Exodus 18:1-12 (The Message):
Jethro, priest of Midian and father-in-law to Moses, heard the report of all that God had done for Moses and Israel his people, the news that God had delivered Israel from Egypt. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah, Moses’ wife who had been sent back home, and her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (Sojourner) for he had said, “I’m a sojourner in a foreign land”; the name of the other was Eliezer (God’s-Help) because “The God of my father is my help and saved me from death by Pharaoh.”
5-6 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses his sons and his wife there in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God. He had sent a message ahead to Moses: “I, your father-in-law, am coming to you with your wife and two sons.”
7-8 Moses went out to welcome his father-in-law. He bowed to him and kissed him. Each asked the other how things had been with him. Then they went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law the story of all that God had done to Pharaoh and Egypt in helping Israel, all the trouble they had experienced on the journey, and how God had delivered them.
9-11 Jethro was delighted in all the good that God had done for Israel in delivering them from Egyptian oppression. Jethro said, “Blessed be God who has delivered you from the power of Egypt and Pharaoh, who has delivered his people from the oppression of Egypt. Now I know that God is greater than all gods because he’s done this to all those who treated Israel arrogantly.”
12 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a Whole-Burnt-Offering and sacrifices to God. And Aaron, along with all the elders of Israel, came and ate the meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
My favorite moments growing up happened sitting around the dinner table. In our kitchen, Mom and I would sit on one side, my brothers, Patrick and Andrew, would sit on the other side, and my Dad would sit on the end. There was one specific evening, we were eating one my favorite meals – green beans, baked chicken, macaroni and cheese, and rolls. Patrick, Andrew, and my Dad ended up quoting their favorite movies..either Forrest Gump or Monty Python and the Holy Grail. And so we’re sitting there, Mom and I are giggling..I, for some reason, think it’s a good time to take a sip of milk. At that moment, the next sentence out of my Dad’s mouth, sent milk shooting out of my nose.
After Moses welcomes his father-in-law (and probably Zippy and the two boys) into the tent, I first envision a tent much like the one in the beginning of the fourth Harry Potter movie; where it looks really small outside, but then when you walk in, it’s a three bedroom, full kitchen, stand-up-straight kind of place. While in reality, it didn’t look like that at all. It probably looked more like a studio tent. I expect they sat at the table to catch up. I expect that conversation led into a meal and late into the night. Moses sharing all the good things that were happening and just how good God was. Jethro, a Priest, and Moses’s father-in-law, sitting and listening to Moses’s story. I wonder if that was how they thought things would end up. I wonder if they thought that there would be this “not-so-bad, almost at a place where we can laugh about it now” sort of ending.
I’m certainly not where I thought I would be. While I’m still young and can still do what I thought I would..being right here, right now, came as a sort of surprise. Feeling restless in college, I expected to spend two years in Africa in the PeaceCorps (I started that application ten times…never actually saved them, though), return to the States, go to Graduate School for my dual degree in Masters in Social Work and Public Health, and then settle down somewhere in the north or Midwest. Instead, after graduating college, I worked for six months in the middle of nowhere low-country South Carolina. Then I moved back home with my parents (a place I never thought I’d return to..), and then moved to Richmond. Like I said, I realize I’m still really young, but it’s interesting to remember where I used to be and how my story has developed over the last few years.
This past year began a whole new chapter in my story. We’ll call it “The Seminary Years..” It’s been a pretty good chapter so far. Moving, a year ago yesterday, into a house full of love and community. Moving into an already formed community – with two who were continuing their Farley-ness – and having to create a new sort of community of our own. Something, where at the beginning, seemed a little doubtful. But we grew. We grew into a small four person-three pet family. A family that will remain part of each of our stories….
In the midst of Moses and his crew’s long walk in the wilderness, their doubt in God and in Moses was incredible. Questions that must have been floating in their minds, “God, are you even here?” “Where are you taking us?” “Didn’t we already pass this tree?” “What in the world is Moses doing?” “Does this journey even matter?”
