Yesterday, at the end of worship services, I made the official announcement to my congregation that I have cancer. After sharing the details I asked the Deacons to anoint me with oil and pray for healing according to the Scriptures ("Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up."James 5:13-15)
We placed two chairs for Karen and I at the front and the Deacons did a wonderful thing. "Because the Body is One," Sherman said, "We should all come and pray for our pastor." the entire church body surrounded us and prayed for my bride and I. We were overwhelmed. People whom I'd never heard pray before lifted heart-felt prayers for us both.
Over the years I have not been impressed with my pastoral skills. I can preach, but I hate administrative chores. I am not a Sanguine, glad-handing, people-person. I am a timid, cold-call witness. I've often wondered if I would be missed. Yesterday, my church family humbled me to my core.
Afterward, I regretted the fact that we had no photograph of the event. But that is often how life is. When you are in the midst of the wonderful, who thinks to stop it all for something as mundane as a photo opportunity?
"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many... If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."
1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 26
Monday, June 11, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
THE BOGEYMAN
Most of my friends already know. I suppose I ought to announce it on my Blog as well. I found out this week I have cancer. ...Breast cancer. When I look in the mirror I don't say, "why me?" I say, "Only You."
It's like the Bogeyman out of nightmares, jumping up and down shouting "Booga, Booga, Booga! Scared you, huh?" With a stroke, my summer is GONE. Two weeks more of waiting, Three weeks of surgical recovery, weeks of chemo-therapy (FINALLY I'll be able to use my Tonto, "What we do next, Chemo Therapy?" line without guilt.) And I'll need a lot of physical therapy to restore the surgically removed muscle mass from under my arm. I'm not sure if we're talking three months, six months or a year. Funny thing is, I'm not scared. I fully expect to ride it out and emerge victorious.
It is operable. In fact its a completely normal "ductile" type breast cancer. I am scheduled for surgery on June 20th. The one scary thing is, though we caught it early, it is already in one of my lymph nodes. Apparently with men, who have less breast tissue, cancer makes its way quickly into the lymphatic system. The surgery will include a "dissection" of all the lymph nodes under my right arm. Hopefully that will stop the cancer from spreading.
I am facing this with optimism and hope, trusting in the Lord to carry me through. I have confidence in my surgeon and, as always with Kaiser, they move quick with the BIG things.
Karen is afraid I'll lose all my hair. She thinks I might look cool and tough as a cueball. I'm afraid my head is too lumpy to look cool. I'm old, fat, and diabetic: my hair is all I've got.
I've already had several opportunities to share my faith in Christ. When the doctor made the announcement--which he did with great gentleness--he was obviously prepared for fireworks because he had "backup" in the room with him, just in case. But Karen and I simply exchanged a glance, as if we both expected it, and began to ask questions... rational questions. I think this was a good testimony.
Yesterday, I Had lab work done. When I sat down I saw the young lab tech reading a phone text and crying. Wisely, I waited until AFTER she had drawn blood before speaking. I stood and said, "it does get better."
"What does?" she asked.
"Life."
..."if you say so." she sniffed.
I opened the door, turned back and said-- gently, I hope -- "I have cancer, I say so."
It's like the Bogeyman out of nightmares, jumping up and down shouting "Booga, Booga, Booga! Scared you, huh?" With a stroke, my summer is GONE. Two weeks more of waiting, Three weeks of surgical recovery, weeks of chemo-therapy (FINALLY I'll be able to use my Tonto, "What we do next, Chemo Therapy?" line without guilt.) And I'll need a lot of physical therapy to restore the surgically removed muscle mass from under my arm. I'm not sure if we're talking three months, six months or a year. Funny thing is, I'm not scared. I fully expect to ride it out and emerge victorious.
It is operable. In fact its a completely normal "ductile" type breast cancer. I am scheduled for surgery on June 20th. The one scary thing is, though we caught it early, it is already in one of my lymph nodes. Apparently with men, who have less breast tissue, cancer makes its way quickly into the lymphatic system. The surgery will include a "dissection" of all the lymph nodes under my right arm. Hopefully that will stop the cancer from spreading.
