The 4 Year Bible Study

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi


 It's a challenge to the girls in the High School Girls' Ministry Club;  in order to get honors at graduation, they have to read the whole Bible during their four years in the club.

The challenge, should they choose to accept it, is to outline as they go.

Summarize each chapter

Roughly outline the book, based on the chapter summaries

Write the theme of the book on the first page

Go on to the next one.

Psalms and Proverbs are a little different; I just asked them to give each psalm a title, and then make a list of verses pertaining to various topics in Proverbs.

But if I'm asking the girls to do it, I should do it as well.

Finished Revelation yesterday...just a couple months shy of 4 years after I started.

Fascinating and enlightening way to study the Word.

We called it 'The Four Year Bible Survey', and any girl who completes the challenge will be given a warhorse study Bible.  We've had one finish so far; there may be another this year.

Now I need a new Bible Study plan...

Basic Milestones

Posted by Lisa Laree at Beer Lahai Roi

This weekend was the 15th anniversary of our church.  It's an amazing thing...that in 15 years a living room meeting of a little over a dozen people has grown into a ministry that has literally touched the world...from Iceland to Ireland to Moldova to Zimbabwe to India to Sri Lanka to Guatemala...and we had a celebration of sorts.  Some looking back, some humorous looking at where we are now, and some news about where we are going in the future.

There were party hats and balloons and cotton candy.  A celebration.

But you know, that was not a typical worship service.  Not at all.  And at least one person, who was semi-vocal about it, was not happy.

She left a comment card w/only her first name and her home city, as she was a visitor to our area.  "I came hungry and I left hungry," she said, "I saw no sign of the Bible that you talk about but apparently don't read."

I guess she didn't eat the cotton candy. ;-)

If she had left any form of contact info, we could've followed up and explained (again...it was mentioned several times throughout the morning) that this was a rare event; we were celebrating what God had done.  She could easily visit the website and see the sermon archive to know that this is not usual for us.

Instead, she has seemingly decided that we do not preach/teach from the Bible.  Because we had a celebration service for one Sunday.

Oh, there were other folks who left very nice comments; this was the odd one, for sure.

But one thing about it stood out to me.

I came hungry and I left hungry

This is not a unique expectation...that one should come to church hungry and leave sated, as if the house of God were Britling's Buffet.  I have spoken to many folks over the years who have bounced around from church to church, looking for the place where they were 'fed'.

And I would offer one thought on that.

What are the biggest milestones of the first 18 months of a child's life?

Stitting alone...crawling...walking...talking...feeding him/herself.

One of the FIRST things a child learns to do is feed him/herself.  Before potty training, before jumping a rope or throwing a baseball, before riding a bicycle or learning to read. A child who can't feed himself after about 18 months is considered to have developmental issues.  Oh, they can't take a steak knife to a rib eye and make a meal of it yet, but they're on their way with cheerios and yogurt and  broken up grilled cheese sandwiches and sippy cups.

But we have folks who have been followers of Christ for years and years and still they go to church 'to be fed'.

Now, I'm not saying that the church should not exhort and equip.  But basic feeding...dear ones, we have to learn to feed ourselves.  Get into the Word and let Him reveal Himself, personally.  If the only 'food' we are receiving is that which is filtered through another's spirit, how will we find the delicacies that He has chosen for each of us alone?  And if the church is continually and exclusively feeding infants, where will those who are called to equip warriors find their place?  How will those warriors stand in battle if they do not know how to keep themselves nourished?  Where is the opportunity for celebration, for fellowship, for laying the stone of remembrance to declare to the future generations what happened on this place?

We have much more to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn.  In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again.  You need milk, not solid food!  Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.  But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.  -- Heb 5:11 - 14, NIV 84

It's time we learned to boil our own eggs, chop up our own veggies, butter our own bread and get past being fed and start taking some responsibility to get up from the table and do what we are each called to do.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled  - Matt 5:6, NIV 84

Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.' - John 6:35, NIV 84

Mother's Day Sentiment...

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

I went shopping for a Mother's Day card for my mom.

I don't know what was up with that this year, but I failed miserably at finding one.

Maybe I was just not at the right place at the right time, but I couldn't find anything that said what I wanted to say.

So I thought I'd just do a little blog post to express my appreciation for someone whose impact on my life may, just possibly, be the greatest of anyone.

I mean, she's my mom.  I wouldn't even BE here without her.  But beyond that...

It was Mom who taught me to write the alphabet and write my name...on a little chalkboard in the old kitchen of the old house...while she ironed the laundry on the rotary iron.

