Feeling grateful for so many people who have invested in my life and brought joy and encouragement this year. A small sample...
Cynthy, Larry, Carl, Jay, Paul, Bobby, Leslie, Andrea, Billy, Jake, Nancy, Lori, Jennifer, Jessica, Britton, Misty, Mandy, Rachel, Sue, Clif, Dee, Bob, Janice, Anne, Becky, Mike, Marty, Mona, Mom & Dad, Julie, Scott, Dave, Jodi...
I hope you get the idea. There are so many more for whom I am extremely grateful.
We can think of all the things we do and experiences we have but what really matters are the people in our lives.
As we enter 2018 I hope you will find the people who will make your life better.
And when we wake to a new year be constantly reminded of the One who invested all in us and continues to encourage and sustain us day by day and moment by moment - Jesus.
It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.
steve
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Reflections From Sunday Evening
"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests."
It is Christmas Eve. What an exciting day. It has been very exciting for a young couple named Mary and Joseph. It was an exciting moment in history for a group of shepherds. Why, all of heaven must have felt the excitement of the announcement that a child is born.
There is no more exciting night for children than Christmas Eve. Many of us remember the sleepless nights, waiting for the first mark of Christmas Day.
We are in the midst of Christmas Eve excitement as we anticipate our Candlelight services beginning shortly.
My prayer is that our excitement extend to the many who have nothing to be excited about this evening. May the child born reach the hearts of children who have no gifts or joy today. May the child born reach the hearts of the discouraged, dismayed, and disappointed.
May the child born reach to those who lack hope. May the Christ child come.
We may rightly anticipate the Christ child being born in the hearts of many tonight. We will gather to sing the songs of Christmas. We will light a candle and witness the Christ child being born in our hearts tonight. We anticipate going forward to take the light of Christ into the world.
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.
May this be your experience.
It's been (and still is) a good day. I hope you have a good day too.
steve
It is Christmas Eve. What an exciting day. It has been very exciting for a young couple named Mary and Joseph. It was an exciting moment in history for a group of shepherds. Why, all of heaven must have felt the excitement of the announcement that a child is born.
There is no more exciting night for children than Christmas Eve. Many of us remember the sleepless nights, waiting for the first mark of Christmas Day.
We are in the midst of Christmas Eve excitement as we anticipate our Candlelight services beginning shortly.
My prayer is that our excitement extend to the many who have nothing to be excited about this evening. May the child born reach the hearts of children who have no gifts or joy today. May the child born reach the hearts of the discouraged, dismayed, and disappointed.
May the child born reach to those who lack hope. May the Christ child come.
We may rightly anticipate the Christ child being born in the hearts of many tonight. We will gather to sing the songs of Christmas. We will light a candle and witness the Christ child being born in our hearts tonight. We anticipate going forward to take the light of Christ into the world.
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.
May this be your experience.
It's been (and still is) a good day. I hope you have a good day too.
steve
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Reflections from Sunday Evening
Predisposition: A disposition in advance to react in a particular way.
Disposition: A natural or acquired habit or characteristic tendency in a person or thing.
These are dictionary definitions of the words. I was thinking of these ideas in relation to the story in Luke 1 where the angel Gabriel has this astounding message for Mary. By the time their conversation concludes Mary says "let it be".
I wonder what persuades a person to agree to a course of action that will probably lead to being shunned in her community, experiencing disgrace to her reputation, and becoming subject to possible physical harm.
The thought today was that Mary was predisposed to say yes to God. So continue the thought. Are you predisposed to say yes to God?
There are some predispositions that are genetic. Evidently there are others that are acquired habits. Along those lines there must be habits we could practice that would make us predisposed to say yes to God.
Among those habits I would assume prayer, devotional reading, Bible study, and worship would be great places to start. When these practices are continued they change us. We move closer and closer to a predisposition to say yes to God.
