How's your lamp light shining?

John 1:6-8 HNV "There came a man, sent from God, whose name was Yochanan [John}. The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.  He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light."

We are sent from God as a witness that we might testify about the light, that all might believe through us.  Wow!  What an impact that scripture has made on me.  I, like Yochanan [John] am a lamp that shines the Light [Christ].  So … I have to stop and ask, how am I doing?  How well is my lamp reflecting the light of Christ?  Are others believing because of how I am living my life? my choices? my actions? my love for self? my love for others? my ability to forgive myself? to forgive others? 

What type of lamp light was I created to be?  What type of lamp light am I actually being?  

Here are just a few that have come to mind:

A light controlled by a switch - either fully on or fully off.  

A dimmer light - Either fully off or when on, on at varying degrees of brightness from barely there to full on bright or somewhere in between.  

A hazard flashing light - Only used when there is a problem.

A blinker - on one moment and off the next.  Only used when making a deviation from the path and even then not always being turned on when deviating and making a direction change.

A headlight - If old style - only on when turned on at night (in today's times that's if one remembers to turn it on or someone warns and flashes that we are proceeding without light).  If modern style then we are on all of the time but still primary use is during the night or stormy times to light the way  immediately in front of us on our journey.  We can be low density (which many drive using all the time instead of using the high density bright lights and having to remember to "dim" our headlights when others are approaching.) or high density bright beam lights. 

Christmas lights - All pretty and colorful, either solid or twinkling with part of us on at all times for the season; however once the season is over we are packed away for all the other seasons until our one season comes around again.  

A lighthouse - Shining 24/7 for others to help navigate, giving direction and keeping their paths focused on God, aware of and avoiding snares/traps/dangers.   There for all to use and giving 100% even though you may never know those that were directed by the light that shined through you.  

A search light - Radiant light that pierces the sky to be seen for miles and miles to draw others to come and find out what is the big deal.  We aren't the big deal but our lives reflecting His goodness and greatness through us draw others near so that they can come and meet Him for themselves receiving His salvation,  focusing on Him, believing Him, knowing Him, loving Him, walking with Him, partaking in His fullness.  He is the BIG DEAL.   

I also must ask myself, am I tending my lamp properly and to my best ability?  Am I keeping it in good operational shape - trimming the wick, keeping the oil full, prepared to be lit as He beacons?  Or am I busy running after other things or world busyness that I am too tired or distracted to make sure I am fulfilling the reason I was sent. Am I living such that anyone would see Christ in and through me and choose to believe in Him?  Am I drawing others to Christ or am I part of the attack of the busyness to distract and keep them away from Him?  No matter what, when you stop and look at it, you are either living so others can believe because of you OR you are living so that others are in unbelief and lost.  You're either for or against, there's no fence riding.  What an amazing love and confidence Christ has in us to give us such an impact on all His precious children young and old.  

Honestly, my life in and love for Christ has grown so much during my years; however I can see myself in each of the different types of lights.  I have had to stop, repent and ask His forgiveness for not living up to my best at the different stages of my life.  In this new awareness I strive to live more fully reflecting Him through me so others are not delayed in their belief because of me and my action or lack of action.  I am exhilarated with the simple understanding that I am here to be a lamp testifying of His light so others may come to Him and know Him.  As easy and simplistic as that is, I find myself knowing that every time i achieve my best He will then give me more wisdom and knowledge that will always keep me reaching and obtaining new levels of best in Him.  He will always keep leading me on in great anticipation of new levels of awe all my days as His lamp on this Earth.   I must keep Christ perspective that obtaining our best is a great thing and opens us up to continual new levels of best.  And if I stumble, then I must get up, repent, learn and keep moving forward and upward.   I must make a point to not adopt the world's perspective that we're never good enough no matter how hard we try, that our best just means failure as more is always expected.  For me, it is an awesome promise that He always has more for me so that in my pursuit of knowing Him I will never tire nor reach an end.  I am only limited by what I myself limit myself.  Hmm, to totally understand that fully - that I am the only thing holding me back.    With Him the possibilities and expansion is unlimited!  Thank you God!!  

