My thoughts (Tammy Mills):

Check out this strange, but true story.

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Shopping Family Leaves Baby Behind
By Associated Press

MIDLAND, Texas – A 3-month-old baby was left unattended in a shopping cart for about an hour Sunday when her parents accidentally left her behind, police said. Shoppers noticed the abandoned baby at a Toys “R” Us store, Midland police Sgt. Alfredo Grimaldo said.

“It was a misunderstanding among family members,” Grimaldo said in Monday editions of the Midland Reporter-Telegram. “One man took the kids home and left the ladies to shop. But when he took the kids, he didn’t take the baby from the cart.”

The family members, who were traveling in different cars, didn’t realize what happened until they all got home and nobody had the baby, he said.

“We don’t think it was really a child abandonment issue. It was just a misunderstanding,” Grimaldo said.

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At first read, I wondered how anyone could “forget” their baby! But upon a bit of further reflection, I know exactly how they could forget! They were flying through the store getting all the bargains they needed. I’m sure they were in a major hurry to get home and sort and wrap presents. There were cookies that needed baking and stockings to be hung — and the tree wasn’t going to decorate itself! On and on the list of Christmas stuff goes.

I sometimes get busy enough with Christmas stuff that I too forget the baby — I forget why we celebrate. Two thousand or so years ago there was no room for Jesus, so he was born in a barn. This Christmas I must make room for Jesus! This Christmas I must put down the to-do list and remember where I’ve left Jesus.

But what about next week — or next month? Even when we get caught up in Christmas busy-ness, there are often reminders this time of year to not “forget the baby” — special church services, or devotionals like this one, or even Linus’ telling of the Christmas story on A Charlie Brown Christmas.

But when Christmas is over and the tinsel is all packed up, what will I do to remember Jesus each day?

Thought for the day: What can I do to not “forget the baby” this Christmas — and every day?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

My thoughts (Tammy Mills):

There is a great Alan Jackson song called, Where I Come From:

I said where I come from
It’s cornbread and chicken
Where I come from a lotta front porch sittin’
Where I come from tryin’ to make a livin’
And workin’ hard to get to heaven
Where I come from.

We may not all come from cornbread and chicken, but we all come from somewhere. Our scripture today tells us where Moses was from, as well as the people of Israel. The author of Hebrews seems to want us to remember where we are from so we can see how God was at work in our past. And as we see how God as been at work in where we are from, we will gain faith in the notion that God is working in our present, whether we see it clearly or not.

I have had the opportunity lately to think a lot about where I come from. I come from times of triumph and times of defeat. Times of challenge and times of boredom. Times of laughter and joy and times of pain and tears. The bottom line, for me, is that God has always been there, no matter what the circumstance.

Someone introduced me to a great exercise to help me focus on where I come from. They suggested I write a poem. The poem did help me to remember where I had been and how God has been there for me.

I am from…

I am from… the Hoosier heartland, a rural high school, the Ol’ Ball U and AU.

I am from… simple people with complex lives and big dreams.

I am from… “Where’s Tam?” and “Yea! Little Mom is home!”

I am from… what I saw at the time as failed relationships, and scary relationships, to today’s lifetime-to-discover-and-uncover, love connection.

I am from… snuggling with my first love Chance, playing with the apple of my eye Charlee, and hanging out with my best buddy Darby.

I am from… labor marches in Muncie, women’s right’s marches in DC and pride marches every June.

I am from… the closet, the classroom and the pulpit.

I am from… the loving support of my sometimes crazy family, the strength of many years of learning to support and love myself, and now the magical mysterious adventure of creating my own family.

I am from… here and there and a little bit of everywhere.

I am from… anywhere my feet will take me and my heart will lead me.

Thought for the day: How about you? Where are you from? Can you see how God has been at work in your life? Does seeing where you’re from help you see how God is guiding you in the present?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

My thoughts on this passage (Tammy Mills):

This image of David — all decked out in King Saul’s garb, a boy trying to wear the armor of a warrior — always makes me laugh. He must look ridiculous, like a kid playing dress-up. We know from the reading that he feels goofy wearing all that stuff. He takes it off and goes into battle with Goliath simply as himself.

David didn’t need Saul’s armor or fancy weapons. What he needed to win the battle was to simply be himself and use the gifts he knew he had. How many times in life do we avoid the giants because we think we don’t have what we need to defeat them? This passage today reminds my heart that I am enough for God and I can use what I have to work in God’s service. I don’t have to wear someone else’s stuff or pretend I am something I am not.

Many things in our life can give us the message that we are not good enough. Scripture seem to send us the opposite message. God continues to use folks, flaws and all, to bring the kingdom of God to earth. I even wonder if it isn’t our imperfections that qualify us for service — but that’s a discussion for another day. The skill David had acquired tending sheep and his sling shot, coupled with God’s power, were more than enough to defeat Goliath!

We are enough. God can use us exactly as we are!

Thought for the day: Tell yourself you are enough. Remind yourself that you and God are an unstoppable force!

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

My thoughts (Tammy Mills):

My favorite TV show these days is Deadliest Catch. I love the complex relationships, the hard work, the waiting to see “how much someone can take before they break” kind of thing!

As I read today’s scripture I thought immediately about Deadliest Catch. (As I am sure most of us did ) This year on the show they have had some of the worst storms I have ever seen. Having seen those storms — and the fear on the fishermen’s faces — it gave me a new context as I read about the disciples in rough seas today. Rough seas can be incredibly challenging and fear-inducing.

Life certainly can have the same kind of rough seas! Life can be challenging and fear-inducing.

Today I am asking myself the question, “Who do I let in my boat to help me though rough seas?” The disciples saw Jesus and brought him aboard. I wonder if I see Jesus when the seas of my life are rough. Do I invite him in?

Too many times I try and ride out rough seas or fish through the storms, all alone, like they do on Deadliest Catch. Today I am reminded there is one who stands in rough seas with me.

Thought for the day: Will I open my eyes to see who stands in the rough seas with me?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

My thoughts (Tammy Mills):

I am coming to this realization kind of late, but I am really starting to dig Lady Gaga! I don’t know if I am a “little monster” yet, but there is something about the truth in her music that speaks to my soul.

It was with my Lady Gaga soundtrack going in my head that I first read this scripture. As I was reading about John being questioned about who he was, I thought about the new Lady Gaga release, Born This Way. That song is so powerful. It calls for each of us to celebrate who we really are. She challenges us to take off the mask and just be who you were born to be!

Today’s scripture reminds me how solid John was about being exactly who he was born to be. I think it might have been easy for him to be sidetracked and to forget what he was meant to do — he was the one who was to come before the messiah. After all, he had large followings, the church leaders were questioning him and he was baptizing anyone who came forward. He was doing everything to prepare the way! Even with all those forces trying to push him in a certain “messiah” box, he never allowed it to push him off course.

I have a hunch it was because John was so grounded in being exactly who he was that he was able to see who Jesus was so clearly! When we aren’t clear about our own selves it is often difficult to see who others truly are. Like John and Lady Gaga, I am going to work to be more grounded in who I really am! (After all, I was born this way!) Perhaps as I become clearer about who I am, I will see more clearly the truth all around me. I might even begin to be aware of the many times in a day the spirit of the messiah comes my way.

Thought for the day: Do I accept myself? Does how I see myself affect how I see the Divine?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

A message from Pastor Jeff for those who live far from our Church

My thoughts (Tammy Mills):

In today’s scripture, Jesus takes time to talk about children and the role they play in the spiritual journey. Jesus was busy trying to teach all he could, because he knew his time here on earth was short, yet in the midst of all that teaching Jesus pauses to take children on his lap and bless them.

Can you picture Jesus stopping what he is doing and taking time for the children? Can you picture Jesus taking time for you?

In this teaching Jesus reminds me I shouldn’t listen to children and think “Oh… how cute!” Rather, if I am to grow my soul, I had better listen and learn! Jesus was adamant about including children in his ministry — and He made it clear that these little children can teach us.

I’m lucky (or at least 98% of the time I think I am lucky) to live with three children under the age of eleven. I have at times fondly referred to them as my “resident theologians”. If you examine the roots of the word “theologian” you will discover a theologian is someone who “talks about God”. When it comes to talking about God, no one does it more or with more insight than the little theologians in our house.

Here are a few lessens my resident theologians have taught me over the years:

• At a fireworks display my family attended, the littlest theologian loudly declared that Jesus was really excited. When I asked why, she told me, “Jesus loved his present! Jesus is sitting and watching the fireworks from heaven thinking — Wow!”
• Another conversation found us entering Wal-Mart discussing what heaven must be like. The theologians were pondering if we would have our current bodies or new ones. Would we see Grandpa and Chance? “Little Mom, since you are old, and will die soon (I AM NOT THAT OLD!) will you meet us in heaven?” On and on it goes.
• Another conversation found them debating how to listen to your heart. The theologians agreed that listening to the heart was the key to following God. They were also equally sure that God was speaking to their hearts right then and there.

I am lucky. My resident theologians teach me so much about how to live and grow my soul. I’m so glad that Jesus understood how important our littlest theologians are. Like Jesus, we need to take the wisdom of children to our hearts and grow from it.

Thought for the day: Do something “just for fun” — blow bubbles, jump rope, stand in a sprinkler, read a comic book. Humble your soul and learn from the “Little Theologians” in your life. Jesus did.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.