So, what about my friend’s idea? Let’s brainstorm for variations and see what we might explore on this theme of sharing Bible verses, which is as old as The Good Book itself. With whom would you normally choose to share a verse? A friend or relative would be a good starting point and the place where you might most comfortably begin, plus it’s a wonderful way to get closer and pass on your faith. We often become shy when it comes to quoting the Bible, afraid people will think we’re preachy, boring, or a religious fanatic but, if it’s done with a smile and not in a “believe it or else” manner, it might just be welcomed.

Another idea might be to alternate calling people listed before or after your name in the Grove church directory. This way you could connect with people you wouldn’t normally think to call. It might be God’s way of opening a door to a new friendship or a way of not leaving people out of the loop. Even in church, people can get overlooked because of established groups of friends. You never know what hope or encouragement you might give by spreading God’s word.

Suppose you get an answering machine when you call?. What better message than to say your name and then add something like, “Sorry I missed you. I was hoping to trade Bible verses with you—mine for today is John 3:16. God bless you.” Maybe you could even leave a verse on your own machine. I have a long message time, so I’m considering something like, “Hi, this is Barbara—I’m sorry I missed you, but if you leave your name and number, I’ll call you back when I can. If you’d like to trade a Bible verse, mine for today is John 3:16.

Now, what about the original idea of sharing a weekly Bible verse with one particular person? This requires commitment on both parts and can be a possible step towards forming a lifelong prayer partnership–something very special. I suspect that sharing weekly verses would come about rather slowly as the bond between two people grew and strengthened. You could begin by trying it out for a couple of weeks and seeing how the other person responds—perhaps just letting things develop on their own, taking God’s time.

Almost done. Pastor Mel asked each person to explain why their verse was a favorite and, at the end of the sermon, suggested that we should all list our own favorites and study why these verses mean so much to us. What a intriguing idea! This would make an interesting exercise for Lent, as would searching the Gospels for our Savior’s favorites passages!

So, were you in Grove on the 24th? Did you feel the enthusiasm and the joy the sharing of God’s Word brought forth? Did you wonder what verse would come next and why the person would choose that particular one to share? I don’t know about you, but I had the sense the exchange could have gone on much longer and I really hope it will be repeated in the future and become a feature at Grove Church. In the meantime, I encourage you to try one of the suggestions above, or to devise your own unique way of spreading God’s Word. Whatever way you choose, won’t you share it with us?

Seems a strange thing to be pondering during Advent. I suppose it’s the cyclical nature of the year that brings me full circle to the definition of my faith and my role in it. On the one hand it seems incredibly simple: believe in Christ and be kind, unfortunately, my selfish nature frequently rebels with, “not right now,” or “me first.” Paul, too, struggled with the same problem of doing what he shouldn’t and not doing what he should. Perhaps we all do.

So what’s a “becoming” Christian to do? For me, the first thing is to acknowledge that I’m flawed, sinful, and easily led astray, then, to remind myself that God sent Christ to be born in that cold, dreary manger on the first Christmas to take away my sins. Next, morning prayers put into words what I’m striving to become. Finally, I try to practice God’s presence, and do what the day asks of me by putting as many things, events, and people into the context of my faith. The next day, month, season, year, I start all over again.

Lord God, help us all to begin again at Christmas to follow Christ through the coming year. As we trace His life in the gospels from birth, through ministry to death on the cross and His glorious resurrection, help us to constantly practice His Holy Presence until our daily lives become our prayer and our worship. O, Lord, we could receive no greater gift this season than to become your true disciples and to follow where you lead: we could give You no greater gift than the complete and humble efforts of hearts devoted completely to your Will. Amen

The fantasy of Christmas is over.

I must admit, I love the magic of the decorated tree and the way the Holy Family looks with the manger bathed in the soft glow of Christmas lights. I love the stories of kindness and charity that surface during the holidays. I love Christmas cards, and stuffing, pannetone, and stollen.

The fantasy of Christmas.

Maybe the January blahs come on purpose. Maybe God says to us, “Wake up from your fantasy and believe in me as I was and as I am. The manger was miserably cold and dark. It smelled. Mary and Joseph had no fine clothes or rich desserts. I never saw a Christmas tree or sent a greeting card. There was no party, the shepherds who came were bewildered and frightened.”

Does God hurt when we say, “Christmas isn’t like it used to be,” does He ask, “Who’s to blame?” when we complain, “Christmas is too commercial?” Does He think we missed the point, when we sigh, “Oh, well, Christmas is for children,”?

Maybe He sends January to awaken us, hoping that by stripping away the glitz both of the holidays and our natural world we will mature in faith. It is possible, you know, to mature in faith at any age–until the hour He calls us home. We can practice His presence, right now, this very minute as we imagine Him sitting here, holding our hand. We can meditate on a verse or chapter of the Bible. We can pray with a friend, or for an enemy. We can lend a hand or smile at a stranger. We can listen to the whisper of the Holy Spirit and venture into sacred territory. We can discover spiritual authors and saints and share in their love and worship of God. We can remember the child we were, before loss, disappointment, and age overcame us. And we can come to God anew.

Almighty Father, Christmas is for children, and we are and always will be your children. It is a mystery that we can mature in faith by becoming children again but Jesus told us we must be born again to enter heaven. Help us relinquish our hurts and fears and place ourselves in your hands. Help us to receive your gift of forgiveness by letting go of old guilts and regrets. Help us to accept that you are with us now and forever. Amen.

It was a nasty fall, hard onto a concrete floor my whole right side bruised, leaving me with a bleeding bump on the head, a beaut of a black eye and a broken wrist. Neighbors were there and called 911. I didn’t panic. I let people help me.

A few years ago, I had another bad fall that permanently notched up my walking disability. I got very angry and didn’t deal with it well. I moved from my house to a senior building three years later, didn’t deal well with that either. I panicked, cried, felt sorry for myself. So immature, so pathetic even in my own eyes. But I prayed.

So what’s different this time and why? Many things. God has been growing my patience and faith. The two prayers I say each morning take me out of myself and into the others’ point of view. I have prayed not to feel overwhelmed or depressed; I am prone to both even in normal circumstances. I am feeling neither, praise God. I felt alone and helpless other times, even though help was available. I have learned to ask for and receive help before a situation is beyond remedy. I’ve learned that some people know what to do because it is their job to know. I’ve learned that many people take delight in being kind.

How did I get to this point? Not on my own, I assure you. I have been prayed for, taught, and advised by the ministers of Grove and by others who are strong in their faith. I have joined small groups to learn spiritual disciplines, read the Bible and many other faith books. I have prayed and shared with friends in times of crisis. theirs and mine. God has answered many of those prayers.

So, how do I end this? In prayer. Lord, God, thank you for all your love and care. Be with all the members of Grove, especially those who are struggling with illness, accidents or aging. Wrap you tender arms about them and comfort them. Grow their souls as they work and pray toward a solution or better health. Heal their bodies, calm their hearts and minds. Bless them with your peace. In the name of our Blessed Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

What’s strange, is that after living here for three years, I sometimes forget to look out. The windows, the views, from ugly to glorious, are sometimes forgotten and overlooked as I get caught up in life with its chores and trivialities and enjoyments.

So much of life depends on remembering to be present to what’s around us and within us. So much also depends on focus. Focus extends to reading the Bible. We probably all know someone who has completely lost the message of salvation in the N.T. by focusing on the wrath of God in the O.T. and in Revelations. Its easy for them to judge and condemn, to look for and find the evil in the world, the sin in those around them. They forget Christ completely.

In our prayer life, it’s helpful to remember that intercessory prayer, though wonderful, can be misused or overused. If we always dwell on who is ill, on the tragedies and sad happenings in the world, we train ourselves to overlook the good health, the blessings, the joys that surround us. Where do we find room for the Good News if we concentrate only on the bad? How can we find the abundant life Christ promised if our eyes are clouded by tears?

Dear Lord, guide me in reading Scripture, in prayer, in daily life. Help me to notice the morning glories climbing up the ugly wall; to give thanks for the overlooked absence of pain; to use compassion not to “feel sorry,” but to help; to, in some small way, make the world a bit better today. Help me to focus on your Good News and the beauty of a faith that can transform everything if I only pay attention and learn to focus on Christ. Amen

I’ve decided to search the Internet for some Lenten links to share with you. The first, an interdenominational site with wonderful historical information on its home page, as well as different ways of praying the hours is called The Prayer Foundation. I like this page because of its wealth of prayerful suggestions and internal links. I followed one that gives advice and encouragement on praying the Psalms for one hour a day. Browse the page a bit and see what interests you. Since lent is a time for penance, here is a link to their seven penitential psalms. You may want to choose one of these psalms to recite on a daily basis during Lent, or perhaps a verse or two to memorize in acknowledgment of your failings and God’s greatness.

An equally marvelous and extensive site, Church Year, encourages people of different denominations to explore the season of Lent in order to enhance their faith. They even have a Lenten crossword puzzle in multiple formats.

I will be searching for and adding further interesting links, but these two could keep us both busy for a lifetime. You can also check my categories and choose Lent to read my own views. My church is here.

I’m in the process of planning a senior ministry for Grove Church. My love for the elderly is very strong and always has been and I have great dreams for Grove. Even as a child I was drawn to “old” people; perhaps my disability gave me an affinity for people who were trying to cope with a body that was not as strong as they wished, of less energy than they would like, of wanting to be independent while often in need of assistance. Now at 67, I am retired and living in a senior building. I am surrounded by people who struggle with the problems of aging, some without the benefit of family or faith. My heart goes out to them as it does to a relative, who suffers from dementia and her girls who do everything to make life easier for her. I feel for a cousin in Florida and his wife who, at my age, is already deep into Alzheimers.

