Abundant Blessings

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runneth over."  ---Psalm 23:5

I have so much to be thankful for. I'm surrounded by family and friends who love me; I have more than enough food on the table; I have a nice home with heat and electricity. Not to mention that I get to breathe and think and wake up to see another beautiful day that's completely unique and different than any other day that came before. I've been blessed beyond measure---and many other people can say the same. 

However, being blessed with an abundance doesn't mean that all of this is ours to keep. 

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

'They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.'

... You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." 

---2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Since we have been blessed with much, we should also give away much. And I'm proud to say that I've been blessed with a church family who embraces the spirit of giving to others. My church family has been working on several projects to benefit the people of our community. The teen group built a blessings box for our churchyard, so that people in Summit who are in need can take food and supplies. Several members of our congregation, especially the young people, filled boxes with toys and goodies for children in need for Operation Christmas Child.

Kevin and Pastor Don at the pulpit. The boxes for Operation
Christmas Child are lined up at the altar.

Both of these endeavors are worthy causes, but the charity that I'm most thankful to my church for supporting is Warm Blessings. 

Warm Blessings is the local soup kitchen, located in E-town. They provide people who are needy or homeless with warm meals, food and care packages, blankets, clothes, and temporary shelter. They also help the people who come to them search for jobs and pay rent. My church strives to donate food and personal care items to Warm Blessings throughout the year, but in the winter, many people also give hats, gloves, and scarves. This year, we started up a collection box for a donation drive just before Thanksgiving. People brought winter gloves and hats, cans of food, boxes of non-perishables, and soap and shampoo. But the most exciting donation came from the adult Sunday School class: they donated $40 to our collection, and with it, we were able to buy 18 pairs of gloves, 8 blankets, and more than 10 packages of food all in one swoop. Two members of our congregation took the donations to Warm Blessings on Tuesday, and the people at Warm Blessings were so excited and thankful. 

The table of donations, ready to be taken to Warm Blessings.

 Not to mention that, when they arrived at Warm Blessings to give them the donations, there were already 7 people waiting there, before opening time, to get out of the cold.

The people of our community need us, and they call us to action. I'm proud---and thankful---that this week, my church has worked to answer that call.

I pray that everyone who reads this will also reflect on what you have been given and what you can give as well. How has God blessed you? And how can you continue to spread God's blessings and His light?

My hope is that this Thanksgiving will bring you a thousand blessings, and you have a thousand good wishes from me! 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

---2 Corinthians 9:15

For more information on Warm Blessings, check out their website here: http://www.warmblessingsinc.com/

Or their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/WBSoupKitchen/

Some of the canned goods and non-perishable foods
that were collected for the soup kitchen.

In this photograph, you can see the blankets
and gloves that were collected as well.

Metamorphosis

Did you know that butterflies are never mentioned in the Bible? You've got oxen, sheep, horses, donkeys, camels, frogs, snakes, and even locusts---but no butterflies. Yet if you take a closer look at the Scripture, you'll notice that even though these beautiful little insects are not mentioned by name, they can still connect to God's Word in a big way. In two separate places in Scripture, the Greek word for "transformation" is used. This Greek word would sound very familiar to English speakers. Why?

Because from that Greek word, we get the English word metamorphosis.

Metamorphosis usually refers to the life cycle of an insect, like a moth or a butterfly. From egg to caterpillar to chrysalis, each little insect has to grow and change in order to become the remarkable and lovely creatures we know them to be. Like a butterfly, human beings also have to grow and change. We, too, have a life cycle. We're born, we grow, and we mature. As Christians, we also have a spiritual life cycle. We learn to accept Christ, we become baptized in His name, we grow in our faith, and we slowly come to trust in God's grace.

 When we transform our hearts and minds, we set our sights on God and we begin a journey, but our

 journey doesn't end at just one stage of metamorphosis. A caterpillar can't say, "I'm good enough as a caterpillar, and this is as far as I'll go." The caterpillar has to continue through to the next stages of metamorphosis. Likewise, as Christians and as human beings, we can't ever say that we're "good enough," because God isn't finished with us yet. Our metamorphosis is a long journey, and sometimes perhaps even a struggle---but God has a plan in mind for each of us, and someday each of us will become something wonderful in God's kingdom. Until then, we keep moving, just like a caterpillar roving through the grass, with our sights set on growing and changing our lives & hearts for the better. 

A monarch butterfly visiting some late-summer flowers outside the church.

A black swallowtail beside the church here in Summit.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  ---Romans 2:12

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.  ---2 Corinthians 3:18

Source: https://deanhtaylor.com/2014/10/07/butterflies-arent-in-the-bible-wait/ 

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned..." 

------Isaiah 43:2

I know that I share this pretty much every year, but six years after the fire that destroyed our church building, I still feel the need to say something about what I remember and what the old church meant to me...and what the new church means to me as well. 

I wrote this piece while I was sitting in an apartment in Washington DC, when Mike called us to tell us that he was watching the fire... While Mama was still listening on the telephone, I started to write because that's the best way that I can express myself. It was 11:30 at night, and I will never forget it for as long as I live. I know that everyone else has their own vivid memory of what happened the night the church burned; I'm sure that most of us will always be able to remember exactly what we were doing and where we were when we found out. And I'm sure that none of us will be able to forget how much joy we felt when we began to rebuild. All of it---the good and the bad---is a part of us now.

My faith is not built in four walls of brick. 
My faith is not trapped in a shrine. 
My faith is not flowing like a river, 
But my faith comes from Jesus divine. 

My faith's temple is not a steeple. 
My faith is not made of metal and stone. 
My faith is tossed on the ocean, 
But my faith belongs to God alone. 

My faith has been burned in horror. 
My faith has been lightning-struck. 
My faith can rise from the ashes, 
But my faith needs the Lord to lift me up. 

My faith is a light in darkness. 
My faith is a lamp to my feet. 
My faith carries me over mountains, 
But my faith is in the Lord complete.

Today, we had cake before our board meeting to welcome our new pastor and his family. We're delighted to have them with us! I think Pastor Don is going to fit in very well around here. 😊

Welcoming Our New Pastor!

Today, Summit UMC was proud to welcome our new preacher, Pastor Don Cox. 

We couldn't be more excited to have him and his family with us, and we're looking forward to getting to know them better!

The Cave and The Pond

It's truly amazing what kids will do. You literally can never tell what's going to happen, and every day is a new surprise.

I went up to church yesterday and came across the window of the Sunday School room next to mine.

There were two signs: one reading "The Pond," and listing the names of the residents. And the other said, "No Cave is complete without a Pond!"

Truer words have never been spoken. 💙

New Start Time!

Beginning next week, our Sunday worship services will begin at 10 o'clock a.m. instead of 9:45. We hope to see you next week at our new start time! 😊