This Week's Inspirations

These are two little "weekly inspirations" I found at a friend's website (Thanks, Rob) which you can find here: http://robfoote0.tripod.com/ I thought they were cool, so I'm putting them here too. Hope you enjoy them!!

Sara

The Jars

The preacher placed two identical jars on the table next to the pulpit. He quoted 1 Samuel 16:7 " The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."These jars came from the same factory, were made of the same materials, and can hold the same amount. But, they are different he explained.Then he upset one, and it oozed out honey. He turned over the other, and vinegar spilled out. When a jar is upset, whatever is in it comes out.Until the jars were upset, they looked alike. The difference was within, and could not be seen. When they were upset, their contents were revealed.Until we are upset we put on a good front. But when we are upset, we reveal our innermost thoughts, and attitudes, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.What if someone tipped you over today?What would flow out?Would you reveal the honey of grace, and patience, or the vinegar of anger and sarcasm?Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (Peter 4:8.)Have a terrific day knowing that the one who upsets you may be just looking for some honey.

We Are All Pumpkins

A lady had recently been baptized. One of her coworkers asked her what it was like to be a Christian. She was caught off guard and didn't know how to answer; but when she looked up, she saw a jack-o'-lantern on the desk and answered: "It's like being a pumpkin."The coworker asked her to explain that one."Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in and washes off all the dirt on the outside that you got from being around all the other pumpkins. Then he cuts off the top and takes all the yucky stuff out from inside. He removes all those seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then he carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all to see.

Good News!!

I officially got the job today!! I start two weeks from today, on monday, november 7th. I'm really excited and glad to be leaving the cleaners finally. Well, that's the big news anyway. Tomorrow night is YAF and I'm stressing over how to lead with the material...so I'm gonna go work on trying to piece something together for that. Love you all, and thanks for reading this blabbering!!

Sara

SoulFest Photo...

Yes, I know I've been horrible on getting the rest of my SoulFest saga and pics up here, but I dug out my disc with all the photos on it, and tho I don't have time to write about any of it, I'm going to post just one photo.

This is the photo I entered into the Woodstock Fair this year (I got a second place ribbon!), and you'll have to imagine it with the mats and frame. I had a pale blue inner mat, this really neat light hunter green outer mat, and a reddish wood frame. I'm happy with a second place, because I love the photo so much. Oh, and I finally (a month and a half later) came up with a name for it. "Mountaintop Reverie" The reason for the name is the guy who's sitting on the trail (he's in a shadow, so it's kinda hard to see him), looks like he's deep in thought, and I'll tell you, SoulFest does that to you. It was a time of renewal for me, so this photo is a wonderful reminder of that.

From Chicken to Hummingbird...

Hello everyone (all four of you)! For those who didn't get the e-mail I sent, I got a new job!!! I'm being hired by Fiberoptics Technology Incorporated, and may be starting as soon as monday (10/17)! I'm very excited to be getting out of the cleaners for good! YEAY!!! That's the big news, anyway.

As for the title of this post... Last post I mentioned that I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Today I was listening to a new CD I got over the weekend, White Flag by Shaun Groves. (V...IT'S AWESOME!) One of the songs is called 'Hummingbird', and the chorus goes like this:

"[I'm] Living like a hummingbird (hungry for the blue) Getting nowhere fast from all my work (stuck inside this view) If you've got one eye on the sparrow, Lord (I'm standing still for you) Could you spare one for the hummingbird"

Earlier, I had gotten a call from Ben (who I hadn't heard from in over a month and had been trying to get ahold of since thursday when I got the call from Fiberoptics), and one thing he'd said had stuck in my mind, and kept resurfacing during that song. Ben is leaving for India in 20 days (Oct. 30th) with his Dad for a two month missions trip. He'd gone last year for a month, and is really anticipating going back. He said that the pace of life is so much slower...not this hectic race we have here in the US. Then that song... I realized I'm like that... I'm not the chicken without a head...I've got a purpose, and for the first time in my life I really feel like I'm doing what God has planned for me. Being hired by Fiberoptics is an answer to prayer. It will enable me to keep working with the Jr. and Sr. high at my church, which is what I believe God has planned for my life. I may have studied for ECC, but I know (thru trial and error), that I suck at it. But I've found my niche with the Jr. Highers (especially). This, finally, is where I belong. And that is such a wonderful feeling, my friends.

Alright, that's it for now. I'm going to head back home (Grandma's) to watch Hocus Pocus on Disney...woohoo!! Love you all. Good night, and God Bless!!

Sara

Chickens and Velvet...

Jeepers...I've been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off recently... So much to do, not nearly enough time. I signed up for an online reading group that started yesterday (and goes until Nov. 7th) on Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis, which I had gotten while I was at SoulFest. It's an awesome book, with alot of great wisdom about the Christian Faith. I started using the book for YAF, but it's rather hard when half the group are relatively new Christians while the other half are "old hats", so to speak. And being new to leading a group, I really don't know what I'm doing. So I signed up for this course in the hopes of getting some advice on how to use the book for a small group. The bonus of the course is that Rob Bell himself is taking part and posting (it's in a message board format) replies and challenges to the rest of us. There was no direct reply to my post from him, but he mentioned me in another of his posts. Here...

"For the one asking about studying this book with people who are new to the faith-I'm looking forward to seeing how others will respond to you. That may sound lke a copout...because it is!"

Not much, but it's something. The course has only started, so I'm really looking forward to participating and following along with all the discussions in the next month, and especially what Rob Bell has to say. This book was so...refreshing. And it's something I believe the Church as a whole needs to hear. Especially ours.

So that's all for tonight from me here at the Putnam Library. I'm going to get back to the reading group, try and catch up on reading the posts. 215 messages total! And I've only managed to read a little over half of them. And only a half an hour left 'till the library closes! G'night you lucky few who actually read this!

Sara