Friday’s Musings: Listen to the Mockingbird

Psalm 96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Used 5-5-23

A mockingbird serenaded me the other day as I walked up Wheeler Street.  It sang at the top of its little lungs. I recognized it as a mockingbird, but its song was very different from the usual one.  Even though mockingbirds make a variety of sounds, generally the repertoire is the same. The squeaks, squawks, chirps and whistles were odd.  I stopped to listen and shortly I had my answer.  I was hearing the songs of shore birds.  I’ve never heard a mockingbird imitate a seagull before!  I can pull two ideas from this.  First we tend to imitate those we hang with. Second, variety is a good thing!  We may have different things to say, but there is completeness in diversity.  Whom do you sound like?  Do you enjoy hearing other voices?

Dear Lord, thank you for the beauty of the song of birds. Help us to appreciate all living creatures and to learn from them.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend!
Paige

05-30-13 Thursday’s Musings – Rethink Something!

Romans 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

A couple of years ago the United Methodist Church devised a new advertising slogan, “Rethink Church.”  It was aimed to let church folk know that church doesn’t always have to be a worship service in the sanctuary at 11 AM on Sunday.  And it was to encourage those outside the church to give church a chance.  That’s all good but I think that also in our private lives we need to be willing to rethink things.  We need to be open to change whether it’s the way we look at who should be able to marry or where we keep our hair dryer.  Let’s not assume that the status quo is always best.  An 89 year old friend told me the other day that she never wanted to stop growing as a Christian. To stop learning and growing is to speed up dying.

Holy God, help us never to close our mind to new ideas. Thank you for those who teach us and help us to rethink the interpretation of your Word. We hope that we will also be transformed by the renewal of our minds.  We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

It’s good to be back to musing after a vacation to Washington DC and a few day’s recovery!

Blessings,
Paige

Wednesday’s Musings: So Many Choices!

1 Kings 18:21  "And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word."

 As I prepare to take a trip to DC I have to make choices.  We’re allowed one suitcase but must also have an overnight bag for two nights to be carried inside the bus. Which of my suitcases constitutes an overnight bag? Which outfits should I pack for that first and last night?  What clothes should I take for the rest of the trip? I love to read as I travel so what books should I take?  Should I take paperbacks, or do I want only electronic books.  Should I read them on my Color Nook or my iPad?  Choices; life is full of them. Some are silly like these and others are serious yet none are inconsequential.  All things work together in life – just read up on the Butterfly Effect.  In this scripture Elijah is giving people a choice presented numerous times in the Bible.  Choose God and life or choose evil and death.  That choice is still continually before us.  I choose life.

Holy God, how glad I am that I chose to join the church and worship you.  Thank you for the blessings I’ve received since I chose to give my life to Jesus.  Help us, Lord to bring more people to the point where they can choose to follow you.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Musings will return next Wednesday morning.  Until then, please avail yourselves of the many excellent online devotions.  Start with Biblegateway.com if you aren’t familiar with any.

God Bless,
Paige

Tuesday’s Musings: Evil or Inspiration?

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I’m so happy that our missions committee organized a book, music and movie fair.  I have some great additions to my music library now and loaded up on books.  I’m a fast reader and so is Joe.  We’ll donate most of what we purchased back for the next sale. The last three books I read were murder mysteries. I like those but by chance these three had particularly evil villains. Two of the books included the paranormal.  When I finish the one I’m reading now I’m going to read something light and funny.  I can sense a change in spirit.  What we take in to ourselves become part of us.  It is locked in the memory cells of our brains. What are you watching, listening to, passing along on Facebook or e-mails? It is negative or uplifting? Maybe you should consider how it might be subtlety affecting you.  Whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is excellent – think on these things.  It will make a difference in your attitude and spirit.

