The Cross and Christmas

God taught me an important lesson today through teaching the 4s and 5s children's church this morning. The philosophy for our children's ministries comes from Desiring God ministries. They deliberately keep their curriculum God-centered. We had a children's ministries meeting for all those where were going to be involved in teaching in children's ministries this quarter back at the end of September. We watch a DVD from Desiring God Ministries, which I highly recommend. I also read over some supplementary material in the curriculum about keeping the teaching God-centered. But as I have been preparing lessons over the last few weeks, I have notice that I have been rushed and have not kept the lesson God-centered. I had never been in a ministry that has really grasped the incredible importance of being God-centered even down the children's lessons. My church attempts to keep their focus biblical, and I think God is doing a great work in growing us in this area. As I was thinking over my lesson today on my way home, I realized how man-centered it was. Especially with children's lesson in church, it is so easy for a teacher to just teach the facts of the story and completely missing teaching about God, even if the curriculum is focused in that direction. When I asked the kids at the end of the lesson what they learned about God, they only told me facts about the lesson and not what truth about God we learned. That was my fault. I have determined that to help keep myself in check as I teach, I need to make a deliberate effort keep the focus on what we can learn about God and not just the facts of a Bible story. I am going to have a sheet of paper to hold up to them at the beginning that tells what we are going to learn about God today. As I teach the lesson, I am going to keep coming back how we can learn from the lesson the truths about God that I held up at the beginning. Then at the end, they should have a pretty good grasp of how they know God is like the truth I held up at the beginning.

The question I would like to pose to you is how to keep Christmas cross-centered and God-centered. On the drive home tonight, I was thinking about what I just shared with you above. I was also applying that to Christmas. The things I love most about Christmas are getting together with family, the music, giving gifts, and the whole ambiance of Christmas. It is often said that the true meaning of Christmas is lost in the buying of gifts and Santa Clause. I don't have much of a problem with the Santa Clause part. But the atmosphere of Christmas is what probably distracts me most from the Cross and Christ at Christmas. I have thought of this off and on, and I want to get your input on it. What are some biblical and practical ways of keeping the cross at the center of Christmas in our thinking, practice, and life?

After Lindsey's Visitation

First, I want to start of by telling Christine Hayes that I shared with Laura and Susan that you commented on my post. They had read the post themselves. Laura said that when things slow down then she will really try to get back to you. She said thank you so much. I also ran upon the Boehm's blog that have some recent pictures of the girls. http://boehmgirls.blogspot.com/

There were so many things going through my head as I went into the viewing for Lindsey tonight. The friend I went with said that it was so strange seeing grandparents at their granddaughter's casket. It is usually the other way around. She seemed so misplaced just lying there. She should be up and playing like all 5 year olds do. Talking to Laura and Jason, it was so encouraging. I walked up to them not knowing what to say. But they wanted to thank me so much for my blog post in memory of her. They shared how much she and her sister loved me. Laura shared how recently she had said she wanted to be a teacher like her kindergarten teacher. Then later she said she wanted to teach the Bible. I was one of her teachers at church at different times, and they wanted to thank me for loving their girls, being an example for them, and teaching them truth. God has given them so much grace. It is just overwhelming. They were so at peace that this is perfectly what God has for them. I talked with Laura's sister, Susan, for a while afterwards and she was telling of all the things that God very obviously had His hand in in orchestrating so many details for everything. I went away know that this is without a doubt "a God thing." God in His goodness has allowed them to see more of Himself through this. He wants to use this in their lives and every life that is touches to point them to His glory and grace.

When I first posted about Lindsey, I ended with a song but didn't include the second verse. I was listening to that song...and hitting repeat again and again on my way home tonight. As I sang the second verse, I knew I had to add it in. I would encourage you to go back and read the original post. God's ultimate demonstration of His mercy was shown through the cross. "You sought me in love and my heart you pursued. In the face of my sin, Lord, You never withdrew." The gospel is where we find that hope and peace. It starts there. We were blind before salvation, and now we can see. In a previous entry, I posted the words to the song "In the Valley" under the post "a song of the day." I was singing that song throughout the day today and meditating on these words: "And though my humbling wouldn't be my decision/ It's here Your glory shines so bright/ So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown/ To be low is to be high/ That the valley's where You make me more like Christ...So let me learn that my losses are my gain/ To be broken is to heal/ That the valley's where Your power is revealed." I rejoice that God has gifted so many people to be able to take God's truth and arrange it so eloquently that it points me to God. Hearing and singing these songs I want to praise and worship Him with all of my soul. I hope that no one reading this entry misses that this and all of life is about God. It isn't about us and our loss or pain. It is about His glory and grace. I want to leave you with one more song to meditate on. The second verse especially makes me cry while longing to be with my precious Savior more and more. Meditate on the cross " 'cause without it I'm lost."

