Day #1134

February 7, 2017 

It’s been sort of a “community building” kind of week with reminders in many places of how difficult it can be to live in community. It’s not easy to determine what is fair, what needs to be done to make certain that there is justice for all, and what, if any, consequences there should be for breaking the rules put in place to help make fairness happen. 

What is fair when it comes to a neighborhood, a family, a congregation, a classroom, a workplace? And who gets to decide? And, who enforces the rules? 

Hmm…not an easy thing. And yet what one person does can affect everyone else, as Rev. David Lose reminded me in his blog, In the Meantime. Actually, what one person does almost always has an affect on others. 

Oh the joys and the challenges of community - but then aren’t they worth it in the end?!

Blessings.

Day #1133

February 6, 2017

The description of Jesus for today’s Mystical Monday (see #1098) is Welcomer. Especially a welcomer of children, or those who come to him as a child.

And on that note, in the mail came this from one of the children at the congregation:

She’s been traveling with her family and sent this she made at the Children’s Discovery Museum, along with a note saying she misses us.  

Certainly warms my heart to know she misses church! We miss her, too!

Blessings.

Day #1132

February 5, 2017 

There isn’t much that seems more inspiring than having youth participate in worship - especially when it comes to playing music. How fun to have a group of young ones come in with percussion instruments on the sending hymn. 

What a great reminder to share the joy, let our lights shine, and celebrate. Thanks be to God!

Blessings.

Day #1131

February 4, 2017 

While chatting with someone at a funeral, we were talking about how everyone’s life has a story to tell. There is always something about everyone that makes an impact on our world. And sometimes we only find out their most interesting stories after they are gone.

She went on to tell me one of the most interesting of those stories she remembered hearing. While she knew some of the family, she did not know the deceased. But the story was told at her funeral of how she had been quick to remind her family that they all owed their lives to her - that when she was a child, she had saved them all. Her story went something like this - her family was preparing to immigrate from Ireland to the United States, but when the time came to board the ship, she was sick. Having a cough, she and her family were not allowed to board, but were told to keep their tickets so that when she was well they could take another ship to America. How, then, did she save their lives? The ship they would have boarded had she been well was the Titantic. 

As we continued our conversation at this funeral, we reminded one another that while things may seem to be at their worst, we just never know what might be coming next. And how God is at work in ways we have no way of knowing or planning. Thanks be to God! 

Blessings.

Day #1130

February 3, 2017

While running errands and interacting with various types of “service” folks, I was reminded how thankful I am to receive good service. Smiling, patiently answering questions, not appearing to be in a hurry or over-committed, are all ways that I would define good service. And being ignored, well, that heads my list of poor service “qualities.”

How much effort does it really take to make someone feel important? How difficult is it to smile, make eye contact, and in the process make someone’s day better? It’s certainly important to this customer, and a reminder that many others probably feel the same. 

Which begs the question, what sort of “service” do I provide when someone enters my office or the building for worship? Surely something to think about!

Blessings.

Day #1129

February 2, 2017

Groundhog Day. 

And the question, of course, is, did he see his shadow or not? 

Well, in this area of the country, relying on a groundhog’s prediction makes little sense. After all, there will be at least six more weeks of winter - it’s a given. 

Oh, but how sweet Spring and warm weather will be, whenever it gets here. 

Blessings.

Day #1128

February 1, 2017

Wonderful Wednesdays - they begin and end with youth, along with a couple of hours of Bible Study in between. Certainly a high point of the week.

But there are days when keeping up with the youth is a challenge, much less trying to stay ahead of them. They have amazing insights and questions that keep you on your toes. There is often the challenge to keep their interest and attention. But there is also, often, the reminder that while it may not seem they are hearing anything you say, their prayers remind me the Holy Spirit is at work. 

Thank you, God, for teaching alongside us humans - all the time!!

Blessings.

Day #1127

January 31, 2017 

As I read these words from the devotion, Daily Grace, I was reminded of what someone once told me, “it’s not gossip if it’s true.” 

