After a month of Monday references, maybe you feel like you know just about everything you’d ever want to about Fred Rogers? Today is the last of the July Mondays so we’ll conclude this segment with a little story…

Our family had a man in our lives who emulated Fred Rogers (or maybe Fred emulated Uncle Bob?) Here are some of the ways:

• “Let the little children come unto me” – when in the company of adults and children, it was more likely that Uncle Bob would be found with the kids playing turtles, car dealer or some other fun activity
• Jesus, gentle and mild – soft spoken and deliberate like Mister Rogers, Uncle Bob was an easy person to be around
• Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – when a new person came into his presence, Uncle Bob wanted to know a little something about that person (or an update from the person if he already knew her/him)

Our family was blessed by this Mister Rogers-like person in our lives. Praise God for the ministry and life of Jesus and Fred Rogers (and Uncle Bob!)

ACTION: Think back to your own childhood. Can you think of a person who had some of the same Mister Rogers behaviors? Is there one of those positive behaviors that could become even more part of who you are? If you feel like it, please send along (to salong.now @yahoo.com) a quick story for possible use in a future Christian Playbook posting

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 5, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:13a and Psalm 51:1-12
• Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 and Psalm 78:23-29
• Ephesians 4:1-16
• John 6:24-35

The Christian Playbook Daily Prayer Audio theme for Wednesdays is World. There are so many opportunities to pray for our world leaders, including the UN Security Council and UN Secretary General.

Give a listen today HERE (5-6 minutes in length.)

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 29, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 11:1-15 and Psalm 14
• 2 Kings 4:42-44 and Psalm 145:10-18
• Ephesians 3:14-21
• John 6:1-21

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” ~ John 1:9 NIV

Monday devotionals in July will continue to highlight “missionary of the month,” Fred Rogers.

In her book, The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers**, Amy Hollingsworth says: “Jesus transformed the question ‘Who is my neighbor?’ into the directive ‘Be the good neighbor.’ If there is a central biblical theme to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, this is it. … His (Mister Rogers’) definition of neighbor was simple: the person you happen to be with at the moment – whether that person is a Samaritan, a hermit bearing gifts, or a television viewer.”

In the Super Wednesday program at our church, the saying was “everyone is a child of God.” This helped the participants young and old stay grounded in the idea that we should do unto others as we would have them do to us. When that happens, the light gets a little brighter and the love a little stronger. Now, who reading this devotional today wouldn’t like a little more love shared with her/him?

ACTION: Share love with an unlikely neighbor this week, possibly someone you don’t even know! 🙂

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

** pp. 77-78

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 29, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 11:1-15 and Psalm 14
• 2 Kings 4:42-44 and Psalm 145:10-18
• Ephesians 3:14-21
• John 6:1-21

The Christian Playbook Daily Prayer Audio theme for Fridays is Friends & Family. This is particularly appropriate since the Cline Family Reunion starts tomorrow, with many family members already “on the road.”

Give a listen today HERE to the Friends & Family Prayer Audio (5-6 minutes in length.)

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 22, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 7:1-14a and Psalm 89:20-37
• Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Psalm 23
• Ephesians 2:11-22
• Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

“And so, for me, being quiet and slow is being myself, and that is my gift.” ~ Fred Rogers

Monday devotionals in July will continue to highlight our “missionary of the month” Fred Rogers, and his words here resonate:

“It seems to me, though, that our world needs more time to wonder and to reflect about what is inside, and if we take time we can often go much deeper as far as our spiritual life is concerned than we can if there’s constant distraction. And often television gives such constant distraction – noise and fast-paced things – which doesn’t allow us to take time to explore the deeper levels of who we are – and who we can become.” ~ Fred Rogers, as quoted in the book The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers by Amy Hollingsworth, p. 3-4

Mister Rogers talks about the distraction of television at that time. In our 21st Century world, not only are we dealing with television, but also Facebook, Instant Messaging, SnapChat, Instagram and many other technological distractions.

If we’re not careful we can become “human doings” instead of human beings. Mister Rogers encourages us to go much deeper in our spiritual life.

