Monday, June 30, 2014

Monday’s Musing: Our Own Social Experiment

Modified and used 8/25/20
Philippians 4:8  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.

This morning newscasters reported that people are up in arms about a psychological experiment Facebook conducted in 2012 on 700 Facebook members.  By selecting mostly positive newsfeed or mostly negative newsfeed they were able to determine how the slant of the news affected their subjects.  They discovered that those who received mostly negative posts would respond with negative posts of their own and vice versa for those who received mostly positive posts.  While I don’t approve of this group manipulating our newsfeed, I do agree with the findings.  It’s a no-brainer. 

If we surround ourselves with positive people we will be much happier than if we hang out with negative folk.  The members of the church at Philippi were stressed out like the other early churches trying to form a new religion among unbelievers and persecutors. Paul writes to them from his prison cell, encouraging them to stay positive as he is trying to stay positive.  This week let’s try to conduct our own social experiment.  Let’s concentrate on thinking positive, happy thoughts and see how it affects our mood and actions.

Joyful, joyful we adore Thee, O Lord.  Help us to carry that joy throughout our daily lives. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Happy Monday!
Paige

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Thursday’s Musings: Colored Pencils Make Me Happy


Adapted and used 3/20/20
Proverbs 15:16  Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.

I love colored pencils.  When I was an accountant I used them to match totals or groups of related numbers.  Often, now when I begin to study scripture I’ll print it out and use the different colors to underline key thoughts and repetitive words or phrases.  I do the same as I study non-fiction books.  Colors make me happy.  I like choosing which color to use each time.  I am glad I can get such enjoyment from a box of Crayola Twistables that only costs a few dollars!  Things like that and having joy in the Lord show that a simple life can be infinitely satisfying.  Let’s remember that the important things are usually not the most costly ones.

Thank you Lord for giving us joy in the simple things of life.  Help us to find that joy today.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Blessings,

Paige

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Wednesday’s Musings - God Loves a Stupid Criminal

Modified and used 7/17/20
Romans 8:35-39  (NLT)  Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.  And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Funny story on the news this morning.  A thief was caught because he couldn’t resist checking his Facebook page.  He broke into a house, stole money, credit cards and a watch and then pulled up his Facebook page on the homeowner’s computer, checked it and failed to close it.  He also left some of his wet clothes in the home.  The homeowner posted his contact number on the guy’s page and said he would like to return the items the thief left in the house.  Basically he set up a sting operation and the police arrested the thief who was wearing the stolen watch at the time.  The news commentator quipped, “God loves a stupid criminal.”  The truth is, God does love them even though God is displeased with them.  Maybe this guy will have the opportunity to get to know about Christ while he is in prison.  Whether we are persecuted or the persecutors, God never stops trying to set us on the right path towards salvation. 

Loving God, today we pray for the lost and for those who go into the difficult places to witness to them.  Please be with missionaries and those serving in prison ministries today.  And also please bless our day, also.  We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Happy Wednesday,
Paige

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Tuesday’s Musings: False Faith and Leaky Showers


Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

The parsonage is a construction zone this week as we try for I believe the third time to find the cause and stop the master shower from dripping water down through the basement ceiling.  One contractor put in a new shower pan. When the leak resurfaced another replaced the wall tiles.  Within weeks, it was leaking again.  I believe the first contractor did not know how to properly do the work.  We believed in him but suffered from the fruits of his labors. I know that there are many people in the world seeking spiritual truth.  But if they look in the wrong places they may end up like our shower with something that does not work.  Their faith will be leaky because it is not based on the real Truth. 

Father God, help us to have discernment when we encounter false prophets; false religions and false theology.  Lead us to your one true Son, Jesus Christ. It is in his name we pray, amen. 
Blessings,
Paige

Monday, June 23, 2014

Monday’s Musings: When the Holy Spirit Preaches


Isaiah 55:10-11 (CEB)  Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and don’t return there without watering the earth, making it conceive and yield plants and providing seed to the sower and food to the eater, so is my word that comes from my mouth; it does not return to me empty. Instead, it does what I want, and accomplishes what I intend.

