a little humor in the office.

As I was listening to Teresa in the office speak of a news bit from this morning, I heard her say that when a relative went to the morgue or funeral home to look at the body, they noticed that there was a mix up. Then they had to exhume the body and go through the process again. I work in a redistribution business selling paper goods and cleaning supplies.

Quickly, I responded that this was a picking error or a wrong item in the bin. My manager asked where the retort came from. It gave a little lift to the office this afternoon and gave me a chuckle as I reflect on how fast my lob back was.


Thanks Lord, for allowing my bus to arrive a little late. It gave me the opportunity to bless an older lady who almost forgot one of her bags of groceries. thanks for allowing me to be there on time so I could be of blessing.

Hosea 6:3

the ideas that follow come from a christian blogger, Ruth Hull Chatlien.
Her excellent web site is http://rhchatlienblog.blogspot.com/
the post is from july 13th.

rain rain rain ///
come again some other day.

bless our hard hearts with the softening effects of your rain.

many times in our lives, we need to cultivate our souls. The cultivation is part of the fertilization of ideas between generations.

Jesus walks within our souls.

Taking a walk in the woods. Across the mossy lawn of the forest.
Crunching along the twigs and the bramble underneath.

Jesus walks in the forest of my soul. The hidden place untouched by man. He walks in the place of honor and valour like that of Robinhood.

yet sin and God don't mix. They are oil and water. They are mutually exclusive. The two will not work together. Like a forest fire out of control. Putting up controlled burns may stop the blaze. But more damage will occur in the process.

Help me Lord to realize that as you walk amid the forest of my soul that you will find green spots. Fresh with lush vegetation. A source of your holiness within me. Help me Lord to be the beacon of light that the world desperately needs to hear about.

May your glory shine forth from this beacon. As i bless others and the world in the process.

the ide-o-master

Life gets complicated. It should be easier for people to understand how it all works out. Yet, our lives become tangled almost like that of a ball of twine that gets all out of kilter from the many conflicts in our lives.

The Halyards clanking against the mast. Resounding like the constant chattering of the gulls with their clarion calls overhead. Amidst the occasional toots of the foghorns sitting atop the beacons to the Maine Coast in the distance.

Just as the world is a ball when looked at from the distance of outer space. It spins around at a great velocity. Yet, what is amazing around our ball of twine is that it is inhabited by smart and intuitive individuals who have a great capacity of goodness in their hearts.

Ever look into a child's eyes as he sits intently making every effort to untangle the ball of twine. Representing a mystery of how to solve such a betwixting problem. Or trying to put together the five rods of ink in a five way Bic pen to no avail.

Some say that the world spins out of control. But I am glad that this world has its anchors. Anchors are stored on the front of the boat. The wet rope that they are attached to gets coiled up and placed in front of the boat for storage until the next time they are used. This memory brings to mind the many times that my father and I would leave the summer cottage and head out to the Cozy Harbor landing to take a journey out to the Sheepscot Bay. We got our life preservers on and got into the boat and dad rowed us out to our boat moored in the Harbor. Dad tied our rowboat to the Rascal W. and got in and helped me climb over the side of the boat.


I have enjoyed sailing in the motorboat on the Coast of Maine with my father when I was growing up in Maine. Some of the time I got to be the helmsman of the boat. I enjoyed the times when Dad asked me to sit in the driver's seat. As I sat in the blue and white vinyl cushion of the motorboat, I received brief instruction from my Dad on how to operate the lever to move the boat forward. Dad said, "it really is not very hard to operate this Rascal W, Scott. All you do is move the lever forward and get a good firm grip of the wheel. To move her forward, all you do is apply a little pressure to the lever moving it forward. Remember a little push will go a long way with this boat here, Scott."

I did as Dad instructed. As I felt the power of the boat move it forward, I felt excited. Being given control to move something outside of myself forward. The sound of the motor increased and as I looked over the side of the boat, I saw the buoys hung and danced from the side of the boat. Dad went carefully around the boat to stow them inside and went to the bow of the boat to close the window since the wind was whipping around us.

