this is the feast

Sermon #3. Well, there's not much to say. I was more nervous than ever before. Lots of people = Amber's loss of focus. There were numerous times I can remember starting a phrase, looking out at the people, and completely blanking on what I was going to say. My goodness!! It's so frustrating when you feel God has a really strong message to say through you, and it flops. Of course, lots of people laughed at my jokes, no sleepers this time, but if I could just get rid of that stupid nervous bug, things would go so much better. It's hard enough to give a sermon about money, but even worse when a strong sermon (in my opinion) gets lost in the nervous energy of the preacher. UGH!

Luckily, there was a fabulous skit tied into my sermon to make things all better. You can always count on Mabel and Gert to save the day. They did a fantastic job! Charlie & the Chocolate Factory clips were used to illustrate how we need to prioritize our spending and to stop seeking value in our earthly things. The sermon will be online soon. You can judge the effectiveness for yourself.

Thanksgiving Feast Day: a whole crew of GS women prepared a wonderful Thanksgiving lunch today. I wasn't planning on going. Someone handed Bob a free ticket before worship, he handed it to me, and I said, "Awesome! I'll use it!" Someone couldn't make it, so I was able to go and share in fellowship with the GS family. I'm really starting to feel right at home here. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and sweet potatoes in orange peels were a hit. Not to mention homemade truffles, pies, and cookies. I'm full! I'm heading home for a few minutes to take a quick nap and regroup before worship tonight. It's going to be another busy week as I prepare another sermon for Wednesday evening. Keep the prayers comin' please!