Love in any Language

Happy Mother's Day! May we celebrate the similarities of our lives and minimize the differences.

Motherhood

Agnes Lee

Mary, the Christ long slain, passed silently,
Following the children joyously astir
Under the cedrus and the olive tree,
Pausing to let their laughter float to her-
Each voice an echo of a voice more dear,
She saw a little Christ in every face.

Then came another woman gliding near
To watch the tender life which filled the place.
And Mary sought the woman's hand, and spoke:
"I know thee not, yet know thy memory tossed
With all a thousand dreams their eyes evoke
Who bring to thee a child beloved and lost.

"I, too, have rocked my Little One.
And He was fair!
Oh, fairer than the fairest sun,
And, like its rays through amber spun,
His sun-bright hair.
Still I can see it shine and shine."
"Even so," the woman said, "was mine."

"His ways were ever darling ways" -
And Mary smiled -
"So soft, so clinging! Glad relays
Of love were all His precious days.
My little Child!
My vanished star! My music fled!"
"Even so was mine," the woman said.

And Mary whispered: "Tell me, thou,
Of thine." And she:
"Oh, mine was rosy as a bough
Blooming with roses, sent, somehow,
To bloom for me!
His balmy fingers left a thrill
Deep in my breast that warms me still."

Then she gazed down some wilder, darker hour,
And said - when Mary questioned, knowing not:
"Who art thou, mother of so sweet a flower?" -
"I am the mother of Iscariot."

Remembering the Less Fortunate

In the Old Testament, the poor, and service to the poor is the second most frequently mentioned topic.  Idolatry is first. 

In the New Testament, the results are even more dramatic.  One of every sixteen verses refers to “the poor”.  Among the four Gospels, the ratio is one of every ten.  In the Gospel of Luke, it is one of every seven.  In the epistle of James, it is one of every five…  

I’m sure that by now, you are beginning to see the direction I’m taking.  The Messiah celebrated in the Old Testament book of Isaiah and in Handel’s great oratorio is a God with special preference for the poor.  

And isn't that what we are celebrating?  God With Us - because of our great poverty (spiritual) God came to us in the form of the Christ Child.  The Messiah however, did not remain a child but fulfilled His mission to reconcile us to God.

As Christ’s followers — those who are committed to sharing in the work of the Messiah —we must constantly remind ourselves of that preference.  In our consumeristic world, during such a blessed season when commercial temptations often reach their highest level, such reminders become even more critical.

George Fridric Handel’s work, Messiah is generally reckoned to have been composed in three weeks; with the Hallelujah Chorus having been written in three days. Handel is reputed to have said, “that Heaven opened” while he was composing it.

Messiah remains Handel's best known work, although this was not a status that it enjoyed until the last few years of his life, brought about by annual performances in Handel's oratorio seasons and charitable benefit concerts at the Foundling Hospital, an organization for underprivileged children.

Last Sunday evening we were privileged to see the 75^th  performance of the Messiah by our local community college, due to the generosity of our Sunday School teacher and his wife. (Thank you again, Ed & Peggy!)

Persons from the community perform with the college choir and the college orchestra.  Most of the soloist parts are performed by students, but not all.

It was wonderful to behold!

My husband is not specifically drawn to the arts, especially oratorios, operas, classical music and works performed by orchestras!   Bless his heart, he attended nonetheless!  He did believe the performance was finished when the Hallelujah Chorus was complete. 

I diligently and gently tried to explain the Messiah is a performance that covers the Old Testament references from the book of Isaiah, all the way through the birth, the life, the death, and the resurrection of the Christ.

My Prayer

Almighty God, remind me how often scripture mentions the poor, and help me to remember that I also should give them priority.  Help me to speak and act on behalf of those whose voices our society often ignores.  ~Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Quotes on Poverty and the Poor

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one. ~Mother Teresa

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work. ~Mother Teresa

The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread. ~Mother Teresa

We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own. ~Cesar Chavez

We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs. ~Gloria Steinem

How will you be responding to those in need this season?  Take the opportunity to read Isaiah 53 ~ this prophetic word always amazes me.

Proverbs 14:31

The Message

³¹ You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless;
when you're kind to the poor, you honor God.

Proverbs 29:7

The Message

⁷ The good-hearted understand what it's like to be poor;
the hardhearted haven't the faintest idea.

Tamara

July Fourth 2011

When I look at the turmoil of some of the nations of the world...
 ~I know that I am blessed to live in America.


When I disagree with the politics of the day and am free to be vocal about it...
 ~I know that I am blessed to live in America.


When I walk into the church of my choice and not the choice of the state or nation...
 ~I know that I am blessed to live in America.


When I walk the concourse of an airport and see groups of service men and women and I see people applauding them, shaking their hands and wishing them well...
 ~I know that I am blessed to live in America.


What are your earliest memories of the Fourth of July?  Picnics?  Barbeques?  Homemade ice cream?  Swimming?  Camping?  Fireworks? 


Mine surround homemade ice cream and fireworks.  As a child growing up our community also had a carnival during the week of the 4th of July.  Sometimes our fireworks were delayed or even canceled due to rain.  Not so here in Arizona.  If anything, they are canceled due to the drought and the wildfire season. 

And still I know that I am blessed to live in America!

Have a safe and blessed holiday!


~Tamara

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36 (NIV)

Today's Devotional Scripture

Today's Verse

Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. ~Romans 12:10 NRSV

Thoughts on today's verse...

Have you ever received an R.S.V.P.? It is a French term, "respondez s'il vous plait" meaning please respond, please acknowledge one way or the other if you intend to attend or will be declining the invitation. The person who sends the invitation is awaiting your response. They have honored you with a formal, written invitation. The proverbial ball is now in your court... will you attend or will you decline? Still, you must let the person know one way or the other. It is merely a simple courtesy.

When was the last time you sent someone a handwritten note or invitation to join you for a morning cup of coffee and maybe a muffin? Although it may not be as formal as an R.S.V.P., it shows them you are thinking of them and wish to spend time with them. In today's society our time is a valuable commodity and by sharing it with another we are "showing them honor."

My prayer...

Lord, teach me humility and how to show others honor. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may discern those who need to be shown affection and honor. May I strive to not set up an exclusive "club" of those I am comfortable with, but seek those who truly need to feel included in Your family. Even so, Amen!

...because we're His,