DOING JUSTICE: God Loves Justice

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 I realize the new year just began and I started it with a look at Max Lucado's Inspirational Reader, but.....  Luke is currently in Israel and Palestine talking peace and justice.  Before he left I gave him a study book called How Do I Make It Right: Doing Justice in a Broken World  by Tracy Young.  Today's d365.org talked justice.  So.... while I can borrow Luke's book and because it seems so timely - a look at answering Micah's question, What does the Lord require of you?  

Thursday, January 9
Isaiah 42:1-4 GNT

The Lord says,

“Here is my servant, whom I strengthen—
    the one I have chosen, with whom I am pleased.
I have filled him with my Spirit,
    and he will bring justice to every nation.
 He will not shout or raise his voice
    or make loud speeches in the streets.
 He will not break off a bent reed
    nor put out a flickering lamp.
He will bring lasting justice to all.
 He will not lose hope or courage;
    he will establish justice on the earth.
    Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching.”

    God refers to his servant to come, Christ, in the above passage.  But God also speaks to us.  We are the agents of justice for our world today.  We are the ones for whom the world eagerly awaits.  

      d365.org author Jennifer Peterson Singh writes, 

But justice is transforming the world so everyone gets a fair shot. It means becoming involved to change the processes that keep people trapped on the margins of society.

Doing justice seems overwhelming, and we never do it alone. But with God we can do things we could never even imagine doing on our own. We can change the world.

    And that's the blessing.  We don't have to do this work alone.  We done have to be SuperSaint and single handledly for change.  We have God and we have each other.  Together we can make a huge difference.  

INTRODUCTION

How Do I Make It Right?  Tracy Young

Micah 6:8 GNT

No, the Lord has told us what is good. What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.

     We have a pretty good idea of what it means to love and to honor and refer God.  We have a good idea of what is just and right.  But to DO justice is a little more vague.  In much of Scripture the word is often linked with companion righteousness and friends with hunger, poverty, oppression.  These words give us a hint of what God wants.  But how to DO it.  That's what I hope to gain a better understanding of through this study.  

"I hope you'll see with fresh eyes God's deep and enduring love for those who suffer and who long for restoration.  And I hope you'll be challenged in your humble walk with God to build on acts of mercy by pursuing justice:life-changing, culture-challenging, shalom-seeking, Christ-following JUSTICE!  (TY)

FRIDAY, January 10

How Do I Make It Right?  Tracy Young

God Loves Justice: Allowing Lament (p.11-13)

Psalm 10:8-11 MSG

They carry a mouthful of hexes,
    their tongues spit venom like adders.
They hide behind ordinary people,
    then pounce on their victims.

 They mark the luckless,
    then wait like a hunter in a blind;
When the poor wretch wanders too close,
    they stab him in the back.

 The hapless fool is kicked to the ground,
    the unlucky victim is brutally axed.
He thinks God has dumped him,
    he’s sure that God is indifferent to his plight.

Why do we think we have a monopoly on suffering and oppression??  Granted today's modern world carries more than its share of injustice, but the Psalm above reads like the Biblical six o'clock news: a litany of what is wrong in life.  These psalms literally cry out with pain and anguish.  God!  Help us!  

We must recognize and see the injustice.  We must lament that oppression and hunger exist.  It must hurt within our souls.  Then...we will take action.  

God sees all this.  God knows.  The Psalm ends with the words, 

But you do see!
    You do see troublemaking and grief,
    and you do something about it!
The helpless leave it all to you.
    You are the orphan’s helper.  (v. 14, CEB)

 What is God waiting for?  Me?

SATURDAY, January 11

How Do I Make It Right?  Tracy Young

God Loves Justice: Who Do You Think I Am? (p.14-15)

Exodus 3:11 GNT

But Moses said to God, “I am nobody. How can I go to the king and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

     We can come up with all kinds of reasons for ignoring God's call.  We are too young, too old, too shy, too abrasive.  Our health isn't good, we sin too much, we stutter, we don't have time.  Who does God think we are???

"Like Moses, we're likely to wonder, 'Who am I to pursue justice in this broken world?' But maybe our question shouldn't be, 'Who do we think we are?' but 'Who does God think we are?" (TY)

     We don't have to do this alone.  God thinks we are capable.  God will MAKE us able.  God will work through us and in us.  God just needs our YES response to get to work.  

How Do I Make It Right?  Tracy Young

God Loves Justice: Justice and Worship (p. 16-18)

Amos 5:21-22 CEB

I hate, I reject your festivals;
    I don’t enjoy your joyous assemblies.
22 If you bring me your entirely burned offerings and gifts of food—
        I won’t be pleased;
    I won’t even look at your offerings of well-fed animals.

     How often do we present to God a two-sided persona?  Sundays we welcome strangers to church, we sing praise with gusto and enthusiasm, we prayerfully thank God for our blessings, and implore God to help us. 

     And then Monday rolls around.  We ignore the neighbor next door, we grumble about church responsibilities, we say a mealtime blessing with rote mechanics, and turn a cold shoulder to the needs of the world.  

     And then we wonder why God isn't always happy with us!  How often do we send mixed messages not just to God but to those around us?  Our words of praise and honor must carry the actions of justice and service for our relationship with God to be whole and pure.  

"But when the people of God begin to seek justice for the oppressed, when we feed the hungry and look after the homeless, when we examine our own lives for unfairness toward the weak, then our acts of worship please God.  Then they aren't empty or hypocritical gestures substituting for a real relationship with God but acts of love and honor and respect." (TY)

Sunday, January 12

How Do I Make It Right?  Tracy Young

God Loves Justice: The Fatherless and the Widow (p.19-21)

Deuteronomy 10:17-19  MSG

God doesn’t play favorites, takes no bribes, makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing.  You must treat foreigners with the same loving care – remember, you were once foreigners in Egypt.

     The weakest of society can summarize ‘foreigners’ here: the oppressed, the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the abandoned, the impaired, veterans, the elderly.  In Biblical times, to be widowed was to be left on the fringe of society; thus, widows and orphans are often mentioned. 

     But who are our ‘foreigners’?  Today we so easily figure that must mean people overseas, the ‘starving children in Ethiopia or India’  (So eat your food!)  And if we can’t go to India to give out a sandwich, there must be nothing we can do, right? We're off the hook!

     Wrong.  The foreigners live next door.  Immigrants in our cities and towns.  Strangers in our stores and shops. Sometimes the foreigner dwells within our own home.  We don't have to travel the globe.  We were once one and the same - together.  

     This is a powerful reminder for God’s people to acknowledge our shared humanity with those who live at the edges.  ‘Love these people,’ God says, ‘ these people without power, status, health, or property, because they are my children too.  Love them because I love them.  Love them because their cries were once your cries.  You are not so very different.’  (TY)

Monday, January 13

How Do I Make It Right?  Tracy Young

God Loves Justice: Water, Water Everywhere! (p. 22-24)

Amos 5:24 CEB

But let justice roll down like waters,
        and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Eugene Peterson in The Message paraphrases:

Do you know what I want?
    I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
    That’s what I want. That’s all I want.

     Israel was and is a dry, arid country, except when the seasonal rains come to the desert land.  Then the monsoons flood the earth and life springs forth.  Water is the life-blood of the land.  Justice should be like water bringing life - but not the intermittent flows of the desert country. Justice must be an everyflowing stream.  

     Tracy Young writes, 

God wants justice - not in fits and starts or here and there.  God wants justice to permeate, to penetrate and restore people.  God wants justice to refresh the weary, to ease the thirst of the downtrodden.  God wants justice to wash away injustice.  God wants justice to soak in and nourish our relationships with one another.  Like a never-ending river, God wants justice to flow day and night.  

     How often is my justice intermittent?  I support a good cause and figure I'm done for the month?  Each time I ignore or turn my back on injustice, I am putting a dam in the flowing waters of God at work.  Lord, help me to be an ever-flowing stream of justice in my world.   

Yesterday in church I penned a short prayer to close my daily writings.  

      Today, Lord, may I live the Light. May I walk the words,

                 May I BE what I write.  Amen. 

Tuesday, January 14

How Do I Make It Right?  Tracy Young

God Loves Justice: Questions and Thoughts......

1.  What are three words that come to mind when I think of justice?

      Fairness.  Equality.   Hard. (unattainable?)

2.  What is the typical OT pattern of justice?

      Seems to be that the people of Israel get in trouble, God bails them out, they are thankful, and then forget and treat others as they were being treated.  God gets angry, the people of Israel get in trouble, and it starts all over again.  

3.  "God expects us to share his concern for those at the bottom of the barrel - and to do something about it." (TY - p. 25)

4.  What's going on in Baker City or our country that makes me want to say, 'ENOUGH'!  The world?

Perhaps I need to look around my own community more for violent injustices, but the situation in the Middle East comes to mind obviously - the occupations, the violence, the unfairness.  North Korean violations of human rights, corrupt governments in Africa.  

5.  Looking back, are there times in my life when God has used me in an unexpected way?  What were the results?  My work in Habitat for Humanity has been unexpected.  I didn't expect to enjoy it so much, to want to learn new skills so much.  I sensed God's presence when working side by side with homeowners.  

6.  What changes could I make to begin to reflect God's concerns more in my life outside of worship?  Awareness of local needs.  

7.  Does God's mercy extend to the unlovable, those on the margins of society who seem to want no contact?  What does this mean to me?  God loves everyone, even when they deny God's existence.  People withdraw to avoid being hurt over and over.  Reach out.  