Holy God, help us to consider all the excellent things you provide for us.  Help us to move out of the darkness into your light.  We pray in the most excellent name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Monday’s Musings: Remembering Graduation

Isaiah 41:10  Fear not, for I am with you;  be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you,  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Today is Commencement Day for Emory University.  I thought back five years to the day I sat among other graduating students on the Quad both eager and anxious about what was to come after that day.  Then I thought back to three years before that when I entered Candler School of Theology and two years before that when I entered Reinhardt University to finish my undergraduate degree.  I had so many doubts.  After all I had been out of school for over thirty years.  I had been a good student before, but did it still have it?  Frankly I worried if my brain was spry enough and if I could balance work, school and family.  However I had one thing on my side that pretty much guaranteed my success.  God had called me to become a pastor and school was part of the process of getting there.  I know beyond a shadow of doubt that God was with me during those years and it is only by the grace of God that I graduated from both institutions with high grades.  I had a discussion with our son yesterday about how to tell someone who doesn’t attend church about God.  I said to witness about the strength God has given and the ways we’ve felt God in our lives.  There is no greater proof of the existence of the Divine than personal experience. 

Holy God, thanks for being with me during my school years.  We pray for those graduating from colleges and universities this year and ask that you continue to touch your children’s lives so that they, too may testify to your love and the strength you provide. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Have a Blessed Week!
Paige

Friday’s Musings – The Complete Package

John 14:5-6  Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.

Yesterday morning while walking, I did stop to smell the roses.  Beautiful yellow roses were growing around a neighbor’s mailbox along with some pretty pink roses.  The petals of the yellow roses were a prettier shape than the pink ones and the color was striking.  Yet the yellow roses had no fragrance at all. The plainer pink roses had that classic rose smell. I thought that the pink roses were the complete package – they were pretty and fragrant.  Jesus is the complete package, too.  He is the way – he gives us the example of the way we should live – in charity and love of one another and resisting temptation of sin.  He is the Truth – to get to the real meaning of scripture for our lives we filter them through the teachings of Jesus.  He is the life – he offers us eternal live which is a quality of life here on earth lived in relationship with God and then everlasting life in heaven. 

Thank you Lord, that we have your Son in our life.  Help us to remember that we can find guidance and peace by seeking his example.  We ask your blessing upon us and our families this weekend.  In his name we pray, amen.

Have a blessed weekend,
Paige

Thursday’s Musings: Rest, Sweet Rest!

Genesis 2: 2-3 “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”

I recently saw the cutest picture of a kitten that had fallen fast asleep right in the middle of his bowl of food.  Thank goodness it was dry food!  That’s the thing about animals, they are much better at resting when their bodies need rest. Their priority is self-care.  We push on past fatigue until we wear ourselves down. Right at the first of God’s Word we are given an example to emulate.  We’re to interrupt our cycle of work with a time of rest.  Sometimes it’s easy to feel guilty when we take time for ourselves. Yet if we work hard when we work, we deserve some down time and we need it.  Ask God to help you find a healthy balance between work, rest and play.

When I relax, Lord I wonder what else I should be doing.  Help us to find time for rest and rejuvenation. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.

Be blessed today,
Paige

Wednesday’s Musings: The Blessings of Hope

Romans 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Yesterday morning’s newscasts were full of the story of the amazing rescue of three women in Cleveland who had been held captive for ten years.  One relative said that he never gave up hope.  Sometimes, that’s all we have to hold on to.  Hope defeats despair. Not every story ends well yet until we arrive at the end, let us hold onto the hope that God is in the process hearing our prayers for help.

We praise you Lord for the rescue of these women.  We pray that they will be able to overcome the emotional scars of the long ordeal they have endured.  Help us to hold onto hope when we face challenges. Thanks for all the blessings in our lives. Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Tuesday’s Musings: Coping with the Unexpected

1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!

I finished a novel yesterday that had more than a few surprising twists at the end.  The main character was constantly thrown for a loop as things that she had grown up believing were proven to be something very different from the truth. One of the other characters witnesses to her about his faith and the facts that challenges have actually strengthened him. Life can seem boring at times; it’s just the same old same old as the saying goes, then suddenly things change and the unexpected intrudes.  We have to regroup; reassess what we will do.  I’m glad our girl eventually learned to trust God herself.  God can help us get through the unexplained and unexpected if we anchor ourselves in Jesus Christ and His teachings.

