Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised. BCP 507

Following are the BCP readings for today’s Daily Office. I will deal with only a portion of one verse. I just want to make it perfectly clear who is being referenced in 2 Corinthians 4:4 as the ‘god of this world.’ I would ask that you read these passages as if the passage read, ‘Satan, the god of this world’ instead of simply the god of this world. Realize that in the time that this was written and in our current time Satan is alive and well. It is Satan who is the god, small ‘g’, of this world. Satan is our enemy and constantly veiling the Gospel from the sight of the people who do not know the power of God and the power of the resurrected Christ, Jesus. Satan can even come into the mind and speak in the ear of the faithful follower.

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

The Request of James and John

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

           

(Mark 10:32-45 ESV)

The Light of the Gospel

            Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasures in Jars of Clay

            But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

           

(2 Corinthians 4:1-12 ESV)

John’s Revelation tells us that Satan and his followers were evicted from Heaven and the presence of the Lord, where to this day he resides and exercises his power on the earth. “The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Rev 12:9 NRSA

Although he was cast out of Heaven, he still in under the authority of the Lord and can not usurp that authority. God allows Satan to be the prince or god of the earth.” One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.” Job 1:6 NRSA

“Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.” From Marks Gospel we can see that it is God’s will for us become His children. But, by the presence of Satan on earth we are subject to Satan’s deceitful ways and leadings. The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." Job 1:7 NRSA

“The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized” Mark here reminds us that as a real man on the earth he too is subject to Satan. By his death and resurrection our condemnation to be subject forever to Satan (Death) his vanquished and we can have life (eternally in the presence of God).  But as was the case with Jesus we are to resist Satan’s attempts to win us over by following His example. The tool He used was the Holy Scripture. “He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.” Mark 1:13 NRSA

“the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him.” As close as they were to Jesus for three years they still were thinking only of themselves. They had forgotten the words Jesus as told by Luke: “He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.” Luke 10:18 Jesus knows how easily God can deal with Satan, but that in this case He must face this terrible time for our sakes.

 

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Satan was an instrument in the death of Jesus. Judas was invaded and taken over by darkness and Death. “After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him (Judas). Jesus said to him, "Do quickly what you are going to do." John 13:27 NRSA

 

While the war is won and Jesus reigns in Heaven, Satan will remain at his dirty work until Jesus comes again. At the final judgment Satan and all those who have joined him in darkness will be cast into an eternal lake of fire. Until that day beware of the ‘god of this world, Satan, Death, darkness who walks to and fro on the earth, and is walking up and down on it.

 

Lent is a time to prepare for the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Lent is a time to get our affairs straight and our house clean. Walk away from darkness and into the Light of the Gospel.

 INJ

 

http://mamabishop.blogspot.com/

I just have to tell you that there is another really good blog out there that I think you should visit. It is daily, especially timely (if you follow the Church calendar and lectionary), and exceptionally well written. Carol Gallagher is the first Native American (Cherokee) female bishop in the Episcopal Church, a wife, mother, and grandmother. She brings an interesting insight into the Scriptures and how they apply to life. http://mamabishop.blogspot.com/

INJ

Encouragement in difficult times

“I have never heard anything about the resolutions of the apostles, but a good deal about their acts.”
Og Mandino

The various issues of our times have drawn a very polarizing rhetoric, particularly in the media. From the Supreme Court to these few acres in Ocoee, FL all of the troubles of the world are being argued. Pick a topic, there are lots of opinions

Here we stand on the brink of a new horizon. We are closing the book on one age and reopening to the first chapter of a new book. We are to be the authors of this new story. Energy, synergy, Lean, patient care, patient satisfaction, respect, patient rights are buzz words that fill the air. Let us not forget who we are and what we do. We are people, people caring for people. The most important medicine that we dispense is Tender Loving Care. Our strength is in the care and unity among our selves.

Today I offer you a meditation a friend of mine sent out this morning. My friend is a retired Episcopal Bishop, who is also a Choctaw, Steven Charleston. The last three sentences are a mantra I hope that we all can pick up and hold as our own… with our patients, their families, and most of all with each other.

