Blessings Again
I really love the life that we have. Oh, there are a few things that could be changed but basically it is very fulfilling.
It is a blessing to be used in the Lord's service. I pray that until my dying day I will be able to be used in some way!!
I have had a few thoughts about what to type next but it seems that I need to say, whatever God has for my future will be for my good, whatever that may be.
Bus 5 was the number one bus again today with 33. We had no first time visitors and Bus 3 is sneaking up on us with 30 or 31 and they had 4 first time visitors. Those first time visitors are what increases the bus attendance and ensures steady growth!
Several things of interest happened today. For one thing C____ came today. She is a sweetie; cute as a button but very much a deceiver and manipulator for her 7 years. She knows how to look at you and how to say things just right to get her way, whether it be to fain an illness or cry because someone has hurt her feelings. You just can't help loving her but you know she is deceitful.
In my couselor reading I have read about how wrong it is to "support" someone when they are doing wrong. It hit me yesterday when this little one tried to tell me that she had another friend that she was going to invite and could she have a piece of bubble gum to give to her. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I said something about her being a manipulator. She didn't know what that meant so I explained that it was someone that might use cute looks or nice words to get people to do what they wanted. She just giggled and I dropped it. Today she began with her little deceitful ways and I thought....."NO, this needs to be addressed!" So I again mentioned something about her being "a little manipulator"!! I said it is a teasing way to try to get her attention to what I was trying to show her. The next thing I knew, she was crying. I went back and put my arm around her and asked why she was crying. Of course, she said I had hurt her feelings. I hugged her up and put her on my lap and told her I was truly sorry for hurting her feelings but I took the opportunity to talk again about the manipulation. I explained that it was the opposite of being honest. I explained that when she lied, she was breaking God's commandment and that sin was against Him. She has asked Jesus into her heart and she and her mom both were baptized several months ago. So, I used that to try to show her that she had given her life to Jesus and she needed to understand that Jesus did not want her to be a manipulator. I assured her of my love and told her I would be praying for her to be able to get control of those actions. She hugged me and hopefully, it will make a difference in her life some day.
Tina was at church today. She used to ride Bus 5 but has moved and is now riding Bus 4. It tickles me that she comes pretty faithfully. She is an adult that has had quite a life. She has three children that are obviously from three different fathers. From what she has told me, she had a pretty dysfunctional childhood. Her sister still lives on our route and I have tried to get her to come but she told me recently that she was too young(She is probably 25-26) and she doesn't want to quit having fun yet. I must continue to pray and go to Amy.
Then there was the 6th grade boy who rode for his second time. His sister came with him on Skating Sunday. There was mass confusion that day and I really didn't get to talk to them much. His sister was sick this morning but he came anyway. I could tell by his expression on the way home that he was in deep thought so I sit down beside him and asked him if everything was ok. He thought a minute and then said he thought so. I couldn't leave that alone so I said, "Is there something that you have heard that was confusing?" He let me know that he had heard some confusing things.
I began to try to pinpoint what it was but he was unable to put it into words. So I began to question him about his past church going. He had gone to a church that teaches more a good works philosophy.
In a short 15 minutes, I tried to question things he understood, only to find out that he was really in the dark even about Creation. I told him to please feel free to ask me anything if he needed to talk and he promised he would. He also promised that he would keep coming.
God was at work and many things He was doing, I am sure did not catch my attention. Thank you, Lord for showing me what you did.
I sang a song this morning called "Free To Go Home". I heard this song on the new Collingsworth CD that I got for Christmas. I had heard the song years ago but they sang new life into it. It spoke to me in such a sweet way and I just knew that this had to be my next solo.
I love to watch the Lord do his work of healing and stirring of hearts. I sang and I saw several people who were touched, just as I was with the words.
When I heard the song, it spoke volumns to me about how the freedom from Satan's shackles was such a blessing. I am NOT free from sin, but praise the Lord, I do not have to be a slave to it, and that's what was such a blessing to me in the song. But God, in His grace let it minister to a couple of families in the congregation that had recently lost loved ones. I am in awe of His working. The song was as follows:
He was feared, despised and banished,
The disease even ate at his soul
But when the work of the Master was finished,
He was clean and free to go home.
She was guilty, ashamed and defeated,
She deserved all the threats and the stones,
But when the Lord brought respect, love and pardon,
All she knew she was free to go home.
Chorus:
Free to go home, Free to go home,
He freed me so I could go home,
He came where I was in wonderful love,
Now I’m free, free to go home.
I was sick, guilty and dying,
I couldn’t face the loved ones I’d known,
But the Master of love’s re-creation
Made me worthy and free to go home.
I’m free from the fear of tomorrow,
I’m free from the guilt of the past,
For I’ve traded my shackles for a glorious song,
I’m free, free to go home.
I’m free, free to go home!
Bro. Himes preached two good messages in Jeremiah today. This morning the sermon was "Stay Close and Clean" speaking of the linen girdle that God told Jeremiah to wear and then to go bury. He then told him to go find it again and see that it was marred and unusable. His point was that we are, just like the girdle(which was like a belt) to stay close to the Lord and by staying close we could avoid the marring of sin on our lives.
Tonight he spoke on "How to Face Adversity". He explained how that God uses adversity in our lives to bring us to the place He needs us.
I'm excited about the trip very soon and we are going to get to not only visit Shawn and Shannon but probably will take a little trip down to Fort Myers to see Bro. & Mrs. Pinkley. That should be fun.
Hopefully, this post will clear my mind so I can go to sleep tonight!
