The Real Peach in the Impeachment Hearings

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Tomorrow the impeachment hearings on President Trump begin.

Each side has for some time been preparing their defense. Media is frothing at the mouth in anticipation. Most of us will be tracking the headlines and details from our prospective areas in the days to come.

But it all makes me wonder: with people having already decided their conclusions and rebuttals, what is the real impact of the impeachment process.

Well, for one thing, our government has ground to a halt. Congress isn't passing any bills, or it's so weighed down that movement is less noticeable than paint drying. For another, the two party system is stretching wider and wider apart and we the voters, are the ones standing with one foot on the boat and the other on the dock as we slowly contemplate when we will fall into the lake of political disaster. Law and the focus on justice seems to have been replaced by a Shibboleth test around loyalty to the president.

So, tonight as I listen to my 5th grader practice his band music and work hard to find the right notes, the sound reminds me of our political system. We can recognize the tune, understand the notes, even feel proud at how good it seems, but we all know it's far from perfect. It's not the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In fairness to my 5th grader, we don't expect it to be. And when we go to the school concerts, we go to support their work and effort because we know it is children learning to play.

But our current political system charges us the price of hearing the Boston Orchestra, has all the pomp and ceremony of a professional production and then launches into a cacophony of 5th grade chaos. And that's why I think it's the American voter who is the real peach in the impeachment hearings. We're the suckers paying the price for something less than we need.

So let's fix it.

Let's vote for something and someone better. Let's vote for people who will work towards a better future for the country and the world, because as the world goes, so we go.

Let's get back to a political system that hums with the musical electricity of tight execution, perfectly mouthed notes and a crescendo that brings the world to a standing ovation because of its profundity and beauty. Let's have a system that leads in the world, instead of being the laughing stock.

Who's with me?

Wine, Bread, Flesh, and Blood

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This past weekend our church celebrated communion. For us, communion is a monthly reflection on what Jesus did for all humanity. We remind ourselves through symbol of the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus and the comfort and hope God gives us through those symbols. They are symbols of faith that encourage us, guide us and comfort us. The grow our faith.

What symbols grow your faith?

And as you consider the symbols that grow your faith, won't you say a prayer for the family in our community who buries their child today...they need hope, comfort and love more than ever.

In Honor of Children Taken Too Soon

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God, it's happened again, and I must admit, I'm angry.

Yet another family in our church lost a child today. There are too many who have died since I've been here, too, too many. 

One is too many, but it keeps happening. Please stop it Lord.

Little children, older children, dying before their parents. It is a parent's nightmare, to outlive their child. I know you know what it feels like God, but that just makes it even tougher. You know the pain of this, so why would you allow it to happen?

I know about sin, and brokenness, and suffering, and that maybe it was better for them to go than to stay, but that doesn't console. Burying children as a pastor is one of the hardest parts of the job. Living as a parent after the death of a child is harder still. 

My heart breaks for them, my soul throws prayers on their behalf and my spirit is angry, God. Angry that you would allow this to happen. Lord forgive me for my anger, and comfort them in their loss. Honor these parents and love them deeply in their grief.

To all the parents I know who have lost a child: my heart is with you. 

You are courageous beyond measure to endure each day since that heartbreak.
You are inspiring.
You are faithful. 
You are incredible.
You are worthy for you have suffered greatly.

If you know of someone who has lost a child, say a prayer for them tonight, call them and make sure they know they are remembered, if the grief is too new, offer some tangible help. Love them!

If you have children, forget about the rules and the chores, love and hold your children tonight. They grow too quickly, they leave too soon and can be taken too quickly.

I am reminded of Psalm 22, a psalm for those in the midst of grief. A psalm Jesus spoke from the cross. Here are some selected verses that may give voice to the grief you feel.

1 God, my God!

Why would you abandon me now?

2 Why do you remain distant,

refusing to answer my tearful cries in the day

and my desperate cries for your help in the night?

I can’t stop sobbing.

Where are you, my God?

...

11 So don’t leave me now; stay close to me!

For trouble is all around me and there’s no one else to help me.

