Whoa...two in two weeks!

Well, it's Monday morning, and, whaddaya know? I'm blogging!
Aidan is sitting beside me on the "warm couch" (the leather one is cold!), sucking his left thumb and drumming on his leg with his right hand. (Two activities that define his life at this point.) We're listening to "Silly Songs With Larry" online.

Holland is still asleep. She had a long day yesterday, since we had to be at church at 7:15 am, had company (girls to play with) for lunch, and she accompanied me to a baby shower at 3. I'm hoping she sleeps at least another half hour or so.

Braden's headed to school a little early this morning. He is the first person awake each morning (unless we set an alarm), and REALLY likes to be early for school. (Just like his dad.) He enjoyed playing with some extra kids at lunch yesterday too. Braden is making lots of new friends at church. Each Sunday he helps set the Bibles and pens out on the seats, re-sets them between the two services, and then helps box them up after church. He's a great help. Yesterday he & his friend Trig helped assemble the Christmas tree we'll have up at church for the next few weeks.

Eric is happily wearing his red plaid heavy flannel shirt this morning. He thought he lost it last year, but we found it in the garage last week.

Yesterday he spoke using the analogy of the Narnia book "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," to talk about the reality of the supernatural world, and about how the Bible is the "portal" to knowing the truth about God, Satan, etc., and how Jesus is the door (like the wardrobe) to life with God. It's neat to see how many times in scripture that Jesus refers to Himself as the door, the gate, or the way. It was a very clear message about how our sin blocks the way through the door to life with God. He used duct tape across a freestanding door Daemynn built for him to use. Eventually the door is completely covered by sin, and we doubt that God or the other world exists...or at least we can't find it. And the first step is to break that sin barrier by saying, "I've sinned. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." And God promises to forgive and open the way to a relationship with Him through Jesus.

It was a great salvation message, and there were lots of first-time attenders (16 family units that filled out cards), so potentially the first time many had heard the truth of the gospel! The count was 296 yesterday. (About six months ago, Eric began praying for 300 by January. At the time that seemed extreme...) I feel like we're hanging off the back of the caboose of a freight train God is driving & we're trying to keep up; keep doing the daily work that He has for us. It's a little scary, this GIANT responsibilty of the weekly spiritual direction for this many people. Being a control freak myself, I have to take a deep breath & realize that I just need to keep being faithful each day to what He directs me to do, and HE will take care of all those people that Eric and I can't personally care for.

This Sunday the membership voted for our first two elders. It is GOOD to have likeminded partners with maturity & wisdom to lead. Today Eric is meeting with two of our kids ministry leaders to talk about the replacement of the current director, as she is (sniff, sniff) moving to Ft. Wayne, IN.

OK, this is starting to sound like a church newsletter. Sorry! It's therapeutic! :-)

Well, I'm off to get another cup of coffee & have my devotional time now that Eric's back & the kids will be heading downstairs to watch Berenstain Bears.

Please comment or send me an email & let us know what you're up to!

Holiday Blessings!