Author: danefowlkes

Listening-while-living is an art form worth learning. Life seems at times like a succession of converging and divergent tragedies, at once interconnected and then again, disparate. Unfortunately, our earthbound perspective is linear and we strain to see ahead and behind without the ability to focus properly on either. We do not realize that this “right now” perspective is actually a grace gift. Jesus expresses it eloquently: 

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

In other words, we have right now, not yesterday or tomorrow. Surrender this moment. Celebrate this day. Create this memory. Love immediately and passionately. Do what lies at hand and you just may find the dividend is eternal.

(From the introduction to Ordinary Glory)

In Brennan Manning’s autobiography, All Is Grace, Manning made famous a statement he preached for more than fifty years: “God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be.”

“That time of year thou mayst in me behold

When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang

Upon those boughs which shake against the cold

Bare ruined choirs where late the sweet birds sang.” 

(Shakespeare’s Sonnet Number 73)

Summer comes both too soon and too late. In my childhood, summer came too late. Always anxious for the end of the school year, I savored the beginning of long days of leisure, until less than half way through the summer they became too long and too leisurely, leaving me longing for school again. But now, summer comes too soon, signaling with it too many changes in the ones I love and in myself. This past week, each of our grandchildren strode past a new milestone and I realized somewhat helplessly that this will be a summer of tremendous change for these precious ones. They are taller, smarter, wiser, and nearer maturity than ever before. Summer forms a rite of passage, movement from not only one grade to another, but an exchanging of innocence for a lesser amount of naïveté.

 
When you’re getting old as I am, summer always comes too soon. No longer a rite de passage, it morphs into a time of remembering and for realizing that the time for remembering will all too quickly fade away.  What does one have as the years diminish? We’re left with memories, some good and some bad, and with other things that can’t be fully recalled– experiences of which the details are gone but the vague recollection brings either warming joy or chilling tear. One might call this bittersweet–old enough to nod to life out of self-assurance, yet no longer young enough to be excited about the advancing of age. We have no taste for admitting that a chasm of aging lies ahead of us, let alone exploring its significance in our lives. This is a tragedy because aging is a defining spiritual issue, and what I strongly suspect is that this uncharted territory of aging holds far more potential than most are transparent enough to benefit from. The process, if we explore it honestly,  may actually hold spiritual gifts that accompany the aging process itself. There are spiritual treasures here that we must explore. Remembering is the threshold to becoming. 

“All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.” ~ Helen Keller

Huddling by candlelight is not necessarily romantic. My wife and I reclined on pillows in the dark hallway because Mother Nature was taking a howling swipe at us. Although definitely not the right setting for romance, it would have at least been peaceful were it not for our neurotic dog.

Misha has been a member of our family for only a few months, but is already ensconced as a couch potato of the highest variety. My wife gave her to me on my 56th birthday, and we both marveled at the time at her ridiculously low price. Registered Rhodesian Ridgebacks normally sell for a thousand dollars or more, making Misha’s $100 price tag a mere pittance. Born six years ago, she has been used for breeding all her life and the story we were told is that her fifth and last pregnancy was brutal. None of the litter survived, so her breeders were looking for a home where she would be well cared for and loved. The three of us meshed almost immediately, but my wife and I have since gained a better understanding as to why Misha was not strong breeding stock. 

Our first clue came during a deafening thunderstorm. Misha paced back and forth panting, then attempted to wedge her 72 pound frame into the two foot space behind my wife’s embroidery table. The second clue materialized as we watched Misha react in abject terror when she encountered our cats. Ailurophobia is not a desirable trait for Ridgebacks originally bred by Afrikaaners in Southern Africa for the purpose of hunting lions. Suffice to say that a breeding dam afraid of her own shadow and terrified of cats comes up short in the desired DNA department. Daughter of Simba and Nala, granddaughter of Sidboarani Ruffion Muskit Ridge, great granddaughter of Zyon King of Kalahari, Misha Kalahari is an adorable companion, but a lousy champion of canine ferocity. 

The image of Misha cowering before our Siamese and Calico came to me the other day when I caught myself relinquishing hope in the shadow of inevitable battles over what and Who constitutes truth. Created in the image of the Almighty and recreated by the resurrected King of Kings, how dare I bow beneath the weight of worry and fear? Vocal minorities and savvy political charlatans claim the upper hand, all the while powerless to overcome He who has already overcome. A defeated believer is an oxymoron; Christianity was never intended as a defensive posture. Jesus says as much when he declares that the gates of hell will not prevail against his Church. The better translation of “the gates of hell shall not prevail” in Matthew 16 is “shall not withstand.” The Church marches relentlessly forward and the forces of evil cannot withstand her onslaught. “Think about the picture here. Jesus says the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. Now tell me, how do gates prevail? When have you ever seen gates on the march? They don’t attack. They fortify. They are there to hold their ground. That’s all. Hell is not on the offensive, brothers and sisters. The church is on the offensive. The church is marching into all the hells in this world, ready to reclaim every square inch for Christ. And when we storm the gates of hell, Christ promises that we cannot fail” (Kevin DeYoung). Make no mistake about it, we are at war. “Moral relativity is the enemy we have to overcome before we tackle atheism” (C. S. Lewis). The great news about the Good News is that the battle is the Lord’s and we are on the winning side. Fulfill your birthright; advance under the banner of our victorious King.

