Wonderful Worship

Worship was great this morning. While our minister was away, our youth minister brought us the lesson. It truly was a pleasure to hear Jimmy and the message that he wanted to share. It was also good to see more technology components in worship. I loved the way that he used recordings of the youth group. His lesson was entitled, LORD OF THE SABBATH. Jimmy motivated each of us to answer a couple important questions for ourselves: “Do we have the authority to change some things?” He went on to ask, “Are the needs of people more important than our traditions?” He wrapped up the whole lesson by saying that we need to make sure that we do everything in love. I felt encouraged and challenged at the same time. I didn’t have any trouble staying focused in worship today! It was great.

We were also blessed today to have Eric lead worship. He did a great job too! No one would ever say that it is easy to stand before 400 people and lead songs that you didn’t even choose, but Eric made it look easy. The song service was uplifting and encouraging. It was also nice to have a full praise team in spite of the fact that so many regulars are out of town.

It is always great to see new people in leadership roles, and I was very uplifted by today’s service. I heard many others say that they enjoyed it too, as they were also challenged to think differently and encouraged to think more like Christ.

What are your thoughts? Do you think that we have the authority to change some things? Do you believe that the needs of people should come before our traditions?

Horrible

In a St. Louis County courtroom, Darren Lindley was sentenced on Friday to 3 consecutive life sentences after he plead guilty to kidnapping, rape, and sodomy of a 2 year old girl. Yes, you read that correctly…a grown man raped and sodomized a 2 year old girl. WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?

I don’t understand why anyone would purposely hurt someone else in any way. But this case is just over the top. Horrible doesn’t even begin to explain it. This 43-year-old man was charged with rape, sodomy, first-degree assault, child molestation, and tampering with evidence. He admitted that he did it, and he is in jail for the rest of his life. He will not be eligible for parole for 75 years. (For those of you aren’t great in math, that would make him 118 years-old.)

I suppose that this is another example of how we aren’t safe in the world that we live in. Furthermore, it is a clear example of how Satan still controls this world. It scares and saddens me to think about how much evil surrounds us.

Please take a minute today to pray for the little girl who was abused and for her family. This must be a terribly difficult time for them. Please pray specifically for physical and emotional healing. Also, please pray for Mr. Lindley. Please pray that he will take responsibility for his actions and that he will repent. Please pray that both families will find forgiveness and healing through a strong relationship with our Lord.

What's Your Passion?

We all have at least one thing in our lives that winds us up and keeps us going. We all have things that we love to do, or be a part of. Often we refer to this love as our “passion.” Webster defines passion as an “intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.”

While I have many things that I am passionate about, my passion for music is among those right at the top. I bet you all thought that blogging was my first love! Surprise- as much as I love writing and sharing my opinions, music is my true passion! First and foremost I love to perform and sing, but I also love to play and write.

Music has been my passion for as long as I can remember. Even as a child, I remember escaping into different genres of music, and loving all of it. I am not proud to tell you that I used to love Shawn Cassidy, Leif Garrett, and Boy George as much as I loved classic artists and composers, but I did. The incredible variety of music that I was exposed to helped to feed my passion. As an adult, my passion is mainly fed through worship and worship planning, and the occasional performance. Shawn Cassidy just doesn’t meet the need anymore! I thoroughly enjoy planning the musical part of worship, and working on special pieces. Music is a huge part of who I am.

What is your passion? What feeds it? (Let’s assume that everyone would put God, family and friends first…So tell us something that your passionate about that we don’t already know!)

This is Steve!

This is Steve. Many of you who read my blog regularly know him already. Three of you who read my blog know him VERY well since he is your husband or dad! The rest of us know him as a friend, an elder, an INCREDIBLE musician, a mentor, a leader, and a gentle spirited servant of God.

Over the last few years, Steve and I have gotten to know each other pretty well, and I have had the opportunity to work with him on a couple of pretty big projects. We've also been in a few meetings together (which have not been nearly as much fun as the projects!) He is wonderful to work with. He is patient, kind, humble and appreciative. He is a great example, and has taught me a lot about how to live. I suppose the most important thing I have learned from Steve is that there are some things worth worrying about, and there are some things that aren’t, and most fall into the latter category.

I am thankful that God blessed my family by allowing us to get to know Steve and his family. Thanks Steve, you are a good friend, and a great blessing! Thanks Ann for sharing your husband with us, and thanks to Jenny, Becky, and Stevie too for sharing your dad!

Not my problem...or is it?

I received this from a friend today, and I thought it was a great way to illustrate a great point. Thanks Nancy for sharing!

A MOUSE STORY. ..

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me...I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral; the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember --when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

Answered Prayer- Part II

WOW! Let’s get a few things straight!

I am not pregnant.
We are not moving back to the south.
I am not completely physically healed YET!
We have not adopted a baby.
I have not accepted a new job!

Alright now that I have cleared all of that up, let me say thank you for all of your concern about my recent blog called “Answered Prayer.” (And boy, there have been a lot of comments and questions!)

EVERYTHING that God gives us is amazing. EVERY answered prayer is important, and big, and something we should be grateful for. Count your blessings, and remember, every blessing is a gift from God no matter how big or small it is. It may be that you have received a promotion, you might be having a baby, maybe you have experienced healing in your wounded heart, or it may be as simple as God helped you to arrive safely to work. Every good thing comes from God!

Happy Valentine's Day Sweetie!

A Whole New World

I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride
A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you
Now I'm in a whole new world with you
Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky
A whole new world
Don't you dare close your eyes
A hundred thousand things to see
Hold your breath - it gets better
I'm like a shooting star
I've come so far
I can't go back to where
I used to be
A whole new world
Every turn a surprise
With new horizons to pursue
Every moment red-letter
I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you
A whole new world
That's where we'll be
A thrilling chase
A wondrous place
For you and me

I love you Jason... and our WHOLE NEW WORLD!

Answered Prayer

I have been praying for about a year and a half for a very specific change. Today, I learned that things are happening that are necessary for the change to happen. God is answering my prayer, and I just wanted to share it with the whole blogging world! Praise God for the patience that He has granted me as I have continued to pray, and for His willingness to hear and answer my request. At this point, I can't share what the answered pray is, but trust me...It is a good one!

Praise be to God!

Safety

This morning in Bible Class, one of our shepherds said, “The womb is a very safe place, but it only allows you to grow to be about 8 or 9 pounds.” I sort of giggled to myself when he said it; it sounded very funny to me. But, all through church his statement just kept going through my head. Then, all through lunch the thought kept running through my head. Finally, I reached the conclusion that I had to write about it!

I believe that the womb is the safest place any of us have ever been. Until this morning, I had never given any thought to how safe we once were inside of our mothers, and upon our arrival into this world, we all of a sudden became very “unsafe.” I had also never given any thought to the idea that while we are safe in the womb, we were also extremely limited in our growth.

We are not safe. That is just the nature of the world that we live in. Unfortunately, this is a fallen and sick world. Satan prowls this earth like a hungry lion, and no one, especially the Christian is safe. But, at the same time we can rest assured that no one is as protected as the Christian. Do we believe that? Do we trust God? Do we believe in His plan and ability to keep us “safe” no matter what the situation is?

