Today we pick up on the story of Moses again.  Since we last visited this story, Moses has grown up, asked the Pharaoh to deliver the Israelites, the Pharaoh refused, the plagues came to the Egyptians, the Pharaoh reluctantly freed the Israelite slaves, then changed his mind and sent the armies after them.  As they were being chased they came to the Red Sea, trapped between this body of water and those chasing them, the seas parted and the Israelites crossed to the other side while the Egyptian army was caught in the waters.  A pillar of cloud leads the Israelites by day and fire by night and food is provided for them to eat.  So, by all accounts, you would think the Israelites would be grateful for their freedom and feeling blessed by the food they are receiving.  But, no.  In todays’ scripture we hear that the Israelites are complaining again.  This time they are thirsty.  So they go to Moses and say, “Why did you free us from Egypt?  Did you just bring us here to die of thirst?  We were better off before.  Why did you free us?”
Now, remember, the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt.  They had been worked hard by their masters, given food and shelter, but not much… just enough to keep them healthy enough to do the manual labor they were forced to do.  They had no freedom, and were used to harsh conditions.  Now they are on an extended wilderness trip, walking through the desert, their needs being met by God, but still they complain.  Why didn’t you leave us there to die?  Why did you bring us into freedom?  This isn’t what we signed up for!
I do wonder how many years this was into their journey.  We are told they are wandering through the wilderness for forty years before reaching the promised land, so if they had been walking around for years already, this complaint may make sense.  The new lives that would have been born in the wilderness having known no slavery, the memories of harshness faded to a fairy tale re-telling of their lives in Egypt, the many lives that would have been lost with no place to be laid to rest.  All impacting the people.  And the fading memory of how bad it had been replaced with the day to day reality of surviving while following this guy who was making promises about a land that was full of milk and honey…. Empty promises of plenty for all that were beginning to sound like lies when all they had to eat was manna in the mornings and quail in the evenings…. And, presumably, they would get meat from the flocks they had with them too. But this would get boring after a while.  Where was the sweetness of the honey?  Where was the creaminess of the milk?  Where was this place where enough turned to plenty and roots could be laid down, crops grown, lives rebuilt with a sense of stability?  And who was this Moses who kept talking about this land that felt far away?  Who had put him in charge?  And who was this God he claimed to keep talking to?
As they complained once more, Moses listened and turned once more to God.  What shall I do God?  I want to take care of the people, but they are testing you once more.  They are ready to stone me.  They are thirsty for more.  And once more God answered, told Moses where to go and what to do, and in his faithfulness, Moses listened and followed the instructions, hit a rock with his staff, and water flowed, enough water for all the people and all the animals alike.
And we know this is far from the end of their complaining.  As the story continues to unfold, they complain about the ten commandments, they complain about the idols they are told not to worship, they complain about the leadership, it seems that all they do is complain as they travel for these forty years through the wilderness.
All this leaves me to wonder how much better their lives would have been if they had expressed gratitude instead of complaining.  If, when they had arrived at the camp where they were thirsty they simply said, Hi God.  Thank you for all you have given us.  We are grateful for the food, the freedom you afforded us, the ways you are guiding us and are never far from us during this time. We know there must be water in this place.. can you show us where it is please?…  Thank you God!
For when our hearts are filled with gratitude our whole attitude is different and we begin to notice the blessings of life, rather than what is absent.  And this is counter cultural, for the world loves to tell us what is missing from our lives.  Consumerism tells us all the time that we don’t have enough.  That if only we had this or that product, our lives would be better and we would be happy.  If we buy this cereal, we will be filled for the whole day.  If we buy this make up we will be beautiful.  If we buy this car our lives will be filled with adventure and romance and new things.  Even the right toilet paper will make your life better!  Every time we turn on the radio or tv or open a newspaper, we are told what we are lacking, what we need to buy to be and feel better.  And this can make us complain about what we are missing, rather than seeing the abundance of what we have.