Is opposition to defining homosexual practice and transgender identity as normative tantamount to racial prejudice? Certain voices, even within the Christian community, would have us think so. In a brief but bitter sermon at the United Methodist Church’s General Conference morning worship service, Bishop Sally Dyck of the Chicago Episcopal Area said The United Methodist Church has “a category of humanity we call incompatible with Christian teaching.” For nearly 45 years the denomination has judiciously stated that it believes “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” According to “Good News” magazine, when delegates at the 1972 General Conference introduced the phrase into the Book of Discipline they wanted to make clear it was the practice of homosexuality they found incompatible, not people who are identified as such. Bishop Dyck went on to say, “I don’t believe LGBTQ people are any more sinful than I am. I know not all of you think the same way. I’m not here to argue with you.” However, Dyck went on to say, “Our church is structured on racism. … Racism is in the very air we breathe as we do our work together.” And then she cried out, “Why is racism not declared incompatible with Christian teaching? Why isn’t racism incompatible with Christian teaching!”

Dyck may have inadvertently stumbled over the crux of the matter. Is opposition to the practice of homosexuality and transgender identification equivalent to racial prejudice? Racism has historically been defined as prejudicial thought and acts against a specified ethnic group. The people group under consideration may stand in the minority or majority, but the common denominator is ethnic definition. Gender prejudice is an equally significant, albeit separate issue. Males dominating females in any capacity is rightfully considered gender inequality, standing in opposition to the equal footing described and prescribed by Scripture. However, sexual preference is a different issue entirely. In no way does sexual preference qualify as racism or gender bias. ‘Common sense’ definition of racism is nonsense. Follow the logic. If sexual preference defines, then who is to say paedophilia is wrong, or beastility, or necrophilism, the list goes on, ad nauseum. Well intentioned though they may be, those who introduce the race card into the debate over sexual practice, are amoralists of the most dangerous variety–wolves wearing sheepskins. To step away from biblical morality is to tumble headlong in a moral free fall into an abyss far darker than any can imagine. 

According to many reports, the Obama administration issued a sweeping directive telling every public school district in the country to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms that match their gender identity. The letter to school districts went out Friday, adding to a highly charged debate over transgender rights in the middle of the administration’s legal fight with North Carolina over the issue. The declaration contains an overtly ominous tone as it describes what schools should do to ensure that none of their students are discriminated against. The presidential directive does not have the force of law, but it contains an implicit threat: Schools that do not abide by the Obama administration’s interpretation of the law could face lawsuits or a loss of federal aid. Herein lies the issue: “the Obama administration’s interpretation of the law.” The executive branch of government was not established to interpret law, yet the current president acts as if he sees himself as the supreme Supreme Court justice. 

While this was happening, eight states filed a brief Siding with North Carolina in its legal fight with the Obama administration. And in Fannin County, Ga., a sparsely populated area bordering North Carolina and Tennessee, hundreds of people marched to a school board meeting in order to insist that the district adhere to traditional, anatomical standards in defining sex. Tim Moore, the Republican speaker of the North Carolina House, said, “We all have to wonder what other threats to common sense norms may come before the sun sets on the Obama administration.” Make no mistake about it, we are in the midst of an all out offensive by those that would rewrite what common sense, anatomy, and Scripture dictate. Only days before the intrusive directive, the United Methodist Church’s greatly anticipated 2016 General Conference opened with colorful pageantry and an evangelical message from Bishop Warner Brown, president of the Council of Bishops. Brown challenged the General Conference to heed the words of St. Paul: “So let’s strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up” (Romans 14:19). “Today, in this place, in this important time, by the power of God’s Spirit, may we once again collectively sing [the African phrase]: ‘Jesu Tawa Pano’ ̵ Jesus, we are here for you. Not any other agenda. We are here for you. Therefore, let us go! God is with us, the transformation of the world has already begun. Therefore go, make disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!” Who could argue against such powerful preaching; however, the day was not without controversy. Shortly before the conference convened dozens of LGBTQ advocates gathered in the convention center to participate in the unauthorized ordination of Susan Laurie, a prominent leader in the movement. Although the act of ecclesial disobedience grants Laurie no official standing in the UM Church, it does add to the list of infractions that threaten to splinter the worldwide denomination. Later that day the same advocates disrupted the celebration of Holy Communion during the conference’s opening worship service. As the elements were shared with delegates and thousands of observers, Laurie and other protesters opened alternative “Queer Communion stations” (not my description) where delegates and others could receive Holy Communion. 

