Koinonia

The Prayer of Oscar Romero

2010-05-10T08:23:00.002-05:00

"It helps now and then to step back and take the long view" - wise words from Archbishop Oscar Romero. The Archbishop served the people of El Salvador and was assassinated in 1980 while he was saying mass in San Salvador.

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Amen.

The Wicker Basket

2010-04-28T15:43:00.001-05:00

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could. One day the grandson asked, 'Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?' The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, 'Take this old wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.' The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out be fore he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, 'You will have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the old wicker basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was 'impossible to carry water in a basket,' and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, 'See Papa, it's useless!' 'So you think it is useless?' the old man said. 'Look at the basket.' The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean. 'Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out.'

Just another Manic Monday!

2010-04-26T08:24:00.002-05:00

Here we go again! Monday morning hits, and our crazy routine resumes:

wake up (after slapping the incessant alarm clock over and over again)
get ready
get kindergartner up and dressed and to the breakfast table
prepare a gourmet breakfast (aka cereal)
get toddler up, comfort and insert medicine as still sick
get starving baby up (okay in reality she is already up and screaming) and pop bottle in mouth
make lunch
check 'take home' school folder to see what we should have done over the weekend (and obviously didn't)
nag the child who has no sense of time until she is in the car (nice)
drop off kid #1 at school
stop and get gas (because the magic fairies didn't fill up my car while I slept once again - really fairies! help a girl out!)
fight the roads into work
attempt to pick up a trashed office (kid #1 spent 12 hours with me in office yesterday)
begin to-do list
give up on to-do list
decide to blog

Okay - giving up on my 'to-do' list is not a normal part of my routine. I'm admittedly a little obsessive compulsive about getting things done. Case in point - this morning my almost 2 year old was still feeling bad. My sweet almost 6 year old decided she wanted to comfort her baby sister. (and hey, if it meant procrastinating getting ready I'm sure she saw it as a win-win).
"Claire," I said, "we have to get our job done first. Finish getting ready, and then you can love your sister."
I know, I know - awful right! I didn't mean it the way it sounded. But as I reflected on this awful parenting moment during the rest of the morning shuffle, I realized once again that my OCD is getting the best of me.
God never shows up on my 'to-do' list. My list is made up of action items. Spending time with God is not really an action kinda thing. And yet my loving God is way more important than anything else I have on my list for today or any day, just as loving her little sister was more important to Claire than getting to school on time.
So, I will learn from my kiddo today. I will do my best to have my priorities be made evident in my actions.

God before me, God behind me, God beside me, God within me, God on the top of my 'to-do' list!

Anticipation

2010-04-22T06:00:00.005-05:00

Ely, anxiously waiting for 'wubby' (her blanket) to wash.

I realized today that I don't anticipate things the way I once did. Maybe this is just me, or a universal reality of getting older. As a child I remember that the days before Christmas were agonizingly slow - as I yearned for and dreamed of Christmas morning. The first day of school brought such excitement that I never slept the night before. Even the upcoming weekend brought a giddy anticipation as I would plan outings and fun. But now as an adult, it seems that I have outgrown the ability to be overcome in anticipation - maybe I'm too busy to anticipate!
As Christians, we both live in the midst of the Kingdom of God and anticipate the coming of the Kingdom of God. We have an 'already, but not yet' kind of existence. By its very nature the life of a Christian is a life of anticipation; Looking forward to more - a fuller life in Christ and ultimately in death an eternal life in Christ. Today, if only for a moment, I will stop and anticipate.
Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ WILL come again!

"Life" as brought to you by Jesus

2010-04-21T06:00:00.002-05:00

My family has been enjoying the new series "Life" on the Discovery channel. Videographers traveled to the ends of the earth, and filmed countless hours of nature and wildlife to present this spectacular show. In order to help fund this project, the creators have taken full advantage of corporate sponsorship. Consequently, during the commercial breaks, the audience hears the deep voice of an announcer state, "This is Life, as brought to you by Target." The first time I hear this I couldn't help but give a bark of indignant laughter! Don't get me wrong, I love shopping at Target stores. Target provides me with food, clothing and assorted sundries - but Life has been provided for me by God and God alone!
Today is a gift - I have not earned it and I do not deserve it. I will dedicate this day to loving Jesus!

Popcorn Philosophy

2010-04-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

My name is Melody Kraus, and I am a popcorn-aholic; More specifically, the kettle corn flavor, because a girl needs a little sugar in with her afternoon snack! Some days I just push the 'popcorn' button on my microwave and trust in the power of GE to produce my bag of yummy. Other days, when my controlling nature gets the best of me, I stand in front of the microwave counting pops, and trying to manually decide the best time to extract my bag of popcorn hoping to achieve maximum poppage - the goal being no kernels left. The struggle with this plan is that there is a very fine line between maximum poppage, and burned up nasty popcorn. The moral of my story is that my control issues = a smelly house/office and a hungry tummy. Just as I know that GE's plan is better than my own, I also know that God's plan for my life is better than my own. But unfortunately, I often choose not to trust in God's timing, and rather trust in my own - with the same general success that I see from my popcorn debacles. And so, as I sit in front of my computer with the distinctive aroma of burned pop-secret floating thru the air, I once again commit to trust in God's plan for me. Surely God is better at this timing thing than I am!

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can

2010-04-19T07:18:00.002-05:00

Doubt - I don't know if it is Satan or sin, but doubt is certainly senseless! It's just not logical (or time efficient) to spend time doubting our abilities. The only rewards we get from doubting are sleepless nights and indigestion. Today I choose to think that I can do something (rather than doubting if I can anything!). It might not be perfect - but I can try. I think that's what God asks of us - to try. God can turn our meager offerings into food for the multitudes. So here you go God - it's not much, but I give you me.

Choo! Choo!

Totally Inconvenient!

2010-04-16T08:59:00.002-05:00

My 'me' time is comprised of listening to books on tape during my commute to and from work. (I know this is rather pathetic, but with 3 kids age 5 and under - you take what you can get!) Currently, I am listening to One Fifth Avenue, by Candace Bushnell. Bushnell is also the author of Sex and the City, of which you might be more familiar. One Fifth Avenue is a story about a historic building in the midst of NYC, and the sordid details of the residents. This morning, I heard a bit that made me pull over and rewind - then rewind and play over and over again while I furiously tried to write it down. This conversation is between Annalisa Rice, a newly rich socialite in training and her famous stylist, Noreen. Here is a snippet of the dialogue:
Noreen, "You're rich. You can do anything you want. There's no boogey man around the corner who's going to punish you!"
"I thought God punished us." Annalisa said under her breath
"God?" Noreen said, "I've never heard of such a thing! Spirituality is only for show! Astrology - yes. Tarot cards - yes. Wuiji boards, scientology, Kendallah, even 'born agains' - yes. But a real God - that would be inconvenient!"

When I heard this my mouth fell open - I don't know if the author was going for shock value with this statement, but she got it from me! But as I have continued to mull this little exchange over, I have to say that I agree with the statement. God isn't terribly convenient. Loving God, and living for God can be even less convenient - down right messy at times. But, it probably wasn't terribly convenient for God to create me - or watch his only son die to save me - or to have to watch me fall short of his plan every day. How lucky we are that God is willing to overlook the inconveniences of humanity!

Easter People

2010-04-15T08:30:00.000-05:00

A wise man once told me that if you could be happy in life doing anything other than being a pastor, you probably should. Pastoring is not for the faint of heart (or the thin skinned)! But then there are the days that make everything so worth it! The days that I learn new ways of understanding God from my Confirmands. The day that my congregation pastors me. The days that I can feel the love for God and neighbor emanating so strongly from the gathered body of Christ that is is overwhelming! There is nothing more beautiful than the body of Christ uniting together in Worship. Praise be to God for the honor of being a part of the amazing congregation of Deer Park United Methodist Church!

Today will be =

2010-04-14T08:30:00.000-05:00

This morning on the way to school I asked Claire (my 5 1/2 year old) what kind of day she was going to have at school. "I don't know mom, she answered, "I haven't had my day yet."
"But what kind of day will you have?", I asked, "Good, great, awesome? Let's not wait and see, but rather decide now and help it happen!"
Today I pick an awesome day - filled with living life and loving God. If I choose awesome, I'm pretty sure I'll find some awesome. What kind of day will you have?

Because God's plan is so much better than mine!

2010-04-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

Every day I wake up and intentionally give the day to God. And most days - often before my feet have even hit the floor - I take the day right back. Not intentionally mind you, but I grab that control back just the same. Rationally I know this is beyond counter productive - but the control freak in me rages on. God's plans might not look like mine, but only because they are so much better than anything I could ever begin to imagine! So - I give this day to God. And when I inevitably find myself grabbing it back, I will again give this day to God. Lord, let there be less off me, and more of you!

