Song for Sunday: Details in the Fabric (In Memory of Tom Serewicz)

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I heard on the radio the other day that one third of all traffic accidents involve a driver under the influence of alcohol. One third.

And that’s only some of the preventable accidents. Other forms of impaired driving involve distractions like texting, cell phone use or playing games on devices. Inexperienced drivers are also often distracted by other passengers, by the radio, by food or by coffee and other soft drinks. Everyone who drives while impaired or distracted has made a choice to do so. In some cases, others on hand have allowed it.

Friends, our choices matter.

They mattered to Tom Serewicz and his family. Tom was just 24 when he and his best friend were on their way home from a night fishing trip. Their car was struck by the car of a drunk and drugged driver who was going the wrong way on the highway. All three were killed.  It was June 17, 2011.

Tom left behind a wife, two very young sons, a mother and two sisters. Their heartbreak continues five years later and will continue as long as they live. That woman’s choice ended her life, and two other lives, and had a horrible impact on two families.

One of Tom’s sisters is a dancer. She choreographed the song Details in the Fabric by Jason Mraz as a testament to how the family clung to each other after the accident and supported each other in their grief. It is a moving testimony to their love for Tom and each other.

A sample of the lyrics:

Hang on
Help is on the way
And stay strong
I'm doing everything

Details in the Fabric is today’s “Song for Sunday.”  Here’s a link to it.

 Live Kindly, Choose Responsibly

Learn more about Tom and how to end drunk driving here:

Drunk Driving
Ending Drunk Driving
Drunk Driving
Celebrating a Life
Drunk Driving: In Memory of Tom Serewicz

The Thomas J. Serewicz, Sr. Foundation for Kind &Responsible Living remembers Tom’s loving and generous spirit by supporting a variety of charities and hosting an annual memorial picnic, which I attended today.

I met Tom and his wife, Cherise, at the Christian YouthConference at Ocean Park (CYC), when they were teenagers. It was where they met and decided to marry. (I looked after Cherise’s engagement ring once while she was out on a service project doing physical labor.) CYC meets for two weeks every August in Maine and is open to all high schoolers. There are still slots available for the 2016 conference. Check it out!

Song for Sunday: Escape

I am planning an escape room for my youth group tonight.

Also, my family is planning to watch "The Great Escape"

So, I thought a song with an escape theme would be good for Today's Song for Sunday.


This Enrique Iglesias song has lyrics that remind me that we can't escape God's love, no matter what we do or how we try to hide. I don't know if Mr. Iglesias meant it that way, in fact I am thinking not, but that's where I am at.


Hope you enjoy this link!!

 

Want to escape your routine this summer? Teens come to the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park this August.  It's two weeks of God, friends and fun -- on the beach. What's not to love?

Letting God Work

This story came to mind.

Two alcoholics in Britain attended a revival meeting and committed their lives to Jesus. Years later they met. The first said, "Since that night, praise God, I have never wanted a drink." The other said, "Since that night I have wanted a drink every single day but, praise God, He has given me the strength to resist every time."

This story may be apocryphal, but I do know people have given very similar testimonies. It shows how God works differently with each person.

Then I remembered this old story from the youth conferene I voluneer for (now called CYC.) It shows how God can work through love and acceptance to change a life -- and was just one example of this at the conference. It was described by Rev. John Douhan, quoted in Christian Youth Conference: A History.

Where else does a young man appear on his first day of camp, draped over the fence at the girls' camp, with cigarettes in each hand and puffing so much that he appears to be in a cloud? The staff did not admonish, did not scold, and gave no lectures on the health benefits of quitting. By the third day he was down to one cigarette and by the fourth day there were none! Following his three years at the Conference, he entered the service of his country and served as a Chaplain's assistent. 

Then I started reading the book The Core Realities of Youth Ministry by Mike Yaconelli and came across this quote from youth worker Heather Flies:

    During our end-end-of-junior-high trip, all the students are required to give testimonies of their faith. We encourage them to be authentic and specific. Typically, the testimonies begin, "I grew up in a Christian home and accepted Christ when I was 3 1/2 years old..." One year though, toward the end of the testimonies, Ted stood to give his. In about six minutes he genuinely explained that he had not yet put his faith in Christ and wasn't sure if he would do it. at this points looks of shock and anxiety spread across the faces of my other students. Immediately following our session, many came up to me and said, "We have to do something! Should we all write him notes?" They wanted so much to fix Ted.      Instead of starting a letter-writing campaign, I encouraged them to do what they were already doing --loving and accepting Ted and letting Christ's light shine through them, to be present for him so he could experience God's presence. "That's it?" they asked. "Yep."    God is still working on Ted and my kids are still working to let God work on Ted. 

I sense a theme here.. a message from God to me, perhaps. "Love." "Be present so others can sense my presence." "Let me work." 

