Years ago I was confronted with three questions: “Who are you?”, “Where are you going?” and “How are you going to get there?” It took some real thought to formulate answers. Who am I? Well, I could repeat my name, complete with nicknames, titles and surnames; tell you what I did for a living; and that I like my red wine at room temperature and my white wine chilled. I had plans for the future…some of which have been fulfilled and some that sound pretty crazy to my current self. I was going to travel; open my own business or enjoy a successful career; write a book; and be part of a perfect family. I would never have to diet, exercise or worry about health. Nor would I worry about taxes, politics, sexual predators, or wrinkles. Life would happen the way it was supposed to because…well, because…because… The truth was, I didn’t know how I was going to get there, I only knew where I wanted to be.

Some days I find myself asking God similar questions, like “Who are you”? The second one is more difficult, “Where are you in my life?” I don’t always have answers for these complex questions, but I do know how one resolves them will determine how a person lives.

There are times when the notion of “God” seems odd. Oh, I know what Christian tradition has told me. And, I know that perceptions of who God is adjusts with the exploration of other traditions or as common beliefs meander through time. An understanding of God’s nature seems to change when confronted with other brands for the divine: Jehovah, Allah, Lord, Jesus and the list goes on. If one calls The Divine essence by a particular name, it seems to ascribe particular traits or understandings. Some define love, acceptance, mercy, and nurture. Others depict a perfect being which is obsessed with our ability to match that impeccability. Still others conjure up hate and the inability to accept anything that doesn’t match a sanctioned stereotype. We read in scripture that Jesus asked the disciples over and over, “Who do you say that I am?” It is interesting to juxtapose that thought with a question posed by Brian McLaren, a Protestant pastor and lecturer when he stated, “…What you focus on determines what you miss.” “Who do you say that I am?” (Matt 16:15 and Mark 8:29) Even the act of wrapping words around that statement means something will become hidden. Peter responded, “You are the Messiah.” Even that word carried human understanding and expectations. No wonder so many parables have to do with sight being given to the blind. What are we missing as we stumble through life? Who is God? Are we ‘made in the image’ of one who loves or one who hates?  One who shows mercy and nurture or judges? Our perception of the divine is as important in our relationship with ourselves as in our interactions with others. Do I love and nurture myself? Or do I bully myself with taunts and jabs about decisions I have made or perceived personal failures?

Dovetailed into this cloudy definition is the concept of where the divine exists in our lives. Jesus responded to the Pharisees question regarding the coming of the kingdom of God by saying, ‘the kingdom of God is among (within – NIV) us’. (Luke 17:21) Like most of scripture, this is a pretty muddy statement. What does it mean that the kingdom is among us? Within us? Is this a reference to heaven? Or is it a broader statement about creation? Is God somewhere out there, beyond the clouds? I haven’t seen any angels, harps or pearly gates when flying above the clouds. Trust me, I have been known to be glued to the airplane window.  Physics and aerodynamics explain how something weighing in somewhere around 800,000 pounds can defy gravity. I never studied either subject. I suppose if I had, I would understand that gravity is only part of the picture.

The thing is, when I am looking beyond my reality for God and this nebulous kingdom, I miss it. If I look around the plane, I might notice the flight attendant who helps an elderly woman to the restroom because her aging balance makes it difficult to navigate the aisle or the young man who jumps up to pull that overly heavy bag out of the overhead compartment for the young mother traveling with an infant. I might also miss the businessman who gives up his 1st class seat for the soldier who is traveling with orders that take her into unknown geographical, emotional and physical territory. It’s the recognition of people serving others simply because they can. This is God among us, within us, reaching out to love and nurture all that is around us.

A recent post said, “How you get there is where you’ll arrive”. Various sources attribute the quote to Lewis Carroll in Alice in Wonderland. I couldn’t verify this. The point is, whoever it was completely tapped into our spiritual journey. How we do life – no matter who we think we are, where we think we are going or how we think we are going to get there – will depend on who we say that God is and where we see the divine in our lives. It isn’t simply noticing the good in the world, it’s recognizing that there is good in everything that God created and trusting that God is present always and everywhere – even in people we think are crazy, stupid, arrogant or just plain irritating. Aristotle said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” That statement can send a mathematician into apoplexy. Although, it’s magic to a behaviorist and theologian! It’s remembering that each one of us is a mixture of God’s goodness and human brokenness. It’s recognizing that our blindness will make us miss something that someone else might see. If we can put all of this together, we know that we are limited when we can only see our perspective. When we open ourselves to others and filter all that we come up against through the lens of our understanding of who God is and where we find God in our lives, we will become open to conversation and discernment regarding the opinions of others. It is then, and only then that we move forward together.

