Thursday, November 16, 2017

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States Weekly Devotions: Grow Pray Study Guide - "Gratitude for 'food and clothing' fosters contentment" for Friday, 17 November 2017

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States Weekly Devotions: Grow Pray Study Guide - "Gratitude for 'food and clothing' fosters contentment" for Friday, 17 November 2017
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"Gratitude for 'food and clothing' fosters contentment"
Friday, 17 November 2017
1 Timothy 6:6 Now true religion does bring great riches, but only to those who are content with what they have. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world; and we can take nothing out of it; 8 so if we have food and clothing, we will be satisfied with these. 9 Furthermore, those whose goal is to be rich fall into temptation; they get trapped in many foolish and hurtful ambitions which plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all the evils; because of this craving, some people have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves to the heart with many pains.
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Too often, the news (particularly financial news) is full of words like “worry,” “uncertainty,” and “fear.” Yet the traveling preacher and craftsman (Acts 18:1-4) who wrote these verses had little money and no retirement plan (in a human sense, at least). His words about “being happy with what you already have” might make us think he’d read this research: “Gratitude turns your attention to what you do have instead of what you don't, Philip Watkins, an Eastern Washington University psychologist, suggests…. People who recognize the blessings they have tend to think they'll get happiness from things like fulfilling relationships—which, research shows, are the real sources of satisfaction.” *
• How rich (or poor) are you, by the measure these verses suggest? If your “contentment quotient” is strong, how did it get that way? If your quotient is lower, ask God to help you raise it. Research suggests strongly that using your gratitude journal is one good way to do that. In a culture flooded with messages meant to make you want “more,” how can you avoid both pride and shame related to your material “success”?
• Have you at times in your life felt trapped in “the rat race”? Do you now? What is godly contentment worth to you (or, if you don’t have it, what would it be worth to you)? How can the principle Paul stated in verse 7 help you to move toward greater gratitude, contentment and peace?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I admit—too often, I don’t want to be happy with food and clothing. Help me blunt the constant thirst for “more,” and learn the peace and gratitude that you offer me. Amen.
* From Lauren Aaronson, “Make a Gratitude Adjustment.” Psychology Today, March 1, 2006, found at www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200603/make-gratitude-adjustment.
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Darren Lippe
Darren Lippe helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 7th-grade Sunday school class, is a member of a small group and a men’s group, and serves on the curriculum team.

As we consider today’s idea of being content in life, I was reminded of an old story about a small textile mill in rural Georgia that had a large part-time workforce of stay-at-home-Moms to help with detailed piece-work for their orders. After smoothly operating for several years, many of the women began to quit because they didn’t need the extra money. Margins were tight so raises weren’t an option, so the owner opted to order JC Penney, Sears, & Montgomery Wards catalogs to be sent to the homes of his newly retired employees. Within a month, they all had returned to the workforce.
Now, before we rush to mock these workers for being so easily played, maybe we need to evaluate our own vulnerabilities to manipulation. Let’s take a brief quiz & complete some famous advertising tag lines:
  • Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a ________1 it is – Alka-Seltzer
  • The quicker picker _______2 - Bounty Towels
  • It takes a licking & keeps on _______3 - Timex
1Relief 2Upper 3Tickin’
As we strive to live a life of contentment, I came across a meme/picture of a man sitting beside his dog looking at a sunset. The man’s thoughts were crowded: money/bills, cars/traffic, & food/diets. The dog’s thoughts were simple: him sitting with his human friend. The accompanying text was, “This is why the dog is happier.”
Perhaps our two beagles, Maggie Doo & Sally Sue, could offer us some tips to live a life of satisfaction:

Their thrill each day is a walk through the neighborhood as we chase squirrels to make it 100% squirrel-free. Even though we walk the same route twice a day 7 days a week, they eagerly jump at the door ready to begin their exploration – imagine being excited about the possibilities in even mundane routines.
They get the same food twice a day, yet they are both so overjoyed at the prospect of dry lamb/rice that they wolf it down in 100 seconds or less - imagine not complaining about the service, ambiance, or food selection & just being happy to be well fed.
Instead of worrying about if Sally might have some new toy from their toy box, Maggie contentedly nuzzles her favorite old toy – imagine not being bothered by what someone else has, but just loving what you already have.
Mid-day, they seek the best spot to snooze in the sunlight – imagine delighting in the free gifts that nature can provide us each day.
When the brothers return home from school, the girls’ excitement is contagious – imagine instead of choosing friends for their potential to boost our career or social standing we just delighted in fostering the companionship of loyal friends.
At the end of the day, when we have some down time reading/studying or watching TV, the girls are smack dab against us – imagine not always stewing about what we should do next or tomorrow’s worries, but rather just living in the moment.
To wrap up, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” 4 might not be a good motto for our lives - perhaps we’d be happier if we didn’t constantly obsess over the best a man can get5 but sometimes realized that just a little dab’ll do ya6 for living a life that is m’m m’m good7 & good to the last drop8. And once we’ve determined the key to a life of contentment, don’t leave home without it.9
4Alka-Seltzer 5Gilette 6Bryl-Creem 7Campbell’s Soup 8Maxwell House 9American Express
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"Gratitude for God’s works is always in order"
Saturday, 18 November 2017
Psalm 92:1 (0) A psalm. A song for Shabbat:
2 (1) It is good to give thanks to Adonai
and sing praises to your name, ‘Elyon,
3 (2) to tell in the morning about your grace
and at night about your faithfulness,
4 (3) to the music of a ten-stringed [harp] and a lute,
with the melody sounding on a lyre.
5 (4) For, Adonai, what you do makes me happy;
I take joy in what your hands have made.
6 (5) How great are your deeds, Adonai!
How very deep your thoughts!
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This week, we’ve looked at some of the psychological research that is confirming what the psalmist wrote long ago: “It is good to give thanks to the LORD.” Here’s one more bit of research related to the gratitude journals Resurrection is giving us: “Take just a few minutes each day to jot down things that make you thankful, from the generosity of friends to the food on your table or the right to vote…. List-keepers sleep better, exercise more and gain a general contentment that may counteract stress and contribute to overall health.” * The ultimate source of joy in Psalm 92 was God’s loyal love and faithfulness, realities that are always with us if we just recognize them.
• In verse 2, the psalmist spoke of expressing gratitude to God in the morning and at nighttime. In what ways have you, or will you, build recognizing and expressing gratitude into your habit patterns, so that you don’t always have to try to remember to do it? Spend some time today praying about choices you can make to incorporate gratitude more fully into your daily practices as a Christ follower.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you made me for praise and gratitude. When I’m tempted to grump my way through a day, remind me of your ever-present love and faithfulness—and help me to be grateful for them. Amen.
* From Lauren Aaronson, “Make a Gratitude Adjustment.” Psychology Today, March 1, 2006, found at www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200603/make-gratitude-adjustment.
Family Activity:
 Create a family giving chain. Cut several sheets of colored construction paper into strips. Every week, give each family member one strip of paper. Have each person write his or her name on the paper strip and one way he or she served or gave to others that week. In addition to giving of time and energy, also include ways your family is giving money to church and others. Form the first slip into a circle and staple or tape the ends together, then add to that circle by connecting the strips together to create a chain. At the end of each month, review the acts of giving your family has shared in. Thank God for the privilege of giving to God and to others.---

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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for
:
•Roger and Kay Novak and family on the death of their son Jeffrey Novak, 11/4
•Ted Chael and Mike Chael and families on the death of their brother David Thomas Chael, 11/4
•Katherine Carlson and family on the death of her sister Joan Cuthbertson, 11/3
•Tammy Worley and family on the death of her son Justin Taylor Worley, 11/2
• Jim Poplau and family on the death of his sister Kristy Poplau, 11/2
• Marsha Murray and family on the death of her husband Mike Murray, 11/1
•Family and friends of Arlene Shuler on her death, 10/31
•Susan Yoakum and family on the death of her husband Steve Yoakum, 10/30
•Kristin Hadel and family on the death of her father Robert E. “Bob” Shanklin, 10/30
•Family and friends of Blanchie Coolidge on her death, 10/30
• Linda Collins and family on the death of her mother Wilda Lawhorn, 10/28
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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