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Shake the dust from your feet

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  “Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.” Matthew 10:14 I have used this passage many times to guide my decisions on whether to stay or go. “Not receive you or listen to your words,” are not about an ego trip. This passage is talking about whether the company you are keeping is of Christ or not. Actions, words, decisions and the direction people are heading might not be ones that are of the same virtues and values of a Christian. I would have to say that this decision to “shake the dust from your feet,” can be the hardest decision a person makes. I know for me it has been. The ripple affect can be even harder and one might feel they are caught in the after waves ready to consume them. Yet, God is there and knowing the right decision will always come to comfort and guide. Today is a good day to think about where you are at. Hopefully you are where you feel received and listened to. If not, think about s...
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Calling

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Today God’s whisper to you: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8) God is sending out a call to those who will answer to continue to live Gods word and spread it through the world. Even though baptism was your answer to the call, we need to answer each day. Just like in any healthy relationship we communicate our answers. Today spend time with God, note where God might be calling you to spread Gods word through actions, deeds, thoughts, and prayers on the path…
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What you reap

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Hosea 8:7 “ When they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind; The stalk of grain that forms no head can yield no flour; Even if it could, strangers would swallow it.” Growing up, I heard the phrase, “You reap what you sow.” I am thinking about that phrase and Hosea today because my yard is in a full bloom jungle. Last fall my husband and I throw wildflower mixes and packages of sunflowers and other flower mixes. It has been fun watching to see what will come up! I have a jungle of different flowers. I am being mindful of what I am planting as I continue to sort through paperwork, and other items that need to sorted through. I want to plant lasting memories, solid friendships, love and family. My faith is planted deeply and has many roots. Today think about what you need to plant and what you need to pull so that you reap a wonderful life and the best version of yourself on the path…  
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Dedication

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 “But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16. This is one of my favorite passages. It reminds me of dedication to another. Ruth was willing to give up everything from her past and everything in her future to be with her mother-in-law. Her people’s God would no longer be her God. She would present herself to Naomi’s God and pledge her allegiance to this God. All out of love. For Ruth, the God was the God of Israel. It is important to which God we pledge our allegiance. Mine is Jesus Christ. Yet would I change out of love for another? I say the words Ruth said to Naomi to Jesus: “Where you go, I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Today, let go of the loves of this world and rededicate yourself to Christ by praying the words of Ruth to him on the path…
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Meekness

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 Meekness. Today’s readings talk about being meek.  “Meekness in Scripture refers to a  humble and gentle disposition  that exercises self-restraint and trusts God rather than asserting personal rights aggressively.” I think sometimes we need to understand that biblical readings do not ask us to just lie down and have others ride over us. Instead, the first thing God wants is for us to rely on God (the person God created in us: our gifts, talents, people God sends our way). Mostly, though, the biggest thing about being meek is self-restraint. Self-restraint. Something to work on, something to include in our armor of God. De-escalation is a way of someone who is meek. They know how to defuse a situation and bring it to resolution. That is one form of self-restraint. There are so many areas in our lives that could have the virtue of self-restraint. Today, think about meekness and how it can accompany you on the path…
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Nation of Hope

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 Blessings on your Fourth of July! “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13. Hope is a powerful attitude that all of us need to embrace. America gives hope to many people. Our nation needs to remain a place of hope. The Fourth of July shirt I am wearing has the slogan: In God We Trust. Our Forefathers specifically used that phrase. I like to say that the God of many names is very American as a melting pot of wonderful cultures. Putting God first reminds me that there is more than me, and I am called to the service of others and stewardship of the earth. Today, let the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope on the path…
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We the people...

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Tomorrow, we celebrate a milestone in American history. If you are old enough, you will remember the 1976 celebrations. As we prepare to celebrate and move forward for the next 250 years, it is helpful to remind ourselves who the first settlers were and why they took a chance to come to an unknown land. I thank all those who have served and are serving, as they are the reason we still stand. Politicians come and go. But the “We the People” stand. It is our voice, not billionaires, that needs to be heard. Yet in doing so, we must heed 1 John 3:18: “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Take a day or three to celebrate, but as we move forward, let us do so in faith, solidarity, and courage to create an America worthy of our forefathers and foremothers on the path… 
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