Thanks, Ms. Kelly!

Thanks Ms. Kelly!
We, in the Kelsey family, are excited that school is back in session.  On the first day of school we weren't quite as excited.  We were unsure what our new teacher would be like.

Although Plumb is such a wonderful school, moving 2 months before the end of the year and having Aaron uprooted at that time, with Dad away for a good portion of those 2 months, was so difficult that it played out in the classroom as well.  Everything was just so different.  New house, new school, new church,  new friends to make, and new curriculum and teacher to learn.  Grandparents went home and nothing feeling quite right.  Nothing could have been harder for a 7 year old.

All summer it was under the surface and then school was around the corner.

And then the most amazing thing happened.  We met Ms. Kelly - a charming teacher who just transferred over.  And fast friends were made.

Thank you Ms. Kelly and Plumb for your help in transitioning and understanding along the way.

They were right.  Plumb is a wonderful school and we are happy we are here.

Scooter? Really?

A couple of weeks ago, Jeremy came home from work with a truck making a bad noise and needed to take my car to work in Easton, PA. I planned on dropping Aaron off at school in the truck and then taking it to the mechanic afterwards. However, the steering wheel was stuck and not allowing me to turn the key and it was getting late. Off Aaron and I went hand in hand to school. (Well, it was more like I was pulling him along as we walked the 9/10 mile to Wharton.)

One of my favorite fellow parents at Wharton is Michelle Sulton whose husband, Steve, is Oromo and knows many of our Oromo families. We have talked often and as I shared with her my car woes, I learned that her husband is a Mechanic and that he would stop by the house and help me with our truck that was stuck in the garage due to a key that would not turn. I was amazed at the generosity of them both. (Thanks guys!)

After the Labor Day weekend, Aaron and I trekked again to school, but this time he took his razor scooter. On the way back and not wanting to have to carry it I tried to ride it, but didn’t get that far before I hit a bump and the footbed flew out from under me and wacked me in the back of the legs. NOT FUN.

Yet, as I jumped on Jeremy’s adult size Razor Scooter to ride off to the mechanic later that day, I wondered if I was in for more bruises. I decided to chance it. It was hot and I didn’t want to walk. I had a blast as my skirt slightly blew in the wind and I went on an easy downhill ride up to Harrisburg Pike. It was really quite enjoyable.

A few honks from car drivers later, I learned that one of the church members was driving up Harrisburg Pike and had a double take as Pastor Laura pushed by.

As I look back, on this incident, it reminded me of how often we can feel frustrated and even put out by something we need to do in life and then as we do it we learn it was more fun than we ever realized.

I think the church is a lot like that. We are used to things going in a certain way and then something happens and life seems all upside down. What are we to do? Will we just sit there wondering and doubting or will we jump on our scooters and push off toward the next direction we are called to go?

As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that we are not promised a perfect life but a fulfilling one. God works in us and through us, inspiring us to step out in ways we never expected possible.

When Aaron’s friends at school heard he rode the scooter, they informed me scooters can be dangerous and I told them that we what one should wear their helmet. When we step out in faith, we do not step out alone or unprepared or without our helmets. We step out with God’s Word informing us, the Holy Spirit guiding us and God showing us the way we are to go. We step out with all that we need, knowing God will surprise us and we will be changed. Let us all be changed and, yes, transformed by God as we live out our faith and step out as followers of Christ – scooters and all.

Living for Christ

As I sat in the waiting room while Aaron was having Ear Surgery recently, I thought about how life is.  We come into the world needing the care of loving parents, families and others to help us figure out this thing called life.  Some come into the world with what seems like no problems and others have so much.  We cannot compare them but we do.  Sometimes life seems to go along perfect and then something happens and throws off our entire mode of living.  We are forever changed.

For what seems like forever, Aaron has had ear infections and problems.  We have been able to keep a pretty good handle on them, at least as much as possible.  He had his first set of tubes at 21 months and he has outgrown his second set last year.  He has had his adenoids out twice and a tonsillectomy last year.  But last year he ended up with a half of his right ear drum gone. 

When the surgeon went in to repair a slit in his left ear drum they had to remove half of it due to the tissue being dead.  However, the good news was that in doing the surgery they discovered dead tissue had fallen into his inner ear.  If that had not been found he would have possibly developed a severe infection.  After some trial and error the dead tissue is all removed and he has a patch, though there are some questions about it holding.

