Be Present

“Be still, and know that I am God!” Psalm 46:10

“I will meditate on your precepts, and consider your ways.” Psalm 119:15


Tom Hanks, who acts the part of Fred Rogers in a new movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” was asked, “What was the hardest thing about playing Mister Rogers?”

“Slowing down,” Tom replied.  Most of us find slowing down hard for us also. At this holiday season, we rush to send holiday greetings, shop for gifts, decorate our homes, bake goodies, and attend holiday programs and parties.

Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister. His wife, Joanne Rogers said, “He rarely talked about his faith but he spread God’s love in everything he did. His life was his sermon.” Joanne Rogers shared that her husband, Fred, “Would get up early in the morning to read the Bible and pray.” Do we take time out of our day to meditate and be silent with listening ears toward God?

Mr. Rogers imparted gentle wisdom and advice for children. He emphasized the importance of real human connections. In an earlier 2010 documentary called, “Mister Rogers and Me”, director Benjamin Wagner stated:  “What was so important to Fred was being really, really, present and deeply engaged with the person you’re sitting across from.”

A Guidepost magazine editor states, “The film, ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ captures his legacy, reminding people to be kind and neighborly, to try to forgive those who hurt them and see the innate goodness in all people.”

Tim Lybarger, the founder of the Neighborhood Archive fan-appreciation website, says he thinks Rogers’ work is as relevant as ever today.  “Who isn’t starving for a message of self-value and peace and love and appreciation?”

Prayer: Dear God, help us to remember to slow down, be still, and listen to you and to those who need us to be present with them. Amen.


Lois Poppe

Happy Thanksgiving!

God's Steadfastness

Recently I celebrated a milestone birthday. I had invited guests that had entered my life at different stages throughout my life. My nephew helped me prepare a video of different pictures of that many years of my life. There has been too many people, too many different events to include all in the video. We also included the many different changes in the world since my birth. It was amazing to go through and realize how many changes have occurred in what seems like such a short time in my mind. No cell phones, phones still hung on the wall, party lines, no internet, so of course no Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or other apps now a part of so many individual's lives. Interstate 80 wasn’t even completed, but they had begun to work on it. Library books were checked out by hand, stamping the date due in books and a card held for each book. There weren’t a lot of pre-prepared dinners. TV dinners were pretty new and not very tasty. We didn’t see the fast food restaurants you see now everywhere. Toys included slinky, paper dolls, Barbie was presented the year I was born, black and white movies and television were more popular and color was a big exciting new experience for many. No digital cameras so pictures were taken and waited for development to see if you got the picture you wanted.   


One thing has remained the same but fewer are realizing: the need for God in their lives. God was there when I was born, God was there when the ambulance came when I stopped breathing soon after being taken home, God was there as I grew up and was bullied, God was there when I felt depressed, God was there during the happy times, God was there when we went through struggles, God has listened and given answers; not always the answers I may have wanted but His plan was always better. I give thanks for Him for each day I have been here and those that I have met along the way. I give thanks for Him walking beside me during the trying times. 


But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5


Lori Hood

Deepening Prayer and Relationship

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The details are long forgotten, but the words of John 3:16 have been memorized in my head and heart since middle school.  In Marion, Ohio I visited the church of my best friend since elementary school, Kathy, and all of the youth that day learned this verse. 

The second verse, one of my favorites, I see every day on the mirror in our bathroom.  I am trying to talk to God more each day, trying to see his wonders all around me, if only I would stop and take time for Him.  My daily living would be so much more fulfilling and less stressful if I would be in communion with God continually.  I want to learn how to discern God’s will and really listen for his voice; to be still instead of continuing my own words in prayer; and most importantly to deepen my daily personal relationship with Him.  

Prayer: Dear Father, forgive me for neglecting spending time with you. I use my busyness as an excuse. But as the patient and loving Father you are, you wait for me and I am truly thankful. The precious gift of your Son allows me this personal relationship with you and I so want our relationship to deepen and grow ever since my own baptism and memorizing John 3:16 many years ago. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. [Psalm 51:10]  Amen.

Cathy Schapmann (adapted/reprinted from the 2017 Eastridge Lenten devotional book)

Forgiveness

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No!” Jesus replied, “seventy times seven!" Matthew 18:21-22

Many years ago as I was walking the halls of the Sunday School rooms, I saw a large piece of paper on the wall. A class had written the word “forgive” on the sheet seventy times seven. The paper remained on the wall for many years and it caught my eye whenever I passed by. I hope it caught the eyes of others that passed by. 

Did Jesus mean that we should keep track of how many times we should forgive anyone? I think he meant we should forgive anyone who sins against us, no matter how many times. We need to remember to never stop forgiving others. Keep that word, forgive in your head. You will have a new lease on life when you forgive others.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, help us to never stop forgiving others in our life, no matter how many times they sin against us. Amen.

Susan Taylor (from the 2018 Eastridge Lenten devotional book)

Grace to You and Peace

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.  Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. Romans 1:1-12

Hope in a Tulip

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25 

Each year I think about buying those lovely, exotic tulips that I see in magazines and in others’ yards. However, it requires planning ahead…I need to find these fancy bulbs in October of the year prior and plant them in ground that might be a bit frozen and unyielding. 

Discussing this in our Wednesday morning Bible study, we all agreed: Planting bulbs is a sign of hope. It’s a sign of hope that we (or someone) will be around to witness the fall’s planting in the spring. It’s hopefulness that squirrels won’t dig the little bulbs up. It’s hope that time will pass and we’ll be able to witness a sign of beauty, of God’s hand in nature.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we know that we have hope in You. Help us to have faith and trust that you will be with us, granting us a hopeful future, if we remain in You. Grant us the ability to feel hopeful when we are feeling hopeless. Amen.

Donna Gustafson