Birds of a Feather

       We have two new residents at Halstad Lutheran this week!  As I came to the church door this morning, I heard lots of little cheeping and noticed (belatedly - it was morning after all) that there were some very excited swallows flying around my head.  I looked up and peeking out of a carefully woven nest were the tops of two tiny and fuzzy chicks.  They went absolutely still as soon as I got near them and I nearly missed seeing them.
       Perhaps that is one of the reasons I love bird watching; they are one of the few of nature's wonders that call out for attention.  Whether in lyrical song or harsh cry, birds draw attention to themselves.  I know I should take time to smell the roses but I often rush about oblivious to my surroundings.  But like this morning, birds can interrupt and draw me into contemplation of God's amazing creation.
       Later on in the day, I went past the pond on the other side of the river and was glad to see that a pair of large swans is still there.  They are such large and beautiful birds and so graceful.  As one caressed or groomed the other, I was reminded that swans most often mate for life.  Both encounters with birds today were reminders of the great love and care with which God has filled creation.
      In some ways it should not be surprising then that the one who took such care in creating everything would then continue to keep track of and care for everyone and every thing in creation (Luke 12:6-7).  And yet there is a long history of religion (often called deism) that believes God created the universe and then walked away to leave it to run itself.  That kind of religion only works while you are able to convince yourself that you or anyone else can really control and handle everything that comes along.
       What I know is this: the miracle of those two tiny fuzzy heads peeping away are new life and are a sign of the ongoing work of creation.  Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is that God has entrusted all of this to our care not because God can't be bothered but because they are a sign of how much God loves us!  God gives us life, intellect, heart; everything we need to do the work and also the ability to choose so that we can care for this world and all it contains.
       This is a responsibility that we ignore at our own peril.  From two tiny chicks to the melting polar ice and endangered polar bears to oil-covered pelicans and the choking marshes along the gulf coast, we need to realize that our decisions and interactions with God's creation are a matter of faith and our relationship with the Creator.  It is not a matter of politics or the validity of certain scientific theories.  It is a matter of God, faith, and love: God's love of us, our belief in God and our love for God.
       How we walk upon the earth and what we leave behind us are signs of love.  So along with reading food labels for nutrition information, clipping coupons, and checking out what is on sale, there are other questions I ponder that have to do with the impact of my choices on other people and upon creation.  Jesus repeatedly says that we will be known by how we love one another.  Our responsibility for stewardship extends the implication of Jesus' command to our care of the earth.  Read Psalm 8 (preferably while you're outside).

Be a Blessing

       One of the similarities between western Kansas and here in the Red River Valley is the flatness of the terrain.  There are not many hills in Kansas once you get past the flint hills in the center.  However, one night I had quite an adventure on the one big hill between Hays and LaCrosse.
       My son and I were coming back from an orchestra rehearsal that had finished late.  The sky was clear and full of stars, the road was dry, and once we left town, there were no other cars on the road so the driving was easy and uneventful.  Suddenly, the car engine began racing, speeding up no matter what I did.  I changed to braking with my left foot, lifting up on the gas pedal to see if it was stuck or if there was something under it.  There wasn't; the pedal was free and clear but the car kept speeding up.
       By now, we were heading down the lone steep hill on the 30 mile trip.  I was getting frantic because I knew that at the bottom of the hill was a concrete bridge over a riverbed that was dry and rocky.  I could smell the brakes getting warm and yet the needle on the tachometer kept rising into the red.  The brakes were not slowing the car down at all and I was afraid of burning them out.  I finally remembered something I had read and turned the ignition key off and put the car in neutral.  Only then was I able to stop the car and pulled off to the side.
       I was glad we were safe but it was late, we were miles from a homestead, and I didn't dare start the car again.  I opened the hood but neither of us knew enough about cars to even begin to know where to look much less how to fix the problem if we found it.  I was trying very hard not to shake or cry or add to my son's fright but I had no idea of what to do next.  (This was before we had cell phones.)
       Just then a pickup coming from the other direction pulled up and a man got out and came over.  He asked what the problem was and I told me.  He went to his truck and got a flashlight and a toolbox.  After a few minutes of looking and digging, he said that the chain on the cruise control had gotten caught but he had unhooked it and disabled the cruise so it couldn't happen again.
       He said it was safe for me to drive home but he could see that I was still very shaken and nervous so he said he would follow me to make sure we got home safely.  I got in the car, he turned around and followed me the nearly 20 miles home.  When we got to the turn off of main street, he pulled over, did a u-turn and went back in his original direction.  He hadn't given me his name and refused anything but my thanks.  I never found out who he was but I have always been grateful not only for fixing the car but also for caring enough to follow me so that I felt safe enough to drive home.
       An ancient faithful practice is one of doing acts of kindness, of being a blessing to someone; in Hebrew it is called a mitzvah.  One of the disciplines of a faithful life is to seek out chances to do these acts of kindness for others especially when we are not asked and when they can be done anonymously.  It is a way of turning life on its head from seeking what we need and want to seeking ways to help others.
       Many times, Jesus says that those who follow him will be known by how we love each other.  (John 13:34-35)  Sometimes showing Christ-like love happens in big acts, witnessed by many people and requiring courage and strength.  I think of people like Bishop Desmond Tutu and Ben Larsen, or those who work for Lutheran World Relief.  But Christ's love also happens in small acts of kindness that can become part of our daily lives as we interact with all the people around us.  Each act of kindness is a witness to the love that we have first received from Jesus Christ, nourishes our own faith and can be a blessing into the future.  The man who stopped to help us may never know but I thank God for him every time I remember his help.    Read Ephesians 4:31-5:2.