Posts Tagged ‘meditation’
January 3, 2012
I am the one with just his nose sticking out. The one in the yellow is my brother Jim who lives in Utah. We are at Snow Basin which is just down the road from where he and Dianne live. Beautiful country with more post card picture scenes than you can shake a stick at. The trail we are about to ski is down the hill to the right.
Mark 1:4-11
In reading this scripture from Mark we see Jesus begin His ministry. We see Him subject Himself to John’s Baptism. John was offering baptism as a means for the Jewish people to show their repentance and return to righteousness.
Obviously Jesus did not need this baptism for repentance or righteousness but instead subjected Himself to it to show us the right and good way. He set this example for us as a way to start our lives anew. His baptism was the start of His ministry and is to be the start of ours also.
Our baptism in Jesus Christ is also a time of revelation to us about our lives. Just as God revealed to Jesus that He truly is the Son of God He reveals to us that we are His children. If we are truly repentant and seeking righteousness we will see our lives, the sin in them and work towards righteousness in Jesus Christ. What Christ came to give us is the realization that His blood has washed us clean and given us the freedom to worship Him even if we are living in sin. Our baptism is a sign of who we are in this world, a people living with sin in and around us but forgiven by the sacrifice Jesus has made for us. His baptism gives us the revelation that we are His children, washed clean and living in His righteousness.
How we live our lives in Christ is kind of like learning to snow ski. You just have to point your ski’s downhill and use the skills you have learned, hope that what you know will get you to the bottom of the slope and know that next time it will be a little easier. When we fall we get back up and get going again in the direction that leads to the bottom of the hill. Living our lives in Christ is knowing Him as our Savior in a way that we want to carry His message to the world. We sometimes start out with very few skills but know that our knowledge of and in Him will get us started down the right trail. We may make mistakes that we can learn from and make our trail easier next time. The most important point to realize is that Christ gives us the courage to step out in faith that will lead us down the path to guiding others into His saving grace.
In order to begin skiing we must point our ski’s downhill, give a little push, choose our path and know that if we fall we can get back up and try again. In order to become a child of Christ we must push ourselves to the altar, choose our path and know that if we fall we can get back up and try again.
God’s Peace and Blessing to all,
Randy
Tags:Baptism, Birth, church, forgiveness, grace, growth, Lectionary, Mark, meditation, methodist, readings, Revised, righteousness, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, sin, ski, snow, unconditional, united
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January 2, 2012
Tags:America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
December 30, 2011
Seagulls at MacArthur Shopping Center parking lot.
This is just a few of the Seagulls that hang out in the parking lot. I am not sure why other than I did see someone feeding them the other day. To say the least they are a little off course as far as the normal environment they usually inhabit. There is not any natural food, you know fish, shrimp or salt water, so why do they hang out there. They are there on sunny days, rainy days, cold days and cold rainy days. But they are not there everyday. I am sure there is some scientific explanation other than they just got tired and decided to rest. Well maybe that is it, tired and resting.
Sometimes in our Christian lives we get a little lost, get tired and decide to just land somewhere and rest. Have you ever experienced feeling lost, tired and needing rest? Me too!
One of the essentials that seagulls seem to need is salt. They are hardly ever to0 far from saltwater. They depend upon it to provide the sustenance they need to survive in this world. Just like the seagulls we need salt but the salt that can make the biggest difference in our lives is the salt found in the Word of God. These few scriptures are very important to us and speak to us about how important it is for us to stay in His Word and keep it close to our hearts. We need to keep this salt close to our hearts and let the Word nourish us and revive us.
Mat 5:13 “You are the salt of the world. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty again? It’s good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on by people.”
Mar 9:50 “Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can you restore its flavor? Keep on having salt among yourselves, and live in peace with one another.”
Go to the place that offers you nourishment often. Live with those words close to your heart and revive your heart and soul. In our world today being salty may not be a compliment but being salty in the Word of God is never a wrong place to be. Like the salt water the seagulls live in we are a people of the Water and Salt found in His Word.
Have a blessed New Year, be of the Water and the Word getting the nourishment you need from His salty water. It will revive and refresh you,
Randy
Tags:church, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, lamp, Lectionary, love, Luke, meditation, methodist, Peter, psalms, Romans, Samuel, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, united, word
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December 28, 2011
Tags:America, Bless, Common, ethics, galatians, God, growth, integrity, Isaiah, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, united
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December 27, 2011
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Christmas is over, or is it? The sun is setting on this year, isn’t it? Jesus Christ came to save us all not just for the one day of the year we celebrate His birth but everyday of our lives. So why do we act like this is the most important day of the year? Why do we go to so many extremes to buy, cook, invite, shop, eat, wrap, decorate, party and stress our lives away? Good question you say! Well I say it is a good question. One each of us as individuals need to answer based on our own reasons for how we waste away the opportunity to truly worship our Lord and Savior. Now I am not saying we should not enjoy the season and give to our family and friends, but what I do want to say is we focus on the wrong things while we are working our way through this season. Our focus with everything we do should be on the salvation, forgiveness and promise of eternity with our God. Our focus should be on His love poured on us and His teachings that show us the good and right way.
