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Friday, July 26, 2013

11th Hour Preacher Party: The very human prayer edition

Oh goodness, what to do with these earthy, descriptive readings from Hosea, Colossians, and Luke? Are you wondering that this morning? Or are you using a different set of readings? Honestly, every time these readings come up I am stretched in new ways. I also cringe as some poor reader has to say circumcision over and over and over. Seriously. Clearly what was once a crucial practice for the sake of "right" religion now just seems completely ludicrous.

Or is it just me?

Actually I do love the potential one can extract from the Hosea reading. So human, so real. So long as one can get past the patriarchal paradigm and derive the real meaning, the text is powerful. Here, from Feasting On the Word, is a some of what I am getting at:


Whatever we decide about Gomer and the figure of the whore, however, notice that we occupy her place in this prophetic narrative. She is the person of the people before God, the typological figure of humanity.

Now consider Gomer’s mute passivity in all this.

We know nothing about who she was or how she interpreted this experience. That has in part to do with the patriarchal context, but also offers a clue that human experience is not the emotional center here....
God’s experience is .




One could take that perspective for a sermon this week - God's experience of creation, of humanity, reflects a God who is always present, always with us, always yearning for us to turn and return to God, waiting for us to choose to live in faithful relationship with God.

And as if on cue the disciples in the gospel of Luke as Jesus to teach them how to pray. I always think that prayer is how we work at, sustain, and maintain our relationship with God. Again, from Feasting on the Word:
"Today's Gospel invites us to reflect on the story of our prayer life and where it has taken us.."





My prayer life often takes me to the mountains. The place where I feel God's presence and the place where my prayer life began.

Following along the trajectory of Feasting on the Word for the Hosea reading Dorothee Soelle in her essay, "A Different Language, Poetry and Prayer" suggests that "prayer is a language of love." She also suggests that prayer is how we grow in union with God and are able to become the eyes, ears, and mouth of God. Prayer is how the "soul, thus graced learns to make use of 'God's senses.'" (page 201, Essential Writings, edited by Dianne Oliver).

Thus one might find a connection between Hosea and Luke, between the faithfulness of God and God's love for humanity, and our challenges to live into that which God desires.

Or not. There are countless other directions one might take with these readings, including options for other readings this week.

So, what about you? Where are you going with the readings this week? What do you feel called to reflect one and how might you break open the Word?





102 comments:

  1. I'm not using the RCL this week - I'm in the midst of a series on Galatians. But I wrote this after an experience this week that reminded me of Luke 11.

    On hospital visits, Sheldon Cooper, and prayer: Bothering God.

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    1. Well done, Pastor David. And good for you and your tenacious spirit.

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    2. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this! Sheldon was just the inspiration I needed to finish up tomorrow's sermon!

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  2. I'm just back from 2 and a half weeks leave during which time my sister and husband came from Zimbabwe and my 2 daughters from UK and we all celebrated my 60th birthday. All have now returned to their respective homes, I'm exhausted and my home is echoing with the silence and my heart is like a lead weight. I really, really am not in the frame of mind to write a sermon for tomorrow! But I think I will go with the Lord's prayer as a structure for our prayer - adoration, submission, confession, supplication, all in the context of relationship. Perhaps with a bit of persistence added in! I hope for some sort of inspiration!

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    1. Pat, I hear you. I too am just back from almost two weeks away as well. Now this weekend my daughter and her fiance (newly engaged) are here and it will be a busy weekend. I do hope you find the sermon inspiration you seek in the approach you are taking for the text. At the very least I suspect people will appreciate having knowledge of a structure for prayer. I went the opposite way and suggest that prayer needs no structure just the opportunity for people to present to the possibility of God and a desire for a relationship with God....

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  3. I have a draft (almost unprecedented for a Saturday morning!), but it's two different sermons! Ack! Here is my dilemma, though: it's a pulpit supply Sunday, only one. I feel like I need to say both things to this congregation. It would be ideal to have a two-week series, but I'm only there for one. Do I just stick with two sermons in one, or do I try to choose one? Occasionally, this happens to the supply preacher, and it's a bit frustrating :(

    Hubby gave me a long while yesterday without the kids, and I got a ton of work done. But that means he needs to work today (behind after a HUGE funeral this week). So the girls and I will be off to a rodeo this afternoon in the heat. I'd like to be done before then, as I'll be wiped out when we get back home.

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    1. Maybe it would help to say that there are two points you want to make, state them, and the proceed to preach the two sermons in one?

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  4. I've been up for over an hour getting started on my sermon on prayer using "How Great Thou Art" as a prayer of adoration -- way behind for me, but it's been one of those weeks. And we have a wedding to attend this evening, so it's got to be finished by 4:00.

    This is our first attempt at a wedding in four years. We went to two of them in the year after our son died, and then swore them off forever -- but in real life, one has to move on and out into the world and attempt to be connected with one's friends and their joys. It's only been in the last few minutes that I've connected the crushing weight on my heart since 6:00 am with the wedding tonight.

    Usually I speak of preaching ahead of myself, but today is a real attempt to live ahead of myself.

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  5. Good Morning
    I am trying to get an early start to this day which ended up being drizzly and grey - I was hoping for sunshine - ah well...
    I am going to focus on the Lord's Prayer - I think I am going to step out of formal preaching and use "teach us to pray" as a jumping off point and teach three or four forms of prayer, allowing time for prayer, with a some explanations within...it is an unformed idea at this moment...
    anyway I have oatmeal and green tea for anyone who wants some nourishment this morning.

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    1. Heather - sounds like a great idea to me! I think people yearn for the opportunity to sit in prayer.

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  6. Hey hey sisters! This is my first time in the pulpit since late June due to study leave and vacation. Leaving tomorrow afternoon to take the youth on a mission trip - that's what my mind is really on now, but I've got to get it focused on this sermon! Preaching the Luke passage and I'm hoping it will be simple, straightforward, and practical. Also hoping I can get it done in enough time to pack and spend a little time with the family before I leave them again.

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    1. Earthchick, I so hope this has come together for you! And that the youth mission trip goes well.

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  7. I am going to preach about the disciples' willingness to Ask the Question: and Jesus' answer...which for once is straight forward. My hope is that the congregation will be encouraged to ask their own questions.

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    1. Oh, I like this approach....being willing to ask the question and the significance of doing so as part of our faith process.

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  8. Sometimes you just have to go with the sermon in your head before you can get to the work of the day. Here are some thoughts on pronouns and prayer. You'll find it here Am preaching on the sin of Sodom--selfishness not sex. That's the work of the day. Now time to walk the dogs, survey the damage from last night's rain, and go to the farmers market.

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    1. RevAllli, amen! And hoping there is not too much damage.

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  9. Thanks to Ramona and the Tuesday Lectionary Leanings, I have a plan through August. It will be a busy month getting the two 18 yr olds in the house off to different colleges, so I needed a plan to make it feel do-able. The deacon and I will be breaking the Lord's Prayer into chunks, talking about it in conjunction with the readings, and then maybe practicing some different prayer styles. As my household is in transition, I know others' are too - and prayer will help us all get through it. Lots of families, with either children or grandchildren starting new things this month, so I hope we can all be fed with this emphasis on prayer.

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    1. Glad it was helpful! I haven't started writing yet myself. I like the idea of talking about different prayer styles!

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  10. I feel better and I have a draft -- not one I like -- too choppy, too many sermons in one, and too long for a communion Sunday -- in other words, now that I think about it, a really bad sermon! but one I can tear apart later. I need time away from it now.

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    1. I often find it useful to walk away from my sermons, even better if I am organized to give them a nights sleep before reviewing and editing...but that rarely happens. Still a good walk helps.

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  11. I'm about to head out to be the presbyterian representative in a catholic-presbyterian wedding that's over an hour away...and then come home and write a sermon afterward. it's cool and cloudy here today, so I have chili in the crockpot. :-) see you all at dinner time!

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    1. COol and cloudy here too - but humid. Hope the sermon wiring goes well when the time comes.

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  12. I'm having trouble focusing, but have a relatively simple plan. The Colossians text is also our national workcamp theme and we've had workcampers sleeping in the church all week and joining us for worship so it's a natural. I'm just hoping that by the time they finish sharing I can just have a conversation with the congregation about the text. But I still need notes and points to include.
    Do you think the Harry Potter movie in the background will help?

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    1. Oh yes, I think you have a natural way into the text, how wonderful. Are the campers planning on using a HP movie? Is that part of the theme? LOL

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  13. I've just started writing after spending the morning in the garden. The weather here is perfect for outdoor work - the mid 60's, which is a rare gift for late July in SD.

    And my labors have started to bear fruit- I harvested Swiss chard earlier this week. Today I have sugar peas, broccoli, some hot peppers, basil and the first cucumber!

    All that activity must have started the creative juices flowing. I have a draft, completed beginning and ending - another rare treat for me! I usually go hunting for an ending late in the day. Now all that's left is to flesh out the parts. It's shaping up to be a long sermon and I think I"m trying to cram in too much, but it's not a communion Sunday, and I have to flesh out the beginning of the sermon series, so I'm OK with long. Hope the folks in the pews will be too!

    It's a nice change to have the sermon come so easily. Especially since I have a bad case of vacation-brain: 9 days, and 2 sermons till we leave!

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    1. I too have vacation brain, but I'm on the flip side returning after eleven days away AND then going off again in three weeks. YAY that you have so much of your sermon completed....and are harvesting crops. SO far our garden has been a huge challenge this year - we have had a great crop of lettuce but deer have eaten the beans and broccoli....we'll see.

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  14. Hello, all~
    I got a start this morning but was then distracted by The Boy's homecoming from camp. What I have so far is serviceable and leading to a whole manuscript, but it doesn't feel dynamic, which is something I wish for given kathrynzj will be in the pew tomorrow. I guess prayer is not a raise-the-roof topic.
    We had a plan to cok out here tonight, but the skies just opened. I'm going to try and pull the rest of this together by suppertime.
    Robin, my heart is with you as you attend the wedding.

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    1. "cook out" - my "o" is sticky. :-)

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    2. LOL on the sticky o, I have a sticky s...I'm sure what ever you preacher kathrynjz will love it...

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    3. "prayer is not a raise-the-roof topic" - YES, THIS. That was actually liberating to read and remind myself. My sermon on prayer can be simple and down-to-earth and still be good enough! Yahoo!

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    4. earthchick, thanks for reminding me that I said it. ;-)

      It's not just kzj, but some fans of my Cousin Jack's (who heard him speak earlier this week) who are also making me anxious. I want to do right by the family name, and I always want to do right by Jesus, and the combination feels very heavy.

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    5. Oh wow, I can certainly understand why that would feel heavy!! But you don't have to be a Spong. You can just be fabulous you, and the Holy Spirit can do the rest. Preach it, sister!

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    6. I have to talk myself down whenever it feels like my sermon is not going to be dynamic enough--having to remind myself that my call is not as an entertainer, but as a priest (auto correct tried to make that pirate...) Something I've had to do this weekend as I ponder whether I've made whoredom into boredom...

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  15. I'm preaching the Luke text on the Lord's Prayer. The balance of things is nudging me - approaching God, addressing God as a child would a parent along with addressing God as one might address a revered person like a Queen or President. Also nudging me is the similarity of the petitions (your kingdom come, give us our bread, forgive us, do not bring us to the time of trial), and Jesus' temptations in chapter 4 of Luke.

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    1. As I recall, Feasting on the Word had some good stuff along these lines....

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  16. Good afternoon, Gals & Pals!

    I am preaching on Luke with a background of Colossians, and not sure how that fits quite yet. The title is "Practical Magic" and I'm looking at how answered prayer is often us answering each other's prayers. The needs of this congregation seem to always send me back to preaching on the "we" of our faith and faith practice. All of the sermon titles this summer are something that is a favorite of mine, and the movie by that title is a favorite.

    Saw this on Facebook today and I'm thinking it would make a great benediction line: "Go where your best prayers take you." (Frederick Buechner)

    I have some freshly brewed iced tea to share on this hot and muggy day in the deep South.

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    1. hum...Colossoans is such a debate about "right" practice re circumcision...and we often get stuck in thinking we need to pray just right

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    2. Colossians - iPad and blogger are not being very compatible....

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    3. Oh, that's a great connection, Terri. Thanks!

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  17. Prayer- Anne Lamott... Help. Thanks. Wow!

