412 - People, work together!

Lord Jesus - today is the first real day of school. Emmajoy woke up at 6:15am and Sarahjane just woke up too. That is such a good sign! I hope the excitement will stick with SJ for a long time. She is not an early riser, nor did she ever enjoy preschool - well at least the school part. Hopefully since we sat her out an extra year she is good and ready - mature! EJ is a lot like me and loved school from the word GO! Tucker says he doesn't like it, but I am sure he will be up and at 'em in just a few minutes. Thank you Lord for getting back to a schedule.

This morning I found myself once again in Phil. 2: 1-5. Some good stuff! I looked up several different versions and was really encouraged and inspired by the Words. Have you ever come to a point in leadership when you just throw up your hands and say, " if you are getting this at all, would you just please do this............." I think in this passage we find Paul at this point. He has just explained to them at the end of chapter one that suffering and believing are things that are granted to us. A benefit of Christ. And in the scripture it is like he had stood up from the table put his hands on the top of the desk, leaning over looking deep in their eyes and saying, "People, if Christ and His love, and mercy, and Spirit, and His fellowship have meant anything to you then Work with me here! Be like minded and make me proud - "make my joy complete". Have the same purpose and work together, not against me and certainly not against each other."

I know it can be that way in women's ministry. Everyone has their own thoughts, opinions, conclusions, means of production, and insecurities! If there are too many chiefs things can go hairy in a split end or i mean a split second. I have never really been in the corporate world, but I hear that as long as roles are well defined and responsibilities and cut and dry things work very well. It is in those times that things get slow or jumbled that there is confusion and that brings about dissension. I guess that is why the Lord reminds us in the Proverbs to not get idle - trouble will find us! Paul, it sounds like to me, is begging these people to work like Christ and get it together. It would make his joy complete, or like i have heard my Aunt Joyce say often, "that would just tickle me to death".

And just like my Sarahjane, the questioner, I can see her raising her hand at the end of Paul's plea and saying, "But how, how do we do such a large task - working together for the same purpose?" Paul replies, "I am so glad you asked. If you all would just work for each other, promoting one another, looking out for one another instead of your own self, just consider others better than yourself or more important - people, just have the same attitude as Christ and things will go more than smoothly around here. It will be glorious! TO His glory!"

And this is one of my key verses for ministry. Ginger and I have briefly talked about working for each other and not ourselves. I would work on getting her events and she would do the same for me. It is like we would be each others agent. I have been in ministries where you had to do all the work yourself or many times I found people not doing anything just waiting for God to drop it in their laps. Just sitting and waiting is not my conviction. I am a worker - I feel responsible to do my part to be able to use the gift He has given me. So I pray that Ginger and I can things together and begin working "being like-minded having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." For His glory alone!!

You know all these principles work the same way in marriage and in parenting!! Think of him first in marriage, think of them first in parenting, think of Him and what He would do!!! Simple, but oh so hard at times!

Well, i just got back from dropping the kids off. Lord Jesus, be with the kids today as they are learning all the ropes again! I pray SJ loves the idea of school and then actually is excited about learning and doing!! I pray she makes her own friends and is a good friend. Lord for Emmajoy, I pray you will protect her heart. Even at this young age she is willing to give it away to anyone that is willing to show her some attention. Protect her sweet spirit and keep her smiling! And for Tucker, Jesus, make him a leader and one that others will want to follow. Lord, instruct him in Your ways and make him confident in You! Lord, help him to be a good friend and a better listener! Help them all to not be so selfish! Bless their teachers! Thank you for today, Lord!