Awakening a Keen Observer

rain

2011-10-04T14:56:00.002-05:00

Tuesday afternoon.

It is balloon week in ABQ and we have afternoon rain today. The balloons were up this morning and I watched them as I had coffee with a friend looking out over PaseoDeNorte. It was fun. They are amazing the colors and shapes varied. It looks like fun but fun for someone who isn't challenged by height. I can appreciate them from afar and enjoy them.

I had a nice visit with a woman who sat with me when the tables all filled up. We had a nice conversation.

WE have missed the rain here. It is hopeful that the mornings will be nice enough for the rest of the week for the Fest. So many folks come for it. I hear that it is THE most photographed event anywhere. What fun. Some friends are coming for the weekend and it is supposed to be pretty again then.

The scripture for this coming week is about Moses going to the mountain and the people making the golden calf. Ah what fun that will be. The 23 psalm is also read, and the Matthew story of the people invited to the wedding and some not being prepared.

I haven't written here as I often check in at Facebook, bobbiemcgarey. But I shall try to be better about reflecting here.
God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2011 Albuquerque, NM

Lunch at flying star Juan tabo

2011-07-12T14:21:00.004-05:00

The place was noontime-crowded when. She sat down, she chose a table near the counter so she could get refills easily and because it is not in the center of things. Sometimes she likes sitting on the edge. (that reminds me of a quote from midnight in the garden of good and evil).
The gentlemen next to her were in intense conversation. Something about the church the older man a retired Bishop, The younger in mid x50's talked about the bishops daughter, an apparently wonderful woman.

She tried to get online but there were 4 EMT s who seem to be sapping the juice to the Internet. Hopefully it was something important. She glanced again their way to seeing one man playing bejeweled blitz ...she supposed that they needed a break from their very intensive work. She would wait.

Lunch came, good as before, and she ate with slowness attempting to savior her sandwich not just eat it so fast that it is forgettable. There was a glare from the window of a car backing out that flashed bright in the window, A ray of sunshine inside amazing.
several people noticed it and were surprised. We shared a collective smile

The upcoming Sunday's readings were on her mind. Them men next to her began talking about church stuff. She could
T comprehend the flow of it but bits and pieces were heard...you taught me so well Bishop and how do you learn to do an exorcism?
Time for a refill. Friends had laughed at her last week when she got a piece of bread pudding and a diet coke... She recognized the
Strangeness of that combination. they had all laughed and the bread pudding lasted three days...

A friend from 8 years ago had met her that morning before lunch...just a little time before her plane...so they jumped into real deep conversation quickly, Their memories of where they had been together were the same. They were both happy to be gone from there but missed some of the really dear people. Those who had been mean or betrayed them were not missed though they obviously had left strong impressions in pain. The two of them prayed for healing. It was good to share.

Not long from now she has a new yoga class. She decides this would be a good time for a nap. One more refill and home she goes to be greeted again by her puppy always happy to see her.

God abides

Bobbie giltz McGarey
@ 2011

Between Pentecost and trinity

2011-06-14T18:01:00.002-05:00

Well finally
If in fact there are folk who are still reading this.. Me and my iPad 2 are on the patio at flying star JuanTabo. In ABQ

I've had an early dinner and taking half home.

Yes we rare I. The time between Pentecost and trinity Sunday, Pentacost was great fun with lots of balloons and Baptism and communion and ordination. It was a good time and I think a celebration. We didn't have the cookout because of the wind the really dry ground fire alert for the are -- and the person who said they would set the fire forgot, But we had plenty of food and used microwave. A good time was had by all.

The mellowness of the temperature here is remarkable, I would love a hammock and a nap out here, with the birds chirping . The building blocks the biggest winds so we aren't getting smoke here either and that is good. Bless all those who a still are in The fires path.

If the weather holds and smoke abates Wednesday pm may. Be a great time to walk the labyrinth by moonlight. I have a meeting and wjll do that when it is over. It should be good. Moonrise is at 8 something but it isn't dark till almost 9.

So friends I will begin a contemplation of the trinity and should be good.
Tonight Im signing off.

God abides

Bobbie glitz mcgarey
@2011.

Easter Eve

2011-04-23T21:54:00.002-05:00

Was There One?

Was there One who followed
Who listened to his word
Who believed that he would
Surely rise again?

Was there One who followed
Who dared not speak
And tell the others remember
Three days he said…

Was there One who followed
Who held the promise in their heart
That surely he would come
To be with them again.

Was there One who rejoiced
When they heard the women
Proclaiming he was gone
From the tomb just as he said.

Was there One who cried
Tears of joy and hope
Knowing all their pain
And this day been redeemed.

Was there One who followed
Now knowing all was true
Of God’s amazing love
reborn

Was there One...?

Rev. Dr. Bobbie G. McGarey
@2011

Spring Wins

2011-03-26T13:47:00.004-05:00

I hope for most of you that spring has made it to you. There are some of the cutest little yellow flowers here and there in the grass reminding us. It is a good thing...those little universal reminders. The little ones here stay really close to the ground. Unlike their cousins in Oklahoma which put out a lot of long green leafy parts... It is amazing the difference but the same message still.

I wonder if the hawks I watched for 11 years are nesting again in the same trees along the road from Duncan to Lawton. I wonder if the barn that was a wonderful landmark is still standing. I wonder if the tree clinging to the bank made it thru another winter and the spring. I am looking in my new place for something to watch...to help me mark the seasons. Trees or a meadow or stream... I'll find it...

Find a place to mark the seasons... honor it... enjoy it... find quiet in it...share it with a friend..

be well and happy
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2011

check out the church webpage newlifepcusa.org

Well, I de-clare!

2011-03-10T16:55:00.004-06:00

Grace abound in your life.

Oh the time has come again, Saturday night, to change the clocks. In the wisdom of someone unknown to me it is a good idea, saves energy, and ... messes up everyone's internal clock. I try to start on the time a few days early since on Sunday morning I have to be 'awake' at the right time so that I can worship with my mind, heart, and spirit.
I really think it is interesting that this time change happens because someone declares it so. I have often mused about what else people could declare. (Ok ok I do know there is a process and that it just doesn't happen on a whim.)

But think about this... if you, yes you, could declare something and have it happen what would that be? I'd be curious to know.

Would you declare and end to hunger? poverty? war? greed? un-thankfulness? debt?

Would you declare something personal? end to being overweight? end to being selfish? end to being tied to work? end to ....

I'm gonna ponder that myself. This coming Sunday is the reading from Matthew on the Temptations (not the singing group)...and what Jesus had to understand. Not just from an immediate position of satisfaction but understand from a more universal position.
Because for Jesus it was not about him. And friends, it's not about you either.
It IS about something bigger than all of us...

Oh and set your clock... forward one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night.

Thanks be to God

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2011 Albuquerque, NM

A touch of the Holy

2011-02-12T20:41:00.003-06:00

Last weekend a really gifted young woman preached in New Life Church. Karen has such great gifts and skills. I am really pleased to have her as a sister in ministry..may the way be clear for her to find a Call.

Monday after being in the office in the morning Karen and I went to Old Town Albuquerque. It is a charming square. (ok there was that lapis and coral necklace that will haunt me it was only $40. The native americans had beautiful work on display. We had no trouble finding a parking place as it is the off season. The day however was bright sunny and really beautiful.

We parked in front of the church on the square, San Felipe Catholic church was built in 1793. They have been a church here for almost 300 years. Karen and I walked in and it is a beautiful chapel. It was quiet and peaceful.
A man was praying in the front. We sat in the last pew. The man was deep in prayer. He would pray, cross himself as is the tradition, genuflect and then pray again. We observed him and could Feel the way the Holy was present to him. He walked backwards down the aisle never turning his back to the altar. I was moved.
The statues in the front were beautiful and had not two other people come in to pray I would have gone forward to have seen them closeryu
We stayed for ... a good while ... silent. We both felt it was time to leave and so we quietly left.

There was to be sure a touch of the Holy. Perhaps in fact more than a touch. There was the presence of the Spirit. I'm not Catholic but there are some things we gave up at the time of the Reformation that I'm not so sure we should have. More on that at another time.

I am happy we went into the church. I am touched by the time we spent there. I am comforted by the presence of Christ daily.

God abides
Bobbie G. McGarey
@2011

Albuquerque,
bobbiemcgarey on facebook

Re-Imagining

2011-02-07T11:20:00.003-06:00

The Book, The Phantom Tollbooth, has a traveler moving through different lands. At one point the traveler finds himself suddenly on an island named Conclusions. He doesn't know either how he got there or how to get off. He finds out that you get to the island of conclusions by jumping there...and the only way off is to swim back through the Sea of Reason.

I was reading through my files and found the one that contains the 1994 reports about Re-Imagining conference in Minnesota. I wrote a letter to my colleagues and in response got replies like...I have read other things quite different from people who listened to the tapes and heard what happened -- did you attend the same conference?..and I will pray for your soul, and I don't think we are in the same church. None of these folk had attended or had spoken directly with someone who was there but they were willing to take articles and headlines over my first hand account of my experience.

All of that was very interesting and challenging. And I laugh often when I see books published by men, some of whom greatly challenged the conference with titles like re-imagining the church... Is it a gender issue.

Sometimes I think that even though I was in high school and college during the break-thru of the women's movement things have only partly changed in folks value of women. We are horrified at stories we hear about girls children being neglected and yet women in this country still make less than men in the same jobs with the same training.

I was a supply pastor in a church about four months ago when a man came up to me and said, "O they let girls be ministers now?" I looked at his face longing to see him an expression of a joke--but I found no such response. I said I'd been ordained 32 years so Yes women are ordained. How odd was that?

When my son was born in '78' one of my friends said...Oh too bad you didn't have a girl you could raise her to be good liberated feminist. I replied that if we didn't raise some liberated men then there would always be an imbalance. And to the credit of other mom's from that era we do have some wonderfully liberated men.

I suppose all of this is to say that we all have work to do in respecting one another, encouraging one another, being open to listen to new ideas, and to recognize we are not always right. (What? ha ha ha )

So this Monday I am Re-Imagining the week... and all the days ahead. Expectations are not always the same for everyone.

God Abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2011
ABQ New Mexico

whoop

2011-02-04T23:03:00.002-06:00

Grace and Peace
Whoop
I found the other power cord for my computer, well my daughter's computer that I've borrowed. I thought it was still packed in Raton. The part that broke was the little pointy part that goes into the computer itself. I thought I had to buy a new one and have waited for some time to do it because it is about $80. And I don't have an extra 80$ I'm happy I waited. Although it would be handy to have one here and at the office... Extravagant. Really that $$ will help 'my' boys in India that equals bout a month for each of them.
John is heading back to OK in a few weeks to sell the house. How is that for positive thinking? He'll drive the truck think happy thoughts about the weather getting better.
I'd switch cars with him but mine has an engine illness, (I keep giving it transfusions of Oil) and I have to have that fixed. All in all. We will be doing ok once we sell the house. Till then there are a lot of the finances to be worked out.
Having whined about that I know that we are really ok. We have warm places to live and good work to do and great people to work with and that is wonderful.

Being safe isn't an issue here and I really like the light I get in the afternoon and evening in my bedroom/study/office. That is the second room in my apt.
I do miss my books. Really they are friends to me. I will get some of them here eventually. I am looking to get a bookcase at a garage sale when the weather thaws out some. (and an Ironing board).

I am very happy!

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2011
ABQ New Mexico

thunder snow

2011-01-31T16:40:00.002-06:00

I remember thunder snow from when we lived in Utah. It is an odd phenom to experience.

We have had amazing weather up to this point and recognize that it is Jan/Feb. time and time for Winter to appear. Three days ago I was hiking without a jacket.

We haven't had the real big snow, (yet) like the Eastern part of the US has experienced several times this year. This being my first NM winter It will be fun to compare through the years how it changes.

Our first winter in Utah after Christmas we had 20 days where it didn't get UP to Zero... When it got to be about 15 it felt really mellow. That's REALLY cold. Those who have experienced such weather can tell you the finer details of what that cold does to your fingers, nose and toes.

I hear it will be below zero a couple of nights this week but shouldn't be as cold as Utah.

Not a day to walk the outside Labyrinth. Soon though..

Hope and pray you are warm, sheltered, fed and loved.

God abide
Bobbie

Treasures

2011-01-24T20:34:00.002-06:00

I am in Raton for a few days going through boxes of things that were moved from OK. There are many boxes that are oddly labeled. Like Den or Living room. But we can't tell from the outside if they are books from the living room or the vases that were in the living room, or other treasures that were there, like a pair of my Daddy's baby shoes. So we go from one box to another trying to find some really important things to us.
In the midst of all of this we find that there are things that surprise us. We found a silver money clip abacus with a silver dollar in it. I found a bracelet I thought I lost some years ago. Yea.
Are there times when we discover all things of ourselves that we thought we lost? Things that we are that surprise us. Things that we set aside, talents, interests, all of those things could be treasures. Perhaps we need to take time to sort through our 'selves' and look for those treasures. Happy hunting.

