Tromping through the timber was a favorite activity of my sisters and I. We especially loved it when Grandma Moser would don Grandpa's bib overalls and head out to the blackberry patch. (Oh, I wish I had a photo!) One hot summer Illinois day when Grandma was costumed and had her bucket in hand, a whole procession of us decided to join her. Diana, Karen, Mary Jo, myself, Lassie, and of course the felines, Rascal, Tiger Lily, Fluffy, Angel, and PJ led the parade on the cow path through the woods. Many days the creek was dry, but this time there was a nice gurgling stream of water. My sister Karen was concerned the kitties couldn't cross the stream, so she put one of them (I don't remember which one) on her shoulder and took a giant leap over the brook.  I'm sure someone understanding Newton's laws could offer a scientific explanation for what happened, but what I know is that Karen's body crossed the creek, but since the cat didn't leap with her, the claws came out and desperately tried to hold on to a moving girl and slid all the way down her back. OOOOUCH! (Happy Birthday, Karen! Thanks for the idea, Korinne!)

OK, how does this tie into the message.... ummmmmmm... doesn't really although Mick will be talking about idols, and the Egyptians had many graven images of cats. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastet

This week Brother Mick is back in the pulpit with a message he has titled, "Accustomed to Idols" with sermon text from I Corinthians 8:1-13. http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=194453063 In his preparatory notes our brother states, "We are surrounded by idols in our society, and we have, for the most part, become immune, habituated, uncaring, and just plain accustomed to it all."  You are invited to join us for what is sure to be an insightful look at ourselves and an opportunity to transform.

Stephen and his friend Lizzie will be leaving on a mission trip with Lizzie's church next week.  If you've ever been with Steve on a work project, you know that much will be accomplished! Blessings!

The Upper Room will be open as usual on Sunday morning.
It was great to see Eric Y. on Wednesday night!

My prayer for you today:  Creator God, whether our hearts are glad or sad today, you alone are our fortress and hope.  We lay our hopes and fears, our joys and sadnesses, our anger and resentments, our agonies and expectations at your feet. You don't stomp on them with disdain or annoyance. No. As a gentle parent you take what we give, and you offer forgiveness of our sinfulness, healing and wholeness in our brokeness, and laugh with us in our joy. By your Spirit and your ultimate love on the cross, we become your children, ambassadors of your kingdom way. 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

Gone Fishin'

My dad is a fisherman, not the commercial kind, but rather the kind that loves casting a single line into the water and waiting. This means that growing up we had stink bait and, yes, worms in our refrigerator. I don't know what was in the stink bait, nor do I want to know, but I do know that it fits its name. At that time of my life, I didn't think having worms in the frig was all that odd. Now I know differently. :)   Our vacations as a family were spent up north at a lake where my dad could spend time in patient baiting and coaxing. I vaguely recall the one morning it was my turn to go out with daddy.  Grey, early morning sky, we walked down to the boat house where the small boats each had its own little slip  Those of you who know what I'm talking about can close your eyes and smell the water and fish.  You can hear the lapping of the water against the boats. You can feel the sway of the boat when you step in and catch your balance. You can hear the sound of the motor as it catches. You can feel the glide of the boat across the lake. Ahhhh..... so sweet!

This Sunday Brother Nelson will be sharing a meditation he is calling, "A Daring Invitation to the Kingdom of God" with scriptures from Mark 1:14-20 and Jonah 3:1-5, 10. The disciples and Jonah were all called to be fishers of people although I guess we could say Jonah did not have a "whale" of a good time completing his task and sat "perched" on his high horse; he seemed to think it all "smelt" badly, that God was a "sucker" in offering mercy, carrying for all "soles," and that the whole ordeal was "crappie."  (Sorry, I couldn't resist--Pathetic, I know!)

Seven persons from our church family will be baptized on Sunday as they publicly share their decision to enter God's work in the Kingdom.  I hope we all "catch" the excitement of following Jesus' call to Kingdom living today!

