Contrast!

As I was running last week I was thinking of contrast. The contrast of where I had been and where I was. Running in the crisp fall air along a paved road with the frost lightly covering the fall leaves. Rather than a dusty, pot hole filled road shared with cows, dogs, vehicles belching copious amounts of exhaust into the hot dry air. I passed houses filled with partiers celebrating the season with their polished vehicles sitting in the road. Mud brick houses with chickens feeding in the yard and goats sharing the living room.

People bustling about making last minute purchases, angrily talking on their cell phones, grumbling about the lines, wearing the most amazing frowns possible, and speaking of “Happy Holiday’s” and “Seasons Greetings”. Common people eagerly streaming to the town center, smiling with a joy that comes from the heart, and anxiously waiting in long lines to receive their ONLY gift of CHRISTMAS. However, the love of God is to all these people, “For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten SON, that whosoever should believe in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 Those who had so little had the joy of the Lord. What true gratefulness they exhibited. We get caught up in the moment and season and lose the true reason for the season. The reason for EVERY season, Jesus. “For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel." Luke 2:30-32 The contrast of a loving savior who came to this earth to save us from our filthy sin. He is a bright and shinning light in the darkness. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes round about and see; they all gather together, they come to you your sons will come from afar, and your daughters will be carried in the arms. Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you.” Isaiah 60:1-5 May we always celebrate Jesus birth, death, resurrection, and victory over the grave.

Merry CHRISTmas!

Life!

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives." Proverbs 11:30

Speed Shoot in the Square!

Thoughts To Ponder On

Week in Review

Can you say JamCramPacked week? Well that was last week for me. Loads of fun and iron sharpening iron moments, mixed with family, and laughs, and work, and a LITTLE sleep. :) Here is a brief run through of the past 7 days.

Sunday | Today was the Fall BBQ at church. We had a blast hanging out and eating our non-bbq sandwiches we brought. The cost of our entire family eating the catered meal just does not make since anymore. After lunch and a few photos I headed off to the Ultimate Frisbee field with John and Joseph. I was privileged to be on a great team that worked together well. All in all it was an energizing afternoon. Back home we finished the laundry from Family Camp, more on that later, and put the last few items away from the trip.



Pictures from the BBQ: Click Here

For a pictorial review of Family Camp you can preview my sisters pictures Sara's, or Anna's. Both have amazing pictures that truly captured the heart and emotion of the week.

Elizabeth's Pictures: Click Here
Sara's Pictures: Click Here
Anna's Pictures: Click Here

Monday | Came home to a lot of work on short deadlines. But that was ok. Why, because it involved some graphics work. :) I am always up for graphics. I got everything done and ready to send to the printer first thing Monday!

Tonight we welcomed a new family to our ALERT Cadet unit. The Speeds recently moved up here from Texas. We are so glad they are here and apart of our unit. They bring a wealth of ideas from their unit as well as a lot of great fellowship! Tonight the devotion was on sharing your personal testimony. They guys heard a practical example from CFC John Shoemaker.

John did a great job sharing his testimony in a practical way. Each of the guys had an opportunity to practice being ready in season and out by sharing their testimony's with one another.

More pictures from our Cadet meeting: Click Here

Tuesday | Today was a great day just being home with the family. There is nothing better than family. As Evidenced below... :)

Wednesday | Yesterday while Julie was in dentist office she was flipping through a Tulsa catalog and came across and add for the "Presidents Own USMC Band". It was a free concert at the PAC downtown. So bright and early this evening we headed down to see if we could scrounge any spare tickets off anyone. We had our handy sign in hand that mom had made. There was great debate as to the wording of the sign, "Would rather be given tickets than steal", "Will smile for tickets", and much more. We finally ended up with a lame "looking for 9 tickets". :) Turned out they had a few turned in at the ticket office and we were able to get enough for us and another family that decided to come spur of the evening. Awe inspiring is about the only way to explain it. They opened with the National Anthem and then followed it with a rousing program. In the end they closed it by singing God Bless America. It was encouraging to hear all 2,000 people filling the PAC this evening to sing at the to of their lungs entreating God's blessing on this country.

Thursday | Another day filled with family fun and busyness around the house.

