I HEAR BELLS!

The beginning of  Christmas: Lights, bright red berries and flowers, sparkly white, aromatic greenery, smells of sweet food, brightly colored packages, happy music, and BELLS!!  There is an aura of magic and the teasing of the imagination in the light tinkling sound of bells. I was looking for a craft project for the Sunday School children of Lower Brule while I was wandering around Hobby Lobby. Oh, joy-a clear plastic cylinder filled with little gold jingle bells! I picked it up and happily placed it in my cart, and jingled my way around the store looking for other treasures, drawing puzzled attention from other shoppers when they heard me jingling toward them. Today was payday for the bells when the children spotted the craft of the day. They happily tied them on a string and tied it in a circle with iridescent curling ribbon. They were a happy lot of kids. We had a good Sunday School today, as the children were so quiet while I was telling the Bible Story. Our story emphasized that God takes care of us when we trust Him, and they were expressing their understanding that God is on our side when we belong to Him. What a precious knowledge for us all to understand and believe!

   Please pray for a man who asked prayer for himself this morning in church. He is under severe pressure in his life, and he has been calling for Ray to pray with him during the week as well as asking for prayer for himself when he comes to church.

JOY IN THE JOURNEY

We certainly enjoy our Sundays at Lower Brule. Ray looks forward to the morning service and his time with the guys after the service, and he always enjoys picking up the Sunday School kids and taking them home. I'm so glad he likes doing that; as I find that to be a noisy, out-of-control time. I enjoy praying, singing, telling Bible stories, and doing crafts with the kids. It's a win-win for both of us. We drive home happy.

Some of the children came early, and they 'copped' my camera.

Confession is good for the soul, I've heard.  I have not posted for many weeks because I was not sure if anyone was interested in hearing our reports. However, I decided that it is good to keep a record, anyway, and the numbers on the weekly reports show that you have been checking the page even when I fall down on the job. So, here we go: Report Time Again. :)
This morning was cold, but not as damp as it was everywhere else we traveled today (we traveled to Fort Thompson to get the bus, and we traveled the interstate to and from).  We have noticed that the weather patterns are unique in the little valley where Lower Brule is situated. The church was warm and cozy, and the piano was well-behaved and responsive this morning. :} Such a sweet little lady came to keep me company in my seat during service this morning! She calls me 'Grandma,' and she is very bright and interested.

This afternoon Sunday School looked rather daunting when the children came dashing and shouting, pushing and throwing themselves on the seats. I hate to 'get after them '(I do if I must); but we started the Sunday School and kept up a fast pace, and the children settled in to pay attention. I told them the first half of the story of Esther the Queen, and they helped me by being interested and asking good questions. We then went to the basement and finger painted (whose crazy idea was that??) What fun they had!! A little face-painting went along with it, but everyone cleaned up pretty good. They proudly and carefully carried their creations home with them. Ray came back from delivering them home happy and unbesmirched or painted, though I wore a few extra colors home with me. We love the children and the friendly people of Lower Brule. Please pray for these people.

I'll admit it-I was touched when I saw that some children had left a message for Sharlite and Ray on the front church steps because we were not there when they came calling. They came later and talked to us. How sweet!