St. Mark's Christian Formation

Healing Touch

2012-02-08T11:06:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend we had a wonderful St. Mark's Women's Retreat. Our speaker was the Reverend Becca Stevens from Nashville, TN. Becca has done many things, including founding a program called Magdalene, which provides women trapped in lives of drug abuse and prostitution a way to escape and regain their lives. The women have created Thistle Farms, a cottage industry which creates bath and body works and provides jobs for Magdalene graduates. One of the many products I bought was a tub of lavender body butter. It is thick and as it melts into your skin it makes the whole room smell like lavender. As I showed it to the children and rubbed some into my hands I spoke about the power of Christ's healing touch.

When Christ called his disciples and began his public ministry, healing was a central part of his work. In Mark 1: 40-42 Jesus touches and cures a man of leprosy, in Mark 7:32-35 he lays hands on and cures a man who is deaf and mute, and in Mark 8: 22-25 he restores sight to one who was blind. Jesus travels the countryside healing those who are sick, and preaching God's kingdom. He takes the hand of a girl who has died, calling to her to get up, and she does. (Mark 5:41-42). While Jesus can heal without the gift of touch, as he healed the woman who simply touched his cloak, Mark 5:25-29, it is clear he was generous with his physicality, allowing a broken and sick world to feel the embrace of the God they had seen only previously as a plume of smoke or a pillar of fire.

And so in chapel today we reached out and touched our friends on our left and on our right. We then touched our friends who sat in front of us and behind us. Teresa of Avila told us, " Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours". Our world is still broken. Many of our friends need healing. They need a hand, a hug, a reminder that their faith can make them well.

Caught

2012-02-01T11:06:00.001-05:00

Today I told the children I brought something that was full of holes. It wasn't a barbie, or a fire truck, instead I brought a casting net. I didn't grow up in Florida and I think that the children who grow up along the coast have such an advantage when visualizing the many scenes and parables that involve fishing. When I was a child I had never seen anyone throw a casting net. I'm not sure what type of fishing I imaging the future disciples were doing, but I am sure as a Tennessee girl it involved bait, a hook and a pole.

The gospel of Luke shares a great fishing story. Jesus is already being followed by crowds, so he asks Simon (Peter) to row him a little way off shore so that he could teach the crowd. After he finishes he asks Simon to row to the deep water and lower his net for a catch. Simon objects, saying that he and his partners, James and John have fished all night and caught nothing. But he agrees, and lowers the nets, which become so full of fish they are close to breaking.

Although I loved this story as a child, I appreciate it so much more, and in so many different ways now. Fishing with a pole is often a solitary experience. A lone fisherman or woman, heading out to his or her favorite spot, reeling the fish in one by one. If an unwanted fish is caught it can be carefully removed and released. In contrast, Simon Peter and James and John were partners. They typically rowed out with two boats, casting the nets between them and hauling up everything they managed to swim into the net. Everything in the net, the good fish, the bad fish, all are brought back on board. They will be sorted later, but at first everything is kept.

At different times I'm in different places in this story. Sometimes I'm Peter, complaining that I've worked hard and yet going out again one more time. Sometimes I'm the friends, called to help with the abundance that can only be found through Christ. Most often I'm the fish, caught with so many others in a net that is cast wide.

Second Chances

2012-01-25T11:39:00.001-05:00

This week we continued our talk about calling. God's call is often unexpected in our life. It may involve paths we didn't even realize were there. And as a close friend once told me, "if the call of God is easy, if it is to something you have always wanted, or involves money or status, you might want to listen harder". So to talk about this week's story of calling I brought a life jacket.

The Book of Jonah is only 4 chapters. You can hardly call it a book. It is more like a parable, or fable, because like those such large truths live within such a small story. Jonah was a man who was called by God to go to Nineveh and preach that the city would be destroyed if they did not repent their evil ways. And instead of accepting his call as prophet, Jonah runs away. He flees. He tries to escape God, first on a ship, and then by jumping into the ocean in a sacrifice we must assume he thinks will end his life. Jonah chooses death over God. Luckily for Jonah, God chose him. God gave him a second chance. God threw him a life jacket. A smelly, stinky life jacket in the form of a belly of a great fish, but it saved him nonetheless. Jonah was stubborn. He lived in that belly for three days and nights, before finally he surrenders and turns to God. And the fish spits him out on the land.

So the word of God comes to Jonah a second time, calling him to go to Nineveh. And this time he answers the call. He preaches of the city's destruction. He calls upon them to repent. And then...surprise, surprise...they do. From the king down the people surrender to God's will and change their ways, and ask for forgiveness. God sees their response and gives them a second chance. And at this Jonah is incensed. He throws a temper tantrum, sulking outside the city walls. He is embarrassed that what he preached did not come true. He is angry that God threw them a life jacket. He doesn't like being their whale.