8.  What sort of dams exist in the river of justice locally and what can I do to open the gates?  It seems the biggest dam is indifference and ignorance.  Luke is gaining invaluable first hand knowledge of the situation in Palestine.  We can't be ignorant much longer.  

ACTION:  Do some research.   If ignorance is a dam, unblock the waters!  What are some organizations that could use my help?  Where are there situations of blatant injustice that I can address?   Be specific and take small steps, but sure steps.  PRAY.  For the sick and weak, the lost and lonely, the widow and orphan, the oppressed, the inprisoned.  Pray for the 'least of these' and pray for my own open heart to go into action.  

A NEW YEAR.... Lucado style?

WEDNESDAY, January 8
The Lucado Inspirational Reader
THE BIBLE: A MINE TO BE QUARRIED (Chapter 1, cont.)
Romans 7:12 GNT
 So then, the Law itself is holy, and the commandment is holy, right, and good.

In the last section of Chapter 1, Lucado recalls a personal incident in which he broke a law without knowing the law.  It didn't bother him at all, because he didn't KNOW!  Then it became an issue between what he wanted to do and what he knew he should do.  He writes, 

"The root word for holy is bagios, which means 'different'.  God's commands are holy because they come from a different world, a different sphere, a different perspective."

"What we consider shortcuts God sees as disasters.  He doesn't give laws for our pleasure.  He gives them for our protection.  In seasons of struggle we must trust God's wisdom, not ours.  He designed the system; he knows what we need."

      I know I should do this; it is right in God's sight.  It is right according to the Bible.  But I don't WANT to do it.  It will be hard; it takes more time; it is uncomfortable or perhaps even dangerous.  When we immerse ourselves in the Bible and conversation with God, we grow in our understanding of God's laws, the holy, different laws; the laws which reminds us of the shoulds rather than the wants.  
      Lord, teach me the holy path; the holy law; the different path.  May the Bible be my guide daily along the way.  


TUESDAY, JANUARY 7
The Lucado Inspirational Reader
THE BIBLE: A MINE TO BE QUARRIED (Chapter 1, cont.)

"Don't go to Scripture looking for your own idea; go searching for God's." (p. 5)

 "The Bible is not a newspaper to be skimmed but rather a mine to be quarried." (p.6)

"Study the Bible a little at a time.  God seems to send messages as he did his manna: one day's portion at a time."

     Jed sat me down last night to teach me to use our new Smart phone.  The first words out of my mouth were 'Only one or two crucial tasks tonight.  I can't digest it all at once!'  So we concentrated on phone calls and messages.  Tonight I will tackle the camera and apps, or perhaps going online.  Step by step!
      The Bible is the same way.  We can't digest EVERYTHING God has to reveal to us all at once.  Revelations usually come slowly, giving us time to understand and apply.  Sometimes it is just ONE single verse that leaps from the page with meaning and purpose.  We can't get in a hurry.  Neither can we read through the Bible once quickly and say, "OK.  Read that.  Got it.  I can move on to another good book."  Thinking of the Word as a daily dose of good medicine for the spirit and soul!  It isn't healthy to down the whole bottle at once!
         The Bible is a gift from God.  Open the gift slowly.  Revel in the gift bit by bit.

 

MONDAY, JANUARY 6
     I sit here on a Monday morning wondering....where to begin?  Where to go?  What resource?  I continued with d365.org through the Christmas season.  Today is Epiphany.  The wisemen have come.  God is revealed in human form.  Now what?  
     I want to finish working through the Gospel of Luke, but I need time to catch my scribbles up with the devotions.  I need to ponder Scripture without the compulsion to draw it.  My drawing genes have been manifesting more Prayer Scribbles lately than Scripture.  And that's OK.  All mean conversations and time spent with a best friend.  
     So.....what now?    I picked up a Max Lucado book last year titled The Lucado Inspirational Reader.  Perhaps that would be a good place for awhile.  I have always enjoyed and been touched by Lucado's down to earth style and simple imagery.  This book is more a collection and anthology from many of his books and others.  So....taking at look at......

The Lucado Inspirational Reader: Hope and Encouragement for Your Everyday Life.  Max Lucado.  Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Press, 2011.  

THE BIBLE: A MINE TO BE QUARRIED (Chapter 1)

"Rely on Scripture.  Doubt your doubts before you doubt your beliefs." (p.2)

"If we are to be just like Jesus, we must have a regular time of talking to God and listening to his Word." (p.2) 

 "Jesus' survival weapon of choice is Scripture.  If the Bible was enough for his wilderness, shouldn't it be enough for ours?" (p.5)    

     Lucado starts out the book with the most logical of places to start.  When you want to ponder God revealed, you begin with the Bible.  God is revealed in the Word.  God IS the Word.  And to know God we must spend time with God - with the Word of God and in conversation with God.  
     I especially liked the phrase, 'doubt your doubts before you doubt your beliefs'.  How often do we question our basic faith when doubts arise  We question God rather than our questioning?  Rely.  Trust.  Good words to chew on for today.  

