reality blog

CONNECTION

/ joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

This week has been about two things: prayer and connection.

I guess it could be argued that this week was really about one thing, because prayer is really about connection with God…SO…. this week has been about one thing….CONNECTION.

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I guess if I had to boil my job description down to one word, CONNECTION, could be one of the words that I would choose to describe the job of pastor or minister. There are other words of course: FAITH, LOVE, COMPASSION…but CONNECTION is a good strong doing word for this job. As a Pastor I connect. I Connect myself with God. I connect other people with God. I connect God with people. I connect people with other people….CONNECT….CONNECT…..CONNECT.

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In this world of ever dividing priorities I sometimes feel like this work of connection is a dying art, maybe even a losing battle. As our society polarizes more and more with each passing day, I am becoming more clear that the work of pastors is to help our communities see that the need for connection, with God and each other, has not changed or lessened. The things that divide us must be moved out of the way.

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With some of the issues that lie before us as communities, I don’t have any idea how to begin to move the division out of the way and bring connection back, but my not knowing how to do the work does not change the fact, that is the job. I suppose, if I could do it by myself I wouldn’t need faith or God.

As I sit in meetings with town officials trying to figure out how to alleviate poverty and pain and prejudice, as I sit in visitations with people struggling to work through relational disintegration or chronic pain and illness, I am very aware that the answers aren’t mine to bring. The answers for many of these things lie with God alone and come only through His redemptive power. We are not alone in our trouble, there is a God who loves us and who wants to be invited to the bargaining table of our lives to add His wisdom to the conversations we are having.

That said He needs the invitation.

 He says in Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

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As I do my job I am listening constantly for God’s knock and I am watching continually to see who is answering the door.

FAMILY PRAYER

/ joseph elon lillie / 1 Comment

When Mom went into hospice last year our family circled the wagons. We knew it was going to take all of us to get through the storm of life we were facing. Brenda came home from the Netherlands and all the kids committed to pitching in and helping out.

One of the practices we instituted was family prayer. We chose Tuesday nights after ministry to gather around the dining table to pray our way through the difficulty. So from 8:30-9:30 we would share needs and pray together.

Mom passed in April. Brenda went back to the Netherlands. Amanda was diagnosed with cancer, and we kept praying on Tuesday nights as a family.

We took a break over the holidays so we could observe Christmas Eve and New Years. Then last week we celebrated James’ and Abigail’s birthdays. But last night we were back at it. Praying for the family. Praying for the church. Praying for the world.

FOREST GARDEN: JAPANESE KNOTWEED

/ joseph elon lillie / 1 Comment

I believe that part of gardening is looking at the landscape you have around you and figuring out how that works into your garden plan. My garden just happens to be filled with lots of invasive things. On the surface that would seem to be a drawback, but as I think through it all there are lots of advantages that the invasive species bring.

One of the species I deal with is Japanese knotweed.

It grows fast and takes over. I do cut it back every year and I have often thought about getting rid of it altogether, but the birds and the rabbits love to nest in the dense foliage. There are always an abundance of nests wedged into the close growing bamboo-like stalks. In the winter it attracts hosts of sparrows who use it to hide from predators during the day and night. This year our rabbits have built their warren in the heart of the knotweed jungle.

This beautiful fellow has been hunting on our property all this week.

This winter I am trying to learn more about forest gardening and the plants I already have in the forest as I lay my garden plan for the Spring. Here is something I have learned about knotweed.

I think I will keep the Knotweed.