So, enjoy this dreary day with the Bay City Rollers and think about what fun we are going to have on Saturday performing for each other and listening to all that talent!

Lectio Divina has 4 steps: lectio (reading), meditatio (pondering), oratio (responding), contemplatio (resting).  Basically, you pick a Bible passage and read it through twice.  This is not a Bible study but rather a chance to allow a certain phrase or idea to catch your attention.  Once you find your phrase you can repeat it to yourself many times and allow God a chance to conjure up images in your mind or respond to you in various ways.  At last, you are to respond and you pray to God about how the phrase works in your life.  Once your conversation with God comes to a natural close you may rest a minute before saying, "Amen."  The book suggests starting with Mark 1:14-20 or Isaiah 40:1-5.

I have to admit that I am pretty intrigued with Tim Tebow.  I don't know much about him, I don't care if he wins or loses BUT I do appreciate how much he openly loves God.  He is not a closet Christian!  I know the publicity around John 3:16 is getting mixed reviews- some love it and some hate it.  Some say Christ has no place in football.  What do you think?

Take a minute to check out the success of Tim Tebow from Good Morning America.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmAXe8cGRvA

She always has thoughtful things things to say about things happening in the Christian world, the Bible, how people read the Bible, good books to read  and interesting things going on.

My favorite thing though is a series she's done called "Ask a..." where she allows the blog readers to offer questions to people from a wide variety of faith backgrounds. Sometimes my world gets a little insular and I realize that most of the people I interact with on a regular basis look/think/act just like me. This series is a nice small step outside of that.

Go check it out and leave your questions!

SIGNIFICANCE OF EPIPHANY-
As with most aspects of the Christian liturgical calendar, Epiphany has theological significance as a teaching tool in the church. The Wise Men or Magi who brought gifts to the child Jesus were the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King" and so were the first to "show" or "reveal" Jesus to a wider world as the incarnate Christ. This act of worship by the Magi, which corresponded to Simeon’s blessing that this child Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32), was one of the first indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a few.

The day is now observed as a time of focusing on the mission of the church in reaching others by "showing" Jesus as the Savior of all people. It is also a time of focusing on Christian community and fellowship, especially in healing the divisions of prejudice and bigotry that we all too often create between God’s children.

AN EPIPHANY PRAYER-
Father, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in Jesus the Christ, we who once were not your people but whom you chose to adopt as your people. As ancient Israel confessed long ago, we realize that it was not because of our own righteousness, or our own superior wisdom, or strength, or power, or numbers. It was simply because you loved us, and chose to show us that love in Jesus.

As you have accepted us when we did not deserve your love, will you help us to accept those whom we find it hard to love? Forgive us, O Lord, for any attitude that we harbor that on any level sees ourselves as better or more righteous than others. Will you help us to remove the barriers of prejudice and to tear down the walls of bigotry, religious or social? O Lord, help us realize that the walls that we erect for others only form our own prisons!

Will you fill us so full of your love that there is no more room for intolerance. As you have forgiven us much, will you enable us with your strength to forgive others even more? Will you enable us through your abiding Presence among us, communally and individually, to live our lives in a manner worthy of the Name we bear?

May we, through your guidance and our faithful obedience, find new avenues in ways that we have not imagined of holding the Light of your love so that it may be a Light of revelation for all people.

We thank you for your love, praise you for your Gift, ask for your continued Presence with us, and bring these petitions in the name of your Son, who has truly revealed your heart. Amen.

We hope you'll join us tomorrow night. Here are the details...2nd Annual REstore Epiphany Party on Thursday, January 5th at 602 Beaconsfield Rd, Sherwood, AR 72120.
Bring a less-than-loved gift or an inexpensive gag gift to exchange and join us at 6:30 PM for food and drinks.

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following
your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.

And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the
right road, though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust you always though I may
seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and
you will never leave me to face my troubles alone.

Come on out to Lani's parents house and bring a gift that you're already ready to re-gift from this past season or just an inexpensive gag gift.  Who knows-maybe you'll be the lucky one who gets to take home the infamous "book!"

Lani's parents live at 602 Beaconsfield Rd., Sherwood, AR, 72120, and there will be food and drinks to snack on!  If you have any questions, e-mail Lani at lanilenore@gmail.com.  Hope to see you there!