​The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore. Psalm 121:8
 
Labor Day! According to Wikipedia, “Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”
 
As a child, I thought it odd that the one day of the year when we honor hard work is a day we don’t do any work. When I became a teenager, I learned that wasn’t quite true. Labor Day is a day that parents take the day off while encouraging (insisting) the children enjoy a day of hard work in the yard!
 
As a young adult, I smiled to think that Labor Day is when I felt the first pangs indicating our daughter was about to be born. I certainly worked that day and believed Labor Day was aptly named! (Personal note: Happy 26th birthday, baby girl!)
 
These days as I have aged a few more years, I’m simply thankful to have the day off regardless of what we call it.
 
I wonder what I’ll think of Labor Day as I continue to grow. As I come and go throughout my work, my ministry, my life, will I become weary of the endless to-do lists? Will I look forward to a day off – a day to rest from chaos and simply be thankful for the work I am called to do on other days? Or will this become a labor of love day – a day when I seek out chores that have been neglected or kept on the back burner for too long?
 
I suspect that each year might hold a bit of each. Just as I did today, I’ll spend some time being thankful for my work and the work available to others. I’ll thank God for the route drivers and shelf stockers where I find my food. I’ll pray for the teachers and custodians who enrich the lives of our children. I’ll seek blessings for our church staff and family. Then, before the day is over, I may find myself outside enjoying a little yard work that needs my attention.
 
As I come and go throughout the upcoming Labor Days, I am already thankful that I never journey alone. The promise of Psalm 121:8 is that no matter what we face or where our work takes us, God keeps us safe and guards our paths.
 
Thank you, God, for your never-ending labor of Love!

​Owe no one anything, except to love one another. Romans 13:8
 
Yesterday was my wedding anniversary, and not one single day has passed that I haven’t loved him. I’m pretty sure I loved him the first time I saw him… even if he was with that other girl. I was really glad to find out later that she was just a friend of his. Once I got to know him, there was no denying it and ten months after that first sight we were married.
 
My mother asked me if it felt like he and I have been married twenty-seven years. Nope, it sort of seems like I just met him. All these years have passed, and I still get butterflies when I know he’s coming home from a trip or sometimes when he’s just coming to take me to lunch.
 
That’s not to say the entire twenty-seven years have been perfect. We have certainly had our fair share of bad decisions, disagreements, and turmoil. It’s just that I have never stopped loving him. In the middle of messes, I still love him. When he makes mistakes, I love him. When I make mistakes, I love him. When we argue, I love him. When life is good, I love him.
 
I love him because he is truly a part of me. His heart speaks to my heart. He makes me want to be a better person, and I want to share the best of life with him.
 
As much as I love my husband, though, he is not the love of my life. That spot is reserved for Jesus, the one who teaches me to love in the first place. The one whose love IS perfect. The one who loves me in spite of me.
 
Paul talks about how we love in his letter to the Romans. Paul has a way of explaining Jesus that just helps me understand. Owe no one anything, except to love one another. What he means is that we are to pay off everything we can – whether that be our debts, our promises, even the giving of our respect – but we can never pay off love because love can never be allowed to end.
 
Thank you, Jesus, for being the model of Love. Thank you gifting us with your love that never ends and our love that wants to follow your example. Thank you for Paul who helps to make things clear; and thank you for twenty-seven years of learning more about love every day. Amen.   
 
With love,
Pastor Beth

​Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Psalm 149:1
 
As I approached the final block of my neighborhood before turning right onto my street, I noticed some unusual activity at the edge of my yard. Slowing down and straining my eyes to see in the dusk, I realized that my neighbor had pulled his pickup truck onto the grass and was standing in the truck bed with his two young daughters. They were eagerly reaching into the overgrowth hanging there by the creek. I lowered my window, applied my brake, and yelled across the street as my neighbor dismounted his truck.
 
“What are you finding?”
 
Striding toward my open window with a happy smile, his answer surprised me. That’s interesting, I thought. I’ve lived here nearly six years and never noticed his find. Now that he pointed it out, I realized I’ve looked right at this hundreds of times and just never paid attention. Not only that, but this wasn’t the only spot. My yard is bursting with this surprise find.
 
When he continued his answer, I moved from surprised to shocked. “Your husband showed me and said we could get some.”
 
What did he mean my husband showed him? My husband never mentioned this to me! How long has he known? He should have said something especially since he would know I would be interested.
 
“I’d be happy to get some for you,” my neighbor offered. No, thank you. I have fifteen pounds of these in my refrigerator right now that I went somewhere else to get.
 
As I slowly pulled away, I turned to my son beside me. “Wonder why Dad didn’t say something?” Turns out, he just noticed yesterday and simply hadn’t mentioned it to me yet.
 
Six years… and neither of us knew. Six years… passing by countless times every single day… and never seeing. Six years… I’d missed the amazing gift right in my own yard. Precious, tasty, glorious muscadine grapes free for the picking.
 
Praise the Lord!  the psalmist writes. Sing to the Lord a new song. While most of the psalms incorporate a trouble, a lament or a plea, the final five psalms are simply about praise and singing – and not just any singing. Psalm 149 pushes me to sing to God a NEW song. This calls me to recognize everything around me and find newness each day. Freshness which moves me to singing, praising and thanksgiving.
 
The psalmist doesn’t stop there. Sing God’s praise in the assembly of the faithful. Yes, singing praise to God all by myself is lovely, but how much richer and marvelous when God’s people join their voices together for no other reason than to sing praise?!
 
I wonder how many gifts, how many occasions to be amazed, how many opportunities to sing praise to God I have squandered because I’ve been too busy focusing on other things. I’ll bet if I pay attention, my life will provide all kinds of tasty treats worthy of praise. I hope we will do that singing together.
 
Singing new songs,
Pastor Beth