Scott reported all went well with our visits Saturday morning with our friends living outside. After living outside for 14 years, Robert has discovered air conditioning and a small TV can pass the time away just fine! Our other camps are surviving, barely. The basketball teams have one more game then the playoffs will start next week. As soon as Coach Chuck gets the schedule, he will let us know the times and places for the games.
Monday started our week of camp with"fire" as the theme. Amazing how many ideas and crafts can be associated with fire. Thursday's field trip to Safety Town was a great way to end the week. Lots of great interaction with the police officers, their dogs and the children.
Tuesday evening, the men gathered for Bible fellowship as Rickie led the night reading from 2nd Chronicles chapter 33. A young ruler taking over for his father, turning away from God for most of his life, then when things got tough, he surrendered his soul to God. A story many of us can identify with.
Wednesday afternoon, I had the opportunity to go to First Methodist church and pick up some left over food items. What impressed me the most was the gentleman wanted us to have the food because of what God is doing in our community through summer camp and the basketball teams.
Thursday evening, was a time of reflection in chapel as we sang, holding hands with our neighbors - reach out and touch somebody's hand make this world a better place. Noel and Joey shared what was on their hearts as we heard the Word. Allison and Ms Abbie prepared our meal, as we had the youth from Grace join us to help serve and clean up. The Market was busy with shoppers and helpers. A good evening.
This Saturday at 5:55 in the chapel there will be a Broken and Whole: A Silent Service. At the bottom of the flyer, it says, "with so much death around us, we know that we are broken and in need of healing. Let us find our healing together." We hope you can come and experience the healing waters of God's grace through scripture, song and prayer.
Prayers for William as he continues his struggles with addictions. Prayers for Vicki, recovering from a bad case of the flu. Prayers for our country.
For those of us who have not read the story of Manasseh in Chronicles please do so. A young man at the age of 12 became king. Like many of us at that age, God was far from our thoughts and actions. As he continued to grow older, he continued to get further and further away from God. At one point, he even sacrificed his own children, to further his ego and pride. In verse 10, the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. Like man of us have done.
Reading this first part of chapter 33, you wonder, how in the world could this man do this! And then I think, I did the same thing myself. I didn't kill, but I didn't have God in my heart. I was young, full of energy and selfrighteousness. I knew it all, or so I thought! When I tell my story to others, I was raised in the church, First Methodist in Lake Charles, but when I graduated from high school, I also graduated from God. God was not a part of my life for 25 years. My idols were of greed, self worth and pride, just as Manasseh created in his kingdom.
Towards the end of his 55 years of ruling, Manasseh became a prisoner. In verse 12, Manasseh sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly and then he prayed. In verse 13, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea and was brought back to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God. As I began to grow older, when I got that new car, or bigger house, a new job title, it was still not enough. There was something missing. Not until I turned over my life to Christ, released my soul to Him, did I discoverd what Manasseh discovered, that the Lord is God! That peace I had been looking for was discovered.
As we sit with our community in chapel, eat with them in the dining hall, visit with them in the Market, talk with them at camp, part of our tasks is to remind them, there is nothing they have done, that is too bad for Christ to forgive. We don't have to get a job, straighten out our lives, stop drinking, using drugs, before we go to Jesus. We must do that first! With God in Manasseh's heart, he tore down his foreign gods. He restored the altar of the Lord. Manasseh prayed to his God of Israel, as well as his people.
Our country is struggling with hatred. Hatred of the unknown. If we knew each other, we wouldn't kill each other. We have the opportunity in our community to get to know each other, to develop relationships with each other, to learn from each other. With God in our hearts we would not kill. We are in this journey together, no one is greater than each other, we are all in this together.
Our God is a lvoing God. Our God is a just God. God wants us to turn to Him and allow His Kingdom to grow on earth as it grows in heaven. Amen.
Hope to see you at the center this Saturday and the week to come. God is good!
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