Jade picked up some masting tape while she and I were playing with the doctor kit and her dolls the other day. "This is my healing tape," she announced. "God make it for me to heal me before I was born!"
This statement kind of blew me away. Clearly, she knew that God intended for her to be well and that God had her on His mind before she was born. I mean, isn't that what Advent is all about? God creating a way for healing before we were born?
As Union begins our Advent series, we will look at the genealogy of Jesus and the people who came before us who were part of the story. They made way for healing before we were born. These people - of all kinds and with a variety of stories - were the continual thread moving toward Jesus. In Genesis through the end of the Old Testament, the prophets were announcing...God is making a way to heal us and live with Him as part of God's family.
During Advent this year, I wonder if we can wonder about the places where God was working before we recognized it. Maybe by looking back as seeing God's handiwork, like we do in Jesus' genealogy, we can see where God was before us, loving us, and making a way we didn't see at the time, He's been in the past with us and is definitely the One who leads us in the future. Forever healing and loving.
God made a way before we were born.
Psalms 139:1-5 (NIV)
You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
Union Parents: A boy called BC | November 15, 2024
There is a boy at the school where I work whom everyone calls BC. That's not his name; his name is Benjamin. But all through elementary school, he was one of two Benjamins in his class so he needed a different name to keep it simple.
Now, everyone calls him that - even he calls himself BC, which I noticed when he proudly wrote it on his name tag.
I'm sure when he was born, his parents never planned that he'd be called BC, but his name is the product of his environment. It was a shaping that happened because of the community in which he operates. Lots of kids end up with nicknames, but I was struck by how in this case, it a clear result of BC's proximity to something else: his classmates.
As parents, teachers, caregivers, and supporters of children and youth, I think this is good reminder. Our children and youth are shaped by what they are near. Simply by bringing your child on a Sunday morning or to an event or for youth group, they are in proximity of a community who desires to nurture how they are shaped. They are in the presence of Jesus' wide embrace and that will shape how they see themselves.
Our Union Kids lessons from now through Advent will emphasize that we are part of God's family, a church community, our own family, and our world. We are shaped by those who are around us. And we pray that each child will feel the love of God and others when they walk through the 415 Westlake doors.
In a few weeks, we will be hosting the second annual Gingerbread House Decorating event on December 7. One of the main reasons we do this is to provide "proximity" to Jesus. To open the doors of our church, which doesn't look like a church, to more people.
This is Jesus' wide embrace in action. And it shapes us by drawing near to His extravagant love. We are home and we all can write the name that God gives us on our name tag: Beloved.
2 Corinthians 13:14 (The Message)
"The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you."
Union Parents: Hooray for the algorithm | October 19, 2024
Hooray for the algorithm said no one ever. At least that was what I thought until recently. My perspective changed through a strange course of events that brought me encouragement via social media.
It started because I began following Mariner pitcher Logan Gilbert, who I'd learned was a strong Jesus follower. With that move, the algorithm took over. Soon my IG feed was filled with all kinds of posts about major league baseball players who were Christians, memes about trusting God, and young adults who testify that their lives are transformed through Christ.
So, some good can come from social media because my encouragement level went up. Seeing the depth of faith and renewal that these people were sharing gave me hope. Some coming from near suicides to reborn lives. People proclaiming that God is good, all the time.
As you may know, this past year has been extremely difficult for me. While I've never doubted the goodness of God, I have struggled to wade through the challenges and pain. I have sought to abide in Christ and trust even in the smallest steps of faith, but it's been far from easy and I needed some encouragement.
Maybe you can relate. Feeling short on encouragement? Do you have something really big (or even on the small side) that is weighing you down in your life? From parenting dilemmas to difficult life circumstances to your finances to a loss to old hurts that don't seem to go away.
I get it.
While life may never stop hurling uncertainties or unfavorable circumstances our way, we can choose to abide in Christ even when life is tough. Especially when life is tough. Connection to Christ is where the encouragement and courage flows from a wellspring of love that never leaves you alone.
Not that I would have suspected that the Spirit could use an algorithm to send me some encouragement and a reminder that God's work in the world never stops, but why not? When I'm abiding in Him, He is free to use all kinds of tools, people, and touchpoint to make sure I know that His love transforms and showers me with hope.
And as one IG reel by a Savannah Bananas player (ask me later) told me, "May be a reflection of the One who is actually worth following…”.
Amen.
John 15:4 (NIV)
"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
Union Parents: A prayer for this school year | Sept. 14, 2024
Last Sunday, as a community, we prayed for all those who are connected to education - from the preschooler to those teach at the college level.