We see the cracks once more, the deep divides between our people, color-coded distrust, acted out on dark nights, spilling over into streets of rage. The loss of any life is a sorrow, the loss of justice a crime. God help us to overcome the myth of race, the fear of one another, the hurts we inflict for no reason. Teach us to stand together in respect for human dignity. Let our kinship become a pledge no hate can subvert. Remind us that in your eyes we are all children, each unique in how we live, but all loved just the same, a seamless love unbroken.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

I.N J

WHY?

“There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not”

~Robert Francis Kennedy

WHY?

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are almost dead?

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Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they already know there is not enough money?

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Why does someone
believe you when you say there are four billion stars; but have to check when you say the paint is still wet?

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Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

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Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

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Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

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Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?

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If people evolved from apes,
why are there still apes?

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Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

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Is there ever a day that  Persian rugs 
are not on sale?

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Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

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Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

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Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

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How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

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When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, 'It's all right?' Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, 'That really hurt, why don't you watch where you're going?'

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Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

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In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

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How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

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And my FAVORITE......
The statistics on sanity is that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

---

 
****

A day without a smile is like a day without sunshine!

****

My question to you today is:  Since it is Spring now, a time of new growth and fresh starts, why don’t you do a little spring cleaning and throw out all the pains, sorrows, and negativity of the past and replace them with a smile? Not only will sunshine enter into your life, it will spread to all of those around you.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11

                                                                                                                                         I.N.J.

Revelation or Epiphany, I got it!

As a professional chaplain, in a full-time ministry, when it comes around to the holidays or my birthday I seem to get a wide variety of religious oriented gifts.  These gifts can range from Icons, statues, wall hangings, and crosses to every sort of religious book one could imagine. I sometimes wonder if this is because they think I need to be more religious or if they believe that I might be offended by some secular object that likely has a utile function. Don’t get me wrong, I treasure every single thing that has been picked out just for me. Today I was standing in front of the book shelf in my office scanning the books for one that might hold the inspirational quote or story for my “Quote of the Week” that is distributed weekly by e-mail. Today my eyes were drawn to one of those gift books.  The One Year “On This Day,” 365 Devotions on Intriguing Events that have happened on this day, buy Dianne Neal Matthews.

I opened the book to today’s date:

March 21

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

I Corinthians 10:31

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on this day in 1685 into a German family that produce at least fifty-three prominent musicians over seven generations. Johann gained public admiration as an organist, but his musical compositions received little notice until the mid-nineteenth century. Though skilled in a wide range of musical forms, many consider him to be the greatest genius of baroque music.

Bach believed that he could serve God through his music, whether he was employed as a church organist or appointed as director of chamber music at the court of Prince Leopold. Bach often wrote N.I.J., for the Latin words meaning “In the Name of Jesus,” on the manuscripts of even his secular compositions.

We often think of our life as being divided into sacred and secular compartments. We may have special clothes and activities reserved for Sundays. We may even have a special “holy” personality that disappears when Monday morning comes. If we’re busy with a full-time job and family, we may feel guilty that we have no time for ministry.

If Christ is living in us, we have no need to separate the sacred and the secular.  Even everyday aspects of our life can reflect his holiness. When we carpool kids on Monday morning, we are serving him as much as when we lead worship music on Sunday.  The lawyer’s or truck driver’s career is no less sacred than the minister’s or missionary’s vocation, if each person has committed his or her work to the Lord.  If our goal is to glorify God, then every activity of every day, whether we’re cleaning a bathroom or writing a cantata, should be signed I.N.J.

Do you think for a minute that I believe that this devotion for this date at this time was an accident? Just to reassure you, no I don’t think it was an accident. As I read this devotion my mind began churning through all of the different hats that I have worn so far today. I have been among other things a doorman, housekeeper, my own secretary, a husband, a dad, a surrogate dad, a counselor, a pastoral care giver, friend, servant, etc. Often the transition from hat to hat was with blinding speed.  I had to stop and think whether or not during all of those different roles I was giving all the glory to God. I would like to think that I probably was. Then I think about other times, like when driving in traffic, waiting on hold, dealing with an automated answering machine, or dealing with an intoxicated person. I couldn’t honestly say that I was spot on at all those times.

