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This Week's Lectionary
22nd Sunday after Pentecost/in Kingdomtide – Green
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
Psalm 34:1-8 (19-22)
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 10:46-52
Lectionary Readings:
Sunday, 25 October 2015
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
Psalm 34:1-8,19-22
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 10:46-52
22nd Sunday after Pentecost/in Kingdomtide – Green
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
Psalm 34:1-8 (19-22)
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 10:46-52
Lectionary Readings:
Sunday, 25 October 2015
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
Psalm 34:1-8,19-22
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 10:46-52
Lectionary Scriptures:
that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 “[You asked,] ‘Who is this, hiding counsel,
without having knowledge?’
Job 42:1 Then [at last,] Iyov gave Adonai this answer:
2 “I know that you can do everything,that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 “[You asked,] ‘Who is this, hiding counsel,
without having knowledge?’
Yes, I spoke, without understanding,
of wonders far beyond me, which I didn’t know.
4 “Please listen, and I will speak.
[You said,] ‘I will ask questions; and you, give me answers’ —
5 I had heard about you with my ears,
but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I detest [myself]
and repent in dust and ashes.”
10 When Iyov prayed for his friends, Adonai restored his fortunes; Adonai gave Iyov twice as much as he had had before. 11 Then all his brothers and sisters came to him, also all who had known him before, and they ate a meal with him in his house. They consoled and comforted him for all the evils Adonai had inflicted on him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12 Adonai blessed Iyov’s later situation even more than his earlier one — he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 pairs of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.
13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first he named Y’mimah; the second, K’tzi‘ah; and the third, Keren-Hapukh. 15 Nowhere in the land could women be found as beautiful as Iyov’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritances along with their brothers.
16 After this, Iyov lived 140 years, long enough to see his sons and grandsons, four generations. 17 Then, old and full of days, Iyov died
Psalm 34:1 (0) By David, when he pretended to be insane before Avimelekh, who then drove him away; so he left:
2 (1) I will bless Adonai at all times;
his praise will always be in my mouth.
3 (2) When I boast, it will be about Adonai;
the humble will hear of it and be glad.
4 (3) Proclaim with me the greatness of Adonai;
let us exalt his name together.
5 (4) I sought Adonai, and he answered me;
he rescued me from everything I feared.
6 (5) They looked to him and grew radiant;
their faces will never blush for shame.
7 (6) This poor man cried; Adonai heard
and saved him from all his troubles.
8 (7) The angel of Adonai, who encamps
around those who fear him, delivers them.
19 (18) Adonai is near those with broken hearts;
he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
20 (19) The righteous person suffers many evils,
but Adonai rescues him out of them all.
21 (20) He protects all his bones;
not one of them gets broken.
22 (21) Evil will kill the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
Hebrews 7:23 Moreover, the present cohanim are many in number, because they are prevented by death from continuing in office. 24 But because he lives forever, his position as cohen does not pass on to someone else; 25 and consequently, he is totally able to deliver those who approach God through him; since he is alive forever and thus forever able to intercede on their behalf.
26 This is the kind of cohen gadol that meets our need — holy, without evil, without stain, set apart from sinners and raised higher than the heavens; 27 one who does not have the daily necessity, like the other cohanim g’dolim, of offering up sacrifices first for their own sins and only then for those of the people; because he offered one sacrifice, once and for all, by offering up himself. 28 For the Torah appoints as cohanim g’dolim men who have weakness; but the text which speaks about the swearing of the oath, a text written later than the Torah, appoints a Son who has been brought to the goal forever.
Mark 10:46 They came to Yericho; and as Yeshua was leaving Yericho with his talmidim and a great crowd, a blind beggar, Bar-Timai (son of Timai), was sitting by the side of the road. 47 When he heard that it was Yeshua from Natzeret, he started shouting, “Yeshua! Son of David! Have pity on me!” 48 Many people scolded him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the louder, “Son of David! Have pity on me!” 49 Yeshua stopped and said, “Call him over!” They called to the blind man, “Courage! Get up! He’s calling for you!” 50 Throwing down his blanket, he jumped up and came over to Yeshua. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” asked Yeshua. The blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me be able to see again.” 52 Yeshua said to him, “Go! Your trust has healed you.” Instantly he received his sight and followed him on the road.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Job 42:1-6
Verse 2
[2] I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
Thou canst, … — Job here subscribes to God's unlimited power, knowledge and dominion, to prove which was the scope of God's discourse out of the whirlwind. And his judgment being convinced of these, his conscience also was convinced, of his own folly in speaking so irreverently concerning him.
