How does the scripture speak to you? Be in Peace. Be Still. Week of June 21st.

Let us reflect on the scripture from Mark 4:35-41 listed in the lectionary. Which words come to mind as you reflect on the below scripture? Fear.  Peace? Calm.  And why?

Jesus Stills a Storm

³⁵ On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” ³⁶ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. ³⁷ A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. ³⁸ But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”³⁹ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. ⁴⁰ He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” ⁴¹ And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Prayers - Fathers Day & A.M.E. Church in Charleston

The Worship Arts Group at United Christian Church (https://www.facebook.com/uccrenton?fref=ts) displayed the children’s artwork and prayers by the congregation for Father’s Day and Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Let us give praise to the Worship Arts Group members: Dee Woods, Daniel Johnson, Linda Becker, Chris Copley and Tara Barkstrom Walls for offering this program. Tara's rendition of the prayer by Kirk Loadman, "A Father's Day Prayer" was a gift.

"Let us praise those fathers who have striven to balance the demands of work, marriage, and children with an honest awareness of both joy and sacrifice. Let us praise those fathers who, lacking a good model for a father, have worked to become a good father.

Let us praise those fathers who by their own account were not always there for their children, but who continue to offer those children, now grown, their love and support. Let us pray for those fathers who have been wounded by the neglect and hostility of their children.

Let us praise those fathers who, despite divorce, have remained in their children's lives. Let us praise those fathers whose children are adopted, and whose love and support has offered healing.

Let us praise those fathers who, as stepfathers, freely choose the obligation of fatherhood and earned their step children's love and respect. Let us praise those fathers who have lost a child to death, and continue to hold the child in their heart.

Let us praise those men who have no children, but cherish the next generation as if they were their own.

Let us praise those men who have "fathered" us in their role as mentors and guides.

Let us praise those men who are about to become fathers; may they openly delight in their children.

And let us praise those fathers who have died, but live on in our memory and whose love continues to nurture us."

I Am Your Child - Happy Father's Day!

On this Father’s Day weekend, I would like to give gratitude for the “’men’tors” in my life, including Grandpa Kenny, Grandpa Shaffer, Dad and Uncle Roger Gump.

One of my favorite song lyrics about “’child’ren” was written by Barry Manilow, “I am Your Child:”

I am your child
Wherever you go you take me too
Whatever I know, I learned from you
Whatever I do, you taught me to do
I am your child
And I am your chance
Whatever will come, will come from me
Tomorrow is won by winning me
Whatever I am, you taught me to be
I am your hope, I am your chance
I am your child
Whatever I am, you taught me to be
I am your hope, I am your chance
I am your child

I am your child and thank you for the teachings, hopes and chances throughout my life.

Grandma Ruby, my mother, Mary Jane, Aunt Judy and Grandpa Kenny (1951)

Remembering

The following s an expanded version of June 17th's post "Losing a Child."

Life is Beautiful. Life is full of color. Life can be molded like a piece of clay. It can be fired. It can be broken. A life can be lost. A life will always be remembered.

I took a break yesterday at Volunteer Park, where I enjoyed the sun and the views, and I met a few characters. The Asian Art Museum is located in Volunteer Park. I had not planned to visit the museum. I was drawn through the doors. I asked the staff member, “How much is the admission?” He replied, Nine dollars.” I pulled only two dollars from my pocket. That’s all I had. He looked and smiled, “Give $1.00 as a donation, and you will have one for later.”

As I took in this brightly glazed, clay bowls display, I reflected on how I met Diane 'McDevitt" Gallegher, and how our lives change throughout the years. Diane sat at the same long table during our sophomore year in Mr. Johnson's art class at Northrop High School, where I mixed up all of the large bags of clay from cement bag type packaging. Our arts projects for the weeks following were clay, instead of acrylic painting as planned. Diane sweetly smiled at my faux pas and molded the clay.

Diane was quiet and creative, and those were a couple of her gifts. We were around the same age as her daughter at that time.

I cannot imagine how it would feel to lose a child. I encourage Diane to remember her daughter's gifts as I remember her and the gifts she shared during art class, which seems like only yesterday.

http://www.usatoday.com/.../teen-dead-wisdom.../28838695/

Photo by Julie Shaffer at The Seattle Asian Art Museum

http://www.usatoday.com/.../teen-dead-wisdom.../28838

Holding Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina in Prayer

When I attended a worship service on Sunday, June 7^th, the verse on the front of the bulletin was from Micah 6:8:  “This is what God asks of you only this…To act justly, To love tenderly, and To walk humbly with your God.”

