Plow On

"Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow
  and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”  Luke 9:62

This verse from today's reading makes me think. 
While I've set my hand to the plow it seems I keep looking back at the crooked rows and wondering why they are not straight.  When all the while I know the only way to make straight rows is to look forward.  

Dear lord Jesus
Help me keep my eyes on you
I know this is the thing to do
'cause every time I look away
It seems that things go astray. 

I must not focus on the past
I can not undo mistakes...Alas
You will take me where I'm at
And for this I tip my hat. 

So I plow on...straight ahead 
And let the dead bury their dead
With you I can handle the strife
You are the way, the truth, the life.
Amen. 

How Can It Be?

When I question how it can be
I must remember He is not me.
For He is God it's plain to see
And "all things possible" is the key.

So I believe...I guarantee
in those things that puzzle me.
It does not take a masters degree
To fall down upon bended knee.

So I pray that all would agree
That from His love you do not flee.

Amen.

What Is God Saying To Me?

As usual…I sit listening to the silence…hoping to hear some words of wisdom, some words of encouragement or just some confirmation from God.  But the only voice I hear is mine.  I never know if God is talking to me or I’m talking to myself. 

It would be nice if God used his own voice or maybe the voice of Charles Heston or perhaps Morgan Freeman…but it is always my voice…and I find that confusing.

On the other hand…there are times when I get a feeling that washes over me like a huge wave that leaves me gasping for breath and drowning in tears…that's when I know that God is real and that He is there to save me from myself.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I thank you for your gracious companionship.  I praise you for being my Creator, Savior, and Lord.  May I take your blessings to my day, and may your presence envelop and permeate all my thoughts and actions, through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

My Spastic Mind

As I followed along with the first reading…taken from Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians…my spastic mind transported me back to grade school and diagramming sentences, a concept I’ve never really grasped.

Brothers and sisters:

I, a prisoner for the Lord,

urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,

with all humility and gentleness, with patience,

bearing with one another through love,

striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit

through the bond of peace:

one Body and one Spirit,

as you were also called to the one hope of your call;

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

one God and Father of all,

who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us

according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,

others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,

to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,

for building up the Body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of faith

and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,

to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

Eph 4:1-7,11-13

I stared at the run-on sentences wondering how on earth they would fit onto a tree branch diagram that meandered across the black boards of the fifth grade classroom.  Perhaps the original Greek would have been easer to deal with.

Dear Lord Jesus,

At times your words seem Greek to me

But for you I will a prisoner be

Pray never from your graces flee

And with your help be true to Thee

Amen.

A Dream Come True

As a kid I dreamed of riding around the country on a motorcycle perhaps as a result of watching too many shows like “Easy Rider” and “Then Came Bronson”.  So in a moment of nostalgia and low mental acuity I decided to do the Colorado Butler Motorcycle Map Challenge.

Butler is a company the makes high quality, waterproof maps for motorcycle riders.  They rate and highlight the roads; good, better and best…and I was going to ride every road they recommended.

So I packed my saddlebags, gassed up the tank, and off I went to Colorado with my old classic BMW airhead…accompanied by my son with his red ST1100 Honda.  Fortunately, with a spark of sanity I decided to leave my sleeping bag at home and take my VISA card instead. 

Without perseverating on the boring details we spent seven days experiencing knee-dragging sweepers, heart-stopping switchbacks and eye-popping vistas.  We crossed the Continental Divide numerous times racing over the high mountain passes, down twisting canyons, and passed by rocky spires and stony crags.  We experienced the stone walls of Stonewall, the quaint little towns like La Veta, Lake City and Creede…not to mention all the regular tourist traps.

Getting high in Colorado!  Yes, indeed, the Rocky Mountain National Park is two and a half miles up into the thin air above the tree line.  This sea level dweller huffed and puffed just twisting the throttle while the bicycle riders peddled there way to the top with apparent ease.

We experienced Colorado’s morning lows and afternoon highs, the flat almost endless high plains that stretched to the horizon, the great sand dunes, the dust devils, snow covered mountaintops, cold mountain rains, old railroad tunnels, Boulder’s bicycles and Denver’s traffic.

It was a great adventure but my dream of riding cross-country on a motorcycle at 17 years old is more of a nightmare at 71.  I am exhausted!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for getting us home safe and sound.

Thank you for allowing me to see your awesome handy work.

For you are indeed an amazing God that does amazing things.

Thank you for blessing me in so many ways.

Amen.

Dancing And Weeping

‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.

We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’  Luke 7:32

As I stood listening to today’s gospel…I could not help but think of my life long lukewarm approach to the God’s word.  Neither leaping for joy at the good news nor weeping over the terrible injustice Our Lord suffered.

But some how something has changed…I discreetly wiped the tear from my cheek and held my breath. 

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all you have done and all you continue to do for me. Today…I pray that you give me the wisdom to know and the fortitude to do your will not mine. 

Amen.

Let Peace Control Your Heart

In today's first reading (Col 3:12-17) the words,
"...let the peace of Christ control your hearts,..." ,
founded their way into the chink of my worldly armor. 

The realization that I am far to up tight about many things of this world that really have little significance in the overall scheme of God's plan. 

Dear Lord,
Let me be thankful.
Let your word dwell in me,
as in all wisdom you teach.
May I sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in my heart.
And whatever I do, in word or in deed,
I do in the your name, Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through you.
Amen.