March 2022 Newsletter
Good morning all. I have an ugly coat. I don’t think it is ugly, but my husband does. I know it is an absurd coat. It is silk. It is pink. It is puffy and has weird front snaps that don’t actually close the coat. It is too big for me. I got it at a thrift shop and I love it. Whenever I wear it I feel powerful and purposeful. I have to wear it with purpose because otherwise it wouldn’t work. I have to look like I meant to wear it--like I am on a fashion runway and my coat is the cutting edge in outwear. If I didn’t wear it that way, it would be exactly what my husband calls it: my shrimp coat. If not worn with pride and purpose, I look like Patrick from SpongeBob Squarepants. I look like a jumbo shrimp.
I wore it all of my birthday weekend in Chicago, with my “new” maroon boots (see March 6th sermon—Waconia Moravian Presentation/YouTube). My husband just shook his head, and made shrimp fingers under his chin. But I wore it with pride and purpose. At Millers’ Pub on Wabash Ave in Chicago, as I was about to leave after my birthday meal, we passed a family of four waiting to be seated. As I came toward the family, the woman exclaimed, I LOVE YOUR COAT! She reached out to touch it and noted again how fantastic it was. I stopped and thanked her profusely as I grabbed my husband and told her he hates it; he thinks I look like a jumbo shrimp. I did shrimp fingers under my chin. Her husband broke into laughter. The woman and I agreed that our men knew nothing about fashion. I left the restaurant walking an inch taller than when I arrived and I was already on very high-heeled boots.
All of this story is to say, giving compliments to strangers is a great random act of kindness. I know that our appearance and our clothing are not what matter for our faith (see Matthew 6:28). But kindness does matter. Sharing joy, increasing joy in someone’s life does matter. We can do this a number of ways, only one of which is giving compliments.
Yes, there is heaviness and darkness in the world, our own Melanie Fransen, was feeling that as she read the Daily Text on February 2th while Russia continued its attack on Ukraine. She read the hymn verses from that day and decided she needed to sing them to us in worship (see March 6th -Youtube/Waconia Moravian Presentation):
Light of light, we humbly pray,
shine upon your world today;
break the gloom of our dark night,
fill our souls with love and light,
give your blessed word rebirth,
“Peace, good will to all on earth.”
Still the earth in darkness lies.
Up from death’s dark vale arise
voices of a world in grief,
prayers of those who seek relief;
to our darkness bring new birth,
“Peace, good will to all on earth.”
This advent hymn reminds us of the promises of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. No, compliments on stranger’s clothing are not going to bring world peace, but they do allow for a small bit of light to shine through...