Reflections on Home

We now have internet at the new house. How convenient. Jena, my sister in law and our housemate, just so happened to have an wireless router, and so I have the luxury of posting from bed as I drift off to sleep. Hopefully my sleepy state doesn't lead to posts I'll regret in the morning, but I doubt it...not this time, anyway.

We've been in G-Rap for two full weeks now, and it's been a good settling process. The first week was difficult, but this week was much better. I've had plenty of tasks to take care of during the days while spending time with my beautiful baby Addison. I got my licence switched to Michigan, along with the van title and some nifty new license plates. I ordered all my books for the semester (four of them came today). I had to buy a new modem to get the internet running at the house. I called a ton of day care places to check on rates and details. And we continue to put the house together, box by box, room by room. We have a lot of stuff. I wish we didn't, but we do. At least we're trimming the fat (vis a vis an upcoming garage sale). And I need to buy a car this week, so I've been looking into that as well.

It's been interesting. Transition is always a difficult and exciting thing. For the last seven years of my life, I've pretty much constantly been in transition. Dorms (202D), parents house, dorms (104B), parents house, dorms (104B), Little Pine Island Camp, apartment at Trinity, apartment at North Park, house in Indy, house in G-Rap. The only place we stayed long enough to call home was Indy, and just like that, we're gone.

There are so many things we'll miss about Indy. It's our daughter's birthplace, and where she spent the first year of her life. It is the home of some great dining establishments: Squealers, Yats (Cajun Creole Crazy), Bub's, King Kabob, La Margarita, Rick's Cafe Boatyard, Claddagh's Irish Pub. I'm salivating just thinking about the goodness. We lived 1.5 miles from the Monon trail, where we walked and ran regularly. We were a mile from the bank, post office, and public library. Downtown was clean, easy to get around, and beautiful.

And of course there are the people. The people of Hope Covenant, the people of the Hollis Adams lunch bunch, some dear, dear friends who I got to meet with regularly to encourage and sharpen each other and talk ministry, music, life and everything in between. It's hard to even think of some faces, because it rips my heart to be separated from them. We haven't had very deep roots for over seven years, but they dug in pretty far in Indy. Just when it began to really feel like home, we left.

But duty calls. Seminary calls, and I'm actually in a good place right now. Though I miss Indy, I'm loving getting to know G-Rap. We live dangerously close to a Best Buy, a restaurant with excellent falafel called The Pita House, a mall, and Baker Book House. We are close to Marcie's family, and as I mentioned before, her sister even lives with us. I've gotten to meet some of the neighbors, and our next door neighbor gave us some fresh produce from her garden. Our house is very nice, a perfect fit for us, and it's starting to feel like our house finally.

But what makes everything go 'round are those constant and intimate relationships I share with my Lord, my wife and my daughter. Home is a nebulous concept, and is not bound in all facets by geography. I feel at home when I am with Marcie and Addison, no matter where that is. They are my family, they love me and allow me to love them. Yet ultimately, none of us can feel fully at home until fully present with Christ (2 Corinthians 5), and I know not when that day will come.

So for one more week, I am a full-time stay at home (home, get it?) dad looking for a car and continuing to put a house together. After that, let the weekly commute to Chicago begin. Thankfully the Cubbies are getting their act together to get ready for my arrival. Thanks, boys. Heal up good, Alfonso.

Virginia Tech Reflection

Amen. I have very little to add to McKnight's words. Some of the comments he's gotten already are a bit emotionally/politically charged. I am focusing on the original post. It sums up my feelings better than I could. May God's peace fall abundantly on all of you.

Good Friday

We have our sanctuary open all day today for prayer and reflection. There are four stations set up, thematically revolving around the words of the Lord's prayer, and I had the opportunity to write reflections for two of those stations. Though I cannot provide the physical elements of reflection, perhaps you can glean some truth from these words this Good Friday. The Lord be with you all.

Reflection and Inventory

“…your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven…”

~ Matthew 6:10

Whether we have been observing Lent and reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice as an annual pattern throughout life, or if this is our first experience with these reflections, we have much to glean from a few moments to take inventory of our lives and Christ’s work in us.

A timeline can be a great tool in evaluating our lives and setting goals for the future. There is a stack of timelines and pens at this station. Grab one of each, and ask yourself these questions and take notes on the timeline.

Before doing so, read the verse at the top of the sheet a few times and ponder its meaning. And don’t use this as a time to beat yourself up. Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient to save us from our past. Guilt is never a motivator for change. But forgiveness is. And Christ offers it to you in abundance. Use this time to decide what changes you can make today so that you don’t repeat your folly tomorrow.

What have been some truly memorable moments in my life? Mark them on the timeline.
What made these moments memorable?
What moments have been memorable in the last year?
Who have I served? How have I demonstrated God’s love?
When have I needed forgiveness? Have I asked for it?
Who do I need to forgive today? Apologize to?

What do I want to change this year?
What steps do I need to take? Where do I need to reprioritize?
What do I want to be different about me when I come to the cross at this time next year?

We all know that the way things are is not the way they should be. We know that Christ’s sacrifice brings forgiveness for the sin of the world and that we have newfound freedom and access to God in Christ, but life is still a struggle.

So we continue to live and pray:
“your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. ”

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Confession and Repentance

“And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

~ Matthew 6:12

Confession and repentance go hand in hand. As we see in this verse from the Lord’s Prayer, they are mutually dependant on one another. Even as we ask for forgiveness, we acknowledge that we have already forgiven others. We receive forgiveness as a free gift, but understand that our own hearts must be forgiving in order to receive it.

Jesus puts it very well himself in the parable of the unmerciful servant found in Matthew 18:21-35. Take a few moments to read this parable out of one of the Bibles provided at this station.
Ask yourself how you have been an unforgiving servant. Ask yourself how you have lived in a manner contrary to the heart of Christ. Jot down these thoughts on one of the provided notecards as a prayer of confession to God. After you have written your confession, take a pushpin and pin it to the cross.

Be assured by these words from 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

The second portion of this station is a reflection on baptism. Ponder these words from Peter’s sermon at Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:38. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

If you have been baptized, take this as an opportunity to renew and remember your baptism. Dip you hands in the baptismal waters, being reminded of the cleansing waters of forgiveness you have received in the name of God: Father, Son and Spirit. Give the water a moment to air dry on your hands.

If you have never been baptized, reflect on Acts 2:38 again, and consider talking to one of the pastors about receiving baptism. The act of baptism is the outward demonstration of an inward acceptance of Christ’s forgiveness and the confession that Christ is the sole Lord and Savior of humanity.

Through the life, death and resurrection of Christ, you are forgiven. You are cleansed. You are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a new life, a resurrection life, not according to the rules of humanity, but according to the Kingdom of God. The rules of God’s kingdom are not those of power, corruption and manipulation, but of forgiveness, grace, righteousness, justice, truth, peace and love.

On this day, receive these freely from Christ the Lord.