“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.”

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.”

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.”

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.”

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.”

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that.   They look gross when they kiss.”

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents 
             and listen.”

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.”  (We need a few million more people like this on the planet.)

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.”

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.”

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.”

“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.”

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.”

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.”

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.”

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” (What an image!)

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”

And the winner is a 4-year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed into his lap and just sat there.  When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, ‘Nothing, I just helped him cry'.”

We could all add to this list. Some of my own:  “Love is when my daughters still want to be with me in spite of the mistakes I made in raising them.” “Love is when my grandkids meet me at the door and ask ‘What did you bring for us to make together, Grandma?’ ” “Love is when my husband says, 'You’re my favorite person'.” ...

“Love is when three cats all curl up on my lap when I’m reading.” “Love is when Roger is passionate about history and wants to record and preserve as much of it for those who come after him as is possible in his lifetime.” “Love is when relatives maintain contact in spite of distance and diverse busy  lives.” “Love is when long ago friends want to renew acquaintances.” “Love is when close-by friends make room for you in their lives.” “Love is when someone accepts criticism without needing to criticize back.”

“Love is when God loves us just as we are—even when we make poor choices, waste precious time and effort, spend too much, eat too much, disobey laws, lack respect for others, tell lies, pursue addictions, insist our opinion is the right one, hate folks who are different from us, get bored with life, don’t listen enough, lack generosity, ignore those less fortunate, embrace war, make the same mistakes again and again." Even when we doubt that God exists, God loves us still!   The proof is Jesus. 

Have a blessed Christmas with those you love, and perhaps with a few strangers, as you celebrate Christ’s birth and God’s love for you.  --  Joyce Garton-Natte
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Psalm 50 was one of the selected readings for December 9, 2009, the day the first winter snowstorm left many of us (including me) drifted in.  

"The mighty one, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.  Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and does not keep silence, before him. . .is a mighty tempest all around him."

The tempest continued outside my window as I looked out on the beauty of the day in spite of the cold and drifts, which forced me to stay at home. It was a wild and wooly night as the tempest persisted from the setting of the sun to its rising and perhaps on to its setting again. God so obviously does NOT keep silent through nature and often speaks through it. It is good to slow down, even when forced; it is good to be silent, even when forced, so that we can hear that God who does not keep silent.   

I encourage you to spend some of that slowed down time and "offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call on God in the day of trouble; God will deliver you, and you shall glorify God." Above all, listen to God this day. It is his greatest desire to spend time with you. Blessings to you this day. - Pastor Joyce
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FACTS ABOUT HUNGER (from Pastor Joyce Garton-Natte)
- 1.1 billion people are forced to survive on less than a dollar a day - one in
  every six people in the world.
- The proportion of the world's population living on less than two dollars a day: 
  almost 50% (2.8 billion.)
- The world produces enough food each year to provide a healthy diet to
  everyone on the planet, but over 800 million people - nearly three times the
  population of the United States - are undernourished, meaning they do not get
  enough food to lead active, healthy lives.
- Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes - one child
  every five seconds.

We've all heard facts like this before, and, yes, they make us feel guilty. We give a little or a lot here and there to help. Rarely ever do we give such that our lifestyles are much affected. We may even feel resentful that people keep asking for our money. Consider the following story from Church World Service:

My American Airlines flight was packed. Passengers from a cancelled United Airlines flight had switched to American at the last minute. The pilot addressed us on the intercom:  "We're glad we had enough seats for our friends from United. Unfortunately, we don't have enough meals. When the flight attendants come by, tell them if you're 'American,' in which case you get dinner, or 'United,' in which case you will get a soda.'  At first, I was relieved. I was an American passenger. I would get supper. Then I thought of my seatmates. Would I share my food with them if they were United? I was relieved when my seatmates told the attendant they were also American.  But then I started wondering if the people in the seats right behind me got food, and the people behind them. Should I share my food with them? If I start sharing, where would I stop? I didn't turn around to check. As long as I didn't see them, I was able to eat. I face the temptation 'to not look' at the hungry and homeless people in the world. But I know looking away makes me more calloused, and a bit less human. Gaining awareness of those with too little--better yet, sharing a meal with them--makes me more human."