No thought can be withholden from thee — No thought of ours can be withholden from thy knowledge. And there is no thought of thine, which thou canst be hindered from bringing into execution.
Verse 3
[3] Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Who — What am I that I should be guilty of such madness! Therefore - Because my mind was without knowledge.
Knew not — I have spoken foolishly and unadvisedly of all things far above my reach.
Verse 4
[4] Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Hear — Hear and accept my humble confession.
Enquire — I will no more dispute the matter with thee, but beg information from thee. The words which God had uttered to Job by way of challenge, Job returns to him in way of submission.
Verse 5
[5] I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Seeth thee — The knowledge which I had of thy nature, perfections and counsels, was hitherto grounded chiefly, upon the instructions of men; but now it is clear and certain, as being immediately inspired into my mind by this thy glorious apparition and revelation, and by the operation of thy holy spirit; which makes these things as evident to me, as if I saw them with my bodily eyes. When the mind is enlightened by the spirit of God, our knowledge of Divine things as far exceeds what we had before, as knowledge by ocular demonstration, exceeds, that by common fame.
10-17
Verse 10
[10] And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Captivity — All his bodily distempers were thoroughly healed, and probably in a moment. His mind was calmed, his peace returned, and the consolations of God were not small with him.
Prayed — Whereby he manifests his obedience to God and his true love to them.
Verse 11
[11] Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
Then — When Job had humbled himself, and God was reconciled to him.
Sisters — His kindred.
Eat — Feasted with him, to congratulate with him God's great and glorious favour.
Bemoaned — They declared the sense which they had of his calamities while they were upon him, although they had hitherto wanted opportunity to express it.
Verse 12
[12] So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
Blessed — Not only with spiritual, but also with temporal blessings. Just double to what they were, chap. 1:3. This is a remarkable instance of the extent of the Divine providence, to things that seem minute as this, the exact number of a man's cattle; as also of the harmony of providence, and the reference of one event to another: for known unto God are all his works, from the beginning to the end.
Verse 14
[14] And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
Jemima — The day, either because of her eminent beauty, or because she was born in the day of his prosperity, after a dark night of affliction. Kezia is the name of a spice of a very fragrant smell, commonly called Cassia. Keren-happuch signifies plenty restored.
Verse 15
[15] And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
So fair — In the Old Testament we often find women praised for their beauty, but never in the New, because the beauty of holiness is brought to a much clearer light by the gospel.
Verse 16
[16] After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.
After this, … — Some conjecture, that he was seventy when his trouble came. If so his age was doubled, as his other possessions.
Verse 17
[17] So Job died, being old and full of days.
Full of days — So coming to his grave, as Eliphaz had spoken, like a ripe shock of corn in its season.
Psalm 34:1-8
Verse 2
[2] My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
Shall boast — Shall glory in this, that I have so powerful and so gracious a master.
The humble — The righteous.
Verse 3
[3] O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Together — Not in place, for David was now banished from the place of God's publick worship, but in affection: let our souls meet, and let our praises meet in the ears of the all-hearing God.
Verse 5
[5] They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
Lightened — Comforted and encouraged.
Ashamed — They were not disappointed of their hope.
Verse 6
[6] This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
This man — David.
Verse 7
[7] The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
The angel — The angels, the singular number being put for the plural.
Verse 8
[8] O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
O taste — Make trial, of it by your own experience of it.
Good — Merciful and gracious.
19-22
Verse 20
[20] He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Bones — All the parts and members of their bodies.
Hebrews 7:23-28
Verse 23
[23] And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
They were many priests — One after another.
Verse 24
[24] But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
He continueth for ever — In life and in his priesthood.
That passeth not away — To any successor.
Verse 25
[25] Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost — From all the guilt, power, root, and consequence of sin.
Them who come — By faith.
