Puzzle me this

Why is it that I love to do puzzles but never start one until Brenda puts it on the table?  This one took us a few hours and we got to share the fun with good friends the other night.  So when Brenda and i were shopping yesterday, we bought another Christmassy puzzle. If you love puzzles too, call and you can work on another one with us. But don't wait, as soon as I open the box it will suck me in and I will have to complete it NOW!

Ready or Not...

In my childhood my friends and I would often enjoy a good game of Hide and Seek.  Almost everyone has either played the game or at least has a pretty good understanding of how the game works; probably because the name sort of spells it out for you.  The person who was seeking had to close/cover their eyes and count to a predetermined number. The hiders would take that time to find a good spot where they hoped they would never be found. Then after reaching that number the seeker would call out, “Ready or not, here I come!” Then you found out how good that spot really was.

I’ve been thinking about that warning lately, “ready or not…”, and how it relates to Christmas.  Of course December 25^th will come whether I have completed my shopping or not, whether the tree is up or not,  whether “the stockings are hung by the chimney with care” or not, whether I have “visions of sugar plums” dancing or not… you get the idea, Christmas is coming, “ready or not.”

That is both comforting and alarming at the same time. Comforting, because I cannot steal Christmas no matter how grinch-ly I may be, and still alarming because Christmas will not wait for me to get ready. 

That is why I appreciate marking Advent with my family each year. Advent is a three-fold celebration of the birth of Jesus, his eventual second coming to earth and His continued presence in our lives here and now. During the four weeks leading up to Christmas Day, I am reminded that Christmas is coming because our family lights a candle at our dinner table, reads scripture, sings a carol (to make the dog howl) and prays. It helps us to focus on what Christmas is really all about, a birthday party for Jesus. It’s not my party it’s His.

Advent helps me get ready for a meaningful celebration and it also helps me get ready for Jesus’ second coming by keeping His daily presence in focus as I live my life. You see, just as December 25^th will come whether you are ready or not, Jesus will return whether you are ready or not; whether you believe it or not.

In Revelation 22: 7 & 12 Jesus tells us all, “Remember, I am coming soon! God will bless everyone who pays attention to the message of this book… I am coming soon! And when I come, I will reward everyone for what they have done.”

This is both comforting and alarming at the same time. Comforting that there is more to my existence than this life.  God has a plan for eternity and its a good one!  You and I have the opportunity to share in it because Jesus was born into this world over 2000 years ago; He lived to point us to God and died to make the way for us to go to Him.

It is alarming to think that I could have missed this like so many people have.  I don't want you to miss it so here it is straight up...Christmas is just the beginning.  You not only need to know the God/Man born in a manger but you need to know Him as your personal Savior who died on the cross in your place and for your good. Only then will you be ready for Him to return to usher in eternity.

I want to be ready to celebrate Jesus’ birthday in order to honor Him the best I can. And I want to be ready for His return because what I do now matters for eternity. Be encouraged, it’s not too late for you to get ready; both for Christmas and for Jesus to return. Start now (if you haven’t already) to pay attention to the Bible and live like it matters because, ready or not…

Muchas gracias

40. People who pay attention to my blog
41. Trips to Billings with Brenda and Alex
42. Good hospital visits
43. Vance's auction skills
44. A fresh box of Chai tea
45. Gluten-free brownies
46. Brenda's pizza making skills
47. Being far away from Pittsburgh after the last two games
48. Bring Your Antlers to Church Sunday
49. That Nathan kept his foul smelling, rotting deer skull in a plastic bag
50. So many reasons to celebrate
51. Friends to share Thanksgiving Dinner with
52. Family that will miss us at Thanksgiving Dinner
53. Reserved hotel room
54. New shoes ("Hey, I got my new shoes on and suddenly everything is right!")
55. Ice scraper that really works
56. Advent is coming!
57. Christmas lights on the porch
58. Christmas lists
59. Church family that will share with and encourage one another
60. Community Thanksgiving service

Mom Update

Just an update for everyone and a big thank you for praying. 

