we found the turtles.
mr. t and tiny t were indeed hiding out behind the grill.
but now that it warm...they have come out of their shells...ha ha ha
yesterday morning we got to sleep in AGAIN. we are really getting spoiled around these parts if you know what i mean...
and then there were home made biscuits with sausage that kimpossible just whipped up for breakfast...she never quits that's for sure.
so we were supposed to be diligently working on camp decor while mark headed out to the men's business group meeting...
but sometimes we just get on these really silly girl talks...and well needless to say, it was 11:20 before any real work began.
and then we started the banner... and let me tell you... making this thing was the ultimate challenge (get it..that's the theme ha ha)
so for about 10 minutes we laid out this ginormous piece of white fabric...and just stared at it.
and stared at it some more.
and then kimpossible had a plan.
she fetched her safety pins and we found the center...
except then there was this one pin in the middle of the fabric and well it made us pretty nervous...
although it was extremely entertaining to watch missy the skittish dog dance around that pin..and then when jade got caught under the fabric and missy chased her into the corner...well we weren't getting much done.
hours later...we had most of the design drawn up...and after all of that dancing around it..poor kimpossible was the one to stab her foot on the needle.
so we had some chicken fajitas for dinner...who knew you could find such good mexican in africa...
and then it was off to church at fresh water assembly for the weekly bible study.
the night before mark had been like...hey how did you like that...
i said it was fine...
he said good.
you are doing it again tomorrow..lol
so i was supposed to talk about family in some capacity since they are studying that right now...so i was going to go with the whole body analogy...but well gosh that is just so overdone.
and then it hit me!!!!!!
this lesson i had used years and years ago in young adults.
containers.
just go with me here.
i think that because i am a children's person... God gave me the mind of a child... and well therefore i tend to think in analogies.
so this is in essence what i said... you can kind of think of this as two notes in one...
2 timothy 2:20-21
in a well furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost bucket---some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.
so basically i looked at all kinds of different containers and how they sort of represent people in our homes and in our churches.
#1 old containers/dishes
these are those containers or those pieces that we have kept in a place of honor. we get them out for special occasions and treat them with great care. they can't be used quite as much now, but they are of great value because they are rich in history. they have stories and experiecne that we want to pass on and keep alive in our family.
just like elderly people in our homes and churches. they can't give quite as much as they used to, but they are still so very valuable. they are the history and foundation of our families and churches. we should treat them with honor and respect because they have experience that we should want to pass along.
#2 every day containers.
these are those things in our kitchen that we use every day. the dishes that are alwas used, the containers that we are accustomed to. we know exactly what they are for and exactly what they can hold. we love them and they just always get the job done.
kind of like those seasoned chiristians in our churches. they have been around for a while, they have training and they are used all the time. we know exactly what they are good at and that when we go to them, they will get things done just like they always do.
#3 small containers
the ones that often get shoved to the back of the cupboard just because we hardly ever use them. they don't hold as much and sometimes they are just forgotten.
these are like the kids in our churches. often times they are just so small and annoying that we just shove them in the back or out of the room while we are busy having church. we think that they are too small to handle what the adults do and so we just push them aside.
#4 new containers
those ones that we see when we are out at the store and we just have to have them. they seem like the perfect fit and we have this great plans for them. but we get them home and we forget about them and they sit in the bag and we just keep using the ones we always have. or it just wasn't quite the right size and it wasn't all we had hoped that it would be. and so we just shove it aside as well.
and this is like those new converts. we get all excited to go out and bring them into the church. and then when they get there...because they don't know so much about the faith, they just don't do everything they are supposed to do. and they don't fit just right and we just aren't sure what to do with them and so we set them aside and go on using them people that we always have.
so do you sort of see those connections? we have all of these people in our homes and our families. but there are some problems here.
in a kitchen, when a big container can't hold anymore, we usually fit the rest into a smaller one.
why don't we do the same thing in our churches? when those seasoned chirstians just can't take anymore...why not pass along the blessing or spread it out to the kids?
the truth is, sometimes those smaller containers can hold a lot more than we think they can...just like kids. they have so much more potential than a lot of people give them credit for.
and those containers that we use over and over again...eventually they ware out. and if we did nothing to break those smaller containers/kids in, they are feeling undervalued and they will not have any of the blessing to go on. which is dangerous...because they are the future of our church.