Your moment comes. In the midst of the awesome wonders of God's love you are invited to accept and believe your sins are forgiven. You are invited to accept and believe that God deeply loves you. You are invited to accept and believe that Jesus Christ is alive in your life.
Furthermore, you are invited to accept and believe that God has plans for you. You will make a difference. It may be a relatively simple task. It may be something (probably will be) far beyond your natural capacity. God will invite you into a form of service that will light a candle of hope in a dark world.
What do you say? Do you sense that you are predisposed to say yes to God? if so...let it be.
It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.
steve
Disposition: A natural or acquired habit or characteristic tendency in a person or thing.
These are dictionary definitions of the words. I was thinking of these ideas in relation to the story in Luke 1 where the angel Gabriel has this astounding message for Mary. By the time their conversation concludes Mary says "let it be".
I wonder what persuades a person to agree to a course of action that will probably lead to being shunned in her community, experiencing disgrace to her reputation, and becoming subject to possible physical harm.
The thought today was that Mary was predisposed to say yes to God. So continue the thought. Are you predisposed to say yes to God?
There are some predispositions that are genetic. Evidently there are others that are acquired habits. Along those lines there must be habits we could practice that would make us predisposed to say yes to God.
Among those habits I would assume prayer, devotional reading, Bible study, and worship would be great places to start. When these practices are continued they change us. We move closer and closer to a predisposition to say yes to God.
Your moment comes. In the midst of the awesome wonders of God's love you are invited to accept and believe your sins are forgiven. You are invited to accept and believe that God deeply loves you. You are invited to accept and believe that Jesus Christ is alive in your life.
Furthermore, you are invited to accept and believe that God has plans for you. You will make a difference. It may be a relatively simple task. It may be something (probably will be) far beyond your natural capacity. God will invite you into a form of service that will light a candle of hope in a dark world.
What do you say? Do you sense that you are predisposed to say yes to God? if so...let it be.
It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.
steve
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Reflections From Sunday Evening
I spend most of the year encouraging, prodding, pushing (gently of course), challenging, visioning, and leading people to step out of their comfort zone. Preaching does this nearly every time the Word is proclaimed. There is a new insight or a new step of faith to take.
Well, this is the weekend where the tables are turned. This is the weekend I get pushed out of my comfort zone and do something I am not comfortable doing. This was "cantata weekend". This is the only weekend in the year I get close enough to the Wesleyan Choir to actually share in their ministry. Oh, I don't sing. (That would not even qualify for a comfort zone challenge - that would be more like a - I don't know what that would be). I narrate the cantata.
That means I have to follow along and get up and read at the right time. I suppose it would help if I knew more about reading music than this is a note, it goes up or down, and I wonder what that is?
I am thankful we get to practice. During the rehearsal it came time for me to do my first reading and of course I had no idea it was time for me to do the first reading. Uh, "Dr. Breon". Oh, this is where I start. Thanks Walter.
After the first time through on Saturday night I was asked if I skipped a line on purpose. Of course I did not know there was another line to skip.
But when all was said and done things went great. The choir was amazing. All the musicians do superb work. Nancy Sitzman, pianist, is as good as they come. And then there is Walter. What a gift.
I thought about the music and all the detail that goes into something like this. There are a lot of notes to play! It is specific. It requires timing and pace. Everyone needs to be together. Individuals do solos (wow to Michael Short and Abby Morris) j\but it truly is a group effort.
This is so different from preaching. I find preaching nearly relaxing but this narration thing calls for detail like nothing else I do. It makes me tense. Therefore, out of the comfort zone.
And at the end of the day it is great to know I joined with others in doing something that ministered to others in a way outside my norm.
So, until the next time, I take a deep breathe and say "thank you Lord, for not letting me mess the thing up and actually doing my part." I know you will want to follow suit and look for ways to step outside your comfort zone in service to others.
It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.
steve
Well, this is the weekend where the tables are turned. This is the weekend I get pushed out of my comfort zone and do something I am not comfortable doing. This was "cantata weekend". This is the only weekend in the year I get close enough to the Wesleyan Choir to actually share in their ministry. Oh, I don't sing. (That would not even qualify for a comfort zone challenge - that would be more like a - I don't know what that would be). I narrate the cantata.