TODAY'S PRAYERS:

Scribble Prayers

Christmas Noel Prayer

     While visiting Stony Point Conference Center outside New York City last fall (a center formally run by the Presbyterian Church and now led independently through the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship), I picked up a book in the little shop called Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God  by Sybil MacBeth.  (Paraclete Press, Brewster, MA)

Here are a few quotes from the book:

If any of these dilemmas describe your efforts at prayer, then you and I stand on some common, shaky ground:  You make a list of the people for whom you want to pray and then don't know what to pray for.......You can't sit still long enough to get past the 'Our Father' or 'Hello God' step. ...... You fumble for the right words and deem the effort hopeless.....You want to like the act of praying, but it is more often obligation and drudgery than joy......

Praying in Color  is an active, meditative, playful prayer practice.  It is both process and product, a colorful design or drawing that is a visual reminder of time spent in prayer.  

This practice requires no skill!  

I need a way to pray that gives me time.  I need a way to pray that does not require lengthy, prize-winning words.  I need a way to pray that suits my short attention span, my restless body, and my inclination to live in my head and daydream.

The author goes on to describe a type of doodling, while meditating on individuals or events for which you are offering prayer.  Her resulting pictures or scribbles are very organic and unplanned.  They emerge without pattern or planning.  Here are a couple of her examples.....

An early prayer scribble....more random.

    My first Color Prayers were fairly random, somewhat in the style of the author. But it didn't take long for my inherent inner artist to emerge and my prayer scribbles gradually adopted a slightly more organized look, albeit still using some of her basic ideas.  Her initial technique is to write the names of those you wish to pray for on the paper and then meditate on each person as you doodle around their name.  This technique for me grew into more of a 'what design do I want to use to bind my prayer together today?' concept and then I placed my names into the designs.  I prayed for each individual or family as I continued to draw that portion of the scribble.   Hence, many of the early prayers are images of fall: acorns, leaves, etc.  December prayers are filled with snowflakes and holly, peppermints and stars.

Fall is starting to appear....

Here come the oak trees! 

Drawn after Bike Trail in NC's Salem Lake

Nothing like the inspiration of the mighty oak! 

Smiles were part of the Gratitude Challenge! 

Advent Stars!  12.8.13

Longest Night Prayer....lighting the candles. 

Snowflake Prayers enroute to Portland 12.26.13

O Christmas Tree Prayer 12.28.13

          Another technique proposed by author Macbeth is for a prayer 'quilt'.  I tried this technique in November and December.  My November quilt was filled with a daily gratitude.  At the end of each day I asked, "For what can I thank God today?"  My quilt calendar became a visual reminder of God's blessings throughout the month.  


NOVEMBER GRATITUDE PRAYERS:
1-SUNSHINE:unexpected gift for travel
2-ACCESSIBILITY: Clingman's Dome design
3-VARIETY: Kudzu creatures and sumac colors
4-SUNRISE and SUNSETS: Little Rock, AR
5-WEATHER GIFT: Palo Duro change!
6-RETURN TO FAMILIAR: Back in NM!
7-NIGHTSKY: Starry skies & crescent moon
8-WILDLIFE: Sandhill cranes, geese
9-FAMILY TIME: Movie with 3 generations
10-WORSHIP: Rainbow colors at ABQ church
11-NEW ADVENTURE: New route around SLC
12-HOMECOMING WELCOME: Kady's flowers on table, etc. 
13-HELP!: Stomping leaves
14-STUDY: Opportunity to gather for Bible study
15-FRIENDS: Chance to reconnect and engage
16-FOOD ABUNDANCE: Bountiful Baskets
17-SMILES: Freely given, little things in life!
18-OUTING IN GOD'S CREATION: Family time snowshoeing
19-OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE: Blood draw, honor Dad.
20-MUSIC:  Choir comes back together. 
21-GIFTS OF HEART: Jed and Luke gift us the TSO Concert
22-FAMILY HELP: Rick leaves for Alaska to help Mac
23-SOURDOUGH: A staple connection of longtime friends
24-COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY: Keeping families in touch!
25-ANTICIPATION: Joy of wonder, preparation, ritual, unknown
26-CHANGE: Moments when God turns things around
27-REUNITING: After separation
28-TURKEY TROT: Community working together
29-GOOD WINE, FRIENDS, AND HOARFROST: Hike at Phillips, evening with Rusty
30-PACKAGES:To remind family and friends we care! 

