Good Decisions

Today was our annual 9th grade "6th Commandment Retreat" (otherwise known as the Sex Retreat)! I think it's one of the most important things we do with the youth-- helping them think through sexuality and how they make their decisions about when and in what context it's okay to have sex.

We looked at Scripture passages, watched video clips from tv shows and movies (Glee and Twilight), and listened to popular music ("Moves like Jagger" and "Just a Kiss") to see the many ways that media influences us when it comes to sex and relationships. We also did activities around what character traits are most important to us in a partner and around gender stereotypes. Most of the activities happened with just the youth, but some happened with their parents at the end. The event is always such a joy-- a blessed, awkward, clumsy, helpful joy...

But one of the things that has stayed with me today is something that guest presenter Becky Hulden said. Becky is a labor & delivery nurse, and she talked very candidly, patiently, and graciously about healthy sex and relationships. Among some of the more colorful things she discussed was the brilliant summation that:

"You can make good decisions, or you can make decisions good."

MAKE:
GOOD DECISIONS............
...........DECISIONS GOOD

She pointed out that most people assume the hardest and most important part of a decision is what happens before and as you make it. In the "making" of the good decision. But, too often we don't realize that what really counts is what we do once we've made the decision. We have lots of power and choice to take any decision we've made, and turn it into something positive or negative. So, even when we don't make a good decision, we can make that decision good in the end.

Such a helpful tool when it comes to relationships. We try to do the best we can to make the most informed choices and decisions we can. But ultimately, we will never make ALL good decisions. Ultimately we make mistakes. But, even so God is working in and through us to help transform us, to help make a way, to help find the joy and hope in any situation. So when we think we've messed up, we can trust that we can always find the good (because we can always find God) in any decision.

I Love You!

Coming in to work this morning, I saw the most beautiful thing. I saw that someone had made a snow angel in front of the steps leading up to our sanctuary. And they'd written in the snow: "I love you."

I love you.

If that wasn't the best evangelism campaign/ marketing slogan I'd ever seen for a church, I don't know what is!

From the voice of God the creator, and the choirs of angels, enter this place and you will hear a truth spoken so sweetly, that you are loved.

All work and no play...

We all know the saying: "All work and no play, makes Johnny a dull boy."

But, not to worry-- we definitely do not have that problem here at Trinity these days! There is lots of play mixed in to our work...

In particular, Pr Rick and I have become quite the partners in crime when it comes to play at work. We have taken to pulling pranks on some of our co-workers and each other. Good, clean fun-- don't worry!

And the thing is, we wouldn't be able to do this, if things at Trinity weren't

good. Solid. If the staff didn't like each other or get along. If there wasn't trust. But, with joy in the workplace comes room for laughter and play.

I think I'd characterize the environment around here lately as: playful, good-spirited, and fun!

In the midst of busy fall schedules, hectic personal lives, and staff transition as Senior Pastor Steve Wold retired, the staff has been able to really enjoy themselves. I have been able to really enjoy myself!

And for this, I am truly THANKFUL!

Luther's Catholic Feud

How much do you know about Martin Luther?
How about Trinity Lutheran Church or small group ministry?

We created this game as part of the reformation party, and it now available to play with your friends and family. The top 25 small group leaders were surveyed. The top answers are on the board. Click the numbers to reveal the answers, or click the boxes to produce a "X"!

Let's play Luther's Catholic Feud!

www.trinitymhd.org/Fued

God, is that you?!

It's been a couple weeks now that we've been reading "Surprise Me." And it has proven to be just as delightful as I'd expected. But, Terry Esau, after 2 weeks into his experiment described in the book the tough question he was dealing with... How do you know which events in your life are of God? Which surprises are God's?

He asked this because of his fear that readers would take his book and turn it into a Prayer of Jabez, prosperity-gospel. He worried that people would see a "trivial train of 'blessings'" and assume that each $5 bill found on the ground, close parking space at the store, and rebate on the big item purchase we were going to make is all a result of God's surprising favor for us.

