Internal Melody

Recently, our 6-year old daughter Emma  has started playing the violin.  I guess she had seen her teacher playing one, and ever since, she has been passionate about her "glass" instrument.  She started walking around with a metal hanger and a bic pen, announcing that she was playing the violin!  I guess a lot of kids have imaginary friends, and so this is just a little bit different-it's an imaginary instrument!

Eph. 5:19 talks about how Christians should be communicating with each other:  With Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  We are to be singing too.  And then the inside attitude that we are to possess is mentioned.  We are to be "making melody with our hearts to the Lord".

What if the song playing inside our heart was one of sweet music, a silent melody that issued from happy Christlike joy and gratitude? You know, the music of a heart that isn't hung up on negative things and bitter feelings?

That would be incredible, sweet, and so refreshing.  And it would prompt big smiles and joyous comments, just like it has with Emma.  It would end up a great silent symphony of harmony among Christians!

Accented Path

I took some time last week to go to the local lookout spot.  It's a little cliff called Barry's Ledge, and the trail to it winds through the typical Maine woods kinda beauty and corkscrews around to the top which is maybe 7 or 8 hundred feet high.  Toward the top in a stand of Hemlocks, was a beautiful red Maple being struck by the afternoon light.  What a contrast and what a reminder of why I love the Maine woods-especially in Fall.  On the brown trail were occasional red leaves that gave a great contrast to the pine needle blanketed trail. 

God showed me in that moment of hiking and photographing that the trail of life was much like the one before me. 

The red leaves reminded me of how at intervals Christ's blood can make the trail before me one of victory, assurance, and rest.  Victory because when I am tempted in some way, remembering Christ's sacrifice causes me to contemplate the love that made that happen.  Assurance because in times of doubt and downheartedness, I remember that Christ's sacrifice placed me in the heavenlies and gave me a pure heart.  And rest, because when I am unable to be all that I should be, I am forgiven; my sins separated from me as East is from West.

I am going to travel most effectively on the journey when I contemplate the wonderful contrasts on the path provided me by Christ and His shed blood.  He travels with me.

Psalm 139:3 " You scrutinize my path and my lying down,  and are intimately aquainted with all my ways..."
pScott

America won't run over Dunkin'

I feel it is my civic duty to point out that workers that are trying to bring better roads to Maine and the nation must be protected.  Driving in Lewiston, Maine the other day, I noticed someone walking down a busy street near a road-construction zone carrying a box of Dunkin Donut Munchkins. There was no sidewalk and she was walking the wrong way, too.   I also noticed that people were more than polite to give her a wide berth and didn't indulge in any sub-standard driving.  In fact, I noticed drivers being extra careful to avoid running over a pedestrian in their rush to get to Dunkin' Donuts. Ah-I mean-work.
Since America supposedly runs on Dunkin', I propose doing something for our  many road-construction people faithfully holding up traffic all over this great land. 

The most basic improvement necessary is the replacement of orange construction cones with a simple box of donuts. 

After all, people carelessly brush and sometimes even run over on purpose those conical clones.  No one in their right mind would run over a box of cream-filled, glazed, and chocolate donuts.  Unless of course, they were eating a cream-filled donut and that free-fall filling came squirting out onto their lap-or holy cruller-their Blackberry! 
This measure would not only cut down on the sky-rocketing cost of cones, but ensure that our road-construction comrades would be safer.
The other measure is one of simple scare tactics.  I believe that an appropriate message-and by that I mean one that will frighten the fruit filling out of people-will be all that is necessary to curb dangerous driving around these public servants.
I propose outfitting every worker with orange shirts that have white lettering on the front and back that says:

IF YOU SO MUCH AS CREATE AN UNREASONABLE BREEZE AROUND ME YOU WILL BE BANNED FOR LIFE FROM DUNKIN DONUTS IN ALL 50 STATES AND IN EVERY COUNTRY THAT HAS THEM

I believe the extensive lettering required to do this would be more than worth it when it comes to preserving the life of our fellow-Americans.

To glaze over these two common-sense ideas would be a slam dunk for the powdered sugar-induced decay that has set in on our driving habits in these sensitive zones.

This concept strikes me as especially necessary in Massachusetts.  Not only is there construction in the Boston area 365 days a year, 24 hours a day for approximately 378 years now, but there is a Dunkin' Donuts every 425 feet.  Couple this knowledge with the caffeine and cakey consistency of their driving habits, and well, potential havoc awaits.  I have it on good (my own) authority that several workers have been hit by inattentive drivers as they went about their business.  Maybe that's where the idea for Boston Creme came from...
I will be dutifully submitting my ideas to the legislative branch of this great country.  After I go get a vanilla cream-filled donut.
pScott

His love...right on time

The last couple of days have been a little tough.  It's been more of the lessons in being the committed minister that God wants me to be.  I have been learning that some dreams will have to be given up.  Some interests that I never thought would wane have done just that.  And ultimately, God gives rewards that are tied to finding delights in life that are based on Him.  At my son's soccer game, the semi-pro (that would be me!) has the amateur photo equipment that doesn't compare with the guy just down from me.  I can't buy pro gear right now; and maybe I'll never afford it.  Then there's my vehicle that eats gas, the snowmobile or simple boat I might like to have (every guy has a toy, right?), the subwoofer for the serious music lover (also me): The flexibillity to enjoy some of life's simple amenities has lately seemed out of reach.  It has felt like a dream that may never become reality.  Then God reminded me that A; He grants the Desires that are Divinely Delightful (Ps.37:4), and 2; He truly does want to bless me!  And what better way than to enable me to be a more effective minister for Him!  A friend called and said that he would be buying a video projector for me to use in my teaching and the church's ministries!  Four months ago, I told church leadership this was the number one thing to be praying for!  It isn't just the most basic type either, it is the model that can project even in semi-bright rooms!  Awesome.  God is amazing and He is for us. He is for me!  Be encouraged to delight yourself in the Lord! pscott