Percolating and Pondering

An Attitude of Gratitude

2011-11-20T20:59:00.001-06:00

There are so many times that I say to people how much I love my church. How much I appreciate how willing they all are to give and share of themselves. Today as I watched their gifts come in for our turkey giveaway on Wednesday, I was so thankful, overwhelmed and grateful. It was awesome. I know that’s a lot of adjectives, but that is how I felt. I have learned so much from all of them and all of you. As I thought about the day, I started to think about gratitude. What is gratitude really, at least for me, here’s where I am.

Gratitude is recognizing the beauty that is already our life. Looking around and being aware of all that surrounds us. Our family, our friends, our job, and whatever else fits the list for each of us.

Gratitude is the moments of peace and harmony in our life, when we feel most connected to God, the Divine, the Earth. Gratitude is realizing that the Creator is within each one of us. It is “Namaste” which means the divine in me recognizes and appreciates the divine in you. It means to be present and at peace.

Being grateful doesn't deny that there is pain. It doesn't ignore that we have confusion. It doesn't negate our fear. It doesn't cover up that we are stressed. It's not meant to guilt people into trying to pretend happiness. It doesn't even fix everything and give us the perfect life.

But it does give us strength and hope. It gives us the ability to keep moving forward. And as we step into the chaos of family, events, memories, expectations, relationships and decisions this holiday season-- we could all use a little more strength, a little more joy, a little more peace and a little more hope. I am so grateful for you and for me. Be blessed, brian

You Matter, Life Matters

2011-10-24T12:20:00.000-05:00

Some of you know that a friend of mine from high school died last week. In the aftermath of all that was going on, his parents had the courage and honesty to let people know that John had taken his own life. He was 35 years old, a restaurant owner and chef in Kansas City. He appeared to have everything going right in his life, but to often the outside doesn't reflect the inside.

I know that there are times in our lives that can get very dark. That sometimes we can't seem to find our way. When everything seems unimportant, we seem unimportant, life seems to not matter.

Please, please hear these word. YOU MATTER, YOUR LIFE MATTERS! If you are feeling alone, if inside you feel like no one cares about you, please, talk to someone. I promise you, people do care. Sorry to say so many times in today's world we all get caught up in our own stuff, we all have to much going on. It's not that we don't care, it's that we don't see, we don't listen, we don't pay attention.

John my friend, I'm sorry that things got so bad for you that you couldn't see any other way out. You were a great chef and a great person. Know that your life mattered and many people are missing you. May you know God's peace and love always. This I know, there are going to be some great parties and great food in heaven!

So where does life go from here. It goes on, it always does. But hopefully at least for me (and maybe for you), I will open my eyes and see a little bit more, I will open my heart and listen a little closer and I will open my life to pay attention to everything and everyone around me, that I may be just a little more aware of the beauty each and every one of you bring to this world. Thank you for who you are, who God created you to be. Live your life being you, that's the best gift we can give to this world and to God. Love ya, brian

National Coming Out Day

2011-10-11T14:24:00.001-05:00

Today is National Coming Out Day for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender people. Today is the day when we need to support, love and accept our family and friends who come out today or for that matter any day. Today is the day we need to let anyone who is GLBT know that there is a place for them at the table where God loves, cares and accepts each and every one of them, you, or us.

May you be blessed. brian

Another Day

2011-09-21T16:13:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I'm not very good at this blog thing, but I'm trying again. Recently Pastor Kent had a sermon on "Right Intention". His sermon series is a look at Christianity and Buddism and how the two compare. It is a great series. Anyways, one of the things he talked about was a clip from Star Wars, and in it Yoda is talking to Skywalker and says "Do or do not, there is no try." It really got me to thinking. How many times in our lives does someone ask us to do something and we say, "oh I'll try". I'll try to get to your meeting, I'll try to get to cleaning out that closet. I'll try and come to your (insert activity here). Since this sermon, I am making an effort to be more direct in my thinking. I either do or I don't, but I am trying (pun intended) not to use try so much anymore. It's pretty hard, give it a . . . . Oh you get the idea.

Creativity and Literacy

2010-09-23T14:38:00.000-05:00

Does our school system work? Is it doing what we need it to do? Or is there something better out there? This is what has been on my mind this morning. Having been involved in Foster Care for the past year and a half (I know I'm a newby), I don't know that I think about school in the same way as I use to. When I was growing up, school was what you did, it was expected of you to go to school and graduate from high school. My expectation has changed. I believe that there are some youth who don't fit into the model of school that we have today. Don't get me wrong, I believe education is vital to our world, I'm not sure school as we know it is.
Lately I've noticed that when I walk into the school with a new student who is in my home, they know me. I can almost immediately see this look of desperation, concern, and callousness come over people in the school office. I know it's because I work with and provide a home for boys who have been in trouble. Boys who more than anything need acceptance and caring, not lectures and lowered expectations. But I know, believe me I know how hard it can be to work with youth in these situations. That's why I'm saying maybe school as we know it isn't the best place for all youth. I know how hard it is for teachers in the classroom and all the attitudes and disrespect they have to deal with each day. I know how hard it is for administrators to have students lined up outside their office for ISS (In School Suspension), Detention, OSS (Out of School Suspension) day in and day out. Is this really what education is about? Is this the experience we want for our children? There has to be a better way.
I wish I could tell you I had the answer but I don't. I just think we've got to come up with something that allows young people to become who they were created to be and not forced into a mold that isn't working. I believe that creativity is as important in education as literacy. I love the story about a little girl who never paid attention in class until one day the teacher had the class do a drawing. The students were told to draw a picture of anything they wanted. The little girl really got into drawing and the teacher walks over and asks the little girl what she is drawing and the little girl says "it's a picture of God." The teacher says "but no one know what God looks like." The little girl says "well they will in a minute." The purpose of this story is that when we are young, kids will take a chance, they will try it even if they "don't know what God looks like." It's us adults that suddenly put on the brakes.

I hope you will ponder with me, how do we change our schools? How do we improve education? We may talk about no child left behind, but I've seen the bus driving away, and there are a lot of kids who aren't on it, and frankly don't want to be on it. I don't think the answer is to keep backing the bus up, I think we need a new form of transportation. Blessings, percolating and pondering.