tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3624020761569306322024-03-13T17:22:14.546-07:00Song of Grace and Hopereflections on my day to day faith journeyDonna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-34103016330826968192017-06-18T14:12:00.000-07:002017-06-18T14:12:09.204-07:00Humble People<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Song of Grace and Hope<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Donna Bowling, June 15, 2017<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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“Humble People”<o:p></o:p></div>
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We finally met Yovette, the remarkable young woman from
Pearl Lagoon who acted as our guide and translator for our recent trip to
Nicaragua, when we arrived at the airport in Managua at dinnertime on
Wednesday, June 7th. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">La Jefa, </i>our
mission team leader, and I had corresponded with Yovette for weeks as she made
arrangements for our scouting trip to look for a site for our third Living
Waters for the World (LWW) water purification system on the Atlantic coast of
Nicaragua, a place neither <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">La Jefa </i>nor
I had ever been. Mission teams from our church have been going to Nicaragua for
several years now, but we have worked in the Matagalpa region. Now we were looking
for a site in a new region as well as checking on the two systems we helped
install on previous trips. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Just getting to the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua is an
adventure. We flew on a small prop plane from Managua to Bluefields, and then took
a taxi to the dock, where our private <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">panga
</i>boat to Pearl Lagoon waited. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pangas </i>are
water taxis that hold 20 people plus baggage. They have a roof, but are
otherwise open to the weather, which we learned could change quickly. From
Bluefields, we took an hour-long boat ride across Pearl Lagoon to the town of Pearl
Lagoon, where we spent three nights in a small, family owned bed and breakfast
and ate breakfast at the kitchen table. After breakfast our first morning in Pearl
Lagoon, we took another hour-long boat ride across the Lagoon and up the
Wawasang River to the village of Pueblo Nuevo, which Yovette had suggested as a
possible water installation site. The trip up the river reminded me of scenes
from the Humphrey Bogart movie, “The African Queen.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">La Jefa </i>joked she was not sure what purpose the life vest served.
If we ended up in the water and managed to survive the swim to shore, nothing
but rainforest awaited us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When we arrived at Pueblo Nuevo, representatives of the water
committee waited for us at the dock. After a thirty-minute hike uphill through
the village, they showed us a well on the church grounds before we gathered
inside the tiny church with its wood plank walls and benches. The committee
members explained they wanted to use the church’s well as the water source for
the LWW system. They told us the closest place they could buy clean water was El
Rama, a town many kilometers away. These are poor people, who work hard long
hours everyday just to feed and clothe their families. They desperately wanted
clean water for their community, especially for their children. They understand
the health benefits of the clean water we too often take for granted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After talking at length with them about what they would need
to do to prepare for an installation, including building a structure to house
the water system and recruiting operators for the system as well as educators
to teach adults and children about the importance of clean water and how to use
it effectively, we explained that our church would work for many months to
prepare to return to help them install the system. At the end of that
discussion, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">La Jefa</i> and I looked at
each other and then agreed to work with them. We signed a covenant with the
water committee of Pueblo Nuevo documenting our mutual promises. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We all sat momentarily silent as we savored this new
relationship and contemplated the hard work ahead for all of us before we
celebrated with group photos and prayers. The smiles on the faces of these
normally stoic people, who live amid challenges we cannot comprehend, were more
than ample repayment for our long journey. As we hiked back to the boat for the
long, wet, bumpy ride back to Pearl Lagoon, Yovette told us the people of Pearl
Lagoon were humble people. Indeed they are, but I was humbled by their grit and
determination and deep faith and look forward to getting to know them better.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-38035381553289409782017-01-24T12:41:00.000-08:002017-01-24T12:41:13.949-08:00America the Beautiful<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been thinking about the familiar anthem, “America the
Beautiful,” since I attended the local MLK March and Celebration Service here
in Temple, Texas last week on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Last
year was my first time to participate in this annual celebration. This year once
again dozens of people showed up to walk from City Hall in downtown Temple a
few blocks to a local church for the celebration service. The service included
prayer, scripture, speeches and music. I was entranced by the music, especially
the loving rendition of “America the Beautiful,” in Gospel style with the whole
congregation joining in. I was moved to tears by this heartfelt tribute to our
country by those who too often have to fight for privileges I take for granted.
Those at the celebration service obviously still believe in the promise of this
country, perhaps even more than those of us who have not had to fight as hard
for the promised benefits of being an American.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last Saturday, I participated in another march, this time
the Women’s March on Austin on the day following the latest Presidential Inauguration.
I had never participated in that kind of gathering before. My husband and I
drove to Austin, not quite knowing what to expect. I am still processing the
experience, but I can say without hesitation that it was an immense blessing,
reminding me of the goodness of so many of our people, whose faith in our
country’s promises for each of us was evidenced by their presence in Austin and
elsewhere. We stood for over an hour on the south lawn of the Texas State
Capitol waiting to begin the march down Congress Avenue. We could not see much
beyond the crowd patiently waiting around us with their signs, which provided thought
provoking commentary as well as entertainment. I’ve learned since that the
reason it took us so long to reach the street and begin to march was because
somewhere around 50,000 people showed up, many more than expected. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Following these two events, and in spite of the rancorous
divisions in this country at present, I’m feeling more hopeful. There are many
people of good will who care about America and are anxious to see us live up to
our professed ideals of equality and liberty and justice for all. Each of us
who showed up to march expressed that hope by our presence and by our thoughtful
care for all those other children of God who showed up too. I’m still thinking
about “America the Beautiful.” It was also an appropriate anthem for this
latest march:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;">“America! America!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
God mend thine every flaw,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
Confirm thy soul in self-control,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
Thy liberty in law!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Grace and Peace, <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-83783316721734545282017-01-06T15:17:00.001-08:002017-01-06T15:17:50.479-08:00Pristine<div class="MsoNormal">
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Here on this day of Epiphany, just across the threshold of a
New Year, the months ahead stretch before me like fresh fallen snow—new and
clean, pristine. We humans like to come up with these artificial new beginnings
to give ourselves a fresh start. God knows we need those. I’ve been thinking in
the past few days about a familiar prayer that pretty well sums up my thoughts
about this beginning of 2017, “<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dear Lord, So far I've done all right.
I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty,
selfish, or overindulgent. I'm really glad about that. But in a few minutes,
God, I'm going to get out of bed. And from then on, I'm going to need a lot more
help.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=362402076156930632#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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As I begin this New Year, I pray that God will guide me into
those places where I can best serve God and others and do my small part to make
this world a better place. I pray that I will continue to find things for which
to express my gratitude each day. I am thankful that God’s compassion never
fails. It is new not just at the beginning of a New Year, but each and every
morning. With that knowledge I can face each new day in this New Year with hope
and determination, knowing that when I mess up God will forgive me and provide
me yet again with a new start, just for the asking.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=362402076156930632#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">http://www.beliefnet.com/prayers/protestant/morning/morning-prayer.aspx</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-25024701271066433832016-12-13T14:56:00.000-08:002016-12-13T14:56:39.158-08:00Doing Things the Hard Way<div class="MsoNormal">
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We sold Nicaraguan coffee again as a fund raiser for
our next trip to Nicaragua this coming year to help install our third Living
Waters for the World water purification system, at a church this time. I picked
the coffee up once again at Fara Coffee, the Nicaraguan distributor’s office in
Austin. When we ran out of Starbucks recently, my husband, John, bought a
package of the regular for him and the decaf for me. Only in America can you get decaf
Nicaraguan coffee. Decaf coffee is an oxymoron to Nicaraguans. This year it
turned out the decaf coffee was whole beans, not ground. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This is a long explanation for why I’ve been doing things
the hard way to make my morning coffee of late: grinding the beans instead of
simply spooning the grounds out and into the little plastic filter for my
Keurig.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve realized some things
because of this process. First, grinding the beans takes longer and slows me
down. It takes time to dump the beans into the electric grinder, grind the
coffee to the right consistency, not too coarse, but not too fine either, or
the water will not percolate through the filter. Then I have to brush
the remains out of the grinder. I have to allow more time to make a cup of
coffee, and the process slows down my usual morning rush—a good thing most
days.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve also realized that I love the rich, fresh smell of the
whole beans, much more fragrant than coffee that’s already been ground. And the
brewed coffee tastes richer and fresher as well. Each morning, the aroma of the
beans transports me back to Nicaragua. I see the coffee trees clinging to the
hillsides along the dirt roads in the mountains, and the people climbing the
steep hills to harvest the beans. The most important thing I’ve realized
because of this change in my routine is that fussing with the beans to make my
morning coffee reminds me of those sisters and brothers who
toil long hours in challenging conditions to make my morning cup of coffee a
reality. I know they are not paid a lot for the picking, and they don’t get to
drink the finest coffee because the best beans are exported. They drink what is
left over, the dregs if you will. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As I think of them in this Christmas season, I remember they
are the kind of people with whom Jesus spent much of his time, the poor and
the vulnerable--the ones who were considered unimportant in their culture.
They are still among us today, the ones our culture considers unimportant--the ones who harvest our
food, and cook and clean and do other jobs we would rather not. We who claim to follow Jesus need to see these
sisters and brothers and to do what we can to make
their lives better. For me that’s helping provide them with Living Water
to drink.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-26482711150227441532016-11-17T08:53:00.000-08:002016-11-17T08:56:18.512-08:00Choose Civility<div class="MsoNormal">
“<i><span style="background: #fafafa; color: #2e3165; font-family: "times"; letter-spacing: 0.45pt;">Civility is claiming and caring for
one’s identity, needs and beliefs without degrading someone else’s in the
process.”</span></i><span style="background: #fafafa; color: #2e3165; font-family: "times"; letter-spacing: 0.45pt;"> Cassandra
Dahnke and Tomas Spath, the founders of the Institute for Civility in
Government.</span><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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A young friend reminded me recently that our politics have
been uncivil from the beginning. You have only to remember the duel in which Aaron
Burr, then Vice President of the United States, killed Alexander Hamilton,
former secretary of the Treasury, to realize that. The stories of campaigns
from years ago demonstrate that our political interactions have always
contained ugly elements. And yet, this year seemed uglier than the
norm, somehow, as if all bonds of civility and decency had been cast off. As I talked
with this friend, I agreed that our political campaigns have never been pretty,
but I argued that this year was different—perhaps because constant access to
social media and the 24/7 news cycle shoved the nastiness in our faces in a way
that felt much more intrusive. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m wrestling now with what I do about the ugly divisions
that plague us in our civic life, especially since the worst impulses of sexism
and racism and xenophobia have been ushered into our public spaces during this
recent campaign. I grieve for those who are frightened for their own personal
safety, and I fear for our future unless we confront the nastier elements that
have been unleashed from their dark cellars to parade openly among us. I don’t
want the ugliest instincts of the long divisive Presidential campaign that has
just ended to become routine. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I know that I will continue to participate in the local
NAACP as one way to reach across the divisions in this country. I will also do
my best to continue to promote the Institute for Civility in Government, <a href="http://www.instituteforcivility.org/">http://www.instituteforcivility.org/</a>, of which I’m also a member. I display their bumper sticker, which says "Choose Civility." Perhaps God
encouraged Cassandra Dahnke and Tomas Spath, two Presbyterian pastor friends, to create this
organization some years ago for just such a time as this. Civility seems
somehow a tame response to the ugly forces that now roam openly among us, but
perhaps like love, civility is a force that is stronger than we think. We think
of hatred and violence as overwhelmingly strong forces, but perhaps that is
because they get more publicity than the forces of love and hope and civility
that are also at work among us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
In a sermon awhile back, I talked about standing on the rim
of the Grand Canyon and seeing what the slow, steady force of water had created over centuries. Not something you can see happening as you stand on the edge, but
the results are certainly more impressive than anything that could have been
created by dynamite and angry human beings. Civility is a force akin to the
slow, steady movement of water eroding through the hard rock of our
divisions and our anger to reach the bedrock of our humanity, where we are each precious
children of God.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grace and Peace,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna</div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-8641397334887837662016-11-11T14:19:00.000-08:002016-11-11T14:19:22.971-08:00Kindness Always Wins<div class="MsoNormal">
Nettie Reynolds, the chaplain who provided the prayers of
the people at the Post-Election Detox worship service at Austin Presbyterian Theological
Seminary the day after the recent election, described her encounter with a tow
truck driver wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat as well as her
concern that he would not help her if he saw the Obama sticker on her car.
Their encounter ended with his folding her into a big hug and telling her not
to worry about the sticker because “kindness always wins.” I’m still struggling
to decide if I believe that to be true. I want to believe it, and I can think
of times in my life when I’ve seen kindness win. But I’m also aware of news reports
about those who have reached out in kindness and paid a terrible price. I’m
still thinking about this, but that of course means the idea will not let me go
and continues to tug at my heartstrings.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I think what it comes down to for me is that I’m going to do
my best to be kind, even in circumstances where that may not produce the
results I might hope for. Because for me, it’s not about the results. It’s
about the kind of person I want to be. And I do not want to be a person who is unkind.
