Psalms 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God."

So goes the verse from Psalms. I have to keep reminding myself this as I have been extremely busy these days. It seems like I've had so much to do these past few weeks, and looking into the weeks ahead. It was Hannah's 16th birthday, Ian is home for spring break (doctor's appts, looking at summer classes, updating his resume, etc), setting up the entertainment line-up for the fundraising dinner and scheduling play rehearsal, working on the Palm Sunday skit, thinking about stuff for my worship team, watching American Idol.  Sometimes I feel like I am just going from one activity to another without time to stop and think and listen. Do you ever get that way?

It seems that everyone is busy these days. School, sports, dance classes, clubs, meetings, church, groups, and other extra-curricular activities – there's just so much to do! Do you ever stop and be still and listen? I am trying hard to make time to listen to God these days. I find that in these busy times I have to really make an effort to set aside quiet time to be with God. I need to relax and unwind and be still. Are you able to do that? Try to set aside time each day for prayer or meditation. Don't forget to listen during your quiet time. Don't fill it with your words, but listen for God's. 

Reflections on Lent

We have entered into the season of Lent. I grew up with Catholic friends who had to fast during Lent. I used to wonder why they weren't eating ice cream or watching television for 40 days before Easter. And no meat on Fridays, only fish. I remember seeing all the signs at area restaurants (even now!) with Friday fish specials and  the local Elks club having a Friday fish fry. Growing up, my family never really concerned ourselves with fasting or any Lenten practices. 

As an adult, I've come to learn more about Lent. In the ancient church, Lent was a time for new converts to be instructed for baptism and believers caught in sin to focus on repentance. In time, Christians came to see Lent as a season to be reminded of their need for penitence (look that word up!) and to prepare spiritually for the celebration of Easter. 

Many Protestants, like myself, want to make this season special.  I encourage you to do the same this year. You might might want to fast - by giving something up that takes you away from your focus on God, or you might want to add a spiritual exercise or discipline to your life (like me.) In either case, be intentional about your devotion to God. If you chose to fast or give something up, make it purposeful. ( I could say I'm giving up smoking, but I don't do that anyway.) If you chose to do something extra for God, make it purposeful, too.  You might want to add a daily spiritual practice to your routine (this is what I'm doing.) You could set aside extra time for bible reading, or prayer or quiet time to be with God. You might want to participate in some special acts of kindness (to your brother or sister, for example.) Whatever you do during Lent, my hope for you is that it helps deepen your faith and prepares you for the Easter celebration to come. 

Check this out!

When I met with some other youth leaders last week from other Presbyterian churches in the Presbytery of Detroit, one of the youth leaders talked about this event he and his church were putting together. It's called Soulfire, and it's being held on Saturday, March 28. check it out that their website here:

Soulfire at Northbrook Church

Let me know what you think.... should we go? 

New Blog Stuff

I've updated the list of events on the right, but haven't included April activities, so remember to keep Palm Sunday available for our drama and April 24-26 available for our spring retreat at Michindoh.

Also, I've added a couple of new lists over on that side of this page. Breakfast Club dates and who has signed up to bring food is a new list. You can sign up the regular way at church on the bulletin board, or email me and let me know when you can bring food. Also, I've included a list of some websites I like to visit. If you have some sites you'd like me to include on this list - let me know!!

Forgiveness

So people email me stuff all the time. Some stuff is silly, some stuff is cute, and some stuff really touches my heart. A while ago I got this emailed to me. (Thank, Beth!) I thought it was really useful to think about. Tell me what you think...

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey, they had an argument and one friend slapped the other one on the face. 

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand, "Today my best friend slapped me in the face."

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. 

After he had recovered from drowning he wrote on a stone. "Today my best friend saved my life."

The friend who had slapped him and then saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you  you wrote in the sand, and now, you write on a  stone, why?"

The friend replied, "When someone hurts us we should write it down in the sand, where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your benefits in stone.

Have you been hurt lately? Are you holding on to those feelings of hurt? Let them go... forgive whoever it was that hurt you. Remember Matthew 6:14-15 "If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive you. But id you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." It's not easy to forgive people when they've hurt you. When we do forgive, God sets our hearts free from anger, bitterness and resentment which can keep us from growing closer to Him. 

After Christmas

Happy New Year!

Today I helped put away the Christmas decorations at church. I also put away all the decorations at my house. Then I changed the status on my Facebook page to "Nancy has put Christmas away...'til next year."  I thought that since the Christmas season was over I needed to forget about Christmas and move on to looking ahead to the New Year.

It's always a sad time for me to put all the Christmas decorations away. But later, after I  wrapped up fragile items to pack away, took down greenery, and put away my manger scenes, I told myself that even though the decorations are gone Christmas should still be living on in my heart. The joy and happiness, the sharing and giving attitude –  the SPIRIT of Christmas – doesn't (and shouldn't) go away. The spirit of Christmas really is the love of Christ living inside me. That doesn't go away just because the season is over. 

I am going to change the status on my Facebook page from what I'd written earlier to "Nancy is keeping the spirit of Christmas inside of her even though her decorations are put away." 

I hope you can continue to keep the spirit of Christmas inside of you, as well. 

Christmas Eve

Once again I was overwhelmed at such a terrific job everyone did at the 4:00 service on Christmas Eve. I so appreciate your dedication. I suppose I should stop being amazed when you all try so hard and do such a  wonderful job during worship.  Anyway, here are some pictures taken by some fabulous photographers. Thanks to the Nobles, as always, for recording our activities; and thanks to Joe Stoecklein, who also took pictures that afternoon at church.

You can find the Noble's pictures here

And Joe Stoecklein's pictures here

Enjoy!