A portable church environment — #1

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Church in a box can be tricky. We don’t meet in a traditional church environment…such as a building that we have purchased. But we do have a building to meet in…it just happens to be a high school in the heart of a growing community. We are thankful for this place to set up church every week. We have established a good relationship with the school staff and leadership. We understand that it can be a frustrating thought for the teachers to know that their classrooms are rearranged every week for busy little people to move about and to explore. The computers and smart boards and science books and social studies pyramid sculptures usually cry out to be touched by little hands. We know this and so we work very hard to maintain the integrity of the teacher’s space. And we do this quite well…

Because we enjoy setting up this portable church.  Because we love to worship Creator God. We love families. We love kids.

We have been meeting in the high school for more than ten years. We continue to expand into more classrooms, lobby space, media center, outdoor green space, cafeteria…it’s amazing how fast we are able to set up our church in just a few hours. It’s amazing how fast we are growing. We are ready. Ready for everyone. Ready to worship and celebrate Jesus with children.

Here is a tip: Chart the design of the classroom layout before moving the desks against the wall. This will help with setting the classroom back in its original design. Also, purchase industrial style brooms and several dust pans to clean the floors before carpets and toys are placed in the room.

This is a photo of a nursery environment. I’ll post more photos and suggestions for setting up a portable church environment in future posts.

Gifts from Sunday–Thank You Redeemer Kids

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These many gifts were given to me, on a harried and busy Sunday morning.

I always wake up Sunday morning before the sun brightens the sky. Waking up to a fresh brewed pot of coffee that Don set to brew the night before.

This is a gift. 

I enjoy a cup of coffee on the deck while I listen to the bird’s wake up calls and I talk to God about my expectations regarding the next few hours. I tell Him that I am addicted to stress and anxiety and perfectionism and fear that something will go wrong and that I am expecting to be totally exhausted by 1:00 PM. I slurp down the last drops of coffee while the sun begins to brighten the morning sky and gently flushes my face with its radiance and I am reminded by the continuity of the sun, by Creator God, that all things are YES in Christ! I am free from these addictions because of Jesus death on the cross.   

This is a gift. 

My husband makes breakfast for me. He helps me load the car with all of the other stuff needed for children’s ministry. He opens the car door for me. He hands me a mug of coffee for the ride to church.

This is a gift. 

We arrive at 7:50 A.M. Servant leaders, men in our church, sweating in the early morning hours of heat and humidity have begun unloading a trailer filled with supplies for children’s ministry.  The trailer is empty. They are preparing for children to arrive. We are working together…to do this task week after week so that children will hear awesome truth from God’s book, to learn about Jesus, to play, laugh, explore, sing, dance and worship the Lord.

This is a gift. 

The men are unloading the large wooden carts packed with lots of bins filled with toys, blocks, bibles, and resources and portable pack-n-play cribs, carpets for every room…everything needed for Sunday morning ministry to children. While we are setting up the children’s rooms, there are men and women patiently setting up the school auditorium for worship.

This is a gift.

Families begin arriving. Children are laughing. Volunteers man their stations with smiles and eyes sparkling. They arrive on time! Everyone is eager to help. Several fathers step out of their comfort zone to dress up like wild and wacky pirates…to tell kids about an awesome treasure that God has for them. Parents have gathered around to watch and listen, children are laughing and engaged, volunteers are loving this time with children. And I am observing all of this. I am laughing.

This is a gift.

I linger by the classrooms and listen to the language of the gospel being shared in a variety of ways. Children and Shepherd Leaders in small groups, huddled close, exploring details of this treasure God has for us. I peek to watch babies being snuggled and cared for, toddlers playing and 5th graders reading verses from God’s book. I am amazed to experience God work. I am humbled by the reality that I am included in all of this.

This is a gift.

The halls are filled with parents coming to pick up their children. It is now time to go home. Hungry children and ravenous teens are ready to bolt for the dinner table. The fellowship lingers, however, as families greet each other outside the classrooms while volunteers are sharing about the fun things they did that morning with children. While this is going on, the Servant Leaders are pulling out the large wooden carts and helping to pack up bins and fold up the camp chairs and carpets and pack-n-play cribs and empty trash cans…we are packing up for next Sunday. Two women, two servant leaders , pack these large carts. Every week they pack the carts.

This is a gift. 

