Response to Water and Cream...

Ok, I normally don't use my blog to "talk" with my friends. One reason being that I have ladies from all steps of life and all over the world that read my blog. Family that sees me every once in a blue moon, missionary friends, worldwide Hannah's Prayer friends, and local friends...all check in on the Blog. So with that said, if you think that I am ever directing a comment to YOU...Think of the song, "You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you!" LOL...ok, that was a mean streak...and I AM TOTALLY am teasing! If I don't use your name in the blog as so and so check this point out...I probably am not talking directly to you.

But, today I was getting ready to hop on here to write all about what an awesome experience we had worshiping yesterday, when I read another blog about our church. I won't use her name as she would turn 18 shades of a lovely color of red, pink, and even some purple around the ears... :) I thought, man, should I write how happy we are with the church and how much we are learning and growing...when she just wrote how watered down it is? Will it make me look like a featherweight in the faith??? Well, I decided that since I am journaling my growth over the next couple months, I don't care if I look like a featherweight. In fact...with the fact that I can't seem to budge one more ounce off of this body...featherweight sounds kinda nice!!!

So...here are the things that I loved about Faith yesterday, and learned at Faith yesterday...featherweight as they may be:

1. In Sunday School we learned that God has a plan for salt. We learned that He ordains His salt to be exactly where it needs to be. If it is truly salt. If you are pepper at the time, He will not put you in an environment to season others for HIS good...YOU will season them with your pepper instead. I liked this.

2. I learned that we need to be surrounded by others that will provide flavor, preserve us, and promote thirst for The Fount. I think that Brian and I have spent entirely too long trying to be salt when we were not around enough salt. The only salt that we were around, were the people that we were giving salt too. lol. It kinda tastes the same. We need a variety of salt. Seasoned Salt, Garlic Salt, Sea Salt, and regular ol' Table Salt.

3. We learned that a relevant life is one of a significance and demonstratable bearing on the issue at hand. To be relevant to a big world, we must get past our little environments. How many of us ladies think, well we are impacting our kids, our friends, and our families...that is enough. WRONGO! That is not what God wanted. CHRIST says, "You are the salt of the Earth...You are the light of the World." (Matt 5:13-16) Not, you are the salt and life of Attica, Indiana, your home, or even the United States. The entire world. What are we doing each day that is significant in God's kingdom...that will have a lasting tidal wave ripple throughout the lands?

4. Light defines Christianity. If you live a life that is darkened. Where you do not show that you are a Christian to others...then you are failing as a Christian. One of our leaders said it this way, "The first thing someone should know about you is who you follow." How many of our thoughts, actions, and even BLOGS do this? In your little ditty on the side....you know where you introduce yourself...would people have to look hard to figure out that you follow GOD!?!?!?!

5. Light is Unashamed...title says it all.

6. Ok, going back to #1. We walk into service a little late b/c our ABF was learning and enjoying the lesson a little too much. God, Himself, ordained two salts to sit together. Out of a big big church, Brian and I sit down next to Marney. Marney and I had been emailing this week about the Passion Play. I had never met Marney. I got her name and email from one of the pastors. During announcements, we learned that we were both getting excited about the play...then realized that we had been talking! It was such a GOD THING! In fact, we both said that at the exact same time. Wanna know what else? Marney is a Kindergarten teacher. She leads children's choir too. Just thought that it was so very awesome how God would ordain that.

7. We learned some new songs yesterday. Loved them. I love that I can sit in worship service with NO inhibitions. No one is going to look at me and wonder what I am thinking as I have tears coming down my face while I am praising my God.

8. I learned that in order to be content, we must be about God's plan for accomplishing His work. (By the way---sidenote...I learned in the car on the way home the difference between those who Learn...and those who just listen...and those who just hear.) Pastor Viars struck a chord in me about people who argue and stir up things instead of accomplishing the plan before me. I have already been learning this...thus the staying off the phone so much as I have very little self control when it comes to this area. But, it was a different perspective.

9. I love that we serve under a Pastor who can admonish his people firmly. The church failed in an area...and he was hard on them, making NO apologies for their behaviors. Brian turned to me and said, "We will not allow that to happen again." We failed to take ownership in our church. We treated Faith like so many treated New Hope. We had a responsibility to be at the event, and did not go. I like that. We may not have a lot of one on one accountability, but man...our conscious was sure pricking us yesterday.

10. I love that as I stood outside the dressing room that Brian and Isaac were in, I heard this sweet song coming out, "Good morning God, this is your day, I am your child, show me your way." The person next to them hollered back, "That was a good job little man." To which Isaac hollered back, "Thanks, I lurned it at chuch. You go to chuch? (yes...it is misspelled on purpose...that is how he says it! Guess even Isaac can be relevant huh?

So---now that I have typed out an entire page on here...I will let my hands go be relevant in my house today. Cleaning cleaning cleaning...Hope you have a great day!