The story I'm telling today is not for the weak at heart or squeamish. Some of you have heard this dreadful tale before, but I tell it again today as a warning because I care. 

Turkey Point Lighthouse seemed innocuous enough as she stood guard on the bluff overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. My friends Jan, Joy, and I were here for an easy hike and relaxing day.  Reading the signposts and exploring the site, we imagined what life would have been like for the many women who were known to be the keepers.  An osprey swooped over the still water scooping up a fish; butterflies danced around us. Surrounded by this beauty it was hard to imagine the threat we humans and our habits were bringing to this great body of water; basking in the glory of nature, it was hard to imagine the horror story that was about to unfold. Continuing our walk, we unintentionally stepped off of the trail and found ourselves in the long grasses that skirted the bay.  Unbeknownst to me, the attack began, only I remained totally oblivious. Oblivious, that is until many hours later when I disrobed to shower and found 100s of little red scabs all over me.  Hmmm... I've spent a lot of time outdoors and never seen anything like these little red tags.  I scraped one into my palm to look at it more closely when....EWWWWW!  It moved! It's ALIVE!  Chiggers, little red mites that bite and cling, little red parasites that suck your blood. Hundreds of them, all over me! HUNDREDS!! AND THEY ARE ALIVE!

At this point I could make various spiritual applications, but for today, I'm content to simply tell you to BEWARE! when you walk in long grasses and encourage you to come up with your own moral for the story. I quickly scrubbed them down the drain, but the itch and bumps stayed with me for weeks!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 We welcome the Smoker family from Japan.  Charles will be sharing a message he has titled, "Japanese Characters and Biblical Concepts" with scripture from II Timothy 3:16-17 and II Peter 1:20-21. Let's pray that their time in the States is meaningful, blessed, and even fun!
As the summer months are upon us, we will continue to welcome the tourists at Ridgeview.  :)

Rich and Erica grieve the loss of a good friend.
Nathan and Sarah Horst experienced the deaths of Sarah's grandma and Nathan's grandpa in one week's time.  Although not unexpected, loss of these significant people is painful.  Let's pray for them.
Life is hard, sometimes really hard.  God is our refuge and our strength.

Beth and Eric Alderman will be sharing in the Upper Room this Sunday.  I hope you can join them to hear their story.  I will be with the senior high youth.

My prayer for you today:  Lord God, grant us an awareness of your constant presence in our lives. In our busyness, we often fail to acknowledge you. I pray you would grant the readers peace, joy, and wisdom as decisions are made, children are cared for, work is done, employment is sought, grieving is occuring, play is happening, vacations are occurring, and relationships built. Open our eyes to see you in one another.  Open our ears to hear your quiet whisper.  Open our hearts to your love.  Open our arms to welcome others to the peace and joy found in you.  Come Kingdom of God.  Be done will of God, here on earth as it is in heaven.  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

Bridges to (the) Cross

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. ¹⁷So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself,not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. ²⁰So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  II Corinthians 5:16-20

The gravel road led down to the Mackinaw River and the bridge. It was one of those bridges that we describe as rustic and rickety... could we really drive across it?  Would I fall through if I walked across it? The road and the bridge were scenic and beautiful in the way of postcards, but across the river spanned by the creaky bridge, the scalp prickled and tales of legend were told.  You see, on the other side of the river was a sad, rundown house which, although appeared uninhabited, was the home of a recluse.  A man who was notorious in our small community with stories of pulling out the shotgun to pepper folks who entered his property, drinking and bathing in the muddy river water, squirrelling away a fortune.... Of course, this made him the subject of pranks and dares by the area's fearless and foolish.

