PEACE IN THE STORM

“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but my loving kindness will not be removed from you, and my covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord who has compassion on you.” - Isaiah 54:10

Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.
The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled. As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner. The man who organized the contest uncovered the last painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace?
A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice. The crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power. A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil.

I rest beneath the Almighty's shade, My griefs expire, my troubles cease;
Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed, Wilt keep me still in perfect peace. - Charles Wesley

~ Rev. Phill

Darkness and Light

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9: 2

Advent is a time of waiting. Sometimes we are tempted to rush into Christmas with angels heralding, and shepherds oooing and awing over a cute little baby.

But we are to wait, to hold back our joyous celebrations until Christmas day. Each year, the time changes and the darkness descend upon us earlier and earlier in the evening. We are drawn back to our homes, hoping we left the porch light on.

Recently, I met my husband and son for dinner after our middle school aged son got out of school at 4:30. We got to the restaurant and enjoyed a lovely dinner honoring the veterans of our country’s military. As we left the restaurant an hour and half later, it was dark, dark, dark! We drove home under the comfort of street lights that began to disappear as we got closer to our home. We arrived at home and the porch light was not on. IT WAS DARK!

Huddling close together, clutching our packages from the day, we moved quickly to the front door, and inside the house. Our first act upon opening the front door is to turn on a light. We could not stand the darkness any longer.

As Christians, we are like this in our journey to Christmas Day when we can celebrate the birth of our Savior. Our journey is in the darkness of the world, as we await our Savior’s arrival both as a baby and as the reigning King of Kings. We need to take time in the dark nights to reflect upon our Christian journey and how we share the hope we have in Christ with those around us. People are clamoring for hope these days. The world is a bleak, scary place but we Christians know God is faithful always and calls us to be faithful too.

Our hope is in the Risen King who once was an innocent baby born into a dark world. Sometimes, we need the darkness to remind us of the hope we have in the Light of the World.

~ Rev. Cindy

A matter of human dignity

http://www.umc-gbcs.org/atf/cf/%7B689fea4c-8849-4c05-a89e-c9bc7ffff64c%7D/FAITH%20LEADERS%20STATEMENT%20ON%20HEALTH.PDF

A MATTER OF HEALTH...A MATTER OF WHOLENESS

"Today health care reform has become an urgent priority, with many Americans
fearful about the health care they now hold and more than 45 million lacking
coverage altogether. Rising unemployment, underemployment and a decline in
employment benefits have deprived many more of health care. The health of our
neighbors and the wholeness of the nation now require that all segments of our
society join in finding a solution to this national challenge.

"...Learn to do good, seek justice; rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan,
plead for the widow." Isaiah 1:17
"...Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Matthew 22:39
"...Ye who believe! Stand up firmly for Allah, witness to justice...be just,
that is next to piety." Qur'an 5:8

Our diverse communities of faith -Jewish, Christian and Muslim- are each shaped and
guided by our respective sacred texts which compel us to speak out on behalf of the
most vulnerable members of our society. Today that means making comprehensive
and compassionate health care reform an urgent priority so that all of our neighbors,
especially the people living in poverty, children, and the aged, can be assured of the fullness of life that is central to the holy vision of a beloved and peaceable
community.

No longer can we afford to squander the hopes and dreams of the American people
through a much-too-costly system that contributes to economic despair. Families
and individuals must be able to rely on affordable care in times of illness or accident and preventative care to safeguard health and well-being. Those who are ill need the assurance that coverage will not be canceled by illness or employment
circumstance. They should also be afforded the dignity of selecting their own
caregivers.

Today we pray, each in our own custom, for discernment, boldness, clarity and
leadership in each segment of our society so that we may find the resolve to achieve
health reform worthy of this land. As we together pursue this vision our direction is
certain-it is toward the common good. The prospect of high-quality, affordable
health care for everyone is a measure of our wholeness as a nation.

We pray that our best minds and kindest hearts might be joined in this effort so that
all men, women and children will have the health care they need to live the lives for
which they were created. We stand ready to give our support and energies to its
achievement."

Rejoicing in Walking

For some reason today I have been hanging out on the world-wide-web looking through listings of shoes. As I looked through the various pictures I found an assortment that I would so love to add to my wardrobe and my closet. Most of them would be for work, but some would be for play and to wear on those "just because" days. Check these out - do you see yourself in any one of them? This pair of zebra print shoes makes me think about my "wild" side and the adventures I am looking for each day!


How about these purple pumps? They strike me as the perfect pair for a reward after I have lost the last ten pounds of my diet! That day is getting closer and this may be the perfect incentive. Besides, I know they will look pretty good on me and my personality would really show them off to their full advantage. :)





There is a whole rainbow of colors to choose from on ebay, amazon, and other websites. Prices range from minuscule to the ridiculous! There are conventional choices also - basic black, brown, gray or white. Styles vary from boots, sandals, pumps, and loafers, to espadrilles, sneakers, loafers and ... the list goes on. In other words, there is something for every personality and every taste.



The shoes in the pictures are more to me than fabric and leather or "man-made materials". They are a reflection of the people who wear them. What I really see when I look at a pair of green plaid pumps, or a yellow polka dot pair of flats, or those metallic red peep-toe shoes is the unique person God has created me to be. I see my quirks and my gifts, my talents and my faults in the colors and in the simplicity of the basic everyday. And every once in awhile I will meet someone with that same pair of shoes on and we will have an instant connection. This makes me wonder what other people see when they look at me.


Does someone see me and see a person that loves the Lord? Or do they see someone that talks about the love of the Lord but walks away from someone in need? Does my demeanor reflect my true heart or do I withhold Christ's love from others? As I put my shoes on each morning, I can only pray that whoever I meet throughout the day will see the joy of God's salvation on my face and in every step I walk as I try to follow Him.


"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." ~ Isaiah 61:10

Justice, Mercy and Calling

Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.
- Isaiah 42:5-9

I had lunch today with a woman who I hope to count among the people I will call “friend”. As we talked about her thoughts for the future and my reflections on the past I was awed again by the hand of God on my life.

Years ago I dreamed of being in the criminal justice profession – just not the way I am doing it! Today God is using me for ministry to the incarcerated, their families and the victims of crime. The work that I am doing now seems so inadequate yet I can see God's mighty works being done through my feeble attempts. Through these years God has truly held my hand and guided me through the trials and joys of life! How can I do anything less than offer him my simple attempts and my open heart?