Tuesday, July 28, 2009

New Teen Quizzing blog site!!

Thanks to Tom, there is now a blog site with everything you need to know about the upcoming Quiz season!!! We had a great kick-off meeting this last Sunday (again, many thanks to Tom and Julie for the great food and hospitality!!) where the Waltons gave out lots of information for the new and/or seasoned quizzers!! The site is http://www.sacnteenquiz.blogspot.com/, and you will always be able to easily access it on the right side of the screen under "Check out these sites". This year the quizzers will be diving into I and II Corinthians!! Have fun, Quizzers, and make us proud!!!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Offsite Insight!! Nature recycling center!

"Magnificent". That's the word you often hear when someone sees a majestic, large oak tree under which they can find shade and wonder what events of history took place under its branches. But on this "Offsite Insight" we visited the recycling center used by the City of Austin to recycle trees for making mulch and wood materials for our city parks. And what we found there was what used to be one or more magnificent 75+-year-old trees is now a pile of huge logs.
Very often in our own Christian walk, we feel like we are "magnificent" stationary oaks....unbreakable, indestructible. But then something comes along...a crisis that we aren't prepared for or rooted enough in the Lord to weather, and then....timber!!!!..... We fall.

The great news is that if we submit to Him, God can "replant" us, water and brace us for what lies ahead.

Surrounding us were piles of wood in various forms.....ground up mulch, pruned branches, and yes, huge chainsawed logs. We were reminded that when we have fallen or failed, God can change us into a NEW form that He can use even more effectively and in a way we never even imagined!!!

What a great place to be reminded of God's mercy and power!