We have several opportunities to share:  
--Monies raised from CROP Hunger Walk around Lake Cornelia, go to poverty
  and hunger relief around the world with 25% staying at local food pantries in
  Wright County. 
--The YIMs (Youth in Mission Service) from this church (and several adults) 
  have participated the past two years in the "Feed My Starving Children" event
  at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Waterloo, where they help
  pack 100,000 meals for starving children world-wide. 

Will you be someone willing to participate? Or will you be one of those who doesn't "turn around to check" for the hungry and homeless -- or for youth having needs in our own community?

We give you several opportunities to share -- to participate in justice -- to be a "bit more human." What are you going to do? 
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A Lesson From Geese (shared by Diane Kraft September 2009)
Have you ever wondered why migrating geese fly in a "V" formation?  As with most animal behavior, God had a good reason for including that in their instincts. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird following. In a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% more flying range than if each bird flew alone. Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone. . .and quickly gets back into formation.

Like geese. . .people who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier than those who try to go it alone.

When a goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position. If people had as much sense as geese, they would realize that ultimately their success depends on working as a team, taking turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership.  

Geese in the rear of the formation honk to encourage those up front to "up" their speed. It is important that our "honking from behind" be encouraging.  Otherwise, it's just -- well -- honking.

When a goose gets sick or wounded, two other geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and provide protection. They stay with the unhealthy member of the flock until it is either able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out again with another passing flock or try to catch up with their own. May we be so sacrificial, that we may be worthy of such friends in our time of need.

You don't need to be a scientist. . .to learn from God's marvelous creation; you only need to stop long enough to observe and let God reveal His wonder to you.

"Ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you; who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?"   Job 12:7-9
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Reflections from Pastor Joyce Garton-Natte (summer 2009):      
     Our church secretary, Diane Kraft, this year planted two cherry tomato plants. It has been fun to watch them grow. They are in buckets just outside the church office door. Then I came across the following story which seems to speak directly to her efforts. Diane and her tomatoes are a visual enactment of this story being lived out in our midst.    
            
One Tomato Plant  (a story by Louise Stromberg)
     "This year I bought one tomato plant so that I could have a few small tomatoes for a salad each week. I expected to pick about half a dozen a week at most. By the time I remembered to purchase a tomato rack, my plant had grown rather large. So I put the plant around the rack as best I could. Buds were already forming into little tomatoes. The plant continued to grow and I waited expectantly for the sweet, red fruit to ripen.
     The first time I went to pick the ripe tomatoes I brought a small bowl. By the end, the bowl was filled and overflowing. I took a small zip lock bag of tomatoes to work to share. I went out to pick about a week later and had enough to fill a mixing bowl. I took three bags to work to share.
     Not even a week later, I picked two mixing bowls full. This time I brought an ice cream container of sweet, red fruit to share. My tomato plant continued to bear an abundance of tomatoes throughout the season.
     As I thought about my expectations and the reality of the harvest, I realized that this was a wonderful example of God's abundant blessings.  God gave far beyond my hopes. The more I shared the tomatoes with others, the more this plant seemed to produce.
     How is this abundance similar to God's love? The more we share God's love and blessings, the more God gives us to share. Whether we share a witness to God's love for us or gifts of material wealth, God blesses all that we share. God never forgets to shower us with continued love and gifts that sustain us and our existence on this earth."             

When you walk by Diane's tomato plants, I hope you will give thanks; then ponder how God is calling you to be a good steward--not only of garden produce, but of the abundant talents, treasure and time God has given you.  How can you best serve God's mission in and around Goldfield? Blessings to you.
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In His Presence (shared by Vicky Bell)
When I am weary with my toiling
And can find no place to hide,
I find my earthly cares relieved
By Jesus, at my side.

How patiently He listens
To my griefs and all my fears,
My many tribulations
Throughout these many years.

The sweetness of His presence
Transforms my troubled face;
In the shadow of His wings,
I come to know amazing grace.

By Helen Kitchell Evans.