Labyrinth time at Hinton Center

After a 3 mile walk at the Chatuge Dam Trail with Riley's niece and her husband, I went by the Hinton Center to see if the gift shop was open. I wanted to get some more "Rev. Nevertheless She Leads" stickers. 

Alas, it was closed. I stopped by the office and gave my name, number, and what I was looking for.

Then I stopped by the labyrinth for a prayer walk. I never know what to expect when I enter a labyrinth. Today's journey was book-ended by two songs.

As I entered the labyrinth, the Keith Green song create in me a clean heart from Psalm 51 came to mind. I sang it all the way to the center. I threw out the sticks that had fallen on the path. I heard birds chirping and singing and an owl hooting.

Lyrics to Keith Green's song: 

Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me
Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me

Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord
And take not Thy holy spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

As I left the center, Spirit of the Living God was what accompanied me out. 

Lyrics: 

Spirit of the Living God 
fall afresh on me (repeat 1st two lines)
melt me, mold me, fill me, use me

I stopped to look at thecross and the stones on the way out. The angel caught my attention,  as did the words in the stones. 

Making time for the prayer walk was as good for me as the walk and talk with Riley's niece and her husband. 

Good stuff! 

Rev. Deb

Folding clothes with Pandora...

I took a paper-writing break to fold some laundry.  Not only did I need a mental break, I needed to physically change my position from being at the computer and writing/typing.  So, what better thing to do than fold laundry?!?  [I imagine we all could come up with answers, but it needed to be done!]

I didn't simply want to "fold laundry."  I wanted and needed a refreshing filling for my heart, mind, and soul during this "break" from thinking and writing.  [Who knew that folding laundry could be a "refreshing filling" in this way?!?!]

So, I took my smart phone with me into the laundry room, pulled up the Pandora application (app) and did a search for Keith Green.  Pandora is new for me.  I just started using it this month when I went for my first intensive weekend at Asbury.  I really hadn't gotten into before then.  But, I had heard mention of the "liquid minds" channel as something helpful for sleeping and thought that might be good for my travels.  And, so it has been!  So, today, I was fearful to use "liquid minds" for folding laundry with the rain still coming down outside.  I could see a nap rather than accomplishing folding.  But, then again, sometimes the most refreshing and spiritual thing one can do IS take a nap.

Not today.  I searched for Keith Green and found him.  Pandora gave me only one Keith Green song though.  Then, I heard, "Give me Jesus."  What was so odd about that was that this was the song that the students had chosen to sing this morning at Prayer at the Pole at Hixson Middle (in the rain this morning).  They used the Jeremy Camp version and sang along to the chorus.  The version that came up on Pandora was Fernando Ortega.  He sang the entire song.  His singing touches me.  Always has.  Whether it has anything to do with him being Hispanic/Latino or not, I don't know.  It might. He has been here in Chattanooga a couple of times in concert and I've been able to attend.  It is always worshipful.  Just like this afternoon.  Hearing him sing the song penetrated to my soul.

Folding laundry is one of those ordinary tasks in life.

However, there are ways in which the ordinary can become extraordinary and even sacred when there is an intentional focus in the midst of it.

Today, folding laundry was sacred for me.  It was a time of refreshing filling and rest. 

Unfortunately, I only got 1/2 of the pile folded (1 load full) and decided I should write about my experience.

Now, whether I get back to writing the paper or laundry folding or who knows what.... is yet to be seen.

But, for you, I have this video link of Fernando Ortega singing "Give me Jesus".

 

Jeremy Camp:

 

 

Lyrics:

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus, 

You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

When I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

May something along your journey go from "ordinary" to "extraordinary" and "sacred" today!

Blessings,

Debra

Ash Wednesday Service.... Ashes and Communion

I didn't know what to expect for last night's service.  An Ash Wednesday service can be different within the same denomination.  What I knew going into it was that 1) I wanted to be there because Ash Wednesday is one of those special days in the church calendar that I enjoy and 2) I have enjoyed many of the United Methodist Memes and other cartoons leading up to this day.