     My December calendar/quilt I titled 'Advent Anticipation' and I meditated on the presence of God and actions I was doing to prepare for Emmanuel.  At times it drifted toward more of a 'here is what happened today' type of calendar.  I have to remind myself that these prayers cannot have a right and a wrong to them.  I can't scold myself for not 'praying correctly'!  The act itself is time spent with God!  

December Advent Anticipation
1- CANDLE of Hope: First Sunday of Advent 
2-PREPARATION:New perm - looking good!
3-PREPARATION for Family: Making Papaya candy!
4-BIRTHDAYS: Mom's 94th!
5-CUTTING CHRISTMAS TREE: Outing with Luke
6-FIRST FRIDAY: Community Support, wine bar, new nativity plate from Crossroads
7-BAZAARS, TREES, GREENING, PARADE! 
8-CANDLE of PEACE: Second Sunday of Advent
9-PYG CROSSSTITCH: Gift for Erin, my 2nd PYG to have a child  
10-PACKAGES: Final batch in the mail!
11-COOKIES: Exchange packing for shut-ins
12-VISITS: Taking cookies to Miriam at Care Center
13-TRAVEL: To Portland to pick up Mom, Angel Tree purchases
14-TRAVEL: Brining Mom Mac home, visit with Harrises
15-CANDLE of JOY: Children's Programs, vespers
16-TRAVEL: Pickup Jed in Boise, foggy!
17-SHARING: Open Door Gift Shoppe, moon set
18-NATIVITIES:  game at WSG Party
19-CLAM CHOWDER: Visit with Maryalys and lunch, PYG baby Audrey born! 
20-SNOWFALL: 5" falls, first major snow of the season
21-CINNAMON ROLL BAKING: Gifts for friends
22-CANDLE of LOVE: 4th Sunday of Advent, Caroling Party
23-NATURE: Elk viewing with Schneiders
24-PREPARATION: Cooking, cleaning, Christmas Eve Party
25-CHRISTMAS DAY: Celebration with family and friends 
26-TRAVEL: To West Linn with Mom Mac and Jed
27-SECOND CHRISTMAS: With Simmons family and 4 generations!
28-TRAVEL: Home to Baker in the fog! 
29-MUSIC: Christmas Hymn Sing during worship
30-COOKIES FOR JACK: Lots of them!!  22 dozen made
31-CHURCH SKI DAY: Skiing, snowshoes, friends. 

      Lastly, Macbeth encouraged conversation and meditation on God, Jesus, and the Spirit.  She offered the following as her God prayer.  

One morning I reflected on all the aspects of God and developed this prayer scribble:

The possibilities are endless!  The time spent in meditation and reflection beneficial!  I am thoroughly enjoying the added dimension to my 'divine doodling' this book has offered!  

 

                   

          

FAREWELL TO 2013! HELLO 2014!

As the year comes to a close and a new year beckons, it seemed appropriate to take a moment to reflect.  What were the highlights of 2013?  Where did I see God at work in my life?  What challenges and opportunities lie ahead for the coming year?  (I won't say resolutions!)

Highlights and celebrations of 2013.....God-moments throughout the year:
In no particular order.....
1.  Luke's return to Baker City Presbyterian Church to serve as our youth director for two years.  
2.  Fall foliage trip to New England - to experience the seasonal changes of this part of God's world was awesome, but even more so were the many opportunities to reconnect with family and friends. 
3.  CAV Habitat Builds in Hobbs, NM, and Mankato, MN. Joshua Build in San Antonio, TX, two days building in Pennsylvania.  The chance to give back!!  
4.  CHRPA experience in Tucson, AZ with constant changes in our job, meeting new people daily, and really witnessing the work of service. 
5.  HIKES....multiple opportunities to immerse ourselves in the beauty and wonder of Creation.  Hoffer Basin, Anthony peaks, White Mountains, Adirondacks, Palo Duro Canyon, Organ Mts. of NM, Grand Escalante and Capitol Reef. 
6.  SAFE travels over thousands of miles, pulling two different trailers! 
7.  The strength of Baker City FPC through Katy's leadership and gifts.  Open Door and Backpack flourishing and growing.  
8.  Good health of our Moms; their active and positive lives in Bandon and Albuquerque.  The support they enjoy from community friends and family.  
9.  Rails to Trails Bike Paths - New Hampshire, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Mexico, and more. 
10.  Friendships renewed, friendships well aged. 
11.  Sold a few books on Blurb!!!  Sold a few crafts at Mad Habit!  
12.  Learning new things as we travel.  What is that crop?  Why is that building there?  What happened here?  Always learning.  
13.  Finding Weight Watcher sites wherever we traveled!  
14.  Mac purchasing a new home in the lower 48!  A closer connection soon?
15.  Rick heading to Alaska to help Mac. 
16.  Technology that helps families and friends stay connected despite distance and situations. 


