Controversial?

I’ve been thinking a lot about how “safe” our society has tried to make life…  And how if we are so cautious with our children could this in fact cause more fear in their lives?  Here’s a New York times article link that if you haven’t read I would encourage you to read it just to get you thinking…

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/science/19tierney.html?_r=4

As fear can be the opposite of faith–it’s an important thing for followers of Christ to consider.

(you can quickly make a free account at this site to view the article…)

Come fly with me…

I am watching a baby bird who has either been kicked out of the nest or has fallen out.  Either way it is learning to fly…but for now it is “grounded.”

Mama and Papa Bird are hopping madly around the branches and chirping at the little one… Baby stretches a wing out every once in awhile; but mostly it just hops around exploring.

How crazy! This bird has only known the nest, and here it is realizing how much more there is to its world… my whole… backyard.

Baby is curious-hopping onto the bricks, onto the kids’ toys-interested in everything.

That it will one day fly high above the earth coming to realize how limited my backyard truly is… but for now it is captivated by this tiny patch of grass.  How amazing that this bird will soon soar to great heights.

What a difference it is to go from resting in the nest to soaring in the clouds!  It would be so sad to only know the nest.  Not because anything’s wrong with the nest- but until the bird experiences the world with all of its adventures and all of its mishaps and terrors, he cannot truly appreciate the comforts of his place of rest.

But oh the thrill it is when the little bird catches the wind beneath its feathers and begins to glide up and over the earth!  Would it ever be content to live only in the nest?  Never spreading wings- never experiencing the joy of doing what its Maker designed it to do.

The parents went into neighboring trees a few minutes ago… out of sight but you can hear their distant chirps of encouragement.

See yourself in that little bird.  Are you grounded- caught up in the backyard and all its small wonders or just hopping around too fearful to fly?  Maybe you’ve not made it out of the nest yet?  It’s time to try greater things.  It’s time to stretch out wings and allow the Holy Spirit to ruffle them and fill them with Wind.  You can soar.  You can experience the adventure that is God’s Will.  It’s not safe, just as it’s not safe for that young bird.  But to embrace the fulness you were made to live you’re going to need to leave that comfortable nest…And from a neighboring tree I can just make out Papa’s call- “Come fly with me.”

My Daily “Doing”

I challenged myself today to sit silent, alone for fifteen minutes. 

The discipline was in not allowing myself to formulate any to do lists, not to make plans or ponder situations to find resolutions… I was simply to sit and to “be.” 

Being is difficult for a doer.

But in moments of simply being I have my best communication with my Savior who created me to be.  Perhaps in my normal daily doing as I create to do lists for myself and make future plans for our family- I also make to do lists for God on the giant post-it notes that I call “prayer.”

And I he must laugh at my silly attempts to order His World for Him… and so He calls to me to just “be.”

This fifteen minutes of quiet needs added to my daily routine.  I think I’ll stop with my usual prayer time for awhile… opting instead for just the quiet with He and me.  Returning to “prayer time” only when I can enter the throne room to speak with Hiim without my agenda on a clipboard of my mind. 

Maybe you’re a doer like me… challenge yourself to “Be still…” for 15 minutes a day.  A quiet time with you and God without your to do list…

New Pictures

We are looking for new pictures.

Summer is Here!

Now that summer is here, many of our regular volunteers will be going on vacation. If you can help, please let me know.

Updated Website

We recently updated our website to make it easier for you to find out what’s going on. Parents and Volunteers should find it easier to keep track of upcoming events. Please take a few minutes to look around at . I welcome your feedback.