God abide
Bobbie G. McGarey
@2011

Well finally

2011-01-11T01:00:00.002-06:00

No more excuses... I'm committed to writing again. I don't know still if anyone reads this but it works for me as a journal of sorts.

Our life in New Mexico is thus far off to a good start. Lots of things happening and lots of times when we miss each other but skype, talk on the phone, and see one another. it is a good thing.

My apt is getting more and more feeling like my own place. A few things here and there are really like mine but it will yet to be seen how fast I can get my office as well to look like mine. Step by step.

Annie, my little wonderful puppy, ok she's 3 but still a puppy to me, and I play a game called what are the upstairs neighbor's doing now... For about a week I was sure they were putting together an Ikea piece of furniture. Two days later I saw an Ikea box in the garbage can so I think we guessed right. I don't want annie's barking now and then to bother them but then again she does walk heavily in heels early in the day. I don't think we are home at the same times usually.

I am enjoying watching Netflix in the evening. I read news online but really don't miss it constantly. I've enjoyed recently watching some of the Michael Palin travel series' they are quite satisfying and really gives you a feel for the cultures he encounters. Check them out.

Alright. I'll get some photos up soon. This is a beautiful place to live and serve.

God abides --even in 2011

bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2011

Hello again

2010-12-14T10:47:00.003-06:00

Albuquerque NM Ah
It is a beautiful December day. Christmas is coming. Well Ya. You can tell that by the crowds at almost every store. Need this--want that--

Most of the time it is want not need that drives Christmas shopping. We have just moved and are re-gifting ourselves things we find as we unpack a lot of boxes.

So far we've re-discovered some books, some clothes, some silverware, some ---
yup some things we had stored in our house. It was a great house it had a lot of closet space and built in drawers and cupboards...alas when one is moving...that's not always a gift. Things can disappear in those spaces until movers, crassly I'll say, unearth them.

We look at all we have and realize we don't need anything. A warm hug and greeting is all we need.

This year John's mom is coming to share Christmas with us. She'll be with me from the 21-25th and then travel to see John. (His church is in Raton- Mine is in ABQ) Both she and John will be back here on Tuesday the 28th by train and he will stay for several days here over New Year.

So what do I need... want?
Children to be filled with love from others
People to share their knowing God's love
Materialism to dim and sharing to grow
Hope to spread
Water for the thirsty and food for the hungry and shelter for the homeless
Reconciliation for the brokenness in relationships
Honesty and integrity to grow

Happy Christmas

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

What was I thinking?

2010-11-19T20:36:00.002-06:00

I listen to a radio program called This American Life. They tell great stories of individuals in all kinds of situations. Like the police officer who while on a break thought he would stretch out in the back of the police car to nap. The door closed he
fell asleep only to wake 15 minutes later with the knowledge he'd just locked himself in the police car. There are no door handles in the back of the police cars. There is a soundproof glass between the back seat and the front. He got out finally by calling 911 and asked for help saying he was ok. However it went out on the radio cop in trouble and everyone around responded. There was no hiding his mistake.

So are there things in your life that you did and later thought, "What was I thinking?"
Surely there are things that in hindsight and experience would say to us that there is THE time where we made a huge mistake. There are people I've know who live what I call Soap Opera lives. This means that they come up to a decision that is very important and make the wrong one every every time.

So then, how do we make decisions that are based on more than a flip of a coin? I think we do by stopping in the process and listening to what God is leading us to do. And the more we do this the more loudly this 'voice' comes to us and leads us.
When John and I are faced by a big decision we will sometimes pray about it, come to a decision and then go to sleep asking for a dream to let us know if we've made the right decision. There are times when it is very clear that we need to reconsider based on dreams.

A lot of times after I made a decision I think...What was I thinking that I didn't take time to pray about this before I said yes or no.

And we don't keep praying until we get the answer we want.

god abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

awakened

2010-11-17T01:22:00.002-06:00

wake by wind in trees
fall leaves are trying to fall
sleep now winter comes

God abides
bobbie giltz mcgarey
@2010

The Change

2010-11-15T15:09:00.002-06:00

Grace and Peace
Today was a day when the weather really moved to a change. It is cooler and the ABQ mountains change by the minute as the clouds float over and the sun dodges in and out of the clouds. The clouds seem to be coming in from the west like waves on the beach. The trees still have some leaves and there are some that are bright orange.

It is coming/here. That change in the weather. And whether or not we are looking for that it's here.

"Change is the very most natural thing and life is mostly attitude and timing." sings Jerry Jeff Walker. How can we move with that?
Change is always going on and we either embrace it or we attempt to stop it or hide it or hide from it. But that doesn't change--change.

So we move with it and we joy in it and we adapt. But adapting is not a passive
act. Adapting is our way of bringing into the change those things that are essential-important.

Adapting is not compromise. Adapting is our embracing Now and saying Welcome.
Let's dance.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

bobbiemcgarey on facebook.

The Chair

2010-11-13T17:53:00.003-06:00

grace and peace be yours...

I have been watching two folks moving into the apts where I'm living. They had several people helping them or I would have volunteered to help. Moving has an interesting effect on my psyche. I suppose it is natural to feel unsettled in the midst of it. I feel better with my things in my apt. I had some good friends helping me and that made the difference. Now that I have my "chair' I'm feeling really comfortable.

See this chair has been part of my life--my whole life. We had this chair when I was born and I remember many things about this chair. When I was about 3 I sat behind it and cut my bangs. How would they know? Oh they were all chopped up and the hair was on the floor. I got in trouble not because I'd cut my bangs...that was done...I got in trouble for saying I hadn't done it.

I remember my Daddy in this chair with me on his lap and him reading to me. It is time again to have it reupholstered. I'll save up to have that done.

Right now it enfolds me. My little dog Annie likes it too. That's good when moving. All our things are on a truck right now...somewhere between Duncan and Raton.

Find a place where you can feel that kind of security.

God abides
Bobbie G. McGarey
@2010

My New Place

2010-11-10T19:49:00.001-06:00

Hello all, I have moved to Albuquerque, NM. I had stayed in a hotel the first 9 days and have now moved into my apt.
l
Sunday at my new Call at New Life PCUSA, we had a fine worship service and then in the evening a yummy dinner and talent show. A good time was had by all. Such talent! Wow I'm amazed. I pray for good things ahead.

The weather has been amazing these first 10 days of November. Beautiful NM blue skies and mild afternoon temperatures. Today it was 'crisper' but perfect for moving boxes. There is a thought that there will be rain/snow on Thursday night. Hopefully I'll have my pickup truck unpacked by then. I have a good parking spot right now and hope that it will be possible to stay there until I've gotten the truck empty.

I have a great view of the mountains from the front yard at my apt. I also have photos to put up of Oklahoma when my printer gets to me.

John is in Duncan but will head back to NM on Friday. He's been with the movers.

So think happy thoughts.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Ah Starbucks

2010-11-05T15:32:00.002-05:00

I found the internet connection here and am enjoying a chai latte. mmmm

So now to work as long as the power on the battery lasts on the computer.
And a good laugh as one guy was making fun of a certain cultural group to the
lovely woman behind the counter. He finished a little rant and she said..you know what's funny? I am part of the group you just mentioned.

I looked up and the woman sitting not far from me was laughing too. We laughed together. Oh my.

I guess a quickie lesson in watching what one says...

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

ABQ New Mexico

Deep thankful Sigh

2010-11-01T23:12:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends,
I write you from my new home. Albuquerque NM. I drove in at night so I saw the valley lights. They spread out all along the river.
My new call is to a church called New Life. Aptly named I believe.

sigh

So a new adventure begins. I said goodbye to our house, I love that house and the yard and I find a new place where my heart says it is home.

I will get back to longer musings here. I keep quick update on facebook. bobbiemcgarey you can find me there.

God abide with you.

bobbie giltz McGarey
@2010

Treasures

2010-10-18T21:54:00.003-05:00

We will be moving from Oklahoma in a few weeks. Our "Johnny and Molly" and my cousins "Evans and Val" currently live about 3 hours south from us here. When we move to NM we will be farther away. I have decided to pretend that they are just that close still. I pretend that our daughter Martha, (betsy) still lives in Tulsa three hours North east of here. It makes her feel not so far away as she is in Bethlehem PA. Why? because I love them and enjoy their company and laughing and... just being with them..because they strengthen us and bring us such joy.

We also know that family is formed these days with people who are part of your life wherever you are. As you become bonded to others they become sisters/brothers, grandparents, auntie/uncle.

That is if we are able and willing to share who we are with them and accept who they are. And more than accept but treasure who they are.

Treasures are all around you. Enjoy them..everyday

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey

@2010

What are YOU worth?

2010-09-27T21:05:00.002-05:00

Greetings friends,

The other day I was thinking about my income and salary and what I would have to live on day by day and at one point it seemed like a real challenge. Then I stumbled on a note.. www.globalrichlist.com That's global rich list and it would figure for me where I stood in line with everyone on the globe in income.

Trust me when I say I was surprised to think that I would be in the 4.06% of the richest people on the planet. So that helped to put things into perspective.

I know that I have plenty of things and as we plan to move I'm trying--really trying to pare down those things. It's not easy. For me a lot of what I have once belonged to someone I love, my grandmother, my parents, etc. They are not so much just stuff. There is meaning with them. But is that where I should PUT meaning. I know the answer to that and imagine you do too.

We all have friends who have lost their 'things' in floods or tornado or hurricane. They didn't choose to lose their belongings.

Ok, now stay with me because I am going somewhere with this!

In seminary one of the first Greek words they had us learn was the Verb "to Loose"
I don't remember the Greek but I do remember thinking that odd. Now, after some years I think I get it more. We are bound by so many 'things' and expectations and troubles and shoulds and oughts in the world that we see some way to be loosed... to loosen the things that hold us down.

That is a real Gospel Message. If we have Jesus we have everything and are free.

Perhaps I should say since we have Jesus! Or would you be more comfortable with When we have Jesus?

But it's true
now to live into that in the next month
I'll let you know how its going.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Peace

2010-09-18T15:45:00.002-05:00

A few years ago John and I were watching the sunset at Clearwater Beach Florida. Ok so other places do have wonderful sunsets but these also take your breath and drop you to your knees. OHHHH AHHH

This past week has been for me/us amazing. Things have changed for us both and we are heading to serve in New Mexico, (also a sunset awesome area). How the time has gone so quickly for me since Tuesday. OHHH AHHH

This Sunset, actually one of many photos I took that night, remind me of God's graciousness. This was taken in one of those Oh-MY-Inbetween times. But God didn't leave. Never did. Never will.

So, as you pause for a moment, no matter where you are in your life journey. OHHHH AHHH

Breathe in that breath of God that is yours.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

September Sky

2010-09-13T21:36:00.003-05:00

Well Finally

As we were traveling this afternoon the sky with amazing NM Blue also had clouds that looked like fall. Well, Ok, I know it should since fall is upon us. We should also know that the changing of seasons is for us a reminder that change is natural. It need not be painful, or scary or fear bringing. It is a matter of how we look at the changes presented.

A good friend of mine has lost some of her vision. She is adapting as well as she can. Another friend is still learning to live without a beloved 6 year old son. She is adapting as well as she can. Another friend is watching her husband moving away from her with Alzheimer's being thankful for every day he knows her name. She is adapting as well as she can.

Adaptation is what we do as human beings. It brings our survival. Do you remember almost at the end of the musical Oklahoma the Aunt is giving Laurie a talk about a woman's life? She names off several things women face and she says something like...Well, all right! We move on thru it all.

The September sky reminds us to be ready for Fall September 22. Then be ready dear friends for the rest of our lives to be filled with wonderful new days.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey

Worth the Price of Admission

2010-08-03T11:13:00.002-05:00

Grace and Happiness,
The scene we observed in the airport last night was worth the price of admission.

We went to the airport to pick up Johnny and Molly from their trip to a friend's wedding in France. Their flight had been diverted and delayed and they came in at 11:30p instead of 4p . We were standing at the bottom of the escalator waiting for them to come. There was a young family, woman and two little girls. One of the girls was probably 5-6 and the other was
3. Daddy spotted them first and leaned down and began waving. Suddenly the older girl saw him and yelled at the top of her voice..
. DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY ...

The Daddy, who we found out was returning from Iraq, hugged the younger girl knelt down and the older girl threw her arms tight around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder and cried.. Their mom cried and looked at the three of them also tearing up. Others had started watching, we couldn't help and it was beautiful. A beautiful moment.

