Sometimes you have to shake off the dust...

Matthew 10:14
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

In the bus ministry we have been concentrating on two neighborhoods. One has been very receptive of us. The kids are excited and were waiting for our visit on Saturday so they could let us know they were going to church. Also, the parents let us know they were hesitant at first but are now pleased with the church and their children love it.

The second neighborhood hasn't been so easy. They have not been receptive of us and it became very apparent this weekend. Not going into details let's just say they do not like us. This is very heartbreaking because some of the kids want to go to church but there is nothing we can do for them. For the time being we are going to have to shake off the dust from under our feet and move on as it says in Matthew 10:14. We will still visit one family that has received us and visit with the kids that are at the park across the street but we are not going to push the bus. We just do not believe their hearts are open right now and it will only make matters worse for the cause of Christ.

I'm not sure why God aloud it to happen this way. Maybe he just wants us to concentrate on the first neighborhood to help them grow in Him. Or maybe he knows we can't handle more than one neighborhood at this time. Regardless, we will continue to pray for the neighborhood that we are not welcome in and continue to serve the one that is ready for God.

We're on our way to Sunday School to learn about Jesus!

Luke 14
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

My pastor, which happens to be my husband, has had the burden of starting a bus ministry in our church. It is a ministry that is personal and dear to his heart. He went to church for a couple months as a child on a church bus. That was when he was saved. Also, we have participated in bus ministries in the past and have seen children and parents saved through God's grace as a result of them riding to church on the church bus.

This weekend we visited a couple neighborhoods and got seven children to ride the bus this Sunday. It was so much fun! The kids were excited and were happy to be at church. I know we were just as excited if not more to have them there as well.

The bus ministry will cost us something but in the end it will be very rewarding. For example, we may never get some of the parents to step foot into the church but it will allow us to step into their homes and share Christ with them. We will spend our Saturdays and Sundays with children that are not our own but we will share in their griefs and joys of their lives just like we do with our own child. It isn't going to bring money into the church, but it will cost the church a pretty penny to run it. We may never see these children once they are grown but we will see alot of them in Heaven one day. Do you get the point? The bus ministry will cost us and the church time, money, and ourselves but if one person is saved from the flames of Hell it is worth it all!

We are teaching the kids a song that my husband learned as a child while riding the church bus. The words are the following...

We're on our way to Sunday School to learn about Jesus.
He's our friend. He's our savior. He takes good care of us.
If you want to learn about him all aboard the bus with us!
Honk! Honk! Beep! Beep!
All aboard the bus!

I'm off but have a great week!

Missy

The Little Things That Count

Psalms 66
16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

God truly showed me grace on the first day of the new year and I know it is because I truly trusted in him in the small things. Usually DJ and I will set up our lawn chairs and watch our neighbors fireworks show but after a week at camp and church in the A.M. he decided to hit the rack. Like many I could not sleep due to the fireworks. At about 1:00am it died down (one neighbor decided to start at 12:20 - was their clock off?) Well due to the long drive to pick up DJ from camp and then the late fireworks my fibromyalgia was flaring pretty good. I prayed that God would give me rest so I could go to church in the morning. Wow how God answered my prayer! I woke up feeling awesome and even made breakfast for my family. When I opened the door to go to church I was hit in the face with a cool crisp breeze and the most beautiful blue ski. Wow! My house was so dark and humid inside I never would have known it was a beautiful day outside. I could not stop telling everyone at church how God truly blessed me with a pain free and beautiful new year day. I don't think I will forget that day for a long time. Like some say, it is the little things that count and so true it is. Thank you Jesus!

Free Bible Scripture Song Downloads

A couple days ago I was reading other people's blogs and I came across a website that has scripture that is put to music. I love it! I have such a hard time memorizing anything. I plan on making a cd using these songs that are free to download and hopefully it will help me memorize scripture. I really don't know if it will work because I can't memorize songs now, but we will see. Even if I don't memorize the songs/scriptures, it will still be nice to listen to God's word.

I wish I could tell you who's blog I got it from, but I really don't know. I was just randomly clicking thru blogs and stumbled across the website. The website is www.freebiblemusic.com. I wish I could play a song on my blog, but I don't know how to do it. Maybe sometime in the future I will learn how.

Lord Leads Me

Yesterday I read Psalm 23 and the notes that go with it in my Bible for my quite time. The notes pointed out that 'He' and 'Thou' was talking about the Shepherd. As I thought about this I re-read the passage putting 'The Lord' in the place of He and Thou. It just really spoke to me when I personalized the He and Thou. The LORD knows when I need to slow down and rest and the LORD is with me through trials so I don't need to be afraid.