Gotta love the Random

2009-09-22T08:10:00.000-05:00

Today as I was driving in to the church I had a latent old memory jump up into my conscious mind. I don't remember what I had for dinner yesterday, I don't even remember going to bed last night, but for a moment this morning I clearly remembered being 16 years old, and sitting in my high school gym for a school assembly. The school had brought in a team of motivational speakers called the "Power Team". Each member of this team was bigger than the last - huge muscle laden men in tight red and blue spandex outfits. Their message was that each of us has within us the strength we need to succeed in this world (the underlying message that was vaguely mentioned was that we get this strength from God - remember, we were in a public school, so they had to be on the down low). The Power Team emphasized this message by performing amazing feats of human strength - lifting huge amounts of weights, tearing phone books in two, blowing up a hot water bottle, lifting teenagers over their heads.
This morning my prayer is for strength. I don't need or want to be able to tear a phone book in two (though it would make for an awesome children's sermon illustration!), but what I do want and desperately need is enough strength to get through each day. On my own I am clumsy and weak, but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13

A God Moment

2009-09-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

This weekend, I was cradling Elyse, my 14 month old, in my arms and just admiring her; staring at her beautiful hair, tickling her little Buddha belly, and kissing her toes (as she repeatedly attempted to shove her feet into my mouth). It was one of those parent moments when you feel overwhelmed at the perfection that is your child, and your heart aches in your chest from love and pride. And then, in the midst of my mommy-moment, the Holy Spirit reached out and grabbed hold. I suddenly had this realization that the way I was feeling toward my own child in this moment is exactly how God feels about me. God, the creator of our universe, the sustainer of all life, looks at each of his children (that would include you and me!) with wonder, and overwhelming love and pride. What a lucky group we are!

Self Care

2009-09-17T08:37:00.000-05:00

About a month ago I came across a little daily devotional book on my book shelf. I've had if for some time, but had never read it. Its title is Meditations for Women who do to Much (clearly someone who doesn't know me at all must have gifted this little tome to me!). The devotion for today spoke of the binding power of guilt, and how we often feel driven to always place our energies outside of ourselves, feeling overwhelmingly guilty if we keep anything for us. Ever fiber of my being knows this kind of guilt, and an inherent drive to always be doing for others. Part of this inclination is what drew me into a life of Ministry. The author says, "We have to take care of ourselves before we can clearly and cleanly give to others." Logically, I know this to be true, but making my instincts and inclinations believe (and behave) is another story completely. Today, my prayer is that we would each spend a moment in self reflection, taking stock of who and what we are in this moment. How is it with your soul? Do you need to step up, or step back. I give you permission, I give me permission to save some of our energies for us. It is only when we care for ourselves that we can best give to others. We must honor and nurture the Holy Spirit within, before we can ever begin to share Christ with the word around us.

Baby Flowers

2009-09-15T08:12:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, I picked up a little flower growing kit from Joann's Fabrics. It came with a soil pellet, tiny terra cotta pot, and seed packet. Claire and I mixed up the soil and carefully planted the seeds and placed our little experiment in the kitchen window. Claire and I have planted various things before, and she has learned that it normally takes several days if not a week to see any progress. Apparently, these seeds are different! The next morning, just a little over 12 hours from when they had been planted we saw several of the little plants pushing up above the dirt. Now, three days later, all of the seeds have sprouted and stretched over an inch above the soil line. It's incredible! All we have done is add a little water, keeping the soil moist. The seeds already have included within themselves all the nutrients they need to start out in life.
Just like the seeds, we, as children of God, have within ourselves all that we need to spring forth and grow in life. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we have a piece of the divine inside of us, giving us the strength to reach up towards are all loving Creator. Today I pray that each of us would realize how special we are to God, how much strength we each possess, and how beautiful and fulfilling it can be to stretch our arms up to our God.

Overwhelmed....as always!

2009-09-14T09:10:00.000-05:00

I read a quote this morning that said, "Feeling overwhelmed isn't surprising. Being surprised about it is." Well hallelujah! It feels nice to have someone honor my daily feelings of being overwhelmed. I think somewhere, I got this crazy idea in my head that I was supposed to be in control of my life. You might also suffer from this delusional line of thinking. As Christians, we profess to have Jesus control our lives, but that doesn't stop us from wanting to be a prime adviser as to how that should look and feel. My prayer for today is to stop futilely grasping for control, and allow God - my Creator, Savior and Sustainer to take the reigns of my life. Surely He can do a better job! :)

A Rainy Day Perspective

2009-09-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

When I look out of the window and see dark skies and rain pouring down, I think of the hassle of getting wet, of commuting on slick roads, and no hope of a good hair day. When Claire looks out at a rainy day, she dances for joy at the prospect of donning her pink kitty cat galoshes, yellow puppy dog rain coat, and carrying her rubber ducky umbrella. Same day, same circumstances, different perspectives. Each morning we have a choice as to how we will approach this day that God has given us. Today - I chose to honor my Creator, and praise God in this storm!

Recession or Depression

2009-09-10T08:37:00.000-05:00

I heard a quote once that said, "It is a recession when your neighbor loses his job, it's a depression when YOU lose your job." Well, according to this the world, or at least the Kraus house, has been in a depression for about 6 weeks now. It is easy to trust in God's provision when pay checks are rolling in on time, and bills are under control. It gets a little sticky when you become unable to provide for yourself. This time has been a lesson on truly trusting in God - for guidance and provision. I don't know what God's plan is, or what is going on with God's timing, but my prayer today is to just trust. I pray that I can let go, and fully trust in God - for an answer, a plan and a beautiful future.

My Chubby Bubby

2009-09-09T12:41:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting here at the kitchen desk watching my 14 month old throw down lunch as if it might be stolen from her at any minute. She is just the cutest little chubby baby in the world! (even with her current coat of milk, broccoli and cracker grime). When I look into the shining faces of my children, for a moment it seems that everything is right in the world. Children represent promise and possibility - a hope for tomorrow. They are a reminder of the awesome creative power of our loving God. Today I praise God for his abundance of blessings!

I am a People

2009-09-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I spent an hour of my labor day in quality time with the latest People Style Watch magazine. I gave my mom a subscription to this magazine for her birthday so she could be up on the latest trends for her jewelry making business. As I thumbed through the pages, I saw what all the hottest celebrities were wearing (I'm embarrassed to say, I'm so out of the loop I didn't know who have of these celebrities were!). The latest trends for Fall, and how to accessorize them took another section of the magazine. Basically, like all good women's magazines, I was told what to wear, and how to look in order to be 'in' like the famous people are.
It made me ponder the question - Who defines me? Do I allow myself to be defined by trends, friends, family, societal values and standards - or do I find my self understanding in my relationship with God?
Today I ask you to ask yourself the same question - Who defines you? Who or what structures your self understanding? I pray that we would all allow our all knowing, and all loving God to be our source of strength, and definition!

Wonder Working Power

2009-09-07T12:01:00.000-05:00

Anyone who has ever successfully swung a baseball bat, pick axe, or sledge hammer knows that you have to draw power from your entire body for the swing. If you only use the strength of your arms, then the result will always be weak. For the most power, your entire body has to be part of the process. The same is true for the words that we speak. Empty words are just that - empty and powerless. But words, promises, creeds, prayers said with our whole being have power and strength far beyond the puff of air that leaves our lips.

I pray that today we will say what me mean, and mean what we say, with power, strength and the grace and wisdom of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

Loving your Neighbor

2009-09-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

An awesome quote from C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity:

Do not waste time bothering with whether you 'love' your neighbor. Act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him."

The Dream Maker

2009-09-03T11:20:00.000-05:00

At "meet and greet" the teacher day, Claire's teacher gave each student a pretty glass stone along with a slip of paper. The paper instructed the kids to place the stone under their pillow while they slept, so that they might have beautiful dreams of their first day of Kindergarten, and so that all those dreams might come true. Claire was totally enamored with the stone - it was pretty and green and shiny, right up her alley! When it came time to tuck Claire into bed that night, she was really hesitant to place the stone under her pillow. Misunderstanding her concern, I assured her that she wouldn't lose the stone. Her fear wasn't that the stone would be lost, but that the stone would work as the note had promised, making, 'all of her dreams come true'; a pretty horrifying prospect to my little literal 5 year old. But hey - I'm right there with her, I'm a grown adult and I certainly wouldn't want some of my dreams to follow me into waking reality!
There are 2 kinds of dreaming, the kind that happens at night, when our subconscious mind takes over and runs rampant, and the kind that happens during the day, when our hearts take over, we allow convention to fall away, and our wants and wishes to flourish. Night time dreams are unavoidable, we just hope for more ones about flying than falling. Day time dreams are optional, and my prayer for today is that all of us would choose to dream. Just for a moment each day, let your heart rule, allow your soul to reach out and be who and what you have hoped to be.

the beating of our hearts is the only sound....

