Monday’s Musings: Dead Branches USED

Modified and used 10/08/19

John 15:1-2  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

While Joe and Robert ran in the Peachtree Road Race, I took a 5 ½ mile walk around Hapeville.  I noticed many of my neighbors had pruned large branches off their trees and had them by the road for pick-up.  I saw other trees that were partially dead.  Every time it storms we pick up dead branches in our yard.  I mused that those dead branches could represent areas of our life that are dead and therefore no longer fruitful or useful.  I wondered where it might be good to do some pruning in my life.  In ministry we are taught to look for traditions and programs that no longer bear fruit in the church. 

Dead branches can cause harm to the tree’s healthy branches.  They can sap needed resources.  They can fall against the other branches and rip them from the trunk.  Some branches are alive but grow too long for their thickness. Branches like that become easily broken.  Like those branches we often become overextended or overinvested in something for which we no longer have the resources.  We hold on to things including relationships that are no longer good for us.  This past holiday was about independence.  Today let’s declare independence from dead or straggly branches in our life. If something does not serve us and we do not need to serve it then as the popular song goes, let it go.

Loving God, help us to recognize things that we must let go. Please bless and guide us throughout this day and week. Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

This Morning's Pastoral Prayer for Independence Weekend

God of all Nations,

On this Independence weekend we ask your blessings upon those whom we love and hold dear whose names we have lifted up today and those who we lift up silently to you.

We offer praise for this nation; praise that we were born in a country where we are free to worship and move about and live our lives in ways that people of other nations cannot.

Yet today Lord we come to you with confession:  We confess there are many in this nation that have perverted the idea of “Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” our founding fathers desired to include casual sex, addictive drug use, and profane music and entertainment.  We confess there are those who have perverted our Founders’ idea of the right to bear arms to mean the right to have handguns to use to settle arguments with anyone and everyone; to rob and to assault.

We confess that we have become insensitive to the immorality of it all; we are no longer shocked by the profane; the rampart illicit sex, the daily shootings.

Father God we ask you be with those who are standing strong in the face of what would weaken the moral fiber of our country.  That we may restore the original ideals of our Founding Fathers and the women who stood and worked with them.  We ask that we may bring this nation once again to be “One nation under God.”  We ask that you help us preserve and assure true liberty and justice for all.  It is in your Son’s holy name we pray. Amen.

Thursday’s Musings: Singing the Whole Song USED

Thursday’s Musings - Singing the Whole Song Modified and used 2/11/20
Corinthians 13:9-10  For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part;  but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.

Yesterday I had to wait several times in the examining room at the orthopedic surgeon’s office.  I decided to pass the time with a variation of my praise through the alphabet by mentally singing hymns and praise songs through the alphabet.  For example, “Amazing Grace,” “Better is One Day,”  “Good Christian Men Rejoice.”  I realized that for many of the songs that came to mind I only knew the lyrics in part.  It made me think of the scripture I chose for today.  And It also made me think of the angels in heaven praising God around the throne.   Rev. 7:12 NLT - They sang, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen."  One day we, too will sing this praise and we will know all the words!

Our morning prayer comes from Colossians 3:16.
Heavenly Lord, Please let the message of Christ dwell among us richly as we teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to You with gratitude in our hearts.

Blessings,
Paige

Tuesday’s Musings: In Need of Renewal? USED

Modified and used 8-6-20

Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

I think I may have finally killed the Easter cactus in my office. I forgot to water it.  Last night before I left the church I put it in the sink and drenched it hoping maybe it would come back like the resurrection fern does. This fern grows on trees and can get brown and dry but when after rain it becomes lush and green once more.  Sometimes our lives get dry.  Our spirits lag. We hope for renewal. 

There are many ways to do that.  Tony Bennett sings a favorite song with a suggestion: “When you feel as low as the bottom of a well
Can’t get out of the mood
Do something to perk yourself up
Change your attitude
Give a tug to your tie
Put a crease in your pants
But if you really wanna feel fine
Give your shoes a shine

When there's a shine on your shoes,
there's a melody in your heart,
With a singable, happy feeling,
What a wonderful way to start to face the world every day.”

Coldplay pleads: “Where do we go? Nobody knows I've got to say I'm on my way down God give me style and give me grace God put a smile upon my face.”

Loving God, today we pray that you put a smile on our face.  We ask you help to bring us renewal of health and spirit.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Blessings,
Paige

 

 

Tuesday’s Musings: In Praise of Moderation

Proverbs 17:27 (NLT)  A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

Yesterday while at physical therapy I heard my therapist James tell the person next to me how to exercise her leg,  He said, “ You want to move enough to activate but not to irritate.”  I thought that was good advice for many parts of our life including our faith. When we get over enthusiastic about something we may not stop to ask the proper questions.  Is this scripture interpretation correct?  Should I have a second helping of potatoes? Can I really afford this?  Should I pass this juicy gossip along?  It is good to be enthusiastic about life but let’s remember moderation.  We want to activate things that will bring benefits to us but not go overboard and cause irritation.

Holy God, teach us how to balance enthusiasm and moderation.  We ask your guidance through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Have a blessed day,
Paige

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’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