Recovery

The flood waters are receding in Iowa. Clean-up has begun. Ames missed the worst of it this time around but many folks have memories of the floods of '93. Our prayers are with those who are doing the grueling work of salvaging possessions and clearing fields of debris. It is hard to imagine the scope of this disaster. Last week I drove across Iowa north of Waterloo. I ended up on a detour which took me on a gravel road with parts of the shoulders washed away. Side roads were closed, culverts were up sticking up into the air. Fields are decimated. The long term economic impact of this flood overwhelms us. Where will the energy come from to rebuild and restore?

Psalm 126:4-6 (NRSV)
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
[5] May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
[6] Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.

Raindrops keep falling...

After a challenging winter, we are faced with an equally challenging spring. The rains comes down, the water comes up. Ames has flooded, the ground remains soggy and mud is all around. As I write this blog the sun is shining, but it glistens off the wet leaves. And the forecast? More rain. At times like this I call to mind Psalm Psalm 69:1-3 (NRSV)

Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.
[2] I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
[3] I am weary with my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God.

God hears...and the end of the Psalm is also our response:

Psalm 69:30-34 (NRSV)
I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
[31] This will please the Lord more than an ox
or a bull with horns and hoofs.
[32] Let the oppressed see it and be glad;
you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
[33] For the Lord hears the needy,
and does not despise his own that are in bonds.

[34] Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.

So even in the rain, may our song be that of thanksgiving to the Lord who hears the needy and sends us to serve them.

Spring at last

What a joy to see the trees filling with fresh green leaves! After a long, harsh winter the feel of sun on ones face, the tulips filling the fronts of houses with color, even that first whiff of new-mown grass brings refreshment and re energizes us. I love getting out and digging in the dirt, even pulling weeds has a strange appeal at this time of year. Once again we are reminded that spring always arrives. Just when it seems winter will never end, it does. The earth warms and new life surrounds us.

And so it is in our lives. We have times of harsh winter, nights that seem as if they will never end, days of shivering in our souls. But God is always at hand, ready with the warmth of love and compassion.
"Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed." Hebrews 12:12- 13 (NRSV)

Reading

Every two years I attend the Festival of Faith and Writing held at Calvin College. It is always an inspiring event as authors, illustrators, poets and musicians talk about their work and their inspiration. This year I heard Elizabeth Berg talk of how her own life and faith play a role in her novels. Mordecai Gerstein drew pictures with a black marker as he told us Midrash stories. Yann Martel, author of "Life of Pi" shared his story of discovering the diversity and beauty of faith in India. These are all folks whose works are not classified as "Christian Fiction" but are mainstream works that have faith woven deeply into their fiber. Elizabeth Strout said: "People come to literature to be saved...the person who needs my book will find it." She continued, "All writing is an act of faith." I would go further and saying that living itself is an act of faith. Writers reflect that in their works, helping us realize it as we read. Good writing doesn't just reflect life, it opens it up and plumbs the depths. And along the way, we find grace and hope.

Perspective

It's all a matter of how you look at it. The other day one of my boys came out of his room dressed for school. "You're pants are a little short, why don't you find longer ones?" I said. He responded patiently to me, "It's okay, Mom. I'll just wear extremely tall socks."

Here is a 9 year old, as ease with himself and satisfied with what he has. He found the easy solution and off he went. How often adults fret and worry over looks, possessions, appearance. What does it take for us to be content with what we have so that we can go off and just enjoy the day? St. Augustine said it best: "My heart is restless until it rests in thee."

Today, let my heart rest. May I be content with what I have. So I'll pull up my socks and head out into the world...at peace.

Compost

As the snow melts my thoughts turn to compost. I have three big, homemade compost bins in my back yard. Sometimes I get lazy and don't bring the kitchen scraps and coffee grounds out to the bins (or send it out with the kids). But now that the weather is warming up I'll get back in the collecting routine. I love having compost to use. It is amazing how scraps and yard debris transform into amazingly rich, black soil that my plants love. We have scraps and debris in our lives. The pains of the years, some guilt...sprinkle in some grounds of prejudice and misunderstandings. These end up in the bin our hearts. But as the weather warms and heats the clippings in my compost bin...love, of God and others, warms our hearts...turning the debris of our lives into rich soil. A soil that makes us grow stronger and more confident: a soil that lets us grow and give back to the world around us. Hi Stan!

Spring Break

Spring break in Ames falls during Holy Week this year. Many, many families take the week to travel, students head south to sunny beaches, and the town settles into quieter traffic patterns and shorter lines at stores and restaurants. Church life, however, continues. We keep to our Holy Week schedule of services, not knowing how many bulletins to print or how many choir members will be around. But we keep the faith anyway. We will gather to worship and hear once again the dramatic story of Jesus last days. I love the drama of Palm Sunday, the "Hosannas" that echo in the building which later shift to the eerie cries of "crucify him." I am always moved by the washing of feet on Maundy Thursday and the solemn songs of Good Friday. The week centers our faith. It reminds us again of how much God loves us and longs to be with us, even in the face of death. This year, our Good Friday service will focus our attention on trouble spots around the world as we pray for justice and peace. We break away from our secure and settle lives to cry out with all who still suffer, all whose lives are bordered by fear and death. Remember the cries of all who long for freedom. Pray on behalf of those who suffer. Sing for those who have no voice. And remember that Jesus lived and died for all people.