Whaa? Free A&W Root Beer Floats today from 2:00 to close!

This Saturday is 2nd Saturday. Get your $5 cloth bag and get to saving by supporting local merchants.

If you register here, you can build Hulk’s Tank at the Lowe’s Build and Grow event this Saturday.

Free Board Game Night at Sedgwick County Extension Office Friday night from 7 – 9

Looks like the last Wichita Rec Center Free Family Event will be this Saturday at Boston Park.

Have a good one. Let’s soak up the last of summer vacay!

Fun friends in town

Aaannnddd….jump

Birthday party ideas

Dan’s plan: pictures with statues downtown

I love him.

Drive on, Caleb

This will be a fun addition to our city center

My friend killing it for Final Friday at The Workroom

It was a beautiful night

Chocolate chips in coffee grinder = chocolate dust

Cool (They were way happier about this than they look)

Fun friends on vacation in the States

Sweet one we haven’t seen since he was teeny!

Pool birthday parties are the best.

 

And your 7 days?

 

I read this post a long time ago, but I still regularly think about it. So I’m going to retype it here.

 

Chuck Swindoll – 10 Things I’ve learned in 50 Years of Leadership:

 

1. It’s lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decision, the lonelier it is.
2. It’s dangerous to succeed. I’m most concerned for those who aren’t even 30 and are very gifted and successful. Sometimes God uses someone right out of youth, but usually he uses leaders who have been crushed.
3. It’s hardest at home. No one ever told me this in Seminary.
4. It’s essential to be real. If there’s one realm where phoniness is common, it’s among leaders. Stay real.
5. It’s painful to obey. The Lord will direct you to do some things that won’t be your choice. Invariably you will give up what you want to do for the cross.
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7. Attitude is more important than actions. Your family may not have told you: some of you are hard to be around. A bad attitude overshadows good actions.
8. Integrity eclipses image. Today we highlight image. But it’s what you’re doing behind the scenes.
9. God’s way is better than my way.
10. Christlikeness begins and ends with humility.

 

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it looks like in our current culture to love well, have unity among our many differences as Believers, and, yet, still stand on God’s Word as authoritative.

 

As I try to reconcile the above, this quote based on Jesus’ Parable of The Lost Son, keeps popping in my brain:

“In [the gospel’s] view, everyone is wrong, everyone is loved, and everyone is called to recognize this and change.  By contrast, elder brothers divide the world in two: ‘The good people (like us) are in and the bad people, who are the real problem with the world, are out.’  Younger brothers, even if they don’t believe in God at all, do the same thing, saying: ‘No, the open-minded and tolerant people are in and the bigoted,  narrow-minded people, who are the real problem with the world, are out.’

But Jesus says:

 

‘The humble are in and the proud are out.’

 

The people who profess they aren’t particularly good or open-minded are moving toward God, because the prerequisite for receiving the grace of God is to know you need it.'” Tim Keller, The Prodigal God

 

Let’s keep Truth married to Compassion.

 

Let’s have Grace that never turns away from Righteousness.

 

Let’s have the Gospel, Believers.

 

Ezra 1:1-4 NIV:

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:

‘This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you – may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”

I love that 200 years before this decree, El Elyon, God Most High, saw it and told Isaiah about it:

 

“[He] who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please;

He will say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’

And of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’

This is what the LORD says to his anointed,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of…

For the sake of Jacob my servant,

of Israel my chosen,

I summon you by name

and bestow on you a title of honor,

though you do not acknowledge me.

I am the LORD, and there is no other;

Apart from me there is no God.

I will strengthen you,

though you have not acknowledged me,

so that from the rising of the sun

to the place of its setting

men may know there is none besides me.

I am the LORD, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 44:28-45:1a, 4-6)

 

At first, God through Isaiah seems a bit harsh. Cyrus is acknowledging God, right?

Well, it turns out the God of Israel was not the only god King Cyrus sought to appease when taking office (Study Bible, pg 635). He was trying to cover all his basis, in some sort of karma game.

Hmmm. Maybe he hadn’t heard yet the God of Israel doesn’t take well to His Holy Presence being treated flippantly.

Nonetheless, the reason Scripture provides for Cyrus allowing the exiles to return and rebuild the temple is “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus…”

What does that do in your heart?

How often do you chalk things up only to human choice? Is it easy for you to see the hand of an all-knowing, all-powerful God in control of seconds and planets and heart beats?

 

If we ever start thinking our choices don’t matter, let’s run and get some wise counsel. Of course making good choices is important.

 

But if we come to the conclusion that only broken human beings are in charge of the grand, sweeping events in all of history and the future, well, we should probably run for the hills. Because that’s no good.

 

Thankfully, no matter how uncertain our times may seem, we have a King Who rules all kings. And He is on His throne.

 

For He is the LORD, and there is no other.

If you read nothing else, read this: My talented friend will be the featured musician at The Workroom for Final Friday tomorrow night, 6:00-9:00. (See all the participating locations for the Art Crawl here.)

My friend told me she had a great experience at Stearman Bar and Grill. If you’re up for a short drive to Benton, KS, you can watch vintage airplanes take off and land on their air strip while enjoying delicious food.

 

If you’ve ever thought about learning pottery, I know a guy. He works here.

 

 

Did you know your Summer Reading Program records are due tomorrow? Get em in and get your prizes.

