Sacrifice

How does one gauge the quality of another's sacrifice?  Certainly children in healthy relationships with their parents will come to appreciate the sacrifices their parents make for them, particularly when those children grow to have children of their own.  Friends might talk about the faithfulness of other friends who give of themselves is support of each other, willingly making sacrifices in the name of friendship.  But what of those we will never meet, those men and women whose service to their country secures the freedom we so often taken for granted? How does one evaluate such sacrifice?

Thomas Paine, 18th century writer and American revolutionary, said, "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it". You and I are fortunate today because many have been willing to undergo the fatigue of supporting the cause of freedom. Memorial Day weekend gives us pause to stop in the busyness of our lives and remember the sacrifices of others, many whose names and stories we will never know.  The inscription on the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington Cemetery reads, "Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known only to God." We cannot know the names of so many whose sacrifices are part of the fabric of our nation, but we can, particularly on this weekend, give thanks for those who have given so much. Let us be faithful to honor such sacrifice.

If you have guests visiting on this holiday weekend, bring them with you to worship this Sunday. In the spirit of the holiday weekend, dress more casually for Sunday, perhaps wearing the colors of our nation as we remember the significance of sacrifice and service. Cindy and Olga will be playing duets on piano and organ, Pat and Dina will be sharing special music, you will have an opportunity to express appreciation for the sacrifice and service of others, and I will bring a message entitled, "A Soldier Under Authority," based on Luke 7:1-10. I look forward to seeing you as we gather to honor the Lord this Sunday.

Jim

P.S. You may still join us tomorrow at Quantico National Cemetery at 9 a.m. to help clean and prepare the cemetery for Memorial Day events...just one way to honor and give thanks for the sacrifice and service of others.

Happy Birthday to You!

In his 1959 children's book, "Happy Birthday to You," Theodore Seuss Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, weaves a wonderful tale of celebration as the main character, the Birthday Bird, takes the reader on a fantastical journey.  The book assumes that the reader is the one with the birthday and he or she is treated to a colorful array of gifts, food, and activities meant to celebrate his or her special day.  In his inimitable style, Dr. Seuss offers profound truth in the midst of this whimsical tale as he writes, "Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!" 
Birthdays have a way of calling attention to the uniqueness of each person.  The details of one's birth often highlight this uniqueness, from the date, time, and place of birth, to one's doctor, parents, siblings, and on and on we could go.  One's birthday is a special moment that calls one to embrace the Birthday Bird's words; "There is no one alive who is you-er than you!"

Friday, May 20, one of our oldest members turns 94, and that bears remembering!  Helen Hill will celebrate her birthday on Friday and be honored as a unique child of God.  Helen is a great story teller whose narrative often centers around her family, her faith, her church, and her many years as a military wife. I always enjoy Helen's stories and the twinkle in her eye that often accompanies her humor and candor.  She is a treasure to her family, friends, and church and is a shining example of the wonderful way the Creator fashions each one of us.  And so, Helen, "Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you." Amen, and God bless you on this special day.

It also bears noting that Wallace and Phyllis Brinkley are celebrating 65 years of marriage this week.  Their love and faithfulness to each other is a blessing to our community of faith.  Congratulations Wallace and Phyllis!  May God's loving hands continue to guide your steps.

Join us Sunday morning as we give thanks for the ministry of Andre Towner.  A reception will be held for Andre and Shondelyn from 9:15-10  in the narthex and then we will be recognizing them in a special way during our morning worship service. We have been blessed by the Towner's over the last three and one-half years.  Come and share your appreciation with them.

Whether you are 4, 34, 64, or 94, give thanks to God for the uniqueness of creation at work in you, and whenever your special day occurs..."Happy Birthday to You!"

Jim Abernathy

Baggage

The scene was enough to make any airline executive's heart skip a beat yesterday as video surfaced of thousands of suitcases and other travel bags lined up in a parking lot at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix.  A computer glitch in the TSA system caused the unprecedented backlog of bags...by some estimates, more than 3000!  That's a lot of baggage!  One man, asked to assess his experience in the midst of the confusion, said, "I've heard every swear word known to man in the last fifteen minutes."  Anger and frustration is understandable in such a circumstance.  We are righty concerned about how our baggage is handled.

