Pastor Deb Rousselle...
Thanksgiving is Thursday! What does that mean to you?
· Time to give thanks.
· Time to go around the table and tell what you are thankful for
· Time to clean the house, round up all the chairs and find the card table, then make a big meal which will be eaten in 15 minutes then clean up while everyone watches football.
· Just another day – with better than usual food?
Maybe Thanksgiving is just a day like any other day – just an ordinary day.
Maybe. It depends on how we see the ordinary. Yes it is the same 24 hrs. as any other day. But is any day ordinary?
ORDINARY
Are we overlooking the presence of God in our lives? No time is ordinary with God!
When we make each day ordinary we fail to appreciate all that God, through his love for us, provides. No time with God is ordinary. It becomes ordinary when we fail to appreciate all that is around us and neglect the opportunities to celebrate God’s love.
Our determination of ordinary is decidedly different from God’s. God chose ordinary people to be parents of his Son, Jesus Christ. In children’s church we have been learning about Mary, who was young, maybe 13-14, who would have done things that women normally did – she would have made bread, carried water from the well and swept the floors. Joseph, a simple carpenter was to be Mary’s husband. The shepherds, not a highly esteemed job, were the first to visit the baby Jesus in a common stable. (in less than ordinary overnight accommodations.)
It hurts my heart when I hear people say they don’t celebrate birthdays or anniversaries or other memorable days because the days are just like any other.
I want to say, “They don’t have to be”. There are so many things in life to celebrate. If you don’t celebrate how about simply not ignoring or taking for granted but rather give thanks – give thanks for your life, for your friends and family, for the job that pays the bills, for the amazing grace of Jesus Christ and for your salvation.
Have we lost the sense of beauty in the ordinary?
Turn now to the person next to you or behind you or in front of you and I have two things I’d like for you to talk about – Share one ordinary thing that you saw or experienced on the way to church today, then tell one another what an ordinary day is like in your life.
Too often we live one day into the next with schedule in hand and we miss so much!
So, what do we do when we feel the drudgery of day after day? Some will think, “I need some ‘me’ time – so we add a Girls Night Out or join a softball league and before long that can become one more thing to schedule. We try to escape by doing more.
There is a story told of a tourist on a rush tour of Europe who screeched to a stop in front of St. Paul’s cathedral and called to his wife, “You take the inside. I’ll do the outside. Meet you here in 5 minutes.” Sometimes we are so eager to do everything that nothing gets the attention it deserves.
Have any of you ever over planned a vacation? You know, the time you are supposed to be getting away from the daily grind, relaxing, but instead you are on the road trying to find the world’s biggest ball of twine and then on to the Iowa City Corn Museum before going to the amusement park, where for the cost of those tickets you are going to stay till the last possible minute to get your monies worth.
Being busy is our way of life. We are constantly reminded of what we should be doing and where we should be and when. That’s not horrible. What is a problem though is that busyness can dull our awareness of the creative wonders of God’s power. God didn’t retire after creating for 6 days. God is still active in our lives and expects us to be actively living our faith. Like Wade told us last week, we get faith, we’ve got faith, we live faith.
Our gospel lesson contains a parable – a story with meaning – often times multiple meanings. This parable of the fig tree tells us about what God expects from us. As we explore this parable I would ask that you think about what you may need to do in your life to meet these expectations.
Luke 13: 6-8 – Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, “For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it take up soil?” “Sir, the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.”
I did a bit of research – I knew from my years working at the apple orchard that apple trees take about 3 years before they bear fruit – so I thought the man in the parable was being a bit inpatient with the tree – but then I googled fig tree and discovered that fig trees could produce fruit within the first year, however it is not uncommon for them to fail to set fruit or ripen properly because they have a long juvenile period (I thought that term interesting) and could possibly take 4-5 yrs.
Juvenile period – how often are we inpatient with tweens and teens – thinking they should be maturing a bit faster than they do – then I began to relate that to me and you. How must God feel when we take so long to mature in our faith.
Perhaps Jesus was telling his listeners that he had been with them for 3 years now, proclaiming the truth and being a living example of God. People are following him but do they fully believe. Where is the change in their lives – are their lives producing fruit?
God is patient but God expects growth. How long have you known about Jesus? How long have you known Jesus? Have you opened yourself to the work of the Holy Spirit? Any fruit yet?
Just what is this fruit? Galatians 5:22 – “But the Spirit produces love, joy peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
It is difficult to produce fruit if you are in a hurry – Tuesday evening I became frustrated as I sat at my computer trying to find the right words for today. So, with little regard to self-control I woofed down half a tube of Pringles while playing Words with Friends. That kept my mind off what I needed to be thinking about. It was only when I was lying in bed Wednesday morning that my mind quieted enough for me to hear what God wanted me to see.
We are the fig tree Why produce fruit? John 15: 8 – “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become his disciple.”
God is patient with us but to be considered Christian disciples we must do more than take up space. You are here and are planted in fertile soil. You must establish your roots so you can receive the nutrients that are there for you. These roots have to be established – because a tree without firm roots will fall. Michael and I know this firsthand. This is what happened during an ice storm in 2007. The ice was too heavy for the root system and it came down with a crash. Jesus tells his listeners – time will run out – there are consequences for lives that produce no fruit.
We have to be open to growing and producing fruit. Jesus prepared the ground for us – by his death on the cross, through the grace of God, we are forgiven. That doesn’t mean that we sit in the field taking up space. Through the Holy Spirit our lives are fertilized. And you know what they used for fertilizer – manure or as the book I read put it – dung. I can’t hear that word ‘dung’ without thinking of my nephew Ryan. Ryan was 4 years old when he was found wondering the streets in Korea. My sister-in-law and her husband adopted him. We went to Pittsburgh to meet him. He spoke no English. Yet when he followed me into the bedroom while I changed Suzy’s diaper he pointed and said, ‘’dung” – a word with universal meaning.
Sometimes it takes some dung in our lives to help us grow. Over the last few years I can see how the fertilizer in my life has produced more peace, more gentleness and increased my faith. Michael’s leukemia has slowed us down and given us a renewed appreciation for life. As caregiver during the illness I found my patience being tried, and through the fruit of patience is growing. I learned to be gentler – to try to put myself in his shoes – or up until very recently his walking cast. I may complain to my friends but when I’m in a situation that requires being gentle I think I’m a lot better now than I was 3 years ago. Every 3 months Michael goes to Northwestern for blood work. The molecular study, which determines the most minute make-up of the cells, is able to detect the beginnings of the cancer. The results of this test take 2 weeks. During this time we have developed patience and increased faith that no matter the results we will be ok.
Don’t be afraid of the dung. I read recently of a woman who never celebrated anything because she was afraid – because every time she began to hope or celebrate something hurt or disappointed her. To avoid being hurt, she did not invest any hope or in her living. But to live like that is to be immersed in continual hurt and pain. To never experience the overwhelming joy of life around us, even in the dark times, when strength comes from those around you, is tragic.
Trees best produce fruit when they are cross pollinated. Some fruit trees will have a good crop by themselves, though they will often have more fruit with cross pollination and this is especially true with figs. So we are figs, we need one another. The fruit that we produce will help another see Christ through you.
So how do we produce fruit, you may ask. It may mean reprioritizing. Maybe deciding to dvr ‘Dancing with the Stars’ or ‘The Mentalist’ and going to a FISH group instead. If you are wondering just what is so great about being in a small group I would encourage you to talk with someone from Brown Bag Bible Study or the SALT group or one of the Disciple groups. If you talk to someone from the Brown Bag group you will find they rarely want to miss a week. This investment of time - time to be together, to learn, to laugh, to pray – is an important part of their week.
It’s important to be together – to cross-pollinate. In our Epistle reading from 1 Thess. we heard, “And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong with wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other…Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
When Paul was writing this he realized that early Christians knew a lot about suffering; here Paul wanted them to learn how to celebrate in the midst of the suffering – to celebrate the not so ordinary ordinary days.
Last week Wade asked us to name our passion. Today I would ask that we find the things we delight in. I love watching the squirrels jump from limb to limb, I find peace in watching a deer in the woods.
I often tell my daughter and myself – keep the child in you alive. After all Jesus said we are to come to him as a little child.
Do you remember the sense of awe you had as a child when the Christmas tree was lit? How about the first snowfall – where the flakes are like lace buttons? Can you find the awe amidst the concerns for how the roads will be for driving, how you will get to work, who will watch the kids if school is called off…
Take a moment – look around. Nothing is ordinary. Each day brings wonder and delight when we take the time to accept the risk of looking for it.
I find delight in a lot of things – when I slow down. Thursday morning I found myself sitting at the kitchen table with my back to the sliding glass door, making shadow puppets on the refrigerator – do you know how long it had been since I’d done that.
I am still flying high form the wonderful time we had renewing our vows.
I am in awe as I see my baby girl as a grown woman.
As we journey into the Advent season will you allow me to ask a few things of you? I would ask you to try saying yes to the things that allow you to slow down and no to the things that make you fret.
That may look like saying yes to having a cup of coffee with a friend and no to cleaning the baseboards before the family comes for Christmas dinner.
It’s saying yes to getting a group together to make cookies instead of thinking you have to make 12 dozen of everyone’s favorites or it just won’t be Christmas.
It’s not sending out cards to your next door neighbor but knocking on their door and saying Merry Christmas instead.
It’s not signing 100 cards for your friends at church but instead agreeing to donate the money you would have spent to the Advent conspiracy. The will be a container on the Connection Center next week for that purpose (remember there are no longer mail slots for that)
Slow down and re-connect with the ‘reason for the season’. Read to your child the story of Jesus birth from a children’s Bible. Give yourself the gift of reading the familiar passages from Luke again – see what you may have forgotten or missed in past readings. I used to read “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” to Suzy every year. It’s a fun way to get the message of God’s love.
Ring bells for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive – ask a friend or take some kids with you. First you may want to check the Salvation Army website to see just how this money is used.
Be kind to an overworked sales clerk. Be patient in the Wal-Mart parking lot.
Hear the words of Christmas carols with new ears. Go caroling with a group from church on Dec. 4th.
When you say you go to church, when others know that you are Christian they will have expectations from you. There was once a vine that felt unappreciated. People came and removed grapes without a single word of gratitude. One day a priest sat down to rest in the shade near the vine. Taking the opportunity to explain its concern, the vine said, “As you can see I am a vine. Young men and old women come by and take my ripe grapes without ever saying thank you to me for all my efforts. How can people be so insensitive? The priest pondered the question for a moment and then replied, “perhaps people are insensitive, but in all probability their lack of gratitude comes from a different reason. Just as people expect the sun to shine and the wind to blow, they expect grapes from a vine. They are no doubt under the impression that providing grapes is your duty,” the priest said with a wry smile.
Produce fruit this Advent season which will ripen throughout your life.
Jesus said, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
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