SOUND ASLEEP

TODAYS SCRIPTURES:

"If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' "Mark 13:36 - 37

And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Romans 13:11

SOUND ASLEEP

Have you ever been to an auction? Picture this: A fairly large room, but not huge, with over three hundred people wandering about and talking. That, by itself, makes for a lot of noise, but add to that the cry of the auctioneer. Now add the ring men yelling, "Yup." "Yup." Make those 'yups' loud. About the decimal level of a three year old's outside voice. Do you have a picture in your mind?

Now I want you to add one more image. There, in the back row of chairs, picture a man sleeping. Yes, asleep! Asleep in the midst of all that noise and activity. So sound asleep we were afraid he would fall off the chair. So sound asleep we watched to see if he was breathing. So sound asleep he was missing everything that was going on around him.

Sorta like some people and life. They go through life oblivious to everything around them. They do not see the sunrise let alone the sunset. They do not see need. Or hunger. Or joy. Or peace.

They just go through life. As if, they are asleep. They are not watching and they may miss their chance for salvation. How sad.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Have you ever been so tired you could sleep while chaos was swirling around you? Have you ever felt so lost that you could not notice the sunrise? Sunset? Need? Hunger? Joy? Peace? Are you watching, so that when the hour comes, you are awake?

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.

LET US PRAY

I am awake, Jesus. I am awake! Although physically I may get tired and need sleep, my soul is awake. Although my eyes may need to close, my spirit rejoices in your sunrises and sunsets. Although my hands and feet may need to be still, my heart prays for those in need and those that are hungry. Although my body may need to lie down, my faith holds tight to the joy and peace you provide. I am awake, Jesus. I am awake! Amen

SEASONS

TODAYS SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 1:14

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years…"

SEASONS

I want to tell you what I see out the window. The sky is clear. No clouds at all. Just blue sky. A soft blue. Peaceful looking. That blue color the sky gets in the fall.

There is a breeze because the trees are swaying. Doing a gentle dance as if they are hearing music that makes them want to nod their branches from this side to that. The evergreens are being stubborn. They are just standing there. Not moving. Most of the trees have that dusty fall green look. Some leaves are even tired of that and have started wearing the fall colors. One more fling before they float to the ground.

The grass has not heard that fall starts next week and is still growing. "Mow me. Mow me," it shouts. If Bill doesn't mow about every four days, it gets so tall you could hide in it. Okay, not your whole body, just up to your knees. Okay, over the ankle.

The flowerbed is starting to look less colorful but even that is a good thing. Those plants are tired and need to rest until the ground warms up again next spring.

The robins have left and the wild geese are heading south. I saw a flock this morning making their V and checking their GPS. The katydids have been making a racket for about three weeks so frost will not be long in coming.

Do you know what I see out my window? I see the scriptures in action!

God did all this. He arranged things to mark seasons and days and years.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Which is your favorite season? Do you see a change of seasons where you live? What do you see out your window? Do you see God at work?

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart. (If you live where one season is pretty much like all the others, then change this prayer to fit.)

LET US PRAY

Hello God, I want to thank you for the trees. They offer shade in the summer and a very colorful show in the fall. I want to thank you for flowers. The spring lilies, the summer roses and the fall mums each coming and going to brighten our lives. I want to thank you for the songbirds in the summer and the loud honk of the geese as they tell us they are headed south. I want to thank you for the seasons. I want to thank you for ….… Amen

SEPTEMBER 11

There are just some days you do not forget. Birthdays. Graduations. Wedding days. Days when families add to their numbers. Days when families tell a loved one goodbye. The day you bowled over 200, hit a home run or sent that golf ball straight down the fairway. The day you stuck your toes in the mud or rode your bike without anyone holding on. The day you baked your first pie or changed the oil in your car. The day you got your driver's license.

The day you realized the USA was vulnerable.

I do not remember WW II but I do remember seeing the Vietnam War fought on the evening news. I remember reading about WW I, WW II, the Korean War, the Cold War and all the other wars that our soldiers fought so we could be free. So our flag would fly over this land. But these wars were all fought "over there." These wars did not blow up the house next to mine. Nor mine. These wars -- These wars kept our land safe from invasion. Safe until September 11, 2001.