The four short chapters of Jonah make us think about calling and mercy, about surrender and pride, and they don't end with an answer, but with a question. What is the nature of God?

Communication

2011-10-05T14:34:00.000-04:00

Today I brought a maraca in my box. It was given to me this summer, when I was fortunate enough to travel to Cuba as part of a mission team from St. Mark's Church. While there we worked with our sister parish of St. Mary's in Itabo, Cuba to put together a Vacation Bible School for their children and youth. Each morning we enjoyed several hours of songs, Bible study, crafts and snacks with preschool and elementary age children, and after a break for lunch we did the same thing with teenagers in the afternoon. Although we had a wonderful translator with us, SMEDS graduate Cathy Hardin, most of us in the mission team spoke little to no Spanish. And most of the residents of Itabo spoke no English. Everything we did had to be either translated by Cathy, or worked out by communicating with a combination of limited Spanish and hand motions to indicate what we needed, or were going to be doing, or eating. It was challenging, but an incredibly rewarding experience.

Over the week, as we spent more and more time with the children, youth and adults at St. Mary's, an amazing thing started happen. Even with the language barrier, we began to understand each other. We shared information about our families. We learned what the volunteers there did for a living. We ate together and played together and prayer together and by the end of the week we had formed a wonderful community.

Our story today was about the Tower of Babel. Often the focus in that story is on the division of humanity into different cultural and ethnic groups. God splintered our language and made communication difficult so that we would separate and fill the earth. What I reminded the children, was that when we allow God to work through us, when we share God's love and grace with others, no communication barriers can keep us apart.

We can experience difficulty understanding each other without traveling to a foreign country. Are there people in your life with whom you have a hard time communicating? Think about those relationships as your "mission". Bring Christ in as well. See what happens.

In the Image of God

2011-09-14T14:53:00.002-04:00

When I was a child I had curly blond hair, blue eyes, and tan arms and legs. My husband had straight brown hair, a light smattering of freckles, and brown eyes. Our three boys are a mix of both of us, a genetic spreadsheet of our various characteristics, but looking at pictures of me as a young child and at pictures of my daughter you see almost a mirror image. Every family has funny stories about what is passed down along the generations: dimples, near-sightedness, red hair.We also inherit other traits from our families, such as musical ability, a love of reading or a passion for football. As we mature we are constantly being formed and reformed in the image of those who created us, raised us, and loved us.

Today I brought a picture of myself as a child and compared it to one of my children. Our lesson was that we are created not only in the image of our parents, but in the image of God. Being made in God's image has nothing to do with our messy hair or the color of our skin or our ability to sing on key. It is our soul that is created in God's image. And just as I have my grandmother's nose, I hope to have my Lord's heart.

What are you passing along to your children? While you have no control over whether they have your eyes, you can pass along a love of worship, a passion for service, and a heart for prayer.

Back to School

2011-09-07T11:59:00.001-04:00

It has been a busy, dusty and chaotic summer around St. Mark's as the construction on our campus took place. My office window provided an unobstructed view of everything from bulldozers to cement mixers as the work crews scrambled to get everything ready for the start of school. On Sundays it has been fun to escort the children going to children's chapel to a spot where they could view the weekly progress and listen to what they noticed had changed from the previous week. And for those of us who work here the construction provided us with a new dress code of closed -shoes and hard hats if we needed to walk through any of the areas where demolition or construction was happening. Thus it seemed only fitting that I brought a hard-hat to the first week of chapel.

Our Bible begins with a construction story, that of God constructing the world. The Master Architect designed light and darkness, land and sea, sun and planets and filled our world with plants and animals of all kinds. And after each stage of the project was completed, God saw that it was good. I brought the hard hat to remind all of us that unlike the rest of creation, we are still under construction. We are created in God's image, but none of us is a completed project. Instead we must participate in our own development, and through prayer and study and action we should try to follow the blueprints that were written for us. Construction can be messy. It can cause headaches. Some mistakes are made, causing delays, and fixing those mistakes may take some time. Luckily God is with us, guiding us through each stage of development, loving us at all times.

Where are you in the construction process? Are you willing to endure some dust and debris in your life? How do we support our children, our families, our friends as their lives are constantly being constructed and reconstructed to be more like God? This week wear your hard hat with pride. God is at work in your life.

Resurection Rolls

2011-04-20T14:46:00.001-04:00

Ok- this is not what I put in my box, but this is such a great idea I thought I would pass it along to everyone. If you want to see what was in the box today look at the previous entry, Sleep. But for a cool activity this weekend, try this. Happy Easter! Enjoy!

http://shinefmafternoons.blogspot.com/2010/03/resurrection-rolls-easy-way-to-tell.html

Sleep

2011-04-20T14:39:00.000-04:00

I think one of the worst feelings in the world, is when you keep nodding off at a time when you really should be awake. It's embarrassing at the movies, or a concert or lecture. It's dangerous when behind the wheel of a car. One of my most cringe-worthy moments was falling asleep on a date, (think long day and boring episode of Saturday Night Live). I awoke the next morning on my couch to find my date had sweetly put a blanket on me and locked the door on the way out. Needless to say it wasn't a lasting relationship. I can also remember trying desperately to stay awake as a friend and I were driving back, several hours, after going to a concert. Even the cold air rushing in through my open window didn't help keep my eyes open.And what I felt most terrible about as I struggled to keep up the conversation, was that I was letting her down. She was driving, all I had to do was stay awake until we got home sometime the next morning. An easy job at which I was a total failure.

So I have to admit it was with a certain amount of empathy that I brought a warm, soft, snugly blanket in my box today. Empathy for the disciples who were only asked to stay awake and pray with Jesus and yet who, like me, found the spirit willing but the flesh so very weak. Maybe it was the dinner...the bread, the wine, the clean feet, but one by one the disciples drifted off to dreamland, while Jesus struggled with the role he was born to play. It is here, in this moment, that we see how little they understand about the man they follow. Like foolish students, unaware that the final exam is about to take place, they argue over who has the best grades and then fall asleep instead of studying. In Mark 14: 32-42 we are told he wakes them several times, pleading with them to stay awake and pray, yet none of them do.

There are so many things Jesus asks of us that we may struggle to do. Perhaps this Easter, we should make a commitment to pray, by ourselves, with our children, and as a family. Jesus wants us to share in his journey, to take up his cross, to join him in prayer. Can we stay awake?

Butterflies

2011-04-13T14:48:00.002-04:00

Around my house we love butterflies and have several gardens designed to attract them into our yard. So last year when my mother gave one of us a butterfly pavilion for Christmas we were all excited. It is a large pop-up tent, that hangs in the house where we can watch caterpillars hatch from eggs, eat and grow and form chrysalis and then turn into beautiful butterflies. And this is what I brought in my box today. A home for butterflies, a wonderful sign of life coming out of something that looks like death.

Last week we talked about Mary and Martha and so it was only fitting that this week we share the story of their brother Lazarus. We don't know that much about Lazarus. He is really a bit player in the Gospels, that is until his death. But the story of Lazarus is wonderful and allows us to better understand the man that Jesus is as he travels through his final days on earth. For, it is in the story of Lazarus that see that Jesus, like us, has friends and companions whom he truly loves. Jesus witnesses the grief of the Mary and Martha over the death of their brother and is “greatly disturbed”. (John 11:33) He is again described as being “greatly disturbed” when he came to the tomb. (John 11:38) And it was in this emotional state that he called “Lazarus, come out”! (John 11:43)

When we look at what it means to be human, the ability to emote, to feel, is critical. The sharing of emotions as we laugh together or weep together is what binds us to one another. And so it seems fitting that it is in his final days that Jesus allows his emotions to show. He aches for the loss of his friend and the pain of Mary and Martha. The death of Lazarus allows him to experience the very human pain of loss. And it is seemingly out of this human pain, that he provides one more sign of his divinity by calling Lazarus back to life.

Sometimes we don't want to share our emotions with our children. But allowing them to see us in grief and pain, as well as when happy, shows them both have a place in our lives. And it allows us to remember that our Lord doesn't cause the pain and loss that enters our lives, but grieves with us, and calls us back to life.

Dirty Laundry

2011-04-06T09:53:00.000-04:00

In our household we embrace the concept of sharing the wealth, which means since we all get to share in the tasks it takes to keep us from wallowing in stacks of dirty dishes and piles of unwashed laundry. Everyone is responsible for keeping his or her room reasonably neat, and the boys alternate between taking responsibility for being in charge of the trash, the dishes or the laundry. Any of the three can be easier or harder depending on our week (pizza for dinner means less dishes, more trash) and in any given week the boys may do a better or worse job of keeping on top of their tasks. What stays constant is that no matter what job is assigned, each of my three sons firmly believes that he is doing the lion's share of the work, while his brothers are simply taking it easy. It was while listening to a dispute along these lines this morning that I decided to fill my box with dirty laundry.

The children loved it when I began pulling items out of my box today. A smelly soccer jersey. Dirty socks. Flannel pajama bottoms. Each item was met with more laughter. But I really wanted to share that arguments between siblings over who is doing more work have gone on forever. In Luke we read about Mary and Martha, sisters who welcomed Jesus into their home. While Martha was busy with the many tasks one has when entertaining guests, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus to listen. Martha complained that she was left doing all the work, and Jesus gently told her that Mary had chosen the better part.

This story has been interpreted in many ways, and is sometimes used when debating which is better, working on behalf of Christ, or spending time in study and prayer. What I reminded the children today, is that Christ calls us to both roles. Jesus quite clearly called to minister to our neighbor, and make sure that others have clothes and food. God needs us to wash the dirty laundry. But that can't be all we do. We are also called to take time to listen for the voice of God, to read and study and spend time in prayer allow God to guide us in our ministry to others.

Spring is a busy time. In between signing up for summer camps, and shuttling to soccer, tennis or ballet, are you taking time to pause, to breathe, to pray, to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen?

Living Water

2011-03-16T15:43:00.002-04:00

I was a little disappointed that no one guessed what was in my box today. I told everyone that after my family it was one of my very favorite things. There were lots of laughs in the crowd when I pulled out a diet coke. I am not a coffee drinker, and I will admit you can tell how my day is going by the number of diet coke cans in my office, awaiting a trip to the recycling bin. My favorite beach towel is bright red with the slogan "Coke adds life".

To make sure I wasn't setting a bad example for our children, I also brought a green water bottle to chapel. When I am trying not to chug diet cokes I make sure my water bottle is filled with ice, lemon slices and cold water. Given the omnipresence of water bottles, it is probably hard for the children to understand the significance of the story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well.

In Biblical times it was often the job of the young women in the family to fetch water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and watering livestock from the closest well. This meant that if you were interested in meeting a young woman the well was the place to be. However instead of offering to buy the lady a drink, a pick up line would involve the man asking her to provide water for him or his animals. And so we have a thirsty Jesus, asking the Samaritan women, for a drink of water.

There is so much depth to this story, but what I hoped to get across to the children was the simply idea that while Christ struck up a conversation by asking for water, he is all we need to quench our thirst. There are so many things we seek in this world that leave us still thirsty, wealth, fame, property, power, the perfect pair of heels, but once we ask for him he fills our hearts with love.

Are you thirsty?

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T09:48:00.002-05:00

Today we had a child-friendly Ash Wednesday service in our pre-primary chapel. In my box I put a palm, and a container of ashes. On Palm Sunday we wave our palms in the air, remembering the crowds who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem. Those palms are saved, and on Shrove Tuesday at our Pancake Supper we burn them and use the ashes to mark our foreheads on Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the days we spend in preparation for Easter. The word "Lent" is not from the Bible, but is simply from an Old English word which means "long". The term came into use not because we think the 40 days of Lent are such a long period of time, but because Lent occurs in the spring when the days are getting longer. Jesus came to bring more light into our lives, and during Lent we prepare our hearts for the incredible brightness of Easter morning. Lent lasts for 40 days, a number which appears in many times in the Bible, and is the number of days Jesus prayed and fasted in the wilderness preparing for his public ministry.

There are many ways families can observe Lent together. Here are a few easy ones to get you started.

Prayer
Pray with your children during Lent. Grace at meals is a good place to start. Bedtime also works for many families. Take advantage of other times, such as when you are in the car with your children. Here's a handy way to pray: tell your children about ACTS: adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. Adoration means telling God how much you love Him. Confession involves admitting to God what we have done wrong so that we may be forgiven. Thanksgiving is a time to count all our blessings and thank God for all we have been given. Supplication is where we ask God to help ourselves and others.

Giving
Make a “mite box” with your children. This is an excellent rainy day activity. A mite box, which comes from the Biblical story of the widow’s mite (see Luke 21:1-4) is essentially a sacred piggy bank. All that you need is a discarded milk carton or plastic bottle. Decorate the outside of the bottle or carton with paint or markers. Help your children contribute to the box daily or weekly and then donate the total amount at the end of Lent to a charity of your choice.

You can also turn a regular trip to the grocery store into a spiritual exercise and teaching moment. One item that is always needed by our local food banks is peanut butter. Tell your children that you are buying extra food for those in need. Bring any food donations with you on Sunday or to chapel on Wednesday and have your children place them in the baskets in the back of the church.

Fasting
Both Jesus and his disciples fasted, and it is a spiritual practice that helps us to remember our dependence on God. It also cultivates a spirit of thanksgiving, which is at the core of Christian life. Invite your children to give up one of their favorite foods, or something they really enjoy doing. My older boys are giving up Facebook and texting respectively. My younger son wants to give up chocolate, despite the 15 boxes of Girl Scout cookies that were just delivered. Instead of giving up a particular food item during Lent, adults may want to consider fasting one day a week, perhaps from sunrise to sunset. An alternative to fasting is to do something you might not ordinarily do during Lent, such as attend church every Sunday, or volunteer as a family.

Read Bible Stories with Your Children
Lent is a wonderful time to set aside a moment of each day to read Biblical stories to your children or guide older children in the reading of Scripture. This can be used as part of a daily devotion time and linked to prayer or it can be done separately. There are wonderful Bibles for children and youth, as well as other books and devotion guides available at the St. Mark’s Bookstore.