Verse 3B really stuck out for me personally when I replaced He...The LORD leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. The Lord is not going to lead me in the path of destruction. If I go that path it is by my own will. So many times I have gone off on a rabbit trail in my thoughts and actions and have been bitten by the snake - Satan. I have to stay on the LORD'S path to be protected.

Is God first in my life?

Last Friday we went to the Texas State Capitol building in Austin, TX. I have visited there many times growing up, but I have not been back since Michael and I went there for our 1st anniversary 13 years ago.

Our tour guide was nice, but I was a little surprised when she wouldn't shake DJ's hand. My husband also pointed out that she wouldn't open a door with her hand. At the end of the tour we stuck around and talked to her. We learned she would not touch anything with her right hand because it had been blessed. I guess she saw the confused look on our faces because she further explained that President Obama and President Clinton had shook that hand so it was blessed. I'm sorry, I know it is a honor to meet a President of the United States, but I wouldn't go as far as not using the hand that he had touched. It was like she was putting these men on a peddle stool like a god.

As I have thought about this the last couple days, I thought about what have I put on a peddle stool as a god in the place of the one true God? How many times have I watched a television program when I knew I should have been working on a Sunday School lesson? How many times have I jumped on the computer first thing in the morning and not even thanked God for allowing me to wake up? I could go on and on, but it is really shameful that I am able to truthfully write this. So many times I have put so much in front of God, but he has always put me first.

I am not any different then the tour guide, other then I know I am saved by His grace. She may be saved as well, but I didn't take the opportunity to ask her. Another shameful moment in my life. I know she was busy, but I really wish I would have asked her. DJ did give her a tract, and she was very excited about it. I pray she will read it, and if she isn't saved she will be. I also pray she realizes, like I have, that God must always be first in her life. Anything else is taking the place of God.

Ex 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Black Belt Test

My son, DJ, earned his black belt in Tae Kwon Do a couple weeks ago. It was an amazing and exciting day for my family. DJ had worked really hard for this and nothing that we could have done could give him his black belt. It took hundreds of hours of training, countless bumps and bruises, and 100% determination for him to earn his black belt. His dad and I could not be more proud!

His test consisted of three phases - patterns, physical fitness, and sparring. The patterns and physical fitness were combined in a hour and twenty minute time. The last phase, sparring, consisted of him sparring three different black belts one on one for three minutes each, and one match of two on one for five minutes. As you can imagine after almost a hour and half of physical fitness and patterns and then sparring three other black belts, (two of which were adults) for almost ten minutes, back to back, he was pretty worn out for the fourth and final match. This was intentional to see if he would quit. That was the goal. If he quit any time during the test he would fail. He worked so long for this final moment and it was on the line.

It is amazing what God will use to show you what you need to know. You see, I was told that I would cry and I shouldn't attend the final match because I wouldn't be able to handle it. But I am his mother, and there was no way I was going to miss it. As I watched the final match, DJ looked at me from across the room and his eyes glazed over. I thought he was going to pass out. As his mother, I wanted to pull him out immediately. I am his mother and I had that right. But, if I had done that, he would not be a black belt today. He had to endure that final match to earn his black belt.

In that instant of wanting to protect my son, a thought popped in my head, did Mary feel this way when Jesus was on the cross? Though Mary didn't have the control that I did, she knew her first born son had to endure the cross. She didn't try to defend him, she didn't make excuses for him, she didn't try to plea the case that he didn't deserve to die a criminal death. She knew that that very moment of Him hanging on that cross was what His life was about, to die for you and me. He had to do it to complete His father's will.

Watching my son getting worked over by two black belts doesn't compare to what Mary went through, I know that. But, God used that black belt test to show me that sometimes I have to be silent for the sake of God's will. I will not always understand why things work the way they do, but God does. It is His perfect will, and sometimes I need to step back and watch Him work.

Ro 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
(KJV)

Refugee Status

Do you know anyone who has come to the USA as a refugee? I know a couple families who are here because there are real threats on their lives in their home country. They do not want to be here, but they can't go home because they fear for their lives.

As I think about this, I think about God being my refuge. Psalm 46:1 says "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." God is my shelter and protection from danger. I have nothing to fear when I am with God.

Proverbs 1:33 says "But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." If my friends were to go home, the USA could not give them refuge from the threats they would face. They have to continue to live here to be safe. This is no different then God being my refuge. There are places and situations I know God doesn't want me in. If I choose to go there, I will have to face the consequences that await me. In order for God to protect me, I have to live in His will.