Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Blogs - Through the Watershttps://www.pcusa.org/blogs/throughthewaters/2013-01-03T14:04:56-05:00Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)info@pcusa.orghttp://www.pcusa.org/Latest Through the Waters posts.Living in the Light2013-01-03T14:04:56-05:00Martha Miller/blogs/throughthewaters/2013/1/3/living-light/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/throughthewaters/2013/1/3/living-light/
<p class="date">January 3, 2013</p>
<div class="intro"><p><img style="float: left;" src="/media/uploads/blogs/through_the_waters/images/mp900440296[1].jpg" alt="glowing star" width="200" height="293" />On the last day of the winter vacation from school, I took my children to see the movie “Rise of the Guardians.” I admit that I was partially trying to avoid more sibling in-fighting and the raised voices that seem to come toward the end of a lack-of-routine schedule. I envisioned a feel-good children’s movie during which I wouldn’t have to think. Besides the remarkable animation which still amazes me as a far cry from the Looney Tunes cartoons of my childhood, I actually thought a lot in that movie. There was, and still is, a great deal to reflect upon.</p>
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<p>The film portrays the characters of our childhood - Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and eventually Jack Frost – as the guardians of children. It is their responsibility to offer wonder, imagination, and hope; qualities imperative in the lives of children. Not much of a storyline right there except that their role is in jeopardy due to the invasion of the villain, the Boogie Monster.</p>
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<p>One of the many reasons the movie will remain in my subconscious is that the name given to the Boogie Monster, that creature who turns our dreams to nightmares, is Pitch Black. Each child, with his or her belief, hope, and wonder is portrayed as a light while that which can extinguish it, is darkness.</p>
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<p>As we approach Epiphany, the celebration of the ‘appearance’ or ‘manifestation’ of God, on January 6, I am reminded of the light brought to all of us through Christ; the wonder, the hope, the mystery, the grace that came in the form of a baby. The celebration of epiphany is traditionally associated with the coming of the magi, or wisemen, as they followed the star to Bethlehem, the same place where shepherds had been led at an earlier time and told by a band of angels to “not be afraid.”</p>
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<p>So, like the creators of “Rise of the Guardians,” I will be envisioning a world where we live in the light, knowing that we need no longer fear Pitch Black. As Christians, we can live in the confidence that while the individual characters from the film may be imaginary, the belief in what they stand for and the fact that God is or ultimate guardian, may never leave us.</p>
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<p>Live in the hope and confidence of the light!</p></div>
Living Thanks2012-11-14T17:01:17-05:00Martha Miller/blogs/throughthewaters/2012/11/14/living-thanks/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/throughthewaters/2012/11/14/living-thanks/
<p class="date">November 14, 2012</p>
<div class="intro"><p>As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I’ve begun thinking back on some the rituals our family has experienced as we seek to fill the day with true giving of thanks. While the day has always included a parade, some football, and an unusually large meal, the aspect of demonstrating our thankfulness has taken several different forms. One of the favorites was a gathering of friends and family during the time that our youngest daughter was a fan of the TV show, “Blue’s Clues”. On the episode that focused around the holiday, Steve drew around his hand and offered thanks for five things with each written on a finger. We thought we’d try it.</p>
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<p><img style="float: left;" src="/media/uploads/blogs/through_the_waters/images/hand_of_thanks.jpg" alt="Handprint Drawing" width="200" height="149" />Just before the meal, each person got a piece of paper and markers and set out to create a handprint of thanks. When we were done, we shared them with each other. The main reason this was memorable was the wide span of those things for which we were thankful. The gamut ranged from “the right to bear arms” to “Diet Coke.” While we burst into laughter about how this little exercise showed our individuality and our unique perspectives, what a lesson it has continued to be. There is such a wide range of things that deserve our thanks.</p>
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<p>In this Thanksgiving season, we can be thankful for the fact that God cares about all aspects of our lives. We can demonstrate our gratitude by living in discipleship, not just on Sunday morning or Saturday night but within all of our relationships and within our occupations.</p>
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<p><strong>What are the five things that you might write on your handprint of thankfulness?</strong></p>