 

Mom is out of the hospital and temporarily in a Nursing Home while arrangements are being made for some type of home health care.  She needs someone to be sure she is getting regular meals and her meds each day.    The Dr. told her that there was no need for radiation or chemo therapy on her hip. I guess it was not as bad as the original diagnosis seemed.  I can't say for sure, but I am inclined to thank God for making that so. Thank you for your prayers and as God leads you would you please continue to pray for all the details of home care to come together.  Also, pray for my sister Cindy and brother Russie who are handling everything on site.  It is an extra load on them and they need God's wisdom and strength.

 

It is so good to have family in Christ!

A Fragile Heritage

I will continue my thanksgiving list in a little bit, but I have been moved during my scripture reading the last few days and had to take a moment to put it down.  I am reading in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 32-33 today) and was struck by how scripture records the kings of Judah. Just going back a few chapters you have Uzziah in ch. 26; "He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord." Until pride settles in and he messes up bad and the Lord gives him leprosy the rest of his life. Then after 52 years as king he dies and Jotham his son takes over and "he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done."  It does mention that unlike him Jotham didn't do the pride thing. So for 16 years he reigned and then his son Ahaz became king. And right from the start it says, "unlike his father...he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord." And not just a little, he worshipped other gods and even sacrificed his children in the fire to Baal. And I thought WHOA! how did that happen?  You have over 60 years of mostly positive examples of following God Ahaz, and when you take over you go off the deep end! Didn't you learn anything from your father? But it continues, because after Ahaz ruled for 16 years he dies and his son Hezekiah takes over as king, and thankfully, "he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord." He cleaned up his father's mess and there are four chapters covering the 29 years he followed God. There was one brief mention of pride messing him up, but he repented and God forgave him. So I thought, OK we are back on track.  There were 60 years of following God, a 16 year blip of massive failure, but 29 more years of the blessings that come from following God.  When Manasseh died his son Amon takes over and for the two years of his reign it says, "he did evil in the eyes of the Lord."

Seeing this pattern is frightening as a father.  Obviously making right decisions to follow God doesn't just rub off on your kids. I know God has given us all a free will so we can choose for ourselves whether to follow Him or not, and that is a good thing. But how difficult is it to set your kids up to make good decisions in their lives? Especially when I have messed up myself throughout my life?  Is a Godly heritage that fragile?  It drives me to my knees to pray that I will hand off the Faith well to my son.  I praise God that my daughters seem to have it - but I still pray for them realizing that Ahaz and Amon (the "A" names are simply a coincidence, right?) were in their early 20's when they started down the wrong path.  I guess that is the answer, do all you can to live a Godly life as an example and then PRAY LIKE CRAZY, trusting God to make the difference.

Alex just started his day at school.  I gotta go pray now.

First WY Buck!

I am very thankful for the privilege to hunt with such good friends and that God allowed me to take one of His beautiful creatures.  We found him lying down which only goes to prove that sometimes its better to be lucky than good!  Looking back I had a great hunting season - even the dragging him out part!

Still Thankful...

21. cloudless blue skies
22. tires with air in them
23. Brenda coming home
24. hugs and kisses
25. friends to hunt deer with
26. friends who help you process your deer
27. a full freezer
28. dogs that love bones
29. haircuts
30. hot tea in a cold office
31. gluten-free cookies
32. being able to help people in need
33. my God who "upholds all those who fall and lifts us all who are bowed down"
34.who God is and what He does from Psalm 145 (I could have just started listing, but I would be accused of padding my thankful list!)
35. noisemakers in worship service
36. friends who pray for me (& my Mom)
37. a God who answers prayers
38. my Mom's faith
39. my brothers and sisters
40. airlines at Christmas

Late Start

OK - I am getting a late start but I figure its better late than never... so here goes!

