Close Encounters

I watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind the other night and wondered at it's story. It is for the most part well told about aliens coming to earth and seemingly just checking up on things. Actually they are returning as the first part is people who come back after being gone for many years.
It is great fantasy. Spielberg directed. (He went to high school with my husband, John) Anyway it is suspense and exciting in more than one part.
Once when I was little we thought we saw flying saucers. I remember being really scared. Mainly because I was away from my parents and wanted to be with them. We called the air base nearby and they said they were lights reflecting on nearby clouds. I remember not sleeping much that night. The adults who were driving the car I think kept saying they thought that was what it was ---thinking now as a trick to tease us.
We have close encounters with wonder all the time. With the beautiful clear nights we get in OK after a day of wind.... or with the sunrise or sunset with the full horizon in view. The wonder of tumbleweeds that run down the road like puppies...
All kinds of wonders abound.
Where do you find wonder in your life? Do you have to seek it or can you find it right close.
In the next days, as we wonder about Christmas let's look for a close encounter with wonder itself.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

I Confess

I hereby confess---I'm a keeper. I keep pictures, letters, more pictures, more letters. Tonight as we were looking for some 8 mm movies of my husbands family as children we found a box of pictures. It is not one I've seen in a long time. Anyway I found some pictures of me as a child, some of my family through the years, our own children, and some letters.
One in my Mother's hand is wishing my father happy anniversary on their 22 anniversary in 1967. In her beautiful hand she writes him of her love for him, their joint love for me as their daughter, and signs it with love.... at the bottom in my Daddy's hand...Dear Betty, Forever and ever is never long enough, Love Maurice.
Sigh, deep sigh, it got me.

I confess it got me. Her letter, sweet and kind, his reply direct and complete...She kept the letter.... It was in her things when she died at 80.

My goodness. What a blessing they are to me even now.

Tell someone you love, forever and ever is never long enough and know how blessed you are to have someone to tell.

God abides
bobbie giltz mcgarey
@2005

last day

The Saturday before Advent begins is the last day of the year. We start a new one tomorrow. Unlike the calendar year new years eve we don't have parties, or celebrations like that, instead we have times for preparing for Christimas.

So perhaps you might want to make some Resolutions. Resolutions that will be upheld in these next weeks as you prepare for Christmas. What will make this Advent, this Christmas different? For some it will be that there is someone missing around the tree or at the table. For some it will be that someone new has joined the family through birth or marriage. (Me I have a new son in India.) And for others it is that they are alone. What are you going to do to make this the most special Christmas? What are you going to do to make it special for someone else?
What letter are you going to write that will help someone? What note of thanks to someone from your past or present that needs to hear from you and that you need to write? What simple kindnesses along the way?

God bless you all!
So if it is the last day prepare tomorrow to celebrate the First day!
God abide with you

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Oh my

At the mall today a small child was on the second floor leaing through the banister and hollering...Oh Santa, hello Santa. In a kind but persistent voice. I don't know if her parents were going to let her go down and see Santa or if that was a close as she was going to get. I don't know if he acknowledged her.
We all call out like that now and then--call out to be recognized--- to be seen--to have someone we care about recognize us--to say Yes, I see you! We do thls work and action --- because we are human.
Like other animals humans have always found ways to stand out in the crowd. We do it with coloring of faces or hair, with wearing something that stands out in a crowd, with behavior that is more or less appropriate, these and other ways are things we do to be noticed. Children of all ages are great at reading reactions of adults around them and accept attention as reward for behavior without discernment of it being good or bad.
"So do you see me Santa?" I don't know what she might have done had Santa called her name! Once the Santa in a Christmas parade in Columbus called out my name--he was someone who worked for my father and knew me...but all I knew was Santa knew my name.

