The Beacon
Blue Mound UMC May 2024
No One Prouder
2005 Welcome Home Sgt Tera Landreth and Mom, June
Photo by Cpl Stephen De Board
There is no one prouder than a fine military mother
Her support is of the strongest caliber to be found
She knows what she has to do and lovingly does it
Great faith is something she so abundantly shows
The motivation of these sincere women is heartwarming
The way they give to their own and others is an inspiration
Their sincere effort to be helpful is foremost in their thought
And how wonderful they perform when united in purpose
They are such tremendous supporters of all our military troops
Ask one hundred members of our Armed Forces about this
You’ll see how many place a loving mother right up at the top
Don’t bother asking this veteran, my words spell it out for me
May God bestow many blessings on these very special women
I’m in awe of their strength, determination, and courage
Behold the powerful fortitude they so steadfastly show
Do strive to keep them in your daily prayers and thoughts
Roger J. Robicheau – US Military Veteran
Note: This news article was also in our Blue Mound Newsletter May 2009
This Mother’s Day Is May 12, 2024
How Should We Live?
This month we begin to look at How Should We Live? There is a better way to live. Certainly, we should go to church and say good and right things, but there’s more to it than that. We should allow the Holy Spirit to change us. Although what we believe is important, how we live is even more important. There are three basic rules we should live by: (1) Do no harm, (2) Do good, and (3) Attend upon the ordinances of God. Let me unpack these a little bit.
(1) Do no harm involves doing no harm to ourselves, others, and God. What we do, our actions, have consequences. The way we speak to other people, the way we spend money, how selfish we are, and the way we spend our time affect us personally, and they affect other people too. Think, for example, about how the words that we say can affect other people. Gossip, judgmental comments, insults, and insensitive remarks can wound people very deeply. They can destroy friendships and even break up marriages. Children may remember hurtful words of parents even years after the fact. The letter of James (3:5-10) reminds us that the words of our mouths can have serious consequences:
“How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell… With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.”
Of course, there are many other ways to do harm. Abuse of alcohol and drugs, the use of pornography, and gluttony may seem like they affect primarily the person who takes part in these acts, but their effects upon other people can be profound. Substance abuse, for example, can affect families for generations, wounding children who, when adults, may inadvertently wound their own children. The use of pornography contributes to a widespread industry that creates addiction, destroys lives, contributes to human trafficking, breaks up marriages, contributes to promiscuous sexual behavior, exploits women, and at times even exploits children. Gluttony (say, chronic overeating) can affect us in many ways, including the way in which we use money. More>>>
Pastor’s Corner How Should We Live? Page 2 of 2
It affects our health, which in turn affects our ability to engage in the work of Christian service. It can affect our lifespan, which comes to bear on the amount of time and quality of time that we spend with those we love. The bottom line is this: human beings are connected to one another in powerful networks of relationships. It is hard to identify any sins or crimes that affect only one person.
We can also harm ourselves and others by damaging our relationship with God. We do harm when we use God’s name wrongly, or when we neglect to observe the holyday of rest that God has set aside for us (Sabbath). We harm ourselves because we create distance between ourselves and God. We may harm others by our failure to live out the faith that we proclaim. A life lived faithfully is a powerful witness to those who do not believe. A person who claims Christ but lives no differently than anyone else says to the world that Christians do not practice what they preach, and people are driven farther away from the faith. Likewise, we damage our relationship with God when we hurt our neighbors. We read in 1 John 4:20-21:
“Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.”
Of course, no one can live life without hurting other people at times. We often may not even realize that we are hurting others. The point though, is to live life mindful of the fact that life is not all about us. It is about God, other people, and the ways in which we relate to them. When we realize that we are bound up in this powerful network of relationships and that, whether we want them to or not, our actions do affect other people, we may begin to live differently. When we begin to live intentionally as God would have us live, the world begins to look more like God would have it look – and the best part is that we have the Holy Spirit to help us live as we should.
Next month we’ll continue to look at How Should We Live? I pray that you may come to understand and believe more and more with each passing day, just how special and loved by God you are!
Peace be with you, Buster
MAY SPECIAL EVENTS
Birthday
05 Diane Langum
09 Wanda Graham
16 Kris Schertz
31 Mary Millar
Blue Mound United Methodist Church
Heritage Sunday – May 19
In 1897, a group of German residents met for Sunday School in the local schoolhouse and the following year added worship services under L. W. Felsing.
In 1900, 10 acres were purchased and the first church, call Zion Kirche, was erected, and completed November 17, 1901. The name was changed to Blue Mound in May of 1922.
In 1962, the old church was torn down and the new church erected. The consecration service was held October 28, 1962.
Everyone is Invited to Join Us at Blue Mound for our Worship Service to celebrate our long and strong Heritage. Sunday May 19 at 10:45 am.
April 12, 2024 Today’s Scripture
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. — 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV)
Today’s Devotional
I have always been fascinated by jigsaw puzzles. My kindergarten classroom was full of puzzles – wooden puzzles, floor puzzles, cereal box puzzles. It was great fun to watch the children as they turned pieces over and around, trying to find a fit. Often a child would try to pound a piece into place. That never worked because each piece has its own special place.
Isn’t that just like us as members of the Body of Christ? We all have our own special place. We cannot be ‘pounded’ into a place where we don’t fit, nor can we ‘pound’ someone else into a place where he or she doesn’t fit. Don’t you think God is pleased when he sees us carefully fitting the pieces into place?
In addition to finding our own place, perhaps one of our responsibilities to Christ is to help others find their places. I am reminded of a story of a pastor leading a group of children in a game of Giants, Wizards and Dwarfs, a large-scale version of Rock Paper Scissors. When the pastor yelled out, “Giants, Wizards or Dwarfs” and the groups wildly assembled, he felt a tug on his pant leg. A small child looked up at him and said, “Where do the mermaids stand?”
“Here’s a devotion I really like.” Submitted by Pastor Noah
MAY Calendar
05 Holy Communion
12 Mother’s Day
Second Sunday Lunch, Noon
19 Heritage Sunday
25 Family Fellowship Night, 6:00 pm Fun, Games, and Food.
26 Memorial Day Sunday
Fly Your American Flag Proudly
Join us on Memorial Day Sunday May 26 >> In Remembrance of
Those Military Men and Women Who Gave The Ultimate Sacrifice For Our Freedom.
BLUE MOUND UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
8421 N. Interstate 35, Denton, TX 76207-1537 (940) 382-0825
Midway between Denton and Sanger at Exit 473
Sunday School: 9:30 am, Sunday Worship: 10:45 am
Website: www.bluemoundumc.org
Linda Boyer, Newsletter Editor
Need to contact Pastor Buster Noah?
Email: pastor@bluemoundumc.org
