Advent Day 6 AWAKE

AWAKE

I don't know about you but most days I would have a hard time staying awake if it weren't for caffeine; sometimes its coffee; other days tea or something fancy like a latte.  Caffeine is what keeps me alert to do all the things I need to get done in one day.  So what keeps me awake for God? What allows me to see God in the ordinary?  Spending regular time in prayer; study, fellowship and worship keep me awake.  This is not to say that I am always perfectly disciplined during these practices but the majority of the time as long as I show up and offer God my best ; He honors that.  I have learned too that when I having trouble staying awake if I am honest with God; things go much better.  For some people having a certain place to show up helps them; for me it is the opposite when I mix things up; I am more awake to God; sometimes it's painting and other days it's silence or reading. 

                                                                                                 

Let Us Keep the Feast: Living the Church Year at Home; Epiphany & Lent

Epiphany & Lent; is the second volume in the Let Us Keep the Feast: Living the Church Year at Home series. In the Introduction; the editor of the series; Jessica Snell provides a great introduction to the Let Us Keep the Feast Series correlating the church year with scripture and sharing her desire to help people in their homes develop their own traditions related to the church year.  She particularly focuses on young families.

The book then moves into Epiphany in the second section.  I love the fact that Epiphany is included since it is an often overlooked church season.  In this section; I did learn some things as I had not read about Twelfth night parties or doing house blessings during the Epiphany season before. However, since Epiphany is an overlooked season of the church year; I believe that this section could have contained much more content; especially in the areas of traditions throughout the world; recipes and ideas for young families.  The Epiphany section provided a great introduction but left me wanting more.

For me the Lent section did not offer any new ideas.  I did not gain anything from it.  Again; this section could have included recipes and more discussion on various traditions and practices throughout the church universal.  The Lent section; however, did provide the novice with a great introduction to Lent and in simple language explained the season well.

The most unique facet of this book is the inclusion of scriptures to memorize along with the prayers for each season.  This a very valuable tool and great bonus for young families who want to use scripture and prayers with their children but do not have time to do their own studying.

I would  recommend this book for anyone who is not familiar with Epiphany or Lent at all as well as anyone with children who is looking for a very basic resource for their family.  The book is written in simple to understand language so that even older children could read from it. If you have grown up with the seasons of the church year and/or have studied them as I have them; this book is not worth your time.

 I am a member of the  Doulos Resources/Kalos Press Book Bloggers Program.  VIsit www.doulosresources.org. to learn more this book and other church resources. 

In compliance with the new rules issued by The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that become effective on December 1, 2009; I, Jennifer Trently hereby acknowledge that I received Advance Review Copies(ARC) of this book; a common practice in the Industry; from the publisher and did not accept any monetary payment in exchange for a review or mention nor am I obligated in any way to review the book favorably. 

Flood - Advent Day 5 Flood

Flood

God has promised us in scripture to never flood the whole earth again.  As a part of our waiting and expecting Jesus' birth; God desires us to demonstrate our faith through spending time with Him.  One way to do this is through intercessory prayer for others.

O Blessed Father and Mother;
We pray for those in Philippines who are struggling to rebuild after the Typhoon;
Comfort them in their losses and grant them the courage to start anew.
We pray for others around the world where flooding has led to loss of shelter; loss of life and loss of employment.
We pray for those for whom the snow, the sleet and the freezing rain brings increased hardship.
O Lord; keep them warm and safe; direct us with more to those who need our help.
We are thankful for the water that is life giving but it is difficult when it is destructive and overwhelms our brothers and sisters.  Help us to hear their cries for assistance.
Grant us faith and peace this day that we may recognize you; Emmanuel; God with us in our daily activities and freely give where there is a need.
In the Name of the One who Creates, Redeems and Sustains, Amen. 

