Saturday, November 16, 2024 – “Morning Frosty” by P. Williams
Some Mornings are Frosty and cold as can be
Then the Sun comes out and warms Mother Earth
Late afternoon brings cooler weather for us
Then clear colder nights so stars can sparkle
I love the weather… all kinds… even Storms and Wind
Do you wrap up this time of year? In sweats
A toboggan? A sweater and gloves
I really like to bundle up… Go for a walk
makes my nose red and makes it run
I love a blanket or throw across my lap
In my chair… put my feet up and get warm
Drink Hot chocolate in the evening
Caffeine free and “I am good to go!”
That warm drink helps me sleep on cold nights
Come on Winter! Stay with us!
Kill the mosquitoes and freeze the garden dirt
Make for a better spring season
Thanksgiving is coming very soon and
All of us should make a list of all We are thankful for
Than read it out loud and
Put it away… You won’t forget!
So here’s to a span of Cold weather
I for one hope to hold on to each hour
Love the cold… love Thanksgiving traditions…
Love my family and friends and love the food
Thank You God for all of Your Many Blessings!
Wednesday, November 13, 2024 – “First Steps” from Daily Devotions
Acts 3:8 Jumping up, he began to walk around. He entered the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God.
Waking up in the early hours of the morning is hard for me. Waking up with a worshiping soul and a heart of praise
is even harder. As a college student who is often up late, upon waking, I usually think, It is way too early for my day
to begin. That mindset made the mornings miserable. However, when I set my focus on God before I roll out of bed,
those first steps of the day become more joyful.
The first steps of the man healed in Acts 3 were full of worship. Later in Acts 4:22, we see that the man was more
than 40 years old. He had never taken a step in 40 years! He was healed by a miracle, and he praised Jesus as he
began to walk.
Waking up every morning is a miracle in itself, and that’s worth celebrating. Each new day is a gift from our gracious
God.
Saturday, November 9, 2024 “Instructions on Living in a Broken World” – author unknown
Lean into community
Seek out love
Applaud the good you see
Keep paying attention
Talk to your neighbors
Dance to the music and embrace art
Look for love and small joys
Take breaks and relish in nourishing your body
Donate what you can
Longer at the dinner table with friends
Check in with your people
Let yourself grieve
Love one another as deeply as you can
The storm is upon us and we must hold on
Don’t give up, we’re here together.
Wednesday, November 6, 2024 - Becoming a Jesus Human - from Pastor Harris
What is impossible to me,
God weaves with threads unseen
Where I see only brokenness,
God’s hand is stitching seams
A fractured world, weary and scarred --
God sees the Church as balm
A hospital for wounded hearts,
Restoring peace, restoring calm.
When shadows drown out every hope,
God sees the promised dawn;
Where I see ends, God considers the plan,
A life redeemed, reborn.
Though I am human, frail, and flawed,
I strive to live His way --
To be a Jesus human now,
In grace, in truth, each day.
Let us all strive to be like Jesus every moment of our lives! Amen
Saturday, November 2, 2024 – Pray Out Loud by P. Williams
God has blessed us with beautiful days this week.
Blue sky days with Sunshine and sparkley clouds
We are supposed to have super low humidity today
Tomorrow too! I bet we can feel the difference
Got a lot of errands to do today
I bet you have days like that, too!
Gotta go to Staples to copy several things
Also have to get him to print a return Label
since I don’t have a printer anymore.
Then drop by Goodwill to add my box to the pile
Silly little errands that make up time
In our daily lives
When I drive between stops I always pray
In the car… out loud
Then not only does He hear
But I remind myself how blessed I am --
So have a wonderful “Gift from God” day
A reminder that He Loves Us…
Maybe especially when we pray out loud.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024 – Sermon preview
Jesus is fierce in His holiness, powerful in His justice, and yet compassionate in His love. Too many of us approach
as though He is tame and manageable, but He is not. You can love the Lamb of God, the One who takes away the
sin of the world, but don’t forget the Lion of Judah. We must come before in awe knowing that He is both good and
powerful. – Pastor Harris
Saturday, October 26, 2024 – “Bread Basket of Thoughts” by P. Williams
I saw an article about this being “deer season”
I sure have seen a bunch
Just don’t want to meet them with my car.
