So it was a rough day for the General. On June 15th the Continental Congress had made him the Commander of the Army, and on July 3rd he formally took command. So after a few days of issuing mostly administrative General Orders, today he is tasked with something a little more heavy.
You see, the battle of Bunker Hill had been in June, and during the battle there was a blatant example of cowardice. Three men were brought up on charges, but just one was found guilty. All of this had happened before Washington came on the scene, but the sentencing was left for him to deal with. After reviewing the court martial information, the General agrees with the sentencing and dismisses Captain John Callender from the Continental Army. In the general order from this day, Washington speaks his thoughts on the dangers of cowardice.
“It is with inexpressible Concern that the General upon his first Arrival in the army, should find an Officer sentenced by a General Court Martial to be cashier’d for Cowardice—A Crime of all others, the most infamous in a Soldier, the most injurious to an Army, and the last to be forgiven; inasmuch as it may, and often does happen, that the Cowardice of a single Officer may prove the Distruction of the whole Army:“
So while Captain Callender was dismissed, John Callender was not done with the army. The general’s order had some interesting wording…..
“Capt. John Callender is accordingly cashiered and dismissd from all farther service in the Continental Army as an Officer.“
“….as an Officer.” That small phrase made all the difference. You see, while John could not be an officer, he was able to rejoin the Continental Army as an enlisted man. He rejoins a volunteer artillery company, and while this is out of our timeline, he does show heroism during the battle of Long Island. In March of 1776, his unit is under attack and some even start to break under the assault. Callender assumes command and by the “force of his example” rallies the men. While they are still overtaken, his bravery catches the attention of a British officer who spares his life, and takes him as a prisoner of war. The story of his bravery was relayed to Washington, who upon hearing was moved to strike the court martial from the record, reinstate his rank and arrange for his release. I was so surprised by this outcome and I just couldn’t wrap my mind around “why”? Why did he run during the battle of Bunker Hill but acted so bravely at Long Island? I tried looking for something written or spoken by him to see what his motivation was, but I unfortunately didn’t find anything.
What it did remind me of is something I’ve come to believe is very important for my life…. It’s not how you start, but how you finish. He didn’t start off very well, but he certainly turned it around. Captain Callender seemed to make the choice to humble himself by signing up as a lowly private, and didn’t even try to hide his unsavory story. He just mustered his courage and served his country and in these days it gives me hope. Hope that if he can, so can I.
“Simple cures to complex problems are almost always snake oil”. – Mike Cosper
It was just a couple of days ago I read that statement and it made me stop for a moment to ponder. I was in the middle of Mike Cosper’s new book, “The Church in Dark Times,” and while the comment made me stop, I didn’t stop for long. I found the connections interesting that he was seeing between what has been happening in the church and some of the observations of journalist Hannah Arendt. As I thought about the quote from the book, it really brought my mind to the state of our country, and even our world. Then out of the recess’ of my mind came a word, or at least a part of a word. Funny thing was, I couldn’t really remember where the word came from or what it meant? Luckily for me the internet can take half remembered thoughts and provide the information needed. That thought, is a Gordian Knot.
It was funny, I had no idea where that came from or what exactly was a Gordian knot? I was telling Mike about it, and he said we had heard it in a documentary about Alexander the Great. So I read more and understood why it came to mind. This Greek legend in a nutshell is this…. There is an oxcart that is tied to the palace of the former kings of Phrygia. It has a storied history and the oxcart itself was dedicated to a Phrygian god. This oxcart was tied by an elaborate knot that was unable to be untied, and that my friend is the Gordian Knot. An oracle had proclaimed that any man who could undue the knot, would rule all of Asia. Centuries passed and the knot was still fully tied. No one had been able to untie the complicated knot though many had tried in their desire to rule. Then comes Alexander, not Hamilton, but the Great. He arrived in Phrygia and immediately wanted to untie the knot. Now in the end, he was able to get it loosed, and does eventually rule all of Asia. Hence the moniker…. “the Great”.
The first version of the legend I read stated that when Alexander came and was unable to unravel the confusing knot, he took out his sword and sliced through it. “It makes no difference how they are loosed,” he is rumored to have said. This solution is looked on as “bold or unconventional action taken to remedy a difficult problem”. And what a story! There is though another ending, and I was surprised to hear this very different way the story was resolved.
So in this version, Alexander observes the knot and the complicated structure, and instead of pulling out his sword he takes the time to get a different point of view. He pulls the lynchpin from the pole that the yoke was fastened, and slides the knot off the pole so he can see the underside. When he does, he is able to see the ends of the knot and untie it. Taking the time to see the underside, gave him the ability to untie the knot.
