Shelby County Today

“Like a dog going back to the food which he has not been able to keep down, is the foolish man doing his foolish acts over again.”

March 22, 2022 - Years ago after working in the garden and piddling in my gun shop, I came in to check my email. As I was reading it, I noticed a fly had flown into my half-filled glass of water. He was one of the bad ones (the green ones)… the kind that hang around carcasses and filth.

My first thought was to let him drown and periodically checked to see if he had. He incessantly buzzed the glass’s periphery and was a real fighter. When he finally quit moving, I felt guilty for letting him die. As a penitent gesture, I lowered a ball point pen down to him and when the seemingly dead fly crawled up on it, I lifted him to safety. After testing his wet wings for a moment, he took flight again and began terrorizing me with erratic bump-and-fly tactics.

My son Mark called about that time and as I was telling him about the dive-bombing insect, he landed again in the same glass of water (!) and resumed his “gasping for breath” routine. I opened a window and poured the water and the fly outside to fend for itself.

That fly reminds me of people who promise God everything if He will just save them. Then when the danger is over and their wings dry, they fly right back in. They can’t blame God for being back in their predicament. Rescuing us from the water is God’s part…

… but staying out of it is ours.

March 21, 2022 - Good Morning!  It’s Monday, March 21.

If you grew up in church, like I did, you’re probably familiar with “churchy” words. These are terms from the language Churchese that are typically not used in everyday life. One of these is the word “fellowship”. You would never say this to your office colleagues, “Let’s get together after work for fellowship!” But at church we have fellowship groups that have fellowships in Fellowship Halls.  

This churchy word refers to a social gathering, a social connection. But the Bible uses this word in a very different way. In 1 John 1:3 we find these words -

If we say we have fellowship with God while we walk in darkness, we lie. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from sin.

That’s not talking about a cookies and punch party! The Greek word that the apostle John uses, “koinonia”, suggests a deep connection that’s based on our common faith. It’s a connection not just about sharing food, but about sharing our lives, our hearts, our spirits.  

Koinonia . . . that’s some serious fellowship.

Meet you back here tomorrow,

Bro. David
dmathis@fbccrnter.org

March 17, 2022 - My mother always was one who enjoyed doing “crafty” things. When we were cleaning out her house, we found numerous half-finished projects. Things like purses being made from lunch boxes, wooden trays to be painted, pictures she was going to decoupage and, well, you get the idea. If we are honest, all of us have a number of “unfinished projects” of our own. It seems we “run out of time.”

Perhaps one of the saddest of our “unfinished projects” are the things we were going to do in the service of the Lord. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify the Father which is in heaven”. (Matthew 5:16) Sadly, for most of us, the passage should read “our good intentions” rather than our good works. We tend to be more like what Paul wrote in Romans 7:19, “For I do not do the good I want” (ESV).

In all of our lives, there are good things and deeds of kindness we intended to do that we have failed to do. Let’s realize that we seldom accomplish all the good things we plan to do. It’s not that we are bad people, it’s not that we don’t care, it’s just that somehow we run out of time and we leave things unfinished. So, we need to resolve to do better tomorrow than we did today and we need to be loving and understanding toward others who have failed in the same way we have.

It’s something to think about... tbp

Join Us for Worship this coming Lord’s Day at Center Church of Christ or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com.

March 15, 2022 - Grace and peace from our brother Jesus, Amen. Our small congregation of Paxton Methodists met Sunday, the 2nd Sunday in Lent. We are about 10 days into Lent, forty days of introspection, prayer, and thought. Our church ancestors set aside these forty days so we can prepare ourselves for Easter. This year, Easter comes late—April 17th. I am hoping and, yes, praying that we have seen the last of the freezing temperatures. I have always been told to wait until after Easter to plant vegetables but such will put gardeners later than usual in 2022.

During the month of March, Paxton Methodists will be collecting cans of chili to take to Community Christian Services. Last night I spoke to Joe’s son Ben, and we had a really nice conversation. Ben says his dad is feeling better and making progress. That is certainly heartening as we keep Joe in our prayers. Also in our prayers, of course, are the people of Ukraine. Their bravery, love of country, and steadfast democracy are totally admirable, especially when facing the cold-hearted Putin and his well-armed troops.

Our Sunday School class is so happy to have our dear friend Carolyn back. She adds so much to our Sunday School lesson. In the article before Sunday’s lesson, the author mentioned that John Wesley urged Methodists to begin a routine practice of self-examination and reflection. Carolyn had her granddaughter get on Google and print off those 22 questions we are to ask ourselves, and they are as relevant today as they were 250 years ago.

We began our church service with the Gathering Words that are based on Psalm 27. Our affirmation of faith was A Modern Affirmation, a little different from the 21st Century Affirmation that we have used the last few weeks. Needless to say, the sentiment is the same. Because of the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day, our bulletin quote was part of a traditional Irish blessing: “May peace and plenty bless your world/with joy that long endures/May all life’s passing seasons/bring the best to you and yours!”

Our first song was “Take My Life and Let It Be,” which was a little slow-moving for my taste. The second hymn, “I Stand Amazed in the Presence,” made up for that as we all spiritedly sang out on the chorus. Our service also includes the Gloria Patri as a response to the Affirmation of Faith and the Doxology in thanksgiving after the offering is collected.

The Gospel lesson (Luke 13: 31-35) seemed right for Lent. Jesus is at the outskirts of the city and laments that Jerusalem doesn’t often welcome those who speak for God. Jesus wants to pull the people close to God and himself—just like a mother hen gathers her young under her wing.

John Wesley certainly called upon Methodists to study scripture and to work really hard to discern the words of God. As you are reading ancient scripture, you will hear the voice of God. One of my first professors at SMU said if you are not preaching the Good News, then you are not preaching the Gospel of Jesus. These ideas join together to show the comfort we can find in scripture.

Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here. Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, and Open Minds.” Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist, you can send your email address to the Paxton email address, and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed.