June 7th, 2010
Last Saturday night we got together at Scott & Tammie’s house. The evening started off as it always does: we greet and visit as people arrive. The men were swapping fishing stories and the women, well, we chat too about the stuff women usually chat about, but usually get caught up listening to the guys’ conversations and laughing at… I mean, with them. They are really funny to listen to! Who really needs entertainment when you’ve got a few husbands together to observe?!
Anyway, so what might any of that have to do with church you ask? My answer: everything! This is church, we are the church, and this is how we live it out! We are real with each other, we share the serious and not so serious things, we learn and grow with each other, we’re accountable to each other, we listen, we pray, we screw up and succeed, we worship and fellowship together as Jesus Christ walks with us in that house, laughing and encouraging right alongside us!
We stuffed our faces with burgers, hotdogs and chips, “drinkable” brownies and Live Wire Mt. Dew. That’s how our prelude rolls! Then Scott turned up the worship dvd and we all come together and stand in prayer and praise to our Great King! Even one-and-a-half year-old Isaac shouts out his “yeahs!” and “amens.”
“Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4
Tammie did a short lesson with the kids and then we began our new study for the month. We are learning “How to Study the Bible” and looking at Luke. Interestingly enough, we had a few new people join our group last night, (we love new people!) and one of them happen to have written a book about how to study the Bible….hmmm…coincidence? I think not. I love how God does that! Why are we ever surprised by His blessings?:-) We have a great God!
We used the “five W’s” to help us understand the text: Who? Where? What? When? Why? …Oh, and How? We also looked at some of the other tools: Vine’s Dictionary, The Harmony of the Gospels and others. We discussed the characters mentioned in the first 38 verses of Luke: Zacharias and Elizabeth in Judea, both from priestly lines; the angel of the Lord, then Mary and Gabriel in Galilee. We found out what it was that was happening, approximate timelines, and the reason for the information. It went very well and I think we all learned a lot. I know I did, especially since I was actually able to sit (okay well, except when Isaac decided he need some “chip”) and listen in the whole time. Usually I’m chasing him around the house all evening… kids are great!
After the great lesson, we split into two groups: guys and girls, for ministry/prayer time. The guys headed out to the trampoline and us ladies got comfortable in the living room. When we were through praying, we wrapped up the evening by watching our grown men play games on the trampoline. (thank God for chiropractors and insurance) Real church? You bet!
~Laura