Etta will be joining the young adults in the Upper Room this week. 

Quizzing begins!  Good luck!

Can you believe it has been 1 year since Brother Mick  and Sister Julie joined us?  Happy Anniversary!


This Sunday is also "World Fellowship Sunday;" a great reminder for us to realize that "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28  Sisters and Brothers! Brothers and Sisters!  Many languages, colors, voices, cultures-- all one family-- time to celebrate!

"Could we with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth a quill, and everyone a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky." (Love of God, FM Lehman)

My prayer for you today: 

Creator God, help each one of us to catch a glimpse and understanding of your tremendous love today.  If we reach out and catch this sweet light, grant us courage to share it with others.  There is much pain and brokenness in our world, and you invite us to wholeness and to become a part of the healing and hope.  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

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



Kestrel on its (obviously) favorite perch--2009

 Here we go again, driving up I-81, this time heading north and home.  The red subaru knows the route by heart. We had only gone a few miles when Cliff pointed, "There's one."  With all our frequent travels along this stretch of the road, we had begun a practice of spying and counting hawks.  Sitting in the tops of trees, on sign posts, on the ground, on strong stalks in the median strips, in flight-- during this leafless time of year the birds could be spotted fairly easily if you looked and looked carefully.  Crows, vultures, and even clumps of leaves could fool you if you weren't intentional about what you were seeing. There were a few times I thought  I saw a hawk, but I wasn't definite, so it didn't count. With three of us alert and watching, we set a new record yesterday.  Counting the one that was in the tree along our lane, we totaled 31. Yep, that's right! Thirty-one hawks between Harrisonburg, VA and Harrisburg, PA, a new record for us.   What varieties, the birders among you ask? Well, I'm not really sure, but they were definitely mighty raptors!

I'm just curious.  How many of you have noticed all the hawks on your journeys?   Just because we don't see them doesn't mean they're not there, does it? What Kingdom calls are we missing along the way because our eyes aren't open and our ears aren't listening?  Cliff is great at spotting hawks and deer as he has trained his eyes/brain to see them. Are we tuning in to the voice and plans of the Divine?  Are we ready to respond?

This week Brother Mick is sharing a message he has titled, "Call and Response" from I Samuel 3:1-10, that wonderful story about Samuel hearing the voice of God in the night and responding.
 http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=193415589  As we open our ears to hear the voice of God, I hope we can learn to put aside our own agenda and enter into the plan of the Creator.

Taylor has arrived safely in Guatemala with her EMU group where she will be studying language and culture for the semester.   http://www.emu.edu/

Stephen is gearing up for a missions trip to, let's see, Jamaica, I think, right Steve?!

The Upstairs Room will be open at 9am for chat and prayer. The worship service begins at 10:15am.

My prayer for you today: Creator God, you are present and active in our lives.  Open our eyes to see you.  Open our ears to hear you.  Our fears prevent us from entering your Kingdom work; grant us courage, Lord. Our own timetables prevent us from responding to the Kingdom calls; help us to realize that your agenda has so much more value.  Whether we're in the grocery story, at work, traveling, or at school, you place "hawks" along the way. Thank you for being ever present with us and offering love, grace, and care.  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

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

Repent! For the Kingdom of God is at hand!

I never talked about it, never.  Not when it happened. Not during the "D" years. Not even after reconciliation. But because it was like a cancer eating away at me, silence was no longer a viable option. My parents divorced when I was in 5th grade.  I was at school, and one of my classmates asked me, "I heard your parents are getting a divorce; is that true?" Well, I certainly knew my parents were having problems, but the "D" word had not been talked about with my sisters and I, so I flatly denied it. When my sisters and I got off of the school bus, my mom was waiting to talk to us... Now I was not only broken with sadness, I also felt like a liar. (I'm not sure if I ever told my family this....)

