By: Rev. Dr. Ted Sauter

LaBelle is small Ol’ Florida town located on the Caloosahatchee River. It is about an hour west of Lake Okeechobee and an hour east of Ft. Myers. For nearly a century the town was famous for two things. One of LaBelle’s claims to glory was and continues to be the annual Swamp Cabbage Festival where you can celebrate the official state tree by eating it. The Sabal Palm is a traditional food of the Seminole Tribe, and it can be prepared in several ways.
The second LaBelle landmark was a restaurant, now closed. Two sisters developed the establishment and named it after themselves. People came from all over to dine at this quaint restaurant. Flora & Ella’s always had fabulous baked cream pies, most of which were piled high with six inches of meringue. A large sign reminded you as you entered the restaurant: “Life is short, so eat dessert first.”

The restaurant offered many traditional Southern dishes. You could order fried catfish, fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, chicken fried steak, and fried pork chops.

My personal favorite dish was a meal of black-eyed peas, rice, onions and ham. It was served along with collard greens and cornbread. The creatively printed menu described the dish as “Well, shut my mouth; this the best Hoppin’ John you’ll ever eat.”

I’ve never forgotten this catchy and somewhat crude phrase “well, shut my mouth.” Worst and perhaps rather insulting is another Southern slang phrase, “well, shut your mouth.”

Nevertheless, maybe these phrases are sage advice. Maybe all of us should say a little less. 

We live in a time when too many people say – or more often write, text, email, publish, or print – too much which is negative, harmful, demeaning, foolish, ignorant, and frequently not factually accurate. The problem today is not with someone occasionally repeating a playful old slang phrase (which is now deemed “politically incorrect”). The problem is that too many people are showing less self-control, and are reacting with intentionally insulting and even violent verbiage. Literally, people are killing each other with thoughtless words.

How should a Christian act in our age of mass communication? Sadly, it seems to me that we live in a time of mass confusion, emotional overreaction, and anger.

Next Sunday I will reflect on the observations in the book of James. The title of the sermon is “Well, Shut My Mouth.” I pray it might be helpful to lowering the level of heated discourse in our society.

Blessings!
Ted

By: Rev. Bill Floyd

This older fellow was visiting his doctor. He had not been feeling very well for a long time. “Doctor,” he asked, “am I going to get better or am I going to die?” The doctor answered, “If I were you, I wouldn’t be buying any green bananas.”

Carey always buys a couple of green bananas. Doing this reminds us there is always hope. Hope is active. It makes plans; hope buys green bananas!
It is easy to have hope when you are young. You have your whole life ahead of you. You have much to look forward to. You have not experienced the things in life that crush your hope. I really don’t like going for a job interview or having a review of the job I have because of one question. “Where do you see yourself in five years?” The last time I had that question asked, I had been retired for ten years. I almost laughed! What a question to ask of someone my age. Off the cuff, I said flippantly, “I hope I am still alive.” 

That is not an attitude I usually have. There are still people I want to see, places I want to go, and I have a lot of things undone that I want to finish. Filled with hope, I am still looking forward to life and service to Jesus. I do not know how people without hope survive. 

Hope is about new beginnings. Grace Resurrection Methodist Church is a place filled with both hope and faith. Along with hope and faith, you have trusted in God to lead you in the right direction. This past week God answered a prayer and brought you a new pastor. Hope is never about staying as you are. It is always about becoming more like Jesus. My friends, hope is alive and well here at Grace. It makes plans and moves forward. Hope buys green bananas! 

Much love in Christ,

Bill Floyd

Rev. Charlie Marus

If I had my life to live over again, I’d  dare to make more mistakes next time.
I’d relax. I’d limber up. I’d be sillier than I’ve been on this trip.
I’d take fewer things so seriously. I’d take more chances – I’d climb more mountains, and swim more rivers.
I’d sit and watch more sunsets.
I’d eat more ice-cream and fewer beans.
I’d perhaps have more actual troubles, but fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I’m one of those people who lived sensibly and sanely, hour after hour, day after day. Oh! I’ve had my moments…and if I had my life to live all over again
I’d have more of those moments.
In fact I’d try to have nothing else – just moments, one after the other,
instead of just living with so many years ahead of each day.

I’ve been one of those people who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a
hot water bottle, a raincoat and a parachute.
If I had it to do all over again, I’d travel lighter than I have.
If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the Spring and stay
that way later in the Fall. I’d go to more dances. I’d ride more merry-go-rounds.
I’d pick more daisies.  (Nadine Stair, 85 years old)

I imagine that as you read this, many of you were nodding your head in understanding, and perhaps looking back on your own lives, and thinking of some things you would have done differently. But we can’t go back. The only thing we can do is go forward, and as the author suggests, perhaps create some moments that are meaningful to us, and to others. I hope that you will come join us this Sunday as we discuss ‘moments that matter’.

Rev. Dr. Randy Mickler

Many centuries ago, St. Patrick prayed the prayer he titled “Lorica.” It is the name for a Roman coat of armor that was meant to protect the one wearing it.

“I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me:

God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through God’s mighty strength.”

That prayer is the key to successful, “Water Walking.”

Join us this Sunday and hear our guest minister, the Rev. James Williams, from Kentucky!

Rev. Dr. Randy Mickler

God can grow us in adversity! Remember, “God works for good in all things with those who love Him.” If you are facing difficulties, challenges or just a hard time in your life, know this, rising to a challenge reveals abilities hidden within you that would otherwise remain dormant.

We don’t know what we are made of until we have to cope!

I cannot ensure my circumstances will work out the way I want them to, but I can ask, “How would the person I most want to be face this situation?” Wise people have always understood the connection between suffering and growth.

A Chinese proverb from the third century BC says “When heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on anyone, it will exercise his mind with suffering, place obstacles in the path of his deeds in order to stimulate his mind, harden his nature, and improve wherever he is incompetent.”

What happens to someone who loses everything but God, then finds out God is enough? As a powerless person, he experiences the presence of God in his life in a way he never did when things were running smoothly. Suddenly, he finds new strength, power and purpose, because hope comes from the promise, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” God wasn’t at work producing the circumstances that caused the misery one faces. But God is at work producing in you the person God wants.

Peter learned this lesson while he was water walking. Join us this Sunday as we explore “Water Walking.”