It seems to have been one of those weeks. Where if it could have gone wrong it went wrong. And not only that, it went horribly wrong! And yet, I reach the end of the week, alive still breathing and walking on my own two feet. Maybe not so willingly, but I did make it. That seems to be the important part. The part that is so easily forgotten in our day to day activities. Once again, we made it. Made it through our own personal trials and tribulations. To come out the other side. Whole. Alive. Breathing. Walking. Maybe a little tattered. Tired. Beaten. But, look at us we made it.
Its not so much about what we have done that has gone wrong. Its not even so much about what we have done that hasn't gone wrong! Its about learning to walk through each day (or each moment) as it comes and say "Yes. I can do this no matter what, and if I can't I sure as hell won't go down without a fight." And we come out the other side. Alive. Breathing. Whole. Walking.
Today, I am thankful for this realization. After a week of hitting brick walls. I sit and realize. I made it. I may not have liked it. But, I made it. I pulled through. Yes, somewhat tattered. A little worse for wear maybe. But. Here I am. Whole. Alive. Breathing. Walking.
And I thank you God for the part you had to play in that. ~Amen
A young Pastor was making a home visit to an elderly parishioners who had not been well.
He was surprised when he arrived at how small, un-kept, dirty, and run down her home was. It was clear that this woman had neither the means nor the energy to keep up her home so therefore was letting it decay around her.
Throughout the visit, the young pastor allowed himself to become distracted by the untidy living space, the cracked and stained tea pot that he was offered tea from and the dirty and dusty windows rather than focusing all his attention on the lady he was visiting.
Time dragged by for the young man but eventually the visit drew to a close. Before he left he offered to pray with the parishioner, agreeing the old lady drew close (and her stench almost made the young man pass out) taking both his hands in hers and said.
"Yes, but let it all be Praise"
All too often we allow ourselves to be distracted by negative elements around us. Although not always physically evident as in the above story the distractions are still present in our everyday lives. We have a daily choice then to make... we can allow these distractions to over power us and become all we see; or we can look beyond the dirt and the grime and see the sunlight and hope beyond.
For without Hope, without light, without praise, what do we have?
I pray that you find an opportunity today to look beyond the dirt and grime and see the glimmer of sunlight and hope that lie beyond...
Lord, Help us remember the opportunities we have in our life be thankful. Help us look beyond the dirt and the grime in not only our physical lives but our spiritual lives and see the warmth of your love that lies beyond. Remind us of your present and steadfast love, especially in those days where we feel everything is against us. Help to show us the reasons in our lives that we have to give our Praise. Also, give us the Hope to move beyond today and into tomorrow with the promise that in all things your Love and guiding hand will surely be present. Let it be Praise Lord... Let it be Praise. In Jesus Name, Amen
And I wonder... Why must we class people according to WHO they are within the world?
Particularly our world within the Church?
AND why have we created a world within the Church? When it is the world OUTSIDE of the Church that needs us the most. Is it not our duty to represent what IS the Church... no... what is CHRIST to the world that does not KNOW Christ??
So why has the question "Who are you?" (Who are you IN the Church, Who are you TO the church? etc....) Become so important??
Should it be?
Who are you?
Who am I?
Who am I in the Church?
Tonight I was asked this very question.
"Who are you?"
.... "I wish to know WHO you are to the Church. To OUR church (as in our denomination and diocese)"
With out pointing out what was happening through this question I hope you can see it. And I PRAY that as Christians who's work it is to NOT segregate the "regular" Joe's from the "clergy" or "people of the church" but rather see us all as ONE BODY in Christ through Christ and of Christ.
Never. Never, should anyone be made to feel less important within the Christian community OR the WORLD because of their satus (or lack there of) ESPECIALLY within our Church.
Remember who you are.
Who are you?
"I am a disciple of Jesus Christ learning through the Anglican tradition."
For we are ALL connected through the disciple-ship of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
3Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
4His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
5Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
6Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:
7Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
8The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:
9The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
10The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
7 Days of Pslam 146 - Day 2
I am taking a course that will span over the next 6 weeks focusing on praying the psalms. My first class was this past Monday evening our homework for the week was to choose a Psalm from a list handed out at the end of class and pray that psalm for the next 7 days. Arbitrarily I chose 146.
By the end of the week I should have prayed this psalm at LEAST twice a day (so 14 times). And at least two different ways each day. Then, based on inspiration from the Psalm I am to write my own prayer revolving around the theme of 146.
I issue a challenge this week to all who read this.
Take it up if you wish...
I challenge you to take 5 mins out of each of your day to set aside for one of these thoughts.
1) What does baptism mean to me? More importantly what does my baptism mean to me? 2) If I were to wake up one morning and be told that my baptism were to expire the next day what would I do? Would I get it re-newed? If so, why? What is the "deep spiritual meaning" to that decision, or is there one? 3) Does being a baptised Christian make me a different person? Does it affect how I act, think and talk? Why? or Why not? 4)What do I do in my everyday life to show the outside world (both Christian and non alike) that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ through baptism? 5)How do I show the outside world that I am "branded" by the Holy spirit through baptism?? 6) How do I show that I Belong to Christ? Through actions? Words? Symbols? And,How do I show this Lovingly... 7) How does that 'Brand' affect me? Has it changed me? Will it change me?
"I sign you with the cross, and mark you as Christ's own for ever" (Book of Alternative Services - Anglican Church of Canada)
If you wish to share your thoughts please do. But the point of this exercise is for that of personal growth and awareness.
May each and everyone of you be blessed each of your days... today tomorrow and everyday that follows.
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