I closed the service today by telling our children that the cross of ashes on our forehead reminds us and others of the love of Christ in our heart. What will you do this Lent to show Christ that your heart is ready for him?

Barbie

2011-02-23T10:49:00.004-05:00

As someone who considers herself a feminist I have a startling confession to make: I like Barbie dolls. As a little girl my best friend, Lee, and I would spend hours a days assembling multiple Barbie houses and cars and offices to make a Barbie neighborhood inhabited my a variety of Barbie and Ken dolls with their ever-changing wardrobes. It became a family affair. My grandfather, instead of making a dollhouse for me, made a fabulous house for Barbie which could be broken down and folded neatly away when not in use. I had a Miss America Barbie for which my uncle made a special four-poster bed (fit for a queen) which he painted gold. My grandmother taught me to sew and some of my first projects were clothes for Barbie. And at my parent's home a huge box with the house, furniture, jacuzzi tub, dolls, clothes and shoes are all still safely tucked away under the bed in my room.

My Barbie-filled past never came up until shortly after the birth of my daughter, when someone dropped off a gift for our newborn, a Barbie dream kitchen. Along with my daughter's blocks and train set we also have multiple Barbie dolls at our home, and a wonderful assortment of clothes, which I brought in my box today. As I shared the blue wedge shoes, the white cropped pants, and the numerous ball gowns in my bag of Barbie clothes, I reminded the children that dressing up Barbie, and managing all her possessions can be fun, but it can also be stressful. Searching for a tiny matching shoe and then getting it on is hard! Luckily, Jesus tells us not to worry about these things. He tells us not to worry about what we will wear, or even about what we will eat or drink, for worrying adds not a single hour to our lives. Instead we should be confident in the fact that God will take care of us. (Matthew 6:25-34)

What are your worries? Are they concerns you would take to God in prayer? I have a good friend who likes to remind me, "Never worry too much about a problem that money can fix", by which she means the real problems are ones we have no control over, the ones that money can't fix. The next time a worry hits you- ask, is this a Barbie shoe problem? And remember that in all things, Christ is there.

The Good Shepherd

2011-02-16T11:35:00.004-05:00

Today was Father's Chapel at St. Mark's. It was wonderful to have so many fathers and special friends join us. The children really love having guests come with them to chapel and we hope you know that you are welcome to worship with us every week. In my box was a well-worn, stuffed lamb. It is very soft, plays music, and was a gift to Sarah Frances that lived in her crib until she outgrew it and now moves from place to place in her room.

The Bible is filled with images of shepherds, mentioning shepherds and/or sheep over 200 times. Abel was a shepherd, David watched his father's sheep, and shepherds were the first to visit Jesus at his birth. Tending sheep was difficult and sometimes dangerous work. The good shepherd often lived with his sheep, leading them to pasture and water, protecting them from wild animals, and guarding them at night whether they were out in the open or in a sheepfold. The good shepherd might even carry weak lambs in his arms. The good shepherd knew each one of his sheep, making sure none were ever lost, and those sheep responded to the sound of his voice.

When we teach our children about Christ, we often break stories and lessons down into their most basic components, to make them easy for them to comprehend. In this case Jesus did the heavy lifting for us. Jesus referred to himself as the good shepherd, one who lays down his life for his sheep, and the story and images of the good shepherd are beautiful ones that even a child can understand. (John 10:11-16) I often tell the children about the good shepherd and the love He has for them. Today I added to this image of the good shepherd that of the good father. The good father loves, and cares and protects his child in the same way the good shepherd does for his sheep. We speak of God the Father, and for our children that image often brings with it all the love and care their own father provides for them. To be a good father is an incredible accomplishment, and we should applaud it more often.

And now, an extra thought that was not given to those in chapel. In the last conversation Jesus had with Peter, he asked him to "Feed my sheep". (John 21:15-17) Whose sheep are you feeding this week?

All you need is Love

2011-02-09T14:09:00.001-05:00

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and I thought instead of talking to the children about the martyred saints of ancient Rome, I would bring one in my box instead. The Valentine I brought in is one I was given by my friend Mary Blake and features one of my favorite characters, Elmo.

Along with this sweet card, I had in my box three of my absolute favorite things. If you want to know the way to my heart it can be found in four little words: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I told the children how much I loved them and that it was so exciting to me that I received not one, or two, but three with my Valentine. And then, sadly, I gave each away to someone else.

Every week I remind our children that God fills our hearts with love, but this week I wanted them to understand that real love often involves some sacrifice. In 1 Corinthians 13 we see that love is patient and kind, which is not always easy. Love involves laying down traits that many of us carry, such as envy, pride and anger. God calls us to love even those who are unlovable, those who drive us crazy, those who we don't really even like. Because without love, we are empty.

How are you sharing God's love with others?

