Thursday - Devotions - Love Different

We are focused on John 13:1-17:  "Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ²The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper ³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, ⁴got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. ⁵Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" ⁷Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand." ⁸Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me." ⁹Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" ¹⁰Jesus said to him, "One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you." ¹¹For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, "Not all of you are clean."
¹²After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³You call me Teacher and Lord — and you are right, for that is what I am. ¹⁴So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. ¹⁷If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them."

Jesus gave us an example of what living differently looks like through humble service to his disciples.  We are called to love deeply in a servant-hearted, sacrificial way.

Being Flexible is Important!

Today we changed our work assignments.  Those who were helping with Kid's Club did scraping and/or painting today and vice versa.

Everything went really well.  It's really nice that the kids are getting both experiences.  I tried to ask each which they liked better.  Shannon said it was difficult to say because it was really comparing apples to oranges.  That is very much true.  Several preferred one over the other, but most agreed with Shannon.

We all took a break at Sonic this afternoon and had shakes, slushes, or other cold things to drink.  The 71 of us here this week took the place over and it was a lot of fun.

Our evening activity was worship at Pawhuska Bible Church.  It was an interesting experience.  The Pastor there is also the Mayor of Pawhuska.  The worship style was definitely different than ours (and the building is certainly different!) but we shared in the Word of God and in singing.  You'll have to ask our youth about it.  We have just returned from it, so I haven't been able to hear their reactions.

Right now they are playing card games and it is very loud!  They are having a great time.  The staff are baking chocolate chip cookies for us and are pouring the milk right now.

Tomorrow is our last work day.  Tomorrow evening our activity is a community cook out.  We are excited because Marjoleine will be joining us for the cookout.

I anticipate a bit of sadness on Friday.  Our youth have formed really wonderful friendships with the other youth here, especially the youth from Minnesota.  In fact, we didn't pack any "nice" clothes for church tonight and half our youth are wearing clothes from their Minnesota friends.

We are having a wonderful time.  Our youth have just been awesome.  They are serving, learning, sharing, laughing, worshiping, having fun, and even getting some sleep.  We really couldn't ask for anything more.

As you look at the pictures, you will see "Fort Wayne, Indiana" which is written in chalk on the playground at First Baptist Church of Pawhuska.  Haley is the artist responsible for it.

Wednesday - Devotions - React Different

Tonight we are focused on Matthew 18:21-35:  "²¹Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" ²²Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
²³For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁴When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; ²⁵and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. ²⁶So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' ²⁷And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. ²⁸But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.' ²⁹Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' ³⁰But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. ³¹When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. ³²Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' ³⁴And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. ³⁵So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

The way that Jesus responds to us can make a difference in how we respond to others and their faults or situations in life.  Because Jesus forgives us, we can forgive others.

Tuesday (continued!)

The softball game was great fun.  Rev. Finley's rules made the game move very quickly and made it possible for everyone to have lots of fun, regardless of ability.

There was a skit tonight that was for all of the churches.  It featured Eva, Austin, Justin, and a student from Minnesota.  It was very funny and made the point well.

Our time together as a church group this evening was awesome.  Each of the students shared what they experienced today and I had a hard time moving on as they had more to say.  Even our prayer time was moving as so many of the students prayed aloud.

Since I have the opportunity to share some additional pictures I am going to.  Hope they help you have a sense of what we are experiencing.

Tuesday - Devotions - Act Different

Tonight we focused on Luke 10:25-37:  "²⁵Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" ²⁶He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?"²⁷He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."²⁸And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."
²⁹But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" ³⁰Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³²So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' ³⁶Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" ³⁷He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Belief and faith in Jesus necessitates action!  We are exploring how we might act differently as a result of our faith, not just in Oklahoma, but wherever we are.

Another Great Day!

We started the day off with a little bit cooler weather.  In fact, it was 75 degrees when we headed out to our work sites.  Mid morning the sky got dark and it looked like it might rain.  It didn't, though.  It passed over, the sun came out, and then it got hot!

Both of our painting groups finished the houses they were working on and then moved on to another where we did scraping.  Those working with Kid's Club, spent the morning at a nursing home visiting with residents and then worked with kids in the afternoon.  Jacque tells me that the nursing home visitation was really fun.  She enjoyed meeting the residents and working with them.  She says singing with them was great.

This evening we are going to participate in a softball game.  A local retired minister will lead the game using a unique set of rules that he came up with himself.  I'll try to get some pictures of that and post them later.

Tomorrow we will switch our work assignments.  Those who having been painting will run Kid's Club and vice verse.

I know that it isn't a good thing to brag, but indulge me just a bit.  Every time I turn around, someone else tells me what a great job our kids are doing.  They are truly being leaders here and we have good reason to be very proud of them.

What a Great Day!

What a great day we had today!  I didn't hear a single youth complain about the heat...although that may be because I was so busy complaining about the 103 degree temperature today myself!

Half our group spent the day painting houses in Pawhuska.  We don't have any pictures of that because the camera went with the other group...which worked at Kid's Club, a Vacation Bible School type program.  We'll have pictures from painting tomorrow... promise!

Our youth have very quickly formed friendships with the youth from the other churches which are here.  I've been so happy to see our youth provide leadership in so many ways.  I've enjoyed watching them volunteer to help out, whether helping with meal preparation or "ice duty" (getting ice from the Baptist church's ice machine).

This evening we went to the "Swinging Bridge".  We only got to experience half of it as a wasp's nest was disturbed and we didn't want to get stung.  We also went up to Lookout Point, the burial place of Chief Fred Lookout, the last hereditary chief of the Osage (they are elected now).