Monthly Archives: August 2023

Psalmtember is right around the corner…

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With August almost complete, that means Psalmtember is right around the corner…
 
What is Psalmtember, you say? Here’s a little about it:
 
No matter what, if you’d like to join, I encourage you to read the text of the whole Psalm each day, consider what emotions it stirs up in you, choose a medium that speaks to you, and make some art! Folks have painted, used ink, drawn with colored pencils, taken photographs, written haikus, and much more. Choose what stirs delight in you! If you want to use a hashtag, so we can all see what we’ve made, use #psalmtember2023. 
~ Marc Hong August 16th Facebook post HERE (or, scroll down to Tuesday, August 22nd post on the PC-USA Facebook site)
 
So, find the selected Psalm and the word Marc has selected for each Psalmtember day from the table HERE** (or use one of your own.) Now consider how that speaks to you artistically. Who knows where the Spirit might lead…

May you enjoy your one day at a time, filled with the Spirit! (and maybe a little artistic work too?)

** if that photo doesn’t post, you can see the table  at Marc Hong August 16th Facebook post HERE (or, scroll down to Tuesday, August 22nd post on the PC-USA Facebook site)

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, September 3, 2023:

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE

Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK

CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Including Creation (according to Non Sequitur) …  plus toonfever like this one:


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

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SONG: One Day at a Time…

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Many years back at New England Club (NEC) senior living residences, good friend and resident Margaret told Chapel Folk “you should learn and play the song One Day at a Time.”

None of us knew it. So, we checked it out.

With a wise and memorable chorus line – One Day at a Time – it’s been a favorite for almost 15 years during NEC worship services, especially with the chorus:

One day at a time, dear Jesus, That’s all I’m asking from You,
Just give me the strength to do ev’ry day
What I have to do;
Yesterday’s gone, dear Jesus,
And tomorrow may never be mine,
Lord, help me today,
Show me the way one day at a time.

Do you know this tune? First recorded by Marilyn Sellers in 1974 (have a listen HERE,) it won a DOVE award in 1975. In 1981, a rendition by Cristy Lane was #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

More on this song and its background is HERE as a Wikipedia post [and HERE – with hopes we can believe it – as a Facebook post…] The power of collaboration between mentor and student is always fun to see (in this case with Kris Kristofferson and his mentor)

May you enjoy your one day at a time, filled with the Spirit!

P.S. After doing this song a few times, an extra verse** has found its way into the NEC Songbook, reflecting a future-facing tone:

But it don’t hurt Lord,       if we think past today

Help us to think,               that we’re not on the brink,

showin’ kindness each day,

And if we do Lord,           Pass along your good grace

Maybe we make,     the actions folk take        

better day after day

Seeking rest while admiring God’s creation? Maybe it’s time for a field trip visit to a place with beautiful flowers?

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, September 3, 2023:

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE

Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK

CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Including Creation (according to Non Sequitur) …  plus toonfever like this one:


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

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Accepting God’s Rest…

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Accepting God’s Rest. Ahhh….a nice reminder of  the ‘ol Nestea Plunge commercials (like this one HERE)!

In the post from Sojourners HERE, we get some much-needed reminders of ways to accept God’s invitation to rest:

  • Use Transitions
  • Cleanse with Water
  • Remember Your Ancestors
  • Cultivate Relationships
  • Nap (and who can’t use one of those?)
Any of these resonate? If so, check out the full article to see many more good ideas.
 
May you enjoy your days on this beautiful earth, filled with the Spirit!

Seeking rest while admiring God’s creation? Maybe it’s time for a field trip visit to a place with beautiful flowers?

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 27, 2023:

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE

Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK

CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Including Creation (according to Non Sequitur) …  plus toonfever like this one:


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

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The earth is the Lord’s…Clothing Considerations

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“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ~ Matthew 6:28-29

With all the headlines about Climate Change, considering how we continue to make a difference as individuals seems important to continually highlight. CP has previously shared the earth.org listing HERE of 15 potential actions. That listing includes Support Sustainable Brands and provides links to ways of doing this. A little research can make a big difference when making such purchases.

Actions along these lines were further reinforced by a conversation the other day at a Green Umbrella event in Cincinnati. The topic of up-cycling clothes was discussed. The idea is to take old clothing – not necessarily suitable for someone else to wear – and use certain components for creating new clothing items.

One such creation place is Sew Valley.  If you’re a crafty sort in the Cincinnati area, perhaps you’ll be interested in their “sustainably focused garment factory, sample room and incubator space?” Plus, a website link to Textile Exchange provides some inspiring reading and possibilities!

Perhaps when hearing about such opportunities, some of us will clear closets of unworn clothing items and get them to folks who can re-use (find the local Goodwill or other store like it) or re-purpose components? Our closets will be happier and maybe that purging will also brighten our spirits all-the-more because we know of such Textile Exchange possibilities?

May you enjoy your days on this beautiful earth, filled with the Spirit!

P.S. the comic HERE was encountered that seems worthy of sharing  🙂

Seeking solitude while admiring God’s creation? Maybe it’s time for a field trip visit to a place with beautiful flowers?

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 20, 2023:

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE

Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK

CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Including Creation (according to Non Sequitur) …  plus toonfever like this one:


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

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SONG: “Now Thank We All Our God”

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“Now Thank We All Our God”

That’s reasonably easy to do when things are going well; not so simple in challenging days.

