Summer Book Club, Anyone?

Hello and happy Thursday!

I've never been part of a book club before.  However, I'd planned to read Grace for the Good Girl this Summer.   I've also been following the author's blog since I discovered it a few weeks ago.   When she mentioned the possibility of a book club during the Summer, I was immediately interested.

The club runs eight weeks - starting next week - and every Thursday she'll host a discussion on her blog.

Sounds cool (to me)!

I'm really looking forward to learning more about God's grace this Summer.   Well, not just learning.  Exploring.   Experiencing.   Being transformed.  And I'd dearly love have to company.

If you're interested, you can find more information on the author's site.   Even if "joining" the club isn't your thing, I'd encourage you to consider getting the book, and/or popping in on her blog from time.   You just might be blessed.

That's it for today.

See you around!

Tidbits

While I was making dinner, this song came on...and I was reminded again how much I have to be thankful for.

And since I'm on the subject of listening and good reminders - a friend shared this sermon series with me.   I've only listened to two so far, and they've hit the nail on the head.  (Or hit me right where I needed it.)  It's definitely worth checking out if you want to be encouraged and are willing to experience some conviction.

One more thing the Lord encouraged me with today: "...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..." (Philippians 1:6)   We're each a work in progress, and it's wonderful to know He isn't finished with us yet.

West Africa: Tentative Plans

[This post originally appeared on my NTM blog.]

Bit by bit.  It seems that’s the way God usually unfolds His plans for me.  No five-year road maps, just one step at a time.  Sometimes it sounds like it would be nice to know the whole plan…

But here are the plans so far: Lord willing, I’ll be leaving next September (2013) for West Africa.  First, I will spend 1 1/2 – 2 years in Senegal studying French and learning West African culture before beginning a ministry.  (Although ministry in its truest sense should begin “the minute I step out of the plane”, as one of my teachers used to say.)

What ministry?  I don’t know yet.

Which West African country will I serve in?  I don’t know that yet, either.

How’s that for vague?!  I do know that God will be as faithful to lead me in the future as He has in the past, and I’m excited to share that with you – even if it’s just a little bit at a time.

Sunday School Snapshots

"Please take a picture with my paper airplane," he asked me.



The classroom was practically an airport, we had so many paper airplanes flying around in there.  :)



"I can see flavors!"

"What?   You can see flavors?"

"Yes, if you look very carefully, do you see them?   See them??"

I had to admit that, no, I didn't see any flavors... I hope she wasn't too disappointed with her teacher.



She made sure to point out her missing tooth - and another one that was loose.



"Please, Auntie Rachel, can I be your helper?  I'm a very good helper!   Please?"















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One of the boys prayed: "Dear God, thank You for another week of Sunday School, and please help us to keep our eyes on the teacher [we're always reminding them to look at the teacher when she's talking], and not spit anywhere, and not be naughty..."

LOL!

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Before the story, I'd gone over each of the props.  When it was over, I gave them a little review.   Globe in hand, I asked the kids, "So, what does this remind us about God?   Where is He?"

In a little voice, one of them answered, "In this room."

Not the answer I was expecting...but so very right.

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"Teacher!!   He was about to beat me!"  This from a little boy whose neighbor wasn't keeping his hands to himself.  So dramatic.

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"Dear God, thank You for this snack...and help our bones to grow strong..."

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During the craft, two of the kids were rehearsing what happened after the story I'd told them.  (We stopped with the creation of Adam and Eve.)

"That wasn't the end of the story," one of them declared.   "God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit on the tree, and they did it anyway, and..."

"It was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil," the other added.

"Oh, yes, thank you!   I forgot about that part."

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Happy Monday!

Two songs I can't stop listening to:

Every Breath

Come, People of the Risen King

A bit of this and a bit of that

:)

(Or insert current lesson God is teaching you.)



Props for tomorrow's Sunday School lesson.   A bag (side note: that was my mystery project), a heart, a globe, a dumbbell, and rubber bands?

Themes I'm planning to emphasize:

~ God is love

~ God is eternal - no beginning or end

~ God is powerful

~ God is everywhere

~ God is our Creator-Owner

Match the props to the themes.  ;)

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Such colorful "greens"!



Out in the front

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When taking a walk...



...it's a good thing to stop and smell the roses.  Or at least pause to admire them if you're afraid some bee might come out to sting your nose.

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One word is stuck in my mind from this morning's study on grace: immense.

Immense.

I like that word a lot.

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Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Quotable

"Hope believes that things can change....that they will change and that if they don't change that I will be changed because of it."

GIGO

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
- 2 Corinthians 9:8

Part of the reason God showers His grace down on us is so that we'll have an abundance to shower on others.

GIGO.   Grace in, grace out.  :)

Simply Thankful

Today I'm thankful for...

answered prayer

good music

all the fresh produce available

a job at a Summer camp (which will start in less than three weeks!)

the fact that I get to teach Sunday School this week

clean laundry

fun sewing projects

a nice, unhurried time of fellowship at church last night

God's endless grace

For the benefit of one person...

Hi, Mom!  :)

(Since you were disappointed by the fact that I hadn't posted since Friday.)

Basking in the grace

I randomly pulled a book (Grace for the Good Girl) off my shelf, where it has been patiently waiting for me to finish my current series.

After flipping through a couple chapters, my eyes fell on these two sentences: "If I am trying to please God, it is difficult to trust God.  But when I trust God, pleasing Him is automatic."

It was one of those dramatic light-bulb moments.  Suddenly I understood why trusting God (quickly, completely, joyfully) has been such a struggle all these years.  Because I was focused on pleasing Him. I had the cart before the horse.

