Hygiene (almost) plastic free and chemical-free

In a recent post, I told you about my efforts and successes in finding ways to cut back on plastic use, especially single use, in my cleaning routine. Before I go into the main topic of this post - how my personal hygiene routine has changed to use less plastic and chemicals - I wanted to direct you to this post about this journey I've been on, and also explain a little about why I'm writing about this on a blog called "Life Meets Ministry."

As you may remember, this interest all started with our Lenten series last spring on living simply. One area of simple living that I latched onto was creating less waste, and as a part of my exploration of that, I started learning about plastic. I was horrified to see pictures of God's beautiful creation covered in garbage that never had to be made in the first place, animals maimed and killed by our careless, disposable society, and pollution being pumped into the air and waters of this planet that was created to sustain us and provide for our physical needs. Way too much of this was caused by plastic, and so much of that plastic was stuff we didn't need in the first place. It was made only for the benefit of convenience (which is so close to sloth), and we have bought into it whole scale because who doesn't want life to be a little easier (sloth) or to have time to work a few more hours (gluttony, work-a-holism)? This isn't what God had in mind in Genesis about us being stewards of the earth. I began to think about it as a stewardship issue, taking better care of the gifts we have been given, and not squandering it by giving in to our disposable default.

It's also a stewardship issue in terms of the temple that is my body. I read a bunch about plastic, chemicals, and health. As more and more people are learning, the chemicals in plastic leach all kinds of gross chemicals into our food and environment. So does making it, and disposing of it (read: recycling doesn't make it all better). Many of these are cancer-causing, and as a too-many-times survivor of cancer, this struck a chord, especially as I expect my first child. And then of course there are many of the things that come in plastic, which are full of chemicals, many of them untested, some of them known carcinogens. This is certainly true with food (processed, additive-filled food comes in plastic...), but it is also true with a lot of personal hygiene products that allegedly make you clean. And we lather these mysterious, good-smelling substances full of untested chemicals all over our largest organ, our skin, and it soaks right in. See this video, The Story of Cosmetics, for more information. As it turns out, cutting out plastic from beauty products also manages to cut out many of the unknown chemicals.

So without further adieu, here are some of the changes I have made:

* No-Poo Method Hair Care - One of the first changes I made was to cut out shampoo/conditioner, because hair follicles are especially receptive to receiving chemicals. Yes, the lather is nice, and it smells so good, but at what cost? So I tried what is called the "no-poo method," which uses baking soda to clean and apple cider vinegar to condition. It was a rough go at first because my hair was used to being coated with shampoo every day. It over-compensated its oil production and got worse, as I tried to wash it less often. (There was a lot of braiding in those days.) After probably a couple months, though, it became awesome. I wash my hair twice a week now, making showers shorter, and I no longer have to shower every day because my hair isn't all greasy (yay, saving water!). As for my hair, it looks  and feels clean, and it curls more nicely and frizzes less, so I use no other products unless I'm getting fancy. So I buy the baking soda in a box, and the ACV in bulk (reusing a small bottle for pouring ease in the shower). And no, I don't smell like a salad - as soon as the ACV is rinsed, the smell goes away. (How-to: the ratio is one TB baking soda to 1 C water, and same for ACV. I mix each in a cup. Pour baking soda/water over hair, massage it in well - this cuts grease - and rinse. Repeat with ACV, making sure it gets all the way to the ends. Rinse. Remember to close your mouth and eyes for both!) NOTE: This doesn't work for everyone. Depends on your particular body chemistry.

* Branch Basics - I mentioned Branch Basics in my cleaning post, but I also have been using it as

body soap, and it is great. I dilute it and put it in a reusable foaming soap dispenser. I will tell you, my skin has never been softer and more moisturized - and this is coming from a pregnant lady, and usually pregnancy dries out your skin. I looked online for instances of softer, more moisturized skin during late pregnancy, and found none. So I'm guessing it must be a combination of taking fewer showers, using fewer chemical-laden products on my skin, and Branch Basics, which has coconut oil as one of its ingredients and no harsh chemicals for the others. I'm loving it.

