A Fresh Wind Blowing

I asked our worship leader, Denise Caselli, if I could use this reflection she wrote to share with my blog and church family. Denise is a gifted musician, worship leader, and incredible composer of worship songs.

It’s not uncommon to hear the sound of ‘whooosh’ over my house in mid September. Besides telling me that the annual Balloon Festival is nearing, or is already in full swing, it means that summer is giving way to the coolness of the new season of Fall.

On the same morning I heard the balloon overhead, I had heard the sound of Canadian geese headed south for the winter. I ran to look, but missed the sight. Even in my 50’s I still get a thrill hearing the geese, watching the leaves turn color, and waiting with anticipation for the first snow flakes to dance in the cold air as they make their way to the gray-brown earth below.

After missing the sight of the geese, I returned to what I had been doing when I heard the hot air balloon overhead. I ran to the window, and pulled back the curtain, and there it was. It was low, I thought, and definitely not a good place to be low. I thought that the pilot was trying to land, but it was dangerously close to the center of Hudson Falls.

Headed south, there were no large fields, and the Hudson River lay just beyond where the balloon was headed. I watched as the pilot fired up the balloon with long, frequent, and what seemed to me to be desperate attempts to make the balloon rise, but it continued to drift lower and lower. I puzzled to myself that the balloon should be rising, but it didn’t. There was a point when I thought that there was going to be a terrible accident, but drawn to the drama, I could not stop watching.

And I’m so glad I watched, as the drama was not yet over, with what would be a stunning outcome! What happened next, a scientist or meteorologist could probably explain, but I can not. I was amazed! The balloon began to lift and immediately turned east. From my perspective it was like a car that took a sharp left turn – in the air!

Apparently the balloon met cooler air – a fresh wind. Did the pilot know that one more ‘whoosh’ was all it took to take him from impending disaster to a soaring success? Did he have some instruments to help guide him to the wind that would rescue his balloon from a not-so-happy-landing! I don’t know. All I know is what I witnessed. It was inspiring!

Lord, maybe RRWC needs a fresh wind. Like the pilot of that balloon that morning, we’ve applied our resources and our energies with the sole purpose of our call to do what we must do in Your strength to keep us from crashing, and we’ve purposed in our hearts to continue to be faithful. But somewhere, Lord, there’s a fresh wind blowing! Help us Lord to hear from Your Holy Spirit through Your Living Word and our conversations with You in prayer. Lord, guide us to it, that we would rise again and move freely with the fresh wind to the places You want to take us! Amen.

A Strong, Inner Core

"The only truly reliable source of stability is a strong inner core and the willingness to change and adapt everything except that core."

- James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras

Preparation for Service

I'm again reading through the daily devotional "Holiness and High Country" by A. F. Harper. I found these words instructive this morning:

"From all of us who are true Christians, God expects a portion of our income, a part of our time, and a measure of our thought and planning to be given for the furtherance of His work in the world. Christian life begins at Calvary, but effective service begins at Pentecost."

He begins the final paragraph of the devotional with this question:

"Is my consecration such that God can call on me for some service today?"

Writing Sermons

Ernest Hemingway said it first but I can apply his thought to sermon writing, too:

"There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it's like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges."

Hard to explain to people when they think you get your messages from sermon outline books and pre-formed programs!

Patience!

"If your progress seems slow while it appears those around you are engaged in remarkable success, just remember: Patience! God is not finished with you yet!" (Ted W. Engstrom)

I Cannot Call You Friend!

Is there anyone you should share with today about the Lord? Better do it now!

My friend, I stand in judgment now.

And I feel that you are to blame somehow.

On earth I walked with you day by day.

But never did you point the way.


You knew the LORD,

In His truth and His glory.

But never did you share the story!
My knowledge then was very dim.

You could have lead Him safely to Him.


You taught me many things,

This is true.

I called you friend, 

And I trusted you.

But I have learned,

And now it is too late

You could have kept me from this fate,


We walked by day,

And talked by night,

And yet you showed me not the light.

You let me live and love,
AND DIE,

You knew I would never live on high.


Yes, I called you friend in life,

I trusted you through JOY and strife.

And yet on coming to this end, ---

I CANNOT CALL YOU
 MY FRIEND!


(Author unknown)

This Time

I've just started a new book- "Hamlet's Blackberry" by William Powers - and the quote at the start captured my attention:

"This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we know what to do with it." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Hmm...