27 of 52 Trip Around The
Sun -
Have traveled about 303,400,000 miles.
That’s
half the way Around The Sun plus another over
11,000,000 miles.
Thoughts
during the week:
One day a little girl was sitting and watching her
mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly
noticed that her mother had several strands of white
hair sticking out in contrast to her brunette hair.
She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why
are some of your hairs white, Mom?"
Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do
something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my
hairs turns white." The little girl thought about this
revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come
ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"
It’s
not only the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus we tell untruths about – but a
thousand other things as well. Conclusions will be drawn from our stories –
it’s inevitable. For some, the revelation that there really
is no such person as a real Santa Claus who can fly with reindeer pulling his
sleigh – is a revelation that much of what we are taught cannot be trusted.
Most children probably will not draw this conclusion – but some will. To this
day, I can remember the “proofs” that were given – the disappearing hot
chocolate, for example.
It was
my cousin who told me the truth. After calling him a liar – and then after
finding out he was telling me the truth, while it was all the others who were
lying, I found my cousin, only six months older than I, more worthy of my trust
than my own parents. I can remember feeling confused. There was even a little
money involved. My cousin bet me a dime that there was no Santa Claus. Taking
our argument to the adults, my cousin was made to pay me the dime. (I assume
they gave it back to him – but don’t really know that.) I was embarrassed later
(maybe another six months or even a year) when I found I had taken his dime
wrongly. I tried to give it back, and he wouldn’t take it. (It was as if he
were saying, “Look – I told you the truth, and you took my dime – so keep it!”
This was embarrassing to me, and a result of lies told to me. But more serious,
I think – was the forcing of my cousin to participate in the lie after he had
tried to tell the truth.
Now how
do we feel about this? Are we a little angry that one little boy told another
little boy the truth?
I am
finding this very true among adults. If I tell them the truth, someone is mad
at me. To this very day, I am still not sure if it’s good to tell the truth.
I’ve done it at church and had glares.
Want to
hear an example? (Skip the next little paragraph if not.)
The
first human to live and die on this planet did not live a mere 6000 or so years
ago – but much much longer ago than that. These were
humans with full languages – tools – fire – societies - etc. – our same species
- not just some near-human animals. The geologic record is also contextual –
these humans did not come from somewhere else, but were born here on this
planet and lived out their lives. They are our actual near ancestors. From the
very beginning of the Old Testament, it’s full of lies if we take it literally.
That’s
the truth – pure and simple. It seems to me that the truth ought to be told to
adults – even if some of the fun (and hopefully innocuous) lies may be ok for
the children. I know we did the Santa Claus thing with our own kids – and I
think it was fine. We revealed the truth at a relatively young age for them,
and cautioned them not to harm others with their knowledge. Among adults, I’m
not sure if lies are ok. I used to think I was sure that they were not ok – now I’m not sure. I want to be
honest with adults, but I also want to be effective. Sometimes honesty appears
ineffective and makes enemies (mild or even more so). Do we simply want to be lied to?
The
Visit:
This
was visit 27 of 52 in The Trip Around The Sun.
I have
had only one other significant interface with the Nazarenes. It was during my
mission and was a very positive experience. It was rare to have positive
experiences with other churches. Most of them regarded us as the Devil’s
teachers.
Not so,
the Nazarenes.
The
Yellow Pages said their first meeting was at
This
was a nice environment. I’d like to draw a picture of the layout. The “Santuary,” which is “Chapel” to us, was a hexagon. If you
cut that hexagon into a six-piece pie, two of those were the stage – pointed at
the front - only about a foot high. At the apex was the lectern. Then the
seating was in the other four pieces, but with the center empty. The minister
could stand exactly at our level there and speak more informally, like teaching
a Sunday School class. Then he could step up just a
foot or so to the large podium (stage) and behind the lectern to speak more
formally. The two sections of podium have three rows of seating against the
walls – for the choir, etc. It was a very warm arrangement – kind of a compromise
between a regular stage across the front and one like we’ve seen when we go to
“Theatre-in-the-round.” I really liked it.
There
was little difference in the music for the two meetings. The instrumentation
was different – guitar in the first – organ and piano in the second, but the
songs were essentially the same – with the words projected. That’s obviously
popular in both formal and informal meetings, though among the Presbyterians,
they did it for the informal and not for the formal meeting. Here among the
Nazarenes, they projected for both.
In the
informal version, there were no ties – even the minister was dressed in shirt
and sweater-vest with no tie. Then in the second meeting, I was well
under-dressed. Suits and ties were common – including, of course, the minister.
Message:
This was the same in both meetings.
I took
lots of notes – but I’ll just put down here a few highlights.
Peter
came upon a beggar who was lame. Peter had no money – and said, “Silver and
gold have I none – but rise and walk and be healed.” The minister asked, “When
something like this happens, why would it surprise you?” I thought that an
interesting question. It’s as if to say, “This is not news – it’s to be
expected.”
God is
a God of creation, but He is also a God of revelation. (Now I’m curious.)
He is a
revealing God.
He is
unfolding His plan. (This looks like modern revelation. The minister did not
say He has unfolded, but is unfolding.)
Pentecost
was the first time people were filled with the Holy Spirit, but it was not the
last.
(We, of
course, would also not regard it as the first, but it’s interesting to hear
that the belief here is that it was not the last.)
Encounters
with the Living God do not have to end.
God is
always ready to reveal to us. (!!)
Look how
they prayed. With praise, not pity. For power, not for
protection. With confidence, not cowardly.
God is
not on someone’s side. I played basketball years ago. Sometimes, we would have
prayer in the locker room before the game. Anyone who wanted to could say a few
words. Most said things like, “Keep us safe, and help us to play well”, etc.
