A Prayer for Guidance-A Psalm of David

A Prayer for Guidance~

A Psalm of David

Psalm 5

1.  "Give ear to my words, O Lord,

Consider my meditation.

2.  Give heed to the voice of my cry,

My King and my God,

for to You I will pray.

 3.  My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;

 In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.

 4.  For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,

Nor shall evil dwell with You.

5.  The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;

You hate all workers of iniquity.

6.  You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;

The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

7.  But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;

In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

 8.  Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness 

because of my enemies;

Make Your way straight before my face.

9.  For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;

Their inward part is destruction;

Their throat is an open tomb;

They flatter with their tongue.

10.  Pronounce them guilty, O God!  

Let them fall by their own counsels;

Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,

For they have rebelled against You.

11.  But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy,

because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.

12.  For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield."

Amen.

(Photos were taken early on a foggy morning this week as I walked to our neighborhood pond, praying and contemplating all the sorrows of our nation over the past few weeks, especially this past week with the rulings on late term abortion coming out of the state of New York, and then later that same day in the evening when the sun was going down on our way to choir practice at our church)   

Please continue to pray for our nation, our President and our leaders. May God give our President much strength, wisdom and courage as he seeks to do what is best for our country.

Sermon Notes: "Playing by the Rules"

Jesus calls His first disciples in the fifth chapter of Luke. Jesus had been preaching through the towns and along the shores of Galilee...He was teaching, preaching, casting out demons, healing the sick...and the crowds were pressing so hard about Him that He had to get into a boat and asked the fishermen to row out a ways so that He could speak to the multitudes who were standing on the shore.  When He had stopped speaking (Luke 5:4), He said to Simon (who was also known as Peter),

"Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

Simon told the Lord that they had been toiling all night long and had caught nothing, but "nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net." (Luke 5:5)  

And the Bible tells us that they caught so many fish that their nets were breaking...and they had so many fish that their boats began to sink!  Simon Peter was so astonished at this huge catch of fish that he "fell down at Jesus' knees saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!'" (verse 8).

Verse 10 tells us that Simon's partners, James and John, were also there and they were very amazed as well.  Jesus then said to Simon, 

"Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."

"So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him." (Luke 5:11)

And thus began the adventure of their lives that would not only change their lives, but all the world for all eternity...

So now fast forward to Luke chapter 15. Jesus and His disciples have been traveling throughout the land, and many multitudes of people are following them, and listening intently to all the teachings of Christ.  Even the "tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him." (Luke 15:1)  The Pharisees and scribes were complaining, saying "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." (Luke 15:2)  So thus begins a series of teachings of parables about God's grace and unconditional love, as evidenced by these stories of joy over being "lost and found".  

In Luke 15:3-32, Jesus gives them examples that show us how God Himself rejoices when that which was lost is found...See the parable about the lost sheep in verses 4-7, the lost coin in verses 8-10, and then the most profound story of all, the lost son, or better known as "The Prodigal Son", in verses 11-32.

In each of these parables we see how first there was that keen sense of loss...and then that thrill of discovery, joy, and jubilee when that which was lost was found.

Imagine what it must feel like to be God, when He sees His lost "sheep", "sons and daughters" come back to the fold of home...to the bosom of God Himself.   

Luke 15:7 tells us, 

"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents 

than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

Luke 15:10 says:

"Likewise, I say to you,

there is joy in the presence of the angels of God

over one sinner who repents."

And even closer to home, in the story of the prodigal who returns home, there is much celebration and rejoicing:

Luke 15:20

"And he (the younger son) arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him."

 and the father tells his older son in Luke 15:32

"It was right that we should make merry and be glad, 

for your brother was dead and is alive again,

and was lost and is found."

These examples show us that God plays by His rules...not our rules. The prodigal's older brother was envious of the attention shown to his errant brother...He did not think it was fair that there should be such a celebration on his behalf when he had squandered his inheritance with riotous living and had ended up living in the squalor of the pig sty. He was crying "No fair! I've been good and haven't been so rebellious...and you've never done anything special for me." The father said to him in Luke 15:31,

"Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours."   The father is representative of God here, and how He looks at those who have been lost and found...He will always celebrate the sinner who comes back home to the Father.  And so should we celebrate as well and rejoice with the Father.

Who do we know who might be out there somewhere, lost and wishing they could come home, but they are too ashamed, too embarrassed, too fearful that they will be rejected and scorned by family, friends, and even the church?  The church especially...should be a place where we welcome the sinner with open arms  when he or she has repented and is in need of our love and forgiveness...and grace.  