* Natural salt/sugar scrub - A couple times a week, I also use a natural salt or sugar scrub. This lavender salt scrub is the one I'm currently using, made locally in my hometown. I've also used this pomegranate sugar scrub, which is made by my best childhood friend (very proud of her - she has her own business and designs all these body products!). Both were gifts, and I probably wouldn't have bought them on my own, but I have enjoyed them for those days when I want to rub something on my skin that smells yummy and makes me feel good. (They do both come in plastic tubs, however, but I understand scrubs are very easy to make at home, so these tubs could easily be reused for this purpose.)

* Norwex - Yes, Norwex again. I went on and on about it in my post on cleaning. They also have body care products, and I have their 3-pack of body cloths. They may seem like glorified washcloths, but they are so much better. Testimonials have said they take off make-up, help with acne... and while I don't currently have either of these needs, I can tell you that washing my face with them makes my face feel so clean and not at all dry. (I also have a bar of Neutregena face wash that always dries out my face.) But I can also use the cloth all over my body, and do, and it is so soft and gently exfoliates, making my skin feel smooth and wonderful and not dry. I love using these. Love it. And, it

is anti-bac, meaning as it hangs to dry the silver that is woven into it naturally kills mildew and mold so it doesn't start to stink. I wash it in the washer weekly.

* Leg-shaving without gel - One thing I formally enjoyed using but couldn't stand throwing away after was shaving cream. It broke my heart every time I threw an empty container away. Then I learned that exfoliating your skin first decreases bumps and such that cause razor burn, and you can shave with just water. So what I have found is that if I exfoliate with the Norwex body cloth and/or the body scrub, and then use just a little Branch Basics to make my legs slippery, I not only get a smooth and easy shave, but I also notice a very sweet, subtle smell that I think is actually just my normal body scent, since nothing else I'm using has a scent. I actually smell good, without all those fake smells! And, I kid you not, after I did this the first time, that was the first time that Michael ever said, "Wow, your legs are so smooth!"

* Coconut oil - After all this, I generally have no trouble with dry skin. But if I do, coconut oil is my go-to. This is a magic thing. You can read countless articles on the hundreds of uses for coconut oil, from diaper rash to cooking to bug bites. My husband thinks it is gross that I plop some in the pan to

cook, and then I scrape off what's left on the spoon I used and rub it on my face (and then, of course, wash my hands again!), but it is just that versatile. This is a great moisturizer, and is also anti-bacterial, and, by the way, great for your health when consumed. Seriously, if you aren't aware of the amazingness, just do some google searches and you will find out.

* Buying in bulk - Just like there are some areas of house-cleaning where Michael put his foot down, there are some personal hygiene areas on which he is unwilling to give. We have compromised on my buying some of these things in bulk, for example, hand soap and shampoo for him. Our local co-op, Abundance Market, has this option. I bring in my own containers and fill them up, then use those to fill up our smaller containers at home. It is more expensive, because we historically have bought the very cheapest soaps, but the expense is because these are more natural products, so I'm cool with it (plus, they last for a long time when only one person is using them!). 

When all is said and done, I have eliminated: shampoo and conditioner, face wash, face moisturizer, body lotion, body wash, shaving cream, and loofa. Like with cleaning, I was a bit of a minimalist (aka low maintenance) to begin with, and never had many products, so you might eliminate even more. And the financial savings is great, too!

And once again, I feel better inside and out, and feel great about how much less waste I am making. I'm winning all over!

Cleaning (almost) plastic-free and chemical-free

Yes, I am still on my cutting-back-on-plastic kick. I am finding this difficult with food - my big step here has been to acquire not only cloth bags for all the groceries, but also cloth bags for produce, and to buy in bulk whenever possible, but there is no way to buy cheese, or the tortilla chips we like, or strangely enough organic produce (why, Wegmans?!) without getting them wrapped in plastic.

BUT in the areas of beauty and cleaning, I have found some good options that I wanted to share with you. This post will focus on cleaning, because I'm a nesting preggers right now.

Generally speaking, I have found it difficult to go completely plastic free in any area and still get ease or end the result I want, so I have settled where I can for either using less plastic, or using only plastic products that can be safely reused many times over.

NORWEX:

One line of products that have been invaluable in figuring out how to clean with less plastic is Norwex. Ironically, the material used to make these products is in itself a sort of plastic (poly-something and nylon), but I need only buy one that lasts many years (500 washes), so that's pretty good.