How to we teach our children and one another that they are seen and recognized without them having to 'act out' in ways that shake us and scare us? How do we teach smaller groups than the majority that we recognize them and acknowledge their right to be individuals?
Apparently we are not so good at this or gangs wouldn't be big, bullies would not exist and the world or in schools or in families and all would be a lot happier from the smallest groups to the larger ones because we would respect one another.
Let's see what we can do with recognizing one another this holiday/holly/holy season!

God abides in the midst of it all!
@2005
Bobbie Giltz McGarey

thanks giving

Grace and Peace
We will worry if we eat too much
Some will be thinking...will we eat at all?

Remember all you have and have to share with one another.

Happy Day

God abides
bobbie giltz mcgarey
@2005

Honor

Honor bright.
I don't know exactly where this saying came from and I doubt it is from literature but to me it always meant that one's honor was true. Honor bright? I remember tht term either from a Girl scout pledge or from the Shirley Temple Movie Captain January. Is your honor bright can you rest through the night?
That someone was being perfectly transparent about what they were doing and what they were dealing with at the time. We all know when someone is not being truthful with us. We feel it in our gut and wait for them to come and tell us what is real and the waiting or confronting is almost as painful as the telling of it.
That your honor was true and intact was an essential part of one's life.
What is honor? For my parents it meant that you lived your life as fully and as completely as you could and as you would and as you should. That you were trustworthy. I think that one of the things I always wanted to do was to keep their trust. To keep their honor. Ok, so there were times when I did things that were not keeping their trust. Learning and growing I know caused some choices that weren't perfect. But, I did learn.
I remember one time I borrowed my Dad's car and drove to see a friend who lived a couple of hours away. I had permission to use the car but that trip was not in the 'plan'. I remember thinking I'd gotten away with it. Then about two weeks latter my dad in passing asked me how my friend was that I'd seen ... I said fine. He said he just thought it would be best if he knew where I was going and to be careful. He put his hand on my arm with a gentleness I have not forgotten. The next time I thought of going I asked if I could use the car to make that trip. He said yes.
We sometimes think it seems that honor has to do with doing whatever it takes to achieve a particular outcome that we think is just. But is that honor? The words in a marriage vow is to love and honor. Do we honor the world by seeing what we can do to 'get-by' or to 'sneak-by'? Without honor.
Lies seem to make the news. Where is honor in that?

Maybe that is what we should ask people on trial? We will have to account for our days. Is honor bright?
Perhaps it is time in the world to ask this of all people in power... honor bright?

Maybe it is honor that makes great literature or movies and without it they fall short of fully bringing satisfaction.
Look for it... In your world

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Anticipation

My mother in law said that one of her sons was coming for Thanksgiving and it was going to be a surprise. But somehow the tale was told and she found out...But she said, and I agree, anticipation is part of the fun.
I sit waiting for our daughter to come home for thanksgiving and see a light on the driveway and hope it is her. There aren't many houses here so it is a good chance if one comes up in the next few minutes it will be her. And I've done this with parents and cousins and grandparents and....children...and friends.
I can only imagine my parents hearing me say...Are they here yet...a thousand thousand times as I waited by the door for Martha and Janice to come from Illinois almost as much as a child is prone to say...are we there yet...
Now to be true my family also likes to have surprises between us too. You know showing up at someone's door unannounced or unexpected only to be welcomed with great joy. And what fun! What fun!
And I think that part of anticipation has to to with the memories linked to it... from times gone by.
And hopes for many times in the future.

God bless you as you anticipate the season ahead. May the waiting be half as exciting as the joys you know when the One arrives...and may your joy be shared with a world that doesn't wait...
Oh Gotta go..Here she is.
God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Age

Grace
Is it just me or do children age more than we do? Ok, here is where that is coming from. There was someone I knew in another place where we lived and they were little girls. I read about the family and lo and even behold the daughters are 18 and 13... How can this be?
Somehow I don't feel like I've aged enough for them to be that old! I know I have. I know where I am on the chart of age. I know that my age is very old in many of the third world countries and in some I am way beyond the average length of a woman's life. Sigh.
Do we, any of us, consider where we are in our life journey and what we want to accomplish before.....
What do we want to do with our daily lives. Given that is what we are given. Our daily life, our daily bread. Enough for the day. Not to be either wasted or hoarded but used for the good of the kin-dom.
How do we use each day we are given to the fullest? By blessing someone who brings us joy. By living our lives in the fullest measures of God's peace by being the ones who are known and loved by God. And living our every day into that.
Simple really. Because God gives us so much opportunity to practice that kingdom-come kind of living through God's will be done... it all goes together.
And yet, apparently more difficult than one may think. Because ...well it doesn't look like we really do that on the scale that we could.
Or some wouldn't cold and hungry tonight when we have extra coats and blankets in our closets and food crowding our refrigerators. --and us on the way to the grocery store for more...
Is our perspective something we need to work on not just acuity. That is do we not only need to see clearly but to see with the 'big' picture of our life and the world's needs put together. And if we did that would we not become more than we ever expected? And the world a place more than we ever expected.
Grace and peace be yours this day
God abide
Bobbie

Before the End of the Game

Greetings
There are some challenging Football Games on today. My Ohio State team is playing Michigan. I can't begin to tell you how many memories of this game I have. Many... My Daddy even went to the OSU/Michgan game in 1950 when there was so much snow in columbus that few people could get there. He walked about 6 miles to get to the game! Oh that would have been fun!

And it is Alabama Alburn big game day too.
We Americans put a lot of energy into rooting for our favorite teams. I am in Oklahoma the game is in Michigan but you'd think some times the first half that the team could hear me cheer.
We think that things have to be as we want them to be and they should be as we expect them to be. We think this is THE way for the world to turn. Well this isn't even the way the world plays 'football' which translates for us soccer And there are amazing fans there.

But in the big scheme of things the money that is transferred for this kind of game is amazing. I heard one team made $500,000 for playing a team way over their heads. Way to assure a win on homecoming.
How can this be right or true? With nutrition programs for the elderly being cut ... with people needing basic help with
food or housing. With thousands in some places in jeopardy of the cold with their homes being crushed in quakes. All kinds of things are amazing. What we 'deserve'. Just because we were born where we were born.
We didn't earn this.. How we use what we have means everything in the heart of God.
When did I see you hungry ....? Oh yes...There is that least of these ...You did it for me...

God Abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Found

Grace and Peace
Late last night I was in touch with a wonderful woman I met a couple of years ago in India, Lily. We happened to be online at the same time and it was good to chat with her and get a little sense of how she is doing.
We all want to be found I think. Remember the childhood game Hide and Seek. There was that moment as a child, if you had found a particularly good hide place, that you wanted to be found. And then the words...Ally Ally in free. You could come in and show everyone where you had been hidden.
We want to be found and we are found. We are found by the One who created us. We are found by the One who walks with us and picks us up. We are found by the One who brings us home.
As faithful people we are given a full measure of comfort, and hope and peace in our hearts that even when we think we have 'hidden' we are not hidden from the love of the One we just awake to it's presence in our lives.
And as questioning people, or fallen people, or imperfect people, we hear Ally Ally in free in the words of God's good Grace given to us when we turn into it and accept it for our lives.
Found, never lost.
Thanks Be to God who abides

