It is a very chilly morning with constant breezes. The temperature is 59 at the moment. As I sit enjoying my coffee, the sound of the waterfall, the chimes, and feeling the breezes, I am in prayer for all those cleaning up from Hurricane Harvey and those being affected by Hurricane Irma. I also think about those affected by the fires in Oregon, Washington, and Montana. My thoughts also go to the immigrants in our country with the Dreamers Act. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.
There are many things I'd like to write about, but my focus these days is finishing my ordination paperwork. I spent three hours on Monday morning working on it and am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, with meetings every week for Nominations for Charge Conference (I serve three churches), that takes time too. I am fasting from all college and NFL football until I get the ordination paperwork done. That might not seem like much to some people, but I like football. I follow my college alma mater, Georgia Southern. I follow UTC (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) where I taught (and try to make a home game or two), I follow the Dawgs-- GO GA! When it comes to NFL, I'm primarily a Broncos fan, but I do enjoy the Atlanta Falcons too. That's the one pro game I've been to, while in high school and we (our band) played the half time show for the Falcons vs the Redskins. You can see that abstaining from college and pro football will motivate me to manage my time well.
I also want to get the paperwork done so I can focus on my anniversary blog post. My 7 year anniversary of blogging was September 3rd. Each year I write an anniversary blog post with statistics and reflections, but that takes time. Time that I need to put into my ordination paperwork.
So, what am I doing writing this morning, you ask?
Devotional reflecting.
Last Thursday I felt led to share "Be still and know that I am God" with a group of ladies as a devotion because that thought got hold of me during the day and didn't let go. Then I shared it with someone else on Friday. Then I kept living into it, as I have been for the past 10 years now. As I've noted over and over again, it is a life-long lesson for me. What God put on my heart last Thursday for me and for me to share has had a ripple effect into the kingdom and a ripple effect into my life. I continue to see pictures on my feed from past years of "be still".
That reminded me that we are to share with others what we learn. That's part of the benefit, the purpose, the reason, the blessing, etc. of community. We build one another up, we encourage one another, we share with one another, we hold one another accountability, we love one another, we pray with and for one another, we forgive one another, we extend grace to one another.
Last night's District Clergy/Pastor meeting was centered around remembering our baptism. Literally. The baptismal shell (on loan from Ginger Isom) was in the middle of us and we were seated around it. I only took a close up of the awesome shell. But it would have been neat to see the set up too, because truly, our identity in Christ and our calling as children of God is at the center of who we are. We are God's children. God had called us into relationship and whether we said yes or someone said yes on our behalf until we were old enough to say yes in confirmation, the relationship is there.
If I can get the liturgy that we used last night, I will share it. It was good.
Meanwhile, here are pictures of the shell and the altar. The altar was beautiful. I later realized I had blurred my picture. I didn't do the artist, Jodie Ihfe, justice with the picture. She has created altars for us in the past for District meetings and I'm glad she used her gifts and graces in this way. I'm reminded of 2 year Academy and 5 day Academy altars and am blessed.
Peace and blessings on this day. May you remember that you are loved, cherished, beloved, and have purpose and meaning in this world. Make some time to "be still and know".
Blessings on your journey,
Debra
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