More on my journaling with Lectio Divina ....
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Journaling Through My Latest Book...
More on my journaling with Lectio Divina ....
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
A Million Thanks
For the past several days I have been writing a lot about Gratitude. I've written about the benefits of living from an attitude of gratitude, and that it is basically a Biblical truth! A few weeks ago I stopped in Shelbyville to visit with a young woman from the church who owns and manages a very classy Formal Wear and Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio called Elegant L . As I was leaving, I noticed a small bookstore across the street, The Alabaster Box and discovered a small book...about gratitude and expressing that gratitude.
On the back of this book, A Million Thanks, it reads:
This book tells the story of Shauna's achievement and it inspired me to share it with the boys and girls from my church during a children's message a few weeks ago. I gave them paper and asked them to write a thank you to a soldier, and that when we got several ready, we would send them to the troops we currently send CARE Packages to several times a year.
Last week I asked the kids how many letters they thought we could collect. One little boy going into first grade boldly suggested 300 while another little girl thought we could collect 400 letters. These kids don't have a concept of 300 - 400 letters. : )
Since my conversation with the kids on Sunday, I have continued to think about Gratitude, A Million Thanks, achieving something bigger than you dream, taking a daring step...
Boggstown Presbyterian Church is a small congregation in a small town. The town, Boggstown, has a population of 350-500 people. The church has a membership of 120 and it has around 35-40 kids! Not bad for a small town church! While these kids are an exceptional in the things they do in school, athletics, 4-H...I've been thinking how I might help them see that when we reach out and invite others in ministry with us...we can accomplish even bigger things!
I don't think it is unrealistic to set a goal of 1000 letters (actually, I would like to set a goal of a number over 2000, but I'm afraid they might throw their hands up, thinking I have finally gone off the edge.)
Boggstown PC will be celebrating its 180th year of ministry in October of this year. Sunday, I am going to continue talking with about having a goal of having A LOT of letters ready to be mailed to our military men and women by Homecoming. If any of you have suggestions for a target number...I'm listening!
I'm also going to ask for your help. If you are willing to write a letter to a soldier, expressing gratitude for their serving our nation...perhaps telling him/her something in particular you are thankful for that is partly due to the willingness of men and women in our military, now and in years past and then send it to Boggstown, Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 144, Boggstown, IN 46110.
It would be great if you asked your children or your grandchildren to write a thank you and maybe draw a picture of something they love...a blessing for which they are grateful. You can see from the examples, these letters don't have to be fancy.
You might wonder what the response has been from the men and women who receive these letters of gratitude. A few examples:
"It is very uplifting for us when we hear stories about people back in the US that are going out of their way to support us, both at home and while we are forward deployed."
"Thank you for your kindness and support. I really appreciate all of the words and prayers that I receive."
"It never stops to amaze me how there are people like you back home, dedicating your time and efforts in appreciation to soldiers deployed overseas."
As I have read through Rupp's book and now Wierderkehr's, I have gained a greater appreciation that when a small group of people put out positive energy into the universe, it does nothing but ripple out in ways we can never know. I have a drop off center for these letters about 100 miles from my home. My hope is to take several large boxes to this location after BPC's Homecoming Celebration in October.
I know not everyone who is following along with me on this journey lives in the United States...but I am willing to bet that regardless of where you live, you have service men and women serving your country...away from their friends and family and that these people would be equally as pleased to receive a simple thank-you.
I will admit to thinking about writing this post all day and thinking of reasons why I should forget it! Yet, this evening, as I am ready to hit "publish"....I feel good about my decision of using my thoughts of gratitude and blessing...and then doing something to be a blessing to others.
I'm not sure if I will keep you posted in this blog, or create another page...I'll see if the church gets any letters!
A song by Ray Boltz has been filling my heart as I've written this post:
Thank You! I am blessed to have the resources to ask for your help in helping the Boggstown congregation make a few ripples of gratitude!