That does not mean I don’t have my moments like everyone else, but it does mean
that I will do my best to be kind, even when it costs me. I also know that
being kind can mark me as a “patsy,” an “easy mark,” “someone to be taken
advantage of.” And I’m willing to pay that price to be the kind of person I
want to be. There have been times when I’ve allowed myself to be taken
advantage of, knowing that was probably what was going on, but choosing to “go
the extra mile” in hopes it would make a difference in someone else’s life at
some point, even if they might be taking advantage of me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I remember a time not long ago when a young woman accosted
me in the parking lot at a local Starbucks to ask me for money. I’m always a
bit wary when I’m approached like that and generally answer, “I’m sorry. I
don’t have any change for you.” But in this case, God nudged me to respond. So
I offered to buy the young woman a drink, and we walked into the Starbucks
together. I asked her if she wanted some breakfast, and she said “yes.” I told
her to order what she wanted. She asked if she could also get something for her
companion, and I said “yes.” The companion called her while we were waiting,
and I heard her say, “I’m coming as soon as I can.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I paid for the order and walked out with her to find that my
car was parked close to the big pickup truck she got into. The guy who was
driving looked at me with apparent astonishment. She got in; they drove out of
the parking lot and onto the highway, and took off. To this day, I wonder what
that was about. What did she really need? Why did I feel compelled not only to respond,
but also to go overboard, to respond in the way God does, with abundance? While
I’m still not sure if “Kindness Always Wins,” I do believe that no act of
kindness is wasted. Maybe this young woman was in an abusive relationship, and
the guy sent her out to ask for money. And maybe my response will give her the
hope she needs to reach out again when she is ready to ask for help. I don’t
know. But God does. And that’s good enough for me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-57457596237082483792016-08-18T12:32:00.000-07:002016-08-18T12:32:06.635-07:00FooditudeOur Starbucks writing group wrote this morning on the topics of gratitude and food, which one member dubbed “fooditude.” I know am guilty of failing to be grateful for many of my day-to-day blessings, including having more than enough to eat. There are hungry people around the world who would be grateful for the leftovers from our home cooked meals or one of our infrequent meals out. Serving sizes at restaurants have become gigantic. More than once when my husband and I have eaten out, I have saved half of my meal to take home. The next day, we have shared the left overs for lunch—three servings from one restaurant meal!<br />
<br />
I remember reading Ser y Comer, migajas en torno a la identidad (To be and to Eat, leftovers on the potter’s wheel of identity), by Eliseo Perez Alvarez, a Latin American pastor, theologian and philosopher. I remember especially a quote from a woman who said Americans make an event out of each meal as they sit down to eat, while those with less food simply eat something standing up when they are hungry and then get back to work. One of the benefits of mission travel to other countries is the opportunity to see our own culture from a different perspective.<br />
<br />
I remember the people who served us at the Luyano Church in La Habana on our second mission trip to Cuba. We paid for the food they prepared for us, and, as a result, we ate much better than our hosts normally did. Our last night in La Habana, we went to a fancy restaurant. As is the case here, the portions were huge, and of course I could not take the leftovers home with me. I did not want to throw away food, something drilled into me by parents who grew up hungry in the Great Depression. I did my best, but could not eat even half of my entrée. Defeated, I asked Louis, our driver, if he would like to take the leftovers home. He eagerly agreed and said his wife would enjoy them. I felt guilty because I had not thought to set aside part of the dish before eating.<br />
<br />
In our fast food culture, many of us have lost the sense of the goodness of food lovingly prepared from natural ingredients and often fail to slow down enough to enjoy food while we eat. One of my favorite parts of our stays at Santa Luz in Nicaragua on our mission trips there has been the food, which was simple, but delicious. CoCo, the head cook, went out of her way to pamper us with treats like pancakes because she knew we enjoyed them. In her tiny kitchen she prepared a feast for us each evening from simple ingredients: rice and beans for traditional Gallo Pinto, fresh vegetables like those we buy here only from a Farmers Market or pick from our gardens, and fresh fruit. Sweets were a rare treat, though there was a Birthday cake for CoCo’s on one of our trips.<br />
<br />
I think perhaps we most appreciate things that are scarce. I am aware that there are far too many people in our own country who do not have enough to eat. Too many live in the food deserts in our big cities where it’s a long walk or bus ride, if that is even available, to the nearest grocery store. Instead there are mainly convenience stores with no fresh fruit or vegetables. I’m reminded that life is not fair, but I am also keenly aware that in the wealthiest country in the world, we have enough to go around if we made the eradication of hunger a goal and shared from our abundance. Too often we operate from a position of scarcity in our culture, even those of us who claim to worship a God of glorious, unlimited abundance.<br />
<br />
Grace and Peace,<br />
Donna<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-40501782641495207002016-03-24T08:55:00.000-07:002016-03-24T08:55:24.514-07:00Another Life Transition<div class="MsoNormal">
Today is the last day my husband will see patients at the
clinic where he has practiced medicine for almost 35 years. When I woke up this
morning, I remembered when we began medical school and law school together,
about three months after we married. Somehow during that hectic time in our
lives, I never envisioned this day, 45 years of living later. We have had lots
of life transitions in that time, the birth of children, the empty nest, and
the birth of grandchildren, as well as the death of our parents and other
family members and our own health issues. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Still, this transition seems to merit special examination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be a major change in both of our
lives. A good one, I think, but one I know will take loving compromise to
navigate. I am feeling now something like the realization that comes when the
end of a lovely vacation is approaching, and I strive to enjoy each remaining
day, milking all it has to offer. I have no idea how many years the two of us have
left. That is in God’s good hands, and I’m content to leave the answer there.
What I do know is that my life no longer stretches endlessly before me. A recent
illness has been a timely reminder of that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So now, in whatever time I have left in this life’s journey,
I want to savor each day for what it has to offer. I want to gather together
such legacy as I have to leave my kids and my grandkids and to clean out the
detritus of a long and busy lifetime so the important things are not lost among
those that don’t matter. My prayer is that I can focus on the clearing out and
then relax and enjoy the time left. I know that God will be with us in this latest
transition as God has been in the past.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna <o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-57914088646570644862016-02-04T10:20:00.000-08:002016-02-04T10:20:57.149-08:00Basketball Joy<div class="MsoNormal">
My heart has been heavy since the recent death of my
brother. Perhaps that is why I have especially treasured times of joy and laughter
these past few weeks. Riley, one of our grandsons, recently decided to play
basketball, a different organized sport in our family, though I have great
memories of my sons playing basketball for hours on our driveway while they
were growing up. My husband and I went to watch one of Riley’s basketball games.
