Sweetness

The story of Jonah from Corinth Baptist Church on Vimeo.

What Great Things

 Today we had a special church service.  After meeting for worship and the message we moved the service to the new church building (currently under construction).

The new building project started as a seed many years ago when the congregation decided the beautiful, longstanding church building we are currently in was unable to completely fill our needs: spatially awkward, inaccessible to our older church family members, hard to heat and cool, acoustically inadequate among other things.

God has brought this project to bloom this year.

Today we had our first service a the new building.  We had a time of prayer and then the church family could write verses on the wall studs.

It was a day to bless God for his blessings toward us.

Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your hearts; for consider what great things He has done for you. ~I Samuel 12:24

Especially precious to me was the children writing verses they had learned and memorized at Awana, Sunday School, or Vacation Bible School.

The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. ~Psalm 20:7-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. ~Ephesians 2:8-10

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interests of others. ~ Philippians 2:1-4

Rejoice

This is the day which the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

There is nothing much sweeter than this -- except maybe twenty kids belting out these words to the Lord!

Simple study

Awana started last night. I'm excited for this new year to begin.

The kids each have a book they work through with verses to memorized every week. I had planned on working through a book just like them. I found out there is a leader book that parallels the kids book and is a Bible study as well.

I started it on Tuesday and it's great! It will not only be a guide in my spiritual life but will also be a tool to help the clubbers to not only memorize but understand the verses they will be studying.

So I will be memorizing verses and doing a Bible study -- I love things that make my life simpler!

One day to go

Until the first night of Awana.

I'm excited.

We are having a carnival. I am running the plinko booth.

There will be popcorn!

And probably kool-aid . . .

Tired

Today has been a long but productive day. Tonight I went to church to help decorate for Vacation Bible School next week. The theme this year is Polar Extremes and the class I am helping with is all about the penguin. It is so cute!

I will be working some extra shifts this upcoming week to cover for a vacationing co-worker and also helping out with VBS.

So I will be having a few more long days . . .

Conviction

I really enjoy teaching Sunday School. I like to hear the thoughts and ideas that run through the brains of 4th through 6th graders. I like what they have to teach me -- the perspective they lend. I like the questions they ask -- questions I would never think of.

The curriculum I teach from is really fun. It puts the students in the role of detectives searching in the Word of God.

I read through yesterday's lesson before class and was ready with my visuals, worksheets, and Scripture markers. And thought it would be a great lesson for the kids: teaching from Proverbs 6:6-11.

The passage compares an ant and a sluggard.

An ant works consistently to gather and store food for the winter. While a sluggard uses excuses and procrastination (uh, here & here) to avoid work.

It is funny how something can have a completely different meaning when you speak it aloud.

I think I learned more yesterday than my students.

I'm so excited . . .

Tonight was the first night of Awana. We had a "Registration Fair" which is basically carnival games and parents filling out permission forms/paying for books, etc.

I am so glad that Awana is starting up again. I enjoy seeing these kids -- they amaze me. I learn so much from them; I can only hope they learn half as much from me.

I manned the clothes pin drop booth. I had 5 clothes pins that each player tried to drop two feet into a milk bottle. It was so cute seeing some of the littlest ones figuring out how to do it. Some of the kids were great at it!

Everyone got prizes of course. And treats -- koolaid, cupcakes, and cookies -- you can't go wrong with that!

Next week we will begin our regular schedule -- games, handbook time, and a lesson.

I'm so excited . . .

Picnic

Yesterday we had our church picnic a the park.

There was a lot of good food! And a lot of good fellowship!

Funny face there is my mom . . .

After the food . . . the games . . .

with the younger ones . . .

the older ones . . .



















and everyone in between . . .

:-)

So tired . . .

This has been a long week. And it's only Wednesday!

I have been working more hours at the library (yea!) and my church is running a VBS program in the evenings so I have been helping out there when I get off work.

Sometime this week -- in between the thundershowers -- I have to mow my lawn.

::sigh::

I can't wait till Sunday . . .

Odds and ends

Well, I'm caught up on my sleep, mostly. I think I am a little droopy today because of all the caffeine I had yesterday.

I'm excited because as soon as I finish here I'm going to mow my lawn. Granted this may be the only time I am excited to mow my lawn until next spring but . . . yea! I'm gonna mow my lawn.

Tonight is the last night of Awana so I will have to say goodbye to the kids in my group. Well, not really, as two of them are in my Sunday School class and I will probably see the other two next year even if they aren't in my group. But still, it won't be the same as seeing them every week and watching them grow in and study the Word of God.

Gotta go, mow!

Rejoice

Rejoice always. I Thessalonians 5:16

One of my favorite scripture passages to read and meditate on is Philippians.

The book of Philippians was written by the apostle Paul to the believers in Philippi (a city in Macedonia – now ?) around A.D. 60. During this time Paul was far away from his friends in Rome awaiting trial. He was under house arrest, kept imprisoned by military guards.

Knowing this, I find it amazing that Paul could speak of his joy or rejoicing at least 16 times throughout this letter.

It forces me to question how my heart would respond in a similar situation:

• Would I dwell on the joy in my life in the midst of frustration, disappointment, and unforeseeable trials?

• Or would I wallow in my own self pity?

• Would my focus be on Christ my Savior, my Friend?

• Or would I focus on myself?

