Super(hero) sized

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." --Matthew 19:14

A few days ago, I was taking a walk. The air was crisp and clear, just like it's supposed to be this time of year. The leaves have barely begun to turn, so no crunching yet. Still-- it was a beautiful day for a walk.

As I was heading towards downtown, I spotted a little boy with his back to me, maybe six years old, keeping himself very entertained in an imaginary world only he could envision.

I got a little closer; he turned around. He was wearing a plastic Spiderman mask, and was clearly engaged in battling evil. He had quite the roundhouse kick!

When I reached his yard, he struck a pose, and I looked at him. "Hello, Spidey!"

A flourish of the arms, and he returned my greeting. I smiled and said, "You look a little taller when I see you on TV, Spidey."

He took off the mask, grinned a perfect pumpkin grin with just one tooth missing, and said, "Well . . . that's because I am a little boy!"

He walked with me, and we talked about Hallowe'en. He's very excited. We came to another yard, one with a big oak tree in the front.

Standing astride the roots, he began poking at spaces on the bark, and said, "This is my secret hideout! I live in this tree-- w-a-a-a-a-a-y up at the top!"

I peered closer, and indeed, there they were-- the secret buttons that would open that tree trunk and reveal a hidden elevator-- and whoosh! Up to the top he would go. . . .

What a great kid. I hope I run into him again. He freely invited me into his world, and in so doing, reawakened the little girl in me.

No wonder Jesus desires that the Kingdom of God be filled with such as these. No limits, super vision that imagines anything is possible. 

In this day and age, when so many things seem so wrong, it is blessing to hang out with a child who doesn't see all the grownup yuckiness of life.

And after just that brief time with Spiderman, I found fuel for my fire, a renewed vision for life, and a desire not to let the turkeys get me down.

Or if they do-- well, maybe my imagination will help me come up with new recipes for Thanksgiving :)

Thank you, Great One, for children who make us smile, make us laugh-- and give us hope for tomorrow. Help me, Spirit, to become more like one. Amen.

(Did I say that?)

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 

--Mark 8:29

When Jesus and the Twelve were gathered and talking, and Jesus began questioning them. First he wanted to know what everyone else was saying about him. Who, Jesus asked, did "they" say he is? 

The answers were predictable. John the Baptist, some said. Elijah, or another prophet. All good, solid answers based on the expectations of the day.

And then Jesus asked the Big Question: "Who do you say that I am?"

And it seems we are still asking and answering that question, over and over again, two thousand years later.

Who do you say Jesus is?

Words, words, words. We might say Jesus is Lord. Or even Lord of our lives.

Some say Jesus is the only way to God. 

But I wonder what Jesus himself might have to offer on this subject?

We are told that he had to die, so that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, could come and infill us and guide our lives. So if we believe this-- and I do-- then the Spirit of Jesus indwells in us all.

"Who do you say that I am?" 

In the beginning, the Almighty created humankind-- in the image of the Divine.

It's kind of sounding like the I AM is within, like the Tabernacle within which God has chosen to dwell-- is me. And you. And yes-- even him. And her. 

Think about that. 

* * * * *

A young man sits on the curb, hand outstretched, seeking a couple dollars. We rush past, mumbling to ourselves that he is probably just wanting to go buy more booze, or cigarettes, or something else. We never ask, we just assume.

Single mother, overwhelmed, comes up short in the checkout line and is unable to buy the one thing for herself that was on her list. We huff and fume, annoyed that now we have to wait while the cashier changes the bill. 

A new family moves in the neighborhood. They look different. Good grief-- are they from that place? We wonder if their children will be in class with our children, if perhaps they have a relative overseas plotting to attack our nation.

* * * * *

"When I was hungry . . . when I was thirsty . . . when I was a stranger . . . when I was naked . . . sick . . . in prison . . . ."

"Who do you say that I am?" And more to the point: How are you responding to the "little Jesus" in each of us?

Life is too short to do anything less than love. What random act of unconditional love might be on your radar?

What the world needs

Lord God, help us to reflect your image: slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands. May we see your likeness in the other, and shine your light from within our souls. Amen 

Amazing!

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 

a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. --1 Peter 2:9

Recently my cat Maizie and I celebrated our fifth "anniversary." It was on my birthday five years ago that she showed up on the porch. She was so skinny, we could count her ribs. Her coat was in need of a brushing. She was so tiny, so emaciated we thought she was probably about six, maybe eight months old.

From the first, we agreed: We needed a third cat like we needed a hole in the head.

But she kept coming back, rubbing on our legs as we sat and talked, adding her two cents' worth to the conversation.And she was so skinny! 