As I watched literally everyone stand and surround the students and teachers in prayer, I was struck that we are all connected to this very important element of life. We are all on the journey of learning and life and seek to trust that God is with us. We all affected by what goes on in our schools and how important it is for our students and teachers to thrive.
Embarking on another school year brings me to my knees to pray. Know that this will not not be the only prayer I pray for our Union Kids, teachers, and school administrators this year. But this is the one that I pray as we launch into the unknown of the 2024-2025 school year. We are blessed and Zephaniah 3:17 that Emily Huff preached about a few week ago tells us this in no uncertain terms. We are not alone.
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.
Lord,
As children walk into school, I pray that Your strength and peace will cover them each and every day. Remind them they can turn to You when they feel scared or discouraged, and You will give them exactly what they need. I humbly ask that You will remind them that they don’t have to do this life alone because You are always with them.
Lord, please clothe our children with Your mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience so they will glorify You. I pray they will show kindness to their classmates and the staff. If a time comes when kindness is not shown to them, may they feel Your presence all around them enabling them to be a light for You even when it is difficult.
Lord, I humbly ask You to protect each and every child as they go to school every day. You are their refuge and ultimate protector. Therefore, I ask that their emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical health will be guarded and protected by Your mighty hand. Thank You for caring for them, Jesus. When they face a hard subject, have a problem with friends, get in trouble, or simply feel fatigued from school in general, I ask that You will uphold them with Your mighty hand and restore them.
We pray that You would equip all teachers, educators and staff with wisdom that they need to lead their classes and schools every single day. God, we pray that Your strength would fill them and enable them to do all that they do with a heart of compassion, grace, and understanding. We pray that you, God, would give them encouragement. Give them help when they’re weary and lots of grace when they feel like they’ve reached the limit. Everything that concerns them, God, we know that it’s in Your hands today. We lift them up.
And we ask that you would raise up people (and students!) of prayer that will cover each school and learning center with your Spirit. May transformation take place this year in new ways in our schools. God, you are good, and you are good at being God so we trust you in all of this.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Union Parents: Winding down and onward! | August 31, 2024
Do you feel like summer breezed by? For some reason, this summer went by in a flash for me. I do remember years when both Justin and Caden were still quite small and the summer seemed to last forever - especially when we had the blazing hot weather that made me melt in my house.
How did it feel for you this year? What were your highlights or lowlights?
Despite the speed at which this summer has gone, it's been a fulfilling time with Union Kids. I've been personally been blessed by digging into Psalm 34 with Sayuko and all the kids and this complex Psalm has provided us with multiple themes that we could communicate to the kids:
-Praise God at all times
-God is our rescuer
-God is good
-Seek the Lord and you'll thrive
-God is our friend
-He is always right there, we don't have to fear
As the summer winds down, we are finishing up with our last lesson this week. The theme of verses 20-22 is a bit challenging (see verses below), so we are summarizing it as the promise that "God protects us." I think this is a very fitting promise to send with our kids into the new school year. What is to come, good or bad, is unknown. But we know that God asks us to take refuge in him and he will not let us down. What an amazing promise to bless our kids:Remember you are not forgotten or alone. You are rescued and protected.
As part of our activities this week, we will create a framed version of Psalm 34. I hope that you'll put in a place where everyone in your home can see it and be encouraged. Maybe your kids will sing Jeff's song, "Taste and See" and above all, I pray that you and your family will know that God is good and he is close.
Onward to a new school year!
Psalm 34:20-22 (NIV)
20 "he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned."
Union Parents: I didn't know what to write and then I remembered this...| August 16, 2024
Last week, I was supposed to send an email to you all. But I could not think of what to write. It wasn't a case of writer's block as much as it was writer's blank. I had nothing. Blank.
As I pondered how deep the writing abyss was last week, I suddenly remembered this. Now, bear with me as I once again tell about how much I'm learning from God via Caden. Someday he will read the things that I've written my parenting journey with my middle child, I hope that he too will be encouraged and not rolling his eyes with a "Mom, really?" response.
When we last left Caden, he had just returned from Lakeside Bible Camp on Whidbey Island with his Goodwill sleeping bag and suitcase. What a great week it was for him! He enjoyed the "boy-centric" activities, made some new friends, learned some Bible verses, was inspired by the music and is already planning to go back next year. What an answer to prayer! I can't even express how much.
