Operation Christmas Child

Cardboard or plastic, that is the question.  Please realize that although a plastic shoebox seems ideal, it actually reduces the overall OCC impact potential.
When shipping internationally size makes a big financial difference. The shoeboxes are shipped in cartons that can hold 20 cardboard shoeboxes. But far less plastic ones.
When determining how many cartons can be shipped to a remote site it all boils down to dollars and sense.
Overall those nice reusable plastic shoeboxes actually reduce the number of boxes available to ship to each location globally.
There you have it, my two cents worth

I love my husband

I Love My Husband
I actually have a license plate on the front of my car that says that statement.  And I really do! For many, many reasons.
Today is just one example...
Our next door neighbor is a reclusive widow. Her bushes and trees are severely overgrown.  Rather than complain about it, my loving husband got a bunch of guys together this morning to trim and clean up her overgrown yard.
I am sitting inside listening to the manly banter as these guys, both young and not so young, work together on clean-up duty.
When the men started to arrive, I heard my husband's cell phone chime with an appointment reminder.  It simply said Help Kathy.
As believers in Christ, we may never change the world, but we can change someone's world!

Isaiah 9:1-7

Isaiah 9:1-7: Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward...

I'm watching Torah Series on @YouVersion.

I'm watching Torah Series on @YouVersion.: This seven-part animated series explores the literary design and message of the first five books of the Old Testament, known in Jewish tradition as “the Torah.'...

TapIn

I am convinced of one thing this morning...

We as Christians, both individually (and pretty much the Church as a whole), have not even scratched the surface of the power that is available to us and in us.  

I got trumped by the adversary recently and I failed to share with my church family the pain I am presently experiencing (in my Mother's heart) over my son. He is truly in a serious crisis (and life-threatening)  situation.  But, for a moment, I believed that people were tired of hearing about his plight... so I didn't mention anything; I just put on my smile and did the Sunday morning church thing.

I got a lot out of church; the message was strong and the fellowship sweet, but oh how I missed the point of corporate worship!

Reluctantly, after church, I posted a vague prayer request on a private prayer facebook group that our church has.  I was pleasantly surprised by the outpouring of love from my friends in Christ! Dear ones, responded! Almost immediately showing that they truly cared and were interested! 

This morning, in my quiet time with God's Word, I stumbled on this letter written by Paul to the non-Jews (aka Gentile; aka me) believers in Ephesus!

A letter to every non-Jew believer... (from the letter to the Ephesian Gentile Church; chapter 3)

8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles (that's us; pretty much every believer I know!) about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. ; 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning 10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ; 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.; 12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 13 So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored. 14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

This hit me, hard! Not only was I not 'tapping in' I was denying my church family the privilege to 'tap in' on behalf of my son, too!

All this has got me to thinking how essential corporate prayer and worship is. People (aka believers) are peculiar. We arrive at church, ready for 'worship' (or at least we should arrive that way). But people don't want it to take too long; they want to get in and get out in a timely fashion.

The early church (and churches in third world countries, and even many of the 'hoods' of America today-I'm speaking from my own personal experience!) don't 'worship' like that. They truly hunger and thirst for corporate Worship, Prayer, and Fellowship, no matter how long it takes!

Yes it is true, I got trumped by the devil! But I get it now! I want to "TapIn" to the Power of Christ in Me (only using the capital "M" because of Christ in me) :)

#biblefor21

20But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.; 21So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. ; 22Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

Beck's Jesus Club

The Bible tells us that a simple childlike faith pleases God... I have been thinking about that a lot lately!

During Christmas vacation this year, I threw a small surprise birthday for our daughter while we were in Arizona (where she and her hubby live).

I had spent some time 'liking' and secretly inviting her close friends to the occasion.  We all met at a restaurant (her favorite) and had a very pleasant evening!

During the course of the evening, my hubby and I got to sit next to one of our daughter's friends little boy (7 year old, Beck).  This child was delightful, to say the least!  We learned that both sets of his grandparents are all missionaries in Guam!  

Most importantly, Beck shared with us about a club he has started with his friends; namely the Jesus Club! 

Once a week he gathers some friends together and they pray for people.  He has had them commit to this and initiated them into his 'club' for this purpose!  He gives each sincere participant a little Jesus pin to wear.  They then go out into their little worlds with the intent of telling people about Jesus and how He loves them.