Dad stood beside me wearing his blue and white boat jacket and his Blue FBI cap given to him from one of the cottagers that Mom and Dad rented to. Dad firmly gripped the side of the window as I looked at me and asked how I was doing. I said ,"I am enjoying this very much, Dad, thanks for giving me this opportunity to sail with you. "

I enjoyed seeing the spume from the wake of the boat coming up alongside the Rascal W. I got to see the coast from an angle as the boat listed to the side at times when I made the turns on the Sheepscot Bay.

For this is the only driving experience going a mile or two that I have experienced. It gave me a sense of freedom where I could travel at an equivalent of twenty miles an hour without feeling out of control like when I tried to take the car for a brief spin in a parking lot once. No lines or restrictions. Seeing the vastness of the ocean in front of me. And the vastness beneath me as well. I was a novice doing this. Yet under the protective eye of my father.

At times, I wish I have more moments with Dad, just he and I being able to be outside on a boat. In life, it can be hard to open up to our true inner feelings. Looking back to when I was a teen, it is good to have those memories. Of times when I can be myself.

I miss those times of sailing the open seas. If I could only have them back when I was young and without a care in the world. Being protected and under the wings of my mom and dad. Oh, even the gulls have had their squabbles on the coast. But they travel back and forth to their gull rock each night and the ryhthms in life have their meaning.

Yet, I was allowed to fly and pull up my anchor and soar. And sometimes allowed to sink. My life has never been easy. But looking at the lives of others through the few decades since I was a teen have given me an appreciation for what life has to offer. It offers us memories to look back and a hope to look forward.

But my views along the journey just like when I was captain have been well worth it.

productivity in our lives.

The flow gets interrupted at times when people live places of employment or even churches. Our church lost its youth minister almost a year ago and has functioned through a well-oiled team. Not being directly on that team of youth, it seems to be going well. I don't have the front office experience in that ministry.

Yet. during my daily ventures at work with several key players out for medical reasons and gaps left behind from departures, the once natural flow is put into question and guessing sometimes happens as to what the once defined roles were. No smooth flow chart exists at times; so, we are called into a struggle to perform better under strenuous circumstances.

This is a lot of what our Christian faith is about. And what the early disciples of Jesus must have felt when their leader, Jesus, left their physical presence and they awaited the promise of the Holy Spirit who would help them. Times of uncertainty and confusion especially a time when the oral tradition was heavily relied upon. And the Written scriptures from the rolls of papyrus and the work of the scribes.

yet, what makes one's productivity flourish is the reliance on the imagination and the strength of character that is within him or her. And the desire to look up and trust in the Lord during the hard and uncertain times.

May these words comfort the reader as well.

Blessed are those who mourn for what once was for they will be comforted.

The Return Home

I was watching an episode of the Army Wives on television tonight. It brought up the idea of heroism. Å soldier was being presented with a medal of honor for his bravery ; yet, he said one of the acts of bravery that does not always get noticed are the units that scour the globe to find the bodies of soldiers who have died in wars and found in all kinds of places. To be brought home and honored with the military funeral and the salutes and the multiple gun salutes.

I also am brought to awareness of how Jesus is acknowledged for His death at communion. We as a congregation celebrate it once a month. We had a visual slide in front of our church with light coming from behind the cross and water gushing out of the cross creating a flow of water. Symbolic of how the release of His blood and spirit brings forth life into our lives.

And when someone repents of their sins, they are brought into His fold . Into the newness of life.

We discussed in both our sunday school discussion of John and in the message of who Jesus is. He claimed identity with the Father. Making Himself equal to God, to divinity. This upset the social order of the time. Putting out threats on His very life. Yet, Jesus had the sustaining power to keep Him going all the way to the cross and to Heaven and into men and women's hearts today.

As we concluded our service, we sang in celebration, Shine Jesus Shine. What a good way to end an hour celebrating who He is. And also a way to remember the effects of fallen soldiers in our time of war. Rewording that song, one could almost say, Shine Troops Shine. For your work is always remembered and will not be forgotten.

Thanks to the combination of Army Wives and The Lord's Supper for providing the fodder for thought today.

A chance to fertilize

Walking along a roadside garden in newtown, friends discussed how corn got its growth. Each kernel grows on top of the other and are fertilized by the one below it. to create a full ear of corn.

