Moving Beyond Procrastination

Proverbs 6: 4-5

Don’t procrastinate— there’s no time to lose.
Run like a deer from the hunter,  fly like a bird from the trapper!
The Message

When we know that we have a task or project to complete waiting to the last minute produces an inferior product.  So how do we move beyond procrastination? We make excellence the greater priority. The challenge is “just enough to get by” is the mentality of many people.  This produces mediocrity. The pursuit of excellence is a discipline that challenges us to immediately begin projects and engage in precision planning on a personal level and organizational level.

Every workshop attendee deserves to hear the best presentation not one that is just good enough.  Every congregant deserves to hear my best sermon not one that is thrown together.  Every person attending a meeting deserves to have the best agenda to achieve the mission vision and values of the organization.

Our text focuses our attention on three things that will help us to move beyond procrastination

1. The time is now, tomorrow will be to late
2. Eliminate distractions, they can be costly
3. Passionately pursuit is essential

 

Patients Have Spiritual Needs to Address

By ALLYSON HELVIE Hospice ChaplainPublished: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 6:42 p.m.

When a person is diagnosed with breast cancer, there are many facets to what happens in his/her life. We are surrounded by a medical model of health care, and one has test after test to determine the exact type of cancer.

By the time one receives a final diagnosis, she has encountered several doctors, nurses, technicians, and many other medical personnel. She has met with non-medical professionals to address her financial and emotional concerns.

With her medical plan in place, her physical needs are being met, and she has excellent support from the team of medical caregivers. There is another important aspect of her life, as well. Human beings are “whole” persons, and there is a spiritual aspect that should not be looked over when caring for those who are undergoing cancer treatment.

Many feelings may arise in times such as this: guilt, loneliness, fear and anger. People may begin to question God and ask, “Where is God in all of this?”

There may be other questions, such as “How could God allow this to happen to me? Why me? How do I cope?”

Read the Entire Article

I find this article extremely helpful.  I have have experienced a greater awareness among our congregations about cancer and pastors are swamped with people outside of their congregation on a spiritual journey trying to understand how God is involved in their cancer.

 

Be The Light

By Melissa Lauber

We create the changes that unfold in our world. Sometimes that’s for the best and sometimes it’s not.

“Do not be deceived. God is not mocked; for whatever a man sow, this he will also reap.” – Galatians 6:7

In the musical “The Fantastics,” the fathers sing: “plant a radish, get a radish, not a brussel sprout.”

Margaret Feinberg, in her book, “Scouting the Divine: My Search for God in Wine, Wool and Wild Honey,” delves deeper into this theme. She writes:

“There’s a lot at stake. If I could just get this one principle to take root in my heart, it would change the way I live – making me more intentional, move loving and wiser in the words I use and the actions I take. Though this Scripture principle induces a healthy amount of respect and fear, I believe it unleashes a much more powerful sense of hope. No wonder Paul concluded, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. (6:9)

“When I embrace a life that is pleasing to God – one that chooses righteousness over being right, one that chooses kindness in the face of rejection, one that chooses love rather than silent withdrawal – something comes alive in my heart and in the hearts of my community. I may not see the fruits of such choices immediately, but there will come a day when the good fruit is harvested.”

Consider:

• What specific things will you plant today to help grow disciples?
• In the larger picture, how are the choices you’re making and the actions you’re sowing shaping your life and your community?

Today we pray for the people and ministries of the Connectional Table, which meets this evening.

 

Not All Change is Tidy and Inspiring

Not all change is tidy and inspiring. Sometimes change is the result of a difficult, frightening experience. The Rev. Jeff Jones of Liberty Grove UMC (macpastor@gmail.com) explores his experience with a recent illness and how he found God, and the church, present in the details.

“The thing you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

– Matthew 6: 33-34, New Century Version

I never did feel bad. My old doctor stopped using our medical plan and I had to find another doctor. The new doctor saw something she didn’t like in the blood work and had me go to a kidney specialist. He did not like the blood numbers either and had me go to a urologist and ordered many tests.

After going through MRIs, CT scans, X-rays, and lots more blood drawn, they determined that I had a tumor growing on my right kidney along with a cyst there too. The urologist suggested that I go to the hospital as soon as could be arranged and have the kidney removed to prevent the continued growth of the tumor. It was 5 centimeters at the time and they felt that it was malignant. About 95 percent of kidney tumors are.