I am thankful - VERY thankful for...
1.  A wife who is thankful to be mine
2.  Daughters who love me and achieved all three goals!
3.  A son who is growing into a responsible young adult who loves the Lord and loves me too!
4.  Blogs that allow me to see pictures and read about their lives
5.  A God who loves me more than all of them combined (that is a LOT!)
6.  Indian Summer (read not cold while I hunt)
7.  A beautiful place to be hunting
8.  Good friends who don't make fun of me while I am hunting
9.  A freezer that is full enough that it doesn't matter if I shoot a deer or not (no pressure!)
10. Gluten free cookies
11. Gluten free chocolate cake
12. A cup of hot tea to go with them
13. Candy left from Halloween
14. No trick-or-treaters so there was plenty of # 12
15. Colored pencils to help organize my sermon
16. Psalm 145:8-9 The Lord is gracious...
17. And compassionate...
18. Slow to anger...
19. And rich in love...
20. The Lord is good to ALL; He has compassion on all He has made. 

Just thinking...

I am thinking about a verse from Psalms that I just heard again. Psalm 19:14 “Lord, may the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in your eyes. You are my Rock and my Redeemer.” So I’m thinking about this and my mind gets stuck. 

WARNING: if you start to THINK about God’s Word, your mind will often get stuck.

How do you do this? Is it even possible for all of my speech and all of my thoughts to be pleasing to God?  As I take inventory of recent words and thoughts, I’m guessing I haven’t been exactly stellar. Oh, I have learned how to bite my tongue so that words I am thinking aren’t spoken in public but does it count if I just mutter under my breath?  And the thoughts…the idea of a mind reader scares me to death! But God knows my thoughts; “For the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.” (1 Chron. 28:9)

I can never live up to that standard. What a depressing thought!

But then the Psalmist adds, “You are my Rock and my Redeemer.” So what does that have to do with this?

Well the idea of Jesus as my Rock speaks of a firm foundation on which to stand.  Perhaps some of my wayward words and thoughts are a result of not standing firm in Christ. Can my relationship with Christ help me grow beyond some of my inappropriate words and thoughts?

I know I have fallen off rocks before - literally and spiritually speaking. So the thought of Jesus as my Redeemer is awesome! Even when I do fail, Jesus is my Redeemer, taking my ugly sin away and cleansing the stain it leaves behind.

I need to seek to please God in every area of my life even knowing I can’t do it myself. Then, my relationship with Jesus can both improve my speech/thought life AND redeem it when (not if) I fail.

Sometimes getting stuck isn't so bad afterall...

Loving like I am loved

Are You Lonely??? by Bound4Heaven†Saved†By†Grace on Polyvore.com

God has been speaking to me about loving like I have been loved...that is so huge it is overwhelming.   There are so many people in this world - so many right here in WY - too many right here in Greybull - that need to know they are loved by God and His plan is that I would SHOW them that He loves them.  I know that all I'm supposed to need is a confident assurance that I am loved by God and the faith to live like it, but that is hard to do.  So I pray that He will complete the work He has begun in me; I can't do it myself. Lord, help me to love like I am loved.

Trick or Treat

Just how my mind has been working lately...

Halloween comes at the end of the month and people will spend time and money pretending to be someone – or something – they are not. I am aware of the pagan roots of the holiday and the demonic focus it has taken in our culture for some. But to the pure in heart for the most part it is just something fun to do.

When our daughters were younger “dressing up” was a favorite activity. We had the “dress up box” in the playroom and Brenda and I were often treated to dances and songs and shows that the girls imagined while dressed up like a princess, a pirate, a pumpkin or whatever was the costume of the day. Nothing but good clean fun.

So I am thinking about the heart of the matter and I believe it is the heart that matters. You remember God telling Samuel which of Jesse’s boys to anoint as king of Israel; “I (God) do not look at the things people look at. Man looks at how someone appears on the outside. But I look at what is in the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

And no matter how good the costume, you are never going to fool God about what is in your heart. 1 Kings 22:29-40 tells the story of Ahab trying to hide the fact that he was the King as he went into battle. The intent was to be safe from being singled out for attack. Ahab had a wicked heart and had angered God with his sin. Well, you read the story, but the disguise didn’t work.