We sat against the wall along the edge of the basketball court as the two teams
of 8 year-olds played. The noise was deafening, especially since there was another
game on the adjacent court. When the whistle and buzzer sounded there, the players
on our side of the divider froze. It was hard to tell where the sound came
from. The players had a great time racing up and down the court and trying to
hit the basket. Some of them already showed talent. No one cared much about the
score. The rules are modified for the young players, so I found myself confused
on occasion as I tried to remember the few rules of basketball I learned years
ago as a member of the pep squad at my high school. Despite the deafening din
of pounding feet and bouncing balls and the noise of the whistles and buzzers,
it was great fun.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A week after our grandson’s basketball game, my husband and
I sat on the edge of the basketball court at Baylor University to watch a different
kind of basketball. He had surprised me with tickets to the Harlem
Globetrotters, and not just any tickets, but courtside seats. He hoped they
would draw me out onto the floor and into their crazy antics. I fell in love
with the Harlem Globetrotters as a little girl, but had never seen them in
person. Ticking this item off my bucket list took a long time, but it was worth
the wait. I don’t remember when I last laughed that hard. For a time, I forgot
my sadness as I laughed along with the rest of the crowd at the silliness on
the court, from a ball filled with helium that floated into the rafters, to one
of the players grabbing a child from the sidelines to use as a shield to
protect himself from a bigger player, to my favorite part: an instant replay acted
out in slow motion, using a beach ball instead of a basketball, narrated by the
Big Easy, the tallest player on the court. I hated to see the game end. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we headed home, I contemplated the joy of our time at the
game, and how much lighter my heart felt. I thought what fun we could have
taking our grandkids to a Harlem Globetrotters game, but then thought perhaps
Riley should learn the rules a bit better first, since the Globetrotters broke
every rule of basketball I knew, and some I didn’t, from one coach stalking
into the middle of the court with his own rulebook to deride the referee, to
the player who pulled himself up to stand on one of the goals so a teammate
could throw him the ball, which he promptly dropped in the basket. A different
kind of joy than watching 8 year-olds learn basketball, a joy punctuated with laughter,
made all the more poignant because of the sadness of the last few weeks. I’ve
been teaching an adult Sunday school class at my church. The most recent lesson
was on prayer. One of the theologians in the study talked about joyful play as
a kind of prayer. I like that image. To be truly joyful is to be in God’s
presence, which is the purpose of prayer after all. There’s something holy about
pure, unbounded, joy. God designed us for love and for joy. When we are filled
with joy, we are near to the heart of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Donna <o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-28747638307387277462016-01-21T12:03:00.000-08:002016-01-21T12:03:26.964-08:00My brother, Michael<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been thinking a lot about my little brother, Michael,
who died December 30<sup>th</sup> last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t think I’ve quite absorbed the fact that he is gone yet. I think
of him at odd times, like on Sunday evenings, when we would often call to talk
with him. And then I remember that I can’t do that anymore. Or as he said after
our dad died, that would be LONG distance. I found myself standing recently near
the entrance of HEB, our local grocery store, tears welling as I looked at the
Valentine’s Day gifts displayed near the floral section. Michael’s birthday was
February 13<sup>th</sup>, so I usually sent him a birthday and Valentine’s Day
gift at the same time. It seems to be the little things catch me off guard and trigger
the memories and the sadness. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But that’s just the background that prompted this blog post.
I want to tell you why I admired my little brother. Michael was born with brain
damage. His speech was mostly unintelligible, even to close friends and family,
though as my husband, John, said in his eulogy at Michael’s funeral, Michael
was a master of non-verbal communication. Michael looked different, and he battled
heart and mental health problems. As John said in his eulogy, Michael survived
enough health problems for four or five people. Yet he soldiered on throughout
his 55 years, overcoming obstacles that would have overwhelmed lesser folk. His
courage and endurance were amazing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Michael was fiercely loyal to family and friends, and to his
favorite sports teams, which included those from Texas and Washington, where
his sisters live. I miss his rib-cracking hugs and his booming laugh, which became
less frequent as his health deteriorated. Michael navigated his difficult life
with grace and dignity. He was one of my heroes. Remember my brother, Michael,
the next time you are tempted to dismiss someone battling a disability. They
most likely have a lot to teach you about faith and love and endurance in the
face of this life’s unbending challenges.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-31432106116240451982015-11-18T14:30:00.000-08:002015-11-18T14:30:34.099-08:00Sacred Space<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I spent a recent Saturday included
in the Latino family, when I attended a workshop in Spanish on Latino worship.
I’m still insecure about my Spanish language ability; so just showing up for
the conference was both exhilarating and terrifying. There were about 50 people
at the conference, and I was one of only four Anglos in attendance. As the
first speaker talked about what it is like to live in our culture as a Latino, never
free to be himself, always seen as an outsider, and considered inferior by too
many people, I heard the murmurs of agreement from the other attendees and felt
the visceral sadness in the auditorium where we were meeting. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I struggled
at first to keep up with the rapid-fire Spanish, but as I continued to listen,
I found myself caught up in the lecture as this speaker talked about how Latinos
draw strength from their community, especially during worship. He spoke of
Latino worship as a place where worshippers arrive battered and bruised from
the stresses and challenges of their daily lives and leave revived by their
time in worship with their community. In the sacred space of worship, they can experience
both joy and sadness in a place where they are free to be themselves and to
laugh and to cry. In that sacred space, they are reminded that God continues to
work out God’s purposes in our world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At the time
of the conference, I had been working on a sermon on the beginning of Chapter
13 of Mark’s Gospel, which has been described as the Little Apocalypse, in
contrast to the book of Revelation. I learned that apocalyptic literature was a
familiar genre at the time Mark wrote his Gospel, so the wars and famines and
earthquakes listed would have been recognized as standard symbols. Apocalyptic
literature appeared especially in times of violence and calamity, such as the
time period when Mark’s Gospel was written. This type of literature offered
hope to those who lived in difficult circumstances with its reminder that no
matter how dire those circumstances, God was still at work in their world. I realized
that for Latinos in our culture the repeated revelation in worship of God’s
cosmic work in the midst of their difficult life circumstances serves the same
purpose as apocalyptic literature served for the first recipients of Mark’s
Gospel. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I think it
is hard for those of us who live privileged lives in this world to relate to
the power of true apocalyptic literature, as opposed to imitations of our time,
such as the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Left Behind</i> series, even
though some of us are no strangers to violence and calamity, as evidenced by
the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. As I think back to the time I spent in
the sacred space of a gathering of the Latino family in worship, I remember that
in my own faith community, and especially in our worship, I too for a time inhabit sacred space each week as I am reminded that God is still at work in the midst of this world’s chaos and violence;
that I have a part to play in that work; and that ultimately, “all shall be
well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=362402076156930632#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>Grace and Peace,</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>Donna </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=362402076156930632#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/156980.Julian_of_Norwich">https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/156980.Julian_of_Norwich</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-66404487367817672542015-10-13T13:19:00.000-07:002015-10-13T13:19:26.622-07:00The Miracle of the Cakes and the Volunteers<div class="MsoNormal">
I watched a miracle unfold last week at the local American
Legion Hall. Our church’s finance chair, Pat, had volunteered our church for an
opportunity to raise funds for our youth group’s next mission trip. All we had
to do was serve a hot dinner to 300 people. No kitchen is available at the
American Legion Hall for those serving the dinners, so all the food had to be
transported in, ready to serve, and we needed a small army of volunteers to do
the serving while the food was hot. We also needed 300 servings of a variety of
desserts. Pat set out to recruit volunteers to cook and to serve and to make
desserts. Even with all of her efforts, however, the volunteers seemed limited.
