Marilyn's Musings
February 3, 2026
I am sitting here thinking about the opening hymn we sang on Sunday morning. “How Great Thou Art”. As I was singing it, I was thinking about the beautiful views we saw at Glacier National Park a few years ago. We were on top of the mountain and looking at the glaciers and it was indescribably beautiful. But…isn’t a baby’s laugh just as wonderful? Or the quiet after a snowfall when everything is clean, and white and peaceful? How do we describe how great our God is? I talked often in my musings when I first started writing them about how much I love nature. My husband and I used to go on long walks, some may have been called hikes, and I just loved being in nature. The 2nd verse that says “When through the woods and forest glades I wander and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees, when I look down from lofty mountains grandeur and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze”. I feel a closeness with God that I can’t describe. I encourage you to check out a few local walks through parks this spring when it is warmer and you can hear the birds sing. You will find that peace I am trying to describe.
I know talking about talking a walk you may be thinking “Marilyn…look at the temperature and the snow”. I always look out my window when I am thinking about my musing. We have a long time before we can go for a comfortable walk outside. We are having a “real winter” after years of not having to start the snowblower but once or twice. It’s the beginning of February which is usually the cold and snowy month and look what January was like. Who knows what February will be like?
After listening to the sermon on Sunday, I know something interesting to do – Pastor Debbie suggested that we put our names in the bible verses in John 4: 1-42. (Thank you, Scott, for reading that long passage so well, you made it come alive). The story is about Jesus meeting the woman at well, she had no name, and was called “the woman at the well”. I just started reading the verses while I am talking to you about doing it. Starting with verse 7 I inserted my name “When Marilyn came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”. Marilyn said to him, you are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” As we go further in the verses, Jesus answered Marilyn and said if you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water”. The story goes on as Scott had read it and Pastor told us about it. Another verse I like is 4:39 where it says “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of Marilyn’s testimony.” Putting my name in that verse makes it come alive!!! Can you imagine having a conversation with Jesus when he asks for a drink? And then running to tell the other people in town about him and having them believe in Him because you told them. There is a lot more to this story but I am just thinking about meeting Jesus and giving him a drink of water and how he knew who I was and all about me and loved me no matter what.
As we start the month of February with winter continuing to give us winter like weather, we will have time at home to read more of the bible or go online and find some inspirational verses. We have Valentines Day coming in another week. I always talk about how much God loves us. In 1 John 4:7 it is said “Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” I got a little book for Christmas from my sister that is titled “Mornings with God”. It has prayers and devotions for women, but I think men could pick it up too. I got that verse from reading a quick chapter titled “Love is Of God”. It talks about how we can show God’s love to others. I will be talking more about love next week but in the meantime lets sing “Lord, I want to Be a Christian”. Enjoy singing it. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xeyHNo4tABA&si=NXBin10U2YPVV6TC