The time on my watch reads, 1:00 P.M. And my task is done. I am ready to go home to the dinner table. But the Servant Leaders have not finished packing the trailer with those large wooden bins and all of the rest of the stuff that is piled outside waiting to be loaded in that trailer. They will continue to serve this church for another hour.

This is a gift. 

Don and I drive home. We talk about the morning and things we learned. I realize that I’m not exhausted. I feel refreshed and content. I begin to silently pray to Creator God…thanking Him for these gifts.

This is a gift. To see a little bug doing what Creator God created it to do.

Morning Calm Arrives

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Life and Light
Just a few moments to pray and prepare my heart for the busy morning that awaits. Praying that the Lord will speak into the hearts and young minds of children. I want to remind the children that they cannot make themselves love the words in God’s book. They can read and think about the Word of God and the way of wisdom but unless God gives them understanding, they will not see the goodness in the commands of God. They can fill their minds with God’s Word and His commands, but they cannot make their hearts love what is good and right.

Morning calm arrives with delight in God’s Word.

Lord, help me communicate that calmness. 

Psalm 19:7-11 
The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes.
The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.

Mentoring, Friendship, and Little Birds

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Photos taken Spring, 2011

I have the immense pleasure of spending time with a friend, whom I admire and have deep respect for and she is also a resource of strength and knowledge that I’ve only begun to tap into. Nancy (my friend) has graciously taken me in to teach me a few things about water-color painting. I’ve had a longing to learn how to paint with water colors for a very long time and since moving to the lake, this longing has only grown stronger.  I was going to register for a beginners art class and then I thought of my friend, Nancy. Actually, I believe it was God who gave me the thought to think of Nancy! She is a gift from God. Yes, it’s that simple and it’s that big of a gift.

I wonder if Nancy has any idea of how much she has helped me to relax and enjoy the small things…to move slower, to observe the small details and to see Jesus even in the thorns.  

I believe we all need a mentor and friend to model a different way of living, a different way of viewing problems, a different way of pacing and working through a hectic season of life so that we may know Jesus in a deeper and more personal way. My friend guides me back to the gospel…to  loving Jesus anew, just by spending time painting with water colors.

My time with Nancy goes by much too quickly. To make it linger a little longer, I was thrilled that she invited me outside to see something very special. Yes!…I grabbed my camera first and walked outdoors with her. It was wonderful to venture into that lush backyard at Nancy’s home and stand under huge walnut and pecan trees, as she directed my gaze to bird’s nest of little robins–a nest of robins within the thorns.

Ah, the sweet love of a friend. Oh, the joy of finding Jesus again!  

Light Swallowed Darkness

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I remember being on a family vacation with my parents and siblings. Mom and Dad wanted us to experience the “gloomy splendor” of Mammoth Cave. It is quite spectacular and worth experiencing. I recall being excited to follow the tour guide deeper and deeper into the cave and imagining how horrible it would be to get lost in a dark tunnel. I was glad for the light. At some other time and place, we toured another cave, but this time the tour guide turned off the light and the darkness was suffocating and frightening. I could not see my finger touch the end of my nose. I was so relieved when the guide brought out a match and with a flick, there was enough light for us to see all around…light swallowed darkness.

“The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel.” This is the opening line of my devotional reading from, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. We are totally unaware of our need for God until He makes this need known to us. God creates the need and God satisfies the need. God created the darkness to show us the light…to bring us to the light.  I am aware of the tension of darkness and light within myself. Instead of struggling with the tension, I’m learning to embrace the discomfort and realize that the light of world, living in me, has swallowed this darkness. Ah, the gospel!

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.  Isaiah 9:2
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   John 8:12

TIME used up

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“Where has the time gone?” A question that can drone on for too long and never receives an answer that satisfies. That’s because it’s a silly question that doesn’t need answering. Time moves at a steady pace. Time will not speed up and it doesn’t slow down. Time is a consistent thing we can depend on every day. If the alarm clock fails to ring at 6:00 in the morning, it doesn’t change the fact that it is 6:00 A.M. and time to get out of bed. What I do after that is up to me…while TIME continues to move at its steady and rhythmic pace.

I am jealous of time. I am envious of time. I want more time.  TIME asked, “To do what?”  “to do whatever i want,” said I.

“What do you want to do?” asked TIME.  “i want to do whatever i want to do whenever i want to do it,” said I.

