Happy are they…

“Happy are they who put their trust in you” ~ Psalm 84: 12

Why is it that we have so many anxieties (and not nearly enough serenity?) Pastor Roger Greene share some thoughts about this HERE. Putting our trust in God is difficult and yet peace-inducing.

POTENTIAL ACTION: “Take a moment right now to ask God to liberate you from the false idols asking for your trust. Ask God to reassure you that putting your trust in God is enough and the only road to less anxiety.” ~ A Cure for Anxiety – Pastor Roger’s blog posting

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!


Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 1, 2020:


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Oh Lord We Bless Your Name…

“Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul.” ~ Psalm 103:22

Oh Lord We Bless Your Name is a song by Pastor Gregory Chandler, Jr. and performed by The Chandler Family. You can have a listen HERE. It’s a wonderful composition with vocals that lift praise and honor.

As we begin the Lenten journey while enjoying this earth and all God shares with us, may we find activities to take up to make a positive difference in our world. In the Cincinnati area, Pastor Gregory Chandler, Jr. is founder of Whole Again, an important non-profit group working to alleviate childhood hunger in the Cincinnati area {more on this group and possible actions in the months ahead…}

Enjoy the day while lifting praise to God, filled with the Spirit!


Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 1, 2020:


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Altruistic Egoism…

Altruistic Egoism. Now, that’s a mouthful!

How about “When you give of yourself to others you get so much more in return?”

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” – –  we heard this one 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.

Our mom not only says the words, she also “walks her talk” (at age 86 she’s still mighty active in the community!) Not only does she bless, she is blessed and grateful.

Many churches encourage their folks to “Take Something On for Lent.” Most of the time, pictures of those shown helping others include smiles and expressions of joy. Another bonus of altruism is that brightening of one’s own day!

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

ACTION: As we ready for the start of Lent, 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 Sunday, February 23, 2020:


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We SHALL Overcome…

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

The song “We Shall Overcome” suffers “copyright confusion”, with roots in Cincinnati, Ohio according to THIS source and yet SongFacts says differently HERE.

While not knowing Charles Tindley nor Louise Shropshire nor Pete Seeger, maybe the important thing to them would be 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 hopefully please all three!

ACTION OPPORTUNITY: Listen to these songs one right after the other to focus on the messages and hear the similarities

PRAYER: Dear God, 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?  🙂  ]

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 Sunday, February 23, 2020:


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Teach Us To Number Our Days…

“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

~ Psalm 90: 12

Our Daily Bread has THIS devotional about Slowing Down Time. If you’d prefer, you can listen to it HERE.

Does the pace of life seem faster these days? Just because we CAN move faster, does it need to be that way?

PRACTICE: Think of one thing you can do today to spend more time abiding with God. An extra Help, Thanks and/or Wow prayer? A song to hum or sing? A fresh look at creation? Listening to nature?

PRAYER: God, in the hours ahead, help my awareness of your world and our time spent together to increase.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!


Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 23, 2020:


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Live Like That…

Joys of efforts with Christian Playbook postings include getting songs and stories from readers, including my precious family members.

On this Valentine’s Day, what if we could recklessly share love with the whole world at a Christ-like level?

“If love is who I am
Then this is where I’ll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back”

The lyrics above are taken from the song Live Like That by Sidewalk Prophets. My brother Thad mentions that this is his aspirational “theme song” with inspiration music as well. It’s HERE for your listening pleasure and is also on the Christian Playbook “All Year Long” playlist HERE.

PRAYER: Creator God, as we continue living on this Valentine’s Day and in the days ahead, may we continue finding more opportunities and varied ways to love recklessly in Christ-like manner.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!


Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 16, 2020:


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RFK on a difficult day…

“Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.” ~ Aeschylus

On a very difficult day – one of many in 1968 – Robert F. Kennedy gave THIS impassioned speech in Indianapolis. Bobby spoke about Martin Luther King  Jr.’s goals and about furthering understanding, compassion and love even upon Martin’s death by assassination. Kennedy’s comments resonate today relating to the United States and our globe:

“What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred;  what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but love, and wisdom, and compassion towards one another, feeling of justice toward those who still suffer…” ~ Robert F. Kennedy

PRAYER: Creator, stir in us your wisdom, compassion and love so that ACTION in the midst of sacred anxiety might be our goal.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Another wise man seeking to reunite the nation (remembering his birth 211 years ago)

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 16, 2020:


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A Beautiful Day…

Tonight the Oscar Awards show is on. The wonderful actor, Tom Hanks, is a nominee as Best Supporting Actor portraying Mister Rogers. This show is a 3 hankie movie for those who have that penchant for crying.

One of the many powerful scenes includes these lines

“I would like you to pray for me. Will you pray for me?”  ~ Mister Rogers

Fred Rogers was an inspiration to children of all ages, including politicians, writers and more. The movie A Beautiful Day tells of one adult, Tom Junod, who was transformed by the task of writing a 400 word magazine article about Mister Rogers. In the closing words of his article [that was thousands of words OVER the 400 word limit] come these power ones:

“… and now this was it, the missing word, the unuttered promise, the prayer I’d been waiting to say a very long time.

‘Thank you, God,’ Mister Rogers said.”

~ closing of Tom Junod’s article “Can You Say…Hero” in the November, 1998 edition of Esquire

Mister Rogers lives on in positive ways through the lives of millions…

SUGGESTED PRAYER: Thank you, God

SUGGESTED ACTION(S):

  • When you have 30 minutes to invest, read Tom Junod’s article
  • When you have 2 hours to invest, watch the movie A Beautiful Day

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!


Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 9, 2020:


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Here and Heaven…

Years ago, Chris Thile showed incredible physical and musical energy racing along the Tall Stacks stage in Cincinnati. He shares spiritual energy and imagery in the song Here and Heaven, co-written with Aoife O’Donovan. The music video HERE is wonderful, especially with its introduction, showing the “tuning up” necessary…

The harmonies, instrumentation and lyrics (HERE) share a wonderful tale that stirs the soul.

…With an arrow and bow and some seeds left to sow
we are staking our claim
On ground so fertile we forget who we’ve hurt along
the way

and reach out for a strange hand
to hold someone strong but not bold enough to
tear down the wall…

~ lyrics from Here and Heaven song

Each of us will likely take away different meanings from the lyrics and the song. Could this involve the wall between Here and Heaven? Can we reach out to strangers for help and to help? Is the strong, strange hand imagery for the Creator?

May we continue to recognize the fertile ground we encounter each day as we continue in our own winters, springs, summers and falls…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!


Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 9, 2020:


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Challenges to “organized religion”…

In a note about the CP post on MLK Jr. Day, brother Andy referenced “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” (link to the letter in its entirety HERE.) It’s a compelling response to the regional clergy’s letter, where among other things they suggest to Dr. King:

We further strongly urge our own Negro community to withdraw support from these demonstrations, and to unite locally in working peacefully for a better Birmingham. When rights are consistently denied, a cause should be pressed in the courts and in negotiations among local leaders, and not in the streets. We appeal to both our white and Negro citizenry to observe the principles of law and order and common sense.

Among his responses, Dr. King mentions

Maybe again, I have been too optimistic. Is organized religion too inextricably bound to status-quo to save our nation and the world? Maybe I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ecclesia and the hope of the world.

What injustices come to mind in your community or a specific geography with relevance to you? May we continue working with organized religion where possible, and with our human community-at-large to “demonstrate” in ways consistent with justice.

We close with this prayerful/hopeful commentary from Dr. King’s letter:

“Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.”

Amen!

Enjoy the day, filled with the sacrificial Spirit!


Dark clouds…
Radiant light !

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 9, 2020:


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