We have family devotions and a time of prayer every morning before we leave our separate directions for the day; it has become an important part of our day and one that the kids look forward to as well.
We have gone through spurts of the kids, especially and moreso the younger two, not really praying anything other than their typical same words everyday prayers but lately, we have noticed it has really been stepped up and has had some powerful wording in it for small children; they are really starting to open up and realize what is being taught at our church (there is no Junior Holy Spirit! 'You is or you isn't,' as my Newfie friends would say.)
Excerpts from this morning's prayer from the kids:
Bug:
-"Help us, God to listen to what You are telling us."
-"We need more of You, God; send fire!"
Jellybean:
-"Give us the mind of Christ."
-"Teach us to be more like You!"
Rush:
-"Thank you that You are drawing us closer to You and that through that we are getting closer as a family, that we are becoming stronger as a family!"
I had to leave part way through Rush praying for a moment and so I did miss most of what she said however there is just so much more life and passion in the way my children pray now. As a parent it is very reassuring to know that they are aware of the realness.
Showing posts with label WRC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WRC. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
New Years Day sliding adventures at Little Red
Jellybean climbing up the hill with one of the slides.
Take a look at the air Bug caught coming down the one side of the hill. It was wicked!
Here I am just waiting at the bottom of the hill to get some good pictures. I'm looking a little frosty in the eyelashes and hair.
Ah ha ha! BigB took a dive at the bottom; it was quite a wipe out on the same side Bug caught all his air.It was a fun time- a little too cold to stay out very long though.
Friday, January 23, 2009
She's leaving on a jet plane...
It has been quite a week, I'll tell you! Our van broke down the week before so we were driving the car. BigB thought he would try to boost the van with the car in hopes of reviving it and...the car quit. We thought it was the alternator but alas, it is some yet to be diagnosed problem. We will be working on it this weekend with hopes of it being on the road very soon. As a result of our vehiclelessness (I know! I know! What kind of word is that?) we have been overwhelmed with support from our church body/friends. They have been picking us up, taking us to work, school and church; we have had vehicles lent to us for periods of time and are currently getting to use Miss Teresa's car. (By the way, it has heated seats and I WANT A CAR WITH THOSE!)
Yesterday was our last day of Hebrew class and I will now be taking a bit of a hiatus from school in order to spend more time with the kids. I talked to Pastor Kevin about it on Tuesday and he thinks it is a good idea as well. Rush has been taking on the brunt of our absence and we want to remove some of that stress from her as much as we can; I offered it of myself as I am also finding our schedule, not hard or taxing, but I was finding it leaving me feeling void of some important "mom-time".
Rush & I got to go out for some "Mom/Daughter" time last Sunday. We went to BP's shared some Cactus Cuts, Twist Bread with pizza sauce and a small Boston Royale pizza. By the time it was all said and done we were too full to move and not sure how we were going to make it playing volleyball that next hour (but we did just fine). I loved getting to spend that time with just her & I and hopefully next time we go we can spend a bit more time visiting with each other. (One of my old bosses came for a visit which was nice but did take away from our time alone.)
Speaking of Rush, she has some excitement ahead of her. Last night she called us to let us know that she had been invited by P.K and S.T. to go to Toronto with them, their daughter and another friend. They will be flying (something she has never done before), going to Pastor Peter Marshall's church, going to China Town and Niagra Falls and hopefully living it to the fullest and enjoying the experience of different sites, tastes etc. I can't wait to see the pictures and to hear her stories. We are on a fast track to saving money for her to go as she will have airfare to pay, meals to pay for and a need/desire for spending money (and I would hate for her to go and not be able to enjoy a bit of shopping-that's what makes it the most fun for girls anyway). Our plan is to gather up all our pop cans/bottles and return them. Rush's school fees for Feb. are all ready paid so her only bill between now and departure is her cell phone bill. We are having faith that all the money she needs will be provided!
She leaves on the 18th so she has approximately 3 weeks to be prepared. I have 3 weeks to contain my excitement for her-having only ever gone 1 or 2 places outside of SK myself, I am bubbling over with joy for her and hope that she has an absolute blast with her friends!
Yesterday was our last day of Hebrew class and I will now be taking a bit of a hiatus from school in order to spend more time with the kids. I talked to Pastor Kevin about it on Tuesday and he thinks it is a good idea as well. Rush has been taking on the brunt of our absence and we want to remove some of that stress from her as much as we can; I offered it of myself as I am also finding our schedule, not hard or taxing, but I was finding it leaving me feeling void of some important "mom-time".