On the first point, I grew up in the Episcopal church.  We celebrated Ash Wednesday.  After graduate school, I taught my first year in a Lutheran school and attended a Methodist church on Long Island.  We celebrated Ash Wednesday at both.  I enjoyed the Lenten luncheons and devotions at church that year I was teaching at the school.  I'm not sure every church I've been in since has focused on Ash Wednesday, but I'm glad for those that do.

On the second point, I've seen cartoons where they show a pastor with a stencil cut out of a formed cross in his hand to put over the person's forehead so that he can get his cross just right. ☺  Having had the opportunity and privilege to put the ashes on folks before, I get that.  They can sometimes simply end up looking like smudges.

 

A United Methodist Meme I saw referred to drive through Ash Wednesday services and that they had gotten a little out of hand.  The picture was a car on the road kicking up quite a bit of grey dust.  Funny.  At least it made me chuckle.

There were quite a few people last night.  So many in fact, that the bread almost gave out during communion time.  That's a decent problem to have.  Because there were so many people, there was time and space for silence and reflection during the service-- both during the imposition of ashes and during communion.  During communion, there was some background worshipful music played.

The bulletin contained explanation and the associate pastor (Rev. Amy Nutt) began with some explanation too.  The pastor's (Rev. Rowland Buck) meditation ("Live Lent") on the passage from Joel was realistic in that, as he shared, you have to deal with where you are first.  The two main points were: know your place and know God's heart. 

Several things blessed me during this service. 

• Psalm 51.  That is always a powerful Psalm for me.  It was on the bulletin and we recited it.  I am always reminded of Keith Green's song, "Create in Me a Clean Heart" based on that Psalm. 
• I was blessed to watch my daughter have the ashes imposed upon her by the pastor.  All the youth were in the service.  That was truly a blessing.

• I was blessed to watch each pastor impose the ashes on one another. 

• I was blessed during the liturgy for communion.  As is typical, the words between the asterisks on the pages in the hymnal were fitting for the occasion.  As a visual learner, I would have liked to see them as well as hear them, but I did my best to enjoy simply listening to them.
• I was blessed to watch my daughter take communion from both our pastors. 

• I was blessed to take communion from them as well.  Usually they allow others to serve and are available for prayer, so it is a nice treat to have them serve.  Don't hear me wrong; I appreciate that they allow laity to serve and involve them in this way-- this is a beautiful and wonderful thing.  But, I also enjoy being served by them from time to time. 
• I was blessed to watch the pastors serve each other communion.  And, likely this was something that the pastor didn't even notice, but it caught my attention.  The senior pastor had been standing up on one step.  And, when the associate pastor was serving him, he stepped down.  It may have been simply a move to get closer to the elements.  But, I also saw it as a leveling out of things on a bigger playing field too.  Whether it was intended to be or not, it gave me a message of intentional teamwork and that rang true in my spirit.

These are my thoughts/reflections from last night's Ash Wednesday service.

It was a blessing and a beautiful beginning to the Lenten Season!

Debra

Create in me a clean heart.....

With the rains today and the many things going through my mind and life, this is the one thought that came to my mind when I took my shower this afternoon [my silence and solitude time]: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence O, Lord and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me."  As it came to mind, I was able to belt the Keith Green song out loud, much to my daughter's chagrin. ☺

For many years, this verse from Psalm 51 has been powerful for me.  When I was introduced to Keith Green in the 1980s, his song "Create in Me a Clean Heart" based on the Psalm 51 scripture became one of my favorites.

Here is a link where you can listen to Keith Green sing this song: Create in Me A Clean Heart.

The lyrics to the song are:

Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me
Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me

Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord
And take not Thy holy spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me
Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me

Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord
Take not Thy holy spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me
Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me

Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord
Take not Thy holy spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wherever you are on your journey, whatever is going on in and around you as you journey, these are words that are appropriate along the way. 

May you have renewed joy of salvation, a clean heart, and a right spirit within you.

Shalom!