So what is Norwex? It's main thing is microfiber, and what sets it apart from other microfiber is that

it is really micro (1/200th of a human hair), giving it more surface area for picking up and holding onto stuff, and also this "anti-bac" quality that is accomplished by weaving silver flecks into it. "Anti-bac" basically means that you can hang it to dry and it self cleans as the silver goes to work in the fibers, killing bacteria and mildew before it grows, so that next time you need it, you can trust you are not wiping yesterday's gross all over today's counter. You rinse in warm water as you use it, rubbing it against itself to loosen the fibers, and then wash it in the washer once a week (with no-filler, no-chemical detergent). Best thing about Norwex: you can clean almost anything with just water. No kidding. 

So, of the Norwex products, I have:

* 3 "Enviro-cloths" - an all-purpose cloth that can really be used for almost anything. It requires no

cleaner, and does an amazingly good job of picking stuff up and holding it, instead of just moving it around. Not only does it not require cleaner, it actually cleans better than most cleaners! Check out this video comparing three cleaners on some raw chicken protein. I have used my Enviro-cloth on counters, tables, kitchen cabinets, fingerprints on doorways/light switches, dog lick marks on furniture, bathroom, car interior, windows/mirrors, window screens, baby items... The list goes on. All with just water.

* Polishing cloth - for windows/mirrors, this leaves a streak-free clean without any cleaner. Just wipe clean with Enviro, and dry with polishing, and your glass will be crystal clear, no Windex needed, and no paper towel lint (or waste) left behind.

* Dusting mitt - you wear it and just glide your hand in or over whatever you need to dust. It picks up and holds the dust instead of pushing it around the surface or stirring it up into the air, all without dusting spray. In fact, when you use sprays, the residue from the spray actually attracts more dust more quickly, so with this, you have to dust less often. Bonus: it's super soft to wear.

* Dusting wand - for harder to get to places, like between small places, ceiling fans, tops of cupboards, baseboards, corners... It also bends to help with reaching these things (helpful for fans and other high places). It has saved this nesting preggers from having to stand on things or lean over, and still get all the corners clean.

* Wet/dry mop - Swiffer-style, but without the gross smelling spray I can't stand, and much smoother, more durable and effective, and of course - water only! Mopping floors suddenly became faster, easier, and more fun the moment I pulled out this mop. I actually mop now 2-3 times a week instead of... never. The dry pad picks up most debris (not big stuff - I sometimes have to sweep up a

little at the end). You scrape debris off into the garbage with a rubber brush. Then the wet, anti-bac, microfiber mop cleans the floor with just water. Tough spots you can scrub a little bit using your foot on the mop head. It dries almost immediately, and doesn't leave the floors feeling sticky. If you have tall ceilings, the wand also attaches to this handle, so you can reach way up high to dust. I have used the mop on my floors, my walls, and my ceiling. Like the wand, this toy has saved my pregnant back, especially because the handle is easily adjustable.

* Kitchen cloths - One wash cloth that is good for cleaning counters, fixtures, etc. (I actually also use it - without soap - to clean dishes that are only lightly soiled. No tough grease spots or anything, and no raw meat, which we rarely have in the house anyway. Means dishes get done more frequently.), and one dishtowel that is super absorbent and doesn't smell due to anti-bac quality. 

So altogether, with Norwex I have now eliminated: Windex, Swiffer fluid and pads, various "all-purpose" cleaners that aren't really all-purpose (more on that in a second), and paper towels. You might eliminate more than that; I was already sort of a cleaner minimalist.

BRANCH BASICS:

But let's face it: even though Norwex can clean without any cleaner, sometimes you really just need to use a cleaner, like on super gross or stubborn stuff, and on dishes, clothes, etc. So I do have a cleaner as well, in addition to using baking soda as a scouring agent and vinegar occasionally. I'm a little obsessed with it. It's called Branch Basics, and it truly is an all-purpose cleaner, because it comes in a concentrate, and can be diluted according to what you need it for. This does come in plastic bottles, but they are as green and healthy as plastic can be, and are designed to be reused many times over. And, their packaging is plastic free (it comes in a cloth bag.) And, it is so concentrated

that I bought a 32 oz bottle maybe 4 or 5 months ago and it's only half gone. So, I will give in to my one bottle of concentrate and my couple of spray bottles, because it allows me to cut out a boatload of other plastic and chemicals.

