A beautiful view

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings.

Cecil Alexander

These words come to my mind every spring. It is then that God's gift to us, a beautiful world, comes alive to all who have endured a long, hard winter providing a new lease on life, and offering a faith for wonders to come. Who cannot know God when looking in the face of a flower. A snow white daisy with a bright yellow center, or a yellow and white crocus boldly popping up even with snow on the ground. These are all God's gift to us.

All around I see rebirth. Birds of all kinds jet back and forth hunting for material to use in building a nest or searching for bugs and worms in the soft earth. Trees, once barren and dark, suddenly are filled with small birds. and fresh buds.

I am cheered as I dig in the garden. Dirt in my hands renews my spirit. As an old Irish prayer proclaims: "May the blessings of God's soft rain falling gently on your head, refresh your soul with the sweetness of little flowers newly blooming. And so may the beauty of God's world renew our faith in God's goodness.

Kathie White

Walking the Road

Kathie is an active volunteer in the church memorial garden and uses her gardening skills to keep the church grounds well landscaped. She lives in Prairie Village.

Asbury will host a Blessing of the Animal Service on Sunday, June 5 at 10:00 celebrating all of God's creatures.

God Has Given Me This Day

I recently came across a card with a poem that Coach Bear Bryant carried with him and reportedly read daily. This card has helped me become aware of something I should have on my mind every single day. Here's what it says.

"This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place I traded for it. I want it to be a gain, not a loss; Good, not evil; Success, not failure, in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it."

Jack O'Neal Walking the Road

This devotion was written in 2004 and was included in the 2004 Asbury Lent Devotion Book. Jack and his wife Mildred live in Overland Park.

Travel Itinerary

Life is in the details. Phones that keep ringing, copy machines that jam, and children who are sick when we need to be at work. Look at the details that grabbed Jesus attention. The precision in which he planned his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. And look at what details Jesus ignored- the details of urgency, effectiveness, recognition and popularity. Details that consume us never crossed Jesus mind. And we easily overlook the details he was concerned about.

We tend to think that spirituality means escaping all these concerns with details. We know the details of Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, Good Friday and Easter. We've gone through them year after year. Why do it again? Because it's the only way we can take our eyes off the things that do not matter and set them upon the arrival of the Savior.

Diane Young Myers Walking the Road

Diane is the Director of Discipleship at Asbury. She lives in Lee's Summit with her husband John and their 15 year old son. Email her at Dianem@visitasbury.org.

A Full Journey

Holy Week freaks my friends out. Imagine the four weeks of Advent and all the pageantry of Christmas Eve Services all crammed into seven days. That’s Holy Week for church workers. Most of my friends are church workers of one kind or another and the month with Holy Week and Easter in it has them on edge.

You can find us pouring over music scores and phone lists, drinking buckets of coffee day and night, desperately trying to book all the musicians for all the services, coordinating with children’s ministry teams over the donkey processional, the communion folks with timings and locations for all the services, flowers, bulletins, video and lighting, cleaning up the chancel area, rehearsing, rehearsing, rehearsing…it’s a much busier time of year (for we protestants anyhow) than Christmas….…And I LOVE It! Seriously! Don’t get me wrong, the Advent and Christmas Season are filled with beautiful music for bands and for choirs, the children’s bright eyes and anticipations on the Sundays and Christmas Eve Services are great, but nothing beats Holy Week for me.

It took me a long time to realize that the days from entrance processional on Palm Sunday through the mortality of Good Friday to the Resurrection of Easter Sunday could be so powerful. As a musician, I get the opportunity to sing about all these things all year long with various groups. I’ve sung and recorded Holy Week Music in French, Latin, English, German…you’d think I’d be bored with the texts or just going through the motions after twenty years of it…but every year the same darn thing happens.

On Palm Sunday, when we sing the Hosanna’s and watch the children come down the aisle I get choked up and joyful. On Holy Thursday, I participate in the communion meal and I remember what communion is REALLY all about. On Good Friday, I thank God for the greatest sacrifice that I could never imagine, I admit that I have not done all that Christ has called me to do, and I vow to do better in the following year (and I do…a little better every year)..and I get choked up. Then Easter Sunday comes, the Resurrection happens here at Church and the people sing “Hallelujah”…and…you guessed it, I get choked up full of joy once again!

I invite you to allow yourself to go through Holy Week this year. I mean the whole week. If you leave Palm Sunday waving your greenery and full of joy…then return joyfully on Easter Sunday, that’s ok. But if you allow yourself to walk for seven days in the life of our saviour, and fully experience those six days in between Sundays, I think you’ll find the Call to Worship on Easter even more meaningful. “He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!”.

Alan Murray Walking the Road

Alan is the Director of Music and Emerging Ministries at Asbury. He lives with his wife Catherine in south Kansas City. Email him at alanm@visitasbury.org.

Choosing the Road

When I moved to Kansas City in 1985, I only knew a few people in town – mostly college friends. As with college, I was many miles from my immediate family. Since I had grown up going to church every Sunday, I didn’t even think about whether I would go to church each week – it was already in my DNA, I knew I would go to church regularly – so I started church shopping.

In college at Baker University, I was a member of the Baker pLaymen (we were laymen of the church who did plays – get it?), so even in college, I went to church most Sundays. Often, as a member of the pLaymen, we were church – sharing our “chancel dramas” (30ish-minute plays based on scripture). I actually remember being at Asbury one Sunday morning, sharing our drama, Onesimus, based on a kind of obscure passage from Philemon, a New Testament book so short that it only has one chapter. In Onesimus, my “entrance” was down the center aisle – and I had one sentence to say, which got me about 10 pews into the sanctuary. So, I got to vamp a little – make up some filler dialogue as I practically ran the rest of the way – down that long center aisle. (It’s no wonder brides love it – you really get to make an entrance!) Anyway, Asbury left an impression on me……

So, a few years later, when I was looking for a church home, Asbury was on my list to visit. Several of my pLaymen friends were from Topeka – and Bud Cooper had been their home pastor. They loved him. So, when I found out that Bud was now the pastor at Asbury, I came back several times, just to hear him preach. For those of you who have been around awhile, you may remember that the pulpit used to sit a bit higher up. In fact, when Bud spoke, I was pretty sure that some of what he shared was being whispered to him right from God, because, standing in that high pulpit, he was pretty close to heaven!

Anyway, besides Bud, the other people at Asbury were quite friendly – very welcoming. And, I knew that I wanted Asbury to be my church home. I chose to be here. And, I continue to choose to be here. Through the loss of a job and my dear parents, Asbury was my home, supporting me and helping me pick up the pieces. And, Asbury continues to be my home and my family – not just to support me, but also to celebrate things with me and, yes, to walk with me – on the road toward the cross.

Prayer: Gracious God – Thank you for Asbury Church. Thank you for leading me to Asbury. Please help me in my walk toward You – and use me, Lord, as someone who can help and strengthen others as we journey together, ever closer to You. Amen.

Mary Moyer. Walking the Road

Mary is the Director of Administrative Ministries at Asbury. You can email her at marym@visitasbury.org.

The Long Road

I was on Facebook in June of last year and noticed a friend had ‘liked’ something called Kiva Walk. I decided to check out Kiva Walk since I thought Kiva was an organization funding loans to third world nations giving opportunities to the working people. It turns out the Kiva Walk was a young man, Jonathan Stalls, and his dog who were walking across the United States from Delaware to San Francisco asking for donations to Kiva.

His day to day expenses were covered. He would couch surf (sleep on people’s couches), and accept the hospitality of strangers in providing a meal and using those opportunities to share what the Kiva program accomplishes around the globe. All of the donations he recieved went directly to the Kiva organization.

As it happened I was out of town during the time that Jonathan and Kanoa (his dog) were in Kansas City. But Jonathan had put out a notice asking for connections along Highway 50 as he traveled through Kansas. My hometown is in Marion County so I asked some friends if they would possibley be able to help Jonathan when he walked through the area.

Wendy said yes, and hosted Jonathan and Kanoa. She had friends who were available to host the next night. Mostly this is how it worked for Jonathan and Kanoa as they traveled town to town, state to state. He walked Kansas in late June and July. Usually about twenty miles a day. I followed the travels of the Kiva Walk via Facebook and marveled that this young 20-something would devote six months of his life walking across the United States to raise awareness and funds for the Kiva organization.

In August I was so excited when I realized Jonathan and Kanoa (along with his cousin, Matt) would cross the Monarch Pass in Colorado at the same time we would be vacationing in Salida, Colorado. My husband Steve and I were able to pack a lunch and meet up with these two young men and their faithful dog for a roadside picnic in Colorado and enjoy the fellowship and friendship of adventure.

You can learn more about Jonathan’s adventure. He is on Facebook as Kiva Walk. He has raised more than $456,000. By putting one foot in front of the other, talking with people along the way, and believing that he can make a difference in this world. Quite an adventure on the Believer’s Road.

Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40: 30-31 (NRSV)

Jo Mead. Walking the Road

Jo Mead is a seminary student at St. Paul's School of Theology, and assists Asbury with our Senior Care ministry programs.

For more information about Kiva contact www.kivawalk.com.

Open Eyes

In the early 1980’s I was the financial officer for a local construction equipment manufacturer. We opened a dealership in Mexico City, and I traveled there on a few occasions. Our Mexican dealer was well-educated and well-connected, particularly with the telephone and the electric power companies that served Mexico City. Those connections were central to our decision to open there.

One day, as we motored to the downtown offices of the head of the electric company, we passed several bare lots that were vacant except for cardboard “structures”. We learned that each was home to at least one family, probably more.

We arrived at the power company and after a short wait were ushered into a very large, expensively decorated office. Bigger, by far, than my living room at home. El Presidente was clearly very much in command, and his staff of lackeys acted as if in they were in the presence of a deity. My unease began to grow.

As we walked out to the car, we passed a large pile of garbage. Right on the sidewalk. An old toothless woman was digging through the garbage with her bare hands, looking for her next meal. I remember thinking “Today I have seen the face of abject poverty."

That experience would not completely leave me. And neither would other things that I saw during my travels there. I asked myself “Why did it take such dramatic examples to get my attention?” I realized that I didn’t have to go to Mexico City to meet hurting and hunger.

Many years later, I visited my parents at their winter travel trailer park in Weslaco, Texas, just north across the border from Rio Bravo. They had good friends they saw every winter, two of whom were Howard and Dorothy. Howard was tall, fit retired law enforcement agent. About every-other morning, Howard left early and returned late in the afternoon. My curiosity finally questioned him . “ I have to feed my kids,” he said. Turns out Howard helped start a free lunch program for children in Rio Bravo. When I returned home, I thought about Howard’s quiet unassuming passion for those people. I sent a check and a note….not much…..and I got a note back. “I thank you and my children thank you…..that will feed a lot of hungry bellies.” I felt pretty small. All I had done was send a few dollars, while Howard poured his life into caring for “the least of these”.

My Mexico experiences helped open my eyes to the plight of people. Sadly, I confess they haven’t been wide-open enough. None of us can do it all, and most of us confess and regret that. But, I do know that it doesn’t always take a lot to make a difference, and that together we truly can accomplish much.

Scripture paraphrased: “Come…..take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you. I was hungry and you gave me food. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was sick and you visited me.” “When, Lord?” And the King will answer, “I tell you truly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” Matthew 25

Prayer: Oh God, open our eyes to the hurts and hungers of the world around us. Then, open our hearts as well. But help us not to be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task. Remind us that small steps, when taken together with each other and with You, can lead us far.

Dave Rybolt

Walking the Road