To God through him — As their priest.
Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession — That is, he ever lives and intercedes. He died once; he intercedes perpetually.
Verse 26
[26] For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
For such an high priest suited us — Unholy, mischievous, defiled sinners: a blessed paradox! Holy - With respect to God.
Harmless — With respect to men.
Undefiled — With any sin in himself.
Separated from sinners — As well as free from sin. And so he was when he left the world.
And made — Even in his human nature.
Higher than the heavens — And all their inhabitants.
Verse 27
[27] Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Who needeth not to offer up sacrifices daily — That is, on every yearly day of expiation; for he offered once for all: not for his own sins, for he then offered up himself "without spot to God."
Verse 28
[28] For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
The law maketh men high priests that have infirmity — That are both weak, mortal, and sinful.
But the oath which was since the law — Namely, in the time of David.
Maketh the son, who is consecrated for ever — Who being now free, both from sin and death, from natural and moral infirmity, remaineth a priest for ever.
Mark 10:46-52
Matthew 20:29; Luke 18:35.
Verse 50
[50] And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
Verse 46
[46] And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.Matthew 20:29; Luke 18:35.
Verse 50
[50] And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
Casting away his garment — Through joy and eagerness.
____________________________
Upper Room Ministries, a ministry of Discipleship Ministries
P. O. Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
____________________________
____________________________
Sermon Story "" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 25 October 2015 with Scripture: Job 42:1 Then [at last,] Iyov gave Adonai this answer:
2 “I know that you can do everything,
that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 “[You asked,] ‘Who is this, hiding counsel,
without having knowledge?’
Yes, I spoke, without understanding,
of wonders far beyond me, which I didn’t know.
4 “Please listen, and I will speak.
[You said,] ‘I will ask questions; and you, give me answers’ —
5 I had heard about you with my ears,
but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I detest [myself]
and repent in dust and ashes.”
10 When Iyov prayed for his friends, Adonai restored his fortunes; Adonai gave Iyov twice as much as he had had before. 11 Then all his brothers and sisters came to him, also all who had known him before, and they ate a meal with him in his house. They consoled and comforted him for all the evils Adonai had inflicted on him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12 Adonai blessed Iyov’s later situation even more than his earlier one — he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 pairs of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.
13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first he named Y’mimah; the second, K’tzi‘ah; and the third, Keren-Hapukh. 15 Nowhere in the land could women be found as beautiful as Iyov’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritances along with their brothers.
16 After this, Iyov lived 140 years, long enough to see his sons and grandsons, four generations. 17 Then, old and full of days, Iyov died
After God came to Job and asked Job all the questions concerning where he was when God create or fed or did something to any of His creation, Job begins to speak. Instead of asking God and defending His own reightousness, Job simply said that he was wrong about who God is because he heard about God from people, but now he has seen and heard God in person. From this point, Job ask God to receive his confession and repentance of his sins against God. The anmazing thing is that Job began to pray for his friends who not even giving him good advice who may have acted more like enemies of Job rather than friends of his. Anyway, Job prayed for his friends and God answered him to not destroy his friends for their poor or even sinful advice to Job. After this, Job was restored his health and had a celebratio at his house where friends and reletives came to congratulate him on God's blessings on him. Then God restored twice what he owned before his suffering as well as lived possibly twice his current age. Among this was having been given new sons and daughters whose daugthers were more beautiul than any other women know. Job was able to see a propersous life seeing his children and grandchildren, and even great grandchildren be born and grow into wonderful people of God. How would you have raacted to God's questioning? Would you have been able to recognize your sin and confess to repentance of your sin? How do you understand your own relatiionship with God and other people? We come to the time to confess our sins we may have committed without realizing it to take the Body of Jesus and eating it than drinking His blood. We do this through the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist coming singing the Hymn "Restoration" by Philip, Craig, and Dean
1. Looking at this falling race
Standing in the light of grace
We can't see the shadow of the past
Building our security
Truth lost its identity
But there's still time for us to get it back
If we sing hey now, hey now
And take some time for self examination
Say hey now, hey now
We need to be baptized in salvation
Chorus:
If we sing hey now, hey now
