Stories told "In Slant"
Meditation for Supervisors & Director's Meeting
December 16, 2008
Presented by Director of Home & Community Services Faith Hoover
One of my favorite authors is Eugene Peterson, translator of The Message. I am currently reading a book he wrote titled Tell it Slant - A Conversation on the Language of Jesus in His Stories and Prayers. The title of the book is taken from a poem by Emily Dickinson:
"Tell all the Truth but tell it slant-
Success in circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm delight
The Truth's superb surprise
As lightning to the children eased
With explanation kind
The truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind - "
While Jesus preached and taught, what he seems to have done the most, as is true for most of us, is to speak conversationally. And often in his informal, walking around, eating with others conversations, he told stories. Storytelling is a powerful way to "tell it slant" A way to say something that invites the imaginative participation of the person listening. Not necessarily to communicate something new but to get it noticed. Or to take something seriously that we have dismissed as unimportant.
So today I would like to tell you a few stories that "tell it slant" about our Landis Homes Guiding Values.
It is the story of our President, overhearing a group of teachers at a local restaurant expressing their appreciation and respect for Landis Homes, quietly paying for their breakfasts as he left the restaurant.
It is a young caregiver attending our memory loss support group. When we gave a rose to each of the caregivers present, she took her rose and her mother's rose to give to her coworkers who were grieving the fresh loss of a resident they loved.
It is Trace, responding to my apology for being frustrated and cranky, with an email full of humor and exuberant grace.
It is Greg, Dennis, Jay, Melissa and Nicholas and the Adult Day Services (ADS) staff together putting the Azalea room back into tip top shape in 10 minutes flat after the ADS Christmas dinner. It was a willingness to try something new - our entertainment in the Azalea room rather than the chapel - and together to agree that it served our guests well and that there was joy in working as one team to do it.
It is Jim with his quick, "Sure you can use the #4 van" to do an unexpected transport and coming and being certain the Landis at Home staff person knew how to use the lift in this particular van.
It is Adult day services staff, each day giving a fresh, glad welcome to each client as they arrive.
It is your warm smiles and friendly hellos that greet those you know and those you do not know
As I was preparing this meditation, I thought of the story in Matthew 25 that Jesus told about the perplexed sheep and goats. The King on his throne sorts out this mass of people like a shepherd would separate sheep and goats. The King says to the sheep on the right - Come, you are blessed by my Father! And here is why:
I was hungry and you fed me
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink
I was unable to dress myself and you clothed me
I was lost and you helped me to find my way
I was lonely and you listened to me
I was sad and you comforted me
And the perplexed sheep said to the King
What are you talking about?
When did we ever see you hungry - or thirsty - or lost - or lonely - or sad
And feed you or give you a drink or help you find your way or listen to you or comfort you?
And the King said
I am telling you the solemn truth
Whenever you did that to someone overlooked or ignored - that was me - you did it to me.
Which brings me back to a part of our guiding values statement that I have sometimes overlooked:
We commit to these values as we honor God in serving others.
As we honor God in serving others.
In this wonderful season we celebrate our exuberant giving God
The overwhelming gift of love - Jesus
And we honor Him as we serve others
In our informal conversations
In our practical service
As in our daily lives we create the stories that "tell it slant"
That tell the importance of each person
And define who we are.
Let us pray:
Loving God, thank you for all that we celebrate in this special season of remembering the incredible gift of your son, Jesus.
Thank you for your love that has transformed us, that makes it possible for us to live lives of love and hope.
Thank you for the privilege we have of honoring you by our service to each other and to the residents and clients who have chosen us to support them.
Keep us tender with those who grieve losses in many forms.
We are always grateful to you, Emanuel, God with us.
Amen
Tell it Slant - A Conversation on the Language of Jesus in His Stories and Prayers by Eugene H. Peterson (Grand Rapids:Wm. B, Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008).
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