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<DIV align=left><SMALL><FONT size=4>My wife worked at a hospital where the
medical and administrative departments threw a huge Christmas party for the
staff every year. "It was kind of nice," she said, "To have the chief of
medicine pouring your coffee and the president of the hospital serving desert."
She also confessed that she felt some discomfort when her waiter (who happened
to be the chief of neurosurgery) asked, "Ma'am, would you like the chicken or
the steak?" </FONT></SMALL></DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><FONT size=4></FONT></SMALL> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><A
href="http://www.lectionarysermons.com/jan10ser99.html"><FONT
size=4>http://www.lectionarysermons.com/jan10ser99.html</FONT></A></SMALL></DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><FONT size=4></FONT></SMALL> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><FONT size=4>John Jewell, 1999</FONT></SMALL></DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></SMALL></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4><SMALL><FONT
size=4></FONT></SMALL></FONT> </DIV><SMALL>
<DIV><FONT size=4>I would like to tell you a little story about our community.
There is one of my friends there who is quite handicapped but a wonderful,
wonderful lady. She said to me, "Henri, can you bless me?" I remember walking up
to her and giving her a little cross on her forehead. She said, "Henri, it
doesn't work. No, that is not what I mean." I was embarrassed and said, "I gave
you a blessing." She said, "No, I want to be blessed." I kept thinking, "What
does she mean?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>We had a little service and all these people were sitting
there. After the service I said, "Janet wants a blessing." I had an alb on and a
long robe with long sleeves. Janet walked up to me and said, "I want to be
blessed." She put her head against my chest and I spontaneously put my arms
around her, held her, and looked right into her eyes and said, "Blessed are you,
Janet. You know how much we love you. You know how important you are. You know
what a good woman you are."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>She looked at me and said, "Yes, yes, yes, I know. I suddenly
saw all sorts of energy coming back to her. She seemed to be relieved from the
feeling of depression because suddenly she realized again that she was blessed.
She went back to her place and immediately other people said, "I want that kind
of blessing, too."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>The people kept walking up to me and I suddenly found myself
embracing people. I remember that after that, one of the people in our community
who assists the handicapped, a strong guy, a football player, said, "Henri, can
I have a blessing, too?" I remember our standing there in front of each other
and I said, "John," and I put my hand on his shoulder, "you are blessed. You are
a good person. God loves you. We love you. You are important." Can you claim
that and live as the blessed one?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV></SMALL>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><A
href="http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/nouwen_3502.htm"><FONT
size=4>http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/nouwen_3502.htm</FONT></A></SMALL></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4><SMALL><FONT
size=4></FONT></SMALL></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><FONT size=4>Henri Nouwen, 1991 <BR>- - - -
-</FONT></SMALL></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4><SMALL><FONT
size=4></FONT></SMALL></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><FONT size=4>...the story about a pastor who was at a
downtown city mission on skid row. In order for these transients and homeless
people to sleep at this mission, they had to endure a worship service and a
sermon. It was part of the bargain in order to get food and shelter. The
preacher that night felt he was a gifted orator and had memorized Kipling’s
poem, ‘If” for a high school thespian contest. The pastor recited the poem with
great gusto.<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O:P> </O:P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal align=left><FONT size=4>“If you men can keep your heads
when all about you, are losing theirs and blaming it on you.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>… If you can trust yourself when all men
doubt you, and make allowances for their doubting too. … If you men can wait and
not be tired of waiting. …Or being lied about, not deal in lies….<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Or being hated and not give way to
hating. Yet don’t look too good nor talk too wise. … If you men can dream and
not make dreams your master….<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If
you can think but not make thoughts your aim. … If you can meet with triumph and
disaster, and meet those two imposters just the same. … If you men can fulfill
the unforgiving minute, with sixty seconds left of distant run. …Yours is the
earth and everything in it. And what is more, you will be a man, my son.”<O:P>
</O:P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal align=left><FONT size=4>As the pastor recited this poem,
the “thespian” in him choked with emotion. He was on the edge of tears and
filled with deep feelings. There was a long silent pause. During that pause and
silence, a voice from the back of the room piped up, “What if you can’t?”<O:P>
</O:P></FONT></DIV></SMALL>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4><SMALL><FONT
size=4></FONT></SMALL></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4><SMALL><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_what_do_we_teach.htm">http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_what_do_we_teach.htm</A></FONT></SMALL></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4><SMALL><FONT
size=4></FONT></SMALL></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4><SMALL><FONT size=4>Edward
Markquart</FONT></SMALL></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></SMALL></DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL></SMALL> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><SMALL><FONT size=4>...a book entitled The Art of Pastoring,
Contemplative Reflections written by William C. Martin. Admittedly, the book was
written as a source of spiritual refreshment, primarily for pastors who believe
in Jesus Christ and who seek to be his disciples and show his love. But isn't
that who we all are as followers of Jesus Christ? And thus I share with you that
which I received:</FONT>
<P><FONT size=4>Thought #11 in Martin's series of daily meditations is entitled
Emptying. Please hear it for yourself:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"It is the invisible center where the spokes of the wheel meet
that allows the wheel to move. The pastor becomes invisible, so that the parish
may move freely. It is the empty space within that makes the bowl useful. The
pastor empties himself of agenda and expectation so that the spirit of God may
fill her. It is the space within the walls of the house that gives a family room
to live. The pastor creates a space uncluttered by oughts or shoulds where her
people may safely live. It is the invisible, empty, spacious pastor who serves
the Word. Don't be misled by much ado. Emptying is difficult for the Western
pastor," Martin states, "for it is likely that you have become convinced that
your work lies in the fullness of your mind, your schedule, and your
congregation's programs. Yet if you do not become empty, you will never be
whole."</FONT></P>
<P><A href="http://day1.org/1077-baptism_made_real"><FONT
size=4>http://day1.org/1077-baptism_made_real</FONT></A></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Randy Calvo, 2008 </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
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