The Bulletin

Friday is always a day of pulling things together, every Friday the church building is my baby. We worship in a building which is 5 miles away from where we have our church office, so this other building, this place where we worship needs someone to step in, dust, adjust the temperature and such. Friday is the day I have set aside to make sure all the arrangements for Sunday’s worship is in order: clean building, current periodicals, Bibles, songbooks, trash taken from the chapel, all resources needed for the coming Sunday’s worship made available, Children’s Five lesson and object lessons in order.. My husband and I alternate weeks for preaching, this week is mine, so today I was spending extra time with my sermon in this freshly vacuumed chapel, relishing the restored order, the clean fragrance of Murphy’s Oil Soap, Woolite Carpet Shampoo and Lemon Pledge. Ahhh!

As you can imagine, this effort can take a few hours if you want it done properly (clean bathrooms are important, don’t forget). Straight. In line. It is a routine that is not menial or oppressive: it has been a restorative well in which I spend hours with God, talking to Him, listening to Him. No blaring music, no quick shortcuts to make it “less time or less of a burden”. You couldn’t wrestle this time away from me if you tried. (Granted, it would be pure heaven to have a janitor, someone dedicated to keeping things clean – but that reality is not in our deck of cards.)

My favorite task of all of these Friday things is preparing the bulletin: Scripture and sermon complemented by hymns which speak God’s character and doctrine, praise music for worship, prayer and celebration, chosen tunes for the hymns are the right ones – that the music fits with the chosen melody – no one wants a train wreck in congregational singing! And within the bulletin preparation this week that I was absolutely and completely wrapped by God’s presence.

The encounters of this week have been intense – and I cannot avoid the fact that I was quite angry because of the absolute void of remorse from those where very wrong. We had expressed our anger to a select few, the details were far to complicated to just blurt it all out. I thought I had released how I felt, that things were fine, until this bulletin preparation. The first item to correlate is the Call to Worship, quite formulaic: beginning with Psalm 150 and proceeding backwards, i.e.149,148, each successive week. It fits in well with our speaking calendar, and you just can’t go wrong when you walk in the Living Word of God. Last week was Psalm 84 so following the formula this week – Psalm 83. Simple.

My oldest daughter A. is the Call to Worship reader – nothing touches me deeper than hearing the Word of God spoken by the voice of a child. She can be very dramatic in her emphasis – she is spiritually “getting it” and it shows in her reading. I try to keep her in mind when choosing the verses of the Psalm (some psalms are quite long! And who wants to trip over words like Philistia and Zalmunna?!.) So I am reading Psalm 83, and found myself struck still.

Identifying with the Word of God, aligning it to this awful situation, God took this anger I hadn’t let go of and spoke clearly “I AM in charge; you cannot see their heart like I can. I have not been silent to them.” The Psalm written as a prayer it was aggressive, angry, calling God to do a mighty work. It convicted me of the anger I was feeling, by the end of the reading , my heart was praying “love them, please love them they need you so much.”
God works through the rough parts of life, the challenges and defenses, and reminds us as we draw close to Him, He in turn draws close to us. So, as I leave the chapel, neat and tidy, paperwork in its place, I smooth out the bulletin and breathe thank you to God who carries me tenderly.
I know no one will be alerted that anything has happened as this week’s service begins with Psalm 82. But the seismograph of my heart rejoices that God removes burdens from our soul.

In Mint Condition

These past 9 weeks have carried more than Sunday and Wednesday worship meetings. We have been in a large variety of worship, some planned and executyed by us, many by others. All of the meetings have been well prepared, unified in theme, using multi-media opportunities with very good speakers. So much time has been dedicated into bringing together so many of these worship avenues, many miles travelled, publishers, year long wait list for itinerary and schedules...

...and my deepest blessing has been the reading of God's Word in each occassion.


Opening my Bible brings a fragrance to my day.
I am thirsty, so thirsty for what God has to say.
I'm not embarrassed: I haven't heard everything the preachers have said (sorry Dave)
But I have heard God speaking so clearly.
The deepest blessing has been His Word, His Living Word
Speaking to my heart, unmistakable.

Mint Condition

Pages that are worn, torn;
Soft, pliable leather disclosing
Pressure marks, stress marks:
The journey of my life.
Tracks of tears upon thin onion paper -
The ridges, the uneven texture
Left in their wake.
These pages are not ruined-
These pages are in mint condition,
They are priceless.

This page here, a broken heart.
Another one, a love restored.
A grief filled week.
A change of heart.
I have never been more sorry.
Forgiveness.
I do.
Courage.
I AM.
Be holy.
Broken communication.
Passion.
Anger.
Patience.
A birth, a death, the cycle of life.
Complete, don't compete.
Aha...illumination.
Transformation.
Integrity.
Growing more fruit.
Pruning bad habits.
These pages are in mint condition,
They are priceless.

