I am grateful to Ellamae who encourages me to continue to write on my blog and also shares her own contributions. Here are some of her timely thoughts about Trinity and the fall. Thank you Ellamae. kg
FALL BEGINS, SUMMER IS WANING
Fall is in the air and summer is waning which causes me to
be nostalgic about the summer outdoor service.
I personally very much enjoy sitting outside to worship God with nature
around me.
Thanks to the visionaries that planned the courtyard and
followed through with accomplishing their goal it is the perfect place to
gather on a Sunday morning.
I look at the trees, the clouds and like when the wind blows
either gently or with a little more gusto.
Speaking of the trees, Pastor Kathy’s “Tree of Hope” is looking like a
real tree instead of a trunk waiting to be cut down. To have hope and faith is a great gift from
God given freely to each of us. We cling
to hope throughout life with its ups-and-downs and have faith to endure what
comes our way.
Another tree that I look at a lot is the Catalpa. Thanks to Pastor Dettmer who helped identify
this tree for me. As with all trees the
branches fork but then with this tree they bend in one direction for a few feet
and then go another direction as on and on they go like this. This is like life. We arrive at many forks in the road and must
choose the path to take. However, along
that path we zig and zag toward our destination. The Catalpa also produces bean-like seed pods
that grow quite long. Through life we
continue to grow also and even though the pods fall to the ground so do we have
setbacks and as the pods grow again the next season we too are rejuvenated and
continue on our path.
Clouds have always fascinated me. Some Sundays there are hardly any in the sky,
some Sundays just a few, but the ones that are large and billowy are the most
beautiful of all. God truly made a
majestic earth for us to enjoy. As we
are told many times, “Slow down and smell the roses”.
When the wind blows I feel as if the Holy Spirit is touching
us with gentleness and calling us to be good stewards of all that God has given
to us.
The Children’s Sermon is so interesting. Some hurry to find their place on the quilts
and some walk slowly not sure if they want to be in front of everyone. They look so nice in their Sunday
clothes. Jesus said, “Suffer the little
children to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.”
Spirit, spirit of
gentleness,
Blow through the
wilderness, calling and free.
Spirit, spirit of
restlessness, stir me from placidness.
Wind, wind on the
sea.
Thoughts by Ellamae Butler
- September, 2014