I learned a couple things today in search of an inspiration, actually more than a couple. First, that no matter what the gift given to you is, it must have been given for a reason unknown to both of you which ultimately is and can be used to the Glory of God. Another, I (we) get into a routine and forget to think about what we are doing or why.  We can become much like that automated answering machine, completely oblivious to what is going on around us. We need to learn that like Johann S. Bach exemplified we may not be appreciated for what we have done for a long long time. In God’s scheme of things instant gratification is not a priority.

I will leave you with just one more thing I am taking away from this experience. From now on I am going to discretely put an I.N.J. on all that I do sacred or secular. This will be a reminder to me to keep that scripture in mind while I am about my day. When you see it on the bottom of a page, it will be a reminder to you.

I.N.J.

God calls that love. Thank you for loving us.

“Last night I heard a mother praying, praying in words I could not decipher, but with a meaning clear. She was praying her child would survive the war. She was pleading safety and protection. She was praying in Damascus, in Kabul and the Gaza Strip. She was praying in Omaha, in Chicago and Virginia Beach. She was praying in a dozen languages, but her words were all the same. Let the madness end. Let the children live. Let the peace of God prevail. Today I will pray with her. I hope she hears me, knowing she is not alone, my voice unfamiliar, but with a meaning clear.”

~Bishop Steven Charleston, Episcopal, Choctaw

Wounded Soldiers Learn to Rock On

This is a true story

What does a famous drummer have in common with war heroes? More than you might think.

By Rick Allen, Los Angeles, California

I walked into the hospital with one thought continually racing through my mind: What would I say to them?

I’d gotten a call just a few weeks before from a representative for the USO (United Service Organizations). “We’ve heard about your inspiring story,” the man said. “We’d like you to come to Walter Reed Hospital and visit with some of the soldiers who’ve been injured in combat. Maybe you could help them get through it.”

My “inspiring story” hadn’t felt so inspiring back in 1984 when I’d made headlines: DEF LEPPARD DRUMMER LOSES ARM IN AUTOMOBILE CRASH.

I hadn’t lost my arm in any act of bravery. I’d been driving too fast on a winding road, thinking—like most 21-year-olds—that I was invincible. I’d eventually learned to drum again with only one arm, and our band had gone on to even greater success than before the accident. 

And while a lot of fans and critics had thought my continuing to “rock on” in spite of missing an arm had been cool, I’d never met a war hero before. They were so out of my league—they’d risked their lives for their country. Maybe these guys who’d been injured in combat would resent my coming in and telling them everything would be OK. After all, who did I think I was?

My first few minutes at the hospital weren’t as tough as I’d expected. The soldiers seemed to get a kick out of meeting a rock star. I signed autographs and took pictures. Some of the guys in hospital beds told me about their favorite Def Leppard songs mimed beating a drum while they imitated the sound of crashing cymbals. 

“I can’t wait to tell my buddies I met you.” one said; “Wait until I show this picture to my wife!” another shouted, shaking my hand. Then the hospital administrator said, “We’d like you to meet Harris*. He lost an arm in combat.” I took a deep breath, and my wife Lauren and I followed him to Harris’s room. 

Harris’s injury wasn’t the first thing I noticed about him. It was that big, black cloud that hung over him that got my attention. I looked at Lauren. She didn’t say a word but her eyes urged me forward. 

“Hi, I’m Rick Allen,” I said to Harris. He nodded, never looking up. Now what?

I sat down by his bed. A few minutes went by in complete silence. It was so awkward, it felt like hours. Eventually, Harris looked at me—and I realized that words weren’t necessary. There was a knowing, a camaraderie. A tear ran down Harris’s cheek.  “I know, man,” I said. “I know.” 

Harris and I talked for a long time about the loss, the fear, the helplessness. I told him how humiliated I’d felt when I first lost my arm, how my older brother Rob had become my babysitter—feeding me, bathing me, brushing my teeth, everything—until I could do simple everyday tasks. 

“You’ll learn new ways to do things,” I promised Harris. “And I’m going to help you.” 

I’d made a promise to Harris, and I intended to keep it. Only problem was, I didn’t know how. Lauren and I talked about it that night. “What brought you back was the drumming,” she reminded me. 

