7/28/10

Real Communion

This is a true, beautiful story written by my friend Jody that I want to share with you. It is truly precious. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~
Real Communion

“Gramma, we want to go in big church with you.”

I groaned inwardly and looked in my rearview mirror at the two hopeful faces strapped into their car-seats behind me, while trying furiously to think of a way to convince them to go their Sunday School class.

“We want to hear the singing. Are you singing today, Gramma?”

I looked at the clock in the dashboard. Of course I’m not singing today. Singing is starting right now and we don’t even have a parking space yet.
“No honey, Gramma isn’t singing on the platform, but I’ll still be singing where I sit,” I answered calmly. “Do you want to go to Sunday School after the singing?”
“Nooooooo,” they sang. “We want to stay with you."

What was I thinking when I agreed to this? I love when my granddaughters spend the night but usually, Grampa gets breakfast together while I get ready and then we trade off so he can jump in the shower. This morning I was on my own and I had seriously miscalculated the time necessary for a distracted seven year old to finish eating and a four year old to pick out her shoes (with only two choices available, I might add.)

I swung hard into a parking spot, slammed on the parking brake and turned to look at the girls.

“You’ll have to sit through Pastor’s sermon.” I was sure the threat of advanced theology and Biblical boredom would have the desired effect.
“Okay,” they said in unison, hope growing on their faces.

My dreams of dropping them off at Sunday school and getting some quiet church time after a hectic morning were fading fast. “And you’ll have to be quiet. No squirming. No scribbling on all the prayer cards and the offering envelopes.”

They nodded furiously, obviously smelling the blood of victory in the water and sensing Gramma was on the ropes.

“If you can’t behave, if you make noise or wiggle, I’m taking you to class. Understand?” Great. Now I’m reduced to threatening them with Sunday School.

Lots more nodding and big silly smiles. Gramma knew she was a goner. “And no running back and forth to potty,” I said sternly, trying to salvage my shredded authority.

I selected seats towards the back of the church near the exit so we did not create too much disruption when we made our exits, which I was certain would follow shortly after the music ended or someone had to make a bathroom run, whichever came first.

As we took our places and started to sing, I noticed the communion table set up in the front, with it’s gleaming gold containers holding unleavened crackers and plastic mini-cups of grape juice. Great. Now what do I do?

They had spotted the table and were already poking at my leg so I’d bend down where they could kid-whisper questions at me. Oh, Lord, not today.

“What’s thaaaaaaaat?” they both hissed and pointed.

“That, is called communion. Have you heard about communion, when we remember what Jesus did for us.

I looked at them and felt the tearing of indecision. Did I let them take the communion elements without understanding the meaning of what we were doing, or should I cause a ruckus and enlist more questions by denying them participation, or should I whisk them off to their Sunday School classes which is where they should be in the first place. God, I need some help here.
The seven year old nodded smugly and leaned in. “It’s about His body and He died.”

The four year old stood dejected, head bowed, as if she’d been left out of a wonderful secret that everyone else knew but her. “I don’t know about it,” she mumbled.

I sat down between them and pulled them close so my voice would be near their ears. They pressed into my sides to listen to me explain in my best stage whisper.

“This is something very important. We do this to remember everything Jesus did for us. The bread – we use crackers – reminds of His body that He gave so we could have life with Him. The little cups have grape juice to remind us of how His blood washed away all our sins.”

They were hanging on every word. Pastor asked the congregation to sit and prepare for communion as the ushers moved forward to distribute the communion elements. The girls strained their necks to get a good look at what was inside the containers.

“The Bible tells us to do this, take the bread and the cup and remember how much Jesus did for us,” I said.
The four year old looked at me with big serious eyes. “He died,” she said softly. “On a cross.”

“But it’s nothing to be sad about!” I said. He didn’t stay dead. He rose from the grave and now all of us can live forever with God, because of Jesus and what he did. That’s what we celebrate at Easter. It’s the most wonderful thing. So when we eat communion, we are telling God thank you for Jesus and everything He did.”

The ushers were getting closer. I looked at the seven year old. “Do you believe Jesus died for everything you’ve ever done wrong, and will ever do wrong? Do you believe He rose from the grave and lives in our hearts?

She looked at the usher and back at me. “Yes,” she said firmly. I felt hot tears come to my eyes as I turned to the four year old and looked in her eyes.

