I will make you smile.

"I love you, but I just can't smile"

is the answer you'd try to give with a straight face.

The question: "Honey, do you love me?"

I remember playing this game when I was in elementary school and my dad was doubling as a Church Pastor and it's Youth Pastor. The idea was not to smile-no matter what the person in the "hotseat" said or did. At the time it was just a fun game where the older kids chose me because they thought, since I was the youngest, I'd be easy pickings. Boy were they wrong--well the girls were, anyways. It wasn't always as easy to hide a blush and hold back a smile while the cute, older boys sat in front of me and flashed a grin my way. It's funny how some things stay with you when you grow older and other things don't.

Tomorrow, the big idea in my kids church lesson is We know that Jesus is Alive and we are playing a version of this game. How do those two things go together?

Well, I'm glad you asked.

The point behind it is that people who are alive can do things that the dead cannot. Some of these things are smiling, laughing, loving, and of course there is breathing. It doesnt matter how many times you say "I love you, but I just can't smile" in this game, eventually you do smile and probably laugh. That smile and laugh is proof that you are absolutely, undeniably alive. Jesus did all of these things and more after he died on the cross. He came back to life, and b/c he came back to life, we can too!

If that doesn't bring a smile to your face, maybe you need to come visit Kids Church tomorrow. Surely my class of lovable, silly kids will make you smile.

In other news:

My bed time last night was 3:50 in the a.m. Why? Well, I got a sudden burst of writing ideas and couldn't fall asleep until all of it was typed. Was it any good? I dont know yet. I've always heard that any idea you get after 1 in the morning is best left undone. So I'm hesitant to read over what I've written. In fact I've been putting it off all morning. Not that I don't honestly have other things to do... Okay so, all of that stuff is done now, and next up on my Must Do List for the day:

~Read over what I sleepily typed.

But here are my favorite ecards, while I continue to stall:

(the color scheme here is by pure coincidence. :)

"When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him." Ecclesiastes 5:4

"A glad heart makes a cheerful face..." Proverbs 15:13

"And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” Genesis 21:6

 



I'm gonna be a fabulous author.

Okay, stop. That's my dream you're laughing at! :) Seriously though, that's the plan. Our program we use at work has been down today so instead of wasting valuable time playing games on my Droid, I've been enjoying my favorite writer's blogs. What a way to make a living, eh? This doesn't happen often @ work, but it's a welcome surprise when it does. Anyways let's get back on topic: About two months ago I got another book idea. I say "another" because I have had a lot of book ideas. The difference is:this idea isn't crappy. I feel like its from God as well. I'm kinda excited about it! I've always loved creative writing. Whether it was for a school assignment or simplifying a Bible story for a kids church lesson. Or even just for fun. When Ive tried writing a novel before I couldn't see how to end it.Really all I could come up with was an opening scene. Or two. Our four. But this time I have likeable characters (well I like them anyways) that are going somewhere, doing something, and meeting God in a new way.The writing has really been flowing out of me. All I can say is it must be God. My prayer throughout this "becoming a fabulous author" process is that anyone I can talk into reading my book(s)will fall for God--if not for the first time then in a new way. I want to be a blessing, an encourager to my readers. Even if "my readers" consists of my parents, family, and friends. I have a large family, so if they are the only ones to read a Jamie Brooke original....I'm fine with that. They already think I'm fabulous anyway. <3 zechariah 4:10....don't despise these small beginnings.....my God delights in the small.