2009-09-02T12:51:00.000-05:00

Today began my weekly visits to the dr - not a bench mark I have been looking forward to. Because of some of my health conditions, my baby is at risk for developing a heart blockage. So, every week I schlep down to the Medical Center, pay to park, trek up through 2 elevators and 22 floors of dr's offices, wait in a waiting room forever, and then am hooked up to a fetal monitoring system to listen to baby #3's heart beat for 10 minutes. (I enjoyed the same routine with baby #2 - with our first born we were blissfully unaware of the possible problems).
It seems that my life is one big rush of craziness from sunrise until I crash at night. This is in part why I haven't been looking forward to the weekly dr's visits - just one more thing I have to try and work into an already overflowing day. I know that I am not unique in my crazy schedule - I think just about everyone I know has an addiction to doing to much, and being chronically over busy. We rush and rush, going and blowing, and then wonder why we feel disconnected to our faith life. Unfortunately - full day planners don't tend to lend themselves to quality quiet time with Jesus.
When I am hooked up to the fetal monitoring, I am stuck - I can't move, can't read, can't talk on the phone. For at least 10 minutes, I can do nothing else but lay there and listen to the baby's heart beat, pounding away. As much as I grumble about having to be there - I cherish those 10 minutes each week. I listen to that rapidly pounding heart, and ponder the wonder of God's creative powers. Each of us was given life and breath by our awesome Creator God, and each of us was given the purpose of living a life in Christ. Not a life lived for the world, but a life lived for God. I kinda think it's the least we can do...
Today I challenge you to spend a few quiet minutes listening to your own heart beat. Let your busy mind be stilled, just for a moment, and praise our awe inspiring God, who has created and IS creating!

Over-Indulged....

2009-09-01T13:00:00.001-05:00

I just had a fantastic lunch at Antonio's here in Deer Park, and have waddled back to church with an uncomfortably full stomach. I can't help it! Awesome Italian food just cries out to be over indulged upon! My prayer for today is that I wish I craved quiet time with God, the same way I crave fettuccine alfredo - or better yet chocolate!

The 80% Factor

2009-08-31T12:46:00.000-05:00

I get my humor from my dad, my ability to over analyze any situation to the fullest from my mom, and my blue eyes from both of them. Also from the Wolfe side of the family comes an affinity for competitive sports (though none of us were gifted with speed), and the dreaded 80% factor. The 80% factor is the name I have bestowed upon my tendency to bail on projects once I am 80% complete. Thankfully for the churches I serve, this horrible trait has isolated itself to my personal life, and mostly centered around home improvement projects. I can begin any new project with gusto, pass the half way point with enthusiasm, push myself through the 3/4 mark without losing stride, but then - out of nowhere - I hit the 80% wall and my genetics kick in, and everything inside of me wants to stop. Frustrating huh?!? To be so close to the finish line that you can see it, but yet something makes you run out of steam, and throw in the towel. As a youngster, I was stopped in my tracks many a time by the 80% factor. Now that I am wise to the ways of the world, I still struggle with this reality of what it means to be me. Just this weekend I launched into a new project of refinishing a daybed/trundle bed that we purchased from the Church Wide Garage Sale. I sanded each piece of the bed diligently, making sure to go back and sand by hand what my sander couldn't reach. Then I painstakingly cleaned each section with cleanser, to make sure they were dirt and saw dust free. I then carefully began to prime each part, making sure to give it an even coat, and to watch for globs or drips. I had finished with 2 of the 3 sections, and stepped back inside to allow things to dry before beginning on my last piece. And then it happened...the 80% factor reared its ugly little head. It was hot outside, I was tired, I'd had a full day at the church that morning, I'm pregnant, my feet started to swell. About a million other justifications (okay - excuses) ran through my mind, but the reality is that it was just my 80% factor trying to hold me back once again. So close to the finish line, but yet so far away.
One of my favorite bible verses comes from 2 Timothy, chpt 4 verse 7 which reads, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." The author of 2nd Timothy is honoring the struggle that he had overcome and yet still held fast to his faith in Jesus Christ. Some two thousand years later, these words still ring true as a challenge for each of us as we struggle through our daily faith journey. The Christian journey is not an easy one. It is a road paved with challenges and growth, and path designed to lead us closer to God, and closer to being the people that God has called us to be.
My prayer today is that we would all over come our own roadblocks, our own inadequacies, our own self doubts and push onward to the prize that is a full life lived in Jesus Christ.

Elyse's new daybed - completed 8/31/09

teacher vs. student

2009-08-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

I came across the following quote, and it has been following me everywhere, rattling around in my head incessantly:

Perhaps one of the reasons my child chose me as her parent
was because there was so much I needed to learn...

I tend to think of my role as parent as always being the teacher, I forget just how much my children have to teach me as we grow together in life and love. In this day, I will be mindful of the wisdom of my little ones, and do my best to be always learning and growing.

Bottle the Excitement

2009-08-27T11:03:00.000-05:00

Today, I held Claire's hand as she skipped into school, chattering up a storm, with a smile as big as the sun stretching from ear to ear. She loves school, and can't wait to go each morning. I wish that there was some way to bottle Claire's excitement, to save for those teenage years where I expect I will have days that I have to drag her to school. In fact, I wish there was some way to borrow some of that excitement for myself, to save for those days that seem to loom oppressively before me.
It's sad how even the activities we love the most can become boring and routine after a time. The trick is to be an effective rememberer - to allow ourselves to remember again why we love the things we do, the people we hold close, the God we serve. Then - every day can be as fun and exciting as our first day - but we already know where the lunch room is!

A Working Plant

2009-08-26T17:15:00.000-05:00

Drew and I celebrated out 10 year wedding anniversary a little over a month ago. As part of the decorations, we had beautiful flower arrangements (one of the perks of having an awesome florist as a member of your congregation!). Within these arrangements were orchids, mums, lots of flowers that my un-gardeny self couldn't hope to name, and willow branches. After the party, we brought home all of the arrangements and scattered them throughout the house to enjoy. Over the next week, the flowers slowly began to wilt, and so we would pull out what Claire calls the 'broken' flowers, and rearrange the others. After two weeks, we were left with only the willow branches. I planned to throw them out as well, but Claire noticed that one of the branches had put out roots, and demanded that we "save the sticks, because they are still working!" Over the last month, all of the branches have put out extensive roots, and shot out bright green leaves. It's amazing to me that something that just looked like a dead stick could bring forth new life.
2nd Corinthians chapter 3 verse 6 speaks of the new life that comes from the Holy Spirit. I suspect that many of us have experienced times in our lives where we felt like a dried up old stick - useless, unattractive, of no value. The restorative power of Jesus Christ has no end, and with the healing power of the Holy Spirit, new life can spring from the most wasted life that we offer to Christ. We just have to keep filling up those vases, and trusting in God!

I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart!

2009-08-25T08:06:00.000-05:00

Last night Drew and I took in the Cinematic Masterpiece, "Confessions of a Shopaholic". Okay - not bad when you paid $1 at the Redbox, but I kinda feel for anyone who took out a loan and went to see this flick at the theatre. The story line centered around Becky, a young journalist who has a shopping problem. She explains that shopping makes her feel fulfilled, excited and ultimately happy - until she gets the bills in. Then Becky feels like a failure, and so once again has the need to boost her emotional state with a shopping spree. And so the destructive behavior continues.
As I tried to relax enough for sleep to find me, I reflected on the obsession we have with wanting to be happy, and the lengths so many will go to feel that way, if only for a fleeting moment. Happiness, by default, is conditional. We are only happy when the right circumstances fall into place. And so racing after happiness is kind of like a puppy chasing its tail - he might catch it for a moment, but eventually will have to let go again. Searching for happiness is also inherently self-centered. What needs to happen in MY environment to make ME feel good about MYSELF.
Nehemiah 8:10 says: "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Rather then focusing on the temporary fix of happiness, our energies would be more productive searching for a deeper, more permanent life filled with joy. As Christians, our hope is in the restorative life that comes with a relationship with Jesus Christ. Hope in Christ leads to joy in life. Happiness can come and go as quickly as a summer storm, but joy in our risen Savior is steadfast.
Today, my prayer is that rather than scramble with fleeting fancies, I would rest in the restorative joy of my risen Savior.