The moral fiber of America is unraveling because we (believers) have opted for glitz and glamour rather than walking the narrow path as salt and light. Tragically, Christians have lost our voice, perhaps because we’ve no use for salt these days and no longer distinguish light from dark. Who could have anticipated a time in which anatomy no longer defines gender, and common sense is considered biased. When Christians chime in with those who oppose biblical morality, the curtain threatens to close on all of us. Though their causes differed widely from the current moral chaos, it may be time to reenact a page from the legacy of Gandhi, King and Bonhoeffer. If there has ever been a time for civil disobedience in America, it’s now. Doubtless, many will disagree with these thoughts, and in anticipation of those I conclude with much of the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Roman church:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; 21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools; 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four–footed animals or reptiles.24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.26 For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. 29 They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, God–haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.

(Romans 1:18-32 | NRSV)

The moral fiber of America is unraveling because we (believers) have opted for glitz and glamour rather than walking the narrow path as salt and light. 

My prayer for this day:
Merciful Lord,
You not only hold all things together; You are Everything. All of life finds its meaning and purpose in You. You alone define joy; hope is the inevitable consequence of abiding in You. Unveil the mystery of union with Christ in quiet moments of reflection and raucous action benefitting the hurting and at risk in my sphere of influence. Create in me not only a clean heart, but a thirsty one that will not be satisfied with alluring substitutes. I do not seek to be successful but to remain faithful. I will not fall prey to the temptation of expedience; my mind finds peace in knowing You and learning to detect You in the commonplace. Transform routine into reverence and the familiar into worship. And should You so choose, find rest in me as I rest resolutely in You. 

The following was written a few weeks ago by my step daughter. Although referring to a photo that I’ve chosen to omit, its meaning and importance are unmistakable. I cannot think of anything better to share this Mother’s Day:

I took this picture on Easter; we joked looking at it right after that they matched and we didn’t even plan it. I went on through the day taking lots more pictures not thinking about what I had captured. A few days later it hit me… 

You see Dane was adopted, he was born in an orphanage in New Orleans and then he went to his forever home. Also, Dane is my step father, and although it feels like he has been a part of our lives forever, he has been married to my Mom for 10 years. Nineteen months ago Lucille was brought to our home and I can tell you that when they handed her over to me I sat at our table filling out the stack of paperwork required and the thought went through my mind that I was going to be this little girl’s mother. Yesterday she was officially adopted into our family forever. NOW looking at this picture it represents so much more!!! Here are two people that I love more than I can express, who love each other more than they can express, that given their stories should not be grandfather and granddaughter, but they are! Our God is a BIG God!! 

We are human, we see things through a very small tunnel sometimes, God sees the whole picture! The road to this family was not always easy, there has been pain, sorrow, and difficult circumstances. There are times in the journey when we cannot see the purpose or reason behind pain. The beauty is that God promised to never leave us and He is in control. I never could have imagined any of this, but God knew the story before it was written. God brought this family together, as it says in Romans “working everything together for good.” When I look at this picture I see our God is real, He loves us, and He is in control!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“Optimism is a wish without warrant; Christian hope is a certainty, guaranteed by God himself. Optimism reflects ignorance as to whether good things will ever actually come. Christian hope expresses knowledge that every day of his life, and every moment beyond it, the believer can say with truth, on the basis of God’s own commitment, that the best is yet to come.”
~J.I. Packer

Could Easter mean more to anyone than Peter? More times than I can count, I’ve asked church groups and classes of students which biblical character they would choose to be if they could go back in time. It may surprise you to know, as it has me, that rarely does anyone select the apostle Peter. Peter, of all people– spokesman and passionate leader of the Twelve, one of Christ’s inner circle, head of the Church following Christ’s ascension, the “Rock” for Pete’s sake! As I consider possible reasons for this anomaly, the best explanation I can come up with is that believers are, for the most part, an unforgiving lot–not primarily of others but of ourselves. We cannot bear to admit our uncanny resemblance to a beloved friend of Jesus who betrayed him when stakes were the highest. It’s hard for us to get beyond the courtyard scene with accusations and sparks flying, Peter swearing, and cock crowing. We fail to acknowledge his stricken heart, grieving and repentant spirit, and dogged determination to never again fail his Lord. 

Easter is more verb than noun. Resurrected Christ-followers do more than look behind wistfully or forward longingly. In a very real sense, Jesus folds aside the grave clothes and rises triumphantly each time a fallen sinner limps into his arms. Unfortunately, many reach down for those same macabre bandages and do their best to hide behind them. The struggle for believers is not finding divine mercy, but forgiving themselves. Herein lies the grand lesson from the Apostle’s experience: we do not live in the shadow of the cross, we thrive in hope emanating from an empty tomb. No one stands or stumbles beyond the reach of grace. Peter struggled with and never fully recovered from his own denial, but the brokenness he lived with in its wake forged a graceful spirit. Near the end of his life, grace and love became his theme, exhorting other believers to believe in God’s mercy, grace rolled off his tongue as easily as cursing did before. “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:10, NRSV). It is possible to forgive one’s self while remaining sensitive to the conditions that led us astray to begin with. Mercy and memory are suitable companions for disciples.

“May grace and peace be yours in abundance. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in Heaven for you…” (1 Peter 1:2b-4, NRSV)