What we need is restoration
Hey now, hey now
What we really need is restoration
2. Twisted in this awful mess
Swimming in our own success
Watching as the truth just fades away
It's time to put our faith to test
Let our souls be undressed
And show the world we mean what we say
Chorus:
If we sing hey now, hey now
What we need is restoration
Hey now, hey now
What we really need is restoration
3. Staring somewhere into space
Hoping to find some saving grace
I flet a tug within my heart
You roll the stone, pull me apart
Your light illuminates the dark
And makes my voice cry out loud
Chorus:
If we sing hey now, hey now
What we need is restoration
Hey now, hey now
What we really need is restoration
____________________________
Gary Lee Parker
4147 Idaho Street, Apt. 1
San Diego, California 92104-1844, United States
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The Upper Room Daily Devotion in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Time Well Spent" for Tuesday, 27 October 2015 - Scripture: Ruth 1:11 Na‘omi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb who could become your husbands? 12 Go back, my daughters; go your way; for I’m too old to have a husband. Even if I were to say, ‘I still have hope’; even if I had a husband tonight and bore sons; 13 would you wait for them until they grew up? Would you refuse to marry, just for them? No, my daughters. On your behalf I feel very bitter that the hand of Adonai has gone out against me.” 14 Again they wept aloud. Then ‘Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Rut stuck with her. 15 She said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god; go back, after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Rut said,
“Don’t press me to leave you
and stop following you;
for wherever you go, I will go;
and wherever you stay, I will stay.
Your people will be my people
and your God will be my God.
17 Where you die, I will die;
and there I will be buried.
May Adonai bring terrible curses on me,
and worse ones as well,
if anything but death
separates you and me.”
The psalmist wrote, “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.”[Psalm 71:9 (NRSV)]
Recently, I attended church services with two of my friends who are older adults. Afterwards, when they invited me to lunch with their seniors’ Sunday school class, I politely accepted, although it wasn’t my idea of fun. After lunch, I was invited to help conduct an afternoon worship service at a retirement community. This was not how I had envisioned spending the last few hours of my weekend. I wanted to entertain myself with a movie, a trip to the mall, or a cup of coffee with a friend. But I felt obligated to go to the retirement community. However, once I arrived, my attitude quickly changed. I engaged in interesting conversations, shared hugs, and watched the eyes of those older saints light up with joy, like those of young children on Christmas morning.
My Sunday afternoon at the retirement home reminded me of Ruth and the way her commitment to her mother-in-law, Naomi, has always inspired me to be a better person. Then I realized for the first time that on one level, Ruth’s story is about cherishing our elders.
When we honor older people by spending quality time with them, we show them that they are valuable, and in the process we honor God. And whenever we honor God, we walk through a doorway of unexpected riches — just like Ruth and I did.
Read more from the author, here."Time Well Spent:
Only faint memories remain of the senior adults in my life during childhood. Most of these memories are of good times; like the times Granny Smith took us kids to town – walking us four scrappy runts across the railroad tracks that buzzed the edge of Castor, Louisiana’s one block “downtown” area. Or the times spent pounding mercilessly on the yellowish ivory keys of Granny’s upright piano as we sang our way through dog-eared family songbooks.
When visiting my Grandma Humphrey I had my own special kitchen stool. She would plop me down beside a big white armor tank of a stove so I could drool over the spices simmering in the two-foot-high pot of Creole gumbo she spent the whole day cooking. During carefully timed breaks from cooking, we whirled across the dining room floor dancing to Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” playing from her console stereo the size of a claw-foot bathtub. I suppose everything looked bigger back then. And my Uncle Frank living out back, Grandma Humphrey’s brother who returned from WWII a bundle of damaged goods, introduced me to the pleasures of harmonica playing. With every visit, I descended the steep back porch stairs, bounced across the patchy yard and with a quick rap on the garage apartment door, found myself in the middle of a rafter-rattling harmonica lesson.
Granny Smith, Grandma Humphrey, and Uncle Frank were all taken from my life way too early. It would be years before I truly understood how they affirmed me. In fact, it was only after a stormy young adult life that washed me up onto the doorstep of Evelyn Murray would I even think about the value I gained from the elderly of my youth. Evelyn was in her 70s the day I handed over my first rent check for the small room I leased in her boarding house nestled in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood. She preferred Georgetown University students and I was far from that. But that is why I went D.C. – to return to college in hopes of putting my life back together after leaving the University of Houston (Texas) to seek fame and fortune in Hollywood.