We were worried if we would have enough, and the dinner was fast approaching.
The church secretary sent out a final plea for volunteers a couple of days before
the dinner.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I hurried to
the American Legion Hall the evening of the dinner with the two chocolate cakes
I’d baked. The last I’d talked with Pat, she was still not sure if she had
enough desserts for 300 or enough volunteers to serve that many dinners quickly
enough. I arrived a bit later than I’d expected and told the doorkeeper that I
was one of the volunteers. He pointed me toward the far corner of the American
Legion Hall. When I reached the service area, I was astounded to find row upon
row of cakes and cookies and pies already cut up and ready to serve as well as
several dozen volunteers lined up. We had a team meeting, and our pastor offered
up a prayer in the back room while we waited for the pledge of allegiance and
the dinner prayer, our signal to serve dinner. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tears
filled my eyes as I looked around at the extravagant buffet of desserts and all
of the volunteers who had shown up at 5 p.m. on a Tuesday evening. Several said
they’d come after the last plea from the church secretary out of fear that no one
would show up to help. One young mother, whose husband is currently deployed,
had left her job in Temple and driven home to Ft. Hood to pick up her kids from
daycare before turning around and driving back to Temple so they could have the
experience of helping the church serve others. I’m not sure why I keep having
to learn the lesson that my church family is amazing at responding, and that
God always provides the resources we need when we step out to serve others.
Last week I was reminded once again that I could trust God and trust my church
family.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna <o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-75839582930161996212015-08-31T09:25:00.000-07:002015-08-31T09:25:59.499-07:00Hope Blooms<div class="MsoNormal">
We were given a potted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Esperanza
</i>plant some time ago during a difficult time in our lives. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Esperenza </i>is Spanish for hope. I loved
its cheery yellow trumpet flowers. The hope plant did well until it started to
outgrow its pot. My husband transplanted it beside the house, where he’s transplanted
each year’s Easter lilies after their blooms have died. The hope plant made
part of a year and then shriveled and died. This summer new green shoots appeared in the planting area. Neither
of us recognized the leaves, but my husband left the plant to grow taller all
summer. I wondered at times if we were nurturing a hardy Texas weed. Then little yellow flowers appeared, and we realized the hope plant had
come back to life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I’ve thought about the hope plant the past few weeks as I’ve
watched our church begin to bloom again after a long time of sadness and
struggle and change. I don’t know that hope had died exactly, but it seemed in
short supply as we wrestled with financial challenges and the sadness of losing long-time
members. Our latest pastor arrived almost three years ago now, and with
the help of his leadership, we are watching new life bloom from seeds he has
planted as well as those planted by former pastors.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now I sit in the choir loft on Sunday mornings and watch as
new families join us. We are busy with local mission projects as well as preparing
to return to Nicaragua to help install our second clean water system. Our
second annual Clean Water Festival and Fun Run to raise money for the Nicaragua trip is coming soon. We are regularly gathering once more to break bread together. New
Sunday classes have started for all ages. There is an unmistakable new energy
flowing through our life together. I’ve learned in my life never to give up on
God. I’ve been reminded of that lesson as hope blooms once more in our church.
God is good, and God is not through with us yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna <o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-52948697178787762432015-07-16T09:21:00.000-07:002015-07-16T09:22:08.286-07:00The Kingdom of Heaven<div class="MsoNormal">
“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not
stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’”
Matthew 19:14, NRSV<o:p></o:p></div>
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I thought about this Bible verse as I sat in church last
Sunday with our youngest grandson on my lap. He’s two. He amazed his
grandfather and me by sitting quietly for most of the service, except for a few
loud whispers. I realized he had been listening to the sermon when our pastor
said something about his own grandmother, and my grandson’s attention shifted
promptly to the pulpit. His attention to the pastoral prayer, however,
astounded us. He attends a preschool at his church as well as church services
there regularly and has been taught to pray. When our pastor said, “Let’s pray,”
he promptly stopped coloring, folded his small hands and bowed his head. We
quickly realized he was repeating the last word of each phrase in the pastoral
prayer, carefully praying along with the pastor. We may have a budding preacher
in the family!<o:p></o:p></div>
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How blessed I am to be able to see my grandkids and to spend
time with them. My prayer is that this grandson will always feel as loved and
comfortable in church as he did last Sunday, and that church will be a refuge
for him throughout his life. He is so innocent, and so full of love. I know the
innocence will fade as he grows older, but I hope not too much. I hope the love
will always remain, for where there is love, you will find the kingdom of
heaven.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-30825869661362444962015-06-04T09:02:00.000-07:002015-06-04T09:04:27.432-07:00At the Lakeshore<div class="MsoNormal">
The waves lapped softly at my feet as I stood in my suit,
hose, and heels on the boat ramp facing Dorothy’s family and prepared to begin
her memorial service. The mid-afternoon sun blazed down, and I was grateful for
the cool breeze from the lake behind me. I’m still not sure what prompted
Dorothy to ask me to participate in her service. I had obsessed over it in the
months since she called to ask me. I struggled with how to write a funeral
sermon, something I had not done before. She was over 100
when she asked my assistance, so I had known the time would come for me to
fulfill my promise. As it happened, the exigencies of family travel from both
coasts to Texas for the service had dictated that the celebration of Dorothy’s
life be a small memorial service at the lake, where she wanted her ashes
scattered, as her husband’s had been some years before. Our pastor graciously
helped me to prepare for the brief service. I had promised Dorothy I would make
it short!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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When the time arrived to begin the service, I began to speak
as I have in various churches in the years since I graduated from seminary, but
more loudly, to drown out the Jet Ski and motorboat on the adjacent boat ramp. I
imagined Dorothy smiling somewhere at the commotion and fought down a bubble of
laughter. I had assured her sons that I could speak loudly enough to be heard
