Author: John Thomas Frazier

My Faith Pondering

Readings for Ascension Day

AM Psalm 8, 47; PM Psalm 24, 96 Ezek. 1:1-14,24-28b; Heb. 2:5-18; Matt. 28:16-20

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.” (Matthew 28:16-17)

Having been to Galilee and visited several hills there I have a real appreciation for how beautiful that Holy Land is.  Galilee, in many ways, is like our churches. We gather to worship Jesus believing that he is with us again, even to the end of the age.  But also it must be recognized that some of us there still doubt.  And even some of us so called true believers doubt some times.  But still, Jesus is with us anyway, whether we trust it or not.  I like that part.  This day we remember Jesus’ final departure, his Ascension, forty days after the Resurrection. His Presence is still felt in our communities, in our churches, in our homes and in our hearts.  One day, we too will ascend and be with him as he is. Thank You Jesus. 

My Fitness Pondering

Continuing to be “a work in progress”, I now have my morning exercises separated into seven different exercises.  Hopefully not boring you, I do pushups, pull ups, sit ups, dips, vertical leg lifts, toe-touches, and squats.  I separated bends and squats into two different exercises.  The toe touches are a deliberate effort to attain the lock-kneed toe touch; not there yet though.  The squats are just good in themselves because the large thigh muscles generate good blood flow.  So I now have what I am calling my “Daily Seven.”  So it’s the “Daily Seven Seven Days” a week.

My Music Pondering

I’m still playing three hymns everyday: “Lead Me, Guide Me”; “Praise to the Lord”; and “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”. I love the music and the words of each.  At least family and friends reading this blog or just knowing me, will know what I want played at my funeral. Most people know I like these hymns because I can be heard singing them from time to time. I can still remember my mother singing “When I Rose Up This Morning.”  Now that is a real “Resurrection” hymn I think; so appropriate at a funeral.   How about you? Have you gotten with your pastor and discussed what you would like played at your funeral? As a pastor I can tell you it really makes a difference when preparing a funeral.   Remember, we never know when. So right now, while you have some control, is a good time to make an appointment.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

My Faith Pondering

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Week 6 of Easter – Year 1

AM Psalm 119:97-120 Baruch 3:24-37; James 5:13-18; Luke 12:22-31

“Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5: 13 – 14)

Truthfully, I like all of James’s letter.  Today’s reading of James is timely for me as it falls on a Wednesday, our healing day at St. Paul’s.   While I’m not using the Daily Office for today it still resonates within my mind as I conduct the anointing of oil and the prayers.  I also like the instruction to pray when suffering and to sing songs of praise when cheerful.  I asked people, clergy and lay, if they could point out someone in the Bible to me that they saw as cheerful.  Most of scripture is dreadful, at least to me.  Yes, I know Jesus reclined at table on many occasions. But most of the biblical persons are prophets who warn of the “wrath to come” or of the impending dread about to fall on us.

Joseph, son of Jacob/Israel and Rachel, was a cheerful person. Of course it almost got him killed by his brothers, whose ancestors will represent the twelve tribes of Israel.  Joseph wound up being the salvation of his brothers (Gen. 30 – 50) by making a space for them in Egypt. Joseph appears to be an optimist and a cheerful person who brought good news to the people of his day including the advice to store up provisions for the future.  In the end, he received his father and brothers with loving arms and tears.  Yes, he was a trickster too, but he was a joyful person. 

My Fitness Pondering

This morning was one of those “make myself do it” mornings.  Now that it’s done I am pretty proud of myself.  I meet people all the time who say they admire and respect the way I get up and work out but will not respect themselves the same way.  I have found that when we have an appointment with a doctor or job interview, or just a lunch date, we will keep it.  We need to put ourselves on our own calendar to exercise and keep this all important appointment. When you do it and keep the appointment to exercise you too will be pretty proud of yourself.

My Music Pondering

Sometimes it is boring playing the piano.  But it is during these times that I must press on to play anyway.  When I make myself play, it winds up being a good practice. It just takes perseverance. I find that when my mind says that’s enough, my fingers learn new stuff.  I think I am developing a type of muscle memory in my fingers as they relate to the keyboard. Go Me!