With our words, we can change the way others look at someone, build a reputation or tear one down. Our stories can shape the truth about a person, a place or an institution. Gossip can be true, false or (most often) a mixture of the two. Gossip has the effect of making the gossiper, the one with the information, feel powerful and experience a sense of control over others. One of my favorite interpretations of the commandment “You shall not kill” is one that expands the law to not only prohibit taking a life but to prohibit all the little “murders” we commit each day. When we mutter under our breath about a co-worker or speculate about a friend’s relationship with her spouse, we injure their reputations. We don’t physically “kill” them, but we do kill their character. This message is adapted from “Rumor has it” written by Amber Leberman that first appeared in the July 2006 issue of Café magazine.

So what are your thoughts about "gossip?" True or not, should we share news that isn't ours to tell? Have you been hurt by the sharing of news, even good news? Much to consider - and to discern.

Blessings.

Day #1126

January 30, 2017

Mystical Monday (see #1098) and the word for the day to describe Jesus - bread, as in the bread of life. 

And what could be more appropriate than to actually bake bread that will be used in worship to celebrate Holy Communion, the giving of the body of Christ, broken for you and me. 

What a joy it is to spend time with youth in this way, knowing the nourishment this bread will bring!

Blessings.

Day #1125

January 29, 2017

Sunrise Mass as performed by the Symphonic Choir and Symphonic Winds was a fabulous way to spend some of the afternoon resting and recuperating. Amazing music and fantastic performers coming together, giving glory and praise to God, sharing their gifts, was balm for the soul!

Thanks be to God for the gifts and talents shared!

Blessings.

Day #1124

January 28, 2017 

A milestone - the first lost tooth!

I suppose that whatever “Simon says” for a while will be with a little more air through it. :-)

Blessings.

Day #1123

January 27, 2017

In a word - sick! Boo! But, as they say, this, too, shall pass. 

Blessings.

Day #1122

January 26, 2017

In thinking and pondering the Beautitudes (Matthew 5:1-12), there is this from the devotion d365: 

The philosopher Søren Kierkegaard explained that “purity of heart is to will one thing.” Can you imagine all of your options, priorities, and opportunities narrowed down to just one? That is purity – a heart that has a single focus, not distracted and pulled in many directions.

I cannot even seem to have that kind of focus for a short period of time, much less always! Makes me truly thankful for God’s grace!

And then, the death of Mary Tyler Moore. As a young woman, her character, Mary Richards, was a hero, one I often looked to for help with navigating the single life and all that came with it – living alone, dating, working, friendships. She could be strong and yet not overpowering, independent yet she needed others. Mary Tyler Moore will certainly be missed, and I am thankful she was around when I needed her.

Blessings.

Day #1121

January 25, 2017

Sometimes it’s not a “Simon says” but a “Simon draws”

Think we may have a budding artist here!!

And just when you wonder about those in the teen years, an awesome prayer by one at the end of confirmation class: “Thank you for healing the scars of the wounded.” Such wisdom and faith!!! What an inspiration!! 

Blessings.

Day #1120

January 24, 2017

This says so much!! It is "Setting up for failure?" from the devotion, Daily Grace, provided by the Women of the ELCA:

One of the hardest things, especially for women and/or mothers, is the guilt that accompanies making choices for our own well-being, choices that feel selfish. We are taught as Christians that we ought to make decisions that are Christ-like, loving and unselfish. And we assume that means that the greatest show of love is self-sacrifice, like Jesus, an emptying out of our entire beings for the sake of others. What we sometimes forget is that when we try so hard to be like Christ, we can easily end up trying to be Christ for other people–to be their savior instead of pointing them to the only one who can save them. We end up setting ourselves up to fail, trying to be to others what we were never designed to be: God. This reflection comes from “The faithfulness of boundaries,” written by Collette Broady that appeared in the November 2013 issue of Cafe.

Lord, remind me of my place and move me to do all I can while in it. Amen.

Blessings.