Whether it’s for Halloween with the intent to get more candy, or any other day when you dress to impress…Dress up all you like, it doesn’t change what is in your heart. You may trick me, but God knows what is behind the mask.

Oblivious to the Grandeur

This is really a great thought by Del Tackett, check it out for yourself...
http://deltackett.com/2009/09/03/oblivious-to-grandeur/#more-1433
Way too often we are (I should say I am) oblivious to God all around me. Forgive me Lord.

Wise Words

Wise words...

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

Abraham Lincoln

I'm busy, busy, dreadfully busy!

There is a VeggieTales song that goes like this, “I’m busy, busy, dreadfully busy. You’ve no idea what I have to do. Busy, busy, shockingly busy; much, much too busy for you.”

Unfortunately, there are far too many people who relate to that thought way too often; myself included.

In Isaiah 30 God has the prophet pronounce a “woe” on the obstinate nation Israel. “Woe to the obstinate children, declares the Lord, to those who carry out plans that are not mine…” (v.1) The description in the rest of the chapter is not a pretty picture. In verse 15 it says, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, BUT you would have none of it.” This concept is true for us today as well. When we turn from our busy-ness (repent) and quietly rest (trust) in God to care for our needs we will find a safe place that is strong enough to take very good care of us.

BUT…like Israel, we often will have none of it. We are too comfortable taking care of ourselves. We live like taking care of our own needs poorly is better than accepting or worse yet, asking for aid. We can get so busy taking care of ourselves that we have little time to invest in our relationship with God and others. But it is in those relationships that we will find salvation and strength.

In vs. 18 it says, “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you, therefore He will rise up and show you compassion…Blessed are all who wait for Him.”

Amazing isn’t it! God who has infinite responsibilities LONGS to be gracious to you; He is never too busy for you.

“Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Ps. 27:14)

Year One

It is official, we have lived in WY for one year. The extra population hasn't burdened the town's infrastructure too much.

This means, among other things, that I can officially apply for RESIDENT hunting and fishing licenses! Thanks to a very generous and good friend, I will have a rifle of my own to take hunting this fall. Pray the hiking around the mountains doesn't kill me!
(Stay posted for hospital reports)

Alex and I will continue to enjoy the fishing - especially when the only ice is in our drinks!


There have been other adjustments to be made involving weather.






















The bottom line is that I love the people here and, at least I think, they love me, too! Thank you all for a great year. And most of all thank God for bringing me here.


"The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Psalm 16:6

Relationships

Not to be confused with relatives - that is an entirely different subject!

I have been thinking a lot about relationships. I have all sorts of them and I'm afraid I don't think about them enough - you know - sort of take them for granted. I'm sorry.

I listened to one of my favorite songs by The Swift, "Almost There" When you listen to it, picture the father singing to the Prodigal Son.

When I listen to it, I hear my Heavenly Father singing to me - His all-to-often prodigal son. I have broken His heart over and over and He still loves me and wants me back with Him. That is AMAZING!

Too often I KNOW about my relationship with God; I've read the book and know most of the facts about it all. But I don't always think about my relationship with God, how all the stuff that happens every day, and the things I do and say affect my Father. I just hear Him saying,

"You go ahead and do what you "have to do".
I hope and pray you change your mind.
But if you come back, could you remember to bring my heart
I'll stay right here so I'm not hard to find."

I am so very sorry for all the times I have wandered off just not paying attention. And I am so very glad that you are right here and not hard to find. Thank you Father.

You're So Far Away...

OK so I am sitting here looking at pictures of my family on the other side of the continent (not to mention the ones on an entirely different continent...) and there is the song in my head...

