Loud and Clear
By Anne Arakaki-Lock, photo courtesy of Wikipedia
This past Tuesday, Terri Pittman and I paid a visit to one of our beloved elders. It’s a privilege to visit as many friends we know. Don’t we learn and gain something from them every time? Here was our big takeaway on this visit.
The three of us were chatting at the dining room table about an accident that our elderly friend had just avoided. She explained how she stopped her car on the side of the road one day and started getting out on the driver’s side. Though the other car was driving “fast” as she described, she claimed it was her fault. She explained how she had opened her door and the other car clipped her side view mirror as she was about to step out. Fortunately, she was not hurt. But when the other driver stopped and examined his damaged car, she immediately apologized. In turn though, his mirror was broken, she was surprised that he had played down the damage to her. She showed us her own car in the driveway and brushed off the little scratch on her side view mirror.
Our friend then looked at Terri and me and asked, “Isn’t it true: ‘…a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.’?” We both nodded in total agreement.
But the story doesn’t end here: that night I was doing my morning devotions (yes, I was late that day and did my devotions in the evening when I got home). The reading for that day was Proverbs 13, 14, 15. Do you think that was a coincidence that earlier in the day I had just heard Mrs. H quote Proverbs 15:1? The verse wouldn’t have stuck as well if God hadn’t used an angel to say it out loud to me earlier that same afternoon.
Sometimes, in fact, very often for me, God times His lessons so I can hear him even better.
Anne Arakaki-Lock serves as a member of Blaine Memorial UMC’s Congregational Care team.
July Lectionary
Season After Pentecost
| Fifth Sunday after Pentecost July 2, 2023 Genesis 22:1-14 Psalm 13 Jeremiah 28:5-9 Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18 Romans 6:12-23 Matthew 10:40-42 |
| Sixth Sunday after Pentecost July 9, 2023 Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 Psalm 45:10-17 or Song of Solomon 2:8-13 Zechariah 9:9-12 Psalm 145:8-14 Romans 7:15-25a? Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 |
| Seventh Sunday after Pentecost July 16, 2023 Genesis 25:19-34 Psalm 119:105-112 Isaiah 55:10-13 Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13 Romans 8:1-11 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 |
| Eighth Sunday after Pentecost July 23, 2023 Genesis 28:10-19a Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19 or Isaiah 44:6-8 Psalm 86:11-17 Romans 8:12-25 Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 |
| Ninth Sunday after Pentecost July 30, 2023 Genesis 29:15-28 Psalm 105:1-11, 45b or Psalm 128 1 Kings 3:5-12 Psalm 119:129-136 Romans 8:26-39 Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 |
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July 2023 Calendar
