The Voice of Love is Calling:
Weaving the Future--‘Spirited-Two’ Be the Church
Pentecost
Many moons had passed since God found that ‘one sheep’ and reunited the sheep with the flock. What an Amazing Grace That White Wolf is. The sheep continued to grow older, and older, as the years passed. As the year 2020 approached the Shepherd felt excitement fueled by the idea of ‘2020 vision’. He was excited not fully understanding that ‘2020 vision’, only means ‘normal visual acuity.’ The Shepherd had forgotten God’s vision was sharper and came with much more clarity. 2020 did come with much clarity and hindsight. Yet, it was not in the way Shepherd thought. The ‘2020 vision’ had highlighted many sins of the world and much cruelty. Growth had been stunted in the spring. The summer had been filled with the coldness of death. By the FALL, THOUGHTLESSNESS had run rampant, and a lot of face-planting among family and friends became an ALL to common occurrence. Winter was rotted with much more lies, deception, and death. For most, our worship ways were way off track. The worship of false idols was poisoning our world in ways never seen before. The evil one had been lurking and had returned with a remarkable vengeance. Meddling with the Shepherds. Scattering the sheep. Wreaking havoc on the whole world. With much stealing, killing, destroying, and death in the evil ones grasp. Nearly destroying the heartbeat of the world. Thankfully, God’s light was there, being shown in dark places. Places many failed to give attention to in the past.
Let us recall the words of Jesus from John 10:10-12
(New International Version)
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
Scattered we were, and many a Shepherd did FALL down with the sheep—buying the ‘devil’ of a salesman’s ‘snake oil’--FAILING to be THOUGHTFUL (myself included at times). That winterous season was especially trying. Especially ‘Cruella Deville’ish. Especially dismal, lengthy, and frigid. Yet, as Christians, we know the contrast our God is capable of. After the DARKEST of times, there are the brightest lights ahead! For every famine and drought, there is a feast and vintage New Wine.
It is done, the wintery chill is on its way out. For a stretch of time, even the Shepherd had been lost, and those sheep were still scattered. It had been so dark, so cold. The year was insanely difficult. There was anguish in the loneliness. Pain in the darkness. It felt like the weather extremes in a barren desert wilderness—no water to quench our thirst, no sustenance to nourish our body and soul. Extremes in hot and cold. No shade in the sweltering sun. No warmth in the dark of night. For many moments in time, the Shepherd doubted himself, the Shepherd had been sheepish. Yet when the Shepherd goes missing and the sheep scatter, the Good Shepherd/ White Wolf step in and gather the sheep.
Isaiah 40:10-12
New International Version
10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
When spring 2021 arrived, the Shepherd awoke on the ‘wrong side of the bed’. Partly because he lived in Mountain Standard Time… where we… ‘Spring Forward’—meaning you lose an hour of sleep. Blah! As the Shepherd awoke this season his vision was blurred. It was still early, yet he saw much new light. Looking back, the shepherd was shocked and confused about how much of the light journey he embarked on felt overwhelmingly dark. He traveled to places in his past he had experienced little light. Yet, he came to realize the light still shown in those dark places, and the darkness could not overcome it. That did not seem to make the dark places feel any less overwhelming. Scared, and wanting to quit, the Shepherd kept moving on. Yet, he was determined. Springtime was becoming quite the journey in this faith-filled new light. A season filled with cloudiness, hail, rains, blustery days, before heading into more sunshine.
The clarity in the Shepherd’s eye sharpened as he was made to understand that with all the changing weather and storms, come revitalization and new ways of life. His eyes adjusted more as he envisioned many experiences of the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. Those swings made the Shepherd feel like a warrior at times and extremely weak and fearful at other times. Certain, yet Uncertain. Such contrast made the Shepherd feel so naked, so afraid, so vulnerable. The more he focused on the dark, the more he realized his greatest fears were creeping in. At one point, the Shepherd was so scared he almost hoped to put those old beer goggles back on. “Stop!” He instructed! The shepherd realized he had come so far!
Today, another spirit is in the air. As the shepherd looked out at his flock, instead of seeing a bunch of sheep starring back at him, he saw a Shepherd in each. His eyes watered as they looked back at him. Many recalling the times they were in a way too, ‘two-spirited’. Shepherds, yet sheepish in ways in their own lives. At that moment together, they shared a beautiful love. The ‘one’ Shepherd was reminded of all the effort, all his hard work, as, once again, he was taken back to the barren desert in which he once resided. Again, for the second time, the shepherd questioned if he was even cut out to be a herder.
The Shepherd saw much that was wrong in his world. He was shown the many areas his perspective was off. He had stretched himself so thin, he was missing many of God’s gifts he was entrusted with. He had all but lost his senses. Literally. Thrice he asked the Lord of the Heaven’s, “Why ME?”
Making New Senses of Things
Sight and Insight. The Shepherd missed much of creation and beauty in the world—but that was in the ‘passed’. The Shepherd had to remember all his power is in the NOW. Insight. He had seen the massive mountains, but he missed the dandelion having the bad hair day. His eyes were open to the many ways in which his ‘selflessness’ was actually a ‘stubborn selfishness’. He saw how boundarylessness in life had often left him caged. He knew he would work to be GREATER.
Smell and Smile (We stretch at Kingsbury). The Shepherd visited a neighbor who helped him fall to his knees and smell the flowers of the earth. As he listened to her his smell was being restored. The Shepherd has the most intelligent friends, and in the case of the ‘Flower Power’ friend, intelligent would be a grossly negligent understatement. Smile Diana. Suddenly, his smile was too, restored.
Heard and Herd. With his smile and vision intact, he then saw his work, and his other work, at one he was a Shepherd, a leader of sorts, and the other he was a therapist in a ‘helping’ profession. Although he helped many, he left his family ‘Home Alone’ to battle the villains, to dance with the décor, to lead their own lives, and fend for themselves. As for the gargoyle on the porch, it did not do its duty. During these times the Shepherd was shown the demons his children had to release, which He did... cast them out, then the phones were wiped clean. Revitalization, and a fresh start. As the shepherd engaged with his lambs and restored them to the flock, he saw an almost immediate change in them. The shepherd know understood why Jesus loved hanging out with the children. For the first time he ‘heard’ the little lambs (not ‘herd’ as in herding them around, phone in hand). HEARD! Can you see? Most of His senses were all coming back to him and fears were rapidly diminishing.
Spending time with his lambs he continued to work to ‘Erase and Replace,’ out with the old, in with the new, spending time with another lamb of our fold, Jessie. The Shepherd and lamb took a leap of faith out of a plane. After She earned her wings, and her father chased her into the wild blue yonder, together they were Smashing Pumpkins and Burning Ships. We are not a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll, you see? We are more alternative and Christian rock. Depends on the day. I hope this is all making sense. ‘Plane’ as day, Right!
Prior to the jumping-off, the shepherd had gotten all worked up, overwhelmed with the burdens he created, and had an emergency. Although it was still hard, it was easier to face the second time. Yet, it still took more than a spoon full of sugar. Short hospital visits ensued, and some follow-up was ordered. ‘Just what the Doctor ordered.’ And, ‘weather’ you, Believe it or Not, THE SHEPHERD FOLLOWED THRU! Spring is quite blustery, isn’t it? A short while later the Shepherd got the great news. The Long and Short of it, after a short hospital stay, the shepherd was herded to the doctor, a short time later he discovered because his tastes had improved so much this year, the high cholesterol was not an issue, the pre-diabetes was not an issue, the labs looked great. Yes, Great, not excellent, because the Good Shepherd knew about the shepherd’s traceable love for peppermint ice cream, but he knew He knew about that. He inherited a love for ice cream from his Fathers'. Now when it came to the pay attention and listen, that was his Mom’s genes. A-D-D, and the gift of gab. Yep, we got em’. Paying attention, Hearing. Talk less. Listen more. The Shepherd is far from perfect, but he is really trying.
