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How to Affirm Harmony and Unity

You wouldn’t think that riding your bike would provide examples of harmony and unity. Just steps away from our house is a bike trail with incredible vegetation, vistas that provide sweeping views, and access to a pier that goes out into a large lake filled with jumping fish, wetland birds, alligators, and wildlife of all kinds. The other day I saw a turkey on the shore. One evening I watched the sun dip down into the far side of the lake.

Harmony and Unity

One of the best parts of any bike ride on that trail, is spending time out on that pier watching how the unity and harmony of nature plays itself out. There is an ecosystem that works the way in which it was intended by the Creator. There is life. And there is death. There is beauty. And in the midst of that beauty, ugly things, too.

In other words, it’s a mess. Just like life.

Yet in all of it there is harmony and unity that exhibits the way all things work together for good.

I have now had eight months to become part of the ecosystem of a new (for me) congregation. I have been serving, teaching, preaching, visiting, listening, asking, working, learning, and living with the people of Ascension Lutheran Church.  We’ve been trying to put the pieces together. I feel as though I’ve been placed into an ecosystem that had already been working well, but was seeking ways to find even greater harmony and unity.

For months we have been having meetings and events designed to bring greater harmony and unity into an ecosystem where people have been brought together for a specific purpose. It’s not always easy. Where there are personalities, changes, and opinions, there are ups and downs, highs and lows. But where people have a common there is always a harmony and unity whether or not it is realized.

Last month we got together as a congregation to talk about unity, harmony, and purpose. It was an event that was well-received and met with enthusiasm. From the people who set up the room and put together the luncheon, to those who sat at tables laughing and talking with one another, to artists who made balloon animals and took photos, there was a spirit of unity and harmony.

But the event ended in a way that demonstrated the unity and harmony that some may not have realized was present. Members of our traditional choir and our praise band came together at the front of the room to lead the entire group in singing, “Now Thank We All Our God.” Everyone willingly and happily joined hands together all the way around the room in an outward demonstration of unity and harmony.

God demonstrates unity and harmony in many and various ways. When His baptized people come together there is no greater unity and harmony here on earth. It isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s even ugly and death-defying.

The ecosystem of God’s church ought to be demonstrated far more than it often is. 

Where do you see harmony and unity demonstrated in the church, or otherwise?

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When I Was a (Re:Created) Civil War Soldier

As twilight sparkled behind the Tennessee hill, I thought I saw a Union soldier cresting its top. It was either a lantern or a light catching the eye of a deer. Either way, I wanted no part of it. If there were even the possibility of an enemy unit I knew my life was about to be in danger. So, when I was a Civil War soldier, I held my breath, didn’t move a muscle, and kept my good eye fixed on the top of the hill as the re:create twilight turned to night.

Twilight Hill

Actually, this was just last week. I was at the re:create conference in Franklin, Tennessee. Each evening we came out of the venue to take a breather or head somewhere for dinner. And when we did, I looked at the twilight twinkling behind that stately Franklin hill and imagined I had been living 140 years earlier. I couldn’t help but wonder what it must have been like to be sitting there staring off into the distance, keeping my guard up, wondering whether this night might be my last.

I think my imagination was running wild because the re:create conference gave me permission to do just that. It was so refreshing to spend a good four days with speakers, musicians, artists, and fellow Christian creatives who didn’t judge, who threw the floodgates of art wide open, who genuinely cared for one another. We were treated to amazing live musical performances of all different kinds. Listened and learned from world class speakers. Spent ample time discussing our art (and church practice), and even got to see a phenomenal Christian “illusionist.”

The purpose of re:create is to “encourage, refresh, and diffuse.” The encouragement came not only from speakers at the podium, it came from friends across the table. The refreshment came not only from songs filled our hearts with grace and our mouths with praise, it came through late night conversations with kindred spirits. The diffusion came not only as we sat in small groups discussing “take aways” from masterful talks, it came in quiet times early in the morning as we reflected on all that had taken place.

I was encouraged and refreshed by live music from the likes of Phil Madeira, Water and Rust, Graham Kendrick, Melissa Greene, and Amy Stroup. Live music, like nothing else, brings a happy calm to my soul. I was lost in so many moments, as I took in the masterful artistry and the compelling lyrics.

It’s no wonder that when I walked out into the twilight my imagination ran wild and I was free to be a Civil War soldier.

Now it’s time to diffuse all that I experienced and use it to practice my art in my time and at my place in life. In my vocation I will be a greater artist because of what I experienced at re:create ’13.

