"My To-Do List?" Pastor Cindy's Devotion 06/19/18

In last week’s midweek, I presented God with my to-do list and I asked God to bless it.  Prayer is really a conversation.  We should listen at least as much as we talk.   Curious things happen when I pray AND listen.

Here’s today’s prayer.
Dear God,


Are you grinning at me?  I got your message.


It’s not about the list, is it?


It’s not about crossing off all my daily achievements.


It is not about placing a little check in front of “prep baptism” or “orientation plan for Morganne.” 
(And yes, I did add an item I had already completed just so I could cross it off.)


These things are important, and you have placed me here, and given me a job to do and gifts and abilities to do it.


But it, real authentic life, is not about a to-do list.
 
I hear you.


It is not about the tasks.  It’s about how I do the tasks, isn’t it?
 
Can I do the work before me in a loving manner?  Can I keep my eyes and heart open for your presence and your direction?


You expect me to love those around me.  Can I be a loving presence as I do my work?   That’s the big question.


Thank you for your patience with me.  Thank you for your early morning whispers that wake me up, body and soul.


Thank you for your grinning forgiveness as I stumble and find my way, again.


And, again.
Thank you for having “loving my children” on your to-do list.


Amen, Amen. 
Pastor Cindy
Pastor Cindy Hickman
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Ave
West Des Moines Iowa 50265
515-279-0826


We worship at 8:30 and 11 on Sunday and we would love to worship with you.


This week at WDMUMC!
Blessing the Habitat House!  Wednesday at 11:30 you are invited to 3018 York Street, Des Moines for a brief service of blessing as the house is turned over to the new homeowner.  We built the panels for this house in our parking lot last October.  Our fingerprints will forever be in this house!  Come and join in the celebration!


Pounding and Prayer!  6:30 Wednesday.  Get in shape and have some fun.  Bring a friend!


All Church Clean Up!  Saturday from 9-3!  Let’s make the church shine!  Drop in or stay all day!



Mission Team Off to Detroit!  Sunday morning our mission team will head to Detroit.  Keep this group in your prayers and follow their adventures on Facebook.  (Sorry, no midweek next week.  Pastor Cindy will be in Motown!) 

"What is Pastor Cindy Praying Today" Pastor Cindy's Devotion 06/13/18

Lord,

This morning, there are 16 items on my to-do list, things that need to be done.  Each item will help organize the church.  They will inform and connect and prepare. I wake up early, stress over this list, and arrange my life around it.  Important in my eyes.

But I stare at it this morning and I wonder how important these things are to you.

I wonder if they are my attempt to organize a world you have already exquisitely ordered.  I wonder if this list is my attempt to feel like I am making progress, that I have some importance in the world.  A false assurance born of a piece of paper and an ink pen. You are so much more.

I wonder if this list is born of your Holy Spirit or simply launched by my anxiety.

Will the list further your kingdom?  Will it demonstrate your grace?  Will the inventory of peace in the world increase?  If I complete each task and joyfully scratch it off my to-list, will the people around me feel loved?  You have asked me to love.

Wondering all that, today I want to pay attention.

To listen like Christ.

To watch closely.   To see who you send me.  To speak and act with kindness.  Kindness is not on my to-do list.  Has kindness been sacrificed for efficiency?

To wonder with awe and reverence about what fresh new thing you might be doing today.

Too often, I surrender my hours and my days, my moment-by-moment breath, to the list.  Today I am hoping for a different sort of surrender.

I want to surrender to the movement of grace.  To the way, the earth takes on a kaleidoscope of color and texture that is you in action in the world.   Is my list, you in action?  Can it be?

Bless my list, Lord.

Make my work, yours.  Make my work, an expression of you.

The day is before us. Lord.  Bless me.

Amen

Pastor Cindy

Pastor Cindy Hickman

West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Avenue
West Des Moines Iowa 50265
515-279-0826

This Week at WDMUMC:  

You’re Among Friends, our sermon series continues on Sunday.  God has given us this amazing planet and friends to share it with.  Come on Sunday and we’ll talk more about what it means to be a friend.

Need some exercise?  Want to exercise with a joyous bunch?  Tonight (Wednesday) at 6:30 Holly will lead Pounding and Prayer.  Drumsticks and a workout.  You can work at your own pace.  Fun guaranteed.

Visioning Update:  We are thinking about our future and our visioning team is meeting each Thursday.  Last Thursday we talked about our building and its upkeep and maintenance. This week we will review the 120+ surveys we have received from members of our family.  Next week we will have a four-hour retreat and draw our conclusions.  We will keep informed as we move forward.  Please keep this work in your prayers.

"Why Are We Friends?" Pastor Cindy's Devotion 06/05/18

Good morning!

Here at West Des Moines United Methodist Church, we are right in the middle of a three-week sermon series about friendship.  I hope you are celebrating what an ingenious God-designed invention friendship is.

A few weeks ago I was with a friend and we were talking about what we had been doing and she said: “I don’t even know why I am friends with you.”

That sounds harsh, but I know why she said it.

I read a lot, (a lot) mostly historical novels, but sometimes nerdy books.  She reads mysteries.

I like movies about historical events.  She likes goofy comedies.

I like to visit presidential libraries.  She likes the state fair.

I am serious, an introvert actually.  She is more fun, an extrovert.

When she wondered why we are friends, I think I had just told her about a nerdy book I just read.  And because we are friends and we CAN say anything to each other, after she made that comment we went right on talking and doing whatever we had planned for the evening.

But I thought about her comment.  Why are we friends?

Friendship goes beyond common interests.  To walk side by side with someone is an amazing thing.  Having a good friend means living an expanded life and seeing the world through the eyes of someone else.  Friends lead us into places and ways of thinking, we wouldn’t have gone on our own.  Friends have taught me about cross-country skiing and Little Libraries and beauty and hot air balloons.  And hope and change and faith.

I called her the next day.  “I know why we are friends,” I said.  “Because we both believe the world can become a better place.”  And living in a better world is best shared with a friend. 

So, think about one of your friends.  Why are you friends?  Ponder and pray about it.  I think you will discover some really amazing treasures.

Blessings!  See you Sunday.

Pastor Cindy

Pastor Cindy Hickman

West Des Moines United Methodist Church

720 Grand Ave.

West Des Moines Iowa 50265

We worship at 8:30 and 11 on Sunday.  You are invited!

This week at WDMUMC:

Kid Talk!  Youth who have just completed fifth and sixth grade are invited to help Pastor Cindy plan our July Sermon series:  KidTalk, what kids have to say about God and faith and the church.  We are meeting tonight at 5:30.  Pizza and conversation.  Hope to see you there!

Pounding and Prayer!  Tonight at 7 pm!  Get into action and get some exercise!  Holly will get us moving!

Visioning Update.  Last week we talked about our spiritual practices.  Do we spend enough time in prayer and worship?  Are we growing as disciples?  How does the church promote spiritual growth?  Big questions as we move forward.  This week we will tour the building and look at the challenges and opportunities of our physical plant.  The visioning process will conclude on June 21 and we will be bringing plans and proposals to the church.

By the way—you may have heard talk of changing worship times.  We DO need to make more space for people to worship, but we will wait until we have a new music director on board before we make any changes.  No changes are planned at this time and we will keep you posted.