I am facing this with optimism and hope, trusting in the Lord to carry me through. I have confidence in my surgeon and, as always with Kaiser, they move quick with the BIG things.
Karen is afraid I'll lose all my hair. She thinks I might look cool and tough as a cueball. I'm afraid my head is too lumpy to look cool. I'm old, fat, and diabetic: my hair is all I've got.
I've already had several opportunities to share my faith in Christ. When the doctor made the announcement--which he did with great gentleness--he was obviously prepared for fireworks because he had "backup" in the room with him, just in case. But Karen and I simply exchanged a glance, as if we both expected it, and began to ask questions... rational questions. I think this was a good testimony.
Yesterday, I Had lab work done. When I sat down I saw the young lab tech reading a phone text and crying. Wisely, I waited until AFTER she had drawn blood before speaking. I stood and said, "it does get better."
"What does?" she asked.
"Life."
..."if you say so." she sniffed.
I opened the door, turned back and said-- gently, I hope -- "I have cancer, I say so."
Saturday, June 2, 2012
COMMAND PERFORMANCE
This is a book trailer my Brother Ron Patterson created for the second book in his fantasy series.
WEEKENDS ARE FOR FUN: ACROSS THE NATION
*You make $250,000 a year and you still can't afford to buy a house.
*The high school quarterback calls a time-out to answer his cellphone.
*The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.
*You know how to eat an artichoke.
*You drive to your neighborhood block party.
*When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.
*You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan.
*You have never been to the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building.
*You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.
*You think Central Park is "nature".
*You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual.
*You've worn out a car horn.
*You think eye contact is an act of aggression.
*You get a movie and bait in the same store.
*"y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
*After a year of living in the same place you still hear,"You ain't from 'round here, are ya?"
*"He needed killin' " is a valid defense.
*Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, MarySue, Fay Nell
*You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.
*You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and he stops at the daycare center.
*A pass does not involve a football or dating.
*The top of your head is bald, but you still have a ponytail.
*You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.
*Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.
*You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.
*You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"
*When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different."
*You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup and Tabasco.
*Halloween costumes fit over parkas.
*You have more than one recipe for moose.
*Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.
*The four seasons are: winter, still winter, not-quite-winter, and almost winter
Friday, June 1, 2012
THE FUNDAMENTALIST/MODERNIST CONTROVERSY
The Fundamentalist/Modernist Controversy of the mid-twentieth century was an artificial split in the Church's mission to the world. The church's primary mandate--our Great Commission--is to take the gospel to all the world, making disciples of Jesus Christ and baptizing them in his name. Our secondary mission is to be salt and light to the world at large.
Like the American Civil War, the Fundamentalist/Modernist Controversy ripped the church apart with passion, violence, and an utter disregard for grace. Neither side gave ground, each insisting that their interpretation of the mission was not just the primary, but the only tenable vision. "Modernists" argued that the divine inspiration of scripture, the substitutionary atonement on the cross, and the second coming of Christ were all based in old-fashioned religious ignorance. They said advances in science had made that thinking irrelevant in a modern world. Therefore, the church's only job must be to usher in the new millennium of the social gospel of "Saving Society." "Fundamentalists" responded that the preaching of the gospel for the salvation of the soul was the only legitimate calling of the church.
Really? Does it have to be either/or? ...Actually, no, it doesn't. Like the proverbial athlete, the Church of Jesus Christ is capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time.
Yes, the world is lost and in need of eternal salvation. Christians are to proclaim Jesus the Christ as God in human flesh who gave his life in ransom for ours. Believe in him and trust that his blood covers our transgressions and you will have eternal life because of him. At the same time, throughout scripture, God has called his people to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly. This is about how we live in the world. We are supposed to help the poor, the widow and the orphan, regardless of what the government does. The greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. That love is manifested in actions, not feelings. There is no getting away from the fact that God calls us to do BOTH missions: either/or is ungodly, sub-christian partisanship.
But, some will say, doing good to those in need is something manifestly evident in this world. All that salvation-blood of Jesus-Heaven or Hell nonsense is old fashioned and out of date: but definitely.