So Branch Basics: go to the website and read all the science about it, but basically it was developed by three women who had a vested interest in a cleaner that did not irritate their family members' various serious sensitivities to fragrance and chemicals. So it is scent-free (though you can add essential oils if you like to have scent), plant-based, human-safe (read: you don't need to lock it up from your kids or wear rubber gloves to use it), and even as it is super gentle to use, it is super tough on grime. In its various dilutions it can be used to clean anywhere in the house, for hand/body soap, for baby soap (yes, it's true!), hand sanitizer, laundry, on your pets, on your car (inside and out), as a stain pre-treatment, for oven-cleaning, on carpet, for dishes... Seriously. I have tried it for almost all these scenarios and with grand success. Most recently, it got a bunch of mildew off the bottom of my shower curtain. I sprayed it on there and let it sit for a few minutes (it requires at least 30 seconds of "dwell time" to work on breaking things down), and when I came back, mildew was already dripping off it down the side of the tub. 

Between Branch Basics, baking soda, and occasional vinegar, I have also eliminated: Comet, the TONS of vinegar I used to buy for cleaning, laundry detergent (though I still use my homemade detergent for now), toilet cleaner, bathroom cleaner, Shout/stain remover, carpet cleaner, hand soap, dryer sheets (I use wool dryer balls)...

The only cleaners in single-use bottles I'm still buying are dish soap (BB can be used for this, and I do sometimes, but I haven't moved completely over) and dishwashing detergent (BB can be used for this, but even the company admits it is not where they shine, and my husband has put his foot down on trying weird stuff in this machine). Also vinegar, which I use to clean the toilet (pour 1 cup baking soda in the toilet, let sit one hour, pour 1 cup vinegar, let sit 5 min with the lid down, then watch the grime come off), and also for various other disinfecting jobs (like, I recently cleaned the inside of the washing machine with it). 

PRICE:

A quick note about price: both Norwex and Branch Basics seem pricey at first. But when you consider what you no longer have to buy - expensive cleaners, paper towels, etc. - it suddenly doesn't look nearly as bad. Despite the up front investment, in the long run, it is much cheaper. Consider Branch Basics: one 32oz bottle of concentrate for $49 makes 16 24-oz bottles of all-purpose cleaner. Normally this would be about $3.50 a pop (more if you buy the "green" stuff, which, by the way, still needs to be out of reach of children), so you end up saving $7, 16 bottles in a landfill, and countless chemicals in your home and waterways. Plus, you can use that same concentrate for a zillion other things, making it worth more than its monetary value. To me, this is totally worth it. I haven't had to buy any cleaning stuff (except vinegar and baking soda) since I acquired the tools I use, between 2 and 6 months ago.

THE VERDICT:

All in all, I feel pretty good about this combination of cleaning things. I also just bought a HEPA sealed system vacuum (a Shark Rotator), which allows me to vacuum without stirring up more dust - HEPA sealed systems (different than just a filter) are required to suck and hold 99.97% of the icky, disease-causing allergens and stuff. (And this one was only $200!) With all these new tools, I truly feel like my house is clean and I love that it isn't full of chemical smell (clean smells like nothing, not chemical!). I love that it doesn't make my back hurt or my hands dry or my head ache. The ease and result make me actually want to clean. 

And knowing that I'm not pouring chemicals into our water system, or filling landfills with empty plastic bottles, or exposing myself or my family to disease-causing grossness, is the best part of all!

Stay tuned for next time, when I talk about how I have changed my personal hygiene routine to cut back on plastic...

***NOTE: If you decide after reading this that you would like to try Branch Basics, mention my name at check out and somehow you get 25% off and I get $10 credit. Not sure how it works exactly... but give it a try!

Why I want to go natural

Of course, when one is pregnant, one gets all kinds of advice from people. Sometimes it is truly appreciated; sometimes I just nod and smile and say thank you (people give some weird advice...). Among the advice I've received is regarding whether or not to use drugs during labor. This is something I have thought and done a lot of research, about and while I appreciate people imparting the wisdom of experience on me (and have taken it into account), it turns out I have pretty strong feelings about this particular aspect already. (Though I know plans sometimes need to change, don't worry!)

If it is possible, I would really like to do this as naturally and drug-free as possible. This may not surprise you, what with all my recent attempts to clean and eat and live with more natural resources and fewer chemicals. But it goes deeper than my just being crunchy.

Part of it is practical - I want to be able to move around. I can't imagine laboring all that time stuck in a bed because my legs are numb. No thanks. I've also heard that the risk of things like postpartum depression are less with a natural birth. Bring it.

