Thursday, March 13, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Over the rainbow
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
Genesis 9:13
In the past few weeks life has thrown many curve balls at me, each day I begin with my daily prayer and ask God what is it I need to do to change me, so I can handle all that is being thrown at me. I have been getting seriously bad headaches, a unusual stiffness in my neck and various other health problems, yes I know its all stress related. Today I had to take my mom to the chiro, something I've been doing at least three times weekly for the past four weeks, now my moms house is about 12 miles from my house, but the road I must take has 14 traffic lights. So on a lousy day like today it was raining, even though I left as early as I could I could still see I was going to be late. And yes you guessed it I got every single traffic light. I could feel my head starting to hurt, okay so I finally get to my moms town, I turn off this highway and damn smack in front of me is one of those street cleaner trucks, going as slow as a fish swimming backwards. Good gosh, headaches getting stronger. I finally get to moms house and she is annoyed because I am late, (are you frickin kidding me) I smile, put her in the car start driving and before I even say boo, a bus is in front of me, stopping every three blocks to let off or pick up people. In a very irrate voice I said to God, What, what do you want me to learn from this, a bus a street cleaner, what, I get to the next stop sign, the bus turns and as it turns I can see overlooking the bay right at the NYC skyline and there across the sky is the biggest and brightest rainbow.the message to me today in this scripture and events is clear, I must take care of my inner soul and spirit before I can take care of anyone else. that and to find a different route to moms house
Genesis 9:13
In the past few weeks life has thrown many curve balls at me, each day I begin with my daily prayer and ask God what is it I need to do to change me, so I can handle all that is being thrown at me. I have been getting seriously bad headaches, a unusual stiffness in my neck and various other health problems, yes I know its all stress related. Today I had to take my mom to the chiro, something I've been doing at least three times weekly for the past four weeks, now my moms house is about 12 miles from my house, but the road I must take has 14 traffic lights. So on a lousy day like today it was raining, even though I left as early as I could I could still see I was going to be late. And yes you guessed it I got every single traffic light. I could feel my head starting to hurt, okay so I finally get to my moms town, I turn off this highway and damn smack in front of me is one of those street cleaner trucks, going as slow as a fish swimming backwards. Good gosh, headaches getting stronger. I finally get to moms house and she is annoyed because I am late, (are you frickin kidding me) I smile, put her in the car start driving and before I even say boo, a bus is in front of me, stopping every three blocks to let off or pick up people. In a very irrate voice I said to God, What, what do you want me to learn from this, a bus a street cleaner, what, I get to the next stop sign, the bus turns and as it turns I can see overlooking the bay right at the NYC skyline and there across the sky is the biggest and brightest rainbow.the message to me today in this scripture and events is clear, I must take care of my inner soul and spirit before I can take care of anyone else. that and to find a different route to moms house
Friday, February 22, 2008
Today is a new day
1 O make a new song to the Lord; let all the earth make melody to the Lord.2 Make songs to the Lord, blessing his name; give the good news of his salvation day by day.Psalm 96:1-2
Your attitude can be your best friend or your own worst enemy
Which song best describes your attitude?
"Rain drops keep falling on my head"
"Make the world go away"
"I'll do it my way"
"All by myself"
or
"walking on sunshine"
"Joy to the world"
"Don't worry be happy"
"oh what a beautiful morning"
God may our words be like songs today, may we sing to you great praises
Your attitude can be your best friend or your own worst enemy
Which song best describes your attitude?
"Rain drops keep falling on my head"
"Make the world go away"
"I'll do it my way"
"All by myself"
or
"walking on sunshine"
"Joy to the world"
"Don't worry be happy"
"oh what a beautiful morning"
God may our words be like songs today, may we sing to you great praises
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Celebrating Laughter
Laughter is a gift from God that brightens our good times and lightens the rough ones. Laughter even has a healing quality to it. People have recovered from serious diseases by learning to laugh each day.
Proverbs 17:22 says that a cheerful heart is good medicine. Laughter can draw others to you and lighten your load in life. When you begin to laugh at life and at yourself you gain new perspective on your struggles. You begin to see a speck of light at the end of the tunnel. A life without laughter quickly becomes a breeding ground for depression, physical illnes and a critical spirit. But a laughter filled life unleashes the spirit of celebration.
Make room for laughter in your life, seek it out. Begin today as you smile at someone and find something worth laughin about. As the laughter permeates your life, the spirit of celebration will take root in your heart and you will discover the meaning of another proverb: The cheerful heart has a continual feast; Proberbs 15:15
Proverbs 17:22 says that a cheerful heart is good medicine. Laughter can draw others to you and lighten your load in life. When you begin to laugh at life and at yourself you gain new perspective on your struggles. You begin to see a speck of light at the end of the tunnel. A life without laughter quickly becomes a breeding ground for depression, physical illnes and a critical spirit. But a laughter filled life unleashes the spirit of celebration.
Make room for laughter in your life, seek it out. Begin today as you smile at someone and find something worth laughin about. As the laughter permeates your life, the spirit of celebration will take root in your heart and you will discover the meaning of another proverb: The cheerful heart has a continual feast; Proberbs 15:15
Saturday, February 9, 2008
What is happiness? Can it be defined
The past few days were hectic, I am always running. For me to relax and unwind sitting in front of the television was my medicine. Or was it? Or was it like any other addiction a subsitute for what life really has to offer. What does life offer, the chance to grow to live, to give and to be happy. So why do I always feel depleted, tired, ready to give up and give in to my addiction.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
My sermon
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father, may the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
In Isaiah 9 verse 2, “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.
While The Old Testament ended with the prophets of God preaching the coming of the anointed one, Let’s Fast forward to The Gospel of Matthew, Jesus the Messiah is here to help us with our burdens he is here to lighten the load. To give us hope and a promise of a new future.
Matthews Gospel provides us with a vital link between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Matthew begins by tracing the genealogy of Jesus, starting with his birth, the baptism of Jesus by John, It is in Matthews gospel, Matthew describes Our Lord’s defeat of the Satan in the wilderness, and how Jesus begins his public ministry. Jesus moves from Nazareth to Galilee, the former territory of Zebulun and Napthtali, and the prophesy of Isaiah nine is fulfilled.
In John chapter 8 verse 12, Jesus says of himself: “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Like a well written script Sounds pretty easy and simple doesn’t it? If all the characters step up to the plate, if the costumes all arrive in good condition if the scenery fits it should play out nicely, if we believe in God, follow Jesus and live our lives accordingly we should be reaping wonderful rewards. Ah yes but here comes the darkness, the devil in disguise, sending us the wrong script, giving us the wrong information tempting us with the wrong scenery. When that happens are we strong enough sure enough with our faith in God to overcome, or do we end up getting defeated yet once again.
In Galilee he saw Peter and Andrew, he called upon them to follow him, In verse 19, Come and follow me, Jesus said and I will make you fishers of men. And they followed.
Now if Jesus came into our church at this very moment and after we got over the initial shock and knew it to be true that it was Jesus, and he said to us, follow me, I want you to help me teach our people to repent to teach them to believe in God, I want you to show others how much I love them, would you be putting on your coats and following? Or would you like me think gee gosh Jesus, I have to go home get dinner ready, clean my house, pack my suitcase, and make sure I had enough money in my wallet. Would you go willingly or would you negotiate. As soon as my life is in perfect order Jesus I will follow you, but for now I will take advantage of some of your services but not all of them.
Jesus said follow me and I will teach you how to fish for people. If you are a follower of Christ, Christ teaches you many things, Christ teaches you how to love, how to forgive, how to pray. But Christ also teaches you how to fish for people. Peter, Andrew, and all the other disciples had to learn, it wasn’t easy. Many obstacles were put in their way.
What does that mean for us? How do we as followers of Christ fish for people? One way setting the way for others is showing example of how we live our own lives, do we have the right attitude towards others, is it a infectious attitude and contagious attitude a positive attitude or do we show doom and gloom in our attitude, How on earth can we show Gods love if we are living in darkness.
It is part of our discipleship to fish for others, for like the first disciples whom Jesus called and those who came after them through their proclamation and the work of the Holy Spirit, we are enabled by Jesus calling to lay aside our old understandings of Human purpose and to follow Jesus with renewed vocation.
We who often find ourselves lost and defeated have been remade in Christ’s image to share the work that he began, to be bearers of light and hope to the darkness. Believe that the great challenge of faith is really and truly grasping what Jesus tells us about the power of light over darkness.
If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light.
I am often in awe of some of the great witness’s of God, how many before us has set the example of how to follow Christ, how to share Gods words, Mother Theresa is a great example. She never asked for anything and felt shameful for being glorified for doing what she felt God called her to do. I have some words of wisdom from Mother Theresa called Between you and God
People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives
Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you
BE honest anyway
If you find happiness, people may be jealous
Be happy anyway
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow
Do good anyway
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough
Give your best anyway
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God,
It never was between and them anyway.
Follow me, Said Jesus and I will teach you how to proclaim by word and example the good news of grace, the good news of the kingdom, if you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going.
Lord make us a channel of thy peace that, where there is hatred, we may bring love; Lord, grant that I seek rather to comfort than to be comforted, to understand than to be understood, to love than to be loved; for it is by forgetting self that one finds; it is forgiving that one is forgiven; it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.
In Isaiah 9 verse 2, “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.
While The Old Testament ended with the prophets of God preaching the coming of the anointed one, Let’s Fast forward to The Gospel of Matthew, Jesus the Messiah is here to help us with our burdens he is here to lighten the load. To give us hope and a promise of a new future.
Matthews Gospel provides us with a vital link between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Matthew begins by tracing the genealogy of Jesus, starting with his birth, the baptism of Jesus by John, It is in Matthews gospel, Matthew describes Our Lord’s defeat of the Satan in the wilderness, and how Jesus begins his public ministry. Jesus moves from Nazareth to Galilee, the former territory of Zebulun and Napthtali, and the prophesy of Isaiah nine is fulfilled.
