Content in What we Do

Contentment
Satisfaction
Happiness

Why are so many miserable in this world? People today live in a society that offers everything that you could ever possibly want but individuals are increasingly more depressed and unhappier than ever before.

Why have we made the decision that we need more and more stuff to be truly happy? I often tell young people to enjoy every job that they have because you will learn many work strategies and skills that will help you in your future occupations.

I can truly say that I have enjoyed every job that I have ever had. I started out cooking hamburgers at Burger Chef at Woodlands Hills Mall in Tulsa when I was 16. It was a job where I learned how to work with people. How to deal with stress and time management. Skills that have hopefully helped me over the past 30 years. Then I worked construction. Hard physical work during the summer. Then, work on a trash truck during the hot summer days, running from stop to stop so I could stay in good physical shape and….the faster I worked the sooner I could get to the gym to play basketball. Then I was a boiler cleaner outer. A dirty hot job, but one in which I learned that I wanted an education so I would not have to do this my entire life. Then it was Dillard’s as a suit salesman. Learning people skills.

Your job can be fun and enjoyable if you have the right attitude and use it as a ministry to others.

In our Young Professionals class, we pray each Sunday that God will use us in our variety of jobs, occupations and as college students to be that light in this dark world.

Each day I pray that God will use me as his instrument. He knows those I will come in contact with and those that need a smile or affirmation.

How about you? Job getting you down? How about trying a new approach - being positive and led by God as He gives you opportunities to minister to those around you.

Thought for the Day

Unity will expand the kingdom of God, help us become missionaries in every land and culture, and bring people to Christ, who teaches that unity and love draw people to himself.

Mike Cope

Thought for the Day

"If the son is not greater than the father both are failures"

Chinese Proverb

Sand and Stone

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING
THROUGH THE DESERT.
DURING SOME POINT OF THE
JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN
ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND
SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE
IN THE FACE.

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED
WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT
SAYING ANYTHING,
WROTE IN THE SAND:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

THEY KEPT ON WALKING,
UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,
WHERE THEY DECIDED
TO TAKE A BATH

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN
SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE
MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING,
BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM
THE NEAR DROWNING,
HE W ROTE ON A STONE:

"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SAVED MY LIFE ".

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED
AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND
ASKED HIM, "A FTER I HURT YOU,
YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,
YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?"

THE FRIEND REPLIED
"WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US
WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN
IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF
FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.
BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES
SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,
WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE
WHERE NO WIND
CAN EVER ERASE IT."

LEARN TO WRITE
YOUR HURTS IN
THE SAND AND TO
CARVE YOUR
BENEFITS IN STONE.

Order of Worship

Welcome

Psalm 29 (Kevin Johnston)

797 Lord, We Come Before Thee Now (Verse 1 and 4)
578 We Will Glorify
These Are the Days of Elijah

Prayer

Scripture: Zechariah 12:10 and 13:1 (Kevin)

324 Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed

Lords Supper

Contribution

Scripture: Psalm 46:1-10

31 Be Still and Know
689 Be Still, my Soul

Message Evan Burdan

Invitation 116 God Will Make a Way (Sing Twice)

Announcements

648 Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus (Verse 1 and 3)

Closing Prayer (Kevin)

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-13a (Kevin)

Craig Have A Great School Year!

Craig made it back to the big city yesterday afternoon. He starts his sophomore year at the University of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. We took this pic from FIT last year. This year he lives on the 15th floor in the FIT apartment tower with a view of the Hudson River.

Developing Community

Here is a interesting point of view from Pete Rollins. What do you think?

Indeed often the most destructive element in the development of a community arises from the very statement that one is attempting to build a community. For what can so often happen is that those who need the most help join up in the hope that they will find support and encouragement. The result is that, for many fledgling groups, this places too high an emotional demand too early and leads to burnout.


To develop a healthy community, the best approach can actually involve being clear that one is not starting a community at all and that there will be no pastoral support, that no one will be charged with the job of taking in money and distributing it on people’s behalf, and that no one will be responsible for calling you up if you stop attending events. In short, it must be clear that the group does not care about people’s needs in the slightest. While this may sound deeply uncaring, the reason for stating this is precisely in order to help provide a healthy soil for real pastoral and financial support to grow.

