The Real Ministers

In the ministry, pastors get a lot of credit for how the church takes care of each other, visitors and missionaries. I know because Bruce and I get credit for tons of things that others do in the name of servanthood and Jesus.

Over the last week there's been a lot of that going on so I just want to take some time to set the record straight...give credit where credit is due...and give thanks.

We've been in the throws of Missions Conference and in a church our size, there's no way that two people could do everything. Months and months ago, planning started for this week. Prayerfully considering participants and planning for stellar missionaries to join us. Our new Missions and Communications Minister, Mitchell, started preparing then...months ago. And he started developing ways to get many people involved. His wife, Wendy, don't let her fool you...she's a genius who works behind the screen...yes, screen...the computer. They are an extraordinary team.

Then we had ----

A Dr. who saw and gifted two of our missionaries with examinations and medicines
A family of 4 and a family of 2 who served the get to know you meal
Staff ladies who prepared salads and some incredible desserts
A lady who set up a tab at her hairdresser's and gave the missionary wives a color, cut or whatever they wanted!
2 Men who took time off from their paying jobs to prepare ethnic meals for our missionaries and staff...yummo!
3 ladies who diced and sliced and grilled and trimmed and served the Tuesday meal
A group of senior citizens who outdid themselves with mini s'mores muffins and homemade potato salad and other goodies.
3 more ladies who fried spring rolls, served and cleaned up Thursday's lunch meal
4 amazing host families....2 of which had the missionaries in their home for 7-8 nights!
4 amazing church families that invited our missionaries to dinner Friday Night.
4 amazing officers who treated those missionaries to lunch in the sleet and ice on Sunday!
9 ladies who made restaurant quality delicious desserts for meals
3 ladies who worked the nursery during the daytime sessions so that 50 people could attend the Bible Appreciation Class taught by one of our missionaries
Visitors who hosted us to a night of food, fellowship and great music and who warmed our hearts with their own passion for distributing God's Word. Their own parents and friends helped them!
Staff who set up, tore down, cleaned up, picked up, cheered up, helped out
The CPA who gave some advice to one of our families
The two ladies who dropped off food...just because
Kids who friended the three missionary kids
People who gave monetarily so that we could give generously to the missionaries
Car Tune-ups and Van Overhauls done by mechanics
Youth who brought visitors
People who asked thoughtful questions during Q and A
Youth that helped watch little ones for meetings
Prayer Warriors who for months prayed for this meeting

And I know I have left someone out....because it truly does take an entire church...every member ministering in the way God has called them to. So, thank you CBC family. Thank you for praying and working and ministering ...for being the church to these missionaries. Thank you for working even if I missed it...because God didn't miss it. He saw everything, heard every prayer.

Because it's not the pastor or even the staff that ever does ALL the work. There are faithful ministers, helping, serving, emptying trash cans and filling Styrofoam tea cups and grilling hot dogs, and praying and paying for haircuts and repairing vans....behind every good pastor. That's what CHURCH is all about.

What's the Risk?

I hate for it to end.

Missions Conference.

The week starts with our initial awkward dinner where we do our formal introductions and hope our kids behave long enough to make a decent impression and by the end of 8 days we are family. We've laughed, cried, prayed, served, shared and eaten together. We're brothers and sisters who share the same burden. We understand each other's language even if it's Korean or Spanish or Hillbilly.

I remember missions conferences at my church growing up. The Ferus', the Lassiters, the Florida Children's Home, the Arnold's...all mission projects I remember clearly as a child. We hosted our fair share of after church afterglows with missionaries and families from our church joining us for a meal at our home. Maybe that's where it started. I corresponded with missionaries from the time I was 12 or so. And now as time has passed and technology has grown, Facebook and twitter keep me informed and up to date on their activities...and I love feeling like they are right next door even if they are really halfway across the world.

The bittersweet goodbyes of today are just a flash of temporary sadness in light of the eternal life that we will spend with these heroes of faith. They are the current Hudson Taylor, Adonirum Judson, Jim Elliot and Bro. Andrew. They risk something to share the gospel...and it makes me wonder...have I ever risked anything to share Jesus?

I'm thankful for the last 8 days...and while I'm so very tired physically, I'm filled to the brim with an excitement of what's to come...what's on the horizon...what's there to risk for Jesus?

Easy Lemon Pie

I'm making this pie for tomorrow's missionary lunch. Super easy...and super yummy!

1 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

1 small can frozen lemonade

1 8oz container of Cool Whip

1 Graham Cracker Crust

Mix first three ingredients (I used my Kitchen Aid on #1). When smooth, pour into crust. Refrigerate 3 hours.

See, I told you it was easy!

Marvelous Missionaries

Tonight I had the opportunity to watch a missionary tell 4-5 year olds about what she does in South Africa as a missionary. Joanna Graham and her husband are missionaries to South Africa, where they run a sort of adoption home for the many orphans that have been left due to disease. The beauty of what they do was spelled out in super elementary terms so that my AWANA cubbies could understand. 

What they do is take 6 orphans and pair them with a granny. The granny is a woman who has raised her children and has no other obligations. These women volunteer to raise these six children. The missionaries help build the house that they will live in and help provide for basic needs, while the granny loves the children, takes care of them and ultimately shares Jesus with them. It's beautiful! 

I loved watching the eyes of the children light up as Joanna shared about the children, South Africa, animals and words in the native tongue. I loved watching Joanna's face light up too...as she talked lovingly of those grannies and the sweet children. The sweet love she has for them is unmistakably Jesus. 

You can learn more about the Graham's ministry here ....go there now!

Staying on Mission

Tonight basically starts an 8 day fest of feasting with missionaries during our missions conference. There will be eating out, potlucks, and large quantity cooking, which usually means pastas or potatoes, right? I'm looking forward to the fellowship....but the food has me a little nervous.

So, I need to make a plan....and stick to it. Here goes...

1. Drink only water....and drink a large glass before the meals.

2. Exercise daily for one hour. This will burn approximately 500 calories...which is the equivalent of my breakfast and most of my lunch on a normal day. So, if I watch portions and bulk up on the salad and veggies I should be OK...meaning I won't gain. (I am taking my own Salad Dressing!)

3. 1 spoonful of dessert. I know....I could tell you I am NOT going to eat dessert...but who am I kiddin'. Instead....I am just going to eat one small serving one time a day. I'm talking tablespoon size.

4. Stop eating when I am full. And....yes, that might even mean before dessert!!!

5. Read my Bible every day.

6. If I feel like this isn't working after day one, then I will bring my own meal and eat it there.

So there's the plan to staying on mission. I'm excited for this challenge because this is the real world and I need to face these food challenges head on. In the real world it's me who has to monitor portion control and caloric intake. It's not all measured out for me with the calorie count on a nutritional information label right next to the pan of lasagna. I've got to be the one to have lots of self-control....or maybe, I should say GOD control.