Secret Bunco Society

When I was a kid my best friend's mother was in a Bunco group.  We were strictly forbade from attending said bunco group!  I remember wondering for one what bunco even was and for two what in the world these women talked about or did that was unfit for the presence of young teens. Especially since this family was and still is very faithful, Godly people. My mind ran wild at the possibilities. Did they tell their deepest darkest secrets? Did they sit around and drink and smoke and tell dirty jokes?  Maybe they went skinny dipping in the nearby river. I never thought I would figure this mystery out but then it happened. A year ago I joined a bunco group at church.

I call it fight club because there are only two rules: no husbands and no kids!  Bunco is a real simple game. You roll dice and try to get sixes.  When someone rolls three sixes at the same time the fight is on to snatch up the die. I'm talking flying across the table, chairs falling over, drinks getting spilled, fingernail induced injuries type fighting to snatch up a die!! It's serious business! There is tons of delectable, fattening food; door prizes; a sinful dessert and most important of all the sanity inducing, stress relieving fellowship between 12 outstanding women.  I have finally figured this whole secret bunco society thing out and tonight it was my turn to herd my husband and kids out the door and host these women! Fun was had, food was devoured, all tables survived and no blood was drawn. We left after this all female party feeling recharged and refreshed.  Hubs and kids were thrilled that there was some leftover banana pudding!! Now my kids are left to wonder what in the heck it is that makes monthly bunco such a huge deal.

Midweek Recharge

Last night was midweek service at church.  Babes worked until after 11pm Tues night and was exhausted and after a long day at work I wasn't particularly feeling it either, but we had committed to greeting so we went.  And how glad I am that we went!  Isn't it amazing that we will sacrifice major blessing in our lives for any old excuse?  It was "first Wednesday" last night so all four us of went into the service as a family and the preacher taught on Miracles.  I am a note taker so of course I was jotting as fast as I could jot.  I looked over and Brother Bear was doing the same thing!  He was copying my notes onto his paper.  He sat there and soaked in the entire service.  At the end there was a normal tithe taken and then any loose change or bills went to our Mercy Mall.  Brother had found a penny earlier and had it in his pocket and he could not wait for that bucket to come by so he could give the only money he had on him to this great cause.  I mean he was on the edge of his seat making sure that bucket didn't pass him up!  I can't tell you how swelled with pride I was but at the same time I realized, he's watching me.  He's hungry and I'm so glad we are in a church that feeds his young faith but me and Babes need to continue to feed it at home.  I thought, wow, that's the kind of faith I want.  The kind where I'm not afraid to put my last penny in that white bucket as it passes by me!  Of course I need to brag on SisterLu too.  She's not one to sit still, but she was quiet as a mouse during the entire service and only waived at the preacher one time! 

So, I already said the lesson was on miracles and how to see God's miracles in your life.  The pastor asked this question: "What is your disability?  What keeps me from getting well?"  The verses we studied were John 5:1-10 where Jesus tells the invalid to "GET UP!"  Why am I not getting up and doing what God is leading me to do?  I want to experience the miracles that Jesus has in store for me and I know the areas of my life that keep me from doing that.  I know I feed those areas with the same excuses that almost prevented me from receiving the blessing that this Wednesday night service was.  Here is what I will be working on:

1.  Patience with my children - God chose me to be Brother Bear and SisterLu's mother and I can't think of anything else I would rather do, but I have got to learn how to parent the way my Father parent's me.
2.  Self control - particularly in the area of eating.  This doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is to me.  I eat for fun, not for life which is okay sometimes, but not all the time.  Just because I WANT a BigMac vs the ham sandwich I brought doesn't mean I should run out and get it.
3.  Priorities - I can pray all day about a deeper relationship with God, but it's just not going to happen unless I prioritize a quiet time with Him.  Reading a few verses before I go to sleep isn't cutting it.  He's right there waiting for me to make the first move.   

There are other areas, but I'm going to stop at three because I think these three will result in major growth for me.  Next Wednesday starts the adult classes in conjunction with the children's classes and I am so excited and expectant to apply those lessons to my life.