August 2007
In this issue:
Flo's Thoughts
Fall Bible Study - Gospel of Mark
Micki's Corner
Thots on Jonah
This Month in History
Thots and Things
Flo's Thoughts
“Do you have some rubbing alcohol for this rose nippers? I clipped off a diseased branch and if I don’t clean the nippers with alcohol, I’ll pass the disease on to the next branch I prune.”
“Really? I never knew that.”
“Me either.”
This tidbit of gardener’s knowledge occurred in my dining room this June as several women had gathered to help me in my long healing process after back surgery. Some came to sing to me, others to read Scripture or a book aloud. They also read me the beautiful and the hilarious cards you sent. God’s timing proved perfect once again as just the right note or card came when most needed. Several times, often at the “change of shift” at noon, I had the opportunity to introduce someone from SPEP to a sister in Christ she didn’t know. So much love came through our doors everyday, and so many connections occurred. I sometimes heard, “Oh, I’ve heard your name at church, but I’m really glad to meet you.” Then the two or three women had an informal setting in which to get to know each other. I napped a lot, especially in June!
Sometimes two or three of us prayed together and watched the Lord bless those we had prayed for. What a privilege to act as intercessors in these impromptu gatherings! Ideas for dealing with children exchanged between mothers, foot rubs made my restlessness easier to bear, and a variety of home remedies were shared. And how about this? One woman at my house calls two others and they work all day to clean or remove anything from my refrig that looks fuzzy. It happened!
About nine weeks after my surgery, when I was a bit more lucid, I suddenly realized that the Lord was truly giving me a Titus 2 summer. These were not “hen parties,” but rather, gatherings that warmed my heart. This was no program, but a series of meetings (five days a week) where sisters in Christ shared LIFE with each other. Most were from SPEP, but there were homeschooling moms whose children I’d taught, and they came from a variety of churches. Then women from Broadneck and Annapolis EP offered their time too. And lest I forget, there was laughter, lots of laughter.
So while I haven’t been in the office, God has most certainly been at work! And while I am certainly NOT willing to have surgery each summer be part of my job description, I urge you women to go alone or with another Christian woman, and just be a part of another woman’s life for a little bit of time! When a five-year-old writes you a note, or a mom and her preschooler show up at your door, and the preschooler says, “Can my mommy and I fix your flowers?” your heart will soar and the heart of the one you have gone to minister to will rejoice. We can only mend broken lives through the power of Jesus Christ and by extending ourselves to be His instruments. Flo Wolfe
Fall Bible Study - Gospel of Mark
In our self-focused culture it is easy to lose sight of what servanthood should look like in our lives. We invite you to study the gospel of Mark this fall to learn more about being a servant. Mark’s action packed record of the ministry of Jesus shows us what the kingdom of God really looks like and how to be a servant in this kingdom.
Come to learn how Jesus’ servanthood was expressed in care and compassion to all types of people with truth and authority. The study will be led by Rita Kesner and Pam Prickett—you have the option to attend on Tuesday mornings (9:30-11:00AM) or Thursday evenings (7:00-8:30PM) in Narthex B starting September 11th and September 13th respectively .
My calendar has July 10th marked and every year since 1985 I celebrate it. Wondering what it would be? It is the day they announced that classic Coke was coming back.
You may not think that is celebration-worthy, but Coke fans are like that. I bought it in glass bottles until I couldn’t find it anymore. Then, sadly, I got used to the plastic Coke. I still remember the big hoopla to announce New Coke. And like a lot of others, I was worried, but I decided to wait and see.
It was awful! Worse than Pepsi! What was I going to do? Coke was the only soda I ever drank. Now I had to find something else. I tried every brand X and mourned. Renee was seven or eight at the time and watched my anguish and taste testing trials.
Now, in my saner moments, I do realize that it was really a small thing. But for us Coke-ers it’s an emotional thing. (Even the Coke Company was surprised by the emotional component.) It was turning into a very dark summer.
Then the news came—it was coming back. Each week Renee and I did the food shopping and looked for Coke Classic. “Not this week.” “No, not this week either.”
