Blog

Posted on

Quotes from hymns and songs

I love to use the words of songs as prayers and worship.

1. “Open your heart! Show mercy to all those in fear. We are called to be hope for the hopeless so hatred and blindness will be no more.” We are called (hymn 720 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.) The refrain says, “We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly; we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God.”

God, please guide me as I look for opportunities to love others, stand up for justice and serve my fellow man as this song says that You have called me to do.

This song reminds me of a Bible verse.

2. “Lord, use our voices, Lord, use our hands, Lord, use our lives, …All that we have, all that we are, all that we hope to be, we give to you…” We are an offering (692 in ELW)

I posted these words on the wall near my bed for years. I try to offer all of this to God but I fall short repeatedly.

3. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.” Create in Me a Clean Heart (185 in ELW)

This song is based on one of the Psalms.

4. “I am weak, and I need Thy strength and power to help me over my weakest hour…

Help me tread in the paths of righteousness; be my aid when Satan and sin oppress. I am putting all my trust in Thee..

I am lost, if you take your hand from me; I am blind, without Thy Light to see.”

The refrain says, “Lead me, guide me along the way; for if You lead me, I cannot stray; Lord, let me walk each day with Thee. Lead me, O Lord lead me.” Lead Me, Guide Me (ELW pg. 768)

5. Will you love the you you hide, if I but call your name? Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same? Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around, through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

Will You Come and Follow Me (ELW 798)

6. When we are tested and wrestle alone, famished for bread when the world offers stone, nourish us, God, by your word and your way, food that sustains us by night and by day.

When in the desert we cry for relief, pleading for paths marked by certain belief, lift us to love you beyond sign and test, trusting your presence, our only true rest.

When we are tempted to barter our souls, reading the truth for the pow’r to control, teach us to worship and praise only you, seeking your will in the work that we do.

When we have struggled and searched through the night, sorting and sifting the wrong from the right, Savior, surround us with circles of care, angels of healing of hope, and of prayer.

When We Are Tested in the ACS page 922.

Posted on

Thank God that Covid-19 numbers are dropping

Wisconsin has been having less than a thousand new cases per day. Our hospital numbers are way down too.

So, my employer is allowing fully vaccinated people to not wear a mask. I enjoy being able to see my co-workers ‘ faces. Breathing is easier without a mask. I am hoping that a new variant doesn’t come or stays away for a long time.

I am hoping to go out to eat with a friend on a weekend soon. I haven’t eaten out since last summer.

What do you plan to do while the Covid-19 numbers are low?

Posted on

How to cope with scary news

War! Maybe it will be world war three. Pandemic! The news is full of scary stuff. Here is some ideas on how to cope.

Limit news viewing The first time that I had to find a way to cope with scary news was 9/11/2001. I was glued to the news. I finally had to go for a walk just to disconnect from the constant news watching. While I wanted to know what was happening, I discovered that I needed to take breaks.

Look for the helpers or heros ‘When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me,”Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”‘ Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers) I have found that focusing on the helpers and heros helps me to feel hopeful. Yesterday, I wrote an article about some of the heros in the Russia Ukraine war. I have also found some stories about people helping. The Rachel Maddow show shared the story of a German offering rides at the border. Uber is offering free rides at the Poland border. People are renting Airbnbs in Ukraine as a way to send money to people dealing with the war.

Find a way to help if possible The previous paragraph mentioned some ways that people have found to help. There are plenty of other ways. Here is a list of charities helping Ukraine. I haven’t found a way for me at this time. I am saving money in prep for my upcoming lay off in May. So, I am limiting my giving to my church. Yet, I think finding a way to help can help with the feelings of helplessness.

Help others to cope This is what I am hoping to do through this post. This can be as simple as allowing someone to talk about their feelings about all of the scary stuff in the news. My dad and I talked for a while about this. It could be encouraging someone at work.

