Remembering Mrs. Rudolph (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

What was I doing in a remedial English class?

The full answers are complicated and must be saved for another time. The short version: my prior year English teacher had recommended it. Granted, it was a first-world problem (like all of my problems), but as a freshly minted high schooler, I was in shock.

Just to be clear, this was not a language class like Spanish or French. This was the U.S. schools version of English (i.e., grammar): a class about reading literature, identifying themes, writing papers, crafting declarative sentences, etc.

I had always loved reading, and in recent times had begun to enjoy writing, as well. With each passing year, school had become more interesting to me. I was excited about the new adventures I supposed were coming my way at the high school.

But, no. At least not in English.

It was a very difficult year for me. Despite realizing pretty quickly that I was improperly slotted, my English teacher was unable to correct the situation, though she tried. I stayed the entire school year. I lost hope. Things got so bad, I actually considered dropping out of school (which was allowed at age 16). I came to think of that year as my "low year."

And then, just when I had decided that school, at least school like that, was not for me, Mrs. Rudolph rescued me.

In the church calendar, November 1st is All Saints Day, the time set aside to remember those who have gone before; fathers and mothers of the church, martyrs, our own loved ones, and, not incidentally, those significant others who helped shape our lives. And so I pause to remember Rosemary Rudolph, teacher extraordinaire.

I had known her since my early childhood; she and her husband lived directly across 21st Street from us. So, perhaps when she heard about my unusual predicament through the English teacher grapevine, she recognized my name. I'm not sure how she came to be involved. I just know that at the critical moment, I was directed to go to a certain room and there was Mrs. Rudolph offering a possible way out.

The room, a precursor to today's reading labs, was intended for people who had problems reading. But Mrs. Rudolph explained to me that we (oh, how I cherished that word!) would be using it to measure and document my reading ability. She told me it would cost me a study hall twice a week, but promised me that if I could perform well there, I could have a chance to move into an English class more suited to my abilities. I don't know if she knew just how at-risk I was. Maybe. Or maybe she just wanted to collect some assessments more objective than the opinions of one individual.

There are many fine teachers toiling away in our public schools; low pay, little spare time, working far more hours than most of us. And I am privileged to know a few of them. These folks deserve our thanks and more. There are many stories about sacrifices teachers have made for their students.

Mrs. Rudolph was NOT my teacher; on her own, she came up with a scheme to use the reading lab assessment tools to prove I was a good reader and writer, and she arranged with who-knows-how-many in the faculty and administration for me to spend two study halls each week working there. That seems above and beyond to me. It was remarkable that anyone, especially a teacher who did not have me in class, was taking time away from what I know was a packed workday to try to fix the problem!

I did my part: I delivered good work in my English class, gave the reading lab my all, and made good grades in my other classes. And Mrs. Rudolph did hers. When the next school year rolled around, I found I was assigned to an English class more commensurate with my skills and abilities:

Mrs. Rudolph's.

We read a lot in Mrs. Rudolph's class, and we wrote a lot. Yes, I found it challenging, especially following an entire year where the greatest challenges were not academic, but rather boredom and depression. Oh, don't think I considered my "low year" a wasted year. What one may have meant for ill, God meant for good. I learned several lessons that "low" year in English, just not a lot on the topic. From my classmates, I learned that a person's value is not related to their academic performance; that some people just need a little help to move past the thing that's holding them back; and, perhaps most importantly, I learned that friendships need not always be with people who are like us. Different is good.

Mrs. Rudolph has passed from this world. But she is well remembered, and not just by me. In her obituary, I read that the Board of Education conferred on her the coveted "Most Inspiring Teacher" Award a few years ago. Mrs. Rudolph loved the Lord, and that relationship was the energy that moved her through this world and the compass that guided her actions. She embodied, and not just for me, the commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself."

A saint, indeed.
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I am including both the regular Lectionary readings and this for All Saints Day; readers choice.

http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 26 (31) (November 1, 2015)
First reading and Psalm
Ruth 1:1-18
Psalm 146
Alternate First reading and Psalm
Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Psalm 119:1-8
Second reading
Hebrews 9:11-14
Gospel
Mark 12:28-34

All Saints Day (November 1, 2015)
First reading and Psalm
Isaiah 25:6-9
Psalm 24
Second reading
Revelation 21:1-6a
Gospel
John 11:32-44

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We're having a great time Friday mornings at Lectionary Breakfast. Join us and spend some time with saints-still-becoming. We read, discuss, nosh, and laugh (not necessarily in that order). We meet at 8:00 at the Waco "Egg and I" restaurant for about an hour.