Harry Emerson Fosdick was pastor of First Presbyterian and Riverside Churches in New York City in the 1920's. His was a powerful voice in the Modernist movement. He had an illustration comparing the differences between the two schools. (my paraphrase) Fosdick said; imagine a bad curve in a road near a cliff. People often drive off that road and crash at the bottom. Fundamentalists have kindly placed ambulances there to pick up the wreckage and transport them to a hospital. Modernists, on the other hand, take steps to improve the road. They put up barriers and lighted signs warning of the danger ahead.
I take exception to this illustration. Fundamential-Evangelical-Bible believing Christians do not accept the premise. We say, if you stood at the bottom of that chasm, you would not need to simply rescue the occasional wayward motorist. The picture we see is that of standing at the bottom of Niagara Falls for all the people going over the cliff. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
The church has pretty much absorbed the Fundamentalist/Modernist movement. Mainstream churches, noted for a social conscience and a strident unbelief in all things supernatural, are shrinking every year. Evangelical churches are booming and have embraced the need to live their faith. The vast majority of Christian social works these days are evangelical in nature.
The division is still with us, however; only the names and venues have changed. The division is now along social and political lines. The names are Liberal and Conservative.
Like the American Civil War, the Fundamentalist/Modernist Controversy ripped the church apart with passion, violence, and an utter disregard for grace. Neither side gave ground, each insisting that their interpretation of the mission was not just the primary, but the only tenable vision. "Modernists" argued that the divine inspiration of scripture, the substitutionary atonement on the cross, and the second coming of Christ were all based in old-fashioned religious ignorance. They said advances in science had made that thinking irrelevant in a modern world. Therefore, the church's only job must be to usher in the new millennium of the social gospel of "Saving Society." "Fundamentalists" responded that the preaching of the gospel for the salvation of the soul was the only legitimate calling of the church.
Really? Does it have to be either/or? ...Actually, no, it doesn't. Like the proverbial athlete, the Church of Jesus Christ is capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time.
Yes, the world is lost and in need of eternal salvation. Christians are to proclaim Jesus the Christ as God in human flesh who gave his life in ransom for ours. Believe in him and trust that his blood covers our transgressions and you will have eternal life because of him. At the same time, throughout scripture, God has called his people to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly. This is about how we live in the world. We are supposed to help the poor, the widow and the orphan, regardless of what the government does. The greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. That love is manifested in actions, not feelings. There is no getting away from the fact that God calls us to do BOTH missions: either/or is ungodly, sub-christian partisanship.
But, some will say, doing good to those in need is something manifestly evident in this world. All that salvation-blood of Jesus-Heaven or Hell nonsense is old fashioned and out of date: but definitely.
Harry Emerson Fosdick was pastor of First Presbyterian and Riverside Churches in New York City in the 1920's. His was a powerful voice in the Modernist movement. He had an illustration comparing the differences between the two schools. (my paraphrase) Fosdick said; imagine a bad curve in a road near a cliff. People often drive off that road and crash at the bottom. Fundamentalists have kindly placed ambulances there to pick up the wreckage and transport them to a hospital. Modernists, on the other hand, take steps to improve the road. They put up barriers and lighted signs warning of the danger ahead.
I take exception to this illustration. Fundamential-Evangelical-Bible believing Christians do not accept the premise. We say, if you stood at the bottom of that chasm, you would not need to simply rescue the occasional wayward motorist. The picture we see is that of standing at the bottom of Niagara Falls for all the people going over the cliff. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
The church has pretty much absorbed the Fundamentalist/Modernist movement. Mainstream churches, noted for a social conscience and a strident unbelief in all things supernatural, are shrinking every year. Evangelical churches are booming and have embraced the need to live their faith. The vast majority of Christian social works these days are evangelical in nature.
The division is still with us, however; only the names and venues have changed. The division is now along social and political lines. The names are Liberal and Conservative.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE
I made this vid last fall when I went to Glorieta; dedicated to my Love, Karen.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
MOMENTS OF JOY
My son Jacob and my "Daughter" Stephanie led worship at our church this Sunday. It's such a joy to see your children doing something because they want to and not just because you pushed them into doing it.
