The preschool classes shared today in chapel the story of Creation. They also sang songs, did echo prayers and guided the service. When it comes to preschool chapels you never know what to expect since the preschoolers could do any of a number of fun things. My favorite part of the service today was the echo prayer where the prayer was talking about our mouths and hearts and hands and how they were for God’s use but on hands instead of the child saying “and hands to do Your will” he said “and hands…to yourself.” Also the children were lined up with posters about creation and when they were asked to lift their posters high so everyone could see it one child lifted it high above his hand facing him instead of the congregation. Puts a smile on my face!
August 6, 2008
Journeying while sitting still
I am still experiencing the mission trip through the Alaska Mission presentation by Amy and Carol. How amazing it is to be able to travel with them without going anywhere! What strikes me most about their presentation is how important it is to shut things off once in awhile. In Matthew 14:23 it says, “after sending the people away, he went up a mountain to pray by himself. When evening came, he was there alone.” and Mark 1:35 “In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray.”
Jesus’ acted this way because He understood distraction. His prayer life was based on times for being alone, quiet, without distraction. I can safely assume by His actions that Jesus wouldn’t have had His MP3 player stuck in His ears or His mobile phone handy to send a text message in the middle of His prayers. Distraction was minimized in order to focus His mind on His Father. Even Jesus recognized the importance of time apart. Amy said in her presentation that her understanding of God’s presence was stronger without the city life, noise, schedule and distraction.
I hope you can take a journey with them and follow their example both in participating in a mission trip or at least finding that distraction-less refuge to spend time in God’s presence alone. Find a place, a time today, why not now?
