My brother turns 55 today (happy birthday Thad!) It seems fitting to celebrate Thad with a devotional website he recommended to me years back.

Rick’s commentary on goal-setting (a topic Thad likes) is HERE and includes two major focus questions:

• Will my goal honor God?
• Is my goal motivated by love?

Seems our personal goals can focus this way, but over a business career, my goals rarely involved answering either of these two questions affirmatively. However, as Rick suggests, can virtually all of our goals – both personal and professional – be framed for positive response on honoring and loving? The challenge is to examine the issue fully and frame it appropriately. And isn’t that what we want to do with most of our Christian life?

ACTION: Ask yourself these questions from Rick’s devotional: “What goals have you set for yourself for this year? How do they hold up under these two questions?”

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, March 4, 2018:

• Exodus 20:1-17
• Psalm 19
• 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
• John 2:13-22

Altruistic Egoism – that’s a mouthful!

How about “When you give of yourself you get so much in return.”

That’s more like it. 🙂

Jesus shared plenty of words and examples of altruistic egoism including Luke 6:31. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is the one we heard regularly from our mom while growing up. It did (and does) resonate within me, helping the Spirit move me to do some things outside my comfort zone. She is a great mom and human being – not only does she say the words, she also “walks her talk” (at age 84 she about as active as she’s ever been!) And not only does she bless, she is blessed and grateful.

During Lent, our church is encouraging folks to “Take Something On for Lent” and on 2/25 they’ll be hearing from me about altruistic egoism. There will be pictures of folks helping others on the screen. Guess what. Most of the time, those pictures show helpers smiling and engaging with others. Another bonus of altruism…

PRAYER: Dear God, help us to remember about loving another the way we want to be loved…

ACTION: What can you “take on this week” to help another? Allow the Spirit to stir you to move outside your comfort zone if you can…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, February 25, 2018:

• Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
• Psalm 22:23-31
• Romans 4:13-25
• Mark 8:31-38 or Mark 9:2-9

Increasing the physical aspect of prayer by incorporating ideas from this Praying with Icons article is intriguing. Jim Forest encourages finding icons for use in prayer. As one who has evolved to praying with eyes open and head upraised at varying times since the late 70s, these sentences are particularly noteworthy:

“Because icons are physical objects, they serve as invitations to keep our eyes open when we pray.” ~ Jim Forest

“The icon exists to help connect you.” ~ Jim Forest

As an extension of this thinking, maybe the fact that some of us wear crosses during the day are an icon for us? Even if worn underneath the clothes, the sense of touch rather than the sense of sight can be a way to connect us. And maybe Pocket Prayer Shawls do the same?

ACTION: Consider finding an icon for some physical connection in prayer. Try some of the practices Jim Forest mentions in his article or come up with a few ideas of your own. If you have some “aha” moments, please COMMENT below – it’ll be fun to share some thoughts.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, February 25, 2018:

• Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
• Psalm 22:23-31
• Romans 4:13-25
• Mark 8:31-38 or Mark 9:2-9

Worship at MWPC was blessed a few weeks back when our chancel choir shared the song Make This Church A Welcome Place. You can hear another choir’s rendition – with choral score and lyrics – HERE. In addition to the overall concept of making our churches welcome places, the song lyrics also resonate with those of us “taking on” activities for Lent:

“Reaching out to others, serving both great and small”

“in our words and through our deeds, knowing you will meet our needs”

POTENTIAL ACTIONS:

• Think of a few members of your worshipping/spiritual community and send along the song link above. Maybe it’s an opportunity to brainstorm actions to make your community an even more welcome place?
• To whom can you reach out to this week and “lighten life?”

PRAYER: Dear God, in our week ahead, strengthen us to reach out with complete confidence that you will meet our needs in ways we cannot even begin to understand.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, February 18, 2018:

• Genesis 9:8-17
• Psalm 25:1-10
• 1 Peter 3:18-22
• Mark 1:9-15

On this Ash Wednesday, Carol Cook Moore’s prayer is worth a read. It is HERE.

Take time with each phrase. There are many wonderful lines including

“We grow tired eating fear as our daily bread”

and

“… for in receiving you, we will find the path that leads through the wilderness to life everlasting.”

During this Lenten season, may we allow ourselves to

• “quit eating fear”
• “NOT grow weary reaching for justice”
• embrace and investigate the mysteries of our faith, resulting in stronger spiritual selves!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, February 18, 2018:

• Genesis 9:8-17
• Psalm 25:1-10
• 1 Peter 3:18-22
• Mark 1:9-15

Born 209 years ago, Abe Lincoln was a master at injecting humor. Many of us believe that Jesus Christ, like Lincoln, was pretty good with a tale and a grin.**

Lincoln used material from many sources. In his book Jesus, Man of Joy, Sherwood Wirt writes…

I cannot help believing that Artemus Ward, Abraham Lincoln’s favorite humorist, was reflecting the mind of Christ when he told the Pharisees of his day, “Your religion is small pertaters, I must say. You air in a dreary fog all the time, and you treat the jolly sunshine of life as though it were a thief, drivin’ it from your doors by them pecooler noshuns of yourn.” ***

Seems like a good idea to stay away from any such pecooler noshuns that allow dreary fog to overcome the jolly sunshine of life… In our religion and life in general, let’s go about sharing the Joy of Christ!

Along those lines, HERE are “humorous bulletin blunders” to enjoy  (with apologies to religious office staff members everywhere who usually get the material right!) Here’s one, as a teaser…

The Associate Minister unveiled the church’s new campaign slogan last Sunday: ‘I Upped My Pledge – Up Yours.’

Have a great day, filled with joy, humor and the Spirit!

