Confession time...again!

When one is going to write something that she suspects may offend or agitate someone, is it better to warn them ahead of time or let the chips fall where they may? 

I have a confession.  I struggle with the Bible.  Don't get me wrong; I appreciate and value this word of God immensely, but I also wrestle with it. A lot. I struggle with knowing that it appears Lot offered his daughters up for gang rape.  I struggle with hearing that David is a man after God's own heart knowing that he was a rapist (though many  describe David and Bathsheba as committing adultery, what transpires is abuse of power, lust, and rape by King David)  and a murderer. Did bears really maul children because the kids teased Elisha for his baldness?  The list goes on and on.  

But even more than some of those old stories, I struggle with our use, abuse, and understanding of God's word today. I struggle with how we have elevated these God inspired words written by men to be equal with God, our Creator; to be equal with Jesus, the Christ; to be equal with the Holy Spirit, our Advocate. I struggle with the way we pick and choose what we think is important. I struggle with the way we use the Bible to promote our own viewpoints and agendas. (guilty)  I struggle with the way we have turned God's word into a book of do's and don'ts. I struggle with the way we want to knock people upside the head with God's book instead of inviting them to enter this Kingdom of Love and Grace which Jesus revealed to us. 

 A phrase I hear quoted frequently when a difficult situation or issue arises is, "Well, what does the Bible say?" or "The Bible says...."  This is a great starting place.
Yet additionally, when issues and moral questions come up, is it unreasonable, inappropriate, and unChrist-like to ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit as well as look at the scriptures? Shouldn't we be asking how the greatest command of 'loving God and loving neighbor' fits into situations? Isn't "what would Jesus do?" trite though it sounds, the ultimate question? Shouldn't we be engaging with our brothers and sisters in conversation about what the Holy Spirit is saying? Aren't we to leave judgment to the Divine? 

We like things spelled out and clear. Messiness creates a desire to break out the Lysol and scrub brush. Here's a messy chart that is incomplete but since we like charts and graphs, I thought I would include one. 

Perhaps issues aren't black and white; they may not even be grey. If we have to choose a color, perhaps its just white because isn't the book ultimately about the good news of GRACE? Isn't that what Jesus was about?

I will keep wrestling and probably finding more questions than answers. Let's keep talking. Yep, messy.

On the church calendar, this Sunday is deemed, "Christ the King Sunday," and Brother Mick's message from Colossians 1:11-20 is entitled, "The Linchpin."   Mick says in his pre-sermon notes, "Rejoicing in the primacy of Christ will be the overarching theme of my comments for this week."  AMEN!

Grandma M with my niece

This week I finally got over to meet Adelyn Shay. :)  She's so beautiful!  Having the opportunity to burp her, I recalled how Grandma Moser instructed the holding up of the left arm for more effective eructation. :) Young parents, take note!  ha!

Blessings to Rachel and Marcus as they get married this weekend! Whoo Hoo!

So many people around the world are suffering from natural disasters, war, and disease.Please join me in continuing to pray for the hurting and for those who are offering assistance. Nate's marine unit is involved with bringing relief to the Philippines. I suspect many of my friends and relatives in Central Illinois are involved in efforts to bring relief to those whose lives have been seriously affected by tornadoes.  Praying for strength, courage, and hope whether you're in Illinois, Sardinia, Syria, the Philippines, Egypt, or Pennsylvania.

Be sure to check out the bulletin for the many goings on and announcements! http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/bulletins/current.pdf

Next week there will be no communique. Happy Thanksgiving!

Prayer for today: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea. Be still, and know that I am God.
Thank you, Gentle God, for your love that is ever present. Thank you, Gracious God, that you care more about us than "issues."  Some of us are grieving loss; some of us are in pain; some of us are caught up in our studies; some of us are struggling to survive--whatever our life situation is, Lord, reveal yourself to us that we may not lose hope.  Grant us strength and courage for the facing of this day. Fill us with joy that is from you in spite of challenging circumstances.  Come Kingdom of God. Be done, will of God, here 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

She's One of Them!

Illustration from my 1980 LOTR Calendar :) 

Periodically some of you groan and say, "Oh no! She's one of THEM!" and you wonder about my salvation or at the very least my taste in literature. Others of you say, "Yes! She's one of us" 
Well, here we go!

“Come, Mr. Frodo!' he cried. 'I can't carry it (the ring) for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get! Come on, Mr. Frodo dear! Sam will give you a ride. Just tell him where to go, and he'll go” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King when Frodo had no strength to continue, his friend and servant, Samwise Gamgee, carried him. 

Amidst all the violence and warring of the strong and mighty as well as the monsters in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, the true glory and strength is in the insignificant and faithful hobbits Frodo and Sam as they traverse dangerous and enemy territories to at last destroy the powerful One Ring by casting it into the fires of Mount Doom. Elves, orcs, dwarfs, goblins, wizards, men, and oh yes, a cave troll, wage battle for control of Middle Earth.
I've been reading and rereading Tolkien's books since high school, and I'm still intrigued and inspired.

