Holy Week 2017

*What I am reading this week:

The Triumphal Entry, Jerusalem, Sunday (Palm Sunday)
Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus curses the fig tree, Monday
Matthew 21:18-19

Jesus clears the temple, Monday
Matthew 21:12-13

The authority of Jesus questioned, Tuesday
Matthew 21:23-27

Jesus teaches in the temple, Tuesday
Matthew 21:28-23:39

Jesus anointed, Bethany, Tuesday
Matthew 26:6-13

The plot against Jesus, Wednesday
Matthew 26:14-16

The Last Supper, Thursday (Maundy Thursday)
Matthew 26:17-29

Gethsemane, Thursday
Matthew 26:36-46

Jesus' arrest and trial, Thursday night and Friday
Matthew 26:47-27:26

Jesus' crucifixion and death, Golgotha, Friday (Good Friday)
Matthew 27:27-56

The burial of Jesus, Joseph's Tomb, Friday
Matthew 27:57-66

The Resurrection, Sunday (Easter)
Matthew 28:1-10

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!

Easter blessings to you and yours!

*from my archives - an annual reading tradition

Joy on Easter Sunday

Thank you Ann Voskamp for reminding me of this video!

Second Baptist Church in Houston, TX

Holy Week 2014

*What I am reading this week:

The Triumphal Entry, Jerusalem, Sunday (Palm Sunday)
Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus curses the fig tree, Monday
Matthew 21:18-19

Jesus clears the temple, Monday
Matthew 21:12-13

The authority of Jesus questioned, Tuesday
Matthew 21:23-27

Jesus teaches in the temple, Tuesday
Matthew 21:28-23:39

Jesus anointed, Bethany, Tuesday
Matthew 26:6-13

The plot against Jesus, Wednesday
Matthew 26:14-16

The Last Supper, Thursday (Maundy Thursday)
Matthew 26:17-29

Gethsemane, Thursday
Matthew 26:36-46

Jesus' arrest and trial, Thursday night and Friday
Matthew 26:47-27:26

Jesus' crucifixion and death, Golgotha, Friday (Good Friday)
Matthew 27:27-56

The burial of Jesus, Joseph's Tomb, Friday
Matthew 27:57-66

The Resurrection, Sunday (Easter)
Matthew 28:1-10

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!

Easter blessings to you and yours!

*from my archives - an annual reading tradition

I Need More Jesus

I have the best daughter.

I can say that because she is my only daughter and she is 23 years old of awesome!

For example, I can make a list of praise songs and she works magic in purchasing them in record-breaking-time from an online music store (with my credit card of course).

I burn them onto CDs and rotate them playing in my van.

If you ride with me, you get to listen to my music.

Lucky.

****

I drove Young Sweetie to the mall to shop for clothes one night after work. After visiting a few stores at the mall she was successful in finding black dress pants but we were both a bit tired and she suggested stopping at the coffee shop in the mall because she needed some caffeine to finish out the day.

I started thinking about the commercial I'd seen about a new blend the coffee shop had introduced, it could have been named some sort of hair color (Blonde) and I'm game to try it since I find their usual coffee to be a bit on the bitter side.

Let the adventure begin...

Young Sweetie ordered her frozen coffee concoction and I had a couple questions for the barista about the new blend of coffee. I could feel my excitement building.

Finally I'm ready to order, "I'll take a grande, Vanilla Blonde, iced coffee...." and he interrupted me to say that he couldn't ice the Vanilla Blonde coffee. It is only served hot.

I may have asked, "Are you kidding me?"

OK, I did ask and his answer was that he was not kidding me.

So I told him to ring up my daughter's order. I wouldn't be ordering anything after all.

****

Young Sweetie and I were exiting the mall and I'd worked myself up into quite a tizzy. Possibly heading toward a full-blown rant. I might have been saying something to the effect of "All you can serve me is bitter iced coffee? Do you want to see bitter?" (Picture me waving my hand in a circular motion in front of my face.)

Oh yes, I was in rare form and we got into the van, I turned the key, the engine started and the praise music began to play....and without missing a beat my daughter turns up the volume and says, "I think you need more Jesus."

That took the "wind right out of my sails."

****

I have the best daughter and she is correct.

I need more Jesus.

Holy Week 2013

*What I am reading this week:

The Triumphal Entry, Jerusalem, Sunday (Palm Sunday)
Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus curses the fig tree, Monday
Matthew 21:18-19

Jesus clears the temple, Monday
Matthew 21:12-13

The authority of Jesus questioned, Tuesday
Matthew 21:23-27

Jesus teaches in the temple, Tuesday
Matthew 21:28-23:39

Jesus anointed, Bethany, Tuesday
Matthew 26:6-13

The plot against Jesus, Wednesday
Matthew 26:14-16

The Last Supper, Thursday (Maundy Thursday)
Matthew 26:17-29

Gethsemane, Thursday
Matthew 26:36-46

Jesus' arrest and trial, Thursday night and Friday
Matthew 26:47-27:26

Jesus' crucifixion and death, Golgotha, Friday (Good Friday)
Matthew 27:27-56

The burial of Jesus, Joseph's Tomb, Friday
Matthew 27:57-66

The Resurrection, Sunday (Easter)
Matthew 28:1-10

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!

Easter blessings to you and yours!

*from my archives - an annual reading tradition

Fellowship Part One

I chose the word "fellowship" to focus on during 2012.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his book Life Together wrote:
"The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists of listening to them. Just as love of God begins with listening to his word, so the beginning of love for our brothers and sisters is learning to listen to them."

Listening to others. A good beginning.

This past week, Ann Voskamp had a great post at (in)courage called, "Why You Need to Find Community (even when you're really hurting)." I began reading the comments from some women who have been hurt by community and some women who are alone and desire to be a part of community.

God made us a relational people. He wants us to be in relationship with Him and with others, and one thing that captured my attention is that some women who lack community are looking for someone to focus on them and their problems.

I believe that the way to find community is to turn my focus and care toward others. To step outside of myself and my problems and readjust my vision to others, listen to them, and hear where they are in their lives. Then a relationship can begin and maybe flourish.

Not every relationship or fellowship opportunity leads to community, yet it can move me forward in my journey of being a servant of Christ. A more pro-active servant. I believe that God places every person in my life for His purpose and my benefit. I learn something from each person...mostly good things but occasionally I leave a relationship and chalk it up to "a life lesson."

When days of sadness or loneliness come (and they will) I know it's time to shift my focus from myself....toward others. My burden ends and I become spiritually lighter when I invest in relationship and fellowship with others and with God.

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."
Proverbs 3:3-4

This year I am challenging myself to bring love and faithfulness into my relationships, into my fellowship opportunities, into my community(ies).

What do you think? 
Do you long for community?
Will you share what fellowship and community look like to you?


I'd really like to listen...

Holy Week 2012

*What I am reading this week:

The Triumphal Entry, Jerusalem, Sunday (Palm Sunday)
Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus curses the fig tree, Monday
Matthew 21:18-19

Jesus clears the temple, Monday
Matthew 21:12-13

The authority of Jesus questioned, Tuesday
Matthew 21:23-27

Jesus teaches in the temple, Tuesday
Matthew 21:28-23:39

Jesus anointed, Bethany, Tuesday
Matthew 26:6-13

The plot against Jesus, Wednesday
Matthew 26:14-16

The Last Supper, Thursday (Maundy Thursday)
Matthew 26:17-29

Gethsemane, Thursday
Matthew 26:36-46

Jesus' arrest and trial, Thursday night and Friday
Matthew 26:47-27:26

Jesus' crucifixion and death, Golgotha, Friday (Good Friday)
Matthew 27:27-56

The burial of Jesus, Joseph's Tomb, Friday
Matthew 27:57-66

The Resurrection, Sunday (Easter)
Matthew 28:1-10

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!

Easter blessings to you and yours!

*from my archives - an annual reading tradition

I Live

in Bucks County. An interesting name for a county and there is a reason for the specificity of my location in this post.

Here's the official story:
"Founded in 1682 by William Penn, Bucks County has had a long and distinguished history. Penn named the county after Buckinghamshire, the Penn family home in Englandpost." BucksCounty.org

Here's my unofficial story:
Named because we have lots of deer. I mean even one of our local high schools' mascot is Bucks (meaning deer, not money;)

We've lived in Bucks County for 16 years. We have seen a lot of deer running through fields, standing along roadways, and unfortunately dead along roadways too.