When they gather again for a 'club' meeting, they then pray, again for people.

Needless to say, I recognized the simple genius in this sweet little guys heart!  I was blown away by his intentional diligence...

Well, dinner was then served, gifts were opened, and relaxing conversation was taking place with the birthday girl...

Next thing I knew, little Beck had positioned himself standing right behind my shoulder.  He sheepishly semi-whispered in my ear "I've been thinking, would YOU like to be in my Jesus club?"

I turned and looked into his sweet face, I explained that I live in Kansas, and asked how could I participate, since he lives in Arizona?  But then I thought, "why not?" his mother and I were now "friends" on facebook, I could certainly keep him posted on the Kansas extension of his sweet club!  And Mommy agreed!

He then said, "well, normally I do like for people to attend a meeting and get their pin..."

Then his little eyes sparkled and he said, "actually I have a BIG pin that I've been saving for  a special purpose" maybe YOU should get that pin, since you are the first adult in my club"!

Now fast forward a few weeks... I came home from our vacation inducted as the first adult AND the Kansas ambassador of Beck's Jesus Club!  I teach an older elementary Sunday school class, and have shared Beck's story and his club with kids in my class.  These kids (ages 9-12) were so excited and literally blown away that a 'little' kid (7 years old) thought of this idea, and they hadn't!  Since that time, we have started our own club and now one of my SS students is even beginning HER own extension within her circle of influence, namely her home-school friends!  Beck's Jesus club is growing even in Kansas!

Grown ups get too bogged down and have a tendency to overthink things.  Our rationalizing (too much reasoning in our minds) sometimes (often) keeps us from simply trusting. Simply trusting in the Lord for many, many things... the right words to say...

Faith is what pleases the Lord.  We don't save people, God saves people.  But for some unknown reason He chooses to use unworthy yet willing people to spread His love and His word and His simple message of eternal life.

So for today, just rest in the fact the Jesus loves You!  And be a light in this dark world!

The Ephesians 1:2

The Ephesians 1:2: Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Days of Grace for the Pace #Biblefor21

axolotl

Interesting word I learned about in today's reading of Our Daily Bread.  http://odb.org/2016/01/16/desiring-growth/
Axolotl... a tadpole found in Mexico that never grows past the tadpole stage.
 It reminded me of a big lesson I have learned:
I grew up trying so very hard to be perfect, knowing full well that I would never obtain the flawless perfection I was striving for.  My human'ness' always seemed to get the best of me.  All my efforts were in vain, and deep down inside, I knew it.
All this futile effort was because of a single word in the Bible, being taken out of context.                    In Matthew 5:48 one reads "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (KJV).  My upbringing was in a religious practice that really stressed trying to live this verse; literally to try and become like God.

I have learned that there are two major problems with this practice.
A.The word PERFECT used in Matthew 5:48 has an original meaning in the Greek language as "growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity"
This is not the same meaning as our English word for which we interpret as flawless                             (see http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perfect)

B. Lucifer fell because He wanted to be God.  This story is documented in Isaiah 14.  Lucifer was created by God as an angel.  With specific characteristics and purpose.  But God also gave the angels (as well as his creation; man) freedom to choose.  This is because God is gracious and doesn't want to force one to follow Him.
Lucifer became prideful and actually boasted that he wanted to be God.  Which caused God to have to throw him from heaven, which is why he was the first fallen angel and nearly 1/3 of the heavenly host followed him to damnation (aka demons).
The idea that a person could become perfect is in direct relation to the fall of Lucifer. 

All this to say that when a human soul receives Jesus Christ as Savior, we become born again (see John 3).  Literally babes in Christ.  We need to learn to live God's way.  Through bible study and prayer and accountability, we start growing just as an infant does.  A baby drinks milk before he can eat, but then he learns to eat.  A baby need to be carried until he learns to walk. A baby cries to express himself until he learns to talk, etc...
This is normal.  A baby progresses past the infant stage and spends years growing into maturity.  If a child never progressed; just like the Mexican axolotl remains in tadpole stage for life, this is not normal.
It is natural for a Christian to grow spiritually.  One who remains in the infant stage of their walk with God is not truly fulfilling the ideal life that God has planned for them.  They are stunting their own growth by refusing to grow up.

Refuge: Our Daily Bread