It was Mom who drove us to the library in the next town over, so I could satisfy my desire to read.  I remember we were to read six books during that first summer reading program when I was in 3rd or 4th grade...putting little fish stickers on a poster for every book we read.  I was surprised...only six?  I think I read something like 20. The library was a magic place...and Mom took me.

It was Mom who taught me to sew on the green Brother sewing machine with the external belt drive motor.  She also taught me, to my great frustration, to unpick the sewing that wasn't up to par.  A trip to the fabric store was a treat...and it was Mom who funded my first projects.

It was Mom who took us all to Sunday School, who made sure we got to youth group activities, who gave me the beautiful little Cambridge King James Bible that sustained my quest for truth when I was in high school.

It was Mom who came to the concerts and plays and such when I was in  high school.  She was there.

She did what she could...and, in hindsight, the amount that she did was little short of miraculous.  A farm wife with four kids...constantly cooking, canning, freezing, gardening, sewing...she did it.

I never appreciated it, growing up.  I didn't see what was going on.  She was in the world of Grown Ups, doing what Grown Ups did, from my point of view.

I didn't realize then how many grown ups really DIDN'T do those things. 

Even now, she still does whatever she can to help.  The grace she extends to others is a constant challenge to me to be as gracious.

So,  even though all those cards said the same things, I couldn't quite find in them the depth of meaning that I wanted.

Thanks, Mom, for all that you've done and all that you do.  I love you very much.

Happy Mother's Day.

Determined...

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. -- Ecc 7:10

What does it mean to 'finish strong'?

As opposed to 'finish well', for instance?

'Finish well' -- a good job, completed the assignment to satisfaction,  disappointed no one;  placed in the top.  Commendable.

And I'm not going to disdain 'finish well' at all.  But 'finish strong' is something extra.

I have  fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith -- 2 Tim 4:7
 
'Finish strong' is to push past the finish line; to still be striving and straining through the goal even if it's not necessary...or seems to serve no purpose.  It's to have one's eyes on a point past the finish line, crossing the finish line as if it were not the finish line, still stretching, still pushing.  Pulling away from the pack, maybe...or, maybe, out of reckoning altogether.

It may not be a podium finish.  It may not even be a notable finish. Someone might just call it 'also ran'.  But it's a finish without a shred of 'give up' or 'ease up' or 'slack off' in it. 

They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever - 1 Cor 9: 25b


The temptation is always there, either way.  The Hare gave in...'I'm so far ahead, I can take a nap and it won't even matter.'   Others give up...'I'm so far behind, I can't possibly catch up; it won't even matter.' 

 'Finish strong' resists both giving in and giving up.

I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me -  Acts 20:24a 

'Finish strong'  assigns no blame, complains of no unfair treatment, maintains honor.

Easy, it ain't.

But it's always right.

But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal -- Phil. 3:13b - 14a

The finish may be hours behind the next one up.  No cameras, no crowds, no one even acknowledging the achievement.  No matter.  It's finished.

I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do - John 17:4
 

Snapshot 5/3/14

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Wishing I had profound things to share.

But life has been all about the immediate and necessary of late.

The week or two following Easter are quite intense, from the church-data-admin viewpoint.  Lots of data entry and follow up to record.  It's all good...but...not much time for reflection.

Plus I finished a big sewing project, as those of you who read the sewing blog know well.

Through a series of not-so-intentional events, the script that I have been praying over for, like, ever...the one that I fasted coffee for a year over...is now being read by someone in our area who Does Community Theater.

I should have a realistic and objective opinion on it...eventually.

We'll see what happens then.

The Flute Player was the passenger in a car involved in an accident late last night, coming home from a little socializing after a school event.  She's sore and bruised and somehow seems to have chipped some teeth.  The dental damage does not show, but she says she was spitting out grit for about ten minutes and she has some teeth that feel excessively sharp.  One or two are a bit sensitive.

We're icing down the bruises; if she still has dental issues once we hit the work week we'll call the dentist.

Nothing has changed on the changing and shifting; I'm still trying to sift through rumor and inuendo and hang on until I have acutal information about what's going on.

Meantime, I keep hearing one phrase in my spirit; "Finish Strong".

'Finish Strong' also means no complaining or fault finding.  It means handling it right...however it goes.

We have a couple of graduations in the next three weeks...our last high school graduation, and The Actor will graduate from his current internship position just two days before that.

It will be good to have him around again.  I've missed him.