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AVBSWGG 2022….if you know, you know, and if you don’t, you will ….<3

Hi all! 

We took a quick few days in Florida with the Band of Brothers and Miss Thing and their parents and some good friends. It was fast and furious, sandy and fun and we loved every second of it. 

But as we were driving along Highway 98 from the airport, I saw a couple of churches were having VBS and I was reminded abruptly that I failed to do one this summer and that just can’t be.

I know at least one reader is saying Yippee skippee to the Lord and she knows who she is, so we are squeaking a little end of summer VBS in. 

If you are a new reader, I loved VBS as a child and helping as an adult.

So each summer for several years I have held a little week long VBS for those of you who show up here regularly.

We have a short lesson and a suggested activity, a recipe for a snack that you have to make yourself.

You can come up with your own craft since glue and glitter were the one drawback of this lovely time once you become an adult. Then we can all have a nice nap afterwards because that is really the beauty of VBS week…it wears everyone out nicely <3

Since I am putting this together quickly, I decided to use the obvious thing that has landed in my lap recently. Our church will be doing a study of spiritual disciplines and that is one of my favorite subjects that I taught over the years of Sunday school and evening classes at our church. 

I have a big old binder already prepared and it is literally sitting in my lap as I type so here we go…welcome to AVBSWGG….

Adult VBS without the Glitter & Glue  2022

My first introduction to Spiritual Disciplines was when I read The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster many long years ago. The way I always introduced any teaching of the series we are about to embark on was to say that I read the book, loved it, marked it up and then set it aside. Several years later I rediscovered it and went to read it and realized that many of the disciplines had sunken deep into me. 

I was doing things that I had read about and unconsciously had begun to apply in my daily devotional life AND in my walk with God each day. It stunned me to be able to track that many of the ways I had grown were directly related to things I learned and applied from the book. 

Later I discovered another fan of Richard Foster – Donald S. Whitney – who wrote Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. I read and studied his book as well, which is really and expansion of the one by Foster. 

So for your lesson today, here is a list of what the practice of the spiritual disciplines used by people of faith over the years are supposed to accomplish in our lives.

They are:

  • Practices that call us into deeper living
  • Practices that call us beyond the shallowness of the physical world
  • Practices that provide liberation from the prison of self-interest and fear
  • Practices that promote spiritual growth
  • Method of placing ourselves in the channels that seek communion with Christ – His grace flows to us and we are changed

They are not:

  • Will power
  • Law
  • Bondage
  • The sole possession of “super Christians”

The spiritual disciplines that are listed in both books are not exclusive, but are characteristic practices of both people in Scripture and people who have lived and walked in faith over the centuries. 

They include the obvious: prayer, fasting, scripture study and meditation, praise and service. But added to these are others such as: simplicity, confession, guidance, silence and solitude, and celebration. 

I am looking forward to exploring some of these with you this week, but now it is time for your snack. 

Here is a recipe we have discovered that is just a fun indulgence when something sweet sounds good but it’s too late in the evening to bake cookies:

60 Second Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie 

1 TBSP melted butter or coconut oil (I use butter)

1 TBSP granulated sugar

1 TBSP brown sugar

Pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup flour

2 TBSP mini or regular size chocolate chips

Very lightly coat the inside of a 6 or 8 oz mug with small amount of cooking spray, butter or oil. Mix all but flour and chocolate chips in mug first, then gradually stir in flour and add cc’s. 

Microwave one minute at 80% power (1000 W microwave/adjust if necessary) til the top looks yellow and maybe slightly undercooked. Press top gently and if it springs back, it’s perfect. Don’t overcook. 

Serve warm and yes, ice cream is a definite option to add <3 

*Note – she says if you are making two, you can whisk the whole egg and divide between the two cups. About 1 TBSP of egg per cup. 

Mels Kitchen Cafe – website here —>https://www.melskitchencafe.com/60-second-chocolate-chip-mug-cookie/

Suggested Activity:

If you have not journaled (written out) your prayers in a long time, take some notebook paper or your journal and your Bible outside and sit for awhile. Quiet your heart and ask God to guide and lead your prayers as you write what is on your heart. Don’t overthink. Just write. You can destroy the paper afterwards if you feel you wrote too much, or keep and look back on in the future. Be open and converse in print with God <3

Now you are free to nap or make a craft if that’s your thing…and please clean up after yourself.

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow <3

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