Southwood Lutheran Church

Time 2020-10-18 17:03:47

Web Name: Southwood Lutheran Church

WebSite: http://southwood.typepad.com

ID:86252

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Use it On Monday, by Michelle DeRushaMichelle writes a daily blog about finding faith in the everyday at Graceful. On Monday s she reflects on Sunday s sermon in a weekly post entitled Use it on Monday. She s nice enough to let us re-post it on Southwood s blog. You can read it here each week and then click over to Michelle s blog for more of her writing.Two WordsI really wanted to go with Deidra and Jennifer to hear Ann Voskamp speak at the Women of Faith conference in Des Moines this past weekend. Really, really. But I didn’t go. I didn t go because the Holy Spirit told me to stay home. {although for a few days I pretended not to hear}You see, Brad ran in the Lincoln Mud Run 5K on Saturday morning – a race he’d diligently trained for over the past few months. {and yeah, it’s as gross and grueling as it sounds: slogging through knee-deep mud, scaling walls and squirming beneath obstacles on your belly}. And even though he told me, “Go, go! Really, go to Women of Faith, you don’t need to stay just for the race,” and I knew he meant it, I felt something else in my gut. I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to stay in Lincoln. To go to the race and support my husband.Fast forward to Sunday morning, when I read this from Psalm 134: “Come, bless God, all you servants of God!” (Psalm 134:1, Msg)In fact, I read it twice to make sure I had read it right.Isn’t God the one who does the blessing, I wondered? Isn’t he the one who bestows all good things, and isn’t it our job to praise him and thank him? So what’s this about us blessing him? What kind of blessing can we flawed and insignificant beings offer the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-creating God? These were my questions as I sat in the pew and listened to yesterday’s reading. And truthfully, I didn’t get much of an answer from the pulpit. Or so I initially thought. The problem wasn’t with the sermon, per se. It was simply the fact that I couldn’t understand or hear the minister well. Pastor Mmanga, who is visiting from our sister church in Uswaa, Tanzania, has a beautiful, melodious voice and a thick accent – and as Brad will attest, I do not do well with accents. That, combined with the fact that my left ear is almost entirely blocked from an infection, had me leaning forward in my seat, squinting (because that helps with hearing, right?) and straining to hear the sermon. When Pastor Mmanga returned to his seat, I realized I’d gotten just two words from his sermon:Obey. And trust. But those two words were more than enough. Those two words made all the difference in my understanding of how we flawed and insignificant beings can, in fact, bless God himself. Those two words got me thinking about that crazy Mud Run race again, and the fact that when the Holy Spirit told me to stay home, I actually listened.You see, when Brad crossed the finish line filthy and soaked, Rowan and I cheering under our umbrellas as the rain came pouring down, I couldn’t have been prouder of him or happier that I’d stayed in Lincoln to watch the race instead of going to Women of Faith (a race in which he finished first place in his age division and in 14th place overall out of more than 700 runners!). And when I heard those two words in Pastor Mmanga’s sermon I knew why:When we bless God through our obedience and trust, God blesses us, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. “Come, bless God, all you servants of God! You priests of God, posted to the nightwatch in God’s shrine. Lift your praising hands to the Holy Place, and bless God. In turn, may God of Zion bless you – God who made heaven and earth!” (Psalm 134)Have you ever imagined that you, yes you, can bless God?!You can read more of Michelle s writing on her blog Graceful. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 NIV)At the beginning of June, I attended the Nebraska Synod Assembly. The guest performer for the assembly was Celia Whitler, a singer/songwriter from Tennessee. She travels around the United States performing for many Christian events especially youth gatherings. One of the songs that she taught us at the assembly is called “Live Christ.” It is a simple song with beautiful lyrics. She said she was inspired to write the song by the life of a young girl from Virginia who was killed a week before she was to attend a youth gathering in which Celia was to perform. After the tragedy, testimonies about the life of faith that Nerissa (“Ner”) Hackman had lived flowed in . . .According to someone who attended her memorial service, “Nerissa’s church had just finished 40 Days of Purpose and Ner provided leadership through several videotaped skits that were playing on a monitor. The skits were hilarious, and she was upbeat and funny. There was also a slide show and scrapbooks of her life. They opened the microphone during the service. Teenager after teenager went forward and talked about Ner—the friend, the encourager, the comforter, the clown, the light in a dark place. No fewer than five girls called Ner their best friend. Many said she was the first person