'RECEIVING"

We began a new Bible Study last night at my friend, Sandra's.

I don't know how many of my readers are familiar with Kenneth E. Hagin and his teachings. He established Rhema Bible Teaching Center a number of years ago in Broken Arrow so his simple faith and teaching are well known here. He went to Heaven in 2003. Mickey & I were blessed to hear and see him on several occasions.


The main point of the chapter last night was "receiving" what God has made available to us.

As we were discussing this I brought up about how hard it is for us to receive, even in the natural. Since Mickey began The King's Kitchen and we contacted people, to begin receiving the hot meal we are delivering at noon every Tuesday, we were shocked to hear some comment that they didn't feel like they needed this or deserved it. It was hard for them to just accept, or "receive" this free gift that was being offered.

This morning I began thinking and meditating on our study last night and tying it back with the King's Kitchen and the reluctance of some to not want to "receive".
This truly is a manifestation in the natural of how we are in the spiritual. We all want to be, or at least appear to others to be, Oh so self-sufficient.

The basic core problem, as always, comes back to that "self", that "flesh", that wants to do it ourselves and not have to depend or rely on anyone else.....even GOD!!!!

That "self" that always falls into one of two ditches. The one: "I am so capable and able I don't need anyone or anything - even God". The other: "I'm so unworthy. I'm so nothing, no one can find me attractive or lovable or care about me...not even God."

I realized afresh and anew that we need to learn, and teach others to learn, that it truly is ALL about God. When we can and WILL get our eyes off ourselves and truly just put our eyes on HIM, He has already done it. It truly is "receiving"....whether that is Salvation, the Holy Spirit, Tongues, provision, walking in health, healing, the ability to accomplish and DO what He calls us to do!!!

The more I thought and meditated on this the plainer He made it to me. I just love the fact that our Lord is constantly teaching us, showing us, opening our "eyes" to see truth, and our "ears" to hear truth. I suddenly became consumed with now very much we need to truly learn to just "receive" from God. PERIOD.

I read this quote almost three years ago and I know I've shared it here before. “You are not self assured, you are God assured”. 7/27/07 – Francis Frangipane

When I saw that it had an impact on me and I've never forgotten it.

When our assurance and confidence it totally on God, and on Him alone, we will be able to "receive" everything He has for us.

I don't know about you, but I know I want to walk in the entire fullness that God wants me to have and that my Jesus has purchased, with His precious blood, for me. I don't want to get to the end of my life and hear Him say, "Why didn't you trust me? Why didn't you believe my Word?"

"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24b

A SPECIAL GIVE-AWAY

One of my favorite blog friends, Maxine, is having a lovely Day Star giveaway at her Unspeakable Gifts web site.

Isn't this lovely?

If you love and appreciate Day Star products as much as I do, go here to participate in this Give Away.

Several of the blogs I read participate in this Daybook and I have always enjoyed reading them. I decided to give it a try today.

Outside my window...it is still pitch black because it is 5:52 a.m. and the sun has not yet come up.

I am thinking...how very honored I am that I was invited to be a special speaker on the subject of "Love" at the monthly meeting of a group of couples at our church called "Young at Heart".

I am thankful for...having a brand new daughter-in-love, Deann, and three new grandsons, Mason, Aaron & Cody join our family February 12th!

I am wearing...PJ's - Black bottoms with colored snow shaped designs and a solid purple top with the neck trimmed in satin with very small buttons.

I am remembering...how much we enjoyed our travels in all the Canadian provinces as we've been watching the Olympics.

I am going... to our church at 9 a.m. to prepared a hot meal, Swiss Chicken, that will be delivered to the homes of 28 shut-ins and elderly today at noon.

I am currently reading..."The Pursuit of God" by A.W. Tozer

I am hoping...We don't have any more ice storms this winter.

On my mind...looking forward to my 3rd Day Sisters Bible Study tonight. We had to cancel last week due to the weather and it always leaves a big hole in my week the few times we have been unable to meet.

Noticing that...my desk is once again a mess and needs to be sorted through and cleaned off.

Pondering these words... Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting, everything for yourself, wanting to appear important - has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out - but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. I John 2:1-17

From the kitchen... nothing..not even the coffee going yet.

