The Illinois heartland was my home. Cliff hailed from eastern Pennsylvania. We met at Goshen College http://www.goshen.edu/ in northern Indiana introduced by our mutual friend, Kristal. :)  Travel and week long stays with each other and, by default, our families was required in order to spend time together outside of school.

My first Christmas with Cliff's family was as his girlfriend not yet fiance'. Yep, awkward, intrusive, embarrassed-- you can imagine it. I was not looking forward to the family gift giving time; I was prepared to fade into the background as much as possible after receiving the presumed token gift.  What a shock when gift after gift was pulled from under the tree for me including a tan, solar pocket calculator from older brother Gerald which he chose himself! (OK, I've just dated this story!) The generous abundance and hospitality shared with me by the Wenger family that Christmas and many hence, created an atmosphere of acceptance, delight, and joy! 



Photo credit: Korinne Wenger-- Honduras

 This Sunday Brother Mick's message is "Twelve Baskets Full" recounting the overabundance of food after Jesus provided for the hungry people with loaves and fish in John 6:1-21. http://bible.oremus.org/. Although we don't know what happened to the overflowing baskets of pan y pescado, Mick will guide us in exploring some of the options.  http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/

Boston get ready! Alana and Michael are en route to their new apartment as they will be attending grad school at Emerson this fall.


Items for our August and September ingathering include 6 oz. toothpaste, bath towels, bar soap, and gently or new t-shirts (ladies medium or large; men's large) of any color which will be made into bags-- the food pac program will utilize these items when school resumes.  There are baskets in the foyer for which to place these things.

Prayer for today: Lord God, as we experience shifts and changes in our lives, help us to recognize the constancy of your love.  As we experience the storms and clouds of life, bless us with the light that is you. As we face doubts and indecision, guide us with your Spirit.  As we recognize your presence in all aspects of our life, help us to respond in humbleness and joy. Lord, fill us with your healing and hope that your mercy and grace will overflow, and the Good News that is you will cover a hungry world today. Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. AMEN.


Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too! 


Love and Light,
Carol

Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference!  Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend. "  jd

Out of Compassion

Is there any weariness greater than that of a mother after giving birth?  Her body is physically worn out from 40ish weeks of cradling and nurturing a life inside, perhaps while caring for other children.  Labor and delivery has taken her body to extremes that would bring humbleness to Shaun White (some of us even pulling muscles in our eyelids, of all places.)  HORMONES-- 'nuff said. Then she nurses that hungry little life who pulls calories and moisture from her being while latching  onto her breast so tightly she feels the chomp-down all the way  to her toes. Oh, the nighttime feedings, not just once, but sometimes 2-3X/night.. sigh... she hears the cry, takes a deep breath, throws back the covers, and stumbles out of bed to care for this needy, helpless little person.    (Let's hear it for husbands and grandmoms!) The morning arrives, and the first thought in her brain is, "I need a nap!"

Why do we do it? The love, of course! These little bundles of demand, I mean joy, are our responsibility, our DNA, our family. This is what we do, and hopefully, there are husbands and others around to offer assistance! The next thing you know, these little ones are grown up and getting married! :)

Although Mark 6:30-44 is familiar to me,  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%206:30-44&version=NLT this is the first time I related my experiences as a birth mom to this passage.  Perhaps the comparison is lost on you; perhaps you even find the comparison offensive for which I apologize. But it works for me.  Why did Jesus care for the throngs of people though he was desiring rest? Because he had compassion on the people; he loved the people; he felt responsibility. The disciple were not unlike husbands and grandmothers--the ultimate feeding of the people depended on Jesus, but they were much needed for this event.

Brother Nelson will expound further on this passage during the 10:15am worship service this Sunday in a sermon he is calling, "Discovering Jesus." Some of the children will be sharing the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 which dovetails nicely into the message.   http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205&version=NIV

Please keep praying for the many who are hurting in our congregation and in your own situations.  On the last page of each week's bulletin is a "prayer corner" which lists concerns and praises. 

Congratulations to Korinne and Ian on their engagement!  Whoohoohoo!  :)

I'm enjoying a lovely visit with my parents from Illinois this week. 

My prayer for today: Creator God, in your arms and care we are nourished and loved.  Thank you.  We need not call on you to be with us, for you never leave us nor forsake us. Thank you.  Grant us greater awareness of presence beside us.  Grant us greater understanding of your peace. Grant us greater understanding of your unending love and mercy.  For those who are suffering today, we ask that your presence will shine like comforting light and enveloping warmth. For those who are uncertain and struggling with decisions, grant wisdom.  Let us be bearers of your peace and love in a world that cries out in vengeance and hatred. Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God on earth as it is in heaven.  In Jesus name. AMEN.

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too. 
Love and Light,
Carol

"Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference!  Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend. "  jd

 

Who Served Whom?

"Oh, no! We have to turn around. I left my backpack which has all the travel money at church on the ledge under the carport."  The husband sighed and manuevered the 15 passenger cruise liner into the Susquehanna Bank parking lot to reverse its course.  Fortunately we had driven only about 2 miles of our long journey to Eolia  in southeastern part of Kentucky.

Twenty-one teens, young adults and ummm... more mature adults filled two fifteen passenger vans (one Chevy, one Ford), and one car and were en route to serve a week with MCC SWAP. (Mennonite Central Committee--Sharing with Appalachian People) http://swap.mcc.org/swap/index.html For the majority of the group, this would be a new experience.  Three of the young adults plus Cliff and I had participated four years earlier.  (I think it speaks volumes that the three young men who had participated as younger teens were eager to go again!) 