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Loss

Grace be yours

Two people I know recently lost pets. One a cat another a dog both animals had been part of their families for almost 20 years. They were sad. As well they should be. These animals become part of our lives. Grief works in us in individual ways.
When our son lost a friend to suicide we sent him to a counselor. Our son said he really wanted to work through this so it didn't catch up with him later and he not have worked with it. It was brave of him to confront this head-on. And to be honest we didn't give him a lot of choice in the matter.
Three months after my mother died someone came up to me and said. "Well it's been three months since your mom died I guess you are about over it?' Seriously that is what they said! I had no reply! I asked, "Have you ever lost anyone close to you?" "Well. No." was her reply. I said, "Well that explains your question."
I am not sure we get over grief, we get through it. Sometimes we have resources to help us cope. We have friends, a church, a faith, a promise, the help of the one who died before they left us, life experiences, and TIME.
Time is truly a healer. It doesn't make the sadness leave it does help when we have support bring to us the good memories to overpower the losses.
One woman was told as her daughter neared death..."God has given this to you to make you stronger."
NO I say No! We talked for some time about how she really saw God in the world not killing her daughter to teach the Mom a lesson.
God isn't up there dealing out tragedy to strength one person or another. That is not the way God as I know God operates. God weeps with us. Holds and enfolds us. God gives us strength for the journey. Sigh. God abides
And grief comes and hits us sometime like a wave out of nowhere. It can be a reminder that makes us smile as much as cry that takes us off our feet. It is when something wonderful happens in our lives as much as when we are lonely or in pain that we miss those we treasure because we so long to share with them our joys as well as our fears or pain.
In the midst of this ---tears are a gift.
AnnTaylor Fleming has an essay on grief. I suppose I will post it here when It is posted on line so the whole of it will appear. She is a reporter on The News Hour on PBS.
Then there are these words... Abide in me and I will abide in you.." Jesus

Book Report

Greetings and peace
When I was in 9th grade English class we had a substitute teacher who decided to have us do our Book reports that day not the next week which had been assigned. Several of us thought they were due the next day. My last name, Giltz put me in about position number 5 to report. So as the others did their five minute oral reports I started again to look at the first chapters of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. It is a long book but I figured in a week to have finished it. When It came my turn I started by saying that Jane Austin was a well know British author and this book was one of her best known novels. It is her way of developing strong characters that makes her writing so beautiful. Before I could say anything else the teacher began what turned into a 15 minute lecture on choosing good books by good authors. She said good work Barbara and gave me an A. It was several years before I actually sat down to read the whole book. I have read the last few chapters again and found them to be just as engaging. The writing was just as good and wholly engaging. The way the people speak to one another is so engaging.
I watched again the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice and am partly looking forward to the newer version coming out on Friday. How can it be as surely dedicated to what has been produced here? Anyway we will see.
What is it we want from a good story? One like this or the Harry Potter books or others that engage us verbally and set before us images that make us laugh and cry?
Surely we need to be people who use language with such energy and intellect.
Words have power..

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Shopping

Grace and Peace ..

It is no suprise to those who know me that I really enjoy shopping. I don't often buy--but I enjoy looking around at items in the stores. It is inherited. My Grandmother Theo, my Mother Betty, all enjoyed such ventures. When I was in elementary school my mother would some days ask me if I had my homework done, or if I had tests and if I said no we would take the bus in Columbus to Lazarus Department Store downtown. Later in life I came to call such days Mental Health Days. We would have lunch and it was a full day. Sometimes we would make particular purchases and other days we would just shop.
I could describe that store to you now though I'm certain it is not at all in that condition. That was in the last Century after all.
I loved riding the bus making the transfer and all we did on those days it taught me independence and confidence. Mainly it was about time with my mother. It was about learning to look for quality items--on sale. It was about being together. I treasure those memories. Sigh.

I have to confess one of my favorite memories of last year was when my daughters Betsy (by birth) and Molly by marriage to Johnny and I went shopping the day after Thanksgiving in the city..Oklahoma City at the mall. It was amazing. There was the usual crowd, and the Christmas Carols (which have already started) and we had the best time the three of us. And we were good at it too. Enjoyed looking together and it was a treat.
No not some official ritual but what fun to be together and share that...family tradition.

There are things we do together that are fun and good for us. Being with people we love is what it is about. Getting to know people better is even more important.

Find a way to make some time with someone you love. Or write them a letter telling them of your love.
Let your heart reach out to someone new.
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey

Water

Grace and Peace.
Sit down and have a glass of water.
Did you have to walk miles to get it?
Did you have filter it so as not to get some kind of water carried parasite?
Did you get more if you were thirsty?
Did it quench your thurst?

