Hello ladies. Welcome to the "mansion." It is Sunday, so it is time for Dinner, Discuss, Dessert.
Dinner:
The Teagues had Chicken-n-Dumplings. Here is the recipe...
Easy Chicken-n-Dumplings
3 Chicken breasts
4 cups of water
2 cans of cream of celery soup
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 cans of cheap biscuits
Bring the water, bouillon, salt and pepper to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and boil until done. Remove the chicken and cut into small pieces. Add the chicken back into the water in your pot. Whisk in the two cans of cream of celery soup until there are no more lumps. Heat until a low boil. Open the canned biscuits. Flatten the biscuits out very thin and cut each one into six pieces. Drop the pieces slowly into the boiling pot. Continue on a low boil for 10 minutes. TaDa. Done. Enjoy.
Discuss:
I must confess. I did not go to church today. After Casey's stomach virus and a day of upholstery, I was in no shape to get up early. So, no talking points from the preacher. However, I did have a thought. While I was trying my best to cover my denim club chair, I kept thinking...."this is so...not my gift." I though that over and over. But, I didn't stop sewing. I kept on going until it was done.
God says through 1 Corinthians 12 that to each one of us (Christians) the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. This is done as follows..."To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues."
I have taken a "gift" test several times before. This test determined my "gifting." I am supposed to be gifted with hospitality and discernment. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Knowing this, I am set....right? I am expected to be hospitable. I am expected to be able to discern between what is of God and what is not. Everything else is hands off for me...right? I have heard folks say (out loud) "I can't do that, it is not my gift." I have even heard someone say, "I don't feel sorry for her, compassion just isn't my gift." So...are our "gifts" a way out of doing things that we don't feel comfortable doing? Are they a pass on showing care and compassion? Hummmmmmmm... The last verse of chapter 12 says...Love "And now I will show you the most excellent way." The most excellent way and greatest gift is Love. Without love, and the pouring out of it, we are for not. Without showing love, our gifts don't count for anything. So...I am going to go ahead and say that NO, our gifts are not a get out of jail free card for doing things that we don't want to do. NO, they are not a pass on showing compassion and empathy. They are ways that we express our love for others. They are ways that we build one another up. They are ways that we move folks to Christ.
I didn't quit sewing that silly slipcover because I didn't have the gift of sewing. I just gritted my teeth and ripped those seems out. I worked on it until the job was done. We should do the same with each other. Don't bow out because something isn't your gift. Don't be less than gentle with someone because gentleness isn't your gift. Because above all those gifts is the gift of Love. The most excellent way to do, the most excellent way to speak, the most excellent way to act, the most excellent way to react. And that is all.
DESSERT:
Ice cream sundaes on Sunday. Yum
Have a blessed week ladies. Show your gifts and your non gifts through love. Laura
Dinner:
The Teagues had Chicken-n-Dumplings. Here is the recipe...
Easy Chicken-n-Dumplings
3 Chicken breasts
4 cups of water
2 cans of cream of celery soup
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 cans of cheap biscuits
Bring the water, bouillon, salt and pepper to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and boil until done. Remove the chicken and cut into small pieces. Add the chicken back into the water in your pot. Whisk in the two cans of cream of celery soup until there are no more lumps. Heat until a low boil. Open the canned biscuits. Flatten the biscuits out very thin and cut each one into six pieces. Drop the pieces slowly into the boiling pot. Continue on a low boil for 10 minutes. TaDa. Done. Enjoy.
Discuss:
I must confess. I did not go to church today. After Casey's stomach virus and a day of upholstery, I was in no shape to get up early. So, no talking points from the preacher. However, I did have a thought. While I was trying my best to cover my denim club chair, I kept thinking...."this is so...not my gift." I though that over and over. But, I didn't stop sewing. I kept on going until it was done.
God says through 1 Corinthians 12 that to each one of us (Christians) the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. This is done as follows..."To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues."
I have taken a "gift" test several times before. This test determined my "gifting." I am supposed to be gifted with hospitality and discernment. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Knowing this, I am set....right? I am expected to be hospitable. I am expected to be able to discern between what is of God and what is not. Everything else is hands off for me...right? I have heard folks say (out loud) "I can't do that, it is not my gift." I have even heard someone say, "I don't feel sorry for her, compassion just isn't my gift." So...are our "gifts" a way out of doing things that we don't feel comfortable doing? Are they a pass on showing care and compassion? Hummmmmmmm... The last verse of chapter 12 says...Love "And now I will show you the most excellent way." The most excellent way and greatest gift is Love. Without love, and the pouring out of it, we are for not. Without showing love, our gifts don't count for anything. So...I am going to go ahead and say that NO, our gifts are not a get out of jail free card for doing things that we don't want to do. NO, they are not a pass on showing compassion and empathy. They are ways that we express our love for others. They are ways that we build one another up. They are ways that we move folks to Christ.
I didn't quit sewing that silly slipcover because I didn't have the gift of sewing. I just gritted my teeth and ripped those seems out. I worked on it until the job was done. We should do the same with each other. Don't bow out because something isn't your gift. Don't be less than gentle with someone because gentleness isn't your gift. Because above all those gifts is the gift of Love. The most excellent way to do, the most excellent way to speak, the most excellent way to act, the most excellent way to react. And that is all.
DESSERT:
Ice cream sundaes on Sunday. Yum
Have a blessed week ladies. Show your gifts and your non gifts through love. Laura
Posts
Great thoughts, Laura! I'm glad to hear that the slipcover was not easy for you b/c your post on the chair made it seem easy and I was freaking out!
ReplyDeleteWell said, Laura! I'm not sure of my gift other than knowing what the kids want before they do. :o) I think that's just part of being a mom.
ReplyDeleteYour chair turned out so beautifully, that you've encouraged me to do the same. I have a chair in great condition that received an unfortunate toddler red marker makeover. I was going to buy a new cover, but will just do it myself now. Thanks!!