Before I move on, I need to back up a little (or a lot) to 2018. Caden was in first grade and struggling. We didn't even know all that he was experiencing, but later learned it was centered around some sensory issues and executive functioning challenges. At the time, I was reading The Healing Light with my Union prayer group and I was applying many of the principles that I was learning, mainly being open to what the Spirit could do and trusting that it would be done according to God's will. I was praying in faith and praying without knowing the answers.
Over the years, we have continued to experience challenges as Caden has grown and worked to address how to become the "best Caden he can be". I do know one thing for certain, his journey has made me a better person. God has used him for that purpose. So, as I thought about the prayers I prayed in 2018, arms lifted over little six-year-old Caden as he slept in his big queen size bed, it occurred to me that those prayers are being answered now. Following his camp experience, he desires to listen to praise music on his Spotify channel and is trying to learn them on piano. He wants to sing at church and he is growing more confident in himself as he starts middle school. I didn't know how God would work in 2018 and I probably would have expected a different path over these past years. But this path he is on and these answer are good because they are God's way.
Not to say that I'm letting up on praying. We have not arrived and so prayers continue. There are many more days ahead when I will need God's guidance, strength, answers and help as I parent and grow in my own faith. But in this moment six years later, I'm encouraged that answers do come. Life is abundant and pouring into Caden. The Lord continues to hear, deliver. and care. Just like the Psalmist said. I'm grateful for the promises in Psalm 34 and hope the ancient words and Caden's story encourage you, too.
Psalm 34:17-19 (NLT)
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
Union Parents: God knew it was at Goodwill | August 2, 2024
Nothing like leaving the packing to the last minute! Caden was leaving for a week at Lakeside Bible Camp and I didn't know where the sleeping bag was, or if we even had one anymore. And finding an old suitcase that could get beaten up, dirty or wet would certainly be helpful, too!
But who could I ask? Where could I borrow one or both? I started racking my brain so we'd avoid making a quick but expensive trip to Outdoor Emporium to outfit him for camp.
"Go to the Goodwill on 128th," said a voice in my head.
Of course, Goodwill. That was a good plan. And it occurred to me that God actually did have a plan and he knew where the things were that I needed for Caden. I felt assured as I pulled out of the driveway.
Opening the glass front doors of Goodwill, I quickly scanned the store for the sporting goods aisle. "Okay, God, where is the sleeping bag?" I looked down one aisle and nothing, but in my spirit, I knew it was there and I just needed to find it. So, I turned the corner to the next row, and boom, there is was. Green. Rolled up with elastic loops. Just the right size. Perfect for Caden.
Sleeping bag - check.
Next stop was the suitcase aisle and sitting there waiting for me was a just what I needed: a not-new but perfectly adequate blue suitcase. Just the right size again and the perfect price at $3.99. Who says God can't bargain shop?
Suitcase - check.
In less than 10 minutes, I walked out with what I needed for Caden at the very reasonable total of $15 and even more importantly, I took with me the certainty that God was involved in the details - right down to the available inventory at Goodwill. I knew that God had gone before me because I had put my trust in him.
I must admit, however, that I had felt a kind of desperation, even a bit of panic, just 60 minutes earlier when I didn't know where I'd find a sleeping bag or suitcase and I might have to shell out a bunch of money to get what Caden needed. In that worried place, I was forced to trust God. Not that I wasn't willing to trust him but when I realized it was really my only option, there was a freedom that ensued and carried me all the way to the Goodwill checkout line.
This Sunday morning, Renée Sundberg will begin the new sermon series, "Messages from the Heart" with a favorite verse: 2 Corinthians 3:17. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." As I thought about this verse, the words rang true to me a new way. The freedom to trust was real because the Spirit was there when he sent me to Goodwill. No need to rely on my own problem-solving skills. I was with the Spirit - and was free to simply retrieve what I needed.
As I journey in life as child of God and a parent of kids, I can access this trust and resulting freedom all the time. So, why don't I?!! Probably because it's hard! But when I see God at work like this even in little ways, it definitely becomes a lot easier and the trust starts to grow. Earl Palmer (for those of you who remember this beloved pastor) said that faith is "putting your weight on the downhill ski" - or in other words - trust in the trustworthiness of Jesus Christ.
I felt that strongly in the aisles of Goodwill of all places.
So, as Sayuko and I share Psalm 34:10-14 with Union Kids this Sunday, I hope you'll also be encouraged that "those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing". Even if that good thing consists of a simple green sleeping bag and someone's old rolling suitcase that are perfect for a boy going off to Bible camp.
