I spent this past week on Lake McClure (outside of Merced, CA) on a Houseboat with 14 other people.  The group was made up  kids ranging in ages 10 to 20 and 7 adults.

The interesting thing about living on a houseboat with 15 people is that you really have no personal space.  You have to share everything!  It brings a whole new meaning to living in community!

It was a week of being challenged to share, to be kind to one another, to prefer one another, to be cheerful when you just want to sleep a little longer, to pitching in on the chores, to picking up after someone else, to letting someone else ride the wave runner first when you have been waitng for what seems  like an eternity for your turn, to running out to meet whoever is coming back in on a kayak or wave runner and needs help tying up to the boat, just when you sat down to read a book or magazine, to saying I'm sorry, for being short with another person

It was an opportunity to put into practice all the things we say we want our church (The Sanctuary) to be about.  "A safe place to grow."  And if people were not used to remind me of the Thrive Tree and what it represents, God was gracious enough to put a picture of it right in front of me. 

Allowing my roots to go deep into God's marvelous love, being loved by Him, allowed for an amazing week with others. I know I didn't get it right the entire week, but...I'm grateful for the opportunity to be with others who allowed me to be safe enough to be me and attempt to respond as a result of my roots going deep!

The calendar says that summer does not start until June 21^st each year!  The thermometer this week says summer has hit with a bang! Who cares about the calendar?!

I bet there are mixed emotions about school coming to a close.  Those who home school don’t have to do lesson plans, those who are in public or private school won’t have to sit down and do homework daily.  Everyone, will get to stop “checking” progress in the academic portion of life, at least for the next 8 to 10 weeks!  If your child is promoting from 6^th grade some of you are asking yourself, wow where did the past 12 years go?  Or those of you who have 4 year olds and this is the last summer of them being still your baby, Kindergarten here we come! 

Regardless of what emotion you have, the truth is the emotion is there.  Whether it is the blues of; what am I going to do to keep my kids on a schedule, or the delight of I can’t wait to sleep in, and just do whatever “we” feel like for the day.  Both come with emotion.

As you begin to look at the summer calendar and making choices of how you and your family will spend your time, I want to challenge you to take all of the moment by moment emotions and use them to feed others.  The others can be your kids, your extended family, your closest friends, your neighbors, or the friends your kids made a school this year.

We have been given so much from the God who loves us, we must give it away.  Remember earlier in February I had shared about opportunities to grow?  Well now is the time to take the places that you’ve grown in and give it away to others, to feed on, so they too can grow!

Our Totally Terrific Tuesdays begin on June 10^th with a Kick off BBQ at the Sanctuary.  Invite a neighbor who is also home with their kids to come and meet some new people, eat together and let our kids hang out on the playground.  Then give them the summer calendar and invite them to go on day trips to any one of the fun places we have planned.  You will be amazed at how easy it is to “feed” others by simply inviting them.

Summer Camp is coming up on June 26^th for those kids going into 3^rd – 6^th grade.  By sending your kids to camp you are “feeding” others.  If you are reading this and you don’t have kids in that age bracket, consider sponsoring a kid so that you can “feed” someone else.  We also have Junior high and Senior high camps coming up that you could sponsor kids for.

When we fellowship we share a piece of who we are with others.  When we share who we are with others we “feed” them.  The love of God in us, “feeds” them too!

So if you are beginning to feel “blue” about summer, look for ways to connect with others in our church community as well as inviting others to come along with you.  If you are counting the days till school is out and delighted about being carefree, drag someone else with you.  We were made to share ourselves with God and others. 

This summer, be the Church, be the hands and feet of Jesus to someone and remember to feed yourself (the thrive tree) and feed others. (The fruit at the top of the tree)

Pastor Julie

Someone recently sent me a very detailed list of how to pray for your kids for an entire month.  I don't know about you, but i have to confess I did not alway pray daily like I should for my kids.  God's grace is amazing in covering the areas that we mis the mark in.   Here is a list of thing that cover 31 days (an entire month) of specific things we can pray for our kids!

I'm putting out a 31 day challenge that i want to do as well.

So it here it is.  Let me know how it is going and if your faith is encouraged by it and if you see fruit.  I would encourage you to copy and paste this into another word document an put it up someone where you will be reminded to pray.  I can't wait to hear the results! 

Last Friday while at physical therapy (yes I am still going to PT, it's been 5 months) I was on the way out the door kind of in a hurry, and someone said, "hey girl."  I looked up and it was Melissa, the woman who I had prayed for. (Read March 3rd entry to catch up)

She looked great, her eyes had a sparkle in them and she had color in her face.  I asked her how she was and she promptly held up her left arm and hand and showed me that her wrist was working just fine, it was not "dropping" down and she had muscle and nerve control.

It took every ounce of self control to not start crying at that moment.  She said she only had 2 PT appointments left and that she was doing so much better.  She said she felt like she got her life back.  I told her again how I had prayed for her off and on, whenever she came to mind and I was so glad that she was nearly back to normal.  She stood up to hug me and said it was nice to meet me and thanked me for praying for her.  I could tell that was out of the "norm" for her.

I know that God touched this woman and He has a plan for her, I know that by simply being obedient to the tug of the Holy Spirit the day I met her, that a seed was planted. I may never see the fruit of it, but I know it's there.  I know too that God uses doctors and physical therapist to bring wisdom and treatment to our sickly bodies.  I am grateful for both! :)

I don't think I'll forget Melissa anytime soon.  My faith and courage has been built.  And...if I did not have shoulder surgery at this specific time with months of physical therapy to follow, our paths would not have crossed.

Here is yet another challenge for us on a daily basis.  When I get, or you get to the end of the day, ask yourself this question; "What did I do or say today, that impacted the Kingdom of God?"  If daily is too much of a stretch, how about on Friday's at the end of the week, what did I do this week that will impact or effect the Kingdom of God?

Standing right along side of you, asking myself the same question!

Pastor Julie

I recently heard the word “Threshold” used in a proposed question, when I was recently in Thailand.   My mind quickly searched for the meaning and when and where I have heard that word used before.  In my recollection it was used when describing the wedding night, when the groom carries his new bride over the doorway into their new home.

The dictionary defines it in this way; 1.starting point; the point at which something begins or changes on the threshold of maturity. 2. Level at which effect starts; the level that must be reached for a psychological or physiological effect to begin or be noticeable. Other words to describe it would be upper limit, ceiling or maximum.

Why in the world am I dragging you all through a word study?  Because threshold is not a word we use in our everyday vocabulary and yet it is a powerful word to ponder.  Here is the question that was posed to me and one month later I am still thinking about, I know how I want to answer the question, yet I wonder if my actions will stay true to my wanting response? 

“What is my threshold of persecution?  Where will I stop what I am doing for God?  Where will I change my integrity, what will cause me to stop, what will sway me from the assignment on my life?” 

I was reminded that Noah was persecuted for 100 years while building the ark.  He waited for 100 years till the rains finally came.  How in the world could he stand it?  Did he want to stop building and just be “normal?”

If we are the ones who are sowing into the next generation, our words and our actions must answer the question.  We can not ask those given to us as a gift to do something we are not willing to do ourselves.  Can you imagine how hard it is for our kids to be teased, mocked, or bullied because of others just knowing they attend church weekly?  Or how hard it is to be in school and be told there is not only one God, or that we all have a god in us? 

In the end, the real question seems to be; “will I fear God more than man?”