Saturday, September 13, 2008

Excuse maker

Today’s Reading: John 15:21-22 (NIV)

21 [Jesus said,] “They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.

Good morning!

One of my favorite hobbies is scrapbooking. My daughter Rachel, daughter-in-law Kari, sister-in-law Linda, and nieces Courtney, Katie and Ashley all like to spend time filling the pages of our Creative Memories® albums with pictures and memorabilia that illustrate our family’s history, who we are, and how we choose to spend our days. We have set aside special places in our homes where we scrapbook. Some of us even have entire rooms devoted to this task. During one of our summer scrapbook crops, Emily was working on her own scrapbook, when she told her mother that she wanted her own scrapbook room as a birthday present! This girly-girl is definitely my grandchild!

I’ve been admiring the many unique paper punches in Rachel’s scrapbook collection. She has a paper punch for every season of the year. As we begin scrapbooking our fall memories, we have leaf makers, pumpkin makers and candy corn makers to help us decorate pages in festive fall colors. As I held the leaf maker in my hand, I couldn’t help but wonder whether I should design a very different kind of punch – one that illustrates who I am in the season I find myself in. If I were to design a unique punch that describes my life today, it would have to be called an “excuse” maker.

I have an excuse for almost everything that doesn’t fit into my life’s plan. If I’m late finishing a paper for class, it is invariably because the demands of my day job kept me from it. If I miss a family get-together, I excuse it away because I’ve double-booked myself with too many other obligations. If I don’t get the house dusted and vacuumed before company arrives, the excuses are as numerous as the leaves that cover my scrapbook page. I wonder what excuse I will use if I show up late to my own funeral. Are you like me? Do you need an excuse punch to illustrate who you’ve become?

We excuse ourselves from weekend worship services, because something more important has come up. We skip Bible study and prayer time with the Lord, excusing ourselves from the banquet table that He has prepared for those who love Him. We are too busy, too tired, and have far too many commitments in the record-setting pace we choose to set for ourselves, and the one thing that keeps us from doing the only thing we need to do, is covered up by our personalized excuse punch. How will you try to cover up the things that you did not accomplish today?

Jesus said that His name would bring judgment, prejudice, and even provoke violence toward those who believe. If Christ had not come to earth in human flesh and spoken to us, we would not be guilty of sin. But because Christ did come, and we now know the Way, the Truth and the Life, there is no excuse big enough to hide our sin from the Father’s eyes.

Father, forgive me for making excuses instead of choosing to obey Your Word. I need the grace of Jesus Christ to cover my lame excuses. Hold me accountable. Help me be the person you’ve created me to be, 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.

Friday, September 12, 2008

The day when the world stopped to pray

Today’s Reading: John 15:20b (NIV)

20b [Jesus said,] “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

Good morning!

Yesterday, I made my way to the rose garden at the Historic Courthouse in St. Charles, Missouri. My heels made a loud clicking noise against the cement sidewalk. It is hard to be quiet when you are in a hurry, and I was sprinting to get to get to the prayer meeting already in progress. As I neared the iron gates, I could smell the fresh scent of the roses floating in the breeze, and hear the prayers spoken over the microphone. From the edge of the garden, one could sit and enjoy the breath-taking beauty of Old Town St. Charles and watch the grand Missouri river roll by. I slipped into a chair underneath one of the garden's shady oak tree, and took in the panoramic view. It was the first moment of real silence I had experienced all morning, maybe even all week, and I was thankful to have found my way to this place at this particular moment in time.

In the quiet of the garden, there was a buzz of activity happening all around me. From busy bumblebees seeking refuge in the rose bushes, to the buzz of the IPOD’s humming in the ears of joggers who were exercising their right to exercise on their lunch hour, the garden was filled with static electricity. I remembered how the country came to a screeching halt just seven short years ago, as four US airplanes crashed and burned in an act of terrorism on our own American soil. Where were you on September 11, 2001? Do you remember the day when the world stopped to pray together?

Jesus reminded His disciples that they will experience persecution in life. Conviction of heart and matters of faith seem to fan the flames of war throughout human history, and that has not changed even in the year 2008. Jesus said that if we would choose to obey the Father’s teaching, people would obey us also. From where I sit, it appears that Americans have somehow forgotten the importance of obedience. Is it far easier for folks to simply forget than stop and take a moment to remember the price that was paid for our ultimate freedom long ago.

I pray that my country will once again choose to humble its heart and become willingly obedient to the Word of our Lord. Jesus Christ is the hope of our salvation and true freedom will only be found in Him. Remember the cross that was pulled from the rubble of the World Trade Center seven years ago? It still stands.

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, September 07, 2008

Amazing love

Today’s Reading: John 15:20a (NIV)

20a [Jesus said,] “Remember the words I spoke to you: No servant is greater than His master.

Good morning!

Today is a very special day! The Ugandan Hope for Africa Children’s Choir will sing at Faith United Methodist Church tonight (Sunday, September 7, 2008) at 6:30pm, 2950 Droste Road, Saint Charles, Missouri. This is a free concert - please come and hear the children sing! Jeff and I cried tears of joy as we heard the choir share the Gospel message last spring at our United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. The children continue to share their story of hope with the world. It is hard to imagine what it might be like to wake up one day with no one to care for you. These little ones lost their family to AIDS and/or to civil war, and they were left behind. Out of this great need, the United Methodist Church in the United States partnered with the East Africa Conference and the Ugandan Church to build a school and home for these precious ones. The Humble United Methodist School in Mukono opened its doors in 2004, and the children continue to come. They understand in a tangible way what it means to be given the gift of hope through new life; these children are a living witness to salvation.

The congregation of Faith Church have been praying and preparing for the children’s visit. The church will house and feed their family while they are here, and we will offer up the fellowship hall so they can continue their academic studies while traveling on the road. Their witness will impact our congregation in the days ahead. You cannot help but be moved when you see their smiling faces and hear the songs they sing.

Jesus said that no servant is greater than his master. We are all called to serve the Lord Jesus Christ by sharing community with each other. Our cultures may not be the same, and yet, we share a commonality through flesh and blood. Our individual lives are unique and when we’re willing to share our stories, we can learn from each other. Come and be served; come and serve. This is the gift of Christ’s amazing love.

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.