Ok so everyone was tearing up. I mean really tearing up. As all of us watched and were wrapped into this scene this scene we realized none of us were watching the folks coming down now and one family missed greeting their family. So we all went to meet someone else we all were embraced by that incredible sight of love. Of surrender to all that was real...of hope that reunions do happen.

Daddy daddy daddy... I flashed back to my childhood and thought how it would be that little girl running into my Daddy's arms to be embraced and enfolded in love. I thought of all the children welcoming home their parents. I thought of the incredible love on the Mom's face as she watched her family reunited and how she let her girls have that moment. What love on her part surrendered that moment to her children.

Welcome home good and faithful servant... we long for that... or am I the only one...I don't think so.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Is it a mystery?

2010-08-02T21:04:00.002-05:00

Alfred Lord Tennyson

The Eagle

HE clasps the crag with crooked hands;

Close to the sun in lonely lands,

Ringed with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;

He watches from his mountain walls,

And like a thunderbolt he falls.

My third college English class was great. The first two were interesting but the third was one I so completely enjoyed. (In the first one if you had an incomplete or run-on sentence in the final you flunked the course. We had to write about the book Under the Volcano. I remember writing some of the shortest most structured sentences throughout the in class essay).

OK back to the Eagle
It was the third day or so in the class and he read this poem three times. He asked for us to pause and then to say what we thought this was all about. There were many 'theories' about the metaphorical and symbolic meanings hidden in the poem. This poem was becoming quite complicated and I thought I must be over my head in the class. He looked at me and said OK, you are the only one who hasn't answered. I said, "I think it is about a bird." So OK, I was an ornithology major but still the beauty of the poem to me was the amazing image, true to form, of the eagle- painted with so few words.

The professor asked me my name. Said you get an A for today. Not everyone was pleased with his response.

Later, some time later, in some of the theology classes I had there were times that reminded me so much of this poem and this class. There were layers upon layers of meaning, context, historical setting, etc in some of the debates we had. One guy knew how to really throw around the big words that honestly LOST me.

Then I visited India, later, some time later, and looked and saw the Gospel completely alive. A worker goes to the field--see over there! A woman had two coins--look she put in everything she had to the offering after walking for 2 hours to church. The poverty was evident but there was a woman sweeping the rectangle in front of her cardboard house and a tiny potted plant outside. The folks in the Leper colony washing the hard packed dirt and smiling.

Let us not forget when we read the texts that although the 'theological thinkers' can help us wrestle with some of the tougher ones, that many many many of the Gospel stories are to be seen and not imagined. Fear not little flock for God has plans for you...

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

facebook: bobbiemcgarey

wow what a summer

2010-07-31T15:08:00.003-05:00

Even though this day started out in a most unexpected unplanned and sad manner, (our cat died), this afternoon had me remembering a moment in my life

It was a huge mountain valley meadow in Utah. There were high peaks on each side and the Presby women were there for the weekend. I was to lead communion and the closing service. Because of the sound factor and no place for them to sit outside I did the meditation inside and then we marched out singing...Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary...
I had gone to the field earlier and found two old logs and made a cross out of them on the ground.
The women came out with me, it seems about 50 or so and we made a circle around the cross. We talked about the circle, it 's meaning and how to leave room for others to join. I had prepared the elements in baskets. The cup was to be passed following the bread, Jesus Christ the Bread of Heaven, Jesus the cup of salvation. I asked that the women pray for each other as the bread and cup were passed. What i hadn't anticipated was that they would all pray for the woman who was intincting the bread. They waited, they looked at each woman and prayed for that which was her deepest need and prayer.
We took time. It was beautiful. There in the meadow we all lifted our prayer.
What time do we give our joys or our sads? Relish it all.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

read today...CHANGE IS GOOD --- YOU GO FIRST

Two kinds

2010-07-17T23:16:00.002-05:00

We once saw a statement about individuals...Christians in this case. We think it was Martin Marty but it went something like this, "There are two kinds of Christians, mean and not mean."

It is an odd designation. One is either welcoming or not. One is either hospitable or not. One is either kind and compassionate or not. One is overtaken by power or not. In all of this there is an amazing truth here.

When there is power over someone or something then I am always suspicious of one's motivation. Jesus had power over evil. Jesus has power over evil. That is why when Christians behave in a harsh manner toward one another I am always taken-back. I am shocked and saddened. Because I know this happens. It has happened to me and to others that I love. It has happened to strangers.

Obviously these 'believers' didn't read the part in the scripture where Jesus says, "love one another". It's not an option it is a commandment.

Have you wonder then how do we ever come to be unkind to anyone? Not that we don't stand up against injustices and protect one another as we know that .
But when the injustice is one Christian to another I have little patience. I suppose you may wonder where this is coming from in my life....It is from the way that some Christians are behaving toward one another in India. I shall not go into detail as it might put some in peril.

METARETOKI IYOOK ENGAI PEEKIJING'A.
(God, help us to love each other)~~MAASAI PRAYer

May we so live that others may know God's love for them.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey

@2010

Radio

2010-07-14T21:22:00.002-05:00

Greetings.
I have been listening to the audio reading of the Harry Potter books as I've done some sorting things. I love listening to stories.

When I was little my Daddy and I would listen each Saturday to a radio serial story. I have no memory about what it was about but I remember sitting and listening. I also grew up listening to story records. I think this is part of where my imagination was
developed.

Since I was an only child there were lots of times when I had to make up little stories and different ways to play by myself when there weren't any friends around. These things I remember as being great fun. I would play jacks or with marbles. I had dolls and stuffed animals. Books were there and other things for me to do.

So, as I listen to this reading, by Ron Dahl, I remember others reading to me...
and the sense of my imagination being encouraged again.

In the questions to those who are ordained in the Presbyterian Church--will you serve the people with.... imagination and love? Yes.

Imagine what is next and be pleased it is set out for us by God.

God abides
Bobbie G. McGarey
@2010

Added Video

2010-07-14T13:17:00.003-05:00

The last Sunday I was the Interim Pastor in Lawton I had my son take a video recording. It was a special service for my farewell. We hadn't planned on using the video for anything but a memory but it is the only video I have right now.
The audio part is just fine. If you look on my profile-----> b
below the photo it says review complete profile.
There is a link that says Audio --click on that
and you will be linked to both audio and video .
It is actually posted on my facebook page but this is a far faster link.

God Abides

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Dear David and Andrew, !

2010-07-13T16:10:00.003-05:00

Grace and mercy be yours in fullest measure.

Well this week has been over full. I returned from Minneapolis and the Clergy Job Fair and General Assembly on Wednesday I met some wonderful people at the General Assembly gathering and continue to pray for open doors. We returned home to OKlahoma Saturday after finishing up some things in Ft. Worth.

I preached in a lovely congregation Sunday in a lovely little church, had a great BBQ after, met a real cowboy and had a great time hearing his stories. Got back to Duncan about 4pm.

Andrew R- I tried to catch up on the emails and found one from a friend in Utah telling me about her grandson being killed in an auto accident. He was 5. Andrew one of the twins. We had married the parents some years ago and baptized their first born 10 years ago just before we left Utah. What a tragedy. The Mom and Dad have been upheld by their faith and said they hold no grudge against the lady who hit her son as he had ridden his bike in front of her car. The funeral was this afternoon. God bless their minister and the church family.

David F - A year ago this week another friend lost a son to illness he was in his 20's. He was a delight to know and his life touched so many others. I feel for them in this time as it is never easy on anniversaries such as this.

God I believe holds both of these families in God's loving arms. As I believe God holds their beloved children. It is always out of 'order' when a child dies before the parents. I pray for these folks and the siblings of the two young boys(men).

The mother of the younger boy said to the newspaper...remember to hug your kids and tell them you love them all the time because you never know.

I think that admonition applies to everyone we know.
Remember all of you...
You are a beloved Child of God.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

The 4th from my window

2010-07-04T23:18:00.002-05:00

On a high floor in the Hilton Garden Inn in Minneapolis I have been watching some pretty impressive fire work displays. At one point I could see 4 different ones on the horizon. Quite cool. This year I missed the OOuuuuuuu Ahhhhhh factor when you are sharing the fire works with others. I spent the afternoon with a dear friend catching up after not having had a chance to visit in several years. It was refreshing and affirming and down right fun!

Do we all to often in our lives look out at the world from a 'window' that protects us from the 'others'? Do we all to often sit back and see how others are expressing their gifts and say good work without trying ourselves to use our own gifts?

Do you remember the old country song--"You can't be a beacon if your light don't shine there's a little light in all of us by God's design. You can't be a beacon if your light don't shine."

Perhaps one of the things in community we can do for one another relates to that light within. We can help others have their light shine if we take off the shade, turn on the lamp and plug into the power supply.
The shade would be those things that cover up the other person's light. Sometimes they might not even know they are covered. Sometimes they don't know that they have a light. Sometimes they are afraid that their light would not compare with others. Our job as community is to remove the shade.
Turn on the lamp. There are folks who don't try to light the world around them. They would rather stumble in the dark or cause others to stumble. But when the Light is turned on in us there isn't anything else we can do...but shine! Shine and illumine the world around them.
Plug into the power supply! I imagine you have guessed where I'm going with this don't you? I am talking about the source of the power, God's presence in our lives. God's love in our lives just waiting for us to plug into it and receive the charge that comes. God's lives in us and our job in community is to alert others to the ever present power of God.

Ok, well I'm going to think on this some. You chime in with the comment place at the end of this musing.

In the meantime

God abides
Oh thanks be to God

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Little Annie

2010-06-30T10:26:00.003-05:00

So I was getting ready to write a new note here to all of you and I look in my lap and Annie is seeming to be reading the blog about the diner. It was really cute. She kept her head resting on the computer looking at the screen.

This little puppy has been a new joy for us especially since our little ChiliPepper, age 16, moved on to a new life. We will always miss ChiliPepper and all the memories she carried for us. Our daughter got her when she was 13. She bridged a lot of her life. Living with us or with her depending on where she lived. ChiliP went to Medical School and really helped. This photo was taken in 2006 whenour daughter graduated from med school.

So we move on...
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

It's really simple

2010-06-29T11:01:00.004-05:00

God is great and good!
This we believe

God abides

Bobbie Giltz McGarey

The Diner

2010-06-21T07:19:00.002-05:00

Hello Grace and Peace

We are getting ready to head west and back home. We will get to see Aunts and Uncle along the way. We are looking forward to visiting with them.

This morning we went to breakfast at Billy's Diner in downtown Bethlehem. We had a fine breakfast and as we were finishing our second cup of coffee a red car pulled up in front.
The driver, an older woman, and I say that with affection, got out and opened the trunk and began assembling a walker for the passenger. It took her about 5 minutes to put all the components together--again. I say again because she did it deftly but it took some time. She lined up the walker, set the brake. On cue the other woman opened the car door and began to step out. The first woman reached behind her and pulled out the portable oxygen tank. They got her up on the curb and she began to arrange her things in the walker cart, purse, oxygen, and she started out. But the brake was still on and they both giggled as the first woman released it. They came into the diner. They both were smiling. It was going to be a good day.
My guess from looking at both of them was that they are sisters. There seemed to be some kind of family resemblance. This was not a new 'dance' they were doing together. It is what you do for someone you love.

It touched me to watch them they were patient with themselves and each other. We all move so fast, or try to move quickly from one thing or place to another.

These two woman danced together slowly and deliberately and I must say beautifully. It is going to be a good day.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Bejeweled

2010-06-17T13:45:00.006-05:00

Grace and peace

Facebook has a link to a game called Bejeweled Blitz. Here's my reasoning why I and several friends like to play this game. Read this with a sense of play...

The idea of Bejeweled is to line up gem colored symbols in threes, (fours and five if you are lucky) and score points the faster you do this.

1. Each turn lasts just 1 minute. You can play one or two times in-between something, or while waiting, or when you just need a break. Good things can come fast and leave fast..Be here now.

2. The idea that lining things that are alike in a row and getting rewarded for that is a lot like my life. I like things lined up. Though my thought process is usually more spiral than linear this is good.

3. If you work hard there are bonus' (boosts) you can use to make your task easier. I think that would be great in life to have those! Can't you see at the end of the day.. You were a very good loving person today...you get these boosts, (super powers) for tomorrow.

4. I usually score big points when I don't try too hard. Sometimes the best things in life come when you are waiting...or in-between...or when you are not looking.

5. There are times when on the board you can find nothing that matches up. Yes, again like life. You expect to be able to do certain tasks, but darn the luck not every day do things 'line' up like you want. Wait, there's another chance coming. Don't panic.

6. It is fun to play with friends online. They may be in OK or KY or TX or UT or... and still you can play together. People from many stages of your life make you a richer fuller person.

7. Every Tuesday the scores from the week are erased and you have an opportunity to start over with a chance to do better this time. Like your 'sins' are forgiven now go live in peace.

