Braving The Waters

Listen to this Playlist as you read!  Advent 4 Playlist Or you can search for your own version of the songs from this list: Angels, from the Realms of Glory, Away in a Manger, It Came upon the Midnight Clear, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, O Little Town of Bethlehem, First Noel Call to Worship and Invocation One: Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God. All: And our spirits rejoice in you. One: We will praise you as long as we live. All: We will sing praises to you our whole lives long. One: We will not trust in the powerful of this world, All: But will trust in you–Creator of heaven and earth, One: the One who gives food to the hungry, All: the One who enacts justice for the oppressed. One: Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God All: As we worship you in this place. God of miracles, There is no miracle as grand as birth. As we prepare for the coming of your son, Jesus, create in us new life. Transform us so that we may reflect the light of your son, and become b...

The weekly devotion I have been using this Advent seasons ends with this blessing each week: May God bless us with mornings when we find (hope, peace, joy) in aligning our ideas with God's ideas. May God bless us with noon times when we find (hope, peace, joy) in aligning our work with God's work. May God bless us with evenings when we find (hope, peace, joy) in reflecting and giving thanks to God. You can find more information about this devotion here (thanks for this great resource!)   As I reread this week’s meditation again this morning I can't help but find tears in my eyes.  The scripture for this week’s meditation time came from Isaiah 35:1-10 . “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad…”  As I read this same scripture again this morning my heart is aching for those who are in a dry land with no hope. War torn countries, broken families with no chance of reconciliation, nations devastated by famine and illness at epidemic levels, just to na...

The turning point I often catch myself think “what if” when I reflect on major turning points in my life. What if I had chosen Hiram over Mount Union when I was deciding what college to go to? What if I had stayed home the summer of 2003 instead of working at Camp Cedar ?  What if I had gone to United Seminary instead of Lexington ? What if…what if… What if the disciples had gotten it the first time Jesus tried to tell them what was going to happen to him? What if God had decided there was another way when Jesus prayed in the garden? Perhaps you, like I, spend a good bit of time on the “what ifs” when we really don't need to. When we find ourselves at a turning point and we have weighed all the what if’s and might be’s and make the decision to go left, right, forward, backward, or stand still…that then becomes the known, not the what if. The turning point has past and we are now headed in a new and different direction than before. For me, Wednesday of Holy Week...

Some might say I am too young to know have experienced real heartache. Others might say I’m too sensitive and I need to toughen up. But those who know me best (you know who you are) might tell you that if you come into my life and you need love, I will passionately and enthusiastically give it to you. I love to the extreme and without measure and because of this often experience heartache. Obviously, different kinds of people receive different kinds of love from me but regardless of the kind of love you receive it will often be to the extremist of degrees. I don’t love the stranger who comes into my office needing gas money or groceries the same way that I love my family. I don’t love my family the same way I love my dog. You get the point. While I love fervidly and sometimes without much regard to my own well-being, my love is never lackadaisical or careless even if that sounds like a contradiction in terms. When another person’s heart or well-being are on the line, I try never ...

My heart hangs heavy now. I see people close to me hurting and there is nothing I can do to make it stop. Nothing I can say, nothing I can do will ever change the unspeakable events of yesterday(1/9/14).   This is not about me however; as I write you might think “she is making this about her”. That is not my intention at all because I know that there is nothing I can say and nothing I can do to ever make this day better for a family who is grieving the loss of a son, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend. I have been dating my boyfriend Justin for just over 3 years which means I have also known his family for just over 3 years. The first time I met the whole family was 4 th of July weekend 2011. He had told me about his cousins Wade and Clark. I thought I was prepared to meet them, I thought I was ready-smile on, hand extended, about to say hello- the first words out of his cousin Clark’s mouth “family doesn't shake hands family gotta hug”. Fast forward to Christmas...

The day started like any other day off from that summer at Camp Cedar . We loaded into 2 cars and headed to Portland for a day of fun. Time to unwind from the crazy and chaotic world of camp! The day was perfect not super hot but sunny with a nice breeze, perfect for Maine I would say. We decided to go back to camp earlier than normal to enjoy some of the 4th of July festivities that had been planned for camp that day. I was sitting down by the lake with some other counselors when my friend Matt came to tell me I was needed in the main house office. I walked in the office and all the heads of staff were sitting there with solemn looks on their faces. First I thought something had happened to my brother. He walked in the room just as the thought passed through my mind. I don't remember who said it but I remember what they said. Those words "you have a phone call from home" echo in my ears even now. When I picked up the receiver I expected to hear my dad on the oth...

picture from churchart.com  Saturday afternoon my boyfriend and I finally decided what to get his nieces, sister, and brother-in-law for Christmas. I headed to the store to find the items (I’m not sure if his sister reads my blog so I won’t tell you what we got the family-but it is a cool family gift that they all will enjoy) . Any way- I made it to the store, found the gifts and a few other items I didn't even realize I needed, and headed to the check out. As the cashier was ringing up my purchases, we made casual conversation. I asked him if because he was working the Saturday before Christmas he had Christmas Eve off. “Thank God” he said in a disdainful tone, “I am off Christmas Eve, but my mom is making me go to church with her.” then quickly he said “What about you? Do you have to work Christmas Eve?” I chuckled and excitedly said “I do have to work Christmas Eve!” I must have been one of the few people who didn't answer with snark in their voice th...

I know it is inevitable that before the end of this month (if not already) there will be Christmas items in every store across the country and around the world. This upcoming season is my favorite and least favorite. It is my favorite because without the birth of Christ, it is virtually impossible to preach His gospel (so it is my favorite because without this part of the story we can’t get to the other part of the story-which is an entirely different blog)! It is my least favorite because so many have left Jesus in the manger as part of a pretty picture and not taken him into the rest of this Holy Day. I know I have blogged about this before- read last year’s blog posted "Grinch or Gospel" . Too often I think we lack the courage and conviction to stand up for who we are as children of God. Courage by definition is “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.” Before we even enter into the “Hectic Hol...