We all yearn for a life of fulfillment, joy and peace; we hunger and thirst for a sense of wholeness in life. Our deep need for completeness aligns with God’s desire for us. Jesus himself said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). Jesus’ words are a concise statement of the Gospel’s theme. God desires for us a whole life, individually and collectively. Consider God’s creation of wholeness: completeness in relationships between living things abound.
It is impossible for us to fully wrap our minds around all of the information and understandings of… Continue reading
For so long, we prayed for a change of circumstances; a change in the outside forces we have little control over. Today, perhaps, we are praying for a change of character.
In the days since the difficult-to-comprehend tragedy in Tucson, Arizona, I sense and observe a change in conversations. As people seek ways to find some piece of healing and release from grief, a transformation seems to have given birth; transformation resulting from some deep soul searching.
The conversations have varied greatly in topic: anger, disillusionment, denial, the pain of suddenly finding something out of balance in life [loss], politics, spirituality, human… Continue reading
This post is taken from a message/sermon I shared on Sunday, January 9, 2010 –
the day after the tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona
What occurred in Tucson, Arizona yesterday is something that started long, long ago. A quote that I’ve mentioned so often I don’t recall whose words they are is this:
The problem with history is nobody listens.
2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. Many historians believe the war started on January 9, 1861, when gunfire erupted between Southern and Northern forces as a Union ship was attempting to make… Continue reading
Two friends and colleagues shared messages today that bring to light the opposing messages we often receive at Advent/Christmastide. The two statements are brought together in a photo (below) that I took at a church a few years back.
Paula Morse shared this quote:
I have been sitting in my recliner since 5 a.m. The soft glow of the Christmas tree lighting the room, TV on and dozing off and on, thinking about the underlying messages of commercials. It’s okay to run up huge debts, to cheat, that relationships are unimportant and to get whatever you want at any costs.
~Skeeter Armstrong
Then come these words… Continue reading
Last night’s Spirit of Christmas Concert (12/9/10) was a clear and unmistakable witness that the Spirit of Christmas is alive, dancing, singing, moving and shining bright! It was an evening of remarkable musical talent: young children; two high school choirs; a top-notch, authentic Latin band; an a capella women’s quartet; and two of us pianists at the keyboard and hosting the event.
A few audience members caught up with me to share their gratitude and warm comments after last night’s event, and the messages continue to come in by email, written note, phone call, tweets and text message. Messages include: “best… Continue reading
Advent is a word we use freely within the Christian setting this time of year. It is the four Sundays preceding Christmas, with the first Sunday of Advent falling on November 28 this year (2010). Random House Dictionary defines the word as:
“a coming into place, view, or being; the coming of Christ into the world.”
The word is derived from the Latin word adventus which means “coming” or “arrival.” It is a time set aside to prepare… Continue reading
The Spirit of Christmas Concert
6:30 pm - Thursday, December 9, 2010
Flathead High School Auditorium in Kalispell, Montana
Tickets are now on sale for the 2010 Spirit of Christmas Concert slated to begin at 6:30 pm on Thursday, December 9 at the Flathead High School Auditorium in Kalispell, Montana, to benefit Flathead CASA for Kids and area Food Banks. CASA is an acronym for Court Appointed Special Advocates.
This year’s concert features performances by Pastor Dave Merkel and Penni Chisholm on piano, duets and solos; the… Continue reading
Hans Christian Andersen wrote:
Where words fail, music speaks.
To which Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns seems to respond:
There is nothing more difficult than talking about music.
For me to say that music is a thorn in my flesh is to speak both honesty and falsehood; it is both a blessing and a pain. A bit like the beauty of a rose accompanied by the intermittent pain of its prickly stem. I suppose that to hear a life-long musician utter those words can be perplexing, maybe more so for those who have said, “I’d give anything to play like you.”
The purpose of this writing is to… Continue reading
We have all felt the temptation to argue a point solely for the need of being right. God forbid someone else finds out that I make mistakes, or (insert big gasp here) that I might be wrong. As I observe the intense debates occurring all around and within our social networks I grieve the loss of respect, compassion and decency; love of neighbor and even enemy (Matthew 5:43-44).
We see and hear of political battles that are fought almost solely for the sake of politicians’ chances of reelection. Those national mêlées add fuel to the political battles at the state and… Continue reading
I conducted highly unscientific research yesterday (Aug 31, 2010). I asked my friends on Facebook ™ and tweeps on Twitter ™ to share with me what they were grateful for that day. Pausing to recognize the blessings in life, offering gratitude, if only in one’s mind, has a way of putting things in a realistic, fresh perspective.
Keeping an attitude of gratitude is not necessarily an easy thing to do on an ongoing basis. Much of our culture seems to empower taking for self, building self up, without regard for the consequences which many times fall upon others. Ralph Waldo Emerson… Continue reading
