God's Creation

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?  In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12: 7-10

This year we will be traveling to Yellowstone. As we prepare for this trip I have been occupied in speaking to those who have gone before us. What is it like? Where did you stay? What was the most amazing thing? What would you skip if you went back? Seeing pictures has helped to build excitement.

Brian and I love to spend time outdoors. We walk the dogs, mow in the summer, shovel in the winter, ride our bikes, go camping and boating, hike and sometimes just sit and appreciate. Seeing wildlife is something that we have shared through our many years together. We like to remember hearing the beaver on Boundary Waters, seeing the moose in the road on our way to pick blueberries, Brian catching his first BIG fish on vacation, picking up occupied conch shells on Honeymoon Island, seeing wild goats in Jamaica, taking our scouts to see the sandhill cranes, or telling the story about the mountain lion that wasn’t. The miracles of nature often bring us peace and remind us of the power of creation. They might make us laugh.  They remind us of the gifts of life that we all share with God’s many creatures and species. 

Prayer: Amazing Creator, thank you for sharing all of the different species with us.  From the smallest bird to the largest mammal to the scaliest fish we can see your vision of life in our world. Amen.      

Christi Moock

My Grace is Sufficient for You

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

Memorial Day

I thank my God every time I remember you ~ Philippians 1:3

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:8 

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29: 11 

Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. Lamentations 3:21-25 

We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. Psalms 33:20-22 

He sang: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. 2 Samuel 22: 2-4 

Words from Isaiah

In repentance and rest is your salvation,

    in quietness and trust is your strength.

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;

    therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.

For the Lord is a God of justice.

    Blessed are all who wait for him!

People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it. ~Portions of Isaiah 30

Daily Spiritual Exercise

In our current Wednesday morning bible study, we are reading Trevor Hudson's book, Discovering Our Spiritual Identity. In one week's lesson, Trevor shared the above, which was the result of his time spent with a Johannesburg monk studying the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius.

Donna Gustafson

Learning

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.  And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.  His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.  After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so?  Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.”  And he said to them, “How is it that you sought me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”   Luke 2: 41-49 (RSV)

This devotion was inspired by the windows in the sanctuary at Eastridge. The second window from the southeast corner illustrates the story of Jesus in the temple at age twelve. The youngster stands in the center of the window; three bearded rabbis hover to one side. His parents, who dominated the Nativity window and remained in the foreground in the Nunc Dimittis window, have now shrunk to tiny figures in the corner. Beneath Jesus’ feet is a lamp signifying scholarship.

What conclusions can we draw from this familiar story? The danger of making assumptions? Evidence of a strained relationship between parents and adolescent?  Jesus as a child prodigy? As a teacher I’m pleased to read that Jesus is described as listening and asking questions. All of us, including Jesus must learn what it means to be human. And for this we look to our history and literature, and the thoughts and writings of the wisest among us today, as well as those who have gone on before.  They provide us with the materials for our task.

Prayer:  Oh God of Wisdom, give us the joy of learning and the gift of discernment to see how you are working out Your purpose in the world today, and how we are called to participate.  Amen. 

Bill Wehrbein (reprinted from Eastridge Devotion book, 2008)

On Being Grateful

The wisdom of the learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure; and he that hath little business shall become wise.  Ecclesiastes 38:24

As a friend of mine wrote: “Isn’t it terrible how you can be fine one minute and brought low the next!”  In my case, the being “fine” was going about a morning’s work at home, twirling from one task to another, and the “brought low” was catching my rubber-soled shoes in the carpet and falling like a tree—hard and straight—across the footboard of the bed.  One trip to the emergency room for X-rays, two strong medicines, and reaction to those medicines later, I was 911’d to the hospital where I stayed for three days. That provided time to meditate on the unexpectedness of human life. It was also time to count one’s blessings.

Listening to the coughing and labored breathing, with the help of a swooshing and engulfing apparatus, of my roommate in the throes of emphysema, I was grateful for clear air passages. Hearing about the woman down the hall in a several weeks’ coma after surgery to remove a brain tumor, I was grateful for a clear head. As my vital signs returned to normal and as my wrenched back improved a bit each day, I was grateful for a “hopefully” temporary rather than permanent disarrangement of my system. Although there are easier ways to gain such wisdom than a trip to the hospital, it will suffice.

Prayer: Perhaps we all need some of Pollyanna in our attitudes; being glad for what’s there rather than pining for what’s not. Thank you for your many gifts to us—of life, of friends, of health sufficient for the day, which we often accept as a matter of course.  May we be aware and grateful.  Amen 

Ruth Ann Lyness (reprinted from Eastridge Devotion book, 2008)