Sorry I haven't updated this for quite a while now. I was waiting to see what would happen with our Wednesday Bible Study (not starting up yet), the sermon series (I have missed two), and life. I have asked another contributor to get us some information on the sermon series - Faith and Action - but I invite you to go on Sunday morning and check it out for yourself!

Faith and Action. I have always thought talk was cheap, and we (I) need to act and live out our (my) beliefs. But have you ever noticed that is easier said than done? There are always so many "good" excuses. At least there are in my head. How about yours? Sometimes I listen to the small, quiet voice that tells me to talk to the person who looks so sad, to offer help to the woman in the parking lot, to offer a silent prayer for the harried mother who is losing her temper at the grocery store. But most of the time, I admit, I rush through life, not paying attention to anything or anyone that doesn't fit into my list for the day.

Faith and Action. When I hear those words I think of the huge, grandiose, news-grabbing projects. Habitat. Rebuilding. Joplin Mission Trips. While I really like to do those things, I have to balance it with my other commitments. And the voice inside mt head says if I can't do those wonderful works, then I can't act. I am not faithful. True?

FALSE! Some of you may think I am just trying to make myself feel better, and part of me is. But as I worked on this piece I tried to honestly consider my own experiences and what I know of the experiences of others. As I weighed them I came to firmly believe it is the small, daily, thoughtful acts that matter the most. When I focus on a thoughtful, kind, generous attitude it changes my whole day, my whole outlook, my whole life. Don't get me wrong, I am no saint and not able to sustain that attitude over extended periods of time. The euphoria and adrenaline that accompany those really big works last only a short while. Even when I reflect back on them, look at the pictures, talk with other participants, it isn't the same. But, by just trying to have an attitude of generosity I change my whole outlook.

Faith and Action. I can act, out my own personal faith every single day. I can do something for others. And I have found that it changes me more than those around me.