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The voice crying out in the wilderness….

09 Saturday Dec 2017

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Today we find ourselves in the second week of Advent, this time of waiting and anticipation of Christ’s return.  A time to reflect on our own lives and prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

The scripture from the beginning of Mark’s gospel is titled, “The Proclamation of John the Baptist.”  Mark’s gospel is the shortest of the four gospels, it is direct, it is to the point and each verse is filled with meaning and purpose.

Mark is direct enough that he skips the nativity and baby Jesus account and immediately begins with the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Mark begins his gospel and account of Christ by going back in time.

Mark goes back about 600-700 years to the time of Isaiah.  From the Old Testament account of Isaiah he quotes, “A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

Make straight your paths, for the promised one is coming.  In Isaiah’s day he spoke to a Jewish audience that had been exiled.  In Mark’s account he talking about Christ and the messenger preparing the way for him.

Mark writes, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:  ‘Prepare the way of the Lord.’

In this painfully hectic time between holidays, how much time are we spending preparing our hearts, souls and minds to meet and be present with our God?  This time of year we don’t celebrate credit card debt or empty bank accounts.  We don’t celebrate added inches to our waistline. 

No, we celebrate the birth of our God.  The mystery of the incarnation and the insane lengths our God went to, to reconcile us to him.  To bring us closer to him.

In preparing for this sermon I read about and questioned why our God would need someone to prepare the way for him.  Why would an all-present and all-powerful God need a man dressed in strange clothes – camel’s hair, and who ate weird things (locusts and honey) to prepare the way for him?

Is it because we all stand on the shoulders and accomplishments of those that have gone before us?  We all stand on the ground that was prepared for us by others.  All the hard work of our ancestors and their desire to see their children succeed have benefitted each of us. 

Unfortunately, these bodies and minds of flesh that have short memories and are inclined to take credit for what has been accomplished. 

Even our God, who emptied himself of all his divinity, needed someone to prepare the way for him.  An all-present and all-powerful God would rely on a mere mortal to be the voice crying out in the wilderness.

Why would God need someone to prepare the way for him?  And why would he pick a strange looking and acting guy to be that person?

….It would take someone with far more knowledge than I to fully answer that question.  I think it has to do with the humility of our God.  We celebrate, honor and worship a God that gave up the splendor and glory of heaven, all that beauty to come to this world riddled with sickness, disease, war, famine, acts of evil and death.

I think that I would rather look at that from a distance and bask in the beauty of heaven.  But not our God.  He saw the terrible consequence that sin caused and he decided that something had to be done about it. 

He traded his mansion for a mud hut, he traded power for humility and splendor for suffering.  He sent his messenger, John the Baptist, before him.  John appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

In spite of his strange appearance people flocked to listen to him and to be baptized by him in the Jordan River.  “Make straight your paths, prepare the way of the Lord.”

People came from the Judean countryside and from Jerusalem to see, hear and be baptized by John the Baptist.  He had his own disciples and was popular enough or posed enough of a threat that even the Pharisees came to see what all the commotion was about.

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near, make straight your path, prepare the way for the Lord…….Repent……confess……..understand your own brokenness before your God……..ask for forgiveness for the kingdom of heaven has come near…….

What if each of us in our own way is John the Baptist?  We may not go out into the timber or near the closest river and cry out or wear strange clothes, but what if each of us as we commit and recommit to our faith every day is living like John the Baptist?

Every time we commit to be read our bibles, to pray, to be a part of a small group, to do something for someone else, every time we chose to be intentional about our faith that we straighten our own path and influence those close to us.

Lives of faith can scream and proclaim the gospel without speaking a single word.  Proclaim the gospel always said St. Francis, use words only when necessary.

People went to John the Baptist to repent of their sins and to be baptized.  In his humility, John proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John the Baptist knew his mission was to prepare the way for the one that is coming, one far more powerful than he.

We have also been made aware that one that Christ, is going to return.  Are we preparing the way for his arrival……

Are we proclaiming the good news of God’s action and arrival in this world, the coming of God’s kingdom, his ministry, death and resurrection?

As we celebrate and honor the second Sunday of Advent, let us remember all of those that have gone before us.  Let us remember the spiritual giants in our own lives and Mark’s gospel does recalling the words of Isaiah.

Let us live bold, courageous lives of faith that speak to this world and those in it who we are and what we are about.  In this painfully busy time of year, let us slow down and take time to reflect on what is truly important and why we celebrate with gifts, good food and precious time spend with family and friends.

Let us go with the knowledge and the truth that our God is coming back to this earth.  It may not be in our lifetime, but he is coming back.  If we don’t see him in the time each of us has left, that is no reason or excuse to be convenient or flippant about your faith.

Let us be about the work of the one that created all that is good and holy.  Let us be about the work of a God that became the word incarnate.  A penniless, nomadic preacher that come to save the souls of many.

 

Pastor Shawn LaRue, Seymour UMC
Author of Incomplete

You did it for the least of these…..

25 Saturday Nov 2017

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We have arrived at the end of Christ’s public ministry in the book of Matthew. Matthew’s gospel was written in the last half of the first century with an emphasis on the fulfillment of Christ as the Messiah.
This passage of scripture opens with the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy from the book of Daniel, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, and then he will sit on the throne of his glory.”

Christ is in the last week of his life. He has spoken parable after parable of what it will be like upon his return and the work, we as Christians should be about until his return to this world. Christ gives fair and ample warning about what will happen come Judgment Day.

Today’s scripture is titled, ‘The Last Judgment.’ “All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.”

All nations means just that – all Jews, Gentiles, everyone from everywhere. Separating the sheep from the goats was a common practice for shepherds in biblical times.
Having mixed herds was common, at night sheep would be placed in an open pasture, while the goats needed to be protected from the cold. Sheep have more commercial value than goats do.

The bible oftentimes makes reference to the vocation of being a shepherd. God’s people are often times referred to as sheep, whether we like it or not. Have you ever wondered why………

Given the context and setting – 2,000 years ago in the Middle East, being a shepherd and tending to livestock was a common occupation – people could identify with it.

Sheep need protection, guidance and provision. It is also believed that sheep respond to the voice of their shepherd.

We share these things in common. We are also in need of guidance, provision and protection and if we take the time to listen we will also recognize the voice of our shepherd, of the one that provides, protects and guides.

A shepherd had to be willing to lay down his or her life for who and what they were protecting. Christ, our shepherd, was willing to and did the same when he laid down his life for us.

On that Day of Judgment, when the Son of Man returns in all his glory, the herd will be separated, like the parables of the past two weeks – the wise and foolish bridesmaids and the servants who were charged with investing their owner’s estate.

“Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink.

I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”

Our God is omnipotent and omnipresent. He has unlimited power, he knows everything and is always present. Everywhere all the time, to everyone. The God we serve is a God for everyone.

Our God champions the poor, the marginalized and disenfranchised. Our God is a god of the poor, downtrodden and forgotten. A god of the hungry, thirsty, sick, lame and the incarcerated.

A God of the homeless, those in care facilities, nursing homes, the homebound and all those that can’t do for themselves. We do not need to look any further than Christ’s life and who he spent time with during his ministry.

He spent time with those that needed him most. He eased their suffering through his own acts of mercy. He gave sight to the blind, provided living water and broke the shackles of sin that enslave us.

After they have been separated the righteous answered, “Lord when was it that we say you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? When was it that we say you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing?

When was it that we say you sick or in prison and visited you? The righteous seemed to be surprised and unsure how to answer God’s question. We don’t remember seeing you or we would have surely given you food, drink, clothing and visited you.

