Are You Bursting at the Post Office?

Do you like going to the post office? I haven't been in over a year. I needed to get something in the mail quickly last week, so I took a deep breath and decided to give it a chance.

Sometimes the greatest things happen where and when we least expect it!

While waiting in line for over an hour, I began visiting with the lady in front of me. She was mailing packages to her daughter in Korea who is teaching English to elementary students. Her story was amazing and my mind shifted to the many opportunities in life that pass us by. I never thought of working over seas when I was in college. I wonder how we get so trapped in our own little pond and miss the vast sea of life and experience that is just a little ways downstream. We can't see the ocean because we are just a little trickle in the forest trying to make it's way to the sea.

When my new friend headed for the counter to mail her packages, the lady behind me began to chit-chat. After a few minutes of great conversation, I discovered that she was an AUTHOR who has published 5 books, some of which have received awards!

Here I was in the post-office at 8am in the morning in my running shorts, had not brushed my hair or teeth for that matter, and was probably a little stanky, but, God placed me in this moment in time to show me how he uses ordinary women to do amazing things all over his world. He uses moms to love and support their daughters overseas with packages of goodies and needs. He uses daughters to travel to faraway countries to teach little girls who are desperately needy. He uses ordinary wives to write books that influence all the other thousands of women in the world.


What about you? What has God created you to do? You'll know you are doing exactly what he wants you to do because you will burst at the seams to tell the person in line behind you at the post office what he is doing in your life. It might be staying home and caring for your family of 4 or traveling the world impacting 4 million. Whatever God has called you to do and where ever he has placed you, do it with all your heart. Embrace it! Enjoy it! Love it so much that you can't wait to tell someone else!

"Whatever you do work at it with all your heart as if you are working for the Lord."

The Coolest Thing About Cells

Last week at the LifeWay Kids Conference, I heard a scientist speak on "cells." Honestly, I thought this was going to be the MOST boring lecture I had ever heard. Who could talk about your body's cells for an hour? I have found the man ! Here are 3 things every person in the world needs to know about the trillions of cells in your body!

• Cells need the right nourishment. That means...eat all the veggies, nuts, and fruit you can eat. No fat, no red meat... in other words...eat healthy.
• Cells need oxygen. Cells get oxygen from exercise. Walk 3 miles/day 5 days/week or bike, swim, or do aerobics the equivalent of the 3 miles.
• Cells must get rid of waste.
  In order to receive nourishment and oxygen and get rid of wastes, cells open and close! This is a necessary function to keep cells healthy. How do you keep your cells opening and closing?
  
  Research has proven 4 ways.
  1. Laughter
  2. Positive self-talk. (Listen to what you are saying to yourself!)
  3. Being kind, encouraging, doing things for others
  4. PRAYER

Hasn't science proven what God has said all along?
A merry heart is good like a medicine. Proverbs 17:22...Laugh

Fill your mind with what is pure, right, excellent, praiseworthy, lovely, admirable, noble, and true. Phil 4:8... Positive self-talk

Be kind to one another. Ephesians 4:32...Doing for others

Pray without stopping. 1 Thess. 5:17...PRAY!
The scientist who lectured that morning concluded his talk with these words. You know what science has proven. You know what God says to do. I'm telling you to do it, if you choose not to, you are just LAZY, and he walked off the stage.

How about you? Lazy or not? If you find yourself leaning to the lazy side - grab a carrot, head out the door for a quick walk, laugh on the way, pray while you are walking, pick up someone else's trash, and tell yourself, "My cells are the healthiest they have ever been!"

Why Do You Believe in Prayer?

Do you believe in prayer? My mother found a small tattered piece of paper in my grandfather's Bible after he died. It simply read, "Reasons I believe in prayer." Then he listed the names of 3 people. My grandfather had prayed for each of those 3 people and seen God answer his prayer in each of their lives.

What about you? If you were to write in the inside of your Bible, "Reasons I Believe In Prayer," would you have reasons to print?

Three 3 reasons I believe in prayer are simple Ron Skinner, my husband, and garage sale shoes.
When I was a teenager, my Sunday School teacher lead us to pray for her husband. He was not a Christian at the time. Throughout my Middle School years I prayed regularly for Mr. Skinner. By the time I graduated high school, Mr. Skinner had given his life to Christ and actively served as a leader in our youth ministry. Up until his retirement not too long ago, he was responsible for managing the lake property of Green Acres Baptist Church! God heard the sometimes silly, giggly, but oh, so serious prayers of a bunch of brace faced girls.

When I married my husband he knew Christ but hadn't fully surrendered his life to God's leadership. I begged God to "get hold of my man." One day while sitting in a worship center with 5,000 people not knowing a single one of them, tears rolled down my face as I watched my husband publicly surrender his life to Christ in baptism. What an amazing journey it has been to watch God do miraculous things in his life!

When we first moved back to Texas, I quit working and stayed home to raise the kids. Cutting back to one income was a huge transition, so funds were REALLY tight. I had no dress shoes to wear so I prayed and asked God if there was any possible way he could find some black slip ons for me.

That week the kids and I went on a walk and came upon a garage sale. I ventured through "one man's trash" to see if it might become my treasure, when I spotted the EXACT shoes I had dreamed of. They were a fancy name brand and looked like they had never been worn. There was only one problem, I couldn't imagine wearing someone else's shoes. That was just gross! So, I began praying and told the Lord if these were my shoes he had planned for me that I was sure he would protect me from feet fungus and whatever else you can get from someone else's shoes.

I decided to venture up and get a look at the owner of the shoes. Maybe she was wearing flip-flops and I could catch a quick peek at her feet. As I neared the back of the driveway, I nearly dropped to the ground. The lady having the garage sale, the owner of the shoes, was one of the pastor's wives at our church! I knew she had no idea who I was, but for some reason I reckoned that a pastor's wives feet must be pretty clean and probably fungus free. I nearly jumped up and hugged the woman. These were my shoes, sent from heaven through a clean footed pastor's wife!

The shoes didn't have a price tag so I placed them on the little card board table to see if I could afford my gift from God. The sweet Christian lady looked up, smiled, and said, "That'll be a quarter." I know she must of thought what a strange woman when tears rolled down my cheeks. I knew at that moment God didn't lie when he said he takes care of the birds and the flowers and he loves to care for us so much more than that.

The reason I believe in prayer is simple - Ron Skinner, Rick Chase, and garage sale shoes!
What about you? Why do you believe in prayer?

LifeWay Kids Conference

Here are the songs you requested! Hope you enjoy many hours of fun-filled singing in the classroom!

Remember:
1. When you want a child to do ANYTHING, just sing it!
2. If you can't, then chant!
3. Make a joyful NOISE!
4. Use tunes you already know. (London Bridges, Mary Had a Little Lamb)
5. You can sing any Bible thought to "Happy Birthday."

Night Time Chant
I was lying in my sleeping bag
I couldn't get to sleep.
The wind began to howl (Ooooo) and the bugs began to creak (Squeak, squeak).
(Add other night sounds...owls, snoring, potty flushing)
So I rolled to the left and I rolled to the right
And I heard every sound that you hear at night.

Jesus You Sure Know How to Color
Red is the color of my favorite rose.
Green is the color of the plant that grows.
Yellow is the color of the sun that shines.
Way up high in the blue, blue sky.
Jesus, you sure know how to color.
Jesus, you sure know how to color.
Jesus, you sure know how to color.
Color my life with love.

Here's A Little Song
Here's a little song that's fun to do.
You say, "I'm a special person and so are you."
You say it with your ______.
(eyes, nose, mouth, shoulders, hips, knees, feet, all over)
Here's what you do.
You say, "I'm a special person and so are you!"

Leave Your Luggage at the Airport

Has someone in your past hurt you? Maybe someone in your life hurts you daily. What happens to the hurt and pain when you lug it around for days, weeks, years? It's like carrying a suitcase through life. It gets heavier and heavier the farther we go.

Not only does the load get heavier but it changes. The hurt becomes anger, resentment, and sometimes hate. Those emotions start to build walls between you and other people until finally you isolate yourself as best you can from the person and from the pain you can't get over.

I read a scripture this week that I have read a hundred times, but God used it to free me from my baggage and tear down some walls.



"Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly reward for which God, through Jesus, is calling us." Phil 3:13-14.



When I read the verse, I decided at that moment to list on a piece of paper all the things in my past done that I was lugging around . I set the list on a table, and said, "God I can't forget these things. They constantly come to my mind. I know you want me to forget them, so I am giving them all to you right now. Please pluck each one from my mind and never let it return."


I learned this week, when you remove something from your life, something else will always replace it. Think about a smoker who quits and replaces cigarettes with food. It dawned on me that something would have to replace these thoughts or they would return.



I asked God to fill all the empty hurt places in my mind with trust in Him and love for the person who hurt me. It has been amazing, the transformation in my mind! Nobody else probably knows it, but I do! It feels so much better!



If you are carrying baggage, set it down. Leave your suitcase at the airport of God and don't let Satan try to return it. Remember, you can't do it on your own! But through Christ, you can do all things. Let Him take it away the pain and fill your mind peace, so you can run the race of life.

Growing and Overflowing

Are you growing and overflowing? (And I don't mean your waistline!) Paul prayed that the love of the people in Thessalonica would be growing and overflowing for each other and all people! (1 Thess 3:12)

What does a person look like whose love is growing?
Do they forgive others even when the other person has done wrong?
Maybe they view other races and nationalities as equal or even better.
Are they nice to someone who is really annoying?
Do they keep their mouth closed when their words are sarcastic or cutting?
These seem like descriptions of people whose love is simply growing.

What about OVERflowing? What does that look like?
Do they stop and give a stranded by-stander a ride?
Maybe they go and see someone in the hospital.
Are their motives out of LOVE and not requirement?

Growing appears to cover the basics. Overflowing seems to flow over the basics and move into a challenge. Overflowing demands time, energy, commitment. But doesn't overflowing sound so much more rewarding? I would much rather have a banana split that is overflowing than one that is growing! I need my love to grow and overflow! How about you? Listen to yourself this week and see how your love is moving?
Is your love vessel clogged? Is it growing? Is it OVERflowing?