What Does Grieving my Mom His Way look like for Me? Insight Hut #123

Today the journey started with healing ministry class at Faith Life Church with Brother Joey Woodward beginning a new teaching on "Hope in God".  Just another fine example that God leads you and gives you the insight teaching He desires to expand in you when you listen and say "Yes" to Him -- even when you don't know what you're fully saying "Yes" too!  It's always, always worth the step of faith to say "Yes".  He's never lead me wrong yet and always gets me out of or through challenges I get myself in to if I lose focus and wander a bit.  I will possibly share more about Brother Joey's teaching - however for clip notes, it covered Colossians 1 entirely and Romans 15:13 and concluded with he and his lovely wife praying with me as God brings this next season of His retreat and healing refuge from a thought (that he gave to Malachi when he was about 2 yrs old and Randy and I about that same time frame too) to a BE.  After the teaching we were speaking and I shared my quest for grieving my mom His Way and my struggle of what that looked like, Brother Joey spoke the word O death where is they sting.  I Cor 15:55.  It rang affirmative with my spirit … there was no sting in my mom's death.

So, after a refreshing rest this afternoon, I now find myself lead to Insight Hut #123.  And lead I was.  There are so many to pick from but every time I tried to settle for another Hut He prodded me on to receive His best or fullness of Insight Hut #123.  As I come up to it I can tell its not been used often.  The leaves are built up more than any of the others.  The table is covered with debris and dust webs from lack of use.  There are at least 10 other Insight Huts in view yet this one stands very much alone.  The trees are mostly young saplings with some mature but not predominant trees.  (Represents those stuck in grief mode?)

It would appear that grieving is a time or season you do alone, possibly in proximity of others grieving but each person is unique in its journey so thus alone.  You can take heart that others have been here before you and may be on the journey now so even though you're alone, you're not truly alone or abandoned.  You can walk your individual journey along side others who are walking their own personal journey.  Just keep your eyes and focus on your journey and don't compare to anyone else's!  Otherwise you might get lost in the journey of grief and stay longer than you should or need or even worse, plant your roots and remain the rest of your earthly days.

The many saplings speak a time of tenderness and newness to me.  This is a new season of life, a new start.  In the case for me its a new season …. of living as His Ambassador in this foreign land without my physical mentor, my nurturer, my comforter … my precious mother.  She's been there for me since before my first breath.  She loved me from the moment she knew God was creating me inside of her.  Okay, her thoughts and words might not have been so loving and kind when she though I was a violent flu; however as soon as she knew it wasn't the flu and wouldn't pass but be in her life for the rest of her life … SHE LOVED ME!!!  What insight and revelation of God's love to me.  Except we went from 1) being His thought to 2) BEing and there was no ill thought of flu, discomfort of sickness, no dread, no icky (technical term) feeling … just pure love, joy and delight at His creation.  Wow!  And I've been honored to be a mom and experience that intimacy of love.  Thank you God, I'm so humbled and will strive more to love fuller my family and those you bring to us to love.

So here I am again … What does grieving my mom Your way Lord look like for me?  I want to get it done and launch fully whole into this new season.  Just like my mom, I chase after Him seeking to please Him and honor Him.

So … if in doubt, look up the definition to identify or define according to some dictionary what the baseline or meaning of the word is -- it even gives you different tenses i.e. noun, verb, past, present, transferal? (I think I missed English that day!)

GRIEF:  to cause great distress or sorrow.

SORROW:  a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others.

DISTRESS:  extreme anxiety, sorrow or pain.

