July 14th
Renew
When
I was about 12 I had a fascination with names. I wanted to know meanings and
origins, popularity and rank over the
last few years. When I got my first bible I thought it was a good idea to try
and highlight all the names in the Old Testament...let me tell you the
genealogies in genesis cause the entire page to get highlighted. Through my
highlighting I stumbled across the story
of Abram and Sarai
Their
renaming to Abraham and Sarah was representative of new beginnings and a new
covenant. God had a purpose for them for future generations and the names
signified this. While we may not change our names when we enter into a new
relationship of faith our souls are changed.
May
we each experience change that feels like our names have been changed.
Holy one help us
to renew our lives so we are new in you. Amen
July 15th
Renew
Last
night I watched the rain come down. It would pour and you couldn't see down the
block, and then it would let up and you had to look so close to see the drops.
As I watched I saw leaves and garbage cans and other random things float down
the street, and I realized how different everything would look in the morning.
In
my life I like to believe there are rainstorms that clear out the unwanted
people and things and allow for newness. These rainstorms aren't always
terrible things but they are situations that allow for revelation and change.
May
there be rainstorms in your life that lead to newness.
Lord may we
welcome change and new things whenever they come our way. Amen
July 16th
Renew
"Finish
each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and
absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new
day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered
with your old nonsense."
-Emerson
The
best thing about a new day is the fact that you have a clean slate. Sometimes
we abuse "tomorrow", pushing everything there with no regard in doing
the thing we put there. But tomorrow is here!
Today
I challenge you to live to your fullest. You are the smartest, best, most
wonderful person right this moment. We are able to begin again every day
leaving our fears, doubts and failures behind, ready to start again as a wiser
person.
May
you embrace today as a day of new beginnings.
Revitalizing God
stir in me new things that let me let go of the old. Amen
July 17th
Renew
Recently
most of the building smells like paint and sawdust on a daily basis. There are
so many awesome changes happening this summer at PAUMC and its amazing to see
there evolution. To see the removal of a wall, new flooring, the construction
of our new elevator, I am in awe of the difference being made!
So
many of the changes are necessities, adjusting to the changes of our growing
congregation and new needs with programming. This renewal of our physical
building is a reminder to me that time to time we all need renewal. This
renewal can be physical, emotional and physical.
For
me I clean when life feels unbalanced. I will deep scrub the oven, file and
organize loose paperwork, vacuum every rug and couch-do the most intense
cleaning I can. For me I feel the most renewed and rejuvenated when I do this.
It makes me feel ready, able to take on anything.
We
need to do things that make our souls and space around us feel nurturing, and
encourage us to do the best we can.
Lord may we make
shifts to renew ourselves, creating new goals for a better life. Amen
July 18th
Renew
I
love to go vintage clothes shopping. There's something awesome about finding
something for a fraction of what it originally cost or finding something
perfect to reinvent. When I was at college there were two thrift shops in town
that sold vintage clothing. A lot of the stuff was higher end and I loved going
in during sales. One day I struck a conversation with the woman behind the
counter of my favorite of the shops. I found out she was one of the co-owners.
She was older, probably in her 50s, and I asked her why she decided to open
this shop. She told me that she had started out working in corporate gigs, and
while the money was good she didn't feel fulfilled, rather she was feeling
drained.
A
friend and her decided they wanted to open a store, they had no small business
experience but had a desire to make it work and opened the business with a
little faith. They had been open for almost 10years at this point. I asked her
how she managed to maintain such high quality merchandise. She said that every
week she would go through donations, and they also had a high standard of what
could be donated. She told me that their biggest reason for success was that
she and her co-owner weren't unwilling to get their hands dirty and be involved
in even the smallest process.
I
try to think about this little bit of wisdom when I get nervous or scared about
new adventures. Renewing moments in life means we begun again.
May
we have the courage to begin again.
Lord let me be
encouraged and have courage to push forward, trying new things and creating new
adventures. Amen.
July 19th
Renew
The
office I share at PAUMC is pretty full with paperwork, toys, art supplies and
other random things. One of the most common in the random category is toilet
paper rolls. We have a decent stockpile that we continually add to. The kids
have made various crafts with these rolls and I love seeing the creative things
they turn into.
This
transformation reminds me how the ordinary can be repurposed to extraordinary.
God has shown us time and time again how this happens. It gives me
encouragement that I can be used for amazing things. I need to be willing to
try new experiences, break the mold and not get stuck in the norm.
Extraordinary experiences help us to become renewed in purpose and mission.
Transformative
God, help me change the ordinary into extraordinary. Amen
July 20th
Renew
Recently I was talking to someone about
college and they shared with me an article on how gender neutral restrooms is
becoming norm on many campuses. When I was an undergrad I lived in communities
for 2 years where we had this in our bathrooms. It was interesting sharing a
bathroom space with 20 men and women. There were issues of not putting toilet
seats down, hair being left in the shower and amount time being spent to get
ready in the actual bathroom. The whole experience taught me (among other
things) that gender doesn't make you cleaner or messier, worse or better.
Since
then I keep this experience in my mind. I try to not make generalizations about
gender. I have male friends that are cleaner than female friends and female
friends who know more about sports than their male counterparts. When I was
researching marriage vows a while ago I was disgusted with how many of the vows
were gendered in those labeled as "Christian ceremonies". They
weren't about being equally yoked but about giving into the authority of the
male counterpart since they have been tasked with leading the household (yuck).
Like
the experience with gender neutral bathrooms, and finding neutral gender vows I
am reminded how time over time we are called to question these pre established
systems of control. It is our job to continually question, challenge and argue
against the systems being used to subject those socially seen as inferior. I
hope that I can provide a place of welcome to all, regardless of gender, race
and sexual orientation. I hope that I continue to stand for equality for all. I
hope I can live out Jesus's command to love one another.
May
we each continually challenge systems of oppression that control our
interactions and reactions.
Holy one may I
take actions to live out your kindom in this world through my actions and
reactions. Amen
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