peals of thunder and lightening...

“On the morning of the third day there were peals of thunder and lightening, and a heavy cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. But Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God...” Exodus 19:16,17

On my morning walk, I pondered this passage from the Old Testament. There is another passage that is more familiar, where God appears to Moses in the gentle breeze. In today's reading, He chooses to make his presence known through the fireworks and concussions of a storm. Is it any wonder that the people trembled?

I remember a specific spring storm full of hail, lightening and wind. Dragging our daughter out of bed and into a closet, I literally hunkered down with her in my arms. I trembled as I listened to the loud drumbeat of the hail. Our daughter slept through it.

Even in the people's trembling, Moses led them out of the security of their camp to meet God. I believe He is present at all times and in all places. Yet, there are times when I am more attuned to His presence. This past month, we have left the security of “our camp” to travel to Tennessee, Louisiana, and Florida. Taking the opportunity to just “be”, I found God in the beauty of fireworks seen from my brother's back porch...in the music of the trumpet on the streets of New Orleans...in the crash of the waves on the beach in Destin. Yes, God is in the stillness yet when we listen, we can find Him in the thunder and trumpet blast.

When have you sensed His presence in your travels? In the storms of your life? Do you find Him more in the quiet or in the noise? Pax et bonum...cjt

...heaven is at hand

"As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”  Mt. 10:7
     I walk every morning to strengthen my body and clear my mind.  My iphone is always with me.  It gives me the security of knowing that I can call for help if I get too far away or get a cramp in my foot.  I love the fact that I can listen to music or podcasts to keep my mind busy.  Lately, I have been listening to the podcast "pray as you go".  It is about twelve minutes long, starts with music, a reading for the day, questions for reflection and background music to allow space for reflection.  Listening to it has been a great way to exercise my spirit while exercising my body.
     Today's reading was from the Gospel of Matthew.  "The Kingdom of heaven is at hand"  or "is near".  I thought about how heaven...or hell...really does start here and now.  There are a lot of dimensions to that thought.  Sometimes it is obvious...heaven is when I hold my new grandson...it is when my fourteen year old puts her head on my shoulder "just because"...it is hugging my husband after being away for several days.  But heaven - being in God's presence - is at hand even in the less obvious.  All we have to do is make ourselves aware of His presence.  Easier said than done!
     Just for today, can I recall God's presence - heaven - in the midst of the interstate construction traffic?  Can I experience heaven in cleaning the bathroom?  in the hundred degree heat?  Where do you experience heaven this day?   Pax et bonum....

Matthew 28:17...His mission...Our invitation...

Over the course of this past year, our third year class at the Little Rock Institute of Theology has had the opportunity to consider how God is calling us to serve. In the past ten months, we have studied the mission of Jesus Christ and that which he has handed us to fulfill with and for him.

His mission, as defined in our first class in September, is to save and heal us from our sins and brokenness. We are called to be the living presence of our unconditionally loving God and to bring all creation into the embrace of that love through embracing, teaching, healing, suffering, dying and resurrecting as Jesus showed us with his example.

Our June class further rooted his mission in Matthew 28:17-20, “...they saw him, they worshiped...Jesus approached and said to them, “...Go, therefore, to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always...” In italicizing the verbs in this passage, we contemplate his calling and directive. Many require action which can best be served by starting with consideration and preparation. The first two verbs, saw and worshiped, and the final verb, behold, in my understanding, are a call to prayer. How fitting to begin and end our mission with a conversation with God. Worshiped calls to my mind meditation, what we can do. Behold calls to my mind contemplation, what God does as defined in our December class on Spirituality.

And so to begin a new venture in following the Father's call and invitation, I start with prayer. Asking God's guidance...His will...His blessing. And then I listen...

As a parent, have you taken time this past week to see & worship?  What project or situation have you brought to God to ask His guidance?  When have you been a witness to or for God's unconditional love?

A beginning...

"grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ". Philippians 1:2

Sitting in my brother"s kitchen, I am waiting the arrival of our son, daughter-in-law and favorite grandson. Given that Edward is our only grandchild so far gives him a period of favoritism! We are all gathering in middle Tennessee to celebrate the baptism of a beloved great grand niece. God has so blessed our family.
Anticipation of loved ones arrival gives one a chance to prepare for the joy that pours forth when we come together after a long separation. Although it has only been a month, that is half of our grandson"s life!
How do you keep aware of happenings in loved ones' lives? Especially those who live far away? Do you use the web? FaceTime? When was the last time you wrote a letter by hand?