-------------

It was a long week leading up to Thanksgiving. I'd been a bit weepy, sad, numb, and couldn't come up with an update to my list of counting toward one thousand gifts. I was in a spiritual / emotional slump. Gray days with rain from drizzle to downpours obviously hadn't improved my mental state.

After a long eight hours of work on Wednesday, my excitement started to build toward: Thanksgiving and four days off, only being responsible for a sidedish at my sister-in-law's house, and our son already being at our house. I wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and left work with a bit of a bounce in my step.

I had two errands to run and while driving 40 miles an hour on a busy road, with cars in front of me and behind me and oncoming traffic just as steady, something hit my passenger door and actually rocked my van!

I drove about 100 feet and pulled into a convenience store parking lot to survey the damage. The traffic pattern never changed, cars weren't stopping, no dodging or weaving, and I noticed the truck that was behind me just zoomed on by where I was parked. I felt confusion, fear, and after seeing the damage, sadness.

I drove back to where it had happend. Nothing in the road or near the road. Traffic moving as usual.

Darn deer.

I'm hopeful that it was just stunned and ran off with a slight hangover. I don't know.

Yet after a week of a blah and weary attitude, I realized that during the hard eucharisteo of a damaged vehicle: My van was still drive-able and I wasn't physically injured. Pretty amazing once I started thinking about it.

I am thankful that the damage is what it is and thank God for his protection.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we  know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 5:3-6 (NLT)


What do you think?

What I've Learned Lately

We drove to West Chester to help our daughter move out of the apartment she left one and a half months ago.

I started thinking about how when we helped her move in to her campus apartment, I had placed my hope in the college and town.

She would study hard, succeed in her classes, in this new chapter of her life.

I had placed my hope in a place, a situation.

Then she flunked out of her third semester there. Moved to a different apartment. Worked long hours for little pay. Quit the job and moved back to our area leaving a lot of her "non-essential items" behind.

It was time to load them up.

While her life has been changing, I realized that this was her present, not her entire future.

She is living out a portion of her life and from my parental perspective (although difficult to watch) I love her, pray for her, and am here when she needs me.

I take comfort that God is with her too.

He is a loving Father who knows what is best for her.

He knows her past, present, and future.

I have learned that life is sometimes messy.

I have learned to not place my hope in a place or situation.

I have learned to place my hope in the Lord,
He is here and through His discipline and love,
all will be well.

And I have learned that living life with our daughter will never be boring.

(The next day she came and with help from her boyfriend and her wonderful dad stored all the non-essentials in the basement.)

A happy ending to the move.

(Thank you Daughter for giving me permission to publish this post.)

Communion

I'm linking this post to Mary's blog, Giving Up on Perfect, and am writing about subjects that she's chosen for the past seven Thursdays:

March 10 – Baptism
March 17 – Wedding
March 24 – Funeral
March 31 – Worship
April 7 – Bible study
April 14 – Prayer
April 21 – Communion

How appropriate that Mary chose today to assign the subject of communion. Today is Maundy Thursday, the Thursday of Holy Week commemorating Jesus' Last Supper and his washing of his disciples' feet.

When he (Jesus) had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
John 13:12-17 (NIV)

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."
Matthew 26:26-29 (NIV)

In February, I read One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. She writes of eucharisteo and about how Jesus, knowing what his future held, took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples.

I receive the bread and grape juice (Presbyterian remember?) and my heart quickens when I hear Jesus "took the bread, gave thanks and broke it. Do this in remembrance of me."

I looked up the definition(s) of communion and read that it means the act of receiving the Eucharistic elements, the elements of Eucharist, and association, fellowship.

It brings me joy to be with others sharing in the remembrance of Jesus and participating in this tradition of our faith ...until he comes again.

Thank you Mary for choosing today's topic and for hosting this series on "A Remarkable Faith." It's made me dig deeper into my faith and I've learned about other's faith from reading their blogs and their insightful comments.

Please visit Giving Up on Perfect to read what Mary and others have written about communion.

Do you have a memory or some thoughts you'd like to share about communion?

One Thousand Gifts (135-145)

I have been reading A Holy Experience (Ann Voskamp's blog) for a year. Every Monday Ann adds to her list of One Thousand Gifts and today I'm adding to my list too.