    Simple prayer and starting somewhere... Short and simple for a day with many other joyful pieces. Now I can get back home to "help" my beloved barbeque ribs. Helping translates to me saying "Smells fabulous! When will they be done?"

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    1. We're doing the same thing with my husband's fabulous smoked bbq chicken. The smells are driving me crazy!

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    2. Done. It's about 200 words too long even for a long sermon, but I'm going to walk away and edit later. I'll post it now anyway: Hallowed Be Thy Name.

      Now to go make some pesto and apple rhubard crisp and other yummy stuff with today's harvest!

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  18. Hey preachers! Joining the party late and not really liking that it is 5:45 and I have NO sermon, not even a document open. It's been a long day and a long week. Started the day at a wedding (just as a guest as my parish secretary was married) and then a BIG funeral for a 98 year old matriarch. The family did "visitation" at the church prior to the service, which I"m not a huge fan of, but whatever. The whole thing, from the arrival of the funeral director to set up until I got back from the cemetery was more than four hours and I'm pooped. It was a good funeral though.

    I'm preaching on Luke and planning to talk about prayer. I pulled up lots of old notes about prayer I've jotted down over the years, and hope to use some of them. We'll see. And if I can't pull it together, I think I have a sustainable sermon from 6 years ago that I could use, but first I want to see if I can pull my thoughts together.

    Vacation starts Wednesday and I can't wait!

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    1. What a day!! Blessings on you as you knuckle down on the sermon now. Sending you speedy vibes!

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    2. oh my, what a day. hoping this sermon comes together easily!

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  19. I have spent a long day getting little done. But I may be as done as I'm going to get until morning. Sad but true.
    I've got green tea with peach cider added for sweetness. Want some? it's yummy!

    I've got 10 minutes with the notes and questions (multi-voiced, counting on some conversation) marked where to jump forward in case time is extra short. It works so much better when I remember to do that, but I have to create transitions that work with or without whatever I'm cutting out.
    Still it's better done now than on the fly...

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  20. I've got a little too much sermon and no ending. I think it's time for a dinner break.

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  21. I am hoping that my sermon holds together tomorrow - "Keep Knocking." I have just gotten back from leading a women's retreat...and it was a lot of fun. Of course, now I'm tired and would rather stay home and goof off tomorrow...but the pulpit calls!

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    1. Love the title...and wow do I hear you on the desire to stay home and goof off! oh well, maybe in three weeks....

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  22. That sustainable sermon is looking better and better to me. I hope that is not just my tiredness talking. Or the fact that I haven't much of substance to eat today. I thinK I will take a bread for dinner and then work on it. My brain is too tired to start something new.

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    1. Oh I think you have every reason to be completely exhausted. I do hope some food will help.

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  23. I just hit save on a rough draft of a sermon that is much longer than I meant it to be and went in a direction I really didn't foresee. I'm going to let it rest awhile and tend to other things. Gotta love it when it's Saturday night before you remember you're supposed to bake brownies for the church picnic and you forgot to get eggs or oil! But I am feeling good about being the homestretch before leaving for our mission trip tomorrow afternoon (after the church picnic), and I'm optimistic that I might even get to watch an episode of Orange is the New Black with the hubs tonight!

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    1. YAY!!! (Well except the brownie part...I am really bad at bringing anything to parish picnics or even parishioner dinners...)

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    2. I am often bad about it, too. But then I discovered Ghiradelli Brownie Mix, and it is so good (I like them better than my homemade brownies) and so easy (provided you have the eggs and oil on hand!). They are in the oven now, and I am off to watch a little TV!

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  24. Late to the party but hopefully not too late to lift up prayers for Robin and to ask for some of my own. Preaching tomorrow in the church I was baptized confirmed and married in...and a bit nervous. I am pretty sure after two drafts that the sermon is ok but I am battling a pretty bad head cold and just spent the day hosting a party for my parents' 50th anniversary. Hoping to go to bed soon as the first service is at 8 tomorrow morning. Prayers for good sleep and cooperative children appreciated

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    1. You have 'em! May the whole day be a blessing.