The Christian Playbook also encourages that “slow down” approach. With that slower pace and a focus on devotionals, prayer, song, study and love, maybe we can become more Christ-like in our daily actions?

ACTION: When in your day can you take “time to wonder and to reflect about what is inside?”

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 22, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 7:1-14a and Psalm 89:20-37
• Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Psalm 23
• Ephesians 2:11-22
• Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The Christian Playbook Daily Prayer Audio theme for Thursdays is Thanksgiving.

Give a listen today HERE if you have a minute (okay, really 6-7 minutes.)

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 15, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 and Psalm 24
• Amos 7:7-15 and Psalm 85:8-13
• Ephesians 1:3-14
• Mark 6:14-29

Monday devotionals in July will continue to highlight “missionary of the month,” Fred Rogers.

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was a visual and auditory example of love for children of all ages and is preserved in numerous ways including:

• Neighborhood Archive is a treasure trove of indexed episodes, describing Fred Rogers talking about love in so many situations. Check it out! 🙂
• HERE is a video Top 10 summary of Mister Rogers (12 minutes of wonderful memories of this television missionary.) His commentary on complicated subjects was important: on death (forward to 6:50 on the video); on racial tensions (forward to 7:42 on the video) and many more…

While his direct missionary efforts ended with his death, his messages are still with many people who experienced this man in person and on the television screen. Reminds us just a little bit of another loving person who had this kind of influence, even without the benefit of television? Thank you, Mister Rogers, for showing us how to be a little more Christ-like in all we do!

ACTION: When in a difficult situation this week, perhaps think to yourself WWMRD: “What Would Mister Rogers Do?”

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 15, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 and Psalm 24
• Amos 7:7-15 and Psalm 85:8-13
• Ephesians 1:3-14
• Mark 6:14-29

After the famous “Turn, Turn, Turn” wording that starts off Ecclesiastes 3 are some appropriate verses being used today during a celebration of life:

I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

Along the lines of Ecclesiastes 3:13, a family motto has become carpe diem – “seize the day.”

According to wikipedia.com, “… a more literal translation of carpe diem would thus be ‘pluck the day [as it is ripe]’—that is, enjoy the moment.”

I like that reference – – – “as it is ripe.”

The lives of two women dear to our family will be celebrated today. We remember them as women willing to be joyful and doing lots of good for their family, friends and even for strangers. In fact, they worked hard to “fully ripen” situations so that others could enjoy them.

So perhaps, in thinking of Christian actions for today:  may we honor the memories of Yvonne, Sue and so many other “ripeners” in our world by being ripeners ourselves!

PRAYER:

Dear God,

this we do pray,

that on this day,

carpe diem we say,

and ‘ripen lives’ along the way…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 8, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 and Psalm 48
• Ezekiel 2:1-5 and Psalm 123
• 2 Corinthians 12:2-10
• Mark 6:1-13

We turn to Guideposts for this Fourth of July perspective HERE.

May we treasure this country and the ability to practice whatever faith we choose. Praise God!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 8, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 and Psalm 48
• Ezekiel 2:1-5 and Psalm 123
• 2 Corinthians 12:2-10
• Mark 6:1-13

Missionaries come in a variety of shapes, sizes, ages and genders. We generally think of them as traveling to a foreign land with people possibly needing a lot of convincing.

With this perception in mind, one of the least likely missionaries might be a television personality. Yet, who has had more impact over his lifetime than one Fred Rogers?

PCUSA has Mister Rogers in the spotlight in the July 2, 2018 Mission Yearbook of Prayer. There are so many wonderful stories that we’ll devote multiple posts to aspects of his ministry.

At the close of the Mission Yearbook article above comes this statement: “The filmmakers end with Rogers telling his listeners that when the world seems so bad they should ‘think of someone who has helped you.’ ”

ACTION: Think of someone who has helped YOU.  Go, and do likewise…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 8, 2018:

• 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 and Psalm 48
• Ezekiel 2:1-5 and Psalm 123
• 2 Corinthians 12:2-10
• Mark 6:1-13