Presby-Musings

Amid life’s tumult, a profound beauty often goes unnoticed. The beauty of the fragility and impermanence of life.   A few years ago, I was reflecting on that unnoticed beauty and felt inspired to write the following short poem, which emerged in a very prose-like form:   Light  The sky reveals nothing of its own thoughts.  It simply shifts and changes as the elements and the immense expanses of space act upon it. Colors appear with the light, growing brighter, reflecting, refracting—a kaleidoscope of star-shine born eight minutes and twenty seconds ago from the fiery furnace of the star we float so tenuously next to in just the right distance to preserve our lives.  I don't often over-analyze my own poetry because their meanings tend to be more personal in nature and, most often, are an attempt to capture a moment or a feeling. But this one needs some unpacking.   I sought to capture the delicate interplay of elements that create the ever-chan...

This week, I came across a social media post from a Reformed Baptist Pastor that got me thinking.  This particular pastor was incensed at the Episcopal Bishop who pled with President Trump to be merciful during her sermon at the Inaugural worship service in the National Cathedral.  I  saw my fair share of angry social media posts and articles about that moment, including more than a few decrying that a woman was preaching in the first place, which is a whole other issue.  But the post in question from the Reformed Baptist pastor really got my attention.  This is what he said:  Do not commit the sin of empathy. This snake is God's enemy and yours too. She hates God and his people. You need to properly hate in response. She is not merely deceived but is a deceiver. Your eye shall no t pity. There is so much about this message that just saddens me.  The fact that a pastor would be encouraging people to hate is pretty horrible, not to be outdone by likenin...

Throughout his ministry, Jesus taught his followers what it means to be peacemakers, the kinds of people who value relationships over rhetoric and do whatever they can to unite rather than divide.  He taught that they should be "salt" and "light" in the world, which meant that they ought to be the ones bringing the "flavor" of peace and unity and helping the people around them see the light of God's love more easily.   It wasn't easy for them.  Even among the twelve disciples, there were disagreements and deep-seated cultural differences.  But they somehow could find a way forward with one another and then to the world around them.   That same mandate of being a peacemaker is still a true thing for those of us who say that we want to follow Jesus.  We live in a divided country where truth is distorted, scapegoating is real, and it's becoming harder and harder each day to trust one another.   Tania Runyan's poignant words from "The Firs...

It’s the Third Sunday of Epiphany and the beginning of a new sermon series, The Gospel According to Luke .   For the rest of the Season of Epiphany, we will be studying Luke's Gospel and uncovering what surprises it holds for us when it comes to seeing who Jesus is for us today.    Epiphany is defined as a realization, a sudden revelation that changes everything.   Today, we will be learning something that might surprise us, and it has to do with Jesus and what we came to do.   What Was Jesus Mission? To make sure we go to heaven when we die?  Because Jesus talked more about money than he did about heaven and hell, we can naturally assume that Jesus' mission was more significant than that.  To start a religion? To begin a revolution?  Neither one.  He definitely didn't come to start a religion; in fact, he had a lot of critiques for organized religion and what it had become in his day. And he definitely didn't come to start an ...

On Inauguration Day, President Trump attended the traditional worship service at the National Cathedral, where the sermon was delivered by the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, DC, the Right Rev. Mariann Budde.   As part of her sermon, Budde drew directly from the Bible to offer the following plea to the President:  “Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you and, as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now." She went on to speak about some of these people, including immigrants and members of the LGBTQ community.   The President did not take kindly to her words and took to his Truth Social platform later that night to personally attack her.   I've seen a lot of similar attacks of Bishop Budde on my social media feeds coming from friends who I know identify as staunchly Christian....

A friend recently asked me how many references to men being liars there were in the Bible. I had to admit to them I  didn't know and didn't have the time to do a thorough search.   But I did caution them that almost all of the references that included the gender-specific term "men" were most likely from Greek and Hebrew words that could also be interpreted as "people." and that the epithet of "liar" was most likely meant to cover all of humankind. It wasn't exactly what they wanted to hear.  Apparently, I was entering into a larger conversation requiring biblical references to focus specifically on men, not humankind.   The gist of the conversation was that if women were in charge of our country, things wouldn't be so messed up.  I tend to agree with this.  This past week has been an absolute s**t show in Washington DC.     I get it.  In a world that often feels overwhelming and burdensome, it is natural for many to seek solace...

I've had more than my fair share of regrets in life.  Sometimes, the pain and bitterness of those regrets pop up unexpectedly, which can mess up my day at the least or send me into some dark places in my head at worst. The other day, I had a painful moment of regret over something that happened years ago, and I found myself beating myself up emotionally over it. I'd started my day off pretty well that day and suddenly found myself wanting nothing more but to hole up in my house and eat as many snacks as possible.  "How could you have done that?" I asked myself out loud about the moment from the past.  There was no good answer to that question.   Regret is a profound emotion that can weigh heavily on our hearts and minds, often leading to a cycle of negativity that holds us back from living fully in the present and pursuing our dreams.  It's easy to get trapped in the shadows of past mistakes, to replay events in our minds as if they were scenes in a movie w...