This changed for me one Thanksgiving; my mom began building a new bridge.  You see, she was driving to our rural home which wasn't far from the scary man's shack, and she saw him walking along the road.  Well, the next thing we knew, there was going to be an additional guest for our Thanksgiving feast!   I don't recall many of the details of that dinner other than he was very scruffy, ate lots of bread and drank tons of water which perhaps prepared him for his stint in prison for tax evasion a year or so later.  But he was also very polite, very grateful, and treated my mother like a queen. My mom bridged a gap between us and our neighbor as I realized that at our table was a broken, old man. and one of God's own.  Fear: it keeps us from stepping on that seemingly rickety bridge, doesn't it.

This week I'm priviledged to be in Pittsburgh at the Mennonite Convention with all its rivers and bridges, learning, growing, stretching, praising, sharing, and at the moment yawning. (4-5 hours of sleep are slightly under my usual snooze time) The youth are inspiring and blessing me with their attitudes of service, praise, hunger for learning, and growth. The message of reconciliation of us to God and one another is, indeed, good news! 


Special treats for me this week have been conversations and hugs with my eldest daughter and her hubby, and a catch up chat with Julie. :)


Here are a few links if you are interested in finding out what's happening in this delightful city which has been overrun with Mennonites!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N969uLec8qQ&feature=share
http://blog.goshen.edu/mpress/
http://vimeo.com/22979366
http://www.mennoniteusa.org/

Brother Mick will be sharing this Sunday after a week of inspiration here in Pittsburgh.  His message is "Tossing Out Seeds" based on the parable of the sower found in Matthew 13.  Lots of seeds have been planted this week. Time to start watering and tending!  I hope to see you at Ridgeview-- I'm not sure what's happening in the Upper Room at 9am, so I'll probably stop in to find out. :)

My prayer for you today:  Creator God, the greatest task of all is for us to love you and love each other.  This we can do because you've made Christ our bridge to you.  As you heal us in our brokenness, help us to be bridges sharing  healing and hope to our discordant and hurting world.  Come Kingdom of God.  Be done, will of God; here on earth as it is in heaven. In the

name of Jesus-- 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

   The Lord always keeps his promises;
      he is gracious in all he does.
 The Lord helps the fallen
      and lifts those bent beneath their loads. Psalm 145:13b-14

"Oh, Mommy!  I love you!" exclaimed my 5 year old as she hugged my waist while I washed dishes.
 "I love you too," I responded turning and squatting so I could be eye level with her. 
"You know, Mommy, if you hadn't married Daddy, I wouldn't be here," she said with her little arms wrapped around my neck.
Hmmmm, where is this going? "That's right, Honey."
"And if you would have married another man and breeded with him, I wouldn't be here then, either." 
Oh, she was so serious, so sincere.  Oh, she was watching waaay to much "Animal Planet!"

I've spent my adult life in various settings working with infants, children, and teens.  What delight! Children that haven't been "broken"  by fractured adults aren't afraid to look you in the eyes when you're in the grocery store.  They aren't afraid to give you a hug. They aren't afraid to climb into your lap and snuggle. (This is why our laps become bigger as we have children-more room is needed!) :) They aren't afraid to cry when they are hurting. They know that mommy will not hold it against them when they puke all over her.  They know they can run to daddy when they are frightened. (I recall a little girl who practically climbed up her daddy while at the Phila Zoo when the lion roared not 10 feet away!) They know mommy or daddy will carry them into their beds when they fall asleep in their carseats. When they have a bad dream, they crawl into the parents' bed. They can dance in the rain, roll in the grass, eat a dripping ice cream cone, laugh out loud at the butterfly perched on grandma's head, tussle with daddy, cry when their friend is crying, and be themselves, silly, creative, inquisitive, vulnerable,and emotional.  

