Another pretty Saturday got our week started off right. Everybody was busy finding peace in unusual places. Standing under an overpass talking to friends who live outside is definately a strange place to find peace but you can! Wrapping bread, cooking lunch, planning strategies, playing basketball, can be places where peace can be found. At every turn, our peace sometimes comes under fire but we need to remember to let it go and fill our hearts with the lvoe of Jesus so our peace will continue to be strong.
I had the opportunity to attend worship at Church at Red River Sunday morning. It was great to see old friends and make new ones. The church has built a wall listing all their ministry opportunities. Common Ground is on their wall! I was able to meet with the pastors, thanking them for their support of our community.
Monday and Wednesday afternoons were busy with our children's activities. We have gotten into a rhythm of the children coming in, putting their backpacks in the rack, sitting down for their snack, going to exercise, listening to a story about Jesus, learning to read better, doing some homework, another snack, playing games outside and then back on the bus! How can you find peace with 20 little ones full of energy, exploring new things, easy, just look at their faces, see the smiles, getting their hugs, doesn't get any better than that!
Monday evening we attended a book signing event at Barnes and Noble given by our long time friend Judy Christie. It was well attended allowing us to be able to give away new books to our children next week.
Tuesday afternoon, myself and Lisa had the opportunity to meet with the new executive director of the Beaird Foundation. The Beaird Foundation was the first organization to take a leap of faith and support our community starting back in 2010. They continue to support us. We were able to share some of our stories as we walked around our campus. At some point Lisa shared, this place has a tendency to change your life. Ms Toya said, I have goose bumps on my arm, I can feel it! She found peace in our stories!
Tuesday evening the men and women of the community gathered for their Bible fellowship. The men had 3 preachers in the circle and everybody got to share! Brother George read from Ephesians 1, talking about us receiving the spiritual blessings of Christ. Do you want to find peace, humble yourself and let Christ in your hearts!
Thursday evening got started with Willie and Ms Abbie leading chapel. Christmas hymns were sung and the Christmas story was told. Our meal was supplied by Brother George's church with several different groups helping us serve and clean up. Many helped in the Market and clothing room to make the night go smoother. We had a special treat, some of the youth from First Methodist came, led by our long time friends of Derek and Heather and sang Christmas hymns during our meal. You say you can't find peace when the noise level is so high, just watch and listen to the community go about their lives on a Thursday night, you will find peace in your heart.
For those in town, don't forget to go support our freinds at the Great Raft brewing company and the Times. As one of my customers said, I don't drink beer. I told her it is not about the beer but about the opportunity to help our community by sharing what God has blessed us with to help others. You will find peace in doing so.
Prayers for those who continue to need healing. Prayers for those who are struggling to find peace this time of year. Prayers for our Board as they prepare to lead us into the new year listening to God's direction for our community. Prayers for a children's chapel director. Our chapel is standing room only and it would help free up some space and help with the noise level if we could start our children's church again.
How many times have we read the Christmas story? How many times have we sung the hymns praising God for what He did? Something hit me Thursday afternoon in chapel as Willie said, Christ was born in a manager. Not the first time I have heard that! Willie goes on to say, that was a nice way of saying, really he was born in a feed trough! A nasty, smelly, feed trough! The King of Kings was born in something we would never ever consider putting our baby in!
Willie continues by saying, when we have a baby, we prepare a room, paint it, sterilize it, get new furniture. We go out and buy a receiving blanket, we buy a new dress or outfit. A friend said, he had to get a shot against the flu before he could hold his grandbaby! There is sanitizer in every room of the house to wash our hands before we hold the newborn. This time of year, we celebrate the birth of Jesus where the baby laid in the worse sanitary conditions imaginable. Why?
Why did God do that? God could have commanded the palaces to open their doors, making a room for the new born baby but God did not do that, he chose a feed trough full of feed, germs and all sorts of dirt. Why? God chose to send angels to tell the lowest persons on earth, shepherds, what was about to happen instead of announcing it with trumpets from the palace gates, why?
Because God lvoes us, the common people of this world. Jesus came for the least of them, he came for us. Many years ago, listening to a leader of the church, he looked at us and said, the radicality of the Bible is in your hands, not the hands of our pastors. All of you have been chosen by God to the building of God's Kingdom by your hearts and your hands. Many of those who are in power, many who have wealth have no room in their hearts for lvoe and sacrifice, you do. God's Kingdom is being built for the least of them, you and me. In the coming year and the years to come, it is our job, to share the peace with others that we find that comes from the lvoe of Jesus! Amen.
May we lvoe like Jesus lvoes us in the everyday events of our lives this coming week! You will find the kind of peace that defies all explanation!
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