Archive | November 2015

Let Us Break Bread Together

Nov29

break Bread

Let Us Break Bread Together

Let us break bread together on our knees, (on our knees)
Let us break bread together on our knees. (on our knees)
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees, (on our knees)
Let us drink wine together on our knees. (on our knees)
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees, (on our knees)
Let us praise God together on our knees. (on our knees)
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

African American Spiritual
Audio: Stephen Sollars
Photo: Marge McCoy

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov26

thanksday

On Thanksgiving Day

We praise you, our God,
on Thanksgiving Day ~
Your glory reflects on our faces.

Our hearts are focused
on mercy so great ~
You fill us with joy by your graces.

Rememb’ring the gift
of Jesus our Lord ~
your love never fails to amaze us.

Awesome, unequaled,
that love so divine ~
Our voices resound with your praises!

“…O, LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth —
you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.”

(2 Chronicles 6:4, NIV)

Poem by Connie Faust
Photo by Ruth Diane Handley Domigan

backwards

Nov23

backwards

I am the Lord Your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13

For years my special needs son (now in his 20’s) wore whatever clothing I picked out for him and let me help him get dressed each day. We completed our morning routine like clockwork. As he approached adulthood a light bulb switched on and he started to make more of his own choices and be slightly more independent with his clothing. It stated by requesting to wear a favorite shirt or choosing his own pajamas. He got to the point where he would set aside the shirts I laid out for him preferring to go to the closet to find his own. He progressed to not only choosing his own clothes but dressing himself. He stopped wearing zipper pants opting for elastic so he could pull them on and off by himself. The bus to his workshop comes pretty early so it is necessary that I prompt him along as he gets dressed on week days but he always insists on choosing his own clothes. Since he does the choosing he may wear purple shirts four days in a row. I used to feel funny about that wondering if the people who see him daily think it’s odd that I send him out wearing the same thing day after day. I have come to realize that as long as his clothes are clean and neat it does not matter how many days he wears a certain style or color. What matters is that he now takes an interest in making his own choices.

On Saturdays, “break day” as he calls it, the day is more relaxed and he may spend an hour or longer in his room getting himself ready. Sometimes I find three or four shirts and empty hangers on the floor as evidence of his decision making. When he is finished he comes proudly out of his room pointing to his clothes and saying “all by self” patting his chest adding, “Mommy’s proud” or “Daddy’s happy”. Some days we notice that his socks are twisted or his pants are on backwards or maybe his shirt is inside out. I used to feel I had jump right up and straighten the sock, turn the pants around or re-button a shirt that was off track. I don’t do that as quickly anymore. One day as I was “fixing” his clothing I heard a little sigh escape his lips and I felt like his proud moment had a little shadow of defeat in it. These days if his shirt is buttoned wrong or his elastic waist pants are on backwards who really cares? I do help him change his shoes if I notice they are on the wrong feet (so he won’t stumble or get sore feet) but I make it a point congratulate him on a good try. I fix the footwear but I do not always intervene with the clothing errors. If you see him out and about someday don’t worry if his pants are backwards or his collar is crooked. Celebrate with us that he is gaining independence. He did his best. He is proud!

As I was putting his discarded shirts back on their hangers the other day I thought of how far my son has come and how proud I am of him. Then I thought maybe that is how God looks at us. He watches us grow and struggle and learn. He sees our mix ups but celebrates our progress. The world may glance our way and say, “Wow, that person just can’t get their act together” while God smiles down cheering, “Good for you, you really tried. You did better than yesterday!”

Is there a task with which you are struggling? God is always there to gently remind us of what it says in Isaiah 41:13. I am the Lord Your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.

Devotion and Photo by Marge McCoy

We Gather Together

Nov22

Gather
We Gather Together

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, were at our side, all glory be Thine!

We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant,
And pray that Thou still our Defender will be.
Let Thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

Author: Anonymous (1625)
Translator: Theodore Baker (1894)
Audio: Stephen Sollars
Photo: Marge McCoy