One of the advantages of living in Holland is having access to Hope College Christmas Vespers. We attended yesterday late afternoon with our friends Harvey and Elaine Heneveld. I thought the presentation by the college orchestra, choirs, readers and organ players was outstanding, better than last year.We also enjoyed a nice dinner out afterwards and had good conversation as well as food.
We are getting ready to leave for our Pillar Church small group Bible study meeting which tonight will be purely a social meal gathering for the Advent/Christmas season. Sometimes I think I like the social aspect of our group better than the study part but don't tell anybody I wrote that. I continue to do my church pastoral visitation ministry but question whether that is right for me as well. It could be that I am getting lazy in my aging process however I do enjoy the work I do in volunteering at Ditto, an upscale resale ministry raising funds for Christian education students. I do have a couple of granddaughters who attend Christian schools so I am learning to appreciate the blessing and benefit of them. Joyce does Ditto too as well as helping out at church with her baking/cooking skills. She will help make pigs in the blanket tomorrow afternoon for a church fund raiser. We continue to enjoy being together so much and work at making our relationship meaningful and satisfying. Now of course you understand that you are getting this from my perspective but if I hear right she would agree. Enough of that. Now a few thoughts for your soul work.
"As I urged you, the moment you start praying, raise your heart upwards, and lower your eyes downwards; enter inside your inner person and pray in secret to your Father who is in heaven."
[Aphrahat - who in the world is this. I should google him or her]
"Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love, and the future to God's providence."
[Augustine - there's a familiar theologian from the ancient past]
" In those times when I can't seem to find God, I rest in the assurance that [God] knows how to find me." [Neva Coyle - no clue]
Nothing, not one thing can separate us from the love of God. This is what Paul says in Romans 8:38-39. This is surely encouraging and helpful to us who at times think something we thought, said or did as alienated us from God. The Good News is that God shows love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ came and died for us. {That's a Bible verse also I think maybe in I John]
Divine joy and peace be yours. It is part of God's gifts for you.
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