The Pencil

This information was part of our mother/daughter retreat this weekend, and the speaker told use we could freely share.  Its about a pencil.  An unassuming, plain pencil.

The pencil maker told the pencil 5 things before he put the pencil in the box to be sold.

1) You will be able to do MANY great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someones hands.
2) You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you need it, to become a better pencil.
3) You will be able to correct the mistakes you make.
4) The MOST important part of you will ALWAYS be what's on the inside.
5) On every surface you are used, you MUST leave your mark. No matter the condition you must continue to write.

How does this apply to us?

1) You can do MANY things if you reside in God's hand, and allow other beings to access the many gifts you possess.

Isaiah 41:10 Do Not fear for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

2) You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time by going through trials and problems, but you will need it to become a stronger person.

Isaiah 43:2 "I will be with you when you pass through the waters and through the rivers; they will NOT overwhelm you. You will NOT be scorched through the fire, and the flame will not burn you."

Ecclesiastes 10:10 If an ax is dull, and one doesnt sharpen the edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success"

Zechariah 13: 9 "I will but this third through the fire, I will refine them as silver is refined and test them as cold is tested. They will call on my Name and I will answer them. I will say, They are my people, and they will say, the Lord is our God."

Prov 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another"

3) You will be able to correct some of the mistakes you might make, and grow through them, and learn from them.

Phil 3:13 "one thing I do; forgetting what is behind, and reaching forward to what is ahead"

Ephesians 4:22-24 "You took off your former way of life, the old man that is corrupted by deceitful desires. You are being renewed in the spirit of your minds, you put on the new man, the one that created according to God's likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

Romans 12:2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know God's will for you, which is good, pleasing and perfect"

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong, and teaches us to do what is right.

Phil 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus

4) The MOST important part of you will ALWAYS be what's on the inside.

Prov 27:19 As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person

I Sam 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance, of height, for I have rejected him.  The LORD doesnt see things the way you see them.  People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart"

5) On every surface you walk, you MUST leave your mark.  No matter the situation serve God in everything. We leave a mark, on everything - will it be a dirty smudge, or will we point to God?

Lev 19:17-18 And to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.  Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, o God until I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.

Psalm 66:16 Come and listen, all who fear God, let me tell you what he has done for me.

Deuteronomy 6:1-3 these are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children, and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, so that you may enjoy long life.  Hear O Israel, and be careful to obey so that you may go well with you, and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD the God of your fathers promised you.

The Challenge:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, your soul, and your strength.  These commandments that I give you are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children, talk about them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of you houses, and on your gates"

The Well and Peter

I've been reading Mark Hall's (of Casting Crowns) new book The Well.  Its really good, I wasnt sure what to expect, but since I love his music I thought why not.  Basically its about how we go to our own "wells" - instead of THE Well - Jesus, for what we need.  Obviously a book called "The Well" is going to at least mention the woman at the well that Jesus speaks too. I've always been interested in that story, and all the things Jesus did that humans thought were "weird" for a man to do (go to the water well at all, for instance), but that is a different blog.  What struck me while I was reading some this weekend - Trust me, I'm surprised I read any too, considering we had a soccer tourny in a town 30 mins away, which meant 3 games on Saturday, and one on Sunday, along with church twice, but I was able to read a little.

I was reading a chapter about Peter. I love Peter.  Peter is SO ME.  Peter is so REAL. Peter, God love him, he's just Peter.  Peter has faith, loves Jesus, but doubts too. He's rash, his mouth and activities get him in trouble time and time again.  When he thinks he's in the right, he just reacts (remember an ear, anyone?) but when he's scared for his own life, he denies the very source of living water he's been following.  But God used Mark to put a divine highlighter on some stuff about Peter.

Peter was a fisherman, Jesus went to him at the boats, and after a long night of fishing, where they had caught nothing, Jesus told them to try again.  Mark points out that Peter, he was a professional fisherman.  If you were a professional fisherman, what would you have said when this carpenter told you how to fish? But Peter listens, and the nets are full to breaking.  Jesus cares about every detail in our lives...even the ones we think "we can handle".

Later, when Jesus is arrested, Peter denies he knows him three times.  I've always wondered how any one who actually walked with Jesus and saw the miracles with their own eyes could do that.  Mark Hall points out that Peter, well he didn't have the Holy Spirit yet....and he might have thought he had lost Jesus. How blessed we are, to know that we have the Spirit with us...what is our excuse??  Yet we deny him all the time.  We deny him in the workplace, in our friendships - when we think it will be "weird" or people might think we  are "one of those freaks" etc.

When things go wrong, what do you do?  Do you go back to things that are comfortable?  I know I do.  I like comfort of things that I understand and can grasp.  What did Peter do?  He went back fishing.  He knew fishing, he understood fishing, it was a source of comfort I imagine.  What did Jesus do?  He came to Peter....and cooked him a meal - a meal of what?  yeah, of fish. Again, showing how he loved PETER as PETER and that he would take care of him, even the fish.  And he asks Peter three times if he loves him.  Peter, do you love me (agape love - deep abiding, self sacrificing love) and Peter answers that he does love him (philos- friendship love) twice.  The third time, Jesus says Peter, do you even Philos love me??  Can you imagine, being toe to toe and face to face with the lamb of God, and being asked, do you even really love me as a brother?  ouch.  But guess what?  He asks us that. Do you? do you love Jesus?  He love us, with a deep agape love - loves so much that he died for each one of us. I saw quoted the other day that Nails didnt keep Jesus on the cross, love did - How true is that.

He loves us, and only wants us to accept his love and live for him.  I want to say yes, I agape love Jesus every minute of every day. But I would be lying.  I am a Peter.  I want to be on fire for Jesus, I want the world to see how great HE is, and how much He loves us, but I've denied him.  But the best part? The thing about Grace? Jesus loves me anyway. forgives me when I am broken about it and beg to be cleansed again. Lifts me up and sets me on my feet and never leaves me.  I dont deserve it, but I sure am glad its so.  I want to get out of the boat and walk, and not sink.  I pray that I am a little better every day, a little more like Him, and point to Him, because with out Him, we are just dry bones.

Weekends are fun..

but way to short to cram all the stuff into and stay sane.  Haha.  We get a txt from E's soccer coach..we have to be at the fields at 730 in the morning.  SEVEN THIRTY AM. really?  ick. Saturday is the only day I dont have to be up early and we have to be there at 730.  Then she has games at 10 and 12. I'm still trying to figure out why we have to be there at 730 am.  That is a LONG time before 10.  Oh well.

Then of course, there is my other obsession, SEC football.  I must watch my beloved Tide roll, cheer for any team playing Auburn, and in general watch too much tv cus of the football.

Somewhere on Saturday I usually have to figure out when to squeeze in my other obsession, couponing, and then the necessary evil of conquering, scaling,   beating down Mount Washmore. Cleaning straightening  unearthing the house from mess.  Play with the kids, make sure we have everything we need for next week. I try to get as much done on Saturday so I can enjoy Sunday.  I love Sunday. I love church, and my babies in Sunday school, and seeing how much my kids love KIDS Church, and worship, the whole bit.  But y'all at Crossgates we dont just do church..we DO church! We leave the house at 845, and we usually get home around 1245 (and that doesnt include lunch!). I love it, but that's about all I can accomplish in one day.  I am slap worn out, but its a happy tired.  I love working with my SS kids, and I adore worshiping the King at Crossgates.  It just takes a lot out of me!

Ever since the kids had VBS this summer, I have wanted to take them to participate in the church service at We Will Go, in inner city Jackson.  They learned about a church without walls (literal) and were just blown away people meet outside.  We Will Go meets in a pavilion, but y'all..they ask people from the outside areas to get there at 2 for instruction on how to help with the service and love on the people from the inner city...and I just cant do it!  Getting home at 1245 to leave at 130 just doesn't happen. I want it to happen.  I just need an extra dose of strength.  I'll keep you posted if we make it.