Saturday, January 29, 2011

Happy Saturday!

James 4: 10—11 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He, who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.”

Let the madness begin. Talk about a perfect storm…combine the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo with the Super Bowl in Arlington and that is a recipe for some serious craziness.

Prayer: Gracious Father, today I will come in contact with many people, some of whom are my brothers and sisters in Christ. I yield myself to You so that Your encouragement may flow through me to others. Amen

This week the entire world will be looking at Arlington, Texas and a fair portion of that population will arrive in Arlington. As this city begins to explode with football fans from around the world it seems to me that some of the radical hospitality that Jesus taught His disciples needs to flow through each of us. There will be those who are lost and will need directions. There will be those who are hungry and are looking for a place to eat. There will be those who are sleepy and looking for a place to stay for the night.

Jesus calls on each of us to speak kind words and do kind things. Jesus modeled encouragement in His Word As we have been offered encouragement and taught to encourage then we must offer encouragement to those who will serve those guests in our city and well as our guests. The restaurant workers, hotel staffs, grocery stores and Starbucks Coffee companies (especially the one at Fielder Road and Randol Mill) need our prayers, our patience and tolerance.

We also need to welcome these guests with a spirit of hospitality. These who are so far from home need to feel welcome in this place called Texas as it may be a bit of a culture shock to our neighbors from the north! Let us greet these temporary transplants with sincere and gracious smiles, hearty handshakes and keep them ever mindful by our actions that the love of Jesus, the hospitality and welcoming Spirit of Christ flows through each of us.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us remember to continuously lift each other up in prayers remembering that everyone is fighting some sort of battle (even if it is on the football field!). 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.

Update: Bruce, Travis and I will be leaving sometime on Tuesday for San Antonio. Dave’s surgery is scheduled for 9:00 AM Wednesday morning. It is our intention to return on Wednesday. Geni will not be making the trip with us as she must teach a lesson for her classroom teacher and university supervising teacher on Wednesday. Please pray for her as she presents her lesson and travel mercy for us.

Also please pray for all teachers in Texas as budget cuts are hitting really hard. New hires will be very low and staffing issues will be really tough. Thanks. gc

Friday, January 28, 2011

Happy Thursday!

I am doing a short term weight loss plan. Tomorrow I get to eat a cabbage based vegetable soup (which is really very good) and bananas and skim milk. You only do this plan for 7 days. I am not looking forward to bananas and milk tomorrow.

Prayer: “Father I thank you for giving me another day to live. The desire of my heart today is to walk in praise to you. I will praise You with my soul, my hands, and my mouth. Amen”

Psalm 63: 3-5 “Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live, I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.”

Practice praise. When David wrote these words He was full of encouragement and all must have been going well. It is not so easy to praise when we are in despair. But when we are encouraged and our prayers have been answered in the ways we would like then praise is easy.

David identifies God in this passage as a God of loving kindness, a steadfast God. God’s love is not based on a brief moment in time or what we love, where we live or any of these things. God loves us because He chooses to love us. It is His desire to love us and lavish all of His love upon us. It is not a temporary love, but a love that is everlasting, never ending, forever and always.

God’s love is a love that satisfies. Every once in a while I have a craving for a lemon bar from Central Market. The lemon bars from Central Market are their biggest selling bakery item. These are the Cadillac of lemon bars. And even though these delightful treats are amazing they are a temporary fix and one I do not need each day. But the love of God is something I need 24/7 and 365 days a year. The satisfaction of eating the lemon bar soon passes, but the satisfaction of God’s love is eternal. In my meditation tonight I was reminded of the satisfaction of God’s love given to the woman at the well. Jesus promised her a love that would always be there and that she would never thirst for again.

So my friends let us find praise for God even when it is hard. Let us remember to praise God when everything is going well. Let us find joy in the situation even when all we see is despair. God’s love for us is so strong, so deep and so amazing that it overcomes our despair.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us remember to continually lift each other up in prayer each day. Love you all so very much, 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.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Happy Wednesday!

Prayer: Father, today I will face conflict because I live for you. Thank you that Jesus is my Lord and that He is strong in battle. There is no conflict too hard for Him. I submit myself to His Lordship today. Amen

Psalm 24: 8,9 “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.”

It is report card time. One day this week I will hand out report cards. This time each six weeks always brings about a flurry of conferences with parents about the progress of their students. Sometimes these conferences can become somewhat emotional especially if the child is in danger of needing to repeat the grade. When these conferences occur I always pray for the Holy Spirit to come between myself and the parent. I pray for a peaceful conference even if the discussion is going to be difficult.

I find myself repeating this behavior when I am faced with other discussions in other areas of my life which I think will be difficult. If the Holy Spirit stands between me and the other party, not only does peaceful discussion occur, but thoughtful listening. The Holy Spirit acts as a filter and guide to what is said, what is heard and allows for a better outcome than if I did not ask for the Presence.

No matter what the conflict is, God through the Holy Spirit will stand in between for “there is no conflict too hard” for God when we submit to His Lordship, allowing Him to stand in the gap and be in the conflict with us. When we ask God to be strong in the battle then He is truly Lord of all. The battle does not just mean disagreement between people, those we love or work with, but can mean illness, separation and grief. When we lift up the gates to our hearts and minds inviting our creator to enter, then the King of glory comes in just with the asking. Ask now and ask often.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift each other up in prayer daily remembering that everyone is fighting some sort of battle. 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, January 25, 2011

Happy Tuesday!

Isaiah 44: 2 “The Lord who made you and helps you says: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, O dear Israel, my chosen one.”

Today began with our dear friend David in the surgeon’s office. The surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, February 2 at 8:00. Please mark your calendars so you can pray for him on that day. Carme has requested that everyone wear green as green is the kidney cancer color. We will go to San Antonio on Tuesday and return either Wednesday or Thursday.

This morning as I began my devotional time just prior to the children arriving in my classroom this scripture was given. I had received the text message from Carme that Dave was going to the surgeon’s office today. She also said he was more than a bit nervous.

God gives us what we need when we need it. I think we all needed to hear from a voice greater than our own the words: “Do not be afraid.” There are several passages through the scriptures that tell us to not be afraid, but this one passage is spoken with authority. The prophet Isaiah says, “The Lord who made you and helps you says…!

Remember when you were a little kid and one of your brothers or sisters told you to do something. You (if you were like me) blew them off. After all, “they were not the boss of you.” They had no authority to back up their command to do their bidding. But if they said, “Mama said…” It changed the whole situation. You did what was asked because the person in authority said to perform the task.

This passage says, “The Lord who made you says, do not be afraid.” This was the voice of authority that commanded the earth and the sky to separate. This same voice created the fish in the sea, the animals on dry land and the birds of the air. And this is the same voice that created from the dust of the earth a man and a woman and blew His very breath into them. We were not created by accident. We were chosen out of His love to walk the earth (or in Dave’s case roll!) in service to Him who created us. We are resting in the hands of our own creator. The arms of the Father are the safest and most trusting place I can ever imagine.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continually lift each other up in prayer. As I learned a few years ago, everyone is fighting some kind of battle. Love you all and thank you, 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.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Happy Monday!

Prayer: Father, as I face this new day, I come before you in total surrender to Your will. I ask You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Please bring someone across my path whom I can encourage today. Help me understand that the Christian life is not about me, but about You. In Christ’s name. Amen

1 Corinthians 14: 30-31 “If anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.”

As many of you know I am a career school teacher. I remember being a first year teacher and trying to listen to what the more experienced teachers would say about how they ran their classrooms. I was encouraged by these teachers to do my best, ask questions and keep the students’ achievement at the forefront of my thinking, planning and instruction delivery. Now I find myself in a position, as a soon-to-be retired teacher, to encourage young teachers in the same manner I was encouraged when I was young and just starting out. There is an art to speaking and waiting to speak. Sometimes I just let them talk until they have figured out whatever they needed to figure out and sometimes I tell them what I would do and how to take care of the problem.