When was the last time you allowed your imagination to run wild? What did you envision?

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Creatively Influencing Culture for the Good

C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien both served as English professors at the University of Oxford. They creatively influenced culture for the good. If you’ve ever seen the movie Shadowlands (and it you haven’t, you really should), you saw them both having great discussions in a group they started called the Inklings. The Inklings was an informal literary discussion group. It was a group that wasn’t influenced by culture, but instead became an influence on culture through creativity, writing, and art.

Acoustic guitar with wood background

Watch out. There’s a new version of the Inklings in Nashville, Tennessee. This version doesn’t do its work in the area of literature. This is a group of musicians.

They hang out at Frothy Monkey Coffee Shop. They eat at places on 12th South like Edley’s BBQ, Burger Up, and Sloco Sandwiches. (If you ever get to Nashville, don’t miss 12th South!)

They write music together. They play in each other’s bands. They do mini tours together. They genuinely root for each other.

In the near future keep your eyes open for names like:

My college days were the hey day of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). I can remember sitting around in our dorm rooms debating whether CCM influenced culture, or whether culture influenced the Christian music industry. Deep down inside we all knew the answer. Christian music was often just a bad imitation of popular music with “Christian” lyrics.

Now the new Inklings are out to take the world by storm, influencing culture for the good by creating great art. They are all Christian, but their art isn’t a watered down version of art that’s already out there. Their morals, compassion, and empathy shine through their new music and their lives. The way they fight for each other, care for each other, and make art with each other is the light of Christ shining in and through them. They use their art as a vehicle to connect with people and have a positive influence.

People are beginning to take notice that there is something different about the way these and other artists go about their business. A very small corner of our culture is being influenced for the good. Before you know it, an even larger portion of our society may get a taste of it as well.

And I, for one, think that’s a really good thing.

How can you and your friends find a way to influence culture for the good and in a Christ-centered way?

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17 Days Toward the Fulfillment of Big Dreams

I finally did it today. It’s January 17th, and I finally did it. Before the end of last year I bought a really cool new calendar, called a “Seize the Year” calendar from neuyear.net. It’s described as being “stylish and innovative calendar” designed to “help you plan your year & punch 2013 in the throat.” Just seventeen days on the way to the fulfillment of big dreams.

Neu Year Calendar

I finally put it up today. 17 days into the year.

It was on the floor being flattened out because it came rolled up in a tube. I walked by it every day as I came in and out of my office. It sat there on the floor for more than seventeen days, and I just couldn’t bring myself to put it up.

I finally did it today. I forced myself to pick it up, peel the backing off the stickers that hold it to the wall, measured it up so that it was straight, and put hung it on the wall.

As I hung it up there I realized why it took my seventeen days to hang the thing on the wall:

  • I was scared
  • I was nervous
  • I knew that putting it up would mean that I would be holding myself accountable

There are some big plans and goals that I’m going to put on the calendar. As I think about them, I’m afraid of failure. I’m nervous I won’t follow through. Accountability is a scary thing because it means work, persistence, perseverance, tenacity, resolve, and diligence. It means time well ordered and well spent.

Now it’s on the wall and it’s time to overcome fear, nervousness, and lack of accountability. Sometimes a simple, “stylish and innovative” piece of paper is all it takes to light a fire that ignites the engines and gets a project started. Three or four big projects are going to be mapped out on that calendar, and I can’t wait to see the progress by the end of the year.

Seth Godin says the best time to start was yesterday. If you didn’t start yesterday, the second best time to start is today.

Maybe I’m 17 days too late. I didn’t start yesterday…or the day before. But I’m doing the second best thing.

And now there’s a simple piece of paper that holds me accountable. 

Planning great things is the first step toward doing great things.

What tools do you use to hold yourself accountable to pursue your big dreams?

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How to Find Sense When You’re “Out of Sorts”

Recently I have felt “out of sorts.” I can’t put my finger on it. I guess it’s a mixture of missing our “old” life in Milwaukee, trying to settle into  our “new” life in Florida, and seeking to establish a routine that is productive, creative, and fulfilling. It’s taking some time to make all of that happen.

Exhilaration

That’s why I’m finding the routine of the Church Year comforting. The rhythm and pattern of following the life of Jesus and then the life and growth of the church brings a certain calm and security. I’ve been through this pattern year after year throughout the course of my life. There’s something to be said for familiarity. It brings “sameness” while there is change all around.

