This Side of the Pulpit » Entries tagged with "prayer"
I Almost Didn’t Read this Post Because Something Else Grabbed my Attention
The sons of the world consider distraction to be something innocent, but the holy fathers recognize it to be the origin of all evils. The person who is given up to distraction has, concerning all subjects and even the most important ones, a very light and most superficial understanding. One who is distracted is usually inconstant. The feelings of his heart usually lack depth and strength; they are not solid but transitory. As a butterfly flits from flower to flower so also a distracted person passes from one earthly satisfaction to another, from one vain care to another.- St. Ignatius Brianchaninov HT: Mind in the Heart … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
When our Words are His Words
Paul McCain’s post on daily Matins (read it here) got me thinking about the Matins services at my church. Some years ago, we had a “ministry planning” event at Redeemer. One of the top priorites the members expressed was an increase and fostering of prayer. Along with several Bible studies and sermon series, I began offering Matins on Mondays and Wednesdays. Few come. Few, as in I’m lucky when two or three come. What is most frustrating is when there are people at the church two minutes before it begins who make weak excuses as to why they won’t or can’t come. I go into the sanctuary to pray, they sit in the office talking to the secretary. I can understand some reluctance. Perhaps they don’t know–or don’t remember–the service. Maybe they’re afraid of getting … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Not Just a Small Thing…
Fr. Stephen Freeman and Glory to God for All Things, writes: …Dostoevsky is correct that God and the devil engage in warfare and the battleground is the human heart. However, the battle is often fought in very small skirmishes. Brief encounters with the good and brief encounters with evil. It is not true that the little things do not matter. It may well be that the little things are all we will ever encounter. It is true in every great battle. The historians write about large movements of troops and the effect of terrain – but those who actually do the fighting are aware of each stroke of the sword, of the difficulty of fighting wounded, or without food or rest. By the same token, those who take up their prayers and beg … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
No Idle Hands Here
I am trying to NOT make this all about me, but I want to share a few things that have happened this week. Sunday was great. I baptized two children and confirmed three more at the 10:30 service. The funeral luncheon for Bob Graf took place immediately after. Then the funeral at 2:00, one of the most crowded funerals I have ever seen. He was interred in a country cemetery. Back at home, I dozed for twenty minutes, ate a ham sandwich for supper, went back to church to open it up for the deceased family members, who needed a place to visit and eat before they all went their separate directions. Then I went home to crash. But it was not to be. The phone rang. A member was in ICU, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Awake, O Sleeper. Or, Doing the Stuff We Need to Do
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net I was looking through some old memos on the Centro and found a record of exercises recording in October. What I lifted, how much, how many reps and so forth. I was depressed. It was about the same, maybe even a little more than I did last week. A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with high cholesterol during a routine check-up. Since then I’ve been exercising at the Y a couple of times a week…for a while, then life or illness or Summertime gets in the way and I stop. Since October I took a few weeks off during Advent/Christmas. Then another three weeks off when I got costochronditis (inflammation of the cartilage in the sternum). Sometimes I just don’t feel like going. When the kids don’t have … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Update
One of my dear members died Monday afternoon–Dorothy Spillman. She made the good confession. May our Lord receive her in His Kingdom and give peace to all who mourn her. The other member who is near death is still with us. Continue to pray for Robert, servant of God. UPDATED with correct day. I’m loosing it. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
My Own Hospital Visit
Jack had his adenoids removed and tubes put in his ears this morning. Before they took him to the OR I said a prayer for him. It was a strange feeling praying for him in that room, where so many times I had prayed for other people’s loved ones going into surgery. I wasn’t too emotional about the whole thing until then. Everything went pretty well, and Marjorie and I were home with him by 9:30 or 10:00. We both babied him for a while, and he I took a brief nap before lunch. He rested again for a half-hour or so this afternoon, and Marjorie went to children’s choir practice. He’s a pretty sweet boy and we’re all thanking God for the smooth surgery. God willing, ear infections will be a … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Our Peanut Scare
Our Eliana, age five, has a severe (as in fatal) allergy to peanuts. We’ve known about this since she was one and only have had once problem with it. Once Mikayla ate a peanut-butter sandwich somewhere, brushed her teeth, washed her face and kissed Elli on the cheek, which immediately blossomed and swelled. But yesterday she was playing at a neighbor’s house and the neighbor girl’s bird-seed covered pine cone rolled into the street. Elli went out to get it and carried it back into the yard. It was then that the neighbor girl told her that it was covered with peanut butter. Elli dropped it and ran home. Marjorie and I were inside, and we heard Elli run into the bathroom, turn on the water and start crying. We scrubbed … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Prayer Request
Lucille Choat died this morning at 5:20 am after a long illness. She suffered numerous strokes over the years, leaving her unable to speak, and near the end, move at all. On Tuesday of last week I prayed with her, and she actually nodded her head when I prayed the Lord’s Prayer with her. When I assured her of the God’s love for her, and of her faith in Christ that I had seen, she nodded again. That was the greatest response I’d seen her give in weeks. Pray for all. … Read entire article »
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