A Holy Week to all!
It was a case of God's impeccable timing. It was kairos timing. That's not the chonological time kept by a calendar or wristwatch. Instead, it's the appropriate, full, correct and pregnant timing of an occurrence.
Several weeks ago I used Michelangelo's extraordinary sculpture, The Pieta, on the Operation Nightwatch bulletin cover. As we drew closer to Holy Week I'd wanted Micelangelo's 500 year-old work to introduce the more recent work of Santa Fe, NM sculptor Glenna Goodacre. Goodacre's bronze sculpture of the three women and the wounded, dying man is the Women Veterans of Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC. She was clearly inpsired by the Italian master.
How could I know that my friend Jack would die on the day I would use a photograph of Goodacre's sculpture on the bulletin?
And two weeks ago I decided to have a special healing prayer time at worship tonight. How could I have known that "B" would come in needing prayer for a brand new diagnosis of cancer? Or that "O" would come in with the hope and scary process of getting into rehab and getting clean?
If ever there were a time for healing prayer...
When isn't there?
Must have been God's kairos time, God's right time.
Shalom!
R.
Showing posts with label prayer request. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer request. Show all posts
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Prayer Request
Hi, PDX!
It's almost March. That could mean several things in Portland. NW weather has a way of doing monthly inversions. Could be that March will be cooler and wetter than February. It does happen here!
**************************************************************************
It happened in February. On Valentine's Day, to be precise. I'm filling out a deposit slip in the bank branch. Young man comes in just a-jabbering away on his cell phone. Louder than normal speech because he's excited. That way everybody gets to hear. So nice of him to share.
That's when I hear the first f-word. Then, by the time he's directly opposite me endorsing his check I hear the second f-word. And the third. Something about the f-ing woman and her f-ing panty drawer. Maybe he's put her Valentine in there.
But he's putting his words right in my ear. A conversation he could have kept to himself--or at least outside.
I speak up. "I'd appreciate it if you would keep your language to yourself, sir!" I state.
Gave him the best message I could, an I-message. I was polite. I called him "sir". I didn't dispute anything he said, just said I'd appreciate it if he kept it to himself. Be considerate, in other words. I kept it positive and on point. It was about the langugage, not him.
He barely skipped a beat: "It's a f-ing free country, and I can f-ing say whatever I want! So f-off!"
His mouth was a 30-round clip that he emptied into me.
He sure told me. And he insulted our country. I'm not sure he understands freedom at all. I wonder what he's given up to live here, what citizenship means to him.
So whatcha think? Should I have:
1. Said nothing
2. Pretended not to hear
3. Excused him because, after all, he's on the phone
4. Called the branch manager
5. Taken it to the next level
6. Waited for him outside
7. Reminded him to be respectful of his elders
8. Gotten his vehicle description and license plate number
9. None of the above
Tell me what you think. Then I'll tell you what I did.
Brave new world.....
Pastor Roger
It's almost March. That could mean several things in Portland. NW weather has a way of doing monthly inversions. Could be that March will be cooler and wetter than February. It does happen here!
**************************************************************************
It happened in February. On Valentine's Day, to be precise. I'm filling out a deposit slip in the bank branch. Young man comes in just a-jabbering away on his cell phone. Louder than normal speech because he's excited. That way everybody gets to hear. So nice of him to share.
That's when I hear the first f-word. Then, by the time he's directly opposite me endorsing his check I hear the second f-word. And the third. Something about the f-ing woman and her f-ing panty drawer. Maybe he's put her Valentine in there.
But he's putting his words right in my ear. A conversation he could have kept to himself--or at least outside.
I speak up. "I'd appreciate it if you would keep your language to yourself, sir!" I state.
Gave him the best message I could, an I-message. I was polite. I called him "sir". I didn't dispute anything he said, just said I'd appreciate it if he kept it to himself. Be considerate, in other words. I kept it positive and on point. It was about the langugage, not him.
He barely skipped a beat: "It's a f-ing free country, and I can f-ing say whatever I want! So f-off!"
His mouth was a 30-round clip that he emptied into me.
He sure told me. And he insulted our country. I'm not sure he understands freedom at all. I wonder what he's given up to live here, what citizenship means to him.
So whatcha think? Should I have:
1. Said nothing
2. Pretended not to hear
3. Excused him because, after all, he's on the phone
4. Called the branch manager
5. Taken it to the next level
6. Waited for him outside
7. Reminded him to be respectful of his elders
8. Gotten his vehicle description and license plate number
9. None of the above
Tell me what you think. Then I'll tell you what I did.
Brave new world.....
Pastor Roger
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