A Wave of Pillow Love

This last week was our churches annual Vacation Bible School.
I got to do the crafts this year and I loved it!

For two reasons:
#1: duh?? CRAFTS?? don't you know anything about me?
#2: Missions Focus:
it is in crafts that the mission time happens. It is part of our mission at my church to reach others for Christ, both here in our community, across the country and around the world!

Since my heart is in Detroit I thought it a perfect match! Or God thought it, cause well I just showed up.

Anyway, We made 65 soft, colorful pillows this week to send to inner-city Detroit with the group of EAC high schoolers that will be going there. The pillows will be handed out in a variety of ways I imagine; at a local day care, homeless shelter, VBS and however else the Lord leads.

I couldn't take enough pictures of this mission focus project, nor could I post enough in this blog.

One last note: after making the pillows we spend Friday praying over them.

Enjoy!

They gave a "shout out" to their new friends in Detroit!

Please note teenager praying and leading a crew here at VBS.

Many of the student "crew leadsers" will do the same thing for 2 weeks this summer in Cass Corridor, Detroit. If you know nothing of Cass Corridor- you would do yourself some good to google it.

Another teen missionary.

Future teen missionary.

More prayer.

Are you seeing a pattern of crew leaders.

The wave of love.

EDG to the DET

Kid 2 Kid Missions 2010

Pray for Cass Corridor.

thanks

Summer Reading

I have decided to only read one book this summer.
I was poking around Big Lots today and found Bohemian Manifesto for 50 cents!

Looked interesting and for that price I couldn't pass it up. I don't know much about who or what a Bohemian is or stands for. I sat and read half of the introduction while waiting for Steve and it caught my attention so it, at that moment, officially became my summer book.

I also realized while typing just now that this is the first summer since 1997 that I have not been buying home school curriculum and planning a school year. Interesting, weird?

So what about you- are you reading anything this summer?

Today I am Thankful For...

-God's grace daily in my life
-homemade dill pickles
-Steve.
-opportunities unseen
-blue pens
-the winds of change and the change that comes
-the constant of Jesus
-smiles from strangers

In This Hour

Do we ask for our suffering to go away?
Do we ask for troubles to avoid us?
Do we ask for life to be smooth sailing?
Yes, we can ask; but I say don't waste your breath.

"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" -Jesus

It is during these troubled hours that we become who we were meant to be, it is where we find ourselves. It is during these times that we can see and feel and touch this Jesus who saved us. It is during these dark hours that the light shines through, that refinement continues, hearts are changed and it is during these troubles that we can be refreshment to others.

It is what it is.
We are where we are.
Not saying therefore we should give up on changing or making better or obeying- no, I am saying that the hour in which you are in is exactly that: the hour in which you are in.
So...
Live it.
Love it.
Learn from it.

Grow in it.
Seek God in it.
Relax, be still, move, dig in.

You are where you are because this is what God created you for- life on this green planet.
Life with troubled hours,
heart aching nights,
sore knees and rug burned faces.

So I cry out in this hour of mine "Father, glorify your name!"

Love to you all.




PS:
A side note to my family: I love you all and you have all been on my heart recently; from the islands of Alaska, the hills of Virginia and the mountains of Maine. We come from an amazing line of people. Christ-followers, hard workers, bold people who not only decided to etch their lives in New England when no one else was there but a people who loved and cherished family, friends, serving and giving. Perfect? No way- we are timeless mess, you all know the details of our messes, afterall we're family; but I just wanted those of you who read this to know I love you and I pray for a deeper stronger love for the ways of God in each of you, that you would see Jesus today and press on toward the goal. I look forward to one day in heaven when we're all gonna have a blast together!!! We are truly blessed! Love you family!