Psalm 34:10-14 (NLT)
10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, and listen to me,
and I will teach you to fear the Lord.
12 Does anyone want to live a life
that is long and prosperous?
13 Then keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies!
14 Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
Union Parents: Taste and see | July 19, 2024
This week, we continue our series in Psalm 34 and this may be the most delicious week yet. The theme is "Taste and see the the Lord is good;" So, we will have some tasty things for kids to try. It's going to be a blast - and I hope you can join us on National Ice Cream day (hint, hint).
We'll continue to sing the song that Jeff Fisher wrote called "Taste and See." Here are the lyrics and musical notes for any families who'd like to sing it at home. It's one that you will likely find yourself singing throughout the week - serving as an ongoing reminder of these verses.
Where have you tasted his goodness this week? Or where do you need his refugee? As Jeff write, "Taste and see that the Lord is good, God provides like he said he would."
Thank you, God, for this incredible promise!
Taste and See
by Jeff Fisher
Verse 1
C
I will always praise the Lord
F
I will sing to God with all my heart
C
I will always praise the Lord
G
Won’t you join and sing with me?
Chorus
G F
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good
C
Open the doors to the neighborhood
G F
Taste and see that the Lord is good
C
God provides like he said he would
G F
Those who seek the Lord shall not hunger
G F
So share God’s love with one another
F G C
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good
Verse 2
C
If your heart is broken you’ll find God here
F
If your body aches you’ll find God here
C
The Lord will keep an eye on us
G
So don’t you fear
Psalm 34:8-9 (NIV)
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
Union Parents: Encamped around | July 12, 2024
Camping was not something that I grew up doing. I am a total greenhorn when it comes to this outdoor activity that most of the Pacific Northwest populations does on a regular basis. In fact, one of my earliest camping experiences was in my 20s as a sponsor for The Edge at UPC - taking high school kids rock climbing near Leavenworth. (By the way, it poured rain, as it does in the mountains.)
So, what's the purpose of bringing up camping? Well, first I think it's generally expected that outside of the occasional backyard campsite, camping requires that you find a place away from your normal environs. Cell phone coverage could be spotty and Trader Joe's might be miles away. You make a little home in the forest away from home, as best you can.
But secondly, even the best and most well-trained campers are not immune to trouble or unexpected happenings. Not even Bear Grylis is completely devoid of trouble or unexpected challenge.
In Psalm 34, the chapter we are discovering this summer with Union Kids, David talks about God encamping around us. In verse 7, I hear an unspoken assumption that we too are "camping" through life - doing our best to live in unsettled conditions that might test us at best or require a rescue operation at worst. We are people on the move. So, when I read that the Angel of the Lord is setting up camp around me, that is about the best scenario I could ask for. God has chosen to set up residence with those who decide that he is the very best security system. The very best tactic for moving from survival to a life that radiates joy.
Maybe you've been feeling vulnerable these days. Maybe you have big grief that has also moved in with to stay for an undisclosed amount of time. Maybe summertime brings different anxieties that you don't feel prepared to handle. Or maybe you are wondering if God will be do something - even in the nick of time - to step in and provide what you need as a parent or simply as a human on this life journey. Those fears, among others, could be creeping in and making you nervous, just like those uncertain night sounds in the forest.
Then, I read:
"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." v. 7
He has my back as I look forward to him.
The key to me seems to be this modus operandi: Consider God in every situation. As we as parents consider God - what the Holy Spirit is doing - the deliverance system is in motion and he goes to work. It reminds me of another favorite verse from Romans: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." v. 8
Where do you see God's security system kicking in? Where do you see that he is surrounding you in the wilderness of daily life and providing the way to an answer and a God-radiant life? Where is he answering and creating good from not-so-good situations?
If you set out for a PNW campground this summer, being in that outdoorsy setting may it be a tangible and very present reminder that you are surrounded by a God that loves, protects, delivers, and knows us. We never camp alone.
Psalm 34:7 (Everyday Psalms)
"Great guardian of God's people,
The angel of the Lord,
Moves in.
He takes up residence in the very homes
Of those who consider God
In every situation -
The best security system ever!"
Union Parents: Jolted awake in the night | June 7, 2024
Parenting is no joke and it humbles me daily. Parenting sends me to prayer more often than just about anything else I've ever experienced.
For the last six months or so, I've used an app called Lectio 365 to help me pray consistently, especially at night.
Last week, as I was getting ready for bed, I was quietly praying for something that was really concerning me and I was trying to leave it in God's hands. I went to bed, uncertain of how God could possibly answer. Per my habit, I clicked on the app to start the devotional and promptly fell asleep immediately. Didn't hear a word of it. I was out, exhausted. When suddenly, I was jolted awake the moment this verse was read:
‘I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you.’ Isaiah 46:4 (NIV)
I could see no other explanation than those words were for me. I could not believe it - would God answer me so directly? Would the God of the Universe speak to my uncertainly in an audible voice (with an English accent in this case)? In my soul, I knew He had awakened me to get across His message.
This type of things doesn't happen often, but maybe it could. Could I hear more answers when I need them if I was praying and listening consistently?
I was watching a YouTube video by Tyler Staton, a pastor in Portland who leads the 24-7 USA prayer movement. He is also the author of Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools: An Invitation to the Wonder and Mystery of Prayer. He is advocating that churches consider an ancient prayer rhythm - morning, noon and night. What changes could we see in our families, church, schools, and community if we tried this rhythm? I'd love to find out.
The 24-7 prayer movement as created an app called the Inner Room to make this rhythm as accessible as possible. (You can download it for free from the App Store.). It provides prompts and categories to guide prayers. I choose three prayer foci - my children, Union Church and myself - and the app gives three (or more) minutes to pray for each. You can choose the ones that fit with your prayer needs and there are lots of tech-y features that Seattle people will likely appreciate.
I would love to hear if this prayer app is appealing to you or if you try it. Union is built on rhythms and I hope this could seamlessly enhance those rhythms.
As a young teenager, Tyler Staton prayed for his middle school all summer and nearly one-third of the student body found the Lord the following school year. In the month of June, Union Kids are exploring prayer and the different types of prayer. For those kids with access to a device, this app could be a good opportunity to try praying for themselves. And we could collectively see what God does.
So be it.
1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV)
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Union Parents: The unofficial start of summer | May 24, 2024
Memorial Day weekend is commonly known as the unofficial start of summer. While the calendar doesn't turn to summer until June 21, most are ready to start with a summer vibe by now.
As we anticipate the end of the school year (almost to the finish line!), I thought I'd give a little pre-game show of what you can expect this summer for Union Kids. So, here is what we have in store.
In June, Olivia Hill will be leading our Sunday mornings as we talk about prayer and what it means to pray and why we pray. The fifth Sunday in June will be a family worship Sunday with no Union Kids in the cafe area. We will have activities in the main space at tables in the back for kids who are older than nursery age.
Starting on Sunday, July 7, Sayuko Setvik and I will be leading the Summer Union Kids. Each Sunday morning, we will focus on a part of Psalm 34. As part of the lesson, we will be teaching a song based on Psalm 34 to help the kids learn the words and doing activities related to the Psalm. Second Sundays will continue to focus on creation care projects as well as Psalm 34.
In July and August, the middle school kids will be gathering in the parking lot or Fresh Flours on the first and third Sundays. This time is designed for kids who are in 5th through 8th grades, led by Phil Lewis and team. Middle schoolers are also welcome to help with the Union Kids activities following the lesson.
On Wednesday mornings through the summer, we will be gathering at parks around the region for outdoor play - organized by our Play & Learn community of toddlers, preschoolers and caregivers. Elementary age siblings are welcome to join the fun and we'll be posting a calendar with dates and locations soon. Playdates are from 10-11:30am each Wednesday.
And lastly, if your elementary or middle school child is looking for something to do on Mondays from 10am-12noon, please let me know. We hope to have a few students help with the (supervised) Monday cooking for ICS.
Well, that wraps up the pre-game announcements. It's going to be a great summer, I have to say. I look forward to spending time with your children and can't wait to see the play-by-play of what God will do.
Enjoy the unofficial start of summer this weekend!
Psalm 34:8-9 (The Message)
"Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness."
Union Parents: Kids and fire | May 19, 2024
Kids and fire. That is a combination that never seems to lose it pull. When the Fourth of July rolls around each year, my boys are always ready to light fireworks or sparkers. Summer campfires never fail to draw kids - especially when s'mores are involved. We all revel in a warm fire at night in the fireplace when the winter months are dark and dreary.
Fire is powerful. It's an element that quickly spreads and changes whatever it touches. I find it interesting that the Spirit is seen as fire - a power that rests on us as believers. Megan Prince, fellow Union parent and accomplished artist, was sharing this week how she has also found a fascination with fire as part of her creative work. Fire is a symbol of power, light, and change.
This Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost and as a symbol of the Spirit's power and presence, Union Kids will place "fire stoles" on Union community members as part of worship during our Pentecost Spanish song. The stoles are made of ribbons that the children assembled last week. I hope that you will take one or two home with you as a reminder for your family of the Spirit's presence and power.
A friend and I were just talking about how we both grew up with a lack of understanding about the Holy Spirit and the role of the Spirit in our daily lives. Now, we both feel that the Holy Spirit is what keeps us going as parents! Thank you, Lord! She shared a part of a creed from the Iona community that is recited each Sunday at her church, which includes a portion about the Holy Spirit that I loved:
“We believe in God within us, the Holy Spirit of Pentecostal fire, life-giving breath of the church. She is the spirit of healing and forgiveness, source of resurrection, and of life everlasting.”
May the Holy Spirit's power and presence fill our Union Kids (and us!) with hope and fire, like the disciples experienced 2,000 years ago.
Amen.
Acts 2:1-4 (NLT)
"On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability."
Union Parents: Do it anyway | May 11, 2024
Yesterday, I was having a conversation with my friend over lunch. The topic? Children and parenting, what else? She recounted to me a recent seminar she attended - and the big takeaway she gleaned:
Do it anyway.
Do it anyway. Simply meaning, continue to invite your children into connection, love, activities, even faith, when they may or may not be responding. Do it anyway, because that is what love does. It invites; it holds space; it doesn't give up.
I take this to heart as I parent boys who are quickly approaching the teen years, as well as my sweet almost-five-year-old. Don't give up inviting them and loving with my whole being because God never gives up on me. Jesus gives me the strength to do the parenting work because it gives Him joy.
A passage that has been coming up for me over and over lately is John 15:7. "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
This is where the strength comes from - connecting to Jesus for His power and love and ongoing strength. "Remain in me" is the ultimate invitation.
While Nike might have the Just Do It slogan locked down, I will keep with my Do It Anyway mantra when it comes to parenting because I know I have the God of the Universe in my court as I seek to remain, invite and love. Always.
I Corinthians 13: 4-7 (The Message)
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Union Parents: Bread and juice | April 20, 2024
Tomorrow, we will break bread and take the cup together, as we do each first and third Sundays at Union. Communion is an integral part of our faith journey and experience. With Union Kids, we have been talking about the people who saw Jesus after the resurrection, it seemed like a natural fit to talk about the meal that Jesus said to share together in remembrance of Him once He returned to the Father.
This Sunday, we will be offering the communion elements to kids in the cafe area and Renee share the words of institution with them. It will be an ongoing part of the Union Kids time on the first and third Sundays to provide a sacred space for kids to participate in communion with their peers.
If you have any questions or would prefer your children take communion with you as a family, please let me know.
Matthew 26:26 (NIV)
"While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Union Parents: Full-fledged otters | April 12, 2024
Otters give me perspective.
They are so entertaining to watch (and believe me they played to the crowd!), but I think what really struck me this week as I saw some otters swim, twist, bob up to say hello, and dive in the water is that they are doing just what they are designed to do. They know nothing else but to play, swim together, and be curious. They don't have any other agenda Not a chance. They are simply living out their created design as full-fledged otters.
As I think about my children, they are each so unique - different gifts, temperaments, interests, personalities. This fact sometimes makes it challenging when they can't agree or don't appreciate each other's differences....but I like the perspective that they are doing just what they are designed to do. Now, of course, Justin, Caden and Jade still need guidance and discipline to grow to maturity, but when I take the view that their uniqueness - while it may confuse or frustrate me at times - is an unfolding God-gift.
While as parents, we often want our children to play a sport that we played, or be good students like we were, or find a musical instrument that brings joy to them and others, or unleash some hidden artist talent. But they may or may not ever do those things because it might not be in the blueprint for their particular lives. No ifs, ands or buts.
It can (but not always) be hard to accept that our kids have their own paths. But maybe appreciating our children's uniqueness is an opportunity to see God's character in a new way. A chance to let go of expectations and be curious like those delightful otters because God delights in us and our children just as they are: full-fledged creations.
Psalm 139:13-14,16 (The Message)
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Union Parents: Where is that device?! | April 4, 2024
Where was that Nintendo Switch?? Caden and I could not find it anywhere in the house. I looked and looked until I started to feel a little desperate. I'd looked in all the regular places, how could it been hidden so well? So, I started to pray - just because I was so frustrated with myself, not because I really wanted Caden to play video games.
"Where is that thing?! You know where it is, God, give me a hint. Help me to remember."
As I continued to look, I started thinking that maybe God wasn't going to help me or care about an electronic device and would just let me flounder around in frustration. I figured it was my fault, after all. As I searched high and low, slow other thoughts came to mind...like how many times He'd answered prayer before, often in a different way than I expected.
Out of the blue, Caden said, "It's in the van, remember?" And sure enough, it was. The mystery was solved, but it was not lost on me that the answer had come in another way other than my efforts. I did get an answer. The lost was found and I was heard.
I needed a boost on Wednesday morning. I was tired and sought some encouragement. "I need a word, Lord," I quietly said, more to myself than out loud. Psalm 13 popped into my head and its words brought the encouragement I needed.
Psalm 13:5-6 (NIV)
But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
So, not once, but twice this week, I received a tailor-made, Spirit-led answer because the Spirit is truly that close and that present. Even if it's as inconsequential as a lost device, I'm heard.
This week, I've been listening to my Lectio 365 app, and the focus has been the Holy Spirit: the advocate, counselor, and comforter. Jesus says that the presence of the Holy Spirit is even an improvement to having Him on earth.
"The Holy Spirit is the daily, felt, experiential presence of God, who will never leave me nor forsake me. The indwelling Holy Spirit means that the places I feel weak today not have to be hidden and covered up but should be exposed to prayer to the God eager to help."
-Lectio 365
I needed that reminder this week that God is eager to help...and does. That the Spirit is close and answers. Maybe you need it, too.
What's on your heart? Are you wondering if the answers are coming or if what you need is really available as you navigate parenting and life? Sure, there are times in parenting when it is all going smoothly and then there are those dreaded times when it's a dumpster fire. With lots of medium times in between. No matter what is happening, this remains true: The Spirit is present, close, listening, active and ready to speak life into your soul, your life. We have the the gift of advocate, counselor, and comforter from moment to moment, step by step.
Think of that temporarily-lost Nintendo Switch, and remember we are found and heard.
John 14:16-18 (New Living Translation)
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you."
Union Parents: How did Mary do it? | March 29, 2024
How could Mary do it? How could she stand at the foot of cross and watch her Son suffer immense pain? Did her mind go back to the day the angel brought her good news that she would carry the Savior of the world (Luke 1)? This seemed all wrong. It wasn't supposed to be this way at all.
Like Mary, I often feel the ugliness of the world turned upside down and grieve for ourselves and for our children. School shootings, natural disasters, bullying, disappointment, health problems. It wasn't supposed to be this way. And it really wasn't, but it is.
Mary watched and wept as saw Him take that last breath and cry out, "It is finished." She was a parent, after all. It must have ripped her heart just as the curtain in the temple was torn in two.
Then, nothing, but the beating of her own heart. Did she hold hope that God would make a way? Did she give up? Did she feel more alone than ever in her life? How did Mary endure this day?
Do we cry out, "Where are you, Jesus?", when it's not going as expected. We say, "You have done great things before, why not now?" With heartbreak, we wonder why our children suffer. With fear, we ask, are we forsaken?
On Good Friday, we wait, we wonder, we suffer. We are out of answers, lost, afraid. Mary felt it. We feel it.
But blessed are those who mourn, for Mary and us will be comforted, because we are not forsaken by the One who broke suffering's crippling power.
John 19:15 (KJV)
"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene."
Union Parents: Friendship we crave | March 22, 2024
Yesterday, as I drove Justin to school, we talked about some of his friends - several which he has known his entire life. These are kids that I trust and know are good people to be in his life. As we were talking, I recounted to him a message he received in a birthday card (that I saved) from one of these friends a few years ago. It said:
"Thank you for the being the best friend a person could want."
That is gold to me. To see my son thriving in friendship and for being reliable and trusted. Good friends are not a given, but they are a gift.
And many kids today don't receive that gift, or worse, they receive bullying. Your child (or even you as a child!) may have experienced bullying, as our family did last school year. Thankfully, we received support from the school and it's been remedied, but that is not the situation for everyone. I wanted to ask you to pray for a family that is connected to Union who is experiencing intense bullying and it's flat out wrong and damaging. I'm so thankful to report there have there been Union community members who have stood up for this family. They are not alone in the gap. Please pray for the young people who are involved in this situation - that good will prevail, healing will occur, and friendships could be restored.
I'm so thankful for the work here at Sundays (and beyond!) that Kathy Foster, Olivia Hill, Chandra Jamerson, Grace Lee, Halle Morgan, Summer Lee, Linden Beeman, Jim Boonyaratanakornkit, and others who lead at Union Kids are doing to show children and young teens what friendship looks like. What belonging looks like. What Jesus' love and friendship looks like.
