Synergy Series Summary

I ABSOLUTELY loved the James Synergy series that FCCH just completed. I may be bias, but I though Michael did an amazing job on the take home Bible Studies and Sunday Morning Messages!!! I thought the Drama Team is a great job with all their sketches...they are an awesome team!!! I also thought the Worship Teams did an excellent job and I LOVE the song "Alive Again" by Matt Maher.

I love the book of James. It is so practical, relevant then and now in 2009. The following is a quote by an unknown source, but I love it and thought it summed up James nicely...."Live in such a way that those who don't know God will come to know God because they know you". It's about living out our faith, taking what we know and applying it, it's about making a difference because of the difference Christ makes in our lives!!! It's faith in action, not just on Sunday Mornings. It's about living our lives to the full potential that Christ intends for us to live!!!

What the Laurence Family has been doing lately...

We've had a good but busy month since I last blogged, so I thought I would share a few of those things...

We have went up to see Steph at Gordon College and take her to Rockport. We've never been there as a family...the last time I was there was when I was in college. We checked out some of the little shops and walked out on the getty. We had a wonderful family day together!!!

Michael and I were able to get away overnight, into Boston, over Columbus Day weekend. We had such a great time. We spent most of our time walking around the Public Gardens and Beacon Hill area. I absolutely loved having my morning Starbucks cup of coffee and Oatmeal on one of the park benches with Michael. The weather was great with the beautiful Autumn sunny skies. For our lunch, we found a nice sandwich shop that we were able to eat outdoors too. The Tufts 10k Race was taking place while we were in there, so it also added to the excitement of the city.

We've been watching the Patriots. Michael, Josh and Matthew were able to go to last week's rain/snow game. It was extra exciting because it was Matthew's first real season game and he loved it!!! In September, he was able to go to his first pre-season game and thought that was great too. In the photo they were tailgating in the midst of cold downpours...during the game the snow set in!!!

Bekah has been on her first Junior High Fall Retreat and she had as awesome weekend!!! She had so much fun with her friends and small group. She already can't wait til next year's retreat:)

The other day, I took Bekah, Matthew and two of their friends to Purgatory Chasm. It was my first time going there and I loved it. Michael had taken the kids there some years ago and they liked it then. Honestly, I can't believe I've lived here for almost 20 years and didn't take the time to go there. It was so beautiful with all the fall colors and the kids had a blast!!!

One other day that was a blast, was my birthday. Michael took the day off, much to my surprise, and we simply spent the day together. The kids went to school and we set out to take some pictures of the foliage, went to the store to get a couple food treats and Dynasty for lunch. He has never taken my birthday off before, but it was so nice. I would highly recommend taking a birthday off just to be together...it's worth the vacation time. I loved it and we'll be doing it again next year!!!

We've done a lot of other normal things too, like playing Lacrosse after school, that are all part of the daily routines.

Fall Changes in the Laurence Household

Like every other family, the fall has brought on a new season...full of changes.

Our oldest daughter is now in her Sophomore Year at Gordon College, studying International Relations. She has an awesome roommate, the same one as last year. She is a perfect match for Steph. She has plugged into a great group of people up there and has beat me in doing the Beth Moore study of the book of Esther. I'm so glad she has a group doing that study, when Steph was growing up Esther was one of her favorite people in the entire bible. Needless to say, overall she's having a good year!!!

Our oldest son, Josh is now a Senior at Hopkinton High. He just turned 18 and he's a busy young man. Obviously he goes to school and he works everyday after school til 6 pm. He just completed an 18 hour Hunter Safety Class (with Michael) and will begin his quest of looking for the right school to attend next year. One thing that is new for him this year is Senior Privileges. He is allowed to leave school during study blocks, go in late if it's first period or leave early for the day if it is last period. It has been fun because a couple days, out of a 7 day cycle, he'll bring friends home for lunch block...those boys sure do eat a lot:)

Our youngest daughter, Bekah is now in Middle School (7th grade). She is now part of the Junior High Ministry at the church and is loving it!!! She is also expanding her horizons with privileges like going up town with friends, school dances and constantly relys on Steph for fashion and hair tips...a true middle schooler:)

Our youngest son, Matthew is now in 5th grade. He is a piece of work. A cross between a jock and Bear Grylls. He plays (sports) hard and normally comes off of play time a sweaty mess and is creative when it comes to amusement. The other day we stopped at the hardware store to buy him (50 feet) of rope so he could make things with it. Like contraptions etc.

