Just do it!

1 Corinthians 10:31b: "do it all for the glory of God."

A couple of years ago, I started working on two series of lessons to use in Sunday School. When I was no longer teaching, I stopped working on it.

We visited the Danville Vineyard on Sunday--it was totally refreshing. The lesson was on the Prodigal Father. We most often think about the prodigal son--the one who squandered his inheritance. But if you look at the definition of prodigal, it fits the father even better--"Giving or given in abundance; lavish or profuse; extravagant."

The other point that struck me was that the audience was the pharisees--they would have identified with the older brother, who stood outside the party, mad at the celebration. He had worked so hard, and yet, got nothing. But the father reassured him, that all he had was his.

I'm not sure why this was comforting, or why it inspired me. But I'm working on the lesson set, and can't wait to work on it with my kids.

God, these lessons are for you. Help me teach my children well...and whoever else you intend these lessons for.

Father's Day

Luke 11:11-13:
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Wow. I'm so thankful for a heavenly Father that goes above and beyond what I could ever envision an earthly father doing!

Thanks for our earthly fathers, and that you're a generous giver, God. Help me to ask for what I need without concern for whether it's "doable" or not!

Parking priority?

We visited a church last Sunday that had the first five parking spots closest to the door reserved for visitors.

I turned around yesterday in another church's parking lot. The parking spot closest to the door was reserved for the pastor.

Now to be fair, I don't know if the second church's pastor has mobility issues or other special needs.

And while it's easy to judge the second church, aren't we guilty of the same thing? It's much easier to put our first efforts at church towards our projects and our friends, rather than to try to welcome our guests and meet their needs.

The Book

Henry reached a milestone this summer--he passed the swimming test to go off of the low diving board. The life guards mark their arms with an "L" if they can only go off the low board, and an "X" if they can go off the high diving board.

After taking the test twice, the life guard informed him that he doesn't have to take it everytime--they write the names of the children who have passed the test in a book. The next time he comes, Henry just has to tell the lifeguard his name, and they'll mark him with an "L". (He can keep taking the test to get to go off the high diving board).

It was a good opportunity to talk about another book--the Book of life.

Revelation 20:12-15
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Thanks, Lord, for marking us with a pen more permanent than the life guard's Sharpie.