Bags and Shoes

I’ve been home sick pretty much for the past 5 days. I tried a couple of times to go to work but then came home.  Partly because I get going and the fevers and chills get going. Mostly because I don’t want to infect others. So many folks have been sick in the past few weeks and some of that is due to the fact that people who are sick don’t stay home. I don’t think I have it nearly as bad as what I’ve heard from others.  I’ve had the fever and chills, some ear aches and headaches, some nausea. 

I’ve not really done a lot with my time.  Mostly sat and worked on the computer which is frustrating because I had a lot I could be doing here.  I have a couple of comp days next week for recent events and hopefully I’ll be feeling much better and will be ready to get busy and do some house projects.  I want to finish up the final details on the guest bedroom and work on my home office.

I did make an online purchase yesterday (to make me feel better, of course).  It is a great little bag from Feedprojects.org.  When you buy the bag, you feed a child for a year.  Keep that in mind when you purchase the bag.  I found mine for $59.00 with no shipping cost through Amazon.com.  Clearly, the bag isn’t much but when you realize a child is fed for the year, it is well worth the $59. Plus, it is a walking advertisement when you use it.

TOMS Shoes also sells the bags but they are a little higher from their site. TOMS is another great site.  For every pair of shoes you buy, the company gives a pair of shoes to a child in need. I’ve thought about buying a pair but am not sure of their comfort level. My friend, Kate, speaks highly of them.  She and her husband, Ross, gave them to relatives for Christmas this year and said the shoes got rave reviews after a day of shopping.  That is a pretty good test!

In other conversations, I mentioned a few days ago that our church is doing a church-wide study called "It’s Time". The curriculum’s goal is to help believers think about what it means to be "missional" – a sending church that sends out believers to be the presence of Christ in the world and community around them rather than expecting (and waiting) for people to come to the church.  I’ve been very excited about this study and the potential it has for moving our congregation out of our comfort zone and into the messy-yet-blessed relationships that we are called to be in. I’m hearing some very, very exciting feedback from some of the groups.  Ideas that are already being discussed among small groups.  Challenges that are being thrown out. Confessions and repentance for missing the point.  One of my prayers is that the leadership of the church, especially myself, will not stifle things by trying to control them.  Much of it is unintentional but nevertheless, structures and organizations can be the biggest roadblock in the pursuit of believers to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We’ve seen this over and over throughout the history of religion. So, pray for me that I can step back and let things go and that I can defend that approach to those who think it is poor leadership.

Related posts:

1. It’s Time
2. 30 Hour Famine Countdown
3. Vegas Done