LISTENING TO GOD

SATURDAY, August 4  "Wake up Call"
Mark 14:41-42 (The Message)
"He came back a third time and said, 'Are you going to sleep all night?  No! You've slept long enough.  Time's up.  The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Get up.  Let's get going!  My betrayer has arrived."
     Jesus doesn't appear to lose his patience often in the New Testament.  The only other time I can recall is with the money changers in the temple.  But here Jesus is a bit frustrated with the disciples.  Things are getting a bit stressful for Jesus and they are sawing logs!  Wake up!  It's time for action!
     Is God sending us a wake-up call?  Are we listening and receptive to hear his call in the unlikely places from which it might come?  Is it time to stop sleeping through our faith but to take action to start living the call of Christianity?  Do I hear the alarm going off?  


GO! d365.org for this week:

"What might God be calling you to do this year? Listen and respond. As you go on your way today, continue listening for God’s voice in surprising and unexpected ways.

Listen for God!"

FRIDAY, August 3  "Practice Prayer"
Mark 14: 39-40 (The Message)
"He then went back and prayed the same prayer.  Returning, he again found them sound asleep.  They simply couldn't keep their eyes open, and they didn't have a plausible excuse."
     How do you learn to hear the voice of God?  Jesus seems to be demonstrating in this story: practice, practice, practice. He returns to pray the same prayer over and over.  The disciples appear to be practicing a different sport - sleeping.
     We understand the concept of practice as it applies to sports, music, and other endeavors.  Do we ever apply the idea to our prayer life?  To develop a disciple of time and heart for God - to hold conversations in which we not only talk but also listen - is a practiced endeavor.  So many say they can't pray 'aloud' or in public.  Pray more!  The eloquence of the words is not nearly as important to God as the practice.
      Practice prayer.  We might find it gets easier to listen to God's will and word.
   

THURSDAY, August 2  "Sleeping"

Mark 14: 37-38  (The Message)

"He came back and found them asleep.  He said to Peter, 'Simon, you went to sleep on me?  Can't you stick it out with me a single hour?  Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don't enter the danger zone without even knowing it.  Don't be naive.  Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God, but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."

     I can sympathize with the disciples here.  There are times I just can't seem to keep my eyes open, to stay focused and awake.  The sunlight hits me in the car or the pencil slips from my hand as I work my puzzle.  I WANT to stay awake (Rick needs me while he is driving late at night to be awake!) - the spirit is willing, but my body fails me!  Jesus was struggling.  He needed a little support with "the driving" and the disciples let him down.  We can be jacked up and ready to serve when the path is easy, but when things get tough we sometimes fail and let God down.  In the sleepy moments, the tough times, we really need to focus, stay awake, and listen.  Those are the moments when we just might REALLY hear God speaking to us.

WEDNESDAY, August 1  "Stop...and Listen!"
Mark 14: 35-36 (The Message)
"Going a little ahead, he fell to the ground and prayed for an way out. 'Papa, Father, you can - can't you? - get me out of this.  Take this cup away from me.  But please, not what I want - what do YOU want?"
     What do YOU want, God?  How infrequently do we include these words in our prayers.  We tend to focus on what we want from God - our will rather than THY will be done.  Jesus knew what he wanted - he did NOT want to go through the physical agony he knew was coming.  But ultimately?  His prayer is 'your will, God, not mine.'
     Listening to God helps us hear God's will in new ways.  Listening opens us up to what God wants rather than our selfish desires.  May we all discipline ourselves to stop talking long enough to hear the whisper of God.  May we stop voicing our list of wants, what we want God to do, and hear what God wants!




TUESDAY, July 31  "Quiet Place"
Mark 14:32-34  (The Message)

They came to an area called Gethsemane.  Jesus told his disciples, 'Sit here while I pray.'  He took Peter, James, and John with him.  He plunged into a sink-hole of dreadful agony.  He told them, 'I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me."  
     Having a quiet place, a place of inner sanctuary, a place where we find it easy to not only talk TO God, but to listen FOR God is important.  Jesus found such a place in the garden of Gethsemane.  He was troubled and probably a bit frightened of the events to unfold.  This was Holy Week, after all. 
     My quiet place has changed lately, and while I find it adequate for study and reading, I'm not sure I am having as many conversations with God there.  I need to develop a new location - either physical or mental - where God receives my total concentration, where I can listen as well as speak.  Without interruption.  A time and place just for God.
     Where is your quiet place for God?

PAUSE!  (d365.org) 
"Listening for God requires us to be tuned in with all of our senses.  God may speak to us through our ears, but more often God speaks through our hearts, minds, souls, and even our bodies.  We need to learn to be open to listening to God on God's terms, not our own."  (Rich Richards, this week's d365 author)

SUNDAY, July 29  "Tuned In"
Psalm 118: 5-6   (The Message)
"Pushed to the wall, I called to God;
From the wide open spaces, he answered. 
God's now at my side and I'm not afraid;
Who would dare lay a hand on me?"
     We call out to God often - when life gets tough.  We cry out for help - and want it NOW!  And then we continue trying to fight the battle alone while we murmur, 'God, where are you?  Where are you when I need you?'  God is there.  God is here.  Answering and responding, but we aren't always listening.  We are still too busy talking, asking.
     Where are the wide, open spaces?  Our imagination conjures up the expanse of a mountain meadow, the flowing ripple of a wheatfield, the rolling waves of the ocean.  Yet, God answers everywhere!  In all the cracks and crevices of life!  He is answering.  Why can't we always hear God?  Perhaps we aren't tuned in.  If we focus on God time everyday, if we stayed "tuned in" on a regular basis, we will begin to hear and recognize the multiple God responses in our daily life.

MONDAY, July 30  "Hire God" 
Psalm 118: 7-8 (The Message)  
"God's my strong champion, 
I flick off my enemies like flies. 
Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people. 
Far better to take refuge in God than trust in celebrities." 

     People (mere mortals) are human, imperfect.  They can betray our trust.  If we put God at the top of our champion or companion list, we will never be turned away.  Mere mortals can be our confidants and trusted guides, but they will be 'God sent', God approved if we keep God always in the Number One position.  This reminds me of a story I read just this morning (God at work?) about an Olympic hopeful who was in a dry stretch of training, struggling to improve.  He heard God's voice - "Let ME be your coach!"  Everything changed with that transfer of trust.  God then sent what the athlete called his angel advisers:  a nutritionist, a masseuse, etc.


     Take refuge in God.  Trust in God.  What part of my life do I need to turn over to God?  What aspect do I need to 'let go and let God'?

CHRIST'S PEACE

Saturday, July 28   “Olympics of Love”

Psalm 89: 1-2  (The Message)

“Your love, God, is my song, and I’ll sing it!

I’m forever telling everyone how faithful you are.

I’ll never quit telling the sotry of your love –

How you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it.

Your love has always been our lives’ foundation,

Your fidelity has been the roof over our world. “

     What would happen if we quit focusing on our obsession with conflict, battles, and fighting and concentrated on a little peace making?  What if we devoted our energy to promoting the incredible bond of love that unites us?

     The Olympics began last night in London – a fanfare celebration of the diversity, yet unity within us as a world.  What is all the fireworks, the shouting, the parades, the celebration was an embracing of the love of God that extends beyond all boundaries?  What about an Olympics of Love?  That could build a lasting peace!  A love worth ‘fighting’ for! 

D365.org GO!

“Go in peace –

With Christ now at your side.

God with a sense of ease

That only Christ provides.

Go to share the calm within.

Peace.

Peace again.”

      

Friday, July 27    “Knitting Peace”

Ephesians 2: 17-21  (The Message)

“Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders.  He treated us as equals and so made us equals.  Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.  That’s plain enough, isn’t it?  You’re no longer wandering exiles.  This kingdom of faith is now your home country.  You’re no longer strangers or outsiders.  You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone.  God is building a home.  He’s using us all – irrespective of how we got here – in what he is building….now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. “ 

     Over and over Paul repeats himself – we are now ONE in Christ.  No more strangers, no outsiders and insiders.  We are a family of faith in God.  As in a usual family, we have our squabbles and fights, but we are bonded together in love.  Paul is right – we need to hear this again and again, like a parent repeating an old family story to make sure we ingrain the concept. 

     God is using us all to knit together a kingdom with Christ at the center.  One God, one Spirit, one body – together in love.  Amen, brothers!  Amen, sisters!

THURSDAY, July 26  "Breaking Down Walls"
Ephesians 2:14-15 (The Message)

"The Messiah has made things up between us so that we're now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders.  He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance.  He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped.  Then he started over.  Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everyone." 
     Two thousand years later and we are still divided into multiple groups, countries, denominations - separated by fear, prejudice suspicion, economics, and theology.  The walls are everywhere.  All of it is part of a huge wall that separates creation from our Creator.  Christ came to break down those walls.  But as long as we allow fragments to remain, unreconciled with those around us - we still remain unwhole before God.  There are factions that we don't allow ourselves to fully love: the poor, the imprisoned, the social outcast, the terrorist.  All, including ourselves, are broken children of God.  May we start with bringing peace to ourselves and those in our immediate community.  Let's tear down some walls - walls we might have to first acknowledge as existing within ourselves as well. (It is not just THEIR problem to help - it is OUR problem or flaw as well!)  Father God, help us tear down some walls!


WEDNESDAY, July 25   "Drawing Circles"
Ephesians 2:11-13 (The Message)
"Don't take any of this for granted.  It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways had no idea of any of this, didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ....Now, because of Christ - dying that death, shedding that blood - you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything." 
     This reminds me of a little verse I memorized years ago.  I have no idea who the author is. "He drew a circle that shut me out, Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.  But Love and I had the wit to win, We drew a circle that took him in."  The Gentiles were outsiders - not just physically through circumcision, they lacked the long history of relationship with God and the knowledge of Levitical law - they didn't belong to the God-team, they weren't in the game!  Many Jewish Christians wanted to keep it that way.  They knew the rules better.  It was their God first!  Or so they thought.
     That rebel Jesus redrew the circle with Love.  He has included us all equally.  We all get to play, we all belong.  Are we still drawing circles today?  Are the circles we draw  shutting out or bringing in?  Who do we need to include in Christ's circle, who feels left out of the game?



TUESDAY, July 24    "Interruptions"
Mark 6: 33-34  (The Message)
"Someone saw them going and the word got around.  From the surrounding towns people went on foot, running, and got there ahead of them.  When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd.  At the sight of them, his heart broke - like sheep with no shepherd they were.  He went right to work teaching them."  
     Yesterday we talked about the need to find, perhaps make, time to Sabbath, to set aside the daily and seek the peace of Christ.  It might be that wilderness experience, it might be scripture, or it might even be the process of scribbling a picture and coloring it digitally to share!
     Yet, we get interrupted, sometimes by the trivial that we can quickly cast aside, but just as often by the needs of others.  Christ left the disciples in the boat for a bit longer to rest, while he attended to the needs of the crowd.  It may often be a balancing act.  Yet we can hardly say, 'Don't bother me with your needs right now, I'm busy learning how to act like Christ!'  No, we need to heed those interruptions and share the peace of Christ with another.  We may find that God will work through that interruption to bless both of us with his peace and grace.

