Jesus and Me ... and the Cats

Sermon Version Psalm 131 Philippians 4:10-14 Railroad Bridge at Fort Madison, Iowa It's interesting watching what comes down the Mississippi in the spring and during flooding.   There's lots of tree snags, but this year, I saw a boat house, bits and pieces of docks, ruined boats and even an ice fishing shanty.  Down the river they went, riding the swift current, headed to who knows where.  Sometimes, life is like this great river, trying to sweep me off my feet and into deep midstream.  Ever feel that way, like you're paddling as fast as you can to keep your head above water and avoid having your life capsized by passing debris? It's times like we have been promised that Christ is our rock and the solid ground upon which we can stand secure amid the rising flood.  I remember what is true and well-proven about God: God is our fortress, our defense and protection. But sometimes, God is the river carrying me to places I don't want to be....

Iowa Prairie in Bloom Part 2 of "We're Where God Wants Us to Be and That's Good! Philippians 4:10-13 I'm a pale, fair-haired northerner who is genetically programmed to be up to my armpits in snow nine months of the year.  Home for me was paper birches, trembling aspens, cedars and swamps, and the smell of pine forests.  Home was where there were three or more generations of my family living in the same county and natural, clear water lakes where we swam and fished in summer. When we moved to Iowa, I couldn't understand why the current of God's will brought us to Iowa, far away from home, from the forests, from family, from small town living to the large city of Des Moines, Iowa.  It was both ecological and culture shock  I fought the flow, clinging to my homesickness and creating emotional turmoil around me. On Paul's missionary journeys, God took him to many different places.  From the accounts we read in the book of Acts, he encountered many ha...

Heads up!  I'm going to try something new. In addition to my regular weekly posts, in lieu of current events and the buzz in the conversation after church during fellowship time, I'm going to present a short series of Bible study and discussion on line called "What the Bible Says about Immigrants."  For three weeks, there will be a new post and an opportunity for you to respond.  Actually, you always have the chance to respond to anything I write.  Go to the bottom of the post and click on "Comments" and share your thoughts. Looking forward to being in Christian conversation with you!

                                          "God Is a River" by Peter Mayer Part 1 of I'M WHERE GOD WANTS ME TO BE, AND THAT'S GOOD! Psalm 131 Living on the Mississippi in south eastern Iowa has shown me the power of this great river.  I have seen with the swelling of the spring melt and the rising of the flood waters how it sweeps great tree snags, boat houses, docks, ice shanties, damaged boats and other debris along and takes them far, far away down river. I have also experienced the powerful and swift current of life as it tries to knock me off my feet  and pull me under, places where I feel I am drowning in confusion and fighting to catch my breath.  It is then that Christ becomes the rock upon which I build my life.  It is at those times that God is my refuge, my protection, my rock and my safe place. But sometimes, God is the river, carrying me t...

Psalm 23 John 10:11-15 Confused, disorganized, unpredictable, out of control – both describe the state of chaos and our lives at times. How do I know? Take a look at my desk – it's a great visual of how life is going for me. There are times when it looks like a filing cabinet vomited on it. Oh, I try to keep my life under control. I really, really, really do. I organize my life with schedules, action plans and deadlines. I live by my planner (although that's not working so well at the moment because I can't find it). Everything in it's place, and every place has its thing, but, they seldom seem to stay there. No matter how well I plan, things happen that I can't anticipate and prepare for: Like my cell phone taking a header into a toilet in the ladies' room at a local fast food restaurant. Or picking up a nail in not one but both back tires on my recent vacation. Or the “good news, bad news” scenario at the doctor's office ...