“How you get there is where you will arrive.” In the whole scheme of things, it seems that how one gets there is the important part. When it’s done with God at the center, it will lead to arriving exactly where we need to be.

The bread took 8 days to make. Some initial decisions had to be made, but nothing greater than whether to use white or whole-wheat flour. The most important factor for success was the need for a time commitment of daily attention. It started in a small bowl with flour and water set on the kitchen counter. You see, the bacteria in the pasty mixture produced lactic and acetic acids, which in turn attracted wild yeast for cultivation. With daily feedings of additional flour and water evidence of the yeast-farm’s prosperity is seen as the concoction bubbles and grows. Each day it needed to be stirred down. More flour and water were added and it continued to react, proving yeast from the air found the seed starter and liked it. The mixture had to be stirred daily, forcing the gas escape. More flour and water were added, then you waited some more. It grew. It is stirred down.  Every day involves a step. Nothing takes very long or is difficult. It simply needs a little something every day…a little here, a little there. The regular rhythm of mindful attention turns the flour and water paste into something that will add flavor and leavening to bread dough. There is no rushing the process, no addition of instant yeast or other agents to cause the bread to rise. It is simply flour, water and deliberate time and attention that allows the dough to slowly find its life.

Bread bakers call the results of this process the ‘barm’. I think it must be short for bread-farm. This is the stuff you can keep for decades in the refrigerator and portion out at any time you want to make bread. It must be fed on a regular basis and added to if a portion is used. To make bread, barm is kneaded with salt, more flour and more water. Variety, at this point, can lead to amazing results. Olive oil, butter or eggs can increase the richness of the loaf. Some medleys of herbs and spices can reflect ethnic foods. Olive and rosemary bread becomes a Mediterranean taste sensation while the addition of sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg represents a Scandinavian heritage. Shaping the bread into a sandwich loaf, a baguette or a braid can indicate whether the bread is for everyday eating or for a holiday. Whatever it becomes, it is a gift at the table – evidence of time and diligence for the sole purpose of sharing bread at the meal.

It only took 8 days to become a routine in my life – one that will remain forever as long as I continue to nurture it.

The thing is, this daily bread is very much like the spiritual walk.

1. It takes regularity and diligence for optimal results.
2. What you did a day or two ago can become stale, so daily attention remains necessary.
3. Try changes. Some might not work as well as others. Some will be amazing.
4. There is plenty for sharing.
5. It cannot be hurried.

The problem is, we live in a culture focused on ‘faster is better’ and we want our results immediately. It’s difficult to embrace a contemplative lifestyle when so much of what we do is focused on production and immediate reward. Contemplation can look like daydreaming and wasted time. How do we respond when answers aren’t immediate? How do we respond to the beat of God’s heart? How do we slow down long enough to hear God’s gentle whisper beaconing to us to come closer, to simply breathe and listen?

Like the bread, it’s with daily attention – just a little at a time; just enough to focus; just enough to be still and know who God is. Like bread, there will be times when keeping contemplation simple will be enough. One might choose to share conversation with God in that thing we call prayer while sitting in a pleasant spot or while noticing nature on a walk or during a daily run. Maybe it comes with a favorite passage of scripture, a daily devotion or a conversation with friends. It might not be the same every time. There might be moments when you add to the practice for variety, much like oils, herbs and spices add flavor to bread. It might come in the form of a retreat, a conference or joining a discussion group. The thing is, God is always and everywhere. We only need to look to find God’s presence wherever we are. That ‘looking’ takes a little practice. Not a lot…just a bit of diligent attention each day. In time, it will grow into something amazing. Kind of like that warm, freshly baked bread…