A Day of New Beginnings

2009-08-24T13:39:00.001-05:00

Today is the first day of Kindergarten for the Kraus house. All of us trooped out before the sun was even over the horizon to settle Claire in to her classroom. She was beyond excited, grinning and skipping her way up to the classroom. Today I am mindful of the excitement of new beginnings. I know that there are some events in life that only happen once- the very first day of school, the first day of being a spouse or a parent. These days hold a special place in our hearts and minds, and understandably bring about much anticipation and excitement.
Each and every day we are given on this earth offers us the possibility to enjoy a new beginning. We always have the opportunity to turn ourselves over to our loving and patient God, and to allow ourselves to enjoy the freedom of a new and a deeper life in Christ - and I think that is plenty of reason to grin and skip a little!

that is SO NOT in the bible!

2009-06-19T13:45:00.000-05:00

I know I have had nothing to say for several weeks now. Annual Conference and my ordination gave way to a great week on the Frio River for vacation, which passed to 2 (count them 2) weeks of Vacation Bible School, which we just wrapped up. But today, I read a sign that just begged to be blogged about!
I'll admit it, I am a sign reader. I read every single sign and billboard on both sides of the road while I am driving. On my way into the Church each day, I pass a Veterinarians office which sports a changeable message board below their clinic sign that comes complete with the seemingly requisite pithy statements. Today it read "The world belongs to the energetic."
I BEG YOUR PARDON!
I have to say, not being very energetic, I gook great offense to this! (I am kinda an inherently lazy person, to be perfectly honest). Any anyway - that is SO NOT in the bible! Matthew 5:5 says, "Blessed are meek for they shall inherit the earth." Therefore the the world belongs to the meek.
So there - I think Jesus trumps a Vet's office any day.
Today I pray for the meek, and all those who are less than energetic!

So be it.

2009-05-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am no longer my own, O God, but Yours.
Put me to what you will; place me among who you will.
Put me to serving, put me to suffering.
Employ me for your sake, or set me aside for your sake;
Set me n high places or bring me to the depths.
Let me be filled or let me be emptied.
Let me have all things, or let me have nothing.
I freely and with all my heart hand over my life to you to do with as you please.
Now, Glorious and Blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You are mine and I am yours.
So be it.

Thank you all for loving me and supporting me.
Reverend Melody Lynn Kraus, Ordained Full Deacon, Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Recognizing Vs. Knowing

2009-05-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am so amazed and proud of my 4 1/2 year old Claire! Claire can officially read! We followed the normal progression of learning the letters of the alphabet, then learning the sounds each one makes, then learning the blends that the can make when placed together. Claire has 'recognized' words for some time, but recognizing a word or name is not the same as reading it. Last week, we sat down and read two simple books. Claire can sound out the letters, and read the words. One of the books even has short sentences (ex: See Tip run.), and Claire can knock it out with ease.
It is the best feeling in the world as a parent to see your child get it - really get something and understand it on their own!
In rejoicing with Claire this week, I can't help but think about this idea of recognizing versus knowing something. Claire recognized her name because other people showed her the letters, and told her it was her name. Before she could read, Claire knew her name because other people knew her name. As Children of God, we first come to recognize God because other people have a relationship with God, and point him out for us. We know God, because other people know God. The goal is that eventually, with enough practice, we'll be able to know God for ourselves. Who taught you to know God? Who are you teaching to recognize God? Never underestimate the gift you have to share with the people around you, by recognizing God's love and life in the world around us and sharing it with others!

What's in a name?

2009-05-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Our names are such sacred, and deeply personal things. The first word most babies recognize is their name. As an adult, we can hear our name through the midst of noise with no difficulty. Names have power. If someone knows your name, they have the power to command your attention, if only for a moment. Our first names are chosen for us, and bestowed upon us by our parents. A first name is a name that lasts a lifetime. Our last names are a product of our family of origin, and have the opportunity to change or be added to as we become parts of other families in our lives. In the United Methodist Church, when we preform a baptism, we name the baptismal candidate by their first name, or first and middle name only. We do not use their last name. The idea is that through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, we are all initiated into Christ's holy Church, and become part of the family of Jesus Christ. In essence, as baptized Christians, all of us share the same last name: Child of God. This is where the Christian tradition of referring to one another as brother and sister developed.

Today, I pray for you, my brothers and sisters in Christ. May you find honor and joy in being a part of the family of God!

Don't wake the grumpy pastor!

2009-05-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wednesday mornings are my day to sleep in. Every other morning, I wake up early, and get dressed and ready before the girls wake up to try and cut down on the obligatory morning craziness. On Wednesdays, I don't go in to the church until late, so I get to sleep late. Okay, maybe 45 more minutes, but it is glorious non the less. Today, my phone rang at 7:15 a.m. I jumped up, and stumbled over to answer assuming that someone must have died, because why would any rational person call anyone at 7:15 in the morning. The beloved child of God on the other end of my phone was Nick. God bless Nick, because blessings were not what I was sending him on my one day to catch a little extra zzz's. Nick had gotten my number from a neighbor, and wanted to let me know about a wonderful opportunity he knew of that involved working with kids. Nick is a Jesus telemarketer. I'm sure he represented a lovely ministry that did God's work in an outstanding way, but at 7:15 in the morning I'm just not real interested. Hearing the obvious slurring in my speech, Nick was perceptive enough to ask, "Is this a convenient time?"
"Well no, Nick, this is not a convenient time. It is 7:15 in the morning, and to be honest, you woke me up." I did my best not to scream, rant or growl.
"Oh," he said, sounding surprised, "I assumed that because you're a Pastor, you'd be awake."
It has become clear to me that I apparently need to set the record straight. I love God and I love God's people, and I have ordered my life's work in these endeavors. However, none of this means that I am awake and happy and excited to buy a little Jesus from a telemarketer at the crest of the morning!!!
My prayer for today is for peace! Peace for the Jesus sellers, peace for the Jesus buyers, and peace for the pooped out pastors!

Wade in the Water

2009-05-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Elyse, my 10 month old is getting baptized this Sunday. She is such a joy in my life, and I am so very excited to make this commitment to raise her within the church, and to introduce her to a life in Christ. Baptism is a beginning; A statement that says, "I want to know God." As Ely is an infant, Drew and I are making this statement for her, and I don't take it lightly. I will do everything in my power to encourage both of my girls to develop a personal, deep relationship with our loving Savior. Claire was 18 months old when she was baptized, and screamed like a banshee! (You can see this for yourself in the above picture!) Here's hoping that Ely's initiation into a life in Christ is a little quieter!

Biting off more than I can chew

2009-05-19T08:52:00.000-05:00

I firmly believe that God doesn't give us more than we can handle. But unfortunately, I am not so courteous to myself. I have managed to cram 6 months worth of celebrations and parties into the next seven days. Don't get me wrong, I am excited for each one of them separately, and so longing to see Claire have fun enjoying her birthday, and Elyse be baptized, and of course my long awaited Ordination. The community wide party at our house and the t-ball celebration should be interesting. Each one of these things on their own is nice and fun. But when you cram them all into a four day time period - I get a little crazy. My prayer for today (and every day for the rest of my life!) is that I would follow God's example, and NOT GIVE MYSELF MORE THAN WHAT I CAN HANDLE!!!

You think?

2009-05-07T10:12:00.000-05:00

Last night, I was up late assembling a meal for Randy's birthday celebration today. (Happy Birthday Randy - 62 years old, twice as old as me! :) As I was cutting up the veggies for the salad, I was absentmindedly reading the nutrition information on the back of the bag of baby carrots. It had the standard list of vitamins and nutrients, calories and serving size, and underneath the nutrition information it said:

Ingredients: Carrots

Really, you think? Do you mean that inside my bag of carrots there are...carrots? I couldn't help but laugh aloud at this obvious, simplistic statement. Today, my prayer is that God's presence in the world around me would be as obvious as listing carrots as the ingredient in a bag of carrots!

I am a genius...in hindsight!

2009-05-06T10:41:00.000-05:00

My faithful Monday morning Disciple group has conquered Disciple 1,2,3&4, and this year moved on to the Jesus in the Gospels study. Monday's lesson was entitled Destiny Disclosed, and had an interesting insight on destiny that has had me thinking over the last few days. "Destiny sees a person's present from the standpoint of the future." In other words, we are to understand our current situation in life from where we will be in the days to come. Or - it is only by looking back at our journey in life that we can understand why we are living this life today. I wish I could look back on today and understand why in the world things need to be so crazy!

NO NAPS!!!