Friday | Final home game color guard for the NOAH homeschool football game. The guys in the color guard did a fabulous job. And the guys on the field followed up with a stunning upset victory.

More Color Guard pictures can be found here: Click Here

After the game we headed over to my cousins house for his birthday party. The fellowship was sweet with all the extended family. it just so happened that Dad turned into a pumpkin FIRST! :)

Saturday | This morning Julie left bright and early for Chicago for the Journey to the Heart Conference. She is desiring to go on the South East Asia Trip that Elizabeth went on last year and has to complete this training as a prerequisite. She will be greatly missed even though she is only gone for 10 days. Please keep her and the rest of the team of young ladies in your prayers! Meanwhile, we miss you bug.

To learn more about Journey to the Heart: Click Here

With a short few hours of working on the attic finish out all the kiddo's abandoned the house for Jesse and Jordan's birthday party. All the guys went and played airsoft in the rain. What a blast. We had some really good and very long games. The girls all stayed at the house and played games and watched a movie. We all met back up for dinner at the Morris' house and then played other group games and opened gifts!

I can't take credit for many of these pictures: My camera was passed around a lot. :) Click Here

11.2.2010

The REST of the Story....

People love to quote II Chronicles 7:14 in relation to the direction and Godlessness of our nation. That is just one verse plucked out of 66 God breathed books. If we read a little further we find the following. 

"But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, ²⁰ then I will pluck you up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. ²¹And at this house, which was exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished and say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?' ²²Then they will say, 'Because they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers..." II Chronicles 7:19-22

While this is a grim thought that does not mean we should throw up our arms in defeat and NOT prayer. This should give us a greater passion and desire TO pray FERVENTLY for the direction our country is headed, for it's leaders, church's, and so called "Christians". 

A Matter of the Heart

The Foundation of our Nation

Today and tomorrow Hillsdale Collage is putting on a Constitutional Celebration. We have been listening/watching all day long. Each webcast is so full of rich history and training. Mom has decided that the kids are going to be watching it and doing several reports on it for school these two days. I am sitting here watching this evening totally captivated by each and every speaker.

You can watch online at anytime at this link: http://www.avwebcasting.com/hillsdale/register.php If you have missed out you can simply register, which is free, and pick up the archives.

Happy learning.

A Radical View on Life in This Culture

Proverbs 16:1-4

 The plans of the heart belong to man,
   but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
   but the LORD weighs the spirit.
Commit your work to the LORD,
   and your plans will be established.
The LORD has made everything for its purpose,
   even the wicked for the day of trouble.

The Cry of My Heart

http://thetricklingwaters.blogspot.com/2010/09/life-of-authenticity.html

:)

Thoughts To Ponder On

The words to this song have prompted me to do a lot of evaluating in my life. Evaluating of where I was and where I am now. While at times easy to see growth or decay in my life/relationships and be encouraged.discouraged by it. It is the harder to see, smaller, more seemingly insignificant areas that have alarmed me. It is the results of choices I have made over the past years that have brought me to the point I am at. The point of needing to do some major house cleaning in my heart and life. So from this day forth I will endeavor to keep a closer look at EVERY choice and ensure that it does not lead to decay. To ensure that I am allowing God to work in and through my life. I want to be a, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."  

Be careful little eyes what you see

It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings

Be careful little feet where you go

For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear

When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near

Be careful little lips what you say

For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands

Is shorter than you're thinking

Be careful if you think you stand

You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

Daddies never crumble in a day

Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see

Oh be careful little eyes what you see

For the Father up above is looking down in love

Oh be careful little eyes what you see 

Slow Fade - Casting Crowns

Mr. Nice Guy!

Thanks to livingwaters.com

Happy Independence Day

The Lion and the Lamb.

So we have all heard the Statement: "The Lion shall lie down with the lamb". We have all heard it used by pastors and teachers alike. But where is that verse found in the Bible? Word for word it is not in the Bible. However, there are two verses very similar that I think it has been taken from.

~Isaiah 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

~Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

So while at some friends house I saw the following and thought of that popular saying with a little different take on it. I guess we must be getting closer to the end if we have resorted to the dog and the rabbit. :)

Amos 8:11&12

" Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, " That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it.

AMERICA! Land of who?

'In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.'
Theodore Roosevelt 1907