And......
Challenges for 2014: 
1.  Finish my Gospel of Luke Scribble book.
2.  Lead a workshop on Scribbling your prayers.  
3.  Make a new nativity from natural products. 
4.  Learn a new Habitat skill. 
5.  Attend a Habitat House dedication. 
6.  Maintain my weight in the 140-145 range. 
7.  Write a gratitude note or thinking of you card ONCE A WEEK!!  Make it part of my Sunday routine.  
8.  Share our wealth more - loan out 'stuff', volunteer our time, give our money.  
9.  Welcome new additions to the family circle!
10.  Volunteer to serve on Session again.  
11.  Support Mac in his move and personal challenges.  
12.  Visit all my sisters and brother during the year!  


Addendum from Aging Care.com article posted on Care 2 website:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/14-things-you-really-need-to-stop-doing-in-2014.html

FOURTEEN THINGS YOU REALLY NEED TO STOP DOING IN 2014

Believing in the multitasking myth: The truth is that “multitasking” is really just switching rapidly from one task to another—human beings can only focus on one thing at a time, which means multitasking is not a valuable skill; it’s a productivity-killing menace. A 2009 study from Stanford found that college students who tried to simultaneously tackle multiple tasks had worse working memory, found it harder to switch from one task to another and couldn’t sort out irrelevant information as well as those who didn’t multitask. Devote your energies to one job at a time and your brain will thank you with gifts of improved creativity and a more robust memory.

Not drinking enough water: Water is essential for optimal health and functioning; it helps carry nutrients and flush out toxins, yet 43 percent of American adults drink fewer than four cups of water each day, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While experts agree that the “8 glasses a day” maxim isn’t universally applicable, four cups is probably not enough for most individuals. CDC researchers also discovered that people who drank less water also ate more fast food, fewer fruits and vegetables, and were not as likely to work out on a regular basis.

Trying to control everything: This point doesn’t need any scientific evidence as even the smallest amount of life experience disproves the notion that anyone can control anything about life except their own thoughts and actions. Still, a reminder always helps.

Making excuses not to pursue your passion: What’s on your go-to list of excuses? See if the inspired TED talk above, given by University of Waterloo economics professor, Larry Smith, can persuade you to let some of them go:

Comparing yourself to other people: It’s easy to understand the allure of comparing oneself to one’s peers. Without the context of comparison, how would you gauge your performance in everything from your profession to your personal life? But just because you think you have a good reason to make these judgments doesn’t mean they’re good for you—as Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” To keep up a healthy sense of competition without driving yourself crazy, make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating right, and making efforts to acknowledge and love all aspects of your character, the good and the not so good.

Refusing to daydream: Daydreaming has traditionally received a bad rap, but scientists are starting to uncover more evidence that letting you mind wander is actually beneficial for your brain. A 2012 paper by psychological researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara found that undergraduate students who were given a mere 12 minutes to daydream were able to come up with 41 percent more answers to creative problem solving questions than their peers who had been instructed to use their 12 minutes to rest, work, or engage in a short-term memory task. This is an especially promising finding in light of a recent Harvard study that found human beings spend as much as 47 percent of their waking hours daydreaming. So go ahead and let your mind roam free.

Eating poorly because healthy food costs more: Over a third of Americans are obese, according to the CDC. If lack of time and money means you’re constantly lured by the siren song of fast food and frozen dinners, consider this—in 2008, the average obese individual spent $1,429 more on health care than a person whose weight was normal. By contrast, a new Harvard report indicates that a healthy diet only costs about $1.50 more per day than an unhealthy one—that comes out to less than $350 per year. Which price would you rather pay? Of course, monetary comparisons don’t take into account the physical and mental costs of obesity and its associated ailments (heart disease, depression, diabetes, arthritis, etc.).

Relying on others for your happiness: The debate over whether a person can “choose” to be happy is ongoing, but experts say our typical temperament is determined by three main factors: genetics (which controls around 50 percent of our mood), what we actively decide to think about (which controls around 40 percent), and our life circumstances (which controls the remaining 10 percent). Since other people can only affect a tiny fraction of the elements that make up your mood, there’s no logical need to rely on the actions or approval of others to make you happy.

Giving up: This should be an obvious one. While there always comes a point when you need to seriously evaluate whether a particular aspiration is worth the sacrifice to attain it, taking time to set the right type of goals can help you avoid this quandary altogether. The best goals are specific, attainable (yet challenging) and contain measureable benchmarks.

Not being grateful: Cultivating a sense of gratitude for life’s little gifts is a great way to keep stress, anxiety and anger at bay, according to Karol Ward, L.C.S.W. Simply making minor modifications to your daily routine—taking a few minutes to sit and reflect on the positive experiences in your life, or writing down beautiful moments you experience throughout the day—can foster a more appreciative state of mind.