So … here I sit pondering those definitions.  "SORROW: a feeling of deep distress caused by loss ..."  Hmmm, I didn't lose my mom.  I know where she is.  She fulfilled her assignment in this foreign land and was able to return home to hear "Well Done".  "… disappointment …" my mom's life was anything but a disappointment.  Her life walk inspired all (even sometimes when I fathered it didn't).  I experienced moments of sadness while she was till alive when I looked at the challenges of life she lived in, the abuse, the neglect, the sacrifices … but wait!  There's more!!! (And no extra shipping charge either!  God already took care of that fee.)  The Lord brought to mind we either receive our rewards and treasures here on Earth OR we store up eternal rewards and treasures in Heaven.  My mom so got that and choose an eternity of rewards and treasures rather than Earthly ones that break, have be be cleaned, replaced, moved, etc.  "… or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others."  Suffered - yeah she went through some intense pain in the flesh in the final month but her sweetness remained and she endured for  His gain praising Him through the pain and tears.  If you read her obituary then you know her passing had no part of suffering or distress and honestly -- it was so sweet and anointed it brought great joy to both Randy and I that we were witness to her eyes being opened to the Heavens and her pure vocal response in seeing her Savior and Lord, her Comforter, her Provider, her Lover and the wealth of rewards and treasures she honestly in her humility had no clue were awaiting her.

Randy and I were so humbled that He loved us and let us witness it.  That I got to hold her and kiss her goodbye as she prayed / conversed with God in a language only He understands then sang her way into Heaven while I held her physical body that housed her spirit until He received her spirit in His arms with the ultimate, long awaited hug from One who was dearer to her than any other.  No greater love have I witnessed or felt.  Even now these tears I'm shedding are tears of thanksgiving, of being so humbled that He allowed me, little (okay maybe not so much presently) ole me to hold her and hand her over to Him.  The One i know and trust.  The One who loves my mom even more than I.  Suffering or distress?  Absolutely NOT!  It was like receiving top honor or recognition … and I was just being who He created me to be, loving as He poured in to me, tending, serving the mentor He purposefully chose for me.

"DISTRESS:  extreme anxiety …" …. Nope!  We knew where she was going and it's far better than any taste of Heaven she may or may not have had on this Earth.  "…sorrow…" -- Are you kidding me?  Sorrow would have been her being stuck here after her assignment was done.  "… pain." -- We, from our first breath of birth, are guaranteed achieving at least one goal in life and that's death.  We all will accomplish it, the journey on the way is up to us and how well we live out our days on Earth.  So I  knew it was a definite goal and my mom would strive to succeed at it giving Him her absolute best -- which she did.  The only pain I've really experienced is right now and its the chill as the temperature drops and I sit outside writing this wishing I had a blanket or warm fire … but that's not grief related.

So again, I look at the definitions of grief -- the World's definitions.  They don't apply in this situation.  I know my mom and I are just His Foreign Ambassadors doing our assignment here so we can go home. This is just temporary.  I was blessed with a lifetime of her love, mentoring, nurturing, comforting me, encouraging, praying and speaking into my family - my amazing husband and awesome sons - as well as all the spiritual children and people He brought into our lives.  I was given an amazing gift of a little over 22 months to love on, honor and give back to my mom before she completed her assignment.  I played games with my mom, laughed with my mom, cried tears of joy and sorrow, prayed, prayed … and prayed with my mom .  I got to share new levels of light He imparted to me because of the high mantle she achieved and launched me from.  She lead as Jesus lead -- from behind, encouraging, supporting and launching me to be able to do all she knew and could do and even more.  She praised with me and celebrated all God has, is and has yet planned to do in our lives and ministry.  She lived through me.  She dreamed with me.  She laughed with me.  She praised Him with me.  She prayed WITH and FOR me.  I chose to honor her and celebrate her life while she was still living it.  We laughed together.  God allowed me to speak into my mom and right wrong perceptions or false truths that she was under.  We loved together.  We laughter together.  We praised together.  We laughed together.  We prayed together.  We laughter together.  His Joy was not a stranger to us.

