As I get settled into work mode today, I am very excited for the future and want to share! A great friend of mine Jayci invited us to visit her church this morning. Though it was quite the travel (lee's summit to grainvalley) and getting 3 kids, mom and dad motivated and ready and even all our teeth brushed to drive 45 minutes for church. As I drove up to the church, I was excited for the change of pace. We didn't have to park 1.6 blocks away due to no parking, there wasn't a crosswalk with 8 church members directing traffic to get us to our crowed foyer to fight for a good seat! The greeting to the small, down to earth, dressed down, kids running around, people introducing themselves as though we were at a family BBQ, feel good church was a pleasant refreshing experience. Pastor Daryl really feels like there is a REVELATION coming and it starts with yourself, heart and talking and truely listening to God. Can I hear Him? Am I truely listening? Do I want to hear God or am I scared to death? These are the questions that are going through my mind.
In church service a great story was told and I want to share it:
A little girl was walking down the street when she past a Five and Dime store(for those that don't know what that is it's like a thrift store) and saw a pearl necklace. She thought that was the prettiest necklace she'd ever seen (fake and plastic), so she worked around the house to earn enough money to go buy that necklace. She wore that pearl necklace EVERYWHERE! She wore them in the bath, to bed and never took that necklace off. One night her daddy walked in and said "baby girl, I have a question for you...DO YOU LOVE ME?" and that little girl said "of course dad...duh!" and He said "will you give me your necklace?" and she replied "but Daddy that is my favorite necklace, please don't ask me for that. So He said "ok, nevermind"
The next night her daddy walked in and sat by her bed and asked the same question and again, she responded the same "Daddy of course I love you but I love this necklace" and once again...He said "ok, that's ok" Each night he did the same thing and asked her the same question until one night He asked again and this time the little girl said with tears in her eyes..."your my daddy and I love you so much daddy...here is my necklace" and her Daddy with tears in his eyes took that fake, scratched, tattered pearl necklace and put it in his pocket and reached in the other pocket and presented her with a long black box and inside was a dazzling, new, real pearl necklace! Moral of the story is this: God wants us to give all that we have and He will make sure that everything else is new, dazzling and REAL! I for one hold on to things that are fake, tattered and scratched...can I let go of my pearl necklace?
Ive always thought that a Christian was suppose to look a CERTAIN WAY, ACT A CERTAIN WAY, BE A CERTAIN WAY and what I am realizing is God wants me just the way I am tattered, scratched and sometimes even fake. He wants me just the way I am...He made me in all His glory! You know what I say to that "whew...thank God!"
So that is where my heart is this afternoon...I think I have a few necklaces that I could give to Him!
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Kristin~ I completely understand where your coming from when you talk about having to park far away, feeling welcomed as if it's your family BBQ, and the church just feeling like home. My husband and I were going to Sheffield Family Life (off of Winner Rd) it's HUGE! I love the diversity of the church but my goodness it is so huge and I always felt like constantly us members were being asked to give more give more. I understand the need to give but when your already doing your part, you know? What an inspiring story. It sounds like it was worth the 45 minute drive? All the wonderful vibes you got, it always feels good leaving church and feeling like you were in the presence of the Lord :) Thank you for sharing such a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteLove you bunches!
Thanks Jenny, you just made my day even better! XOXO
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