Grace...that love that is so undeserved, but given freely with joy when we least expect it.

Again, think how God must feel when that errant child comes home...God plays by His own rules...not ours, not the Pharisees', not even the "church"...sad to say ... God throws a big celebration, dances with the outcast, welcomes the sinner home with open arms.

This is the love that God the Father has for us.  All of us were once dead in sin before we came to the Lord.  God does not hold our sins against us...God is not embarrassed by anything we have done...He welcomes us home with open arms.  Through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ on the cross, God has provided a way for you and me to return to the family of God. Please don't let fear or embarrassment keep you away...let grace win the victory.

Sermon Notes from FUMC Interlachen, FL., Pastor A.C. Myers, 1/27/2019

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given. I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously. Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said. Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear... That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts. So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

The Secret Garden Chronicles, Day 5: Rest = Silence=Worship Revisited

This was originally written a couple of years ago, when the Secret Garden was a new place for me to sit and "rest" and pray and worship the Lord. I am sorry to say that I have fallen away from that daily habit in the years since, although I do still go out there periodically when I really need to just be "silent" before the Lord. I think I am due for a visit, but not today. It's been raining non-stop all day and is about 48 degrees out there right now. However, since this is a Sunday afternoon, my thoughts have been on resting in the Lord. This past week was full of turmoil in the world, and my heart and soul need a rest from the news and sorrow of how dark our nation is becoming.  So come along with me as we enter the Secret Garden and sit silently and give our hearts and minds some "rest".

Original Post 1/28/17:

As we enter the Secret Garden today, this song comes back to me once again:

"The Lord is in His holy temple,

The Lord is in His holy temple;

Let all the earth keep silence,

Let all the earth keep silence before Him,

Keep silence, keep silence before Him."

Amen

In yesterday's post I wrote about Psalm 37, and in the process of reading that passage, verse 7 in particular...please note where it says "REST in the Lord...", there is a reference in my Bible that says the words "Rest in the Lord" literally means "Be silent to the Lord, and it gives a reference to Psalm 62:1, which says "Truly my soul silently waits for God..."

Well, since writing yesterday's post these words keep coming back to me, especially in the form of the call to worship chorus "The Lord Is In His Holy Temple", which is actually a quote from Habakkuk 2:20.  In trying to understand how the words "REST in the Lord" equates with the translation "Be SILENT to the Lord", the Lord drew my attention back to this song...and it's as if God is making a point here to me to notice something in this song that further explains what He means by REST=SILENCE.

Let us look at this music score together so we can further understand what God is telling me through this passage:

Do you see where it says, "Let all the earth keep silence" and then there is a little note or musical symbol after the word SILENCE...and that symbol is actually called a REST, which means that the singer and the instruments literally stop and REST, or be SILENT for just that moment before continuing on to the next phrase/note.  If you will further "note" (pun intended) the REST comes again after "Let all the earth keep silence before Him, and then every time  after the word "Silence", there is another REST!  Do you see what I see???

Lord, I love that YOU are making this point, especially in light of the fact that my "One Word" for 2017 is REST...and here I am, attempting to do just that as I come before Your presence here in this place that has been set apart particularly for worship, meditation, and REST in You.  I am in awe of what You are showing me as we come together each day.  Even though we are learning here that REST=SILENCE, I am seeing that in this time of RESTing in You, and being SILENT to You, I am learning more about what it means to  truly WORSHIP YOU.  The only thing is, it really is difficult for me to be SILENT when everything we do here leads me to give You praise!  However, I know there is something beautiful in silently coming before the Lord...and waiting on You to lead the way.

These songs come to my mind and voice as I think about this...

"Open my eyes that I may see

Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me.

Place in my hands the wonderful key

that shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for Thee,

Ready my God, Thy will to see,

Open my eyes, illumine me,

Spirit Divine."

("Open My Eyes That I May See" by Clara H. Scott)

and

"Spirit of the Living God,

Fall fresh on me,

Spirit of the Living God,

Fall fresh on me.

Melt me, Mold me, Fill me, Use me.

Spirit of the Living God, 

Fall fresh on me."

("Spirit of the Living God" by Daniel Iverson)

Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to come into Your Presence each day.  As I leave this place today, I am refreshed and rested. I am learning more about what it means to be silent before the Lord...and to allow His soothing Presence to calm my spirit and fill me with His Spirit...and then I am better equipped to tackle whatever comes along.  

Praise God!

Amen.

