Can you contain your contentment?

"I'm so excited," she rushed up to her friend and said, "I love my six year-old van with the dirt outside and inside an inch thick! I love my home, with the overflowing laundry room, lack of sprinkler system and messy kitchen. And although my kids are driving me crazy at home this summer, they are just so wonderful and cute when they argue! And did you see my flip flops, they are three years old and I'm still wearing them! I'm overdo to have my hair highlighted, but you know the grey looks kinda blonde! Isn't it all so great, my life is well...perfect!"

The last series in our lessons on character was on contentment.

It makes me think how much I really take every little thing we have for granted. I wonder how things would change if we stopped complaining to one another and internally to ourselves and reversed the thoughts we have when we feel life isn't adding up for us.

Instead of complaining of the lack of something, what if we are grateful for having so much very more than we really need and may even deserve.

So, if it was me as the woman talking to her friend, I can be grateful for our van that has more memories than dust molecolules will ever acumulate. And just today, I got it washed for free because I had the right combination of birthday month and sticker color!

The laundry room is overflowing, because I've been a bit busy with activities with my family which I would never trade and we have more than enough clothes!

No sprinkler system, I need to pray more for rain, or turn on the hose and let the kids have some water fights.

Our kitchen is messy indeed, we feast like kings compared to 99 percent of the world's population. Our kids are unbelievable wonderful and their small tiffs now and then mean they have a normal sibling relationship. I dearly love having them home for the summer!

I have an awesome pair of flip flops! I got them on sale, they were a bit pricey for flip flops, but at the end of the season sale, they were affordable and apparently well worth it! I've worn them and worn them and they still have a long life ahead of them!

I really thought I was dodging a bullet on the hair highlights, I commented to my precious hairdresser that I didn't need to come as often, only to find out the reason is because of greying! I'd call that premature, but you all know how old I am!

No one's life is perfect, but I have an amazing husband and wonderful kids, great extended family and we are so very blessed for everything!

"For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it." 1 Tim 6:7

Where has the time gone?

Good day class,
It has been a quite active few weeks...from the Men's Retreat, Ladies Night, Beast Feast, and many of us in and out of town.  I hope everyone has been doing well.  I don't have many updates for the class, but to just remind you all of the departmental fellowship this week.

If you haven't signed up for anything, please let me know and I'll forward it on.  Looking forward to seeing you Friday!

Dean

Character: do you have it or are you one?

"He is such a character". "She has so much character." Hmmmm. Which one describes you? Actually, saying someone is a character is a form of endearment in our family. It usually means someone has an extra dose of personality. You have heard the term, "character counts", we are studying the endangered parts of character the next five weeks in our Life Group. Today we looked at courage and how that courage fights our fear. Courage in the areas of spiritual, moral and relational. God equips us fully and relays this fact to us in 2 Timothy 1:7 - "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (ESV). Beginning Sunday, May 1st, we will explore the other five areas of endangered character including discipline, confidence, patience, endurance and contentment. Join us at 9:15ish for class, to learn more about character, and possibly meet a few! Allison

Quick Update

Class, I hope everyone is having a great week.  Continue to be in prayer for each other as we all are in a busy time of the year. 

Garrett has concluded our study on Praise and will be leading us into a new study about Character.  Please plan on kicking off this study with us this Sunday, April 18th. 

Looking forward to seeing you Sunday.  Take care and God Bless!

Dean

Praise You In This Storm

In this morning's class, Sarah mentioned one family's cling to the song by Casting Crowns, "I Will Praise You In This Storm."  If you don't know the lyrics or have not heard the song, here are the lyrics:

I was sure by now
God you would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as You mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will life my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Wow!

What a great class this week?  We were blessed with a couple of visitors and great attendance. 

I hope everyone is doing well this week.  Continue to pray for your class members from the prayer request list that I'll be forwarding shortly, as well as the updates provided by Sarah the past couple of days.  A big thanks for her contribution in keeping us updated regardless of the situation.

For those not going to Cloudcroft next weekend, you should have received an email from Christy about LIFE fellowship.  Also, for that Sunday, Dan from the GAP class has agreed to fill in and teach our class. 

Thanks for all you do and your committement to the Lord and Southcrest.  See you soon.

Dean

Say Y-E-S to VBS!

Southcrest VBS is coming up June 6 to 10, it is time to save the date! It is a great time for kids to experience God in a way that is tailor made for their age through crafts, games, videos and lessons. The kids always enjoy it immensely and such a large undertaking does not go without a lot of work from the church staff and volunteers. So save the date for your kids and contact Pam with the children's ministry department and see what you can do to help! Danny Henderson has the exact figures, but VBS is still one of the number one ways that children learn about our Savior and make a decision to follow Christ. Now that is a reason to say Y-E-S!