to reach out to them when they came to that school.”1Celia says that she was “blown away” by these testimonies. She learned that Nerissa was “born in Germany, she was the younger sister to two brothers. She was a best friend to all, and her faith was her rock.”1 Celia said that “closing the retreat that Sunday morning (at the youth gathering) I knew I had to talk about Ner and our challenge to be inspired by her story. She lived what Jesus taught. She didn’t have to preach it. People followed her example. . . I was captured by Ner’s beauty, not only her outward appearance but also the inner beauty of her faith. Ner knew her purpose—to share Christ—and it continues even after her death.”1Hear Celia sing this song on her website: http://www.celiamusic.net/livechrist/ 1. Whitler, Celia. On the Way to Somewhere. (Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN, 2006). Pp. 79-80 How can a community get along when everyone has varying views on how to solve a problem? We just might learn something from these puppets! Use it On Monday, by Michelle DeRushaMichelle writes a daily blog about finding faith in the everyday at Graceful. On Monday s she reflects on Sunday s sermon in a weekly post entitled Use it on Monday. She s nice enough to let us re-post it on Southwood s blog. You can read it here each week and then click over to Michelle s blog for more of her writing.Why Can t We Just Get Along?How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along. (Psalm 133:1, Msg.)It sounds lovely, doesn’t it? It sounds easy and simple and true.Yet the reality is, so often we don’t get along. We nitpick about differences in doctrine. We point fingers at others’ flaws. We decide who’s a sinner and who isn’t. We vow to boycott chicken sandwiches or to not boycott chicken sandwiches, and we judge those who don’t do the same.Really? Is this really what God wants from us? To separate ourselves from “others?” To hang with the “in” crowd and avoid everyone else? To notice the sliver in another’s eye and ignore the log in our own? To bicker and gripe and tear down instead of build up?Yesterday, right in the middle of Pastor Sara’s sermon on Psalm 133, I heard a commotion toward the back of the church, and when I turned to look over my shoulder I glimpsed an elderly man being carried down the aisle and out into the lobby. Two men gripped the man’s arms and two men carried his legs, as the man’s wife (I presume) hurried behind. A few minutes later I heard a siren just outside the sanctuary windows.I don’t know for sure what happened to the man. All I know is that when he showed signs of distress during worship, four men, undoubtedly strangers, jumped to his aid and literally carried him to safety.And that, I thought, as I sat in the pew, is the perfect metaphor for Psalm 133.That is exactly what God expects from each one of us – and not just with our fellow church members and our own friends and family, but with every one of our brothers and sisters in our neighborhood, in our nation and in our world. He expects that we will stand in the gap, come to one another’s aid, lift up and encourage, support and pray for.In short, God expects that we will carry others when they are unable to carry themselves.As I write this blog post, my prayer journal is open next to me on the bed, and I read the verses I jotted last week as I studied 1 Thessalonians. Next to the verses I’d scrawled: lessons for living --Live in a way that pleases God. (4:1)Encourage each other and build each other up. (5:11)Live peacefully with each other. (5:13)Take tender care of the weak. (5:14)Be patient with everyone. (5:14)Always try to do good to each other and to all people. (5:15)These are the basic human principles Jesus cared about and it’s what God wants us to care about, too. And while this list from 1 Thessalonians is more specific, isn’t this the essence of Psalm 133? Isn’t this what God has in mind when he praises us for living harmoniously with our brothers and sisters? Aren’t these the instructions for how to get along?Harmony, God tells us, is a precious as oil and as refreshing as dew. And it’s no coincidence that there, right in the midst of harmony, God pronounces his blessing:How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. (Psalm 133, NLT)You can read more of Michelle s writing on her blog Graceful. This Sunday we sing the worship song “Give Thanks” during communion. It is especially appropriate to “Give Thanks” as we celebrate the meal together that Christ blessed and whose gift of love we remember. Notice also the lyric that says “let the weak say ‘I am strong’”—it reminds me of a line from the childhood song “Jesus Loves Me” . . . “they are weak but he is strong . . .”