Thoughts from a rambling Pastor

This morning at 8:30am --- prime getting the kids dressed, fed, and out the door to daycare time --- a call came into my cell phone that I didn't recognize.  It was a really weird area code too.  I decided I should probably answer it.

"This is Sarah,"  I say.
"Yes Sarah, can I talk with your husband who is a Pastor," says the voice on the other end.

Taken back I say, "This is the Pastor."

He sounded like he had never heard of a female Pastor.  Like I was some new kind of phenomenon.  He was trying to sell this bible on audio thing but was more interested in the fact that I was a female Pastor.

Most days I forget that a female Pastor isn't that common.... or I should say, many people haven't caught up to the actuality of female Pastors.  At seminary, and the conference I am currently in, we are half male and half female.  It's funny how it takes the church, and people in the church, many years to catch up to actual life and the reality around them.

Why is it that the church feels so behind the rest of the world?  Why do we spend so much time fighting and worrying about the carpet, front doors, the kitchen, all the details, and don't get that passionate about the actual mission of the Word!?!?!

I think that's why young people aren't coming to church... or at least part of the reason.  If that is all the church is about, who wants to be a part of that?

Are we relevant to todays families?  Do we make going to church important to everyday life.  Do I feed people on a Sunday morning?  How can I do that better?  How can WE do that better?

Change

Ecclesiastes 3  (The Message Bible)

There's a Right Time for Everything

 ¹ There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth: 

 ^2-8 A right time for birth and another for death, 
   A right time to plant and another to reap, 
   A right time to kill and another to heal, 
   A right time to destroy and another to construct, 
   A right time to cry and another to laugh, 
   A right time to lament and another to cheer, 
   A right time to make love and another to abstain, 
   A right time to embrace and another to part, 
   A right time to search and another to count your losses, 
   A right time to hold on and another to let go, 
   A right time to rip out and another to mend, 
   A right time to shut up and another to speak up, 
   A right time to love and another to hate, 
   A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

 ^9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I've had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he's left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he's coming or going. I've decided that there's nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That's it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It's God's gift.

 ¹⁴ I've also concluded that whatever God does, that's the way it's going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God's done it and that's it. That's so we'll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear.
 ¹⁵ Whatever was, is.
   Whatever will be, is.
   That's how it always is with God.

Lately I have been really into reading scripture from the message bible.  I just love the freedom and insight into some of the translations.  

AND today as I think through our decision to move to Pierre, South Dakota, I am struck by the words from Ecclesiastes.  


There are moments when I see God's plan so clearly and then there are moments that I question it.  I just need to "quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear."  God knows what will be, what was, and how it will all work out.  And I need to stop questioning that.  


Don't get me wrong.  We are really excited for our family but sad to say good-bye.  Hard to say good-bye.  


So we go forward trusting in God.  And hoping that some packing gnomes show up somewhere along the way.  I have found my unpacking gnomes (Eli and Emma) I just need to find the ones that help pack.   

Spring

In need of some Spring and new life.  It's still cold and snowy outside my window, so inside my blog I do what I want!  So, Spring it is!

Children's Sermon = Funny

This Sunday I had one of those children sermon moments.... One of those children sermons that leaves those unfortunate parents cringing at their child's comments... One of those children sermon moments that is just plain old hilarious!

So... the Old Testament text was about Adam and Eve.

I started out the message talking about plants.. and how some plants can be harmful to you if you eat them.  And how in the garden of eden God told Adam and Eve that the one tree would hurt them if the ate it.  They learned about the story of Adam and Eve in Sunday School, so I asked them what happened....

"They ate the apple!" some of them said.
"Yup, you are right.  They at the apple,"  I replied back.

Then, before I could ask another question one little boy says very loud, "AND then what happened next is my FAVORITE PART!!!!  They were NAKED!"

It was awesome!  Poor parents... but sooooo funny!   Extremely hard to come back from that one as the Pastor, but totally worth it.


On a side note, we lived through our first round of the stomach flu at the Goldammer household.  Not the worst thing in the world, but glad we are done.  I am always thankful that I don't know about those days in advance. It's much easier to live through it while it is happening and look back and say, wow I'm glad we don't have to do that again anytime soon!


Also.... things are a changing... I feel the winds of change in the air..... Stay tuned ..............