Beyond the Christian holidays of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Pentecost, my favorite secular holiday is the Fourth of July. This probably stems back to my grandma’s love for this holiday. For us, the Fourth of July was not just a day to celebrate the founding of our Nation, nor was it only a day for a parade, fireworks, and parties (although we did all that too); this was a day to celebrate our family story and how we have intricately been woven together.

Every year my extended family would travel back to my Dad’s hometown to celebrate together. The town’s festivities included street dances, a huge firework display, a parade and a family picnic lunch. We didn’t miss one minute of it.

Our traditions stayed the same each year. My grandma would paint all the girls nails in red, white and blue. We would wear our new Fourth of July attire. My uncles and dad would head to the firework stand to get the best firework work display for our “at-home show.” We always gathered at the dads' childhood home for the fireworks and make sure we arrived extra early to get our spot for the parade. Our traditional food for the Fourth of July meal included: watermelon, grandma’s homemade rolls, fried chicken, potatoes, and spaghetti (from our favorite fried chicken place), and whatever Fourth of July themed dessert that my grandma made from the July cover of Better Homes and Gardens.

Each year I looked forward to our trip home for the Fourth, but as I have grown older I realize that while I love fireworks and seeing my extended family, what makes this weekend so special are not the things we do, but the memories we share. Every year, my aunts and uncles would tell stories of their childhood, my grandma and great-aunts and uncles would tell us about growing up “back then,” we celebrated the traditions that were passed down from generation to generation as we enjoyed spending time together. It was during this weekend that we remember how we belong together and how our stories intersected even though we all live all around the world.

This year as I have been reflecting on the upcoming week, I keep thinking about the Last Supper that the disciples celebrated with Jesus. A meal that ended with Jesus telling the disciples to “do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus wanted to give the disciples a physical act of remembering their story and reminding them in the midst of struggle, busyness and stress that this is where they belong. Jesus wanted to point them to the visible signs of Jesus’ grace that abounds around us.

When we take communion, it isn’t just a piece of bread and a sip of juice, it is the sign and symbol of who we really are—this is our story, this is where we belong. It is easy to forget with the overwhelming lives we live and yet it keeps coming back: this is who we are—Jesus says, You are my beloved. I love you and I am right here.

Even though my grandma passed away, grandchildren are grown, some have married, children have been born, loved ones have passed away; my family still goes back every other year to celebrate this wonderful holiday. The events have not changed nor has the famous Fourth of July meal. What has changed is who is telling the stories. Now as adults, grandchildren remember the stories of the past and continue to tell our stories that shape our family’s future.

Our individual stories are important; they tell about struggles, joys, tears, laughter and day-to-day life that shapes us. But what brings us back to our Christian story are the moments we return to experience the grace found in simple bread and cup, the people we share the meal with, and the story of Jesus that is living within us all.

Blessings to you this 4^th of July. May God be with you until we meet again at the Lord’s Table.

On Easter Sunday we gathered for our celebration of Jesus' Resurrection with all the pomp and circumstance that come with this sacred day.  The sanctuary is full, music is grand and we share in great "alleluias" as our message reminds us how God saved us.

And now the day is over and things have gotten back to normal, except maybe a few deviled eggs left in the fridge, and the sugar comas we are recovering from due to the jelly beans and chocolate bunnies we ate, everything seems to have returned to normal.  But it feels odd to return to our daily routines after such a triumphant and glorious day.  I keep wanting to ask myself, what happens now? 

Each gospel describes the disciple’s response a little differently.  Matthew describes the disciples returning to Galilee and worshiping Jesus.  Mark describes the disciples gathering together waiting for confirmation.  Luke explains how some left and some stayed, and John depicts them essentially doing nothing.  But no matter what each gospel explains about the disciple’s immediate reactions to Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus’ response is the same.  He says, “The Father sent me and now I send you.”  We too are being sent.  We are being sent back into the world to our homes, jobs, schools and activities changed by Jesus’ resurrection.

That is why these days after Easter are so important and yet have such an odd feeling about them because we are being sent back out into the world that ignores, forgets and denies Jesus day after day.  This is a day we are called rise in newness to our life with Christ.  This is the day that we celebrate what Paul means when he says, “We are no longer slaves to sin but alive in Jesus Christ!”  It is a great day because Jesus' resurrection doesn’t just happen on Easter, but every day. 

The lessons of Easter go beyond Easter clothes and special meals.  Easter is about the resurrection of our whole life, and to stay the same or return to the way things were before, is to stay in the tomb.  Every second, every experience, and every person is changed because of it.  Jesus has risen!  The resurrection pours glory over every sorrow, it whispers hope to the hopeless, it leads in the darkness, it is victory over death, and it is life to the lifeless.

It makes sense that we go back to our regular routine because we are the ones who are sent out to point out the signs of Easter.  The sounds of God’s Choir singing to the tune of children’s laughter, the gathering of God’s family around a dinner table, the worry and fear that are comforted by the presence of Jesus, the melody of Easter Orchestra found in the birds singing, trees clapping and wind whispering, and in the message of Jesus’ presence found in the kind words, supportive hugs and presence of our loved ones around. The signs of Easter are happening all around you.  Where do you see the signs of Easter today? 

Lent is a season of repentance, fasting, and prayer.  We talk about these themes in church all the time, but recently I ran across this idea of a fourth practice of Lent, remembering.  If you are like me, it is easy to remember all things we need to do like laundry, taxes, and projects that need our attention.  We also easily remember mistakes we made.  Things we wish we could change or events we wish turned out differently.  But this Lenten practice isn’t about remembering all those things that we wish we could forget, but about remembering what we have forgotten about God.

The Israelites had a wonderful way of this doing this.  When they celebrated something that God had done they would build an altar.  These altars would be stacked rocks on the side of the road or even in a field so that every time they passed the altar in their travels, it would be a sign to remember God. 

For example, after a long time, the Israelites had struggled to win battles, they made their own decisions, and thought they knew exactly what to do.  It wasn’t until Samuel pointed out the places where God had helped them through struggles in the past that they remembered.

It was at that moment that the Israelites recommitted themselves to following God.  Samuel erected an altar and named it Ebenezer, which means “a stone of help” (1 Samuel 7:12).  This stone altar was a marker in their life that God was their stronghold and help. It was a sign of a fresh beginning and it says something important for us about remembering God’s love is everlasting.  His grace covers every mistake, hurt or event we wish turned out differently.  God goes with you through everything.

We sing about our own Ebenezer in the hymn Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Read the words again,

“Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
Hither by thy help I’m come;
And I hope by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed his precious blood.”

During Lent we raise our ebenezer’s as a way to remember God’s gracious gifts He gives us.  We mark them in homes, in our church, and in our hearts as signs that God helped us then and God will lead us through the rest of our life.  Spend some time this Lent remembering and setting up your altars wherever you go.