But one guy said, “This team we’re playing today has won every game – we have
won none – We really need to beat these guys. Help us to beat them.” As the
minister remembers it, they lost that game too.
Then he
asked an interesting question: “So who’s side would
God be on when the Catholics of Notre Dame play the Methodists of
He
didn’t answer the question; he already had. God is not on someone’s side. I
thought it interesting that this protestant church would feel about the same
for the Catholics as for the Methodists – that both are God’s people who accept
Jesus Christ. The interesting part of this was that it was simply an assumption
– no explanation required – all the congregation would
understand the same. “What does God do with two Christian groups when they both
want to win?” I thought of another two groups praying – the farmers for rain –
and the group going on a picnic to please not have rain. Will the answer depend
on who is the more righteous of the two groups? Or will it depend on who has
the greater need? Or will it rain if the conditions are right – and not if not
– and God’s doing something else? (We think the latter, right?)
At the
end of this visit report, I will tell everyone of my first experience with the
Nazarenes in the mission field, as it illustrates this attitude. During this
Trip, I’ve found quite a few who like all Christian denominations “except maybe
the Mormons – and maybe the Jehovah’s Witnesses – and maybe the Catholics.”
He
quoted the Episcopalian, Garrison Keillor. “We don’t
come to hear lectures on ethical behavior. We go to hear the mysteries. We come
to have an encounter with the Living God. Just a brief moment of transcendence
causes one to come out of church as a changed person.”
Some of
you know Garrison Keillor from “A Prairie Home
Companion,” on the radio. He plays the part of being from a small Lutheran
town. Leona and I love to listen. He’s not afraid to go outside the square a
little – but is at foundation very positive and reverent. Garrison did not grow
up Lutheran, but in a small unknown little church. He is now Episcopalian.
We
don’t need to come to God as a beggar, but boldly – asking for great things
that are good. He repeated that we should ask for power, not forgiveness or
protection. (I think the assumption here is that we are already forgiven,
already protected from any important danger – now it is time to act with
power.)
We
don’t pray to win games – but for power to do good.
Serve
Him and speak boldly to share it.
I
enjoyed this talk very much.
Sunday School:
I
attended a senior’s class. They have two – one is for really full-blown seniors
– and this one for regular seniors.
Announcements:
Among others,
the Christmas party for the class. “How many would come if we have it on a
Sunday?” Most raised hands. It appears the letter of the law plays a smaller
role here.
The
teacher was an old Navy man. I could relate to his experiences quite a lot.
“As we
get old, the story becomes more and more precious.”
“Doing
evil because you know no better, that’s what church is for – so we can know
better.”
“When a
guy stands up thanking the Lord, and he uses a couple of swear words, well see,
he didn’t know any better.”
“All
the churches – not just our denomination, are losing reverence”
“When
Connie left (That’s the Aircraft Carrier Constellation,) there was real
reverence. People weren’t making lots of noise – just being reverent as she
went away.”
“See –
we call ships ‘She’ – not ‘He’ – that’s because that ship is like a mother to
us.
“When I
was new on a ship, and had to stand at attention, I was wondering ‘What is
this? This is dumb.’ After some time, it was different. I got reverence for
that ship.”
“Last
week, they were having a movie in the sanctuary – and there was people eating
popcorn in there. It was like I was stabbed! (He stabbed against his heart.)
Boy – on that ship – if someone started eating popcorn while we were at
attention – Boom! Gone!”
Someone
in the class said, “That was only that one time – because the rec. hall was
being worked on – and they asked the kids not to take popcorn in there.”
“I know
– but it was like being stabbed, and they did take popcorn in there.”
“The
sanctuary is special – and needs reverence.”
“I’ve seen it in the cathedrals in
(I
wondered if the accepting attitude of Nazarenes goes to non-Christian groups as
well.)
“People
say they give their stuff when they die. They didn’t Give
it, they Left it. Giving isn’t something you do after you die.”
This
one made me think of Mom and Dad. They didn’t want to have anything left when
they died – and gave away most all of it while they were still alive. They were
giving all their lives. They didn’t have lots, but what they had, they reduced
to near zero before they died.
“If it
took gold and silver to win, God would just give us lots of it to give away.
That’s not what it takes.”
There’s
an old story about a guy who asked his wife to be sure that there was a big
gold brick in his casket. Arriving at the pearly gates, Peter asks why the guy
wants to bring in a “paver.”
That’s
visit 27 of 52 Trip
Around The Sun
Now the
story about the Nazarenes in
In
those days, we were not encouraged to be a part of “interfaith” activities.
There was, however, a softball league in
My
companion and I were assigned about 11 miles North of Logan in Chapmanville.
The
During
one of the games, we were playing against the Nazarenes. It was not winter, but
it was colder than usual for the season. The Nazarene minister heard us talking
about some baptisms we were going to perform in the river.
He came
to us and told us that they have a font for baptizing in their church. He would
be glad to fill it and warm it up, and then we could use it.
We
baptized two people in that font, with several Nazarenes enthusiastically
witnessing, along with some of the Mormons in the area.
I have
never ceased being impressed with that.
(I’m
not sure how happy that nice man was with his gift – after the Mormons broke
their winning streak and won the championship. It was in the paper. “Mormons
beat the Nazarenes.”)
Now
I’ll just leave this open-ended: If another church needed a font, could ours be
made available?
I
wondered, after what the Sunday School teacher said,
if the Nazarenes would be helpful to a Muslim in getting an ordinance
performed. ??
27 of 52 Trip Around The
Sun -