“Human-made religions center on what people can do for their god. But Christianity centers on what God has done for us. He gives us His Son, as a continual source of comfort and freedom, even when we have nothing to offer in return. To receive Him, we only need to let go of trying to save ourselves and rely on Him alone to save us.This requires admitting our weaknesses and allowing God to use them to show Himself strong. That’s humbling! And oh how we fight it. We want to be loved for being so good, not for being so needy. Yet God knows this is exactly what we are. Instead of being put off by our inabilities, He encourages us to come to Him. He knows that only people who have come to the end of themselves rely on Him. God has a limitless supply of hope and strength for people who recognize their need. No matter now ‘poor’ we may feel, we are the richest people in the world, all because of what the Lord has done for us. For this we give thanks.”11. Carsten, Debbie. Open the Eyes of My Heart: Daily Devotions. (Brentwood, TN: Integrity Publishers, 2002.) Pg. 181. God is Good!! I’ve had a wonderful beginning in my new position on the Southwood staff. I love getting to know more people and developing closer relationships with those I do know. As I’ve been in conversations with folks, I’ve had the question…. “Director of Care Ministries? What exactly does that mean?” which is a great question since it is a new position here at Southwood. Our vision for this role is to coordinate the care and counseling ministries of our church. Working with the pastors, I follow up with prayer requests, work with the Stephen Ministers and serve as a resource person to them, provide counseling and resources to those in need, offer grief groups for people who have experienced the death of someone significant in their lives, teach adult classes, make visits to hospitals, hospices and homes and be here to offer support as members of our congregation are going through the challenges of life.I feel so privileged to walk with people on life’s journey and support them through those difficult times that are so normal, but can feel so overwhelming at that moment in time. I believe this role is one that God has been preparing me for during my many years as a teacher, school counselor, crisis team leader, grief group facilitator, parent and step parent. I give thanks to God for leading me here and whispering loudly enough that I heard this calling. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to serving you here at Southwood!Pam DinneenDirector of Care MinistriesLearn about Southwood s New Grief Support Use it On Monday, by Michelle DeRushaMichelle writes a daily blog about finding faith in the everyday at Graceful. On Monday s she reflects on Sunday s sermon in a weekly post entitled Use it on Monday. She s nice enough to let us re-post it on Southwood s blog. You can read it here each week and then click over to Michelle s blog for more of her writing.Obedience is a GiftLast February, knowing it would probably be the last time he would see his dad, Brad asked me to go with him on his final visit to the hospice in Minnesota. The trip was only possible because my mom had flown in from Massachusetts to help with the kids. The plan was that Brad and I would travel to Minneapolis on Saturday and be back in Nebraska again before school on Monday morning.I wrestled with whether to go or not. I knew what the right decision was. I knew what I should do, what I needed to do. I felt the answer as clear as any I’d ever felt in my heart. But I didn’t go.I stayed home with my mom and the kids while Brad traveled to Minnesota alone. It was the last time he saw his dad. Jon died four days later.I told my mom, Brad, my friends and anyone who would listen that I didn’t go to Minnesota because of the boys. They were acting out more than usual, I explained. They were clearly anxious and grieving their grandfather’s terminal illness and impending death. I needed to stay home with them, I reasoned. Two grieving, unruly boys were too much for my mom to handle alone.This was all true. The boys were suffering; their behavior was more volatile than usual. But that wasn’t the real reason I didn’t go to Minnesota.I didn’t go because I was afraid.Afraid to face death, again, just 15 months after losing Brad’s mom. Afraid to face my father-in-law, with his ravaged, emaciated body. Afraid to say goodbye, to say thank you. Afraid to witness my husband’s raw grief. Afraid I wouldn’t know how to comfort him.I didn’t go with my husband to Minnesota to be with him when he said goodbye to his father because I was afraid. I didn’t get to tell Jon how much I loved him in person because I was afraid. And that is, hands-down, my biggest regret thus far in life.When Pastor Michael preached on the theme of obedience yesterday after we read Psalm 132, this story, a story ofdisobedience, is the one that sprang almost instantly to my mind.You see, I knew without any doubt what the Holy Spirit was prompting me to do that weekend. I felt the answer in my heart. I knew it in my innermost depths. And yet I disobeyed because I felt the calling was too hard, too ugly., too terrifying. I was weak. I faltered in my faith. I doubted that God would see me through. “Obedience is a gift, a gift of faith,” said Pastor Michael during yesterday’s sermon.Back in February I let fear instead of faith prevail. Instead of trusting God, I fled. Instead of obeying the Holy Spirit and surrendering to the will of God, I relied only on myself. I thought I would have to face fear and death alone. I forgot God was with me. I turned away from the gift when it was offered to me. In the end, my disobedience was a grave disappointment. I know that Jon didn’t hold my decision against me, nor does Brad. But I still struggle