Good Evening Dear Family of Love and Pilgrims on Our Journey,
We really need to pray for rain! As I have traveled the past few days, I have seen the heart breaking drought conditions that are affecting the cattle, Cachuma Lake, and the terribly drought affected land. Seeing the cattle from the 101 struggling to find green grass was heart breaking. We all have to be more focused on water conservation and also making sure we all have our property protected with defensible space. Clear out all of the dry brush from around your property. If you know of an elderly person clear it away for them. We do not want to have any wild-fires that will deplete the water levels even more. That is all for the drought talk.
Tonight as I walked and carried you and your prayers, I was tuned in to all of our family members who we have never met and that we all need to keep everyone on the planet in prayer. We are in a time where there is great fragility and loneliness. That can be all of us from time to time. I believe that our major challenge this week and onward is to be alert to all of us who may be lonely from time to time. We need to love, support, and pray and reach out to everyone or at least our family members around us. Do not go by the assumption that someone else is doing it. We all need to. Remember we are all called to walk the walk and talk the talk! God keeps telling us that we are to love and be loving. In today's Gospel reading we were reminded yet again to turn the other cheek and to love the unloving and "To do good to those who hate you" God always gives us the tough assignments doesn't he? It really isn't! Just look at everyone as family not stranger and remember the words of the hymn "Jesu, Jesu!"
Refrain:
Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love,
show us how to serve
the neighbors we have from you.
Kneels at the feet of his friends,
silently washes their feet,
master who acts as a slave to them. Refrain
Neighbors are rich and poor,
varied in color and race,
neighbors are near and far away. Refrain
These are the ones we should serve,
these are the ones we should love;
all these are neighbors to us and you. Refrain
Loving puts us on our knees,
serving as though we are slaves;
this is the way we should live with you. Refrain
Kneel at the feet of our friends,
silently washing their feet;
this is the way we should live with you. Refrain
Words: Tom Colvin, alt.
Music: Chereponi, Ghana folk song, adapt. Tom Colvin
Words & Melody © 1969 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.
Change the word neighbor(s) for family and you will begin to see and know how God sees and feels about all of us. This week let's connect and continue to #JustSayHello and show our family that we love them not only with our words and in our deeds. Tell our family members that you love them and have their backs with words not silent inaction. Everyone needs to be told verbally and shown by hugs, a pat on the back and yes an atta boy and an atta girl won't hurt either from time to time. Don't assume that family know how you feel or are praying for them either. Loving words are powerful, healing, and encouraging and change the world for the better.
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Gracious God may we love you, our neighbors (family members), and ourselves better and more fully,
Give us courage to reach out to our family members who know only hate.
God give us strength to give love and to receive it with joy and gladness.
Give us courage to set aside areas of jubilee for the poor, the stranger, and the enemy and remember we do this not just for our neighbors but our true human family.
Give us the time to reconnect with those whom we may be estranged. May we have courage to do this with love, grace, and mercy.
Give us the courage to set aside time for Sabbath rest to be with you and your creation.
May we speak truth to power and take action for the benefit of our family members who may be deprived of human and civil rights.
Give us courage to stand with our family members who are outcast, lonely, forgotten, feel invisible, and deprived of human dignity.
We pray for all persons regardless of letter or label who are being persecuted.
We continue to pray for the Ukraine, South Sudan, Syria, and all war torn areas of the world.
We pray for compassionate immigration reform and the stranger in our midst who is one of our family members.
We continue to pray for those who grieve losses.
We pray for______________
We give God thanks and praise for ____________________
We Celebrate this day____________________________
We remember those who have entered the Thin Places especially___________
We pray that we may be more loving, compassionate, accepting, and above all connected one to another this day and always Lord God our Creator, Redeemer, and Holy Comforter. Amen.
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Good Night Dear Family! I love you! Remember tomorrow is You Matter Monday and #MoralMonday and don't forget to #JustSayHello!
Love and peace of mind dear family,
Sara
Hymns from Today's Service at St. John's Pro-Cathedral
How Firm A Foundation
Jesu Jesu
Thuma Mina
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