It is a blessing to be used in the Lord's service. I pray that until my dying day I will be able to be used in some way!!
I have had a few thoughts about what to type next but it seems that I need to say, whatever God has for my future will be for my good, whatever that may be.
Bus 5 was the number one bus again today with 33. We had no first time visitors and Bus 3 is sneaking up on us with 30 or 31 and they had 4 first time visitors. Those first time visitors are what increases the bus attendance and ensures steady growth!
Several things of interest happened today. For one thing C____ came today. She is a sweetie; cute as a button but very much a deceiver and manipulator for her 7 years. She knows how to look at you and how to say things just right to get her way, whether it be to fain an illness or cry because someone has hurt her feelings. You just can't help loving her but you know she is deceitful.
In my couselor reading I have read about how wrong it is to "support" someone when they are doing wrong. It hit me yesterday when this little one tried to tell me that she had another friend that she was going to invite and could she have a piece of bubble gum to give to her. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I said something about her being a manipulator. She didn't know what that meant so I explained that it was someone that might use cute looks or nice words to get people to do what they wanted. She just giggled and I dropped it. Today she began with her little deceitful ways and I thought....."NO, this needs to be addressed!" So I again mentioned something about her being "a little manipulator"!! I said it is a teasing way to try to get her attention to what I was trying to show her. The next thing I knew, she was crying. I went back and put my arm around her and asked why she was crying. Of course, she said I had hurt her feelings. I hugged her up and put her on my lap and told her I was truly sorry for hurting her feelings but I took the opportunity to talk again about the manipulation. I explained that it was the opposite of being honest. I explained that when she lied, she was breaking God's commandment and that sin was against Him. She has asked Jesus into her heart and she and her mom both were baptized several months ago. So, I used that to try to show her that she had given her life to Jesus and she needed to understand that Jesus did not want her to be a manipulator. I assured her of my love and told her I would be praying for her to be able to get control of those actions. She hugged me and hopefully, it will make a difference in her life some day.
Tina was at church today. She used to ride Bus 5 but has moved and is now riding Bus 4. It tickles me that she comes pretty faithfully. She is an adult that has had quite a life. She has three children that are obviously from three different fathers. From what she has told me, she had a pretty dysfunctional childhood. Her sister still lives on our route and I have tried to get her to come but she told me recently that she was too young(She is probably 25-26) and she doesn't want to quit having fun yet. I must continue to pray and go to Amy.
Then there was the 6th grade boy who rode for his second time. His sister came with him on Skating Sunday. There was mass confusion that day and I really didn't get to talk to them much. His sister was sick this morning but he came anyway. I could tell by his expression on the way home that he was in deep thought so I sit down beside him and asked him if everything was ok. He thought a minute and then said he thought so. I couldn't leave that alone so I said, "Is there something that you have heard that was confusing?" He let me know that he had heard some confusing things.
I began to try to pinpoint what it was but he was unable to put it into words. So I began to question him about his past church going. He had gone to a church that teaches more a good works philosophy.
In a short 15 minutes, I tried to question things he understood, only to find out that he was really in the dark even about Creation. I told him to please feel free to ask me anything if he needed to talk and he promised he would. He also promised that he would keep coming.
God was at work and many things He was doing, I am sure did not catch my attention. Thank you, Lord for showing me what you did.
I sang a song this morning called "Free To Go Home". I heard this song on the new Collingsworth CD that I got for Christmas. I had heard the song years ago but they sang new life into it. It spoke to me in such a sweet way and I just knew that this had to be my next solo.
I love to watch the Lord do his work of healing and stirring of hearts. I sang and I saw several people who were touched, just as I was with the words.
When I heard the song, it spoke volumns to me about how the freedom from Satan's shackles was such a blessing. I am NOT free from sin, but praise the Lord, I do not have to be a slave to it, and that's what was such a blessing to me in the song. But God, in His grace let it minister to a couple of families in the congregation that had recently lost loved ones. I am in awe of His working. The song was as follows:
He was feared, despised and banished,
The disease even ate at his soul
But when the work of the Master was finished,
He was clean and free to go home.
She was guilty, ashamed and defeated,
She deserved all the threats and the stones,
But when the Lord brought respect, love and pardon,
All she knew she was free to go home.
Chorus:
Free to go home, Free to go home,
He freed me so I could go home,
He came where I was in wonderful love,
Now I’m free, free to go home.
I was sick, guilty and dying,
I couldn’t face the loved ones I’d known,
But the Master of love’s re-creation
Made me worthy and free to go home.
I’m free from the fear of tomorrow,
I’m free from the guilt of the past,
For I’ve traded my shackles for a glorious song,
I’m free, free to go home.
I’m free, free to go home!
Bro. Himes preached two good messages in Jeremiah today. This morning the sermon was "Stay Close and Clean" speaking of the linen girdle that God told Jeremiah to wear and then to go bury. He then told him to go find it again and see that it was marred and unusable. His point was that we are, just like the girdle(which was like a belt) to stay close to the Lord and by staying close we could avoid the marring of sin on our lives.
Tonight he spoke on "How to Face Adversity". He explained how that God uses adversity in our lives to bring us to the place He needs us.
I'm excited about the trip very soon and we are going to get to not only visit Shawn and Shannon but probably will take a little trip down to Fort Myers to see Bro. & Mrs. Pinkley. That should be fun.
Hopefully, this post will clear my mind so I can go to sleep tonight!
posted by momlinda1945 | 8:55 PM
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