I don't remember ever telling any of my childhood friends that my parents divorced.  (Friends who may be reading this, do you recall?) I was asked point blank by a neighbor on the bus, "Is it true about your parents?" and I looked straight ahead and pretended not to hear him.  I had a birthday party to which my dad came and then left for the night. One of the girls asked, "Where is your dad going?" I again had deaf ears while some of the other girls laughed that "awkward moment laugh."

 This was small town, USA, and in an era and area where divorce was still relatively rare, I was too embarassed to talk about my family situation. Sadly, the Christian community was not always "grace full" or at least that was my perception.

 My parents remarried one another a few years later, but I still didn't talk about the divorce or the other wounds of my heart.  My thoughts and emotions were my own, and I was too ashamed to share.  But because my silence was like a cancer eating away at me, I realized I had to learn to be more open. When I left for Goshen College http://www.goshen.edu/ , I made a deliberate decision to be more transparent; to share my hurts; admit my foibles; and be "real."  I changed directions and chose to walk in the light. Most wouldn't define this as "repentence" but I do. For me this was in many ways a life-saving turn around; consciously or perhaps even unconsciously I was trusting in my Creator's unconditional love for me in spite of myself or my circumstances.

 Brother Mick will be sharing a message he is calling, "Beetles, Baptism, and Change" from Mark 1:4-11. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1%3A4-11&version=NLT   As John the Baptist calls us to repentence and focusing on Jesus, so Mick will be challenging us to explore what repentence is all about. I hope you can join us!

We will meet in the Upper Room at 9am. Come one, come all! Church begins at 10:15am.  There will be a fellowship meal on Sunday, and you know it will be yummy!

Some of our college students return to school this weekend. Blessings to you in the new semester!

Please keep praying for Anthony, Mim, their families and others with health concerns.

Taylor leaves Thursday for a semester in Guatamala and Mexico with Eastern Mennonite University's cross-cultural program so let's pray for her too. http://www.emu.edu/crosscultural/  As her mom I am very excited that she has this opportunity. (Ok, I admit to a little trepidation...)

My prayer for you today:  Creator God, you love us so much you became one of us-- to teach us and demonstrate your unconditional love. As students return to classes, remind them of your presence.  As Anthony and Mim receive treatments, guide the healthcare workers and grant peace and healing.  As Taylor and her team travel to Guatamala and Mexico, open their eyes and hearts to experience you in deep and meaningful ways.
Help us to turn around, to repent, to see you, experience you, and be transformed into the persons you've designed us each to be that we can be salt and light--bearers of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control, to a world that is striving to taste the salt of Goodness and walk in the light and truly See . Come Kingdom of God. Be Done will of God, 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! Call/Text me sometime. :)
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   

In the near future, expect to see some changes and improvements in our website.
http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/

Epiphany

The Epiphany-- the recognition of the Christ by the Magi, those 3 kings of the Orient of whom we sing; a most amazing understanding of truth.

An epiphany-- an "Ahh Ha!" moment; a sudden understanding of the meaning of something or insight of perception.

I love those moments of "Oh, Yeah! I get it!" Or "Ohhhhh, I wonder if it's because of...." I'll bet one's brain would light up if one would have such a moment during an MRI of the noggin. 

 I had such a moment this week as I thought about my family and our Christmas celebration.  Even though our daughters are now young adults (AND we even have a son-in-law in the mix) our enjoyment, laughter, and fun is more wonderful than ever.  We still hang stockings on bedroom doorknobs to be opened at whatever time the girls and boy awaken, and the gifts are placed under the tree when they go to bed.  Awakening early, we share our love and gifts for one another as we celebrate Immanuel, God With US!

