Saturday, October 9, 2010

Happy Saturday!

Go Frogs! Today we spent the bulk of the day at TCU where we watched the Frogs whomp up on Wyoming with 45 unanswered points. Some friends of ours gave us tickets and a parking pass. So, for the first time we tailgated. I have always wanted to tailgate but, until today, didn’t have the opportunity. We had a wonderful time. We observed and learned several things today. First, don’t forget the ice. Second, red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting will melt during the game when being left in a pick-up truck even under the October Texas sun. And last, bring pot holders and wet wipes! We also discovered the need for a dining canopy. We do not have one, but maybe someday. The food was great and we had a wonderful time and are looking forward to a repeat event. Go Frogs!

1Peter 1:8 “You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”

Today I watched “The Princess and the Frog.” It is one of my favorites. The two main characters who were changed into frogs by a magic spell spend their time in the movie trying to become human again. When at the end of the movie, they figure out they are in love with each other and decide to remain frogs, they declare “I love you warts and all.” These two are bound together by their love for each other and, though they have faults, the love they have for each other is greater than their differences. They are drawn closer to each other by the bonds of love.

God loves each of us in much the same way. Our difference is that when we come into relationship with God through Jesus we are changed. Each experience of our lives that show Love, sorrow, difficulty, success or hardship, ease, danger or safety causes us to change as we rely on the faithfulness of God and His Love for us. Each time we look to God to be a part of our lives, no matter what or when we change, we learn to love Him more, our faith increases in God we become more aware of God’s faithfulness to us. God does not like our sin. His love for us is stronger and more powerful than anything life hands out and we are changed by Love. We become bound to God by Love.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to pray for each other daily. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

PS Tomorrow at Advent we will celebrate almost 100 years of professional service to God and His church as we honor Pastor Joel Burkholder, Pastor Stan Meyer and Bishop Kevin Kanouse. The praise team is singing a fantastic gospel spiritual titles “No Rocks a’ Cryin’. I invite you to come and be a part of this more special celebration.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Isaiah 40: 28 “Have you not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding.”

Tonight I miss Casey. I am not sure why I miss him tonight. Maybe it is because we are approaching the second anniversary of His death and I have remembered those joyful last few days and those painful last few moments. Maybe it was the meal I prepared tonight and as I watched with great thanksgiving Geni and Travis eating, joking and enjoying eating around our table knowing how much Casey would have enjoyed it and the family fellowship. But mostly, I miss my son.

God knows everything. God hears each of us when we cry for mercy. He hears us and sees us when we are tired. He hears us when we cry for help and is sad when we are in sorrow and has compassion when we have failed. Yes, there are times when we are weak. But God ever reminds us that in our weakness He is made strong. God remains with us through all we do, say hear and feel. When we are weak, sad, or struggling God offers His sympathy and strength and they are ours. God calls us His friend and His strength is made perfect in us. God breathes His love and compassion over us and He knows our hearts to the very depths of our souls. Let us lean on His Love, and know that all is well.

Thanks for listening. Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Happy Wednesday!

John 21:16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

On Tuesday night at 7:00 we are a divided household. Two of us watch Glee and one of us watches NCIS and one of us is at handbell practice. I am not overly fond of Glee, but it has the finest singing on TV and presented a most interesting topic last night.

Most of the time the storyline revolves around teen drama, but on this week’s episode the topic was spirituality. It all began with one of the members of the Glee show choir whose father had a heart attack and went into a coma. The character of Kurt was portrayed as a gay teenager. Kurt had previously lost his mother in death, so it was just he and his dad. As his choir friends attempted to rally around him and give him comfort he pushed them away. Kurt stated very plainly that he did not believe in God and that he would not go to church because churches did not like gay people.

Several of his friends professed their belief in God. Kurt was grieving and pushed his friends away even when they went to the hospital to pray for his father. Kurt ordered his friends from the room. Kurt decided to walk this path of sadness alone.