to let it go. Now that time has passed I’m able to see more clearly how God would have held me by the hand, in spite of my fear and hesitation. In spite of my weakness. God would have led me through that terribly difficult visit. If only I’d had the faith to obey. When you are disobedient, you are trying to keep some part of your life under your own control. Somewhere in your heart you are refusing to listen to his call. —Dietrich BonhoefferWhat about you? Have you ever learned a hard lesson about obedience and faith?You can read more of Michelle s writing on her blog Graceful. “Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:38-39 NRSV)“I Surrender All” was written by Judson Wheeler Van De Venter, an artist and musician from Michigan. After he felt God leading him to switch his career to evangelism, he fell to his knees and prayed: “Lord, if you want me to give my full time to Thy work, I’ll do it, I surrender all to Thee.”1 He would later write this hymn in remembrance of that experience. What does it mean to “surrender all”? Are you willing to “surrender all? “Surrender is an odd word. In common usage, there is no sense of the word that has positive connotations. We surrender our legal rights in contractual disputes. We surrender ourselves to loss and grief. And although surrendering ourselves to our enemies in war may in fact save lives—even our own—deep down we know that what we have surrendered is our dignity, our pride. To surrender is to diminish ourselves; to become less than what we were.Yet for Christians, it is in the essence of this word that we find redemption and renewal. It should tell us something about the God we serve that even language itself becomes redeemed through the cross of Christ. To the believer, words like ‘less,’ ‘weak,’ die,’ and ‘surrender’—words that normally denote failure—convey instead the very life of God. But if language itself undergoes conversion, it is only because there is real, ontological change that occurs when God acts.”21. Morgan, Robert. Then Sings My Soul. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003) pg. 239. 2. Schulz-Widmar, Russell, editor. Praises Abound. (New York: Church Publishing, 2012) pp. 45-46. “Thy Word” is a very popular song written by Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith many years ago now. It is based directly this verse from Psalm 119. It is one of those songs that many of our youth know and so listen for those young voices singing this song in worship. It is good that they have learned this psalm verse by singing this song and I hope that is also helps them to know that they can trust God to give them Light for the journey. Thy word is a lamp.’ God’s word helps me find my way in the dark and not get lost. Sometimes we want to know what God has in store next week, next month, next year, for the rest of my life. Why doesn’t God reveal the whole blueprint right now? But how far can you see with just a lamp? In Bible times, to get around you had to carry fire, a torch, a lantern, or you’d fall on the rocks or traipse off into a hole. And with a Bronze Age lantern—not one of those brilliant outdoor beacons campers use nowadays—how far ahead could you see? Not far. But far enough. You see well enough to take the next step, and the next step. The end of the road is all darkness. But it will be lit when you get near enough. . .Where will God lead you and me? We do not know yet. Faith is risky: we leave the cocoon of our preplanned, carefully managed lives and go—where? We do not know yet. Wherever God leads, that is where we will go. But we know whom we are following, and we want to be near him, and that is enough, for he is the fullness of life; he is the way, the truth, and the life.”11. Howell, James C. 40 Treasured Bible Verses: A Devotional. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011) pg. 97. On our recent mission trip to Uswaa, Tanzania we took along with us 6 computers for Uroki Secondary School. The computers had been donated to Southwood s Sunday School and it was determined that they were no longer needed. The computers were Gateway brand and had windows XP on them. I updated windows, antivirus, installed Open Office (a free office suite) on them and I also installed Khan Academy (a set of free math and science tutorials).Then we packed the computers into suitcases for the trip to Tanzania--six of us gave up one of our two checked bags to get the computers to Tanzania. Who really needs that much clothing, snacks, shoes, etc for 2 weeks away from home! I am happy to say that 5 of the 6 computers made the trip undamaged, one seems to have a bad power supply.Uroki Secondary School has a computer lab, it consists of about 20 computers of mixed brands. All of the computers are donated and out of date, many of which work very poorly--slow and unreliable. After arriving, we got the new computers set up and operating.Most of the teachers do not know much about a computer or what to do with them, education wise. On my last trip I took along a typing tutor program and installed it on all of the computers because the teachers and students were using hunt and peck” instead of learning to touch type--a concept that they had never heard of!I began to show the teachers what was on