I belong to a national organization that focuses on weight loss. In all reality, weight loss can only come with a change in lifestyle and behavior. The program acts as a guide towards developing new, healthier, life giving habits. Weekly meetings offer inspiration and group support. The leader raised the following question at a recent meeting: “What are some of the positives about belonging to […name of program…]” A group member excitedly answered, “You get to start fresh every week.” She was right. Each week begins as if nothing before it mattered. Nothing. Not the extra glass of wine on Saturday night, not the restaurant’s complimentary basket of chips and salsa, not the birthday cake or the ice cream or the missed work out. Nothing before it mattered. The point is to move on, engaging in just one new habit until it becomes part of your routine. As time goes on, you choose another habit, then another, until one day you look back and realize you have been transformed.  Not only do you look different, you feel different. It’s like life has taken on a whole new perspective. Something happened along the way…something that gave you a fresh, new start.

As most of us have, I experienced a particularly difficult situation several years ago. I received a card from a friend that assured me I would be fine when I came out on the other side of my metamorphosis. Yup, the same thing cocoons and butterflies do as they pass through the stages of life and, finally, something beautiful emerges. Mind you, that change doesn’t come without significant struggle! If you have ever watched a butterfly wrestle it’s way out of a cocoon, you know it takes a lot of persistence and groaning. But, the struggle leads to a fresh, new start.

I tried to find a definition for the word “resurrection”. Most online sources try to put “the” before it, making it an event. Which, in all reality, is how we typically view the word. It has to do with Jesus dying and coming back to life – a difficult concept to wrap one’s brain around, but one that is central to the mystery of the Christian faith. After his persecution and death, the disciples found themselves lost and afraid. Think about Mary Magdalene as she wakes the morning after the Sabbath and goes to the tomb to mourn. Maybe she wanted to feel his presence close to her; to meditate at the resting spot of her dear, dear friend; or to simply have a quiet moment of personal anguish. Many of us have visited the grave of a loved one and can relate to Mary’s desires to spend time in the place where she thought she might find a fragment of solace in the midst of an unimaginable situation. Scripture tells us she wept when she saw the tomb was empty. Talk about being kicked when you’re already down! First, she saw him murdered in a heinous, despicable way. And now this! Grave robbers took this last morsel of comfort away from her.

But, something utterly confounding happened! He was there and he was alive. She didn’t recognize him until he spoke. Then, she saw past his new form…his new life…and knew that this was him. She, too, was changed.

Resurrection comes from the Latin word resurgere which means to rise again. It’s to bring back, to revive, or to renew; a transformation. It’s like the butterfly that let go of the cocoon holding it down so it could fly. It’s new life…a fresh, new start.

The thing is, resurrection is kind of like the weekly experience in the weigh loss program I mentioned – a fresh start without guilt. It can also be described as a renewal or revitalization following a personal metamorphosis.  And, we are given opportunity to experience resurrection every time we trust the one who loves us unconditionally enough to let go of whatever is holding us back and turn toward that love.  In religious circles, we call that grace.  Sometimes we need to practice and form new habits and sometimes we just need to let go of old ‘stuff’. Either way, we are offered resurrection – new life – opportunity through grace every minute of every day.  Resurrection…to rise again…to be revitalized…to be renewed…to be transformed…to be given a fresh, new start.

Think about the possibilities and the amazing hope we can find in resurrection.

There are days when I think my life is one big diet. You see, my name is Linda and I am a foodie. I love to cook, bake, eat, read cookbooks, eat some more, and…eat again. Unfortunately, keeping my love affair with food and my complicated relationship with exercise balanced is difficult. I am almost as familiar with diets as I am with my overfilled spice drawer. It seems there is a diet for every lifestyle and body type. Some take it off quickly, some slowly and methodically. Some focus on eliminating carbohydrates; others emphasize protein; while others say everything is “okay”, but moderation is the key. It seems the only common denominator is that with some diligence and attention, they all work.

I was bemoaning my plight with weight one day while talking to a dear friend. She sat there nibbling on a Snicker’s bar. I do mean nibbling! It was portioned into tiny squares that she insisted would satisfy her for a week – one square at a time when she had a craving for something sweet. A week! That’s right…a week. I am lucky to make one candy bar last seven minutes, let alone seven days. She paused, then told me my problem was I thought of a diet as a noun when indeed it was a verb.

