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