What transpired over the next 18 years was nothing less than a miracle. I was reborn for a second time. That process started soon after the move in. With quiet, frequent knocks on my bedroom door, I was invited to come out of hiding and embark on adventures – trips to the Smithsonian’s museums, festivals, discovering ancient civilizations through slide shows and lectures and volunteering for the latest cause at the Quaker House Senior Center.
As time went on and the toll of Evelyn’s advanced age set in, I became man of the house. That meant a regular routine of changing light bulbs or electrical fuses running on turn-of-the-century wiring, carting trash to the curb, cleaning backyard storage closets and painting the deck, turning away street salesmen trying to unload vacuum cleaners, or clipping pesky vines choking the life out of our sprawling Mimosa tree. Oh yes. Evelyn loved her Mimosa tree and her plants and the roses that climbed a rickety wooden trellis up to the second floor deck railing.
One of our favorite places to visit was the gardens of Washington’s National Cathedral. On a sunny day in a shaded area of the Cathedral’s gardens, Evelyn sat to rest in the shade. Perhaps it was instinct, or maybe God’s blessing that caused me to take the camera I had from photography class at American University where I eventually enrolled at Evelyn’s urging, and snapped the picture that compliments this blog post. It is the only picture I have of Evelyn and the only picture I need. It captures her peaceful, calming spirit and invites the viewer to wonder, as I often did, what’s developing behind those deep bright eyes.
On the day of my visit to the senior home that inspired today’s blog post, I had a spiritual reawakening as I remembered this time in my young adult life when I was reborn, again. I was reminded that often, a spiritual transfer takes place when I allow myself to slow down for those who are slowed down. I receive wisdom, insight, and acceptance; sometimes I’m even entertained. All are similar gifts God gives and I am the one blessed in both cases.]Kenneth Avon White]
Check out Avon's blog here: www.avonwhite.com
Evelyn Murray
The Author: Kenneth Avon White (Tennessee, USA)
Thought for the Day: One of God’s greatest gifts is time to spend with others.
Prayer: Dear God, guide us in choosing where, when, and with whom we will spend our time so that we can best share your boundless love with others. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who are elderly
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The Upper Room Daily Devotion in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Time Well Spent" for Tuesday, 27 October 2015 - Scripture: Ruth 1:11 Na‘omi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb who could become your husbands? 12 Go back, my daughters; go your way; for I’m too old to have a husband. Even if I were to say, ‘I still have hope’; even if I had a husband tonight and bore sons; 13 would you wait for them until they grew up? Would you refuse to marry, just for them? No, my daughters. On your behalf I feel very bitter that the hand of Adonai has gone out against me.” 14 Again they wept aloud. Then ‘Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Rut stuck with her. 15 She said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god; go back, after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Rut said,“Don’t press me to leave you
and stop following you;
for wherever you go, I will go;
and wherever you stay, I will stay.
Your people will be my people
and your God will be my God.
17 Where you die, I will die;
and there I will be buried.
May Adonai bring terrible curses on me,
and worse ones as well,
if anything but death
separates you and me.”
The psalmist wrote, “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.”[Psalm 71:9 (NRSV)]
Recently, I attended church services with two of my friends who are older adults. Afterwards, when they invited me to lunch with their seniors’ Sunday school class, I politely accepted, although it wasn’t my idea of fun. After lunch, I was invited to help conduct an afternoon worship service at a retirement community. This was not how I had envisioned spending the last few hours of my weekend. I wanted to entertain myself with a movie, a trip to the mall, or a cup of coffee with a friend. But I felt obligated to go to the retirement community. However, once I arrived, my attitude quickly changed. I engaged in interesting conversations, shared hugs, and watched the eyes of those older saints light up with joy, like those of young children on Christmas morning.
My Sunday afternoon at the retirement home reminded me of Ruth and the way her commitment to her mother-in-law, Naomi, has always inspired me to be a better person. Then I realized for the first time that on one level, Ruth’s story is about cherishing our elders.
When we honor older people by spending quality time with them, we show them that they are valuable, and in the process we honor God. And whenever we honor God, we walk through a doorway of unexpected riches — just like Ruth and I did.
Read more from the author, here."Time Well Spent:
Only faint memories remain of the senior adults in my life during childhood. Most of these memories are of good times; like the times Granny Smith took us kids to town – walking us four scrappy runts across the railroad tracks that buzzed the edge of Castor, Louisiana’s one block “downtown” area. Or the times spent pounding mercilessly on the yellowish ivory keys of Granny’s upright piano as we sang our way through dog-eared family songbooks.
When visiting my Grandma Humphrey I had my own special kitchen stool. She would plop me down beside a big white armor tank of a stove so I could drool over the spices simmering in the two-foot-high pot of Creole gumbo she spent the whole day cooking. During carefully timed breaks from cooking, we whirled across the dining room floor dancing to Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” playing from her console stereo the size of a claw-foot bathtub. I suppose everything looked bigger back then. And my Uncle Frank living out back, Grandma Humphrey’s brother who returned from WWII a bundle of damaged goods, introduced me to the pleasures of harmonica playing. With every visit, I descended the steep back porch stairs, bounced across the patchy yard and with a quick rap on the garage apartment door, found myself in the middle of a rafter-rattling harmonica lesson.
Granny Smith, Grandma Humphrey, and Uncle Frank were all taken from my life way too early. It would be years before I truly understood how they affirmed me. In fact, it was only after a stormy young adult life that washed me up onto the doorstep of Evelyn Murray would I even think about the value I gained from the elderly of my youth. Evelyn was in her 70s the day I handed over my first rent check for the small room I leased in her boarding house nestled in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood. She preferred Georgetown University students and I was far from that. But that is why I went D.C. – to return to college in hopes of putting my life back together after leaving the University of Houston (Texas) to seek fame and fortune in Hollywood.
What transpired over the next 18 years was nothing less than a miracle. I was reborn for a second time. That process started soon after the move in. With quiet, frequent knocks on my bedroom door, I was invited to come out of hiding and embark on adventures – trips to the Smithsonian’s museums, festivals, discovering ancient civilizations through slide shows and lectures and volunteering for the latest cause at the Quaker House Senior Center.
As time went on and the toll of Evelyn’s advanced age set in, I became man of the house. That meant a regular routine of changing light bulbs or electrical fuses running on turn-of-the-century wiring, carting trash to the curb, cleaning backyard storage closets and painting the deck, turning away street salesmen trying to unload vacuum cleaners, or clipping pesky vines choking the life out of our sprawling Mimosa tree. Oh yes. Evelyn loved her Mimosa tree and her plants and the roses that climbed a rickety wooden trellis up to the second floor deck railing.
One of our favorite places to visit was the gardens of Washington’s National Cathedral. On a sunny day in a shaded area of the Cathedral’s gardens, Evelyn sat to rest in the shade. Perhaps it was instinct, or maybe God’s blessing that caused me to take the camera I had from photography class at American University where I eventually enrolled at Evelyn’s urging, and snapped the picture that compliments this blog post. It is the only picture I have of Evelyn and the only picture I need. It captures her peaceful, calming spirit and invites the viewer to wonder, as I often did, what’s developing behind those deep bright eyes.
On the day of my visit to the senior home that inspired today’s blog post, I had a spiritual reawakening as I remembered this time in my young adult life when I was reborn, again. I was reminded that often, a spiritual transfer takes place when I allow myself to slow down for those who are slowed down. I receive wisdom, insight, and acceptance; sometimes I’m even entertained. All are similar gifts God gives and I am the one blessed in both cases.]Kenneth Avon White]
Check out Avon's blog here: www.avonwhite.com
Evelyn Murray
The Author: Kenneth Avon White (Tennessee, USA)
Thought for the Day: One of God’s greatest gifts is time to spend with others.
Prayer: Dear God, guide us in choosing where, when, and with whom we will spend our time so that we can best share your boundless love with others. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who are elderly
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Contact Information:
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita Kansas 67207, United States
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org
____________________________
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita Kansas 67207, United States
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org
____________________________
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