This week Brother Mick is preaching from Matthew 11:16-19; 25-30 and has titled his message, "You're Being Childish."  Childish behavior is more of a vice than a virtue, but there are many childlike qualities and attitudes that we should embrace.  Matthew reports in v.25  "At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike."   There is an "AhhHa!" moment when we read the familiar 28-30 in the light of the trust and vulnerability of a child :  'Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”'    The image of running to daddy for rest and help is natural, expected, trustworthy, and beautiful.
Kelsey, you know what I mean when I sigh deeply and say, "Oh, Daddy!"  :)

At 9am we will be gathering in the Upstairs room, and I am planning on joining you this week.  I look forward to seeing you! 
Please pray for Julie, Nathan, Sarah, and I as we head to Pittsburgh for the Mennonite Convention.  Julie will be attending some of the Young Adult sessions, and Sarah, Nathan, and I will be shepherding the senior high youth. There will be others from Ridgeview and with Ridgeview connections present.  I'm looking forward to seeing some of you there, particularly my eldest daughter and her hubby! :) 

My prayer for you today: Creator God, you call us to your lap, healing us, teaching us, carrying us. "Oh, Daddy!"  we cry and will be answered, for Jesus, you have shown us the love of our Creator for us.  We are called your children!  Thank you!  Help us, Lord, to gain understanding, to gain childlike trust, to be vulnerable so that our souls learn to acknowlege and be aware of your presence within and all around us. As we are healed by your grace and love, let your healing and hope flow through us to the world.  Come kingdom of God. Be done will of God, here on earth as it is in heaven. AMEN 

I hope to at least post a "Hello from Pittsburgh" note next Friday.  If you don't hear from me, well, breathe an extra prayer for me! :)
 
Without question or doubt, you are love 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

"Who's the Boss?"

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.

"Did you lock the door," I whispered when we crawled into bed.  "No," my hubby responded. 
Married a year, we had purchased our first house, a "semi detached," what I called a duplex in Ephrata, PA.  A "fixer upper" from the poorly papered red, white, and blue room in which two of my good Illinois friends had the pleasure of staying, to the broken latch on the patio door, we were gradually making home improvements.  On this particular day, after having lived here for a few weeks, Cliff had fixed the patio door lock and for the first time, we were able to secure it. Now we were in bed having slept in this house for a month without being able to bolt the door, and this was on my mind.   Hmmmm... did the lock create a feeling of security or insecurity?  I had slept fine up to this point with an unlocked door.  I got up, went down the stairs, and flipped the little latch to the right.

The other night we were talking and laughing as a family.  The story came up recounting how Cliff was teaching an adult Sunday school class on the topic of security and trust, and he started pulling items in which we humans tend to put our assurance out of a backpack--insurance policies, padlocks, and the shocker for me, a handgun (not loaded of course!).   This week we will be back in the benches at Ridgeview, and Brother Mick's message, "Who's the Boss?' will challenge us to consider where we place our security and confidence. To whom do we grant authority and power over our lives?  The sermon text will be drawn from Romans 6:12-23, and other texts to consider are Psalm 89:1-4;15-18 and Matthew 10:40-42.  Sure, there are practical measures we should take for safety, so let's get the discussion started and talk about this!  I'm looking forward to Brother Mick's exegesis on this passage; I've not considered the words from this passage in this light.

In the Upper Room this week, if my calendar is correct, Nelson and Pat will be sharing their story at 9am. The corporate worship service begins at 10:15am :) 

Last night was the final night of VBS in the park.  Thanks so much for your help!  Yep, it is a lot of work, and I'm glad for Zook's chicken pies to pop in the oven for supper, but what a wonderful time to interact with children and share about our God whose love extends to infinity and beyond! (No, we did not have a Buzz Lightyear theme)

My prayer for you today:  Spirit of peace, quiet our hearts, heal our anxious thoughts, free us from our fretful ways.  Breathe on us your holy calm so that in the stillness of your presence we may open ourselves to trust and be transformed.(HWB #729)  
 Help us, Lord, to understand that real security and control outside of you is merely an illusion.  Come Kingdom of God. Be done, will of God, on earth as it is in heaven.  In your name, Jesus.  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

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. May the glory of the Lord continue forever.  The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made. Psalm104:24,31




"LACY'S CREEPIER COUSIN"



