Happy Tuesday! 

Busy day!  Geni and I worked this afternoon to clean up her classroom.  I thought I had left that kind of work behind me, but actually her room was not so bad. She is just overwhelmed right now. I think the reality of leaving home is finally settling in as she does laundry and sees her room in boxes. Please offer a prayer for her. 

On another front, Bruce has edited two of my papers which are due tomorrow and was working on the last one until a refrigerator emergency was called to our attention.  He is working on that right now. Tomorrow I will begin writing my papers for the second ordination interview.  The interview is in September, but the papers are due July 17^th.  I am going to try to get it finished before I begin CPE. (On Monday…!)

Prayer:  “Lord, today keep me in Your love. Thank You for Your love. I know how much it cost for You to love me.  Help me to love others no matter the cost. Help me to realize that every person I meet today was made in Your image.  I know there is someone I will meet today who may be in pain.  Allow me to be an instrument of Your healing love.  May Your loving-kindness revealed in me win an unbeliever to Christ. Amen.”

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

Jude 21

My meditation tonight begins with this scenario.  “A pastor asked a children’s Bible study class why they loved God.  One little boy said, ‘I guess it just runs in the family.” (Charles Lowery, Lindale, TC)

We are the family of God and the body of Christ.  The scripture today teaches that God’s love runs in His family and it is that divine love that leads all of us to eternal life.  Each Sunday that I am the assisting minister I ask the congregation to join hands before I begin the prayers of the church.  The joining of hand and the prayers unite each of us in the love of the family of God.  When we join hands in prayer the Holy Spirit connects each of us one to another and we are bound by the love of God through the blood of Christ. 

When we are built up in the love of God we can lift others up in that same love.  We know the love of God is truthful and never deceitful.  God’s love is merciful so we are to demonstrate that love to all we meet.  God’s love is secure because it is eternal.  God’s love is what leads us through this life here on earth and what will continue to be with us when we reach eternity. 

In the movie Ghost with Patrick Swayze, his character becomes a ghost because his spirit does not ascend when he dies.  At the end of the movie when he is ready to ascend to heaven he tells his girlfriend, “The love inside…you take it with you.”  The love we take with us is the love of God because it lives within us and never goes away.

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Count your blessings and say your prayers.  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 only moved by what I believe and I believe God.