Jesus...said to them,"Peace be with you." John 20:19
As I said yesterday, no golf. I have two days, yesterday and today, to get ready for another trip. This one is a cruise. As I get terribly seasick I am getting ready with some apprehension. I have tried every drug made by man from the time I was 3 years old to handle this problem. Maybe I'll lose some weight on this trip, instead of the opposite!
I am trying hard not to lose my cool. I have my check list and the one from the cruise line, both of which I am doing a good job following. They help to keep me from running around like a chicken with it's head off. So far so good. I haven't snapped at the husband nor yelled at the three dogs under my feet.
Jesus gives us peace for everyday of our lives if we will let him. His presence at our side can keep us centered and calm no matter what. I believe we have to ask for it and stay focused on it. Do I have a checklist for doing this? You better believe I do. I read my devotional every morning first thing. Then I go to my favorite blogs listed over there on the right side. These are followed by prayer. If I'm on a trip with no computer then I skip the blogs, which I hate to do. I gather my peace. Breathe it in and out. Then during the day when I get frazzled, I remember a word or phrase from the morning that God has placed in my mind. Breathe it in and out. I let God put me in God's kingdom, out of the hassle, problems and worry.
It works, trust me. Take Jesus' peace and live in it. Let it roll around you, let it fill you. Remember, God loves you more than you can ever understand. He gives you peace.
Please hold that peace until I get back and we talk again. In the mean time try those sites I have listed, but remember to come back here. I'll miss you if you don't!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Grumble,Grumble, Grumble
"...for he has heard your grumbling." Exodus 16:9
I love the word grumble. It is fun to say over and over. It is a word that hits the spot. You can feel it in your belly. I remember the first time I read Exodus 16 and found the grumbling Israelites. I think it was one of the first times the Bible really became real to me, really spoke to me. These people grumbled, that really struck me. They were so blessed, yet they grumbled. Go read the chapter. Now... do you grumble like that? Put your name in place of theirs and read it. "In the desert Lucinda grumbled."
In the airport, Lucinda grumbled...when she got home, Lucinda grumbled...when she saw the dirty clothes pile, Lucinda grumbled...when she thought about leaving again in two days for another week long trip, Lucinda grumbled. NO GOLF for two weeks...Lucinda GRUMBLED. What an ungrateful person.
I am so blessed. I was free to go visit family who lives a continent away. I spent wonderful time with them. I came home to three dogs and a husband who missed me. I have a home and things to get dusty and messed up. I get to go on a cruise for one week. I am healthy and have time to play golf. I have a church and great friends. What is my problem ??? Why in the world do I grumble? Because I get so wrapped up in all of the afore mentioned "stuff" that I forget where it all comes from. I am a grumbly Israelite.
So what do I do. Just what I did this morning...I got out the Bible and read Exodus 16. Now all day today I will ask myself..."Do you want to be a grumbly Israelite? No? Then start praising God for all the blessing that have flowed to you." And I do and will.
I love the word grumble. It is fun to say over and over. It is a word that hits the spot. You can feel it in your belly. I remember the first time I read Exodus 16 and found the grumbling Israelites. I think it was one of the first times the Bible really became real to me, really spoke to me. These people grumbled, that really struck me. They were so blessed, yet they grumbled. Go read the chapter. Now... do you grumble like that? Put your name in place of theirs and read it. "In the desert Lucinda grumbled."
In the airport, Lucinda grumbled...when she got home, Lucinda grumbled...when she saw the dirty clothes pile, Lucinda grumbled...when she thought about leaving again in two days for another week long trip, Lucinda grumbled. NO GOLF for two weeks...Lucinda GRUMBLED. What an ungrateful person.
I am so blessed. I was free to go visit family who lives a continent away. I spent wonderful time with them. I came home to three dogs and a husband who missed me. I have a home and things to get dusty and messed up. I get to go on a cruise for one week. I am healthy and have time to play golf. I have a church and great friends. What is my problem ??? Why in the world do I grumble? Because I get so wrapped up in all of the afore mentioned "stuff" that I forget where it all comes from. I am a grumbly Israelite.