So we compromised. 

We started offering her dry cat food. (And at some level, I think we both knew it was only a matter of time before we made her our own.)

Sure enough, after a few days, the kitty-to-be-named-later had definitely decided she had found a new home. She was a lean, clean purring machine who had stolen our hearts. 

But I had a problem. I had lost an outdoor kitty when I was younger, and swore that when we had cats-- they were indoors. Period.

So I took KTBNL to visit the vet, to be sure she was disease-free before bringing her into our nest. She seemed soooo grateful just to have someone paying attention to her! And she was soooo small, so emaciated. 

Even more than we realized. It turned out, by the vet's best guess, going by the teeth, how healed her spay scar was, she was probably three, maybe even four years old. Amazing! 

Amazing she had survived so well, since she was obviously once someone's pet. And amazing Maizie joined the fold. 

How many times over the years have we said, "How on earth did she survive, all by herself, for so long?" No wonder she was so relieved, really, to join a family who would take care of her. She had known what it meant to be hungry, really hungry, and alone.

* * * * *

And so have we. We have done our darnedest, it seems, to survive on our own. We have tried all manner of things, but somehow, it just isn't right.

We just are not designed to be alone.

Even the Creator desired company-- and created an entire "scene," more than just our world, populated it with so many wonderful creatures-- and us.

Loved us so much, we wanted for nothing. But we thought we had a better way. 

I wonder how often God looks at me, like I look at Maizie, and wonders how I have managed to scrap along on my own, wonders why it took me so long to seek out my community. 

Prideful bunch, we are. Think we have it all figured out. 

Today, it's been rainy, now drizzly and windy. And my mind wanders to those in need, those who could sure use a meal or a dry pair of shoes, a kind word or a loving smile. The human "Maizies" in the world. 

Those in need of a little marvelous Light.

Will it be you?

* * * * *

Lord God, you did not shine your light in our hearts just for us to keep. Help us to be your bright, perfect love, to one another, to the "least of these" in human and animal form. May we always remember: we love because you first loved us enough to provide everything we need. Amen

Choose.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ 

'We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’” --Luke 15:21-24, 32

Every day I get a number of devotionals/ meditation in my Inbox. One of them-- except Sundays-- is from the United Church of Christ and is called Inward, Outward. These emails often shake me up so early in the morning and lead me to think. (gasp!)

This morning I had a gem from Gerald May's work, Addiction and Grace. Here is part of the quote:

"If our choice of God is to be made with integrity, we must first have felt other attractions and chosen, painfully, not to make them our gods.

"True love, then, is not only born of freedom; it is also born of difficult choice. A mature and meaningful love must say something like, 'I have experienced other goodnesses, and they are beautiful, but it is You, my true heart's desire, whom I choose above all.'

"We have to turn away before we can come home with dignity."

* * * * * 

After reading that about 27 times, I needed to take a walk, and I felt drawn to find a new place. So I hopped into the car ("Would you like to go exploring, Sherwood?" "Sure would!") and we headed to a part of the Metroparks I had never been in before.

It was amazingly quiet. Few cars, some bikers, and horses. (No, I will not tell you where it is.) 

As I walked,  I kept thinking about this, and about the prodigal child.

That child had it soooo good. But until he impudently asked for his half of the inheritance and took off in search of "the good life," he had no idea how good he had it.

This child was attracted to many things, shiny happy people and glittery things, thought they would bring him the love and joy he desired.

The child thought wrong.

* * * * *

I thought about how many people say they just love going down to the valley to walk, or how the Rocky Mountains always make them feel so close to the Creator.

So they strap on their super shoes, tuck their phone in their pocket so they don't miss a call, plug the earbuds into the iPod and crank up their favorite playlist.

Meanwhile, these little gods make sure the whisper of the Almighty will have a hard time reaching their ears.

I began to think about my own "little g" gods. My car has been known to be one of them. My laptop. Iced tea. . . . 

Those are the ones I am willing to share.

Take a look at your life. What have you found attractive-- fallen in love with, even-- that has insidiously (or blatantly) lured you away from the One who loves you most of all?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cOEFnppm_A

Max knows. He knows what it's like to return to the arms of someone who loves him most of all. He had allowed himself to be drawn by the lure of power and freedom-- and he returned. So can we.

Thank you, God, for being a God of second chances, and third chances, and . . . . We have tasted of the little gods this world offers-- but it is for you, Lord, that we hunger. It is for you we thirst. Amen.

Oh-- and now that you've read the blog? Take a break. Shut down the computer. The Almighty is calling. You. (Yes, you.)