ANTICIPATION!!!

I am so excited.....Elizabeth and Jason are coming! After 13 months away, they are coming home!! We have been getting ready for their coming....buying their favorite foods, cleaning the house, getting their flight schedules so we can meet them at the airport...Elizabeth arrives Monday morning, and Jason flies in on Thursday. They will be here over Labor Day...how fun to have Elizabeth play the piano at church, be here for our big Labor Day Sunday Church Dinner, and our Manton parade before we take them back on Monday night to the airport in Grand Rapids. We sure are excited!

Shouldn't we be even more excited about the Lord's return...and making preparation for it every day?

Two years ago I gave a devotions to our AWANA T& T group ...just wanted to share it with you..."The EVER READY or NEVER READY Sisters"

Everyone in town heard the announcement, “The Prince is coming!” When the 10 sisters heard the news, they were crazy with excitement. You can’t imagine the hubbub as they scurried around the house getting ready. All of the sisters showered and dressed quickly. Ever-Ready sister No. 1 said, “I’m going to fill my lamp with oil, so I’ll be ready when the Prince arrives!” “Me, too!” Ever-Ready sisters No. 2, 3, 4 and 5. agreed. “Now is the time to be prepared!” “Oh, you girls are such worrywarts,” Never-Ready sister No. 6 said, fussing with her hair. “Who cares about lamp oil? Pass me the hair gel! I must look beautiful for the Prince!” “I have to brush my teeth!” Never-Ready sister No. 7 said, examining her braces. “I have to iron my outfit!” Never-Ready sister No. 8 said, yanking her gown off the hanger. The Never-Ready sisters huddled around the mirror. “We’ll worry about our lamps later!” They smoothed their hair, checked their makeup and dabbed Put-It-Off Potion behind their dainty ears. But the five Ever-Ready sisters filled their lamps with oil, trimmed their wicks and put their lamps by the door. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
Time dragged. Still, the Prince did not show up. The girls became drowsy and dozed off. At midnight someone outside yelled: “The Prince is here! You must come now!” Up sprang the Ever-Ready sisters from their couches. Up leaped the Never-Ready sisters from their lazy-girl chairs. Ever-Ready No. 1 peered through the curtains. “It’s dark out there. I’m glad my lamp is ready to light!” Lickety-split, she and her four savvy sisters grabbed their coats, lit their lamps and stood near the doorstep. As they peered into the darkness, each one hoped to catch a glimpse of the long-awaited Prince. They could hear the music and singing of the procession as it neared their home. “Wait!” Never-Ready No. 6 cried. “I have a mega-problem! I don’t have any oil! My lamp won’t light!” “Our lamps are empty, too!” the others wailed. “Give us some of your oil,” they demanded of their Ever-Ready sisters. Ever-Ready sister No. 1 finally replied: “We’re sorry, but we don’t have a drop of oil to spare. You’ll have to go to the lamp shop and meet us later.” So, the Never-Ready sisters hurried out the back door to buy oil. Meanwhile, the Prince arrived! Of course, the Ever-Ready sisters were ready. They danced in the streets as they followed the Prince to His celebration hall. All of the guests made their way into a large building, and once every person was in, the Prince closed the doors tightly. He locked them, too. Oh, how happy the five, wise Ever-Ready sisters were that they had taken time to fill their lamps! Now they could enjoy the heavenly festivities. Meanwhile, the five Never-Ready sisters collapsed at the doors. The sisters had managed the hike in record time but were a sight to see—runny makeup, melted hair and stained gowns. Not only that, they smelled of sour perfume!
“Open up!” they cried, pounding on the door. “We’re ready now!” A small window opened, and the Prince looked down at the girls. “I don’t know you,” He said sternly and shut the tiny window. The Never-Ready sisters shivered in the darkness. “If only we had prepared ourselves while we had the chance,” they sobbed. “Now we’ll never be with the Prince or join His celebration!”
Wonder what this parable has to do with your life? It’s not about having the right batteries in your flashlight, that’s for sure. This parable is about Jesus, the Prince. The Bible promises He WILL come back and take all of His followers to a heavenly celebration. What would you do today, if you knew Jesus would return tomorrow? (This story is from Matthew 25:1-13)