Wednesday’s Musings: God and Caffeine

Modified and used 9-1-20

Psalm 30:5 (NLT) For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime!    Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

My schedule varies from day to day.  In a way I like that variety better than having a regular 8 to 5 desk job. There is one thing that hasn’t changed, though. My day starts with coffee—lots of coffee. Joe makes a pot of fresh ground coffee before I get up.  I rarely sleep well, and never all through then night.  I take the burdens of the day with me and wake up during the night thinking of all the things I need to do.  Somehow though when I wake up in the morning, those cares have diminished.  Instead I wake up thankful for a new day.  The routine of coffee drinking is soothing and the caffeine gives me a boost to get going.  In a way this is a metaphor for my relationship with God.  No matter what my cares and struggles are, I return to the Lord for comfort, sustenance and power to carry on.  As the praise song says, “You are the strength when I am weak, you are the treasure that I keep. You are my all in all.”

Gracious God, we praise you for your continuing and steadfast grace in our lives.  When we wake in the morning, you are there.  We pray for your strength for this day.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Grace and Peace,
Paige

 

Tuesday’s Musings: Rest and Rejuvenation

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The past two weeks have seemed unusually busy. I have spent extra time on preparing readings for the Part-Time Players, on Holy Week services and our Church Council meeting. So I have felt real tiredness yesterday and today.   Sometimes I’m challenged because the world has become a faster place in which to live.  Communication is instantaneous; there’s less down time waiting for things to happen – unless you’re in the check-out line at the local grocery store.  We can take care of work on our smart phones even while traveling or out to dinner.  Sometimes it feels like we are never “off.”  Jesus realized the need for rest and called others to rest with him.  Lent is a great time to increase the time we spend in prayer and meditation.  This can be a time of rest and rejuvenation as we release our burdens and revel in the love of our Savior.  I’m going to do that in a bit.  I might even relax so that I fall back asleep.

Gracious God, We are tired and stressed and anxious so much of the time.  Help us to slow down and rest and to find refreshment for mind, body and spirit.  We especially ask that you be with caretakers today.  Fill their cup so that it might overflow onto others.  In Christ’s name we pray.  Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Monday’s Musings: Trying to Be Still USED TFP

Modified and used 9-23-20 TFP

Psalm 46:10  He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Today is a really rainy day and a good day to stay home.  I’m glad I work from home on Mondays.  I think I’ll make another pot of coffee before starting my sermon study. Monday is my favorite workday because I spend that day studying scripture and opening myself up to the leading of the Spirit as I write. The rest of the week I get so busy with tasks and people that it’s difficult to stay in that close contact with God. As I was walking this past week the above scripture came to me.  Be still.  I thought how hard that is for many people. We may be still and read or be still and watch TV.  I’m still usually multitasking by checking e-mails or Facebook during commercials.  But just to be still and know – to recognize that our Creator is God and to exalt God.  Exalt means to praise or give tribute to.  I hope I can get still more often.

We exalt you, Lord.  You are the creator and sustainer of life. We are dependent on you every day.  Help us please to be still and just be in your presence.  Amen.

Have a Blessed Week!
Paige

Friday’s Musings: May the Force be with You

Friday’s Musings: May the Force be with You

John 11:39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.”

I’m preaching on this scripture Sunday and in my study and ponderings I wondered if Lazarus had any odor when he climbed out of that tomb.  What did he think when he came back to life?  Silly questions but it does lead to some observations.  I like TV shows like Bones that solve crimes through forensic science.  I am surprised how quickly our bodies start the decomposition process after our life force is gone. We obsess about our bodies but more important is that force within us that keeps us alive. There is another force you and I need, though for true life and that is God force.  I believe that Lazarus first received God force and then his life force was restored.  It is my dependence of the strength of God through the work of the Holy Spirit in my life that keeps me going.  May the God Force be with you this day and always.

Loving God, we know that we need you every hour in our life.  We ask that you give us the strength and power of the Holy Spirit today.  Draw us ever closer to you. Amen.

Happy Friday!

Paige

Thursday’s Musings: You say Tomato, I say Kumato

Modified and used 10-13-20

Samuel 16:6-7  When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.”  But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as a person sees: a person looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

There are many reasons I’m looking forward to warmer weather. Not the least of these would be better tasting tomatoes.  I love tomatoes but the ones we can find during winter lack flavor.  More stores are now carrying heirloom tomatoes.  They are misshapen and not the usual tomato orange color. Some are brown as are Kumato tomatoes. But they can be the most flavorful.  Don’t judge a book by its cover, a tomato by its shape or a person by outward appearance. It’s what’s inside that counts.

Lord, we know that we’re created in your image.  Help us not to form opinions only by our eyes which can deceive us. Give us your eyes instead.  We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings,

Paige

Wednesday’s Musings: We Know Not What We Do

Genesis 3:13 The Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done?!”  And the woman said, “The snake tricked me, and I ate.”

Not too long ago Joe and I were travelling north through Atlanta on I-85. We were glad to be headed in that direction because a wreck on I-20 not only had traffic backed up on that interstate, it caused traffic to be backed up on I-85 south all the way past Peachtree Street.  I think for the most part traffic accidents are caused by careless driving – people not paying attention to what they are doing or taking risks by changing lanes and sideswiping someone or following too close.  No one sets out saying, “I’m going to have a wreck today and mess up the trip for hundreds of others.”  Eve didn’t know the havoc she would wreak by eating that fruit.  How often do we commit some act that has repercussions we had not anticipated?  A careless remark or action can hurt another or even cause a firestorm of backlash.  With God’s help we can live more thoughtfully and intentionally.  In the meantime we can be comforted when we do cause problems for others that Jesus, even on the cross asked that God forgive those who put him there. Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”Luke 23:34 (CEV).

Lord, we are grateful that when we make mistakes, when we cause pain for others that we may ask for and receive forgiveness.  Please help us to be careful and intentional in our decision making and our driving. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.

Blessings,
Paige

Tuesday’s Musings: On Being Branches USED

Adapted and used 3/27/20 AND 9-29-21
John 15:5-6 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”

We’ve had a couple of windy days and as a result we had some small limbs down in the yard.  Yesterday morning I picked up the branches in the front yard to put by the road.  The majority of them were thin and brittle from the tips of the tree limbs.  On average they were about a foot long.  “I am the vine; you are the branches” came to mind.  I thought that the further these branches got from the tree trunk the less anchored and therefore more fragile they were. After I finished that chore I pulled a few weeds.  The tops of those weeds came off easily but when I pulled closer to the roots I met with more resistance. The weeds were stronger and the roots were holding firm. I thought that the closer we stay to the vine, the stronger we will be. 

Jesus we want to stay closer to you.  Help us to keep our focus on the true source of our strength and help us to bear fruit for you. Amen.

God Bless,
Paige