Time for some meditaton, some self-evaluation, some prayer.


What messages has God been sending you?














CYC, the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park, provides a safe place and loving, accepting community for teens to meet God and experience Christian community. Check it out!

Why Forgive?

For Christians, the answer to "why forgive?" is easy. At least easy to recite.  We forgive (or should) because God forgave us. We forgive (or should) because God will forgive us in the same way we forgive others. We forgive (or should) because we are commanded to.


But there are other reasons to forgive that apply to those of any religion or none.


It is good for our mental health.

It helps us to be more rational and calm.

 Source: Forgiveness from Psychology and It's Practice.

It's good for our physical health.

Apparently, those who forgive have lower incidents of high blood pressure, stroke, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The Healing Power of Forgiveness from IDEA Health and Wellness

It makes us happier.

Forgiving gives us peace of mind, makes it easier to relax and lets us enjoy life more. 

Source: Forgive and... Feel Happier from  Greater Good.

It allows for better relationships.

It helps us to love each other well and allows for strong friendships, marriages and fellowships.

Source: Forgiveness and Relationships by Rodney Buchanan

For all these reasons and more, forgiveness is important.


What are your reasons for forgiving?

Fred Phelps Dies

So Fred Phelps has died.


He was the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church, the vile assemblage which preaches hate as its doctrine. Back in the 1960s, though, he was powerful civil rights attorney who championed African-American equality. People who knew him then have said they would never have guessed he would have lead protests at funerals and spewed hate speech. (CNN Article)




I have written about Westboro Baptist Church before:




           Praying for Westboro Baptist Church


           Westboro Baptist Church


           Scriptures on Love and Sin: A Follow-up Post




There are reports that Fred Phelps was excommunicated or estranged from his "church" back in August 2013. Perhaps he repented of some of his ways, perhaps it was a power grab. We'll never know. Westboro isn't talking.


They also aren't holding a funeral, saying they "don't worship the dead." So the people hoping to protest his funeral won't get to do that. Probably for the best. I don't think sinking to their level will be helpful.


I don't know where Fred Phelps' soul ended up and I don't care to speculate. Good may come of this -- perhaps the group will falter and fade without him. Perhaps some members will come to their senses. Perhaps God will reach out to them in love and comfort and they will come to know the truth. Perhaps the little children will learn that God is a God of love, hope, reconciliation and transformation. These are things to pray for.


Meanwhile, let's all show love to those we meet. It's the best counter for hate.


Have a blessed day!

Knitters' Devotional: Kindness

                           "The person who sows seeds of kindness enjoys a perpetual feast"

                                                                                              ~Proverb


We have all experienced kindness. For many of us it has brought refreshment at a difficult time or a smile on a tough day. Small kindnesses are a real blessing.

Knitters have many opportunities to be kind. When we knit for others or teach someone a new stitch we are exercising kindness. We also have the opportunity to speak charitably of others as we work together. It is good to guard against unkind words and vicious gossip. Kindness also reminds us that others bear burdens, too, and we should not think ill of them for things they do or fail to do.


Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote:

                       

“Kind hearts are the gardens,

Kind thoughts are the roots,

 Kind words are the flowers,

 Kind deeds are the fruits,

 Take care of your garden

 And keep out the weeds,

 Fill it with sunshine

 Kind words and kind deeds”

It is true. If we cultivate kind heart and kind ways of thinking, the rest will follow.

It is always good to be kind.


Kind and loving God, grant that we may grow in kindness, May we ever realize that we are called to do good to others. In Jesus name, Amen.




Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
 but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
                       declares the Lord.



This is my sixth post for the October 2013 Ultimate Blog Challenge.
 

Knitter's Devotional: Love

If you are at the right time of life, have you knit baby booties for a coming grandchild? Why’d you do it? I bet it’s because you couldn’t wait to meet that little one and had to do something for him or her right away. Or maybe you wanted to celebrate your child’s joy.

Love is like that. It makes us want to reach out to its object, to shower them with good things. That’s why many of us have made gifts for family and friends. Another way we may have shown love is, perhaps, by laying down our needles for a while to act as caregiver, chauffer, cook, cleaner and nurse. We placed the needs of others above our hobby and, likely, our own needs as well.

God loves us like that. Sacrificially. He loved us completely. He even died for us, while we were sinners. Before we even knew Him. Reflect on that for a moment. The truth is that if we really thought about it, we’d be dizzy. It is too awesome to be comprehensible.

But it’s real. The Cross may not be understandable, but it is Truth. You are beloved of God and He gave his life for you.

Awesome God, thank you for Your love and Your sacrifice. May we follow your example, loving as you have loved and giving our lives for others. In Jesus name, Amen.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

                         ~John 3:16

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

                      ~Romans 5: 7-8



I am writing a knitter's devotional and would appreciate constructive criticism and other feedback. Thanks!

