower, eat breakfast, make lunches, and be ready for the carpool at 7:00am. Round three of wake ups are around 7am, when my two at St. Mark's repeat the process so they can be at school by 8am. And then every once in a while there is the day. The day when, for some reason, the alarm doesn't go off, it doesn't ring, or buzz, or turn on loud music or if it did the soundness of our sleep prevented us from even noticing it. The day when we all wake up and realize we are going to be late or have missed the start of school already. And while I try to get everyone to pack up backpacks and pick out clothes and be as prepared as possible the night before, on the day, the day when we oversleep, none of those preparations have happened either.

When I think about the story of the ten bridesmaids, the ones waiting patiently for the bridegroom. The ones who fell asleep while waiting and half of them woke up with lamps that were out and no way to light them again in time, the ones that miss the banquet, I think of that sense of panic when we sleep through the alarm. That sense of confusion, of waking up and wondering what time is it and then looking around at your room, and then realizing you've missed it. Whatever it was-no matter how important-you aren't going to be ready in time.

We never know when opportunities to serve Christ are going to present themselves. We never know when he's going to come back. And so our hearts need to be prepared for him all the time, so that even when we oversleep, (as God knows we will) we can still make the party.

Birthday Cake

Today was the last chapel before school gets out for summer and in my box I had a big silly hat shaped like a birthday cake with three candles on it. In our family we have a tradition of the birthday hat. Early on the morning of your birthday you are awakened by breakfast in bed, gifts in bed and the hat. You then get to eat breakfast and, of course, have your picture taken wearing a huge birthday hat. We started this tradition when our children were small and although the hat is looking slightly worse for wear, it continues.

All year long we have shared stories about our family in Christ and its traditions. One of the traditions we have as a people of faith is lighting candles during our services. Lighting a candle serves to remind us that God is with us, and in the chapel I do on Thursdays with our ELP II classes I remind them that even when we blow the candle out, we see the smoke from the candle swirling around us and remember that God is always with us. So I hope my silly hat with its three candles reminds our children that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are always with us and in us, filling our hearts with love to be shared with the world.

Have a wonderful summer!

Baby Doll

Today I brought my daughter's baby doll in my box. Her name is "Cupcake" and my daughter plays with her all the time. She loves to sing quietly to Cupcake, and rock her, and put her to bed. Sometimes she pushes her around in a stroller, or takes her clothes off and on. Most of the time my not-so-gentle daughter is very gentle with her doll. Playing with Cupcake allows her to practice being gentle and loving so that when she is around a real baby she knows how to act. And when she does drag her doll around upside down, it allows us to remind her that "We are gentle with babies" and show her how to hold her doll more carefully.

It can be very difficult to teach something like gentleness to children without a model of what gentleness looks like. It must have been very frustrating for God to try and teach us about love. God tried talking to chosen leaders and prophets so that they could explain it to us. But it was only by sending us a model of love in Jesus Christ, that we finally understood. Jesus was able to show us how to love one another and ourselves. Now it is up to us to practice the lesson.

Mother's Chapel

Today was Mother's Chapel at St. Mark's and it was wonderful having so many mothers and special friends join us for worship. In my box I had a clock. It was an old Fischer-Price red wind up clock where as the face goes around it shows different daily activities and plays music. This was one of my favorite things as a child. I loved watching the hands go around and looking at the children on it as they woke up, ate, brushed teeth, played, and went to bed. I am reminded of that clock whenever I am at the kitchen sink at my husband's parents' house, where a card reads, "a mother's day is from son up to son down".

If you can find it, Madeleine L'Engle has written a wonderful book for children entitled, Every Day Prayers. In it there are prayers for all the ordinary daily activities of childhood, morning, leaving the house, drawing, playing, mealtime, being scolded, bath time, etc. Each prayer is a simple reminder to praise God in all things. As mothers, our days can often seem consumed with ordinary activities. For mothers (like me) who work outside the home, squeezing in the daily routine of caring for children can become exhausting. This week, try and take the space to honor each task, whether making lunches, doing laundry or simply kissing a child good night, and look for the holy in all the hours of your day.

Take up your mat and walk

Today a brought a bright pink yoga mat in my box. We talked about different kinds of mats, and that when Jesus was alive many people slept on a mat which they would roll out at night and roll up in the morning. I then reminded the children of the story about Peter and John, who when going into the temple to pray, were asked by a lame man sitting outside the temple gate for some money. They instructed him in the name of Jesus Christ to rise up and walk , and this man who had spent his whole life on the ground got up, praising God as he went.

The Bible is full of stories of God making the impossible, possible. It is full of broken, imperfect people who are very surprised to be called by God to perform amazing acts in God's name. What are you called to do? What is keeping you on the ground? How can we teach our children to listen for that call of God to rise up and walk, praising God all the way.

Weighty Matters

My box was very heavy this morning, as it had a large dumbbell in it. I try to make exercise part of my daily routine. I am not at all a morning person, but I know that if I force myself out of bed and into the gym before going to work, my day just turns out better. And once you are in the habit of daily exercise, you do miss it on the days you skip.

Just as we model healthful behavior and exercise for our children, we should also be modeling regular prayer habits. Setting aside time to spend with God in prayer should be part of our daily routine. It allows us time to share our hopes and fears, the joy and sadness in our lives. And just as any physical exercise, such as running, yoga, tennis, gets easier the more we do it, so does prayer. The more we practice being still in God's presence and sharing our hearts with God, the more natural this time becomes. Perhaps our new mantra for prayer should be. . . Just do it.

Doubting Thomas

Today I had a picture of my three sons in my box. The picture was taken during Easter three years ago, when I was pregnant with our fourth child. Everyone wanted us to find out what the baby was going to be (we didn't) and most of my friends were confident we were going to have a girl. I was convinced we were having another boy, and at one point I said that the only time I would believe we were having a girl is when I had a baby in my arms. When she was finally born my husband exclaimed, "It's a girl" and then had to laughingly say to me "look, it really is a girl". I had to see to believe.

Today we talked about Thomas, the friend of Jesus who had to see and feel the risen Lord to believe he had really come back. How wonderful the faith of our children is. They accept and believe that Jesus is with them, filling their hearts with love. They don't need visual proof. They don't need theological arguments, or historical facts. They just know. Spend some time with your child talking about God, and allow your faith, even if only for a brief time, to become childlike.

Ski Goggles

It is the first Wednesday after Easter, and the first week back after spring break and the children were very excited today. Everyone thought my box had an Easter basket, or eggs, or maybe candy in it. They were very confused when I brought out a pair of goggles.

I spoke with the children about how when you are somewhere where there is a lot of snow, the bright sun and the white snow make it very hard to see things clearly. Sometimes you might look right at something or someone and not really see what or who they are. After Jesus was raised, we don't think there was lots of snow on the ground, but we do know that for whatever reason even those who loved him had a hard time seeing him. It's as if all his friends needed special goggles to allow them to see what was right in front of them.

We need to remember that we should always be looking for Jesus. Sometimes he might be hiding in someone who is sad, or someone who is sick, or someone who needs help. Look for Jesus this week, and see how many times you find him.

Breaking Bread

I put a loaf of bread in my box today. It wasn't a whole loaf and it wasn't particularly good bread, but the standard whole wheat slices many of us buy to be used simply for our children's lunches. So many of our stories about Jesus take place when he is sharing a meal with others. His first miracle was at a wedding making sure the host wasn't embarrassed when he ran out of wine. Jesus would sit down and eat with anyone, for which he was criticized by the leadership of his day. And his most lasting teaching to us came in the form of breaking bread and sharing it with his closest friends and disciples. What are we teaching our children when we sit down to eat with them? With whom are we sharing our meals?

I hope that as Easter approaches and we gather around the table with family and friends we remember to open our hearts to recieve the love Christ has for us, a love that we are called to share with others, especially those with no friends, no table, no bread.

Sarai

Today Gracie Buxton was our chapel leader. We spent time this week in my office and she looked around at all the things she might put into my star covered chapel box. Finally she decided on a small, very pink tiarra.

Sarai was a very ordinary woman, married to a very ordinary man. They had no children, and were not particularly well-off, all though Sarai was considered to be very beautiful. It was this ordinary couple that God called to leave the country of their father's and go to a land He would show them. It was this ordinary couple that listened to God and followed the call. It was not an easy journey, and there were many trials along the way. But Abaram and Sarai obeyed. And so it was that Sarai became Sarah, meaning princess, and she became the mother of nations.

