NEW SUNDAY NIGHT STUDY

Do you speak your spouse's love language?

You may be surprised by the answer!

Learn how to communicate love to your spouse so that he/she will feel loved!

This study will transform or strengthen your marriage.

Join us this Sunday

in our Sunday School room (313)

5:30 - 7:30

led by Charles and Stacy

Great teaching. Refreshments. Breakout groups.

(childcare is provided)

A BIG DAY!

This Sunday, March 30

Pizza Lunch at the Crooks' following Sunday School

($6/Couple)

and

The Five Love Languages Bible Study

5:30-7:30 in our Sunday School room

(Childcare Provided)

See You There!

Another lesson learned in Paris...

The Paris subway system has been called the best in the world. It is amazing, complex, safe, clean, and a challenge to master. Even a person with a great sense of direction would have to study the subway system map every now and then to determine which of probably 30 train lines to take to one of five city zones. So, since I have openly confessed for years to be direction-deficient, I made no attempt to even pretend to be able to maneuver my way around Paris. Instead, I yielded all subway decisions to my 18-year-old daughter, Lia.

I don’t mean we discussed the route to take and then I took her advice. No, no, no. I mean once Lia and I chose an agenda for our day, she studied the subway map for a few minutes, we left our hotel, walked down the road to a subway station, Lia took our tickets out of her pocket and handed mine to me, we entered the turnstiles, she put our tickets back in her pocket, and I followed her footsteps up and down staircases and escalators, around long, tile-covered hallways, and onto the train platform she had chosen for us. I had no idea which train we were taking and I never asked. I may as well have blindfolded myself, stretched my arms out in front of me, and allowed her to lead me.

Every single time, Lia was right. She got us to our destinations without fail…the Opera House…Montmartre…the Latin Quarter...Notre Dame…Disney…and then got us back home. And every single time, I grew more and more confident of her subway expertise. By the end of the week, we were laughing at the pitiful truth that she had the ability to lead me absolutely anywhere in France with the certainty that I would follow.

So, I began to ask myself, why is it so hard sometimes to place myself in the hands of the One who knows my destiny? God has proven Himself over and over to be absolutely and perfectly trustworthy, and yet I hesitate…I question...I want to know where He’s leading before I will commit to go.

For I know the plans I have for you"--this is the LORD's declaration--"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
(Jeremiah 29:11)

As I followed my daughter around the maze of subway platforms in Paris, I never took my eyes off her. In fact, as we squeezed ourselves onto crowded trains, I often took hold of the hem of her jacket so I wouldn’t lose my connection to the only one who knew where I was supposed to be headed.

That is the secret to following Christ. It’s not about waiting for directions to the big destinations in our lives. It’s about keeping our eyes on Him every single day. Holding onto Him for dear life, knowing that the only life worth living is the one we live in step with Him.

My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.
(John 10:27)

HAIR TODAY AND GONE TOMORROW

I learned two lessons when we arrived in Paris on Saturday for our week-long stay:
(1) We truly are always one decision away from joy.
(2) I truly do have a love affair with hairspray.

I should have prepared myself during our check-in at the Houston airport. Continental Airlines had just experienced a power outage, and attendants were manually checking bags while the lines of passengers all over the airport grew longer and longer. (Manually is the key word.)

When Mike, Lia and I arrived in Paris, the scene was almost comical. After Mike collected three of our four suitcases, we stood around with about 50 other passengers and stared intently at an empty conveyer belt. I don’t remember how long it was before Mike finally said, “I don’t think the other suitcase is coming.” Every single passenger was in denial. Not one of us believed we were actually dealing with LOST LUGGAGE. But Mike, ever the seasoned traveler, wisely sent me over to the lost luggage counter so I would be first in line JUST IN CASE.

The verdict was in. Our fourth suitcase was still in Houston. As Mike and Lia inventoried our bags so we could fill out a claim form, the horrified looks on their faces revealed the awful truth: the fourth suitcase was MINE!

It wasn’t the toothbrush (I knew the hotel was good for an extra one). It wasn’t even the makeup (I knew I could rummage through Lia’s supply and do a legitimate, even if more subdued, makeover). It was the HAIRSPRAY! I was mortified to think that I would do Paris with a flat head of hair! It’s just something this Southern and now Texan woman would never dream of having to endure! Why, last summer I managed to spend a week in London with a 220V hairdryer that barely whispered, and a week in Honduras with hair that had to be scrunched rather than do’ed, but with an arsenal of hairspray I still managed to keep my dignity properly pouffed!

So, there we stood at Charles de Gaulle airport, contemplating our lot in life. Mike solemnly confessed he would have given up his suitcase for mine if he could have. Lia offered up her clothes, pajamas, and even her prized Northface jacket. I wanted to pout. Or scream. Or just throw a genuine tantrum. Instead, I chose joy.

It was easy. I simply had to get over myself. The trip was, after all, about more than me. I had seven glorious days to spend with my generous husband and very funny daughter. We had arrived safely. We were all healthy. And Paris beckoned.

Not that it was easy. I had to constantly remind myself that it really wasn’t about me. When I donned Lia’s sweat pants (the only “big” enough clothes she could find in her luggage to fit me) and almost resorted to trying perfume (I mean, it’s sticky, isn’t it?) to get a little vavoom

in my flat-as-a-pancake hair, I had to try extra hard to keep smiling and I had to pray extra hard for a heavenly perspective. But it worked…I honestly forgot about myself or what I looked like. Later that evening, when we embarked on an amazing boat ride on the Seine River, I was actually giddy at the prospect of allowing my hair to blow in the breeze without having to give a thought to preserving my hairdo. And then, on our walk back to our hotel, it began to sprinkle rain, and I felt as free as a bird, walking without an umbrella without having to worry about my hair getting sticky with wet hairspray!

