By Pastor Tracey Leslie
Scripture:  Nehemiah ch. 8 and Luke 4:16-30

​When Britt and I were dating in seminary, I would grab him in my arms and say, “Kiss me, you fool.”  I know; it’s really sappy.  Now at that time, Britt was a big fan of Garfield the cat.  He had a Garfield mug and some other paraphernalia.  The first Christmas after we’d been dating, Britt spent Christmas Eve with his family in Cincinnati and drove up to Dayton early Christmas day so we could drive together back to Pennsylvania to see my family.  We’d been dating for a while and we’d discussed the possibility of marriage.  Just before Christmas, Britt called and told me he’d bought me a special gift.  My heart leapt within me.  Could it be an engagement ring?  I called my mom and my sister and relayed the conversation to each of them.  Britt arrived on Christmas morning and I opened my special gift before we began our drive to Pennsylvania.  It was a small figurine of Garfield with the words, “Kiss me, you fool,” written across his chest.  Now, had I not been expecting an engagement ring, this would have been a very cute and romantic gift.  But, it was no ring and it was a long, difficult drive back to Johnstown where – upon entering my parents’ home – my mother and sister both grabbed hold of my hand to check for a ring.  That evening Britt and I had a nice, long talk and the next day we visited a couple of jewelry stores.  On New Years’ we went out to dinner.  Between the main course and dessert, I went to the ladies’ room.  When I returned to the table, there – in front of my plate – was the Garfield.  A ring dangled from his paw.  On his chest, the word “Kiss” had been X’ed out.  In its place was written the word “Marry.”  “Marry me, you fool.”  Only one word was different.  One word was changed and it changed my life.
Words are powerful.  And – as I’ve noted in recent weeks – no word is more powerful than the Word of God.

By Pastor Tracey Leslie
Scripture:  John 2:1-11

​Many years ago I attended a Youth Specialties Youth Workers’ Sabbath Retreat.  As part of the overall schedule and structure, we were divided into small groups that met each day with a spiritual director.  It was my first experience with group spiritual direction.  The director provided a scripture, a topic or a question and we were invited to share how it connected with our life.  We weren’t compelled – merely invited – to share.  But we were asked not to comment or respond to what others shared.  We were asked to simply listen; to listen with the ear of our hearts, so to speak.  And, we were asked to maintain a period of silence after each person spoke, allowing time to absorb what had been said and to pray silently for the one who had shared.  It was one of the most powerful experiences of Christian community I have ever had.  Here’s what I discovered through that experience… 

By Pastor Tracey Leslie
Scripture:  Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

​In his book, Remember Who You Are, United Methodist pastor, bishop and professor Will Willimon poses the question: “Who first told you… that you were a wretched offender, miserable sinner, no good?  Was it your parents, when they first shook you and scolded you and told you to behave?  [Was it a teacher or coach when they told you to go to the bottom of the class or the bottom of the batting order?]  Or your boss, when he asked you to do it over and try to get it right this time? Or your children, who looked at you and judged you to be parentally inadequate?  Or, did they all tell you [that y]ou are the over-drinking, over-spending, over-sexed, under-achieving, under-giving, under-loving, worm-like one…”  A poor excuse for the “image and likeness of God.”[i]

[i] Remember Who You Are: Baptism, a Model for Christian Life by William H Willimon; The Upper Room; 1980; p. 24.