UMCB Blog

Thurman Class - March 6

tmorrison@umcb.org (Tim Morrison) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:36:49 -0500 EST"

Well, you have witness in the past two days how life can take over. My apologies for no post the last two days.

Today I took away two things from the readings. I think the first was from the story about the man who planted the young trees and the second was the writing on patience.

How often have you been the person that planted so you could reap the fruit yourself? I think if we are all honest we would say that we have been that person many times.

Two ministers who I know very well have both said to me independantly, "I've never seen my churches build on to their facilities, I am always the one to prepare the way." And isn't it true that sometimes that's who we are? We are called to be the seed planters, the tenders, and then at some moments in our lives we do get to be the reapers of the fruit.

What would it be like for you to intentionally sow seeds? How have you done so in the past? How can you plan to in the future?

Then the writing on patience is always a good reminder. Life is so fast and all we want it to be is faster and faster. That said, I want to encourage you, if you are having a hard time getting through all of the material for one day, just pick a few readings a day and sit with them. We all need to slow down a bit.

Blessings on your journey,

Pastor Tim

Thurman Class - March 3

tmorrison@umcb.org (Tim Morrison) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:26:38 -0500 EST"

So what did you think about the reading of the older brother in the story of the Prodigal Son? Have you ever been that person who has been the faithful one? Maybe you chose to stay while others were off doing their own thing. Yet when they returned they seemed to get more attention, praise and thanks then you ever did receive.

A college student was telling me about a group project that he was involved in. He tried and tried to get the other group members to help, but they would not. He did not want his grade to suffer, so he ended up putting the whole project together himself. Unfortunately, he turned the project in a day late, misunderstanding the due date of the project. When the professor asked who had been responsible for turning the project in, he told the professor that he had. The professor gave him and F and everyone else who had done no work at all received an A because of the quality of the work. The professor simply said to the student who did all the work, “You must be more careful about due dates.”

I sat with him as frustrated as he was and I felt it. What do you do when you are the faithful one who is passed over, or seemingly punished? How does it make you feel?

Peace,

Pastor Tim

Thurman Class - March 2

tmorrison@umcb.org (Tim Morrison) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:20:10 -0500 EST"

Where is it that you find your strength? I think for many of us we might say within, others might say it is found in someone else they love. It is hard to be like the tree and to bend when the winds of life blow, but if we are to survive and stay on the Master Tree, we must learn how to be flexible.

There are those moments though when we feel we must stand against the wind. Those are the moments that we must stand and be counted. However, when the wind is blowing fierce against us we must be prepared, if we do stand firm, to break off and fall. Maybe there are times when that needs to happen. We must always be attuned to the voice of God within. Where is it leading you? What must you stand against and what can you bend with?

So thinking today, what are those moments in your life when you have had to bend? Or have you ever chosen to stand firm and then been broken off the branch? How do broken branches recover?

Peace on your journey,

Pastor Tim

Welcome to our Blog

tmorrison@umcb.org (Tim Morrison) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:01:45 -0500 EST"

This is the place to come to discuss all the current happenings around UMCB. We hope it will become an integral part of our website.