Yesterday was a very unsettling day for me, with some good stuff mixed in. As for my musings …

-We shared communion as part of our worship and it went well. There seemed to be a good spirit during that part of worship.

-I was off in nearly everything I did yesterday. My message did not flow well. I messed up the order of worship we had agreed upon and that is just the beginning of the list. Not my best day.

-Our attendance was good yesterday and a new family was back for the second Sunday in a row.

-During our Sunday School/Small Group hour we had a lot of children and youth. We have had to create new groups for the children and youth because of our growth. The groups we did have were getting large enough that we needed to break them down further. What a great problem to have, it is a problem, but it is better than having groups with no one in them.

-Later in the day I prepared some pork chops for smoking. I was very absent-minded in my prep and set-up. As a result, instead of them being ready at 6:00 PM they were not ready until 8:00 PM. Not my best day. The good news is that they tasted very good.

-A group of guys, mainly from our church, gathered after church to eat lunch together and then to draft our Fantasy Football teams. Evaluating the team that I drafted showed that it was definitely not my best day.

-I am excited to begin teaching a class on Fatherhood at my church on Wednesday evenings. Unfortunately, there is currently only one person signed up for the class. It doesn’t begin for another week, so I am praying that several more choose to be a part of the group.

-Thursday was a good day. It was the first match of the season for my Freshmen volleyball team. We went on the road and came away with a convincing win. It is always good to get the first win of the season out of the way on the first try. This Saturday we are competing in a tournament out of town. It will be tough test for us.

-A few months ago, I thought I had my fall sermon series planned. Now, I believe I need to go a different direction, at least in the month of September.

-All my school age grandkids are now in school. Praying for all of them, as well as they 2 who are not yet school age. I have grandkids in 1^st, 3^rd, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 10^th and 12^th grades, along with one in college. That is a lot of territory to pray about.

-Yesterday it seemed that there were many things at work to disrupt what God wanted to do among us. I confess that it got to me yesterday, it doesn’t usually, but yesterday was one of those days when I struggled with it all. Not my best day.

Here’s hoping you have a good day today, and that you see God at work around you.

Dennis

Yesterday was a very different day. It was the week after a huge day of celebrating our VBS, which is often a difficult Sunday. As for my musings …

-We continued to celebrate as we studied scripture, Ephesians 4:11-16, and rejoiced that we have been chosen. Chosen to be a child of God, chosen to serve, chosen for a purpose, chosen to grow and to love and support others. We have much to celebrate and be encouraged by each, and every day.

-Our building looks bare now that all the VBS decorations have been taken down.

-Yesterday was the last Sunday before kids go back to school and many people were gone.

-We have many people who are currently recovering from illness, surgery or procedures and many who are awaiting test results. Praying for all of them.

-Last week my wife and I were able to get away for a few days. This time was spent with our daughters, son in laws and 5 of our grandkids. It was a wonderful time. We also missed my son, daughter in law and their 5 kids. We all rented a house on a lake. It was a great set-up and one that we will likely go to again.

-Because of vacation for a few days last week, my preparation time was shorter than normal, but it felt like I was able to focus more quickly with the time I had. Thanks to those who were praying for my shorter than normal prep time.

-Last Thursday was our 43^rd wedding anniversary. Like many of them through the years we had other stuff going on that day. Good stuff, but other stuff. I had to some back home for a volleyball practice, so we didn’t see each other until almost 8:00 pm. We celebrated by playing some games with our kids. (We always play games when we get together.) It was a good celebration. Between coaching, church camps and church stuff we have had very few anniversaries where it was just the two of us. But we love our life, so it was all good.

-Yesterday our church honored our anniversary by giving us a card signed by most of the congregation with cash in the card. My church is great at making us feel special. In fact, they spoil us.

-Yesterday I acknowledged all the people who serve in any capacity in our ministries. I wanted the church to realize, and be encouraged by, how many people serve every week. I wanted those who serve to know that what they do helps us fulfill our purpose.

-This week volleyball season kicks into a more regular schedule of afternoon practices and very soon matches will take place every week. I am excited and looking forward to it, but I am certain I will have an adjustment period.

-This week another group of men will finish the Fatherhood course I help teach at the prison. This has been a great group and I will miss them when they finish. I will continue to pray for them and their children.

-In September I will lead a men’s group here at my church about Fatherhood. Not because I have it all figured out, but because it is too important to ignore. Much of the material will be the same as what we use at the prison. I am excited about this and praying that many men will participate. This will be for current fathers, future fathers and even grandfathers. This is a great opportunity to learn from, and build some support with other fathers.

-Here’s hoping that you will be encouraged today as you remember that you have been chosen by God to be in His family. It is your choice to accept or reject, but you have been chosen. Let that truth encourage you.

Dennis

Yesterday was an awesome day! So many great things took place and I don’t believe I have heard about all of them yet. As for my musings …

-Yesterday we celebrated our outstanding week of Vacation Bible School in several ways. In the morning during our worship the kids sang 5 or 6 songs that they loved from the week of VBS. There was a skit from 2 characters who were with us at VBS, the skit was a great summary of the week. My wife recapped the lesson where the gospel was presented, and several kids made the decision to receive Christ. We showed a video highlight of the week. I shared for 2 or 3 minutes and we gave each family a DVD that showed highlights from each night of VBS. It was a great morning. And, it was a great time of worship and celebration.

-VBS went very well last week. It was one of the smoothest I have ever seen. We averaged 50 kids and had 61 different kids attend. We had plenty of workers and our volunteers did an awesome job.

-Yesterday, during one of the children’s Sunday School classes, 4 children prayed to receive Christ as their Savior. On top of that, 2 children who are already following Christ prayed for the other children as they accepted Christ!!! They are already participating in discipleship.

-We had over 145 in attendance for worship the past 2 Sundays.

-Last evening, we rented the city pool for an hour and a half for another time of celebration, and fellowship, for VBS. It was a blast. There were parents and siblings who do not normally attend who were part of the celebration last night. The weather was perfect as well.

-During VBS, the kids gave $969 in offerings. All this money is being given away to help kids and families in other countries, or communities. Seeing the joy on the kids faces, and hearing their cheers, as they heard how much they were giving away was inspiring.

-We collected school supplies in the month of July. Our people gave enough to fill 40 backpacks to help elementary students who might not have had supplies otherwise. These were handed out yesterday as part of backpack giveaway with several churches in our community.

-Another encouraging thing during VBS was that we had several teens who helped. That is significant because we haven’t had teens in the past. Now we have several, and they are serving.

-Yesterday we added a class for 5^th and 6^th graders. This is because our children’s workers have been doing such a great job in reaching children, and retaining them, that we now have enough of them for a class. They will begin a 5^th and 6^th grade group on Wednesday nights when our new semester kicks off in September. Last fall my people began mid-week ministries for children and youth. This was a new thing for us. They began with 1 children’s group and 1 youth group. In September we will have a preschool group, an elementary group, a 5^th and 6^th grade group and a teen group. My people are awesome.

-I am looking forward to teaching a class on Fatherhood this fall on Wednesday evenings.

-This morning my wife and I will head out to spend a few days with our daughters, sons in law, and 5 of our grandkids. It will be a great time. We will miss my son, daughter in law and the other 5 grandkids.

-Later this week will mark the 43^rd wedding anniversary for my wife and myself.

-I enjoyed watching several people lead during our VBS. My role was basically one of cheerleader, and I loved my role.

Here’s hoping you find someone to encourage this week by cheering them on and that someone will cheer you on as well.

Dennis

Yesterday was a very good day at our church and it kicked off what I anticipate will be an outstanding week. As for my musings …

-All our Vacation Bible School decorations and props are in place and the church looks amazing. There wasn’t much room for me to move around while I preached yesterday. We have a large wrecked ship, a large Tiki hut and several other items on our platform. It is awesome. The hallways are all decorated and there is even a tunnel to get into the story room. Makes me wish I was a kid again.

-We remembered, and paid tribute to, 3 of our members who passed away in this past year. It was a perfect day to do that because all 3 of them loved kids and loved seeing children at church.

-We had a special time of prayer specifically for all the VBS workers.

-We have over 40 people helping in some capacity this week. That is a phenomenal response from the adults and teens in our church.