“Do you believe Jesus died for everything you’ve ever done wrong, and will ever do wrong? Do you believe He didn’t stay dead and now lives in our hearts?” She paused, then nodded slowly and seriously. Now, my tears flowed freely.

The usher stood before us with the communion trays. I indicated for each girl to take a piece of cracker and a tiny plastic cup. I followed when they were finished and we held them in our hands, according to Pastor’s instructions. The three of us huddled closer and bowed our heads as I led them in prayer.

“Father in heaven, thank you for sending your son Jesus to earth. Thank you that He was willing to suffer and die on a cross for all our sins. Thank you that He didn’t stay dead, but rose from the grave and is living today. Help us to live the way You want us to and to make Jesus happy. Amen.
“Amen,” said two little voices. One word, so earnest, so sincere.

Pastor began reading from the Bible. “Now, Gramma?” the four year old asked, showing me her piece of cracker.
“Pastor will tell us, just listen,” I whispered back.
As Pastor began his prayer, the seven year old leaned closer. “When do we eat?”

I smiled. “Just wait. Pastor will say when. We all do it together.” I had never seen them listen so closely to Pastor’s words.

“Please stand and……let us partake together.” The magic words were said. The girls popped the crackers into their mouths and chewed. The cup followed. The four year old drained hers in one gulp, like cough medicine. The seven year old tested it with a three-drop sip, then a slightly larger sip, then two more dainty sips until it was gone.

We handed our plastic cups toward the end of the aisle where the ushers collected them. The four year looked at me, giving me her biggest, cheesy grin – the one that makes her eyes almost close and her nose wrinkle. I gave her the same face back.
As we settled back into our seats, the seven year old tugged my arm. “Gramma, that was gooooood juice. Is that all we get?”

I smiled and squeezed her in a hug. “You just got everything there is,” I said.
As Pastor began his sermon, the girls snuggled against me, one under each arm, and settled down to behave as they were instructed and not wiggle. I didn’t hear much of his message that morning because God had already given me a lesson, an opportunity, a blessing and a joy – all before the sermon even began.

Jody Ward
2010

7/25/10

WHO ARE YOU

YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE FOR A REASON 
         It is because of the people God has designed to be a part of your live.

Our family of birth or with whom we grow up play a very important part. Whatever the influence of family was we learned and grew. Sometimes we took it to     heart while at other times we found that we needed to let some things go. Our own personalities play a role in who we became as we grew up. Our teachers and role models were also tantamount to our development.

Superimposed on all of it was the hand of our Father molding the clay and sometimes cleaning up the messes others made or that we made ourselves. God gave us one more influence that can be for good or bad. However, when it was good it was such a blessing to our lives. You guessed it, they are our friends.

Friends.......
They love you, but they're not your lover. They care for you, but they're not from your family.  They're       ready to share your pain, but they're not your blood relation. They are........FRIENDS!


A True friend......
        Scolds like a DAD..
          Cares like a MOM..
            Teases like a SISTER..
              Irritates like a BROTHER.
                 And finally, loves you more than a LOVER.






Friends are so valuable--we need to remind them every once in while how much they mean to us. Who comes to mind when you read this? Today you could let her know how much she means to you. Bless her back as she blesses you, and say a prayer for your friend. THANK GOD FOR FRIENDS!

A friend loves at all times....
Proverbs 17:17a


Corinne Mustafa

7/18/10

Do You Know Who You Really Are???

The BELL
"I KNOW WHO I AM"
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt. 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil.3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor.5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom.8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor.1:21-22)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)
I BELONG TO GOD
HE LOVES ME!
I LOVE HIM



Keep this bell ringing...
We all are children of the Most High God.
He loves you to the point where you'll never understand!
So continue building your covenant relationship with Him!
And always remember and repeat this over and over again
"I am too blessed to be stressed, and too anointed to be disappointed."
Have a nice Day............





7/17/10

Help Us Love Ourselves

Oh my great Creator: Help me this day to love myself. I can't give away anything that I don't have myself. If I am to love others, then I must love myself. If I am to forgive others, then I am to forgive myself. If I am to accept others as they are then I need to accept myself as I am. If I am to not judge others, then I need to lighten up on myself. Let me experience this power of love...

7/15/10

Are You a Cracked Pot?

