School Daze

It was back to school today at our house already. Might as well, it's too hot to do anything else. Here's everyone as we're getting ready to go. Hopefully they'll still be this eager later in the year (a mama can dream). Meredith's report from her first day of school--it was the best day of her whole life because she made new friends, the teacher made her color the circles red and wouldn't let her pick her own colors, recess only lasted five seconds, and she couldn't understand why they didn't let her call me on their cell phone when she did a perfect 'e' at school. She said, "I raised my hand and everything, and they still didn't let me call." The report from fourth and sixth grades were good as well, just not quite as colorful. The guy version of the first day of school--"fine".

Here is a little something else we made for school. It's Meredith's kindermat cover and blanket for naptime (she was the only one who didn't sleep, of course).



It's Friday, so we've got our study to do. Today's instruction--"serving the Lord". Keep in mind from our past weeks, our reason for loving. There are people who are hard to love. There are times when we're tired or upset and we don't feel like showing love. But the key to choosing to show love is to remember the purpose behind it. Let's take a look at someone who understood this well. Read Acts 20:18-20. "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house."

How did Paul serve the Lord? He did it with all humility and with tears and trials. If anyone had a reason not to feel like loving other people it was him! This was a man who was beaten, stoned, plotted against, thrown in prison. But he kept coming back for more because loving others enough to tell them about Christ and strengthen other believers was his way of serving the Lord. He had been greatly loved. He had been shown much forgiveness. Therefore, he was willing to show great love through much hardship.

We too have been greatly loved. We too have been shown much forgiveness. We to have a reason to serve the Lord.