Many Blessings ~ Sandi
On the back of this book, A Million Thanks, it reads:"In March 2004, high school freshman Shauna Fleming invited 1,100 schoolmates to join her in "A Million Thanks," a campaign to collect and distribute one million letters of appreciation to current and past military men and women at home and overseas. Within six months, she received the one millionth letter. Since then, she has raised her goal to 1.4 million letters, one for each member of the U.S. armed services."
This book tells the story of Shauna's achievement and it inspired me to share it with the boys and girls from my church during a children's message a few weeks ago. I gave them paper and asked them to write a thank you to a soldier, and that when we got several ready, we would send them to the troops we currently send CARE Packages to several times a year.Last week I asked the kids how many letters they thought we could collect. One little boy going into first grade boldly suggested 300 while another little girl thought we could collect 400 letters. These kids don't have a concept of 300 - 400 letters. : )
Since my conversation with the kids on Sunday, I have continued to think about Gratitude, A Million Thanks, achieving something bigger than you dream, taking a daring step...
I don't think it is unrealistic to set a goal of 1000 letters (actually, I would like to set a goal of a number over 2000, but I'm afraid they might throw their hands up, thinking I have finally gone off the edge.)
Boggstown PC will be celebrating its 180th year of ministry in October of this year. Sunday, I am going to continue talking with about having a goal of having A LOT of letters ready to be mailed to our military men and women by Homecoming. If any of you have suggestions for a target number...I'm listening!
It would be great if you asked your children or your grandchildren to write a thank you and maybe draw a picture of something they love...a blessing for which they are grateful. You can see from the examples, these letters don't have to be fancy.
You might wonder what the response has been from the men and women who receive these letters of gratitude. A few examples:
"It is very uplifting for us when we hear stories about people back in the US that are going out of their way to support us, both at home and while we are forward deployed."
"Thank you for your kindness and support. I really appreciate all of the words and prayers that I receive."
"It never stops to amaze me how there are people like you back home, dedicating your time and efforts in appreciation to soldiers deployed overseas."
I know not everyone who is following along with me on this journey lives in the United States...but I am willing to bet that regardless of where you live, you have service men and women serving your country...away from their friends and family and that these people would be equally as pleased to receive a simple thank-you.
I will admit to thinking about writing this post all day and thinking of reasons why I should forget it! Yet, this evening, as I am ready to hit "publish"....I feel good about my decision of using my thoughts of gratitude and blessing...and then doing something to be a blessing to others.
I'm not sure if I will keep you posted in this blog, or create another page...I'll see if the church gets any letters!
A song by Ray Boltz has been filling my heart as I've written this post:
Thank You! I am blessed to have the resources to ask for your help in helping the Boggstown congregation make a few ripples of gratitude!
Many Blessings ~ Sandi
Journaling Through My Latest Book...
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Pause - Pray - Gratitude
Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough. ~ Garrison Keillor
I have continued to think about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as I have celebrated the Fourth of July with my family and friends this past weekend and the more I have reflected on the notion of "pursuit" the more hopeless it sounds!
I have talked before about my favorite devotional book, Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young. Yesterday I smiled even bigger as I read the devotion for July 4.
Who said an old dog can't learn new things?
Which would then have happiness pursuing me!
All of this brings me around to the news tonight regarding the Casey Anthony trial. My first reaction was outrage, but then I stopped...I paused...
I don't know what the jurors heard to have come back with four not-guilty verdicts, yet, I am not Casey Anthony's judge. I decided I can be grateful that we have a system in this country that is supposed to be just. Is it perfect? Absolutely not, yet I am blessed to live in a country with such a system.
I realized I can choose to become knotted up with anger, like I have heard some doing, or I can choose to believe that God will work this out! I can learn from this case, and when/if I am called upon to serve on a jury again, I will do my best to be totally present and to listen with an open heart.