We all have a choice to make. We can choose to trust God and allow Him to work in our lives and help us to grow, or we can choose not to trust God and be confined to the box that we have placed ourselves in by not allowing Him to work in our lives. Being a Christian means taking risks and doing things we don’t understand. It means being placed on the anvil and allowing God to mold and shape us. We don’t have to like it or understand it, but we do have to do what God asks us to do. It may be painful and it may not seem to make any sense, but we always must remember that as Christians, we are working on God’s timetable and on His plan for us.

God provides us with opportunities for growth, and he keeps us safe through the process. He did it for David, Peter, Daniel, Moses, and so many others; and He does it for us.

Why do you think we have such a hard time trusting Him?

Thanks Alan, for reminding me to trust in Him, no matter what the situation!

It is over!

The stage is bare, the lights are dimmed, and the show is over! The McKnight Road Variety Show was awesome. The stars of the show were, Becky (she is awesome), Jenny (she is awesome too), their dad, STEVE THE AMAZING MUSICIAN, Willie Nelson, Elvis, Alex, and my sweet Bekah. They were great. In fact, everyone in the show was really good.

I am thankful to be part of such a wonderful church family that does such cool things together. Right now, I am exhausted, so that is all I am going to share tonight…maybe more tomorrow.

Blessings to all….Good night!

The Greatest Show on Earth

After several hours of preparation and rehearsal last night, the stage is set, the lights are hung, and the instruments and amps are in place. The back drop is hung and the table decorations are complete. The “talent” is prepared (well, at least for the most part), and the star of the show and master musician, Steve H. is excited and ready for the show to begin.

Tonight is the 22nd annual variety show at McKnight Road. Special appearances are expected by Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, the Dixie Hicks and Chicks, and a very wild and crazy group of girls. The show includes musical numbers from the Broadway shows Les Miserable, A Chorus Line and Wicked. We will be entertained by vocalists, instrumentalists, magicians, comedy acts, clown acts, and perhaps even a dance routine. I believe our youngest participant is 3 and the oldest is well over 70….maybe even 80.

I have only been part of planning and participating in this show for a few years, but it has become one of my favorite church family events. It is a great time of sharing talent (or variety in some cases), spending time with friends, and reaching out to the community.

If you miss this show, you will be missing a great (and probably long) evening. It may not prove to be the greatest show on earth, but it will absolutely be a fun night!

More Prayer Please

Please continue to pray for for Susan and her husband Glenn, and for Richard and his wife, Barb.

Susan remains in critical condition, and the doctors are having a hard time controlling her pain.

Richard has been scheduled for extensive surgery on Tuesday, and is continuing radiation treatments.

Please feel free to post messages and prayers here if you'd like, and I will pass them along.

The Other Side of the Coin

Yesterday I talked about musicians that are timeless. I commented that these individuals had talent that was head and shoulders above the rest. Today, I’d like to talk about the other side of the coin. Here is a list of musicians who I think didn’t quite measure up to the rest.

Brittney Spears
Debbie Gibson (aka Debra Gibson)
Tiffany
Men at Work
Kelly Osburne
The Village People
Devo
NSYNC
Vanilla Ice
LaToya Jackson

Who makes you want to change the radio dial?

2006 Grammy Awards

Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, and U2 were big winners last night at the Grammy Awards. Keith Urban looked great…no make that incredible!

Every year, the Grammy Awards make me think about some of the best musicians of all time. Some people immediately come to mind as having talent that stands out head and shoulders above the rest. Here are my picks for musicians who are timeless. (I will limit my list to 10…although I could probably come up with 50.)

Elvis
Beatles (mainly Paul McCartney)
Bon Jovi
Eric Clapton
Michael Jackson (in spite of the fact that he is a “bit” weird)
Ray Charles
Aerosmith
Madonna
Mariah Carey
Elton John

Who do you think of as timeless musicians?

Brighten Someone's Day!

Today, I’d like to challenge each of you to make a difference in someone’s life. It isn’t hard, it doesn’t take much time, and it doesn’t cost much (if any) money! Just imagine how much better the world would be if we all went out of our way to try to brighten someone else’s day. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Pray for someone, and then call and tell them you prayed for them.
2. Tell someone that you appreciate not only what he or she does, but also who he or she is.
3. Take a friend to lunch.
4. Say “thank you.”
5. Point out the positive in a situation where the negative seems so obvious.
6. Hug someone that needs to be hugged.
7. Send someone an e-card.
8. Visit someone who is in the hospital or confined to home.
9. Tell someone you work with that you think that they do a good job.
10. Let someone go ahead of you in traffic or the grocery store line even if you got there first.

There are countless ways that we can brighten someone else’s day! Take the time to make a difference!

To everyone reading this...

Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, please stop and say a prayer for my friend Susan and her husband Glenn. Also, please pray for my friend Richard and his wife Barb. God knows what they need. Thank you.

Protein

Alright…I know that I have doctors, nurses and at least one dietician who read my blog regularly. Additionally, I know that I have at least a half a dozen or so readers who are very into healthy eating. Finally, I know that I have many mothers who read this blog, and I need your help!

My recent blood tests show that my protein and iron are both very, very low. The good news is that now I know why I am so tired all of the time. The bad news is that I hate meat, eggs, fish, cheese, peanut butter, and most other high protein foods that I know of. I like nuts okay, I guess…but do you know how much fat can be found in nuts? I have a few friends (and family members) who tell me to “Suck it up and just eat the meat and be done with it” but I am hoping that someone out there has a better suggestion for me?

So, can anyone tell me how to elevate my protein levels without having to eat a slab of beef coated with cheese?

Switching Gears...

Several of you have contacted me privately about the recent discussion about women and the church. Thank you all for your comments and encouragement. I would like to encourage each of you to continue your study as I will continue mine. I am still looking for an elder or deacon who is willing to help me figure it all out.

On a much lighter note, I am taking a poll. Here is the question:

What was your favorite commercial during the Super Bowl?

Calling Elders and Deacons

One of my friends that reads my blog has suggested that I need to take my questions about communion and the women's role to the elders and deacons of the church for further study, if I am truly searching. Well, I am truly searching. Can an elder or deacon shed some light on this for me (either here or in a more private setting) please?

Not Gonna Blog Today

I am not going to blog anything new today. I am still hoping that people are reading and chewing on my last couple of posts and the comments; I know that I am. I really am hoping to learn from our dialogue about women and communion. Please keep the comments coming.

More Questions About Commnunion

Thanks to all who posted on my previous post about communion. In recent days I have been trying to study on this issue. As a result, I have come up with several questions, and I figure that this is as good of an avenue as any to try to get my questions answered.

1. How (and why) have we selected the pulpit area (a non-biblical term) as the domain of men only and the pew (another non-biblical term) for women?

2. What Scriptural basis do we have that proves that a woman serving communion is somehow exercising dominion over a man or usurping their “authority?”

3. Do servants (in any capacity) somehow create dominion over those that they serve?

4. As one of my anonymous guests pointed out, what difference is there in serving the communion trays from a standing position, and serving the communion tray in a seated position to the person next to us?

I have multiple questions about this issue, but for today, I will leave you with just these 4. I appreciate your insight, and your willingness to share your knowledge as I continue to study this issue. Blessings to all!

What do you think?

Is it wrong for a woman to serve communion?