Lauren Winner also reminded me of this in her new book, Still: Notes on a Mid-Life Faith Crisis. Yesterday’s date on the liturgical calendar was The Baptism of Our Lord. Winner writes brilliantly about the meaning of that special day:

The Epiphany story that most tempts my memory is the story of Jesus’ baptism. There is John at the river Jordan, and there are all those unwashed people who have come for his baptism, and in the queue is Jesus, who is without sin, who shouldn’t be in that line with all those sinning people: with Sam, the notorious adulterer; Jack, who’s known for swindling old ladies out of their last bit of income; Lila, who’s rumored to have committed infanticide; and also Mina, who’s just not very nice; and Michael, the prideful prig; and Gary, who made a fortune using shady business tactics. One by one, each of these sinners appears at the head of John’s line. And then Jesus appears. And John says, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” and Jesus insists.

The official reason that this is an Epiphany story is that after Jesus is baptized, a dove alights, and a voice comes from heaven declaring, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The voice is taken to be the answer to Epiphany’s question: this is who Jesus is — he is God’s  well-beloved and pleasing son. But this year, hearing in church again about Jesus’ baptism, I wonder if, before the voice from heaven and the celestial dove, it is also Jesus standing in line by the river that tells us who he is. At Christmastime, the church called Jesus Emmanuel, which means God-with-us — and now he is with us in the baptismal queue. He is the One who stands with humanity in this line that is all about our sinning, our shame.

And I am in this baptismal line too, with all those tawdry first-century sinners, with the embezzler and the adulterer and the prig. I’d prefer to stand aside from them, from the woman who committed infanticide and the man who cooked the books. But I stand here too. It feels like a relief.

It’s a relief to stand in that line. It brings comfort. It brings certainty. It brings familiarity.

But most importantly, it brings forgiveness.

And that is what I need to bring a life that is somewhat “out of sorts” back into sync again.

What is it that brings you comfort when you’re feeling “out of sorts”?

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I am Jean Valjean (and So Are You)

I am Jean Valjean, and so are you.

On Christmas Day our whole family went to see Les Mis. For me, the most powerful and striking scene (amongst many) was toward the beginning after Jean Valjean is released from prison. He had been serving years of hard time for stealing a loaf of bread. He can’t get anyone to take him in or give him a job. Finally, a priest takes him in. Valjean looks awful. He’s dirty, unkempt, tired, and so hungry that he eats his food like an animal. The nuns watch in horror. At just about that time the priest calls him an “honored guest.”

Grace 2

At that moment I realized that I am Jean Valjean. I saw myself dirty, unkempt, tired, and hungry…completely needy. In the eyes of the Master that is what I am. And not just me, but every human being. None of us deserve to be taken in.

I am Jean Valjean hanging my head in shame knowing that I do not even deserve to eat the crumbs from my Master’s table. But when I sit at the table I gorge myself like there will be no next meal. I need the food that He provides. I need it so badly that when I sit at the table I cannot get enough.

And then, like Valjean, I take for granted what my Master gives and try to steal more. As if He hadn’t already given me everything I need and more I abscond with what I don’t deserve.

Then, like the priest in Les Mis, my Master gives me everything I don’t deserve…and even more. 

I am Jean Valjean, a sinner of my own making, in need of a gracious Master. He has found me. Rescued me. Fed me. Forgiven me. And given me a purpose for living.

I am Jean Valjean. 

And so are you.

Come to my Master’s Table. He will welcome you.

Without question. Without cost. Completely undeserved.

With full grace and forgiveness.

I will always be His honored guest. 

And so will you.

 

What literary or movie character reminds you most of God’s great grace?

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Why What You Do Matters, Even If You Think It Doesn’t

You may sometimes think it doesn’t, but what you do matters. In the days following the Newtown tragedy (that’s not even the word for it, but I can’t think of a better one) everything was amplified. Compassion was amplified. Empathy was amplified. Care was amplified. Love for family was amplified. Joy eas amplified.

Even what you do for a living was amplified.

Joy

We were all reminded that life in this world is short. Sometimes far too short.

That’s why this world needs joy. And no matter what you do, you can be a bringer of joy.

I was reminded of this by two things that I observed in tho days following the Newtown “event.”