These pages carry the evidence:
Taking, breaking a heart of stone
Providing open heart surgery
On the patient.
Recovery found
Within the pages of your precious Word.
These pages are in mint condition,
They are priceless.

Not dusty pages.
Not brand new pages,
Still stuck together
From its original printing day.
No, look closely and see them
Filled with dates
From the calendar of my heart,
Names used generously:
Faces from the past,
Dreams of the future.
Their voices call to me,
But they are not the voice I long to hear...

Speak to me Lord, through Your Word
From my Bible, in mint condition.

Ali Babba and His Treasure Cave

Everyone needs a sick day. Yesterday was a sick day for my youngest son N. (8 on Sunday) who has had a penchant for jumping off of all things higher than 4 feet. In one of his jumping escapades recently, he lost his shoe (those pesky. slippery things!) and landed on his unprotected foot flat. He didn't twist his ankle or show signs of a broken bone, but pain was present. So yesterday, instead of heading to the school bus, he and I visited the ER for xrays and examination...what a nice morning we had (if you look past the pain thing!) Nothing broken, but a deep bruise which will be a pain for a few days.
Waiting for our nurse, we watched It's The Race of Your Life Charlie Brown on a small tv and I have to admit that I had forgotten that my kiddos haven't seen these gentle predictable stories like I have. When I was young there were only 5 channels (2 were PBS) and it was a special night to have cartoons. My children have cartoon access so easily these days, but many of the cable cartoons I don't like and we don't watch. (I find I say no more than I say yes, but the kids know the reasons why I say yes, so they begin evaluating themselves. And I will always say yes to Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry!) But Charlie Brown, there's a guy with a story. Boy in lap, arms embraced we sat through what could have been an excruciating ER wait oblivious to the world. N. opened up to me in a way he hasn't done in a while, just because he could feel I was thoroughly focused on him. We giggled at jokes, talked about friends, he shared what he expected for his birthday, talked about his new teacher, he told me a few things he's been worried about - I felt like I was Ali Babba and had said "Open Sesame" and the cave with ultimate treasure was discovered.
He wasn't competing with his younger and older brothers and sisters, angry about losing a game(again), correcting anyone's obvious faux pas about the true colors of the characters of the Power Rangers or how many legs a centipede really does have. He was the funny, observant, sharp-witted thoughtful boy that I seem to see so easily. I have learned more about the confusing and sometimes unknowable species known as grown men from the life of insight I have gained from my young boys. I don't want it to sound demeaning, I feel its been an act of grace from God to see the development of the male mind - it contains features that can be so foreign to a female such as myself!
After the ER visit we shared a happy meal and off to school for him. The hours that I lost were extremely inconvenient and totally restructured my day: I may not be able to finish some of this until Tuesday. But I wouldn't dream of passing up the Cave of Treasures for anything in the world. I feel so rich and blessed...
And no amount of hopeful thought pattern is going to change the reality that is plain and clear...I'm sick as a dog and there is no sick day for mom. I've been navigating these past 9 days with a head cold the size of Brazil doing the mambo and cha cha in my head. Christmas is coming and the corps responsibilities are getting demanding, kettles is just around the corner. Advisory Board meetings, (6:30 a.m.) and this is my Sunday to preach, and I need a voice to be able to speak that doesn't sound like its trapped in an airplane hanger. Since the weather has turned cold there are more people who need utility assistance, the community needs my husband's and my presence more than before especially in light of court appearances - there isn't a break . So I'll be popping Alka Seltzer cold medicine, Halls Methalyptus and hot tea and chicken soup - what a cocktail!
Enjoy your day today!

The Metronome

I'm sitting in our study and it shares a wall with our front room, "my pretty room." It's a small, informal version of a parlor. No food is permitted in mom's pretty room. You're not allowed to dump your coat or book bag there. No shoes will be left there, no toy remains in the pretty room. Its a collected space in the front of the house that is carefully managed. A quiet spot, my thinking spot, a sacred praying spot with very few things - a favorite Bible, letters, french horn, music stand, couch, chair, coffee table victrola and piano.
The piano is the largest piece of furniture there and it gets alot of attention. Right now A. is seated on the bench, working through a lesson piece, struggling with her reminder of the metronome, as I comiserate with her on the other side of the wall.
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
"This is the tempo, play within these boundaries," is speaks steadily.
Annoyingly.
It has frustrated her to tears because without the boundaries, she feels her music is so much more beautiful (and easier to play!)

"I hate this metronome...it always tells me I'm wrong," she moans.
"You can do it, try a little slower."
"Why do rules make everything hard?"

Why indeed.

Rules and boundaries are important to our lives and God has placed some very striking ones in place for us. Not to kill our fun but to protect and nurture His character in us. Paul guides in Colossians 3 about the matters of holy living. "Since then, you have been raised with Christ set your hearts on things above, not on this world. Set your minds on things above." Think about God's influence on your life. Think about how God is working through your life situation. Your circumstance. How would God be glorified through what yoyu would say or do? Colossians 3 further advises to take off terrible habits and hurtful practices - anger, rage, lying, slander.

