Shirlee Abbott

Why is this week different? (Monday)

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

It’s Holy Week. Holy, as in sacred, set apart, consecrated. How do you honor Holy Week?

Chocolate, bunnies and eggs
Extra church services
I work, just like every other week

The last week of Jesus’ earthly life was filled with drama. It has all the elements of a comic-book adventure. But God wrote it, and it is a pivotal chapter in a bigger saga—God’s plan for humankind.

Imagine your life absent the events celebrated by Holy Week . . . no hope of heaven, no forgiveness of sin and no power of the Holy Spirit.

What a difference this week makes!

Posted in other | Tagged Easter, Holy Week | Comments Off

Word Power (Friday)

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Jesus is “the Word.”

John 1:1,14 (NIV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

Ephesians 1:18-20
. . . know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead.

The power that raised Christ from the dead–the greatest Word power ever–for us. Can you feel it?

Posted in other | Tagged Ephesians 1:18-20, John 1:14, the Word | Comments Off

Word Power (Thursday)

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Prayer . . . a conversation with God, usually via words. Sometimes God and I communicate visually: somebody’s face pops up in my head, along with the impression that I should pray for that individual (and we’re back to words); or I make a simple hand motion (like pressing two fingers tightly together while thinking–in words–about someone’s marriage).

My whole relationship with God is language-based. “God created mankind in his own image” (Genesis 1:27-NIV). Do you suppose in God’s image includes the use of words?

Posted in other | Tagged Genesis 1:27, in the image of God, words | Comments Off

Word Power (Wednesday)

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Continuing with Seeing Voices by Oliver Sacks:

“What is naming for? It has to do, surely, with the primal power of words, to define, to enumerate, to allow mastery and manipulation; to move from the realm of objects and images to the world of concepts and names.”

Genesis 2:19
Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

Naming, sorting, organizing–the first job. Now my job (thank you, Lord, for Excel). Is it your job, too?

Posted in other | Tagged Adam naming the animals, Genesis 2:19, Oliver Sacks, Seeing Voices | Comments Off

Word Power (Tuesday)

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

I’m reading Oliver Sacks’ Seeing Voices. It’s a fascinating look into communication, deafness and the power of words. He reminds us that we think with words. Words connect us to past and future, to far-off places, even to the land of make-believe. Without language we would be disconnected and solitary. He writes:

“. . . our capacities for language, for thought, for communication, and culture . . are a gift–the most wonderful of gifts . . .”

Think about this today as you listen, talk, read and text. Are you grateful for the gift of words?

Posted in other | Tagged Oliver Sacks, Seeing Voices, words | Comments Off

Word Power (Monday)

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Words matter. I try hard to use the right words. It aggravates me when others don’t–as in:

Access to health insurance versus access to health care
Income (what is earned) versus wealth (what is owned)
Natural versus good (think about it; poison ivy is natural and nasty)

Proverbs 25:11 (CEV)
The right word
at the right time
is like precious gold
set in silver.

Where and how do you find the right word?

Posted in other | Tagged Proverbs 25:11, word power, words | Comments Off

Remember the Sabbath (Friday)

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Albert Schweitzer (1875 – 1965)—theologian, musician, writer, missionary and physician—weighs in on the Sabbath:

“Do not let Sunday be taken from you If your soul has no Sunday, it becomes an orphan.”

Remember the Sabbath. Surround your soul with family.

Posted in other | Tagged Albert Schweitzer, Sabbath | Comments Off

Remember the Sabbath (Thursday)

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

It’s Sunday morning. I arrive at church, a dozen things on my mind:

Did I get the right announcements in the bulletin?

I hope so-and-so comes, it’ll save me a phone call.

How’s my hair look?

Did I buy everything I need for Sunday dinner?

I sense a nudge from God: How do you feel?

Psalm 122:1 (ESV)
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Oops! Time for an attitude adjustment.

Posted in other | Tagged Psalm 122, Sabbath | Comments Off

Remember the Sabbath (Wednesday)

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

In the “good old days” whole communities kept the Sabbath: stores were closed, and folks went home from church to Sunday dinner. Now, Sabbath-keeping a matter of personal choice and discipline. As Jesus commented,

Mark 2:27 (CEV)
People were not made for the good of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for the good of people.

Sabbath-keeping is good for you. Don’t do it because you HAVE to, do it because you WANT to, because the rhythm of setting apart a day for worship, rest and fellowship restores your soul.

Posted in other | Tagged He restoreth my soul, Mark 2:27, Sabbath | Comments Off

Remember the Sabbath (Tuesday)

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Exodus 16:23 (CEV)
He [Moses] told them that the Lord had said, “Tomorrow is the Sabbath, a sacred day of rest in honor of me. So gather all you want to bake or boil, and make sure you save enough for tomorrow.”

God provided two gifts for his people as they headed into the wilderness: bread from heaven and Sabbath rest.

Life was hard in Egypt. Likely they served their masters every day. Weekly rest must have been as enticing as the mysterious manna.

God considered Sabbath rest so essential that he rearranged the laws of nature to make the bread from heaven last an extra day.

Posted in other | Tagged Exodus 16:23, manna, Sabbath | Comments Off