Rush & I got to go out for some "Mom/Daughter" time last Sunday. We went to BP's shared some Cactus Cuts, Twist Bread with pizza sauce and a small Boston Royale pizza. By the time it was all said and done we were too full to move and not sure how we were going to make it playing volleyball that next hour (but we did just fine). I loved getting to spend that time with just her & I and hopefully next time we go we can spend a bit more time visiting with each other. (One of my old bosses came for a visit which was nice but did take away from our time alone.)
Speaking of Rush, she has some excitement ahead of her. Last night she called us to let us know that she had been invited by P.K and S.T. to go to Toronto with them, their daughter and another friend. They will be flying (something she has never done before), going to Pastor Peter Marshall's church, going to China Town and Niagra Falls and hopefully living it to the fullest and enjoying the experience of different sites, tastes etc. I can't wait to see the pictures and to hear her stories. We are on a fast track to saving money for her to go as she will have airfare to pay, meals to pay for and a need/desire for spending money (and I would hate for her to go and not be able to enjoy a bit of shopping-that's what makes it the most fun for girls anyway). Our plan is to gather up all our pop cans/bottles and return them. Rush's school fees for Feb. are all ready paid so her only bill between now and departure is her cell phone bill. We are having faith that all the money she needs will be provided!
She leaves on the 18th so she has approximately 3 weeks to be prepared. I have 3 weeks to contain my excitement for her-having only ever gone 1 or 2 places outside of SK myself, I am bubbling over with joy for her and hope that she has an absolute blast with her friends!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Testify!
Rush gave a testimony last night (at the first night of World Conference) about what going to WRPS school has meant to her. She did a pretty good job!
World Conference Day One...Our WRPS kids sing Conganese
I ran out of memeory on my card last night but, here are the WRPS singing most of their Conganese praise song. I really wish I could have gotten more of their dancing and jumps at the end...perhaps tonight. (Rush is pretty much in the middle of the screen in the back row. I know the lighting is very bad so it is really dark but she is to the screen right of the girl with the white shirt in the back.)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Being a Parent...
Some find it hard in this day and age to parent their children. Dilemmas like how do we discipline, how do we handle this, what should we do about that keep parents from standing firm in disciplinarian tactics. This swaying back and forth causes a doublemindeness from the parents, resulting in confusion in the child which in turn becomes aggrivation in our children. We need to have set boundaries, rules, regulations, rewards and punishments. We also need, as Pastor Steve relates in the text below, to feed our children's spirit man, to create a hunger in them for God and His word.
"Touch Your Child's Spirit
Most parents want to be good parents; they just don't know where to start! Good parenting can be overwhelming. Now you can become your child’s spiritual guide in steps. The goal is to gain so much more than your child’s obedience—but to gain their heart. Gray reveals how to begin:
Realize your child is more than a body. He or she is a spirit being with a personality who lives in a body. The inner spirit is the center of life and must have guidance.
Become the authority by earning your child's respect. Have a standard and stick to it.
Change your child's appetite and create spiritual hunger by adding spiritual things to his "diet." "
Pastor Steve Gray, Kansas City, MO.
Pastor Kevin has been preaching the same thing to us at our church and it is working. We are seeing single moms with little or no parenting skills come in and apply these teachings to their children and we are seeing these families transform before our very eyes! We are seeing parents who are simply just struggling with the how's, why's, should I's and shouldn't I's and applying this to their parenting skills is bringing about results like they wouldn't have believed.
It is a process to get out of old mindsets and old habits but you just have to keep on keeping on. Don't give up or get discouraged! Remember process is all about stages...
"Touch Your Child's Spirit
Most parents want to be good parents; they just don't know where to start! Good parenting can be overwhelming. Now you can become your child’s spiritual guide in steps. The goal is to gain so much more than your child’s obedience—but to gain their heart. Gray reveals how to begin:
Realize your child is more than a body. He or she is a spirit being with a personality who lives in a body. The inner spirit is the center of life and must have guidance.
Become the authority by earning your child's respect. Have a standard and stick to it.
Change your child's appetite and create spiritual hunger by adding spiritual things to his "diet." "
Pastor Steve Gray, Kansas City, MO.
