The Bigot’s Creed

Believe as I believe — no more,
no less;
That I am right, and no one else,
confess;
Feel as I feel, think only as
I think;
Eat what I eat, and drink but what
I drink;
Look as I look, do always as I do;
And, only then, I’ll fellowship
with you.

That I am right, and always right,
I know,
Because MY OWN CONVICTIONS tell
me so;
And to be right is simply this:
to be
Entirely and in all respects
like me.
To deviate a jot, or to begin
To question, doubt, or hesitate,
is sin.

Let sink the drowning man, if he’ll
not swim
Upon the plank that I throw out
to him;
Let starve the famishing, if he’ll
not eat
My KIND and QUANTITY of bread
and meat;
Let freeze the naked, too, if
he’ll not be
Supplied with garments such as made
for me.

‘Twere better that the sick should
die than live,
Unless they take the medicine
I give;
‘Twere better sinners perish than
refuse
To be conformed to my peculiar
views;
‘Twere better that the world stood
still than move
In ANY way that I DO NOT APPROVE.

(Author Unknown)

Who Am I?

That is a question that I am asking right now. And I simply don't know what the answer is, or will be.

I feel like I have disappointed my daughter - she wanted to make vacation plans with us and now our finances won't allow us to do this. I feel like I have added a burden to my hubby - he now has to carry the full financial support of our family. I feel as if I have let down the people of the church I serve - not being able to inspire and motivate and lead them into fully being the church. I know much of this is silly, but ... it's how I feel at the moment.

I feel as if I have disappointed God more than anything else - did I not love His people enough? did I not have the right attitude? did I try to do things in my will and not his?

These are questions I will wrestle with for awhile. And until I find the answers I am just going to rest in the assurance that HE knows my name and I am HIS.

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Bridge:
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
Cause I am yours..
I am yours..

(Lyrics by Casting Crowns)

Yes, Lord ... I am YOURS

Busy! Busy! ... Busy?

Found these quotes that describe my life at the moment. Can you relate?

“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” - Socrates ... and ...

“He who is too busy doing good finds no time to be good.” - Rabindranath Tagore

Then I began to think that maybe that wasn't what I was about, but more about how important the work I have been doing is. Then, I came across these quotes.

“If you're a preacher, you talk for a living, so even if you don't make sense, you learn to make nonsense eloquently.” - Andrew Young ...and...

“Preaching is effective as long as the preacher expects something to happen-not because of the sermon, not even because of the preacher, but because of God.” - John E. Hines

Those started me thinking again. I began to ask myself a few questions. I had to ask, aren't I working all these hours so God can say something to the people He has called me to serve? Do I trust Him enough to listen to what he says to me? Is what I am called to do what my life is for? Do I need to find a balance between what I do - my work, and who I am - my life?

“Among the works of man, which human life is rightly employed in perfecting, the first in importance surely is man himself” - John Stuart Mill ...and...

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." - Albert Einstein

In the midst of all the busy, I found my answers - to life, to purpose, to who I am. Praise God!

"He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’" ~ Luke 10:27

Finding Grace in Everyday Moments

I finally sat down and had a cup of tea today after having spent the weekend with a number of my sisters in Christ and two special brothers in Christ. Many of us came weary and burdened, full of the junk we carry in our lives. It was a long weekend filled with unloading baggage, and picking up pieces of our lives. I needed to spend some time in rest. So, I had a cup of tea.

In that cup of tea, I found a beautiful moment with my Lord and Savior. I found the rest and the peace I needed.

The Tea Cup

There was a couple that used to go England to shop in a beautiful antique store. This trip was to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups. Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked, "May we see that? We've never seen a cup quite so beautiful."

As the sales lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke up, "You don't understand!" it said, "I have not always been a tea-cup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me, pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, 'Don't do that. I don't like it! Let me alone,' but he only smiled, and gently said; 'Not yet!!'"

"Then. WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. 'Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!’ I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, quietly;’ Not yet.' He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then... Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door. 'Help! Get me out of here!' I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, 'Not yet.'"

"When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! 'Ah, this is much better,' I thought. But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Oh, please; Stop it, Stop it!!' I cried. He only shook his head and said. 'Not yet!'"

"Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering “What's he going to do to me next?"

"Later he handed me a mirror and said 'Look at yourself.' And I did. I said, ’that’s not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful!"'

"Quietly he spoke: 'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you.'"

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." ~ Matthew 11:28

On the Road Again ....

... just can't wait to get to get on the road again...

Did you know there are hundreds of songs that have been written about "the road"? How about the ever-popular: AC/DC – Highway to Hell? Or one from my late teen years: Bachman Turner Overdrive – Roll On Down the Highway? Most folks will remember the melancholy song by the Beatles – Long and Winding Road. The title of this post comes from a line in a song by Willie Nelson – On The Road Again. Do you remember swooning to the velvet voice of Ricky Nelson in "Travelin’ Man"?

And who can forget the ever popular ballad by Loudon Wainwright – Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road?

Most people accept and embrace the belief that life is a journey, and we see journeys as best-lived on roads. In today's modern world most communities have roads that are paved and designed for cars - not for walking. In fact, our communities have been designed to suit a lifestyle that requires the "convenience" of a car and are not able to be easily navigated on foot. As one author commented - try walking around sometime. No, communities are set up to be convenient for CARS. We've got drive-thru restaurants, drive-thru pharmacies, drive-thru convenience stores, and drive-thru car washes.

In the Bible we have a road story. It is also a story about love and a story about TRUTH. What is your story? Where are you on the road with the risen Savior? This weekend I am "on the road again" with friends and strangers building community and watching for time spent with my Lord. Hope to see you at the cross-road!


"Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem." ~ Luke 24:13

What a Day!

Did you know that today is a recognized holiday? It is "Cow Appreciation Day". Can you believe this? I found snippets online such as this:

"Yes, there really is a Cow Appreciation Day! There are even greeting cards for it and soon, if the planets align properly and musicians everywhere find their muse, there will be songs to fill the air. People everywhere holding hands and singing of their creamy goodness and buttery charms. But no hamburgers on this day -- no, no, no! Chicken and veggie burgers all around please! It's a celebration of cow eyes, warm noses, spots of black, white, brown, orange and gray -- and don't forget them udders! Calves everywhere swear by 'em, thank you!"

And then there was this:

"The humble Cow, a very unassuming animal, who instead of choosing an annoying sound to make, such as the "Cock-a-doodle-doo" of the common rooster or the "Get outta da way, you moron" of the Newyoahka, has chosen a soft, simple "Moo." In the far east, in ancient times, the Cow's moo was taken as the preferred mantra for meditating. Over the years, however, as people recited the mantra over and over, it ran together, so the younger students, instead of saying "Moo Moo Moo" were saying "oom oom oom.The simple Cow has even infiltrated our every-day language. How many times have you heard the phrase "What a cow!" or "Get a load of the heifer!" Two of the most popular sports in America are Cow Chip Tossing and Cow Tipping. The Cows *love* to participate in the sport of tipping. They know, of course, what is going on and enjoy every minute of it."

As I read these articles (and quite a few more!) I found myself chuckling at the lengths we go to find a reason to celebrate and rejoice. What a selfish people we can be! Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could find a way to just rest in the moment that God has created for us? This day? This week? This moment? I pray we can all find that place of peace.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to "National Raspberry Cream Pie Day"!:)

"This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalm 118:24