Friday Foto Friends: Something Beautiful, Something Good...

Good Morning Friday Foto Friends.  It feels good to be sharing some beautiful pictures from nature and God's amazing creation today. It's been a difficult week in the world, and I've been taking things pretty seriously, so I needed to just stop and chill...and let the beauty of God's world around us give me peace and help me regain a sense of balance and perspective.  I promise not to visit anything negative here today.

We took a little ride the other morning down by Big Lake Kerr.  It was a gloriously clear, sunshiny, chilly, but beautiful day.  These two Sand Hill Cranes were out for their morning walk. What a thrill to be able to watch as they strolled along the shore:

Are they smooching here?  Could be...I like that thought, so yes, I'll say they are...

They were actually finding their morning treats in the shallows of the lakeshore...

 Soon they retreated to the protection of the reeds along the shoreline. Time for me to leave them to their foraging.

As we headed back up the road away from the lake, a deer bolted into the woods ahead of us. We slowed down and searched to see if we could still see her...and yes...she was there watching us from the protection of the woods. Can you see her?

Later that evening we took our weekly ride up the road a ways to the little town where we attend church so that we could attend choir practice. One of the perks of that ride is that we usually get to see some beautiful sunsets if we time it just right.  Almost missed it:

Lately the power company in our area has been exchanging power poles to larger, taller ones.  This was going on outside our house one morning this week.  My thanks to these brave men who work so diligently to keep us powered up. Without their dedicated service we would not be able to sit here in our comfortable warm, well-lit homes and write messages to each other on our computers or have lights to see what we are doing...or power to cook our food and keep our food cold in the refrigerators, power to wash and dry our clothes, and on and on and on.  Thank you, Clay Electric!

Today (Thursday) we took a ride with some dear friends to meet another dear friend for lunch. This was a place quite a little distance away, but it was well worth the trip.

 The restaurant where we met had this goldfish pond, and the fish enjoy being fed leftover bread crumbs from the customers. Not sure if that is all that healthy for the fish, but they sure seemed to enjoy it.

This was the view from our window seat inside "Red's" Restaurant, along the Withlacoochee River. I'm sure it is a much prettier view in spring and summer and fall, when the leaves are on the trees.

 And this was the view inside the restaurant, with this lovely old stone fireplace. It was a little too warm for a fire yesterday. But the Rooster looks pretty neat!

We had a very good visit with our friends, one of whom lost her husband last year after his battle with cancer.  She wanted to show us what she was making as memorial gifts for their grandchildren and family.  She used different shirts, jeans, sweatshirts, and neckties that belonged to her husband and created these wonderful teddy bears.  What a wonderful, touching gift for any who knew and loved her sweet husband.  And yes, my friend is a very talented and "crafty" lady. She creates so many beautiful things, and this was a kind of therapy for her.

Here's our whole gang...the other couple on the left are good friends of ours as well as we all used to belong to the same church in Ohio many years ago when my hubby was the pastor there. We have been friends for almost 40 years. What a blessing to still have such wonderful friends. We do miss our dear friend who passed away, however. He was a wonderful, godly Christian man. We know we'll see him again someday in heaven.

Here's we three "musketeers"

And now for a blast from the past, there is a picture of us three girls you need to see on the following link:  

Click HERE for another time when we all got together. many moons ago, in another time and another place! (be sure to scroll down in this post link so you can see the pictures I'm talking about. It will be worth the trip and give you a good laugh)

And now, for "Something Beautiful, Something Good"  Sing along with me:

Bill Gaither – Something Beautiful Lyrics

"Something beautiful, something good

All my confusion He understood

All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife

But He made something beautiful of my life

If there ever were dreams

That were lofty and noble

They were my dreams at the start

And hope for life's best were the hopes

That I harbor down deep in my heart

But my dreams turned to ashes

And my castles all crumbled, my fortune turned to loss

So I wrapped it all in the rags of life

And laid it at the cross.

Something beautiful, something good

All my confusion He understood

All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife

But He made something beautiful of my life"

Okay, friends...that's it for this week. I pray that your week has been filled with "something beautiful and something good".  Isn't it wonderful when God makes "something beautiful of (our) lives?"

Now let us head over to someplace beautiful...Deb's place at Breathing in Grace, and see what our other Friday Foto Friends have been doing this week. Have a blessed and glorious week my friends.

Speaking for the Silent Ones...Revisited Again January 24, 2019

I wanted to share this story again today in light of the horrendous new bill (Click HERE for more information on that.)that was signed into law in the state of New York this week.  I cannot begin to tell you how sad and angry this has made me feel...and I can only imagine how God must feel...

