Treasure Found

In Matthew 13:46 a man found a treasure buried in a field - bought that field - returned to claim his prize. In life all of us - will have opportunities - to find hidden treasure - not in a field - not pearls - gold - diamonds - rather - people. People come - go - in our lives. Many - ordinary - not memorable - others - a few special - people you never forget. The other day we came across old friends - memorable - special - from the past - here in Arizona - snow birds - like us. What joy - excitement - a chance to reconnect - to gather - to visit.

In everything that Jesus did - He tried to impress upon people - the value of fellow humans. Like pearls in the field - gold - diamonds - in the hand - treasure of greatest value.  True friendships never die - reunited - life rekindled - renewed.  As we walk this week of Lent - may each of us - find - rediscover - the friend we have in Jesus.

Deacon Dale 

Negotations

It takes a specific skill to be a good negotiator - not all are qualified - able to view both sides of a discussion - argument - to control - not dominate - to bring opposing sides together - to create common ground - to achieve positive results. Labor unions - management - one eyed visions - tunnel vision - self serving.  Contracts often come to a halt - no movement either way - no progress - loss on both sides. To negotiate well - sensitivity - to both parties - vision for union - fairness the goal.

As ministers of the Gospel - God expects - Jesus - demands - His disciples - to fairness - to openness - vision - for unity.  He looks for a common union - a communion - of hearts - souls - spirits. On this Fifth Sunday of Lent - we are called to a New Covenant - a change in hearts - to create for ourselves - others - a better world - to love - to live.  Jesus call us to the bargaining table - different - the same - will you come? 

Deacon Dale 

Game Time

Game Time - time to start - let's play - play ball - batter up - on the ice - ready - set - go! The energy that one feels as any game is beginning to start - the anticipation - first point - first goal - first run - let it begin. Everyone loves sports - individual - team - the excitement - cheering - shouting - high fives. Early wins - overtime - quick wins - slow loses - adrenalin flows.

When Jesus was selecting His disciples - game time - time to learn - time to  commit - time to go the extra mile. His disciples - enthusiastic - full of energy - looking for results. Jesus had to calm - get under control - inform.  When we first felt our call to serve Him - ready - too quick - to jump in. As neophytes we need to become well grounded - allow our roots to sink deeply into His soil of knowledge - love - to empower us to enter the game - well prepared - for ministry. Lent is a training period for all Christians - ordained - lay - a time to regroup - to pray - to study - to listen. Time is running short - game day - soon upon us. Jesus - waits - watches - calls us - to join - His first string.

Deacon Dale 

Taxes

Taxes have been around since the earliest days - the price for protection - community development - getting rich off the poor. I am in the process of doing my income taxes - early for me - usually left until early April. The hard part - gathering records - income - expenses - deductible - not deductible - digging up obscure receipts - depending on memory. I hate doing my taxes - will not farm the work out - hardest part - getting the necessary information - easiest part - filling out the forms. For those who have already filed - received refunds - congratulations - for those like myself - good luck.

When Jesus was asked if it was right to pay taxes - whose image on the coins - who was in charge - who ran the government - pay the man. As unpleasant as it was - paying taxes the norm. Give to Caesar what is Caesar's - give to God what is God's.  God does not want your money - the Church wants your money - for ministry - evangelization - paying its own way. No - God does not want your money - He wants your heart - not ten percent - not 20 percent - rather - one hundred percent. He wants your love - your attention - your life - to love Him - to serve Him - to help Him make this world better for everyone.  In this Lenten season as you pray - fast - give alms - remember - first - to give your heart - your love away - to God.

Deacon Dale 

The Rain in Spain

The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain - a song from the musical - My Fair Lady - originally published in 1956. The song was a turning point in the plot of the musical in which Professor Higgins and Colonel Pickering had been incessantly drilling Eliza Doolittle with exercises to correct her speech - to break her Cockney accent. When my wife and I were preparing to walk the 500 mile El Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain in 2013 - we read - studied - devoured - all the information we could find - walking conditions - weather probabilities - equipment needed - proper use of trekking poles - availability of food - language issues - everything.  One major concern was rain - the mud - humidity - wet boots - wet socks - wet clothes.  We were blessed in many and numerous ways - the one special blessing - one rain day - the last day - the easiest day. It rained in the mountains - the plains - the high lands and the low lands - it did not stay in the plain.

As the saying goes - into every life - a little rain must fall.  It is inevitable - unavoidable - a definite possibility. Where there is life - there will be heat and cold - dry and wet - snow and rain.  Rain nurtures - cleanses - revitalizes - people - plants - animals. Without rain - we would not have water - we would cease to exist.  For all of God's people - His blessings are poured upon us - daily - every day. We are showered with His love - His forgiveness - His acceptance. As rain falls from the sky and waters the ground - so does His love rain upon us to fill us with all His promises. When God sends His rain - do not run inside - to avoid - stay outside - let His blessing pour upon you - receive His Spirit - His love.  As we continue to contemplate our Lenten journey - dance in the rain - with Jesus.

Deacon Dale 

Rock of Ages

The home we bought in Arizona was previously a rental home - ignored - abused - bare minimum - little maintenance.  Before it could be placed on the market for sale - a lot of work had to be done to make it clean - updated - marketable.  If we had seen it - would not have bought it.  Months later - a crew of twenty plus - hours of sweat - transformed - freshened - renewed - given new life.  What we saw when we viewed it - not at all what the neighbors described. The interior of the house was not all that was ignored - the landscaping - a jungle - the decomposed granite - decomposed - the jungle was cleared - the granite left as is - dust unto dust - very biblical. We bought it as is - potential to make it our own - huge. In the transformation of the back yard we bought rock -  lots of rock - twenty-eight tons of rock. One inch by the new pool - 3/8 inch for the main yard - 1/4 minus for the bocce court. The community where the house is located is ruled by an HOA - homeowners association - two hundred sixteen pages of rules - covenants - restrictions. Change the color of the house - ask the HOA - change the size or color of the rock - not without HOA approval. Jumping through hoops - part of belonging to an HOA - rules - mostly fair - for the benefit of all. Approval received - the old - aged - dusty - rock - upgraded - new color - less dust - bigger stones - looking good.