My "Ohhhh, I wonder if...." epiphany came as I thought about Santa Claus.  Santa has always been "a fun pretend" with our daughters. They knew that some children really believed, but they understood that Santa wasn't real. As a child I was one of the true believers of this jolly elf and was thoroughly devastated to learn the truth about Santa from my friend Bunny on the school bus, although I admit to being relieved Santa couldn't see me in the bathtub! Bunny told me there wasn't really a toothfairy which led me to put 2 and 2 together (I was a bright child), and I came to the realization that Santa, the toothfairy, and yes, even the Easter Bunny was all trickery!  

(Please know I'm not trying to bash your traditions at all! I'm merely wanting to share a bit of my story and thoughts of my own journey.)  My epiphany came as the thought flew into my head, "Oh, maybe our family never lost the "magic" of Christmas, because we never embraced the Santa fairytale."  Our Christmas celebration has always been based on the Jesus story.  Our girls would play Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus all the time during Advent. Perhaps the "magic" of Christmas remains alive and well because it was never lost when the truth about Santa was discovered.

 Whatever your family traditions are, hold to the truth about Christmas.  The mystery and magic of the nativity story and life of our Christ is alive and well!

Brother Mick will be preaching from Matthew 2:1-12 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%202&version=NLT which tells the story about the visit of the wise men to Jesus and the subsequent change in their lives. His message is entitled, "It Starts Here," and we will be challenged to face the New Year with transformation through our relationship with the Christ.

There is no Sunday school this week.  The service will begin at 10:15am.  There will be coffee available preservice. :)

Congratulations to Kevin and Rachel on the announcement of a baby arriving this summer!

It's been great to see many of you home from afar.  Any of you up for coffee or lunch next week? 

Thanks to Laura for joining the senior high youth on the cold, wet, and rainy trip to Central Market in Lancaster. No, we did not spot Lady Gaga.

My prayer for you today: God of mystery and light, touch our lives today that we might experience you in new and transforming ways.  Our journeys are all different, yet you travel with us.  Open our eyes to recognize you. Peace, Hope, Love, Grace, Joy, Light-- envelop us in your Presence--Immanuel-- with us, never to leave us nor forsake us.  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  

Gloria in Excelsis Deo

 

Photo credit- Jim Lapp


 I wish you could have seen her face.  Joy and light emanated from this dear friend as she lay against the bed, oxygen prongs in place, and although was struggling with the "timeline" of reality and her very breath, she sang wholeheartedly the  "Glooooooooooooooooooooooria" in Angels We Have Heard On High with those of us who were caroling to her Wednesday night. I was reminded of the power and blessing of music, the power and blessing of this tradition, and the power and blessing of a relationship with our Lord. 

 Music is a gift that permeates our hearts and souls unlike any mere spoken word. Forgotten memories awaken as familiar melodies are rendered taking us to other times and places. Although we may no longer be able to create beautiful sound, music can incite our very souls to sing. Joy. Praise. Hope. Love. Peace.

I used to make caroling a priority during the Advent season, singing with various groups several times each season. Busyness has distracted me. I'm not a great singer, but I can hold a tune, and I certainly know Christmas songs. If you think of it next year, keep me accountable.  Ask me, "Carol, how many times are you caroling this year?" or better yet, ask if you can join me! This tradition is one that certainly blesses all the participants and truly is worship. I hope when I am 90 years old someone comes to sing for me!

My dear sister Frances has lived her life in relationship with her Lord even spending time in the convent as a teen considering if her call was to dedicate her life as a nun to her Jesus (I use the possessive pronoun "her" Lord, "her" Jesus as that is how she discusses her relationship with God.) She is very human and like all of us has struggled with living out this relationship in ways that honor God. Yet the depth of joy that radiated from her on Wednesday was more than the music; her very soul was praising the Lord  with all her being and the glory of God radiated from her face.

"Rejoice in the Lord!The fullness of time has come.  As the earth brings forth its shoots, so God sent the Son, born into the human condition, to set us free to live as beloved children.  The unexpected has happened. We belong to God."