The leaves are changing fast and the cold nights
Coming next week will slowly push them along
I see pumpkins, Halloween candy… along with Turkeys
and Christmas decorations in the same store.
Our Brunswick Stew sale is creeping up fast and furious
And Veteran’s Day when we celebrate all who have served.
Then comes Thanksgiving… the Big Holiday in my family
We all get together with food and laughs and walks and prayers
History every year… but this year will be different
North Carolina had what is now deemed a
Geological event due to 1,400 landslides, the
reshaping of riverbeds and whole towns
being wiped away -- 1,000 bridges and 126,000 homes
160 water and sewer systems… 6,000 miles of roads.
Changed forever – our Western North Carolina
I pray for you and I pray for
North Carolina
God bless Each of you! Amen
Wednesday, 10/23/24 – “Strength to Move Forward” from Daily Devotions
Psalm 34:18 - The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The moon jellyfish is a fascinating animal. As they swim, their wispy tentacles gracefully trail behind their mushroom-
shaped body. When a moon jellyfish loses or breaks tentacles due to injury, it cannot regenerate new ones. Instead,
it works tirelessly to reorganize and reposition its remaining tentacles so they are symmetrically spaced around its
body, allowing the jellyfish to efficiently navigate the water. The jellyfish’s muscles contract and relax constantly to
rearrange its tentacles, a process that can take days.
I think about the losses I have experienced, and I recognize a parallel with the jellyfish. When a loved one dies, we
cannot replace them; their loss might shatter us. But as we grieve, we also gradually heal and adjust. We work to
bring back stability in our lives and look for strength to move forward. This process takes time and looks different for
each person.
The psalmist reminds us of the promise that God will be close to us in our tragedy and heartbreak. As we navigate
our grief, we can ask God to strengthen our spiritual muscles and sustain us on the journey. God provides healing
and repair for our brokenness and “saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Saturday, October 19, 2024 – “Fall is Falling” by P. Williams
It is quickly transferring from Summer to Fall
The cooler mornings… with some frosty windshields
The wind blowing leaves from trees to the ground
And the blush of fall is all around us
Each plant is getting ready for Fall… then Winter
Every animal spends their time getting ready
A different season… they know they need to be prepared
Their young are older now… Ready for Winter
The farmer stacks his hay and checks his fences
Checks his barn and all of his gates.
Everyone checks their water pipes and re-seals
Just like the beaver, he re-seals his “apartment” complex.
We are each getting ready to change seasons too
We will all go through Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving,
and the Christmas Season.
So I urge you to get your house in order
Just like Mr. Beaver and all of God’s creations
Get out your warm clothes… prepare for bad weather
Have a “stash” for emergencies… Water and food in advance
And every day Praise Go that we are blessed
We live in the beautiful state of North Carolina
I conclude with this prayer
We don’t pray to inform God
We pray to involve God.
God already knows what’s going on in your life,
He is waiting for you to ask for His help! Amen
God bless each one of you
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 - “No Dead Ends” from Daily Devotions
As I walked one morning, I pondered a seemingly impossible situation that my young grandson was facing at school.
Up ahead I saw a “Dead End” street sign and concrete wall. As I got closer, I noticed a metal door built into the wall
and could hear the sound of heavy traffic. Opening the door, I saw that it led to the sidewalk of a main thoroughfare.
The street was a dead end for cars, but on foot I could reach anywhere in town. I knew then that God could make a
way through, even though there seemed to be no way. I was reassured that God had an answer to my grandson’s
situation.
We often encounter situations that appear to be dead ends. We may slow our pace or turn around, fearful of what will
happen when we reach the end. But with God, there are no dead ends. When we have courage and keep walking,
God will show us the way through our difficulty.