over the engine noise and had asked a member of our congregation, who was
standing at the back, to wave at me if he had trouble hearing me. And so on
that beautiful Sunday afternoon, we celebrated Dorothy’s long life of service
to God and committed her ashes into God’s eternal care. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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After all my angst leading up to the service, in the end it
proceeded as smoothly as the other worship services I have conducted, except
for the roar of the motors. Dorothy’s family expressed their appreciation, and I
felt blessed to be with them during their time of grief and remembrance. I
understand better now how my seminary classmates who became pastors can say
they are blessed to be with people at such a time. I still marvel at all the
ways God continues to push me way beyond my comfort zone. And how, with God’s
help, I manage to muddle through in spite of my anxieties. Maybe in the next
life I will worry less about being perfect and trust more that God loves me
just as I am.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna <o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-38722240969460363962015-05-07T09:56:00.000-07:002015-05-07T09:56:34.569-07:00Purple Pain<div class="MsoNormal">
I spent last week in Boston with my husband, who attended a
medical conference, while I walked around that beautiful city taking in the
sights, and the beauty of spring, now past in Texas. We attended church our
last day in Boston at the Church of the Covenant, a federated church of the
Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Church of Christ. I walked to the
church earlier in the week to be sure we could find it easily on Sunday, and
discovered a lovely, old building, its sanctuary decorated with Tiffany stained
glass. I also saw a sign that simply said “Women’s Lunch” and with dates and
times posted near a stair leading down from the sidewalk.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I went into the church to ask about worship times and stumbled
into the office of a Young Adult Volunteer, a YAV as we Presbyterians call
them, named Hope, whom I learned is also from Texas and knows several young
people who grew up in our church. Hope had volunteered to spend a year in
downtown Boston, and she works with the Women’s Resource Center that now takes
up much of the church building. She gave me a tour of the church. Like any big city, Boston has its problems, including
homelessness. The Women’s Resource Center provides not only meals, but also art
classes, and help finding housing and employment, as well as laundry and shower
facilities for homeless women. It was a blessing to see the bright dining hall
warmed by the fellowship of the women who had gathered there for lunch that day
surrounded by God’s love.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Towards the end of the week, while walking across the Boston
Commons, I stumbled upon a domestic drama played out near a stonewall. When you
are homeless, you don’t have a private place for such disputes. A young woman
with purple hair and a hot pink puffed jacket screamed obscenities at a young
man, who sat stony faced and immobile, wrapped in a blanket. She accused him of
breaking up with her after abusing her, then poured her drink over his head and
stalked off. Her pain and mental confusion were as vivid as her language and
her purple hair.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coward that I am, I wanted simply to walk away, but having
visited the Women’s Resource Center, I felt compelled to try to talk with her
and offer to take her there for help. When I approached, however, and said,
“Miss,” she screamed, “Let me alone!” and ran off down the road. I still worry
about her and hope she’s okay, and I pray for her. Sometimes that is the best I
can do, but perhaps that is enough. God knows her needs better than I do, and I
know God loves her and cares for her as much as God loves and cares for me. And
I thank God for that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna Bowling<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-67279097325075493672015-04-15T13:36:00.000-07:002015-04-15T13:36:17.968-07:00 A Cup of Water<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most of the month of March, I was away from home, two weeks
in Nicaragua, and then a week in Big Bend here in Texas. In both places beautiful
mountains surrounded me. Of all the images that I have tucked away in my memory
from my travels, however, the one that has haunted me most was watching a small
girl, about the age of my grandkids, stooping at a creek near one of the
medical clinics we held in Nicaragua to cup a drink of water in her hands. I
wanted to shout, “No!” but I realized I had no right to say anything, when I
had no clean water to offer her. The doctors at the clinics regularly saw
children sick from water borne diseases. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The first week in Nicaragua, the mission team from our
church helped the people of Las Lajas, Nicaragua install a Living Waters for
the World water purification system. Now the children at three schools will
have access to clean water, thanks be to God! It was a blessing to celebrate
with the people of Las Lajas. But there are so many more places that need clean
water, all around the world. Living Waters for the World says that a child dies
every 20 seconds from lack of clean water. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While we were in Nicaragua, we looked for a new site to install
another water purification system next year. We visited two places and talked
with community leaders. My heart is with the community of Los Chimbos, where we
would install a system in a school. The community is poor, even by Nicaraguan
standards, but they have formed a committee of parents who want to provide
clean water to their children. Their water comes from a spring that was once
unpolluted. But several families built homes near the spring and now the water
is making the children of Los Chimbos sick. I tried to imagine what it would be
like to give my kids or grandkids water, knowing it would probably make them
sick. The sign we posted on the new water system in Las Lajas says, “Jesus
Christ is living water for our bodies and our souls.” The same Jesus who said
when you give a cup of water to one of these little ones, you will be rewarded.
The only reward I want is to know there are no more children dying from lack of
clean water.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna Bowling<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-3288117313199517502015-01-27T13:50:00.000-08:002015-01-27T13:50:33.748-08:00Perfectionism<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been fighting a pitched battle recently with my drive
for perfection. At times such as this, it’s a curse. As a child, I faced
constant demands for perfection. Resistance is a challenge--especially since
there are times when the quest for perfection is valuable, as in my prior
career as a lawyer. My clients deserved better than a half-baked job on their
case. I try to remember that I am not now, and never will be, perfect. If
that’s good enough for God, I need to let it be good enough for me, and to remember
my salvation does not depend on how I perform the tasks before me. Thank God
for that!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are gearing up for our next mission trip to Nicaragua.
