Hello, Mini-Women, AKA GIA Agents. You are the BEST, waiting so patiently for your first assignment. I got sick -- then I had to go out of town -- then I was delayed getting back. Sheesh -- life sure gets in the way sometimes. You did great while all that was going on, and I want to thank Miss Crystal for keeping you updated. For those of you who don't know, Miss Crystal is a trusted friend of mine who also watches over you for safety reasons and prays for you. When I'm away, I will sometimes ask her to post comments to give you information you need. She's a wonderful lady and we're blessed to have her with us on Tween You and Me.
A lot happened while I was away from you, so let me see if I can recap. I'm counting on you to pray about these, either as petitions (asking God for stuff) or thanksgiving.
MENE's successful surgery.
JOSIE's uncle's baptism.
GRACE ANNE's dance decision.
EMMA's mom's job situation
The family of MARY's church friend who are trying to cope with the lady's death.
JOSIE"s brother
KAT's new prayer life
YOOMIN's big-time busy class at school
The fires in Australia and the riots in Ireland
The misunderstanding between MARY and her teacher
We also want to give a big ol' Tween You and Me welcome to ABIGAIL!! We're so glad you joined us, and I think you're really going to like it here. If you haven't officially welcomed Abigail with a comment, be sure to do that little thing.
Just 2 business items before we get into our assignment
1. The first CONTEST in our Epiphany series will be on January 24 so be sure to be here then!
2. Our BLOG PARTY is on Friday, February 8, so keep checking in for more details.
Okay -- here we go . . . .
GIA AGENT: Mini-Women Division Epiphany Assignment #1
READ: Matthew 2:10-11 Finally the three wise men (the song calls them "kings" but Matthew doesn't say they were) come to the place where the star they've been following stops. They're completely jazzed, and why wouldn't they be? Who knows how long it has taken them to get there from the Far East (we also always assume they were on camels but Matthew doesn't say that either -- they could have walked the whole way for all we know!) It's been a long haul and finally they're there, ready to see this king. Can you even imagine how flabbergasted (don't you love that word?) they were to see that he wasn't in a palace? But it's like they don't even question that. When they enter the house (sounds like Mary and Joseph have moved out of the stable by then), they see Jesus with Mary and they go right to their knees and worship him -- and then they break out the finest gifts money can buy.
CONNECT: So what does this have to do with YOU, a tween girl? Let's see. You already know about Jesus, so it shouldn't be any surprise to you to meet him just about any place. And when you do -- it probably oughta be automatic to say, "I love you! You're everything! Thank you!" And then offer the best we have. Um, but do we? Take a minute to think about where you "saw" Jesus last. Where you felt like he was so there you could feel his presence.
PRAY: If you're like most of us, it might be hard to come up with one of those times. This is where you can use that drawing pad I asked you to have handy. Wait until you have some free time where you won't be interrupted (too much!). Get comfortable with your pad and drawing stuff. Close your eyes and ask God to show you what it feels like or looks like or smells like or sounds like when Jesus is close. You might get anything from "Jesus is there when my dad hugs me and I can feel his whiskers on my cheek and I know I'm loved" to "Jesus is there when it's like the sun breaks through the clouds in my head and I know how to solve a problem or I know just what to say when usually I don't. " Don't think about it for too long or too hard. As soon as something comes to you (and it will!), draw it on your pad however you want to. It doesn't have to look like anything real; it can just be colors or shapes or movement.
TAKE ACTION: Once you've done that, you'll know that Jesus is right there a whole lot more than you realize. That means you're going to want to do what the Wise Men did, and that is offer the best you have. SO -- what are the best gifts you have to offer right now? Your sense of humor? Your laughter? Your tender heart? Your way of seeing the practical side of things when all your friends are freaking out? Your quietness when -- again -- everybody else is going wacko? Take up that drawing pad again and make a creative list of those gifts, either in drawings or in words done in colors.
SHARE: Knowing what those gifts are IS your action for today. Between now and Thursday, when I'll be here with your second assignment (unless there's a flood or something!), look for those times when you "see" Jesus the way you do in your drawing. See if you can offer those gifts at those moments. But mostly, just share with us what the best gifts you have to offer are. See if you can come up with between 3 and 5. It's going to feel like Christmas all over again here on Tween You and Me!
Blessings,
Nancy Rue
Welcome Abigail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Ciara | January 15, 2013 at 07:03 PM
Welcome Abigail!!!!!! Thanks Mrs Rue for the post!
Prayer: Somebody texted a video of my friend and I acting weird and we talked about the boy I like so Somebody told the boy I like and in my coy ops musical I have to say a whole bunch of nice stuff about the boy I like and ya I'm trying not to go into much detail so ya just pray for me pleas!
Posted by: Beth :D Smile God Luvs you!! | January 15, 2013 at 07:17 PM
Welcome, Abigail!!!
Praying!!!
Prayer: I have a Latin quiz tomorrow that I really need to pass. Also, I have a science test coming up and I have to get an A.
Posted by: Grace Anne | January 15, 2013 at 07:28 PM
Welcome, Abigail!
I'm sorry that you were sick, Mrs. Rue... I hope w all of my heart that your trip went well... and I'm sorry for your delay getting back home! I'm definately stoked, though, that we finally got our first assignment!