Does this even matter?
It’s important here to understand that, clearly, their story mattered. It’s important to understand that your story matters. All parts; the parts that were disheartening and doubtful. Those parts that left you in the wilderness feeling alone. And the parts that were so joyful, you didn’t want them to end…much like that evening with Moses and Jethro. While you may think the current moments in your story aren’t much. Or those moments aren't worth remembering…(and I know my Dad doesn’t remember the evening milk squirted out of my nose because he told a hilarious line from his favorite movie), those are the moments that turn into memories that turn into stories.
Not to jump to the New Testament, but that’s how Jesus taught his lessons- his parables, his stories, are the ways that Jesus related to the people he was speaking with. Stories are in the toasts we say at weddings and they are in the eulogies we speak at funerals. They are at bedtime with our children. They are a part of the moments that are the most meaningful. In the end, Moses’s story mattered to all the people of Israel…it meant enough to share it with his own Midian father-in-law (whose people butted heads and hated the Israelites). God triumphs and delivers them to a place of grace and fulfillment.
This past year is an important part of the Farley story. While we all know that the Farley Community House is a ministry that matters greatly to Ginter Park, this past year was certainly one for the books. It’s a chapter in a story that matters. It's a chapter worth sharing. While I am someone who has always approached life with a script- I was taught this past year about “taking time” and essentially flying by the seat of my pants. Drew taught me to not worry, and to be happy. He taught me about the beauty of God’s creation and how to care for others while tending the earth. Together, Khan and I broke down some cultural barriers. I learned his food was often too spicy for me to eat, but that never stopped him from offering. In class, he was wise and asked the deepest questions. He’s quite the musician and was always excited to share his culture with our community. Caitie’s and my story started about 15 years ago at the neighborhood pool one summer. Off and on for the next 15 years, through high school and college, eventually leading us both to Richmond, to the Farley, living across the hall from one another. She’s taught me so much about grace and the unconditional love a person can be shown.
This coming year I’m excited about the new community and the new brother and sister I get to share life with. I’m excited about the ways we will grow and learn about one another. I’m excited for the ways we will learn from one another. The arguments and fights that all families share, as well as those joyful moments that will turn into memories. Those memories that will turn into stories. Together, we’ll enjoy meals at the dinner table. We’ll take part in movie and game nights. We'll enjoy snow days and late evenings turned into early mornings working on papers and sermons. We’ll share our story with you, Ginter Park family, we encourage you to do likewise. Our doors are open and the table is always set.
From our passage this morning: “Moses told his father-in-law the story of all that God had done to Pharaoh and Egypt in helping Israel, all the trouble they had experienced on the journey, and how God had delivered them.”
So tell me, what is your story? What is your song? Did you approach life with a script? How has your story developed? I invite you to share your story with others..to write it down, to draw it out..to understand and appreciate its importance.
Amen.
After Moses welcomes his father-in-law (and probably Zippy and the two boys) into the tent, I first envision a tent much like the one in the beginning of the fourth Harry Potter movie; where it looks really small outside, but then when you walk in, it’s a three bedroom, full kitchen, stand-up-straight kind of place. While in reality, it didn’t look like that at all. It probably looked more like a studio tent. I expect they sat at the table to catch up. I expect that conversation led into a meal and late into the night. Moses sharing all the good things that were happening and just how good God was. Jethro, a Priest, and Moses’s father-in-law, sitting and listening to Moses’s story. I wonder if that was how they thought things would end up. I wonder if they thought that there would be this “not-so-bad, almost at a place where we can laugh about it now” sort of ending.
