Beach Time

Beach time ebbs and flows like the waves massage the shore.

Regular home time is all hurry there and rush here. Very little pause for quiet.

My sermon text for this weekend is convicting me and I have not even delivered the sermon yet.

Sigh.

I hate it when the preacher is preached to first.

Beach time is like Sabbath time which is the nature of our message from Matthew 11:28-30.  It is a lesson I am still learning and unlearning especially as my family returned un-rested, un-renewed, un-satisfied from our vacation away.  Yet another reminder that much, too much of our soul work is in the interior of our hearts.

Ah- if there was a beach for me soul within!

Now, that would be something.

Tales of the Worst Vacation Ever!

Here we are at sunset on America's #1 Beach- Seista Key, Florida.  The sun is setting on the Gulf of Mexico like it set on our worst family vacation.

I am sure there are vacations in history that out do ours in trouble and calamity.  But for our small family of three who sought the refuge and joy of the ocean and beach; this was not the vacation we were looking to experience.

Yet, if I step back from my suitcases of dirty laundry and unanswered emails long enough to stare at this photo.... some of the best parts of our trip come and settle in my mind.

Prayer Note to our Narnia Cast & Crew

Dear Cast and Crew of Narnia!

Can you feel and sense the difference prayer makes?  I hope so because you have been prayed over by name twice today with a group of amazingly God-dedicated ladies.  I spent the morning at Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove.  Otherwise known as a house full of nuns!  And they are adorable!  :)

These Benedictine nuns (that's their order or 'breed') choose to seek God in everyone and everything!  Check out my attached photo.  These two words, SEEK GOD, are over the door which separates the public greeting area from the private residences of the monastery.  Makes me think about all the scripture stories about seeking GOD!

This week is a special week for the sisters.  This is their retreat week which means they are living, working, and doing ministry together in complete SILENCE!  No talking!  Other than the lovely perky nun who answers the phone and door... no one is allowed to speak unless in worship together.  They are reading special Bible passages together during meals or dining in complete silence.  And they are observing extra spiritual disciplines as a community like confession, lectio divinia, fasting etc. 

Intriguing! Imagine living, working, and doing ministry together without words, but deep silence.  What would that be like for you?  Your families?  Our congregation(s)?  Or even our TFC rehearsals? Imagine only speaking/singing your lines. Consider what we might hear from deep within ourselves when we are silent.  Or what we may notice in the world around us without noisy clutter?  Or how the voice of God may accurately become louder the quieter we become. 

I noticed something today as I moved up and down the hallways making my way here and there in the building.  We don't need talking and words as much as we think we do in order to build, create and have community/fellowship/teamwork.  The sisters that I would pass in the hallways gave me eye contact and a little smile.  No words from either of us- I have been there before during the silent retreats; I know I better keep to the rules.  :)  And I sensed deep community even with the silence.  Amazing. 

Praying for you each individually and as a developing faith community to build bonds of peace, love, and life purpose from Holy SILENCE!

Be blessed in the quiet today,

Pastor Michelle

VACATION Count down

Even though we have 48 hours until our flight... the countdown to vacation has begun.  Much laundry and packing yet to do... but mentally I watch the eagerness of my family to 'hit the road'.  The sandy beaches of mid-Florida await us even though my daughter is in a walking boot and crutches, we will make the most of this time together and away.

Hopefully, I will have the chance to re-visit the labyrinths that I walked during my 2006 Renewal Leave.  It will be fascinating to re-kindle those connections.

Mostly, I am ready to hear the waves crash, listen to the gulls cry, fly kites, dig in the sand, and be together as a family on the shore.

Christmas photo will be made next week!  Yahoooo!

Retreat Planning

Time again to plan another retreat!  Seems like I just led one!  Ha, and I did!

This August's retreat will be unique because we are using a facility new to us.  More than that I am so glad to welcome back to team leadership, Rhonda, who has served on teams in the past.

When planning a retreat there is much reading, editing, organizing, and pruning out what does and does not work.

I am eager to see how the theme of choosing joy will be lived in our in our lives as the retreat theme is created through us.

We appreciate your prayers and well wishes.  Register by clicking here:  Women's Retreat registration

Too Busy to Blog

Even though life and ministry have been extremely full since the beginning of May; I wanted to stop and celebrate special God/ministry/family moments:

1. Met amazingly dedicated UMW women while leading a retreat in Fort Wayne.  They may have been 20-40 years older than I, but I want to have their passion when I am their age!
2. My preacher/pastor soul was fed in ways I did not even realize I was hungry while at the Festival of Homiletics!
3. Turned another year older and felt good about it!
4. Preaching a meaningful and memorably Mother's Day sermon and received the BEST compliment ever from a woman who never had children, "Usually this holiday is a downer for me and I feel out of it.  But today was the first time in worship on Mother's Day that I felt included!"
5. Walked a 5k with less preparation than I should have and did not hurt myself.
6. Met and visited with terrific pastors from Indiana while at Festival.  So glad to get to know these women and men of God better.
7. My kiddo ended her year with straight A's in last nine weeks, and AB honor roll for the year.  She was proud of her accomplishments which means the world to us!
8. Finished another year of volunteer work at the local elementary school and all my secret ninja like praying while in that building.
9. Presented a comprehensive, complicated and controversial motion at Annual Conference to the body at large and did not have tomatoes thrown at me; helped the conference moved forward in meaningful directions.
10. Made it through the first anniversary of my mother in law's death with tears, frustration, loneliness, etc.
11. Was blown away by our impressively compassionate and amazing youth during VBS this summer!
12. Touched by the music and spirit of our Youth Sunday worship!

Vacation Bible School

Our Vacation Bible School began on Monday- hundreds of children, amazing volunteers of youth and adults!  Games, songs, treats, Bible stories, and laughs- oh my!  This is one of our best Christian Education events/programs during the year. And we do it together as a congregation because that is what it takes.

We are very excited to partner this year with our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate.  The older students have made bookshelves that will go into the future home of Habitat families as well as raising funds for a family's home!

If you missed the week, then be sure to worship with us this weekend because the children and youth will share their music and their mission efforts!