I am reminded of Mother Teresa’s life and example. Taking care of the dying, cleaning their wounds, teaching young children by writing the letters of the alphabet in the dirt with a stick.

She said that each person she interacted with was Jesus in a distressing disguise. Each person, every human being bears the image of the Creator and deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.

The king answered the righteous, “Truly, I tell you just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.” When you treated one of the least of these well, someone that could do nothing for you, you did it for the very God that we serve.

Then, Christ will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink.

I was a stranger and you did not welcome me. The accursed when into panic mode, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry, thirsty, as a stranger, naked or imprisoned and did not take care of you?”

Pleading their case they are. If we only would have known we would have stepped up to the plate. If we hadn’t fallen in love with everything that the world has to offer we would have taken care of you.

If they had only not fallen into temptation, if they could have only gotten past themselves, if they would have only taken to know our God and his heart the accursed may have had a different outcome.

The challenge of being a Christian in a world of commercialism, advertising and temptation. The challenge of living a spiritual life in a body of flesh and blood.
It can be very difficult. I think it would be hard, almost impossible to know the heart of our God without spending time with him, without reading his word or spending time with others that believe in him.

This chapter from scripture, the 25th chapter of Matthew gives another window into the heart of our God.

There is no mention in today’s scripture of church affiliation, tradition, attendance or giving. It is about how we treat others. It is about having compassion and spending time with those that are suffering. It is about living merciful lives and easy the burden of others.

This scripture speaks to the heart of a God of compassion, a god of mercy, it speaks to a god of love. May we always be about God’s work.

Pastor Shawn LaRue, Seymour UMC
Author of Incomplete

 

 

 

The parable of the talents….

18 Saturday Nov 2017

Posted by in Authors Books Reviews & Interviews, Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

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We are closing in the on the holidays already which doesn’t seem possible.  Soon we will be in the season of Advent in the church, a season of waiting and anticipation of Christ’s return. 

Like last week’s scripture, today’s scripture is about what we do while we wait for Christ’s return.  Today’s scripture is titled, “The Parable of the Talents.”

At this point in Matthew’s gospel Christ is in his final days.  He has returned to Jerusalem for the last time.  His final parables in Matthew’s account are about what we are to be doing while waiting for his return.

“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.

 A talent was a measure of weight in biblical times.  The master of the estate was incredibly wealthy.  A talent is about 75 pounds of precious metal.  75 pounds.  An ounce of gold today is worth around $1,300. 

If you do the math a talent or 75 pounds of gold today is worth around $1.5 million dollars.  That is one talent, the first servant got five and the second servant got two. 

What does scripture say that the master of the estate did after giving this large amount of money to his servants…….He went away.  He didn’t give them any instructions.  He just gave it to them.  It seems apparent that he trusts them to be wise with it.

Helluva nice guy isn’t he.  What if I were to tell you that the master in this parable is Christ, he left but not before giving a bounty to his people?  What if I told you that the servants in this parable were you and I? 

That we have been given a treasure or a talent in the form of intellect, knowledge, life experience, talent, time, our ability to earn and a ton of his grace to boot?

And what if I told you that someday we will have to account for what we did with our God-given talent?  I will come back to that.

The master of the estate, he just left.  No directions, no instructions.  The servants were free to do what they would with what they were entrusted with, much like we are.  I want to talk about this for a minute.

Our God, the God that we serve limits himself in this parable and he does this often.  He limits himself so that others have an opportunity to lead and flourish. 

Christ, being of the same spiritual substance of The Father, came to this earth in the same limited manner that we exist, in flesh and blood.  Bound by time and space among other things. 

He limited himself as a penniless, itinerant carpenter turned preacher who emptied himself of his divinity to take on our broken condition.  He goes beyond limiting himself, he completely emptied himself.

He lived like the poorest of the poor with the poorest of the poor and spent his time with the lowest of the low.  Now, Christ did heal people, he performed miracles, he brought people that were dead back to life. 

But he lives his time on this earth consistently restrained.  And why would he do that………Is it because he hands the keys to the kingdom over to us, to each one of us?  That he wants each one of us to be about his work.

Is it because we are in his final days in the book of Matthew and he is making sure to make his point that he is leaving and these are the expectations for those who profess to know him?

God calls us to lead in one form or another.  Leadership isn’t about titles, we are called to lead our families, our church, our community, our school and many other things.

We weren’t made to sit on the sidelines idly watching the world go by.  Here is another window into my cynical and twisted mind.  In my experience in different leadership positions those that sat idly by, not only did they not help, they consistently attacked, smeared and hurled insults at the ones trying to get things done. 

Enough of that.  We are called to lives of service.  He are called to lead, we are called to be in ministry and we are called to be the light in this world.  We don’t retire from Christian service.  As long as there is air in our lungs we are called to be of service to the church.

After leaving his servants to do what they would with his money, the master returned.  “The one who had received the five talents had gone off and traded and made five more talents.”  He had doubled his master’s money.

“In the same way, the one who had been given two talents made two more talents.”  He also had doubled his master’s money.  Pretty impressive, do you know how much time it would take to double your money – legally?

“But the one who had received one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.”  After a long time the master, or Christ in this example, returns.  He is anxious to see what his people have done with what he has entrusted them with.

The one given five talents had pleased his master, “Well done, good and trustworthy servant, you have been trustworthy in a few things.  I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.”  Enter into the kingdom and splendor of God’s presence.

The one given two talents had also pleased his master and is greeted the same, “Well done, good and trustworthy servant, you have been trustworthy in a few things.  I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.”

The servant given one talent had to give his account of what he had done with what he had been given.  This servant’s response appears to be more of a reflection on his own character than the nature of the God we serve.

“Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, gathering where you did not scatter seed, so I was afraid and I hid your talent in the ground.  Here you have what is yours.” 

The third servant, the one given one talent sat idly by.  After many years, maybe even a lifetime he had not been about his master’s work.  I envision this servant shrugging his shoulders as he hands the money back and then goes on the offensive about how it isn’t really his fault.  It is the master’s fault, it is God’s fault that I didn’t do anything productive with what he gave me.

The master was not happy.  “You wicked and lazy servant!  You knew, did you that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed?  Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it with interest.”

“Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten talents.  For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 

“As for this servant, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

A warning parable about the accounting we will have to do when Christ returns.  Everyone is gifted whether they think they are or not.  The gifts we are given vary from person to person, no one gift is better or more important than another.  Those gifts are not to be wasted or to sit idle.

In this season of Thanksgiving, as we approach Advent and the celebration of Christ’s birth, let us be about God’s work in this world.  Let us feed, clothe and minister to the poor.  Let us be the church.  Let us be the light, the city on a hill that give sight to the blind and ears to hear for those that need to know our God.

Pastor Shawn LaRue, Seymour UMC

Author of Incomplete

Give to God what belongs to God….

22 Sunday Oct 2017

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In today’s reading two groups that were normally opposed to each other come together in an effort to trap a poor, itinerant preacher named Jesus.  The Pharisees I have talked often about. 

They were the religious leaders of the day.  They studied scripture, laws and customs and were quick to point out the transgressions of other with little awareness of their own sin.

The Herodians are presumed to be followers of Herod Antipas, the Roman leader.  The Herodians were a political group, not a religious one.  Acting as an extension of the Roman government.

Political and religious groups jockeying for position is as common today as it was in Christ’s day.  Israel was essentially a colony of the Roman Empire.  The Jewish people paid a tax to the Roman government that probably went to fund the Roman troops, guards and governor that occupied their country.