2009-05-04T15:03:00.000-05:00

So, why is it that children will refuse to nap, doing everything possible in their little power to remain awake when the exhaustion is overwhelming? I would like nothing more than to be given a bottle, rocked gently, cuddled up with a soft blankie and lullabied off to sleep. (Heck - you had me at bottle!) Rest is such an essential need. Without it (or enough of it) we cannot be the people God has created us to be! God tells the prophet Elijah to climb up onto Mount Horeb, and there God will meet with him. Elijah climbs the mountain, and retreats into a cave. First, there is terrible wind, then a great earthquake, and then fire - but God is not in any of these awesome earthly occurrences. After all the ruckus has passed, there is the sound of sheer silence, and it is here that God appears.
My prayer today is that I will find this illusive silence, and may finally settle into a place where I can hear the voice of God.

Don't think about the red faced monkey...

2009-05-03T08:05:00.001-05:00

Does anyone else suffer from internal commentary? It seems that no matter what I am doing or where I am, I have an internal commentary running inside my head that is judging me. I don't question whose voice this is - I'm clear that it is mine - but I question why I have to hear it constantly. Why am I so hard on myself? My heart knows that God loves me without question, and without end, but that little voice in my head is apparently a little less sure. Hmmm...I guess my prayer for today is that the little God voice in my heart will bust out, and beat up the little me voice in my head!

Still Pretty New...

2009-05-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

On our drive home last night, Claire (my 4 1/2 year old) was monologuing on her age, and her upcoming birthday. "I'm going to be 5 mommy, and then one day - I'll be 10!"
"I know honey - and when you're 10, will you be old?" I asked.
"No - when you're ten, you're still a kid. " Claire said. "But daddy - he's already old...really old!"
Amused by this, I decided to press further. "And what about your sister, is Ely old?"
Claire rolled her eyes and sighed saying, "No mommy - Ely is a baby, babies are new!" (duh!)
"And what about me," I asked, "am I old?" I have to say that I was sweating it out waiting on her answer!
"Well..." she pondered, "you're not a baby, but your not old either. I guess you're still pretty new."

Regardless of the age we say we are, or the age that our drivers license says we are, or the age our kids think we are - we will always remain children of God. Entering into a relationship with Christ starts the clock over - it resets us back to a time of innocence and trust. I might not be that new anymore in my child's eyes (and certainly not in mine), but in God's eyes I am loved and perfect.

Made in God's image

2009-05-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

In Genesis, we hear the story of the creation of our world; from the separation of light and darkness, to the land rising from the water, the birth of flora and fauna, birds of the air and fish of the sea, to animals that roam the earth and then finally, the creation of humanity. Chapter 1, verse 26-27, "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Each of us is created in the image of God. Our challenge each and every day is to love and commune with our neighbors, and to see the face of God in those whose faces are so very different from our own.

May the face of God shine on you in this day!

Religion...

2009-04-30T10:35:00.001-05:00

I have just finished the book, Where God was Born by Bruce Feiler. In the last few pages, Feiler quotes Rabbi Saks saying, "Religion is sustained reflections on humanities place in nature...it fuses people to one another and to God." Being a pastor, I guess I thought that I reflected on God often. Since beginning this blog back in January, I've realized how little time I regularly spent seeing God reflected in the world around me. Overly touching things, extraordinarily poignant God moments were obvious to me - but just a casual awareness of God's work in the world around me was missed. Knowing that I had a blog to write about how I see God each day forced me to kick it up a notch - and I am thankful! God is overflowing in the world around us - reaching out in the flowers that bloom up, kissing our cheeks in the drops of rain that won't seem to quit falling lately, smiling out at us through the strangers we encounter each day. I pray that I will always be keenly aware of God at work in the world around me.

Today, may each of see the face of God in the world around us!

Bedtime Stories...

2009-04-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

My family and I watched BedTime Stories starring Adam Sandler last night, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I know it came out some time ago, but since I can count on one hand the number of movies I have seen since having children, seeing any movie at all (even late) is pretty impressive. The premise of the movie is that Skeeter (Adam Sandler) is watching his niece and nephew for a week while their mother is job hunting in another state. Skeeter and the kiddos tell bedtime stories each evening, which amazingly come true for Skeeter the next day. Skeeter soon learns that it is the kids who control the stories (and therefore his life) and so he tries to work the system, telling tales that paint successful and happy outcomes to his rather mundane life.
I love the idea behind this movie - that essentially we are in control of the happenings of our lives. Since her entry into this world, I have told my 4 year old, "If you can dream it you can do it!" I believe this with all of my being. I think the biggest obstacle in life is just seeing yourself the way you want to be - happy, successful, productive. Once we can visualize ourselves being the people God has created us to be, then anything is possible!
In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9 verse 11-13, right after sharing the words to the what we now call the Lord's prayer, Jesus shares these words with his disciples: "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" In BedTime Stories, Skeeter finds out the stories always unfold as they were told, but not always in the literal way we might expect. A life lived for God will always turn out to be successful and beautiful - but it might not look the way we first crafted them to be.
In this day, let us dream - dream of a day, a week, a year, a lifetime of love and happiness lived in and for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Wow - the world is still here!

2009-04-28T10:24:00.000-05:00

So, after 3 months of faithfully blogging every day, I took a break over the last two days. Surprisingly, the world didn't fall apart, or quit turning! Being a pastor and a mom and a wife can be overwhelming at times. Regularly it seems that there are just not enough hours in the day to do all that needs to be done. I had the opportunity to rest this weekend at an awesome retreat in the woods of Livingston with other Young Clergy Families. What I took back with me this weekend, is that I am my biggest critic - I am my biggest obstacle. I want to be the best that I can for my family and my congregation, I want to serve God with all that I have, but true service includes rest; time to rest ones heart and mind, to lay down the busyness of the world and recenter in ourselves and in our God.

In you, sweet Lord Jesus, I rest.

A Prayer for the Struggling...

2009-04-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Adoration

I came, stumbling
Across the threshold of Your house
Falling into pieces on Your floor.
Once again, the vessel broken
Scattering across the Holy Ground of Your Presence.

Only so precious few hours, no minutes, before
Had I petitioned for Your Strength,
Your Wisdom, Your Holy Silence and Your Peace.

And here I was, in pieces,
Broken intentions, fallen to the floor
As my tears of failure.
I love you so much
Why can't I do what I intend for You?
Why do I always fail?
Why can I not step into
The Silence of Your Love
When I am tempted?
Why is it so hard?

Your precious hands picked up my pieces
So lovingly holding them together
And making me whole again
With the glue of your Love.

And then,
As if that wasn't enough,
You poured Yourself out into my chalice
To overflowing,
Baptizing me once again
In Your Love,
Holding me together with Your Strength,
Picking me up with Your Courage
Molding me.

Into my ear You whispered
Words of Love and Hope,
Words of comfort,
In Your plan.

You poured Yourself out
To overflowing.
Overflow, You said,
Into my people.

All praise be Yours, my Lord, my Life,
For Your loving kindness and mercy.

Whats in a word?

2009-04-24T15:33:00.000-05:00

Devotion

De*vo"tion\, n. [F. d['e]votion, L. devotio.]1. The act of devoting; consecration. 2. The state of being devoted; addiction; eager inclination; strong attachment love or affection; zeal; especially, feelings toward God appropriately expressed by acts of worship; devoutness. Genius animated by a fervent spirit of devotion. --Macaulay. 3. Act of devotedness or devoutness; manifestation of strong attachment; act of worship; prayer. "The love of public devotion." --Hooker. 4. Disposal; power of disposal. [Obs.] They are entirely at our devotion, and may be turned backward and forward, as we please. --Godwin. 5. A thing consecrated; an object of devotion. [R.] Churches and altars, priests and all devotions, Tumbled together into rude chaos. --Beau. & Fl.
Syn: Consecration; devoutness; religiousness; piety; attachment; devotedness; ardor; earnestness.

May each of us express our profound gratefulness and joy in our Lord today in acts of devotion!

Choking out the Sun...

2009-04-23T08:47:00.000-05:00

This morning on our drive into school, Claire was looking out the window and suddenly cried out, "Oh no mommy - I see clouds!" She sounded so distraught! Confused, I turned to her and said, "Okay honey, I see some clouds too..."
"They're choking out the sun!" cried Claire.
After the awful weather we had last weekend, and the lake which was our street and front yard, I do understand that a few clouds might seem ominous to my poor kiddo - a warning of something much more sinister. I had Claire look up at the clouds again, and we named them - there were both cumulus and sirrus clouds floating around in a beautiful blue sky. Then we began to describe what the clouds looked like, and what shapes we imagined them to be. "That one is an elephant!" Claire exclaimed excitedly, no longer afraid at all of the fluffy balls, but now rather fascinated in their ever changing shapes.
I thinking the unknown poses such fear for kids of all ages. Once we can identify and name the bump in the night, the shadow in the dark, the dread peaking in on our lives - then things are not as scary, in fact some of them might seem quite beautiful.

