Aldi love
Our new friend
Roasted Acorn Squash. Delish.
Not too proud to admit we’ve been obsessed with crescent rolls lately
Birthday Party for a friend at City Arts. Very cool.
Color
Operation Christmas Child. Some cool kids organized this event at our church.
What to send her?
Packing up and praying for sweet kids
I like that the trees take turns with color explosions
Lovely church building
Manual labor
Fishing for leaves
Your 7 Days?
My sweet oldest often jolts me.
We were talking about the nuances of a few holiday activities. I pointed out one was different than another.
He goes, “But it’s still fun. Calm fun.”
Yes. Calm fun.
I often get caught up in the performance lie that if the energy isn’t high or laughter loud, fun isn’t had. Even though that is far from the experience I seek in the majority of my day to day life.
Calm fun. Reading near each other, sincere talks with people we love, board games and cider, laughter with the tinge of sadness so recurrent amidst our cultural climate. Making a Thanksgiving pie in companionable silence. Driving over the river and through the woods while watching the sun set.
I don’t know what your holiday week will look like. I hope it is full of fun: the throw-your-head-back with laughter and light a fire and pray kind.
Goodness knows this world and our souls need both.
“On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai:
‘Speak to Zerubbabel…governor of Judah, to Joshua…the high priest, and to the remnant of the people.
Ask them,
‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?
But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD.
‘Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’
(Haggai 2:1-5)
A month and a half after the first, a second word came through Haggai. Remember the people had obeyed God’s first word and “came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God…” (Hag 1:14b)
The fact that they had to “come and begin” points out something good for us to remember: Not all of the returning exiles made their homes in Jerusalem. Many were from other cities, and settled in their respective towns.
They had gathered as one man in Jerusalem the second year back to rebuild the altar and reestablish the celebration of their feasts. But after the discouragement and frustration from the peoples around, they settled back in their cities to work on their own homes.
I like this little piece of information. Mostly because often the internal growth and external service God calls us to is just plain inconvenient.
It is hard to change. It stings to confess sin. It takes real effort to forge new patterns and break old cycles.
It takes energy to invest in others. It requires refocusing vision to fix our eyes on what is Unseen. It takes courage to be humble and refuse the shame and blame cycle and to pray and give and forgive and serve and love from the heart.
He may not be asking us to pack our extra tunic and some food for the road, to kiss our families goodbye and head back to Jerusalem to build indefinitely.
But He is asking us something. Otherwise we wouldn’t still be here.
So what is it for you? I don’t know yours. But I know mine. Often we know our own so well that when someone else barely nudges it, it pierces us.
Let’s have courage and obey. He is worth any inconvenience and will take care of our reputation if we simply let go and let Him.
“Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?”
Don’t you love Him? He knows us so well. Anyone over the age of 70, maybe even our prophet Haggai himself, had seen the glory of Solomon’s previous temple and knew this one paled in comparison.
Yes, He knows when it’s hard to obey. When it seems as though nothing about your baby steps will ever amount to something glorious. In the next section, God has Haggai give our exiles wonderful new reasons to continue.
But today is all about His Presence.
Obviously a month and a half into their obedience they needed a fresh reminder. And probably another kick-start. After all, we are talking about the Seventh Month again, Tishri. They all “came and began” in the sixth month and then headed right into the most holy month with the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.
And we know their celebration of the harvest was meager that year.
So one more reminder. To do the next right thing and leave any glory up to Him. One more courageous call to “Be strong…and work.”
Why?
“For I am with you.
My Spirit remains among you.
Do not fear.”
So important: Next Tuesday the 24th from Noon – 1:00, come to Central Library to talk about finding solutions for Wichita Public Transportation. “…funding a transit system that is available early and late hours and reaches all parts of the City is a challenge. Learn more about options being considered to keep Wichita’s transit viable and sustainable far into the future.” So many rely on this system. Let’s help make it work.
Tonight from 6-8, Watermark will be hosting The Crowsons for “bluegrassical music.” Come and join in.
Watermark is also hosting an In-Store Book Fair on behalf of Price-Harris Elementary School on Saturday the 21st from 8:00-5:00. 20% of sales will go towards the school and the afternoon will be full of music by the students. Performances begin at 2:00. See full schedule here.
I cannot believe it’s that time already, but the Bradley Fair Tree Lighting will be this Saturday the 21st at 5:30. In addition, free horse-drawn carriage rides will begin Saturday from 6-10 p.m. These will continue Friday and Saturday nights through December 19th.
Tonight from 4:00 – 8:00, Tree Top Nursery is hosting a Ladies’ Christmas Night. Receive 25% off merchandise, enjoy live music, refreshments and a gift with purchase.
Starlite Drive-In’s Facebook page is offering a chance to win cash for sharing a post. As always, $13 for a carload for 3 movies on Friday and Saturday nights – with a free space heater! It’s a treat our city has a drive-in…let’s support it.
Game Night at Reverie Saturday the 21st from 6-8.
Come to New Market Square this Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. and donate blood to the American Red Cross. Help save a life.
Gifts in the Gallery opens this weekend at City Arts. Come to the Grand Opening from 10 -4 to find one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts and support local artists. The Spice Merchant will even be there with coffee.
Looks like the Indoor Kansas Grown Farmers Market will be open this Saturday beginning at 8:00 a.m. Located at 21st and Ridge at the Sedgwick County Extension Office.
This looks great: This Saturday the Wichita All Business group is sponsoring a local shopping event at Northwest High School. Come from 9:00-2:00 to shop local vendors and help raise money for Northwest’s Future Educators Association to attend the National NEA Conference in Washington, D.C.
