This cookbook has inspired all sorts of fun in the boys’ minds

Making pumpkin cupcakes

Making friends smile

Making friends travel

Making smoothies

Making Friday nights about family

 

Your 7 Days?

God and I have been working very hard on the aspect of leadership lately. I love how He designed leading others with the intention of serving. But also for the way servant leadership refines us.

 

I am feeling raw about it all, as I teared up multiple times in a meeting yesterday with people I love – who happen to be three fabulous leaders themselves. Leadership forces you to own up to shortcomings for the sake of the people you serve. Not always fun, but, if we let it, character building.

I am fascinated by all things personality, including the Strengths Finder and Strengths-Based Leadership. Saw this one at the library last week and gleaned a couple of helpful nuggets.

 

But, in my opinion, the best resource for leadership for those who seek to be under God’s authority and point people to Him is The Making of a Leader by J. Robert Clinton. Many people I respect have recommended his work to me over the years, and a couple years ago I took the leap.

 

I have since read different sections multiple times and the whole thing straight through once (I think). Clinton scours the lives of different spiritual leaders from the Bible, the past, and the present, and identifies the Biblical principles God used to grow them.

 

And the bottom line for spiritual leadership is: Ministry flows out of being.

 

God uses testing, conflict, crises, failure, relationships and spiritual warfare in a developing leader’s life to change the leader. In Clinton’s words:

“Quality leadership does not come easily. It requires time, experience, and repeated instances of maturity processing. Mature ministry flows from a mature character, formed in the graduate school of life. Ministry can be successful through giftedness alone; but a leader whose ministry skills outstrip his character formation will eventually falter. A mature, successful ministry flows from one who has both ministry skills and character that has been mellowed, developed, and ripened by God’s maturity processing. Character formation is fundamental.

Ministry flows out of being.” (pg 145)

 

One of the biggest areas of growth for a developing leader seems to be what Clinton calls The Authority Problem. Leaders often want to do just that: lead. But, more often than not, what God wants first from them is to follow. To learn how to submit to the authority in their lives, whether or not they agree with that authority. After all, anyone can submit when they are on board. It is a greater challenge to trust the Ultimate Authority’s heart behind the imperfect – but proper – human authority in the developing leader’s life when he or she disagrees with a decision.

 

But by trusting the sovereignty of God in their submission, developing leaders learn the beauty of His faithfulness to them.

 

We are a generation that, overall, doesn’t seem too interested in the chain of authority or submission or setting aside our rights. But it appears to be one of God’s main ways of learning to trust Him, knowing how to use spiritual authority for the sake of others, and developing our character.

 

Ministry flows out of being.

 

 

—————————————–

 

Ever read this book? Or learned important lessons about authority and character in your life?

“When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said,

 

‘Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.'” (Ezra 4:1 & 2)

Enter our peoples around. They’ve been watching. Our exiles have rebuilt the altar. They’ve begun sacrificing and resuming their holy days and feasts. And now the foundation is laid.

The sounds of joy and weeping, not to mention the trumpets, have been heard from far away.

 

And so they come.

 

Do you remember who our peoples around are? They are Samaritans, mostly peoples of surrounding nations the King of Assyria had brought in 180 or so years ago to replace the 10 Northern tribes he had drug out. These foreigners intermarried with any Israelites who remained in the land. In addition, due to a situation with lions, the peoples around were instructed on how to worship the God of Israel.

 

However, their worship was mixed with worship of other gods.

 

This is not a good idea.

 

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob demands all our allegiance. Not for some sort of insecurity on His part. But for sanity, peace, and joy on our part.

 

And because He’s worthy.

As readers, we have the advantage of seeing the Samaritans described as “the enemies of Judah and Benjamin.” We know allowing them to help is probably not a good idea. But what will our exiles do?

 

“But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered,

 

‘You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

(Ezra 4:3)

 

This looks harsh. Why not accept help? And why so blunt?