 She was dressed in a striking pattern of yellow and black with her legs covered in lacy stockings with bright flecks--all eight of 'em.  Going out to the garden to pick the beans or tomatoes, I had to be on the alert not to disturb her parlor which was stretched between plants as she awaited her guests.  Dad had taught us respect for this creature, not only explaining her usefulness in naturally ridding the garden of certain pests, but also by demonstrating. He would catch a little grasshopper and toss it onto her couch of silk where it would be greeted with a kiss and a special cozy blanket.  Forget Dora and Barney, my sisters and I were enthralled by the natural entertainment afforded by Creation and introduced with appreciation and respect to us by our father.

Now we live in the woods where the arachnids sometimes choose to live in our house rather than their beautiful, natural environment.  There are times I feel more like the woman on the mentos commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA1K4KG4_WM than
the Illinois farm girl who once let a tarantula named Nelson :) crawl up her arm. In those times I need to be reminded of the lessons from my dad of the incredible design and artistry of our Creator.   Thanks, Dad!  and Thanks, Dad!

This weekend is Heritage Days at the community park in Intercourse.  Ridgeview is participating in the community worship service starting at 10am in the big tent.  Mick, Nelson, Jeff, and others will all be involved.  My weekend's involvement is trash pick up.  If you want to help me out, I'm sure I can find a place for you! :)  There are also fireworks on Saturday evening.  The church parking lot will be full of spectators and fun!

Korinne, Ian, and the rest of the EMU Honduras cross-cultural team returned safely on Wednesday night-- actually it was Thursday morning as the expected Wednesday 10:45pm arrival became Thursday 1:30am....We arrived back at home around 5am. (YAWN!)

Laura G has arrived at Laurelville for her work as a counselor. Have a great summer, Laura!  I KNOW the campers will adore you! :)

My prayer for you today:  Lord, you are dressed in a robe of light.  You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind. Psalm 104:1-3  Thank you for the amazing world you have created.  Open our eyes to see how you fill the earth!  Open our hearts to understanding that we are part of that beauty and are loved and cared for by you. Open our minds to understanding that we are called to be caretakers of your world.  Thank you, God. Thank you, God!  Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God, on earth as it is in heaven.  In your name, Jesus. AMEN

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too!  Have a great weekend!
love and light,
carol
PS  The internet is behaving badly-- I hope to add more photos later!

http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/index.htm

"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

Pentecost Sunday

And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?"

"Gooooooooooooal!" is a cry that has meaning at my house.  The husband, 3 daughters, the son-in-law, and the boyfriend all play futbol or soccer as we Americans call it. Say  "pitch, boots, and sweeper" to a soccer player, and you won't be conveying "throwing, snow protection, and brooms."

I've come to enjoy the sport (good thing!) and could explain many of the rules to you if you asked. I particularly value the international flavor of the sport.  Cliff once played on a team that represented  5+ nationalities, and although I don't recall from what countries the players were, Europe, USA, the Middle East, and South America all wore the same jersey, and other teams in that particular tournament covered the rest of the globe.  Though intense on and off the pitch, the camaraderie, passion, and language of this global sport carries some lessons from which the church could learn. 

This week is Pentecost Sunday. "The story of this day sets the stage for the events and themes of the entire book [of Acts]:  empowerment by the Holy Spirit, human response across national lines, opposition, the preaching of a gospel for all peoples, a great ingathering, and the formation of a community of believers with its many signs and wonders."  (Believer's Church Bible Commentary Acts, Faw P. 40)
"What Does It Mean?" is the title of Brother Mick's sermon as he invites us to "explore our own presuppostions about how God's Spirit is at work within us" in his message this week.  Loretta Lapp and Julie Denlinger will be co-worship leaders, and I very much like the generational linkage.  Carl the caterpillar will be experiencing a phenomenal transformation this week.

Kori and Ian return from Honduras next week.  :)
I'm not sure what is happening in the Upper Room on Sunday..... Come find out!