When my suitcase finally arrived the next evening, I had learned a lot about joy. It’s found outside ourselves. When we consider others first. When we look at our circumstances with an eternal perspective, meaning hardly anything we think is important matters as much as we think it does (the rule still stands: will it make a difference five years from now? If not, then it doesn’t really matter.)

This life really is about a whole lot more than having things go our way. At some point I think I finally began to get it...

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17)

When I get my eyes off myself and focus on Christ, everything changes. Not necessarily my circumstances, but always my desires and many times my attitude. A bad hair day may be way down on the list of things that matter, but it can be a wonderful exercise in remembering the things that DO matter. When I turn my eyes on Jesus, the things on this earth really do grow dim. He matters. Relationships matter. Everything else will be gone one day. Including my mega can of hairspray.

Connect 6 via Photos

I know each of you long to be a part of every Connect 6 group each time...so here it is! These photos below will try to catch you up on all the other groups as we connect on a more intimate level with our individual group.

I am combining January and February here because of the relatively few pictures I received. I will probably also add March below. Please email me any pictures you have taken and I will add them below!

O WHAT A NIGHT!

The Celebration/Pledge Banquet at our church on Sunday night was AMAZING. The decor was stunning, the food was delicious (lasagna from Hasta La Pasta, including incredible desserts) and Christian comedian Mark Lowry was not only funny, but heart-stirring (who knew he wrote the lyrics to "Mary Did You Know?"?). (Stephanie snagged a photo with him.) We all had a wonderful time while taking part in the wonderful work that God is doing at Champion Forest. For those unable to attend, there is one more opportunity on Monday night with space available. (Absent from the photo: Adam, Laura and Jen were unable to sit with us because they participated in the singing/worship session (Adam, all I can say is, you rock!) and Matt didn't find us in time.)

SWEET VICTORY

The GIRLS ruled last night and redeemed the title of Guesstures Champs held by the GUYS since our last Game Night. Oh, to have live footage of things like jackhammers, marshmallows, and facelifts being dramatized in ways that were either brilliant or downright comical! It was a wonderful evening. Thank you, Eric and Kim, for your amazing hospitality.

(Don't forget to turn your clock back tonight!)

Back By Popular Demand!

GAME NIGHT!


This Friday, March 7

6:30

at Kim and Eric's


Please bring an appetizer or dessert.

SHOWERS OF GRACE

And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.
(2 Corinthians 9:8)

Our class taught our lesson yesterday.

Baby showers have become our "class specialty." Although our class started out for "young couples without children," it has emerged as one where a baby shower a month is commonplace. But the baby showers themselves are anything but ordinary.

About three months before an expectant mom's due date, our Baby Shower Coordinator rounds up hostesses who agree to meet and plan a shower that is special for the honoree. Without fail, they pull out all the stops...cakes, punch bowls, crystal, luncheons, diaper cakes, couple events, games, prizes, flowers...whatever it takes to make each shower a unique celebration.

Yesterday was the day for Bethany's shower. We had planned it for weeks. We would have lunch at Bonnie's (King Ranch Chicken) right after church, followed by pink cake, pink games and pink gifts!

I was on my way to Sunday School when my phone rang. It was Bonnie. The shower hostess. Her little girl, Audrey, was sick, and her illness looked suspiciously like a stomach virus. With nearly half our class expecting babies, we knew we couldn't take the chance of exposing them to whatever germ might be lurking at Bonnie's. With a heavy heart, I walked into the class and broke the news to the hostess team.

That's when I saw grace overflow.

There wasn't a moment of hesitation. After expressing concern for Audrey, a class member jumped in and graciously offered up her home (for a shower an hour away!). Another class member (not even on the hostess team) offered to stop at a deli and pick up chicken salad to replace the casseroles Bonnie had prepared the day before and now feared could be contaminated with the dreaded virus. Others put their heads together to make sure the new menu would be plentiful and someone ducked out to alert guests who were driving in from out of town. The rest of the class jotted down directions to the new venue.

The lesson I presented was nearly redundant.

God has given us everything we need, even though we (like Adam and Eve) often look around with carnal eyes and say, "It's not enough" (Genesis 2:16-17,3:1-3 ). Jesus is our sufficiency. He is, for us, the Bread of Life. He sustains us. (John 6:48-51). We are limited. We underestimate God's awesome power, His unlimited resources, and His grace. We stumble over our circumstances and when we don't see how He can work, we don't believe (John 4:10-14). But God offers us His Son, and when we receive Christ, we receive God's Spirit, Who indwells us, fills us, empowers us and enables us to abound with grace so that we, like the apostle Paul, can rejoice in all things and be equipped for every good work (Phil 4:4-7, 2 Cor 9:8). The truth is, we are abundantly blessed; therefore, we can abundantly give.

A hastily re-configured baby shower is but a tiny example of God's Spirit filling our class members, urging them to graciously inconvenience themselves in order to rain blessings down on others. There have been many demonstrations of such grace in our class. Meals, mission projects, car repairs, phone calls, cards, visits, and other acts of unselfish love have served as evidence of the life-giving, transforming work of the Holy Spirit in our midst.