8. One tiny right move can often have cascading effects on the board and your score.
GRACE HAPPENS

9. A mysterious voice says Awesome when you do well. Spectacular also comes in somewhere! You may not be doing awesome or spectacular but you still get encouragement, everyone appreciates encouragement.

10 If you spend too much time planning your next move for bigger points -time runs out and you've not done so well with the game. There are times when flexibility and spontaneity and serendipity win the day in our lives or in a game. "I wonder what will happen today?" Pema Chodron

Add on to this in the comment section.
God abide.
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

June

2010-06-11T09:36:00.002-05:00

I am looking out the window to my patio and see the blooms of the mimosa tree. Our whole patio smells so sweet. I always thought mimosa flowers smell like peaches. My Grandmother had a mimosa tree and when I smelled it I knew it was summer and we were with them in Virginia. Now here in Oklahoma it still means summer. Some of the trees in other yards are just totally pink with the flowers. Ours are spaced out a little more. We also called them powder puff trees and pretended to powder our faces.

Those were also the days we would gather lightening bugs, fireflies, and put them in a jar, with holes in the lid and have them in our room for a while. My dad would come in and get them and let them go and then put the jar back in the room and we always thought they'd escaped. He knew they wouldn't do well that long in a jar.

Summertime brings memories back about camp, swimming pool and diving boards, family, picnic, hikes, thunderstorms, playing canasta, jumping rope, waxing the slide at school with wax paper and then flying down the slide, mosquito bites, bee stings, you know like life... some things good some things a little painful...but all of it together is Summertime.

WHAT do you think of in the Summer? What memories pop out when you think of summer?
Let the best of those memories make you smile. Enjoy

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@21010

Dreams

2010-06-03T16:06:00.002-05:00

I had a really good dream this morning and my Mom was there and she looked and sounded great. It was fun.

Dreams can contain parts of what once was...and a dream is also something that may be..yet in the future.

Dream a little dream with me. What is it in the world that you would most like to change? Is it a justice issue, a religious issue, an end poverty issue, a feed the poor, a pay my own mortgage, find a job or anything else? Well then I ask this question, what are you doing to make that dream happen? Just putting it out there in the ethos doesn't bring it to reality. It has to have some nuts and bolts to it.

A dream can be like blowing on the wispy white seeds of a wild flower and watching them move out into the world. A dream can also be something solid and hard.

"I dreamed a dream of time gone by..." from LesMis made a Scottish woman world popular as she sang on today's version of a talent show.

Being a dreamer however, has not always been a good thing. Perhaps that is when dreamers don't do anything but pile up a bunch of what-ifs or maybes. Let the dream be something you can share in community and work together to accomplish.

Sweet dreams
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

bobbiemcgarey on facebook

Trinity

2010-05-25T11:23:00.002-05:00

I'm not preaching on Trinity Sunday. One of my friends read the scriptures and said she was going to preach about dancing with God.

When my dear Mom, Betty Giltz, had a very bad reaction to some medicine she was taking she very suddenly lost her wits. She couldn't complete sentences, didn't know our names and this all happened overnight. We were sitting in the living room as I waited to get her into the doctor and she said. "Oh my," and very sweetly held up her hand, "this finger and this finger are really sad because they won't see each other again." (She pointed to her index and then baby finger.) She looked up at me smiling and said, "Oh, Bobbie, don't be frightened, I'm dancing down the street with God."

The medication made it through her system and she was 'alright' again but some years later when she died I remembered those words...don't be frightened, I'm dancing with God.

Every day we have times when we are not sure if we have all our wits about us and yet we don't let go and dance with God.

I think that we are just so worried that if we let go of our pretended control we would just float off the planet. What, we will defy Gravity?

Grounded in faith, God holds our feet to the ground always...except when we are dancing!

God Abides
Good News
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Pentecost image

2010-05-19T15:42:00.001-05:00

Awesome thank you to the artist He Qi

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Pentecost 1

2010-05-19T15:19:00.004-05:00

Like the unpredictable weather
the Spirit spills onto the people
and they have voices to praise God
and are made one.

We are coming up on Pentecost Sunday. I wrote this Haiku about Pentecost starting with the Genesis Tower of Babel where the people were scattered with different languages and then where they all came together in one language.

Hands build tower to God
Scattered no words can be shared
God can not be reached

God listening still close
Gathered God comes down in Spirit form
Words spoken understood

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

SACRED LITURGY

2010-05-07T11:31:00.002-05:00

So Yesterday I get in the mail a new book in a series of Bible Commentaries on the New Testament Book Titus and 1+2 Timothy. I sat in the comfy chair in my office and began to read. It is so beautifully written. It gives wonderful background on the texts. So I get to the 'troubling' part of Titus where it talks of submission and it is dealing with it well. Where it says. These women are 'to be reverent in behavior.' I read wondering where it would go. It gives some detailed information about Greek here. "The compound hieroprepies (lit., fitting for a sacred place or purpose)was used by classical authors to describe priests and priestesses, sacred possessions, and translated 'holy and venerable."

Now here comes the part I love...

"Philo used the term to describe the Essenes, whom he understood to be living life as a kind of sacred liturgy and able to speak of the dedication of human faculties (thought, speech, and sense perception) to God, thus making them 'sanctified and holy." It is perhaps NOT going too far to suggest that Paul saw the behavior of these women as a kind of living liturgy."

Living Liturgy Don't you love that phrase? What if all of us lived that way as one whose life shows that which one believes? That if all of our living was linked to the One who gives us life!!!!!!

Ok? Does it strike you interesting? Or have I lost you reading this? I really want to discuss this. I find it fascinating. Is it just me? leave me a comment

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010
working to "be living life as a kind of sacred liturgy"

Awe SOME!!!!

2010-05-06T13:00:00.002-05:00

WE should thank the Hubble telescope for the images that have caught our breath over these years. They are Awesome in the truest sense of the word. They bring us closer to God and the amazingness, (is that a word?) of creation.

So enjoy
Find something amazing in your life... and let me know
God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

cloud chasing

2010-04-29T10:50:00.002-05:00

My kids made me promise 10 years ago when we moved to Oklahoma in part of Tornado alley that I wouldn't become a storm chaser. On more that one occasion the tv storm chaser rigged up cars did pass me ...going the other way from me. But I only once skirted the outside of a tornado by accident.

Today was oh so mild. The almost completely blue sky had a few random clouds blowing across today. The road which stretches out for miles ahead of me was dotted for a moment with the cloud shadows. Every once and and a while I would drive into a shadow. Some times one would come over top the car. It felt like a game of tag. Oh yes, I was paying attention to the road, and the lamas and the cows and the horses and the red-winged blackbirds and the hawks. But I was also playing attention to the clouds.

They reminded me of how sometimes everything sunny can quickly change and there is a touch of OH MY! that comes into our lives. And it reminded me of how quickly that OH MY can go away. Also if I would have stopped in one spot and not even driven into the clouds some still would have passed over me. It happens. In life the cloudiness of the world happens. And there is no hiding. We just go thru and we are ok.

So friends. When clouds come, remember the blue sky remains above and the blue sky will appear again.

sing along..."blue skies smiling at me- nothing but blue skies do I see!"

Animals Observed

2010-04-15T12:59:00.004-05:00

Good Thursday Morning.
The highway between Duncan and Lawton is being 'fixed' and the construction makes what was a very relaxing drive a little more exciting/ So today I drove the back way.
The time difference is nil as the construction slows all the traffic down on the main road. Yesterday a string of cars, me the third, proceeding thru the 55 mph construction area almost came to harm when the first car spotted the police car parked on the side and slammed on it's brakes, even though it was already going at or under the limit. I saw him as did the car between us and we slowed WAY down and the series of cars behind us all were able to do the same so we didn't have a real mess.

Ok, back to the animals. Today I spotted, cows, goats, lamas, hawks, great blue heron, mallards, dog, coyote, fairly freshly killed skunk, wild turkeys, turkey vulture, some kind of ducks, and a flock of starlings.

I am sure I missed something. The road is 'farm size' 1 and 1/2 lanes. Most of the 30 miles is paved but not all of it. There are two bridges with signs saying one lane narrow bridges. One of them comes on a curve which makes it really tricky, no rails just the edges falling into the creek. The second one has boards laid into the structure and if you go off them you'd be in trouble.

But it is beautiful. The trees overhang the road in several places. The farmers all wave, (that would be your fingers raised off the steering wheel), and I think
if you got in trouble someone would help. Of course they would have to find you first. I passed 5 cars the whole way. There are a lot of pretty houses along the way. Some houses are new and some abandoned.

Where is this musing leading? I remembered when I was learning to drive and my dad and I were in Northern Ohio on the farm roads. I'd been going along for a while and the sign said, "One Lane Bridge". I hit panic and started to stop and let him drive across the bridge. "Oh Bobbie," he said before I could speak "you've been driving on a One Lane road for the last 20 miles." He started to laugh.

We need now and then to stretch our spiritual route a bit and get off the common way and see what is on the side road. That is to say we need to wake up and be alert and attentive to all that is around us. To be present to this time and this moment. To let yourself smile when you see a field of young calves, or a herd of goats, or a coyote dashing across the road. To find the joy in the fresher air and the keen alertness that comes from a new path. You end up the same place and you are refreshed.

Take care and make this day unique for it is this Day you have! Send me a note of how it went for you. You can leave a comment anytime.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

2010-04-13T11:53:00.002-05:00

Field of Texas bluebonnets © bombay2austin on Flickr -
noncommercial use permitted with attribution / no derivative works

We moved to Texas in 1983 in December. We were surprised that the honeysuckle outside our house was blooming. We were very surprised when the Bluebonnets bloomed. Wow what a sight. We were warned not to pick them as you could be fined.

The kids were in Pre-school and when my folks came to visit we went out to see the flowers and take some photos. (as everyone does) In my photo cache at home I have a photo just like the one above.

So we were driving south of Bryan and found a pretty hillside with both Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush and a great old fence and the blue sky. So I had the kids run part way up the hill to pose for a photo. I had told them that these were flowers to look at not to pick so that others could see them. They are standing there and a sheriff pulls up behind me. I pointed to my camera, the kids, and he smiled and gave me a thumbs up. All the while I am thinking...don't pick the flowers...don't pick the flowers... they didn't.

As I thought later of that admonition about the flowers, so others can see them, I realized that this was something that we do in our faith life. Something we could do perhaps even better than we do just now.

When I recall the bumper stickers of some years ago, "I've found it" it always seemed like it was "I've found it and you can't have it." The love of God we have received in Jesus might better be put..."I've found it let me share it with you." That overflowing overwhelming amazing love of God that we have to share.

"Go tell the others" Jesus to Mary and to you and me

God abides

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

After Easter

2010-04-08T23:28:00.002-05:00

Wow these last few weeks have flown by. Somehow it was snow and now it's in the 80's here. But not only that Easter has passed. It was a good Easter Season, a fulfilling Holy Week, and now we are IN Eastertide.

That in-between Easter and Pentacost. For the Christian Church this part of the calendar is most exciting. True, the Lilies aren't what they were a week ago. But then, friends, neither are we. If Celebrating Easter didn't move you to know that all things are new...you have missed something.

Years ago we had a 4th grade Sunday school class draw a picture of the Easter story. I won't share all the detail but there was a cross, Jesus on the cross, a spear in his side, and a large large Easter Bunny with a basket over the top of the cross. The bunny had a balloon caption that said... SORRY! We pretty quickly realized how this child had put together all he knew of Easter and there was surely some confusion.
No the Bunny didn't kill Jesus. Legend has it that the bunny is a symbol of spring and also because the bunny was the fastest to run around the world to share the news that Jesus had Risen. (Jesus has risen indeed!).

Let's always take care when we tell the stories not to conflate them into one messy image. Here's the message I got...Jesus is not in the tomb he abides with us. And that my friends is really really Good News!

God abide

Enjoy the Spring

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Spring Wins

2010-03-21T15:22:00.002-05:00

Grace and peace to you. We had snow yesterday on the first day of Spring. I was wondering if I hadn't done the proper welcome spring ritual. However, today after church I came home to see the jonquils in my front yard and thought Spring WINS!

There are times when we need to know this will/is the case. Lent is the time when we drift back and forth between AshWednesday and Easter. We know that God's love wins over every force that might have tried to keep down the Good News of love though Jesus.

May this little flower for you be a reminder. God WINS!

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Sunday's Passage

2010-03-19T11:27:00.003-05:00

It is the last Sunday in Lent this week. I've been watching this video several times as it tells the story... copy and paste http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkje4FiH9Qc

I am really touched by the handshake between Jesus and Judas... what does that say or mean? What does that say in our world our cultures? What does that teach you? Whose hand do you need to grasp?