Some don't have these options. Many of these have people have water miles away. Many of those who carry that water 10-15 miles several times a day in buckets or plastic carriers. Women mostly.

Sit down and have a glass of water.
check this out... /www.wateryear2003.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2543&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
May you not take water--for granted. ever...

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

A herd of tumbleweed

Grace and peacee,
Ok, I know I know we live in Oklahoma where the wind comes always blowing over everything all the time...but Sunday morning was a particularly blustery day. At one point along the road about six or seven tumbleweeds all about the size of a big basketball went across the road one after another. Seriously they were far enough away that at first I was trying to identify some kind of rolly polly animal doing that... Then I laughed. About the time I laughed I looked over in the field to see 6 wild turkeys walking along...I slowed a little and they took off...flying as oddly as only turkeys can. Then on to church. Hawks aplenty and I think one bobcat... my goodness.
The day was long and good and I slept well even though my favorite TV show wasn't on Sunday Night..
Deep Sigh.
Monday came...
I got all kinds of good news in the past few days. Two nephews and their wives are expecting babies next year! My John got good test report and some friends are working out some situations between them... well it is just a pretty day.
I had a good long dream that I am still trying to figure out. And when I went to get something out of the car this morning it smelled like India. That is all a good thing.
There are times when we get good news. Yet, it seems we tend to pass over these times and dwell on the times when the phone rang with bad news. We should surely be as thankful as we are when we get other news. Holding good feelings as much as we do the others.
Deep sigh.
God abide
hang on --like a hawk on a wire in the wind!
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Rev. Dr. Bobbie g. McGarey

I believe that I shall see

When I was in Sunday School in Ohio at First Community Church, we had a young man teach our Class. It was third or fourth grade and he had us memorize the 23rd Psalm I remember practicing, being anxious, and trying so hard to remember it.
In my CPE, Clinical Pastoral Education, again in Ohio, the first man to die on my ward was one I had come to know along with his wife and daughter. They were in their 80's and had been so close. She came into the hallway and saw me...Oh the 23rd Psalm she said, the 23rd. I began to say the psalm and she said, Can't hear, louder. So I started again... The LORD is my shepherd, Can't hear she said, Louder. THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD! She nodded and I went on with the same tone.
Not the wistful prayerful murmuring of this most familiar Psalm...but the Shouted knowledge of God's ever present presence!
Later I remember that and realize there are times when we need to shout the scripture, not mumble in false piety. But proclaim and claim...

The 27th has also worked for me in that way....
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
What a mantra for our days...

In these days when truth surfaces and hope abides and chaos looses
to love let us be bold to shout the Psalms as a thanks to God.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Aresto Momentum

Grace and Peace
I was watching one of the Harry Potter movies and at one part Harry is falling and the head of the schools says Aresto Momentum....and he stops falling.
Don't you love the illusions in movies that things can stop mid-fall or flight and be ok. We all want to be able to help out in times like that!
My Daddy said that there were two times when I was little that he felt so totally helpless. Once when I had watched the movie Peter Pan and believed that if I really believed I could fly --that I would! So I got up momentum bouncing on the mattress on the bed and as he came toward the room I said, "Look Daddy I can fly!" With all my might I took a flying leap toward him arms spread out and he raced toward me and couldn't get to me until I'd smacked into the floor knocking all the air out of myself. He said it took all in him not to laugh bcause the look of confidence on my face that I indeed could fly was, although quite brief, very real.
The second was when I was about three years older with some cousins at a playground and going down a slide. I had climbed up the ladder to the top and called down to him. This was after I had begged and begged to go up one more time. I leaned over to say hi Daddy and fell. Before he could get to me I was on the ground chewing gravel. He picked me up and they took me to a doctor who stitched my forehead. I guess it knocked me out cold for a few seconds. I just remember looking up to see my Daddy's quite concerned face. And I have to say whenever I was tempted to say, "one more time", about most anything I would remember the slide.
We can stop certain things about ourselves. Those habits or things we do that are really not for our own good. Those things that we do "one more time", thinking we will get away with it.
Today is the day to be all that we can be and do all that we can do to be the people we were truly created to be... Not Peter Pan who flies with Pixie Dust, or Harry Potter who has someone to stop a fall...
But part of the dearly beloved...

