What did you say?

Is it true children have the ear of God? I was teaching a Children’s Chapel at our Children’s Center recently and was proud of what I heard come from the lips of one of our preschoolers. I brought my 10 week old daughter, Sophia, to meet the other kids. Ms. Sharon the director of the Center was holding Sophia and showing her off to the kids while I stood off to the side along the gym wall, waiting to teach chapel. Ms. Sharon asked the kids, “Do you know who Sophia belongs to?” And a young girl spoke up, saying, “God!” “Yes,” Ms. Sharon said, “Sophia belongs to God. She is also the daughter of Pastor Janelle and Brad Hooper.” What a gift—to be reminded that our children belong to God and us. That we are entrusted with these gifts, this miracle of life; and that we too, as adults are children of God.! Thanks be to God for the Good News our children teach us—we belong to God!
And thanks be to God for the valuable teaching opportunities provided by Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church and the Children’s Center. In “Baptized We Live” Daniel Erlander says that we are all shaped by some story, and that baptism provides “storied waters” for our lives. Also, that we are not alone as parents in shaping the faith lives of our children but that it is the church community, responding “yes” at the baptismal ceremony that also promises to help our children grow in faith. What a gift that at both of our campuses, through church school and preschool, our kids are growing in faith and teaching us something about belonging to God!

Can't let go

I love Texas, but after 18 years I needed to get out. Next thing I know I am standing in an Eddie Bauer store in Syracuse, New York with my dad and brother looking for a coat to help me through my first Northern winter. With little thought to fashion, my brother helped me pick out a mens down coat. I lovingly refer to it as my Marshmellowman coat. It's dark red on the outside and navy on the inside with lots of helpful pockets. In fact, while at Syracuse University, I often saw several guys wearing my jacket.
It was a good jacket, and in fact still is...11 years later. But for awhile now, actually from the beginning, I haven't been fond of how the jacket looks. There's nothing about it that cries "funky" or "feminine" just "warmth"-- which "hey" in a bad New York or Chicago winter isn't a bad thing.
But now that I'm 33, I'd like something that fits my station in life. And since the coat is still in good condition, even after literally traveling the world with me when I studied abroad, I thought I would donate it to the Celebration Clinic that is looking for good winter coats every year. However for three years running, I have taken out that winter coat, looked at it, decided I still can't stand the way it looks, but thought to myself "it still works" and couldn't justify getting rid of it. I know when you donate something it needs to be in good condition so I didn't want to hold onto the jacket until it became a rag-- but I couldn't do it. Last year I even got so far as bringing the coat to work and keeping it in my office for several weeks, meaning to take it down to Celebration. But all I ended up doing was taking it home. Maybe it's because now I'm a mamma, and I feel like I have entered a new phase in my life. I decided I could give up the coat in good condition-- and let go of those college memories and European travel memories and step into something new-- and even spend money doing it! I tell you though, as I laid that coat gently in the bin outside the back door at Celebration, without hesitation I had a sending ceremony for it. And I said a blessing that it might be a good warm coat for someone who needs it.
Silly how hard it was to let it go, even when I never really liked it. And surprising I couldn't do it without a blessing. And that was just a coat!

2 for 1

I'm trying to grow in my preaching. As a preacher I'm still trying to be more creative and to find my voice. So I'm reading a sermon a day by renowned author and preacher Barbara Brown Taylor--who is an amazing word-illustrator of scripture. I hope you notice a change in my sermons... for the better!

Free the Imagination

The last few years I've wanted to be more imaginative, more creative. I bought some art supplies and fiddle around with them, daring not to try to create people or scenes, just following my heart and what feels good. I don't want to "try" I just want to "be." Now with a 7 week old daughter I have society's "excuse" to be silly in public or make up rhyming songs. I found myself the other day making up a story from scratch to tell Sophia. Even though she was my only audience it felt very freeing to make up a story, with whatever came to mind, and not be judged by it or not to judge it myself-- just to tell it.
Some of my favorite preachers, like Barbara Brown Taylor are so creative. She keeps the Bible in 3D, so that the words and the stories, the plots and the people don't fall flat. I want to know the Bible so well that I can see through and below and in and around the text to reveal parts of the story that need to not just be told but held. So I am reading a Barbara Brown Taylor sermon every day, hence reading the Bible every day and taking notes. And I'm praying not so much to be like her, but opening myself up so God can help me be more like me!