When Holy Spirit opened my eyes that my mom had no clue the impact she had on this Earth for His Kingdom -- I began a purposeful celebration of her life by requesting friends and family to express the way my mom impacted their lives.  When the emails, cards, letters, Facebook comments began to come in, we would read them.  She looked at me and asked where all this was coming from and why.  With all the love in my heart I told her that I firmly believed she would benefit more by celebrating and acknowledging the impact she has and had on people's lives  while she was still alive rather than after she was dead.  She laughingly agreed with me.  I firmly believed in Celebrating her while she was with us and could enjoy it and laugh with us rather than later when frankly, she wouldn't care and it wouldn't matter to her.  Sooooo …. CELEBRATE mom we did.  Even during her two days of silent resting in preparation for her end of assignment promotion Holy Spirit lead me to speak all the appreciation and thankfulness for all the things He brought to mind that my mom did.  I had 48 hours of speaking into my mom's spirit and was blessed beyond blessed and could have continued on if time allowed as there was still far more she did but … the eternal rewards and treasures covered the rest.

So,  I'm finding myself thinking there is nothing to grieve.  I have no regrets or uncompleted issues with my mom.  She lives on in and through me.  She is a part of me, my husband and my sons and that is to be celebrated and praised.  I may experience moments of homesickness - but I did that while I was growing up when we were apart and we were always reunited which we will be this time too.  I am choosing to praise and celebrate my mom and laugh with her even while she is at Home waiting for me to get there.

My mom dreamed and prayed with me as God revealed to us His plans of having us steward His yet to come retreat and healing refuge.  I feel my mom's completing her assignment and going Home was/is a gift to our family so we could freely, whole-heartedly go after pleasing God by starting this new season and level of ministry.  It overwhelms me all the plans God has shared, is sharing and reveals and blows me away as I know its just a glimpse of what He has planned if we just continue to say "Yes".  My faith and belief are ever growing because as in every situation in the past, He positions us so He is strongest in our weakness allowing all the glory to go to Him.  We know what and where He is leading we can't obtain or do on our own … but our God whom we love and serve can and already has it covered. We just need to submit ourselves, say "Yes", get out of His way and hang on!  He's always provided and lead us well, far beyond anything we could imagine and He keeps expanding our ability to imagine.  Wow!

Thank you Mom and Thank you God for giving me such a role model to walk out You for me.

Let's CELEBRATE!

                                … And that's How Grieving my Mom HIS WAY looks like for me.

I wonder what Insight Hut He has in mind tomorrow and what the insight will be.  Nothing but joy and anticipation from me!

Moving Day ... NOT

Today we were to be moving to our much needed larger ministry home however God's timing is something different as we found out yesterday all is not in place for us to be able to move in. Praise God instead of being upset we are at a point that we are just rejoicing for His direction and guidance ... and more time to pack. It is not ours to understand the reason's for the delay but it is ours to make the most of the delay. And so tomorrow evening we will add yet another blessed young lady to our present three (3) bedroom one (1) bathroom home until we can move in to our next ministry home. Who would have guessed that having been given sons to raise that He would open our home to young ladies. Who would have guessed that four (4) ladies (soon to be 5!) and three (3) guys could all live in community with only 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. I praise God for two amazing sons who are so much a part of the ministry that God has called us to that they are willing to give up their small room for others to have a safe haven for God to do as He wills in their lives. I thank Him for the amazing blessings and awesomeness of how He chooses to minster to and through us. I love the life He has called us to even in the hard times.

IF it GrIeVeS God, Get RID of IT!

We are called by God to sanctify our spirit, soul and body. Even the secular world imitates that calling. We have got to chose. Are we going to be distracted by the “world’s” cheap imitation way OR are we going to tune in and stay solely focused on God and His way? We don’t have to tolerate what grieves Him (food, games, clothes, possessions, etc) until it has been consumed or the deemed value received from it. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy. If it GRIEVES God get RID of IT! It’s not wasteful to carry out the “trash” polluting our lives. Stop trying to consume whatever is “trashing” our lives so as not to be judged “wasteful” by family and peers. Those “judging family & peers” will not be standing with you at your pre-scheduled Final Appointment with God. The moment we all live for, whether intentional or unintentional, when He performs our ultimate performance review and gives our final promotion with rewards OR pink slip and removes our name from His Book.

1 Corinthians 3:12-14 (New Century Version) 12 But if people build on that foundation, using gold, silver, jewels, wood, grass, or straw,13 their work will be clearly seen, because the Day of Judgment[a] will make it visible. That Day will appear with fire, and the fire will test everyone's work to show what sort of work it was.14 If the building that has been put on the foundation still stands, the builder will get a reward.

