We all have choices to make in life. We decide what to wear, what to eat, who to hang out with, and what we want to do with life among the hundreds of decisions we make each day. Sometimes the choices are based on what we prefer - like red or green grapes. Choices can be based on the weather. It's cold so perhaps I should wear a coat and maybe it is a better day to do something indoors. Yet other choices require us to look at what we value. We get offered a new job in a new city, what will the move mean for social life, proximity to family, pay and work environment. We need to spend time looking at what we value most to help us make good choices in life.

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A couple weeks ago on my podcast I used a phrase that I grew up with. Low man on the totem pole. I had a friend message me to say that could be an offensive phrase and that we use it in a way that is backwards to its actual meaning. I apologize if I offended anyone, that was never my intent. I have been reading and learning about the tradition of the totem pole with First Nations people of the Pacific NorthWest. The bottom figure is the most respected so yes, we have it backwards thanks to a 1940s comedian. This was a great reminder to be open to hearing from others and to grow and learn instead of getting upset that it was pointed out. May we all continue to grow and learn.

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Veggie Tales made a full length movie in 2002 of Jonah. In the movie, there is a gospel number called Second Chances. It is a reminder to Jonah that it is not to late to obey God. This is demonstrated in other stories in the Bible as well. I also saw this in the community.

The East Hill Singers is a men's choir that was founded in 1996. Inmates from the minimum security unit at the Lansing Correctional Facility alongside volunteers from the Kansas City metro come together to make incredible music and share it along with some of their stories. The East Hill Singers are part of the Arts in Prison. Through visual arts, spoken word, creative writing, Choir, and other avenues, inmates are offered positive places to be rehabilitated and prepare to be in society again. I invite you to check out their webpage and learn more about them.

And if you live in the Kansas City area, they have a concert on Sunday, May 5th at 4:00pm at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, KS.

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Psalm 23 is a familiar text for many who grew up in the church. It is often used at funerals or to comfort those who are grieving. Take a look at it again and find some of the meanings missed in the English translation. Goodness and mercy don't just follow us, they pursue us and chase us. God wants us to have what we need and wants to walk beside us and guide us through life. Live into the abundance that God wants to prepare for all of God's children.

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In the 1990s Robert Fulghum wrote a book entitled "Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." The poem he uses covers a lot of ground and is made very easy to understand like we do with kids. Clean up after yourself. Don't take things that aren't yours. Yet it seems that we forget the simple things as we age.

The Gospel of Luke chapter 24 provides a basic pattern for us to follow in our lives of Faith that Fulghum presents for the rest of life. Encounter the Risen Christ, he explains things, we eat, we are enlightened, and we exit to go tell the world. May we take this on as we go through our daily lives and work on living together.

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It has been a busy 6 weeks on my calendar. Lots of traveling and lots of emotionally charged moments. All of it has been meaningful, yet, I am weary. Physically tired from travel. Mentally tired from the thought that has gone into things. Emotionally tired from all the human interactions and emotional highs and lows. Spiritually tired because 2 celebrations of life, a wedding, and Holy Week take a lot of spiritual bandwidth. So I will spend time in the coming days to tend to my weariness. What do you do when you are weary and need rest?

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Many of us played a game as children called Follow the Leader. Good leaders made the game fun and silly. Bad leaders could get us into trouble. Even as adults, good leaders and bad leaders take us to different places. The Easter text from the Gospel of Mark reminds us that Jesus goes ahead of us, so we are to follow. Follow Jesus, you have been invited to go.

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Palm Sunday, many churches wave palm branches and shout Hosanna. We have a celebratory parade atmosphere, but when we do this, do we miss the subversive side of the story? As the Passover festival is beginning, Pilate and Rome would make a show of power and parade with legions of soldiers and Pilate on a war horse or in a chariot to remind the people who was in charge.

Meanwhile, Jesus comes into the city, through a back gate, riding on a humble donkey. He is not the mighty king that the people hoped would overthrow Rome. Jesus comes to bring about the Kingdom of God and comes with a very different understanding of what power is.

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