Have a great day
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005
Rev. Dr. Bobbie G. McGarey

Advertisement

Grace and Peace
Years ago there was a movie that had people thinking they would write their own "Bumper Sticker" length saying to describe themselves.
One of my friends said at the time her's would be High Maintence and Proud.
Another said. Low maintence but I can adapt.
Sometimes it takes our thinking of how we would label ourselves. Some times it is often easier to think of labels for others but take care sometimes it becomes judgemental. I think we are good for doing that.
Like one most women would understand "Glamour Don't"
Remember the advs that said.."Because I'm worth it!"
Perhaps that is one that is good..
Because we are worth it. We are worth being who we were created to be!
Like Beloved by God, or We fall down-But we get up!
Be well and happy! or my favorite right now. God abide!

What would be your bumper sticker for yourself?
Happy to Be Here

Good luck! Be well!
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

New tricks

Grace and peace.
Do you think that there is ever an age when you can't learn something new? I heard a report that said that learning a new language as you age is a great thing to keep your mind sharp. They said you may never be completely proficient in it but learning it can help keep you sharp.
What have you learned today?
I heard someone say that there are ways that people can learn new things about how to care for others. One woman I knew some years ago had retired from her life long job and took on the role of visiting folk in the nursing home as their link with their church. It was a blessing to the people and for her in ways she hadn't counted on.
I know of a woman who started a business where people who have crafts to sell can find someone to help them sell these things and get the fair price for them.
I know of a man who took on care around his neighbors yards replacing mail boxes that seemingly often are knocked over. He keeps a repaired one in his garage ready to replace the most recently knocked down one.
I know of people who have tried something for the 'first' time ever and found that they have a gift or talent they had never known. They Stretched themselves beyond what they thought they could do.
All these are people who have decided that there are things they can do. They write letters, they help at food pantrys, they visit the sick, they bake cookies for the school, they......you fill in the blank.

What is it that you are going to learn this week?
See me smile! I know you can...go ahead... Do it!

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Over-Under-Around-Through

Have you ever worked with a small child teaching them over under around and through? Taking a block or a toy and setting up some kind of obstacle and then doing those actions. I am sure Sesame Street does it in several of it's sketches. Concepts to understand life and the world around them.
It's a theological tool as well. (You knew I was going to get to that didn't you?)
We learn in our lives when there are obstacles that there are ways to deal with them. Obstacles can be opportunites and times for our growing too. Messengers to help us learn.
In a devotional I've been using this week by Joan Chittister there is this line
"Wisdom is the ability to see under the obvious meaning of any event."
I sat on the porch on a particularly wonderful morning this morning and thought about this and the world around me. What if I used this lens today to see the world and all it holds.
--under the obvious meaning of any event---
How might I differently or more 'wisely' interpret the happenings of my life? Could others use this as a way to look at the world? Perhaps we should try.
Then this scripture came to me. God is our dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms...
So then --rest back in God's arms and look for the place where we can dwell in trust.
under the obvious meaning of any event...

Deuteronomy 33:27 The God of old is [your] dwelling place,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Rev. Dr. Bobbie Giltz McGarey

you can order her book through this site

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=bobbieindia20-20&path=subst/home/home.html
"Life Ablaze" Joan Chittister

Calling

Years ago on our first visit to India I remember hearing the Muslim Call to prayer which happens 5 times between 6 am and 10 pm. God is one Come to prayer.
Reminders to the faithful that they are to turn to God, Allah the One and pray. Wherever they are facing Mecca.