An internet search of “verb” offered a consistent definition: the part of speech that expresses existence, action or occurrence; a state of being. Wikipedia informs us that a noun is the part of speech that denotes a person, place or thing. 

With all due respect to English and grammar majors, I would like to dig into these definitions. A noun tells us about something. When we see a name, we know something about the object the name is assigned to. For example, if I mention Scarsdale or Adkins, most diet junkies will immediately know we are talking a high protein plan. Yum! Yet, it doesn’t indicate any action, just thinking and recognition based on a word. It’s simply a noun…something that describes a person, place or thing.

Some words have a duality where they can be descriptive or show action, depending on how they are used. Diet in a general sense indicates something I know about…the noun. Then, there is the diet I immerse myself into…the verb. This is the action I take to not only know about the diet, it becomes living the diet. It is to plunge oneself into the expression of existence, to take action, to enter a state of being. Diet…the verb.

It’s kind of like God. When we say “God”, we get a sense of something we know about – depending on our tradition. Yet, knowing about something indicates a certain detachment. It’s like that something is out there without any significant connection between us. It’s the understanding of God as a noun.

But, something happens when we think of God as a verb. All of a sudden, we enter into a relationship with God – a relationship that isn’t based on dogma, doctrine, or knowing whether there are 66 or 73 books in the Bible and naming them in exact order. It’s a relationship where we see the perfect work of the Divine in and through all that is beaconing us to join in the dance of love and life. It’s when we plunge ourselves into the expression of the Holy’s existence; when we enter the state of being that we were created for; and we take action to live in harmony with all of God’s creation recognizing the creator in the created, it’s then that God becomes a verb.

Admittedly, I have days when I want God to be a noun so I can merrily go about my business unaffected by the world or world events. I don’t want to think about poverty, famine or war. They are just too big! Please, just let me get my groceries and go home so I can hide from the pain and suffering out there. Oh, I know enough about God to keep from shop lifting or being totally nasty to others. But, I’m not really concerned about what’s affecting them today. Please, please, just let me get on with my business and get home. God as a noun…

Then I see the mom with 3 kids trying to manage a grocery cart while keeping everyone safe in the parking lot. I can push her cart. God as a verb… I see the elderly woman who dropped her bag and oranges are rolling everywhere. I can pick up oranges. God as a verb… I see a handout asking for volunteers to mentor high school students. I can mentor. God as a verb… I see the check out person looking frazzled from long lines, crying children and demanding customers. I can smile, look her in the eye and tell her I appreciate how difficult some days can be. God as a verb…

Each of the Gospels tells a story of Jesus healing the blind. In other words, those who were without sight (hmmm, insight?) were brought to a place where they could see the world around them. (I guess that includes other people and all of the ‘stuff’ they are dealing with.) Those who are familiar with the stories are also familiar with Christ stating, “Your faith has made you well.” Faith – believing in something enough to live as if that something matters. It’s seeing God in and through all of creation and plunging into that crazy dance of faith with God. It’s recognizing where and when and who needs something we can offer. God as a verb… 

To know about a particular diet is a start, but it isn’t enough. You have to live it for it to be effective. And so it is with God…

The variety of macaroni and cheese options seems endless. For example, there is the kind that you can nuke, eat quickly and walk away wondering what just happened. It’s satisfying, but only for  the moment it takes to scrape the carton with a spoon and bring it to your mouth. It’s a momentary fix. Not a meal to fuel the body, it  exists for the moment as something to consume before getting on with life.

Then, there is the mother lode of macaroni and cheese. We’ve all had it. It’s the typical restaurant variety with 7 exotic cheeses, butter, maybe and egg or two, cream, more butter in the brioche crumbs on top and – drum roll please – bacon. It tastes amazing, but you quickly realize that it is going to stay with you in an uncomfortable way. It’s there for hours…days…and nothing seems to make it go away. Heartburn, bloat, guilt and your skinny jeans tear at your conscience. Even a hefty workout doesn’t negate it’s effects. It just hangs around as a stubborn reminder that you might not want mac and cheese ever again when in all actuality it’s not the macaroni and cheese that got to you. It’s all the stuff that was added to it.

