The Gospel for Children

This week I've been working on organizing things for the next season of teaching kids' Sunday School at my church.  You know, exciting things, like making a roster.

With that in the background, let me mention a conversation I heard very recently.

A:  I'm in my mid-30s now, and I've been a Christian for 4 years.
B.  I heard the Gospel as a child, so I've been a Christian for a long time.
A.  Wow, I wish somebody had told me the Gospel as a child--my life would have been so much better!

$41.30

Today's sermon was on the Lord's prayer.  The phrase "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" was going through my mind tonight when I finally gave in and paid a bill that I didn't actually owe.

I paid it because I was tired of getting the notices and the threats of it being turned over to a collection agency.

I paid it because the people who sent the bill don't have a clue.

I paid it because I was too lazy to go back to the lab and explain again why the charge was wrong.

I paid it because sometimes it is just easier to write a check for $41.30 than to fight the endless battle to get a mistake corrected.

God paid my bill that he didn't actually owe.  And he did it without hesitation or griping.

He didn't even write a blog about.

492.

Every so often I remember I have this blog and I remember that it was a good idea to keep track of what I'm thankful for.

• The scriptures are full of examples of people being thankful, often when their lives were hard.  And besides that, scripture tells us, quite emphatically, to Be Thankful.
• Even for people who aren't believers, thankfulness crowds out complaining, victimization, whining.  And don't we all prefer to be around people who are thankful rather than those who constantly complain about any and everything?
• Being thankful is like being polite.  It acknowledges where we stand in relation to the rest of the universe.

So, I"ll add a few more:

492.  people who care about me being sick
493.  living long enough to see growth
494.  cooler weather
495.  a house to get dirty
496.  happy memories
497.  unlimited cups of hot tea
498.  opportunities to minister
499.  a chance to give stuff away

484.

I've neglected my 1000 thank-yous list for some months.  Nevertheless, those months have been filled with good things and blessings.  I need to start up again.

484.  a clean house
485.  wisdom from kids
486.  shooting stars
487.  a view of Mars
488.  seeing happiness and peace in others
489.  a husband with an even keel
490.  a children's sermon
491.  a new refrigerator

From the Mouthes of Babes

The youngest four out of five kids in a foster family were in my Sunday School class today.  They are all great kids, but I think I felt in control of  the class no more than 75% of the time, even with only four students.

At prayer time I asked if anyone had anything they wanted us to pray about.  The 7 year old answered, without hesitation:  "My mom.  Cause we live in a foster family.  My mom needs a job and a house.  She needs a car and money."

"OK, would you like to pray for her?" I asked.

So she did.  Then her baby sister started yelling, "I want to pray, I want to pray."  :-)

So she had her turn: "Thank you for my mom's job, and for her house, and for her car and her money."

Bloom Where You're Planted

It isn't just a saying--sometimes it really happens!

Too Good

Wow, it looks like Blogger has changed a lot since I was last here.  Nowadays, change is better, right??

Some time ago I decided to use my other blog for my frequent chit-chat blather, keeping friends and family up to date with our daily lives.  Nothing earth-shattering, just the daily news.

Anyway, today I'm using this old blog to put into print the fact that I'm feeling like my life is too good.  No, not bragging.  In fact, I almost feel guilty for having such a perfect life.  Or more to the point, I might feel a twinge of guilt mixed with my sympathy for others because my child didn't commit suicide and my husband didn't run off and my credit card is paid off and I don't have cancer and I do have air conditioning and my house is too big, and my friends are too kind and my kids still like me, and, well--you get the idea.  In other words, I see others suffering and I sometimes wonder why it isn't me.  The only sensible answer I can come up with is that God has been both merciful and gracious to me, not giving me what I do deserve on the one hand and giving me what I don't deserve on the other.  I don't know why.  But I know I am blessed and I am grateful to Him.

479.

479.  a lifer bird
480. receiving a heart-felt thank you
481. nice, nice weather
482. peace
483. a happy mother-of-the-bride

472.

472.  The Lord is merciful.
473.  My prayer has been answered.
474. The Lord is risen.
475. my grandbabies
476. safe travels
477.  the end of a good life
478. bluebonnets