Psalm 91 says:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the Lord, who is my refuge--then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
May today be a beautiful day, a peaceful day spent not in fear of the unknown, but in honor of the Lord our God.

A Nice Reminder...

2009-04-22T08:45:00.000-05:00

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my
First painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately
Wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a
Stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind
To animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my
Favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little
Things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a
Prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always
Talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a
Meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
Learned that we all have to help take care of each
Other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of
Your time and money to help people who had nothing,
And I learned that those who have something should
Give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care
Of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have
To take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you
Handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't
Feel good, and I learned that I would have to be
Responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come
From your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things
Hurt, but it's all right to cry..

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you
Cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of
life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and
Productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and
Wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when
You thought I wasn't looking.'

Just because...

2009-04-21T12:11:00.000-05:00

This picture spoke to my heart today...so I thought I would share it!
May the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, may the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Drawn to the Divine

2009-04-20T16:12:00.000-05:00

I am in the midst of reading an interesting piece of non-fiction entitled Where God Was Born: A Journey by Land to the Roots of Religion by Bruce Feiler. It is journal of Feiler's travels through the Holy Land, as he endeavours to dig in and better understand his faith. In chapter 2 of book 2, Feiler says that it is a hallmark of civilization that humanity longs for a relationship with the divine. I have to say that I agree with Feiler. I believe that all of humankind has a desire to connect with our Creator, to see and feel and embrace our God. Some of us have clearly identified this need, this yearning as wanting to connect with our Maker. Others try to fill this void with everything the world has to offer - always to no avail. We were made for relationship - to be in relationship with our God and with one another. This world has absolutely everything to offer us, except this integral and vital piece of the human condition - a need for the love and connection of God. Caedmon's Call says in one of their songs, "This world has nothing for me, and this world has everything; all that I could want and nothing that I need." Today, my prayer is for discernment; to be able to distinguish between what I want, what I think I need, and the part of me that is calling out for the Divine!

Amazed...

2009-04-19T15:57:00.000-05:00

I am in such awe today of the power of the Holy Spirit. God can take my meager offerings and turn them into good to the glory of the Kingdom of God. Praise to our God who dwells within each of us. May you see God in my this week, and may I see God in you!

I'm just racooning!

2009-04-18T08:44:00.000-05:00

Claire has been beyond excited about caterpillars at her school. Apparently, the class has been watching 10 caterpillars grow and eat. "Soon", Claire tells me, "they get really fat, and then they snuggle up inside a nice, soft raccoon, and then they rest. Then once their not tired anymore, they jump out of the raccoon, and the caterpillar turned into a butterfly!"
Today, I plan to take a cue from Claire and the weather, and just snuggle down into a nice, soft, 'raccoon'. Maybe, just maybe, if I can get enough rest, one day I'll emerge as a butterfly!!!

Upgrade = Mom 2.1

2009-04-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

So I apparently have been upgraded in the the eyes of my 4 year old. She used to say that she was a kid, her sister was a baby, and I was a mom. If asked if I was a person, she would say "no - you're not a person, you are a mom." Today, for the first time, Claire referred to me as a 'people'. I asked her if I was a mom, and she said, "yeah (and rolled her eyes), but you're also a people" (duh mom!).
So today, I write to you as a proud 'people'. I wonder what I will be tomorrow? :)

1John 3:2 "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

NOISE!!!

2009-04-16T10:14:00.000-05:00

My life is full of noise; My baby babbling, my 4 year old chattering, phones ringing, tv's blaring, cell phones chirping, horns honking, radios jumping, clocks ticking, mouths coughing, noses sneezing - sometimes I all but scream out for just a moment of "QUIET"!
My prayer for today, is that God can break me out of all this noise, or break in to all of this noise and reach me. I truly want to hear God in the noisy soundtrack of my life, or in despite of it.

The Lord's Prayer...kid style

2009-04-15T17:19:00.000-05:00

Hello Daddy!
We want to know you.
And be close to you.
Please show us how.
Make everything in the world right again.
And in our hearts, too.
Do what is best - just like you do in heaven,
And please do it down here, too.
Please give us everything we need today.
Forgive us for doing wrong, for hurting you.
Forgive us just as we forgive other people
when they hurt us.
Rescue us! We need you.
We don't want to keep running away
and hiding from you.
Keep us safe from our enemies.
You're strong, God.
You can do whatever you want.
You are in charge.
Now and forever and for always!
We think you're great!
Amen!
Yes we do!
The Jesus Storybook Bible: Zondervan

Easter People

2009-04-14T10:08:00.000-05:00

Easter has come and gone for another year, and as a pastor, I cannot help but heave a sigh of relief. This Easter was especially wearisome, as Rev. Rusty Watkins, a colleague and friend died while in preparation for Sun Rise Service at Lakewood UMC, where he served as an associate pastor. The tulips and lillies have all been distributed, the eggs are being put up for another year, and all of the candy has almost been eaten. The trappings of Easter are being stashed away, but the eternal message of Easter is and must be ever in our hearts and minds. We are an Easter People. A reconciled, forgiven people of God. We celebrate the earth changing happenings of that first Easter only once a year, but as Easter people, we must celebrate the joy of living as a loved and complete child of God every moment of every day of this life. We have been given the gift of forgiveness, the gift of eternal life in Christ, the keys to heaven; a heaven that has become so much richer and funnier with Rusty reeking havoc!

Watering Away

2009-04-13T13:02:00.000-05:00

The Prayer of Oscar Romero

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Amen.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

By Kayleigh Thomas, age 10

Lent - Day 39

2009-04-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Prayer for Holy Saturday

This prayer is designed to be said within the family on Holy Saturday.

Mother or a child: "May our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who alone by his powerful word governs all things, yet has buried the shame of the Cross and iron bonds, who has broken the bars of the bronze doors and has descended into hell, who has shone with the brightness of a new light on those who were sitting in the shadow of death — may he, the sun of justice, rising from the tomb, shine upon our darkness with the marvelous light of his risen Body."

Father: The women sitting at the sepulchre

Family: were weeping and lamenting for the Lord.

Father: Let us pray. O God, who makes this most holy night illustrious by the glory of the resurrection of our Lord, preserve in the new children of your family the spirit of adoption which you have given, that, renewed in body and soul, they may give you a pure service. This we ask of you through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.

Family: Amen.

Father: Let us bless the Lord.

Family: Thanks be to God.

Father: May the almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless and keep us.

Family: Amen.

Prayer Source: Holy Lent by Eileen O'Callaghan, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1975

Lent - Day 38

2009-04-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

“A father’s legacy is not riches, possessions, or worldly goods of any kind; it is the way he lived, the lives he touched, the promises he kept. It is the kind of man he was”

Author Unknown

Submitted by: Charlie Menn

Lent Day 37

2009-04-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

1. What do you want to tell God?

I love you.

2. What do you think it is like in heaven?

My dog Nike go sick so he had to go to Heaven. Toys in Heaven for Nike to play with.

3. What do you like best about Easter?

Hunting for eggs and playing with my brother and my new dog, Annie and Lucky and my Daddy.

By: Presley McRee, age 5 1/2

Lent - Day 36

2009-04-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Chicken Crescents

Ingredients:

2 lg chicken breast, boiled, boned and chopped

1 bunch gr. onions chopped

1 med jar chopped pimentos

1 med jar sliced mushrooms

1 1/2 8 oz. cream cheese (room temp.)

3 cans crescent rolls

· Combine all ingredients

· Put a teaspoon of filling into a piece of roll

· Pinch 2 opposite corners together

· Brush each with beaten egg with a little milk

(adds to browning and flakeness)

· Bake at 350° til golden brown, 12-15 minutes

By: Betty Clare

Lent - Day 35

2009-04-07T16:22:00.001-05:00

St. Theresa’s Prayer

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sin, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

Submitted by: Paula Shock

Lent day 34

2009-04-06T20:00:00.000-05:00

What Does It Means to Give More Than 100 Percent?

From a strictly Mathematical Viewpoint

What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been in situations where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 101%? What equals 100% in life?Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 9 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then: H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

and
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But,
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

AND, look how far the love of God will take you

L- O- V- E-O-F-G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that: While Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

Submitted by: Charlie Menn

6th Sunday in Lent

2009-04-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

“Heaven” By: Claire Kraus, age 4 1/2

Lent - Day 33

2009-04-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

1. What do you want to tell God?

If He could help Ryan.