I’m certainly not where I thought I would be. While I’m still young and can still do what I thought I would..being right here, right now, came as a sort of surprise. Feeling restless in college, I expected to spend two years in Africa in the PeaceCorps (I started that application ten times…never actually saved them, though), return to the States, go to Graduate School for my dual degree in Masters in Social Work and Public Health, and then settle down somewhere in the north or Midwest. Instead, after graduating college, I worked for six months in the middle of nowhere low-country South Carolina. Then I moved back home with my parents (a place I never thought I’d return to..), and then moved to Richmond. Like I said, I realize I’m still really young, but it’s interesting to remember where I used to be and how my story has developed over the last few years.
This past year began a whole new chapter in my story. We’ll call it “The Seminary Years..” It’s been a pretty good chapter so far. Moving, a year ago yesterday, into a house full of love and community. Moving into an already formed community – with two who were continuing their Farley-ness – and having to create a new sort of community of our own. Something, where at the beginning, seemed a little doubtful. But we grew. We grew into a small four person-three pet family. A family that will remain part of each of our stories….
In the midst of Moses and his crew’s long walk in the wilderness, their doubt in God and in Moses was incredible. Questions that must have been floating in their minds, “God, are you even here?” “Where are you taking us?” “Didn’t we already pass this tree?” “What in the world is Moses doing?” “Does this journey even matter?”
Does this even matter?
It’s important here to understand that, clearly, their story mattered. It’s important to understand that your story matters. All parts; the parts that were disheartening and doubtful. Those parts that left you in the wilderness feeling alone. And the parts that were so joyful, you didn’t want them to end…much like that evening with Moses and Jethro. While you may think the current moments in your story aren’t much. Or those moments aren't worth remembering…(and I know my Dad doesn’t remember the evening milk squirted out of my nose because he told a hilarious line from his favorite movie), those are the moments that turn into memories that turn into stories.
Not to jump to the New Testament, but that’s how Jesus taught his lessons- his parables, his stories, are the ways that Jesus related to the people he was speaking with. Stories are in the toasts we say at weddings and they are in the eulogies we speak at funerals. They are at bedtime with our children. They are a part of the moments that are the most meaningful. In the end, Moses’s story mattered to all the people of Israel…it meant enough to share it with his own Midian father-in-law (whose people butted heads and hated the Israelites). God triumphs and delivers them to a place of grace and fulfillment.
This past year is an important part of the Farley story. While we all know that the Farley Community House is a ministry that matters greatly to Ginter Park, this past year was certainly one for the books. It’s a chapter in a story that matters. It's a chapter worth sharing. While I am someone who has always approached life with a script- I was taught this past year about “taking time” and essentially flying by the seat of my pants. Drew taught me to not worry, and to be happy. He taught me about the beauty of God’s creation and how to care for others while tending the earth. Together, Khan and I broke down some cultural barriers. I learned his food was often too spicy for me to eat, but that never stopped him from offering. In class, he was wise and asked the deepest questions. He’s quite the musician and was always excited to share his culture with our community. Caitie’s and my story started about 15 years ago at the neighborhood pool one summer. Off and on for the next 15 years, through high school and college, eventually leading us both to Richmond, to the Farley, living across the hall from one another. She’s taught me so much about grace and the unconditional love a person can be shown.
This coming year I’m excited about the new community and the new brother and sister I get to share life with. I’m excited about the ways we will grow and learn about one another. I’m excited for the ways we will learn from one another. The arguments and fights that all families share, as well as those joyful moments that will turn into memories. Those memories that will turn into stories. Together, we’ll enjoy meals at the dinner table. We’ll take part in movie and game nights. We'll enjoy snow days and late evenings turned into early mornings working on papers and sermons. We’ll share our story with you, Ginter Park family, we encourage you to do likewise. Our doors are open and the table is always set.
From our passage this morning: “Moses told his father-in-law the story of all that God had done to Pharaoh and Egypt in helping Israel, all the trouble they had experienced on the journey, and how God had delivered them.”
So tell me, what is your story? What is your song? Did you approach life with a script? How has your story developed? I invite you to share your story with others..to write it down, to draw it out..to understand and appreciate its importance.
Amen.
