Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Sunday thoughts that linger

Sunday, Bill Fuller shared at Zion. He has a passion for drawing people to Jesus and seeing them become followers. One of the ministries he's implemented at his church is the Red Bag Ministry. Several of us at Zion were in training on Sat. to understand how the ministry works and is carried out. Baisically, every Sunday now, there will be an invitation given at the end of the service for anyone who wants to begin a journey of following Jesus Christ to come up after the meeting and pick up a red bag. A trainee will ask anyone who takes a bag whether they can unpack the bag with them. Inside the bag are tools to help share the story of God's salvation love work through Jesus, a Bible to get them started on their journey and information of how to connect with the community at Zion.
Bill's sermon shared many inspiring stories of lives changed. He also shared a media clip of John Ortberg sharing on the status of many Christians in America. There's a progression path to Jesus of starting as strangers, then moving to admirers and then followers. Many though, after becoming admirers, end up being users. They use Jesus as a entrance requirement into heaven and then live as they please, with a flair for looking like a submitted Christian. There is a big difference between admirers and followers.
God is doing a good work of messing with our hearts and setting us up to fish for people.

Lord, for me it starts with asking you again, for a heart that sees people as you do, to have your love and passion for those who do not yet know the joy I share with you. My heart is yours. Lead me and I will follow.

A wonderful man!

What a guy I'm married to! I came home from work yesterday and he was preparing to mow the lawn, which is more like a lush green carpet, due to his TLC. I prepared to wash dishes from the night before. He advised me to wait until later when he could help me. I didn't want him to have to do that so I proceeded to start the task, talking about the events of my day. Rather than interrupt me to go outside he picked up a towel, listened and wiped dishes! (he did get the lawn mowed eventually)
Later that night he retired to bed before I did, and when I got there he had propped up the pillows in my favorite way so I could do a little reading before turning out the light.
And that's just one little segment of a day in the life of being married to Kevin.

Thank you, Father, for a Godly man who is truly a gift from you.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

I came home from work one day and discovered that we had had visitors while we were away. Written to Amanda in an email.

Gma and the Three Bums

So I was returning home from work yesterday and perfected my close
-shave- pull-up-alongside- the- mailbox-routine to collect the mail and
paper before heading into the garage. The mailbox was
uncharacteristically empty, and I suspected someone had been there ahead
of me. Since there weren't any vehicles in the drive I thought it might
have been the daughter who works in town, but I didn't notice any
telling evidence after a quick overview of the kitchen and DR. I looked
for a stack of mail, then noticed an Ibuprofen bottle on the counter,
but still wasn't sure if that had been left there from earlier in the
morning or from the night before. I stepped into the DR. A Ha!
Someone had been playing on my floor and left a black beanie baby bear
lying there, and as I turned towards the counter I saw another beanie
baby bear reclining in the corner under the desk. I was at the counter
now. A Ha! Someone had been using my pen and paper and left two
notes! I explained the situation to Papa when he came in. He opened
the closet to throw away some trash. A Ha! Someone had left a Little
Caesar's box in the garbage! Much later that evening I went upstairs to
settle Shayla down for the night. A Ha! Someone had turned down the
covers and moved the pillows on the bed! From the notes, I deducted
that someones had been in my house and it was you and that little
precocious 2-year-old-grandson of ours who can-already-write-sentences
and the big Bum (just a play on your last name, no negative connotations
intended). :)