My dad e-mailed Bishop Schol for prayer and it turned out the week after my diagnosis was annual conference weekend. At the conclusion of the clergy executive session, Bishop Schol invited me up to be prayed for. Prayers play an absolutely powerful roll in this story, one answer to prayer after another. Following the prayer time, several of my clergy friends came up to me to offer their support, and Debbie Scott said I should talk to NIH and her doctor, for she had the same condition and through laparoscopic surgery, they didn’t remove her whole kidney, only the part that had the tumor on it.

I spent several days e-mailing her doctor and each of my first six emails came back as not deliverable. But somehow, God works in the efforts that even computers don’t understand and I got an email back from her doctor inviting me to come and be examined for a possible inclusion in their cancer study of kidneys at NIH. The week after conference, I was seeing a kidney specialist and was being welcomed into the program. I was now scheduled for surgery on Monday July 6^th. I was to report to NIH on Sunday July 5^th for the preliminary preparations for the surgery.

I invited my congregation, Liberty Grove UMC in Burtonsville, to come for a prayer service for strength and healing on Wed. June 24^th. Seventy five people responded to the invitation, some of them coming from former parishes to lay hands on me and pray for me. Prayers are truly answered.

I had the surgery, it took five-and-a-half hours. They were able to remove the cyst and the tumor and leave 75 percent of my right kidney in me. I spent the week on the oncology ward at NIH. Prayers were said for me constantly and probably from around the world, thanks to my father’s connections. The Caring Bridge organization helped me create a website to gather prayers and well wishes and to allow us to share our story.

On Elaine’s birthday, the 16^th of July, the doctor called to tell me the tumor was an oncocytoma tumor, BENIGN! I would not have to go through the chemo or radiation treatments. I would be watched because I have a very tiny cyst on the left kidney but if it’s the same, I’ll have that cared for down the road, NIH will keep track of me and prayers will be continually offered on my behalf.

Now the timing for all of this is amazing. It’s the kind of timing the passage of Scripture reports on. I could spend the summer recovering because the schedule is scaled back. I have a crew of excellent certified lay speakers who preached for me and covered the needs at the church. The prayers of numerous people helped restore my strength.

Now that Labor Day has come I’m back to work at about 75 to 80 percent. My follow up visits show my blood work and urine are right where they are supposed to be. My doctor reminded me to take it easy for four to six months, because of the major surgery, even though the small holes for the robot surgical team have healed up very well. My family and congregation are supporting the recovery process.

I share all of this because God is able to do far more than we can even imagine. Ephesians 3:20 promises us that. So whenever you are faced with challenges and are thinking about being stressed or worried or anxious, just pray and let God’s plan work for you, as you seek first the kingdom.

PRAYER:

Thank you. Lord, for providing what we need. Thank you Lord, for the prayers of others who walk along beside us during such challenges. Thank you, Lord, for answered prayer. All this we pray with grateful hearts for your incredible love for us. In Jesus’ name, we pray.  AMEN.

Today we pray for the churches and people of the Washington Region.

 

Light for the Journey

As we continue our study of “Light for the Journey: Seeing our Way through Change,” Kate Thomas shares what it means to be lit with the light of God, from the inside out, transformed by “the fullness of joy.”

 By Kate Thomas

Being fully you

 

There is a cry within our heart of hearts to be that fearfully and wonderfully made creation that God originally intended for us. The hustle of life pulls us from task to task in a way that allows us to close our hearts to the still small voice of God. But God IS always there, tugging at us, loving us and crying out for us to grow and bloom and smile and sing at the top of our lungs.

 Life can be lived with fear, hiding in the shadows of who our true self deeply desires to be. But life can also be lived ALIVE and with intention for each step. Life can take us by surprise, lead us into the depths and swirls of unknown, breath-taking or even heart-breaking places. It is there that we realize why we have had to follow this path. It is there that we fully realize why we have lived with a tattered wing or a pain in our step. And it is there that we also can see our unique voice in the way God has so perfectly and uniquely tuned.

 When the breath of God oozes from our true selves, it is the hand of Christ touching those around us. It is the light in the darkness and the fresh breeze on a hot day. It is contagious in a giggle until your stomach hurts kind of way. This is God’s dream for us — God’s kingdom fully alive amidst us in everything we do.

 So carve out that space in your heart for God – not just the room that you think God will fit in. Carve out the room that God needs to allow and ocean of purpose to well up and overwhelm you. Carve out time and energy and deep thought in your day just to BE with God. For there you will meet a God breathes love and passion into you in a way that will make you never want to turn back.

 “You show met the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy.” – Psalm 16: 11

 Consider:

•  What fills those places in your heart that you carve out for God?
• What are among the first changes you might make to be “fully you,” as God intends?

 Today we pray for the Young Adult Council of the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

 

Taylorsville UMC Biloxi Mission Trip Day 3

Morning comes early down here, even if it is an hour later than home.  We were up at 6:30 AM and enjoyed a great pancake and egg breakfast made by Ron.  (He brings his own homemade pancake mix.)  By 7:30 we had reported in to Sheila the coordinator, and had started to scavenge the warehouse for items for the day.  We found a spline tool, some spline, electrical boxes, outlets, 2 by 4’s, drill bits, paint, paint brushes, short scaffolding for starters.  We still forgot to look at the floor tiles (3^rd time in a row).  We got on the road for the 20 minute drive to the work site.  Ron’s truck went straight to the work site, but Eddie’s truck stopped at Lowes.  We did get Eddie out in a reasonable amount of time with more supplies to add to the bathroom floor/deck project.  Eddie and Frank got to work on their bathroom addition project and have the base for the deck floor complete.  Tomorrow they will add the decking.  Ron got to read about the wiring and then went to work pulling wires for lights, switches, fire alarms, etc.   Marian went to work on the screen and finished 3 window screens and then ran out of screen frames.  Dave and Larry spent the day framing the ceiling for drywall and breaking drill bits trying to put up furring strips for drywall in the front room.  Sarah painted the walls in the center room to see if the paint and the walls were compatible.  They are, really nice.  Sarah also got to cut wood on the big table saw.  This is her new favorite toy.  

            Larry had trouble today keeping up with his pencils,   At the end of the day he had finally found one to call his own. If only he could remember that he put it behind his ear.

            Dave finally has the ants out of his computer.  Seems the first night he slept in a bed that had ants.  Monday he put his computer under his pillow to keep it out of site, Monday night when the computer came out from under the pillow it kept having ants come out on the table.  It took us awhile to figure out the whole story, but the end result he changed beds and does not have ants or aunts anymore. 

            Sarah is having way too much fun with the tools so everytime they need something from Lowes they send her.  She says it is because she has the credit card, we do not believe her.

            Eddie and Frank are just too gung ho on their project.  They played in the mud to get to the base of the plumbing, before putting their deck base up. 

            Ron managed to get so dirty that it took two shots at getting his elbows clean after the shower.  He was on the floor and ceiling all day with the wiring.

            Marian got high marks on her lunch for a second day, now they have nothing to look forward to tomorrow, she only knows how to make 2 lunches. 

            We are all really tired and exhilarated from completing more on the home today.  We didn’t get as far as we thought we would, but we are really excited that we got as far as we did.  We are on to drywall tomorrow and have a big truck to deliver it instead of us making lots of trips.  Glad for your prayers and love.   Marian
We finally go the internet access working so we uploaded the pictures to Dave’s online album. Check it out below:

You are invited to view dave’s photo album: Katrina Relief Mission Katrina Relief Mission D’Iberville, MS – Sep 22, 2009 by dave Biloxi Katrina cleanup mission in View Album Play slideshow Message from dave: here is the pictures If you are having problems viewing this email, copy and paste the following into your browser: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=david.l.tingley&target=ALBUM&id=5384432681336729761&authkey=Gv1sRgCJvSya-c7ayaoQE&invite=CMyEgXU&feat=email To share your photos or receive notification when your friends share photos, get your own free Picasa Web Albums account.

 

Taylorsville UMC Biloxi Mission Trip Day #2

Welcome all to Day one of the Biloxi Katrina Relief Mission.  Today was a day of making new friends, developing our teamwork skills, and despite overwhelmingly oppressive heat and humidity… dirty dusty demolition.  Upon arrival, the team assessed the home and quickly got to work on the jobs that were most needed.  Dave, Larry, Marian, Ron and Sarah put their muscles straight to work tearing up a good part of the back third of the floor.  Frank and Eddie set out tearing down the bathroom.  By noon, the first team had the entire floor out and was already setting replacement floor joists.  While Dave and Larry went for supplies, the rest of the team enjoyed lunch.  It was the best Bologna and cheese we’d ever had.  Frank and Eddie had hoped that much of the bathroom could be saved, but in the end, once they added Pastor Sarah to the bathroom demolition team, all that remained was the roof.  She went crazy once we put a saws-all in her hand. The homeowner, Shantdtea (pronounced Chant’a), also lent an enthusiastic hand and made a substantial collection of refuse.  By the end of the day, we had attracted a bit of attention and some of the locals also lent a hand. In particular Shandtea’s nephew, Denzel, came home from school and pitched right in helping Dave and Larry nail down the floor.