“Are you not satisfied with the amount of time you are given?” asked TIME. “no, i want more time to do what i want to do,” said I.

With a resounding voice, TIME reminded me that it was created for the glory of God. TIME is arbitrary. What matters most is what I do with the TIME God has given.

I give back my want for more time to God (it was never mine) and remember how TIME is used up for His glory. Used up well!

TIME for them. Love watching them walk down the hall to KidzPraise and Children’s Worship!

Rescued from Resentful Bitterness

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On my birthday, my Grandmother gave me a beautiful gold bracelet with a single charm displaying my initials, DMG. Back in the day of the 1970’s, a simple gold bracelet (no clasp, just a circle of gold)  with a single charm was the rage. Owning a bracelet like that gave status to the person wearing it, at least that was the perception. Only the most popular girls had a bracelet like this! I wasn’t popular. What is important to know is that I did not realize the significance of this bracelet. I never wore jewelry and didn’t ask for jewelry but my grandmother thought it was special for me to have it. The gold bracelet was an incredible gift and I loved it!

I felt so special and loved by my Grandmother each time I wore that bracelet, which was everyday.  Since I wasn’t popular and didn’t care about style (unless my Grandmother coached me) I had no idea that this bracelet would be a source of discontent for someone else. One day, while in the locker room getting ready for gym class, I carelessly turned my back to the belongings in my locker basket. I had taken off the bracelet and placed it inside the basket. When I turned around, the bracelet was gone. The thief was fast and disappeared quickly…but I knew who she was. I reported the crime to the school authorities, but since they couldn’t prove that my bracelet was stolen and not lost (the thief denied the crime) I was out of luck. Even more frustrating was to see her walking down the hall wearing my bracelet with my initials on the charm.

I was seething with resent and bitterness. I chewed on it. I began to savor the sour bitter taste. I choked on that bitter flavor but managed to swallow and digest this feeling with hope that I would take vengeance on that thief.  But the resentful bitterness ended up taking its vengeance in my soul instead. I was miserable and consumed with hate towards that girl.

The heart knows its own bitterness…Proverbs 14:10

A bitter and resentful person is like a contagious poison, spreading his resentment to others. 
(A paraphrase of Deuteronomy 29:18)

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.   Ephesians 4:30-32

The bracelet had become a golden idol while that thief was becoming more of a false god, vying for my attention. The only way I could be free from this angst was to surrender my bracelet…that golden idol to God. It was His. It was always His. I gave the bracelet to God numerous times and the more I gave it back, the softer my heart became towards the thief.  I began to pray for her each time I saw her at school and each time I missed the gold bracelet until I didn’t feel the resentful bitterness anymore. I actually had the strange kind of love and compassion for her. God was healing my heart and rescuing me from resentful bitterness and then–God showed me love. My grandmother gave me another gold bracelet, identical to the one now owned by a thief…that girl…needing to feel loved, needing to be rescued.
Years later, I continue to pray for that girl and hope she knows that God loves her and perhaps she has been rescued too. When my daughter was in college, I gave her my treasured bracelet and shared this story with her in hopes that it would be a reminder of God’s rescuing power in her life.  She wears it all the time!
the simple gold bracelet


A Worship Disorder

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Well, I tried to have a devotional-on-the-go this morning but it didn’t work. What was going to be a “take five” sort of quiet time (that’s five minutes to read, think, and pray) lasted longer with little thought of the time passing. I’ve started reading another book and quickly became absorbed with the words and encouraging thoughts and convicting descriptions on the pages. The book is about a worship disorder.  I have a worship disorder.

Addictions should be consumed as wood is for a fire. Removed from heart. Turned into ash...a beautiful thing.

A description of the book is written on the back cover:

Will we worship ourselves and our own desires, or will we worship the true God?  Scripture reveals addicts’ true condition: like guests at a banquet thrown by “the woman Folly,” they are already in the grave. (Proverbs 9:13-18)
This book is a resource for changing lives. It’s about finding hope in the power of the gospel! I’ve personalized the following quote from this book:  
          
A biblical understanding of the fear of Lord must be rooted in [my] growing knowledge that God is holy.  When God teaches[ me] to fear him, he usually does it in a way that is utterly astonishing. 
The Cross of Christ is HUGE! The cosmic event that brings liberation and freedom from myself…moves me to worship; genuinely worship my savior.