Heat wave in December 2012

Breaking record high temps for the last few days.  Had to turn on the AC.  whew.

In my personal Bible Study--and as an old lady, I have the luxury of sipping coffee and reading and re-reading chapters of the Bible--a luxury busy moms of small children do not have.  But, I have been amazed at how God has drawn me to certain chapters, reading and re-reading and pondering and taking notes in the Genesis story again.  But, then, after a certain amazing sermon--given me the tantalizing strength to tackle Ephesians.  a book I usually avoid like the plague as Paul can be a bit technical, arguementative and hard-- but broken down into its parts, with a couple of running starts, I still wonder if it is a book to be read aloud in one sitting?  Why don't we do that then?  Or, was it to be studied? Piece by piece.  I have known preachers who take YEARS to get through it verse by verse, word by word.  And then when lifted out---certain passages scrape and grate against me. 

And I ply my husband at home with questions.  Like i should.  But, oh, to see the forrest and not just the trees that is Ephesians.  i noticed again this morning, that Paul seems to hint of an earlier book that explains the Mystery of Christ and the Church?  Now I shall ask which book is that?  For he seems to direct us back there. 

And Ephesians seems to remind me that we can't just sit home alone, for God designed something much bigger--we are part of Christ's Body.  Designed to work in the group God calls and knits together.  This is good to remember when I desire to jump ship.  It is so discouraging to hear our own Pastor badmouth another pastor, and to hear our own pastor badmouth David Barton.  It is tempting to put the house up for sale, move to Denton and attend Denton Bible Church.  There is nothing to hold us here.  Where would God have us serve?  Sometimes the messages and Bible Studies at our local church are good.  But, God seems to be holding the numbers down, seats empty, leadership thin and a woeful lack of mature teachers for the kids, teens.  The bulletin is mostly social.  And may I say I am not a fan of plays and crappy praise songs?  Hey, this is my online journal.  This is where I dump. 

Let us return to Ephesians.  Ephesians shouts unity, tolerance, being a part---because even as marriage is a power the enemy cannot stand, the church, the local body of believers, growing, struggling, working, serving each other and the community---is something the enemy hates even more.  How dare I critisize.  How dare we eat each other. 

But part of me was almost glad that we were called away to a more wild and hands on service last night.  Instead of the Lord's Supper---which our local church does wrong and only twice a year at best, we were called to a hospital room and a little guy wanting sloppy joes.  God works in mysterious ways.