Galatians 5:13

Galatians 5:13-14 "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

In trying to make our "Summer of Service" projects hit home with the kids I decided I needed a verse as our motto. Duh Kathryn...probably would have been smarter to start off with showing them what the Bible says and telling them this is why we are doing these things...oh well I'm a little backwards sometimes but better late than never right??!! Yesterday we made some more yummy brownies and some bean salsa dip to take to the kids' pediatrician's office and to our church pastors and staff. I found Galatians 5: 13-14 and read it to the kids...Emily gets it of course but I think John Daniel understands that we just want to show others that we love them by doing something nice for them. Emily and I talked a lot about loving your neighbor as yourself. John Daniel helped make the brownies and Emily helped make the bean salsa. Let me tell you that God is teaching me something as I am trying to teach my kids something......PATIENCE!!! I have very little patience and boy do you have to have patience when you are cooking with your kids. I don't just want to do it for them because that would defeat the purpose so I have to be very deliberate in letting them do it. Funny how God uses one little thing to teach so many big things to each of us. We got up early and went to Dr. Elzie's office before swim lessons. John met us there on his way home from work. We all prayed in the car (something that I had not done yet before we have served others...another DUH moment) that the gifts that we were bringing to the doctors, nurses, and staff would glorify HIM and show others Christ's love. The kids walked in with their hands full of goodies and the staff was very excited and surprised. I hope they liked it. Emily said on our way there..."What if they don't eat it?" and I said "why wouldn't they?" and she said "because they are doctors and nurses and know that eating brownies with sugar and 4 sticks of butter isn't healthy for you!" I laughed so hard...I told her that is why we made the bean salsa dip because the ones that don't want the brownies can eat that. Too Cute!!! After swimming we took goodies to the church office for all the pastors and staff. They too were very thankful and excited. I know from being friends with other pastors and church staff members that they tend to hear a lot of negative comments most of the time about what people of unhappy with so we thought giving them some love through food and some cards that the kids made might brighten their day! I think it did!