Pastor Kevin has been preaching the same thing to us at our church and it is working. We are seeing single moms with little or no parenting skills come in and apply these teachings to their children and we are seeing these families transform before our very eyes! We are seeing parents who are simply just struggling with the how's, why's, should I's and shouldn't I's and applying this to their parenting skills is bringing about results like they wouldn't have believed.
It is a process to get out of old mindsets and old habits but you just have to keep on keeping on. Don't give up or get discouraged! Remember process is all about stages...
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Tidbits from Pastor Terry
Class this week has been interesting to say the very least. Last night I felt like I was in the midst of a fireworks display; the proverbial light bulb moments were going off faster than I could compute at times.
The course this week is "How to Study the Bible" and I must confess that before stepping foot into class I thought briefly, "how interesting can this class really be?" How fleeting that thought actually was because it came alive from the very first 5 minutes of class.
We were handed our brand new copy of Strong's Concordance and Vine's Dictionary, a little overwhelming in their weight and size initially but I think they have both become two of my new favorite books.
Here are some tidbits that really spoke to me from yesterday's class:
-most of the gospels are still considered Old Covenant because Jesus hadn't died yet and therefore, the authority in His name had not yet been given.
-I had always been taught that Old Testament doesn't "really" apply to us because of the new covenant brought through Jesus. I was told, "We aren't under the Law." but here is something to think about. Pastor Terry said that if the New Testament doesn't introduce a new law regarding something then the old law still stands (tithing for example).
Take a look at the 10 commandments. In Romans 13:8-10 we are given a new law that replaces the 10 commandements; we are no longer bound to follow the law of the 10 commandments. Why? Romans 13:8-10 provides us with a new law regarding that. The 10 commandments were intended to get people to walk in love but we don't need those rules as Romans 13:8-10 (Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,”[fn1] and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.) replaces it with this basic law: What would love do?
Love would not murder, love would not commit adultery, love would not steal...
The 10 commandments were intended to change the people from the outside in whereas Rom 13:8-10 changes people from the inside out. Therefore, I think Rom 13:8-10 raises the standard a fair bit for us as Christians today for it says in the Old Testament IF you commit adultery but in the New Testament it says if you even think about someone else or look lustfully or longingly at someone you have all ready committed adultery and according to Rom 13:8-10, you won't commit adultery if you are walking in love.
-We have also been learning how the meanings of our words has changed drastically throughout the years. We have been given a few examples and it sounds like we are getting more tonight.
Weird used to mean skilled in witchcraft
Nice used to mean foolish, senseless, stupid
One we all know...Gay used to mean full of joy.
Perfect did not mean flawless but wholeheartedly so when David, with all his mishaps said to the Lord "My heart is perfect before you." he didn't mean he was without flaw; he meant that he was there wholeheartedly.
This seems rather disjointed; I know but it is still running through my thoughts in such a way that I can not process it fluidly. I do know this; I have never had people present things to me in such a manner as to have them leap in my spirit like this...(except for in KC).
The course this week is "How to Study the Bible" and I must confess that before stepping foot into class I thought briefly, "how interesting can this class really be?" How fleeting that thought actually was because it came alive from the very first 5 minutes of class.
We were handed our brand new copy of Strong's Concordance and Vine's Dictionary, a little overwhelming in their weight and size initially but I think they have both become two of my new favorite books.
Here are some tidbits that really spoke to me from yesterday's class:
-most of the gospels are still considered Old Covenant because Jesus hadn't died yet and therefore, the authority in His name had not yet been given.
-I had always been taught that Old Testament doesn't "really" apply to us because of the new covenant brought through Jesus. I was told, "We aren't under the Law." but here is something to think about. Pastor Terry said that if the New Testament doesn't introduce a new law regarding something then the old law still stands (tithing for example).
Take a look at the 10 commandments. In Romans 13:8-10 we are given a new law that replaces the 10 commandements; we are no longer bound to follow the law of the 10 commandments. Why? Romans 13:8-10 provides us with a new law regarding that. The 10 commandments were intended to get people to walk in love but we don't need those rules as Romans 13:8-10 (Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,”[fn1] and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.) replaces it with this basic law: What would love do?
Love would not murder, love would not commit adultery, love would not steal...
The 10 commandments were intended to change the people from the outside in whereas Rom 13:8-10 changes people from the inside out. Therefore, I think Rom 13:8-10 raises the standard a fair bit for us as Christians today for it says in the Old Testament IF you commit adultery but in the New Testament it says if you even think about someone else or look lustfully or longingly at someone you have all ready committed adultery and according to Rom 13:8-10, you won't commit adultery if you are walking in love.
