As I sit/lay here under a young tree, the branches catch my attention. What to some may look like the branches are dying - the bark is covered in fungus/mold, pealing away, not many leaves or branches on it - is in fact alive. New, bright green leaves reaching out, starting over for that branch and that tree shoot out at the end. Against the blue sky above it this tree and branch makes me think about new life coming out of the old. A new part of the tree rising up and enjoying the warmth of the sun and the breeze of the day. Soaking in the greatness of just being a new creation. I want to be that tree branch. I want to just be but I don't know how. How do I be? How do I let the old die as needed and learn to let the new grow? I'm jealous of this tree, it seems to have this all figured out - this secret that I can't understand. I want this tree to teach me... no to just tell me and maybe even do for me. I'm jealous that I can't just change my nature to be tree instead of human. Oh tree how I wish it was so simple to be you. But then again maybe its not so simple to be you. Maybe this sun and wind hurt you. Maybe the parts that are dying hurt you or make it hard for you to become new. I guess you and I have more in common then I thought. Maybe your jealous of me and my freedom to move from my spot. Oh tree you show me many things but what do you see in me? What do you learn from me? Maybe we're not so different in our stuff. Maybe we're the same in more ways then I thought.
As a minister I have the honor of performing rites and ceremonies for people at a variety of stages of life: baptisms, blessings, marriages, funerals, etc. I usually enjoy planning and leading these events. But lately I've had a rash of folks shocked that as a minister, I would have a fee to do some of these services. So lets talk about why I have fees. To start with, if you are a member of my congregation you do get my services as a part of my contract with the congregation as long as they are spelled out in the contract. Generally if you're a member of the congregation I serve, it is expected that I will preform baptisms, blessings, funerals, weddings, etc for you because I want to remind you of God's continuous blessing in your life and especially at important moments in your life. However some folks are shocked that there would be an honorarium suggested for the minister. The reality is that these blessings, weddings, funerals, etc. are extra work in our wee...

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