Providing a space with no welcoming team or pastoral support group means that individuals need to take responsibility for welcoming and caring for others themselves. Here the role of those setting up the group is not to create a new priest/laity divide but rather to refuse to act in the role of a priest precisely so as to encourage a priesthood of all believers, offering relational, mutually dependent, pastoral support. This does not mean there is no place for leadership, for here the leader is the one who attempts to prevent any one person, including the leader, from taking over the space and taking on the role of some high priest. In such a space there is a radical refusal, by those who organize the gathering, to take on pastoral responsibility. For by refusing the place of power, the “pastors” equip everyone to be a pastor, simultaneously discouraging an unhealthy dependency in those who attend.

Brian....this story is for you!

I recently ran across a story originally published in the Des Moines Register. Truck driver Ryan Albright arrived early in the morning at Trinity Medical Hospital in Rock Island, Illinois, to make one of his 45 deliveries. He left the truck running as he ran in for his delivery.
Police say that Frank Alvarado, a patient at the hospital, was waiting in the bushes. As Albright went in the building, Alvarado jumped into the delivery van and sped off to the west.
Eventually, nine officers from four jurisdictions in two states would join the chase. At speeds up to 100 mph, they eventually apprehended Alvarado 135 miles later, in Toledo, Iowa.
Police theorize that Alvarado might have wanted to get out of the hospital…that he was unstable…or that he was just hungry for what was in the truck.

Law enforcement officers made out good…the owner of the company running the truck gave the remaining product to the police and deputies…they ate all the doughnuts they wanted!
Imagine the sight of all those officers chasing after the doughnut delivery truck. Really, how silly did that look?

Welcome Back!

Teachers-Staff enjoy the weekend.......................................

First Day of School

I begin my 17th first day of school in Osage City today. Every first day brings excitement and a few butterflies in my stomach. My prayer every year is for our students, teachers and staff to have a year of educational excellence and one that is safe and fulfilling.

I just try to stay out of the way and support them with the best available resources that I can.

As I told my staff today, "only 184 days until Summer Vacation!"

Thought for the Day

"Defeat is not the worst of failures.
Not to have tried is the true failure."

More on Complaining

One of the funniest movies about a complainer is Groundhog Day. It stars Bill Murray as a sarcastic weatherman who is obviously unhappy with his life. He is an habitual complainer. Although I don’t agree with all the morals in the movie, the ending has a great one. Bill Murray’s character has to keep living the same day over and over until he lives it right. Finally he realizes the secret to living Groundhog Day right is to become an habitual servant. When he goes out of his way to HELP others instead of complaining and being self-centered, he gets a new day to live. Boy, wouldn’t that be a fantastic lesson for some people we know!

Complaining

The YP Class started a four week series yesterday called "Zip It". A study on complaining. Its easy to complain and not be positive about situations in our lives, but the Bible is full of instances where God took action when His people complained.

As we begin a new week and a new school year, let's stay positive and look at the good in people and in our own lives as we shine our lights in this cold, dark world.

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing". Philippians 2:14-16, New International Version

Thought for the Day

"Every ball team could use a man who plays every position perfectly, who never strikes out, and never makes an error. But there's no way to get him to lay down his hot dog and come out of the stands"

Vacation

Vacation is about over for all my teachers, staff and principals. They are busy getting ready for school.

Keep our Central kids and school personnel in your prayers as we begin the new school year.

Quote for the Day

" Many of life's failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

A Family Weekend

We had our last family weekend of the summer with my parents, Mike, Doreen and Emma on Friday and Saturday.

We brought home over 36 catfish and enjoyed every one of them.

The school count down has started only 10 days to go.............

Order of Worship

Order of Worship
Sunday, August 3, 2008

Welcome (Gary)

Scripture: Isaiah 51:11-16 (Kevin)

869 We-re Marching to Zion (Verse 1 and 4)
227 On Zion’s Glorious Summit
100 Holy Ground

Prayer

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-16 (Kevin)

185 Jesus, Thy Name I Love
186 Christ, we Do All Adore Thee

Communion
Contribution

Dismiss: Children’s Worship

Scripture: Romans 12:3-5 (Kevin)

Song: We Are the Body of Christ

Message (Evan)

Invitation 768 Jesus Let Us Come To Know You

Announcements

Song: Light the Fire

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16 (Kevin)

Closing Prayer