The Greatest Feeling in the World

What is the greatest feeling in the world? Some would say love, others happiness or peace. But, I would say the greatest feeling in the world is relief. This discovery came about one day while a friend and I were in route to the funeral of a fellow pastor's parent. I was feeling ill with a headache and grumblies in the tumblies. A quick stop at a store for Pepsi and crackers (my aunt's remedy) and I was soon feeling better, much better.

This quick recovery sparked a conversation between the two of us about a man my friend had once known. This person was being interviewed by mental health professionals as to his emotional state and was asked the question posed here today.
"What is the greatest feeling in the world?"
To which he answered, "relief."
My friend then asked him, "What did they say?"
"Nothing." he said, "they just locked me up."

I don't know what the details were surrounding his hospitalization but, I have to say that this person was more insightful than anyone was willing to give him credit. Think about this for a moment, isn't relief at the heart of those things I mentioned earlier? Love, happiness, peace? In fact, isn't relief at the heart of all emotional, physical, even spiritual well being?

When we experience love, are we not on some primal level relieved that someone loves us? If you have ever reached a critical place within a relationship that hints of loss and those problems are worked through, then you know the relief of reconciliation. When we experience happiness (whatever that may be) are we not relieved we aren't in pain? Even in the case of terminal illness, one can experience a form of relief when death is an end to that suffering. In fact many use the term, "they are at peace," when addressing the relief of death.

One of the definitions listed on Dictionary.com for the word relief is, "to free from an enclosed space," like to relieve pressure. I find it interesting that artistic carvings which produce raised images from a flat service are called reliefs. It seems to suggest that the image was somehow freed or liberated from the enclosed space of the medium, (wood or stone) through the act of carving or chiseling. Relief is liberation.

Yes, I do believe that young man held within his grasp the answer to one of life's deeper questions. It's answer can touch the silly to the sublime. It's a simple concept with a far reaching context and it is what I wish for those whom I hold close and for us all, the liberation of relief. Free from all that would bind or limit our full expression of life with our Creator. So, as you go about your daily life may you experience the freedom to be who you are created to be, may you experience relief.

The Home S-t-r-e-t-c-h

We here at seminary are nearing the home stretch, the last three weeks of classes and finals. All over campus one can sense the tension mounting as we rush to finish, (or begin) final papers, cobble together presentations, study for final exams and try our best to cram in the weekly reading for our last two classes. Ha! For those of us that also pastor a congregation or three, or four, or who work full time jobs in addition to school responsibilities the pressure can be deadly.

It is a continual balancing act between work, school, family and self-care. Too often self-care is sacrificed for the sake of the others. At some point, one must ask at what price do we sacrifice our own care?

If we as leaders in both church and community do not daily practice the care of self such as, healthy eating habits, (my personal down fall right along with the next one.) exercise, prayer time for our spiritual growth, and regular medical and dental care (financial luxuries for seminary students, I know); then what by our actions/examples are we teaching those we lead?

For many seminary students and pastors, the driving force behind much of what is done is the need to meet the expectations of others. The expectations of one's school responsibilities clearly laid out in each class syllabus and the expectations of our employers, churches and families which can, if we allow them, overtake our time and kill off our self-care. Long before Easum and Capshaw wrote the book, Put on Your Own Oxygen Mask First: Rediscovering Ministry, I used the same example for self-care. I understood that on a plane, if a parent did not apply the mask that would keep them alive first to themselves, they may pass out before being able to place the mask on their child. One can quickly see the importance of this lesson as an unconscious parent can help no one.

The same premise of self-care is important for the future and present leaders of the Church and the world. If we do not care for ourselves then how can we care for anyone or anything else?

Let's take care of ourselves! So, here's our homework, (Ow, bad word these next few weeks) take a chunk out of each day for you, it doesn't have to be hours and hours, but one hour or so each day to pray, or exercise or both. To walk in God's Creation, to breathe, to dance, to get a massage...my personal fav, drink tea with a friend, or anything you can think of that will breathe life into your tired and overworked soul. A mini retreat.


There will always be a Home Stretch in life, deadlines, responsibilities and expectations, my prayer, is for us to care for ourselves so that we then may as whole persons, care for that to which God calls us. God's blessings as you travel along life's journey.

Take a Piece of My Heart

I was a child of the 70s, and as such I attended my share of rock concerts and major sub-culture events. I have memories of seeing such legends as The Rolling Stones, Johnny Winter, Poco, Jethro Tull, The Greatful Dead....you get the picture. Unfortunately the one person I never had the privilege of seeing in concert was the one I wished to see most, Janis Joplin, who died in 1970 before I was old enough to begin my concert attending career which started two years later when I was 17.

