We had a great thanksgiving this year. A group of about 30 of us got together at the church building for a pot-luck dinner. Several families came that didn't have any extended family in town, or that just wanted to get together for the fellowship. Everybody brought lots of food. We had so much more than we could possibly eat!
After dinner, we watched a cute movie; Madagasgar, and then played some games. We played Guesstures, which was very interesting! Kind of like Sherades. If you want to really get to know the people you attend church with, get together for the small groups: the care groups, over-40 brunch, or any other small group activities your church offers. It's a great way to get to really know somebody. It's kind of hard on Sunday and Wednesday because there is just too much going on.
My mom is 81 years old. It's kind of strange how our roles have reversed. I think it really hit me the other day when I was making a chocolate cake. My mom was over. After mixing up the cake, I gave the mixer to my mom to lick clean! I remember she used to do that for me when she was making a birthday cake for us. I'm taking her to the doctor now, or to the optomotrist, or to the dentist. I just hope I can be as patient and loving as she was to me when I needed her for all these things!
We truly do have so much to be thankful for.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
A Good Point
I was especially moved by something one of the elders said at church Sunday morning. Right before we took the communion he talked about how Veterans Day had just come and gone. He said that to many people it has become just another holiday; a day of not having to go to work and of being able to sleep in. To some people, it's not a day to remember and thank all the veterans who either gave their lives or who served in the military to help make this country what it is today.
He compared that to our taking the Lord's Supper and attending church on Sunday. Again, some people view Sunday as a day for sleeping in and not having to go to work. It's so much more than that. Jesus lay down his life for us. He shed His blood, and His body was broken because we needed a way to have our sins forgiven. Through Jesus' death, He provided a bridge between us and the Father. There are so many people who have heard about this wonderful gift, yet who don't care. So when we partake of that unleavened bread and that grape juice, we do it while remembering the great sacrifice Jesus made for every one of us.
And on Sunday night, our youth minister spoke. He really got down to the core of our purpose, our reason for identifying ourselves as Christians. We can know every doctrine in the Bible, but if we don't know HIM, then we have lost the whole purpose. We must have a relationship with the one who loved us enough to die for us. We draw nearer to Him; we come to know Him personally through our prayers; that's just talking to God. And through studying His word, the Bible. Because everything we need to ever know about how to get to heaven in right there in that book.
Once we have studied the Bible, we have to remember to DO the things that God says he wants us to do. We can't be "hearers only". And we become the kind of person God wants us to be in that way.
He compared that to our taking the Lord's Supper and attending church on Sunday. Again, some people view Sunday as a day for sleeping in and not having to go to work. It's so much more than that. Jesus lay down his life for us. He shed His blood, and His body was broken because we needed a way to have our sins forgiven. Through Jesus' death, He provided a bridge between us and the Father. There are so many people who have heard about this wonderful gift, yet who don't care. So when we partake of that unleavened bread and that grape juice, we do it while remembering the great sacrifice Jesus made for every one of us.
And on Sunday night, our youth minister spoke. He really got down to the core of our purpose, our reason for identifying ourselves as Christians. We can know every doctrine in the Bible, but if we don't know HIM, then we have lost the whole purpose. We must have a relationship with the one who loved us enough to die for us. We draw nearer to Him; we come to know Him personally through our prayers; that's just talking to God. And through studying His word, the Bible. Because everything we need to ever know about how to get to heaven in right there in that book.
Once we have studied the Bible, we have to remember to DO the things that God says he wants us to do. We can't be "hearers only". And we become the kind of person God wants us to be in that way.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Thank You Veterans!
Today is Veterans Day. I would like to say a big thank you to all the men, young and old, who have served in our armed forces. Both of my brothers served in the Army. My oldest brother was sent to Vietnam on 3 different occasions. He was one of the fortunate ones who did not end up giving his life for his country. He came back to us. I remember my mother and I saying many prayers for his safe return. I was a teenager in the late 60's and early 70's. I wrote to my brother while he was in Vietnam and while he was in Korea. I looked forward to getting a letter back from him. I sure wish I still had those letters today!
Because of the Vietnam war, and the fact that my brother was over there, my mother voted for the FIRST AND ONLY TIME for a republican; Mr. Richard Nixon. That's because he promised to end the war and bring "those boys" back home. That's what happened too. Today my mother is as angry with Mr. Bush as she was with Mr. Johnson because she compares this war in Iraq with the war we fought in Vietnam. Her grandson (my nephew) is a Marine and has already been sent to Iraq once. Once again we find ourselves praying for a member of our family to be safely returned to us.
Our prayer is that this war will be over soon, and all our young men in the military can safely return home. We owe all the freedoms we enjoy in this country to those who are willing to risk it all for their country. Again, we thank you!
Because of the Vietnam war, and the fact that my brother was over there, my mother voted for the FIRST AND ONLY TIME for a republican; Mr. Richard Nixon. That's because he promised to end the war and bring "those boys" back home. That's what happened too. Today my mother is as angry with Mr. Bush as she was with Mr. Johnson because she compares this war in Iraq with the war we fought in Vietnam. Her grandson (my nephew) is a Marine and has already been sent to Iraq once. Once again we find ourselves praying for a member of our family to be safely returned to us.