Brother Mick will be sharing the message, "This Is Real Life" from Luke 2:1-7 reminding us of the harsh reality to which Jesus was born, yet with him the glimmer of light and hope of all.  There will be no Sunday school classes, so the service will begin at 10:15am with coffee, cookies, and fellowship time beginning at 9:30am.  

Christmas Eve service will begin at 7pm here at Ridgeview Mennonite Church, 3723 Ridge Road, Gordonville PA. http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/ 

My prayer for today:  Creator of the stars and sun, you are the one true light. You are the one hope. You are the living joy, the heart's home, the breathing love. You call each of us by name to dwell with you. O God, powerful and mighty, you became one of us that we could gaze into your eyes and know life and true love. Thank you. Bless each reader with a reminder of your loving presence today and always.  Peace. Love. Life. Joy. 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
    

"Haves" and "Have Nots"

 Have you seen the photo image that has been making its rounds on facebook depicting a split picture with half showing emaciated children reaching upward as if for food and the second part displaying women with overflowing shopping carts filled with games and stuff? None of the photo subjects appears happy.  The caption reads, "Define Necessity."

I must confess, as one of the "haves," these images cause me to feel really uncomfortable which I would guess is the intention of the post. I enjoy the overflow of gifts we have under the tree. I have a lovely home with a bit of land. I have warmth and clothing. I have clean water, hot water, and running water. I have cars (plural) to drive, an education, books, bikes, electricity, a piano, toys, phones, computers, and a few extra pounds.   Many of us glance at the images of these dear children and quickly skip to the next post because we don't want to be reminded of the want and need in the world. Many of us look at the images and say, "Wow, this is a good reminder of how blesssed we are," and yes, that is true but is that where we stop?  I am more and more convinced  as I mature (aka get older) that for those of us who are followers of Jesus, it is worship when we feed and clothe the hungry.  God's way is not our comfortable way. Afterall, God came to the earth as a "have not"  and was even an "alien" for a while in Egypt. Is not the best way to honor and praise our Lord to model the sacrificial love exemplified by our Jesus?

Mother Teresa's statement of "We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love" helps me when I feel overwhelmed with the enormity of the pain and despair in the world. 

Small things--Great Love.

Mennonite Central Committee  http://www.mcc.org/ has urgent needs for hygiene and school kits. There are cloth bags on the MCC table which you can pick up, fill, and return to the table.

http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/missions.htm  We are helping to feed the hungry children in our community. If you live locally and would like to help pack or deliver the food packs, sign up in the lobby.

http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1528  If you spend time on the computer, why not play "freerice" and feed the hungry at the same time?

Small things-- great love-- Doable--Today--Tomorrow-- At home--At shopping centers--In cars--With family--With friends--With strangers--With adults--With children--At church--At school--At work--At play. Small things--Great Love--NOW!

Whoo! Got a little preachy there!

Brother Mick, with his knee securely in a brace, will be preaching a message he's calling, "Let It Be." In Luke 1 Mary responds to the angel with "let it be with me according to your word." Do we trust God to be in control of our lives? Additional scriptures are 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 and Romans 16:25-27.

College students, I hope to see you in the Upper Room this Sunday at 9am! I've been praying for you as you've completed papers and taken exams!

Blessings to Craig who is back in Minnesota after having blessed us with his presence this fall. Craig, you added much thought and wisdom to our discussions. Thank you!  Keep us posted on life!

On Wednesday, Dec. 21 I plan to take a group Christmas caroling to Manor Care Health Center on the west side of Lancaster where Frances and Albert, and Amanda reside.  Would you like to join me? :)

My prayer for you today: Creator God, you are present in this new day.  In fact, you have a plan for this day and for each of us.  Help us to pay attention to your schedule. Help us to see people as you see them. Help us to enter your plan even if it messes up our own activities. Grant us courage to act. Let us do small things with great love so that others will see YOU in us. 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
"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