Undeserving Love

After reading Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts, a few years ago I have been trying to be much more intentional about finding things in my life that I am thankful for. To tell you the truth, its hard not to find things that I am thankful for! Once you start looking you realize that there is more to be thankful for than not and that life is really much better than we ever would deserve. Thank you Jesus for your blessings even when we fall short of deserving them.

At church today we watch an episode from this series called What's in the Bible? and it was all about King David and King Solomon (talk about some guys who really didn't deserve God's grace!). These are always tricky stories to teach to elementary school kids...What do you mean he had more than one wife? Why did he kill that man? Isn't David a man after God's own heart? Does that mean it's okay for us to do that stuff too? (Okay so maybe a kindergartner wouldn't ask some of those questions, but a 3rd or 4th grader? Absolutely.) I am always so impressed with this series because they don't gloss over anything and are still able to tell it in a kid appropriate way. For example, this episode talks about David committing adultery, which means he stole someone else's wife. And then to cover up that adultery he had someone killed, or committed murder. BUT they also explained that he repented, asked God to forgive him, and wanted a clean heart (Psalm 51). While God still loves us when we sin or make bad choices, that doesn't mean there won't be consequences. If we lie to our boss, God will still love us but we might lose our job. If we hurt a friend, God will still love us, but that person might not trust us to be their friend...etc.

What a great way to describe these stories in a kid-friendly way. Just because God will always forgive us and always love us doesn't mean it is okay to hurt someone or do something God told us not to. We must also suffer the consequences of our actions. In the end we talked about which king we would want to be like, David who repented? or Solomon who turned away from God?

Neither of these kings deserved God's love or mercy, just like we don't deserve it either. I can't even wrap my mind around these kinds of things. Why does God keep loving us crazy people who continually do stupid things? I am thankful for these examples of people who lived before us. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to repent when I make poor choices. And I am thankful that God is always there and is always faithful. Most of the time I'm not even able to describe what it means that God is faithful, but there is a peace about it, that I know everything will be okay. I know that I am not responsible for planning my future alone. I have the ultimate designer and creator guiding my future.

"You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 118:28-29

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Things I love about Sunday:

• My ritual of listening to worship music on Pandora while I get ready in the morning
• The sound of an excited "Hi Miss Emily!"
• Catching up with people after a busy week
• Singing with the kids
• Chatting with a puppet about Jesus and things we can learn from Him
• Problem solving when something doesn't run smoothly
• Sitting in the back of the church foyer chatting with a mom and their baby who doesn't want to be in the nursery (or quietly sit through the service)
• Seeing happy kids leaving KidTown, excited to come back again
• Taking naps on the couch

Things I love about THIS Sunday:

• The comfort of gray skies and rain that is still coming down, making the earth a lovely shade of green
• New curriculum to teach the K-3 kids
• Lunch with my brother at Orrapin on Queen Anne
• Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies
• Laying on the couch and reading my newest book, Just a Minute by Wess Stafford

Praising the Lord for all that is good and right on this Sabbath day.

"I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.' Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure." 

Psalm 16:2,9

Easter Blessings

        Easter has recently become one of my favorite holidays. (I know I say that about every holiday, but this year Easter has been especially meaningful for me.) Yesterday we celebrated the Easter EGGstravaganza at the church with almost 100 kids! A very fun day of pancakes, egg hunting, crafts, bounce house, games, and a puppet show. This year I had the opportunity to host the puppet show and it was great. Working with our puppets is always fun, especially when they start ad-libing. I definitely had to keep from laughing a few times! The main message was based off m&ms.... Miracle of Mercy, Worthy of Worship, Eternal Life for Everyone, and 3 days in the tomb (or God is 3 in one). If you keep turning a package of m&ms they'll become w's, e's, and 3's. The kids were a little mesmerized by that idea, but I think the parents thought it was clever. It was such a joy to watch the children's faces as they enjoyed the puppet show and hopefully learned something about Jesus!

        Easter is a holiday that I haven't been home for in over 5 years. It was always right after spring break so it didn't make sense to travel back to California for such a short weekend. I have spent this holiday in many ways, with various family members and friends, but one thing that has been consistent is my opportunity to worship at First Free Methodist Church on this special morning. I have been reflecting lately on how blessed I am to be surrounded by a community that loves and cares for me as one of their own. Whether it is through a hug or a kind word, I know that there are many people who care for me (and whom I care for as well). I may not have friends who are my age or who are in a similar life situation, but the beauty of community is that it can be made out of any group of people who are intentional about loving each other and living life together. Better yet, living life together with the common purpose of loving Jesus and following him daily.

Christ is risen.

He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

Hosanna

Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You, we turn to You
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You, we long for You
'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, hosanna
You are the God who saves us, worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You, we turn to You
In Your Kingdom broken lives are made new, You make us new
'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, hosanna
You are the God who saves us, worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence all our fears are washed away
'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, hosanna
You are the God who saves us, worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna, hosanna

Mighty to Save

Everyone needs compassion

A love that's never failing

Let mercy fall on me

Everyone needs forgiveness

The kindness of a Savior

The hope of nations

Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save

Forever
Author of Salvation

He rose & conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me

All my fears & failures

Fill my life again

I give my life to follow

Everything I believe in

Now I surrender

Savior

He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever

Author of Salvation

He rose & conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

Shine Your light &

Let the whole world see

We're singing

For the glory

Of the risen King

This song has been stuck in my head for the last few days, and I've been repeating the chorus over and over.

He can move the mountains, my God is mighty to save.

There is nothing that God cannot do, no matter how big or small my problem my seem- if God can move the mountains, why do I worry? Why do I think it is something too big to handle? These lyrics have been bouncing around in my head for a reason-- God wants me to let him handle every situation. Take a deep breath and stop worrying. I had to read 1 Corinthians for homework last night and there were so many things jumping out to me- just that Paul is trying to tell the people that God is bigger than this world. The things of the world and the sins of the world should not define us.

"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13b