That means I have to follow along and get up and read at the right time. I suppose it would help if I knew more about reading music than this is a note, it goes up or down, and I wonder what that is?
I am thankful we get to practice. During the rehearsal it came time for me to do my first reading and of course I had no idea it was time for me to do the first reading. Uh, "Dr. Breon". Oh, this is where I start. Thanks Walter.
After the first time through on Saturday night I was asked if I skipped a line on purpose. Of course I did not know there was another line to skip.
But when all was said and done things went great. The choir was amazing. All the musicians do superb work. Nancy Sitzman, pianist, is as good as they come. And then there is Walter. What a gift.
I thought about the music and all the detail that goes into something like this. There are a lot of notes to play! It is specific. It requires timing and pace. Everyone needs to be together. Individuals do solos (wow to Michael Short and Abby Morris) j\but it truly is a group effort.
This is so different from preaching. I find preaching nearly relaxing but this narration thing calls for detail like nothing else I do. It makes me tense. Therefore, out of the comfort zone.
And at the end of the day it is great to know I joined with others in doing something that ministered to others in a way outside my norm.
So, until the next time, I take a deep breathe and say "thank you Lord, for not letting me mess the thing up and actually doing my part." I know you will want to follow suit and look for ways to step outside your comfort zone in service to others.
It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.
steve
Sunday, December 3, 2017
Reflections From Sunday Evening
Burt Jolley was shopping for the Christmas baskets this week. He was puzzled with "Christmas Candy." We had a conversation about "what is Christmas candy?" That was followed by the remark "that can't be that old, hard candy, can it?"
Well, I can't answer exactly what was in mind when "Christmas Candy" was listed as part of the Christmas basket.
Personally I like chocolate covered cherries. They are like, 12 for a dollar. Others have delicious fudge, peanut butter balls, candy canes, peppermint bark (now that is tasty), white chocolate pretzels...the list goes on and on.
But why not "Old Fashioned Christmas Candy?" You can purchase 2 pounds of it for $24.99. It includes cut rock candy, baby ribbons, straws, chips, waffles, and pinwheels. I think mainly of the ribbon, hard candy. It includes various colors and flavors. Do you remember?
My church would give us kids a sack filled with nuts, an orange and hard candy. Frankly, we were happy to receive it. Do you get the idea things were simpler in those days?
I never knew anyone who got a new car with a bow on it for Christmas. (Still don't.) What I remember is excited anticipation. I remember happy smiles.
I'm not sure if I want to go out and get some "hard Christmas candy" but it might really be something worth having. As long as it puts a smile on someone's face and some joy in their heart.
Let's look for ways to do that this year as we join together on our Christmas journey.
It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.
steve
Well, I can't answer exactly what was in mind when "Christmas Candy" was listed as part of the Christmas basket.
Personally I like chocolate covered cherries. They are like, 12 for a dollar. Others have delicious fudge, peanut butter balls, candy canes, peppermint bark (now that is tasty), white chocolate pretzels...the list goes on and on.
But why not "Old Fashioned Christmas Candy?" You can purchase 2 pounds of it for $24.99. It includes cut rock candy, baby ribbons, straws, chips, waffles, and pinwheels. I think mainly of the ribbon, hard candy. It includes various colors and flavors. Do you remember?
My church would give us kids a sack filled with nuts, an orange and hard candy. Frankly, we were happy to receive it. Do you get the idea things were simpler in those days?
I never knew anyone who got a new car with a bow on it for Christmas. (Still don't.) What I remember is excited anticipation. I remember happy smiles.
I'm not sure if I want to go out and get some "hard Christmas candy" but it might really be something worth having. As long as it puts a smile on someone's face and some joy in their heart.
Let's look for ways to do that this year as we join together on our Christmas journey.
It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.
steve
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)