It was true. I had lain there helpless until I’d found myself drumming out rhythms with my feet. Rob had brought in a stereo, and I’d pounded out rhythms on a piece of foam at the foot of the hospital bed. Then an engineer friend designed a special drum kit for me that allowed me to play with one arm and my legs. Learning to drum that way had required intense focus and concentration and had taken me away from focusing on what I couldn’t do anymore. Maybe Harris and the other veterans could do the same thing.

The next day, I called the USO. They directed me to something called the Wounded Warrior Project, a group dedicated to helping injured veterans heal both physically and mentally.  Soon, Lauren and I started leading drum circles for the Project. 

Drum circles are a rhythm-based group therapy using meditation and guided imagery. They’re not like what we rockers call “jamming.” In a drum circle, we introduce rhythms with the intention of releasing pain. With each rhythm, the vets are guided in how to breathe and how to experience their bodies in a certain way. Then we have both silent and sharing times. Therapists are on hand to help the soldiers talk through their frustrations. You’d be surprised how many of them are finally able to open up after experiencing the drum circles. It’s like they’re finally able to grab on to something that pulls them out of their isolation and grief. 

From my own experience, I’ve learned that the human spirit needs only a spark to be reignited after a loss. Helping to find that spark for these soldiers has been one of the greatest honors of my life.

Harris participated in a couple of our drum circles and introduced me to other Wounded Warriors that have since come to The Raven Drum Circles to experience healing. We’d talk about how we’d swear the elbow itched on our missing arm (the docs call that “phantom limb syndrome”). We’d even make jokes: With my left arm and Harris’s right arm missing, we’d stand side-by-side and tell the group we were bookends. That always got a laugh. Over time, the black cloud over his head became a little grayer until it eventually faded away.

I ran into Harris not too long ago at a get-together in Los Angeles. You wouldn’t recognize him from the guy he was in the hospital that day. He was the picture of health and about to participate in a 130 mile bike ride down the coast to San Diego. The only thing that hadn’t changed was that his missing arm still isn’t the first thing you’d notice about him. His broad smile and enthusiasm for life stand out far more. 

The USO had asked me to inspire the soldiers, but working with the Wounded Warrior Project inspired me beyond anything I could ever have imagined. It’s not some photo opp for me, some new ROCK STAR VISITS VETERANS headline. Instead, it’s this fantastic two-way street. I’ve learned so much about what the men and women of the armed forces do. I didn’t realize before that some of the amputees actually go back to active duty. That, to me, is off the chart! How can anyone not admire that level of dedication? The Wounded Warrior Project has given me a chance to do something to help the people who protect all of us, and I’ve gotten to meet all these heroes I wouldn’t otherwise have met.

And for me, meeting a soldier is like…well, I guess you might say it’s like meeting a rock star.

This prayer is for all of you who have a spouse, a child, a sibling, a friend or acquaintance who is serving in the U.S. Military, Law Enforcement, Firefighter, or EMS. These are the brave Warriors who every day and night go out to guard our safety and security.  They are willing to give up their lives for our sake. God calls that love. Let us take a minute to say thank you to them for loving us.

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad and the first responders who serve locally and world wide. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through our Lord. Amen

Please meet Sloan Henderson

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am a NASCAR fan and a faithful follower of Hendrick Motorsports. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings at all to see the 48, 88, 24, & 5 cars filling up the first four places in every race (what ever the order of finish). I also follow www.thehighlane.com blog for interesting and informative commentary on the 2012 Sprint Cup Series.

If you have read any of my other posts you know that I reserve Sunday for Church and family. I watch races after church or later on Tivo. I truly love the fact that on national television NASCAR chaplains pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Folks I want you to know that it is not just a show… there a lot of the drivers that are faithful Christians and they too go to church before they race.

Today I would like to introduce you to some one that I pray you will be seeing on national television in the next couple of years. Her name is Sloan Henderson, racing under the banner of Sloan Henderson Motorsports. I’ve added much of her important information, lifted from her racing team page for you to read. I encourage you to visit her Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sloan-Henderson-Motorsports/122508936584?sk=info. I also encourage you to pray for her personally and for her success in NASCAR.  I also ask that you support her in her efforts to be on the track every week in a competitive car.