** In his book The Humor of Christ, Elton Trueblood says “We do not know with certainty how much humor there is in Christ’s teaching, but we can be sure that there is far more than is normally recognized.” (Preface, page 10)

*** Topical Encyclopedia, no. 1139

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, February 18, 2018:

• Genesis 9:8-17 
• Psalm 25:1-10 
• 1 Peter 3:18-22 
• Mark 1:9-15

Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? ~ Job 2:10

During our devotional time, it’s sometimes comforting to hear stories and scripture instead of reading them. Our Daily Bread provides this service on a regular basis with their devotionals. As an example, the commentary “Praising Through Problems” is HERE along with the accompanying Job 1:13-22 scripture. The audio is a link on that site and is HERE for those who like to listen instead of – or in addition to – reading.

ACTION: This quote from the Our Daily Bread resonates: “Even at our lowest point, we can lift our eyes to the Lord.”  Consider taking a minute in prayer right now and during that time literally lift your eyes and enjoy that feeling of praising God in the midst of whatever joys and concerns you are experiencing.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, February 11, 2018:

• 2 Kings 2:1-12
• Psalm 50:1-6
• 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
• Mark 9:2-9

“We shall overcome – deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Abe Lincoln was known to say something along the lines of: books serve to show man how unoriginal his thoughts are… “The song “We Shall Overcome” suffers “copyright confusion” a little akin to what Lincoln says, with roots in Cincinnati, Ohio according to THIS source and yet SongFacts says differently HERE.

The PBS American Masters program on Woody Guthrie describes the evolution of many songs Woody did as relating to what he heard in the camps he was visiting during difficult times. So how much of Woody’s tunes and lyrics are truly his own is perhaps a bit contentious? Yet we can celebrate the beauty of the music and how it transforms us to those times.

While not knowing Charles Tindley nor Louise Shropshire nor Pete Seeger, my guess is that the important thing to them is that this song endures with some of the principal musical and lyrical messages they wanted to share. The fact that the civil rights movement could use it effectively and many others now have this in the public domain for use whenever they wish would probably please all three!

PRAYER: Dear God, as we go throughout our days, may we worry less of credit, and focus more on praise!  Amen.  [Is this prayer a Christian Playbook original or do we need to give credit elsewhere? 🙂  ]

ACTION: Listen to these songs one right after the other to hear the similarities

• I’ll Overcome Someday – Charles Tindley version
• If My Jesus Wills – Louise Shropshire version
• We Shall Overcome – this is a 1967 version by Pete Seeger in Berlin with a rather heart-catching additional verse about Montgomery Alabama and “We are Not Afraid TODAY!”

How can you help another overcome this day?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

“BONUS FEATURE” – check out THIS 8 minute video that includes more background on If My Jesus Wills and includes a wonderful performance of “If My Jesus Wills/We Shall Overcome” arrangement by Berens and performed by the Classical Roots Community Mass Choir, Greater Cincinnati Indian Community Choir, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra led by conductor John Morris Russell.

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, February 11, 2018:

• 2 Kings 2:1-12
• Psalm 50:1-6
• 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
• Mark 9:2-9

The website SimpleLivingWorks looks interesting…they have lots of resources plus articles like this one on “What Might a Prophet Look Like?” That article includes the comment “Although lifestyle ministry is largely prophetic – urging and equipping people of faith to walk their talk – it focuses on two of the five Life Standards** of “Living More with Less” – “Do Justice” (#1) and “Non-conform Freely” (#5).” The author then shares 9 activities she/he is performing in support of these two Life Standards.

Reading such articles and summaries makes one pause and consider how as Christians we live a lifestyle that promotes justice. There are many actions possible. May the Spirit move each of us to show love with new and “more just” actions this week!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

** While I haven’t heard of the Five Life Standards, this Jubilee Economics website post suggests…

“The Five Life Standards, the essence of voluntary simplicity, are detailed in Doris Janzen Longacre’s book, Living More with Less (now available in a 30th Anniversary edition):

• Do Justice
• Learn from the World Community
• Nurture People, Not Things
• Celebrate Responsibly
• Nonconform Freely”

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, February 11, 2018:

• 2 Kings 2:1-12
• Psalm 50:1-6
• 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
• Mark 9:2-9

If God is your co-pilot, switch seats

Many in southeast Cincinnati (and elsewhere!) have high regard for Pastor Roger Green from St. Timothy’s Episcopal. A dear friend forwarded Roger’s “When Our Own Resources Come to an End.” blog post. Roger’s remarks really resonate – here’s one quote to tantalize you into spending an extra couple minutes reading the whole thing (HERE)…

When life breaks down, we have two choices: We can either redouble our efforts to put our lives back together again and pretend the breakdown never happened. Or we can realize that we are not self-sufficient and need help from a source greater than we are. If we choose the second path, we begin a journey into a way of life full of a new-found freedom.

Roger mentions several specific “life breaks down” moments. For many of us, life breaks down each and every morning when we don’t begin it early on with a little Christian activity: prayer, Bible reading, song, devotional readings, …

POTENTIAL ACTIONS:

• Find a time during the day when it’s commonplace for you to make a decision on your own. Stop. Take a pause. Ask God to “switch seats” with you for a moment. Where do you feel led? [NOTE: this may not work the first time, but it’s sure fun to try!]
• Interested in a song today? HERE is a song by Michael Card called “God’s Own Fool” When have people said about you “s(he) must have been out of her(his) mind!”

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, February 4, 2018:

• Isaiah 40:21-31
• Psalm 147:1-11, 20c
• 1 Corinthians 9:16-23
• Mark 1:29-39