As Christians we know that we are not meant to walk this life alone. God created and chose us to be His children. And each day we choose God right back. God is with us in the darkest, saddest places of our souls. God rejoices with us in the greatest joys we experience and faithfully walks with us when we must stay the course. God is the head of this family of children and calls each one of us to carry each other’s burdens and share in each other’s joys.

Back to the story. The most profound moment in the Glee episode happened when Mercedes, the overweight, African American teenager, invites Kurt to her church on Sunday and does not take no for an answer. Kurt arrives in church and takes his seat in a pew. Mercedes takes her place on the chancel area surrounded by this amazing gospel choir and sings “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Even as powerful as this music was that was not the most profound moment. As Kurt sat listening to the words of the song the final verse was being sung and the church stood up. Kurt remained seated until this elder woman took Kurt by the hand and lifted him to his feet. It was just a moment, but what a profound moment. In that simple gesture she brought Kurt into the family and let him know he was not alone and did not have to go through this by himself.

If we keep our eyes open to God’s work around us, we are bound to find those who are hurting, grieving or lost – brothers and sisters in Christ who may feel that they are not worthy of the love of our Father. They are people deeply in need of being lifted up and restored to their place in God’s kingdom. Let your hands be God’s as you reach out and offer to lift them up. We are called to do that very act each day. We are called to lift one another up. We are called to be a family and to care for one another.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to pray for each other daily. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Happy Tuesday!

Psalm 121:8 “The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore. “

Ephesians 1:4 “According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”

“Our God is an awesome God. He reigns over heaven above. His wisdom, power and love; our God is an awesome God.” It is impossible for us to even fathom the vastness of God’s reign and His power over all the earth because we think of God in human terms. God is large enough to change the course of a river and has the heart to change the heart of each of us. We were chosen by Him. God chose to create each of us and in the process has loved us with an everlasting love. As we are His creation we are led by the Spirit and live in proof of being part of the Sonship of God. “As many as are led by the Spirit, they are Sons of God.” We are heirs of God as His created children because He chose us! God has claimed us in His Word, by His grace and out of His extraordinary love for us.

Everything we do, say and experience has a purpose. Every joy we experience, every sadness or difficulty that comes our way is not for us to experience alone. God experiences our joys, sorrows and tough times with us. He rejoices in our joys, weeps and has compassion in our sad times and endures with us during difficult times. We are never alone.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to pray for each other each day. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Blessed Sunday to you all!

I always love World Wide Communion Sunday. Displayed before the altar rail were breads from around the world. As each loaf was blessed from a different country I was reminded that there is one event that binds all of us together. The body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was broken and given for each of us out of His love. This historic event did not happen first in that upper room among Jesus and His disciples, but about 1500 years prior to that night with Moses. Moses asked for freedom for the nation of Israel from Pharaoh. When Pharaoh denied them freedom Moses told him that the first born of Egypt would die before morning. The Hebrews placed the blood of the lamb over their doors and the angel of death passed over them but the first born of Egypt were sacrificed. The act of Eucharist celebrated by Jesus and the disciples is the act of Passover re-enacted except this time, the blood of the lamb was hung on a cross and God’s Son was sacrificed so that God would pass over our sins which would die on the cross with Jesus.

In this one single act of bread and wine we become free from sin and death because the blood of Jesus, while not painted on our doors, still covers us in perfect love, grace and forgiveness and we are united with Christ and all Christians forever.

So whether we are loaf bread, cornbread, biscuit, fruit bread, pita or a tortilla eater, it is bread. And when you eat of the bread it is there to nourish you and keep you going throughout each day. God’s love expressed in Jesus is there to nourish us throughout the day and is a continual reminder that by His grace we are loved and are free from sin because the angel of death passes over us and we are free.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to pray for each other daily. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

PS Bruce arrived home safely with wonderful stories of victories won in Jesus’ name. Praise God! gc