Song for Sunday: Faith of Our Mothers

Happy Mother's Day!

Today's "Song for Sunday" is an homage to the faith and love of mothers, especially in the contexts of home and church. We sang it at worship this morning.

The music is the same as that of Faith of Our Fathers and in places I found the lyrics a bit stilted. They are trying to make the point, I think, that mothers' faith is just as good as fathers'. But that point is valid and the song caught me. The phrase that especially grabbed my attention was in the last verse:

"Faith of our mothers, Christian faith, In truth beyond our stumbling creeds, Still serve the home and serve the church..."

I was at the annual meeting of my region of American Baptists and a few times we heard about celebrating love above our theological differences. There are some things that do need to be addressed in the theological realm, but love should be first. Unconditional love, like that of mothers, like that of God.

Faith of Our Mothers

Faith of our mothers, living still In cradle song and bedtime prayer; In nursery lore and fireside love, Thy presence still pervades the air: Faith of our mothers, living faith! We will be true to thee to death. Faith of our mothers, loving faith, Fount of our childhood's trust and grace, Oh, may thy consercration prove Source of a finer, nobler race: Faith of our mothers, living faith, We will be true to thee till death. Faith of our mothers, guiding faith, For youthful longing, youthful doubt, How blurred our vision, blind our way, Thy providential care without: Faith of our mothers, guiding faith, We will be true to thee till death. Faith of our mothers, Christian faith, Is truth beyond our stumbling creeds, Still serve the home and save the Church, And breathe thy spirit through our deeds: Faith of our mothers, Christian faith! We will be true to thee till death. What song helps you celebrate the love of mothers?

In the wake of it all...

Last night, ending our vacation, my family went to a local sub shop and then to an ice cream parlor.

I noticed in each place, a Muslim family was there. (One of them had this gorgeous baby... but I digress.)

A few things came to mind as I enjoyed the time with my family.

First, I was very proud of these Muslim neighbors, who were not giving into fear but were out and about as "the manhunt" was on and the media was announcing that the suspect was an Islamic extremist on a jihad.

Secondly, I was proud of everyone else who was there. No one glared or behaved rudely. As the young children in the families ran about and behaved energetically, as children do, people smiled at them. These were the types of places such antics are expected and tolerated.

Then it hit me. It was Friday night. In the normal course of events, wouldn't these people be at worship? It turned out that most local mosques had closed. Some were in the "lock-down" area and could not have conducted services. Others closed as a precaution against both further bombings and unjustified retaliation.

In the middle of the events, I posted this on Facebook:

"As the media tells us that the suspect on the loose is a "jihadist" (which he may be) and Islamic Centers around Boston close (a sensible precaution) lets remember that the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful, law-abiding people who will need their neighbors to stand by them in the coming days. Say a prayer for them and reach out to your Muslim neighbors with support and compassion."

Thankfully, many agreed. I hope that Christians can reach out to those around us who may (God forbid it!) become the targets of hate.  Jesus commanded us to "love our neighbors as ourselves." Let's do it!!

And a prayer of thanks that the suspect was captured! We should certainly keep him in prayer, too. Assuming that he really is guilty, which has yet to be proven in court, he is surely a lost soul who needs all the prayer he can get.


What are your thoughts on the manhunt and its aftermath? 

Westboro Baptist Church

They're at it again.

Westboro Baptist Church is protesting at the funeral of another fallen soldier. This time, it is at a church just a few hours from me that is a member of the same region as my church. I know the pastor slightly and have friends who will attend the funeral to help form a shield between it and the protesters. The family has also invited the Patriots' Guard Riders to be present as an honor guard.

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog article on a bumper sticker I saw that read "Remember: Jesus Loves All the People You Hate." Westboro Baptist Church needs to get that message, learn that lesson. Their constant, explicit  message of hate is absolutely contradictory to God's word.

Think about it. The idea that God hates people because of sin is downright ridiculous. I mean, sure, he hates sin. However, if he hated people because of sin he would have sent the whole lot of us -- not just people who commit one particular sin or another but all of us straight to Hell with no questions asked. He has the authority to do that.

The authority, but not the will. So instead of sending us to Hell, He died for us. All of us. Any of us who follows Him gets to be with Him. Because He loves us. Period.

But, um, there is more to this...

......because if Jesus loves everyone we hate,

then Jesus loves...

                the people of Westboro Baptist Church

and we are supposed to do that, too.

Argh. I don't want to. I mean, have you heard what these people do? This whole thing just boggles my mind.

In a previous post about them, I wrote that we should not hate Westboro Baptist Church because that would be sinking to their level. I think I can manage that.

But there is a world of difference between not hating and actually loving them. I don't even know what that would look like or how to go about it. The idea kinda freaks me out, but it is commanded:

"Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you."