You would love it 😇

Enjoy the week!
Steve

Radiant (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

Winters in our little river city could be harsh. When the cold temps combined with the wind off the river, the result was bone-chilling. And one place we could almost always count on to experience that cold was in Mrs. Maguire's Algebra class. Oh, there was nothing wrong with the radiators in her classroom. They performed their steamy duty as well as any. No, the problem was the windows.

If Mrs. Maguire thought anyone's attention was drifting, or their participation was subpar, she opened those windows.

Plus, to underscore how serious she was about the need to be engaged in her class, she would relocate people to sit by the open windows. Now, I'll grant you the radiators were directly below the windows. So, no matter how cold it was on that side of the room, no one was in any real danger. Those radiators kept radiating.

Still, as you can imagine, most of us were especially vigilant in her class that winter. Sitting next to the radiators could be warm, but that could change in an instant if she opened the windows to let those winter winds slice into the room.

Those radiators, whether warming us or serving the will of Mrs. Maguire, could have been called a different term: radiants. For the most part, we use "radiant" as an adjective. It has synonyms like illuminated, brilliant, gleaming, glowing, ablaze, luminous, luminescent, lustrous, incandescent, dazzling, shimmering, resplendent. We say things like "she looked radiant that evening" or "the radiant energy filled the room."

But it also works as a noun.

A person or thing can BE a radiant; the conduit for all that energy outflow.

I have to wonder if that is what the Psalmist means when he writes in this week's Lectionary, "Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” (Psalm‬ ‭34:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬) It certainly was true of Moses. He spent so much time in God's presence that he glowed from the exposure. He became a radiant.

Those radiants kept us warm that winter in Mrs. Maguire's classroom, but only because they were connected to the source, the generator of all that steam heat. Disconnected, they would have been just so much cold metal. What about us? Are we radiants? Do we spend so much time in the presence of the Lord that others cannot help but experience God's warmth and glow?

Be a radiant.
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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/

Proper 25 (30) (October 25, 2015)
First reading and Psalm
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22)
Alternate First reading and Psalm
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Psalm 126
Second reading
Hebrews 7:23-28
Gospel
Mark 10:46-52
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Fall is such a busy time. I hope you can make time to come to Lectionary Breakfast on Friday morning. We gather at 8:00 for an hour of fellowship, scripture reading, discussion; plus a few laughs along the way. Join us at the Waco "Egg and I" restaurant for a sure fire way to ensure you have a great week.

Enjoy!
Steve

Got to BE a Better Way (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

The other people in the restaurant gave us some strange looks.

Granted, we earned those looks. Partly, it was the hour. A large gaggle of high school students troops into the Frisch's Big Boy at 10:00 p.m. on a school night; that, by itself, would turn a few heads. In our little river city, everyone knew where we were SUPPOSED to be at that hour: at home, maybe even in bed, already. School days started early.

We pushed a few tables together, earning more looks. Each of us asked for a menu, but almost all of us just ordered a Big Boy, fries, and drink. One girl ordered a salad. And one guy ordered onion rings instead of fries. But none of us actually looked at the menus in our hands. That got us a look from the waitress.

Then, only after putting in our orders, we lifted our menus and started reading them ... out loud ... expressively.

We were there because drama rehearsal at the high school had run a bit later than usual. And, well, no one really wanted to go home. We were keyed up and hungry. There were one or two other places open that late where high school students could legitimately go, but Big Boy was right across the street and, thus, the natural choice.

Yes, it was a few minutes of light-hearted silliness; but as odd as it may seem, the expressive reading of those menus actually served a purpose. If we could infuse interest and convey meaning when reading the words printed on a menu, we were well on our way to doing the same with the lines in our spring play. Mr. Miller, our erstwhile speech teacher and drama coach, would have been happy for our industry; but, likely, a little chagrined at our choice of venue.

There's a great scene in the movie, The Candidate, where Robert Redford's character, first time senatorial candidate Bill McKay, has recently given in to his campaign advisors and adopted a slogan, "There's got to be a better way -- McKay." In the scene, he slumps in the back seat of a car, exhausted from an already long day of campaigning that is far from over. He repeatedly mumbles part of the slogan, each time changing the emphasis: "Got to BE a better way ... GOT to be a better way ... Got to be a BETTER way ... Got to be a better WAY." In the front seat, two of his handlers give each other the eye, wondering if he has gone over the edge.

Our late night burgers and menu readings were something like that scene, and the event stands out in my memory. Not just because of the looks we garnered, and not at all because my reading partner was a cute girl (smile). It stands out because it underscored for me, in an unforgettable way, that HOW we read the words of others MATTERS. Changing which words or syllables to emphasize in a sentence or phrase can completely change the meaning.

And so, I call on you to read with care the words of God in this week's Lectionary selection from Job, especially the opening sentences. Many a translator has rendered Job 38:2-3 to "read" almost conversationally. Consider the New Revised Standard Version: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me."

I found this same kind of mild rendering in many translations and versions. And even though the word, "counsel" actually indicates God's design or purposes ---See? That already changes the meaning--- some substituted "advice" for "counsel," making it even more bland. With the exception of Job 19:25, these final chapters are the most important in the book, and among the most important in the Bible. They are all about the sovereignty of God. And "hearing" them correctly makes a difference.

Below is my understanding of the meaning of those two key verses, the ones that set the tone for the remainder of God's response to Job. I welcome your comments and thoughts. Let me know if you agree or if you "hear" it differently.

"WHO dares? Who DARES cloud MY DESIGN in darkness? Step forward and brace yourself. Now it is MY turn to interrogate YOU. Perhaps you think YOU can teach ME."

Now go read the rest of it.

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 24 (29) (October 18, 2015)
First reading and Psalm
Job 38:1-7, (34-41)
Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c
Alternate First reading and Psalm
Isaiah 53:4-12
Psalm 91:9-16
Second reading
Hebrews 5:1-10
Gospel
Mark 10:35-45

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We're having a GREAT time Friday mornings at Lectionary breakfast! The food, the scriptures, and, seriously, the laughter, add immeasurably to the quality of our weeks and our lives. If you're nearby, join us at the Waco "Egg and I" restaurant at 8:00 for an hour like no other. If you've ever wondered, let me assure you, there really IS a better way.

Enjoy the week!
Steve
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For more info about the wonderful Frisch's Big Boy restaurants, check out this link; it's the source of the above photo: http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Frisch's_Big_Boy

The Possibilities in the Subtleties (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

Caldwell O'Connor had always loved steam driven locomotives. Even as a boy.

And when he recognized the steady replacement of steam by petroleum products was going to put an end to them, O'Connor felt an urgency to capture those behemoths on film, before they vanished into history. And of course, he wanted to capture them in motion.

There was just one problem.

He quickly discovered something other filmmakers could have told him: fast-moving objects appeared jerky when filmed. There was no way to smoothly film their progress across a field of vision. Cameras didn't move that fast without shaking.

So, being an engineer by trade, O'Connor invented a solution. He called it the "fluid-damped camera head." It was a a silicone-filled platform that fit between the camera and the tripod. It eliminated the jerkiness that plagued the rapid panning required to film fast-moving objects.

It solved what he thought was the problem.

One day, while pursuing his joy of filming moving steam-powered locomotives, a stranger tapped O'Connor on the shoulder and asked to take a look. As the guy seemed to know his way around cameras, O'Connor agreed. By his comments, the stranger indicated he recognized what O'Connor had accomplished. And then he asked O'Connor to make 10 of the platforms for him.

That stranger was Walt Disney.

With his expert eye, Disney observed O'Connor's operation of his camera as he filmed racing steam-driven locomotives, the ultra smooth panning as the lens followed the train across the landscape. He recognized something most of us wouldn't even register: O'Connor was filming more smoothly than was possible with existing motion picture technology.

It was a subtle thing, but Walt saw the possibilities in it.

When Walt Disney tapped O'Connor on the shoulder that day, it changed the course of O'Connor's life. He went on to developed many engineering marvels, and he later won the Academy Award for his creation of the "fluid-damped camera head," an invention that completely changed filmmaking. He quit his job with the power company to work full time on his engineering projects, many of which were for Disney.

Disney was in the process of trying to film The Living Desert, one of his first live action nature films. He, too, had been plagued by the jerkiness of rapid panning required to film, in his case, fast moving animals. Using the O'Connor head, The Living Desert went on to win the very first "Academy Award for Documentary Feature."

O'Connor saw his invention as solving his problem: filming trains. Walt Disney saw the possibilities of the O'Connor head for filming ANY moving object; that it was an industry-changing invention.

And it all started with a tap on the shoulder.