"You're so far away, doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore. It would be so fine to see your face at my door. And it doesn't help to know that you're just time away. Long ago I reached for you and there you stood. Holding you again could only do me good. How I wish I could, but you're so far away... "

The sad thing is that I was able to remember almost all of those lyrics. in my head being sung, of course, by Carole King...my mind frightens me sometimes.

But I have so many joys and so much to be thankful for.

Still I miss you all and love you all...just "one more song about movin' along the highway..."

How can you say that?

I was reading the other day and came across these words of King David near the end of his life. 2 Samuel 22:21-26 "The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God. 23 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. 24 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. 25 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness [a] in his sight. 26 "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless,"I read it, stopped and read it again.

Then I said to myself (since I was the only one there) HOW CAN HE SAY THAT? with a fair amount of incredulity. This is the same David who feigned insanity to escape his enemies. This is the same David who, in anger, was on his way to kill Nabal because of his rudeness. This is the same David who got another man's wife pregnant, had her husband murdered to cover up his "indiscretion" and then lied to everyone about it. This is the same David who says, "I have been blameless before Him (God) and have kept myself from sin."? THAT David? How can he say that? How can that be a part of the inspired Word of God?

Well, as I was contemplating it all, some other scriptures came to my mind. There is Isaiah 1:18, "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." And Ps 103:11-12, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." and finally all of Psalm 32 which begins, "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered."

And I saw it. David, later called "a man after God's own heart", could say those things with a straight face because he totally understood how complete God's forgiveness is. David confessed his sins and asked God to forgive him, THEN he ACCEPTED God's forgiveness! He took God at His word! When God forgives HE NEVER BRINGS IT BACK UP - it's GONE!

My problem is I remember how I have failed. I know my sin. And its hard to let go of guilt even after God has declared confessed sin forgiven.

Often if it seems too good to be true, it probably isn't true. But in this case God's forgiveness certainly seems too good to be true - BUT IT IS!

Help me wrap my brain around that one God...

Wid Goose Chase

I am reading a good book entitled, Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson. (I highly recommend it) One line jumped off the page at me yesterday as I was reading so I just wanted to put it out there for you to think about it too. "One of the greatest dangers we face spiritually is learning how and forgetting why."

I am reminded that the journey is more important than the destination and that just going through the motions of our spiritual life - no matter how well we are able to do that - is empty without a meaningful relationship with our God.

So when we speak, sing, pray, act, etc. if we are merely repeating what we have become accustomed to and have perhaps even gotten good at, all we have is empty ritual. So it is good to allow the Holy Spirit to shake up our lives a bit so we rely more on WHY we worship, pray, love, etc. like we do than HOW we do those things.

Anyway, it makes me think...(ouch - my head hurts!)

Whose Story is This

To understand what I am about to write you must first accept the premise that we all are living our "story" every moment of every day. I also begin with the understanding that all of history is God's story. Today's thought clarified and reinforced my understanding of "story" (that's a good thing)

During my scripture reading for the day I did something I don't normally do. (Perhaps I will begin from here on out.) I read the introduction to the books of 1 & 2 Samuel in my copy of the Message paraphrase of scripture. In it I read the following,

"The biblical way is not so much to present us with a moral code and tell us "Live up to this"; nor is it to set out a system of doctrine and say, "Think like this and you will live well." The biblical way is to tell a story and invite us, "Live into this. This is what it looks like to be human; this is what is involved in entering and maturing as human beings." We do violence to the biblical revelation when we "use" it for what we can get out of it or what we think will provide color and spice to our otherwise bland lives."

Then the sentence that started the red crayon underlining,

"In the reading, (of the Bible) as we submit our lives to what we read, we find that we are not being led to see God in our stories (even though He is) but to see our stories in God's." (parenthesis mine)

God's story is bigger than any of our stories, especially mine. It is in His story's context and plot that I fit in. If all I have is MY story, not only is it bland, but it is downright depressing sometimes. But when I see that I am a supporting actor, in the story just to point to and highlight the STAR, making HIS grace and HIS love and HIS power and HIS goals more glorious, well, that makes much more sense and is much more fulfilling for me.

