Claimed, gathered and sent

You ever read something and you know you've been nailed--those thoughts, actions, feelings that we don't like to admit to, well...we have to own up to them. Please read this article at Gifted for Leadership and you too may be rocked. What do you think? My husband's reaction was that person should not even be considering ministry. I don't know, I think she was just being very honest about those things we'd like to pretend we wouldn't feel or do. Picture from klikr.

Over at mission matters, Steve has posted an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness to a 92 year old lady. It's here on YouTube. It is incomprehensible what God does with simple faith that takes him at his word. Thanks to Kelly for pointing this one out. Great is his faithfulness !

Several of us at church have read and fallen in love with the book, The Shack . I am on the author's email list and just received this today. It feels good to spend some more time hearing about what Papa's up to. If you're unfamiliar with the book, you can get more information about it and even read the first chapter at The Shack website. May you continually know how "especially fond" Papa is of you. Picture from The Shack website.

This morning I was doing lectio divina with a reading from Colossians. There is so much in this passage for me personally, for us as a community of faith. I can see numerous blog posts emanating from this. But for today, I got stopped at the first few words of the first verse , " 12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved ..." Who am/are I/we? In those times when some may call us fat, forgetful, stupid, whatever...God calls us chosen, holy, beloved. Does it matter what others call us when God calls us chosen and beloved? It can be difficult to keep criticisms in perspective, particularly when they are painful ones. We can take heart with the encouragement of scripture. Paul told the Colossians this and God has this word for us as well, chosen and beloved. Who am I? Everyone has struggled/struggles with this question, particularly in times of uncertainty. Even Dietrich Bonhoeffer expresses this sentiment in his poem entitled "Who Am I?" Bonhoeffer's conclusion t...

I am making progress since coming home from rehab following my knee replacement. Initially, I used a walker most of the time at home. I then progressed to 2 crutches. I am now down to 1 crutch and have put the walker away. Sometimes around the house I can manage without crutches altogether. If you know me at all, you know my tendency toward clumsiness. With knee replacement, it is imperative to be careful not to fall. A fall can ruin the prosthesis and mean more surgery. Especially when we have had a storm like yesterday, this concerns me. Though likely out of context, the words of a number of Psalms have come to have renewed meaning for me. Here are a few verses: Psalm 17.5: "My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped." Psalm 18.36: "You gave me a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip." Psalm 37.23: " Our steps are made firm by the Lord , when he delights in our way." Psalm 37.31: "The law of their God...

Yesterday was our granddaughter, Grace's 4th birthday. Before church yesterday she was excitedly talking with a friend and asked her if she wanted to come to church and Sunday school with her. The girl asked her mom, and they both came. My daughter reported that Sarah's friend loved Sunday school. It is so easy for children to share with their friends about that which excites them. What is our problem? "The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them" (Is 11:6).

Tuesday I saw the surgeon for a post-op visit. He was pleased with my progress and because it's my left knee, he will let me drive again when I feel comfortable doing so. YEAH!! I felt great at the visit, then had physical therapy at home in the afternoon and all was well. But Tues. evening and yesterday were something else again. The pain was horrible. I think I did too much on Tues. Last night's sleep was better. I still hurt but...The physical therapist will be here in about 25 minutes and then we'll see what the rest of the day brings. All I know is that God is my strength and I can do nothing apart from his grace. Needless to say, I didn't make it to Ash Wednesday service yesterday, but even as Ray and I prayed together last night, I was very aware of the reminder, "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return. Peace. Picture from http://travel.webshots.com/album/548226762DaCEND

Good news! This afternoon I found out I am going home Friday!! I am excited. It's the small things that excite me: sleeping in our bed, not being awakened to have my vital signs checked at 4 a. m., coffee when I want it etc. that make the difference. And of course, the best is being home with Ray and Abby. It will be much easier to catch up on school work I am behind on from home as well. Everyone here at Kent Regency has been wonderful. The care has been fantastic. The staff's understanding and sympathy is abundant as we struggle with pain and frustration. Everyone here asks how I feel about going home, any concerns, questions? My biggest concern is my own ability to faithfully do my home program of exercises. By his grace, I am able. There's a certain nostalgia we all feel about returning home whenever we've been away for a time. Jesus' words in the gospel of John are a good reminder for me, for all of us when we experience those times of insecurity and fear. ...

God is faithful. He does not require of us more than he gives us strength for. The reality of daily life sometimes makes us wonder. Case in point: I am struggling greatly to catch up on school work from last week when I was in the hospital and began rehab. The factors which have increased the difficulty of doing so are working around physical and occupational therapy (twice I lost some work on a lab for biology), exhaustion from therapy and pain meds, as well as visitors like my wonderful husband as well as friends. Among the blessings of my stay at Kent Regency Rehab has been meeting physical therapists Ed, Hunter and Charlie, wonderful fellow travelers in the journey of faith. In our conversations, I have been reminded of Don Moen's song, "God W ill Make a Way." In an online search of the words for Charlie, I came across this YouTube of it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hOjYR8UZT8. Again I am reminded.

Witnessing the community of faith living the call of John 13:35, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another," is a thing of beauty. The church being Emanuel, God with us, is a reminder of his great love and faithfulness. During my hospital and rehab stay, we have been overwhelmed by the love of the good people of Emanuel Lutheran Church: meals, support, rides for Ray etc. Great is God's faithfulness and great is our gratitude to our church family.

The adventures of Marie and me at rehab continue. This afternoon, after Ray had left, a frail, elderly woman in a wheelchair turned the corner and entered our room. We kept trying to tell her it wasn't her room...to no avail. She just kept on coming...past my bed over to Marie's. Marie had been relaxedly reading the newspaper, now at the foot of her bed. The woman started pulling at the paper and Marie kept telling her, "No!" Eventually an aide came and took her back to her own area. Not five minutes later, here she comes again! This time she headed for our bathroom. I thought she'd never be able to manage opening the big door in her wheelchair. Was I ever wrong. Again we rang for help and she was whisked away. This lady was persistent. We found out she's 104 years old. We should have her energy and determination! Later in the day we were telling Rob, the young nurse about her and in she comes again! Rob took her out into the hallway and was talking to her. Th...

Today's texts are so rich. It was difficult to decide what to meditate on. Here is the link to today's readings: http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=64520793. I was really torn, but did lectio divina with Ezekiel 47:12, " On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” I meditated on the underlined portion, which brought many thoughts to mind, such as Psalm 1:3, " T hey are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper," refering to the godly in Psalm 1. So if we are being refreshed by God through Word and Sacrament, daily in his presence in prayer and the scriptures, receiving God's watering, we too can have fruitful lives th...