Worship Songs

I read a lot of blogs; too many in fact. But that's not what my post is about today. I was recently on a blog site that asked it's readers for an opinion, and I would like to see what your opinion is. So, here we go:

"I want worship to be directed to God and to express the thoughts of the whole community of faith. BUT, if I got to pick my favorite three worship songs to sing this Sunday morning, they would be . . . ."

Finish the sentence. I'll give you mine later.

The State of the Union

If you know me at all, you know that I am not very into the whole political scene. But, like many of you, I did take 51 minutes of my time last night to watch the State of the Union Address. I was impressed with a few things that President Bush said:

"The United States of America will continue to lead."
"We will act boldly in freedom's cause."
"We love our freedom and we will keep it."
"We will never surrender to evil."
"We are winning."
"Hindsight is not wisdom and second guessing is not a strategy."
"We will not sit back and be attacked."
"Make the tax cuts permanent."
"We must confront the high cost of healthcare."
"I ask the congress to pass medical liability reform this year."
"We must continue to lead the world in human talent and creativity."

All of these statements are great in my opinion, but the greatest thing that our President said was this: "Our greatness is not measured in power or luxuries, but by who we are and how we treat one another. So we strive to be a compassionate, decent, hopeful society."

What more can you say after that? It is a Biblical concept, and our President just challenged all of America to do it! Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, I think that we can all agree that his challenge to all of us is a good one. If we all strive to understand this concept, and live by it, our country, and our world will be a much better place.

The Anxious Christian

Last Sunday two of our shepherds presented a lesson to the congregation. The title of the sermon was, “The Anxious Christian.” I’ll admit, I didn’t know quite what to expect, as one of the shepherds is a licensed therapist, and the other is an attorney. I wasn’t sure if we were about to hear a factual account of why we shouldn’t be anxious, or if we were about to take part in group therapy! Thankfully, it was a combination of both.

Over the course of the past few days, I have had several conversations about the lesson with friends and family members. Most agree that one particular visual sticks out from the lesson. It was suggested that we envision ourselves at the edge of a canyon, holding a box containing whatever it is that we are anxious about. Then we were encouraged to take that box, lift it over our heads and heave it into the canyon. This illustration was used to show how we should give our worries to God. Obviously this is a Biblical principle. “Cast all of your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7)

It sounds so simple, but I find it to be very difficult. I can only imagine that I am not alone in my personal struggle with turning my worries, issues, and anxiety upon God. I fully believe that God can take it all from me, and yet, somehow, I insist on holding on. Why?

This is going to kind of be a gross illustration, so if you don’t want to be grossed out, stop reading here. Okay, you have been warned…

From time to time, we all get the flu. It’s not fun, but it just part of life. We get sick. Many of us try very hard to stay away from illness. We exercise, eat right, take our vitamins, and get plenty of sleep. But, we still get sick in spite of all of the things that we do to keep from it. When a virus, (or other illness) gets a hold of us, our body rejects it because it knows that it is harmful. We usually start vomiting (among other things), until there is nothing left. Our bodies “HEAVE” whatever the problem is, because as long as it stays inside of us, it continues to do us harm. We may ultimately require medication to completely rid ourselves of whatever the ailment is, but we usually get better.

Anxiety and worry are spiritual illnesses. Even though many of us pray, study, and worship regularly, we still get sick. In the same way that we allow our bodies to fight the flu by “heaving,” we need to be willing to let God fight our spiritual illnesses by heaving our sickness onto Him. He is the great healer. He can take it all, and He wants to, but we have to willing to give it to Him. If we are willing to do that, we will get over it. If we aren’t it will eat away at us like a cancer.

So, how does one go about casting their anxieties upon God? I have already said that I find it to be very difficult. In fact, it is a HUGE struggle for me. But, I think there are a few things that we can do to help to make it easier.

1. Admit to ourselves and at least one other person that we can’t do it alone! No matter how together we think we are, and no matter how much control we think we have over ourselves, we all need God.
2. Admit to God that we need Him, and ask Him to take it.
3. Trust that God will take it!
4. Open your eyes to how God might be taking it from you. Sometimes He is working in ways that we refuse to see for some reason!
5. Repeat as necessary.
6. Repeat again.
7. Repeat again.


I am not a Bible scholar, nor am I good at following the instructions given above. But, I do know that they work! I think that the key is that as long as we feel “sick” we need to do whatever we can to “heave” it all, and give our sickness to the only One who can do anything about it.

I am thankful for Sunday’s lesson. It provoked a lot of thoughts and feelings for me. I was also thankful for the reminder of I Peter 5:7.

Thanks

Whoever left the gift for me at work, thank you. I know that it is someone who reads my blog because of what the gift was! I love it! THANK YOU! You are too kind!

I am an addict

Hi, my name is Conni, and I am addict. You know, admitting that we have a problem is the first step. That is what I'd like to do today. I am here to admit that I have a problem...I am addicted to Ms. Pac-Man. It is sad, but true.

Since about 4th grade, I have loved this game! I can remember going to pizza places and begging my mom for more quarters so I could play "just one more time!" My mother was a great enabler to my addiction, keeping my pockets full. I heard her tell my grandmother once, "Yes, she plays Ms. Pac-Man a lot, but she will grow out of it." Well mom, I hate to disappoint you, but I am 35, and I have still not outgrown my love for this game. Inky, Blinky and Pinky and I are still good friends after all of these years.

I thought that I had licked this addiction, until this Christmas. Do you know what Santa brought me? MS. PAC-MAN! This is the coolest thing I have ever seen. It is a joy stick that you plug directly into your TV, and MS. PAC-MAN appears in her original form! It is so exciting! I can play it for hours! Who needs X-Box, when Ms. Pac-Man is in the house?

I don't know that I will ever over come this addiction...and to be honest, I am not sure that I want to. Hi, my name is Conni and I am an addict....and I am okay with that.

Anyone else addicted?

Say something nice!

I was recently told by one of my boss’s bosses, that I work in a place where I have over 400 regular “customers.” I think that there is some truth to that. As a church secretary, I have a lot of people who look to me to fix problems, schedule events, listen to their issues, offer solutions, and meet their needs in a variety of areas. These same people are the ones who scrutinize and critique my work on a regular basis.

Last week, as I was completing all of the week’s work, and preparing items for our services this morning, I made an error. It was a simple error, which had no serious consequences. But it was an error, none-the-less. You see, I put the wrong date on today’s bulletin. Now, keep in mind, that 3 other people (besides me), with college degrees also proofread the bulletin. None of us caught it. It was late Friday afternoon that I noticed the error, and unfortunately, the bulletins were already printed, folded and stuffed. Being who I am, I considered rerunning all of them…but, also being who I am, decided not to because it would have been a HUGE waste of time and resources. So, I made a mental note to remember to check the date next time, and moved along.

This morning, I was not even in the building a full five minutes when one of our deacons approached me and said, “You made a mistake. The date on the bulletin is wrong. We need to announce it from the pulpit so people know that it is actually today’s bulletin.” I replied simply by saying, “Yes, I made a mistake, but I think people will be able to figure it out.” Throughout the course of the morning, about a half dozen people or so felt the need to point out my mistake. In fact, as I was leaving the building, one of our shepherds stopped me to point it out to me, and suggested that I set my computer up to automatically change the date for me.

Why is it that people are so quick to point out the negative? Why is it that so few want to share when things are right, or when something good happens? But people have no problem at all pointing out a simple, common mistake, and some seem to feel that it is necessary to announce the error from the pulpit! Is it ever announced from the pulpit when I do something right? Encouragement and appreciation go a long, long way. Pointing out only the negatives, (especially when they are negatives with little or no consequences) only bring people down, and make them feel under appreciated.