I still remember the day we found it. We turned the corner into the soda aisle, Renee ran ahead of me down the aisle and I heard her calling “It’s here! It’s here!” As I walked down to meet her, I saw a stock clerk at the end of the aisle. He didn’t stop what he was doing, didn’t even look up. But I saw him smile. He knew what the excitement was about.
It’s a very special memory—I even smile to write about it. In the scheme of world disasters, New Coke wouldn’t show up on anyone’s graph, but Renee knew it was important to me and she cared because I did.
Have you ever thought of it that way? There is a lot of talk about building memories with vacations or other planned times together. That’s probably what’s behind the saying about “quality time not quantity time”. But memories come from every day life, too. When we’re not even aware of it. We build hurtful memories by things we do or say—or we build memories that will make people smile to think about.
I’m sure little eight-year-old Renee didn’t have Scripture uppermost in her mind, or even plan to make a memory. She just cared. Each time you care because someone else does—rejoice with them or cry with them—you build memories of being loved. They may even show up on someone’s calendar!
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
This Month in History
August is Peach Month
August 2 - Ice Cream Soda Day
August 23, 1902 - Fanny Farmer opens the School of Cookery in Boston, MA
August 29, 1896 - Chop Suey invented
This morning, July 13, words from C. H. Spurgeon shed new light on an old friend, Jonah.
Now I have read Jonah several times, and several times I have been rebuked for my propensity to do the opposite of what I know would honor God. I have been comforted that, though in the depths, God rescues me, and gives me hope and purpose – again and again. And I have been humbled by God’s deep love for those who are (yet) in His fold. But this morning I saw the potency of anger – power that may cause me to run for the wrong cover.
I can become angry over an assignment that is at cross-purposes with my agenda; Jonah did not want to preach to the scary pagans. I can do what God requires – but without a loving, compassionate heart; Jonah was not pleased with the revival his preaching sparked. (Jonah 4:1) And like Jonah, I can become angry when God takes away what I think I must have.
God saw Jonah’s rage, and asked him, "Do you have good reason to be angry?" (Jonah 4:4)
Jonah thought he did – the plant that shaded him disappeared because of a God-sent worm. So God asked him again, "Do you have good reason to be angry . . . ?" (Jonah 4:9)
Have you ever felt that restraining question in your spirit before you blew your stack?
Spurgeon said, “Anger is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a tendency to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should be quick to question its character, with this enquiry, ‘Doest thou well to be angry?’"
When God’s character is impugned, or His works mocked, it is not wrong to be angry! However, Mr. Spurgeon described most angry indulgences as “the old evil heart seeking to gain dominion, and should we not resist it with all the might of our newborn nature.”
In the midst of war, why do I think I can loll around, shaded from the heat of battle?
“Many professors give way to temper as though it were useless to attempt resistance; but let the believer remember that he must be a conqueror in every point, or else he cannot be crowned.
If we cannot control our tempers, what has grace done for us? . . .”
A step we can take is asking the question, "Do you have good reason to be angry?" And listening for God’s answer. (Psalm 139:23-24) Barbara Smith
Thots and Things
Summer Salads:
Calico Corn Salad
Serves 82 (16-ounce) bags frozen corn, thawed
4 small zucchini, diced
1 large sweet red pepper, diced
2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chilies, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
2/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic saltIn a bowl, toss corn, zucchini, red pepper, chilies and onion. In a jar with tight-fitting lid, combine remaining ingredients; shake well. Pour over the salad and stir gently. Chill for several hours or overnight.
Texas Cornbread Salad
2 - 8 oz. package cornbread mix
2 cups Mayonnaise
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced fine
3 tomatoes, chopped
8 oz bacon fried, drained and crumbled
1/4 teaspoon Poultry seasoningBake cornbread according to package directions. Allow to cool and crumble in a large bowl. Combine mayo with crumbled cornbread. Add bell pepper, green onions, tomatoes, and poultry seasoning. Stir gently to mix. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
(http://christian-homemaking.com - used with permission)