 

It is hard for us to understand what it was like during Old Testament Israel to have God’s emphasis on one nation. It was a savage world. Every nation for themselves. No United Nations or rules of engagement.

 

When the God of Angel Armies fought for tiny Israel, everyone knew their God was mighty.

But everyone also had their gods. It was a polytheistic world. Worshiping only one god was ridiculous. You had to appease different gods for different things. Want your crops to grow? Make sure you’re good and sacrifice to that god. Need to have lots of children? Placate the god of fertility.

 

And our band of exiles had learned experientially what happens when they try to represent to the watching world the Most High God Who created all and worship the gods of other nations: captivity.

 

So being firm and declining their enemies’ “help” was a stand of obedience ensuring that the Temple they rebuild to worship Covenant Yahweh wasn’t mixed with idolatry.

 

How about us? I’m so grateful worshiping the One True God is no longer connected to a national identity or His Presence subjected to the Temple.

 

During this time on God’s kingdom calendar, the flood gates are wide open. With the coming of Jesus and the outpouring of His Spirit, people from every tribe, tongue, and nation are hearing about and bowing down to the One Who seeks those who worship Him in spirit and truth.

But as His followers, we still show a watching world what He is like. And when we’re tempted to take our allegiance to Him and mix it with devotion to lesser things, our worship, too, is tainted with idolatry.

 

Asking myself at the same time: what is it for you?

 

Your reputation? Money? Success? Comfort? Control? Security?

 

And if any of those are of higher allegiance in our hearts than Him, how will we know? And what will we do?

 

I believe the answer is: His Word.

 

Without the clarity that comes from the Sharp Sword, we so easily get confused. And I don’t just mean we should read once in a while or at church.

Daily.

Bathe your mind in the Truth of the Holy Scriptures. Memorize and meditate. Let it rewire your brain. Let it expose your idols. Ask Him to give you a pure heart. He is merciful and a Good Shepherd. He will walk us through our struggles.

 

The world is watching. Let’s show them He alone satisfies.

 

And invite them to bow down.

Wichita on the Cheap has a great compilation of area Fall Farm Fun. Pumpkin patches, corn mazes, petting zoos and more.

The Sedgwick County Zoo is accepting donations of plants for their Tropics, Gorilla Forest, Orangutan and Chimpanzee Habitats. Bring plants to the zoo from 9:00 to 4:00 this Saturday and Sunday. See details on what types they need here.

 

Wichita Kid Fest is hosting their Inflate-A-Fest this Saturday from 9-4 at Century II. For a $5 admission, you can access 15 giant inflatables, rides and games, vendors and more.

 

Game Night at Reverie this Saturday night from 6-8.

Library:

In Back to the Future, Marty McFly arrived in the year 2015. This Saturday the 17th, come to Alford Branch to speculate what life will be like in 2045. Food and a movie, too. Ages 12-17.

On Monday the 19th, Westlink is hosting a Minecraft event from 2:30-3:30 for ages 8-10. You can make a Minecraft face and go on a scavenger hunt.

Have you been participating in The Big Read? Westlink will be hosting a book discussion on Into the Beautiful North on Tuesday from 1-2.

 

Have a great weekend with people you love!

Spectacular mums

This little pumpkin flower arrangement caught our eye the other day, so we pulled over to check it out

And met a kind lady and her dog

New friends

Friends are good to me

Fun river sighting

October sky

Four Square (sort of)

Swinging never gets old

White pumpkins are fascinating

Friends

 

We had Pumpkin Waffles with Cream Cheese

He was a fan

So were they

Transformers

 

Your 7 Days?

Our small group recently finished The Search for Significance by Robert McGee. We took our time through it, which I appreciate. There is a quote from the last chapter that I’ve been thinking through the past couple of weeks:

 

“…situations trigger false beliefs. In those situations there are almost always individuals whom we blame for our emotions. We think, I feel this way because of Harry. We become upset with Harry both for what he did and for our own response.