Time changes and so do we...next year we'll have two of our four children at home with us on a regular basis. I'm grateful that while Michael and I were raising our children we focused enough on us not to feel a void because they are growing up and leaving the nest.

Synergy Study of James

Our Synergy Series is James and I've been looking forward to this for almost a year...when Michael first told me this is what we'd be doing this fall.

I LOVE the book of James, it's one of my favorites!!! It was written so long ago (like all the books in the bible) yet, so relevant to daily living in 2009.

I used to be so surprised that by the second verse in James, he talks about trials and temptations. Not that I'm older, I'm not surprised. We ALL experience trials and temptations...some far greater than others, but we all experience them.

I love how he teaches us to consider trials "pure joy" in vs. 2. Seriously, that's a life long lesson and one that comes with spiritual maturity. It's one of the reasons I love listening to older, seasoned Christians speak of their trials. There is a certain peace and calmness that flows from their mouths as they speak. They may have spent a lifetime learning that the key to trials is finding the joy. I learn so much during those conversations. It is truly amazing when you begin to look at trials and hardships as a means of growth. It's not easy, it doesn't come naturally but it can become a lifestyle when we continually seek God in the midst of these times.

When God Prunes...

I thought I would share this story, especially after sharing it with someone on Facebook (we were in-boxing).

This past Monday we were sitting in our living room. I was uploading pictures to Facebook (from the fun day we had) and Michael was watching Bear Grylls with Bekah and Matthew. It was dark and the window was only opened a small amount. All of the sudden it got cook, there was lots of rain and wind.

Next thing I know I hear a crack and something fell...I knew it was a limb from a tree. Michael thought I heard something from the show, but we went out to investigate and sure enough a limb snapped and fell on the driveway. I wasn't happy about losing such a large, beautiful branch/limb from the tree. Good news...normally there is a car parked there but my car was in the shop so the other two cars were parked further up the driveway.

The next morning, Michael got up, took out the ladder and cut the remainder of the branch down. Not exactly what he had planned to do on Tuesday Morning but it had to be done. It didn't take too long to cut it down and remove the branches from the driveway, however, it did make a big difference.

It made me think about the times when God does some pruning in my life. I don't always know when it is going to take place or what it will look like.

However, I've learned that like so many things or circumstances...the tree looks better now that it is trimmed back. It is a birch tree and the white is more visible...isn't that how God often works in our lives? Prunes us when we least expect it and before we know it, He reveals Himself to us and our inner beauty is revealed!!!

Question?

Matthew and I stopped in Starbucks this afternoon (before heading up to Gordon College to get Steph and her roommate, Kas). I had a gift card and was in need of a good coffee for the ride. While we were waiting, there was a paper with a question and a pen for the answers (we were at the Southboro Starbucks, on Rt.9).

People wrote down different answers to this question...What are you looking forward to most this Fall?

Matthew said and wrote down "Patriots", I said and he wrote for me "Apple Crisp".
Others said...getting married, going to Paris for Thanksgiving, sitting down in a warm house on a cool day, wearing a sweatshirt, homework (who said that?), hayrides etc.

How would you answer the question...what are you looking forward to most this fall?

Teachable Moments

The other day Bekah woke up and was telling me about her dream. In the dream, Bekah and a church friend were walking around the church. There were letters written on old paper etc. which led to something important that would help them later on. It led to a photo album, bad guys were looking for a treasure etc. In the dream, they were able to put enough of the pieces together for the government to believe them and then Dad woke her up for the day...she never got to finish the dream. Does the plot line sound familiar...something like National Treasure?

The day before Bekah had seen that movie and the premise of it came out in her dream. Here is the teachable moment...I talked with her about influences we don't even know about or plan on that take place in our lives on a daily basis and how they effect us. Her watching the movie influenced her dream and I reminded her how other things we see, listen to and/or watch permeate into our thinking. It was a great moment to show her how important it is to pay attention to what she does put into her mind.

Philippians 4:8...Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

The movie wasn't bad, her dream wasn't bad...it was an adventure! It was a teachable moment when I could clearly show her how what she saw influenced her mind and dream the same night.