Show Them You Care

Just saying that you love someone isn't enough.  Love must be shown. It's an action word.  I love this quote: "Love is a verb. Without action it is merely a word." Love is living when it's in action. Without action, it's dead.

The easiest - but perhaps hardest - way to show someone you love them is by spending time with them.  Taking time out of your busy schedule to be with someone shows that you care.  Taking the time to visit, call, text, email, write....any of those things show that you cared enough to do something.

Love in action.  It's what Jesus did for us in an extreme way. 

Love in action. It's what God did for us from the time He knitted us in the womb and for the rest of our lives.  And for the Christian, for eternity.

Love in action. It is putting our own selfish needs and desires behind, and putting the needs and desires of others in front.

Love in action. It is taking care of those less fortunate...not just with our money, but with our time and talents.

Love in action.  It's showing others that we care.  It's stopping to listen.  It's being there.  It's slowing down to see what is going on around us.

Love in action.  What can you do to show your love to someone today?

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18

ALL THE WAY TO STATE!

This picture is from City League Basketball 7 or 8 years ago.  We knew then - well, even before then - that this group of boys had amazing talent, and that we would see them go far in sports when they were in high school. And they haven't proved us wrong one bit!

They've dropped a few teammates (one being my son, who is pictured here, but decided that he would rather play golf than the other sports) and added a few, but they've just continued to grow and mature, and added some discipline and control along the way, to make them get to where they have gotten so far.

This year, for the first time EVER, the Tipton Tigers won the Area Championship!  That meant they got to go to the STATE basketball tournament in Oklahoma City!  We played last Thursday.  It was an exciting time, and although we didn't get past the first game of the State Tournament, it was still a great accomplishment to get there. We are all looking forward to getting back there next year, and getting past that first game.  We want to play at THE BIG HOUSE!  They will do so next year, just by getting to the State Tournament.  But they will play there on Friday night, too.  They will do it! I just know it!

              

Our nephew, Travis (pictured right), is the coach for the boys' basketball team.  Taking them to State hadn't been done in Tipton basketball for 40 years! Coach Chambers, pictured left, accomplished that task through the losers' bracket, in 1974!  How neat that he was able to go cheer on Travis' team this year! He is a great supporter of our schools' athletics. I'm sure he could easily remember the excitement he felt, himself, 40 years ago!

Growing up in a smaller town than Tipton, basketball was our "big" sport. I'm always sad when the basketball season is over.  And for Tipton, since we made it to State in football, it shortens the basketball season by a month.  That makes it extra-fast!  So, I don't like to hurry things up or see my children's lives go any faster, but I must admit that I'm ready to shout again, "ALL THE WAY TO STATE!" :)  Go, Tigers!

Ladies Night Out 2014 - Lady Bug Theme

For the last few months, we had been planing a church Ladies' Night Out - inviting ladies from over 50 congregations to join us - plus inviting friends from around town.

We had been talking about having a LNO for 7 or 8 years, but just never got it  off the ground due to other things getting in the way. But 2014 was the year to make it happen!

Deciding the theme for the evening was pretty easy. We started by getting the speaker, Denell Dennis, from Garland, TX. Denell is an author.  She has written two Bible study books so far in her Ladies Better Understanding God series: LadyBUGs...The Journey Begins and LadyBUGs....Learning to Morph.  So, lady bugs, it was!

 We had lady bug candies....

 Lady bug mason jars...

 Lady bug baskets....

Lady bug flower pot/scripture favors...

 Lady bug dessert plates....with yummy desserts. Big plates, too, but I didn't get pictures of them.

 Lady bug decorations....

 Lady bug registration....

 A lady bug banner....

 Lady bugs and daisies....

 A lady bug topiary...

 And Denell's LadyBUG books for sale.

Denell spoke about "Living the Lyrics", using a song called, "Highest Hope". I have probably posted a link to that song before, but if you would like to listen to it, go to YouTube and search Highest Hope Hallal.  It's a beautiful song with beautiful lyrics....lyrics to live!

Denell showed a beautiful lady bug quilt that was given to her by her friends' aunt.  She talked about how we all have different talents.  Some can quilt. Others can't. Some can speak in public. Others can't.
God made each of us unique and different. He gave each of us different talents and abilities, but He can use everyone of us in some way.

Around 120 ladies met together last night for a time of devotion and fellowship together. It was a wonderful evening!  Thank you, God, for the blessing of time together with others who are striving to walk more closely to You!

Too Full of Junk!

Oh, I've been having computer problems, and nothing tries my patience more than computer problems!  I think the problem is that I have too much on the thing, actually.  Too many pictures, too many documents, too much junk!  Some of it good.  I would be very sad if I lost any pictures.  And if I lost any Bible class lessons or ladies' retreat/event flyers and programs, I would be sad, too. They all took a lot of work to do!  But some of the stuff is just junk!  I see something I want to keep or think I'll use, so I save it...just in case. That junk just keeps piling up and piling up until one day - THE COMPUTER WON'T WORK!  And I need it to work! I've got lots of things to get done on the computer!  And I need it done by tomorrow.  You know how it is!

So, I perform system scans, download pictures and files to flash drives. Try to make sure everything is backed up properly. Do all I can to make sure it is back in tip-top shape in no time.  But it's not as fast as I want it to be. Things are going too slow, and I'm beginning to think it will take longer than I can stand.  I move on to another computer...my husband's.  I just try to get by because waiting is too hard.

So many of life's lessons can be learned in ordinary, every day life things.

Scenario:

Let's say I'm a Christian whose life is going along just fine. I get involved with the work of the church.  Volunteer to do everything available in every way. I am studying God's Word. I am praying often throughout the day. I am worshipping God alone and together with my church family.  I teach Bible class. I cook for my family and for others. I serve and volunteer, and I get busier and busier and busier.  My life is "full". It's full of good stuff!  But then I begin to take on even more.  I work more. I volunteer more. I am busy with my family's activities. I'm planning. I'm scheduling.  Busy, busy, busy!
But,now, something has happened.

I used to have time to read God's Word. Now I'm too busy.  I used to have time to pray many times throughout the day. Now I'm too busy to think about it.  I used to have time to really prepare my Bible class lessons.  Now I just throw something together in a hurry.  I used to "run smoothly" like that computer, but now I'm slow and sluggish. Now I'm just spinning my wheels and getting no where (much like that little colors circle that keeps spinning on my computer!).  Now I'm full of some really good stuff, but have a lot of "junk" that's bogging me down.

Dilemma:

Something's got to get fixed.  There's a big problem.  What should this Christian do?  Well, just like with my computer, it's good to run a "scan".  What was happening in their life when everything was running smooth?  They were studying God's Word.  They were worshipping alone and with brothers and sisters in Christ.  They might have been teaching Bible class and doing good deeds, but then what happened?  They got busier and busier and busier!

There is a saying that goes something like this:  Satan doesn't have to get you to do anything wrong.  He can get you so busy that you fail to do what's right.

Sound like someone we know?  Yes, the "scenario" Christian.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I AM THAT SCENARIO CHRISTIAN.  I do good, but then do too much, failing to do what's right, or best.  It's at those times I must do a "full scan" of my heart and soul and mind.....clean out the junk....learn to say NO to more and more things that "busy" up my life.  If you're like me, NO doesn't come easy.  I love to help and volunteer!  I have a hard time saying NO to some things, especially when they are good things.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10.  BE STILL.  Be still.  Yes.....be still.

You Don't Belong Here

I once went to a community event and saw someone that I wanted to talk to. As I visited with the person, they were with a group of family members.  Although I hadn't interrupted anything, I couldn't help but feel like I was intruding.  I'm selfish with family time, myself, but this was more than that.  I also don't analyze situations or people to much, as in how they make ME feel, because I try not to think too much of ME in any situation like that. But, I just couldn't help getting the feeling, "You don't belong here."

Later, as I was visiting with someone else, I mentioned that odd feeling.  They, too, had gotten that feeling at times, from that same family.  It's probably unintentional.  Most things like that are, yet it still puts off an odd feeling vibe that makes me think.

Hmmm...."You don't belong here."

There's a wonderful song we sing.  I love the meaning and the lyrics.  It's by The Collingworth Family.

We’re part of the family

That’s been born again

Part of the family

Who’s love knows no end

For Jesus has saved us 

And made us His own

Now we’re part of the family

That’s on its way homeAnd sometimes we laugh together

Sometimes we cry

Sometimes we share together

Heartaches and sighs

Sometimes we dream together

Of how it will be

When we all get to heaven

God’s family

Using the scenario above....when I felt like I didn't belong...imagine a family visiting your worship services on a Sunday morning.  They come in and perhaps are greeted with a hello at the door, but no one else speaks to them. No one asks them to sit near them. The songs may be new and they may not recognize them.  They may not really know many people sitting in the pews.  People look at them and smile, figuring that someone else knows who they are...or they're related to them.  No one offers to take them to eat lunch. No one invites them back. No one asks anything about them.  They just kind of smile or nod and go on their way.

Now, what do you think will happen when this family gets to their car? What will they talk about on the way home?  Will they mention the unfriendly atmosphere? Will they have felt welcome? Will they feel like anyone cared?   Will they feel like I did:  You don't belong here?

Maybe in this scenario, the family wasn't yet "part of the family". Maybe they weren't Christians yet.  Would they want to be, after being in the service and not feeling a part?

You see, the way we act is important, but the way other perceive how we act may be even more important.  As we scurry around doing all we need to do as we live our lives, we must be aware of those around us. How are we appearing to them?  No, we can't make everyone happy.  We can't please them all, but let's make sure - for certain - that we aren't making anyone feel as if they don't belong.  If we do, in the spiritual sense, why would they ever want to belong?  That certainly wouldn't look like the church Jesus died for, would it?? No.  Not at all.  Jesus died for God family - where everyone is welcome.  Jesus says, "You belong here.  I will forgive any sins you have ever committed.  Come and follow me."