Procrastinating: Whether it’s a trip to the DMV to renew your registration or a conversation with your significant other about the future of your relationship, putting a task off until “tomorrow” will only make it more unpleasant. This year, grit your teeth and resolve to do those things you’ve been avoiding.

Being too hard on yourself: Women are particularly notorious for having rabid inner critics that comment on everything from their physical appearance to their lifestyle choices. A simple way to start banishing these voracious banshees is by taking some time each day to log your unedited thoughts in a journal. After a few weeks of cataloging your stream of consciousness, take a look at the patterns that emerge and modify negative musings by re-framing them in a more positive light. See this article for a few examples: How to Stop being So Hard on Yourself.

Never taking a break: The never-ending quest to do-it-all, be-it-all, and have-it-all can turn into a directionless and exhausting sprint towards an unreachable finish line. Vacations and breaks are scientifically proven to increase happiness and enhance productivity, yet Americans take by-far the fewest number of vacation days per year (14) when compared to countries such as Germany (26) and France (36). Even if you can’t go on a full-blown getaway this year, building breaks into your daily routine—20 minutes for a cat nap, 10 minutes for meditation—can help stave off fatigue and burnout.

Not living in the present: Human beings tend to be slaves to their pasts and fearful of their future, but the ability to be aware of and live in the present moment can bestow many mental and physical benefits. “Mindfulness” may be slowly gaining the inglorious status of a buzzword, but in this instance there’s research-backed truth behind the hype. A mindful state of mind can reduce stress and rumination, enhance memory and make you more creative. Various studies have also indicated that engaging in a mindfulness meditation practice may play a role in reducing your risk of developing a number of chronic conditions, including asthma, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and depression, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/14-things-you-really-need-to-stop-doing-in-2014.html#ixzz2pFw361ty

PRESENCE

ANTICIPATION.... (d365.org - Sarah Councell Turner)
It's not what someone does for us that matters most; it's the very fact that they are with us when we need them that's important.

In moments of struggle and suffering - and in times of celebration and joy - we want another alongside us to share our experience.

The overriding message of Christmas is that God has come to be with us. And God is with you now.

SUNDAY, January 5     Leadership

Psalm 72:1-7  MSG

Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God,
    the gift of just rule to the crown prince.
May he judge your people rightly,
    be honorable to your meek and lowly.
Let the mountains give exuberant witness;
    shape the hills with the contours of right living.
Please stand up for the poor,
    help the children of the needy,
    come down hard on the cruel tyrants.
Outlast the sun, outlive the moon—
    age after age after age.
Be rainfall on cut grass,
    earth-refreshing rain showers.
Let righteousness burst into blossom
    and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.

      What more can we pray for that the gift of wise rule to the leaders of our world?  Today is a good reminder that we can be a part of that gift.  Our prayers for our politicians matter.  How often do I include them in my daily devotions?  More than not I utter some words of discouragement about their objectives and goals, perhaps their lack of conscience, and then ask for God to remain present in MY life!  May my prayers include those who rule, that God's presence with them will guide for justice and peace. 
     Luke flies out tonight with the Peace Fellowship delegation to Palestine and Israel.  May God's presence comfort and assure this group as they seek to "see, listen, support, and act" all sides in this troubled part of the Holy Land.  May the leadership of these lands rule wisely as they welcome these young people.  

SATURDAY, January 4    

John 1:14 GNT

The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son.
     It is probably a 'cop-out', but I thought Sarah Turner Councell's remarks on today's passage were right on.  God came to us in a form we could recognize and identify.  Until then we ran away.  We continue to run at times because we fail to recognize that God still appears in those around us.  The dog lovers in my family will appreciate Councell's analogy:

Two years ago my dog Rosie went missing. She was gone for a terrible 20 days. One day I got a call from a teacher who had seen Rosie near a school. Several people had tried to get close to her, with no luck. Even though Rosie was exhausted and starving, she ran away from every stranger she saw.

Finally, a volunteer brought her own dog to join the search. As soon as Rosie saw them she went right over, touched noses with the dog, and wagged her tail. That's when she stopped running and came home.

No one has ever seen God. Jesus became flesh so that we would see someone who looks, sounds, and smells human. Just like Rosie, we need one of our own kind to come find us and bring us home.

Are we tired and weary, but still running from God?  We needn't be.  God is present and with us.  

FRIDAY, January 3        God-Light

John 1:10 CEB

The light was in the world,
    and the world came into being through the light,
        but the world didn’t recognize the light.
How can we be sure?
What proof do we have?
Is God for real?
Is God truly present?
Give me a sign! 
Grant me a miracle!

Are you kidding?
Take a look around!!  
Look beyond the mortal doings,
Look beyond mankind's mistakes,
All Creation radiates God! 
The earth is ablaze with God-Light!
Sunsets! Alpine glow!
Mountain peaks! Red-rock Canyons!
Waterfalls, crashing waves. 
Minute wildflowers, blue orchids,
Hummingbirds and dragonflies.
The world is alive with God-presence. 

