So, we had an “Annular Eclipse” last week…and we here on the High Plains were on the edge of the projected path. An annual eclipse is a celestial event in which the moon passes between the sun and Earth and blocks all or part of the sun. The effect can last up to about three hours from beginning to end, though for this eclipse, the longest period the moon completely blocked the sun from any given location along the path was about two minutes and 40 seconds. During a solar eclipse, what causes the darkness is that we are in the shadow of the moon.

Many ancient cultures attributed solar eclipses to either the moon or the sun being eaten by animals or demons. In Chinese folklore, an eclipse is caused by a black dog or dragon eating the sun, while in Vietnam a giant frog does the solar devouring. The Chocktaw tribe of North America attributed the phenomena to a black squirrel biting the sun, while Hindu mythology claims the sun is eaten by the demon Rahu. In almost every culture that holds this “sun-eating” belief, the solution is to make a loud noise—a method that has proven to be 100 percent effective in getting the sun to return. (Isn’t that Googling-Machine thing fun!! YES, I stole that info from the internet…NO, I do not keep all of this data crammed in my brain. I have other useless trivia crammed in my brain, but I digress…)

So, being “The Dad”, I traipsed my kids out Saturday morning on the front walkway to witness this phenomenon that will not occur here again until August 2024! We gathered up the paper-with-the-pinhole viewers as well as the Spaghetti colander from the kitchen to see this epic event…and stood there. They put on their house shoes and stumbled out the door, mumbling under their breath something akin to, “My Dad is the greatest for enabling this experience for me as a humble teenager!!” At least that’s what I CHOSE to hear. It actually sounded a little more like, “You made me stop my game to come out here and looked at a hole in a piece of paper??” For about 10 minutes. Staring at the ground. Suffice it to say, the Thomas Clan was not impressed.

As they shuffled their way back into the house and made their return to their devices, I was a little bummed. “I think that’s pretty cool! A solar eclipse! Right here in Portales!!” That was my thoughts… and a little self-pity on my parenting skills that make me less Clark Griswold and more Cousin Eddie!

As I sat there in my chair with these thoughts, though, I was struck with another thought: I wonder if God feels this way when I am non-chalant about HIS gifts to me?? Do I look casually at the sunsets here in Eastern New Mexico and forget how Awesome He is? How often have I complained at those same kids of mine to clean their room…and forget that I prayed to have those kids for years? Do I let my first world problems fill my mind and my mouth…and overlook the FREEDOM we have to live here and the staggering amount of BLESSINGS our God has bestowed upon us??

“The heavens DECLARE…the sky PROCLAIMS…” Yet Don often whines. I dusted off my bruised ego and went back to God in prayer. “I’m sorry…when I’ve come with my agenda. I’m sorry…when I forgot that You’re Enough!”– The lyrics to a song our team does called Nothing Else. May we be REMINDED this week that we need NOTHING ELSE but Jesus! May we be re-affirmed that He has our EVERY NEED supplied. And may our eyes be opened and struck with AWE at the power and majesty of our Creator God!

Thank you Jehovah God, for bringing amazing things to our world. May our WONDER at You and Your Creation grow only greater as we grow closer to being the Church and the People You created us to be!
In Jesus Name, Amen

Shalom Alachiem – Peace Upon Your Household                 
Don

THANK YOU to everyone who came out to the Fall Festival and shared in all the fun, food and fellowship!  We had a nice turnout and amazing weather!  
Thank you to all who helped make this event happen, especially Jerry and Karla Partin for being such wonderful hosts to our church family!

The Pastoral Board will meet
at 6:30 pm, Monday, Oct 23.

Information packets will be available for pick up,  this weekend.

Operation Christmas boxes
Hey Central Fam…Believe it or not it’s time to mark your calendars for our Annual Operation Christmas Shoebox Event!

We will be taking donations now through Nov 5th, which is when we will have our packing party with our Youth!  It’s a wonderful opportunity to help our kiddos be the hands and feet of Jesus!  If you have any questions or would like to help, please contact Jennifer.

Prayer is applied theology.

I love quotes.  I love the efficiency of the sentence… carefully crafted so it sits with you.  Excellent quotes make you think.  Some of them even become soundtracks for our day.  “Be ready when you get there.  Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.  The way you do anything is the way you do everything.”  All great soundtracks, but they don’t compare to prayer.

Prayer changes my attitude.  Prayer softens my heart.  Prayer helps me realize that it’s not up to me.  I’m more than what I do, and God calls me to trust Him in the here and now.

What word would you use to describe God?  There are many, but the one you choose provides insight on how you see our Heavenly Father.

Prayer is applied theology and theology is the study of the nature of God.  I take those things I’ve learned – from scripture, from teaching, from study – and I apply them as I pray.  Faithfulness, hope, consistency, kindness, justice, understanding – He is all those things to me.  Every time I pray, I know I’m not speaking into an empty void.  He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:4).

The daily refresh on YouVersion has a guided prayer component.  There’s a focus verse, an invitation to prayer, and specific prayer requests that you enter.  Every day, it randomly selects from your prayer requests and invites you to pray for that specific thing.

The thing I love about this feature is the “post an update” button.  I started charting prayer for my kids in April of 2021.  I see updates from then until now.  I see the rawness in my notes.  I see the progression of my heart as my prayer changes from “bless them with ______” to “my prayer today is that my kids pursue Jesus.”  I still believe the Lord hears me.  I know the Lord is still writing their stories.  I also know their “best yes” is a life filled with Holy Spirit and the Lord guiding their steps.

I heard someone once say, “Well, all we can do now is pray.”  If prayer is applied theology, it should be our first choice and not our last resort.  Start a daily habit of prayer.  Put down your device and lift your heart to the Lord.  Speak honestly and openly… He knows everything anyway, but one thing I am sure of… He wants to hear from me.  He wants to hear from you too.

Soli Deo Gloria!
F –
 

We continue to stand with Israel.  Please pray for peace, security, courage, and strength.

 ¹I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2