Please meet Sloan Henderson

Hey, I’m Sloan Henderson. I am a proud believer in Jesus Christ and through him I have been able to set track records, championships, post wins all over the nation and I have been blessed with the most supportive fans a girl could ask for!

Biography	Sloan. a first generation racer, started racing at the age of 12, just after an accident with her horse that broke her jaw. Her Dad wanted her to get into something safer, not knowing that she would end up running door to door with some of the best on the track and beating them. By her fourth race ever, an amazing thing happened. Sloan was running first with just a few laps to go. Someone tried to pass on her blind side and they wrecked. Sloan was placed in the back of the lead lap cars as the green flag waved. With just a few remaining laps, Sloan skillfully passed every car to win the Senior Novice Eastern Grand National Championship. Sloan accomplished this task on a track she had never raced on and in a car she had never driven before.  A quick look at her career highlights thus far: In 2004, she won her division, in the Eastern Grand Nationals, her fourth race ever. 50+- heat and feature wins three track records In 2006, Sloan was third in nation in Bandoleros, 13 wins.... three track records In 2008 she was sixth in the nation in Legends cars. 13 wins.... In 2009 she was the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rookie of the Year for Ohio.  In 2010 Sloan logged in 25 top tens, 20 top fives, 13 Podium finishes, 7 fast time qualifiers, 2 feature wins and 2ner track records. Sloan received the NASCAR Whelen All-America Series’ Wendell Scott Trail Blazer Award, for being the series’ top racer AND representative for females and minority racers. What is truly amazing is that all of these accomplishments have come despite limited recourses'. She raced at two tracks this season with one car – and never wrecked. Further reasons for interview with Sloan: 1. Fast on the track. Sloan has held track records in Quarter Midgets, Bandoleros, and 680 HP NASCAR Whelen Late models. 2. Not a one-track wonder. Sloan has wins from Florida to Wisconsin and Connecticut to California 3. She is well-liked? Sloan was voted Most popular NWAAS racer in Ohio and has a large and loyal Facebook following. 4. She personifies sportsmanship and ethics. Sloan has a wholesome brand and earns respect from most racers, even if she has to push them out of the way! 5. She is resourceful. Sloan has done more with less than just about any racer in the country. Racing video with NO Spotters or Mirrors... 　Sloan backed this win up with a new track record the next week!　 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZeHQZhS5i4　part one fast time, dash win and get lead in feature　 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etLYFwxp8uM　 part two　  http://bleacherreport.com/articles/671495-danica-patrick-and-the-top-12-up-and-coming-female-drivers-in-motorsports#/articles/671495-danica-patrick-and-the-top-12-up-and-coming-female-drivers-in-motorsports/page/11 http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/communities/localracing/entries/2011/04/26/henderson_named_in_bleacher_re.html
Awards	2010 NASCAR Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award 2010 Most Popular Driver Award- Columbus Motor Speedway 2009 NASCAR Whelen All American Late Model Ohio Rookie of the Year
Personal Information	God has given me the abilities to race and win with stock car racing. My goals are just not only to win the Sprint Cup Series one day but to share God's love because with him all the things are possible!
Personal Interests	I love helping people, especially those who don't accept it. My faith is most important to me but on my free time, I love to love on my doggies Jillian Ann and Brody Stagger, go four-wheeling, workout and do charity work.

'Friends are God's way of taking care of us.'

This was written by a Metro Denver Hospice physician:

I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic
on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and splutter and die - I
barely managed to coast, cursing, into a gas station, glad only that I
would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to
wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the 'quickie mart ' building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a Gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay. When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel.

At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95.

I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept
saying 'don't want my kids to see me crying,' so we stood on the other
side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her right now.

So I asked, 'And you were praying?'

That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a
crazy person and said, 'He heard you, and He sent me.'

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so
she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fuelling, walked
to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift
certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the
kids in the car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.

She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend
left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent Jan 1, and finally in desperation had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 y ears. They lived in California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there.

