Slow Down...

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day last week!  I am so appreciative of all the people in my life who have shown me so much love.  This week I hope and pray we could take the time to see the love that is right in front of us.  Life is crazy, and it’s easy to forget that God’s Sprit is here if we just slow down and listen for it…

Blessings!

PB

Inclusive Love

Is there something particular in your life that brings you joy?  I was reminded recently that I do not need an exhausting adventure to find happiness… I think having adventures is important, but I tend to find greatest joy in the relationships I have with others.  I baptized a child recently, and it was such a joy to see this little girl light up when she heard the news that she was a part of God’s family.  It was really a wonderful moment, and I am so blessed to have been a part of it. 

Let's give thanks for a love that includes everybody!

What relationships are you thankful for this week?  Is there someone who has gone out of their way to show an inclusive love to you?  As we prepare for Mother’s Day, I hope you can take some time to thank all the people who have shown you love and grace. 

Blessings!

PB

Making Room for Radical Grace

Earlier this week, I received a phone call.  The family on the other end of the line did not attend our church, but their mother was dying, and they needed a Pastor.  It was my day off, and I was actually up to my eyebrows in unfinished projects.  I was feeling stretched for time as it was, but these people were in a place of desperation.  I wound up visiting the family.  I listened to their stories, and I had the opportunity to share a few words of grace for a wonderful woman as she gave up her spirit. 

There are times, especially when I am busy, that I need to stop and take a moment to remember all the blessings I have in life.  When I sat down with this family, I didn’t think I had time for anything, but as they shared stories of love and grace, it reminded me how blessed we all are.  This week I hope you can all take time to appreciate the Radical Grace that is in your life!

Blessings!

PB

Helping Others

Before I became a pastor, I worked with a boy in Minneapolis.  He was really an amazing person.  I remember him being incredibly athletic and also very gifted academically.  However, he really struggled to apply himself.  I remember trying to convince him to study for his classes or go out for sports, but he preferred to play video games, drink, and use drugs.  It was hard for me to watch this kid fail his classes and really just give up on life.  Personally, I think I will always regret being unable to do more for that boy, but I know there are times when I failed to share my God given gifts as well... 

Have you ever struggled to find meaning in life?  Living in the world can be hard, and it’s possible for anyone to be torn apart.  The Bible says that each one of us is created in the image of God, and we all are here for a reason.  It can be difficult for people to believe this, but I have noticed that those who find ways of helping others tend to find more meaning and hope in life.  I love working with the kids in our youth group at CLC.  These kids are incredibly passionate about serving and caring for others.  There are certainly moments when we make mistakes, and we don’t wind up reaching the people we wanted to.  However, we are growing every day.  It’s amazing to watch these kids start conversations with people who are homeless, lost, and otherwise rejected.  It inspires me.  It also gives me hope. 

This week is Youth Sunday at Community Lutheran.  I hope you can come and hear a few stories from the youth.  They are connecting to God by serving others, and I think there is something we can all learn from that.

Blessings!

PB

Simple Things

Life has been pretty busy the last few weeks, but Easter was incredible!  I love this time of year, and I love all the hope that comes with it.  I’ve spent the past few weeks preparing for church services, Bible studies, and so much more.  It’s been great, but today I am also enjoying the fact that life is starting to return to normal. 

You can buy a lot of wild stuff of kids at Easter...

However, with a 13 month old baby, Easter also means lots of loud electronic toys that seem to appear out of nowhere... :) People love to give us singing and dancing rabbits, Easter eggs, and tons of other stuff.  It’s pretty fun to watch the baby interact with it all, but living in a fun house can also get a little exhausting.  One of his toys has started playing music randomly in the middle of the night… (This causes us to wonder, in our sleep deprived state, if burglars have broken into our house and are playing with baby toys…)  I guess it’s just hard keeping up with a one year old!  However, the baby recently started to become interested in story books.  These are not electronic, loud, or crazy.  They’re just normal children’s books.  He loves sitting on our laps and listening to a story.  It’s kind of cool to see something so simple become so incredibly powerful…

This week at community we are talking about the power of sharing our story.  This is how faith grows.  We don’t have to have an advanced degree in theology.  We are called to simply share who we are, and we are told to share the faith we have.  In the end, this is simple, but it has amazing value in the world!

Blessings!

PB

Enjoying the Moment

Kira came home with some amazing news last week!  She is getting a new job as a school social worker.  This is something she has wanted for a long time, and we are both super excited about it.  However, it does change our schedule around a bit.  For the past 5 years, Kira and I have both been able to take Mondays off.  Since I’m pretty busy on the weekends, it’s been wonderful to have a day off with her.  However, this past Monday was our last day together for a while.  We decided to take advantage of the moment by heading up to Mount Charleston for a snowy hiking adventure.  We traveled up a canyon to Big Falls.  It wasn’t a particularly long or difficult hike, but it was so much fun to check out the snow filled landscape.  We climbed up to the falls and we slide down different gullies.  It was an amazing day.  It was also an important reminder to cherish the time we have. 

We are heading into a super busy season in the church.  It is my hope and prayer that you would be able to take the time to see all of God’s Blessings that are in front of you today.  I hope you can find a moment to be still and know that God is with you!

Blessings!

PB

A gorgeous day!

Down the falls...

Breaking through the snow bridge

Trying to fall into the Abyss... :)

Relationships!

It’s March, and that means we are already preparing for summer!  One of my favorite summer events is our annual mission trip to Los Angeles.  This trip is incredibly powerful, and our youth have done an outstanding job serving there.  However, I have to admit, the Los Angeles Mission trip is really challenging for me.  I prefer staying active building houses or cleaning up after natural disasters. The Los Angeles trip is different.  Most of the trip is based on relationships.  We spend hours sitting with people who are homeless.  We wash their feet.  We talk to them.  We listen… We learn about their joys, fears, and sorrows.  On other trips, if I am approached by someone who is really annoying or smelly, I can choose to work in another area, and I meet other people.  However, the LA trips force me to take a deep look at myself and my own biases.  I have learned a lot simply by forming these relationships.

Skid Row... It can be uncomfortable, but it is a
 powerful place to build relationships.

Today, our Scripture passage tells us how deeply Christ cared about each of us.  He didn’t just work where he was comfortable.  He reached out to everybody.  It is my prayer that we could all learn from His example.  I hope we can all remember that Christ came to this earth for each of us… We are loved just as we are!

Blessings!

PB