Monday thoughts...

I am really worn out this morning. I think I could have slept another 3 hours and even told my boss this morning that I have been dragging the last month. But I have to say that I have been fired up on a few things. Especially after a great invested weekend. Time at the cabin with 2 great kids hanging with Kyle and being on the lake with them. Nothing better than hearing the laugh of kids having fun.

BUT - I am fired up about church - about Jesus. I mean that - more so than probably any other time in my life. God is teaching me some things and I am learning something! Yesterday our pastor gave us the outline of the next year for our church and the direction we are taking. I love it when we have a plan and I can see this plan taking shape. THAT is very exciting. I can see the puzzle pieces coming together and the great thing is - others can see it too!

Last night our Rock Group met and I led a message on being "Hot, Cold or Luke Warm" on our faith meter. I got to draw on the screen and nobody laughed - that was cool but my drawing was something like this.

I know this looks funny but really its simple. Everyone starts somewhere and God knows that place. If we never accept Jesus our meter just goes and stays flat. When we become Christians most of us are on fire for God. We are fired up for Him and learning things and God is really teaching us. Our meter goes up but that cannot stay that way. God gives us the season to test us in what He has taught us. God can sometimes be quiet in our lives and in our prayer life during this season. Our meter slowly goes down. He may be testing you with a sickness, a loss of a loved one, a job change or relocation - it is a season of testing. But God tells us to hang on - to keep our eyes on Him during this time. When that season is over and God is ready to teach us something more - He moves us once again to our faith meter moving up. See, without that season of difficulty - He may never be able to bring us to that new level of understanding. I think about my mom and during that season of my life - that was a hard time but I kept my eyes and heart on Jesus. He taught me so much during that difficult season in my life. It was a season I am thankful for and years from now - I will be rejoicing with my mom in heaven because of that season. God could not have done what He has done in my life without that season.

Last nights Rock Group brought that season out in the open and I am thankful for the people in my life who are walking with me as we learn about each other and about staying focused on God during our tough seasons. It was one of the best meetings we have ever had. Honest......

Last night I also got to have my "teachable moment" with the kids. I just love sitting on the floor with them and getting down to their level. I love to give everyone a chance to be heard and give them time to talk. I love the fact that this great bunch of kids are doing life together and really becoming friends. Its awesome when you have a 10 year old who is looked up to by a 4 year old. It reminds us that we are all being watched no matter how big or small we are.

Last nights lesson came from 1 John 1 - Walking in the light.

5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.

I shared with them that we all bump into things when we are walking in the dark. When the lights are out in our homes and we cannot see - we run into things, we trip and fall, we walk into closed doors and being out of Gods light is the sin in our lives. When we walk in Gods light we can make good decisions and choices and our stumbles are less. We can avoid those things that we can see in life because we are in Gods light. I then asked each of them to write on a piece of paper a sin that they wanted to give to God. When we ask God for forgiveness we are washed clean. Our sin is totally forgiven and forgotten by God. We dont have to continue to fret over it, carry it around in our lives and we can be totally free from it. Each kid wrote and we kept it from anyone knowing, including me parents! - and we tied them to a rock. I put a rubber band around the rock and we got up - didnt tell anyone what we were doing and headed outside and down to the creek. We then put our hands on the rock which held our sin and prayed together. We then tossed the rock into the creek and with it entering the water - our sins were forgotten - washed clean by our heavenly father.

The thing I did not see coming was the fact that each kid wanted their own rock - Hayley was ready to go dig up rocks right then for each of them. Each kid wanted to throw their own rock into the creek themselves. Wesley and Chloe didnt want to get their feet dirty. Megan was scared of the wet grass and we laughed all the way back into the house.

My day this morning started before I got out of bed. Thanking the Lord for "MyKids" and the people I am doing life with. I asked God for opportunities today to serve Him, to bring honor and glory to His name and to point my feet in the direction they should go.

Life is good......

Peace,

Lonnie~