Baggage is often defined as the container which holds clothing, books, or a variety of personal possessions one takes along, usually when traveling. The word baggage can also be used metaphorically to define other things we carry within our hearts and minds that speak to experiences of life that are often difficult, sometimes traumatic, and at times, unresolved.  We often want to keep such "baggage" close, not wishing others to have access to that which we carefully guard.  Like suitcases strewn across an airport parking lot, lost somewhere in transit in an eighteen wheeler, or packed onto another plane whose destination cannot easily be tracked, (all things the lost bags of Sky Harbor were subjected to) we struggle to hold onto and claim our own baggage and all that accompanies it.

I Peter 5:7 gives us sound advice in the midst of the burdens we hold close and those that seem just out of our reach.  "Cast your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." (NRSV)  British pastor and scholar, J.B. Philiips, translates this verse, "You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon Him, for you are HIs personal concern."  Sometimes this baggage we carry and struggle to control is quite heavy.  3000+ lost bags is a lot of baggage to carry.  I would guess there were several TSA and airport personnel with sore backs in Phoenix this morning.  Peter reminds us that our weariness can give way to God's comfort and peace as we let God help carry the burdens and heartaches of life that often seem so difficult to bear.  Considering the baggage we each carry and seek to manage, learning to throw the whole weight of our anxieties upon God is a practice of faith we would do well to observe. 

Sunday morning, we will celebrate Pentecost, remembering the Holy Spirit's presence at work in the early church that changed lives and gave evidence to the power of God at work in those who faithfully followed Jesus, the Christ.  The color red is often associated with Pentecost so I encourage you to wear something red on Sunday as reminder to us all of the presence of God at work in and around us. Remember also that we continue to receive a love offering for Andre Towner whose last Sunday with us will be May 22.  A reception will precede Sunday School on the 22nd from 9:15-10 a.m. in the narthex, so plan to come and let the Towner's know of your appreciation of and best wishes for them.

Finally, our 5th Sunday project for this month has been finalized.  In recognition of Memorial Day and in honor of so many who have sacrificed so much in service to our nation, we will be working with the National Cemetery at Quantico to help prepare the grounds for Memorial Day Celebrations.  We will join others on Saturday, May 28 at 9 a.m. to clean and prepare trails, place flags, and other tasks that will prepare this hallowed ground for Memorial Day remembrances.  Please sign up at the welcome center so we can have an idea of how many would like to participate and for transportation needs.

I like the last phrase of J.B. Phillips' translation of I Peter 5:7; "...you are God's personal concern."  Keep that in mind with the image of all that baggage strewn across the parking lot at Sky Harbor, and as you think about your own baggage strewn across the landscape of your life.

I look forward to seeing you in Red on Sunday.

Jim Abernathy 

Earth Day

Friday, April 22nd, is Earth Day.  Some would tell you that the first Earth Day was in 1970, and I suppose they would be right for that was when the Earth Day movement began.  By faith, however, I would argue that the first earth day occurred when the Creator said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.”  The Genesis account continues,  "God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good."  This first earth day began it all.  Now as stewards of God's earth, we are called to care for this place that God called good.
Throughout our Treasuring God's Creation emphasis we have focused on the wonder of all that God has made and the calling that is ours to share in its stewardship.  We will have our own Earth Day focus on Saturday at Westwood. From 9-noon we will work on a variety of projects.  The centerpiece will be the adopt-a-highway program that Westwood has been involved in for years.  Those 16 and over who would like to participate will put on a yellow vest, grab an orange trash bag, and clean up a section of the roadside along Old Keene Mill Road.  I have done this a number of times over the years, as have many of you, and it is a great way for us to be good neighbors to our community.  There will also be projects to clean trash and debris around the perimeter of our property, particularly along the edges of the parking lot.  The children will have a special project they will work on and there will also be a project to weed, clean, and perhaps stain the benches in the prayer garden.  There will be use for weedeaters and leaf blowers so some of you will want to bring those along. I know our Saturday's are busy, but take a few moments to join your Westwood family and treasure God's creation through this good work.

Let us honor the Lord as we gather Saturday to make a difference in our church and community through caring for God's creation, and let us gather with expectation Sunday morning for the last of our Treasuring God's Creation Sundays.  I look forward to seeing and working beside you!