King of Glory
Josh Bates

Verse 1
I stare at the cross 'cause without it I'm
lost and I believe/ I'm healed by Your
blood, saved by Your love and You
shelter me / It's amazing the power You
hold / I give you my heart and my soul

Chorus
King of glory / You are holy / Take my
hands, take my feet / Take my voice as I
sing / Lord of Heaven / Hallelujah /
Precious Jesus / Hallelujah

Verse 2
Imagine the day when our faith is replaced
with a glorious sight / Of angels in chorus
as You stand before us in perfect light/
We will join in the anthem of praise/
With every breath we will say

King of glory / You are holy / Take my
hands, take my feet / Take my voice as I
sing / Lord of Heaven / Hallelujah /
Precious Jesus / Hallelujah

You lived and You died to bring us new life/
Sweet salvation/ Clothed in majesty,
God of everything

In loving memory of Lindsey Boehm

Caroline, Lindsey, and Cadince at Grace's Fall Picnic
(more pictures from the Fall picnic are in a folder on my web album at
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/blahababe1)

Not long after I started attending Grace Bible Church about a year and a half ago, Jason and Laura Boehm started attending Grace with their beautiful daughters Lindsey and Cadence. They are one of the families like my brothers and I who live about 30 mintues away from church on the other side of Greenville in Simpsonville. Especially in the last few weeks, I have done quite a few things in groups with Laura and Jason. Laura and I love chatting and catching up on what is going on in each other's life.

Lindsey, their oldest daughter who has just started Kindergarten, was born with a hole in one of the valves in her heart. They didn't think it would be a problem until later in life. Lindsey was at a birthday party yesterday afternoon and collapsed and went into seizure. Her heart stopped and they were not able to revive her. This is a hard time with for her family, but as one of the elders in our church told my brother Ricky, "They are sorrowing but not as one that has no hope." God's grace is sufficient. We can rest in the fact that we have Jesus interceding before God's throne with the groanings of our hearts that we can't put into words.

Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great High Priest whose name is "Love,"
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands.
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in heav'n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

We can rest in the fact that God is good, and He does all for our good. Please keep the Boehms and their family in your prayers. I can't imagine what they are going through. But Lindsey lived a full and wonderful life. She was the type of girl who may have been in kindergarten, but she talked like a mature young adult. She was just a joy to be around. This is the first morning that they have woken up and not had Lindsey. But God's mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness. The Lord gives and takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Mercies Anew
by Mark Altrogge and Bob Kauflin

Verse 1
Every morning that breaks
There are mercies anew
Every breath that I take
Is your faithfulness proved
And at the end of each day
When my labors are through
I will sing of your mercies anew

Verse 2
When I've fallen and strayed
There are mercies anew
For you sought me in love
And my heart you pursued
In the face of my sin
Lord, You never withdrew
So I sing of your mercies anew
And Your mercies they will never end
For ten thousands years they remain
And when this world's beauty has passed way
Your mercies will be unchanged

Verse 3
When the storms swirl and rage
There are mercies anew
In affliction and pain
You will carry me through
And at the end of my days
When your throne fills my view
I will sing of your mercies anew
I will sing of your mercies anew

FINCH'S FAVORITES

I finally got my fall bulletin board put up in my classroom last week. Since it is with pumpkins and fall theme, I had to get it up before December with enough time to enjoy it. I was going to put it up at the beginning of October but didn't get everything done for it until last week. Mr. Finch is the teacher in my class. There is a picture of all eleven students in the class with a small list of some of their favorite things: animal, fruit, subject in school, candy, color, holiday, and sport. I was glad it turned out so well.

Fall Picnic 06 at Grace

One of the highlights of the year at my church, Grace Bible, is our annual Fall Picnic. Usually it is the last weekend in October at one of our founding member's home. We just had it this last Sunday afteroon. Almost everyone from the church comes and we often friend visitors. My favorite tradition that I found out about last year and took advantage of this year was our "soup sampler" idea. Everyone brings soup or meat to be grilled. Shepherding Groups that our church is divided into each are assigned different dishes to bring, like dessert or a side dish. Last year, I saw men standing in line with a muffin pan. I
finally asked why they had muffin pans. They said it was so they could try all different kinds of soup in each different section. It was a genius plan that one of the men in our church came up with. The top picture is of my tin. The only down fall is that it gets pretty hot on the bottom. Otherwise it works great. There is Jon on the left demonstrating "the soup sampler."



One of the cutest kid moments that I had was when some younger boys came in carrying some lawn chairs. One of them said, "We even brought a whole sofa." I asked him if I could use it. He said it was for their baby sister. Well, here is their baby on the sofa. They crack me up.

The guys always get a game of football together. I dont' think that anyone got too seriously injured this year. Someone getting injured isn't a tradition we like to carry from year to year.
Tony always gets out the tractor for hayrides for the kids. We also have a man who brings his two horses for horse rides.

It is a great time to sit around and fellowship in way that we don't always get a chance to before and after services at church. Usually the deacon closing up the church has to kick people out at least an
hour after the service ends, but we like any chance we can get to
fellowship some more. Some women bring their knitting or crocheting while they are fellowshipping.


Often we also have a pinata for
the kids. This year I called it
"Killing Nemo."


At about dusk, we all gather around the bonfire for a time of singing from our church song book "Songs of Grace." It has most of our favorites in it. Then our pastor gets up at shares a short devotional with us. It is a perfect ending of a great day. A week ago Sunday, Champ (our pastor) announced his resignation. He is not sure that being a pastor is where God would have him and so he has resigned to see where God leads him. He and his family will be staying as regular members at Grace until God leads them elsewhere. So this was our last church picnic with Champ leading it as our Shepherd. We are excited to see what God has ahead for the Throntons as well as for Grace. We are learning to depend on Him and trust His wisdom, goodness, and sovereignty. Champ was sharing on Wednesday night how God has all three of these charactristics and so we don't have to worry about what the result will be. It will be perfect as we trust Him and let Him lead.