Plans

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.   Jeremiah 29:11

I've never really liked this verse from Jeremiah.  It sounds as if it should be reassuring and comforting, but to me, it isn't.  I try to like it; I try to find grace in it, but I always ends up with the image of a God who is manipulating what happens to us.  I hear people saying, "It is all in God's plan."  Someone dies, and it is in God's plan.  A job is lost, a car is wrecked, a child fails, and it is all in God's plan.

And yet, I believe in a God who is loving and caring, full of grace.  The idea that he would plan for a death does not compute with a loving God.

I saw the movie Adjustment Bureau today.  It brought all of these ideas to my mind again.  It is based on the idea that there is a plan, and when we step out of the plan, we are adjusted back into it.

Hmmm. 

I really believe that free will is part of our creation and that we have a loving, caring God.

Disciplines

The Friday Five question at RevGalBlogPals was about disciplines.  The question is this:  Please share with us five spiritual practices or disciplines from your experience. They can be ones that you have tried and kept up with, tried and NOT kept up with, ones that you flirt with at various times, or even practices that you have tried and found are definitely NOT your cup of tea. Let us know what's worked for you...and not.

1. Prayer -- I would like to say I do my best, but I know that I do not.  Setting time aside for prayer is helpful to me, but I don't do it often enough.  When I worked in Huntington, I could go by our church at lunch and spend time in the sanctuary if I needed focused time for prayer.  Now, in Charleston, I'll walk downstairs to the chapel.  Time set apart almost always helps.
2. Writing -- I write things down.  I take notes in sermons, I take notes when I read, I blog.  What helps me the most is to do it with a consistent pattern.  I blog every day.  If I didn't, I might not blog at all.
3. Fasting -- I've done this.  I've done it most consistently with the Youth group for a 30 hour fast to raise money for and awareness of hunger.  I've also spent time fasting in preparation for a spiritual event.  I don't do it very often any more.  I do like it, in moderation.  I know one woman who has fasted for 40 days.  Eek.
4. Reading / Study -- When I took the Disciple class last night, I attempted a discipline of reading and study.  I love it, and miss it when I don't do it.
5. Worship -- Again, regularity is ultra-important.  I worship even when I don't feel like it.  I do think worship can take many forms, but while I don't think community is absolutely required, I think it is important.

Eyes Open

I noticed yesterday that I am posting many fewer pictures than I used to.  That, I'm sure, is directly correlated to the number of pictures I'm taking -- not nearly as many.

I use the camera to watch for evidence of God -- to keep my eyes open for beauty and grace in the world of nature and to record it.  I then post the pictures as another way to speak of my thoughts about God -- to praise him for his wondeful works.

I need to keep my eyes open more.  I need to take more pictures.

I've been thinking about the Walk to Emmaus program.  Each pilgrim seems to find evidence of God on the walk -- more than they do in everyday life.  Is God more present on a walk?  I don't think so, but I think when we open our eyes and expect to see him, we will, because he is always there.

Eyes open.  Clear vision.

Widow's Mite

I used this image in a presentation on Saturday.  It's an illustration of the widow's mite.  I particularly like it.

Notice how the rich people aren't even looking at her.  They are looking away.  I heard a sermon once where this story was used to illustrate how we ignore the poor among us, turning away.  Did they care for her?  Did they provide for the widow in their midst, who had nothing, but was generous to the point of extravagance?

What does it say about us? 

What does it tell us about how God would have us to act?

I am

In the past week, I've heard reminders of Jesus as part of the Trinity twice (not that I need reminded, but the manner of the reminder is the same).

JtM told a story he had heard at a seminary session lately.  Think of John 14:6:

Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Read that remembering that God told Moses his name was I am. 

Could that passage mean that God is the way, the truth and the light?  I think so.

Jack preached about the Woman at the Well today.  The response Jesus tells her, in the Greek, says " A am."  (John 4:26):

Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you.’

The NRSV adds 'he.'  The Greek only has 'I am.'

Interesting to hear both of those comparisons within one week.

Consensus

I attended the first couple of hours of a training session for local church lay speakers last night.  Part of the training was to consider the difference between running a meeting using parliamentary procedure or with the idea of holy conferencing and consensus.

One participant asked how consensus could be used by an entire church to make decisions.  I've had the same questions. 