What was so interesting, were the different ways the problem in the story was resolved. One way shows a decisive, if all be it quick and maybe even brutal decision to slice through the problem. The opposite solution took the time to look at the problem from all angles. In doing so, he was able to see a different perspective that revealed the solution.
So why does this remind me of life today? Well, as soon as I thought of the knot, I immediately saw it in my mind. The knot wasn’t made of rope though, it was made of people. A mass of humanity lumped together so tightly, that they couldn’t be easily separated. I could see us together, tightly intertwined. Like a cosmic game of twister, with arms, legs and whole bodies entangled with one another. The knot is uncomfortable and painful even, but why?
I wasn’t sure what held the knot together, until a few days later. I was listening to a podcast, and someone was talking about a study with monkeys. The monkeys were trying to get a snack out of a container, and while they could get their hand in, as soon as they grasped the snack their fist wouldn’t come out. It was then I wondered if that was what was holding my knot of humanity together?
We each have our hands around that thing we desire. It’s in our grip and we won’t let go. Now they may not necessarily be bad things, but they are so important that we lose perspective on everything else around us. We hold on tightly even if it brings pain to ourselves and other people.
It seems to me, that we all are looking for the same things in life, with minor variations. Safe neighborhoods, a good education for our children, a place to work that not only fulfills us but actually can pay the bills! Housing that is clean, safe and affordable, healthcare that you are able to access that won’t break the bank and a city where there are services and events that bring together our diverse communities. If there is so much common ground, why does this life feel like me vs you so much of the time?
Can our beliefs, point of view or individual experience be more important than someone else’s? Are those “things” more important than a person? It seems these days, we’ve put those “things” over real people. The worst part is we’ve actually let these “things,” and those who talk about them daily, color how we feel about people we know and do life with. The one who calls you when the dog is loose, or picks up your mail when you’re on vacation. They are the people that you work, attend church and do every day life with. You laugh and cry with them, they are your community. And we have seen people drop neighbors like “it’s hot” for some talking head on TV. Shame on “we”!
Let’s face it, in this world there are even good things that we desire so desperately, that we will allow our good sense to be suspended. It’s happened before, and because there is nothing new under the sun, it will happen again.
This knot of humanity is perplexing. If we look to solve the problem by just slicing through it, we could wreak havoc, and cause repercussions that we can’t even conceive. Potentially we could create an even more knotted up life in our future. So, maybe the second ending of Alexander’s story holds a solution. At first I thought so, but now I wonder?
That second ending seems like a more reasonable way out of the knot, but then my mind goes back to the monkey. While we like to think the knot is more of a “they” problem than an “us” problem, I really think it’s a “we” problem. The knot is not only made up of people, but we’re all a part of the knot and many of our actions continue to allow it to grow. We have made it so tight and now that we’re in it, we won’t make the choice to let it go.
Alexanders knot had a lot riding on it, but no one was going to be hurt by either slicing through or carefully unknotting the rope. Our human knot, well that’s a different story. It’s laced with the hopes and dreams of those who may agree with us, and others with different beliefs. It’s made up of the lives of our family, friends, strangers and neighbors.
No matter what style the problem solving takes, the question that really bears asking is….will it last?
I am beginning to think neither way would solve our knot of people. As soon as we think we have one section undone, our humanity comes roaring back, and we simply reach out and grasp what we desire. So my question is this, how is the knot undone and how do we keep it from becoming so twisted and hurtful again? The solution may seem simple, but it is definitely not snake oil.
We let go, and we love!
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40
I know it sounds like a Hallmark card, but love IS still the answer. This is not just any love though, it’s the love that God has for the humans He’s created. It’s a love that when we accept it, and let it flow through our lives, brings healing into a dying world. It’s the kind of love that moves you to seek good for the people around you, and may even compel you to lay down your life for others. It’s the kind of love that gives us the strength to let go!
Letting go is hard though, especially when everyone is holding on so tightly to what they want, need or think they need. It’s even harder to be the first one to do it! I think that’s what really holds us back, or on a more personal note, holds me back. If we all followed these steps, wouldn’t it be a better world? No one would be in need, because we would each be looking out for each other. If I am sharing with my neighbor and helping them, and they are doing the same for me, we each would have enough. “What a wonderful world it would be”….to quote the amazing Louis Armstrong!
Ok… so we are good with the “loving God” part, but it seems we push back on “loving our neighbor.” We ask ourselves the question, “If I love my neighbor, will my neighbor love me?” Unfortunately, we think we know the answer to that question already, and only carefully give out this love we’ve been gifted. So since I don’t trust you to let go, I will keep my own tight grip. Which leads us back to our Gordian knot.