2. What do you think it is like in heaven?

Probably kind of fun.

3. What do you like best about Easter?

The Candy

By: Trey Hiller

Lent - Day 32

2009-04-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

30 Books of the Bible (puzzle)

There are 30 books of the Bible in this paragraph. Can you find them? This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman in an airplane seat pocket, on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. He enjoyed it so much, he passed it on to some friends. One friend from Illinois worked on this while fishing from his john boat. Another friend studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, was so intrigued by it she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend judges the job of solving this puzzle so involving, she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot. That's a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or a scholar to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books in this paragraph. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new record. The local paper, The Chronicle, surveyed over 200 patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen. As Daniel Humana humbly puts it, "The books are all right here in plain view hidden from sight." Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their numbers. Also, keep in mind, that punctuation and spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus; there really are 30 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this paragraph waiting to be found. God Bless.

Submitted By: Charlie Menn

Lent - Day 31

2009-04-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

God is our Protector

After my husband, Billy passed away, I had trouble sleeping. I felt very alone and scared (Even though my 3 boys never left my side). Every sound I heard, I imagined someone trying to break in the house. I was also worried that I would not be able to pay the bills or even remember when trash day was. Billy was my security, and I depended on him for that. After several months of being afraid it occurred to me that I was not alone. I did not need to carry this burden by myself. I prayed to God that he would help me trust Him with my future. It was comforting to know that He would be my Protector. Nothing in the world could happen without Him allowing it. I am still not a great sleeper, but I do not lie awake in fear anymore.

“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalms 4:8

By: Shannon Carlisle

Lent Day 30

2009-03-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Psalms 19:7-14 "The Message Bible"

7 The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. 8 The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. 9 God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. 10 God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries. 11 There's more: God's Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure. 12 Otherwise how will we find our way? Or know when we play the fool? 13 Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work; Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin. 14 These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

Lent - Day 29

2009-03-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Easter Story Cookies

This recipe is to be made with children, to help illustrate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Do this on Holy Saturday evening, before the Easter Vigil Mass. These are meringue cookies. The oven will be hot, even though you turn it off for the night, to allow the cookies to rise and become hollow.

Supplies/Ingredients:

1 cup whole pecans

1 tsp. white vinegar

·3 egg whites

·pinch salt

·1 cup sugar

·Mixer

·1 ziploc bag

·strong wooden spoon

·wax paper

·cookie sheet

·Masking tape

·Bible for Readings

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Place pecans in the ziploc bag. Have the children beat the pecans with the wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. Reading: John 19:1-3 Explanation: after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Let each child smell the vinegar, noting the pungent smell. If they want, have them just taste it on their finger. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into mixing bowl. Reading: John 19:28-30 Explanation: When Jesus said "I thirst" when dying on the cross the soldiers gave Him vinegar to drink.

Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent new life. Reading: John 10:10-11 Explanation: Jesus gave His life to give us life, and on Easter Sunday He came back to life.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Reading: Luke 23:27 Explanation: The salt represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Reading: Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16 Explanation: The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Reading: Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3 Explanation: The color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been washed clean by Jesus' sufferings and death.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Reading: Matt. 27:57-60 Explanation: Each mound reminds us of the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Reading: Matt. 27:65-66 Explanation: Jesus' tomb was sealed with a large stone and soldiers guarded the entrance.

GO TO BED! Reading: John 16:20 and 22 Explanation: The children may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight without seeing or tasting the results right away. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! Reading: Matt. 28:1-9 Explanation: On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Submitted By: Lois Harger

5th Sunday in Lent

2009-03-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

By: Ashley Hiller, age 12

Lent - Day 28

2009-03-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know

Be still

Be Still

Be still and Know

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know that I am God

Submitted by: Jennifer Newman

Lent Day 27

2009-03-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sure Footed

Habakkuk 3:18-19

As I stood in the hospital corridor looking out the window to the tree line, a family of deer were peacefully grazing as though nothing was going on. This in stark contrast to the flurry of activity going on around me. Doctors, nurses, and families in their own situations working to make necessary decisions. At the time, there was no way to know that would be the last time I would talk to my father, but God was preparing the way. The days ahead in those halls would bring difficult decisions, but God’s preparation gave me a peace and hope to hold onto.

Prayer: Thank you for the loving care You provide to move us beyond our circumstances. Amen

By. Susy McAdams

Lent - Day 26

2009-03-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

1. What do you want to ask God?

What was it like growing up?

2. What do you think it is like in heaven?

God will tell everyone when you are coming and decorate it how you like it.

3. What do you like best about Easter?

Coming to church and doing the egg hunt and everything that we do at church.

By: Kayleigh Thomas, age 10

Lent - Day 25

2009-03-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

1. What do you want to tell God?

Thank Him for saving me from monsters in my dreams.

2. What do you think it is like in heaven?

I don’t know.

3. What do you like best about Easter?

Finding eggs.

By: Jackson Cleveland, age 5

Lent Day 24

2009-03-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Crack Pot

2 Corinthians 3:18-4:7

Through the years, having heard people called crack pots did not make me want to be lumped into that category. The image coming immediately to mind is opinionated and judgmental, none of which I wanted to be. One morning early, close to 10 years ago, I sat quietly reading and these words jumped from the Bible into my heart - God’s definition and man’s understanding were not always aligned. The hurts and pains causing my cracks to come were opportunities for God’s glory, light and life to shine into the darkness. My life and its cracks were to allow others to find hope and peace at the cross.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the freedom to come as I am and be the vessel to reach out into a dark world and shine - being Your crack pot. Amen

By: Susy McAdams

Lent - Day 23

2009-03-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

1. What do you want to ask God?

I ask God to say I love you.

2. What do you think it is like in heaven?

It’s Pretty

3. What do you like best about Easter?

Easter eggs, I love eggs.

By: Claire Kraus, age 4 1/2

Fourth Sunday in Lent

2009-03-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

“Easter” By: Caleb Goodman, age 5

Lent - Day 22

2009-03-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sunshine and Music

A laugh is just like sunshine

It freshens all the day,

It tips the peak of life with light,

And drives the clouds away.

The soul grows glad that hears it

And feels its courage strong.

A laugh is just like sunshine

For cheering folks along.

A laugh is just like music

It lingers in the heart,

And where its melody is heard

The ills of life depart;

And happy thoughts come crowding

Its joyful notes to greet:

A laugh is just like music

For making living sweet.

Author Unknown

Submitted by: Fern White

Lent - Day 21

2009-03-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Oh Lord of the Sabbath, teach us how to truly rest from our labors. Help me to cease striving. I find myself doing nothing, not because I have nothing to do, but because there are too many things to do and I am overwhelmed. There are too many choices, but one thing is needful. This weekend, let me rest at your feet and worship you in my stillness.

In you Father, there is peace and there is quietness for my soul. I long to be still enough to hear the quiet Spirit as he whispers to me of gentleness. Restore my soul, made weary from the week. Refresh my spirit with the kindness of your Word. Help me to be a refuge for others from their struggles.

I surrender to you all of my worries and work. I sacrifice to you my need for control and ask you to take over this day and lead me beside still waters. I praise you, and I love you, God of Rest, for in you alone I am justified and not by the works of my own hand.

I lift up those who even now are working to keep me safe and secure and free of harm. Bring your peace to the world, and come soon to restore your kingdom forever.

Amen

(from Lazarus Resources)

Lent - Day 20

2009-03-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

1. What do you want to tell God?

How is your Son, Jesus?

2. What do you think it is like in heaven?

Houses that He built for us.

3. What do you like best about Easter?

When we get lots of Easter Candy

By: Cody Goodman, age 8

Lent - Day 19

2009-03-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Romans 5:1-5 NIV
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Submitted by: Jerry Heintschel

Lent -Day 18

2009-03-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

OPEN MY HEART WIDE

Oh holy Father of life, let Your spirit grow within me

Let Your very heart be….the heart that beats inside me

Please touch me …. Open my heart wide

Give conviction to me, so I may serve You

the rest of my life

Let the light of my life be a reflection of You

Lord help me see I can’t do anything without You

Please touch me …. Open my heart wide

Give conviction to me, so I may serve You

the rest of my life

You are right here and You always will be

So full of grace, always supporting me

Please touch me …. Open my heart wide

Give conviction to me, so I may serve you

the rest of my life

When I don’t know what to do, I’ll wait in silence,

I will hear You

I’ll move forward in faith ever working toward that day

Please touch me …. Open my heart wide

Give conviction to me, so I may serve you

the rest of my life

He touched me …. He opened my heart wide

He gave conviction to me, and

I will serve Him the rest of my life

By: Charla Baker

Lent - Day 17

2009-03-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

1. What do you want to ask God?

Why there isn’t there peace on earth?

