A Reflection on Pot Lucks....

Raido Devotion....you may have read this, but this one was one of the devotions I recorded for the radio. This one has a different ending...

A Reflection on Pot Lucks....

I love  Pot Lucks!....any time any place!!! Pot lucks have been around for awhile! The word was first used in the 16th century to mean "food provided for an unexpected or uninvited guest…….. the luck of the pot"......

The term is still used today and has come to mean: more food than one can eat, and it is truly all good!!!! Especially here in Northern and Northeastern Iowa where we know how to cook with the abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats that are produced here....and where it is not uncommon to smell fresh bread baking!

When we lived on our farm near Highlandville, Iowa we use to have spontaneous potlucks throughout the summer. The kids were off having adventures around the neighborhood, and at some point, I would have to go find them. That was when we ran into the neighbors looking for their kids too! And that lead us all to decide at the last minute that everyone should gather at the campground in a half an hour, with whatever they had and we would have supper together...Always a lot of fun, more food that we could all eat, and never planned!!!!

When we attended Seminary, there was a "covered dish" dinner every Friday night. Everyone brought their favorite thing to BBQ on the grill, and a dish to share. More than once every dish was a pot of freshly opened baked beans,……. and it was fabulous!!

When my husband, Dave was on Internship in Indiana, we had regular pot lucks there too....only they were not called pot lucks....they were Pitch ins....everyone pitched in and brought a dish. They also used mangos that looked a lot like green peppers to me....

When we moved to Cross Roads were introduced to each of the four congregations with a pot luck....during the same week....FOUR nights in a row!!!! The food was fantastic, the fellowship was wonderful! At the end of the week I said UFF DA! That was a lot of food! I think I gained at least 25 pounds!

A few months ago we had a pot luck at one of our congregations; we were honoring our missionary friends from Haiti...They called it a Pot Blessing....because we were blessed with so many pots of great food, and the best peach pie he had ever eaten!  Yup! it was ALL good!!!!

Across the country Pot Lucks may be called by different names...such as a “bring and share”, a spread, a Dutch supper, or even a Jacob's Join....But what ever it is called, FOR SURE there will enough for everyone to eat and enjoy.....

With everyone wanting the prized hot dishes, potato salad made by Muriel or Marion, or Keith or (fill in the name of your favorite maker of the best potato salad). And then there are the hot dishes, the casseroles, Jello, deviled eggs, pies, salads, desserts, and homemade bread....

And in every group there are one or two people that ALWAYS bring the same dish, because we all know it would not BE a POTLUCK with out that one dish!!!! Am I right?????

But I have not always loved Pot Lucks......My earliest memories were of red Jello melting into the scalloped potatoes. AND that is just NOT right. That was what happened before I was allowed to dish my own plate because I could not reach the table.

So when I could hold the plate myself, there were no more red rivers running through the mounds of oooie gooey goodness....and that was when my love affair with Pot Lucks began!

As I have gotten older I am also loving the analogy of the pot luck….where everyone shares food, shares time, shares the work, everyone has a great time, and there is enough even for those who didn't bring anything...

….and not only everyone have enough....there are even left overs to be taken home....

As we approach the season of advent we are reminded of The Kingdom of God. And the promise that God has given of how the Kingdom will be like that too….We wait for that time when there will be Enough for everyone with much left over. We wait for the time when there will peace. And we wait for the time when Christ will come again. Advent is that time when we wait for the baby Jesus and for the second coming of Christ…. And we wait for that time when all will have enough…..The Kingdom is restored, but not yet….We wait!

Oh, and if you are having a pot Luck, Any time any place..., I will come!

Encouragment

....Today it was my turn to record messages for the radio devotions....Here is a preview.

In our congregations we talk a lot about faith practices….Faith practices for us come out of the promises that are made by parents, sponsors, and the congregation to God as we come to the baptismal font.

These practices are prayer, study, worship, invite, give, encourage, and serve. All of these things, through the grace of God, have helped me and many others, to grow in faith, have the courage to follow, and answer the call to serve.

All of the faith practices are important and it is hard to choose just one to talk about…..but today I choose to talk about “Encouragement”. That might be one that we might not think about as being a faith practice….but it is.

There are two parts to encouragement….the first part is to give it….the second part is when you receive it yourself….

You never know what is going on in someone’s life. You don’t know what they have been through or what they are facing….unless you take the time to ask.

You don’t know what a difference you will make when you say something as simple as hello, or thank you to someone, especially when they are having a bad day…..

Just after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, a committed group of people from Iowa decided to go to Biloxi, Mississippi to help in the clean up efforts. They were happy to help, even though many of the residents had been evacuated.

The group received their assignments and were sent out into the the destroyed city. They had difficulty finding the location of where they were to clean up….but they eventually found it. And set to work cleaning off the cement pad that once was someone’s home and back yard. They stopped their work to eat lunch ….As they were finished their lunch, an elderly couple drove up….The group introduced themselves to the couple and they told them they were from the recovery group and this property was assigned to them to clean up….so there they were. They went back to work, they moved the branches and debris to the curb, swept the cement pad that once was a house. As they started packing up to leave, the couple was in tears….they expressed their gratitude by saying thank you over and over, and that they never would be able to repay the group for all the help they had been given that day….they said that there were no words to express their deep feelings…

…..and then they confessed, that that day they had lost all hope, they felt that no one cared and help was never coming…..they said that it meant so much that this group from Iowa cared enough to come, to encourage them, and to show them God’s love. Because earlier that day, they had decided to go to, what was left of their house…..one last time. They had planned to commit suicide. And that group from Iowa changed their plans.

You can imagine how the group reacted….overwhelmed that such a simple thing as cleaning a yard could make such a dramatic difference in someone’s life…..