 

The next time you become upset and blame someone for your response, think about your tube of toothpaste. This morning you squeezed your toothpaste tube, and out of it came toothpaste. The reason the toothpaste came out is because that is what is in the tube. Someone may have squeezed you once, and out of you may have come responses that were really ungodly, maybe even embarrassing. You blame another for your responses, but you have to understand that what came out of you is what was in you.

 

Often, God allows us to undergo troubling circumstances so that we can see what is inside of us.” (pg 146)

 

This is not what I want to hear.

 

When every detail in a situation is going badly, and the reaction from me is unkind, I want to blame the situation. Or the people involved in the situation. But I can’t. Unkindness came out because my heart is sinful.

The idea that God allows us to be in these situations so we can see what’s in us sounds…mean. But it is actually a great grace.

 

When we tootle along as if we’re basically good people, it is easy to think, I got this. We rely on ourselves, maintaining deep community doesn’t seem as crucial, and we give God a few cursory glances at best.

 

But when we’re allowed to see the depth of our sinfulness, our need for a Savior goes from something we needed once to save us eternally to Someone we need moment by moment every day. To save us from ourselves.

 

And we learn that He’s got this.

 

As long as we’re squeezed in this life, some sin will inevitably come out. Perfection lies in the future.

 

But as He makes us more like Him, the more we’re squeezed, the more His character in us will flow through.

 

And a thirsty world will enjoy a taste of those streams of Living Water.

 

“When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

Our exiles have the foundation laid. This is big. We know the foundation is the most important part of a building. The portion that connects to the shifting earth and holds the weight of the rest of the building shouldn’t be taken lightly.

But this foundation also represented the beginning of God’s fulfillment to His people. And their reaction was mixed:

“And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.  No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.” (Ezra 3:11b – 13)

Those who were around before the exile remembered. Solomon’s temple was far grander, built with many more resources. But there was likely more to their grief, as age tends to open our eyes to what matters most.

The reason our group is rebuilding is due to the sin that led them into exile. And although this temple would be built, it will be missing an important element:

The Mercy Seat.

This mercy seat was essentially the cover or lid to the Ark of the Covenant, which God had Moses build. This Ark was a chest of acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold. Inside the stone tablets were placed which contained the Ten Commandments.

And over this, God had Moses make an atonement cover, or mercy seat. He instructed him to make two cherubim out of gold, facing each other on top of the cover.

It was here, on that Mercy Seat, when once a year the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle blood to atone for Israel’s sins.

And now, due to the destruction God allowed King Neb to wield because of His people’s sin, the Ark and its Mercy Seat were gone.

It would be 500 years before the True Mercy Seat would walk on planet earth. Until then, many who understood likely grieved.

I think it’s interesting the book of Ezra points out that “the sound was heard far away (vs 13).” As in, the peoples around heard them.

Even in the Old Testament, when God’s main focus is on one nation, He makes sure the surrounding nations hear about Him. His love toward Israel was never just for Israel.

Besides, He always has good news for those who grieve with their hope in Him:

“When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion,

we were like men who dreamed.

Our mouths were filled with laughter,

our tongues with songs of joy.

Then it was said among the nations,

‘The LORD has done great things for them.’

The LORD has done great things for us,

and we are filled with joy…

Those who sow in tears

will reap with songs of joy.

He who goes out weeping,

carrying seed to sow,

will return with songs of joy,

carrying sheaves with him.”

There is always a spiritual harvest for those who allow God to use their grief for His glory.

The LORD has done great things for us,

and we are filled with joy.

Yes! This is 2nd Saturday.

 

You can build a Haunted Birdhouse at Lowe’s Build and Grow Workshop this Saturday. Register here.

 

October is Walktober. October typically lends itself to mild temperatures – perfect to encourage the whole family to get moving. You can register online with Sedgwick County Health Department’s wellness platform – plus track your daily walking minutes.

