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Swicy

Pastoral Messages | January 30, 2025

I love a good portmanteau, you know, those words that are a mashup, a combination of two other words. I’m not sure if I am fond of them because they sound ridiculous or because it takes some level of creativity to make a good one. 

I mean, who doesn’t love putting on some jeggings (jeans+leggings) to go glamping (glamorous+camping) so you can eat a cronut (crossaint+donut) with a spork (spoon+fork) and talk about your frenemies (friends+enemies). Ok, admittedly, that goes a bit too far. 

The appeal, to me, is that these constructions often combine two things that don’t have any business being together. A spoon is a great thing with a specific function, so is a fork. Those two things shouldn’t go together, but it is magic when they do! 

Scrolling the headlines the other night, I learned of 2025’s biggest food trend. It is a trend that will stand the test of time, say food trend-setters. The culinary magic of the year lies in food that is “swicy.” Swicy (sweet+spicy) is that magical combination that shouldn’t work. Until you try hot honey, then the sun may as well stand still in the sky and the angels sing their songs down from the heavens, or so they say. 

In a way, these combinations of seemingly incompatible things surround and fill our days too, don’t they? The range of emotions and life experiences that can be crammed into one 12-hour period is astounding. Coffee with a friend yields the joy of connecting with a human being and then a quick scroll on social media ignites rage at any number of things. 

A great day at work, full of productivity and meaning one day feels negated by the next one that has a few too many meetings that could have been emails and you have lost eight hours of your life to monotony.  

Even a life of faith can be a study in opposites. An hour in worship surrounded by glorious music and an encounter with God feels a million miles away when despair hits and prayer gets hard. 

A quick scan through the Psalms, however, shows that we are no different than these various authors. Psalm 13 for example begins “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” and ends six verses later with “I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” Those two verses shouldn’t go together, but they do because our human lives are neither all good nor all bad; all easy nor impossible. 

There is a great challenge facing us in our world today and it begins with the balance between the joys of life and the challenges of an unceasing news cycle. 

It is a privilege to say, but important nonetheless, to encourage you all to take stock of your days and lives. If you don’t tend to your own faith, your own health, your own sense of joy, then the realities of a broken world can smother out any last bit of happiness you may have. 

I have no amazing final portmanteaux for you here. If you come up with one that reflects the challenges of life and faith, let me know. But with the news cycle being what it is and doing what it does and outrage being the dominant cultural force, maybe we all need to take some time to connect with those we love, to do something good for our bodies, to tell someone we love them. 

We have to be able to find a balance, like the Psalmists. To recognize the pain of the world and also to sing the praises of God. It isn’t the swiciest word of wisdom today, but it may do the trick.

-Mark Niethammer, senior pastor

8 Comments on “Swicy”

  • Rolla Lucas

    February 1, 2025 at 5:45 pm

    A breath of fresh air

  • Rolla Lucas

    February 1, 2025 at 5:45 pm

    A breath of fresh air

  • Joan Bruce

    February 1, 2025 at 11:15 am

    Thank you, Pastor Mark. This is a message that I will read and reread. It helps me continue to strive for a sense of balance in my life.

  • Suzy Schindler

    January 31, 2025 at 7:26 pm

    Reminds me that one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day…

  • Cindee Schnekloth

    January 31, 2025 at 8:51 am

    Great perspective and reminder of daily faithfulness! Thanks and blessings!

  • Sheila Mesick

    January 30, 2025 at 3:00 pm

    A message I can hang my hat on.

  • Marcia Willi

    January 30, 2025 at 2:17 pm

    Singing praises to our Lord, how mightily that has an impact on me! Thank you, Pastor Mark

  • Audrey Keeney

    January 30, 2025 at 2:08 pm

    Message I needed today. Thank you.

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