A Two Goal Lead is the Most Dangerous Lead...

The Rev. Aron Kramer 17 Pentecost Sunday, September 23, 2007 God appeared to this farmer and granted him three wishes, but with the condition that whatever God did for the farmer would be given double to his neighbor. The farmer, scarcely believing his good fortune, wished for a hundred cattle. Immediately he received a hundred cattle and he was overjoyed until he saw that his neighbor had two hundred. So he wished for a hundred acres of land, and again he was filled with joy until he saw that his neighbor had two hundred acres of land. Rather than celebrating God’s goodness, the farmer could not escape feeling jealous and slighted because his neighbor had received more than he. Finally, he stated his third wish: that God would strike him blind in one eye. There is little imagination in this story on the part of the farmer, there is little creativity, it is a story about jealousy, desire and wanting to have more than anyone else. Today’s Gospel left me hanging, is there anyon...

Jeff Smith died, and with him goes much knowledge and joy for Gethsemane. It will be a little more empty without him around, it will be a little more predictable as well. Below is the homily I preached at his burial service. HOMILY FOR JEFF SMITH'S BURIAL SERVICE Matthew 5:2-11 I walked away from last nights time of sharing stories about Jeff with one clear conclusion, I am grateful I was never in the same car as Jeff while he was driving. The other characteristic of Jeff that I heard in stories shared last night, a characteristic most of us knew resided in Jeff’s heart, was his willingness to help others. Jeff would not think twice about helping people, whether it meant getting them home from Church, drying out basements or racing to Gethsemane to turn off the alarm, Jeff never thought twice about such action, it was his nature to help, to heal, to rescue, to be present when others were too busy. Shortly after my son was diagnosed with Leukemia and we had returned home from th...