God treats us the same way. God sits and listens to each of us as we work so hard to figure it out ourselves and then when we finally stop talking and begin to listen God encourages us through His Word, through the silence of our prayer time, through other believers, music and in whatever ways we connect with God privately for the alone time with Him.

I spend my private time with God in the car going to and from work each day. I look very forward to these moments alone with God. I ask for God to silence all of the voices in my head except His, then I rest in His presence.

Find some time each day to just be in God’s presence. Spend time praising Him for His goodness, spend time in offering prayers for others, spend time receiving instruction for the day and be mindful of the scripture “Be still and know that I am God.”

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift each other up in prayer 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.
Blessed Sunday to your all!

Worship was amazing this morning. Pastor Joel said it sounded like the praise team was filled with the Spirit as we led the music in worship. Pastor Joel spoke on peace this morning.

Philippians 4 6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you love in Christ Jesus.”

Today was one of those Pentecost moments where it appeared that Pastor Joel was speaking as God’s representative directly to me. God will grant peace to me concerning the path I am to follow to ordination. Pastor also said the way to receive this peace is to pray. He told us that the average Lutheran spends about 20 seconds at a time in prayer. (In that respect I am not the average Lutheran.) Pastor said to get on our knees and pray claiming God’s victory over Satan, to pray and give thanksgiving for everything God has done. Spending time with God is the way to hear and understand what he has to say as He directs our path in the way He wants us to go.

So whenever you read this journal entry plan to take some time to pray. Get to know God and His Word which promises the peace that passes all understanding. The peace of which the scripture speaks is God’s peace. It may not happen instantly and in fact it will most likely take time, but our God does not lie. I read somewhere that it is impossible to stumble when you are on your knees. It’s time to hit the floor, friends, and get to know our God.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift each other in prayer daily. Love you dearly, 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, January 23, 2011

Happy Saturday!

Travis and I had an adventure today. We went to Fort Worth to a resale shop called Berry Good Buys. It is a resale shop that all profits and proceeds go to the Battered Women’s Shelter. I purchased a really nice gray blazer for $.50. (Yes, really 50 cents!) and a beautiful pair of red Diamond J Roper boots for $15.00. We had a wonderful day! It was fun spending the day with Travis and finding bargains too! (I think spending the day with Travis was the best bargain.)

Dear Father, open my eyes today to see Your truth, and understand Your will. Help me to have a heart that desires to please You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I may have shared that in my new devotional book for each day there is a morning prayer, scripture, meditation and evening prayer. The prayers often reflect what is in my own heart and so I have begun the journal entries with the prayers.

Deuteronomy 10: 12, 13 “Now Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good.”

I spend a lot of my prayer time praying and contemplating the path I am taking to becoming a chaplain. I am constantly seeking God’s plan for my life. I am convinced that I am called to be a chaplain, but I am not so sure of the path to follow in order to become an ordained minister. In this passage I read the five requirements God has set out for His people; to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, serve Him with all I am, keep the commandments and His law. Yes, I realize that these are Old Testaments requirements and as Christians we live under the blanket of grace. I think that we need to read this not as what we are required to do, but we choose to do and desire with all of our hearts.

My difficulty is not in faithfulness to the call to service, but in following God’s plan to be able to serve with His authority and blessings of the church. I am seeking God’s very clear voice as to the path to take. I may not be sure of the road, but I have complete assurance that God’s faithfulness and clear, strong voice will become clear in His time and will leave no doubt.

I am truly praying the Morning Prayer to hear and understand God’s will and being courageous enough to follow what he has asked. I ask you to be in prayer for me and with me. Thank you all mighty and faithful prayer warriors.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes (or red Roper Boots!). Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us remember to lift each other up in prayer daily. Love and giving thanks for all of you, 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.

Prayer update: Keep Carme and Dave in your prayers each day. Carme has informed the kids to get (another!) new tattoo. This one will be green for kidney cancer. Any excuse…(LOL!)