++++
We have lovely temperatures and sunshine here today. Snow tomorrow. Ah that's life.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
2010

"God's servant in waiting"

Many sunsets

2010-03-16T21:00:00.002-05:00

Traveling home from Lawton to Duncan just at sunset
in my rear view mirror I watched
it set and rise several times
depending on the rolling of the road home.
Just when I thought I wouldn't see it again a came to a rise to see the arc of it still.
The pure orange huge sun melting into the side of the earth.
The pink of that side of the sky while I drove into the blue evening side.
Passing my favorite farm pond there stood in the diminished light the great blue heron
whose presence I've marked almost every day
Taking one more walk in the water.

Ah

God abides
bobbie giltz mcgarey
@2010

Oh It looks like Spring

2010-03-09T16:46:00.002-06:00

We've had a rather harsh winter here in southwestern Oklahoma. The snow, ice, and rain has been pretty significant. Now we move into Tornado season...it just gets better and better.
We arrived here in 2000 and have grown to really love Oklahoma. (We missed the mountains of Utah when we first arrived on the plains.) The far horizon is amazing. What does dusk look like where you are? When we visited Bali and were almost on the equator we noticed that it was either dark or light. There didn't seem to be any dusk or dawn...12 hours each of day and night. It took us a few days to figure out why that seemed so different.
My Mother had friends who came to Florida and stayed on the beach in a beautiful hotel. She asked them one night how they liked watching the sunsets on the water? They said that it was too bad but it always happened while they watched the news. She was astounded that anything might distract folk from one of the best "shows" anywhere.
Live into awe in these coming weeks. Strive each day to find something that is exciting to your soul. Say yes to the coming of the long days and enjoy the dusk and dawn.
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Standing Ready

2010-03-03T11:15:00.002-06:00

So how to do we learn to wait?
My cousin would say to her children when they were pestering her about anything....just wait... just wait... and they would. She would say it in a gentle low tone.
Just wait I think some times those are the very words we need to hear. Those are the very words we need to trust.
"Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, wait." Psalm 27

and breathe.
Take in that breath that evades us when we are wired or stressed. Wait... and take in that gentle relaxing oxygen that powers our red blood cells. Wait. Breathe in... breathe out.

I think I have written this as a message for me... perhaps it works for you as well.

God abides
bobbie giltz mcgarey
@2010

Still snowing

2010-02-25T20:39:00.003-06:00

I have been watching the Olympics and so love to see the Olympians do their sport. I am so very very impressed. The composure and the focus is amazing to me. I am impressed with their desire to do their BEST not just focus on winning.
Former Olympian Scott Hamilton who is doing the narration on the Women's Ice Skating is so great with bringing out the good in each one's performance. They have been able to skate on Olympic Ice. It is awesome the way he brings out an individuals best.
Should we also do this? Should we as faithful people, or claiming to be faithful people, be the very ones to bring out peoples' strengths? I think so. Calling out of them the best they can be! Seeking to see 'the God' in them and to reinforce the best in them.

Jesus looked at his disciples and said follow me. He saw the best in everyone he met and made it possible for them to express that Goodness.

God Abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Morning Snow

2010-02-25T04:16:00.002-06:00

Here we are in Bethlehem, PA still. The weather has plans other than mine and I imagine that this is the time to put together

snow melds the tress and the ground and the sky.

Mellow us today. Keep us safe,

God Abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Snow Color

2010-02-19T06:12:00.002-06:00

So happily we visit Bethlehem. Our daughter lives across the street from a church. What beautiful rolling hills there are in this part of Pennsylvania.
Some of the houses still have the single candles in each window. Come home, come home, it says.
We who have such homes are blessed in snow covered times.
We who are blessed can share in rain or snow or cold or hot.

Sometimes I am amazed with myself as I consider just how entitled I believe myself to be.

Perhaps some day we should understand that they are entitled as well?

Certainly in God's eyes this has always been true.

Mercy of God be upon us all.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

'baby' Lamas

2010-02-10T14:39:00.002-06:00

Grace and peace.
'baby' Lamas are not holy ones but rather the four-legged furry ones. On our way to church Sunday I saw two young beside a female in one field. I turned around to get a better look. Were they lamas or calves that had wandered over. They were lamas! They were little and all black and furry and had cute little pointy ears. One was nursing and the other resting on the ground nearby. We look at them as being adorable. And they were.

It's also calving season here and with the new 'techniques' used by many ranchers many females give birth on the same day..or within a short range of days. You look out in the fields and there are all these little calves some steadier than others at their mothers sides.

New life that Spring thing is all around. Even during the big freeze we had a couple of weeks ago now the branches with their complete coating of ice had the buds already on them. They looked like tiny red bulbs or lights evenly spaced down the branches. It's coming. It is that hope-filled time of year.

So, baby lamas, baby cows, new leaves, all point to the turning of the seasons. (I know some of you may not think this is true with another foot or two of new snow on the East Coast of the US). But the days are passing and will surely come the next season Spring.

Blessings to you all. Thanks for keeping in touch. I'm on facebook as bobbiemcgarey so check in there too.

God abides
Bobbie G. McGarey
@2010

What is your role?

2010-01-19T11:30:00.002-06:00

Greetings, In reading the news reports about the helping in Haiti I came across one that was discussing whether or not the physicians who are hired by the tv networks to cover Haiti can really do that in a non-biased way when all of them they mentioned had applied their medical skills and calling to the hurting there.
One was doing a report on people staying in a park and was found out to be a doctor and taken to a woman in a difficult labor. He called is OB friends in the US and they urged him to get her to a hospital immediately and they medi-evac her to the necessary facilities.
Others, pediatricians, neuro-surgeons, all specialties have done their medical work and then reported on it. Un biased. WHO CARES.
When a physician reports about the physical needs of people I expect her to do so with the eye of the compassionate physician. That they step in and help where they have
special knowledge is only reasonable and expected.
Let us keep in our thoughts all who are there that whatever their deepest gift is can be used for the Good of the Kin-dom.
God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Haiti

2010-01-15T10:17:00.002-06:00

Driving home yesterday I looked over at one of the landmarks I've made for myself on the trip home. It's an old home, no windows, doors, and from one angle you can see straight through it. I've watched it these last 10 years as it has fallen down little by little. There had been a porch, a barn next to it, other things that made it more like someone might put it back together.
Yesterday as I drove by I looked and there was a white goat standing on the porch. I had to turn around and see it again and when I had made the circle and looked it was true...a small white goat. Oh for a camera with a good lens. But I can see it in my mind.
Why was it there? To my memory there weren't or hadn't been goats around that area. Cows had been there but they've been moved off too.
Something winsome about it though.

And I thought of that house when I've been reading about the tragedy in Haiti. So many homeless and hungry.

The earthquake that hit Haiti was shallow and it shook sideways. Not the up and down undulations that many quakes show on the surface. Houses, even solid ones, are not built to stand this kind of earth-action. The quake was 6 miles from the surface under the Capitol.
Echos of hymns being sung in the streets near the encampments of those without homes were a reminder of the strength of these people. So many without homes, SO many without loved ones, so many without water.
I have been keeping updated on the Presbyterian Church's website, www.pcusa.org PDA Presbyterian Disaster Assistance -with the information they receive from our mission workers and co-workers there. There are ways to give that the donations go through already established channels without the concern of funding being 'lost".
How can we ask others to be compassionate if we are not?
And who put that goat on the porch?
God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Epiphany How's with you?

2010-01-06T12:23:00.004-06:00

The clerk at the drug store asked me this question, "how's with you?" I said that I was fine. But it is an odd expression. How is --what with you? Perhaps it is just such a general statement you can fill it in just however you want. How's your health? How's your family? How's your car? How's your spirit? It can go on and on.

Humm though..perhaps it is a better question than it seems at first. We can be ok in one sector of our lives and silly rotten in another. We can have some things all lined up like ducks in a row and other things that reminds us of herding cats. Still, really, do those things external from our person really make up how we are? Our wellness is more in line with how we feel about ourselves in the great scheme of things.
Do we feel like things aren't going together right within ourselves
or do we feel like we have the important parts
of our lives at peace? Wholeness. Shalom
I believe that peace can come when we understand that we belong to God. I believe that when we accept that God has claimed us and named us and gifted us with attributes to be applied toward the Kin-dom then we have peace.

God bless you this new year in finding the pieces that make a, How's with you, easy to answer...peaceful.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Weather Alert

2010-01-05T11:51:00.002-06:00

My computer has a weather alert. We live in Oklahoma and we need to keep watch for tornadoes or threatening weather. It signals with a thunder roll. On more than one occasion it surprises me or someone in my office visiting.
It rolled today. Bitter Cold. Dangerous cold. Wind Chills in the sub-zero range. (I put on my sweater even thought the cold doesn't come in till Wednesday night.) That is dangerous cold. Our church has heat. Our homes have heat. We will all be fine...
Oops no We won't all be fine.
We know this because someone broke into our storage shed on Christmas Eve. They didn't take anything. I think they slept there. It was a blizzard. It strikes me as very much of a Christmas story that there was no room in the shelters...so they found some shelter in the shed. This strikes me hard. "No room in the Inn" I've read that somewhere. Oh right, the Gospel of Luke.
We'd like to help this person find good housing. Find safe housing. Find warm housing. But we don't see him. We see what he leaves here and there. What aren't we doing right?
I've been thinking it's a Matthew 25 year for me...When did I see you hungry, or cold, or without a coat, or....

God bless us ALL
God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2010

Christmas Eve Blizzard

2009-12-24T17:21:00.003-06:00

Sounds like the beginning of one of those Christmas stories doesn't it. That the people all planned to go to their churches and pray but this year this Christmas Eve something was very different.

For the first time in many many years I'm home on Christmas Eve.
Here in Oklahoma a Blizzard came through. It started early morning
with sleet and rain and quickly turned to snow and then add in the Oklahoma
winds and you have a pretty dandy storm. It is expected 9 inches of snow before it's completed.

We here inside, warm, turkey in the oven, are almost enjoying the snow outside. The drifts have piled up against the back steps and all three are missing. Walking the dog has taken on quite a different feeling.

Usually at this time I'd be getting ready to lead a Christmas eve service, we'd share carols, communion and the Word...we would dim the lights and experience the dark as Luke 2 is read, and then the candle light would be passed, one to one until the room was
lighted by the candles and we sing silent night. More silence now in the light. And then and then and only then JOY TO THE WORLD...

I have looked out on many congregations who sing with only candlelight illuminating their faces. Some people had expressions of full-joy some still-pain and some just resting in the moment.

So now I think that we will pray and read and sing and light candles in my family here gathered. I think of my family in India already singing and celebrating. And all the Christians around the world who mark this most precious night. Joy to the World.

Next year where ever Christmas happens I'll again be singing Joy to the World.

May this Christmas bring you great great joy and peace and hope and love and healing and
the God's blessing on all you do.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey

Trinity of Time

2009-12-21T20:43:00.002-06:00

Gathering together
We wait though impatiently
For the coming of the ONE
Who will set all people free

Singing together
We make holy the place
That tells the story
For the coming of the ONE
Who will mend broken hearts

Praying together
We open wide our hearts
So that we might hear
Our name called by
The One who is coming
Listen

Serving together
Those who need us most
We boldly tell the story
That others may hear

Of the coming of the ONE
Who was –who is -who is to be
The trinity of time
Jesus God with us
O come o come Emmanuel

God abides

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
december 20, 2009
@2009

Scratching where it itches

2009-12-03T13:05:00.003-06:00

Grace and Peace this first week of Advent.
So I'm driving over to work a couple of days ago and it was foggy. The road between my home and work is fairly straight and you could see ahead though visibility was limited. On a clear day the road stretches out like ribbon candy ahead about 20 miles. You can't see the whole of it but enough. Today with the fog I hadn't been able to see very far at all. I had been thinking about the future. You know the what-if kind of wondering we do now and then. What-if-this or What-if-that. And I laughed out loud.
Why? Because on the north side of the road with a small herd of horses was a donkey scratching its neck on a fence post. One of those metal kinda pointy ones. I mean it really lined up next to it scratching. Ok, I can't say, and wouldn't try to say, that donkey looked satisfied. What did come to mind was this donkey had a problem and had right there found a solution. Itches? Scratch! Sigh, however as multi-tasking,list-making, ever-perfecting, people we often don't look for a solution to our questions that is so uncomplicated. We'd rather make lists of why-to or why-not. We'd rather consult with others about the wisdom of...
So, now, back to the road. It came to me that what I needed was not to see the whole way but just what I needed to see ahead of me to be safe to complete the journey. Only a little at a time. (trusting that overnight someone hadn't come and rolled up the road and it ended just there, add a grin.)
Life lived more simply is what we need to do in Advent. We know where the Advent road leads and we know who walks before us. We know we will sing joyfully on Christmas Eve. We believe that there is a plan for our lives and it is for good.
Enjoy this time, this very time, this very day and keep it simple.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

thanksiving Coming Friday five's

2009-11-20T10:10:00.003-06:00

Revgalblogpals has a question each Friday... here are my answers to the questions. You can play along post your answers, I really want to know, in the comment box.