The violence and wars in Middle Earth serve as distractions to keep the evil eye of Sauron from seeing these two small creatures. The task of the hobbits is thought to be hopeless and foolish; to some the destruction of the ring is a waste of great power and opportunity. Yet it must be done for life and light in their world to continue. Sauron's mind cannot fathom anyone throwing away such power as is found in the Ring so he doesn't even consider this as a strategy to defeat him. He knows the  power that is in the ring and assumes all beings will claim it, and he will stop at nothing to obtain it.

Certain members of my family really struggle to accept Frodo's seeming ineptitude; he was, after all, always falling down. (in the movie, anyway!) Take a look!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGzof4xfH-g

As I read Brother Mick's message notes for Sunday, I couldn't help but think of the Lord of the Rings trilogy with its many layers of adventure and understanding. "Doom! Doom! Doom!" may be all around
us, yet when we focus on the light and reality of Jesus our chant is "Hope! Hope! Hope!"

Brother Mick's message is entitled, "One Less Job for Duct Tape."  Luke 21:5-19 is one of those passages that can have you quivering in your boots with its prophesies of war, famines, and dreadful portents. Jesus calls us to remain true to the faith we profess, and Mick says, "I think this message is no less vital for us to hear even now." I don't know where he's going with the duct tape.  Come and see!  Please join us at 10:15 AM for the worship service.

We will be installing Loretta as Lay Minister of Missions and offering our thanks to Tony for his service in this position.  (Can I just say, I want to be like Loretta when I grow up!)

On December 9 we will once again be holding our annual church auction. Over the years our family has enjoyed meals, delicious Cordelia cakes, Elaine pies, an incredibly huge and warm comforter we call Nessie, a corner cupboard made by Andy, and even a little pink house! Sometimes you can get an amazing bargain, and the next time you can pay $97 for a jar of chowchow! Come one and all! It's so much fun! Proceeds will benefit The Factory Ministries as well as ongoing Ridgeview work. You do not need to attend Ridgeview to share in the fun.

This is the final week for the "Jesus Is___" sessions which will be held in the senior high room.

Prayer for today: The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. The world and all who live in it. For God has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Psalm 24:1 Creator God, we praise you as our maker and guide.  Let us each find ourselves in you and then know our true selves. Let us each trust in you and then know true life. Let us each hope in you and then know true joy. Let us each accept your love and then know true peace. Come, Kingdom of God. Be done will of God, here 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

PS One of you will be my 10,000th blog hit! :) 

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

Last week as Cliff and I neared the end of our loooong journey to my parents' home in Illinois, I was scribbling like mad in my little journal.  Here are a few stanzas from that final hour of travel. I wish I had snapped a few photos too. My apologies to the English majors out there; I've not followed any poetic guidelines.... 

Clouds low, dark and ominous

Rolling, billowing

Farmland black and stretching, row upon row

Flat and rich

Blackbirds skydancing, kaleidoscope flowers

Swooping, synchronizing

Grain elevators reaching up like stalagmites

Unnaturally natural

   

Farm houses, deceptively lonely and disconnected

Veritably welcoming and neighborly

 Barns with window eyes and wide door mouths

Some containing more memories than hay and tractors

Broken down plows, manure spreaders, and wagons

Purposes fulfilled now serving as sculptures commemorating hard work and days past

I’m close now, so close

 Backroads, straight and empty; the memory drawer is opened, Laughing children, crying, teasing, singing, arguing on bus #4

Invisible children becoming visible only through my adult eyes—poor, so poor, dirty, troubled, smelly, abused.  Understanding awakened.

The beauty and familiarity of the prairie overwhelm me. The nostalgia of my homeland fills me with feelings of sadness, joy, pain, laughter, tears all jumbled into this body now over half a century old. For that which I see; for that which I experienced; I am so grateful. Illinois!

I wonder what it will be like for the refugee family who will soon be joining our church family. This move to the East was my choice, and I am able to travel home again. My Illinois family is able to come visit us. Even if our refugee family comes from horrible life circumstances, I've no doubt their hearts will be heavy with the sights, sounds, and tastes of their homeland they will miss; loved ones left behind. 

This Sunday Brother Nelson will be sharing the message "Are we there yet?" A sentiment that crossed my mind more than once as we traversed I 70 on Tuesday! His text is from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5 where the early church wonders if they missed the return of Jesus. "In the message, I hope to explore what the hope of the resurrection and the return of Jesus means to us." The worship service begins at 10:15 AM.

Please join us for singing in the Rec room at 9 AM

The wolf will be howling in the church tonight, all night. Some of you know exactly what that means! 

The young adult class will meet with the senior high youth for two more Sundays as we finish the "Jesus Is___" series.

My prayer for today:  I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because God is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:7-8
Creator God, thank you. You demonstrate your incredible love and grace and mercy through Jesus, yet we still struggle to understand and accept. We still tend to prefer walls, rules, and judgment to freedom, grace, and mercy. Thank you that you don't give up on us!  Thank you that you never leave us! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!  Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God, here 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