2. What do you think it is like in heaven?

Better than we even think it is

3. What do you like best about Easter?

Candy - Candy is really good!

By: Wyndon Carlisle age 10

Third Sunday in Lent

2009-03-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Heaven” by: Caleb Goodman, age 5

Day - 16

2009-03-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Lord Jesus Christ, when you stretched out your arms on the hard wood of the cross you embraced with love all people. So clothe us with your Spirit that we too, with your love, will embrace all. We ask it for your glory, Amen

Submitted by: Jan Kilpatrick

Day - 15

2009-03-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

As a new teacher at a middle school, I became friends with another new teacher across the hall. There was lots of bonding as we monitored the hall between classes.
Lenten season gave us the impetus to correct a behavior, instead of giving up something. We each picked a weakness, ex; being more understanding, or less judgmental. We would work on this during lent and beyond, we hoped.
We taught together for seven years and many of our daily problems we shared in prayer.

Friends can sharpen one's thinking with good

counsel. (Proverbs 27:17)

By: Betty Clare

Lent - Day 14

2009-03-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Recipe for: Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients are:

1 lb Hamburger Meat

1 Jar Picante Sauce

8-10 Flour Tortillas

Grated Cheese

Heat oven to 325°

Cook 1lb of Hamburger Meat – drain grease. Add one jar of Picante Sauce to the drained meat and stir. Spray bottom of glass cooking dish with non-stick spray. Layer two or three tortillas in the bottom of the dish. Spoon on some of the Hamburger Meat & Sauce mixture. Sprinkle as much cheese as you like. Continue to do the same as above with each layer until you run out of mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and heat in oven until the cheese has melted. Usually takes about 20 minutes.

It is so easy and so good.

By: Stephanie Westerman

Lent - Day 13

2009-03-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

In the paper version of our DPUMC Lenten Devotional Study, the previous entry covered two days, so this let me interject my own voice back into the blog. I apologize for putting a little crazy clergy-mom-mind into the midst of our wonderful devotions! A wise man once said that angels are anyone who has a word for us from God in the midst of life. In this thought, I could be an angel, you could be an angel. Have you ever had someone say just what you needed to hear (or just what you did NOT need to hear) in an uncanny way? I fully believe that God uses all of us to accomplish God's plan and desires. So - listen up! You might have an angel speak to you today, or maybe you will speak a word of God to someone else today. Be ready! My faithful angel for the last 14 years has been my husband Drew. He regularly speaks a little Jesus to me, and though I am not always receptive - I am forever thankful! I love you Drew.

Melody

Lent - Day 12

2009-03-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Who’s Hands?

A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.

A basketball in Michael Jordan’s hands is worth $33 million.

It depends on whose hands it’s in.

A baseball in my hands is worth $6.

A baseball in Roger Clemon’s hand is worth $475 million.

It depends on whose hands it’s in.

A tennis racket is useless in my hands.

A tennis racket in Andre Agassi’s hands is worth millions.

It depends on whose hands it’s in.

A rod in my hands will keep away an angry dog.

A rod in Moses’ hand will part the mighty sea.

It depends on whose hands it’s in.

A slingshot in my hands is a kid’s toy.

A slingshot in David’s hands is a mighty weapon.

It depends on whose hands it’s in.

Two fish and five loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.

Two fish and five loaves of bread in Jesus’ hands will feed thousands.

It depends on whose hands it’s in.

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.

Nails in Jesus Christ’s hands will produce salvation for the entire world.

It depends on whose hands it’s in.

As you see now, it depends whose hands it’s in.

So, put your concern your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families, and your relationships in God’s hands because…

It depends whose hands it’s in.

Devotion Submitted by: Gloria Ervin,

Art work Submitted by: Shelly Jaynes

Lent - Day 11

2009-03-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

1. What do you want to tell God?

I love Him.. Thank Him for making my mom!

2. What do you think it is like in heaven?

I have no idea.

All kinds of different colored rocks.

3. What do you like best about Easter?

I get Candy

By: Tristan Anderson, age 5

Second Sunday in Lent

2009-03-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

By: Presley McRee, age 5 1/2

Lent - Day 10

2009-03-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

In our home before this one and in a place not too far away, on a New Year’s Eve I shared a momentous thought with my husband of almost twenty years! With the dawn of the rapidly approaching New Year, I mustered my minimal math skills to confess the great indignation that with the addition of the next year...a birthday would proclaim the dreadful thought of attaining 40! Forty!!! Imagine that?! On this evening, I was blind to a world of blessings surrounding me and a wealth of opportunities available to me. As my vision tunneled to the ominous number encroaching on my meager remaining “thirtyish” days. In a matter of just a few January days, a doctor visit, a MRI, and another doctor visit revealed a tumor sitting on my spinal cord at the base of my brain giving me four choices: do nothing and die, have the surgery and die, have the surgery and be paralyzed from my neck down, or have the surgery and perhaps live. At the end of my third day of tears, I just knew I would win. Romans 14:8, “If we live, it is for the Lord that we live, and if we die, it is for the Lord that we die. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” The first tumor surgery was halted abruptly which led to a second surgery. The following year a different tumor was discovered pushing into my brain requiring more surgeries. Now the tumors are gone, and 40 has come and gone. I treasure the joy of being 61 and a half and sharing my experience with others. I was blind, but now I see; I win and so do you!!!

By: Connie Menn

Lent - Day 9

2009-03-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.

Isaiah 40:31

Submitted by: Christina McRee

Lent - Day 8

2009-03-05T09:18:00.000-06:00

How to Blow Eggs

Why: eggs are basic but beautiful shapes that lend themselves to many types of decoration. They are symbols of birth and resurrection. And hollow, decorated shells last indefinitely and are actually sturdy enough to be hunted. (No rotten boiled eggs in the daylilies.) And because it’s FUN.

How:

Carefully prick a hole 1/8-1/4 in diameter in each end of a raw egg.

Insert a toothpick or skewer into one hole and stir the contents of the egg.

Dry opening at one end of egg and blow the contents of the egg into a small bowl. Save for omelet or baking.

Rinse egg and allow to dry.

Then: the fun part—decorating the empty eggshell.

You may dye the shell as you would a boiled egg. Weight the shell with a spoon or something similar so that it remains submerged in the dye solution.

OR Paint it with acrylic paints, draw on it with markers, or even coat it with nail polish. Apply the paint smoothly or drizzle or splatter it on (be sure to protect work surfaces.)

AND/OR apply stickers or decals. Glue on tiny shapes cut from art paper or fabric. Even dots from a hole puncher make a striking design. Layer small squares of colored tissue paper. The entire egg may be covered with lightweight fabric. Fabric trims work well, too. Motifs cut from lace make elegant eggs, as do tiny ribbon and rickrack. Tiny silk flowers, small photos—the list is virtually endless.

What about the hole? You may cover it when you glue on designs. This is best for eggs that will be displayed in a basket or bowl.

OR Thread narrow ribbon or embroidery floss through the egg, leaving a loop 3-4inches long at one end and securing the other end. Thread ribbon or floss through a small button or cardboard disc and knot,

Hang eggs with loops from a tree branch anchored in a flower pot or bowl. Make a mobile with eggs. Suspend them from a chandelier. You get the idea.

OR pile eggs in a bowl or basket for a centerpiece. Stack them in a tall glass vase. Got any egg cups? There you go.

You don’t have to try all these ideas at once. These eggs last for years. After Easter, store them in clean egg cartons in a cool, dry place until next year when you can add to your collection of treasures. By: Ellois J.(Jane) Frantz

Lent - Day 7

2009-03-04T13:59:00.000-06:00

Today is going to be a good day.

God is guiding and directing my steps.

Goodness and mercy are following me and I’m excited about today,

and what He has in store for me.

By: Christina McRee

Lent - Day 6

2009-03-03T17:36:00.000-06:00

New Friends and Old Friends
Make new friends, but keep the old;
Those are silver, these are gold.
New-made Friendships like new Wine,
Age will mellow and refine.
Friendships that have stood the test -
Time and change - are surely best;
Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray;
Friendship never knows decay.
For mid old friends, tried and true,
Once more we our youth renew.
But old Friends, alas! May die;
New friends must their place supply.
Cherish friendship in your breast
New is good, but old is best;
Make new friends, but keep the old;
Those are silver, these are gold.
Joseph Parry
Submitted By: Fern White