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Advent in the Woodshop, Part 1
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Welcome to December! It snowed here in KC on the first, so that must mean the holiday season is officially here. In this busy time of year, we pray you take time to savor each moment and remember the great gift from God we celebrate with Jesus' birth. This marks the 25th year of our weekly devotions. Phil wrote the first one on December 28, 1999. (We'll include it below.) We've lost count, but over these 25 years, the number of devotions has climbed into the thousands. Our intention was to celebrate this milestone by sharing some of our favorites, but Phil had an idea about the Advent season and the next thing we knew, he had four more written. This month we'll explore ADVENT IN THE WOODSHOP. Next year will be our 30th year in music ministry! Wow, what a journey it has been. We plan to do some special concerts to mark this milestone. If you'd like to add your church to the schedule, let us know. So now we'll leave you with Phil's very first devotion and his latest. Enjoy! We serve a Savior who doesn't sit still! - Dec 28, 1999 Jesus was seated in glory with the Father, but He didn't stay there. Jesus came to earth as a baby and was laid in a stable, but He didn't stay there. Jesus spent His early years in a carpenter shop, but He didn't stay there. Jesus could later be found teaching in the temple, but He didn't stay there. Jesus was nailed to a cross for our sins, but He didn't stay there. Jesus was placed in a tomb, but He didn't stay there either. Jesus couldn't sit still because He saw a world that desperately needed His touch. That need has never been greater than today, but now WE are Jesus' hands. As you embark on a new voyage into 2000, how are you going to touch the world for Christ? You don't have to travel overseas, the need is right where you live and work. What ya gonna do about it? Oh and one more thing, Jesus isn't finished traveling yet! He has one more trip - a glorious return to earth. When Jesus does return, wouldn't you like Him to catch you doing His work? ADVENT IN THE WOODSHOP - Part one, HOPE This year in my spare time (what little there is!), I decided to explore the world of wood turning. I got my first lathe at about this time last year, and I have learned so much (and had a lot of fun in the process!). Every wood turning project starts with a chunk of wood. I like to use pieces from trees that would have most likely been cut into firewood or chipped into mulch. It's fun to discover something beautiful hiding inside what others would consider practically worthless. At this stage, what that chunk will become is not clear. I don't know if it's purpose will be useful or artistic, but I do know this - I'm not a master woodturner, but I have enough skill to finish the project. It's exciting to see what will develop as I continue to shape the wood into something brand new. Hope is like that. Our future is not clear - where we will be or what we will become. But we do know we are in God's masterful hands and He has the skill to finish the project! It's exciting to look ahead in anticipation of what will develop as He continues to shape us daily into something brand new. Our lives reflect the work of the Master - we are His masterpiece! Don't feel like a masterpiece? That's because God is still working on each of us. One of the tools He uses is our time of worship and instruction with our church family. So don't be a "knot on a log," be a Christian "chunk." (Some of us are more "chunky" than others, but let's not go there.) Celebrate this Advent season with your church family. If you don't have one, what a great time to start! We pray God leads you to a family of believers who will encourage you to grow in your walk with the Lord. Click Here to Check our Concert Schedule! Check us out on Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/PhilandPamMorgan |
Phil & Pam Morgan
We're authors and musicians who loves to talk about faith & spirituality, arts & crafts, and music. Subscribe and join over 2,000+ newsletter readers every week!
ADVENT IN THE WOODSHOP - Part two, PEACE We continue our look at Advent through eyes of a wood turner. Last time we selected a chunk of wood in hope of a masterpiece hiding inside. Now it's time to chuck it onto the lathe. We start by trying to find the approximate center of the piece. No matter how close we get, the odd shape of the rough wood will cause the lathe to shake a bit as it turns. We ease the roughing gouge slowly toward the spinning wood and it jumps and jerks in our hands as the...
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