We’re getting ready to sit down to a well deserved meal, cooked by the loving hands of Sarah, Marian and Frank.  In reflection, it was a good day and I think I speak for the entire team when I say we’ll all sleep well tonight. The showers never felt better. We are all extremely grateful that Ron decided NOT to follow through on his threat to not shower for the week.

We are now making our plan of attack for tomorrow: Which looks like finishing the floor, wiring in lights and outlets, painting, starting some drywall, and starting to put the bathroom back together.  

Please keep us and everyone here in the Gulf area who is still suffering from Katrina in your prayers. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taylorsville UMC
www.taylorsvilleumc.org

 

Taylorsville UMC Biloxi Mission Trip

We have arrived here in D’Iberville by various means. Ron left Friday morning and drove to Charlotte, NC where he got to experience Frank’s hospitality. Then he got up Saturday and drove to Mobile, Alabama so that he could pick up Sarah, Marian and Larry Sunday morning at the Gulfport airport in Biloxi. They arrived after a flight that took them through Memphis. Dave and Eddie meanwhile left early Saturday morning headed to Charlotte and stayed Saturday night with Frank. Frank cooks a delicious Salmon dinner on the grill, so if you ever happen to be in NC. be sure to stop in. He has a whole freezer full that came from Alaska. Sunday the three of them drove from Charlotte to D’Iberville arriving just before 6 PM. While they were driving the others all went over to the house to survey the situation and see what we would be doing. The house was in much worse condition than we had envisioned it. We have our work cut out for us. While we were unloading at the bunkhouse behind the church some of the members came over and told us they were having a church supper and revival that evening. We enjoyed a tasty dinner of cajun homecooking followed by a rousing revival service. Turns out they are going to be doing this tonight, tomorrow night and the next. So it looks like at least part of the dinner planning and grocery shopping we did this afternoon is now out the window. But I think we will happily trade our own cooking for a church potluck.

Thanks for your prayers.

We look forward to what is in store tomorrow.

from
(Dave) for Your Biloxi Mission Team

Taylorsville UMC
www.taylorsvilleumc.org
taylorsvilleumc@comcast.net

 

What would Jesus say about Healthcare Reform?

I  asked a question on Facebook August 14th, “What would Jesus say at a town meeting about healthcare reform?”  Here are a few of the responses.  I wrote this article on the 15^th but have not had an opportunity to post until today. Please feel free to add your comments.

 1.  Be honest and truthful. everyone.

 2.  Be Healed!

 3. How about “Get those money-changers out of the temple!”

 4. I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly!

 5. He would say that healthcare is a right and not a privilege in this great country of ours. He would say that we are one another’s brothers and sisters and we should all take care of one another. “If you are in pain than I am in pain.”

He would be horrified with the greed and corruption of the private insurance industry today, and the corruption of the private insurance industry today, and the corrupt legislators and the pharmaceutical industry. He would say that we need to even out the playing field and re-define and revamp the system, which means switching the role of the private insurance into a secondary role. They can offer supplemental insurance as they do in other industrialized countries. But other industrialized countries do not make a profit off the suffering of their people and their systems are innovative, and their life expectancy exceeds U.S. life expectancy. We need to cover everyone with good preventative care and changing the system is the way to do it.

  6. get er done

 7. http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3845

This article says alot about the corporate ties between the private insurance industry and media companies. Please read y’all when you have a moment!

 8.  Surprisingly enough, the ONLY people Jesus ever ’shouted down’ were those who put money or personal welfare above the responsibility of caring for others. Jesus might in fact be shouting at a town hall meeting, but it would be at those who are shouting, selfish, unconcerned and uncaring and not at those who are concerned about people without medical coverage.

 9. Do the best for the least among you.

 

The beginning of our trip to South Korea

My first three days here in Korea was spent with the Noh family in Daejeon.  They are members of Sansung Church and Joshua is a member of the Nambu Conference of the Southern Conference of the Methodist Church in Korea young adult exchange. Yoon blessed us by taking us to Gyrongju, Jeonju, Pohang, Jinju and Gweangiu.  We visited Independence Hall , experienced fried Red Ginseng with honey, the 2009 7th Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival,

Lotus Flower

traditional Korean housing and food. We met a lot of business owners and people in the community working with the health department through Yoon.  

We visited 5:00am worship service and prayer on Friday and Monday.  The ferverent effectual prayers of hundreds of believers daily are described as

Dream Worship At Sansung Methodist Church

the engine to do God’s work by Rev. Ji who spends at least two hours a day in prayer. I attended the Dream Worship bi-lingual worship service at Sansung was blessed by the praise and worship as well as Pastor May who preached a powerful message.