So what do I do. Just what I did this morning...I got out the Bible and read Exodus 16. Now all day today I will ask myself..."Do you want to be a grumbly Israelite? No? Then start praising God for all the blessing that have flowed to you." And I do and will.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Short Trip
May God bless all of you and keep you safe. I will be gone for a week visiting family. See you when I get back.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Emptied
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus...emptied...humbled...obedient.... Philippians 2:5,7-8
Over the weekend we played in a golf tournament with another couple. Didn't do too badly, came in third. Could we have done better? Yes. How? I could have listened to advice. How is that for confession on a Monday morning? My putting is horrible right now. Did my spouse offer help? Yes. Was he correct? Yes. Did I listen? I am sure you can fill in the answer to that! I was not humble, nor was I obedient. I could not empty myself of "my way".
I don't care if it is golf advice, medical advice, cooking or parenting tips, if you don't put the ego aside you are not going to learn. If we cannot do the little things, how can we do the big important things? We have to train ourselves at all levels to be open to advice and change. If you want help you have to let it flow from the source of that help and you have to be open to let the flow come into you.
God is so available. Always there to help, teach, lead. We can learn from everything around us, from everyone around us. However, if we are not empty of our own ego, our tight hold on our way, we cannot have room to let God in. If we are not humble enough to accept the right leading it won't flow into us. And if we are not obedient enough to listen and put it into use we will never change.
To me that is what wisdom is all about; having the mind of Christ. We can have the mind of Christ. We can...if we empty our minds of our truth and fill it with God's truth. From the small to the All. Empty...Listen...be humbly obedient.
Over the weekend we played in a golf tournament with another couple. Didn't do too badly, came in third. Could we have done better? Yes. How? I could have listened to advice. How is that for confession on a Monday morning? My putting is horrible right now. Did my spouse offer help? Yes. Was he correct? Yes. Did I listen? I am sure you can fill in the answer to that! I was not humble, nor was I obedient. I could not empty myself of "my way".
I don't care if it is golf advice, medical advice, cooking or parenting tips, if you don't put the ego aside you are not going to learn. If we cannot do the little things, how can we do the big important things? We have to train ourselves at all levels to be open to advice and change. If you want help you have to let it flow from the source of that help and you have to be open to let the flow come into you.
God is so available. Always there to help, teach, lead. We can learn from everything around us, from everyone around us. However, if we are not empty of our own ego, our tight hold on our way, we cannot have room to let God in. If we are not humble enough to accept the right leading it won't flow into us. And if we are not obedient enough to listen and put it into use we will never change.
To me that is what wisdom is all about; having the mind of Christ. We can have the mind of Christ. We can...if we empty our minds of our truth and fill it with God's truth. From the small to the All. Empty...Listen...be humbly obedient.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Palm Sunday
"Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Mark 11:9
Palm Sunday. I hope you are having a beautiful Palm Sunday, rejoicing that we have Christ entering our lives. Whether he comes into your life on a donkey, through a friend, from a book, in the middle of the day or dark of night...HOSANNA !! He is here and accessible. You can approach him at anytime, in any place. He is there and wants you to find him. It doesn't have to be on a public road with people all around you shouting. Just sit still and look and listen with all your heart and he is there.
If you are in a situation that means you cannot go out from your home, shout your Hosannas by yourself, he will hear. By the way if you are not able to get out and sometimes feel as if you have no work to do in the Kingdom, remember you can always pray. While reading the paper get into the habit of praying for the people you read about. Take the crane accident in New York. Those families need your prayer for peace and healing. The people who saw the tragedy need your prayers. God has put people around them to help them, pray that their eyes are open to see and ears clear to find the help.
Cloudy and windy here. A good day to get in my chair and settle into a book. I am going to finish The Last Week by Marcus Borg and John Crossan. It is an excellent book about Jesus' last week in Jerusalem. Based on the story found in Mark, it takes day-by-day account of the week leading to Easter.
Palm Sunday. I hope you are having a beautiful Palm Sunday, rejoicing that we have Christ entering our lives. Whether he comes into your life on a donkey, through a friend, from a book, in the middle of the day or dark of night...HOSANNA !! He is here and accessible. You can approach him at anytime, in any place. He is there and wants you to find him. It doesn't have to be on a public road with people all around you shouting. Just sit still and look and listen with all your heart and he is there.
If you are in a situation that means you cannot go out from your home, shout your Hosannas by yourself, he will hear. By the way if you are not able to get out and sometimes feel as if you have no work to do in the Kingdom, remember you can always pray. While reading the paper get into the habit of praying for the people you read about. Take the crane accident in New York. Those families need your prayer for peace and healing. The people who saw the tragedy need your prayers. God has put people around them to help them, pray that their eyes are open to see and ears clear to find the help.
Cloudy and windy here. A good day to get in my chair and settle into a book. I am going to finish The Last Week by Marcus Borg and John Crossan. It is an excellent book about Jesus' last week in Jerusalem. Based on the story found in Mark, it takes day-by-day account of the week leading to Easter.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Pray
And pray in the Spirit in all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18
We are in the middle of the WAC Conference basketball tournament. Our lady's and men's teams have won their first round games and are on to the next ones. Sitting in the middle of that many folks is a perfect time to pray. No not, "God let my team win", but an opportunity for all kinds of prayer. Prayer for the health and safety of the players and coaches. Prayer for the souls of all those in the building. If you see an argument or some rude behavior, that is a perfect time to pray for peace and understanding. Praise good behavior and acts of kindness that you see. Ask the Holy Spirit to touch any and all hearts that need the comfort of God.
Many people and many chances for prayer. The next time you are in a large, or even small crowd, remember there is always a need for prayer. Soon it will become a habit that you have developed. Help bring God's love into the natural world around you.
We are in the middle of the WAC Conference basketball tournament. Our lady's and men's teams have won their first round games and are on to the next ones. Sitting in the middle of that many folks is a perfect time to pray. No not, "God let my team win", but an opportunity for all kinds of prayer. Prayer for the health and safety of the players and coaches. Prayer for the souls of all those in the building. If you see an argument or some rude behavior, that is a perfect time to pray for peace and understanding. Praise good behavior and acts of kindness that you see. Ask the Holy Spirit to touch any and all hearts that need the comfort of God.
Many people and many chances for prayer. The next time you are in a large, or even small crowd, remember there is always a need for prayer. Soon it will become a habit that you have developed. Help bring God's love into the natural world around you.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Practice
My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. Ezekiel 33:31
They have been improving the driving range at the course. A new, long strip of that fake grass has been laid down. It is pretty smooth and you don't take divots. I can go up there and spend an hour (well, maybe 30 minutes) and hit some pretty good shots. As they say, I get my groove going. Smooth and easy, up in the air, far out there. Then I get to the first tee and...hmmm. What happens between the practice tee and the first tee???
I read the Bible, go to church, read my favorite devotionals every morning. I am in the groove. I know what to do. I know what Jesus would do. Then I get out into the real world and...hummm. What happens? Why can't I put into practice all that I know I should be doing. Why am I not always generous, why do I have trouble loving some of my neighbors? Why can I not always turn the other cheek? I'm not saying I don't do some things right, I'm not a complete mess. I think it is because I do not often remember to live in the present. Pay complete, close attention to what I am doing right in this moment. I find when I am totally aware of myself and my actions I can practice what I know is God's will for my life. I can forgive, be generous, helpful, witness, and love those that seem a mite unlovable. I will continue to put more and more of God's message to practice. My life sure will be better. I will find my groove out in the world.
They have been improving the driving range at the course. A new, long strip of that fake grass has been laid down. It is pretty smooth and you don't take divots. I can go up there and spend an hour (well, maybe 30 minutes) and hit some pretty good shots. As they say, I get my groove going. Smooth and easy, up in the air, far out there. Then I get to the first tee and...hmmm. What happens between the practice tee and the first tee???
I read the Bible, go to church, read my favorite devotionals every morning. I am in the groove. I know what to do. I know what Jesus would do. Then I get out into the real world and...hummm. What happens? Why can't I put into practice all that I know I should be doing. Why am I not always generous, why do I have trouble loving some of my neighbors? Why can I not always turn the other cheek? I'm not saying I don't do some things right, I'm not a complete mess. I think it is because I do not often remember to live in the present. Pay complete, close attention to what I am doing right in this moment. I find when I am totally aware of myself and my actions I can practice what I know is God's will for my life. I can forgive, be generous, helpful, witness, and love those that seem a mite unlovable. I will continue to put more and more of God's message to practice. My life sure will be better. I will find my groove out in the world.
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