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

My Faith Pondering

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Week 6 of Easter Year 1

AM Psalm 78:1-39; PM Psalm 78:40-72 Deut. 8:11-20; James 1:16-27; Luke 11:1-13

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27)

I like this definition of what pure religion is.  Many people today claim not to be religious but rather they say they are spiritual.  Most of these people are trying to distance themselves from “organized religion.” James does not let them off the hook.  Also, I am reminded that Jesus in his invitations on the beach did not say go and be spiritual. He said “follow me.”  Therefore we are “organized” after all. James further organizes us to take care of the orphans and widows, the voiceless ones and all people in need of help.  I don’t believe Christianity is meant for everybody to be Christian.  But if you feel that you are called to help the needy without insisting that the people you help also become followers of Jesus, ironically, then Christianity is probably right for you. We assist, we shouldn’t enlist. Oh, they can join us through baptism but they should understand what they are getting into. In this way we stay unstained by the world, a world that says success is measured in the number of followers you have.

My Fitness Pondering

I’m still maturing in my due diligence to do “all” my exercises in the morning.  I am faithful with pushups, but sometimes negligent with what follows.  I am writing this journal entry as a confessional so that hopefully it will prompt me into being more diligent.  I am due to retire next year.  It is my plan to continue pondering about faith, fitness and music as a career practice for as long as I am able. Today however, I am happy to report that I did all of my exercises: I did pushups, pull ups, sit ups, dips, vertical leg lifts, and bend and squats. Confession is good for the soul, at least as for my exercises are concerned. How about you?  Are you sticking with it?

My Music Pondering

I saw an article on TV where Steinway Pianos were made in Queens, New York by mostly immigrant workers, a tradition that has been maintained for more the 150 years. All of the Grand pianos were hand crafted. The reporter doing the story was a pianist himself.  He was afforded the opportunity to play one for a moment.  Even through the television I could sense his joy as he listened to the sound the piano made. I thought of how nice it would be to hit the lottery and buy one; maybe in my dreams perhaps.  I would love to play one though.  I have faith.  Maybe in my travels, at an airport or a hotel lobby or even while visiting a church there will be a Steinway just sitting there.  Halleluiah!

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

My Faith Pondering

Readings for Bertha and Ethelbert, Queen and King of Kent 616 May 27

Psalm 144:9-15 Wisdom 9:7-121 Timothy 4:6-10Luke 10:21-24

“You have chosen me to be king of your people and to be judge over your sons and daughters.” (Wisdom 9:7)

Today we remember Bertha and Ethelbert, queen and king of Kent, England 616.  Ethelbert married Bertha, who was French, with the understanding that she could continue her Christian faith. Ethelbert himself became a Christian later.

Though [Ethelbert] helped the missionaries and founded cathedrals and churches throughout southeastern England, including Canterbury Cathedral, he never coerced his people, or even his children, into conversion. Bertha’s kind and charitable nature and Ethelbert’s respect for law and the dignity of individual conscience represent, to this day, some of the best of the English Christian spirit.” (Great Cloud of Witnesses May 27)

Sometimes we have to push away from historical text in order to get a clearer picture of what God is doing in our world.  I believe we can see God’s movement at work developing the church more and more in incremental steps.  God works through Ethelbert and Bertha slowly evolving the church into the Anglican Communion of which our Episcopal Church is still a part of.  We must remember however we are a Church for the benefit of the world, not to convert the world to us.  We are to serve others, not convert others. I like Ethelbert’s policy of not mandating Christianity.

My Fitness Pondering

I was reminded yesterday that fitness is so much more than just exercise.  Fitness also has much to do with what we put into our bodies. Fresh fruits, vegetables and water are important.  As the summer creeps in, water is very important.  I forgot that and I was feeling bad. But I am blessed to have a friend who reminded me to drink water. Wonderful!  I did and I felt better. Thanks friend.

My Music Pondering

I can be found writing in my journal at the dining room table a lot.  I am aware of the TV on in the family room.  I am amazed at how much music influences our attitude as we view what we are watching.  There is certain music for horror, certain music for adventure and so on. There is also music for just riding in our cars. It is a passive experience.  I like being a part of what I hear. I like having something to do with what I hear by actually making some of the music myself – even if its just my voice. I especially like hearing someone who claims she can’t sing actually sound pretty good as she makes her own music. Voice is an amazing instrument.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

My Faith Pondering

Eucharistic Readings for May 26, 2019 Week 6 of Easter Year C

Acts 16:9-15Psalm 67 Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 John 14:23-29 or John 5:1-9

“Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23) 

So much of our Christian teaching has to do with us going to God.  But here Jesus says that He and the Father will come and make their home with us! It might be time for some spring cleaning! What will it look like for God in the person of Christ Jesus to come and live in you? Will people see that God is acting out in you? When this happens, how can we get out of the way so that God can do God’s work?

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”  (John 14:27)

Jesus gives us a peace which surpasses all understanding.  We have a peace which will assist us in resolving our problems – if we would but give it a chance. When Jesus, with the Creator comes to live with us and gives us this divine peace, how do we live into it?  Blaise Pascal Quotes. “The heart has its reasons which reason knows not.” Also Pascal says, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

How about sitting quietly in a room with the Holy Spirit of Jesus, with the Peace that Jesus leaves with us?  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”

My Fitness Pondering

Morning exercise is so wonderful!  The mornings are quiet. Exercise starts the blood to moving. And, while it is good for the whole body, it is especially good for the brain.  It is with such an awakened mind that I review my journal just prior to posting it to my blog site.  When I think of newborn babies I recall that they first express their aliveness in movement. This is the way we are made.  We move and then we reason, think, we pray and ponder. But it starts with the One in Whom we live and “move” and have our being. This is God Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega.

My Music Pondering

Every day I play the piano. The time spent playing is not always the same. Some days are shorter, some days longer.  I don’t know if I am improving.  But I like hearing the music that I make. And here is the best part; it is me that is doing it!  I did not give up on me. I am reminded that we don’t quit playing because we grow old; we grow old because we quit playing.  That is just as true in music as it is in sports and exercise. We must keep on keeping on. Thank You Jesus.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

My Faith Pondering

Readings for Bede the Venerable – Priest, Monk, Scholar (25 May 735)

Psalm 19:7–14Wisdom 7:15-22Matthew 13:47-52

“For both we and our words are in his hand, as are all understanding and skill in crafts.”  (Wisdom 7: 16)

The Writer of Wisdom has divine insight in terms of what God is giving us in our words and understanding.  This is especially true as it pertains to Bede (beed).

“At the age of seven, Bede’s parents brought him to the nearby monastery at Jarrow (near Durham in northeast England) for his education. There, as he later wrote, “spending all the remaining time of my life . . . I wholly applied myself to the study of Scripture, and amidst the observance of regular discipline, and the daily care of singing in the church, I always took delight in learning, teaching, and writing.” (From The Great Cloud of Witnesses May 25)  Also, “He (Bede) consulted many documents, carefully evaluated their reliability, and cited his sources. His interpretations were balanced and judicious.”  (From The Great Cloud of Witnesses May 25)

We are thankful to Bede for giving us the History of the English Church, from which our Episcopal Church has its Apostolic succession.  Shouldn’t we all, as Christians, write about our growth in Christ?  Ponder on this please. Learning, teaching and writing is also what I am trying to discipline myself to do.  That is, to commit myself to life-long learning in faith, fitness and music.

My Fitness Pondering

I’m still stretching more and more.  In my pondering I have come to the conclusion that flexibility is most important to me from the waist down.  Perhaps strength (particularly upper body strength) is more import from the waist up.  So I am trying for flexibility in my waist, lower back, and knees.  I am going for greater strength in my chest, back and arms.  We’ll see how it goes. Still can’t lock my knees and touch my toes although one respondent reported back to me that she could not only touch her toes but place her hands on the floor while keeping her knees locked. I’m jealous.