This year we will help the community of Las Lajas install a Living Waters for
the World clean water system. My job is to organize the spiritual and health
education for the people who will use the clean water. The spiritual part
includes reminding them that God wants the best for them, including clean
water. It’s the health education that is causing me sleepless nights. I’m
comfortable teaching adults, but Las Lajas has also arranged for us to teach the
students at three elementary schools, a total of some 150 kids. I have a curriculum,
but I have to modify that to prepare something like a portable Vacation Bible
School. We will be making copies and gathering materials, all of which we must carry
with us to Nicaragua. Several women from our church who teach kids as a
profession have volunteered to meet with us next Saturday. I am so grateful for
their time and their expertise.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I keep reminding myself that while I have to do my part in
the preparation, God is with me in this latest adventure. I know how important this
work is. People’s lives are at stake, including the lives of children like my
grandkids. Too many die around the world from lack of clean water. I’m grateful
for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of some of them, and I’m trying
to remember that whatever I am able to teach them will be more than they know
now. God is once again stretching my horizons, and I’ve been thinking about Mother
Teresa, who said, “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just
wish he did not trust me so much.” Amen, Sister! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-39265385132296486992014-12-18T12:27:00.000-08:002014-12-18T12:27:50.448-08:00Another Slaughter of the Innocents<div class="MsoNormal">
My heart has been hurting since I heard the news of the recent
slaughter of school children by the Taliban in Pakistan. I cannot wrap my mind
around that kind of hate. I can vaguely comprehend a mentally ill person doing
such a thing. But to gun down more than a hundred children and their teachers in
the name of some twisted, self-created god is beyond me. Echoes of Herod’s
slaughter of the children in Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus echo in this
Christmas season. And I weep for the parents and grandparents and brothers and
sisters and all those who are grieving because of this horrific act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the survivors’ scars will last a
lifetime. I close my eyes and see kids the same age as my grandchildren, and I
grieve for those who have lost the future promise of those young lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I spoke this week for the first time in several years about the
Institute for Civility in Government, and its work to encourage civility in the
process of government. Two Presbyterian pastor friends founded the Institute. I
helped them write the story of the Institute in the book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reclaiming Civility in the Public Square: Ten Rules that Work. </i>I
told those who came to hear my talk that as I was writing the book, I was
coincidentally also teaching an adult Sunday school class on religious
violence. Because of that juxtaposition, I reached the conclusion that the
opposite of civility is not incivility. The opposite of civility is the
violence that comes with the breakdown of civil society—the kind of violence
exhibited by the Taliban in their bloody massacre. I told the audience that the
Institute defines civility as: “Claiming and caring for one’s own identity,
needs and beliefs without degrading someone else’s in the process.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In the discussion that followed my presentation, I was
struck by one man’s suggestion that the Institute’s definition of civility
sounds like grace. I’m still thinking about that, but I like that idea. It’s
not exactly how my theological dictionary defines grace, but favor and
kindness, the definitions for the Greek and Latin words from which our
theological term grace is derived, do sound like another way to define
civility. That is we stand up for our own beliefs, but we extend favor and
kindness to others as they do the same. If all of us practiced that kind of
civility, we might have a bit less violence in this weary world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-85409546620816775332014-12-03T12:45:00.001-08:002014-12-03T12:45:45.463-08:00The Gift of Presence<div class="MsoNormal">
Fermin’s dad, Jesus, the patriarch of a large extended
family that included 33 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren, was 92
years old when he died recently. I attended his funeral to honor Fermin, and Fermin’s wife, Maria, who have worked at our church for many years, quietly cleaning,
moving furniture, and doing what has been asked of them without complaint.
Church sextons are underappreciated saints.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In addition to their regular work at our church, a number of
years ago, Fermin and Maria graciously helped me lead a Spanish Bible study, so our small adult mission team could prepare for our church’s first
adult mission trip, a visit to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. They patiently listened
and gently corrected our attempts to speak Spanish as we laughed and learned
together. Their assistance helped us better connect with our hosts at the
church in Nuevo Laredo and provided a boost to my ongoing efforts to learn to
speak Spanish.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I followed Jesus’s family into the sanctuary at one of the
local Catholic Churches, not far from my own Presbyterian one, and walked into
a different world than the one I inhabit on Sunday mornings at my own church.
But also a familiar one because of time spent in worship in Mexico and Cuba and
Nicaragua on mission trips. The Catholic worship service was unfamiliar, but
the sadness that hung over the gathering was all too familiar from my
attendance at similar services in other places. It is hard to say goodbye to a
loved one, no matter how long they have lived.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Humbled by their gratitude for my presence at the funeral,
all I could do was express my condolences. And remember again how important
human presence is, especially when we are hurting. Much as I enjoy being
connected with family and friends via the Internet, it’s not the same as being
with others in person. God created us for community, for that place where we
can share joys and sorrows and laughter and tears and hugs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-41634176129316174582014-11-20T08:19:00.000-08:002014-11-20T08:19:53.056-08:00Jesus is my nightlight<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been thinking about icons after visiting the Icon
Exhibit at our local Cultural Activities Center here in Temple. It is a
remarkable collection of artwork by a Russian woman done in response to ancient
iconography. Icons are not part of my Presbyterian religious tradition and seem
like an exotic concept--one in which I have not participated. But then I notice
the Jesus candle that is burning next to me as I write.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I told my seminary classmates during my time at Austin
Presbyterian Theological Seminary that Jesus was my nightlight. It is a wonder
the old dorm building in which I lived during the week in my two years there did
not catch fire from the many candles that burned in many rooms at all hours. A
power shortage would not have been a problem. I kept a candle with Jesus and
his Sacred Heart pasted on the glass container near the window on my built-in
desk in my dorm room. And I kept it lit all night long. I took great comfort
from the visual reminder that Jesus was with me during that challenging
journey.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I do not remember when the Jesus candle habit originated. I
think perhaps some years ago when I taught an adult Sunday school class using
Richard Foster’s book,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Prayer, </i>a
follow-up to his book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Celebration of
Discipline, </i>which included prayer. In the class, I used the Jesus candle as
a focal point for our prayers. I still keep a Jesus candle burning on our
kitchen table. I light it first thing in the morning while I wait for my coffee
to brew. My youngest son teased me once a few years ago about the practice, and
for probably the only time in my life, I said the right thing at the right
time: “The candle is a reminder that Jesus is Lord of this house.” I usually
keep a spare Jesus candle on the kitchen counter so I never run out of the
light of Jesus. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Recently the candle burned out on Sunday afternoon, and we
were without a replacement until I returned from the grocery store Monday
morning. I missed the light more than I expected. I do not spend a lot of time
sitting and looking at the candle, except at times like now when I’m working at
the kitchen table, but it is a comfort to know it is burning there. The candle
is a reminder of who, and whose, I am. I’m a visual person, so I value visual
symbols, icons perhaps. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I do not normally keep the candle burning here at home
overnight. But sometimes I leave it lit as a constant prayer in time of need
for individuals, for whole communities, or for myself and those I love. At such
times, the light of Jesus is a reminder that Jesus continues to pray for us. Sometimes,
Jesus is still my nightlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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Grace and Peace,</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna</div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-24084890213208539102014-10-30T13:12:00.001-07:002014-10-30T13:12:42.909-07:00Centering Myself<div class="MsoNormal">