We have been given dominion over all things … now … today … in every choice we make, every word we speak.

Genesis 1:28 (The Message) 26-28 God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth."

He owns all the wealth and being His Child entitles us to it. SO, it is NOT wasteful to get rid of what GRIEVES God (groceries, books, music, games, clothes, vehicles, etc). In honoring Him by getting rid of the grievances in your life, He honors you by providing, in a way only He can, the richness of a life walking in purity with Him. Ask Him to show you what is grieving Him in your life, home, and work. Better to be shocked now rather than at the final moment. There is no greater reward on this Earth and more importantly at our Final Judgment Appointment than to have Him say, “Well done.”

Matthew 25:23 (New International Version, ©2011) 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Footnotes:1 Corinthians 3:13 Day of Judgment The day Christ will come to judge all people and take his people home to live with him.

What is MY specific Mission that I was created for?

Good Morning my Love!

I’ve been going back and catching up on some of the readings I’ve missed. Right now I’ve been reading in Acts. I shared with you that I had so thoroughly enjoyed James, Thessalonians, I&II Timothy, Titus & I&II Peter and was struggling with getting in to reading about Paul’s journey in Acts. However, I think the previous books have prepared me for what God wanted me to see/understand in Acts.

First off but not most important, would you please look up and see what your Bible footnotes on Acts 15:29? I understand avoiding the idol food offerings and sexual sins but what is meant by the strangled animals and blood? Is this old covenant or new?

Now my major insight from last night and this morning (and boy does this give even more energy/fuel to the anticipation I have been feeling for the past month or so):

This is Paul speaking:

Acts 20:24 “I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me – to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.”(NCV)

My thoughts/insight:

At first I thought … oh wow, this is all of our missions – “to tell people about the Good News about God’s grace”. However in GForce we’ve been studying the Fruits of the Spirit and in the previous chapters of Acts and other areas of the Bible I’ve been lead to, it talks about God giving each of us a special gift or calling. This gift/calling is something that energizes you, gives you joy, peace, love, anticipation in spite of the challenges. It’s not something that drags you down, weighs on you. ‘If it’s causing you to be heavy and weighted or loaded down then it’s not from God. Don’t be lead by needs. Be lead by the Spirit of God. Life with Christ equals peace, abundance, joy, love, light & easy no matter what trials come.” (Keith Moore Wed night service download paraphrase by me.)

My question to you … SPECIFICALLY what brings YOU joy when you are doing it, walking it, working it no matter how labor intensive it is or what it involves? What gets you excited? What puts pep in your step? What so totally consumes you that nothing interferes with your focus on it? Hopefully to help you better understand what I’m asking, I’ll share with you what God has laid on my heart for ME, not you, Me – Michelle. You’ve got to look and see what makes your heart just burst with fullness, brings you fulfillment, joy, peace when you are doing it. Please don’t let me influence or muddy your thoughts in any way. If you think it might, then please don’t read the following until you’ve taken time for insight of your own.

