You are Cordially Invited...

I finally figured out why my church parking lot is jam packed every Thursday morning.  Yep, Thursday morning, in addition to Sunday.

It's called Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) and it has revolutionized my life.

Think I'm being overly dramatic?  Nope.

It really has been inspiring for me to dedicate my Thursday mornings to a time of thought provoking discussion, inspirational teaching and disciplined study of the Bible.

My preschool aged kids have benefited too.  They get their own version of the same lesson, complete with play time, music time, Bible lesson, quiet time and rhythm time.  Anyone can attend at no cost and the amazing study notes and reading resources are provided, free for the taking.

Is there a catch?  Um....... yes.....  I'm not going to lie.  If you are looking for a coffee klatch and zero homework, this gig is not for you.  If you're looking for a "feel good, whatever works for you" approach to reading the Bible, that leaves you stumbling around and wondering if anything really makes any sense, you won't get that here either.

But if you are willing to entertain the idea that there is a group of people out there that have developed a systematic way to study the Bible that inspires, invigorates you and changes how you live your life, the homework is a small price to pay.

I'll be honest, it's been my first year (they run on a school calendar schedule) and I have not been a stellar student.  I've had to sit and be quiet because I didn't answer the study questions ahead of time.  My kids have often missed playtime as I struggled to make it before my group started on the third question.  There's been a fair share of kicking (by my kids) and screaming (by me) to load up the van and hustle up to get there.  While I'm working to improve in those areas, I've been encouraged, knowing that it's not my perfection that I seek, but God's perfection.  I'm learning about His wisdom through His Word.

When I leave BSF, I am encouraged, challenged and renewed to face the daily struggles of life with grace.

And guess what?  You don't have to go to my church, or any church, for that matter, to get in on the action.  So I'm inviting you to an Introduction Class.  Test drive it for yourself and see what you think.  Because it is an Introduction, they will not have childcare available for you for that first class.  The kids have to be preregistered, but you can sign them up when you attend the first class.  If Thursday mornings don't work, they have other classes for women, men, young adults and kids around the world.  You can check out their class offerings here.

I hope you'll join me.

What Would Wall-E Do?

I've been very strict about which movies I'll let my kids watch. Consequently, I don't spend a lot of time watching movies either. However, one movie that I (and not at the behest of my kids) will actually watch again and again is Wall-E. Sure, the movie is for kids, but it's a poignant reminder of how we impact the world.

I could go on and on about the ramifications of the environment and the more obvious message the movie presents, but the thing that really struck me about this movie is the hopefulness that Wall-E exudes. You see, it's not just enough that this poor ol' robot has been attempting to clean the earth by compacting an overwhelming overflow of trash. He's been at it for over 700 YEARS!!!! Although he longs for companionship, he never wavers at doing his thing. He hopes. He endures. He outlasts all the other Wall-E models and eventually gets to meet Eve.

Every time Wall-E interacted with another robot or person, he offered a polite handshake, another nicety that seems so out of place in this hectic, computerized, individualized world we live in. The people who met him remembered him because of his willingness to serve. I know, I'm talking about a fictitious film with an animated droid as a superhero. But it gave me pause. What if I always had hope about the future, even if it would be 700 years before my dreams were realized? What if I put others first and looked to help them, no matter how overwhelming the clutter of life seems to be?

So, there you have it. Wall-E is a great witness for having hope. If a computerized machine with no soul can have a heart, then maybe there's hope for the rest of us.

---

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9 (NIV)