Our prayer is that this war will be over soon, and all our young men in the military can safely return home. We owe all the freedoms we enjoy in this country to those who are willing to risk it all for their country. Again, we thank you!
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
My Dilemma
We've probably all read the verse, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 2:35).
A lady from church asked me to do her a favor. She is a border-line diabetic and needs to check her blood sugar but she didn't know how to do the accuchecks. She didn't want to go back and tell her doctor she didn't understand how to do it. So she asked me if I would show her how. She was very apologetic about asking me, saying she knew how "busy" I was and she hated to "bother" me. I assured her that I would be more than happy to show her how it worked.
The next evening I stopped by her home. We sat down at the dining room table and I showed her and her husband how to do the accuchecks. They seemed to understand with no problem when shown how, but trying to read through 100 pages of instructions had been too confusing! I said I understood completely because I, too, am a visual person and find things much easier to understand if someone can just show me how something works rather than just telling me.
After spending a little time with them, I felt sure they understood how it all worked. As I was getting ready to leave, she offered me an envelope to thank me for all the "trouble" I had gone through. She was very adamant that I take the envelope. She kept saying "Oh please, I wish you would!" as she kept pushing the envelope towards me. I was just as determined that I did NOT want to take that envelope. I didn't want her to PAY me for what I did. My reward was in knowing that what was such a little thing to me, meant a lot to her! It made me feel good to be able to help her.
Today I received a Thank You card in the mail with $25 in it! I don't want to insult her by giving the money back to her, but I don't feel right keeping it either. Should I now thank her for the money? I just wish that people would learn to accept an act of kindness from others. If someone does something nice for you, learn to say "thank you" and remember, they more than likely have received all the reward they need.
A lady from church asked me to do her a favor. She is a border-line diabetic and needs to check her blood sugar but she didn't know how to do the accuchecks. She didn't want to go back and tell her doctor she didn't understand how to do it. So she asked me if I would show her how. She was very apologetic about asking me, saying she knew how "busy" I was and she hated to "bother" me. I assured her that I would be more than happy to show her how it worked.
The next evening I stopped by her home. We sat down at the dining room table and I showed her and her husband how to do the accuchecks. They seemed to understand with no problem when shown how, but trying to read through 100 pages of instructions had been too confusing! I said I understood completely because I, too, am a visual person and find things much easier to understand if someone can just show me how something works rather than just telling me.
After spending a little time with them, I felt sure they understood how it all worked. As I was getting ready to leave, she offered me an envelope to thank me for all the "trouble" I had gone through. She was very adamant that I take the envelope. She kept saying "Oh please, I wish you would!" as she kept pushing the envelope towards me. I was just as determined that I did NOT want to take that envelope. I didn't want her to PAY me for what I did. My reward was in knowing that what was such a little thing to me, meant a lot to her! It made me feel good to be able to help her.
Today I received a Thank You card in the mail with $25 in it! I don't want to insult her by giving the money back to her, but I don't feel right keeping it either. Should I now thank her for the money? I just wish that people would learn to accept an act of kindness from others. If someone does something nice for you, learn to say "thank you" and remember, they more than likely have received all the reward they need.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Inner City
Tonight we had Inner City. We get the 3 to 5 year olds on our bus and at our learning center. I'm glad, because they are at an age where they are still so sweet and cuddly. As a rule they are just so excited about going to the center and learning about Jesus. It's such a good feeling to see these little ones and hearing them sing "This Little Christian Light Of Mine" or "Jesus Loves Me". We've had fewer church members participate in the program lately though. I guess it's because we've been doing it for so many years and some people have kind of gotten burned out. The only problem is, we don't seem to have the new ones willing to replace the ones that need to take a break.
Sometimes that's the problem with teaching Bible classes too. If you are willing to teach, you may very well find yourself teaching indefinately! Because it's hard indeed to get someone to replace you for a quarter or so. It would be pretty nice for the Bible teachers to be able to attend some classes themselves sometimes! I think it's good for the kids too. Probably keeps them from getting bored with having the some old teacher until they are old enough to move up. Since we are a rather small congregation (140 or thereabouts) we don't have so many children anymore either. Seems in general the population of our congregation is getting older. Sometimes I wonder what will happen in the next 20 years or so. Will we still be there?
Sometimes that's the problem with teaching Bible classes too. If you are willing to teach, you may very well find yourself teaching indefinately! Because it's hard indeed to get someone to replace you for a quarter or so. It would be pretty nice for the Bible teachers to be able to attend some classes themselves sometimes! I think it's good for the kids too. Probably keeps them from getting bored with having the some old teacher until they are old enough to move up. Since we are a rather small congregation (140 or thereabouts) we don't have so many children anymore either. Seems in general the population of our congregation is getting older. Sometimes I wonder what will happen in the next 20 years or so. Will we still be there?
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