I am thankful for the few (very few) who say “thank you” and “I appreciate you.” For those who have only negative things to say, feel free to contact me at the church building during my normal work hours.

The power of prayer

Do you believe In the power of prayer? This is a little lengthy, but it is an a mazing testimony. Please share your thoughts if you are so inclined.

(this article and picture were copied from ksdk.)


It was a year ago when we first introduced you to Kayla Ackerman, a 7-year-old from Elizabeth, Colo., who had been suffering from brain tumors since she was two. By the time we met her, she had already been through nine brain surgeries for her cancer; more than most kids have ever had to endure.

Her mother, Janine, said she was so touched when Kayla's school, Singing Hills Elementary, held a fundraiser to pay their medical bills, that she told KUSA-TV, "I wish I were the one giving them the check instead of them giving it to us."

Two months later, Kayla made news again, when the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to terminally-ill children and those with life-threatening illnesses, granted Kayla's one and only wish, and took her entire family to Disney World. Janine was overjoyed, but deep down, amid her smiles and happiness, she was suffering too. Seeing her daughter in pain for so many years was unbearable. Christine Cobb, one of Janine's best friends said, "It was very tough on Janine because she never wanted to see her daughter go through this."

Janine had always prayed for her daughter, but soon began to turn to God in a different way. And in her prayers, she asked him to take the cancer 'away' from Kayla and 'give' it to her instead. Cobb says, "Janine just prayed and prayed that Kayla would get better and that she'd be glad to take on the illness, the cancer for Kayla, so that Kayla could have a long and fulfilling life."

Her friend Teri McTague said, "We always went into the hospital Chapel at Children's Hospital together and for the first time she asked me not to go in with her. She just wanted to be alone. And that's when she asked God to please take this pain and suffering away from Kayla. She told God, "I will be glad to take it all, just please let my daughter grow up happy and healthy."
Soon afterward there was a shocking discovery.

In April, Janine was diagnosed with Stage 4 liver cancer. And miraculously, Kayla, for the very first time in her young life, was declared cancer-free by her doctors. McTague said, "She just was so thankful that God answered her prayers and she never was angry because that's what she had asked Him for."

For nine months, Janine tried hard to beat her cancer, but last week, she lost her battle. Janine died at home with Kayla at her side. Cobb said, "I really don't know how to handle it because Kayla is doing so good, but we lost our best friend."

For those who ask, "Why pray for cancer?" her friends say, you must know Janine. "She just loved her daughter so much. She wanted Kayla to live." They also say Janine led a life that exemplified the power of a mother's love. "It's the Ultimate Gift that Janine could give her daughter. And it brought her tremendous peace. She left knowing her daughter was cancer-free."

Janine Ackerman was 33 years old. Her funeral was held Tuesday in Parker. She is survived by her husband Todd, her daughter Kayla, who is now 8, and her son Tyler, who is 10.

6 questions for Friday

F- Favorite Worship Song?
Blessed Be Your Name

R- Reading…?
Mainly Blogs & the Daily Bible

I- I really want to buy…?
Ummm...there really isn't anything that I want...but maybe I'd like some really good chocolate (But I am much too cheap to actually spend money on good chocolate!)

D- Don’t like….?
Dishonesty, yelling, chicken on a bone (yuck), fish, mice, guns, & what the scale said after the holiday season.

A- Ask God one question?
"Why have you been so good to me?"

Y- You are doing what this weekend?
Sleeping late, spending time with family and friends, worshipping with my brothers and sisters, and eating chili with a whole bunch of my favorite people!

What about you? How do you answer these six questions?

Answer

Yesterday I asked the question, “Does light expose darkness, or
does darkness corrupt light?” I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what kind of
answers I would get. (First prize goes to ebc for the most creative
and fun answer.) Well, today, I would like to share with you my answer
to the question: “Does light expose darkness, or does darkness corrupt
light?’

Here is my answer…

Light Exposes Darkness.
Ephesians 5:13-21

13 Everything exposed by the light is made clear, 14 for what makes everything
clear is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and
the Messiah will shine on you. 15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk--
not as unwise people but as wise-- 16 making the most of the time, because the
days are evil. 17 So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
18 And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled
with the Spirit: 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,
singing and making music to the Lord in your heart, 20 giving thanks always for
everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting
to one another in the fear of Christ.

These verses make it very clear that light exposes darkness. As the first comment on
the original post asked, “Would we know what darkness was without light?” Verse 15 states
that it is LIGHT that makes everything clear.

AND Darkness Corrupts Light.
Ephesians 5:11-12

11 Don't participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead, expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret.

If we have Jesus, we have light; If we don’t we live in darkness. Many of those who are
living in darkness want nothing more than to pull everyone around them into the darkness
with them. Misery loves company. There are evil people in the world who know how to
make sin look very appetizing. We need to be really careful. The world is full of people
who love darkness, and sometimes we are surprised to find them in our schools, churches,
and neighborhoods! I can think of multiple examples where Christians (those who are in the light)
have walked away from light in order to achieve their own pleasures. This shows that darkness
corrupts light.

I guess really the question could be answered and explained in 100 different ways...but
this is how I see it. I guess when it comes right down to it, all that really matters is that
we find our way into a relationship with Jesus, and we allow Him to control our lives, and
we allow his grace to cover us when we turn away from the light and toward the darkness.

Well, that is my 2 cents worth.

Question

Does light expose darkness, or does darkness corrupt light?

One Year Anniversary

It's hard to believe it, but it is true. It has been exactly one year since my first neck surgery in 2005. Yes, it was on January 24, 2005 that I was admitted to Barnes Jewish Hospital for a bone graft and spinal fusion. I'll be honest; I had no earthly idea what I was getting into, nor did I have a clue how much pain I was about to experience. Even though Dr. Riew told me multiple times that the pain would be unbearable times, I didn't believe him. I figured that it couldn't be worse than childbirth, and I managed to struggle through that! Well, I was wrong. It was by far the most painful thing that I had ever experienced. I had a morphine pump, but it didn't seem to the trick, even though I was able to give a dose to myself every 5 minutes. I remember it well. I remember MAR standing next to my bed, and asking him, "Has it been 5 minutes yet?" only to be told that it had been about 45 seconds. So, I waited, and asked again..."Has it been 5 minutes yet?" only to be told that it now had only been 2 minutes! He tried to get my mind off of the pain by talking and praying with me. Time drug on, and on, and on. I also remember JRM standing next to my bed and forcing me to eat. LITERALLY...I would open my mouth to say something and she would shove food in it! I remember JPT reading the Bible to me, and RAW helping me with whatever I needed. I remember Jason's dad holding my hand as they put my PICC line in (NO FUN), and Jason's mom making sure that Bekah was taken care of. I remember Jason holding my hand and taking such good care of me. I remember JPG (aka BG) helping me walk down the hall the first time, and making me laugh, even though I hurt so bad. I remember my mom by my side at every possible moment, and Bekah wanting nothing more than to be with me. It was a tough time for us all.