There is basic mac and cheese, made with, well…macaroni and cheese. This variety might have a little milk in it, but it’s just as good without it. It’s the kind that makes you smile as it satisfies your craving for comfort food as well as your appetite. It’s simply enough to make a tough day better. It reminds you of home, family, belonging and feeling loved. It leaves you looking forward to having it again…and again…and again…

And so it is with reading scripture.

Sometimes we read scripture quickly. You know, just to get it done. It might be for a season during the church year, or for an event like confirmation or baptism. Most likely it’s Sunday morning in worship and it’s actually read by someone else. Occasionally we might follow along, if there is a Bible in the seat pocket and the passage is relatively easy to find. Although, if the reading is from Habakkuk, Obadiah or Haggai, we might choose to just listen least we spend the entire time of the reading looking for wherever it is that those little known prophets hang out in the Bible. It’s nice, it’s there and we got our dose for the week. It doesn’t really stay with us, but it was good to hear before we go on with the day.

Anyone who has hung out in a church for very long has heard the ramped up version of scripture and interpretation. This has to do with writing styles, commentaries, Bible translations, theological perspectives and doctrinal influence. You know, the stuff that is added to scripture so we know what it should really mean. The result can lead us to think that Biblical interpretation is confusing, like something we would never try to do at home – so we leave it to the professionals.  Alternatively, it can make scripture dangerously simple – “when Paul says…he means…”. Oh, and by the way, that means for all time. Unfortunately, the standard interpretation and meanings can be twisted and warped as we relate the stories from one generation to the next. I mean, if our original restaurant mac and cheese recipe was 2000 years old, or older, it might tell us to milk the cow – or goat – as a first step. While we are waiting for the milk to become cheese, we might think about grinding wheat into a powder fine enough to make our desired pasta, which, by the way did not exist in Paul’s time. Then there is the pig and processing the bacon. All of which would make us head to some other eatery least we spend the better part of a year waiting for our mac and cheese. We would never actually try to make it ourselves! It would be too overwhelming, as would listening to a chef explain just how it was prepared. What the ancient chef accepted as something everyone just understood, would seem like hieroglyphics  to us today. It’s too much trouble and we simply don’t have the time.

So, what good is scripture? Why should we even try to read it? What if we get it wrong? Worse yet, what if traditional interpretations seem too overwhelming or like they just don’t apply to our lives today? I mean, is there even a place for this ancient text in our 21st Century lives?

In case you don’t yet know, I absolutely love macaroni and cheese. I play with a basic recipe by changing out elbow macaroni for rotini or shells. Although american cheese is a favorite in our house, I will occasionally use cheddar if that’s what is on hand. Salt is good, as is a sprinkle of paprika or dry mustard and some pepper. But, when it comes out of the pot and is put in the bowl, it is typically just macaroni and cheese. Two major ingredients that really can’t be improved upon.

Scripture is kind of like that, too. These amazing narratives detail how humanity and the Divine rub together as those who came before us share their stories about navigating this crazy thing called life. The basic plot repeats itself we read tale after tale where God provides love and humanity responds to that love. Some things, like the 10 Commandments, tell us what that response should look like – love God; don’t lie, cheat, steal, kill or covet. Jesus gave us his living example of how we can live life as fully as God created us to live it. Our response to God’s love is to love God above all things and love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matt 22: 37-39; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:28; Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18) It’s the golden rule of treating someone else as we would want to be treated. (Matthew 7:12) It’s recognizing that God is the creator and all of creation is loved by God. When we begin to experience the depth of God’s love for us we cannot deny our individual responsibility and natural tendency to care for those in need.

As we continue to read the prose, poetry, and songs of scripture within the framework of God’s love for humanity and humanity’s response to that love, we find ourselves deep within stories about who we are and Whose we are. We learn what it means to live with God in this amazing world and find comfort in knowing the ancients’ struggles were like ours. We hear their voices telling us, from the perspective of their era and culture, what it looks like to trust God as if we truly believe in God’s love. It is our challenge to take that information and keep it new and fresh and alive so that we continue to live knowing that God’s plan and creation were as God saw them…good, very good.

Kind of like the simple, homemade mac and cheese…