LCV '13

It was a smaller Love Cedar Valley this year in number, but God was at work in some powerfully big ways through the day!  With a strong forecast of rain, He granted favor on Cedar Valley servants this day by gifting us with a dry skies day and warming temps.  He moved through the community by the hands and feet of his people visiting nursing homes, providing free meals, working on homes, thanking employees throughout the Cedar Valley.  Christ's name was lifted up by His people throughout their service and in worship together  throughout the day!

EVERY act of kindness done in the name of Jesus

"My sister and I just spent 3 hours making caramel corn for the May Day baskets we're giving out on Saturday at Love Cedar Valley."  This message came from a friend across my facebook at 11 p.m. last night.  It was like a flashing billboard straight from God to me.

Love Cedar Valley is a city-wide, multiple church, day long, annual event that is in its 8th year.  It's a day when churches come together to pray, serve, and worship jointly and to share Christ's love in real practical ways throughout the community.  I lead this effort, and there are many unknowns and "free radicals" in this event.  Weather.  How much attention and leadership each church gives to their organizing efforts. How well vision and communication gets disseminated into the multiple layers. Core leaders from a lot of different churches with a variety of styles, levels of commitment, and personalities.  I spend a lot of mental energy toward the end of the planning period trying to do what I can to control what I can, and then, I generally spend a lot of mental energy worrying about that which I cannot control and that which I wish I had done differently along the way of planning.  Last night's late night facebook message was a clear message from God to me:  "Stop.  Look right in front of you at what IS.  Give thanks for EVERY act of service; EVERY act of kindness being extended by my people in my name this Saturday.  Do it now.  And let go of every single thing that might have been or won't be this year.  Trust that I'm in what IS and can move in what IS in ways far beyond yourself."  

And so, this morning, I lay down my misguided desires for control and human excellence, and I pick up gratitude, joy, and faith.

*Thank you, Jesus, for the friend who engaged his sister in an evening of caramel corn making for May Day Baskets.  May your presence and love be experienced by the receivers of these gifts.  Thank you for speaking to my heart through their act of kindness.
*Thank you, Jesus, for the production crew who will spend a good portion of two days setting up and preparing an environment of worship so that your Body of Believers can lift our hearts and voices to you in honor and praise.
*Thank you, Jesus, for each person who will don their coats, hats, and gloves for a forecasted cold and potentially rainy May 4th Love Cedar Valley this year, and they will spend the day sharing your love in a variety of ways outdoors...picking up trash, handing out meals and treats, preparing gardens.
*Thank you, Jesus, for each elderly person in our area nursing homes and for each volunteer who will visit them, giving them flowers, drawings, balloons, and playing an instrument or singing a song to our elderly neighbors in care facilities.
*Thank you, Jesus, for Antioch Baptist Church and the energy they have put into their first Love Cedar Valley.
*Thank you, Jesus, for each photographer that will take pictures this weekend to create a photographic memory of the day.

I have and will continue to name each person and each act of giving as a gift received in gratitude, God, and I will set my heart and faith on the good, powerful, and mysterious ways you are able to move to accomplish your purposes in this community.  And thanks for messaging me on fb.  :)

love cedar valley this saturday!

www.facebook.com/lovecedarvalley

Quotable Monday

At the end of our Youth Art Team meeting Sunday:

"What did you learn during the first session of Youth Art Team's View Finder Project?" -Youth Art Team Director

"That you can look through a little box and see a whole new world through it."  -Youth Art Team student

youth art team casts light not shadow

Today's Viewfinder Project topic was "Shadows".  Youth Art Team students had a great time combing the neighborhood to find (and make!) shadows.  Yay, we had sun today, finally, so it was perfect!

Doug tied the lesson with Jesus who always shined light into the world and pushed back the darkness.  He never cast shadows because He was and is purely good and purely light.  We, too, as the people of Jesus, are to shine Christ's light through our words and actions and to push back the darkness in the world!  

grace gardens

Link Christian Development formed this past year with the purpose of helping to link people and places with the restoring mission of Jesus.  The geographic base of Link CDC is the Walnut Historic Neighborhood of Waterloo, Iowa, and the anchor partners of Link CDC are Orchard Hill Church and Harvest Vineyard with the support of  the Walnut Neighborhood Association.  

It is a joy to watch how God is at work in the neighborhood.  This Spring a core group has been meeting to plan "Grace Gardens".  The vision of Grace Gardens is:

*Gardening to restore people’s relationships to God and one another by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. 

*Gardening to develop community among neighbors and friends of the Walnut Neighborhood.

*Gardening to beautify the Walnut Neighborhood and create a strong sense of neighborhood identity. 

*Gardening to promote healthy eating and wellness among those involved in Grace Gardens.

*Gardening as a strategy for further youth development effort in the neighborhood.  

After a cold and rainy spring in Iowa, we landed a beautiful 75 degree day today with the chance for a little work to be done preparing the ground for one of the two Grace Garden locations in the neighborhood.

Mike uses the Bobcat to help fill gravel for a new path that is being formed to create a "corner park" for the neighborhood.  

George works to level the gravel in the central circle area that will sport a bench for  passersby  to stop and rest a spell.  

This is the other location for Grace Gardens.  Twelve raised beds just waiting to grow some delicious produce!  

Saturday Scripture

Isaiah 30:18
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” 

Matthew 23:23
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”



(In December 2006, I visited Kit Danley of Neighborhood Ministries in Phoenix, AZ.  As we visited, she recommended that I read through the Bible and highlight all of the Scripture passages that spoke of God's heart of compassion and justice.  In 2007, I did just that.

In 2008, I attended a workshop at a CCDA conference in which the facilitator instructed the class to work in pairs to name as many Scriptures (by reference or by text) that had to do with God's heart of compassion and justice.

The two exercises above have impacted me, and over the past five years, my eyes have been opened in a whole new way as I spend time in God's Word.  

I am going to spend Saturdays this year sharing Scripture passages on the blog, one OT and one NT, that help lay the Biblical foundation for compassion and justice; Scripture that describes God's character and His imperatives for His people.)