Spending time with family and friends showing the love you have for them is the good and right thing. Sharing all that God has given you with them is a really good thing too.
What I really want to say today is that we should treat Jesus just like He is a beloved member of our family. We should spend time with Him, we should hear Him talk to us, we should share our hopes and dreams with Him and live our lives as if He were shopping, eating, buying, decorating, cooking, partying and inviting right along with us. Perhaps we would spend at least some of the treasure we have on things He would have us do and on people He would have us be with. Kind of puts a different spin on it doesn’t it. Wouldn’t it change the way we do all the holiday things we do? Yes, I believe so too! A New Year is coming and could be a new way of living it if we will just think about what we do each and every day.
Have a blessed and very Happy New Year,
Randy
Tags:Birth, Bless, Christmas, Jesus, kindness, Lectionary, light, love, Luke, meditation, methodist, readings, Revised, Scripture, spiritual, Spiritual growth, unconditional, united
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December 20, 2011
Well it definitely is not a manger, she wasn’t born in a stable, no hay just warm blankets, no shepherds just nurses, no wise men but Aunts, Uncles, Nanna and Pawpaw, and we sure do love her a lot. Jeremy and Tracie may not have been Mary and Joseph but I don’t think you will find parents who love their child any more.
This Christmas is a more special one for the Branch/Parzen family. As most of you know we have a new granddaughter. All Christmas days should be special to us all because we do believe in His birth, His life and His sacrifice. His deity is proven to us in His resurrection and ascension. Holding a newborn is a reminder of our responsibility as Christians. We are responsible for those little ones. Mary and Joseph were responsible for Jesus and God led them through the dangers that surrounded them.
Do you listen to your God to help you raise your little ones. Many of us have failed to follow Jesus as well as we should have in raising our children. If you feel that way, you need to realize that first and foremost God forgives you. Secondly, it is never too late to start being the person Christ calls you to be. Kindness and unconditional love go a long way to the witness that Christ wants us to have. Christmas is all about kindness and unconditional love so go out and love your family, friends and even a stranger or two. That is the gift that Christ would have you give.
Merry Christmas and have a blessed New Year,
Randy
Tags:Birth, Bless, Christmas, Jesus, kindness, Lectionary, light, love, Luke, meditation, methodist, readings, Revised, Scripture, spiritual, Spiritual growth, unconditional, united
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December 19, 2011
Tags:America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord’s, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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December 14, 2011
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We went to Austin for the birth of our new granddaughter Georgia Ann. She’s named after Jane’s mother. The slide show is just a very few of the many pictures taken on phones and cameras. Baby and parents are at home now and getting settled in with the newest member of the household. I guess we all know who will be ruling the roost for a while. She is a beautiful little girl with a head full of dark hair. Tracie had that same kind of hair but we also hear that Jeremy had a head full too.
Monday I experienced some beginnings and endings. Tracie called Monday morning and said she was being admitted to the hospital and should have the baby early afternoon. The baby was born at 3:52pm. That was the beginnings and the endings were the funeral for Chuck Swiderski at noon. Chuck was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church here in Orange and it was my honor to preside over the funeral. The day was a reminder that we experience life and death everyday and we must prepare ourselves for all that life throws at us. While Georgia has her life ahead of her as a new beginning we see that Chuck lived his life in a way that left his children and grandchildren missing him with the ending of his life. As Christians we believe that Chuck has experienced a new beginning, a rebirth into a new body and a new life with our God and Jesus Christ our Savior. Our lives can be rewarding and so can our deaths. We just need to pay attention to the teachings of Jesus Christ and live our lives the best we can today, each and every day. Chuck did and he received his reward.
Tracie and Jeremy received a reward Monday as an expression of their love for each other. Georgia will continue to be a blessing to us all and we will do our best to raise her knowing God and knowing Jesus Christ. Baptism is in the works for this little girl, maybe even on Christmas day. Hope you all can be there.
God’s peace and blessings to all with prayers for a Merry Christmas all around,
Randy
Tags:Baptism, Birth, Christmas, church, death, God, growth, Jesus, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, Luke, meditation, methodist, united
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December 12, 2011
Tags:America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | 1 Comment »
December 5, 2011
Tags:America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord’s, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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I am the one with just his nose sticking out. The one in the yellow is my brother Jim who lives in Utah. We are at Snow Basin which is just down the road from where he and Dianne live. Beautiful country with more post card picture scenes than you can shake a stick at. The trail we are about to ski is down the hill to the right.
