What are the marks of a good friendship?

This spoke to me so I thought I would share.....

What are the marks of a good friendship?
> It shapes your character and reputation—for the good.
> Proverbs 27:17-19
>
> "As iron sharpens iron" (27:17), a good friend will challenge what you think
and even who you are. As you test yourself against each other, you rub away
those qualities that are loose and weak. What's left is even stronger than when
you began. You sharpen each other in thought and in character.
>
> A second image this proverb supplies about friendship is the mirror. When you
look in your mirror, you expect to see your own face. As you look close into
your own eyes, you can almost read your thoughts. But how startling it'd be to
look in your mirror some sleepy morning and see instead the thoughts of your
friend. That's how influential friendship is! For good or for bad, we rub off on each
other.
>
> The best friendships are those where both persons are strong in their faith
and they encourage each other to grow stronger in it. This takes work, but when
you nurture friendships, you benefit from having someone to share with and
receive helpful correction from. The key to good friendships is mutuality—mutual
respect, mutual independence, mutual caring, and mutual submission.
>
> Choose friends who sharpen you in good ways, instead of cutting you to pieces.
And provide the same service for your friends. (See also Ruth 1-4; Proverbs
17:17; 18:24; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; James 5:13-20.)
>
> Good Words to Remember:
> As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend …. As
in water face reflects face, so a man's heart reveals the man. Proverbs 27:17,
19
>
> Today's Challenge:
> How do your friends "sharpen" you?
>
>  

Energy Leak?

How many energy leaks do we have in our own lives?
Leaks are such things as angry words, distractions or tampering with someone elses business while neglecting our own.

People must be aware that their energy is subject to depletion and they must make guarding that energy reserve a priority.

What daily energy leaks keep you from being focused?

How do you replenish your energy reserve? How often?

"Above all else, keep watch over your heart, for herein lies the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23

ClassNEWS - September 2008

Hey guys! How are you? I loved being in Sunday School this week (at least for part of the time). I must tell you I miss you guys when I don't see you. Let me know how you are.

Thank so many of you for being at the business meeting on Sunday night. WOW! It was the fastest meeting ever! I am really excited that Josh and Jenn and Isabel will be heading to H'ville very soon! Please be praying for Josh as he will be giving his 2 week notice tomorrow at his job. Pray for his family too as they are preparing to move, Jenn is due to have baby #2 on November 30. WOW!

So, I LOVED Kidstuff today! It was all I had hoped for, it was funny, educational and fun! I noticed that the kids were totally into it....they loved it! Our class is playing a big role with this. Gabe is directing and guiding the entire production, plus starring in it, along with Rachel, Larry, Mandy and special guest performances by Ben Brown and Aaron Echols to date. Chris Socha is doing the input of all the technical aspects, which is a TON of stuff! I encourage you guys if you want a place to plug in, our children's area is a great place to do this. We have been amazed at the number of new children are coming to both Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. This is a great thing!

There are essential areas of service available....we could use additional greeters (on a rotating basis), people to help visiting children to their classes upstairs, ushers to help seat people and to pass out bulletins and welcome people. Also Lloyd Hartman is helping us out each week in setting up the Kidstuff set and others that help out. If you would like to help out in this way, email me at wendyswaby@bluegrasschurch.net

I love seeing Jennifer Beachboard, Julianna, Jeremy and Jana singing in worship. I also love seeing so many of you on Wednesday night being a part of the different classes. I love the behind the scene stuff that so many of you do, our class helps out in changing the sign out front, it makes up the communication team, it videos the services, does media, playing music in worship, serves on the vision team, as deacons, serves in extended session, teaches sunday school, does drama, serves in W.E.E., are chairman in training, serve on committees, serves on teams, ushers and so much more! God is doing a mighty work in each one of our lives. You may not see it, but I promise you, God is growing each of us, changing us, challenging us and making us more like his son Jesus! How cool is that?

I want to encourage each of you as you make a difference in eternity! It is not an accident that you are a part of this community for such a time as this. He has plans to give us hope and a future (Jer.29:11) We are changing our families, our lives and our the very path that we walk as we grow and allow God to change us. Be encouraged! If God is for us, who can be against us! All things are possible with God! Encourage one another and build each other up this week! (Thes.5:11)

I encourage you to encourage someone this week! If you did not get a KISS this week, with a love/dare on it during worship, or even if you did, do something that encourages someone in your home, at your work and a random stranger. Share this with us this week! I love you guys! Hope your week is GREAT! love, wendy