 

And a quick plug for the Wichita YMCA: If you refer a friend in October and they join the Y, their joiner fee will be waived. Plus you will get your membership free in November. Everyone gets healthy and saves.

 

Saturday is Star Wars Reads Day.

To celebrate, Alford Branch will be having crafts, games and activities for ages 2-12 on Saturday from 10:30-noon.

 

Also, for Watermark’s 10:30 Storytime this Saturday, come dressed as your favorite Star Wars character. There will be games, a costume contest, and prizes.

 

Still on Saturday, from 2 – 4, Watermark will have 10 authors in house for signings for their Local Literary Festival.

 

(Are you a fan of Eat Pray Love or this TED talk? Elizabeth Gilbert will be in Wichita on Monday the 12th. The event costs, but the registration includes a copy of her new book.)

On Sunday, Wichita Parks and Rec is hosting their Free Come Fly a Kite event. It will be from 2:00-5:00 in Chapin Park (behind Starlite Drive-In). Bring your own kite, buy one there, or just show up and watch Stunt-Kite Fliers do their feats. There will be crafts for kids and prize drawings.

 

Library:

Createspace will be at Alford on Sunday the 11th from 2:30-3:30. Enjoy LEGOs, activities, and challenges for ages 5-12.

 

You can make a craft based on the book Ten Apples Up on Top on Saturday from 1-5 at Angelou Branch.

 

Find out what architects need to know on Saturday at Evergreen, as you use gum drops to make a bridge. Event from 2:30-3:30 for ages 7-10.

 

On Tuesday the 8th, come for a puppet show at Westlink from 6:30-7:00.

 

Have a great weekend! May the force be with you.

Pretties

 

The boys had coupons from the Summer Reading Program for free books from the Friends of the Library Used Bookstore. I was delighted to find this gem. (P.S. The sweet volunteer lady told me how much they’re needing volunteers for the book store. Just a plug for them.)

A few of the pages included excerpts from one of my favs when I was young.

My chess partner

We do not play correctly

He is Wonderful

 

Your 7 Days?

We’ve been pulling out Fall decor and arranging different displays. It got me thinking about how we decorate on a budget.

 

The following has nothing to do with Fall, but maybe it will get you thinking about how to decorate on a dime with whatever your passion is.

 

I love maps and globes. One fun way I’ve found to get them on my shelves and walls is yard sales.

 

I went with a friend to a sale that had this sweet deal:

A wall calendar featuring quality, vintage map images. For $2. I bought it and ripped out the ones I liked. (I also found a free printable I liked here.)

Next step? Frames. I had a few lying around that weren’t being used. Two of them were an uninteresting color of wood. I happened (sorry, serendipity is a big part of my buying and decorating process) to hit a yard sale where the lady was giving away paint samples she didn’t need anymore. Snatched them up and painted away.

Another tip for finding frames: yard sale framed prints. If you don’t like the print inside, forget about it and focus on the frame. I found an estate sale with amazing prices last spring. I liked the rich-looking, matted frame of a certain print, but didn’t like the picture. But the $5 price was worth the quality frame. And it fit one of my calendar map prints beautifully:

(P.S. My dad made the shelf a long time ago, the globe tray was all a very thoughtful gift from my mother-in-law, the table runner was from the above-mentioned estate sale ($2), and the diplomas were a bargain price of $20,000 each.)

Another example of a yard sale print I’m not crazy about, but with a frame I cannot find for $3 anywhere else:

Next up for a wall cluster? In my little world the answer is: a mirror. I’m a little obsessed with using mirrors to reflect light and open up spaces. Found this one for two dollahs:

And here’s how it turned out. A nice, welcoming wall art cluster at the bottom of the basement stairs. Do you like it?

 

There’s tons of ways to decorate on a budget. This is one of mine. Tell me one of yours?