But my number one reason for wanting to do this naturally is this: I have had so many medical experiences in my life, and I don't want labor and delivery to be another one. My body has several times now grown something wrong, something harmful, and now it is doing something right. I want to celebrate that, not numb it. I have felt the pain of treatments and surgery, but now I will feel a pain that is productive, that ends with life. (This is a major reason we have a doula - to help us know how to let my body, with Michael's aid, naturally help with the pain.)

I don't want to experience the domino effect of drugs, where you need another and another drug to treat the symptoms of the previous drugs. I want to walk and move and help my body prepare to let a child come through. I want the chemical/hormonal explosion that happens during childbirth to be a natural one, not a synthetic one I receive through an IV.

Call me crazy, but I want to feel connected to both the elation and the pain. The thought of not being able to feel my body doing what it was built to do, to be in a way disconnected from that, is eerie to me. There are some parts of motherhood I will not be able to feel or experience, but the act of bringing my child into the world is something that cancer has not taken from me, and I don't want drugs to take it from me either. Pain or not (and I know, this will be more pain than not!), I want that experience. I have dreamt of this my whole life, and I want to experience it as fully as I can. I want to see and feel my body do this amazing thing - bring life into the world!

When I think about it, I actually get a little excited (also, terrified). Just thinking about it makes me feel like a warrior, like an amazing, strong person who can do anything. I feel empowered. And after feeling at the mercy of cancer, that is pretty darn cool.

Now if Grace would just come along (40 weeks and one day...), we can see how this goes!

Sermon: To whom else could we possibly go? (Aug. 23, 2015)

Pentecost 13B

August 23, 2015

John 6:56-69

  

         If you’ve been in worship the last few weeks, you know that this is now the fifth week in a row that we have heard about Jesus as the “bread of life.” It started with the feeding of the 5000, and then for the next three weeks, Jesus unpacked that miracle for the disciples, explaining what it meant for them and for their future. Last week was perhaps the most difficult part of that explanation, as Jesus told the disciples that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood if they wanted to have eternal life. Now finally today, the last Sunday of this little mini-series on the bread of life, we get to hear the responses of those who were listening. As it turns out, the response is not all that favorable – and I admit, if I had been there that day, my response probably wouldn’t have been all that favorable, either.

         The crowd’s first response is: “This teaching is difficult. Who can accept it?” That’s a very human reaction, especially in today’s world, in which we pride ourselves on our autonomy – our ability to make our own decisions and believe what we want to believe and do what we want to do. So when we hear this difficult teaching from Jesus, it is natural to think: This is weird, it goes against my logic, I can’t accept it. I can’t understand it, so I will not abide by it. And it’s true, it is difficult. But you know… This is not the only of Jesus’ teachings that are difficult. Here are a few other difficult teachings that come to mind:

         “Go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor…; then come, follow me.” Really, ALL of my possessions? But can’t I keep these few things? They mean so much to me. Can’t I keep something for myself?

         “Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.’” 77?? I have trouble with one! 77 is a lot, Jesus. What if what they did was really bad?

         “If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.” Wait, I can’t fight back, not even with my words? But what if this person really needs to hear what I have to say? Or what if turning the other cheek just encourages them to continue being mean and hurting others?

         You see? Jesus’ teachings are difficult, no two ways about it. They often go against what our culture tells us to do, which makes them even harder. This one about the flesh and blood – it’s hard, too. But the fact is, living the life of a Christian, and walking the way of Christ, is difficult. There’s a wonderful Maya Angelou quote: “I’m trying to be a Christian,” she says. “I’m working at it, and I’m amazed when people walk up to me and say, ‘I’m a Christian.’ I think, Already? Wow!” This is something we need to work at! It’s a process. And it’s difficult. Can we accept it?

         Which brings us to the next part of the reaction to Jesus’ bread of life teaching. John tells us that “because of this [teaching], many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.” We’re not talking some folks who just happened to be hanging around. These aren’t your Christmas and Easter Christians. These are Jesus’ disciples, people who had been following him, who had already invested something in him. They were folks who sat on council, who led Bible studies, who set up for coffee hour. And when asked, “Who can accept it?” they decided, “I can’t. This is too much.” And I expect that seeing these faithful people turn around and walk away would make it even harder for others, who might have stayed, to accept this teaching.