The Cure-Ginger Andrews

Lying around all day
with some strange new deep blue
weekend funk, I'm not really asleep
when my sister calls
to say she's just hung up
from talking with Aunt Bertha
who is 89 and ill but managing
to take care of Uncle Frank
who is completely bed ridden.
Aunt Bert says
it's snowing there in Arkansas,
on Catfish Lane, and she hasn't been
able to walk out to their mailbox.
She's been suffering
from a bad case of the mulleygrubs.
The cure for the mulleygrubs,
she tells my sister,
is to get up and bake a cake.
If that doesn't do it, put on a red dress.

--Ginger Andrews (from Hurricane Sisters)
So this Friday before Thanksgiving, think about Aunt Bert and how she'll celebrate Thanksgiving! And how about YOU?

1. What is your cure for the "mulleygrubs"?
watching a favorite movie .. Pride and Prejudice- either version

2. Where will you be for Thanksgiving?
Yet to be determined, perhaps with some friends, taking my husband to the airport,
may eat at the India Restaurant in OKC.

3. What foods will be served? Which are traditional for your family?
Here's what makes it thanksgiving for me. Turkey and gravy, dressing (stuffing), white mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes mashed, cranberry sauce home made, applesauce home made, pumpkin pie, Nap

4. How do you feel about Thanksgiving as a holiday?
As a preacher I like thanksgiving as after a community service I have it free from responsibilities. However, this is a hard part of my family memory as we have had a lot of losses this time of year. "we will meet but we will miss him"

5. In this season of Thanksgiving, what are you grateful for?
Health, continued faith and hope, sense of humor, family and friends, and our pets who bring us constant smiles..

Please let me hear from YOU
God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Stumble Upon

2009-10-27T20:21:00.003-05:00

Two Wolves
by unknown

An elder Cherokee Native American was teaching his Grandchildren about life. He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me… it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
“One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
“The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
“This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”
They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

I sumbled upon this and thought it really good. I will probably use it in addressing All Saints Day.

Good luck
feeding the right
wolf

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

upon my feet

2009-10-17T11:07:00.006-05:00

revgalblogpals posted the above photo. it came as part of the friday conversation. this week it was about shoes. here are the questions posted and my answeres

1. What is your favorite footwear at this time in your life? birkenstocks

2. What was the craziest shoe, boot, or sandal you ever wore? heels that were silver glitter (ok it was halloween)

3. What kind of shoes did you wear in your childhood? spalding saddle shoes black and white, and bass weejens loafers in college

4. How do you feel most comfortable? Barefoot, flip-flops, boots, or what?
flip flops made by teva unless it is in the sand

5. What kind of socks do you like, if any? eh not so much

The fun part of this whole question and conversation was that we had just been looking at women's pumps online at a very expensive store. There were many in the 500$ range and others in the $700 range and one pair was $2000

It took my breath to see the cost of these shoes...and so very many styles to choose from and the NAME brands that I think made the shoes start at 200.

what does it say about us that there are so many things that have become accepted at an amazing price? it's ok for shoes or a bag to cost several hundred dollars. we can rationalize that we deserve these things. that we have worked for these things. that we can have one indulgence.

can we?

perhaps we can --but we may not. we may not if we are people who have eyes to see and hearts that melt and hopes that do not just include our little tribe. we may not if we are people who can say that others will take care of 'them' or that 'they' just don't try to work hard enough. we may not if we think that because of our own effort alone we are where we are.

may denotes permission. if we're christian i'm pretty sure we don't have that permission.. Jesus Christ...have mercy on me...a sinner.

on my first trip to India we were walking back to our hotel and there was a man walking ahead of us dragging one of his feet. we thought he was crippled. as we passed him and looked down his very basic flip flop thong on his right foot had pulled out and was broken...he was not dragging his foot he was keeping his foot protected by dragging the flipflop

God abides
bobbie giltz mcgarey
@2009

bobbiemcgarey on facebook and twitter

Heavy burdens

2009-10-12T09:03:00.003-05:00

Visiting our dear family Matthew and Annie in Kotigiri India a few years ago we watched these men building a road up the mountain.
These tribesmen had some amazing ability to carry very heave loads. Look at this man carrying this rock on his back. It has already been shaped to fit into the roadway. He carried this with a smile.
For him, what for me would be impossible, was possible and even carried with a smile.

what could we carry for a friend whose burden right now seems too heavy? what could we lift from the shoulders of a stranger? what could we do for the world around us that carries so heavy burdens that war and killing seem the only relief?

let's pray that today each of us can take the burden from someone we encounter and then lift it up to God. For with God all things are possible.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
photo by bobbiemcgarey all rights reserved
@2009

vacation end

2009-09-10T10:49:00.002-05:00

wow hope the photo comes thru. we have had a good vacation Clearwater and Clearwater Beach have for over 30 years been a place of rest and refreshment. we feel that way after a week.

today we start home to oklhoma. the weather there has been really hot. here it is in the 80's and on the beach there is always a breeze.

we had perfect weather for everything we wanted to do and having time with Martha (betsy) was wonderful. seriously it was so great.

we laughed a lot

gave award winning good bye

john is packing the car and i'm thinking about this weeks sermon and the introduction to joshua.

life returns to what it was...

my parents now long gone still seem to have a presence here and for me and i believe for all of us is a joy albet bittersweet.

be well all
god abides
and this i hold dear
god abides

bobbie giltz mcgarey
@2009

Martha's Birthday 28

2009-08-28T17:29:00.002-05:00

Our daughter Martha celebrating her birthday today. we've talked with her several times and it has been so good. She is wonderful and me and the world are a better place for her being her. She has always been an incredibly compassionate person. while on a mission trip with a group from the church, Martha came along and she was about 5. One of the young men got a sore throat and didn't feel well. She and I went in to see him. He looked and asked why she was crying...and she pointed to Dan... she felt bad for Dan.
Every day in every way our family is blessed by her. She is living in Bethlehem, PA and we are most certainly proud of what work she is doing but we are mostly grateful to the bone for who she is.

Happy Birthday Martha Elizabeth McGarey

I love you mom

God Abides

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

2 am

2009-08-27T02:55:00.000-05:00

2 a.m.
and I am
wakeful after storm
so loud so bright

candles found
by stove lighted
flicker light teasing night

lost connection
modem sleeping in the storm
outside window
now door open
a new frog churps
welcomes rain
suddenly summer
may be passing
marked by change
of heated earth
summer still will
heat us warmly
temperatures not so high
this time
rain and thunder distant echo
still the storm around us creeps
why am i waking
to the lightening
thunder bumping with the flash
think of other
summers passing seem so close
yet far away
in the mountains on the beaches
in the desert with the heat
not like monsoons
do our rains come
those with rain
that fills the streets
ours more gentle
drunk by dry land
grain still waiting in the field
when the rains come
after waiting
all the sweeter is the smell
life returing
hope abiding
baptized by the heaven’s hand

bobbie bane giltz mcgarey august 27, 2009 Oklahoma

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Are you not amazed?

2009-08-03T14:34:00.002-05:00

Are you not amazed by something in your life just now. Something that has come to you or people told you or you have felt in all you do? Have you not seen something Awesome in the truest sense of the word...something that pointed you to God's creative hand?

There are moments when I visit with folks or talk to folks and I find that somehow in the midst of the conversation I notice something amazing about them. It could be that they have beautiful eyes or hands or a smile that is gentle and reassuring. Sometimes I remember to tell them what about them I've observed. Yes, I'm still listening but part of that is absorbing the person to whom I'm listening.

Try it. Today, sometime today, as you greet someone or someone serves you at a table or there is a family that walks by all looking happy tell them so. For example I was happy when after the dad, daughter son and mom walked by as I was eating lunch in Atlanta Bread company I said to the mom, What a handsome family. She smiled. They were you could tell, or it felt like you could tell they were happy.

Is not one of the jobs of the church to help people recognize the wonder around them? I believe it is. To marvel at a sunset or a rainbow or a face or a puppy and know that life is good. I believe that we miss the wonder with schedules and cell phones and... and...and...

Look for amazement it will surely find you.

And leave me a note what happened. You can do that by registering on comments below... lets share eh? what did you see that amazed you?

God abides
keep watching
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

2009-07-20T21:59:00.002-05:00

Do you remember as a child the wonder of a Kaleidoscope. You would peer through the hole and turn the end until you got those little chunks of plastic to fall in exactly the right pattern...then you would want to show someone so you'd gently gently gently hand it to them....chances were great that the image would shift before they saw it completely....and then they'd look... the color schemes would change and the patterns different. It's not the same but here's a link to an online Kaleidoscope
http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/Kaleido.html

What is it about the temporary nature of these images that fascinates us so much? Is it that we know that beauty is fragile? Is it that we know that time moves quickly and we have to grab for the wonder when we can? Is it that we are the first, and probably ONLY ones to ever see that particular configuration and it cannot be saved? You tell me.

For me it is the temporary nature of beauty. This too shall pass. Good or bad...this too shall pass. Joy or Sorrow...this too shall pass. Comedy or Tragedy...this too shall pass.

Like the beautiful image of a kaleidoscope...

Be not perplexed
Be not afraid
Everything passes
God does not change... Teresa of Avila

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Oh thanks for reminding me

2009-07-13T14:04:00.004-05:00

I hadn't read this passage in a while. Today it appeared in something I was reading and on this hot hot hot summer day it seemed to cool down a lot of things...

Isaiah 43: 1-3

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you;...
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Thanks, I needed that.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Calvin's idea

2009-07-11T20:51:00.004-05:00

COR MEUM TIBI OFFERO
DOMINE PROMPTE ET SINCERE, “I offer you my
heart, Lord, readily and sincerely.” John Calvin

Grace and Peace,
How much is enough?

Ok, why are we surprised that it is 100 ...it's July and we are in Oklahoma. We put up a large mosquito net over the patio to bring a little shade and it was 10 degrees cooler than the day before without it. Just that little bit of netting made such a difference.

So many times we think we have to do something BIG for God for it to be worthwhile, for it to make a difference, for our lives to make a difference. But I don't think that is altogether true. I believe, and have seen in action, how little things can make big changes. How a smile here or there, a kind word, a gift of something simple, all these things can make all the difference in someones life.

We watched an old movie, The Bells are Ringing, with Judy Holiday and Dean Martin and at one point they are on the street corner and she says that if you just speak to people they will be friendly in return. They do this...and sure enough, (ok it is a movie) people start speaking and saying hello and introducing themselves. What if we did that?

What if when the waitperson came to your table and said..Hi I'm Sue and I'll be serving you today. You responded. Hi I'm Bobbie and this is John and we are going to be your patrons today.

Have you ever noticed sometimes you go into a store and you don't even make eyecontact with the check out person?

I guess what I am rambling on about is that we need to see God in those next to us as much as to watch for some humdinger of a whizbang epiphany. Maybe they are the same?

Mother Teresa wrote, "Do something beautiful for God"

Let's do that all day, all week, all the time

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey

d365

2009-07-02T06:42:00.004-05:00

Children's shoes outside the dining room in Varanasi India
"We have everything - We have Jesus!"

Check out d365 website for a great touchstone way to start your days..

Susan Reed wrote
The example of Christ is something that is hard to grasp. There is an irony in this verse from Corinthians: “so that by his poverty you might become rich.” I think most people would be willing to give up something so that others do not go without. For example, if you had a foot-long sub and someone else had no lunch, would you give them six inches of yours? Probably. Sharing is something we learn at a very young age.

However, if you had a foot-long sub and someone else had no lunch, would you give them your entire sandwich? On a much grander scale, that’s what Christ did for us. Jesus came to live on earth — not so that we could have a little bit of a relationship with God, but so that we could have a full relationship with God. The life and death of Christ happened so that we could have life — life in abundance, life lived in communion with God, our Creator.

Susan Reed

How many shoes do you have? How many feet do you have? How many pairs of shoes can you wear at at time?

Humm

Happy Summer day...

God Abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009
Photo by MarthaMcGarey all rights reserved

Time F L I E S

2009-07-01T07:18:00.002-05:00

Grace and peace to you all. Wow how can it be July? I have got to get back to a regular routine of writing to You.

Is it not amazing how things come to us when we are open and receptive to them? I flashed on the picture of Jesus standing at the door and knocking...and inviting him in. When you open yourself up to God's activity in your life things come to you...especially when that activity in your life is outward focused... when we work for another/one another.