Let there be light

2011-02-02T14:35:00.003-05:00

I brought two things in my box today, one that makes the other more useful. The guesses included an ambulance and paper, but what I had was a candle and matches. The candle is the kind in a glass jar, it is orange and smells like yummy pumpkin pie. But as much as certain commercials would have us think otherwise, the primary point of a candle is not to smell. It is to provide light.

First I lit the orange candle and we watched it burn for a minute. It wasn't a very big light and I'm sure those in the back found it hard to see. Then I brought out a large candle lighter/snuffer (which the children first thought was a shower head) and lit it, and then used it to spread the light to the torches near the altar. The torches are much bigger than my pumpkin candle. But even they stood out only so much, ... until Ms. Pulignano turned off the lights. And suddenly the candles blazed. Even the small one could be seen by everyone in the room.

The Bible tells us God's first act of creation was to bring light into the world. As caretakers of God's creation we should be protecting that light and helping it grow. Unfortunately, in our busy lives filled with distracting brightness, we don't always take the time to notice or to care for the Godlight that shines in us or in others. We often keep our lights covered instead of passing the fire along to others who may need it. We may even let our lights go out, leaving us vulnerable when darkness comes.

What can you do this week to shine your light into the lives of your family, your friends, your community and your world?

Teamwork

2011-01-26T10:14:00.004-05:00

We are a soccer family. My brothers and I played growing up, my husband played and now coaches and all of our boys play, as will our daughter once she's older. I love watching the transition of children playing soccer as they really learn how to play the game. Watching a young children's soccer game is similar to watching a group of border collies compete over who gets to herd a lone sheep. The children tend to clump around the ball, they bump into each other, and sometimes kick it away from their own teammates in their excitement. Typically teams of younger children don't try and keep the children in specific positions, such as goalkeeper, midfielder or wing, and instead focus on foot skills and fun.

With older children, a smart coach will spend time rotating everyone though all the positions on the field. Everyone gets a chance to practice as keeper, everyone gets to play defender, or forward so that everyone has at least the opportunity to try and score a goal. Over time as the players develop, their strengths and talents begin to emerge, and a strong coach is able to identify the best position for each player, based on his or her gifts.

What I reminded the children of, was that every position is important. A team of just goalkeepers wouldn't be able to score, whereas a team where everyone plays forward leaves no one in goal. If midfielders aren't in position the ball can get stuck instead of being passed down the field. God has given each of us a gift, and while some of us may have more than one, no one has them all which is why we are all needed for God' team. Some of us may have a beautiful singing voice, others may be comfortable speaking in public, while another may have the rare talent of being a really good listener. Often our gifts come so naturally to us we may not even consider them a gift. I have always been comfortable teaching, both children and adults, and never realized it might be difficult for others until I tried to recruit Sunday School teachers.

It is our responsibility to listen for the voice of God and discern what gifts we have been given and how we can best put them to use. As our children's "coach" we need to help them discover what they enjoy doing, what they do well, and how they can do both in God's service.

First Aid

2011-01-19T14:32:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful group of visiting parents of children in ELPII today in chapel. I get to see those children on Thursdays when we have ELP chapel, and it was a lot of fun for them to join "the big kids" today. My box was very heavy, as inside I had a large first aid kit. It usually hangs on the wall in the church kitchen, and has everything from antiseptic wipes and band aids to aspirin, antacids, and even lotions for burns, bug bites and poison ivy.

The first disciples chosen by Jesus are the fisherman, Simon Peter, and James and John. And while in the time of Jesus fisherman weren't at the top of the social ladder, there was nothing wrong with associating with them, other then having to deal with the smell of fish. Jesus performs a miracle for them by increasing their catch of fish, and so they left everything to follow him. Soon after this Jesus sees a tax collector named Levi (Matthew). Tax collectors were considered to be sinners. They were shunned by the community. With Matthew, there is no miracle. Jesus sees him, calls for him to follow, and the Bible says Matthew left everything and followed him. And then, because in those days collecting taxes meant having access to money, Matthew a banquet for Jesus in his house. He invited his friends, who, because of his status as outcast, were other tax collectors. And now Jesus was criticized. While is was fine for him to associate with fisherman, it was not okay for him to eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners.

And how does Jesus answer? He reminds his critics that those who are well have no need of a doctor. If there is nothing hurt, the first aid kits sits quietly on the wall. It is not appreciated by those of us who walk in and out of the kitchen, until we have a cut, or a burn, or a bug bite that needs attention. Jesus has come for those who recognize they are in need of healing, and welcome his aid. In the new year, I hope we can all take some time to recognize what in us needs the gentle touch of the Great Physician's hands.

Water

2011-01-12T14:02:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday we enjoyed both baptisms and confirmation at St. Mark's as we celebrated the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and in my box I brought a long, blue length of fabric. I use this fabric whenever I tell a story to our younger children that involves water, so it has made appearances in the creation story, Noah and his ark, Moses marching to freedom, and of course, the baptism of Jesus.