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  25. home from the wedding, which was fine if full of bizarre traditions whose origins make me super uncomfortable. I've had some of the fab crock-pot chili, and now it's time to get something on paper/screen/whatever. Of course, I have basically no idea what I'm going to say, so there's that. Preaching this hymn series is a lot more difficult as it goes on. :-) This week is light-of-the-world stuff: Shine Jesus Shine, Christ Be Our Light, Here I Am Lord, Siyahamba...so we're reading both John 1 and Matthew 5's light of the world passages (Jesus is light of the world but says we are the light of the world) and Isaiah 58, which says that when we do justice, our light will shine forth like the dawn. It seems like that sermon should practically write itself...

    ...if I had a beginning.

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  26. I have an ending, but the whole thing is too long, so I'm going back through to see what can come out. I hate to think it's going to be a great story about the Lord's Prayer, but it may come to that.

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    1. Oh, I hate it when my favorite bits make it to the chopping block. Hope you can keep your story in!

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  27. I ended up just going with the two-in-one sermon. They would be stronger separated, but then I'd have to choose one, and I think they each need the balance of the other.

    And this mostly stay-at-home mom is feeling irrationally proud that I have an illustration/image that does not involve either or both of my children. It's tough, when that's who I see all day long, every day.

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    1. I totally hear you! I'm the mostly stay-at-home mom to a 3 year old and an almost 3 month old! I think there is a small tribe of us around these parts...

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  28. I made strawberry muffins--with my 3 y/o, I'm pretty sure all the egg shells were removed--so help yourself!

    My sermon is done and almost completely about the Hosea passage (or rather, how we might "hear" the Spirit in what one of my seminary professors would call "texts of terror".

    So, hear it is, if you care to have a gander...

    http://reverendjoy.blogspot.com/2013/07/whoredom-and-holy-spirit.html

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  29. Feeling slightly more with-it after eating dinner, but still going with the sustainable sermon, which I have edited and updated. It says most of what I wanted to say on the mystery of prayer. It's one of those sermons that I ought to turn into a series some day.

    And now I just want to chill for a little while before bed.

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  30. I have had a very full day. Wedding dress shopping/try-on with my daughter...mother-of-the-bride apparel shopping, manicures, lunch with family, photos, dinner, and now some rest. My sermon was thankfully written yesterday but I have not looked at it in over 24 hours and have no idea if it is total crap or works. Whatever it is, it's done. I'm using Melchthild of Helfta as a lead in to talking about language, prayer, and poetry - as a means to also talk about engaging in relationship with God ie through prayer...

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  31. What a wonderful day, Terri. Manicures, family lunch and even some rest. Looking foward to reading your sermon.

    I have 400 words and am now doing a turn from righteousness to the world of George Zimmerman, Congressman Wiener, and, closer to home, the shooting & killing of a homeless man with PTSD. Think I'm going for the witness of righteousness as best we can.

    Trusting in the Spirit to bring it home soon! I still have one more sermon and a presentation to do before I call it a night.

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    1. Oh RevAlli, you are really speaking deeply into so much sorrow in our world today.

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  32. Hello everyone...my day has been quieter than most out there, it seems, but I'm feeling a bit dazed and confused. Was away this whole week and was not scheduled to preach, but since the scheduled deacon is having health issues, I'm on deck.

    So now that I've opened up my only sustainable sermon on this Sunday and liked what I read, I'm sorely tempted to simply tweak it and use it. Even though I had a great illustration in mind, and a lot of scribbled notes for a new sermon. HMM. Quite a dilemma.

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    1. Hi Semfem - and welcome! That is quite a dilemma...I'm always tempted to write a new one myself but sometimes a sustainable one is just what is needed - so go for it!

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  33. Ok, I posted my sermon...something I haven't done in a long while because I am only writing tiny 800 word reflections for our Come As You Are Casual Sundays...but here is prayer is and God is and

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  34. Preaching as a one-shot Sunday-sub for a friend...focussing on the Lord's Prayer and what Jesus' teaching on prayer really means -- leaning on Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi's book "Jewish with Feeling"...he talks about the language of Scripture being "freeze-dried nourishment" that needs to be reconstituted; it's a lively, informative, encouraging kind of book -- also using "At the Still Point" for background on praying from literary sources.

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  35. First the personal -- thank you for the prayers; I appreciate them. I think four years between weddings might be about right.

