Memories of VBS

When I was a child I had no opportunity to attend VBS, read books with stories about Jesus growing up in Nazareth, or sing Jesus Loves Me. My family attended church weekly, every Sat. night. We were Catholic and although I do not remember a time when God was not present in my life I was not afforded these age appropriate experiences.

My first encounter with VBS was with my own children. I loved it! What an incredible experience. I remember when I taught 1st grade and did not think the kids got anything I was saying, especially this one very busy boy. But, when question time came he knew every answer. It was a wonderful, yet exhausting week when nap time was needed and new babies wondered where their mommies went. We always looked back and had fond memories and junky crafts.

This year I have had the privilege of being Mary during VBS. I have been given far too much honor and too many accolades. If they knew what I was really like. I mean last night I made a boy cry! I love hearing all of their comments as I share the stories of Jesus. One night I asked if they were going to come back and Will Nelson said, “After my nap and swimming I will.” Grace Hendry gave me a look, “I don’t know about that…” But after everyone else said they were she decided maybe it was a good idea.

What I really love is how Jesus touches their little hearts. The kids have been so concerned about Eunice who does not believe that Jesus is God’s son. They have had lots of comments about Jesus, his boyhood, and him being the son of God as well as Mary’s son. The one that really tripped me up was Jaedon Roberts who asked, “Is Jesus his own son?” If you answer that one right you get to be the storyteller for VBS next year!

Patty Thompson

Joy, Joy, Joy

Joy, Joy, Joy

The lyrics of this song from my VBS days of old remind me of an eternal truth that God has shared with us.  That is that He is the creator of JOY and the sustainer of it even today.

I've got the joy, joy, joy down in my heart,
Where?
Down in my heart.
Where?
Down in my heart.
I've got the joy, joy, joy down in my heart
Where?
Down in my heart to stay.
And I'm so happy, so very happy, I have the love of Jesus in my heart.

Even though the words of the songs have changed, VBS is the same. This week VBS at The Journey has shown kids that joy comes from a relationship with the very Jesus that grew up in Hometown Nazareth.

The words to the song that they will remember will be something like:

Great things happen when we come together, great things happen when we praise our Savior. 

I think that the message is the same: Great things happen when we are in relationship with Jesus, the source of Joy.


Contributed by Kim Snare

Teach Me

"Teach me, O Spirit,

   to love Thee

     as whole-heartedly as the miser loves his money.

Make me

   as attached to Thee

     as the drunkard is addicted to wine.

Teach me

   to cling to Thee

     as erring ones do to their bad habits.

Teach me

   to be as attentive to Thee

     as a mother is to her child.

Teach me

   to perform my duties diligently,

     with my attention fully riveted on Thee.

Teach me

   to love Thee

     as the worldly man loves his possession.

With the first love of true lovers,

   teach me to love Thee."

Yogananda (Whispers of Eternity, pp 82-83.)-- 

True Freedom - Through Christ

The great hymn writer Charles Wesley recognized the eternal value of true freedom he wrote the stanzas to the hymn below.

May this be the declaration of independence for those who call him Lord.

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.


No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Early Memories of Church

Sitting between my father and mother and in front of my grandparents. 

I am so blessed to have a heritage of walking with the Lord.  My father and I often did not get a long and we still have our moments.  But it was in church, where he sang with a beautiful voice, and worshipped the Lord, that I understood he had a soft compassionate side.  That he was trying. 

Being in church with my family is something I miss now that I have grown up and something I cherish when it happens. 

Hang in there parents…your children are being impacted!  Blessings!

Submitted by: Adena McCowan

The Mission

They are on a mission.
   Focused.
   The end goal clearly in mind.

Confronted by obstacles
   and roads that lead to nowhere,
   they are undeterred.

Patiently they wait;
   Confident in the knowledge
   That their objective is worth the sacrifice.

They are accompanied on their journey
   By those who share the vision.
   While others watch in disbelief
   And mock the depth of their loyalty.

Nearly out of hope,
   they are suddenly startled into action.
   A breakthrough! Joy surges through their bodies.

At long last, their path is made clear
   and progress is possible.
   In faith, they move forward.
   They have arrived.


At Starbucks.


(Written by one who daily watches cars maneuver through convoluted construction zones during rush hour, holding up masses of other cars while waiting for the opening to make the long-sought-after left turn into Starbucks.

I wonder…if the destination was an appointment with Jesus, would we fight as hard to arrive?)

Prayer for Our Enemies

We pray to you, O God,
the lover of all,
for those whom we have named our enemies.

Deliver us from the hardness of heart
that keeps us locked in confrontation.
Deliver us from the hatred
that binds us in old ways.

Grant unto all people the blessing of your love.
And grant unto us
such transformation of our lives
that we may make peace with our enemies,
and that together we might make this world
a safer place for all.

Amen.

www.beliefnet.com/prayers

A Prayer for Spring

In the lengthening of days
Snowdrops emerging
from winter's frozen ground
we see the Creator's hand

In the sight of a tiny lamb
joyfully bounding
across hillside farm
we see the Creator's hand

Creator God, forgive our moments of ingratitude,
the spiritual blindness that prevents us
from appreciating the wonder that is this world,
the endless cycle of nature,
of life and death and rebirth.
Forgive us for taking without giving
reaping without sowing.

Open our eyes to see
our lips to praise
our hands to share
and may our feet tread lightly on the road.


http://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_Spring.htm

Thou Art Rest

Thou art rest and gentle peace,
Thou art longing, and that which stills it.
I consecrate to thee, with my joys and griefs,
as thy dwelling-place, my eyes and heart.

Enter into me and close thou
The gates softly behind thee:
Drive other griefs from this breast,
Let this heart be filled with thy joys.

My world of sight thy radiance
Alone can illuminate. O, fill it to the full!

By F. Rückert

The Hymns that Keep on Going

For centuries, musicians and lyricists have been putting pen to paper in order to express ideas of faith and doctrine through music. Thousands of compositions have come and gone, enjoyed (or not) in the moment but ultimately fading away. At the same time, other musical offerings have remained part of the church vocabulary through many generations.


Why do some compositions fade away while others remain strong? The Journey's very own Bob Coote spent months exploring that question. His research was published in the March, 2011, edition of Christianity Today. A link to the article is below. Thank you, Bob, for your exploration of this question.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/march/hymnsthatkeepgoing.html