MONDAY, July 23      "Come Away"
Mark 6:30-32  (The Message)
"The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all they had done and taught.  Jesus said, 'Come off by yourselves; let's take a break and get a little rest.'  For there was constant coming and going.  They didn't even have time to eat.  So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves." 

     More, more, more.  Where did we ever get the idea that more is better?  More stuff, more food, more money, more work as in more committees, more mission, more people.  Sometimes it just adds up to busyness - a cover up for not taking the time for a relationship with God.  Sometimes we might even work for God so much we omit the time to know God or hear God.  God gave us the concept of Sabbath for a reason.  He knew we would need it.  We need to learn to take it in our task oriented, 'get it done' world.
     Jesus said, 'Come away!'  Step aside from the To Do list, step aside from the crowd, step aside and spend some time basking in the peace of God, listening and feeling the strength and courage filling our hearts.  Rev. Katy preached yesterday on taking the time for a 'wilderness retreat' or a 'middle of the lake' experience, such as the disciples had.  We can trust Jesus to be at work while we are away.
     How can we not give priority to God's command to 'come away'?  We need to give ourselves a Sabbath.  It will prepare us to do the work of God better.  I think Rick and I will go take a hike today ....for spiritual purposes!  Maybe the 'middle of a mountain' will be just as good as the 'middle of a lake'!

D365.org  PAUSE!         Weekly author: John Woods
"Peace, even just a few moments of being truly at ease, seems very very hard to come by sometimes.  There are just too many options for doing something 'right now!'  Slowing down becomes a luxury....Peace...take a few moments within the heartbeat of God."




SUNDAY, July 22 
Jeremiah 23:5-6 (The Message)
"Time's coming - God's decree - when I'll establish a truly righteous David-branch;
A rule who knows how to rule justly. 
   He'll make sure of justice and keep people united. 
In his time Judah will be secure again
   And Israel will live in safety. 

This is the name they'll give him:
   'God-Who-Puts-Everything-Right!"
    Life is complicated right now.  The world is in turmoil.  It's hard to have hope that eventually all will be 'secure and safe' as we find in Jeremiah's words.  We are in the middle of a suspenseful, agonizing book or movie and we want to flip the pages to the end or click the remote to fast forward.  If we could just be SURE that the story will work out in the end, the middle is easier to read or watch.
     Our life in Christ is like that good book - no fairy tale here.  We have the hope and peace that comes from God's promise that justice will reign.  But still, we are in a world caught in the middle of the story.  The peace comes from knowing the ending ahead of time!  But it is up to us to keep turning the pages of the book - to work for peace, to share that peace with all.

CHRIST'S INHERITANCE

SATURDAY, JULY 21   "God of Angel-Armies!"
Psalm 24: 7-10 (The Message and TEV - blended)
"Wake up, you sleepy head city!  Wake up, you sleepy people!
King-Glory is ready to enter!
Who is this King-Glory?
God - strong and mighty; God - mighty in battle. 
Lift up your heads, O gates; King-Glory is ready to enter. 
Who is the King of Glory?
God of the Angel-Armies.

He is King-Glory!
     As I noted yesterday, end with an accolade of praise to the glory of God!  And it seems our d365.org writer does just this for the week using Psalm 24!  Majesty, glory, praise, and triumph to the God of All!
     Part of our inheritance as heirs of Christ is to enlist in God's army.  We are 'weapons' that God uses to defeat sin.  While the church has shied away from all military references, I still remember teaching my kids the song, "I may never march in the infantry, ride in the calvary, shoot the artillery.  I may never fly o'er the enemy, but I'm in the Lord's army.  Yes, sir!"  The hand motions made it great fun to sing!
     The crowds at Jesus' entry to Jerusalem were 'fired up' to join the revolution against Rome.  They wanted to join the Lord's army and fight the occupation.  They found a different battle on hand: a kingdom in which God isn't going to 'make it happen', but will use us to bring forth that inheritance.  We have a job to do, army of God!  May we 'arm' ourselves with the weapons of Christ and get started in some small way....today!

d365.org GO! for this week:
"May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light." (Colossians 1: 11-12) 

FRIDAY, JULY 20   "A Baptismal Stamp of Ownership"
Ephesians 1:13-14  (TEV)
"And you also became God's people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation.  You believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised.  The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised his people. ... Let us praise his glory!" 
     A 'stamp of ownership' and the gift of the Spirit.  Seems like just what baptism signifies: the adoption ceremony into the family of God.  It gives one a sense of arriving where God has called you to be from before you were born.
     I don't remember my baptism.  I was an infant.  But I know I was probably held in the arms of my minister father and Christian raised mother as my minister grandfather 'sealed me into an inheritance of faith'.  I became part of a universal family of God.  I like to remember this heritage frequently when praying the Lord's prayer - in Spanish as I learned it from my Grandfather's Spanish Bible.  (He did Spanish missionary work in addition to his pastorates.)
     I do like the fact that Paul ends many of his phrases in this section (as much as any of them 'end'!) with words of praise to God's glory.  Ours is a faith of joy.  The more we express it, the more contagious it becomes and the family grows stronger and larger!

THURSDAY, JULY 19   "Keep It Simple, Paul!"
Ephesians 1: 11-12
"All things are done according to God's plan and decision; and God chose us to be his own people in union with Christ because of his own purpose, based on what he had decided from the very beginning.  Let us, then, who were the first to hope in Christ, praise God's glory!" (TEV)
    "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plans of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory." (NIV)
"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we've been living for: long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." (The Message) 
     "In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory." (NRSV)
     I could just keep finding more translations of these two verses and it wouldn't help!  They are Paul at his finest with run-on sentences, and so many clauses and modifiers, you have no clue what the point is when you get done reading!  In retyping them all, I did pick up some key words: PLAN, CHOSEN, PURPOSE, HOPE, GLORY:  CHRIST!  I am not a deep convoluted thinker.  I want Paul to keep it simple!  Maybe these key words are all I need.
     The reflection in d365.org didn't really relate to the text for me.  It commented that we are all heirs to the kingdom of God through our big brother Christ.  We don't have to worry about succession battles for the throne.  We all inherit.  That makes sense as part of previous verses in this passage.
     Faith in Action commentary confirms these verses as part of Paul's extended opening prayer and blessing (see Katy's Sunday sermon on Ephesians 1: 1-14!)  FIA also speaks of the difficulty of relating to a spiritual Christ when you might have known the physical Christ:  "How difficult it must have been for these early Christians to think of themselves as "in" a person who had been alive with them only a few years earlier and whose earthly brothers they knew.  Similarly, how difficult it is for us to think of ourselves as "in Christ", when we often explain salvation as having invited Christ into our hearts, to live in us." (Faith in Action Bible, p. 1932)
     So, who's living in who?  We in Christ or Christ in us?  I guess it doesn't really matter to argue linguistics.  We are one in and through Christ with God - THAT relationship is ALL that matters.
     Whew!  Paul gives me headaches sometimes!
     

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18   "A Rich Inheritance"
Ephesians 1: 7-8  (The Message)
"Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people - free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds.  And not just barely-free, either.  Abundantly free!"
     What is an inheritance but an unearned gift?  We usually think of it in terms of the assets passed on by our elders when they die: land, heirlooms, jewelry, CASH!  Unearned by us, yet earned through hard work and toil by those who came before us.
     The grace of God is an inheritance, unearned by we who receive it, yet gained by Christ through his sacrifice.  This is an immeasurable gift beyond compare.  If we stop to really consider the value of God's grace, how can we not strive to express our thanks by way of service and thanksgiving!  May we never be those who simply live OFF their inheritance, but strive to live into and through God's gift and into the Kingdom of Heaven.


TUESDAY, JULY 17    "Adopted by God"
Ephesians 1:5-6  (The Message)

"Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ.  (what pleasure he took in planning this!)  He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son."
     We spend so much time and effort trying to impress others - often by being something we are not.  Clothes or riches do not 'make the man'.  The heart is what matters.  There is only one who we need to 'impress' - God.  And the beauty of it all?  He loves us regardless!
     The thought that I am a child of the ruler of the entire universe is mind boggling.  Take a good look at the stars on a clear moonless night - you can literally see forever.  How big is our God?  How incredibly vast is the universe?  And yet...we have been claimed, adopted as sons and daughters, into this vast kingdom.  Individually and personally, no pretenses necessary.  What else can possibly matter but coming before our Adopted Father with a heart filled with celebration and praise!  "Our God Is an Awesome God!"

Monday, July 16    SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS
Ephesians 1: 3-4 (The Message)
"How blessed is God!  And what a blessing he is!  He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him.  Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love."  
     How often when we 'count our blessings' do we include those of the spiritual realm?  We note our family, close friends, shelter and food, perhaps natural events like sunsets and butterflies and the smell of a good pine forest.  At least, that's what MY list looks like.  I have my stress management class make a blessing list - it's good to remind ourselves and be grateful for those positives in our life.
     But Spiritual blessings?  Those are harder to identify!  Grace, forgiveness, faith - these also are gifts from God bestowed on us from the beginning of time.  The greatest spiritual blessing?  The gift of being LOVED as a Child of God; the unchangeable joy of adoption into God's family.  Really wrap your mind around that blessing, brothers and sisters!


Sunday, July 15  
Psalm 24:1, 3-6 (TEV)
"The world and all that is in it, 
Belong to the Lord;
The earth and all who live on it are his. 
Who has the right to go up on the Lord's hill?
   Who may enter his Holy Temple?
Those who are pure in act and in thought.
Who do not worship idols or make false promises. 
The Lord will bless them and save them. 
God will declare them innocent. 
Such as the people who come to God,
   Who come into the presence of the God of Jacob." 
     We are ALL a child of God.  All the living earth belongs to God.  This is our inheritance through Christ.  But there is more - more beyond our wildest vivid imaginations can conceive.  We can only dream and guess about the reality that awaits us as we cross over to live in the actual presence of God.
     But we can grasp a piece, experience some of it now by coming to God in all honesty and purity, through our service and attention to others.  Those opportunities can help us experience our inheritance now, here on this earth.  But God's grace is a gift - an inheritance waiting for ALL.  May we live into that grace.


PAUSE!  (d365.org)                          
Deborah Hurd
"As the old song says, we have a great friend in Jesus.  Following in his way, we know deep joy, new challenges and intimate companionship.  And there is more.  In quiet contemplation, may we open our hearts and our imagination to all we receive as God's beloved children."

