We are God's IPOD

     This Sunday, a four year old little boy brought the box back for the Children's sermon.  I had visited his house earlier in the week, and I knew he had a lot of cool toys, so I was anxiously awaiting what was in "The Box".  He was the only one under 12 for the Children's sermon (we only had 22 people due to the Blizzard, and the fact that it was the Sunday after Christmas.)  Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box and found an IPOD.
     After a minute or so of stalling and trying to figure out what to say, (I even went as far as to begin to talk about the Apple on the back of the Ipod - Adam and Eve, first to sin, etc... too much for a four year old)  I finally allowed the Spirit to enter, and it gifted me with this.  We are like God's Ipod. 
     We can put in what we want, and we can listen to the Ipod whenever we want, and that is how God works with us.  God always listens to us and is putting in our gifts and using us for His pleaseure, just like we use an Ipod for our pleasure.
     It was alot of fun, and I cant wait to see what he brings back next week.  (He did get the Box again because he was the only one!)

Be God's Ipod today!! 

Soccer Ball in "The Box"

Greetings to you all... Sunday brought a fun installment of "The Box", our weekly children's sermon fun.  This week there was a rather large stuffed soccer ball.

This gave us an opportunity to talk about stewardship.  We talked about how God gave us our bodies and how we should be good stewards of our bodies and keep them in good health.  One of those ways we can keep them in good shape is by exercising, and playing soccer is a great way to stay in shape.

We had a prayer (see picture) and then we went on our way.  This is one of the high points in each and every service, and I hope that the Spirit will continu to guide my thoughts as we come up with new and exciting things "out of the box." 

Writer's Block

        I am not sure how many of you have the opportunity to write on a weekly basis, but if you do, do you ever get into a funk when nothings seems to make sense or nothing comes into your head that is worth writing down?  That is what I have been dealing with all week.  The gospel text for the week is Luke 3 and it is all about John the Baptist and his exhortation of the crowds in preparation for the coming of Jesus... but while John is led by the Spirit during his proclamation, I dont think the Spirit knows that I have moved to North Dakota and has yet to find me.
       Anyway, this is my attempt to just write and pray and hope that something will trigger my brain to proclaim something worth while for tomorrow's sermon.  But that may just be the problem; it is not really anything that I will say up there, but it is what the Spirit is moving me to say that works on Sunday morning.  So what can I say in the morning then, "Sorry folks, the Spirit gave me nothing to talk about this morning, so we wont have a sermon at all."  How would that work out?  HMMMMM  Actually, I wonder what kind of reaction that would actually garner from the congregation.  After all they trust that the Spirit has guided my words that will be proclaimed in the morning, so what if I dont feel led by the Spirit at all that Week?  What would their reaction be?
       Just some writer's block thinking.  Did it help?  No.  Come Holy Spirit.  I feel like princess Leia ... "Help me Obi one Holy Spirit... your my only hope."