On that day, I received a phone call telling me to turn on the television. On that day, I watched the towers fall. On that day, I watched the Pentagon being attacked. On that day, I heard about the plane crash in Pennsylvania. On that day and in the days to follow, many people died because of hate. On that day, a day I will never forget, I realized the USA is vulnerable.

This September 11, I want to remember that day. I want to remember that our freedoms should not be taken for granted.

We fly our flag everyday, but on September 11 we fly it in memory of the lives needlessly lost and for their families. We fly our flag in gratitude for all those that came to look for survivors and to respectfully tend to the dead. We fly our flag in support of the soldiers that serve and defend this country.

Today we fly our flag so we will never forget September 11, 2001.

LET US PRAY: Including parts of PSALMS 143 and 144

O Lord, hear my prayer and listen to my cry. I need to stay strong when I feel vulnerable. I need to know you will come to my relief. When I feel crushed to the ground and my spirit grows faint, I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. When I feel vulnerable I am thankful that you are my Rock, my loving God, my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield and my refuge.

O Lord, hear my prayer and listen to my cry. Let the United States of America remember "In God we Trust." Let this country turn to you each morning and ask you to bring them word of your unfailing love. Show this country the way it should go and instill a united spirit. Rescue us from our enemies, O Lord. Teach us to do your will and let your good Spirit lead us on level ground. Preserve our county, in your righteousness.

O Lord, hear my prayer and listen to my cry. Amen

SEPTEMBER? NO WAY!

TODAYS SCRIPTURE: PSALM 90:17

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us -- yes, establish the work of our hands.

SEPTEMBER? NO WAY!

SEPTEMBER? It cannot be September! If it is September, there are only four months left in this year. Four months to finish that list of things I wanted to accomplish by year's end. It is my month to teach Sunday School, we start a seven week Bible Study this coming week and I just took on new projects! What was I thinking? SEPTEMBER? It cannot be September!

Oh, but it is and as I think about the things I did not get accomplished so far this year, I realize some of them did not amount to a hill of beans and some of them will be finished by years end. Or the next. I realize some of the "work God has for Mary" was not intended for me to accomplish. At least, not at this time.

The other stuff: I am glad it is my month to teach our class. I never thought I would enjoy teaching, but I do. One thing for sure, our class never knows what to expect when I teach. A new Bible Study - When Godly People Do Ungodly Things - is a chance to learn, grow and, hopefully answer questions. And new projects. Well, I am going to try to drag our church into the modern age of technology. We need a working website and I taught our Church Council a new word: Facebook.

It's funny. Those things I thought I had to get done. Those "work God has for Mary" projects that are still in the drawer. Something always came up.

Ongoing work - teaching Sunday School and Bible Study - always seem to fit into my schedule.

And the new projects? I checked the website for our denomination. Guess what. They offer an online course to learn managing a website. No roadblock there. And I have the names of two very good website providers and design companies. Not just one, but two. And I can do this from our home.

And facebook. I have people wanting to learn how to set up personal pages on facebook. Not only are we looking at a facebook page for our church, but one for the youth. Who knows where this will lead. I wonder why this seems to be falling into place?

Oh yeah. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us -- yes, establish the work of our hands. Maybe this time I was listening to what God had in mind for me.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Can you believe it is September? Only four months left in this year! Have you accomplished everything you set out to do? Will you get it done by December 31? Do you need to sit down and figure out what is important and what needs to be put aside for another year? Or maybe never.

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.

LET US PRAY

Hi God, I only have a minute because I am so busy. Doing what? Well, I am doing Your work. At least I am trying. There always seems to be a reason I cannot finish. Or sometimes a reason I cannot get a project even started. There is so much I need to do. Did you say I need to step back? That I need to listen? Forgive me. Let me start over.

To the Lord my God, May your favor rest upon me. Establish the work of my hands. Yes, establish the work of my hands. Amen

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A reminder for next Friday, September 11: Please fly your flag as a prayer for all who died September 11, 2001. As a prayer for the families who now only have a memory of a loved one. As a prayer for all the rescue workers who gave so much. As a prayer that this country will always remain strong.