What calls you to prayer? Do you have a time when you pray every day that unites you with all your friends thinking about God's love for you and presence with you? Just wondering. Once I remember when thre was a crisis in the family we all promised to rise at 4am and pray where ever we were for the concern before us. We did this for about a month. We would go back to sleep and after a while it became a wonderful part of our family life. We have not done that for a while.
What calls us to prayer as members of another faith? Is it need? Is it concerns? Is it joy? is it wanting something for ourselves or for others? Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies.
When prayer becomes a first resort and not a last resort we become stronger in who we are. We become happier and peaceful. We can do anything with God who strengthens' us.
think about it. What calls you to prayer?
How often during the day?
Once when my mother was ill I had a watch with a timer on it. I would set it for 30 minute intervals and would stop where I was and pray for her recovery. Set the watch again and go about my work. A Prayer-snooze button.
What calls us to prayer in the days when things are going well and we say Thanks Be to God?
God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

Tapping

. We had heard this tapping sound outside the front door for several days. At first I thought it was someone at the door, nope. Then I thought it was water dripping somewhere, (not a good sound) then figured out it was a bird. But where is it tapping? Is it makng it's way into the house? Then I looked and it was a bird sitting on the birdfeeder tapping on the side, knocking lose some of the seed, eating it, tapping again. Apparently a little moisture got in and the seed got a little sticky. Interesting eh? Well on it goes. We ckeared out the bird feeder but apparently this bird wants to tap...and so it goes.
Reminders of the way things function. Sometimes we keep doing something when it is no longer necessary because we always have.
So then, friends in Christ, let's do what is necessary but no longer essential.
God abide
Bobbie G. McGarey
@2005


"The task force (on Peace Unity and Purity) reminds us that
we are called to oneness in Christ
and unity in the church,
to allegiance to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
and to be a people shaped by the power and authority of Holy Scripture."
Clifton Kirkpatrick PCUSA http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2005/05578.htm

Rev. Kirkpatrick wrote this as part of his repsonse to the Theological statement that informs the report. What a great reminder of who we are as people of God.
How really beautiful this statement! And how it focuses us on faithfulness. On how we live who we are. Together.

'Cause sometimes we forget. We forget what we are all about and what we should be doing.
So now that you know... oneness, unity, allegiance,
God abides

Requirements

Grace and Peace to You.

Oh the hawks are out and so beautiful. Some of the bigger ones swopping over the fields and roads. I see them dive in a hunt and am amazed by that process. They sit on the fence posts and look around at the world that is theirs. They hunt to survive and they have work to do in the food chain.

What is required of us. We at one time thought that because we were on the 'top' of the food chain that we could do anything. Now we understand the inner connectedness of the world and our part in it. The web of life. That weaving of the world. We count on one another and come to understand our part in it... the over it means requirements.

To seek justice and love kindness and walk humbly with our God.
Well that's simple enough.
Justice - that we are required to be the ones who honor all. Kindiness that we treat one another with respect and honesty. and humbleness that it is not about us. It is about God's love for all.

So, let's get to it.
Every act of kindiness brings joy to the heart of God.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005

I'm alrighty

I was watching the Today Show on NBC as I got ready for my day and they were showing pictures of some of the folk who were 100 or over some of them giving little advice.
One man said...everything in moderation and eating whole natural foods
One woman would always say "I'm Alrighty!" when asked how she was.
A few years ago while watching they had the picture of one of my Dad's best friends and I happened to see his picture and I'd not seen or heard of him for over 20 years. Keep Your mind active and alert he had said.
a positive attitude... it seemed to be what each of these seniors and several others claimed was what got them where they were.
It is challenging.
So, I've decided for a week not to watch news on TV. To see if I feel more positive about the world and my part in it. I will pray each morning for what is happening in the world. I will pray for the people of the world and it's leaders for wisdom and mercy for the most vulnerable.
But the day to day news ---I'm going to put aside and see how I feel.

So, you have a wonderful day. I'm off for a meeting in OKlahoma City.

God abides

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2005