Blog Church - Week 27

Welcome Blog Church goers!
I'm Rev. JD, your online pastor.
A big THANK YOU to those who ordered cross necklaces from my previous post. I will advertise the crosses on my sidebar, when I get around to it. A Catholic church contacted me yesterday to use them for fundraising, so my little business is seeing some action. I'm grateful and hopeful for more business. The only downside to making these crosses is it wreaks havoc on my nails. I guess I must bear my cross in order to make the crosses.
:-)
Now, on to today's sermon which is called "A Little Becomes A Lot."
Throughout the Bible, we see examples of people giving something small to God and seeing it turned into much more than they could have imagined.
Moses, a man with a speech impediment, became a great leader. We've all seen Moses portrayed by Charlton Heston. "Let my people GO!"
Gideon took an army of 300 and defeated an army of 135,000.
Mary, a lowly girl, was chosen to be the mother of Jesus.
Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and asked his disciples to feed a crowd of thousands with it. They were perplexed, but they began passing out the food which never ran out. In the end, baskets full of scraps were left over.
The same message resounds throughout scripture:
A little becomes a lot when placed in God's hands.
We come to him as we are, and let him help us become all he has for us.
Jesus often taught using parables.
A parable is a simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson.
Jesus told the parable of The Mustard Seed.
Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed.
He taught that from a tiny mustard seed there grows a tree big enough to provide shade and a place for birds to nest. He knew that God's kingdom here on earth would start small with a group of disciples and followers, and grow until it reached around the world.
Again, we see this same principle of a little becoming a lot.
In a world where beauty and fame and wealth are praised and seen as the pinnacles of life's achievements, an everyday person like you and me can feel insignificant. Even if we have some accomplishments to be proud of, we can still find ourselves feeling empty when the glow of those achievements has subsided.
Today, I just want to leave you with a message of encouragement.
I hope you never underestimate the powerful potential that exists when you give your talents and abilities to God.
Let's vow to try to not lose heart even when it seems the odds are against us. Perplexing as it may be, God can take very little and do wonders.
What he does is not based on our greatness; it is based on his.
I'm open to whatever God has in store for me. It may not be something big, but then again, who knows??
I might be making crosses for the Vatican someday!
:-)
And everybody said... AMEN!!!

Stuff to Make You Smile

I had a lovely Mother's Day. My hubby fixed his specialty of Italian sausage & linguini. My daughter got me a lovely planter basket to go in my great room. My son made this card which looks to me like it says Harry Mama Day. I asked him if the card came with a razor, and he said,"Those are Ps, not Rs!!!"
You be the judge:



My son asked if he could draw a tattoo on my back while I sat making cross necklaces. (I'll tell you about the necklaces in a moment.) I said okay, and after a LONG time, he proclaimed he was finished. Below is a picture of the mural on my back. Dream Theater is an awesome band that my son loves:



Now, on to the cross necklaces...
I started a new business handcrafting cross necklaces and key chains. They are made using four horseshoe nails and colored copper wire. I actually use vice grips and pliers!! I feel like such a stud!
I will be selling them at our farmers' market and other places.
They cost $10 each or 3 for $25, which includes shipping. Email me for more info such as color choices, etc.
Here are some pics of some of the crosses I've made:





Below is a pic of me wearing one of my crosses on Mother's Day. The neck cord has adjustable slip knots which allow the cross to be worn at various lengths. Men wear them too by adjusting the cross to sit at the base of the throat. They make great gifts, so keep me in mind whenever you are in need of a unique gift.



I've also started a fund raising program for church youth groups or Christian school groups. I split the profits with them in order to help them raise funds. My brother's choir will use them this fall to help pay for choir outfits, and my friend's nephew is using them to help pay for a mission trip this summer. Contact me for more info.
Okay my commercial is over.

It's graduation time!!
Remember Dumb, one of my son's buddies? Well, Dumb is graduating!!
Here's what my hubby did to alter the announcement:



Made you smile, huh?
Harry Mama's post is over now.