POWER IN WEAKNESS

(Yes, this is a RE-publish!  I realized I left off the last scribble!)
This week I am combining all my daily thoughts into one post.  The theme on d365.org for the week is Power in Weakness.  The introductory meditation each day reads as follows:
"It's hard to imagine that anyone would choose to be weak over being powerful.  But the way of Jesus sometimes calls us to do exactly that, with the understanding that somehow in our weakness we have the greatest impact.  Consider your strengths and weaknesses, and wonder which of these actually holds the greatest potential in your journey of faith."

Monday, July 9
Mark 6:1-3     The Celebrity Jesus
"...On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place.  He made a real hit, impressing everyone.  'We had no idea he was this good!'  'How did he get so wise all of a sudden..."'  But, in the next breath, they were cutting him down.  'He's just a carpenter, Mary's boy.  We've know him since he was a kid....Who does he think he is?' ... And they never got any further."  (The Message)
     Today we can follow famous people easily - on our TV or Ipod or cell phone.  We can get Tweets!  But in Bible times you have to follow someone around physically or hope they might come to your town.
      If we want to see the celebrity Jesus today, where would we look?  Is he unreachable?  Even Jesus' brothers and sisters didn't recognize him.  What if Jesus is in someone close to us.  Will we see him?  What are we looking for?  Some famous religious celebrity on TV or for the quiet demonstration of Jesus' love in those around us?
     Let's look at those closest to us and not miss the power of Jesus in the ordinary.


Tuesday, July 10
Mark 6:4-6   "Off Day"

"Jesus told them, 'A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child.'  Jesus wasn't able to do much of anything there - he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that's all.  He couldn't get over their stubbornness."  (The Message)
     Jesus had an "off day"!  Only a few were healed, but for those few - it was a GREAT day!  When we are feeling 'off' - unappreciated, ineffective, incomplete - remember the positive moments.  In those few seconds, God may have worked a miracle.
     With General Assembly still in my mind, I need to remember that change takes place in cycles.  It might not all happen at once.  We need to keep working and celebrate the small victories.


Wednesday, July 11
Mark 6:7-10   "No Equipment"
"He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching.  Jesus called the Twelve to him and sent them out in pairs.  He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition.  He sent them out with these instructions: 'Don't think you need alot of extra equipment for this.  YOU are the equipment.  No special appeals for funds.  Keep it simple."  (The Message)
     Ah, Lord.  Today is a Missional Meeting and this is the same story we have been using over and over from Luke!  The emphasis today is the power in weakness theme.  Jesus deliberately chooses to make sure the disciples would not deceive people with money or looks, but only by their power to heal and the message they brought.  It is wise to remember that our actions often carry more clout than our words.  We can't preach a simple life and then go out and play with our expensive toys.  Think Mother Teresa - she lives among those she serves.  This is what Shane Claiborne has done in the North Philadelphia neighborhood and Simple Way.  The trappings aren't important.  WE are the equipment.  Nothing fancy, just our hands and hearts in service.

Thursday, July 12
Mark 6:10-13   "Know When to Fold 'Em"

"No luxury inns.  Get a modest place and be content there until you leave.  If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw.  Don't make a scene.  Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.'  Then they were on the road.  They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies, healing their spirits."  (The Message)
     This reminds me of Kenny Rodger's "The Gambler" - you got to know when to "hold'em and know when to fold'em!"  Sometimes you have to just walk away.  When it is obvious you aren't being heard, the program isn't working, you are just engaging in pointless arguments, then its time to take your energy and efforts elsewhere.  Maybe the seeds you have sown will sprout, maybe not.
     May God guide us, help us discern where and when our gifts can best be used to do His work.  But may GOD be our guide, not our personal desires or because the job just got too hard we decide our gifts aren't appropriate.

Friday, July 13  Weakness Power
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
"My grace is enough; it's all you need.  My strength comes into its own in your weakness.'  Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen.  I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. ....Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer these limitations that cut me down to size - abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks.  I just let Christ take over! And so, the weaker I get, the stronger I become. "
     How often are we utterly amazed by the creative arts or athletic prowess of physically handicapped individuals, or those who are bed-ridden?  How can they do such things?  They have 'quit focusing on the handicap' and developed their gifts - what CAN I do?  If we take our weaknesses and offer them to God, the power to change, both ourselves and those around us, is real.  God is real and at work in us.  May we let it happen.


Saturday, July 14  "Underdog Stories" 
Psalm 123: 1-6 (TEV)
 "Lord, I look to you. 
Up to heaven, where you rule. 
As a servant depends on his master;
As a maid depends on her mistress
So we will keep looking to you, Lord our God,
Until you have mercy upon us. 
Be merciful to us, Lord, be merciful!
We have been treated with so much contempt. 
We have been mocked too long by the rich and scorned by proud oppressors." 
     Jesus came to save the underdog.  he hung out with the poor, the sick, the outcast, to show them, to physically demonstrate, that God was on their side.  God was WITH them.
     We love a good underdog story!  The movies, books, fairy tables all celebrate times when the victim becomes the victor, the bully begs for mercy, or those in flagrant power are cut down to size.  It is those moments when the POWER of God's love to overcome is revealed.
     Am I the bully abusing my power?  Or am I the underdog, quietly working to share the love of God?  What about you?

d.365.org GO! sending us out into the world this week:
"Now as you journey into this day -
Go, understanding that it is not you, after all, who is powerful.  
Any weakness you know only opens the door
For God's power to become evident.  
And weakness to become your greatest strength."

