inspiration

THE REGION CELEBRATES

/ joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

The holidays are upon us, and with the holidays comes holiday preparations and celebrations! Our region is becoming more and more like a Hallmark movie every year.

Gardner is hosting a special Thanksgiving market this coming Saturday. I think I shall have to go and take a peek.

Meanwhile Winchendon is hosting its annual Festival of Lights on December 7th. Here is a list of all the events happening.

Don’t Miss The Festival of Lights: Saturday 12/7! 🎄✨🌟

🎅 Kick off your holiday season with a day full of family fun and festive cheer! Here’s what we have planned for you:

📸 Pictures with Santa by Rustic Lens Photography:

⏰ 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM & 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

🍳 Breakfast with Santa:

⏰ 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

💰 Suggested donation: $8 per person

🖼 Holiday Craft Fair:

⏰️ 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

💰Come support local vendors

🍪 Gingerbread Man Decorating:

⏰ 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

💰 $8 per kit

GNOME PAINTING

⏰ 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

💰 $8 per gnome

📜 Letters to Santa:

⏰ 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

💰 $10 per kit

🎄 Tree Lighting at Grout Park:

⏰ 5:00 PM

📍 (The park with the big metal bicycle near the bike path!)

🎅 Mr. & Mrs. Claus Appearance:

⏰ 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

📖 “The Night Before Christmas” Reading:

⏰ 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📍 Old Murdock Senior Center

🎤 Caroling at Grout Park:

⏰ With Mr. & Mrs. Claus

Also on December 7th is……..

Yippeee! I love the cookie crawl.

WHAT FUN THINGS DOES YOUR TOWN DO FOR CHRISTMAS?

STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTION

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As I was heading into church on Sunday, the Lord was speaking to me about effectiveness.

Here is what I am sensing in my spirit about effectiveness in the journey ahead:

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Effectiveness will flow out of the strength of our connection to God in the days ahead. All of our natural ability, talent and giftedness will not be enough to meet the crises of the coming days. The mission God has for us will require His supernatural power and glory and that can only come through the health of our personal and community’s relationship with Him.

Salvation itself only requires the beginning of a connection with God through Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

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This is entry level faith. But kingdom effectiveness will be determined by the strength of our connection to God.

If we focus on our programs and methodology, our talents and our human abilities all we will accomplish is a striving after wind and burnout. We will never accomplish God’s great plan for our personal lives, our family lives, our church or community.

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If we focus on the strength of our relationship with God, though, then all of God’s plans will flow through that relationship into our programs, plans, talents and abilities and then out through those supernaturally empowered conduits to accomplish His divine purpose.

WHERE WE PUT OUR FOCUS IS UP TO US.

DRY

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One of the reasons that the leaves here in New England were so brilliant this year was because we have been cool and dry. We are currently in a level 3 drought here in Winchendon MA which means we are in critical drought. We are also in a severe fire threat. With 518 fires in the state having burned 1500 acres so far, outdoor burning of yard waste has been banned through January 15th here in MA.

That means here in the forest garden my growing pile of brush is not going anywhere at the moment. It’s Ok. I am still putting plastic on the windows inside just now. I don’t really have time for a fire in the fire pit.

URGENCY

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The morning broke cold today. The chicken’s water had turned to ice and the world was colored with frost.

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When I started sabbatical the autumn was in full swing. The nights were cool but not cold and the days were warm. I felt like I had some time to batten down the hatches for winter.

A month later and I realize my time to batten is running out. There is an urgency now to the work of getting ready for the long dark to come.

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I feel the same urgency in the spirit. I have come back to my regular church life feeling like things have changed. We must finish with our preparations quickly and be ready for a season of powerful, prophetic, good news ministry. I feel like our greater community is in need of prophetic good news.

I was going to wait until the turn of the year to begin meeting with our DLT (Doing life Together) groups to listen to what God had showed them through our sabbatical month of prayer. I know now there isn’t time for that.

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I have begun meeting with the groups this week. Here is one of the words that I have gathered.

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 God says, “I am on the move. Will you trust me for my move?… my way? I have a great plan for my family. Cling to hope. It will not look the way you think it should but I am doing a great work. Cling to hope. I am on the move!”