In 2004, I saw the movie "The Passion of The Christ" and was deeply affected by the visual reenactment of Jesus' journey throughout Holy Week. The biggest change for me is that each time I say The Lord's Prayer "he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried," that the words are now more moving/realistic than just mere memorized words.

In the same way, while reading One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, where Ann wrote about Jesus taking the bread, giving thanks, breaking it, and giving it to his disciples, is that during communion at my church the words have taken on a deeper meaning for me too.

I am more fully attentive and present while worshiping. Whether I am at church or not and I am thankful.

Holy Week began on Sunday and I have posted what I'm reading this week.

#135 - #145 on my list of One Thousand Gifts. I'm thankful for:

135. for God leading me toward a more mature faith

136. Holy Week

137. Wonderful Husband, our daughter and me going to Virginia to visit our son/her brother

138. safe travel to and from Virginia

139. watching Wonderful Husband hang pictures and put together a bookcase for our son

140. new shoes for walking on the treadmill
 
141. reading The One Year Chronological Bible and being so caught up that I read into the next day's reading! God's Word is alive, active, thrilling and inspiring!
 
142. Wonderful Husband catching stinkbugs in baggies...then disposing of them. He is my hero!
 
143. the hyacinths in bloom

 
144. a squirrel running out of our garage

145. the joy of celebrating Easter next Sunday

Please visit A Holy Experience: Multitudes On Mondays, One Thousand Gifts.

Turn on your speakers. Read, enjoy, and thank God for His blessings.

Holy Week

What I am reading this week:

The Triumphal Entry, Jerusalem, Sunday (Palm Sunday)
Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus curses the fig tree, Monday
Matthew 21:18-19

Jesus clears the temple, Monday
Matthew 21:12-13

The authority of Jesus questioned, Tuesday
Matthew 21:23-27

Jesus teaches in the temple, Tuesday
Matthew 21:28-23:39

Jesus anointed, Bethany, Tuesday
Matthew 26:6-13

The plot against Jesus, Wednesday
Matthew 26:14-16

The Last Supper, Thursday (Maundy Thursday)
Matthew 26:17-29

Gethsemane, Thursday
Matthew 26:36-46

Jesus' arrest and trial, Thursday night and Friday
Matthew 26:47-27:26

Jesus' crucifixion and death, Golgotha, Friday (Good Friday)
Matthew 27:27-56

The burial of Jesus, Joseph's Tomb, Friday
Matthew 27:57-66

The Resurrection, Sunday (Easter)
Matthew 28:1-10

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Easter blessings to you.

Prayer

I'm linking this post to Mary's blog, Giving Up on Perfect, and am writing about subjects that she's chosen for the next seven Thursdays:

March 10 – Baptism
March 17 – Wedding
March 24 – Funeral
March 31 – Worship
April 7 – Bible study
April 14 – Prayer
April 21 – Communion

The Jesus Prayer from June 25, 2010:

This past week I attended Adult Vacation Bible School at my church. Each day we were taught about Spiritual Formation and different ways to practice being in a closer relationship with God.

The first day we discussed Mark 10:46-52. A particular verse caught my attention. Vs. 47 which says, "Jesus Christ, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

This reminded me of The Jesus Prayer that I had learned years ago and I talked with our teacher after the lesson on Monday about it. Since she was finished teaching for the day, she said that I could bring that up on Tuesday. After teaching on Tuesday, she apologized for not remembering to bring it up and I really wasn't concerned about it, so no apology was necessary.

On Wednesday...after spilling Diet Coke on the front of my shirt, the teacher said, "Cindy? Would you come up front and tell us about The Jesus Prayer?"

"Oh heck. I just spilled something on me....but I'll just carry up my folder to hide it."

Laughter followed me as I trotted up to the front and held the mini microphone so I could be heard by all. I had my folder strategically placed to hide my sloppiness.

I said something like this, "After our reading Mark on Monday, it reminded me that years ago I learned The Jesus Prayer. It is 'Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.' I was very stressed and by focusing on this, repeating it over and over, and stressing each word separately....well....I think it saved my life. It helped me become calm, centered, and put my focus on Jesus....and isn't that where we want to be?"

I handed the microphone back to the teacher and trotted back to my seat with my folder still in front of me. (I am not comfortable speaking to large groups and was hoping that I had made sense in my mini explanation of The Jesus Prayer.)