I decided to visit the author's blog, and boy am I glad I did!   God knew there were some things I needed to be reminded of again.

She writes about not letting productivity become an idol and not confusing the urgent and the important.   About the mosaic that grace creates in our lives.   About getting "carried away by grace".   About the fear that it will be abused.

I sat there tearing up because...because... God's grace is such a breath of fresh air.  After all these years, I'm just learning how to accept God's grace.   Many times I don't even quite know what to do with it - or I should say, how to respond to it.   So free! so abundant! so...extravagant.

What can I say but, Thank You, Lord for loving me so much.

Of Books, Bears, and Sewing Projects

I've come to the conclusion that books are very interesting.  In a really good story, you almost feel like the characters become your friends.  But unlike real-life friends, friends from books are not affected by time.  You pick up a book after many years, and what do you know?  Peter is still 19, he's still in Austria, he's still working in his father's carpenter shop (a là Evangelists in Chains).  You pick up a book that you set down to go stir the beans or pull the rolls out of the oven, and what do you know?  Father Tim didn't run away; he's still working on his nativity scene like he was when you left him (a là Shepherds Abiding).

With books, you can put time on pause.  Or fast forward.  Or rewind.  You can replay it again and again.  Rather incredible...

That is my philosophizing for today.

Oh, and go read a book.

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The bear family: Zoe, Tay (the newest addition), Wil, Fee, and Uta.  All so very cute.  And so very tiny.

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Hurray!  The top is finally finished!!

I'm really, really pleased with the way it turned out.  The borders helped to pull it together really well, I think.  It wasn't the original combination I'd planned on, but this looks sooo much better.  It was worth running to Jo-ann's for the umpteenth time.



Up next: a mystery project.

...And by "mystery", I mean I know what it is, I just can't tell you yet.

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Happy Thursday, all!

The good vs. the best

"...it is precisely because the Internet can be so useful, so beneficial, so enjoyable, that it can also be so dangerous.  For it is often the good things that distract us from the best things.  And never before have so many good things been so easy to access, just a click away." - girltalk blog

(To read the whole article, go here.)

From "Wait" to "Yes": A new answer to an old prayer

[This post originally appeared on my NTM blog.]

After more than a year of praying and looking for a job, God answered with a “Yes!”  I’m planning to spend two months this Summer working at a nearby Christian camp.

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What I’ll be doing: most of my shifts will be spent in the kitchen – washing dishes, preparing veggies, refilling coffee stations, waiting on tables, etc. – but occasionally I might be helping out with housekeeping/cleaning

How long I’ll be there: early June – early August

What I’m looking forward to most: making new friends, working on a team, and learning more tips on cooking/serving for large groups

What I’m apprehensive about: sharing a room (I’ve had my own for almost as long as I can remember), dealing with allergies while I’m working, and the possibility of encountering snakes

Essential camp skill I don’t have: swimming (perhaps now would be the time to learn?)

Emergency plan for dealing with big, hairy spiders: spray, squash, wipe up (repeat as needed)

What I hope I have time for: writing letters, reading a book or two, taking walks, and blogging

Why I considered being involved in Camp Ministry for the Summer: Gaining both work AND ministry experience at the same time was quite appealing to me.  Applying to a Christian camp was an idea that the Lord laid on my heart after I’d prayed that He would help me think outside the box when it came to job hunting.  It wasn’t the kind of job I would have imagined getting, but I’m really excited to see what the Lord has in store through it!

How I see this preparing me for my future ministry: It will give me opportunities to depend on the Lord – and see Him at work – in new ways.  It will give me more experience being part of a team and help me learn to appreciate (and work with) the differences God has given each of us.  Also, because my job is more “behind-the-scenes” instead of directly with the campers, I’ll need to be intentional about building relationships with them.  I have a feeling discipleship is another area the Lord will be teaching me in, as I watch the staff and learn how they balance work/ministry, family, etc.  And who knows who God will put in my path to encourage and help along the way?

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So there you have it!

While reading Romans 5 this morning, I was compelled to note how frequently the words free and abundant (or variations) were used in reference to God's grace.

Simply Thankful

Today I'm thankful for...

a car to run errands

a washer and dryer that work

buttered toast, fresh fruit, and coffee

email

a garden

God's love which is just as fresh and new as the dawn of another day



What are YOU thankful for today?

In Review

Did a whole week just go by?!



Menu planning



When I get bored (which isn't often), I do strange things.  Like arranging chocolate and cappuccino chips to spell my initials.



It's California.  Even our cheesecakes have fault lines.

HA, HA, HA!

(Beck tells me that's very lame, but oh well...)





The bear family with their friend, the little ladybug



This week I was thankful (again) that we have so. many. resources for studying God's Word.

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It was Brian's (Sarah's fiance) birthday this week.  And he got two parties...













They finish their EMT classes next month.  Hopefully that bag will come in handy someday soon.



"Now if we can just figure out how to get this thing set up..."

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Saturday's party was a team effort.





Abigail and I went to put the chicken on the grill, and our efforts were met with enthusiastic flames licking at the foil.  Rather intense!  Don't worry, it calmed down after a couple minutes.  Daniel was kind enough to take over.



Curry, curry, curry!







Love those smiles!  Love those kids, too.  A whole lot.





Technology is so fascinating...















"Tissue paper?  Just what I've always wanted!"





Family, friends, food, and lots of laughter.

A good time was had by all.

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Mother's Day tribute...

I could say so many things about my mom, but here's just one I'm thankful for today:

Her generosity.  She is quick to give.  She gives without thinking of the cost to herself, and she gives cheerfully.  Exactly how the Bible says we're supposed to give.

I'm so thankful God gave me the mother He did.

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Hello to another week.  Are you ready?