Friday, May 05, 2006

What's the phone number for the AARP?


I am officially old. Last night we had our usual youth meeting at the Murray’s home and over 20 kids came out! We always have a blast, playing games, and talking about life. Last night, the game was full throttle basketball. There were four competing teams in a tournament of such. Being the leader, I stacked my team as to be able to win with the least amount of effort; which for me really means that I stand under the goal and tip in air balls. However, last night, something happened. I just wore out. I ended up having to tag out and bring in someone to take my place in the game. After the lesson, with my head held low, I came home to lick my wounds. Then, the phone rings. It is the little girl from my youth group at my first church in St. Pete. She will be graduating from college on Saturday and is getting married next month. Yep, make it official, I am definitely old.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Count Your Blessings


I love our Wednesday night prayer group. Last night we all met to share prayer requests and discuss the reaction of the Pharisees to Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead. One of the things that amazed us was that right after the biggest miracle to date. They were conspiring to kill him. It is totally ludicrous to me that even with the amazing evidence right before their eyes that they did not recognize who Jesus was or what He had done. It made me think, however, that we had just finished discussing answers to prayer requests that we have been praying about for several weeks and we did much of the same thing. Sometimes we get an answer to prayer and simply move on to the next request without really stopping to recognize who Jesus is and what he has just done. There is an old song that reminds us to count our blessings one by one. The next time you have an answer to a prayer request, stop and count that a blessing. Recognize that Jesus just acted on your behalf and consider it a blessing to serve a God who loves and cares so much for you. I for one counted it a blessing to be able to have some of Jacque Conard's wonderful rice pudding!