-We have also been learning how the meanings of our words has changed drastically throughout the years. We have been given a few examples and it sounds like we are getting more tonight.
Weird used to mean skilled in witchcraft
Nice used to mean foolish, senseless, stupid
One we all know...Gay used to mean full of joy.
Perfect did not mean flawless but wholeheartedly so when David, with all his mishaps said to the Lord "My heart is perfect before you." he didn't mean he was without flaw; he meant that he was there wholeheartedly.
This seems rather disjointed; I know but it is still running through my thoughts in such a way that I can not process it fluidly. I do know this; I have never had people present things to me in such a manner as to have them leap in my spirit like this...(except for in KC).
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Sunday was great!
My old self keeps going to say "I can't believe what happened at church on Sunday" because I have never seen it before but I can believe because I know that God is capable and willing to do it. We are in the middle of a building project, as some of you know. We have taken our old sanctuary, built a second level put the ACE classes on the bottom floor and the WRTC classes on the top floor. We are getting our new sanctuary building today! For the last few weeks we have been having our church services in a tent...not too bad but, given the choice, I would rather not be in there for too many more evening services. It does get a bit chilly toward the end of the service.
Now, here is where things got really cool on Sunday. We, as a church, had a financial need in order to get the cement poured so we can get our building up and ready before too long. The money we needed was $30, 000.00. Pastor Kevin informed us of the need and asked who could help with that. Within 10 minutes we had raised $30, 000.00!!!
What is so astounding about that? I mean really $30, 000.00 is nothing when we are speaking about God's capabilities, right? The part that has really gotten me is that most of the people there that day were single moms and their kids. We had 120 people there that day and through them and their willingness to give and their faith in God 120 people gave $30, 000.00!!!
Most of our Junior Highs/Seniors have jobs (most of them paper routes) and between 10 kids they came up with $640.00 to give to this need!!! We definitely don't need one of those little thermometer guages when we need to raise money for something! The money is there before one could even find the paper to make it!
There is such a desperation in our congregration for the presence of God and each service it is getting thicker and thicker. Other than going to WRC in Kansas City, Mo I have never been in a place like this; I have never felt this anywhere else! You really do need to come and check it out for yourselves!! (Services are Friday at 7 or Sunday at 10:30) Even talk to the Dean or Principal and see if you can audit one or some of the Training Center classes to see if that's the place for you! Some of my friends here may be interested to know that we will be learning some Hebrew and the Jewish culture in these classes in the weeks coming up. I can't wait!!!
Now, here is where things got really cool on Sunday. We, as a church, had a financial need in order to get the cement poured so we can get our building up and ready before too long. The money we needed was $30, 000.00. Pastor Kevin informed us of the need and asked who could help with that. Within 10 minutes we had raised $30, 000.00!!!
What is so astounding about that? I mean really $30, 000.00 is nothing when we are speaking about God's capabilities, right? The part that has really gotten me is that most of the people there that day were single moms and their kids. We had 120 people there that day and through them and their willingness to give and their faith in God 120 people gave $30, 000.00!!!
Most of our Junior Highs/Seniors have jobs (most of them paper routes) and between 10 kids they came up with $640.00 to give to this need!!! We definitely don't need one of those little thermometer guages when we need to raise money for something! The money is there before one could even find the paper to make it!
There is such a desperation in our congregration for the presence of God and each service it is getting thicker and thicker. Other than going to WRC in Kansas City, Mo I have never been in a place like this; I have never felt this anywhere else! You really do need to come and check it out for yourselves!! (Services are Friday at 7 or Sunday at 10:30) Even talk to the Dean or Principal and see if you can audit one or some of the Training Center classes to see if that's the place for you! Some of my friends here may be interested to know that we will be learning some Hebrew and the Jewish culture in these classes in the weeks coming up. I can't wait!!!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
My Absurd Religion
A video from Utube from Pastor Steve Gray on My Absurd Religion...
and one more...
Why do so many Christians push their morality and their laws instead of pushing for the presence of God? If we would just seek for His presence everything else would just line up. You can not be in His presence and remain unchanged. You just can't!
and one more...
Why do so many Christians push their morality and their laws instead of pushing for the presence of God? If we would just seek for His presence everything else would just line up. You can not be in His presence and remain unchanged. You just can't!
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