PS.  I stopped by the d365.org booth (it was part of the Young Adult Ministries, Triennium, etc. exhibit) at General Assembly.  The gal in charge was someone Luke worked with at Triennium in 2007 and Luke had already told her about my devotional book.  I showed it to her and she took a picture of the cover so she could show it at the "office".

General Assembly Wrap-up

      It has been a week since my last posting from the midst of the General Assembly of the PC USA.  I have spent the past several days unwinding, sleeping, and drawing - finishing the last 10 Scribbles for my report.  I keep thinking of more to draw....but no.  Stop.  Move on.

     For the complete collection of GA Scribbles, click HERE.  This does provide an overview of the whole experience!  

     Saturday, July 7, wrapped up with another 2 hours of discussion, some of which was arrested Friday night, before we could get to the final business of budgets, thank yous, honors, and worship.  There were many vacant seats in the assembly hall Saturday morning, as some ministers had to leave to conduct services on Sunday, some commissioners were asleep (many YAADs), and others left early to catch flights.  The concluding worship, while the preacher issued many great challenges that would have been easier to handle if the vote on divestment and marriage had gone differently, felt a little anti-climatic.  The music was slower paced, much to my chagrin.  I left the plenary floor and went back to the observer area to worship with Luke and the rest of the interns.
     Flights home were smooth sailing for Linda and I.  Learned later that Roger, Hannah, and Pete missed a connecting flight in San Francisco and spent the night in hotels there.  Roger will definitely remember this Assembly as the one of "Missed and Cancelled Flights"!   Linda and I enjoyed good conversation, not much sleep, and some amazing cloud formations in the sky as we flew west.  In Boise, greeted by both our husbands!  Time to go home!

     I am simply going to paste my notes and reflections from Thursday and Friday as I was keeping a running blog in plenary hall during short breaks.  (I just didn't have internet access to post them!) Not much editing here, so excuse now the typos....

THURSDAY, July 5

     I awoke today with the buzzing of the cell phone at 7am .  Good thing I set the alarm.  I knew I probably wouldn’t wake up naturally, although I did waken at 5:45 and turned right over! 

     Quick shower, grab a bite at Subway, and then off for DLCC to set up and catch up on some blogging, etc.  

            Plenary highlights:  worship at the end with a solo hand-bell player who was AWESOME.  Offering of prayers written on cutout paper doves that were all dropped into the baptismal font, along with one very visible dollar bill at the bottom!  Committee reports from the Theological Institution people, the Mid-Council Report (which had less debate than I anticipated), The Comm. on Social Justice (should we spank?  Voted NO! ), The Board of Pensions, Foundation and Publishing report, which was going fine until a heated debate on where to TALK ABOUT extending the plan to the denominations which are mostly receiving the withdrawing churches.  It was a needless discussion in my book….it doesn’t hurt to TALK, that doesn’t mean agreement or eventual connection. 

            By far the major debate of the day was in the evening with the report of the Middle East Peacemaking group:  A major question before the assembly was if we should divest from those companies (specifically Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions, and Hewlett Packard) who are selling products to Israel that are used in the occupation and humi9liation of the Palestinians.  This debate, amidst a minority report which served as a substitute motion, and amendments, was debated until past 10:30 pm.   We had to debate on how long to debate, we had to stop for a moment of prayer several times.  Emotions run high.  I can’t believe what tomorrow will be when we get to “SEX” issues! 

     Ultimately, the issue for me was killed (after our extensive review of the Kairos Palestine materials this spring I was in favor of divestment) when the minority report was accepted by TWO VOTES!  It was a huge blow, because the rest of the discussion was somewhat mute by then.  I was rapidly texting to Luke for advice, and he said to wait for Rick Ufford Chase to speak.  I was afraid the mikes were going to close before his turn, but former GA Moderators tend to get called upon!  Our only other recourse was to vote NO on the minority report and ask for reconsideration tomorrow.  But the minority report was received.  So….no divestment, only more talk and more attempts to invest positively.  I guess maybe what I can do individually is to go home and see if there is a Palestinian listed on KIVA that I can support!  (Later:  DONE!)

     I did have lunch with Luke and the Covenant Network, which was interesting.  They had a strong advocacy program for social justice, equal rights for all.  It was basically a briefing for how to treat some of the overtures and things to look for. 

Luke, Karen, Rob, and Ginger at Mahoney's Sports Bar

    Dinner was again at Mahoneys, but this time with Rob and Karen.(Rick’s brother and sister-in-law)  I had been texting Karen all morning to try and set something up.  Was glad when Luke said he DIDN’T have tickets to the ball game so he would be able to join us – and glad that Karen had returned from her mom’s in time to come also.  Although it was only an hour and 45 minutes, it was good to reconnect with them.  I tried the “Burgh” Burger, which was great – stuffed with onion, mushroom, and pepper! 

     Back to the room directly tonight to try and get a little more sleep!  Partially successful – we only talked until shortly after midnight!  Rick thought it was late when I called, until I told him I had JUST gotten back to the room. 

FRIDAY, July 6, 2012

Here we go again!  It is still VERY muggy out and probably will be in the high 90’s again today.  I will probably only go outside, however, this morning (I am writing at the Subway shop where I have bought my breakfast for 5 out of the past 6 days!)  and MAYBE coming home late this evening.  Rick said it will be 100 in Baker on Sunday when we return, but at least it will be a DRY heat! 

     I have been rapidly drawing images, collages, etc. of scribbles all during the week.  I have over 20 illustrations – at times I am able to color them while plenary is in action.  I can color while I listen, but at other times the action is so fast, you are constantly grabbing your papers to check an item, vote, etc.  Our table is covered with papers, wrappers, drinks, and of course, power cords, cables, etc. 

     One aspect of each session has been to start with the reading of the Isaiah text responsively, led by one of the assembly commissioners or advisory delegate.  Then we join in Small Group Prayer – we are linked with the three commissioners in front of us from Detroit: TEC Jim, REC Diane, and YAAD Tim.  Very nice people!  I led the prayer once yesterday.  (I learned on Saturday morning that Tim was a YAAD from the ‘non-geographical’ Korean Presbytery. And here we thought all the time he was with the other two in front of us!)

     I am listening to the buzz around me at the Subway.  There is a great deal of talk about last night’s decision on divestment, but also frustration with our Moderator and his ability to maintain control of the group.  I personally think Tom has done a better job moderating than Neal has, but maybe that’s because I didn’t vote for Neal for Moderator!  There is far too much “consensus” or “what do you think about this?” which is allowing certain groups to control the pace, etc.  He could have used a better refresher course in Parliamentary Procedures! 

     I wish I had been able to post these updates regularly, but at some point, I just HAVE to go to bed instead.  Perhaps I can get Wednesday’s posted this morning.

    I found a spot by the river to post for Wednesday before coming into Plenary Hall to the singing of How Great Thou Art.  Linda has left chocolate bars on our tables!  It will be a good day….not for my weight, but….

As I write on Saturday morning…. After 4 hours of sleep and packing to leave, yesterday is a blur… a long day of sitting, reports, discussion, voting, at times frustration, and other times celebration with and in the Spirit (usually during the singing of songs.)  Other thoughts and clips from Friday include:

Presbyter Jam Session - check out the bow ties!

• ·       Moments of laughter (the YAADS are great at providing for this...and gifts they give to our moderator to keep him ‘loose’.) 
• ·       Our closing prayer at 1:35 am was delivered by a TSAD who announced “I am finally a member of the Presbyterian Bowtie Society!” sporting a plaid  bow tie!  Several of the “mucky mucks up front wear bow ties!  There was an inside joke on the bow ties that spurred this as well – actually something on the Twitter feed. 
• ·       The vice moderator playing the drums after dinner during Friday evening opening music.  Basically it was an executive staff jam session!
• ·       The YAAD sitting behind us who called on the whole assembly to take a moment of silence to calm down during the discussion on Civil Unions and Marriage.
• ·       The wonderful job as Vice Mod TomTrinidad did to guide us through everything after dinner (including the Orders and Ministry report.)
• ·       The passing back and forth of the proverbial football between the moderator, clerk, and ACC advisor until a real football appeared
• ·       Lunch and dinner in the assembly hall as we only had 1.5 hour breaks for each. 
• ·       Luke and two girls who went to the ballgame and the massive number of texts back and forth as I updated Luke on the events of Comm. 7.  

Quick Update

I am home in Baker City.
I am exhausted.
GA met in session until 1:30 am Friday night.
Long day Saturday wrapping things up, then flying across the country.
I will finish my 220 General Assembly blog in the next few days!
Sleep, blessed sleep.

Peace & Freedom

Wednesday, July 4

Happy Birthday USA!  Happy Birthday to my Dad!  (He would have been 93 today!) 

    After a very late night (1am) due to the ballgame, my roommate a little stressed when she returned at midnight, and too much conversation between midnight and 1, I was just a little tired upon waking this morning! 

     Up at 6:30, however, to dress (I took that shower last night after the ball game!) and at 6:40 had a text from Luke saying he was amazed that he beat me to the breakfast.  I had forgotten that it started at 6:45 instead of 7!  I’m glad he called. 

Luke at PPF Breakfast

    Luke was the greeter for everyone at the door of the breakfast, looking very dapper again in slacks and dress shirt.  His other job this morning was to man the camera of one of the PPF board members and then pick up offerings, papers, etc. after the meal.  Peaceseeker Awards for 2011 and 2012 were handed out, one to an Egyptian Christian and another to Alice Winters, who has labored down in Colombia,.  Rick Ufford-Chase, Executive Director of PPF listed many of their projects and affiliates, and then introduced Rev. Herbert Nelson, the Witness for Justice in Washington DC.  Another powerful black preacher!  Some of his main points are included in my PPF Breakfast drawing.  
     Back up to the room to gather my things, a quick hi to Luke on the way down, and then I am off to the DLCC to meet with Lauren Trohkimoinen, Judy T's niece, a YAAD from Wyoming.  She is a delightful young recent high school grad, and I enjoyed our visit.  
     The committee this morning were to review summaries from all the other committee moderators - short 90 sec video clips of major actions and deliberations on the part of their committee.  It was good to hear what else had been going on, but we had some trouble with our CD, so the video was a little hard to understand.  
     We were done in committee around 11:30 and had until 2 before plenary started.  I received a text from Luke about showing my book to the folks at d365.org, so I ran back to the room to get it.  I finally found the right booth, and then explored the Exhibit Hall again, as today is the last day.  Made some more purchases and picked up two shirts, each for $5.  I was about to head down to Subway, when Pete showed me that you can get quick lunches at the DLCC.  I grabbed a veggie burger - nothing fancy or that great, but it did the trick!  
      I took all my "stuff" back to the room and then took off for Plenary, meeting back up with Luke and then we ran into Mike Ferguson.  Sat down at a bench and enjoyed a 20 minute "catch up" with the family and all the happenings - both ways!  Was good to see him (AND I was able to finally confess that I still have one of his books - he forgave me!)    I won't go into all the details, but the afternoon started right off with contention.  Our vice moderator resigned, having received a flurry of blogs, posts, that she perceived were going to derail the assembly before it even started.  It was painful.  Following that Lynn, my roommate, was one of the first up to present Business type stuff AND budgetary implications.  I can't imagine how boring her committee had to have been - or boring in my book because I wouldn't have wanted to deal with all of it! 

I would have to consult the ongoing notes I have been keeping for a more precise summary7 of the plenary sessions today.  But I would sum them up in two words:  Conflict and Celebration.  We rejoiced in celebration the work of Theological Institutions, including Princeton and Union, which are in the midst of bicentennial celebrations.  We saw videos and heard from both presidents.  We confirmed the new presidents at San Anselmo and McCormick in Chicago.  We commissioned new YAVs and new mission workers and honored the work of those with 20 years or more in mission service.  At one point on the podium there were those with a combined 428 years of mission service to the PCUSA. 

And there was conflict.  We debated for 20 minutes whether we should allow a period of 20 minute debate.  We challenged the installation of our vice moderator and then questioned her resignation.  The church is deeply divided over inclusion issues as they pertain to ordination and marriage, and what appears now to be the minority opinion with passion and a great deal of maneuvering are wanting to be heard….no, wanting to return to a more middle ground.  But I sense the overwhelming wave here are ready to move forward in a more progressive manner and get about with the job of ACTING upon our faith in terms of mission outreach, new worshipping communities, etc. 

Commissioners and families were the invited guests to view the Pittsburgh fireworks from the fourth floor rooftop terrace of the convention center.  What a great view of the city, the river bridges, and the fireworks.  The center entry made me feel like we were entering the Star Trek zone – or the beginning of Star Wars!   It did get really hot and damp up there, however!  I took over 175 pictures!!  More of which will get deleted.  Called Jed on the way to the top to get a quick update on how to take better night pictures.  It helped on some, but I reverted to standard automatic at times for others.  Also took a long video clip.  I think the whole show must have lasted at least a half hour!! 

     Back to hotel room around 10:15.  Talked with Rick for an hour, and then Lynn return and another hour or so visit.  Sadly….1am again before I am asleep. 

samples of a few more finished drawings:  

From Brian McLaren's speak Monday am

Riverside Conversations re: Mid-Council Report

Our committee sang in three parts

An excerpt from PPF speaker Wed am

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

Liturgical dancer from morning service

Tuesday, July 3 

    OK, so maybe the title for today actually doesn't apply until tonight, but it sounded much better than writing "Committee Meetings, Round 2" 
     I spent about 45 minutes today at Subway, eating breakfast and sketching before attending worship at 8:30. Enroute to the Convention Center I dropped down to walk through the waterfall river between the two sections of the center.  As it slopes downhill, I had the initial sense of descending into the depths of hell (yesterday's committee meetings), but washed cleaned in baptism of Christ as we go into the world.  May I take that sense of peace to my Committee today.  May all committees.  And then worship.  A wow moment.

Mark 2:1-12 - The story of the paralyzed man lowered through the roof.  "They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men.  When they weren't able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher.  Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, 'Son, I forgive you sings.' (The Message, 2-5)
Margaret Ahmer, professor at the Interdenominational Seminary in Georgia, was our preacher on the above text with a sermon titled, 'The Faith of the Unidentified'.  I was nearly in tears over the power o this sermon, delivered with the volume, intensity, and humor of good black gospel!  I hope I can portray some of that intensity in my drawing. The music and dance of the service were also wonderful.  Heart of the sermon: We can't get past identity today, but Jesus didn't care.  What mattered was their faith, what they did.  (My roommate just told me that Margaret Ahmer is the writer of this year's Beautitudes Horizons Bible Study.)

     After worship, a hurried rush upstairs so as to be on time for Committee Meetings.  We plodded through the morning, making a little faster progress as our moderator and leadership team seemed to be a little better prepared, or at least had read up more on some of the tricker polity issues!  The discussion was polite, but it was apparent that the consensus of this committee is NOT to return to our previous policy, but to move on.  By noon, we still had over 10 overtures to act upon.  Most of them were singles, each needing action as we couldn't group any together anymore!
     Roger, Linda, and I went to Mahoney Sports Bar for lunch, where I had a wonderful portebello mushroom burger with sweet tater fries!  Yes!

Roger, Ginger, Linda, and Pete at the Pirates game

     Back to work and things really started to pick up.  We got into more detailed discussion on adding "repentance of sin and grace" to one of the overtures, but overall most everything went as I voted.  Basically we were done with the voting and moved into a worship and communion service at 3:45 to 4 pm.  The worship was good, as we joined in one big circle, all sharing a verse of scripture we found personal, singing some songs, etc.
     Back to pack up for the ballgame (change shoes to tennies, etc) and then returned to DLCC - Luke was STILL in his committee, so I went in and sat with him for about 20 minutes.  The exhibit hall was closed.  Then off to meet Roger, Linda, and Pete for our trip to the ballgame.  The weather is hot and sticky, but at least the short and quick little thunderstorm didn't change anything.  It was a great game - the Pirates came back to win with a home run in the 9th inning!  Three home runs were hit, so $300 for food banks from the Presbyterian church!  Pete bought us all chili cheese dogs, and I went and bought a soft ice cream cone later.  Got a Roberto Clemente jersey as a gift also!
     Asleep by 1 am - I have a 7am breakfast in the morning.  Oh boy.

     Too late to color any pictures.  I have five waiting to be finished!  But I need some sleep!