I am always grateful for time with my writing friends. This
morning Bonnie and I were the only ones able to make our early morning
Starbucks meeting. I told Bonnie about my time at the Renovare prayer retreat
and about the workshop on centering prayer. I told her I’d been practicing
faithfully since my return home. I shared what I’d learned at the workshop and
suggested we spend ten minutes in prayer before we began writing. She agreed,
and the two of us spent ten peaceful minutes praying silently in the midst of
the busy Starbucks where our group meets each week. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the time of prayer, we wrote about centering
ourselves. One member of our Starbucks’ group is an artist, who teaches
pottery. I have learned from her about the importance of centering the clay
when beginning to throw a pot. If you don’t center the clay properly, it will
wobble, and the pot will become misshapen as the wheel spins. I realized that
if centering prayer is a way to enter into God’s silence and center myself in
God’s presence, then centering prayer is also a way to allow God, the Potter, to
properly shape my life. If I never slow down enough to center myself on the
Potter’s wheel, my life will be wobbly and misshapen. That reminded me of the
hymn, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord,” which includes the words, “<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.” Now
you will also hear this lovely hymn playing in your mind.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It has been easier than I expected to make time each day to
center myself in prayer; to let go for a few moments of all those things I
think are so terribly important. It is always a blessing to step into God’s
presence. This morning’s time of prayer at Starbucks was a reminder that it is
possible to do that anywhere. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-56960594907460185822014-10-21T12:03:00.000-07:002014-10-21T12:03:22.538-07:00Crawling up into God's lap<div class="MsoNormal">
I am grateful to Bryan McDowell, the leader of the workshop
on Centering Prayer at the Renovare Prayer Retreat I attended at Mo-Ranch in
the Texas Hill Country this past weekend. He provided us with the image of
centering prayer as something like crawling up into God’s lap. I immediately
thought about the joy of cuddling my small grandchildren in my lap and how much
that means to me. I have been practicing centering prayer since I returned
home. I had fallen away from this practice and forgotten how much it blesses my
life. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Walking the labyrinth was another spiritual practice I’ve
let slide. After the workshop on the history of the labyrinth with Nancy
Willet, I walked the Mo-Ranch labyrinth with Pat, a new friend I met at the
workshop. I had never walked a labyrinth with someone I knew before, and it
multiplied the blessings of that experience. Pat was one of many amazing people
I met at the retreat, people for whom prayer is as necessary as breathing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also spent time with my assigned small group, led by Brian
Hardesty-Crouch, the leader of the workshop on the Prayer of Examen. We laughed
and shared our stories and prayed together. Brian and Jeff and Mike and Laurel
are now part of my life’s story. Their openness and willingness to be
vulnerable and to listen made me feel welcome and loved, and I’m grateful for
the blessing of knowing them. All of us at the retreat were blessed to spend
time learning from Nate Foster and Richella Parham, the keynote speakers, young
people who are wise beyond their years. I look forward to reading their books!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Prayer is just one of the spiritual disciplines Nate talked
about at the retreat. To call prayer a discipline makes it sound like doing
push-ups with someone barking out the count. I think that’s why I like the image
of a child crawling up into God’s loving lap so much. It sounds less like
punishment and more about the blessing of being in God’s presence. That, in
reality, is where I spent this past weekend, in God’s presence through the prayer
and the worship and the singing and the reminders that I am a child of God. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I returned home refreshed with my parched soul
abundantly watered. My challenge now is to make the time to continue practicing
prayer and other spiritual disciplines to keep myself centered in God’s
presence in the midst of all that this life throws at me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-13310460801408000472014-10-16T10:03:00.000-07:002014-10-16T10:03:38.977-07:00Fear of Ebola<div class="MsoNormal">
The panic that has surrounded the recent arrival of Ebola at
a Dallas hospital has been extreme. I do understand the fear of a disease with
a mortality rate over 50% and no present cure. But I wonder at the hysteria of
the moment, hyped by our twenty-four/seven infotainment industry. People have
been dying of Ebola in Africa for a long time. A brief history of the disease
on the Stanford website says it first emerged in 1976. The son that was born
that year is now one of four doctors in the family. He is a physician in San
Antonio, as is his older brother, an infectious disease specialist, and that
brother’s wife. I am not worried about my safety, in spite of the front-page
headline this morning in our small town paper that says a family living here
traveled home by plane with the second Dallas nurse recently diagnosed with
Ebola. I do worry about the safety of my sons and daughter-in-law when an Ebola
patient arrives at the hospital in San Antonio. I am a mother after all, and I
know that many of the deaths in Africa have been of health care workers, who
none-the-less continue to care for patients there, in spite of the risk.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wonder if our present focus on Ebola is a way to avoid
thinking about the other more immediate threats our world faces at the moment. Some
days it feels as if the world is falling apart around us. That nothing works
like it should anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That we are in
constant danger of catastrophe. So we focus on this one threat, which is real,
but unlikely to harm most of the people in this country who are the most
panicked. It’s not easy to catch this disease unless you are in close contact
with a person who has active symptoms. It’s not like catching the
flu. But we focus on Ebola instead of on the problems we can do something about,
like the flu, which hundreds will die from this year, while too many of us
never get a flu shot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps focusing on Ebola is a way of feeling in control. If
we can just solve this one problem, maybe the world will feel safer. If we can
vanquish this deadly disease, maybe even death itself can be conquered. Yet we
are not in control. We will die and so will those we love. That is our reality,
in spite of our culture’s irrational denial of death. While we can care for
ourselves, and those we love, we cannot banish this ultimate reality. Death
reminds us that we are not in charge. God is. And I am thankful for that
knowledge. What ultimately matters is how we deal with this reality, and what
we do with the life we have been given. I think that Jesus provided the best
answer. In the time we have here in this life, what we can do is love God and
love others as much as we love ourselves. If we had spent more time and money
caring for distant brothers and sisters dying in Africa from a disease we
thought would never touch us, we might not be panicking about Ebola here and
now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362402076156930632.post-42540333019209350482014-09-24T13:16:00.000-07:002014-09-24T13:16:04.618-07:00Wilderness Times<div class="MsoNormal">
I preached last week about Moses obtaining water from a
rock, and since then I’ve been thinking about wilderness times. I’ve had some
of those times in my life recently. Of late, however, my life’s journey has
evened out, but I have been saddened watching friends struggle. I do not know
how people manage during life’s difficult times if they do not have faith in
God to fall back on. I talked with a new friend this morning about the
challenges she is facing. She is a woman of deep faith. Her mother is in
hospice care, and she spends her time caring for her. She said the problem is
not death as such, but the journey to reach that point and cross over into the
next life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I have also learned that the journey is often the challenge.
The hard part I think is to remember that God is there, even at those times when
I’m so frightened and sad that I have a hard time remembering anything. I
decided that was the point of the story of Moses obtaining water from a rock in
the wilderness for the Israelites. They were frightened and sad, with good
reason after all they had been through before they fled into the wilderness. I
think maybe their physical challenges may have been less daunting than their
emotional and spiritual ones! Somehow in the midst of that time, they forgot
all that God had already done for them. Fortunately, God had not forgotten them
and continued to provide for their most basic needs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am working at trying to remember that God is there for me
no matter what is happening in my life, as close as my own heartbeat<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the air I breathe. I’ve learned that’s
easier if I look and listen with eyes and ears of faith, though it’s probably
going to take the rest of this life to get that right!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace and Peace,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donna<o:p></o:p></div>
Donna Bowlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168162705358011321noreply@blogger.com0