Notes from the Pastor

Ryan has a weekly news blurb in our church news letter and many of you who read this blog don't get our news letter, so I decided to start copying and pasting. I may be a little biased but I always love getting my newsletter so I can read his article. This week's article has a small update from our "Souper Bowl" (not a typo). Church members brought cans of soup for the local food bank and placed their soup in the Packers box or the Steelers box depending on their loyalty or predictions for the game.

Notes from the Pastor…

Super Bowl Sunday has become a de facto national holiday. According to Wikipedia, it is the second largest day for US food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day. Sunday’s game was exciting and the results matched our “Souper Bowl” at church. One congregant who wished to remain anonymous when talking about the inner workings of the Souper Bowl said, “I think it was fixed.”

Nevertheless, every year the Super Bowl seems to match the overwhelming scale of the previous year. Utilizing Dallas Cowboy Stadium, Super Bowl XLV became the second highest in attendance; this goes to prove that “Super Bowl” is as much a given name as it is a descriptive name.

Throughout our spiritual journeys it seems that we are drawn to the “super” events and moments. Maybe it is in our cultural DNA, or maybe it is a more human phenomenon; either way, we all seek moments of great awakening in our spirits. This is not necessarily bad, because truthfully, the higher things of God are awe-inspiring and life changing.

Personally, I can point to a few unique moments that have charted a different course in my journey. For instance, when I was 22, I lived in Yosemite National Park, and one sunny, summer day the clarity of the Spirit was as pure as the water in the Merced River – crisp, shocking, real, and nourishing.

Yes, these “super” events and moments are quite powerful; however, it is the simple things that shape our character and spirituality the most. It is the day-in and day-out of living with Jesus that makes us who we are. After all, Thomas Merton said, “How can we relish the higher things of God if we cannot enjoy some simple little things that come along as a gift from Him!”

This week, I encourage you to engage your spiritual senses and notice the simple things that are a gift from God!

Grace,
Pastor Ryan