Family Doin's

Our Sunday school lessons this quarter are from Jeremiah. In this week's lesson God has Jeremiah write a letter to the Hebrews who were already in exile. The letter was to encourage the exiles in their current circumstances. He told them to build houses, marry, have children, and support and pray for their communities. In other words, He wanted them to re-establish some normalcy while they waited for God to bring them back to their homeland.

After a season of tension and uncertainty, I'm getting some balance back in my life...especially in the 'family' department. The last 2 weeks have been filled with family activities.

First, the kids and kidlettes took Terry & me to Mountain View, Arkansas. We really like that place. We had 2 cabins within walking distance of the square so there was lots of trekking around. And early morning coffee on the front porch is a nice way to start the day. But don't let anyone tell you it's cooler in the mountains. The day we left the temp was 101*. We had a great time, though and it was the greatest gift ever.

For the last several years, Terry's siblings and their families have gotten together one Saturday in July. It's always such a great visit that lasts all afternoon and into the evening. There are some really good cooks in the Peters family!! Oh! The highlight of the day for most of the kids was the horse ride. A very gentle, very old horse was perfect for the smaller children and they seemed to love the experience.

Sunday afternoon we had a family b'day party for Tucker at our house. He suffers from Lego-mania so his Aunt Laurie made him a cake that looked like a giant Lego block. Too cute. And a happy Tucker got lots of $$ for his birthday.

Thursday evening we joined Tommy & Nancy (Katey's in-laws) in their 45th anniversacelebration at Romie's Grocery - a misnomer, if ever I heard one. They have some really fine food. Again, a time of fellowship with blended family.

We really are blessed that holidays and family celebrations include in-laws and outlaws who love each other and get along. My return to normalcy and balance is working out very well. My sanity seems to be intact. (You laugh?) And there are certain to be more challenges to my routine, but I'm refreshed and relaxed from all the family time. That should help!!

Divine Laughter

I have a friend who knows you and I was wondering if you know him. His name is Jesus. I'd been going to church for a long time and I knew of him, but I didn't know him until I was 19 years old. You see, I followed some friends down the church aisle during revival when I was 10. I spent the next 9 years trying to figure out the next thing I could do to try to please him because the last thing I had tried hadn't worked.

One Wednesday night during prayer meeting, on my knees, I tried to rededicate my life to Jesus Christ. He spoke very clearly to me, saying, "You can't rededicate what you've never dediccated." And in that moment I surrendered and Jesus took over. What a relief! What a joy! What a peace! And all that can be yours!

There's something else you can think about. We're told in the Bible that the angels rejoice when someone surrenders their life to the only Way, Truth and Life - Jesus - who gave his all to make that possible. With all he gave, I wonder if there's more to the heavenly rejoicing...

He's waiting for you; he's sent his Spirit to work on your heart to draw you to him. He's sitting there beside the Father...waiting. Then Jesus sees the door to your heart open in surrender and he smiles; then he grins from ear to ear. And then...He SHOUTS with glorious, divine laughter born of victory, joy and undying love! For a moment all the hosts of heaven stands in stunned silence at the beauty of that laughter. Then they, too, begin to laugh, sing and praise God in joyous thanksgiving that another soul has surrendered to "joy unspeakable and full of glory"! Divine laughter - it's how Jesus' love for you sounds.

I have a friend who knows you and I was wondering if you know him. His name is Jesus!