Being Thankful

Every day I am reminded by things, places, people...ect...how thankful I am to have the things I DO have. At the hospital I see the sick....I see people at their worse....and I thank the Lord for my healthy children...husband...I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful church. To be a part of so many things is a blessing too. To build relationships with others that REALLY care about you. That are not just fake or for show but who truly care about you in their heart. Who would do anything for you. The Lord has blessed me with some wonderful, loving, people and they came from OUR CHURCH! I am so excited, stressed, nervous, happy, pretty much MANY different emotions for all the changes right now at church. I was busy this morning like I'm sure many of your were...and I got a "little" stressed and I was letting it affect my mood so instead of being distant and not "there" I left in my free time and got a Starbucks and prayed about it. That really helped to go pray when things weren't going the way I wanted them to. It took that burden off my chest to give it to the Lord. I let people affect me, their actions, words, looks.....but I have to learn that God is the one I should focus on. We are there for him right!!!!! I love the new contemporary worship, I feel so free to praise him, to feel his presense. As Debbie Martin says"I just got the Jesus Bumps". Do you get that feeling when you sing, pray, ect....I love that feeling. When you hear a song that touches your heart or that relates to what you are going through. Like when we sang "Even if I fall" today. I love those lyrics. It's not just about singing along, it's about listening to what you are singing, the words to the Lord. Even if you don't like to sing you can just meditate on it! Even if I fall I'll rise again, cause you are my God, even if fall you lift me up! I mean that is amazing and so true! Here are some bible verses that spoke to me and I hope that they will mean something to you!

Psalm 105

1O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. 2Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works. 3Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 4Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. 5Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he has uttered,

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!!!!!!!!!!

Pics from 80's Party

I know these are making the rounds, but I couldn't resist posting them here. I had a great time- I think we had 11 or 12 couples, good times, excellent attire. :) Thanks again Larry and Natalie for hosting! Looking forward to our next social event on September 12 @ the Brown's house- cookout/game night!

80's party

Hi guys! Hope everybody had a great weekend! Looking ahead to our 80's party this Friday night, I wanted to share some details with you:

Party is at Larry and Natalie Dohanos' house, 114 Saranac Trail Friday 8/22 6:30pm.

For childcare, email me by Wednesday afternoon and let me know how many kids you are bringing. You can drop them off at the church at 6:15 and they will need to be picked up by 9:00 pm. Cost is $5 per child.

What to bring: finger foods- just surprise us!, drinks will be provided. Also, each couple needs to bring an 80's white elephant gift to exchange! We have such a good time with it at Christmas, we thought it would be fun to do this for the 80's. It could be an 80's cd, movie, or some treasured memorabilia sitting in your mom's attic. Wrap it up and bring it on!

What to wear: You MUST wear 80's attire of some sort. No fun if you don't! Hit up Goodwill if you don't have anything to wear. The crazier, the better.

Please remember to email me for childcare.... Otherwise, I will see everyone there!

Loren (for Natalie)

Ouch!!

Has anyone else ever felt like God is taking them through a season of growth? I am there right now. All of a sudden, he is using people and circumstances to open my eyes to myself- and I don't like what I see. I want to be better for him because he has called me to step it up to the next level and really get my hands dirty and my heart clean. I know that sounds great, but man, it HURTS. It is like the "next level" is a HUGE step and it stretches every muscle I have to get there. And I don't like exercise!!

Here is what I am talking about: Three times in the past month or so I have been confronted about things that I said to people, off-hand and unwitting comments that hurt or bothered or affected them negatively. My former reaction would be to blow that off, labeling them "too sensitive" or "no sense of humor". For some reason, God is laying this message on thick: He can take away my sarcasm, my bitterness, my unforgiveness and anger. I have got to pray every day that he will heal me of these things, because they hurt me, hurt others, hurt my witness. Wow!

Here's an example: The other night a woman who I really think highly of told me that I had hurt her by making a comment about a movie character that I didn't like that she saw parts of herself in. Of course I was thinking of another person when I made the comment, someone who I have been harboring anger, bitterness, unforgiveness towards. When she told me it had upset her, it clicked for me- FINALLY- forgiveness really is not for the person you are mad at. My unforgiveness had hurt a relationship I care about, and it did not hurt the person that I am mad at one iota. It sucked to hear that a friend was upset with me, but how cool is God to use that to show me that big truth? I have been praying that God would take away my anger towards this person, but I didn't know he would do it in a painful way. I guess I thought I would pray and then poof! It would be gone one day and I would turn into Mary Sunshine. That ain't never gonna happen! But I can be a better me.

So, I am writing all of this because A. You guys are people that I love, trust, care about deeply. and B. I think God is doing the same thing with our Church that he is doing in me. He is stretching, growing, changing it into what he wants it to be. I am praying- and I hope you will- that he will reveal the yucky stuff and take it away- even if it causes pain. And it probably will.

Love, Loren