When Korinne and Taylor were in middle school, one of their soccer coaches said to me about them, “Your girls have such internal motivation on the field. I wish I knew how to create and teach that!”

My response was, “Well, they love the game." 

As I've thought more about that, I would now say it this way, "As they love the one who shared his passion and excitement for soccer (their dad!), so they learned to love the game he loves, and therefore, they do not require external motivations. In fact, I think it is fair to say that although some of those external methods such as running laps, yelling, cursing coaches, and punitive actions for losses can get results, those approaches can suck the joy right out of the game they love.  


I hope I'm expressing this clearly, because I think this is a great life metaphor. 

As we experience the love and passion our Lord has for our lives and those around us, so we learn to love each other and live our lives with the sacrificial love of Jesus as we accept this love for ourselves. Following Jesus is, therefore, not a set of a set of punitive rules, but rather an active, internal response to relationship resulting in joy despite some loss. 

Does that make sense? I'm not sure if I expressed that as clearly in words as what I visualize in my mind! Our scripture passages for Sunday point us toward committing our lives to God and following God's ways. Jesus takes us from the box of laws that were to help us be close to God, to a relationship that directs our path. Our scriptures are Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Matthew 5:21-37, I Corinthians 3:1-9, and Psalm 119:1-8. The message is titled, "'Follow' is an Action Word," and I'm preaching. Please pray for me! Classes for all ages begin at 9 AM, and the worship service is at 10:15 AM. 

I think Mick and Michelle's flight out of NYC took off yesterday. I've not heard if they made it all the way to Argentina or not.  Do you think we can assume that no news is good news?

Let's see, what am I doing today...

     -blogging
     -shoveling
     -laundry
     -shoveling
     -grocery shopping
     -shoveling
     -shoveling
     -shoveling

I am grateful for our neighbor with the GIANT snowblower on his tractor that found its way back to our house last night bringing 'hurrahs' from Cliff and I and terror to our critters! Thanks, Mel!





Prayer for today:  God of love, beauty and creativity, open our eyes to see You, experience You, hear You, and sense You. Let your love draw us into meaningful relationships with You that change not only our lives but the lives of those around 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! Happy Valentine's Day! 

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

Preaching in the car to myself yesterday as we are all wont to do, (yes?) I was trying to think of something particularly odious to make a point.  The subsequent story fills my family with laughter, nose crinkling, and head shaking as we recollect this particular evening.

A middle school soccer game was being played with the hubby coaching and the middle daughter playing on a soccer pitch that was surrounded on 3 sides by farmland.  Unfortunately, game time corresponded exactly with the farmer's spreading of the foulest, awfullest, most fetid, liquid putrescence imaginable. The "bog of eternal stench" has nothing on Lancaster county spreadables!  A nice little wind was blowing directly across the field resulting in the complete infiltration of every pore, pocket, and shinguard. Oh yeah. I am not exaggerating. Ask anyone who was present that day.

Those of us watching did so with our hands over our mouths and noses. Cliff said as he sat on the bench that a damp vile spray tickled his neck. Uh huh. Gulp. You know how usually you stop smelling something after you've been immersed in the odor for a time?  That didn't happen. Ever.
Each minute seemed equivalent to an hour.
Following the foulfield game, the girls were taken to Wendy's for supper where the friendly cashier wondered, "What's that awful smell?"
As we got home and showered, washed clothing and hair, I came upstairs from the basement and my olfactory system shouted warning. Yep, in a corner was a sweatshirt silently screaming malodorous intent. Having come directly from the office to the game, our friend Abe had to discard, throw-away, trash the nicely tailored suit he was wearing that day. We often describe memories as "sweet;" this one I'll call "noxious" yet equally notable!

An odious story to make a point. That's the story. Now, what was the point?  Nevermind. I'll save it for another day.

I've enjoyed having the intergenerational mix in the Upper Room this summer.  On Sunday in the fellowship hall at 9 am, all adults will have the opportunity to receive an update from Anne Marie Smoker who is here from Japan.  I'm also looking forward to hearing from our friend and former interim pastor Ray Yoder who will be sharing the morning message he is calling "Influence."  Scripture passages are John 7:37-39 and Acts 9:36-42. The power of the Holy Spirit is at work in us and through us in our everyday lives.

New jobs, moving, travel, babies
Job loss, new schools, break ups, marriage
Sickness, sadness, laughter, health
Studies, training, loss, wondering
Hopeless, joy, fighting, faith
Laughter, tears, death, being...
Stop! God is present. Be filled! 

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. Ps46:1-2  We rest and hope in you, loving God. Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. Amen. 


Time to go inhale the sweet scent of my roses. 

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

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