‘Buggy!’ we screamed as we drove the country roads of
Lancaster County. It started as us thinking this is a rare sighting and we got
excited each time…however as the week went on we realised that there are plenty
of Buggy’s as we drive around ‘Amish Country’. In fact, our new Amish friend,
Levi, let us know that there are 30,000 Amish people living in Lancaster county
alone. We learnt about the roots of the Amish and the mennite church, plus the
fact that each Bishop says what’s ok and what is not…so with there being so
many rules even the Amish get confused.
The sceneries are beautiful with the greenery, hills and
farm land. We got to see thousands of white geese come in for the ONE weekend
that they stop by on their way to Canada. The sea of white was stunning and the
many other tourists thought so too. It looked just like Narnia when they rowed
their boat through the flowers to get to the ends of the earth to see Aslan’s
country.
My birthday was full of fun adventures and good food. I got to
see my friend Bonnie who used to be at We Will Go and meet many new friends at
the church, who gave me thoughtful gifts and sang to me as they presented me
with the largest chocolate cake I have ever seen!
I got to sit many times and reflect on my Lord’s beauty. He
whispered to me many times His love for me, while I realise even more that I
don’t deserve it. At best I am like a dirty rag…yet He calls me lovely.
Even though I knew I was to go to Pennsylvania, I still
asked Him many times, why am I here? Why have you brought me on this trip? He said
two things, to stretch me and to show me how much He loves me.
That he did...
‘The thief comes only
to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to
the full’ John 10:10
Having life to the full looks like what? Some may say
happiness, and that most people are in the pursuit of happiness. Some may say
being successful, going for full education and getting a good job. Some may say
knowing God and following His ways.
God showed me that having life to the full
is this -
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I
am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears
all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8 Love never ends. As for
prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for
knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass
away. 11 When I was a
child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I
shall know fully, even as I have been
fully known.
1 Corinthians 13
Love is the key to full life…His love. He has a covenant
with His children. His covenant makes us priests, His child, His bride, whole
and perfected.
I pray that I never run dry, I stay full as I live this life on this earth. That as I work with the kids, visitors, our neighbours, minister in the clubs and barista in the coffee shop, I would flow out of His love for me. May I live life to the full.
