I Didn't Sign The Sheet

"They all joined together constantly in prayer," Acts 1:14

Got up early, had coffee, drove to the course, opened my locker, put on golf shoes, went through the pro shop saying hello to everyone, stopped in front of the posted list of threesomes who were to play together, didn't see my name. Read it once, twice, on the third time I was convinced my name was not there. Went back to my locker, put up shoes, drove home, finished my cold coffee I had not poured out before. I had forgotten to sign up!!
If you don't sign up you are left out of a lot of things. Joining your fine self up is a big deal. If you don't sign up, join, involve yourself you get left out. Our Creator has made a beautiful Kingdom for us to join, but it is our responsibility to get our name on the list of membership. We have to commit to joining the process of finding the Kingdom, looking for it all around us everyday. God provides, however, we must join ourselves to what is provided. Take an active part in the beautiful Grace with which God has gifted us.
In the passage above, Mary has joined with other women and the brothers of Jesus to pray. Wonder who put out the sign up sheet? There are so many ways to take an active part in the Kingdom, so many ways to learn about the Kingdom, so many ways to live a Kingdom life. Are you signed up? Do you know where to find the sign up sheet?

Retreats Change Lives

"Before the Lord God made man upon the earth He first prepared for him a world of useful and pleasant things for his sustenance and delight. In the Genesis account of the creation these are simply "things". They were made for man's use, but they were meant always to be external to the man and subservient to him. In the deep heart of man was a shrine where none but God was worthy to come. Within him was God; without, a thousand gifts which God had showered upon him." From The Pursuit Of God by A.W. Tozer

As you will recall, I asked you last Thursday to pray for my retreat weekend. Well, THANK YOU. Words can never describe what an incredible weekend I had. I have never been covered with such Christ like love in my entire life. If anyone ever approaches you concerning sponsoring you for a Walk to Emmaus...do not take a breath before you say yes. On second thought, don't say yes SHOUT YES PLEASE!! Know that that person loves you so much.
I came home with a new book. I have heard A.W. Tozer quoted many times, but I have never read anything by him. So when I saw this book I grabbed it up. It is wonderful. The part I used above really struck me in a deep place. Not only was I showered with "a thousand" of God's gifts this weekend, I was able to clear out my altar space inside my heart.
If you are looking for a meaningful book to add to your study time, I am highly recommending this one.
God bless you and thank you for those prayers.

Walking and Talking

They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. Luke 24:14

I will be leaving to go into the beautiful Sacramento Mountains this afternoon for a retreat weekend. Please pray for me and the others as we study together for three days.
No cell phone, no cameras, no TVs or radios, what a joy to look forward to. The list of equipment to include says "and your favorite Bible"...now, that is a mighty fine item to take.
Have a blessed weekend, I know I will.

Callaway and L'Oreal help Ovarian Cancer Research

I guess I have missed this information, but now that I have found it I will pass it along. Callaway Golf is supporting the Ovarian Cancer Foundation with a number of items for sale. From drivers to towels, all with the familiar ribbon, but in teal not pink. Here is the site for the towels: http://www.callawaygolf.com/Global/en-US/Products/Accessories/C.G.Collection/LimitedEditionPlayersTowel.html Really classy looking.
As I read farther along in this article I see that L'Oreal has a new makeup line called Color of Hope Makeup. $2 per sale will go to ovarian cancer research.
Sorry to be so far behind, however there it is. Love it when shopping dovetails with a great cause!

Work For The Correct Food

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the son of man will give you. John 6:27

This weekend the spouse and I played in a couples golf tournament. We were paired with a couple we had not previously met and were expected to "work" together to win the prize. It turned out we were a good team. When one of us faltered the other three picked up the load and carried on. We matched weakness with strengths, with laughter, understanding, and you know what we won!
Now winning a golf tournament is not something that is going to help us too far along the path towards eternal life. But the use of team work sure will. We used all the positive qualities and abilities God has given us to achieve a goal. We can take this same pattern and use it for much bigger things.
How beautiful if we would all pull together to work for the "food that endures". Jesus says that that work is "to believe in the one he has sent". If you are finding it hard to work alone on this job, then find a group. Get yourself a team. Join your seeking with others, the work is easier and certainly more joyous.

