August 21, 2010

8-21-10 Saturday, 6:55 am Springfield, Baxter’s deck, 77 degrees, sunny, humming birds actively feeding.

Yesterday was strenuous. I just reread my morning prayer in this journal, and I am thankful that God did guide me in my sermon prep and in the preparation and leading the session for the PAUMCS meeting. I was very tired last night, simply coming home, pan frying some chicken, watching baseball, talking with my son on the phone, and then struggling to get enough gumption to get off the couch and head to bed. Today I have the Men’s breakfast meeting, then George will come home with me to look at my supply of walnut (he turned a couple of nice bowls for us from the Baxter walnut tree.) I have hospital visits to make, manuscript to write for sermon, exercise at the gym, tomatoes to pick in the garden, and early bedtime to garner strength for leading the church tomorrow.

It is a joy to be living in this age, at this stage of mid-life, at this house, in this faith community. Thank you Lord for your hand of blessing in my life.

I Cor 14:1-17 The apostle writes about using and desiring the spiritual gifts. He begins in verse 1: “Let love by your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives…” I had an interesting conversation at the Thursday funeral with a former Wesley member who was miraculously healed of pancreatic cancer in the 1980s. We discussed the reaction of her associate pastor, and other members as she began to emphasize a healing ministry. She has been worshiping in another faith connection for the last 20+ years. I desire to cultivate the expectation that God’s spirit is active through the “special abilities the Spirit gives” to the church. In the 1970s there was much controversy about the charismatic movement in the churches. This does not seem to be contentious today, but it could become so.

Job 1 – 3 Reading these chapters at the end of a week in which the church hosted 3 funerals in 5 days for church members in their 80s, 70s and 50s is remarkable. The verses 3:17-19 are poignant: “For in death the wicked cause no trouble, and the weary are at rest. Even captives are at ease in death … Rich and poor are both there, and the slave is free from his master.” Death is not necessarily the enemy. In our culture of medical science, it seems that death is fought at all costs. The hospice movement and care recognizes that at the right time, death is a friend.

Guide me Holy Lord today as I journey toward your eternal presence.