Disney, an acknowledged master in his realm, saw the possibilities in the subtleties. He knew that with this relationship he could do wonders. We need someone like that in our lives, someone who can observe us so closely they can perceive the possibilities in aspects so subtle that even we may not recognize them as potential strengths.

In this week's Lectionary, Job is reeling from all the terrible things that have befallen him and his family. Job believed in God, but he had a different relationship with God than we do. Job lived in a world that associated material gain with the belief that It came about because of God's favor, God's approval. In the world view of Job's time, he should have been immune to tragedy.

We know different.

Job also believed if only he could find a way into God's presence he could present his concerns, make his case, receive an explanation of what he had done to deserve such tragedies, and perhaps get some instruction on how to correct his faults. For Job, this was hope.

It is different for us.

We know we have someone who desires the very best for us. We don't have to wait until our lives come apart before we reach out to Him. If we're open to it, we can begin an adventure with just a gentle tap on our spiritual shoulders. We need only be expectantly still.

The Master, who can see the possibilities in our subtleties, can do wonders.
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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/

Proper 23 (28) (October 11, 2015)

Job 23:1-9, 16-17
Psalm 22:1-15
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
Psalm 90:12-17
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31
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Be sure to read all of this coming week's Lectionary selections. This is one of those weeks when they all fit together. We're looking at Job, in particular, so start there.

Then join us for Lectionary Breakfast Friday morning at 8:00 at the Waco "Egg and I" restaurant. We'll be talking about what happened to Job (and why), and whether we need to be concerned about something like that happening to us.

Enjoy the week!
Steve


Photo credit: http://wallpapers55.com/steam-locomotive-passing-through-desert/

The Parts of a Pause (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

When I was young, the way we watched movies was a very different enterprise than today. Films were actually recorded on FILM, not captured digitally. Copies were made of films and physically shipped from one part of the country to the other rather than transferred digitally across the Internet.

The method for showing a film, today, is rather simple: essentially just activating the digital copy to "play." Back then, someone had to physically thread the film into a projector through which was then shone a very bright light. There was an art to that threading of film. If not accomplished correctly, the film would not feed along the sprockets to the correct position: i. e., where the bright light would project the image out toward the screen where it would be viewed.

It was a lot more complicated for the user, and could lead to FEED OUT (the film feeding right back out of the projector instead of onward into the machine), FEED BACK (the film processing through the machine, but exiting before it arrives at the projection point), or, hopefully, FEED THROUGH (the film moving through and arriving at the point where the creativity of the film can be shared by all viewers).

And that brings me to the parts of a pause. A while back, the Disney organization set out to discover what, if anything, occurs in someone's mind immediately after receiving a stimulus. Understanding that could provide Disney with valuable knowledge, knowledge they could use in shaping what they offer, to whom, and when.

What they learned was that there is a pause between a stimulus being received by someone and their response to that stimulus. And, they discovered something even more interesting: the pause had parts.

Much like the film of yesteryear, a stimulus could produce different results based on what happens during that pause. Should the person respond without thinking, it would be like FEED OUT, just an immediate reaction to the stimulus (you hit me, I immediately hit you back). A more nuanced response would be similar to FEED BACK, where a person uses some portion of that pause to reflect on previous responses to similar stimuli (you hit me, I recall a previous time you did so and decide to employ the same response I did then).

The final part of the pause could be like FEED THROUGH; neither reacting nor settling for a selection from previous responses, but rather moving on through to the creative response (You hit me; I elect to turn the other cheek). Here, at last, was where people in the business of creativity were likely to find a response most useful to their trade.

We, too, can find these metaphors useful. We have options when we read scripture. We CAN simply react without thought. Alternately, and perhaps better in many circumstances, we can reflect of our previous responses and let the scriptures reinforce our behaviors. Finally, we may well find it useful to push on through to the creative response, considering a new thought, a new way of living our lives with God.

I think there was just such a moment when Jesus told his followers “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (‭Mark‬ ‭10:14-15‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Pause for a bit and think about that.
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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 22 (27) (October 4, 2015)
First reading and Psalm
Job 1:1, 2:1-10
Psalm 26
Alternate First reading and Psalm
Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 8
Second reading
Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12
Gospel
Mark 10:2-16
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Lectionary Breakfast resumes Friday morning at the Waco "Egg and I" restaurant. We gather at 8:00 for a wonderful hour of fellowship and food; both for the body and for the soul. Come and pause with us for a space between the stimuli and responses that make up your week.

Enjoy the week!
Steve