Rocky - Our Lenten Guide

Picture Rocky Balboa running up the 72 steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to the music of "Gonna Fly Now" - at the top of the steps he throws his hands in the air in celebration as he looks out over a scenic view of Philly.

It's a great scene - & it has inspired countless folks to re-live the moment and run up the stairs when they are there. One of the best videos of this is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMm99pHMR5Y - give it a look (it will do you good) - then come back for the REAL inspirational moment of "Rocky".

BACK? Good. As great a moment as that is, there is an earlier, truly inspirational moment in the movie. It's the moment that made we want to use Rocky Balboa as my guide for Lent this year.

It's the scene when Rocky's alarm clock goes off at 4:00 a.m., and he stumbles out of bed & cracks several eggs into a glass & chugs them (that's not the inspirational moment - wait for it). Then he walks out into a dark street, with no crowd, with no energy, in maybe the sorriest-looking sweatsuit in cinema history, and begins to jog down the street.

That's the moment.

When he's not being cheered - when he's not in shape - when he's still basically a bum - and he still takes off & begins to train. It's not pretty. When he first tries the run up the steps at the Museum, he is not triumphant. He's out of breath - gasping - bent over - beat, as he slowly makes his way back down the steps. Did you miss the inspirational part? It was when he began to run down the street - when he said "yes" to training for this impossible fight. That's when I knew that he would be a good guide for Lent (or for any other day of a lifetime).

Christians need to learn to pray. As a group we're not very good at it. We confuse prayer with sitting on Santa's lap in December, with our list of wishes. We forget that prayer is about moving ourselves closer to God's will and not about moving God closer to our shopping list of desires.

There is a way to learn - IF we are willing to try when we're not yet very good at it - IF we are humble enough to take some 4:00 a.m.-type steps of our own - if we're willing to return to the first days of our 'training' in prayer.

Pray the Lord's Prayer. Pray it when it's not inspirational. Pray it when it doesn't even seem real because you've heard it so many times. Pray it until it becomes a prayer again. Someday it may be possible to move on to the prayers that ascend to the mountaintop - but that day won't be today - and it won't be tomorrow - but those days of obedience to the idea of prayer need to happen if we are ever to reach the heights of what prayer can do.

The world needs what the Church can become - and we have settled for far too little. It's fun to run up the steps and dance around. The hard work is when it's dark and we're alone and even feel a little foolish for trying - but if believers take those first steps of obedience, we're gonna fly now.

+++[As always, if this is your first stop at "Leaving Nadderby", I suggest that you click on the "Looking Back" blog (from February 2008 in the archives) by way of introduction to what the Blog is about.]

It is the real me that God loves

Como me siento en realidad? Bien? No tan bien?

Puedo estar my en paz, feliz de estar aqui ... Tambien puedo sentir frustracion, preocupacion, o enojo ...

Asumo como estoy en realidad.. ES EL YO REAL EL QUE DIOS AMA.

IT IS THE REAL ME THAT GOD LOVES.

I love these words from a Devotional that I often use - "How do I really feel - good - not so good? I may be at peace, happy to be here [attempting to pray] - but also I may feel frustration, be preoccupied, or angry - I accept how I really am. IT IS THE REAL ME THAT GOD LOVES."

This comes from [what is for me] an unlikely source - a prayer site run by a bunch of Irish Jesuits [speaking as a life-long Methodist/United Methodist]. It's called SACRED SPACE [o ESPACIO SAGRADO - it exists in over 20 languages], and I highly recommend it to all of the computer types who have not found ways or time to pray regularly, or who just need a reminder that God loves the real you - the one that friends, or family [or even you] may not always approve of or understand.

It's a pretty powerful thought.

Rest Stops & Un-rest Stops

There were times in my childhood when the sound of a car's blinker sounded like Heaven.

When our Dad would drive us from Ohio to Oklahoma in the '60s, the trip would begin at 4:30 a.m. We would be transferred from bed to the back seat and he would aim the car down the road as far as humanly possible (& occasionally beyond). This mode of travel focused on gobbling up the miles, not sightseeing, which meant that he left many Rest Stops in his wake. The signs would appear promising an oasis of green, a chance to move, and some cool shade (in those pre-AC days), in addition to the all-important restroom, and then, as the road widened into an exit lane, Dad would drive right by - it often seemed to me that he even accelerated just a bit, to forestall whining or hope from the back seat.

Oh, but when we heard that turn signal begin to click & felt the car slowing . . . (!) - we would scramble to get our shoes back on and the anticipation was wonderful. As a kid I could never figure out why Dad wanted to get away from these rest areas so fast. Now I know that they are not places to set up camp - they are there to help make the journey possible. They are not destinations.

I want to share some stops along the way where I have found refreshment & hope online. I urge you to pay a brief visit & let me know what you think. The first is http://www.shipoffools.com/- which bills itself as "the magazine of Christian unrest." These folks are 'survivors' of what used to be a real-world magazine that folded. It's a community of people who have both questions and faith, and who aren't afraid of either. Then, for those of you who never outgrew Mad magazine, there is http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/- which bills itself as 'pretty much the only Christian satire' magazine (this one still also exists as an actual, paper magazine, too). The writing & ideas at the Door can be uneven - it doesn't always 'work' - but when they really connect it can be beautiful.

For rest & rejuvenation, though, there is http://www.sacredspace.ie/ - a site that invites you to prayer by way of '10 minutes in front of your computer' - & which offers a daily guide through Scripture & meditation. It is literally a chance to pause & take a deep breath, and to remember who you are. Like the best rest areas, it offers beauty, it is possible to visit briefly, it can connect you with fellow travelers, and it can offer enough renewal to be brave enough for the next steps on the journey. A taste of Heaven can do that.
- Steve

BLOG NOTES: There should be a button at the top of your computer screen that says "Add to Favorites" - if you add "Leaving Nadderby" there, you can easily check back for new posts (and you won't have to worry about how to spell 'Nadderby'). I'm still learning how to get word out about this, so let me urge you to Forward liberally. For now I will be working on a list & notifying folks by email. Thanks for your notes & encouragement as this begins.