Monthly Archives: November 2024

Gratitude in the midst of shadows…

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In tumultuous times, Diana Butler Bass provides “A Word of Hope” HERE.

We need this now, just as we needed it during the confluence of 2020 pandemics and two years prior when she wrote the post. One key message that Diane points out:

“… Well, we’re not thankful for any of this. 

Instead, we can be thankful through it…”

Diana goes on to share some commentary about what we can do in the midst of challenging times. Finding effective ways to strengthen our inner selves and share our outer selves is important.

Great is God’s faithfulness. Just typing the words brings back memories of the song and an inner stirring in hearing it sung in a slightly different way…

May we all find ways to be grateful for the day, filled with the Spirit!

“A Prayer: I want to change. I want the world to change. Fear and division exhausts me. Exhausts us. We cannot live this way. Make me an instrument of gratefulness. Guide me to the way of mercy and love that leads to peace; That I may guide others to abundant life. For the sake of healing my own heart and healing the world.” ~ Diana Butler Bass

P.S. Thanks to Forward Day By Day for their post HERE that helped prompt this posting

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, November 24, 2024:

Know someone who might like receiving messages like this?**  If so, forward this message to them and they can sign up HERE

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
  • accept a Call to Action item from Season of Peace devotional posting

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

DISCIPLE PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically. Included now is a grin-inducing New Bible Reading Plan (Pearls Before Swine)

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

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

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Veteran’s Day traditional posting …

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On Veteran’s Day, it’s a Playbook tradition to review pictures of family veterans in uniform…

Does one look a little “out of place?”

Brother Andy was stationed in the country of Togo, West Africa in the Peace Corps in the mid/late 1980s. Why make that choice? He and so many other veterans have shared the love of the American people worldwide by “working side by side with local leaders to tackle the most pressing challenges of our generation” ~ (taken from the Peace Corps mission statement)

Isaiah 2:4 mentions “beating our swords into plowshares.” In Togo, they did that quite literally by instructing the people to plow with oxen (in addition to teaching them math, English and engaging in many other worthwhile activities!) Whatever the role, it is tough work for the Peace Corps volunteer and the people in-country they work with daily. The result? Even 30+ years later, these Peace Corps volunteers are recognized and welcomed with open arms (I had the pleasure of experiencing these greetings first-hand in 2009 – – many Togolese thought I was my brother! )

We are blessed to have people willing to serve in such ways in the Peace Corps!

Could we say a lot about the blessing of what our military personnel have done for us, including Uncles Jack and Fred (pictured above?) Absolutely! Yet, it’s likely you’ll get a chance to read a lot more about military folks, so we’ll leave it here for today.

ACTION: Let’s honor and remember our veterans today in one or more ways such as

  • trip to a park or cemetery where a veteran’s memorial exists
  • attending area events honoring veterans – men, women and more (animals in K9 corps and others)
  • watching a show in a war setting
  • watching videos of Peace Corps volunteers sharing experiences HERE

PRAYER: God, we are blessed to have military veterans and currently-serving personnel who hopefully ultimately have made and are making our world a more peaceful place. We are equally blessed to have Peace Corps veterans and volunteers working for a more peaceful world. We remember and honor their efforts and sacrifices for such peaceful long-term priorities. Strengthen and support all of them – and us – in our roles of becoming better peace-makers worldwide! Amen.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, November 17, 2024:

Know someone who might like receiving messages like this?**  If so, forward this message to them and they can sign up HERE

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
  • accept a Call to Action item from Season of Peace devotional posting

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

DISCIPLE PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically. Included now is a grin-inducing New Bible Reading Plan (Pearls Before Swine)

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

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

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip

Who are your influences?

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Have you spent time lately reflecting on those individuals who have been particularly important influences in your life, and how they live on in you?

Maybe today is the day for such an activity? It’s a wonderful exercise! [for those in the U.S., we get an extra hour for such activity with “fall back” in Daylight Savings time! 🙂 ]

In this “All Saints Day season,” encouragement for such reflection is reinforced in worship, scripture, devotionals and more. Particularly powerful is this from Henri Nouwen – “Turn Your Mourning Into Dancing” – including these inspiring sentences: 

“In their absence we can develop a new intimacy with them and grow. We even can become more like them and fulfill their mission in life until the day comes that we too have to leave so that our spirit can stay with those we love. In this way mourning can slowly turn into joy, and grief into rebirth.”

And lest such a season lead to sad thoughts … let’s schedule gatherings with those loved ones still living. Who knows what will result in such times? Perhaps some new “spirit can stay” times for us and/or them…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit !

P.S. for those from the MWPC community, some reminders of dear influences like Lee Davis, Dick Yund, Cliff Reeder and Jane Wiseman are links HERE

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, November 3, 2024:

Know someone who might like receiving messages like this?**  If so, please forward this message to them and let them know they can sign up HERE

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: These times will likely find large numbers of families looking for nutritious food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to assist 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
  • TAKE ACTION using an item from this Season of Peace devotional posting

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

DISCIPLE PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically. 

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

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

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip