Pause to Ponder

It takes work
to wait
for what we long for most

It takes practice
to prepare
the way of the Lord

Take heart

in your waiting 

God is at work!

Join a faith community this Advent
and plan to attend a
candle light service on Christmas Eve

In this season of Thanksgiving
with a hint of peace restored
in war-torn regions of the Middle East

I am thankful for peace that passes all understanding,
ours to enjoy no matter what, and ours to offer others
no matter who or what in this world they stand for

“Oh Lord, may you ordain peace for us, for indeed, all that we have done, you have done for us.”
Isaiah 26:22

“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.”
2 Corinthians 13:11

So, the Great Physician calls
not with loud hollers of threat and condemnation
but with a still, quiet voice, gently calling me
by name, assuring me, I am loved

Guiding me daily in rhythm with the heart of life,
sending me out again today
with good news that does wonders
for anyone willing to listen.

From poem “Good Heart Tones” in Called to be Alive!

At this time and at my age
any sense of balance
is a taste of victory!

Healing from heart surgery
at home this week,
I find this to be most certainly true!

And from where do I believe my balance comes?
Surely from the Maker who guides all
toward stability and well-being

Class of 69, called to be alive! 😊🎶
Getting ready to head back to Dubuque, Iowa where Carol and I will gather with classmates and significant others for our Class of 69’s 55th high school reunion. Yes indeed! It’s time to reunite! Our reunion band is getting ready to play and sing some favorites when we gather with other classmates at Eagle Point Park Friday night, Sept 27th.

Led by the Spirit
For Life’s utmost
Anchored in a faith group
for life on the coast

Window at Clatsop Plains Pioneer Presbyterian Church, Warrenton, Oregon.

Designed and created by Andrea Mullins Weir

O God, you have called your pilgrim people 

to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, 

by paths as yet untrodden. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

The prayer above is one of my favorites.  It’s been around for decades and is attributed to an Anglican minister Eric Milner-White.  Sometimes called the Prayer of Good Courage, it expresses the attitude of one desiring to live and be of service to the Lord wherever life leads.

 This prayer became especially near and dear to me when after Denise, my first wife, died suddenly, I chose to venture from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest, ready to live into a new chapter of God’s call on my life.  To my surprise, the unfolding of this new stage of life and service would include journeying to the end of the Oregon Trail, serving at Pioneer Presbyterian Church on the Clatsop Plains. 

So, in many ways I’ve been on a pilgrimage for the past decade or more.  Day by day, full of grace, the Lord leading me, God’s love supporting me and I amazed time and again at how I am blessed to be a blessing along the way.  

Be it a new phase in life, a journey to a far-off sacred place, or simply taking an afternoon or a weekend away, spiritual growth and life-giving discernment await those who are willing to embark on a spiritual pilgrimage.

Once in a while
I experience a fear of missing out
on a dream to take music on the road

Then I have the experience like I did yesterday
when together with friends we sang with folks
In the memory care community just down the highway

And I realize that beyond my wildest imagination
I’ve had an amazing lifelong journey of music ministry
and any fear I may have about missing out is laughable

With a celebration of our country’s birth July is fast approaching. The life of our nation and of all countries around the globe is drawn from the health & well-being of Mother Earth

Many things are needed for the health of our planet.
Here is one thing I have chosen to do this July:
I will learn how to reduce single use plastics
in my home and daily life from this month onward.

What will you do in July out of love for your country and for precious Mother Earth? What one thing for life now and for future generations? Consider joining me and millions of others to go plastic-free.

How incredibly astounding that even when

I can’t visit the forests, hike the mountains, 

or walk along ocean shores

I can see and rejoice

in the handiwork of our maker

by flowers in planters on display in our home

So, it’s hats off to a green-thumbed Carol 

and to countless others who help bring to light

the loveliness of creation right under our nose

For those who want to dig into this pondering a little deeper, I offer this liturgy for the planting of flowers written by Douglas McKelvey in Every Moment Holy, Volume One: To read it simply click and expand. 😊