• Would I “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I will say, rejoice!”? Philippians 4:4

Grand Prix (Part 2)

Here are some of the cars. I think this year the kids had some really great cars -- physically and aesthetically.


Going . . .

Going . . .Gone!

Let's go racing . . .

Last night was Grand Prix. I took lots of photos . . .

These are from before everyone arrived:

The track . . .


The trophies . . .


The racers waiting area . . .


Here is my contribution to the event:


I created the chart and kept track of the races, winners, losers, etc.

I will have some more photos from Grand Prix Monday.

The end is near

Tonight is Awana night. As I was sitting here thinking about this, I realized we only have about 7 nights left of Awana. That seems so short a time.

I will go fast too. One night is the Grand Prix Pinewood Derby -- so the kids will be racing the cars they have made during club. And the last night is Awards Night -- the kids will get their book and end of the year awards.

It seems like just last month we were starting club.

I am told -- by the wise women who go before me -- that as I get older time will seem to go faster and faster.

Every once in a while -- like today -- I think about when I was a kid and it seemed like the last day of school lasted for an eternity.

Or the days seemed to multiply just before my birthday, a holiday, or special occasion. I'm sure I said, ''but that's forever from now" more than once.

Wouldn't it be nice to feel that way every once in a while?

Bowlarama

On Sunday, our church had a bowling party for the Youth Group (7th - 12th grades) and the Adults. We had about 23 bowlers.

(I use the term bowlers very loosely here.) :-)

I think everyone had a lot of fun. I did anyway. We bowled three games. The first game was straight bowling. The second was nine-pin. This means if you get nine pins down on your first throw -- you get a strike.

I did better on the nine-pin than the straight bowling. I'm not sure if this was because I had practiced 10 frames prior to this game or if the nine-pin thing helped me.

The last game was the hardest. It was low-score. This means you want to get the least amount of pins down without getting a gutter ball. Gutters equal strikes and/or spares and strikes and spares equal strikes and spares. Needless to say, I bowled my highest score on the last game.

Despite the fact that I am a poor bowler I had a lot of fun. And it was inexpensive fun too!

Christmas Program

Last Sunday we were supposed to have our Christmas Program during the morning service and then during the evening service we were going to have a shortened program and the family Christmas celebration. However, because of the 8 inches of snow, we had one service on Christmas Eve.

I apologize in advance for the poor photo quality. I was nervous (in charge of the children's program) and it is really hard to take pictures in that lighting. heehee

Narrators and Choir

Children in the Nativity

Wednesday

I enjoy Wednesdays.

Not because it the middle of the week and the weekend is almost here.

But because Wednesday evening I get to spend with kids.

Not being a parent, Wednesday nights give me the opportunity and the responsibility to influence the lives of the next generation. I pray that I am able to productively use the gifts and the time that I have.

It is amazing how much kids grow and change in just three months. It is amazing to see the different ways that kids learn and respond to experiences. I have one girl who memorizes like a whiz but has to be in constant motion, one girl who is smart and can memorize but it comes a little harder and needs a little more encouragement, and a boy who loves constant attention.

All the kids seem to be more encouraging to those around them as the year goes on. During our game time there is less "smack talk" and more cheering and advice for teammates.

We have a couple more weeks before Christmas break. I am looking forward to them -- to seeing the spiritual growth.

Light bulb moments

Often, in my life, there are light bulb moments. A moment in time where many little tidbits of knowledge meld into a revelation. Usually, this revelation precipitates a change: spiritually, emotionally, etc.

Yesterday we had a guest preacher for the morning service as our pastor was visiting family. He said something that struck me,

"It is easy to say that we [as Christians] love everybody, but do we love the people that are around us?"

By around us, he was referring to our neighbors, acquaintances, people we come into contact everyday -- on the street, at work, at play.

He was teaching from Philemon -- a letter from Paul to the owner of the slave Onesimus. Onesimus had left his master and met up with Paul, where he became a believer. Paul told Onesimus he needed to return to his master and make amends but he sent Philemon a letter saying,

"For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord." (Philemon 15-16)

Basically, Onesimus is coming back to you -- you are getting more than you had. Now you are getting a brother in Christ -- a beloved brother in Christ.

Other passages on love:

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. (Levitcus 19:18)

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:44-45)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.(John 13:34)

Kids . . . gotta love 'em!

What is it about kids? They seem to exude enthusiasm. It just flows out their pores. Do you even remember a time when you exuded enthusiasm? It seems eons ago for me. I could play nonstop for days running, jumping, etc. Now I seem to have to get myself a pep talk just to create a tenth of the enthusiasm I saw tonight.

Rare is the time that I interact with kids and don't smile. Smiling seems to pump up my enthusiasm factor (I wonder if that can be scientifically proven -- the ratio between smiling and enthusiasm -- hunh, anyway).

Tonight we had almost 50 kids (and some parents) between the ages of 5 and 12 at a church fair. It was kick off night for Awana. Wow, was it fun! I got to greet the smiling faces of many of the kids I got to know last year and meet some new ones. Plus I got to eat one of my favorite foods -- ice cream.

The event was to get the kids (and parents) excited for a new year -- I think I am more excited now than I was just three hours ago!

Hmm . . . this excitement may wane as the year goes on but I think there could be something to this theory of smiling creating enthusiasm -- I will have to work on it!