And that's not all. My son Joshua was voted Teacher of the year at his rather large high school by a vote of his peers. East Side is not like the school I went to. It is organized according to the collegiate model; that is, there are different--separate--schools of math, science, music, social studies art, etc. He is rather shy about it, but I think it says a lot in that kind of setting for the Art teacher to win this award.
I remember hearing Greg Lauri when I was still in college and we were both infants. He was admonishing us young, hep, trendy and cool Jesus Hippy-types that change comes to everyone. "Someday" he said, (and I paraphrase from memory, here) We'll be standing up here worshiping with Children of the Day in long gray hair and walkers. Our kids are gonna come in wearing (basically, he described Alex P. Keaton) and demanding that we sing hymns and use an organ. "And we're gonna say; 'Son, God can only use drums and electric guitars'."
Who knew our kids would be cooler than us?
And that's not all. My son Joshua was voted Teacher of the year at his rather large high school by a vote of his peers. East Side is not like the school I went to. It is organized according to the collegiate model; that is, there are different--separate--schools of math, science, music, social studies art, etc. He is rather shy about it, but I think it says a lot in that kind of setting for the Art teacher to win this award.
I remember hearing Greg Lauri when I was still in college and we were both infants. He was admonishing us young, hep, trendy and cool Jesus Hippy-types that change comes to everyone. "Someday" he said, (and I paraphrase from memory, here) We'll be standing up here worshiping with Children of the Day in long gray hair and walkers. Our kids are gonna come in wearing (basically, he described Alex P. Keaton) and demanding that we sing hymns and use an organ. "And we're gonna say; 'Son, God can only use drums and electric guitars'."
Who knew our kids would be cooler than us?
Saturday, May 19, 2012
DON'S "NOT GEAR" ROAD TRIP
I spent the evening editing my Road Trip movie. This is the trip I filmed back in October when I went to the Southwest Writers Studio in Glorieta, New Mexico. When I finish editing I'll put the whole thing up on the blog. For now, here is a clip.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
DOUBT
I don't call that faith. I call that sticking your fingers in your ears, closing your eyes and chanting "La-la-la-la-la!" to life's challenges. I think you would have to have the nerves and imagination of a bag of cement to NEVER doubt.
Perhaps this in not what the screen writer meant to convey. Maybe he simply meant we should have faith in God and not doubt God's love. Maybe that's what he meant. But I still have a problem with this thinking. It shows a weak grasp of the reality of human nature and the true message the scriptures teach us about God's expectations in light of our many failings.
The Greek word used in the New Testament is "pestueo." It is eye-opening to realize it takes three English words to encompass the meaning of "pestueo:" faith, believe and trust. When we talk about faith we must keep belief and trust in mind. It is one thing to say I have faith in that two hundred year old rocking chair. It is quite another to trust it to hold my considerable weight.
Put it another way: as a boy, my dad taught me to swim by standing in the deep end of the pool. "Jump," he'd say, "I'll catch you." When I jumped, I had faith in my dad. When I did not jump, it is because I did not believe he would really catch me.
Sometimes--even after my dad had caught me numerous times--I doubted. Did my dad give up on me? Disown me? No. He stood in the deep end and said, "Jump, I'll catch you." That is a much better picture of faith and doubt than some stained glass, philosophical exercise.
Some people turn up their nose at this reality. Like the fictional priest on "TEARS OF THE SUN" they sternly demand perfection. Thank God the Almighty is a bit more realistic. I know, I know, someone will quote "be perfect for I am perfect" at me. But in fact, the word translated "perfect" in English actually means "mature," or "complete."
Aside from God, my favorite person in all the Bible is the man who brought his sick son to Jesus for healing. He says, "If you can do anything, help us." Jesus answered, "If you can’? Everything is possible for one who believes." The father's answer is classic: "I do believe; help my unbelief!" You know what? Jesus healed that boy and did not rebuke the father for doubt.You are going to have doubts. The good news is you don't have to believe your doubts. You can doubt them.
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