this passage says that in a well furnished kitchen we have got to have all of these containers. if there were all glasses and no plates or all bowls and no tuperware, guests would leave feeling unsatisfied. they would miss out on the whole meal.
and our church is the same way. if we don't value every ,member and have every one contributing, those who come in won't receive the whole blessing, they won't see all of jesus.
so the challenge is first to figure out what kind of conatainer you are.
and it's not what kind we want to be...it's the kind that God has created us to be. we have got to be willing to let him shape us into that container...the one that he can use most effectively.
and then we have to start recognizing what others have to offer. and appreciating it.
every container is important.
kimpossible said something great last night.
if you served food on your nicest plate but left garbage around the kitchen it would not be effective.
and then pastor mentioned how it hurts to lose a new container but it hurts more to lose and old one.
it's just a great illustration and challenge for all of us..
anyways...
so, we wrapped up the service and then headed home...after kim ferociously took the drivers seat in a desperate attempt to get home..and soon ha ha.
mark then proceeded to teach me a magic rope trick to do in the school assembly today.
it took me a while...the funniest thing is that the part of the trick that should have been hard...i just couldn't cut the rope ha ha. it was pretty amusing. but i practiced on the dog and on the cat and on becky who was no fun because she had to go be all smart and figure it out.
but i got it down pretty well
then we watched end of the spear...gosh i love that movie.
i am just so thankful for men like that and women too that had the courage and the boldness to open up those fields and to make missions what it is today.
they give us something to aspire to. to ask the lord to grow us and change us and make us willing to love and serve despite the cost.
and it is incredible if you watch that movie and you read books like peace child. the sacrifices those missionaries make.
and the way that God has already created those people to search for him even if they don't know they are.
just the way that warrior looks in that movie when he kills someone. this guilt he carries in his eyes. just wanting to do the right thing but being trapped in the only way he's ever known. but God put that nature inside of him so that some brave souls would follow his lead to open up those locked doors.
wow
so i had already written this entire blog last night...and silly facebook ate it. booooo
anyways.
you will just have to read two today and get your fill because we are traveling around the country for the next two weeks and well i won't be able to update as often if at all....anyways. thanks for praying and reading and supporting. you are all wonderful and i am blessed to have you in my life :)
mr. t and tiny t were indeed hiding out behind the grill.
but now that it warm...they have come out of their shells...ha ha ha
yesterday morning we got to sleep in AGAIN. we are really getting spoiled around these parts if you know what i mean...
and then there were home made biscuits with sausage that kimpossible just whipped up for breakfast...she never quits that's for sure.
so we were supposed to be diligently working on camp decor while mark headed out to the men's business group meeting...
but sometimes we just get on these really silly girl talks...and well needless to say, it was 11:20 before any real work began.
and then we started the banner... and let me tell you... making this thing was the ultimate challenge (get it..that's the theme ha ha)
so for about 10 minutes we laid out this ginormous piece of white fabric...and just stared at it.
and stared at it some more.
and then kimpossible had a plan.
she fetched her safety pins and we found the center...
except then there was this one pin in the middle of the fabric and well it made us pretty nervous...
although it was extremely entertaining to watch missy the skittish dog dance around that pin..and then when jade got caught under the fabric and missy chased her into the corner...well we weren't getting much done.
hours later...we had most of the design drawn up...and after all of that dancing around it..poor kimpossible was the one to stab her foot on the needle.
so we had some chicken fajitas for dinner...who knew you could find such good mexican in africa...
and then it was off to church at fresh water assembly for the weekly bible study.
the night before mark had been like...hey how did you like that...
i said it was fine...
he said good.
you are doing it again tomorrow..lol
so i was supposed to talk about family in some capacity since they are studying that right now...so i was going to go with the whole body analogy...but well gosh that is just so overdone.
and then it hit me!!!!!!
this lesson i had used years and years ago in young adults.
containers.
just go with me here.
i think that because i am a children's person... God gave me the mind of a child... and well therefore i tend to think in analogies.
so this is in essence what i said... you can kind of think of this as two notes in one...
2 timothy 2:20-21
in a well furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost bucket---some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.
so basically i looked at all kinds of different containers and how they sort of represent people in our homes and in our churches.