Anyway, the surgery was mainly successful. I did struggle with a pretty major infection and sported a beautiful PICC line for almost 10 weeks. It took me a long time to get back to "normal" but I eventually got there, only to learn that I required another surgery! OUCH! (Sorry, you'll have to wait until October for a recap of that one!)

The man in the picture is my neck surgeon! As my friend RAW says, "Dr. Riew rocks, but God rocks stronger and louder!" Dr. Riew is an amazing surgeon and an amazing man. He is world-renowned. People literally come from all over the world for him to fix their cervical spine problems. He is not too quick to cut anyone open, and he won't try to help someone that he doesn't believe that he can help. He is a humble, gentle, and kind man. He admits that his skills are a gift from God, and gives Him glory for the work that he does.

I am probably boring you all. Sorry. I am so thankful for the surgery that I had a year ago today. My life has been blessed because of it. (Even though it hurt REALLY badly!)

Willie and Judy

If you know me well at all, you have heard me talk about our good friends, Willie and Judy. We have been friends with them for quite a while now, and we feel blessed to know them. They are great mentors to Jason and me, and we have learned a lot about life and marriage from them. We are better people because of their influence.

We have had a lot of pretty deep conversations over the years, and I am very often reminded of some of the lessons that I have learned from them. One of the most important lessons is this: “It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing, it only matters that you do what you believe to be right.” There is a lot of wisdom in that lesson, and sometimes I have a hard time remembering it. But, luckily, Willie gently reminds me when I need to be reminded! Thanks Willie.

Another important lesson that we have learned from Willie goes something like this, “If you keep on doin’ what cha always done, you’re gonna keep on getting’ what cha always got.” Now, Willie never proclaimed to be a Grammar scholar, so give him a break. But once again, he reminds me often that if I want a different result in my life, I have to do something different. Change is hard, but necessary, and for any situation to change, we all have to be willing to do something differently. Another great lesson!

Willie and Judy have taught me the importance of kindness, even when others aren’t kind. They have taught me to be prayerful even when it is hard. They have taught me that life needs to be lived in a way that brings glory and honor to God, no matter what is happening around me.

So, today, I’d like to introduce you to our two good friends: Willie and Judy. They are great friends, mentors, and we are blessed to have them in our life. We love you both and appreciate your friendship.

Congrats!

Congratulations to my good friends (and fellow
small group members), Eric and Courtney, who
recently have become engaged! They are
planning a summer wedding in Atlanta.

As if that wasn't exciting enough, Dr. Courtney also has signed a contract to work in an OBGYN office in Atlanta after she finishes her residency here in St. Louis.

We will miss having them around, but wish them all the best in their upcoming marriage, and in their new professional positions!

Top Ten

Top Ten Reasons I Can’t Blog today:

10. I have no opinion worth sharing
9. I have no words of encouragement to offer
8. The things I want to talk about shouldn’t be shared on a blog
7. I’m too tired
6. I need to iron, cook supper, and clean the bathroom
5. I am crabby
4. I don’t have a good picture to share
3. I am distracted by things I can’t share here
2. I’d rather watch a movie with my family

And the number one reason I can’t blog today…

1. I have nothing important to say.

Impossible

It is impossible to put out a fire with an empty bucket. There is no way around that. It is impossible.

Everyday, each of us is faced with many fires that we must attend to. Some are little; some are big. Sometimes they start out small and grow into huge forest fires. For most of us, the fires are usually easily managed, because they are fires that we are well equipped to handle. For example, we know how to deal with poor drivers on the road, children who seem to talk non-stop and when there isn’t quite enough cash to buy what we really would like to have. These fires aren’t too difficult to deal with. We use some of the water in our buckets, we adapt, and we move on.

Sometimes the fires in our lives get WAY out of control, and we do everything that we know to do to put it out, but sometimes we just don’t have what it takes for the flames to diminish. Once we exhaust all of our options, we feel helpless because our bucket is empty in spite of the fact that flames are still raging around us. We ask ourselves, “Now what am I supposed to do?” The answer to this question goes back to my original statement, “It is impossible to put out a fire with an empty bucket.”

In recent days, I have been forced to address this issue in my own life. My bucket is empty, and I am still trying to put out fires, knowing full well that I am not equipped to handle this particular fire, and as a result, I am going to get burned. So, my focus must change. My focus has to change from how to fight the fire, to how to get my bucket refilled.

I learned a long time ago that seeking God is the only way to get what we really need. So, all I really know to do is to seek God’s wisdom and grace. I have been reminded that God is the only way to get my bucket refilled. I need to talk to Him about it. I need to surround myself with His people. I need to dive into His Word. I need to be quiet and still. I need to have open eyes and be willing to go WHEREVER He leads me. God will lead me to the place that I need to be to get my bucket filled so that I can keep on fighting all the fires in my life…. and I might be quite surprised to find out where that place is. I need to trust Him.

I am thankful for a loving husband and great friends. I am thankful that they have shared a bit of their water with me to help put out the current fire in my life. I am thankful that I never have to fight fires alone because of God’s gift to the world.

You can’t fight fires with an empty bucket…. But God’s love will fill every empty bucket if we seek Him and allow Him to work in our lives.

Still Broken…

I had to get up way too early this morning! I had to be at Barnes Radiology Department at 7 a.m. I am here to tell you that 7 o’clock in the morning is WAY too early to have to be anywhere! But, I have to be at work at 9, so I had to work out my appointments to make sure that I didn’t miss any work. So, I had my X-rays and headed across the hall to see the best neck surgeon in the world. My friends and I had prayed that he would say, “See you in a year- Things look great.” Well, that particular prayer wasn’t quite answered, well at least not like we had hoped that it would be.

I am healing MUCH better than I did the first time. The bones are fusing like they are supposed to, and the bone growth looks good. The piece of bone from my hip looks like it has settled nicely in its new location, and there are no problems with that. There is no evidence of infection, and my SED Rate is right where it needs to be. Praise God. All of these things mean that I am STABLE! Hooray! ………. You can hear it coming though, can’t you? …. Here it comes…. BUT, there is still concern about my blood counts, and there is a concern about one of the screws on the right side…Sigh…. I am so tired of being broken.

I won’t bore you with all of the details; I will just say this: The best-case scenario is a little medication, a little physical therapy, and a lot of prayer. The worst-case scenario is well…I am not even going to say it.

So, I solicit your prayers…again…. still….

I feel fine. In fact I feel great. To God be the glory for all of the healing that He has provided me with, and for all of the healing that He plans to bless me with very, very soon.

Great Friends

I had planned to put a great picture on my blog today, but I have been threatened with bodily harm if I posted it. Since one of my goals in 2006 is to stay out of the hospital, I chose to honor the request. So unfortunately, this picture will have to do. Use your imagination... the 3 of us look just like this...except we don't play soccer, we don't wear hats, none of us have blonde hair, and I can assure you we wouldn't be caught dead in those shirts or knee socks. But other than that, we look just like them. Not really, we actually look NOTHING like this group, except each of us are actually this thin!

Anyway, I can still tell you about two incredible friends. (You know who you are!) Every Wednesday, the 3 of us meet before church for supper at our favorite local Mexican restaurant. I think we all look forward to the mid-week break from work and other responsibilities. We usually eat too much, laugh a lot, and talk about things that we don’t generally share with others. Sometimes I feel like I have known these two ladies forever. It is such a blessing to have friends that you can share ANYTHING with. The three of us have a good time together. Sometimes we talk about trivial things, but sometimes we get pretty deep and talk about things that really matter, like how to change the world and how to solve all of its problems. Of course we are never successful at figuring it all out, but we are pretty good at helping each other see what we can do individually to make the world a better place.