Library:
Tonight from 6-7 at Rockwell, come to the Mustache Bash. It is No-Shave November: tackle mustache trivia, make your own ‘stache, and take a selfie in the photo booth. Ages 8-11
Come to Central Saturday the 21st to create decorations to remind you to be thankful. Ages 5 and up from 2:30-3:30
At Alford on Sunday from 2:30-4:00, kids ages 8-14 can drop in to play board games and other activities.
At Evergreen on Saturday, come from 2:30-3:30 to make your own Minecraft face and go on a scavenger hunt.
And at Linwood on Monday night from 6-6:45, come get messy with interactive art.
Have a fabulous weekend!
Raspberry Fingers
School Concert
Ice cream after
Get Dad
Quick check before work
And our new little friend was born last night. Love.
Your 7 Days?
I don’t understand.
I don’t understand how going to the theater turns into a funeral
I don’t understand how blaming those fleeing for their lives makes any sense.
I don’t understand how hatred toward a whole people group solves anything.
I don’t understand why there were two terrorist attacks this week and mainstream media only reported on one.
I don’t understand.
————————————————-
I understand.
I understand this isn’t Heaven.
I understand that God is sovereign and intimate, just and kind.
I understand our need to stand with the wounded and champion those who have no one to tell their story.
I understand the poor in spirit, the meek, the mourning are called blessed in Jesus’ Kingdom.
I understand not a sparrow falls without Him knowing.
I understand we don’t have to understand right now. Because He does.
I understand one day we will all understand.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…
“Then Zerubabbel…Joshua…and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.” (Haggai 1:12)
I love that the people obeyed.
They repented and began to finish the main reason they were sent back to Jerusalem: rebuilding Temple. I’m sure drought in place of rain and holes in their purses helped them along the right course. It often takes painful consequences in my life, too.
I appreciate that God wasn’t pretending the people didn’t have legitimate needs; He knew they did. He was asking them to prioritize His Work first. The rest would follow.
Sounds a lot like the command to “seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”
What deception is easy for you to buy into when struggling to put Kingdom Work and Kingdom Righteousness first? Something I’m doing just this week in an area: find three verses of Truth that speak into that pretense that is robbing you of life and joy and purpose. Say those verses over and over until Truth is more powerful and more life-giving and more experientially real than the ugly lie.
For:
Repentance. Obedience. But one more reason for seeking hard after His Work – my favorite:
“Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people:
‘I am with you,’ declares the LORD.
So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel…and the spirit of Joshua…and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God…” (Hag. 1:13-14a)
What we won’t do to know He’s with us. What balm that is to us, to our hearts. What courage it gives and willingness to face opposition.
He is everything.
And if He is with us?
It makes it all worth it.
And the people feared the LORD…and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God.
Today from 3:30-4:30 is a free business forum at the WSU Center for Entrepreneurship. These regular, quality forums are free and open to the public. Today’s topic will be the MakerSpace Revolution in Wichita.
Do you know about Winter Wednesdays at the Zoo? Admission is only $2.50 per person for all the Wednesdays from November to February. Bundle up and see some wildlife with friends.
This is 2nd Saturday. Shop local, try new vendors, save money!
This looks fun: Eric Fisher Academy is hosting a free Holiday Make-up Workshop this Saturday. Come learn from instructors and hands-on application to find a new, festive look for your Christmas parties.
Register for Saturday’s Lowe’s Build & Grow event to make your own pull-back car.
Come sing karaoke November 15th at Mead’s Corner to help raise funds for the Wichita Women’s Winter Shelter.
Purchase your tickets now for the Youth Horizon’s benefit Christmas concert. You will not want to miss this night of beautiful music helping to continue beautiful mentoring work with at-risk youth.
Library:
This Saturday the 14th, come to Central Branch from 2:30-3:30 to learn some new indoor games for colder weather. Lint rollers will be involved. Ages 5 and up.
Also Saturday, any time from 1-5, come to Angelou Branch to make a craft based on Is Your Mama a Llama?.
Evergreen Branch is hosting a Family Fun Night on Tuesday the 17th from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Stories and crafts about the moon and stars for ages 3 and up with their families.
Westlink’s Family Fun Time will be tonight at 6:30 and Saturday at 2:30. Have fun with Mo Willems’ book Elephant and Piggie with music, dancing and surprises. Call 337-9456 to register.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Starting to see these more
Our neighbor makes his own bullets for Cowboy Action Shooting competitions.
Sometimes I forget this is practically in our back yard
Flowers beckon
Smoothies on the porch before school
My man’s sunrise camping shot
Getting used to the idea
Sweet friend leading
She wasn’t scared
Present opening time. “Everyone take one big step back.”
Hours of entertainment
Your 7 Days?
This weekend filled my soul.
My husband went camping with friends and the boys, giving me 17 hours of complete alone time. I was refreshed and accomplished some things at the same time.
The beauty of this autumn has me enchanted. We celebrated our friend’s fifth birthday with pony rides in the November afternoon sun. The kids bandied about hedge apples, played King of the Hill on a sand pile, and devoured apples and caramel.
I got to sample essential oils at one friend’s house and play with jewelry at another’s – all without pressure to buy. Just conversation and connecting.
The boys and I rummaged through barely-used baby clothes to pass onto our newest little friend arriving soon. Nostalgia and gratitude overwhelm me when we bring out baby paraphernalia. He has always been so faithful to our family.
Watching my boy practice for a Christmas concert – and being an eye witness to the work that goes into accomplishing such a performance – made me grateful to our community.
And falling asleep on the couch watching football with my man rounded out a weekend of purpose and joy.
I have enjoyed learning to ride the waves of life’s ebbs and flows. In between intense battle and struggle He is faithful to grant times of refreshment.
I’m learning to embrace both.
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How do you fill your soul?