Water and the image of water has a distinctive hold on many of us. Especially those of us who live in a town where you can't really go anywhere without crossing over water at least once, if not several times. The sound of water soothes us, the power of water awes us, the beauty of water touches our soul. We need water to nourish us and with some work, it makes what was once unclean, clean. The image of a humble, human Jesus, asking the prophet John to baptize him is a favorite of mine. John preached a gospel of repentance and baptism was a way to publicly show an internal, spiritual change. The baptism of Jesus publicly identified him as the Son of God, and linked him with us, the sinners who cross he came to bear.

I reminded the children that after his baptism, as Jesus rises out of the water he heard the words each of us longs to hear, "This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased". The same Holy Spirit that descended to Jesus is there for all of us. We are all beloved children of God. I hope the water that surrounds us can serve as a reminder to repent, to immerse ourselves in God's grace, and to emerge a child with whom the Father can be well pleased.

Gifts

2011-01-05T13:27:00.003-05:00

My box today had three of my favorite things in it. Years ago I ran into a store to try and find one or two items on my Christmas shopping list. As I searched for whatever it was among the shelves of knick knacks and useless decorative objects, some movement caught my eye. There, tucked away between vases and picture frames, was a plush bobble-head king holding a gift. A bobble-head king! As I looked on the crowded shelves I saw one, then two more. Someone had thought the perfect gift item that Christmas was a set of three bobble-head kings! They are not small, ranging from 7' to 9' in height, and yet they came with a sticker bottom so you could, I suppose, stick them on the dash of your car. Of course I had to get them.

The three bobble-head kings came home with me. Now, here is where I have a confession to make. I originally bought them as gifts for our three priests. But, as they sat in my room at home, bobbling occasionally for me, I just couldn't part with them. What started out as a gift for others became something I kept for myself.

I love the stories about the three kings, both those from the Bible and the legends that have sprung up around these mysterious figures. What I shared with the children today, is that while the kings brought Jesus precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, the most precious gift we can give him is our heart. And, sadly, that gift is one we sometimes hoard for ourselves, instead of sharing freely with Christ. What would our lives look like, if, instead of keeping part of ourselves separate, on a shelf, to be enjoyed by us alone, we gave all of our being freely to the King of Kings?

Angel Wings

2010-12-08T09:16:00.003-05:00

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

2010-12-06T14:19:00.001-05:00

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

2010-12-01T11:54:00.003-05:00

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

2010-11-17T09:41:00.003-05:00

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

2010-11-03T09:30:00.003-04:00

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

2010-10-27T10:29:00.001-04:00

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

2010-10-06T09:41:00.002-04:00

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

2010-10-01T10:17:00.001-04:00

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

2010-09-29T17:35:00.003-04:00

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

2010-09-22T13:08:00.002-04:00

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

2010-09-15T12:43:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-08T13:30:00.000-04:00

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

2010-05-19T17:25:00.000-04:00

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

2010-05-12T12:42:00.000-04:00

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

2010-05-05T14:00:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-28T20:29:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-21T13:53:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-14T09:47:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

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

2010-03-24T10:30:00.001-04:00

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

2010-03-17T10:39:00.000-04:00

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

2010-03-10T13:12:00.000-05:00

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

2010-02-17T14:52:00.000-05:00

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

2010-01-27T10:22:00.000-05:00

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

2010-01-20T13:25:00.000-05:00

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

2010-01-13T09:12:00.000-05:00

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

2010-01-06T13:38:00.000-05:00

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.

Blanket

2009-12-16T09:49:00.000-05:00

This morning I had a baby blanket in my box. It is a soft, flannel blanket made for Quinn by my grandmother. We all had these soft blankets when my brothers and I were little and my grandmother made them for all of my children, even making extra, planning ahead for the time when she wouldn't be able to sew or crochet anymore. We talked about how wonderful it is to have a soft lovie blanket like that, that someone special has made for you.

When Mary and Joseph left on their journey to Bethleham it is unclear whether she knew she would be delivering her baby during the journey or not. Clearly they were unprepared for how long it would take to get there in her condition, or how crowded the city would be. What we do know is that she did bring soft strips of cloth to swaddle her new baby, to protect him, and comfort him in the dark of the stable. My hope for our children, is that they constantly feel God's love around them like a soft blanket, as something warm and comfortable that they know is always there for them. No matter how dark the night or how loud the storm in good times and bad, we are swaddled in God's love.

2009-12-10T10:24:00.000-05:00

Here are two of the ELP II Chapel Songs we sing at Christmas.