In my home synod in CA, we had a bishop some years back who, some time after his time as bishop, became an atheist. He no longer found he had any faith at all. He died a few years back, and at his funeral there was no mention of the resurrection, no word of Christian hope. And that is hard, to see someone you looked up to as a model of faith (a bishop!), suddenly reject that faith. This teaching is difficult. If even Jesus’ disciples struggle to accept it, how can I?

         And then perhaps what is for me the toughest reaction of all: when Jesus turns to the twelve,

those followers who were closest to him, and asks them, “Do you also wish to go away?” Whether this was asked as a challenge, or out of sadness, or simply out of fatigue and discouragement, this is the question that gets in my craw. “Do you also wish to go away?” Sometimes I feel like it is directed right at me. This teaching is difficult, Johanna. Do you wish to go away? This life is a hard one to live, Johanna. Wouldn’t it be easier just to go away? How does your faith understand this tragic event, Johanna? Do you wish to go away?

         Sometimes, the answer is yes. That would be easier, I think, easier than upholding all these difficult teachings. Easier than seeing the evil, brokenness, and sadness in this world and trying to understand it through the lens of what is supposed to be a God of love. Easier than trying to be true to my Christian beliefs in the context of an increasingly pluralistic society. …Do you also sometimes wish to go away?

         When I had just begun my year serving as a missionary in Slovakia, I learned of a horrific tragedy back home, something that shook my very foundations and caused me to lose faith in the God who I believed had called me to Slovakia in the first place. I had already been on somewhat shaky ground with my faith, because the month and a half I had been in Slovakia had not gone very smoothly, but now, this event, made me doubt the existence of God at all – how could a God of love allow this to happen? For days, I lived in fear and darkness. I was scared of everything, and I lived in a fog where nothing could turn my mourning into dancing. In those days, I did wish to go away. Having faith in this God – it was too difficult for me. I could not accept it.

         But then, after experiencing this darkness, I had a moment like Peter had in response to Jesus’ question. “Lord, to whom shall we go?” Peter asks. “You have the words of eternal life.” Where else can we possibly go? That October in Slovakia, I, too, was faced with these two possibilities: continue to reject a God who had let something horrible happen to someone I loved, and with that continue to

live in darkness; or, cling to the hope that is promised through the resurrection, as difficult to accept as that may be in that moment. And my answer was the same as Peter’s: “What else am I supposed to do? Where else can I go?” Angry, disappointed, and hurting as I was in that moment, I couldn’t imagine living without this God. Without Christ, there are no words of eternal life. There is no hope. Lord, to whom shall we go? Difficult as following you may be, you have the words of eternal life that offer me hope in the midst of my despair.

The teaching is difficult. It can be hard to accept it. It can be even harder to live it, to receive, through no merit of our own, God’s immense grace and love, the forgiveness of sins, the promise of everlasting life… and then, having accepted and embraced that grace, to go out and actually live the life that Christ calls us to: a life that cares more about the poor, the immigrant, the lost and dejected, the broken, the weak, the morbidly obese, the drug-addicted, the imprisoned – to care more about all of them than we do about ourselves. A life that shares the love of Christ with everyone we meet, even people we don’t like, or who disagree with us, or who did something to hurt us, or who are just really annoying.

But here’s the good news: this teaching is difficult, but we’re not in this alone. Jesus promises us that. And we receive that promise every time we wake up in the morning, every time we splash water on our faces and remember we are baptized. We receive it every time we hear the words of eternal life, every time we are forgiven, and every time we come to this table and feast on the body and blood of Christ, where we receive the strength and nourishment we need to live this life Christ calls us to. This teaching is difficult, but to whom else could we possibly go?

Let us pray… Christ, our Bread of Life, following your teachings is difficult, and sometimes hard to accept. By your strength and patience, help us to follow you anyway, trusting that you do have the words of eternal life that can carry us through all things. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Singing to Grace

Note: I wrote a version of the following for the Concentus Women's Chorus blog, but thought I'd adapt it slightly and share it here, too:

My singing sisters in Concentus have been through some major life events with me in my four years with them - cancer diagnoses, engagements, weddings.... So it was with great joy that I announced to them in early 2015: “I’m pregnant!” And when I learned I would be having a girl, I announced to them with glee that I was growing a future member of Concentus. In both cases, and in every other way, the women of Concentus have offered me their loving and joyful support in this exciting new adventure in my life.