For a pastor, the sermon writing process is one of the most important things he or she does each week.  Most weeks when I finish my sermon I’m very pleased with the results but occasionally I have my doubts. I’ve done the best I could with the text, my study and sermon resources and what came to me to write but I didn’t really like the finished work. Yesterday’s sermon was like that.  I was not happy with it and said so to someone after the Jeans and Jazz service.  Yet before the end of the day I received more compliments than usual on that very sermon.  Thank you, Holy Spirit for taking my pitiful words and fulfilling my desire to preach something that was meaningful, instructive and inspirational for the congregation.   Let this be an example to everyone who desires to share God’s word.  We are not in this alone.  Thanks be to God.

Make our words, Your word, O God.  We ask for your inspiration and leadership this week.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Have a blessed week,
Paige

Friday, June 20, 2014

Friday’s Musings: Opening the Door USED


Revelation 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Jesus invites us to come to him for rest. The problem is that we get too busy to go to Jesus and the busier we get the more rest we need.  So in Revelation we see God pursuing us. Spiritual growth is about developing the ability to connect with Jesus in the middle of our activities as well as in our quiet times.  Have you made space for Christ to speak to you today?  He wants to tell you how much you are loved.  That would be nice to hear wouldn’t it?  Try opening the door today!

Loving God, help us to stop running in circles and rest a moment in your love.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have a great day,
Paige

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Thursday’s Musings: Hidden Hurts USED

Modified and Used 1-12-20
Jeremiah 31:3  The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

I’m studying a book right now in which the author reveals her struggle with a sudden onset of PTSD.  It wasn’t from serving in a war zone as we would expect. Instead she had a traumatic childhood.  She toughened up and endured what life dealt her thinking that she could get through everything.  But she was mistaken. 

People like me who have had chickenpox as a child got over them in a week or so. Or so we thought.  But we have learned that the chickenpox virus lingers long after the itchy blisters disappear and can return in the form of painful shingles in adults.  Hurts are like that, too.  Sure we can push them out of our mind, forgive others, play nice and move on.  But they linger and as other hurts are experienced they gather like dust bunnies under the bed ready to be exposed when we least want them to.  Maybe when friends help us move!  The book is really about the good news that Jesus is always there and that we can experience more and more of him in the hurts and in the aftermath of them.  Praise be to God. 

Loving God, thank you for being with us when we hurt and when we are joyful. Help us to not cause pain in others by remembering the pain our Savior endured on the cross because he too was hurt and rejected.  Inspire kindness in us all.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Thursday’s Musings: Off-Center!

Modified and used 8-3-20
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

My right knee started hurting a year ago especially when I walked / jogged daily. While at the Emory orthopedic clinic for an impinged shoulder I asked the doctor about it. The clinic policy allows only one body part to be addressed in an appointment but he said it was probably bursitis and to rest it so it could heal.  I did that and it improved, but as soon as I resumed my walking exercise the pain returned. Monday I made an appointment for my knee with a specialist in that office.  X-rays revealed that my patella (kneecap) is off-center.  I begin physical therapy today to correct that.  When something is off center it causes imbalance. Things don’t work properly.  Let us remember that the center of our life should be God in Jesus Christ.  That is what will bring the proper balance in our lives.

Loving God, help us to make you the center of our life.  Bless us today in our endeavors that they may be pleasing to you.  In our Savior’s name we pray. Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Tuesday’s Musings: My Madras Didn’t Bleed

Modified and used 11-20-20
Matthew 6:25  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Before my recent CHS reunion I did some clothes shopping.  It was time for a few wardrobe updates anyway. Still I remember clothing angst during those high school years.  Many of my classmates came from families that had more income than mine. I have loved fashion for as long as I can remember, designing clothes for my dolls and dreaming of being a fashion designer when I grew up.  Therefore I noticed the girls wearing Bobbi Brooks and Villager clothes; dyed to match skirts and sweaters; bleeding madras and Bass Weejuns loafers. My clothes for the most part were the Sears, K-Mart and Penney’s imitation of the real thing. Close but no cigar.  My sweaters didn’t match and my madras didn’t bleed. I don’t believe my parents really understood how badly I wanted these things.  Now that I am older and wiser I realize that the person is more important than the clothes.  I still love nice, stylish clothes but I am budget minded, too. I value my relationship with Jesus Christ as the highest thing. Yet with my children, I tried to be sensitive to their desires.  While people need to learn healthy priorities, their feelings and desires are very real to them and should be respected.

Loving Father, as our parent, we know you provide for our needs if we but seek your provision.  We praise your holy name today and give this day to you.  Help us to make wise decisions and to be healthy in mind, body and spirit.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have a blessed day,
Paige