So Glad To See You!

Our two dogs, Rossalynn and Breesy had to go to the kennel this last week while we were at the Methodist Annual Conference. We got home on Saturday, but after the kennel had closed and they were not open on Sunday, so I picked them up this morning. Boy were they excited to see me. They whined and cried and kept jumping up on me. Not a huge deal when the poodle puppy was doing that but when our lab decided she needed a hug, too, I was just about knocked over.  

It is wonderful to be loved like that?  Unconditionally and no worries about who sees the affection. We humans forget that sometimes and are more worried about what others think than the person that we love.

Don't you think that we hold back on loving God too?  We should be loving Him as he loves us. But we all worry about is what our families will think, what our friends will think and even what people that we don't even know will think!!

In our minds we wonder, will they be convinced that we are weird or crazy if we pray in public? Or if we set our schedules so that our kids sports and activities do not interfere with our worship time, we will be thought of as fanatical? What will they think if we choose to show affection and respect to our spouses? Will we be thought of as strange because we are ethical in our working practices? Will they think we are off our rockers if we truly treat our neighbors like we should?

 And we are especially shy about speaking of our God!!!! Wow, really "What would people think of us then"???

Mark 12:30

New International Version (NIV)

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a]

1 John 4:19

New International Version (NIV)

19 We love because he first loved us.

The scriptures are pretty clear...we are to love. God will not force us to love Him or anyone else, but He sure has given us a great example on how to. From creation to Calvary, He has done nothing but love us, without holding back. Why can't we try to be more like that?

Rossalynn and Breesy have followed His example. Wouldn't this world be a much better place if we all did too?

Blessings!

Change The World

Rodney and I are at the United Methodist Indiana Conference this week. Maybe I am a tad weird but I just love being here. I can hardly wait to get here every year. I love all of us, with like mind, coming together, planning, voting and getting business done . I take comfort from how we have some of the same rituals every year. Especially where we have a special remembrance service for the pastors or their spouses that have passed away since the last time we met. 

Seeing the thousands of Methodists all together in the same hall, worshiping, gives me chills. 

Our theme this year is "Be A World Changer". As I was sitting there tonight, it struck me that this probably means something different to each of us that were in the room.

Some were probably thinking of feeding the hungry, others were thinking of helping the oppressed, others thought of recycling and being good stewards of the resources of this earth.

I love what Mother Teresa said about change..."I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples"

 – Mahatma Gandhi was quoted as saying this about change..."We must become the change we wish to see in the world."

These two world changers had some great things to say about change but our best teacher on this was our Lord Jesus. Here was what he said in Matthew 5...

Salt and Light

 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? 

 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Want to be a world changer? You can do it by feeding the hungry and protecting the innocent but most assuredly there is no better way to bring about change to the people of this world than by introducing them to the creator of it all. Let People see God in you as you show generosity with your time, your finances, your love for others around you. He is the one who can bring the peace everyone is is so desperately searching for. 

Go on...Change the world! 

Blessings!