In John chapter 8 verse 12, Jesus says of himself: “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Like a well written script Sounds pretty easy and simple doesn’t it? If all the characters step up to the plate, if the costumes all arrive in good condition if the scenery fits it should play out nicely, if we believe in God, follow Jesus and live our lives accordingly we should be reaping wonderful rewards. Ah yes but here comes the darkness, the devil in disguise, sending us the wrong script, giving us the wrong information tempting us with the wrong scenery. When that happens are we strong enough sure enough with our faith in God to overcome, or do we end up getting defeated yet once again.
In Galilee he saw Peter and Andrew, he called upon them to follow him, In verse 19, Come and follow me, Jesus said and I will make you fishers of men. And they followed.
Now if Jesus came into our church at this very moment and after we got over the initial shock and knew it to be true that it was Jesus, and he said to us, follow me, I want you to help me teach our people to repent to teach them to believe in God, I want you to show others how much I love them, would you be putting on your coats and following? Or would you like me think gee gosh Jesus, I have to go home get dinner ready, clean my house, pack my suitcase, and make sure I had enough money in my wallet. Would you go willingly or would you negotiate. As soon as my life is in perfect order Jesus I will follow you, but for now I will take advantage of some of your services but not all of them.
Jesus said follow me and I will teach you how to fish for people. If you are a follower of Christ, Christ teaches you many things, Christ teaches you how to love, how to forgive, how to pray. But Christ also teaches you how to fish for people. Peter, Andrew, and all the other disciples had to learn, it wasn’t easy. Many obstacles were put in their way.
What does that mean for us? How do we as followers of Christ fish for people? One way setting the way for others is showing example of how we live our own lives, do we have the right attitude towards others, is it a infectious attitude and contagious attitude a positive attitude or do we show doom and gloom in our attitude, How on earth can we show Gods love if we are living in darkness.
It is part of our discipleship to fish for others, for like the first disciples whom Jesus called and those who came after them through their proclamation and the work of the Holy Spirit, we are enabled by Jesus calling to lay aside our old understandings of Human purpose and to follow Jesus with renewed vocation.
We who often find ourselves lost and defeated have been remade in Christ’s image to share the work that he began, to be bearers of light and hope to the darkness. Believe that the great challenge of faith is really and truly grasping what Jesus tells us about the power of light over darkness.
If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light.
I am often in awe of some of the great witness’s of God, how many before us has set the example of how to follow Christ, how to share Gods words, Mother Theresa is a great example. She never asked for anything and felt shameful for being glorified for doing what she felt God called her to do. I have some words of wisdom from Mother Theresa called Between you and God
People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives
Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you
BE honest anyway
If you find happiness, people may be jealous
Be happy anyway
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow
Do good anyway
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough
Give your best anyway
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God,
It never was between and them anyway.
Follow me, Said Jesus and I will teach you how to proclaim by word and example the good news of grace, the good news of the kingdom, if you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going.
Lord make us a channel of thy peace that, where there is hatred, we may bring love; Lord, grant that I seek rather to comfort than to be comforted, to understand than to be understood, to love than to be loved; for it is by forgetting self that one finds; it is forgiving that one is forgiven; it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
We made it through the Holiday
yippee, I hope all faired well, I myself can now breathe all the shopping for others somehow it doesnt make much sense
Did I loose the reason for the season... maybe this little story will tell
Most recently at my suggestion, our layspeakers of our church sent all the church members Christmas Cards, over two hundred to be exact. At our church service this past Sunday, my pastor told me my little gesture actually may have saved someone from a dark moment. It seems one of our members received the card and after seeing it was from the church decided to contact the pastor and get help. It seems this person was thinking of ending their life but when they received the card it was like God reaching out to them. How wonderful God is and works
I really do want to cut back on the shopping and present giving, the people I gave presents to, most don't even know what I got them and I dont even know what I got. The gifts were opened so faast and it was not at all fun, if you ask someone what they got last year for Christmas I bet they won't even remember. Never mind all the regifting we do. So what is the reason for the season, gift giving, stressing, gift returns-- oh wait, its to share the birth of our Lord Savior
Did I loose the reason for the season... maybe this little story will tell
Most recently at my suggestion, our layspeakers of our church sent all the church members Christmas Cards, over two hundred to be exact. At our church service this past Sunday, my pastor told me my little gesture actually may have saved someone from a dark moment. It seems one of our members received the card and after seeing it was from the church decided to contact the pastor and get help. It seems this person was thinking of ending their life but when they received the card it was like God reaching out to them. How wonderful God is and works
I really do want to cut back on the shopping and present giving, the people I gave presents to, most don't even know what I got them and I dont even know what I got. The gifts were opened so faast and it was not at all fun, if you ask someone what they got last year for Christmas I bet they won't even remember. Never mind all the regifting we do. So what is the reason for the season, gift giving, stressing, gift returns-- oh wait, its to share the birth of our Lord Savior
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