But I wanted to share a personal story with you about why I believe in the sanctity of life and also in the wonderful choice of adoption as the alternative to abortion.

Read on as I revisit a story originally written back in 2010:

Originally written July 31, 2010:  Today I received a special gift from a dear friend...even though she is a person *whom I have never had the privilege of meeting in person*...we are dear friends, nonetheless.  My friend Cyndi* is a very gifted person...and one of her many talents is that she creates beautiful baby dolls.  Her dolls are each uniquely created either in memory of or as a special tribute to someone who lives, once lived, or should have lived.
(*See the added note from 2013 at the bottom for an update on this...)

Baby Elva - On the day of her arrival, July 31, 2010

Baby Elva, One Year Later - July 31, 2011-- still such a good baby!!!

Baby Elva Celebrates Her 1st Birthday...

The gift I received is "Baby Elva", named in honor of and as a tribute to my Grandma Mursch, known to those who loved her as Elva Hill Mursch.

I am so pleased to share with you her story:

Way back in the year 1895 there was a little baby girl born somewhere in Pennsylvania.  Her birth parentage is uncertain...her ancestry is hidden from our search...we know absolutely nothing about how or where her life began...but we now know that she was born on a snowy frigid December day in the year 1895, and that her birth name was Elva Sowers.  I have recently discovered that a young man named Abraham Lewis Smith, (a relative? the father? an uncle?) actually adopted her and gave her the name of Elva Smith when she was about six months old. The certificate of adoption that has surfaced states that "the welfare of the said minor child will be promoted by such adoption, and that the mother of the child consents thereto."  **

We don't know why her mother gave her up for adoption...nor do we have any clue as to why her father or grandparents did not claim her.  What we do know is that Mr. Smith and little Elva somehow ended up as boarders in the home of George and Mary Hill around the year 1900.  Some time after that Mr. Smith decided he could not keep young Elva, and she was consequently adopted by George and Mary, and she was then given the name of Elva Hill.

My Grandmother Elva and
My Grandpa William Mursch

George and Mary Hill could not bear children of their own, and so they gave Elva  a home and loved her as their own. To their credit, they also fostered and adopted several other precious children and gave them the opportunity to live happy and productive lives as well.  Young Elva grew and prospered in rosy health and strength under the tender care of these people...so much so that she lived to be 89 years old, and was the mother to four of her own precious children, including my father, and eleven grandchildren...of which I am one.

Of course this story goes on and on in the lives of all of the current and future generations that have emanated from her life.  We have become a vibrant, healthy, strong family tree...a tree that would not exist if my great-grandmother had not chosen life...if my great-grandfather had not allowed my grandmother to be born and had instead insisted on ending the life of the child he had fathered...whether legitimately or not...we will never know.  What we do know is that she lived, and because she was allowed to live, here I am. **UPDATE ON THIS STORY HERE!

Have you ever thought about where you would be today if your grandparent had been aborted instead of being allowed to live? I have thought about that so many times...and have thanked the mysterious great-grandmother for allowing my Grandma to live.  I know, you are probably thinking that it wasn't like that at all...probably the poor mother was too sick to survive the labor and delivery of her child...that happened a lot back then...but even so, today the "poor mother" would be encouraged to end the life of her unborn "fetus"... the "fetus" would never know the difference..."after all, it's not a human until birth"...so they say... I wonder...what does God say...?  The Psalmist seems to think that God has a different viewpoint...

"For YOU formed my inward parts; YOU covered me in my mother's womb.  I will praise YOU, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are YOUR works, and that my soul knows very well.  My frame was NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU, WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET, AND SKILLFULLY WROUGHT IN THE LOWEST PARTS OF THE EARTH. YOUR eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  AND IN YOUR BOOK THEY ALL WERE WRITTEN, THE DAYS FASHIONED FOR ME, WHEN AS YET THERE WERE NONE OF THEM." 

Psalm 139:13-16

Yeah, this is something that I think about a lot.  I know there are many who do not share my thoughts on this subject... But here's one more thing to think about...What would have happened if Mary had decided to abort her illegitimate child, Jesus?  What if Joseph had demanded that she be stoned...or the baby be aborted, because of the possibility of her committing fornication prior to their marriage? Hmmm, now that's something to think about! Yes, abortion certainly has an impact on the whole human race. 
I am so thankful that my Great Grandmother chose life...and that little Elva Sowers Smith Hill lived, was adopted and  grew up to become my Grandmother.

