Saturday, August 30, 2008

This is the time

Today’s Reading: John 15:7 (NIV)

7 [Jesus said,] “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, as whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

Good morning!

Storms are coming. I’ve been watching the satellite radar, in particular, the fury of Hurricanes Gustav and Hannah. One hundred people have already lost their lives in the eye of these storms. My heart is grieving for their families, and for the devastation that has already occurred. I cannot help but wonder how many more storms we may face in the upcoming days.

I couldn’t sleep last night after an abrupt and scary dream. Have you ever had a nightmare keep you awake? In my dream, one of my children had been severely beaten. I could see the red rope burn branded across his face; I could hear the terror in his voice. He was crying and I was trying to reach him. My arms were not quite long enough, but I know whose arms are. I continued to cry out to my child, “Trust God! Ask the Lord to save you, to heal you, in Jesus’ name! Give Him your fears and all your pain! He will hear and answer you!” All night long, the same dream with the same prayer was prayed over and over and over again.

I believe with all my heart that God hears our every prayer. He hears our cries for help, the hushed whispers in the midnight hour, when there is no lasting light but His. We know He is there, even when we cannot see Him clearly. When King Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord, the Lord came to him at night and said, “I have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:12-14 NIV) I couldn’t help but think about the Lord’s promise to the wisest man who ever lived. What if God has chosen our land for Himself as His temple of sacrifice? IF we were willing as a nation today, to really humble our hearts, pray and seek the Father’s face and turn from the inherent evil that continues to plague our families, our communities and nation, God promises to hear our prayers and forgive and heal our land. How many more storms must we endure? When will we humble ourselves before the Lord?

I am convinced this is the time to unite hands and hearts in prayer. Our people must depend upon the Lord to save them, to forgive us and to heal our land. Won’t you join with me this weekend to pray? On September 11th, folks will be gathering at their county courthouses at the noon hour to pray and seek God’s help for our nation. If you would like to join with Christians around the US in a time of prayer, go to www.awakeningamerica.us and sign up for a prayer vigil in your community. I would invite you to join with me, especially this weekend, as we pray for the storms that are headed our way, and for those who find themselves in the path of destruction. God’s promises are sure. IF we are willing to turn, repent, and believe, He will hear us, forgive our sins and heal our land.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Dead wood

Today’s Reading: John 15:6 (NIV)

6 [Jesus said,] “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

Good morning!

Fall is my favorite season of the year. I enjoy the cooler temperatures, when leaves begin to turn on the trees and the overgrowth of flowering chrysanthemums flourish in garden beds. In the fall, trees begin to move toward sleepy hibernation, and the dead branches begin to break, falling to the ground. When you walk through the woods in the fall, you can feel the crackling of dry leaves and loose branches breaking underneath the weight of your feet. Only the branches that remain firmly rooted in the trunk of the tree survive the coldest blast of winter. And in the springtime, when all things are made new again, the branches begin to burst forth in buds, with flowers and colorful new foliage - it is a sign of new life.

One of my favorite fall activities is to visit the pumpkin patch, enjoy a hayride on the back of a tractor trailer, and roast marshmallows and hot dogs around a campfire. The dead wood crackles and burns brightly in the cool evening air, giving off the unmistakable scent that fall has truly arrived. It seems the only good thing about a piece of dead wood is its ability to burn to mere ash when thrown into the flame. It will never grow again, or bear the flowering beauty given by the Master Creator.

Is your heart splintering away like dead branches falling from the tree? Are you struggling to stay connected to the life-vine? Jesus said that when we choose not to stay connected to Him, we begin wither and eventually dry up, becoming good for nothing except to light up the sky in a holy fire. Fortunately, we have a Savior who hears our cries for help. If you ask Him, Jesus will reinvigorate your dry and brittle bones with His love. Come home; root yourself today in the Word of God. He will save you and keep you to everlasting life, in the place where you will never die.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Having dessert first?

Today’s Reading: John 15:5 (NIV)

5 [Jesus said,] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Good morning!

Whenever I go to market, I prefer to shop the perimeter of the store first. I enjoy spending time in the produce aisle, checking out the fresh variety of fruits and vegetables. There are so many sweet and healthy treats to choose from! The blackberries have been outstanding this summer. Have you tried them? I like to eat blackberries with a little Splenda® and milk. They make a great topping over bran flakes and sugar-free ice cream. Of course, blackberry cobbler is my all-time favorite baked dessert; it is a rich and yummy treat, especially served on a chilly fall day. Fall is coming, and blackberries are definitely on my grocery list.

Every fruit has its own unique flavor. During the summer, I make fruit salad at least once a week, and every time I use my grandmother’s glass bowl, I think of all the berry picking we did together. We would take a stroll down the gravel road, past the chicken coop and large brown barn, walking down a small dirt path into the berry patch. There, we would pick strawberries, gooseberries, blackberries and blueberries, trying our best to avoid sharp briars and chigger bites. My grandmother always wore a large apron with pockets, and we would fill it to the brim with berries. What a sight we were, as we strolled back to the farm together with fruit-stained hands and faces, carrying our newly picked treasures in the lining of her soft, cotton apron. I vowed then I would never skip dessert, even when I’m watching my daily calorie intake. This is a sweet memory of time well spent with my grandmother. I am convinced that fresh fruit is the very best part of any meal. Please don’t tell my mother I said this, but you have my permission to go ahead and eat your dessert first!

What kinds of spiritual fruit would you select from the vine of life? Of the sweet treats borne from the Master’s heart, would you choose to taste a bowl full of love, complimented with sweet joy, abiding peace, and fresh patience? Would you add a dollop of tasty kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness to the mix, and top it off with a large slice of self-control? When we are attached to the life-giving vine of Christ, we become His fruitful branches, and the produce we yield is the best dessert in town! People long to taste real love, to know true joy, and have His sweet peace that passes all human understanding. Who would pass up an extra portion of patience, or the gift of goodness? We can feast from the sweet fruits of the Holy Spirit each day, if we are willing to stay firmly connected to the gift giver.

Jesus said that He is the true vine and we are the branches, and if we will stay firmly rooted in Him, we will yield a bumper crop of sweet fruit.

Let’s have dessert first today! Father, I thank you for your fruit that saves us day by day. Help us remain completely connected to your life-giving vine, so that we may bear Holy Spirit fruit that will draw others to you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Waiting for the go-ahead

Today’s Reading: John 15:3-4 (NIV)

3 [Jesus said,] “You are already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

Good morning!

If you’ve ever flown on an airplane, you may know what it feels like to be waiting at the edge of the runway, with motors running, while the pilot listens for the go-ahead from the tower. There is a reason why we must wait. Even experienced pilots, with their unobstructed view of the airstrip, cannot always see what is happening up above. They wait for the all-clear sign from an air traffic controller high in the tower, who has a view of the skies, the flight plans, and knows when it is safe to begin takeoff. The minutes spent waiting on that runway can seem like an eternity to antsy passengers who are anxious to get to their next destination on time. Waiting for the go-ahead signal is never easy, whether it is on a plane, or anywhere else as you may travel along life’s highway.

I am continually amazed at how the Holy Spirit works within human hearts. Several folks have been gathering together for several months, through a prompting of the Holy Spirit, to offer ourselves in service to the college community in our neighborhood. We hope to extend a little radical hospitality on campus, make some new friends, and be there to listen and assist however we can. Plans have been made to open a free coffeehouse for the entire college campus one night each week during the school year. We hope to provide a creative space where students can come and enjoy a free cup of java, a place to study; to network and relax together. We’ve made plans, purchased supplies, sought the help of volunteers, and we are now ready to launch into this new outreach opportunity. Right this minute, we are sitting at the edge of the runway, waiting for the go-ahead signal from above.

When we find ourselves in a holding pattern, we need to remember that we must never try to go it alone. While it may be tempting to run full-steam ahead, without the go-ahead signal from above, our feeble human attempts will falter and fail. This is the time to turn to the Lord in prayer, seeking His guidance and blessing. Holding patterns are uncomfortable for all of us, but these precious moments have eternal consequences. When God prompts you to go, He will equip you with everything you need at just the right moment in time. He will give the go-ahead signal and we will hear and know when it is time to launch. Jesus said we need to remain in Him, and He will remain in us. Good fruit cannot grow apart from the vine.

Are you in a holding pattern today? There is a reason why we wait. Use this time to prayerfully remain focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. He will let you know when it is time to go!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Saturday night special

Today’s Reading: John 15:2 (NIV)

2 [Jesus said,] “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Good morning!

When our daughter Rachel was a little girl, she had the most beautiful head of long, silky blonde hair. I believe it was one of her most striking physical features. She would sleep on foam rollers every Saturday night so that her hair would lay in ringlets down her back on Sunday morning. I would spend time every morning braiding and putting her hair up in pigtails, buns and French knots. Every six months, we would trim two inches off the length, to remove any split ends from her hair and open the door for new growth. It’s amazing what a quick trim will do to ignite a growth spurt.

Our boys did not enjoy having their toenails trimmed. Benjie was extremely ticklish, and every time I would try to trim his toenails after a Saturday night bath, he would cackle and flinch and moan. As he wiggled uncontrollably, I would sometimes clip a little too close to the cuticle and Ben would end up nursing a sore toe for a couple of days. Telling him to be still didn’t work, because he just couldn’t control himself. To this day, I don’t think that boy would willingly let anyone touch his feet. David wasn’t nearly as ticklish as Ben, but he really did not enjoy those Saturday night pedicures. Have you ever noticed how quickly a child’s toe nail grows after being trimmed?

Generally speaking, trimming hair and toenails should not be painful, but sometimes, when the Father prunes our hearts, it can hurt a little, maybe a lot. It seems that, in order to continue growing in grace, we all need to experience a Saturday night special. The Father longs for each of us to mature in Christ, to bear fruit that will lead others into a meaningful, everlasting relationship with Him. Every now and then, God trims off some of the outgrowth and our tell-tale split ends that prohibits new growth. He focuses on the cuticle of our hearts, removing those tiny hang-nails that hinder us from reaching our fullest faith potential. Sometimes, God has to remove the debris of self-service, exclusivity, and prideful thinking before He can use us to bring people to Him. Are you in need of a Saturday night special before you come to worship the Lord this Sunday?

Father, today I’m asking you for a Saturday night special in my life. Remove the damaged split ends from my heart. Cut back the overgrowth and remove the lifeless branches that fail to bear fruit for your kingdom. The only growth I long for is to be firmly rooted in your Son, Jesus Christ, the one true vine. Amen.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Master Gardener

Today’s Reading: John 15:1 (NIV)

1 [Jesus said,] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

Good morning!

Do you have runaway weeds in your garden? I’ve been nursing a jammed toe since mid-July, and, have not spent any significant time outside working in my garden beds. This is truly unfortunate, because I do enjoy growing and cutting summer flowers. I confess that my flower beds are not very pretty this year; I have managed to grow a mega crop of weeds. The weather has been near perfect this August; not too hot with lots of rain. Runaway weeds are happily growing and they are doing their best to choke out the plants in my garden bed.

Whenever I work outside, I think about the time my father spent in his garden. He would have a cow if he saw my garden beds right now. This man would come home after working all day in the summer sun, to shower and change and go back outside and work until dark. Gardening was something he truly enjoyed. The neighbor children all liked to play in our front yard, because our grass was the softest, greenest, most fertile grass on the block. It was kind of like walking on a thick, billowy green carpet. You could tumble on it and not get hurt. Daddy weeded and edged the yard routinely. There was never a dandelion in sight.

When our babies were young, we used to spend time outside weeding the garden beds together. It took awhile for the children to figure out what to pull and what to leave. Some vines are rather pretty and can seem ornamental at first. After a closer inspection, we begin to tell the difference between a pesky weed and a healthy plant. This is one summer when I wish my children were little again, so I could have them help me outside. The laughter we shared in the garden will remain in my heart forever.

Jesus said that He is the true vine and that His father is the master gardener. There is no mistaking the risen Christ. His vine is healthy and strong; it produces real fruit that offers life giving food to all who will consume it. The master gardener carefully prunes away the runaway weeds, allowing the true vine to flourish and grow. He cares for the vine, and all its new growth, as only a loving Father can.

Can you tell the difference between the true spiritual vine and a runaway weed? If you are seeking the Truth, ask the Master Gardener to lead you to the one true vine: Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Holy Bakeoff!

Today’s Reading: John 14:31 (NIV)

30 [Jesus said,] “But the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

Good morning!

Do you do follow the directions exactly as they are written? This morning, I am preparing my all-time favorite potato crock pot recipe to enter into the potato bakeoff at Faith Church. We are raising money to help OASIS, St. Charles County’s local food pantry, so they can relocate its growing ministry to a larger facility. Feeding the hungry is important to the people of Faith Church. Won’t you stop by today for worship, and participate in the potato luncheon and bakeoff contest? I’ll see you there!

My grandmother was one of the best cooks I knew. She never used a cookbook, and never ran out to the store for a missing ingredient. She had everything she needed to make the perfect meal right at her fingertips. Her mother coached her on how to prepare the perfect meal, and my grandmother learned to follow her instructions exactly. Most every dish she prepared was either home-grown, raised, or canned from the farm that she and my grandfather maintained. Fresh vegetables and fruits were plentiful all summer long, and from them, she made some of the best homemade pies! Even the sour pies, like gooseberry, would melt in your mouth with a thick, rich coating of sugar. I think of my grandmother often, especially when I try out a new recipe. I wonder today how a pinch of this and a pinch of that might make a winning difference in the quality and texture of the perfect potato!

Grandmother cooked over a wood-burning stove. She had no heat control – the fire got hot and then she cooked it! Her cakes were perfect and I still, to this day, do no know how that happened. She had no boxed cake mixes, no recipe card file – just a little flour, oil, water, sugar and all of sudden, there it is – perfection in a pan! I wish she was here today to teach me everything she learned about cooking with her mother, and how she became an expert by following oral instruction exactly as it was given to her.

This is what Jesus was referring to when He spoke of following His Father’s commands. He didn’t do them partially; Jesus didn’t try to fudge on the details or hit the highlights. He did His Father’s will exactly as He was told and the end result was perfect salvation for an imperfect humanity. What might happen today if we all learned how to follow the Father’s Word exactly as it is written? Would our lives be miraculously transformed into Christ-likeness? Would we taste heaven on earth with the Father’s perfected recipe for daily living?

Now this is a holy bakeoff I would like to be part of. Lord Jesus, teach us how to follow the Father’s instruction, exactly as He gave it. Amen.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Bonus: Here’s a copy of the recipe I am submitting today:

Slow Cooker Cheese Potatoes

2-lb. package Western Style cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed

10-3/4 oz. cans cream of potato and cream of mushroom soup

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz. grated grated Parmesan cheese

1 pint sour cream

Mix together in slow cooker. Cover, cook on low 7 hours or high 4 hours.

Submitted by Deb Spaulding, Faith UMC St. Charles, MO

Recipe came from Clarice Williams, Fairbank, IA