I haven't posted in a long while. Mostly I've been figuring out balancing my new ministry position at LCPC and balancing being a wife and mommy and trying to make those two items priority over ministry. Oh, and I discovered Facebook and Twitter. (LeenerBeener on twitter if you tweet too).

There have been two major thoughts running through my mind lately in faith formation and aiding others in their faith, and keeping mine:

* How to talk with others, about faith, when they are dying of cancer at age 30,40, 5o or any age or how to justify (which i don't think you can) that a 3yr old child is being eaten away by a horrible cancer (and the child of a youth minister to boot).

Recently a member of our congregation, just 52 I think (younger than my parents) died from cancer. I only barely met him, Doug was on a committee with him and there are a lot of others I have relationships via ministry who had a neat connection with him. When it is older folks (i have lost a few grandparents this way) who have cancer it doesn't affect me the same as a middle age or younger person. I don't understand how it can get people out of the blue.. it is just damn scary what it does to people, their friends, and family. I hear or read everyone else asking why, God, why and I see people saying "God will provide! God will heal!". That is what we want to believe, and many times that isn't the case. So I have trouble telling someone have hope - so I don't. But I do say I will pray for peace for the person and their family because I believe God will provide that in one way or another. I believe that it is sin that causes the cancer - not the sin of the particular individual or their family, but overall sin in general. I think God can certainly heal a person in a moment if God wanted to ... and does if it isn't time for a person to leave the earthly life. Sometimes death brings people closer to God - like the death of Jesus on the cross (and his rising again to conquer sin and death). We know that in following Jesus, after death, is life and no more pain, no more sorrow. Perhaps not the pearly gates.. but we are back in relationship with our creator. I'm rambling. Sometimes I wonder if I would think differently if I or my husband, or my daughters were inflicted with cancer. I can only pray that I will remain strong or grow stronger in my faith should that ever be the case.

(Rest in peace Steve, God give peace to Gena. God give baby Ben peace and his parents as they grieve and treasure the memories they are still creating.. help them to be there for Ben's baby brother.)

 

* How to talk with my 4 year old child about other religions and their beliefs - in a way that is holding true to the faith of her parents and not demeaning of her friends and some family members who hold different religious beliefs. 

Lil' miss Ellie has a buddy named Grace who is Jewish. Ellie & Grace are constantly talking religion at pre-school (a full time montessori childcare). I think it is great that she has a friend with different cultural/religious traditions. and perhaps they'll be able to remain buddies as they part from their school and go on to Elementary schools. So with this holiday season they have had a lot of chats about what they believe and don't believe. Ellie tells Grace she celebrate's Jesus' birthday at Christmas and gets presents from Santa Claus. Grace says she celebrates Hannukah, not Christmas, doesn't believe in Jesus and doesn't believe in Santa Claus. We've been talking about what Christians believe and what Jews believe and what is different. (Christians believe that Jesus is God and the messiah, Jews believe there was a Jesus, but he's not the Messiah or God.) I've been trying to figure out how much to explain to a four year old, how much does she need to know now, how much can her little mind handle? Somethings I've told her we need to ask auntie L. about because she is Jewish and understands the traditions a lot better than I do. I really hope auntie L. doesn't take offense to the fact that I'm suggesting this to Ellie, and I also hope she knows that we are not at all making, or even intending to make, people of other cultures and faiths to look bad or evil or any such thing. 

The other day she told me that maybe I'm wrong about Santa Claus because Grace doesn't believe in Santa and Grace says her step-mom knows everything. Ok, so I really could care less about her believe in Santa. What i was waiting to hear next was - maybe you're wrong about Jesus too. But she didn't say it and she still sang happy birthday to Jesus and continues to sing away in a manger, pray to God at night and asks me to sing Jesus Love Me as she goes to sleep. 

A few weeks ago we were in the grocery store getting some groceries for a youth ministry event and we were talking about how I was going to teach the big kids at church about Jesus. She said very loudly, "You know everything about God, mommy, don't you. That's why you work at a church." I said, "I don't know everything, but I like to learn and I like to teach kids about what I learn because it is important for all of us". 

I have to remember that it is o.k. to not be 'everything' to your child all the time. I do want to instill a strong faith in Jesus in my little girls. But, like God does with all of us, I need to let them figure it out for themselves, giving them the best guidance I can and having confidence that God will do the work through me and others, it is not one bit of my own accord.

Blagh. Blagh. Blagh... that's what on my mind. What are your thoughts??

Christmas peace to you!

~Leena