This is the day...... !

OK, friends, full disclosure here:

Earlier today I posted on Facebook a picture of the Pittsburgh skyline on a cloudy day with the caption: Cloudy, rainy, cool - "This is the day the Lord has made" in Pittsburgh, PA!

Well, I now have the opportunity and challenge to live in the reality of that truth! I ran an errand this AM and came home to notice black smoke pouring out from under the hood of the car. When John raised the hood flames shot up! :o]  He quickly sprayed the engine with water to put the fire out.  Guess I won't be going anywhere today! 

This is STILL the day the Lord has made in Pittsburgh and wherever you are!

The rest of Psalm 118:24 instructs me: 

²⁴ This is the day the Lord has brought about.
We will be happy and rejoice in it.  (NET)

Empty Chair

Recently there has been bi-partisan talk about chairs:

• Nancy Pelosi talked about her surreal "experience" at the White House where her "chair was getting crowded ... and then I realized Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton (etc. all the suffragists) ... 'At last we have a seat at the table.' "
• Clint Eastwood spoke to an empty chair at the Republican National Convention

That's not the kind of chair conversation I'm talking about this Thanksgiving Day. I'm thinking about all the homes where there will be an empty chair today:

• In some homes it will be a US serviceman or woman's place empty because he or she is serving us to protect our freedoms - so we can continue to live in the land of the free!
• In other homes there is an empty chair because a service man or woman - soldier, sailor, airman or Marine - gave the ultimate sacrifice for us to live free!
• And in still other homes - homes like mine - there is an empty chair because someone very loved and special has moved on to heaven to a place God has prepared for him! For now, that place is empty both in our home and in our hearts today!

God, for all those homes where there is an empty chair today, fill hearts with your peace and with gratitude for all your blessings even in the pain of loss!

 

Five Messages 4 Your Heart!

A friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair, who can face with us the reality of our powerlessness - that is the friend who cares!

Gratitude flows from the recognition that who we are and what we have are gifts to be received and shared!

My hope is that the description of God's love in my life will give you the freedom and the courage to discover God's love in yours!

Hospitality is not to change people but to offer them the space where change can take place!

We are not what we do. We are not what we have. We are not what others think of us. Coming home is claiming the truth - I am the beloved child of the loving Creator!

-- Henri J. M. Nouwen

A Dancing Heart!

Wish I had written this but I'm glad I follow Scotty on Twitter so I got to read this:

About Scotty Smith
Scotty Smith is Founding Pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN and a Council member with The Gospel Coalition. More… Scotty Smith5:01 am CT

A Prayer for a Dancing Heart, and Feet

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever. Ps. 30:11-12

Lord Jesus, was there ever a king more into dancing than King David? His victory over Goliath was the inspiration for singing and dancing by many in Israel (1 Sam. 21:11). When the ark was returned to Jerusalem, he danced before the Lord with all his might, and very little modesty (2 Sam. 6:14). It’s obvious he wrote this psalm as a dancer for other dancers, whose joy at the dedication of the temple was simply uncontainable.

But Jesus, you’re the real Lord of the Dance. Though King David didn’t realize it, his work and joy point to yours. You’re the only monarch who can turn the wails of our sin and brokenness into the dance of hope and joy. You’re the only ruler merciful and mighty enough to replace our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. By your cross, you’ve removed the filthy garments of unrighteousness that we might be clothed us with the white robe of your own righteousness. Astounding . . . astonishing . . . and so very true.

How can we not sing and make music to you in our hearts? How can we possibly remain silent and still, in response to who you are and everything you’ve done for us, Jesus? Forgive us when we, like the elder brother, remain smugly on the outside of the house of redemption—off the dance floor of your reconciling love (Luke 15:25).Cause us to hear the Father speaking to us right now: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours” (Luke 15:31).

Indeed, Lord, forgive us for confusing reverence with rigor mortis. Forgive us for giving you ardor-less order when we worship you. Forgive us for living more by our temperament tests, Myers-Briggs profiles, and personality types than by the lyric, music, and dance of the gospel. Free us from giving you a measured response to a measureless gospel.

One day, King Jesus, we will give thanks to you with all our might. All personal inhibitions, cultural limitations, and ecclesiastical prohibitions will be gone. May that great day of liberation have much greater impact on this day’s celebration. So very Amen we pray in your grace-filled and gladsome name.

Lessons Learned From Grandchildren - Gratitude

There are three particular little people in my life who have been visiting me recently. It is interesting what I learn from them. It is easy to see things they still need to learn about life, but what surprises me is what I learn about life from them.

My grandson had a birthday party Thursday. I think he had about 20 friends who joined him for minature golf, cake and fun. Each child invited was a special someone to Matthew. The most interesting thing to me was watching Matthew open his gifts. It started with singing "Happy Birthday." All those kids and a number of adults sang, and I watched Matthew's face. From where I was standing I had a ringside seat. He grinned. He rolled his eyes. He was totally estatic! It was so fun to watch!

Then when he started opening the gifts, I was amazed. Matthew has enough toys to stock a good toy store so even finding something he doesn't already have is challenging. However, every single gift was received with such absolute and obvious joy and gratitude!

That's the part I am holding in my heart to keep - those "pictures" to remember. We should all have such appreciation and joy and gratitude. LIke Matthew, our gratitude should just bust out all over our faces from our hearts! It is a beautiful thing!

Gratitude has to come from deep in the heart. To prepare one's heart for gratitude, perhaps it's a little like what happened to Matthew. First his heart bloomed with the joy of feeling very loved as everyone sang "Happy Birthday." It was love that brought him to gratitude. His gratitude was a beautiful gift to my heart. I want to walk through this day with the same kind of gleeful abandon and joyous gratitude!

When the ancient poet wrote "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps. 118:24), he wasn't speaking about a particular (or special) day. He was talking about any and every day - living with the attitude of gratitude! This attitude of gratitude can only come from a heart in the process of restoration. Only the Great Restorer of hearts can do that! And God's heart restoration process starts with His love: "... God has poured out His love into our hearts ... " (Romans 5:5)