Appearances Are Deceiving

harbarger theory: objects in the mirror really ARE closer than they appear!

In the past few months, we have been witnesses to some appalling behavior, haven't we? First, we have people coming to Town Hall Meetings and, in some cases, screaming hysterically at congressfolk. Now, granted, sometimes they NEED to be screamed at, but isn't that why we vote them into and out of office? Isn't the voting booth the most effective way to get our point across? I think so.

Adding fuel to the fire, we have Joe Wilson, an elected representative to the US Congress (albeit a guy who is a Son Of The Confederacy and fought hard to keep the Confederate Flag as a herald of his home state of South Carolina ... [note to self - find a way to convince these knuckleheads that the Civil War has ALREADY been fought!]), yelling out in the middle of a speech by a sitting president to a joint session of congress! Holy moly!

Finally, we have Kanye West, whose money and popularity has made him think that we care what he thinks! He crashes the stage to make a stupid statement about something that matters to a few, but completely sucks the joy out of a moment for the honoree. Some days, Beyonce gets the lauds and some days Taylor Swift gets them. That's the way the MP3 crumbles. Ya know?

But, more importantly, we have somehow opened the door for people to forget that we should be civil to each other. Should we disagree? Sure. Should we voice our disagreement? Of course. Should we be hateful, disrespectful and immature about it? I should hope not!!

Some have laid the blame at the feet of people like Jerry Springer, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity or the myriad Rant "Journalists" out there. I'm not willing to go there. They may encourage it and model it, but my behavior is MY responsibility, good, bad or ugly.

Therefore, let us covenant together that we will disagree openly, vigorously, but respectfully and in ways that are appropriate for adults. Like the Apostle Paul, let us put away childish things and ways and become adults. Let us learn new ways of discourse that produce more light than heat and more respect than self-righteousness.

It's time to grow up, America!!! There are big issues at stake. Put on your big girl panties and let's talk ... and listen.

harbarger theory:be careful what you pray for

harbarger theory: be careful what you pray for ...

We always prayed that our kids would be people who are strong, independent and world-changers. We raised them to have wings.

Dang it ... sometimes you get what you pray for!!!

Our son is doing wonderful things at his work and with the men and boys that he coaches. He works hard and plays hard ... and OH, SO independent. He's a good friend. He's a role model. He's the kind of guy that other guys want to be. As for the wings ... he lives in California. We live in Ohio. Some strong wings there, eh??

Our daughter is doing exciting things in her life as well. She is now in her last year (or so!) in college earning her baccalaureate degree in two majors. She spent a semester in Japan and succeeded in so many ways. For a pale, sorta redheaded appalachian girl, she's become kinda japanese, now!! In a month or so, she'll be heading to Beijing as a reporter for a couple weeks!!! She and a friend started Winter Camp at Camp Otterbein. She has friends ... I mean REAL friends with people all over the place. As for wings ... she goes to school in Missouri, but, I think she'll be a citizen of the world. Talking about strong wings!!

God answers prayers. Always. And sometimes, God says, "OK ... you asked for it!!", and we get it. We got it.

And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Well ... sometimes we would, but it's our fault!!! We asked for it, didn't we?

harbarger theory: be careful what you pray for ...

We're moving!

harbarger theory: ain't nothin' constant but change!

After 10 wonderful years as a pastor in New Lexington, we're moving!!

Sometime in late July, we'll be moving into our new home in The Plains, Ohio, where I'll be a pastor at The Plains UM Church.

We are grieving as we contemplate leaving our friends-who-have-become-family in New Lex. We've had a WONDERFUL ministry here in Perry County among some of the best people on earth, but we look forward to another wonderful ministry among more of the best people on earth!

We wanted to move closer to my folks in Jackson, so as to take better care of them. The Bishop and Cabinet have graciously agreed and found a wonderful place for us to work and serve and do ministry.

I have been saying for years from the pulpit, in bible studies and casually that the only people who actually LIKE being changed are babies and most of the them cry through the whole process!!! But ... change is constant, isn't it? The law of biology is that we either change or die. Change or die.

So ... lots of changes ahead of us. We are dreading them and are eager for them. We grieve and we are so excited. We are sad and we are happy. Reminds me of "Two-Face" from the Batman movies and comics! He was always "of two minds" about things. I am of two minds about things right now.

Pray for us. We've never moved without the kids. We've been in this one place (New Lex) longer than any other times in our married lives. It's all about the changes!!

harbarger theory: ain't nothin' constant but change!

Whitewater Rafting

harbarger theory: leadership is like guiding a whitewater raft



I LOVE whitewater rafting. I've been down the New River a whole bunch of times, the Gauley a couple times and a few other rivers, too. I love it. I love it. Did I mention that I love whitewater rafting? I really do!!


As I have pondered leadership, I see many connections between navigating whitewater and leading (especially the church).


You see, a whitewater raft guide's job is to balance the demands of being safe and having fun. It is finding that sweet spot where you are able to experience the flash and excitement of riding that line where you are experiencing the heart of the rapid while not getting yourself, your raft and those on your raft into too much danger. Some danger, but not too much danger.


Most raft guides work on rivers that change water levels daily (maybe during the same day), so they hit different rapids at different water heights. And the techniques that they use to guide the raft differ for different rapids. Some are so gentle that the guide can simply let the paddlers take the raft where it wants to go. Other times, the guide has the paddlers stop paddling so s/he can do all the work and, most of the time, it's a balance between these where the guide expects the paddlers to offer propulsion and some steering (with direction) while the guide uses her/his paddle as a rudder to guide the boat. It's a complex mix of brute force, river reading, artistry, innate knowledge of river dynamics and seat of the pants decision-making.


