Angels

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his son. Romans 8:29  

The angels announce this decree, the holy wqtchmen bring this sentence, so that everyone living will know that the High God rules human kingdoms. He arranges kingdom affairs however he wishes and makes leaders out of losers. Daniel 4:17 The Message

Do you believe in holy watchmen as The Message Bible says in Daniel 4:17? I do! I do!

I believe there are angels watching over me each and every day. Oooh, I better be careful how I behave! Yes, for sure, there are angels that “watch” over us. They save us at times. Have you ever been sure another car is going to crash into you at high speed, yet it does not? Have you looked back on your life and seen that someone special was brought into your life in a peculiar kind of way?

I lived alone for seven years while I was coaching tennis at Nebraska Wesleyan. I had become self-sufficient but was lonely. I had dated a couple of guys, but they did not seem to live as I lived. I said, “Dear Lord, if there is a man who would like to have me as a wife, please send him to me.” I might have prayed for this more than once!

Strangely enough, I went to a wedding and met my husband, Bryce. There were several spectacular events that led to his coming from St. Louis, Missouri to this wedding. Bryce was running his four branches of Hastings & Chivetta Architecture in four cities from Minnesota to Colorado including the main firm in St. Louis. I only went to that wedding because a lady golfing with my son needed a place to stay for two months. My son directed her to my house on the 14^th green of Firethorn. I had a bedroom free and let her stay with me.

God answered my prayer and sent angels to see that Melissa played golf with Spencer, and later she married the son of Bryce’s St. Louis neighbor in Lincoln. No human could set that up so perfectly. God knew we would have twenty-three great years together.

Look at your past, can you see events that changed your life, or other's lives? Look at your answered prayers. I can see multiple events in my life and in the world around me. I had a lot to do with planning and building my townhouse; but did not realize I would be alone in it after just 11 months. God knew I would be happy here and let us finish the townhouse, which I have been blessed to live in for 30 years. God knew Bryce wanted to be here when he retired and sold his firms.

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, help me to love you, and direct your watchmen to care for me, our children, and grandchildren. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Words of Thanks

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 106:1

God's Creation

And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. Genesis 1:9-11

In early September of this year, Steve and I spent a couple of days at our family cabin in the mountains outside of Denver. The cabin has been in the family for 62 years and is at 9,000 ft. I have wonderful memories of all those years.

As I was sitting on a large rock watching Steve on a ladder staining a section of the cabin, I started looking at the ground around me and all the trees (aspen, pine, etc.) I picked up small white quartz rocks from the ground and put them in a small bag. I then found and put in my bag small pinecones. The squirrels had not eaten all the seeds out of the cones. I then found an aspen tree with a few yellow leaves. This showed that fall was coming. Those leaves went into the bag. I brought my bag home with my treasures and have shared with others. I will keep these special objects to remind me of the cabin and part of God's creation.

This experience showed me to look always and see God's creation. God's creation is all around us and everywhere I go. Open our eyes and see it all the time. Thank God for the skies, waters, mountains, trees, flowers, rocks, and people.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for creation and remind us to see and be thankful. Amen.

Susan Taylor (reprinted from 2019)

Forgiveness is Tricky

Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 31-32    

Without forgiveness, we wouldn't have the promise of Heaven. Christ died on the cross for our sins, offering us the ultimate gift of grace. If God forgives us daily, why do we find it so difficult to forgive those who wrong us? As humans, forgiveness doesn’t always come easily. Sometimes, we may say we've forgiven someone, but deep down, the hurt still lingers, revealing that our forgiveness isn't complete.

I've spent over 10 years praying to forgive someone who hurt me deeply. Some days, I truly mean those prayers, while other days, I simply go through the motions, struggling to fully let go. Forgiveness can be immediate, but more often, it’s an ongoing process. I desire to grow, to be more like Christ, and I know that daily prayer and a personal relationship with Jesus are the only ways to truly cultivate a heart of forgiveness.

Becky Rankin

Grandma’s Petunias

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24   

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Philippians 4:8

In my memories, my Grandma Hieb’s flower gardens were beautiful. A profusion of petunias in a triangular bed between the garage and the front door; I remember it as an explosion of white and shades of pink.

Recently, however, in seeing photos of the flower bed from that time in the 70s, the bed looks overgrown, scraggly. The petunias are leggy (not a good thing, with petunias, as all of you gardeners can attest!) In other words, the flower garden of my memories was preferable to (evidently) what really existed.

I wonder if we can use this analogy when we consider our fellow humanity.

I’m reminded of something a friend shared during one of our Mental Health Cafes (sponsored by our Faith Partners group), and I’m paraphrasing here: “my mental health is significantly improved when I think the best of someone”. In other words, if we give others the benefit of the doubt, if we believe that others are doing the best they can, if we believe that others mean well, OUR well-being and mindset are improved.

Like the pretty petunia bed in my memories, the ugliness is replaced by something better.

Prayer: Dear Lord, let me see the good in those I meet, let me believe that others are trying their best to be better human beings. Lead me to see You in my fellow humanity. Amen.

Donna Gustafson (photo above of me and my little brother near the petunia beds!)

Age

After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and his children's children, four generations. And Job died, old and full of days. Job 42:16-17 (NRSV)

I helped serve the luncheon after Joanne Smith's memorial service.  I am generally saddened when someone dies.  I was particularly touched because she was younger that I am.  Her mother is still living and attended.  I've heard that there is no more sadness than to bury your child, no matter the age of the child.

It is unlikely that any of us will live 140 years like Job, but I hope we can live a good, long life.

Prayer: Dear Lord, give us the strength to live well until the end of our days, and help us to remember all those who have gone before.  In Jesus name, we pray.  Amen

Kathy Kuehn (reprinted from 2016)

Editor's note: Kathy, who died in 2021, lives on in her memorial gift to Eastridge Presbyterian Church. We are thankful for her generous donation to the ministries at Eastridge!

Candy Corn and the Trinity

 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19

Did you know that the word “trinity” is not in the Bible? However, there are many verses in both the OT and the NT confirming the trinity.  The verse above from the book of Matthew is only one example that makes it clear that there are 3 persons that make up one godhead. This concept of the Holy Trinity is a difficult one not only for children to understand but for some of us adults as well. 

As a former Sunday school teacher, I learned that teaching difficult concepts was much more fun if candy was involved. Some very creative person who remains anonymous wrote a wonderful children’s sermon using a kernel of candy corn to explain how 3 things can be one. Here is my edited version:

When you look at the candy corn, it is shaped like a triangle. The symbol of the trinity is 3 arcs intertwined forming a triangle. The tip on the kernel points upward reminding us to pray. The candy is made up of 3 colors and 3 different flavors. The white tip is a symbol of purity and stands for God the Father who is perfect, holy and righteous. The color orange reminds us of the flames of the Holy Spirit who appeared on Pentecost and enabled the disciples to speak God’s word in many languages. The yellow represents the light of Jesus Christ, the Word in flesh.  He calls us to be witnesses and when we spread His word, we spread His light and the message of salvation to the world.

And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest (Luke 10:2).

When we see candy corn in the fall, it reminds us that it is harvest time. Three colors, 3 flavors, ONE piece of delicious candy. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 3 persons, ONE perfect and holy God. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we praise you and we love you but we confess we often struggle to understand you. In this harvest season, help us to be laborers in your fields.  In Your Son, Jesus’ name, we ask it.  Amen.

Judy Welch (reprinted from Oct 2023)