In the Father's Hands...

A friend of mine, Janet Hauser, is an artist and poet. Recently she had a friend who gave birth to a new little girl. The friend had a picture of her father (grandfather of the newborn) holding her new baby. She discussed with Janet the possibility of painting her newborn, but could not decide on an appropriate pose. Within the past few months the grandfather developed colon cancer and Janet decided to surprise paint the baby in her grandfather's hands -- the hands of love, protection, nurture and promise. Consider these hands and how we are graciously caressed by the hands of God, our heavenly Father. What words come to mind in the best of nourishment that you received from your parents or grandparents? How has God shown to you true love, protection, nurture and promise?

Vindictiveness

How sad it is when little children demand that they get their way, or else!!! Such has been the actions of the new fundamentalist regime in leadership of our Baptist State Convention here in North Carolina. When the WMU of NC (Women's Missionary Union of North Carolina) decided NOT to allow the new regime to change the rules and decide who the WMU could or could not hire, they kicked them out of their building. Now the regime at the convention level has told Ruby Fulbright, Executive Director of WMU of NC, that they will not publish on the State Convention website any mention of WMU NC, in spite of the fact that national WMU has a standing relationship with the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board to be THE supplier of missions information regarding Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong offerings. How childish, manipulative and mean-spirited, just because they could not change the rules and manipulate the women with their size and manhood.

Easter season gives us reason to move beyond fear and to define ourselves as above the silly childish games of our youth. "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways." (1 Cor. 13:11). Evidently, some enjoy childish behavior, speech and actions. However, for others it became time to grow up and be concerned with the health and wholeness of a lost world rather than being consumed with self and ego.

Pray for the WMU of NC and efforts to stay on track as being a missions agency that educates and supports both national and global missions in the name of Jesus Christ -- for all Baptists in this North Carolina.

Prayer for Teddy Bear Ministry...

Here is a prayer from the leader of our Teddy Bear Ministry:
Teddy Bear Rocking Chair Ministry Prayer

Dear Lord and Savior,
Please hear our prayer when we ask you to consider our work with the Teddy Bear Ministry of the First Baptist Church and guide us in our endeavor to assist the Coastal Women’s Shelter.
We are desirous of following your teachings in a most humble manner and only seek to provide relief and calmness to young children who find themselves in a strange environment through no fault of their own.
We pray that our efforts will lift their spirits and alleviate some of the pain and suffering of their parent(s)
Assist us in creating a Teddy Bear rocking chair that will remain in their hearts and minds as a lasting symbol of love, understanding, hope and safety for them.
Allow the chair to become a haven of peace, tranquility, and harmony for these innocent children.
Let our efforts teach these innocents that there is a higher authority judging our thoughts, actions and deeds.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful, Lord to have this outreach of love last through many generations and alleviate pain, suffering and heartache for these children and their children’s children?
We ask all of this in your Son’s name, Jesus Christ.

Amen

More to what is?

Mary went to the tomb to cling to what was and discovered that there is more to what is. I find that my faith in God's presence in the midst of all ordinary experiences of daily life brings excitement and adventure to each and every day. In what ways have you discovered that there is more to an ordinary event that what appeared to be there at first (just on the surface)?

Bobby Swain funeral today...

Today I will conduct the funeral service for Bobby Swain. Bobby became schizophrenic during late adolescence. He was a brilliant and handsome young man. Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects more than 2 million American adults. Being diagnosed with this in the late 1960's was not an easy thing for his parents and family to live with, but they did so valiantly and courageously.
Sometimes the illness makes it hard for people to do certain things.
For example:
They may not be able to think clearly.
They may not know the difference between what is real and what is not real.
They may have trouble managing emotions.
They may have a hard time making decisions.
They may not relate well to other people.
What happens?
Here are some things that can happen in people with this disease:
They may hear or see things that are not there.
They may feel as if they are being watched.
They may experience a change in self-care or personal appearance.
They may experience a change in personality.
They may feel angry or fearful toward loved ones.
They may act in ways that are strange or out of place.
They may develop an extreme focus on religion or the occult.
No one knows the exact causes of schizophrenia. Experts have found that, like any other illness, some factors may increase the risk. These factors may be in a person's genes. Imbalances of certain chemicals in the brain are thought to lead to symptoms of the illness. Medicine plays a key role in balancing these chemicals.
In honor of Bobby Swain, and those who do not have the ability to focus their minds in a healthy way without the assistance of heavy medications, I challenge you to calm the noisy voices that compete for holy space in your mind and world. Maggie Ross says that, "the phantasmagorical [illsuionary/fake] world cannot bear silence, for silence reveals it for the delusion it is. It adores only what it can consume and lives for the adrenaline rush of power over people and things. It is this noisy world of delusion and lies that the humble Christ defeats by self-emptying silence." (Maggie Ross, Weavings, March/April 2008 Vol. XXIII, No. 2, pp. 18-19). Remember Bobby, honor God who reveals himself in the life of Christ and in Bobby, and spend more time in silence stilling the noisy voices of the world that lead us into consumption, arrogance and power plays. God's power is peace and prosperity that the world knows not!

Daily Reflections

As we concluded our Good Friday service today at West New Bern Presbyterian church, I was blessed by the seven clergy from local churches and their musicians, as well as their congregations that spent three hours in worship on such a beautiful day. It demonstrates how much some adore Christ. In an essay by Maggie Ross in the March/April Weavings, Ross points out that "we are what we adore" (pg. 14). Perhaps that is why Mary Magdalene was the first one to find an empty tomb on Easter morning -- she adored Jesus so much that she did not care what others thought about her devotion to him, even in his death!
Lord, what is it that I adore the most in life? My time, energy and check book reveals it!