Praying, everybody!
Well, I can try (even though it's pretty hard for me) to think of 5 things i like about myself and, in this, case, I'm going to start with how easily I seem to cheer up people who are hurting, who are sad, who are angry, frustrated, or just plain miserable with my sense of humor. My awesome mom calls it "comic relief" and says that for me, it's a bad thing, mainly because I can't stand crying. I can't stand pain in generally, so I automatically jump to "comic relief". I'm going to counseling for it. I don't mind the fact that I'm going to counseling, really... it's more the fact that my mom is making me go there for my sense of humor. I could really use some prayer on that one. Alright, my second one is how kind I am. I kind of realized that today when some of my friends told me that it's impossible for me to even fake-bully. It's kind of a good feeling to get that kind of affirmation, you know? Also, my talent of writing. I, literally, could just sit and write and write and write and write and write and write and write and write and write and write all... day... long. And Mrs. Rue, I know this is a little bit out-of-our-way, so if you don't want to or can't it perfectly OK, but could you maybe e-mail me a few writers tips? If you say OK I'll e-mail YOU so you have my e-mail. Anyway, another thing I like about myself is that I'm a very peppy, bouncy, bubbly person who usually gets people who are feeling a little bit lazy or grumpy feeling... up, i guess! :)
Posted by: Cassi | January 15, 2013 at 08:52 PM
Praying!
Posted by: Emma !!! ♫ | January 15, 2013 at 11:10 PM
glad your back Mrs. Rue!!!!
some of the best gifts i have are:
~ my hugs that i like to give (if i'm not mad)
~ I guess my spirt.
~ and i have a little bit of humor.
praying!!!
Posted by: Casey | January 16, 2013 at 07:39 AM
Welcome, Abigail! :)
Posted by: jiska | January 16, 2013 at 10:53 AM
My gifts are:
Hugging strangers at Church
Making cards and gifts for ppl
Helping my friends get through situations- good and bad.
Being a Prayer Warrioress (a girl warrior)
Making and baking things for ppl so they don't hafta do it
Washing the dogs when they just plain stink (at least the one that's smaller- it's perty hard to clean the 100lb-half-as-tall-as-me-without-standing-on-his-hind-legs by myself)
G2G make something for tonight! Bye!!!
Posted by: Amelia | January 16, 2013 at 12:41 PM
my gifts are singing, writing songs, playing the clarinet,giving hugs, and music pretty much in general! welcome abigail!
Posted by: Mary Beth | January 16, 2013 at 02:13 PM
Welcome abigail!!! Praying. !!! Please pray that my mom and us stop being so stressed. . And for a friend who has cancer. She is not. Doing so well! Andbd or r internet to go back on and the other people whos is out because it went out in r area to. Praise about my moms interview. I will let u bknow more later.
Posted by: emma ;) xoxo | January 16, 2013 at 05:58 PM
Okey dokey. My talents are: #1 singing #2 writing songs #3 giving people hugs I LOVE giving people hugs! #4 acting. #5 I'm a peace maker. That's all I could think of. TTYL Praying!!
Posted by: Beth:D Smile cuz God loves you!! | January 16, 2013 at 06:51 PM
Umm, wow, me and beth:D smile cuz God loves you have a lot in common. In the next few years I will be on my worship for my church, so , singing and playing piano,hugs,I like to help people feel better, so ecoragement( speaking of, I hope you do well on your tests! Latin sound like fun)
and, yeah.
Posted by: AnnaRachael | January 16, 2013 at 07:09 PM
@AnnaRachel :D and you don't have to write out my whole name Beth is fine.
Praying everyone!!
Posted by: Beth:D Smile cuz God loves you!! | January 17, 2013 at 08:20 AM
Praying!:)
Posted by: Emma !!! ♫ | January 17, 2013 at 12:39 PM
Praise! I had a really great day in school! but please pray i did not fail my scince test and sign languge test ( i dont kno what i got yet?:))
Posted by: Emma !!! ♫ | January 17, 2013 at 12:41 PM
oh and thank you all for praying!!!!
Posted by: Emma !!! ♫ | January 17, 2013 at 12:41 PM
will be praying!
♫~Josie~♫
I like that music note Emma!
Posted by: Josie | January 17, 2013 at 02:53 PM
Hey girls, I wanted to know if you could please pray for my Grandpa as he had a tumor and they will find out on Wednesday or Thursday next week if it is cancer. Please pray that it wont be cancer. For both he and my grandma are taking turns going to the hospital for different reasons:(
Your prayers would mean a lot to me and my family.
~Josie~
Posted by: Josie | January 17, 2013 at 03:38 PM
Praying Josie and everyone! thanks :) Please ray fr my family . my siste is sick again and we r uposed to go to a fair tomarrow! thanks for praying so much!
Posted by: Emma !!! ♫ | January 17, 2013 at 06:53 PM
Thank you, everybody, for all your kind comments/welcomes... and explaining the toolkit ;). Sorry... I'm sort of posting late... but here's what I can do:
- Be an optimist (though in a really ridiculous way)
- Care for others when they are sick
- Think up creative ideas for projects or something
- Write. Write anything! (I love to write too, Cassi!!!)
Posted by: Abigail | January 18, 2013 at 12:45 AM