But that was not the only amazing thing that happened that day. God was there….I believe God sent that team to that location that day….

Because the rest of the story is: When the team returned to the home base for supper and debriefing for that evening, eager to tell of their encounter with that elderly couple……., they were met at the door by the volunteer leaders who said they were so glad to see them and where had they been all day? Why did they not go to the address they were given?

…..Come to find out that the team from Iowa had gone to the wrong location that day…..

God is at work, every day and every where!…encouragement makes a difference. Who can you encourage today?

This is us with the house we built in a week during a Jimmy and Roslin Carter Bltiz Build in Diamond Head MS. If you look closely you will notice that that really is former president Carter standing with us....Top 10 experiences of my life! 

Quick Update....

Life is Great! We have had a busy couple of weeks. I have been feeling good and looking forward to Chemo Treatment #6 on Thursday....You may be surprised when I say I am looking forward to it, but that is only because it is the last one....at least that is the plan, but we know how plans have turned out for Team Wergi lately! There is a possibility that  there might be a seventh treatment, but they hope not and I so do I. Apparently cancer adapts to the medication and is only effective for 6-7 rounds......so we will see.....

In three weeks or so, the medical team will re-evaluate and determine the next step....So like Advent....we wait!

Oh yeah....it is super important to find the fun and positive in all things, even Chemo that destroys the fast growing cells-cancer and otherwise....When I am sitting in the chair getting the unicorn juice, there is a person who comes with warm blankets AND all the snickerdoodle cookies I want!!!! So Thursday is Snickerdoodle Day in my World!

Anyhoo (That was for you Charlene!) We keep going, day by day, and life is good, just a little slower. Thank you again for all the prayers, support, and well wishes! I cannot do this with out my family, all of you and God!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Disclaimer....ya, I know, that is not a picture of a snickerdoodle cookie, that is a chocolate chip cookie....they are good too. I didn't have a picture of a snickerdoodle. I will get a picture on Thursday!

Day 89~~~Whoa! I was not expecting that!

First of all....today is good! Tuesday though....that was a different story. (Monday too but it was the official day off, and I planned nothing for that day) And it was a surprise.

The backstory I have to keep saying is: "I am so thankful to be able to keep up with things, for the most part anyway. I have to admit that I get wore out quicker than before. Dave would disagree, but that is another story."

Back to Tuesday. Tuesday would have been day 6 of cycle #5. I had a full day on the calendar. So got up in the morning, took a shower, and got ready to go. That was when I discovered an intense identification with a bowl of spaghetti. I felt like there was no structure in any of my body parts, and no energy to gather up all the body parts to move from where I was to where I wanted to be. I had absolutely no desire to move.

But I did, I went to a Text study of this weeks Gospel lesson with friends and colleagues in Osage. And after we went out for lunch. When it was time to go and I slithered into the car, I told Dave I was really exhausted. Perhaps this was what my doctor talked about when she said "I don't want you to overdo".

To the home I went. And went no further than the closest place to sit. Immediately I fell asleep and woke up two hours later, still in my jacket and bags at my feet.

I got up and tried to straiten up (stuff random items into drawers, closets, and cupboards, just to be able to say I accomplished something this day. Plus we were having the Mutual Ministry meeting at our house Tuesday night. (I don't even want to think about unraveling the mess in those drawers)

When it was time, they came, we had an awesome meeting with good things talked about. One of the members brought pizza-thank you Tom! We finished and then it was time for meeting #2.....the parish council meeting. I begged not to go....My mind was willing, but my body said "NOOOOOO". Dave pushed, I whined....I asked him to Drive me over......he said no! I went, but had to stop to rest by the maple tree in the yard.

The meeting went well.....I enjoyed it.....awesome treats! Thanks Abby and Nic! But I sat there like a pile of spaghetti, at least that was how I felt.

Went home, rested at that same maple tree. Prepared to go to bed. Forgot that I had one more thing to do.....Made a bowl of jello for the potluck at the NEIA Synod office the next day. Then sat down to go to bed....Super tired and exhausted but sleep did not come. I thought I will watch one of my favorite recorded shows from that night.....nothing! Don't ya just hate that feeling of wanting and needing to sleep and it just never comes....

Finally fell asleep on the couch, with the lights on and the TV blaring.

Wednesday was another day.....Felt 1000 times better. Still grateful for no pain (except for a little back pain when I clean, but I might have had that before). We went to the potluck, had a great time. We had confirmation family night-another potluck, an engaging talk about human trafficing and tangible things we can do......  and all is well in the Wergi world!

The adventure continues.....

Soli Deo Gloria!

Happy Birthday to Kevin......November 3

November 3rd, 1980 you arrived at 1:08 am in the morning (something like that). The doctor almost was late for your entry....but Dr Smith arrived just in time. It had been a Sunday night, we were Luther League advisors and so we went to Luther League while I was in labor. Freaked everyone out!  Then we went to the hospital.

Your name, Kevin, means "gentle and lovable" and that you have been. You have a heart of gold and would give away everything if that would help someone. That is what I love the most about you. That and your sense of adventure. You are such a mountain man! But if that is what makes your heart sing then so be it!

I am so happy that you have found the love of your life. Rachel is the perfect complement for you...she is a keeper. We can't wait to officially welcome her to our family...so my son, get busy!

We pray that you enjoy your day. We will be celebrating your birthday early, later today! But it is a surprise thanks to Rachel! so shhhh! You won't read this anyway, so I think we are safe!!!!

Happy Birthday my son! Enjoy your day, blessing abound, Mom

From Bishop Ullestad.....

I just thought I would share the Facebook Post from Bishop Ullestad.....He sent a link to this incredible song......Thank you Bishop!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJxrX42WcjQ&feature=youtu.be