9-18

Hi Go
Today was a nice warm day, woke up pretty late and just rested at home. I didn't go to church today, ..:( sorry...but Esther with her fiance visited to see Liz's wedding pics, as Esther is figuring out which photographer to choose.

Afterwards, mom and I hit the store Bed bath and beyond, and then starbucks for nice treat of coffee frap. Hmmmm....

BTW, they really enjoyed the steelers ramdrops!! :)

I thought about your return back to NY, and hope we can visit hudson valley. :) Searched tripadvisor for bed and breakfast inn around hudson valley. A nice time to see is the last 2 weeks of october..Do you think you;ll be free?

I also heard about Oktoberfest at bear mountain. It's beer drinking...what do you think?

9/12 Sunday sermon

Hi Go
Miss you and wish you were here with me at church.

I thought of you today during sermon of when we first came to church. That seemed like so long ago. I had the same parking space, and sat at the same balcony, where I remembered when you first encountered what it is like to be in church. :)

Pastor Pete came back for sermon and he reviewed the basic ways of LIFE. Remember he talked about stopping, resting, contemplating about God into our lives. Well, today's sermon was about applying the ways of LIFE:
The ways of life are:

• Prayer
• Rest
  
• Relationship
  
• Work/Activity
  

Prayer:

1. being a a lover of God, seeking to live in the love of God above all else.
2. befriend silence
   
3. allow Holy Scripture to shape and form Christ in me
4. To integrate contemplative practices and rhythms (sabbath- keeping) to slow down my life
   

Rest:

1. value yourself as a human being, being made in the image of God.
2. Eliminate hurry
3. remember God's history of faithfulness with each new challenges
4. receive God's limits as a gift.
   

Relationships:

1. Love yourself, love others,embracing singleness as I bond with others or in marriage, giving first priority to my spouse and children.
   
2. Walk in community, while respecting each other's uniqueness.
   
3. Apply emotionally healthy practices in order to love well.
4. listen more than I speak
5. live in truth, asking the hard questions.
6. bridge racial, cultural, economic and gender barriers for christ

Work/Activity

1. point others to a deep, personal relationship with Jesus
2. savor the sacred in all I do- at work, rest or play
   
3. remember the poor and marginalized
   
4. share my gifts, talents and resources in and beyond our community

Today was a short sermon, but what I got is ...that to love others, I need to love myself. Love doesn't pour out from me, unless love is within me. I also thought I need to stop and reflect God in our lives, in nature, our surroundings. I also should pray also and apply it more into my life.

It thought about joining a small group in the fall...what do you think? Interested?

Love you Go. Your ways and who you are makes me smile and keeps me balanced. :)