-The theme of VBS is Shipwrecked and the purpose is to teach the children that God is a rescuer. My message yesterday was on the Promises of Rescue we have.

-There was good energy yesterday when the service began. It started with the theme song of VBS, then a skit that introduced what the children will be learning this week and it was great. We had some congregational singing and people were engaged. Our time of honoring our members who have passed was very special and the time of prayer was great. Our children were the greeters at all the doors today and they were the ushers during the offering.

-Our attendance was very good.

-We are rejoicing that we now have a new roof on the church and the parsonage. The timing was great because we finally got some rain yesterday.

-The weather has been very mild the past few days, which allowed my wife and I turn off the A/C and have the windows open for 3 days. That is unheard of at the end of July.

-We are still raising the money to finish paying for our new roof. The faithful giving of our people, and the wise stewardship by our church board, allowed us to have a major portion of it on hand before the project started. Now we have a few weeks to raise the rest.

-Missing my kids and grandkids who are serving in Africa a lot right now.

-Looking forward to spending some time with our kids and grandkids who are stateside next week.

-Praying a lot for some of the ministries, and groups, that we plan to begin after school begins.

-Last week was the finish of summer conditioning and open gyms for volleyball. This week is a dead week as far as contact with the players. In 9 or 10 days we begin tryouts and then regular practices. I am excited for that to begin.

-Praying that many children will come to faith in Christ this week. Praying some children will sense a special call from God for ministry. Praying that many families will be drawn to Christ by what they see and hear from their children this week. Praying for adequate energy for the adults who are serving in VBS this week.

Here’s hoping that you have some special times of prayer this week and that you sense you are being prayed for by others.

Dennis

Yesterday was a good day for many reasons, the top one being that I was back home after a few busy days away. As for my musings …

-Our church is being totally transformed as the Vacation Bible School decorating has now spread to the hallways and is moving into many of the classrooms. The platform in the Worship Center is now completely taken over by VBS decorations. I love it. I had to adjust as I preached yesterday, but I love it.

-Our worship service went well yesterday, and the congregation was engaged in all parts of the service.

-The attendance was good.

-Yesterday evening my wife and I went out to one of the town’s beautiful parks and had a nice walk. It was great to be together with no appointments. The weather was perfect. We made this walk about 3 weeks ago and my wife couldn’t quite make it all. Last evening, she walked the whole thing and felt good when we finished. Fourteen weeks after double knee replacement and she is going strong.

-Thursday, Friday and Saturday I was out of town to help assess some prospective church planters. I went through training to be an assessor and then participated as one of the assessors. It was an intense and wonderful experience. There were five prospective planters and their spouses involved in this event. They were great people and I believe all of them will do well. I loved getting to know them and look forward to seeing what happens with their plants over the next couple of years.

-My 9^th grade volleyball team finished their summer league with a .500 record. That is significant because we were playing in a league where the other teams were junior varsity teams with all, or mostly, sophomores on the teams. With summer schedules of vacations and camps, I only had my whole team for one of the weeks. It is great to be coaching again.

-Our grandson who is studying in South Africa this semester, finally got his luggage. When he arrived in South Africa his luggage did not. A few days later it arrived, but he had to begin with only what he was wearing on the flight and a little in his carry-on.

-This morning a roofing crew will be arriving to replace the roof on both the church and parsonage.

-Next Sunday we will introduce the theme of our Vacation Bible School and let the adults get a glimpse of what the children will be learning. We will also be honoring the memory of a couple of people from our congregation who passed away recently. It will be a great time of worship that will highlight how we finish life and the joy of life.

-The past two weeks have been very busy for me. I am looking forward to a week where I will not be traveling. I have many scheduled appointments, but it pales in comparison to the past couple of weeks.

-I purchased a barbecue/smoker 2 weeks ago and haven’t been able to use it yet. I am going to use it this week for sure, anyone hungry?

-One of the best things of being a part of the church planter assessment last week was seeing 2 or 3 of them gain confidence and discover something in themselves they didn’t know was there. It was exhausting, and it was exhilarating.

Here’s hoping that you will look to help someone discover something about themselves this week that will give them confidence.

Dennis