Before coming to these decisions, I turned to scripture, to see if I could discover something that would help me with the anger I had when the news came across the radio. The danger with looking for verses is that one can find a verse to justify nearly anything one might want to justify! I know this all to well. As I opened my Bible, I asked for Spirit's guidance as I began reading. I discovered two verses from James 1:11-12:
~~sigh~~ Sometimes this path toward spiritual and emotional maturity is difficult. I am beginning to appreciate that when I pause and turn to prayer, the emotions of my inner Demon, that want to rise up in me, are quieted. Ummm!! That brings me back to the question "Can I hold both gratitude and fear/anger at the same time?"
Lord, it is so easy to "react", but I have learned the hard way when I react, it is often from my gut rather than my head or heart. Thank you for helping me to pause today. God, help me to pause in the future so that I might respond as you would have me respond rather than reacting with the emotions of my inner demon. When I listen to your voice...your voice of truth...I can respond from a place of less anger and fear. Praise God!
Casting Crowns...The Voice of Truth
One more picture of the four little people who bring such joy to my heart!
Many Blessings ~ A Grateful "Giz"
 |
| My four grandkids that always bring a grateful smile to my heart. |
I have talked before about my favorite devotional book, Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young. Yesterday I smiled even bigger as I read the devotion for July 4.
"When you worship Me in spirit and truth, you join with choirs of angels who are continually before My throne. Though you cannot hear their voices, your praise and thanksgiving are distinctly audible in heaven. Your petitions are also heard, but it is your gratitude that clears the way to My Heart. With the way between us wide open, My blessings fall upon you in rich abundance. Practice praising and thanking Me continually throughout this day."The greatest blessing is nearness to Me - abundant Joy and Peace in My Presence.How cool is that! "...your gratitude clears the way to My Heart..."
Who said an old dog can't learn new things?Something else that occurred to me this weekend, I THINK it would be impossible to feel both the positive emotion of gratitude AND at the same time feel a negative emotion like fear or anger. I don't have scientific research, so I can't state this as fact. It is something I hope to pay attention to. If this is true, that I can't hold both fear and gratitude, then gratitude births other positive feelings like joy, love, hope, compassion...and happiness!
All of this brings me around to the news tonight regarding the Casey Anthony trial. My first reaction was outrage, but then I stopped...I paused...
I don't know what the jurors heard to have come back with four not-guilty verdicts, yet, I am not Casey Anthony's judge. I decided I can be grateful that we have a system in this country that is supposed to be just. Is it perfect? Absolutely not, yet I am blessed to live in a country with such a system.
I realized I can choose to become knotted up with anger, like I have heard some doing, or I can choose to believe that God will work this out! I can learn from this case, and when/if I am called upon to serve on a jury again, I will do my best to be totally present and to listen with an open heart.
Before coming to these decisions, I turned to scripture, to see if I could discover something that would help me with the anger I had when the news came across the radio. The danger with looking for verses is that one can find a verse to justify nearly anything one might want to justify! I know this all to well. As I opened my Bible, I asked for Spirit's guidance as I began reading. I discovered two verses from James 1:11-12:11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
~~sigh~~ Sometimes this path toward spiritual and emotional maturity is difficult. I am beginning to appreciate that when I pause and turn to prayer, the emotions of my inner Demon, that want to rise up in me, are quieted. Ummm!! That brings me back to the question "Can I hold both gratitude and fear/anger at the same time?"Lord, it is so easy to "react", but I have learned the hard way when I react, it is often from my gut rather than my head or heart. Thank you for helping me to pause today. God, help me to pause in the future so that I might respond as you would have me respond rather than reacting with the emotions of my inner demon. When I listen to your voice...your voice of truth...I can respond from a place of less anger and fear. Praise God!
One more picture of the four little people who bring such joy to my heart!
Many Blessings ~ A Grateful "Giz"
Journaling Through My Latest Book...
Even though I have not been journaling on the book, I have been more aware...I have "chewed" on thoughts, insights, images, words in new ways. I have discovered, and I am celebrating that I am bringing Lectio Divina into my life.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
The Pursuit of Happiness
I sometimes think "New Age" Spirituality likes to believe it is "new", yet, it often says the same message I find within Scripture. Life - Love - One - Universe....it is all the God of our Holy Bible!