I've been blessed. I've only had one incompetent guide and another who was fine until he got stoned at lunch and then didn't care the rest of the day.


Leadership is like this. We study; we train; we think; we act; we "read the river" as we look for trends that are coming up; we think outside the box; we lead alone; we let the church do it's thing; and we do a mix of both. To lead a church is a mix of force of will, reading the reality around us, artistry, innate knowledge of what's good for the church and seat of the pants decision making. All of it is needed. Sometimes all at the same time.


I love whitewater rafting. I love leading the church. It's all a rush. It's all exciting. It's all lots and lots of work! Woo hoo!!!!

harbarger theory: leadership is like guiding a whitewater raft

Easter

harbarger theory: empty can be good!

This is one of my favorite Easter stories. In fact, I told it as the Children's Moments yesterday. Sorry, I didn't blog yesterday. With 3 service after a busy loooong weekend and fixing dinner for my parents (it turned out WONDERFULLY!), I was pooped.

So, here's my Easter post.

Mrs Adair, who was a Sunday School teacher, wanted to teach her kids about the meaning of Easter, so she gave each of the kids an empty plastic egg (a big one like the ones that L'Eggs pantyhose used to come in, remember?). She asked them to go outside and fill them with something ... anything that told the Easter story.

So, the kids stormed out of the building picking up various flotsam and jestam around the church yard. Mrs. Adair called the kids back into the Sunday School classroom and asked them to open their egg and share what they had found.

Millie opened her L'Egg and inside was a dandelion. Millie talked about how the flowers die every winter and rise again every spring. Mrs. Adair complimented her on how well she understood Easter.

Freddy opened his L'Egg and inside were some blades of grace. Freddy talked about how the grass goes brown and then, miraculously in the spring turns green again. Again, Mrs Adair showered Freddy with praise about how well he understood the Easter story.

Ling opened her L'Egg and insde was a rock. Ling shared about how the stone was rolled away from Jesus' tomb on Easter morning. Mrs. Adair was beaming over how well her class was understanding the Easter story.

And so it went around the room until they got the last kid. Craig had multiple learning deficits. He was in special classes at school and would never develop intelligence that would get past a 5 year old. He was a sweet kid, who loved everyone and everyone loved him back. But, he could be a distraction in a classroom of "normal" kids.

Finally Craig opened his L'Egg and inside was ... nothing. Nothing at all. Mrs. Adair was so concerned that Craig didn't understand his assignment, or that she should have gone with Craig to help him, or kept him with her so he wouldn't be embarassed, or ...

But, because Mrs. Adair trusted God and had an inordinate courage, she pressed ahead. "Craig," she said, "tell me about your Easter Egg."

Craig did. In his halting and child-like way, he shared. "My egg is empty," he started, "because it's Easter and Jesus' tomb was empty!" And he beamed the most beautiful smile you could imagine.

And Mrs. Adair cried grateful and joy-filled tears and hugged Craig with a fiercely loving hug.

harbarger theory: empty can be good!

Holy Saturday

harbarger theory: sometimes funny stuff is serious

When I was in seminary at Drew University Theological School in Madison New Jersey, I had (and still have, thanks to Facebook!) a good friend, Dave Jones. Dave was (and I suspect still is!) kind of unique fellow. Odd humor. Odd perspectives. Well, just odd. But a good friend.

On this day of the year, Holy Saturday ... the day between Good Friday and Easter when the church stops moving so fast (except for the saints prepping for Easter morning!). This is the day of Jesus' entombment.

Dave used to greet everybody on Holy Saturday (actually he would start sometime on Friday evening) with "Well, ... He's dead!"

Holy moley!!! That took me aback for the first couple times he said it. But, it stuck with me. He is dead. Jesus ... was ... dead!!

You know, as much as we would like to jump straight from Palm Sunday to Easter, we might acquiesce to jumping from Maundy Thursday to Easter or maybe even from Good Friday to Easter. But, it takes fortitude to trudge through Holy Saturday, doesn't it? After all, he's dead.

On Friday, he died, all day Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath), he's dead and on the third day (Sunday, the first day of the Jewish week), he's alive!!! But, let's stop here. Today ... he's dead.

Yea, Dave was funny. Dave is still funny. But, this time, Dave's humor was pretty serious. Because, ya know what? He's dead.

harbarger theory: sometimes funny stuff is serious

Good Friday

harbarger theory: good ain't always easy

Today is Good Friday. It's the day that Jesus was crucified. It was the day Jesus died. It was a sad, sad day. The world cried. The sun went dark. The dead walked. The curtain that separated the Holy of Holies in THE Temple tore in two. Behind the curtain of the Holy of Holies was where the Jews believed that God lived. So, either the tearing of the curtain was a reference to the Jewish tradition of tearing one's clothing when a loved one dies, or it was a graphic representation of God becoming available to the whole world through the redemptive act of Jesus on the Cross.

Personally, I like the third option ... all of the above. The goodness of Good Friday is that redemption has come to the whole planet through the "Cross Event." By the very thing that made God grieve brought life and redemption to the whole planet.

But, that redemption came at such a dear price. The only perfect human being who fully encompassed love, grace and joy died. He really, really died. He really, really felt pain. He really, really did the whole thing. He didn't sorta die. Indeed, he was a fully human being who went through all that he went through.

For you.
For me.
For the people we love.
For the people we hate.
For our enemies.
For the people who scare us.
For Adolf Hitler ... for Saddam Hussein ... for Osama Bin Laden
For the jerk who cut me off in traffic


He died for every single human being on the face of the planet.

This is why the worst day on the planet is Good Friday.

Have a Good Friday.

harbarger theory: good ain't always easy