Braving The Waters

Why are we always waiting for an excuse to “use the good silver”?   We wait for the right moment, the perfect occasion, the celebration to end all celebrations and when it arrives, we are still sometimes reluctant to bring it out of its safe hiding place at the bottom of the cedar chest or china cabinet.   When we finally decide the occasion is worthy of “the good silver” we spend excessive amounts of time meticulously polishing and situating each piece in its proper place on the table, that we no sooner get everything set out and it is time to put it away again. How did your family’s silver become “the good silver”? When great grandma (insert your own family name here) left it to you in her Will, was there a usage clause that deemed it “the good silver, only to be used on certain days for certain occasions”? Did the clause read something like this; “The ‘good silver’ can only be used on occasions where there are more than five(5) family members present, it must ALL be used or...

I have a bulletin board hanging on my office wall; it has various things thumb tacked to it. At some point each of the things hanging there were important to me. I suppose since they are still hanging there even after making a 740 mile move cross country, they are still important. The things hanging on this board vary in shape, size, meaning, and appearance. A Chalice sun catcher, a map of the church, several cards from family and friends, a picture of my paternal grandparents in front of the "Arc de Triumph" during WWII, my father’s obituary, the preaching schedule, and a couple crosses…just to name a few. When I am sitting at my desk, this bulletin board is on my left; every time I glance at it the same thing catches my eye. I am always drawn to the same card. I believe I received this card at my Ordination and if memory serves I received three or four of this same card that day. The card reads; “Be who you are. Do what you love. Make a difference. Change the world.” ...