Sense of humor It may seem like laughing at scary news is mean. But, listening to coronavirus parody songs helped me to get through ten days of self isolating due to having Covid-19. I started playing a game of dancing to the songs and seeing how long I could last before I had to stop to cough. It was a fun way to see that the cough was weakening. It also can remind you and me that we are all experiencing similar feelings.

We are all in this together. We may only be watching but we are still feeling strong emotions in response to it.

Posted on

Thank God for heros

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday. I thought they’d fall quickly. Yet, Russia has not reached Kyiv.

President Zelensky is still in Kyiv fighting for his country. A beer company is handing out empty bottles for people to make Molotov cocktails. A road company is removing street signs to confuse the Russians. Regular citizens are learning to shoot guns. All of these people are heros.

Many Russians are protesting in 50 different cities. The police are arresting people as quick as they can when they spot protesting. 5,800 people have been arrested.

My prayer for today. God, my heart aches for the people of Ukraine. Many are fighting for their homeland while others are attempting to flee. Please be with them. I can’t imagine what they are going through. Yet, I know that You know their fears, hopes and plans. Hear their prayers.

Many of the Russian people don’t want this war. I suspect some of their soldiers don’t want to wage this war but must obey orders.

Please guide our world leaders. Amen.

Posted on

Jesus loves and forgives you

Hand painted hearts

Jesus loves you

Jesus forgives you.

Keep hope alive.

Hang in there.

Don’t give up

This too shall pass.

I painted some hearts with these messages. I made some for Christian co-workers and some who prefer none religious messages.

I took them to work and left them in our break room. I am sorry that I didn’t have more wood hearts to paint but I am limited on my spending. I am hoping that someone smiled at the messages.

Very few of my coworkers took some of them. So, I took the remaining six to the laundromat. Hopefully someone there will want them.

Posted on

Hope

I have been searching for something to be thankful for this week. Then, I thought of hope. I am thankful that I have hope.

I find a small amount of hope helps me to get the energy to do my housework. Yet, no hope leaves me watching YouTube videos or starring at walls hardly blinking.

Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. Anne LaMotta

God, I need hope for each day. You tell us to “pray for our daily bread.” Hope is as important to me as my daily bread. Without hope, I can do almost nothing. Without hope, I sleep too much and do nothing productive. Please supply me with the reassurance of your presence and a continual flow of hope. Amen

Thank You for the hope that You have given me throughout my life. Amen.

Posted on

People would be better off without me

People would be better if I were dead. This thought ran through my head numerous times during high school. Since I couldn’t get along with my step-father, I made my mom and sister miserable.

If I kill myself, it will hurt my parents. This is another one of my high school thoughts. While I see now that they cancel each other out, I didn’t see it then.

This tombstone says, “There is no feet too small that it can not leave an imprint on this world.”

This saying is what reminded me of my past two thoughts. I found myself praying that I have left a positive impact on this world.

If you are having thoughts of suicide like I did in high school, please asked a friend, teacher, parent, couch, co-worker or a hotline volunteer for help. We all need to get help at times.

If you need help, please call 800-273-8255 (national suicide hotline) or visit your local hospital especially when you don’t trust yourself not to act on the thoughts.

Posted on

Thanks for ?

Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough. – Garrison Keillor

I can’t think of something to share for Thanksgiving Thursday. So, this quote fits today.

If you are keeping a gratitude journal but you can’t think of anything just skip that day. Forgive yourself and try again the next entry date.

Posted on

Make a Difference Mondays

“Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” Sally Koch

I have always wanted to make a difference by helping others. I dreamed of being a missionary doctor or joining the Peace Corps. I wanted to be like a super hero and save the world. Maybe, I’d fly below a crashing plane and guide it in for a safe landing.

But, I am very ordinary. So, I am only able to make a difference in small ways.

On Sunday, I gave a neighbor a ride home from the laundromat. Tomorrow, I will working the polls for our primary elections.

What have you done to help someone in your family? Work place?