There was much bitterness over paying this.  Life was hard.  Large families in a rural society mean long hours of work on the farm, planting crops, tending livestock and praying for God’s provision.

How many of you hear today enjoy paying taxes?  How many of you celebrate when you property tax comes due?  Or when you buy a vehicle, only to be assessed several hundred dollars more….

I do not enjoy paying taxes, but it is the duty of a citizen of this country to help pay their share.  I don’t build the roads and bridges I drive on, plow snow from them or home school my children.

The Pharisees and Herodians approach Christ, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.

They flatter Christ and try to butter him up.  Teacher we know that you are a good guy, you are the man, you don’t show favorites and are abundantly fair.  They patronize him for what is coming next.

“Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not?” they ask him.  Should we pay the Roman tax? 

Keep in mind that we have religious leaders that oppose the Romans peacefully and an extension of the Roman government present.  Here is how this is a trap.

If Christ says yes if it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor then he would be seen as sympathizing with the Romans and betraying his own Jewish people.  A yes would give the Pharisees something to run with and undermine Christ’s credibility.

If he says no, it is not lawful to pay tax to the emperor then he could be accused of treason, sedition and be subject to the brutality that the Romans were famous for.

Further, endorsing the Herodian position, their tax and the currency used which hinted at the divinity of the Caesar.  How is Christ to do……….We’ve all been in a position where our choice was the lesser of two evils.

What does Christ do……..How does he find a way out of this well played trap? 

Christ did what he always does.  He saw the condition of the hearts of the men that were questioning him.  He knows the condition of the heart of each of us here today and all those that are not here.

He sees through the deceit, the trickery and the trap.  “Why are you putting me to the test you hypocrites?’ he asks.  Show me the coin used for the tax.

The group brought him a denarius.  The denarius spoke of both Romans oppression and blasphemy.  Farmer’s harvest were taxed, Jewish possessions were taxed.  A denarius was the usual wage for a day’s worth of work.

“Whose head is this and whose title?” Christ asks.  It is the emperor of course, the Caesar.  “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and give to God the things that are God’s.”

Give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor and give to God the things that belong to God.  Fulfill your obligations as working law-abiding citizens to you government, whether you approve of it or not.  Like it or not, it is the obligation and duty of every person.

Give to the government the things that bear the image of the government and its leaders and those that have done great things for their country, but give to God the things that bear the image of God.

So, where is the image of God found, who or what bears it…………Each of us do.  Every human being in every corner of the world does.  All of humankind was made in his image. 

It is us, ourselves, our being, our lives that we are to give to God.  But, do we do that?  Do we trust in God enough to do that?  Do we trust in God at all?

As Christians we have both earthly and heavenly responsibilities.  We are responsible to support our families, to be good parents to our children.  Nurturing and supporting them as them grow.  To respect our parents and elders. 

To work, pay our own way, our fair share.  To be responsible stewards of all that God has given us.  We have heavenly responsibilities as well.  A level of detachment has to exist in our lives.

We have to be able to detach from busy lives and spend time with our God.  We have to separate the wants of the flesh from the life of the spirit.  The wants of the flesh are overwhelming and can only be tamed by the spirit.

You are all probably familiar with the scripture in Matthew 25 – I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.  I was a stranger and you welcomed me.  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you took care of me.

Heavenly responsibilities.  Give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor and give to God what belongs to God.  Christ reasserts God’s ownership, sovereignty and rule.  A God so powerful, yet peaceful, fierce, but loving.

So peaceful and loving that he allows each of us to choose what do to with him.  We might complain how much tax we have to pay and how poorly those dollars are put to work sometime.  Roads full of potholes, spending large amounts of money on things we don’t think are needed.

I’m sure you’ve thought about this……You know how lucky we are to live as freely as we do.  There are people, many people, that live in danger for worshipping our God.  Many people in this world don’t have the freedoms that we have.

Give to the emperor what bears his image and give to God what bears his.  We have to find a balance between our obligations here on earth while fulfilling our obligations to God. 

We are to be about the work of the church.  When I say that I’m not talking about the self-preservation of the church.  I’m talking about growing and investing in people.  In relationships with one other, about being a deep group of people with purpose and vision.

Praying for guidance for this community of believers and how we can better reach people.  Better serve people.  Easy their suffering and bring them closer to God.

Give to the emperor, give to our government the things that belong to it and give to God the things that belong to God.

 

Pastor Shawn LaRue, Seymour UMC
Author of Incomplete

How do you want to be remembered?

08 Sunday Oct 2017

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“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ.  When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.”

How do you want to be remembered?  We have to accept that death is a part of this life.  Not to be feared, but to be a celebration of this life and the life to come.  From a jail cell, Paul wrote, “For you have died and your life is hid with Christ in God.”  The person you were before coming to faith is gone and you have been born again.  When that happen, life changes.  

Lives that burned for the things of this world are transformed into selfless lives of service.  Things are seen for what they are.  They have functional value and it’s nice to have nice things, but not at the expense of being able to do for others or finding your self-worth in them.

We don’t remember people for what the took — we remember people for what they gave.  How do you want to be remembered?

 

Pastor Shawn, Seymour UMC

Author of Incomplete

Authority.

01 Sunday Oct 2017

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I mentioned last week that we are near the end of Christ’s life in the book of Matthew.  He had made his triumphal return to the city of Jerusalem for the last time.  He had been hailed as a king, “Hosanna, Hosanna, in the highest!”

His relationship with the high priests, those that studied and were experts on religious custom and the law was contentious prior to his arrival in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover, a time of celebration for the Jewish people.

The people hailed him as a king when he entered the city.  Then Christ had the audacity to go to the temple and drive out those who were selling animals to be sacrificed in the temple.  Jewish people traveled from great distance to celebrate, worship and offer a sacrifice to their God.

Those that did the commerce in the temple took a little for themselves.  Let us exploit these travelers, these pilgrims.  Christ kept reversing the norm and upsetting those that took advantage of others. 

In today’s scripture, Christ enters the temple again, the very same place where he had just run those trying to make a profit.  He was teaching and preaching.

Those religions leaders I spoke of have had enough of him.  They approach him and ask, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

Why do you keep upsetting us, why are we the butt of these riddles you speak of, why do you keep exposing us?  That is what I think is going through their minds.  What gives you the right, who do you think you are?

To their defense not many people knew Christ’s true identity.  He didn’t flaunt it around, instead he kept it a secret oftentimes. 

Knowing that they were out to get him Christ responded to their question with a question, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.  Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?”

Where did John the Baptist get his authority?  It was granted to him by our God of course.  He was called to be the voice out in the wilderness, paving the way for his cousin, Jesus the Messiah.  John the Baptist was wildly popular and had disciples of his own.

After discussing this among themselves, the chief priests, elders and scribes respond, “If we say, ‘from heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘why then did you not believe him?’  But if we say, ‘of human origin, we are afraid of the crowd for all regard John as a prophet.” 

“We don’t know.”  That was their answer, we don’t know.  Christ answered them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Discovering who Christ truly is should be central to our lives.  We should want the answer to the question that was posed…..Oh that’s easy, Christ is God’s son, he’s part of the trinity that many don’t fully understand, there is your answer.

That is a correct, but dangerously superficial answer.  The Christian journey is a life-long adventure into finding the truth in our own lives.  That search for truth always points us in the direction of our God. 

You know, I read this week’s scripture early this week and I was sure that I was going to struggle with it.  So I read it again and I was still sure I was going to labor with this reading from Matthew because the meaning within it wasn’t obvious to me.

I would like to think I can read scripture and know pretty quick what direction I’m going to go with it.  That wasn’t the case with this in spite of the fact that my bible titles this encounter, “The Authority of Jesus Questioned.”

It was questioned during his lifetime.  It is questioned now.  Does God exist, can you see the work of his hand in this world, can you see the work of his people? 

I like to think that I stick to the scripture, but I got to thinking about authority when I was struggling with this scripture. 

Authority.  Was it important to respect and obey your parents growing up?  Of course it was, we didn’t always do it, but they are our parents and they are an authority figure.

Did, or are, you supposed to listen to your teachers?  Your coaches?  To those in law enforcement, your doctor, your attorney, your parole officer – if you have one and maybe even your pastor….Why……

Because each is an authority figure and each has power and influence and hopefully they know what they are doing.  Our God is the ultimate authority figure, to whom we will have to give an account of our deeds someday.

Authority figures give us advise, they look out for our best interest and they tell us what to do and that is where things don’t go so good.  How many of you like to be told what to do?  How many of you didn’t do something because someone told you to do it?

All of us have probably done that.  We like to have options, make our own choices, I don’t like being ordered to do something.  It seems like we live in a time where authority figures are questioned, judged and blamed.

It’s not my child’s fault, the fault lies with the teacher, with the coach, the principal or whoever it was that tried to provide something that looked like discipline. 

We desperately need authority in our lives.  We depend on it.  We need leaders within our church, our school our community that have the courage to step up and lead in spite of the insults hurled at them.

We depend on authority, we need it, we have to have it.  We depend and are reliant on Christ’s authority.  If Christ is not God’s son, if he did not die on a cross and was resurrected three days later we are all wasting our time.  You should have slept in this morning and you certainly should not be paying me to preach to you.

We would be random people living random lives that made little sense.  I would rather believe that I am wonderfully made than I descended from an ape or caveman. 

We need to respect and honor our God’s authority, we need to listen for his voice, for his guidance and direction.  Once we hear it, once we make time to listen for it.  He has a calling for each of us.

Doesn’t mean it is to be a minister, a missionary or a monk or a nun.  We have to take the courage to answer that call, to submit to that authority. 

I think that is what authority is.  We minded our parents, for the most part hopefully, and submitted to what they wanted us to do because they had our best interest in mind in trying to teach us and mold us into hard-working, law-abiding citizens.

Teachers, coaches, family and friends have played the same role in our lives.  It is no different with our God.  

He has looked after and cared for us when we turned our back on him.  We’ve had to endure and suffer and we didn’t like it, it was awful.  But did it make us better?  Did it allow us to be grateful and feel blessed for all that we did have? 

The authority of our God, in three persons, is absolute and pure.  The bible is God’s word, his letter to each of us, it is how he reveals himself in the written word.  It has authority.  Let us honor our God who works tirelessly to bring us closer to him. 

Pastor Shawn, Seymour UMC

Author of Incomplete

http://www.incompletedevotional.com

The kingdom of heaven…….

23 Saturday Sep 2017

Posted by in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

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This week the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner, an owner of an estate, head of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 

Before I continue, in Christ’s parables we are invited into the story to find ourselves a part of it.  With the hope that we can apply the lesson to our own lives.

The landowner, a person of means goes into town to find people to work on his land.  He goes out around 6 am and makes an agreement with those he finds there to work for the usual daily wage, a Roman denarius. 

The landowner went to the marketplace again at 9 am and saw others standing idle in the marketplace and said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.”  And so they went.

Before I continue through this parable, does anyone know or suspect who the landowner is……..The landowner is Christ.  The marketplace is the world.  And the vineyard is……………….Christ’s church.  Any guess who the idle laborers are? 

I was an idle laborer for many years.  An idle laborer seems contradictory.  It could be used to describe many of us at some point in our life, it but for a short season.

As a landowner seeks out laborers to work on his land, Christ is seeking, calling and employing laborers to be about the work of his church.  It is important for us to be about the work of the church.

Yes, we know Pastor.  I don’t know much about much, but I believe that once we become complacent, once the status quo is acceptable as a church, the church begins to die.  That is an important reason it is important to be about the work of the church.

The landowner had gone out early in the morning, again at nine, he goes out again at noon and three and finds more laborers to employ.  He goes out at the eleventh hour, or around 5 pm and found others standing around and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?”

What have you been doing here, nothing?  They said, “Because no one has hired us.”  No one has put us to work, no one has invited us to the vineyard to work, or invited us to church to be part of a community.

So, here are all these laborers.  Some have been working all day under the hot sun since early in the morning.  Some started at noon and some just showed up.  And now we’ve arrived at the end of the work day.

It was a common practice and an expectation of those that you employed that they were paid at the end of the day in biblical times. 

So, it is quitting time.  A hard day’s work for some, an hour of work for others…..I’ve talked about how Christ reversed the expectations of what people expected.

In this parable the landowner said to his foreman, “Call the laborers and given them their pay, beginning with the last and giving to the first.”

This parable has been very straight forward so far, but here is where it gets tricky.  Those that had started working last came forward and they were paid the usually daily wage, a Roman denarius.  

What a generous guy this man is.  If he paid a day’s wage for working for an hour, just think he will pay those that have worked since early this morning, since 9 am and since noon.  Am I right?  If I had been there since 6-7 am I would be thinking, YES.  Today is going to be a good day.  I’m eating steak tonight.

Guess how much the all the workers got paid regardless of how long they worked……….the same amount.  One Roman denarius.  One day’s wage.

And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner saying, “These last worked only one hour and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.”

I would be right there with them.  This is a bunch of crap.  I’ve been working all day, I deserve more.  I worked harder, I worked more.  Have you ever noticed how sometimes you or someone you work with or someone you know thinks they are entitled to more?

I’m as guilty as anyone.  There are times when we covet what God gives to others, blind to all that he has done for us.  I’m easily as bad as anyone here today when it comes to coveting.  I want a nicer house, a fancier car, a bigger bank account and everything else I want and I want it right now. 

If I see someone’s existence as more comfortable or easier I want it.  They don’t deserve it, I do.  God, why can’t I have it?  I completely dismiss all that I have been given.  We have all worked hard in our lives, but there is little to nothing of what we’ve accomplished or have that can’t be traced back to something we were given.

Given from our parents, grandparents, family, friends, teachers, coaches, mentors and most importantly our God.  Education level, intelligence, income, good health, safe places to grow up in – those are all things granted to us by the grace of God…..

I am usually first to take credit for what I’ve accomplished.  See, I am selfish.  I bet I’m not the only here today that is.  It is part of our human condition.  We have to fight our human needs, our compulsions, our want to do whatever we want whenever we want.

One of the best lessons we can learn in this life is to learn to sacrifice for others.  To be content and grateful for all that we have and all that we are. 

Not all of us are called to be saints, but we are called to help those in need.  We are called to make a difference in our own, small corner of the world wherever that may be.  To be pioneers in social justice.

This landowner, the owner of the estate was hearing from his disgruntled employees on how unfairly he had compensated them, even though they all had agreed to work for the daily wage.  He answered them, “Friend, I have not been unfair.  Did you not agree with me to work for the usual daily wage?”

“Take what belongs to you and go, I choose to give to this last the same as I have given to you.  Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?  Or are you envious because I am generous?  So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

We are called to live lives of service.  The reward for every man, woman and child who has faith in Christ, faith in the God that we serve, will receive the same eternal reward. 

So let us not be idle workers in the marketplace.  Let us not sit by in this world in our sin wasting precious time.  Let us be called by our God into service in his church.  And let us not covet what others have.

Pastor Shawn LaRue, Seymour UMC

Author of Incomplete

Forgiveness…

17 Sunday Sep 2017

Posted by in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

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The parable of the unforgiving servant.  This parable is pretty straight forward and applicable to today’s world.  Like the se

The parable of the unforgiving servant.  This parable is pretty straight forward and applicable to today’s world.  Like the servant in today’s scripture we are to forgive as we have been forgiven.  All day, every day.

Forgiveness, the amazing power that forgiveness possesses, it frees both the offender and the offended.  It breaks the shackles and chains of resentment, grudges and bitterness.  With such tremendous power, forgiveness should be our number one option, our go to when needed, right?

It doesn’t seem to work that way does it?  When we are injured, our feelings get hurt or some event brings to light those things that we are insecure about – are we quick to forgive…..or are we quick to retaliate?

You’ve heard me tell you I’m a hypocrite before right?  When reading scripture or preparing a sermon I often times get exposed for my own behavior, for my own sin, for my unwillingness at times to forgive.

Sometimes we like to own those offenses, they become a badge of honor to tell others about and plot revenge.  Do you know what such and such did to me?  Can you believe that? 

I’ll tell you something I don’t get mad, I get even.  Ever had that phrase go through your mind and off your lips?  In our broken, human form revenge, retaliation, emotion and anger move us toward retribution.

But why would we want to hang onto such ugliness?  An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.  Those looking for scripture to support their case for revenge often cite that passage.

The message that Christ brought almost always turns human motive and cultural norms and expectations 180 degrees.  Completely reverses what was to be expected.

You must be last in order to be first, those that are humble will be exalted.  This passage is no different.  The disciple Peter approaches Christ and asks him this question, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive?  As many as seven times?

Seven times seems like enough doesn’t it?  Seven slams, seven sarcastic remarks, seven times you make me mad, seven times you injure me verbally, physically, emotionally or spiritually and I will forgive.  But the eighth time, you’re mine.

I don’t know where Peter got that number, but it caused me to think and reflect.  If you get beyond those that you live with, spouse, children, family and close friends.  If someone made you mad seven times how much time would you be spending with them?

Probably not a whole lot.  I would be avoiding them as much as possible.  I have a lot of work to do on this forgiveness thing.

Christ responds to Peter’s question of is seven times enough to forgive, “Not seven times, but 77 times.”  I read another translation that said 70 times 7.  Are you kidding, at least 77 and as many as 490 times?

As much as them seems to be I look at those married couples that have been together for decades, some for half a century or longer.  Do you think that forgiveness has been part of their story?

I think that it would have to be.  The inability to forgive leads to bitterness.  Is it enjoyable to be around someone that is bitter?  Our existence was not made to be heavy and burdensome with the weight of every slight one has ever encountered.

Our existence is meant to be light and joyful, full of compassion with hearts willing to forgive.  The granting of forgiveness is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.  It can be done in person or in prayer.

After telling Peter how many times he would have to forgive he speaks the parable of the unforgiving servant.  “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.  One that owed 10,000 talents was brought to him.” 

A talent is a measurement of weight, it is approximately 130 pounds of what was probably a precious metal or something of value.  10,000 talents is equal to 1.3 million pounds of gold, silver or some other valuable commodity.  1.3 million pounds.

It was more than a lifetime of debt, a debt that could not be repaid.  The servant that owed this amount was well aware that he couldn’t pay it and when the king ordered that he, his wife and children and all their possession be sold to pay it, he begged for patience, he begged for forgiveness.

And what did the king that was owed this extraordinary amount of money do?  He forgave it.  Just like that….You know the bible is rich with symbolism, who do you think that the king in this scripture is?

……It is the God we serve, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  The kingdom of heaven is like a king that paid the ransom for those who could not pay it.  Who sent his son to die in their place.  A king that opened the treasure chest of grace and shared it with all and it pleased him to do so.

The servant fell in front of the king and begged not to be sold into slavery.  The kind of slavery that carrying grudges and resentments bring.  The king said that I forgive you of everything, all of it.

As the parable continues the servant that had been forgiven of a mountain of debt, whose family had been spared from being split up and sold into slavery, turns to another servant who owes him a fraction of the debt that he just had cancelled and seizes him by the throat and demands payment.

This servant got down on his hands and knees and pleads for more time, pleads for forgiveness.  The man that had been forgiven of so much refused to forgive a far smaller debt and had him thrown into prison until he could pay the debt he owed.

Very ironic that given the blessing, the good fortune that was extended that he couldn’t extend even a fraction to someone else.  Any guesses on who the unforgiving servant is in this parable…….

I’m afraid that it has been each one of us at some point in our life.  I know it has been me, I suspect it has been you.  It has been anyone that has withheld forgiveness in spite of how much they have been forgiven.

We have all been hurt, injured, slighted, talked about, gossiped about or made fun of at some point in our life.  We have to let those things go, we can’t control what other people do, we can only control our response to such things.

Word got back to the king of what had taken place.  The servant that had been forgiven of a lifetime of debt was summoned to appear before him.  “You wicked slave!” he says, “I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  Should you not have mercy on your fellow man, as I had mercy on you?”

In his anger the king handed over the unforgiving servant to be tortured until he could pay his entire debt.  Christ would end the parable with this word of warning, “So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

An unwillingness to forgive not only haunts us in this life, but in the one to come.  Hard hearts, hearts of those whose lives are painfully difficult have to be soften by coming to faith, by knowing the healing power of our God.

We are called to set the example, to live lives full of grace, mercy and compassion to be an example, to witness to those that are distant from God.  To show a willingness to forgive as our Father in heaven has forgiven us. rvant in today’s scripture we are to forgive as we have been forgiven.  All day, every day.

Pastor Shawn, Seymour UMC

Author of Incomplete

Forgiveness, the amazing power that forgiveness possesses, it frees both the offender and the offended.  It breaks the shackles and chains of resentment, grudges and bitterness.  With such tremendous power, forgiveness should be our number one option, our go to when needed, right?

It doesn’t seem to work that way does it?  When we are injured, our feelings get hurt or some event brings to light those things that we are insecure about – are we quick to forgive…..or are we quick to retaliate?

You’ve heard me tell you I’m a hypocrite before right?  When reading scripture or preparing a sermon I often times get exposed for my own behavior, for my own sin, for my unwillingness at times to forgive.

Sometimes we like to own those offenses, they become a badge of honor to tell others about and plot revenge.  Do you know what such and such did to me?  Can you believe that? 

I’ll tell you something I don’t get mad, I get even.  Ever had that phrase go through your mind and off your lips?  In our broken, human form revenge, retaliation, emotion and anger move us toward retribution.

But why would we want to hang onto such ugliness?  An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.  Those looking for scripture to support their case for revenge often cite that passage.

The message that Christ brought almost always turns human motive and cultural norms and expectations 180 degrees.  Completely reverses what was to be expected.

You must be last in order to be first, those that are humble will be exalted.  This passage is no different.  The disciple Peter approaches Christ and asks him this question, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive?  As many as seven times?

Seven times seems like enough doesn’t it?  Seven slams, seven sarcastic remarks, seven times you make me mad, seven times you injure me verbally, physically, emotionally or spiritually and I will forgive.  But the eighth time, you’re mine.

I don’t know where Peter got that number, but it caused me to think and reflect.  If you get beyond those that you live with, spouse, children, family and close friends.  If someone made you mad seven times how much time would you be spending with them?

Probably not a whole lot.  I would be avoiding them as much as possible.  I have a lot of work to do on this forgiveness thing.

Christ responds to Peter’s question of is seven times enough to forgive, “Not seven times, but 77 times.”  I read another translation that said 70 times 7.  Are you kidding, at least 77 and as many as 490 times?

As much as them seems to be I look at those married couples that have been together for decades, some for half a century or longer.  Do you think that forgiveness has been part of their story?

I think that it would have to be.  The inability to forgive leads to bitterness.  Is it enjoyable to be around someone that is bitter?  Our existence was not made to be heavy and burdensome with the weight of every slight one has ever encountered.

Our existence is meant to be light and joyful, full of compassion with hearts willing to forgive.  The granting of forgiveness is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.  It can be done in person or in prayer.

After telling Peter how many times he would have to forgive he speaks the parable of the unforgiving servant.  “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.  One that owed 10,000 talents was brought to him.” 

A talent is a measurement of weight, it is approximately 130 pounds of what was probably a precious metal or something of value.  10,000 talents is equal to 1.3 million pounds of gold, silver or some other valuable commodity.  1.3 million pounds.

It was more than a lifetime of debt, a debt that could not be repaid.  The servant that owed this amount was well aware that he couldn’t pay it and when the king ordered that he, his wife and children and all their possession be sold to pay it, he begged for patience, he begged for forgiveness.

And what did the king that was owed this extraordinary amount of money do?  He forgave it.  Just like that….You know the bible is rich with symbolism, who do you think that the king in this scripture is?

……It is the God we serve, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  The kingdom of heaven is like a king that paid the ransom for those who could not pay it.  Who sent his son to die in their place.  A king that opened the treasure chest of grace and shared it with all and it pleased him to do so.

The servant fell in front of the king and begged not to be sold into slavery.  The kind of slavery that carrying grudges and resentments bring.  The king said that I forgive you of everything, all of it.

As the parable continues the servant that had been forgiven of a mountain of debt, whose family had been spared from being split up and sold into slavery, turns to another servant who owes him a fraction of the debt that he just had cancelled and seizes him by the throat and demands payment.

This servant got down on his hands and knees and pleads for more time, pleads for forgiveness.  The man that had been forgiven of so much refused to forgive a far smaller debt and had him thrown into prison until he could pay the debt he owed.

Very ironic that given the blessing, the good fortune that was extended that he couldn’t extend even a fraction to someone else.  Any guesses on who the unforgiving servant is in this parable…….

I’m afraid that it has been each one of us at some point in our life.  I know it has been me, I suspect it has been you.  It has been anyone that has withheld forgiveness in spite of how much they have been forgiven.

We have all been hurt, injured, slighted, talked about, gossiped about or made fun of at some point in our life.  We have to let those things go, we can’t control what other people do, we can only control our response to such things.

Word got back to the king of what had taken place.  The servant that had been forgiven of a lifetime of debt was summoned to appear before him.  “You wicked slave!” he says, “I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  Should you not have mercy on your fellow man, as I had mercy on you?”

In his anger the king handed over the unforgiving servant to be tortured until he could pay his entire debt.  Christ would end the parable with this word of warning, “So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

An unwillingness to forgive not only haunts us in this life, but in the one to come.  Hard hearts, hearts of those whose lives are painfully difficult have to be soften by coming to faith, by knowing the healing power of our God.

We are called to set the example, to live lives full of grace, mercy and compassion to be an example, to witness to those that are distant from God.  To show a willingness to forgive as our Father in heaven has forgiven us.

 

Pastor Shawn LaRue

Author of Incomplete

When the material things of this world don’t deliver.

02 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

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water-464953_1920

“There was a man who had two sons.  The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’  So he divided his property between them.  A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.”     Luke 15:11-13 (The prodigal son)

I see myself in the parable of the prodigal son, and maybe you do too.  He was young and brash with a desire to live life in the fast lane.  He couldn’t wait for his father to pass.  He needed his inheritance now.

After his father grants his wish, the young man packs his belongings and heads to a distant land.  He squanders his money on fast living.  He hits bottom, so much so that he asks a farmer to hire him to help with his pigs.  He is so hungry that what the pigs are eating looks good to him.

Many of us haven’t sunk to this level physically, but how about spiritually?  It is when we are at our weakest, hungriest, coldest and in terrible pain that we cry out to God for mercy.  The prodigal son returns home and begs for forgiveness.  His father waits for his return and rejoices when it happens.  Much the same way our heavenly father rejoices when we return to him, he forgives us of our disobedience.

When living out all the desires of the flesh falls short, when you can’t find joy or happiness, turn to God.

 

Pastor Shawn LaRue

Author of the devotional, Incomplete

 

WordPress Snafu #5798764167976456sa3467987sdf GRRRRRRRR

24 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by in Just Me Musing

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Has anyone else noticed that WordPress is not allowing comments today?  All the posts I am seeing in my Reader have comments closed….and so do mine, although I stopped doing that over a week ago.

So for all of you that I have visited and LIKED only today, this is why.

Sigh………I know…. you cant reply……

 

~Morgan.

With Gratitude

23 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by in Just Me Musing

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105

For YOU! My Dear Sweet WordPress Family:

OH How the Surprise of Tears Do come,
Rushing in on my Poise and Certainty
When Such a Warm and Delicate Touch
As Your words,
In Delight of Mine,
Do Cause the Moon to Shiver,
The Sun to Shine!
Without the Simplest Enticement or Lure,
My Thanks, Seemingly Paltry,
Yet Honest and Pure,
For Ever Do I Receive This Honor
With More Gratitude of Thought and Feeling
Than My Language or Heart Can Sweetly Express.

~Morgan~

Magic Carpet

27 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by in Poetry

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Magic Carpet

WordPress is a Marvelous, Magic Carpet,
Taking us Places we, otherwise, might never go;
Helping us to Experience those things we might never, ordinarily, Realize;
Introducing us to people we very possibly may never meet under any other circumstances.
It is a Blessing to Enjoy
And a Blessing to Share our Enjoyment with others.
Building Bridges and Friendships,
Forging Partnerships of Spirit and Artistry,
Spanning across distances and Cultural margins,
WordPress is the Genie’s Lamp of the blogosphere.
~Morgan~
.
.
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Amazing Original Artwork by: Viktor Vasnetsov

Fantasmagorical!

14 Saturday Dec 2013

Posted by in awards

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fantasmagorical

Fantasmagorical !

There’s a word. Quite possibly one of the best words ever devised. It’s a mixture of ‘fantastic’, ‘amazing’ and ‘magical’ all rolled up into one spritely little package. One of those declarations, like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, that eludes practical usage, but serves perfectly when ordinary words simply will not do. This, then, is the perfect expression to describe my sentiments when looking over the pleasing plethora of presents (or awards, to be more accurate, but I needed a P-word).

When I began this blog, as my first post will testify, I truly was not at all certain if ANYONE would even bother to read what it was that I thought I might have to say. At the time, I wasn’t even exactly sure what it was that I WANTED to say, and I never dreamed anyone would give me an award for saying it, yet to my amazement, they did and still are, which leads me back to this particularly pleasing proclamation : Fantasmagorical!