~Debra

The Sponge... a faithful steward

Which sponge is more useful?  The one that is plump and moist or the one that is thin and scratchy dry?

The answer to that question may depend on how that sponge is going to used.  For most cases, a sponge works best if it already has some water soaked up in it, if it is moist, yet not overflowing with liquid.

A sponge isn't really helpful if it is soaking wet.  It cannot pick up any more liquid (ie the spilled milk, juice, etc.)  However, if you are washing dishes with it, it's okay for it to be overflowing with liquid.  The squishier, the better.  A dry sponge could be used to scrub off a difficult stain, but it would be more abrasive. 

Truly, the perfect sponge is one that has been soaked and squeezed empty, ready to soak up whatever spills have happened.

Why the thoughts on sponges?  And, is this a blog on cleaning?  (hehe. NO!)  Well, on my drive back home from the 2 year Academy, due to traffic, I had extra time to listen to CDs.  I popped in a Keith Green CD and it was because of Keith Green that I started thinking about sponges.

If you're not familiar with Keith Green, he is said to be the "father of Christian rock music".  I first heard of Keith Green from my first husband and will be forever grateful to him for that connection.  Keith Green's music is powerful, as was the book written by his wife Melody Green, No Compromise.

The song that got me thinking of sponges was this one: "Asleep in the Light" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em5gL0Rw4Aw&feature=related (Keith Green performing live from Estes Park, 1978)

Do you see, do you see

All the people sinking down

Don't you care, don't you care

Are you gonna let them drown

How can you be so numb

Not to care if they come

You close your eyes

And pretend the job's done

"Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord"

You know it's all I ever hear

No one aches, no one hurts

No one even sheds one tear

But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds

And He cares for your needs

And you just lay back

And keep soaking it in,

Oh, can't you see it's such a sin?

Cause He brings people to your door,

And you turn them away

As you smile and say,

"God bless you, be at peace"

And all heaven just weeps

Cause Jesus came to your door

You've left him out on the streets

Open up open up

And give yourself away

You see the need, you hear the cries

So how can you delay

God's calling and you're the one

But like Jonah you run

He's told you to speak

But you keep holding it in,

Oh can't you see it's such a sin?

The world is sleeping in the dark

That the church just can't fight

Cause it's asleep in the light

How can you be so dead

When you've been so well fed

Jesus rose from the grave

And you, you can't even get out of bed

Oh, Jesus rose from the dead

Come on, get out of your bed

How can you be so numb

Not to care if they come

You close your eyes

And pretend the job's done

You close your eyes

And pretend the job's done

Don't close your eyes

Don't pretend the job's done

Come away, come away, come away with Me my love,

Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

What made me think of the sponge were the words "keep soaking it in", "keep holding it in", "you've been so well fed"... The song struck a chord in me, reminding me that everything that I learn is to be given back.  In fact, everything I have is from God to begin with, I am simply a steward.  So, am I being a faithful steward of what I've been given--faith-wise, financially, educationally, giftedness, ETC.??  That is a question I must ask myself daily. 

It helps to know myself, my giftedness, etc.  What do I have to offer?  When I listen closely, I know those answers.  I have also taken spiritual gift inventories, DiSC inventory, Meyers-Briggs (a couple of times in my life), learning style inventories to know who I am and how I "tick" so that I can better know how I might give and work well with others in the Kingdom.

Soaking it all in for the sake of soaking it all in... and yet doing nothing with it is a sin.  Says Keith Green.  Says Jesus.  Jesus reminds us that the things we go through can be used to help others.  And, Jesus tells us to share what we have with others. 

So, will I be a sponge ready to serve?  I hope so.  I know there will be times when I'm being so filled up I'm going to need to be squeezed out in order to be ready to serve.  There will be other times when I'm dry and might can be used to get some really tough work done before I get filled up again.  At other times I might just be in the perfect "ready" position.  Regardless, I hope to be a faithful steward of all that God bestows upon me.

How about you?  How does Keith Green's song strike you?  How does the image of the sponge relate to you?

Blessings on your journey!  May you soak it in so that you may give it out!

~Debra