It all comes out right if you follow the recipe

Today as I was leaving work, the temperature was in the low 40's. As I scurried down the sidewalk to the relative warmth of my car, I saw a beautiful bright red cardinal sitting on the fence of our playground. "How ironic!" I thought to myself, "Spring is here, but it still feels like winter." And then, once I was safely in the car with the seat warmer on HI, I stopped and thought about it.
We people like to pigeon-hole things (pun intended) into our categories and impose our stereotypes on the rest of God's creation. We see things in black and white. We live in a culture of dualism: rich/poor, fat/thin, good/bad, liberal/conservative. We want to fit everything neatly into our concept of how the world ought to be. But God created the earth and everything in it. (See Psalm 24:1.) God created us in His image, but it takes all of us to reflect His glory. Otherwise, part of the picture is missing, like that one piece of the jigsaw puzzle you just can't seem to find. We are all a part of God's creation. So no one is all bad or all good. We are all a blend of both. That's why we read the Bible and go to church and study up on how to be a better person, because it keeps our focus on the good in us, not the bad. In Romans, Paul says, "I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate." (Romans 7:15) We all struggle with the various personality defects we have. No one is perfect. It takes a blend within each of us, and our world to make up who and what we are.
It's kind of like making chocolate chip cookies. The ingredients, all by themselves, aren't all that good. Try eating plain flour! It's gross! But, add eggs, brown sugar, baking powder, a little vanilla, and those wonderful chocolate chips, and put them in the oven, and you get yummy cookies! (There's a little more to it, so don't try to make this a recipe - it's an analogy.) It takes all the ingredients to make the cookies come out right. It takes the right cooking temperature, the right amount of baking time, and other conditions for the cookies to be good.
Likewise, seeing a cardinal when it's 42 degrees out, can make one see just how many elements go into making this world work right. I sure am glad I don't have to keep up with all of it! It's in God's control - yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Rev. Caren Bigelow Morgan
Waxhaw United Methodist Church
P. O. Box 9
Waxhaw, NC 28173
(704) 843-3931

Playing with God

I love music. I love God through music. I worship God through music. I find comfort in the old hymns, and vibrancy in the new ones. I love to sing. I listen to Contemporary Christian music most of the time, but I do listen to other things depending on my mood. Classical, jazz, oldies, rock, indie, and others. Often to express my feelings - good or bad - I turn to music because I don't have words to express what I'm going through.  Often to bring myself to a gentler place as I prepare for prayer time, I listen to music. Psalm 69:30 says "I will praise God's name with song; I will magnify him with thanks."
I have to be careful that I don't surround myself with noise all the time. Sometimes, I like to keep the TV off and sit and read. Sometimes I drive long distances with the radio off, and just watch and listen and talk to God. I've found that it's in the quiet that I hear God speak to me. He speaks to me other times as well, but I guess I'm listening better when all is hushed.
I've always loved that time in the evening when all the kids are in bed, all the pets have been fed and bedded down, my husband is in bed watching TV, and I have the den all to myself. I dance. I sing. I play the guitar. I play the piano. I play the keyboard. I play with my dolls. I knit, crochet, quilt or scrapbook. I play with God. We talk and pray and dance and sing and do all those things as we commune with each other. I know God thinks I'm a bit daft at times, but he made me that way! I think he gets a really good laugh about me from time to time. You see, God isn't always that strict, no-nonsense guy he's portrayed to be. Sometimes, God plays. He wants us to talk to him, in good times as well as bad. He wants us to have an attitude of gratitude, instead of an inexhaustable wish list of our selfish wants. And if we look for it, we can see scripture that teaches us to enjoy God with praise and worship and thanksgiving.
There's this interesting side effect when we give God our praise and love and worship. Our lives get better! It changes our whole outlook on the day if we just stop and pray. And just wait until you see how you feel after playing with God! There are no words.....

Lunatic Fan for Jesus

I have this tradition. Now, before I start, as a minister of the gospel, I do not officillly endorse any team over another. That said, as a human being, I LOVE UNC BASKETBALL! So, on game day, I always try to wear a little something to show my school spirit. Usually, it's a blue sweater. Or a Tar Heels hoodie. But the boys are struggling this year, so today I decided to go all out!
I have on UNC canvas shoes, I carry a UNC purse, I have on a Carolina blue sweater, and a UNC scarf, and before the game tonight I will paint my nails Carolina blue. My nails will stay blue until Carolina is out of the tournament. I have a Carolina rocking chair to sit in at gametime. I have a garden flag that has the UNC logo on it. Anyone who has had any contact with me, my house or my yard KNOWS that I'm a Tar Heel.
That got me thinking. Could I say the same about my devotion to Jesus Christ? I don't have a sweater or hoodie that represents my faith. I don't have Christian shoes, purse, scarf, or nail polish. My devotion to Christ and His Kingdom of God are MUCH more important to me than even UNC basketball. Yet, it's almost as if I'm going incognito - hiding the fact that I am a servant of the risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Hmmmm...
I do have crosses that I often wear and some youth camp t-shirts that I don't ever wear (because I'm not a t-shirt kind of gal). Then it dawned on me. I have to be a stark raving lunatic fan for Jesus. I need to be as excited about preaching and hearing the word each week as I am about the next basketball game. I need to know the names and histories of my congregation the way I know all the players on the UNC team. And MOST OF ALL, the only paraphanalia that I need to have is FREE. I need only to be me, and tell others about Jesus. I must show my devotion every time I speak to someone on the phone. Even sales people need to know Jesus. My life needs to be a picture of Jesus in action. My ways need to point to Christ. People need to be able to notice that I am not only a Christian, but also one who cares for them with the love of Christ.
In John 8:12 Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Our witness to the world matters. We need to be Jesus fan - atics! If we aren't, the there is less and less light and hope in the world. We are Jesus' cheerleaders, singing songs, writing, and creating any way to get the gospel to the people. So ask yourself, as I did,
Am I a Jesus fan? What would that look like in my life? What would I have to do different for everyone to know I'm a Christian?