$hare it, $pend it, Money, Money, Money

I recently spent some money and spending money is not something I do lightly.  Like most people, I work hard for my paycheck and I am very aware of the possibility that at some point I may not have one.

“Atten-Dance”

I know some would say you can dance without music, but dancing without music is like someone reciting the happy birthday song to you instead of singing it. The positive energy and uplifting experience comes from within the song.

Internal desire, external pressure, & "it" happens

In the middle of May, I was able to take some continuing education time within the Redwood Forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains.  This retreat focused a lot on our individual stories and the power they have in our personal and professional lives.  During my time away, I was faced with questions like: What part of my story did I write for myself? (internal desire) What part of my story did someone else write for me? (external pressures) What part of my story did life in general write for me? (it just happened)

Excuse me. Do you have change....

How do you handle change?

I know that many of us no longer carry much cash, in part because we don’t have much to carry and in part to the ease of using a check card or credit card.  Even with the ease of using “plastic”, there are still times we need to carry cash. i.e., a bill, a buck, a clam, a ten-spot, a sawbuck, a Hamilton, a Benjamin, a C-note, a bone, a green back,…some dough.  Sometimes we need to carry the almighty dollar.

I like the feel of a crisp new twenty dollar bill.  When I get the chance to have one in my wallet, I try really hard to keep it there.  I experience a sense of security in knowing it’s in my possession, something to fall back on when the need arises.  It is like carrying singles when you are traveling; it’s reassuring that when the need to offer a tip presents itself, you know you have in your pocket what is needed to do what you know you should do.

Though it is nice and prudent to keep that crisp $20 in your wallet as long as possible, what do you do when you have to break it and all of a sudden find yourself dealing with change?  Change is not easy to deal with.  It weighs heavy on us and it is not as comfortable to handle.  It rattles around and can become a distraction.

We often lose it!   

The reality of life is that change is going to come, be it in copper, nickel, silver or gold.  When it comes, what are you going to do with it? 

All change adds up, and all change creates growth.  When we are dealing with pennies, it seems like it takes forever to get to where we think we need to be; and if the change is golden…well, that presents its own set of challenges.

Change is change.  If we are talking about money, every penny counts.  We just need to realize its importance and value and let it add up to work for the good.

If we are talking about change in our lives, we can say the same thing.  All change creates growth.  It takes us out of our comfort zones and allows us to see things from a different perspective…and I can assure you that God is in that new point of view.

Change in your life and in my life is coming; and it is our faith, not our cash, that gives us security and the hope we need.  We have to focus on the little things, the little blessings…like pennies, they add up.  It is through paying attention to the little blessings that keeps us from breaking and becoming rattled and weighed down.  It keeps us from loosing it.  Don’t keep the little things to yourself…God is in the pennies.

You can take that to the bank.

Faith, Hope and Ta-Tas...Yes, Ta-Tas

Do you think you understand the meaning of Hope? I always thought I knew something about it, but each time I truly encounter it, I realize I have much to learn. Hope is something you experience in relationship.  It is not something that just happens; Grace just happens, but Hope is different.

Bullies and Abused Dogs

Were you bullied growing up?  I was.  It is one of those things that I don’t think about very often, though in reality it is something that has had a great effect on me and my theological understanding of how Christ took care of those who were and are being bullied by society.

You treat her like she was born to you.

My family just spent a week at church camp.  Tricia was the program chaplain and I was the worship chaplain.  What this really means is that Tricia led the 42 elementary campers in a daily 45 minute “churchy” lesson and I led one 45 minute Holy Eucharist on Friday, but Tricia actually did the preaching so…well…I didn’t really do much all week.