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Simple Things |
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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 9/8/2010 1:07 PM | Greetings!
This past Sunday evening about 9:00, Carol and I had been out to dinner and were walking through Centennial Olympic Park. As we passed the fountain, loudspeakers in the area announced that in a few minutes, a synchronized music and water show would begin. Kids scrambled out of the fountain and headed off to their parents and sat on the benches and walls waiting for the show to begin. We also found a place to sit. For the next 15 minutes, the music played – from classical to old time rock n’ roll – and the fountains danced and sprayed in time and intensity to the music.
As I looked around the area, I saw families with kids of all ages, staring intently at the fountain and the movement of the water. As I looked at the faces of the people gathered I saw nothing but smiles. It was not a big thing, maybe not even something they knew was going to take place. But, it was something a little out of the ordinary, something pleasant, something that brightened up an otherwise ordinary day.
I am one of those people who so look forward to big events: an upcoming concert or a big game. And most of the time, those things deliver a good time, but sometimes, I build it up so much in the anticipation that the actual event is a letdown. More often, I find it is the things that surprise, the simple things, that are the most satisfying. Like watching the faces of the children and their parents sitting around the fountain in the park.
We live in a complicated world. We schedule our lives to the maximum. We spend a lot of time and energy pointing toward big events. Too often, we forget to stop and simply pay attention to the simplest of things. And it is those simple things that the real joy of life resides.
God has given us gifts that we too often take for granted, but it is in those gifts that we can truly feel God’s presence: the laughter of children, the easy conversation between friends, a spectacular sunset, the comforting presence of loved ones, a quiet moment alone at the start of a day. They are reminders that wherever we are, whatever we do, if we seek to view the world in search of God’s joyful presence, we will surely find it. Look around, I think you’ll see what I am talking about.
For an updated prayer list and list of upcoming activities, please go to www.brookhavenchristian.org
For your prayer list:
Please keep the family of Mildred Head, mother of LeAnn Blanchard, in your prayers. Mildred passed away Sunday in Nashville. There will be a visitation at the Sandy Springs Chapel on Mt. Vernon Highway in Sandy Springs on Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and the funeral will be held Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church, followed by a graveside service at Arlington Memorial Park.
Please keep Trae Hurst in your prayers as he recovers at home from hip replacement surgery. Also, keep Barbara and George, his parents, in your prayers as they provide care for him at his home.
Please keep Kathryn and Steve Sabol in your prayers as they await the arrival of their baby boy. Kathryn’s labor will be induced beginning this morning and as soon as I know anything, you will know.
Upcoming Events
Don’t forget the prayer group meeting tonight at 6:30 in the parlor. This first meeting will be to discuss exactly what we want the group to be and how to proceed.
This Sunday we start our 7 week ‘Super Sunday’ program. There will be dinner for all, and adult classes on parenting, and missions and the church. Also, there will be a music program for kids from pre-school on up to high school, to not only learn something about music, but to learn songs to be presented in our upcoming children and youth service.
A request: October 3rd is “World Communion Sunday” and the date of our next “Praise on Peachtree.” Fittingly, the topic of that PoP is “Communion”. Do you have a story about a special communion service that you took part in? Would you be willing to share that in writing, via video or live at the service? Is there a reason why communion is special to you? Would you be willing to share those thoughts? To respond simply e-mail me at brad@brookhavenchristian.org or Rev. Jennifer at jennifer@brookhavenchristian.org, or give us a call.
I hope to see you Sunday when we once again celebrate the Lord’s Day together. We will continue our series “Lessons from the King” with a sermon entitled “Learning to be Merciful”. The scripture lesson will be 2 Samuel 9:1-13. Have a great rest of the week.
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