The same can be said of how we witness and disciple one another. Allowing ourselves to be in close contact with another's life. To be disciplined to listen to what is being said and to look out at the weather and the conditions around us. To be bold and demonstrative in showing our enthusiasm to others. To be involved in the missions work of the church-on the front lines.

When I first saw the weather, I saw ominous storm clouds that I thought would bring two thunderstorms as I was planning to wander around the Stamford Mall this afternoon. I said I am not going on my venture and headed back home after breakfast and the gym. Took my brief nap and then called my friend, Louis, to say I was available for the pizza bake off to meet some new friends. I am glad that I did because I got to meet many new people and to share my writings with several new people. Did not get to do a read-off with a fellow author who wants to be published. Different system of thoughts. But I am keeping the door open to her so I can have a voice and influence in her life.

Thank you Lord for letting me follow my heart and for giving me a good afternoon and evening and a chance to quickly brush up on pool playing and allowing me to participate in the bake off by my friend's request. God is indeed Good all the time ,

Time to celebrate America and Onions

Good Morning America. happy 232nd birthday!!!! A good land to be part of with the free exchange of ideas both left and right.

And a day to celebrate where I got to work on the 4th of July cutting onions at Duchess Family restaurants 25 years ago to this day. A weepy job but one that celebrates those who do the mundane jobs that may not always be appreciated through time.
Yes, Ecclesiastes says there is time for weeping and times for joy.

It is a day of journeys also. Went to a friends gathering from church to celebrate the return of one of his missionary son and daughter in laws return and 5 grandchildren from China. A good time to reconnect and hear from both their parents while getting sun on my face and back while looking out at Milford Beach and Charles Island.

We are all part of God's kingdom. We have many spheres of influence that we are involved in. My friends, the Rudds, have spent many years in China on their first term. They have invested their lives in these people. And now are back to invest in the lives of those they left behind. Quick to recall who we are and of the involvement in their friends' lives. Yet, also connected to the Kingdom of God and to the building of the New jerusalem. Of those who will inhabit Heaven. It is their treasures and sacrifice that will be highlighted then.

Thank you Lord for the many Americans who have sacrificed their lives during times of war to make our land and the world safer from our enemies. For the many times right now when soldiers are behind bunkers ready to avoid the next bullet on the way or to cover for a friend for whom the bullet is heading.
Thank you Lord for the time that you covered my back for my transgressions. To cover for me when I may not give a rap about for who you are. Even though you are deep within me. I sometimes let you slip through my cracks of my soul. Forgive me.

the waiting room

Waiting rooms can be quite extensive and elaborate. Take the Grand central station. There are wooden benches and pictures on the walls. It can be a little confining at times in the waiting room. With the warning of "Do not Loiter"
yet in the Psalm 27, I hear God saying in Verse 14, "WAIT ON THE LORD;BE OF GOOD COURAGE. AND HE WILL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART. AGAIN, HE SAYS, WAIT. WAIT.

YET, i want it Now. I don't like waiting for the future. But, when I do wait, I will see the whole puzzle picture come together and will be glad at the end result. There is so much packed into day no. 2 of the scriptures. Peace and glory to God.

Renewal

Oh No. Another failure. Another attempt to stay rutted. stuck. Defeated.

Yet, I am glad for Billy Graham's verse in the paper today of Psalm 51:10. It is a rich verse. It states, "Create in me a clean heart, O God. And renew a right spirit within me." I did not pursue that verse last night. I pursued and chased pleasure. Going to new places that enthralled me for the moment. But gave me terrible heartburn of the soul. That is what it felt like for me when I emerged from sin. A little like the groaning that Paul talks about.

May I Lord take the reminder and stay on the outside of sin. Knowing it is there. but the pains don't outweigh the rewards for purity. Help me Lord to stay pure.

The psalm is one of confession. Especially for King David when confronted by Nathan of his night with Bathsheba and all that surrounded the cover up of the sin.
The progression in the psalm is good of how sin is ever around us. We need those active tenses of what God will do. He will purge us, cleanse us. He will preserve our Holy Spirit. He will uphold us.

And in verse 13, we get to teach transgressors the ways of God. And allow God to cleanse them as well. For we need to bring some more victories to Heaven and trounce the evil one of his schemes.

Go Jesus.