52 Weeks of Writing--A Challenge for 2014

Looking Forward~

Around the first of every year, I think every pastor or priest I've ever known feels obligated to challenge his flock to set goals, to look at life in a new way, to start afresh for the coming annum. To make plans and keep them. Those sermons never cease to surprise me. While you'd think, who could ever say something new? How could I be challenged once again? What could I possibly learn? Yet . . .

Every year, I seem to hear life from a new perspective. I collect courage and hope as new companions along the journey. This year, however, was even more surprising for something special was heralded from the pulpit--and it wasn't only Pastor Pat's soothing, familiar voice--it was the voice of a caring Father. A Father who wanted me to know that what I had been hearing in my head for months on end was indeed His voice.

"O taste and see that the Lord is good . . . " - a simple phrase reverberating in my head and heart for oh so very long. But, what does it mean?

As usual with God's word, there are a multitude of meanings behind and within. Sometimes my mind wants to explode--wondering, analyzing. God's word is the breath of heaven--it breathes and heaves and declares and commands. Yet . . . all I need do is listen and rest and (that awful word) wait. Seems I've been doing a lot of that lately (years now actually).

So I'm sure you're wondering now, what did I take away from that December 29, 2013 sermon. Well, before the sermon even really started in earnest, here is what I wrote:

52 weeks of writings

Taste and see that the Lord is good

What verse did Pastor Pat share several minutes into his sermon? Yep, you guessed it: Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

Personally, I don't like New Year's resolutions. They are trite, full of themselves, and under normal circumstances highly unattainable. Oh, and did I mention frustrating and downright demeaning?

Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I believe it's time to succumb to the triteness and get on with something that really matters. Writing. At least that's what matters to me and I believe deep down it's what matters to God because it is His gift behind and within. As Pastor Pat said, "we cannot change ourselves; only God can change us to the degree that we are willing to submit to Him." What will you do with your gift? Will you submit or succumb? Taste and see . . .

To Whom It May Concern

To Whom It May Concern~

Five words we use when we really don't know to whom we're writing. A bit nonchalant. A trifle lackadasical. Noncommital really.

Tonight I was asked to write one of these letters so it got me thinking about the whole salutation thing and then it dawned on me that it's definitely a symptom of what our society has evolved into - unconcerned, lazy, and . . . well, you get the picture.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not sitting in judgment - it's just an observation from my miniscule brain cells. Sometimes, I've been told, I really think too much. Or, I think about some nonsensical things - blow them out of proportion. Probably like I'm doing tonight in this strange blog entry.

But I digress so back to the topic. Isn't it a shame that many times we don't know to whom to address a letter or an inquiry. Some mysterious person is hiding behind obscurity. It would seem that if we don't have a real name, we then become unsure if our request or inquiry will ever get heard.

I'm so glad the God of the universe isn't hiding in anonymity. I'm delighted that He has made Himself known to me. He is Yahweh - the Creator of the Universe. He's also Abba - Father. I can call him Father! I can address him by name and his mailing address is right here, right now--past, present & future. Alpha & Omega - Beginning & the End.

". . . and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, He is God." (I Kings 18:24b, NASB)

Thanks for enduring my bit of oddity this day. And, don't forget to call on His name. He's there--yesterday, today and forever! Amen.

Fragility - It's You I Need

And, you thought you could get rid of me that easily. Well, it's not happening. I know. I know. You needn't remind me that I've been a bit lackadasical since the Lenten Experiment whipped my butt just a few short weeks ago.

"A bit lackadasical?"

"C'mon - downright lazy, I'd say."

Looking way back to sometime mid-February when the Lenten Experiment launched its monumental work in my life, I made the crazy boast about making the habit of writing every day would be easy once I mastered it for the 40 days of Lent.

As expected, this has not come to pass. I've shown my true colors, that most unpleasant of characteristics--fragility. And, that monster of all monsters - unfaithfulness. My inability to form a habit.

At least I am comforted by the fact that I'm probably not alone in this. As humans, we are all fragile, vulnerable. As fragile as a wind-blown tender blade of first Spring grass.

Then looking out over a well-tended, manicured landscape of Kentucky Bluegrass, its obvious that that single shoot wasn't meant to go it alone. Solitary aloneness doesn't come easy for the grasses. They need the stability, strength of one another to fight the winds. Intertwining roots and worms - rich, musky earth - bonding, shared experiences.

Growing up wild and untamed, yet rooted and grounded. Full of promise . . . alive and green.

It's YOU I need. It's friends. It's family. It's enemies. It's a wealth of ancient words with emblazoned meanings. It's Jesus.

Lenten Experiment - Day 17 (The Refreshment of Friends)

This week, I tortured myself once again with several late night and one all-nighter in the continuous pursuit of 1) sticking with my Lenten commitment to write each day and 2) fortifying my eBay store with new treasures to sell.

Thankfully I truly enjoy both these pursuits so don't feel sorry for me. :-)

So, with all that said, it's why I'm lagging behind in my writing because last night I just couldn't keep my sleepy eyes open long enough to write. I'm really not at my best when I'm overly tired. I went to bed at 9:30pm and slept until 8:00am this morning. Guess I needed some refreshment.

Even more refreshment came in the form of friendship last night as well. And I'm so very grateful for our dear friends Donna and Craig. We have walked beside them since our college days and while we rarely see them only upon occasion because they live two hours away, they are always there with us in our thoughts, our hearts and our prayers.

That's who true friends are - they are very precious and many times words simply cannot describe how deeply they touch our lives. "A friend loves at all times . . ." (Proverbs 17:17)

As we were sitting at Olive Garden last night talking, I realized how quickly time passes. Dinner was over in just a couple of hours and those moments can never be recaptured. While we relive the joyful times we spend with friends and they give us comfort later, it's so important to reach out and continually seek new opportunities to love. For a friend loves at all times . . . through the joy and the tears, through times of sorrow and across the miles that separate us.