Day 5 – Table of Grace

Today was a day of receiving grace upon grace.

Early morning community devotions – celebrating Norris’s 72 birthday (long time servant leader at Koinonia) – having the time to get a 10 mile training walk in for the Camino (smokin hot and humid – a million gnats in my face – and buzzards eating armadillos off the highway. And beautiful crops – Red Robins and Blue Birds galore – free time to let the mind wander and receive). A lunch at one long table of 18 community members – fixins of breaded catfish – grits – deviled eggs – strawberry and blueberry whip – chocolate birthday cake – and sweet iced cold tea. Ahhhh – a banquet. Seven hours of prayer – music – and inspirational reading.

Two resources:

An Hour Before Daylight – memories of rural boyhood – by Jimmy Carter. A delightful 250 page read of his family story. It took me back to think deeply about my own childhood stories and all the people and experiences that have shaped my life. At 50 years old, I think much more about those moments now than I have in the past. I hold much gratitude and forward going wrestling moments from those days.

The second read that I started earlier this week and finished today: Sacred Rest by Saundra Dalton Smith. A soulful book that inspired the cup to overflow. I look forward to sharing much with you from this resource in our 2026 worship services on Flourish in Rest.

A few quotes for the day:

Sometimes it’s important to work for the pot of gold. But other times it’s essential to take time off and make sure your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down the rainbow. Douglas Pagels (and my add…like a child in a park, may you go down the slide many times throughout each day)

Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17

If you try to keep up with a sprinting society on a diet of crumbs, you’re going to end up more than physically exhausted. You’ll be mentally scattered, emotionally chunked, and spiritually smothered. Sounds like a hash brown order at Waffle House but significantly more damaging to your health.

GRACE = God’s Resurrecting power Actively Changing and Empowering my life.

If your spouse has become more like a roommate, passion needs a resurrection in your relationship. If your prayer time has turned into your Facebook time, spiritual discipline needs resurrecting. If your kids feel more like a burden than a blessing, you need a resurrection of gratitude in your attitude. You cannot change something you will not confront, so let’s confront those places that need God’s resurrection power.