Thanks for wading through my rambling thoughts. (Its good to have proof that I have some every now and then) If nothing else, it has been a good reminder for me.

Peter Peter Won Tree

I am encouraged by a passage of scripture that I read while traveling last weekend. Sitting for 6 hours in the Denver airport gives you extra reading time (as well as a stiff neck). While there I read 2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” The phrase “has given us everything we need” jumped off the page at me. Of course when asked, I would know that God is Jehovah Jireh – my provider. But often I find myself living as if I were the only one I could count on to meet my needs. God was just nudging me a little to remind me that not only am I NOT the only one; but my best efforts are pitiful compared to what He desires and is able to give to me.

Plus, it's not like God is holding back. It doesn't say He WILL, it says He HAS given us everything we need. So why don't I see that all the time? Probably the same reason I don't "see" Jesus with me all the time. FOCUS. OK - there is plenty more for me to work on in this godly life I am trying to live. But my work is to focus on Him - He has given me everything I need for a godly life.

Then this week I came back to this verse just because I am a slow processor, much like my computer. I was further reminded of the reason God so graciously gives me “everything I need for a godly life.” I don’t deserve such blessing and I cannot earn it in any way. I have these things for no other reason than that I know him. Remember the T-shirts. “I’m with him -->”? It’s just like that; nothing more.

Now that I am reminded, I am left to ponder the question, what will it look like to live like that is true?

Increasing Sensitivity

The more I read and hear the more sensitive I am becoming to the spiritual climate in our nation and world. This is far more frightening to me than "global warming." There is a moral crisis in our nation and our world. Every believer in God needs to get serious about prayer and more.

Planned Parenthood's annual report for 2007-08 shows it claimed the lives of more than 300,000 pre-born babies — and referred fewer than 5,000 women to adoption agencies. The abortion giant generated more than $1 billion in the most recent fiscal year — including about $350,000 in taxpayer money. We are paying money to kill ourselves.

We need to pray A LOT! This one moral issue (I hope to address more in the future) has been treated as a legislative issue and people who believe in the sanctity of life have been losing on that front.

Look at what our government has done regarding sanctity of life in just the last few months:

• Rescinded the "Mexico City policy" and authorized your tax dollars to fund international groups that are promoting abortion around the world.
• Begun the process of eliminating the "conscience clause" that protects doctors and nurses from being forced to take part in the crime of abortion.
• Expanded human experimentation by increasing federal funding of destructive embryonic stem cell research.
• Renewed funding for UNFPA – the United Nations group that helped China carry out its "one child" policy of forced sterilization and forced abortions.
• Promised to sign the "Freedom of Choice" Act - which, if it ever were to reach his desk, would undo every pro-life law in all fifty states.

Pray with me. It is obvious that killing innocent children will not be illegal in our nation so we need to pray for people to begin to see it as immoral. We need to pray for a change of heart in young mothers and fathers. We need to pray that God will give us opportunity to show HIS compassion in our lives – Lord, send someone across my path that needs to see your love in action and give me the courage to act on your behalf to save a life.

It may mean beginning relationships with neighbors who may be facing the question of abortion and counseling and supporting them (spiritually, emotionally, financially and physically) to choose life. We may not be able to influence high political powers, but we can make a difference one person at a time by being active in personal relationships right where we live.

Pray with me for wisdom, courage and opportunity. The National Day of Prayer is coming up and I don't think we should wait even a couple weeks to get started. As Abraham Lincoln said, "It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."

HAPPY EASTER!

May the truth of a risen Savior add a new, brighter perspective to your life. There is more to life than the here and now.

The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!

Absurd

OK its been a long time but here I am again to post on April Fools Day - sounds ominous and slightly insulting.

I just read a quote this week by Voltaire - "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." It was from the Truth Project study we are doing and relates to political powers. I am challenged to be more informed and active in the political process so I spent the morning praying for and emailing members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. It's a start.

Only a fool for Christ!