Pastor Don's Ponderings

What are the chances the ashes make a difference, a real difference in the heart of the one receiving them? What truly is the power of the words, "Remember, from dust you were made and to dust you shall return"? Is it possible this day that folk will rend their hearts before God, rather than just make an appearance to receive a cross of ash? Will the liturgy of the moment speak to the mounting apathy of the culture? Only God knows, and God does know. So it is that we gather, so it is we worship, so it is that we listen to the Word Made Flesh, so it is that we wait on the Spirit, so it is that we humbly bow before God. God does not care about church membership or frequency of attendance. God wants to be in relationship with you, with me, with us all. God calls us to live as the community of the blessed in the midst of creation. Ashes remind us that we are here but for a few short days, so we make the most of our days. Today, the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, we r...

Driving through the countryside in the Spring of the year I pay special attention to where daffodils and surprise lilies poke through with their welcome of warmer days. Often, if one pays attention, you can see by the presence of unexpected flowers where a farm house once stood, where a flower garden used to proudly bloom or where once a driveway was marked with a colorful welcome to strangers. If you pause long enough to consider it, you can hear the laughter of children, the bellowing of cattle in the long-gone pasture or even observe laundry flapping in the wind, all reminders that few things stay the same and generations do pass, along with the things they held precious, including their toys. Abandoned swing sets and forgotten teddy bears may well be two of the more notable markers of my age, the remnants of childhood play now quiet and forlorn. Other assorted playmates would be the toy tractors and implements which, outgrown, found themselves silently left in the forever...

My Dad, Melvin, is 94 years of age. He is the youngest man I know in both mind and spirit. Every day he rises early, eats breakfast, tends to the chores around his place, drives from his place to the main farm to confer with my brother, Larry, on what things need to be accomplished that day then, depending on the outcome of that conversation, heads out to whatever is next on his list. Usually around 5:00 p.m. he wraps up his day and heads home for the evening. For as long as I can remember on our family dairy farm, which now hosts a black Angus cow/calf herd instead of the Holsteins I once knew, Dad got up before sunrise and worked until he was done for the day, whenever that may be. Now, as then, by his example he sets a standard of accomplishment which guides my daily life and witness in ministry. Funny thing, though, at the tender age of 94 Dad apologizes for not putting in more than about 8 or 9 hours a day helping on the farm . . . and I smile when I hear young folk today lob...

Sometimes The hardest part of taking control of a difficult situation is giving it over to God. Give today and everyday over to God and allow God's Peace to be your own. (c)dcw2020 Photograph (c)dcw2019

How many times has it been said to me, "Just stay on track!"? Then I see a sight such as this and mull on those words as a blessing . . . May the track your life is on bring you to the newness of sunrise each day. May your every sunrise be filled with the colors of beauty and delight. May you not be so busy that you don't have time to have a cup of coffee and visit with the people at the rail side elevator as you move ahead. May the 'sailor's warning' of such a dawning find its resolve in the 'sailor's delight' of an evening spent with friends and family reflecting on a day lived well. At the spot where rails and trees seem to converge, may you find your way continuing to open before you, straight and true, leading to peace and content along the way. May the foundation under your tracks be set upon the certainty of Faith in God, the strength of Christ the Rock, and the solid unwavering Love of the Holy Spirit. May the countryside through...

I have learned a few things from the land, not everything, but a few things, enough that just looking at this picture taken during a moment's reprieve from Fall tillage while overlooking the pasture and creek just to the South at sunset, causes me to mull over a couple of those things: If you are so busy making a living you don't have time to occasionally enjoy a beautiful sunrise or sunset, you need to stop what you are doing and start making a life which savors such gifts. No one knows when the sunset we observe becomes the sunset of which we are a part. Watch how beautifully and majestically creation does it, then try to do the same each day on your journey. The most beautiful of sunrises and sunsets often includes a variety of clouds which reflect both light and color, so why are we surprised when clouds come into our lives? Perhaps they are the necessary precursors of memorable new beginnings just waiting to happen. From where I am in life, crossing the creek in ...

On my way to work this morning I called my brother, Larry, to find out what is going on at the family farm. It was one of those moments when, as soon as he spoke, I knew he had a cold. You could almost hear and see the sinus' dripping through the cell connections and he sounded horribly stuffed up . . . and he was walking towards the shop as he talked with me: They are working on the planter today. Rain, sleet, snow, burning sunshine, foggy mornings, there is always something to be done on the farm and rarely, rarely, is there time for sickness of any kind. This is the mindset into which I grew up on our family dairy farm: No matter how you feel, the cows still have to be milked, the heifers and calves have to be fed, the chores need to be completed and, oh if that isn't enough during this time of the year, there are always fences to be fixed, trees to be trimmed in the pasture, equipment needing repair before Spring and book work to be done to facilitate everything else. ...