Servants

This morning's daily lectionary features Amos chapter six which is a stinging rebuke of the privileged of Israel whose luxuriant lifestyle is mocked by God through God's prophet. This can be either easily overlooked as God's word against people long ago and have nothing to do with me or it can be a lens through which to examine our own luxuriant lives especially in comparison to the bleak global reality.

Then again I'd like to split the difference this morning, especially as I look at my clock and see that I have about five minutes until I have to be on the other side of the building. While I'm not quite willing to assume that this Amos passage has nothing to say outside its historical context neither am I willing or able to go off on a social-justice tirade. Instead, this passage from Amos calls to mind the sight I beheld when I showed up in the bleak and utter chill this morning at church.

Although we didn't have a lot of snow we had enough to make me realize that I'd probably be pulling out the shovel in addition to my usual Sunday morning preparations. But when I showed up at church there was a four-wheeler with plow attached to it sitting out in front of the building, definitely out of the usual. As I got closer I saw that Rob Blackston had left the warmth and comfort of his home, donning hat and gloves and cleared the walk with his four-wheeler and swept the steps and front porch of the sanctuary building. If that's not service I don't know what is.

Rob's dedication of time and being out in the cold ensuring that others would have safe footing into the building today is the kind of lifestyle that Amos ultimately encourages us to live with the prophet's damning language in chapter six. What sometimes can be overlooked or used to rhetorically bludgeon can also point to sacrificial servant hood as I witnessed this morning upon arrival at church. Thank you, Rob for exemplifying the life that Amos and Jesus preached.

More Untimely Snow! Grrr!

Yes, I know, it can snow in southern Idaho through most of what I would call the Spring, but really, haven't we all had enough already?!? Wasn't it just in the 60s and the weather forecast is for the seventies by Saturday, so why oh why do we have to endure this slushy, mucky, white stuff? What would be so bad about a couple of days of just some good old rain?

Granted, Eric thought it was really cool that it snowed yet again. Though when we told him that we would be driving him to the bus stop so that Kathy could drop me off at church, some of his excitement drained away. But I'm certain he'll have made it up on the playground before the starting bell goes off and the teachers open the doors.

In the meantime I fired up the church's snow blower which worked really well even if it didn't so much as "blow" the snow as cough up big wet and slumpy sputterings of slush. So here I am ranting about what is probably a gift from God that will only make the grass greener and the flowers brighter and draw more people to the Magic Valley to watch the Shoshone Falls thundering with a ton of water. That's not a bad way to end things, is it? As the snow continues to fall I'll pray and reflect that it will only lead to a more enjoyable Spring once it's here to stay.

Snow in March

Just when I thought Spring was coming to Southern Idaho we are getting a fair amount of snow this morning. I'm sure it is quite possible in this part of the country to get snow this late, but just a few days ago several of our flowers were starting to come out showing off yellows, purple and pink. And now today it's all WHITE! Ugh!

Even though March started off like a lamb, the lion has come back in the form of a snow tiger. Hopefully here in a few weeks this wet snow will be a memory as we watch trees, flowers and bushes blossom and temperatures rise.

I guess I'm just bummed that after an "interesting" week that Friday is so glum. Oh well, after some sermon preparation and other Sunday morning responsibilities I'll head home for some Wii with Eric and then settle in with my boy and watch "Star Wars the Clone Wars" on Cartoon Network; all in good time.