Elva Sowers Smith Hill Mursch.

December 27, 1895- December 16, 1984

My Dad, "Billy" Mursch

The Mursch Children and a neighbor boy
Paul, Bill (my Dad), Ruth, Marion and neighbor

"Elva" (My Grandmother) on a camping trip/hike with her
children: Lto R: Paul Mursch, Billy Mursch(my dad), Ruth Mursch,
Elva Mursch, and Marion Mursch...somewhere in the Adirondack Mtns.

My Grandma Elva Hill Mursch, circa 1950's

Grandma and Grandpa Mursch and most of their grandchildren and three of their great-grandchildren,

July 1969

The Mursch family July 1969

Paul G. Mursch, William H. Mursch, Marion Mursch Ryder, Elva Sowers Hill Mursch, William Fred Mursch, and Ruth Mursch Gammie

Grandma (Elva) and Grandpa, (William H. Mursch) probably in the 1930's.

Mursch Family 1982 - Grandma Mursch above front right.

The William F. Mursch Family 2005

Grandma (Elva), far right, and Grandpa Mursch with their four children
and my mother, when my mother met the family for the first time! Circa 1940

These pictures are only part of the Mursch Family tree...the part coming from my Dad, William F. Mursch's branch of the tree.  Add to that the families from his siblings, and all of their children, and their children's children, and so on and so on...What a big empty space there would have been if my Grandmother Elva had not been allowed to live!

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of the real "Baby Elva", my grandmother, and for all the other precious babies who have been given a second chance to live because their Mamas chose "life" instead of the "easy way out" of a difficult situation. And Lord, for all those sweet and precious little souls who didn't get a chance to live because of the choices made for them...we know they are safe in Your arms today.  We pray for those parents who made those decisions, whether in ignorance or deliberately, that somehow they would find the peace of forgiveness and rest for their own hurting souls. We ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Postscript:  7/11/2013  *I wanted to add this picture to this story...

Earlier this year (2013) I was thrilled and privileged to actually meet in person my

dear friend "Cyndi", the creator "birth mother" of my sweet baby doll "Elva".  Cyndi and 

her wonderful hubby traveled all the way to Florida from Minnesota to meet me and to have 

a reunion with her beautiful baby Elva!  This is a friendship that began on Facebook, and God

has blessed that long distance connection with a true friendship...a precious friend I will always

be thankful for. Doesn't God work in mysterious ways? Yes, He truly does...and He loves to 

bless His children with good things and heavenly joy even here on earth! 

I am blessed beyond measure and I give God the glory.

Great things He has done!!!

"Baby Elva" on her "6th" birthday, 7/31/2016.  Still such a sweet, adorable baby...a precious gift!

8/1/2017: I wanted to add this post-script regarding the "back story" of "Baby Elva".  I've never shared this part before, and as I was relating it to a friend on Facebook this morning, I thought I should add this part of the story so that perhaps others will understand "Baby Elva's" significance even more:

My friend who created "Baby Elva" started making these dolls as a way to work through her grief over the death of her daughter, who was 8 months pregnant when she was killed by her husband. So my friend lost not only her daughter but her grandchild at the same time. She started making these babies and giving them to people as a way of bringing comfort to those who were grieving. She gave this gift to me when she first heard that our son Matthew was diagnosed with cancer. She knew that I would need something to hold and rock and love during that time, and she was right. I've never actually told that part of the story before, and I guess I should, because "Baby Elva" became a real comfort to me when we didn't know what was going to happen with Matthew. Plus, she became a sweet little "baby" to enjoy and she brightens our day. A lot of people, especially the men, don't quite understand it...but that's okay. "Baby Elva" has accomplished her mission with us...she makes us smile...and sometimes cry. But tears are cleansing... Interestingly, our "Baby Elva" arrived at our home on July 31. I didn't know it at the time, but that is also my friend's daughter's birthday. So now, when Elva's "birthday" comes around, I remember to pray for my friend who is still grieving over the loss of her beautiful daughter and grandchild. So now you know the "back story" behind Baby Elva.

Below is a link to some Scripture references regarding how God views us since before our birth, or even before being formed in the womb.  God places a very high value on each and every child, regardless of who we are or where we came from.  

https://www.openbible.info/labs/cross-references/search?q=Romans+8%3A29

**Stay tuned for further updates on this story of the birth and heritage of Elva Sowers Hill Mursch.UPDATE on her story HERE 12-27-2020