TIME - Advent Day 4

TIME

Time; we constantly hear how there is not enough time to get everything done.  Often, this can be an excuse to avoid an unpleasant task.  Other times we just decide to procrastinate.  Us creative types are often guilty of procrastination; we are always looking for the right mood or for the right muse to strike.   Thus I decided that in spirit of procrastination; it would perfect to write about time; the day after it was the word for the day.  Sometimes too we just want to stop time.  This picture is of my daughter and my niece; I know that they cannot stay little but somehow I just want to stop time and go back to those precious moments like the one in the picture.  In this picture; Jane is around 12 and Alexis around 2.  So much time time has passed; I did not even remember how old they are. Yet somehow their age is not important but the relationship that this picture represents.  This is what Jesus desires from us; He wants a relationship with us.   Jesus calls us to be watchful and alert; not to waste time nor to be tied to earthly time but to simply participate in His timing.  We are to acknowledge and treasure in our hearts all of the gifts we have been given believing that the greatest gift of all is yet to come; Emmanuel; God with us.

PEACE - Advent Day 3

PEACE

So today's word for reflection is Peace.  I often think of  rest and quiet when I think sleep; hence the photo of my cat, Saya Ming above.  However, what I have realized as I have gotten older is that even rest and quiet do not bring peace.  Why?  because my mind and my body will not stop; often I am restless with worry and anxiety unlike Saya who I am sure knows peace because she has no worries or cares.  Jesus as our Prince of Peace desires us to give our worries to him.  He offers us more than quiet and freedom from conflict.  Jesus gives us an inner peace that allows our minds,bodies and souls to remain calm even in the midst of  the most trying situations.  Yet the peace of Christ is not simply for us to keep for ourselves but we are to offer it to others.  No, I don't mean, share the peace or pass the peace like we do during worship but rather passing the peace in our everyday actions.  So what can you and I do in this Advent season to remind people of the coming of the Prince of the Peace?
  Here are just a few ideas:
1.  Let someone who has more items or a small child go ahead of you in the grocery store
2. Pay for the food of the person behind you in line at a fast-food establishment
3.  Offer to rake your neighbor's leaves or shovel snow from their driveway
4.  Read to your children or grandchildren
5. Snuggle with your spouse, children or pets
6.  Have an unplugged evening at your house - No Phones, Computers, TVs etc.
7. Express disappointment or frustration without raising your voice or displacing your anger
8. Pray for the difficult people in your life
9. Do not grumble or mumble
10.  Offer only words of affirmation and edification

Advent Day 2 - "Bound"

Bound 

I took a picture of this pile of ribbon and stuff for the word bound; because I often think of myself as tangled up.  I get tangled up in the details of life and let them lead me a stray.  Being bound for me is the opposite of expecting Jesus; when I am waiting for Jesus; I am free because I am letting the Holy Spirit lead me.  When I am bound; I have taken my eyes off of the Holy Spirit and lost my focus; instead I am looking for easier ways to cope and things to satisfy my own passions.  I am preoccupied with my own agendas and not really listening to the people and things around me that are calling me to God.  Asking to be filled with the Holy Spirit is a daily necessity as a follower of Jesus.  It doesn't mean we won't get tangled or lost but we will not stay stuck but keep moving forward.  So for today ask yourself; where am I bound and how I can let God free me?  Not only do we need to let God free us daily but also we need to let go of others.  Perhaps our rules and traditions are keeping others in our lives from knowing how much Jesus loves them; perhaps just for today we can let go and let God take care of them.  "Bound"; no we did not need to stay in bound in sin but we need to let the Holy Spirit bind our hearts and minds to Jesus Christ.  

Advent Day 1 - "GO"

GO

Once again, Rethink Church; a division of United Methodist Communications is seeking to breathe new life into the ancient rhythms of the Church Calendar.  In a challenge to keep us mindful that Advent is not about preparing for Jesus' birth and not about shopping, cooking or decorating, they are asking everyone to take a photo a day based on word related to this season of waiting and expecting.

Yesterday's word for the first day of Advent was Go.  For me when I think of going I often think of traveling so I chose this picture of a train.  When one travels by train; you are not in rush; you can see out the windows as you pass by and you have also have the opportunity to converse and interact with various people whom you might not already encounter.  This is what God is calling us to do during the season of Advent; slow down and pay attention.  If we are rushing around and have no time to notice what is around us or to talk with the people we encounter; how can we experience the coming of Jesus?  When you are on a train; it often stops at many places and on some trains; you can buy a ticket but can change your stop along the way if you like.  During Advent; we are called to examine our lives and consider changing our direction so we are ready when Jesus' comes.  Go; yes Jesus calls us to go but are we stopping at the right places?