Sunday, January 16, 2011

The Precipice


 

For those of you who do not attend the HomePage - this blog will probably look more analytical in nature - its a glimpse into the soul of the group. I understand that for the most part it will most likely be information of little interest - but these thoughts have weighed heavily on my mind and beg for release. So for this blog I ask for your indulgence.

Ever since the HomePage started we have spiritually lived (for those who attend) on a precipice. The questions that repeatedly demand an answer:
1. Are we Christian?
2. Are we Adventist?
3. Are we in the World?
4. Are we of the World?

This is the precipice we live on. To prevent from crashing down on either side of this precipice is a spiritual balancing act. Being drawn by both sides of being non-christian and of the world or being completely perfect in adherence to Adventist doctrine and not in the world at all, is the spiritual reality we face everyday.

How do I live my Christian faith in cooperation with my Adventist beliefs in a world that so desperately needs kindness, hope and love? For it is so easy to appear Christian but not Adventist, and in the same token it is easy to appear Adventist but not Christian. This is the precipice we live on.

I find it interesting that for the last 13 years it has been a small group of believers that have dared to attempt to live this reality. Living on the  precipice of being a Adventist filled with grace living in the world is not for the faint of heart. Adventist communities are notorious - providing a safe group of people to connect with and provide support of like-minded people. However large groups of like-minded people do not ensure an attitude of grace, but are often known for being exclusive and creating "relational clicks."  And yet there are those who are seeing that being exclusive and creating "relational clicks" drives out those who do not fit in, and there are those who seek now to join us on the precipice. To live on this spiritual precipice is to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty regarding the future, and is the only place I know that also provides limitless opportunities. Opportunities to abundantly bless others as the Father has blessed me, with "a good measure-- pressed down, shaken together, and running over." Luke 6:38. This is also a place of dialogue and questions. Every Adventist church I have observed expresses Adventist doctrine differently. The expression of Adventist doctrine is often where disagreements begin, and in those disagreements it is often where belief ends.

There is also the matter of maintaining family connections. To be Christian is to reorganize the way a family lives. To be an Adventist Christian re-organizes more than just how one family lives, it changes the way an entire extended family lives, even if just one family changes. A family changing the way it is organized too quickly can actually break a family apart. This applies to families on both sides of our precipice. A family who becomes Adventist is suddenly different from the rest of their family, possibly even causing emotional cut-off and alienation. A family who is already Adventist but has based their faith on perfect adherence to doctrine risks losing the energy that forces their family into spiritual agreement by basing their faith on grace instead of perfection. This is the precipice we live on.

To live on this precipice is to live a life of faith, to trust God will use us to bless the lives of our families, children and friends, and the larger Christian church body, and the larger Adventist church body, without knowing how. This is the precipice we live on.

Our only solution is to embrace fully the One who has chosen us for He desires all of us to join Him someday - "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you" John 14:2. The judgment of human-kind is not in my hands and those are not decisions I want to make. My desire instead is for there to be a spiritual group that is a shelter in the storm, a place where its OK to dialogue and ask questions, a place to belong.

Photo source: Unknown

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Family Traditions

I don't have typical family traditions. Traditions I remember the most were actually weekly and involved family gathering together around a favorite meal. Friday nights - what a special night of the week. Preparations for Friday dinner generally started on Thursday evening (example: what do we want for dinner tomorrow night?). Friday is when the work started - a weekly trip to the grocery store, followed by putting groceries away and starting a batch of homemade bread. A couple of loaves of bread were baked, and a pan of homemade pecan rolls were made with love and placed in the fridge.  This also allowed for homemade pizza dough to be spread into baking pans and favorite toppings placed all around. We were a little adventurous too - I remember a pizza we made with saucettes. However the family favorite, to this day, is beef and black olive. Yum!! The neat thing about these traditions - they take an afternoon to pull together. There is no build up of anxiety, it doesn't have to be perfect because we will be gathering together again next week, and it takes into account the preferences of the group. The family conversations at these Friday night meals are legendary. :) The next morning, the homemade pecan rolls are pulled out of the fridge and slipped into the oven. Such a yummy breakfast on Sabbath morning. These pecan rolls are also legendary.

These family traditions were started by my Mom. The interesting thing about my Mom is that even though these are favorite family recipes - if you ask her for the recipe, without hesitating my Mom will share her recipes. There are no secret family ingredients, no secret family recipes, no hoops to jump through to receive the recipes. This is just one of the many reasons I so admire my Mom. This gracious vulnerability is my example of how to share love and affection for others. I see it in my sister too. I watch my sister place so much time and effort into spoiling others with quality gifts that are both thoughtful and inexpensive. Sometimes though when recipes or gifts or affection are unappreciated, being graciously vulnerable doesn't leave any protective barrier to prevent being hurt either.

My Mom shared with me a Christmas Story when she was 10 years old. At 10 years old she came with her dad, who raised her, to meet her relatives in Iowa. They weren't expected and they arrived on Christmas Eve just before her cousins were going to open their Christmas presents. Mom shared "I wondered if there was a present for me under the tree." In fact, there was a Christmas present tucked under the tree, last minute, to make sure a little girl had a present to open. These are the family traditions that shape my life- welcoming family and friends and those in need, being inclusive, enjoying the Sabbath with my family and giving to others out of what I have (money, recipes, affection, food or gifts). I have decided that if I am even just a little bit like my Mom when I am her age, struggles and all, I will be an abundantly blessed woman. All of these thoughts have come to my mind as I watch people exhaust themselves trying to make sure that Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are perfect. Those are high expectations to place on a couple of days out of the year. For me though, because family, special meals, thoughtfulness, giving and caring and celebrating my faith are a part of my weekly experience during the Sabbath, I don't have to place such high expectations on holidays, because they are just extra days to celebrate what I celebrate all year long.