There was a Facebook meme some time back that caught my attention.

It sang to that old campfire song tune. “If you’re happy and you know it!”

This one went, “If you’re happy and you know it overthink. If you’re happy and you know it overthink. If you’re happy and you know it and you want your brain to blow it, if you’re happy and you know it over think!”

Guilty!

We can think ourselves into all kinds of states. Many are not good. If presented with a project, we like Moses, can think of all kinds of reasons not to do it, many of which are just plain silly.

This past Lenten season I was pondering a mystery of our faith, the Holy Trinity. Its festival we will celebrate the end of May. It has long exasperated Christians.

Indeed, pondering how The Father, Son and Holy Spirit can be one can be a little daunting. Reformer Martin Luther would say, “To deny the Trinity endangers your salvation. To contemplate the Trinity endangers your sanity.”

Courage, my siblings in Christ, it’s really not all that hard, though it is profound. In my mediations I received the image of my favorite lunch time delicacy.

As simple as it sounds, merely consider a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Each part of which, is delicious and has a stand-alone taste. Yet combine them and you have something unique. The saltiness of peanut, the sweetness of the grape and richness of the wheat make for a delicious eating experience. Like wise to get a fuller taste and richness of our God, we have the image of the Trinity. Each part is a unique person, yet combined we have a fuller view of the deity. The Father creates, The Son forgives and the Spirit strengthens.

In our baptisms we are joined to this three-pronged powerhouse. Remember when Jesus counseled, “Go and do likewise,” after he told the parable of the Good Samaritan? (St. Luke, 10th chapter.)

By joining with us by water and Spirit, God calls us be creative, forgiving and strengthening.

You have powers and abilities that can be God breathed and God used. Sometimes we sell ourselves short.

Creation

Once a year I was responsible for a lunch that would be given to thirty or so city kids as part of a vacation bible school trip to a farm. I was so glad to have a school lunch server in my congregation. I always admired her expertise in putting together food for a large group. It was a gift.

Our denomination’s World Hunger Appeal has celebrated it its fiftieth year, meeting hunger needs at home and abroad.

I always loved the story of the rabbit lending library. They found rabbits to be indigenous to area. Each family in a village was given a momma and poppa rabbit. Hunger problem solved.

I like to joke at each summer’s end, “The zucchini is the rabbit of the plant world.”

What things that you all ready know can be used for the Lord’s glory, with a little creativity?

Forgiveness

It has been said that a definition of forgiveness is “to give as before.” How can you love someone as before the mishap occurred that separated you?

Years ago, a friend of mine forgot a luncheon date we had planned for some months.

With his repentance I found, in looking back, our friendship deepened.

If fact, I think I can say it took it to it another level.

How can you give as before? It can be difficult, and it should never be used to baptize abuse. I take solace in the phrase, “God help me to forgive that person who just sins differently than I do.”

It is truly the gift you give yourself.

Strengthening

I am part of group of clergy that gets together weekly to study lessons for the next Sunday sermon. We also share our “yucks and yippees,” our joys and sorrows.

I remember being blessed one time by hearing the mishap of a colleague. It echoed something I did years ago. I felt relief in knowing wasn’t the only Clutz wearing a clerical collar. (Kills ticks and fleas for six months!)

I am also buttressed in the fact that I can take their counsel and give counsel, in turn, in difficult times. It was in a similar group, years ago, I learned how to answer a favorite line, “Pastor I don’t go to church, it’s full of hypocrites!” The response is “There’s always room for one more!”

We forget that each Christian is as Luther put it, “Simul Justus et Peccator.” Simultaneously a saint and a sinner, each Christian is a walking war.

It’s a pretty lame excuse, when you think about your own sinfulness.

This month I was reminded of another Trinity. Most of us have heard the Reformed theologian Reinhold Niebuhr’s great Serenity Prayer. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Serenity, courage and wisdom are a trinity of spiritual blessings. As you consider what you can create, forgive and strengthen this month, I encourage it’s use. The original version went, “Father, give us courage to change what must be altered, serenity to accept what cannot be helped, and the insight to know the one from the other.”

Consider this exercise as you plan your ministry this month. I believe it was Walt Disney that said something the effect of, “If you can’t change something, you can’t. Don’t worry about it. If you can change something, you can. Don’t worry about it. Either way, don’t worry.”

Faced with a problem, take out a sheet of paper. Condense the problem into one sentence. Write it out 10 times. You might be amazed how anxiety is decreased with its simple repetition. Maybe there you will see how silly it is.

Now using the Serenity Prayer, see what you can do about the problem, praying for wisdom either to pick it up and solve it or drop it like a hot potato and go on to something else. Perhaps you might know someone who can handle it for you. There is no crime in asking for help. The times I’ve thought I could handle something myself, are times I’ve had the problem blow up in my face. A good maxim is, “Do it, delegate it, or drop it.”

The Triune God has been made manifest in creation, forgiveness and strength. How will you be creative forgiving and strengthening?

What person’s life, or project or program can you be a part of? Like to play cards? Is there someone in nursing home you might play with?

Good at baking? Take a cake and a church bulletin to that new neighbor who just moved in the block. Concerned about hunger? Volunteer at a food pantry.

Church has a financial need? Let the moths fly out of that closed heart and wallet.

Concerned about something civil? Write your congressperson and volunteer in programs to alleviate the problem.

Consider your baptism into Christ and Christ’s church. In baptism you a special creation of God. Knowing your sins are forgiven and that God daily with you, may you know God’s creating, forgiving and strengthening powers.

May you the be inspired to be creating, forgiving and strengthening to the world around you. May “PB and J” stand for God’s “Precious, Bountiful Joy” that you share this month.

O Triune God. You are creative, forgiving and strengthening. Empower us to “go and do likewise.”

Open our minds to new ventures. Help us to learn from our pasts that we may strengthen others in our present and future undertakings.

Let your Holy Trinity spur our threefold ability to reflect your light in our darkened world.

May we spread your Precious, Bountiful Joy with all we meet this week.

Hear us, hold us, help us, and heal us. Amen!

Keep up the God Work!

Rev. John F. Hazel Jr. is a retired Palmerton pastor.