I share this with you today while reflectiing upon our spiritual health – personally and as a church.  There are times when it feels like we are that ear drum.  We don’t want to be trimmed and honed until the viable tissue is available for growth. Yet sometimes that is exactly what we need.  

We need God to prepare us, all of us, to live for Christ.  It is so easy to become filled with how things used to be, with bad experiences and expectations that cannot be met.  However, God provides a way for us to become healthy once more.  May we all seek health and wholeness in all areas of our lives.

It is indeed a joy to hear others stories of God's healing work in others lives.  I hope you will send me some of your stories of God's trimming and honing as you seek to follow Christ.

The Spirituality of America

Life is so interesting…..  During youth group the other evening we were watching a segment of the Rob Bell DVD: Sunday, where he talks about the reasons we worship.  He asks if we worship out of obligation or because we have that desire to do so.   Do you consider yourself religious or spiritual or both?

Then home I went to find the October 4, 2009 edition of Parade.  The cover pointed me to an article by Christine Wicker entitled “How Spiritual Are We?” Why did Parade conduct this poll?  Since we are seen as one of the most religious nations in the Western world – as a people who believe in God, pray often and teach our children to do the same – the question is: Has that changed?

The answer is no, but it’s complicated.  According to the Parade poll, 69% of Americans believe in God, 77% pray outside of religious services and 75% believe it’s a parent’s responsibility to give children a religious upbringing.  But even though 45% of respondents called themselves religious, 50% said they rarely or never attended worship services.  More than a quarter (27%) of respondents said they don’t practice any kind of religion.  But only 7% weren’t sure about the existence of God and 12% didn’t believe in an afterlife.  Interesting……

Wicker writes: “What Americans are doing today is separating spirituality from religion, with many people disavowing organized practice altogether while privately maintaining some form of worship.  The old terms – ‘atheist’ and ‘agnostic’ – are no longer catch-alls for everyone outside traditional belief.  In fact, 24% of respondents put themselves into a whole new category: ‘spiritual but not religious’.”

What is “Spiritual but not Religious”?

Spiritual but not religious means different things to different people.  Wicker writes, “Some may be members of traditional religions but want to signal that they aren’t legalistic or rigid.  At the other end of the spectrum, ‘spiritual but not religious’ can apply to someone who has combined diverse beliefs and practices into a personal faith that fits no standard definition.

Religion's Purpose 

40% say it holds the truth 

22% say that religion has no place in their lives 

19% say it helps teach morals and ethics to children 

Reasons We Pray 

72% pray for the well-being of others 

60% pray for forgiveness 

21% pray for material things 

Our New Beliefs 

82% would marry someone of a different faith 

59% say that all religions are valid 

24% say they are spiritual but not religious 

What does this mean for Presbyterians?

This is an interesting and wonderful time to be alive.  We are living in a time where many have not been raised in a religious community or in many different religious communities.  Many take pieces from various faith communities and quilt them together into a completely new belief system.

We have children who have not heard the message of Jesus Christ coming into the world to save us, to heal us, and to bind up the broken-hearted.  They have not been shown the hope that can only come through Jesus Christ.  We are called to transcend the name Presbyterian and own the name disciple or follower of Christ. 

There is more to being Presbyterian then following the Book of Order and proclaiming what is written in the Book of Confessions.  Being Presbyterian means that we care about more than ourselves.  We care about sharing the love of Christ with the world.  We have signed on to continually profess Jesus the Christ as our Savior, Lord and example of how to live a whole and healthy life.  When we claim the name Presbyterian we claim a missional faith that reaches past this particular place and into the world.  We are a people of service, of action, of reconciliation.

Therefore, when we see these statistics, let us remember that these numbers represent our neighbors and us.  Let us demonstrate the love of Christ for those who never pass through the threshold of our church building but interact with the Church as we live and work in the world.

What a great calling we have – to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.  And as we own that calling, let us hold those in our communities up in prayer as they also seek more for their lives as well.

