Sharing Love

Carol Cook May 3, 2018 No Comments

Her name is Xiomara. She is probably five or six years old, very small for your age. She has beautiful dark eyes and hair and a beautiful smile. She came to both sessions of our Bible School during our time in El Salvador which means that she was not attending her regular school (or it might mean that she didn’t attend school at all). She would come through the door, directly to me, give me a big hug and climb up in my lap. All through our lessons, she sat by me. She spoke no English and I speak very little Spanish, but we shared love with each other. If you ask me why I do international mission work, it’s because of the children I have enjoyed working with for just a few days at a time. We enjoyed learning familiar songs in Spanish like “Jesus Loves Me,” “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” “Father Abraham,” and even “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmitt.” (That is Scott’s personal favorite!) We played games that were familiar like “Simon Says,” “Red Light, Green Light,” and “Duck, Duck Goose.” They loved to play catch with balls and push Scott around in his wheel chair. It was not unusual for six or seven kids to be sitting with Scott in his wheelchair at any given time. We made crafts and shared familiar Bible Stories with the kids. But most of all, we shared love with them and they shared love for us. The last session was hard for all of us. As our plane took off for home from San Salvador on that Saturday, I cried because I didn’t want to leave my friends. If I could have gotten Xiomara in my suitcase, I would have brought her home with me.

You don’t have to go to El Salvador to have the same kinds of experiences here in our neighborhoods. There are many children in our community who need to feel the love of an adult hugging them and telling them that their color sheet is beautiful. They need to hear the stories of Jesus and learn more about His love for us. We will be having an opportunity to do just that on the first two weeks of June. I hope you will take an opportunity to volunteer for our Vacation Bible School. Your time with the children will be so important to you and to them. If you need more information, contact Chris Tench or sign up on our website. If you are not able to volunteer, then pray for our VBS – that we will make a difference in the lives of children all over our community.

God Bless,
Rev. Carol Cook

Life Lessons from My Crochet Basket

Carol Cook April 5, 2018 No Comments

I have always enjoyed doing things with my hands. My grandmother taught me to sew and embroider when I was a teenager and through the years I have learned ceramics, stained glass, counted cross-stitch and quilting. Most recently, I taught myself to crochet. Crocheting for a left-handed person can be difficult because most directions and patterns are written for right-handed people. But after much practice and patience, I can do most any pattern and I find it relaxing to sit in a quiet place and focus on a pattern that will make something useful and beautiful.
While working on my latest project, it occurred to me that there are several life lessons that are reinforced as I use my hook and yarn. Here are two:

1. The old saying, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well” certainly applies to everything, including a crochet pattern. It takes practice to do even stitches with just the right tension. It is important to follow the pattern and keep up with the stitch count. Having just one stitch too few or too many makes the pattern not work. So often we go through life haphazardly, not preparing for what we know will come our way or following the guides that are there to help us. The Bible comes to mind. If we don’t familiarize ourselves with God’s word and follow the teachings found there, our lives don’t turn out useful or beautiful.

2. There are always “do overs.” When I make a mistake in reading my pattern and something doesn’t match or fit, I can pull out the stitches and correct my mistake. Sometimes I catch the mistake quickly and only have to pull out a few stitches, other times I don’t catch it until later and I have to pull out many rows of stitches. There have even been times when I have just had to start over with new thread. It’s important to remember that we get “do overs” in life, as well. We are not perfect – God knows that and is ready to forgive us when we make a mistake. It may take work to repair the mistake, but with patience and our guidebook, we can move forward.

I’m sure that you can think of other lessons, and I hope that you will. But what I want to remind myself this day is that life takes work, it takes being mindful and aware, it takes patience, it takes diligence and it cannot be lived alone. God guides me through His Word and through the work of the Holy Spirit. I need to focus on Him and the direction He gives me. I am a part of a community and can learn from and be helped by others. It is then that my life will be useful and beautiful.

I also think that we need to be reminded of these lessons in our churches. The Church is the Body of Christ. It is care and growth that requires us to be our best and give our best. Sometimes we don’t focus on God as we should. Sometimes we are selfish. Sometimes we are apathetic. Sometimes we don’t take God seriously. And from this lack of focus, the church loses its power to transform the world. God expects us to give freely and diligently of our prayer, presence, gifts, service and witness so that world can be made a useful and beautiful place. Lord, let it be so!!!

God Bless,
Rev. Carol Cook