During our break, I had a conversation with a woman who thanked me for sharing The Jesus Prayer. When I sat down, I had a woman turn around and hand me her tablet and pen and asked me to write down The Jesus Prayer.

So I thought to myself, I guess I did make some sense. Phewww.

On Friday, I told Bud, "You know I was a little worried that since I had complimented you on your testimony that you gave on Tuesday, then heard you were in the hospital because you weren't feeling well...I was hoping that it wasn't because of our conversation." Hee hee!

He laughed.

I said, "I was praying for you and glad to see you back on Thursday."

He asked, "You prayed for me?"

I said, "Of course. That's what we do here."

Then he said, "You know, when I got to the hospital, I started saying The Jesus Prayer to myself. I repeated it about 10 times and felt myself relax and rest in Him. Then they started running the tests which came back negative and they told me to go home the next day since there was nothing wrong with me."

All the glory goes to God.

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.

Thank you Mary for choosing today's topic and letting me "walk down memory lane" from last year.

Please visit Giving Up on Perfect to read what Mary and others have written about prayer.

Do you have a memory or some thoughts you'd like to share about prayer?

Bible Study

I'm linking this post to Mary's blog, Giving Up on Perfect, and am writing about subjects that she's chosen for the next seven Thursdays:

March 10 – Baptism
March 17 – Wedding
March 24 – Funeral
March 31 – Worship
April 7 – Bible study
April 14 – Prayer
April 21 – Communion


I used to work at a church and was off on Thursdays. About 5 years ago, I began attending a Thursday morning Bible Study at my church (a different church from the one that employed me). We met weekly through the school year with a group of about 15 to 20 women and we made our way through Beth Moore studies, different books of the Bible, different topics (like heaven and what scripture says about it). I had gained knowledge and developed relationships with these faith-filled women.

I was unemployed for almost three years and was able to devote more of my time/life to studying the Bible. I began journaling and blogging and because of the quiet in my home, I was able to be aware of God's presence in every aspect of my life. The years of being at home were a gift.

I've also do Bible studies on the telephone with my friend Terri in Maryland. We began with a one year women's devotional, completed Me, Myself and Lies...A Thought Closet Makeover, watched "Made To Crave" online and are continuing with another book. We read a chapter a week and use the questions to guide us in our conversation and thoughts on faith. We've been friends for over 20 years and bringing Bible Study into our weekly conversations has deepened our friendship. A gift!

I was hired last December and my days are now spent at work Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. (And please don't misunderstand me, the job is a blessing because as most people know it pays better than not working. :)

But there are drawbacks to not being at home.

I am no longer able to meet with my Bible Study Buddies at my church. I am on the prayer request list and every week I receive prayer requests by email. So a prayer connection remains.

Terri calls every week and after catching up on our families and our lives, we dig into our Bibles and learn more about God's grace and encourage each other.

I am reading The One Year Chronological Bible and visiting Wendy Pope's blog/vlog.

I read (in)courage daily and a few other blogs.

I read Jesus Calling (a daily devotional) each morning before walking into work because it focuses my mind on Jesus.

Through Bible Study, I have become less legalistic in my faith and I think it makes God happy that I don't just know certain parts of the Bible but also am learning of His grace, mercy and am building a relationship with Him.

For years I was stuck in the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law, which is to love the Lord our God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind, and love my neighbor as myself. (Luke 10:27)

I think of myself as a life-long Bible Study student and am intentionally incorporating God's truths into my life.

And that is a gift.

Thank you Mary for choosing today's topic.

Please visit Giving Up on Perfect to read what Mary and others have written about Bible study.

Do you have a memory or some thoughts you'd like to share about Bible study?

Worship

I'm linking this post to Mary's blog, Giving Up on Perfect, and am writing about subjects that she's chosen for the next seven Thursdays:


March 10 – Baptism
March 17 – Wedding
March 24 – Funeral
March 31 – Worship
April 7 – Bible study
April 14 – Prayer
April 21 – Communion

I had been struggling for a while during church services. I attend a church where many people compliment the quality of our choirs. Please don't misunderstand me...I like the beauty of the voices and bells intermingling during the service but that isn't why I attend church.

I had also been struggling finding meaning/inspiration from the sermons. Some mornings I would leave and think, "What am I supposed to take away or do with what I've heard?"

Then I heard something that made me stop being the person who was disappointed in my worship experience, blaming everyone else for not "living up to my standards." (Sounds pretty pretentious right?) Primarily, I heard that worship is not their obligation or to be based upon the performance of others (choirs, preacher, etc.) but worship is my responsibility. My time to worship God. To be devoted to Him.

Wow.

It was tough "climbing off my high horse" and to stop blaming others and situations and take responsibilty for worship myself. It was humbling and freeing. Worship isn't about me and how I feel. Worship is about God. My relationship with Him. I am to focus on worshiping Him.

From a heart overflowing with gratitude, we will want to honour and glorify God by gratefully offering back to Him the many good gifts He has bestowed on us. We will not go to church to be entertained, to see "what we can get out of it" for our own private gratification, but rather to praise and worship the triune God of grace and glory.
Anonymous

Worship is the intentional attitudes and actions of focusing on God. It is the life-discipline we ought repeatedly to exercise and develop. It grows out of the foundational motive of deep and wonder-based gratitude to God for His salvaging and sustaining us.
Byron Spradlin

I realize that worship doesn't only take place in a church. To be who God wants me to be is to worship Him throughout my days. Not only on Sundays.

The church is never a place, but always a people; never a fold but always a flock; never a building but always a believing assembly. The church is you who pray, not where you pray.
Anonymous

Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by his holiness, the nourishment of the mind with his truth, the purifying of the imagination of his beauty, the opening of the heart to his love, the surrender of the will to his purpose.
William Temple

The purpose of this Christian society called the "Church" is, first: to glorify God by our worship. We do not go to church just to hear a sermon. We go to church to worship God.
Billy Graham

Ouch.

So I've come to the realization that worship isn't about me. It's not about how wonderful the choir sounds or how "good" the sermon is. It is me using my life with deliberation to worship God. To praise Him.

In the end, worship can never be a performance, something you're pretending or putting on. It's got to be an overflow of your heart.....Worship is about getting personal with God, drawing close to God.
Matt Redman

Joshua 23:8 says, "...cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now." NLT

That is how I am moving forward in my faith and changing my thinking and actions about worshiping God. I am clinging tightly to Him and focusing on a deeper relationship with Him. I am thankful for His grace and mercy in "teaching this old dog, new thoughts tricks."

Thank you Mary for choosing today's topic and for challenging me to dig deeper in my faith.

Please visit Giving Up on Perfect to read what Mary and others have written about worship.

Do you have a memory or some thoughts you'd like to share about worship?

Funeral

I'm linking this post to Mary's blog, Giving Up on Perfect, and am writing about subjects that she's chosen for the next seven Thursdays:

March 10 – Baptism
March 17 – Wedding
March 24 – Funeral
March 31 – Worship
April 7 – Bible study
April 14 – Prayer
April 21 – Communion

For many years, I didn't know how to express sympathy to someone who had lost a loved one. I didn't know what to say. So I said nothing. I would occasionally send a sympathy card and sign my name. I would steer clear of the person because of my lack of knowing what to say or do.

Then in 1992, my father died.

He was 54 years old and I was 31. I had been married for 10 years to Wonderful Husband and our children were five and two years old.

I remember Terri bringing over dinner and it was not only delicious but I needed not to think about preparing a meal for my family. A blessing.

We lived in Maryland and I flew to Texas to be with my mother, sister, brother, aunt, and great uncle.

I remember my dad's funeral like it was yesterday. It was in the church where I had been married. I felt comforted by the worship tradition and remember listening to the bell choir and thinking that this was what heaven must sound like. God was with me.

There were many people crowded into the mid-sized church and I noticed that when I was introduced to many people that I didn't know, there were some who knew my father yet most knew my mother and were there to offer their condolences and show their sympathy to her and to us.

I remember being the "good middle child" during the time I was in Texas. Being helpful and supportive of everyone else and stuffing my sadness deep within my soul.

I remember being at the airport with my brother and watching people walk by when an older couple caught our attention. My brother said he was angry seeing them since our parents wouldn't have those years together. I remember thinking that I couldn't begrudge someone more time together.

The most embarrassing thing that happened was that after holding myself together through the airplane trip, keeping my head down and reading a magazine and willing the plane to get me back to Maryland faster, please faster...we finally landed and a woman that was seated in my row chose the time when we were almost ready to make our way down the aisle to ask me if my trip to Texas was "business or pleasure."

My eyes welled up when I said, "Neither. I was there for my father's funeral."

Ackkkkkk! I have to think that she's probably never asked that question again. I felt wretched.

I came home to a lot of sympathy cards which I still have to this day.

Here is what I learned from my father's death and his funeral:

• One purpose of the funeral was to remember my father's life and for others attending to show their love for him and their love for those of us still alive.
• The only words that needed to be said were, "I'm sorry for your loss."
• A hug is appreciated.
• Allow the grieving person to talk about whatever they want to talk about.
• Don't try to "make them feel better."
• Don't tell them your thoughts or experiences of death.
• Listen.
• Let them be free to say whatever they want.
• Don't judge them because grieving people can be a bit wacky. (I know from personal experience. Read: me.)
• Years later I learned there are five stages of grief: denial, bargaining, anger, resignation, and acceptance. There is not a particular or a correct order and the other person(s) grieving probably won't be at the same stage as you are, and it's ok.
• Receiving words from others is wonderful. Receiving sympathy cards is a blessing because during the days, weeks, and months ahead, cards are tangible gifts that can be read and held when other people continue living their normal, and the one(s) left behind are still trying to adapt to their new normal.
• One thing I learned from my five year old son was the simplicity in teaching him about death. He would go play, come find me to ask me a question or two about Grandpa or heaven, then go and play. He dealt with death in small increments instead of getting weighed down. He didn't try and carry it all as one large burden. God blesses the young with wisdom. 
• Lastly, I believe that God is sad when we are sad. He mourns with us and is there to help us find our way back from grief. I am grateful for my faith.

Do you have anything you'd add or subtract (or multiply or divide) from the list? (Math joke :)

Do you have a memory or some thoughts you'd like to share about a funeral?

Thank you Mary for choosing today's topic.

Please visit Giving Up on Perfect to read what Mary and others have written about funerals.

Wedding

I'm linking this post to Mary's blog, Giving Up on Perfect, and am writing about subjects that she's chosen for the next seven Thursdays:

March 10 – Baptism
March 17 – Wedding
March 24 – Funeral
March 31 – Worship
April 7 – Bible study
April 14 – Prayer
April 21 – Communion


I haven't been to many weddings. In fact after searching my memory (always a challenge) I realize that I have attended eight weddings and one of them was my own. The lack of weddings simplified my thoughts by not having a lot of memories to sift through. And since my memory is what it is, I decided to focus on the most recent wedding that I attended and how I learned to lean fully on God.

Our nephew John was getting married in July 2009 to a lovely woman, Meg. The excitement had been building with the younger generation having their bachelorette and bachelor weekends away, and a bridal shower that had included the older generation. (Read: I was included with the older generation festivities.)

Life seemed to be gliding along when our other nephew Gregory received a diagnosis of adrenal cancer.

Gregory and John are cousins and had grown up together to be like brothers. Gregory has three siblings, John has two siblings.

Gregory was all set to be the best man at John's wedding but the timing... oh the timing was working against him. Gregory had major surgery and was hoping to attend the wedding but was still recovering. We (the rest of the family) had been "wrung through the wringer" of receiving encouraging reports about Gregory's condition followed by discouraging reports.

I believe that God had His hands all over the timing of events.

We needed some joy during this time.

We needed to shift our focus toward two people who were starting their married lives together.

We needed a celebration.

We needed God's grace to hold our weak parts together while witnessing the beginning of two lives showing their love for each other.

It was a day filled with blessings and a reception filled with happiness and love. Thank you God!

I leaned heavily on God that day and He took care of me. He took care of us.

(As a post script: God knew what was coming when Gregory died in December 2009, yet He continued to hold us together so we could celebrate Gregory's short life too. Thank you God!)

Thank you Mary for choosing this topic for today.

Please visit Giving Up on Perfect to read what Mary and others have written about weddings.

Do you have a memory or some thoughts you'd like to share about a wedding?

Baptism

I'm linking this post to Mary's blog, Giving Up on Perfect, and writing about subjects that she's chosen for the next seven Thursdays:

March 10 – Baptism
March 17 – Wedding
March 24 – Funeral
March 31 – Worship
April 7 – Bible study
April 14 – Prayer
April 21 – Communion

I have always said that I was born and raised Presbyterian.