But perhaps one of the greatest gifts and joys Concentus has provided as I have grown this baby girl over the past months is an opportunity to sing beautiful music to her. Of course, I can sing any and every time I want – I sing often in church, in the car, doing chores, you name it. But having this time every week to come together with some of the most incredible women I know and sing lovely music to my daughter has made me feel not only happy, but also deeply satisfied. Singing to my baby, even as she is still in utero, just feels like the most natural thing in the world to me, and to do it surrounded by so many beautiful voices is a gift indeed. (Though of course, my personal project for nine months has been to instill those alto parts in her early on!)

Surrounding Grace with excellent music has been a joy on every level. Here are some ways:

When Concentus sat on stage while the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra rehearsed Handel’s Water Music before our May 2015 concert with them, I sat right behind the horns, and boy did Grace love that! Whether the delightful harmonies or the intense vibrations, I don’t know, but her first appearance on stage with the RPO (first of many?!) was certainly a delightful one for both of us!

Being a cradle Lutheran, of course I love to sing hymns to Grace, because hymns are the songs of my faith, the way I pray and express that faith. I prefer to sing her songs that include her name, and my favorite is the wonderful Danish hymn, O Day Full of Grace. ("Oh day full of grace which now we see appearing on earth's horizon...") I sing this to her often in the car, and usually I can count on getting a little dance show from her in response. I have been singing other hymns to her, too, many of my favorites, so that I can instill in her a love of these songs of faith before she even knows it is happening!

To appease my rock-&-roll-loving husband, I also like to put on our vinyl recordings of Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, and Fleetwood Mac. Grace seems to enjoy the visceral experience of a vinyl record played on vintage speakers as much as we do!

Sometimes I pull out my ukulele and my book, The Daily Ukulele: 365 Songs for Better Living, and

play for her, knowing that she will be able to not only hear the songs, many of which are classics from various genres, but also feel the vibrations of the ukulele pressed against her. I'm not sure she knows what to make of this yet (except that it presses in a bit on her already limited space!), but it is a certain precursor to what will undoubtedly be one of her first instruments.

Whatever it is we are listening to or performing, music has already been a bonding experience for my daughter and me. I pray that it will continue to be, in whatever capacity, and that music will be for Grace all that it has been for me: a means by which to grow spiritually, emotionally, and expressively, to share who and what I am with the world

(And for the record, I think she will sing in Concentus someday – alto, of course – because every time I play one of our recordings, she gets very excited and moves along with the music!)

Sermon: What is your song to sing? (August 16, 2015)

Pentecost 12 B

August 16, 2015

Ephesians 5:15-20

  

            I am a musician. Long before I was meant to be a pastor, I was meant to be a musician – that’s what I thought, anyway. You can read all about it in my childhood journals, where I talk about going to Julliard. No surprise, of course; I come from a very musical family. My earliest memories include waking up to Bach Brandenburg Concertos, hearing my mom singing at the piano, my dad playing, singing table grace in multiple parts whenever we visited my grandparents. My Lutheran upbringing supported this value; Luther was a musician and composer himself, and held deeply the conviction that music was an essential way to praise God. That is why today so much of our liturgy is sung, why we sing so many hymns, and why Lutheran colleges around the country are often known for their strong music programs.

            It’s no surprise then that I was drawn this week to this wonderful line from our reading from Ephesians: “be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It makes me think of Maria von Trapp in the epic opening of The Sound of Music, where she simply can’t help running out to the hills to sing and be thankful. There’s a reason this is my all-time favorite movie: that response makes sense to me and my Lutheran sensibilities! Song is a perfect avenue

by which to give thanks to the Lord, a perfect way to pray, to praise, to worship God.

But this passage is about more than specifically music, or singing. The heart of this short passage is this line: “be filled with the Spirit.” We Lutherans claim that all who are baptized are filled with the Spirit. At the moment of baptism, we pray that God’s Spirit be poured upon us, then proclaim that we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked by the cross of Christ. So our response, then, as baptized believers, is to live a life that reflects being filled with the Spirit. The question becomes: what does this look or sound like?