Is God in the mundane, sure. But we can never be sure what exactly IS or ISN'T of God.

So, what do we do with that?! (It's not very helpful, Mr. Esau!)

He encourages us to trust. To trust that God is in our lives helping us to be the best we can be. Is God there to make our business or bank account flourish? No, but God promises to be there to help US flourish... Living with that kind of trust is hard, though. And it is usually only with hindsight that we truly see which actions and opportunities in our life (however mundane or monumental) were of God.

So, we were asked the question-- which seemingly insignificant moment or event at the time turned out to be life-changing? A part of God's big plan to make us flourish in life and love and joy... Well, as I think back, there are lots of those moments:

• When I was in kindergarten, my parents wanted to sign me up for a summer school "camp;" my choices were like cheerleading or Spanish, and for whatever reason I chose Spanish... that seemingly random decision led to a love of the language which I later studied from 6th-12th grade, brought me to Spain in my senior year, allowed me to take on leadership roles in several mission events in Mexico during college, enabled me to study abroad in Spain and Mexico, minored in Spanish, and helped me use the language during internship where I even got to preach in Spanish. All because of a 6 year old's foray into Spanish one summer!
• While on a youth trip in the mountains in Wyoming, I was partnered to be "tent buddies" with a girl from my grade. She and I weren't exactly friends. But, through the course of the trip, we ended up leaving as best friends and she is one of my closest friends to this day!
• One evening during high school I was driving home with my youngest brother (who was in 8th grade at the time), and we were talking about school, friends, and life. When we got home, we stayed in the car to finish the conversation. We were discussing his plans for high school and future. We didn't know it at the time, but it ended up being a very important conversation-- not only in terms of high school selection, but also for our relationship.

See, God really does use small, singularly "insignificant" moments to do incredible things! Which shouldn't surprise us since God also seems to use seemingly insignificant people to do them! :)

Surprises

During Lent, a group of ladies began meeting for a Small Group "Sampler." Short term commitment, long term impact.

Well, our one-off, short-term group, morphed into another "Summer Sampler." Seems there's something to this relationship, faith-building together thing! :)

We decided that we wanted to gather to talk about where we see God active in our lives. We all shared that life gets busy, and we are pulled in so many directions that it is sometimes difficult to see the surprises God sends our way. So, I offered a suggestion to journey through Terry Esau's Surprise Me, a 30 day faith experiment. In his book, he decided to begin every day for a month with the prayer: SURPRISE ME, GOD! And the book is his observations, ruminations, and reflections. We are going through this book, journaling on our own, and gathering weekly in Bible study and prayer around where we see God surprising us.

Now, I have to admit. I hadn't been as disciplined in the daily reading and journaling as I'd hoped to have been. I went for several days without reading at all. But I kept the words, "Surprise Me" as a refrain, humming along between my conscious and subconscious...

And this may come as no shock, but God was there. Beginning to look for God and paying attention to where God is prompting and guiding has been a blessing. And where have those surprises come? Terry Esau describes it plainly: "What I'm saying is, surprises seem to be largely a product of our contact with people and God." It comes as no real shock that this Incarnate God of ours chooses to surprise us with love, mercy, joyfulness, and hope in and through our relationships with others.

I can't wait to see what the next days will bring, for me and my fellow "Samplers"... how will God surprise us next?

Opportunities

When I talk with my friends who are in their first calls, they are often startled to learn about the many "perks" my position has. The TiM program at Trinity allows me lots of additional continuing ed, learning, and support opportunities. Many of my friends barely get continuing ed, much less have a strong peer group and intentional monies and resources devoted to pastoral development and personal growth.

As a part of the TiM program we have been able to travel to the churches of our first-call colleagues in EaND synod, share meals together, attend convocations, and most recently travel to Holden Village. There at Holden we had the chance to worship, pray, sing, learn, eat, and play in community. The opportunity was once-in-a-lifetime.