My prayer for you today: Breathe on us, Breath of God.  Fill us with your love, joy, and peace that we can pour out kindness, mercy, and grace in your name, Jesus.  Bless these young people with a renewed sense of your Spirit; ever guiding, ever compassionate, ever present. Provide healing for each of us in our brokenness. In a world that is full of strife and pain, let us be vessels of your healing and hope.  Holy Spirit, be the thread that binds us together that your Kingdom will come, here on earth as it is in heaven. Come Kingdom of God; be done will of God, here on earth as it is in heaven. 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

No Pain, No Gain

Good morning, All! 

After being in a serious car accident as a girl of about 10 years old, I discovered the other worlds found through the stringing together of words.   Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Frank and Joe, Madame Curie, Meg and Calvin, and Florence Nightingale were all characters who lived in my house.  In my Hopedale Mennonite Church library,I also discovered a series of books by author Louise Vernon in which she recounts church history through fiction.  Two of those books  The Secret Church and The Night Preacher  tell the stories of the early Anabaptists and Menno Simons, those radicals who chose to be rebaptized as adults, some at the cost of their lives and eventually came to an understanding of Christ's love calling us to journeys of peace. These texts were my first introductions to the "Believers' Church."  The Martyrs Mirror (also known as "The Bloody Theater or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only Upon Confession of Faith, and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus, Their Saviour, From the Time of Christ to the Year A.D.1660" --was actually first published in Dutch in that year) became known to me as a high school student.

Starting with the crucifixion of Christ and the stoning of Stephen, this huge volume recounts the stories, torturing, and deaths of  faithful men and women who died for their beliefs. "In the year 1571, there was burnt alive, at Amsterdam in Holland, for the testimony of Jesus, a woman named Anneken Heyndricks, aged about fifty-three years....'Though I am sentenced and condemned by you, yet what you say does not come from God...'They did not let her speak any more but filled her mouth with gunpowder, and carried her thus from the city hall to the fire into which they cast her alive."
(P 873 Martyrs Mirror, c. 1972)
To check out this book you can go to these websites:
http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm  (Text of the Martyrs Mirror)
http://www.bethelks.edu/mla/holdings/scans/martyrsmirror/  (Jan Luiken's etchings from Martyrs Mirror)

The irony of such a violent book in the hands of a peace church isn't lost on me.  Perhaps the cruel and fiery stories of the faithful who were tortured and put to death by church and state is in part what keeps us steadfast.

Brother Mick's message "No Pain, No Gain" on Sunday has us spending time on the text from I Peter 4:12-19, 5:6-11 as Peter encourages the church to endure the times of trial.  What does this mean for us in 2011?

 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. I Peter 4:12-13

I hope you can join us to learn, share, and grow together!

On Sunday, Etta Esh will be joining the Upstairs Room as discussion facilitor at 9am, and there is an informal gathering at Pat and Arnie's at 6pm.  Good times! 

June 18 and 19th, the senior high could use a few more helpers for Heritage Days trash pick up  in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday morning 7a-9a. Let me know if you're available to help the community and youth group.

There is also a fellowship meal after church-- the annual pig roast!  Come one and all! 

Blessings to Travis as he heads to Connecticut for his internship with Boehringer Ingelheim.  Nate has finally begun his swim training (It's probably called something else!) in Florida.

My prayer for you today: Lord God, you are present with us. Thank you for these young people.  Some of them are in other countries, some training, some working, some relaxing, some parenting, some grieving, some rejoicing.  No matter where we are or how we feel, you are present.  Would you bring to us an awareness of your Being? Never do you leave or forsake us. We are broken and needy.  Fill us with your healing spirit that your light will shine through our fissures.   We ask that you would use us to bring healing and hope; there is so much pain and suffering in the world—help us to be bearers of your love and peace.  Jesus, you are the answer.  Let us share your love with all creation to a world discordant and splintered.  May your kingdom come, your will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven.   Amen

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

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