My Music Pondering

I am keeping much of what I play to memory.  I had to read the music to learn it but I am keeping it through memory. I wonder if other musicians do the same.  I find that it is nice to sit at a random piano and just play without having to have sheet music to do so. I don’t know. I’m a work in progress. “We and our words are in his hand, as are all understanding and skill in crafts.” (Wisdom 7:16)

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

My Faith Pondering

Daily Office Readings for Friday of 5 Easter

AM Psalm 106:1-18; PM Psalm 106:19-48Wisdom 16:15-17:1; Rom. 14:13-23; Luke 8:40-56

“And so they exchanged their Glory for the image of an ox that feeds on grass.”  (Psalm 106:20)

Psalm 106 recounts our early history with God as reflected in Hebrew history.  All Christians share this rich history.  It is ours too.  Verse 20 sums up the heart of the problem. We take our special favor with God for granted.  We wind up in a place where we will not trust what we cannot see and then make something we can control to satisfy our thirst for being in charge.  Today we use money, political power, corporate power, race, sexism, and various other conjured up ox-images as replacements for God. We need to accept the Glory God has bestowed on us, every one of us, and be thankful and respectful for that glory in each other.  Thank You Jesus.

Fitness Pondering

I found the below article on the world-wide web.  Thought I would share it with you. I liked doing pushups even before I saw this article.

“The study tested the stamina of middle-aged male firefighters. It found that those who could do more than 40 pushups in a row had a 96 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with heart disease or experiencing other heart problems over a 10-year period, as compared with those men who could do fewer than 10 pushups.”  (Live Science By Rachael Rettner, Senior Writer)

 I like my morning pushups. You can join me.  Just get up where ever you are at 5 am and just start right beside your bed.  I’ll take pleasure in knowing you are with me in this heart health work.

My Music Pondering

I know that I have played the same tune in many different ways all depending on how I was feeling. It is like becoming one with the instrument and allowing it to be an extension of me. I switch often between the genres I like, country, folk, spiritual and blues.  It’s all mood music to me. Sometimes, I must admit, when I want to be in a certain mood, I use music to make it happen. Is that cheating? I also like to hear the Spirit through the music.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

My Faith Pondering

Readings for Nicolaus Copernicus, 1543, and Johannes Kepler, 1630 Astronomers: May 23

Psalm 8 Genesis 1:14-19 1 Corinthians 2:6-12 Matthew 2:1-11a

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,   What is man that you should be mindful of him? The son of man that you should seek him out?” (Psalm 8: 4&5)

“His [Copernicus] argument that the sun, rather than the earth, was the center of the universe around which the planets rotated was developed fully in his 1543 opus De Revolutionibus Orbium Caelestium.  Furthermore, “Copernicus had originally dedicated his work to the Pope, and he saw no conflict between his theory and the authority of Scripture.”   “Johannes Kepler was first educated at Tübingen, where he received instruction in Copernican theory. His first major work on Copernican astronomy was the Mysterium Cosmographicum, in which he believed he had demonstrated God’s geometric plan for the universe. Kepler saw in the relation between the sun and the rotating planets the image of God himself, and like Copernicus, he saw no conflict between his astronomical views and the account of God in the Scriptures.”  (from Holy Women: Holy Men)

I love the work of these two men.  At a point in my life I took philosophy and chemistry with a lab at the same time while serving in the Marines. I don’t recommend this to anyone.  While taking these two courses I came face to face with a decision.  Which came first, the elements on the elemental chart or thought itself?  Did thought and reason and creativity come as a result of the combination of different chemistries?  Or, did thought, reason and creativity cause matter to come into being? I sided with the latter.  And therefore I reasoned that God, the origin of all thought, reason and creativity, is the Creator of all matter, the macro (the universe) and the micro (the atomic.) The Creator can be found in the creation, the rotational, and the anthropomorphic Jesus.

My Fitness Pondering

I am actively stretching in my yoga to try to touch my toes without bending my knees.  I have never been able to do it. But that does not mean I never will. How about you? What do you want to be able to do? I will definitely blog about it when I accomplish the lock-kneed toe-touch.