#1 old containers/dishes
these are those containers or those pieces that we have kept in a place of honor. we get them out for special occasions and treat them with great care. they can't be used quite as much now, but they are of great value because they are rich in history. they have stories and experiecne that we want to pass on and keep alive in our family.
just like elderly people in our homes and churches. they can't give quite as much as they used to, but they are still so very valuable. they are the history and foundation of our families and churches. we should treat them with honor and respect because they have experience that we should want to pass along.
#2 every day containers.
these are those things in our kitchen that we use every day. the dishes that are alwas used, the containers that we are accustomed to. we know exactly what they are for and exactly what they can hold. we love them and they just always get the job done.
kind of like those seasoned chiristians in our churches. they have been around for a while, they have training and they are used all the time. we know exactly what they are good at and that when we go to them, they will get things done just like they always do.
#3 small containers
the ones that often get shoved to the back of the cupboard just because we hardly ever use them. they don't hold as much and sometimes they are just forgotten.
these are like the kids in our churches. often times they are just so small and annoying that we just shove them in the back or out of the room while we are busy having church. we think that they are too small to handle what the adults do and so we just push them aside.
#4 new containers
those ones that we see when we are out at the store and we just have to have them. they seem like the perfect fit and we have this great plans for them. but we get them home and we forget about them and they sit in the bag and we just keep using the ones we always have. or it just wasn't quite the right size and it wasn't all we had hoped that it would be. and so we just shove it aside as well.
and this is like those new converts. we get all excited to go out and bring them into the church. and then when they get there...because they don't know so much about the faith, they just don't do everything they are supposed to do. and they don't fit just right and we just aren't sure what to do with them and so we set them aside and go on using them people that we always have.
so do you sort of see those connections? we have all of these people in our homes and our families. but there are some problems here.
in a kitchen, when a big container can't hold anymore, we usually fit the rest into a smaller one.
why don't we do the same thing in our churches? when those seasoned chirstians just can't take anymore...why not pass along the blessing or spread it out to the kids?
the truth is, sometimes those smaller containers can hold a lot more than we think they can...just like kids. they have so much more potential than a lot of people give them credit for.
and those containers that we use over and over again...eventually they ware out. and if we did nothing to break those smaller containers/kids in, they are feeling undervalued and they will not have any of the blessing to go on. which is dangerous...because they are the future of our church.
this passage says that in a well furnished kitchen we have got to have all of these containers. if there were all glasses and no plates or all bowls and no tuperware, guests would leave feeling unsatisfied. they would miss out on the whole meal.
and our church is the same way. if we don't value every ,member and have every one contributing, those who come in won't receive the whole blessing, they won't see all of jesus.
so the challenge is first to figure out what kind of conatainer you are.
and it's not what kind we want to be...it's the kind that God has created us to be. we have got to be willing to let him shape us into that container...the one that he can use most effectively.
and then we have to start recognizing what others have to offer. and appreciating it.
every container is important.
kimpossible said something great last night.
if you served food on your nicest plate but left garbage around the kitchen it would not be effective.
and then pastor mentioned how it hurts to lose a new container but it hurts more to lose and old one.
it's just a great illustration and challenge for all of us..
anyways...
so, we wrapped up the service and then headed home...after kim ferociously took the drivers seat in a desperate attempt to get home..and soon ha ha.
mark then proceeded to teach me a magic rope trick to do in the school assembly today.
it took me a while...the funniest thing is that the part of the trick that should have been hard...i just couldn't cut the rope ha ha. it was pretty amusing. but i practiced on the dog and on the cat and on becky who was no fun because she had to go be all smart and figure it out.
but i got it down pretty well
then we watched end of the spear...gosh i love that movie.
i am just so thankful for men like that and women too that had the courage and the boldness to open up those fields and to make missions what it is today.
they give us something to aspire to. to ask the lord to grow us and change us and make us willing to love and serve despite the cost.
and it is incredible if you watch that movie and you read books like peace child. the sacrifices those missionaries make.
and the way that God has already created those people to search for him even if they don't know they are.
just the way that warrior looks in that movie when he kills someone. this guilt he carries in his eyes. just wanting to do the right thing but being trapped in the only way he's ever known. but God put that nature inside of him so that some brave souls would follow his lead to open up those locked doors.
wow
so i had already written this entire blog last night...and silly facebook ate it. booooo
anyways.
you will just have to read two today and get your fill because we are traveling around the country for the next two weeks and well i won't be able to update as often if at all....anyways. thanks for praying and reading and supporting. you are all wonderful and i am blessed to have you in my life :)
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