the new computers. I am extra excited about the Khan Academy tutorials because the students do poorly on math exams and I think that these tutorials, which cover everything from arithmetic to calculus, should help.This is a very rewarding task, trying to bring them access to modern technology and teaching methods. These new computers will help as will our prayers to God above.Jim Rector This Sunday in worship we will sing a song the kids learned at Vacation Bible School this year, “Amen Siakudumisa.” The VBS mission project this year was to create prayer postcards for children in Tanzania. Singing a song from Africa helped kids continue that connection to a new culture in an exciting way! The kids learned the song both in Xhosa and in English. Today we’ll ask the congregation to begin learning this song in English! The Xhosa text “Amen Siakudumisa” means “Amen praise the name of the Lord.”We know this composition by Stephen Cuthbert Molefe (1917-1987) through the work of David Dargie (b. 1937), one of South Africa’s most influential ethnomusicologists. A Roman Catholic priest for many years, Fr. Dargie observed that many priests resorted to using European or North American melodies they knew and ignored the rich heritage of South African music, especially the music of the Xhosa and Zulu peoples. For example, the venerable Latin chant “Tantum Ergo Sacramentum” (a communion hymn attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas), was sung in one parish to “My Darling Clementine”!For Fr. Dargie, a white South African of Scots-Irish lineage, part of the liberation of black South Africans from the political oppression of apartheid was to encourage them to sing their Christian faith with their own music rather than in the musical idioms of their colonial oppressors. In the decades immediately following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), Fr. Dargie was among many who encouraged Africans to find their own voice in congregational singing. He sponsored workshops throughout southern Africa with indigenous musicians, giving them specific texts from the Mass and asking them to compose music to fit the melodic contour and rhythmic structure of the words. Since most African languages are tonal, a melodic shape emerges directly from speaking the text.Stephen Molefe was among the first South African musicians that Fr. Dargie worked with in these workshops. Molefe was born of Sotho descent in the Transkei area of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A choirmaster at the Catholic Church, he was not only a skilled musician but also fluent in a variety of South African languages including Sotho, Xhosa, Zulu, Tswana, Afrikaans and English. Fr. Dargie met Molefe in 1977 at a composition workshop and transcribed a number of his works into staff notation. They include a wide variety of musical styles, “Amen Siakudumisa” being among the simplest. Designed to be sung as the “Amen” at the conclusion of the Great Thanksgiving (the Eucharist liturgy), it was an instant hit, with the whole parish singing it at Holy Week services. “Amen, Siakudumisa” is included very often in Western hymnal collections alongside famous South African freedom songs like “Siyahamba (We are Marching in the Light of God).” In 1978, Molefe was attacked, robbed and struck with a brick to the head. He started to go blind after that, and was unable to work again. Molefe died in 1987.11. Hawn, C. Michael. “HISTORY OF HYMNS: Hymn expresses rhythm, harmony of African legacy.” The United Methodist Reporter website: http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=2583 Site visited June 26, 2012. Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds among mortals. He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. (Psalm 66:5-6 NRSV)“O Sing to the Lord” is a hymn that celebrates the wondrous acts of God and “calls forth exuberant praise from God’s people.”1 The melody is infectious and joyful, but it also suggests a longing for God’s justice and shalom to be completed. It is a song of Brazilian origin, which was made available by Gerhard Cartford. Cartford was born in Madagascar, educated in the United States, and is an “influential Lutheran church musician, writer, and professor of music and liturgics (Texas Lutheran College and Luther-Northwestern Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota). He also was a Fulbright scholar studying folk music and hymnody and lived for many years in South America.”1“In November 1982 Gerhard Cartford and his wife went to a meeting of Brazilian Lutheran pastors in Itupuranga, Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. The new hymnal Hinos do Povo de Deus (1981) they were using contained this hymn, and they sang it. Cartford says that ‘the song was well known in Brazil and sung frequently. I was strongly attracted to it, so when we got back to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where we were living then, I translated it from Portuguese to Spanish, and we began to sing it in Argentine Lutheran churches. Later, I translated it also to English and introduced it in the U.S. when we were home on furlough.’”21. Sing! A New Creation, Leader’s Edition. (Faith Alive Christian Resource: Grand Rapids, MI, 2002) Hymn No. 224 2. Westermeyer, Paul. Hymnal Companion: Evangelical Lutheran Worship. (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2010.) pg. 698. What makes you happy? Like the dog in this puppet skit, we want to be happy, but is it at the expense of others? Use it On Monday, by Michelle DeRushaMichelle writes a daily blog about finding faith in the everyday at Graceful. On Monday s she reflects on Sunday s sermon in a weekly post entitled Use it on Monday. She s nice enough to let us re-post it on Southwood s blog. You can read it here each week and then click over to Michelle s blog for more of her writing.In Awe of God s YesI’ve never been a go-with-the-flow, contented, optimistic person. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a bit disgruntled, prone to negativity and discontent, restless and anxious.Back in the 18th century I probably would have been diagnosed with melancholia – a little too much black bile.In the 19th century it would have been the vapors, or perhaps hysteria. I might have been prescribed the rest cure (bring it on, I say).In the 21st century, of course, my malady is defined as depression and anxiety. I take medication for this. I have every day for the last six years – except for the two weeks a couple of years ago when I quit cold turkey and went all sorts of crazy. We won’t be trying that again.My point is, I’ve struggled with being happy for pretty much my entire life. I’m not naturally happy. I’m not naturally content. I worry a lot. I’ve bitten my fingernails since the third grade; I suffered from an ulcer when I was in high school. I get tension headaches and eye twitching and irritable bowel and TMJ (shall I go on?) – all products of anxiety.But (if you re still reading) it’s not all bad news.I’ve realized recently that what’s impacted my ongoing pursuit of joy and contentment the most in recent years (in addition to the anti-depressant, of course) is the daily practice of thanksgiving.The truth is – and this is going to sound really basic and more than a little obvious – a person can’t be ungrateful and thankful at the same time. It’s simply not possible to hold both a disgruntled, ungrateful thought in your mind simultaneously with a thankful thought. And so, as it goes, the more thankful I am, the more frequently I consciously offer gratitude and thanksgiving to God, the less inclined I am to be negative.The act of being thankful has simply created less time, less opportunity, less room for negativity. Gratefulness has crowded out, overpowered, ingratitude.I know I make gratitude sound scientific and pragmatic, but for me, it is a pragmatic process, because pragmatic works for me. I need an intentional practice, a formula, so to speak, because I am stubborn, and because my brain has been accustomed to working one way – on negative, anxious auto-pilot – for decades. The practice of daily – hourly, minute-by-minute – thanksgiving has retrained my brain.The intentional practice of giving thanks has broken the cycle of discontent.I had a revelation during yesterday’s reading of Psalm 128 in church: All you who fear God, how blessed you are! How happily you walk on his smooth straight road! You worked hard and deserve all you’ve got coming. Enjoy the blessing! Revel in the goodness! …Stand in awe of God’s Yes. Oh, how he blesses the one who fears God. Enjoy the good life in Jerusalem every day of your life.” (1-2, 4-5, The Message).In the past, if I d heard those words, I would have assumed they were meant for someone else. “Yada, yada, yada, whatever,” I would have thought. “Those blessings, that joy, it’s not for me. I’m just not made that way.”You know what? Yesterday when I listened to the words from Psalm 128 I thought, “Yes.” Yes! Yes! Yes! I am blessed. I walk happily. I revel in this goodness.And why? Why? Because I am thankful. It really is that simple. I give thanks, again and again and again, for God’s Yes. He rains these yeses on me, day in and day out, in every aspect of my life. And I say yes in return.I stand in awe of God’s Yes.Has the practice of thanksgiving changed your life or outlook in any way?You can read more of Michelle s writing on her blog Graceful. This week we begin singing the song “Sing to the Mountains” as our hymn of praise in worship. Part of the refrain is from Psalm 118: “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it (vs. 24 NIV).” How do you begin your day? When the alarm clocks tolls, what is your first thought? Do your thoughts race to all that needs to be done during the day. . .appointments to be kept . . .getting kids ready for school? Author James Howell makes these suggestions:“A day can feel onerous, or perhaps like a leaky sieve, minutes slipping away, too much to do, rushing. But God made the day. The sun comes up and sets because God planned it; there is a divine rhythm to life. Each day is a precious gift, not for you to consume or cram full, but to delight in God the giver of the day; to serve the God who gave you the time. . .Some simple habits might strangely transform (and calm down) the balance of the day. When you are first jostled from sleep, notice your very first breath—and say, ‘Thank you, Lord.’ The grace of God has added another day to your life; that breath is a divine gift. Focus your eyes, and reflect for a nanosecond on the gift of sight. Hear a cricket, taste the juice, look into the face of your roommate, spouse, child (or your own in the mirror) and for a millisecond thank God for the beauty of that face (even it etched with a crease from the pillow or still devoid of makeup). Develop the habit of momentary gratitude for all the small details that make life worth getting out of bed. . . As you walk downstairs or back out of the driveway, whisper, ‘This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” However briefly, never start any day without praying, ‘Lord, use me today. Sharpen my vision so I may notice your presence.”11. Howell, James C. 40 Treasured Bible Verses: A Devotional. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011) pg. 15-16. Can work be done in a way that honors and glorifies God with what he has entrusted us to? Listen to Gordy and Tom to find out! Use it On Monday, by Michelle DeRushaMichelle writes a daily blog about finding faith in the everyday at Graceful. On Monday s she reflects on Sunday s sermon in a weekly post entitled Use it on Monday. She s nice enough to let us re-post it on Southwood s blog. You can read it here each week and then click over to Michelle s blog for more of her writing.The House and the ShackLast week I cleaned and organized the basement. It hit 105 degrees here in Nebraska, so I figured burrowing into the cool cellar for a few hours wasn’t a bad idea.I boxed up old toys and books, sucked in cobwebs with the vacuum attachment, rolled up and threw out the dilapidated rug and rearranged some of the furniture. Then I concluded that the bookshelf needed to be shifted over a couple of feet, so that it would be centered on the wall. Since I didn’t want to remove the dozens of books, stack them in piles on the floor, move the shelf and then rearrange all the books again, I decided I’d move the shelf with the books still on it.I pushed. I pulled. I grunted and groaned and heaved and wrenched my back. The shelf creaked and cracked and threatened to topple. A few paperbacks pitched onto the floor. But the shelf didn’t budge. In the end, after 15 minutes of exhausting exertion and a pulled neck muscle, the shelf was exactly one inch from its original spot. Not two feet. One inch.I gave up. I left the bookshelf where it was. All my pushing and pulling and sweating and heaving resulted in nothing.And this, my friends, is the perfect metaphor for my publishing journey.For the last three years I’ve dedicated hundreds of hours to building a platform. I’ve written more than 700 blog posts, an entire book, a quarter of another and two book proposals. I’ve tweeted, Facebooked, commented, Klouted, emailed, guest-posted and Google Plussed. I’ve pushed and pulled and forced this process along with all my might.And you know what? I’ve moved it the equivalent of one inch.Thanks to yesterday’s reading, I now know exactly what I’ve done wrong.“If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap.” (Psalm 127:1, The Message)Did you catch that? If God doesn t build the house, the builders only build shacks.The hard truth is, I’ve tried to build the house all on my own, without God.Okay, okay, God has sort-of been involved. After all, I write about God every day. I pray. I talk to God. I believe that he inspires my words, and I know that my faith has grown stronger and deeper because of my writing. But still. I have allowed him only a minor role in the construction of this house.God has been a crewman on this project, not the boss.As Pastor Michael said in his sermon yesterday, “When it’s apart from God, work becomes labor.”This publishing journey has been labor -- labor speckled with occasional moments of joy, but mostly labor, with pain, writhing and a fair bit of screaming and cursing.I know, I know, you’ve heard all this before from me, haven’t you? After all, back on December 31 I resolved to make “surrender” my word for the year. But I haven’t surrendered, not entirely. Or maybe I have…on some days…but then I revert back to my pushing-pulling-grunting-heaving habits all over again.Good grief I m a slow learner.So today, once again (sigh), I surrender. I hand over the plans and the blueprints to God. I allow him his rightful and only role as the foreman, the big boss. And I ask him to forgive me for trying to run the show.I’m done building the shack. God holds the plans for this house, and he’ll decide whether it will be a mansion or a hut...or something altogether different.What about you? Have you ever caught yourself trying to build the house all by yourself?You can read more of Michelle s writing on her blog Graceful. We will sing the hymn “Lord When you Came to the Lakeshore” in worship this Sunday. This hymn was written by a Spanish priest named Cesáreo Gabaraín in 1979. He wrote it just after returning from a trip to the Holy land where he visited Galilee. This hymn has become very popular and has been translated into over eighty languages.1As Jesus came down to the lakeshore of Galilee, he found Peter and Andrew, James and John. Jesus was looking for volunteers. He was conducting his own job fair. For Jesus, a specialist in job placement, this was personal. The recruits would be working for, with, around and