2017 Intentions – January

As I said here, I dumped my original Star Word in favor of COURAGE.

These are my intentions for the year. Let’s see how I’m doing showing COURAGE in each case.

I will resist hatred, prejudice, and evil, and speak out against all of them when I see/hear them.

1. I will resist racism by following the actions of Shaun King. You can sign up by sending an email and each day you will receive a couple of suggestions of letters to write, emails to send, or posts to post on Twitter and Facebook, against police violence, and in support of various causes (Standing Rock, etc.)
   1. We’ve had some successes by sending emails and writing letters. New York state is working on a statute to raise the age for treating minors as adults.
   2. We collected enough money for Standing Rock to buy a couple of trucks to haul water and firewood for the winter.
2. I will resist evil, hatred, and reactionary government by signing up with Wall of Us. Each week you will receive a list of four actions you can take by writing to your elected representatives to ensure your values are being considered by the government. Some are local, some are state, and some are national. Often you will receive suggestions of products to boycott or hatred to call out.
   1. I’ve consistently made phone calls – either in support of my representatives positions or to encourage them to speak out. I have both Senators’ and my Representative’s number saved in my phone and I call, at least, weekly.
3. I will march in the Women’s March in Washington, in Olympia on January 21st, as a mark of protest and solidarity with feminine causes. Mission accomplished here.

I’m also going to continue marching, when I can get there, and when I feel called upon. I didn’t march against the Muslim Ban, but I may if it continues.

I will exercise regularly and eat good, healthy food.

1. I will sign up for a circuit training class at the Wellness Center – the class hasn’t started yet, but I’ve begun doing weight work on my own, weekly.
2. I will try to get 10,000 steps a day – so far, so good, for the most part.
3. I will log my food every day (and no cheating)  – again, so far, so good. I’ve finally lost the weight I put on between Thanksgiving and Christmas, TBTG.
4. I will cook most of the food we eat from scratch, and will be careful of extra salt and additives in any packaged foods – check, check, and check.
   1. I will cook fresh vegetables when they are available.
   2. I will continue to get Blue Apron meals whenever my schedule allows me time to prepare them. If you would like to try them, send me your email in a comment, and I’ll send you three free meals (I have at least 5 sets available).

I will make personal contact with at least half of the churches in the Presbytery.

1. I will meet the pastors for coffee and a “get-to-know-you” time – I’ve met with the chairs of all the Commissions/Committees, and have attended one Leadership Council meeting.
2. I will try to meet with the sessions and invite more participation by Ruling Elders in Presbytery meetings and commissions and committees.
3. I will continue to work with the Taskforce on New Worshipping Communities and encourage their work – I’m participating in the PNC for calling a pastor to a New Church Development at the Washington Women’s Correctional Center in Purdy, Washington (part of our Presbytery). From now on, I’ll be calling this Purdy Pres, at least until they are formed and can name themselves.

I will work for more racial diversity and harmony in my city and church.

1. I will facilitate a discussion group at Bethany using The Cross and the Lynching Tree – We’ve had two lessons and my group is engaged and supportive.
2. I will encourage a dialogue between Bethany and at least one historically Black congregation – no opportunities yet, but I’m working on it.
3. I will attend meetings of the City Council, and other opportunities to discuss race in Tacoma – I need to put this on my calendar

I will pray for Big Al as he faces decreased mobility and increasing pain from his back problems. I will try to remember that he is hurting, and not push him to do more than he is comfortable doing – I’m doing pretty well with this one, but it means I often go places and do things that leave him at home alone.

These words ring true today

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King prophesied in Riverside Church in New York City in his speech “Beyond Vietnam.” How convicting these words are today!

…we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin…we must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.

I pray we have not waited too long to conquer those triplets. God in your mercy…

 

 

 

Update to 2017 Intentions

You may remember my Star Word that I received in church on Sunday was Praise. I really didn’t know what to do with that, and today I had another opportunity to pick another star. In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I scrabbled through the available stars and found one that I liked better. In accordance with most of my intentions, I thought the one I deliberately picked was right on. It was…

COURAGE

Most of my intentions will take all the courage I can muster. We’re in for a bumpy ride this year.

The preacher will be doing a sermon series from now to the beginning of Lent on Bridging the Divide: Facing Divisive Issues as Christians. In Bible study today we looked at Matthew 10:34-39.

Not Peace, but a Sword

³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

³⁵ For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
³⁶ and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.

³⁷ Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸ and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

That sounds like I really, really need courage to stay focused and true to my calling.

2017 Intentions

My Star Word (received in church today) for 2017 is PRAISE. I’m still mulling how I’m going to live into that word.

These are my intentions for the year. As you know, if you read my post from yesterday, I had some problems in 2016, some caused by my own shortfalls, and some completely out of my control. The main thing I intend to do this year is to try to recognize which category applies to each circumstance, and adjust my attitude to the circumstance based on whether I can control the outcome, or whether I can only control my reaction.

1.  I will resist hatred, prejudice, and evil, and speak out against all of them when I see/hear them.
   1. I will resist racism by following the actions of Shaun King. You can sign up by sending an email and each day you will receive a couple of suggestions of letters to write, emails to send, or posts to post on Twitter and Facebook, against police violence, and in support of various causes (Standing Rock, etc.)
   2. I will resist evil, hatred, and reactionary government by signing up with Wall of Us. Each week you will receive a list of four actions you can take by writing to your elected representatives to ensure your values are being considered by the government. Some are local, some are state, and some are national. Often you will receive suggestions of products to boycott or hatred to call out.
   3. I will march in the Women’s March in Washington, in Olympia on January 21st, as a mark of protest and solidarity with feminine causes.
   4. I have already set up automatic contributions to the American Civil Liberties Union, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Move-on.org, and the Democratic National Committee.
2. I will exercise regularly and eat good, healthy food.
   1. I will sign up for a circuit training class at the Wellness Center.
   2. I will try to get 10,000 steps a day.
   3. I will log my food every day (and no cheating).
   4. I will cook most of the food we eat from scratch, and will be careful of extra salt and additives in any packaged foods.
      1. I will cook fresh vegetables when they are available.
      2. I will continue to get Blue Apron meals whenever my schedule allows me time to prepare them. If you would like to try them, send me your email in a comment, and I’ll send you three free meals (I have at least 5 sets available).
3. I will make personal contact with at least half of the churches in the Presbytery.
   1. I will meet the pastors for coffee and a “get-to-know-you” time.
   2. I will try to meet with the sessions and invite more participation by Ruling Elders in Presbytery meetings and commissions and committees.
   3. I will continue to work with the Taskforce on New Worshipping Communities and encourage their work.
4. I will work for more racial diversity and harmony in my city and church.
   1. I will facilitate a discussion group at Bethany using The Cross and the Lynching Tree.
   2. I will encourage a dialogue between Bethany and at least one historically Black congregation.
   3. I will attend meetings of the City Council, and other opportunities to discuss race in Tacoma.
5. I will pray for Big Al as he faces decreased mobility and increasing pain from his back problems. I will try to remember that he is hurting, and not push him to do more than he is comfortable doing.