We talked about Missions in Bible study last night, how we can participate and had a missions mindset in our normal lives. But also, how our participation in local or short term missions impacts us when we do them. The Rescue Mission and South Side mission have had a bigger impact than I knew. Someone at work recently pointed out a Peoria website which reports on certain crime in the city, and posts pictures of the offenders. I'm alot less interested than I used to be in being judgmental or poking fun at those people on the site when I realize that I could very well be talking to one of them at the Mission this Sunday. In that setting, they will not be fighting tooth and nail to defend their poor choices, but pouring out their regret for them, and seeking God's grace and healing relationship.
Ex-rommie Jed gave the talk at the Rescue mission Monday, prepping the men of the mission for this Christmas season from Matthew 2. Mr. Saunders spends alot of time serving the mission and pouring love out on these guys. He played piano for us which is a huge relief for me leading the singing. If the men pick a hymn that is difficult for me to sing, I can still count on him being able to play anything they throw at us. The mission guys sing pretty loud, which I like because it covers up my poor singing. However, it was this week that we found out someone in the front lobby listens to the microphone feed from the service and gets to hear every bad note from my mouth very clearly. For crying out loud! He wasn't complaining when Linda sang though. She can SANG!
Don't ask how or why, just stare in awe at these pumpkin pancakes. It did seem like there was more pumpkin flavor in the whipped cream than the actual pancakes though.
Small group
I took away alot of changes and good direction from my last discipleship group. But as a leader, I'm now digging to find out what I can learn about leading a group of guys from my last leader.
Here's what I've dug up so far..
-It's about relationships.
-Digging into other guy's lives. They've already asked for it, it's your job to do it.
-Ask "how are they better off?" Learning something from the book doesn't count. How have YOU contributed to them, or led them in a direction God used to add to them.
-What things outside of the one night per week can be used to make a difference in their life?
I don't have answers to all that, but some ideas. We're on our way, already having alot of good discussion, persistently encouraging each other to stay in God's word and memorizing. Discussion is a two-way road of course, and they are contributing immensely and deeply.
Noah and I decided to crash Amanda's B-day party after discipleship. We were either too late or she was just too embarrassed to admit that no one showed up except her roomie Joanne :-) Happy Birthday Amanda. I can't give a birthday wish to all my friends on here, but I'll let you have one just this once. Great cake Nichole!
Ha ha ha...ha. I'm just..ha...laughing so hard right now...HAHAHA, I can't tell...ha ha ha...tell you what's so funny....ha! You'll have to ask them.
Couldn't go to bed without trying this snack idea they told me about. PB and Ice Cream.
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