ABC's of the Word - Altar

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Today's letter is the letter A.

Genesis 12:7..Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "I am going to give this land to your offspring." And Abram built and altar to there to commemorate the Lord's visit.

I love this imagery in the old Testament of folk, like Abram, building altars to commemorate an important moment with the Lord. As they were nomadic people they would return to the same place at some other point in their journey and pitch up their tents - they would see the pile of stones, their altar, and remember the occasion and reason why it was built and once again give thanks to God.

I often use this imagery when taking a funeral, especially for non-Christians, I suggest to those present that they, too, take a pebble and place it somewhere that was an important place for them and the deceased and when they visit that place to give thanks to God for that persons life but also ask God to be present in their own.

I have met folk again in the shops who have seen me and have said, "I still have that pebble and I still pray to God and thank them for mum/dad/brother's life and I pray for myself."

Do you have altars in your life that you can revisit time and time again and give thanks to God?

This is a pebble I found in our garage - someone has painted the praying hands on it. Please copy and paste it onto the sidebar of your blog so that every time you open your blog you will remember like Abram to stop and remember how Great is our God.

Pink Saturday - Pick a verse

Pink Saturday is here again so why don't you visit Beverly by clicking on the logo for other Pink Saturday delights! :)

Yesterday I read Sally's 'Show and Tell' post at SmilingSallyand it gave me inspiration for my Pink Saturday post - so thank you Sally.

In the photo is my pink metal Bible, a tea for one set, a Belleek white and pink vase and 'Bread of Life' Bible Text Box

In the late 1980's in my 1st Parish in place called Lisburn, Northern Ireland - I met a delightful lady called Edith. Edith, at this point in her life, was now living in a nursing home and by her bed she had a little table on which was always her Bible, a small vase of flowers and her precious 'Bread of Life' daily text box (or Promise Box). Every morning when one of the staff members came to see her with her morning tea - Edith would invite that staff member to open her 'Bread of Life' box and pick a Bible Text for the day.

When Edith died her little box was given to me by her nephew but what I found so amazing and encouraging was that, although Edith found her self in a nursing home, it was even here in her own small way she could encourage others to read God's word. At her funeral a number of staff members came to me and said that it was the highlight of their day to take Edith her tea and to pick a verse.

Now my friends - I would like to do the same for you :) if you would like me to pick out a text for you from Edith's 'Bread of Life' box - please indicate so in your comment and I will visit your blog and post the text in a comment.

Happy Pink Saturday to you.

Bible Verse for 2009

Every year I like to have a Bible verse for that particular year - last year (2008) one of my ladies from church chose a verse for me but this year I have asked Valerie at Simply4God and she very kindly chose the following verse..

Isaiah 40:31
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

Today my job titled has changed to 'Community Chaplain for Barking Riverside' as I, alongside Revd David Pearson (Church of England) and Pastor Brian Endacott (Methodist) continue to work together towards establishing a new worship centre within the first Barking Riverside Neighbourhood Complex, which opens later this year.