Now, before I begin, as I do realize these award posts can get a bit INSANE (even more so than I can) please humour me a moment while I attempt to explain the method to my madness here. I should like very much to follow all the award rules, but as it would result in a post, at the very least, several miles long, I shall ask that you permit me the privilege of sharing with you the Important part of awards, in my opinion, which is the other blogs you might like to discover. After, I should also like to share a few morsels about my friends who have been so kind as to honour me with this pleasing plethora and then, wrap up with a few fun facts and meaningless musings about me. (should you be interested)

Hang onto your hats…here we go! (A more detailed explanation of each award follows below these nominees)

shauny

I Should like to share the Shauny Award for Blogging Excellence with:
1. Pat Cegan at: http://patcegan.wordpress.com
2. tyler4turtles at: http://tylerpedersen02.wordpress.com
3. acuriousgal at: http://acuriousgal.wordpress.com

Blog of the Year Award 1 star jpeg

I should like to award the 2013 Blog of the Year Award to:
1. Brenda at: http://friendlyfairytales.wordpress.com
2. purpleraysblog at: http://purplerays.wordpress.com
3. MichelleMarie Antell at: http://michellemarieantellg.wordpress.com

wordpressfamilyaward

I Should like to Include the following blogs in The WordPress Family Award:
1. The Irish Wench at: http://ourgrainofsand.wordpress.com
2. thejerseygal®™ at: http://gabrielsfury.wordpress.com
3. Mungai and the Goa Constrictor at : http://mungaiandthegoaconstrictor.me/

the-lighthouse-award

The Lighthouse Award I should like to share with:
1. kundalinispirit at : http://kundalinidotorg.wordpress.com
2. Rexie at : http://geetaanjalee.wordpress.com
3. willowmarie at : http://willowmariewrites.wordpress.com

Sunshine Award

I Should like to share The Sunshine Award with:
1. RebellRed at: http://rebellred.wordpress.com
2. valzart at : http://valzart.me
3. PetiteOptimist at : http://thepetiteoptimist.wordpress.com

versatile

And Last, but certainly never least, The Versatile Blogger awards go to:
1. FeatherMoon Poet at : http://feathermoonpoetry.wordpress.com
2. v4vikey at : http://phototrap.wordpress.com
3. From the Desk of MarDrag at : http://fromthedeskofmardrag.wordpress.com

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I have made some truly wonderful friends here, and one of them is Patty from Petite Magique, found at http://petitemagique.wordpress.com/. I’ve mentioned her before, to be sure, but some things bear repeating. Her blog is filled with magic, delight, wonder, passion, romance, and a hint of humour…all of which appeal to me and, I have a sneaking suspicion, will appeal to you as well. Patty has awarded me The Shauny Award for Blogging Excellence and I am entirely over the moon, as this award’s guiding principle is one right up my alley.

The Shauny Award was made specifically for him by a friend Doc. The Original Award can be found here: http://hrexach.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/a-new-blogging-award-has-been-created-the-shauny-award-for-blogging-excellence/ The rules for the Shauny Award are as follows:
Show Humanity, Share Love, Be Yourself, Don’t Be Others, Don’t Gossip. (That’s it. Sounds simple enough, right? Go Ahead, Be Challenged!)
Then Share this Lovely Award with others.

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Another wonderful blogger, Donna from Heron There and Everywhere, found at http://heronthereeverywhere.us/ has kindly re-nominated me for the 2013 Blog of the Year Award. (This would be Star #7 for me) I am so pleased to know that she has, also, received this marvelous tribute of an award, as her blog is simply lovely. With photography (mostly of nature, which I love) poetry that makes you smile, stop and wonder, or, sometimes, wipe away a tear, touches of humour and a marvelous love for all creatures great and small, her blog is an escape I enjoy running to every day.

The Rules for the Blog of the Year 2013 Award are:
1-Select the blog(s) you think deserve the Blog Of The Year 2013 Award.
2-Write a post about the blog(s) you have chosen (there are no minimum or maximum number of blogs required) and ‘present’ the blog(s) with their award.
3-Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the instructions with them- (please don’t alter the instructions or the badges!)
4-Come over and say hello to the originator of the Blog Of The Year 2013 Award via this link:http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/blog-awards-2-/blog-of-the-year-2013-award/
5-You can now also join the Blog Of The Year Award Facebook Page. Click the link here:https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlogoftheYear to share your blog posts with an even wider audience.
6-Finally, as a winner of the award, please add a link back to the blog that presented you with this award-and then proudly display the award on your blog- and start collecting stars!

Rexez

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Patty from PetiteMagique http://petitemagique.wordpress.com/ Also graciously nominated me for The WordPress Family Award. This is an award for everyone who is part of the “Word Press Family”, for those who take in new bloggers, and show love and a caring interest; for those who take a second to be nice, to answer a question and not make things a competition. This amazing Family is made up of kindred souls who have never met, but who are there for each other as family.

The Rules:
1. Display the award logo on your blog.
2. Link back to the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate others you see as having an impact on your wordpress experience and family
4. Let your Family members know you have awarded them
5. That is it. Just please pick 10 people that have taken you as a friend, and spread the love.

Patty ALSO recently BLESSED me with a new award called The Lighthouse Award.
This is a new Award created by Coach–>http://goodtimestories.wordpress.com
His words:
I decided to make an award to recognize the people who have created beautiful, heartwarming, and inspirational blogs. Their blogs bring us happiness, enlighten our hearts, and bring a little joy to our lives when we visit their pages. The work that these people have done has truly given us rays of light in a gloomy world.

Rules
1. Display the Award certificate on your blog.
2. Write a post and link back to the blogger that nominated you.
3. Inform your nominees of their award nominations
4. Share three ways that you like to help other people.
5. There is no limit to the number of people that you can nominate.
6. HAVE FUN!!!

3 Ways I will help someone:
1. I will strive to keep the focus of my blog, which is, to share Love, Hope, Peace and Joy, because there simply can never be enough of any of those.
2. I will never look the other way when I see cruelty or neglect.
3. I will share this Joy in my heart whenever, wherever, however, and to whomever I am led.

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A Relatively new friend, Thomas from Movies and Music Café found at: http://thomasjford.wordpress.com/ Has Also ever so kindly nominated me for the 2013 Blog of the Year Award ( My Stars, (pun intended) Star #8). Thomas has a love of the entertainment industry, as do I, and one of the first posts of his I noticed was about the (sadly) under-appreciated movie entitled Trapped in Paradise (with Nicholas Cage) which was actually filmed only a few miles from my home! Thomas’ views, insights, love of music, acting, theater, and all things Entertaining brings me back to his blog again and again (and again!).

As the rules for this award are aforementioned, I shall carry on…

CAT-SUN
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My relatively new friend, Drakulus from http://drakulus.com/ has paid me the honour of nominating me for the Sunshine Award. Although Drakulus and I have only recently met, I am delighted to receive this award from my new friend. Please do take a few moments to discover Drakulus’ very interesting blog, filled with intrigue, gaming, and movie reviews (which I love!). Always fun to read, you will certainly enjoy your visit.

The Rules to the Sunshine Award are simple.
Now, the Rules to these Awards:
1. Display the Award on your Blog.
2. Announce your Honour (yes I’ve changed the word from win, I do so hope you don’t mind!) with a post and Thank the Blogger who Awarded you.
3. Present Several deserving Bloggers with the Award.
4. Link your awardees in the post and let them know of their Honour with a comment on their blog.
5. Share Some Interesting facts about yourself

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Finally, Jay, over at JayBluePoems found at http://jaybluepoems.com/ has most recently awarded me with the Versatile Blogger Award. Jay has been a friend nearly since the beginning of my blogging career (meaning for about half a year now) and has ever been supportive, helpful, inspirational and even paid me the VERY great honour of seeking me out for a collaboration, a privilege which still leaves me astounded. Jay’s blog is poetry of pure brilliance, romantic lyricism and entrancing beauty. You WILL NOT be sorry should you stop by and survey his wonderful world of words, I assure you.

