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Move each of us out of your way so that the message spoken and heard might deepen our faith and understanding. Amen.

The place where we put our energy, or live out our passion; the place that holds what that we truly value in life, is the place we find ourselves most grounded—most rooted. It is the place from which all that we hold dear can blossom and flourish and be transformed.

So think about it for just a moment.  What is important to you? What is your favorite thing to do? What do you most value in life? Or, what passion rests at the center of our soul? Think about it for just a moment.

Now what I am about to do would be impossible in the New England, the northern three states in particular.  It might not work here, but I am going to try it anyway! So here we go.  Turn to a person sitting near you, even if you have to scoot down the pew just a bit and tell then what you treasure; what you value in life…

Sharing…

There is so much for us to learn about one another, so much to share about what we do with our time and so much to know about how each of us sees the world and understands what it is God calls us to do and to be each and every day. 

What do I value?? I treasure Justice, faith-formation, serving the church; however, being a good parent—even with adult children, remains my highest goal, my deepest value. (It is how I love God best.) I know I will make a good grandparent someday.

Anyone who has had the opportunity to nurture children in some way, any way, knows the joy experienced when you recognize a value you have tried to instill seems to have finally made sense…you know, when the light dawns and a new behavior kicks in.

Any child who knows a parent or elder understands their point of view or recognizes their cleverness and ingenuity; knows the sheer delight of accomplishment!  

When our children were younger, there was a rule in our house that was a particular challenge to our daughter Tolonda. The rule? You cannot go out to play unless your room is clean. Well, Tolonda has been a tester since she was in the womb. In her adult life that has turned out to be a valuable gift.  As she was growing up, it was her parent’s anguish. I have her permission to tell you this story.

After not playing outside for two days, she came and asked if she could go outside. She was 6.

Certainly I said, just as soon as your room is clean.  Urrrggghhhh, she said.

After staring—I mean glaring at me—she headed up the stairs to her room.  Every step was accentuated! Pound, pound, pound.  I could not resist, I shouted, “I love you too…” The sound on the steps only got louder.  Soon her door slammed shut.

A short while later—and I mean short—Tolonda was at the top of the stairs speaking loudly to me with the sweetest voice you can imagine. She said, “Mom, my room is clean.”

“Are you sure?” I said.  

“Yes.” she said with confidence.

“Impossible!” I thought.

Knowing our standards for cleaning were a bit different, I asked, “Is it mommy clean or Tolonda clean?”

“Mommy clean,” she said. 

“Impossible.” I thought. 

For a moment, we just looked at one another, Tolonda at the top of the stairs, me at the bottom. We have all experienced a time when we have heard someone from on high proclaim everything is as it should be. We want to believe them, but wisdom tells to think on it some more. So as I climbed the stairs, I prayed and thought and planned just what to say and do about the room really being Tolonda clean—but not as clean as it should have been.

At the top of the stairs, Tolonda greeted me with a smile and an air of assurance. We joined hands and walked towards her room.  I should say she skipped with glee. I walked in slow motion….

When I opened her bedroom door, her smile widened and my jaw dropped!  The room was immaculate! The floor was free of toys and books. It was no longer consumed by clothes and shoes. The bed was made without a wrinkle.  I smiled at her with Mommy pride—yet I wondered, “How could this be!”

Ah Ha! Under the bed! I let go of her hand, walked to the bed and lifted the bedspread—carefully, but not dramatically. Amazing! There was nothing there but a couple of dust bunnies only a mother would notice. I gave Tolonda a hug. I was speechless—and still trying to figure it out.

Ah Ha! The closet! I looked at Tolonda with doubt in my eye. Her smile turned to a frown, her chin touched her chest. Think Sue, how are you going to handle this?  I moved her behind me, and opened the door very, very slowly so she would not get hurt when the content tumbled.

It was a Mary Magdalene experience.  The closet was empty—empty of any mess that is.  Her clothes hung neatly on hangers and her shoes were all in a row! She had done it!  Her room was indeed Mommy clean!

What a golden moment!  Together, we had arrived at the place I had hoped we would someday be. She got it! She really got it!  I was as delighted with her as she was of herself!

We walked back to the top of the stairs hand in hand and sat for a while; hugging and smiling; laughing and telling stories. Just as we began to plan her outside activities, the phone rang. Tolonda suddenly looked annoyed.  The call, after all, did interrupt a treasured moment! On the fifth ring, I answered it.

It was Eileen Diete from across the street. She said, “Sue, I think you better look outside on your front lawn! 

How clever, Tolonda, I thought! Now, what was I, the parent going to do.

What we treasure, what we value, requires our ongoing attention and participation. When we believe we have arrived, or that our work is finished, reality humbly intrudes telling us there is still a bit more that needs to be done.  God’s kingdom is here—and is still coming—until God says otherwise.

Valued as one of God’s greatest resources, each of us has been invited to bring our energy, our passion and our commitment to the table in order that together, we might continue to shape a common ministry that we all can treasure. Stepping back and taking a look, we can see that the ministry we share is rich and life giving, but we know there is still work to do. Closets have been opened, but some minds have remained closed. Challenges have been uncovered, but sometimes it is easier to leave those dusty realties for God’s own view. Children and youth continue to teach us about what is most important. As imperfect as it may be at times, we treasure this place and its ministry, that’s why we offer our time, our talent and our money!

There are no rules or particular creeds that specify actually what we are to believe or how we are to accomplish what we are called to do. We are bound by covenant—an agreement to do our best to love God and one another, to extend Christian hospitality to all who enter here and to hold one another accountable when the phone rings or an email arrives reminding us there is a messy world outside these windows.

Today, Consecration Sunday, we pledge once again to live out this covenant with one another by our commitment to be an Easter people sharing our faith and passion; loving one another, trusting God to guide us. We won’t always get it right, but today and tomorrow, we promise to keep faithfully trying.  In the name of Jesus Christ, may it be so.

Amen.

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