Uphill idealist

Image from Gilroy Dispatch.com The sun is shining. The coffee is hot. The offerings on the menu are sweet and savory. The conversation is bubbling with life - our lives re-told over a meal prepared for us, instead of by us. We share laughter, sorrow, frustrations and stories from our hectic days. We lift each other up with the help of piping hot coffee, mushroom and cheese omelets, and love. The bill is small, but the outcome is great. It's amazing what a simple ladies breakfast can do for a weary soul.

Image found at KYMX.com If I believed in karma... would my dearest friend be having a tumor removed today? would I have been rear-ended on my way to visit folks at the hospital? would that same car I took to trade in, have stopped running on my way back home from the car dealer? would I be calling a tow truck? would I have won a new car, when I r olled up the Tim Horton's rim of my tea cup? Scripture says in Matthew 5:43-45 43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies[b] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If karma was what folks hoped it was - no kind, good, or caring person in this world would ever face any bad, hard or impossible situation. Good and bad happen to good and bad alike... but some days I wish all the bad would be gone forever. E

Image from Children's Chapel . The re-telling of this well know Bible story here is a part of a book/writing and discussion group that meets every Thursday and lunch at First Lutheran Church . There is also an online venue to join in the conversation if you like at Holy Conversations on Facebook .This week's question is: Tell your favorite Jesus story (and why it is your favorite)... The Samaritan woman at the well is one that shows what it is like to not belong to the larger social group. She went to the well in the hottest time of the day, while all the other town folk would come to get their water before it got too hot in their desert environment. Jesus was traveling with the disciples, and instead of walking the long way around Samaria like most Jewish people would, he went right into the land of what was perceived as the enemy. At that place and time in history, the Jewish community and the Samaritan communities did not interact due to long standing differences. Jesus was

I was just introduced to this song that I thought was only sung by Jason Mraz - in looking up the lyrics I found that Bob Dylan performed it as well...as well as many others! It's a fun little song that I think I'll teach to my Sunday school kids soon. Man Gave Names to All the Animals in the beginning in the beginning Man Gave Names to All the Animals in the beginning long time ago. He saw an Animal that liked to growl, big furry paws and he liked to howl, great big furry back and furry hair, i think I'll call it a Bear. Man Gave Names to All the Animals in the beginning, in the beginning Man Gave Names to All the Animals in the beginning long time ago. He saw an Animal up on the hill, chewing up so much grass until she was filled, he saw milk coming out but he didn't know how, He said I think I'll call it a cow. Man Gave Names to All the Animals in the beginning, in the beginning Man Gave Names to All the Animals in the beginning long time ago. he saw an Animal

Image from www.scri8e.com I've been thinking a lot about humor the last couple of days and even though I'm not a very good joke teller, I thought I'd share two jokes with you. One I'd heard forever ago on the radio and the other a middle school student shared with me this week... One morning a man and woman woke up and started to fight over who should brew the coffee. The man insisted that his wife had to make the coffee. The woman insisted that her husband make the coffee. Finally, the woman said, "I have proof on why you need to make the coffee. It says so in the Bible!" The man was not going for it and insisted she show him where in the Bible it said he HAD to make the coffee. "I won't make the coffee unless you prove the Bible says I have to do it!" She opened her Bible, pointed to the top of the page and showed it to her husband. "See right there - it says he-brews!" He climbed out of bed, and brewed the coffee. ---------------- H

Sometimes it takes just the right combination of moxy and compassion to get along in the world. You have to have the guts to "go big" in life, while remembering to have empathy for those in the "go big" circumstances. In the last week, the word compassion and many references of it seems to keep approaching me. In the lessons I was working on, in the stories I was reading and even in a service project I organized for our youth. Compassion was the lens that demanded I see the world through. There were also moments of frustration with some status quot circumstances that were nagging away at my motivation and moxy to live in a place of compassion. So on Sunday, my ears were called to attention as in the gospel reading in Luke 13, people surrounding Jesus were trying to push him into the path of their agenda and plans... Luke 13:31At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you." 32He

Lyrics and music by Waterdeep ...This band is one of the best out there. Great lyrics, creative and honest. What more could you ask for? You are so good to me You heal my broken heart You are my Father in heaven (2x) You ride upon the clouds You lead me to the truth You are the Spirit inside me (2x) You poured out all your blood You died upon the cross You are my Jesus who loves me (2x) Chorus: You are beautiful my sweet, sweet, song (3x) I will sing again Bridge: You are my strong melody You are my dancing rhythm You are my perfect rhyme And I want to sing forever