Here are the rules:
1. Display the Award Certificate on your blog.
2. Announce your win with a post. Make sure you post a link back to me as a ‘thank you’ for the nomination.
3. Present awards to deserving bloggers of your choice.
4. Leave them a comment to let them know after you have linked them to a post.
5. Post 7 interesting things about yourself.

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And now….if you are still awake…a few tidbits about me you may, or may not, already know.
1. I once had to rescue a 5 foot long python snake from underneath a baseboard heater and cuddle it to calm it down while it’s new environment enclosure was being upgraded.
2. My Friends like to call me The Queen of Useless Information, because I know all sorts of ridiculous, otherwise useless, trivia, like the lead singer’s name from the 80’s band Kajagoogoo (which is Limhal) and how he ended up with such a unique name (his actual name is Chris Hamill, so he switched the letters around and Viola…Limahl)
3. I don’t tend to drink very frequently, however, my favourite alcoholic beverage is Bailey’s Irish Cream on the rocks. (mmmmm)
4. I whole heartedly believe I once saw an Angel. (a future post perhaps shall reveal more)
5. I am a hopeless romantic, as well as a sensualist and dreamer.

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To Sum Up: (IF this mighty long-winded post hasn’t made it clear) Thank You Ever So!!!! I am Fantasmagorically Blessed and Treasure Each One of YOU for making this journey through blogdom one of the most Remarkable, Enticing, Inspirational, and Joyful experiences of me life.

Blessings and Peace~

~Morgan~

The Undiscovered Country

11 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by in Just Me Musing

≈ 8 Comments

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Too Little Time

OH the conundrum of the WordPress Reader!

OH how I wish I could Read every single one of the posts I see, posts so lovingly created by such inspiring and creative hands!

OH how I yearn to sit at this computer the day long, reading and writing, writing and reading, sharing myself and receiving you, friends, cohorts, collaborators, conspirators of the written word.

BUT OH how little time there is in this short day. OH that I must work when I want to play!

Yes, this is the dilemma that faces us all, (isn’t it?) Or maybe you just buzz by, click Like and keep going, (yet , even in that you still show a spirit of support and a desire, if nothing else, to promote and peruse.)

The WordPress Reader, that “undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns (Uninspired) puzzles the will”. (Uh huh, Hamlet, You know me well enough by now not to even be surprised, right?) So Many Talented writers, poets, photographers; Artists All (which I guess includes me, which is, in and of itself, a somewhat startling suggestion!), All sharing the same taxing burden. That there is not enough time in the day.

Do I have an answer to this quandary? Do I have a mote of inspiring insight to share that will make this predicament easier to bear or to dispense with altogether? Do I hold in my hands the key to unlocking the secrets of Readerdom (ok, Yes, I made that word up, but since you knew what I meant the minute you read it, I feel, at least in the least wise, justified). Do I know how to correct this sticky situation and make it smooth sailing from here on out?

Nope. (sorry, not the answer you were hoping for?)

Alas, ‘Tis a burden we must all bear, as best we are able (unless one of you holds the aforementioned key and should like to share?) To know that, right here at my fingertips, there lies a Sea of Passionately Inspired, Deeply Desired, Hauntingly Lovely, Sad and, (dare I say ) Literarily Comely and that, though I focus all my energy (that I can spare, while still leaving time to write for myself, work, eat, play with the kitty and sleep ) I am, in fact, doomed to never see or read them all.

Such Knowledge, although Elementary, Watson, is a Bitter Pill to swallow. But Rather than spiraling through and simply clicking for the sake of clicking, and in that unflattering moment dull the edge of veracity, I shall trudge on and hope for speed reading super-powers tomorrow.

So if by some strange happenstance,
In this most multifarious Dance,
Should I quickly Click and there, Perchance,
Pause only briefly to Steal a Glance,
In Kindness Forgive my own Mischance,
And do not glare or scowl, Askance,
For Your Words and Images yet Enhance
This Dreamer’s overly Verbose Romance

~Morgan~
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Amazing Image found at: bignanime.wordpress.com

Ta! (In Other Words…)

10 Sunday Nov 2013

Posted by in awards

≈ 33 Comments

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Ta! Cheers! Thanks! WORD!

No matter how you might say it, THANK YOU always feels like a rather insignificant phrase when attempting to convey the emotion, appreciation, and (in this case, anyway) the delight that is felt. It might seem a bit pat, a bit commonplace, a bit overly rehearsed, or what have you, but Thank You, in my Book(nvolume) is never not worth saying.

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Salvatore at Freedom of the Heart (found at: http://freedomoftheheart.com/) has nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. In all honesty, I am honoured, as Sal and I have only known each other a few months of blogging, yet in that time I have been inspired and blessed by his beautiful blog. His poetry is so express, so touching; the artwork he chooses so uniquely lovely and I always feel a sense of calm and rejuvenation after reading his words. Do take a moment to stop by his blog. You, too, shall be blessed!

Since there are a few stipulations to accepting this award, I shall get straight to it:

Display the Award Certificate on your blog.
Announce your win with a post. Make sure you post a link back to me as a ‘thank you’ for the nomination.
Present 15 awards to 15 deserving bloggers.
Leave them a comment to let them know after you have linked them to a post.
Post 7 interesting things about yourself.

Or How about this: Seven Movies I can (and do) watch over and over and over…(just to make it interesting)

1. Driving Miss Daisy (Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy. No contest!)
2. Walk in the Clouds (Keanu Reeves without a single Dude uttered during the entire movie!)
3. Any Star Trek Movie (no big surprise there, right?)
4. The Polar Express (this is just Magic from Beginning to End, with Tom Hanks to Boot!)
5. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead ( no, seriously!)
6. Pride and Prejudice (But only the one with Colin Firth, thank You)
7. Hamlet (You knew that was coming, right? If not, you should have.)

But now, for the most important part of this Award, which is the main reason I continue to accept, because it gives me an opportunity to give a brief, yet well-deserved shout out to a few fellow bloggers

Please Do Take a Moment to Visit the following Exceptional Blogs:

1. Shawn L. Bird at: http://shawnbird.wordpress.com
2. greatpoetrymhf at : http://greatpoetrymhf.wordpress.com/
3. Lee Hiller at: http://hikeourplanet.com/
4. poetaflor at: http://lapoetaflor.wordpress.com
5. eriklehman at: http://erikslehman.wordpress.com
6. faerieatthetable at : http://tothetable24.wordpress.com
7. painttheworldwithwords at : http://painttheworldwithwords.wordpress.com
8. seventhvoice at : http://seventhvoice.wordpress.com
9. mariadanielle at : http://haphazardhypotheses.wordpress.com
10. Wendell A. Brown at: http://foreverpoetic.wordpress.com
11. PookyH at: http://pookypoetry.wordpress.com
12. Karen Soutar at: http://karensoutar.wordpress.com
13. greenlightlady at : http://greenlightlady.wordpress.com
14. rupacoach at : http://rupacoach.wordpress.com
15. BreakNeckPrincess at: http://breakneckprincess.wordpress.com

Blessings~ my WordPress Family! May Your Inspiration never run dry!

~Morgan~
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Amazing Image found at: oxforddictionaries.com Blog