Imagine living in the 1600s, invaded by outsiders with many dying all around you due to plagues. Penning a song of thankfulness in the midst of such times would be a challenge. 

Benjamin Pratt shares some wonderful perspective of a 17th Century saint who did exactly that. In the article “Faith in a Pandemic: ‘Now thank we all our God’ ” (HERE)  we read of Martin Rinkart, a German Lutheran clergyman and author of hymns who endured much over a lifetime. Inspiring!

At the end of the article are these prayerful words that resonate:

“… May we remember those who will lose work and have no monetary cushion. When we cannot embrace our loved ones, let us seek new ways to be the a loving embrace of God to our neighbors. Amen”

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

P.S. Want to hear the song “Now Thank We All Our God”? One rendition is HERE

Dance of the Hummingbirds… See slideshow of antics HERE

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 20, 2023:

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items
  • share financial gifts and/or volunteer time with organizations helping alleviate childhood hunger. One such organization in the Cincinnati area (a CP favorite) is Whole Again (HERE)

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE

Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK

CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Including Creation (according to Non Sequitur) …  plus toonfever like this one:


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

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The Time is Short (cont’d)…Is Fruitfulness Calling?

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But this I say, brethren, the time is short. ~ I Corinthians 7:29

Did any AHA moments surface while thinking about Your Best, Last Day referenced in the last post? (HERE)
 
In yet another synchronicity moment, just two days after that Best Last Day post, the Henri Nouwen site posted We Are Called To Be Fruitful (HERE). Reading Nouwen’s prose provides some wonderful perspective on this journey we call life. Certainly not all is perfect, but sometimes those very cracks in our lives are the times when the grass grows because of the space made. Nouwen says
 
Precisely where we are weakest and often most broken and most needy, precisely there can be the ground of our fruitfulness. …
 
Just a little later the post finishes with
 
So you have to realize that you are part of that beautiful process, that your death is not the end but in fact it is the source of your fruitfulness beyond you in new generations, in new centuries.
 
“Death is not the end…” Having just passed two anniversaries of dear loved ones passing – one now of 21 years and another of 10 years – this really resonates. These two men live on in the ways that many of their “disciples” journey today – their love of life, teaching others, showing compassion, modeling honesty, sharing love and much, much more.
 
May we find in our own best last days those same opportunities to use our weakness for fruitfulness…
 
PROSPECTIVE ACTIVITY …  REALLY? AGAIN? If you haven’t started, maybe today offers that opportunity? If you began last time, perhaps it’s something you can continue thinking about today?
  • set a timer for 10-20 (or more!) minutes and spend that time thinking about the people you would want accompanying you on that Best Last Day, plus some of the activities. If you want some structure, the last two pages of the At the End document provide an approach for doing this [in viewable/printable form HERE**]
  • Now consider: which of these activities could you do today?
  • Why not live out selected elements of Your Best, Last Day now – and again, and again… –  well in advance of that very last day? 🙂

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

**  and downloadable as a Word format document HERE  by clicking the link  “AT THE END_BoaL_Burial_Service_Best Last Day“]

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 13, 2023:

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items
  • share financial gifts and/or volunteer time with organizations helping alleviate childhood hunger. One such organization in the Cincinnati area (a CP favorite) is Whole Again (HERE)

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE

Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK

CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Including Creation (according to Non Sequitur) …  plus toonfever like this one:


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

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The Time is Short (cont’d)…Why Not Live Your Best, Last Day Now?

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But this I say, brethren, the time is short. ~ I Corinthians 7:29

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.  ~ Psalm 23:5-6

After reading the I Corinthians 7:29 scripture, it seems wholly appropriate to re-post most of a

Pastor Lisa Bernheisel’s video link in the 2021 Christian Playbook post (HERE) was a valuable description of her cancer journey.

  • “Running from death” begins transforming to “dancing with death.”
  • Doesn’t that fit nicely with the imagery of the 5th and 6th verses of the 23rd Psalm?

One of the many legacies of Lisa’s life is CP inspiration based on that video. The result? Two new pages for the At the End section (HERE) in the Binder of a Lifetime.

In considering your life, how would you describe “Your Best, Last Day?” Reflecting on that  provides a joyful reminder of the gratitude each of us can experience, while dancing with life (and death.)

PROSPECTIVE ACTIVITY:

  • set a timer for 10-20 (or more!) minutes and spend that time thinking about the people you would want accompanying you on that Best Last Day, plus some of the activities. If you want some structure, the last two pages of the At the End document provide an approach for doing this [in viewable/printable form HERE**]
  • Now consider: which of these activities could you do today?
  • Why not live out selected elements of Your Best, Last Day now – and again, and again… –  well in advance of that very last day? 🙂

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

**  and downloadable as a Word format document HERE  by clicking the link  “AT THE END_BoaL_Burial_Service_Best Last Day“]

P.S. Any successful sharing of the Four Things That Matter Most from the last CP post?

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 6, 2023:

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items
  • share financial gifts and/or volunteer time with organizations helping alleviate childhood hunger. One such organization in the Cincinnati area (a CP favorite) is Whole Again (HERE)

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE

Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK

CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Including Creation (according to Non Sequitur) …  plus toonfever like this one:


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip