A Divine Reminder

Well, Trisha always keeps me on my toes.  Thanks, Trisha......I think. 

Anyway, Friday's "inspirational thought" read as follows:  (Did you see it?)

My car has warning lights on the dashboard. Every once in a while when I am driving, one of them flashes bright red. When it does, I stop and turn the engine off. God has His own warning lights, and at times He flashes them, saying to us, "Stop, stop, don't, don't!" And if we're wise, we stop. We use the necessary, disciplines that keep our minds pure, and He does His part in honoring that obedience.

Such warnings are all around us, in the everyday parts of life that we often just IGNORE.  But, I want to take the inspirational message above just a bit further.  If some warning lights tell us to "Stop!  Stop!", then I also propose that other warning lights might be renamed "invitation" lights.  These lights, instead of staying "stop," would instead invite us to "GO!  GO!"   So...... if we are to heed the warning, or respond to the invitation, what am I to make of the invitation light in my Jeep that told me to "perform service?" 

The Big 3

In United Methodist circles, when we think of a "Big 3" we usually think of the Trinity; Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  In the Bible, the number 3 is used often.  Sometimes it is used as a literal number, sometimes it is used figuratively, or metaphorically, because in the 1st century world the number 3 was considered to be a divine number..... a perfect number. 

But what has been on my mind lately is another kind of "Big 3," the kind that relates to our health...... body, mind, and spirit.  So, how's your "Big 3?"

How is it with your physical health?  Would your diet send the healthy food gurus screaming into the night?  Are you stressed?  Did you know that stress can cause a myriad of physical problems?  What about exercise? (ouch!)

How is your intellectual health?  Do you read?  Do you challenge yourself to learn new things? 

How is your spiritual health?  John Wesley used to ask, "How is it with your soul?"  Do you spend time with God daily?  Do you see the divine in the everyday?  How is your prayer life?  Do you take time to shut out the daily chaos, and devote that time to silence, so that you can hear the "still small voice" that is the voice of the Holy Spirit...... God dwelling within us?  Do you take Sabbath time?

Well, I scored poorly!  I rarely exercise, and I occasionally let stress get the best of me.  I tend to always be reading and studying, so I did a little better on that one.  My spiritual health?  Room for lots of improvement.  So, I am committing today to intentionally develop better habits in the "Big 3." 

How 'bout you?  How's your "Big 3?"  Upon what is God calling you to focus? 

Wanna join me?  Let's go for it!

Stop and Smell the.....OUCH!

I know..... I know.  You're as sick of them as I am.  Those old cliches that have lost their meaning (to us) because they have been too oft quoted.  The one that comes to my mind today is "stop and smell the roses."  Yeah, and get your nose poked.  That one has been so overused, that it has lost it's "fragrance" of meaning.  So, we skip right over it, or let it go "in one ear and out the other."  (Sorry!  Just couldn't resist that one.)

So, let me "cut to the chase."  (Oops.... I did it again, didn't I?) 

A friend of mine shared this with her congregation: 

"God wants us to discover new ways of doing and being a church, unlike the traditional models that are out there. God wants us to create an environment in which people experiment and take risks in ministry; where they come up with great, new ideas, and get others excited to help implement those ideas. God’s vision for (our church) is for us to have lots of different opportunities throughout the week for worship, prayer, conversation, and support, for all ages....."
                                (Rev. Sheila Fiorella, pastor, New Day United Methodist Church, Mansfield, Texas)

Vision.  It sometimes (more often than not) means change.  And, it may mean that we become uncomfortable with change.  That's OK.  If you feel uncomfortable with certain changes, rejoice in that, because that's God telling you that this is growth..... it is God calling you to grow individually, and it is God calling us to grow as a church..... as the Church of Jesus Christ.  What a gift!  Embrace it!  Give thanks for it!

Sometimes, smelling the rose is painful.  So, maybe we've stopped smelling them altogether.  How sad, because there is such beauty in the fragrance.  (OK, enough cliches and metaphor).

What vision does God have for Davis Memorial United Methodist Church?  What vision do you have for Davis Memorial United Methodist Church?  How will we carry out that vision? 

I am excited to be a part of God's ministry at Davis Memorial, and I am excited to partner with all of you in ministry as together we vision, dream, discern, and carry out God's plan for us in growing the kingdom, becoming and being the best that we can be for God, as we go about making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!