Friday, April 23, 2010

Write it Down

Today "write down the things you want to praise God for, such as your health, family, security, friends.  Then read your praise aloud.  Tomorrow add more things to the celebration list, perhaps expanding your view to thank God for Jesus or for things he has done for the world, the country you live in, your town, and so forth.  Continue adding to or refining this list over the next ten days, reflecting on how you feel that day...  Remember that your act of reading... is a way of celebrating, praising God for all he has done and all he is.  Allow joy to bubble up in you as you think about all the blessings in your life."
--Richard Foster and Julia Roller, "A Year with God"

We've been asking the congregaton over the last week to write down the things they are celebrating - on a post-it note - and hang it on our sanctuary windows for all to see!  It's been so fun to walk into the church everyday and be reminded of the celebrations going on in people's lives as I see these colorful pieces of paper scattered over the entry to our worship space!  Here are just a few of the celebrations of this congregation:

A newly painted living room!
An awesome report card!
A sister's birthday
A husband's birthday
The beautiful colors of spring flowers
A new great grand-son!
Hope - to heal and to change
The River Bend Mission Trip to New Orleans
A Father-in-law's 95th birthday!
Relatives returns to good health
A 15th Birthday!
Green grass and leaves, Flowers, and Blue Sky!
A clean house!
Skateboarding
A 50th birthday!
Winning a Softball tournament
A grandson's 12th birthday
A new job!
Spring!
A new, great, student-teacher!
A 16th birthday!
A grand-daughter's wedding
Going to the Science Museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls
The St. Paul Art Crawl
Baptisms!
A 39th wedding anniversary!
A warm spring!
Bike rides
Parents coming to visit
Spending 2 days with a grand-daughter
Massages
Pedicures
Lacrosse
Unemployment (with a fun job search, good severance package, and a beautiful spring to enjoy)
More birthdays!
A new and reliable car!
Grand- and GreatGrand- Sons and Daughters!
Music
Friends
A Grandson's 9th birthday
A finished basement re-model!
Weddings
Easter
Spring Break
Vacations!
Tulips
Cake
Big Crowds and Big Singing in Worship
A lovely daughter-in-law
Music
Art
Knitting
Talent
Creativity
Rain
Family - holy and earthly
Family gatherings - games, food, and fun
A friendly church
A 4th birthday! (with #4 cookies!)
A new Great-grandchild
A reconnection with an old friend
Birds singing
Mowing the lawn (1st time of the season!)
Life, love, and family
Safe travel
Children
A frist ballgame of the season
Digging in the garden
Getting the fridge fixed - cold food again!
A 1st round of chemo completed
More birthdays this month!
Health
Filling the bird feeders
My favorite finch is nesting
A god-daughter's birthday celebration
Beautiful weather!
The youngest grandchild's graduation - in Alaska!
The publication of a book!
The Arboretum
A 61st wedding anniversary!
A grandson passing the test to be an Arborist!
A new dog - Peanut!
Vanilla Lattes
Zumbro Cafe
A nephew's birthday
Making a college decision!

1 comment: