yet another day of memories...
when we think about it, there is really so little that we understand.
Whether it's a storm that passes one house and destroys another,
a war that seemingly has no end, or a church that sanctions exclusion,
we are left shaking our heads and wondering what it all means.
Wondering how we can possibly find you in the midst of the mess.
How long must we wander in this wilderness, O God?
How long must we ask to serve you and be told NO?
God who moved over the face of the waters and
who hovers still over the chaos of our lives,
we are weary of the noise.
We are tired of the cacophony of rattling sabers,
the endless distractions that shift our gaze to lines drawn in the sand,
to distinctions of mine and yours,
and to legal language of right and wrong
instead of words of love and grace and justice and mercy.
God who breathed life into fashioned clay,
breathe into us now that we may be formed into your people once again.
Quiet the storm within our denomination that the wave of your grace
may roll over us. Heal us and all those who suffer from oppressive measures
that we may find hope in this despair, pride in the shame of it all,
courage in our fear, and resolution in defeat.
Shift our eyes from a downward glance to
stars outshining the darkest nights.
Let us find water in the rock and life in dry bones.
Raise us once more to new life and make of us something strong and full of grace.
Free within us the courage to be vulnerable enough to offer a hand to clasp.
Heal us that we may be bread to eat, wine to share,
and mortal fools for your kingdom.
Fill us that we might be bold enough to take a stand,
or speak a word, or shed a tear, or to make again the decision to follow you
and, in so doing, that we will, by grace, come to life abundant
and come to dare, and come to hope and love your future in.
Amen.
Rev. Eric Folkerth
Northaven United Methodist Church
Sunday, May 4 2008
Author: Alicia Dean
Details can be found on: http://www.generalconference2008.org/2008/05/initial-thought.html
5/16/2008 01:16:00 PM
Dreams
To be out and open
Independence
To be totally Christ-like
I believe that:
Courage is not an absence of fear
but the willingness to face up to the circumstances in spite of the fear.
Desires
A Pair of Pretty Sandals!
CPA! Achieved!
Investment Guru
dislikes
creepy crawly "things"
Unnecessary politics
Goals
get driving license
start my own business
to create my own hedge fund
older memories
my past journey