So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids
they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were
going to live there.

I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for
safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, 'So, are
you like an angel or something?'

This definitely made me cry. I said, 'Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people.'

It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of
course, you guessed it, when

I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.

Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings.

Psalms 55:22 'Cast thy burden upon the Lord,
and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer
the righteous to be moved.'

A homily attributed to Geronimo

"I cannot think that we are useless or God would not have created us. There is one God looking down on us all. We are all the children of one God. The sun, the darkness, the winds are all listening to what we have to say."  Geronimo

I wonder just how many people we encounter each day that have some sort of feeling of being useless, helpless, hopeless, and lonely. Geronimo, in addition to being a brave and fearless leader was and elder whose life wisdom held strong medicine.

Why would God have created all that exists if it had no value? Why would God create an environment to support plants, fishes, and animals? The most telling question is why would he create mankind in His own image if we were meant to be useless? Creator of all things would not and has not made a single atom that did not have a place, a time, and a purpose. God is love and He created all things to be recipients of that love.

Yes there is just one God. The God who always has been, is now, and always will be. God is consistent in His love, like the sun always shining God is always there looking down on us all. The only time we can’t see and feel the presences of the sun is when there is something between us blocking the light and warmth. Likewise the only time we can’t know the presence of God in our life is when something is placed between us.

Geronimo says that we are all children of one God. It is the in the Indian belief system that we are all related, to include all things physical and spiritual. All things were created by God to exist in an ordered interdependence, a symbiotic relationship, within an endless theological/spiritual/metaphysical tension. The Bible reveals to us that Creator has known us all before we were and foresees the path that we will walk.

God is always with us, offering Himself to us and raining down His love on us. He loves us so much that He allows us to choose our way. The sun, the darkness, the winds are all listening to what we have to say. God gave us His Spirit to live in us and guide us if we accept Him. Even when one has pushed the Spirit out of him, all of nature watches for a weakening in our hardened heart and hopes that God will be invited back in.

How wonderful it is that we have this opportunity and these gifts from God. God forgives our sins and our meandering loyalty. Every person has the opportunity to live forever in the presence of our Living God and all the saints in heaven by coming to Him and obeying His commands. His commands are not complex. Jesus said that the greatest commands were to love God with all of our heart, our strength, and spirit and to love one another as our self. He went on to say that if one can keep these two commands all other commands and laws will automatically be satisfied.

I offer blessings to you on this wonderful day that God has made for us; may you experience His mercy, grace, peace, and love.

“What is your experience with God?”

Dr. Frederick William Schmidt, a professor at Southern Methodist University, writes a weekly article for Patheos. Father Schmidt, an Episcopal Priest and Theologian, has a fan in me. I am his fan not because I have read and agree with all his theological discernment. I have become a fan because of his ability to generate genuine thought (theology) through his articles.

Since I too have a doctorate in theology and associate with a number of other ‘theologians’ I can relate to most of the articles Dr. Schmidt has penned. I want to make it perfectly clear that although I have a PhD in Pastoral Theology; that doesn’t mean that I can effectively or effectually hold my own within all other theological specializations. My specialization has been focused very narrowly in pastoral care, and even more specifically in work as a professional clinical chaplain and pastoral counselor in a medical venue. While I have adventured out into teaching, medical ethics, critical incident stress management, PTSD, chaplaincy geared to police, fire, and ems, and taking an active role at my home church I have stayed essentially in patient and care giver context dealing with their spiritual, religious, and personal needs.

Further explanation may be necessary to put what I am trying to say into the appropriate context. I come from Oklahoma, born on a reservation, brought up in and around the Native American tradition. A huge part of that lifestyle is the involvement of Creator in ones everyday life; living in and with God. That develops a naivety to and a dulled ability to recognize that in the real world not everyone places God as a key and guiding factor in their day to day living. Thus the necessity to ask the question: “What is your experience with God?” If you were to ask me that question you should be ready for a very long discussion. I see God every place. I see God working in people's lives every day and in a myriad of ways. I feel God guiding me to be in the right place at the right time to make the right encounter constantly. I find my self reaching into His Word to find relevance and make sense out of the many circumstances that I encounter daily. I then can truly act as a hollow bone following His lead and stepping out of His way so that He can do the work only He can do.

That leads me back to the original discussion. I totally agree with Dr. Schmidt in his observations about reading theology over doing theology. He says it far better than I do, so I will give you the link:

http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Dirty-Little-Secret-of-Theology-Frederick-Schmidt-03-06-2012.html

I would like to hear from any of you who would like join in a discussion about or comment on this topic.  Blessings.

Whoever is forgiven much, loves much

Forgiveness is the answer to the child's dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is made clean again. --Dag Hammarskjold

WRITTEN IN STONE

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT. DURING SOME POINT OF THE JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, WROTE IN THE SAND, ‘TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.’

THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS, WHERE THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A BATH. THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING, BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING, HE WROTE ON A STONE:  

'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE'

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED 'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN

IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY. BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US, WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE IT'

THEY SAY IT TAKES A MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL PERSON, AN HOUR TO APPRECIATE THEM, A DAY TO LOVE THEM, BUT THEN, AN ENTIRE LIFE TO FORGET THEM.

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

"Whoever is forgiven much, loves much." Luke 7:47

If you are a follower of the season of Lent, a part of taking inventory and cleaning house is asking for forgiveness. Most of the things that we have found offensive are really the result of choices that we have made for ourselves. Forgiveness is a tool that God has given us that can free us from the burden of our choices. Like the wind blowing the sand forgiveness forgets or leaves no trace of the offense.  That is how God forgives us. He erases our errors and gives us a clean slate.

NASCAR more than a sport!

NASCAR more than a sport!

The 2012 season opener the Daytona 500 was a marathon of patience for promoters, racers, and fans. I had heard that there was an economic down turn, maybe even a recession or depression. Yet on this weekend there were over a third of a million people who made the pilgrimage to Daytona Beach, Florida to see the world’s greatest spectacle in auto racing (now over shadowing the grandeur of the Indy 500). They travel from all over the nation and the world for the speed weeks that prepared them for the twin 125 qualifying races, truck races, Nationwide racing, and then the granddaddy of them all. Millions were spent by advertisers for commercials designed specially for the event. Millions of people adjusted their calendars and then readjusted them to watch the weekend of racing on TV. This year the entertainment was accompanied by food and drinks ranging from the lone bag of chips and a six pack to lavish appetizers, meals, and munchies at race day gatherings; not just once on Sunday but on Monday evening. Only in America millions of people all get to hear a prayer addressing the one living God live, on radio, and on national television (an estimated 36 million on Monday night), followed by the National Anthem and a tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces.

Did you know?

• NASCAR has its own Church, Medical, Fire, & Safety crews that travel with them to all 26 races in a season.
• The NASCAR model for crowd control and event security is used as a nationwide standard for event planning.
• Every part on a NASCAR race car is a proving ground for automotive building, durability, efficiency, and safety.
• There is as much physical science used in the design and building of a successful racing car as in the NASA space projects.
• What we learn from NASCAR goes into the design and building of safer and more efficient transportation.
• Innovations in fuel economy and diversified blending of natural and bio-friendly products lead to consumer savings.
• NASCAR, teams, drivers, and corporate sponsors contribute significantly to causes that help those in need across the spectrum of society and culture.

In spite of all this science and innovation, stock car racing still boils down to people, skill, endurance, decision making, and chance. It is a sport that takes the unpredictability of nature, personality, concentration, experience and melds it with machines. It is a choreograph as you go contest which brings thrills and excitement to everyone involved.

From the newborn to the oldest grandparent on a Sunday in a NASCAR household everyone is wearing the colors of their favorite teams. NASCAR rivals every other sport in its diehard following by fans.

I will point out one more time that NASCAR is a sport that prays before every race, is a true sport, gives value to mankind through innovation, and brings families together on 26 Sunday afternoons. It is what I enjoy after church most every Sunday, for half the year.

 For you die hard NASCAR fans, please visit The High Lane http://thehighlane.wordpress.com/ a blog by my dear friend Shay Shivecharan who will present an on going dialogue covering the entire 2012 Sprint Cup Racing series and more.