Jim Abernathy

AND DON'T FORGET, THE U.S. ARMY CHORUS AND WEST POINT ALUMNI GLEE CLUB WILL BE IN CONCERT AT WESTWOOD AT 5 PM THIS SATURDAY!!!!  INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN YOU FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL EVENT.

Worry

"What, me worry?" These were the words of fictitious cover boy, Alfred E Neuman, of MAD Magazine fame.  It is said that his "What, me worry?" mantra was changed only once in the long run of the magazine as a result of the Three Mile Island nuclear scare, when he said, "Yes, me worry!."  Truth is, we worry about a lot of things.  Some of us worry more than others, but all of us give in to worry from time to time.

Sunday morning, I will be preaching about worry.  "Hold on," you might say, "what about our creation care emphasis?"  Glad you asked.  Jesus had some interesting things to say about worry in the context of creation.  You might want to read Matthew 6:25-35 in preparation for Sunday morning and consider how Jesus contrasted worry with the wonder of God's creation.  I hope you will be present for our continuing emphasis.

Sunday morning will also feature some great music from our children's choirs and some blessed words of testimony from Charlie and Mary Shuman about how they experience and enjoy God's beautiful world.

I hope you can take advantage of the beautiful weather forecast for the next few days and get out to experience the handiwork of the Creator.  I look forward to seeing you Sunday!

Jim Abernathy

Treasuring God's Creation

Tri Robinson, in his book, "Saving God's Green Earth," cites fifteenth century reformer Martin Luther's words as he writes, "The power of God is present at all places, even in the tiniest leaf...God is currently and personally present in the wilderness, in the garden, and in the field."   The old spiritual says, "He's got the whole world in his hands..."  The Psalmist writes, "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it."  Here is a truth we need to remember in the midst of this beautiful world, created by the hands of God.  God is present in the beauty of all God has made, and thus, to celebrate the beauty of the budding trees of springtime, the clear, crisp water of a mountain stream, or to welcome a treasured friend into your embrace is to celebrate the presence of God.  To do so is to cherish Creator and creation.

Throughout the month of April, we will observe the theme, "Treasuring God's Creation," in our worship, CFN studies, and in activities that address the needs of our property, community, and world, that we might be better stewards of this wonderful creation God has given.  This Sunday we will focus on the creation story from Genesis 1, recognizing that God's handiwork is a gift to be cherished, nurtured, and protected.  If the quotes in the first paragraph of this note are correct, then God is present all around us.  That presence is to be celebrated with every step, every breath, every moment the senses are stirred, and the result is an humble approach to living that truly treasures what God treasures.

We honor God by honoring God's creation.  Over these next several weeks, let us look around us at the wonder of all that God has made, and with the Creator, pronounce it good, not just with our words, but our actions as well.

The joy of Easter continues as we gather for worship this Sunday.  I look forward to seeing you!

Jim Abernathy

Lenten Devotional...Easter Sunday

John 20:19-22

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’”

(John 20:21)

I’ve never really been too big on religious slogans or sayings.  Quite honestly, I often find them trite and too often misused.  Some have become so popular that people mistake them at times for scripture and quote them as such, though they can’t ever seem to remember the book, chapter and verse from which they come.

One of these popular axioms is “When one door closes, another one opens.”  It is often used to speak of opportunity and God’s provision in the midst of challenge.  Perhaps there is application in the story of resurrection and the immediate aftermath.  When the stone was rolled into place, perhaps with a jarring thud to seal the tomb of Jesus, it could certainly be said that a door was closing.  The life and ministry of Jesus, and the hopes of his followers seemed finished, closed up in death.  Yet, in our focal text today, the resurrected Christ stands before them, fully alive, and soon, so too are their hopes.  Another door of opportunity is opening as Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  Salvation empowers service…resurrection revives calling.

As our Lenten journey concludes, sorrow gives way to joy and death is overcome by life.  One door closes…another one opens.

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!

Jim Abernathy

Thanks for traveling with me on this Lenten journey.  I have appreciated your comments and been glad for the opportunities to discuss the truths of scripture we have encountered.  May God continue to guide your steps as you live in the shadow of the cross and the light of the empty tomb.

Jim