I remembered an experience a pastor told me last week.  His church has just bought a nearby piece of property when the family who had inherited a church member's property across the street offered to sell it to them.  It was property the church had been interested in buying.  The church struggled through the decision, praying about it, trying to decide.  One Sunday the pastor, in his sermon, said that he felt as if they should not buy the property (especially since they had just bought the property behind the house).  He told his church that if someone disagreed with him, to come and speak to him about it.  He was open to his mind being changed.  The next Wednesday, the family gave the church the property as a gift.

I wonder if consensus decision making is exemplified by the attitude of the pastor.  He felt a certain way, but remained open other people's discernment of God's will.  Does consensus building happen when we realize that together, as a community, we are better equipped to hear God's word than as an individual.  Are we able to build consensus because we realize we are not called to make decisions solo?

Anguish

A couple of days of ago I was reading the flood story in Genesis 6-10. As God looked as his creation, he sees that sin is increasing.  Genesis 6:6 is a terrible verse:

And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

It's terrible to think that God regretted his act of creation.  He had such joy -- saw such goodness in the beginning, and now he wishes he had never created humankind.

It grieved him in his heart.  I wonder if the grief was because of the state of man or if it was the sorrow that caused the grief.

What was interesting to me is that the word for grief is probably translated best as "anguish."  It's the same word used in Genesis 3 to describe the pain women will have in childbirth and the grief man will suffer to till the earth.  The result of the sin in Genesis 3 -- the consequences -- are experienced by God as well.

Isn't that part of parenting?  Don't we experience the anguish of our children?

When God Mad

I was working an Emmaus Walk once as a table leader.  One of the members of my table asked me to pray with her (I may have told you this story).  She only knew a God of wrath and she wanted to know a God of grace.  She thought God was always mad at her.

On the way home this evening, Josh noticed on the satelllite radio that the display had truncated the name of the song.   It was supposed to be When God Made You.  The display would only list 12 letters, thoough, so it ended up saying "When God Mad."

Do we limit God to a God of anger?  Can we only see when God is made?  Can we only imagine him as an angry God? 

I challenge you this weekend to find the God of grace and to show him to someone else.  

Freedom

I was having a discussion today with someone about Philemon.  My thoughts:

One quote from Philemon started my mind wandering to a metaphor  “…I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love.”


A metaphor (that has holes, I know):  I see an unintentional parallel between Paul’s relationship to Philemon and God’s relationship with us. Paul clearly believed he could have commanded Philemon to “do his duty,” but chose instead to appeal to him on the basis of love. God appeals to us on the basis of love. He could have created us without free-will – obedient. It is our free will that allows us to sin. Why set up the universe that way? Because he would appeal to us on the basis of love.

Paul is asking Philemon to care for the least of these, as we are called by God to do. We are called to do so out of love. We are called to love our neighbor, not care for him out of duty, but out of love.

Love makes the difference. Love is the point. Love would be transformational, for Onesimus, for Philemon, and for us. That’s what Emmaus is about – we are called to love the person we do not know, and when we do, the other person is transformed, but so are we. Perhaps Paul is writing to free Onesimus, but also to free Philemon.

(Thanks to JtM for the conversation and the start to these thoughts)

Friday Five -- Cars

From RevGalBlogPals' Friday Five a couple of weeks ago:

1. The earliest recollection you have of a family car -- I remember my mom's second Mustang. It was aqua.
2. The first car you drove when you could (legally) get behind the wheel yourself. -- A very large, very old, light blue LTD2.  It was the driver's ed car.
3. A memorable road trip -- Let's see...I've taken alot of road trips. Thinking back, I remember a vacation to Georgia when I was a kid. It was during the time of gas rationing. We could only buy $10 of gasoline at a time (of course, that was much more gasoline then than it is now.). The drive from Macon to Savannah across Georgia was terrible at the time. Endless. Especially when one was worried about running out of gas.
4. The car you drive now. Love it? Hate it? I drive a "company" car now -- a beige/gray Ford Taurus, and I love it. Our personal car is a dark blue Chrysler mini-van, and I love it, too. My son drives the car I used to drive -- a black Civic, and I love it, too. All good cars.
5. An interesting story that involves you and a vehicle. I'm late posting this because I just can't think of a good story. So, I'm leaving it blank. Sorry!

"The Church"

A few days ago I read a devotional written by someone who was sharing his experience in his new church.  He felt blessed and thankful to be a part of the body of Christ in that particular fellowship.  I found it interesting that he said he was having great times with "the church."

I wondered about those quotation marks.  Usually, when you see quotation marks like that, it's because you are calling something by a name that might not be appropriate.  My first read of that sentence was that it was something we call a church, but really isn't.

I don't think that's what he meant (I'm sure it's not), but do you think someone might ever call us a church in quotation marks?

"The church."

Thoughts about Jesus's time in the wilderness

Thoughts about the YouTube video I posted a few days ago:

What did Jesus do in the wilderness? What did he learn? Did he see the wonder of God in creation? Was he lonely? Did he find joy? Was he eagerly anticipating the end of the 40 days or was he sorry to see it over?


Did you notice in the video that evil was red – the snake, for example, amid the black and white drawings? Did you notice that the angels were yellow and that they were present before the end?

Note:  My apostophe calendar says that to make a Modern or Biblical name that end in an "s" possesive, you add apostrophe "s."  To make an ancient name that ends in "s" possessive, you just an an apostrophe.  I wonder why there are two different rules.

Seed money

I saw a televangelist on TV (obviously) the other night.  It was late, and I was clicking channels, and just stopped on this station, amazed at what I was hearing.

The "pastor" wanted listeners to send in $1000 of "seed money" for a miracle.  Send this money in, and the lawsuit against you will go away.  Send this money in, and the credit card debt you have accumulated will be corrected.  Send this money in, and your problems will disappear. 

As I watched, I noticed a disclaimer on the bottom of the screen.  "Miracles are acts of God.  This ministry does not guarantee that a miracle will actually happen."  (Or something like that.)

God, with a warning label.

Sin

I still have some thought about the video I posted, but I keep getting distracted.

Today I read Genesis 4.  Genesis 4 is the story of Cain and Abel.  The commentary and notes I read highlighted how this chapter parallels Genesis 3 in some ways -- another story of sin and its consequences.

Cain was a farmer.  He cared for the land, as his father had done.  This was a traditional role for the older son.  The younger son also had a traditional role -- that of the son who took care of the animals.  The hearers of this story would have heard a story of an Israelite farm -- a story about people living much like they themselves lived.

The passage doesn't really speak to why God favored one sacrifice over another, and it's not really important or the point of the passage.  What is important is the model of the effects of sin.

Cain killed Abel, and the rest of the chapter parallels the Adam and Eve story in Genesis 3.  God gave instruction, humans disobeyed.  God confronted them, and the humans protested, casting blame in another direction.  God then banished them, but does not abandon them.

Cain is sent to Nod, which just means "the wilderness."  He loses his inheritance. The blood of Abel -- the sin -- makes the land unusable. Because of his sin, he loses his future, his potential, his family. 

However, even though he is sent away, he does not lose his God.  God marks him with a mark of protection.  God still cares about what happens to him.

It is a story we can apply to sin in our lives. 

Prayers

Long day.  Long evening.  Hard to think in cohesive sentences, so I imagine this will be a short post.

I had an interview today with the District Committee on Ordained Ministry concerning Certified Lay Ministry.  Yesterday, I made a presentation at a church in my district.  The pastor knew about the interview, so he led a prayer after I finished to pray for me and my interview. 

It is strange to think that this is an affirmation of the idea that I am in ministry for the larger church - larger than my local church?

Either way, it was a gift.

Jesus in the Wilderness

Go take a look at this:  A video of Jesus in the Wilderness.

I have questions and thoughts about this little gem (I like it), but I have to run.  Perhaps this evening, or perhaps tomorrow -- post #2.

Prayer

God of grace, mercy and unspeakable power, draw close to your creation and hear the cry of your people. Surround the people of Japan with your grace during this time of crisis.

Rescue those who are trapped in buildings or on rooftops. Bring them to safety.

Comfort those who have lost family members and friends.

Listen to those who are crying in distress and sadness. Settle the touch of hope on them so that they can see light in the future.

Feed those who are hungry, quench the thirst of those who ache for water. Surround the homeless with the knowledge of your presence.

Heal those who have been injured, those whose spirits are aching, those who wounds are deeper than we can imagine.

Protect them from harm as aftershocks rock their homes, provide relief from fear for them.

Motivate us, dear God, to follow in your footsteps. Enable of to rescue, to comfort, to listen, to feed, to heal and to protect. We place ourselves in your service.

To give to the United Methodists Committee on Relief, click on the link.

Offerings and Needs

Another topic we touched on in Sunday school yesterday was worship. 

The letter to Timothy brings to mind the question -- why do you come to church?  How would you answer that question if an unchurched neighbor asked it of you?  We listed lots of answers on the board, and as they were shouted out, I divided them between "our needs" (such as, "I come to church because I need fellowship, or renewal" and our offerings (such as, "I come to church to offer my sacrifice of giving.").  We looked at the list and thought about how it should be balanced.  We do come to church because we need to, but we should also be aware that worship requires something of us -- our participation, our offerings, our gifts.

Does worship ever challenge you?  The communion liturgy invites us to Christ's table.  We are invited to repent of our sins and to receive forgiveness.  At communion yesterday, Jack invited us to leave behind those dark places within us that separate us from God.  Are we willing to offer to God our darkness?  Are we willing to confess our sins and receive forgiveness?  Sometimes, accepting forgiveness to can be a challenge.

Prayer and Timothy

In Sunday school today we talked about 1 Timothy 2:1-7.  According to the Adult Bible Studies series, Paul's answer to the question, "What are the symptoms of a vital congregation," would be prayer.  Does the congregation pray?

I asked the class some questions:

• What do we pray about in church?  Paul talks about intersession, conversation, supplication and thanksgiving.  Do our prayers have a balance?
• Can you think of concrete ways we can increase the culture of prayer in our church?
• Do you think the prayer life of our church indicates the vitality of our congregation? 
• What about your own personal prayer life?  What concrete ideas can you share to improve our personal prayer lives?

Women's Work

From the Methodist Discipline, 1926

Chosen

In worship this evening, the worship leader stressed that "we are chosen."  God has created you, formed you for a purpose.  You have been chosen.

We feel such satisfaction in choosing what we desire, in charting our paths, in setting our direction.  The real satisfaction and joy, though, comes from being chosen.

Sin

I read Genesis 3 today -- the story of the sin of Adam and Eve -- and some commentaries about it.  It occurs to me that we can learn much about ourselves, our sin and our God from this story.

• God warns Adam and Eve of their death if they eat from the forbidden tree. They don't die, and I don't know whether God's warning was metaphorical or if he changed his mind, but either way, there is much that dies as a consequence of our sin.  There is death because of sin -- death of relationships, innocence, trust.
• Their sin is the result, in some ways, of their pride, as is ours.  They attempt to take control of something that should have been left in God's hands.  How often do we do that?  How often do we think we know best?
• After their sin, they are aware of their nakedness.  Sin leaves us vulnerable, guilty, fragile, afraid.  We hide from God just as they did. 
• Their sin interrupts their relationship with God but also with each other.  They blame each other.  Don't we do that?
• Because of their sin, the open door to paradise is closed to them.  What opportunities do we lose because of our sin?  What wonderful doors does God open for us that we turn away from?

And yet, God remains the same.  He is merciful and caring, even in the face of their sin and of ours.  He does not abandon his creation; he does not stop loving them or us.  He cannot stop loving them.  He will not stop loving us.

Favorite Smells

Picked this up from another blog -- What are your 10 favorite smells?  For me....

1. Baking bread.  Can't beat it.
2. Hyacinth.  Love it.
3. My husband has worn the same cologne since I met him.  Love it.
4. Chocolate-chip cookies, baking.
5. The smell of a new car.
6. Pine Sol
7. Popcorn, popping
8. Brigadoon roses (blooming in my yard)
9. Lilacs
10. Our dog, right after a bath (although not really at any other time).

International Women's Day

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  (Galatians 3:28)

Today is the 100th International Women's Day.  I read a post today about what it means to be a feminist.

What do I believe?

• I believe that women and men are equal, and should be seen as such.  We are not the same, one of us is not superior to the other.  We are equal.
• I believe that when my role in life -- in the family, in the church, at work -- is defined by my gender, then I do not have equality.  I believe the same thing for men.  Neither of us are free until both genders are free.  Stereotypes for both must be eliminated.
• I believe that God can call a man or a woman to any role in his kingdom.  It is not up to me to say, "You are a man; you can be called to preach while she is a female, and will not be."  God has the say.
• I believe God calls men and women to every aspect of ministry.  He does not call based on what we define as gender roles.  I have seen the grand variety of people called to an infinite number of tasks and given an beautiful array of gifts for his work and I cannot be convinced otherwise.
• I believe that I should live my life as I am called to live it by God, not how others may define my role because of my gender.
• I believe that women and men should be free from harassment and oppression -- in this discussion, I would highlight freedom from oppression because of gender.  I remember when I was a kid there was a trial in the courts about a woman's right to tell her husband "no" to intimacy.  I can't imagine such a discussion even happening now. 
• I believe in equal pay for equal work and qualifications.  I believe it is not the case in society today.
• I believe we should raise our children to not make judgements based on gender (or ethnicity or race or ....).

I hope I live my life in a way that teaches my sons that both men and women have value in society -- that each person brings talents and gifts to each situation.  I hope they see their parents as living lives in which my husband and I value each other for who we are, not who we are "expected" to be by gender norms.  I am grateful to be married to a man who values my abilities and encourages me to use them, and I hope I do the same for him.

In the past (not now), I have been paid less than my work was worth, and I believe part of that was related to my gender.  I have been viewed as not really grasping complex, logical systems (I am a girl; I can't possibly know how electricity works), not understanding math, not understanding business.  I have been asked to the secretary because I was the only woman in a room of men.  I have been in a room where it was assumed I was the secretary because of my gender.  I have even had people conduct conversations around me because I was the wife and not the husband.  I have been in places where it was assumed that my husband would be preaching (even though he had come as my guest). 

I have been accepted as an equal.  The gifts God has given me have been accepted as valid and affirmed.  I have been invited to use them in authentic and challenging ways.  I am grateful for that.

I am grateful that I have been called by God to teach (men and women), to preach, to organize, to write, to encourage, to love and to care.  I have been called by God to be Kim.  To be me -- the best "me" I can be. 

I am a feminist.

Variety

This morning, I read the 11th chapter of Genesis.  The first half of the chapter is the story of the Tower of Babel.

I've always thought of that story as one condemning pride and arrogance.  My reading this morning from the notes in my study Bible and from the Commentary I referenced had a different view point, and it's one that rings true to me.

As the account begins, the people all spoke one language and understood each other.  They were migrating east, but they stopped and began to build a city with a tower.  "Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heaven, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."  (verse 4)

The notes submit that the idea of building a tower to the heavens did not imply that the people were trying to reach God -- just that it was a tall tower.  Making a name for themselves (a reputation) was not necessarily a bad thing.  The problem is that the people were resistant to the idea of being scattered.  God is displeased with their homogeneity.

Image what can happen when power centers build -- the abuse of power that can happen.  Imagine what can follow when a group of people are all alike, and do not celebrate or even recognize diversity.  God's desire was for the people to scatter - to spread -- and to be diverse.  He intervenes to prevent the opposite from happening.

In the movie Robin Hood, Morgan Freeman's character, Azeem, has tattooing on his face.  He has a converstaion with a little girl that I have always loved:

Azeem: Salaam, little one.

Small Girl: Did God paint you?
Azeem: Did God paint me?
[laughs]
Azeem: For certain.
Small Girl: Why?
Azeem: Because Allah loves wondrous varieties.

God loves wondrous varieties.

Flash Mob

At church today, Jack began the sermon by showing a flash mob video.

As I watched, I was interested in the reactions of those who were standing around, not part of the planned action.  I wondered if their responses to what was happening are like our responses to action we witness.

• Some people seemed to ignore the flash mob.  When "church" is happening in front of us, do we ignore it?  Do we decide that we don't have the time or inclination to get involved?  Do we think it is somewhat beneath us to get involved? 
• Do we stand, witnessing Christian action, longing to get involved, but staying apart out of fear or lack of confidence?
• Do we smile and laugh, taking pictures, enjoying the grace of it, but staying apart?
• Do we take a chance, step in, get involved, even if we don't know all the moves?
• Or are we the ones who planned the event in the first place, spreading the gospel

Guarded

I ran into a gentleman today who used to have a beard.  It is now gone.  We looked at him, and asked about his beard.  He responded by telling us that he had picked up his trimmer to shape up his beard, and without noticing what he was about to do, shaved a big, bald stripe through his facial hair.  The trimmer was missing its guard.

What is it that we approach in life equipped with our guards?  What radical thing would happen it we took the guard off?

Lent

Tulip in my office

The Friday Five at RevGalBlogPals today asks writers to share 5 things they appreciate about the season of Lent and one thing they could do without.

Lent:

1. I especially noticed this last year, but it seems that during Lent I end up craving a spiritual discipline of some kind.
2. I half-heartedly started one last year that didn't work out.  Once I finally settled on something do-able, even though it was a sacrifice, it felt right.
3. Our church's 40 hour Prayer Vigil -- Each year for several years, we have held a prayer vigil at my church.  Each of us takes an hour.  Even though at first it felt impossible, once I participated, it felt too short.  I always try to schedule my hour in the church chapel (rather than at home), and I relish that time.  I don't know why I don't do it more often.
4. A minister of mine once said that to really "get" Easter, one has to start at Ash Wednesday.  I can't say I enjoy Ash Wednesday or Maundy Thursday or Good Friday worship, but it does increase my appreciation of Easter. 
5. Lent happens in spring.  It may begin with snow, but it ends with new life.  Maybe that is a metaphor.

What could I do without?  My son always asking me "What are you giving up, Mom?" as if he wants to be my policeman.

The Rules

Last night, I spent a couple of hours with my son (after a Staff Parish Relations Meeting) studying Algebra.  He's having some trouble, so I sat with him, and we studied.

 

He didn't have the book (they have to stay at school, and no, I don't know why), and he had already turned in his study guide (and no, I don't know why).  He did have a "flip chart."  This was a project the teachers had them do.  Each page of the flip chart was another rule for handling exponents in algebra. 

 

The problem was he missed the day the flip charts were made.  He was at the state Latin convention, winning a ribbon for Latin grammar.  Whoever he had gotten the notes from had the answers wrong in his flip chart.

 

Bleh.  So I searched online (what would I do without the internet?) and found some help in remember how to deal with exponents when one solves for X.

 

Work this part first, add these exponents, multiply those, flip these, subtract these.  Do it all in the right order.  It's important to know the rules in math, not for the sake of the rules, but so that we reach the goal for which we are striving -- passing Algebra.  NO, wait, that's not it!  The right answer is the goal

 

God gives us rules, and no one has said that it is not important to know them.  To live by them.  To live by them so that we reach the answer for which we were made -- life in the image of God.  It's hard to accept that God knows what is best.  The rules are not the goal, they are the guideposts to faithful living.  And we can all thank God for grace!

March

There is a question running through some blogs -- can you list 10 things you like about March?  I've always, as long as I can remember, liked March.  Is it strange to like a particular month?

1. St. Patrick's Day -- I like it.  I always have.  I'm not sure why.  St. Patrick's day is so much not winter -- maybe that's it.
2. Spring -- March includes the first day of spring.
3. Flowers that appear from bulbs, like crocuses and tulips,
4. Hyacinth, because of the wonderful way they smell and most especially,....
5. Daffodils -- Daffodils are my favorite flower.
6. End of winter -- You begin March knowing that know could still arrive, but end it with the assurance that snow is rather unlikely.
7. My birthday is in March.
8. The colors -- pastels appear -- greens, pinks, yellows, lavender.
9. I can start leaving my coat at home
10. And, it's March.  It just is, and I like it the best.

Trustworthy

The chapel at West Virginia
Wesleyan College taken at night.

In Sunday school, we were discussing the reaction of the disciples to Jesus' actions in his last week.  Why would he go to Jerusalem, when he had been warning them of what was going to happen?  Why would he overturn the tables of the money changers and cause a scene, when it would make sense to be quiet? 

Do we ever ask such questions of God?  Do we wonder why he leads us to actions that seem contrary to what we would do, if the decisions were solely in our hands?

Do we trust God enough to follow his lead?

I was reading Psalm 147 today.  Take a look at these verses:

He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.  Verses 3 and 4.

For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.   Verse 13

I was struck by the pairing of verses 3 and 4.  The same God who take the time and the care to heal the broken hearted and to bind up the wounds of those who are hurting also sets the stars in motion.  That is our God.  Our God blesses our children before the are born -- before, I imagine, they are conceived or even before we ourselves are born.  Our God holds the future in his hands, and he blesses it. 

It might be that he is trustworthy.