Baptism is one of only two sacraments recognized in my denomination, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Most of our baptisms are of infants. I don't remember my own baptism since I was an infant. Both of our children were baptized as infants too. Young children and adults can be baptized too of course.

Baptisms take place during our worship service. I've listed a brief part about our baptism below.

The parents are asked, "Relying on God's grace, do you promise to live the Christian faith, and to teach that faith to your child?"

We don't have godparents but sometimes have sponsors who are members of the church and promise "through prayer and example to support and encourage" the child "to be a faithful Christian."

And later the congregation is asked, "Do you, as members of the church of Jesus Christ, promise to guide and nurture" the child "by word and deed, with love and prayer, encouraging them to know and follow Christ and to be faithful members of his church?"

(All quotations above are from the Book of Common Worship...For the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A).)

I love that parents, sponsors, and the congregation participate in every baptism and are responsible for supporting, encouraging, teaching and learning alongside one another. My eyes fill with tears when our pastor carries a baby down the center aisle to introduce him/her to us.

Have I lived up to my promises during baptisms?

Not all the time.

Yet I am striving to do so now and know that I can do better with God's help.

Thank you Mary for choosing this topic for today.

Please visit Giving Up on Perfect to read what Mary and others have written about baptism.

Do you have a memory or some thoughts you'd like to share about baptism?

My Journey Into Grace

I had a conversation last night with Wonderful Husband about how he thinks I'm angry with a situation and that's why I am blunt when I converse with people about it.

I told him that it seems (to me) like he's sugar-coating the situation and although not lying...it is not exactly truthful and kind of smoke-and-mirror-ish in his discussions with people.

I think it was a constructive conversation where we both heard each another, yet it made me think about how different we are (the male/female-ness) and our differences in our journey as a married couple are becoming more visible too.

For years I was the sugar-coater...putting a positive spin on our lives: to my side of the family, to his side of the family, to co-workers, to friends, to my Bible Study buddies.

It was exhausting.

About a year ago, I had used up all my "spin-master energy" and became more truthful.
More brutally honest.
Not mean.
I just had to take off the masks that had been pinching my face and pinching my heart.

And it has been freeing.

My life is not perfect. Why should I put on a faux smile and pretend it is to the world?

So after driving to work today, I sat in my car and read Jesus Calling (by Sarah Young) and what was today's devotional reading about? That my efforts to look good can fool some people. But I don't have to pretend with Jesus. He knows every part of me and will alter my weaknesses into strengths because he saturates me in grace.

Think about that.

Jesus saturates us in grace.

The dictionary defines saturate as to soak, impregnate, or imbue thoroughly or completely.

My prayer today is to be open to his saturation. May my bluntness be replaced with words of grace. Honest still, yet less sharp-edged. More smooth-edged words that bring grace into my soul and into the lives of others. Jesus, please saturate me with grace. Amen.

The Big Picture

The One Year Chronological Bible readings for November 5 were:

The Burial of Jesus
Mark 15:42-47
Matthew 27:57-61
Luke 23:50-56
John 19:38-42

The Guard at the Tomb
Matthew 27:62-66

The Resurrection
Mark 16:1-8
Matthew 28:1-7
Luke 24:1-12
Mark 16:9-11
John 20:1-18
Matthew 28:8-10

The Report of the Guard
Matthew 28:11-15

Today's readings fascinated me with their slight differences in the details:

The man that asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus' body: he owned a new tomb; he found a previously unused tomb; he wrapped Jesus' body; he and another man prepared Jesus' body with perfumed ointment before wrapping his body in long sheets.

What the women saw: the stone had been rolled away from the tomb and a young man clothed in a white robe was sitting inside the tomb on the right side; a large earthquake happened and an angel rolled away the stone and sat on it; the stone was rolled away and two men suddenly appeared inside the tomb clothed in dazzling robes.

Yet with all these slight differences in the details, the big truth is there. Jesus rose from the dead and will meet with his disciples in Galilee.

Sometimes in my life, I get caught up with the slight differences in details instead of the big picture truths.

Lord, help me to not get bogged down with slight inconsistencies in my life, but rather to see the consistency of Your truths that surround me. Amen.

Do you get stuck in the details?