Jesus wanted a leader to help Him lead His disciples - to proclaim His Gospel message - to reach the mass of people. His search led Him to Simon - Shimon - Simeon - who He named Cephas - Peter - the Rock. As He told Peter - you shall be known as Cephas - the Rock - upon whom I shall build my church - a Rock that has stood as the first leader of Jesus' Church. This Rock - this Peter - the original Rock of Ages - the same Rock who three times denied the Lord - this man known for putting his foot in his mouth - stood - solid - following Jesus - even into death. Jesus does not ask us to die for Him - He did that once - for all.  He does ask us to be solid - rock solid in our faith - to be firm in our belief in Him - to be a peg fixed firmly in place - as we seek to deepen our relationship with Him - with God - as we serve Him and His people.  Jesus asks - we respond - He hopes - we will be - rock solid - for all ages.

Deacon Dale  

Just A Kiss

A kiss - never just a kiss - meaningful - affects - effects - many. Some would say a kiss is nothing - a simple action - no consequence - not worth discussing. Others - quite different - very meaningful - impacts - changes - aftermath. Kissing - sign of affection for most - often shared frivolously - no meaning - no intent.  Most people contemplate - consider - who to kiss - when to kiss - how to kiss. Recently it was reported that a casual kiss - given an infant - led to death - sadness all around - a cold sore - herpes virus - infection - hospital - second infection at hospital - baby too weak to survive. 

When Jesus was betrayed by Judas - with a kiss - well intended - planned - arrested - condemned - crucified - died - the world shuddered. When Jesus asked Judas - you betray me with a kiss? - the thoughts through his mind - what he had done - the consequences - like the infant - innocent - no future. Even though He was betrayed - Jesus - loved - Judas - the world - enemies - critics - you - me - all of us. His love has no end - for God so loved the world - all in the world - all of the world - He sent His only Son - Jesus - to die - from a kiss - for all of us. Would that we could meet Jesus - face to face - to offer Him - our kiss.

Deacon Dale 

Stunted Growth

According to Wikipedia stunted growth refers to a reduced growth rate in human development presenting as a manifestation of malnutrition and repeated infections such as diarrhea and parasitic worms. The world is filled with people who suffer with stunted growth - for the most part - most fare pretty well - with shorter height being one of their least concerns in life.  Short people are all around us - not all necessarily victims of stunted growth.  Height is not only a nutrition issue - genetics - ancestral history - playing a large role in growth patterns and height of individuals.  In reality the height of a person is nothing compared  to what resides inside - in the mind - the heart.

Jesus- Himself - not a giant of a man - somewhat short by today's standards - in physical 
characteristics - a giant - spiritually - ethically- morally. Through Him - God showed the true merit lies inside the person - how they think - what they think - how they act - what they say - do - believe.  God asks all of us to  put aside pre-conceived ideas about the value of others - to look with His eyes - to hear with His ears - to love with His heart.  Do this and your Lenten journey - will bear much fruit.

Deacon Dale

Laetare Sunday

The Fourth Sunday of Lent - Laetare Sunday - celebrated by most western rite liturgical churches - Roman Catholic - Anglican - some Protestant churches - Laetare - translated from Latin - to rejoice. What is it about this particular Sunday of Lent - a period of purple - sadness - reflection - penance - that we see rose - pinkish colored vestments - told to be happy - rejoice.  Is it more than the fact that we are half way through LENT - looking forward to celebrating - Easter - resurrection - new life.  On this Sunday -- God - the Church reminds us - not all is bad - not all is sad - not all needs forgiveness.  There is natural joy in the world - in people - friends - animals - plants - joy that never leaves.

Jesus told us that He came to set a fire on the earth - a fire  in the hearts of men -women - adults - children - a fire to burn brightly - to illuminate lives - to warm hearts - to shed light where there is darkness - to reveal hope for the lost - the lonely - the sick. In Lent - as we reflect on all that Jesus taught - we repent of the times we  failed to acknowledge - celebrate the joy of life.   Jesus shows us the way - He stands at the door - waiting for a knock - from you.

Deacon Dale    

Time Change

Many parts of  the world just recently went through a time change - moving the hands of the clock forward - one hour - offering one additional hour to work - play - enjoy - more sunlight. Not every country participates - not every US state - participates. The usefulness often questioned. The origin - thought to benefit farmers - incorrect - originally proposed by a New Zealand entomologist in 1895 - later by by an English builder - who disliked ending his golf game early - due to dusk - in 1905 - first implemented by Germany in April 1916 - as a means to reduce use of coal during World War I.  For some areas - Arizona - daylight saving time - a detriment - increasing use of air-conditioning - increasing use of electricity. 

God sent Jesus to mankind when - time change - seriously needed.  People were going astray - not observing God's plan - doing their own thing - not living the lives He had in mind. Jesus asked - told - begged - people to listen - open their ears - eyes -- to the wonders of God - life available - as a disciple. His message the same today - preached from every pulpit in the world - time for change - time for accountability - time for love - time for being better.  He stands - watch in hand - waiting - watching the time - looking for a change - in you.

Deacon Dale