Mary Had A Baby Boy (Sung To: Mary Had A Little Lamb)

Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy
Mary had a baby boy, his name was Jesus Christ
He was born in a manger, in a manger, in a manger
He was born in a manger, among all the hay
Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy
Mary had a baby boy, his name was Jesus Christ
The shepherd's came to visit him, visit him, visit him.
The shepherd's came to visit him, the angel told them to.
Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy
Mary had a baby boy, his name was Jesus Christ
Three wise men came and brought him gifts, brought him gifts, brought him gifts.
Three wise men came and brought him gifts, Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh
Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy
Mary had a baby boy, his name was Jesus Christ

The Baby in the Manger (Sung to: The Wheels on the Bus)

The cow in the manger went moo-moo-moo, moo-moo-moo, moo-moo-moo, the cow in the manger went moo-moo-moo, all through the night.
The hay on the ground went crunch-crunch-crunch, crunch-crunch-crunch, crunch-crunch-crunch, the hay on the ground went crunch-crunch-crunch, all through the night.
The baby in the manger went waa-waa-waa, waa-waa-waa, waa-waa-waa, the baby in the manger went waa-waa-waa, all through the night.
His mother Mary went shh-shh-shh, shh-shh-shh, shh-shh-shh, his mother Mary went shh-shh-shh, all through the night

Angel

2009-12-09T16:27:00.000-05:00

There was an angel in my box today. It is a small terra cotta angel, posed seated and holding a real candle. It came from my grandmother's house. It stayed outside in the garden during spring and summer, and moved inside during colder months where it could be found perched on a bookshelf, or the mantel or by the hearth. At times my grandmother called it her guardian angel, and growing up I remember always looking for it as she liked to move it around from time to time, so you never knew where it might turn up.
While my angel is childlike and lovely, the angel Gabriel must be fearsome to look upon, for he generally starts his messages from God with "Do not be afraid". I reminded the children that the Bible tells us that the story of Jesus begins with the angel Gabriel bringing God's message of hope. And while the respected priest Zechariah did not believe Gabriel's message for him, the young Mary simply accepted it, opening her heart and saying "Here am I, servant of the Lord". Like Mary, we should all keep our hearts open and ready, waiting for God to show us what is needed of us. We all should be ready to answer God's call with "Here am I, servant of the Lord".

Candles

2009-12-02T11:18:00.000-05:00

This week there was a candle lighter in my box. Think of all the special occasions when our children see candles: family dinners, birthday cakes, the candles in our jack-o-laterns and of course, the candles in church. In the chapel I lead each week for our two-year-olds, their favorite part is when I light the candle at the beginning, and when we count to three to blow it out at the end. Each week I remind the children that we light the candle to remind us of the light of God that is shining within us, but that even when we blow it out, God's love surrounds us just as the smoke from the candle fills the room.

During advent, many families make an advent wreath with candles to light each week to remind us of the importance of preparing our hearts for the birst of Christ. In our family we use the advent wreath as a way to force us to slow down, enjoy a family dinner at the dining room table and share time with one another. What are your family traditions this advent? Take some time to light a candle and remember that God's light is always there for you.

5 Ways to Keep Your Family on Track during Advent

2009-12-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

1. Attend church as a family. This may sound like a given, but too many families allow work and social holiday events to come before worship. Church, Sunday school, the Advent Fair, caroling and other events at St. Mark’s can help you to remember the reason for the season and help you keep Christ at the center of your life.
2. Limit what you do. Focus on the things that matter, and it will be a lot easier to say “no thanks” to things that don’t make your priority list.
3. Include quiet time for just the family. Block off some time on your calendar just for quiet time at home, and guard it just as you would a social obligation. Use that time to watch old movies, read Christmas books, and talk about Christmases past.
4. Focus your charitable activities. It sometimes feels as if we try to cram a year’s worth of charity into one month. Decide as a family what one or two things you want to do to give back and do those together.
5. Don’t get caught up in excess gift buying. It is easy to think our family members need everything on their list. Focusing on one or two gifts that are truly meaningful is much better than buying things just to have another wrapped gift under the tree. Also, look for gifts that give back: purchases that donate some or all of their proceeds to charity

2009-11-19T13:43:00.000-05:00

This week I brought a blessings bowl to chapel. It is a simple wooden bowl filled with acorns. Starting this Thanksgiving, we are going to pass the bowl around the table and ask everyone present to take as many or as few acorns as they want from the bowl, until it's empty. Everyone should end up with at least some acorns. We will then pass the bowl around again and each of us will give thanks for something or someone for each acorn we have taken. Once the bowl has travelled around the table again it will be full of our blessings.

We have been given so much, a beautiful earth to inhabit and care for, loving families, and a caring community in which we live. It is important that we remember to stop and give thanks for all the blessings God has showered down upon us. Hopefully our blesssing bowl will become a regular tradition in our home, and not just saved for Thanksgiving. Perhaps it can become a part of your family traditions as well.