How do your kids experience friendship? Is it something that comes easily or feels more challenging? Can Union support you in any way? Here is a list of books about friendship for younger kids that was complied by a retired Shoreline Public Schools librarian and a staff bookseller at Secret Garden Books in Ballard. Maybe one of these books look good for bedtime reading:
https://www.parentmap.com/article/books-that-teach-early-readers-about-friendship.
As we approach Holy Week, I am reminded that Jesus made it clear to His disciples, you are my friends. He demonstrated that unbreakable friendship to the very end and continues to be the trustworthy friend that we all crave.
After Justin and I talked about the birthday card, he said, "Can I see that card again?" Those words feed his soul and he knows it. Jesus is that kind of friend to us and to our kids: the best friend a person could want.
John 15:15 (NIV)
"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
Proverbs 17:17a (NIV)
"A friend loves at al times..."
Union Parents: Field notes from the Quarter / March 15, 2024
This winter, we embarked on a new adventure called the Union Family Quarter - a five-part series of gatherings designed for our community to grow together in connection, possibility, and resiliency.
To be honest, we didn't have a map. Just some big ideas that just kept bubbling up and expanding. So why did we do this - something new and unproven? Checking back in my notes, we had three intentions:
Developing greater COMMUNITY so that we all feel supported in this journey, and not alone. It is our goal to build bridges between the home and our faith community, and with one another. This is deeper than just a connection; it's a shared journey with one another.
Offering POSSIBILITY with new growth opportunities through learning, resources, nourishment, and vitality.
Fostering RESILIENCY for families, caregivers, and those who advocate for parents and children so we can better withstand the tough stuff of life, find ways to make repairs, and be flexible along the journey. This allows us to more fully be who God made us to be.
Phew! Those were big goals but notably worthy of pursuing.
And as I have participated in each of the three previous events, it has humbled me to realize how much I need to learn and how grateful I am for this community and the learning we get to share together.
The 2024 Quarter will come to an end next Sunday with our last gathering led by Dr. Jenny Lee Vaydick. As a follow up, I will email a survey to get your field notes, thoughts, suggestions, and critiques of the Union Family Quarter. All feedback will serve a guide for a new set of gatherings in early 2025.
My personal field notes are peppered with thankfulness, hope, and an overflowing excitement about what is happening within our community. Thank YOU for participating and a HUGE thank you to Renee Notkin, Renée Sundberg, and Phil Lewis who have truly made this endeavor toward greater community, possibility and resiliency a reality. To God be the glory!
See you on Sunday!
Ephesians 1:15-18 (NIV)
"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,"
Union Parents: The good work of creation care / March 8, 2024
This Sunday is a Second Sunday and it's been just over a year since we started focusing these Sundays on tangible ways to care for the world and be people of justice. It's been our desire to show kids how they can join with God aa a world changer, harbinger of hope, and a steward of the earth. Creation care work helps kids to connect to the good work of "exercising dominion" well and caring for what God called good.
This week, Olivia, Kathy, and our Union Kids team will start working on tending a garden at 415 Westlake with the help of our kids, as well as making a delicious tossed salad for the Second Sunday meal. These endeavors care for our earth and feed our community.
What about engaging kids in creation care other days of the week at your home? You may not have a green thumb or space for a garden, and that's ok. You and your kids can also try some other creation care, like this suggestions from author, Meredith Miller:
Picking up trash in your neighborhood while on a walk. Just make it a habit, rather than turning into a full clean up day.
Compost your food scraps (which many of us already do). Maybe even create a compost or worm bin in your own yard to enrich the soil.
Become members of a zoo or aquarium, an animal conservation group, or a botanical society to better understand what the challenges and opportunities there are when it comes to stewarding our world. (I have joined the Washington Farmland Trust.)
Listen to a conservation-themed podcast for kids like Earth Ranger Emma or watch PBS Kids' Wild Kratts to learn more about the amazing creatures that God has created. These can inspire kids (and adults)!
Our Union Kids are often already thinking about these things and we take our cues from them many times. You may know that both the communion glasses and reusable coffee cups were both instituted from requests by Union Kids to be more sustainable. This is creation care.
This is good work, worship in action on a Second Sunday and many other days of the week. I'd love to hear what other families like to do to care for our earth. Ideas are welcomed!
Genesis 1:11-13 (NIV)
"Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day."
Genesis 2:15 (NIV)
"The Lord God took the human and put them in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."