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<p><strong>How do you demonstrate that gratitude each day?</strong></p></div>
Footprints in Our Lives2012-11-01T10:43:22-04:00Martha Miller/blogs/throughthewaters/2012/11/1/footprints-our-lives/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/throughthewaters/2012/11/1/footprints-our-lives/
<p class="date">November 1, 2012</p>
<div class="intro"><p>In our congregation’s worship service last Sunday a bell rang out at the mention of each church member who had died in the past year. While it was difficult for some who remember better days with these loved ones, it gave each of us another chance to say prayers of thanks for the faithful lives they had led.</p>
<p>Such is All Saints Day, November 1.</p>
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<p>When many of us think of saints we might conjure up images of holy-looking martyrs who lived long ago and have cathedrals named after them. And while these people are thought of as saints in many traditions, our Reformed faith leads us to give thanks for the faith-filled lives of the more ordinary of God’s children. And there are many!</p>
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<p><img style="float: left;" src="/media/uploads/blogs/through_the_waters/images/sand_footprints.jpg" alt="footprints in the sand" width="200" height="299" />You may remember the old poem sometimes called “Footprints in the Sand.” In it, there are two sets of footprints in the sand that represent a person walking with God. At one point, only one set is visible. The human being assumes that this a time when God left them, while God explains that is when God carried them. My image, besides not being reflected as a poem, would, very rarely look as only two sets of footprints. Instead, there would be many sets. You may be able to join me in thinking back on very few times when it was just God and I walking that path. At almost every juncture, there was another person somewhere along the way, supporting me, lifting me up, praying, or reminding me of God’s unfathomable grace. Even in those times when loneliness has crept in the furthest, it was a saint in my own life who reminded me of God’s eternal presence.</p>
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<p>On All Saints Day each year I take some time to a give a word of thanks to one of those saints; one of those people who serves as a model of the faith or who cheers me on toward God’s path. While the bell tolls for some of them, many still live on around me and may not yet know the difference they have made. Thank you, God, for those you place in your lives and who serve as models of your love.</p>
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<p><em>For more information and history on All Saints Day, visit <a href="https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/worship/all-saints-day/">https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/worship/all-saints-day/</a></em></p>
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Growing Older, Growing Wiser2012-10-22T14:13:44-04:00Martha Miller/blogs/throughthewaters/2012/10/22/growing-older-growing-wiser/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/throughthewaters/2012/10/22/growing-older-growing-wiser/
<p class="date">October 22, 2012</p>
<div class="intro"><p><img style="float: left;" src="/media/uploads/blogs/through_the_waters/images/clasped_hands.jpg" alt="clasped hands" width="200" height="299" />As a child I remembered being able to spot those adults who still claimed pieces of childhood. They were the ones I wanted to spend time with because they hadn’t seemed to have lost the joy. They sat on the floor, jumped at the chance to play a board game, and just seemed to enjoy the simple things. In my view, they hadn’t totally given into the pressures of adulthood, or at least, they could still move seamlessly into the delight of their younger lives. As I headed toward adulthood, I was determined to be one of those adults – one of the <em>fun</em> ones!</p>
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<p>This past week, I was hit with reality. While I may still enjoy the fun, I’m not as young as I imagine myself to be. I was a part of a two-day meeting related to what the church can mean for young adults. It’s a big topic of conversation these days. While it may have been spurred on by the realization that there is a generation missing in many of our congregations, there are many discussions and movements occurring that involve genuine listening with a true care for both the church and the millennials for whom the experience of church may be different.</p>
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<p>I looked around the room and felt comfortable. I was with trusted colleagues; some I had established relationships with and others were new to the conversation. The subject of music came into the conversation and, suddenly, just like that – I was old. I still sit on the floor (but for shorter spans). I still run to a board game (if I don’t have some work to do on the computer). I still gravitate toward the simple things. But, well, I’m not a millennial. Evidently, my music of choice seals the deal.</p>
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<p>So, does this mean I have to face up to the fact that I cannot understand the generations who come after me? Do I need to take myself out of these conversations and just settle into my “adult” responsibilities? I sure hope not! God’s people are not of one ilk. We are all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages. Maybe “fun” isn’t the be all and end all. We come to appreciate and love the qualities each holds – even if they can’t fully grasp the glories of 80’s music.</p>
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<p>While I’m not sure what genre of music Jesus would have on his iPod, he modeled the importance of listening and learning from each other. He did not surround himself entirely with those of his own age group, nor did he shun the attitudes and beliefs of those of a different generation. And our gift is that there are more generations alive today than ever before. We have an opportunity to listen and learn from even more diversity. . Let’s see where God is moving!</p>
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<p><strong>How can you surround yourself with those in generations other than your own?</strong></p>
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<p><strong>What do you have to share and what can you learn from those in other generations – older and younger?</strong></p>
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<p><strong>What does the church have to share and what can it learn from those in many different generations?</strong></p></div>
Holy Listening2012-09-21T14:42:22-04:00Martha Miller/blogs/throughthewaters/2012/9/21/holy-listening/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/throughthewaters/2012/9/21/holy-listening/
<p class="date">September 21, 2012</p>
<div class="intro"><p><img style="border: 10px solid black; float: left;" src="/media/uploads/blogs/through_the_waters/images/mp900309390[1].jpg" alt="Page from Scripture" width="250" height="163" />I was recently asked to be prepared to share my favorite Scripture passage at a gathering. This seemingly small assignment really got me thinking. How was I to select a “favorite?” Since childhood, the Bible has been an important part of my life and there are various passages that hold different significance to me. A favorite one day may not speak to me as much the next week.</p>
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<p>I tend to gravitate to the narratives of Scripture; the stories of God’s movement in the lives of individuals and communities. The minute details have never been as important to me as the big picture of God’s work in the world. So my first thoughts fell upon stories: Moses, David, Ruth, Paul, and many of Christ’s parables. Figuring, though, that these large portions of the Bible aren’t exactly what was intended by the request, I turned to the Psalms. That day, for whatever reason, Psalm 121 with its image of God as a protector sang out to rest happily within me.</p>
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<p>One of the main ways that we learn more about this God to whom we pray and for whom we live is through the Scriptures. While not all of us can read passages in the original language or recite chapter and verse of each reference, we deepen our relationship with the Holy One by hearing more about the ways that God has moved throughout the past and then how that continues today.</p>
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<p>As our group shared our favorite Scriptures one at a time, we engaged together in a form <em>of lectio divina</em>, an ancient form of Bible reading. Through a series of hearing the words read aloud, meditating on the words silently, and listening and sharing what we heard and noticed, we not only paid attention to God’s movement through those words but also heard God’s movement in the lives of the individuals present. Each of noticed different aspects of the passages, based on what God needed us to hear at that time.</p>
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<p>Since we have different backgrounds and experiences with the Bible, finding our favorite or even having a favorite if we’re new to the Bible, can shut down our whole process. Using a lectionary, previously selected Bible texts for the day or week, is a way that we can make Scripture a part of our daily lives.</p>
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<p>Regardless of the processes that we use to read Scripture, it is difficult to be in relationship with someone we hardly know. The Bible is our foundation for this relationship.</p>
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<p><strong>How can you incorporate reading the Bible into your journey of faith?</strong></p>
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<p><strong>How do you listen for God’s movement as you read Scripture?</strong></p>
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<p><strong>What Scripture passage speaks to you today?</strong></p>
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<p> The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore. <br /> Psalm 121:8 </p>
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