under his direct supervision. We do not know what conversation took place that day. Only the words of Jesus: “Come, follow me; I will make you fishers of people.” (Matt. 4:19 NIV)Even today Jesus continues to seek out those who will follow him. It does not matter who we are — man or woman, child, teenager, senior citizen — or where we have been in our lives. Jesus calls us to follow. As common, ordinary people, we are called to carry the Gospel message, the good news of Christ, to all the world. And the greatest job benefit ever offered is in the words of Jesus: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20b NIV)The call to discipleship, to follow Jesus, is for each and every one of us. Jesus is looking for personnel in a very personal way. “You have come to call me.” From the very beginning, the coming of Jesus was personal. The angel said to the shepherds: “I am bringing you good news, for to you this day is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” And, in the words of our baptism: “I baptize you.” And as Jesus comes to us in Holy Communion: “This is my body, my blood, given and shed for you.”Jesus, still today, is personally looking, searching, asking us to follow him. The first disciples had no idea what they were getting into when they began to follow Jesus. Nor do we. So, will we say “yes”? Will we answer his call to “follow me”?21. Sing! A New Creation, Leader’s Edition. (Faith Alive Christian Resource: Grand Rapids, MI, 2002) Hymn No. 269. 2. Frank, Larry. “You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore.” Reformation Lutheran Church (Wichita, KS) Website: http://www.reformation-lutheran.org/lent/2008/lent-all.html Date visited: June 25, 2012. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a guest appearance during the children s message on Sunday! He was here for security detail, but he seems to have misunderstood what security in God means. Use it On Monday, by Michelle DeRushaMichelle writes a daily blog about finding faith in the everyday at Graceful. On Monday s she reflects on Sunday s sermon in a weekly post entitled Use it on Monday. She s nice enough to let us re-post it on Southwood s blog. You can read it here each week and then click over to Michelle s blog for more of her writing.Wind in my FaceIt’s been a while since I’ve felt this good on the running trail. My legs are strong, posture straight, arms loose, breathing even. I’m loping with strides long and fluid, gait smooth. It feels so good, easy and natural, like I could run three or four miles more. “Yeah,” I think to myself, breathing in the humid morning air, “I’ve got it; we re good.” I’m pleased with myself, proud of my progress, confident and strong.Two miles later I reach the halfway point and turn around at my usual spot to head back. And that’s when it hits me. The force of the wind literally brings me to a standstill. I stand for a few seconds, hands on hips, sweat evaporating, shock written all over my face. How had I not noticed the trees, limbs swaying, branches bending in the stiff breeze? How had I not felt the steady push at my back, the wind propelling me forward for two whole miles? “No wonder I felt so great,” I think grimly, chin tucked to chest, head down as I battle. “No wonder it s been so easy.” I’ve had the wind at my back all along. And I hadn’t even noticed.It s easy to trust God when the going is good. In fact, if you’re like me, you might forget to give him credit altogether. But when chaos descends – when the wind reverses direction and barrels headlong into our face – it suddenly becomes obvious that we have a choice. We can blame God...or we can continue to trust him.“Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever. Just as the mountains surround and protect Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds and protects his people, both now and forever.” (Psalm 125)Pastor Greg said it well yesterday: “The choice is yours, and you need to decide if God is for you or against you. Those who trust in the Lord decide that God is for them.” No matter the circumstances.Frankly, it’s easier to choose blame. There have been times, many times, when I’ve felt abandoned by God, times when I’ve lamented that he can’t be found, that he’s not listening, that he doesn t care about me. I’ve blamed him for my circumstances and doubted his presence. I’ve even doubted his existence.The more difficult choice, of course, is trust. Trust requires faith – faith that God is there, even when he seems absent. Faith that he loves us unconditionally and blesses us always, despite what our immediate circumstances might indicate. Faith that he does not cause our trouble, but walks through it alongside us instead.I ll be honest: faith doesn t come naturally to me. I have to fight for it. I don t necessarily always feel faith in my gut, in my heart, like some believers might. Instead, I consciously and deliberately choose it, day in and day out.Slowly, slowly, I am learning to choose trust, to choose faith – believing that God’s got my back…even when the wind is strong in my face.You can read more of Michelle s writing on her blog Graceful. Southwood is followers of Christ growing in love for God and others.

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