Our group is not exclusive…all are welcome… BUT NO MEN ALLOWED! This is just time for the girls. Just don’t be too offended if we wolf down too many chips and order guacamole AND cheese dip. We don’t hold back on Wednesday nights; we eat what we want and don’t worry too much about it. But, we all order DIET Coke because we don’t want to lose our girlish figures too quickly! (As if that would really help!)

I love you girls! (Even if you won’t let me post your picture!)

Boys Will Be Boys

Here is another pic from our Care Group. These guys are a lot of fun to be with and never fail to make me laugh. They are good leaders, very good eaters, and even better friends. I enjoy being with these fine men; we always have a good time. Each one is a blessing to me and to our family. Left to Right…Eric, Mike, JD, Jason and Dan, with Brandon featured as the crazy focal point! Guys not pictured: Bobby, Randy, & Mike…. and little guys, Mason, Benjamin, and Elliott!

I love you guys!

A Great Group

When I count my blessings, I count this group twice! This is the Care Group that Jason and I go to on Sunday nights. Our group meets weekly, always eats together, and has fantastic singing. We enjoy studying the Bible and lifting our prayers of thanksgiving and requests before God together. Mike and Deanie are great leaders and we are so thankful that they open their home and hearts to us. They truly are special people.

We are blessed to know Mike, Deanie, Gin, JD, Erin, Elliott, Benjamin, Jenny, Randy, Mason, Mike, Sandi, Eric, Courtney, Dan, Bobby, Amy, Brittnie, and Brandon (the one with the tissue hanging out of his nose!), and we are even more blessed to be part of this close knit group with them! In my “humble” opinion, we have great group, we have great cooks, great singing, and a ton of fun! But most importantly, we have a group who wants nothing more than to bring glory and honor to the Father!

Ronnie Norman

Several months ago, McKnight Road invited Ronnie Norman to speak to our congregation. Ronnie is the Senior Minister at First Colony Church of Christ in Sugarland, Texas. I was completely amazed by Ronnie’s message and by his dynamic speaking style. I felt encouraged by him, and challenged in my walk as a member at McKnight Road and as a Christian.

In recent days, God has gently reminded me of Ronnie’s words. In his lesson, Ronnie made reference to the sign that sits in front of our building. He stated that he noticed it when he first saw our building. He said that we had “a lot of nerve” placing the sign out front for all of Ladue to see! I’ll admit, I was a little taken back, and unsure what he was talking about. It wasn’t like we had “bloody sacrifices offered here every Sunday” written on the sign. I continued to listen intently, seeking clarification. Finally, Ronnie got to the point. The sign in front of our building says, “McKnight Road CHURCH OF CHRIST.” Still, I was somewhat confused. As Ronnie continued his lesson, he told us that to claim to be a church of Christ was a bold statement, and should not be taken lightly. He explained that if we are willing to place a sign in front of our building that identifies us as Christ’s Church, then we need to be willing to act in such a way that Christ would act, and/or support.

Lately, I have noticed a lot of “issues” within the "brotherhood" that I can’t say are consistent with who we (as a church) claim to be. While I recognize that we are all human, and sin, as members of Christ’s church, we are called to be different from the rest of the world. We are called to live up to the standard that we have accepted, and advertised to the rest of the world, WE ARE THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. When we fail to live up to that standard (which we will), we are called to turn away from our sin and depend on God's grace, mercy, forgiveness and guidance. We are called to be like Jesus.

I often wonder how we ("the brotherhood") are viewed by visitors and those who are seeking Jesus. When visitors walk into our buildings for worship, benevolence help, or counseling, are they embraced with the love of Christ? Do they see us as a united group with a common purpose? Do we welcome the “obvious” sinners into our family and embrace them like Jesus would?

I would say that in some cases the answer is, “No.” In many cases, there are too many power and control issues and too many superiority complexes to be able to see past our own wants, needs, and intentions.

I love McKnight Road with all of my heart and I believe in our eldership, their focus, and their determination (and patience), as we (just like all congregations) struggle through hard issues sometimes. I love worshipping with the family, being part of ministries, and experiencing my journey of faith with most of the people at McKnight. I just think from time to time we all (INCLUDING ME) need to be reminded that claiming to be part of “CHRIST’S CHURCH” is a very strong commitment, and should not be taken lightly.

Thanks to Ronnie Norman again. You have challenged me a great deal and have helped me to progress in my journey.

Bekah!

Our Bekah is quite a character. This picture was taken this afternoon after she came back from an informational meeting about auditioning for a theatre company. She loves the theatre; that is for sure. In fact, she talks about it non-stop. It is fun to listen to her practicing monologues, and singing Broadway tunes. Lately she has been working on her lines for Really Rosie, which is the musical that she is currently in at school. We are glad that she has something that she loves so much to be involved in.

In addition to theatre stuff, she is staying pretty busy with the youth group at church, hanging out with friends, and her studies. She was a little stressed this week, as she had to deal with final exams! YUCK! We are really proud of her; she is a great kid.

Today when we were talking about a brochure she had received in the mail, she said, “Mom, this brochure sure is adjectivistic.” I laughed. Adjectivistic? As far as I know, adjectivistic is not a word. Bekah informed me that she had just made it up and it means “a term to describe a document that contains too many adjectives.” How funny is that! Now, we can add that word to the long list of other words that she has enlightened us with over the years like “confuzzled” and “nauseagetic” and “crazified.” She is so funny, and so fun to be with.

So, between the theatre stuff and her desire to take over the title of “word master” (sorry MAR), she keeps us on our toes!

Thought for Today

James 5:13-16

A great passage and a great reminder for us all.

Who....or What?

I am exhausted! It has been a very tough last couple of days. I am really even too tired to blog. So, let me leave you this evening with a thought that I wish that more people understood.

"What matters most in life is not WHO is right, but instead, WHAT is right."

People sometimes get so hung up with their own appointed superiority, that they are unable to see what is right, because they need so badly for their way to be the right way, simply because it is theirs, regardless of the logic or validity or even the morality of "their way."

Those who focus on WHO is right, rather than WHAT is right sometimes make life very difficult for those who are trying to do WHAT is right.

I'd like to introduce you to...

I'd like to introduce you to two very special kids. This is Mia and her big brother A.J. They are my niece and nephew. I know, you'd like to know why you never see me lugging them around, since I am always around my other niece and nephew, Jen and Drew. Well, Mia and A.J. live in Japan. Their daddy is in the Navy and is stationed there. We get updates periodically from their terrific mommy, Lisa, and miss them all very much.

They are a precious family, and we can't wait for them to come back to the States. In the meantime, we continue to pray for them, and seek your prayers for their safe return as well. We also pray for all of our troops spread throughout the world and their families.

Just Do It!

It’s my turn to lead the devotional tomorrow for our staff meeting. I was absolutely sure that I was going to talk about unity, until I started to prepare. Tonight, I came home and grabbed my Bible and started the process. I prayed and asked for God’s blessing. Unity…..hmmmm….unity……???