Prayer Friday Ephesians 4:3

Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3



Thank you to wayfarerjon at http://walking-with-father.blogspot.com/ for the reminder of this verse. His story will lead us into our weekly prayer.

Loving Creator, Living Christ, Bold and Caring Holy Spirit,

Thank you for all the blessings that have flowed into my life this week and every week. I am sure I have not noticed many because I was too busy or inattentive to recognize them. But they are there.

I want so much to keep the bond of peace alive in my life at every breath. I know it starts with me. Help me do nothing to endanger the love that should and can flow between and in all of your creation.

I believe in the Living Christ and the Body of Christ. I will do no harm. I will look for those you have put in my life to help keep the unity. I will make every effort to guard my mind and my mouth from doing anything to upset the Peace beyond all understanding.

Amen

Manna

"I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Exodus 16:4

I really know in my heart of hearts God gives us just the right amount of direction, blessings and love we need each day. More than we ever pay attention to or grasp. Look for your manna today, all day.
Here are three cooking sites I think look really good and fun. (Don't tell my husband, or he might expect me to cook instead of being on the course!) Actually, I have some yellow squash on the stove right now, being steamed for a dish.
www.cookwithme.today.com
www.peanutbutterandjulie.typepad.com
www.cookingwithanne.blogspot.com
ENJOY !!

Sorry On My Lips, But In My Heart?

Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. Proverbs 22:17-18

Yesterday's golf format was a Scotch twosome. You and your partner each hit drives, then you pick the best one to play and alternate shots until you have putted out. My partner and I weren't having one of our best performances on the course. We had one spectacular hole, but that was about it. The two fun ladies with whom we played were in the same boat. All of us hit some beautiful shots, plus some very poor ones. Nothing is worse than messing up your partner's great shot with a really stinky follow up. I did it more than once. If the four of us said "I'm sorry" once, we said it fifty times. Finally, we all agreed to quit saying it. We knew we were sorry, and we were sure equal in the times we needed to pass the apology back and forth.
Three things came to mind later as I was thinking about the day.
One, how routine it became to say that phrase in the short time we played. How easy it was to say... ready on our lips. We really felt badly, wanted our partner to know it, and deep down were embarrassed and wanted to be forgiven.
Two, the apologies were for such a little thing in the big picture of our lives. I am really good at saying I am sorry over these little inconsequential golf shots. Good grief it wasn't for big bucks like the pros play for! Why is it so easy to say "I'm sorry" over the little things, not the big ones, if it is right there on our lips? Maybe I don't have the real ideal of forgiveness far enough down in my heart to be able to quickly apologise for my big mistakes.
Three, when you start really paying attention to a "saying of the wise" it is amazing how often it crops up in your life. Chances to apply it. We have been pondering forgiveness here for a while. Now I see it in little happenstances, like on the golf course, and in telephone calls from an old school chum who called this week to apologise for an occurrence that happened years ago.
The deeper in my heart I put the will of God, the more I let God's will work on me, the quicker it travels from my heart to my lips. How about you?

Waiting To Play The Course Psalm 130:5

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5

There they are, all lined up waiting to be put on the carts, so they can play the course. I love to see the bags of the other golfers. Some so generic, some all fancied up. Of course they are not of much good until their player comes along and uses them. Just sitting there, looking cute.

What am I doing? Do I just sit around waiting for the Lord to come? Maybe not looking cute, but maybe...useless. Don't get me wrong, I love this verse, I believe this verse. My soul does wait, I wait. But are we just supposed to sit there?

I don't think so. I think along with the waiting we are here to be used, to be "played". Sometimes I get wrapped up in the waiting for God to show me something big that needs to be done. I forget that all the things I think of as little everyday duties or routines that are not so important, really are important. I need to remind myself that all the small "niceties" I do for others are a show of love and concern. A glass of water fetched, a sock picked up...a prayer said.

