Member

I finally did it.

I became a member of a church.

I have been a believer for at least 16 years. Today is Kaytee's sweet sixteenth birthday. I was planning on spending this day with her until she informed me that she'd rather hang out with her boyfriend. I wasn't surprised at all...
so I signed up for the bayside 101 class. A 4 hour crash course on what Bayside is all about.
I've never understood why churches always want you to become a member? Here are the reasons they gave...
1. Because Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. see Ephesians 5:25
2. Commitment
3. Membership tells the church who they can count on.
4. Putting down roots produce spiritual growth.

But do you want to know what really sold me? As I was reading through their core beliefs, I read this...

In non-essential beliefs- we have LIBERTY. "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgement on disputable matters...Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls...So then each of us will give an account of himself to God...So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God." Romans 14: 1,4,12,22

Folks, I've never seen a church use this verse. Especially in their core beliefs. Agree to disagree? Be tolerant and above all love your neighbor? I have never found a church that I agree so much with. Everything is biblically based. Nothing weird or crazy. Ah, I have found my home.

I knew what becoming a member would mean. There are things I would be expected to do. Most of them I have already been doing and the results in my life have been amazing. First let me tell you what it means to be a member and then I will tell you which ones I will need to start doing...

Being a member means I will...
1. protect the unity of my church
a. by acting in love toward other members (I think it applies to everyone, dah)
b. by refusing to gossip
c. by following the leaders (cool, like kindergarten!)

2. share the responsibility of my church
a. by praying for it's growth
b. by inviting the unchurched to attend
c. by warmly welcoming those who visit

3. serve the ministry of my church
a. by discovering my gifts and talents
b. by living a godly life
c. by developing a servant's heart

4. support the testimony of my church
a. by attending faithfully
b. by living a godly life (isn't that in number 3?)
c. by giving regularly

Doesn't that sound easy? What in the world was holding me back? I know what you're thinking...but Kathy, it says GIVE regularly! Does that mean tithe?

Yep. And I've already been doing it. I started tithing 10% of my income over 3 months ago. In fact, I tithe 20% of what Michael gives me for child support and alimony. Why? Because when I was married, tithing was not something we agreed on. He didn't want to and since the idea of giving that much money was so scary, I found it far to easy not to do it. But guess what...I was only hurting our family. Now that I'm single I make my own financial decisions and I figured that giving Michael's portion might help along with regular prayers for him. Last month I stumbled upon a Bible verse that actually supports my theory.
"And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living." Hebrews 7: 7,8. Not that I think Michael is lesser! We are equal.

Tithing is not about money. It's about commitment and faith. Though I was a Christian, I never trusted God to take care of my needs financially. Even when we made almost 100k a year. Now I am single with 2 teenagers and I am finally trusting God and giving him what is indeed his. He gave me everything I have. How can I steal from God? How can I say it is not fair for him to ask this of me? I gave him my life because he gave his for me. I love him because he first loved me.
God loves a cheerful giver...and I will rejoice that I am able to give.
So it's been 3 months and I have just as much as I did before. My bills still get paid. We go on trips (skiing last weekend). I have not cut back on anything (except eating out when I'm working). I can't explain it, but it's true. He is faithful, so I will be too.

Here is what the Bible says about tithing...

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. Test me in this' says the Lord 'and see if I won't throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that you won't have enough room for it!" Malachi 3:10
This is the ONLY place in the Bible that God asks us to test him.

So what I am not doing that I need to do?
Find a small group, get connected. Going to Church every Sunday is great, but I need to be involved in a small group where people can get to know me, pray for me and support me and vise versa. There are a bunch. I'm considering an art group or one that helps parents with their teenagers. Also I want to start helping out with the homeless. I already give my hotel shampoos and soaps to this group who minister to the homeless on the last sunday of every month. I'd like to ride along and help.

Faith without action is dead. Talk is cheap. I want to be like Christ...so I will DO what Christ did...love others.

I will end this post with an awesome quote...

"Beware of spending too much time looking back at what you once were, when God wants you to become something you have never been!"
Oswald Chambers

Hope Walks Pictures.

what a trip!

Tonight I am in North Bend...or you can say, Coos Bay. It's on the Oregon Coast. Anyway, I was here last week as well. I report the same time tomorrow as I did last week. I wonder if things will go better tomorrow??