Around the house... the guest bedroom needs to be cleaned and straightened up since we had the grands with us for 4 days (Thursday -Sunday).

One of my favorite things~a hot, relaxing bubble bath.

From my picture journal... Our last snow and one of my husband's beloved birds at the feeder.

Check out The Simple Woman's blog if you would like to read more day posts or join in!

MR. & MRS. MARC S. JOYCE

We are so very proud to welcome Deann as our new daughter-in-love

and wife of our younger son, Marc.

They were married February 12, 2010 in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

They have known each other and been dating for 16 months. You have see Deann, and her sons, in a lot of our family celebrations over the past year.

We not only add Deann to our family but her 3 wonderful sons:

Mason - 13, Aaron - 11, & Cody -9.

With Aric - 11 & Oksana - 15.

That gives them one 9 year old, two 11 year olds, & one 13 year old sons

& 1 -15 year old daughter.

Pray for all 7 of them as they make the adjustment of bending these two families into one. It won't be easy, and both Marc & Deann are fully aware of the challenges ahead of them and have given much thought and consideration to this union.

Marc and his two are moving into Deann's home in Owasso. Marc's home will then be put up for sale. When it sells they will put Deann'a home up for sale and purchase a bigger new home in Owasso.

Marc deserves a wife like Deann and Deann deserves a husband like Marc.

This is truly a win-win and we could not be happier or more delighted.

AGAPE CAFE

Every year around Valentine's Day the mission arm of our church puts on a banquet called Agape Cafe. It is two fold: first a lovely meal to celebrate Valentines and second to raise money for the upcoming Spring Break Mission trips (this year there are 2 of them).

Last year our two daughters, Suzette & Jacque, and Dave & Benny accompanied us. This year we took two of our grandchildren, Oksana & Aric.

It is always a lovely event. You make reservations and buy your tickets ahead of time and the tables are set up in sizes to fit your party - for 2 - for 4 (like ours) - for 3 - for 6 - and large tables for groups. The tables are always set with linen table clothes a center piece and candle light. The "dining room" is always darken and pleasant.

The meal begins with a nice tossed salad with choice of ranch or Italian dressing. The main dish is either Lasagna or Swiss Chicken and is served with potato, green beans, & Parkerhouse rolls with butter. Oksana & Aric ordered Lasagna & Mickey & I had the Swiss Chicken. The drinks are tea, sweet tea, water or coffee.

After the meal a dessert cart is brought over and you choose whatever scrumptious dessert you choose. Oksana had a 3 layered cheese cake, I had chocolate cheesecake, Aric had butter finger cake and Mickey had carrot cake.

It was a lovely evening out for us and of course we saw many of our church friends at the same time. The reservations are taken for either 6 or 7 o'clock. Ours was 7.

Our entire Church had just ended a 21 day fast on Tuesday the 9th so you could imagine how good this lovely meal tasted to all of us :o)

Then the four of us came home and watched the wonderful opening ceremony of the Olympic games. A very fun, and special evening for all of us.

We picked the kids up from school on Wednesday afternoon and they are with us until late Sunday. Nice to have both of them for this long.

This morning the four of us went over to their Tulsa house and Mickey & Oksana finished cleaning out and boxing up all Oksana's things from her room and Aric & I did likewise in his room. We had a box for "keep" - a box for "garage sale" or "give away" and a huge garbage bag for "throw away" for each room. Aric & Oksana were not too thrilled about doing this job but it will be a big help & a surprise for Marc when he returns and finds he has at least this much done!!!! They have lived in the Tulsa home since Aric was born 11 years ago and you know how much stuff and junk you accumulate, especially with 2 kids!!!

I LOVE A GOOD BOOK

Yes, I love to read......BUT I really love to read a book that speaks directly to an issue that effects our walk with The Lord.

This book does just that.

I first heard about The Bait of Satan, by John Bevere, about 4 years ago. A friend at church had read it and was saying what a great book it was. Then last year it seemed like everywhere I turned someone was telling me about this book. I always wanted to read it but never had.

Now that I have read it, I highly recommend this book. As far as I'm concerned, if you are a serious follower of Jesus this is one of those MUST READ books. The subject matter, Living Free From theDeadly Trap of Offence, is a timely topic.

"And then shall many be offened, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matthew 24:10-1 KJV

Two quotes from the book that really spoke to me are:

"Physical growth is a function of time.
Intellectual growth is a function of learning.
Spiritual growth is neither a function of time or learning
but is a function of obedience."

&

"Purposes for shaking.
1. To bring it closer to its foundation.
2. To remove what is dead.
3. To harvest what is ripe.
4. To awaken.
5. To unify or mix together so it can no longer be separated."

I'm wondering how many of you have read this book?

If you have I'd love to hear your comments.

If not, please do. It may just change your life & your eternity.

THE DEBUT OF THE KING'S KITCHEN

Monday evening, February 8th, 6 p.m. the cooks arrive~~~~

The main dish will be prepared the evening before because most of our cooks work full time jobs. Here are Kathy and Jane setting up and getting everything ready.

We have two kitchens in our church. This is the smaller one, the Parlor Kitchen, and will be used on Monday nights because there are various meetings in the ORC on Monday nights which make the big kitchen unavailable to us.



Stacy is at work at the stove starting to brown the hamburger. The two large pots are on the other stove, one for the spaghetti sauce and one for the spaghetti. Mickey has just returned (hence the coat still on-it's cold) from a trip to the ORC for another large can of tomato sauce.



Sherry arrives. Sherry is the key person in this operation and has just come in, with her 2 small children, after working all day, and then going to Wa*lm*art for the final items: fresh green & red leaf lettuce, and shredding carrots for the salads, fresh french bread for the garlic toasts, red grapes, etc. The subway boxes are her children's dinner!!! What dedication to serving.

Kathy, Stacy (who is our Senior High Pastor's wife and the mother of an infant daughter) Mickey & part of Sherry. The hamburger had been divided into the second skillet because there is so much.

This group prepared the spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, 25 small containers of ranch dressing & 25 of Italian (so the recipients can have their choice), the 2 lettuces cut and the carrots added for the salad, and the bread sliced, buttered and garlicked.

Tuesday morning, February 9th, 8 a.m.~~~

Mickey & I arrive and the preparations begin.

Cathi & Sherry are here to help. The salad's have already been boxed. The large sheet cake, supplied by the Young at Heart cooks, has been sliced and boxed.

Cathi has also brought small, individual Day Star Cards for each person. On the envelope she wrote "For Someone Special" and inside they were all signed "You are loved".

The spaghetti sauce (left pan) and the spaghetti with some sauce (right pan) which were prepared the night before are being reheated.

The red grapes have been divided in small, individual bags.

One of the two pans of garlic toast.

The cases are ready for loading by route.

The first delivery team, husband and wife Tim & Jeanne, with their folder with driving instructions, names & cases ready to roll.

Second delivery team, husband & wife, Jim & Nellie with Mickey discussing their route.

This is Mickey's brother, Jerry who came in last night from Tennessee getting in on the fun, as a spectator. Janice, putting on her coat and ready to leave after having helped fill and manually fill the hot 3 part dinner trays.

Sherry discussing with Andy his route.

The third route was delivered by Cathi (pictured above) and Joi and her young daughter, Brooke. We failed to get a picture of these as they left :o( You'll see them a lot in the future.

Andy, Stephen (our Associate Pastor), Dustin (the Junior High Pastor) and Mickey finalizing the last route. Andy & Dustin deliverd this route.

Just in case you think ALL I do is take the pictures......I'm a really good dish washer.

What a joyous, answer to prayer, planning, willing hearts & plain hard work today was as 24 meals were delivered to individual homes, a nursing home, and assisted living home.

The menu: Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad with choice of dressing, garlic bread, carton of 2% milk, small bag of grapes, and slice of yellow cake with butter frosting.

Each 3 part servicing tray had a sticker "Do Not Microwave - Heat in Oven - 350 - 15 minutes" just in case they didn't want to eat it when delivered.

Also a sticker which read: King's Kitchen "Nevertheless He left not Himself without witness..filling our hearts with food and gladness." Acts 14:17 KJV

We plan on changing the Bible Verse every 2nd week.

It was truly a joyous time for the 15 of us who worked to make this meal a reality.