"We'll stay in touch!"

How many times have we said, "Hey, let's stay in touch!"? What friends did we mean to stay connected to, who have drifted out of our lives?

Sometimes God surprises us with the joy of reconnection.

This morning, I had the privilege of seeing someone for the first time in 10 years. She and her husband moved to the Great Lakes area for ministry ... soon after I left music ministry to train women in ministry at the church. We had played piano and organ together at Overlake Christian Church for years, alternating Sundays on piano.

Connie was that "fabulous choir pianist" every conductor craves: she could play any score. Poor Roy, the orchestra pastor: I often need complex music ahead of time to play what was on the page. (My eyes and fingers drift apart when my ears hear the music. I can play anything by ear but it's better to nail down the notes in advance if the music is complex.)

We had such fun chatting, catching up on families, on ministry, and this stage of life. Then we pulled out Dave Morgan's old chorus book and started our duet. We played through the entire book, some choruses more successfully than others. We laughed and kept going when missing chords or figuring out the old rhythms. And we worshipped.

Music touches the heart. The gift of familiarity and friendship, given and received through conversation and songs of praise, comforted and encouraged me this morning. I think it did the same for Connie.

So how do you reconnect?

1. Seize the moment. I met my friend's husband Tom at a meeting. He told me they recently moved back to town.
2. Be willing to initiate a meeting. I wrote an invitation to Connie, "Want to reconnect?"
3. Accept whatever the answer is: yes or no to renewing an acquaintance. Not everyone wants to connect again. Connie called back and was happy to meet.
4. Set a date. A vague, "Let's meet sometime" will rarely materialize.
5. Enjoy God's provision together. Be open to whatever comes your way, whether that's looking forward or back together. We had time to talk but also to minister to each other with music.
6. Trust God for the future. We prayed together before parting. And we're planning to meet with a larger group of women from OCC in the New Year.

I'm thinking back on the morning with a glad heart. God gifted me with a visit from someone who has played the music I remember but haven't touched for over a decade. Our fingers climbed and laughed over the keys in old familiar patterns and long-forgotten ways.

God is good! And we've become the "old hymn" ladies. HAHA Who knew!

Read more:
*I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:3

*May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 NIv 

*Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:1

Moravian Prayer: Lord, we know you are our Savior. Help us to grow in our faith to understand what it means that we are saved. Let us share that message and grow in numbers. Amen.

Lent Day 36: Thankful for the cross

If you could relinquish some part of your life, what would you give over to death? Would you be willing to lay on the line your health, finances, relationships, or reputation? Christians emphasize the peace of God but we know living out that peace will cost us everything.

Jesus gave everything up for us. He was not called the Man of Sorrows without reason.

I'm thinking of the horrors and benefits of dying today, after listening to radio reports about the increasing persecution of Family members (Christian believers) in India. They are being driven from their villages, maimed, and killed for the sake of the gospel.

Are you and I willing to forsake all for our faith in Christ? That's always been the way of the cross. Following Jesus means identification with a bloody price that reconciles us to God but alienates us from those who hate Him.

Among all the parties and candy and Easter eggs, let's not forget the awful beauty of the cross. It point to the path of denying self to love God and others beyond reason, beyond human logic––because of faith and hope in the resurrection power.

Read more:

*The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6:26

*And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

*I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Galatians 2:20-21 NIV

Moravian Prayer: May the Lord bless us and keep us, lift up his countenance upon us and give us the peace that surrounds us and emanates from our hearts. In the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Lent Day 33: Thankful for foot-in-mouth forgiveness

Have you ever said something you wish you could retract (on the spot!)? Reading Matthew 16-17 is an interesting exposé of Jesus' tolerance for foot-in-mouth disease, which strikes most of us occasionally.

In Chapter 16 of Matthew, Peter understands and responds to the role of Jesus as Messiah, the long-awaited Christ: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!"

Jesus applauds his understanding and sensitivity to the Father's revelation.

Then in the next chapter, Peter is privileged to see Jesus transfigured and conversing with Moses and Elijah, representatives of the law and the prophets. Foot-in-mouth, here he comes.

"Can we build you a few cabins so you can stay awhile?" he asks Jesus, who seems to ignore his outburst. Oops.

Jesus rebuked Peter for his words of self-interest another time, saying, "Get behind me, Satan." (Mark 8:33) Sheesh. Talk about good intentions that go the wrong way.

Some of us are savvy with words and guard our tongues carefully. Others get in trouble by speaking at the wrong time or to the wrong person. God, who knows the intentions of the heart, will hear and can forgive what we speak in the coming week. We may need that forgiveness.

Those of us shouting "Hosanna in the Highest" on this Palm Sunday need to guard against crucifying and denying Christ with our words at other times.

The Holy Week before Easter brings many reminders to watch what we say. Sometimes we have bad intentions behind our rhetoric. For those times, we need to repent and watch carefully, to discipline our speech.

Other times, others who don't understand us may hear words inappropriately spoken and attribute us with bad motives. In those times it's good to listen before we speak, to be able to say those things that bring healing and reconciliation when we have brought hurt.

Read more:

*See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 11:26-28

*The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46

*Jesus said, 'How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.'" Mark 4:30–32

Moravian Prayer: Holy Redeemer, we thank you for the blessing of grace and for showing us the eternal promise through the life, death and resurrection of your son, our pearl of great value. In the name of Jesus. Amen.