It may very well sound like a song, and the writer of Ephesians does point to that: he writes that we live in the Spirit by singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. But I’m glad he starts with psalms, because the book of Psalms give us a large variety to choose from. Songs aren’t always happy, after all, and neither are we, and the Psalter (book of Psalms) is a testament to that. Luther called the Psalter a Bible within the Bible, the one book that gives us everything we need to pray to God. Here, God has given us the words we need for any situation – words of praise, yes, but also words of lament, words of frustration, words of love, of longing, of thanksgiving… Sometimes being filled with the Spirit doesn’t look like joy and praise, but rather, like living in the midst of whatever life is offering right now. It is being present in whatever your situation is, but knowing that the Spirit is right there with you. After all, Jesus was filled with the Spirit when he cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” – a quote from Psalm 22. So we see that, whatever your particular state, psalms

offer a way to be filled with the Spirit, to be dwelling in God’s own word, right in the midst of it.

            Hymns and spiritual songs also have a lot to offer. The library of hymns from which Lutherans have drawn over the centuries is large and varied. Our hymns are joyful, and they are solemn. They are hymns of praise, and of lament. They are prayerful, and they are expressive. And whether or not you consider yourself a singer, the lyrics alone can be very meaningful. Take our opening hymn this morning, read more as a prayer: “Father, providing food for your children: by Wisdom’s guiding teach us to share one with another, so that, rejoicing with us, all others may know your care. Then will your blessing reach every people, freely confessing your gracious hand.” It sounds very much like an offertory prayer, no? Even spoken, the words of our hymns sing a song to God.

            But psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs – even these are not the only kinds of songs we sing, and certainly not the only way to be filled with the Spirit. Spirit-filled songs in different styles and forms are popping up all over Bethlehem and St. Martin. I hear the song of hospitality when I see you eagerly welcome visitors and engage in conversation. I hear the song of generosity when I see enthusiasm around ministries and giving throughout the year – whether of your time, your talents, or your treasures. I hear the song of meditation on God’s Word when I see people gather for prayer here at Bethlehem on Wednesdays, or Sundays at St. Martin for Bible study. I hear the song of compassion when I see people sending out cards, preparing meals, or going to visit people in the congregation. I hear the song of mission when I see two churches who, filled with the Spirit, took a step out in faith five years ago to see if they could do joint ministry together… and it’s working! You see, we express our Spirit-filled-ness and the songs in our hearts in countless ways, not just with music notes on a page. We sing God’s praises in every action we do, thanking God with every step and every chord in the name of Jesus Christ.

            And this leads us to the next bit in the Ephesians text, about when we sing our particular, Spirit-filled song. The answer in Ephesians is quite simple: “sing and make melody to the Lord in your hearts,” it says, “giving thanks to God the Father at all times.” Always! There is no right

or wrong time to sing and give thanks to God – do it all the time, in every breath, every step, every word, every note. Give thanks to God the Father at all times.

            My grandfather (the one at whose house we always sang our table grace) was a big inspiration to me, and played a large role in my deciding to go to seminary. Unfortunately he died suddenly my first year in seminary – but even his funeral had a lot to teach me about giving thanks and singing my song at all times. Mere weeks before his death, he had given my dad his funeral plans. Among the hymns he had chosen to be sung at his funeral was Now Thank We All Our God. What a powerful experience to stand with my mourning family, sad and shocked, and sing this strong hymn, “Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, In whom this world rejoices; Who, from our mothers’ arms, Has blest us on our way With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today.” At first, I thought in dismay, “What a time to sing such a song, Grandpa!” But then I thought, “What better time to sing such a song, Grandpa!” Now thank we all our God, NOW, even as we mourn, NOW, even as we cry. Now, as we celebrate that following death comes resurrection, which God also promised to us in our baptism. Now and always, thank we all our God, who wondrous things has done! After we had recessed out of the service and seen my grandpa’s casket into the waiting hearse, the family stood in the narthex as people left the sanctuary and sang in 3-part counterpoint, “I want to praise the Lord! His praise is always on my lips!” And it could not have felt more appropriate.

            What is the song God has given you to sing, and when and how do you sing it? In what way do you share your Spirit-filled-ness with the world? Whatever way and whatever song it is, sisters and brothers, be filled with the Spirit, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

            Let us pray… God, you are worthy of praise, and you have given each of us a particular song to sing. Grant us the courage and the ability to sing that song, to praise you in our thoughts, words, and deeds; in short, to be filled with the Spirit at all times and in all that we do. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.