As we reflect on the words of Micah and how his deep sensitivity to the social ills of his day affected others throughout the land, let us hold the Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina in our prayers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/06/18/for-charlestons-emanuel-a-m-e-church-one-of-the-oldest-in-america-shooting-is-another-painful-chapter-in-long-history/?tid=pm_national_pop_b

Losing a Child

Diane sat at the same long table during our sophomore year in Mr. Johnson's art class at Northrop High School. Diane was quiet and creative, and those were a couple of her gifts. We were around the same age as her daughter.

I cannot imagine how it would feel to lose a child. I encourage Diane to remember her daughter's gifts as I remember her and the gifts she shared during art class, which seems like only yesterday.

 http://www.usatoday.com/.../teen-dead-wisdom.../28838695/

Community Outreach: Touching lives outside of one’s life. By giving, we receive.

Outreach has been defined on Dictionary.com as a verb, noun, and adjective.

• Verb(used with object): “to reach beyond; exceed.”
• Noun: “the act of extending services, benefits, etc.”
• Adjective: “concerned with extending community services, benefits, etc.”

United Christian Church’s Outreach Ministry is more than a verb, noun, or adjective. It is defined as touching lives outside of one’s life. By giving, we receive.

James Bruner wrote the following about our church’s most recent outreach:

"Donations for and assembly of care kits"

Items were donation by the congregation throughout the month of April for the assembly of the care kits. The articles asked for and received were:

• Water bottle
• Socks
• Tuna and crackers
• Granola Bar or cereal bar
• Fruit snack or applesauce cup
• Crackers with peanut butter or cheese
• Gift certificate to fast food
• Hand wipes
• Packs of Kleenex
• Maxi pads
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Nail clippers
• Band Aids
• Chapstick
• Comb or small brush
• Mints, cough drops or gum

And $5.00 McDonald’s gift card were donated with Seahawks' logos on them.

And a big thank-you to all, who donated to the care kits!

The care kits were assembled after church on Sunday, May 3rd. The following people participated in putting the kits together: Joyce Bruner, Julie Shaffer, Paris Bruner, Leona Hansen, Mariam Johnson, Linda Hendry, Carolyn Hosington, Nancy Frey, Swannee Rivers, and Bill Utterback. Joyce also made notes of inspiration that were included in the kits which included our church address.

"Handing out the care kits"

The attendees from our church were Joyce Bruner, Caroline Bacon, Paris Bruner and James Bruner.

We met at the former Renton Chamber of Commerce at 4:45pm in the parking lot. As we pulled in I noticed that people had started gathering in the lot. The one thing that surprised me was that some of the people coming to have a meal drove to the location. I went to try to get in and found the door locked with a person, whom I later learned was a regular named Richard, on the ground outside. As I bagged on the door I was again surprised to see a young girl, probably 9 or 10 years old, come to the door. She didn’t unlock it (smart of her) but we talked through the mail slot. Her Mom eventually came to the door and we were able to take our stuff in.

The facility was simple and clean with fold-up tables and chairs (5 tables with approx. 6-8 chairs each). We setup at the end of the serving table and discussed the protocol with those setting up. They communicated that the door opens at 5:00pm, the first serving of the meal starts at 5:30pm, and the second course, if food is still available, is served at 6:00pm. People are allowed to be in the facility until approx. 7pm at which point it ends.

People began to arrive right at 5pm and they were able to get water and coffee while they waited for the food to be served. The line started forming about 5:15pm at the serving table and probably had 5-6 people in it. Other people were there as well but were sitting rather than joining the line. The church serving the food (BTW, I would like to have our church provide a meal now that I understand the protocol and what's required) had brought hot dogs, potato salad as well as macaroni salad, potato chips, Doritos, and Cheetos.

As the people received their food we offered them one of our care kits. Most of the people were happy to receive them but there were some who didn’t accept one. Some came to ask for another one after receiving their initial bag. It was clear that most were pleasantly surprised to receive the bags. We determined that some things were more coveted than others. The biggest draw appeared to be socks and most wanted black socks. The food gift cards were also a hit as were the tooth brushes/tooth paste and water bottles. I didn’t count but I’d estimate that we gave out approx. half of the 47 bags that were prepared.

It was a very good experience and I’m personally excited to see our church beginning to expand our outreach in this way. Can’t wait for the next opportunity to serve.

United Christian Church is located in Renton, Washington. It is a caring community with a big heart for others.

What I Received at the P.O.: Priorities Change with the Mail and the Message Delivered

An American author, Eudora Welty (April 13, 1909 – July 23, 2001) wrote short stories, and the one I recalled from my college days was “Why I Live at the P.O.,” which was inspired by woman ironing in a rural post office’s back room.  My story is “What I ‘Received’ at the P.O.: Priorities Changed with the Mail and the Message Delivered.”

Sometimes I hit my saturation point with the images from the daily news, and “what about me” attitudes from others. This time the “what about me” attitude was about me. Then it turned to be about someone else.

I had two gifts to mail my dad for Father’s Day. One gift was a gag gift, and the other one was a useful one. It was all about me and the Post Office (P.O.), and how fast I could mark it off of my to-do list. I asked myself, “Which P.O. has the free parking?” The operative phrase was “free parking,” and the answer was easy: “The one off 23^rd Avenue in the Central District.”

 I parked my car on the worn asphalt parking lot outside of the P.O. The small P.O.’s door was propped open, where folks waited in a long line for the postal worker to weigh and mail their respective parcels.

A woman was bent down packing shipping boxes on the floor, and I heard her voice as I walked through the door.  She looked, smiled, and said, “Take the next spot in line. It’s going to take a while.”

The line moved slowly, and it allowed me to observe an elderly woman, who I dubbed Gladys because she radiated  "glad"ness. She resembled my Grandma Ruby – except her shoulders leaned forward with a hunch in her back.  She was impeccably dressed in a bright, colorful polyester dress with pantyhose and small wooden soled and heeled, open toed shoes from the 70’s.

Gladys’ smile emanated light. Her personality appeared similar to my Great Grandma Pearl Figert. She was seemingly pleasant and could draw people in. Gladys steadily stood as she decided on greeting cards for her sisters from the display, located at the left hand corner of the customer service counter.  Her voice was sweet and melodious as she read the verses to the young lady, who I named Ruth. She was Gladys’ companion, and Ruth offered a listening ear.

I was finally to the front of the line as Gladys made her last selection. Ruth began to lead Gladys to the back of the line. I suddenly vocalized, “Take my spot.”   I headed to the back of the line.  The people in the line spoke. “You stay in the line.” “Let her go in front of you.” “She’s earned to be at the front of the line.”

I returned to the second place in the line with Gladys and Ruth in the number one spot. The Postal worker behind the counter beamed as she shouted, “Next!”

I exited the P.O. and paused in the parking lot after my turn at the counter. A car drove past with Gladys in the passenger seat. Her little puff of hair had shone through the window.

“Thanks, Gladys for what I received at the P.O.  It was not the check mark on my to-do list that mattered. Priorities changed with the mail, and the message delivered.”

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Two members shared more than words through their silence during the prayers yesterday morning at United Christian Church in Renton, Washington.

They brought the communion hymn to life for one member of the congregation, who sat behind them: "This is the place to celebrate! Leave all your worries behind. Let us join hands...Let our God be our guide."

Actions do speak louder than words!

Casper The Friendly Ghost

When a childhood friend offers a fun challenge why not take part.

I hit “Like” Comic Book Heroes Challenge: Tom’s post: “I intend to fill Facebook with comic book heroes to interrupt the saturation of negative images and videos. If you give me a "Like" I will choose a character for you.”

I commented: “Will I be a character from the Archie’s? Or the fastest Julie alive. Only Tom will tell.” And Tom did tell: “Your Character is: Casper.”

I responded, “Lol Casper the Friendly Ghost. Love it!” I also loved it because “Casper is a cute ghost-child…is a noncomformist among ghosts…”

I am not concerned about winning friends. I care about being a friend. I have friends from years past and new friends in the present and future friends will come into my life. Friends lift the weight from my shoulders. There is no need to look at the losses only the gains.

Which comic book character would your friends choose for you?

Today's Reflection: "I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun." - Charles R. Swindoll