This week, while our souls wait, let's be mindful that every act of kindness we do for another is an act of love for one of God's creations. You have no one to help? You are laid up in that chair or bed? How about some prayers for your neighbors, helpers, our country, thank you for the birds, the sun, the air you breathe?

Let's wait for the Lord, let's put all our hope in his word. Let's let him play us while we wait.

9/11 Forgiveness

Do not be over come by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

Too rainy to play golf this morning so I took my coffee to the front porch to sit and think.

9/11...forgiveness...9/11...forgiveness. How far have I come since that morning of nine-eleven? This summer I was privileged to stand in the Pentagon office where the airplane came diving in. It was one of the most...I don't know the right word to put here...no word can tell you what I felt. Just picture yourself there and I think you will find the word. Have I forgiven? Those pilots had such crippled egos, such warped senses of who God is. God is the judge, not me. I am told to forgive. I pray. How far along the path of forgiveness are you?

This is where I need the Holy Spirit to lead. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:26. Lord help me to forgive. Help me to repay evil with good.

Scattering Among Your Neighbors

Love does no harm to its neighbors. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:10

My friend Judy and I were playing a twosome the other day and I brought my camera along. We had our usual fun and laughs, a little serious talk, and some conversation about applying Bible study to our everyday walk. I always come away from time spent with her with such a lovely feeling of peace and friendship. Real "you can talk about anything" friendship. She makes it easy to love your neighbor.

The picture above could be used for all sorts of Bible truths and stories. For Jesus talking about scattering seeds over the ground, or Old Testament stories about grain and planting. I have a better picture for those on another day. This sign is guiding us to drive the golf carts into grass that is not so worn. Scatter into other areas that have not been so well traveled.

It is usually pretty easy to love your family and those friends you choose to keep close around. OK, not always, but usually. However, what about our neighbors that are strangers, or those folks that look at first glance to be unlovable? How do we start, in a first step sort of way, to love these people as ourselves?

How about the step mentioned in today's verse from Romans...do no harm. Maybe you cannot, yet, find it in your heart to let them into your closest confidence, nor greet them with open arms. How about just doing away with the negative thoughts you might harbor about them, how about not joining in the talk about them, how about giving them the benefit of the doubt. Start with do no harm, then work up to doing something good for them. A smile, a kind word, a help. The type of love Paul is talking about is agape. A service, helping kind of love.

Scatter among your neighbors, near and far, and bring a helping kind of love. God revealed love through Christ, you and I reveal Christ's love through our actions. Scatter love, please, into some new paths not so well worn.

Prayer Friday

The God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33

Most Loving Creator, Living Christ, Guiding Holy Spirit,

Thank you for blessing me with this day. Thank you for the many people you have put in my life to love. Thank you for the time to pray and enjoy your creation.
Lord, let me be ever mindful this week of living in and spreading your peace. I was made in your image and you are the peace and love of creation. In every conversation, in every action, in every thought lead me deeper and deeper into your peace.
Amen

Still Trying

Still Loving the Neighbor !!

You know when you sincerely start to work on this it is really hard, and I hate to admit that. It hurts to admit you are having trouble with a direction from Christ that sounds so Christian-like. So basic. I always try to start these soul searching, walk the path improvements close to home. Family, then start practicing the "walk your talk" with your closest friends, then spread out to notice the people around you as you do your daily errands, work your job, commute. Then take it to the people outside your "beltway".
I am about politic-ed out. Two more nights of the second convention, plus all the hype and too many talking-head discussions. This is where loving your neighbor really gets hard. When will we learn we have one nation to love and take care of, protect and serve? Not divide and win, pull down and stomp on. How do I love (either side) people that look for the most damaging information they can find, just to use it to take someone else down. Where is forgiveness, patience, just plain old civility?
I know it starts with me. I need to overlook, forgive, realize these are egos vastly out of whack. Crippled egos that are not looking for guidance from the Holy Spirit. I need to look at these people as children of God, God's creations that God loves. Try to love them with Christlike love. I am really trying, but this is difficult. Only prayer and constant reminder of God's love for all will keep me trying to see past the horrible things that are being done in the cause of winning an election.