I so absolutely love serving/encouraging and helping others succeed at finding joy/peace in their lives. I love volunteering, organizing things, helping with the bookstore, checking things in, waiting on customers, getting to touch their lives for just a moment and help them find what they are looking for, to get to laugh with them, connect with them, pray with and for them, and hopefully provide at least a glimpse of encouragement and joy. I love helping come up with ideas, encouraging, brainstorming. I am good at the spur of the moment, specific needs area. I’m not so much at the come alongside and walk holding the hand for the long term but only as needed and called by God. Regarding the long-term issues, I don’t know if this is how God created me to be or if it is from things from my childhood that need healing and areas I’ve yet to learn/experience growth in. However, in reading/looking at the WHOLE words written in God’s Word, it’s not just about Paul or whatever disciple is being written about. It also is about the Believers who came along and supported the disciples so that they could do what God called them to do. Some were called to Do – others were called to support those that were called to Do. I honestly think that the mission God has created me for is to serve and support those that God has chosen to tell the Good News about God’s Grace which so brings me back to the vision that God gave me in the basement at Towanda when He gave us the name, My Fathers Blessing. Of all the areas that He showed me, my most favorite is the serving those who have served Him and no longer can due to age, health, etc and are looking for their next segment in their journey of purpose as they transition to the Gatekeepers before going on to their eternal retirement plan that’s Out of this World. I get so excited and full of passion when I see what He has shown me. I don’t know how or in what specific way but I think the time is here to act upon this calling. I know it will definitely be “outside the box” as God tends to love to laugh/have fun with us and not do the “typical” in our lives. Nothing in our amazing journey as husband and wife has been status pro from the moment we met even to the point we are at this present moment. Look at where we have been, what we’ve had and where we are now. In the world’s eyes we may have digressed with not living in a huge house, driving current vehicles, etc but I firmly believe we have progressed with shedding the excess (which we still have much to figure out what He wants done with – Ha!), being content with what we have, driving vehicles that are 100% His, minimizing, living in a 5th wheel that helps keep us close as a family and allows us to following His leading (even more so after we get it paid off). God has showed us repeatedly His providing for us, especially in the past year. Look at in our time of “financial lack” how much more we have been able to give, share and minister to others! It just blesses my socks off!! Not to mention blows my mind. Only God can do such things.

God is good … ALL the time! I’m anxious to see what He’s doing and preparing us for that’s to come. The journey is hard at times but I know well worth it. Growth is never easy but oh so glorious. I’m loving this ride and I’m ecstatic you’re on it with me.

Impossible to Possible

Today in our Bible Study/Science Activity we ...

1) Filled a drinking glass almost to the top with water.

2) Dropped a small cork (we used a fishing bobber - of course!) into the glass, and make the cork float in the center of the water without touching the glass.

What Happened?

The cork kept floating off to the side. It seemed impossible to keep it in the center even if we used our hands on the glass, blew on it, shook the floor (an advantage of living in a 5th wheel), etc. Nothing worked.

THEN We ...

Slowly poured water from another glass until the water rose just above the rim without spilling.

What HAPPENED?

The cork moved to where the water was the highest ... the center. And it didn't take any help or prompting from us to get it to move there. It happened automatic when the water was added. OUTCOME:

It wasn't possible until we knew to fill the glass to the top. Then the cork always, no matter how it was shaken or moved, returned to the center.

LIFE APPLICATION:

If we keep our life full of God's word, Fellowship with other Believers, Music, Reading, TV, positive input ... no matter what happens around us ... we can stay centered or grounded in Christ through all the tribulations that come our way.

EASTER STORY COOKIES

To be made the evening before Easter.

You need:

1 cup whole pecans

1 tsp. vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch salt

1 cup sugar

zipper baggie

heavy wooden spoon

tape

A Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. This is important! Don't wait until you're half done with the recipe!

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.

Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us eternal life.

Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.

Read Matt. 27:65-66.

NOW GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Read Matt. 28:1-9

Share "The Easter Cookie Story" With Your Friends.

Stinky Job

We have battled sewer issues every since we had our tank worked on back in Georgia. And let me tell you ... not having a bathroom, especially when it's cold and dark outside and a walk to the outhouse ... is not a thrill. Well, today is the day it all hit the fan. Randy finally got tired of having to backflush the tank to try to get it open enough to at least get liquids to drain. Generally this would have to be done when it was cold and yucky outside ... but today has turned in to a beautiful, sunny day. Thus with the whole family assisting we added Sewer 101 to our class agenda today. What you can't do with a little determination, a Dewalt sawsall and a 3" Fernco coupling! Needless to say, the culprit was the round plastic piece that was created when the manufacture drilled the hole into the black tank to hook it up where they proceeded to leave the piece inside the tank. You'd think as much problems as this can cause they would drill a mid-size hole then a second hole the size of the pipe to prevent this from being able to block the opening when they are leaving it in the tank. Ours is not the first story of such and I'm sure not the last. But hopefully the last time for us!

Wish all of life's stinky issues were this easy to solve.