Labor Day Reflection

Dear Friends

Seventeenth century Anglican priest and poet George Herbert said “Nothing is little in God’s service.” Since retiring, things I might have considered little have become bigger. Being responsible for serving breakfast and dinner to two outdoor cats (including “CC” pictured above during one of our hide and seek games) is a big deal, especially when you need to stand guard to fend off those pesky “jungle fowl” (aka roosters and hens) !

It’s not a hard job, of course, but you have more time to think and realize how important it is. Doing fewer things in retirement but having more time to be aware of what I am doing has been a blessing. Not having a full-time job makes you aware that the little jobs bring a level of satisfaction that was not present before. Chores like feeding pets, which might have been done without much thought or perceived as an interruption to a busy life, are now pleasures.

Labor Day is about big issues related to justice for workers, issues which have not gone away. But it is also a day to thank God for those daily labors of love, things that make our hearts sing, ordinary opportunities to do what needs to be done, while we can still do them and enjoy them.

Including feeding God’s creatures.

The hymn that brings this all together for me (which I always picked for this weekend and am introducing here at All Saints, Kapa’a) includes this verse:

“Every task, however simple, sets the soul that does it free

Every deed of human kindness, done in love is done to thee

Jesus, thou divine Companion, help us all to work our best

Bless us in our daily labor, lead us to our Sabbath rest.”

                                   Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933)

John

Spam for Sale!

Dear Friends

To make a little extra money in my spare time (to pay for my hula lessons), I set up a little kiosk under an umbrella, (it’s hot and humid) along the busy avenue in front of All Saints’ here in Kapa’a. I counted on my great success as a child salesman, when I set up not a lemonade but an avocado stand in front of the rectory in Anaheim where I grew up. Prices were 5, 10 and 15 cents for small, medium and large, or 25 cents if I picked it fresh, right off one of the many trees in our orchard. (My little puppy at the time, Guacamole, kept me company).

I tried selling several items here in Hawaii, but without any success---shoes and socks and ties and tie clasps just didn’t move! And then the light went on when I was at the store last week.  SPAM! It’s a big deal here, and if you look at the picture carefully, the choices are all over the food pyramid: bacon (with real Hormel), teriyaki, black pepper, jalapeno and 25% less sodium.

I buy a can (tin) for $3.12, and sell it for $4.99, for a tidy $1.87 profit! My giant street sign says

Sizzling

Protein

And

Mmmm!

To those who say “enough of the spam, I get enough already”, I understand. But if you are even curious about how any of these flavors taste, let me know and I will try to sneak some spam past security in September. $4.99, plus the personal shopper fee of $125.00

I'm waiting by the phone!

John

And let us sow love in the world

Dear Friends

Tomorrow our youth are preaching for youth Sunday. I will be sharing these brief remarks before the service begins. The picture of the rainbow you can barely see reminds me that even during our darkest hours, God is with us.

Welcome to youth Sunday! In a moment we will begin our service and focus on and celebrate just that. Today is all about our children and youth.

But first, I cannot ignore the heavy hearts we come with this morning if we’ve paid any attention to the news since we left church last Sunday. After we “weep with those who weep”, as scripture puts it, after we have prayed for healing and strength and hope, what’s next?  

Let me share five things which are on my heart right now:

First, pay close attention to the words of our opening hymn. It is a confession. “Forgive, forgive, O Lord we cry” it says.  At times like this, my first reaction is “Lord have mercy upon us.  Christ have mercy upon us.  Lord have mercy upon us."

Second, pay close attention to the words of our closing hymn including these: “save us from weak resignation, to the evils we deplore”. In other words, don't say “these things happen” but "what will I do?" There is always something we can do, with God’s help, and so we pray the refrains “Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the living of this hour, for the living of these days, lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal.” 

Lord, lead me from prayers to action!

Third, we don’t have to agree with everything our bishops say, but we should listen and learn from what they are saying about current events.

In your Epistle a week ago Thursday, there was a message from your bishop (and two of his Hawaiian clergy) regarding TMT. (Thirty Meter Telescope) 

This past week, there were many pastoral letters from faith leaders around the country including the Bishop of Washington and Dean of our Washington National Cathedral regarding rhetoric that continues to divide.

And finally, the Bishop of Rio Grande posted a message in reaction to the second mass shooting of the week in El Paso. It was the most powerful and personal witness of all, in terms of our dealing with the pain in our hearts. His name is Michael Hunn. I encourage you to find and listen to it.

Fourth, at times like this, when I am out of words and in the midst of things I cannot understand, I turn to our prayer book catechism and the very first page about human nature, including these questions and answers:

Why do we live apart from God and out of harmony with creation?

From the beginning, human beings have misused their freedom and made wrong choices.

Why do we not use our freedom as we should?

Because we rebel against God and we put ourselves in the place of God.

What help is there for us?

Our help is in God. (As the hymns put it,“O God our help in ages past our hope for years to come” and "All my hope on God is founded".

Fifth and finally, consider these words from today’s second lesson. Like today’s hymns, this lesson was scheduled long before this week’s news, but I can’t imagine any timelier words, including these:

But now, put these things out of your life: anger, losing your temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and saying shameful things. Don’t lie to each other. 

Now you are wearing a new life. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, if you speak a different language. Christ is all that matters, and he is in all of you.

To quote the refrain from today's prayers of the people, 

“and let us sow love in the world.”

Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.

John 

Be prepared but do not be afraid

                                           

                                                

Dear Friends

Up until now, one of our important daily jobs has been to serve breakfast and dinner to two cats: "CC" (Church Cat) and Garfield. We do this while keeping watch and being ready to wave away the roosters and chickens that think they're part of the cat family.

Now we are getting ready to welcome Erick and Flossie, two visitors from the east (also called storm systems). It looks as though the effect on our tiny island may only be some extra rain and wind...nothing too serious. But we made a few preparations, not only for now but for the rest of the time we are here during the  hurricane season.

The renewed North Korea missile tests get a little more of our attention over here, as does this part of the daily weather report in the local paper (which will be a sermon illustration if I ever preach on one of those apocalyptic gospels in advent again): 

                                       Volcano Watch

As of Tuesday, Kilauea Volcano is at normal/green. It remains an active volcano and it will erupt again. We expect clear signs prior to the next eruption, but the time frame of warning may be short. 

There are threats wherever you live, of course, natural and "man-made". We know we are not in Kansas anymore (never were) or Corona for right now, but only because the threats are different.

Wherever we find ourselves on any given day, the scout admonition to "Be Prepared" is always a good one.  But it must always be balanced with the biblical reminders to "Do not be anxious" and "Do not be afraid" because "I am with you always". 

Now, back to baking some more chocolate chip cookies!

John