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  36. And now the pastoral: This is not a criticism, especially as the same thing is likely to happen in my own family. Merely an observation. A beautiful wedding in an entirely secular space celebrated by an "officiant" (lovely man) in which there is no mention of anything whatever of God and all the readings are about you and me seemed . . . lacking . . . . to me.

    And another interesting observation: I had no comment about the above, but a friend of mine made a couple of digs, until I finally said to let it rest - a religious service wouldn't mean anything to them, so why expect it? I'm not sure that it would mean anything to him, either, except as a matter of tradition. So very interesting, what people think a wedding should involve.

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    1. I am walking that path as my daughter and her fiance plan their wedding....a secular place with a priest friend of mine officiating - Most likely God and scripture will be part of the service and the vows will be from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer....or maybe not, not sure at this point what they will want.

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  37. I managed to keep the story, earthchick! I cut in other places. Here's my offering for tomorrow, When You Pray.

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  38. After too many long days and late nights I'm turn ok Nguyen in early. Keep the party going!

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    1. Hahaha love this autocorrect! Blessings on your night.

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    2. Hilarious. I posted that from my Kindle Fire...just before my head hit the pillow...

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  39. Done before the Sunday prayer goes up. One sermon down, one to go. Plus a presentation. You'll find "Not Sex but Selfishness" here.

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  40. I have a sermon that relies heavily on fireflies. (I won't post it until tomorrow, because it's too late for feedback now but not too late for people to read in advance and decide they don't want to come to church tomorrow--haha.)

    Did you know that in southern Thailand, along the rivers are mangrove trees that are home to tens of thousands of fireflies that all blink IN PERFECT UNISON? (in the Smoky Mountains there are synchronous fireflies as well, though their numbers are fewer and their rhythm is less perfect.)

    talk about a great metaphor for the body of Christ being the light of the world.

    Thank you, RadioLab, for having a podcast that illuminated (haha) my drive home from the wedding this afternoon and gave me an image to work with. awesome.

    and now I'm going to bed. great party, all!

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  41. OK, I've got a draft of a new sermon (not the sustainable one). It sort of just poured out. Now to read it over carefully and see if it's any good.

    Hope everyone else is finished, or things are coming together out there.

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  42. Over half done with a sermon on the Lord's Prayer.

    Had a cruddy week - one of my husbands friends from high school went for a run on Monday night and never came home. He was found finally Friday late morning dead in a port-a-potty in a strange location no where near where dogs had found his scent. No word yet on cause of death...although seems to be natural causes. My heart hurts with a community who lost a great man, and his wife and 13 month old son. He was a youth pastor and stay at home dad. Heart wrenching for sure.

    Luckily, prayer is a good thing to talk about at times such as these. Hoping this will come together quickly, I'm so emotionally exhausted at this point.

    Oh, and not done with our Lessons and Carols service for tomorrow evening for Christmas in July. Luckily, mostly done, and will use lots of volunteer participation!

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    1. Prayers for you Deb as you draw on your deepest reserves.

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    2. Oh Deb, I had read about him missing earlier in the week - my husband's family lives in Liberty and their church was one of the two that was offering childcare to the volunteers who were searching. I am so sad to read that he was found dead. Thinking of you and your husband.

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  43. OK, it's done and that'll have to do at this point. The neighbors have turned off the video games and I'm getting tired enough to sleep.

    Blessings on all pondering, preaching, and proclamation this day.

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  44. Good morning! I'm sorry my busy day yesterday prevented me from coming round to read your sermons. I'll try to stop by later. Have a great day and trust the Holy Spirt to fill your words with the wisdom and love your people yearn for.

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  45. I woke up feeling very jittery and on edge. I went to bed late and exhausted but couldn't go to sleep after reading that a bus full of youth on their way home from camp in Michigan crashed a mile from home in Indianapolis yesterday, killing 3 and severely injuring several others. Two of the dead were the youth pastor and his pregnant wife; their toddler was, I believe, injured in the accident. The youth pastor's father is the senior pastor of the church (Colonial Hills Baptist, a conservative independent Baptist church). The congregation and families are so much on my heart today.

    Trying to focus on tweaking my sermon right now, and trying to trust that the Holy Spirit's got my back.

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  46. I would rather read "circumcision" repeatedly than "whoredom." Mercy.

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