This weekend, we in the United States will be celebrating "freedom", yet, true freedom is found within God.I discovered a video that reiterates this in another way. I Am Grateful video...
We will be having a semi-patriotic service during worship later this morning. I always struggle with how to handle national holidays in the context of worship. But this year, while at the Big Tent Event, I was blessed with an idea!
Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica saying, We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ....Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3; 5:16-19)
I thought about our Declaration of Independence and how we are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights and among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Yet, Paul said to give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit and in "my" mind that sounds different than pursuing happiness.
Think about it....
Have you ever been able to "catch" happiness?
Thinking about this, and have come to the conclusion that I can choose to live from an attitude of gratefulness, and when I do, then happiness, love, joy, peace...will pursue me.
It goes back to some of the thoughts and insights I journaled from The Cup of Life and A Tree Full of Angels. It is being aware and paying attention. Later this morning I will ask the congregation, "To thank God for allowing me to be alive." We will move on to silently thank God for our friends and our family, our homes, food on our table...
Remember reading about Maslow's hierarchy of needs? We all have needs, to be alive is to have needs, yet, living in the Western World, I already have far more of my needs satisfied than a huge majority of the rest of the world. So, what gets in my way?
Going back to Paul's letter to the Thessalonians he first thanked God for the faith of the Christians in Thessalonica and then at the end of his letter he said, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit."
When I choose to view the world through my PURSUIT of happiness, I am quenching the Spirit within me that wants only for me to experience happiness. Pursuing happiness is getting all that "I" believe will make me happy. Yet, when I rejoice always...give thanks in all circumstances... Then, happiness will pursue me. When I live from an attitude of gratitude, regardless of my circumstances, happiness will pursue me and I will rejoice always!
Doesn't that sound great!
Do I have an "AMEN!"
Lord, forgive me for my grumbling, my worries, and my fears. Help me to open my heart to Spirit so that through the power of your Spirit, I will live from an attitude of gratitude and I will know happiness! AMEN.
Gratitude by Nichole Nordeman
Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...
We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain
Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...
We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread
Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need
So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case ...
We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessd beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace ...
But, Jesus, would You please ...
This weekend, we in the United States will be celebrating "freedom", yet, true freedom is found within God.I discovered a video that reiterates this in another way. I Am Grateful video...
 |
| A wordle of GRATITUDE. |
We will be having a semi-patriotic service during worship later this morning. I always struggle with how to handle national holidays in the context of worship. But this year, while at the Big Tent Event, I was blessed with an idea!
Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica saying, We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ....Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3; 5:16-19)I thought about our Declaration of Independence and how we are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights and among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Yet, Paul said to give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit and in "my" mind that sounds different than pursuing happiness.Think about it....
Have you ever been able to "catch" happiness?
It goes back to some of the thoughts and insights I journaled from The Cup of Life and A Tree Full of Angels. It is being aware and paying attention. Later this morning I will ask the congregation, "To thank God for allowing me to be alive." We will move on to silently thank God for our friends and our family, our homes, food on our table...
Going back to Paul's letter to the Thessalonians he first thanked God for the faith of the Christians in Thessalonica and then at the end of his letter he said, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit."
When I choose to view the world through my PURSUIT of happiness, I am quenching the Spirit within me that wants only for me to experience happiness. Pursuing happiness is getting all that "I" believe will make me happy. Yet, when I rejoice always...give thanks in all circumstances... Then, happiness will pursue me. When I live from an attitude of gratitude, regardless of my circumstances, happiness will pursue me and I will rejoice always!Doesn't that sound great!
Do I have an "AMEN!"
Lord, forgive me for my grumbling, my worries, and my fears. Help me to open my heart to Spirit so that through the power of your Spirit, I will live from an attitude of gratitude and I will know happiness! AMEN.
Gratitude by Nichole Nordeman
Send some rain, would You send some rain?'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...
We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain
Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...
We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread
Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need
So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case ...
We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessd beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace ...
But, Jesus, would You please ...
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