Are you kidding?
Take a look around!
Every healing hug or handshake,
Every act of compassion,
Every moment of mercy,
That's God! God at work!
The Light is in the world!
The Light is present!  
Recognize the Light!
Be part of the God-Light!
We can be sure!!!

THURSDAY, January 2    Life-Light

John 1:1-5 (Mixed)

In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 From the very beginning the Word was with God.  (GNT)
Everything was created through him;
    nothing—not one thing!—
    came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
    and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
    the darkness couldn’t put it out.  (MSG)

     I love the simplicity of the Good News in the first verses, but Life-Light blazing out of the darkness also sounds so great in Peterson's The Message!  So today?  Two translations!  

     Today is a day of departures.  Jack is flying back to Denver.  This could easily have been the last Christmas Jack spends in the States and hence, with us.  I don't think I gave enough thought to that, or perhaps paid enough attention to Jack.  Did I take his presence for granted?  Do I take God's presence for granted as well?  

      Luke also is leaving today - for an extended trip to Palestine and Israel.  I am excited for his opportunity; but naturally worried for his safety.  This is not the most secure area in the world.  Perhaps I will have MORE empathy now for the mothers who say goodbye to their sons traveling to Iraq or Afghanistan! 

      So,.... I find today's scripture comforting.  God is present with both Jack and Luke, wherever they may be.  Life-Light is blazing out to surround them.  God is present and at work in and through them.  Prayers will be heard on their behalf.  Safe travels my boys.  

WEDNESDAY, January 1

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 GNT

Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses.

2 He sets the time for birth and the time for death,
the time for planting and the time for pulling up,
3 the time for killing and the time for healing,
the time for tearing down and the time for building.
4 He sets the time for sorrow and the time for joy,
the time for mourning and the time for dancing,
5 the time for making love and the time for not making love,
the time for kissing and the time for not kissing.
6 He sets the time for finding and the time for losing,
the time for saving and the time for throwing away,
7 the time for tearing and the time for mending,
the time for silence and the time for talk.
8 He sets the time for love and the time for hate,
the time for war and the time for peace.

     I just finished reading a light little romantic novel about a couple and the three angels who brought them together.  The angels were in trouble from God because the couple met BEFORE God had planned.  The angels had messed things up.  Is there chance encounter, or is our life controlled as to God's choosing?  I think both!  We have free will!  We can mess up God's plan.  But I honestly believe God will just choose another opportunity to place before us.  Over and over.  We ignore the clues so often, but eventually we take heed and notice!  

     God is present in our lives.  God is at work in both the good and the bad.  We have lessons to learn in both the celebration and sorrow, in each 'season' before us.  May we recognize God's presence and live in and through it in the year ahead. 

TUESDAY, December 31

Psalm 8:3-9  MSG

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
    your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
    Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
    Why take a second look our way?

Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
    bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
    repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us lords of sheep and cattle,
    even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
    whales singing in the ocean deeps.

 God, brilliant Lord,
    your name echoes around the world.

     'Oh, Lord, my Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!'  

The words to a popular praise song echo in my heart whenever I read this passage from Psalms, a song which puts the psalm to music.  And then....when I read through one of Jed's books on the universe or ponder the vastness of the night sky, when we visit an observatory and are given a scale model of the SIZE of God's realm, we can feel very small and insignificant.  And that is the marvelous majesty of it all:  The God of infinity cares and dwells about ME, personally.  The thought can blow you away.  David has the same reaction as he writes his psalm.  Why do you bother with us, God?  Why do you care?

     Why?  The power of LOVE.  God loves us.  He is present to help us experience and extend that love to others, to live in love.  May I take the time and seek the opportunities in the coming year to revel in, and share, such powerful love.  

       

MONDAY, December 30

Psalm 8:1

God, brilliant Lord,
    yours is a household name.  (MSG)

Lord, our Lord, how majestic
    is your name throughout the earth!
    You made your glory higher than heaven! (CEB)

O Lord, our Lord,
    your greatness is seen in all the world!
Your praise reaches up to the heavens.  (GNT)

Household name.  Ever present.  Majestic.  Seen everywhere.  That's our God.  That's the God that has come to live WITH us, IN us.  That's the God who is by our side in our triumphs, our celebrations, our sorrows, our trials.  May we spend time with our God, may we talk with the One who is ever with us, may we KNOW the God who lives in us.  Amen!  

BLESSING.... (d365.org - Sarah Councell Turner)

Now go with the assurance that
God is present in you at your strongest and weakest.
God is present in all creation, including you.
God is present in every moment and in a single word.
God is present, recognized or not.
And God is present in the flesh – like our flesh – to bring us home.