Jonah in a seashell

Spent most of this week studying the Book of Jonah.

to prepare for a sermon. 

Maybe it was the effect of this week's  snow,

but I started condensing

the story into whatever this is..

Jonah in a nutshell?  Or perhaps a seashell. 

"God called,  but Jonah stalled.

Then Jonah split, and a mighty storm hit.

The sailors cast lots, and Jonah?  He lost!

Then the whale swallowed, while Jonah?  He wallowed.

Soon the whale spewed, after which Jonah stewed.

God said, "Get up!"

But Jonah felt set up.

So Jonah spoke of spite, but they became - contrite.

Those Ninevites repented!

And Jonah's God relented!

And Jonah?  He pouted and lo! a bush sprouted.

But soon the bush died, and Jonah?  He cried.

Then God did the talking and Jonah the balking.

And while God accused, Jonah excused.

So God discussed, but Jonah remained...

nonplussed!"

Roberta Hiday

artwork by Scott Erickson

from here

Advent womb

"We wait in the darkness, expectantly, longingly, anxiously, thoughtfully.
The darkness is our friend.

In the darkness of the womb we have all been nurtured and protected.

In the darkness of the womb,

the Christ-child was made ready for the journey into light.
You are with us, O God, in darkness and light."

 

first stanza of a prayer from the

Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand (adapted)

apprehend/comprehend

"God always outdistances our

thoughts, words, knowledge, creeds, litanies, lives;

outdistances them either because

God is too simple for us to apprehend,

or too complex for us to comprehend, or both."

-Ted Loder

of course this does not stop us from trying

to create God in our own image.

+

(the wordle is supposedly all the words in the bible)

stones and love

Today's reading from Acts 19 tells of those who came from Antioch and Iconium, who influenced the crowds to stone Paul. And when they were done, (ie. pretty sure they had killed him) they dragged him out of the city. Imagine the frenzy, the intenisty of their fear and rage. Don't mess with our beliefs buddy!


But then the disciples showed up, surrounded him and behold! He got up and headed for the nearest bed and breakfast for much needed rest and then....what? Oh, he didn't head for the B & B? He went back into the city? What kind of crazy fool goes back into the place where people tried to kill him? Oh yeah, Jesus. And you, and me.


I have to believe that there was divine power in the disciples surrounding Paul as he lay dead on the ground. Just goes to show - grace and love abound in those who surround us with their love...thank God for them today and may you be given the strength to rise up and continue to love....even those you don't really want to love today.

the bent over woman

        In today's gospel reading from Luke 13, Jesus is teaching in the synagogue when he sees a "bent-over" woman pass by. Without her requesting anything from him he calls her over, places his hands on her and suddenly she is no longer locked into her downward facing position.
        My back has been acting up for several days now and there have been mornings where standing up straight has been a challenge but it is slowly returning to normal. But imagine being stuck like that as this woman was for 18 years. Imagine only seeing the ground for that long and then unexpectedly being able to stand up straight and your first view of the surrounding landscape at this new angle is the face of Jesus. Dang. No wonder she was rejoicing.
        Is there anything keeping you bent in half these days? Are you carrying someone else's pain or choosing not to let go of some wound or offense? Let Jesus straighten that out for you. The change of scenery will do ya good....

graphic by Cortney L. Haley  from here

Dear Readers,

This past Sunday I preached my first sermon. Is that crazy or what? As a young girl even the idea of being an altar server was out of the question because of my gender. So to be able to stand before those with whom I'm traveling on this journey into the mystery of our faith feels surreal in a good and holy way. Preaching is something I would never have even allowed myself to dream about as a child and I am so grateful.

God is infamous for turning everything upside down and inside out in our lives - that's the joy found in greeting each new day as a treasure chest filled with new possibilities.  If you'd like to read the sermon you can email me at robertahiday at gmail dot com and i'll send it to you....

Thank you for your prayers and support over the years. I'm so appreciative...

In Christ,
Roberta

P.S. The pirate art is connected to the sermon:)

holy food for holy people

Our tiny church was filled to the brim today!  Love that!  Lots of new faces of Jesus to get to know!  Have I mentioned that one of my favorite parts of the Sunday Liturgy is the moment when our priest invites the congregation to come forward to the Lord's Table to receive the body and blood of Christ?  Here is a paraphrase of what Elizabeth+ said today (and on every Sunday.) 

"Everyone is invited to this table no matter where you are on your journey. 

Everyone.

There is no wrong way to do this. 

Please come forward and share this holy food for holy people." 

I never tire of this statement.  And ya don't have to ask me twice to the dinner table! I have to hold myself back from knocking everyone over so I can get up to that altar rail! (I think that's the 8 in me:)

Here's what Nora Gallagher has to say about it in her book "The Sacred Meal".....
"My own view is this: that once you decide that there are rules around who takes Communion and who doesn't, you can get to the point where taking Communion boils down to making sure a soul is freshly laundered and squeaky-clean before its body can take the bread and wine into its mouth.  This gets very close to manipulating God.  And once you begin to make rules, then there is no end to the rule making."  p.89

Trinity Sunday

"Each member of the human family

is equal in dignity and has equal rights

because

we are all children of the one God.

We are sisters and brothers to each other.

We understand God to be a trinity of persons

and so we see the image of God reflected

not only in individuals,

but also in communities.

Together in community

we bear the image of our God

whose very nature is communal."

- Sandie Cornish

comprendo?

“A comprehended God is no God at all.”

G. Tersteegen
or
Saint John Chrysostum

Wonder = gratitude

"If our religion is based on salvation,
our chief emotions will be
fear and trembling.

If our religion is based on wonder,
our chief emotion will be
gratitude."

Carl Jung

i'm looking out my window at the lilacs and the birds and wondering how God imagined such creations that bring so much delight and gratitude.