Not long ago in a conversation with a man that my husband John had recently met we recognized that we both have a passion for mission in India. He has connections and I do as well so it was going benefit both of us. The odd part is that God led us to this through stories of planes being delayed. If I'd never had a plane delayed... we wouldn't have begun or sustained this conversation... There suddenly in the middle of it was the connection the flight from Delhi to Chicago.

Open yourself to the workings of the Spirit all around you and be sure that God's presence is full and real waiting...waiting for you to open that door..

God abides
Happy Summer

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

What me Work?

2009-06-11T10:33:00.003-05:00

Hello Friends,

David H. Jensen writes in the Austin Seminary publication Communitas:
"Christian worship does not simply occur as a pause at the end of the week; rather, it begins the week, the time that we have, by announcing good news to the world for all time. As God gives time to the world, there is always enough to go around. Christian worship both occurs in the midst of ordinary time, at the beginning of the work week, and beyond time, as God breaks into an ordinary day and promises communion to a time-starved and often bread-starved people." (pg 9, v.5)

In recent years daily calendars and planners have Sunday not at the beginning of the week but at the end. The week planning starts with Monday. There has always been something unsettling about this for me. To be honest my week is often focused on the next Sunday...but is this not then a reminder for me that Sunday is the beginning...for all of us. Is this true for you? (you can leave comments you know) Is Sunday the beginning of your week or the end of one...
Seems to me I read somewhere that most heart attacks happen between 8 and 9 am on Monday morning. Perhaps what we need to remember as we prepare Sunday worship is that
we are setting folk out for a dangerous time.

Jensen continued... "Good work extends the gift of time to others, where the time I spend working in some way rebounds to others' enjoyment of the time they're given."

Think with me about these things. What is it that gives meaning to what we do? Our work is not limited to those things which provide payment. Our work is our daily way of Being in this world.
Our work is in sharing the abundance in which we live. Our work is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves.

Therein lies great meaning and peace.

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Meet-ing

2009-06-05T00:38:00.002-05:00

Friday morning at 8:30 is the beginning of the Presbytery Meeting in Tulsa. That's about 3 hours from here...without morning traffic that I hope to avoid.

Our daughter went to medical school there at OSU-College of Osteopathic Medicine.
So I know the way to tulsa. I wish I had time to see my best friend and also cousins that are there but it just won't work this time.

We will meet from 8:30 to 8:30 with some time in between for little meetings and worship.
The vice Moderator of our General Assembly, that's presbyterian speak, will be there and I am looking forward to meeting him face to face. My husband John met him this past week in TX.
My goodness the moderator and vice moderator travel a lot!

We get together in one or more rooms for meetings. We greet one another, check out one another's name tags, and discuss , pray and vote on different issues. It should be a good time.
I like it when we play together as churches, and this time all the Presbyterian churches in the whole of Oklahoma will be together.

Tell me something I didn't know...I'm always ready to learn...

Our son and daughter in law are coming up to help us sort,toss and pack some more in the house. I am going to leave instructions that if the sentence contains the words..."mom will never notice" they are to stop what they are doing, packing, throwing, etc... Grin... no seriously
grin...no really

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Chorus

2009-05-29T22:50:00.002-05:00

In a movie I watched not long ago a man from NYC was visiting Savannah and before he goes to sleep he turned on a tape recording of car-big city noises-- these apparently made him feel at home.

If you open the windows this time of year where we live in Oklahoma in the evening the frogs singing are a beautiful chorus... They sing through most of the night. We have also had the Midnight mockingbird return. Seriously it's midnight between 12-3am (don't ask how I know). This singer, they say it is the males who sing at night, had 14 songs he sings. I've counted them three times... It's not as hard as it sounds.
These sounds make a difference in the world. You can hear them and focus on them and enjoy them.
We also have a train or two that come through at night. The one from the south is full as you can hear the difference in the way the train cars sound as they go by. I'm really not sure what they are hauling but really does it matter?

Somehow this world has sounds that we miss because the sounds of engines and people are everywhere. Here in the Middle (Oklahoma) there is a lot of quiet. And it is delightful.
Enjoy the quiet. Enjoy the pauses in your life.

What nature songs make you feel at home...?

listen

God Abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

What is ahead

2009-05-19T16:28:00.002-05:00

I don't know not really what is ahead.
That's not a silly thought or depressing...it just is.

I know what I have planned and what I am making plans for...ahead
But I don't know if that will work out..
The what if's of life are real...

And that has to be ok

Because we are not really in control
We are part of
We are actors
We are movers and shakers
Be we are not in control...

And that has to be ok

We can box in ourselves and say we will stay this way only
We will be exactly like this
Our money will last until....
But we are not in control

And that has to be ok

And faith says... that IS ok.
Because we already have all we need and even more..
So instead of storing all the extra
for the maybes of tomorrow in the storage units of life..
let's let go..
And it's great we are not in control

And that IS ok.

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Yes...that is ok

Happy thoughts

2009-05-15T13:03:00.003-05:00

Driving to work the other day with the radio on... with road noise... with all that was going on the trill of a meadowlark came through it all
( I got this image from www.statesymbolsusa.org/Montana/bird_western_meadowlark.html) You can hear the song here...

Anyway driving along thinking about lots of things bursting into whatever thing I might have been mulling over.... came this song... reminding me of the world there... just there... that I was driving by.

We need I think to enjoy who we are where we are now. Baba ram Das wrote a book in the
60's Be here now...
And that is a really good reminder that we need to be where we are. Present to the present tense of our lives. Yesterday is past...tomorrow is only a dream... we have now.

You have now..
Where ever you are
in whatever situation
Paul wrote in all these things I shall be content.
not surrender... but rather living into that place or thing.
Do you know how that feels?
It feels really sweet.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
Wait..remember to listen to the meadowlarks in your life calling you to L I F E

@2009

Just Thinking

2009-05-05T13:07:00.002-05:00

I was watching PBS Dickens: Old Curiosity Shop. I know somewhere I must have read this but didn't remember well enough..It left me crying.
I'm ok now really but it was one of those things that grief does....you think you are ok and 'thru' it and then boom you are in it again.
Here is the line that got me.

Oh! it is hard to take to heart the lesson that such deaths will teach,

I thought of some losses I've recently experienced and realized they were 'fresher' than I knew...
So I decided to look up the book and found the whole of it here:
http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/curiosity/

I turned to the last two chapters and found the line in Chapter 72 Here friends is the fullness of the quote which makes it better.

Oh! it is hard to take to heart the lesson that such deaths will teach, but let no man reject it, for it is one that all must learn, and is a mighty, universal Truth. When Death strikes down the innocent and young, for every fragile form from which he lets the panting spirit free, a hundred virtues rise, in shapes of mercy, charity, and love, to walk the world, and bless it. Of every tear that sorrowing mortals shed on such green graves, some good is born, some gentler nature comes. In the Destroyer's steps there spring up bright creations that defy his power, and his dark path becomes a way of light to Heaven.

It is a rainy grey day here... but this is beautiful in its own way...

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Even in the Rain..

2009-04-29T06:52:00.002-05:00

Grace and Peace
There have been storms all around us these past few days but none have really brought rain or thunder here. This morning I woke with the birds. When they are just waking they all try out their voices and sing their songs... later you rarely hear so many at the same time but at the pre dawn time they began their song. Usually it is one bird that starts the chorus and then the others join in. Even though it was/is a grey morning they sang.
I listened to the birds with my morning prayers and then when the rain came and the thunder continued they were harder to hear...but they were there singing.

So apparently we have to understand that even in the rain the birds sing. We all too often just give up when 'storms' come into our lives... What could we do to teach ourselves to sing... no matter the weather in the world around us.

Sara Lee Guthrie, Arlo's daughter and Woodie's granddaughter has a beautiful song...
You Gotta sing...all the time..you gotta find yourself a simple song and sing it all day long...
You gotta sing....

Find your song today...
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

bobbiemcgarey on facebook and twitter.

Banquet for the Senses

2009-04-21T17:04:00.002-05:00

Wow what a great day for the senses
Started out with the bluebonnets and indian paintbrush flowers in the middle of the road
A Meadowlark, (bright yellow chest) sang so loudly it was awesome
A really big Great Blue Heron flew past
A field had just been mowed and smelled so very sweet
The feel of the earth in your hands saying goodbye to a treasured lady
It was wonderful

Awake I'm awake

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Facebook bobbiemcgarey

Easter is coming

2009-04-11T13:19:00.002-05:00

We have had really severe wildfires here in SW Oklahoma. The precipitation is down the winds are up and that makes for some real problems....
so....
when the news report said that there was an 80% chance of storms, will hail and rain and wind, we all took a breath.
It is Easter tomorrow.... but the earth needs the water, the fields need the water,
and
nothing
can
stop
Easter
from
Coming.

I pray for all who celebrate Easter. I pray for all who don't yet know that God knows us thru and thru and loves us still.

Happy Easter
God Abides
Bobbie G. McGarey
@2009

Red Tail Hawk

2009-04-01T21:28:00.003-05:00

So for the past 9 years I've been driving along highway 7 from Duncan Oklahoma to Lawton. Seven years of that time I went on to Frederick, Chattanooga or Grandfield Oklahoma. Right now I stop in Lawton where I'm the Interim Pastor.
In those years I've driven 250,000 miles.
Along the way I've observed the birds,of varied kinds -- hawks, great blue herons, cattle egret, one eagle, and meadowlarks. I've watched a Hawk next about 12 miles west of Duncan. It's on the south side of the road. Each year I've watched in the spring a beautiful nest and each year there's been a hawk on the nest. Only a few times have I seen one of the pair perched on the side of the nest. Most of the time I just see a head lookout over the edge.
On the way to work today I was approaching the nest ready to look across and see if I could see the bird on the nest. But then, on the side of the road something caught my attention. It was a hawk, red-tailed you could see from the feathers, dead on the side of the road. I immediately slowed down and looked toward the nest...as much as I could...but couldn't see any sign of the bird on the nest.
sigh. sigh...
Hawks have territories so I wasn't sure about if this was one of the pair that had nested. All day with all that went on in the office---I kept thinking about the hawk, the nest, the eggs...
It was a long day about 7:24 I was approaching the nest, this time from the west on my way home. I slowed.... I looked.... was there a head? was there?
Perched on the side of the nest was a red-tailed hawk. I couldn't tell in the twilight if it was the male or the female. But there was a hawk at the nest. There is a chance this brood will make it to maturity.
Funny, how this day was bookmarked by a bird, it's nest, and the wonder of it all. Keen observers what will you see in this new day?

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Internet connected

2009-03-24T13:54:00.000-05:00

In an article in Presbyterian Outlook on "The church is Alive" by Leslie Scanlon, he quoted at the end a young person describing their own faith...
"Being connected to God is like being connected to the internet, you've got everything you need, right at your fingertips."

I see an image of praying hands... That's my image for that... however perhaps it would be a better image like that of Mother Theresa with her hands wide open reaching out... whichever image of fingertips reaching out... it's a great image of being connected to God.

One of the girls in the Children's Home in India said to me.
"Oh don't worry about us or be sad Auntie. We have everything. We have Jesus."
Now that's connected. How do we make those connections in our everyday lives? It's for us to do. Not with hands tucked into pockets..but with hands in prayer or reaching out. Remember the song by Jewel...
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's mind
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's heart
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's eyes
We are God's hands
We are God's hands
God Abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Stravinsky: Petrouchka

2009-03-12T10:45:00.002-05:00

I've missed you all hope you are well.

When I was a senior in high school and president of the drama club, the Jesters, I was called one morning by our teacher and asked to go to the Columbus Ohio board of education office to spend the day as the radio announcer for the Board's radio station. My mom took me down and I was to be picked up at 4. I walked into the building and was hustled up to the small studio, introduced to the director, and then given a notebook with page by page things to read between the music that was played.
I sat down and off I went. It was fun for the most part. The director was a kindly man and we would chat in between the numbers. This day was their Classical Music day. Which really presented few challenges but I thought after a while I should read ahead in the script and see if there was anything I couldn't or didn't know how to pronounce. And there I saw it. Petrouchka.
I asked the director how to pronounce that and he said...don't know. So I did a couple of more breaks and when the next recording started I went down the hall to find someone to pronounce this for me. I had 4 minutes. So I walked here and there in the offices and asked folk how to pronounce it. No one knew. I did this several times. But as we were approaching that piece the director smiled, chuckled, and said. Well good luck.

I pronounced it the best I could. I could see the director laughing in the other room. After the
piece started I said...Oh my what did I say? He was still laughing. I had to recover from laughing with him to make the next announcement about a happening with the school board and
a play being put on in one of the high schools.

When the break came the phone rang in the directors booth. I could hear him say, her name is Bobbie Giltz, ....she's a senior at Whetstone, ....she said it right?! ...thank you for letting us know.

A teacher from one of the schools had called in apparently amazed that what ever it was I said in pronouncing "Petrouchka" was right. Then the director and I did laugh.