Father, as each new day unfolds we don’t know what surprises, blessings or challenges it may present. Help us always to anchor ourselves in your strength.  We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Monday’s Musings: The Bears, the Stars, the Moose

Psalm 8:3-9  When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—   
the moon and the stars you set in place—
 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Last night in our connect group, Gloria Holder shared Psalm 8 with us.  She started talking about finding God in the beauty of nature.  I shared a camping story, telling of the time when I woke a 3am needing to go to the bathhouse and saw millions of stars in the dark sky.  It’s not something we get to see living in the city.  I woke Joe and brought him out of the tent.  I sang the anthem version of this Psalm to him.  I’m not sure he appreciated it as much as I did but it was a special and memorable moment.  Soon different ones were telling other camping stories, bear encounters, and other encounters with deer, moose and buffalo.  We ended the evening listening to some unique Hawaiian music including a version of Over the Rainbow / It’s a Wonderful World.  It is a wonderful world,  I think getting out of the city and getting into nature where we can see the stars at night and see wildlife is good for the soul.  I hope that we each get a chance to do that in the near future.

O Lord our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth.  You have created a wonderful world and set us in charge of its care.  Help us not to let you down. Thank you for the blessings of the beauty of nature.  Amen.

Have a blessed week,
Paige

Friday’s Musings: Unsalty Salt USED

Modified and used again on 4/27/20

Mark 9:50 (NLT)  Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”

I have different types of salt in my cabinet including some from Aigues Mortes, France.
I saw the salt fields by the sea while passing through that city.  This is the second container of salt I have purchased that came from this area. However this one is not very salty.  I end up adding another salt to dishes when I use it.  I’ve never had unsalty salt before.  But now I see what the bible verse was referring to.  As for us, I think it means for us to be genuine, true to that for which we were created.  If we do that then we will be the type of person who will want to live in peace with others.

Help us Lord, to be genuine people and to live in peace with others.  We ask your blessings upon this day and our weekend.  We ask in Christ’s name, amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Thursday’s Musings: Showers of Blessings

Modified and used 5/19/20

Ezekiel 34:26, NIV I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.

It seems that the April showers are continuing on into May. They certainly did bring flowers but I long for some bright sunny days.  My mood is affected by the weather.  Gloomy weather gets me down.  Sunny weather picks me up.  I would like to be better about carrying the joy of the Lord in my heart always.  I know He’s there in all conditions, at all times. And I know that like God sends the rain to replenish the earth, he send us showers of blessings.  In the meantime, I’m dreaming of sunny beaches.

Loving God, on these cloudy days help us to be cheered by the love of your Son and the joy of knowing that we are special in your eyes. In His name we pray, amen.

In Christ, Paige

Wednesday’s Musings: Advice from Gatsby

Philippians 2:4 (CEB)  Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.

The novel, The Great Gatsby opens with these lines: “In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.’”

That’s good advice for all of us.  Some people haven’t had the advantages of parental love and guidance; others lacked educational opportunities, others medical care and good nutrition and still others lacked the advantage of being introduced to Jesus Christ and the Way of life that leads to real life.  Besides loving and worshipping God, as Christians we are asked to help those without these advantages as we are able. As I sat at The Drip coffeehouse yesterday with my chair of missions other well known community figures drifted through. Our discussions with each revolved around ways to better the city of Hapeville and to help its citizens in need.  From nutritional education, to helping a stroke victim to painting the homes of the needy just this handful of coffee drinkers had the ideas and resources to do this.  Pulling together, churches and community we can do so much more.

Holy God,  We ask your blessings today on all of our mission efforts.  Help us to bring hope to those who have not had the advantages that we have had.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Blessings,
Paige