Prayer: The Gate

Photo by Chrissy Oldham

Heavenly Father, winter can be a cold a dark time of year in many places in the world. Help us to find time to nurture our spirits and live in joy and light. I pray for those everywhere who suffer from depression, sadness, grief.  Lift their spirits.  I pray for those who need to know the joy of the LORD is their strength.  Strengthen each of us according to your word. The light of the world has come.  Guide us, and let us each shine the light. Thank you God.  Amen

In the society we live, it can be difficult to find rhythm in our lives.  Rarely do we say that we are simply taking a day off.  Even a day off from work involves other tasks, chores or appointments of a personal nature.  We are driven and think we must be super productive all the time. 

Taking a day off, without any plan for working can be a restorative and healing time for our spirits.

Father God, help us to realize the value of taking a day of rest each week.  Let us be renewed and restored by it.  Our obsession with work and productivity and endless lists of things to do are not nearly as important as we think sometimes.  We get so busy and focused that we fail to notice the wonder and small miracles that surround us each day.  Be with us God, and keep us healthy and whole.  May we find peace and a rhythm of the seasons for our lives. Amen

Wild Flowers

It has been a while since I took a whole weekend off.  Headed out to the Gunnison Valley in Central Colorado.

God knows we need time to rest in order to stay healthy.  He even stated in the 10 Commandments (not the 10 suggestions) that we honor the Sabbath Day.  It  holds a place in the instructions along with “Thou shalt not kill.” Taking time to rest  is a place I definitely fall short. 

We stayed in a Pioneer Cabin, built around 1939.  It is surrounded by National Forest and was the first ski resort in Colorado called the Pioneer Ski Resort.  It is eight or nine miles to the town of Crested Butte in the Gunnison Valley.

Pioneer Cabin Crested Butte

Cozy and warm.

Pioneer Cabin Cement Creek

It rained everyday which made me glad we rented the cabin instead of going tent camping.  There were several varieties of wild flowers.

Wild Flowers

A beaver pond on Cement Creek.

Beaver Pond

A very nice French Restaurant in Crested Butte called Le Bosquet. They have great food and a nice wine selection.

Le Bosquet

I am renewed and rested.  Hope you all are as well.

The Memorial Day holiday weekend is at hand.  Many of us will begin by this afternoon to celebrate three or four glorious days off.  The purpose of the holiday is to remember and honor those who have died in service to others, specifically military service.  Some take the holiday to remember family and friends who have passed away. 

We make salad and grill something over an open fire. We will drink beer, ice tea and lemonade.  Mostly we enjoy family and friends.  In Colorado, many of us head for the mountains to join tens of thousands of our best friends in an attempt to escape civilization and experience the peacefulness of nature.

For what ever activity you choose for the weekend, my prayer is this:

Father God, I pray travel mercies for those who plan an adventure.  Let there be enjoyment, grace and beautiful memories shared with family and friends for all over the next few days.  Let us practice moderation in all things and find ourselves refreshed and renewed at the conclusion of this long weekend.  Amen

What a strange word, content.  Who in our society attains contentment?  Is it a good or a bad thing?  Is it a long term goal, or simply a temporary state?

1 Timothy 6:6 – 6:8  But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.  And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

This is not about being poor or frugal. Making money is an honorable thing.  In Timothy Chapter 5, Paul writes that the laborer is worthy of his wages.

But we do strive.  We want more, bigger, better, and yet there are those who live in a perceived state of continual lack.

Lately there are thousands of articles on pinching pennies, what are you doing to survive the recession, how to get free stuff, and how to buy large amounts of food for little money.  How did we get in debt, how did we become overweight?  Did anybody see the Pixar cartoon Wall-E? 

I am working on having contentment and finding godliness.  I think contentment is kind of a temporary state.  But we can go there as often as we like.  It comes from within, and from knowing there is more than enough to sustain us this day.  Then tomorrow we know there is more than enough for that day as well.

Sure I want to sell books, and make money.  But how much stuff do I need?  The answer is very little.  My small house is somehow overflowing with stuff even though I am not a shopper.  Perhaps I should call that Peter Walsh Clean Sweep guy to help me get rid of a bunch of items and go minimalist.

Father God, find me today in an attitude of gratefulness.  I know all good things come from you.  I am blessed.  There is more than enough to meet all my needs.  Thank you God for the richness of my life.  That richness is not numbered possessions, but the depth of my joys, friends, family, and by how I use the gifts you have given me to contribute to the family of Christ.  Amen.