Yet the promise comes next...

The guardrails are placed over a believers heart and sinful actions are weeded out, removed. But we are not left naked, vulnerable, exposed. The boundaries have a promise to fulfill.

Verse 12 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, HOLY and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Cover it all with love."

God has a closet full of appropriate spiritual clothes for us to wear, if we dare to trust Him to empower us to be able to do it. Live within the boundaries of Scripture - the free and dynamic life is captured within the boundaries of living with His compassion, His humility, His Holy character.

Set your heart on things above - Lord make us holy. Empower us with the spiritual stamina it takes to practice, practice, practice.




The Metronome

Fingers moving, hands together
Slowly getting faster.
Right hand alone, that sounds fine.
But add the left - disaster.
Layered within the key of Bb
“Hmmm…this etude feels like combat.”
Starting, stopping, halting : missed my Eb
All to the tick of the metronome.

Left.
Left.
Left, right, left.
I left my wife and forty eight kids
Home in the kitchen
Making a sandwich
I left.
Left.
Left, right, left…

“But its too hard, I just can’t do it
I tell you its impossible!
I’ll never get these rhythms straight,
My arms, they’re not octave crossable.
There’s too many notes, too much to do
I could cover this with crazy glue
And mail it off to Timbuktu with that
Crummy, bummy, such a dummy hated metronome!”

Left.
Left.
Left right left.
I left my wife and forty eight kids
Home in the kitchen
With no gingerbread
Left.
Left.
I Left, right left…

“Must I work to keep it steady?
If I don’t practice, who will know?
It never sounds like music when
I have to keep it fast or slow?
Music sounds best when its free
Allowed to be all it can be
I’m not alone, it’s not just me
Who hates that pesky metronome.”

Left.
Left.
Left, right, left.
I left my wife and forty eight kids
Home in the kitchen
Doing the dishes
I left.
Left.
Left, right, left…

Love Has the Power

This is a neat simple science project, which can be used for a Children’s five or youth illustration.  Easy as 1,2,3 all you need is 3 days of waiting, 2 chicken eggs and a large glass of white vinegar (man, I’m hearing Christmas music in my head…I want five golden rings!)

Allow three days from beginning to end.
Place one chicken egg, fresh not boiled, and submerge it in a glass of white vinegar.  Retain the additional egg for comparison.
You should be able to see through the glass to view the contents.  Place in a careful spot where it won’t be bothered, heated or frozen.  Do not place in the refrigerator.  Sitting on a counter is fine.
Allow the egg to remain within the glass for three days.
On the third day, compare the two eggs, egg without vinegar bath has hard, inflexible shell.  Egg with vinegar bath is inflated, larger, rubbery, flexible, squeezable.  

But don’t squeeze too hard – both eggs are fragile.  If you are a dramatic sort, you could show how easily both eggs can be broken.

Moral – Life is fragile, love is gentle but powerful

The vinegar slowly but gently acts as an abrasive on the shell of the egg, removing the hard spots, the thicknesses, the brittle places and creates a flexible strength which still contains the contents.
And egg, a heart; vinegar – God’s love

Love is like that in our hearts – it smooths out the rough patches, removes grudges, slowly devours anger and hurt and brings trust and forgiveness.  It takes away the brittleness and replaces it with flexibility

I Corinthians 13:4-7, “Love is patient, love is kind.It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.”

Is there someone in your life who needs a Divine helping of love, a love that comes from the unconditional well of grace and mercy?  Take them to the well, draw it out and drink with them.  God’s love never fails!

Love Has The Power

Brittle hearts, brittle lives,
Immovable.
Fractured trust, blatant lies,
Unproveable.
Lives broken down because of fear and pride,
Isolated and lonely, huddled inside
Of a place they’ve created for shelter – security
And cynically stated, “ I’m safe in maturity.
I don’t need anyone, people bring pain…
I’m fine and complete, there is nothing to gain
From a newness, a friendship, a bothersome try
Hello is useless, it always leads to goodbye.”

“Will anyone ever come and look for me?
Will anyone stop avoiding, rejecting me?
I need something more,
Can you tell me there’s more
To this life, this today, this empty right now?
I’m searching for something, to find it, uncertain how.
A solution to this painful, silent ache, has to be
Because me is so much lonelier than we.”

Love has the power you need.

Generous hearts, caring lives –
We have to be moveable.
Restored trust, forgiven lies –
Love is tangible, proveable.
Love has the power to make fragile parts flexible;
Love has the power to make honest trust accessible.
Love has the power to fills in the cracks
Of the fissures in your heart, where there are visible tracks –
Someone has walked carelessly all over your heart.
There is love for you, tender love, God knows every part
Of the distance and actions that kept you away:
God looks in you and sees treasure and pleasure today.

God’s love has the power you need.

jsi