The congregation of Grove Reformed Church is a family strong in faith and elder wisdom. Imagine our present senior congregation being equipped to mentor and shepherd each other through all the transitions of aging, from retirement through to the final days, encouraging all by faith in Christ’s resurrection. Imagine on-site and at-home small groups and book discussions. Imagine speakers brought in to educate our members and our community about the physical, mental, financial and spiritual health of seniors. Imagine reaching out to nursing homes to bring faith and nurturing to those who are alone. Imagine a ministry that, by addressing the needs of older members, also educates their grown children, who may one day be required to care for their aging parents. Finally, imagine Grove Church one day becoming the “Senior Learning Center” in Hudson County

Thinking about myself and the probability that I will end up in a nursing home, I am reminded of a wonderful woman I shared an April birthday with, who was over ninety, and had already lived twenty years in a nursing home when we became “penpals”. Viola Volkmar was an inspiration to me then and now. Her letters were always cheerful and she often wrote how blessed she felt because she could see and get along quite well in her wheel chair. She used these “gifts” to read and write for other residents and to knit and crochet for the craft group that raised money for the home. Perhaps I will be able to follow in her footsteps.

Today, an elder ministry for Grove is just a dream, but one day, if it is God’s will, it will become a reality. In the meantime, I will pray and read, research and study, so that when that day comes Grove and I will be ready to begin.

I wonder what the shepherds were thinking a minute before they heard the angels announce the birth of Christ. Scary job being a shepherd, alone in the dead of a cold, black night, on the alert for wild animals that could carry off a lamb and frighten or scatter the flock they were charged to protect. Probably the last thing they’d ever imagined was the imminent birth of a Savior.

Just before the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, what do you suppose was on her mind? She might have been praying, but she could just as well have been sweeping the floor while dreaming about her upcoming marriage to Joseph.

We could go through both the Old and New Testament speculating on characters and stories. We can imagine the terror experienced by Moses and the Israelites when their backs were to the Red Sea and Egyptian chariots were speeding toward them, the despair the lepers felt as they were forced to hang back while the crowd surged forward to meet Jesus, the tears shed by Mary and Martha when they greeted Jesus four days after their brother’s death.

So, what’s on your mind today?

Why not use this Advent season to practice waiting in hope and confidence? We are told in Philippians 4:5, “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and by petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

He is near—to calm the storm of financial worries at this critical time. He is near—to wipe away tears of pain and sorrow. He is near to remind us that we belong to Him and can never be taken from Him.

Picture the Infant, lying in a manger. Bend in close and reach toward Him. Let the tiny fingers of the Holy child curl around your own and know that at that instant you have touched the hand of God. Have a blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas!

Lent may be the perfect time to ready ourselves for the extreme financial situation our country is facing. The news is full of layoffs and homes being lost. In our small congregation alone, I’ve already learned of a job loss and a mortgage that went up $400 along with a cut in pay.

How are we to make it through this “wilderness” that will last far longer than the time of Lent, by tightening our belts and hanging onto our money at all cost? Being prudent and avoiding unnecessary spending is good, but if it leads to fear and an “every man for himself” type of thinking, we may be selling our souls for a loaf of bread.

“Three things will last forever,” Corinthians 13 (NLT)tells us, “faith, hope, and love (charity)—and the greatest of these is love.” This combination may be what God is asking of Christians right now. Charity not just of money, but of goods long tucked away or items acquired but not needed, sharing of our excess, refraining from extras.

Goods and money diminish in hard times, but love can grow larger, fuller and stronger. God refills our cup of love again and again, the instant we give it away. Declaring our faith that God will provide will be met with skepticism by non-believers if we show no sign of charity, but if our words are accompanied by an action, no matter how small, God’s message will get through.

Dear Lord, hope will be in short supply in the days ahead, but the need for it will be great. Let the Good News of the Bible, faith-based articles, books and hymns, help us all to overcome the news and statistics leading us to the brink of despair. Instill a spirit of charity within our hearts so we may help those less fortunate. Protect us and our loved ones, their homes and jobs. Remind us how blessed we are to be able to share your infinite supply of love Amen.

*Turn to Philippians 4:8-9 when the news media and the people you know have only bad tidings to predict.

So, what can you use it for? First, Bible verses. Keep a few cards in your Bible to use as bookmarks. Whenever a verse calls to you, write it on the card. Pop the card in your box for reference right away or memorize it before you file it away. Copy short prayers or poems (one to a card), or glue a prayer or poem you’ve cut from Grove’s Sunday bulletin or elsewhere.

Ever had a great idea followed immediately by a slew of excuses why you couldn’t attempt it? Pop it into the box for a future look-see. Things change, you change, maybe you’ll have more time, more courage, or more opportunity to do it in the future. Perhaps you’ll like the idea so much you will pray about it. Maybe God will like it too and send you a partner to help!