Palm Sunday

I remember how much I LOVED palm Sunday as a little girl. I would get that palm branch and ever so carefully carry it home and put it in a special place to keep until it was dried out and falling apart...I don't bring the branch home with me anymore, but I love it just as much today, or I did yesterday anyway...

It was so fun to see that same expression on the faces of the choir kids when we worshipped yesterday. They were to walk with their palm branches at all three services , so in order to keep the oh so delicate palms from being completely stripped of every last leaf, we would collect them each time to use again. You could see it in their faces - will I get a big palm at the end of the day? What if mine is snapped in half by one of the other kids? What if this is the last chance I have to ever have a palm again for the rest of my life? I heard (and saw) all of these questions yesterday on their sugar coated faces...and once again, thanked God that I get to step into their world, if only for a minute.

I can just imagine that it was like this when Jesus came, the children clawing their way through the crowd to see what was happening that was so exciting...not wanting to miss out on the action for a second. I think that I could learn from the example they lived out right in front of me yesterday. This is important! I want to be sure that at the end of this, I don't miss out on what is going on. If I have to remind myself again and again, I'll make sure I'm in the center of the action...

"And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest" Matthew 21:8-9

Don't miss it! The Messiah is here

Permanence

So while ya'll were outside enjoying this fine day I was in class to get 2 more hours closer to the ever allusive MDiv. On my current program I'm looking at a little over 2 years to complete and that just seems like eons and eons and eons away....but I digress...

Today we were talking about some of the traits that were found in the Benedictine Monastic movement. Oddly enough, I saw some works by Benedictines last Sunday at the Dead Sea Scroll Exhibits - gorgeous St. Johns Bible that is due to be completed next year. but back to permanence.

The monks were requires to follow two rules - permanence (they could not hop from monastery to monastery) and obedience (without delay, and whole heartedly) and I got to thinking - how much permanence is there in my life? As a single person, it seems like so many of my decisions rest on the non-permanent. I still live in a condo, that is a blessing, but doesn't feel very homey to me - doesn't feel permanent. And I work in a corporate job, all the while hoping and praying that it will not be permanent. How often do I treat my singleness in the same way? non-permanent? How am I missing the call of God while waiting for this season to be over? how am I missing the permanent love of the father by rushing past him on my way out the door in the morning. And what if, maybe....this is where God is going to keep me? Can I worship God if my singleness is indeed permanent?

I wonder

Sniffle, Blow, Repeat

Being sick

Hate it...I spend so much of my life living independently, stubbornly determined to do it by myself. Sulking like a child in front of God, holding my breath as I mutter, "fine..if you aren't going to give me a family then I'll just do it on my own."

Then I get sick,
and I can't fake my independence anymore....

And all of the sudden I am forced to admit that I NEED other people, even when that means that I will be taking time away from their own family time. I have to admit that I need help, that I am not in this alone.

And I at the last instant before I turn blue I take a breath....

Lord, help me to remember that I am not the BODY by myself, teach me to trust and rely on the family and body that you have so graciously provided......

1 Cor 12:26-28
26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

Fellowship of the Ringless

At the age of 37, I didn't ever picture that my life would be here...single, never married (headed that way kinda a couple of times, but not ever as far as engagement), no kids...

A decade ago, I would not have guessed that this would be the reality of my life....in fact, I remember how I felt sorry for my 30 something friends at the time who hadn't found that special someone - and now I am there....and what does that mean?

Well, today that means that I feel a little unsafe in my neighborhood because it seems to be going downhill...quickly. It also means that I feel vulnerable, and alone....

So what to do? Well, as you will see from the link below, the catchy name of this blog was not born out of my braincells, but rather from one who is walking this same path with me. Camerin Courtney. As I've struggled and tried to work out this life that God has promised He has orchestrated just for me, her voice has been one of those that helped guide me on the path I never saw in my future...

Are you there? Do you walk the same path as Camerin and I do? Are you (willingly or not) a member of our fellowship?

Welcome to the Fellowship of the Ringless.....

http://www.christianitytoday.com/singles/newsletter/mind40922.html