*Sigh* -- I am not even in the hardest position -- I have never been personally, directly affected by the actions of Westboro Baptist Church, but I srill can't get my mind around this.

How does it work? Any ideas?

I think I will begin by praying for them... and see where to go from there.

The Fight Against Cancer

Cancer is an ugly word because it names an ugly disease.

I lost my mom, Anne Picone,  to ovarian cancer on March 15, 2011. Eleven days later, my friend Peggy Goodhue succombed to lung cancer. Right now, my sister, Pam Turner,  is battling colon cancer. Over the years, various other family members and friends have fought the disease. Some have won, some have lost.

Great strides have been made in the treatment of some types of cancer. Others are still resistant to the doctors' best efforts. More research is needed and that means more money. In these days, it can be hard to decide where to donate hard-earned money. But so many of us have been touched by cancer. I hope you will consider this request.

Paul Goodhue is riding in the Pan Mass Challenge, a two-day bike ride organized to raise money for cancer research. He rides in memory of his wife Peggy and in honor of my sister Pam. A link to his "Pace Line" is below. He has worked and his dedication and riding stamina are amazing. Please consider supporting him or one of the other riders in the PMC. Thank you.


Paul Goodhue's PMC ride.


Have a blessed day!




This is my 22 post in the July 2012 Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Praying for Westboro Baptist Church

Recently, my church prayed that Westboro Baptist church would know God's love. If anyone needs to know God's love those people do.

Yesterday, a friend posted this article about a response to them:
Mississippi town figures out simple, effective way to stop Westboro Baptist Church funeral protest

While I don't like condoning someone being beating and the witnesses "not knowing anything", I think the rest of this response was awesome.

I also love the way the Patriot Guard Riders handle military funerals at which protesters are present. With the family's permission, they use their motorcylces and themselves to form a screen between the protesters and the funeral procession. They sing patriotic songs to drown out protester's chants. There is no violence, no confrontation as part of the strategy. They are there to both honor and protect fallen soldiers. More about them here: Patriot Guard Riders

Sometimes people are accused of hate by those who disagree with them. It's not always true. People can make a statement against a particular behavior without hating those who participate in it. In fact, it may be just the opposite. By the same token, groups that promote things that the Bible disagrees with do not necessarily hate God or Christians. They may simply not believe in God or they may love Him. Disagreement does not equal hate.


In the case of Westboro, though, hate is obvious. They preach it, teach it, announce it to the world. I don't think we should hate them back. Stand against their teachings and their actions at military funerals, yes. But not hate. That would make us too much like them. Personally, I don't want to go there.


I hope that some day the people of that church know God's love so that they can share it. Let's pray for that day.


Blessings on you!










"If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?" 1 John 4:20

If God can Love Turkeys, then God can Love You

Do you know that you are unconditionally loved by God? It's hard to believe sometimes, but it's true.



At Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park, affectionately known as CYC, we try to teach that. Sometimes, we succeed. When asked about a significant thing they learned at CYC, a few people gave these answers:

"I learned that no matter how much I may stray and may question God he still loves me unconditionally and when I am ready to come back he will have open arms. He is the almighty person who loves me unconditionally."

"That if God can love turkeys....God can love you!!!"

That second is actually a quote from a song we sing, often around the campfire. We would look into a neighbor's eyes and sing out:

If God can love turkeys, then God can love you
For you are a turkey and I am one, too.
So when you're lonely, remember the truth
If God can love turkeys, then God can love you.

It is one of the tools we use to let student know how deeply and dearly God loves them. Think about it. Turkeys are ridiculous creatures. Funny-looking, funny-acting, funny-sounding. But God made them. He made us, too, and he wants us in the worst way. He plain and simply adores us.

At CYC we also talk about Jesus' love in chapel, classes, progams and devotions. But the most effective method is to love unconditionally ourselves. We aim to love students unconditionally, model unconditional love amongst the staff and to encourage the students to love each other unconditionally. Have people loved you unconditionally? Have you known that joy? I hope so, because there is nothing like it.

I wish we were perfect at it at CYC, but we aren't of course. There are tensions at times. There are hurt feelings. There are people who feel forgotten or left out. We keep trying to do better.

Sometimes we do get it right. Here are a few more quotes from people who were there, about what they learned:

"Being able to fit in no matter who you are"

"When you become who you truly are meant to be, your real friends emerge!"

"Being how you were. No faking it. Going in a stranger, coming out with life long friends."


Pray with me that this community keeps growing in God's love and that more know Christ because of it. I pray that you experience God's abiding love.

Blessings on your day and remember God loves you!





For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ~John 3:16











Christian youth Conference at Ocean Park is a two week ecumenical conference for high school students held in August on the beautiful southern coast of Maine. The theme for the 2011 conference is "Face to Face" and will look at restoring relationships between God and individuals, and amongst people. Click here for more information.