What will our name become if we listen for God's call, and then follow it?

Top Hat

Today I had a top hat in my box. It is a very old top hat, and I very carefully showed the children that there was nothing up my sleeves, put my hand into the hat and pulled out. . . nothing. My hat was not a magic hat, just a plain one.

As Jesus traveled around healing the sick and performing miracles there were those who thought he was little more than a magician. The Bible is filled with stories of God's prophets and leaders having the power He gave them compared to the slight of hand of the street performer. Jesus healed, not because he thought his abilities would convince the crowds, but because he had compassion for those who were sick in body or soul.

Take some time today to pray for those you know who need the healing power of Christ in their life.

Ash Wednesday

Today begins the season of lent, and the children guessed that in my box I had palms and ashes. At St. Mark's we save the palms from Palm Sunday until the following year's Shrove Tuesday, when they are burned and the ashes mixed with oil to be used on Ash Wednesday.

Lent has many meanings, but at its core is the idea of taking some time to prepare your heart for the mystery and sacrifice and wonder of Easter. We lead such busy lives, full of school, work, sports, clubs, social events and all sorts of things which crowd our every minute. Lent is the perfect time to breathe, to stop, to listen for what God might be saying to you. Think of establishing some daily habit with your children of prayer, or Bible reading or conversation about the day.

One of the traditions of lent is marking the forehead with ashes. It is a strange feeling, forgetting and then remebering that whatever you do that day, the ashes are there. During lent take time to remember that every day, ashes or not, you are marked as Christ's own forever.

Soccer Ball

I brought a soccer ball to chapel today. The kids really wanted me to kick it around, but I decided to hold it instead. There is something wonderful about being a part of a team. The best team experiences teach us to use our talents to benefit the whole, to take turns, to support our teammates and respect our opponents. The best coaches select players who bring something to the team that allows it to be great, without trampling on the skills of others. The best players are the ones who allow themselves to be coached.

Jesus had a great team of disciples. We don't know why he selected who he did to be on his team. They weren't necessarily the brightest or most religious or the best in their fields. Perhaps they were the ones who, when he called them, they came. Are we listening for the call to join the team? Are we allowing our coach to use our gifts and talents to His glory? Are we team players?

The Good Shepherd

Today I had a sheep in my box. Every year we have someone bring sheep, goats and a donkey to our Palm Sunday procession. The children (and adults) get to pet the sheep and the goats and watch as they wander all over the grass. And then the procession begins. I always have lots of volunteers to lead the animals in the procession at the beginning, and it is only once we get started that the children realize how hard it is to get the sheep to walk in the right direction. They can pull as hard as they like on the lambs, but it is only with just the right coaxing that they can get them to move. How wonderful it is to have a good shepherd who knows each of our names. A shepherd who leads us to green pastures and cool water and who was willing to lay down his life for us. A good shepherd who is always there for us, no matter how difficult we are to lead.

Dove

Today I brought a dove to chapel. It wasn't a real dove, but one that we fly overheard on Sundays when we want to more visibly celebrate the power of the Holy Spirit. We always have it in the procession on Baptism Sundays, and today I talked about the baptism of Jesus by John. When we baptize our children, we make certain promises on their behalf. We promise to resist evil, and follow in the apostles' teaching. We promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourself. We promise to strive for peace and justice among all people. And we promise to respect the dignity of every human being. It is only by making the choice, every day, to allow the Holy Spirit to enter into us that we can have the strength to follow through on these promises. Daily prayer with our children teaches them (and us) to have the daily habit of asking "Come, Holy Spirit, come".

Epiphany

This morning I had two things in my box. The first was a big star balloon. It hovered around the altar for all to see. It is the same star balloon I had for the children at our service on Christmas Eve. The second was a king. He was one of three who left St. Mark's on Christmas Eve to travel through the parish in search of the Christ child. The kings and the star remind us to keep our eyes and hearts open for signs of God in our world. If we aren't keeping Christ in our heart and watching for him, we might miss those wonderful opportunities to see his love in action.