  1. Our daughter, Ashlyn, was in a show at the Orlando Repertory Theatre called Junior Claus. It was a happy little show about the son of Santa Claus looking for his place in life. Ashlyn played “Pengy” the Penguin, a comedic role that brought belly laughs from the little children in the audience. As I heard those laughs I couldn’t help but think about those poor little kids in Newtown. I hoped that they had the opportunity to have a chance to belly laugh in their short lives. What Ashlyn does matters because being an actor adds art, joy, and thoughtfulness to life.
  2. There is a Disney security guard who makes it part of his job to bring joy into the lives of little children. When he sees a little girl dressed up as a princess, he asks for her autograph. The girls are dumbfounded. At first they can’t believe that someone wants their autograph. But it isn’t long before they play along…and their whole day is made by the simple act of a security guard who realizes that his job matters. What the security guard does matters because he creates an event that a little girl will probably never forget.

If an actor and a security guard do things that make a difference in the lives of people, so will you. Make a decision, a “resolution” if you will, to do things that add joy, life, creativity, art, surprise, and happiness into the lives of those you encounter every day. The opportunities will be there. Open your eyes and you will see them.

Life is too short to think only of yourself. Make life a little more joyful for someone else.

What you do matters, even if you think it doesn’t.

What will you do add some joy into a life today?

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Where to Find the Faces of Faithfulness

Who’d have ever thought it would come to this. That’s probably what she was thinking as she sat there in the nursing home room feeding chocolate ice cream to her husband of 57 years. If you drew in your mind a picture of faithfulness, this is what it would look like.

Old Couple

He had been in the military and they had traveled the world. They lived in California, Europe, Pennsylvania, and now Florida. In his working days he was a flight engineer. After that all ended he engineered projects at home. She kept busy following after him and keeping a nice house.

Though they never had any children, they had each other. It was more than enough.

Now the worried look in her eye, and a few tears, reveal her concern. She still lives in their home, but he needs care that she can no longer give. So she visits every weekday when a caregiver gives her a ride. She wonders what the future holds. What would she ever do without him.

Faithfulness, thou art that married couple. 

There must have been ups and downs, happiness and hardship, joyful days and fun-filled dates. Faithfulness was woven through it all and bound them together like a loving knot. Love may not feel like it once did 57 years ago. It need not and must not. Now it’s deeper, fuller, more sincere, and wants only what’s best for the other.

Faithfulness is as rare and as unique as they are. It looks like an aged couple who care about nothing but the two of them. Together. It transcends any kind of space or time. It fills to the full the depths of an empty heart.

Faithfulness. Pity the soul that never finds it. Envy the one that does.

It is a gift beyond gifts.

Where have you recognized the gift of faithfulness?

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My 8 Favorite CD’s of 2012

I’ve always been a fan of lists, especially end-of-the-year lists. When this time of the year comes around I often find myself reflecting and contemplating what has transpired since the first day of the year (which seems like yesterday).

Every year there are certain CD’s that become the soundtrack of my life. This year I have found myself prominently listening to the following 8 CD’s that have given me joy, have caused me to think, and take me back to specific places and times in a year when my life went through significant change.

In no particular order, here are the 8 CD’s that were the soundtrack for my life this year:

  1. John Mayer: Born and Raised. My first listen through I wasn’t sure I’d like it. But I gave it a chance, and by the third time through I was hooked. These songs show (perhaps for the first time) a maturity in Mayer’s thinking. He’s been through a great deal, learned some lessons, and wrote about them. These songs carried me through a transition from Wisconsin to Florida.
  2. Dave Barnes: Stories to Tell. Dave Barnes is one of my favorite singer-songwriters. Our son took me and my wife, Tammy, to see him in concert in Nashville a couple of years ago. It was a night, and a concert, I will never forget. Dave’s songs are the kind of songs with which one can sing along. And that’s a high compliment for a singer-songwriter. Dave Barnes tells a story and puts his finger on emotions well.
  3. Mat Kearney: Young Love. It’s no secret why Mat Kearney has become so popular. He is unique. His pop songs infused with a few creative lines of rap here and there are like nothing else on the market today. She Got the Honey and Young, Dumb, and In Love are two of my “happy place” songs of the year. I can’t listen to them without instantly finding myself in a better mood. I’m also honored to know Nathan, who plays guitar with Kearney when he’s on the road.
  4. Robby Earle: Lifted. This CD, by our son’s former roommate, is one of the things I love about music: it bursts with young exuberance. A close listen reveals thoughtful and creative production. The lyrics are beyond the years of the songwriter. I would listen to this CD every morning as I ran during the hot summer months of Florida. Though it’s not on a major record label, it’s truly one of my favorite listens of the year.
  5. Parachute: The Way It Was. Although this album technically came out in 2011, it’s just the kind of music I love. One song in particular was used on Milwaukee Brewers’ TV broadcasts during their 2011 playoff run, and I can’t hear the song without thinking of that great time. More than that, these are songs that make me want to turn up the volume, roll down the windows, and sing along at the top of my lungs.
  6. The Civil Wars: Barton Hollow. Another hold over from 2011, this album is unique because of the duo that makes up The Civil Wars. If the duo ever plays a concert near you, do not miss it. The talent and ability of these two is almost beyond belief (note: the second leg of their current tour has been canceled; here’s to hoping they will tour again). True proof that talent, good songwriting, and passion will go a long way toward a great (yes, truly great!) record.
  7. Charlie Peacock: No Man’s Land. I’ve been a Charlie Peacock fan for most of his career. It had been a goodly number of years since his last release, so I looked forward to this album with great anticipation. Although it is completely different from anything he has ever done, it was better than I could have ever hoped. The CD is infused with a cajun, and sometimes zydeco flavor. But the stories and metaphor that Peacock uses are those of master songwriter. Charlie Peacock goes back to his roots for a very rootsy record. It is not to be missed.
  8. Over the Rhine: Snow Angel. Although this CD was recorded back in 2006, I didn’t discover it until a couple of weeks ago. It was a featured album on the free music web site called Noisetrade (if you haven’t even been to that web site, do so immediately; it’s a great way to discover new, up and coming artists, as well as music from well known musicians…all for free…or a tip). This duo has crafted an album of Christmas songs that is far superior to all the tired old stuff you hear on those 24-hour Christmas radio stations. Download this album for some sophisticated Christmas music like no other. It’s creative in the best sense of the word.

What are your favorite CD’s, albums, or songs from 2012?

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A Life in 12 Slides

Today I was incredibly moved by a video on the blog of one of my heroes, Michael Hyatt (see it here). Like Michael, I was inspired by the words spoken on the video:

You think this is just another day in your life. It’s not just another day. It’s the one day that is given to you today…. It’s the only gift that you have right now. And the only appropriate response is gratefulness.

Gratefulness comes a day at a time. And the video (…you really need to see it…watch it here…) uses incredible images as a background to a (for lack of a better term) essay on observing the world around you and being grateful.

It got me to thinking about being grateful for specific days throughout my life. What if I had to condense my life into twelve slides depicting twelve days for which I am grateful?

Here are twelve slides that I might put into such a presentation:

  1. Two Months Old: Lying in a crib surrounded by two loving parents in a Wauwatosa, Wisconsin bungalow.
  2. Seven Years Old: Playing football with my friend, Louie, in our Tacoma Street front yard. I’m wearing a Bart Starr jersey.
  3. Eleven Years Old: Piling into our new Toyota station wagon with my mom, dad, and two sisters, headed to Florida for a trip to Disney.
  4. Sixteen Years Old: Diving into the high school pool as the starting gun goes off for a race in the 100 yard butterfly event.
  5. Nineteen Years Old: Sitting in the bus as the lead singer of a band called Joy, Inc., driving through the Rocky Mountains, staring at the one who would one day be my wife.
  6. Twenty-One Years Old: Standing on stage at Concordia University, playing “Jesus” in Godspell.
  7. Twenty-Two Years Old: Standing at the altar of Trinity Lutheran Church in Peoria, Illinois, marrying the love of my life.
  8. Mid-Twenties: A side-by-side slide of two little babies, both of our children, born in St. Louis.
  9. Twenty-Eight Years Old: Walking across the outdoor stage, graduating from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
  10. Early Thirties: Walking with my family on a brisk winter day at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on one of our many visits while we lived there.
  11. Forty-Five Years Old: Sitting in a theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska watching our daughter, Ashlyn, play “Catherine” in Pippin.
  12. Forty-Eight Years Old: Sitting in the Curb Event Center at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, watching our son, Ben, play with his band “My Red and Blue” in the Belmont Rock Showcase.

And there are more slides I could have included, like:

  • Living in North Carolina
  • Worship at Mt. Calvary
  • Dinner at a wonderful Milwaukee restaurant with my parents
  • Christmas Eve dinner in our home
  • Moving to Florida
  • Watching our house being built

Yes, there is much for which to be grateful. What a slide show it would make.

What slides would you include?