Touch and Touché. As for the ‘finishing touch’(Drum roll)… Touche’. The Shepherd’s would likely have defined themselves as independent herder’s, not co-dependent. But co-dependence had to rare its ugly little head. And that co-dependence… well let us define co-dependence… Co-dependency is a learned behavior that can be passed down from one generation to another. It is an emotional and behavioral condition that affects an individual's ability to have healthy, mutually satisfying relationships. The shepherd was shown the following Unhealthy characteristics of co-dependency:
You focus on other people and their problems (caretaking, fixing, advice-giving), doing for others even when it negatively impacts, your mental health, physical health, and finances. Your extremely self-critical, you feel responsible for everyone and everything, you experience high levels of guilt and shame, you absorb other people’s feelings, you are a people pleaser, afraid of disappointing or upsetting others, you have trouble setting boundaries and being assertive, you numb with food, alcohol, or drugs. Intimacy and open communication and trust are difficult, you overwork and overschedule yourself… should I stop? The Shepherd’s sat in awe as they could see many of these traits in themselves. Thankfully, the Good Shepherd loves us all—and loves contrast! Renewing, Revitalizing, and Restoring, making us whole again, BETTER THAN EVER. Although that Shepherd loves the SPRING… he is excited about the summer and sunshine. The BEACH. The shepherd asked many for forgiveness with a promise to aim for these Don Miguel Ruiz’s FOUR AGREEMENTS: ‘Always do your best”, “Don’t make assumptions”, “Don’t take anything personally” and “Be impeccable with your word!”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.[a] 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
The traveling sheepherder’s knew what they needed to do to get back on the path, on that “Road Less Traveled.” But how one might ask? The Shepherd had an idea. Instead of trying so hard to grow up, and to simply be seen, the shepherd decided he was going to focus on something new for him… growing down. The Road to Damascus. Why not, growing up didn’t work so well. And the Shepherd wanted to focus on establishing more deeply rooted connections. Anyone else agrees? Who wants to grow up anyway?! Not Peter, Not Toys R’ Us kids, and certainly, not me! Today it is commonly referred to as ‘adulting’. A transition when we have all these pesky duties we get to try to manage in our adult life. Often the unfun. The mundane and monotonous. In the weed world, these-type would be called ‘stolons’, which are weeds that grow above the soil surface. Yeah… only surface stuff.
Stolons and Stolens
Their weedlike effect is thrice-fold. First, spreading so far and wide they trip up the chicken who is running around ‘like a chicken with his head cut off.’ If I didn’t know better, I would place them in the roach family because of their second-fold, Surface spreading, which is cancerous in so many ways. Ways that don’t often make sense. Thrice-fold because Stolon is the seedie- little-weedie that overwhelms and takes over. It can happen fast with weeds. Especially when we are too busy to even weed n’ seed.
As you go out into the world, invite the spirit in the power of the NOW. Strive to work on establishing your senses. You all have such valuable gifts, and sometimes those are weakened by our poor maintenance. Use YOUR weed and seed and improve other management skills. Remember, in order to, ‘Be the Church’ self-care ranks right up there somewhere right below our Good Shepherd. Know that establishing a strongly held root system matters. Just ask a tree in the Redwood Forest how important roots are. The sequoia redwood trees have a unique root system that is a marvel, compared to their mammoth size. Their roots are relatively shallow. ... The roots actually only go down to 12 feet, and yet, these trees rarely fall over. They withstand strong winds, earthquakes, fires, storms, and prolonged flooding. Those massive trees can withstand massive winds due to their strong root systems. Deeper than the surface and intertwined can bring such strength. And, one more LARGE piece of advice, for you to leave or take, whether you are a sheep or a shepherd… if you are floating on a pink cloud, wanting everyone to notice you… A FACE PLANT MAY BE AROUND THE CORNER! Sniffing stolons. So, be weary!
Meanwhile, back in the pasture, the Shepherd was questioning himself, wondering at times why his faith had been so weak at times. The GOOD SHEPHERD then spoke saying, “Son you stuck by me through the darkness, you were ready to give it all up for fear it was darkness, for that, you will all be blessed…’ The Shepherd was so thankful for angel’s who paved the way. The Shepherd’s once again looked out at his flock, again seeing a shepherd in each. He admired their flock, for it was different. And those Shepherd’s he saw did stick by God, even though many times in the past they persecuted by those who saw less clearly…
Matthew 5:11-13
The Beatitudes
…11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets before you. 13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.…
The Voice of Love continued, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:40)
The voice of Love is still calling! Stay tuned next week, “A ‘two-spirited’—Be the Church!”