It snowed last night here in Central Texas.  It wasn't much, to be fair, more like a "light dusting." But still, it snowed and won't melt for a bit because it feels like 11 degrees outside.  Listen, I grew up in Colorado and lived in Chicago for four years, so I can already hear the snarky comments from all of my readers from "Up North."  You think it's cute that all of us Texans are freaking out because of 1-2 inches of snow, canceling school, and clearing out the grocery stores of bread, water, and tuna.   But things can get rough when you have zero infrastructure for wintry weather.   When you don't have the resources to handle the problem of snow and ice, things get shut down, and your whole city can become paralyzed until the temperature rises and starts to melt everything.  You might know a storm is coming, but when you can't prepare for it well, you can feel as though you are at the mercy of whatever occurs, and your only hope is that it w...

It’s the Second Sunday of the season of Epiphany.  The word "epiphany" means a realization, a sudden revelation that changes everything.   The Season of Epiphany is when we reflect on the transformation that Jesus still has in the world and our lives.   Many of us might well be asking, "If Jesus is supposed to change everything for the better, then why doesn't it seem to be getting better in the world and in my life?"  That's a very good question.   It’s a New Year, but We’ve Got Some Familiar Worries…  Maybe you were really ready to turn the page on the calendar…  At some point, maybe you start to wonder:  “Is it really going to be any better?” Tomorrow, we will inaugurate a new president.  For some, this is simply a harbinger of terrible things to come.  For others, it's the fulfillment of their hopes.   I won't be watching.  I've grown weary of all of it.  In fact, I have been so much happier since I...

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the noise of our thoughts and the distractions of our surroundings. God knows I've had my own struggles with this over the past year.   We find ourselves worrying about the future, replaying the past, or thinking about the endless to-do lists that never seem to diminish. However, the truth is that the key to feeling fully alive lies in our ability to immerse ourselves in the present moment.  In his influential book Be Here Now , Ram Dass emphasizes the transformative power of presence with his inspiring declaration:  "The most important thing is to be here now. When we are fully engaged in the present moment, we liberate ourselves from the chains of the past and the anxieties of the future. Being here now allows us to experience life in its fullness, to connect deeply with ourselves and others, and to truly recognize the beauty in every moment. In essence, embracing the present transforms ...

I have a confession to make.  I was so glad to count down the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025.  I never want to "ring in" the New Year by doing the countdown and then shouting and cheering when it's over.  Usually, I'm fast asleep when it happens.   But this year was different.  I did the countdown with gusto, encouraging everyone in the hotel bar, where I happened to be, to do the same. I may have frightened them, truth be told.   Good riddance to 2024.  It was definitely not my favorite year for a lot of good reasons.   But as I've been pondering all of my feelings about the end of a challenging year, I've also started to wonder what it takes to really and truly find a new way forward.   I've got this little sign next to my bed that I have been staring at all morning, and it declares this inspirational sentiment:  "If it is to be, it is up to me."  Right this second, I am thinking, "Easier said than done,...

As we enter the Season of Epiphany, it’s easy to overlook this remarkable period between the joyous celebration of Christmas and the contemplative journey toward Lent.  Yet, we ought to pause and reflect on the profound importance of Epiphany for all of us who identify as Christians. This season is not merely a break in the calendar; it is a vital opportunity for spiritual reflection, renewal, and awakening. At its core, Epiphany serves as a crucial reminder that God's presence in the world extends far beyond our limited perceptions. We desperately need this reminder in a world filled with distractions and challenges.  Every day, we feel the weight of despair, uncertainty, and doubt clouding our vision of God’s transformative love. Epiphany invites us to lift our eyes and hearts, instilling a sense of wonder and possibility. This time of year prompts deep contemplation about the implications of experiencing Epiphany as a series of startling revelations. It offers a space to en...

Since we have just entered the Season of Epiphany, I thought I'd spend some time thinking and reflecting on what it means to be startled, amazed, and filled with wonder by God. First, I think most of us suffer from a decided lack of amazement and wonder. We aren't often startled by what God is doing in, through, and around us.   I think there are a lot of reasons for this.  But mostly, I think it's because we've lost our ability to see all the signs and wonders in the world around us. After all, we're too busy, distracted, online, and jaded...   We're not lifting up our eyes.   We're not lifting up our hearts.  We're not lifting up our spirits.  We spend hours buried in screens, barely able to tell the difference between one day and the next.  Perhaps it's time for a change.   If we spent some time "priming the pump" of our holy imagination, we would begin to experience a flow of energy, creativity, wonder, amazement, and joy, ...

I have a debate that has been going on inside my head for a few weeks now about whether or not to make some resolutions for 2025.   I decided to give myself a break because I was traveling so much during the first couple of weeks of the new year and to give my New Year's resolutions some serious thought after all that.  Well, the time has come, but I'm now fighting a sinus infection or something like it, which has laid me a bit low, so I'm giving myself more grace.   I'm wondering, at this point, if there are any other excuses I can make to postpone things.  I mean, there's still football on TV for a while yet.  I could wait until after the Super Bowl, which sounds reasonable.   I am worried that I don't have a good track record with New Year's resolutions, which doesn't make me feel all that good about myself.  I also know that I am not alone in any of this, which has me reflecting a bit on the idea of resolutions and why we struggle to...