Over the last couple of weeks, I have been both up and down as I asked myself these questions. You see, when I am writing I am not really talking to you. This is just me wrestling with God.
As I hear the clanging gong of opinion daily through different outlets, It’s more important than ever to keep my priorities straight. Each time I hear the noise, it makes me want to shrink further into myself and turn my back on people. I want to hold tighter to my peace and security. Most of all, I don’t want to suffer the judgement of others, so I tend to hold tight to my observations. My hand is in the jar and I don’t want to let go. You see….I have my own place in the knot.
So as I was trying to finish this up, I went to church on Sunday and heard a message from John 15:9-17.
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.
The sermon was a timely one for me, as it seemed to fit into everything I was wrestling through. The main idea was a simple one, but the simplicity does not detract from its impactful truth.
“Without love we will be lost.” -Chip Bungard
This kind of love is a matter of faith. Am I really ready to live like Jesus asked us to? Will God protect and provide for my family if I let go, even if others don’t? I believe that it comes down to trusting God to move things into place, one day at a time. It is truly trusting that the love He brought into this world will transcend anything that is weaponized against it. And as we trust Him each day, we can let go of the things that hold us back. Anything that gets in the way of loving others, as God Himself would love them!
I feel like this is a movie and I am starting with a flashback. So back in December 2024….
So to tell you the truth, this morning I started off looking at the news online. Ugh! Such a wrong move! Now there’s a guarantee that my blood pressure will go up. So as I read about the threat of ANOTHER government shut down, because if you’re not paying attention all sides allow it to happen every year, there was a new twist to this years storyline and that is a man named Musk. As I read of his objections to the spending bill and his opinion of what should happen to those who vote for it, I was so irritated. Now are some of the things he says correct? Of course! Who wouldn’t want a balanced budget and the money spent to run the government be done in a fiscally responsible way? What bothers me about him, is the fact that he can use his money to shape things, events and people. I know that kind of power can be used for good or bad, but his boldness in assuming some kind of perceived authority because of the size of his bank account, is off putting to me. I was angered by this power play, until a song popped into my head. I’ve loved the song since 1981 and my MTV video zombie days, but I’ve always had a hard time understanding it.
“History never repeats, I tell myself before I go to sleep,” the song starts.
It’s a catchy song, but I couldn’t understand how he could be so sure that history will never repeat? It seemed to me that history is set to continual repeat! The other day though, I heard the song differently. Maybe he was trying to convince himself that history doesn’t repeat? Towards the end of the song he says,
“And there’s a light shining in the dark, leading me on towards a change of heart.”
Maybe by the end of the song he realizes that he was wrong, and that history does repeat? I don’t know what the songwriter was trying to convey, but at that moment, I was reminded of the repetition of history.
History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Ecclesiates 1:9
And in the repetition of history, I found peace. Why? Well, it comes down to remembering that while I haven’t been through this before, God has. That means everything! Through the years our country and world have had leaders in business, government, religion, medicine, science and humanities. Some were good and others bad, but most were a combination of those elements to some degree or another. No one is all good or all bad and most of the time we wind up being a bit of both. The good news though is that we have made it through, and we will continue to not only survive, but thrive. How do I know this? I see it in God’s word, and I see it reflected in the history of our world. While that may give me peace, in the greatest commandment, I have hope!
And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37
So fast forward to today….MLK Jr and Inauguration Day 2025.
How many problems could be solved with those simple directives…..
I had pretty much started writing this in December, and since I have a day off, today I knew I needed to finish. While seeing the continual repetition of history brings me some peace, I do admit that while I think we will survive, people can still be hurt.
Even when God is in control, it doesn’t mean challenges won’t arise, or that those in leadership won’t stink! And if there are challenges, or those who govern decide to do what is not good for everyone, I believe that Jesus Himself has given us the key to be ready for whatever happens. He gave us instructions that will cover those we do life with, if good happens and even if the not so good happens. And it is through the actions of His people!
“Love God and Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love God. Let the love of God fill you, so that you can bring that love to a messed up world! His love is transformative! That’s what gives us the ability to love our neighbor, like we love ourselves. So if there is injustice or hate that is directed toward others, stand up and stand with those who are targeted. Where there is a need, be an advocate and an avenue of assistance. Bring the joy of your salvation to a world that needs some joy! Be the conduit of God’s love that I believe the Bible tells us we are! When we all stand together and surround ourselves and our community with the love of God, He is more than able to cover each and every one of us in the strength of His hand.
While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside praying. Luke 1:10.
So the scene is set. Zechariah is in the sanctuary burning incense and there are people outside praying together. At this point I can imagine God breathing in the smell of incense, and hearing the prayers of His people. Did they all start praying together….Maybe not the same prayer, but with the same spirit?
Not with homogeny, but humility
Prayers that don’t necessarily agree with each other, but do agree with God. I wonder if that’s what prayer is really for? It’s the opportunity not to get our requests granted, but for God to teach us to align our prayers with His will. And when we bring another person, or people into that dynamic, we give God the opportunity to align an entire community to His will. I am sure there were prayers going on at the temple most days, but I always pay attention when details are in a story. Details are important or they would be left out. So what does this detail tell me?
Prayer is important…. Essential even for the work of God to flourish. There is a humility in prayer, when we “make our requests known to God.” We ask for what we may need or desire, and then we are told to let go and let God handle it. Not an easy thing to do, especially when we are told to have joy when we do it!
I like to think of that day and the prayers that were being said. Not perfect prayers, but the humble requests of every day people. People just like you and me. And I pray the hope that is revealed in the angels words to Zechariah, “God has heard your prayer,” would give us the encouragement needed to keep praying and let God do his miraculous work!
I saw a Facebook post tonight and it reminded me of something I’d been pondering lately. The post spoke about this series, “The Chosen,” and how they portrayed the Bible story of the woman who’d been bleeding for 12 years. Not only has she been physically ill, but because of the bleeding, she would have been considered unclean under the law. Since she was unclean, that would’ve put actual physical barriers between her and other people. No one could touch her or anything she had touched because that would make them unclean too. Over the years she had gone to many doctors and none had made her any better, only worse. By the time her path crosses Jesus’, she’s been sick for years, she’s broke and desperate. She’s at the end of her rope and thinks, believes, knows that Jesus is her only answer for healing. She goes to touch the hem of his robe and miraculously is healed! This is one of my favorite stories as the details paint a beautiful picture of how Jesus relates to the woman.
It was a tweet though that gave me a different perspective. Someone had wondered about this woman and who would have been the first people after Jesus to speak to her? Could it be the women who followed along with Jesus? We have details of multiple women traveling with Him and the disciples during this time. How would these women have responded to a woman, who because of her sickness, was considered unclean? I imagined they watched with the rest of the crowd, transfixed as Jesus asked “who touched me?” They saw as a woman came before Jesus, seeing fear in her face as she told her story. They then saw Him gently call her daughter, and proclaim her whole!
As sisters in Christ, we should be walking with each other, ready to come along side and hold out a hand to lift up and encourage. As daughters, we should be ready to do that with anyone that God brings our way. In this story it was a woman who was unclean, for us it may be a woman who’s just made the wrong choices for too long a season. The mercy shown in an outstretched hand may just be what she needs to finally leave that season, and seek something good. I watched “The Chosen” and could barely wait for the story line to reach this scene. I quietly sobbed as I watched the show portray the story. While I might have tweaked it a bit, I was so touched by how it was portrayed. It confirmed something to me that I had been feeling since the tweet I’d read weeks earlier. That’s the kind of woman I want to be! Ready and willing to listen, love and be of service to the women God brings along my path!
As women, they probably heard and sympathized as they knew what their own monthly bleeding meant and how it affected their lives. I wonder though, did they pause before approaching her as she was technically unclean? Was there a barrier in their minds, knowing what the law stated? They may have paused in their actions, but I like to think that the care Jesus showed this woman, gave them the freedom to know what to do next! That in the next moment when Jesus was called off to heal a young girl, they stepped forward and kneeled down next to this new sister in faith. I can imagine they would have been making plans to get her fresh clothes, asking who her family was, and talking excitedly about her restoration to the community and home. I was struck by the scene as I imagined it, and knew this is how it should be!
They just won’t see. It kept rolling around in my head as I drove. It was pretty mellow as Christmas vacations had started and there were less cars out on the road. Up ahead though, I could see the flashing lights of the highway patrol, so I slowed down and stayed in the fast lane as the police were off on the right hand side. As I got closer, I realized there was also a car parked next to the center median. There had been an accident, and while it wasn’t serious, there were multiple cars and a semi stopped on both sides of the highway. It was then I looked behind me. Cars were starting to catch up, and I figured that they just hadn’t seen the wreck yet. They didn’t know why we were slowing down and taking our time. As soon as I passed the stopped cars, I got over to the right lane and watched as the cars behind me went past. Some were like me taking it easy as they passed the wreck, while others were not being so careful. They were driving as if the road was clear and they were not navigating an accident scene. It was then that I thought, even with it right in their face, they just won’t see. It’s not that they can’t see, since by this time they were right in the middle of all the cars involved, but they won’t see. It broke my heart, as I was immediately thought about God and how He shows Himself to each of us. We see the miracle of this life, but do not see who created the miracle. It’s not that we can’t see, we just won’t see!
I thought about it again when I started listening to a book at lunch. The first story in the book had me hooked immediately, since it’s a favorite historical moment of mine. The quick version? Well it’s 1914 and it’s Christmas Eve. You know that war that was supposed to be over by Christmas? Well, it wasn’t. The men on the front lines are missing home, family and their own Christmas traditions. During this evening and through Christmas Day, the men reach out to each other to “celebrate” Christmas. It starts slowly, but soon they are exchanging food, cigarettes, playing football (the English kind) and sharing photos of their loved ones back home. That night, the men were given a reprieve from this new kind of nightmare. The mechanized muddy stalemate of men and modern warfare. For that short time, fear, hate, and the horrors of war were defeated by something greater. The birth of a Savior! When the powers that be on all sides found out about what occurred in the trenches, they vow that this will not happen again. And it never did. That moment on the battlefield where mercy and grace won out over hate was not allowed to be repeated. Those in charge were much like the drivers on the road, they just won’t see. Instead of seeing the miracle of the day, and acknowledging the power of the birth narrative, they doubled down on death.
I love the truth in the story, because it shows the heavenly in sharp contrast to our humanity. The human part of the story is full of war, death and brutality. The heavenly part was what brought them together, the birth of Christ! When I hear the story of that Christmas in 1914, I always think of the shepherds in the birth narrative. Did the angels come to see them on purpose? Or was the jubilation in heaven so boisterous that it spilled out into the night sky! Even the heavens couldn’t contain the excitement over the fulfillment of this very special prophecy! Someone left the back door of heaven open, and there were the shepherds watching in amazement! Maybe that’s what happened to the soldiers on that cold December night? The back door of heaven opened, and mercy flowed from a gracious Heavenly Father. The men didn’t see angels, but the Spirit was there. Like the wind, it wasn’t visible, but history shows us the effect of the Spirit’s presence. On that Christmas Eve, the same celebration that happened so many years ago was again awakened to overcome fear and death. For those brief hours kindness, grace and mercy flowed straight from the throne of God.
Lord I know we all have eyes that can see, but I ask you to give us eyes that WILL see!
Lord this world needs you.I need you.Help me not to react, but to find the path that leads to shalom in my life and in the lives of all.Today as we think of that day so long ago when You gave us the power to make “Your kingdom come,” help us to not be distracted.Give us the strength to be a conduit of the Holy Spirit that gives us the power that can change the world.
The angels sang on the day You were born and told the outsider, “Don’t be afraid!”They made it clear that the redemption you were offering was “GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY, FOR ALL PEOPLE.”Forgive us who call you LORD, but do not proclaim YOUR good news.Forgive us for muddying the waters.Let this Pentecost be different.Help us to lay down our lives (our opinions/rights/our idols)for our brothers and sisters.What is done in humble love, though imperfect it may be, will be honored by You….and in that there is HOPE.
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence but it don’t work
Keep coming up with love but it’s so slashed and torn
Why, why, why?
Love, love, love, love, love
Insanity laughs under pressure we’re breaking
Can’t we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can’t we give love that one more chance?
Why can’t we give love, give love, give love, give love
Give love, give love, give love, give love, give love?
I want to remember that in my actions, I sow seeds. They can be seeds that lift a person up, encourage and give strength. Or they can be discouraging, defeating and used to tear down.
I may never see the fruit of those seeds, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be a result or even a price that’s paid.
I think of those days and the men who lived here, planned and executed evil. The seeds sown in their lives were ones that exploded in death.
We had visitors and commitments this past weekend. While it is good to see people, it was even better when we were alone and driving up into the mountains. Ok… well the foothills at least. We went to one of our favorites spots, and I couldn’t believe the changes. It was the last place we visited right before Mike’s surgery and it was his first solo drive after. So much though had changed.
Our pre-sugery trip
Where we typically go is more like a creek than a lake. Monday though, it was definitely a lake! We’ve been going to this spot for the past few years now, and I’d never seen it so full! Beautiful water! I guess we aren’t in a drought any more. We typically climb down from the parking lot and explore a bit, but today it was all under many feet of water. So we found a spot, and just sat. The surroundings had drastically changed, and so had we.
Lord this world needs you.
I want to remember that in my actions, I sow seeds. They can be seeds that lift a person up, encourage and give strength. Or they can be discouraging, defeating and used to tear down.
Cheryl Mendoza 