Time's are A-Changin

As the mother of a new Kindergarten student, life is a-changin'. After over two years in daycare where his schedule changed with mine. Now our lives are paced by the SDoL schedule. No more trips to Michigan with Mom or Dad in the middle of a term. No more four day school weeks just because. Jeremy and I are now parents of a School District of Lancaster student.

We are pleased that Aaron is adjusting well so far and that he has a great teacher, Mrs. Combs. And yet I can't believe my little baby is now beginning the first steps of his education career. Aaron has his first job -- School.

Do you remember your first days of school? I look back and remember Mom and Dad taking my picture on the front porch of the house before I left. I also remember my brother Andy and his friend Chris refusing to be walked to school by Mom and that they can do it by themselves. And they did.

Our world is so different today. Mrs. Combs doesn't even let her Kindergarten students out of the building until she can identify their appointed person. Times are a-changin'.

Life is truly filled with many moments of transition. When we finally think we have it all figured out, it seems like the rules change. What works in Preschool doesn't work in Kindergarten. What works in Elementary doesn't work in High School. And the rules for home are very different than at school or out in the community or at church.

God also has growing expectations for our lives as well. Scripture reminds us that no matter how much we want to stay little and stick with what has been expected of us, God urges and expects us to grow and mature.

Hebrews 5:12-14 says: "By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby's milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God's ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong."

It seems there is always a dichotomy between wanting to grow, to learn, and to be stretched with wanting things the same and being able to expect that.

Scripture reminds us that faith is not meant to be static but dynamic -- to grow and mature and to cause us to reframe our understanding of the world and ourselves along the way.

Maybe in some ways we continually are Kindergarteners and at the same time Seniors -- we are teacher and student. There are continual transitions that are always afoot. However, we also know that God is constantly present with us on our journey and we worship an unchanging and faithful God.

My prayer for you this month is that as transitions, change, or nudges begin to make you aware of the movement of your lives, may you sense God's guiding presence by your side leading you in the direction needed for your life. May we each open our hearts to God's leading.

Looking Bat

Bats. The Kelsey family hates bats. Normally, I don't mind bats that much, especially when they are where they are supposed to be. What I don't like is when they are dive-bombing me in my living room. I am not some insect to be eaten. I much prefer those bats that hang kindly from the drapes or the mirror, not the ones that will not rest but continue to be so insanely afraid that they will not stop circling. That was the kind of bat we had in our house on August 13th.

And as it was taking lower and lower swoops toward me, and I was screaming with each one, I thought about fear. I thought about when Jesus talked about the many things we worry about. Many times our fears are REAL fears -- a member of our families are very sick, we are in danger of losing our jobs, the credit card bills seem to just get higher and higher, and food prices seem hover higher than we can afford. Some of our fears are for the maybe's in life - the what if's and and's of life. And others are those small moments and when they were done where not all that severe when looking bat, I mean back.

As we return from a beautiful summer of fun at the mountains and the shore, we return to the many fears of life. Yet we also return with the words of Psalms 27:1 -- The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?"

Let us, in the midst of those moments that bring concern to us, remember the one who walks that path besides us, that provides for our needs and mediates on our behalf. Let us recall to times when we have been comforted in our illness, in our despair, in our grief. Let us also recall when God celebrated with us in our jubilation, in our excitement, and in those moments of blessing.

We know that life is not perfect, but the imperfections help us really appreciate the great joys brought through living in relationships with others and with our God and the true joys that life brings to our souls.

As we begin another fall season in the church, let us find new ways of celebration and in the face of fear to remember the one who walks through life with us -- Jesus Christ.

Aren't Sons Fun!

This summer has been a great time with Aaron. 5 is so old, isn't it? In June Aaron had a wonderful Preschool graduation and began Sports Camp. One would think that it would be all the rage. Doing sports all day, get to bring whatever food you want and NO NAPS!

However, liked everything there has been some adjustment. Aaron didn't want to make new friends. Why? Because he STILL misses Enricho. Rico left daycare back in May of 2008 yet Aaron remembers him as his BFF.

I am happy to report that time has prevailed and Aaron has finally made friends at Sports Camp that aren't imaginary ones.

Life is Good!!!

One problem: What happens when he started Kindergarten in the fall? Will we have to start over again? HMMMM.......

Well, at least we're at the top of the mountain for now. lol.