[Some
folks have asked to receive Christ in
Winter by email. If you’re not one of those, I don’t mean to be intruding
in your In box. I’m just sending to
you this way because I think you may be interested in the subject or the places
or people mentioned and I didn’t want you to miss it in case you don’t check
the blog site today. http://christinwinter.blogspot.com/]
CHRIST IN WINTER: Reflections on Faith
For the Years of Winter…
Arcola, IL friend Jane Jenkins sent Helen a link to watch,
“How the rover got to mars.” Below is Helen’s reply. I asked her if I could
share it more widely, and she agreed. It seems very appropriate
as winter comes
on.
Thank you, Jane. I enjoyed this. As I watched it, I
marveled at how the spaceship was designed to eject some of its parts
periodically as their task was finished. It hit me that that is similar to
people at our age. Many of the parts of my life have served their purpose and I
have ejected them (physically, my gall bladder and uterus are examples, though
I guess I could still use the gall bladder, but I don’t miss it). In other
areas, I find myself constantly working to edit my possessions, interests, and activities.
I just don’t have the energy to do everything I once did, so I must make
choices and set priorities. I once read an article about moving into a small
retirement apartment. The author, talking about what furniture to keep, said,
“Keep the best pieces and the best memories.” I thought that was pretty good
advice.
I’m paring down my clothes and getting rid of the
“mistakes” I’ve bought and kept for years without wearing. Sometimes I look
around the room I’m in and think about what furniture, pictures, etc. I would
keep if we were moving to smaller quarters. This morning I’ve been potting up a
few plants from the deck to bring in for the winter (parsley and chives),
throwing away some that are spent, and setting out a few new, cool weather
things that will stay there through the snow of winter (mums and flowering
kale). I call them my “winter garden.” The deck looks so much nicer in winter
with snow-covered plants than with everything cleared off. Even there, I guess
I’m keeping the best pieces and the best memories.
Love and good memories to you,
Helen
JRMcF
{I also write the fictional “Periwinkle
Chronicles” blog. One needs a rather strange sense of humor to enjoy it, but
occasionally it is slightly funny. It is at http://periwinklechronicles.blogspot.com/}
(If you would prefer to receive either
“Christ In Winter” or “Periwinkle Chronicles” via email, just let me know at jmcfarland1721@charter.net, and I’ll put you on the email list.)
[Some
folks have asked to receive Christ in
Winter by email. If you’re not one of those, I don’t mean to be intruding
in your IN box. I’m just sending to
you this way because I think you may be interested in the subject or the places
or people mentioned and I didn’t want you to miss it in case you don’t check
the blog site today. http://christinwinter.blogspot.com/ I especially apologize if you’re
too young to think about winter.]
CHRIST IN WINTER: Reflections on Faith
from a place of winter For the Years of Winter…
STRUTTIN’ WITH SOME BREAD AND WINE
I
wrote this with jazz worship services especially in mind.
To
the tune of STRUTTIN’ WITH SOME BARBECUE, by Lil Hardin Armstrong [1898-1971],
Louis Armstrong’s piano player and 2nd wife.
Barbecue
in hipster jive was a good looking woman, so when Louis was “struttin’ with
some barbecue,” he was struttin’ with the song’s composer.
It
may seem strange to think of Jesus struttin’, but the word barbeque comes from
a Native American word meaning “sacred.”
Remember
John 10:10, where Jesus says, “I’m here; let’s party,” which means that the
point of life is to have a good time, to go struttin’, not to show off, but to
show up, on the side of those whose life is not abundant. A truly good time is
a time of joy, not just pleasure. Joy comes in wholeness, when everyone has a
chance to march in the struttin’ parade. The point is not to get to heaven but
that God’s kingdom might come on earth. [Matthew 6:10]
The
“meek,” who shall “inherit the earth,” [Matthew 5:5] are not the weak, as that
word has come to imply, but the humble, those who are not proud in the ways of
the world, not those who are proud of worldly wealth and power and success, but
the humble who know that “It is God who has made us, and not we ourselves.”
[Psalm 100:3]
Struttin’
with some bread and wine
With
Jesus and his friends we’ll dine
Feeding
on the word divine
Struttin’
with some bread and wine
Struttin’
with the low and meek
It’s
our inheritance we seek
Into
heaven we’ll just peek
Struttin’
with the low and meek
Struttin’
with those left behind
Struttin’
with the man born blind [John 9:1-41]
It’s
our inheritance we’ll find
Struttin’
with those left behind
Struttin’
toward those pearly gates
Hurry,
friend, let’s don’t be late
Leave
behind those earthly hates
Struttin’
toward those pearly gates
Struttin’
in my heavenly shoes
Singin’
loud the Jesus blues
‘cause
I’ve paid earth’s union dues
Struttin’
in my heavenly shoes
Struttin’
with some bread and wine
With
Jesus and his friends we’ll dine
Feeding
on the word divine
Struttin’
with some bread and wine
©
John Robert McFarland, 2012
The
“place of winter” mentioned in the title line is Iron Mountain, in Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula, where life is defined by winter even in the summer!
You
are always welcome to Forward or Repost or Reprint. It’s okay to acknowledge
the source, unless it embarrasses you too much. It is okay to refer the link to
folks you know or to print it in a church newsletter or bulletin, or make it
into a movie or TV series.
{I also write the fictional “Periwinkle
Chronicles” blog. One needs a rather strange sense of humor to enjoy it, but
occasionally it is slightly funny. It is at http://periwinklechronicles.blogspot.com/}
