God calls the shots!

You just gotta trust Him... Wayne's talk on Sunday challenged alot of people but also encouraged us, so I thought I'd share my notes for you all. God wants to stretch and develop our faith. Uncomfortable but good to grow. 1. God calls the shots. (v1-5) He's in control. Many times we get in a state because we forget this. Proverbs 21:1 "The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes." God made it, God owns it, God controls it. Daniel 2:21 "And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise, And knowledge to those who have understanding." In those times you didn't get more "uhuh" than a king. Job 12:23 "He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them." Whole nations are like clearing away dishes from the dinner table. Daniel 4:17 "This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.’ Haggai 2:22 "I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots And those who ride in them; The horses and their riders shall come down, Every one by the sword of his brother." God has power over everything! He calls the shots. Not us, not the authorities who go to a summit (they call it that because they like to think they are the highest authorities and they can change things. they wouldn't called it a valley!!) 2. God expects His people to trust Him. (v6-11) Non-believers say that it's impossible for God to have created everytihng in 6 days. We say "What took him so long?" 2 Tim 1:8-9 "suffering according to the power of God." For I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day: my soul. The question is not will your soul continue to exist, the question is where. If your soul is safe, you are free to let everything else go. Your soul will live forever, it is eternal. Nothing on this earth is. back to our text, it took the big guys 8 or 10 days to convince Festus. Paul waited that long, then they all stoud around him. But Paul knows who he trusts, see v10-11. then he appeals to caesar. 3. The greatest thing we could do with our lives is live them to the glory of God. (v12) freedom is to live to the potential God has made you to. Philippians 1:21 "for me to live is Christ, to die is gain" The sin that the people comitted in Babel was that they wanted to make a name for themselves. The day after this sermon, I had an interview for a job. I also had one on Tuesday. I really needed a job, and it was a fantastic reminder to trust in God, no matter what the circumstances; be it something small or huge issues that involve the whole world. On Monday afternoon I went for an interview at Morningside Montessori Nursery and was offered a job, working Tuesday - Thursday mornings as their admin person and all day Friday as a classroom assistant. On Tuesday morning I went fr an interview (kind of) at Little Foxes, and Sheila asked me to be the Senior Play Worker there, which essentially is Assistant to the playleader, so I do all I did before but with more responsibility. The thing is Sheila said she couldn't offer me full time. I asked if she could offer me Monday to Thursday (this job is only in the afternoons) and she replied that this was exactly what she could offer me. This cannot be a coincidence in my mind. God is amazing! On Tuesday evening I had homegroup over at mine. It was lovely to be back there, I love those people so much! We had a "further thoughts on Sunday's talk" evening which we do once per month. I found it really tough. I was talking to Leanne about it after people had left, and she said she'd found it really difficult too, she felt attacked by Satan all evening. We're onto something big here. Satan doesn't like it. On Wednesday, I went back to work at Little Foxes, my first day in my new position. It was good. We now have a new play leader, Roseanne. She's lovely, and doing a good job I think. So there are 3 full timers at Little Foxes, and me, almost full time. In the evening I went to my first Index core team meeting. It was good fun, and I'm looking forward to getting to know these people better this year, and I'm excited at what God has in store for the group this year. Gonna be a goodun.

Pictures

A few of my favorite pictures from the summer... if you start from the bottom, they're more or less in order of events, give or take a few days.

Back home

I really should update, eh! I got back to Edinburgh on Wednesday afternoon after travelling 24 hours from San Francisco. I have way too much to say, it would take years. So I'll just edit something I wrote on the train from London (the last leg of my journey), edit, as in I'll add a few anecdotes and explanation notes to some of these. It is in no particular order, just as it came to my head. Things I learned this summer... * I can take care of chickens, turtles, frogs and rats. (one frog died because I child put a little friend in with it, and the rat died on the last day of camp...) * East coast trumps west coast. * The most random and insignificant things can become your best memories. * Harry Potter 7. Good book. * I can live for 11 weeks without having mum on the phone. * Airport security is often irrational and always excessive. "Excuse me Maam, your toothpaste is too big to take in your carry on" (you never know, I may be carrying a bomb in it or something) * Amish people do really exist. * Palm trees do really exist! * Cravings come in two forms: subway and Tacobell. Even Ben & jerry don't cut it. * After 3 days in San Fransisco, you expect to see men holding hands. * I am not the most compassionate of people. * Your closest friends will be those you least expect. * My life is not an average life. There is no average life. * My mood is directly affected by the temperature outside. * Never buy a bookcase from walmart. (though it can lead to funny moments and some of those unexpected best memories) * Greyhound is a good bet if you want a stressful life. (lateness and booking too many people on a bus for all to get on are two factors of this) * We can fit 13 people in Shaina's car. * Some 25-year-olds are less mature than some 15-year olds. * Is 2007 the new 2007? (Spice girls reunion tour, and Hanson are on their way back to the charts... aie aie aie!!) * Some people speak guetto. That's just the way they speak. For dogs. * Watching the camp dvd one more time will not bring me back there. Sobb. * Snapping turtle. Such a thing exists. * You can get Dr Pepper jelly bellys! * I can live with people! * It's a small world (I met Alan (guy from my homegroup)'s best friend Ben at camp. also, Brad knows the Fauveau's who live in France) * Times Square is amazing! * Tubing is fun. * Driving is not too difficult (Janelle took me to a parking lot one night and made me drive. A manual, and I only stalled once, because I forgot to put my foot on the clutch when I braked to park. Or something like that. I kind of forget to steer though because I'm too focused on everything else going on, which may be a problem...) * Often the only way to love something/someone is to see another person passionate about it/them. * No one can agree on a word for flip-flops. (Jandles, slops, flops...) * Small things can mean the world to people (like time beside a flagpole just chatting, or a worship service in the rec field, or going to CVS just before curfew) * My love language is quality time. * You can forget everything on a canoe. * Only women feel comfortable touching each other's legs hours after they met. * Camp is not camp if crazy stuff doesn't happen (good crazy and bad crazy). * Alot of fun can be had on a highway with 4 vehicles and a cd. * "When it comes to God, we must come with great expectations - we will experience what we expect." Please note, this does not apply with humans. Humans disappoint. * Animals have a special knack at calming kids down when they're upset. (One day I just sat on the stairs beside Jalen, 6, who had been crying all week, with one of the turtles in my lap. He calmed down and a bond grew between us. I love Jalen! Cutest kid) * 5 minutes can feel like an eternity (like when you have smelly Dale on your lap in a crowded car, or even just on a walk from waban to the chapel and back.) So that's for that. I also have a few examples of God's sense of humour... * Sharon's stalker ends up living in the dorm room next to hers, better still, he shares a wall with her. Unbelievable. Of all the dorm rooms at Akron University, he is placed in the one next to hers. * A summer of eating chicken and rice pilaf ended with that very same meal on the plane home. * I met Ben, Alan's best friend, whilst eating fresh ice cream and watching the cows who gave the milk, poop. A surreal experience. That's that folks. I'm home, back to normal, thrown in the deep end. I had to call 999 and put someone in the recovery position yesterday, after he'd had an epileptic fit (so the ambulance people said!). That was pretty scary. Looking for a job, getting stuff sorted in the flat, like a telephone line, unpacking bags and boxes (everything is unpacked, it's just all on my bedroom floor), helping new flatmates settle in and get on with church life also. Index, homegroup, ahh, I love it! I really do!