I loved Janis, her raw edgy voice coupled with her honest lyrics stirred something deep and primal in my soul. Through her music she bared to the world her deepest joys and greatest pain. My favorite song which Janis covered along with her band, "Big Brother and the Holding Company" in 1968 was, "Piece of My Heart." It was written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, and produced by John Simon. At the risk of copyright infringement I will tell you my favorite line in the song, "take it, take another little piece of my heart..."

Although Janis was not the first to sing this song and certainly not the last, there is something about the Joplin rendition that for me, reflects deep seeds of hope. In the gravely depths of Janis' voice lurked a plea for restoration and healing. It was almost as if she was giving the deepest part of herself in the hope of rebirth.

I've spent the last several days humming that song and weeping as I have experienced two different events which have given me cause to contemplate what it means to "give one's heart."

The first being one of my beloved parishioners entering hospice this week. I will have the privilege of walking the path along side them as they process and experience what it means to move from this life into the next. Of course at some point on the path we who will remain will reach that place where we must stop and our beloved will continue on taking "a little piece of our hearts."

The other event was within my discernment process as I continue to pray how and where exactly God is calling me to serve. While preparing the power point for Sunday's worship I read the words to one of the hymns we will sing this week, "The Church's One Foundation." Of course I started to cry as I read of Christ's gift of the Church given to us and of the many, many saints who through the centuries have willingly given their hearts and lives for its continued life. It was then that I realized that my heart too belongs to the Church and as one called to a life service I too will give pieces of my heart and life over and over again. A piece for God, a piece for the Church, a piece for this world, a piece for a brother or sister in Christ...

Some of those pieces will hurt, others will be glorious expressions of relationship and growth. All will be a gift, both to the recipient and to the giver. Amen.

Livin the Dream

Well, I've survived another Holy Week of church activity. If you serve in ministry then you know what I am talking about. The post Easter exhaustion, the part where, to paraphrase my friend Robin, "you long for three days in a grave." The physical and emotional exhaustion can be overwhelming to say the least.

One spends weeks planning and executing a number of services or observances for the week of Christ's Passion. (If you've ever been part of wedding planning you know what I mean.) Many things are taken into consideration, the group of people present determines many times the way in which the observance is approached. Learning styles, life outlook etc., etc. Again, I say exhausting. Finally the finished product is presented and we observe, grieve, experience, and celebrate in a whirlwind of emotions. By Easter Sunday afternoon most in church service are ready for, "The Big Nap." Easter Monday finally dawns, a new week begins, and we start all over again. The question is, "What is it we start?" And for that matter, do we start something or continue what we have already been doing?

I take consolation in knowing that Jesus' disciples faced the same dilemma.
"What do we do now?"
They had experienced three years of amazing events; encountered feelings and concepts they never dreamed of before they met Jesus. They rode the roller coaster of Holy Week with its devastation and elation. They mourned the death of their Beloved, along with their hopes and dreams only to be smacked in the head with Resurrection. I don't know how they didn't implode. So, after all of this upheaval what do we find the disciples doing? Fishing. That's right, fishing. When one is not sure what the next step will be the natural human response is to go back to the thing you know. For many of the disciples that was fishing.

John 21 tells us that Peter, James, John, Thomas, Nathanael and two other disciples were together when Peter declared his intention to go fishing. Everyone present agreed and the seven spent the night on a boat. As the story goes, they caught nothing on their own until morning when Jesus shows up and tells them where to cast. Just like the beginning of their time together the nets are full but this time, Jesus feeds them with their catch. This was the third appearance of Jesus, to His disciples, since His resurrection.

As Jesus enters conversation with Peter after breakfast the reader sees Him laying out the plan for Peter. That plan was to live the resurrection life and to offer it to Jesus' sheep. Peter now had his next step, his road map and therefore didn't need to go back to what he knew before. Peter could now, "live the dream."

Now that Holy Week has ended with its pageants, prayers and pomp, one needs to be clear on what to do next. Many times folks float through Easter as if it is a one day affair with no eternal implications. Whisking out of an inspiring worship service clad in Easter finery having been sated with enough "holy" to last the week maybe two, only to find that once the "pink cloud" feelings dissipate one too is faced with the idea to, "go fishing."

Hymn number 304 in The United Methodist Hymnal is entitled "Easter People, Raise Your Voices." tells us that for "Easter People," every day is Easter. As we live out our lives this Eastertide and every Easter day, my prayer is that we do not fall into the trap of the next thing or the last thing. May we live the dream, live the resurrection life this day and all days.