The day went on and 3:45 came and I was leaving to meet my Mom when the director told me it was really a fun day for him

.All too often we don't take risks. Risks in sharing our faith, or helping a stranger, or doing something bold outside our usual expectations. Step out friends today and take a risk. Use the brains God gave you to make a difference in the world. Look at a mystery before you and take a chance that you can 'say' it just right as well. And laugh....You may just get it right.
God abide with you
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Here comes the Sun

2009-02-15T23:59:00.002-06:00

I was driving the other day watching the sun coming through the clouds above. I picked up my little camera and waited. I watched as I drove and then I could see.
Blue Sky
Blue Sky upon which the grey/blue clouds were pinned. And the sun, shooting through a break in the clouds with rays as true as the truest light source.
The greyness had taken the day but here at this eventide was this breakthrough. See, all along as you go there is above the grey..the true blue...
Be ready for the inbreaking of the Sun/ the Son
And watch
be alert
keep eyes ready
and hearts open

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

OOps What was that?

2009-02-03T18:04:00.004-06:00

We were sitting outside in front of the house talking with friends when we heard something hit the ground. We looked over and Shankar said...It's a bird. He and I went over and I was so astounded I didn't even get a good photo. It was Kingfisher. This photo comes from etravelphotos.com Really amazing bird. I can't explain what those blue back and wing feathers flash when it flies. As Shanker approached it took off and flew around the corner of the dining hall and looped into the wall. It landed on it's feet, stunned.
Shankar went over and picked it up properly and then held it in hand and gently gently spread it's wings to see if one was broken or damaged. As he spread it out I took a quick snap of the color and just that fast it gathered itself and flew off. Straight arrow strong it took to the sky. We all cheered.

Some times I hit a wall. Have you ever done that? Sometimes I fall off the place that I am clinging too and hit the ground. Has that ever happened to you? Then sometimes and may more-times that some-times - gentle hands pick me up and start me all over again.
Has that ever happened to you?
Perhaps we should be those gentle hands for someone who just happens to need another and we are there. Did God call you there? Will God call you to the place you need to be?

Yes Yes we should.

keeping open the goodness of God's presence in the world and our ability and bravery to step into that ... we come forward as helping hands, God's hands in the world. What an opportunity.
Bobbie

God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
God abide

Jungle View

2009-01-30T22:52:00.002-06:00

Traveling thru
the jungle in north India
we see life in new form
the trees tower hundred years old
the river rocks as big as tires rolled smooth
the vast expanse of life to be seen
but one must look
and one must listen
and be ready...
look there a tree with only half it's roots in the ground
the other ground washed out from under it
look there a footprint, catprint, leopard
as fresh as five minutes as big as my hand outstretched
look there a footprint as big as a pie plate
left by an elephant walking just there
look there the vultures
on cliff and on tree branch there must be 20 no 40 right there
look there an eagle and mate on the tree top
watching the world uncaring we're here.

when you look out from wherever your vantage what do you see?
God's wonders and hand.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Important

2009-01-29T09:48:00.002-06:00

I think it is always interesting to see what is important. I am in India right now and the perspective I have on that issue changes being here. For the hungry person- it is food. For the lonely person--it is company. For the angry person--it is peace. For the hopeful person--it is satisfaction. For the homeless person--it is shelter. For the wealthy person--it is security.

I imagine you can add some of these... what is important to you? Safety of family, meaningful life, hope for the future and forgiveness for the past, you list yours............

How then in the world, broken and hurting dare we spend one minute on things that do not build up the Kingdom where these needs can be met?

I think Garth Brooks sings it best

This ain't comin' from no prophet Just an ordinary man When I close my eyes I see The way this world shall be When we all walk hand in hand When the last child cries for a crust of bread When the last man dies for just words that he said When there's shelter over the poorest head We shall be free When the last thing we notice is the color of skin And the first thing we look for is the beauty within When the skies and the oceans are clean again Then we shall be free

We shall be free We shall be free Stand straight, walk proud 'Cause we shall be free When we're free to love anyone we choose When this world's big enough for all different views When we all can worship from our own kind of pew Then we shall be free We shall be free We shall be free Have a little faith Hold out 'Cause we shall be free And when money talks for the very last time And nobody walks a step behind When there's only one race and that's mankind Then we shall be free We shall be free We shall be free Stand straight, walk proud, have a little faith, hold out We shall be free We shall be free We shall be free Stand straight, have a little faith We shall be free

How dare we pretend we have anything important to do ourselves or are entitled to a cushy life... until we are all free? Other peoples importance coming first!

God abides,

Bobbie Giltz McGarey @2009 Dhanauri India

Defying Gravity

2009-01-14T12:23:00.002-06:00

Gravity is a fact of life and we live with it.
We don't on purpose try to defy gravity? We don't step off a curb and not expect our foot to meet the ground without us doing anything else but leaning out off the curb. We are sometimes caught by gravity if we don't see that drop off.
In one of our churches there were stairs that could be pushed in or pulled out if we wanted to step down from the middle of the chancel. There were parts of the knee high wall that were pulled back and we'd had the steps out for some time. As I one Sunday moved toward the Communion Table which was at the bottom of these four steps I was looking out at the people--not really looking down at the stairs. Which, on this day, had been pushed in even with the wall opened. One of the church members saw what was happening and got my attention and I looked down in time. I was still moving forward but I made my step off applied appropriately. If I hadn't known I would have expected a step at 5" down rather than a foot and a half. I made the step down without incident and only a few noticed that I'd landed hard.
Gravity didn't care. Gravity would have brought me down no matter what else I might have thought. There wasn't any way that I wasn't going to move down to that next level either feet first or head over heels. (which considering me in a robe might have been amusing although I don't think without injury)

What else in the world do we try to defy the laws of nature? What laws of the world do we ignore and pretend that we have powers over them? We spend millions of dollars as a society on plastic surgery to make us 'stay young'. We spend 8 Billion.in the US on cosmetics.are we not trying to defy laws of nature?

Just musing? you?

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Are we not

Idols

2009-01-13T08:09:00.002-06:00

Mark Driscoll said that he realized he "was addicted to the false trinity of our day, the gods known as Noise, Hurry and Crowds."

Reading that made me stop for a moment. I mean here I am early in the morning reading news reports from around the world, reading email, and with the news on the tv, John and I are talking.

Why not start the day by stopping. Being awake and alert and being also aware of the day but silent? It can happen if I so chose. What about you? How do you start out your day? How do you find a pause in the middle? Do you find a way to be quiet? Do you find a way to be still?
Can you?

When there are others in the house it sometimes takes their cooperation. But friends it seems to me that I am going to do that.
See the tv's off, John has a meeting to attend, I can read my email at work, and the world will go on without me reading each detail, oh and I'm going to close this note to you.
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Full moon

2009-01-10T01:21:00.002-06:00

It is purely full moon over the house tonight. The yard has been lighted by the light. We had warm weather this afternoon but a wind came through and cleared away the clouds. So now, the moonlight is clearly present.
What does it take for you to see the moon? Do you need to blow away the clouds? Do you need to look up at night? Do you need somehow to find a way that is a New way for every way we are moving as people on this earth?
My moon is yours. We share the moon and the sun.
And we can control neither.
Moon moon shining up above.

God abide with you
Pray for my friend David's healing,

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

Cormorants

2009-01-07T13:09:00.003-06:00

To catch fish with a cormorant you have to train the birds. Chinese fishermen have done this for a long time. These birds really love fish. In order for them not to eat all the fish they catch you tie a small grass circle around their necks, not too tight, and you let them dive overboard. This way they catch the fish but cannot fully swallow them. Many use a cord to pull the bird back in the boat when they have a fish. Then you squeeze the neck gently and the fish pops out and you send the bird again out to fish. When you have what you need you untie the string and let the birds get their own food until they are full. Some of these birds live 20 years working for one fisherman.

Now what in the world will this information do for you today? Well I think sometimes we feel like we are these birds. We go out after something important and we may get a hint of it but we can't swallow it. We are never satisfied.
Perhaps in our faith life this could be seen that we go and find the truth and the peace and the hope and the grace of God ... but we don't swallow it. We spit it out before it can nourish us. Then we go out again and again. We find the Word in the worship but we walk out of the sanctuary and begin to bicker with someone just outside the door. We promise to be generous but we hoard all we can. We feel God's love but we depend more on what WE can do and how WE can control all those things around us. We want our fill... but we refuse to swallow. Or perhaps, and this is probably stretching the point, we are ok with just a taste of the Good News and are fearful that if we truly taste it, then everything will change.

What shall we do?

Untie the rope.
what? untie anything that blocks your ability to fully take in the love of God that Jesus teaches us. Untie anything that keeps you from living with the nourishment of the Holy Spirit. Loose the bounds of the world and trust...that where you are taken by God's love will be a place of incredible grace and joy.

What do you think?
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

2th of January

2009-01-02T15:45:00.001-06:00

It's the second of January. Time flies, and life continues and grace upon grace appears in this world.
Let this year be one that brings you amazing peace, deep abiding peace.
Blessings abound
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2009

30

2008-12-26T07:37:00.002-06:00

Thirty years ago I spent today in the hospital...waiting..and working as I labored before the birth of our son John. He was born on St. John's day the 27th. He was a great Christmas present. We have a picture of me lying down on the floor on Christmas day with a bow on my quite full belly before he was born. I went into labor Christmas night. We thought he'd be born on the 26th when John's brother Carl celebrated his birthday. But apparently God wanted him to wait for his own day. I had a wonderful Doctor who on a day off after Christmas spent a good deal of it with me. Dr Howell will be remembered by me and John whenever we think of Johnny's birth. We especially remember that he went home to clean up after having checked on me all night. He came in all dressed up in his three piece suit, probably ready for office hours. The Doctor who was on hospital call came in when Dr. Howell was in the room. He had a shirt on, a cigarette in his mouth and he hadn't shaved. To turn over that very special time to someone else just didn't seem right. Dr. Howell said, I've been with her this long I'll take her thru the delivery. He did. Johnny Maurice McGarey was delivered by a c-section. It was time.
I remember the cold of the delivery room. I remembered worrying they would tie my hands down but in the end was shaking all over with nervousness that I asked them to do that because I felt like I would fall off the table. I remember the spinal not pain but turning over and hearing a flop and realizing that was my legs numb hitting on the table. I remember being all stretched out and the Peds Doc coming in and Dr. Howell said, I want you to meet Rev. McGarey... Hey Guys that's not fair... I remember the feeling of pushing and listening to the odd sounds and then feeling the delivery not pain but the pulling and Johnny being drawn out
and an immediate cry. The best sound ever. He was find, crying loudly, I had worried because
I'd been drugged the night before. But apparently he hadn't gotten any of it and was fine.
I remember once they took Johnny out of the room asking them to knock me out I didn't want to remember any of this part. They did. I woke in the recovery room. There was a nurse whose job it was to massage my abdomen, now not numb, and I grabbed her arm and when she said I have to do this--I said and I have to try and stop you... I remember the man in the bed next to me being hooked up to all the tubes and switches and the staff really worrying over him. I asked when can I leave. The nurse said, when you can wiggle your toes. I began to focus on doing that.. She came back often and then said. Oh Good you can wiggle your toes. I couldn't feel a thing...but that was great news. I went upstairs... John walked into the room holding him...and said Bobbie here is your son. What a wonderful presentation.
For me, for us the best gift.
The next greatest joy came a couple of years later...but I'll talk about that in August...
Again I love this day..
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

Foggy Day

2008-12-18T08:53:00.003-06:00

It is that time of year here in Oklahoma. There is a lot of moisture in the air and there is a meeting of warm and cold fronts so we have fog. Humidity is 93%.
It is very dense in some places. Less than 1/4 mile. You can see a little way ahead but not too far.
Fog, as I've written about before, has always been interesting to me. Sort of a metaphor for our life journey. Some times we can see at a distance ahead the path fairly clear. Some times we can only see ONE step ahead only going slowly so that one can watch for stones in the road. Some times it is so thick that you can't even see the next step. And when the way ahead is so thick what we are called to do is to take the step in faith that ahead there is solid ground.
Can we live faithful lives? I think we can. We can trust that the way ahead even though the ground be bumpy--we can take the step ahead.
'On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand....all other ground is sinking sand."

God abides these short Advent Days.
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

Are you ready for a miracle?

2008-12-11T09:36:00.004-06:00

I think it's time for us all to be ready.
to be ready for the Advent of hope and light
for the peace of the season
for the new day and new time.

Be alert
look there is the hand of God
receive
give
and the fullest measure of love and peace and consolation is yours.

Watch Leann Rimes on Youtube sing a great version of this song.

Leann Rimes - Are You Ready for a Miracle?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kt20JwRBw4

See it's coming
Believe
and breathe

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008