-I could go into detail about the homes we repaired and work we did-- painting, laying new floor, roofing, hanging drywall, mowing, raking, hammering, and shoveling. (NO trips to the ER! YAY!)

-I could go into detail about the schedule we kept, rising early, packing our lunches, eating a wonderful breakfast prepared by the staff, devotions, lessons, etc. etc.

-I could go into detail about our living quarters where the 6 of us females each had 3 beds from which to choose, and the 15 guys were packed in like sticks in a book of matches.

-But the primary impact for our group was in the people we met.  From the SWAP staff and their children to the homeowners and their extended families, to the people at the Eolia Community Baptist  Church who prepared a feast for us to the friendly woman at the Isom frozen custard window who wrote down and called out each name as our desserts were prepared, to the park ranger at Carr Creek State Park who allowed us an extra 30 minutes to swim to the guy who carried our groceries to our van (yes, you read that right), the people were warm, friendly, welcoming, hospitable, and open to sharing their hearts and lives with us. 

We went to serve, but we came away wondering "who ministered to whom?"

PS-- Beware of doppelganger white vans! They may lead you astray!

This Sunday at 10:15 the senior high youth will conduct the service with the message time being a synopsis of our time with MCC SWAP.  Micah 6:6-8 says
⁶ ‘With what shall I come before the Lord,
   and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,
   with calves a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
   with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
   the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’
⁸ He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
   and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
   and to walk humbly with your God?

Is this not truly daily worship?

Last week it was wonderful to see Kevin and Rachel's sweet little Lillian Grace at church!

Etta will be joining the young adults in the Upper Room at 9am this week.  Those of you who went along to KY please meet in the senior high room at 8am to prepare for the worship service.

Brother Mick is taking a well-deserved holiday so will be out of the office next week.

Many from Ridgeview have serious health concerns. Please be in prayer for those people listed in the prayer corner of the bulletin.  

A prayer for today: Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.  O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among people find refuge in the shadow of your wings.  For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. 
     In our humanness we often make choices leading to brokenness and sin. Come Kingdom of God.

In our selfishness and distrust, we often hurt others because we don’t truly trust you. Come Kingdom of God. As we reach out and grasp human power, we often oppress and abuse our neighbors. Come Kingdom of God. In our fear, we often strike out with violence and aggression to our sisters and brothers. Come Kingdom of God. We confess our pain, our fear, our mistrust, our misguidedness, our brokenness—O Lord, cover us with your mercy and grace, for we are sinners!  Come Kingdom of God! As your mercy and grace fill us, let us pour out your healing and hope to a world aching for Good News!  Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. AMEN. 

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too!

Love and Light,

Carol

http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/

"Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference!  Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend. "  jd

 

Going Home



My Cousin Sharon's Garden


Going home.  For me that means the verdant prairie lands of Illinois where the big country houses with the corn and bean fields between them seem to be lonely. But appearances are deceiving as neighborliness creates feelings of "family." Lanes are plowed by those with tractors and blades during snowy months; chili is shared when a big pot is made, and forget the eggs, sometimes a whole chicken is borrowed. :)

Growing up with my three sisters (I was #3 of 4 girls), I'm afraid I was the bossy one.  I was the possessive one--"you may not use my blue comb without asking," one. (Served me right when I lost it!)   I was the impatient one. I was the grumpy one. My younger sister had a pet name for me. Crabpot. Yep, that was me.

Although I still get occasional correspondence with the salutation, "Dear Crabpot," I think I've transformed into a person who isn't quite so grumpy, possessive, impatient, and bossy. (OK, OK-- The husband would say that sometimes the bossy boots come out of the closet.)  I remember quite a few years ago being home with my wonderful sisters and making a joke about something, and Whoa! I was momentarily flustered by their reaction to me until I realized they were hearing the voice of Crabpot not the person I had become.  I love returning to my childhood home, but I hope the voice of "Crabpot" is only a memory at which we can all chuckle.

Going home.   By thy rivers gently flowing.....

Brother Mick's message this Sunday is called, "It's Tough to Go Home Again," and he'll be expounding on Mark 6:1-13, the passage where Jesus returns to his hometown and is met with the "It's only Mary's son" attitude. http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=207724108  Having pastored in his home congregation, Brother Mick has an understanding of what "going home" means in the context of ministry. I hope you can join us at 10:15 for the worship service!

Etta will join you in the Upper Room this week at 9am.   :) Perhaps some of you young adults who joined the SWAP team will find your way up those stairs.... :) Thanks for your leadership and hard work in KY!

If you are looking for ways to continue to serve others (truly meaningful worship and kingdom building!), be in touch with me.

Remembering the Martin family with love as Ray's mom passed on earlier this week.  (Laura, I'm looking forward to continuing our conversation soon!)

My prayer for today: The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and all those who live in it; for God has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.  How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.  We Give thanks to you. We Call on your name;  let us make known among the nations your glorious kingdom.

Despite our brokenness; despite our forgetfulness; despite our unloving ways and impure motives you continue to  grant us grace and mercy—a love that endures forever! You are our hope and our salvation. Grant the readers of these words a renewed sense of your presence; a greater understanding of your love; healing and hope in their relationships and lives. Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too! 

Love and Light,

Carol

"Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference!  Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend. "  jd