It just wasn’t meant to be. The more I studied, the more I realized God was leading me in a different direction. It seemed that every page I turned to was pointing me in the direction of trusting God. I ultimately wound up in Luke 5. Most of us know the story. Peter and his friends spend all night trying to catch fish. They catch ZERO fish. (Can you imagine how frustrated you would be?) Anyway, after a very maddening night, Jesus comes along and tells them to put their nets out again. Now, wait a minute…how does this carpenter know more about fishing then the fishermen? I must admit I would have been skeptical. But Peter’s faith was solid. He said, “We’ve worked hard all night, and we haven’t caught any, but because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Peter and the others were blessed for their faith and obedience.

Peter’s example is one that we can all learn from. We don’t have to understand what we are being asked to do when the Father asks us to do something. We don’t have to “get it” and we don’t have to like it. It doesn’t have to make sense, and it doesn’t have to be comfortable for us.

There are a lot of things that we are called to do as Christians that may not seem to make sense to us at the time that we are asked to do them (or endure them). But we have to trust God, His plan and His word. When it gets scary or seems ridiculous, we need to adopt Peter’s faith and Nike’s slogan, and JUST DO IT!

Maybe I will do my next devo on unity.

Old Songs- New Songs

Jason and I were talking about the songs that we sing at church, and he mentioned that he misses some of the “older, more traditional” songs. He really likes the old classics like “Sing and Be Happy,” “Trust and Obey,” and “Mansion Over the Hilltop.” (GAG!) Don’t get me wrong, he likes some of the newer songs too, like “Blessed Be Your Name,” but if he were the worship leader, let’s just say the older folks would be pretty happy with his song selections. I, on the other hand would probably cry, and refuse to sing on the praise team (just kidding).

Anyway, our conversation led to this blog. I just have to ask, “What are your favorite traditional songs?” “What are your least favorite?” and “What are your favorite new (er) songs? Here are my picks:

Favorite Traditional:

How Great Thou Art
O Sacred Head

Least Favorite Traditional Songs:

He Bore it All
Farther Along
Just a Little Talk With Jesus
Just As I Am (How many verses can one song have?)
No Tears in Heaven

Favorite New (er) Songs:

Blessed Be Your Name
New Anointing
Lord, Reign in Me
In Christ Alone


Well, these are my “picks.” What about you? What do you like and dislike?

Romans 8:1

Romans 8:1 is my favorite verse in the Bible. Brian preached on this passage this morning, and it was a wonderful, uplifiting lesson. It was great to be reminded that because of Christ, we all have a fabulous reason to be happy, and live positive lives. Here is the long and short of it:

It is great to be a Christian because:

1. We can be certain that as Christians we are forgiven! (Romans 8:1-2) It's not a guess- it is a guarentee.

2. Satan can NEVER again point to us and condemn us because we are guilty! We are made clean by the blood of Christ!

3. We can be absolutely positive that we are going to Heaven! (Romans 8:8,9-11)

4. We can be certain that even when things seem awful, that God will work everything out for our good, and for His glory. (Romans 8:28)

5. We have the promise of God's love...NO MATTER WHAT! (Romans 8:38-39)

Brian gave a great lesson, and did us all a favor by reminding us that all of the good stuff in life is found IN CHRIST! (thank you Brian, for your words, and for a GREAT outline!)

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

It doesn't get any better than that friends! What a wonderful reminder to start the week off with! Have a great one!

Prayer Breakfast Buddy

Destin was my buddy at the prayer breakfast this morning. After he showed me his new fireman boots, he asked me if he could come and sit by me, and of course I said, “YES!” I was pretty impressed with him. He sat very quietly for a long time. He had his crayons and his paper, and was drawing pictures of himself tackling his daddy. He’s not a bad artist. After I had finished with my turn praying, Destin leaned over to me and said, “Miss Conni, will you draw me a sailboat?” (For the full effect, be sure to add the southern twang to that as you read it.) Since he had sat so quietly for so long, he was starting to get a bit antsy. So, I said. “Sure.” So, I proceeded to draw (or try to draw) a sailboat. After that, he asked me to draw fish…so I did. Then I drew a stick man on top of the waves. He was stunned. He looked at me, and whispered, “Miss Conni….people cannot walk on top of the….OH, THAT IS JESUS!” I said, “That’s right honey, it is Jesus.” Destin smiled and just said, “Cool!” Destin has obviously has been paying attention in Bible class…and his mom and dad might have something to do with his knowledge too!

Destin is one of my special buddies at McKnight, and I am thankful for his love and heart for Jesus! I am glad that I have the opportunity to be one of the many, many people who have an influence in his life, even if it is just by drawing a very lame sailboat!

Work Buddies

We've all heard the old sayings, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," and "You don't know what you're missing until it's gone." Here is a picture of my work buddies...I really missed them when I was on leave, and have a new appreciation for each one of them! I am truly blessed to be part of such an awesome staff. I am encouraged to know that we are all united for the cause of Christ!

I made it through the first week back at work just fine. There is still much to do, but it will all eventually get done! I am so happy to be back!

(By the way- I am not in the picture, because I took it!)

A Special Prayer

A speical thanks to the friend who just encouraged me by sending me this prayer:

God of our life,There are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down;When the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening;When our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage.Flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise,Tune our hearts to brave music;Give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age;And so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life,To your honor and glory!(St. Augustine)

I Need a Reason to Laugh Today

...But I guess it really isn't that funny, is it? In fact it is pretty scary.

"Falling Away"

I recently received an email from an old “friend” that I went to school with at Freed-Hardeman University. I hadn’t heard from her in about 5 years, and welcomed the idea of catching up. I opened the e-mail and this is what it said, “Conni- I heard that you fell away from the church, and I want you to know that I am praying for you.” Now, keep in mind that I work at a church, and I received the email at my church email address. I was confused. I have certainly not “fallen away.” After further investigation and clarification, I found out that what she meant was that I had left the teachings of Freed-Hardeman University-, which, in part is true. At first I was livid. But then it dawned on me just how sad the entire thing was.

Here are a few things that I learned at FHU that I have "fallen away from:"
1. We are saved by how much we do for the Kingdom, and how much money we give.
2. Conservative Church of Christ members are the only ones going to Heaven.
3. God is an angry God and He will pour out His wrath on you.
4. You might be saved if you memorize enough verses and achieve A’s in all of your required Bible classes.
5. There is no excuse for sin, and you shall be punished, ridiculed, and belittled if you do it.
6. Evangelism is as important as baptism, if not more so.
7. “Mixed swimming,” dancing, instrumental music, and whether or not to where shorts to class are all matters of salvation, and need to be taken extremely seriously.

I am not going to go on…although I could. My “friend” is right. I did fall away from the things that FHU preached as gospel. When I fell away, I was able to learn to think for myself, and to come to understand more about truly living my life for Christ and for the Kingdom.

Here are a few things that I learned after falling away from FHU:

1. We are saved by the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Nothing less, nothing more.
2. I am not the judge and don’t know who will be in Heaven. But I believe with all of my heart that God knows each and every heart, and I am confident that members of conservative churches of Christ are not the only ones with hearts for Christ.
3. God is a loving, merciful, and forgiving God.
4. Bible classes and memory verses have nothing to do with salvation.
5. We are all human and fall short. Every single one of us. The blood of Christ covers our sin.
6. Spreading the Good News is a good thing, but I don’t believe God is keeping a tally of how many folks we dunk under the water. Where does it say in the Bible that evangelism is the avenue to remission of sin?
7. “Mixed swimming,” dancing, instrumental music, and whether or not to where shorts to class are all matters of choice, and are absolutely not matters of salvation.

The bottom line for me is simple. FHU teaches memorization, and evangelism. There is nothing wrong with either of those things. But if our Christianity is based on just those two things, we are in trouble. In contrast, the Bible calls for us to be kind, compassionate, and loving people, who focus on CHRIST and His life. We are called to live each and everyday with the intention of glorifying our Lord.

We all have God given choice, and for that I am thankful. I am also thankful that I chose to “fall away” from the teachings at FHU, because it allowed me to draw closer to my Savior.

A Very Tiring Tuesday!

Wow, what a day! The alarm clock went off at 6, I stumbled out of bed, took a shower and proceeded to get dressed, fix my hair, do my make-up, and then I was off to prayer group. Afterwards, we journeyed to St. Louis Bread Company for breakfast and fellowship, just like every other Tuesday morning. Things were going pretty much the same as they had for the past several months on Tuesdays, until I left Bread Company and was faced with the reality that I was not going back home at that point.

That’s right. Today was my first day back to work, and I am exhausted to say the least. The day was filled with normal office work, reordering supplies, answering questions, and unburying my desk! There was a lot to deal with after being out since September 29th. As I scurried around the office today, I was extremely thankful for the angels that had filled in for me while I was gone. A small group of ladies: Mary Ann, Nell, Rosemary, Ann, and Donna did a great job in my absence. Things appeared to run as smoothly as possible. It was also obvious to me that Brian, Larry, Jimmy, Ellen, Tony, A.J. and Nancy had all picked up a lot of slack to make sure things continued to function pretty normally. Thanks to all.

I certainly was glad to be back at work, and felt blessed to be in good enough health to be there. There is much to do, and many things to take care of, but they will all get done. I need to remember to pace myself (gentle reminders kindly accepted- but no preaching please!). The day seemed to drag on, and the later it got in the day, the more I wanted a nap. (I even considered taking a little snooze on the prayer room couch!) But, I plowed full steam ahead and started checking things off of my very long list. The workday ended, and I didn’t find it too difficult to leave when my workday was over (Although I did stay a little later than I had planned to-Is anyone surprised by that?)

The day didn’t end there. Jason and I met a friend around dinnertime, and then he was off to his Tuesday night league. I headed for home, made supper for Bekah (stir fry- YUM!), and collapsed on the couch. Whew…I made it through the day…

Now if I can just muster up enough strength to wash my face, brush my teeth, and crawl into bed…Yeah, I know it is only 7:03…what’s your point?

2nd Choice…or 3rd…or 4th…

Do you ever feel like you don’t measure up? Do you ever feel like you are always the 2nd choice, or even the 3rd or 4th? Do you remember grade school when you loved kick-ball so much, and how you were disappointed when neither of the captains chose you 1st, or 2nd, or even 3rd? Do you remember how you felt when you were the very last one to be picked? We have all been there, and it stings when it happens.

The disappointment of being the 2nd choice isn’t reserved for kids. How many times have we been faced with the disappointment that we were not chosen for the job that we truly desired or that someone else was chosen for the promotion that we believed that we deserved? How many of us have been let down when our efforts and commitments go unnoticed, and someone else is held in high regard in the same situation even though they haven’t shown any commitment or put forth any effort? We all have been there; it is part of life, and I am sure that we all can learn a lesson from it.

As sad as it is to have to deal with these kinds of disappointments, there is great news for all of us! Each and every one of us can proudly write “GOD’S FIRST CHOICE” behind our names. That’s right- YOU ARE GOD’S FIRST CHOICE. God sent His one and only Son to die for YOU! (John 3:16) If you had been the only one who needed the blood of Christ, the plan would have stayed the same. He loves YOU that much. He cares for YOU that much. He wants YOU to be with Him that much.

You have never been God’s second choice, and you never will be. God picked YOU first to be on His team. He picked YOU first to do the work of the kingdom. He picked YOU first to extend grace and mercy to. He picked YOU to shine His light through, and He picked YOU first to spread the Gospel. God picked YOU first to offer comfort when you're hurting, and He picked YOU to love the most. How cool is that?

Sometimes I become sad when I feel like I am the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th choice, but today I was reminded that I am God’s first choice…and isn’t that what really matters? The world wants us to focus on things of the world, like if I get picked to be on the "good" kickball team. God wants us to focus on the fact that HE chose us FIRST, and He wants us to share that good news with anyone who will listen!

An Amazing Woman

My life was blessed a few years ago, when I was introduced to Ms. Gin. In the last year particularly, my love has grown for her, and in many ways, she has become a hero of mine. At the ripe young age of 91, she still has the most incredible servant heart of anyone I have ever met. She inspires me to remember what is important in life, and that the most critical thing that any of us can do is serve the Lord. She is everything that I hope to be someday.

I wasn’t blessed to know Ms. Gin’s husband, as he left this world long ago. But every time I read about the wife of noble character in Proverbs 31, I think about what a lucky man he was to have Ms. Gin by his side. She is one of the kindest, gentlest, and humblest people I know. She works hard at everything that she does, and doesn’t want any recognition for anything. She freely gives of her time and her resources to help those in need, and always has a hug handy; just in case. Ms. Gin loves to sew, and makes the best apple pie that I have ever tasted. She buries herself in the Word, serves in any capacity for which she is asked, and is outwardly grateful for all of the blessings in her life.

As you might suspect of any 91 year old, Ms. Gin has her share of medical issues. Amazingly, I have never, ever, not even once, heard her complain. In fact, I heard her say once, “I could complain about my aches and pains, or I can thank God that I am still alive to feel them.” Wow- what an awesome attitude. In her lifetime, she has seen a lot of different things, and has experienced a lot of heartache. But, once again, she focuses on the positive. I have never heard her say an unkind word about anyone.

Ms. Gin has raised an amazing family. While I am not fortunate enough to know them all, I have been fortunate enough to get to know a few. I know one of her daughters well, and she is also an amazing woman. Ms. Gin has passed on her gentleness, kindness, humility, and love for the Lord. I pray that she finds true joy in knowing that.

I remember last year when my grandmother died. Ms. Gin said to me, “I can’t replace your grandmother, I know that she was so special to you, but I am here for you if you ever need someone to be your grandma for just a little while.” She was right, she could never replace my grandma, but she opened her heart and arms to me to help fill one of the biggest voids in my life after grandma was gone. Her willingness to step in, even for just a little while, was a vital part to healing the brokenness that I felt after losing my grandmother. This one of dozens of examples that I could give to demonstrate the beautiful heart of a sweet 91-year-old woman.

I am thankful for you Ms. Gin. I am thankful that our paths have crossed in this lifetime, and I look forward to worshipping with you for all of eternity. I love you!

I Hope You Dance in 2006

My Aunt Debra sent me the following in an email on Friday. It touched my heart in a special way, and I wanted to share it with you! It is my sincere prayer that we will all dance with God in the new year and that we will remember to let Him lead. I pray that we will all enjoy a happy, healthy, and worshipful dance in 2006.


Dancing With God

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance. When I saw "G: I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead. My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life. And I Hope You Dance!!!!!!!!

-Pastor Mary Hinsey

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE- I HOPE YOU DANCE IN 2006!