Thursday Thanks Tank #35

I was hoping to have lots of pictures for this Thanks Tank. However I didn't get them uploaded, so they will have to be a future post!

It's been a busy week, and it sounds like next week will be pretty busy too, but I'm excited because my friend Dana will be here! So I guess that's #1 for this week!

1. Dana coming. We'll have lots of fun I'm sure!

2. Getting tons done at work. I like being busy, and I always feel so accomplished when I get lots done!

3. I'm not going to say what #3 is....because someone specific doesn't know what it is yet and I'm not allowed to post about it until that person knows (no I'm not pregnant...it's something COMPLETELY different than that!). But there is something pretty big that I'm thankful for! hehehe (hopefully I can post about it next week!)

4. Netflix. We got it, and it's SO cool! I've been watching Fraggle Rock online for the last few weeks. What a fun show!

5. Health. Ian's well, I'm well...I hope to keep it that way!

6. The end of the term. Ian's almost done with this term!! I can't wait for spring break!

Well, we're off to Walmart to pick up some stuff before Dana gets here and do a little grocery shopping. Yay!

Thursday Thanks Tank #34

Hooray I remembered this week! What a week, but I'm SO glad that everything happened the way it did.

So thankful thoughts are coming quickly to me today...

1. Lunch with Mandi. It's always great to get together even though I think I did most of the talking this time! She's a good listener :)

2. Working with Kaitlin. It's nice having Kaitlin come hang out in my office and work!

3. Blazer game with the youth. Kaitlin and I made it up to see a Blazer game on Tuesday with just us and the youth. We were the adults in charge! Scary, huh? It was fun! I'm so glad I went :)

4. Late night KFC runs. I know someday these will be the moments I look back on fondly :) so when Ian wants KFC after I'm already in my PJs, I don't argue!

5. Friends coming to visit. My friend Dana is coming to visit. She's a girl I've been almost like pen pals with online for...I don't even know how many years! I think it will be fun to meet my "twin" (she's 9 days older than me).

My Struggle

Aaron posted a link today that he's planning on using in his sermon this week. He had me read it...and WOW did it hit home with me.

I've been having such a difficult time finding a Sunday School teacher first hour for our 4s and 5s class. I call the normal subs and none of them seem to want to do it, they're not excited and I get so discouraged about it. Then I read that article.

Crud. I've been going about this all wrong. I keep thinking, "I have to find a teacher." No. I don't. Well I need to do my part, but I'm not praying about it. I'm not allowing the Holy Spirit to guide someone into the position, I'm just trying to fill slots. If I keep trying to do it myself, and refuse to let God do the work then I'm no better than the prophets of Baal, dancing around and cutting myself waiting for fire to start.

Instead I need to be like Elijah. Calm and assured that God will do His part, I just have to be there and do His bidding.

So, how do stop trying to take control and allow God to do what He has the right and power to do in the first place? First of all I need to know what God wants. I can't just get ANYONE to teach these kids. I need the RIGHT person to do it. Someone who has a desire to teach them and who will do the right thing. So I went on a scripture hunt to help me.

James 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

Ephesians 4:11-13 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Psalm 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.

I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.

I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

I added the italics to the parts that really stood out to me. So...who is this person??

I don't know.

To be honest I'm scared to look.

God knows their name. God knows their heart. There IS a person for this job in our congregation (or perhaps soon to be in our congregation). I need to stop recruiting and start getting on my knees and praying for whoever this is. Sure I can still make phone calls, but I'm just a tool, and God is the one who will stir the desire in this person.

So if you wouldn't mind praying for this person too, I would sure appreciate it!

Edit: Oh yeah, and actually it would be ideal to have at least 5 people step up and join the children's ministry as teachers & helpers so that we can have at least 2 people in every classroom. But I figure, if God can bring me one person, 5 isn't too big of a job for Him! It sounds SUPER impossible to me, but God is good at doing the impossible!

This week in review...

Wow, what a week!

So I missed my Thanks Tank this week (again....grrr), and so I thought I would at least do a week in review, which are all things that I'm thankful for as well!

1. Answered prayers. Sometimes God is working on answering prayers before we even know we need to pray them! We had some unexpected bills come up, and the same day that Ian and I were just realizing that it was beyond us...God went and did something completely unexpected.

2. My sister-in-law's birthday! Allie had a birthday Thursday. I told her a couple years ago she had to just say 29 until I caught up to her (which happens next May...ack!). So I'm sure that she turned 29 again this year!! :)

3. Kelly & Charise's wedding! I'm so, so happy for my friends Kelly and Charise (I posted a picture at Halloween from right after he proposed. They're very sweet people and I'm sure that they're breathing a sigh of relief that the wedding part is over with :)

And one additional thing...my boss is in the hospital tonight because his knees gave out on him. He's in a lot of pain, and another surgery is possible. He's not good at taking a break, so I'm assuming that this is God's way of forcing him to finally take some time off!