Spring Muslings 2013

Well, it is Summer, 2013. Not officially for a couple more weeks, but the cicaidas are singing in New England;  the trees are in bloom, shedding pollen everywhere;  and my cats are shedding.  Everywhere. : ) 

A year ago this week I had my second hip replacement!! Cannot believe its been a year! In April, 2013 I had successful major eye surgery (my 38th) and am thankful for doctors, family and friends who helped me get through.  The Lord is for me through those who help me.(Ps. 118: 7).  Hopefully, it will be many years before I need any more surgery.  My knees would like to be replaced, but we are not going to entertain that idea unless many other options are a no-go.

While Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons, I still like Summer.  Here in the KY/Ohio region we have lots of humidity all summer, but with air conditioning almost everywhere, no one really minds.  The temps have been cool this Spring, and with a fair amount of rain.  So everything is greening up nicely.  I just potted plants for my screened in porch which gets late afternoon sun.  I hope that the plants take to the new pots alright.  Unpredictable.  Just like people.  They do not always transplant well.  My mom is struggling with being in the Nursing Center of her retirement 
 community, and longs to go home...to Heaven mostly, I imagine. You may be struggling with a transplant situation too.

In a way, our life here is a transplant situation after we are regenerated by the Lord Jesus.  He moves us out of the Garden of Darkness into the Garden of Light and Love.  Grace and truth become the two major nutrients that keep us going, much as sun and rain keep the plants going. With too much of one or the other, things go awry.  

With too much truth and not enough grace, our garden begins to look like a huge bonsai factory.  All that pruning has left little growth potential, and things begin to feel stunted.  Too much grace, on the other hand, and everything gets wild and leggy, with lots of leaf and little fruit.  

It seems that so few voices are speaking about a balance in this area.  I do want to commend the team at my church Crossroads Community Church, headed by our pastor Brian Tome for the recent balance of grace and truth in the series called " Good Sex" . It is the best series for adults I have ever seen.  You can download it by going to www.crossroads.net/media.  I highly recommend it for parents of teens and college age students. Watch together and discuss.  You will not be disappointed. 

Our society is so grace oriented that anything goes.  We are so open-minded I think our collective brains are falling out.  Whether it is in politics or social issues or economics, we are running full tilt into the Windmills of Reality with no more sense than the Man from La Mancha.  

Yet some in the  community can be so strident and harsh and judgmental, that no one can hear what they are saying because of the tone.  There is anger born of fear that seems to rule some people and their approach to the day's issues.  If you disagree with a certain view,you are automatically a bigot.  If you question something, you must be an infidel.  If you want more information, you are a doubter.  What has happened to tolerance?  Tolerance used to be a good word.  It meant 'live and let live'.  It was a willingness to allow others to disagree agreeably; to not all have the same views; to have real dialogue in our democracy.  We have lost that somewhere. Whether right or left, conservative or liberal, gay or straight, old or young the divisions seem more important than the things we have in common. Freedom has become license; guidance has become legalism; truth has been traded for relativism, and bondage has been substituted for discipline. Grace and acceptance of all sides has been neglected in favor of pushing our own agendas.  God help us.  I do not know anyone else who can.  

So what about you?  Have you or your ideas been transplanted lately?  Do they need re-potting?  Do you need some grace?  or truth? or a bit of bot-h?  Are you giving grace with truth and truth with grace?  How's your tone?  Can you listen dispassionately to someone you disagree with?  

Jesus says we can come to him when we are weary of our own ways and tired of ourselves and our own thoughts.  His ways are not ours. Thank Goodness.  So come to him today.  Let him point out the weeds, the dry spots, the sections of mold.  Let him be the Re-Potter.  He knows just what you need. 

It's been a while...

Here we are in 2011. So much has happened since the last time I checked in here. New teaching position; new office for FSC in Hyde Park/Oakley; first Great nephew born 3/1/10 Gunnar Briggs. Cassie, my cocker spaniel will be 17 in March; I will be 62 !! yipes...actually I am filled with gratitude to Jesus for all His blessings...healings, strength, patience, wisdom, the chance to participate in all HE is doing here in Cincinnati.

Sojourners Community has added a new friend, Cindy V. and welcomed back an 'old' friend, Teri S. Earl is in hospital as of this moment, with a dreadful kidney stone that will not pass...poor dear. First time in his life to be in hospital or have any medical procedures. God has answered and is answering many of our prayers this last season. Praise the Lord.

How about you? What has the last 18 months brought your way?
What are you looking forward to in 2011? Where is God stretching you? What are you thankful for in this new year?

Praise God for the Praying Women Conference

Well, we held our Praying Women Cincinnati Conference this past weekend and it was great!! The Lord Jesus was very powerfully present in the worship time, and we had ample time to actually pray...which doesn't happen at some conferences because the emphasis is on teaching about prayer, not praying...two different things...but one seems to be less common...feedback has been positive, and some are asking when we will do it again. I am hoping to help people organize small groups in their homes by zipcodes to pray...we'll see... thanks for all who helped and prayed whether at the conference or not.

Life Events

Events have a way of overtaking us. Plans are set aside. Goals postponed. Hopes dimmed. Focus altered. It becomes difficult not to be distracted. The road we thought was fairly clear ahead, becomes clouded, obscured.

How do we proceed? We dare not become immobilized by events, by circumstances; though the temptation is strong. What then? To step out, like the Israelite priests, who carrying the Ark of the Covenant, stepped down into the Jordan River, (which river dropped off, not sloped to its depth), not knowing where solid ground lay? Right into the current they stepped. Gingerly perhaps, but moving forward nonetheless. And then the miracle- dry land appeared before them and they walked across dryshod!

We cannot see the miracle in the first steps of faith. We, like they, can only see the swirling waters, the tumult. Yet God, in Christ Jesus, remains faithful. There is no other. He alone is our sure foundation. He is the one who makes our feet like hinds' feet and makes us walk on our high places (Habakakuk 3:19).

ANOTHER change...for the good

We have decided to have the conference fee set at $10.oo per person, and trust God to provide the money we need to pay the expenses through the number of people who come. Our expenses are not outrageous, but real. So be in prayer that God will supply all our needs.

We are soooo excited at the team the Lord is gathering to lead our worship and our intercessors team. We hope everyone will come to the conference prayed up...

Raindrops

Water droplets on the window-like

God's tears streaming down

when He sees this broken world and all its broken people.

People- bent, twisted-

going against the grain of their creation;

becoming wise in their own eyes

while blindly following the Liar.

Tears pouring down like drops of blood;

Trickling, running, pouring, gushing

over the rough wood of the crossbeam;

Dripping, one drop at a time on me;

On my sin, on my brokenness, on my

twisted pride.

The snake no longer slithers away-

for his head has been crushed.

Crushed by the blood tears of God

shed one lonely day at Golgotha.

It's raining.

Raining tears.

Tears of joy. Tears that bring life.

Hallelujah !


MJRinck, 4/3/09

Conference Change

Just a note to remind you that the WW Conference has had a change of Name, and date. go to www.prayingwomenconference.blogspot.com for details....