ReThinking Things - Monday Mercies

Happy New Year to you! I took a bit of a break during the holidays as so many of you did. It was nice to relax and spend a wonderful few days with family. We had three family get-togethers in addition to Santa coming. They were all wonderful and it's so nice to be with each other and celebrate each other. Makes me realize that we don't do that often enough.

I just know that this year will continue to bring new growth and changes to our home. 2008 was a crazy year and a hard year. The hubbs told me it was so hard for us because we were obedient and God had called us to step out in several areas. Whew! Obedience is hard!

At our church we are just starting a new series called ReThink. I encourage all of you to go here and check it out. You can even do church online on Sundays as we stream live. Hey, God is God of all things good and the Internet can be used by God to do ministry. I am excited to see what God will do through our church this year. We are new to the church, but so excited about how God is working and moving. We are spiritually charged up, and we've needed that for awhile. Anway, the sermon series is challenging us to ReThink some things. So here is what I am going to ReThink in 2009:

• ReThink Church - Church is not a building. Church is an organic body of believers who love Jesus and want to share Him with everyone they know. So bring on the church whether it's in a movie theater, on the Internet, in a home, or on the side of the road.

• ReThink Tradition - I am realizing that what was "tradition" for me will more than likely not be tradition for my son. I remember a time when life was not lived with debit cards. My son got a Monopoly game for Christmas that didn't come with money but an ATM card. My son won't know life without a cell phone or computer or a plethora of gaming systems. But we will make our own traditions. Life and times have changed, but God has not. And my son will know that.

• ReThink People - I'll be the first to tell you that it's not that hard to look at someone and immediately pass judgement on them for some reason or another. Perhaps it's because I have been so blessed my entire life to have what I needed and wanted and to be educated and to have opportunity. But, I am ReThinking this whole thing. We're all in this together, you know. All sinners, saved by grace. Red, yellow, black, white. Rich, poor. Educated, uneducated. Doesn't matter. When I look at someone, I want to see them as Jesus sees them. In complete and pure love. Agape love.

• ReThink Ministry - Realizing that God can and will use us wherever we are if we will let him. He wants to use us, and we are best used out in the world where the hurting people are. I recently had an opportunity to bond with someone over a tattoo. I don't have one ( I want one, but can't decide what to get or where to get it). But I was able to share with this person about how someone got a tattoo on stage at our church while the pastor was teaching and she thought this was cool. Couldn't believe that you could do that at "church". Then she told me about all of her tattoos and what they meant. We bonded. Two unlikely people to bond. God was at work. God can use us anywhere - at work, at the grocery store, at the gas station, in the waiting room.

I am so excited about all that God will be doing in my life and in your life and in our communities. I hope to get to know more of you out there and hear what God is doing in your little corner of the world.

So, what are you ReThinking in 2009? Please post a comment and share!

Happy Monday,
~Paige