This is a story that has been around for a long time...read, enjoy, and take pleasure in the message that it tells about who we are and what we are able to bring about in spite of whatever we perceive to be our flaws.

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An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.  One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. 'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?' 'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.' For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my "cracked pot friends," have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path! :-)

7/11/10

God Didn't Make No Junk!

The following is a quote from "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" written by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Like a tongue on a sore tooth, night magnifies. The light of day dissolves worry, but night enlarges fear. Loneliness is greater at night and stress swells like yeast in bread. Warm, reassuring, comforting light can be present night or day. As dense shade in deep woods can cause the owl to call out its nighttime song, so the dark makes us feel vulnerable. But one bright beam of sunlight can pierce the forest and hush the owl - so one bright beam in our spirits can dissolve darkness. We are not alone - and nothing is impossible.

No we are not alone. And what a comfort that is. We are blessed by the One who loves us most with His presence always. We do fall prey to loneliness and our own feelings of inadequacy at times, but have we forgotten who our Creator is?

I know I have and often do forget who I am in Christ. I paint a picture and everyone likes it. I mostly see the parts that I couldn't get just right. Someone gives me a compliment and my skin starts to feel weird. It is even hard to look the person in the eye while he or she is complimenting me. My mind goes immediately to the "yes buts" that are deeply rooted in my past. I make a list of things I want to do on a particular day. I place the optimum amount of chores and requirement without any consideration of whether it will be possible to accomplish the list in the time I have to do everything. At the end of the day I am feeling a failure and berating myself for what I did not get done. I don't stop to say, "Hey, Corinne, way to go, girl!" This behavior puts me in nighttime darkness regardless of the time of day. It can steal a woman's joy, and manys the times when I have allowed just that to happen.

Your son misses scoring a goal and his team looses or your daughter perfect chord at her piano recital actually sounds painfully dissonant. What would you say to your humiliated and heartbroken child? You would say things like...

  • "Jack, you kicked that ball like a pro. You should be proud of your game, because everyone thought you did great. I am proud of you. Good job, son!"
  • "Stella! Your performance was great. I know you missed that note, but do you realize that the music you chose was quite a challenge. Still, you wanted to play that piece. It was beautifully done, only that one chord, and you continued without stopping which was courageous. I am proud of you!"
  • "I know you spilled your soda at the restaurant. Just last week Mommy picked up a glass of water and it slipped out of my hand and spilled all over the floor. I was sort of embarassed. However, you need to remember that it was an accident, Jody. Accidents do happen, you know."
We parent our children when they feel stupid, clumsy, or useless. However, we never parent the little girls inside of us who make mistakes and don't measure up to our expectations of ourselves. Be mommy to yourself and cut yourself some slack.

I think that the biggest problem is that we are fully aware of our underbelly. This makes us think we KNOW that we are unworthy on some levels. I like what Jan wrote in a comment on "Stinkin' Thinkin' "when she said she apologizes to herself when she has berated her psyche with bad self talk. I do try to remember that God is perfect and tell myself that GOD DIDN'T MAKE NO JUNK. We are made and valued by a God who is never far away. He loves us, and even when we mess up we can relax in the fact that He works around what we do and uses it for good even when it is not a part of His perfect plan for us. Yes, friends, we need to work on being the best we can and relax in the fact that He has a plan for us, but we also need to parent ourselves as God parents us. Then praise Him with thanksgiving for who we are.

Psalms 139:13-16:
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

God's Diamonds

Dont you just love it when God gives you eye candy in nature which shows his wonder. 
This is written about one of these times.


Looking at the leaves
Roses not coming just yet
Colored rust and green.

Early morning sun
Shining down on the garden
Mottled shade and sun.

Suddenly I see
Diamonds shining everywhere.
Where do they come from.

They’re a gift of God
Delightful and beautiful
Dew drops on each leaf.

And then I notice
The leaves are rimmed with small spikes
Edges scalloped points.

It comes to my mind
That life gives challenge too
Spikes to climb over.

But it’s when we climb
If we will learn His lessons
God’s diamonds are won.


©Corinne H. Mustafa
April, 2006

Reunion

The days of our lives...not my original phrase...lol...live in our memories
High school friends are still seventeen in our mind's eye
the torn down school still exists though a hospital is there now.
Time flies...Tempus Fugit
___________________________________________________

Remember Me?

I know you
Just cannot put a name to your face
Do you know me?
I am the girl with the happy heart
Who likes to joke around
Who hates Latin
Who loves poetry
Who has dreams for the future
Who I will be one day.

I know you all
You are the math whiz
You are the one who shared your candy bar
You are the one who is a cheerleader
You are the one who was the nun’s pet
You are the one who was pregnant when we graduated
You are the one was going to be a nun
You are all the ones who were my friends…
Who are my friends.

Let’s go to the sock hop
Let’s get a group together for that movie
Let’s drive down to the beach and ride the waves
Let’s just have fun.

I remember you, but what is your name?
What have you been doing for fifty years?
Did you find your soul mate?
Did you have beautiful, successful children?
How is it now that you have grandchildren?
Did your life turn out like it was to be in your dreams?

Carol and Claire
Nancy and Joannie
Maurie and Barbara
Kathy and Joyce
Colleen and Roseann
And me, Corinne

Who are these women with graying hair
These old women I no longer can place
Names and familiar faces
All known but unknown

A stroll down Memory Lane
Times gone by that live in my recollections
Can we go back…I think not
But we can gather and remember

REUNION

©Corinne Mustafa
2/9/10

7/7/10

Loving something!




This is what life is about...the day to day living...the fun as well as the hard times.
The hardest thing that is ever required of a mother is to let go, but then we are blessed when they come back. And when they do they, they come back more mature.  They come back not as just our children but rather as our children who now who are also our friends. Sometimes we find ourselves at a loss to understand how we will survive it. That is when we need to focus on the lovely give and take of being a family. Then we realize that we are happy that we did "marry it" and that we did "give birth to it." 


Then is when we know that,
 amongst the moments of challenge, stress,
excitement, happiness, joy, chaos, and so much more...
WE ARE BLESSED!

7/4/10

Stinkin' Thinkin"

Do you ever find yourself suffering from the affliction of stinkin'thinkin' ?


You second guess yourself and speak self talk that does not bless your psyche.  Things in your mind such as, "You are such a dope!"..."I look terrible and fat. I am such a pig."...or "I failed again! What a loser I am!"

Then there is another version of this kind of thinking, when you critize or judge someone either to yourself or to another in the form of gossip. And finally, there is the complaining and whining we do when we don't like the way things are going, when we do not get our way, or when we are trying to enforce our superiority over someone else.


Hopefully, this kind of thinking is not habitual. And we have to admit that we all get frustrated from time to time which results in stinkin' thinkin.' The point is that when we do fall into this pit we hurt ourselves.  We end up feeling disgruntled, and this just tends to feed our disatisfaction.  We also end up with feelings of guilt for being so crabby or critial. Our self image also suffers as well.


I have to admit I have participated in this type of thinking more often than I would like to admit. The result is to be discomforted about my behavior with the end result that my self image suffers.  Then I end up with more self talk that is damaging, words such as you always, you never, you shouldn't and so on. It becomes a vicious circle of negativity that pulls us down.

The Bible says this...



Finally, brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)


It is hard to avoid stinkin' thinkin' at all times, but we need to make it a work in progress.  The Bible provides excellent wisdom in this verse in Phillipians, giving instruction on what one must do. How we interpret and use it is by individual choice which is dictated by personality.  What works for me may not work for another person.


Would you please share on the following if you would like...
  • How do you raise yourself away from stinkin' thinkin' when you are caught in its snare. Your suggestions and examples might be just what another reader might benefit from. 
  • Share what you consider to be true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable or praiseworthy that you love to think about.
  • Any other topic or thought that comes to your mind.
Thank you!      Corinne Mustafa

7/3/10

Challenges

I'm sitting in my hiding place
though I'm not alone.
I feel His presence guiding me,
taking me along.


I look around and smile bright,
telling Him to hold me tight-
because I am on a ledge.


Alone, I feel, I can't stand right,
these challenges that pass me by.
Winds are blowing,
push me down. 
Help me through the dark.


Yet I'll hold on,
head held high-
Certain hardships will pass by.
At my side,
You and I,
everything's alright.

       By
Mushky Nagar

Mushky Nagar, age 18, is a graduate of Bnos Menachem High School, and is currently learning in Chaya Mushka Seminary in Tzfat. Poem found at...www.chabad.org