My Music Pondering

We sang “Let us Break Bread Together” last night at our Healing service.  We had lots of great voices. Good singing makes a big difference in the spirituality of the service. We hear the Spirit.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

My Faith Pondering

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday: Week 5 of Easter: Year 1

AM Psalm 72; PM Psalm 119:73-96Wisdom 13:1-9; Rom 13:1-14; Luke 8:16-25

“But he said them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’” (Luke 8: 21)

While I love the family of my birth and the family I have given birth to, or raised, I am finding that often the individual members of my biology are not found in my inner most circle of faith and hope. I still love them but our values are often conflicted. Jesus explains that his real family members are the ones that believe in the way that he does.  He does not disown or in any way reject his mother and siblings however he is moving on for the benefit of others.

I know many people who, like me, are more comfortable with people they share church or club or profession or social settings with, than their blood family.  If we forsake family we make a big mistake.  We must keep them in our communications network and in our prayers and hearts.  Who is to say?  Perhaps members of our blood family will find their way into our inner circle, or we in theirs.  Jesus’ Mother was there with him at the cross.

My Fitness Pondering

Numbers become a big part of my fitness progress report.  I want to keep my weight, blood pressure, and the time it takes me to run four miles down, to a certain point. I want to keep increasing the number of pushups, sit ups and pull ups I do, to a certain point. So there are numbers I’m trying to get down while there are other numbers  I’m trying to increase.  Numbers are good in that they measure your improvement in an empirical way. Numbers are not subjective, but rather, objective.  Numbers tell the truth.  It is what it is, no gray area.

My Music Pondering

I just keep on singing.  I sing country, folk, some blues, and a whole lot of hymns. I think the first two songs I ever learned were “Jesus Loves Me” and Sixteen Tons, the latter by Tennessee Ernie Ford.  I was even able to use Sixteen Tons as a cadence chant while taking Marines on a run when I was stationed in Yuma, Az.  I think I have always had a song in my heart and on my tongue.  I never had any encouragement for music when I was young.  So now I encourage myself. It’s never too late to discover what you like and pursue it.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

My Faith Pondering

Readings for Tuesday of Week 5 of Easter: Year 1

AM Psalm 61, 62; PM Psalm 68:1-20(21-23)24-36 Wisdom 10:1-4(5-12)13-21; Rom. 12:1-21; Luke 8:1-15

“Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.” (Romans 12: 16)

I like this advice from Paul.  Rodney King was and African man who was beat up by the officers of the Los Angeles Police after a high speed chase in 1991.  Right or wrong, King did have a good quote; “Why can’t we all just get alone.”  I still remember that.  It is a good question.  Paul says “live in harmony.”  I see it as the same thing.  Both men ask us to be friendly with one another.

Paul also asks us to not be haughty and to mingle with the so-called lowly.  Who are the lowly?  No one is lowly by choice.  In my pondering I think being haughty is the first step in seeing another as lowly. And the last part of verse 16 of Romans 12 is for me not to not claim to be wiser than I am.  I have learned to say “I don’t know.”  Sometimes it frustrates people because they think that I should know the solution to their inquiry.   But oh what a relief it is to just admit I don’t know.

My Fitness Pondering

Pushups and yoga and some other assorted exercises really gets me going in the morning.  After a brief raising of the heart-rate I chew the journal cud for the second time before posting it to the blog.  Physical exercise first thing in the morning fits very well with my daily routine.  It wakes me up and energizes me.  It also just feels good.  I stretch and become aware of all the joints in my body as I hear my bones saying good morning to each other. There is a lot of “snap – crackle – pop going on. But it feels good.

My Music Pondering

Musically, I’m in a fixed pattern of playing my favorite hymns every day.  I pray singing “Lead Me; Guide Me.”  I then move to “Praise to the Lord.”  I love the “Ponder anew” part in the third verse.  And I have brought in “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”  They are easier to sing than to play but it gives me great satisfaction when it is me making the music and it sounds right.  “Go Me.” I think playing musical instruments makes us more godly.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) the people of the Creating Word, and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.