Canvas Rhapsody

Acts 2:46-47 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,
praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were saved.

My favorite part of this time of year is being with friends and family. There isn't anything like gathering together with people that love and care about you. It is an even more beautiful experience when you know that the host/hostess has a genuine desire to share all the blessings God has given them.

I love the thought of the first church meeting together for their meals everyday, sharing the blessings of God everyday. Imagine how it would change our sense of belonging and community if we met together with like-minded people at the end of every hard working day.

No McDonald's drive through or tv while we eat our meal. Good conversation, laughter, accountability, sincerity and honest is what I see at a table of believers sitting down to a meal. A sense of belonging to something bigger and more powerful then all of the things that would have to be rescheduled in our world today in order to have relationships with people.

Matthew 18:20"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am
there in their midst."

Invitation (Family Challenge)
You were invited into the family of God at some point in your life. Someone shared with you the beauty in our Lord and Savior's sacrifice. Doesn't everyone you know deserve the same invitation.

Find some time in your hectic schedule to invite someone you know that maybe isn't already a believer and share a meal with them. Invite one person or an entire family but reach out beyond yourself and share the blessings you have with someone. They will know that Christ is in your home.

People are looking for hope. Share yours with them and once again the Body of Christ will be meeting together in gladness and sincerity of heart while sharing a meal in our homes.

Please add Daniel, Rachael and Hannah to your prayer list. May we all be a small part of the great work God has invited them to be a part of in China.

Some days it is just easier to point fingers at everyone else. Taking personal responsibility for my own life, my community and lets not forget my nation is a heavy burden to bear. Why can't I just focus on me? Why do I have to show love to everyone, they don't even like what I believe?

Because we are called to do just that....

Phillipians 2:14-18
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so
that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God
above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you
appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in
the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor
toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon
the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you
all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with
me.

Light in Darkness (Family Challenge)

Get yourself a flashlight. In a dark room have everyone sit in a circle. Pass the flashlight around. Whoever has the flashlight should hold it under their chin (don't forget to turn it on) and give an example of how they can be a light in their world......Encourage you children to use their unique personalities and talents for ways they are light.

Matthew 28:18-20 (msg) Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."

Who, Me? Is he talking to me? Make disciples, teach, baptise. That isn't my job.

There was a long period in my faith where I felt incapable of leading people. I felt too imperfect and not smart enough to answer the questions people had about Salvation. My internal dialog was great at reminding me that I am just a wife, just a mother. Mission field; ministry, I don't think so. I am not sure what had given me the idea that I wasn't capable of sharing God's love with others. Maybe society, maybe my own lack of self-confidence or I was just scared to get it wrong.

Without the dedication of a few wonderful people I would never have stepped out and shared my testimony with others. (Fellowship) My confidence in sharing the gospel gets stronger and stronger the more I read and learn His Word. (Study) I have a "new" life. I don't just have a better life because of my Salvation. Living in Christ has given me an entirely new life. My testimony, my past baggage are proof of how great our God is. My life has been transformed.

My ministry is in being a wife and mother. (Worship) I may not be flying to a foreign country any time soon but my commitment to my Savior is just as important to the people in my everyday as it is to the people in Africa. I have learned to be careful in judging what God can do through people when their hearts are open. Sometimes when I don't feel so friendly and want to keep to myself, I try and remember that Christ himself asked me to go out in His name and share His grace. What right do I have to keep all of God's blessings to myself? Regardless if I think they deserve it, God thinks they too are worth the sacrifice that He made.

Stepping Out (Family Challenge)

I think our children could probably teach us a thing or two about unconditional acceptance. Have you ever noticed how children that just meet are instantly friends, capable of sharing everything. With no thought to how they will carry on a conversation and how they instantly find things they have in common.

This week lets get messy with a little craft.

Get a couple different colors of washable (water based) paint.

Craft paper (long enough to fit your foot on)

Paint brushes (sponge will work to)

Okay, clear a space on the kitchen floor. If you bought the right kind of paint you should have nothing to worry about, but keep a few paper towels handy. Maybe a bowl of water to rinse feet off in.

Pick who will go first. One at a time, each of you make a commitment to step out into your communities (school, work, sports teams, etc) and make a difference for Christ. Talk to your kids about being called to share what Christ has done for them. Help the younger ones paint the bottom of their feet and place them on the paper. Maybe let them paint the bottom of your feet.

When you are standing in your kitchen, feet covered in paint remember to thank God for the blessings He has given you.

I have been a part of the Christian church long enough to know that there are some things that are considered forgivable sin and some things that are not. There are some that are talked about and some that are ignored. More often then not the basic cause of sin is our personal lack of self-control.

Just Peachy (Family challenge)

Teaching Gentleness to children can be extremely difficult. Especially if you have toddlers. Peaches are one of the yummiest fruits out there but they bruise with the slightest mishandling. Buy a few peaches this week and share them with your kids, maybe hand one to your youngest child to see if they are gentle with it or not.

While eating your peaches over some ice cream or covered in cream, talk to your kids about the importance of gentleness. Explain how people we love are a little like peaches and that our words and our actions can bruise them much easier than we expect them to.

The entire point of these family challenges is to get you talking with your children. Regardless of where your conversations will lead, you are leading your family in the ways of our Father. Teaching His values in simple situations will create a desire in your children to mimic those behaviors.

Pomegranate Goodness (Family Challenge)

On Sunday, Nick talked about how healthy fruit bears seeds so that the plant can reproduce. One of the greatest seed bearing fruits is the Pomegranate. An average fruit has over 600 seeds in it. It is also the only part of the Pomegranate that most people eat.

Okay, so go to the store and get yourself a Pomegranate. It makes a great visual. Talk to your family about how the good fruit from one good tree can produce up to 600 more good trees. Talk about ways that each of those "good" seeds can be planted. Be sure to talk to your children about the source of their Goodness, our Savior Jesus. He is the only source of food, light and living water for our fruit.

Have fun.

I can be a bit of a control freak. When things don't seem to be going exactly as I have envisioned, I can get a little temperamental. I have been known to be a little like Simon Peter, cut off the ear ask questions later. Unfortunately by not taking time to listen and be patient I end up apologizing a lot, especially to my children.

Sometimes when life is in the middle of its hectic schedules and responsibilities it is hard to see all of the options. It is easy to get tunnel vision and try to control everything to fit that picture. The ability to slow down or even stop becomes so much of an effort that it isn't part of the plan. There isn't time for patience. Before you know it, everything is out of control. Your schedule is so crammed with your to-do lists that even your daily planner is going to revolt. When did a 15 minute delay in our lives become long suffering?

Thank God that He is patient with us. When we are in the middle of all of the craziness and don't know what to do and finally call on His Name, He is listening.

Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. 2He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. 3He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD.

When I read this Psalm I picture God picking me up out of the chaos. Chaos that I created. In life I seem to be throwing punches, screaming at the world and then I finally break down. When He pulls me out of my own pit, I see things more clearly. I see Him more clearly. Patience is knowing it will happen (God's promises) and giving it time to. I struggle with the time part. When we wait God can work. When we fill our time with our deeds and our control issues, there isn't space for God to do his work.

Planting seeds of patience. (Family Challenge)
Get your family involved in learning about patience. Find out what you can do in your lives to learn to rely first on God, resting in Him, and then making choices for your family. I challenge you to list the top 5 time stealer's in your home, replace one of them with God.

Get a little creative with you kids and teach them and yourself the beauty of patience.
You need:

• Dixie cups
• potting soil
• seeds (pick five or six different kinds) If you look at the back of the seed packet it will tell you how long it will be before you see a plant. Try and find things that are fast and slow.

Plant your seeds in the Dixie cups and water them occasionally. Wait and watch them grow. Learn to appreciate that God's amazing creativity can make something as simple as a seed, truly beautiful with nourishment and time.