...

14 Now I’m completely exhausted; I’m spent.

Every joint of my body has been pulled apart.

My courage has vanished and

my inward parts have melted away.

15 I’m so thirsty and parched—dry as a bone.

My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

And now you’ve left me in the dust for dead.

...

19 Lord, my God, please don’t stay far away.

For you are my only might and strength.

Won’t you come quickly to my rescue?

20 Give me back my life.

Save me from this violent death.

Save my precious one and only

from the power of these demons!

21 Save me from all the power of the enemy,

from this roaring lion raging against me

and the power of his dark horde.

...

24 For he has not despised my cries of deep despair.

He’s my first responder to my sufferings,

and he didn’t look the other way when I was in pain.

He was there all the time, listening to the song of the afflicted.

...

26 I will invite the poor and broken,

and they will come and eat until satisfied.

Bring Yahweh praise and you will find him.

Your hearts will overflow with life forever!

...

The Passion Translation® Copyright © 2017 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. 

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Copied from Bible.com

In Honor of Children Taken Too Soon.

Words Matter: Reflections on the KY Election Results

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Leaders, your words matter, and people see through the spin...well, maybe!

This is not about politics, it just uses a political event as an illustration.

The Facts

This Tuesday, state elections were held around the country. In Kentucky, the governor race was closely contested. The Democratic candidate, Andy Beshear, holds 49.2% of the vote and the Republican candidate, Matt Bevin, holds 48.8% of the vote. The Kentucky secretary of state, a democrat, declared Andy Beshear the winner. Matt Bevin has yet to concede. A recount may still be declared and a recanvass has formally been announced by Matt Bevin.

The reporting of this event is a lesson for leaders in messaging and the interpretation of facts. Various news sites reported differently on this race but I want to highlight the two I watched:

The Spin

CNN hosts (Anderson Cooper, Chris Cuomo) and some of their guests, while not declaring a winner, speculated what the race means. They saw it as a loss for the Republican party, a win against what one guest called "Trumpism" and a revelation on the lack of President Trump's power and influence.

Fox News host (Laura Ingraham), and some of her guests, while not declaring a winner, speculated what the race means. They saw it as a win for the President and the Republican party, and a show of the presidents power to take a disliked governor and turn a race that should have been a 10 point loss into a closely contested race.

You, the leader

Each news source put their spin on the event. Each told a narrative. None of this is new, but it is a revelation of how leaders spin the facts to tell a narrative. It is a trait that we need to be careful with as leaders. Why? Because most people see through it, and they are getting sick of the spin (...well almost...but more and more are). They are hungry for honesty and the ability to make their own conclusions.

Our words matter as leaders, and how we tell a story with those words matters even more. What we say, how we say it, the emotions we evoke with those words, it all matters.

Leaders: What narrative will you tell about events in the areas where you lead? Your followers are watching, and it bears repeating. They are hungry for honesty, and are intelligent enough to make their own decisions.

Followers: Decode the narrative of your leaders and press for the brutal facts. Don't let leaders spin their way to a narrative of their choosing. Be hungry for honesty and use your intelligence and make your own decisions. Hold leaders accountable and they won't be, change them. You actually have the power!

The Flag: An Invitation to Dream

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I am an immigrant.
Born in South Africa.
Living in American.
An American Citizen.

And I believe in the value at the core that is America - freedom.

Each time I hear the national anthem being played, I am struck by the origin of the words, and the rising tempo of the music. It strikes within my heart and reverberates through my soul.

I believe in freedom. 
I believe in each person's right to freedom.
I believe in the duty to fight for freedom.
I believe in the privilege to die for freedom.
And I believe even more passionately that we are called to live for freedom.

These words, penned by Francis Scott Key as he watched the bombing of Fort McHenry in the war of 1812, a war fought over, in part, the restriction of trade and impressment of American sailors; these words capture the essence of our call to freedom:

"Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave,

For the land of the free, and the home of the brave"

That same value is expressed by my country of birth, South Africa, in their national anthem. A national anthem proudly sung this past weekend as South Africa won the Rugby World Cup, with words ringing as clear in my soul:

"Let us live and strive for freedom,

In South Africa our land"

Yes, 

I am an immigrant.

Born in South Africa.
Living in American.

An American Citizen.

But

I am a person of freedom who wants everyone to be free.

I just wish our political leaders would live for it as highly as they say they value it.

We have a history, in both countries, and around the world, of people who have lived and died for freedom. 

So let's be a land of the free, 

filled with free people 

who live and strive for freedom, 

as we create a world 

where one day, 

every person, 

regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, age, ability, class, income or status 

will be free.

The Flag and our anthems invite us to dream, and then to work.

Let's get to it.

A Wave of Joy

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How do you sense the Holy Spirit in a worship service?

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity according to most Christian traditions - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When Christians gather to worship, we do so believing that we will encounter God in the service, during our worship, speaking to us, encouraging us, becoming real to us in some way. The Holy Spirit is central to this work. Paul describes how the Spirit works:

"Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, ^c Father.” Galatians 4:6 (NIV)

But how do you sense the Holy Spirit in a worship service?

This past weekend, we experienced the Spirit profoundly in our service. Our service was about encouragement and we had just had a moment of silent reflection focusing on encouraging verses from the Bible. The band began to play a song and invited everyone to sing. A young woman (underclassman in High School) led the singing. Her singing was beautiful. I said as much to our sound guy, and then it happened.

It was like a wave of joy. Like when something amazing happens, but it takes time to ripple through the crowd at a game. Think of the large crowd waves done at sports events. As they flow around the stadium, people wait for it to arrive and then join in on the action. This wave began like that, a ripple from the front row to the back, sending goosebumps along my skin and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. A few people started cheering in the middle, voices got louder as we sang that "we are who God says we are". The joy was infectious and people sang together louder and stronger through the rest of the song. As the song ended, people spontaneously applauded - not to the woman singing, or the band, but to God.

This is how we sensed the Holy Spirit on Sunday at worship. It has stayed with me throughout the day. It was a holy moment and I share it to say, thank you God for meeting us and answering my prayers for an experience with you on Sunday.

So, how do you sense the Holy Spirit in a worship service?

Tom Selleck and Japanese Culture

Door's Howl Review: Mr Baseball

Synopsis

It's an old movie (1992) intended to be a comedy that plays off cultural and racial stereotypes of both Japanese and Americans. It probably would be viewed as offensive today. But it has something to offer. It certainly helped me.

Jack Elliot (Tom Selleck) is an aging baseball player in a slump. He is traded from the Yankees to the Dragons (a Japanese baseball team). What follows is a period of expected humorous interactions related to cultural arrogance, misunderstanding and conflict. It is a comedy, romantic at times and sporty at times.

But for me personally, when I first watched it, and then rewatched again and again, it taught me about the complexity, sophistication, and stunning beauty of Japanese culture. It taught me about learning my own cultural blindspots and how to learn from another culture. It showed me what could be possible when we attempt to get along. Perhaps this 1992 movie has some 2020 relevance.

As the movie progresses Jack Elliot learns about his own deficiencies, incorporates his learning of Japanese culture into his worldview while at the same time his coach learns to adopt some American culture. It's a synthesis of cultural learning and worth watching.

As a side note, there is a lot of push back today about cultural appropriation (or misappropriation). I don't believe Mr Baseball does that. Instead, what I see is cultural assimilation where both sides learn from each other and emerge stronger and better because of it. Today it would be filmed and edited differently of course, but it was a great help to me learning how to approach other cultures.

Score

Mr Baseball scores a Crescent Moon.

Scoring System

Wolves are thought to commonly howl at the moon. So, the better the moon, the greater the howl. Description of scoring system below.

Full Moon - best you can get, must watch and must own
New Moon - great movie, worth seeing and buying
Crescent Moon - average to above average, good to watch, but may want to wait for DVD
Sliver Moon - below average, not worth seeing and only get it on DVD when you have nothing better to do, like having a root canal
Moonless Night -not even worth mentioning - avoid at all costs!