SATURDAY, MARCH 23

You fathers must not goad your children to resentment, but give them the instruction and the correction which belong to a Christian upbringing. (Ephesians 6:4)

Boys, Girls, and Snow

Once upon a time our three carefully nurtured boys and their friends walked to a local school. Also a time when mothers of neighborhood girls came to our door to let me know in no uncertain terms that our boys were throwing snowballs at their daughters as they crossed an icy slippery street.

A very firm discussion resulted!

Several years later, when we had girls, mothers of boys made a discovery. At least, I did.

The girls crossed the same street as their brothers had. They arrived home after school complaining about nasty boys, giggling as they chatted.

And mother learned the awful truth. Our daughters taunted boys as they came to that same street corner. And you know the rest of the story.

There is a message here.

Oh well, at least our sons did not dare to throw snowballs at that site -- I think!

But I do wish that our son, Peter, had not made an excellent recording of his sisters having a fight!

Thou are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, because you created all things; by your will they were created, and have their being! (Revelation 4:11)

Carol Held

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

Be still and know that I am God.  (Psalm 46:10)

Stillness

One of the many blessings in my life is the opportunity to live at this time surrounded by the beautiful expansive woods and fields of Skyline Camp and Retreat Center. Yet even here, even in the calmer, cooler months of the year, the noise and busyness of our world bullies its way in.

The following words, a few lines excerpted from a Wendell Berry poem, remind me with such economy and simple rhyme, of the need to seek opportunities for silence and stillness. I see in his phrase “borne, preserved, and comprehended” a beautiful Trinitarian parallel.

The mind that comes to rest is tended

In ways it cannot intend,

Is borne, preserved, and comprehended

By what it cannot comprehend.

Sometimes, like Berry, I need to seek the “mind at rest.” At all times, I need to be open like Elijah to the unexpected moments of sheer silence in which God’s presence can be.

Give us silence so that we can hear the word of the Lord, like Elijah, through a still small voice. Amen.

Matt Henry

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

He Taught Them Saying – Matthew 5:1 – 7:29

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

Follow Me – Matthew 4:14-20

… so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,  on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles - the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake - for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

Please Turn It Off

The restaurant booth was occupied by a son, daughter, and their Mom. They were all sitting at the table with their heads looking down at their phones and no one spoke throughout the entire meal. Yes, maybe they were texting, tweeting, face booking or emailing each other. We hope, but highly doubt it. It made me sad and at the same time worried about the future of relationships.

The verse above asks us to teach and talk with our children about God’s commandments…Not through an App or the internet.

Talk is the key word in the verse. During this Lenten time please make an effort each day to communicate face to face without your phone, TV, and any other distractions. Let us not forget the basic and best form of communication.

Dear God, guide us to spread your word and love through the use of our eyes to really see each other, our ears to really listen to one another, and our mouths to speak with one another. Help to us maintain and strengthen our relationships with our family, friends, and all whom we meet through all means of communication but primarily face-to-face. Amen.

Heidi Wilkinson

MONDAY, MARCH 18

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

Power of Prayer

The birthday of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. was recently observed with great celebration and promoting of courage to overcome injustice in the world and bring peace. He encouraged us to pray as he did for God’s will to be done.

His prayers raise questions about our own prayers — To whom do we pray? What do we pray about? What do we ask for?

Thomas Merton taught us the apophatic prayer of sitting in the void, in darkness, while St. Ignatius Loyola taught us to use our imagination and fantasize about the gospel (pick a story, image you are in it, feel what it’s like, notice what Jesus looks like, listen to what he says to you).

Medieval Monks taught lectio divina, reading scriptures prayerfully, while others emphasize the prayer of communal liturgy and hymns. One could use all of these methods from time to time to feel God’s presence in different ways.

As Christians, we should never ask to whom do we pray; God has never concealed his light from us. He wants us to show justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with him.

Many times we try to make our Christian life far more complicated than it is. If we strive to be completely obedient in the basics, the more complex assignments will become clear and our prayers will be answered.

O God, give us the intelligence to know your will, give us the courage to do your will, give us the devotion to love your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Rosy M. Latimore

SUNDAY, MARCH 17

Be joyful of all things. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances for it is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19)

A few years ago I showed up for my shift as a cashier at the rummage sale. It was the last day of the sale and the building was still brimming with rummage and not quite enough customers. We always work in teams of two, and after an hour, since it was so quiet, the woman that I was assigned to work with gave me a reprieve from my duties so that I could go shop the sale. Fun! I could walk the corridors and talk to people, while nosing about for treasures.

When I walked into the area called "Jewelry" I noticed a small monogrammed pin. I have always loved monograms, and it looked like the monogram was ARD. An "A" for Anne, an "R" for Reeves, and a "D" for Dan, my husband. I asked the ladies who were working in the department for a consultation. "Could this be an A?" "Don't you see an A?" We laughed that I was wiggling the pin a little to skew the results. "Sure, it's an A," they finally conceded. Wonderful! I bought it, pinned it on my sweater, and headed back to my work.

When I approached my teammate, Barb, she actually gasped. "That's my pin! You bought my pin!" In an entire building full of rooms of mismatched, well-worn rummage, I had found "the needle in a haystack" and bought something that my partner had donated!

It had belonged to her Mother-in-Law (a woman that had lived to be 101 years old!) and it was a gift that Barb herself had had monogrammed for her. Her name was Agnes (It IS an A!) and Barb donated it to the church not really knowing if anyone would want a monogrammed item.

Can you believe it? The whole experience felt magical, like I was meant to have this pin. I think this story is a wonderful example of the Holy Spirit in action. A little nudge to bring me closer to a fellow church member and to signal that I was indeed in the right place.

Dear Lord, thank you for the fellowship and commu­nity of the church. Help us to make connections and to share our experiences with one another. Help us to feel the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives and to rejoice in it. Amen.

Anne Reeves