“Praise the Lord!  Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord!  Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!  From the rising of the sun, to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!”  (Psalm 113:1-3).

On one hand, I’m uninspired, it’s raining, and I wanna take a nap even though I’m really not tired.  On the other hand I have a dry space to write, dry and warm.  It seems early but I have 3 layers of wool on.  A friend told me the other night that I was getting old, because I put on a jacket in a garage and wanted to start an electric heater.  I offered a witty repartee in defense but felt crushed by his simple observation.  Old and cold? 

“The Lord is high above the nations, and his glory above the heavens.”  (Psalm 113:4). 

I’ve dawdled enough that the rain has stopped.  I wish there was a verse in the Bible dedicated to the ordinary-ness of life.  Something along the lines of “God I don’t feel like working today, today is down the middle and I’m distracted.”  I think I’d put it in a book called the wisdom of john (lowercase intended).  I have another, “The words of an emotionally charged person belong to the wind.”  I like that one.  (Please understand, I have no intent to open the Canon.)

“Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?” (Psalm 113:5-6) 

Sometimes, I think, it's ok to not be so productive.

“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, and makes them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.  He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children.”  (Psalm 113:7-9a).

One update:  Amy Garber will be leaving at the year’s end to pursue an MSW at Oklahoma in Tulsa.  We are profoundly grateful for how Amy has been a part of this community of faith.  

One request:  we need 10 people to help a family of four move on October 31.  If you are interested, please email: info@timberwoodchurch.org.

“Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 113:9b).

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I miss you,

John