I have a friend who began to take this seriously over a decade ago.  It was spurred by an unfortunate Thanksgiving, where she had invited some people to come and eat with her family.  She had a middle school daughter at the time, and life was chaotic and hard, with the two of them butting heads often.  And when their friends cancelled coming for Thanksgiving, she felt let down and angry and upset… Surely it must be her own fault that the friends had cancelled after she had spent time and energy into planning a great feast.  And I think there was much complaining in the house that week!  She says, “I was a wreck.  My daughter was a wreck. And my husband couldn’t ‘fix’ anything that was happening.  Clearly, we lost sight of what Thanksgiving and the upcoming Advent season were supposed to mean so I decided, in that moment, that we would not sit down to dinner until we each stated 1 thing we were grateful for.
It wasn’t a moment of glory.
They had no idea where I was coming from. It was a challenge that none of us were really ready to be open to and it came off as more of a punishment than an opportunity for spiritual growth.”
But, it was the start of a conversation between her and God, one that planted seeds over several years, seeds that began to grow as she listened to what God was cultivating in her heart.
She says, After a few years, I realized I needed more.  This is the point that I began to understand that: 1. gratitude is different from thankfulness, and 2. it’s personal – it has to grow from within.  
I knew I was missing something – that still, small voice whispered, “Why be grateful on “that one day”
And instead of just demanding one thing that her family was thankful for on Thanksgiving Day itself, she began to name things she was thankful for in the week leading up to Thanksgiving Day.  Soon she was giving thanks each day of November, journalling what these were so she could look back upon them. And soon the nudge from God was why limit your gratitude to Thanksgiving.  What about the other days?  Why wait?  And so, since then, she has practiced gratitude each day, journalling through the good days and the hard days, the ones where joy is easy to find and the ones where grief and chaos and doubt swirl. What is there to be grateful for in the midst of all of life!  And it has been a transformational practice for her.
This practice has led her to some deep lessons, including her saying:
there is a difference between thankfulness and gratitude. Thankfulness is a social act, an outward response, to honor and appreciate the efforts of another. 
Gratitude, while expressing appreciation, is more importantly an emotional state of being. Gratitude grows from within and then needs an outward expression.
Gratitude is not the same thing as Joy.  Gratitude may be the spark for Joy, but in real life we are asked to find gratitude in order to find balance in the worst of moments where joy is the last feeling that would be reasonable.  Grief and gratitude go hand in hand just as naturally as it partners with peace and joy.
Gratitude is understanding that while the world seems so crazy, I have an anchor that holds me in balance.
Gratitude allows us to glimpse the Eternal in the Everyday and we begin to respond to the Divine rather than the tunnel vision that narrows our focus onto the single moment that is causing our distress.  The more we rely on gratitude we begin to replace negative responses and begin to feel at peace.”
These deep lessons have continued to be transformative for her life as she moves through the difficult times and the times where peace and joy are more easily seen.  It now comes more naturally to her, the gratitude rises from deep within, and sometimes finds an outward expression, but sometimes really is just an inner attitude that brings strength and a different way of looking at and feeling into the world, and brings about more glimpses of God at work in every day life.
These days it may seem like we have a lot to complain about…. Our nation is unsettled, we don’t know what November will bring, we have lost a great advocate for women with the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, justice feels far from being served, people are taking to the streets to make their voices heard and some are using the protests as an excuse for violence, many have lost income during CoVid, and some say complain freedoms are being taken away.  But what we if can change our attitude and see what we have to be grateful for?
So, right now, I invite you to feel a sense of gratitude.  Find that sense of gratitude that resides deep within you.  If you are struggling to find it, return to the things that caught your attention as Kitty played Surely The Presence of the Lord is in this place.  Find that place of gratitude within you.  You need not have a specific thing that you are grateful for, but just the feeling of gratitude.  Picture it like a light, a small flicker of candle light.  And as you sit with this, picture the light getting stronger, glowing brighter, allowing that sense of gratitude to grow and spread with the light’s brightness.  See if you can allow it to fill your whole body, your whole being, allowing the gratitude to flow, to spread, to build, to glow and warm your whole self.  Sit with this sense of gratitude, just letting it be.  If a feeling of fear or doubt or anxiety tries to come in, set it aside for now and just let the light fill you, the gratitude to become you.  
As we go through these tumultuous times, let us turn complaints into gratitude.  It may start with naming what you are thankful for, but it may be sitting with that feeling of gratitude and allowing it to build and spread.  Watch how it transforms you, gives you strength, allows the grief and pain to be held in a different way.  Allow gratitude to become your anchor, and give you glimpses of the Eternal everywhere you are and in all you meet, and pay attention to how it transforms you over time.  
Amen
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​There is a story that goes:
A stranger stops Nasrudin at the city gates. "Will you tell me," says the stranger, "what this place is like? I have to move to a city and I'm worried." Nasurdin replies, "Tell me about the place you came from." "Oh, it was a wonderful place! Neighbors were kind to one another, we looked out for the children, people shared and were generous and happy!" "Ah! said Nasrudin. "You will love it here. Don't worry at all, and welcome!"
Later on, another stranger stops Nasrudin at the city gates. "Will you tell me," says the stranger, "what this place is like? I have to move to a city and I'm worried." Nasurdin replies, "Tell me about the place you came from." "Oh, it was a terrible place! Thieving and fornication and children noisy and running wild. People are selfish and distrustful." "Ah!" said Nasrudin. "You will dislike it here. You'd better move on to another city!"
The stories we tell ourselves about the communities we live and worship in are important.  Our past can inform what we think of the present, our attitude can determine all we know and all we can imagine that is possible.
As a newbie, I have not heard a whole lot of stories yet about this church community… I know it was started in 1857, that this building was built in 1881, that you, all, built the fellowship hall, that the first woman pastor ordained in this conference was appointed here for a time…..  But I know there are many, many more stories to be heard!  And I know that each of you loves this community, and in turn, feels loved by it.  And, I have heard some fears about the future of this congregation, sadness over the people who left, a tiredness when you think about what needs to be done, a desire for growth.
One story I have heard is both a lamentation and a joy that we are a small congregation, for this brings great gifts of welcome, of feeling the spirit of being a family, of allowing close friendships between people.  But it can also bring a story of lack… not enough people to do things, not enough money or fellow worshippers or singers or…. That list can get long if we allow it to.
Yet today’s scripture tells us where two or three are gathered Christ is among us.  This is something we have heard many a time, where two or three are gathered…. And I’m sure all of us have felt this at some point in our lives.  Where just a small group of people are together, the Spirit is moving among them and something extraordinary is happening. 
If we tell ourselves this story, this can become the reality, but if we tell ourselves that our small church is too small, not what it used to be, a place where we feel the lack of a Sunday school, of families, of missions, of energy and people, then this can be the story we begin to believe.
So, for a moment, I want you each to name something you love about this congregation, right as it is now.  Not comparing to the past or worrying about the future, but what do you love about Clearwater United Methodist Church today?
ASK PEOPLE TO SHARE>>>>>
When two or three….. or 25 are gathered, Christ is present! 
The scriptures today challenge us to believe this by talking to us about behavior, especially behavior in community.  The Roman’s scripture reminds us of the commandments, and then that we are close to the day of judgment, compelling us to put on the armor of light, and then the Matthew scripture tells us what to do when others are not doing this!  Speak to your friends, compel one another to do what is right, to have hope and to work for what we long to bind here on earth, a binding of goodness and love and hope.
There is a story I heard recently, that fits in with this:
 A monastery had fallen on hard times. It was once part of a great order which, as a result of religious persecution lost all its branches. It was decimated to the extent that there were only five monks left in the mother house: the Abbot and four others, all of whom were elderly.
Deep in the woods surrounding the monastery was a little hut that the Rabbi from a nearby town occasionally used for a hermitage. One day, it occurred to the Abbot to visit the hermitage to see if the Rabbi could offer any advice that might save the monastery. The Rabbi welcomed the Abbot and commiserated. “I know how it is” he said, “the spirit has gone out of people. Almost no one comes to the synagogue anymore either.” So the old Rabbi and the old Abbot wept together, and spoke quietly of deep things.
The time came when the Abbot had to leave. They embraced. “It has been wonderful being with you,” said the Abbot, “but I have failed in my purpose for coming. Have you no piece of advice that might save the monastery?” “No, I am sorry,” the Rabbi responded, “I have no advice to give. The only thing I can tell you is that the Messiah is among you.”
When the other monks heard the Rabbi’s words, they wondered what possible significance they might have. “The Messiah is among us? One of us, here, at the monastery? Do you suppose he meant the Abbot? Of course – it must be the Abbot, who has been our leader for so long. On the other hand, he might have meant Brother Thomas, who is undoubtably a holy man. Certainly he couldn’t have meant Brother Elrod – he’s so crotchety. But then Elrod is very wise. Surely, he could not have meant Brother Phillip – he’s too passive. But then, magically, he’s always there when you need him. Of course he didn’t mean me – yet supposing he did? Oh Lord, not me! Please, not me!
As they contemplated in this manner, the old monks began to treat each other with extraordinary respect, on the off chance that one of them might be the Messiah. And on the off off chance that each monk himself might be the Messiah, they began to treat themselves with extraordinary respect.
The forest in which the monastery was situated was beautiful, and people occasionally came to visit the monastery, to picnic or to wander along the old paths, most of which led to the dilapidated chapel. They sensed the aura of extraordinary respect and love that surrounded the five old monks, permeating the atmosphere. They began to come more frequently, bringing their friends, and their friends brought friends. Some of the younger men who came to visit began to engage in conversation with the monks. After a while, one asked if he might join. Then another, and another. Within a few years, the monastery became once again a thriving order, and – thanks to the Rabbi’s gift – a vibrant community of light and love.
In addition to the respect, I believe these monks had put on the armor of light, they had managed to re-narrate their story from a story of sorrow and loss to one of love and respect and hope.  They changed their beliefs from worrying about the future to looking for glimpses of the Divine among them at that very moment, and they began to see these glimpses, see this binding on earth in the ways they knew it would be in Heaven.
And this is what God calls us to do…. in a world so filled with fear and worry, we are called to put on an armor of light and become people of hope, to tell the story from the point of the resurrection rather than the crucifixion, to share the good news!  This does not mean bypassing the hard part of following Christ, it doesn’t mean we don’t recognize Good Friday, it certainly doesn’t mean we turn our backs onto the brokenness of the world, and it doesn’t mean we don’t, at times, fall into the pit of despair and grief.  Rather it challenges us to face these things knowing there is more, that this is not the end of a story, but just a chapter in it.  It challenges us to shine a light, or bring a light, into the hard parts of life.  It means we always search for that kernel of hope in the midst of the darkness, that we seek the Divine in each person and challenge we encounter.
And part of this means changing the common narrative we tell about ourselves as a congregation.  To celebrate what we have that is good.  To tell the world about what we love about this church, this congregation, one another.  One example of this might be sharing a story about church when you are with non church people… talk about what inspired you from a sermon, what touched you from a conversation, and invite someone to come to church with you check it out, share a copy of the sermon (they are on our webpage).  Another example may be if someone asks, “Do you have a kids program?”  Instead of lamenting that we don’t, or saying, “well, we used to have one, but…..” and tapering off, say, “Right now, everyone is welcome to stay in the service during church and we are thinking of preparing an area in the sanctuary where children can play during the service.  We have a dedicated time for children during the service, and encourage them to be in leadership roles in the church.”  You are still telling them that we don’t have anything for kids yet, but it’s telling them in a welcoming and hopeful way.
Another example is if someone asks how big the congregation is, you could reply, “we are small,” in a sad voice, or, “we are a small, dedicated group of people who are always ready to welcome new people into our family community.” 
The changes in how we tell our story can be subtle, but life altering.  Like the first two people who inquired about what it was like to live in in the new city, the first was expecting something friendly, the second, not so.  The beliefs we have over who we are change how we see the world, and change how we move through the world.  When we can stay in the present feeling the hope for the future, but present in what is right now, when we can seek the divine among us, recognizing it in each one, when we can speak from a place of reality clothed in an armor of light, then the world will see are something they want to be a part of. 
So as you go about your week, catch yourself if you find a narrative coming forth that is not bathed in light, try to speak to people the good word about who we are, see the divine in each one, and bring hope to all you meet!