 

The 8th annual Wichita Chalk Art Festival will be in Old Town this Saturday from 10 to 2. This free event helps to raise awareness for EmberHope. Come decorate the sidewalks along with local artists for a good cause.

 

Have a happy, intentional weekend!

Baseball friends

Cousin TimeDonut Time

IKEA time

Fritz’s

Some LEGOLAND Favs

 

And your 7 Days?

 

 

Had a quick weekend trip to see my sister and we chatted about TP prices. It’s true. I read this on a blog a long time ago, but it’s one of my favorite little shopping tips.

 

When trying to figure out a good price, look at the square footage on the package. Then move the decimal point to the left two places. That is a good TP price.

 

For example:

Ignore all the talk about how many rolls. See the part on the bottom line in blue that says Total? In parentheses is 431 square feet. So scoot that decimal 2 to the left, and you realize you should not pay much more than $4.31 for this package.

 

Here is where you realize you will never be able to buy TP again without knowing this. I’m sorry. But at least when you walk by an end cap at the store and see a sign that promotes a “Big Sale” but you’re paying $5 more than you know you should…well, you can walk on by with a knowing laugh.

 

Any super quick shopping tips for us to share?

 

If I go too long without studying God’s Word in depth, my soul starts to feel…antsy.

 

A friend had a verse from Ezra on social media, and it reminded me of that dusty book in the Bible (well, it’s dusty in my Bible). Plus, after a little reading from the NASB Study Bible intro, I found Ezra was referred to as a “reforming priest” (pg 549). Pretty big title.

 

But a title that sounds relevant. We are an interconnected, socially aware, socially active generation. How do we keep that awareness and activism yet stay grounded in the Holy Scriptures? Because we really are not in charge of what is absolute truth. Neither is culture.

 

God is.

 

And He has revealed to us what we need to know.

 

I think we could use a little of that reforming priest’s wisdom, don’t you?

 

So let’s jump in.

 

If you read any of the Hosea study, you know the prophet was foretelling Israel’s captivity.

 

And it happened. Around 720 B.C., the Northern Kingdom fell into the hands of the ruthless Assyrians.

 

But what about our Southern Kingdom, Judah? Hosea only gave them several cursory glances during his prophecy focused on the North. But the Southern Kingdom was not following Covenant Yahweh’s Laws either. Jeremiah was the main prophet to the South, preaching in Jerusalem until the foretold disaster. Judah was finally taken captive by the Babylonians some 100 years after the Northern Kingdom fell, around 605 B.C.

 

Jeremiah foretold the captivity would last 70 years, of which his contemporary Daniel was well aware. Sure enough, at just the right time, “the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia” and around 537 B.C. the first round of exiles were given permission to return to their Promised Land.

 

And this is where Ezra begins.

It is important to remember that the first part of Ezra is recounting history. Our reforming priest himself doesn’t return to Jerusalem until some 80 years later, around 458 B.C.

 

But we’ll start where the author starts. Ezra chapter one.

 

Another day.

 

This seems like enough for now. An introduction to get some footing and a precedent for me to be disciplined to continue.

 

Here’s to the end of summer and the beginning of fresh insights into the heart of One who breathed the Word into existence.

 

If you read nothing else, read this: Today is Free Iced Tea Day at McAlister’s.

Monday is the last free swim day of the summer. Have at it at Boston pool.

 

The next free event from Wichita Parks and Recreation is this Saturday at McAdams Park.

 

So while we weren’t looking, Wichita turned 145 years old. There’s a celebration on Saturday.

Lowe’s Build and Grow Kids’ Clinics this summer are themed around Marvel Avengers. Register here to build Hawkeye’s Quinjet this Saturday. (We got one the other day and they’re very sturdy and fun to play with).

 

Johnson’s Gardens is hosting a free seminar this weekend entitled “Lawn Renovation and Overseeding.” Sign up in store or online here.

 

Poetry Reading at Watermark on Friday beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Food Trucks at the Fountain this Sunday at Waterwalk.

 

Friends of the Library Used Book Sale this weekend on Fiction Hardbacks at Central. 6 Books for $5.

 

The Library:

It is making me sad all these summer events that are coming to a close. Each season has such charms, but my favorite will always be summer.

Thursday July 23rd, meet a K-9 Police Dog at Central from 3:30 – 4:15. Over at Evergreen Branch, you can meet a Wichita firefighter beginning at 2:30. And at Rockwell, learn about Horse Rescue from Greenwood Stables and Equine Center, beginning at 2:30.

Also today at Alford, meet the creator of the bilingual comic book AMIGOMAN, Anthony Oropeza. Learn tips for drawing comic book characters beginning at 2:30 for ages 8-11.

Friday the 24th at Westlink, see the Puppet Show Interrupting Chicken at 10:30 and again at 2:30. And at Alford on Friday you can catch the Horse Rescue information beginning at 2:30. A chance to meet one of the horses from their program after the presentation.

 

I hope your weekend is full of love and intention!

 

 

Making me a compost bin

Becoming our neighborhood mascot

Watching brother play

Malaysia Day at VBS at a friend’s church

Ball and Cup Game from Mexico Day

I like this church

Our supervisor rented out the water park for our staff meeting. So fun.

Gorgeous evening

Atta way, Lettuce!

 

And your 7 Days?