Bringing the Word to Life

Christ Enters My World: The Gospel of Mark

Leave a Comment / Christmas, Lung Cancer, Personal, Spiritual Disciplines / By /

I continue to push back against the tide of other topics and preoccupations this week, to ponder in a new way the meaning of Christmas. If Christ came into the world, is it not reasonable to appreciate that he came into my world (and our world) as well? If he did that, his incarnation surely has an impact on the conduct of my life. Today we turn the page to the gospel of Mark, which has no birth narrative. The story of Jesus’ life starts thirty years later, with the prophetic announcement of his cousin John: “Prepare the way of […]

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Christ Enters My World: Christmas According to Matthew

Leave a Comment / Christmas, Lung Cancer, Personal, Spiritual Disciplines, The Pastoral Call, Theological Reflection / By /

Preachers have a dual challenge each week, to exegete a scriptural text for preaching and to interpret where their people are in a position to hear it. Because of my current detachment from my church family for wisdom’s sake (avoidance of the colds and flu going around), it seems as though the last thing on my mind these days is Christmas. I have not seen the decorations in the sanctuary, attended a party, or even completed my Christmas shopping. Unlike yours, perhaps, my mental space is occupied at the moment with this decision that will be made on Christmas Eve

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God’s Strength When I Am Weak

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My energy level is quite low on Day 4 to 5 of chemo Round 2. Have you ever felt tired of being tired? That’s where I am today, after a fitful night’s sleep. If there is any consolation, I detect a pattern emerging and there’s a good and logical explanation. The medicine is a poison slaying the Beast! All my healthy cells are working hard! Radiation is assaulting the intruder, causing some collateral damage in the fray! As one of my readers has commented previously, “I’m praying you just get through this, Mary . . .,” so this is one

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Living in Suspense

Leave a Comment / History, It All Started in the Garden, Lung Cancer, Personal, Spiritual Disciplines, Teaching, Theological Reflection, Uncategorized / By /

One of the pleasures of a quiet life, and the hours each day spent in the chemo chair, is reading a good recreational book. Right now I’m working on a legal thriller called Havana Requiem by Paul Goldstein. This tightly written novel by the Stanford author unfolds in Grisham style to reveal the rich tapestry of pre- and post-revolution Cuba, and particularly the music associated with it. Some of the “Aha” moments are discoveries of cultural significance (as opposed to “a body in the library,” although one gets that, too). All in all, it has me in suspense. So you

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Living Water Keeps Flowing

Leave a Comment / Lung Cancer, Personal, Romans 8, Spiritual Disciplines / By /

At least once a week, a surprise package arrives in the mail or on my front porch. These random acts of kindness have come from friends far and near, who have sent not a Christmas present but an “open me now” gift of encouragement. Honestly, I am put to shame for lack of creativity all these years walking alongside buddies who have had cancer or some other life-altering medical condition. Just a sampling: Emily sent a pair of cashmere socks which I wear all the time now; Viola sent two headscarves, one so clever I had to call her for

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A Long Obedience in a [Tedious] Direction

Leave a Comment / Leadership and Spirituality, Lung Cancer, Personal, Spiritual Disciplines, The Pastoral Call, Uncategorized / By /

The early excitement of entering into treatment for lung cancer has worn off, though the fire burns steady and bright in my spirit. This week I entered Round 2 of chemotherapy (all the while continuing with daily radiation), and there is nothing new to report. Dare I say it? I have the routine down now, and without any drama or new happenings or side effects of note (!), I have been grasping for ideas to write about! Is it true for you, too, that life’s routine puts you in a pattern of activity and behavior that isn’t very exciting? Perhaps

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Freedom in Confinement

Leave a Comment / Current Events, History, Lung Cancer, Personal, Spiritual Disciplines, Theological Reflection / By /

The week’s news has been dominated by the death of Nelson Mandela and the celebrations of his life. His greatness is measured by the impact of his personal transformation on a nation sullied by apartheid. His vocal and powerful political advocacy prior to his incarceration was silenced by imprisonment, supposedly; but as we all know, his was a witness of presence in his absence. His body was in the dungeon, so to speak, but his will and his spirit escaped into the conscience of a country and the world. The most remarkable feature of his life turned out to be

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“You’ve Got a Friend”

Leave a Comment / Leadership and Spirituality, Lung Cancer, Personal, The Pastoral Call / By /

It was inevitable and necessary that I shave off my locks, to cut short the mess and discomfort of a tingly head and hairy shirt collars. When I told my friends the plan, one of them, Sandi, piped up, “I will shave my head, too. What time should I come over?” Astounded at the idea, and concerned for her welfare in winter, I tried to talk her out of it, but she was resolute. So at 8 p.m. last night, Sandi and Jim came cheerfully knocking at our door, and out came the hair clippers. By 9:30 we were both

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Making Things Happen vs. Letting Things Happen

Leave a Comment / Leadership and Spirituality, Lung Cancer, Personal, The Pastoral Call / By /

Right on schedule, my hair started falling out this week in response to the chemotherapy onslaught. Once again, I experienced that loss of control over something as simple as grooming. It has not been upsetting—how I thank the wonderful staff at the cancer center for good preparation—in fact, I broke out in laughter as hair cascaded down my back in the shower. It was as if I were washing away my mane; what an exercise in futility! There are all sorts of directions I could go with this, but I think today I am going to reflect on a concept

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Serendipity

Leave a Comment / Lung Cancer, PCUSA, Peace Unity & Purity, Personal, Theological Reflection / By /

Yesterday, I contemplated the collateral damage that accompanies treatment for cancer, those negative consequences of an action meant to do good. Today, to look on the bright side, we are invited to think about serendipity: the finding of valuable or agreeable things not sought for. A very famous case of serendipity was when the 3M Company, formulating a new adhesive and encountering one failure after another, discovered the compound that became the temporary glue behind the Post-It Note. That discovery was a serendipity! Chemotherapy has had some surprising side-benefits: the steroid given to amp up the anti-nausea medicine has relieved

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