Last week our plane was late because of weather in San Francisco. We were scheduled to fly to Portland then do a round trip to Medford then our last leg to our overnight, Redding.
The weather in North Bend wasn't good. In fact, we watched as our plane missed it's approach and diverted to Euguene. It wasn't coming back.
Crew support decided to give us the next plane that was scheduled to come in and have that crew wait and take the plane from the last crew due in for the night. It's hard to explain...basically robbing peter to pay paul kind of deal.
Anyway- while we were sitting in the flight operations room, we heard the next plane attempt to land. It didn't. Off it went to Eugene, just like the one before it.
Again we waited until the news came down that the last flight of the night had cancelled. I don't blame them. The weather was terrible. They've already sent 2 planes that failed, why send the third?
However, that means that my crew and I were stuck in North Bend while 2 planes crew were stuck in Eugene.
I would not want a scheduling job! What do you do?
Well, I'll tell you what they did. They shuttled us up to Eugene in a van and shuttled one of the diverted Eugene crews to North Bend. It's a 2.5 hour drive over a curvy mountainous pass. The van was so bumby that I nearly got sick!
Once we arrived at the airport in Eugene, we repositioned one of the divereted planes to Portland.
That was kinda cool for me. I got to sit in the cockpit and watch. Also I had on a headset so I could hear the guys talking to air traffic control.
We overnighted in Portland and deadheaded on a mainline flight to San Francisco the next day to end our trip. Pretty easy since I didn't really work the second half of the trip and got out of working 7 flights. Don't worry- I still got paid for it all.
More often than not, you get hosed in this job. It's nice to be on the other side once in a while. I suppose it all evens out.
Something interesting happened on that deadhead. I was sitting in the exit row and had out my Bible during the flight. I try to not make it obvious because I get a little uncomfortable. I don't want people to see me and think I'm trying to be better than everyone else...oh, look at her she's reading the Bible...she must think she's better than all us heathans! That's not true. It's just a good time for me to think, study and pray without distractions.
I was going over some of the verses Ray (our pastor) had been talking about on the message outline that they hand out every week. The week's message had to do with fear and breaking free from it.
I like to use the hotel paper to write down verses that I want to remember. The seat next to me was empty until one of the flight attendants sat down and asked me if I was studing the Bible. She asked me how I do it. So I explained to her in my shy stumbling way that I don't really have any rhime or reason, I just go through it as I feel led. Then she asked me if I've ever fasted. I answered honestly, no. I know people used to do that and some still do, but that's as much as I know.
Well, she had already looked into it. She proceeded to tell me that there are 5 different ways to fast. The first being 3 days without eating or drinking anything. The second is 21 days but you can have water and some fruit and grains. She said she has really been wanting to try it but was afraid.
I couldn't believe how fast the words came out of my mouth..."don't be afraid." It shocked me because of how bold it sounded...as if it was someone else talking.
I continued. "This has obviously been on your heart to do. You should do it. Don't be scared."
She repeated the word "scared" and pointed to the same word that was on my message outline and said.."scared. That's it...I'm scared." I explained how we had just started this new series at church about breaking the grip of fear in our lives. She asked me if I would write down some verses for her. Instead I gave her the outline and told her that there are already many verses on it about fear. She couldn't believe I was just giving this to her. She thanked me so much and gave me a hug. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, but it felt so good to share my faith with a stranger.
I am blown away with how God works in my life. Was this encounter a coincidence or does God set these things up? I don't know, but it sure felt like it was set up.
I know God wants to bless us. We get nudges to do the right thing. I remember one time asking God to make me a fence pusher. You know the term "sitting on the fence"...well a fence pusher is one of those people who push people to one side or the other. Not that I want to force my religion on anyone, cause I don't. But if anyone isn't sure...I know the way. It's Jesus. Let me point you in the right direction and get you off that fence!

Mission Trip?

The more I see the world, the more I want to help it.

Amazing how much your view changes when the vail of ignorance is pulled away.

Not that long ago, I would have said, "don't send so much money to other countries when we have so many people suffering in our own backyard."

How stupid. How ignorant. We don't know the word poverty. Yes, we have many suffering people in America. But there is help for most of them.

Africa.

Megan has been asking me to take her there for well over a year. Upon her insistance we participated in Hope Walks (an event to raise money for kids in Africa who have become orphaned due to AIDS) She wants to go to Kenya.

This summer my Church is going to Kenya. Coincidence?

So here I am...praying and wondering if this is what God wants us to do. I wouldn't be able to use my free flight benefits. It's a group thing. I would have to raise the money. It's not cheap. But I suppose, if it's God's plan then I have nothing to worry about. The money will come. I provide the faith and he will do the rest.